Offshore Fleet:

The interim high point results have been posted to the FBYC web site. This is for informational purposes only and the scores are not final. The results are organized by fleet. There are 3 pages in each result set. The first page is the summary of daily scores as recorded in low point. The second page is the raw high point conversions, scores, and calculated participation. The third page is the current standings summary and ranking; excluding boats whose participation level did not meet the 51% or greater eligibility requirement. The third page is the page that shows the "final" series results once they are final of course.

Overall, I realize the computation here is different from the way it’s been in the past. But hopefully you will see the value that this systems offers. Please let me know if you have any questions.

Offshore fleet: Spring Series III is this Saturday and after a nearly three week hiatus it’s time to get back on the water. There are currently four races completed in the series and competition is tight. Remember that we are using the High Point Percentage Scoring (HPPS) system this year to determine series results. If you have only raced one day of the series, you are currently at 50% eligibility (2 out of 4 races). While HPPS is designed to account for a missed day, you must sail in 51% or more of the total races to be eligible for overall series scoring. After Spring Series III we will publish interim (not final) high point standings. This will allow the fleet to see HPPS in action, realize the benefits of the scoring approach, and help folks formulate a strategy to gain the needed points to seize a place in the series. For details on HPPS please reference Offshore GSI’s 13.2.

So enough on the technical information, right? Saturday is looking like a promising Spring day on the Chesapeake with a nice southerly breeze. Come out, race, and enjoy the competition!

Standby next week for an update on the high point standings as we break them down to determine who needs to defend their position and who is in the running to overtake the high point leaders.

See you on the water,

Paul.

At the St. Petersburg NOOD, Brandon Flack, his wife and kids sailed their J70 "Torqueedo", until the last day, with temperatures at 42 degrees, honking wind and big waves.  See this recount of his decision-making.  Our "Loonatictu" was one of the intrepid dozen out of 20 who went out that day, after the delay of a skied main halyard, and other than the occassional knockdown, the big challenge was finding a dry course to the sailing area.  The spray only felt hot for  an instant, then Brrrrr.

Read on at Sailing World

Attention Offshore Fleet:

I hope everyone's year is off to a great start and the excitement for the upcoming 2013 season is building.

FBYC Opening Day is scheduled for April 13th and provisioning/launching time is here. By the way - Opening Day dinner is FREE this year to members. Sign up here: Opening Day.

Don't forget Spring Series 1 starts the very next day - Sunday, April 14th.

Also, be sure to sign up for Spring Clean Up scheduled for Saturday, March 23rd. Come out and help get the club ship shape. Sign up here: Spring Clean Up

 Are you getting ready for the upcoming season? Here are five items that may help...

1. PHRF Certificates. Have you renewed your PHRF and received your updated CERT? The long time PHRF Exec. Sec. has retired and passed the torch to a new one, impacting the yearly renewal process. As a result, currently issued 2012 PHRF CERTs will expire May 1st, 2013 instead of March 31st. So if you have completed the process and received the 2013 CERT - congratulations! If you have not, expect to receive your renewal packet in the next few weeks and return it before May 1st.

 2. FBYC Sailing Events and General Sailing Instructions. I'm sure everyone reads these documents cover to cover, especially after the time and effort that goes into them...So when you receive your yearly installment there are few things to note... 

First: The High-Point Percentage Scoring System will be used to score standings in series races (Spring, Long Distance, Fall). The low point system will continue to be used to determine daily awards.

Second: Courses and course board. Courses were clarified and new courses were added. The course board was brought in line with the way it’s done at other yacht clubs and sailing events.

Third: Review all GSI's because there were several tweaks made throughout.

 3. RRS 2013-2016 Updates: There have been updates to the rules. Be sure to become familiar with these updates especially regarding mark room.

 4. MOB: Are you planning on performing a random (unexpected) MOB drill prior to opening day? Also, now is a good time to start double checking your safety equipment - for example, are those 5 yr old flares rolling around in the bottom of the lazarette really going to work?

 5. Come out and sail! Life is busy and crew is hard to come by. So why not get on the water early and support the club's crew training program and you may be able to pick up a few crew members for the season? The crew training program was SOLD OUT this year! So, this means there will be plenty of newly trained crew out there. The on the water portion of the training is scheduled for two weekends weather permitting - March 23 and April 6. So, if you are a skipper and want to get some practice prior to Opening Day, contact Caroline Garrett at cgarrett17@gmail.com or A.L. Braun annlisa.braun@bdnreit.com for details about volunteering to take new crew out.

Please let me know if you have any questions or comments...

Paul Wash

804.399.2568

Opening Day 2013 - New format - no cost!

Fishing Bay Yacht Club is excited to announce that the Opening Day evening festivities will be no cost to all members who sign up!

When: Saturday, April 13^th **IMPORTANT: Register online by April 5^th to reserve a spot**

Blessing of the Fleet 5:00 pm

Dinner 6:00 - 8:00 pm (new format!)

Band 7:00 – 10:00 pm -  SGGL, back by popular demand

Where: FBYC Clubhouse

Cost:

• $0 – members
• $30 – non-members
• $5 – non-member’s children, 12 and under

Gourmet food stations including butlered service will serve delicacies such as fried oysters and crab cakes.  Full menu here.  Open bar will be provided.

Welcome all racers, cruisers, their families, and guests to this family-friendly event to kick-start a great year of sailing!

(Contact Caroline Garrett for questions - cgarrett17 (at) gmail (dot) com)

Offshore skippers, this is to remind everyone that the FBYC Offshore Fall Series begins this Saturday with the first warning at 1100 hours. The cold front that came through after the Wolf Trap race last weekend has brought cooler temperatures and less humidity...a welcome break from the intensity of the summer. Saturday’s forecast says highs in the low 80s and winds out of the ENE. Registrations are a bit low presently and it makes it tough to figure out who's coming, so as soon as you have a moment, please visit the FBYC site and sign up.

And...if for some odd reason the racing didn’t excite you, we will have the traditional post-race social in the spot near Fannie house...sun, sailing, snacks, and superlative libations…seriously, what could be better? Hope to see everyone out there this weekend…

Fishing Bay Yacht Club would like to thank all of the competitors, crew, volunteers and everyone else who made the Stingray Point Regatta a success.  And congratulations to our winners.  We hope you will join us again next year for another great regatta!

Brent Halsey, Jr Memorial Trophy: Prophet - Blake Kimbrough (FBYC)
Potts Southern Bay Challenge Cup: FBYC
PHRF A0: Afterthought - Craig Wright (FBYC)
PHRF A: Cyrano - Bob Mosby (BBSA)
PHRF B: Goin' Dennis Hannick (DYC)
PHRF C: Prophet - Blake Kimbrough (FBYC)
PHRF Non-Spin: Juggernaut - Mike Dale (FBYC)
J105: Inevitable - Mike Karn (FBYC)
J24: Gray Ghost - Hunter Davidson
Cruising: Desperado - Ric/Sharon Bauer (FBYC)
Sportsmanship Award: Onward - Matson Roberts  

Results: East Course | West Course
Photos: Stingray Point Regatta

Hey There Offshore Fleet and Long Distance Wolf Trap'ers....  Right on the heels of the Stingray Point Regatta, comes the fourth and final 2012 Long Distance race down to the Wolf Trap Lighthouse on Saturday, September 8th.  The first warning signal is 1100 and here are the race details.

The Lighthouse run has a storied FBYC history and if the Wind Gods are with us, it’s a fun and challenging day, so sign up and race… For a gripping read on the day the Wind Gods were against the Fleet, check out Jere Dennison’s series of "Wolf Trap, Force 10" articles.

With fingers crossed for a great race day, plans are being made to repeat last year’s Shrimp Shucking dinner at the Main Clubhouse complete with lots of Cold Beer!!   

Menu:    Beer-Steamed-Old Bay-Spiced Peel-N-Eat Shrimp, Cole Slaw, Corn Bread, Cookies, Soft Drinks, Micro-Brews and Favorite Domestics…  Also for the non-shrimpers (you were heard), there will be some Hot-Dawg-Mac-n-Cheese, so no one’s left hungry…

All You Can Eat or until we’re “Sold Out” for $10.00 a head…

Please sign up online by Wednesday 9/5 and spread the word among your crew (if they didn’t sign up online) so everyone is aware of the cost.

Good racing, Looking forward to the stories, and See everyone for Dinner on Saturday 9/8…. 

Cheers!!

Attention offshore skippers…

This Saturday, August 18^th, is FBYC’s annual Smith Point race and, as always, promises to provide skipper and crew much needed quality bonding time before the upcoming Stingray Point Regatta. So sail off those summer doldrums and come out Saturday…The first warning is at 1400 – for full NOR and course information visit http://www.fbyc.net/Events/2012/08.18.offshore/ssi.dtml.

