First of all, congratulations to Jay Lurie for organizing a great Family Day!  We had 9 teams, some from other fleets, and all the racing was done well in advance of the nasty storms that blew through Sunday afternoon.  John Bainton and Cleve Rueckert deserve great credit for doing a magnificent job on RC that day.  Congrats to Jay and Dana Lurie for getting the lowest score for the day, a day on which all the families were winners.  This is something we hope to do at least once a year, and it's a real testament to the family participation in our fleet and at the club as a whole.

Otherwise, there's not much to discuss this week.  We have standard racing, as per usual, tomorrow night (1830 first start) and on Sunday (1330).

It's also that point in the year when thoughts turn to qualifying for the season.  We have sailed 9 Thursdays and 5 Sundays (including Cup days), and each have 6 scheduled days to go.  That means it will take no more than 8 Thursdays to qualify (of which your RC night counts as one), and only 6 Sundays.  Yes, even if you haven't sailed a Sunday or Cup day yet this year, you can still qualify by sailing every Sunday plus Labor Day.  Thursdays: even if you've sailed only 2 so far, you can still qualify.  It's worth it, not only for fleet prestige but also for awards potential.  CPYC season prizes go very deep: 8-10 qualifiers means 4 prizes; 11-14 means 5, and 15+ gets us 6!  Looking at the scores, most every potential qualifier could also potentially finish in the money this year, so it's really worth getting out. 

That's it for now - I hope to see everyone on the water tomorrow night (fingers crossed for the weather)!

Cheers
Jamie
#1056

Jay Lurie, Cleve Rueckert, et al did a great job getting five races in the dying breeze last night.  Hats off to new fleet member Mike Curtin, sailing with local stalwart (but fleet newcomer) Meredith Killion, who won the night decisively over 10 other boats.  His report is below.

As many of you know, this Sunday is Family Day, organized by Jay Lurie.  We have a lot of families that sail intergenerationally in our fleet, and this is a day to recognize them (as well as family friends who might sail along).  So bring a kid, and have fun!  The timing is a little early, to take advantage of high tide and sail on the flats.  The first start will be at 11am, so arrive around 10 or so.  We'll be done by 1pm, with ice cream and social activities for all.  This will preclude regular Sunday racing this Sunday.
            Also - we're inviting sailors from other fleets to this.  While it looks like we'll have enough boats to lend, if you're interested in lending your boat for this, please email Jay (copied above) or me - and thanks!

That's about it from around here.  Regular Sunday racing resumes next Sunday (Aug 1), and we'll have Thursday sailing as per usual this Thursday.

While we don't have any videos from last night's racing, I saw this cooking video today and thought you might enjoy it.

Cheers
Jamie
#1056


Mike's Report:
___________________________________
Here are my thoughts:

Having a great crew (thanks Meredith) and being out there for the
first race was the key to winning. The wind seamed to be stronger
coming down the left side of the course so we generally started down
by the pin end and worked our way left. Downwind we worked course left
to stay in the pressure gybing back and forth across the puffs. Clear
air and avoiding packs was also huge upwind and down in the light air.
For rig tune in light air it is nice to have a little slack in the
leeward shroud and the tiller should be neutral to a slight lee helm
with the boat flat and sails in upwind. Boom is generally horizontal
at this point. Big thanks goes to Jay and the rest of the race
commitee for running some great races in a dying breeze and making
sure my rudder was down.

Mike

Just a quick word: last night saw some solid racing, with the southeasterly playing the part of Lazarus, dying only to be resurrected in time to get in 5 races before sunset.  We had 11 boats, and the fleet appeared really competitive from my perspective on the RC boat.

Jay and Beth won the night, and while we're awaiting their write-up, I'll add the RC's observations.  They sailed fairly conservatively, never getting too 'wung out' on the sides of the course.  And they sailed faster, both for obvious reasons (they're light) and for less obvious ones (their boat trim - heeling, sails full, weight forward - was more consistent than that of any other boat).

We had pizza on the upper deck after racing, which was a lot of fun and will be repeated!

We're racing this Sunday, standard time / place / etc.  Serge and Storm are back, and I'll be there - will you????

The final reschedule of Summer Solstice team racing is this Tuesday vs NYYC.  6pm.  Come as you are, with or without crew.

