High School Sailing Reflection
I started participating in the DC Sail High School Program the spring of my sophomore year. I found out about DC Sail though a then senior at my school who I did not know very well. I was thrilled to hear about a local sailing program that would not only allow me to compete as well as improve my skills, but also would help me fulfill a sports credit for my school.
Because I had only participated in summer sailing, I had to get some cold weather sailing gear. With suggestions for what to get, I took my first trip to Annapolis Performance Sailing (APS), and felt completely overwhelmed. There were so many options, and everything looked so foreign. As I stood staring at all of the different options for dingy boots, a friendly boy came up to me and introduced himself and told me he sailed at DC Sail. He was incredibly helpful and friendly. I was impressed, and immediately felt the warm, inviting, and supportive community that was formed in the high school program. I was incredibly nervous when I first started. At the time I was one of the younger members of the varsity team, and there was a lot of talent out on the water. But everyone was so kind and supportive. I soon made a group of friends, and although many of them were seniors they always took time to make sure I was included and understood what was going on. We made many fun memories racing, having crazy drives to regattas, and having a blast on the water. Although I will never forget the friendships that I made at DC Sail, I will also never forget the coaches. Throughout the three years I have been participating in the high school program, we have had amazing coaches. They manage to somehow find the perfect balance of being both friends and teachers. They are not only approachable, but will go out of their way to help you in whatever way they can. I remember when I first started at DC Sail I refused to accept the fact that roll tacks were necessary for racing. This probably had to do with the fact that they terrified me. One of the coaches got in a boat with me in the middle of practice and spent a good fifteen minutes one on one working on my roll tacks. The DC Sail high school program not only works to improve your overall sailing ability, but it also works to build confidence. No matter how well or how badly you do out on the water, there is always somebody on the dock who will give you a pat on the back and say “I believe in you”. Both coaches and team mates will go out of their way to make sure that everyone knows how important they are to the program and how far they have come. It is this supportive community that I will remember most about DC Sail. Throughout the years that I have been here, the program has undergone many changes. Most notably, the program has grown astronomically. When I first started, there were less than fifty students in the program. Now there are over eighty. We also have newer equipment and better sails. Although there have been a number of changes, the program has managed to keep its supportive yet competitive atmosphere. As graduation is swiftly approaching, I look back at DC Sail with the fondest of memories. I am going to miss everything about it; my friends, my coaches, and my escape from the dramas of high school. I owe a lot to DC Sail. Not only did they teach me how to be a competitive sailor, but they also taught me to believe in myself, a skill that I will carry with me next year as I start college.
- Posted from Washington, DC
US Sailing Event Raises Money for Youth Scholarship Fund
Thank You Volunteers!
Dan Smith, 98 hours
Dupree Heard, 63 hours
Jennifer Sweeney, 45 hours
Anthony Pilnik 42 hours
Verenice Paucar, 42 hoursWe cannot thank you enough!Blair, Brian & Emily
- Posted from Washington, DC
High School Sailing Update, Fall 2011
High School CoachPhoto: George Danforth at Cantina Cup 2011
DC Sail Racing Awards
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!
Sat, Sept 24th Race Results
Sept 1st Racing Results
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 3rd 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 3rd.
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.
Start of Series 3
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) 10o. 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 1st. 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.
Thursday Night 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 1st 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 14th and July 21st!!!! 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 1st. 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.
Kids Set Sail Going Strong in 2011!
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.
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
- Posted from Washington D.C., DC
