The Breakwater Irregulars mourn the death of Lyndon Helmbolt, skipper of Soup Bone IV, who died on March 28. He will be missed.
Tuesday Evening Sailboat Racing near Stamford, Connecticut.
Everybody’s WELCOME!
Our fleet (about 250 sailor-members) races on 16 Tuesday evenings every summer–and has since 1967. The more sloops and sailors, the better for all of us, so please read on and consider joining.
Note: If anything in these pages makes you think you’re too inexperienced to sail with us, then there’s something wrong with our website, because that’s just not true!
We separate each year’s racing into a Spring Series and a Summer Series, 8 race nights each. All 16 races are covered by one registration and one fee. (The series separation is intended to give everybody a second chance for scoring, especially those who miss some spring races due to late launches.)
CLICK HERE FOR REGISTRATION, RESULTS, ETC.
Our 2024 season is now open for registration.
NEWS FLASH…the tradition of having racing crews assist the Race Committee has been reinstated for 2024! Visit the Race Committee page for more information on signing up.
Season 58 begins Tuesday, May 14, 2024!
Spring Series: May 14 – July 2, 2024
Summer Series July 9 – August 27, 2024
For a look back at our 2023 Spring Series, click here.
RaceQs playback for all 2024 races. Usually available within a few hours after each race.
Participation in RaceQs has been light, even though it is free and easy.
Will 2024 really be our 58th summer? Yes, the Breakwater Irregulars started racing about five months after the first Super Bowl. That makes it easy to keep track. LVIII.
Looking for participation and performance history? Search for “Irregulars” at yachtscoring.com and you can review any season since 2010.
The next part of this page provides information for new and prospective members. That is followed by information and reminders for all participants.
You, your crew, and your single-mast, mono-hull sailboat are always WELCOME to join us, whether you are experts, beginners, or anywhere in between. Some of our most capable crews learned to sail during these races.
Questions? If you can’t find your answers on this page, send an inquiry to info@breakwaters.org. We’re always happy to talk with you about the Breakwater Irregulars.
Divisions and Classes. We have spinnaker and non-spinnaker divisions. In 2022, for example we had four spinnaker classes and two non-spinnaker classes, but each year’s breakdown depends on actual registration.
Scoring. (Official documents supersede descriptions on this site.) In recent years, we have used a time-on-time rating adjustment and the Low-Point scoring system. In that system, a first is a 1, a second is a 2, and so on. As in golf, the lowest cumulative score wins. Your cumulative score is the sum of your scores in a majority of the official races in each series. So, for example, if a series has 7 official races and one abandonment, you count only your best 4 scores and throw out the rest. A boat that does not compete in a majority of the races does not qualify for a cumulatiive score.
Scoring note: We usually have one course for all classes. When we have more than one course, the display of placement in fleet may be skewed because of different course lengths. We modified our Yachtscoring settings for the 2022 Summer Series to have distinct fleet placement for each division. That should resolve the problem in most circumstances. To do more would delay the posting of results. Fleet placement has no significance under our trophy rules and is easy enough to figure out, for those who are interested.
Yet another scoring note: Cumulative Results on Yachtscoring show an accumulation of race scores, but do not reflect dropped races and qualification rules, at least until after the end of each series. In some cases, we post the final results for a series on a separate spreadsheet.
Registration. The best time to register is between late November and early April, because racing begins in May and early registration gives us some time for class assignments. Register and pay the annual fee through the Yachtscoring page for the Spring Series. A link to that page for the coming season is usually posted near the top of this page in mid-November. You also need to obtain or renew a rating for your boat through the Yacht Racing Association of Long Island Sound at yralis.org. Those ratings are for the calendar year, but the system is sometimes not available until around March. No need to send your rating to us; we obtain all ratings from YRALIS.
Class assignment. During registration, you tell us whether you will sail with or without a spinnaker. We then assign you to a class based on that election and your boat’s rating. Your classification will appear on the posted Scratch Sheet. When you race, you must fly the numeral pennant of your class from your backstay.
Yachtscoring.com. It’s where we register, but it’s also where you will find race results, Sailing Instructions, Notice of Race, and other important information. Keep a link on your computer and your smartphone. (A mobile version of the site is available.) Each series has its own Yachtscoring address, so be sure to update your link after the Spring Series.
Winning. Some of us never come in first, but we can all be winners in one way or another. Did your crew make less mistakes than usual? Recover quickly from any mistakes? Those are BIG wins. Were you closer to the boat that beat you by a wide margin last week? That’s a win. Did you spend a Tuesday evening on Long Island Sound with a bunch of friends, while becoming a faster and safer sailor? Congratulations – you’re a winner!
