Tag Archives: Flying Scot Class

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

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 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 

PRSA President’s Cup This Weekend!

We have our signature fall 2-day regatta this weekend!  Make sure you are registered, and make sure that you’ve spread the word to all of your friends in area clubs/classes.  We expect multiple classes, visiting boats, and 2 days of great racing!

Registration is open!

The PRSA President’s Cup is open to one-design dinghies: Albacore, Buccaneer, Flying Scot, I-20, Laser, Lightning.

Get Ready for the Fall Series!

We are just one week away from the start of our Fall Series!  Please make sure that you are registered for the series and that you’ve signed up for RC duty, using the links provided below.  In addition, we will be holding a “Running Races at PRSA” Webinar on September 5 (details below).  Finally, make sure to sign up for the PRSA President’s Cup, our signature fall 2-day regatta.  Keep reading for all the links and details!

Prior to the start of the Fall Series, we will hold a Running Races at PRSA Webinar on Thursday, September 5, 7:30 pm (on Zoom: https://american.zoom.us/j/99437900322?pwd=EQCvuR2F7Ml6whtDdoR2qZORelIGHb.1).  No matter whether you have extensive experience running races or are just learning, this is a good opportunity to review our procedures at PRSA so that we can have safe, fast, and smooth racing each Sunday.

Fall Series#1: with hopes of good weather, we are planning on grilling out after the racing.  I’ll bring some extra brats and beverages.  Please make sure to bring something for your crew and feel free to invite friends and family for the post-race fun!

PRSA Fall Series: Our PRSA Fall Season starts on Sunday, September 8.  Please keep the following in mind as you prepare for the series:

 

  • Registration and RC Service: if you didn’t in the Spring, don’t forget to register for the Fall Series! In addition, make sure that you have signed up for Race Committee service.  As a reminder, you’ll need to fill at least one RC slot to be scored for the series and two to qualify.  The complete details are available here. Thank you for taking the time to volunteer to help run races, without your support and time PRSA would not be possible!
  • NOR and Sailing Instructions: there are no changes to the NOR and SIs.
  • Crew Connection: as you prepare for the fall season, remember to post to the PRSA Crew Connection (link on our homepage) and to peruse the postings there.  We’ve had a number of new people interested in sailing with us join the Crew Connection forum since May.  If you are interested in crewing, please go ahead and put up a short post with your experience and availability.

PRSA President’s Cup: our signature fall 2-day regatta will be held September 21-22, and registration for the President’s Cup is open!  Visit https://nextsailor.com/regatta/PRSAPresidentsCup2024 to register.  Mark your calendars, organize your boats and crew, and spread the word to sailors you know at other clubs!  We’d love to welcome visiting boats in all of our classes for a great regatta.  Many thanks to Tyler, who will be serving as Regatta Chair.  Finally, if you’re interested in some President’s Cup history, check out this Regatta Program from the 1955 President’s Cup: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2wMQVqjmo-XODh0Z1NHWEVYUTQ/view?usp=sharing&resourcekey=0-iYyMWIjUUpp4oDwrGCC7Kw (this booklet was spotted in a secondhand bookstore by Bobby Astrove’s son several years ago—a great find!).

PRSA Spring Series: Important Information!

The PRS Spring Series is underway!    Please make sure that you’ve registered for the series, signed up for spring RC dates, and read through the rest of the information included below.  Please don’t hesitate to let us know (prsaboard@gmail.com) if you have any questions.

  • Sign up for Race Committee: Skippers must fulfill RC obligations in each series that they wish to be scored in Frostbite, Spring or Fall. Skippers that do not sign up for at least half their slots before the series begins may not be scored for the series. PRO still counts as 2 slots. Starting this season, Skippers must fill 2 slots in the Spring and 2 slots in Fall. This changes the practices of doing all your RC in one series and racing in the other–a change that was requested at the AGM. Skippers may carry over 1 RC slot from the Spring to the Fall series. Non-Lasers Skippers must fill 2 slots for the Spring Series (Lasers only 1).
  • Post-Race Potluck: we will be grilling in the grove after racing on each Sunday.  We encourage your friends and family to join us for these BYO post-race BBQs!  Hanging out around the grill is a great opportunity to reconnect with everybody and perhaps even introduce some new folks to PRSA.  Please remember to bring something for you and your crew for the grill and to drink.
  • Sail Upcycling: we will collect used sails for the Sea Bags sail upcycling program on April 14th.  If you have used sails that you want to donate, bring them to the marina and drop them at drysail slip C-17 (Stas Burgiel’s I-20).  PRSA receives a tool bag or tote bag made from each donated sail that we can use or sell (and the rest of each sail is sold by Sea Bags in support of various good causes in sailing).  Now is a good time to clear out that inventory of old sails and support a good cause in doing so!
  • Email lists: now is a good time to make sure that you and your crew are subscribed to all of the relevant email lists.  If you are receiving this note, you are on the PRSA Google Group (potomacriversailing@googlegroups.com) but you should also make sure that your crew or others you sail with are members.  Instructions on joining are on our website: https://potomacriversailing.org/contact-page/.  You should also make sure that you are on your fleet email list (reach out to your fleet captain for info).

