Youth Sailing Programs- Ways to Fix Them

Many Youth Sailing Programs are Failing, but there are Ways to Fix Them

There is no doubt that competitive pressure on kids is resulting in the decline of sailing in some youth sailing programs.  However, this trend can be reversed.

Twenty years ago, our club established a sailing camp.  In the early years, we had about ten kids, but sixteen years later, we hit a peak of 92 with ten on the waiting list.  This was about 10% of all the school-aged children in town.

We supplement our racing program with a set of skill-building games.

By far the most popular game is “pirates”.  The kids are divided into teams of five - a merchant captain, two coastguardsmen, and two pirates.  The activity is so popular that we tell the kids they cannot play it until they sail expertly, which usually happens about the middle of the summer.

The second most-liked game is “sailing Frisbee”.  It uses a start/finish line, a race course and Frisbee or aerobie for each team.  A boat cannot tack while in possession of her Frisbee.  The Frisbee must go around the course, no shortcuts!

Next is “sail-ball”, a field/team sport for sailors, like football, lacrosse, soccer, etc.  There are two goals and two teams.   Like soccer, play is continuous, with teams throwing the ball to each other to get it in the goal (usually a floating water polo net).  Within the three-boat length circle around the goal, defense has the right of way, otherwise racing rules apply.

“Cheaters race” is always a winner on light days.  Setup a small race course- about 100 yards.  Ooching, pumping, skulling, etc., are all allowed.  Even swimming!

We invented more than fifty games and add more each year.  Most games are fun, competitive, but low pressure.

In addition, to having a good time all summer, some youngsters become local regatta champions.

So take heart, there are ways to get kids passionate about our sport.  And, ours is not the only approach.”

Videos of some games can be viewed at http://www.youtube.com/user/JayEveleth.  And for written rules, visit http://kittihawk20.squarespace.com.  Thanks for this wonderful contribution from Jay Eveleth and Scuttlebutt USA. Add to Flipboard Magazine.

SANTANDER Wins Tiebreaker @ Algarrobo

WINDMADE Crowned Chilean J/70 Autumn Circuit Champion
(Algarrobo, Chile)- In the last weekend of June, six races were sailed for the Autumn Championship, hosted by Cofradía Náutica Algarrobo, off the Pacific Coast of Chile.

Seventeen J/70 showed up at the starting line, thanks to the delay of the incoming winter and the lack of snow in the Andes Mountains ski resorts. It is true, many J/70 sailors are also snow skiing fans but the fun-in-the-sun on the ocean was far more appealing!

As the sun rays dawned over the snow-capped peaks of the Andes mountains to the east on Saturday morning, it was clear the wind was a “no show” for the first part of the day, leading to a postponement until the early afternoon.  Nevertheless, a cold and nice breeze from the west started blowing around 2:30pm.  Three races were sailed with winds ranging from 10 to 13 knots.  It could have been a cold winter day of sailing, but the nice winter sun and the tight racing made the atmosphere warmer than expected.

From the beginning, the battle between Pablo Amunategui’s SANTANDER and Juan Reid’s WINDMADE started in the first race. In the first beet, WINDMADE (J/70 hull #001) managed to get in front after SANTANDER tried (and failed) to do lee bow getting to the 1st weather mark. On the 2nd beat, SANTANDER chose the left, tacking immediately after rounding the leeward gate.  A good left line of breeze gave them the advantage on the second windward leg. The final result of the 1st race- 1st SANTANDER and 2nd WINDMADE.  In short, that was the summary of the close racing between these two boats all weekend.

The conditions for sailing were very nice.  In general, the left side is favored in the westerly winds, but that was not the case this weekend.  As a result, the fleet could spread out and play windshifts and breeze lines across the race course.

The second race of the day was a lot more complicated for SANTANDER, finishing 13th while WINDMADE finished 5th.  First was Pedro Cabezón (Corinthians and very new skipper in the class!!) and second, again, was Diego Gonzalez’s SENSEI.

For the third race of the day, Reid’s WINDMADE won handily, followed Cristobal Molina’s LEXUS in second and Matias Seguel’s VOLVO in third.  The day closed with WINDMADE leading, followed by SENSEI in second and VOLVO in third place.

The weather forecast for Sunday was complicated, some rain during the morning, but the day continued to get better than expected. The breeze start blowing from the north at 8-12 kts, with tricky, choppy seas (north seas comes directly from offshore) and that made for a challenging race course with difference in pressure and direction.  The seas were very difficult to steer on starboard tack, as you were going perpendicular to the wave train!

It was close racing all day long Sunday. Pablo Amunategui & Rodrigo Guzman’s SANTANDER sailed clean, posting a 1-3-2. With three great starts and perfect tactics/ strategy, they deserved their excellent results.

Meanwhile, WINDMADE struggled a bit on the last day, with finishes of 7-1-3.  In fact, in the last race, Reid’s WINDMADE had a bad start and made an amazing recovery (thanks to great tactics from Rodrigo Amunátegui) to get the third place.

