Mount Hope Bay Model Yacht Club

Pulling Marks and Next Year

There were six of us Tuesday afternoonand the marks were well and truly pulled. The marks are in the box, the blocks are nearby and the buckets are lurking in the undergrowth, The boat is in its normal winter location chained to a tree, waiting patiently for snow.

Thanks to all who came down to the cove. Rob did all the rowing, Bill Raposa did most of the heavy lifting, and Kim, Al, and Jim Kelly did everything else. Please remember to thank them next time you meet.

Thanks, everybody.

In May we’ll do it all again in reverse.

The season schedule for next year will be formulated in the near future with the major change being that the race day will be Tuesday.

Stay safe and happy,

Derek

Banquet and Trophies

The banquet took place yesterday evening and for the first time was a catered event. Everyone had a good time. I thanked Pat and Kim Hanna, Bill Raposa, and Kathy Melven for their roles in organizing the banquet. Applause. Special thanks to Pat who had the brilliant idea of using club funds to get a caterer to supply the food. Louder applause! 

Venda Ravioli was the chosen caterer and they did a fine job if the reaction of the twenty-one diners was anything to go by.

We had three Soling Regattas during the season. The winners were Paul Mercer (twice) and Greg LaPlante. Runners-up were Jim Kelly, Kim Hanna, and Paul. Third place finishers were Bill Raposa (twice) and Bill Northup.

We held one DF95 Regatta which was won by Fokka de Jong with Greg LaPlante in second place and Henry DiPietro in third.

Now for the big one: The DF95 Championship held over 16 race days. The full results are attached. 

Five prizes were awarded with fifth place going to Nick Bailey, fourth to Fokka de Jong, third to Paul Mercer, second to Bill David, and first to John Reilly.

Wilkie Marvel made presentations to Judy David and Connie Sampston who have been so helpful to the club this season.

Wilkie then made comments about the Corinthian Trophy which is awarded once per year to the member who is a champion of fair play and makes a significant contribution to the success of the club. The 2024 Trophy winner is Paul Mercer. A very well-deserved and popular winner. Congratulations, Paul.

So that’s the 2024 season……well, almost.

Tomorrow ( Tuesday) we’ll be lifting the marks and stowing the dinghy at 1.00 pm. Please help if you can.

Rob Hill will be leading the effort. thank you, Rob.

An early reminder that for next season racing will be on Tuesdays with Thursday as the weather day.

Take care and have fun,

Derek

DF95 #16. September 17, 2024

The temperature was nudging seventy, it was sunny, and the wind was light from a westerly direction. It was more humid than in recent days but it was the last race day of the season and seven members brought their boats for some friendly end-of-season competition. The tide was low and going out so there was lots of room on the beach.

The starting line was formed by the yellow and a throw in red (the drone buoy was on the bench). The line was parallel with the shoreline and the course was west to the red/white, taken to port, and back to the line. Sounds simple, and it was, but with this wind also slow.

Once again Judy looked after starting and scoring. Thanks, Judy, not only for today but for the whole season. Connie was there to cheer Al on and to take some pictures but, unusually, we had no other visitors today.

We had seven close races but, with four out of seven wins, Paul came out on top.

Other race winners were Kim, John, and Nick but Kimhad one second place and three third places to finish second overall.

In third place was John who added to his win with two second and one third places.

Seven slow races with sedate down-wind finishes but everyone had a good time.

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

We had 16 race days this season, a record. That means that there will be 7 throw outs.

Awards for the first five places will be presented at the Banquet.

The next event is the Awards Banquet which will be held at 6 pm on Sunday, September 22nd in the Great Room of the Village Clubhouse. The Club is providing food and drink so bring nothing except yourselves, your wives, your husbands, and significant others.

And after that, the final event of the season. Thursday, September 26th at 10.00 we will pull the marks and store the dinghy. Rob Hill will take charge but he will need help so get to the cove at 10 am and do your bit. Thank you all.

We have 28 people signed up for the banquet so see you there.

Derek

DF95 Racing on 9/17

The weather forecast looks horrible for next Thursday so the last race day of the season will be next Tuesday, September 17th when the tide will be going out with a low at around 1.20 pm.

This means we will have raced 16 days this season and the best nine days will count towards the championship.

With awards to the top five, there’s a chance for everyone. So come down to the cove and have some fun.

Reminder: Racing will be on Tuesdays next season with Thursday being the weather day.

And don’t forget to come to the Banquet on Sunday, Sept. 22nd at 6 pm

Have a great weekend.

Derek 

DF95 #15 September 12, 2024

Another very nice late summer day with temperatures in the low seventies and a gentle breeze from the southwest tempted eight members to bring boats to the cove.

Judy looked after starting and scoring once again. Thank you, Judy.

Bill Raposa, Wes, and Wilkie also paid visits and Connie was there to support Al.

The wind was up to its usual tricks and varied in strength and direction but at least we kept to the same course. The start/finish line was formed by the drone buoy and the orange/blue mark. Head south from there and round the green/white and orange/white marks, then head north to the blue mark and back to the line. All marks were taken to port. We held six races and from race five the start line was changed by replacing the drone buoy with the yellow/red mark and we raced the same course twice around.

