The RC (Jim Antonovich, Leigh Boyle and Yates Dowell) ran three races in the cove today with winds typically about 12 out of the NNW with frequent higher gusts. The wind oscillated between W and N every few minutes all day. We got off the course early before the really hard gusts came in. A beautiful sunny day.
The Lightnings were at Leesylvania for their 33rd Doc Gilbert Potomac Cup Regatta
PRSA sailors, this is the weekend to bring your friends out sailing and show them how much fun racing can be. Our regular spring racing series is suspended this week in order to hold our rookie regatta. Bring new friends out or let your crew take the helm. As always there will be an apres-sail pot-luck picnic at the grill. See you Sunday!
Results: Unfortunately, the wind was gusty. Only two or three boats wanted to try racing in those conditions and one of them capsized. So PRO Kyra Tallon cancelled the racing.
Aaron Boesenecker ran the RC. It started off light and then died completely. Many of us rafted up and waited for the RC to cancel racing for the day. But, no…. The wind filled in beautifully from the south.
2017-Spring-4-Albacore
2017-Spring-4-Buccaneer
2017-Spring-4-Lightning
We got more practice in light air sailing which seems to require 1) patience and 2) and zen with the wind and current. The wind was loosely speaking from the northeast and after dying it usually, but not always, came back from the east. In the Lightning class, Bob Astrove showed off how good he is in these light conditions.
2017-Spring-Series-3-Albacore
2017-Spring-Series-3-Buccaneer
2017-Spring-Series-3-I20
2017-Spring-Series-3-Lightning
Bob Astrove ran the RC. He commented: “As you can see we did not have a lot of boats, but a beautiful day. 5 to 10 from the south.”
2017-Spring-2-Albacore
2017-Spring-2-Buccaneer
2017-Spring-2-I-20
2017-Spring-2-Lightning
2017-Spring-2-Multi-Hull
Please join us this Wednesday evening, April 5th, to hear NOAA meteorologist Bryan Jackson discuss how NOAA develops marine weather forecasts, and how you can best access this information.
We will be meeting at Heavy Seas Alehouse in Arlington, 1501 Wilson Blvd, Arlington, VA. Come straight back to the party room.
Socializing starts at 6:00 pm, Seminar begins at 7:00 pm.
We hope to see you there!!
Opening day was a light air day. The executive board treated the sailors to a post-race BBQ.
2017-Spring-Series-1-Albacore
2017-Spring-Series-1-Buccaneer
2017-Spring-Series-1-Lightning
2017-Spring-Series-1-Multihull
10 races. Will Summers wins.
Len Guenther wins the series with Will Summers, Farley Will, and Tom Hutton in the chase.
Congratulations to Will Summers for winning our endurance award this year with the most races sailed!
Sunday March 19, 2017. Good weather for the last day of frostbiting. It was sunny but cool with winds in the 10-15 mph range from the northwest. We got in 5 races, all olympic course, and I did well in all but the last one.
My general start tactic on a heavier wind day is what I think of as a drift start. I hang out past the committee boat on the right side of the course. With about 30 second to go I power up and head for somewhere on the line. When a bunch of boats bunch up at the committee boat there is enough wind to get to leeward of them and make it to the line on time. If the boat end folks are early they will head down the line and leave a nice window. This worked well today on most races and I was competitive to the windward mark.
On the course I used my normal heavy wind tactics namely, tight vang, medium outhaul and Cunningham, then lots of hiking. I ease my outhaul 100% at the windward mark to give more power downwind and I ease the vang to about 50%. The eased vang I find (and have heard) helps to bear away. The triangle legs of the olympic were great and I think I reached a plane on most downwind legs. This is super fun and I was able to make up some ground if I caught a puff.
I did have issues keeping my mainsheet running clean. I had a few issues on the course because of this. Twice I had the sheet wrapped around a foot causing me to tack rather than duck a starboard boat. I also had a serious knot at one of the windward roundings that I had to undo before I could bear away. Mainsheet discipline will be something for me to work on for windier days. Still a fun last day, I’m looking forward to Cap City next week!
