SUMMER SERIES

Wed. Sept. 10,, 2008 - Race 13

Force G4 wins final Wed. night race of the year!
LA Express edges out Surcease and Jeepers for 1st overall in final Summer Series standings.

Race 13

1 Force G4
2 Pendragon
3 Surcease
4 Trust Me
5 Jeepers
6 Trouble
7 Don't Panic
8 Alias
9 Wow
10 Blondie
11 Power Play
12 Heatwave
13 Watercolour
14 Tequila

RC  LA Express

Wed. Sept. 3,, 2008 - Race 12

Wind 10-12 kts, South - Course: W4 - Race committee: Ska
LA Express wins.  Then Blondie with a great finish.

Race 12

1 LA Express
2 Blondie
3 Jeepers
4 Surcease
5 Heatwave
6 Trouble
7 Power Play
8 Force G4
9 Don't Panic
10 Wow
11 Watercolour
12 Alias
14 Tequila (DNF)

RC  Ska

Wed. Aug. 27, 2008 - Race 11

Wind 6-8 kts, South - Course: R4 - Race committee: Watercolour
Wow!! ran away with it!

Race 11

1 Wow
2 LA Express
3 Pendragon
4 Jeepers
5 Surcease
6 Blondie
7 Heatwave
8 Force G4
9 Power Play
10 Ska
11 Hanalolu
12 Don't Panic
13 Trouble

RC  Watercolour

     Wed. Aug. 20, 2008 - Race 10

Wind 4-6 kts, SE - Course: B2 - Race committee: Wow!!
With the fleet wandering about in the light wind, the RC shepherded the racers back towards the starting area with repeated radio calls announcing that they were going to start a sequence at 7:00 sharp. Which they did. During the staring sequence, a big left shift made the pin end heavily favored. Those who figured that out, got a good start and headed into the left corner for big gains.

Race 10

1 LA Express
2 Surcease
3 Jeepers
4 Trouble
5 Hanalolu
6 Blondie
7 Force G4
8 J Puddleduck
9 Power Play
10 Heatwave
11 Alias
12 Watercolour
13 Tequila
14 Don't Panic

RC  Wow

Wed. Aug. 13, 2008 - Race 9

S Wind 6-10 knots - Course R4 - Distance 2.8 miles - RC Power Play
10-20 degree shifts with puffs made for a technical race. LA Express nosed out Surcease at the first mark to extend and not look back.

Race 9

1 LA Express
2 Surcease
3 Don't Panic
4 Blondie
5 Wow
6 Force G4
7 Trouble
8 Hanalolu
9 Ska
10 Heatwave
11 J Puddleduck
12 Jeepers
13 Alias

RC  Power Play

Wed. Aug. 6, 2008 - Race 7 & 8

Race 7

1 Don't Panic
2 Wow
3 Surcease
4 LA Express
5 J Puddleduck
6 Jeepers
7 Heat Wave
8 Trouble
9 Blondie
10 Force G4
11 Power Play
12 Watercolour
13 Tequila

RC  Trust Me

Race 8

1 Surcease
2 Jeepers
3 Heat Wave
4 Wow
5 LA Express
6 J Puddleduck
7 Don't Panic
8 Trouble
9 Blondie
10 Power Play
11 Watercolour
12 Force G4
13 Tequila

RC  Trust Me

Wed. July 30, 2008 - Race 5 & 6

Week three brought a nice 8-12 kt sea breeze that filled in right on schedule around 6:00, under overcast skies and a forecast for thunderstorms later in the evening. Fortunately, the rain held off long enough to get in two good races (as I write this, it's 10:30 PM and just staring to rain). The RC put a drop mark about 1/4 east of R and set up near C, giving them a choice of using W or R, depending on what the wind did. RC was Don't Panic.

At the warning for the first race, the wind was from 205, so the committee set a course of W2. Things got exciting (in a bizarre sort of way) early on as Maccabee, a Morgan 27 sailing with EBYRA, inexplicably sailed right through the Fleet 61 start as the clock was already running. They ran into Watercolor, doing considerable damage and forcing her to retire from the race. Blondie got aggressive and luffed most of the fleet onto the wrong side of the RC boat.