With six races, one discard race came into play.  On total points, WINDMADE won, but with discards, both WINDMADE and SANTANDER were tied with identical records of 1-1-2-3-5 at 12 pts each.  Amazing! Shocking! In any event, “c’est la vie, c’est la guerre”!  It came down to “who-beat-who” in the last race, tipping that advantage to SANTANDER over WINDMADE. Rounding out the podium was Diego Gonzalez’s SENSIE with 14 pts- the most consistent boat in the regatta, throwing out a 5th place and on straight points/ no throw-outs had won the regatta!  Tight racing to say the least for this trio.  The balance of the top five included Seguel’s VOLVO in 4th and Andres Ducasse’s TSUNAMI in 5th position.

In the Corinthians division, there was just about a three-way tie for first!  Two cousins, and both Lightning skippers, Cristóbal Pérez on TRILOGIA and Francisco Pérez on ELEANOR RYGBY, both finished with 46 pts! That tiebreaker went in favor of TRILOGIA.  Just one point back with 47 pts was Paolo Molina’s ALBATROSS.

After the Algarrobo event, the eighteen-race Chilean J/70 Autumn series concluded, with two discards permitted for overall results.  Crowned as champion was Juan Reid’s WINDMADE with 49 pts total. The silver went to Andres Ducasse’s TSUNAMI with 62 pts and the bronze to Pablo Amunategui’s SANTANDER with 67 pts.

In the Corinthians Division, winning the Autumn Series was Pablo Cisternas’ UROBORO with 153 pts. Second was José Antonio Jiménez onboard JUMENEZ with 170 pts and third was Francisco Pérez skippering ELEANOR RYGBY scoring 183 pts.

The Chilean J/70 class begins their Spring series on September 8th and 9th with one regatta per month until the middle of December (when the Summer Series commences). Twenty boats are expected for the Spring series.

In the meantime, three teams are preparing to sail the 2018 J/70 World Championship in Marblehead, MA (Boston)- WINDMADE, TSUNAMI, and BLACK SAILS. Add to Flipboard Magazine.

VINEYARD VINES Wins NYYC One-Design Regatta

(Newport, RI)- Thirty-sevens J/70s sailed in the second annual New York YC One-Design Regatta.  The fleet was comprised of numerous one-design class National, North American, and World Champions, most of whom are sailing the regatta as part of their training programs leading up to the WEST MARINE J/70 World Championship, hosted by Eastern YC in Marblehead, MA later in September 2018.

A bad start in light air in a 37-boat fleet can be fatal. If you let it be. Skipper John Baxter and his team on the J/70 Team VINEYARD VINES were determined not to let a mistake at the outset of the first race define their regatta. So instead, they got to work, found the advantageous puffs and shifts, and battled through a fleet of top amateur and professional sailors to an 11th in the only race on the first day of the second annual New York Yacht Club One-Design Regatta, which was sailed Saturday and Sunday out of the New York Yacht Club Harbour Court in Newport, R.I. It wasn't anything to write home about, but it was enough to keep them in the hunt.

On the finale on Sunday, in virtually identical conditions, Baxter and his team (wife Molly, Jake LaDow and Ben Lamb), were nearly unbeatable, winning two races and placing third in the final race to secure a seven-point win in the regatta's biggest class.

"Yesterday we didn’t start very well; we were real deep and then we ground back to an OK finish," said John Baxter, from Riverside, N.Y. "Today, we started better and were able to use our speed to get out of some sticky situations. The goal was really to minimize the bad starts, because a lot of the teams go the same speed. You’ve got to have a front-row start and just go fast."

Second was World Champion Tim Healy on USA 2 with a 1-9-3-10 tally for 23 pts.  Third was Ryan McKillen’s SURGE (with Mark Mendelblatt as main/ tactician) with a 5-6-11-1 for 23 pts, losing the tiebreaker.  Fourth was John Brim’s RIMETTE (with Taylor Canfield as main/ tactician) with a score of 3-2-4-20 fort 20 pts.  Fifth was the top Japanese team- Eichiro Hamazaki’s THE SLED with a tally of 2-5-5-18 for 30 pts.  For more New York YC One-Design Regatta sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.

NORWEGIAN STEAM Smokes Norwegian J/70 Nationals

(Hanko, Norway)- GRUNDIG Hankø Race Week is one of Norway's most famous annual regattas, and one of the summer's absolute highlights for sailing in Eastern Norway. Hankø is renowned for its good sailing conditions and location, and has been a focal point for sailors from home and abroad for more than a hundred years. The Royal Norwegian Yacht Club (KNS) collaborates with Hankø Yacht Club, founded by a bunch of adult sailors from KNS in 1954. Idyllic Hankø Yacht Club (HYC) is well protected from wind and on the other side of the bay lays the guest harbor and the royal Norwegian family cottage- “Bloksberg”.

Perhaps more importantly, Hankø's climate made the island attractive for summer holidays in the 20th century, and laid the foundation for what is today the Hankø spa hotel.  The venue is famous in Scandinavia for hosting numerous World Cup, Nordic Championship and National Norwegian Championships. 

For 2018, the KNS hosted the J/70 Norwegian Championship, the world’s fastest growing, and leading sportsboat class.  For the first Norwegian Nationals, a baker’s dozen boats participated to compete for the nation’s bragging rights as top team.