And…to sweeten the deal, there will be a 5 star breakfast on Sunday morning at 1000 prepared by FBYC’s very own Cheeky Monkey team, the menu features made to order...

Crabmeat omelets, western style omelets, shrimp and grits, Chesapeake style Bloody Mary’s, homemade Béarnaise and more...

Cost is $7 a head – trust us it’s worth every penny…

And…for the first time ever – we will be inducting the first member of the Smith Point Crab Society (SPCS). Entrance to this society is shrouded by secrecy (as it is the first time ever, so we don't even know what they do)…Eligibility is simple – the skipper who sails Saturday and who has participated in the most Smith Point Races and finished is treated to free breakfast and bragging rights.

So don’t miss the race, the breakfast, or the first inductee to the Smith Point Crab Society – this event truly promises to be top notch.

Check out this video from Nanuq when they sailed the Down the Bay Race:

Ever wonder what a waxing gibbous is? Well here's your chance to find out…and no it’s not rubbing compound...

This Saturday is the Moonlight Regatta and it all starts with a $5 (payable at the event) per head dinner at 5 pm in the main clubhouse. The first starting signal is at 7:30 pm.

The dinner includes an Italian feast of spaghetti and meat sauce, garlic bread, and salad. After the race we will continue the tradition of ice cream and Goslings Black Seal rum topping to help beat the heat.

If you haven’t done so, please let us know how many people will attend dinner by replying directly to me (paul.wash@webnext.net or 804.399.2568).

And if you haven't registered, visit http://www.fbyc.net/Events/2012/06.30.offshore/ssi.dtml to get course information and sign up for the event.

Hope to see you there!

Thanks to those who notified me that on-line registration for the Moonlight Race was producing errors.  It did not offer you a chance to enter your Boat info, then complained that you had failed to supply the required data.  Our programmer is tweaking things in our process to make it easier for the admins to configure registrations, and this error surfaced.  I found the culprit this morning, and now it seems to be fixed. 

If you have not signed up for the Cut Channel long distance race this Saturday, you should! Currently, there are 15 boats signed up and the weather as of 1000 Wednesday is calling for winds out of the NE, sunny skies, and temperatures in the 70s. Cut Channel is a medium distance race of 28.4 nm. The first warning is at 1100. For course information, please visit the NOR on the FBYC web site.
 
IMPORTANT NOTICE: There has been a change to the social event...Due to the Opti Kids Saturday night events in the main clubhouse, dinner will not be served after the Cut Channel race. However, we will have a post race social event at Fannie's House consisting of typical snacks and beverages. So come out and race down, across, up, and back across the bay on Saturday.
 
If you have questions, please let me know.
Paul.

Posted from an iPad aboard Loose Cannon as we head North to Fishing Bay towing Prophet, with Lud Kimbrough and Kenny Cobb aboard. We all raced Friday on the inside course as the wind was predicted to be quite strong. But it ended up at 8-15 knots from the South and Southwest. The John McCarthy race committee started the A fleet on time at 10am and sent us on three races, a W6, then another W6, and finally a W4. Everybody was back at the docks by 3 to 4pm, in plenty of time to enjoy the beers at the event tent in the HYC parking area.

Rain began to fall about 5pm, and by 6-7 it was getting squally and some very heavy rain came down. We went to the Japanese Restaurant on Queen St at 730, and at about 8 a terrible wind and rainstorm passed by. The power went out, but the iPhones reported a tornado down by the Food Lion just west of Bluewater Yachts and HYC. We were told the HYC tent had been blown away and was hung up on power poles two blocks away. After it passed we were unable to get within 3 blocks of HYC as downed power lines and trees blocked the road.

This morning all became clear. HYC sustained substantial damage and the balance of SBRW was postponed for about 364 days. All visitors are headed home and the club has a lot of work to do.

The Buhl children were in the tent as the tornado arrived. An alert security guard saw it coming, and everybody went inside to hide in the bathrooms and halls. Fortunately no one remained in the first floor dining area. 4 of the 6 large plate glass windows exploded into the dining room, but apparently the glass didn't hit anyone. The upstairs dining room suffered little damage, except the railing on the outside deck is gone. There was a flat roof over the showers at the Northern end of the clubhouse. A section about 20' square complete with the structural 2 x 12s framing portion was in the parking lot. A roofing contractor was already working at 11 am to replace the roof.

Nanuq had a large pickup in the parking lot. Both tires on the port side were speared by flying debris and were flat. The Voodoo bus sustained 4 broken windows, now duct taped up. Most sailboats on trailers in the parking area were turned over at 45 to 90 degree angles, with many broken and bent masts. Larger boats in slips seemed to come thru without damage, though I did see one broken mast. A brand new Fiat was parked next to the tent. It was from one of the event sponsors. Unfortunately the tent's departure was its undoing, and it will be headed to the body shop for some repair.

There was no power at the club, and though there were lots of utility workers the outlook that Lud would be able to lift Prophet onto the trailer was not bright. So we decided to tow him home on the water while Matt Braun took home the empty trailer. ETA at FBYC, around 6pm tonight. Lots of sad pictures are available on Facebook and on Flickr

The following 2 courses, both easily accessible to FBYC PROs, race committee volunteers, and any members interested in learning practical race management, will be held in March:

**March 10,
2012  - USSAILING (Basic) One-Day Race Management
Seminar hosted by  US SAILING and RAPPAHANNOCK RIVER YACHT CLUB
(Irvington)- OPEN TO
ALL; great information for all folks who want to join the race committee
team. Also, meets seminar requirement for Club Race Officer certification or
renewal and will offer test (optional to participants) that is required for CRO
certification. Cost: $50 for US Sailing member ($95 for non-USSA members)  All
materials and refreshments throughout the day and lunch are included.  John
McCarthy is primary instructor.  Click on this site. 
scroll to the March 10, 2012, One Day Race Mgt Seminar at Rappahannock River
YC and click on register.  Also, you may go to www.rryc.org  OR contact Debbie Cycotte (RRYC)
at (804) 761-3048 OR Lin McCarthy at (757) 850-4225.

**March 24,
2012 - 
NUTS AND BOLTS OF RACE COMMITTEE - Emphasis on Starting and Finishing
Races. 
OPEN TO ALL.  0900
- 1200  at Hampton Yacht Club (Hampton)  This is a great clinic for Race
Committee teams, volunteers, and anyone else interested in getting the basics
down.  This is a practical clinic - good for newbies as well as a
refresher for race committee regulars.  There is NO CHARGE for this
clinic and coffee, pastries, and other refreshments are included.  The clinic
will be led by area race management officials John McCarthy, Buk Lawrence, and
Lin McCarthy.  Please do  PRE-REGISTER, since space is limited - call or
email Lin McCarthy to reserve your spot - (757) 850-4225 or mcbear@earthlink.net   Hampton Yacht Club and CCV are co-sponsors of
this clinic.

Yesterday finished up the Offshore racing season.  Unfortunately, because of the weather the Staggered Start Race was canceled.  However, the Oyster Roast went ahead and everyone had a good time. 

The awards were presented for the Long Distance and Fall Series. 

Long Distance Series PHRF A - Afterthough, PHRF B - Shenanigan, PHRF C - Schiehallion, Non- Spinnaker, Red Sky.  Congratulations to the winning skippers and crew.

Fall Series PHRF A - Double Eagle, PHRF B - Elancer, PHRF C, Horizon.  Again, congratulations to the winning skippers and crew.

Although our season was a bit curtailed by either too much wind or not enough wind, the racing was close and at times very exiting. 

Thank you for the support I've had this year and for everyone's participation.  I hope we can build on this for next season. 

David Clark, Offshore Fleet Commander

Fellow Skippers,

As you are no doubt aware the weather forecast for tomorrow's Closing Day Regatta is not looking good.

The decision to run the race or not will be taken tomorrow morning at the club. If the race is canceled we will be going ahead with the presentation of the Long Distance and Fall Series trophies. This will happen at 12 noon in the Clubhouse followed by the Oyster Roast. So please come and take part in the award presentation and of course the Oyster Roast, remember to bring a share dish and your oyster knife.

The rain and wind will not stop us from eating, drinking and having a good time!

See you tomorrow.

David

Offshore Division Commander.

Thanks to John Hubbard for very good pictures of Trilogy this past Sunday.

I understand that their boom broke

and their spinnaker pole track on the mast broke

but that they did finish the race

and received an applause.  Hopefully no other damage or injuries.

Hey there Wolf Trap’ers…..  Am hearing news that Saturday’s weather is shaping up and hopefully you'll have a nice run down, around, and back from the Lighthouse.  

Post-race, there will be Munchies and a Peel-n-Eat Steamed Shrimp dinner with Slaw, Cornbread, Cookies, Soft Drinks and, of course, Cold Beer !!  Snacks\Dinner will be progressive to accommodate the Fleet(s) as they finish.  

