Purple Tier a Green Light for Some (Adjusted) Regattas
With California’s Regional Stay at Home orders lifted and helpful new guidelines from the Yacht Racing Association, regattas can resume. But race organizers are having to make some adjustments to divisions and Sailing Instructions. This is especially complicated as it relates to midwinter series already in progress.
Bay Area Midwinter Regattas
“With the lifting of the stay at home order we are happy to announce that we will resume racing on February 6,” writes Brent Draney, rear commodore of Encinal YC, referring to the Jack Frost Series. “Competitors are required to follow Alameda County health requirements. Under the Purple Tier, outside social gatherings are restricted to no more than three households. It is very likely that Alameda will be in the Purple Tier on February 6.”
The series will increase the number of throwouts after six races to two, and after eight races to three. Two races are planned for each race day. “Currently registered competitors who would like to swap out their boat for a boat that can be sailed under the household restriction can sign up for a single race-day entry at no additional cost,” added Brent.
“We are under the Purple Tier, which only permits single- and doublehanding,” writes Cam Tuttle, race committee volunteer at Tiburon YC. “When we get to the red tier we can host crewed racing. For February 6, we are going to cancel/postpone the official TYC Midwinter race and in lieu of that hold a shorthanded pursuit race that won’t count toward the Midwinter Series. It’ll just be for the fun of it, but will otherwise look like the Midwinter race. Anyone who already registered for the Midwinter series can just show up to race shorthanded — no extra fees. If there is interest from additional competitors, they can sign up for the single race on the 6th or the series. We are doing this in hopes of moving to the Red Tier before the March 6 Midwinter, preserving the divisions and standings. If the shift to red occurs sufficiently before February 20, we might hold a makeup Midwinter that day.”
Tim Prouty at Sausalito YC reports that they plan to run run race #3 of the Chili Midwinters as scheduled on Sunday, February 7.
Debby Ratto at Oakland YC says that their race committee has decided, “We will start racing our Sunday Brunch Races on February 7. The remaining dates are February 21, March 7 and March 21. We will be racing under the Purple Tier rules.”
J/105 Fleet
“The San Francisco J/105 fleet is pleased to continue with our monthly gathering of J/105s for a doublehanded event, no entry fee,” says Bruce Stone. “We had eight teams racing in the Tandem-Baum Regatta on December 10, won by Ne*Ne; and nine racing in the Bittersweet Regatta on January 10, won by Doug Bailey in Akula.
“Now we’re going to meet up on Valentine’s Day, February 14, in front of Golden Gate YC. In each case, we’re scheduled for the day after RegattaPro’s midwinters, so you can race fully crewed on Saturday and then leave your boat rigged, making it easy to hop on board and go out doublehanded on Sunday. Here’s a link to the Notice of Race. The next doublehanded event after this will be on March 14 — Pi Day. We’ll then launch the regular fully crewed season on March 20-21 with the J/Go Regatta, a more upbeat name than J/Stop.” For Bruce’s writeup of the J/105 Bittersweet Regatta, see Racing Sheet in the February issue of Latitude 38, coming out today.
Mercury Fleet
“I am sorry to announce that our final Perry Cup racing, scheduled for February 6, will not be held,” says Jack McAleer of Monterey Peninsula YC. “Although there are some hopeful trends on the COVID scene, Monterey County remains in the Purple Tier, as it was when we canceled in December. With new virus variants appearing, social distancing is as important as ever, and we are doubtful that adequate distancing can be achieved.” MPYC is therefore offering a partial refund of the entry fee.
However, Mercury sailors will want to mark their calendars for February 20-21. Cabrillo Beach Yacht Club in San Pedro and the L.A. Mercury fleet will host their Winter Regatta. Racing will be in the northern end of L.A. Harbor. There will be a get-together at CBYC on Saturday evening. The regatta will count toward the annual C. Paxton Davis Travel Trophy.
Folsom Lake
Folsom Lake YC will kick off their Spring Series on February 20, with four race days planned through March 20. FLYC has decided to hold the Camellia Cup on April 10 as a one-day regatta. with no skippers’ meeting and no post-race party, dinner or raffle. This will allow out-of-towners to return home following sailing on Saturday instead of having to find overnight accommodations. The club plans a virtual skippers’ meeting for the Thursday prior, in order to field any questions. “We are confident that these measures will limit interpersonal contact and anticipate getting all five races in on one day.”
The Singlehanded Sailing Society and the YRA
On January 30, the SSS ran their first race of the season, the Three Bridge Fiasco, for singlehanders only. We anticipate that doublehanders will be allowed back into the fold for the second race in the season, the SSS Island Tour, on February 27 — especially since that race will kick off the Yacht Racing Association’s new four-race Doublehanded Series. The second race in the YRA series will be the SSS Round the Rocks, another Bay tour. The third race will be the YRA North/South Race on May 23, and the fourth will be the YRA Bay Expedition on August 21.
We’re guessing that more schedule updates will cross our desk as the month progresses; also see the Calendar in Latitude 38. We’ll be updating the online version soon after this story posts. For longer-range planning and other racing resources, be sure to see the 2021 Northern California Sailing Calendar and YRA Master Schedule.