DC Sail Blog

Although the weather is turning cold and the sun is setting sooner, DC Sail Racers are still out there roll tacking and fighting for room at the mark.

Please join us in celebrating a great season of racing down at the waterfront.  We'll have a night of racing, awards, and yummy food.  Please bring your friends and family as spectator/cheering section.

DC Sail Racing will provide awards, burgers, and brats.  If you could bring a passing dish and/or drinks that would be great.

Racing will start at 3pm (so come claim your boat early).  Protest hearings, awards and dinner will follow! 

Hope to see you there!

Here are the results from Saturday's racing. Thanks for a great turn out and some super awesome RC.

Series #5 will start after Cantina Cup.  I'd like to keep Saturday's going until our frost biting sessions starts.  This way if anyone has an interest in sailing Lightnings out of Washington Sailing Marina (WSM)/Potomac River Sailing Association (PRSA) you'll be able to do both.

Is 1:30pm working for everyone?  Can we say Series #5 will start Oct 8th at 1:30?  Let me know if you can make it.  Remember Nov 6th will be DC Sail Racing Awards (see attachment)... so come on out to race, bring your family/friends to cheer you on, and a passing dish.

Lastly, for those of you that trained up on RC for Cantina Cup.  I personally would LOVE it if you stayed on to help all year!?!??!?!  I love to race and trash talk so this would give me a chance for that and you a chance to refine  your skills.  Also, I'm out of town Saturday, Oct 22nd (hiking old rag) and Halloween Weekend (racing Snipes in Atlanta).  If someone could volunteer for those weekends it would be great.

See you Saturday. SAIL FAST, SAIL OFTEN!

September 1, 2011

Thursday was a night to remember. Exhilarating racing left the spectators on Wet Bar, Cantina Marina, and The Patriot clamoring for more of the action packed racing. With winds around 5-8 knots, the course tested racers precision and ability to make the most of the light-air.  6 FJs and 2 Lasers competed in 3 races.

Race 1 (FJs):

The start was tight with two boats over the line. Team Bartlett, and Team Lewton were forced back. But the restart for those boats didn’t seem to affect them. Team Bartlett made up 5 spots and gained the lead at the windward mark.  After rounding the mark they separated from the pack by about 10 boat lengths.  Leading the pack of five boats was the mother/daughter team Ariana and Kathryn.  Around the leeward mark, the late starting Team Lewton pulled into 3^rd place.

The Bartletts were unstoppable.  Only a big mistake would make them lose their lead, but their sailing was impeccable and they finished well ahead of any other boat.

On the second lap, Team Lewton continued to close the gap. Coming around the leeward mark Team Lewton looked like they would pass Team Ariana and Kathryn. But Team Lewton miscalculated the lay line and was forced to tack to cross the finish line. Ariana and Kathryn took second place with Team Lewton taking 3^rd. 

Race 2 (FJs):

Was equally exciting, but RC was too lazy to keep commentary.

Race 3 (FJs):

Also very exciting, but RC was so gripped by the race that they weren’t able to calm their nerves to keep commentary.

So Thursday we  had a great showing… 6 FJs and a Laser.  Great job Palmer and Katie for taking the regatta… looks like there was some good competetion.   

 

Thanks to the gang that RC’d over the last couple weeks.  I really really appreciate it.  I had a great time racing in the Chicago to Mackinac Regatta on the T10 Talisman.  We saw some crazy conditions from 2 knots at the start to 40+ knots on Sunday night.  My team was very lucky! I think we passed between two very large storms and we were so busy concentrating on keeping the boat moving we only saw 40 knots on the anemometer, but we heard stories of 50 – 70 knots.  Unfortunately, the storm in front of us took the lives of 2 sailors on a Kiwi 35 – Wingnuts.  It’s a very very sad day for the sailing community.  We lost some fantastic sailors but saw some heroic achievements by fellow competitors who rescued the crew (Sociable).  Here are a few links to show some of the crazy events from the Mac.

• http://www.cycracetomackinac.com/
• http://www.sail-world.com/USA/Chicago-Yacht-Club-asks-US-SAILING-to-review-Mackinac-2011/86556
• http://www.sail-world.com/USA/Kiwi-35-probably-as.../86255

 

Racing Quiz #3:  Boats S (on starboard tack) and P (on port tack), both close-hauled, are converging on a beat.  P will safely cross S.  However, when they are less than two lengths apartk, the wind veers (shifts to the right) 10^o.  S luffs (changes her course) in response to the windshift, such that P is unable to keep clear.  There is minor contact with no damage or injury, and both boats protest.  You are on the protest committee; how would you decide this?

 

Don’t forget about Cantina Cup on October 1^st.  I hope each of you will sign up to participate.  We’re still looking for volunteers to help organize the event so get in touch with me (ntdidyk@gmail.com), Emily (erodegast@dcsail.org), and/or Blair (boverman@dcsail.org) if you want to help.  It’s an awesome time, whether you’re volunteering or racing.

