Laser sailor summer 2016

®

SUMMER 2016

6 continents, 122 countries - the biggest adult and youth racing class in the world

SUMMER 20162

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KO Sailing is proud to support the youth, performance and recreational boating communities all over the U.S., from right here in Seabrook, Texas. As the largest small boat dealer on the Gulf Coast, KO Sailing is uniquely equipped to provide today’s performance racers witheverything from boats and sails, to gear, apparel, guidance and more.

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www.Laser.org 3

WINNINGREQUIRES THE RIGHT TOOLS

FREE SHIPPINGFOR ORDERS OVER $99

visit us online at kosailing.com

ZHIK BOOT 460 RACING BOOT

2015 BUILT LASERS -CHARTERED

ZHIK SUPERWARM SKIFF - WOMEN'S

JCD LASER TILLEREXTENSION 48"

SAIL EQUIPMENT AUSTRALIA (SEA) CLEW STRAP

Photography Credit: Matias Capizzano Photography

KO Sailing is proud to support the youth, performance and recreational boating communities all over the U.S., from right here in Seabrook, Texas. As the largest small boat dealer on the Gulf Coast, KO Sailing is uniquely equipped to provide today’s performance racers witheverything from boats and sails, to gear, apparel, guidance and more.

Charter boats onlineBook for both events,get a discount!

Preorder items onlineand pick up atthe event.

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SUMMER 20164

www.Laser.org 5

Offi cial publicationof the InternationalLaser Class AssociationNorth American Region

US Postal Service:Please return undeliverables to:ILCA-NA2812 Canon StreetSan Diego, CA 92106 USA

Canada Post:Publications Mail Agreement #40612608Please return undeliverables to:Bleuchip InternationalPO Box 25542London, ON N6C 6BC

EditorsSherri Campbell & Jerelyn BiehlILCA-NA

Offi cers

Andy RoyChairman15 Claudette CourtPeterborough, ON K9J 7Y7 [email protected]

Meka TaulbeeVice ChairmanDunedin, FL USA727-631-7005meka@sailfi t.com

Eric ReitingerTreasurer7908 Normandy DriveMt Laurel, NJ [email protected]

John LongSecretary4707 Sierra Madre RoadSanta Barbara, CA [email protected]

Al ClarkMember at Large337 E 6thNorth Vancouver, BC [email protected]

Sherri CampbellExecutive Secretary2812 Canon StreetSan Diego, CA 92106 USAphone: 619-222-0252fax: [email protected]

SUMMER2016

District Contacts .....................................................................................................6

President’s Report....................................................................................................8

Race Preparation.....................................................................................................10

Rio Olympic Preview - NA Sailors.....................................................................14

Rig like Australia’s Brett Beyer...........................................................................16

Sailing in Belize.......................................................................................................17

Vann is the Man......................................................................................................18

Newport Laser Fleet Honors Moose McClintock...........................................20

Lesson Learned........................................................................................................27

2016 Event Schedule..............................................................................................23

Regatta Reports

Fleet 413 Ends Season with Record Turnout......................................22

Canadian Masters......................................................................................24

ACCs...........................................................................................................25

ACC Masters Preview.............................................................................26

Little Egg Delivers - District 10............................................................28

District Reports.......................................................................................................29

Traumatic Injuries while Racing.........................................................................36

Why Join the Laser Class?....................................................................................40

Membership Applications.....................................................................................41

District 8 sailors suited up and ready to sail.

Correction: the cover last month in-correctly identifi ed Ari Barshi as Peter

Seidenberg sailing in Laser Sailor Heaven --

the Caribbean. Apologies to all.

®

SUMMER 2016

6 continents, 122 countries - the biggest adult and youth racing class in the world

SUMMER 20166

District 1Claire [email protected]

District 2Philippe Dormoy, 385 Place Desmarest,Ile Bizard, Quebec, H9C [email protected]

District 3Nigel Heath416-417-0193; [email protected] D3 website: www.d3laser.com

District 4Brigitte Smutney, Sail Manitoba; 409-145 Paci� c Ave. Winnipeg, MB, R3B 2Z6 [email protected] 5Mark Lammens510 Cynthia St. Saskatoon, SK S7K 7K7306-975-0833, [email protected] District 6Andy Hunt, 111-2260 W 8th AveVancouver BC V6K 2A7604-733-9663, hotline: [email protected]

District 7Judith [email protected] 8Frank [email protected]

District 9Peter BushnellCazenovia, NY 13035315-655-4671- [email protected] 10Eric Reitinger7908 Normandy DrMt. Laurel NJ [email protected]://d10.laserforum.orgDistrict 11Jon Deutsch3422 Blithewood Dr, Richmond VA 23225804-305-1244, [email protected]://www.laserdistrict11.orgDistrict 12Finn [email protected] 13Michelle [email protected] www.laser.org/m/_general/d13.aspDistrict 14Britt [email protected] District 15Gri� n OrrGri� [email protected]://groups.google.com/forum/?fromgroups#!forum/txLaser/District 16Tim Fitzgerald, 2322 Brom� eld CircleWichita KS 67226, [email protected] 17John E. Coolidge, Jr., 1113 Hanover StChattanooga, TN 37405 [email protected]

District 18John [email protected] 19Ken Swetka27022 Koerber St., St Claire Shores, MI 48081248-635-5363www.d19laser.orgDistrict 20Sean [email protected] Facebook: Laserd20District 21Matthew � [email protected] 22Kurt Hoehne, 524 N 67th StSeattle, WA [email protected] 23Geo� HurwitchGeo� [email protected] 24Stephen Aguilar1809 Brier Way, Carmichael, [email protected] 916-968-3554District 25Jorge Suarez, 7 Covina AveLong Beach, CA 90803562-260-8116. [email protected]/group/nalaserdistrict25District 26Guy Fleming, 44-392 Olina St. #6Kaneohe, HI 96744-2617808-955-4405, [email protected]

26HAWAII

www.Laser.org 7

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SUMMER 20168

President’s ReportBY ANDY ROY

The 2016 NA Laser season is in full swing, with the North American Championships, U.S. and Canadian Nationals all being held within the next month as of this writing. I just returned from my fi rst regatta of the summer, which was the Laser Canadian Masters held in Montreal. The Beaconsfi eld Yacht Club put on a superb event both on the water and on shore, with Nova Scotia lobster being served for the regatta dinner. The hosts arranged for a new trophy to be presented to the overall winner that will now be the perpetual award for the Canadian Masters, and it is aptly named the Ian Bruce Memorial. Ian lived just down the road from BYC and was a member of the Royal St. Lawrence Yacht Club. For those that did not hear, Ian passed away earlier this year at the age of 82, and I was honoured to be Laser Class representative at the celebration of Ian’s life held at RStLYC in early May. The Bruce family organized a wonderful gathering, and the large turn-out of family and friends were treated to some great stories and also heard from the family on how Ian established the company that built the fi rst 100,000 Lasers or so. Running on a monitor in the Club was a movie, produced by the National Film Board of Canada, called The Boat the Ian Built. I had not seen this wonderful fi lm before, which shows footage of early Laser racing, work going on inside the Performance Sailcraft factory when Laser production was at its peak, and also footage of Ian talking about how it all got started. I will try to obtain the video and get it up on YouTube with a link from the NA class web site.

Getting back to the Canadian Masters this past weekend, having known Ian and he being one of my early sailing

idols, I really wanted to give it my best shot to try and win the inaugural trophy. We were sailing on the same waters where I raced in my fi rst big fl eet Laser regatta, the 1975 Quebec Laser Open and against the likes of Ian Bruce. Despite the mainly light winds this past weekend (not normally my best conditions), I was able to just come out on top, as it came down the fi nal race. It was an honour to have been presented the award by Evert Bastet, a close friend of Ian and the Bruce family and I think also the winner of that 1975 regatta. “EB” won the 207 boat 1973 Laser North Americans in hull #8000 (interestingly a half blue/half white hull that could easily fool competitors trying to fi nd him on an upwind leg). He told me that somehow he was able to relocate old 8000 and it’s sitting now in his garage. Evert went on to win a Silver medal in the FD Class at the 1984 Olympics and was a member of six Canadian Olympic sailing teams. For younger sailors who may not know much about Ian Bruce, he was truly the “father” of not only the Laser as a sailboat, but also established the Class Association and the rules that have ensured the strict one-design principle that have been maintained over the past 45 years – certainly a key to the boat’s success.

I’ve heard several reports from sailors who attended one of the Laser World events held near Puerto Vallarta, Mexico in April and May. By all accounts the organizers put on a tremendous string of four World title regattas, ably supported by the

excellent race management direction from ILCA’s Jeff Martin and Hugh Leicester that Laser World competitors are accustomed to. But the story from the Worlds defi nitely has to be the tale of how Peter Stephinson, a Radial Great Grand Master sailor, effectively died for a few minutes from a sudden heart attack after coming ashore after racing. Incredibly, Peter was brought back to life by the amazing work of the local medical team that fortunately was located nearby the regatta site. For an account of this great story, go online to www.impropercourse.com, and read Pam’s article called “Sailor Down”, dated April 26th. It will make you stop and think.

Enjoy the summer Laser season!

www.Laser.org 9

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SUMMER 201610

Race Preparation: An Organized ApproachBY: JUDITH KRIMSKI

Just when I thought I’d covered pretty much everything about starts I realized NOT! Like the recurring dream I always seem to have when I’m stressed… It’s the last day of high school. I haven’t been to class. Actually, I don’t even know where the classroom is. There’s a calculus test…I wouldn’t know a calculus if it bit me in the you-know-what. Anyway you get the idea.

Coaching has allowed me a lot of the opportunity to ponder all aspects of sailing the Laser, some times is seems like it’s 24-7. I confess I do lie in bed some nights and cry to myself, “MAKE IT STOP!” But being obsessed with one topic does have its advantages especially when one is a creative person (I am a graphic designer and illustrator by trade) who is used to examining subjects from many perspectives.

Let’s face it sailboat racing with all it’s variables is a challenging sport. Basketball players don’t worry about the weather. Bowlers always have the same smooth lane to roll their strikes. I really can’t think of any other sport that has as many variables as sailboat racing. Even golfers—like sailors—deal with weather but compete knowing where the boundaries are and how far they have to hit the golf ball to hit the green. In sailboat races you could believe you’ve chosen the favored side of the course. All the sudden the wind shifts and you are on the completely wrong side with many more boat lengths to sail.

Pre-race PreparationDoing your homeworkWhen asked, most sailors will say “Yes!” pre-race preparation is important. Even at the club level sailors check the weather, the tides, etc. before venturing out for their weekly series. When it comes to big regattas race prep takes on major importance. That said I am constantly amazed how many sailors skip the prep and instead opt for learning “on the fl y.” Yes. Sailing instructions can be tedious, all that “The regatta will be governed by the rules as defi ned in The Racing Rules of Sailing…” mumbo jumbo. But get past that and you’ll learn very important information including the regatta schedule, race starting times and most importantly which courses will be used. It goes without saying that the Racing Rules of Sailing must be a fundamental part of a sailor’s racing knowledge. While the book is close to 200 pages the fi rst 12 include defi nitions and the majority of rules a racing sailor needs to know.

Racing in a new venue? Getting the inside scoop on weather patterns, currents/tides and other geographic information will help enhance the racing experience. With all the resources available on the web information is easy to fi nd out. Going to a regatta on Chesapeake Bay? Check out the Severn Sailing Association (www.severnsailing.org) has links to all sorts of racing related information.

Getting Acclimated to Course ConditionsRace day has arrived. You’ve read the RRS, the sailing instructions, boned up on local knowledge and can proudly inform your fellow competitors of the signifi cance of the U fl ag. It’s time to go racing, right? Not yet. You still have some detective work to do so get out on the racecourse early! The only way to learn its features is to sail it. Preferably team up with another sailor who is willing to compare information. Is one side favored? Is there current? What are the tacking angles? How close is the windward mark to land and is the wind affected by its proximity. The more information you can glean the better so head out early Sherlock!

www.Laser.org 11

Lets’ Race!?The marks have been positioned. The starting line is set and the starting sequence is about to begin. Time to race right? Not quite. There is more information to be processed.

Leg One StrategyNow that you’ve done all your detective work you can formulate your fi rst leg strategy. Do you want to go right after the start or play the shifts up the center of the course? What’s the long tack? Is there fair current on one side that you want to take advantage of? Is the wind light or strong? Is it steady from one direction (like this ever happens!)? Oscillating or shifting in a persistent manner? If it’s light you want to connect areas of pressure upwind (those dark patches of wind) rather than looking to go to one side or the other. It’s important to remember that your strategy is the fastest way you will sail up the course in the absence of other boats. If early on you are faced with a tactical situation—needing to tack out to get into clear air for example—you should have strategy in the forefront of your mind and not let yourself get distracted from implementing it.

Starting PlanTo have a successful start you need information. Information is key to deciding where you want to start, when to set up, and how to start without being OCS. There are myriad pieces of information to take into account but the main ones are listed in the graphic. Note that the “Starting Plan” is focused on strategic aspects of the start. The when and the where in the absence of other boats.

Fleet BehaviorI have found that most fl eets have patterns of behavior in how they set up for the start. Some will set up early holding position on the line. Some will all come charging in from the right side with 30 seconds to go. Some will pile up at the pin or boat depending on which end is favored. In our local Marblehead fl eet sailors like to “lead not follow,” setting up anywhere inside of one minute to the start which is usually the case for bigger fl eets in major regattas. In such a situation noting time in the sequence boats are starting to set-up is important because with a short line and many boats it is easy to get shut out and end up second row. The point is every fl eet has certain characteristics and it’s important to fi gure those into your plan.

Heh! What about the boat!Exactly! Boat set-up is integral to getting a great start. Marking trim controls so you can easily set up your rig properly is as important as anything else. Practicing acceleration techniques; sailing in high mode (when you need to climb to windward) and low mode (when you want to extend out) will allow you to easily switch technique when needed. It’s important to remember when practicing these techniques that while the boat is the same every sailor is different. Baseline settings are helpful but you need to fi nd your own groove.

PRO TIP!This tip on pinching com es from Coach Vaughn Harrison of the International Sailing Academy which sits on beautiful Banderas Bay in La Cruz, Mexico. For more info on ISA go to http://internationalsailingacademy.com/

What’s the difference between pinching and stalling? Pinching is when the boat is sailed too close to the wind direction, causing the angle of attack on the sail to be too narrow. The sailor will see a large separation bubble of fl ow on the windward

SUMMER 201612

side of the sail, indicated by the luffi ng just behind the mast. Stalling is the opposite, when the boat is sailed with a wider angle of attack usually from bearing away too far from close hauled or having the sail trimmed in too tight.

Why pinching is bad:

Whether the boat sailed into a header, or steered too high to the wind it is critical that the boat not stay this course. Almost immediately the relief of pressure on the sail will lower the drive force on the sails and foils combined output, allowing for drag to manipulate the performance of the boat.

The 4 types of drag that play a big role on sailboats are:

1. Skin drag: boat bottom surface friction2. Form drag: The boat shape in the water and how the streamline may optimize performance or create drag3. Bow impact drag: waves or chop hitting the bow4. Aerodynamic drag: windage on the hull, sails and everything else above water

How long does it take for pinching to make a difference on the boat? The longer you pinch for the more the boat slows, and less the sail maintains function, which is compounded by the drag components. Even a mild amount of pinching has some huge affects on performance. Even for those who have great focus and avoid pinching at all costs understand that if you even notice the pinch occur, speed is already affected.

How should one react to pinching? Avoid stalling the sail by sheeting out while bearing away. Since the boat speed has decreased, the apparent wind moves aft, meaning that bearing away back to close-hauled will widen the angle of attack, creating some level of stall on the sail even though it is the correct angle for VMG. This is usually not noticeable from the sailor’s point of view, but viewed from behind the boat slips sideways until the apparent wind settles forward and the foils grip again. Depending on how long the boat was pinched for, this stall can be much worse than the pinching itself! So be sure to bear away quickly, and drop sheet for the wind angle to adjust.

The second, and equally important tip about getting off the pinch is:

A lot of people criticize use of rudder as adding drag to the boat. I would say that it is very true, but rudder drag is only 1 small type of drag amongst 4 greater types of drag mentioned earlier. Try pushing a canoe up a swell and into the wind and through chop and it won’t make it very far due to drag. When the angle of attack is narrowed so much to create the pinching effect, so much drive force is lost that the boat is already losing speed. My suggestion would be to use as much tiller as you need to get the boat off the pinch ASAP! *pro tip: if you can bear away down the back of a wave you will get the benefi t of reducing impact drag and getting off of the pinch at the same time.

Lastly, don’t bear away with windward heel. When sailing to windward, boats track best with some degree of weather helm. Pinching will result in a loss in pressure in the sails and foils, having a fl attening affect that contributes to lee helm. Lee helm is when your boat wants to bear away. Sailing upwind with lee helm is BAD! What makes things worse is sailing with lee helm and bearing away with your rudder! Pulling your tiller to windward when your boat is in windward heel is likely one of the worst looking things from a performance perspective.

So it’s simple right? If you accidentally pinch, or sail into a header, adjust your course to the new close hauled as soon as you notice it! While bearing away ease some sheet, and move your weight inboard slightly (if needed).

Thanks Vaughn!

www.Laser.org 13

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SUMMER 201614

2016 Rio Olympic Preview 2016 Rio Olympic PreviewCharlie Buckingham - USA

How long have you been sailing in the Laser Radial/Standard?I’ve been racing the Laser Standard on an international level since 2008.

What has been your training heading to Rio?I’ve been training and competing full time since I graduated from Georgetown University in June of 2011, all with Rio in mind. In terms of Rio specifi c training, by the time the games come, I will have spent over 100 days sailing on Guanabara Bay.

What other boats have you been racing in this year? Did you consider this cross-training and/or what benefi t did you derive from that?This year has been dedicated solely to the Laser.

