Hamble Winter Series VII Finale

(Hamble, England)- With wind from the North East, and a fair bit of it, the Hamble River Sailing Club PRO went to East Knoll (4H) to run the final day of the 2019 HYS Hamble Winter Series. IRC Classes 1 & 2 were dispatched upwind to William (4L) with the smaller boats, IRC Classes 3 & 4, to the slightly closer hamblewinterseries.com (4J). There followed a series of up and down legs between the windward marks and buoys in a southwesterly direction before everybody ended with a beat to William to finish.

A couple teams had worked out that they would win their class without venturing into the cold December air. Simon Perry's J/109 JIRAFFE had such comfortable lead in IRC 2 Class that they stayed ashore to prepare for the prize giving! There was a three-way fight for the final podium places in IRC 2, with Gavin Howe's J/88 TIGRIS taking home the silver.

In IRC 1 Class, Chaz Ivill's J/112E DAVANTI TYRES posted a third place in the final race to hang on for the silver. It was not what the crew had hoped for, going for an unprecedented "three-peat" for the IRC 1 Class honors. 

Finally, in the J/88 Class, Howe's TIGRIS won quite handily, followed by Dirk van Beek's SABRIEL JR in second and Richard Cooper's JONGLEUR in third place.
  
Back in the HRSC clubhouse it was a double prize day. Force 4, who were unable to give away their Christmas presents last week, due to the abandonment, turned up again with the day prizes. Athena Rossi, who opens the Port Hamble shop early during the series, was there to give them away.

Lee Pollock from Hamble Yacht Services then proceeded to present the overall series prizes. As well as the HRSC glassware, Lee gave the winners a HYS goody bag with vouchers for lifts and Champagne.

Finally, Chaz Ivill, presented the Paul Heys Trophy to Simon Perry's team on the J/109 JIRAFFE. This trophy will now be presented annually to the best J/Boat Team in memory of Paul Heys- J/Boats U.K. late founder.   Sailing photo credits- Paul Wyeth Pictures   For more HYS Hamble Winter Series sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.

SOLSTICE Eclipses J/22 Turkey Bowl

(Annapolis, MD)- The Severn Sailing Association held their annual pre-Thanksgiving regatta- the Turkey Bowl- in Annapolis, MD for the local J/22 fleet on the weekend of November 12th to 13th.

After enjoying a weekend of delightful racing on the Chesapeake Bay, the SSA PRO managed to run four races.  Taking the honors as Chief Turkey was the team on the mighty SOLSTICE, comprised of David Waiting, Natalie Burls and Pedro Espina with a record of 2-1-1-1 for 5 pts- a virtual eclipse of the fleet.  Second overall was determined on a tie-breaker at 12 pts each!  Taking the tiebreak was the crew of HOT TICKET with Jason Goscha, Jonah Seiger and Dan Wilson.  Losing based on having just all 3rds was Team VENTUS, with Scott Gelo, Jennifer Bickford, and Grant Beach on the rail. Sailing photo credits- Dan Phelps.  Follow the J/22 Turkey Bowl social media here on Facebook  For more J/22 Turkey Bowl sailing information

Storm-tossed STC “College Big Boat Regatta”!

(Larchmont, NY)- Over 420 college sailors from the United States, Canada and France raced on 45 owner-coached keelboats over Columbus Day Weekend in the Storm Trysail Foundation’s Intercollegiate Offshore Regatta (IOR) sailed on western Long Island Sound. A team from the United States Naval Academy (Navy) sailing the J/44 MAXINE was the overall winner after winning four races and finishing second in one race in the competitive six-boat J/44 class comprised of all service academies.

Up until the Tuesday before the 2016 IOR, the forecast for Hurricane Matthew had Western Long Island Sound right in the center of the National Weather Service’s forecast cone. As safety comes before other considerations, the organizing authorities feared the same outcome as at last year’s IOR. In 2015, due to the threat from Hurricane Joaquin the week before the IOR, other regattas were cancelled and many boat owners had hauled their boats or moved them to safer locations. This year, the weather gods treated the IOR more favorably and in a 12-hour period, on the Wednesday morning before the IOR, the forecast had completely changed, sparing a possible hit to the Northeastern United States. The IOR was back in full swing.

