Yacht Racing Association of San Francisco Bay audiovisual materials and photographs, approximately 1981-1991

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Summary

Title:
Yacht Racing Association of San Francisco Bay audiovisual materials and photographs
Dates:
approximately 1981-1991
Creators:
Yacht Racing Association of San Francisco Bay
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.
Extent:
184 items
Language:
In English.
Preferred citation:

[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

Background

Scope and content:

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."

Biographical / historical:

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/.

Acquisition information:

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).

Processing information:

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.

Arrangement:

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.

Physical location:
San Francisco Maritime NHP, Historic Documents Department
Physical description:
.
Rules or conventions:
Finding aid prepared using Describing Archives: A Content Standard .

About this collection guide

Collection Guide Author:
Processed by: L. Bianchi, 2013 June.
Date Prepared:
2013
Date Encoded:
Machine-readable finding aid derived from ICMS database and converted into xml from a template revised and updated by San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, Historic Documents Department. 8/19/2013 .

Access and use

Restrictions:

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.

Terms of access:

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.

Preferred citation:

[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

Location of this collection:
Building E, Fort Mason
San Francisco, CA 94123, US
Contact:
415-561-7030
Website