Spring 2008 USSNIPESAILOR1lf55vjygoi280uso168tz71-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/upl… · US...

The Official Magazine of the Snipe Class International Racing Association, USA

US SNIPE SAILORSpring 2008

Tri-fold Promotional Brochures Available From SCIRA USA

As part of our ongoing effort to provide tools and materials to help promote the Snipe Class, SCIRA USA has produced this promotional brochure. Get a supply now for your pro-

motional activities. They’re FREE! Contact Mary Buckley in the SCIRA USA office.

Referred to as ‘Old Faithful’ by some, the Quantum PS-5 Dacron Jib has won the last three World Championships. Designed in 1997 to be powerful in the lighter winds and big-ger waves of San Diego, the PS-5 design has persevered by winning regattas in a variety of conditions. In a World where change is the norm, it is good to know that you can always count on Old Faithful.

PS-5

www.quantumsails.com/snipe +619-226-2422 [email protected] [email protected]

US SNIPE SAILOR Spring 2008 �

US SNIPE SAILOR™

Volume 3, Number 1Spring, 2008

Published by SCIRA USAP.O. Box 83866 Lincoln, NE 68501

Editor/Publisher: John Buckley (402) 796-2510; [email protected]

Editorial Board: Rick Arneson [email protected] Susan Odell [email protected] Merrill Varn [email protected]

Advertising: Mary Buckley (402) 796-2505; [email protected]

SCIRA USABoard of Directors: David Odell (National Secretary) [email protected] Bob Ewoldt (Chief Measurer) [email protected] Jack Gannon (District 1 Governor) [email protected] Doug Swenson (District 2 Governor) [email protected] Chad Coberly (District 3 Governor) [email protected] Tom Henderson (District 4 Governor) [email protected] Adrienne Korkosz (District 5 Governor) [email protected] Steve Stewart (District 6 Governor) [email protected] Dick Loomis (District 7 Governor) [email protected] Mike Blackwood (Member At Large) [email protected] Lee Griffith (Member At Large) [email protected] Don Hackbarth (Member At Large) [email protected] Kay Voss (Member At Large) [email protected]

Non-Voting Board Members: Mary Buckley (Executive Administrator) (402) 796-2505; [email protected] Ken Culver (Director of Finance) [email protected] Andrew Pontious (Legal Counsel) [email protected]

The US SNIPE SAILOR is published quarterly on March 1, June 1, September 1, and December 1. The deadline for material submission is the 10th of the preceding month.The Snipe Silhouette, the International Snipe Class Crest, and the slogan Serious Sailing, Serious Fun are trademarks of the Snipe Class International Racing Association, and are registered in the US Patent and Trademark Office.

On the cover: Augie Diaz and Mark Ivey at the 2006 Nationals on Lake Erie

Photo: Fried Elliottwww.friedbits.com/PhotoBits/Sailing/Snipe/index.php

From OurNational Secretary

Hello Snipe Sailors!Spring is in the air, and I trust that everybody has been working on figuring out what’s going to be on his or her Snipe calendar this year. As I mentioned in the December issue, growing the US Snipe Class is my number one priority. Accordingly, when the Board of Directors met in Atlanta in January for our semi-annual meeting, the focus of our two days was on strategic growth initiatives. We acted on a number of exciting initiatives that I’m pleased to share with you:

We approved the creation of a Snipe Boat Handling Skills DVD that will be produced by Greg Bernstein of Above and Beyond Productions in conjunction with North Sails. Greg is a champion Lightning sailor and has created three very successful, high quality DVDs for the Lightning Class. This exciting Snipe DVD should be available from our retail partners by early summer.

We funded a number of enhancements to our world-class website (www.snipeus.org) that should be completed by the middle of the year. Highlights will include a revised presentation of the calendar of events and race results, a Measurer’s blog, more information about Classic Wooden Snipes, an interactive feature where members can share their little secrets about how they make their Snipe go fast, and improved information about our US Perpetual Fund.

We printed 2,000 copies of a fantastic, four color, promotional tri-fold brochure. Within the first three weeks we have distributed over 600 brochures, and they’re available to anybody who would like to help promote the Snipe Class. Many thanks go out to John Buckley, Fried Elliott, Don Hackbarth, Susan Odell and all the others who put in untold hours to create this. It looks great!

We increased the print run of the US Snipe Sailor magazine from 1,000 to 1,500 per issue so that we can make more copies available for promoting the Snipe Class. This is far and away our most valuable marketing collateral, so we want to make it available to as many prospective Snipe sailors as possible. Let Mary Buckley know if you have a yacht club, junior program, community sailing center, or other worthy recipient that you’d like to have receive this great magazine.

We created a Used Boat Donation Program whereby a Snipe owner can donate his or her boat to the US Snipe Class and receive a tax benefit since we are a tax-exempt entity. The Class will either sell the boat to raise money or will place it in our newly created Loaner Boat Program.

We created a Loaner Boat Program based upon the trial program that the Annapolis Fleet pioneered in 2007. This program enables a local fleet to maintain a loaner boat for prospective Snipe members who want to try it before they buy it. Last year this program enabled the Annapolis Fleet to expose over 40 people to the Snipe, resulting in 14 new members! For more on the Loaner Boat Program, see Don Hackbarth’s article elsewhere in this issue.

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See National Secretary, page �

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We approved spending funds to create a Boat Show Presentation Booth. This will be a professional quality 10 foot by 10 foot booth showcasing Fried Elliott’s great photos, which collapses and ships in two portable containers. Many thanks to Janet Coburn, of Dillon, CO fame, for her generous donation of the booth. The Seattle and Dallas fleets recently participated in their local boat shows and reported strong interest from attendees. For those of you interested in participating in your local sailboat shows, the US Snipe Class can now provide you with a professional booth, tri-fold brochures, bumper stickers and copies of this awesome magazine.

We modified the US Junior National Championship Deed of Gift to raise the age limit to conform to changes made by SCIRA International. Starting in 2008, juniors who do not attain the age of 22 in the year of the regatta are eligible to race in the Junior Nationals. This should increase participation levels at Junior Nationals, especially in San Francisco given it’s a qualifier for the 2009 Junior Worlds in San Diego.

