May 12, 2020: The WBYC Sailing Committee Board has been discussing summer plans, and we have some updates for you. I hope this email answers many of your questions. Of course, there are some questions we can’t answer at this moment, but as Governor Walz continues to open our state and update us on that schedule, we will keep you informed with how that affects our club and our season.
Will we be racing this summer?
Hopefully, Yes. We are optimistic that competitive sailing will be treated like other similar sports (i.e. – Golf) and added to the Governor’s list of allowable sports/activities in the coming weeks. We have been working with a group of Commodores from Yacht Clubs all over the state to draft a proposal headed for the Governor’s desk. This proposal would include a plea to allow competitive sailing to take place this summer (currently competitive sports and sporting events are prohibited), and would lay out special precautions we would take to ensure the safety of our members.
Under the current order, we are prohibited from racing, but we believe the socially distant nature of sailing sets us apart from the broader category of “competitive sports” and we will eventually be allowed to race.
If/when we do decide to race, we will have additional safety provisions in our Sailing Instructions.
What about A boats?
Currently, we are not planning to hold any A scow races this summer, due to the number of people involved and the difficulty posed in social distancing.
What about the ILYA E Invitational regatta, scheduled at WBYC the weekend of July 10-12?
The ILYA is working with each host club to make decisions about each regatta individually, around 30-40 days before the scheduled start dates. We will decide the plan for this summer’s ILYA E Invite at the beginning of June.
When might we be able to race?
WBYC is going to plan as if racing can begin on Saturday June 13, with registration opening 2-3 weeks before that. This will depend on how much of the Governor’s orders have been lifted by this point, and we will push the start date later if necessary.
Can we still keep our boat at WBYC?
Regardless of whether we are able to race, or when we’re able to race, any sailors who keep their boats on lifts at the Club will still be able to do so. We will be re-scheduling the crane to put lifts in soon, but with a smaller group of volunteers to coordinate.
Social Calendar?
We will not have any social events this summer. The annual banquet in September is still too far away to say.
If we only race a portion of the originally scheduled season, will the dues still be full price?
The Sailing Division is planning to appropriately prorate the registration dues. There are still fixed costs involved with our RC boat and lift, but without racing in May or the beginning of June, gas and personnel costs will be down. The prices will be set once we know the start date, and how much of the season will be lost.
What about the Sailing School?
WBSS is currently closed, and not alowed to operate per the Governor’s current order. However, we are working with the sailing schools at Minnetonka, Wayzata and Bde Maka Ska along with local YMCA’s on a different plan to request that the Governor’s office allow summer camps to operate with extra safety precautions and programming changes. This would likely involve smaller class sizes, fewer classes, mandatory face masks, and other necessary safety precautions.
We will continue to update you with any new news we receive. If/when the Governor’s orders allow us to proceed and schedule races, we will update you with our plans.
