Friday, September 6
Meeting for all Coaches & Skippers
Pavilion A at Newport Dunes
Newport Dunes Waterfront
Resort & Marina 1131 Back Bay Drive Newport Beach, CA 92660
Parking at the Dunes from 5 to 9PM until the end of the Safety & Registration meeting is free. Free parking is for cars only; This does NOT include canoe trailers. Mention SCORA meeting at the gate.
Canoe Rigging/Beach Clean up – 3:00PM til Dark
Registration/Coaches – 5:30PM
- Check in with Registrar
- Verify entries
- Race Fees
- Insurance
- Canoe Information
- Purchase Catalina Race Swag
Skippers – 6:30PM
- Sign in and receive name tag.
- Meet your coach. Discuss crew size and baggage limitations.
- Organize Saturday AND Sunday morning loading times, locations and procedures, exchange cell numbers
NOTE: No waiver signatures for either Coach or Skipper will be considered a failure to comply and fines will be assessed
- Discuss Avalon mooring procedures
- Responsibilities and rules of racing
- Precautions in case of fog
- Acknowledging tanker lane
- Synchronize time checks and radio checks
- Loading and unloading areas and procedures
- Get your fuel early: Saturday and Sunday’s race – Fuel dock in Avalon (adjacent to the Casino) is open from 8:00AM to 5:00PM
Saturday, September 7
6:00 AM
- Rig and launch canoe at Newport Dunes West Beach Pavilion. Please load gear on escort boat before launching to prevent a log jam at the dock.
7:20 AM
- All canoes need to be on the water and proceed to start line; be aware of rowers and tidal currents near the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) Bridge.
7:50 AM
- Time synchronization on VHF_(TBD)_
- Skippers stay clear of the harbor entrance and well behind or either side of the starting line.
8:00 AM
- Women’s Race Start. Canoes lined up at the Bell Buoy at the harbor entrance. All escort boats will follow slowly behind or alongside the Official boats that are established around the perimeter of the race course. No escort boat may enter the pack until the official signal is received. This new format will be explained at the escort skipper meetings IF FOG DICTATES, escort boats will proceed SLOWLY to assigned canoes and keep in sight.
8:20 AM
- Co-ed Race Start (skippers, please read the above for escort directions)
- Once the OFFICIAL ESCORT BOAT SIGNAL has been sounded for each time frame, all escorts may proceed onto the course from the back or either side of the pack, so as not to upset canoes with their wake as they approach their team. Throughout the race, escort boat wakes may not hinder an opposing team, nor assist their own. Time penalties will be assessed if an escort boat does not proceed safely and courteously at any point during the race.
1:00 – 2:30 PM
- Approximate finish time
- Escort boats will proceed to the Avalon Log Jam at Lover’s Cove and see the SCORA skiff to see if moorings are available and if so, to get your mooring assignment, then you will pay the Harbor Master at this time for your mooring. Please be patient, Bud Hohl works closely with the Harbor Master to obtain available moorings for as many skippers as possible. Side ties inside will be mandatory. Bring appropriate gear for side tying.
- The gas dock is not for loading or unloading!!
- During refueling you may transfer gear up the ramp.
- Do not stack and leave gear on the ramp.
1:00 – 3:00 PM
- Reserved canoe mooring (right side of pier). For the canoe moorings, only 2 paddlers are needed to secure canoe to mooring. Do not leave any personal gear on board your canoe. SCORA is under no obligation for damage or theft of improperly secured canoe.
- Clubs and coaches are responsible for any violations
3:45 – 5:00 PM – Wahine & Coed Awards | Wrigley Stage (Crescent Ave)
- Mayor’s Cup presentation
- Women’s & Coed race awards
- Any conflicts and other info will be handled at the Wrigley Stage SCORA table
9:30 PM – Wahine Express departs Dock
- No ticket needed. Name will be on a master list
Sunday, September 8
6:00 – 7:30 AM
- Breakfast in town. Please be patient, courteous, and tip well!
7:30 – 8:30 AM
- Clean up at South Beach and organize gear for loading onto escort boats.
- EACH CLUB is responsible for their own trash removal; make sure your area is clean before leaving.
8:30 AM
- Load your escort boat. Do not go to the dock until your crew is ready to load. We strongly suggest that you use your canoe to load gear onto escort boats due to congestion at docks.
9:00 AM
- Aged Coed Start will be at Lovers Cove between the buoys. Lovers Cove is very close to the Catalina Flyer and Catalina Express loading docks (and NOT a quarter mile into your race).
10:00 AM
- Men’s Race Start will be at Lovers Cove between the buoys. Lovers Cove is very close to the Catalina Flyer and Catalina Express loading docks (and NOT a quarter mile into your race).
- All escort boats will be staged alongside the race course and will follow slowly outside the Official Boats that are established along the perimeter of the race course. No escort boat may enter the pack until the official signal is received. Escort boats are not to block the entrance to the harbor transit area.
- IF FOG DICTATES, escort boats will proceed SLOWLY to assigned canoe and keep in sight.
10:30 AM
- Once the OFFICIAL ESCORT BOAT SIGNAL has been sounded, all escorts may proceed onto the course from the back or either side of the pack, so as not to upset canoes with their wake as they approach their team. Throughout the race, escort boat wakes may not hinder an opposing team, nor assist their own. Team penalties will be assessed if an escort boat does not proceed safely and courteously at any point during the race.
1:00 – 3:00 PM
- Approach Newport Harbor.
- NO WATER CHANGES are allowed inside the harbor.
- Escort boats cannot follow their canoes through the harbor or they will be cited for breaking the “no wake” rules and/or exceeding the 5 mph limit.
2:00 – 3:30 PM
- Finish of men’s race at Newport Dune
- Unrig and load canoes onto trailers and unload escort boats
- Outside showers are available at the Dunes
- The Camp James area is not in our event contract, PLEASE NO LOITERING AT THAT SITE
2:00 PM
- End of Season Party begins (Food service and entertainment at Newport Dunes Pavilion ‘C’)
- PADDLER FOOD TICKETS WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR PICK UP – one person per crew will pick up all tickets. No individual tickets will be given.
4:30 PM
- Awards ceremony for men’s races (and recap of women’s awards) of women’s awards