The Toliva Shoal Race

Toliva Shoal Race Weekend- February 14-16, 2025

Race Day- Saturday, February 15th

Notice of Race
Sailing Instructions
Registration
Boats Entered

Click on this link to see the official NOR (as of 2024 Dec 28) Notice of Race that is located on the Regatta Network website.

Click on this link to see the official SI for the Race: Sailing Instructions (as of 2024 Dec 28). This link is located on the Regatta Network site.

Click on this link to register for the Toliva Shoal Race: Race Registration. Pay the race fee of $35

Click on this link to see all the current boats registered for the Toliva Shoal Race: List of Boats Entered

Wind Forecast
Currents
Moorage
Schedule of Events

Skippers- check one of the most recent wind forecasts for the day of the Toliva Shoal Race. www.windy.com

Dana Passage is the most current-sensitive part of the race. Predictions here: NOAA.gov

Captains- you can find moorage at a couple place near the starting line. This Race is hosted by both the South Sound Sailing Society (SSSS) and the Olympia Yacht Club (OYC). Some moorage will be available at the OYC. Percival Landing is the official home port for the SSSS Club, some moorage will be available at Percival Landing operated by the City of Olympia.

Courtesy of the City of Olympia, moorage is available free of charge at Percival Landing in Olympia – D and E docks – on Friday and Saturday nights (first-come, first-served basis). Electrical power is available on E dock (no water due to seasonal shut-off), but D dock remains powerless/waterless.

Friday, Feb 14

5:00pm Toliva Shoal Kick Off Party- OYC
6:00pm Pulled Pork Dinner $15

Saturday, Feb 15

7:00am to 8:30am Breakfast- OYC- $5
9:25am PHRF and non-PHRF Cruising NFS and Commodore FS Class warning
9:55am First PHRF Racing Class warning
After Race- Soup and snacks- OYC- free

Please bring cash or check for meals.

Official Toliva Shoal shirts will be available for purchase.

About the Race

This special event, which coincides with Presidents’ Day weekend in February, is part of the Southern Sound Series. It is co-hosted by SSSS and the Olympia Yacht Club.

Toliva Shoal is a full weekend of events, including the race itself. It is our best-attended race and the only one that attracts boats from throughout Puget Sound, commonly drawing 60-100 boats. Many locals who only do one race a year do this one. There is a party the night before that has a reputation in the Puget Sound sailing community as an event all by itself. This is your chance to sample “down Sound” racing without leaving Olympia.

Course:

Start between the Race Committee Boat and the east marker of the Olympia Shoal in a northerly direction. Proceed leaving Dofflemyer Point and Johnson Point to starboard; then the government mark #3 off Nisqually Delta, the Toliva Shoal buoy, Eagle Island, the government mark #1 at the west end of Balch Passage, Johnson Point, and Dofflemyer Point to port. Finish in a southerly direction between the race committee boat and the east marker of the Olympia Shoal. Approximate distance 38.4 nm

This race is not part of our regular SSSS race program. It is run by the Toliva Shoal Race Committee, which represents both SSSS and OYC. You must register in advance and pay an entry fee. It has its own Sailing Instructions, which are different then the instructions in this book.

This is the third race in the four-race Southern Sound Series. The Southern Sound Series Council organizes the series and represents Tacoma Yacht Club, Gig Harbor Yacht Club, Three Tree Point Yacht Club, and of course SSSS and the Olympia Yacht Club.
You are welcome to sail the entire series. Many SSSS boats do. More boats, and tighter classes make great winter racing. It is a good introduction to racing beyond Olympia.

This race may be shortened at any of the Race Course marks. Check the Sailing Instructions for current official information.

PHRF race boats not current with their PHRF membership will not be scored.

Non-PHRF Cruising boats will be scored on time alone, without handicap, in relationship to other boats in their class.

Race Fee:

Pre-registration – $35 if received by midnight PST Tuesday, February 11th.

Late registration – $40 for entries/payments received after Tuesday, February 12th. Registration closes at 8pm February 16. There is no registration on race day.

Preliminary results for each class are posted after every boat in the class is accounted for.

General Information:

Remember that the race can be shortened at any rounding mark.

In the event of finishing after dark, boats must provide illumination of sail numbers when approaching and crossing the finish line.

Committee Boats: Any Committee boat–the Start/Finish boat, a mark boat, or the chase boat–may be used to shorten the course.

Awards:

Toliva Shoal Race awards are for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd in each class, subject to class participation, plus perpetual trophies for first-to-finish and overall corrected PHRF.

Communications:

All yachts must check in with the committee boat Saturday morning. The Race Committee Boats will monitor VHF channel 72 throughout the race. All yachts retiring from the race must notify the Race Committee, preferably by radio (VHF channel 72) or by telephone (360) 890-8450. Notification shall be as soon as possible after retiring. Radio and/or cell phone communications are for safety and race coordination use ONLY. Radio and/or phone calls to the Race Committee, other than withdrawals, race safety notifications or emergencies, will be terminated immediately.

Safety:

We encourage you and your crew to wear appropriate safety gear, such as personal flotation and harnesses, for heavy weather or night sailing. U.S. Sailing Equipment Requirements NEARSHORE.

Moorage:

Launching:

There is a good ramp at Swantown Marina. Swantown Boatyard, at the south end of the marina, has a marine lift. Call the Boatyard at (360) 528-8059 or VHF 65 to make an appointment for launch and lift.

Zittel’s Marina, on Johnson Point, has a sling; call (360) 459-1950 to make arrangements for launch and lift at Zittel’s.

Parking:

Olympia has free street parking evenings, weekends and holidays. Parking is also available in the southwest section of the parking lot fronting 4th Ave (closest to Bayview). You can pick up a free parking placard Saturday morning from the club house. Do not park in the OYC member’s parking lot (unless you are a member) or the Oyster House section to the east. If you need to park Friday night and prefer to park in the lot, write the word TOLIVA on a piece of paper at least 4×6 in size and leave it on your dashboard, but make sure that you obtain an official permit Saturday morning to avoid a parking ticket.

Meals:

Toliva will once again have a Friday night dinner ($15) pulled pork, macaroni and cheese, cornbread, slaw and desserts, with a beer and wine bar, 7:00 Saturday breakfast ($5), and hot soups and beer (free) after the race. SSSS cannot accept credit or debit cards except for Internet registrations. Meals and Tee shirts are cash/check only. Exact change is greatly appreciated.

Note: The Double Tree Inn, 415 Capitol Way N, (360) 570-0555 is within walking distance for those folks who would rather sleep in a bed.

Toliva Shoal Race Weekend- February 14-16, 2025