In the Wind: January 26, 2023

Vancouver Boat Show and Vancouver Outdoor Adventure & Travel Show – Volunteer Crew Opportunities

The Vancouver International Boat Show runs Feb 1-5 at BC Place Stadium. Hours are 1000H-2000H Feb 1-4 and 1000H-1700H on Feb 5. Jericho will be resuming our presence at this show for the first time since Feb 2020.

New this year we will also have a booth at the Vancouver Outdoor Adventure & Travel Show running Saturday March 4 and Sunday March 5 1000H-1800H at the Vancouver Convention Centre. 

We are looking for JSCA member volunteers to help represent us at the booth for both shows. We have two-hour shifts set-up for two volunteers at a time. Sign-up for a few hours and get free admission to the show. If you are interested in helping out at either of these trade shows please email us with your availability at events@jsca.bc.ca.

Carol stirring up the big soup in front of Jericho. Photo: Dominique Labrosse

Virtual Regatta

While it’s cold and wet outside, indulge your need for some competitive sailing and join in with the Vancouver Virtual Regatta series. This is our 4th year, and will be running over 5 evenings from Tuesday 31st January to Tuesday 28th February, starting at 7:30pm with 4 short races each night. As usual we’ll be using the Virtual Regatta Inshore eSailing app, racing in ILCA 7’s (OK, Laser). You don’t need to be an expert for this – just grab a keyboard or phone, a glass of something comforting, and sail away to Rio or Sydney or Barcelona or if you’re a masochist the Solent. To find out more contact Julian Hannabuss at jhannabuss@hotmail.com. If you’ve not tried this before, there’s still plenty of time to start practicing!

JERICHO RACING – Opinions Wanted, Possible Tuesday/Sunday Series Scoring Change

Photo: Jim Davie

A sub-committee struck by the JSCA Programmes Committee is currently examining an alternate system for scoring our regular Sunday and Tuesday Nite Racing series this coming season.

Currently at JSCA we use a low point system (1st place = 1 point, 2nd place = 2 points, etc). Sailors throw out their worst score after every five races on a race day; rankings after a day’s racing are then scored towards series standings using the same low point formula. In series scoring a throw out is granted after every five event days.

The committee is exploring using a high point system where wins against more boats are given a higher ranking score over wins against less boats (1st place finish = number of boats racing +1). Missing races is not penalized as harshly in a high point system over a low point system. Often some sort of average is applied to the results to create series rankings. A minimum participation threshold is usually applied to make sure that a rock star can’t come in and win a series by winning only one or two race days.

In a high point series with an averaging system applied, sailors who sail well and in enough races to qualify for series scoring do well. In the current low point system, sailors who show up consistently tend to be rewarded even if they might not always place well in larger fleets.

A primer article comparing a few different systems is here:

Deep dive into scoring systems

If you race sailboats at JSCA, I encourage you to reach out to Jonathan De Vries, Richard Spencer, Bob Ennenberg or email Dominique Labrosse our safety and events manager to discuss what your preferences might be regarding a possible change.

Cold Water Recreation Requires More Knowledge and Experience

Photo: Dominique Labrosse

Dress for Cold Water Immersion. The water temperature is well below the level where it is safe to recreate without a proper wetsuit or drysuit (no shorties). People who get into serious trouble at this time of year have often made the mistake of dressing for the air temperature not the water temperature, which is fine until something goes wrong and they suddenly find themselves immersed in the water.

Know more before you go, check out our ‘blog post for more winter water safety information:

Colder Conditions Require Appropriate Attire and Preparation

For additional information, shiver over to this cold water education site:

 http://beyondcoldwaterbootcamp.com/

Batten Down the Hatches

Don’t let this happen to your craft! Regular checks are important to make sure everything is still put away tidily for the winter.

Every off season vicious wind storms rip through the Jericho Sailing Centre compound looking for loose tarps, boat covers and poorly stowed gear. When they find a loose tarp they can turn a docile hibernating boat into a flying projectile which can cause damage to neighbouring craft. Members are responsible for ensuring they have “battened down the hatches” on their equipment stored at the Jericho Sailing Centre. If your boat causes damage to neighbouring craft you can be held liable. We encourage you to check your craft regularly year round (particularly before & after gnarly windstorms), remove any parts or equipment that can be easily removed (most thefts occur between Oct.-April) and make sure water doesn’t collect inside your hull (if it freezes and expands it can cause major damage).

Seasonal Compound Water Shutoff

As our facility has evolved from the Royal Canadian Air Force Jericho Beach Air Station, much of the Jericho Sailing Centre’s compound water system is at or near the ground surface to avoid costly trenching through military grade concrete. This means it is particularly susceptible to freezing and associated pipe and fitting breakage. 