In the end, it was the most experienced J/70 team in Norway, Eivind Astrup’s NORWEGIAN STEAM, that was crowned Norwegian J/70 Champion after posting a very consistent scoreline of 2-4-1-2-2-2-1-3-1 for 14 pts net. Giving them a run-for-the-money with near identical scores was Jorn-Erik Ruud’s NOR 1242 from Moss Seilforening Club with a tally of 3-1-3-1-1-3-4-2-2 for 16 pts net.  Rounding out the podium was Magne Klann’s VIEW SOFTWARE from Soon Seilforening with a record of 1-3-2-3-5-4-8-4-3 for 25 pts net.
For more Norwegian J/70 Nationals sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.

Vic-Maui Race Underway

J/122E JOYRIDE Amongst The Leaders!
(Victoria, British Columbia, Canada)- The Victoria to Maui International Yacht Race, hosted by the Royal Vancouver Yacht Club and the Lahaina Yacht Club, got underway July 1st. The 2,308nm course goes from Victoria, British Columbia to Maui, Hawaii.

The lone J/Crew sailing the race is the gorgeous J/122E JOYRIDE from Seattle, WA skippered by her owner- John Murkowski. They are one of the most successful offshore racing teams in the Pacific Northwest.

Day 1- The Start
And they’re off! At 10:00 am Pacific Time, the 2018 Vic-Maui fleet sailed through the start line outside Victoria Harbour, tacking into a stiff, building westerly breeze.

In the days leading up to the start, the sun broke out just in time for the fleet Send-off Party that rocked the Wharf Street docks on June 29. Transient orcas (killer whales) patrolled the entrance to Victoria’s Harbour on a damp June 30.

Today, July 1st (Canada Day) dawned sunny, breezy, and warm (if not exactly tropical).  The Race Committee vessel hung on a tenuous anchor off Brotchie Ledge, while the spectator boat fleet circled and a drone flew overhead.  The VIP spectator boat Midnight Sun elegantly patrolled the spectator boat zone.  

After the start, the J/122E JOY RIDE pressed hard going west into the Straits of Juan de Fuca.

Eight hours into the race, the fleet was working its way towards the big left turn at Cape Flattery, and the open Pacific Ocean, where the adventure truly begins.  Weather systems including the North Pacific High, and a developing Low pressure trough, lie ahead in wait.

Day 2- Past Cape Flattery and Onto the Rhumb Line
After a great run down Strait of Juan de Fuca, most of the fleet rounded Cape Flattery before the sun set and got to see a sight that most people never get to. Cape Flattery is the very northwest corner of the lower 48 states and a major landmark. But, it is very remote by land and very few sailors venture out into the open Pacific.

After rounding Cape Flattery, the fleet starts sailing down the rhumb line, more or less, depending on breeze strength and direction around the notoriously wobbly Pacific High. Roll Call happens at 1200 hrs Hawaiian Time (1500 hrs Pacific Time). Today the fleet is relatively close together about 160 miles offshore of Ocean Park, Washington on Willapa Bay.

The weather pattern is setting up for boats to ride a path between the Pacific High hovering to the northwest of its usual location, and a Low pressure zone along the Washington Coast that caused the cool weather and rain before the start. If this weather pattern holds, it may result in a short, sweet, fast ride to Hawaii. But, the only thing constant about weather is change and the sailors will need to put the beautiful sight of Cape Flattery behind them and focus on figuring out what their weather crystal ball is telling them.

The match race between the two leading boats in Racing 1 is a tight one. Firefly and the J/122E JOY RIDE are taking turns with the lead. At roll call, it was Firefly with a 10nm lead. But, leads are fleeting, and it remains to be determined which has the right weather track.

Day 2- Weather strategy update
Here is a quick primer on weather systems in the Northeast Pacific Ocean, between Cape Flattery and Hawaii (courtesy of David Sutcliffe).

1) The dominant summer pattern in the Northeast Pacific Ocean is usually the North Pacific High.  Winds blow in a clockwise rotation around the High that is usually centered somewhere North of Hawaii and West of the US West Coast, say about 40N – 150W.  The High usually spreads over a very large area of the ocean and wobbles around, expanding and contracting, usually without the center moving too far.  Sunny and warm!

2) Temperate zone low pressure weather systems travel from West to East in the temperate zone which technically is between about 23 degrees and 66 degrees North latitude.  Put another way, this zone is roughly between the Southern tip of Baja Mexico and the Bering Strait off Alaska.  In summer, the lows usually travel in the higher or more Northern areas of this zone, and are usually deflected above the High.  Winds blow in a counter clockwise direction around the lows.  Cloudy and rainy!

3) In summer, the High usually deflects Low pressure systems up into the Gulf of Alaska, keeping nice summer conditions over the West Coast of North America.  When a high and a low system press against each other, there is usually a squeeze zone with stronger winds between the two systems.  Breezy and lumpy!

4) Trade winds usually blow from the Northeast or East between about 30 degrees and 5 degrees North latitude.  This band is roughly between the USA-Mexico border and just North of the Equator.  Trade winds usually blow steadily, but El Nino and La Nina cycles affect them, and there will usually be some squalls.  The bottom of the High and the North edge of the trade winds blend together over the ocean.  Champagne sailing!