We modified the US Women’s National Championship Deed of Gift to create more flexibility in racing by eliminating restrictions on the venue of the regatta and the length of races. This will ensure that our women Snipers will have the best possible racing format given the location and conditions.Finally, at the Board meeting we bid farewell to outgoing Board members Hal Gilreath, Bob Panza, Kirk Smith and Dustin Kays, and thanked them for their great service and contributions to the Snipe Class. We also welcomed our new Board members: Jack Gannon from District 1, Tom Henderson from District 4, Dick Loomis from District 7, Kay Voss of Miami as our new board member at large responsible for PR, Advertising and Merchandising, and Don Hackbarth of Atlanta as our new board member at large responsible for Class Development. Next time you see one of these individuals be sure to give them a big THANKS for their volunteer service to the Class, as that’s the only thing that keeps it running.Well, Susan and I have developed our Snipe calendar, so we’re off to Jacksonville for the St. John’s Tea Party Regatta in early March, and then it’s the always fun Clearwater/Miami/Nassau Winter Circuit. We hope to see many of you soon.All the best, David OdellSCIRA USA National Secretary

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National Secretary, from page �

SCIRA USA2007MembershipataGlance

as of December 31, 2007Total

Members Juniors MastersBoat

OwnersTotal

BoatsD1 161 19 67 84 105D2 156 23 68 89 97D3 129 15 59 84 92D4 156 22 57 101 123D5 17 - 8 15 15D6 78 19 30 33 45D7 56 3 24 43 49Totals 753 101 313 449 526

Membership History2001–2007

2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001Members 753 707 749 770 704 727 744Boats 526 519 539 568 530 589 620

NORTH COVERSMaking the Fun Last Longer

Cover upHigh Quality Snipe Covers

To order:www.OneDesign.com/covers

Daggerboard Cover Deck Cover Hull Cover Mast Cover Rudder Cover

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2008 BUDGET 2007 RESULTS

Operating Fund

Fleet Develop

Fund

Restricted Perpetual

Fund Total Operating

Fund

Fleet Develop

Fund

Restricted Perpetual

Fund Total REVENUES & CONTRIBUTIONS:Dues & Decals 29,500 29,500 27,990 27,990 Premium Member Contributions 15,925 15,925 16,065 16,065 Ad Revenue 5,500 5,500 5,105 5,105 Perpetual Fund Distributable Earnings 5,200 5,200 5,340 5,340 Sail Royalties 3,500 3,500 3,830 3,830 Event Contributions 2,500 2,500 14,385 14,385 Event Registration Receipts 2,000 2,000 2,560 2,560 Perpetual Fund Contributions 500 500 450 450 Other 3,165 750 5,000 8,915 2,312 193 2,505 Perpetual Fund Distribution 7,500 (7,500) - 5,340 (5,340) - Fleet Development Distribution 5,250 (5,250) - - Fleet Development Contribution - 14,772 14,772 Donated Snipe (non cash) - 2,000 2,000

74,840 (4,500) 3,200 73,540 79,587 14,772 643 95,002 EXPENSES & GRANTS:Administrative Services 20,000 20,000 15,000 15,000 Dues Paid to SCIRA International 14,000 14,000 13,350 13,350 Newsletter Publication 10,200 10,200 8,403 8,403 Event & Fleet Development Grants 9,700 9,700 18,602 18,602 Web Hosting/Development 4,500 4,500 3,563 3,563 Other Administrative 3,040 3,040 3,109 3,109 Liability Insurance 2,500 2,500 2,403 2,403 Advertising 2,425 2,425 2,415 2,415 Public Relations/Advertising 2,000 2,000 - Other 4,900 4,900 3,556 281 50 3,887

73,265 - - 73,265 70,400 281 50 70,731

NET INCOME 1,575 (4,500) 3,200 275 9,187 14,491 593 24,271 Net Assets at Beginning of Year 43,450 14,491 137,210 195,151 34,263 - 136,617 170,880 Net Assets at End of Year 45,025 9,991 140,410 195,426 43,450 14,491 137,210 195,151

BALANCE SHEET:Cash - unrestricted 38,942 38,942 41,867 41,867 Donated Snipe & trailer net of depreciation 583 583 1,583 1,583 DVD capitalized production costs (inventory) 2,500 2,500 - Boat show booth (3 yr depreciation) 3,000 3,000 - Cash/Investments - Temporarily Restricted 9,991 9,991 14,491 14,491 Marketable Securities - Permanently Restricted 140,410 140,410 137,210 137,210

45,025 9,991 140,410 195,426 43,450 14,491 137,210 195,151

SCIRA USA finished out 2007 in a strong financial position. The 2008 budget is intended to be a safe conservative budget, which begins to allocate more funds to fleet development and promotional activities - such as the customized Snipe DVD ($2,500), boat show booth ($3,000) and discretionary funds ($2,000) for the new PR board position. In addition, more funds were allocated to the US Snipe Sailor magazine to increase the production run to be used as promotional material. As previously announced, thanks to the generosity

of Gene Soltero and Soltero Resources, Inc., of Dallas Fleet #1, $5,250 in total ($750 per district) has been allocated for fleet development activities – so GO SPEND IT! Contact your District Govenor for details.

Contact me or Mary Buckley if you have any questions or would like a more detailed report for the 2007 results and/or the 2008 budget.

Ken Culver - Dallas Fleet 001Director Of Finance

SCIRA USA 2007 Financial Statement and 2008 Budget

� www.snipeus.org

Rick Arneson Joins Editorial Board

Rick Arneson, a member of the San Diego Area Snipe Fleet, will replace Aimee Graham on the US Snipe Sailor Editorial Board. Aimee was invaluable in helping to organize the Editorial Board and get the US Snipe Sailor off the ground. The demands of a new job have limited the time she has available; however, she will remain in an advisory capacity. We thank Aimee for her contribution, and wish her well in her new endeavor.

Rick Arneson began sailing in Sabots at the age of six in the San Diego Yacht Club Junior Program. Moving into larger dinghies in his teens, Rick later competed in three high school national championships and won state and district championships in the Laser II class, as well as the AAU Junior Olympics in Lasers. One interesting change of pace along the way was the experience of skippering 12-meters in the match racing of the World Scholar-Athlete Games in Newport, RI.

