Race March 15, 2020 @Noon

Beware The Ides of March

There were so many things to beware of, the number 1 item being covid-19 pandemic virus. But there was no lockdown order and uncertainty and fear clobbering every aspect of life, what could be more quaranteened than sailing a JY15 on a near empty river?

Not knowing what to expect about so many things, it was a beautiful day, in stark contrast from all the news rolling in lately, that 15 boats showed up to escape from one reality to sail and exist in another reality for a long session of races.

The wind slowly oscillated through 120 degress – from NW through ESE blowing from 5 with occaisional gusts to 15

But beware the Ides of march. The fanstastic race committee set perfect courses, but with apparently some tricks.

Also, there are great photo’s from the day. see the link at the bottom of the page!

Lessons Learned

The reach mark is not neccessarily in line with the pin. HINT* if you can lay the weather mark without tacking, either the wind has shifted, the race commitee are idiots, or the mark you’re heading to is NOT the weather mark. While people might argue for the rest of the day and the rest of the season whether or not the race committee are idiots, our US sailing judge sailed his boat to the weather mark along with 1/2 the fleet. The other 1/2 of the fleet followed someone else. I heard harsh words spoken about your humble narrator, but it would be difficult to get redress in the half of the fleet that sailed to the reach mark first when the judge in the case sailed the correct course. Beware!

We also had several recalls, two general. Everyone seemed anxious to start and the recalls seemed to generate more anxst.

We did course 2’s, 4’s, a 3 (we felt obligated to use the reach mark since it screwed up half the fleet) and a crew race.

  • First Place Crew, first day as skipper. Lauren
  • Second Place Crew, Marissa
  • Dylan Williams, third place crew – first time on the podium ever!

I can’t wait for him to skipper my catamaran on the spring or fall Wet Pants Pursuit race and see if he can do twice as well with double the hulls!

We raced until 2:30 (usually we’re done before 2) but no one really wanted to leave the reality we all live for and go back to the reality of the world as it exists.

We have important decisions to make about the next several weeks. Our sport is somewhat solitary, seems to fit into the new regulations of c-19 as our groups are only two and it’s outside.

We managed to have a great sailing season so far and the weather gave us crazy windows of opportunities between storms, several times. I am grateful to the gods of the wind, the weather and the seas.

I for one realize just how important normalcy on a regular basis is. I think every person who showed up got some of the peace I got.

We’ll keep the schedule up. Stay healthy. Wash your hands in cold saltwater.

and world and weather permitting – we’ll see you on the 29th.

Dan

Official Photographs by Alphonse Guardino

JY15 Long Island Championships April 19!

At CDRC

NOTICE!

Mark your calandars:

We defend the JY15 Long Island Championships April 19 at home.

It’s all about bragging rights as Centerport and Breakwater battle us on The River.

We’ll have all boats from the three clubs fleet racing together.

Top three JY15’s from each club are scored to determine the winning club.

All JY15’s are invited to race, and spectators are always encouraged to attend.

More to follow.

Race 2/16/2020 at Noon

Promises Kept.

  • Downwind
    Photo by Dan Scolnick

3 days Before the 1/19 Races John Breuer had said: ’3 races and then it will blowout’. During the start sequence to the 4th race his forecast (from 3 days ahead) turned out to be spot on to the minute and we abandoned the race and went in. Dan Williams on race committee asked me: “Is John psychic?” After sailing with John for 35 plus years I can attest that when it comes to the wind the answer is obvious.

3 days ago, on Valentines Day, On the other side of a 15 degree night, John promised us the following:

“There’s excellent frostbiting conditions coming.

Forecasts call for sun, SW 10 to 15 and temps in the 40’s”

John Breuer 3 days before the races.

John was wrong. The wind was WSW 5-15, but he kept his promise about the frostbiting. It may have been the best regatta all season!

John’s forecasts are ROCK SOLID. To find his secret methodology look at our ‘weather/charts’ section

We started out with 6 boats, which I was happy but a little disappointed about, but as the minutes ticked on more drizzled out, one or two at a time, and by the time we were racing 13 boats showed up for some serious competition and more serious fun. Did I tell you we start the first sequence AT NOON?

