U.S. Naval Academy hosts U.S. Offshore Sailing Championship

by US Sailing on 21 Sep 2017 Ten teams from around the country will be fleet racing on Chesapeake Bay in Navy 44 sloops this Friday through Sunday for the 2017 U.S. Offshore Sailing Championship, hosted by the Naval Academy Sailing Squadron.

This US Sailing National Championship routinely offers a unique offshore racing challenge for participants at one of sailing’s most historic and prominent venues.

The Championship focuses on the core fundamentals of offshore racing. Teams will be challenged in the areas of navigation, boat handling, teamwork, and basic fleet racing skills. The format features one medium and one long distance race (weather permitting) with a variety of possible courses, as well as at least three buoy races. The distance races will be approximately 15 to 30 nautical miles.

The competing teams are representing each of the US Sailing Areas and are seeded through Area eliminations or by sailing resume, plus one U.S. Naval Academy team. Each team consists of a crew of eight, including one skipper, six crew members, and one U.S. Naval Academy Midshipman from the varsity offshore racing team. Teams must have competed in at least five IRC, ORC, ORR, PHRF, Offshore One Design, Offshore Level Class Racing or Portsmouth Numbers rating systems in its respective Area during in the past 18 months.

Both distance and buoy races will be sailed in this championship. Two distance races are planned, but in the event that weather conditions allow, distance races may be substituted for one or more of the buoy races. Up to two distance races may be run on a day and no more than five distance races will be run in the regatta. Buoy races will be held between Tolly Point and Thomas Point, and east of Greenbury Point.