Next Sunday will be CPYC V15 family day.  Parents and kids are very much encouraged.  We'll race inside from 11-1, and we'll be serving ice cream afterward.  Jay Lurie is the organizer, and I hope to see a lot of our family teams there!

Finally, in our educational installment - it's the 25th anniversary of the release of R.E.M.'s Fables of the Reconstruction.  They did get there from here.

Hasta Domingo -
Jamie
#1056

It was hot, light and full of motorboat chop, but PRO Brian Raney managed to get 6 solid races in yesterday for the 12 teams that showed up.  Special mention goes to the Charles family (Ken, Mary, Kurt and Korey) for fielding two boats among them!  Afterward, the Flying Scot class enlivened the picnic a little with their custom mojitos and painkillers, all to raise money for their NAs next year.  Meg Booth and I got lucky and won the day, and my report on it is below.

"Borrowed" items: before I get any further, I'd like to call everyone's attention to something I had heard a little of, but really came to head yesterday. Madeline Gill showed up at her boat and found it missing the following: custom mainsheet, jib sheet, cunningham, and transom bungees.  I've heard of the occasional thing missing before (usually 'borrowed' and forgotten to return - like stern plugs), but never so many at once.  I ask everyone here to not 'borrow' any parts unless they have the owner's permission, and even more importantly, to return them as soon as you are done, regardless of how cozy you are with the owner.  I sincerely don't believe they were taken with nefarious intentions in mind, though regardless, such episodes reflect poorly on us as a fleet.  The best solution is to have a spare in your own kit, but if not, check with the owner and return immediately.  Oh, and if you have Madeline's stuff, please get it back to her ASAP, as she needs it for Nationals this weekend.

Speaking of: Nationals are Saturday and Sunday at Sail Newport.  Registration is here, and it looks to be a fun event (you'll recognize CPYC locals in other classes, such as the Etchells, as well).  Away credit, of course, will be given for Sunday.

Otherwise, we're back to our regular schedule this week, with racing this Thursday and Sunday at the usual times.

Scores: I am aware that scores are not yet up online and am working to have this situation resolved ASAP.  Will keep you posted.

Oh, as for the Commodore's Cup: the 2010 V15 Commodore's Cup was sailed in a weak southwesterly, driven only by localized sea breeze thermals right at the Saugatuck entrance.  Our original game plan was to go left to maximize the benefit of the flood current, but those who went right seemed to hold the thermal better at times.  Other than avoiding the holes, a big-picture strategy was not as relevant as sailing well tactically.  To that end, we put a lot of emphasis on our starts (and the only races we did not win were one when we were rolled at the start and another when we were slightly OCS) and maintaining clean lanes.  With such little breeze, lanes were key - particularly on the runs.  Boat placement was key; we were careful to pick our battles when re-engaging with other boats.  Conditions were marginal for winging: we'd wing in higher pressure and reach if the pressure felt light.  Withe the proliferation of holiday-making motorboat churning up wakes in and around the course, keeping the boat moving was paramount.  We kept our weight very far forward (Meg at the shrouds, me as far forward as possible) to keep the stern from slapping, and we were aggressive with heel anytime slop came our way.  Storm and Dona also showed great speed, and Jay and his son sailed very smartly and fast.  At the end of the day, we were all happy to see the keg tapped - and mojitos being mixed - as well as the proliferation of July 4th staples.  It was a grand afternoon for all - and it certainly beat staying ashore, trapped in the a/c!

Cheers -
Jamie
#1056

After a short hiatus (respite?), your fleet captain is back with the usual bulletin.  It sounds like there was good fun over the past couple of weeks, including an insanely windy night last Thursday. 

First, some overdue welcomes:
As many of you know, Thomas Hood and Peter Eyes have been sailing with us on Thursdays after volunteering on RC all last year.  Welcome to the fleet! 
Mike Curtin and Carrie Starr just moved to Norwalk from Newport.  Mike works at Lewmar in Guilford, and Carrie works in NYC.  They just joined CPYC and have been sailing with us on the team racing Tuesdays, and I'd expect to see more of them on Thursdays and maybe Sundays as well - welcome aboard! 
Sean Andrew sailed at the Larchmont event a couple of weeks ago, and he's joined us once already.  Hopefully we'll see a lot more of him - hopefully soon as a junior member!
If you see anyone new around the boatyard, head on over and say hi.  Like so many other aspects of CPYC, it's great to see our V15 fleet growing - with sailors young, old and in between!

