Summer Wednesday night sailing: gather around the crane/dock area around 5:30 each Wednesday for informal sailing/racing in the cove. If you’re new, don’t hesitate to introduce yourself to the PRSA sailors that you see there!
Our PRSA Fall Series racing will start on September 13.
If you are interested in seeing an authentic replica of an 18th century tall ship the French frigate Hermione will be in Alexandra Virginia at the Alexandria Marina behind the Torpedo Factory from Wednesday June 10 – Friday June 12, 2015. She will also be in Annapolis, MD, from Tuesday June 16 – Wednesday June 17, 2015 before making her way further up the eastern seaboard.
The vessel on displa is a reconstructed replica of the 18th century French frigate Hermione (Air-mee-on). The original Hermione brought Gilbert du Motier the Marquis de Lafayette to George Washington with news of French military aid in 1780 during the American Revolutionary War. It was a Concorde class 32 gun frigate that participated in the naval blockade of the British contributing to the defeat of General Cornwallis by Washington and Rochambeau in the siege of Yorktown, Virginia.
The British captured the Hermione’s sister ship, La Concorde in 1783. Before putting it into their service they made a study of the La Concorde including making drawings and plans. These plans were preserved and formed the basis for the Hermione replica. Construction on the replica ship began in 1997. The ship has sailed from France and is expected in Yorktown, VA on Friday June 5.
Tickets are no longer available to reserve in advance for the tour in Alexandria but some tickets will be available to the public at 8:30 AM and 12 noon each day. Other events will be occurring pier-side 9 AM to 7 PM Wednesday through Friday.
Learn more at:
http://hermione2015.com/voyage2015/alexandria
http://www.visitalexandriava.com/calendar-of-events/hermione-in-alexandria/
Chris Bolton with the help of Lindsay Bach ran the line boat while Bill Kleysteuber & Frank Gallagher ran the mark boat. The water was so low in the river from the previous two days of strong northerly winds that Chris was forced to set us up in the cove. The wind was very patchy and could switch 180 degrees between the windward and leeward mark. The lead boat around the leeward mark often lossed that lead on the short beat to the finish as a result of big wind shifts that would lift the 2nd boat to the finish while leaving the lead boat stranded.
Len Guenther managed the conditions with patience and won the regatta.
We had a beautiful day on the river with a 10-12 kt. southerly blowing steadily all day long. Will Phillippe and his RC crew set a nice long racecourse and gave the various classes a mixture of “T” and “W” courses. The great breeze meant that we finished 4 races in no time and I think most sailors were happy to head to shore to relax, stretch out, and enjoy a beverage with some BBQ after a great (but exhausting) day of sailing.
2015 Spring Series 6 – Buccaneers
2015 Spring Series 6 – Lightnings
2015 Spring Series 6 – Multihulls
What a fantastic turnout for the PRSA Spring Regatta! We had nearly fifty boats and almost 100 sailors out racing over a fantastic Memorial Day weekend. Even though Saturday’s wind conditions were light and spotty we still got in 3 races on the upper course (and more on the lower course), followed by a wonderful BBQ put together by Lee, Lisa-Marie, and Jim. It was great to see so many friends and family members at the post-race BBQ. Our patience on Saturday was rewarded with a nice 8-10 kt southerly breeze on Sunday. After 3 more fantastic races on Sunday we enjoyed another nice BBQ.
Although there was no wind when the sailors arrived at the marina, PRO Bob Astrove made the call to two boats up to the racecourse. It was a good decision, as a nice southerly filled in allowing the boats to get in three good races before sailing back to the marina and enjoying a nice BBQ under sunny skies. You can read the great writeup of the day’s action from Will Phillippe in the Lightning fleet on the Fleet 50 website.
Sunday turned out to be another predictable day sailing on the Potomac. You were completely assured that whatever breeze you were currently sailing in would quickly increase or decrease in velocity, or completely change direction. Once again, our PRO and RC for the weekend (Dan, Barney, Lee, and Jim) deserve praise for focusing on running races in the dynamic wind conditions.
Back by popular demand, we will be holding the 2nd Annual PRSA Rookie Regatta this coming Sunday! This one-day regatta has two purposes:
Continue reading The 2nd Annual PRSA Rookie Regatta: Sunday, May 10
Well, Spring Series #3 was certainly far different than the previous week’s “puff and shift festival” (to quote Bobby Astrove). Instead of 15-25 from the east we were greeted with a light and variable wind and plenty of sunshine when we arrived at the marina. At first it looked like the forecast breeze (NE 8-10, shifting to N and then NW) would fill in as predicted. However, the breeze shut down completely as we tried to make it up to the race course, prompting PRO Nich Allen and skiff driver Stew Harris to organize tows up to the course.