5) Tropical Low pressure systems usually develop off the coast of Central America, and some strengthen to tropical storm or hurricane strength.  As with other lows, the wind blows counter clockwise around these lows.  These systems usually move Northwest to the open ocean area West of Baja Mexico before weakening and dissipating far from land.  Sometimes, they curve North and East to make landfall in Mexico, and occasionally they travel West towards or all the way to Hawaii.  Pay attention!

So it’s all very simple, or maybe not!  A dozen mentions of "usually".  Now, imagine being the navigator onboard an ocean racing boat, sleep-deprived, peering at a laptop screen below-deck at “oh-dark-hundred” (0200 hrs local time) while the boat rolls, pitches and heaves.  Your information is limited to weather forecasts and observations that can be obtained over a very low-bandwidth and sometimes expensive communications link using either marine radio or satellite systems.  Nothing is certain, and reality often doesn’t look like the textbook said it would.  The rest of the crew each have their own opinions (of course!), and then there are the armchair quarterbacks back home on dry land, cozy, warm and dry, sipping their coffees.  Which way to go?  What to worry about?  How best to get to Hawaii safely and fast? One eye to weather!

Day 3- Weather update
Ocean weather, never a dry topic, is getting more interesting - we have a High, we have a Low, which way to go, don’t you know?   "Green eggs and ham, Sam I am" (Dr Seuss, of course).

The North Pacific High is established and centered at about 43N 155W. It’s strong – about 1036mb – which is good, and about 600-800nm in diameter. There is a Low developing about 500nm West of Vancouver Island.  A squeeze zone should develop between the High and the Low.  Interesting!

Tue Jul 3, 0800PDT
The High is forecast to drift West while the Low is forecast to move SE and should be affecting the fleet from about Tuesday evening (tonight) through to Thursday morning.  Most boats should see sustained wind speeds in the 15-25 knot range, while some may see up to 30 knots, bordering on gale force.  Wind angles will change as the Low crosses the track, leading to a flurry of sail changes, and once settled the angles should be behind the beam and very favorable for fast sailing. Hopefully, fast!

The fleet is currently sailing very close to the rhumb line, the shortest route to Hawaii.  Shortest, but not necessarily the fastest.  The High is likely to move farther West than usual, and combined with the Low it will be very attractive for the fleet to sail West of the rhumb line. Might be a risky move!

Wed Jul 4, 1600PDT
This is not the textbook route to Hawaii!  The risk of being West of the rhumb line is getting swallowed up into the middle of the High if/when it comes back to its usual position.  There is little to no wind in the middle of a High.  On the other hand, trying to go East of the rhumbline means beating into the Low and possible light and variable winds when it dissipates.  So, the navigators will be thinking this routing decision out carefully.  And, there is always the possibility, or probability, that the actual weather will be different from the expected weather.  A conservative strategy might be to sail on the favorable side of the Low, stay as close to the rhumb line as practical, sail less distance, stay in the squeeze breeze, and take less risk of getting becalmed.  Sounds easy!

Beyond the next few days and the passage of the Low, the trade winds ahead are looking good.  Off to the southeast, there is some tropical system activity to keep an eye on, with TS Emilia reportedly dissipated and TS/Hurricane Fabio strengthening and forecast to dissipate before affecting the Vic-Maui fleet’s probable track to Hawaii.    

Day 3- Who Stole the Wind?
After a day and half of blast reaching in conditions best described as “not martini weather”, the fleet has hit the wall. A Low pressure zone (described above) moved over the fleet, substantially altering the weather and putting the brakes on the wind and boat speed.

The relief from turbulent seas and stress on the boat is welcome. One boat reports that everyone is eating again and, for a lucky few, the daily constitutional has resumed. But, having to fight their way through a region of relative calm is not.

At Roll Call, the boats are generally about 270 miles west of Tillamook, Oregon.  The leaders in Racing 1 have slowed from 8 kts to 5 kts and the boats in Racing 2 who are 40 miles behind have put the brakes on slowing to less than 2 kts. Ouch!

In Racing 1, Murkowski's J/122E JOY RIDE sits in second just 16nm back. The boats in Racing 2 are essentially in a dead-heat with all within a few miles of each other.

The next trick will be who is best positioned to get the wind first as the Low pressure system moves toward the east and the prospect of wind filling in behind it. Will that be Firefly who are positioned a bit to the east, or will it be JOY RIDE and the other Division 2 boats positioned well to the west of the rhumb line. And for the armchair sailors taking bets, it would be wise to consider that multiple winning navigator Brad Baker is calling the weather shots on Firefly.

The over-arching concern is what happens next with the experienced veterans knowing that the fastest route to Maui is not usually the straight line.

Oh and did we mention Hurricane Fabio? Fabio (who makes up these names?) is churning away well south of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico and is forecast to dissipate well before the fleet arrives. But, big Low pressure systems coming from the south usually disrupt the trade winds.

Whatever happens, the navigators and weather dudes aboard the boats are going to earn their keep this year.

