Assistant Race Officer Guide
Assistant Race Officer (ARO) duties at Burghfield Sailing Club
Thanks for volunteering to be Assistant Race Officer! Heres a few notes on what to expect.
What happens when?
On a Sunday there is normally:
- one race in the morning starting at 11:00
- one or two races in the afternoon starting at 13:20
On Wednesday evenings there is one race starting at 18:30.
Races last between 75 and 90 minutes.
Whos who?
The Senior Race Officer (SRO) is responsible for running the races and will be someone who has lots of racing experience and knows exactly what needs to happen and when.
The Assistant Race Officers helps the SRO run the races which is managed from the committee boat.
What does an ARO need to do?
The main things you'll be asked to do are:
- Taking the fuel container from the lockers to and from the committee boat
- Getting race flags attached mast on the committee boat
- Pulling flags up and down to start the races
- Writing down the lap times and finish times for each boat in the race
- Dropping and raising the anchor on the committee boat
Your SRO will be very happy to show you each job, but this takes time so it important arrive at 09:30 before the race starts on Sunday (maybe a bit earlier you haven't been an ARO before), and 17:30 on Wednesday. The 30 minutes period before the starts are quite busy for the SRO.
The Committee Boat
Normally the SRO and AROs go out on the committee boat to run the races; occasionally races are run from the club house balcony.
The committee boat heads out on the water 20-30minutes before the race start, and it is usually back in again after 90 mins.
The committee boat has some shelter, but it can be cold on the boat in winter and hot in summer. Come dressed for the weather and bring a lifejacket or buoyance aid (PFD) as well as wearing suitable clothing and footwear. If the weather is warm, don't forget to wear sunscreen and keep hydrated.
And finally
Being an ARO is a great way to learn about racing. You will gain an insight into how races are run. If you're already a racer, you'll pick up plenty of racing tips.