Rick’s college sailing experience was unique, starting his own team from the ground up at Pepperdine University and building the team to a fleet of six boats by his senior year. Rick jumped into Snipes after graduation, finding the San Diego fleet just the right mix

Rick Arneson (r), and crew Gus Wirth, at the 2005 Nationals in San Diego.

of small boat competition and fun off the water. Rick gained international experience in Snipes over the next few years as well, eventually competing in the 2003 and 2005 Snipe World Championships, and taking fifth place at the 2005 Snipe Nationals. He has also been a contributing writer to Sailing World magazine and has coached racing at junior, high school, and college levels.

New At-Large Board Member Kay Voss

Kay will be responsible for Public Relations, Advertising and Merchandising; a newly defined position within the SCIRA USA board. Kay, her husband Ken, and their children Nick and Kara, are all avid Snipe sailors and Class enthusiasts.

Ken and Kay bought their first Snipe, Penguin Lust, a yellow Chubasco, in 1984 - just a few weeks after they were married and had moved to San Diego from Texas A&M, and Kay had gotten her graduate degree in Oceanography.

Being an Oceanographer means always living in some great Snipe territory - and their first Snipe fleet, Mission Bay #495, really hooked them on the Snipe. Being new in town, the locals made them feel very welcome and they instantly had a group of fabulously fun people to hang out with on weekends. Jumping into the competition on Mission Bay was pretty tough; they got their first Snipe trophy at the Carolyn Nute Halloween regatta for being DFL (a set of Snipe beer coasters that they used well). You’d think that award would be embarrassing, but somehow it wasn’t - they were having way too much fun. For the next year, fleet members spent a lot of time helping them get up to speed - both on the water and hanging out in the parking lot.

On their first anniversary Ken gave Kay a copy of Dave Perry’s book Winning in One Designs, with the inscription “instructions for winning your first Carolyn Nute trophy at Nationals” (the trophy goes to the highest placing husband and wife team). They haven’t attained that distinction so far, but for their 20th wedding anniversary they gave themselves a brand new Jibe Tech with a mint green deck, so they haven’t given up hope yet.

In 1990 they moved to Miami and joined “The Old Man’s” Snipe Fleet #7, another great group. Lately when Kay travels to regattas she often has sailors come up and say “remember me - I stayed at your house back in 19xx?” At this point there have been so many that she can’t remember them all. She and Ken joke that they should have kept a “who slept here” log for their son Nick’s bed. It would have collected a pretty cool list of now famous sailors. Maybe that’s why Nick can make a Snipe fly. They left some knowledge behind in the pillows. Life doesn’t get any better than sailing with or against your kids in a Snipe.Kay looks forward to giving back to the Class, and helping to spread the word Serious Sailing, Serious Fun in her Public Relations role. She has something special planned in the fun department for the Don Q this year, so come on down!

Fried Elliott


Jack Gannon New D1 Governor

Jack Gannon grew up in the city near Boston, MA, but moved to the “country” (Winchester, MA.) at age 8. He started sailing at the Winchester Boat Club, Snipe Fleet #77, crewing for a neighbor who built his own Snipes. He also rode with SCIRA Commodore Ralph Swanson. Jack sailed as a junior in National 10’s (AKA Turnabouts) as well as Snipes, and an occasional ice boat. After college and a stint in the Air Force, he bought his first “new” Chubasco, #18034.

Jack eventually went to work for Joe Duplin, Star Class World and North American champion, building Stars, Etchells 22s, National 10s, and a few Snipes. He’s been racing Snipes for just about a half century.

Jack is married to his lovely wife, Kristen; they have four (obviously) grown children: John Jr., Stephen, Paula and Susan.

Jack currently works at the Massachussets Institute of Technology, for the Division of Comparative Medicine.

He also owns JG Marine, building National 10s and repairing Snipes, etc.

He is looking forward to his District Governorship, and helping District One remain # 1 !!!!

New D4 Governor Tom Henderson

As a junior, Tom Henderson grew up in St. Thomas sailing Sunfish, Finns, and Solings and 420s during high school in Marion, MA. After that, he stepped away from sailing for the next 20 plus years.

In 2000, he realized that if he did not get his two daughters into a sailboat, he would have failed to pass along one of the greatest life sports of all. A little work on the internet put him in touch with Peggy and Means Davis, the Snipe Class, the Atlanta Yacht Club, and a return to competitive sailing. After a few fits and starts, his oldest daughter Kate decided that going to the lake and sailing with her Dad was a lot of fun, and they have had a blast developing their relationship as teammates. They have been welcomed by the Snipe family from New England to Miami, Valdosta to Colorado.

Tom is excited to be involved with such a great Class, and to have the opportunity to meet and make so many wonderful friends.

Dick Loomis New D7 Governor

Dick Loomis has been sailing Snipes since 1966, when his family purchased Schock #14148. He was a collegiate sailor at Oregon (Go Ducks!) in the early 70’s then toyed with 470s following graduation in 1972.

He wisely returned to the Snipe fleet in 1980. He chaired the 1988 Snipe Nationals and 1986 North Americans, the 1995 US Sailing Youth Championship, and was the Richmond Yacht Club Junior Program Director, where his students nicknamed him Mr. Fun. Most recently he was Snipe Fleet 12 Fleet Captain.

Life has interrupted his on-the-water time with more important priorities. Dick is the primary caregiver for his wife of 34 years, Hester, who has early-onset Alzheimer’s. Somehow he still finds time to make his local fleet stronger. Together with his regular crew – daughter Kelly – he continually reminds us that the Serious Fun side of Snipe sailing is what it’s all about.

Carey Clausen

8 www.snipeus.org

In the summer of 1950, at age 15, I was introduced to the Snipe Class and Harold at the same time when I was asked to crew for him in a club race at Privateer Yacht Club in Chat-tanooga. My father and I had been sailing for a couple of years at the time, and Harold and SCIRA Vice-Commodore Owen Duffy of Privateer were “recruiting” sailors for SCIRA and PYC. The fact that we won a close race against Duffy and the two Robertses, son Billy and father Dixie, didn’t do anything to discourage a would-be Sniper.

