Bayview Mackinac Race: A note from the Technical Committee Division III (Cruising Division)

by Bayview Mackinac Race 15 Jun 00:53 BST

This year the Bayview Mackinac Race established Division III, consisting of one or more "Cruiser-Racer" classes and a special "Cruiser" class. Any boat, irrespective of its ORC rating, is eligible to race in a Cruiser-Racer class as long as it adheres to the sail and other restrictions set forth in the Cruising Class Rules published at bycmack.com/cruising-rules .

However, to be eligible to race in the special Cruiser class the boat must meet certain objective and subjective criteria. The objective criteria are:

1. The boat must have an ORC rating certificate that limits the boat to sailing with no more than one headsail attached to a roller furler. For boats that use headsails, unless the words "* One set on forestay" appears on the bottom right of page 1 of your rating certificate under "Sail Limits" and on page 3 under the heading "Rig", the word "Yes" appears next to "Single Headsail Furler" then you are not rated for a single headsail on a roller furler and are not eligible to race in the Cruising class. (Boats that have selected the Cruising class when registering for the race but do not have an ORC certificate indicating they are rated for a single headsail on a roller furler will be assigned to a Cruiser-Racer class.

2. The boat must be rated either to carry no spinnakers at all or to use only an asymmetrical spinnaker tacked on centerline. Boats that are not so rated will be assigned to a Cruiser-Racer class.

3. The boat must carry only one (1) asymmetrical spinnaker on board while racing.

In addition to the above, to be eligible for the special Cruising class, the Race Committee must consider the boat to be primarily suitable for use as a cruising vessel based on its design, equipment and sailing performance characteristics. Boats that have registered for the special Cruising class but are not considered by the RC to meet this criterion will be assigned to a Cruiser-Racer class.

If you have any questions please contact Art LeVasseur, Chair, Bayview Mackinac Race Technical Committee,