So, Sail fast, Have Fun and See you back at the Main Clubhouse to chow down… 

Cheers !!!

We are going to close on-line Registrations for Stingray Point Regatta on Thursday morning at 9:00AM. We have to turn in the food counts to the caterer who will be off to the supply house Thursday morning.

If you are in the neighborhood of the club tomorrow evening between 6-8, stop on by and have an adult beverage! We are having a casual kick-off for the weekend. It will be a limited offering, but it would be nice to see you.

If you would like to add to our dinner counts for Friday and/or Saturday, please send me an email by tomorrow a.m. at 9:00 and also register on line (so the paper work can be accurate). I need to catch the caterer before he runs off to do his shopping. We have planned some lovely meals, and are looking forward to a very nice weekend.

Dredging continues in Jackson Creek but the good news is the channel is much improved and the dredging work doesn’t block the channel.

Due to the challenges of Irene, some of our volunteers are not going to be able to help out at the Sunday afternoon family picnic.  If you could donate about three-four hours on Sunday afternoon please be in touch with Abigail Whorley.  Akwhorley@gmail.com. 804-357-3240. It will be fun, and thanks!

Stingray Regatta Garments-   White Short Sleeve Cotton Tees and Long Sleeve Technical Shirts, with the accompanying design, will be available for purchase at the regatta site.  Following robust on-line sales, these garments will be available in somewhat limited quantity, so you are encouraged to purchase them promptly at registration.  If demand is sufficient, it may be possible to place paid orders for a subsequent reprint of these garments, subject to seasonal availability of the underlying garment.

Looking forward to seeing everybody at the event.

Despite Irene's powerful winds and resulting tide surge, The 17th Annual Stingray Regatta will be held!

The full agenda from the party Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings through the Labor Day Cookout and Awards Sunday are a GO!!

If you have not registered for the Dinner Saturday night or the Labor Day Cookout on Sunday,  please do so immediately!

See you 'all this weekend

Bye Bye Irene!!!

Stingray Regatta Committee

The Early Entry period for the Stingray Point Regatta has been extended to Midnight, Monday, August 22. Take advantage of this discount opportunity and get your registration in now by going to the Stingray "Sign Up"  link.

Mike Karn
Stingray Point Regatta Committee

Carina finished the 2011 Fastnet Race overnight, and the preliminary results show her 1st in the 72 boat IRC 2 Class and 5th overall - out of about 250 IRC boats.

Congratulations to the entire crew and particularly  to the several FBYC members on Board - Skipper Rives Potts, his son Walker, and FBYC Log Streamer Cyane Crump.   Surely we will expect an exciting article by Cyane in a soon to be published issue!

Carina rounded Fastnet Rock 2nd in IRC 2 and 18th in Fleet, so she improved her position on the trip back across the Celtic Sea and around the Scilly Isles and Lands End to the finish at Portsmouth. 

Meanwhile - Rambler 100 has been towed to Ireland and has been righted.

Carina is doing very well on Tracker - about halfway to Fastnet Rock and in Third place in IRC2.

The first boat to finish was a trimaran - who beat the course record.

Finally - amazing news - Rambler - 100' long - ex Speedboat - lost her keel and capsized.  All crew rescued.  Good article with pictures here.

The leaderboard results look good, but I understand it is not official.  The Transatlantic Results page show Dawn Star in First, and Carina about an hour behind, in second, on corrected time.  Still pretty close after 19 days of racing.

Well done and congratulations to both Dawn Star (UVa law school grad skipper) and Carina (UVa business school grad skipper and UVa law scholl grad crew).

Carina has been at sea on the Transatlantic Race since its start about 15 days ago - and she still has 485 miles to go to the finish.

She is still wearing the crown on the Transatlantic Race Tracker - meaning she still shows up as first in class. 

best of luck - and better winds - to Rives Potts, Skipper, and Cyane Crump - who are the FBYC members on Board Carina.

We have 2 yachts in the Marblehead-Halifax Race this year - and you can track them on iBoat Tracker.

At this moment, Dawn Trader has rounded Cape Sable, and Nanuq is just turning the corner. 

As I understand it, Nanuq is crewed by a number of Fishing Bay regulars, including Skipper Glenn Doncaster, Jerry Latell, and David Clark.

Will and Marie Crump get a 17th (out of 67 boats - top quartile) in the J-80 Worlds in Copenhagen, DE.  See Results.

There is a good write up on the event on Scuttlebutt.

The site now includes a frequently updated Buoy News area to keep the community CBIBS visitors up to date on the system, as well as a Featured User section that will highlight how people around the watershed use information from CBIBS. The old www.buoybay.org will still work for a while; it will soon send visitors to the new address.

Also, for smartphone users...iPhone users can now get buoy data in a flash by using the Smart Buoys app available in the iTunes Store. The app was developed in partnership with our friends at the Chesapeake Conservancy. (An app for Android users is also available; both apps are free.)

For the latest updates on CBIBS, you can follow the buoys on Facebook by being a fan of the CBIBS page.

RUNNING TIDE is doing the Marion to Bermuda Race www.marionbermuda.com, beginning this Friday, June 17 at noon.

Crew is all Fishing Bay members: Waddy Garrett, Parker Garrett, Winston Trice, Ned Trice, Charlie Clough, Paul Becker and Tad Thompson. RUNNING TIDE is racing in Division A.

You can track RUNNING TIDE on http://cloud.iboattrack.com/r/start.php?r=2011_marion_bermuda You can also go to www.iboattrack.com and click on Race Tracking.

I certainly hope they enjoy the race and do well. I understand that because of insurance requirements (an over 10 year old boat - participating in an ocean race), RUNNING TIDE is sporting all new standing rigging. Please sail fast.

Taking part are:

• Excitation - Mayo Tabb
• Nanuq - Glenn Doncaster
• Nereid - Eric Powers

Check out the event website for the Down the Bay Race

It was a day of consistency in each fleet with virtually no change in the top three spots in each class for all races. Three familiar guest boats swept the day in preparation for their trek down to Southern Bay Race Week.

PHRF A was led by Craig Wright's Afterthought (Neuse Yacht Racing Assoc.), fresh off a third place finish in the ten boat, J109 class at Annapolis NOOD. They were followed by overall Spring Series winner, Double Eagle (Sam Mitchener), and Chilcoot (Alex Alvis.)

Dennis Hannick's Tripp 26, Goin' (Dahlgren Yacht Club), took PHRF B, in front of overall series winner, Elancer (David Hinkle), and Chupacabra (Jerry Latell.)

In the combined PHRF C/Non-spin, the Horizon team, Bob Fleck and spouse, dominated the day, same as they dominated the ten boat, S2 7.9 class at Annapolis NOOD. The RC team of Ric and Sharon Bauer and crew were so impressed that they ceremoniously awarded them 10's for their perfection around the dance course all day. The next spots went to overall series winner, Prophet (Noel Clinard), and Schiehallion (Brad Miller.)

Elsewhere on the dance floor, in more unceremonious displays of fleetness ahull, there was a secondary competition for who could kiss the most marks. Trilogy fired the first gun with their two step with, both, the start pin and Elancer in the first race. With 5-9 knot winds generally out of the SE, but a very strong, building flood current, fleetness ahull became even more apparent as racing progressed. Shenanigan and Juggernaut both jumped into the competition with their beautiful back to back waltzes with the windward mark in the second race. Not to be outdone, Trilogy waltzed right back into the lead quickly at the same mark. Trilogy then put an exclamation on the day in the third race by proving their earlier two-step with the start pin was no fluke, adding an adept cha-cha with their too frequent partner. Nanuq, also, displayed a wicked moonwalk with the attractive windward mark, transitioning to a nice tango with Corryvreckan. In other action, the 15,500 lb Neried found that size is not a guarantee that you automatically get to lead your partner, as the 2100 lb Prophet proved that sometimes (often) a woman will get her way. Neried stubbornly obliged.

Final Spring Series Results

Before the start the racers exchanged friendly banter during the drift-fest. Wavelength graced us with a flawless mast climbing performance akin to Cirque du Soleil. Although they were a ways off I think I heard someone say hang on to that halyard and get ready for the flip...

There were a few new and returning faces on the course this week. Jerry Latell's CHUPACABRA, aka "goat sucker," is now a regular in PHRF B. Evidently the vampire theme worked as they got a bullet for each fang...Mike Chesser's SCUBA KAT came out adding to the C fleet competition - there seems to be a trend naming boats after cats...Finally, Steve Wirt's PLEIONE, also PHRF C, appeared on the scene as a long lost cousin of NEREID (mythology reference). We are glad to see you all on the water and hope to continue to see you out there!

Although folks appeared to stand still at times some still managed to use their wind voodoo. The fleet was able to complete two races.