How many days have you spent at home this year? How many days have you spent in Rio training?This year has been less travel intensive than others, with the main focus having been the trials and now the Olympics. It’s only June and I’ve spent almost half of this year at home so far. Over each of the last four years I would have been lucky to spend that amount of time at home over the whole year! I have spent 25 days training in Rio this year.

Besides the sailing, what are you looking forward to/have experienced so far in Brazil?I’m most looking forward to walking with Team USA at the opening ceremony and competing in my fi rst Olympic games.

What are your plans September 1, 2016?I will be taking a break from sailing and contemplating my future!

Brenda Bowskill - CanadaHow long have you been sailing in the Laser Radial/Standard? I began sailing a radial in 2008. I previous sailed bytes and byte CII.

What has been your training heading to Rio? Our trials went until May 2016, so my focus wasn’t necessarily on Rio-based training until the decision was made. I focused a lot of time training in Miami over the winter in preparation for World Cup Miami, and also preparing for Palma Princes Sofi a regatta, and Mexico worlds. All of which were considered towards my selection. Once I was picked as Canada’s radial representative, I went to Rio and did an intensive 10 day training block with international training partner and past world champion Anne Marie Rindom from Denmark. We adjusted our plans along the way and decided to head to Weymouth for the Weymouth/Portland WC as this would be the last opportunity

for world class racing before the Olympics. Weymouth went well, I fi nished 9th. Now I am headed back to Rio for another training camp exact same as last time; 10 days, intensive, with Anne Marie. Afterwards, I will be based at home and will spend time on the water while here in Toronto before heading back to Rio at the end of July for the Games.

What other boats have you been racing in this year? Did you consider this cross-training and/or what benefi t did you derive from that? I haven’t sailed any other boats this year. I have focused 100% of my time and energy on laser sailing, determined to win the Olympic Trials and now determined to do as best as I can at the Olympics.

How many days have you spent at home this year? How many days have you spent in Rio training? I will have spent 20 days in Rio training, not even close to as much as some of my competition but I am confi dent that we know what we need to know specifi c to Rio. Sailing is sailing, at the end of the day you have to adapt to what you have in the moment. I have spent probably 30 days at home this year.

Besides the sailing, what are you looking forward to/have experienced so far in Brazil? I am excited for my Olympic debut, to see what that really means. I will spend a day exploring the village and all the cool things it has to offer. I hope to meet people and make life long friends and memories along the way. I believe if I give myself a day to bask in the Olympic experience, I will get it out of my system and then will focus my thoughts and energy towards what I am there to do; sail. This next trip to Rio I will do the hike up to Christ the Redeemer and also the Sugar Loaf experience. The Brazilian culture is very unique, I really like the food and I hope to check out a nice Brazilian beach on my next trip.

What are your plans September 1, 2016? I will be back in school mid-September working towards fi nishing my undergrad in Nursing at Ryerson, here in Toronto. I plan to keep sailing to Japan 2020 so come September 1, it will be time to sit down and begin planning another 4 year campaign.

www.Laser.org 15

2016 Rio Olympic Preview 2016 Rio Olympic PreviewCharlie Buckingham - USA

How long have you been sailing in the Laser Radial/Standard?I’ve been racing the Laser Standard on an international level since 2008.

What has been your training heading to Rio?I’ve been training and competing full time since I graduated from Georgetown University in June of 2011, all with Rio in mind. In terms of Rio specifi c training, by the time the games come, I will have spent over 100 days sailing on Guanabara Bay.

What other boats have you been racing in this year? Did you consider this cross-training and/or what benefi t did you derive from that?This year has been dedicated solely to the Laser.

How many days have you spent at home this year? How many days have you spent in Rio training?This year has been less travel intensive than others, with the main focus having been the trials and now the Olympics. It’s only June and I’ve spent almost half of this year at home so far. Over each of the last four years I would have been lucky to spend that amount of time at home over the whole year! I have spent 25 days training in Rio this year.

Besides the sailing, what are you looking forward to/have experienced so far in Brazil?I’m most looking forward to walking with Team USA at the opening ceremony and competing in my fi rst Olympic games.

What are your plans September 1, 2016?I will be taking a break from sailing and contemplating my future!

Brenda Bowskill - CanadaHow long have you been sailing in the Laser Radial/Standard? I began sailing a radial in 2008. I previous sailed bytes and byte CII.

What has been your training heading to Rio? Our trials went until May 2016, so my focus wasn’t necessarily on Rio-based training until the decision was made. I focused a lot of time training in Miami over the winter in preparation for World Cup Miami, and also preparing for Palma Princes Sofi a regatta, and Mexico worlds. All of which were considered towards my selection. Once I was picked as Canada’s radial representative, I went to Rio and did an intensive 10 day training block with international training partner and past world champion Anne Marie Rindom from Denmark. We adjusted our plans along the way and decided to head to Weymouth for the Weymouth/Portland WC as this would be the last opportunity

for world class racing before the Olympics. Weymouth went well, I fi nished 9th. Now I am headed back to Rio for another training camp exact same as last time; 10 days, intensive, with Anne Marie. Afterwards, I will be based at home and will spend time on the water while here in Toronto before heading back to Rio at the end of July for the Games.

What other boats have you been racing in this year? Did you consider this cross-training and/or what benefi t did you derive from that? I haven’t sailed any other boats this year. I have focused 100% of my time and energy on laser sailing, determined to win the Olympic Trials and now determined to do as best as I can at the Olympics.

How many days have you spent at home this year? How many days have you spent in Rio training? I will have spent 20 days in Rio training, not even close to as much as some of my competition but I am confi dent that we know what we need to know specifi c to Rio. Sailing is sailing, at the end of the day you have to adapt to what you have in the moment. I have spent probably 30 days at home this year.

Besides the sailing, what are you looking forward to/have experienced so far in Brazil? I am excited for my Olympic debut, to see what that really means. I will spend a day exploring the village and all the cool things it has to offer. I hope to meet people and make life long friends and memories along the way. I believe if I give myself a day to bask in the Olympic experience, I will get it out of my system and then will focus my thoughts and energy towards what I am there to do; sail. This next trip to Rio I will do the hike up to Christ the Redeemer and also the Sugar Loaf experience. The Brazilian culture is very unique, I really like the food and I hope to check out a nice Brazilian beach on my next trip.

What are your plans September 1, 2016? I will be back in school mid-September working towards fi nishing my undergrad in Nursing at Ryerson, here in Toronto. I plan to keep sailing to Japan 2020 so come September 1, it will be time to sit down and begin planning another 4 year campaign.

Lee Parkhill - CanadaParkhill has been the Canadian frontrunner in the Laser class for the past year, bringing home a Bronze medal at 2015 the Pan Am Games and placing 5th at the Rio Olympic Test event in August. Subsequently, Lee was honoured with the 2015 Rolex Sailor of the Year award. “To say that I am elated would be an understatement. I have dedicated much of my life towards the sport of sailing. I’ve been sailing in the Laser class since I was 13 years old, and competing internationally since 2008. My ultimate goal has been to qualify for the Olympics, and yesterday I learned that my dream has come true!”

The journey to the achieving the dream is never without heartbreak along the way. “I’ve certainly had many ups and downs in terms of results during the last four years of sailing. I’ve witnessed the intense loss amongst friends in other countries who do not qualify, and I’ve experienced that loss fi rst hand myself during the last 2012 Olympic qualifi er. My fellow Canadian teammates, and competitors, Robert Davis and Evert McLaughlin, have been an integral part to me reaching my goal today, along with our coach, Steve Mitchell. My hat goes off to both Rob and Evert for pushing our team as a whole to get better.”

The Toronto native sails out of the Royal Canadian Yacht Club and has been member of the National Team for eight years. “This past year has been the strongest in my sailing career, and will likely be one the most memorable years of my life. Last summer began with a Bronze medal at the Pan Am Games and this winter I was honoured with the Rolex Sailor of the Year award. A few months ago, my daughter, Emma Rose was born. Now I look forward to representing my country at the Olympic Games!”

Paige Railey - USA

How long have you been sailing in the Laser Radial/Standard? I’ve been sailing for 15 years…yikes

What has been your training heading to Rio? Same thing every day!!! Wake up at 8.30 eat breakfast, meeting at 10.30, sailing at 12.00, gym at 6.30, physio at 8. Dinner and sleep

What other boats have you been racing in this year? Did you consider this cross-training and/or what benefi t did you derive from that? I haven’t sailed any other boats...strictly radials

How many days have you spent at home this year? How many days have you spent in Rio training? I have spent 1.5 months at home. It’s extremely diffi cult being away, but I love Rio. The atmosphere is amazing and the people are so friendly. The conditions here are challenging so I am learning new things every day!

Besides the sailing, what are you looking forward to/have experienced so far in Brazil? I loved carnival!!!!! To see the dancing was beautiful. I also love learning a new language. I speak portunhol...lol Portuguese and Spanish together. I’ve always made some wonderful friends that will be in my life for years to come. This place is full of life and I’m experiencing things I never knew I would encounter

SUMMER 201616

Rig like Australia’s Brett BeyerPHOTOS AND STORY BY JOE BERKELEY

Two minutes after the start at the Laser Masters’ Worlds, Brett Beyer of Australia was consistently beating me by half a mile or so. After racing I wondered, is it his boat handling? Is it his speed? Is it the fact that he’s an Aussie?

Nah, it’s got to be the way he rigs his boat. Beyer was kind enough to walk this correspondent through his rigging style. He is very particular about his mainsheet, he likes the blue Rooster.

After that, it’s all about simplicity. He has one set of tell tales on his main, no wind indicator, and does not mark any of his controls. He sails by feel.

He did use a compass at the Masters’ Worlds, but seldom looked at it.

His hiking strap is not adjustable. When asked what he does on the reaches to keep his backside out of the water, he replied he scoots aft in the boat and hikes off the aft deck.

The only thing about Beyer’s rigging style that is unique is the fact that even when his outhaul is at its maximum tension, there is still at least two inches of depth in the sail.

When questioned what kind of line he prefers for his running rigging, he made a face like a man who asked what was the name of his ex-girlfriend’s cat. He did not recall and was not concerned.

Overall, the conversation with world champion Brett Beyer was a chance to relearn the major lesson about Lasers. The most important piece of equipment is the sailor.

Thanks to world champion Brett Beyer for making time for the correspondent.

Joe Berkeley is a professional writer and an amateur sailor. His work is at joeberkele y.com

Sailing in BelizeOn Sunday, April 10, 2016, two vivacious and highly decorated Laser Sailors, Hanne Weaver, 20, and her brother Ted, 23, visited the Belize Sailing Center and provided inspirational training and racing for the school’s aspiring young Laser sailors.

Among Hanne Weaver’s many accomplishments is winning the 2012 USA Junior Female Single-person-Dingy Championship at age 16. She currently ranks 3rd among US senior women Laser Radial sailors and is in a very strong position to make the 2020 Women’s US Olympic Laser sailing team. Hanne is putting off full-time college to pursue her Olympic goal; she is an assistant manager at a Seattle WA branch of West Marine, the large and prestigious US water sports outfi tter and retailer. West Marine fully supports Hanne’s sailing ambitions and allows her time off to pursue them.

The Belize Sailing Center was fortunate that Hanne and her family took the time for their visit. By the end of February, Hanne had already competed in 2 international regattas - the Miami Olympic Class Regatta followed by the European Laser Senior Championships in the Canary Islands.

Her older brother Ted has been out of Lasers for some years and sails other classes, but when younger he sailed into the 3rd spot in the junior men’s USA Laser rankings.

On Sunday, April 9, Hanne and Ted responded to the challenge to race against some of the Belizean Sailing School’s sailors. A friendly 3-race regatta was arranged. It took place in deceptively shifty 10-12 knot winds over clear waters off Caribbean Villas Hotel in San Pedro. The challengers were Belize’s own Blanca Velasquez, 15, who competed well in Lasers in last December’s 2015 International Youth Laser Radial World Championship Regatta in Langkawi Malaysia, Sarah White, 15, of San Pedro, who got her own Laser last year, and Everald Dixon,15, who has been sailing Lasers for only 6 months. Competing in his own Laser against these 5 young entrants was Andy Milner, 48, the wiley old vet who had trained the Belizean racers in Optimist Dinghies. He is now the Belize Sailing School’s Founder and Managing Director. In brief, it was a one-day multi-generational, 3-race, mini-regatta. Winner-take all... against 2 of the world’s best. What a thrill.

Two of Belize’s top Optimist sailors refused to be left out of the chance to be on starting lines against two of the world’s fi nest sailors, so National champ Kevin Velasquez and 3rd ranked Caroline Sersland joined the regatta in an Optimist match race, which Caroline won.

Not surprisingly, Hanne Weaver won the Laser regatta sweeping fi rst place in all three races. Brother Ted ranked second with two 2nd places and a 3rd. Blanca Velasquez had managed to

edge him out and take the number 2 spot in the second race. Andy Milner fi nished the regatta in 3rd place, ahead of all of his former Optimist Dinghy students. Sarah White fi nished fourth. San Pedro’s own delicious Kaw Kaw Dark Chocolate with Nibs bars were awarded as trophies to Hanne, Ted, and Andy.

Later, the sailors all gathered around Hanne, asking questions, getting advice on boat handling and tactics, and learning what it is like to be at her level in the sailing world and how to get there. Sarah White doubtless spoke for the other Belizean sailors when she said that the time spent on the water and on land with the Weavers was an inspirational experience and revealed that Hanne had given her several tips that improved her racing skills then and there.

Photos (courtesy of Belize Sailing School).

www.Laser.org 17

Sailing in BelizeOn Sunday, April 10, 2016, two vivacious and highly decorated Laser Sailors, Hanne Weaver, 20, and her brother Ted, 23, visited the Belize Sailing Center and provided inspirational training and racing for the school’s aspiring young Laser sailors.

Among Hanne Weaver’s many accomplishments is winning the 2012 USA Junior Female Single-person-Dingy Championship at age 16. She currently ranks 3rd among US senior women Laser Radial sailors and is in a very strong position to make the 2020 Women’s US Olympic Laser sailing team. Hanne is putting off full-time college to pursue her Olympic goal; she is an assistant manager at a Seattle WA branch of West Marine, the large and prestigious US water sports outfi tter and retailer. West Marine fully supports Hanne’s sailing ambitions and allows her time off to pursue them.

The Belize Sailing Center was fortunate that Hanne and her family took the time for their visit. By the end of February, Hanne had already competed in 2 international regattas - the Miami Olympic Class Regatta followed by the European Laser Senior Championships in the Canary Islands.

Her older brother Ted has been out of Lasers for some years and sails other classes, but when younger he sailed into the 3rd spot in the junior men’s USA Laser rankings.

On Sunday, April 9, Hanne and Ted responded to the challenge to race against some of the Belizean Sailing School’s sailors. A friendly 3-race regatta was arranged. It took place in deceptively shifty 10-12 knot winds over clear waters off Caribbean Villas Hotel in San Pedro. The challengers were Belize’s own Blanca Velasquez, 15, who competed well in Lasers in last December’s 2015 International Youth Laser Radial World Championship Regatta in Langkawi Malaysia, Sarah White, 15, of San Pedro, who got her own Laser last year, and Everald Dixon,15, who has been sailing Lasers for only 6 months. Competing in his own Laser against these 5 young entrants was Andy Milner, 48, the wiley old vet who had trained the Belizean racers in Optimist Dinghies. He is now the Belize Sailing School’s Founder and Managing Director. In brief, it was a one-day multi-generational, 3-race, mini-regatta. Winner-take all... against 2 of the world’s best. What a thrill.

Two of Belize’s top Optimist sailors refused to be left out of the chance to be on starting lines against two of the world’s fi nest sailors, so National champ Kevin Velasquez and 3rd ranked Caroline Sersland joined the regatta in an Optimist match race, which Caroline won.

Not surprisingly, Hanne Weaver won the Laser regatta sweeping fi rst place in all three races. Brother Ted ranked second with two 2nd places and a 3rd. Blanca Velasquez had managed to

edge him out and take the number 2 spot in the second race. Andy Milner fi nished the regatta in 3rd place, ahead of all of his former Optimist Dinghy students. Sarah White fi nished fourth. San Pedro’s own delicious Kaw Kaw Dark Chocolate with Nibs bars were awarded as trophies to Hanne, Ted, and Andy.

Later, the sailors all gathered around Hanne, asking questions, getting advice on boat handling and tactics, and learning what it is like to be at her level in the sailing world and how to get there. Sarah White doubtless spoke for the other Belizean sailors when she said that the time spent on the water and on land with the Weavers was an inspirational experience and revealed that Hanne had given her several tips that improved her racing skills then and there.

Photos (courtesy of Belize Sailing School).

SUMMER 201618

Vann is the ManPHOTO BY PETER HURLEYSTORY BY JOE BERKELEY

At the Paradise Village in Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico, which hosted the Laser Worlds, there are several pools. The largest features a slide in the shape of an alligator. Guests walk up 27 circular stairs, cross a suspension bridge, and then enter the backside of the gator.

A merry stream of water shoots the guest through the gator’s intestines, up his throat and out his jaws into the pool where many bob and fl oat to the beat of music with a booming bass line.

The Laser Worlds is a bit of a reverse journey. You start out in the jaws of the gator, claw your way up the slide against the current, then get shot out the backside. Finishing is an accomplishment in itself, fi nishing with a cube, well, that’s special.

For most competitors, one Worlds is more than enough, as the event is taxing. Then there’s 59-year-old Vann Wilson, who did it not once, but twice, fi rst at the Open Worlds against competitors who could be his grandchildren, then again with his age group at the Masters’ World.

There is an expression for participating in both. Al Clark, the former Master’s World Champion and Royal Vancouver Yacht Club coach calls it “doing the double.”

Wilson is not one to seek attention, he prefers to fl y under the radar, but that became impossible when he registered for the Laser Open Worlds at the age of 59. As soon as his name was on the entry list, he began to generate interest.

Vann Wilson is from Long Beach, California. He stands just shy of six feet tall, looks at you with piercing blue eyes, and weighs precisely 183 pounds. He rigs up without a shirt and competes barefoot. He is lean and fi t as a result of ocean swimming and spin class and if you were to glance at him casually you would think he was in great shape for a 40-year-old guy. His training partners from Long Beach like Jorge Suarez say that when it is blowing nuclear, Vann is the guy who is strongest.