Now for general information:
Racing: this Thursday at 6:30pm and Monday at 1:00pm for the Commodore's Cup.  The picnic afterward is free for members (guests $8), and please RSVP to Rob Cohen by Friday so they can get a headcount.  Also, the Flying Scot fleet will be raising money for their North Americans at CPYC next year the fun way - by selling drinks!  They'll have painkillers, mojitos, and bottles of wine on offer.  We promise not to let the liquor control board know...
Race Committee: We still need volunteers for July 22nd and August 12th.  Remember - in order to qualify for the Thursday season, you have to do a day of RC!
Team Racing: we've had fun turnout, including Dave Meleney from Larchmont last night.  Our last SSS Tuesday for this summer is next Tuesday (July 6th) vs NYYC.  Arrive at 6pm, and we'll race til sunset.
Nationals: Nationals are NEXT weekend (July 10/11th) at Sail Newport.  I'm going; the Charles family is going; Madeline Gill is going...why aren't you???  Registration is $115, and it's located here...

I think that's about it from here.  Winners over the past couple of weeks get a freebie on write-ups, and I'll make sure scores are up online at some point this weekend, if not sooner. 

See y'all on the water -

Cheers
Jamie
#1056

Fleet member Richard Shattuck has uploaded some really cool videos of us sailing to YouTube:

Blasting around in 20kts on June 6th - note your fleet captain capsized at the start of the video.  Some great reaches and upwind form in here (particularly from Serge and Celeste). 

Team Racing Last Night (June 15) - with Jamie Ewing / Becca Dell commentary [teams are blue/black hull (Proctor / Bainton) vs white/red hulls (Shattuck / Curtin)].  Exciting finish, horrible camera action at the leeward mark.

Team Racing Last Night (June 15) - last race, John Bainton / Richard Shattuck commentary [teams are blue / red hulls (Ewing / Curtin) vs white / black hulls (Dellenbaugh / Proctor)].  Features a series of bonehead moves on my part on the run starting at about 6:20. 

Cheers
Jamie
#1056

V15ers -

Sorry to bug you with an extra email this week, but I wanted to get this out before I disappear for 10 days:

V15 Nationals are July 10-11 (the weekend after July 4th) at Sail Newport.  We will have the resources of a major regatta (the Newport Regatta), including substantial social activities, but V15s will be given their own course.  Registration in advance is $115 and includes two wristbands.  Registration is online here.  Team 1056 will be in attendance - let me know if you're interested too!

Also, Scuttlebutt linked this morning to coaching legend Ken Legler's tips on 'what could go wrong' in short-course racing.  It's a great primer for the type of racing we do, all with the bottom line of: avoid mistakes.  It's worth the five minutes it takes to read.  Click on the link for it.

We're going to have a nice small group for some team racing tonight, and the weather is perfect. Come on down - it will be a fun night of pick-up sailing!

Cheers
Jamie
#1056

V15ers -

First off, my apologies to those who showed up yesterday looking to sail.  It turns out there was a staff calendar mix-up which no one caught until it was too late.  Fortunately, you didn't miss much, as conditions weren't really good for racing anyway.  At any rate, we are all set for upcoming Sundays through Labor Day...

That said, we had a great Thursday - Ched Proctor got 4 longer races in a dying southeasterly, and we had 12 boats.  Steve Girling won the night without winning a race, and his very comprehensive (some might say delicious too) write-up is below.  I encourage everyone to take a couple of minutes to read it; his detail and thinking are unsurpassed.  It's also been really wonderful to have Steve and his charming daughter Lilly out with us this spring - we have a lot of families racing in our fleet, and it's great to see so many out there (just last Thursday, we had 4 boats: Luries, Snaiths, Stanleys, and Girlings - out with us!).

Thursday turnout has been averaging in the double-digits this spring - if you haven't made it out yet, you don't know what you're missing! 

