Jan. 1, 2011

Greetings! You’re invited to join SSS for another fun year of shorthanded sailing. On tap are five races inside the Bay and three varied ocean races.

There are many changes in our racing rules for 2011 and in some of our race courses, all aimed at making the racing simpler, fairer, safer and more enjoyable. So be sure to read the sailing instructions carefully, even if you’ve raced with us many times.

This is our second year using Jibeset Associates for online registration and scoring. Ray of Jibeset has been very responsive to our requests for custom features in his software, and the system is now working well for us. That said, it’s a work in progress; Ray and the SSS board continue to strive for improvements and ease of use. If you have any problems with
the registration system, don’t hesitate to contact John our Race Information Officer.

Most SSS meetings are held at the Oakland Yacht Club. Thank you to the Bay Area Yacht Clubs who assist us in our programs: Oakland YC, Corinthian YC, Golden Gate YC, Richmond YC, Vallejo YC, and Half Moon Bay YC. Without the use of their race decks, committee boats
and other facilities there would be no SSS program for you to compete in. Please remember to thank them … and spend money at their bars.

SSS has grown to be one of the major players in San Francisco Bay racing. We depend on the services that YRA provides, and all racers on the Bay benefit from them. There are shorthanded divisions in OYRA and the Party Circuit, and we encourage our racers to enter those and other YRA events.

The success of SSS over the years is a result of the efforts of members and friends who contribute their time and knowledge. Above all, we couldn’t run a single race without race committee. If your boat’s in the yard or your leg’s in a cast, or if you just feel ready to give something back to the club, shoot the Race Chair an e-mail and come help on the race deck. It’s fun, intense and educational. And you’ll even earn a discount on next year’s membership.

In 2008 we had an SSS cruise-in to Coyote Point YC. It was a great opportunity to include friends and family on a relaxed sail without a crew limit. We’re working on another cruise-in for this year; watch the website for an announcement.

If you have a sailing experience you would like to share, write it up on the forum. Even better, contact the Commodore and give a presentation at one of our meetings. Did you snap some photos during the last race or put together a video? Send a link to Matt the Webmaster. If you have ideas to make the SSS better, give any of the board a call – we will listen.

For newcomers, there’s a wealth of knowledge in our club about shorthanded techniques and equipment, and our members are happy to share it. The forum on our website is a good place to start. But be sure to come to our meetings too. Introduce yourself and ask questions, or just eavesdrop.

One final note: we welcome doublehanded entries, and they’re an important part of our race program. But this is after all the Singlehanded Sailing Society. Our mission is to get you safely and confidently out on the water by yourself, while providing camaraderie and support before and after. Singlehanded racing is challenging, exciting and very rewarding. Give it a try!

Max Crittenden
SSS Commodore