Everything you need to know

Preparing for an Event

but didn't know who to ask

All Events, whether they be Fun Races or National Championships, require prior preparation. Fun Races of course take less planning than a National Championship but each takes time.

The information in this article is aimed primarily at people new to the Race Committee or for younger associations or clubs. A lot of the information may be "obvious" for experienced RCs but for someone just starting out, it could prove very helpful. This information should be considered "guidelines". Some are common to every Event while some are for a specific Discipline or Event. Almost all might be necessary for a major Event while many would be superfluous for a Fun Event.

Determine Goals and Objectives

Here are some possible goals to keep in mind as you plan your Event:

• Decide whether the Event will be a Fun Race or a Recognized or Sanctioned Event.

• If a Sanctioned Event, decide whether it'll be a Points Regatta or Direct Qualifier.

• If a Championship, decide what level: Regional, National or International.

• Consider eligibility requirements for participants.

• Consider whether eligibility requirements must still apply for your Sport Fleet.

Allow for a Sport Class in all Events

We recommend that Sport Class racers be allowed to participate in ALL Events, including Championships, without qualifying requirements (except general membership requirements expected of all). We consider the inclusion of the Sport Fleet in major events an excellent way to promote the sport, involve as many people as possible and appeal to both the public and the media. From our point of view, we think eligibility requirements for the Sport Class are counterproductive and totally contrary to the definition and goals of a Sport Class, and may result in inhibiting participation and future involvement in racing. Such requirements can drive away many windsurfers who might otherwise "get hooked" on windsurfing competition. We think Event organizers, who have the best interests of the sport and the individual windsurfer in mind, will provide a Sport Class for all Events large and small. Furthermore, they will waive eligibility requirements and provide competition which is less competitive on shorter courses and hopefully along the lines of the cooperative competition concept.

Be sure to check out your National Sanctioning Authority's qualification requirements for the Sport Class and if they have them, consider applying for a waiver.

Related topic: RC Help #12 Sport Class Cooperative Competition.

Determine Dates and Site

When planning your Season Calendar, try to consider Events being planned in adjacent sailing areas, states or regions and Events being planned nationally and internationally.

Select locations and racing areas within locations that match the skill levels of the majority of prospective competitors. If novices are racing, consider an alternate course location if the racing area presents expert level challenges.

Obtain Permits and Sanctioning

Apply for appropriate permits from State/Province, County and City authorities. Be sure to apply for permits the prescribed length and time before the Event.

Apply for sanctioning from your National level windsurfing association. Be sure to apply for sanctioning the prescribed length and time before the Event.

Mail or FAX notices of calendar or Event to Public Relations companies, newspapers, radio and television stations, regional visitors information offices, and various Internet Web Sites.

Appoint P.R.O. and Protest Committee

While a Fun Event may need neither, a major Event may need both a P.R.O. and a Protest Committee. Sanctioned Events often require either three Judges or an Umpire or Referee. Make sure that whoever you appoint to the Protest Committee has a thorough understanding of ISAF and especially the new shortened rules.

Appoint Committee Chairpersons

Appoint Coordinators or Committee Chairpersons to take charge of registration, regatta office, publicity and media relations, housing assistance, equipment shipping assistance, foreign language interpretation, equipment storage, social events, scoring, budget control, prizes and awards, opening and closing ceremonies or dinner, beach cleanup, protest committee secretary, and special hospitality.

Select Special Hospitality Coordinator carefully since a regatta's success is often judged by competitors, not by who won, but how much fun they had, the warm welcome they received, the friendliness of the Race Committee, regatta workers, and community merchants, and positive media coverage.

Determine the number and qualification of persons needed to help each Coordinator.

Select a Race Committee

Race Committee members should be windsurfers preferably with racing experience although it can be made up of community members, parents of racing youth, and non-racing windsurfers. For major Events, consider the possibility of using military personnel from nearby bases for the RC. On Oahu we used Marines from Kaneohe Marine Air Base for our one or two major week long Events each year. We held a training session prior to the Event and volunteers were granted "community service leave". Everyone, event organizers and racers alike, agreed they were, without a question, the finest RC we could have hoped to ever have!

