Slipstream’s next-door finger pier was held up with an inflatable soft float and tied to the main dock with cordage.
“Better watch your step,” the couple explained.
My family and I were walking on G-Dock at Port Sidney Marina on Sunday, September 2, just after dark on our way back to Slipstream. The incredulous couple was walking the dock, staring. Sure enough, at our feet were several lines macraméed across the dock from several of the finger piers, apparently holding the piers to the docks. There were also industrial-type inflated balloons apparently holding up the finger piers. And then there were the busted pilings – one tied and floating, another atop a pier. There weren’t any boats in the slips – but the marina wasn’t full earlier in the day when we stopped by the boat to unload our gear.
The story behind the floats and lines – pieced together from the couple, another boat owner on the dock and the marina staff, was this: A gentleman’s large, heavy powerboat (one person suggested a Nordhavn) ended up out of control and going fast between the F and G docks. It’s still not known what caused the control issue, but at the time the boat owner allegedly claimed it was a malfunction of the remote control. It hit at least two boats before stopping against one of them. The sound of splintering fiberglass was heard loudly around the marina, and the three boats were later towed out to a local boatyard. I didn’t get to see the boats, but the broken pilings and docks told me all I needed to know about the impact and size of the vessel.
“Our main concern was that nobody was seriously hurt,” Casey Pullen of Port Sidney Marina said. Fortunately, the only apparent injury, a minor one, was to the owner of the out of control boat, whose cut arm was tended to at a local hospital. According to witnesses, the staff acted “very professionally” in securing the docks and clearing the marina.
These things happen, though usually not to this extent. Personally, as an owner I would have wanted a call from the marina and some warning signs placed on the dock (I’ve got a couple energetic boys who love to jump gaps). But otherwise it sounds like it was dealt with promptly. Slipstream didn’t seem damaged when I checked her out at daybreak. As the insurance issues are sorted, expect the Port of Sidney to effect dock repairs and get on with life as usual.
I guess the moral of the story is if you see a big boat going too fast or seeming out of control in a marina, it’s probably a good idea to stay clear ’til things are settled.
Kurt grew up racing and cruising in the Midwest, and has raced Lasers since the late 1970s. Currently he is a broker at Swiftsure Yachts. He has been Assistant Editor at Sailing Magazine and a short stint as Editor of Northwest Yachting. Through Meadow Point Publishing he handles various marketing duties for smaller local companies. He currently is partners on a C&C 36 which he cruises throughout the Northwest. He’s married to the amazing Abby and is father to Ian and Gabe.
The O’pen Bic looks like a miniscule Open 60, sails with performance somewhere in between an Opti and Laser 4.7, does not require bailing, seems indestructible and is, according to youthful experts, “easy.” In most books the boat itself, even with its roto-molded construction, would rate at least a 7+. But when it comes to fun for kids, the “unregatta” regattas the O’pen Bic class puts on are definitely a 10. Or even, as one young sailor points out in this video, a 15.
And when it comes to producing a promo video, Bic gets at least another 10 with this one the 2018 North Americans at the Buffalo Canoe Club. I haven’t seen so many smiling faces of any age at a regatta in a long time, if ever. You gotta love the Bridge of Doom. Watch for one of the sailors getting pinned down there.
While the sailing community tears at each other debating how to get more participation, this class is showing us one way to do it. Only a handful of the kids in this video are going on to make sailing a lifelong pastime, but the rest will have fond memories to pass on to others.
And remember, format innovation can be done at every level and in every class. And while a Bridge of Doom might not be the best idea for PHRFers, I’m sure they can think of something just as innovative and fun to spice up their events. Results link: Ooh, never mind, that’s not the point.
Kurt grew up racing and cruising in the Midwest, and has raced Lasers since the late 1970s. Currently he is a broker at Swiftsure Yachts. He has been Assistant Editor at Sailing Magazine and a short stint as Editor of Northwest Yachting. Through Meadow Point Publishing he handles various marketing duties for smaller local companies. He currently is partners on a C&C 36 which he cruises throughout the Northwest. He’s married to the amazing Abby and is father to Ian and Gabe.
