Which Division Should I Enter?

The Race Week organisers are committed to ensuring your participation within Race Week is enjoyable in all areas. To ensure this, it is important that your yacht is entered into a division that will provide you with the right sailing conditions and the right sort of boats to compete against. This division will be one that best suits your crew, your yacht and the type of sailing you enjoy the most.

The following guide does not form part of the notice of race, but is simply intended to assist you in selecting the right division for your yacht. Detailed below are general descriptions of each division. If you still have questions regarding your yacht, contact the Event Director, Mr Barry Brown, Rear Commodore Geographe Bay Yacht Club, via email: barry@villa.com.au

Division 1 - IRC Racing

This is a “full on” racing division. Division 1 yachts race under the IRC rating system and hence require a current IRC rating certificate. Division 1 yachts require a current category 4 safety certification.

Division 1 courses are a mix of passage races, windward/leeward races in addition to one night race.

Division 2 - YAH Racing

As with Division 1, Division 2 is also considered “full on” racing. Division 2 yachts will require a current YAH handicap. Division 2 yachts require a current category 4 safety certification.

Division 2 courses are a mix of passage races, windward/leeward races in addition to one night race.

Division 3 – Under 10 Metre Performance

Again, this is a highly competitive division. Yachts that race in this division comprise both fast trailable yachts (Fremantle 8’s, Young 780’s, Ross 780, etc) together with other relatively fast sub 10 metre yachts (e.g. Diamonds).

The courses are a mix of passage races and windward/leeward races. Division 3 yachts are required to comply with a certificate of safety compliance category 6.

This division will race under a performance handicap system as determined by the Race Week handicapper. Therefore no handicap or rating certificates are required.

Division 4 – Under 10 Metre Displacement

This division is designed for those wishing to competitively race yachts under 10 metres that may not be of the same speed as those described in Division 3 . Examples of the sorts of yachts that will find competitive racing in this division are anticipated to include yachts like Viking 30’s and Naturaliste 27’s toward the front and yachts like Endeavour 24’s, RL 24’s, Marauder 24’s etc toward the middle of the fleet.

The courses are a mix of passage races and windward/leeward races. Division 4 yachts are required to comply with a certificate of safety compliance category 6.

This division will race under a performance handicap system as determined by the Race Week handicapper. Therefore no handicap or rating certificates are required.

Division 5 – Premier Cruising

This division will suit yachts that would prefer cruising around Geographe Bay. However, yachts in this division are still pretty keen to get their spinnakers up when the breeze goes aft of the beam.

The courses are all passage races. Division 5 yachts are required to comply with a certificate of safety compliance category 6.

This division will race under a performance handicap system as determined by the Race Week handicapper. Therefore no handicap or rating certificates are required.

Division 6 – JAM (Jib and Main) Cruising

To avoid confusion, this division is commonly referred to as “F” Troop (a carry over from prior years when the divisions were alphabetically named … we think!)

This division will suit yachts that would prefer cruising around Geographe Bay on long reaching courses. Spinnakers are prohibited, however spirited competition has frequently been witnessed but not to the exclusion, at times, of a fully functional and operating barbeque on the stern rail!

The courses are all passage races. Division 6 yachts are to comply with a certificate of safety compliance category 6.

This division will race under a performance handicap system as determined by the Race Week handicapper. Therefore no handicap or rating certificates are required

Division 7 – Multi Hulls

This is the division that all multi hulls should enter. Entrants vary from flat out “rocket ships” to cruising catamarans. The courses are all passage races. Division 7 yachts are to comply with a certificate of safety compliance category 6.

This division will race under a performance handicap system as determined by the Race Week handicapper. Therefore no handicap or rating certificates are required.

Division 8 – Sports Boats

A new division for 2008. Geographe Bay Race Week (GBRW) has been host to many sports boats over the last few years. These boats have in the past raced in large mixed fleets, often resulting in a significant disparity in terms of the gap between the front and back of the fleet. In addition there has been the difficulty faced by the Race Committee in being able to apply fair and equitable handicaps across the range of boats.

Boats that could qualify in this Division include Thompson 7, Elliott 770, Bull 7000, Thompson 750, Fremantle 8, Runnalls 8, Melges 24.

The inclusion of the sports boat division has been largely driven by the launch of the Australian Sports Boat Association (ASBA) earlier this year. ASBA has introduced a single measurement based handicapping system as opposed to other arbitrary non measurement based systems that have been the subject of much criticism in the past. The association has adopted the Australian Measurement System (AMS) as the primary handicap system.
In conjunction with ASBA, GBRW is pleased to adopt this new division. Boats entering in the sports boat division will need to be measured and be members of ASBA. Membership and measurement details can be found on www.asba.org.au or for further information call Heath Townsend 0417 182709.