The RC should be kept to a minimum and only those actually needed to do the job should be used. Although this article and the previous one offers guidelines for a number of RC positions, understand that not every Event requires that all positions be filled!

• Fun Races may need only a Race Director and Assistant Race Director who start and scores races from the boat and maybe a combination Registrar, Scorekeeper and Data Processor. Sanctioned events may need more personnel but within reason, the smaller the Race Committee, the better.

• For Points Regattas and Direct Qualifiers, consider asking racers and parents of racing youth to volunteer. Try to find a key person to assume the position of Assistant Race Director and train that person to set courses, conduct Skipper's Meetings, start races, score races and conduct protest hearings. This training program can provide a RD the opportunity to take a break from conducting races if necessary and maybe even compete enough times to maintain their own ranking.

• Most volunteers are called several days or a week before the event but the Assistant Race Director position for the next race should be filled at the beginning of the previous event's Skipper's Meeting. IF people are hesitant to volunteer, consider continuing the meeting only when someone has volunteers for the position. (It's always interesting to observe the reaction of some racers when asking for volunteer help. I've seen racers leave the meeting, begin shouting "Quit wasting time! Let's start racing! and just stand in silence waiting for someone else to volunteer. It's important for the RD to maintain control of the Skipper's Meeting, to help the racers understand that help is needed and to inform racers that each one is expected to volunteer 10 or 15% of their race time to helping out. The reason High Scores Tabulation Method is preferred is it allows racers to drop one event a year to help without penalizing their standing.

Racers who lack the ability or aptitude to be an Assistant Race Director should be given other opportunities to help. It's important that as many as possible share the load however small each share might be.

Make Instruction Manuals for the RC

Inexpensive yet attractive Instruction Manuals for the RC can be made using Report Covers and some of these RC Help Articles. We used the forms and charts in the Gaastra Hawaii Race Manual (available from papamaui@mac.com for the cost of S/H) for our Instruction Manuals.

Arrange for Special Services

Many sites may lack adequate parking, restroom facilities, telephone, electricity, press and regatta offices, food and drink concessions, repair area, physically challenged access, etc. Also, competitors and visitors appreciate knowing about weather and wind forecasts, local sail and board repair, currency exchange or banks close to the event site, medical, dental and chiropractic services, travel agencies and airlines. Often special discounts can be arranged in exchange for promotional consideration.

Make sure a Coordinator is appointed to handle these special needs and others not listed here but unique to a particular site or region.

Make a Budget

Include income from entry fees, sponsorship support, governmental or private grants, production fees, program advertising revenue, sales of food and refreshments, subsidies from national authority, class association or host club, and sale of T-Shirts and sail numbers.

Include expenses for advertising, auto expense, dues and contributions, helicopter and press boat, Race Committee boat lease, other boat leases, boat gas and oil, printing, banners, equipment rental, equipment purchase and maintenance, insurance, travel and housing if bringing the Race Director or P.R.O. in from out of the area, catering, computer and copy machine rental, postage and telephone, souvenirs, prizes and awards, maintenance, security, buoys, anchors and lines, tent rental, official clothing, medicinal supplies, entertainment, marine radios and batteries, loudspeaker system rental or purchase, hand held loudspeakers rental or purchase and refreshment supplies.

Include in the budget all goods and services provided without charge on both the income and expense lists.

Related Topic: RC Help #16 Proposed Event Budget Form

Distribute Advance Publicity

Distribute advance publicity to national windsurfing authority, area windsurfing shops, windsurfing sail and board manufacturers, potential competitors, windsurfing magazines, newspapers, radios and television stations, selected Internet Web Sites, etc.

Prepare Notice of Race and Sailing Instructions

The Race Coordinator or Race Director should write the Notice of Race and Sailing Instructions, then review them with the Principal Race Officer and other key Race Committee and Protest Committee members before publishing.

Distribute Notice of Race and Sailing Instructions in advance to national windsurfing authority, windsurfing publications and area windsurfing shops.

Using RaceManPro's mailing label feature, print labels for windsurfers who have competed in previous Events or whose names appear on the Season Recap or to all or selected groups on the Sail Registry. Mail Notice of Race well in advance of Event date. Mail Sailing Instructions when entry is confirmed or distribute at the venue at Registration or Check In.

