Category: 2023

Soling Racing, Sunny Skies, Light Wind

Let me start with an apology: On Thursday I omitted to mention that Judy David and Connie Sampson looked after the starting and scoring. Thank you both very much.

Judy was here again today and looked after the starting and scoring once again. Many thanks, Judy.

Another chilly start to the day but it was sunny and there was a light breeze. Six members ventured down to the cove. The tide was high and coming in, peaking at around ten minutes before noon. The breeze came and went but that didn’t stop Bill David who won six of the seven races and came second in the one he lost to Paul.

Paul finished second twice as did Kim and Danny.  Overall, Bill D was the winner with Paul second, Danny, third, and Kim fourth. Of the other participants, Bill Raposa had a problem in the first race and was out from the second race onward. I had the distinction of finishing last in every race until my boat was overwhelmed by water while waiting for the fifth race to start.

Congratulations to Bill David for an outstanding performance in difficult wind conditions.

Well done all. Lots of fun….and frustration.

It was good to see Jim Kelly at the cove, boatless on this occasion but good soccer and boating chat.

The full results may be found on our website, mhbmyc.org

As I have a visit from my middle son and his family from England, I won’t be around for the next Soling event which will be in a week’s time, Tuesday, May 30th when the tide will be coming in from a low at 10.22

DF95s race again next Thursday with the promise of 12mph winds and a rising tide with a high at 1.19 pm.

Smooth sailing and happy times,

Derek

DF95s get off to a…..floating start

A chilly start to the morning and light winds resulted in just 6 boats in the water at the start. We attempted four races today, but decided to declare a “Non-Race Day”

It was a morning of fun and frustration. We waited about 30 minutes before there was enough wind to start the first race but we lost the wind and ended with 3 finishers and 3 DNFs. the finishers were, in order, Paul Mercer, Bill David, and Nick Bailey. Kim’s boat caught its keel rounding one of our marks. It was rescued by Paul. This incident highlighted the fact that we need less line and more chain on our marks as the line floats when the tide is low as it was today.

In the second race, all the boats finished but Kim lost a clear lead when his boat again got caught on a mark. The top three were Nick, Bill, and David Vigeant followed by Al Sampson, Paul, and Kim. 

In the third race, Nick had an unexpected battery failure in his transmitter and he had to row out and rescue his boat. Kim, Bill, and Paul finished in that order in a very, very close finish. The fourth race was memorable in that the winner, Paul, was the only finisher as the wind died and everybody else floated home as best they could. At that point, we called it a day!

The next DF95 race day is next Thursday, May 25thwhen the tide will be coming in to a high at 1.19 pm.

Solings race again, next Tuesday

In the meantime, have a great weekend,

Derek

Start of the racing season

A sunny morning and a strengthening breeze enticed 6 members to the cove for the start of the Soling season. A small group met early to get the marks in the water. Kim had secured the bricks and buckets to the remaining marks, Bill R added the weights and Paul did the rowing. What a team. Thank you all.

The course is familiar, but the colors have changed from last year. The start/finish line has a red/blue mark and a pin. Looking south there are two marks, a red/green mark and a green mark closer to shore. At the north end of the course there is a blue mark and the central mark, not used today, is brown (or, maybe dirty orange).

The course today was all the marks, except brown, taken anti-clockwise to port.  We ran seven races with the final race being twice around. 

Disaster struck before the start as Bill Raposa had a problem resulting, he believes, from an over-oiled switch. I had a problem in the water as the failsafe started working, but Paul managed to nudge my boat back to shore. Thanks, Paul. There are two large cracks in the hull!

So there were only 4 boats racing today, but there were only two winners: Paul won 5 and Bill David won two. Paul was today’s champion with Bill as runner-up The other racers were Danny McHugh and Kim Hanna. There was some close racing today and we all had fun. We have to thank Judy David for keeping score once again. Thank you, Judy. It was also good to see Bill and Shelley Northup who took a break from their big boat to come down to the cove.

The full results may be found on our website mhbmyc.org

Thursday brings the start of the DF95 racing season. The tide will be going out with a low at 12.47.

Solings race again on Tuesday, May 23 when high tide will be at 11.42

Have fun,

Derek

GETTING READY FOR MODEL BOAT RACING

Racing starts next Tuesday for Solings at 11:00AM.  Preparation for the season will take place this Thursday (Tomorrow).  Bill Raposa, Kim Hanna, and I are meeting at the cove at 0900.  Bill is arranging delivery of the dinghy and we’ll be repairing or making marks and getting them into the water.  If any local members would like to join us you will be welcomed.
Derek

2023 Sailing Season

The club will race two fleets, Solings on Tuesdays and DF95s on Thursdays. All racing will start promptly at 11.00. There will be no racing on July 4th.

There will be one main Championship for each fleet to be scored as follows: If 10 days are raced the best 6 days will count. For 11-12 days, the best 7 days to count. For 13-14 days, the best 8 days to count, and for 15 or more days, the best 9 days to count.

There will be no specific dates for fleet Regattas. These days will be determined by the Fleet Captains in consultation with the fleet members with the objective of getting a good turnout.

“Make Ready” will take place during the week May 8th to May 12th and racing will start on Tuesday, May 16th.

The official season will end with racing on September 14th, but racing for fun will continue until the weather deters us.

Weather delays and postponements will be announced by 0900.

The pot-luck Awards Banquet will be held in the Village Clubhouse on Sunday, September 17th at 6.00pm.