After the hurricane potential, it was ironic that the forecasts for the first day were for 2-4 knots of wind, even as late as the evening before. Once again, the weather gods did their own thing and offered up an 8-12 knot northeasterly for a great day of three races with a relatively flat sea state and moderate temperatures. The Navy team on J/44 MAXINE had three bullets on Saturday.

MAXINE’s skipper Midshipman Matthew Robbins said, “We knew that to win the overall would require us to win almost every race. We sailed with teammates filling in for three of our regular crew members, which is a huge testament to the depth and talent within our program.”

Jahn Tihansky, the Director of the Navy Varsity Offshore Sailing Team said, “To watch them handle their boat across the range of conditions from getting off the start to shifting gears upwind and turning the corners efficiently, was amazing. They were also able to rebound from some misfortunes and quickly got back into winning form."

The second day of racing was sailed in an increasing northerly, which ironically was an outer band from the now dissipating Hurricane Matthew. The breeze was in the mid teens with some gusts to over 20 knots. The race committee, led by Storm Trysail Club Principal Race Officer Charles “Butch” Ulmer, skillfully got in two races in stronger breeze and wave heights before the conditions became marginal.

The Storm Trysail Foundation (STF), with organizing authorities Larchmont Yacht Club and the Storm Trysail Club, presented the Intercollegiate Offshore Regatta, and this year it was again led by Regatta Chairman Barry Gold. “The IOR provides an opportunity for collegiate sailors to come together in a unique forum that is both highly competitive yet educational,” said Gold.  “It also allows some college dinghy sailors with no big boat experience to be introduced to an entirely new aspect of racing.”

An example is Grand Valley State University (GVSU) in Allendale, Michigan. This was their first time in the IOR. Of the 10 sailors that comprised their team, five were experienced big boat sailors, and five had little to no experience on big boats. Nick Zomer, Commodore of GVSU Club Sailing said, “The GVSU Sailing Team is immensely grateful for an experience of a lifetime for many of our sailors. Fifty percent of our team had little to no big boat racing experience, nearly everyone on the team had never sailed in salt water, yet we were still able to place and hold our own in the regatta. Many a team member is now hooked on big boat sailing for life, especially in regards to the thrill, the adventure, the strategy, the camaraderie…all thanks to the IOR.”

The 45-boat fleet was divided into five classes: IRC 38’-43’ (9 boats), J/44 (six), J/109 (eight), PHRF (12), and J/105 (10).

In the IRC Class, it was the University of Michigan sailing Ron Richman’s J/133 ANTIDOTE that easily won their class, posting a consistent record of 2-3-2-1-2 for 10 pts total. In fifth place was the Stevens Institute of Technology sailing Chris Hall’s J/122 WILY SILVER FOX.

In the 12-boat PHRF division, it was Tulane University’s team sailing Doug McKeige’s J/88 JAZZ that won their class on a tie-breaker, posting a 1-1-4-2-2 record for 10 pts total.

In the one-design world, it was a very closely fought series for the top of the leaderboard in the J/105s.  After the first day, the Massachusetts Maritime Academy sailed Bruce Stone & Nicole Breault’s GOOD TRADE to the top of the standings by one point over the University of South Florida sailing Gary Myer’s MAGIC.  On Sunday, that battle continued with USF winning both races, capitalizing on tactical & boat-handling issues made by the Mass Maritime crew.  As a result, USF won by one point, with Mass Maritime in second and taking third place was the US Naval Academy sailing Za Jelliffe’s ARETE.  The rest of the top five included George Washington University sailing Josh Burack’s PEREGRINA in 4th and Miami University of Ohio sailing Dan Herron’s LIQUID COURAGE in 5th place.

McGill University (Montreal, Canada) won in the J/109 class sailing MORNING GLORY with four firsts, and a fourth. In second place was the team from ENSEIRB-MATMECA sailing on J/109 STRATEGERY. The team from ENSEIRB-MATMECA, in Bordeaux, France, earned the right to compete in the IOR as the winners of the 48th EDHEC Sailing Cup raced last April in Roscoff, France; their team won an all-expense-paid (except for air fare) trip to the IOR, thanks to the joint venture between STF and EDHEC Sailing Cup. Third and fourth were determined by a tie-breaker on 19 pts each between Bates College sailing Bob Schwartz’s NORDLYS and University of Rhode Island sailing Jonathan Rechtshaffer’s EMOTICON.  Bates took the tie-break over URI.  Taking fifth place was Syracuse University sailing David Frizell’s CEOL NA MARA.