In the 7 boat PHRF-A fleet Rob Whittet’s Wavelength, which has the highest rating in the A fleet, was first over the line in the second race and corrected to 2-1 to win the day moving them to 2nd in the series. Chilcoot beat Double Eagle in tie breaker for 2nd and 3rd. Chupacabra was the top boat in the 6-boat PHRF-B fleet just ahead of David Hinkle’s Elancer and Mike Dale's Juggernaut. Prophet won the 8-boat PHRF-C fleet and was followed by Schiehallion and Blue Moon.

Check out a couple photos from the days racing as well as race 4 results, race 5 results and current spring series standings.

After a weekend of unprecedented weather in Deltaville that caused the cancellation of both opening day (storm) and spring series number one (tornado), the offshore fleet got what it hoped for all along, a bright sunny day with 15-20 knot winds oscillating just enough to make it interesting, and coming on just strongly enough to uncover the flaws in every crews' winter preparations. At the end of the day, Craig Wright's AFTERTHOUGHT took top honors in PHRF-A, Miles Booth's SHENANIGAN stood atop the PHRF-B fleet, and Brad Miller's SCHIEHALLION won PHRF-C.

Notable for her years of prior anonimity, Strother Scott's LOOSE CANNON arrived on course with letterring on her hull! LOOSE CANNON finished first in the J-105 fleet, as did Dick Cole's NUTCRACKER in the uncontested non-spin fleet.

In the end, it was a beautiful day, a day for nature's atonement, and a day for which to be grateful.

• Results - currently being revised and will be reposted
• Photos
• Video

The next offshore race will be Spring Series #3 on May 7.

(EDITOR'S NOTE: We're looking for writer's for each of the club events. If you will be at one of the upcoming club events and can contribute a write-up like the one above please send an email to jon-fbyc@jdeutsch.com.

Results

It is a beautiful day today, but a tornado did come thru Deltaville last night and did substantial damage to the town, the Zoar Baptist Church - pictured below, and destroyed several houses. The Southside Sentinel has a pretty complete update at http://www.ssentinel.com/index.php/breakingnews/article/storm_damage_in_deltaville_and_gloucester/

Alex asked that those in Deltaville today dedicate their efforts to helping those in need in town and cleaning up the club. If you do drive around, please be careful about downed power lines.

Lots of pictures of damage as of last night at https://www.facebook.com/media/set/fbx/?set=a.961187395846.2445550.25501006&l=bb372c54d1

Follow their progress on Race Track here. Scratch Sheet

Luckily, Bronco’s pole retracted on contact. Otherwise both Bronco’s pole and Red’s hull would have been a lot worse off. And what about the protest? Red was found at fault based on Rule 16.1 which says, “When a right-of-way boat changes course, she shall give the other boat room to keep clear.”

Said Anthony Kotoun, Bronco’s tactician, “At that wind speed, you’re hauling the mail which affects your reaction time. So when somebody flips over in front of you, it depends on how far away they are as to whether you can get around them. A similar situation happened to me in Key West on another boat, where the boat ahead flipped over and we ran them over and shredded our kite on their spreader. There is a certain amount of trust you have that the guy in front of you will have a good set. And sometimes, it doesn’t happen.”

Our Team of Travis Weisleder, Rob Whittemore, Ben Buhl and Lud Kimbrough have returned from racing the NYYC Invitational Cup Qualifying Series where they sailed against some very tough competition which included past Sonar North American Champions and Olympic sailors.

Pictures of the event are posted on FBYC Flickr pages and on the team’s Facebook Page

16th ANNUAL STINGRAY POINT REGATTA
For the Brent Halsey Jr. Memorial Trophy
September 4 & 5, 2010

REGISTRATION DEADLINE SEPTEMBER 2, 2010

ENTRY FEE: $100 per boat. Entry fee includes Friday welcome reception, continental breakfast Saturday and party Saturday night with live music by The Wrest.

For more information and to register online:
Check out www.fbyc.net
Or contact Alex Alvis: (804) 370-8241 or alexalvis@comcast.net

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED:
Bartenders (1-hour shifts) – Contact Tom O’Connell at (804) 360-9516 or toconnell6@gmail.com

Contact Alex Alvis at (804) 370-8242 or alexalvis@comcast.net if you can volunteer for any of the following:

Friday, Sept 3 – Clean Up post registration party
Saturday A.M., Sept 4 – Parking, Registration, Merchandise Sales, Breakfast
Saturday P.M., Sept 4 – Merchandise Sales, Clean Up
Sunday, Sept 5 – Post Race Clean Up

Here it is! This is the call.

I know we’ve had a very busy season but we still have events to do.

String Ray Regatta (Labor Day weekend) needs YOUR HELP!

Volunteers are needed for the following:

Sept 3 Friday night Clean-up post registration party

Sept 4 Saturday morning Parking Registration Merchandise Sales Breakfast

Saturday evening Merchandise Sales Clean up

Sept 5 Sunday morning Breakfast

Sunday afternoon Post Race Social Clean up

Thank you in advance for you willingness to help. The volunteer spirit is what makes FBYC successful.!

Enjoy the weekend – SAIL; PARTY and VOLUNTEER

Contact Alex Alvis at 804-370-8241, 804-370-8241 or email alexalvis@comcast.net

There are no known pictures to prove or disprove the yarns shared and claims made at brunch Sunday morning about the 2010 Smith Point Race, started August 21. The Race Committee can, however, confirm that vicious tides, a prestart wind shift and light air at the start brought a couple of competitors to an intimacy with the Race Committee's anchor line neither desired nor intended, but all ten boats got off safely in 4-6 knots of breeze at 2:00 in the afternoon. The forecast held, and the wind slowly but steadily built to a solid 10-12 knot southerly breeze for the sprint up the bay.

Four PHRF A boats sailed the 59 mile course east to the cut channel and up around Smith Point Light, and Four PHRF B/C boats made straight for Smith Point light after clearing Stingray and Windmill Point lights, on a 42 mile course. The lone non-spinnaker entry sailed a shorter (32 mile)course that did not take him around Smith Point light.

For the other details, we can only rely on the stories the competitors brought back. Revelers at a party at Smith Point lighthouse reportedly cheered the rounding boats around, and the partygoers' whaler, tied off to the walkway on the lighthouse well above the waterline, provided a challenge to anyone attempting a close rounding. Once around, the competitors faced a building southerly, and a long, hard, slog home in 14-20 knots (and maybe a good bit more, according to Sunday morning memory), adverse current, and a lumpy sea, under a nearly full moon.

By 1:30AM Sunday morning everybody had finished. Competiton was tight: the 4 PHRF A boats(ratings 84-108) finished within 25 minutes on a 59 mile course, and the PHRF B/C finishes were similarly close. Strother Scott and LOOSE CANNON took first in PHRF A, and Tom Lakin's SWEET LIBERTY edged out the Commodore's EXCITATION and Glen Doncaster's NANUQ for second. In PHRF B, Eric Powers' NEREID took line honors in PHRF B/C and first place in PHRF B, with Brad Miller and SCHIEHALLION claiming PHRF C and correcting out to first in PHRF B/C: SHENANIGAN and TRILOGY rounded out the B/C fleet. Frank Murphy's LAST BOAT III took first in PHRF Non-Spinnaker and the Murphy family followed their triumph by providing a stellar brunch Sunday morning for the tired fleet.

The great fun of long (and long-ish) races, is meeting the challenge of racing in varying wind, tide, and other conditions (equipment problems, anyone?) over an extended period. The stories these races spawn and the camaraderie of the sailors who can share those stories are the real prizes. By that measure, the 2010 Smith Point Race provided a good measure of fun and rewards: Buy these sailors a drink, and ask them to tell you about the 2010 Smith Point Race.

16th ANNUAL
STINGRAY POINT REGATTA
For the Brent Halsey Jr. Memorial Trophy
Fishing Bay Yacht Club
September 4 & 5, 2010

CALLING ALL PHRF, OFFSHORE ONE DESIGN AND CRUISING CLASS SKIPPERS
Come join the premier regatta on the middle Chesapeake Bay!

OFFSHORE MOONLIGHT REGATTA

June 26, 2010

There will be a $5 dinner served at the club at 5:30 p.m. before the Moonlight Regatta on Saturday, June 26. Freda Cross plans to serve bratwurst, German potato salad and beans. Please sign up at www.fbyc.net for the race. There’s no way to sign up for the dinner; however, it would be helpful if you could send a headcount for your boat of those likely to be at the dinner to Freda Cross at fjcross@ymail.com or give her a call at 804-749-8502 (local call from Richmond).

Quoting.... and a iBoatTrack http://cloud.iboattrack.com/r/google_view.php?r=2010_newport_bermuda screen shot at the left.....

"While the focus of attention has been on the big, Open Division boats, Carina, a Class 3 McCurdy & Rhodes 48 skippered by Rives Potts, appears to have made the most of the Gulf Stream. At 15:00 EDT today, Carina was an incredible 60 miles ahead of Triple Lindy, the next boat in her class, and is now within 300 nautical miles of Bermuda. This is the biggest lead in any class at this time."

