Kitten Cup (April 21 to April 23) kicks off the dinghy sailing season and is one of the most attended regattas in the Pacific North West. Usually, there are more than 100 participants on the water and well over that for the traditional Saturday evening dinner. 

This year there are additional challenges with the construction on our docks.  Optis will launch from RVYC and all the other classes will rig and launch from Jericho Sailing Centre Association.

We are looking for help both at RVYC and the Jericho Sailing Centre Association from all members of the sailing community.

On Friday night and Saturday morning at RVYC, we need to check in registered participants - look them in the eye, confirm they are registered, check their sail check slip and give them a couple of power bars. Tick.

We like to know who's racing so we look at the sail number and give them a slip that shows we've seen it. Done at RVYC and at Jericho Sailing Centre Association Friday night and Saturday morning.

Even with the best will in the world, some people will show up who haven't registered, have bought the wrong sails, or experienced some other disaster - your job is to figure it out and get them properly registered. RVYC Friday night and Saturday morning.

The rigging area and dock can be mayhem in a regatta. You can help by keeping it organised, moving Optis onto and off the dock at RVYC, or other classes in and out of the water at the Jericho Sailing Centre Association and pointing them to RVYC for sail check, check-in, dinner and prizegiving. Hey, it's only a couple of hundred metres down the track and sailing is a sport - not recreation.... Help needed Friday night, Saturday and Sunday.

KITTEN CUP ON-WATER HELPers

Kitten Cup (April 21 to April 23) is one of the biggest regattas RVYC hosts each year and we usually run three courses for Optis, Laser/Radials, and double-handed classes. Lots of people are needed on the water with the Race Committee boat and support boats. It's interesting work that gives a real behind the scenes view into what it takes to put on an event like this. Your options are:

Are you good at taking instructions, hoisting flags, and making meticulous recordings of numbers? If so, why not help out on one of the three Race Committee boats? We're looking for two to three people per boat - preferably with some experience, but keenness and desire speak loudly. Saturday and Sunday.

Feeling strong and adaptable? Can drive a boat? Know your flags? Consider signing up for mark set boat. Where else can you spend the day lolling around on a small tin boat, blast around the harbour on command, chat on 73, and pull up anchors all day long. Many an RVYC Race Team member has graduated to these duties. Both days, feel strong.

We try to take photos and video on the day and show the results during the Saturday dinner. If you've got a boat or a RIB that we can use, or have some gear you want to try out on the water, give us a call. Saturday only.

If any of these positions look interesting, contact John Tulip ([email protected]).

KITTEN CUP sailor's SWAP HELPERS

Kitten Cup's Sailor's Swap (April 21 to April 23) is our venue to pass used gear onto new people. It's held at the perfect time of the year and it’s a great place to search for slightly bigger wetsuits, drysuits, boots, gloves, sails, spars, foils, boats and all those things that mysteriously vanish from your home over the winter.

We need people to help out.

SAILOR'S SWAP LEADER IN TRAINING

Every year someone steps forward to lead the charge for the Sailor's Swap - we should all clap loudly for those who have taken on the challenge. But at some point, they need to pass the baton onto the next generation before their kids go to university. Are you up for it? Careful training provided for next year's winner!

SAILOR'S SWAP HELPERS

Tireless people sort, organise, label and then sell your old gear to the next generation that will continue to love it until it falls to shreds on them (or perhaps two or three down the line).  Help is needed to organise before the sale, to man the booth during the regatta, take the cash and to help bring panicked Opti parents back to earth. All weekend and an evening or two prior to the event.

If you can help out, please contact Andrea Waters ([email protected]).