Marks. We start almost all races with Bell 32 serving as the pin end of the starting line. Our Race Committee (“RC”) describes each race by designating one or more government marks (buoys), using a code system you will find in the Sailing Instructions. For example, if the RC is on station at Bell 32 and shows “C” on the course board, the race is from Bell 32 to Nun 34 (code C) and back to Bell 32. How do we know which way to sail around Nun 34? The Sailing Instructions usually say that, when the first two legs of the race are reciprocal (i.e., there and back), the mark between them should be left to port. A different–and little known–rule applies to reciprocal legs that do not include the first leg, a rare situation. Note: General knowledge and decades of experience are no substitute for actually READING THE SAILING INSTRUCTIONS.
Rocks. Each of us is responsible for watching the depth in the racing and pre-start areas. Some of the marks we use are there because of nearby rocks. Unless you are very familiar with the area, consult your chart.
Racing Rules of Sailing. If you are a member of US Sailing, you should receive a complimentary copy of the rules (including US Sailing prescriptions) for 2021-2024. Non-members can buy a copy of that edition or find the international edition of the rules at Racing Rules of Sailing. Both editions include a lot of information you will not need. Focus on Parts 1 and 2.
The annual fee. Our Management Committee is composed of member-volunteers. We handle club funds carefully and transparently. The objective is to cover necessary expenses, without accumulating excess money. We do give awards, but they tend to be modest and/or practical items, rather than silver shelf-fillers. For as long as we can remember, the fee has been $250 per boat. All members of your crew (minimum of 3 for this purpose) are members of the Breakwater Irregulars, and the $250 covers their dues. When this exceeds our expenses, we return the surplus to our members in ways that enhance the program. Examples: The BI tee shirts that were freely distributed to members during the Covid era and the banquet discounts in other years.
Race Committee (“RC”). We are extremely fortunate to have a competent and dedicated group of volunteers on this committee and to have the use of Stamford YC’s signal boat, “ON THE LINE.” We supplement the RC with sailing crew from our racing boats. With 16 races per summer and about twice as many boats, every boat should volunteer at least once every two summers. Visit the Race Committee page for more information.
Checking in. Arrive at the start area before 1900 and pass the stern of the signal boat with your mainsail raised and your class flag displayed. The RC will probably give you a wave of acknowledgement before you say anything. If not, call out your sail number to be sure you have effectively checked in. Don’t even think about checking in by radio.
Signals. During the pre-Covid era, RC communication involved more signal flags. We reduced the handling of flags during the pandemic, and relied more on the use of radio announcements, the first of which is usually given at 1900, just after the Attention Signal. The new procedure works well, so it is still in use.
Starting. We generally start classes in reverse order (e.g., 5, 4, 3, 2, 1), but classes can have combined starts. So, the first announcement by the RC might say, for example, “Breakwater Fleet, this is your Race Committee. Tonight’s course will be to 32A and back. Classes 4 and 5 will start together under the 4 flag, Class 3 will start alone, and Classes 1 and 2 will start together under the 1 flag. Race Committee, standing by.” Unless there is a postponement, this tells us that 4 and 5 will start at 1910, 3 will start at 1915, and 1 and 2 will start at 1920. The first Warning Signal is usually given at 1905. The first start at 1910 is also the 5-minute Warning Signal for the next start. And so on, until all classes have started. Other signals are given at 4 minutes (Preparatory) and 1 minute before each start.
Starting sequence. Here’s another way to present the foregoing, though, as explained, the use of flags has been reduced in recent years:
Typical Tuesday Start Sequences
1900 Attention Sound and “F” raised
1904 “F” removed.
1905 Warning Sound and class flag raised
1906 Preparatory Sound and prep flag (usually “P”) raised.
1909 Sound and prep flag removed.
1910 First start Sound and class flag removed.
– Next class flag raised
REMINDERS FOR RETURNING MEMBERS
(but keep reading if you’re just joining us)
Burgee. Display of the Breakwaters burgee is encouraged, but not required. If it is flown, it goes on a starboard shroud below the lowest spreader. Burgees may be ordered through the management committee. Your price is our cost, which was $35 as recently as 2021, FOB Shippan.
Sail numbers. Appendix G of the Racing Rules of Sailing requires that sail numbers must be “clearly legible.” Legibility requires, among other things, that the color of the numbers contrasts with the color of the sail material.
Radio communication:
1. Our working channel will be stated in the Sailing Instructions. In recent years, it has been VHF-05a. On most modern radios, it’s the only 5.
2. Of course, all boats should also monitor VHF-16. Dual monitoring is facilitated by most modern radios.
3. Check-in by radio is absolutely prohibited. Also, it’s bad form to ask questions over the radio that are already answered in the Sailing Instructions (which someone obviously neglected to read).
4. Keep transmissions to a minimum to avoid interfering with important announcements by the RC. Strictly avoid transmissions during the starting sequence and, subject to the next note, while the RC is taking finish times.
