The Maine Rocks Race - September 16-18, 2011
2008 was the first year for this short-handed race over 113 miles along the Midcoast of Maine. It promises to become an annual RYC-sponsored tradition. The PHRF-rated event is opened to boats crewed by one or two people. Membership in RYC is not required. The race offers those that participate the experience of sharpening short handed offshore sailing skills and refining systems and procedures for shorthanded passage making.
Notice of Race, Sailing Instructions and Registration
To download and print a PDF version of the 2011 Maine Rocks Race Registration form, click here .
To download and print a PDF version of the 2011 Maine Rocks Race Notice of Race, click here.
To download and print a PDF version of the 2011 Maine Rocks Race Sailing Instructions, click here.
The Course: The rhumb line length of the course is approximately 112 nm and fits the description of an ORC category 3 event. Boats must be so equipped. While life rafts and EPIRBS are not required for a Cat 3 race they are strongly encouraged. The start and finish are in Rockland Harbor. The basic course is, upon leaving Rockland, to leave Matinicus Rock to port, leave Mount Desert Rock to port, leave Matinicus Rock to Starboard, and finish in Rockland Harbor.
There will be two divisions, one for single handers and one for double handers. Single handed entrants may be required to submit a sailing resume to include at least one single handed passage, entirely under sail, of at least 50 miles in the boat they enter in the race.
The Schedule: There will be an informal cocktail hour, followed by the skippers meeting (mandatory) at the Rockland Yacht Club Friday, September 16 at 1800 hrs. The start will be at 1000 hrs. Saturday, September 17. There is no time limit on this race. Prize giving is tentatively scheduled for 1700 hrs Sunday.
The Rules: The race will be governed by USSailing’s Racing Rules of Sailing 2009-2012, this Notice of Race, and the sailing instructions that will be available at the skipper’s meeting. Auto pilots and wind vane self steering devices are allowed and prudent use is encouraged.
Other Equipment: Single handed boats will fly the number one flag from a point near the transom, and double handed boats will fly the number two flag from a point near the transom. Each boat must be equipped with jacklines. There must be a suitable harness for each crew and each crew must be clipped to the jackline, or other suitable strong points, when on deck, during the entire race. Each boat must deploy a radar reflector during the entire race.
Eligibility: This race is open to mono hull sailboats with a LOA greater than 26 feet, and certified Mini 6.5 meters, that hold a valid PHRF/NEMA certificate. The race organizers reserve the right to disallow any entrant deemed inappropriate or improperly equipped. The decision of the race organizers is final.
Scoring: Classes will be established at the discretion of the race organizer. All boats will be scored using their PHRF/NEMA racing handicap. Corrected times will be calculated using the time on time formula, and the appropriate wind speed modifier.
Prizes: Prizes will be awarded for first, second, and possibly third place on corrected time in each division. A prize will be awarded for first boat to finish. A prize will be awarded for the best corrected time finish for a double handed family team.
Entry Fee: $45.00 for singles and $55.00 for doubles.
Registration: Contact Doug Pope at doug@popesails.com for registration details.
For an abstract of ISAF Category three requirements go to www.sailing.org/1930.php.
The current elapsed time record for the course is 19 hours 48 minutes 28 seconds.
The current corrected time record for the course is 19 hours 14 minutes 06 seconds.
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The Francis Stokes Memorial Trophy The trophy, donated to the Rockland Yacht Club by Peter and Peggy McCrea, is named after acclaimed trans-oceanic solo sailor Francis C. Stokes, Jr., who died Aug. 3, 2008 at the age of 82 years. Raised in the Quaker faith, Francis was a humble and soft-spoken man, who epitomized the Friends’ belief in inner reflection . One of his passions was offshore single handed racing, an ideal platform for inner reflection. Francis bought his first cruising sailboat in 1968 and in 1970, he made his first solo transatlantic voyage. He competed in the OSTAR transatlantic solo races in 1976, 1980 and 1988, along with numerous Bermuda One-Two races in 1977, 1979, 1981, and 1989. In 1982-83 he sailed in the first BOC Challenge Solo World Race, finishing second in his class. He wrote of his life on the seas in his book, "The Mooneshine Logs.” He also wrote, "My Most Successful Dreams have Involved Oceans." |
Event Results
2011 will be the fourth year that the Maine Rocks Race will be held. After an inauspicious start in 2008 in terms of weather, and a great race in 2009 with significantly better almost optimal weather, it is hoped that the current 2011 summer weather still holds for a safe running in 2011!
2010 Final Results are available here, as well as the 2010 Leg Splits here.
2009 Final Results are available here, as well as the 2009 Leg Splits here.
Event Highlights
To share your log or your blog of this year's race, click here. TOP
More About Francis Stokes
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In the 1960s through the early 80s, Francis Stokes, who lived in Maine until his death in 2008, was a New Jerseyian who had a predilection for sailboat racing at sea, mostly alone. |
Races, for Francis Stokes, were experiences to be savored and treasured, and not just endured. There's a larger lesson here, and he teaches it very well. He said things like "At sea, I learned how little a person needs, not how much." and "The sea finds out everything you did wrong."
His book, The Moonshine Logs, has been called a wonderfully moving and insightful account covering Francis Stokes' modest beginnings in ocean racing to his later triumphs in his beloved Mooneshine. Stokes tells of his first transatlantic crossing in 1970 when he sailed Crazy Jane from Barnegat Bay, New Jersey, to Plymouth, England. During the ensuing 15 years, Stokes participated as a single-handed racer in may of the major ocean races of the time, from OSTAR 1967 to several Bermuda One-Two races, to this first BOC challenge single-handed round-the-world race in 1982, where he performed the daring rescue of Tony Lush in the Southern Indian Ocean.TOP
Photo Gallery
To submit your favorite photos of the race, click here.