We had some close racing, which resulted in four different winners, but John won three races and with a second and third was easily today’s champion.

The other race winners were Greg, Paul and Rob. Rob also had two second places and one third place to finish second overall

While Bill David didn’t have a win today, he was second in two very close races and third in another two races, enough to clinch third this morning

Another day of racing for fun. very enjoyable.

Don’t forget you can see all the results and other news on our website mhbmyc.org

The last DF95 race day of the season will be next Thursday, September 19th when the tide will be high at 09.30.

The Banquet will be entirely catered and paid for by the club, so bring nothing other than yourself, your wife or husband, or your significant other.

The Banquet will be held on Sunday, September 22nd at 6 pm in the Greatroom of the Village Clubhouse.

Have a wonderful weekend,

Derek

DF95 Racing and Announcements

It was another beautiful late summer’s day with temperatures in the low seventies, a gentle breeze, and a receding tide from a high at 10.17.

Nine members brought their boats to race on the course set by Paul. A more unusual course this morning owing to the wind from an easterly direction, actually the wind had such fun with us on Tuesday that it decided to do it again! 

The start line was formed by the drone buoy and the orange/blue mark. Out to blue, then green/white, and back to the line all taken to port. After the first race, the course was lengthened to include going west to the red/white mark after the blue and also taken to port. For race four onwards the start line was changed to the orange/white mark, as before, but with the yellow/red mark forming the other end. The drone buoy drifted off in a huff!

We held eight races today and, with these challenging conditions, had six different winners: Fokka and John won two each, and Bill David, Nick, Kim, and Henry were the other winners.

At the end of the event, Fokka emerged as today’s champion with 19 points just two ahead of our runner-up, Henry. There was a three-way tie for third place on 25 points but John prevailed over Nick and Bill through the tiebreaker.

Judy kept score and looked after the starts once again. Thank you, Judy. Connie was also there to support Al and, as usual, had her camera with her. We had a welcome visit from Jim Kelly who has recently recovered from Covid. Stay well, Jim

The full results are on our website mhbmyc.org

Well, the year has gone by quickly and we only have two more race days in the season. The next one is Thursday, September 12th when the tide will be coming in towards a high at 3.28 pm.

Now for the ANNOUNCEMENTS

The Pot-Luck Awards Banquet will be at 6 pm onSunday, September 22nd in the Great Room of the Village clubhouse.

Please let me know if you will be attending, and we hope you will.

This will help with organizing as we will ask you to bring food while wine and beer will be provided by the club. 

Last week I asked who would not be attending and I only got two replies. This week, I’m asking who WILL be attending. Thank you for your cooperation.

We will pull the marks and store the rowboat on Thursday, September 26th at 10 am Rob will lead the effort, but volunteers will be needed.

Have a wonderful, summery weekend.

Derek

Photos by Connie Sampson

Soling Regatta … end of an era!

So this was it. The demise of Soling racing at our club. The denouement.The end. Nostalgia reigned, thinking of those big regattas of past years.

But we’re here, now, and the weather was kind, ranging from the mid-sixties to the mid-seventies and there was a gentle breeze from the north. The tide had peaked at around nine o’clock and six members had decided that this was what they wanted to do today. It really was a perfect summer day without a cloud in the sky but the gentle breeze became stronger and then weaker and was decidedly uncertain about what direction it was coming from today.

Shelley did a wonderful job of keeping score. Thank you, Shelly.

Our DF95 Regatta winner, Fokka also paid us a visit for a few races.

The course configurations were too many to mention caused by the shifting strength and direction of the wind but generally they were from the start/finish line parallel to the shore out to one, two, or three marks and back to the line. Rounding varied and, when there was enough wind, twice around.

Paul and Bill Raposa set the various courses and we managed twelve races with only two incidents. Both happened in race three when Bill Northup’s boat hatch became dislodged and water got in the boat, resulting in an inoperative servo. Exactly the same thing happened to my boat. Bill was better prepared and had a replacement servo with him and only missed two races.

Greg was in fine form and won half the races and, with one second and two third places, he became our Soling Regatta Champion.

Paul didn’t win a race today but his eight second places plus three third places meant he finished as runner-up by two points over Bill Raposa who was third overall today.

Bill had three wins, two second, and three third places 

We had two other race winners namely Bill Northup and Kim.

Well done everyone. It was a very pleasant time despite the frustrations of the flukey wind.

It’s hard to say goodbye to such an elegant class of boat so maybe we could plan a “Soling Outing” sometime next June. Any comments?

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

We only have to wait until Thursday, September 5th for more racing with the DF95s. The tide will be going out from a high at 10.17

Until then, keep smiling,

Derek

Annual DF95 Regatta

The day started much cooler than in recent days and the temperature didn’t get much above seventy. The tide was fully out at 10.30 so we had lots of beach to run around on to keep warm, and, of course, the heat of the competition helped as well. The brisk wind was from the northeast, not our favorite direction. But the wind faded, then developed its own quirky little habits to cause frustration here and there throughout the twelve races held today.

