Sunday, April 13, 2014

April 12-13 High School Team Race Invitational and Frsotbite


6 teams of high school sailors raced in this first qualifier.  Each team has 3 boats and they race against only one team at a time.  Who cares who wins- it's the total points that count.  You only want the team to win, which makes for some interesting tactics, blocking out or slowing an opponent so your teammate can pass through.  8 to 11 minutes for each race.  We ran 42 races this weekend.

Olof was the race officer and did a great job keeping things moving.  He's been practicing in Monroe Harbor, which thawed or broke up sooner than Belmont.  We had raced right outside Belmont, except for a while on Saturday when it got too windy out there.  Then we enjoyed warm weather and sunshine in the harbor.  Sunday we were back outside in a southwester that just would no blow from the southwest.  Then the big shift came - twice the velocity and from the northeast, across that cold, cold water.  Instant temperature change.  We re-set the course and got going pretty quickly, and then the fog rolled in.  Really solid fog- even with our very short course you couldn't see top to bottom.  We finished up the races that were on the course, which was just enough to count today's racing for the scores.  Then we escorted all the boats carefully back into the harbor and we didn't lose anybody.  The frostbite team brought their boats in too and after consideration, cancelled the afternoon session.

We've had lots of support from the staff lately- thanks Chuck, Scott, Bobby, and Sean.  All the high school coaches were very helpful with the regatta, too.
Chuck taking photos

Michael Leslie, posing in the sun

can you see the puff on the water?


by C Nevel

Janet B
    photos by Janet B, excapt that last one, which is Chuck's.

RC Refresher April 5, 2014

The refresher started with the boat operators refresher - anyone certified to drive must go through this course to drive this year.  Scott went over the specifics of each boat and then we had practice!  short drills in the harbor, controlled run, pivot turn, backwards slalom and docking.  The weather cooperated although the water is still pretty cold.

















For the afternoon session we had a lot of people, including a fresh crop of newbies, which makes us all happy.  We spent a long time on introductions and went over some basics, then broke into working groups for learning and practice in knots, wind reading, radio, recording, GPS and other race committee skills.  The Race Officers discussed how to handle the 2014 crack down on bad sail numbers and other topics

main session

gallery & overflow seating

























clove hitch - why on your own arm?














At the end of the day, we had a small celebration for Lynn to congratulate her on the new job and to wish her well in San Francisco.  We signed a burgee - the same one that flew over Belmont when Lynn first started here.  We gave her some praise and some stories and even a gift to remember us by.  Good Luck Lynn.  We'll miss you.

Janet B
  photos by Janet B, Jill Danly and whoever else grabbed the camera