Harold’s Snipe, Texan II (# 8653), is a revelation to a 15 year-old who has been sailing an 18 ½-foot boat that weighs 1000 pounds, is planked in cypress, and whose seams are sealed with caulking cotton and a compound that is essentially tar. Texan II was built in Clearwater by Clark Mills, and has no dis-cernable seams! It has a tiller extension! It has a boom vang! The jib leads are on recessed tracks in the deck! And there are hiking straps!

In addition to the introduction to the Snipe, I was also in-troduced that day to the intensity that our sport demands of its successful participants. It seems just like yesterday, and I can still feel Harold’s will to win that race, which rendered him almost speechless at times of greatest stress.

Back in those days Harold was a senior at the University of Chattanooga, and was simply the coolest guy I had ever known. I had been reading of his sailing successes in the local newspaper for a couple of years, and here he was in the flesh, keeping company with the best-looking girls in town.

Shortly after graduation he went to work for Ted Wells, the “Great White Father” of the Snipe Class in Wichita, Kansas. At the US Nationals in 1953, he was leading the regatta go-ing into the last race. If memory serves, Tom Frost won that race, and Ted nosed Harold out for second by about six inches, thereby giving the championship to the 18 year-old Tom, who was sailing with the great Freddy Schenck.

It was during his time in Wichita that Harold, with the help of Ted Wells and Francis Lofland, designed, built and mea-

sured the first Fiberglass Snipe, hull number 9753. In 1956, no longer working with Ted Wells in Kansas, Har-

old became Commodore of SCIRA while living in Atlanta and sailing out of the Atlanta Yacht Club. While in Atlanta Harold wrote the book How to Build a Plywood Snipe, which is still available for home builders through the SCIRA Office in San Diego. The boat he detailed while writing the book was Snipe number 12345 and competed successfully with, first Harold, and later Chattanoogan Lloyd Cox for many years.

In recent years he resided in Mobile where he worked in yachting insurance claims, but always with a keen interest in SCIRA affairs, especially following his son Hal’s Sniping suc-cesses. In 2003 Hal led the fleet around the first lap of the course in the first race of the World Championship in Landsk-rona, Sweden. I sent Harold a photo I took of Hal, sailing his father’s old sail number, USA 8653, leading that race. I don’t know who got more pleasure from that photo, Harold or me for having the chance to take the photo and send it to the guy who brought me into our sport.

But when I think of Harold Gilreath, here is the picture I remember: It is the spring of 1951, and Privateer Yacht Club is moving from its former home to a location one mile north, its present location. There is no clubhouse, there are no docks, and cows wander the property. After a month or so of fever-ish activity by club members, including a new, now 16 year-old neophyte Sniper, building bank rigs so Snipes can be dry-sailed, there comes an afternoon when the first boat comes into the harbor.

The young new Snipe sailor is standing up where a club-house will soon be built, and here comes Texan II up the lake in a light following breeze, close in to shore. Only the jib is set, poled out to starboard. Harold is lounging across the cockpit with his feet out over the starboard side, smoking a pipe. He is at that moment the personification of “cool.”

Brainard Cooper, 2003 SCIRA Commodore

Harold Gilreath, 1929 – 2007

In his early career, Harold was an engineer working initially in Wichita, KS, at Beech Aircraft Corporation as an understudy of Beech’s Chief Engineer and Snipe Class racing champion, Ted Wells. In the mid-1950s, Harold moved to Marietta, GA where he worked with a division of Lockheed. He dominat-ed the sailboat racing scene at the Atlanta Yacht Club on the week-ends, becoming Commodore of SCIRA in 1956 and Commodore of Atlanta Yacht Club in 1963. At the peak of his racing activities, Harold built a plywood Snipe in his base-ment and documented this project with a book titled How to build a Plywood Snipe.Harold’s sailing hobby became a career in the late 1960s when he began applying his engineering and craftsmanship skills to making sails for boats of many designs. Gilreath Sails soon became Gilreath Sailboat Supplies as he expanded the busi-ness into a depot for Atlanta area sailing enthusiasts. Sailing

was his vocation as well as his avocation, and the focus of his avocation energies shifted from Lake Allatoona to the larger Lake Lanier and to larger sailboats.Eventually Harold retired from active sailing and closed his sailboat business. The depth of his understanding of boats, however, led him to become a professional appraiser and sur-veyor of boats. He was engaged by insurance companies to investigate damage claims and to recommend compensation for damages. He moved to Mobile, Alabama where he would be particularly convenient to damages related to hurricanes on both the Atlantic and Gulf coasts.Few people are able to make as successful a career of their hobby as Harold did. His passion for sailing and for boats in general led him to support himself and his family while enjoy-ing a variety of aspects of his hobby virtually every day.

Samuel W. “Woody” Norwood, Atlanta Snipe Fleet


Snipe sailors in the US, and indeed around the world, have lost a dear friend with the death at 78 of Marge Lamb, wife of Lowry (Buzz) Lamb, SCIRA Executive Secretary from 1971 through 1987. She succumbed to complications following a stroke she had suffered a few days before at her cabin at Privateer Yacht Club on Chickamauga Lake in Tennessee, where she had lived alone since Buzz’s death in February of 2005. Her sons were with her in the hospital when she passed away.

Marge’s smiles and her laughter graced more regattas than anyone could count. In a very real sense she was “den mother” to many of us here in the US for a long, long time.

In 1970 she and Buzz, a highly successful CPA, had bought a Morgan 30 they named Golden Fleece, and had retired and moved to Florida with the intent of sailing Florida and Bahamian waters, when they were pressed into service by Snipe friends in the Clearwater area to assist SCIRA’s first Executive Secretary, Birney Mills, who was in the final stages of a losing struggle with cancer. Following Birney’s death, Buzz was prevailed upon to take the position Birney had “invented” for our Class, so he and Marge “un-retired” and moved back

to their cabin on the lake in Chattanooga with their two sons, their Snipe, and the Golden Fleece.

There they worked together as partners in managing our Class; she publishing the Snipe Bulletin, he handling the bookkeeping (after all, he was the CPA); she maintaining the “data base” on 3 by 5 cards in filing cabinets, he the correspondence.

Buzz and Marge were serious competitors for many years; first in their Clark Mills hull, #7428 Fiddle Paddle, and later in #24442, a newer fiberglass boat. They qualified for the Heinzerling series twice at the US Nationals, and finished second to Ron Fox in the 1972 Wells series.