He started sailing when he was a kid and won the Mallory Cup at the age of 18, the youngest person to ever do so. Life took him away from sailing for 20 years, and he got back into the sport when he was in his forties as a result of what he called a mid-life crisis. Coming off a high stress corporate job, he was 210 pounds with borderline high blood pressure, out of shape and out of sorts. He bought a Laser and six months later, he was a very fi t 190 pounds and his life was transformed.

So what motivated Vann at the age of almost 60 to put it on the line against the best Laser sailors in the world? He said, “Being able to compete in the Open Worlds gave me access that you can’t get any other way. If you’re a coach, you coach whoever you’re coaching right up to the gun, then you’re forced way off the course. When you’re a competitor, you have a front row seat. You’ve got the best ticket to see the best Laser sailors in the world, up close, in action. I always wanted to do an Open worlds, it’s the major leagues, it’s the chance to stand at the plate against Nolan Ryan throwing the fastball.”

The courses at the Open Worlds were twice as long as the courses at the Master’s Worlds. According to Vann, “I couldn’t even see the weather mark. They put a Catalina 30 up there just so we could fi nd it.”

Steve Kirkpatrick, an accomplished

Master’s sailor from Newport, Rhode Island sailed the Open Worlds once and said, “I was so far behind, it looked like I was winning.”

Vann’s participation garnered respect at the Masters’ Worlds. Tim Law from Devon, England, who fi nished fourth in the Grand Master division and went home with a cube said, “First of all I think it’s brilliant that he’s allowed to participate. A lot of sports would not allow that to happen. It’s a bit like Eddie the Eagle and I mean that as a compliment. It’s great that he could do it. In my opinion, Vann’s the man. It’s not the winning, it’s the trying to win. And Vann epitomizes that spirit of sport.”

While Vann trained hard and has excellent physical fi tness, he was in for a surprise when he arrived at the Open Worlds. He said, “I thought I was in the wrong place, I thought I was in an Iowa wrestling camp. These guys are specimens and they come in all shapes and sizes. Some tall, some short, I didn’t see anyone who didn’t show up incredibly fi t for the regatta.”

Tracy Usher knows what Vann was up against. He wrote, “I’ve heard it said by several great Laser sailors that the Senior Worlds is the greatest regatta in sailing in terms of all out competition. Those guys are really, really good especially in an Olympic year when most are at or near peak form. For the more regular sailor it requires an all out effort just to keep up and can be an exhausting and very

www.Laser.org 19

humbling event though, at the same time, exhilarating. In the end it is defi nitely worth every minute.”

Vann intended to use the Open Worlds as a tune-up for the Master Worlds. He said, “I’ve always believed you’re as good as your practice group, and this would be the way to get ready for the Masters’ Worlds. That was misguided because their level is so much higher than mine, it’s hard to learn from guys you’re only going to see for maybe a minute after the start because they’re long gone and up and away.”

Former Masters’ World Champion Al Clark of Vancouver, Canada knows what Vann is talking about. He said, “I did the Open Worlds once. I trained with some of the top guys and I could hang with them in practice. What I didn’t know was that in training, they’re in like seventh gear, then at the regatta they had three more gears that I didn’t have. Downwind they were swooping by me to windward and to leeward like birds of prey and they didn’t even care about my wind shadow, it didn’t matter.”

Despite the diffi culty of sailing in the Open Worlds, Vann savored every second. He said, “I think the moment that I hold onto was when I was sailing around Ramon and Gerardo Benitez of the Mexican National team. I really enjoyed seeing these young, Mexican kids that had trained very hard, that are defi nitely going to be a force in Laser sailing in the next ten years. To see the future of the sport at the back of the pack, just how hard these kids had trained, they were racing me just as hard as I was racing them.”

Former Olympian and Grand Master World Champion Mark Bethwaite from Sydney, Australia said, “The notion of sailing the Standard Worlds then the Master’s Worlds right afterward, well, the idea of it just exhausts me. I admire Vann.”

Eleven-time Masters’ World Champion Brett Beyer of Sydney, Australia, agreed. He said, “The Open Worlds is seven days straight. I think it takes its toll. If you keep it in context, I want to learn about the venue, the tactics, that can help. In 2001 at CORK I did both

events and it was quite good for me. I was in the 40’s in the gold fl eet at the Open Worlds, at the age of 35.” When asked if he thought he could sail both at the age of 59, the World Champion Beyer replied with a chuckle, “not if I knew it was going to be windy, it would be physically tough.”

Vann doesn’t ask for respect, with his participation in back-to-back world championships, he inspires it. David Rosenthall of Australia who participated in the Masters’ Worlds may have summed it up best when he said, “It’s not the people you beat, it’s the people you meet.”

According to the offi cial scores, Vann fi nished the Open Worlds in 52nd in the Silver fl eet out of 56 competitors. He fi nished the Grand Master Worlds in 6th out of 39 competitors. In the opinion of

every sailor at the Masters’ Worlds, Vann Wilson became a winner the moment he dared to do the double.

Photographer Peter Hurley is a former member of the US Sailing team who still carries the card in his wallet. He fi nished fi fth at the Laser Masters’ World Championship. He is the number one headshot photographer in the world and his work is at peterhurley.com Joe Berkeley is an amateur sailor and a professional writer who fi nished the Laser Masters’ Worlds in 24th. His work is at joeberkeley.com.

SUMMER 201620

Newport Laser Fleet Honors Mo ose McClintockBY JOE BERKELEY

Moose McClintock was agitated. Newport Laser Fleet’s regular race committee was told that the powerboat his volunteer used to move marks was broken so he would have to make do with a nine-foot infl atable that in his words, “would barely fi t a mark in it.” Smart sailors at the skipper’s meeting were asking stupid questions, like when world champion Peter Shope queried, “Moose, what’s a triangle course?”

Then fl eet co-captain Jack McVicker pulled up behind Moose towing the new rigid bottom infl atable, that was donated to Sail Newport by Fleet 413 and named “Moose” as a tribute to one of Newport’s greatest sailors, mentors, and race committee members.

Moose McClintock knows his way around a race course. He has won six J24 World Championships, three J24 North American Championships, three J24 National Championships, a J-22 world championships, a Swan World Championship, and competed in several America’s Cups. This list goes on and on.

But if the man with the gruff exterior has a soft spot in his heart for one boat, it is the least expensive and most competitive, the Laser. Moose said, “I’m part of the Laser generation. It’s the greatest boat of all time. I remember the fi rst race of the fi rst Laser world championships in 1974. I rounded the fi rst mark in fi rst place and there were 100 boats behind me.”

Dave Moffet, who has been with fl eet 413 since the beginning, said, “Moose has a sailing record, both professional and amateur matched by few in the world but on Sunday afternoons in the middle of winter that didn’t matter. What mattered is that as a competitor he was always out there raising the game for the rest of us. Moose now continues to raise our game by running the best RC and pushing us to do one more race when we can no longer feel our hands.”

Stuart Streuli, a fl eet 413 member concurred. He said, “Moose was a longtime fl eet regular when I started frostbiting more than a decade ago. He was one of the guys that helped defi ne the fl eet’s great blend of competitive fi re and camaraderie, and he was always willing to help out newer fl eet members. When he started sailing less and doing more race committee more (due to a back injury), he brought that same passion to the signal boat and raised the bar for how the fl eet runs its races.”

Fleet 413 member Ed Adams, the two-time Rolex Yachtsman of the Year and former Laser Master world champion, noted that for many years, Moose was the strongest person he had ever met. He remembers meeting Moose

at URI when he was a freshman. He said, “At my fi rst practice at URI, I made the mistake of trying to cut inside Moose at the leeward mark, after he had told me not to try. He reached out with his left hand, grabbed my bow, stood up in his boat, and actually lifted my entire boat into the air, fl ipping it bow over stern, on top of me. I steered clear of him the rest of my freshman year.”

Moose has a passion for sailing. Ken Legler, who was on the URI sailing team with Moose said, “I remember when Moose and his roommate challenged each other to a fl aming shots contest one weekday morning. His roommate, all of 150 pounds, passed out but not Moose. My roommate, Jay, and I tried to get to practice without him but he lied down on

the hood of the car so we had no choice. He rigged and launched his Beverly Dinghy, immediately half swamped it, and pin balled off every moored boat on Salt Pond on the way to the race course for another memorable day of practicing with Moose.”

Brad Read, the executive director of Sail Newport, who won a J24 world championship with Moose onboard, said, “I’ve always looked up to him as a mentor. He taught us how to win.” Read also noted another unique Moose skill. “I have never seen anyone who can look at a tangle of line in the cockpit and pick that ball of line up, look at it for three seconds, and completely untangle it.”

Gary Jobson, who won the America’s Cup, said, “I have raced with and against Moose many times over the past 40 plus years. He is a very focused, competitive sailor. He can also seem stoic. In one match race, we were in a tough battle. Moose was our jib trimmer. When our arch rival jumped the gun, I had to smile when Moose uttered, “ALRIGHT!” He’s human, like the rest of us, I thought with a smile.”

Ken Read is quite busy as the President of North Sails. But when asked for a quote about Moose, he responds immediately. “Moose McClintock is one of the key people I owe my career to. Not only as a friend but as a mentor. He and I sailed a million times back in our successful J-24 days. What did I learn from Moose? A lot I can’t talk about…and a ton about winning and improving. We could win

www.Laser.org 21

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EXTENDED

RETRACTED

Canfield, OH • Toll Free 1-800-282-5042www.trailex.com

a race by half a leg and he would self critique every second of the race. “Never be satisfi ed, you can always improve.” Thanks, Moose.”

Bill MacGowan, known as “Billy Mac,” has a business in Newport, macdesignsnewport.com, that creates stunning graphics for some of the most important yachts in the world, like Rambler. When he received the call to create the name and the graphics for the Moose boat, he dropped what he was doing and donated his services. He said, “I’ve known Moose since I moved to Newport 30 years ago. He’s been a fi xture on the water, a great sailor, and he’s still out there making it happen for the Laser sailors and that’s awesome.”

At the dedication ceremony, host Mark Bear, a professor at MIT who has fi nished on the podium at the Laser Master worlds twice, said, “How do you thank someone like this, the person who gives up his Sundays to freeze his tail off so we can have fun in our Lasers? If it were college basketball, we might name the court for him. If it is sailing, we might name a boat for him. So after due consideration, the fl eet elders – in particular our leaders Jack McVicker and Peter Shope – rejected the idea of naming the new RIB “Boaty McBoatface” and instead have christened her “Moose” in honor of the guy who has given us so much.”

Joe Berkeley, a member of Fleet 413, is a professional writer and an amateur sailor. His work is at joeberkeley.com

SUMMER 201622

Regatta Standard Radial Laser 4.7 Masters

World ChampionshipISAF 200 points

Vallarta, MexicoMay 10-18

Women: Vallarta, MEXApril 12-20

Youth:Dun Laoghaire, IRLJuly 23-30

Kiel GermanyJuly 30-Aug 7

Vallarta, MexicoRadial: April 22-30

Standard: May 20-28

NA Championship40 GP pts. ISAF 100 points

Colombia Gorge RACascade Locks, OR

July 21-24


July 21-24


July 21-24

Richmond YCPoint Richmond, CA

Aug 5-7

Canadian Championships

30 GP pts. ISAF 50 points

Gimli YCGimli, MBJuly 16-17



Beacons� eld YCBeacons� eld, QC

June 17-19

US Championships30 GP Pts, ISAF Grade 2

Mentor Harbor YCMentor-on-the-Lake, OH

July 7-10


July 7-10


July 7-10

Eastern YCMarblehead, MA

Sept 30-Oct 2

CORK30 GP Pts. ISAF 50 points

Kingston, ONwww.cork.orgAugust 20-24


Kingston, ONwww.cork.orgAugust 15-18 na

Midwinters East30 GP Pts. ISAF 100 points

Clearwater, FLwww.clwyc.org

Feb 18-21


Feb 18-21


Feb 18-21

USSC Martin CountyJensen Beach, FL

Feb 6-8

Midwinters West30 GP Pts. ISAF 50 points

Alamitos Bay YCLong Beach, CA

March 18-20


March 18-20


March 18-20na

Miami OCRISAF 200 points

Miami, FL (men only)www.ussailing.org

January 23-30

Miami, FL (women only)www.ussailing.org

January 23-30 na na

Atlantic CoastChampionships

25 GP Pts. ISAF 50 points

Bellport Bay YCBellport, NYJune 10-12



Sayville YCSayville, NY

July 16-17

Paci� c CoastChampionships


Cabrillo Beach YCSan Pedro, CA

June 4-5


June 4-5


June 4-5

Gold County YCGrass Valley, CA

June 4-5

Gulf CoastChampionships

25 GP Pts

Texas Corinthian YCKemah, TX

October 15-16


October 15-16


October 15-16

Sarasota SSSarasota, FLOctober 8-9

No CoastChampionships

25 GP Pts

Ithaca YCIthaca, NYAugust 6-7



na

Great LakesChampionships

25 GP Pts

Milwaukee YCMIlwaukee, WI

Sept. 10-11


Sept. 10-11


Sept. 10-11

Bu� alo Canoe ClubRidgeway, ONAugust 27-28

BY JOE BERKELEY

For those who missed the Thrilla in Manila, the third and fi nal fi ght between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier back in 1975, the Nail Biter in Newport was a good substitute.

World Champion Peter Shope and Steve Kirkpatrick slugged it out for bragging rights for the Fleet 413 season and it all came down to the last day. Using the tactics he perfected on the Tufts University sailing team, Kirkpatrick just barely got the better of Shope for the season, winning by one point.

The world champion Shope was gracious. “I’m impressed with how Steve sailed. I’m disappointed with second, but there are so many positives that happened this season that outweigh the disappointment. We had kids and their parents sailing this season, like Dave and Alli Moffet. Never did a day go by that I didn’t realize how special a fl eet we have.”

As a Fleet Co-Captain with Jack McVicker, Shope is responsible for the work that goes on behind the scenes. Under their leadership, the fl eet enjoyed record participation. There were 100 boats registered for the season, and there were more than 53 boats on the line on a single day.

Steve Kirkpatrick was quick to credit Shope as the source of his motivation. He said, “It’s incredibly hard to beat Peter Shope, one of the hardest things I’ve ever done.” As he approaches the age of 50, Kirkpatrick believes the fl eet is on the edge of seeing a new generation of sailors dominate. One of them may well be Ted Bjerregard, the St. George’s School student who is always one of the last sailors to show up in the parking lot and one of the fi rst to fi nish.

Everyone in the fl eet is quick to credit Moose McClintock for much of the success. A former America’s Cup sailor, J-24 World Champion, and champion in too many classes to note in a newspaper, Moose did more race committee work than anyone. And his races were run perfectly. When Moose is fl ying the fl ags, no tomfoolery is tolerated, respect is shown.

Third overall for the season was Andy Pimental. He also was the fi rst-placed fi nisher on the Fleet’s Facebook page. When a photo of Andy’s buttocks, clad in worn out hiking pants procured more “likes” than a beautiful portrait of Steve Kirkpatrick’s face, Pimental commented, “as it should be.”

Proving that the equipment isn’t as important as the sailor, Dave Moffet fi nished the year in fourth overall. Moffet quipped that he fi nished “fi rst among the B fl eet.” Given that Moffet sailed on the same course with his daughter Alli, and celebrated her sweet 16th birthday by going frostbiting together, it could be argued that he really won the season.

North Sail’s Mike Marshall was fi fth overall and he won the last day of the series to show that he knows his way around the race course.

In sixth overall, Dan Neri sailed consistently and smartly. Christine Neville said, “Dan doesn’t make mistakes.” High praise indeed.

Coming off her Olympic campaign, Christine Neville fi nished in seventh overall. She was a huge fan of the large turnouts enjoyed “getting to race against younger kids and experienced older sailors.”

Fleet 413 stalwart Will Donaldson fi nished the year in eighth overall, and he said, “It was a great season, the winter was so mild. Way better than last year when the harbor froze.”

The prodigal sailor, PJ Schaffer returned to the fl eet after an absence due to the demands of fatherhood and was welcomed back with open arms.

In tenth overall, fl eet scribe Joe Berkeley accomplished his goal of cracking the top ten and sailing with dignity, which is a polite way of saying he spent more time sailing than swimming.

Kira Munger summed it up when she said, “It was a great season for participation, at least 30 boats on the line every weekend. Great competition, great practice, with lots of starts.”

To celebrate the end of the season, Fleet 413 has made a donation to Sail Newport which made the purchase of a new motorboat possible. The Zodiac with brand new Yamaha is far superior to the used Boston Whaler fl eet champion Steve Kirkpatrick once purchased from a friend. The fi rst day he started the motor, it burst into a ball of fl ames.

Joe Berkeley lives to tell beautiful stories about sailing. If you have one, reach him at [email protected].