By the second start, the wind had gone right about 15 degrees, and the committee set a course of R4. Once again, the fleet was pushing the start, leading to the second general recall of the season. The pin got moved up a bit, in an attempt to spread people out along the line more), and out came the I-flag. That seemed to keep people's adrenaline rushes in check and the restart was clean. With an eye towards the threatening weather and approaching darkness, the RC pulled out the S flag and shorted course to R2, getting everybody back into shore safe and dry.

Race 5

1 Heat Wave
2 Surcease
3 LA Express
4 Jeepers
5 Wow
6 Alias
7 Power Play
8 Blondie
9 J Puddleduck
10 Trust Me
11 Force G4
13 Watercolour (DNF)

RC  Don't Panic

Race 6

1 Jeepers
2 J Puddleduck
3 Blondie
4 Surcease
5 LA Express
6 Force G4
7 Wow
8 Power Play
9 Alias
10 Heat Wave
11 Trust Me

RC  Don't Panic

Wed. July 23, 2008 - Race 3 & 4

Race 3

1 Power Play
2 LA Express
3 Trouble
4 Blondie
5 Wow
6 J Puddleduck
7 Watercolour
8 Alias
10 Surcease (OCS)

RC  Jeepers

Race 4

1 Surcease
2 Trouble
3 Wow
4 Power Play
5 Blondie
6 LA Express
7 Alias
8 J Puddleduck
9 Watercolour

RC  Jeepers

Wed. July 16, 2008 - Race 1 & 2

After a watching a dismal forecast for calm winds all afternoon on the weather web sites, mother nature surprised us with a steady 6-8 kt sea breeze that came in around 6:00 at lasted long enough to complete two races. Race Committee: J. Puddleduck

Race 1 - Course R-4
Most of the fleet went left early, but the big payoff was on the right side of the course where a 25 degree lift was found close to the shoreline; Surcease, Trouble, Wow, and Don't Panic made out big by taking right after the start. By the time the rest of the fleet came back to the right in the middle of the first leg, the die had already been cast.

Race 2 - Course R-2
By the start of the second race, the right shift seen early in the first race had settled in, making the boat end highly favored. This, combined with a short line, and a couple of jet-skis who decided to see what a sailboat race looked like real close-up, resulted in fleet 61's second general recall in two weeks.  The RC reset the pin to square the line and started to deploy the heavy guns; out came the I-flag.  This was enough to keep people a little more under control and the restart was clean.  The wind was enough right at this point that the beat turned into almost a fetch, and the downwind leg a reach.

Race 1

1 Surcease
2 Trouble
3 Wow
4 Don't Panic
5 LA Express
6 Force G4
7 Jeepers
8 Watercolour
9 Power Play
10 Ska
11 Blondie
12 Alias
13 Trust Me
15 Catch Me If You Can (DNF)

RC  J Puddleduck

Race 2

1 Jeepers
2 LA Express
3 Surcease
4 Alias
5 Trust Me
6 Trouble
7 Wow
8 Don't Panic
9 Force G4
10 Ska
11 Blondie
12 Power Play
13 Watercolour
 

RC  J Puddleduck

SPRING SERIES

Wed. July 9, 2008 - Race 13 & 14

First race, course W4. Wind 225 at 12-17
Second race, course W2, Wind 225 at 12-17

Race 13

1 Jeepers
2 Power Play
3 Don't Panic
4 Heat Wave
5 Trouble
6 Surcease
7 Blondie
8 Wow
9 Ska
10 J Puddleduck
11 Watercolour
12 Trust Me

RC  Alias

Race 14

1 Jeepers
2 Power Play
3 Ska
4 Trouble
5 Don't Panic
6 J Puddleduck
7 Surcease
8 Wow
9 Heat Wave
10 Trust Me
11 Blondie
12 Watercolour

RC  Alias

     Wed. July 2, 2008 - Race 12

Another picture-perfect evening for sailing, with a 12 kt southerly breeze and great weather. Wow and Don't Panic both had poor finishes, letting Trouble and Jeepers creep up closer in the standings. Don't Panic inched into first, but only three points separate the top four places, and it's anybody's regatta going into the last week.

