# Any one ever organised a raid or race from scratch?



## Arcb (Aug 13, 2016)

I have gotten it into my mind that North America needs more raid style of racing. Sail and oar style.

I have been thinking the Thousand Islands would be perfect. Sail down wind down current through the Thousand Islands, about 100 miles from Kingston to Prescott. A fast beach Cat could do it in about a day, but even a slower boat could do it in 3. 

Maybe start around sunrise on Friday, make a deadline of Sunday at 4ish, then a big bbq.

For those of you who have organised multi day, non club races, or for anyone with ideas, what would my steps be?


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## Jeff_H (Feb 26, 2000)

I have organized races from scratch a few times in the past. In some ways it is not as easy as it used to be, in others its easier. In the past, I simply put posters up at local sailing clubs, called the local news paper, held an organizational meeting, and who ever showed up, raced. It was very casual, but turn out tended to be small. 

In recent years, the internet makes in much easier to get the word out. Regional and national sources are much more accessible through their online webpages. Resources like Scuttlebutt gives you access to a very large number of people. That is the upside. The downside is that in these litigious times, you ideally will need to carry insurance to protect the race organizers, and volunteers. and it seems to be very difficult to get that insurance if the organization isn't incorporated. (I have been on the board of CHESSS, Chesapeake Shorthanded Sailing Society for over 3 years now and we have just gotten incorporated and are working on obtaining insurance.) Ideally, it is most expeditious if the race can be run under the auspices of an existing organization that already has insurance in place. 

But beyond the organizational issues, there are a large number of basic items to resolve. If you are running a normal race, its not too bad, but if you are running a race that deviates from being able to use US Sailing's standard adopted rules, then you need to be thoughtful about the implications of those deviations and in how those deviations are written. A race like the one you are proposing should have its own supplementary safety rules as well as rules that define the box of what is permitted vs not allowed. For example you use the term 'sail and oar' does that include paddles and are pedal powered boats allowed? Is there a crew size limit? How is the actual course defined? (This can be a problem since small shallow boats can go places that they probably shouldn't without adding greatly to the risk, but how to you police that?) And you will find when it comes to safety issues, if there is a group working on the safety rules, it can be very hard to reach a consensus. (We went through that with CHESSS when we wrote our safety rules.) 

There are always the rule of unintended consequences. For example the first race that I was involved in initiating was a single-handed race. Historically, 19th century races began with the boats at anchor and for reason's that I no longer remember, we decided to start that race from being at anchor. That led to all kinds of craziness that we had not anticipated, such as boats being anchored with a concrete block and crab trap line, and when the gun went off, and the sails were raised, the crab line was simply released, the concrete block abandoned, and the boat was off. They met the literal language of starting at anchor, but nothing required them to being the anchor and rode with them. 

There are organizational functional aspects of this as well. Are there chase boats? Is there a central radio base monitoring 24/7 for boats in trouble? Are competitors required to check in with position reports? Are these coded so other competitors can't use the info strategically? How about issues like PFD's and Harnesses? Does the race committee seek out specific locations along the route where competitors are allowed to stop and rest or are they allowed to stop anywhere they feel like? If designated stopping and camping grounds are set aside, are competitors required to check in, or can the skip that site and keep going? If not, how do you prevent competitors from pulling up in places which do not legally allow landing? How are repairs handled? Do they have to carry all of their gear to camp for the night, and spares to make a repair along the way, or can they have a pit crew carrying their gear and spares to where one of the stopover points? Will you have multiple classes racing? Will your provide trophies? Will there be a rating system to correct for clearly faster or slower boats? How do you address something like a foiler that can do the race in 3-4 hours? 

My sense is that in the old days a race like this could have been pulled off pretty quickly and for nearly free. These days, my sense is that there is a lot more cost and time required to do something like this safely and successfully. 

Jeff


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## Arcb (Aug 13, 2016)

Interesting. I guess that explains why so few people are organising this style of event, especially mixed fleet with canoes, kayaks and sailboats together.