Neither system is Web 2.0 state of the art, but both systems do work. Please use them. And if you have an issue, email me.

The second annual Safety-at-Sea Seminar will be held this Saturday, March 27, at the yacht club. Registration for late comers, bagels and coffee will be available at the main clubhouse beginning at 8:15 a.m. The seminar will begin at 9:00 a.m. We have a very interesting program with a discussion on electronics presented by Kevin Fay of Marine Electronics of Hartfield. He will talk about AIS-Automatic Identification System, MMSI-Mobile Maritime Service Identity, EPIRB, FCC licensing, SSB HF communications and PROCTOR e-mail, Broadband Radar, Cell Phone and WiFi amplifiers and Gyrocompass. There will be an electronics display for hands on demonstration. Our Commodore Mayo Tabb will talk about electronic interfacing and Ted Bennett will talk about weather and weather sources offshore with live demonstrations. Tammy Johnson, nurse practitioner at Riverside Medical Center, will talk about practical applications of dealing with sickness and accidents at sea, including new techniques for CPR and defibrillator use. The Coast Guard will finish off the program with discussions of helicopter rescue and a live flare demonstration. I believe this will be a very interesting day. Please sign up as soon as possible so the food for lunch can be planned. The $10 fee covers lunch, drinks and handouts. Your "goodie" bag is worth more than $10 by itself. So sign up pronto.

Register at www.fbyc.net

Event Chair: Joe Schott – (804) 776-6004 or hjschott@verizon.net

This course consists of three classroom sessions and two to three optional practice sessions on the water on board racing sailboats. It is offered by Fishing Bay Yacht Club (FBYC) to give sailors and non-sailors alike the basic information, understanding of terminology and confidence to crew on a racing sailboat. Following the last classroom session, there will be a social gathering for participants, instructors and FBYC’s racing skippers. All participants will receive written materials that complement the classroom sessions and include FBYC’s 2010 racing schedule. On-the-water training opportunities will be available at FBYC Saturday, April 3, and Saturday, April 10, to place interested participants with FBYC racing skippers and crews on their boats for a practice session to tune up for the racing season, followed by a chance to ask questions and get further information in an informal “debriefing” session.

Classroom instruction will be provided by experienced FBYC racing skippers and crew and supplemented by demonstrations and hands-on practice. The object of the course is to teach the basics, prepare newcomers to the sport for what they will encounter on board a racing sailboat, and give participants a solid introduction to a sport that will give a lifetime of enjoyment.

WHEN: 6:30 to 9:30 p.m., Tuesday, March 23, Tuesday, March 30, & Tuesday April 6
WHERE: RETREAT HOSPITAL Board Room, Robinson St at Grove, Richmond, Virginia
HOW MUCH: $60.00 (Includes printed Course materials, refreshments and last night social)
WHO: to contact for registration and other information: Jim Snowa jsnowa@ws-arch.com, or (Office Phone) 643-6196, (Home Phone) 323-1510.
REGISTER: Register online at our crew training registration page.

A quite revealing report from Bob Fisher at the America's Cup during the Starting Sequence of Race #2. Seems there was bad blood on board. I find this fascinating when considering the level at which Race Management should be for the "premier sailing event in the world".

Read Bob's report here

Here is the pertinent part of Bob Fisher's report:

"On board the committee boat, the members of the SNG refused to handle the flags. It was left to the Golden Gate YC representative and a chase boat driver to assist Harold Bennett. The reason for the SNG spat was unclear, but it has been suggested that they would have preferred not to race. The GGYC representative said: 'I will not comment on it, except to say that it was the most disgraceful behaviour I have ever encountered.' "

FBYC's newest J105, Travis Weisleder's 'Lucky Dog' is at Key West Race Week which starts Monday. Crew includes Clark Dennison, Rob Whittemore, John Wake and Sharon Wake. Follow along at the event website. Good Luck!

We were able to set Mark Y and get Mr. Roberts back to “B” for an on time start at 1100. We set a course of B A C B Y B - which sent the boats on a short beat to A, a close reach to C, and then a broad reach back to the start at B, and finally a circular course around Stove Point, up the Piankitank River, around Y and return to finish at the Start Mark B.

A few boats set a chute on the third leg back to B, and likewise a few set chutes going up the river. Cat’s Pajamas was out in front going up the river and was able to substantially extend her lead with a spinnaker most of that long leg. As a result, no one was able to pass her, and she finished first – surfing downwind – wing and wing – to the Finish. Drake Johnstone said he had never seen conditions where a J-24 would surf wing and wing.

After the race, everybody enjoyed oysters cooked over the outdoor grill and in the kitchen and served about 10 different ways by Bonnie and Will Vest. The J105 Fleet 15 awarded its season trophies to 1. Mike Karn - Inevitable, 2. Brad Davis - Blade Runner, and 3rd David Clark - Corryvreckan. Finally, Commodore Ric Bauer presented the trophies for the Offshore Fall Series to the various winners.

At the Skippers meeting to occur at the Flagpole at 9:30am on Saturday Ocober 25, 2008, I will hand out printed copies of this Spreadsheet. Please note it has 2 pages - one sheet is to be used if we start on time, the other if the start is to be delayed. The spreadsheet forces me to set courses with a length on exactly X miles - i.e. no fractions of miles.

I will announce that I anticipate setting a course that will include Mark Z as the next to last mark. If you look on the spreadsheet, you will note it says, "Anticipate a Finish at Mark Z and a "Shorten Course" signal. Z will be in the general line between the previous mark and the mark after Z"

That means that if I display a course for example, of A C H L C Z B, then you can anticipate finding Mr Roberts at anchor between C and B and you should finish a shortened course at Mark Z which is nearby - and B will not be a mark you need to pass. In that way, I have the flexibility to set any number of courses, and shorten the course on the last leg to an exact number of miles.

One other change from prior years - as we don't seem to have every Alphabetic Flag from A-L, I can't fly a flag to indicate the course length. Accordingly, I will post a letter board on the side on Mr. Roberts, near the Course letters, but probably slightly higher.

Please also note that your start occurs at an exact time, or, if we are delayed, an increment of time after the "Start Time". As a means to synchronize all watches so people will start on a coordinated basis, please adjust your watch to the time shown on the top left corner of the home page the moment you refresh it, or you can find a faster loading, more exact page at Exact Time .

I have set the time limit at 4:00PM, as the Oyster Roast begins at 5:00PM.

• Inevitable - Mike Karn,
• Shamrock - Bob Rock - rated 12 secs slower as a shoal draft
• Loose Cannon - Strother Scott 
• Corryvrecken - David Clark
• Blade Runner - Brad Davis
• She Crab Soup - Cyane and Will Crump
• Flying Colors - Richard Payne

Quoting from the Press Release -- Travis Wiesleder and his all-pro crew on Carloan.com won the coveted Charleston Race Week Cup Perpetual Trophy for winning the most competitive One-Design class – this year, an easy choice for the 27-boat Melges 24 division. Carloan.com started off this morning in a tie with Kristen Lane's Out House, from Marin, California. “We needed one good start today, and we got it,” said Carloan tactician and top OD sailor Scott Nixon. This talent-laden class is always competitive, and at a big event like Charleston, it's doubly so. Even with a crew that included Nixon, Justin Chambers, and the legendary Skip Dieball, Wiesleder was “just one piece of sea breeze away from 2nd place,” but they took that sea breeze and turned it into the top prize at the event, which included a Raymarine electronics package worth over three thousand dollars.

For a complete copy of the press release, please visit www.charlestonraceweek.com.

Some of us have learned the hard way, that one of the most important aspects of this race is to have a digital watch that is synchronized with the Race Committee's digital watch. If you refresh www.fbyc.net, you note the Race Committee time on the top left corner of the Home page. Knowing what time it is will be almost your only indicator as to the proper time to cross the starting line, as there are no sound or visual signals for your start. I will attempt to call out on Channel 72 information as to who is starting, and who is on deck and who is in the hole, but it is very hard to be fair on such advice, and Brooks and Cathy may restrain me.

At the Skipper's meeting, I will hand out this spreadsheet which defines the starting times for each boat - all depending on the Course Length. The Actual Course, and the Length Code Flag - one letter pennant between A and L - indicating 7 to 17 miles, will be displayed at the Warning Signal and will be available by radio - Channel 72, once it is set. The sheet has 2 pages - one works if we start on time, the other is needed if we are delayed.

If we start on time at 11:05, the course length flag, somewhere between A-L, will be displayed. If we do not start at 11:05, the distance code flag (A-L) will be displayed over the Answering Pennant.

P.S. - if anyone sees a PHRF Rating that is wrong or a sailboat which is outside of the range of starting times, please let me know so I can update the sheet.

