Category Archives: Fleets

PRSA Fleets

Frostbite, Hangover Regatta, Lasers, Lasers, Regattas, Results

2024 Hangover Regatta Results

Greetings from 3rd place (Hangover-style),

Fun times on the water Monday! Thank you MUCH to Dave, Lloyd, Dan, and our guest photographer, Jeff, for helping to run 5 great races. The wind was moderate with some good puffs and shifts, and the current was heading out all afternoon (more on that shortly). We had 14 boats on the water, including two from SSA (thanks for making it out, James and Mike!).
A few observations:
1- Current. With a high tide around noon, we had an ebb tide the entire afternoon. And this meant a few notable adjustments to stay out of trouble/be fast, including:
  • Making sure not to be too close to the pin end when starting b/c it was hard enough to get over the line on starboard without the added stress of likely hitting the pin.
  • Keeping an eye out on where the line actually was when starting – and starting to accelerate a bit earlier than usual because it was easy to be a boat length or more from the line at the gun due to the current. (Related: I noticed there was often line sag, which made it much easier to get clean, front-row starts.)
  • Making sure to overstand the windward mark a bit and be careful about fully passing it before starting to head downwind (note: with the shifts, I unfortunately overstood a bit a couple of times, but it did help with avoiding the mark).
  • Making a tighter/earlier turn upwind at the leeward mark to avoid losing some unnecessary ground (this is more of a “note to self” for next time).
2- Starting. Yes, the current was an issue to recognize and adjust to — and the line became port-favored over the course of the afternoon. I had pretty consistent success being in the middle (or middle/boat side) and just below the line at about 30-40 seconds, which got me close to the pin by the start and gave me a great view of the line (and helped with starting roughly on time and on the line). I found the other critical element was making sure to be on the favored tack just after the start; increasingly, this meant a quick tack to port as soon as I could. There was one start earlier in the afternoon when the wind shifted pretty much at the start – and tacking over to port pretty much immediately helped a lot.
3 – A few other observations that might be helpful:
  • With such puffy/shifty wind, I found myself looking around a lot more when going downwind to a) see if any puffs were coming so I could be prepared (e.g., by preemptively tightening my vang and being ready to give my mainsheet a good tug in to avoid flipping); b) see how other boats were pointing as a hint of how I may need to change course.
  • Cunningham. I’m still amazed at how well I can depower the sail and make my boat easier to handle (while still being fast) with the MK2 sail. (That said, global reminder to us folks who are on the smaller side to not be shy with the cunningham when overpowered regardless of our sail – we can likely put on more than we think — and best to do this BEFORE the start (letting it off before rounding the windward mark) and BEFORE the leeward mark) to make it easier to give it a good, hard tug). (And all that said, it can also be helpful to loosen it in the lulls upwind if they seem to be hanging out for a while.)
Hope everyone is having a good first week back after the Holidays!
Laura
Photos can be found here.  Photo credit to Jeff Scudder with Viva Loudon.
Frostbite, Lasers, Lasers, Results

2023-2024 ILCA FROSTBITE #5

Hi everyone,

Greetings from 3rd place (barely). It looked like Sunday would have been rainy and moderately to quite windy – and instead, we got mostly just overcast with not much wind at all, but still enough for several races. Many thanks to Jim Graham and Jim Greenley for running RC very well and for kindly letting us get in before the rain really got going. Also congrats to Farley and Nich for some great and consistent sailing (and good to see you out there, Nich!). Scores attached.
Sunday was my first day sailing in quite a while and it was one of those days where I struggled to find my groove. That said, here are a few thoughts:
  • Starting on time. There were a few starts where I was on the line and going (or perhaps even still a bit under) at the gun and I noticed many folks were not on or close to the line. During the final start, many folks were still several boat lengths behind the line on the boat side at 20 seconds to go. It made getting a good start easier for me, but it would (of course) have been better if we were all on the line and ready to go at the gun. I tried to focus on being on the line (even if it was more in the middle) and going with speed at the gun rather than risk being buried behind transoms at the boat end and it mostly worked.
  • Speed vs. Looking Around. It was a weird wind day b/c it was so light and not super shifty. So speed really mattered – and especially not pinching (but not heading down too much either). So I spent more mental energy than usual trying to “feel” for what angle was fastest and had to keep reminding myself to keep my head out of the boat to look for puffs and where the other boats were. I think I did sort of okay balancing this but there were a few times when I missed tacking when I should have because I was focusing too much on speed – or was looking out too much and not focusing enough on speed.
  • A few things I did also that might be helpful: 1) tried to tack when I was in someone’s wind shadow, even if it meant tacking back after a few boat lengths, just to get clear air; 2) Kept my vang snugged at 2-blocked (MK2 sail) when going upwind and then let mostly off going downwind (but still a little tension) (if you have a non-MK2, vang upwind should have been looser); 3) outhaul mostly at a bit less than a hand’s width at the middle of the boom going upwind (looser going downwind); 4) very little cunningham/downhaul all day.
Overall, it was great to see everyone, and looking forward to more wind (and sun) at some point soon (fingers crossed)!
And Happy Holidays and Happy (almost) New Year,
Laura
Frostbite, Lasers, Results