I see the advantage to not calling it a race and call it an organised cruise, meetup or a messabout or something. People are still going to try to go faster than each other, but it might cut down some of the red tape.


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## Jeff_H (Feb 26, 2000)

Arcb said:


> Interesting. I guess that explains why so few people are organising this style of event, especially mixed fleet with canoes, kayaks and sailboats together.
> 
> I see the advantage to not calling it a race and call it an organised cruise, meetup or a messabout or something. People are still going to try to go faster than each other, but it might cut down some of the red tape.


CHESSS debated the issue of creating races vs, casual cruises. We decided not to sponsor races until we are incorporated and insured. But CHESSS did create what it called the 'CHESSS Challenges', which are described as:

"CHESSS Challenges are non-racing events designed to help sailors gain experience and confidence in single-handing or double-handing their boat to a destination. The Challenges consist of informally organized short-handed cruises to specific locations with a raft-up or dinner ashore. For those who are interested in racing, a race over has been included in some of the Challenges, but the Challenges' primary purpose is focused on skills and confidence building, as well as a chance for CHESSS members to meet socially and exchange short-handed sailing tips. Radio communications and boat to boat coaching is encouraged during Challenge events."

CHESSS also has a release of liability in its constitution and when members renew their membership they also agree to similar language. That release of liability reads:

"BOARD AND VOLUNTEER LIABILITY
For any form of consideration, including permission to voluntarily participate in any event sponsored, promoted, or directed by the Chesapeake Bay Shorthanded Sailing Society (CHESSS) it is understood that any CHESSS Board of Director, volunteer, or participant in any CHESSS event is intending to be legally bound for himself/herself, his/her personal representatives, heirs, assigns, and next of kin:

Hereby releases Chesapeake Bay Shorthanded Sailing Society, its officers, members, organizers, volunteers, and race committees of all liability for any harm or damage however caused including any act or omission, directly or indirectly the result of any event. It is understood and accepted by each member and listed party above that there is inherent risk associated with all events, including but not limited to bodily injury, and vessel damage, that is assumed by each participant.

In addition, all Chesapeake Bay Shorthanded Sailing Society members, its officers, members, organizers, volunteers, and race committees, and their personal representatives, heirs, assigns, and next of kin understand that while attending some events, the chance of being photographed or other form of recording is possible, and that agrees any/all photographs or recordings taken by the club officers, volunteers, members, or their designees can be used for purposes to promote the organization and its events."

I have no idea how legally binding that really is. Some states have provisions that effectively eliminate waivers of liability, others have provisions that relieve organizers of casual, not-for-profit events from liability, others very much permit and honor such waivers. It has been suggested that CHESSS's might not keep us from having to defend against being sued, but it does give us a better chance of not losing.

At least that has been the theory.

Jeff


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## ThereYouAre (Sep 21, 2016)

Could you work with the folks who put on the Everglades challenge to organize the rally/raid. It seems like it keeps in the spirit of what they're doing.


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## Arcb (Aug 13, 2016)

Interesting idea. When Jeff mentioned being part of a larger organisation, it triggered my memory that to participate in those events, you have to be a member in the American Canoe Association. I am not certain, but I think that had to do with insurance.

There is a Canadian equivalent that I used to do mixed fleet canoe/kayak wild water races with. White water canoeing is big around here because of the proximity to so many big rivers. There would probably be more interest from canoe and kayaks than from sailors around here (but I much prefer sailing).


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## hellosailor (Apr 11, 2006)

What is the "raid style of racing" ?? You round the upwind mark, head to shore, pillage and plunder, then continue back to the finish?