Mary Anne Ward May be stepping down from the Executive Director post at Sail Sand Point (SSP), but not completely away.
“It’s time,” she explains. “I’ve done what the Board has asked me to do, and now there’s a need for a different skill set. What they need right now is a fundraiser. That’s not me.” She’ll remain on duty until a new executive director is found and stay involved moving forward.
Mary Anne Ward
The official announcement is reprinted at the end of this post. But I had a chance to talk to her a little bit on Monday outside in front of the offices with a nice northerly keeping the classes engaged as they headed out for the day.
The story of Sail Sand Point is truly amazing, under-appreciated by the public, city and, most surprisingly, the sailing community. As the amazing Sand Point Naval Air Station was dismantled and passed on to the city of Seattle in the late 1990s, Jon and Marcy Edwards got a hiking boot in the door at the little harbor at the north end of the facility. It was perfect. In addition to the harbor, there was a boat house, a huge tarmac formerly for seaplanes and enough shoreline to accommodate a lot of sailing. It’s only drawback, if it is one, is that it’s not highly visible from the roads or the rest of the park. The first director, Deb Sullivan, got things going. I was there and even worked with her some. Morgan Collins took over when Sullivan left and did a great job increasing the program’s access and community awareness.
Ward came to the job four years ago. “I was hired to develop and solidify the administrative sub-structure,” Ward says. That’s now done. She has also dramatically amped up community outreach and built partnerships with groups as diverse as veterans and disabled kids. She’s integrated the STEM curriculum and has brought regional US Sailing events to Sail Sand Point. The open boating (rental) fleet is huge, including sailboards, kayaks, SUPs plus a plethora of sailboats. There’s an 8-use rule for the dry storage renters, so all the boats in the yard are being used. At any given time in summer you’ll see outriggers, paddlers, swimmers and sailboats sharing the shoreline. Personally, I race there on Monday nights with my son in a low-key and very fun, non-scored all-fleet series. It’s free, user friendly and we have burgers in the parking lot afterward.
The boathouse pilings need replacement.
The next challenge is a big one. The boathouse that protects all the coach’s boats and much of SSP’s equipment is on shaky ground, literally. The pilings and some of the structure are rotting or inadequate. They’ve held up well considering they were built 80 years ago, but now it’s the time to fix the problem. In addition, the Parks Department would love to give a large brick building (used once upon a time for fuel storage) to SSP, but remodeling it would be up to SSP. It so happens that that kind of space is just what SSP needs. They need more classroom area – the programs are starved for that kind of space.
This deceptively large building may come SSP’s way, but will require remodeling.
“Four years ago we couldn’t imagine being in the position of seeking those kind of facility improvements,” Ward says. “My stepping down is really a sign of our success.” Nino Johnson, who’s been with SSP many times, will be taking over operations management so the new executive director can focus on fundraising.
There is no doubt that this facility is Seattle’s best chance at making sailing available to the larger community, and it deserves support.
If you or someone you know might be interested in applying for the executive director position, here’s the link: http://www.sailsandpoint.org/about-us/edapplication/ Let’s get someone committed to expanding SSP’s presence into that position.
As for Mary Anne Ward, she says she’ll be doing some traveling, including a river cruise in England with her four children. But she plans to remain in Seattle and help SSP as a volunteer “in whatever way they see fit.” And look for her sailing J/24s and Melges 24s.
The official announcement
Executive Director of Sail Sand Point Announces Plan to Step Down
Sail Sand Point, Seattle’s Community Boating Center, located in Magnuson Park on Lake Washington, announced today that Mary Anne Ward will be stepping down as Executive Director in March. Mary Anne joined Sail Sand Point four years ago and has led the organization through a period of extraordinary growth.
Mary Anne came to Sail Sand Point from the Chicago Match Race Center where she ran such events as the World Match Racing Tour and worked with the Louis Vuitton World Tour. Prior to that, she raced sailboats competitively and saw first-hand how sailing and being on the water changes lives. In 1994 she started an education company which provided K-3rd grade education at parents’ workplaces. With this blend of education and sailing experience Mary Anne has led SSP to where it is today.
