Oh, what a beautiful morning, oh what a beautiful day. I’ve got a wonderful feeling, we’re gonna go racing today. 

And 10 members agreed and brought their boats for a good morning’s competition. The wind was generally from the southwest, but changeable so the course was set as south from the line, which was formed by the pin and the drone buoy, around the southernmost green mark leaving it to port, then north to the blue mark also taken to port and back to the line. after the first two races, we decided to keep this course but go twice around. There were eight races today watched, at least in part, by Bill Raposa, Jim Kelly, and Shelley Northup in support of husband, Bill. I kept score.

Only two boats had serious problems today: David Vigeant had an unresponsive sail servo and Wilkie Marvel had some undisclosed issues.

There were many close races this morning as evidenced by the fact that there were five different winners: Bill David won the first two, Paul Mercer, Henry DiPietro, and Rob Hill won one each, and today’s champion, Nick Bailey won three. Well done, Nick.

Tuesday’s winner, John Reilly, didn’t win a race today but he finished second twice and third three times which was enough to put him second overall. Well done, John. It was close, Nick had 19 points and John had 21.

Even closer were the next three, Paul with 24 points, Henry with 25 points, and Bill David with 26 points. Very entertaining.

A little behind but close on points were Rob and Kim. Well done, everyone.

The full results are on our website mhbmyc.org

There will be more DF95 racing next Thursday, June 20th when the tide will be low and going out until around 12.30.

There will be no membership fee this season. So persuade your friends to get a boat and join in.

I should have said last Tuesday that Bill Northup reached three-quarters of a century on that day and Kim will claim the same achievement next Tuesday. Congratulations, young men!

Nick has donated some excellent elastic for DF95s for club spares. I’ll bring it with me on Thursday. Nick also has a tip: use two lengths of elastic as a fail-safe.

One more thing from Nick. Let’s look at King Park in Newport as an additional racing venue.

See you next Thursday,

In the meantime have a wonderful weekend,
Derek

A gentle breeze, a sunny sky, and boats in the water. A recipe for competitive fun.

The beach was shrinking with the tide approaching a high at 12.47.

Paul, Rob, and Bill David couldn’t make it today so it was a chance to rack up some points over them. Henry DiPietro did arrive at the cove but decided the wind wouldn’t be favorable this morning so he left but the wind had increased enough to start racing at 11.00. We welcomed a new member, John Reilly to the club with his boat, sail number 56…..Remember that number!    Four other members brought boats to the cove this morning and enjoyed nine races on smooth water. Shelly and I were also there to deal with the starting and scoring. Only three boats finished the first race with Wilkie having some problems before the start and Bill Northup having issues during the race. John, sail number 56, won the first race and another six and was today’s champion. How’s that for a great introduction to the club? The only other winner this morning was Kim who won two and finished second overall. Al Sampson was third with Wilkie and Bill N following on as a result of their early troubles. 

A very enjoyable morning in the sun. Well done, everyone. Let’s hope we get back to a more normal competitive field on Thursday.

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

DF95s race again in just two days, on Thursday, June 13th when the tide will be midway with the high at around 2.25 pm and the weather forecast is just about perfect.

See you then,

Derek

Say it ain’t so!

Only three members today so no sailing.

We had a nice chat though. We think we might pick two or three days when we would hold a day-long Soling Regatta, open to all, and abandon Tuesday Soling sailing unless we get sufficient demand from our members.

A sad time in the club’s history.

Comments, please.

Next Thursday we’ll try again with the DF95s. At the moment the weather is questionable, but we live in hope. Watch out for alerts nearer the time.

On Thursday the tide will be approaching a high at 2.32 pm.

Derek

The final score was: Weather Pessimists 1, Weather Optimists 0

The Weather Optimists team members were: Nick Bailey, Bill and Judy David, Henry Di Pietro. Kim Hanna, Wilkie Marvel, Paul Mercer, David Vigeant, and me.

It was good to see everyone and we did have a moment of triumph when Paul put the club’s Drone Buoy in the water and positioned it controlled by his phone. It held station through this morning’s thunderstorm.

As the sky darkened and the thunder and lightning arrived we broke up before we had a chance to discuss a date and time for a club meeting…..next time.

Next Tuesday, May 28th we’ll try again with the Solings. The tide will be coming in with a high at 12.39 pm. I won’t even look at a weather forecast.

Whatever you’re doing this weekend, have fun and enjoy it.

Derek

The DF95 fleet will take to the water for the first time this season on Thursday at 11 am. The weather should be on our side with winds from the SSW at 9 mph and a temperature around 70 degrees. The tide will be going out to a low at 1.39 pm. Let’s have a great turnout.

In other news, the club has purchased a Drone Buoy for the starting line. Paul has been putting it through its paces and there have been some teething problems. We hope to see it in the cove soon.

On Thursday I hope we have sufficient members present to discuss some immediate issues and to set a date, place, and time for a club meeting.

As you might have seen, Bill David offered his Soling for sale and I’m pleased to announce that it was bought by Bill Northup and so will stay in the club.