Fleet 413 ends regular season with record turnout

www.Laser.org 23

Regatta Standard Radial Laser 4.7 Masters

World ChampionshipISAF 200 points

Vallarta, MexicoMay 10-18

Women: Vallarta, MEXApril 12-20

Youth:Dun Laoghaire, IRLJuly 23-30

Kiel GermanyJuly 30-Aug 7

Vallarta, MexicoRadial: April 22-30

Standard: May 20-28

NA Championship40 GP pts. ISAF 100 points


July 21-24


July 21-24


July 21-24

Richmond YCPoint Richmond, CA

Aug 5-7

Canadian Championships

30 GP pts. ISAF 50 points




Beacons� eld YCBeacons� eld, QC

June 17-19

US Championships30 GP Pts, ISAF Grade 2


July 7-10


July 7-10


July 7-10

Eastern YCMarblehead, MA

Sept 30-Oct 2

CORK30 GP Pts. ISAF 50 points



Kingston, ONwww.cork.orgAugust 15-18 na

Midwinters East30 GP Pts. ISAF 100 points


Feb 18-21


Feb 18-21


Feb 18-21

USSC Martin CountyJensen Beach, FL

Feb 6-8

Midwinters West30 GP Pts. ISAF 50 points


March 18-20


March 18-20


March 18-20na

Miami OCRISAF 200 points

Miami, FL (men only)www.ussailing.org

January 23-30

Miami, FL (women only)www.ussailing.org

January 23-30 na na

Atlantic CoastChampionships





Sayville YCSayville, NY

July 16-17

Paci� c CoastChampionships



June 4-5


June 4-5


June 4-5

Gold County YCGrass Valley, CA

June 4-5

Gulf CoastChampionships

25 GP Pts


October 15-16


October 15-16


October 15-16

Sarasota SSSarasota, FLOctober 8-9

No CoastChampionships

25 GP Pts




na

Great LakesChampionships

25 GP Pts


Sept. 10-11


Sept. 10-11


Sept. 10-11

Bu� alo Canoe ClubRidgeway, ONAugust 27-28

2016 Schedule

SUMMER 201624

The Laser Canadian Master Championships were held on June 18-20th at the Beaconsfi eld Yacht Club, located on Lac Saint Louis just outside Montreal. The sailors who arrived ready to race in a Radial fl eet were informed that there would be only one standard rig fl eet of 40 (there wasn’t a separate start since there weren’t enough Radial entries received by the deadline). There was a bit of a scramble to locate enough full rig sails and bottom sections for a few that didn’t bring them. This, however, turned out just fi ne for the lighter weight sailors, as most of the 8-race series were sailed in lighter conditions. On Day 1, Rich Roberts, who tips the scales at about 160, was on fi re scoring a 2,2,4 to take a comfortable lead. Nine sailors were not happy after race 1 to see their numbers on the board of the RC boat recorded as “BFD”, but on the bright side they got their drop race out of the way right away without having to worry about it anymore. Pat “Stickman” Wachholz, followed up his race one BFD with an OCS in race 2, so he seemed to be staking claim to the dreaded “alphabet award”. The hot, high pressure system didn’t relent for Day 2, and much of the day was spent ashore hoping for sign of an expected system to make its way into the area. A bit of a breeze started to fi ll in mid-afternoon and the RC sent the fl eet out and managed to get a fair race in before sailors headed back to shore to quench their thirsts. Cold beer from a local craft brewery was on tap (both days) just a few feet from the ramp and rigging area – much appreciated by all! This treat was just barely topped by a superb BBQ with choice of Nova Scotia lobster or Alberta steak – happy faces all around.

The scoreboard was tightening up, and the Sunday wind forecast was calling for the opportunity for everyone to get out in the hiking strap, with the RC calling for an early start to try to get in at least 4 races. Although it couldn’t be called a windy day (until later in the day during pack up), there was certainly enough breeze for competitors to stretch their legs out, hike hard and play some waves on the runs. The title would come down to the last race, with “game on” between Nigel Heath, Ray Davies and Andy Roy. The three, along with Pat “Vanna, I’d like to buy a vowel” Wachholz, rounded in a tight pack at the fi rst mark with Andy holding a slim lead. He stretched it out to a few lengths over Ray and Pat on the wave-playing run, but the second windward leg would offer up some passing lanes, with subtle shifts and pressure lanes to be found. With

Nigel back in about 6th, Roy managed to round the fi nal top mark still holding the lead and was able to hold off the others for the race victory and the overall title, fi nishing with a 7 point lead over Nigel (including Grand Master vs. Master handicap points). Without the handicap the two would have been even on points, although Roy would have still won on a tiebreaker.

The awards presentation included special guest, Evert Bastet, 1973 Laser North American Champ and 1984 Olympic silver medalist, who kindly came to award the inaugural and now perpetual Ian Bruce Memorial Trophy to the winner, Andy Roy. Evert was a close friend of Ian’s and he worked at the nearby Laser Performance factory back in the early 70’s. Other winners included: Ryosuke Sakai (1st Apprentice and 8th overall), Nigel (1st Master), Andy (1st GM) and some guy named Seidenberg (1st GGM and Legend, and 4th overall). The competitors were universal in their praise and appreciation for the event organizers: Lisa Pelling (also Top Female competitor), Phillipe Dormoy (3rd GM), and Dave Speak.Photos by SailingShots: Luka Bartulovic

Laser Canadian Master Championship Atlanti c Coast Championships BY FRANK KECKLER

The fi rst day was all about skill and the second day was all about survival at The 2016 Open ACC’s held at Bellport Bay YC which drew 82 competi tors from 3 countries, and 13 states for two days of championship style racing. Bellport Bay YC was ready off the water with a launching area and boat prep area large enough for 200. A full array of land staff and on water staff in 16 support boats helped host 2 trapezoid courses. Each race took approximate 60 minutes to fi nish.

Teams from Florida, Nova Scoti a, and Ontario arrived on Wednesday to beat the weekend traffi c and get some practi cing in. Friday was a typical Bellport Bay YC sailing day with bright sunshine and a warm sea breeze starti ng at 10 am and building into the aft ernoon to 20 knts.

Saturday started right on-ti me to the minute with a steady SW 12-20 building sea breeze fi lling in. Completi ng two races a massive cold front blew threw bring severe wind and rain, forced a return to the beach for a short break (perfect for lunch). Aft er a postponement it was back out to the race course where the Radial fl eet completed 3 more races in a strong but shift y westerly with gusts in the mid 20s. Saturday night sailors enjoyed a catered BBQ, a live band, and local Blue

www.Laser.org 25

Atlanti c Coast Championships BY FRANK KECKLER

The fi rst day was all about skill and the second day was all about survival at The 2016 Open ACC’s held at Bellport Bay YC which drew 82 competi tors from 3 countries, and 13 states for two days of championship style racing. Bellport Bay YC was ready off the water with a launching area and boat prep area large enough for 200. A full array of land staff and on water staff in 16 support boats helped host 2 trapezoid courses. Each race took approximate 60 minutes to fi nish.

Teams from Florida, Nova Scoti a, and Ontario arrived on Wednesday to beat the weekend traffi c and get some practi cing in. Friday was a typical Bellport Bay YC sailing day with bright sunshine and a warm sea breeze starti ng at 10 am and building into the aft ernoon to 20 knts.

Saturday started right on-ti me to the minute with a steady SW 12-20 building sea breeze fi lling in. Completi ng two races a massive cold front blew threw bring severe wind and rain, forced a return to the beach for a short break (perfect for lunch). Aft er a postponement it was back out to the race course where the Radial fl eet completed 3 more races in a strong but shift y westerly with gusts in the mid 20s. Saturday night sailors enjoyed a catered BBQ, a live band, and local Blue

Point beer for those of age.Sundays forecast was wicked 15-35 from the NE, the expert RC of Bellport moved the course to the quieter side of the bay were the water would be smoother rather than 3-5 rollers. The course was set and the fl eet released, however the winds kicked up a notch, a shift y 20-27 with gusts hitti ng high 30’s. Steve Kirkpatrick of District 7 said he had never sailed a Laser faster on fl at water as he did on the top reach leg! Two races were completed on Sunday. Bellport Bay YC is a pristi ne locati on for Laser racing. It was room enough for 200 hundred boats, easy launching beach and a spectator locati on to watch all the sailing acti on, Thanks to Tom Conlin, Chris Everitt , and the enti re Bellport Bay membership and volunteers for their eff orts in hosti ng a fi rst class event!

SUMMER 201626

Master ACC - previewThe Master’s ACC’s is scheduled to be hosted at Sayville Yacht Club during the weekend of July 16th and 17th and it is expected to be a great event! Hoping for the SW Sea breeze to be locked in and you can count on Blue Point IPA on tap, some acoustic music on the deck,

and an awesome barbeque! Plus there is an awesome music festival one town over so a banner weekend to be on Long Island’s south shore!

Great South Bay Music Festival Link in Patchogue, located several miles to the east of the club.

Competitors shall be divided into the following divisions: Apprentice (35-44 years of age) Master (45-54 years of age) Grand Master (55-64 years of age) Great Grand Master (65+ years of age) and the divisions shall be determined by competitor’s age on July 16th, 2016.

Unless a minimum of 15 Standard and 15 Radial entries has been received by July 8th, 2016 all entrants shall start and fi nish together and be scored as a single fl eet. Competitors may choose Standard, Radial or 4.7 rigs at their discretion, provided that all rig changes are made on shore and all sails have the same number (Rig-Swapping Rule turned on). If a minimum of 15 Standard and 15 Radial entries has been received by the pre-registration deadline, both fl eets shall be given their own starts (Rig-Swapping Rule turned off). This changes ILCA Class Rule 28(d) by permission of the International Laser Class Association of North America.

The entry fee is $75 USD. Sailors that preregister ONLINE by Friday, July 8th, 2016 will get a regatta T-shirt. Please specify size when registering. The entry fee AFTER July 8th, 2016 is $100. Registration will close at 9:30 am on June 16th, 2016. Competitors MUST register online at https://www.regattatech.com/events/SYC/LaserACC16/registration/showEntryForm so that the competitors sail numbers can be entered into the online scoring program.The entry fee includes continental breakfast on Saturday and Sunday, Snacks on the Water during racing (Energy Bars and Water) Saturday night Barbeque with live music, and beverages after racing on Saturday and Sunday.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS Friday, July 15th 1600-1900 RegistrationSaturday, July 16th 0800-0915: Registration and Continental Breakfast 1000: Skippers Meeting 1100: First warning signal, races to followAt least four races are planned, wind permitting. Dinner and beverages after racing are included in registration fee. Sunday, July 17th 0800-0930: Continental Breakfast 1100: 1st warning signal, races to follow. At least three races are planned, wind permitting. At least Seven (7) races are planned, of which a minimum of three (3) races must be completed to constitute a regatta.

AWARDS Prizes will be awarded for each age group, for fi rst female and fi rst overall.Hope you can make it! Sayville Yacht Club

Also, please consider coming back to Sayville YC in August (20-21) for the District 8 Grand Prix. Same deal… free camping, warm hospitality, and great sailing! We’ll see you on the water. Hope you can make it!!!

www.Laser.org 27

Lesson LearnedBY TED CREMERSayville YC Regatta Committee

I’m the guy that had to get pulled from the water Sunday Morning at the Laser ACC’s. I have raced lasers 40 years, am a US Sailing CRO, and have chaired Laser regattas at Sayville YC for more than a decade. I also served as D8 Secretary for 5 years.

Saturday was a fi ne day of racing with four long races in trapezoid courses. I was pretty tapped out at the end but not bad and looking forward to the big breeze on Sunday. I ate well, had plenty of sleep, and headed out around 10:30 on Sunday for an 11AM start. Conditions were nuking; northerly breeze steady at around 22-25 with gusts over 30. The reach to the starting line was a sleigh ride; hiking hard off the back, I rounded up a couple of times and saved my boat. The closer to the starting line I got,

the heavier the breeze leading to some back to back capsizes.

My mistake was not fully understanding how cold the water really was out near the new inlet. The bay water is warm, but the fresh tidal cycle of 60 degree ocean water made that part of the Great South Bay colder than off Sayville Yacht Club where I train. The cold water sapped my strength fast and age just caught up with me. Prior to my last capsize, I had decided that I would get myself settled and then beat back in, but my last capsize resulted in a detached dagger board as my shock cord slipped off the bow of my boat (I know--old school) and the longer I bobbed in the water, the colder I got and more tired I became trying to get the daggerboard back in. 30 knot gusts, a bobbing boat and 60 degree water was a dangerous combination.

Special thanks to US Sailing Judge John Fryer who came to my assist and to the Conlin/Pokorny team from

Bellport who towed me in. I can relate to a young Optimist sailor better now knowing the shame of the tow, but I am here to sail another day and offer some good takeaways.

Really think about your gear on the big wind days. It may be warm on the beach, but remember to factor in water temperature.Us Grand Masters have to train harder to hang in on these big wind days…Yup, I’m back in the pool again. And as Clint Eastwood said, A Man’s Got to Know his Limitations. You don’t have to do every race to have a great time catching up with the fi ne folks who regularly race lasers. Thanks to my friends Eric Reitinger, Jon Deutsch and Dennis Russom for their gear and dagger board retainer recommendations. I’ll be much better prepared next time we cross tacks.

See you on the water.

[email protected]

1649 Bay AvenuePoint Pleasant

NJ 08742

732.892.4344 1649 Bay Avenue

• Maffioli and V12 upgraded lines• Custom made inhaul bungee• Vang Retaining Bungee• Ronstan & Harken blocks

Signature UpgradedKITS

Signature Upgraded

Colie Sails’ Colie has the gear you need to win, not just get around the course.

• Clay’s Centerboard Bungee System: often copied but never matched• Top of the line Allen blocks• Spliced and whipped 5mm V12 traveler• FSE Robline Dinghy Control• Hand-made, spliced dingleberry• Spectra hiking strap line with instructions

Successful upgrades to be Competitively Equipped

Rigged exactly how Clay Johnson rigs his boat.

SUMMER 201628

BY GLEN DICKSON

“It’s a beautiful day in Beach Haven!” was the famous proclamation of the late Walter Smedley Jr., Little Egg Harbor Yacht Club’s legendary race committee chair, and it’s still regularly said today by LEHYC members. It’s easy to see why.

In the summer there are few better places to sail than the LEHYC race circle on Barnegat Bay, with reliable sea breezes, warm water and surfable chop. The club, which is a regular host of the E-Scow Nationals and other big one-design events, also knows how to run a crisp, effi cient regatta on the water and give great hospitality on shore.

The 20-boat fl eet at this year’s Laser District 10 Championship got treated to classic Beach Haven racing, as sunny skies and temperatures in the mid-70s generated a building sea breeze for both days of the event. Andrew Puopolo of Marsh Creek Sailing Club obviously enjoyed the conditions, showing exceptional downwind speed to win fi ve out of seven races and take the District 10 title for the fi rst time.

Things started off on the mild side on Saturday, as the sea breeze fi lled early and the RC started Race 1 before 11 am in about 5 knots from the SE. An outgoing tide equated to a fair current running diagonally from left to right across the course, which often favors the left side in this direction. But the early pressure was on the right and that’s from where the lead pack emerged. Jack Swikart of Shrewsbury Sailing and Yacht Club took a wire-to-wire win ahead of Mike Hecky and Eric Reitinger of Brant Beach YC on the windward-leeward, twice-around course.

The breeze built to 8 knots for race two, which was won by Puopolo ahead of Matt Goetting of Toms River YC and Mike Russom of Brant Beach YC. Puopolo and Goetting have developed a close rivalry this spring, with Puopolo winning the Orange Coffee Pot at Surf City YC by a point over Goetting and Goetting returning the favor at the Atlantic Coast Championship on Long Island the next weekend, edging Puopolo by two points to place sixth to his seventh.

The breeze built to about 10 knots for Race Three and shifted a tad right, though the left side showed better pressure and perhaps a bit of a current boost on the top part of the course. Puopolo again took the win ahead of Goetting, displaying great speed on the runs in the

increasing waves. Swikart took third.

By race four the sea breeze had built signifi cantly, to about 12-15 knots. Master Glen Dickson of Bay Head YC showed he could still hike a bit, winning the pin and working the left side to round fi rst. But Puopolo quickly used his downwind jets to take the lead and the win, ahead of Dickson and Goetting.

With the breeze increasing to 15-18 knots, the RC wisely decided to take advantage of the ideal conditions and go for a fi fth race. Dickson won the pin and led at the fi rst mark but once again was passed by Puopolo on the run. Puopolo led to the fi nish with Dickson second and Russom grinding his way into third ahead of Goetting. Close behind was Grand Master Dennis Russom, Mike’s father, who placed fi fth after a fourth in race 4.

The tired fl eet returned to the club for a delicious dinner of cheeseburgers and hot dogs, ready within 30 minutes of hitting the dock. A look at the scores showed that, barring a Sunday disaster, Puopolo had already pretty much wrapped up the regatta with four fi rsts and a discarded fi fth for a total of four points. Goetting was also fi rmly established in second, dropping a fourth to count 11 points. But there was a four-way battle for third place with two races to go, with Mike Russom in third with 18 pts, Reitinger and Dickson tied with 19 and Hecky lurking in sixth at 22 pts.

Sunny skies and a stronger-than-expected westerly greeted the sailors on Sunday morning, which at Beach Haven usually means a bit of a wait for the sea breeze. The fl eet launched on time for a 10:30 start but as the sailors reached the course the westerly was already starting to fade in and out, blowing 5 knots for a couple of minutes and then dying off to almost nothing. The RC postponed and waited the westerly out, and by noon the seabreeze was in and starting to stabilize. After a general recall, the fl eet got underway for Race 6 with about 10 knots from the SE and another outgoing tide.

Goetting sailed a masterful race, getting a nice

pin-end start and showing good upwind speed to lead wire-to-wire on the windward-leeward, twice-around course. As the breeze built to about 12 knots by the fi nish, Puopolo and Dickson both sailed through the fl eet to fi nish second and third. Reitinger placed a close fourth while Russom and Hecky faded on the second lap (Hecky actually turned out to be OCS).

With Puopolo and Goetting already locking up fi rst and second overall, the only suspense for Race 7 was who would get third. The left side upwind remained the place to be, and Puopolo worked it to take the lead ahead of a pack including Goetting, Mike Russom and Hecky. Behind them, Dickson and Reitinger rounded a distant fi fth and sixth after battling up the middle.

Reitinger had a fantastic fi rst run to surge into third, behind Puopolo and Russom, and held that to the fi nish. Dickson managed to eventually pass Hecky and Goetting to fi nish fourth, tying with Reitinger but winning the tiebreaker for third overall. Mike Russom was fi fth overall, with BBYC Commodore (and Great Grand Master) Don Hahl sixth. First woman was Kelly McGlynn of LEHYC in 12th.

Many thanks go to regatta chairman Mike Reynolds, principal race offi cers Jim Stevens and Jeff Condon and all the other LEHYC volunteers who helped run a fl awless event. Reynolds deserves extra credit for not only organizing the regatta but also fi nishing all of the races after a long hiatus from Laser sailing. He predicted being very sore at his desk on Monday morning. I’m sure the rest of his competitors can relate.