Prepare Regatta Program

Include all information of interest to competitors, other visitors, regatta workers, and press representatives.

Include welcome messages from dignitaries; recommended restaurants with price range; names of Race Committee, Protest Committee and other important regatta workers; brief history of the Event and host association; local attractions; schedule of all events; and past winners.

Confirm Eligibility, Publish Roster, Prepare Packets

Check local and national association membership requirements for each competitor.

Publish roster of eligible competitors both alphabetically and by Fleet/Class by Division.

Prepare competitor packets including badges, tickets, gifts, invitations, car rental discounts, maps, etc.

Arrange for Equipment Borrowing, Rental or Purchase

Decide what equipment will be purchased and used in future regattas and what equipment will be rented or borrowed. Consider short and long term cost and storage when making those decisions. Remember to plan for replacement cost if borrowed or rented equipment is damaged or lost. For purchased equipment, consider cost vs. value and avoid buying cheap equipment that functions poorly, and that's likely to last for just a few races or a season or two. Check local regulations regarding the use of marine radios for water sport events and if permitted, invest in good quality marine radios. Try to avoid "walkie-talkies" like the plague.

Conduct Organizational Meetings

The Race Coordinator should prepare a final format while Event Coordinators should prepare summaries of their specific procedures, responsibilities and personnel required. Regular meetings should be help to discuss progress in each Coordinator's area of concern.

Decide Extent of Post-Regatta Assistance Needed

Decide extent and kind of post-regatta assistance and courtesies to be provided for competitors: equipment storage and transportation, trophy shipping, final results and press releases, etc.

Find and Train a Pre-Race Boat Crew

Find and train a Pre-Race Boat Crew. Both the boat and trailer need routine maintenance and a pre-race check a day or two before the event. Also, buoys, anchors, and lines must be ready for the event. The evening before the event, the Pre-Race Crew should check:

• Anchors: concrete blocks work O.K. and are less expensive than store bought anchors. Non-floating nylon line should be used for anchor line. A short length of garden hose looped through the block should be used to prevent the block from chafing the line.

• Buoy Towing Line: if you can, avoid towing buoys and carry them in the boat! But if you can't, then provide a special floating line in the boat for towing buoys (a single line works better than multiple lines which tend to tangle easily). To prepare the towing rope, take two 15-20 meter lengths of floating line (non-floating line can foul the propeller), tie a loop on three ends and a snap shackle on the other, and tie a series of loops in the lines about 2 meters apart. Buy brass snap shackles (far less expensive than stainless steel) and attach one onto each loop. Two short lines are better than one long line in case there's just a few buoys to tow.

• Drag Chains: a drag chain is mandatory for the boat anchor and optional for buoy anchors unless in deep or rough water. Use a 2 meter length of heavy (1 to 1,25 cm) drag chain attached between the anchor and the buoy line to help keep the buoy from lifting and dragging the anchor. However, providing plenty of line to allow for swells and surges is usually sufficient for buoys. Avoid using snap shackles to attach anchor lines to buoys as snap shackles may not be dependable in heavy seas or surf conditions. Buoys should usually be attached directly to the anchor line using a "bowline" knot.

• Fuel Tanks/Oil: the tank(s) should be full of fresh fuel or fuel/oil mixture. If the motor has an oil injection system, the oil tanks should also be full. Reserve contains of fuel should also be provided.

Find Sponsorship for the Event

Finding sponsorship for amateur windsurfing events can be a real challenge! Having an attractive sponsorship package is always helpful. The package should consist of the association's brochure, event calendar, summary of sponsorship benefits and photographs of events showing sponsor banners, etc.

Sponsorship benefits may include:

• Exclusive designation as Event Title Sponsor

• Signage at Event

• Name and Logo associated with particular Event in Registration Booklet

• One-quarter page ad inside Official Event Program

• Special recognition at opening ceremonies

• Special recognition as Event Sponsor

• Announcer recognition as Event Sponsor

• Tax deductible donation

• Right of first refusal for subsequent Events

• Pre-Event and Post-Event press releases with Sponsor Name and Logo to local radio, TV, newspaper and major wire services; also windsurfing magazines

• Certificates suitable for framing to winners with Sponsor Name prominently displayed

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