"There are always the rule of unintended consequences. ... They met the literal language of starting at anchor, but ..."
That's nothing to do with unintended consequences and just routine race management and experience. Racing rules are always going to be modified from year to year for many reasons. And a clever racer (ask Dennis Conner) is always going to do their best to exploit any crack in the rules. If you can DSQ the next boat on a technicality, hey, that's fair too. Everyone is supposed to meet the same rules, and to know how to play them.
I've seen one skipper generously buying round after round of hard drinks for the crew of his closest competitor. His logic was "If they've got a wicked hangover tomorrow, they're not going to sail well." And yes, his own crew was advised to take it easy on the booze, for the same reason.
This is also the reason one-design rules may literally ban any sanding of any doors and panels on a boat. Plenty of folks are happy to sand away a couple of pounds of dead weight. Or to toss the head door.
J/24's (at least used to) come with spreaders about 3-4" longer than what is required by the class association rules. The guys who wanted to point closest upwind? That's right, remove the spreaders and cut them down to the precise minimum length, so the sails could be sheeted in tighter.

All fair. The name of the game is racing.


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## Arcb (Aug 13, 2016)

hellosailor said:


> What is the "raid style of racing" ?? You round the upwind mark, head to shore, pillage and plunder, then continue back to the finish?


Its a style of racing (competitive cruising?) That is popular in Europe and has been catching on in North America, namely with the Everglades Challenge (Tampa to Key Largo) and the R2Ak (Washington to Alaska via BC).

The competitions occur on small mixed sail and oar vessels (I guess similar in concept to what Vikings raided with). Events are generally unassisted and participants often either camp ashore at night or find away to sleep aboard open boats. Top competitors race 24/7 either staying awake or sleeping in an open boat (or even beach cat) under way.

Vessels range from serious sailing machines like Tornados, to mix sail and oar, to strictly paddle and oar, like basic sea kayaks. The mixed fleet actually kind of works as a boat like a Sea Kayak can continue charging ahead in light airs, beach cats haul in moderate airs, big monos move in big air and mix sail and oar can manage calms or wind.

The events tend to be long distance in coastal waters and are navigation/strategy heavy, allowing the competitors to chose their routes (often)nside protected routes or outside routes with better air. Tactical sailing is less of a consideration but still matters.


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## Jeff_H (Feb 26, 2000)

Arcb said:


> Its a style of racing (competitive cruising?) That is popular in Europe and has been catching on in North America, namely with the Everglades Challenge (Tampa to Key Largo) and the R2Ak (Washington to Alaska via BC).
> 
> The competitions occur on small mixed sail and oar vessels (I guess similar in concept to what Vikings raided with). Events are generally unassisted and participants often either camp ashore at night or find away to sleep aboard open boats. Top competitors race 24/7 either staying awake or sleeping in an open boat (or even beach cat) under way.
> 
> ...


I read about the last R2Ak, It was won by an all woman's team called "Sail Like a Girl". The sailed a Melges 32, a very high performance monohull. From what I gather, they literally removed the engine from the boat and added a bicycle petaled means of propulsion in order to get through lighter conditions. They apparently 'motor sailed' when things got a little slow with the team members taking turns pedaling. Very ingenious, very ambitious.

The opposite extreme are the boats in the Everglades challenge which tend to be lightweight plywood boats that can be easily, sailed, rowed or portaged.

Speaking of which, how is your boat building project progressing?

Jeff


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## Arcb (Aug 13, 2016)

Jeff_H said:


> I f which, how is your boat building project progressing?
> 
> Jeff


The GIS? Frustrating. The plywood comes from Africa to Canada via the US. Canada has retaliatory tarrifs targeting boat building supplies. Okoumme ply is around $200 a sheet in Ontario now.

SoI have droopped the project. I am just building a PDracer to scracth the itch for now.


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## Jeff_H (Feb 26, 2000)

I understand that African and South and Central American have gotten crazy expensive, but Canada produces the absolute best Marine Grade fir and Western Red Cedar plywood. And either of those are as good or better boat building materials than many of the higher priced materials. There are also materials that are made in the EU that uses Asian and South American hardwoods that might be more reasonable in price. 

Jeff


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## Arcb (Aug 13, 2016)

As always Jeff, you are full of helpfull ideas. As an aside, I have really enjoyed building my PDR, with Canadian Fir. She wont be a GIS when I am done but its one of those cases where I have enjoyed the journey at least as much as the destination.


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