Making it safe to come and play again

by Craig Leweck, Scuttlebutt Sailing News
It was early in 2020, before the pandemic gained traction, when New York Yacht Club hosted me for a presentation on the sport. They were considering the direction of their racing calendar, and I used the opportunity to share all my rants that had accrued over the years.

Among my points was how the seriousness of weekend regattas had risen due to format. What elite racers want is not good for everyone which impacts participation. This year, the NYYC introduced new features to address this trend at the 171st edition of their Annual Regatta, and now North Sails is promoting the Regatta Refresh initiative to throw the ball further.

What did I say in 2020? Here’s an excerpt:

At some point in time our pursuit of perfection took over our weekend regattas, and every course configuration became windward-leewards, and every event took on the format of a world championship.

So for decades now we have been promoting a plan that emphasizes excellent crew work, refined tactics, elite speed, and in handicap racing, benefits modern boats that have efficient layouts. Plus now, the trend has been to get as many races in a day as possible.

We have effectively squeezed out the casual competitors, and worse, socializing may be getting sacrificed too.

None of this is a growth formula, but conversely we see great participation when events set the tone through shorter days, random courses, and strong after parties. There is a reason why mid-week racing is so popular.

While certain events should hold high standards and perfect course types, the lunchbox crowd can’t be forgotten. However, changing the NOR isn’t enough if seeking to bring people back to the sport. You’ve got to pull out your landline, dial numbers, and convince people it is safe to come out and play again.
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Click here for the presentation summary.