February 2016

Now’s the time to sign up for the St Francis Yacht Club’s Spring One Design Regatta, the first event on the 2016 Fleet One calendar. This year, Saturday’s racing fun will be combined with a post-race seminar by Dave Perry, illustrated with events on the water and, no doubt, a smattering of entertaining and informative anecdotes drawn from his experience as a skipper, tactician and RRS maven. Dave is a collegiate All-American, two-time Congressional Cup champion and a respected author and teacher. For several years, Sailing World published a regular column by Perry: “Winning In One-Designs”. Perry went on to pen “Tactics in Windshifts”, “Heavy-Air Madness,”, “Inner Sailing” and “There is No Lee Bow Effect.” Even better known and more widely read is Perry’s accessible: “Understanding Yacht Racing Rules”. 

Don’t miss this opportunity and be sure to sign up before March 2nd to avoid late fees. To race, you’ll need to have paid your 2016 Fleet One dues – send your check to Pat Doyle ASAP if you still haven’t taken care of it.

Oddly enough, you also need perseverence to win the 3BF, while navigating fickle winds, treacherous currents and 380 other boats on your breeze or in the way. This year clockwise was the right call and those that headed to Blackaller beat the easterly starters by about an hour. Masquerade was second and Mojo third. Jam Session was the first clockwise J105, finishing 6th.

The next event is the Spring One Design Regatta on March 5/6th weekend. Don’t forget to pay your fleet dues, enter the race and wake-up hibernating crew members; 2016 championship season kickoff is only a month away.