After their retirement, Marge maintained contact with many of her Snipe friends, both here in the US and around the world, and when anyone

from Privateer returned from a Snipe regatta she was always full of questions about the event.

In addition to their Snipe family, Marge and Buzz are survived by their sons Kerry (and wife Patricia) of Atlanta and Stewart (and wife Johanna – daughter of Larry and Barbara White) of Glen Burnie, MD, and granddaughter Kira of Atlanta.

Brainard Cooper, 2003 SCIRA Commodore

Marge Lamb, 1929 – 2008

Marge and Buzz Lamb

Shown at left is the Eagle Lake Reeds Lake Trophy, which is awarded annually to the winner of the Michigan State Snipe Championship. The trophy is a replacement of an original trophy that had been misplaced or lost. The old trophy had plaques for each winner, and there was no more room for placing new names anyway without rebuilding the base.

So Chris Schneiter of the Grand Rapids Snipe Fleet made this handsome new trophy. The Snipe bird was obtained by fellow Grand Rapids Snipe Fleet member Mark Gurney, who was in Iceland at the time. He found the stuffed Snipe bird at a taxidermist shop in Iceland, and brought it back to Grand Rapids. Names of past winners were recorded from the old trophy and added to the base of the new trophy. The white disc under the bird is lighted for display.

Eagle Lake is the home base for the Eagle Lake Snipe Fleet, near Edwardsburg in southwest Michigan (north of South Bend, IN). Reeds Lake is the home base for the Grand Rapids Snipe Fleet. Both of these fleets were char-tered in the early 1940s.

A very distinctive Snipe trophy!

John Rose began his Snipe career with the Grand Rapids Fleet, and won the original trophy in 1954–ed.Photo by Chris Schneiter/Green Frog Photo (Grand Rapids, MI)

Michigan Snipe Championship trophy features a real (stuffed) Snipe!by John Rose

10 www.snipeus.org

The Women’s Nationals Experienceby Kerry O’Brien, 2007 Women’s Nationals Competitor

O ne of the highlights of 2007 for me was my experience at the Women’s Snipe Nationals in southern California on February 23-25. The event was co-hosted by the San Diego Yacht Club and the

Coronado Yacht Club, and the regatta was run with efficiency and outstanding hospitality. From the day I landed in San Diego, after a long flight from Boston, I knew that not only was I in for a good time, but also that I would have the support I needed to have a great regatta. The housing I received was fabulously located and convenient to the CYC. The social events planned by those running the regatta were second to none, especially the Tijuana Street Tacos Dinner and Dancing. The awards dinner, as well as the preceding cocktail hour at the San Diego Yacht Club, was the perfect ending to a thrilling weekend of sailing.

Throughout the weekend, the incomparable “boat boys”, mostly from Fleet 495, were there at our beck and call. They offered assistance to many competitors - including me and my crew Linda Epstein, with the rigging of our chartered boat. They were always ready on the dock with cups and pitchers of cold beer as soon as we landed at the end of the long day of racing. The guys proudly strived to live up to the motto on the tee shirts they wore, “A hard man is good to find”. We appreciated it, boys! Steve Stewart, Gus Wirth, Rob Hallawell, George Szabo, Kirk Smith, and many others gave the women

the assistance and support we needed in order to compete at the top of our game. It was cool to have had their cheerleading, as well as their advice, as many of us were competing in an unfamiliar venue.

The 2007 Women’s Snipe Nationals was not the first Women’s Nationals I had competed in, and it definitely will not be my last. My experience at the 2007 event solidified my enthusiasm for women’s events, and also invigorated my interest in competing at the national level in general. Events such as this will be what keeps interest in the Snipe Class growing and hopefully will encourage people to travel and compete on a national level.

Thanks to CYC, SDYC, Fleet 495, and Aimee Graham for making the 2007 Women’s Nationals such a fun and exciting regatta. I look forward to competing with all of you in the future and hope that the Snipe Class has a successful 2008!

2008 Snipe Women’s Nationals and North AmericansPlan on joining us for the 2008 Snipe Women’s Nationals and North American’s being held in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, Seattle, Washington, May 9–11. This event will have a qualifying position for the Western Hemisphere & Orient (WH&O) in Uruguay in November, and is open to international competition. We are planning a fabulous event on Puget Sound, with the snow capped Olympic Mountains as our backdrop. Plan to come early to enjoy the wonderful sights of Seattle and surrounding areas. We have plenty of members available to host you in their homes, good boats for charter, an abundance of hospitality, and most importantly, the “Boat Boys” tradition of superb service to the competitors will be continued. We will also have spectator boats available for all of you that want to watch the racing from the water. We are planning on practice racing Friday followed by beer, snacks and an open bar. The first day of racing will be Saturday followed by dinner, dancing and entertainment. Sunday will conclude with the awards ceremony at the CYC clubhouse.Visit our website: www.snipe444.org/2008_womens_nationals.html, or contact regatta chair Kirk Smith, [email protected], for more info.

2008

Snipe Women’s Nationals

Seattle, WA

MAY 9-11

Action at the 2007 Women’s Nationals (Kerry O’Brien at left).

US SNIPE SAILOR Spring 2008 11

Y ou don’t hear people tell you to operate like a car dealer very often, and when you do it probably is in a humorous context. However, in the case of their test drive and loaner car programs, they have

some ideas that we can use in promoting boat ownership and membership in the Snipe Class.

Think of your fleet as a car dealership and your club as the showroom. When talking with a person you’re trying to recruit into the Class, you can offer a “test drive” in a “loaner” boat: “come on up and take a boat out, I will crew for you, or your friend, child, or spouse can crew, no problem”. You might offer to let them use a “loaner” for a regatta at your Club or even take it to an out of town event (“take it home for the weekend, see if you like it”).

Having a loaner boat at a fleet is a critical part of the selling/recruiting process. The loaner boat can be a member’s Snipe that you know is always available, a member’s second boat, or a boat that is owned and maintained by the fleet. The point is you need a dependable, go-to boat that you know will be available to use by a prospective member.

