Tag Archives: Laser Sailboat

Frostbite, Lasers, Frostbite Series, Frostbite Series, 2014, Results, 2015

Laser Frostbite Series #9

Awesome day on the water! Great job to the RC for fitting in several quality races.

The wind was very up and down, and then back up and down again, and then way right, and then left, and then…. we’ll you get the point. Fluky day and very important to be on the favored side of a shift, could make or loose half of the fleet on a couple of occasions.
The downwinds were a little tricky for me, tried hard to stay in a lane with clear air and work my way to the inside. Lots of pinwheel roundings.
Tide was very high when we first started, so I can only assume it was going out as we raced – it had more effect when the wind was light. I didn’t rly pay much attention to it when the wind was up.
The starts were pretty aggressive with the boat being way favored a couple times with a lot of people pushing to win the boat.
Great day on the water, looking forward to more wind!
Frostbite, Frostbite Series, News, 2014, Results

Laser Frostbite Series #4

Laser Frostbite Fleet,

Today was a great day on the water. We had a very shifty North West breeze which was deceiving upon arriving to the club. I thought today would have been light but instead, we had strong breeze with significant velocity and directional shifts today allowing for lots of passing opportunities. Days like today are reminders of just how demanding the laser is. We sailed out in the river and the tide was fairly slack, I didn’t pay much attention to it today. The starting line and mark roundings were exciting and busy with 25 lasers out! Today it was important to stay in the middle of the course and tack on the headers, have all controls trimmed for the breeze that you were in and hike hard. I trimmed the vang, outhaul, and cunningham much more than i usually would given the wind velocity was constantly changing. It is exciting to have such a large group out, I look forward to the next one.
Cheers everyone.
-Jamie Moran
Frostbite Series, 2014, Results

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!
See you next week,
Steve
Frostbite Series, 2014, News, Results

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

2014/2015 Laser Frostbite Series 1

Fall Series, News, 2014

Fall Series #6: Breezy Fun!

It was already blowing in the 10-15 range when we arrived at the marina on Sunday, and the forecast was for the wind to build towards 20 mph steady with gusts predicted up to 30.  That forecast may have kept some teams away, but 4 Lightnings, a Buc, and a Laser did splash their boats and the Hobie Cat RC crew led by Yates agreed to set up shorter courses (they had little choice with a WNW wind) and keep a close eye on everybody.    The wind did continue to build as we sailed up to the race course, and we definitely saw some gusts in the 20s in the first race according to the handheld wind readings taken aboard the signal boat.  One Lightning retired before the racing started, another (sailing doublehanded) retired after the first race, and the remaining two called it a day after the second race, choosing to sail home rather than keep match racing and possibly breaking something.  We saw some even bigger gusts and some fantastic rides on a plane on the sail back to the marina and everybody enjoyed some hot dogs and drinks after we dried out our boats (and selves).

2014 Fall Series 6 – Lightnings

Frostbite, Frostbite, Lasers

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:

Click here for week #2 Scores

Erich

Frostbite, Lasers

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
Frostbite, Lasers

Laser Frostbite Day #5, 12/18/2011

It was a beautiful day on the Potomac River with the wind from the northwest 7-15, which was more than the forecast that I saw. The sun was behind the clouds making it feel like a frostbite race but the wind was enough to keep you working. It was another great turnout with 23 boats making it on the last sailing day in 2011. Will Summers and Istvan Pely set up a windward leeward out in the river. The current was coming in/slack at the beginning of the day and was going out pretty aggressively by the last race keeping the fleet off the line.
Getting a good start was essential and the mark roundings were crowded which put an emphasis on making the right decision in a short amount of time. The firsts were well spread out in six races with six different people winning a race (Erich, Frank, , Len & Robert). The wind was very shifty which caused many lead changes. Results are posted here.
I have been excited by all the new faces this year and the turnouts thus far. I hope that we can keep it up in 2012.
The next Sunday is the Hangover Regatta January 1. Happy Holidays and Happy New Year and hope to see you on the water on the 1st.

-Erich

SI's & NOR's, Regattas, 2011

2011 PRSA Spring Regatta

It’s May already!  Flowers are blooming, birds are singing, and PRSA one design sailboats are racing.  Check your calendars, call your crew, get your yard work affairs all in order, and make plans to sail in the 2011 PRSA Spring Regatta on Saturday May 28 and Sunday May 29.  Check out the recently posted NOR for details.

Lasers, Pictures, Results

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)

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