Larchmont Regatta - your fleet captain was the only CPYC boat in the 22-boat fleet.  The solid RC got in 12 races down there, in a light southerly on Saturday and a decent easterly on Sunday morning.  Consistency was the name of the game - we finished 2nd, one point out of first, without ever winning a race (just like Steve did last Thursday).  Clean starts, open lanes, and sailing lower and faster downwind helped us immensely.  Our performance also goes to show how competitive our fleet is - old 1056 got 5th place in fleet racing here last Thursday!

Housekeeping:
- I'll be out of town (on the Bermuda Race) from this Thursday through Sunday the 27th.  Somehow I doubt anarchy will prevail in the interim.  I think first come, first served on club boats should work fine, given that we've not maxed out on them yet this year.  If you're in a club boat (or any non-standard boat), please identify yourself to the RC...
- We are racing this Thursday (6/17), next Thursday (6/24), and this and next Sundays (6/20, 6/27), all at the standard times.
- Team Racing: NYYC had to postpone their attendance (to Tuesday July 6th), so we're without an opponent this week. A couple of us are still planning on coming down and messing about internally: given the forecast, it could be a lot of fun.  Let me know if you want to attend an informal team racing night tomorrow night.
- Sail fast!  Attendance has been great this year; I look forward to seeing more reports of double-digit attendance on Thursdays and solid sailing on Sundays.

Cheers
Jamie
#1056


Steve's Report from Thursday:

Jay and Beth showed their light air form last night, winning all three races (and organizing dinner at Jasmine!).  Jay's comments stand on their own, so I'll get out of your way.  Just as a reminder, we're sailing Sunday (first start 1330), team racing at CPYC Tuesday (1800 - let me know if you want to attend or are willing to lend your boat). 

Cheers
Jamie
#1056

Jay's recap:

V-15ers -

Great first week, and congrats to Serge and Celeste Karpow for winning the Vice Commodore's Cup on a gorgeous, windy afternoon!  Their commentary follows these short messages:

Schedule: We are sailing tomorrow (first start 6:30 as per usual) and Sunday (back to our normal Sunday schedule, first start 1:30pm)

Team Racing: We had solid turnout at Noroton last night.  This Tuesday is the first of our three hosting nights, against Riverside.  Everyone is welcome to sail, and if you can't make it but would consider lending your boat, that's also great!  Email me if you are interested in sailing or lending your boat.  Also, Chris J has uploaded some pretty sweet links on the left side of the Team Racing page on the CPYC website (and check out the splash page too).

Larchmont Spring - June 12/13th - I've signed up, and you should too!  The link to registration is here.  For those who might need some family or gardening time over the weekend, the skippers' meeting isn't until 1300 (yes, 1pm) Saturday.  They sent 7 boats to us last year; it would  be pretty lame not to get at least 5 down there this year.

RC Duty - Dona asks anyone who has not signed up for Thursday RC duty to do so soon!  Also, if you haven't done it before, or are a little unsure, sign up with a more experienced person.  Contact Dona Menton (dmenton [at] gmail) for more details.

I think that's it from here.  The early forecast looks like potential thunderstorms tomorrow, but as we saw last week, the thunderstorms can easily skirt around us - and make for a great night of sailing!  We had 10 boats last week - how about 12 this week?

Cheers
Jamie
#1056
____________________________________________________________
Vice Commodore's Cup Report - by regatta winner Serge Karpow

For me it was just a great deep powder day at CPYC. 

-sk

__

V-15ers -

Our fleet rigging day yesterday was great.  While the sailing (15kts!) was a lot of fun, I in particular loved hanging out with so many new fleet members.  Dan Marques, Thomas Hood, Peter Eyes, and Jim Saxe - to name a few - were all down there and are looking forward to sailing with us this summer!

In the course of rigging the three fleet boats, we noticed that we were shy a mainsheet (actually, shy two mainsheets, but one was donated to the fleet).  If you happen to have an extra mainsheet that you could donate to the final fleet boat, good karma will follow you through this life.  Well, maybe not that long, but you'd definitely be building goodwill in the karma bank.

This Thursday night is our first Thursday!  Beth Lurie, along with a couple club volunteers, will be our Race Committee.  First start 1830.  Forecast looks sunny and mellow.  As it's our first night of sailing, I think pizza at the club after racing is in order.  I hope to see many old, and some new, faces there! 

