Continuing the long tradition of competitive one-design racing on the Potomac that started with the President’s Cup in 1934, the 2024 PRSA President’s Cup Regatta will be held on September 21 & 22.
Category Archives: News
DISC Three Bridges Fiasco on Saturday, July 13!
Greetings all,
We’ve got 5 dinghies registered for the DISC 3 Bridges Fiasco race this Saturday. Who else is interested? If you need crew, or are looking to crew, don’t forget about the “Crew Connection” (link on our PRSA Homepage). Fleet Captains: please forward this reminder to your Fleet listservs. This is a really fun race and the weather forecast for Saturday looks promising.
The NOR and the registration link are both posted at https://discsailing.org/ (scroll down a bit to the “Upcoming Events/Registration” area. The SIs will be posted soon.
I’m also including here some informaton from DISC Commodore PEte Fanta, who will also run the RC on Saturday. From Pete:
- “I will be the RC for the Three Bridges this weekend. The RC boat will be the Georgetown Sailing Team Boat. My intention is to follow in the powerboat, as best as possible, the majority of boats around the course to render assistance as needed.
- The start times will be set using Portsmouth Handicaps on a Pursuit Race. This means the slowest boat will start first and can sail the course designated in either direction, as long as they round the correct marks. The fastest boat will start last. When we do this with only the PHRF boats, there can be as much as a 15 minute gap between first starter and last starter. The boat finishing first across the line after sailing the course…wins. The appropriate ratings are taken into account by the start times. This method allows us to sail a Laser against an Albacore, against a Flying Scot, against an S2 7.9. I understand that in some conditions certain boats are hard to beat, but that is the nature of handicap racing.
- SIs will be posted soon.”
I hope to see you out on the water on Saturday!
Cheers,
Aaron
2024 Lightning Dixie District Championships & 38th Annual Potomac Cup Regatta
This double-header regatta was held at Leesylvania State Park on June 29 and 30 where the Potomac is 2.5 miles wide!
Six races were scheduled and completed in solid 10-15 mph breezes. Well, it went light in one race which challenged the sailors as the boats had to choose the best VMG angles downwind.
Trevor Prior and team from the Susquehanna Yacht Club won. PRSA’s own Aaron Boesenecker with Rick Welch and Lisbet Kugler were second. Joe Buczkowski and team were third.
PRO Nelson Pemberton, mark boat captain, Barney Harris, and team set up the courses and ran the races. Dan Trammel, our judge, ran a redress hearing and provided anyone who asked with help interpreting the rules, Thank you!
Red Fehrle and Suzanne Humphrey prepared a steak and salmon dinner for us while we were out racing. Lindsay Bach, Sheila Campbell, Maryann Gallagher, Christy Chen and many others brought sides to complement the main course. Frank Gallagher and Pam Maple brought breakfast to get the sailors going.
Jim Dillard was one of the forces behind the creation of Leesylvania State Park back in the 1970s. And he made sure it was sailboat friendly with two cranes for launching out boats. It is now the home of a sailing school. Jim was there competing at age 90 in the latest of his series of green Lightnings with his son-in-law Justin and daughter Christy as crew.
Yuengling was again the sponsor of our regatta and we appreciate that continued support.
Results:
2024 Spring Series #5 (Mother’s Day)
Eva Hogan and team ran the races. The winds came in earlier and stronger than forecast. Plus, the big puffs came in from the right — not good when you are flying a spinnaker. Frank capsized on such a shift and puff.
Upcoming Lightning Regattas
Lightning Dixie District Championship and 43rd Annual Doc Gilbert Memorial Potomac Cup on June 29 and 30 at Leesylvania State Park. Skippers register here, or volunteer to crew, and volunteer for a shore task. Thank you.
Only 2 PRSA spring series Sundays left before the SSA No Gas Regatta or the PRSA Spring Regatta, both on MAY 25-26.
It looks like several PRSA skippers will be going to the SSA No-Gas Regatta, To go to this regatta, Go to https://www.lightningclass.org/
To see regatta details and links to the Regatta sign-up pages.
If you’re not going to SSA, you can still sign up for the PRSA Spring Regatta at… https://www.nextsailor.com/app/page/regatta/672
Or sign up to help on race committee for this regatta.
Still time to get in some good practice before these regattas so plan to do one or two Sunday races on the Potomac!
Also….
The Lightning Dixie District Championship and the Doc-Gilbert Potomac Cup will be combined and run simultaneously on June 29–30, at Leesylvania State Park. This combo Regatta satisfies Fleet 50’s requirement to run the Dixie District championship every five years or so. Plan to be there.!!!! Go to https://www.lightningclass.org/
to see regatta details and links to the Regatta sign-up pages.
Call or text me if you have any questions or need help getting to one of these regattas.