The race committee will be Brooks Zerkle, Cathy Clark and me. Anyone else interested in a cruise on Mr. Roberts, please let me know.

Smile when you pass Mr. Roberts, so I can get a good picture! Plan to dry off, warm up, and have a cocktail at the after race social - the Oyster Roast. Two bushels of Oysters are planned, and Bonnie Vest hopes people can bring extra shucking knives. Big eaters are asked to bring a "share dish".

Christian Schaumloffel and the crew of Mirage took top honors winning the Brent Halsey Jr. Memorial Trophy.

The Hampton team of Mirage (PHRF A), PF Flyer (PHRF B) and Blue Bus (PHRF C) took home the Potts Trophy. Congratulation guys!

Of course it would not be the Stingray Point Regatta without a great party! Good food, a terrific band and lots of Mount Gay rum had folks dancing until the very end. If you left early you missed a great party!

Many thanks to all the volunteers who helped make this event so successful.

Enjoyed the race but missed seeing some of regular competitors.

Wayland

Vic Denunzio has posted about 20 more pictures of the Rosegill Race in the Rosegill Flickr Set

An item from last night's Suttlebutt by Tucker Thompson follows. We see his writing from time to time in Spin Sheet and some of us will remember him talking twice at the 2002 Winter Program when Alain Vincey chaired this activity. We all have different passions, whether it be watching Royalty at the State Capital, NASCAR, or in the case of one of my old friends and past member, John Adams, living to beat Tim Blackwood just one more time. Whatever turns you on, you have to get a warm and fuzzy from reading Tucker's article. If you are not into warm and fuzzies stop reading right here.

SCUTTLEBUTT 2342 ˆ May 11, 2007 (www.sailingscuttlebutt.com)

Scuttlebutt is a digest of major sailing news, commentary, opinions, features and dock talk . . . with a North American focus. Scuttlebutt is distributed each weekday, with support provided by UBS, main partner of Alinghi, Defender of the 32nd America's Cup (http://www.ubs.com/sailing).

THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH (Tucker Thompson is in Valencia, Spain, and is part of the Versus television team of commentators providing coverage of the America's Cup. Thompson will be filing reports for Scuttlebutt through the end of the 32nd America's Cup Finals, providing his unique behind-the-scenes perspective.)

Sailing needs the America‚s Cup. There are those who do not like the event, and it is easy to criticize from their homes and offices about sometimes boring races, slow boats, exorbitant budgets, and giant egos. And these are the people who love sailing just as much as the rest of us. But most of us can only relate to what we know. So if it seems there is too much money being spent on carbon fiber giants being followed by frenzied media and captained by the super wealthy than it is fair to say that most will see much more personal reward on a good beat to windward aboard their own boat at home. That is fair enough, but I would hasten to bet that the America‚s Cup critics are for the most part very likely to be those who have not had the pleasure of seeing this spectacle in all of its grandeur first hand. I had not seen it either.

Something magical takes place, however, when you first walk through the Port America‚s Cup gates and see these floating titans first hand. You can feel the energy of the crew, and it resonates through the vast crowds. The impressive bases line the waterfront in orderly fashion. The Cup village is a virtual sailing city. You pass multitudes of sailing themed restaurants and bars and stores with little brands like Prada and Louis Vuitton and all sorts of America‚s Cup memorabilia. It‚s hard not to be awed by the history of this event when you see the model exhibit of all 31 previous Cup winners and photos of sailing‚s most respected legends. Then you come to a towering building that seems to stretch towards the sea, and there on the second floor in the middle of a crowd sits the 156 year old Cup itself. You can‚t help but be impressed, and you haven‚t even seen the sailing yet! -- Complete report: http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/news/07/t2p

The NOR has been posted, along with an Entry Form and a few other goodies on the web site at www.blacksealcup.com.  The room block at the Hampton Marina Hotel (formerly the Radisson) is being put to good use, and room reservations are recommended very soon.  I will also have a furnished house w/in walking distance available for a small fee, either to an entire team or individual crew members.  Please contact me for details, especially if you know of an out of town team that needs a place to stay.

A new feature this year is the Customized Crew Shirts available from Boathouse Regatta Outfitters. Go to http://www.blacksealcup.com/ to see the shirt selection and place an order for the entire crew.  Order by May 1 to guarantee delivery at the regatta.

Other than that, the RC is set, the rum has been ordered and we’re set to go.  I hope you’ll all take a quick moment to link to the BSC web site from your own club web sites, and feel free to put the attached ad in your respective newsletters, as well.  This is truly a multi-club event and we look forward to hosting such a wild rum-loving crowd at HYC once again for 2007.  Please let me know if I can provide any graphics or other web links for your use.

Thanks for your help!

Leigh Morgan Chapman

This year I have eliminated a large segment of time waiting for small boats, which have not entered, to start. As a result, Morningtide, the slowest rated entered boat, starts at the "Start Time" - 5 minutes after the "Warning Signal". Depending on the course length, all the other entered boats start within 15-30 minutes after Morningtide, so if I can get started on time - everybody will have started by about 1130am.

At the Skipper's meeting, I will hand out this spreadsheet which defines the starting times for each boat - all depending on the Course Length. The Actual Course, and the Length Code Flag - one letter pennant between A and L - indicating 7 to 17 miles, will be displayed at the Warning Signal and will be available by radio - Channel 72, once it is set. The sheet has 2 pages - one works if we start on time, the other is needed if we are delayed.

The race committee will be Brooks Zerkle, Cathy Clark and me. Anyone else interested in a cruise on Mr. Roberts, please let me know. LOOSE CANNON also has one extra crewperson to spare - my stockbroker friend for Waynesboro - who went on No Fear earlier this fall. He will be at the Skipper's meeting.

Smile when you pass Mr. Roberts, so I can get a good picture! Plan to dry off, warm up, and have a cocktail at the after race social - an Oyster Roast - and/or bring your own "crockpot" or other edibles.

The Brent Halsey Jr. Memorial Trophy was captured by Brad Davis in Blade Runner based on his domination of the J-105 One Design Fleet, scoring five bullets in five races. For the second year in a row, FBYC won the Potts Challenge Trophy. FBYC’s three boat team of Voodoo Chile, Carloan.com, and Loose Cannon beat a Hampton Yacht Club team, made up of Feather, Mirage and Flying Colors, which sailed up Saturday morning, freshened up in Jackson Creek and was on the line for the first start Saturday.

Cash Flow turned on the afterburners Sunday to score three firsts and seize first place for the regatta in PHRF-A. La Maga defended her lead after Saturday’s racing to win PHRF-B, as did Small Potato in winning PHRF-C. In the two one design fleets, Blade Runner convincingly won the J-105 class, and Kobayashi Maru the J-24 fleet. In the PHRF-Non Spinnaker fleet, the fleet most depleted by Ernesto, No Fear took regatta honors. Complete race results and final standings are on the home page at www.fbyc.net.

To those who said no to Ernesto’s invitation to stay home and came out to race and help make the regatta happen, we thank you and salute you. To those, who, now the racing is done must turn thoughts and efforts to repairing homes and boats, we wish you a speedy recovery and a speedy return to the race course.

Notice of Amendment #1 to the notice of race and special sailing instructions.

Item 1. Skippers meeting will be held at 1100hrs September 2, 2006

Warning Gun for the first race of the day will be at 1300 hrs.

On behalf of the organizing authority Fishing Bay Yacht Club
Allan M. Heyward Jr. Event Chairman /Vice Commodore FBYC
David R. Lee Principal Race Officer

We are cancelling the Welcome Party and Registration Pickup tonight at the Yacht Club but we expect that we will be open to welcome you for Registration in the morning. Please check back here later today for an update on tomorrow's schedule.

Fortunately the Mt. Gay Rum and your registartion packets are on the mainland end of the flooded Stove Point Road. If you come to Deltaville tonight and would like to pick up your registration packet tonight and share in a little of the rum, please drop by the house near Powell's Marina where Allan Heyward and Elisabeth Staas have both the rum and your registration packets. Please do bring a flashlight! If you wish to call them, dial landline 804-776-6047 - do not try their cells as they have very low power!

The house is two doors down from Deborah Usrys and is very close to the Here - Netties Lane and Kennardstown Road

More to come later today. Strother is emailing this notice to all registrants and offshore racing lists.

The FBYC Protest Committee has granted redress for RFR 2006-1, filed by Allan Heyward regarding the Moonlight Regatta Race 2006.  Based on disposition of RFR-1, RFRs 2006-2 and 2006-3 filed by Paul Cross and Brad Miller are also granted.  Pursuant to the discretion given to the Protest Committee under RRS 64.2 to grant redress to all boats affected without requiring additional requests for redress, the Protest Committee grants redress to all boats in the PHRF-Spinnaker class sailing in the race in question.

