Offshore yacht races in Bay Area suspended after deadly accident
"The San Francisco Bay Area sailing community is one of the most vibrant, experienced, and capable … in the world," Coast Guard Capt. Cynthia Stowe said in a statement Thursday. "This temporary safety stand-down from offshore racing will allow the Coast Guard and the offshore racing community to further our common safety goals."The precautions come after the 38-foot yacht Low Speed Chase was slammed by two huge waves as it neared the Farallones 27 miles from San Francisco Bay. The body of one crew member was recovered, and four others remain missing and are presumed dead.
Laura Munoz, executive director of the Yacht Racing Assn. of San Francisco Bay, said that regardless of US Sailing's findings, her organization was considering imposing a restricted zone to keep vessels about a quarter-mile from the rocky islands during future contests.
The review comes days after Bryan Chong, among the three Low Speed Chase survivors, detailed the April 14 accident
That bodes well for the possibility of the event coming to San Francisco, home of the defending champion BMW Oracle Team and the Golden Gate Yacht Club.
San Francisco just unveiled a plan to host the 34th America's Cup yacht race with an epic new amphitheater set on the bay.
