John Van Voorhis and team ran the races. The day started off with challenges: 19’s battery was low, and the pee tube wasn’t producing. And none of the inflators were working. So initially racing was cancelled. But then Witt came to the rescue to blow up the marks and clear the pee tube. Racing was re-instated.
The winds were from the N and NE.
Nelson Pemberton and team ran the races. Barney Harris was running the mark boat. It was day 2 of the Lightning Doc Gilbert Potomac Cup.
The winds were from the west and shots of breeze were coming in from both the left and right. At one point the wind went way right but by the end of the day it had shifted way left.
The Lightning class saw a very skewed start line that was difficult to lay on starboard. That created a mix of strategies from trying to start on port, coming down the line on starboard but tacking to port before the gun, to dip starts. Chaos ensued at the pin.
The 2025 PRSA Spring Regatta was held May 24-25 in some great sailing conditions. 15 Albacores, 3 Flying Scots, and a Laser participated in the racing. Saturday saw gusty conditions with NW breezes in the hight teens, gusting into the high 20s at times. PRO Aaron Boesenecker and his RC crew (Dana Howe, Jim Graham and Dave McCaskill on Saturday; Jim Greenley, Jim Graham, and John Hart on Sunday) were able to get the Albacores 7 T-2 races (!) on Saturday. Sunday saw NW breezes but warmer temps and diminished wind velocity. The RC got the Albacores 6 more races (the Laser joined in for a few) and the Flying Scots 5 races.
Saturday and Sunday of Memorial Day Weekend Annually
Potomac River Sailing Association
Washington Sailing Marina, Alexandria VA
Register Here: https://nextsailor.com/regatta/PRSASpringRegatta2025
Photo Credit: Nic Bogren
Nabeel & team of Aaron Boesenecker, John Van Voorhis, and Cathy Clarke were ready but the wind wasn’t there. At 10 there was about 2 or 3 knots of winds. The tide was ebbing reinforcing the river current which would have made it difficult to sail up current. So Nabeel postponed on shore for an hour. Around 11 Aaron & John went out to the river–the wind near the launch area can be more than out on the river due to a near shore thermal. They found even less wind and then it shut down. Racing was cancelled for the day.
Stew Harris and Laura Albert ran the races from the line boat.
It was a breezy day but not too breezy. The Albacores were in Annapolis doing the Helly Hansen regatta.
Lloyd Leonard and his team were ready, but there was too much wind–Barney wasn’t there. We decided not to sail.
Frank Gallagher and John Van Voorhis ran the signal boat. Dana Howe and Natalie Rehberger ran the mark boat. It was a windy start to the sailing season.
And that is a wrap. I hope everyone had a fun season!
