Superyacht Regatta - Race Control 29 Jan 12

Tashi Delek
Mike & Carol Kefford
Sun 29 Jan 2012 18:59

We had been told that the best view of the racing was to be had from the cliff tops where race control was based.  Given that this was a Superyacht challenge cup, and that we were in Antigua, and that the handicapper was a world expert brought down from the States for his expertise and computer software, and having seen the very fancy race control set-up in Porto Cervo we were charmed to find this……..

 

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Note picnic table with yellow jacket over the car battery that was powering the elderly radio.  Chap in the white shirt is talking on said radio to the yachts counting down the start times and generally keeping control.  You can just make out the white wire running to the aerial that was up the tree.

 

Gentleman on the right has his start list sellotaped to a piece of wood.  When a yacht is about to start he leans on the flag pole (back left of the picture below) and lines up the red buoy out at sea with a stick in the ground in front of him and confirms that the yachts only cross the line after the hooter has sounded.  The gentleman in the white socks is the handicapper.

 

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The start for each yacht is sounded by the aerosol hooter being blown into the radio microphone.  Not very high tech but very effective.

 

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And then, once all the yachts are underway the race controller simply sits on the grass and keeps in touch on the hand held radio.

 

 

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We had a great day.  Only a handful of people walked to this vantage point so we had great views and the added fun of hearing all the radio chat.