Every August we are involved with Chichester Harbour Race Week. That’s a major dinghy regatta – this year there were nearly 400 entries. It's organised by Chichester Harbour Federation and based at Hayling Island SC with competitors not only from harbour clubs but also right across the country. Racing, in tidal but sheltered waters, is enjoyed by everyone from world champions to kids of all ages.
With so many people from so many places in a confined area and just as we were emerging from lockdown, the organisers sensibly opted for a cautious, safety-first policy to limit human-to-human contact.
All entries were online using an app developed by us a while back. You can see its successor in SailEvent today.
Previously a prototype of eTally was available as a (popular) alternative to signing on paper. This year eTally was the default with congregating to sign at noticeboards actively discouraged. And, though I say so myself, it worked really well! Not surprisingly, on day 1, a few needed a little guidance. But by day 2 just about everyone had got the hang of it proving yet again how readily people can adapt to new ways.
And of course the big winner when using eTally is competitor safety. With over 300 boats on the water, knowing immediately who they were and, more importantly, when they were safely ashore is hugely powerful. eTally allowed us to instantly identify the few who were unaccounted for, track them down (thankfully always successfully), give them a talking to, draw a sigh of relief and stand down the safety boats pronto.
So why not try Race Week yourself next year? And if SailEvent can help you organise your own meetings, do sign up here or just get in touch. The contact form is to your right.
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