The J/44 class literally saw a total eclipse by the US Naval Academy’s team on Bill Ketcham’s famously fast blue boat- MAXINE.  Five bullets gave them a 6 pts total score and the 2016 STC IOR Overall Champion award for the weekend.  A distant second was the US Coast Guard Academy’s GLORY with 10 pts, third was Maine Maritime Academy sailing Len Sitar’s VAMP, fourth was Mass Maritime’s bright red SPIRIT, and fifth was SUNY Maritime College sailing Norm Schulman’s CHARLIE V.

The EDHEC Sailing Cup is the world’s largest college sailing regatta that draws over 1,500 sailors and 180 boats, and the joint venture with the STF is designed to bring the top college sailors in the world together. As a result of being the overall winner of the IOR, the J/44 team from Navy has won an all-expense-paid (except for air fare) trip to the 49th EDHEC Sailing to be sailed from March 31 – April 8, 2017 in France. All U.S. collegiate teams are welcome.

Thanks to sponsors Rolex, Vineyard Vines, Safe Flight Instruments, Pantaenius Yacht Insurance, Flintlock Construction, Dimension/Polyant Sailcloth, UK Sailmakers, Gill, Craft Brewing Co., Coca Cola, and YachtScoring.com, there is no entry fee, and meals are provided for the boat owners and college sailors.  Larchmont Yacht Club’s Commodore, Tim Porter, again hosted and graciously welcomed all of the competitors to the IOR.

The Storm Trysail Foundation is a 501(c)3 charitable organization dedicated to supporting the education of sailors, junior safety at sea, and intercollegiate big boat racing. STF educates young sailors as they bridge the gap between learning to sail and becoming accomplished blue water seamen through a national program of events, including junior safety at sea seminars and intercollegiate big boat racing.  Sailing photo credits- Howie McMichael/ McMichaels Yachts.  For more Storm Trysail IOR Regatta sailing information

“Moose” McClintock: Honoring a Sailing Legend

(Newport, RI)- “Moose” McClintock: Honoring a legend that has sailed J/24s and J/70s for decades and has volunteered his services to all kinds of sailors in the local Newport Laser fleet.  Thanks for contribution from Joe Berkeley, a long-time sailor and local newspaper reporter.

“Moose McClintock was agitated. As the Newport (RI) Laser Fleet’s regular race committee, Moose was told the powerboat his volunteer used to move marks was broken so he would have to make do with a nine-foot inflatable that in his words, “would barely fit a mark in it.” Then smart sailors at the skipper’s meeting were asking stupid questions, like when world champion Peter Shope queried, “Moose, what’s a triangle course?”

But, the big reveal came when fleet co-captain Jack McVicker pulled up behind Moose towing the new rigid bottom inflatable, that was donated to Sail Newport by Laser Fleet 413 and named “Moose” as a tribute to one of Newport’s greatest sailors, mentors, and race committee members.

Moose McClintock knows his way around a racecourse. He has won six J/24 World Championships, three J/24 North American Championships, three J/24 National Championships, a J/22 world championships, a Swan World Championship, and competed in several America’s Cups, and now races J/70s a lot in major competitions with friends. This list goes on and on.

But, if the man with the gruff exterior has a soft spot in his heart for one boat, it is the least expensive and most competitive, the Laser. Moose said, “I’m part of the Laser generation. It’s the greatest boat of all time. I remember the first race of the first Laser world championships in 1974. I rounded the first mark in first place and there were 100 boats behind me.”

Dave Moffet said, “Moose has a sailing record, both professional and amateur, matched by few in the world but on Sunday afternoons in the middle of winter that didn’t matter. What mattered is that as a competitor he was always out there raising the game for the rest of us. Moose now continues to raise our game by running the best RC and pushing us to do one more race when we can no longer feel our hands.”

Stuart Streuli concurred. He said, “Moose was a longtime fleet regular when I started frostbiting more than a decade ago. He was one of the guys that helped define the fleet’s great blend of competitive fire and camaraderie, and he was always willing to help out newer fleet members. When he started sailing less and doing more race committee more (due to a back injury), he brought that same passion to the signal boat and raised the bar for how the fleet runs its races.”