The redress granted is as follows: all boats in the PHRF-Spinnaker class which started the Moonlight Regatta Race 2006 are to be scored for the race and for the Long Distance Series as if one boat which sailed the course finished within the time limit, and all boats sailing the course and finishing finished within the time allowed.  Boats retiring without finishing or withdrawing after finishing are to be scored accordingly.

Elizabeth Staas, Protest Chair

Thanks to Bill Spencer, Doug Magargee, Cathy Clark, Brooks Zerkel, and their RC crew for again conducting this great event. And many thanks to Janie French and Mike Calkins for organizing the fantastic band and social event at Liberty at Compass Quay in Urbanna. A splendid time was had by all, and to all of you who made it happen, Bravo!

For a complete rundown of results see the “Offshore Results” link at the top of FBYC’s main page.

** Crew member killed in Volvo race ** A crew member on Volvo Ocean Race yacht ABN Amro Two dies after being swept overboard. The death of a young Dutch sailor who was swept oveboard in the north Atlantic yesterday was reported in the news services early Thursday and later in Scuttlebutt. A link to todays BBC news item on this tragedy follows. Those members who went to Baltimore in 1998 to meet Roy Heiner and his crew who finished first in the first Miami to Baltimore leg may have met this sailor who would have been 24 years old at the time. Eight years later he was the oldest member of the AB AMRO Two crew. RIP

CLICK HERE TO SAVE A LIFE!
A man overboard is dreaded; a man overboard with the chute is a nightmare. The "Quick Stop" is a proven procedure for recovering crew overboard. Learning how to do it (or reviewing it) could save a life of family or crew. So UK-Halsey has posted streaming video on how to do the Quick Stop MOB with the spinnaker up. You can view this on-line; see what to do and who should do what. Then, go practice. It‚s just the first of several safety lessons we're posting to our website, but it's certainly one you‚ll want to view now. http://www.ukhalsey.com/LearningCenter/mob.asp

Today's posting on SBRNYCU prompts some thoughts. The babies as Lyn McCarthy describes them will be closer together when the go down the Bay so you get a second chance to see these boats. Plus lots of opportunities in the meantime to see them in Baltimore and Annapolis. Our own Gary Jobson was to board Pirates of the Caribbean for the ride up the Bay. Hopefully for Paul Cayard and his crew this wont be considered getting outside help.

Three boats went out again after lunch for a wet and windier ride. Sunday's forecast was for improving conditions after noon, with the temperature moving out of the 40's and winds dropping from small craft warning levels to the high teens. Six boats with regular crew and 14 crew candidates, 5 of whom were repeaters from Saturday, went out after an early lunch with the objective of sailing in Fishing Bay. Oracle had a boom bail failure and returned early for repairs while the other 5 boats enjoyed a great sailing day. There was no shortage of help in preparing lunch with Alex and Donna Alvis volunteering for clean-up duty

Thanks for making this event a great first outing for over 40 sailors go primarily to the skippers, most of whom had put their boats in the water only days before. The owners of Chilcoot, Corryvreckan, Elancer, LaMaga, Nereid, Oracle, Schiehallion and Trilogy along with the members who were involved in recruiting the 23 crew candidates deserve special thanks.

There will be one more training session this coming Saturday, April 15 and all we need for another successful day are more candidates; please register on-line so we can provide enough lunches. Regardless of what it says on the web site about Jere Dennison itching to be Social Chair for a third consecutive day, Art and Lloyd Backstrom will be doing the honors and thereby completing half of their 2006 duty.

At the Skippers meeting to occur at the Flagpole at 9:30am on Saturday Ocober 29, 2005, I will hand out printed copies of this Spreadsheet. Please note it has 2 pages - one sheet is to be used if we start on time, the other if the start is to be delayed. Unlike last year, the spreadsheet forces me to set courses with a length on exactly X miles - i.e. no fractions of miles.

I will announce that I anticipate setting a course that will include Mark Z as the next to last mark. If you look on the spreadsheet, you will note it says, "Anticipate a Finish at Mark Z and a "Shorten Course" signal. Z will be in the general line between the previous mark and the mark after Z"

That means that if I display a course for example, of A C H L C Z B, then you can anticipate finding Mr Roberts at anchor between C and B and you should finish a shortened course at Mark Z which is nearby - and B will not be a mark you need to pass. In that way, I have the flexibility to set any number of courses, and shorten the course on the last leg to an exact number of miles.

Please also note that your start occurs at an exact time, or, if we are delayed, an increment of time after the "Start Time". As a means to synchronize all watches so people will start on a coordinated basis, please adjust your watch to the time shown on the top left corner of the home page the moment you refresh it, or you can find a faster loading, more exact page at Exact Time .

I have also set the time limit at 4PM, as this year there is an extra 2 weeks to get to the Awards Banquet.

* From Stephen Wells: While I have totally lost interest in the cup it was interesting to read the AP (story in the New York Times (Little Things Mean a Lot). One really wonders how someone who could amass the necessary $300 million could spend it so foolishly. We are really lucky on the other hand that they didn't decide to spend it on running for president. The weight issue is really stupid. With over 50,000 pounds on the starting line and they are willing to risk a breakdown for a few ounces? I'll bet a statistician would tell them that it's worth at least 1,000 pounds extra to significantly reduce the chance of a breakdown. Remember a breakdown is a loss 100% of the time

There are four changes that a syndicate could make that could drastically increase the chances of winning at no cost: - Get the English majors out of the tech decisions - Make sure your driver has an IQ over 80 and isn't an alcoholic - that's really hard. - Hire a statistician to evaluate your major decisions - Don't give your designer final authority over anything - let them deliver the drawings and go away - hire an engineer to review the design - why be forced to deal with another big ego. - Make your driver practice against the instruments. You'd be amazed at how much there is to gain in speed and distance to the mark by applying a little calculus to the basic maneuvers - it's an ego problem for some really dumb people who don't want to take tacking lessons.

The final answer is that match races are not lost by seconds they are lost by finishing second.

Today I was able to modify the Home Page display so it shows all Results files plus Custom files that have a name that begins with "Race" - so it looks to me like all the series races are now on the Home page. Eric will need to remember to name new individual race files as Race 1, Race 2, etc. and not names like "Going to Rosegill" or "Morning Race", etc.

Thanks, Rob, for the suggestion. The links between the various results files still will not work, but you should be able to easily find the results for each race.

Word is that among the crew are our Commodore Jay Buhl and our Treasurer, Paul Howle. We will be checking in and looking for the pictures soon.

Keep it up guys - and girls!

I have preplanned many courses, which all fit within one of the 9 different lengths on the sheet. The Actual Course, and the Length Code Flag will be displayed at the Warning Signal and will be available by radio - Channel 72, once it is set.

The effect of all this is that if I can start the race on time, with a Warning Signal at 1100, the start will be at 1105 and the boats will then start at the time on the sheet, being somewhere between 1110 and 1116 for Wrinkled Sheets, and somewhere between 1122 and 1142 for the J-105s who rate 96, etc., etc., etc.

The race committee will be me, Brooks Zerkle, Kathy Clark, and Peggy Call. Anyone else interested in a cruise on Mr. Roberts, please let me know.

The event is limited to boats whose design is 25 years old or greater, and raises money and public awareness of Hospice, whose volunteers care for the terminally ill.

Complete results and information about the event are at Hospice Turkey Shoot Regatta

It does not appear we will be adversely effected by Ivan or Jeanne, but conditions may be a little uncomfortable. Please, be attentive to communication from this events' RC, Brooks Zerkel, including feedback to Mr. Roberts in the event of any problems and/or any individual abandonment of the race. The RC crew are responsible for the fleet's whereabouts and safety, as well as, it goes without saying we need to look out for each other. If the Y flag is flying, all crew must be wearing life jackets, period! And it probably is a good idea to have all your crew with life jackets on, regardless...Just makes good sense...there's enough you have to worry about as is, and this is about having fun, even in challenging conditions. Conditions look reasonable at the moment, but could easily change.

The latest marine forecast from NOAA: .SAT...S WINDS 15 KT. WAVES 2 FT. SHOWERS LIKELY WITH SCATTERED TSTMS. .SAT NIGHT...S WINDS 10 KT. WAVES 2 FT. SCATTERED SHOWERS.

The Sunday racing was very exciting as many variations were used for spinnaker takedowns, including several which occurred semi-voluntarily immediately upon launching the chutes (for example La Maga), others following the jibe when the chute was completely wrapped around the headstay (ala Loose Cannon) and others which required the competitor to sail well past the leeward mark - well performed by Corryvreckan . Other strategies included - just don't fly the chute - rewarding Blade Runner with a third. Other interesting sights including watching the Jacob – Swenson family aboard the Melges 24 surfing at 20> knots followed immediately by the rudder losing laminar flow and a high speed wipeout with spinnaker. Twelve boats elected not to sail on Sunday which gave them low scores, plus they were robbed of lots of fun on the water, allbeit perhaps the safer choice.

