Tag Archives: PRSA Spring Series

Announcements

PRSA Spring Series: Important Information!

The PRS Spring Series is underway!    Please make sure that you’ve registered for the series, signed up for spring RC dates, and read through the rest of the information included below.  Please don’t hesitate to let us know (prsaboard@gmail.com) if you have any questions.

  • Sign up for Race Committee: Skippers must fulfill RC obligations in each series that they wish to be scored in Frostbite, Spring or Fall. Skippers that do not sign up for at least half their slots before the series begins may not be scored for the series. PRO still counts as 2 slots. Starting this season, Skippers must fill 2 slots in the Spring and 2 slots in Fall. This changes the practices of doing all your RC in one series and racing in the other–a change that was requested at the AGM. Skippers may carry over 1 RC slot from the Spring to the Fall series. Non-Lasers Skippers must fill 2 slots for the Spring Series (Lasers only 1).
  • Post-Race Potluck: we will be grilling in the grove after racing on each Sunday.  We encourage your friends and family to join us for these BYO post-race BBQs!  Hanging out around the grill is a great opportunity to reconnect with everybody and perhaps even introduce some new folks to PRSA.  Please remember to bring something for you and your crew for the grill and to drink.
  • Sail Upcycling: we will collect used sails for the Sea Bags sail upcycling program on April 14th.  If you have used sails that you want to donate, bring them to the marina and drop them at drysail slip C-17 (Stas Burgiel’s I-20).  PRSA receives a tool bag or tote bag made from each donated sail that we can use or sell (and the rest of each sail is sold by Sea Bags in support of various good causes in sailing).  Now is a good time to clear out that inventory of old sails and support a good cause in doing so!
  • Email lists: now is a good time to make sure that you and your crew are subscribed to all of the relevant email lists.  If you are receiving this note, you are on the PRSA Google Group (potomacriversailing@googlegroups.com) but you should also make sure that your crew or others you sail with are members.  Instructions on joining are on our website: https://potomacriversailing.org/contact-page/.  You should also make sure that you are on your fleet email list (reach out to your fleet captain for info).

Please feel free to reach out to us if you have any questions.  I look forward to seeing everybody on the water and then at the post-race BBQ (along with your friends and family!) on April 14!

Announcements, Results

Scores Posted

Hello PRSA Sailors,

With sincere apologies for the delay, we have updated the “Results” page with the Provisional Spring Series results (final results will factor in RC Service and will be shared at the AGM) along with links to the Fall Series scoring posts.  (NB: we have received scores for Fall Series #2 but those are still being input and will be posted soon).  We, of course, would have liked to have had these posted earlier but some calculation complications and a file format issue (still not fully resolved) got in the way.  We’re working on these things!

Many thanks to Nabeel for serving as scorer (in addition to his regular and required PRSA ExCom Treasurer duties), to Tyler for the final proof and “true-up” (corrections based on RC service, participation, etc.) and John Van Voorhis for volunteering some time to also help troubleshoot the difficulties we encountered.

I look forward to seeing everybody at our PRSA Annual General Meeting on Nov. 18 at Port City Brewing in Alexandria, VA (RSVP form and additional info coming soon!), where we will announce the final results of the PRSA Spring Series, PRSA Fall Series, PRSA perpetual trophy winners, PRSA service award winners, and more!

SI's & NOR's, Announcements

2023 Spring/Fall Series Registration, NOR, Sailing Instructions, and RC Duty

PRSA Sailors:

We are just 2 weeks away from the start of the PRSA Spring Series!  We are writing now to provide information on some important changes that are going into effect this spring.  Please make sure to read through these details carefully so that you’re prepared to race as our Spring Series kicks off on 30 March.

First, you will need to register for the series in advance.  Use this link to register: https://forms.gle/9riR85toVRbdvZ976.  When you register, you will be prompted to sign up for at least ½ of your required Race Committee (RC) slots.  We have had a difficult time filling RC slots in recent seasons and this change will help to address the issue. We will be providing opportunities to help train RC and will look to pair individuals with less RC experience with those that can mentor.  

