Buoy Zone Season Wrap-Up - 9/14

Buoy Zone – look how far we have come

Buoy Zone is the newest addition to the ILYA’s RC arsenal. This phone app enables the race committee to visualize a lake’s outline and set a course to best utilized the lake’s topography, adjust to the wind conditions and to provide a course with proper leg lengths. The ILYA Foundation offered free subscriptions to our 2022 regatta hosting lakes firstly but then generously extended the offer to any member lake who wanted to be added to the roster. Fourteen of our lakes accepted the offer and the numbers of users grew from 61 to 187! The original 61 were primarily ILYA race officers who have been utilizing this app for a year prior.

The app was developed by a group in New Zealand and was “discovered” during conversation at a US Sailing Club Race Officer course when the simple question was asked if anyone had developed an app to assist with race committee GPS operation. In March 2021, our adventure began. Mark DeGuire was notified since he was in the geographic region where Buoy Zone was first known to be tested in the US. Mark spent the spring at nearly weekly events in the SE US using the new app. The ILYA was fortunate to bring Mark over to the Quad Lakes at Nagawicka for our first test of the app. While some of us had trialed it at home, this was our first instructional regatta utilizing the new app. With some fits, technical bloopers and “I can’t change” resistance, we found this was a REAL alternative to handheld GPS use. The GPS units are expensive, perhaps a bit cumbersome to learn and different in the interface as we move to alternate models. STILL, the GPS is a tool the “oldsters” still rely on. (Don’t ask Porter to set a midline boat without a GPS.) PRO’s and the experienced other RC began to buy the app for personal use.

In Fall 2021, Harken graciously offered us use of their parking lot as three ILYA RC officers set courses and walked to the desired placement of the buoys. Convinced this was the app for us, the RC began use of the app at most and then ultimately all our events. This year at Lake Geneva Championships we were able to “see” both the courses on our phones to prevent intrusion on each other’s water. The app developers have welcomed our input, made significant changes and modified the app for inland lake use which is a tad different than coastal, big water use. For instance, midline boat locations were added at our request.  

Here we are in 2022 end of season with 187 of us utilizing the app. This is a visual means to set a course – view it on your lake, change the course based on the wind or desired length of the legs, choose trapezoids/windward-leewards, place gates in front or behind the starting line – all where the users can view each boat’s location and where they are traveling. For instance, at White Bear’s MC Invitational, the safety boat was entered so the PRO always knew where the safety boat was to direct either that boat or a spectator to assist with the occasional incident on the course. Additionally, each boat can be called from inside Buoy Zone to make communication improved at a faster pace. There are times when RC speak over the radio but also more private conversations are going on via phone. A touch of a button and the boat is called.

There are 14 participating lakes and you can see by the data that there are varying degrees of usage. Clear Lake, IA utilized this during the X Championships. Their usage is 5 because we only had five differing courses. Thanks to Clear for steady winds and the ability to just go “back to where we were” for the next start. Delavan, for instance, uses this every Saturday. The head RC sets the course and sends volunteer RC out on the water for the day. It has allowed them much improved courses with less-skilled folks quickly learning and following the visual placement of the course.

Education on this app has been in two areas – face to face at our regattas (both ILYA and member club events) and a Zoom presentation. If you would like a demonstration before October 15^th, reach out to the ILYA RC Education Committee. A member of the ILYA RC will arrange to visit your club either in person or virtually. There is one last opportunity to learn the app locally in SE WI. The Friday night before the Nan Norris C Challenge, Lake Beulah Yacht Club will again present Buoy Zone for all interested parties. You are cordially invited, Sept 23^rd at 5:30 pm. Please RSVP here.

The ILYA is reviewing its RC education offerings for 2023. Buoy Zone will be on the table for discussion and possible grant submission to the Foundation for funding for 2023. Watch for further news or submit comments for the Education Committee’s rconsideration. Look for another Zoom presentation to address how to utilize Buoy Zone at home with a one or two boat system.  

Thank you most sincerely to the ILYA Foundation for funding the project to improve regatta and local lake RC work.

2022 Race Committee Buoy Zone Initiative