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A guide to the Yacht Racing Association of San Francisco Bay audiovisual materials and photographs, approximately 1981-1991
P10-002 (SAFR 23378)
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Title: Yacht Racing Association of San Francisco Bay audiovisual materials and photographs
Date: approximately 1981-1991
Identifier/Call Number: P10-002 (SAFR 23378)
Creator:
Yacht Racing Association of San Francisco Bay
Physical Description:
184 items.
Repository:
San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, Historic Documents Department
Building E, Fort Mason
San Francisco, CA 94123
Abstract: The Yacht Racing Association of San Francisco Bay audiovisual materials and photographs, approximately 1981-1991, (SAFR 23378,
P10-002) are comprised mainly of instructional materials for Yacht Racing Association of San Francisco Bay committee members
and documentation of yacht sailing races held in the San Francisco Bay Area, California. The collection has been processed
to the File Unit level, with some Items listed, and is open for use.
Physical Location: San Francisco Maritime NHP, Historic Documents Department
Language(s):
In English.
This collection is open for use unless otherwise noted.
U-matic videocassettes are not available for viewing; they require digitization by an outside source prior to access.
The magnetic tapes of two audiocassettes (Items 084 and 086) are warped. They are unavailable for use.
VHS videocassettes have been digitized and use-copies can be provided.
Some material may be copyrighted or restricted. It is the researcher's obligation to determine and satisfy copyright or other
case restrictions when publishing or otherwise distributing materials found in the collections.
Each photographic and moving image has been assigned an Item number; in some cases there are multiple physical forms of each
image (e.g. a negative and a print, or two duplicate copies of a videocassette) which has been noted in the physical description
field.
The descriptions in this collection guide were compiled using the best available sources of information. Such sources include
the creator's annotations or descriptions, collection accession files, primary and secondary source material and subject matter
experts. While every effort was made to provide accurate information, in the event that you find any errors in this guide
please contact the reference staff in order for us to evaulate and make corrections to this guide.
Please cite the title and collection number in any correspondence with our staff.
[Item description], [Location within collection organization identified by Collection Number/Series Number/File Unit Number/Item
Number], P10-002 (SAFR 23378), Yacht Racing Association of San Francisco Bay audiovisual materials and photographs, San Francisco
Maritime National Historical Park
SAFR-01948
SAFR-01948 was received by the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park from the Yacht Racing Association of San Francisco
Bay on April 19, 2006. The donation was completed upon receiving the signed Deed of Gift on February 1, 2010. The paper documents
from the collection were cataloged as HDC 1650 (SAFR 21689) and the audiovisual materials and photographs were cataloged as
P10-002 (SAFR 23378).
Historical or Biographical Note
The Yacht Racing Association of San Francisco Bay promotes, coordinates and administers organized yacht racing in the San
Francisco Bay Area, California.
In 1935, The Yacht Racing Association (YRA) of San Francisco Bay was formed as an association of yacht clubs. In 1937, the
Sun, Moon and Snipe dinghy fleets formed an association that was formalized in 1938 as the Small Boat Racing Association (SBRA).
It provided racing for small One-Design dinghy and keelboat fleets on the protected waters of the Bay and the lakes of Northern
California. The YRA and the SBRA provided programs of racing that satisfied the yachting community for the next twenty years.
Then, in 1957, the International 110, Clipper, Mercury and Zephyr fleets, having tired of the SBRA traveling to so many distant
lakes, organized seven races on the San Francisco Bay. In 1958, this group formally organized itself as an association of
yacht clubs calling itself the Small Yacht Racing Association (SYRA). The SYRA grew rapidly during its first few years and
then stabilized throughout the 1960s.
In the 1960s, growing pains created problems between the three associations. Even though the associations were comprised of
the same yacht clubs, there was no method of coordinating the increasing demands for the same dates, places and sponsors for
races.
The first major effort to solve the problem of rapid growth and the changing mood of the competitors was the formation of
the Chartered Associations of the YRA in 1966. These groups were formed to represent the respective demands of One-Design,
handicap and measurement racing rules. However, the YRA By-Laws and Standing Rules reinforced isolation from the other associations
and prevented rapid response to changing needs. As the larger and senior association, the YRA exerted the most influence over
the control of yachting activities and policies.
In the early 1970s, conflict between the associations increased as they were operating in isolation from one another and other
craft were competing for the water.