Great showing… let’s keep it up.  We started the day with 1 laser & 5 FJ’s and added another FJ for the last three races.  BIG WARM FUZZY THANK YOU to Amanda for being a fantastic RC.  I really appreciated the opportunity to sail last week.  A 3-way tie for 1^st is always fun, but Karen and Katie M beat out Prag and Charles during a tie breaker.  Keep up the great sailing!  We had a lot of trash talk on the water, including me hitting the “pin” while sailing downwind (oops)!  But next time we’ll take it to a protest hearing.  I’ll have the DC Sail team print us out some protest sheets and I’ll put together a committee to hear protests at Cantina after racing.

 

I’m still looking for TWO volunteers for RC on July 14^th and July 21^st!!!!  PLEASE HELP!  I won’t be able to RC because I’ll be sailing in the Chicago to Mackinac Race (http://www.cycracetomackinac.com/).  Remember you won’t be penalized for being RC.  I’ll average your points for the series and credit you for each race you RC.  Thanks so much, in advance for volunteering.  If I don’t get a volunteer tomorrow, I’ll send an email cancelling racing.  Also, if you’d like to monitor my progress up Lake Michigan… click on the “race tracking” link and look for the T10’s (I think there are 34 registered so we’ll have our own start/class).  I’ll be on “Talisman”; owned by the Mehaffey’s.  Crossing my fingers, I don’t get the 2am – 5am watch!  It’s a rough one!  

 

Racing Quiz #2:  Boat S (on starboard tack) touches the finishing mark on her leeward side, bears away, gybes, then immediately re-crosses the finishing line on port tack then tacks to starboard.  Ashore, S reads in the race results that RC scored her “DNF”.  She requests redress under rule 62.1(a), Redress, and in the hearing claims that she sailed the course, took her penalty and finished correctly.  You are on the protest committee; how would you decide this?

 

Racing Quiz #2 Answer:  Uphold the scoring of the race committee. Rule 44.2, Penalties at the Time of Incident, requires that a boat taking a penalty after touching a finishing mark return completely to the course side of the finishing line before finishing.  Boat S took her Penalty by making one turning that included a gybe and a tack, but she failed to then sail completely to the course side of the finishing line before crossing it, as a result she did not finish (see the definition of Finish).  Rule A5, Scores Determined by the Race Committee, permits the race committee to score a boat d “Did no finish” without protesting her or holding a hearing.

 

Don’t forget about Cantina Cup on October 1^st.  I hope each of you will sign up to participate.  We’re still looking for volunteers to help organize the event so get in touch with me (ntdidyk@gmail.com), Emily (erodegast@dcsail.org), and/or Blair (boverman@dcsail.org) if you want to help.  It’s an awesome time, whether you’re volunteering or racing.

Already into its third week, our summer youth program, Kids Set Sail
(KSS), has taken over the DC sail docks and fleet during weekday work
hours. Beginner and intermediate sailors aged 7-14 have been learning
on shore and on the water just how fun the sport can be.

Through short classroom sessions, land and water drills, and a fun,
safe environment, dozens of kids from the DC/VA/MD area have marked
the high point of their summer down at DC Sail's facilities at
Gangplank Marina. Each day they learn sailing skills and demonstrate
their knowledge on the water in Flying Scots, Bugs, and FJs.
Instructors incorporate Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math
(STEM) into each lesson and activity, enhancing students' experiences
with a deeper understanding of the numbers and physical properties in
our marine environment.

Our seasoned staff, all CPR/First Aid certified and most with US
Sailing Level One Instructor credentials, bring several years of
experience and enthusiasm to the table. Counselors-in-training (CITs),
aspiring youth with extensive sailing experience, support the
instructors on land and on the water. In five days, we cover all the
information and skills needed to proficiently race at the end of the
week.

We still have openings this summer so contact the office if you're interested!

Pete Kopp,
Kids Set Sail Director

On Thursday June 30th, as part of their itinerary of more than forty
sailing centers and yacht clubs, U.S. Sailing’s Road Show made a stop
at Kids Set Sail to give our campers a chance to take their sleek Open
Bics out for a spin. During their chalk talk covering the afternoon
water drills, our campers impressed the U.S. Sailing staff with their
enthusiastic knowledge of tacking, jibing, and points of sail, and
even surprised our instructors with how much they remembered and
understood – a proud moment for everyone!

Kids Set Sail welcomes two special Counselors in Training (CITs) this
summer: Mykia Washington and Derrick Valentine. Both Mykia and Derrick
are long-time veterans of our docks, having first learned how to sail
at KSS several years ago. For Mykia, this is her sixth summer on
Washington Channel. If they continue at this rate, it won’t be long
before they’re leading the program!

This year Kids Set Sail has incorporated more STEM (Science Technology Engineering
and Mathematics) lessons into its curriculum. Alongside the
fundamentals of sailing, our KSS campers are learning about weather
systems, the water cycle, tides and currents, and how to take daily
measurements of air and water temperature, barometric pressure, wind
speed, and wind direction. During our first KSS session this summer,
Will Izquierdo, received the “Future Scientist” award because,
although only seven, he accurately explained how the tides are caused
by the moon’s gravitational pull, even before we got a chance to teach
him. Way to go, Will!

