Point Roberts has many key
ingredients to be a success-
ful host. It has plenty of
racing room for several round-
the-buoys circles and options
for longer-leg, cruising-class
courses. Racing can be set up
immediately outside the har-
bor, opening up the possibility
for dinghy racing. The harbor
is deep enough for TP52s and
there is a 35-ton Marine Travelift
and a 3,000-pound hoist.
The small port town is
uniquely situated on the land
south of the 49th Parallel
on the tip of the (Canadian)
Tsawwassen Peninsula, so one
is either getting there by water
from the United States or cross-
ing a border. For sailors coming
from the States that actually
means two borders, getting into
Canada, then crossing back into
the United States. Organizers
have anticipated difficulties
arising from U.S. sailors with
DUIs on their records not being
able to get into Canada; the
solution is a 15-minute ferry
ride from Blaine to Point Roberts
with no border crossings.
Point Roberts presents a
very different delivery from
the various other sailing cen-
ters in the region. While Oak
Harbor was a one-day delivery
for Seattle boats, the 91-mile
delivery to Point Roberts would
take two days or a really long
day for a big boat. On the other
hand, Point Roberts is about
20 miles from Vancouver. It’s an
easy delivery from Anacortes,
Bellingham and Victoria.
Racers might also use Point
Roberts as a starting point for
a cruise after race week. The
renowned cruising grounds of
the Gulf Islands and Strait of
Georgia beckon, and return-
ing south through the San Juan
Islands could be a fine cruise
in itself.
One thing that will have to
be confronted head-on will be
the handicapping issue. While
the Pacific Northwest is one of
the original PHRF strongholds,
for several decades now there’s
been a parting of the ways
between PHRF-Northwest—
mainly in the States—and
PHRF-BC in Canada, and there
can be small but significantdifferences in handicaps and
a lack of cooperation between
the two. PHRF handicapper Matt
Wood anticipates that “good
faith between both organiza-
tions” will make it work. History,
however, suggests otherwise.
There’s a growing big-boat fleet,
and it’s anticipated that ORC will
have to be oered to attract
the several TP52s that now call
the Northwest home. And, of
course, one-design fleets such
as the J/105s and Melges 24s
have often used Race Week for
their class events.
The Adult Summer Camp has
cheated death already. Stan
Stanley found the original spon-
sor with Yachting Magazine,
so not only did Whidbey Island
Race Week have money, but ithad media exposure as well.
Then came 1994, the year bean
counters at Zi-Davis decided
Whidbey Island Race Week was
just not making enough money
for them and withdrew their
support four months before the
event. J/Boats dealer Bob Ross
came to the rescue with help
from regional sponsors such as
Fisheries Supply.
One appeal of Point Roberts
is it’s not Whidbey Island. After
37 years, the arena-type rac-
ing waters of Penn Cove wasold hat for veterans. There was
the reverse-toilet-bowl current
and the lifts off the beach.
Been there, done that. Because
nobody has raced around Point
Roberts, the newness of the
challenge might be enough to
attract some serious racers.
And there are plans for seri-
ous dinghy racing, which could
certainly broaden its appeal.
On the social side of things,
Rathkopf has aggressively
changed Whidbey Race Week
from its raucous-all-the-time
reputation to a more family-
oriented event with a sailing
camp and special activities for
kids, which will continue with
Point Roberts Race Week.
Over the years, the fleets
shrank, harbors became shal-
lower and hoists broke down;
while Stanley and other Oak
Harbor sailors shake their
heads a bit about the move
and Northwest sailors try to
wrap their heads around new
currents to learn, Rathkopf is
taking a very positive outlook.
“Point Roberts is the perfect
venue,” she says with the con-
viction of an organizer. Now
it’s up to the sailors to find out
exactly where it is on the chart
and how to get there. QOne appeal of
Point Roberts
is it’s not
Whidbey Island.
After 37 years,
the arena-type
racing waters
of Penn Cove
was old hat
for veterans.
STARTING LINE
LOCAL FAVORITES
SUMMER 2019
SW
034
Troublemaker winning her
class at Whidbey Island Race
Week 2017. The Bat Out of Hell
crew uphold the tradition of
Race Week shenanigans.
PHOTOS: JAN ANDERSON