Of course, pizza after racing is a handy reminder to get your dues in.  $50, payable to CPYC V15 Fleet, deliverable to Beth Lurie (who conveniently is our RC Thursday).

Also, Monday is the Vice Commodore's Cup, first start at 1300.  Afterward, there will be a club picnic.  As with last year, you can order a picnic 'upgrade' in advance.  See the email attached to the bottom of this message for further details!

Other items:
Fleet Jobs - Derek Jackson has offered to score us again this year, and it would be great if a more active racer could support him.  Also, our scratch sheet dates back to about 2005.  We could use an assistant scorer to update our fleet scratch sheet with proper sail numbers (such as Serge's and the Charles' new boats).  Also, there's an open call for Braumeister...

Summer Solstice Series - starts Tuesday June 1 at Noroton at 1800.  Everyone, particularly team racing novices, is encouraged.  Email Chris J or me if you're interested.  On the 8th, 15th and 29th, we're back here in V15s.  If you don't think you can sail, but might be willing to lend your boat (CPYC carries borrowed boat insurance), please let me know - we'll greatly appreciate it!

V15 New Englands at Larchmont - June 12/13th.  I'm going - are you?  It would be great to get at least 5 boats from CPYC to make the trip down to Larchmont for this easy regatta.  Registration is $60 before June 1, and the first start isn't until 1300 Saturday (and we'll be done by 1600 Sunday).  Away credit will of course be awarded for this.

Half-Price "Sick Day Series" fleet boat.  Last call if anyone wants to take charge of this - it expires May 28th.  We could sell an older fleet boat (I think I know of a buyer), but then we'd need to raise a good bit of the roughly $2000 difference.  I think it's a really great idea, but I can't drive it this week.  See the promotion in today's Scuttlebutt below:
    GET SICK: The LaserPerformance Sick Day Fleet Grant Program provides a brand new ‘fleet boat’ at 50% off. The program offers Lasers, Sunfish, and Vanguard 15s to worthy fleets to help recruit sailors off the couch and onto the starting line. Application deadline is May 28th, 2010. -- Details: http://tinyurl.com/24qluhc

Team Racing in Chicago???- CPYC local Jocelyn Pollak sent me an email today on this: the Windy City Team Race is June 19/20th in the home of Da Bears, Da Bulls, mayors for life, and the 44th President.  I know she'd be really psyched to see some CPYC peeps come out and play with her on the lake.  More details, including housing, potential charter boats, and social activities to follow from Joc...

That's about it for today.  See you Thursday night!

Cheers
Jamie
#1056

The forecast looks pretty good, and we're all ready to go!  Tomorrow, at the club, we'll have a fleet rigging and training day.  We'll assemble around 10 to put our boats together, swap tips, etc.  Then, if the weather's nice, we'll head out for an early afternoon tuning and training sail!  Come down anytime.

Racing starts this Thursday!  6:30pm first start.  Remember, to qualify you have to work RC at least one night.  Thanks to everyone who has volunteered so far - for those who haven't, please email Dona Menton (copied above) with your preferred date. 

The Vice Commodore's Cup is Monday, May 31st.  Racing starts at 1pm, with a cookout to follow.  There will be prizes for that day!

Don't forget your fleet dues!  They're $50, payable to CPYC V15 Fleet, mailed or delivered to Beth Lurie (copied above).  If the qualifying skipper is under 21, dues are $35.

Summer Solstice Series - for the second year in a row, Cedar Point has been invited to participate in the Summer Solstice Team Racing Series with other area clubs.  Everyone is welcome - particularly team racing novices, for whom this series is specifically designed.  After every night we'll have a pizza and beer debrief, so everyone can learn something!  Also, when we host, we'll be sailing in V-15s.  If you might not be able to make it, but would like to lend your boat out, please let me know.  We'll need volunteered boats each time we host!

The schedule is below.  Each night is a Tuesday, and we'll plan to gather around 6:
June 1 - at Noroton, in Ideal 18s - Chris J will be the organizer
June 8 - at CPYC vs Riverside, in V15s
June 15 - at CPYC vs NYYC, in V15s (last year, NYYC brought some awesome glasses for all participants!)
June 29 - at CPYC vs Larchmont, in V15s

Please email me if you're interested!  I'm forming a separate team racing email list, and anyone who's interested should be on it.  Come on down any Tuesday!