The best option is the fleet loaner boat. It is dedicated to that purpose, you know more about its availability, and the fleet shares in its maintenance and care. The best way to establish a fleet loaner boat program is to have a boat donated to your fleet. It needs to be a good quality, minimum weight boat with relatively new equipment. Fleet members can also donate other equipment such as sails, rudders, covers, blocks and line. The donations can be via

a direct donation to the fleet, or thru a 501c3 tax qualified entity. In the latter case, depending on their personal tax situation, the donor may be able to deduct the value of the donation from their income for tax purposes. Your sailing club may have a 501c3 entity set up for this purpose; if not, you can donate a boat through SCIRA USA, which is a 501c3 entity. Subject to review and approval of the item being donated, and compliance with the conditions of the SCIRA USA Loaner Boat Program, SCIRA USA will facilitate the donation of the equipment to SCIRA USA for use by the Fleet.

For the past year the Annapolis Snipe Fleet has had a 25000 series Snipe that a member donated to the fleet through this program. In that time it has been sailed by over 50 prospects, and has been a major factor in their recruiting several new members. They have had other interested parties donate sails, rudders, blocks, and line. A group of fleet members maintains the boat. Maintaining the boat even helps bring the fleet together. They are pumped, and I expect they will expand the program next year.

SCIRA USA encourages fleets to consider the Loaner Boat Program as a promotional tool. We will work closely with you to help make this happen. The key, however, is that your fleet members must want to make it happen.

For more information on 501c3 equipment donations and the Loaner Boat Program, check the web site. Or you can contact me, or Mary Buckley in the SCIRA USA office; we will help you make this happen.

SCIRA USA Charter Boat Insurance Program If you plan to make charter boats available at your regatta this year, consider taking advantage of SCIRA USA’s Charter Boat Insurance Program. It’s a simple, inexpensive way to protect charter boats, easing the concern of owners that might otherwise be unwilling to loan their boats out for events. For just $40 per boat, the insurance will cover any damage to the boat ($250 deductible). Available to all members and registered boats, this is yet another benefit of membership. More information and the necessary forms are available on the website ( www.snipeus.org/news/rules.asp) or contact Mary Buckley in the SCIRA USA office.

OPERATE LIKE A CAR DEALER?SCIRA USA Introduces Loaner Boat Programby Don Hackbarth, SCIRA USA Class Development Officer

SNIPE

Serious Sailing, Serious Fun®

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www.snipeus.orgSNIPESerious Sailing, Serious Fun®

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Snipe Bumper Stickers!

You’ll get one when you pay your 2008 dues. If you need more contact Mary Buckley in the

SCIRA USA office.

12 www.snipeus.org

I n 2006, I found ads on the SCIRA USA and Sailing Texas websites for classic wooden Snipe #9440, which was located in

Stockton Springs, ME. It eventually was determined to be a measured Snipe, built in 1954 by George Spivey of Chattanooga, TN for William “Dixie” Roberts, Sr. who was a member of the Snipe fleet on Lake Chickamauga, and father of well-known Snipe sailor Billy Roberts, winner of the 1954 and 1955 US Snipe Junior Nationals. The history and contact information on this Snipe were shared with Jack Gannon, of the Winchester, MA Snipe Fleet, in case someone in the District #1 area might be interested in “saving” this Snipe.

Gannon contacted Rodney Long, who was looking for a wooden Snipe for day sailing on Penobscot Bay at his summer home in Searsport, ME. Long went to Stockton Springs and found the Snipe stored in the back of a boatyard, with water and ice in the bilge, its varnished plywood deck weathered and darkened from long exposure to weather. But it was complete and had the original wooden mast and boom and steel daggerboard, in typical 1950s condition. It was just what Long was looking for.

But to adapt the racing Snipe to senior physical capabilities, he would have to

simplify it for easy rigging and handling and single-handed day sailing. The Snipe was hauled to Boston, where Long enlisted the aid of Gannon to accomplish the modifications described below.

Changing from daggerboard to pivot centerboard setup:Long wanted to retain the heavy steel centerboard for stability while sailing the boat single-handed. In order to avoid lifting the heavy daggerboard, the decision was made to modify it to a pivot board arrangement, as was popular for early Snipes.

The daggerboard was the original design, with a quarter-circle front edge and vertical legs. The aft leg was cut off, and the forward leg was modified to provide a front top extension for attaching the centerboard lifting cable (See Photo #1). A 3/8 in. diameter

hole was drilled in the lower forward corner of the centerboard for the pivot pin (stainless steel bolt), per the Measurement Data Sheet (MDS) plan dimensions. Next, the steel centerboard was painted with zinc chromate primer and finished with epoxy for corrosion resistance in the saltwater conditions.

Next, a 3/8 in. thick plywood template was made conforming to the dimensions of the modified centerboard. The template was used when determining the dimensions for modifying the centerboard trunk to a pivot centerboard setup. A smaller diameter hole (3/16 in.) for the pivot pin was drilled in the template to aid in locating the pin in the centerboard trunk bedlogs.

Modifying the daggerboard trunk to a pivot centerboard trunk:The aft end filler (1/2 in. thick) for the centerboard trunk was removed and the slot was lengthened aft of the trunk to accommodate the pivot centerboard. Dimensions were in accordance with the MDS specifications, and the

Modifying a Vintage Wooden Snipe for Recreational Day Sailingby John Rose, Classic Snipe Editor

The Winter 2007 issue of US Snipe Sailor featured an article about Massachusetts Snipe sailor Rodney Long and his classic Snipe #10214.

In a follow-up to that story, John Rose describes here the modifications Long and Jack Gannon made to another classic Snipe #9440, which is

now back in regular use.

Photo #1 - The modified centerboard.

Photo #2 - Jack Gannon uses the center-board template to check trunk length.

Photo #3 - The trunk extensions and bedlogs

Classic Snipes

US SNIPE SAILOR Spring 2008 1�

to support the mast while raising and lowering (see Photo #5).

The Snipe with completed modifications, ready for launching, is shown in Photo #6. The mast is raised from the cockpit using a line attached to the forestay, and lead through a Harken block attached to the forestay fitting and back to a cam cleat located at the forward edge of the cockpit (see Photo #7). The jib can be pre-rigged before launching so there is no need to crawl forward on the foredeck.

