Rob Wyatt will conduct a racing rules seminar for all interested parties at 12 noon next Saturday June 26th at the lake. Get ready for the Yankee Doodle and brush up on your racing knowledge. This is a great introduction if you haven’t raced before.
You know the drill …
If you can play an instrument bring it and lets jam
Mother Nature has thrown a wrench into the racing schedule for the summer of 2010. The lake is still 20 feet above summer pool. This has the ramp turn around and the dock anchors under water. We cannot reattach the dock until the lake level is below the anchors and the ground around them dries out. We would also be wise to not get to much weight on the asphalt part of the drive, until the ground under it has had a chance to dry out. Therefore, we are going to postpone the first two races of the season and begin the season with the Yankee Doodle on Sunday July 4. We will again this year have a catered meal of bar-b-qued pork and the fixings. Registration for the Yankee Doodle is $25, which includes a dinner for the captain. Additional meals are $8 per person. Come out and join the fun.
The revised race schedule will be as follows:
Yankee Doodle – July 4
Huddleston Cup – July 24 & 25
The Karl Millen – August 7
The Jolly Roger (Long Distance Race) – August 28
The Dixie Cup – September 5
The Great Minnow – October 2
The Great Minnow is a one day race this year. So if fear of committing to two days has held you back in the past come on out this year and join in the fun.
Doug Roberts – Racing Chair
The docks have been moved to one side of the cove and anchored there,
while the water is extremely high, you can launch from the turnaround.
The Harbormaster and the Commodore have commented, please refrain from
tying up at the docks, as we don’t want to stress the anchors any more
than necessary.
We now have a working AED ( Automatic Emergency Defibrillator) living in
the shed to the right side of the door. If you push the on button on
the device, you will be taken through the steps to activate and use it.
If you use the pads on someone and EMS is summoned, they will give us
replacement pads if asked, so please ask. A collection was taken up by
the mates and we accumulated enough money to purchase a set of pediatric
pads, which can be used on smaller people and youths in case of drowning
complications.
Randy Edwards cooked a terrific BBQ and pork tenderloin extravaganza, we
had plenty of great food and desserts as usual. Thanks Randy, for
cooking this month. Our new mates Robert and Meg Akins volunteered to
cook next month. If you can cook, please let Debbie Champion know and
we’ll all be very grateful.
A memorial was held in honor of our Mate John O’ Conner, and some adult
beverage was spilled in his honor. We had a moment of silence to
commemorate sailors who have passed on.
We had a recitation by Lee Huddleston and Herb Siewert conducted the
Blessing and gave a lovely homily. Finally we had a lively toast to the
season by our own Rob Wyatt. Music was provided by Bill Miller, Bill
Champion and Meg Akins.
Due to the high water, we are tentatively moving the Hudlleston cup to
the 12th and 13th of June. The Yankee Doodle will be held July 4th as
usual. Stay tuned as this may change due to circumstances.
The Bluegrass Sunfish Rally will be held at the Louisville Sailing Club on June
26th. We expect a few members to participate up there.
A motion was entered by Bill Miller to allow Marty from the top of the
hill to park his boat trailer while he is using the boat in the spot
vacated by the Committee boat when it is launched for the season. Marty
has come to our aid several times over the years ( most recently during
the flood and moving of the docks) and watches out for the club
properties. Currently he launches from the ramp and then lugs his
trailer back up the hill. This would allow him to leave it in that
parking space, only while he is out in the boat, at the end of the day
he would be expected to remove the trailer from the grounds. The motion
was seconded by Lee Huddleston and passed by the board.
While we have some adversity because of the high water, we can all look
forward to a good season and I’m sure we will have some exciting
adventures in the next months.
Gary Guss – Scribe
I spoke with Commodore Bill Miller tonight.
While the boatyard is safe and dry, the lake water has continued to rise past the turnaround and they have moved the dock up into the cove and have it tied to two large trees, they will be also anchoring it to make sure it can’t get loose. For now, you cannot launch from the club and when it becomes okay to launch, you will not be able to use the dock until the water recedes enough for them to re-attach it to the stabilizing arms. This large amount of water will mean we also need to make some other scheduling changes.
We have moved the Blessing of the fleet scheduled for next week Saturday and will have the Blessing as part of the normal monthly meeting Friday May 14th instead. Our own Herb Siewert will give the Blessing this year. Initially, we had also hoped to have a sailing class graduation on the lake on Saturday which will have to be rescheduled.