Day 4- Three Big Things to Think About
This is not a textbook year!  The weather situation for this Vic-Maui is developing into a true ocean racer’s challenge, where seemingly small decisions and a few miles one way or the other early in the race could make for big gains and losses.  That doesn’t mean it’s all on the navigators, who do have their work seriously cut out for them, as it’s also on the whole team who will have to sail the boat very well and work hard with sail changes, trim and transitions to get ahead or stay ahead. Here are three scenarios:

1. Wednesday & Thursday
The near term weather is all about getting past the Low that is currently (0900 PDT) centered about 42N 133W.
- All of the boats appear to be going over the Low, varying distances West of the rhumb line.
- There is a squeeze zone with strong winds, possibly to gale force, predicted.  Careful!
- Leaders Firefly and JOY RIDE appear to be splitting this morning, with Firefly making a move further West and JOY RIDE staying the course.  With over twenty miles of lateral separation, and the passage of the Low to be threaded, the risk/reward is likely to be significant for both boats.  If one does a better job of passing the Low, they could stretch that into a very significant lead for the next stage of the race.
- The Low may drift North, back across the fleet’s track, potentially catching the tail-runners in lighter, variable winds.  Sailing fast, now, is especially important for these boats.

2. Thursday & Friday
After navigating the Low, the teams will move on to sailing around the High and setting up for crossing the ridge which typically extends to the SE from the center of the High.  The models show a significant “plateau” developing on that ridge, and winds would typically be much lighter in such a feature.  Once again, teams will have to evaluate the risk/return on miles sailed vs. wind speed/angle, and decide where to go to avoid the plateau and to stay in good breeze.  Having parked on a similar plateau (making just 65 miles in 24 hours) in 2006, and had boats pass us on both sides (ouch!), I am going to watch this potential trap with great interest.

3. Saturday
The fleet should still be sailing around the High that should be centered about 40N 165W.  It is predicted to continue to be strong at about 1036mb.  One strategy could be to sail an isobar contour line around the high, say at about 1026-1028mb, to stay away from the center, sail in good pressure, and be closer to the rhumb line.  All the while not getting stuck on any “flat” spots.  Lead boats should be looking ahead to curve around the bottom right hand shoulder of the high and set up for calling the port gybe lay line to Maui.  Calling a layline from 800 to 1,000nm out!

Beyond the One-Two-Three scenarios above, the trade winds ahead are looking good.  Champagne sailing ahead!  Off to the Southeast, there is some tropical system activity to keep an eye on, with TS Emilia reportedly dissipated and TS/Hurricane Fabio forecast to peak and then dissipate without significantly affecting the Vic-Maui fleet’s probable track to Hawaii.   

Going out on the proverbial limb, I would say the first finishers could arrive in Maui on July 12 or 13.  Or not.  Time will tell. More news to come!    Follow the Vic-Maui Race here on Facebook.  Watch “live” real-time tracker of the fleet here- https://www.vicmaui.org/tracker   For more Vic-Maui Offshore Race sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.

J/88 Wins Mackinac Solo Challenge

Racing to Raise Funds for Prostate Awareness
(Mackinac Island, MI)- Recently, Richie Stearns sailed his J/88 HOKEY SMOKES in the annual Mackinac Solo Challenge, a 289nm adventure starting off Chicago, IL and sailed north up Lake Michigan to that famous jewel of horses and fudge residing in gorgeous azure blue waters between two Great Lakes (Michigan and Huron)- Mackinac Island. 

For many sailors in the Midwest, the races to Mackinac have a disarming allure, as if there is an invisible magnetic pull that weighs on your conscience, as sailors migrate almost “zombie-like” towards the island for a good dose of rest and relaxation on an island where time has seemingly stood still- just bikes and horse-drawn carriages to get you around the island.  And, of course, the majestic landmark that stands out like a white beacon on its southern cliffs, welcoming sailors from afar- the gorgeous Grand Hotel.  Stepping foot on the island is as close to anyone gets to take a walk back in time.  Here is Richie’s story about his solo racing experience in this year’s Mackinac Solo Challenge, winning his class and 5th overall:

“Solo sailing has never been on my bucket list. I have sailed buoy races all my life.  I’ve been on an America’s Cup campaign and tried out for the Olympics.  I’ve done two double-handed Mackinac races and 44 crewed Mac races. I sailed with Buddy Melges for years and when asked why he doesn’t sail singlehanded or long-distance races, his reply always was “why would I want to sail overnight with a bunch of guys when I can go home to a warm bed and my wife Gloria?” That always seemed like good advice.

However, after a bout with prostate cancer, I thought it might help survivors to see someone doing crazy things, and show them that Prostate cancer is not the end of the world. So, I decided to undertake the challenge to raise money for Prostate cancer awareness and information.

One of the cool things about sailing in general, is there are so many ways to enjoy it. Cruising, racing, single-handed, double-handed and sailing with crew all lead to great times and memories.

You would think solo sailing would be for people who want to get away from it all. That is not exactly true, the Great Lakes Single-handed Society is a group of passionate sailors who use solo sailing as a shared passion. They are there for the challenge, but they also sail to be “with” the other competitors. They talk to each other on their VHF radios to make sure they are OK, or just to find out if there is any wind, or how they are feeling. After the race, everyone helps put the boats away and everyone comes to the parties to talk sailing and about the experience. It is similar to a fleet or a class that promotes camaraderie, except there seems to be more pride in the accomplishment of doing it solo (and rightly so!).

The conditions were perfect for a J/88 at the 0900 hrs start on Saturday. With light air and the Code 0 up, all but one boat was out of sight behind “Hokey Smoke” after a few hours. Boats started to drop out early, either with electrical issues or Autohelm issues (code for “this race will take too long…I’m dropping out").

