Category Archives: Results

Frostbite, Lasers, Announcements, Results

2021-2022 Laser Frostbite 3

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Another pleasant day, probably the lightest of the three we have had so far.  Laura Windecker and Steen Byskoff ran the races and had to reset the marks a couple of times.

The light breeze was from the ESE with occasional puffs that could make you look like a genius or destroy you if is missed you.  The current was going out strong and pushing us over the line.  We had a general recall and some OCS boats who did go back.

21 boats came out.  Nice!

Ethan was third.  Ethan, do you want to write something up about what you did?

Pictures from Steen

Results:

LaserFrostbite2122_3

 

 

Lasers, Announcements, Results

2021-2022 Frostbite 1

It was a great start to the season with temperatures in the high 40s and a SW breeze that started off frisky but got lighter and lighter.   The tide was going out and a current shear was visible near the channel.  Tyler and Eva ran RC.

Laura Windecker won the day with Farley Will and Tom Hutton tying for 2nd and 3rd.

LaserFrostbite2122_1

(races 1-5)

Third place observations from Tom Hutton:

It was good to be back out with so many other lasers! The weather was cool but not cold, and the wind was up and down but overall a good day to be on the water. It was one of the rare days when the wind was from the south but also a bit shifty. It was either shifty or my steering needs work, the latter being more likely. I’d say this day had 3 major lessons for me.
  • Lesson #1 Know the Course. In the first race I forgot (or didn’t find out) how many laps were required. I’d got out to the left for more wind when I heard a horn, turning to see Laura crossing the finish line. I’m not sure I lost any boats with this mistake but this kind of mistake is easy to fix.
  • Lesson #2 Pointing and Locking In Up Wind. I had good speed going upwind which for me is about getting the sail into “pointing mode” as soon as possible. I sheet the sail to what I want for the wind speed, two-blocked for medium to heavy, 3 inch gap for medium to light, and 6-12 inch gap for light. Any looser than that and I won’t be pointing anymore, but reaching. After trimming the main I set the vang, then adjust my cunningham as necessary to get the big wrinkles out of the sail. After that is spending 75% of my focus on keeping the tell tales flowing and the boat flat. If I get my head too far out of the boat I start to pinch, or miss the lift and give up precious ground. So get the sail set, get the tell tales flowing, then focus on going fast.
  • Lesson #3 Clear Air Down Wind. I’m almost always trying for clear wind, and I’ll get pretty far sideways to get it. Mostly I don’t want to be near anyone else, especially in a group of people. I’m not sure about this lesson as downwind I’m not as fast as quite a few others. I think Farley passed me 2 or 3 times downwind so maybe I don’t have any lessons here. Some days I do better than others downwind, Series #1 was not so great. Turning around to look for wind I think is going to be my new technique that I’ll try out.
2021, Results

2021 Fall Series 8 – last one

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Frank Gallagher and team ran the races and, I hear (I wasn’t there), got them off without delay.   How was the wind?

Pictures from Lindsay Bach

Albacore_FS8

Buccaneer_FS8

I20_FS8

Laser_FS8

Lightning_FS8

(Races 62 to 65 of the Spring and Fall Series)

Fall Series DRAFT Results (Races 35 to 65)

  • To qualify you must sail 50 percent of the races in which one or more of the boats in your class sailed.
  • Your score is the average of your best qualifying races or all your races if you did not sail enough races to qualify.

Albacore_FS

Buccaneer_FS

Flying Scot_FS

I20_FS

Laser_FS

Lightning_FS

2021, Results

2021 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 as the Lightnings were to start the wind shifted to the west and it was a beat/reach for them to the windward mark and the chutes could not be carried downwind.

The RC reset the course for races 2 and raised the T2 flag — two triangles.   The wind picked and everyone had enough after three races.

Thank you, Bob, for stepping in to fill the empty PRO slot.

Albacore_FS7

Buccaneer_FS7

I20_FS7

Laser_FS7

Lightning_FS7

2021, Results

2021 Fall Series 6

A beautiful fall day to sail.  The wind started off with a lot of east in it which the Pro Bob Bear and his team set up for Race 1.  By the time of Race 2, it had veered to the SSW and the RC readjusted the course.  By the end of the day, we were getting big shots from the SW and the wind was up.  Fun.

Results:

Albacore_FS6

Buccaneer_FS6

Flying Scot_FS6

I20_FS6

Laser_FS6

Lightning_FS6

(October 24, Race 55 to 58 of the Spring and Fall Series)

2021, Results

2021 Fall Series 4

The Albacore had their North American Championships Saturday – Monday and PRSA raced on the same course on Sunday.  Nelson Pemberton ran the races from the bridge of a large cabin cruiser.  The wind was from the NE, so Nelson set up the start line fairly near the airport and the windward mark was almost in the Anacostia.

The finish line was an obstruction that could not be sailed through which created a strategic problem of which way to go around it.  And occasionally someone simply forgot about it and was disqualified.

It was cloudy with a nice breeze.

Results:

Buccaneer_SS4

I20_FS4

Lightning_FS4

(October 10th, races 47 to 50 of the Spring and Fall series.)

Frostbite, Lasers, 2020-2021 Frostbite, Results

2020-2021 LASER FROSTBITE SERIES #17

It’s Groundhog Day with another 3rd place write-up from me. Surely no frostbites today – sunburns were more likely. It was like a high school dance in winter with few participants appropriately dressed for the temperature, the venue not quite fit for purpose, yet everyone seemingly having a good time. We’re used to shifting winds on the Potomac, but today took it to a new level. It reminded me of Rumsfeld when he confidently said the WMDs were, “east, west, south and north somewhat.” Dan and Mike energetically boated around trying to have the marks in the right direction only to find that between the warning sound and the start not only might it change which end of the starting line was favorable, but which was the more logical windward mark. Big thanks to Dan and Mike for adding another great sailing day, and to Farley for delivering the attached results.

So, how does one do well on a day like today? Probably three key things: find the wind, tack on the shifts, and get a good start.  Finding the wind is about keeping your head up and looking on the water and other boats.  I did a lot of tacking today, and mastering the tacking is really important in these light winds. That is probably the biggest thing I’ll practice now that the series is over – efficient roll tacks. When starting in light wind, free wind matters. Starting close to too many other boats can be risky, and I tended to do better when I just found a fairly open spot on the line where I could start with some boat speed and no one stealing my wind.
This is it for the Frostbite series – it has been great fun! Restarting sailing this past fall has really been a bright spot for me during covid.  I’ll miss the regatta next weekend but look forward to many more fun races, practices, and dock chats in the spring.