2023-2024 ILCA Frostbite #2

1 Comment

PRSA Frostbite Lasers – November 26, 2023

By Dave Coughlin

Race 1: Conditions West at 0 to 1.5 knots, current just started flooding from south.

At Start it was apparent the pin was much closer to the windward mark. I set up near the pin and circled around watching where other players were setting up. I was successful at winning the pin and tacking to Port at 5 seconds until the gun. With the wind coming from left corner, I was most left boat and worked on not moving around to disturb the air flow, sitting on centerboard with aft leg behind mainsheet block, main was eased considerably to gain speed after start and create apparent wind, outhaul was 3 inches further out in center of boom of my widespread hand than usual. (Thumb to finger pinky spread full apart is my general rule of thumb) This is my standard and very technical distance (LOL) to evaluate location of outhaul. As boat speed and apparent wind increased, I gently trimmed the outhaul to increase point. On starboard the current caused an artificial header but more velocity. AKA, lee bowing the current. After the start I focused on as few tacks as possible to maintain speed. Prior to every tack I eased outhaul, came out of tack wide and started to build speed. 3 tacks total on this first beat. Rounded in first with a 7-boat length lead. Sailed high to get a better angle to the west breeze. This was not a great move but needed to maintain speed. Farley and Lloyd caught me in a following puff from behind and were able to sail lower. They had the puff I did not while the wind shifted to northeast, boats heading stayed the same but tacked from Starboard to Port. Since I sailed high initially, I was a sitting duck for the west downwind puff and the 150-degree shift to Northeast, they caught me, and I could not defend.

After leeward mark rounding it was a starboard tack fetch to finish with a more NNE direct, a tight reach. I was third and I always try to sail consistently and be top 3 every race.

Race 2: North at 2-4, current stronger from south.

Initial start was General Recalled. Boat was very favored but after Recall I did not want to be shut out so I decided to be conservative and start 1/3 down the line, avoiding the current induced pile up at the boat end. Thinking just get off the line and see what happens. Farley was closest to the RC boat and Lloyd was between both of us. We were the only three with boat speed to get free of the pack or off the starting line.

  • As a side note: many sailors set up too late on the start line and they don’t start to accelerate at 12-7 seconds, but at 3-2 or 0 second. On these short courses the start is everything. My advice is to train to be over early on a few starts, just by a second or 2. You get free of pack and clear air. If not on the line in front row at 30 seconds you will consistently become 2nd row. (This is an entirely separate article to discuss and train too, how many have practiced the start line interception with timing, how many sailors have a watch and count down?)

Within seconds after the start, I knew I was third again since Farley and Lloyd were inside the shift and seemed to have more breeze. I rounded the weather mark in third. After the Leeward mark rounding, both leaders went left on course, I headed towards the deep channel and hoped to gain current leverage, sending me to the right, only one other boat (Brain) went right. When I was the most right, I thought I looked good, pointed higher, more breeze and current push, since it was so light air, I think it was artificial breeze generated by the current push that made me look good. As I closed in on the starboard lay line, the puff or current push near the channel had ended. I lost another boat from the left and rounded fourth. Jibed immediately and worked inside (against the current), catching the boat I lost upwind. I rounded and finished third.