The first night brought cold air and fog. I have no idea what the temperature was, but 40 F. to 50 F. is my guess. The wind built all night to 15 to 20 kts on the nose, sailing straight upwind to Point Betsie (the first major turning point). As the waves grew to 3-4 ft+, I realized I had never used the tiller pilot to steer the boat in those conditions. These are short steep Lake Michigan waves, not long ocean waves. I am sure there is a way to calibrate it, but it was too late for me. The steering system just could not compensate for the waves and over corrected until it just auto-tacked the boat. An auto-tack while singlehanding in waves catches you off guard. Getting things back under control is tough enough rested, but without sleep and at 10:00 am and 25 hours into the race it makes you think twice about what you are doing.

The Autohelm is the driver, but you are the only crew. I had done quite a few sail changes early on in the race and found running around on a 29-foot boat in 4-foot + waves gets a bit tiring.

The J/88 is a fantastic boat in light air, but with the breeze on and going upwind, it definitely needs crew weight on the rail.

With the tiller pilot problem, I had already lost my lead. By later afternoon Sunday, the big heavy boats were quickly catching me. I had to get out of the waves and hope the autopilot would work in order for me to get some rest. It took hours to get to the eastern shore and out of the big waves. There were fewer waves there, but almost no wind. I could tell by the conversation on the radio and the call-in positions that a few of the big boats had gotten by me.

At this point, about 150 miles into the race I kept hearing more boats drop out. It is an appealing idea when you have sailed for 40 hours on a heavy beat and are only halfway there.  Once I got closer to shore, the waves were less and the tiller pilot worked again.  I set my course and went to sleep for an hour or so.  I may have lost additional ground to the others, but I needed the sleep more!

By late on Sunday (36 hours into the race), I had passed Point Betsie and I was entering the Manitou Passage.  Once you get into the passage, you are surrounded by islands and the sea conditions are no longer a problem.

There was not a boat in sight.  The lead two boats were 10 miles ahead and the others were 10 miles behind me. With smooth water, I was able to get more rest. Probably, too much rest, but the tiller pilot steered fine and the day was beautiful. Just setting the course from one side of the straights to the other with long two-hour tacks made for a great day…and it was warm and dry (the dodger was a life-saver on this race)!

Going into the third night on Monday, it was cold again, but the air was dry, making life on deck much nicer.

I suppose this is what singlehanded sailors come out for. A steady breeze of 8 to 10 knots, fairly smooth water and a full moon. Yes, it is time to reflect how nice things are, how good life is and how much fresh water is in this darn lake? I was close enough to land to use my cell phone and used Google to found out there is 1,000,000,000,000,000 gallons (one quadrillion) of fresh water in the lake.  Lake Michigan does seem big when you are alone on a 29-foot boat.

Through the night I was able to get updated on my position.  The boats from behind were catching me and I was catching the boats in front. I had already halved their lead after rounding Can 3 at Grays Reef, which is a mark of the course before you head east down the Straits of Mackinac to Mackinac Island. You would think when you take an 80 degree turn you would be on a reach, but it was my luck to get a shift to the east and, instead, got more beating into the wind! The J/88 was performing great with 8 to 10 knots of breeze and smooth water the boat just flew along. I was treated with the sunrise of a lifetime when I got to the Mackinac Bridge and made my last tack to the finish line.

When you are alone the work isn’t over at the finish. Someone still has to put things away and that person was me. In an early morning blur, and after over 70 hours of sailing, the main gets flaked and the jib gets rolled up.  Fenders and dock lines are put out. It is over.

It’s just after dawn and onshore people are just getting up.  However, my wife Lori has been there waiting so I have someone to help dock the boat. Then, it’s straight to sleep for a few hours followed by my first hot meal in days.

I sailed Stearns Boating’s stock J/88 to Mackinac Island. I had a main, one jib (light medium), and two spinnakers (Code 0 and a regular spinnaker). The J/88 proved to be a great boat to sail singlehanded in all conditions. It is easy-to-handle and fairly comfortable. It is very dry, and in most conditions might be the boat of choice for singlehanded sailing. Having one jib was a blessing in that I did not have to change sails, however J/88’s are much faster with their smaller #4 jib up. I reefed the boat quite a bit and the reef really helped. Upwind with a tiller pilot the boat has to be trimmed/ balanced perfectly, then the tiller pilot does well. If the boat is not balanced, the tiller pilot has a hard time steering straight.

I finished the race and raised over $10,000 for Prostate Cancer awareness, you can still help!  Please help more men understand prostate cancer!”   To learn more about Prostate cancer awareness, please go here.   Please make a donation here- University of Chicago/ Medicine & Biological Sciences   Kattack tracker for the J/88 HOKEY SMOKES in the Mackinac Solo Challenge. Add to Flipboard Magazine.

J/80 World Championship Preview

(Les Sables d’Olonne, France)- “Being a serial pioneer of nautical events, eager to innovate and energize the sailing community, as well as our Vendée territory, the Sports Nautiques Sablais YC has the immense pleasure of welcoming the J/80 World Championship from the 7th to the 18th July 2018 in the home port of the 'Vendée Globe Challenge’!

