Racing

BCYC offers a variety of racing venues that accommodate a wide variety of skill levels.  The skill levels range from beginner (no racing experience), novice, intermediate, very skilled and senior level.  BCYC has racing venues for young people, women only, and men and women.  Racing is conducted on weekends, weekdays and Tuesday evenings in day-light-savings time.

BCYC implements several styles of racing, ranging from traditional line starts (with all boats jockeying for position); pursuit racing (each vessel is a assigned an individual start time based its PHRF rating); to fun racing where you catch fish and the fish caught reduces your finish time. We are also looking at other racing formats to increase the fun factor.

Racing sailboats at BCYC can be as simple or as involved as you would like it to be. If “simple” is what you prefer, Sunfish and Prams are a good choice, as they are sailed by one person. The “involved” racers may compete on more complex racing sailboats such as J-24’s, Impulse 21’s, Daysailor’s, Windmills, Snipes, and Capris to name a few. These sailboats are typically crewed by two or more. BCYC maintains a fleet of 6 Capri 16.5 that are available to members. This requires that you be checked out by a member of the sail school.

Performance Handicap Racing Formula (PHRF) racing allows different models of boat (sort of like Chevys, Fords, Chryslers,) and lengths of boats (Capri 16.5’ to Ericson 35) race on the same course with adjustments for the performance differences among the models. In sailboat racing, a faster sailboat will give time to a slower sailboat, over the same course.  BCYC members are known to participate in non-BCYC events within the Tampa-Saint Petersburg, and Apollo Beach areas. In 2018 there were 7 BCYC boats registered for the Bone Island Regatta (Sarasota to Key West Regatta).

The larger cruising and racing sailboats compete under PHRF. Boats competing in this designation can vary in size (length) type (cruisers, one design and racers) and manufacturers. The boats generally have a crew ranging from 2 to 6 persons, depending on wind condition.  Every sailboat participating in PHRF racing receives a PHRF Rating Certificate, which allows all the different models of sailboats to compete on an even playing field.

If you do not have a boat, you can still have an opportunity to crew on a racing boat. All you need to do is check the racing calendar and show up at the Skipper’s Meeting. Be sure to mention your availability to the Race Committee Chairman so that he can announce your availability. You should also sign in on the racing website.

The following racing formats are available at BCYC. Check us out!

PHRF Series:  On Sundays following the Club’s General Membership Meeting (3^rd Friday of the month) . We have a Spring/Summer series (Jan-May); and a Summer/Fall Series (July-Nov). See (Link) for more detail.

Google Earth 

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