Items to speak too:

  • Light air, sit on centerboard, straddling the main sheet but be on the lookout on port since it takes time to free yourself to tack.
  • At weather mark rounding, if capable, I will trim main from the boom block and pull free mainsheet (as many feet as I can get out of ratchet block) from ratchet block, in heavy air a must, in light air not as aggressive since speed can be gained in coordinated ease to speed. This is needed in a jibe set rounding, this ease allows me to bring the bow down and then jibe.
  • In light air, roll tack to the max and as flattening trim in main slowly and flatten slowly. The longer you can have the air flowing over sails and water pushing over blades the better. But remember the rules…you can’t exit the tack faster than you went into the tack. But you can get immediately up to speed and not have speed build delay.

23-24 PRSA Frostbite Series #2

Frostbite, Lasers, Results

2023-2024 ILCA Frostbite #1

Potomac treated us to a beautiful sunny day with everything from very light air to full hiking and, in true Potomac style, no shortage of wind shifts. Thanks to Brian and Paula for 6 great races.  It was a tough day to lay the course … it was perfectly right many many times during the day, but often not for long.

It was great to welcome four new young laser sailors: Jonah, Leif, Logan, and Mason. We always appreciate newcomers and are happy that Morgan now can feel less alone in her age category.  Jonah and Leif cautiously stayed in the cove, and we hope to have you on the course with us when you feel confident.

A couple of things worked well for me today:

  • Be on the start line at the gun – especially when the pin is very favored. If you’re lucky, you can tack and get clear air. If you’re below the line, it’s very hard to get clear air – especially when boats have trouble clearing the pin and slow down while pinching – that really clogs the line.
  • Maintain focus when the wind dies. Huge gains and losses are made during these most frustrating moments – I find my little hawk vane to be very helpful, and looking around the course at other boat helps. Yeah, it’s a game of luck, but you can shift the odds a bit by staying alert.

So, let’s get the 3rd place write ups going again with a small, suggested change. If the 3rd place sailor has written a 3rd place write up before, it passes to 2nd, if 2nd has written it before, it passes to 1st, then 4th, 5th, 6th etc. I know it’s a bit more complicated, but it would be good to give repeat authors the chance to opt out and to hear more voices.

Meanwhile, happy Thanksgiving and see you next Sunday!

Steen

2023-2024 PRSA Frostbite Series #1

Lightnings, News

2023 Fall Series – Cumulative Scores thru 10-29

November 5th will be the last of the fall series.

The cumulative scores below are intended to motivate you to come out.  Please do!

A few notes about the scores:

The race dates and race number are out of order:

Sep 17    races 8-11
Oct 1  races 1-3 & 17
Oct 8  races 4-7
Oct 15 races 12-13
Oct 29 races 14-16

To be counted as a race for your class, there must have been 1 or more finishers

Half, rounded-down, of your worst scores are thrown out

If you were on RC when there was a race in your class, you will get RDG but that has not been calculated yet.  Plus, I often did not know who (sail numbers) were on RC.

I20-thru 10-29 three TOs no RDG for RC

Laser-thru 10-29 4 TOs no RDG for RC

Bucs-thru 10-29 4 TOs no RDG for RC

Lightnings-thru-10-29 seven TOs no RDG for RC

Albacore-thru 10-29 seven TOs no RDG for RC

Fleet50, Pictures, Fleets, Lightnings, Regattas, News, Results

PRSA/Lightning Fleet 50 Sailors Represent at SSA Frigid Digit Regatta

Several PRSA / Lightning Fleet 50 sailors took part in the Severn Sailing Association’s Frigid Digit Regatta this past weekend!