It is a great privilege for us to host a seventy-boat fleet crewed by more than 400 sailors, from nine nations that will be racing for five days in the bay of Les Sables d'Olonne.

I am delighted and thankful to Ludovic Gilet, Chairman of the French J/80 Class. And, I would also like to thank all those who support us in this adventure: WORLD SAILING and the French Sailing Federation (FFV), our institutional and corporate partners. I cannot fail to mention the organizing committee, led by Bernard Devy, our honorary president and friend. And … let the best team win,” commented Michel Poitevineau, Commodore of SNSYC.

The J/80 World Championship will be an all-out battle between the top French and Spanish teams that have been at the top of the J/80 class for quite some time.  In addition, there are top British and Dutch teams that are hoping to tip that balance in their favor by the end of the regatta. The nations that are represented include France (59), Spain (6), Netherlands (3), Russia (1), Belgium (2), Oman (2), Ireland (1), Portugal (1), and Great Britain (4)- missing are the top teams from the USA, Germany, and Scandinavia.

Watch for these teams to be a factor in the overall regatta leaderboard. The top French crews hoping to defend their home town honors should be Simon Moriceau’s ARMEN HABITAT, Patrick Bot’s ECOLE NAVALE CG 29, Luc Nadal’s GAN’JA, Sylvain Pellisier’s INTUITIVE SAILS, and Ludovic Gilets’ FRA 797.

Challenging the local French teams will be Great Britain (Nick & Annie Haigh’s SLIGHTLY STEAMY & Jon Powell’s BETTY); Spain (Inigo Jauregui’s GARATU, Rayco Tabares’ HOTEL PRINCESA YAIZA, & Javier Chacartegui’s IBO.ES); Netherland’s Otte Jan Golverdingen’s LED2LEASE; Ireland’s Patrick O’Neill on MOJO; Russia’s Alexei Semenov racing NEW TERRITORIES; and OMAN SAIL’s team of Helena Lucas.

There is a very strong contingent of women skippers participating; Julie Simon’s CDV 22- IMAGO; Clara & Lucie Scheiwiller’s CLICK & BOAT- LADIES NORMANDIE; Corentin Kieffer’s CN SAINT CAST CDV 22; Maxime Rousseaux’s CN ST CAST GRAND OUEST ETIQUETTES; Elodie Bonafous’ ECOLE NAVALE CDV 29; Claire Ferchaud’s ELITE APRIL MARINE- SN SABLAIS; Elisabeth Cabus Bordron’s IFI DEVELOPMENT OUEST; Isabelle Maggiar’s LES MISSMERS DE L’OUEST; Stephanie Puyraud’s MODERN BALEINE; Anne Phelipon’s NAVIGATLANTIQUE; and Claire Montecot’s STARTIJENN.

In addition, there are two “Youth Under 25” teams that include Theo Carayon’s VITEL COTES D’ARMOR SAILING TEAM and Laure Buffiere’s TEAM VENDEE.    Follow the J/80 World Championships on Facebook here   For more J/80 World Championship sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.

SAIL NEWPORT Regatta Preview

(Newport, RI)- For many sailors throughout the Northeastern seaboard, the best multi-class regatta of the season is “THE Newport Regatta”, hosted by SAIL NEWPORT, in conjunction with its supporters- New York YC, Ida Lewis YC, and Newport YC.

There is no question the regatta’s motto is an enticing, fun-loving promotion for sailors of all stars and stripes- "Fast Racing, Cold Beer”!  As it has for the past three decades, it will continue in 2018!

Shoreside after-race socials are planned for both Saturday and Sunday. On July 7th, you will be able to make your own custom taco at the famous “Taco Bar!”  Enjoy Heineken beer, Mt. Gay Rum, and Whispering Angel wine and live music. Sunday's awards party will include food, drinks, and prizes.

Regatta Manager Matt Duggan and Event Manager Emily Greagori are also hosting the first annual Sail Newport Corn Hole Championship (SNCHC) on Saturday, July 7 at the tent. Start training now!!  All parties will be at the new building this year!! 

The J/70s will be repeating as the largest one-design class by far in Newport for the past two weekends.  Last week, the occasion was the New York YC One-Design Regatta.  This week, it’s another two-dozen boats that are racing as part of their pre-J/70 Worlds preparations that will be taking place in September off Marblehead, MA. 

Incredibly, there are at least a baker’s dozen teams that are all capable of top ten finishes in any J/70 Worlds that are participating this coming weekend. Three J/70 World Champions- Tim Healy’s USA 2, Joel Ronning’s CATAPULT, and Peter Duncan’s RELATIVE OBSCURITY.  That is for starters.  The other top teams include, Brian Keane’s SAVASANA (2nd in 2017 Worlds), Jud Smith’s AFRICA (World Champion crew), Glenn Darden’s HOSS, Martie Kullman’s HYDRA, Bruce Golison’s MIDLIFE CRISIS (West Coast Champion), Heather Gregg & Joe Bardenheier’s MUSE (first J/70 NA Champion and 1st World’s Corinthian Champion- tied 4th overall), Bennet Greenwald’s PERSEVERANCE, John Brim’s RIMETTE, Pam Rose’s ROSEBUD, and Hannah Swett’s SPARKLE (a Women’s World Champion). Watch the leaderboard this weekend!  For more Newport Regatta at SAIL Newport sailing information. Add to Flipboard Magazine.

