PRSA Hangover Regatta
January 1, 2008
Participant write-ups:
We had around 20 boats. 3
Interlakes launched, but only one (almost) made it to the course before
they turned back. Winds were fairly high, but the shifts and gusts made
it hard. It was one of those days when you were hiked out as far as
possible, then the wind shifted and you capsize to windward. People were
capsizing left and right (just ask Nabeel), but no major issues. Eric
broke his traveler block, but was able to find a replacement on the 19
skiff. Then in the last race Erich's mast broke going up wind. A couple
people took awhile to get their boats back up, the RC would hover nearby
and be sure they go back going. I didn't hear about any major issues. Tom
was able to get a
little bit of video
of the last race. Tom said the boats ran fine, I think they had a little
trouble starting the 16 skiff. People commented that it was difficult to
rescue with the 19 skiff, but we already knew that... We got off 3
races. Tom did a great job as PRO.
Nabeel and I had GPS units during the races, attached is a Google earth
snapshot of my path. According to it I sailed 20.133km with an average
speed of 7.45km/h. total time on the water 2 hours 42 min. I think my
top speed was around 11km/h.
-- Scott Snyder
I was completely impressed by the
Laser fleet. At all levels. At the top there were folks who just owned
the river in conditions that were pretty extreme. And there were a lot of
folks who showed serious fortitude despite being a little more like me in
a Laser ( i.e. slightly confused).
From where I was sitting there were some pretty amazing dumps. One, in
the third race with 1 and 2 zooming downwind, and 2 just kind of . . .
stopped.
The boats ran beautifully. We did have a bit of trouble starting the 16,
but that may have been because I didn't squeeze the bulb on the fuel line
and it had to work harder to get the gas were it needed to be , possibly
inept choking too.
Sean Reilly was a helper. Without
Sean, we couldn't have left the cove. He and Dave worked the mark boat,
then Dave joined me on the signal boat for the starts and Sean captured
the escaping leeward mark, etc. As things got iffy in the third race, I
had Sean pick up Dave and took the finishes myself, so they had two in the
16 to effect rescues.
The seat locker for the 19 is wet through and through. Wet charts, other
paper. I'm not sure what happened, but it was wet. I did not go through
it, but let me know about boat clean up day in the spring as I'd like to
help with that. Dave bought a can of gas, but didn't keep the
receipt, I guess he's giving the club the gas, but I thought that was
silly.
We may want a boarding ladder for the 19, maybe just to use in winter.
I'll see if I think of anything else, but it was fun to do and had the
effect of getting me geared up for more PRSA soon.
-- Tom Ballantine
I think I get the submarine award.
I must have capsized 2 or 3 times per race. Anybody want to challenge me
for that? ... I was going through the Boat Whisperer ideas in my ahead
but I must have gotten the advice backwards.... As the boat rolls to
windward, pull the tiller to windward so that it rudder ... for it, I
don't have a clue....
And I wanted to add an Amen to the RC calling it after race 3. As I was
trying to right my boat for the 7th time, I was telling myself "You're
getting stupid. Watch out, before you lose all judgment and..."
-- Nabeel Alsalam
For once this season the weather predictions were not
totally off... Just partially.... It was predicted to rain/snow Tues am
and be very windy later in the afternoon. I got to the marina a little
after 11am and it was a bright sunny day with winds in the single digits.
About 20 boats were rigging up, two of our Harve de Grace friends made the
drive to join us New Years day. As we set sail at around noon, it looked
as though three Interlakes were preparing to set sail and join us. Once
we arrived near the power plant winds began to pick up. It was very gusty
and shifty, which made sailing difficult. At the skippers meeting we
agreed that the Interlakes would start first, but none made it to the
course. Winds were coming from the west so the windward mark was set near
the cove of Marina Towers. And the leeward mark set near the channel by
the Naval Observatory. By the time we were making our way to the leeward
mark, it had drifted precariously close to the dock off the Observatory,
so close a patrol boat appeared and shooed us away. The RC moved the mark
out of the channel and changed the course to three times around instead of
two. The wind built as the day went on and got shiftier. Boats when over
left and right. Eric broke his traveler block, but managed to scavenge a
replacement from the RC boat. In the
last race Erich's mast broke going up wind. We completed three races and
the RC called it a day. Perfect timing because I thing everyone was
exhausted. James Jacobs took first place, with Eric Johnson second and
Erich Hesse third. Jennifer Parrow took first in the Radial class and
Danielle Pryor second. Winds toped out at just over 20mph with gusts to
30mph (see attached graph). I have about 5 min of video from the
last race, hope to have it posted tomorrow. Thanks to Tom Ballantine and
crew for doing a great job as RC. See you next week.
-- Scott Snyder
Read James Jacob's
Winner's Write-up.
See a video.
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