Nelson Pemberton and team ran the races. Barney Harris was running the mark boat. It was day 2 of the Lightning Doc Gilbert Potomac Cup.
The winds were from the west and shots of breeze were coming in from both the left and right. At one point the wind went way right but by the end of the day it had shifted way left.
The Lightning class saw a very skewed start line that was difficult to lay on starboard. That created a mix of strategies from trying to start on port, coming down the line on starboard but tacking to port before the gun, to dip starts. Chaos ensued at the pin.
The 2025 PRSA Spring Regatta was held May 24-25 in some great sailing conditions. 15 Albacores, 3 Flying Scots, and a Laser participated in the racing. Saturday saw gusty conditions with NW breezes in the hight teens, gusting into the high 20s at times. PRO Aaron Boesenecker and his RC crew (Dana Howe, Jim Graham and Dave McCaskill on Saturday; Jim Greenley, Jim Graham, and John Hart on Sunday) were able to get the Albacores 7 T-2 races (!) on Saturday. Sunday saw NW breezes but warmer temps and diminished wind velocity. The RC got the Albacores 6 more races (the Laser joined in for a few) and the Flying Scots 5 races.
Nabeel & team of Aaron Boesenecker, John Van Voorhis, and Cathy Clarke were ready but the wind wasn’t there. At 10 there was about 2 or 3 knots of winds. The tide was ebbing reinforcing the river current which would have made it difficult to sail up current. So Nabeel postponed on shore for an hour. Around 11 Aaron & John went out to the river–the wind near the launch area can be more than out on the river due to a near shore thermal. They found even less wind and then it shut down. Racing was cancelled for the day.
Frank Gallagher and John Van Voorhis ran the signal boat. Dana Howe and Natalie Rehberger ran the mark boat. It was a windy start to the sailing season.
This notification contains important information about the current restrictions on the Potomac River. The current Safety Zone is adjacent to National Airport, extending E-W from the airport shore to the navigation channel and N-S (roughly) from the end of Runway 33 (the gravel “bump out” in the river) to the southern tip of the airport. Please see the attached diagrams for reference (the zone is denoted by the “box” diagram on chart #1 and by the pink “T” symbols demarcating a box on chart #2, which is the current NOAA ECR Chart).
Entering the Safety Zone is prohibited. We have been in touch with The Captain of the Port (COTP) Maryland-National Capital Region and received the following information:
There are no exceptionsto the Safety Zone prohibitions. Being a sailboat needing to traverse the area does not exempt you from the exclusion zone rule.
Entering the safety zone to avoid traffic in the channel is prohibited.
For the time being, please keep in mind that all river traffic will be using the marked channel on the east side of the river in this area. At PRSA, we are assessing what this might mean for our Spring Series and we are in contact with local officials. We will update you if/when we receive new information.
One Design Racing In The Nation's Capital Since 1935
Saturday and Sunday of Memorial Day Weekend Annually
