The West Bay Race - July 10

The Rockland Yacht Club sponsors the West Bay Race this year which was formerly known as the Bayside/Rockland Race.

This year's race will be a one day race around the islands and government marks beginning and ending at the Rockland Lighthouse and Can #1. Race Finish –Between the Rockland Lighthouse/Breakwater, and Can 1. Race Boats will take their own times (GPS Time)

Specific details for this year's race can be found here in the Notice of West Bay Race.

All boats must have a PHRF rating, if you do not have one, it will be assigned. All boats must have sail numbers on the sails or rail and all required Coast Guard safety equipment. Weather conditions may change start location of the race.

For Visiting Yachts:

• Visiting racing yachts from Northport Yacht Club may tie up their dinghies at the Rockland Town
  Dock or the Apprenticeshop (formally the Atlantic Challenge Foundation) Dinghy dock.
• The Apprenticeshop dock is at capacity with its own yachts and does not have room for visiting
  yachts on the dock. Visiting yachts will have to anchor outside the mooring field or use available
  moorings. There are a number of moorings close to the Apprenticeshop dock.
• The RYC will try (no guarantee) to have a shuttle launch in the late afternoon/early evening, but
  not all night.
• Public Launch Service - Two Toots 207-594-2891 also Rockland Harbor Launch & Rockland
  Water Taxi 207-594-8500
• Rental moorings are available from the Rockland Harbor Master and the Apprenticeshop as
  follows:
  • The Apprenticeshop contact for mooring rental is K. C. Heyniger 207-594-1800
  • The Rockland Town Dock is staffed from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday through Thursday; 8
    a.m. to 7 p.m., Friday and Saturday. They monitor VHF-FM channel 09 and 16 and use
    channel 09 as a working channel. Telephone: 207-594-0314, 207-594-0312.
  • The Rockland Town Dock has moorings available for rent, with many others available
    from commercial marinas about the harbor. Please call Rockland Harbor Master for rental
    moorings 207-594-0314.

The Course:

Racecourse will be 20 – 25 nm and can be any of the following four choices, the final course
selection will be at the skippers meeting:

• Start Rockland Breakwater, NE to Egg Rock (west of Pulpit Harbor), NW to Can “5”, SW
  to Rockland Breakwater/Can “1” finish line. keep all marks to port.
• Start Rockland Breakwater, NE through Bracketts Channel, W to Nun “10” in Gilkey
  Harbor, SW to Rockland Breakwater/Can “1” finish line. keep all marks to port.
• Start Rockland Breakwater, SE to Can “7” at entrance to Owls Head Bay (starboard
  rounding), SW and SE to Can “23” south of Sheep Island (port rounding), NE to “PB”
  Gong (port rounding), NW to Rockland Breakwater/Can “1” finish line.
• Course suggestions from Racing Skippers.

The Starting Time:

• 8:00 AM Registration, coffee, donuts and bagels at the Apprenticeshop.
• 9:00 AM Skippers meeting at the Apprenticeshop.
• 10:30 AM Race starts between RYC committee boat and a marker in the water between the
  Rockland Lighthouse and Can 1.
• Starting Sequence
  *Approximately 1 minute to start of sequence there will be a series of short horn blasts.
  5 Minutes: Red flag up
  4 Minutes: Blue flag up – One short horn blast
  1 Minutes: Blue flag down – One long horn blast
  Start: One long horn blast – Red flag down

Registration: Contact Ken Priest at ken@kenway.com or 207-712-8531 for registration details. Registration fee is $35.00 for each boat. Please e-mail Ken Priest ken@kenway.com with your intention to participate in the West Bay Race by Wednesday, July 8th with a YES or MAYBE as this will help plan the food and beverages.

Communications: VHF channels 68 and 16; Alternate due to traffic channel 72 - plus Ken Priest's cell phone (207) 712-8531

The Awards:

Social Events: After the Saturday race, a barbeque is planned at the Apprenticeshop. Hamburgers, hot dogs, chips, soft drinks and deserts are provided and cooked by the Rockland/Northport Yacht Clubs. Everyone is welcome. During the barbeque, the race results for Saturday will be posted. Bear in mind that the the Blues Festival is in Rockland Saturday, so it will be crowded in Rockland.^ TOP

Event Results

Will be posted here later - results will be posted at the barbeque at the Apprenticeshop for the participants.^ TOP

Event Highlights

Photo Gallery

To submit your favorite photos of the race, click here.