“It has been my incredible honor to lead Sail Sand Point for the last four years. Removing traditional barriers to the underserved communities of Seattle as well as teaching youth and adults the joy of being on the water has been wonderful. Programming has nearly doubled with over 11,000 users last year, we have developed a fully integrated adaptive program and participation in camps and classes is at an all time high. With growth like this it is clear that we need to renovate our boathouse and increase our facility space”, said Ward. “Although I do not have the experience to lead Sail Sand Point through the next phase of development I look forward to offering my full support as an ambassador to the organization.”
Andy MacDonald, President of Sail Sand Point’s Board of Directors, said, “Sail Sand Point has been very lucky to have someone as passionate and dedicated to our mission as Mary Anne. She has led the development of a strong team of managers, staff and volunteer board members who are prepared to work together with the new Executive Director to ensure SSP continues to thrive long into the future.”
Sail Sand Point will begin the search for new leadership this summer. The next Executive Director will guide SSP through its next phase of growth, including a major capital campaign to expand classroom space and improve the facility. The role will entail creating strategic partnerships with local government, businesses, and philanthropic individuals and organizations while maintaining a steadfast desire to fulfill our mission. More information is available at our website.
Kurt grew up racing and cruising in the Midwest, and has raced Lasers since the late 1970s. Currently he is a broker at Swiftsure Yachts. He has been Assistant Editor at Sailing Magazine and a short stint as Editor of Northwest Yachting. Through Meadow Point Publishing he handles various marketing duties for smaller local companies. He currently is partners on a C&C 36 which he cruises throughout the Northwest. He’s married to the amazing Abby and is father to Ian and Gabe.
As the chockablock spring racing season winds down in the Northwest, lots of other racing is lining up.
J/Fest June 23, 24
J/Fest is back, and the folk at Sail Northwest are excited to have folks sign up. Here’s Sail Northwest’s intro:
Sail Northwest, your northwest J/Boat dealer, invites you to join us for the comeback of the original J/FEST. For 26 years, we produced some of the best racing and after race socializing available on the planet. This is a two-day regatta (with a Friday night PHRF fun race) is open to all J/Boats owners and crew. Starts will be provided for ONE DESIGN, PHRF AND CRUISING classes. The on the water activities are hosted by Sail Northwest and CYC Seattle. Shoreside activities will be in the Courtyard west of the main building on Friday night and at the CYC Seattle Shilshole clubhouse Saturday and Sunday.
Here’s the website where you’ll find the notice of race and entry form.
Round Orcas June 23
If you don’t have a J/Boat, or just want to try a new and different course, check this out from the folks in the San Juans. Note that there will be several different divisions including a paddleboard/kayak division. This one sounds like a lot of fun for folks who’d rather go around an island than buoys!
Orcas Island Yacht Club is pleased to invite you to participate in the first annual race around Orcas Island. Held on the longest Saturday of the year, the race presents intriguing navigational challenges set against the splendid scenic beauty and tall, forested bluffs of the largest island in the San Juans. We look forward to you joining us!
The start is between a red flag on Orcas Landing and the flag pole on Shaw Island.
We are planning on a fully crewed division, a double-handed division, and a self-propelled paddleboard/kayak division.
Buchan Star Clinic This Saturday
Local sailors Derek DeCouteau and Jaimie Stewart working upwind. Local photo by Jan Anderson.
This Saturday is the Buchan Star clinic. In addition to all the Star aficionados out there, Laser and RS Aero sailors are invited to sit in as well. If you’ve never heard experts talk about setting up and sailing a Star, I’d recommend this as definitely worth the time. Of course much of it will be unique to the Star, but it will be great insight into perhaps the most sophisticated and challenging boat on the water. Here’s a brief description by Star sailor Dave Watt.