  • Photo by Dan Scolnick
  • Photo by Dan Scolnick
  • Photo by Dan Scolnick
  • Leeward Mark
    Photo by Dan Scolnick

Apparent Lessons Learned:

Question: are ‘apparent lessons’ like ‘apparent wind’?

  1. The race committee takes suggestions from the fleet seriously. While I am committed to NEVER set a perfectly square line, In wind that at one point shifted 40 degrees, we were sufficiently diligent enough to set courses that didn’t even generate complaints from Jim Ryan!
  2. Well, that’s not true, after the last race Jim Registered his protest against the race committee by turning hard right, going under our anchor line (thereby testing his theory that we tend to drag anchor and my assertion that we do not drag anchor). The anchor line stayed fast to the bottom and Jim hit the committee boat and came to a dead stop. The race committee takes that as an affirmation of a job (setting the anchor) well done!
  3. We did the first General Recall of the season (and my first general recall as race committee in a lifetime). Everyone knew they were way over way early, and we called you all on it.
  4. We did the first Crew race of the season – and it was a blast to watch the start. Fascinating but the fleet sailed tighter and closer with the crews at the helm. Maybe we’re onto something.
  5. We sailed the first course 5, JB suggested we do a course 7.
  6. 7 races in, 13 boats on the water and a crew race.
  7. When the sun came out at 2 sharp, we called it a day!

It’s a real pleasure serving as race committee for you all! Fun, competitive, great sportsmanship all around. I can’t wait till March 1st!

Official Photographs by Al Guardino

The following commentary is from John Bruer.

Sunday gave us some of the best conditions we had in awhile. We had 12 boats, 7 committee/chase boat volunteers and a few spectators totaling 35. SW winds up to 15 contributed to a full day of racing. SW winds up to 15 contributed to a full day of racing. A slightly pin favored line spread the fleet out with a few individual recalls. The competitive starts produced fun upwind legs a season first general recall. We also enjoyed a mellow crew race that Marissa owned. Ryan, Rob, and Emma soon followed. Jim and Marissa ran away with the day and 3 bullets grabbing the top season position for themselves. Kevin and Keelyn were welcomed back with a bullet and second overall. Rick and John podiumed with a bullet and a great day. I saw safe, competitive racing with very few fouls. Those who were protested did their turns and we once again thank everyone for playing fairly.

Race 1/19/2020 @Noon

Once again the weather forecast was spot-on. Fridays gale force winds and Saturdays snow storm turned to rain and warmer temperatures overnight.

Once again we got a stellar window of, perfect sailing weather, sunshine, 40 degrees and NNW wind at 8-12. We got three races in for the first race of the year and the decade before the winds kicked way up!

10 boats showed up.

Lesson of the Day:

John Breuer is right (about somethings). We saw a change in clouds in the distance and JB kept saying 3 races and we’re done. We finished the 3rd race and the conditions were still great, so we decided to go for more. As the clouds overhead drove in the wind kicked up to about 22-24 and we abandoned the fourth race before the start. Dan Williams, on race committee said to me regarding John: “Is he psychic?”. I simply replied: “Yes”.

When it comes to wind JB can usually tell you with certainty what is about to happen.

https://alphonse.zenfolio.com/2020-01-19-crdc

Race December 22nd @ Noon

It was a blast of fun

The Last Race of the Year

The Last Race of the Decade!

Great Weather Forcast

The last 4 Races we had a tiny window of sailable weather that fortuitously passed over our club during race time. This weekend looks like what we all dream about!

SUNDEC 22Sunny43°32°0%WSW 11 mph

Then food and drink at the Warf.

Say Farewell to the 10’s, Welcome in the 20’s

The weather forecast was spot on. WSE 11mph. The wind clocked a little south and then started slowly switching the north. Sunny Spectacular Day.

14 boats showed up, the sailing and competition was fantastic.

Lesson of the Day.

JY’s and committe boats make loud crunchy noises when sailing over ICE and acting as ICE-Breakers. The boats go faster through water than through Ice flows. It’s a good tactic to sail around ice flows coming down the river.

Check out Drone footage from racing.

Official photographs by Al Guardino