Race 12

1 Jeepers
2 Surcease
3 Trouble
4 Force G4
5 Watercolour
6 Don't Panic
7 LA Express
8 Heat Wave
9 Wow
10 Ska
11 Alias
12 Trust Me
14 J Puddleduck (DNF)

RC  Blondie

     Wed. June 25, 2008 - Race 10 & 11

Week 6 brought a nice change from the previous week; clear skies, warm temperatures, and a mostly steady 6-8 kt southerly breeze, bringing 13 boats to the starting line. CIYC Commodore Francine Alheid on Watercolour made it out for her first race of the season. This was also the debut for new fleet 61 boat, Tequila, with HYC PC Erwin Eibert and Rear Commodore Bob Fleno. RC was Surcease.
    The first race of the evening (course: R4) saw some challenges for the race committee, as they struggled with a balky outboard motor and a dragging anchor. The initially square line ended up pin end favored as the RC boat dragged their anchor. The right side seemed to pay off on the upwind legs, as boats played the geographic wind shifts in close to the shoreline. Things got really strange at the end of the race, as a new breeze tried to settle in with puffs alternately coming from the south and west.
    For the second race, the RC picked up and moved to the east to accommodate the new south-westerly that had filled in. With the sun getting low in the sky, the RC wisely sent the fleet on a short R2 course. Playing the shifts and looking for puffs was the name of the game, with the finish again punctuated by some big right shifts, leaving boats finishing with spinnaker poles on the headstays (or even under genoa in a few cases).

Race 10

1 Wow
2 Blondie
3 Don't Panic
4 Heat Wave
5 Watercolour
6 Trouble
7 J Puddleduck
8 Power Play
9 Jeepers
10 Ska
11 Tequila
12 Alias
13 Trust Me

RC  Surcease

Race 11

1 Trouble
2 Jeepers
3 Trust Me
4 Don't Panic
5 Heat Wave
6 J Puddleduck
7 Ska
8 Watercolour
9 Alias
10 Wow
11 Blondie
12 Power Play
13 Tequila

RC  Surcease

     Wed. June 18, 2008 - Race 9

   This was not another perfect evening for racing. It was, however, a typical "Heat Wave" evening to do RC honors. For the 5th time in the past 4 seasons the weather did not cooperate, but this year we finally got a race started.
    We left our mooring at about 1800 and dropped an inflatable mark in the NE area of Eastchester Bay to take advantage of the 4K NE breeze. By the time we got to our prospective starting area , however, we were in a 6K ESE breeze so we set up a line to race to "D". By 1830 we were in a NE breeze at 2.5K which then "settled" into an Easterly by 1845 which left neither the "W" nor "D" marks as usable, so we settled for the "C" and 6 short legs. That was, of course, before the impending T-storms changed the velocity and direction again so we postponed until after the storms passed.
    Taking the rainbow as a good omen, we waited until the breeze settled out of the NE, set the line to use the inflatable mark and finally got started on a "W4" course. But nature wasn't done yet. The wind swung back to the East and fell off to about 2.5K so we shortened course to 2 legs, only to have the breeze pick up out of the NE again as boats were finishing.
    Thank you all for hanging in there with us and we promise not to do committee for at least another year so that we can have some more perfect weather for the rest of the season!

Race 9

1 Power Play
2 Blondie
3 J Puddleduck
4 Trouble
5 Jeepers
6 Wow!!
7 Don't Panic
8 Alias
9 Force G4

RC  Heat Wave

Wed. June 11, 2008 - Race 7 & 8

   13 boats out for our 4th week. Surcease and Power Play have strong night. Assume turn out for this early series, we expect over 15 boats within a few weeks. Beautiful weather with a decent NW wind. Jeff Goldfarb and Force G4 did a nice job of setting a square course and line. The line was pretty roomy for a change. Power Play got off to a great start to never look back with Surcease coming back from deep in the pack to second. In Race 2 the wind was left at the gun and LA Express, Surcease and Power Play took advantage at the pin end to finish in that order.

