2023 Racer Interest Form

Welcome!

Seattle Sailing Club offers a variety of racing options. Our programs support sailors just finishing their first lesson to those who dream about racing across oceans. Whether you're interested in racing for fun, camaraderie, to learn or compete, our programs are designed to accommodate each sailor's individual goals. Review our Racer’s Guide to Club Racing Programs to help you find the right path for you.

Getting Started (New & Returning Racers)

• Covid vaccinations are required for participation. 
• Tipping your coach is an industry standard. Like sailing instruction, it is industry standard to tip race coaches at least 10% of the cost of the program.
• Review and complete the Racer Release & Indemnity Waiver
• ALL PROGRAMS: Complete a 2023 Racer Interest Form (here)
• Team placement will be announced as stated on this form.
• Skippers: Crew Overboard Recovery with deployed Spinnaker Clinic
  • An instructor will join your team for 1 practice to run through a COB with a deployed spinnaker. Once you are confirmed as a skipper, the Club will reach out to schedule the practice with you.

Recommended Pre-Racing Activities, Clinics, & More - Register Here

• Racing Program Q&A Session (Zoom) - Thursday, February 16th @ 5:30pm
  • If you’re unable to attend, please email your questions to info@seattlesailing.com before the event and we will answer your questions in the seminar. 
  • A recording will be available after the meeting. 
• Introduction to the Race Rules & Tactics - 2/24 & 3/10 6:30pm-8:30pm 
• Introduction to Racing Clinic + Fun Race - 3/12, 3/26 (Recommended for new racers)
• Fun Races
• Safety at Sea Training (recommended for Swiftsure and Round the County)
  • The Sailing Foundation
  • Vic Maui
• ASA 111: Asymmetrical Spinnaker Lesson 

Recommended Reading for All Racers

• The Racing Rules of Sailing 2021-2024 by US Sailing
• Understanding the Racing Rules of Sailing 2021-2024 by Dave Perry
• Navigation Rules & Regulations by USCG

Recommended Equipment for All Racers

• Mustang Survival HIT Inflatable PFD with Harness, re-arm kits avail @ West Marine
• Sailing Gloves
• Knee Pads
• Marine Tool
• Non-slip/non-marking deck shoes
• Tide & Current pocket guide

Racer Experience Levels:

Please use this guide to answer the following 'Racer Experience Level' and '2023 Racer Goal' questions. 

Crew 0 = 0-12 Ballard Cup races

Crew 1 = 1 season (12+ races) of Ballard Cup

Crew 2 = 1-2 seasons of Ballard Cup and sub (6+ races) in CYC Sound Wed.

Crew 3 = 3 seasons of Ballard Cup or 1 season (16-20 races) in CYC Sound Wednesdays

Crew 4 = 4+ seasons of Ballard Cup or 2 seasons of CYC Sound Wed. or 3 coached weekend regattas

Crew 5 = Swiftsure or Round the County

Skipper 1 = 1 season skippering a Member Skippered team (BC or CYC) and/or skipper in 1-2 Member Skippered weekend races. 

Skipper 2 = 2+ seasons skippering Member Skippered team (BC or CYC) and/or 3+ Member Skippered weekend races

Skipper RYOB = RYOB Skipper in Ballard Cup or Weekend races

One race each night, set marks, some short distance racing

• Monday Night Series hosted by Sloop Tavern Yacht Club
• STYC’s General Sailing Instructions and Race Marks
• Racing for all experience levels
• Relaxed, fun, and educational
• Boat Options: J/80s and  J/105s
• Team Options: Coached, Member Skippered, Women's teams, or RYOB (dependent on boat availability)
• Commitment requirement for Team Racers: must be available for at least 4 of the 6 races in a single series

STYC Race Committee Opportunities

Sloop Tavern Yacht Club is looking for teams to volunteer as Race Committee for at least one race per series. Being part of the Race Committee is a supportive, educational, and fun way to get involved with the local racing community. Teams that choose to participate, will be granted a score (for the race they're doing RC for) based on their average score for the series. 

