NEW ENGLAND DF95 TRAVELER TROPHY SERIES

Good morning all,

I hope everyone had an enjoyable Thanksgiving and are looking forward to DF95 gifts under the Christmas tree!  

Attached you will find an outline for a 2023 DF95 New England Traveler Trophy series that Rob Hill and I have been working on over the last several weeks. The ‘regatta light’ series is loosely structured after the Texas and Florida models. Our hope is that we can encourage the region’s sailors to travel to a series of one day events to increase regional participation and earn points towards national ranking. This approach avoids the costs associated with a two day regatta requiring hotel and meal expenditures. 

Rob and I felt it was important to get this notice out now, prior to the new year as many clubs have winter meetings to set their upcoming schedules. 

Once you have reviewed the outline I would ask you to do several things: 

Provide feedback to Rob and I on the plan. Use ‘reply all’ so that we can have a regional discussion  about going forward. 

Distribute the plan to your club membership for their review and feedback

At you winter club/organization meeting, discuss dates the club is willing to host an event

The DF95 is a great boat and there is a lot of club racing here in New England. I’ve sailed with three clubs outside of my normal sailing venue here in Newport and I have to say that there are a lot of good sailors out there. Let’s try to give those sailors broader experience by sailing in different venues. 

More to come!  Looking forward to hearing from you!

Henry DiPietro

Director, DF95 Region 1

Email: df95.reg01@gmail.com

2023 Patriot Travelers Trophy
The Traveler Series
• Five, one day events spread across eastern New England running from
May to September or October
• There would be one regatta per month.
• Each regatta is a one day event, Saturday the primary with Sunday as
the rain date.
• Each regatta would have a first warning at 11 am with no race starts after
3 pm.
• The entire series would count as a single regional scoring event towards
national points ranking and would require a minimum of ten(10) boats per
event to qualify.
• The events are open to all registered DF95 skippers
• A skipper can use 4 of the five (or six) events toward national points
• Structure the series to provide a wide range of sailing experiences: fresh
& salt water, heavy and light wind venues, rural and urban settings
Organizing Authority Responsibilities
• Develop schedule based on club inputs • Develop and post NORs
• Manage event registration
• Provide prizes for podium finishes
• Manage national points standing
Host group responsibilities
• Have the club schedule and commit to a TT event • Provide location and course
• Provide a race director (optional)
• Provide a scorekeeper
• If possible, provide a chase boat
Competitors
$10 entry fee to cover cost of prizes Food & beverage – BYO

B Rigs for 2023

DF95 skippers please consider purchasing a B rig for next season. We lost a few days this year due to high winds. We could have raced those days with B rigs. Maybe a Christmas gift to yourself? 🥴

End of 2022 Season

Last day at the cove this year. Cool and a brisk SW breeze. Six boats (4 DF95s and 2 Solings) raced informally for 5 races. With the winds steadily increasing the skippers called it a season. Then, the work of hauling buoys began. Kim and Wilkie used an 18’ RIB to grab the buoys and dragged them to the shore. A team on the beach hacked off the lines and moved the buoys that were heavily loaded with sea life up to the utility box. All lines were discarded. Goodbye 2022. See you all in May 2023!

October 5th Fun Sailing

A sunny day with a nice breeze from the North, made for a fun day of sailing for 7 skippers. Wilkie sailed his Columbia 42, Paul sailed his Canterbury J, Bill David sailed his CR914, Jim Kelly sailed a Vac-U-Soling, and 3 others sailed their DF95s. Multiple races were sailed on a triangular course set by Bill David. A light breeze seemed to favor the CR914. Everyone enjoyed the conditions and the informal racing.

After the winds died down, the skippers pulled their boats. Paul quizzed everyone about their preferences for the remaining weeks of sailing. Consensus was…..to sail on Thursdays.