More Commentary from Don't Panic:
   Week 4 brought us perfect sailing weather -- comfortably temperatures, dry, and a nice 8-10 kt northwesterly left over from the previous night's wild cold front passage (which brought 50+ kt squalls to the area).
   Before the race, Don't Panic explored the left hand side of the course and found a 40-degree port-tack lift deep in by the shoreline.  The long start line looked to be about 10 degrees pin-end favored, so our plan was to start at the pin and dig in deep left looking for the shift.  It looked like Jeepers and Surcease had the same idea, as we all found ourselves crowded right at the pin.  Don't Panic had a choice of going above or below Surcease and picked below to avoid getting luffed up.  This turned out to be a bad move as they ended up not being able to fetch the pin and had to tack and duck a solid line of starboard tackers.  But, as luck would have it, going right turned out to not be too bad and Don't Panic was back in the thick of things by the first mark, ultimately ended up mid-fleet.
   The real excitement of the first race was a serious case of barging, as a fully-loaded barge coming downwind out of the Hutchinson River made it to windward mark just about the same time as the fleet.  I didn't hear any frantic horn blasts, but it did lend some strategic drama to the leg, as boats had to commit to one side or the other of the barge and hope they guessed right.
   At the second start, the wind had gone back right and the line was square.  Don't Panic got a clean start and worked their way up the far right side of the course.  The first mark rounding was a traffic jam as the whole fleet arrived at once.  Don't Panic had to do a couple of extra tacks in close to the mark as they misjudged the layline, but came out of it unscathed and battled for a 4th place finish after having to do a 360 on the second upwind leg (note to self: somebody really should be watching down below for other boats when you're going upwind on port).

Race 7

1 Power Play
2 Surcease
3 Trouble
4 Heatwave
5 Jeepers
6 LA Express
7 Don't Panic
8 Wow
9 Ska
10 Blondie
11 J-Puddleduck
12 Alias
13 Trust Me (SUNY)

RC  Force G4

Race 8

1 Surcease
2 LA Express
3 Power Play
4 Don't Panic
5 Heatwave
6 Ska
7 Jeepers
8 Wow
9 J Puddleduck
10 Blondie
11 Trouble
12 Alias
13 Trust Me ( SUNY)

RC  Force G4

Wed. June 4, 2008 - Race 5 & 6

   The committee was surprised to see that for Race 1 (#5), no starting boat was even close to the start line when the horn was blown. Out of the 11 boats starting, only two boats were even close to the line. It was a very slow start for the fleet overall. I will assume that is because we are early season and all getting back into the start line techniques. The breeze was up and down between 5.5 to 6.5 knots at the start. After all boats cleared the start line and moved up the course 8 to 10 boat lengths, the fleet split with half going left and right side. later a few boats decided to go up the middle for less course distance. The boats that consolidated course length and went up the middle arrived at the first mark first for the most part. The first boat hit the first mark after 7:35 minutes of racing. After rounding the first windward mark, the fleet consolidated big time 3/4 on the downwind leg due to the breeze freshening up from East. We were seeing 6 to 7 knots for a period of time. The first downwind leg boat, La Express, hit the mark at 15:20 minutes race time. La Express and Surcease came to the downwind mark on their own with no traffic. It was a new race all over again for the middle of the pack and boats were in tight with each other while rounding the downwind mark. We heard a lot of noise from crew and on board equipment being moved around. La Express and Surcease now moved onto the 3rd leg of this race with fresh air and clean open flat water lanes. These two boats of course pulled far ahead of the pack with no issues and great boat speed. Alias did circles for a foul at the downwind mark after clearing all the other boats without interference of course. On leg 4, the final downwind leg, the fleet spilt some to try to catch each other and consolidate but it was difficult to pass each other as the breeze abated some and was for the most part similar on both sides of the course. The fleet had a great first race completed for the evening.
    The committee boat decided to wait a few minutes as the breeze shifted 5 to 10 degrees to the North. It was doing this at the  finish of Race 1. After committee having some patience, while time was becoming a big issue to start race 2 (#6), the breeze shifted back to the original East direction as per Race 1 start. This was great as we did not have to move the pin and course with time being a huge factor. Committee decided that with an abating breeze, at about 2.8 to 3.3 knots and getting dark quick, we shorten to a 2 leg D-2 race with the same course as Race 1. Race 2 started at 20:03 with most boats approaching the line on starboard. This time the boats were on the line and in much better start position. One boat was 1 second from the line at the starting gun. After all boats cleared the line the breeze increased to 4.2 knots. This allowed the fleet to move faster and 7 boats went right side while interestingly 4 chose the left side. The breeze now continued to build to 5.1 knots. After more racing up the first windward leg WOW continued left side course with two other boats. We now had a dominate right side course fleet on the top of the first windward leg. First boat rounded the windward mark at 20:45. La Express jibed early on the downwind leg to the finish and went left side course and made out big time. The breeze was now some what abated and passing competitors was difficult. The good news or the fleet was the breeze was steady overall and we had a great night of racing for Fleet 61.
    All of the above information was put on paper by Kim from the Ska Family. Committee had a great time and we now have THREE more individuals who love sailboat racing. That was my personal reward, to pass on a sport that I love so much to three complete rookies. Made me smile all evening. Mission accomplished big time.
Ciao, ciao to all and see you on the water,
Robin C. Ricca

