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The 69th Annual Bremerton Yacht Club Heavy Weather Predicted Log Navigation
Contest is scheduled for February 15, 2003. This is the largest predicted
log navigation contest of its kind in the world. The object of this
contest is to demonstrate a skipper's navigational skills at normal vessel
cruise speeds, as opposed to other types of contests that involve high
vessel speeds. It is anticipated that approximately 50 to 60 contestant
boats will entere to challenge the 23 nautical mile course. They will transit
Port Washington Narrows, Sinclair Inlet, Rich Passage, and Yukon Harbor
over a period from about noon to 4:30 PM on February 15. The competing
skippers are veteran boaters who take this sport very seriously, are well
aware of the capabilities of their vessels and maintain a keen vigilance
of everything around them. The essence of a navigation contest is
to compare a skipper's predicted elapsed time over a prescribed course
with the actual cruise time to run the course, and the skipper with the
closest times wins. The challenge of predicting the currents through
Port Washington Narrows and Rich Passage has, over the years, made this
a very difficult part of the contest course.
Each of the contest boats is required to have an independent observer
on board, who's duty is to record the time of day at the start of the contest
and at each of it's six checkpoints. It is from these recorded times that
the contest committee establishes the contest winners. Trophies are awarded
for the top three overall winners, as well as the top three in each of
five classes. An award is given to the yacht club who has the best
four man team score and a trophy is also given to the best skipper who
has entered the contest for the first time.
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Impartial observers play a key part in the contest, as they represent
the yacht club during the actual running of the course and record the required
times needed to establish the winners. Training for observers will be held
at the Bremerton Yacht Club on Tuesday, February 11, and Wednesday, February
12, at 7:00 PM each night, with donuts and coffee provided. Anyone interested
in being a observer during the contest should attend one of the two training
sessions.
Heavy Weather Weekend is a busy time at the Bremerton Yacht Club, starting
on Friday night with a light dinner available at the clubhouse and music
to dance away the night. Saturday is the Heavy Weather Navigation Contest,
followed that evening by skits put on by the different yacht clubs, followed
by more music and dancing and a late night snack. Sunday is the famous
Heavy Weather breakfast followed by the presentation of awards and trophies.
For more information about the Bremerton Yacht Club Heavy Weather Navigation
Contest or being an observer stay tuned to this Web site
(bremertonyachtclub.org/heavy_weather/)
or contact:
Jack Hensley
Regatta Chairman for Power
Tel.: (360) 373-2423
E-mail: jhensley@telebyte.net
Web:
bremertonyachtclub.org/bycPowerBoat.html
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