Frostbite, Lasers, 2017, Results

2017-2018 Laser Frostbite Series #2 11/26/2017

This was the first racing of the 2017-2018 Laser Frostbite series. It is traditional for the sailor who finished 3rd to do a write up of the weekend. I have no intention of deviating from this tradition, however, we don’t have the contact info on the sailor that got 3rd and my 4th isn’t that far off.  Next week we’ll get to the 3rd place finisher faster to let them know about their finish and duty.

The weather cooperated and was at the higher end of the fun scale, 8 to 10 with gusts at 15 to 18 blowing from the northeast.  RC set a good Olympic course and got a whopping 6 races in with 20 sailors turning out.  The wind slowly dwindled as the afternoon went on so the first races were all speed and hiking then the later races were searches for the big gust to keep speed up.

My first 2 starts were my best and I worked the left side of the course.  Not really for any strategic reason but in higher winds I’m looking to minimize tacks as those sometimes go poorly for me.  I think the left side of the course had more wind all day so this generally helped me being on that side of the course.  I didn’t have any issues at the marks so these finishes were solid.

The third race saw my best and worst start.  I had a great boat end start that got cancelled due to a general recall.  The second attempt I botched by getting into irons on the wrong side of the committee boat.  I ended up playing catchup with some pretty successful upwind legs as well as a windward mark rounding that paid off.  In a big crowd I try to remember that over standing is better than getting close.  Lots of boats make bad air and in the past I’ve sat barely fetching the mark with other boats sail around me.  Not today! I got to be the boat sailing around others

The last 3 races saw lower wind and some second row starts.  My plan with a second row start is to work to clear air then get on the right tack ASAP. Second rule with a second row start the laylines are off limits; boat ahead will tack on them and you’ll have to eat their bad air.  In the last race I spent a little time on the right side of the course thinking I had the lifted tack.  I got to watch the smarter folks go fast in the more regular puffs that came down the left side of the course.

Overall the day was very fun and I was only a little sore.  20 sailors turning out over thanksgiving weekend is encouraging.  We had some new faces which are great to see out!  I’m sure the rest of the fleet will welcome them as we see them out racing more.  See everyone next week!

Tom Hutton

 

2017-2018_PRSA_Laser_Frostbite_Series_2

Announcements

Race Committee Training Opportunity

West River Sailing Club in Galesville, MD, is hosting a 2-day Race Management Seminar on Feb. 17-18, 2018.  This class is for people who want to learn more about how to run sailboat races. No prerequisites are required other than a basic understanding of sail boat racing and some previous race management experience.  Follow this link for information and registration details (scroll down the page to the date of Feb. 17-18): 

http://www.ussailing.org/race-officials/find-a-seminar/race-officer-seminar-calendar/

Attendees must be members of US Sailing. The course fee is $80 which covers the class, materials, continental breakfast & coffee, plus lunch.  The two day class will begin each day at 0830 and run through 1630. There is an on-line quiz after the course if attendees are interested in becoming certified. 

This is a great opportunity, especially according to this endorsement from Nabeel: “I endorse this class.  Bill Kleysteuber and I travelled up to Newport, RI about a decade ago to take the class.   We learned a lot.  It is primarily based on the RRS but not completely.  You get a nice certificate at the end and become certified as a club race officer.”

Frostbite, Lasers, Announcements, News

2017-2018 Laser Frostbite Sailing Has Started!

Our Laser frostbite season has started!  We race on Sundays on the Potomac River from November 18 to March 24, and we wrap up our season with the Capital City Regatta on March 30-31.  Skippers meeting is at 12PM with the first start at 12:30PM.  No races are started after 3:30PM.  Come out and join us!

Notice of Races

Sailing Instructions

While the fleet welcomes out-of-town guests, we ask in-town skippers to join PRSA (see the membership application).  Contact Laser Fleet Captain Tom Hutton with questions.

Announcements, News

Order Your 2018 PRSA Calendar!

The 2018 PRSA Calendar is now available for order!  Use this link – http://www.calendarlink.org/prsa/home.html – to preview the calendar and order your very own.  Congratulations to Lindsay Bach for snapping the winning cover photo!

Fall Series, News, 2017, Results

Fall Series 2017 – Cumulative Results

Below are the preliminary (in case I’ve made mistakes) cumulative results for the 2017 Fall Series scored according to the NOR.   Think of each day as a race with your standing at the end of the day as your finish in the race.  If you did race committee that day, your score is the average of all the days you did sail.  If you neither sailed nor did RC, your score is simply a blank. To qualify you need to have sailed or done race committee 4 days (50% of days your fleet sailed). Your score is the average of your best 4 days.

A big thanks to Tom Hutton for doing the Sundays scores.