Top fi ve:

Andrew Puopolo 7 ptsMatt Goetting 16 ptsGlen Dickson 26 ptsEric Reitinger 26 ptsMike Russom 30 pts

Little Egg delivers for District 10s

Puopolo dominates in ideal conditions

District Reports

www.Laser.org 29

pin-end start and showing good upwind speed to lead wire-to-wire on the windward-leeward, twice-around course. As the breeze built to about 12 knots by the fi nish, Puopolo and Dickson both sailed through the fl eet to fi nish second and third. Reitinger placed a close fourth while Russom and Hecky faded on the second lap (Hecky actually turned out to be OCS).

With Puopolo and Goetting already locking up fi rst and second overall, the only suspense for Race 7 was who would get third. The left side upwind remained the place to be, and Puopolo worked it to take the lead ahead of a pack including Goetting, Mike Russom and Hecky. Behind them, Dickson and Reitinger rounded a distant fi fth and sixth after battling up the middle.

Reitinger had a fantastic fi rst run to surge into third, behind Puopolo and Russom, and held that to the fi nish. Dickson managed to eventually pass Hecky and Goetting to fi nish fourth, tying with Reitinger but winning the tiebreaker for third overall. Mike Russom was fi fth overall, with BBYC Commodore (and Great Grand Master) Don Hahl sixth. First woman was Kelly McGlynn of LEHYC in 12th.

Many thanks go to regatta chairman Mike Reynolds, principal race offi cers Jim Stevens and Jeff Condon and all the other LEHYC volunteers who helped run a fl awless event. Reynolds deserves extra credit for not only organizing the regatta but also fi nishing all of the races after a long hiatus from Laser sailing. He predicted being very sore at his desk on Monday morning. I’m sure the rest of his competitors can relate.

Top fi ve:

Andrew Puopolo 7 ptsMatt Goetting 16 ptsGlen Dickson 26 ptsEric Reitinger 26 pts

District 1Claire SearsNova Scotia

This spring things have been getting busy for Laser D1 sailors gearing up for summer. Many will be hitting the water soon to begin training or for a casual sail if they haven’t already. The Royal Nova Scotia Yacht Squadron has run a successful spring series not only for their club sailors but for those around Nova Scotia and outside the province, providing coaching and training group opportunities during the shoulder season. They also hosted the annual RNSYS Spring Dinghy Regatta. Although it was a small event, the weekend boasted some great conditions with lots of races and for many it was a fun start to the competitive season. Luke Ruitenberg (RNSYS) won the Laser Standard Class with Will McInnes (Lunenburg Yacht Club) taking fi rst in the Radial. There are lots of events around the region this summer, and we are particularly excited for the D1 Championships hosted by the Bay Wind Regatta. This year the racing for all classes has been extended to 3 days so well worth your while to come down!

All photo credit to Royal Nova Scotia Yacht Squadron Race Teams.

District 3Nigel HeathOntario

District 3 executive would like to tell everyone to grab a friend or family member and introduce them to Laser/Radial sailing. It is the peak of the season and we have gone sailing. See you on the water.District 4 Brigitte SmutneyManitoba

Manitoba’s Sailors were lucky with an early

spring and people have been on the lake since the beginning of May. As every year our provincial laser team participated at the Short Course Regatta in Saskatchewan, this time at Blackstrap Lake. Great season starter with great conditions. The regatta was followed by six training weekends at the Falcon YC. Next up is a training camp at Pelican Lake and then it’s time to get ready for the Laser Canadians. 10 of our best Laser sailors will be taking a clinic with Angelo Tabanero, who is normally teaching at Cabarete. The Laser Canadians will be taking place on July 16/17 at the Gimli YC. Eight female and eight male radial sailors will be representing their region at the Manitoba Games at West Hawk Lake from August 7-10. The provincial team will go on to compete at the U19 at Kingston and the development team will stay back for a camp at Victoria Beach YC. The Laser District 4 Championships will take place at the Commodores Cup at the Gimli YC on September 4. Fall training includes nine weekends of training and regattas. It will be a busy season with events for every level of sailing.

District 4 Brigitte SmutneyManitoba

Manitoba’s Sailors were lucky with an early spring and people have been on the lake since the beginning of May. As every year our provincial laser team participated at the Short Course Regatta in Saskatchewan, this time at Blackstrap Lake. Great season starter with great conditions. The regatta was followed by six training weekends at the Falcon YC. Next up is a training camp at Pelican Lake and then it’s time to get ready for the Laser Canadians. 10 of our best Laser sailors will be taking a clinic with Angelo Tabanero, who is normally teaching at Cabarete. The Laser Canadians will be taking place on July 16/17 at the Gimli YC. Eight female and eight male radial sailors will be representing their region at the Manitoba Games at West Hawk Lake from August 7-10. The provincial team will go on to compete at the U19 at Kingston and the development team will stay back for a camp at Victoria Beach YC. The Laser District 4 Championships will take place at the Commodores Cup at the Gimli YC on September 4. Fall training includes nine weekends of training and regattas. It will be a busy season with events for every level of sailing.

District 5Mark LammensSaskatchewan

The SK spring short course had LP Gagnon fi rst, Kayden Polachek was 2nd and Connor Boyle 3rd in Full Rigs.Anthony Clarke, 1st, Molly Ingenmay 2nd/1st female, James Thompson was 3rd and Gillian Craig 2nd female in the Radial fl eet.Connor Boyle won Mountain Madness and is wining the Ebs sunset series with great starts and superior speed. Soccer boy Brendan Potts is helping with water quality, weather prediction and training issues

District 6Andy HuntVancouver

Greetings to all District 6 sailors, volunteers and coaches.First of all, I would like to apologize for stating the

wrong web address for the Jericho Laser Fleet in the last edition of The Laser Sailor. I stated that the address was: www.jericholaserfl eet.wordpress.com. However, the correct address is: www.jscalaserfl eet.wordpress.com. I am sorry for any confusion that I might have caused.Casual weekend and evening racing at local clubs have now been on-going for a few months. If any sailor is interested in some low-key racing, I encourage them to check out any local clubs in their vicinity. The regatta season is also upon us. Sailors were partaking in District 6 regattas in March, April, May and June.The regatta in March was a low-key event, organized by the Kitsilano Yacht Club and the local Cal 20 fl eet. The KYC was the host club and provided a mark set boat and operator. Cal 20 Fleet 38 provided the committee boat and RC members. Seven local boats (six Standards and one Radial). All based out of the Jericho Sailing Centre, raced in the regatta. The regatta took place on March 19 and 20, 2016. There were 9 races over the two days and winds were moderate to light. Results: Jorge L Yanez, 12.00; Bob Ennenberg, 21.00; Michael Lum, 28.00; Peter Woytkowiak, 38.00; Marcia Macdonald (Radial), 39.00; Jacek Suski, 41.00; Tim Murphy, 41.00. The fi rst regatta in April was also the fi rst regatta of the BC Sailing Circuit. This regatta was the Kitten Cup. The regatta was on April 23 and 24 and hosted by the Royal Vancouver Yacht Club. For what is fairly rare in District 6, the race course had Laser 4.7s (2), Laser Radials (31) and Laser Standards (15). Eight races in total (6 for the Laser 4.7s) were run over the two days. The two Laser 4.7 sailors were Adrian Conn (NSST) and Garrett Reid (HSC). Thanks for showing up. Adrian had 5 points while Garrett had 10 points. The Laser Radial Fleet was dominated by the top three sailors. Hanne Weaver (SYC, RVANYC), Maura Dewey (RVICY0 and Talia Toland (SYC,RVANYC), ran away from the rest of the fl eet. Hanne had 15 points while Maura and Talia each had 18 points. Fourth place went to Owen Timms (SYC who had 28 points. Benji MacMaster was the top local sailor in fi fth place with 46 points. Seattle sailors Analucia Clarkson (49 points) and Christopher Stoll (53 points) rounded out the top seven sailors. In the Laser Standards, Canadian 2020 Olympic candidate, Max Gallant RVICYC), fi nished in fi rst place with 13 points. In second place, was Reece Myerscough (RVICYC) with 15 points, Third place went to Ian Elliiott (RVICYC, CYC, SALSA) with 18 points. John Owen (RVICYC) and Tony Martin (JSCA) were in fourth and fi fth places respectively with John having 23 points and Tony with 37 points. The following weekend, April 30 and May 1, saw the Jericho Sailing Centre hosting it’s annual Flights of Spring Regatta. Turnout for both the Laser Standards and Laser Radials was very low. There were 7 Laser Standards and 2 Laser Radials. Each fl eet had one sailor from the Royal Vancouver Yacht Club show up, Branden Bugden in Standards and Benji McMaster in Radials. I suspect that there were two main reasons for the low turnout: some sailors were in Mexico for the Laser Radial Master Worlds and the Flights of Spring Regatta was after the Kitten Cup and not before. The RVANYC Race Team often uses the Flights of Spring as a tune-up regatta for the Kitten Cup. The winds were strong enough for the race committee to run 4 races on Saturday and 3 races on Sunday. Results: (Standards) - Andriy Kanyuka, 9.00; John Polglase, 16.00; Tony Martin, 16.00; Tim Murphy, 24.00; Jorge L Yanez, 29.00; Branden Bugden, 43.00; Alex Blinou, 46.00. Radials -

District Reports

SUMMER 201630

Benji McMaster, 6.00; Deirdre Webster, 12.00. The following weekend (May 7 and 8) saw the Royal Victoria Yacht Club host the second event of the BC Sailing Circuit, the Spring Dinghy Championships. I don’t have much information about the regatta as I was unable to attend. There were 17 Standard Rigs and 21 Radials. Seven races were completed over the two days. Maura Dewey, usually a Radial sailor, switched rigs and won the Laser Standards with 11 points. Hot on her heels was John Owen who had 12 points. Third, fourth and fi fth went to Reid Cannon (18), Aiden Koster (23) and Robert Britten (26). All of the above sailors use RVICYC as home base. In the Laser Radials, the Comox Bay Sailing Club placed three sailors in the top six. Results: Chris Volkers, CBSC, 9.00; Benji McMaster, RVANYC, 16.00; Justin Yuen, RVANYC, 28.00; Nate Bell, CBSC,, 33.00; Matthew Stranagahan, WVYC, 36.00; Nigel Fletcher, CBSC, 38.00. The main regatta for BC Interior sailors is the Springtime Regatta (part of the BC Sailing Circuit) which is hosted by the Central Okanagan Sailing Association (COSA). Sailors from the North Shore Sailing Team and from the Royal Victoria Yacht Club provided competition for the interior sailors. A complete report on the regatta is available at: www.cosa.bc.ca.The regatta was held on May 20 and 21, 2016. There were 13 Laser Standards and 11 Laser Radials. Results:Standards: John Owen, RVICYC, 5.00; Maura Dewey, RVICYC, 12.00; Adam Sorenson, RVICYC, 13.00. Josh Smithman, Makena Shepard and Bryana van Leeuwen were fi rst, second and third in the Laser Radials. Josh had 5 points, Makena had 8 points and Bryana had 10 points. The fi nal regatta in my report is the Jericho Classic Regatta which was held at the Jericho Sailing Centre on June 4 and 5. There were strong winds on Saturday (gusts were recorded at 22 knots) and considerably less on Sunday (max 12 knots). The winds were from the west on Saturday and from the east on Sunday. There were 11 Laser Radials and 4 Laser Standards.There are more and more sailors at Jericho who will switch between the Standard Rig and the Radial Rig depending on the winds strength. Jorge L Yanez was in fi rst place in the Radial Fleet with 9 points. Next in the Radial Fleet was Peter Woytkowiak with 17 points and Tania Smutny with 24 points. The four Laser Standards were Tony Martin (12), Liam Quinlan (14), Branden Bugden (22) and Geoff Chambers (38).Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions and / or comments.

District 7Judith KrimskiMA, NH, VT

Summer’s Here! The District 7 summer racing season is in full swing with regattas taking place all over New England and youth programs gearing up for the summer. This season the schedule includes the D7 Championship, July 29-31, hosted at the Hyannis Yacht Club, The New England Championships, September 10-11, hosted by the Wickford, Yacht Club and topping off what we hope will be a great season the US Masters Nationals on September 30 – October 2, hosted by the Eastern Yacht Club, Marblehead, MA. We look forward to seeing competitors from all over the U.S. at this exciting regatta. For updated results on all D7 summer regattas go to: http://www.laserdistrict7.com/regattaresults2016.htmlD7 at the Worlds: Congratulations to Rhode Island

resident Peter Seidenberg for winning the Legends (75+) division at this year’s Laser Masters Worlds. Seidenberg fought hard against Australian Kerry Waraker. In the end the champion threw out two third place fi nishes taking the trophy in a 14-16 victory. On the Club Scene: A major shout-out to the D7 club fl eets sailing all over New England. The growth of local racing fl eets is so important and these clubs have become the lifeblood of the D7 Laser scene. The growth of fl eets is due in large part to the diligent work of dedicated fl eet captains who continually encourage participation. A HUGE THANKS TO ALL who volunteer their timeUGE THANKShugeHU. This grass roots effort towards getting more sailors out on the racecourse is worth noting because on any given week there are several hundred sailors participating in not just summer fl eets, but year-round as well. The hallmark of these fl eets is the spirit of inclusion. Everyone is welcome, the cost to sail is low and the camaraderie is high. In Marblehead, MA, fl eet captain Tom Dailey makes sure that newcomers are welcome by giving out a Corinthian trophy every week to the top-fi nishing newcomer. Peter Hallemeier, fl eet captain for the Hyannis Yacht Club fl eet, promotes the club spirit with weekly newsletters providing all the information sailors need to participate in racing. At the Cedar Point Yacht Club, one of the oldest and most successful D7 club fl eets, captains Britt Hughes and AJ Sorensen welcome all comers. Whether you’re a hot shot youth looking for some regular fun sailing or a newbie looking to enter into low-stress competition this intergenerational club format has something for everyone. Visiting New England and want to do some racing? Check out the D7 Fleets p[age on the website: http://www.laserdistrict7.com/fl eets.html. SEE YOU ON THE WATER!WE’RE ON FACEBOOK TOO! Check us out at LASER DISTRICT 7

District 8Frank KecklerNY

When you received this edition of the Laser Sailor we should be in the middle of our summer season. Here is a recap of our spring season starting with the April 16, D8 Spring Fling at SCYC and a winter season recap…

2015/16 Seawanhaka Frostbiting season had 47 registered sailors, 111 races, Plus the D8 Spring Fling. Written by former frostbiting chairperson Wyz Mooney who will be missed.

A few of you got the overall gist on Saturday as we sat in the Junior Clubhouse, trying to warm up and enjoying the last of Doug’s culinary achievements and Ed’s & John’s beverage hospitality. As I mentioned then, the day did not exactly turn out the way I had envisioned.

After a winter that never really was (a respite from the ice and snow of last year!) I fi gured that the D8 Spring Fling would be sailed under sunny skies, warm temperatures and a lovely breeze. But you have to love Mother Nature. As the forecast went from bad to worse, we woke up Saturday morning to clear blue skies. By 1000, the clouds had rolled in and the breeze had kicked up and around to the northeast. With temperatures hovering in the low 40s, the only good news was that we would probably avoid sailing as it snowed.

With the help of Bill Mooney and Julian Fisher, Eric sacrifi ced himself to serve as PRO for the day. He had our usual stalwart crew of Will Peters and Brett Boisits working the mark/crash boats (btw, those two gentlemen deserve our hearty thanks!!) Instead of hiding in the Peppermint Lounge, the RC decided they were tough enough to hang in the signal boat at the entrance of the Tri-Harbor area. We had 14 boats registered; as the fi rst gun went off at noon, 10 boats headed into the teeth of the nor’easter with a breeze hovering around 12-14 and some nice, stiff chop. Perfect to keep us wet and cold.

It was not easy to keep up with the ever-shifting breeze, but the RC and mark boats did yeomen’s work and were quick to respond and get off 7 solid races. There were only and handful of equipment casualties and remarkably few capsizes given the conditions. In short, the event went off without a hitch and we headed to the beach well ahead of the 4 p.m. deadline. (Remember, as I thought about the day, it was going to be warm and sunny; I fi gured we would sail all afternoon and be dragged back to land kicking and screaming.) We were wet, cold and ready to be back inside. Some of us dreamt of handing off our vessels to imaginary attendants, who would enthusiastically de-rig and pack up our boats while we went in search of feeling in our fi ngers.I can tell you, there was not a weekend at any other time this year when the fi replace in that clubhouse was more welcome. Once people had found some semblance of dry clothes, we gathered to hear the results. Immediately following we rolled right into the season awards.

I

had thought a day of sailing, followed by a BBQ would attract more of our fl eet. I am guessing the weather, as well as a collection of family commitments, made it diffi cult for some people to make it.

Congratulations to all the season winners, as well as the overall winners: John McGrane, the Lady Glenn Memorial Winner and the Royal order of the Bath for all the outstanding rolls and capsizes that John experienced throughout the season; Vidar Minkovsky in 2nd place overall as well as the Top Junior; and Bob Blanco who came in 3rd and was cited for the “Defender of the Rights of the Port Tacker.”

Congratulations also go to our other perpetual award winners:

“Hell or High Water” was awarded to Holly Sears who sailed 111 out of 113 races for a 98%

www.Laser.org 31

With the help of Bill Mooney and Julian Fisher, Eric sacrifi ced himself to serve as PRO for the day. He had our usual stalwart crew of Will Peters and Brett Boisits working the mark/crash boats (btw, those two gentlemen deserve our hearty thanks!!) Instead of hiding in the Peppermint Lounge, the RC decided they were tough enough to hang in the signal boat at the entrance of the Tri-Harbor area. We had 14 boats registered; as the fi rst gun went off at noon, 10 boats headed into the teeth of the nor’easter with a breeze hovering around 12-14 and some nice, stiff chop. Perfect to keep us wet and cold.

