Alert reader Scott Boye of Friday Harbor wanted to make sure we all didn’t forget about the San Juan Island YC Shaw Island Classic on August 8. Seems a perfect Covid 19 race, except the feast afterward won’t happen. I’ve copied the description from the web site where you can register and see who’s registered. This race is an absolute casual hoot. Hopefully we’ll get a report or some pix to share after the fact.
From the web site:
Although the San Juan Island Yacht Club has postponed the 50th Shaw Island Classic Sailboat Race until 2021 (let future club historians figure out why it took us 51 years to celebrate the 50th), we invite you to participate in the special and unique 49 ½ Un-Shaw Island Sailboat Race to be held Saturday, August 8, 2020.
As in the past, the race starts at Friday Harbor, circumnavigating scenic Shaw Island in either direction, and back to Friday Harbor. That is about the only thing that remains the same. Here’s the plan for now. Rather than everyone on the start line at the same time, the race will be a do-it-yourself reverse start. Each boat will be assigned a start time based on their rating and, theoretically, everyone would finish at about the same time. There will be no half-way boat and no shortened course, full race only. This also changes scoring from time-on-time to time-on distance. There will be no race committee boats. The start/finish line will be determined via GPS and visual locators with both the start and finish on the honor system. Sorry, I know everyone cherishes the post-race banter and hearty lasagna dinner, but there will be no dinner served by First Mates at the clubhouse followed by no awards presentation. Finish times and awards will be posted on our website.
For more information contact the SJIYC Race Committee via email: racecommittee@sjiyc.com or by phone 360.317.6442 (PC Jim Corenman) or contact Fleet Captain, Jerry Whitfield via email: fleetcaptain@sjiyc.com .
We hope to see you there! In the meantime, fresh air sailing is just the thing to escape the Covid-19 craziness. So, have some fun on the water and we’ll see you on the start line.
Kurt grew up racing and cruising in the Midwest, and has raced Lasers since the late 1970s. Currently he is a broker at Swiftsure Yachts. He has been Assistant Editor at Sailing Magazine and a short stint as Editor of Northwest Yachting. Through Meadow Point Publishing he handles various marketing duties for smaller local companies. He currently is partners on a C&C 36 which he cruises throughout the Northwest. He’s married to the amazing Abby and is father to Ian and Gabe.