Dear Sailors,
Today’s bulletin addresses the entry deadline, “over training” for your crew, finding additional crew, and the prohibition of cloud-based routing software.
Entries for the 2022 Race will close at midnight on April 3rd. At this point, we have 218 entries, just shy of our cap of 220 for the race. If you or someone you know is planning to enter, please initiate entry now. If you have started your entry but not paid your deposit, you must make the payment to secure your place.
That being said, we have been working closely with venue authorities in Bermuda and fully expect to be able to accommodate a small number of boats in excess of our previously published limits. As the race is approaching capacity, if you are planning on racing in the 2022 race, please initiate your entry immediately to have the highest chance of being accommodated.
Consider “Over Training”: The Bermuda Race safety rules have requirements for Safety at Sea training and medical training. We strongly recommend that boats "over train" and have more than the minimum number of people with these certifications in the event that COVID testing prior to Bermuda immigration pre-clearance finds a crewmember with these certifications positive.
We also remind you all skippers must have a current Safety at Sea training certification. Currently 100 skippers are shown in Sailgate without this required training.
Courses are filling up. Please encourage any crew members who need this training to sign up now if they have not already done so. Here is the list of Cruising Club of America courses scheduled in Rhode Island and the US Sailing list of courses across the U.S.
Crew Resources: Are you a skipper, looking to ensure you have enough vetted, qualified sailors aboard? Or, are you an available sailor, interested in joining a delivery crew? Our Official Race Supporter, Offshore Passage Opportunities, offers many free and paid services to help owners and crew. Call-1-800-4-PASSAGE (800-742-7724) or 631-423-4988, email Hank Schmitt or visit the Newport Bermuda Race page to get started.
Cloud-based routing not permitted: The Notice of Race’s preamble says, "The Bermuda Race Organizing Committee very strongly encourages the designing, building, and preparation of seaworthy yachts sailed by self-sufficient crews proficient in navigation, seamanship, and environmental stewardship. This race will test and reward them." An important principle for our sport is RRS41, “a boat shall not receive help from any outside source.” Even as technology changes, race organizers continue to believe that good seamanship requires crews to be self-sufficient and be able to have the tools onboard to make navigational decisions racing to Bermuda.
A fundamental question is “Where do we want routing to be done, and by whom?” Our answer remains: “On the boat, and by the people on the boat.” Thus, we believe it is essential that the crew of the boat have the routing tools available onboard, and that the crew of the boat make the route-selection tradeoff decisions taking into account weather, sea state, wind, safety, etc. It doesn’t matter whether those routing answers are made with a pencil and chart, or by a computer algorithm on a laptop, the route decisions should be made onboard, and the tools to do this should be available onboard.
We believe this reflects good seamanship and that is why NoR 2.2(b) is written as it is. Having a cloud-based service providing routing doesn't satisfy our fundamental question, and as such is considered outside assistance for the purposes of our race.
Warm regards,
Somers Kempe, Chairman
2022 Bermuda Race Organizing Committee