It was not easy to keep up with the ever-shifting breeze, but the RC and mark boats did yeomen’s work and were quick to respond and get off 7 solid races. There were only and handful of equipment casualties and remarkably few capsizes given the conditions. In short, the event went off without a hitch and we headed to the beach well ahead of the 4 p.m. deadline. (Remember, as I thought about the day, it was going to be warm and sunny; I fi gured we would sail all afternoon and be dragged back to land kicking and screaming.) We were wet, cold and ready to be back inside. Some of us dreamt of handing off our vessels to imaginary attendants, who would enthusiastically de-rig and pack up our boats while we went in search of feeling in our fi ngers.I can tell you, there was not a weekend at any other time this year when the fi replace in that clubhouse was more welcome. Once people had found some semblance of dry clothes, we gathered to hear the results. Immediately following we rolled right into the season awards.

I

had thought a day of sailing, followed by a BBQ would attract more of our fl eet. I am guessing the weather, as well as a collection of family commitments, made it diffi cult for some people to make it.

Congratulations to all the season winners, as well as the overall winners: John McGrane, the Lady Glenn Memorial Winner and the Royal order of the Bath for all the outstanding rolls and capsizes that John experienced throughout the season; Vidar Minkovsky in 2nd place overall as well as the Top Junior; and Bob Blanco who came in 3rd and was cited for the “Defender of the Rights of the Port Tacker.”

Congratulations also go to our other perpetual award winners:

“Hell or High Water” was awarded to Holly Sears who sailed 111 out of 113 races for a 98%

windcheckmagazine.com WindCheck Magazine October 2012 55

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attendance. WOW! In two seasons, she hit 100%!

Most Improved was awarded to Bill Archer. If the numbers do not speak for themselves, the committee was in unanimous agreement that over the course of this season alone, as well as all the time Bill has been sailing here, he has undoubtedly seen the biggest gains. If my memory serves me right, there was one race where he earned his fi rst bullet this year! Nice work, Bill.

Finally, there is one sailor who is often recognized for his achievement and his consistency. This year, the consensus was that Bob Terry was the man who earned the Woody Glenn Award for Sportsmanship. The fact that he is our sailing videographer extraordinaire is merely icing on the cake. To see his most recent creation, go to www.laserD8.org to check it out.

Memorial Day weekend was nearly a picture perfect weather weekend with clear skys and a building sea-breeze in the afternoons to 15. However, Mother Nature was not quite as co-operative for The Lagoon Regatta, on Monday, there was plenty of beautiful sun-shine, and no car traffi c help pave the way for about 25 sailors to race at Nyack Boat Club, however the wind never quite fi lled. The competitors enjoyed a post event BBQ and shared Laser stories while waiting for the wind.

June 4, Dr Hulls Annual Laser Regatta, the Southampton Yacht Club once again treated us to a great day of sailing on beautiful Shinnecock Bay, followed by their renowned gourmet BBQ! 6 races were held in 7-12 knots of breeze under sunny skies. A fog was seen off in the distance but never rolled in as the sun managed to burn it off. Many thanks to host Kent Rydberg and PRO Geoff Loffredo. 1. Ryo Sakai 2. Matt Doherty.

The fi rst day was all about skill and the second day was all about survival at The 2016 Open ACC’s held at Bellport Bay YC which drew 72 competitors from 3 countries, and 13 states for two days of Championship style racing. Trapezoid courses were set and races took about 60 minutes to fi nish.

Saturday started right on time to the minute with a steady SW 12-20 building sea breeze fi lling in. Completing two races a massive cold front blew through bring severe wind and rain, forced a return to the beach for a short break (perfect for lunch). After a postponement it was back out to the race course where the Radial fl eet completed 3 more races in a strong but shifty westerly with gusts in the mid-20s. Saturday night sailors enjoyed a catered BBQ, a live band, and local Blue Point beer for those of age.Sundays forecast was wicked 15-35 from the NE, the expert RC of Bellport moved the course to the quieter side of the bay were the water would be smoother rather than 3-5 rollers. The course was set and the fl eet released, however the winds kicked up a notch, a shifty 20-27 with gusts hitting high 30’s. Steve Kirkpatrick of District 7 said he had never sailed a Laser faster on fl at water as he did on the top reach leg! Two races were completed on Sunday. Bellport Bay YC is a pristine location for Laser racing. It was room enough for 200 hundred boats, easy launching beach and a spectator location to watch all the sailing action, Thanks to Tom Conlin, Chris Everitt, and the entire Bellport Bay membership and volunteers for their efforts in hosting a fi rst class event! Top D8 fi nisher standards #24.Rick Wood; Top D8 Radial #20 Rudolph Ratsep.

Where can you sail now? Check out www.laserd8.org as there are posts from several clubs which have weekday nights that would welcome your attendance. Fridays @Noyak Bay; Tuesdays @ Hempstead Harbor, Port Washington, Amityville, or Nyack are popular.

There are still plenty of racing and sailing opportunities coming up across Long Island and up and down the Hudson.These are some featured events:July 16/17 Masters ACCs @ Sayville YCJuly 24 Laser Regatta at Shelter IslandAug.13 Around Shelter Island Regatta @ Southold YCAug. 27 Ward Bell Cup @ Hempstead Harbor YCSept 3 Laser Regatta @ American YCSept 5 Last Chance Regatta @ Nyack BC

District 9Peter BushnellUpstate New York

The fi rst three District 9 regattas are behind us at the time of this report. The Wine Keg Regatta was held on Memorial Day weekend at Ithaca YC. Light NW breeze limited the regatta to three races. Congratulations to Prof. Williamson. Final results: 1) Chas Williamson, 2) Dan Fein, 3) David Filiberto, 4) Mark, 5) David, 6) Peter Gould. The Willow Bank YC Spring Laser Regatta was held on Cazenovia Lake on June 4. Once again, light NW wind and just three races. Congratulations for a strong performance by David Filiberto (1,1,4) to win the regatta. Excellent job by junior Liz Wolaver for a very competitive performance in full rig. Final results: 1) David Filiberto, 2) Drew Porter, 3) Peter Bushnell, 4) David Burtis, 5) Michael Kitner, 6) Liz Wolaver, 7) Peter Gould, 8) Todd Harrington, 9) Tom French, 10) Eduardo Solessio, 11) Jeremy Forrett. The Saratoga Derby Laser Regatta was held on June 11 at the Saratoga Lake Sailing Club. Wet and cold conditions, downright nasty in the morning, but much better thankfully after the fi rst race and a long wait for the wind to settle in from the south. Six races were held mostly in 5-10mph S breeze. Final results: 1) Peter Bushnell, 2) Mike Kitner, 3) Liz Wolaver, 4) David Burtis, 5) Brad Dunn, 6) Tom French. Photo by Paul Waterfi eld, Saratoga Lake Sailing Club shows Masters Mike Kitner and David Burtis and super-fast junior Liz Wolaver on a close reach in race 1. Thanks very much to all for making these regattas so much fun.Looking ahead to the two championship regattas

in the region; the District 9 Grand Prix will be hosted by Sodus Bay YC and Sodus Bay Jr Sailing Association on July 9-10 as part of the Centrals on Sodus Regatta. This event will be perfect for both adult and junior sailors. Finally, please consider and then just go ahead and register for the No Coast Championship which will be hosted by Ithaca YC on August 6-7. We are very excited about this event and hope to have a strong turnout for some great sailing on Cayuga Lake. Looking forward to seeing you there!

District 10Eric ReitingerNew Jersey

First off many thanks to Glen Dickson who traveled to almost every event in the spring and provided a write-up of each.

35th Annual Philadelphia Laser ChampionshipApril 16, 2016Marsh Creek Sailing ClubDowningtown, PA

17 sailors made the trek to Marsh Creek State Park for the annual kickoff to the District 10 Laser circuit, and the weather gods rewarded them with sunny skies, temperatures in the upper 60s and a

SUMMER 201632

solid 6-10 knot northeast breeze as they rigged up.

The Marsh Creek Lake gods cooperated for a while, too, with the fi rst two windward-leeward races run in relatively steady breeze with large but easily spotted shifts, as in “There’s dark water at 12 o’clock, it’s probably a header.” Locals Dave Cliffel and Mike Mays took the fi rst two races, and both remarked that the conditions were about as good as they ever see on the notoriously tricky lake.However, conditions returned more to normal for Race 3, an Olympic course that started in a fl at calm, had a fi rst beat where the wind shifted between north and southeast, and followed that a run for the fi rst reach and an upwind fetch for the second reach. The direction, if not the velocity, steadied a bit for the next two legs and settled back to the northeast. Glen Dickson of Bay Head YC managed to sneak into some left-hand pressure on the last beat and pull out a win after rounding the leeward mark fi fth.

The next race, a windward-leeward twice-around, had a straightforward fi rst beat before turning into a drifter on the fi rst run. Jim Knab of Corinthian YC, a veteran of the Cooper River frostbiting scene, showed his light-air expertise and ghosted through the fl eet to take the win. Race 5 began in a solid 6 knots and Knab had a great start to lead at the fi rst mark. The breeze completely shut off again on the run but Knab stayed in front and eventually sailed away from the fl eet to win comfortably. With back-to- back bullets, Knab took the title by two points over Dickson while Pennsylvania sailor Chris Myers had consistent scores all day and fi nished third, another four points back. Eric Bennung of Corinthian YC and Mays rounded out the top fi ve. Allyn Miner was fi rst woman in 10th.Top three:Jim Knab (14)-3- 3-1- 1 8 ptsGlen Dickson 2-2- 1-(5)- 5 10 ptsChris Myers (6)-4- 2-2- 6 14 ptsMany thanks to MCSC Commodore Peter Madonna, the race committee and other volunteers for putting on a fun event. The lake may be challenging, but is always worth the trip.—By Glen Dickson

Shrewsbury Spring Laser RegattaMay 17, 2016Shrewsbury Sailing & Yacht ClubOceanport, NJ

Despite rain and unseasonably cool temperatures in the mid-50s, 15 sailors turned out for SSYC’s annual regatta. Fortunately the rain abated by the time the fl eet left the dock to sail the fi rst of four windward-leeward, twice-around races in a 6-knot easterly which gradually died throughout the day.

Jack Swikart of SSYC, a recent graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and former captain of its sailing team, won the fi rst race wire-to-wire by making an early move right toward the south shore of the Shrewsbury River. High-school sailor Rob Gruskos, also of SSYC, was second and D10 Secretary Eric Reitinger was third.

While the pin was favored for all of the races, the right side of the beat continued to pay off throughout the day with better pressure. The runs were far dicier, as random puffs would fi ll from either side and an outgoing current made the legs rather long in duration. Staying patient and having good light-air running technique was crucial.

Swikart took the next two races, employing a similar strategy of judiciously working the right side upwind

and showing good speed. In the fourth race he was topped by another youth sailor from SSYC, Michael Munger, who sailed a smart race in breeze that deteriorated to drifting conditions by the second beat.

By that point it was clear that the breeze wasn’t coming back anytime soon, and the RC abandoned for the rest of the day. Swikart took the regatta win followed by Munger and Gruskos for a home-club sweep. Jim Knab of Cooper River was fourth and Reitinger was fi fth. Grand Master Knab took top honors in the handicapped Masters scoring, topping Masters Glen Dickson of Bay Head YC (6th overall) and Larry Nociolo of Monmouth Boat Club (7th overall). First Radial and fi rst Woman was Kara Licata of SSYC in 14th.

Many thanks to regatta chair Phil Arnheiter, the race committee of Peter and Georgi Munger and all the other SSYC volunteers for pulling together another fun day on the Shrewsbury River.—By Glen Dickson

Top three:Jack Swikart 1-1-1-2 5 ptsMichael Munger 8-3-2-1 14 ptsRob Gruskos 2-2-8-5 17 pts

Monmouth Spring Laser RegattaMay 15, 2016Monmouth Boat ClubRed Bank, NJ

After a couple of light-air events to start the season, District 10 sailors fi nally got a chance to hit the hiking straps and stretch their legs at Monmouth Boat Club’s annual spring regatta. Sunny skies, warm temps and an approaching front combined to create a building southerly breeze, and the 10-boat fl eet enjoyed seven races in ideal Laser conditions. The capable MBC race committee, led by PRO Les Hathaway, even ran a few Olympic courses to provide some planing reaches—a rarity in today’s windward-leeward world.

The fi rst race started in about six knots from the SSE and built to about 10 knots by the fi nish. Regatta chair Chris Henkel and his clubmate Larry Nociolo got an early jump on the fl eet by hooking into a big lefty on the fi rst beat, and after a tight race Nociolo took the bullet.

By race two, the breeze had veered slightly and built to 10-12 knots, with much higher puffs. Glen Dickson of Bay Head YC led from the start to edge out out Mike Matan of the Royal Yachting Association, who was visiting MBC for the fi rst time to get some practice in for Masters Worlds in Mexico (an English native, Matan lives in New York). Nociolo fi nished a solid third.

By the third race the breeze had built to about 14 knots and it elevated a bit through the afternoon, with several puffs well over 20 knots. While that made boatspeed more important, the wind on the Navesink River is never steady, and staying in phase with the big shifts and sharp puffs upwind remained key. With no real waves to surf, the downwind legs were all about lining up for the puffs and avoiding the frequent holes.

Heavyweights Dickson and Matan enjoyed a good battle over the next fi ve races, each winning two, while Henkel and Brendan Gilman of BHYC also posted several top-three fi nishes. Wily old veteran Had Brick of Island Heights YC showed the

importance of keeping one’s head out of the boat in race 6, when he was the fi rst to head right for a big breeze line to the west and enjoyed a wire-to-wire win as a result.

After the drop, Dickson took the overall win by three points over Matan with Henkel another eight points back in third. Brick was fourth and Nociolo fi fth, winning a tiebreaker over Gilman. The top fi ve were rewarded with embroidered tote bags, as MBC maintained its tradition of high quality prizes, and all of the competitors enjoyed some great post-race lunch and beverages.

Many thanks to Henkel and his team of MBC volunteers for putting on a great event, including PRO Hathaway, chase boat drivers Brian Dellett and Eugene Gallagher, and registration/refreshment chief Eileen Nociolo. A particular note of appreciation goes to Hathaway, who was a last-minute substitute for PRO. He did a masterful job which included dropping and raising anchor solo for each race so the fl eet could have an upwind fi nish.—By Glen Dickson

The Plank regatta was held at Shore Acres the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend. For those who did not know, Shore Acres is still working on rebuilding their club from Sandy. They had one plank left from their clubhouse and decided to use it as a trophy for the Laser regatta. You can see what the trophy looks like in the attached pic (sorry for the large pic). 8 full rigs and 2 radials arrived (some from across the bay) to race 6 races. The wind started off light out of the west around 5-8 mph A gold cup course started on time with the latter half of the race the sailors enjoyed the wind dying and just as the fi rst few boats fi nished, the wind locked into the south west and started increasing. The next 3 gold cup courses were held in a very healthy seabreeze with gusts up to 20mph. After race 4 the course was moved into Kettle Creek for the last 2 races where the wind was puffy and far less chop. After racing the group was treated to a bbq under the shade of the tents and a healthy seabreeze in the background. Thanks again to Shore Acres and their large group of volunteers who helped run the event. Consider making the trip next year. – Eric Reitinger

Shore Acres Yacht Club was happy to host our fourth annual Plank Regatta on May 28th. Ten boats showed up, with the winds starting light from the southwest, but once the sea breeze turned on it built up to 29 mph and we had a surfi ng competition as much as a Laser regatta. A good time was had by all. Eric Reitinger from Brant Beach Yacht Club took fi rst place among the Laser standards, with Andrew O’Brien of Bay Head Yacht Club hot on his heels for second and Had Brick of Island Heights Yacht Club in third. Among the radials, Larry Nociolo of Monmouth Boat Club took fi rst, and Nina Vandevaarst of Shore Acres Yacht Club took second. The Plank itself, all that is left of our clubhouse after Superstorm Sandy, was won by Eric Reitinger, whose name is now added to a growing list of champions. Clubhouses come and go, but glory is forever! The Plank Regatta will continue to be held at Shore Acres Yacth Club on the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend, beckoning all the Plank worthy. – Philip Angello

Laser Top 3 Radial Top 2Eric Reitinger Larry NocioloAndrew O’BrianHad Brick Nina VanderVaarst

www.Laser.org 33

importance of keeping one’s head out of the boat in race 6, when he was the fi rst to head right for a big breeze line to the west and enjoyed a wire-to-wire win as a result.

After the drop, Dickson took the overall win by three points over Matan with Henkel another eight points back in third. Brick was fourth and Nociolo fi fth, winning a tiebreaker over Gilman. The top fi ve were rewarded with embroidered tote bags, as MBC maintained its tradition of high quality prizes, and all of the competitors enjoyed some great post-race lunch and beverages.