Our agenda is as follows: We’ll be gathering next Saturday morning at about 10:00 A.M. in the dry storage area with Carl Buchan discussing and reviewing boat set-ups, followed by Carl speaking at about 11:00 A.M. about boat handling drills. We’ll then go out onto the water for boat handling drills during Saturday afternoon, followed by a de-brief on-shore lead by Carl during the late afternoon and early evening. We’ll resume next Sunday morning at 10:00 A.M. with a short land briefing, followed by short races on the water, and concluding with a post-racing de-brief on-shore by Carl. For more information contact Foss Miller at foss@pacific-research.com.
Kurt grew up racing and cruising in the Midwest, and has raced Lasers since the late 1970s. Currently he is a broker at Swiftsure Yachts. He has been Assistant Editor at Sailing Magazine and a short stint as Editor of Northwest Yachting. Through Meadow Point Publishing he handles various marketing duties for smaller local companies. He currently is partners on a C&C 36 which he cruises throughout the Northwest. He’s married to the amazing Abby and is father to Ian and Gabe.
I just put together the sailish.com Patreon site. If you’re not familiar with Patreon, it’s a simple online way for creators to fund their projects. You check out my presentation, then you can choose to do a monthly contribution by setting up a “patron” account and picking a level. It’s open to both individuals and corporate sponsors – my thought is that both appreciate and benefit from the site and will want to contribute. I’ve set up several modest levels from which to choose. Of course you can stop the monthly contributions whenever you want.
In the two+ years since I pushed the “publish” button, sailish.com has attracted a remarkable, engaged readership. So many of you have contributed photos and stories! And it’s been a labor of love for me – promoting sailing in the PNW is really my passion. It’s time to take sailish to the next level.
My intention is to keep posting and expanding sailish.com without resorting to conventional advertising or a subscription model, but I’ll need help. I want to spend my energy on generating content you find relevant and promoting the sport. With support I’ll be able to develop sailish into an even more useful site for PNW sailors and, hopefully, get more folks on the water. There’s a huge potential for features (more each day) that we can integrate into the site.
After the energy I felt last year’s survey responses and the growing excitement I feel around the youth scene, I’m optimistic that PNW sailing will continue to grow and give our community the kind of amazing experiences only sailing can provide. I’ll do what I can to push that process.
Thanks for your help. Click here to help. And please pass this along.
Kurt grew up racing and cruising in the Midwest, and has raced Lasers since the late 1970s. Currently he is a broker at Swiftsure Yachts. He has been Assistant Editor at Sailing Magazine and a short stint as Editor of Northwest Yachting. Through Meadow Point Publishing he handles various marketing duties for smaller local companies. He currently is partners on a C&C 36 which he cruises throughout the Northwest. He’s married to the amazing Abby and is father to Ian and Gabe.
Resolute on the Seattle waterfront. Watch for some new, tough and very happy crew members on her.
Looking for crew? Someone who shows up on time, follows directions and is tough? Naw, nobody needs those kind of crew members. Sailish reader Dan Tedrow would like to toss out an idea, and it’s a good one: veterans. Tedrow is going to host some vets on his Cal 34 Resolute, and invites other sailish.com readers to do the same. The organization is Mission Outdoors, which connects vets with activities and people who are established in a given area. Until now they’ve been more focused on things like fishing, marksmanship, biking and camping, sailing is finding its way onto the agenda as well. Here’s what Tedrow has to say:
Mission Outdoors is a local non-profit organization that helps veterans transition back to civilian life via the outdoors. The organization does this through veteran fishing trips, outdoor activities, and soon…Sailing. The group is very interested in getting veterans onboard sailboats. These folks are strong, willing, work great as a team and most of all love hard work and being outdoors. If you need crew, rail meat, folks to help with a delivery reach out to Mission Outdoors and see if they can pair you up with a veteran or twelve. Imagine having a 6’ 4” Marine yelling “STARBOARD” at your competitors…They’ll tack, even if you’re on Port. The organization is going to start hosting veteran’s cruises onboard our Cal 34 this summer in the Puget Sound. However, they want to get onboard something a little faster…Hoping you can help with that.
In addition, the Mission Outdoors has a Gala scheduled on April 21st in Tacoma to support the cause. This is a great opportunity to meet the men and women that run the program, and understand the positive impact they are having on veteran’s lives. Did I mention dinner is Surf and Turf?