In 2023 all skippers of multi-person boats are responsible for the same amount of RC duty: 4 slots over the Spring & Fall series.  Skippers of single person boats are responsible for 2 slots over the Spring & Fall Series. Each skipper may serve your 4 slots all in the Spring, all in the Fall, or spread throughout the spring and the fall.  If you bring your crew or friends to help you, make sure to enter the last name of the skipper receiving credit for these volunteers on the RC spreadsheet. You can find the link to the RC Service Signup Sheet here: http://potomacriversailing.org/dues-rc-duty/.  And remember, serving as PRO for any race day or as Regatta Chair for one of our 2-day regattas counts as 2 slots.

Second, make sure to review the NOR and the Sailing Instructions for the 2023 Spring and Fall series racing (posted here: http://potomacriversailing.org/spring-fall-sunday-series/).  We have made several important changes on scoring that should both bolster participation and enable sailors to travel to away regattas to still compete in, and be competitive for trophies, our Sunday Series races.  In brief:

  • The new scoring rules eliminate the minimum “races sailed requirement.” There have been many cases where skippers are only a race or two below 50% threshold and don’t qualify. Since days get canceled due to weather and/or due to lack of RC, it isn’t always in the skipper’s control that they end up not sailing in 50% of races. Adding DNC to bring those skippers up to 50% participation would have seen those skippers ranking higher than boats that qualified.  We will still only calculate a boat’s series score based on their top 50% finishes in the series(effectively everyone gets to drop their worst half of their scores).  
  • We are also modifying how DNS, DNF, & DNC are scored and how races conducted while on RC are calculated so that all races can be scored. Our goal is to reward people on RC, incentivize people to race in the conditions that they feel comfortable and at least show up to the Marina before making a final decision.  

These changes were discussed at the AGM and then refined through input provided to Tyler, our Rear Commodore, by members and at the 23 January Race Program Committee Meeting.  On behalf of the PRSA Executive Committee, I want to thank Tyler in particular for all of the work that he has put in to update our NOR and SIs and to streamline the organization of our Spring and Fall series.

Summary of relevant links:

Please make sure to review the NOR and the SIs and to register so that you are all set to start racing when the 2023 Spring Series begins on 30 March!  We look forward to seeing you on the water!

2021, Announcements, News

PRSA Spring Series Racing Underway!

Our PRSA Spring Series starts on Sunday, April 11!  Please make sure you’ve read through the following information and completed the necessary steps so that you are ready to get out on the water as our PRSA Spring Series starts.

  • Sign the 2021 PRSA COVID-19 Acknowledgement of Risk & Waiver: https://forms.gle/xKAAkXm7gh7xZanB6.  Although things are looking better, we are still in the midst of a COVID-19 pandemic and some areas (including some places in our own area) are seeing upticks in cases and community spread.  All participance’s — competitors and RC members — are required to sign this waiver in order to participate in PRSA Activities.  You must sign the new 2021 waiver (the prior waiver for fall 2020 and 2020-2021 frostbite racing is no longer applicable).
  • Take note of a new federal requirement: effective April 1 a new federal law passed as part of the National Defense Authorization Act (which included a U.S. Coast Guard Reauthorization) requires a vessel operator to use either a helm or outboard lanyard or wireless engine cutoff switches (ECOS) when operating power boats under 26 feet in length.  Please make sure to clip the cutoff lanyard to your life jacket when operating our skiffs.

As always, please feel free to reach out to your PRSA Executive Committee if you have any questions.

