Tag Archives: Potomac River Sailing Association

Summer Update: Bylaws Revisions, Fall Series, PRSA Awards, and More!

Greetings PRSA Sailors,

We are just a few weeks away from the start of the Fall Series!  On behalf of your PRSA Executive Committee, I have some important announcements to share as well as some important reminders for the Fall Series.   

Fall Series RC Signup: please take a moment to select your RC duties as per Tyler’s 20 August email.

Fall Series #1: show up and race on Sunday, Sept. 7, to kick off the Fall Series.  Then, make sure to stick around for the BYO food/beverage BBQ afterwards.  I’m out of town on the 7th but Mike Scardaville has agreed to serve as grill master (thanks Mike!).  Invite your friends and family to join us, even if they’re not sailing, so that they can meet folks!

President’s Cup: register now for our signature Fall Regatta!

Bylaws Revisions: our current set of Bylaws mandated a review of the dues structure in 2025.  With thanks to the PRSA Executive Committee – and to Ed (current PRSA Secretary) and Melissa (prior Secretary, Social Director and Outreach Director) in particular for lots of organizational and legal sleuthing to help us restore PRSA’s official incorporation status and to modernize our bylaws – we have an updated set of PRSA Bylaws for consideration, and a vote, for the 2025 AGM.  Our revised Bylaws, which include an updated dues structure as well as revised and updated Executive Committee and ExecCom Support Roles – modernize and streamline PRSA.  We have done our best to balance the dues structure with very concrete realities – declining (but stabilized) membership levels accompanied by steady increases in costs – and to update the various roles required to run the organization to meet current and future needs.  Please review the proposed bylaws carefully and make a plan, now, to attend our 2025 Annual General Meeting and Awards Ceremony on Saturday, Nov. 15 (exact time and place TBA) to consider and vote on the revised Bylaws.  Please note that at the AGM we will hold just one vote on the adoption of the revised Bylaws (we will not be entertaining motions to amend or adjust the revised Bylaws). If passed, the incoming board can amend and improve upon the bylaws later. 

Bylaws Revisions: Why We’re Updating

Our current bylaws mandated a review of the dues structure in 2025. With thanks to the PRSA Executive Committee – with extra special thanks to Ed (current PRSA Secretary) and Melissa (former Secretary, Social Chair, and Outreach Director) for their extensive organizational and legal research – we have not only reviewed dues, but also undertaken a broader modernization of PRSA’s bylaws. This process has helped us restore PRSA’s official incorporation status and align our bylaws with current best practices for member-run associations. If passed, the incoming board can amend and improve upon the bylaws later if needed.

The revised bylaws we will vote on at the 2025 AGM include:

  • Updated dues structure: Adjusted to reflect today’s economic realities, with a model that accounts for both stabilized membership levels and rising operating costs. This ensures we can sustain high-quality racing, regattas, and social activities without overburdening members.

  • Modernized officer and committee roles: Clarified responsibilities, added a Communications Director, and streamlined committee duties to reflect the way PRSA operates today (including website, outreach, regatta logistics, and social activities). These updates help distribute the workload more fairly and position us to meet future organizational needs.

  • Improved governance: Bylaws now provide more flexibility and transparency in how decisions are made (e.g., Executive Committee authority, voting rules), making PRSA more nimble and resilient.

In short: these revisions modernize and streamline PRSA, balancing fairness to members with the practical needs of running our sailing association.  We had some fun with technology in summarizing all of this, so for a non-official summary of key changes, please see below for a ChatGPT-generated summary (edited by Tyler and Aaron; note that this is neither an official version of the Bylaws nor an official record of the proposed changes, but it provides a pretty good summary).

Above all, please review the proposed bylaws carefully and plan to attend the 2025 Annual General Meeting and Awards Ceremony on Saturday, Nov. 15 (exact time and place TBA) to vote on their adoption.  Note: The AGM will include a single vote on the revised bylaws as a whole. We will not be entertaining motions to amend or adjust the language at the meeting.

Potomac River Safety/Exclusion Zone: Tyler has confirmed with the DC Harbor Patrol via phone that the zone from last Spring has been removed.  Hurray!

