Tag Archives: Lightning Class

Spring Series, 2013, News, Results

Results! Finally! Spring Series #1 #2 #3

I know some of you have been anxiously waiting for some results this spring.    I finally got just enough of the information I need to complete them. So, here they are:

First, Week 1; What a blow out. A day that shall live in infamy… For me at least. A day my boat will never forget. It was a blow out with winds gusting over 30. Only the Lightnings, Albacores, and one lone Bucc braved it and came out. Here are the scores:

Albacore Spring Series #1 04/07/13

Lightning Spring Series #1 04/07/13

Buccaneer Spring Series #1 04/07/13

More scores after the break.

Continue reading Results! Finally! Spring Series #1 #2 #3 →

Announcements, News

PRSA Spring Series #2

Sunday, April 14, the day before taxes are due, was sunny, warm and windy, which was a great excuse for all who procrastinate on their taxes to get on the water. We had 6 cats, 5 Albacores and 4 Lightings out on the water – not bad considering that RC was a couple Albacores and Buccaneers and the Lightings were off drinking moonshine. It’s been a while since six Hobies showed up on the water, so kudos to the Hobie fleet for getting the boats out!

We got off a total of 4 races by about 2:30PM, which was a big difference from last weekend when we got blown off the water after one race by gusts approaching 30 knots. And we competed with the barbeque record set last week, with last sailors leaving almost at 7pm. However, no charcoal was in site, so we munched on cupcakes from Georgetown cupcake brought by a potential crew and some tasty jalapeno, cheese and bacon bites made by one of the Hobie sailors.

Breeze was mainly out of the north, coming from the direction of the National Cathedral, and was anywhere from 0 to just under 15 knots. The races were a mix of triangles and windward-leeward courses, all twice around except for the last Lightning race, which was just once around. And what a hard fought race that turned into. Chris and Rick were battling to get the windward mark just as the breeze died. Combine the lack of breeze with a current that was not in their favor and it became a painful slog to the windwark mark. Just as they got the windward mark, the breeze filled in, and it was a quick run down to the leeward mark, where the race committee was about to head with an “S” flag and a whistle, so they could finish and head on home. But alas, it was not their day.

The Carolina 19 had been tied up to the Bayliner for most of the day, as it was much more fun to hang out on the Bayliner, which was functioning as a doggy day care facility and had shade. Enthusiastic RC members cast the 19 off the Bayliner, before starting the engine. This turned into a slight issue as the engine refused to start – it turned out that it just needed a couple pumps of the bulb, but of course this happened while we were finishing one race and the boat was drifting away. It also meant that the Lightnings were able to round the mark and started heading up to the finish line.

But it wasn’t meant to be. The wind completely died, the current was strong, and the sailors ended up losing their patience after about half an hour and one by one gave up and started paddling home.

Fall Series

Fall Series #6 & #8 Results

Ok I know the scores from #6 are late, but its not my fault this time. I swear! 🙂 It was another typical westie that day – shifty winds, up and down and all around. The sailing was fun until the fourth race that got a little confusing for the Lightnings. Two weeks, one long Redress hearing, and one hurricane later we finally have the results. The Protest Committee decided to throw out the last race for the Lightnings due to the confusion – a wise decision in my humble opinion, so only three races for them. Everyone else got four that day. Here are the scores:

Albacore Fall #6 Results

Buccaneer Fall #6 Results

Cat Fall #6 Results

Lightning Fall #6 Results

Two weeks later, after the hurricane came and went, we gathered for the final day of racing for 2012 (Except for the Lasers that is). I can’t comment on the day since I was not able to attend. The Hobies handled the RC work and got three races in before calling it a season. Here are the scores:

Albacore Fall #8 Results

Buccaneer Fall #8

Lightning Fall #8 Results

 

Fall Series

Fall Series #4 & #5 Results

Sorry for the hold up folks. I have been swamped at work these past two weeks.

Today I have scores for the last two weeks racing. Two weeks ago most of PRSA stayed home fearing the rain that was falling when they got up in the morning. The three Lightnings that braved the weather to come out and race had the last laugh though. The rain stopped and we got them three races down by the power plant before the breeze faded and we called it a day. Here are those scores:

Lightning Fall Series #4

This past Sunday we had a great day of racing. The winds were from the south west and built from 12-13 when we left the dock to 18-30 when the RC wisely called it a day and sent us home. Scores and more after the break:

Continue reading Fall Series #4 & #5 Results →

Fall Series

Fall Series #3 Results

It was another beautiful day on Sunday. Winds were from the west… Well mostly… They started out WNW with some sharp right shifts, then went the other way and ended up WSW. In other words, a typical Westie day (I hate westies!) with the wind up and down and back and forth. It started off light 5-10 but as it clocked left it strengthened to 10+ with gusts in the upper teens. Sheesh! It was all about crew work and shifting gears on the short across the river courses. Kyra Tallon, heading up the all Buccaneer RC who did a terrific job all day, set up an Olympic course with a Loooong reach. As the wind went left, the Lightnings were unable to carry their kites on the first reach and had to resort to Jib only. We got four races in on the day and would have had another but for the need to reset the course southward after the second race. Attendance was light this week with only five Lightnings, four Albacores, and two Cats out to enjoy the day. It was nice to see Bill Kleystuber out on his Albacore for the first time in a long while. Scores after the break:

