BLUEMOMENT

Hey folks

Okay - let me brief a few problems....

I want to go to WHYW, I've got the boat and the crew. I don't have an IRC rating, I don't have a sail number and I don't know if I can just go and enjoy the cruise. I'd prefer to race but if not, it wouldn't stop me going. Can anyone help?

'Tis easy to fix. Get yourself onto http://www.cyca-online.org.uk/ and go to the "Sail Number/Handicap" bit. Make a guess at the answers or phone up the office - mornings only, I seem to recollect, but I may be wrong. You pay your money and get a smart number with a "C" at the end, much more classy than "T" or "R"! Then a wee chat with Diane at Owen Sails and another dod of wedge and sticky numbers will be in the post.
Enjoy WHYW - it's a lot of fun!

Oh, and you can contact Julia at WHYW and let her know you are coming and she'll happily take your entry money with the handicap/sail number to follow.

Hi Tony

Welcome, as Marisca has said above, its straightforward to get a clyde handicap. Especially since there are some examples of your elan already in the database - so its almost off the shelf, just make some basic adjustments for roller reefing headsails, folding props etc and you will get a number. The handicap system has been setup recently to make it easy for people in your position to get a handicap and join in events like WHYW. Hope you manage to get sorted and join in , its the kind of "be competitive as you like" racing I really like. You generally have to carry a tender and the guff that comes with passage racing to places where you may have to anchor, so stripped down machines and mother ships are thin on the ground and its very social sailing.

Steve

That's been really helpful folks and very much appreciated. I'm on the case and hope to see you there. Cheers!

It is not difficult to get a CYCA handicap though you have left it a bit late, but the office is very helpful. Once you have it it lasts as long as you have the boat. If you can not sort it out in time talk to Julia and something can be organized to let you start. It is unusual for non competing boats to tag along but it can not be prevented, if that is what you are determined to do; much better to enter, you can enter individual races or just the passage races and there are non spinnaker classes. Note that as long as your mainsail has some form of unique identity number which relates to the class of boat or similar that is all you need on the sails. Many boats have a CYCA rating without a Clyde sail number.