For volunteering with Mission Outdoors, individuals can reach out to Matthew Houston directly or fill out the Volunteer form. Matthew’s contact information is below.
Kurt grew up racing and cruising in the Midwest, and has raced Lasers since the late 1970s. Currently he is a broker at Swiftsure Yachts. He has been Assistant Editor at Sailing Magazine and a short stint as Editor of Northwest Yachting. Through Meadow Point Publishing he handles various marketing duties for smaller local companies. He currently is partners on a C&C 36 which he cruises throughout the Northwest. He’s married to the amazing Abby and is father to Ian and Gabe.
Nearly 100 boats were signed up for the Blakely Rock Benefit Race on Saturday, but a large number of skippers were scared away by the dire wind forecasts. A really healthy fleet still made the trip from Seattle to the Rock and back and while it blew hard, it wasn’t on the “really scary” side of windy. As Doug Frazer from OxoMoxo said, “We had one knock down, but the salt is good for the teak. I was a little disappointed we didn’t need to put in a reef.” The sailish.com weather guru Bruce called it correctly, however (and my apologies) theBriefdidn’t get out until 1932 on Friday. For those who didn’t see the Brief, sorry I didn’t get it out sooner. No word yet on how much money was raised for The Sailing Foundation, but every bit of it will be well used. Results.
Jan and Skip and Mocha Anderson were out and once again caught the mood of the day. Here’s a sampling, click on any image to enlarge. To see the rest of them, check out the full gallery. Jan credits the ferry captain for what I’d call not just considerate, but highly seamanlike, decision to go south of the Rock to avoid conflict with the fleet. If any of you know that captain, buy him a beer.
Here’s Jan’s thoughts: “There was certainly plenty of action at The Rock this weekend, with gusty conditions and rain squalls. The good news is that the potentially-race-canceling-gear-busting conditions forecasted for Saturday never arrived … hooray! That means we were left with a real race that challenged competitors, not a survival exercise that challenged logic. Well done, Mother Nature, and many thanks to Bruce for an accurate forecast that surely encouraged more boats to come out and play anyway. All in all, a win-win-win day! Enjoy the photos!” She added, “The ferry skipper was an absolute gentleman, that dissolved a potentially huge challenge in its interaction with the sailing fleet. Had he not done what he did, the result would have been an absolute mess. Bravo Zulu!!”
Airloom
Fixing…
Apparently fixed, hooray!
Lady Too
Grayling
More Grayling.
The wise captain’s course/
Blue Fin, winner of Class 2, non flying sails.
Tahlequah at the Rock
Jolly Green and Corvo 105
Kiwi Express, winner of Class 7 and overall.
Ben Braden and the happy More Uff Da crew
Bruce Hedrick’s Race Report from onboard Tahlequah
Once again, a great event. Too bad so many people got freaked out by the advertising-driven doom and gloom forecasters. I have to say that we pretty well nailed it and we had a great time. We agreed beforehand if that it was blowing 25+, we weren’t going. The riggers got down to the boat at 0930 and it was 8-10 with a puff to 14 from 147°M. By 1030 it was 5-8 from 190°M and we were putting on sunblock and sunglasses.
We left the dock at 1115 with the pole rigged and the #1 genoa on deck but with the caveat that we reserved the right to change our mind. The foredeck was shocked! By 1135 we were seeing puffs to 16 and signs that it was going to increase, ie the lower clouds were moving faster from the SW. So we decided to go to the #3. This was the right call. The baro had quit rising and when that happened the wind went back to ESE. So two starts in front of us boats were able to port tack start. The start in front of us no one figured that out so we decided the boat end, on port, was a winner. It was and we won the start and sailed easily into the lead holding off the Schock 35 and pinning them in our dirty air.
Wind speed vs Air Pressure at West Point
As usual, our main competition was the C&C115 Elusive who got a horrible start and ended up sailing low and slow off the line. We were able to hold port tack almost all the way to Bainbridge where we started to run into traffic from the slower starts ahead of us. We weren’t able to sail as far as we wanted into the Bainbridge shore so we tacked to starboard to stay in clear air and stay ahead of Elusive. In doing so we let the J-109 get ahead of us.