Drake Johnstone and his crew – Correll Moore and Brent’s children - Brent, Philip, and Ali – (shown in the second photo) were awarded the sportsmanship trophy for their attendance and perseverance on Sunday in the trying conditions.

Finally, Hampton Tacht Club won the Potts trophy by only a couple of points with ther team of PHRF-A Feather - Philip Briggs PHRF-B Independence - Graham Field, and MORCCheck Six - John Scott. Pictures of most of the winners are online thanks to Jon Deutsch.

The racing was very tight – there was a three-way tie for first in MORC, a three-way tie for second in the J-105 class, and a 2-way tie for second in the PHRF Non-spin class. Results are available

John Dodge sends the following message:

To the sailors of FBYC,
This time of year is always special for me as my thoughts drift to Fishing Bay, the regatta Jim Rogers and I founded in memory of Brent Halsey, Jr., and the pride I felt in chairing that event from its beginning in 1995 through 1999. The explosion of popularity of the event, growing from 24 boats it's first year to a record 100 in '99, was a tribute to the entire FBYC community and I thank everyone for making it such a successful event under extremely heartbreaking circumstances. I have taken much of what I learned in those five years and have tried to apply many of the lessons I learned to my new position as Regatta Chairman for the CBYRA Annapolis Race Week which also begins Saturday. While I am extremely proud to be serving as president of CBYRA and to chair this position, you should know that deep down my heart drifts to Fishing Bay and the regatta you will be hosting this weekend.

May the wind gods be on your doorstep and the ideals of this event never waiver. To have fun, enjoy the commradrie of your fellow sailor, and to remember in your hearts why this event was founded.

Good sailing,
John Dodge

But there's better news further on. Gary Jobson reports that all is ready for broadcasting Olympic news, hopefuly including Gary. And other reports are that there will be daily sailing news from Athens, a great leap forward from Sydney and Savannah where NBC imposed their usual embargo.

Some related comments. First, when the games were held in Savannah in '96 some $11MM was spent creating a man made island as a launching site so that some species of water fowl would not lose their nests. The competitors appropriately named it Water World. Hopefully the expense was justified. Second, environmentalists claim that the cannon used to start some 35 or so classes at Cowes at 5 minute intervals over a three hour period scares all manner of living creatures, but tradition prevails. Finally after the Sydney games were over and the British team won their final Gold medal two whole pages of a major London Sunday newspaper were devoted to sailing. What would it take for the Richmond Times Dispatch to provide this amount of coverage? Maybe reverse the results of the mid 1800's unpleaantness, the Civil War?

See Class 04 at http://www.bermudarace.com/resultscroll/position4.php plus with his rating - Pat is doing even better - see Results

Enjoy, if you would like full resolution copies of any of these just email me.

[shameless plug]
LASER SAILORS: Come out Monday, May 31 for Memorial Day Fun Races. We are expecting a good fleet and we'll have a good time with some short, fun races. NOR: http://www.fbyc.net/Events/2004/05.31.onedesign/ssi.dtml
Spring Series 4 & 5: June 6, 12.
[/shameless plug]

-Jon Deutsch www.jdeutsch.com

Hey there Fishing Bay members and visitors. Take a moment to check out the Opening Day racing photos posted to our website.

Photos

The pictures posted are a representative sample of the photos taken throughout what became a beautiful day of racing.

If you would like to order any prints from the posted shots, or would like to see all of the photos taken of a particular boat, please drop Ed Funk with Vista Enterprises a line!!

Prices are as follows:
4x6 $5.00
8x10 $10.00
11x13 $20.00
13x19 $35.00

Ed Funk
Vista Enterprises
(843) 815-9455
funket@hargray.com

Boats are expected from Ontario Canada, New York, New Jersey, and North Carolina. The Virginia boats include Cheryl Lea from Hampton Y.C., Stephanie from Rappahannock River Y.C., as well as Night Music, Patriot and Titillation from FBYC.

I have preplanned many courses, which all fit within one of the 9 different lengths on the sheet. The Actual Course, and the Length Code Flag will be displayed at the Warning Signal and will be available by radio - Channel 72, once it is set.

Comments and proposed changes are always welcome.

The format for the Offshore Falls Series races scheduled for October 18 and 19 will not be changed and will be as published in the Notice of Race for the Offshore Fall Series in the 2003 Sailing Events Book.  That is: PHRF Spinnaker and MORC fleets will sail up to two drop mark races each day, and PHRF Non-Spinnaker will sail one medium distance race each day around drop and government marks listed in Appendix A.

Yes, it is nice to see the Titillation crew perform on the race course, but they are even better on the dance floor (if that is possible). For those who missed it, show up at night, everybody is equally worn from the wringer during the day !!! The band adapted to our wishes and played till they were exhausted or the meter ran out (g).

Having 14 and 13 boats on the line in A and B fleet respectively produces more than the 3 publicly announced award winners per class (see details) . It was much more exiting than last year (with only 8 boats per fleet). To my knowledge there was no protest, which speaks for itself. I hope the organizers had some fun too; because of them, we had such a fun weekend. Photos: if you have any, post ‘em please.

Looking forward to see many of FBYC at the Frostbite Series (10/26-11/23) in Hampton or Southern Bay Race Week (Black Seal Cup) next June.

The Southerners from Hampton

Beer and soft drinks will be on ice at the clubhouse starting at 11:30am on Saturday. Bring your own lunch and eat at the clubhouse at Noon with your fellow adventurers before we set out for the first warning at 1400 hours (same as original.)
Dinner will be drop shipped to your boat by helicopter around 1900 hours.
On Sunday morning at 9:30am (not 12:00pm, as originally listed), orange juice, coffee, muffins, and bloody mary's will be served at Fannie's House with awards before you hit the sack, head home, go clean-up, or after you've had a short sleep.

This is a longer race (58nm for spin, 42nm for non-spin, 33nm for MORC) than last year's model, and may not be as fast, so the follow-up breakfast and awards Sunday morning may be adjusted forward or backward from 9:30am, if needed. Communication to the effect will come by coconut telegraph. See you Saturday, and again Sunday morning!! And you will have a mutinous crew if you're counting on the helicopter to show.

The second place finish, coupled with a first in class in the Annapolis-Newport Race and a fourth in class in the Marblehead to Halifax Race, earned Cohen and Dawn Treader the 2003 Northern Ocean Race Trophy, awarded annually since 1961 by Stamford Yacht Club to the boat with the best record in qualifying ocean races over a season. See list of the 2003 Vineyard Trophy winners

For the last nine years the trophy has been awarded to boats sailing in both IMS Racer and IMS Cruiser/Racer classes, and the list of past NORT winners is a veritable who’s who of blue water racing over the last 42 years. In order to qualify for the NORT, a boat must sail a minimum of three of the seven qualifying races, including the Vineyard Race.

In addition to Larry Cohen, five Fishing Bay sailors raced on Dawn Treader during her successful campaign. The successful Vineyard Race and NORT win are a fitting 25th anniversary present for Dawn Treader, a S&S designed Swan 411 launched in September 1978, and cap Cohen’s five years of campaigning her. The crew pictured are - left to right - Chip Kinsey, Mike Crowley, Ken Sutton, Larry Cohen, Fred Joyce, Hans Pusch, Colin Snell, Rick Rowland, Jeff Branflick and Paul Andersen.

Lori Moyer and her race committee crew set great courses which included a skate around Windmill Light for the Spin classes. Awards will be presented at the Annual Party. Thanks to all who helped with the cookout including Maggie and Wayland Rennie, Diane and Ed O'Connor, Sharon Bauer, Eric Powers, Chris Newton, Mistie Harbour, and Alain Vincey. Moonlight Regatta Results - Revised

Over the past five weekends we have had two days of classroom, and two days of on-the-water race committee training. And a day of classroom training at Hampton YC for those who can't get enough. Also three days of on-the-water crew training, and a day dedicated to grounds clean-up. As a result of these efforts the club looks as good as it ever has looked, and off-shore racers are hopefully as ready as they ever have been for the Opening Weekend Regatta and the Spring series races which follow.

By now all members should have had time to check out their sailing Events book and decide on which activities that they plan to attend. Hopefully Opening day will be top of your list, with many other events to follow. All of these programs are run by volunteers, and if you want to help call one of the Race Committee, Social or Event Chairs. They'll welcome you with open arms.

We look forward to seeing you all.

Patriot will soon be on its way soon to the J-29 North Americans to be held in Rochester, NY on August 16-18. Good Luck!

In due course the results, as regards the FBYC Spring Series, will be integrated into the series scoring.

Photos taken from Mr. Roberts are posted on the web site.

Allan Heyward
Offshore Division

See attached flyer or http://sbracing.tripod.com