J/22 San Diego YC- Warrior Sailing Update

Warrior Sailing Returns to the Waters of San Diego

The Warrior Sailing program will introduce twenty-one new wounded veterans to an intense three-day sailing course using their most natural abilities, teamwork and competitive drive, despite their physical injuries.

Through a partnership with the Armed Services YMCA and the San Diego Yacht Cub, Warrior Sailing returns to San Diego, a beautiful setting to learn how to sail. The program was founded with a mission to introduce active military and veterans with disabilities to the sport of sailing, with opportunities ranging from introductory level sailing to world championship competition.

The program offers the Basic Training Camp at no cost to participants. They come from all branches of the military and have varying injuries that range from limb loss, traumatic brain injuries and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, to name a few.

“We value our partnerships in the San Diego community and always look forward to this event as a highlight of our training calendar.” says Cory Kapes, Warrior Sailing Program Manager. “It is only by working together can we provide an unbelievable experience for the wounded service members who have given so much to us.”

Participants will sail together in teams of three on J-22 one-design sailboats, with an on-board professional coach. Instruction and equipment is adapted to meet the needs of the participants. The sailboats and facilities are provided by SDYC.

“SDYC is honored to host the warrior sailing event for the fifth year in a row. We’re hosting 21 wounded warriors from around the U.S., and this week in an extension of our military appreciation night series that runs all summer long. SDYC has many members who are also veterans like me, and supporting this event is another way of giving back to the military community,” expressed SDYC Liaison Pete Whitby.

Sailing is the platform to help these wounded veterans reunite with their fellow service members, feel the camaraderie they found in service, and help with integration into civilian life.

Warrior Sailing is an amazing way to support our warriors from the Naval Medical Center– Balboa and across our nation,” says Tim Ney, Executive Director of the Armed Services YMCA. “We are very excited to be a partner with two great organizations.”

Graduates from the Basic Training Camp will learn about local sailing opportunities and those in their hometowns. Graduates may continue training to earn a keelboat certification, advanced racing skills and compete in open and disabled racing events both across the country and around the world.   More information on the Warrior Sailing Program can be found here

The Eighth Flag- the mystery of St. Croix’s Pirate Legacy- 1493 to 1750!

* Stanford Joines, from St Croix, US Virgin Islands- lost his lovingly maintained J/36 PALADIN in the hurricanes of 2017. 

For years he plied the waters of the Caribbean, sailing many of the major winter regattas on the racing circuit with a crew consisting ONLY of high-school age kids from the islands (mostly St Croix).

For the kids, it was a dream come true, and an opportunity to see a world they never knew existed. Here is his latest progress report on hoping to find a lovable J/105 to be donated to their cause for youth development in St Croix and the Caribbean islands.

Commented Stanford, “we finally have our fiduciary account open at the St. Croix Foundation for Community Development.  As a result, we have a 501c3# for any potential donor (Team Paladin Youth Sailing), learn more about us here.

St. Croix Foundation is in no way a traditional community foundation. While our portfolio does include strategic grant making, the core of our programmatic format is as an operating foundation.  You can learn more about the St. Croix Foundation here.

Also, my book is out on Amazon- “Eighth Flag- the untold story of the Caribbean and the mystery of St. Croix’s Pirate Legacy- 1493 to 1750”!

It is #14 for Caribbean History on Kindle so far, all 5 star ratings!! It is a great summer read.

I found a famous pirate shipwreck, which then took me on journey of discovery, finding many fascinating stories of a Caribbean long forgotten.  As soon as Netflix buys the rights, we'll get a new J/112e!”

You can get Stanford’s book here on Amazon (Kindle or Paperback).

Here is the description of the book:

“Cannibals.  Conquistadors.  Buccaneers.  Pirates.  Visions of cartoon characters dancing around a cauldron with an explorer tied inside. Balboa gazing on the Pacific Ocean.  De Leon and the fountain of youth. Pizarro conquering the Incas. Henry Morgan, in red, drinking spiced rum.  Smoke curling around Blackbeard as his cutlass slashes through the air. … all children's tales that mean nothing.

Today, we do not know who any of these people were, how they came to do what they did, or why they did it.  The struggle for power, freedom, and wealth that shaped the Caribbean for two and a half centuries has, since John Barrie created Peter Pan, been relegated to the same literary section as Barney the Dinosaur; yet, underneath the soil of the modern world, the roots are still there.  I started pulling them up on St. Croix, and the roots led to more roots, and more.  Islands connected, nations connected, and legends came to life.

Officially, St. Croix has flown seven flags over the last 500 years.  Before the American flag and the Danebrog, the Spanish came for gold, the Dutch to trade, the English to raid, and the Knights of St. John to be in charge. The French built a colony only to watch it die of fever.  During all of those years, Pirates, Conquistadors, Freebooters, Filibustiers, Corsairs, Buccaneers- whatever you call them- ruled the Caribbean and called St. Croix home, stealing at sea whether they had 'permission' to do so or not, and paying no attention at all to whatever European flag was flying.  It is time to recognize our eighth flag.  It was black.  This is the untold story of St. Croix and a Caribbean long forgotten.  Come. Sail with me.”  Stan