Twelve boats took to the water for the event. The course was north from the start line, which was formed by the new yellow/red mark and the orange/blue mark, around the blue, then around the red mark(which is now mostly white), south to the green/white and orange/white marks, all taken to port and back to the line. For the twelfth and final race, this course was run twice around.

Judy and Connie were there, Judy kept score and Connie took some photographs.

Thank you both very much. 

Rich came over but without his boat which has a few problems and it was a pleasure to welcome Fokka’s wife who visited us for the first time.

We held six races before lunch and six after, and, amazingly, we only had one DNfF when Rob needed a battery replacement in race 4. We did have several recalls as boats got tangled at the start line. A little more discipline please, sailors.

A guest from yesteryear, Ben Wilkinson, arrived for race two and proceeded to win four races and was third in race six. Luckily for everyone else, he didn’t return after the lunch break.

There were four other race winners today. Fokka won four and was second in one and third in two to give him the Championship today with 26 points

Nick won two races and was second three times to give him second place with 34 points.

Bill David and John won one race each but third overall today was Rob who had four second places and two third places.

Bill David and Henry tied for fourth place, but Bill got the place on the tiebreak.

A lot of fun and close racing today, just as we like it.

Kim told me after the race that someone had left a red folding chair at the cove. If this is yours, it’s under the rowboat.

The full results of this exciting day’s racing can be found on our website mhbmyc.org

The final chance of the season to race Solings will be next Tuesday, September 3rd when the tide will be going out from a high at around 09.00T

This is the Soling Regatta, at least 6 races before lunch and another 6 after lunch. So please bring your lunch and a chair. Let’s dust off the Solings and bring them down for some fun.

Volunteers to help will be welcomed!

DF95s race again next Thursday, September 5th when the tide will be high at 10.17.

END-OF-SEASON ACTIVITIES

The Awards Banquet will be on Sunday, September 22nd at 6 pm in the Village Clubhouse. Please let me know if you cannot make it and I’ll assume everyone else will.

Thursday, September 26th is the day we chose to pull the marks and store the rowboat. Rob will lead the effort but we need volunteers, please.

Have a wonderful Labor Day weekend,

Derek

DF95 Regatta Corrections

There were not one or even two mistakes but three in yesterday’s write-up. Apologies.

1. Although the day, next Thursday was right, the date was wrong. It is August 29th. Prompt start at 11.00

2, The tide will be low at 10.36 and high at 5.45 pm. (I had looked up the wrong day….oops!}

Ideal for a long regatta.

3 There is, of course, one throwout for every six races.

What I didn’t get wrong was the close racing and fun in store so bring lunch, a chair, and, most importantly a boat.

Thanks to Jim Pascalides for picking this up so quickly.

See you Thursday,

Derek

DF95. #12 and regatta plans

An early and welcome hint of autumn was in the air this morning. The tide peaked at 10.45 and the wind was adequate from the west. Ten members brought their boats in anticipation of a good morning’s racing and a lot of fun with friends. They were not disappointed.

Paul had made another new mark and Bill Raposa was there to assist him in placing it. Many thanks, Bill and Paul. 

The new mark is red and yellow and was positioned to replace the pin that had washed up on shore without its weight. The new mark together with the blue/orange mark formed the start line and the course was south to the green/white mark, then the orange/white mark, head north to the black/white ball, round the blue mark, and back to the line with all marks being taken to port.

Our thanks, once again to Judy for keeping score. Connie came along to support Al and take some pictures and Wilkie came to see us just one day after an operation on his left hand. Get better soon, Wilkie.

There were seven races today and all went well until race four when Al had to row out and collect his boat after the rudder stopped working following a little transmitter water immersion! Bill David also withdrew from the competition from race four as the temporary glued repair he made last Thursday did, indeed, prove to be temporary and became unstuck.

Wes had a visit from his daughter and her family which included two tiny and delightful grandchildren. Toy boats for Christmas?

Now for the racing.which followed the route already described except for races five and seven which were run twice around.

Fokka won the first race and proceeded to win the next three and this, together with a second place ensured that he is today’s champion.

Greg had two wins one second and two third places today and finished in second place. greg has imminent back surgery so we wish him well, and a speedy return.

Henry didn’t win a race today but he did have three second places and one third to put him third overall. 

The only other race winner was Nick who was among the three sailors separated by one point: Rob, Paul, and Nick.

Last week’s winner, John, didn’t manage any better than one third place today. It’s fascinating how weather and small changes in setup can affect results.

Well done everyone. Lots of fun.

The full results are on our website mhbmyc.org

DF95 REGATTA

Paul Mercer had made the observation that we have yet to hold a DF95 regatta this season. We discussed this with the members present and decided on next Thursday as the day. Informal and fun, with a minimum of six races before lunch and a minimum of six races after lunch. Two throw-outs for every six races.

Bring lunch and chairs, a competitive spirit, and a sense of humor.

The 2024 DF95 Regatta will take place next Thursday, August 27th when the tide will be coming in towards a high at around 3.30 pm so there will be plenty of beach space. The weather date will be the following Thursday

Have a wonderful sunny weekend,

Derek