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.
Tag Archives: Albacore Class
Spring Regatta Registration Open
PRSA Spring Regatta – 05/24/2025 – 05/25/2025
Saturday and Sunday of Memorial Day Weekend Annually
Potomac River Sailing Association
Washington Sailing Marina, Alexandria VA
Register Here: https://nextsailor.com/regatta/PRSASpringRegatta2025
Photo Credit: Nic Bogren
Potomac River Safety Zone Update
Hello PRSA Sailors,
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 exceptions to 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.
PRSA AGM & Awards Banquet Summary
Greetings Sailors,
The Potomac River Sailing Association held its Annual General Meeting and Awards Ceremony on Saturday, November 16, at Alexandria Bier Garden. We had a wonderful time celebrating the 2024 racing year and planning for 2025 (things are always more fun with Bier and Bratwurst!). Many, many thanks to our PRSA Social Chair, Natalie Rehberger, and our PRSA Secretary, Melissa Morgan, for all of the work that they did to organize a fantastic event!
You can read a summary of the meeting proceedings here. You’ll also find some fantastic photos taken by Kaitlyn on Facebook. Final racing results from 2024 are posted on our results page. I’m grateful for all of the people who stepped up to volunteer time, effort, and knowledge this year and am grateful for those who have stepped up for the coming year. Here are a few highlights from the meeting:
Perpetual Trophy Awardees
- Founder’s Trophy: Nabeel Alsalam
- Nabeel Alsalam “More Boats on the Water” Award: Stew Harris & Mike Scardaville
- Yates Dowell III Award: Aaron Boesenecker
- Fleet Captains Award: Nelson Pemberton
- Norman C. Shaller Award: Marty Hublitz
- Len Penso Award: Barney Harris
- Katherine Hearst Award: Eva Hogan
Your 2025 PRSA Executive Committee
- Commodore: Aaron Boesenecker
- Vice Commodore: Nabeel Alsalam
- Rear Commodore: Tyler Phillips
- Treasurer: Mike Scardaville
- Secretary: Ed Ryan
Good luck to all of our frostbite sailors as the frostbite season starts. Please keep an eye on your email and on this website for more updates from PRSA!
PRSA Annual General Meeting & Awards Ceremony / Vote for PRSA Service Awards
The Potomac River Sailing Association Annual General Meeting (AGM) & Awards Ceremony will be held on Saturday, November 16, 12:00-3:00 pm, at the Alexandria Bier Garden (710 King Street, Alexandria VA, 22314). Please RSVP if you have not already done so using this link – https://forms.gle/AzjqNR4UQSq3a2tf7 – so that we can scale the food order appropriately. The cost is $30/person, which covers the buffet. Beverages (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) may be purchased at the bar. We will have great food, awards, some nice and well-deserved recognitions, and more! Children are welcome. Please do RSVP ASAP, though, to help us out as we plan the event!
Also, please take a moment to cast your vote for the PRSA Service Awards! Paid members may cast their vote using this ballot: https://forms.gle/bJZ91n6BmZyPKPWeA. The ballot will close at 8:00 pm on Friday, November 15 and the award winners will be announced at Saturday’s 2024 AGM & Awards Ceremony.
Cheers,
Aaron
Annual General Meeting & Awards Banquet / Call for Awards Nominations
The Potomac River Sailing Association Annual General Meeting (AGM) & Awards Ceremony will be held on Saturday, November 16, 12:00-3:00 pm, at the Alexandria Bier Garden (710 King Street, Alexandria VA, 22314). Please RSVP sooner (rather than later!) using this link – https://forms.gle/AzjqNR4UQSq3a2tf7 – so that we can scale the food order appropriately. The cost is $30/person, which covers the buffet. Beverages (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) may be purchased at the bar. We will have great food, awards, some nice and well-deserved recognitions, and more! Children are welcome. Please do RSVP soon, though, to help us out as we plan the event!