See you Thursday,

Derek

A nice sunny autumn day with a strong wind from the west, temperatures hovering around seventy, and a final chance for some competitive racing lured seven sailors with boats to the cove this morning. The tide was high at 11.25 so there was very little beach at the start. Judy was there to keep score and start the races. Thank you very much, Judy. 

Wilkie, Pat Donovan, and Shelly Northup also attended to spur us on.

Rob put in two yellow marks, one between the red/green and the pin to form the start/finish line and one between the southerly red/white and the orange/white to the west. The initial course was: 

South from the start line to a starboard rounding of the red/white mark, then, staying west of the yellow, round the orange/white mark to starboard then back to the line keeping north of the red/green mark, starboard around the yellow at the line and repeat. Twice around. The course was later shortened to cut out the southern red/white mark. Twelve races were held in all with Paul Mercer winning half of them and with three second places and one third became this year’s Soling Regatta Champion.

 Bill David was second with five wins, three second places, and one third and our only other winner today was Kim Hanna who with one second place and three thirds was third overall

Bill Raposa finished fourth with three second places and four thirds.

Rob had to row out for rescues twice today, once for my boat whose vintage rudder servo finally gave up, and once for Bill David’s boat after it tangled with Paul’s. Thank you, Rob.

Bill Northup had rudder linkage problems and didn’t race in the last three races. Jim Kelly had conquered a few problems earlier on but finally also couldn’t compete in the last three races. Bill Raposa sat out the final two races with unspecified problems. 

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

So that’s the end of the season except for members who wish to continue racing for fun.

Several want to race next Thursday(High tide around 1 pm)

We will need to pull the marks etc. and the date and time for that will be 11 am next Tuesday with a favorable low tide at around 11.20.

Thanks to everyone for a fun season. Come back next year.

Whatever you do in the off-season, smile, stay safe and have fun,

Derek

 A large group attended the Awards Banquet yesterday evening to enjoy good food and good company and to recognize the winners of the season. Everyone, I think, had a very enjoyable time.

The Soling race series had been dogged by poor weather and poor attendance. Only 5 days were used for actual racing and the maximum attendance was seven. 

Awards for the Soling race series were won by:

1 Bill David

2 Kim Hanna

3 Paul Mercer

The DF95 series was a different matter. We held races on 13 days throughout the season and on three occasions we had eleven boats competing. The top three awards were made to:

1 Henry DiPietro

2 Paul Mercer

3 Nick Bailey

Henry and Nick were overseas messing about in real boats and Kim is safeguarding their awards.

Awards for the DF95 Regatta were made to:

1 Paul Mercer

2 Bill David

3 Kim Hanna

And last, but by no means least, was the presentation of The Corinthian Trophy and the winner for 2023  is Jim Kelly for his unending helpfulness to whoever needs it. Well earned, Jim.

That’s not quite the end of the season as we have the weather delayed Soling Regatta tomorrow. Let’s have a good turnout. The weather forecast is great.

The full results of the season are attached…..just the Soling Regatta to come.

See you tomorrow?

Derek

Sunny skies, a temperature in the low seventies, declining humidity, and a nice breeze meant that we could hold our DF95 Regatta after a number of weather delays.

Eight sailors brought their boats to the cove this morning and Judy was there, as usual, to keep score. Connie was also there to take some pictures. Thank you both very much.  Al, of course, was with Connie but he couldn’t race as it turned out he had two broken bones and was wearing a large boot on his left foot. We all wish him a rapid recovery.

The tide was going out with a low at 1.39 pm and the wind was vaguely from the north or northwest so Paul put in an extra mark (red) to use with the pin as the start/finish line parallel to the shore. The course was west to the orange, port rounding, then south to the white/orange, port rounding, then north to the red/green, port rounding, back west to the orange, port rounding, and back to the line. That was the course for the first six races. 

After the first six races, we all had a break for lunch.

After lunch the tide was further out and the line was moved so that the pin and the red/green mark became the start line. we had the same course except that the red/green mark was now part of the start line.

The twelve races passed without major incidents, Albert had an issue in race 6 and Wilkie had a problem with the sail servo, either the servo itself or an electrical connection in race 7 and he didn’t race again today. Shelley Northup raced but only for four races

The 2023 DF95 Regatta Champion is Paul Mercer. 

Paul won a commanding eight races and was second in one and third in another one.

In second place was Bill David with three wins, five second places, and four third places.

After a series of battles throughout the contest, Kim Hanna snatched third place from David Vigeant by just one point. Kim had five second places and one third while David had one win, one second place, and five thirds.

Bill Northup’s boat was the only other boat to finish in the top three race places today.

A good day racing, fun to race, and fun to watch.

Congratulations to all the participants.

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

REMINDER: Our annual Awards Banquet is on Sunday in the Village Clubhouse Great Room at 6 pm. Who is the DF95 Champion, who is the Soling Champion, Who will get awarded the Corinthian Trophy?  Be there to find out. Bring your food contribution. Beer, water, and wine will be provided.

The official season will end next Tuesday, September 19th when we’ll hold the Soling Regatta. The tide will be high at 11.25 so let’s have a big turnout to get wet together. Bring lunch and chairs.

See you at the Banquet,

Derek