• Brief Race Committee training beforehand and experienced representative on board
• Takes place on one of SSC’s larger boats

BALLARD CUP PRACTICE & SERIES DATES

Pre-Season Practices	SERIES 1	SERIES 2	SERIES 3
3/13, 3/20, 3/27, 4/3	4/10, 4/17, 4/24, 5/1, 5/8, 5/15	5/22, 6/5, 6/12, 6/19, 7/10, 7/17	7/24, 7/31, 8/7, 8/14, 8/21, 8/28

 

Racer Types & Team Options for All Programs

Racer Type

• Team Racers are those who can commit to the same team for most of the races in a series (see specifics in each series).
• Substitute Team Racers are those who cannot commit ahead of time and would like to be "on-call" to fill-in for absent Team Racers. This is also an option for new racers who are not assigned to a team.

Team Options

• J/80 teams have 1 skipper, 4 crew. 
• J/105 teams have 1 skipper, 5-6 crew.

COACHED TEAMS - New, Intermediate, & Experienced Racers

• Available for evening race series, regattas, long distance races, Anacortes Race Week, Swiftsure, and Round the County
• Members are organized into teams and assigned an instructor as a race coach.
• Crew will learn racing rules, sail trim, tactics, racing positions such as helm, bow, and spinnaker and jib rigging, hoisting, dousing, and trimming.
• Placement on a team can be changed after each series if spots on other teams become available.

MEMBER SKIPPERED TEAM - New, Intermediate, & Experienced Racers

• Available for evening race series, benefit races, approved STYC races, and Snowbird series.
• Ballard Cup: Skippered by a member of the Club with at least 1 season under their belt and approval from our lead coach.
  • Note: The experience level of skippers may vary, which offers the opportunity for members to expand their racing experience.
• CYC Sound Wednesdays: Skipper must have crewed in 1 coached CYC Sound Wednesdays season, skippered in 1 BC season, have passed ASA 111, and be approved by our lead coach. Crew must have crewed in 1 coached CYC Sound series.
• Crew is a group of members organized by the Club.
• Placement on a team can be changed after each series if spots on other teams become available.

RUN-YOUR-OWN-BOAT PROGRAM (RYOB) - Experienced Racers

• Available for evening race series, benefit races, approved STYC races, and Snowbird series.
• RYOB is the closest to racing your own boat without the hassle of boat ownership. 
• Ballard Cup: Skippers must have at least 1 season of skippering under their belt (or equivalent shown by submitting a sailing resume) and approval from our lead coach. 
• CYC Sound Wednesdays: Skipper must have crewed in 1 coached CYC Sound Wednesdays season, skippered in 1 BC season, have passed ASA 111, and be approved by our lead coach.
• Crew (and subs) is organized by the skipper and can consist of members or non-members.
• RYOB teams are required to commit to all series. 
• Race Entry Fees (yacht club) and Club (SSC) Race Fees are paid by the skipper of the team.
• Each crew member (member or non-member) is required to complete a Racer Release & Indemnity Waiver.

Racing Interests by Boat

Please select all that apply below. 

*The LGBTQIA race team is open to gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and supportive straight individuals.

One-design Buoy Racing, Multiple Starts Each Night

• Wednesday Evening Series hosted by Corinthian Yacht Club
• Competitive, polishing skills in specific crew positions, advanced tactics and sail trim
• Crew with experience in at least 1 previous race series equivalent to Ballard Cup within the last year or approval from lead coach.
• Recommended: ASA 111 Asymmetrical Spinnaker lesson
• Boat Options: J/80s and J/105s
• Team Options: Coached, Member Skippered, or RYOB (dependent on boat availability)
• Commitment requirement for Team Racers: must be available for at least 4 of the 5 races in a single series or 5 of 6 races in 6-race series.

CYC SOUND WEDNESDAYS PRACTICE & SERIES DATES

Pre-Season Practices	SPRING	SOLSTICE	SUMMER	FALL
3/22, 3/29, 4/5, 4/12	4/19, 4/26, 5/3, 5/10, 5/17	5/24, 5/31, 6/7, 6/14, 6/21	7/5, 7/12, 7/19, 7/26, 8/2	8/9, 8/16, 8/23, 8/30, 9/6, 9/13

 

Racer Types & Team Options for All Programs

Racer Type

• Team Racers are those who can commit to the same team for most of the races in a series (see specifics in each series).
• Substitute Team Racers are those who cannot commit ahead of time and would like to be "on-call" to fill-in for absent Team Racers. This is also an option for new racers who are not assigned to a team.

Team Options

• J/80 teams have 1 skipper, 4 crew. 
• J/105 teams have 1 skipper, 5-6 crew.