Annual DF95 Regatta

A rather cloudy start to the morning with the sun breaking through and an adequate breeze from the southwest provided good conditions for our postponed regatta. The temperature was in the low seventies and the tide had been at a high at 09.38 and was going out so there was restricted beach space at the start. Ten members brought their boats to the cove and others including me were there to help or spectate, Judy David did a wonderful job keeping score. Many thanks, Judy.

We missed some “regulars” who had other commitments, Al Sampson, David Vigeant, and Rich Field come to mind. Connie Sampson and Shelly Northup came to help as did Jim Pascalides and Jim Kelly, Thank you all.

We held eight races in all today as the course was quite long, four before lunch and four after. Rob set the course with all marks taken to starboard. From the line south to a new orange and white mark, then west around the red and green striped mark, downwind to the green and white mark, then do it all again and back to the line.

.After lunch the tide had moved out and the course was changed. South to the repositioned orange and white mark, out to the blue, onto the green and white and, you guessed it, do it all again. By this time the breeze had kicked into a higher gear which led to more fun.

Paul won the first two races and went on to win two more. Rob won three races. The only other winner today was Nick Bailey but Henry appeared in the top three 4 times, Kim twice, and Bill David once. Bill had the only big event of the day when he had a problem and Rob rowed out some distance to get Bill’s boat. Pat also had a control problem and didn’t race the last three races.

It was good to see sail number 92 on the water again. This is the boat that Will had donated to the club. It was refurbished by Rob and purchased by Wilkie. Bill Northup and Albert joined in the fun on this good and enjoyable occasion.

Paul was the regatta winner, by just one point over Rob and Henry was third. These three gentlemen received their prizes while we were having after-race beers and soft drinks.

A good day!

The full results, as always, are on our website mhbmyc.org

So that ends the competitive season, but sailing will continue on Tuesdays with Thursday being a weather day. Bring any boat and have fun!

Stay safe and have fun,
Derek

MHBMYC Annual Awards Banquet

A large and merry group of around 23 consisting of members, their wives, husbands, and friends gathered in the Great Room at the Village clubhouse at 6 pm this evening to enjoy the company and see who had won the awards.

After a delicious meal provided by the members, and a toast to departed friends, especially thinking of Will Plante, Rob Hill presented the awards:

Soling Championship:  1. Bill David

                                      2. Paul Mercer

                                      3. Jim Kelly

DF95 Championship:     1. Paul Mercer

                                       2. Bill David

                                       3. Rich Field

Soling Regatta:               1. Paul Mercer

                                        2. Kim Hanna

                                        3. Pat Donovan

Derek presented the Corinthian Trophy which this year goes to Kim Hanna. Very well deserved. Thanks for everything, Kim.

The postponed DF95 Regatta will be held next Tuesday, September 27th when the tide will be going out from a high at 09.38. There’s a good weather forecast so come along to race, help, or spectate. Prizes to the top three after the event.  Bring lunch and a chair. The club will provide soft drinks and water with beer at the end of the proceedings.

The Championship results in full are attached.

Everybody had a good time at the banquet (I think). Special thanks go to Pat Hanna and Kathy Melven for their efforts in making the evening so successful.

Racing will continue in some form for fun until the weather and water temperature win.

Have a wonderful Autumn and Winter.

Keep in touch via mhbmyc.org

See you all in the Spring.

Derek

Soling Regatta

Autumn temperatures and a weak breeze didn’t deter 6 members from bringing their boats to the cove this morning to take part in the season-ending regatta. The weak breeze didn’t last long and became a really nice steady breeze from the north.

Unfortunately, Rob wasn’t there, and neither were usually strong competitors, Bill Raposa, Bill David, and Jim Kelly. 

In Rob’s absence, Paul set the course. The start line was between the blue/white ball and the inshore pin. The boats headed north taking the green mark to port, then south to the blue mark taken to port, towards the shore taking the blue/white ball to port, and out to the green mark again but this time taken to starboard., Then downwind to the line. We were fortunate that Al and Connie Sampson came along to spectate but were soon persuaded to become Race Director and Scorer. They did a magnificent job, Thank you both very much.