Ed Adams, the two-time Rolex Yachtsman of the Year and former Laser Master world champion, noted that for many years, Moose was the strongest person he had ever met. He remembers meeting Moose at URI when he was a freshman. He said, “At my first practice at URI, I made the mistake of trying to cut inside Moose at the leeward mark, after he had told me not to try. He reached out with his left hand, grabbed my bow, stood up in his boat, and actually lifted my entire boat into the air, flipping it bow over stern, on top of me. I steered clear of him the rest of my freshman year.”

Moose has a passion for sailing. Ken Legler, who was on the URI sailing team with Moose said, “I remember when Moose and his roommate challenged each other to a flaming shots contest one weekday morning. His roommate, all of 150 pounds, passed out but not Moose. My roommate, Jay, and I tried to get to practice without him but he lied down on the hood of the car so we had no choice. He rigged and launched his Beverly Dinghy, immediately half swamped it, and pin balled off every moored boat on Salt Pond on the way to the race course for another memorable day of practicing with Moose.”

Brad Read, the executive director of Sail Newport, who won a J/24 world championship with Moose onboard, said, “I’ve always looked up to him as a mentor. He taught us how to win.” Read also noted another unique Moose skill. “I have never seen anyone who can look at a tangle of line in the cockpit and pick that ball of line up, look at it for three seconds, and completely untangle it.”

Gary Jobson, who won the America’s Cup, said, “I have raced with and against Moose many times over the past 40-plus years. He is a very focused, competitive sailor. He can also seem stoic. In one match race, we were in a tough battle. Moose was our jib trimmer. When our arch rival jumped the gun, I had to smile when Moose uttered, “ALRIGHT!” He’s human, like the rest of us, I thought with a smile.”

Ken Read is quite busy as the President of North Sails. But when asked for a quote about Moose, he responds immediately. “Moose McClintock is one of the key people I owe my career to. Not only as a friend but as a mentor. He and I sailed a million times back in our successful J/24 days. What did I learn from Moose? A lot I can’t talk about…and a ton about winning and improving. We could win a race by half a leg and he would self critique every second of the race. ‘Never be satisfied, you can always improve.’ Thanks, Moose.”

Bill MacGowan has a business in Newport that creates stunning graphics for some of the most important yachts in the world, like Rambler. When he received the call to create the name and the graphics for the Moose boat, he dropped what he was doing and donated his services. He said, “I’ve known Moose since I moved to Newport 30 years ago. He’s been a fixture on the water, a great sailor, and he’s still out there making it happen for the Laser sailors and that’s awesome.”

At the dedication ceremony, host Mark Bear, a professor at MIT who has finished on the podium at the Laser Master Worlds twice, said, “How do you thank someone like this, the person who gives up his Sundays to freeze his tail off so we can have fun in our Lasers? If it were college basketball, we might name the court for him. If it is sailing, we might name a boat for him. So after due consideration, the fleet elders, in particular our leaders Jack McVicker and Peter Shope, have christened her “Moose” in honor of the guy who has given us so much.”  Thanks for the contribution from Joe Berkeley, a member of Laser Fleet 413, a professional writer and an amateur sailor. See his work here- http://www.joeberkeley.com

Winter Sailing: Keep It Simple and Sweet!

(Boston, MA)- Yes!  The Boston Sailing Center sails their J/24s in a winter-long Midwinters series!  For most of North America, racing during winter months is a bit of lottery. Consistency and tolerable conditions is no lock. If this is your sailing venue, you can only limit the risk and hope for the best.

Keeping it simple and sweet is the idea behind the J/24 Frostbite Racing in Boston Harbor. Now in its 24th year, the concept centers around Boston Sailing Center and their fleet of 18 boats. Entry fee includes the boat charter, and racing extends from early November to late March in Boston’s Inner Harbor.

With racing just minutes from the dock, the first race is at noon and boats are typically back to the dock before 4pm. Post-race wrap-ups feature video review of the day’s racing and a de-brief with race committee or guest speakers, along with spirits and chili. Simple and sweet.

Living in regions with real winters, keeping skills sharp is the challenge, as is limiting any boat maintenance and storage issues. Leveraging the assets of a community sailing center, which are likely less used in the winter, is a brilliant solution.

Ken Leger report-
We had snow on February 7 and ice on February 14. Conditions both days were good for racing, about ten knots SW and ten knots SE. When the wind backed to ESE the ice on the East side of the harbor drifted onto the race course. It was a slushy ice so you could sail through it but at a reduced speed.