We rounded Blakely Rock in second place and knew that we could never hold the C&C 115 off going downwind: longer waterline, more sail area, etc etc. We held the port pole until we were about halfway to Winslow and then gybed to end up being aimed perfectly at West Point. The J-109 gybed and crossed ahead of us while Elusive gybed early and sailed about even with us until about ½ way to West Point when the breeze built and they just took off.
We knew the wind would go forward at West Point so we had everything rigged for the final run to Meadow Point. Elusive had to gybe and come out to us but they crossed us and went too far to the West. The other C&C 115 Fortuna was just sailing up our tail pipe but when the wind went forward at West Pt we were able to handle that better and just sailed directly to Meadow Point. In the meanwhile, Elusive who had gone too far to the West had to drop their kite and go to their headsail to make Meadow Point. So we were inside with the kite up, making the mark and you would think that would be an advantage. No such luck, bigger boats with more waterline and more sail area are simply faster.
We rounded Meadow Point in clear air with plenty of congestion behind us and when we could tack and get back into the beach we did. Elusive beat us, as they should, but we still had a great time.
Peak true wind speed as recorded on the Garmin was 22 knots, minimum wind speed was 12 knots. Peak boat speed was a very brief surf to 9.1 knots.
Those who believed the sailish.com forecast had a great time and anytime you can sail in those conditions, you learn something.
Carol Pearl and a Look Behind the scenes
Sloop Tavern Yacht Club Commodore Shannon Renner oversaw this great event and shared her thoughts.
The Race Committee
I had a lot of requests from skippers to cancel this race based on the warnings. It was tough as some folks were coming from other areas and had to get crew together. Because it was a benefit regatta (beginners and experienced both racing) some crews (and skippers) had a lot of angst about participating. Due to the fickle weather here there was no way I could make that call until the day of race. Turned out to be a great day. An amazing day!
In the end, we had 100 boats register and 60 race. The committee boat was s/v Copacetic with Mike DeMan was the skipper. Mike Cain (STYC Vice Commodore) and I headed up the committee boat with a crew of 10. There were some pretty tight and competitive starts with a few near misses, but in the end we only had 1 over early. The finish was just as exciting and there were a lot of cheers from folks. Everyone was off the water in record time really. Even the vessel traffic was making way for the fleet as they rounded the rock and headed back north.
We held the trophy awards and huge raffle event (all proceeds donated to The Sailing Foundation) at the Sloop Tavern after the race. The tavern was packed, as always, and lots of stories swapped for sure. I do not yet have the total amount raised as it usually takes us about a week to get all those numbers in, but I will let you know once we get them.
The Sloop Tavern (business) sponsored our breakfast as usual this year (they always do) and CYC provided the venue this year for both breakfast and the skipper meeting. This was a change for us this year as breakfast is usually held at the Sloop Tavern but CYC wanted to help The Sailing Foundation and offered the breakfast venue this year.
Carol Pearl is who we named the Blakely Rock Benefit after this year. Carol was our club historian and had been a past commodore of STYC in the early 90’s. She truly embodied the STYC spirit. We had all of our board meetings at her home. She passed away on 2/14/2018. Carol is who usually managed the BRBR race each year. It was harder for her the last couple of years due to her health but she still had her organizational lists, etc to make sure all details were handled.
Kurt grew up racing and cruising in the Midwest, and has raced Lasers since the late 1970s. Currently he is a broker at Swiftsure Yachts. He has been Assistant Editor at Sailing Magazine and a short stint as Editor of Northwest Yachting. Through Meadow Point Publishing he handles various marketing duties for smaller local companies. He currently is partners on a C&C 36 which he cruises throughout the Northwest. He’s married to the amazing Abby and is father to Ian and Gabe.
Not sure if this guy is going to be there, but the 48 North Magazine/Fisheries Supply swap meet is tomorrow at the Fisheries store. Get there early if you’re going.
