Shelter Island Race Week aka "The BIC"

[Peter Beardsley]

Registration is now open for the previously exclusive and legendary Shelter Island Race Week, informally known as the "Beardsley Invitational Cup" in past years (aka "The BIC").  Shelter Island YC is now claiming that there are no restrictions on the number of Vipers that they will allow to show up for this event, and I would like to take advantage of their naiveté for at least one year until they walk it back.  There are some practical limitations (see below), but I think we'll be ok for the first 15-20 boats to enter at minimum. 

Schedule and format:
- Friday, August 2: Race Around Shelter Island - approximately 20 nm.  Last year this was an instant classic in 13-18 kts of wind and a roughly circular-shaped race course (the Island's actual shape being a pancake-making experiment gone horribly awry) with all points of sail and lots of screaming reaches.  Trophies at SIYC afterward with snacks and a keg included in entry fee; pub crawl in Greenport afterward, likely beginning at the famous Claudio's of bootlegging fame.  Enter today: https://www.yachtscoring.com/emenu.cfm?eID=16605 - your score in this race is one component of the overall BIC scoring, although there are separate race trophies for the top 3.

- Saturday, August 3:  windward-leewards in either Orient Harbor or Gardiner's Bay in all likelihood, wherever the wind is.  Tows will be available.  Last year the wind did not cooperate for this component, but in 2022 this was 4 races in planing conditions - wherever you finish overall in however many races we get in is your score for this component.  Separate trophies at SIYC afterward with snacks and a keg.  Separate registration: https://www.yachtscoring.com/emenu.cfm?eID=16606

- Saturday night, August 3: Party at Rachel and Peter's house.  Address given to competitors privately.  As always, there will be lawn games, and as always, the lawn games will be scored, and your score in the lawn games is the final component of the official BIC scoring since we have removed Sunday's Sunfish racing from the official scoring.  Exact lawn games are TBD, but Pin the Rudder on the Dinghy and Inflatable Animal Pool Races will definitely be back, as will Top Speed Slip N' Slide (measured by holding a Vakaros Atlas). 

The best combined scores from those 3 events will win you the Beardsley Invitational Cup.

Sunday there will be Sunfish racing in West Neck Harbor but I cannot provide loaner Sunfish for everyone - I've provided 15-20 loaner boats in the past but that's the absolute best that I can do, so as a result if I don't want to cap the number of Vipers that can attend, the Sunfish racing is no longer mandatory.  However, we've had 40 Sunfish on the starting line for this (including members of our local fleet - please be kind to them since they loan boats and then get invaded for this event, and ability levels vary wildly in the fleet), each of the past 2 years.  If you can bring your own Sunfish, awesome.  If you email me in advance to reserve a loaner Sunfish, I will see what I can do to accommodate. 

FAQs:
Q: How do I get to Shelter Island?
A: By car, but eventually you will need to take at least one ferry depending on where you're coming from.  If you're coming from New London/Marblehead/points north, you'll need to take at least 2 ferries, one of which is the Cross Sound Ferry, where reservations are MANDATORY, esp. with a trailer.  No reservation is needed for the ferry to Shelter Island, and yes, cars are allowed on the ferry.

Q: Where do I stay:
A: This is the hardest part of the BIC.  Housing is very limited at our house.  We will allow a very limited amount of camping on our lawn, but you must email me to request accommodations AND receive positive confirmation for me that we have space for you.  Otherwise in the past, people have stayed on boats in the harbor (moorings are available), stayed with friends in the area, rented AirBnBs, and/or stayed in hotels on the Island.  The latter two are somewhat limited and can be somewhat expensive, so book early.   

Q: Beyond the two entry fees for the SIYC races, is there any other entry fee for this?
A: In the past, no.  In 2024...probably.  We'll likely be renting porto-potties for the weekend.  We'll likely have some catering so that the BBQs at our house aren't total chaos.  In short: we'll see - Rachel and I will still be subsidizing a decent portion of the event, but we may ask for additional contributions this year to ensure that fun levels remain high for all.  More details on that by June 1, but don't let that prevent early entries now.