Long test sailed the Snipe several times on Mystic Lake before towing it to Maine for the summer sailing season, and is very happy with the boat’s setup and performance. The refurbished Snipe is called Red Wing – the original name for this Snipe. Another classic wooden Snipe saved from an uncertain future by an enterprising owner, with technical and physical assistance provided by Jack Gannon of J.G. Marine, Burlington, MA!

This article was based on input and photos provided by Rodney Long and Jack Gannon.

centerboard template was used to check the length of the centerboard trunk slot (see Photo #2). New wood extensions for each side of the centerboard trunk bedlog were fabricated to match the existing bedlogs, with the front ends cut on a 45 degree bevel to make a stronger joint, matching a bevel cut at the aft ends of the existing bedlogs. New 5/8 in. thick plywood trunk side extensions were cut to match the existing centerboard trunk and the new pivot centerboard shape (see Photo #3).

The new centerboard side extensions were pre-assembled with a short 1/2 in. thick filler at the aft end of the trunk, and fastened to the bedlogs with epoxy glue. This was then set in place with polyurethane sealant along the keel, and epoxy glued to the aft edge of the existing trunk. The joined trunk sides were epoxy-fiberglassed for strength.

The bedlogs were through-fastened from below the keel, using #14 x 3 in. stainless steel flat-head screws in pre-drilled pilot holes, then the bedlogs were drilled from the top edge through the keel and bolted from below with #10 x 6 in. flat head stainless steel bolts (see Photo #3). Next, strips of thin plywood were bent and laminated with epoxy glue, and screwed down to cap the aft end of the centerboard trunk (see Photo #4).

The hole in the front end of the centerboard trunk bedlog for the centerboard pivot pin was roughly located, and a 3/16 in. test hole was drilled. After final fitting using the centerboard template, the pivot pin hole location was finalized and enlarged using a 3/8 in. diameter drill. The centerboard pivot pin assembly consists of a 3/8 in. diameter x 5 in. long stainless steel bolt, with stainless steel fender washers and nuts on each side of the trunk, with the washers placed over rubber washers and caulked (prior to assembly) with marine adhesive caulk.

Modifying the Mast Base for Hinged Tabernacle:Long also wanted to be able to single-handedly raise and lower the mast from the cockpit. In order to accomplish this, the round, hollow, keel-stepped wooden mast was shortened and adapted to a specially built deck-stepped mast tabernacle that included a hinged, bolted connection (see Photo #5).

The tabernacle consists of a section of stainless steel tubing with an inside diameter large enough to fit over the mast base, and a bolted connection to the wood assembly to act as a hinge to permit the mast raising and lowering. The bottom end of the mast was wrapped with fiberglass and epoxied to strengthen and seal the mast base in the tabernacle. A removable mast and boom support was fabricated and placed in a bracket at the aft cockpit coaming,

Photo #4 - Capping the newly extended centerboard trunk.

Photo #5 - The hinged, deck-stepped mast tabernacle.

Photo #6 - Ready for launching.

Photo #7 - Rodney Long and Red Wing.

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A t the 2006 Nationals in Erie, Pennsylvania, Art Rousmaniere (Winchester, MA Fleet #77) suggested that I write an article

on what I’ve learned from all the skippers that I’ve crewed for. I found writing this article very interesting because I learned so much from each person. However, there does seem to be one or two overriding takeaways that stick in my mind as I look back on those experiences. Some are technical, some tactical, some psychological, and some just funny. The notes below are my perspective-my skippers may have something else to say! The first part of this article appeared in the Winter, 2007 issue of US Snipe Sailor; this is the final installment:

Lorie Stout: A reminder that the crew has to adjust to the skipper’s style. Lorie is fierce on concentration. She prefers input to be pointed and quick.

Andy Pimental: Andy just sails fast, especially in breeze.

Lee Griffith: Learned this on video watching Lee at a clinic that Greg Fisher ran. We were bringing the boats to a dead stop in fewer than 7 knots of breeze. The fastest way to get the boat going was actually heeling to weather, steering the bow down, and then trimming in and heading up. When we heeled the boat to leeward and then pumped the rail down, the boat just slipped sideways and had little forward acceleration.

Carol Cronin: How to be scared “@%#itless” on the front of a J-22. Carol reminded me that it is important to combine both serious sailing and serious fun!

Brian Fishback: In big breeze and lots of chop the boat accelerates fastest after a tack if the boat is very slightly over steered and the jib is trimmed about 95% of the way in. This

keeps the speed up. Then as the boat accelerates, trim in!

Mike Lenkeit: Keep looking up the course for the direction of the breeze, especially as you’re in the last 100 yards of the downwind leg. Mike looked back upwind before we rounded the mark and picked up a shift that was on its way down the course. He steered the boat toward the direction of the shift, and we gained a ton of boats up the last beat at the North Americans in Jacksonville.

Wayne Pignolet: Just go for it; no hesitation, all confidence, and confidence is infectious. I crewed with Wayne during frostbite season in the Interclub in Annapolis. The harder it blew, the more aggressive Wayne got about sailing the boat dead downwind. While this doesn’t sound like much, if you’ve ever been in an Interclub in breeze, you know it wants to submarine when you turn down for the leeward leg. The boat also submarines in the downwind puffs. I used to joke with Wayne that on heavy air days I’d be happy to join him in the “aft cabin (aka the stern)” going downwind.

Mike Funsch: Mike is another sailor who’s naturally talented. He also makes his own luck. Mike and I learned a tough lesson together: check the clew grommet of the main sail before you leave the dock. If that blows out there’s no repair on the water unless you’re carrying an extra main in your boat. Since most people don’t do that, you’ve

got to sail in and get another main. That can cost you dearly in the standings. My other takeaway with Mike is a basic one. Make sure you’re keeping the bow pointed at the mark!

Morgan Commette: Morgan was relatively new to skippering Snipes the first time I crewed for her. She was just beginning to learn how to start in bigger fleets. I simply asked her where she wanted to start on the line. She would point out the area, and I told her to get the boat there. She did, because she had a good visualization of that area of the line. I also provided her with a lot of feedback of times when the boat felt fast or slow to try and help her develop her “feel” for boat speed. Morgan and I sailed together a few times. It was fun to watch the growth in her abilities, especially when she was able to rely more on her own instincts. As a crew, I learned from her to remember to let the skipper run with their instincts. The majority of the time, they’re right.