48° North & Fisheries Supply Swap Meet at Fisheries Supply
Mariner’s Square Parking Lot (across from, but not in, Gasworks Park)
1900 N. Northlake Way, Seattle WA 98103
7:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. • (206) 632-3555
It’s time again to get that box of stuff out of the garage, empty the lazarette, and head to the 48° North Boater’s Swap Meet. Hundreds, even thousands, of your fellow boaters will be there selling those items that you’ve been yearning for but couldn’t find, and buying those items you’ve stored forever.
It’s a bargain hunter’s paradise.
And it’s FREE!
What a great event from our friends at 48 North and Fisheries!
Kurt grew up racing and cruising in the Midwest, and has raced Lasers since the late 1970s. Currently he is a broker at Swiftsure Yachts. He has been Assistant Editor at Sailing Magazine and a short stint as Editor of Northwest Yachting. Through Meadow Point Publishing he handles various marketing duties for smaller local companies. He currently is partners on a C&C 36 which he cruises throughout the Northwest. He’s married to the amazing Abby and is father to Ian and Gabe.
The Sailing Foundation is one of the Northwest’s amazing sailing organizations. Andrew Nelson continues to do great work with the community sailing programs and youth in the area. Three TSF (The Sailing Foundation) events are coming up this weekend of note.
Friday April 6, 7-9pm CYC Seattle
Andrew Nelson will be giving a presentation at CYC Seattle on youth sailing in the region, how it’s changed in the past decade, what opportunities kids have, and where there’s still work to be done.
Saturday April 7, 7am-12pm Seattle Yacht Club
There will be a free Lifesling clinic at Seattle Yacht Club from 9-12. Learning how to use the Lifesling is just as important as having one attached to your stern pulpit. Call (206) 789-1919 to reserve a spot.
Saturday April 7, Blakely Rock Benefit Regatta
Sloop Tavern Yacht Club’s Carol Pearl Blakely Rock Benefit Race is one of this area’s best events as it’s fun, competitive and serves a good (different) cause every year. This year’s beneficiary is The Sailing Foundation. And don’t forget, Bruce Hedrick will be doing a weather brief here on sailish.com on Friday to get you ready!
Kurt grew up racing and cruising in the Midwest, and has raced Lasers since the late 1970s. Currently he is a broker at Swiftsure Yachts. He has been Assistant Editor at Sailing Magazine and a short stint as Editor of Northwest Yachting. Through Meadow Point Publishing he handles various marketing duties for smaller local companies. He currently is partners on a C&C 36 which he cruises throughout the Northwest. He’s married to the amazing Abby and is father to Ian and Gabe.
One of the things we found in sailish.com’s sailing survey was that sailors want some new courses to try. Here’s one. Jimmy and Robin Roser are putting together a regatta for Orcas Islands’ East Sound April 28-29. You know, that idyllic flat water surrounded by one gorgeous island. I’ve actually wondered what racing would be like there. According to Bob Brunius of Time Bandit fame, it’s a great place to race: “East Sound has a lot of advantages for running regatta. Above average wind that is usually steady and good size body of water with little fetch and little or no power boat traffic. The participants can moor at the Rosario Marina. The crew can stay at the Rosario Resort or camp at Moran State Park. There is a great opportunity for partying Saturday night in the park and/or at the Rosario bar.”
Plans are for there to be PHRF, Martin 242 and a cruisers division with PHRF numbers assigned.
Sounds pretty nice, and a chance to start something different. And, no doubt, it would offer some new challenges. And for some, it may be an excuse to get the boat our for some early season cruising. Just sayin….
Kurt grew up racing and cruising in the Midwest, and has raced Lasers since the late 1970s. Currently he is a broker at Swiftsure Yachts. He has been Assistant Editor at Sailing Magazine and a short stint as Editor of Northwest Yachting. Through Meadow Point Publishing he handles various marketing duties for smaller local companies. He currently is partners on a C&C 36 which he cruises throughout the Northwest. He’s married to the amazing Abby and is father to Ian and Gabe.