Announcements, News

PRSA AGM & Awards Banquet

Our PRSA Annual General Meeting and Awards Banquet will be held on Saturday, November 16, at the Evening Star Cafe’s No. 9 Lounge (2000 Mount Vernon Ave, Alexandria VA, 22301).  In addition to the regular business of the AGM (including officer reports, awards, and election of officers) we will also consider an amendment to the PRSA Bylaws (see language below).  Additional AGM details will be posted soon.

 

Proposed Amendment to PRSA Bylaws to Article III. Section 3. Part B.3.

The current language reads:
3.A late payment fee of $25 will be assessed for returning members paying dues on or after January 15.
The proposed language is (changes in bold italics):
3.A late payment fee of $25 will be assessed for returning active members paying dues on or after January 15.
Please note that active membership is specifically defined in Article III. Section 1. Part A.
Announcements, Results

PRSA Spring Series #7

Sunday was a gorgeous day for racing on the river!  Although the winds were light as we rigged and sailed to the course, a nice southerly filled in for the first few races.  10 Lightnings, 2 Bucs, 3 Multihulls, 2 I-20s, and 2 Lasers came out to sail.  PRO Stew Harris and his crew did a nice job organizing the racing, sending the boats off on a W2 and then an O2 in the 10-12 kt southerly.  The wind shifted west and then oscillated all over the place after the first two races, making things challenging for the RC and  sailors alike.  The RC gamely reset the line and then adjusted to hold 2 more races in a very variable westerly.  Four races making the best of conditions in sunny (but not too hot) conditions with some breeze is a pretty good way to spend a Sunday!

Results

Announcements, News, Results

PRSA Spring Series #5

Here’s the recap of Spring Series #5 racing, written by PRO Jeff Neurauter:

Despite the rain, we saw wonderful breeze on the river today and 4 Albacores and 1 Buccaneer showed up to play.  Based on the size of the fleet and types of boats involved, the group decided to race in the river straight out from Washington Sailing Marina.  This worked perfectly as it allowed us to get to and back from the race course quickly.  The RC set up a W-2 and waited for competitors to arrive.
The first race started with one of the Albacores trying to execute a dip start – unfortunately they remained a boat length above the line and were called over early.  The lead Albacore managed to accumulate a sizable lead by the 3rd leg of the course and casually sailed through the finish line on their way to the windward mark.  The rest of the Albacores and the Bucc must have noticed this and must not have checked the course flags, because they all sailed through the finish line and then stopped racing!  They each peeled off and started pacing back and forth below the start line.  Meanwhile the lead Albacore was rounding the windward mark.  After a few minutes, some of the Albacores had realized their mistake but none of them continued racing.  Instead, the RC and everyone else waited patiently for one Albacore to sail the rest of the racecourse.  It took the lone Albacore just over 20 minutes to finish the race and everyone else who started the race was scored DNF.
The second race started with the Albacores aggressively pushing the starting line and once again an Albacore or two were called over early.  As this race progressed the wind steadily clocked to the left and by the time boats were on the 3rd leg, it was almost a reach to the windward mark.  So we moved the windward mark from the Maryland side of the river to the Virginia side, squared the starting line, and prepared for the 3rd race.
The third race started with the Albacores again fighting for space on the line and again the RC called boats over early.  As this race progressed, the wind clocked back to the right so we had to move the windward mark back to toward the Maryland side of the river for the next race.
By the fourth start, the Albacores had figured things out and made it off the line cleanly.  This race brought the most exciting competition as the there were several very close roundings and position changes throughout the race by the top 3 boats.
Announcements, Results

PRSA Spring Series #4 Results

Spring Series #4 was a drizzly day, but we did have enough wind to race.  The RC set up a course just outside the airport pier and we were able to get 3 races in while the water levels were high enough and the rain light enough.  Once boats started bumping bottom and the rain really came in we headed to shore, dried off, and then headed over to Rustico for a beverage and a bite in a spot a bit drier (and warmer) than the grove.

Spring Series #4 Albacores

Spring Series #4 Buccaneers

Spring Series #4 Laser

Spring Series #4 Lightnings