I look forward to seeing all y'all tomorrow or Thursday!

Cheers -
Jamie
#1056
 

Well the tide was ripping, and around the time of the last race it became apparent why -- one big assed yellow moon was rising to the east, just over the windward mark. And that was driving the successful strategies of the night...get a good start, go right upwind, go right (looking) downwind.

Dona and I managed to get one of those two ingredients right...the go right one that is...and managed to squeak out Craig Beardsley for the evening as a result. Good starts certainly had nothing to do with it, I was second row each time. But at least being at the boat allowed a quick bail-out to the heavily favored right that got me back in contact by the weather mark. The thing was, the inward sweeping current was much stronger on the left hand layline to the weather mark, which is why it had to be avoided upwind and ridden for all it was worth downwind.

Toby and Craig both pulled off convincing wins and stayed out of any real trouble to get the other two top spots for the night. Newcomer Tuck Northrop finished seventh in his brand new flyer #1505, welcome him when you see him.

A few of the non-weight sensitive crews rendevoused at Fat Cat again for a little more handicapping. If you don't know what I mean, you'll just have to join us next time! - Chris J

Light Air (Again) – Different Winner

Frank Pizzo w/ Caitlin Moore crewing put on a light air clinic last night.  Combining good starts, great speed, near flawless boathandling and sound tactics they posted two firsts and a second.  Chris and Dona were in good form and were second on the night.  Beth and I were third and benefited from the late appearance of Charles Stanley with James May crewing.  Although they missed the first race Charles/James won a subsequent race and were the only ones able to break Frank/Caitlin’s winning streak.  Charles and James ended up 4th for the night and most in need of a throw out.

Afterwards – more Fat Cat Pie (stay away from the jalapenos!).

Next week:  MYERSON POOL/PIZZA PARTY immediately after racing.

Note:  #1288 is fresh water bound.  I’m off to Lake George for three weeks w/ the family.  While I considered submitting Thursday night reports from the Adirondacks, Chris J will instead step back into the earliest of his many roles and keep the fleet updates rolling. - JL #1288

I considered writing about how it was another light air night but I’m beginning to feel like the Bill Murray character in “Groundhog Day”.  I also considered writing about the fact that an actual canine ably performed r/c duty, but due to the loudness of the air horns I don’t want to alert PETA to our starting system. Then I decided that w/ Larchmont Junior Race Week (Andrew Foster 1rst in Lasers, Charlie Proctor 3rd in Blue Jays) just ended and our own CPYC Opti extravaganza on tap for Saturday I would acknowledge the presence and contributions younger sailors have on our V15 program.

Juniors were virtually everywhere last night, crewing for Serge, for Josh and for Toby.  But they were also sailing and sailing well.  Harry with Sarah Hamm crewing won a tie breaker for 3rd and Brandon Kopp sailing Matt Conover’s boat was 5th.  Each of these kids is light years better than I was when I was that age.  They are also more focused and levelheaded.  We are fortunate to have so many willing participants in our sailing.  Next time you see them on the water, or rigging up, give them a hand (if they need it) or offer suggestions on boat set-up or tactics.  Or just set a good example by sailing fairly and with respect to all competitors.  And remember, it won’t be too long before they are schooling us! - JL #1288

On a cool and damp evening it was good to see 12 V15’s out pushing hard after a two week hiatus.  Normally I really enjoy doing race committee because as Yogi Berra said – You can observe a lot by just watching.  Last night, although enjoyable yielded few meaningful observations from my vantage point.  One side of the line would be clearly favored and yet boats from the “disadvantaged” side would round first.  Ditto downwind, both sides seemed to pay, often on the same leg.  Suffice to say that it was puffy, shifty and a fair amount of current too.  Our fleet is a lot tighter this season and on nights like this, consistency was key.  The most consistent team (and the one that benefited most from the throw-out) was Marc and Diogo.  Marc missed the first start by about 90 seconds but the meticulously prepared, awesomely fast and freely proffered #1288 took care of business for the next four races.  This is Marc/Diogo’s first Thursday evening win, but not likely to be their last.  In 2nd were Chris and Dona who despite winning three races counted two other clunkers –victims of the vagaries of the evening.  In 3rd was the supremely consistent Toby Welles sailing with Hillary Trumbull.  4th went to Phil H/Julie who were just a couple of missed shifts away from winning the night.  5th went to phfast Phil Myerson who won the last race just edging Alan Coutts (yes, his younger brother) and Jocelyn Pollak in the Club boat.