In 1975, a small group of individuals created some standardized rules and procedures including: creating one set of yacht
club sailing instructions on waterproof paper, establishing definitive courses, increasing the number of sponsoring clubs,
making an inclusive Master Racing Calendar scheduling process, merging all offshore activities into the Offshore Yacht Racing
Association, arranging a signaling course system, promptly mailing race results, increasing responsiveness to membership,
forming the Race Management Committee and developing a sound financial status. Final steps in the unification process were
revising the By-Laws and Standing Rules.
The new YRA became an association of individuals, represented through their clubs by Delegates. These Delegates plus Charter
Association Directors, elected the Board of Directors.
Today, the primary role of the Yacht Racing Association of San Francisco Bay is to organize and support competitive racing
in Northern California. It promotes, coordinates and administers organized racing and functions as sponsor of nearly 30 races
a year. The YRA ensures races happen in a fair, safe, fun and competitive way for racers at all levels. It records, coordinates
and schedules over 800 individual races on the San Francisco Bay.
In addition to race management, the YRA maintains buoys, addresses appeals through a committee, processes Performance Handicap
Racing Fleet (PHRF) Certificates and acts as the liaison for the United States Coast Guard and local government organizations.
The YRA is a membership organization for individual sailors and businesses that serve and support the sailing community. The
YRA acts as an advocate for sailing in the Bay and is responsive to the racing needs and desires of its members. It can organize
lobbying efforts as necessary in the interest of all racing sailors. Members can also belong to one of four different charter
associations, each of which represents a specific type of racing or type of boat: Handicap Divisions Association (HDA), the
One Design Class Association (ODCA), the Offshore Yacht Racing Association (OYRA) and the Wooden Boat Racing Association (WBRA).
Excerpted from:
Oliver, Gilbert. Letter to Small Boat Racing Association delegates, February 11, 1982 and March 2, 1982.
Yachting Association of San Francisco. http://www.yra.org/.
The Yacht Racing Association of San Francisco Bay audiovisual materials and photographs, approximately 1981-1991, (SAFR 23378,
P10-002) are comprised mainly of instructional materials for Yacht Racing Association of San Francisco Bay committee members
and documentation of yacht sailing races held in the San Francisco Bay Area, California. The collection has been processed
to the File Unit level, with some Items listed, and is open for use.
Contains materials related to Yacht Racing Association of San Francisco Bay (YRA) activities, approximately 1981-1991. There
are 143 unique items (122 photographic images, 18 moving images, and 3 sound recordings) in 184 physical forms (80 color slides,
36 color negatives, 39 color photographic prints, 3 color transparencies, 13 color VHS videocassettes, 9 color U-matic videocassettes,
and 4 audiocassettes).
Includes YRA produced instructional materials for race management committee and protest committee members as well as board
meeting material. Other items document yacht sailing regattas held in the San Francisco Bay Area, including the Volvo San
Francisco Regatta (1988-1991) and the 88th Annual Vallejo Yacht Club Race in 1988. Various yacht classes are depicted in the
collection, including Etchells 22, Express, Folkboat, J-Boats, Knarr, and Santana, among others. The collection also includes
eight episodes of the instructional sailing television series "Under Sail."
Arranged into two Series: Series 1: Instructional materials and board meetings; Series 2: Regattas and people.
Series 1 consists of materials produced and used by the Yacht Racing Association of San Francisco Bay to educate race committee
and protest committee members. Also includes board meeting material and episodes of the television series "Under Sail." Series
2 consists of materials documenting various sailing regattas and people.
Related manuscript collections:
Yacht Racing Association records, 1948-1986. SFMNHP, (SAFR 5321, HDC 644). Comprised of business records, meeting minutes,
correspondence, race applications and results.
Yacht Racing Association records, 1947-1962. SFMNHP, (SAFR 4859, HDC 646). Comprised mainly of newsletters, announcements
and scrapbooks from San Francisco Bay area yacht clubs. Don Seaton, the Recorder for the Yacht Racing Association was the
compiler.
Yacht Racing Association records, 1972-2002. SFMNHP, (SAFR 21689, HDC 1650). Contains business records, correspondence, race
results and entry forms.
Researchers should note that there are other books and collections with materials related to yacht racing and yacht clubs
in the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park. They can search the Park's web catalog for more information.
- This material is located at San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Regattas
Small craft
One-Design yachts
Yachts
Yachting
Yacht clubs
Yacht racing
Yacht racing--California--San Francisco
Volvo San Francisco Regatta
Vallejo Yacht Club Race
Yacht Racing Association of San Francisco Bay
San Francisco (Calif.)
San Francisco Bay Area (Calif.)
San Pablo Bay (Calif.)
Audiocassettes
Color negatives
Color prints (photographs)
Color slides
Color transparencies
Videocassettes