Tuesday Forecast
Fleet 1 News
This last Tuesday night started the 2014 Taco Tuesdays summers series. Fourteen boats made it to the starting line and were greeted with an un-seasonally warm weather and puffy conditions.
Prior to race time the wind had shifted from a prevailing Santa Ana, wind out of the northeast, to our normal westerly at about 8-12 knots with puffs getting close to 15 knots. For a H20 sailing in Newport Beach, it was “breeze on!”
In an effort to support the fleet and the Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club I thought it would be a good idea to be present on the race course from the advantage of a coach boat. With this in mind I used Walter Johnson’s idea of setting three marks sixty feet to weather of the leeward mark to indicate the three boat length zone.
As the race committee went into the practice start sequence, I estimated that we had a least five practice starts, I went around to C and B sailors and asked them if they would like my assistance and observations before and after racing to increase their performance.
One of the first people on the starting line was Jesse Rivera aboard the syndicated boat # 14 “Harbor Sol”. Rivera has been sailing on the harbor for many years as part of the Peterson 34 Pussycat team. But when you throw a new person, with a new boat, into the H20 fleet on a windy Tuesday night it can be a bit overwhelming. When I approached Rivera and asked if he would like any coaching, he quickly accepted. The first thing I told him was that he needed to flatten his main by raising the halyard all the way up to the black ban, maxing out his outhaul, backstay and then vang. He sailed rather consistently throughout the night and became much more comfortable in the boat.
Next I approached Michael Volk aboard boat # 81 “Lighting”. After accepting my invitation to coaching we did the same thing as Rivera and flattened out his main. I also spent some time following Volk around the race course and made a number of suggestions after the race was completed.
I noticed that many people where having a difficult time pulling in on their main sheet while rounding the leeward marks and placing themselves in the right position within their own boats. Last winter I wrote a short blurb on how I practice my boat handling, so if a couple of skippers would like to meet me at BYC some weekend, I would be willing to run a ninety minute practice at M mark.
You have all noticed Peter Haynes seminars schedule? From what I observed last Tuesday night most all of us should attend Haynes next seminar “Boat Handling and Sail Trim” on June 21. I have attended these seminars in the past and can attest that this is time well spent.
I will be coaching next Tuesday and will be following the same format. The best way for you to take advantage of this coaching, other than sailing Tuesday nights, is to attend the after race festivities at BCYC. Buy me a drink, and we can review what we learned on the water that night. This is also the perfect time to review the racing rules.
The after racing activities was fun this week with quotes from John Whitney: “ That’s what those little white marks where for.” Michael Volk” “ Thanks for helping me out Len, is there a time when we practice together?” Jesse Rivera: “ I got the boat Tuesday nights and will be here all summer long. I want to learn more!”
We need volunteers! I would like to make this program work throughout the summer and not give up all my racing time. Is anyone interested in joining me next week and then taking it upon yourself the following week? Call me if you can help!
sea ya
Len Bose
Monday Night Racing starts this week. @ American Legion
Harbor 20’s don’t miss the first day of the Sundowner Series – we will be celebrating with World famous (well Shana’s world) home made salsa, bean dip and fresh chips at ALYC directly following the races…..
Hello Sailors!
I can’t believe it either but Twilights are starting in 3 weeks (on Wednesday, May 14th).
Notice of Race and Official Website.
Please note we did add an entry fee of $5. You can pay by credit card, drop off cash sometime before the first race, or if you are a BYC member you can put it on your member charge.
Can’t wait to see you all soon!
Becky Lenhart
Sailing Director
Good news from Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club!
Taco Tuesdays start soon…on May 13…and will run thru August 26.
As we did in 2013, practice starts for Harbor 20’s are scheduled for 5:30 PM and all racing is scheduled to begin at 6 PM.
The post-race party (food, drink, prizes) will be as fun as ever.
AND…we will award a Perpetual Trophy (with suitable take-home) for the best PHRF boat overall and the best Harbor 20 boat overall.
Harbor 20 Fleet 1 Members,
Note that the Opening Day Regatta at NHYC on April 26 is open to all H20 boats.
It will be a fun and competitive event and you are encouraged to enter!
Emile Pilafidis
Fleet 1 Captain
2014 NHYC Opening Day Regatta |
NOTICE OF RACE |
Newport Harbor Yacht Club
April 26, 2014 |
ELIGIBILITY AND ENTRY
The regatta is open to all H20 and L12 boats. Five boats will be required to entitle a class to its own start.
Skippers must be members in good standing with their respective yacht clubs to sail in this event.
Eligible boats may enter online by completing the entry form at www.nhyc.org
There is no entry fee for this regatta.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS Saturday, April 26th | |
First Warning: | 1300 |
Trophy Presentation | After Racing |
Tomorrow begins the Baldwin Cup at Newport Harbor Yacht Club – a national level, 4 versus 4 team race, sailed in Harbor 20’s. The racing occurs in an arena-type setting, created by a vacated NHYC mooring field, which allowed the members to witness the excitement of the event happening just feet from the NHYC main dock. The Baldwin Cup Team Race has become an institution among national level team racers and is one of the most sought after invitations in the country.
More information can be found on the event’s website, or follow the action on the iPhone, iPad or Android Apps.
Notice anything about the composition of our A and B Class winners this past weekend at the Corkett Regatta?
The top three were all husband and wife teams in class A and Class B…Pretty amazing!
I worried the competition would be hampered by a further division of our fleet into three divisions. Its been great so far and I suspect the only problem is we are moving people out of C class to B, and we might deplete the C division before anyone moves back down from B.
Baldwin Cup is approaching and it a great event for our class. Come on down to NHYC and watch the racing, or help the overworked pit crew!
With very heavy hearts we report that Bill Allen passed away Monday night, March 17.
Most all of us in our H20 Fleet 1 community have known Bill over the years, racing his Harbor 20 #174 SEA THRU, mentoring new H20 sailors, serving as Pit Crew at Baldwin Cup, and socializing in our many events and at the Newport Harbor Yacht Club. Bill has been known as a great, nice competitor, a fun and gracious person, and he will be missed very much by all his Fleet 1 friends. Jim Kerrigan, who has known Bill since the 60s, recalls how they raced down to Mazatlan, and also to Honolulu in 1967.
Bill most recently raced his #174 in the NHYC Winter Series in December.
We are all sad to share this news, and will inform you again once more is known about a service for Bill.
Emile Pilafidis
Captain, H20 Fleet 1