Thanks,
Frank Gallagher
Captain – Lightning Fleet 50
703-599-0144
frankjgallagher@gmail.com
2024 Spring Series #4
Just not the right day for sailing today. Rain, current, debris, and very light wind caused us to cancel all the racing today.
And even after the rain pretty much stopped we wouldn’t have been able to sail as the wind dropped from light to nothing.
But Piercarlo, Dane, and John had their boats ready to go. Nabeel & Frank were there as well working on revitalizing the Fleet 50 website. And Aaron was there to sail w’ Piercarlo & Lisbet
I had RC.
We are kind of having a bad run of weather this spring. This was the 4th Sunday, half way through the Spring Series and so far we have only completed 5 races. The good news here is those who have yet to come out aren’t behind in the series. See everyone next Sunday!
Bobby Astrove
2024 Spring Series #1, #2, and #3
Spring Series #1 was a windy chilly day. Stew Harris and team started off the four intrepid sailors on a W2. Only Barney and Justin Harler finished the race. And that was it.
Spring Series #2 was a light light day. Aaron Boesenecker and team were lucky to give us one W1.
Spring Series #3 started off light but the wind gradually filled in with the sail home after the four W2 that Dana Howe and team gave us being downright beautiful.
PRSA Happy Hour: January 30, 5-8 pm, Alexandria Bier Garden
Join us for a PRSA Happy Hour at Alexandria Bier Garden this coming Tuesday (Jan. 30), 5-8 pm. PRSA members, their families, and friends (especially those seeking to get more into sailing!) are welcome. The beer garden is kid friendly with a variety of food and beverage options, and the address is 710 King St, Alexandria.
Please RSVP to our new Social Chair, Natalie (natalierehberger@me.com) just so we have a good estimate of attendees—and many thanks to Natalie for organizing this opportunity for us to get together! I hope to see you there!
PRSA AGM Wrap-Up
It was wonderful to see so many sailors, friends, and family members at our 2023 Annual Genera Meeting & Awards Ceremony at Port City Brewing! In case you missed it, here is the agenda handout and racing results summary. Huge thanks to Melissa for her work in organizing the event, and to all who pitched in for setup, cleanup, and other tasks in between to make our AGM a success. Here are a few key highlights:
- The high point of the evening had to be, in my opinion, our opportunity to recognize Jim and Susan Graham for Honorary Membership (for life) in PRSA in recognition, per our PRSA Bylaws (Article III, Section D) of “…meritorious serve to PRSA, the sport of yachting, or for outstanding performance of seamanship.” This was a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the Grahams, who emphasized that they are by no means done with sailing or supporting PRSA (and for that we are immensely grateful!).
- Recognition of series award winners and perpetual trophy awardees (see posted summary)
- Recognition and thanks to our outgoing PRSA ExCom Members and Volunteers (Stew Harris, Vice Commodore; Kyra Tallon, Secretary; Melissa Morgan, Social Chair) along with congratulations and thanks to those who stepped forward to fill various roles (Dave Coughlin, Vice Commodore; Melissa Morgan, Secretary; Natalie Rehberger, Social Chair; Josh Seely and John Van Voorhis, Website Development).
Looking ahead, we are still seeking a few volunteers to help with some 2024 initiatives: reviewing our membership & dues structure and heading up sustainability initiatives (huge thanks to Stas for taking this on in addition to his Fleet Captain role through 2023!). Let me know if you might be interested.
Finally, now is also a good time for everybody to review our PRSA RC policies and procedures (RC & Boat Instructions, and Risk Assessment & Decision to Race, in particular).
I look forward to seeing you all on the water and around the marina!
2024 Dues Are Due!
Hello PRSA Sailors! A quick reminder that your 2024 dues are due now! You can pay your dues and/or check your dues status here: https://potomacriversailing.org/dues-rc-duty/. Dues must be paid on or prior to January 15!
The full terms of our dues are set out in our PRSA Bylaws (https://potomacriversailing.org/about-prsa/prsa-bylaws/ — see Article III, Section 3). Paying dues on time is important for you, but also for your fleets! Per the PRSA Bylaws, a fleet needs at least five or more paid members (active, junior, or life) by January 15 to qualify as an active one-design fleet for the year. Being an active fleet, per the Bylaws definition means, among other things, that your fleet will have a fleet representative on the PRSA Executive Committee and that boats in your fleet will be scored as a Fleet in your racing series (https://potomacriversailing.org/about-prsa/prsa-bylaws/, Article VIII, Section 1) . Long story short, make sure that you’ve paid your 2024 dues! (Note that the information in the “Payment Received” column doesn’t update instantaneously when you renew. When you pay your dues, you will receive an email confirmation, so make sure to look for that email confirmation of your renewal and payment).