Participation may not be at normal levels yet, but Mattapoisett Yacht Club is back to having fun.
Just like youth sports leagues and other recreational clubs in the Tri-Town area and all across Massachusetts, Mattapoisett Yacht Club felt the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. They had to shut down all activities as the state closed its doors.
“We’d have our conference calls (as a staff) and we’d all discuss where we were,” Mattapoisett Yacht Club commodore Kai Srisirikul said. “Everyone was on the same page. The safety of our members is the most important thing.
“(Members) were supportive and everyone understood what we had to do. It was really out of our control at that point. As an organization, we really wanted to keep up with whatever the guidelines were from the state.”
Mattapoisett Yacht Club’s original target date to resume activities was June 30. As the state delayed its reopening process and pushed things back, the club had to do the same, but only a smidge. By the time July 6 rolled around, Mattapoisett Yacht Club was back in business and has been running its races ever since.
On Tuesdays, members are back to competing in the one model Ensign series, as is the case on Wednesdays with the PHRF (Performance Handicap Racing Fleet) races. However, there hasn’t been the same number of racers as there normally are. Participation is at about 50 percent of typical participation in a regular summer.
“Attendance is very light, which is explainable and understandable,” Mattapoisett Yacht Club Vice Commodore and Race Chair Rick Warren said. “We have a lot of older sailors that have chosen not to participate.”
Srisirikul and Warren made sure to communicate with the members who planned to get back in action in order to go over regulations and guidelines. Because, unlike some other recreational activities, with sailing, officials cannot be on the boats to ensure everyone is sticking to code. It all falls on the shoulders of those who are on the boats.
“We were in touch with all the skippers and said that. ‘We can’t control what happens on your boat so we need you to be responsible for your boat and the people on your boat.’
“So far, that’s been good. We have some boats that don’t have very many people on them and other boats that do, the bigger boats. And most of the skippers have their family and/or close friends with them. So, it’s their own little circle or bubbles, as they would say.”
Events that were scheduled to be held prior to July 6 will not be rescheduled. Additionally, Mattapoisett Yacht Club has canceled all social events for the remainder of 2020. “We just thought it was better that we just cancel all social events this year out of an abundance of caution,” Srisirikul said. Mattapoisett Yacht Club has also shut down the use of its clubhouse for the year.
“We’re one of the easier-to-deal-with yacht clubs… with the COVID because we don’t depend on the yacht club itself making money from having like a bar and drinks, and all that. Our social (events) are usually bring-your-own-everything. Even our own board meetings are over Zoom. We don’t really get together as a group.”
Right now, the board and members are glad to have racing back again. Even with the lower numbers, the chance to be out on the water and competing has given them back a feeling they missed.
“When you’re out there, things are back to normal,” Warren said. “You don’t have the volume of boats, but when you’re into sailboat racing and you get a little competitive, it really doesn’t matter the volume. You’re competitive and you have fun with the people that are out there.”
Sports Roundup
By Nick Friar