COACHED TEAMS - New, Intermediate, & Experienced Racers

• Available for evening race series, regattas, long distance races, Anacortes Race Week, Swiftsure, and Round the County
• Members are organized into teams and assigned an instructor as a race coach.
• Crew will learn racing rules, sail trim, tactics, racing positions such as helm, bow, and spinnaker and jib rigging, hoisting, dousing, and trimming.
• Placement on a team can be changed after each series if spots on other teams become available.

MEMBER SKIPPERED TEAM - New, Intermediate, & Experienced Racers

• Available for evening race series, benefit races, approved STYC races, and Snowbird series.
• Ballard Cup: Skippered by a member of the Club with at least 1 season under their belt and approval from our lead coach.
  • Note: The experience level of skippers may vary, which offers the opportunity for members to expand their racing experience.
• CYC Sound Wednesdays: Skipper must have crewed in 1 coached CYC Sound Wednesdays season, skippered in 1 BC season, have passed ASA 111, and be approved by our lead coach. Crew must have crewed in 1 coached CYC Sound series.
• Crew is a group of members organized by the Club.
• Placement on a team can be changed after each series if spots on other teams become available.

RUN-YOUR-OWN-BOAT PROGRAM (RYOB) - Experienced Racers

• Available for evening race series, benefit races, approved STYC races, and Snowbird series.
• RYOB is the closest to racing your own boat without the hassle of boat ownership. 
• Ballard Cup: Skippers must have at least 1 season of skippering under their belt (or equivalent shown by submitting a sailing resume) and approval from our lead coach. 
• CYC Sound Wednesdays: Skipper must have crewed in 1 coached CYC Sound Wednesdays season, skippered in 1 BC season, have passed ASA 111, and be approved by our lead coach.
• Crew (and subs) is organized by the skipper and can consist of members or non-members.
• RYOB teams are required to commit to all series. 
• Race Entry Fees (yacht club) and Club (SSC) Race Fees are paid by the skipper of the team.
• Each crew member (member or non-member) is required to complete a Racer Release & Indemnity Waiver.

Racing Interests by Boat

Please select all that apply below. 

Coached 

Weekend Regatta Programs

• Coached program
• Experience racing in a competitive, one-design fleet in official PNW regattas with one of our coaches.
• Crew must have experience racing in at least 1 coached CYC Sound Wednesday series.
• Crew available for all race days in a regatta will have prioritized team placement.
  ASA 111: Asymmetrical Spinnaker Handling or equivalent highly recommended.

 

• Applies to Member Skippered & RYOB teams
• Available based on boat availability and racing experience. Approval from the lead coach required.
• STYC approved races, benefit races, and Snowbird Series
• Skipper Requirements:  
  • At least 1 season skippering in Ballard Cup must have at least or equivalent shown by submitting a sailing resume
  • At least 1 season crewing on coach CYC Sound Wednesday team
  • Passed ASA 111: Asymmetrical Spinnaker Lesson
  • Approval from lead coach
• Crew Requirements: 
  • At least 1 series as crew on a coached CYC Sound Wednesday team
  • Approval from lead coach.
  • Member Skippered teams
  • Crew (and subs) organized by the Club (member only)
• RYOB teams
  • Crew (and subs) is organized by the skipper and can consist of members or non-members.
  • Required to commit to all races in a series. 
  • Race Entry Fees (yacht club) and Club (SSC) Race Fees are paid by the skipper of the team.
  • Each crew member (member or non-member) is required to complete a Racer Release & Indemnity Waiver.

SWIFTSURE INTERNATIONAL RACE - May 27-29

Long-Distance / Overnight Race

Tentative Schedule:

• Sunday, May 7th - Team Meeting
• Wednesday, May 24th - Load the boat after Sound Wednesday racing
• Thursday, May 25th - Delivery to Victoria
• Friday, May 26th - All racers to arrive at 9:00am, 12:00pm team lunch, 6:00pm 
• Saturday, May 27th - Meet @ the boat at 7:00 am, racing time limit is until 1:00am Monday
• Monday, May 29th - Delivery to Shilshole

Swiftsure International Race out of Victoria, Canada is the largest yacht race on the West Coast with over 150 race boats and more than 1000 race crew! The annual race falls on Memorial Day Weekend with racing starting Saturday morning. 

Seattle Sailing Club’s program offers coached teams to race in the Cape Flattery Race for Monohulls. In this race, the team will compete in an overnight race through the Strait of Juan de Fuca to Neah Bay and back to Victoria. Invite your friends and family to track you through the weekend course using Swiftsure’s Race Tracker.

