Category Archives: Fleets

PRSA Fleets

2021, Lasers, Announcements

2021-2021 Laser Frostbite Series

The new member year and frostbite series is approaching! The first racing day will be November 21st, the day after the Annual General Meeting. With the new season we have added a position to the RC duty list, the Equipment Check helper. This will be someone who will help the RC put the boat away and make sure everything is ready for the next Sunday. The snow of the winter, and the freezing temperatures mean we need to make sure we’ve got the boats put away right. The person doing this would be free to sail that day, they just help the RC after sailing is over. The link for the RC signup is below, please take a look and sign up. Given last year I’m expecting each sailor to need to do 2 RC slots and 1 Equipment Check helper slot.
For any sailors new to the frostbite season, there is no need to sign up for sailing. We meet at the cranes at noon, the first warning signal is at 12:30.
Lastly, for the upcoming season I’m looking to pass the torch of Laser Fleet Captain, if anyone is interested please let me know.
– Tom Hutton
Click here for RC signup.

 

Lightnings

2021 Lightning Fall Series 7

To PRO Bob Astrove’s surprise the wind started off from the SW and he set up the course that way.  But after the I20s were off and just as the Lightnings were to start the wind shifted to the west.

Tom got a good start at the boat closing off Ed Lane but John came in just behind and he and Janine sailed high and fast  to get to the windward mark on a single tack.  By that time, the wind had gone even further right and John simply gybed and headed on a reach back to the leeward mark.  Meanwhile, on Shadowfax we tried to raise the chute and gybe.  It wasn’t pretty.  We fell way behind.

The RC reset the course for race 2 and raised the T2 flag — two triangles.   The reaching legs were quite tight and so flying the chute was not a given.   Frank raised it and passed us on one leg but then foolishly tried to carry it on the next and lost.   Otherwise, we did our best to remember how to make the Lightning go fast on a jib reach — we don’t do it very often.

As always it is great fun being out on the water and doing the best one can with the wind and the waves.

Only one more before the boats need to be stored away for the winter.

Cumulative championship results:

2021_Championship_Series_Cum_FS7

Lightnings

2021 Lightning Fall Series 6

A beautiful fall day for sailing.

We had 8 boats racing a great turnout.  Bobby was back in the saddle with Potomac Red after a required hiatus after surgery. Beppe, age 14, was helming Shadowfax. Despite an OCS he did great.  Kevin’s son was helming 14566.  An Aero sailor was helping Jeff Witten on Mighty Moose.

Only two more Sunday to go.  Then the long-dark winter sets in.  Carpe Diem.

Cumulative Results:

2021_Championship_Series_Cum_FS6

(October 24, races 67-70 of the championship series,  14592 and 14318 sailed with two.)

Lightnings, News

2021 Lightning Fall Series 5

Winds from from the NW, strong, and gusty.  Only Frank went out with Tom Hutton and Scott Bradford as crew – very experienced crew though.  His competition was Barney in the Albacore but Frank decided not to fly the spinnaker because of the gusts.

Only three more Sunday to race.  Come out to make sure you are over the 50% threshold to qualify.

Lightning_FS5

20(21_Championship_Series_Cum

(October 17, races 64-66 in the championship series)

 

Lightnings, News

2021 Lightning Fall Series 4

It was a cloudy day with nice winds were from the NE.  Our course was from near the airport shore to the mouth of the Anacostia, twice around.   The finish line was an obstruction that could not be sailed through which created a strategic question about which way to sail around it.

Frank started off slow but ticked off three bullets after the first race.  He banged the right each time and even though we thought there were some shift worth taking to the left his strategy prevailed.

Lightning_FS4

(October 10th and races 60-63 in the championship series.)

Lasers

2021 Laser Masters at Fishing Bay

51 boats registered for the 40th Annual Laser Masters at Fishing Bay Yacht Club.    Just like on the Potomac the weather was beautiful and the winds were fine if not a bit on the light side for my tastes.

James Jacob was third beating out three whipper-snappers who had to take extra points for being young.  (James apologized to them.)

Jim Graham took second place in the Legend Division.  Yes, for the first time this year there was a division for those aged 75+ .

Lloyd Leonard Steen Byskof had a great last race finishing 5th and 6th, respectively.    I was crushed on day 1 but pulled myself up by my bootstraps and managed a respectable 15th in the last race.

Next year, this event will again be the first weekend in October — put it on your calendar.   BTW, the US Laser Masters will be in Norfolk  in September and the Laser Words in Mexico (Puerto Villarta) in August.

More winners

Pictures

Results

 

 

Lightnings

2021 Fall Series 2 & Frigid Digit

Three – John Van Voorhis, Piercarlo Brunino, and Lindsay Bach — sailed on the Potomac.

Fall Series 2

Championship Cumulative

Three – Tim O’Brien,  Lisa-Marie Lane, and Jeff Witten – sailed on the Bay in the Frigid Digit.

Frigid Digit Results

I see new first names with familiar last names.  I expect the younger generation took over.  I see only 4 completed races on the Bay.  Was it too windy?

From Will Phillipe,  PRO on the River:

It was a beautiful day to sail today with sunny skies mid 70s and wind to sail in. As PRO I was certainly challenged today with our NNW winds moving to WNW. I made use of the Postpone before Race 1 because we needed a few extra minutes to get setup (remember as PRO the postpone is your friend). The forecast of NW winds with a later shift to WNW came earlier than I expected so race 1 the windward mark was off. We moved it closer to Gravelly Point to be more NW but it continued to move WNW and the gusts putting it closer to West. I was torn about trying to adjust the course and to get races off but with it shifting back and forth I opted to leave and keep running races.   —

 

Lightnings

2021 Frigid Digit and PA Cup Cup

The Frigid Digit is coming the weekend September 25th and 26th at  SSA and the PA Gov Cup is the following weekend October 2nd and 3rd at SYC.  Tim O’Brien and Jeff Witten will each be going to  the Frigid Digit. Registration for Frigid Digit will close this Friday September 24th, so please consider coming if you are on the fence! But as Bobby Astrove says, if you aren’t going to travel to Frigid Digit you can sail in the PRSA Fall Series race on Sunday.

Frigid Digit

PA Gov Cup