Aaron Boesenecker, Piercarlo Brunino, Jeff Witten, Tim O’Brien, and Ed Stacey were all on the water. It was tough competition, with former NA Champs, the USA Team for the PanAm games, and other top-notch racers on the water. Congrats to Team Beedobeat (USA 14592) on taking 7th in a tough fleet after 5 days of great (and very choppy!) racing in Annapolis! (Photo Credit: Bertie Werley, Pymatuning Yacht Club).  View the scores and read the full regatta report here: https://www.lightningclass.org/content.aspx?page_id=22&club_id=93488&module_id=552596

Lasers, Lasers, Results

2022-2023 Laser Frostbite #16

First, I would like to thank Brian and his daughter, Thea, on Race Committee, as well all the other behind the scenes organizers to the fleet. It was a tough day to be RC, given the velocity and directional shifts of the day. We saw 0 to 13 knots, oscillating from S by W to South with races 5 and 6 going S by E 3 times from south in the heavier puffs. That’s about a 25-degree oscillation.

The boat end was favored for the first 4 races, races 3 and 4 very heavily boat end favored, in 5 and 6 as the breeze came up it shifted left to S by E, this made the line more square. Current was high around noon, we had a strong ebb or south flow all day, this meant extra space to leeward of the start line and not to set up with no hole at the boat since it would be closed, aka 2 nd row.

Some pre-race thoughts:

  • Ebb current direction with a south breeze, I think about the adjusted apparent wind angle upwind. This will artificially make me think I am always headed since the current push is decreasing the apparent wind angle. This is on both tacks, yesterday more on the port tack.
  • Given the current direction there was no “lee bow “affect downwind, just long slow fight the current runs.
  • Rounding the leeward mark needs extra room not to hit it, the lighter the air the more room needed.
  • Windward mark layline can be short tacked since current will assist making the layline.
  • Cross the current in the puffs and stem into current in the lulls, tough to do on the run.
  • In super light air never be further than 3 boat lengths past either end of the start line.

Starting approach was to get off the line clean and fast, even if that meant not at the most favored end but free of traffic and with clear air, more of a conservative approach.

On one downwind legs approaching the leeward mark I had 2 boats inside and overlapped, and 3 boats overlapped to my right outside of me. All on port jibe. I set up to carry the 2 boats inside me up to just before entering the 3-boat length circle when I jibed to break overlap and as I entered the 3-boat length circle. First, when jibing or tacking outside the circle breaks the overlap, second, I had positioned the jibe so that I was clear ahead on starboard while the 2 inside boats were on port still, this occurred as I entered the circle. I communicated to the 2 inside boats, that they no longer had room. This is a textbook maneuver to be expected, I am hopeful the 2 boats inside take away this experience to anticipate next time.

I learned a rather large lesson that cost me a 1st to 5th place finish in Race 3. In race 3 I rounded the leeward mark in first place and proceeded up the right side to the weather mark, when I heard Farley get the horn, I unwound myself to finish 5th . I had lost track of the race legs and thought it was the second beat. I was focused on the breeze between myself and the windward mark. Perfect example of sailing with my head too much in the boat.

Dave Coughlin, Sail number # 116366

2022 Frostbite Series #16

2022 Frostbite Series all as of 03/12/23 Totals
2022 Frostbite Series all as of 03/12/23

Lasers, Lasers

2022-2023 Laser Frostbite #15

Sailing today was….tough.  Everyone had a tough time on the water today.  First off thanks to Jim and Kaitlyn for doing RC on a hard day.  Today’s forecast was for 10 with gusts of 19 out of the west this morning.  Arriving at the marina, this was looking to be true at 11 AM.  But by the skippers meeting it was up probably closer to 15-20.  Most of us were on shore when Chris Bolton headed out and was planing downwind in the channel to get out to the river.  He was really moving!

Anyways 13 of us got to the course in time for the first start.  Not sure there is much to say for racing today.  It was definitely about staying upright and keeping the boat depowered.  Something that I was doing while racing was paying attention to the boats ahead of me for when shifts and puffs hit them so that I could be prepared for them.  This paid off multiple times.  During the racing, there were definitely gusts that were maybe up to 30 knots.  My gps tracker had me with a top speed of 11.5 knots during the second race.

We have two more weekends left of the season.  I hope to keep seeing everyone out!

Kaitlyn took some photos that can be found at https://photos.app.goo.gl/GC5kxc8BR84TroMk8.

Farley

2022 Frostbite Series #15
2022 Frostbite Series all as of 03/05/23
2022 Frostbite Series all as of 03/05/23 totals