Race Committee
California Yacht Club welcomes you to join the fun on race committee!
Interested in Race Committee? Please sign up here
Each year CYC hosts 20 or more regattas, most of which are held on weekends. These events are staffed entirely by volunteers. It takes a small army to host these regattas and we welcome your help as a race committee volunteer.
What do you do on race committee?
The race committee is responsible for the management of the race - setting the marks, conducting the start sequence, and recording finishes.
I've never done race committee before, do I need experience?
No - you do not need prior experience, you don't even have to know how to sail! You just need to be willing to commit to a day on the water - we'll give you all the training you need "on the job". We also host training sessions at the club for those that want a better idea of what race committee is all about before committing.
What kind of boat will I be on?
Race committee work is usually conducted from powerboats. You might be on the Charles Hathaway, a 34 foot trawler that is anchored during races, or you might zip around the bay on a 20 foot rubber mark-set boat. You can make your preference know when you volunteer!
I'd love to help, but I get seasick.
We have just the job for you! We need people to help with scoring the regatta - this job is based in the club and requires only good computer skills.
How long will I be on the water each day?
Typically we ask volunteers to report to the club between 9:30 and 10am. You will leave the dock around 10:30am, and return around 4:30-5pm. We provide lunch and drinks. Once back on shore, we typically talk over the day at the dock (accompanied by food and drink!) and then partake in any after-race hospitality at the club.
Race committee is a really fun day on the water and a great way to meet other club members. If you are an active racer, you'll also learn a lot by helping with race management! For more information, contact Lori Haythorn ([email protected]) or Rory Mach ([email protected]). Look over our regattas on the "Regattas" page of the CYC website. Each regatta has its own webpage, if you are interested in helping with a particular regatta, feel free to contact the regatta chair directly.