Lauren Dennis
Kids Set Sail Staff

This year’s sailing adventure took six couples to the fabulous islands
of Greece and Turkey in the Aegean Sea from May 18 to June 7. The
weather was beautiful – clear blue skies, 72 degrees every day and low
humidity… and enough wind to sail between ports of call. Our ship was
the four-masted Barkentine, Star Clipper, one of three magnificent
sailing vessels owned by Michael Kraft of the Star Clipper Line.

We started in Athens, sailed the Greek and Turkish isles and ended up
in Istanbul… 21 days in all.  At Ephesus we walked down the ancient
street that Anthony and Cleopatra and Julius Caesar walked down. The
ancient city, like Pompeii, is still intact in places and one can get
the feel of what it must have like 2000 years ago.

In Rhodes, we toured the old walled city and popped into an internet
café to check our email. While others climbed a clock tower Beverly
and I sipped fresh orange juice at one of the many restaurants that
lined the streets.

In Santorini we met our travel agent Stella Greissis who spends six
months of the year doing her travel business out of her office high
above the cliffs and spends the rest of year in La Plata… helping us
organize sailing trips for DC Sail.  The views from the top of the
town were breath taking… and the wine was superb, …not to mention the
ouzo.

We stopped at Bjoram, Turkey and toured the ancient fort guarding the
city and then strolled past shops selling “genuine fake watches”.  I
picked up a fancy Rolex for $25. (the watch comes with a guarantee…
measured in meters. They guarantee it until you are at least 10 meters
from the store. The band broke the second day).

If you want to buy genuine Turkish rugs, this was the trip to do it.
Two of the stops in Turkey had opportunities to go school/factories
where the weaving is done by hand.  You still have to bargain of
course but shipping  is free and there are no taxes (the government is
trying to support a dying industry).  Machine made carpets from China
are the big competition… even in Turkey.

The windmills of Mikonos are still turning but no longer grinding
grain.  It was a nice stop but very touristy.  Food in the harbor side
restaurants however was wonderful and a cold beer is always a cold
beer on a warm afternoon.

The Monastery perched on the side of a vertical cliff on Armorgos was
spectacular. The walk up was worth the price ….600 feet up the cliff
face got everyone huffing and puffing but the views were
spectacular…once you got there.

We made other stops at other islands. Each was unique and we came away
with a sense of the history of the area and impact it has had on our
lives over the centuries.  We were very fortunate to have a person
aboard the ship who provided us with lectures everyday not only on the
ports of call but a variety of interesting subjects that kept us well
informed about history and current events in Greece and Turkey.

The voyage was great. The trip generated donations to support for DC
Sail and everyone had a great time.  Join us next year when we’ll do
it again… maybe in the Baltic or a repositioning sail.

Fair winds.

Capt. Ned and Beverly Chalker

     Last Thursday we had a great showing.  7 FJ’s and 2 Scots went out for 7 races after US Sailing gave a little chat about racing strategies and sailing fast.  The adults were spanked by High School sailors Evan and Andres, but there was some tight mark rounding and close competition for 2^nd and 3^rd place.  There was an impromptu protest hearing at Cantina afterward but Evan and Andres weren’t there to defend themselves.  My plan from here forward is to get some official protest forms and hear proper protests with witnesses and a rule book.  Hopefully this will help everyone become better sailors and learn the rules.  I know it’s definitely something I need to work on.  I promise not to play favorites to the girls!
     I hope to see you all at on the docks tomorrow for some more fun.  Unfortunately, this heat is sucking all the wind out of the Potomac but if everyone prays to the wind gods maybe the forecast/meteorologist will be wrong.  Don’t forget, if you’re running late txt/call me at 773.844.9254 we’ll try and hook you up with a crew/skipper.  http://www.sailflow.com/windandwhere.iws?regionID=108&siteID=632&Isection=Forecast+Graphs
     Also, I’m looking for two volunteers for RC on July 14^th and July 21^st?  I won’t be able to RC because I’ll be sailing in the Chicago to Mackinac Race (http://www.cycracetomackinac.com/).  PLEASES HELP!  Remember you won’t be penalized for being RC.  I’ll average your points for the series and credit you for each race you RC.  Thanks so much!
     Racing Quiz #2:  Boat S (on starboard tack) touches the finishing mark on her leeward side, bears away, gybes, then immediately re-crosses the finishing line on port tack then tacks to starboard.  Ashore, S reads in the race results that RC scored her “DNF”.  She requests redress under rule 62.1(a), Redress, and in the hearing claims that she sailed the course, took her penalty and finished correctly.  You are on the protest committee; how would you decide this?
     Don’t forget about Cantina Cup on October 1^st.  I hope each of you will sign up to participate.  We’re still looking for volunteers to help organize the event so get in touch with me (ntdidyk@gmail.com), Emily (erodegast@dcsail.org), and/or Blair (boverman@dcsail.org) if you want to help.  It’s an awesome time, whether you’re volunteering or racing.