US SAILING Oil Spill Report & Resources

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Contact:
Jake Fish
US SAILING Communications Manager
communications@ussailing.org

US SAILING Oil Spill Report & Resources
US SAILING, the National Governing Body of the sport, is committed to providing accurate, resourceful information for our members from industry experts and knowledgeable constituents on the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. We are in process of collecting facts on the situation by reaching out to yacht clubs along the Gulf Coast. Several yacht club commodores and representatives are contributing to this US SAILING report with updates on the oil spill’s effect on sailing participation, regattas and events, and boat damage. The report also includes a list of helpful websites on the oil spill that pertain to boating. Please contact US SAILING for updates on the oil spill in connection with sailing.

We would like to support our yacht clubs affected by this oil spill and encourage sailors to participate in their events with caution.

Notes provided by John Matthews, former Commodore of the Pensacola Yacht Club (PYC)

Location: Entrance of Bayou Chico on Pensacola Bay

Regattas and Events
- The projection of surface oil on the racecourse for the 2010 Gulfport to Pensacola Race (sponsored by the Southern Yacht Club), originally scheduled for June 11, caused the race to be cancelled. This race had been run every year since 1948.

- PYC hosted the Gulf Yachting Association Challenge Cup on June 18-20. Seven clubs participated with a total of 28 PHRF boats from four classes. This race usually has 10 to 12 participating clubs. Over 200 people were either sailing or supporting the on-water activities. Skippers/owners of large PHRF boats that are non-trailorable chose not to sail through the Gulf from Louisiana and Mississippi to Pensacola due to the oil spill. There was no visible oil in Pensacola Bay during this race.

- Pensacola Junior Olympic Sailing Festival Recap: PYC completed the Junior Olympic Sailing Festival with 96 competitors involved. We conducted the USODA Gulf Coast Championships for over 50 Opti Sailors. Great weather and wind. Absolutely no problems with oil on the bay. We had two separate race courses that used half of the bay.

- PYC is on track to host US SAILING’s U.S. Singlehanded Championship on July 29 – Aug. 1.

Boat Damage
- No official boat damage has been reported. Manufacturers from Beneteau and Yanmar Engines informed the club about possible severe damage to boats and engines from encounters with crude oil. In May, 15 boats sailed to and from Mexico in the biannual Pensacola to Isla Mujeres Regatta al Sol. Isla Mujeres, Mexico is located off the coast of Cancun. One boat encountered tar-like substance on their swim platform approximately 40 miles from Pensacola on their way back from Mexico. However, there was no boat damage reported.

Precautions
-    No restricted areas have been officially announced in the Pensacola Bay area. Escambia County has established wash stations along the Gulf. The club has indicated that this is a non-issue on the bay. There has been an increase in boat traffic on the bay and a decrease in traffic off Pensacola Beach, likely due to the amount of increasing oil along the beach side. The club also reported no noticeable odor from the oil on bay side as opposed to the beach.

Notes provided by Tom Batty - Member of the Mobile and Buccaneer Yacht Clubs. Presently the GYA Offshore Representative for MYC and the Chairman of the GYA Offshore Council.

Locations:
Buccaneer YC: West side of Mobile Bay.
Mobile YC: North of the mouth of Dog River facing Mobile Bay.

Regattas and Events
- The Trilogy Race Series has been postponed. Report provided by John Horner III,
Fleet Captain-Point Yacht Club :

The board of the Point Yacht Club has decided to postpone the Fast Women Regatta scheduled for 7/17/2010. We will meet again in July to re-evaluate. The Bikini Cup scheduled for 7/24/2010 will be postponed also. I also spoke with Commodore Corrie Keich of Pensacola Beach Yacht Club. The Race for the Roses scheduled for 8/14/2010 will be decided as that time approaches. We all agreed that it makes sense to postpone the Trilogy until there is resolution on our waters and access to the waters. There are oil booms placed on all of our creeks and bayous in and around Perdido Bay. Boats have frequently been unable to get out on the water. The clubs agreed that we may be able to hold the Trilogy at some point later in the fall during and around many of the Commodore's Cups.

-    The Mobile, Buccaneer, Lake Forest, and Fairhope Yacht Clubs have not had to adjust their racing schedules yet. It is noted that the Coast Guard and other regulatory governing bodies is monitoring the evolving situation, and could restrict the use of pleasure craft boating at anytime.

Boat Damage
-    Many of the boats working the clean-up and skimming operations are showing signs of oil on their hulls.
-    Many of the communities along the Gulf Coast have taken it upon themselves to protect their waters and boats by planning as a group on how to proceed. This is a report from the Dog River Community Meeting on the Oil Spill:

There were about 300 attending the meeting and the main purpose was to approve a gate system to protect the mouth of Dog River. Thompson Engineering designed a system to protect Perdido Pass. The Dog River system is the same only on a smaller scale. The majority of attendees liked the plan and voted for it to proceed. It is my understanding that it has been permitted and necessary funds made available from money disbursed to the State of Alabama by BP.

Website Resources

BoatU.S. Oil Spill
Home Page
Protecting the Environment
Protect Your Boat
Clean Up Tips
Vessel Decontamination Stations

Gulf Yachting Association (GYA)
Flying Scot Sailing Association
Dozier's Waterway Guide
Escambia Disaster Response
Visit Pensacola
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Deepwater Horizon Unified Command
The Gulf of Mexico Sea Grant Programs
Coastal Response Research Center FAQs (Univ. of New Hampshire)
U.S. Coast Guard: Oil Spill Claims