The Huddleston Cup scheduled for the end of May will also have to be re-scheduled and this date is to be announced later.
As I get more information, I will pass it along.
Gary Guss – Scribe
The POYC Band – If you can play any instrument or sing call Bill Miller and join the POYC Band. They will play regatta’s and meetings and maybe Carnegie Hall or the Ryman Auditorium. Be popular and fun at parties. Amaze your Friends, Ward off evil spirits
Greetings and salutations to the mates of the POYC. Spring sailing has arrived and it is once again time for the yearly reminders as to what makes the club run smoothly. I first received this list during the reign of the venerable, and now Emeritus, Commodore Bill Hatter; and have since added a few more. Remember – your momma doesn’t live here so…
Which brings me to the last situation of boats left on the dock, sometimes unsailed, for weeks. Older members will remember the standing Corps of Engineers rule that we were only allowed to keep boats on the dock overnite from Friday to Sunday. They have cut us some slack the last few years but we have certainly pushed it. Last year we adopted a gentleman’s agreement of first on – first off. It is not fair to your mates to continually occupy a slot on the dock and make it unable for another to pick up a spot. The dock is not a storage facility therefore if you are not sailing and the dock is full – Please get your boat off the dock!
Thank you for your cooperation in this matter.
I would also like to take this opportunity to remind all mates of some upcoming events. May 14th will find us at our monthly meeting with the potluck at 6PM (Bring a side dish/dessert) and meeting at 7PM.
The Blessing of the Fleet will follow on Saturday May 15th at 11am; also a sailing day for sailing school. For those who have not attended in past years the Blessing is an annual event in which we ask for divine guidance to insure the safety of all sailors. We will wrap up May by kicking off the racing season with the Huddleston Cup Regatta on the 29th and 30th. So as you may surmise the action is cranking up at the POYC.
I hope to see more sailors on the water this season, so get these dates down on the calendar and make plans to join your mates. See you on the water!
Bill
The Start
The start of a sailboat race is one of the most exciting and demanding moments in a sailboat race. A good finish requires a good start. A good start requires judgment, timing, teamwork, and full understanding of how your boat will react in the existing wind conditions. It requires an understanding of wind and weather; and knowledge of strategy, tactics, and rules. Starts demand dexterity at close quarters, maneuvering and the ability to stay cool and concentrate in an environment packed with distractions. One of the keys to a good start is to ensure it sets you up well for the first leg of the race. Think through your strategy to rounding the first mark.
There are two basic approaches, follow the fleet or take a contrarian course.
1. Following the fleet you will ensure that you receive the same advantages of wind puffs and disadvantages of the lulls as the rest of the fleet. You will also have to guard against being in the wind shadow of another boat when following the fleet. Most of the times the fleet will start on a starboard tack which gives each of them the right of way over those on the contrarian start tack.
2. The contrarian start generally will start on a port tack and place you on a tack for a longer run before you tack, and that may mean a longer distance to the first mark. You will be dependent on a different set of advantages of wind puffs and disadvantages of the lulls as the rest of the fleet, which may or may not favor you. You are generally not affected by the wind shadow of other boats on this start. It could set you up for a longer run on a starboard tack with more speed as you approach the first mark.
Rounding the mark
It is often better to come into the mark wide and exit the mark tight. Remember if you are overlapped by a boat on your inside in the three length zone around the mark, you must give room to that boat to round the mark. Likewise if you are coming in wide and fast it is very possible that you can overlap a boat and cause that boat to alter its course to allow you room on the inside.
There are several copies of a Racing Tactics DVD in the shed at the club. You are welcome to borrow a copy of the DVD, but please be kind and return it within two weeks.
To help racing sailors get familiar with the Racing Rules of Sailing, UK-Halsey Sailmakers presents a series of animated race course situations http://www.ukhalsey.com/RulesQuiz/quiz_list.asp
A new regatta is added to the schedule this year. A long distance race will be held on June 19. This will be a little more relaxed race with longer legs of the race. Come out and join the fun.
The Jolly Roger Regatta – Approximate Course – June 19, 2010
Doug Roberts – Racing Chair
Be one of the cool kids and pay your dues today !
Members, if you are in arrears, you can’t race in the Regattas and participate in the club events. Send off your payment today, its the right thing to do !
Woo hoo first meeting at the Lake this year … 6pm.
Probably want to dress a bit warmer for this one !
Hola ! Bill and Debbie are making Steak Fajita Wraps .. come on out and bring a side !
Port Oliver Yacht Club - The Telltale 