Chairman’s Update
We’re 12 days shy of our April 1 application-for-entry deadline, and I’m pleased to report 188 applications so far in our SailGate entry system. In this week’s race bulletin, we would like not only to encourage applications for entry by any of you still on the fence but also to provide tips for making the process smoother.
For those entered and still working to provide required safety training for crew members, we’d like to mention another seminar to be held at Oakcliff Sailing in Oyster Bay, NY, May 15-16. Other options remain, hosted by Storm Trysail at SUNY Maritime on May 19 and the CCA in Newport on June 13.
Finally, for navigators, we’ve published Frank Bohlen’s retrospective piece on BermudaRace.com this week. The story draws lessons from the way the 2016 Race’s weather and Gulf Stream conditions did not turn out quite as predicted.
Jonathan Brewin
2018 Newport Bermuda Race Chairman
[email protected]
Tips for Completing Race Entry
With 188 applications in Sailgate, the Newport Bermuda Race entry system, we offer tips for completing final information. By Bjorn Johnson
Introduced in 2016, Sailgate is currently being used for its second Newport Bermuda Race, and the benefits of the system are beginning to be felt across the fleet. Because Sailgate has a split database, one side for boats and one side for crew, all information is carried forward as boats change owners and crews move between boats. Administrative communications with all crew have also been streamlined.
We recognize that we request a fair amount of information from boats and crews, for example boat scantling certification. What follows are tips that can help owners and crew wrap up their respective data entry requirements in good order. We should note that each crew must enter their own info to comply with privacy laws, which the Bermuda Race Organizing Committee take seriously. Read more.
2016 Newport Bermuda Race Retrospective: Wind & Stream
Skippers and navigators can learn lessons about both Gulf Stream and weather forecasts with a look back at the last race. Story by W. Frank Bohlen.
If you’re navigating a Newport Bermuda Race, your pre-race activities begin months beforehand with a careful check of navigational instruments including the GPS, AIS, water temperature sensors, and barometer with particular attention to the wind speed and direction and the in-water boat speed sensors…
You’ll also benefit from a careful review of weather and Gulf Stream conditions experienced in past Races. Focus on actual conditions, including rates of change, and the accuracy of the forecasts or models. This combination provides a valuable indication, particularly for first-time participants, of the character of the Newport Bermuda Race and its navigational challenges, much the way a type of music defines the dance. Read more.
Offshore Racing Rule Performance Guide
In case you missed it last week: Best-practice tips in preparing to race the Newport Bermuda Race under the Offshore Racing Rule. Bjorn Johnson offers measurement and performance optimization tips for sailing teams looking to get the most out of the Race. Read more.
10 Great Ways to Explore Bermuda
No. 1—SightSeeing: Bermuda has plenty to ses, including a range of forts and historic homes to tour, and two notable lighthouses you may have heard mentioned, St. David's and Gibbs Hill (shown), which stand 213 and 362 feet above sea level, respectively.
