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News

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

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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

***********************************************************

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.

——————

* 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.

News, Results

Spring Regatta Results

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.

2025 PRSA Spring Regatta Full Results

Regattas, Announcements

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

News

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

SI's & NOR's, Announcements, News

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!).

Albacores, SI's & NOR's, Lasers, Buccaneers, Inland-20s, Flying Scots, Lightnings, Lasers, Regattas

PRSA Spring Regatta May 25-26

Registration is open for the PRSA Spring Regatta!  Sign up now and help us spread the word about our signature spring event:  https://www.nextsailor.com/app/page/regatta/672.

If you are interested in volunteering to help out with some regatta organization, please let Regatta Chair Kaitlyn Lucey know.  This is a great chance to get involved with one of our events, learn more about regatta organization and operation, and help out PRSA!

Announcements

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!

Announcements

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.
Hope to see you there!
Natalie Rehberger
PRSA Social Chair
Frostbite, Lasers, Lasers, Results

2023-2024 ILCA FROSTBITE #10

Good evening, Frost biters!

As Kaitlyn had promised us, we got a nice day on the river with light to medium wind from a (by Potomac standards) stable northerly direction. The results are attached thanks to Farley – both for today and the totals. Below are a few highlights.

Eva gave the tip of the week of the year: When you’ve capsized enough times, find your way back to shore.  Last time we sailed, for me that number was one.

With the strong current and medium wind, be aggressive on the start line. If you find yourself too close to the line, all you need to do is head to wind for a moment, you’re back where you need to be, and there’s enough wind to get going again.  Today’s conditions really provided a safe environment for practicing getting a front row spot.

As my mother has told me for fifty years, dress appropriately.  I thought with the mild temperature today, I’d skip a layer, and I ended up being a bit cold.  A warm torso keeps your fingers warm, and more importantly, I think I had poor focus today partly because I was cold.

The current in the Potomac remains an enigma to me.  Today’s current was strong, so it mattered.  Current runs strong where the water is deep, so logic would suggest staying on the left side (west) upwind and on the left side (east) on the downwind. I think this tended to be true, but certainly not always.  If someone has cracked the code of the Potomac currents, please let us know.

As you can see from the totals, we’ve had just 26 races, with hopefully more than that ahead of us, so everyone has a good chance for a good spot by the end of the season. Hope to see many of you next week.

Steen

23-24 PRSA Frostbite Series #10

23-24 PRSA Frostbite Totals as of 1/28/24

Announcements, News

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.com) just 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!