2017 Fall Series – Albacores
2017 Fall Series – Buccaneers
2017 Fall Series – I20
2017 Fall Series – Lightnings
2017 Fall Series – Multi-Hull

Fall Series, News, 2017, Results

Fall Series #8 – November 12, 2017

Brrr… It was a chilly day.  It did not get out of the 40s.  AND the sun was not out.  Still, there was a nice light breeze, and it was the last chance to sail until April, so we went sailing.

The tide was coming in and that light southerly breeze was very shifty but quite sailable.  By the third race, the wind almost completely shut down and the RC mercifully shortened course at the 2nd windward mark.

Doing well was all about keeping the boat in the groove, not get too excited about tacking on every shift, and making smooth transitions at the marks   On Shadowfax, I helmed the first race and Lisa-Marie Lane did the next two.  She did just what I mentioned above and got two bullets!   Great way to end the season.

A big thanks to Jeff Whitten, Bob Harford, Geoff Fuller, and Jim Lane for running the races.  Thanks to Tom Hutton for doing the scores.

2017-Fall-8-Buccaneer
2017-Fall-8-I-20
2017-Fall-8-Lightning
2017-Fall-8-Multi-Hull

Fall Series, News, 2017, Results

FALL SERIES #6 – October 29, 2017

This past Sunday felt more like a professional training venue than a local club’s series. After a beautiful sunny and moderately breezy Saturday, I suspect Sunday’s forecast of rain and either too little or too much wind kept many sailors away. In reality, we experienced little to no rain while racing, enough wind for three competitive races, and began to receive the predicted gusts for the sail home.

The three lone participants (Farley, Barney, and myself) received unwavering attention from our two support boats. An active RC squared the course, captured action shots, and even fed us beer bread! I can’t thank RC enough for holding a great day of racing.  Competitors saw both triangle and olympic courses, which offered a welcome relief from a constant dead downwind wing-on-wing leeward leg.

With just three boats, I focused on being on the line (or as near to it as I often dare – still working on that) and optimizing boat speed, while Marisa performed excellent compass work. We seemed to have just as good or better boatspeed and so I really worked at pointing higher than surrounding boats until I felt us start to slow down. Several of our passing maneuvers resulted from pure boat speed, while others from sailing in the lifts. All in all, it was a joy to be in our new boat Mega Woof and race against some stiff competition.

Fall Series #6 Photos by Nic Bogren
2017-Fall-6-Albacore

Announcements, News

Annual General Meeting & Proposed Bylaws

1 Comment

Our annual general meeting is coming up in a few short weeks, Saturday November 18th. This year we will be holding our meeting in a new location, we have reserved the tasting room at New District Brewing Company, 2709 S Oakland St, Arlington, VA  22206. As usual, happy hour begins at 6:00.*  Please RSVP here no later than COB on Thursday, 16 November, to ensure that we have the proper amount of food for the AGM!

At the 2016 PRSA Annual Meeting, the membership adopted a motion which directed a team of members to revise the PRSA Constitution and Bylaws and present revised governing documents to the membership at the 2017 PRSA Annual Meeting.  As a result of the revision committee’s work the PRSA Constitution and PRSA Bylaws have been consolidated into one document.  The proposed PRSA Bylaws revision will be presented for consideration and voted on at the PRSA Annual Banquet and Meeting on Saturday, November 18, 2017.  The Proposed Bylaws can be reviewed here.

Please take some time over the next few weeks to review the proposed changes. If you have questions, Jeff Neurauter and/or Adam Rosen will be happy to answer questions prior to and at the AGM. 

Fall Series, News, 2017, Results

Fall Series # 5 – October 22, 2017

The air was light to non-existent.   John Van Voorhis, our PRO for the day, postponed on shore.  After a while though the sailors got restless and with the promise that the wind would come in around 1 pm decided to make an attempt to sail up river.

I thought those sailors were far too optimistic but Jess, Tom, and I decided to go up to Gravelly Point with Shadowfax in tow and see if the wind would come in.   After sitting on the shore for quite a while, with planes landing over our head, we finally saw the first boat appear around the point.   Then we saw that there was indeed some wind coming up the river from the south.

We got to work setting up Shadowfax and sailed south to where John had set up the course.  We arrived in the starting area just as the first race was finishing up.  Better late than never.

Unfortunately, I discovered I had left our spinnaker at home.   Argh.  We did well upwind but then had to point straight downwind sailing wing and wing with our weight all the way forward.  Meanwhile the other sailors set their spinnakers but had the problem of to trying to keep them full which was no easy task in the light air.   Jeff Neurauter and Heather Howard on their Bucc figured it out and sailed past us.  However, we were able to keep the others just behind us at the leeward mark.

Bottom line, the wind was sufficient and it was a fun day of sailing!   Never say die.

2017-Fall-5-Albacore
2017-Fall-5-Buccaneer
2017-Fall-5-I-20
2017-Fall-5-Lightning