The annual Mike Gurish Memorial Regatta will be sailed on August 26, 2023. This year we’ve invited the South Shore Yacht Club to participate along with the Wessagusset Yacht Club.
The Mike Gurish Memorial Regatta is a pursuit style race where the slower boats start first and the faster boats start last. We’ve added a twist that each sailboat should have a power boater or social club member on board to share with the non-sailors the beauty of sailing.
Skippers and crew are invited back to the WYC Deck for awards presentation and a cookout after the regatta.
**** UPDATE ****
See this post for individual start times. https://www.wycma.com/2023-mike-gurish-regatta-start-times/
Notice of Race/Sailing Instructions
- RULES
- The Mike Gurish Memorial Race shall be a pursuit style race.
- The regatta will be governed by the rules as defined in The Racing Rules of Sailing.\
- The MBSA General Sailing Instructions, except as modified by these Event Sailing Instructions, shall apply. https://ucarecdn.com/0a00254d-8d93-4f31-84b5-58453d34b068/
- In particular this section concerning restricted areas in Hingham Bay (Page 16):
- Boats shall not complete passage in either direction between … Harry’s Rock Day Beacon R “HR” and Peddocks Is., Grape Is. and Slate Is., Slate Is. and Hingham Shore, G “3” and Bumkin Is., Bumkin Is. and Sunset Pt
- Free-flying headsails (AKA spinnakers, code-0’s, bloopers etc) shall not be used during the race.
- RRS Rule 44.3 Scoring Penalty shall be replaced by the following:
If a boat wishes to take a Scoring Penalty, after breaking a rule of Part 2 of the RRS, she shall inform the race committee at the first reasonable opportunity by VHF. The Scoring Penalty shall be 2 places after her actual finish.
- ELIGIBILITY AND ENTRY
The regatta is open to all sailboats with owners in good standing of the Wessagusset Yacht Club and South Shore Yacht Club. - SCHEDULE
- Registration:
Boats must register with John Hill (zlaxref06@gmail.com) before 24 Aug 2023.
Registration fee shall be $25/boat. - Race Day:
- The regatta will be held 26 Aug 2023.
In case of VERY bad weather, a Weather day is 27 Aug 2023.
There will be one race held. - Start Time
1200 First vessel(s) begin, in the vicinity of Western Way Buoy WW. Note: Each vessel is assigned a starting time. RC will be monitoring VHF channel 71. - Time Limit:
Must finish by 17:00h. Boats not finishing within the time limit will be scored DNF. - Post Race Awards:
There will be an awards presentation and BBQ hosted at the WYC porch. All competitors and crew are welcome.
- The regatta will be held 26 Aug 2023.
- Registration:
- SAILING INSTRUCTIONS
The sailing instructions will be available after 14 Aug 2023. - THE COURSES
- There will be two possible courses, which will be sailed in the direction (clockwise, counter-clockwise) deemed by the Race Committee.
- The start will be between the WW Buoy and the Race Committee(RC) boat. The RC boat will be set on station to the south-west of WW, so to keep the line out of the shipping channel.
- In the absence of an RC boat the line drawn between the WW and R12 will be used as the start line.
The finish line will be between GC-23 and east end of WYC breakwater.
The course descriptions are noted below.
- In the absence of an RC boat the line drawn between the WW and R12 will be used as the start line.
- HANDICAPS
- The Mike Gurish Memorial Race will use PHRF handicapping.
- We will be using the base PHRF rating for the boat make and model from New England PHRF. http://www.phrfne.org/page/handicapping/base_handicaps
- Boats shall have at least one WYC/SSYC powerboater or social member (AKA a non-sailor) on board. If a non-sailor is not aboard the boat for the race, the boat shall have 4 seconds per mile added to their PHRF Handicap.
- Previous winners from the prior year should have their base handicap altered in order to promote fun racing.
- The previous year’s first place boat shall have 10 seconds/mile added to their handicap.
- The previous year’s second place boat shall have 5 seconds/mile added to their handicap.
- The previous year’s third place boat shall have 3 seconds/mile added to their handicap.
- The Mike Gurish Memorial Race will use PHRF handicapping.
- SAILING INSTRUCTIONS
The Sailing instructions will be available on the WYC Website and posted in the WYC Member’s Room.- Amendments to the NOR and SI’s will be posted in the same locations.
- Amendments to the NOR and SI’s will be posted in the same locations.
- PROTESTS
The Mike Gurish Memorial Race is to be a friendly fun regatta. Protests are discouraged. If you are to file a protest, the fee will be $25. - RADIO COMMUNICATION
The race committee will make all announcements on VHF Channel 71. - DISCLAIMER OF LIABILITY
Competitors participate in the regatta entirely at their own risk. See RRS 4, Decision to Race. The organizing authority will not accept any liability for material damage or personal injury or death sustained in conjunction with or prior to, during, or after the regatta. - INSURANCE
Each participating boat shall be insured with valid third-party liability insurance.
Marks for the Mike Gurish Memorial Race
| Hingham Bay/Mass Bay mark number | Designation | Govt Sym | Light Charact. | Approx Latitude N | Approx Longitude W | Gov # |
| 17 | Weymouth Fore River Channel Buoy | G “5” | Fl G 4s | 42.17.6326 | 70.55.4043 | 11660 |
| 18 | Bumkin Island (Shoal) Buoy | G”1” | Fl G 4s | 42.17.4176 | 70.54.8591 | 11945 |
| 19 | Crow Point Flats Buoy CF(Bumpkin Is.) | RG | 42.16.9250 | 70.54.6000 | 11970 | |
| 22 | Weymouth Fore River Channel Light | “13” Q G | 42.16.2706 | 70.55.7833 | 11710 | |
| 23 | Western Way Buoy WW | RG “WW” | Fl(2+1)R6s | 42.16.6469 | 70.55.9303 | 11695 |
| 25 | Western Way Buoy (Peddocks Island) | R “2” | Fl R 2.5s | 42.17.0048 | 70.56.9947 | 11537 |
| 26 | Western Way Buoy (Peddocks Is.) | G “3” | FL G 2.5s | 42°17.2’ | 70°57.5’ | |
| FINISH | Weymouth Fore River Channel Buoy | GC “23” | 42.15.153 | 70.56.785 |
Course Chart PDFs
Chart PDFs for information purposes only can be found here:
Long Course : https://drive.google.com/file/d/1A-UkMsz-twnyq7vdfblaz_CHqRWTFpEi
Short Course: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1-3F7J_7Y9HzN5flfOmgDHZw0Mk0Een-f
Course Descriptions
- Short Course Clockwise 4.1NM
Start 23 WW
17 to Starboard
19 to Starboard
22 to Port
Finish between GC-23 and east end of WYC breakwater
- Short Course CounterClockwise 4.1NM
Start 23 WW
19 to Port
17 to Port
23 to Starboard
Finish between GC-23 and east end of WYC breakwater
- Long Course Clockwise 6.9NM
Start 23 WW
26 to Starboard
17 to Starboard
18 to Starboard
19 to Starboard
22 to Port
Finish between GC-23 and east end of WYC breakwater
- Long Course CounterClockwise 7.5NM
Start 23 WW
19 to Port
18 to Port
17 to Port
26 to Port
23 to Starboard
Finish between GC-23 and east end of WYC breakwater
NOTE: Other navigation marks not designated as a mark of the course or where there is a restriction in place may be left to either side at the skipper’s discretion.