First, as newcomer to the fleet – hello to everybody! I moved to DC late last year and – after seeing the fleet out one day having too much fun while I was driving by in slow traffic — I decided to get back into Lasers. Turns out, one of the best decisions I’ve made recently. Actually that’s not a high bar in my case, but still….
Tag Archives: Laser Frostbite
Laser Frostbite Series 2
So here is the 3rd place write up for Sundays racing, what started out as a partly overcast day with light Southerly winds soon materialized into a relay good day for sailing on the river with a steady 10 – 13 mph. The tide was fairly high but was not running much and did not factor into the racing.
We had some miner changes in wind direction and very little in the way of shifts to tack onto going upwind. As the wind freshened the line became more boat favored, this was quickly recognized by most of the fleet. I general went into the line late at 20 sec with some speed and just looked for a descent space to cut through, a coupe of times that boat favored end opened up enough space. The fleet seemed to split of early between the two sides of the course, for a time that left side was favored but going to the left became risky as it meant that you had to tack across boats to get onto that Starboard lay line. Going down wind the legs did not seem to be long enough with the triangle course to shake the fleet up, so it was just a case of protecting your inside rights for the mark rounding.
Thanks to Michel and helpers for running the races, I think his dogs were getting restless towards the end!
Laser Frostbite Series #1
I have won the highly coveted 3rd place write-up for the day. Below is my summary and the scores are attached.
First off I would like to congratulate Jim Klein for tying Len for first place for the day. I believe that this is his first time winning a day.
Today was a gorgeous day for frostbiting. Temps were in the 50s and the wind was around in the 5 range with maybe some puffs near 8. The RC was able to get off 4 races. We did a little of everything starting with a triangle, 2 olympics, and a final windward leeward. The breeze slowly died off as we stayed out on the water.
As for sailing, the races that we run for frostbiting are relatively short races so the start is important. You can screw it up a little and make out OK but in general you need to come off the line with speed and clean air. On a light air day like today, finding the breeze and staying in clean air are paramount. At the starts of the first 3 races, I decided that the pin end of the line was favored and went for it. It worked fairly well in all three races for me and with each race, more people joined me at the pin end. The last race had a small shift (from my view at least) and I think the line was very even. But the shift came in the last 30 seconds of the start so everyone was stuck where they were. Other than starts and clear air, the important thing on light air days is to be patent with your boat and not get frustrated.
I look forward to seeing all the new people out on the water the rest of the season. And remember that we are still sailing next Sunday!
Farley
Laser Frostbite Day #2, 11/25
Seventeen boats came out for Day #2. The wind started out lighter than forecast and then picked up to forecast about 10-12 mph. It started out west-southwest and shifted south-southwest half way through the day. Len and Barb Guenther set a windward-leeward course out in the river. The current was the opposite of last week (coming in all day) and I believe played a big factor in the racing today more on that later. There was some big debris/speed bumps (tree trunks) out in the river causing some to fall out of their boats and other to stop for a minute. If you have not made it out yet this season it has been near perfect sailing conditions and just in luck for you we sail again next Sunday same time same place. Keith Barron and William Kruse will be providing the RC.
Full scores are posted on the website here:
Erich
Laser Frostbite Day #1, 11/18
It was a beautiful day to be on the water. If you could order up breeze like this every day that would be great. The wind turned out to be more than forecast from the low teens with some gust in the high teens from the north-northeast and east. The current was going out all day. It was a shifty day but Justin Pollack and Jim Klein set a windward-leeward course which they did not have to adjust much during the day. Twenty-two boats came out with three boats being the first day sailing with us. Bob Gotthardt took the day for the newbies to the fleet with an eleventh overall. Making it to the top ten was an accomplishment as a lot of the top guns came out to sail today.
Results posted on the website (Thanks Farley and Scott).
We sail again next Sunday with the Guenthers providing the RC. Happy Thanksgiving everyone.
Erich
Laser Frostbite 1/30/2011
Fourteen people showed up to take part in a 40 degree day on the last Sunday of January. The wind was from the east-northeast starting out light to variable in the last race. Erich Hesse and Ridley Nelson set up a windward-leeward course in the cove with the starting line within a stone’s throw of the Mount Vernon bike path. The winner of the day was Nabeel Alsalam and his winner’s write-up below. We had one new boat owner join us for the first time, Justin Pollack, who bought a boat that has been sitting at the marina. Justin had a good day after a long hiatus from Laser sailing and finished 2nd overall. We also had a friend of Alex Jacob, Shawn Golden, join us and they both showed the older/heavier people how to do it in the light air.
Here is a cool shot by Erich of Nabeel ghosting toward the finish. (Click to enlarge)
Continue reading Laser Frostbite 1/30/2011
Laser Frostbite – January 2, 2011
The day after the Hangover Regatta in which 33 boats competed, only 6 boats showed up for the regular Sunday Frostbite series. We were treated to 6 races in light air.
PRSA Hangover Regatta – January 1, 2011
What a day! We had our biggest Laser regatta ever today, 33 boats. Thanks to all that traveled to join us to help us push over the 30 boats mark. The weather could not have been better with temps in the 50’s and a south breeze 7-12 mph. We sailed in the river with the current coming in throughout the racing. There were 5 races.
Tim Zimmerman was untouchable with four firsts in five races and won the regatta handily.
Special thanks to our RC for the day Nabeel Alsalam, Rob Young, Collette Bolton, Mike Heinsdorf & Tom Berlin. Thanks also to Adam Dolezal who provided hot dogs for those who stuck around after racing.
— Erich (Laser Fleet Captain)
Video of the Week: Rip roaring Laser action from the North East Laser Fleet
Thanks go to Dave Dalbec for sharing this with us. Check out some cool big wind video from the Bay. I particularly like the Death Roll…
PRSA Spring Series # 3, Sunday, April 25!
Updated 4/26/10 — Seven Lightnings came out along with 4 Hobies, 3 Albacores, and a Laser on a day with a NOAA forecast of heavy weather arriving sometime after 2 PM (which it did, but north and west of DC). Before 2 PM, the winds were predicted to be from the south at 8 – 9 MPH under cloudy skies, with a high temperature of 75 degrees, and that’s exactly what we got, except that the clouds dissipated by the end of the first race. PRO David Thompson and RC set up a windward-leeward course and got off three races in quick succession, finishing the 3rd race at exactly 2:00 PM, then sending boats home to ensure a safe ride and retrieval at the cranes before the heavy weather hit (which never did here, except that winds increased to 20 MPH after 3 PM). Results to be posted soon.