Please feel free to reach out to us if you have any questions.  I look forward to seeing everybody on the water and then at the post-race BBQ (along with your friends and family!) on April 14!

PRSA Happy Hour February 27, 7pm, at Solace (Navy Yard)

Hi sailors,

Our next happy hour will be at Solace in Navy Yard at 7pm on February 27th. This is a great opportunity to connect with other PRSA members, as well as possibly recruit new members to PRSA and find yourself crew! Sailors from DC Sail will be invited as well. Please RSVP (natalierehberger@me.com).
Solace has food options and is close to the Navy Yard metro stop. There is some street parking and there are parking garages in the area.
Natalie Rehberger
PRSA Social Chair

PRSA Happy Hour: January 30, 5-8 pm, Alexandria Bier Garden

Join us for a PRSA Happy Hour at Alexandria Bier Garden this coming Tuesday (Jan. 30), 5-8 pm.  PRSA members, their families, and friends (especially those seeking to get more into sailing!) are welcome. The beer garden is kid friendly with a variety of food and beverage options, and the address is 710 King St, Alexandria.  
 
Please RSVP to our new Social Chair, Natalie (natalierehberger@me.comjust so we have a good estimate of attendees—and many thanks to Natalie for organizing this opportunity for us to get together!  I hope to see you there!

PRSA AGM Wrap-Up

It was wonderful to see so many sailors, friends, and family members at our 2023 Annual Genera Meeting & Awards Ceremony at Port City Brewing!  In case you missed it, here is the agenda handout and racing results summary.  Huge thanks to Melissa for her work in organizing the event, and to all who pitched in for setup, cleanup, and other tasks in between to make our AGM a success.  Here are a  few key highlights:

  • The high point of the evening had to be, in my opinion, our opportunity to recognize Jim and Susan Graham for Honorary Membership (for life) in PRSA in recognition, per our PRSA Bylaws (Article III, Section D) of “…meritorious serve to PRSA, the sport of yachting, or for outstanding performance of seamanship.”  This was a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the Grahams, who emphasized that they are by no means done with sailing or supporting PRSA (and for that we are immensely grateful!).
  • Recognition of series award winners and perpetual trophy awardees (see posted summary)
  • Recognition and thanks to our outgoing PRSA ExCom Members and Volunteers (Stew Harris, Vice Commodore; Kyra Tallon, Secretary; Melissa Morgan, Social Chair) along with congratulations and thanks to those who stepped forward to fill various roles (Dave Coughlin, Vice Commodore; Melissa Morgan, Secretary; Natalie Rehberger, Social Chair; Josh Seely and John Van Voorhis, Website Development).

Looking ahead, we are still seeking a few volunteers to help with some 2024 initiatives: reviewing our membership & dues structure and heading up sustainability initiatives (huge thanks to Stas for taking this on in addition to his Fleet Captain role through 2023!).  Let me know if you might be interested.

Finally, now is also a good time for everybody to review our PRSA RC policies and procedures (RC & Boat Instructions, and Risk Assessment & Decision to Race, in particular).

I look forward to seeing you all on the water and around the marina!

2024 Dues Are Due!

Hello PRSA Sailors!  A quick reminder that your 2024 dues are due now! You can pay your dues and/or check your dues status here: https://potomacriversailing.org/dues-rc-duty/Dues must be paid on or prior to January 15!

The full terms of our dues are set out in our PRSA Bylaws (https://potomacriversailing.org/about-prsa/prsa-bylaws/ — see Article III, Section 3).  Paying dues on time is important for you, but also for your fleets!  Per the PRSA Bylaws, a fleet needs at least five or more paid members (active, junior, or life) by January 15 to qualify as an active one-design fleet for the year.  Being an active fleet, per the Bylaws definition means, among other things, that your fleet will have a fleet representative on the PRSA Executive Committee and that boats in your fleet will be scored as a Fleet in your racing series (https://potomacriversailing.org/about-prsa/prsa-bylaws/, Article VIII, Section 1) .  Long story short, make sure that you’ve paid your 2024 dues!  (Note that the information in the “Payment Received” column doesn’t update instantaneously when you renew.  When you pay your dues, you will receive an email confirmation, so make sure to look for that email confirmation of your renewal and payment).