Have you ever considered spending a day on the water doing Race Committee?  Throughout the year, Encinal Yacht Club runs many races, and we always need volunteers to lend a helping hand.  For major events, we take the club boat, the Carol Louise, out on the water to start and finish races; the entire day lasts about six hours.  For smaller races, we start and finish many at the club docks, or we take out one or two of the club Whalers.  Duties can include setting marks (buoys) on the course, raising or lowering flags at the command of the Race Officer, firing guns or sounding horns, and recording times as competitors cross the finish line.  Food and drinks are included, and we try to make it fun for all.  You will get to know your fellow club members better, too.

 

If you've never participated, it's easy and we will teach you what to do, so please consider trying this.  If you try it and find you enjoy it, my recommendation would be that you pick a small number of events each year and volunteer - we don't want to burn anyone out by putting you to work too often!

 

And if you are a veteran Race Committee member, and would like to take your skills to the next level, please consider attending the US Sailing Club Race Officer training course, where you will learn all about planning for, running, and scoring races.

 

I hope to see you out on the water.