Great weather two weeks in a row at the end of the fall series is virtually unheard of on the Potomac, but that is what we had for the final fall series race day of 2019! PRO Frank Gallagher and his RC crew got us 3 nice races in a moderate southerly. Temps in the mid-50s meant that it wasn’t too chilly to stick around for a post-race BBQ and beer. What a great way to wrap up the season!
Tag Archives: WETA Class
PRSA Fall Series #7
After two weeks of lousy weather we finally had a nice day for racing for PRSA Fall Series #7. PRO Farley Will and his crew did a great job in taking full advantage of a nice southerly breeze. After some great racing there was still enough daylight left for a fun BBQ.
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.
PRSA President’s Cup 14-15 September: Register Now!
The 2019 PRSA President’s Cup Regatta will be held September 14 & 15 in conjunction with the DC Sail Cantina Cup. We are excited to continue the long tradition of competitive one-design racing that started with the President’s Cup in 1934 as we also partner with our great community sailing partner, DC Sail. 
Prizes will be awarded for Saturday finishes (Cantina Cup) as well as combined Saturday & Sunday finishes (PRSA President’s Cup). Don’t miss your chance for two days of top-notch one design racing on the Potomac River. Visit the regatta website to register and download the NOR!
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
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.
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 Sailing & PRSA Spring Regatta
Our regular PRSA Spring Series is underway and the PRSA Spring Regatta will be held on May 25-26. Join us for great fun on and off the water!
Spring Series #3: Light and variable
It took a bit for the wind to fill in for Spring Series #3. The RC postponed ashore on the advice of the folks out on the river running the I-20 Cherry Blossom Regatta since there was no wind between 1000 and 1130 or so. A light southerly began to fill around 1130 and those boats who still wanted to sail — 4 Lightnings and 2 Bucs — made their way up to the course. We were able to get off one W2 race and then a shortened second race in the light breeze. With no wind on the river at all as the second, shortened, race concluded and with some storm clouds brewing to the west we contemplated towing boats back to the marina area. The breeze filled in again though to help folks get home in time, and just ahead of the really gusty bands that came through later in the afternoon. As they say, a day sailing on the water is still better than a day at work!
Goofy Conditions, Good Competition for PRSA Fall Series #7
The conditions were a bit all of the place on Sunday, with an easterly breeze that swung as far south as due south and as far north as due north, with times in between when it would shut off altogether. Depending upon the shifts, you could enter a mark rounding first and come out last (or vice-versa), or pick up (or lose) the whole fleet on one shift. Nonetheless, PRO Farley Will and his RC crew did a good job getting us four races in some sunny conditions before we all headed back to shore to enjoy beverages and a BBQ. It could have been far worse for a late fall afternoon of racing! Scores are posted below, and you can see some great photos from Lindsay Bach here.