It’s off to the races in West Sound for Martin 242 North American Championship

Friday – Sunday, June 28 – 30, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., West Sound

— by Deborah Sparks, Orcas Issues reporter —

The Martin 242 North American Championship races will take place in West Sound on June 28 – 30 where 27 boats are expected to race to great fanfare and a decorated dock. There are no “qualifications” to get in the race, one just needs a Martin 242. The Martin 242 was built in the 80s and 90s, and is a class of sailing vessel 24’ long, holding four people as its crew.

Represented in the races are three fleets: the Vancouver Island/Orcas Island fleet, Vancouver Fleet and the California Fleet. Each area represented by a fleet takes turns in hosting the races. This year the races will be hosted by Orcas Island Yacht Club members and 25 volunteers, headed by Commodore Ben McLeod, Fleet Captain Chris White, and a 16-member race committee. Over the course of the three days, the West Sound Yacht Club will have a lot of logistics to attend to. For example: getting gear and boats sorted out, feeding about 125 people over two days, awards, and decorations.

Ken Machtley, a member of the Orcas Island Yacht Club, explained that this race is a “buoy race” and “one-design racing.” It is mainly to “test the skill of the sailors.” There is a committee boat and two buoys (which the Martin 242s sail around). Flags are used by the boats to communicate and each boat has a VHS radio. There is a flag sequence that occurs before the race begins. The wind direction and strength has a lot to do with how the race will proceed and be experienced. Early in the morning, a boat with an experienced sailor goes out and sizes up the winds and reports back. When all is clear for racing, the sailors gear up and sail their boats out to the starting area.

A gun goes off to start the race and then (depending on which way the wind blows) the boats take off and compete to complete the course first. But, it’s not that simple. As Machtley said, “there are rules that have to be followed.” He explained how some of the rules have to do with the port and starboard sides of the boats and this may bring boats within inches of each other or bump into each other, in order to follow the rules of the race and protocols.

Machtley’s refreshing enthusiasm made the races sound spectacularly exciting to watch.

Locals are invited to have an opportunity to go out in one of the two spectator boats to watch the races. There are two docks in West Sound; a public dock and the Yacht club dock. The dock to go to for boarding a spectator boat will be decorated, so it can’t be missed.

Machtley also mentioned that every Wednesday evening around 5:30, the Orcas sailors practice racing their Martin 242s and are open to those who wish to come out on the boats to experience this challenging sailing sport. It is suggested that you call anyone mentioned in this article to get details on ages and how many people they take on a Wednesday.