Many thanks to Henkel and his team of MBC volunteers for putting on a great event, including PRO Hathaway, chase boat drivers Brian Dellett and Eugene Gallagher, and registration/refreshment chief Eileen Nociolo. A particular note of appreciation goes to Hathaway, who was a last-minute substitute for PRO. He did a masterful job which included dropping and raising anchor solo for each race so the fl eet could have an upwind fi nish.—By Glen Dickson

The Plank regatta was held at Shore Acres the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend. For those who did not know, Shore Acres is still working on rebuilding their club from Sandy. They had one plank left from their clubhouse and decided to use it as a trophy for the Laser regatta. You can see what the trophy looks like in the attached pic (sorry for the large pic). 8 full rigs and 2 radials arrived (some from across the bay) to race 6 races. The wind started off light out of the west around 5-8 mph A gold cup course started on time with the latter half of the race the sailors enjoyed the wind dying and just as the fi rst few boats fi nished, the wind locked into the south west and started increasing. The next 3 gold cup courses were held in a very healthy seabreeze with gusts up to 20mph. After race 4 the course was moved into Kettle Creek for the last 2 races where the wind was puffy and far less chop. After racing the group was treated to a bbq under the shade of the tents and a healthy seabreeze in the background. Thanks again to Shore Acres and their large group of volunteers who helped run the event. Consider making the trip next year. – Eric Reitinger

Shore Acres Yacht Club was happy to host our fourth annual Plank Regatta on May 28th. Ten boats showed up, with the winds starting light from the southwest, but once the sea breeze turned on it built up to 29 mph and we had a surfi ng competition as much as a Laser regatta. A good time was had by all. Eric Reitinger from Brant Beach Yacht Club took fi rst place among the Laser standards, with Andrew O’Brien of Bay Head Yacht Club hot on his heels for second and Had Brick of Island Heights Yacht Club in third. Among the radials, Larry Nociolo of Monmouth Boat Club took fi rst, and Nina Vandevaarst of Shore Acres Yacht Club took second. The Plank itself, all that is left of our clubhouse after Superstorm Sandy, was won by Eric Reitinger, whose name is now added to a growing list of champions. Clubhouses come and go, but glory is forever! The Plank Regatta will continue to be held at Shore Acres Yacth Club on the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend, beckoning all the Plank worthy. – Philip Angello

Laser Top 3 Radial Top 2Eric Reitinger Larry NocioloAndrew O’BrianHad Brick Nina VanderVaarst

45th Annual Jack Elfman Orange Coffee Pot RegattaJune 4, 2016Surf City Yacht ClubSurf City, NJ

The world’s oldest Laser trophy regatta, Surf City’s venerable Jack Elfman Orange Coffee Pot, got a nice turnout of 28 boats for its 45th running including visitors from Connecticut and New York. The weather certainly helped, as competitors were treated to sunny skies, temps in the mid-70s and a moderate seabreeze that allowed for seven races.

This year’s fl eet featured a lot of young talent, and youth was certainly served with the under-21 crowd taking three of the fi rst four places in the 24-boat full-rig fl eet and high-school junior Carrson Pearce of Surf City YC dominating the four-boat Radial fl eet. What was striking is that in most races a couple of Radials rounded the fi rst mark in the top ten and then stayed there for the duration of a twice-around, windward-leeward course. With the weather mark tucked close to the Surf City shore, making for big shifts and lots of holes, being in the right spot was defi nitely more important than having a big sail. And those Radial guys were going plenty fast, too.

The fi rst race took a while to get off, as a 6-8 knot southerly gradually shifted left to the southeast seabreeze direction and stabilized. The fl eet went through a general recall and an abandonment before the wind and the fl eet settled down. The fi rst race got off in a solid 10 knots and a couple old guys named Dickson and Hahl punched out middle right and led at the fi rst mark. They were soon passed downwind in a big easterly puff by Carrson’s brother, Carrter, and the relative graybeard Matt Goetting, a 30-something from Toms River YC who was part

of last year’s E-Scow national championship team. Goetting sailed a strong second lap to take the win over Pearce, with another junior, Leo Boucher of Severn Sailing Association, placing third.

While the sun stayed out, the southerly breeze never really built and veered through the afternoon like a typical early-season New Jersey seabreeze. Instead, it stayed pretty much in the same mean direction and topped out at perhaps 12 knots. So the rest of the day saw a tricky tactical balance between playing the fairly reliable geographic shift off the left-hand shore against what was often steadier pressure in the middle and right side of the course, along with a rare big southwesterly puff or two. And of course, there was the “cone drill” on the shifty last 100 yards to the fi rst mark.

Boucher took the next race ahead of Carrter Pearce and Goetting before Andrew Puopolo of Marsh Creek Sailing Club got on a roll, winning the next four races. Puopolo, who was top 10 in the Laser Nationals last year and just fi nished his freshman year sailing for Harvard, was consistently in the top group halfway up the fi rst beat and showed excellent speed around the course. But because he started slow, with a seventh and a fi fth, he was only a couple points ahead of Goetting and Pearce going into the last race with Boucher also within striking distance.

While in trouble early in the last race, a three-legger, Puopolo came back strong downwind and picked off a couple boats on the last beat to take third and win the Coffee Pot by a point over Goetting, who placed second in the race. Boucher posted his second win of the series to move up to third, while Pearce sailed a drop to place fourth overall and fi rst junior. Mike Russom of Brant Beach Yacht Club (who is still kind

of young) rounded out the top 5. Had Brick placed 9th overall to win the 50-plus Master category, while Rachel Bennung of TRYC was fi rst woman in 22nd.

Surf City’s large group of volunteers, headed by regatta chairman Rich Warren, did their usual masterful job of putting on a fun event. In addition to square courses and fair starting lines, they provided breakfast, ample snacks and water on the course, and a great post-race spread of food and beverages. Warren, who was running the Coffee Pot for the fi rst time, gave a special note of thanks to “chairman emeritus” Newt Wattis for his many years of organizing and promoting the event. Wattis also sailed in the full-rig fl eet, placing a very credible 14th, and pledged to be back next year. Hopefully even more D10 sailors will be there to join him for the 46th Coffee Pot. ——Glen Dickson

Top fi ve:Andrew Puopolo 12 ptsMatt Goetting 13 ptsLeo Boucher 15 ptsCarrter Pearce 16 ptsMike Russom 32 pts

July 7 Iron Man Jr Regatta @ Shore Acres YCJuly 8 Powder Puff Jr Regatta @ Metedeconk YC http://www.yachtscoring.com/emenu.cfm?eID=2716July 12-13 Area C Smythe Qualifi ers @ Mantoloking YC http://www.regattanetwork.com/event/12525July 15 Beachwood Blast Jr. RegattaJuly 16-17 Masters ACCs @ Sayville YC July 17 Cooper River MAYRA eventJuly 18-19 JOs @ Island Heights YC http://ihycjo.mysailspace.net/August 5 Summer Sailing Classic @ Ocean Gate

SUMMER 201634

YC http://bbyra.org/temp/evt601.htmAugust 13-14 Cape May Laser Regatta August 22-23 Radial and 4.7 District 10 Championships @ Surf City YCAugust 26 Friends of Belmar Harbor Jr Regatta @ Belmar http://www.regattanetwork.com/event/12565#_homeSeptember 10 Annual Regatta @ Surf City YC http://scyc-nj.org/sailing-boating/regatta-schedule/scyc-annual-regatta-and-nj-lightning-championship/September 17 Fall Laser Regatta @ Monmouth Boat ClubSeptember 24 Philadelphia Cup @ Philly Seaport MuseumOctober 15 Bill McLaughlin Memorial Regatta @ Marsh Creek SC

District 12Finn HassingNC, SC

In D12 the racing season is now in full swing. We have completed two of our six championship regattas both with great success. Both were sailed in rivers where attention to the tidal currents were critical to placing well. Peter Gamble had it dialed in and is leading the series. As we move towards more open waters different skills will come into play and we are looking forward to competing in a different set of conditions as we continue to search for ways to win the championship. This year we have more juniors racing than in previous years thanks to coaching efforts of several dedicated coaching parents. At least two of our juniors are heading to the upcoming Nationals in Mentor Ohio. Thanks to Chip Whitesides and the Carolina Yacht Club the 2017 ACC’s are now scheduled to be contested at one of the premiere sailing venues on the East coast; Wrightsville Beach Ocean sailing at its best.

District 15Griffi n OrrTexas

District 15 has had a very busy spring fi lled with weekday racing, three exciting regattas, and lots of great wind! The fi rst regatta of the spring was the Austin Easter Regatta where competitors were greeted by two days of fantastic racing thanks to the Easter Bunny himself. Fred Shroeth and his team led a great regatta both onshore and offshore assisted by perfect laser sailing conditions (5-15knts on Saturday and 15-25knts on Sunday) and a FULL Lake Travis. Congratulations to Skylar Bayman for winning the event!Next we moved onto Lake Conroe, who was pleased to host their very fi rst Laser District event at their Spring Fling Regatta. Competitors were greeted to the warm hospitality of the Conroe Yacht Club and steady breezes ranging from 10-25knts both days. After some tight races and plenty of death rolls, it was Carson Shields who came out on top!Last of the spring regattas, the Rush Creek Yacht Club and the Dallas Laser Fleet worked together to host the Spring Dinghy Fest Regatta/Area F Smythe Qualifi er. Thank you to Dari Esfani and Yolanda Cortes Mares for helping to put this event together through diffi cult sailing conditions. Congratulations again to Skylar Bayman for winning his second event of the season!District 15 is looking forward to an exciting summer with the Seabrook Summer Solstice the 18th and

19th of June and the Palacious Cannonball Run on August 27th and 28! _/) _/) _/)

District 19 Ken SwetkaMichigan

Summer is in full swing but by this writing only one regatta has been held. It was Michigan Sailing’s annual Spring Regatta (details below).The D19 Championships has a change of venue and date. It will be in conjunction with Lake Lansing’s Regatta which has been D19’s largest attended regatta for many years now.

2016 Regattas/EventsJune 12 UofM Spring Regatta - Michigan SC Baseline LakeJuly 23-24 Leland Laser Regatta - Leland YC August 20 Lake Lansing Annual + D19 Grand Prix- Lansing SCSept 11 UofM Fall Regatta - Michigan SC - Baseline Lake, Sept 11-12? Spring Lake Fall Regatta - Spring Lake YCSept 25? No Sweat Regatta - Portage YCSept 25? GTYC Fall Regatta - Traverse City Oct 2 Frosty Mug - Irish Lasers, Little Traverse Bay, Harbor SpringsOct 9? Pumpkin Head Regatta - Grand Rapids YC? – not confi rmed date

Michigan Sailing Club Spring RegattaJune 12 – story by Andy Van Stavern

On a perfect spring day at Baseline Lake, Rick Lyons from PYC won the Spring Laser Regatta. Winds were 10 to 15 mph with temperatures in the low 70’s. There were 11 lasers racing with Craig Pearson fi nishing 2nd and Carey Jones in 3rd. Thanks to George Griswold for managing the PRO position, Robert Parker for providing lunch and all the volunteers for making the event possible.

There were 7 races and 1 throw-out.Rank HelmName Nett1st Rick Lyons 102nd Craig Pierson 123rd Carey Jones 184th Varun Prabhakar 225th Ben Synder 256th Ovidiu Adam 317th Razvan & Izzy Adam 378th Jeanne Bisantz 509th Edson Chagas 5110th Jane Tucker 5211th Raveen Rajendran 70

That’s all for now from D19 (Michigan)! As always check www.D19Laser.org or www.facebook.com/D19Laser for even more schedules, reports, and photos!

District 20 Sean LennonIl, WI

I am the new district 20 secretary. I have been sailing Lasers for 17 years. I currently sail in the Milwaukee Bay Laser Fleet. I am also the Junior Sailing School Director of Racing at the Milwaukee Yacht Club. I work with our intermediate and advanced students, coaching them in 420s and Lasers. We are really focused on growing the Laser fl eet at MYC by incorporating Laser sailing at the youth level, and many of our students are now competing in our Tuesday night series out of the club. I love the Laser and I want to help District 20 be the best district in North America.

I would like to thank Troy Tolan for his guidance and assistance as I begin my tenure as district secretary. He has done an amazing job organizing district events and making things run smoothly. I have learned a lot from him and I look forward to continually working with him.

This year has already seen great progress throughout the district. Many of the fl eets have reported an increase in number and we also have the addition of Lasers in places like Green Lake. My goal as secretary is to increase the number of sailors participating in our events throughout the district. I believe that this can be done by openly recruiting young sailors into our Laser fl eets. Here at the Milwaukee Yacht Club Sailing School we have begun utilizing Laser 4.7 rigs to great success. This has allowed our kids to involve themselves in the Tuesday Night Series at a far younger age than was previously possible.

District 20 had a great opportunity to see some Laser greats sailing in Chicago at the Louis Vuitton Americas Cup World Series Event. I personally got to see both Ben Ainslie and Tom Slingsby. This was any Laser sailor’s dream come true. I am so glad that the Laser sailors in our district had the opportunity to see how great of a sailor can come from the Laser class.

District 20 has a number of upcoming regattas.July 23-24 Hobelman, Chicago Corinthian YC - Aug 13-14 Jimmy Talbot, Chicago YC, Belmont Aug 20-21 Verve Inshore, Chicago YC, Belmont Sept 3-4 Summer’s End, North Shore YC Highland PkSept 10-11 Great Lakes Champs, Milwaukee YC Sept 17-18 Border Challenge, La Crosse SC - *may only be one day event!Sept 24-25 CSA Fall Laser, Carlyle SA, Carlyle IL - Sept 24-25 Red Flannels, Chicago Corinthian YC - (District 20 Championship)Oct 8-9 Oktoberfest, Nagawicka YC, Delafi eld WI -

The Lake Springfi eld Laser Regatta at Island Bay Yacht Club occurred on June 4th and 5th. Some great racing occurred. The regatta was won by

1. Dave Chapin (171185). 2. Jeff Londrilen (196153)3. Jeff Evans (198051)4. Tim Dixon (200407)5. Robert Christie (176204)

Please continue to check the district Facebook page and District 20’s page on the Laser North American Website. We will continue to add new information to these daily.

District 24NorCalStephen Aguilar

2016 Club Laser ChampionshipNine sailors showed up for this annual event, four from MPYC and the rest from the bay area and Santa Cruz. The fi rst race was in light wind from the northwest, which Simon Bell, of Great Britain, won in his new laser and MKII full radial rig. Toshi Takayanagi, fresh off taking 21st in the Laser Masters Worlds in Puerto Vallarta, won the fi rst Radial race. The second race was thankfully abandoned as the wind dropped to zero about fi ve minutes after the start and all the racers were barely off the start line. Race committee, headed by John Ruck and very ably assisted by Kit and Sarah Duncan, waited till the

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The NorCals, always hosted by the Santa Cruz Yacht Club, can be notoriously windy (and cold) in April--would June be even windier? Apparently most people thought so, as no one signed up in a standard rig (maybe for the fi rst time ever?). Eleven radials showed up, with the typical great representation of ages (not to name any names, but I believe there was a 50 year age difference between fi rst and fourth place). Did the wind show up? Not really. Five races were held on Saturday, in pleasant conditions in the 10-15 knot range. On Sunday, racing had to be canceled due to lack of wind (Santa Cruz locals: “It’s never like this!”).The college kids showed everyone how it was done. Lindsey Baab took fi rst with three bullets, and Michael Levy was close on her heals with the other two bullets. The rest of the fl eet mixed it up a bit. Jon

new breeze built for the south and had to completely reposition the course. Thanks to David Duncan, Randy Frey, Louis Algaze and Rick Light on the two chase boats for making this happen. There was a general recall at the next start of the windward-fi nish course. Garth Hobson got two luck shifts on the left side of the course to round the windward mark in fi rst place and was able to hold off Tracy Usher till the fi nish line. Lair Henkel won the Radial race. Dave Lapier won the next full rig race and Laird repeated in the radial rig division. The wind picked up and Tracy turned on the jets to win the next three races comfortably to take the Full rig division and the club laser championship yet again. Laird and Toshi shared the same number of wins at the end of the day with three each, but Ashley Hobson’s second place fi nish in the last race meant that Toshi took the Radial division. Ashley was particularly pleased with that

Andron and Laird Henkel ended up tied for third, but Laird won the tie by eking out a second in one race. Toshi Takanayagi and J.B. Duler were close behind in 5th and 6th. Another fun weekend in Santa Cruz. Thanks to Santa Cruz YC for putting on another one for the history books!

District 25Jorge SuarezSoCal

D25 sailors just keep on sailing from the shores of Santa Barbara all the way down to Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico, and that was just in the month of May! Not only do the sailors step up their game, but our local yacht clubs answer the call to ensure that Laser sailors can hone their skills and compete in fair and inviting regattas. Of special note is Cabrillo Beach YC in San Pedro, CA, s who hosted this year’s PCC Championship in June. Joseph Hou of NHYC/ABYC won the championship with a string of seven bullets! (Full results at www.cbyc.org). In May, Caden Scheiblauer of SBYC and Michael Kramer of ABYC won the Radial and Standard fl eets at ABYC Memorial Day Regatta, respectively (www.abyc.org). Most recently, Jason Artof of Del Rey YC won the Laser Standard fl eet of ABYC’s Olympic Classes Regatta. Joseph Hou won the Radial Fleet, this time with no bullets! It is no secret that Vallarta Yacht Club hosted all four Laser World Championships beginning on April 12 through May 28. And I must say, as a participant of the Master Standard class that if you ever have a chance to race at Vallarta YC, Do it! D25 sailors that

raced in the Standard Master class were Vann Wilson, Chris Raab, Peter Drasnin, and Jorge Suarez. Open World D25 Sailors included Christopher Barnard, Paul Didham, and Vann Wilson. Radial Master sail-ors included Kathy Luciano and Keith Davids. Full results and excellent video reports from all for events can be found at www.laserworlds2016.org. And if you’ve come to this article fi rst, check out Joseph Berkeley’s article on Vann Wilson in this issue.Finally, I am privileged to speak on behalf of all the D25 Laser family in extending all the best wishes and Positive Vibes to Charlie Buckingham (D25!) in his quest for Gold in Rio!

SUMMER 201636

Over the past 10 Years working with US sailing, covering over 20 National and International events, I have seen a variety of traumatic race injuries. Most people relate on-water trauma to skiff sailing visualizing high speed crashing, collision, and capsizing. As a laser sailor you know it also happens within this class. It is important that everybody is aware of these common injuries that occur secondary to traumatic injuries. Once the knowledge and understanding as to why and where it can happen is there, you will be able to strengthen and stabilize these areas, reducing your chance of injury.

The two most common traumatic areas of injury I have witnessed and treated at events are: • Knee Injuries: Meniscus Tears• Shoulder Injuries (Labral Tears (SLAP) and Rotator Cuff Tears)

I will focus on how they occur while sailing (common mechanisms of injury), nonsurgical and surgical options, and rehab time frames for both.

