Category Archives: Announcements

Announcements, News

Are You Ready For Spring Series Racing?

The PRSA Spring Series starts with Spring Series #1 on April 3.  Are you ready to go sailing?  Here are a few things to remember as you get ready for the racing season:

  • Post to the PRSA Crew Connection or peruse the listings there if you are looking for a ride or looking for crew.
  • Make sure to sign up for your RC Duty slots.  Sign up now so that you know when you’re serving and so that you make sure to do your part for PRSA in helping us run safe and fun races.

Spring Series #1 will be followed by BBQ with all food and drink provided by PRSA, so make sure to bring your appetites for food as well as for racing on April 3!

Announcements, News

SCOW-PRSA-DISC Winter Seminar Series

We are pleased to announce a series of informational seminars that we have organized together with SCOW and DISC.  A huge thank you to Csilla Gal (PRSA & SCOW) for taking the lead in organizing these events.  All events will be held in the Charleston Room at Indigo Landing (WSM).  Mark your calendars now!

Local Knowledge Clinic (3/2, 7pm): PRSA expert Barney Harris will share his wisdom with us all in an updated version of the fantastically informative seminar that he gave a few years back.  Barney has been persistently collecting and analyzing charts, graphs, and observational data in order to help sailors and race committee understand local conditions on the Potomac. This unique meteorological and tidal knowledge may be the extra advantage you need to get ahead!

Racing Rules Clinic (3/9, 7pm):  a group of thee experts will answer questions related to racing and will give their expert opinions on situations brought up by the attendees and make a final verdict on who broke the rule.

Race Management & Protest Committee Management (3/17, 7pm): this seminar will cover matters that members are engaged in running races should know.

Racing Tactics (3/23, 7pm): this presentation from Mike Callahan (GU Sailing Coach) is expected to cover starting, mark rounding, upwind and downwind tactics. Mike has asked for some details on what we would like to hear, so email Aaron at apb99@mac.com if you have suggestions.

Sail Tuning (3/30, 7pm): this talk will probably be delivered by Scott Steels, an Olympic medalist windsurfer from Ullman Sails. He is expected to deliver a talk on sail trimming: a basic intro followed with some more in depth technical discussion.

 

Lasers, Announcements

2016 PRSA Dues Are Now Due!

Now is the time to pay your PRSA dues for 2016!   As a reminder, the PRSA constitution was amended at our Annual General Meeting and Awards Banquet on November 21, 2015.  As a result, the annual PRSA membership year now runs from December 1 through November 30.  The 2016 membership year started December 1, and you have until January 15 2016 to pay your dues without late fee.  On or after January 15, 2016, a late fee of $25 will be added to the dues of returning members.  After you fill out the membership form you will be offered the option of paying via PayPal or sending a check to our PRSA Treasurer.

I want to emphasize that having our association members pay dues up front each year is of immense help to all of our PRSA volunteers.  We can better allocate expenditures over the year, organize RC requirements, set up scoring systems in advance, and more.  Your PRSA dues support boat and equipment maintenance, insurance, slip fees, and everything else that goes into allowing us to race each weekend.  Of course, skippers must be paid PRSA members in order to qualify for the Laser Frostbite Series and the Spring and Fall series racing series, and to be eligible to vote at the PRSA AGM.

As you pay your dues I would also encourage you to support the PRSA Commodore’s Club (a donation can be added to your 2016 membership payment).  Donation’s to the Commodores Club go directly to our fund for boat and equipment maintenance.  Whether big or small, any additional donation is a great help as we work on maintaining our equipment and conducting safe and fun racing each year. 

A big thank you to all of the members who have already paid their 2016 dues.  Many thanks, as well, to all of those who contributed to the PRSA Commodore’s Club in 2015 (see listing here: http://www.potomacriversailing.org/applications/membership/CommodoreClub.php) I’m already looking forward to the 2016 sailing season, and I hope that you are as well!

Announcements, News

PRSA AGM & Awards Ceremony Wrap-Up

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We had over 50 people attend the 2015 PRSA Annual General Meeting and Awards Ceremony, making it one of the best attended in recent years!  I want to extend a very special thank you to Melissa Morgan and Heather Howard for all of their work in planning the AGM, organizing the food and drink, decorating the room, and generally ensuring good cheer such that a great time was had by all.