We are peak Summer right now, and although there is plenty of sailing left, make the most of these late evening races!  See you next week when Beth and I will be back! - JL-R/C (and 1288)

On a cloudless fourth of July, you can bet that most any boat owner will be out on the Sound.... throwing a nice wake.  Adding to the confused seas, an easterly breeze opposed an ebbing tide – meaning that the wind-driven waves were pronounced.  Fortunately the breeze was solid enough for us to power our Vanguards through the chop; and doing so successfully was important through all of the races.  The wining skipper of the day, Charles Stanley, showed consistent upwind speed.  Several times I noticed him pointing well to weather... read more

Alphabet Soup (BFD, OCS, 1J+4C’s), 19 boats, S 5-10, 5 races (and about 10 general recalls), R/C- Eric/Carrie

Well, it was pretty much an awesome night.  Lot’s of boats, nice breeze and not too hot, except for the starting lines.  R/C Eric Robbins used all the laundry he could find; “I” flags, “Z” flags and finally – Blackie.  Still it was barely enough and the difference for the night came down to getting off the line cleanly w/out absorbing a lot of letters.  In very broad terms, the boat was slightly favored all night (although 4 of 5 race winners never started any further up than mid-line), and the left side of the run (looking downwind) seemed to pay. The keys other than starting well were protecting lanes upwind and keeping your air clear downwind.  The fleet seems a little deeper this year and consistency is more important as there are more good boats to disrupt the usual pecking order. read more...

Well it wasn’t too light and it wasn’t too buggy, but unfortunately it also wasn’t meant to be.  As our sage sailing master Steve Shaw predicted a confluence of combustible atmospheric conditions conspired to keep us on the concrete (no, I wasn’t an English major).  Had the small cell come through 45 minutes earlier or 45 minutes later we might have had a window to sail.  Instead we opted on the side of caution (right up until we opted to go to the Duck for dinner that is).  Tune in Sunday for your next V15 racing fix where my sources tell me a certain red bearded Jedi master may be joining us.

Come and drink from the fountain of knowledge or just come and drink beer.  Either way expect a scintillating Sunday write up from our own Mark Foster – right Mark?  Happy Father’s Day! - JL#1288

17 Boats, 4 Races, Wind – Sometimes, R/C Toby Welles

Beginner’s Luck?

Not bloody likely!  But with the big guns plagued by inconsistency Charles Stanley sailing w/ his daughter Venetra and Frank Pizzo sailing w/ Caitlin Moore were only too happy to fill the void on a very light and tricky evening finishing first and second respectively and notching personal Thursday bests for each.  Charles of course has a great sailing record and is rapidly growing more comfortable in his new V15.  Frank is fresh from another year of paying his dues in NEISA and will only keep getting better.  Despite not winning any of the races Charles and Frank managed to hang in there while others were hanging themselves. When a promising 8 -10 kt southerly fizzled out halfway through the first race R/C Toby Welles did his best to relocate the course and keep us racing. read more...

Customer Appreciation Night – 15% Discount

That’s what the sign said at “Jasmine”, and for 15 V15’s, last night was very much appreciated.  Yes it was a little cold (ok, a lot cold) and a little lumpy (more like square moguls), but the competition was hot and friendly (like, well, never mind).  The fleet was revved up and very competitive, more like a mid-Summer night than early June.  With some of our better younger sailors (Harry, Phillip) and some of our better, how should I put it, seasoned sailors (Cleody, Ched) yet to make it out, it looks like a very good season is on tap.  A strong current, a clocking breeze and tight lines made everybody work hard to stay in the front row.   In the end three different teams won races and there were a few new faces in the top five.  5th went to Charles Stanley who sailed w/ his oldest daughter Venetra by virtue of a tie break over Frank Pizzo.  Charles/Venetra won the 3rd race and it is good to see him transition successfully into the V15 which he has not sailed previously. read more...