Frostbite Racing-
Keep your sailing skills sharp in the off season. We offer J-24 fleet racing Saturday afternoons from 12 to 3pm. There will be 18 boats on the line from November 7, 2015 through March 26, 2016. Post race wrap-ups feature video highlights of the day's racing and along with spirits and chili. The match racing eliminations and finals will be held on the last two days of the season.

If you are near Boston and want to get involved, or if this sounds like something that might work in your region, check out the information here.

Carnage & Crawfish, Mayhem & Mardi Gras!

A J/27 Midwinter Extravaganza
(New Orleans, LA)- And, "Ya'll" thought a "yawl" was like a 27 with her after mast ripped off?  Which brings me to the carnage said Andrew Reims:

“So we're in New Orleans...an amazingly cool city for both attitude and weather.  Granted it was a lot warmer than Canada or the Northeast USA but really - in the 40s - definitely not sandals/ shorts weather.  Nevertheless, it was the 2015 J/27 Mid-Winters (emphasis on “winter”) after all.

I don't think anyone bobbing around on Lake Ponchartrain on Day 1 could have predicted what was to come but the RC miraculously were able to get a race off in winds speeds that were even lower than the temperature.  Somehow Dan on "Hot Molasses" figured a way through the Zero to Nuthin variable winds to claim victory by at least a leg on a shortened 2 leg course.  The rest of the fleet of eight boats trickled into the finish line on random puffs.

Day 2 didn't promise much in temperature but what it lacked in heat it made up for in wind.  Three races were run starting in about 18 knots for Race 1 and ending in 25 gusting to 30 kts by Race 3.  Merlin "Alegre" Wilson claimed the bullet in Race 1 after a couple lead changes with Al "Wind Shift" Gooch who finished overlapped at the line.  The rest of the day belonged to Burt "Demitasse" Benrud and his crew of seven with bullets in the remaining races and who, from my vantage point in pursuit on "Alegre", gave us a textbook example of boat control and driving a 27 in heavy air (I didn't know you could stack that many people on the rail?).

Back on shore the free beer and sail repair tape were in abundance as the transplanted Canadians on Wilson  LaGraize's "Pocket Rocket" patched their inventory back together for the following day.  Not to be outdone, "Seamma" with the support and efforts of our hosts at the Southern Yacht Club were able to get a new leech sewn onto Patsy's main as it seems they lost their old one somewhere up one of the upwind legs!  It was a great day of racing as the photos attest to.

Day 3 saw a bit warmer temperatures and a bit more wind for the final race of the regatta with "Demitasse" aggressively defending their lead; the bite on the rudder of "Alegre" being evidence of that.  The penalty accepted did not however change the outcome as "Demitasse" continued schooling the fleet on heavy weather sailing and claimed the victory in the race and the regatta overall with "Alegre" and "Hot Molasses" second and third, respectively.  Linda "Instant Kharma" Webster had a bit of an altercation with the RC Boat which was more a statement of the conditions than a criticism of the Committee who did an amazing job.  No one was hurt except for maybe a bit of pride and if anyone is looking for some modern sculpture that resembles a bow pulpit, please speak with Linda.

Finally, a big shout out/ huge “Thanks” to the Southern Yacht Club, their Commodore Merlin "Alegre" Wilson, the Race Committee and everyone for putting the event together.  The invitation to come sailing, the great hospitality and free beer every night were truly awesome!  For any 27s who didn't make it this year, put the event on the calendar and Merlin will save you a spot in the yard next to Curved Air!”  You can watch 3D replay of the Midwinter action on RaceQs.com   Sailing photo credits- New Orleans Sailing   For more J/27 Midwinters sailing information

J/22s getting some “Snow and sailing satisfaction”!

(Charlevoix, Michigan)- Nothing diminished the enthusiasm and hot-blooded passion to get out on the water for this intrepid trio of J/22s.  Using a snow-blower to access the docks, they dusted off their J/22s and went for an afternoon sail on the nice, wide-open, boat-less harbor in Charlevoix, Michigan.

Perhaps one of the perfect little harbors to go “frostbite” sailing since it’s nearly landlocked on crystal clear, azure waters.  Plus, it’s easy to setup a short course right off the docks of Irish Boat Shop where there’s plenty of warm grog and roaring fires! Learn more about J/22 frostbite sailing at Irish Boat Shop in Charlevoix, Michigan.