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Race Rhumble: A Tale of Two Weeks - How Chester Race Week Reinvented Itself
Jim Snair
Close your eyes race fans and think back to Chester Race Week 2007. On day one we had a buoy race in the Gold fleet, followed by two windward leeward races on day two. On day three the fog closed in and the fleet was offered an opportunity to vote on racing or not going racing. In the end, there was no racing outside for the Gold fleet. Day four followed with an “all conditions” race: fog, light air, driving rain, wind shifts, and 28 knots of breeze from the west at the last upwind mark.
The Gold (PHRF less than 54) and Red (PHRF 57-106) fleets had boats from the Premier Class Association (PCA) along with others scattered over both fleets. Sadly, a large group of the Red fleet was OCS (on course side) in an early race, meaning those PCA boats were effectively out of the series for race week, and their chances of winning the PCA season title diminished.
Fast Forward
In 2008, the PCA along with members of the Chester Yacht Club and race week sponsors decided to work toward reinventing Chester Race Week. Local sailmaker Sandy Macmillan and his good friend Andreas Josenhans put their heads together and rekindled an idea from years gone by: the Audi North Race Week series. The basic theme is to put together a trained team of on-the-water race officials and good courses, and combined with quick results, all participants should have a great time.
The Chester Yacht Club and the Race Committee worked all winter on reinventing, re-jigging and re-tweaking race week. They did so with the idea of making it better for all: sponsors, sailors, volunteers, and the community at large. The committee listened to interested parties and sought advice. They received lots of information and filtered it through a planning process that began the Sunday morning after Race Week 2007.
The Racing
Chester Race Week 2008 started off in a light air westerly with lots of sun. The Gold and Red classes that began the week were rolled into the larger PCA fleet by race three. A big wind shift in race one with the fleet spread out all over a leg of the course gave the Race Committee no chance to modify the course, other than shortening it. I think racers that day were happy when it was over. The wind was on the west side on the upwind leg and the east side on the downwind leg: it was easy to see boats getting gobbled up if they missed the shift.
Day two brought the fleet out in wind, rain and fog. An interesting cross-the-bay race through heavy fog and then downwind in a building breeze to Sheep Ledge. Then it was back across the bay with a few wind shifts along the way to Blandford. Back downwind, zigzagging around or crossing over Coachman Ledge enroute to Sheep Ledge once more for a take down and short buck to the finish. It was a bit of a struggle at the finish for many boats as three committee boats represented two lines and not all the right flags were flying. Nonetheless, it was a well-run race in tough conditions when visibility dropped to a low of 200 yards pre-start.
On our third race day, Friday, the Race Committee organized two races for the PCA class (18 boats rating from 6 - 87 PHRF). The first race was a windward leeward race with an offset mark. I should note the race committee used offsets even for the “big boat” races, which was more work for them, but offered racers a safer race course. Just as the last boat finished the windward leeward race, the Race Committee radioed the fleet advising a second race would be held. And why not, as the weather was great, with a southwest wind around 15 knots. It would be a buoy race comprising of a two-mile beat and about a five-mile run to the finish line in the harbour. I’m sure all of the spectators as well as the sailors enjoyed the colours that late Friday afternoon as 153 boats (across all classes) finished racing just off the club house.
As the Race Committee headed out to the course on Saturday, it was pouring rain and foggy with the wind steady, around 12 knots. Our crew changed from shore clothes into rain gear inside our storage trailer. It was going to be a tough day. As we motored by the Race Committee boat, we heard on the VHF that we would have two races. A windward leeward and a buoy race home, this time with a gybe mark and spinnakers to the finish. “Easy for them,” I thought. “They’re enjoying the comforts of a 55-foot catamaran while we get soggy again.” (By the way, the owner of that cat needs to be thanked for his time and use of his boat. It was one of the most “prem-mo” Race Committee boats I’ve seen in these parts.)
In all, there were six races with varied winds, differing weather and tired crews come late Saturday afternoon, soaking in a light rain, post-race.
The Report Card
It’s a tough thing to write about, comparing race week against race week, but skippers have already been sent an e-mail asking for suggestions to make 2009 even better. The Chester Race Week website has great information, video, photos and more. They had a professional photographer, Tim Wilkes, all over the course. They offered breakfast meetings to learn new tricks. They accommodated requests from sponsors and groups. They listened, they bent over backwards and they achieved. I met new racers who bought boats from as far away as Quebec and New York. In retrospect, it was a group of volunteers who sought professional help and put together one of the best weeks we’ve had in Chester in years. If you didn’t get there in 2008, call me, soon! I’ll try and find you a mooring for 2009. But it won’t be easy, as I expect it’ll be crowded!
Jim Snair is a lifelong racer, the managing owner of Sunnybrook Yachts, and past president of the Atlantic Marine Trades Association.
Chester Race Week 2009 takes place August 12-15. For more information, visit www.chesterraceweek.com.
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