The PRSA Executive Committee was pleased to highlight  our growth over the year, including a 4th consecutive year of membership growth, the best attendance at the PRSA President’s Cup Regatta and Spring Regatta in the last 5 years, and more.  We were also pleased to recognize Lee Sayasithsensa, Rolf & Sue Zeisler, Lisa-Marie Lane, Stew Harris, and Lindsay Bach with PRSA awards.  You can keep reading for additional details and links to the relevant documents, including the AGM Agenda, the list of PRSA Spring and Fall Series winners, details on the perpetual award winners, and your 2016 PRSA Executive Committee.

Continue reading PRSA AGM & Awards Ceremony Wrap-Up →

Announcements

2015 PRSA AGM & Awards Banquet – UPDATED with Dues Proposal Information

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The 2015 PRSA Annual General Meeting and Awards Banquet will be held on Saturday, November 21, 6-9 pm, in the party room at Marina Towers in Alexandria, VA.  Dinner & drinks will cost $25 per person (pay at the door with check or cash).   This is always a great chance to see everybody and reminisce about another year of great sailing, so I hope to see you there!  Please sign up here as soon as possible so that our volunteers can plan for the appropriate amount of food and drink.  Please submit your nominations for PRSA awards (see below) via email to prsacommodore@gmail.com no later than the end of the day on Monday, November 16.

A full agenda and details on the PRSA business meeting will be posted soon.  In the meanwhile, here is the basic schedule of events:

  • 6:00  Appetizers & Drinks
  • 6:30  Dinner
  • 7:30  Business Meeting & Awards
    • 7:30-7:45  Officer Reports
    • 7:45-8:15  Discussion of PRSA Dues Proposal (see docs below)
    • 8:15-8:20  Vote on PRSA Dues Proposal
    • 8:20-8:30  Discussion on 2016 PRSA Goals
    • 8:30-8:45  PRSA Spring & Fall Series Awards
    • 8:45-8:55  PRSA Perpetual Awards
    • 8:55-9:00  Discussion & approval of 2016 PRSA Executive Committee
  • 9:00  Adjourn & Cleanup

Award Nominations: we have several perpetual awards that are bestowed upon Association members at the AGM to recognize service to PRSA.  The list of these awards is below.  Please email me if you would like to nominate an Association member for one of these awards:

  • Founder’s Trophy  (for the general promotion of PRSA; highest recognition for service and dedication to PRSA)
  • Fleet Captain’s Award (for exemplary service on Race Committee Duty)
  • Nabeel Alsalam Award (for exceptional service coordinating the many activities of PRSA)
  • Yates Dowell III Award (for exceptional administrative service to PRSA)

PRSA Dues Proposal

Last year at the AGM the PRSA Executive Board raised the question of our dues structure, which has been unchanged since 2001.  Over time we have lost approximately 25% of the purchasing power of our dues intake.  We are also starting to consider the prospect of major equipment purchase/upgrades as PRSA continues to grow.  After the discussion last year the Exec Board was tasked with reviewing the dues structure and bringing a proposal to the 2015 AGM.  The documents below provide you with the proposal that we, the PRSA Executive Board, have developed.

Pursuant to Article XI of the PRSA Constitution (Amendments) we are providing this proposal to the membership 15 days in advance of the Annual General Meeting.  The proposal and supplementary documents attached to this message are also available on the PRSA website.  We will discuss the attached proposal at the AGM and a vote will be taken.  The voting procedure, described in Article IV of the PRSA Constitution, is also detailed on the attached proposal.

The following documents are attached (click on each document to access):

Comments and questions about the proposal prior to the meeting should be sent to commodore@potomacriversailing.org with “Dues Proposal” in the subject line.  We will try to respond to emailed comments/questions as appropriate.  However, only the comments presented and the votes cast at the AGM will constitute the official record on this matter.  I would strongly encourage you to attend the AGM to discuss the proposal there and to cast your vote.  Proxy votes may be cast according to the procedure described in the attachments.