Continue reading Fall Series #3 Results →

Fall Series

Fall Series #2 Results

It was a beautiful fall day that greeted us as we got boats ready for racing on Sunday. Sunny with puffy clouds that brought puffy winds. The breeze was mostly out of the Northwest 4-11kts with some gusts, but the shifts were big. From the Committee boat we noted that the big puffs came down from the north in a right shift, and the lulls sometimes came from due west. It looked like, for the most part, it paid to protect the right side for the puffs (Although sometimes that would prove to be a mistake). We set up a long WL course and got started on time. My course was maybe a bit too long since the race took just a little over an hour to finish. For the second race we shortened up, and maybe got it too short since that race was finished in about 35 minutes. So we adjusted once again splitting the difference and this time got it right, and got two more races at about 45 minutes each. We finished the last race down wind at the leeward mark to give the racers a head start for home. In all ten Lightnings (Add three more who were on RC for a season record thirteen Lightnings on the water), Four Albacores, Four Cats, and two Buccaneers came out to play on what might be the most beautiful day of the Fall Series. We also had two Lasers show up for the last race (177053 & 173175), which was won by 177053. The rest of the scores after the break:

Continue reading Fall Series #2 Results →

Fall Series

Fall Series #1 Results

The forecast was grim: 0-3 from everywhere… Most of the boats had to be towed up to the course… It wasn’t looking good at all… Then all of a sudden a breeze came up and we sailed. The mostly Lightning RC (Thanks for joining us Wilda), headed up by Frank Gallagher, quickly set up a nice Olympic course for us and got 3 races in before calling it a day. The breeze slowly built to 5-10 knots and came generally out of the NW with some big left and right shifts through the afternoon. In fact one such shift occurred during the start sequence in the first race forcing the entire Lightning fleet to start on port tack. On the course you were in big trouble if you got caught on the wrong end of one of those shifts. In all 9 Lightnings, 4 Albacores, 4 Buccaneers, 2 Cats, and 1 lone Laser came out to play on what turned out to be a terrific day. Scores after the break:

Continue reading Fall Series #1 Results →

News

2012 President’s/Leukemia Cup: What A Blast!

Saturday saw breezes of 15-20 kts with gusts to 30.  Rigs came down, boats were upside down, and crews were swimming.  Thankfully everybody made it through safe and sound and we were all on shore when the storm front (with 50+ kt winds!) hit.  Unfortunately, that storm meant that the Leukemia/Lymphoma Society had to shut down the party before fundraising and racing awards were handed out and before the raffle and silent auction winners were announced.  We’ll pass along updated information from the LLS as soon as we receive it, including any information concerning prizes or awards you may have won if you were fundraising for LLS.

Sunday ended up being a gorgeous day with a 10-12 kt NW breeze, wonderful sunshine, and great racing.  The RC did a great job in getting us four races and we all enjoyed a nice BBQ after the racing.  Make sure to post your own comments and recollections from the weekend below!

President’s/Leukemia Cup Results

Spring Series

Spring Series #8 Results

It was a crazy day on the river last Sunday. Don’t like the wind direction? Just wait a minute, it will change. Don’t like the velocity? That too will change! Sheesh! Len Guenther and the Lasers did a nice job with what they had and got 4 races off for the 8 Lightnings, 4 Albacores, 3 Cats, and 2 Buccaneers that came out for the punishment I mean fun. Here are the scores:

Albacore Spring 8 060312

Buccaneer Spring 8 060312

Cat Spring 8 060312

Lightning Spring 8 060312

Spring Series

Spring Series #7 Results

Another week and another wild and wacky day on the Potomac. The forecast this week was NE 5-10 and partly cloudy skies. Anyone who was down at the marina on Saturday would have been more likely to expect variable 0 – 3, which were the conditions that day. What did we get Sunday? ENE – NE – E 10-15 with gusts later in the day in the low 20’s. At least they got the partly cloudy right! In fact, on the way up to the race course, my crew and I noted that half the sky was absolutely clear, and the other half was totally cloudy. That makes partly cloudy I guess… Anyway, if you were out there on Sunday you were sure to have a good time. The RC made up in brains what they lacked in man power, which was a good thing since only three people showed up to run races. WHAT IS UP WITH THAT?!? Jim Graham did a great job for us racers, setting up a WL course in the mouth of the Annacostia, and getting off four good races before sending everyone home. Eight Lightnings, two Albacores, and four Cats came out to play on this great day. Here are the scores:

Albacore Spring #7 052012

Open Cat Spring #7 052012

Lightning Spring #7 052012