Race 5

1-LA Express- 9 - 30:24
2-Surcease - 1131 - 31:32
3-Wow - 4 - 33:00
4-Don"t Panic - 649 - 33:23
5-Jeepers - 2335 - 33:30
6-J Puddleduck - 2263 - 33:38
7-Heat Wave - 4160 - 34:55
8-Trouble - 3000 - 35:04
9-Blondie - 4109 - 35:52
10-Alias - 435 - 36:30
11-Ska - 2557 - 38:03

RC  Power Play

Race 6

1-LA Express - 9 - 14:11
2-Alias - 435 - 14:26
3-Don"t Panic - 649 - 15:02
4-Jeepers - 2335 - 15:11
5-Surcease - 1131 - 15:12
6-Wow - 4 - 1:20
7-Ska - 2557 - 16:50
8-J Puddleduck - 2263 -
9-Trouble - 3000 -
10-Blondie - 4109 - 17:20
11-Heat Wave - 4160 -

RC  Power Play

Wed. May 28, 2008 - Race 3 & 4

Race 3:  wind 5 building to 10 and direction 195 going top 215 Course C2
Don’t Panic, WOW, Blondie, Heat Wave, Trouble, J Puddle Duck

The first race of the day the RC boat was favored by 10 degrees as the wind continued to clock.  It was a clan start with all boats about a boat length behind the line at T Zero.  WOW started second tier at the boat and picked up a slight lift resulting in a strong second place finish.  Don’t Panic started mid fleet, got a nose out front by the first tack to port and never looked back for an easy first place.  Trouble, always competitive decided to practice spinnaker dancing at the first mark and fell back to 5th.

Race 4: Wind 9-10 @ 215 course C6
WOW, Heat Wave, Trouble, Blondie, Don’t Panic, J Puddle Duck

No late starters this time.  Current had picked up and pushed the fleet to the line and a little too pushy for Don’t Panic.  Sorry guys but it wasn’t even close.  However they managed what would have been an amazing recovery as they challenged for second place at the first leeward mark  but then forgot to trim the genoa loosing three boats.  Wow just sailed a perfect race and stretched out a long lead by going hard right to pick up the ebbing Hutch river current.  Heat Wave Trouble and Blondie fought for 2nd  at the finish but Commodore Lages assisting Captain Rosenberg squeaked out second place.

Race 3

1 Don’t Panic
2 Wow
3 Blondie
4 Heat Wave
5 Trouble
6 J Puddle Duck

RC  Jeepers

Race 4

1 Wow
2 Heat Wave
3 Trouble
4 Blondie
5 Don’t Panic
6 J Puddle Duck

RC  Jeepers

Wed. May 21, 2008 - Race 1 & 2

Thanks to Wow for RC work, 3 boats made it out for the first Wed. Most of the fleet is late going in with the bad weather, but we expect more than twice the boats out for next week and up to 10 by week 3.

Race 1

1 Don't Panic
2 J Puddleduck
3 Trouble

RC  Wow

Race 2

1 J Puddleduck
2 Trouble
3 Don't Panic

RC  Wow