Race Committees are often faced with the decision to race or not to race when weather forecasts could be marginal. Here is a case study from the recent Australian Yachting Championship.

At the Australian Yachting Championship in January 2020 the race committee carefully weighed-up all the factors and made a well-founded decision to race.

On Saturday 4th January, Race 4 of the Australian Yachting Championships was held in a strong wind warning. It was a passage race as stated in the Sailing Instructions where Division A went to the Isle of Caves in Frederick Henry Bay (approximately 50nm) and Divisions B and C went to a laid mark off Clifton Beach, 36nm. The race was held under Category 5 Regulations as the greatest distance from land was less than 4nm and mostly enclosed by the River Derwent, Frederick Henry Bay and the passage between Betsey Island and the mainland of Tasmania.

With a strong wind warning current, the race committee chose to start the race. When asked, Nick Hutton said the following factors were taking into consideration: the weather, the exposure of the racecourse, likely conditions and sea state and the presumed preparedness of the fleet.

The IRC sail declaration did not have to be submitted until the day prior to the championship starting and as the passage race was held on day 2 of the regatta there was enough time for skippers and crew to review the weather expected and submit their sail plan accordingly.

There was a strong wind warning issued by the BoM, but not a gale warning, the course was largely coastal and with rescue easily available with the RYCT’s own resources on the course.

The race was completed within the time limits set by the Sailing Instructions. With anecdotal reports of wind higher than BoM and other forecasts predicted, there were retirements in each division, most were reported to be seamanship decisions, with some reported sail damage and one injured crew who required an ambulance due to a cracked rib. The boat concerned had an ambulance paramedic onboard who managed the injury and had ambulance contact (with the race committee’s permission) and the injured crew was transferred by RYCT RIB to the ambulance on shore.

The race committee feel that the decision to start the race was correct.  It was an Australian keelboat championship with the boats sent to the most exposed area that finishers in the Rolex Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race had sailed in just days prior. The boats in Division A (and several boats in Division B) signed on for a Category 5 event after having just completed a Category 1 race. The was some sail damage but this was to be expected if non reefing inshore mainsails are used offshore, however considering the conditions sail damage was minimal.

There was positive feedback from the competitors who did well, with little feedback either way directly or indirectly after the race. Two Division A boats asked for permission (granted) for a change of mainsail after having taken on the passage race with non-reefing inshore mains. The boat with the injured crew was full of praise for the RYCT’s managing of the incident and for having a suitably crewed rescue boat available on the course.

The Race Committee felt that had other factors been in play they may have made a different decision for example; a stronger wind forecast, a fixed destination to sail to in exposed waters, doubts about the seaworthiness of the boats and their crew and the availability of shore-based rescue and the quick access to it.