David Vigeant also came to spectate for a while.

Twelve races were held with Danny McHugh being the first victor. It wasn’t to last as Danny had a rudder problem that was unsolvable on the shore. Paul won 9 races so no marks for guessing that he was our overall winner today. Kim and Pat each won one race. Kim was second in 6 races and Pat was second in 2 giving Kim second and Pat third today.

It was good to see John Perkins racing today, at least for the first 8 races. Kim had a mast collapse during the first race but made a repair to a shroud using some line that Paul had. Well done Kim and all the other racers.

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

The next planned event is the DF95 REGATTA next Thursday. (Low tide at 11.38).

However, the weather forecast is for more thunderstorms.  The weather date will be the following day, Friday,September 23rd (low tide at 12.22).

Notification will be on Wednesday afternoon

Next Sunday is our Banquet, 6.00 pmin the Village Clubhouse. Please let me know what food you will bring if you haven’t already done so.

Finally please join me in wishing a speedy recovery to Peter Hill, Rob and Janet’s son,

Judy David and Ed Haddad.

Get well soon.

Take care,

Derek

Jake Rowland with his old girl Betty. Always at the cove with us, it seems.

Regatta Week

Next week is Regatta Week.

Solings on Tuesday, September 20th when the tide will be coming in from a low at 09.48.

DF95s on Thursday, September 22nd when the tide will turn at a low at 11.38.

6 races before lunch and 6 races after lunch. Bring lunch and chairs. Water and soft drinks will be provided by the club with a beer at the end of the day.

Sunday, September 25th is our annual awards pot-luck banquet in the Village Clubhouse.

Please let me know what dish you are bringing if you haven’t already done so.

Have fun,

Derek

DF95 Racing: ’Twas not to be.

It was a cool, sunny, but very breezy morning, just right for racing DF95s with C rigs on freshwater ponds!  9 members with boats were at the cove hoping to race. Connie Sampson and I were also there.

Member, Henry DiPietro is now the AMYA Region 1 Director for DF95s. Congratulations, Henry. 

I will forward Henry’s email with notes from his first directors’ meeting. I would draw your attention to The DF95 AMYA National Championship to be held in Stuart, FL on December 2-4. Region 1 has 5 spots allocated so, if you’re interested please contact Henry.

Best wishes to Judy David for a speedy recovery.

DF95 #17

Mild temperatures and a brisk wind from the northeast encouraged 9 members to bring their boats to do battle, in a friendly way, of course. 

Connie Sampson kept score and started the races. Thank you very much, Connie.

The line was between the pin and the new blue buoy, quite a long line, and from there the boats headed north and rounded the red buoy to port, then south to the new blue buoy taken to port, east to the white/black mark, also taken to port. Then do it all again to the finish. 

There were six of these complex races today and the wind added to the complexity, a tough challenge.

Rob was first overall today with 3 wins and 3 third places. Just 2 points behind was Paul who had 1 win, 2 seconds, and 2 thirds. In third place came Henry, 3 points behind Paul. Henry had 2 wins and 1 second.

Rich and Kim were next in line, but the thoughts of the group were with Nick Bailey who lost control of his boat, the “failsafe” didn’t work and it was last seen north of Commonfence Point heading towards the Bristol shore. Please let us know what happened, Nick.

David, Al, and Albert also joined in the challenging fun.  Well done everybody.

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

Next Tuesday, September 13th is the day of our Soling Regatta, so bring lunch and a chair.

Racing will start promptly at 11.00.

At present, the forecast doesn’t look at all good, but this is New England so it will change.

It’s high tide right at the start of this event so that will be fun. Be there, Soling Sailors!

DF95s race again next Thursday, September 15th when the tide will be coming in to a high at 12.34

Reminder: The Awards Banquet will be on Sunday, September 25th at 6.00 pm in the Village Clubhouse.

Please let me know what dish you will be bringing if you haven’t already done so.

Have a good and safe weekend,

Derek