Awards Nominations: now is a good time to start to think about nominating PRSA Sailors for our Perpetual Awards!  The nomination form (with awards descriptions) is available here and will be open through Friday, November 7.

Officer & Supporting Role Nominations: looking ahead to next year, we need some volunteers to fill some roles.  Both Tyler’s term and my term end this fall (without renewal options).  Please consider running for the Commodore and the Vice-Commodore positions!  We need a complete Executive Committee to run our day-to-day operations and, in turn, ensure safe and fun racing.  We will also be looking for a new ExecCom Officer: Communications Director (in charge of outreach, communications, social media, etc.).  Finally, we will need volunteers to serve in the Scorer role as well as Spring Regatta Regatta Chair and President’s Cup Regatta Chair for 2026.  

As always, please feel free to email us (prsaboard@gmail.com) if you have any questions.  I look forward to seeing you all out on the water soon!

PRSA Bylaws Revisions 2025 FINAL

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Summary of Changes to the PRSA Bylaws*

Things That Stay the Same

  • Name & Purpose: PRSA name, black swan pennant, and mission statement remain unchanged.
  • Membership categories: Active, Associate, Junior, Honorary, and Life memberships remain in place with the same general rights (skippering, voting, committees, etc., depending on class).
  • Race framework: PRSA continues Spring, Fall, and Frostbite Series..
  • Fleet requirement: A fleet needs 5+ members to qualify as an active one-design fleet.

Key Changes in Membership (Article III)

  • Junior membership age: changed from under 18 to under 25.
  • Associate members: previously required to perform Race Committee (RC) duties; this duty has been removed.
  • Dues:
    • Current Bylaws: Fixed dues schedule (e.g. $130 Active multi-person, $100 single, $45 Associate, $40 Junior) with periodic increases every 3 years (+$10 for Active, +$5 for Associate/Junior).
    • Proposed November 2025 Bylaws: New dues schedule for 2026 ($150 Active multi-person, $100 single, $50 Associate, $40 Junior) with annual 4% increases (rounded).

Key Changes in Officers & Governance (Article IV–VI)

  • Board Size: Increased from 5 officers to 6 officers.
  • New Officer Role: Communications Director added, responsible for public-facing outreach, social media, website, and chairing the Social Committee.
  • Secretary duties expanded: Now responsible for official filings and maintaining organization good standing.
  • Executive Committee composition:
    • Jan 2025: Officers + Fleet Representatives (all voting).
    • Nov 2025: Only officers are voting members; Fleet Representatives serve in an advisory role.
  • Voting thresholds: Most votes now explicitly require a simple majority (50%+1) at both membership and Executive Committee levels (clarified in Nov 2025).

Key Changes in Committees (Article VII)

  • Outreach Committee (Secretary-led) removed; duties reassigned to Communications Director portfolio..
  • Social Committee: Now run by Communications Director instead of appointed Social Chair.
  • Regatta Chairs: New role added — Rear Commodore appoints a Regatta Chair for each event, responsible for budget, logistics, NOR, SIs, and food/beverage.
  • Auditing Committee: Present in Jan 2025 bylaws; removed in Nov 2025 version.

Key Changes in Amendments (Article X)

  • Jan 2025: Amendments required a 2/3 vote of the membership at Annual Meeting (with 15 days’ notice).
  • Nov 2025: Amendments can be passed in two ways:
    1. By a 2/3 super-majority of the Executive Committee.
    2. By 2/3 of the membership at the Annual Meeting (with 15 days’ notice).

Summary for Members

  • Membership: Junior age expanded; dues structure shifted from flat 3-year increases to annual 4% increases.
  • Governance: Expanded Board (6 officers), new Communications Director, clarified voting rules, and Fleet Reps moved to advisory status.  
  • Committees: Outreach eliminated, Social under Communications, Race Program expanded, new Regatta Chair role, Auditing removed.
  • Amendments: Executive Committee now has the power to amend bylaws by super-majority, in addition to membership votes at AGM.

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* Summary generated by ChatGPT; edited by Tyler and Aaron.  Note that this is an AI/LLM-generated summary, not an official version of the Bylaws nor the official record of the revisions.

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!

Albacore-FS4

I20-FS4

Lightning-FS4

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