Buoy Racing Program

CYC hosts a buoy racing program open to most keelboats on Carlyle Lake. Based on the lessons leared in 2008, the program has been revised for 2009. We have kept the Wet/Dry divisions in the Jib & Main fleet, and have dropped the Level Handicap division and the Once a Month Series for lack of participation. Even so, sailors at every level of interest will find a place in the program to have some fun on the water.

Handicaps are provided to each boat that represent her potential performance. The boats are handicapped, not the crews. The goal is to provide reasonable competition among crews sailing different kinds of boats.

The official description of the program is found in the Notice of Race but here is a friendly introduction.

It all starts with two Fleets, each having two Divisions.

The Spinnaker Fleet

This fleet sails under "full racing sails" which will usually include a spinnaker or gennaker. The development of racing sailboats has continued, and some of the newer designs have found a home at Carlyle Lake. These boats are so different that it isn't quite fair they should race in the same Division with multipurpose boats, or boats of older design, so the Spinnaker Fleet is split into two Divisions.

The OPEN Division is meant for boats sailing in their "factory" or One-Design Rig configuration. It is reasonable to think that any modern racer or racer/cruiser with a high aspect ratio rig, SA/D ratio greater than about 25, and a PHRF rating less than about 100 could compete in this Division, but the level of competition in this Division is quite high. The boats tend to be fairly new designs, meant primarily for racing, and they will plane under conditions seen at Carlyle Lake. Example boats are Melges 24 and Viper 640. If this is the style of racing you want, a friendly bunch of sailors want you to come out and play with them!

The HEAVY Division is meant for boats having a Sail-Area to Displacement Ratio (SA/D) less than 30, sailing under the Performance Handicap Racing Fleet (PHRF) rules, which means the boats are not limited to "factory" or one-design trim. Boats in this division tend to be multipurpose boats with at least minimal belowdecks accommodations. Some are quite luxurious. The J-24 and San Juan 21 represent the racy end of the spectrum, boats like the J-105 the middle, and boats like the Beneteau 331 the luxurious cruiser end of the spectrum.