Overview
The Finger Lakes Yacht Club Race Program consists of multiple events that span the available boating season. Race activities are managed by the FLYC Race Committee and many volunteers, most of whom are the racers themselves. One particularly attractive aspect of the FLYC program is the camaraderie between competitors and the degree to which they help one another improve their skills. This provides for an environment where the racing is enjoyable, yet still competitive.
Races are organized into four general categories, which are detailed elsewhere in this document:
- The FLYC Summer Series
- The “Fun Race” Series
- The Commodore's Cup
- Invitational races organized by other clubs
FLYC racers are handicapped using a modified US Sailing's Portsmouth Yardstick. Scoring is done using a low-points system, also with some local modifications.
Protests are strongly discouraged.
Race Program Objectives
The topic of sailboat racing, handicapping, and scoring is rife with opportunities to explore topics in extreme depth. (I.e., go down a bottomless rabbit hole.) Therefore, the authors believe it’s important to state high level objectives of the FLYC racing program so that a tempting rabbit hole doesn’t turn into a needless distraction or point of contention.
Program objectives can be summarized as follows:
- Have fun. Our #1 objective. This is supposed to be a recreational outlet, not a cause of stress or dissention.
- Fleet growth. The program should be structured in a way that makes it inviting to new sailors and provides a path for all participants to grow and develop their sailing skills.
- Participants should have the opportunity to understand how the program is structured, how it works, and why things are the way they are.
- Codified, consistent processes. In support of transparency, participants should be aware of the processes used in the daily operations of the FLYC racing program.
- The program should promote participants to seek out ways to build their skills in both sailing and general seamanship.