The National Hurricane Center has issued a Tropical Storm Warning and a Storm Surge Watch for all areas of the Outer Banks due to the expected impacts from an area of low pressure off the southeastern coast of the U.S.
This developing system—which is currently identified as Potential Tropical Cyclone 16 by the National Hurricane Center, and which could become Tropical Storm Ophelia—will likely bring tropical-storm-force winds, storm surge, heavy rain, and high surf to Hatteras and Ocracoke Islands beginning on Friday, September 22, and continuing into the weekend. Given the current size and track of the storm, we think it is likely that we could get in some racing Saturday afternoon and most of Sunday.
Visiting 420 Sailors from New Bern (ETYSA) are still coming to race this weekend. Visiting Optimist Sailors from Hampton Yacht Club (HYC) are not coming to race this weekend. Hatteras Community Sailing PRO together with coaches from the other visiting clubs have decided to split the fleet and host separate events for 420 and Optimist.
420 Events will go ahead this weekend but be moved to the Hatteras Sailing Center in Buxton, and Optimist events are rescheduled to begin with kickoff beach bonfire on Sep 29th with racing on Sep-30 and Oct-1.
Revised 420 Regatta Schedule
The worst of the weather appears to be passing throughout the night on Friday. We expect the weather to clear through the morning and early afternoon on Saturday with good conditions for racing on Sunday. We will be shifting the longest day of racing day to Sunday with hope that we may get in a couple races on Saturday afternoon. The race committee will be push for as many starts as possible with the goal of 8 races with one throw out. Racing will start early morning on Sunday. Please be rigged and ready on time.
NOTE: Hatteras Community Sailing will be pulling our Stiletto Cats, Hobie Cats, and Flying Scots boats out of the water and securing them on trailers for the storm Friday night. It will be crowded at the sailing center. Please keep your boats at your vacation home or hotel until Saturday Afternoon. Do not park boats or trailers at the KOA Soundside lot because we expect it to flood into a muddy lake.
NOTE: Hatteras Opti sailors are going to be encouraged to team up with a 420 Sailor as crew. Our teams will be announced on the day of.
Fri, Sep-22
6pm Pamlico Deli Barbecue and A Movie at KOA: Let’s get together and enjoy the yummy Pamlico Deli Barbecue Dinner in the Waves Room of the KOA. After dinner, please join us for cotton candy and popcorn and a screening of ‘True Spirit’, an inspiring movie about a 16 year old girl who sailed solo around the world.
Sat, Sep-23
10am Tour at Coast Guard Station Hatteras: Please join us in Hatteras Village for a visit and tour of the Coast Guard Station Hatteras. We will meet at the Coast Guard Station.
12pm Angelo’s Pizza at Angelo’s: After our tour of the coast guard station, we will stop at Angelos in Buxton for Pizza and play in the Arcade.
2pm Racing at HCS: During lunch, the Race Committee and coaches will review the weather and local conditions regarding 420 racing this afternoon. If the conditions permit, Race course will be set up out of Hatteras Sailing Center directly behind Buxton Harbor where we have depth and more protected waters. Hatteras and KDH Opti sailors are invited to pair up into 420 teams or participate in the race committee. We will not have an optimist start today.
2pm Cleanup at Sailing Center: if you’d like to help we will be working on clean up at the sailing center
6pm Outer Banks Boil at KOA: Return to the KOA for live music and seafood boil.
Sun, Sep-24
7:30am at HCS: Rigged & Ready
8am at HCS: Short Skipper’s Meeting under the classroom tent; Launching and sailing to race course.
8:30 First Warning
12:30pm Reel Perseverance: Lunch and play on the committee boat; Please pack a lunch and snack and make sure you load your lunch into the coolers to go to the committee boat or bring your lunch in your boat
1:30pm First Start after Lunch Break
4:30pm Last Start: when you finish the last race immediately return to sailing center and get trailered and packed up to go home.
5:30pm Awards: Awards under the classroom tent at HCS
Optimist Regatta Schedule
PRO and Coach Maxwell Plarr discussed a rain date for next weekend. Contingent on the HYC sailors being able to make travel plans to come next weekend, the Optimist Regatta schedule will hold to the typical Hatteras Regatta plan of Friday Beach Bonfire, Saturday Racing with Seafood Boil, and Sunday Racing & Awards. HCS will issue an official Rain Date NOR & Schedule once we hear a firm response from HYC. All the Event vendors are prepared to shift the date and participate in the event two weekends in a row.