The knee is always vulnerable during hiking, tacking, and even obtains excess compressive forces during light wind conditions. Traumatic injuries to the knee usually occur during non-contact instances when an athlete has been hiking for hours or is on the third or fourth day of sailing and has developed some range of motion restrictions and swelling within the knee. The athlete may initiate a tack and with the simultaneous action of stepping across the boat, planting the foot, and rotating the body in a deep and sometimes full fl exion of the knee, the meniscus will pinch and tear. This is very painful and most commonly will cause immediate swelling and catching or locking when trying to bend the knee.

Knee Meniscus Tear Treatment Options

When treating a meniscus tear and determining if it needs surgery or just physical therapy, there are many variables to take into consideration, as well as outcome of the treatment. Examples include but are not limited to: size of the tear, location of the tear (outer edge of meniscus – red zone; center of meniscus- white zone), age/gender of the person suffering the injury, and the general health of the person prior to the injury.

Surgical: The procedure itself may consist of surgical repair (suturing the torn pieces together) to restore function of the meniscus, removal of the entire

meniscus (total meniscectomy), or just a partial removal of the meniscus (partial meniscectomy). Typically, surgical repair is preferred over partial or total meniscectomy due to the lower occurrence of long-term complications, such as osteoarthritis of the knee joint. Surgical repair may result in less pain and allow the knee to return to normal function. The total rehab time for a surgical meniscal repair is patient-dependent, but is typically between 6-12 weeks of physical therapy.

Non-Surgical: A non-surgical approach consists of rest, ice, compression, elevation, and physical therapy to rehabilitate the affected area. Small tears located toward the outer edge

of the meniscus (red zone) often heal on their own and are good candidates for non-surgical options. Larger tears located toward the center of the meniscus (white zone) may not heal as well due to a low blood supply in the area, and are typically better candidates for surgical repair. Physical therapy is extremely important for a meniscal injuries to prevent long-term complications such as osteoarthritis and other joint pathologies. The rehab protocol for a meniscal injury typically consists of strengthening, stabilization, and mobilization of the knee joint. Sport specifi c exercises are also a key component when returning an athlete to

their prior level of function. The total rehab time for a non-surgical meniscal rehab approach is also patient-dependent, but is typically between 6-8 weeks of physical therapy.

The shoulder is the most dynamic joint in the body. Since it has the most freedom of movement it also makes it the most vulnerable joint in the

body. During laser sailing the shoulders play a huge part and are consistently working. The most common traumatic injuries in the shoulder occur because of capsizing and/or trying to avoid capsizing at the last minute. This is because as the boat is rolling and about to fl ip the athlete will try to grab it causing the shoulder to be fl exed, externally rotated and distracted all past its normal range of motion. This will cause a stretch and possibly tear in either the labrum or rotator cuff. This also occurs post capsizing and trying to pull up and get back in the boat. If a wave hits the boat while the athlete is holding on and getting ready to pull up, the shoulder is put in the same position listed above and the outcome could be the same. Like

Laser Sailing: Traumatic Injuries While RacingBY: CHRIS HERRERA DPT, CSCS, USAWPATRICK HORST SPT

www.Laser.org 37

a meniscus tear of the knee, the shoulder treatment Options for Labral and Rotator Cuff Injuries vary from physical therapy to surgery.

Shoulder Labral and Rotator Cuff Tear Treatment Options

Surgical: A common surgical treatment for a labral tear of the shoulder is arthroscopy. Shoulder arthroscopy utilizes a small camera that allows the surgeon to see inside the shoulder joint and guide the surgical instruments needed to repair the labrum. A repair may consist of either removing the torn part of the labrum, or suturing the torn part of the labrum to reattach it. The total rehab time for an arthroscopic procedure to repair the labrum is patient-dependent, but is typically 6-10 weeks of physical therapy. Shoulder arthroscopy is also benefi cial for repairing rotator cuff injuries. The procedure allows the surgeon to reattach the rotator cuff muscle tendons back to their insertion points. The total rehab time for rotator cuff injuries is typically between 8-14 weeks but is also patient-dependent. The physical therapy protocol for labral and rotator cuff injuries

consists of strengthening, stabilization, mobilization, and neurological rehabilitation of the shoulder joint.

Non-surgical: The non-surgical approach to labral and rotator cuff injuries has a similar protocol from a physical therapy standpoint. It also consists of strengthening, stabilization, mobilization, and neurological rehabilitation of the shoulder joint. The goal for the non-surgical approach, however, is to rehab these shoulder pathologies in a non-

invasive manner. Choosing a non-surgical method is also based on the assumption that the pathology will resolve itself naturally with the aforementioned therapy techniques. The standard recovery time for these shoulder pathologies is typically 6-8 weeks, but is patient-dependent.

These two areas (Knee and Shoulder) all have been featured within Laser Sailing articles I have written over the past 2 years with a variety of topics for both strength and conditioning and injury prevention. Please refer to previous articles (specifi cally: Hiking 360 (2014) and I Need to Develop More Strength (2014)). By understanding these major injuries and taking the steps to strengthen, stabilize, and rehabilitate them, the athlete may avoid injury and prevent time away from the sport secondary to rehab and/or surgery.

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SUMMER 201638

THIS ISN’T CLOTHING. THIS IS EQUIPMENT.

SPEEDSKIN SYSTEM

To perform at your best you need to be versatile. You need a system that works with you. Protects you. Becomes part of you. Light neoprene layers lock out wind, water and UV rays. While strategically placed fl ex panels and protection points keep delivering. Speedskin. Mix it, match it, you’ll never beat it.

G I L L N A . C O M

2/3/16 9:50 AM

Laser Legends at the 2016 Radial Master Worlds Nueva Vallarta, Mexico

Left to right: Geoffrey Lucas, AUS; Peter Seidenberg, USA; Kerry Warraker, AUS; Jay Winberg, USA; Claude Tigier, FRA; Peter Craig, AUS; David Hartman, USA; Dannis O’Sullivan, IRL.

Legends Fleet

Sailed: 12, Discards: 2, To count: 10, Entries: 8, Scoring system: Appendix A

Rank SailNo Name NAT R1 R2 R3 R4 R5 R6 R7 R8 R9 R10 R11 R12 Total Nett

1st 189811 Peter Seidenberg USA 2.0 1.0 (3.0) 1.0 2.0 2.0 1.0 (3.0) 1.0 2.0 1.0 1.0 20.0 14.0

2nd 202701 Kerry Waraker AUS (3.0) 3.0 1.0 2.0 1.0 1.0 2.0 1.0 (9.0 BFD) 1.0 2.0 2.0 28.0 16.0

3rd 199916 David Hartman USA 1.0 2.0 2.0 3.0 (4.0) 3.0 4.0 2.0 (9.0 BFD) 3.0 3.0 3.0 39.0 26.0

4th 192622 Geoffrey Lucas AUS (8.0) 4.0 4.0 (7.0) 5.0 4.0 5.0 6.0 5.0 5.0 5.0 4.0 62.0 47.0

5th 201002 Denis O'sullivan IRL 4.0 6.0 6.0 5.0 (8.0) 7.0 (8.0) 5.0 3.0 4.0 6.0 5.0 67.0 51.0

6th 201582 Claude Tigier FRA 6.0 7.0 (8.0) 6.0 7.0 (8.0) 7.0 4.0 2.0 6.0 4.0 6.0 71.0 55.0

7th 199207 Jay Winberg USA 5.0 5.0 5.0 4.0 3.0 6.0 6.0 7.0 (9.0 DNC) (9.0 DNC) 9.0 DNC 9.0 DNC 77.0 59.0

8th 205002 Peter Craig AUS 7.0 (8.0) 7.0 (8.0) 6.0 5.0 3.0 8.0 4.0 7.0 7.0 7.0 77.0 61.0

www.Laser.org 39

THIS ISN’T CLOTHING. THIS IS EQUIPMENT.

SPEEDSKIN SYSTEM

To perform at your best you need to be versatile. You need a system that works with you. Protects you. Becomes part of you. Light neoprene layers lock out wind, water and UV rays. While strategically placed fl ex panels and protection points keep delivering. Speedskin. Mix it, match it, you’ll never beat it.

G I L L N A . C O M

BC_048111_SLW0416P.indd 1 2/3/16 9:50 AM

Legends Fleet

Sailed: 12, Discards: 2, To count: 10, Entries: 8, Scoring system: Appendix A

Rank SailNo Name NAT R1 R2 R3 R4 R5 R6 R7 R8 R9 R10 R11 R12 Total Nett

1st 189811 Peter Seidenberg USA 2.0 1.0 (3.0) 1.0 2.0 2.0 1.0 (3.0) 1.0 2.0 1.0 1.0 20.0 14.0

2nd 202701 Kerry Waraker AUS (3.0) 3.0 1.0 2.0 1.0 1.0 2.0 1.0 (9.0 BFD) 1.0 2.0 2.0 28.0 16.0

3rd 199916 David Hartman USA 1.0 2.0 2.0 3.0 (4.0) 3.0 4.0 2.0 (9.0 BFD) 3.0 3.0 3.0 39.0 26.0

4th 192622 Geoffrey Lucas AUS (8.0) 4.0 4.0 (7.0) 5.0 4.0 5.0 6.0 5.0 5.0 5.0 4.0 62.0 47.0

5th 201002 Denis O'sullivan IRL 4.0 6.0 6.0 5.0 (8.0) 7.0 (8.0) 5.0 3.0 4.0 6.0 5.0 67.0 51.0

6th 201582 Claude Tigier FRA 6.0 7.0 (8.0) 6.0 7.0 (8.0) 7.0 4.0 2.0 6.0 4.0 6.0 71.0 55.0

7th 199207 Jay Winberg USA 5.0 5.0 5.0 4.0 3.0 6.0 6.0 7.0 (9.0 DNC) (9.0 DNC) 9.0 DNC 9.0 DNC 77.0 59.0

8th 205002 Peter Craig AUS 7.0 (8.0) 7.0 (8.0) 6.0 5.0 3.0 8.0 4.0 7.0 7.0 7.0 77.0 61.0

SUMMER 201640

Why Join the Laser Class?

What are some of the bene� ts of a strong class association?

A strong class association means lots of boats to race against, near you and around the world!

A strong class association with lots of racing attracts the world’s best sailors - giving you the best racing possible!

A strong class association means major events scheduled at the best sailing locations and moving all over the North American Region - there will always be a big event near you!

A strong class association means solid class rules making all boats as identical as possible - you are competing against other sailors, not their pocket books!

A strong class association means lots of people looking to buy boats keeping the resale value of your boat high.

A strong class association keeps an eye towards the future and works with the builders to make improvements where needed while preserving as well as possible the competitiveness of older boats.

To be strong, a class association needs the support of its sailors!

What are some of the direct bene� ts of membership?

You receive the annual Laser Class Handbook with the current class rules, interpretations of those rules, class constitution, guidelines for events, useful information for keeping your boat in good shape, contact information for your district, etc.

You receive the International Class Association’s quarterly publication “Laser World” which gives a roundup of international events sailed around the world, as well as information from the international offi ce.

You receive the North American Association’s quarterly publication “The Laser Sailor” which is loaded with regatta reports, technique articles, fi tness and nutrition tips, sailor profi les, reports from each of the North American Region’s 26 Districts and much, much more. In addition, the magazine also contains advertising from Laser dealers selling Laser specifi c gear and aimed entirely at Laser sailors - if you are looking for something for your boat you will see it advertised here!

You will have access to the class website at www.laser.org containing all the latest news as well as the up to date calendar of events, complete with maps to show you how to fi nd the events. And you can also fi nd archived copies of The Laser Sailor as well as useful articles on how to sail your boat faster.

Your membership makes you eligible to sail in any of the 50+ major Laser Class regattas scheduled every year throughout the North American Region, including open, masters’, youth and women’s events.

Your membership makes you eligible for the LaserPeformance/ILCA-NA Grand Prix where you earn

points when sailing in major events, ranking you against your fellow competitors and making you eligible for end of the season prizes, like new sails, carbon tillers, etc.

You get direct benefi t by joining the Laser Class!

What does the class association do with your membership dues?

The fi rst $14.00 of your membership dues go to pay the North American staff who work incredibly hard to: make sure our North American events get scheduled every year and that these events follow the high standards of the Laser Class, to publish our quarterly newsletter, etc. Importantly, that money also makes sure that if you ever have a question you can simply pick up the phone, or send an email, and a knowledgeable person will answer you right away.

$9.72 of your dues goes to the International Class where they use the money to pay their staff to make sure world level events get scheduled, ensuring all the boats are the same by inspecting the builders to make sure they are complying with the Laser Construction Manual, keep track of rules changes proposed by members, interfacing with ISAF on various levels, including keeping both the Laser Standard and Laser Radial as Olympic equipment, etc.

A little over $7.00 goes to the quarterly assembling, printing and mailing of The Laser Sailor to you for the year.

Around $5.00 goes to support and promotion, ranging from direct support of the districts and regattas to the website.

Most of the remaining dues go toward all the things it takes to running an organization of 2400 members, from Executive Secretary travel costs, to federal income taxes all the way to mundane offi ce expenses.Your membership dues are used to keep the Laser Standard, Laser Radial and Laser 4.7 as THE singlehanded dinghy to sail and race in North America and throughout the world!

Why should you join the Laser Class?

To enable the Laser Class to remain a strong class association and continue to make the Laser the pre-eminent singlehanded dinghy of our time.

To gain the benefi ts of membership outlined above.

To protect your investment in your boat, making sure that if the time comes to sell then you can be certain that the high demand driven by a strong class will enable you to get the best price for your boat.

The International Laser Class Association, North American Region is what it is today because of the support of its members. Keep that tradition alive, join or renew your membership TODAY!

www.Laser.org 41

Name_______________________________________________________ Address_____________________________________________________ City ___________________State / Prov. _____Zip / postal code ________ Phone ____________________ E-mail____________________________ Sail # ______________DOB (month/day/year) _____________Sex ______ Boat usually sailed _____Laser ______Radial _____Laser 4.7

Current Membership Fees

All amounts are in US dollars. (Canadian checks must be in US dollars.) • Regular - $45 for one year or $85 for 2 years • Junior - $40 (Member may not turn 18 during term of membership), or $75 for 2 years (Member may

not turn 18 during term of membership)• International - $55 (any member not living in the US or Canada), one year only

Amount enclosed __________________US$

Please make checks payable to ILCA of NA or provide credit card informati on as shown below. Thank you for joining the Laser Class. Credit Card payment by Visa, Mastercard or AMEX (Sorry – no Discover)Name on credit card: ________________________________________________________ Credit card number: ________________________________________________________ Exp. date: _________ Credit card billing zip/postal code _________ Security code____

NOTE: Occasionally we make our mailing list available to our adverti sers. If you do not want your name included on these lists, please check here: _________

RETURN THIS FORM TO: ILCA OF NA 2812 CANON STREET SAN DIEGO, CA 92106

MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION

SUMMER 201642 SUMMER 201642The World Leader in Outfitting Sailors

Dinghy Smockby Musto $165.00

3/4 Hikersby Zhik $235.00

Evolution Bootsby Neil Pryde $120.00

The BEST Laser Deck and

Bottom Covers by APS $234.95 each

APS Laser Pro Blade Bagsby APS $159.95

The Boat Whisperer

DVD Set by Rooster $59.95 setCarbon Tiller with Titanium Plate &

Carbon Tiller Extensionsby Raptor $236.50

$126.50

The Top Four Laser Mainsheets

Available

Excel Fusionby Marlow

Dinghy Sheet XLby RoblinePoliliteby RosterBuzz

by New England

$83.72

$30.82

$41.40

$25.30

APS Clew Straps$15.95

Laser Traveler and Boom Blocks $95.00

Laser Cunningham/

Outhaul & Vang Kits by Harken

$285.00

The Top Four Laser Mainsheets Laser Mainsheets

Available



by New England

$83.72

$30.82

$41.40

$25.3030

$325.00

APS Pro Cunningham

$50.33

APS Pro Outhaul Primary

$30.95

APS Pro EPIC Traveler$49.95

APS Pro Outhaul Set Up$109.51

APS Pro Spliced Outhaul Mast Blocks

Single-Berry $42.06

Double-Berry $59.31

APS Pro Clew Inhauler$46.07

APS Pro Daggerboard Downhaul Kit

$36.87

APS Pro Spliced Traveler

$30.16

ORDERS OVER $50*

The Most Extensive Selection of Laser Gear in the World

APSltd.com

ConnectAPSltd.com

800.729.9767

Visit104 Severn Avenue

Annapolis, MD

www.Laser.org 43www.Laser.org 43The World Leader in Outfitting Sailors

Dinghy Smockby Musto $165.00

3/4 Hikersby Zhik $235.00

Evolution Bootsby Neil Pryde $120.00

The BEST Laser Deck and

Bottom Covers by APS $234.95 each

APS Laser Pro Blade Bagsby APS $159.95

The Boat Whisperer

DVD Set by Rooster $59.95 setCarbon Tiller with Titanium Plate &

Carbon Tiller Extensionsby Raptor $236.50

$126.50

The Top Four Laser Mainsheets

Available



by New England

$83.72

$30.82

$41.40

$25.30

APS Clew Straps$15.95

Laser Traveler and Boom Blocks $95.00

Laser Cunningham/

Outhaul & Vang Kits by Harken

$285.00 $325.00

Dinghy Smock

APS Pro Cunningham

$50.33

APS Pro Outhaul Primary

$30.95

APS Pro EPIC Traveler$49.95

APS Pro Outhaul Set Up$109.51

APS Pro Spliced Outhaul Mast Blocks

Single-Berry $42.06

Double-Berry $59.31

APS Pro Clew Inhauler$46.07

APS Pro Daggerboard Downhaul Kit

$36.87

APS Pro Spliced Traveler

$30.16

Evolution Boots

ORDERS OVER $50*

The Most Extensive Selection of Laser Gear in the World

APSltd.com

ConnectAPSltd.com

800.729.9767

Visit104 Severn Avenue

Annapolis, MD

PRESORTEDSTANDARD

U.S. POSTAGEPAID

San Dimas, CAPermit No. 4102812 Canon Street, San Diego, CA 92106

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

Laser sailor summer 2016

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