Announcements

PRSA Dinghy Open

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UPDATE 5:15 PM 3 OCT: THE PRSA DINGHY OPEN WILL BE HELD AS SCHEDULED.  SEE YOU AT THE  MARINA!

Back by popular demand we will once again the PRSA Dinghy Open this  year!  This one-day stand-alone regatta on Sunday, October 4, is your chance to race boat-on-boat against other classes.  The regatta is open to any boat under 20′ in length.  Races will be scored using the Portsmouth Yardstick system.  Start organizing your crew now!  Click here to view the NOR and click here to view the Sailing Instructions.

Announcements, News

PRSA Photo Contest

PRSA is once again partnering with CalendarLink (http://www.calendarlink.org/prsa/home.html) to produce a 2016 tide calendar.  These calendars show the actual tides predicted for the Potomac River at Washington National Airport on the Potomac River!  

This year we are having a photo contest to select photos to include in the calendar.  All PRSA members are encouraged to enter their very best photo.  Each PRSA member may submit one photo for consideration.  The winning photo will become the cover photo for the calendar and the winner will receive a FREE 2016 PRSA Calendar. 

 Here are the requirements for calendar photo submissions:

  • Photos must be horizontal images from digital cameras. 
  • Photos must be a minimum of 300 DPI width of 10.3 inches, height 8 inches or 3100 x 2400 pixels or a 1.3 to 1 ratio.
  • Photos may be submitted in JPEG, GIF, or PNG format.
  • Photos need not be from the current calendar year.

So get out there and start taking pictures!  Then, figure out which one is your best picture and enter it into the contest.  Email your photo to Jeff Neurauter (jmnsailor@yahoo.com) no later than November 1, 2015. 

Announcements

President’s Cup Spectator Cruise

Thanks to the generosity of DC Sail and the National Maritime Heritage Foundation we are able to offer a 3-hour spectator cruise (11:30-2:30 pm) aboard the schooner American Spirit on the Sunday of the President’s Cup Regatta for just $20/person.  Click here for complete details on the cruise and click here to purchase tickets via the President’s Cup regatta website.

Also, remember that it is not too late to register for the 2015 PRSA President’s Cup Regatta!

SI's & NOR's, Announcements

PRSA President’s Cup

prsa logo triangle2 The 2015 PRSA President’s Cup Regatta, sponsored by Annapolis Performance Sailing, will be held September 19 & 20 at Washington Sailing Marina, continuing the long tradition of competitive one-design racing started by the President’s Cup in 1934.  The regatta will be sailed on the Potomac River on two courses.  One-person dinghies (Lasers, El Toros, Penguins) will race on Saturday in the cove near Washington Sailing Marina (WSM) or off of the power plant just south of WSM.  Other classes (Albacores, Buccaneers, Catamarans, Flying Scots, Lightnings, I-20s, etc.) will race Saturday and Sunday on the north course between Hains Point and Gravelly Point (with the Capitol and national monuments as a backdrop).   Register now for the 2015 President’s Cup and view the NOR and other race information.  Registration fees increase after September 12, so make sure to register and pay online before September 12 to save yourself a bit of cash!

APS-Logo-OrangenoText                          DC Sail

Special thanks to Annapolis Performance Sailing for sponsoring the regatta and providing some additional prizes.  This year we will also have a spectator boat – the schooner American Spirit – thanks to the generosity of DC Sail and the National Maritime Heritage Foundation!  Make sure to tell your friends and family about this fantastic opportunity to view the sailing from the water on Sunday, Sept. 20.

 

Announcements, News

Important Fall Schedule Information

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I’m writing with a couple of important announcements about our fall racing schedule:

  1. We need to staff our Race Committee for the fall!  Please Sign up now if you have not already done so.
  2. We have decided to move the President’s Cup to Sept. 19-20 (a weekend different than the LLS Fundraiser).   More details are provided below.
  3. The PRSA Dinghy Open is back by popular demand, and will be held on October 4.

I’ve posted more details on these important changes below.  Please don’t hesitate to contact your Executive Board if you have any questions.

Continue reading Important Fall Schedule Information →