As you think about the AGM and reflect on our 2024 racing season, please consider nominating fellow sailors for our PRSA Awards. Use this form – https://forms.gle/Gaf4GRMzYhyTbA526 – to nominate individuals (award descriptions are provided on the nomination form) by Monday, November 4. After nominations close, we will send out an online ballot (all dues-paying members of PRSA are eligible to vote) to select the award winners. Award winners will be announced at the 2024 AGM & Awards Ceremony.
Finally, we are still seeking nominations for some vacant and soon-to-be Vacant PRSA Executive Committee Positions. I’m pleased to announce that we have one nominee for the Secretary position. If you are interested in serving as Vice Commodore or Treasurer (or Secretary), please let us know. Nabeel, currently serving as Treasurer, has offered to move over to Vice Commodore if we find somebody to serve as Treasurer. You can read the position descriptions in Article IV of our PRSA Bylaws at https://drive.google.com/file/d/1hTChVfws3VvGSUgKhIOBLU5gaqIOs2Xr/view?usp=sharing.
Cheers,
Aaron
2024 Fall Series #4 Oct 6
With nothing but glass as far as the eye could see, Dana Howe (PRO) postponed for an hour at the dock. At noon he sent the mark boat out to look at the ripples starting to appear to the south. It was still glassy looking north. The sea breeze kicked in, boats put in, and a building southerly carried the fleet up to the race area. At 1315 boats were racing in winds steady from the south at 10 in “it don’t get any better than this” conditions. ”
Many thanks to Gonzalo helping Dana on the signal boat and to Justin and Nic for spectacular mark-boating and boat towing! Nic also took some great photos–thank you!
Call for Executive Committee Officer Nominations
PRSA Sailors,
We are seeking nominations for vacant and soon-to-be vacant Executive Committee positions. Specifically, Vice Commodore and Secretary. You can read the position descriptions in Article IV of our PRSA Bylaws at https://drive.google.com/file/d/1hTChVfws3VvGSUgKhIOBLU5gaqIOs2Xr/view?usp=sharing.
As an all-volunteer organization we rely on the idea that everybody steps up to take a turn at volunteering for our various positions so that we can spread these service obligations around, learn from new people in new roles, and not be reliant on the same small cast of individuals each year. Without folks willing to donate a bit of time and effort, we would not exist. Please let us know if you are interested.
The election for ExCom positions will be held at our Annual General Meeting & Awards Ceremony (November 16; precise location and time TBD))
PRSA Fall Series #3 (29 September) CANCELLED
PRSA Sailors:
Due to several unresolved maintenance issues, including the motor on the 19′ skiff (it is not pumping/spitting water) and issues with some of our other equipment, we will have to cancel racing this Sunday. I know this is disappointing, but it is also a consequence of being reliant on a very few people (who also have full regular lives and full time jobs) to keep everything up and running.
I really want to thank Nabeel Alsalam, Bob Gotthardt, and Will Phillippe for the extra time they have volunteered over the past weeks to try to diagnose and replace/repair various things. Unfortunately we’re not there yet with the motor on the 19. Hopefully we can get things repaired to resume racing on October 6 with Fall Series #4 (note: we also need a PRO for October 6).
Looking ahead, we will need some extra volunteer hands to help with equipment maintenance (including some more basic tasks such as patching marks, replacing some lines/tackle on marks, and more–we’re compiling a list). Please let us know if you can help.
Best,
Aaron
P.S. — if you do decide to go for a sail on Sunday, please be aware that a power boat rally is scheduled to make its way up and down the river on Sunday afternoon: https://piratesguidetoboating.com/trump-boat-parade-sept-29/
PRSA President’s Cup Results
Over 40 boats across 6 different fleets participated in the 2024 PRSA President’s Cup Regatta. PRO Nelson Pemberton and his RC crew worked hard to get each class 9 races–no easy feat! We had a nice moderate southerly breeze on Saturday and then a shift, somewhat fickle easterly on Sunday (making the RC’s job even harder!). Many thanks to all of the volunteers who made the event possible as well as all of the sailors–especially those who traveled some distance to participate!
Results: https://nextsailor.com/app/scoring/view_regatta/736