5. When finishing in fog or darkness, inform the RC when you are approaching the finish line AND when you cross it. Otherwise, your finish may not be recorded.
6. In the event of an emergency, inform the RC and then minimize transmissions on the fleet’s channel so the RC can make necessary inquiries and give instructions.
Protest. Please read the procedures in the Racing Rules and the Sailing Instructions. Your protest will not be entertained if you do not timely satisfy the notice and filing requirements.
Starting area. The area near the start line belongs to the class(es) that are preparing to start. Avoid interfering with them by staying a good distance away until your class is in sequence. Having to check in is not an excuse. If you arrive late, check in during your own starting sequence.
Tracking. All boats are urged to use the free RaceQs tracking app. The playback shows all participating boats, indicating SOG, VMG, heel, yaw, etc. For more information, see the Tracking page on our site menu. Here are samples of recent playbacks:
Spring & Summer Tracks from 2023.
Spring & Summer Tracks from 2022.
Spring Series Tracks and Summer Series Tracks from 2021.
Replays from 2020: Tracking 6/16/20 to 8/25/20 and Tracking for 9/1/20.
MISCELLANEOUS
List of past and present boats/skippers. Just to see how many boats have participated over the past half century plus.
Marketing BI. In order to open lines of communication with those local sailors who do not yet race with us, we post flyers at all local clubs and marinas. Don’t see one on your bulletin board? Print and post this one.
A spinnaker class rounds Gong 1 on its way to Nun 34.
See the results of past series at these links:
SPRING 2021 Tracking SUMMER 2021 Tracking
COMBINED 2020 Tracking Tracking 9/1
SPRING 2019 Tracking SUMMER 2019 Tracking
SPRING 2018 Tracking (both) SUMMER 2018
SPRING 2017 SUMMER 2017
If you have any trouble with registration or want to learn more about BI, contact us at info@breakwaters.org.
The Breakwater Irregulars have for many years supported Halloween Yacht Club’s Mayor’s Cup Race (Sunday, June 9 in 2024), Stamford Yacht Club’s Weekend Series (schedule on our Links page), and other nearby open races. We routinely include this information to facilitate participation by our members and other sailing friends in these local weekend races.
Thanks to Barbara Bentley of Rhiannon.
WHEREFORE “BREAKWATER IRREGULARS”?
“Breakwater” is where our races started and finished in the late 60s. (The structure was only about 25 years old at the time.) For several good reasons, the early members moved the usual start and finish to the Cows Buoy (Bell 32) off Shippan Point, but the name stays the same, because…well, because we rarely change anything.
“Irregulars” reflects the fact that, since its founding in 1967, this organization has thrived on diversity. Like the Baker Street Irregulars in the Sherlock Holmes stories, we’re still a varied lot. All sorts and sizes of sloops and sailors. In the beginning, even the schedule was irregular, often on Tuesdays, but not always, depending on who was available, and when. But it has always been inclusive, friendly competition, a weeknight opportunity to enjoy our boats, the Sound, and each other. Gather friends and family; come out and join us! Just starting out or can’t find a full crew every Tuesday? Sign up for a non-spinnaker class and learn as you go.
Breakwater Irregulars of Stamford CT, established 1967, is unrelated to Breakwater YC of Sag Harbor NY, established 1988.
DE-MYSTIFYING THE RACE
During the 2012 Summer Olympics, an Irish comedian posted a video of sailboats jockeying for position before a race, with horns and flags aplenty. (Easy to find on Youtube, if you haven’t seen it.) His mock commentary pretends to confuse the pre-start with the actual race. It’s a laugh for some of us, but viewers without sailing experience probably watched and shook their heads. Well, sometimes we still shake our heads about each other’s steering during the pre-start, but it becomes much more sensible after a few races. And with a little explanation.
AFTER THE RACE
Most crews go out for some food and refreshments afterwards. We are well represented at The Colony Grill, Tomato Tomato, Villa Italia, and other local restaurants and clubs. Thanks to our vigilant RC volunteers, results are usually posted on Yachtscoring.com by the time we come ashore. Big improvement since the days of waiting for mimeographed copies of each weeek’s race results to be delivered by USPS.
NEED A BOAT? NEED CREW?
We have a “Crew Needed / Boat Needed” page on the Yachtscoring site. (If you are on the mobile site, select “Event Full Site” and then select “Crew/Boat/Charter Board.”) Necessary spam safeguards delay the display of your notice until it is manually cleared, so feel free to contact us when posting. We’ll help make it work for you. We do our best to match people and boats, and sometimes we get lucky.
Any questions? We’d love to hear from you.
Our mailing address: Breakwater Irregulars, 106 Stamford Avenue, Stamford, CT 06902-8016