The possibility of below freezing temperatures require us to do the annual winterization of our compound water service which includes flushing the system dry and shutting off the water main for the next couple of months. While the rest of the compound water is shutdown, the water hosing station near the SE corner of the building visible from the main compound entrance is insulated and operational throughout the winter.

Our compound water system will be re-energized in February or March depending on prevailing temperatures. 

JSCA 2023 Event Schedule

The 2023 JSCA event schedule has been set and can be viewed at the following link:
2023 JSCA Event Schedule
Please note; some dates are tentative at this time.

English Bay Safety Seminar

The English Bay Safety Seminar was developed for users of the Jericho Sailing Centre to help keep them safe at play while on the waters of English Bay. The seminar covers basic water safety fundamentals along with user specific information drawn from the logs of the Jericho Rescue Team who have intervened in thousands of “sea disasters” over the past 45+ years.

Why make your own mistakes when you can learn from the mistakes of others? Don’t challenge Darwin’s theory, make sure your water safety knowledge is the fittest it can be. Your survival may well depend upon it. Find the missing links and fill in the gaps in your water safety knowledge.

There be Dragons here!: Find out where not to go in Vancouver Harbour

Galley Patio and Grill

Closed for the season, reopening in Spring 2023

On the Water-Safety is Your Responsibility

On the ocean there are elements of risk that common sense and personal awareness can help reduce. Regardless of how you decide to use the ocean always show courtesy to others. Please adhere to the code listed below and share with others the responsibility for a safe ocean experience.
It is every member’s responsibility to know and observe the rules of the road when on or near the water. Here are some key rules which every Jericho member must know and practice.

0.5 IT IS EVERYONE’S RESPONSIBILITY TO AVOID A COLLISION

  1. Always wear your P.F.D. on the water. PFD’s MUST be properly fitted.
  2. Sail powered craft have the right of way over power craft, paddle and rowing powered craft.
  3. All non-commercial vessels shall keep well clear of commercial vessels.
  4. It is illegal and extremely dangerous to pass between a tug and it’s tow.
  5. A port tack sailing vessel shall keep clear of a starboard tack vessel.
  6. A windward vessel shall keep clear of a leeward vessel.
  7. A vessel clear astern shall keep clear of a vessel ahead.
  8. Any vessel overtaking another shall keep clear.
  9. A vessel tacking or gybing shall keep clear of a vessel on a tack.
  10. The area south of the orange can buoys is for training or transiting only.
  11. Swimming or wading on the beach in front of the Centre is prohibited and is particularly dangerous for small children.
  12. It is unsafe to loiter or let children play near the bottom of launching ramps.
  13. Stay well clear of the end of the Jericho Pier as fishers cast lines as far as possible
  14. Be cautious of pathway traffic when launching/retrieving
  15. Do not leave your craft on the shoreline for extended periods of time
  16. Stay at least 300M clear of ships at anchor in Vancouver Harbour.
    Common sense goes a long way toward maintaining a safe environment. Membership in the Jericho Sailing Centre Association is contingent on members knowing and observing the Safe Ocean Sailing rules.

For more water safety info., tread water over to: English Bay Safety

Jericho Sailing Centre Etiquette

Common sense and consideration of fellow members help make the Jericho Sailing Centre a true community centre with a friendly salt water community atmosphere. Here are a few etiquette reminders to keep things sailing along smoothly:

  • Do not leave your craft unattended on the shoreline for extended periods – share the shore.                    
  • RAMPS, and the areas adjacent to launching ramps, are for craft launch/retrieval only. Do not rig, repair or otherwise loiter in this area.
  • Do not leave or rig your craft in the rinsing areas adjacent to hosing stations.
  • The Jericho Sailing Centre is a SMOKE/VAPE FREE facility. There is No Smoking/Vaping permitted in any Vancouver Park or beach area.
  • Give pathway users the right of way and bear in mind they may be distracted and not aware that you are crossing the pathway with your craft or launch rope.
  • Launch dollies are for launching/retrieval only (not for storage) and must be returned to the fence immediately after use.
  • If you launch from your own dolly or trailer return it to your storage spot after launching.
  • Do not use the winches unless you are familiar with their safe operation. Winch instruction is available from staff or Jericho Rescue Team members. Only members or registered guests may use winches & dollies.
  • Only leashed, well behaved, non-barking/whining dogs are allowed in the compound, no dogs are allowed in the building or on the deck. Do not tie dogs to the base of stairwells or in other traffic areas. Do not leave your dog onshore while you are on the water. The City prohibits dogs on beaches. In consideration of other Jericho users please consider leaving your dog at home while visiting the Jericho Sailing Centre.
  • Please coil hoses immediately after use and conserve water.
  • Do not block aisle ways.
  • Rinse racks are for rinsing not drying.
  • Swimming is prohibited in front of the Jericho Sailing Centre.