Along with the race, we offer ASA 106 Advanced Coastal Cruising certification (for an additional fee) to those who are available to deliver the boat to Victoria and back.

Crew Requirements

• Crewed (or currently crewing) in 1 series of CYC Sound Wednesdays
• Crewed in 3 long-distance races
• Safety At Sea Training (The Sailing Foundation, Seattle Area) (Vic Maui, Vancouver BC) (recommended)
• Available all 3 days to race + be in Victoria Friday morning to prep the boat
• Valid passport for entrance into Canada and back into the U.S. For COVID Guidelines & Border Crossings:
  • Install ArriveCAN - for Apple
  • Install ArriveCan - for Android
• Complete Swiftsure Crew Waiver
• Purchase all required equipment 
  • Life jacket with a harness
  • Leg Straps
  • Tether
  • Whistle
  • Waterproof light/strobe
• Book hotel accommodations in Victoria. Often times, the team will book together (i.e Air BnB or VRBO)
• Victoria, May 26th
• Reliable transportation to and from Victoria
• Available for pre-racing meetings (tentative May 7th) and practices (TBD)
• Provision for yourself for the weekend

Anacortes Race Week - June 26 - 30

Delivery to Anacortes: June 24 or 25, tide dependent (optional)

Meet at the boat: 9:00 am 

First Signal: 11:00 am

Daily Award Ceremony / Party: 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Delivery to Shilshole: July 1 or 2, tide dependent (optional)

Anacortes Race Week (aka Northwest Race Week) is 5 days of racing, fun, and camaraderie out of Cap Sante Marina in Anacortes, WA.  A combination of mostly buoy racing, with some distance events included featuring themed awards parties after each day of racing. Like Summer Camp for adults.

Seattle Sailing Club’s program offers coached teams to race in Anacortes Race Week. Members are welcome to join for all 5 days, or a-la-carte. Those who are available for all 5 days of racing will be prioritized over those with single day availability.

Deliveries

We’ll need help delivering the boat to Anacortes (6/24-25) and back to Shilshole (7/1-2). Please specify if you’re available to help with these on your Racer Interest Form.

Crew Requirements

• Crewed (or currently crewing) in 1 series of CYC Sound Wednesdays
• Crewed in at least 1 Regatta program, preferably a coached regatta.
• Reliable transportation to and from Anacortes (or participate in delivery to Anacortes and back to Shilshole)
• Book hotel accommodations in Anacortes 
• Plan to provision for yourself for the days you are attending
• During registration on the Racer Interest Form, please provide your availability to deliver to Anacortes (June 24 or 25)  and back to Shilshole (July 1 or 2)

Round the County - November 11 - 12
Long-Distance Race

Delivery to Anacortes: November 9 or 10, tide and weather dependent (optional)

Boat Prep: 5:00 pm, November 10

Meet at the boat: 6:00 am, November 11

First Warning Signal: 8:35 am, November 11 

Delivery to Shilshole: November 13, tide and weather dependent (optional)

Seattle Sailing Club is sending a coached race team up to the annual Round the County Regatta! The Orcas Island Yacht Club and the Friday Harbor Sailing Club are putting on the Round the County sailboat race. The event will be held in the beautiful and challenging waters of San Juan County Washington. The long-distance race is approximately 76 miles with an overnight stop in Roche Harbor on San Juan Island. Due to the great venue, the better winds of November, and the overnight stop in Roche Harbor, the race has become one of the more popular sailing events in the Pacific Northwest.

Deliveries:

We’ll need help delivering the boat to Anacortes (11/9-10) and back to Shilshole (11/13-14). Please specify if you’re available to help with these on your Racer Interest Form.

Crew Requirements

• Crewed (or currently crewing) in 1 series of CYC Sound Wednesdays
• Crewed in 3 long-distance races
• Safety At Sea Training (The Sailing Foundation, Seattle Area) (Vic Maui, Vancouver BC) (recommended)
• Available to race in both days
• Purchase all required equipment 
  • Life jacket with a harness
  • Leg Straps
  • Tether
  • Whistle
  • Waterproof light/strobe
• Book hotel accommodations. Often times, the team will book together (i.e Air BnB or VRBO)
  • Anacortes, November 10
  • Roche Harbor, November 11
  • Anacortes, November 12
• Reliable transportation to and from Anacortes 
• Available for pre-racing meetings and practices (TBD)
• Provision for yourself for the weekend