Andy Klein: Andy was new to sailing Snipes but certainly not new to sailing. He grew up sailing dinghies but had spent the last several years sailing in small keelboats. Therefore Andy had to re-learn about boat balance in a dinghy. This was a reminder lesson for me too about how critical it is for the crew to maintain boat balance.

Sheehan Commette: With Sheehan the boat just felt fast. She has a very calm, peaceful hand on the helm. The boat stayed in the groove. Take-away

A View From the Crewby Barb Evans

Barb shares some of the lessons she’s learned during her considerable experience as a crew on Snipes and other boats. This is part two of a two-part series.

Barb and Mike Blackwood at the 2007 Nationals in Dillon, CO.

Fried Elliott


- a heavy hand on the tiller, especially upwind, is slow.

Don Hackbarth: Another reminder to have fun in the boat. Also that you have to keep working the main upwind to keep the boat flat and going fast.

Henry Filter: Let’s just say that Henry helped open up a whole new world of comfort when you’re out on the boat all day with no committee boat head to borrow! On the serious side, Henry is another person that I learned so much from that I could write a book. I had the pleasure of crewing for Henry in the 2005 Worlds in Japan. I was reminded that at that level of competition, teamwork is critical. You have to have the ability to communicate verbally and non-verbally, anticipate each other’s actions, and the trust to follow instinct. At one point during a light air race, Henry was super concentrated on the helm just trying to make the boat go fast. I was feeding him information, but I was too slow to pick up, at a critical moment, that I needed to just tell him to tack. We lost a ton of boats in the last 500 yards of the race. One final note with Henry is starting. He’s one of the best starters that I’ve ever sailed with. For the most part, he executes the same strategy with each start. While he may not be the winner on each start, he puts himself on the line to be able to take advantage of any wind shifts from the time of the start through the first 200 yards. He always hits the line at full speed, which gives him the ability to pinch someone off or roll over the boat to leeward. An obvious but worthwhile reminder is that if you start in the top of the fleet, you’re already out in front with clear air and the ability to sail your own race.

Peter Commette: Once again, I could write a book about what I’ve learned by crewing for Peter. I’ve learned a lot of technical information. One of the many take-aways is rig tension and getting it right for the right level of breeze. We had too much tension during a race in light breeze and flat water. Tightening the rig increases the bend in the mast. This will help flatten out the main and keep some twist in the leach. In light air, the main typically tends to hook in, which is slow because the air flow is stopped over the sails. The bend induced by tighter

shrouds, counteracts that problem. Be sure to pull on a wee bit of jib halyard to counteract the luff sag that occurs from the bend in mast. Our upwind speed seemed to be just fine in the flat water, but we were slow downwind. The rig was too tight. Therefore the main was too flat, and we couldn’t get the boom out far enough. There’s another general point with rig tension, and that is developing your set of guidelines about when to tighten the rig. We chose to set the rig for the mid-to lighter velocity of the breeze that we were experiencing. The reasoning is that upwind, you’ve got multiple controls to adjust your rig tension, without tightening the shrouds (main sheet, jib halyard, vang, pusher/puller). Downwind, you’re more limited (main, vang, and pusher/puller), and you’re slow if the rig is too tight.

In addition, there’s been more than a few times sailing with Peter that I was reminded about teamwork and the importance of spending enough time in the boat together to be able to anticipate your skipper’s actions. Twice, we engaged in tacking duels with Augie Diaz. In each of these instances, Augie had a crew that he had sailed with over many years, whereas Pete and I were still counting hours in the boat together. During each of these duels there was a critical moment where I either anticipated wrongly, or didn’t anticipate at all. Consequently, I flubbed up and Augie got past us. The last take away with Pete is a psychological one: it’s all about confidence. Don’t allow room for doubt. Whatever you’re doing in the boat do it with conviction. Pete is the most aggressive starter I know. He has no fear of being over. Occasionally he is over, but he would prefer that than the third row start. There’s nothing worse than being indecisive. Indecision is the fastest way to go backwards. And finally, if you crew for Pete and the breeze dies, don’t tell him the wind is “petering out.”

Hal Gilreath: Hal is a great sailor. If you’re lucky enough to be ahead of him, never write him off. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve watched him sail past me on the last weather leg. He’s always gunning to pick up boats if he’s not winning the race. I’ve only crewed for Hal twice. Each time I made myself so nervous because I wanted to execute

everything perfectly in the boat. The result - I lost complete confidence in my abilities. I was a train wreck as a crew. My case of the nerves was totally self-inflicted. Hal was very gracious as I got lines caught on everything. My take-away here is to be confident in your abilities. Everyone makes mistakes in the boat. In hindsight, I probably should have told Hal about my psychological state. My guess is that by acknowledging the situation and getting it off my chest, the train wreck would have been mitigated.

Mike Blackwood: With Mike I was reminded of some of the basics of sailing. We had some issues with pointing upwind and with downwind speed. When we got back on shore, we used our friends’ knowledge about rig set up and made some adjustments. I don’t remember the specific adjustments we made, but they worked. The take-away – check your rig set-up and don’t be afraid to try something new. Talk to sailors who are better than you. The other take-away is a tactical one. It involves the weather mark rounding and making the decision to head down, or stay high, or jibe. The decision is based on your position in the fleet at the mark and the direction of the breeze. A few times we got crunched because we rounded the weather mark and jibed right away. While the direction of the breeze dictated the jibe, we managed to jibe under the wall of starboard tack boats lining up for the mark. We would have been better off to hold off on the jibe for a few boat lengths, so we could keep our air clear. Conversely, if you come around the weather mark and port tack is favored,. nine times out of ten you’ll want to stay high. If you dive too low too fast, the boats that stayed high will sail right on by because they’re getting the breeze first.

Barb has sailed not only with a lot of skippers, but in a lot of places. She grew up sailing on Cowan Lake in Ohio; her open water experience was mostly on Lake Erie during her youth. Eventually she made it to San Diego during a few summers between college years. She moved to Boston after college in 1987, Chicago in 1993, back to Boston in 1996, and then worked her way down the coast to Annapolis, MD in 2000; Charleston, SC in 2003, and Savannah in 2006.

1� www.snipeus.org

Trailer Maintenance Tipsby John Buckley

As everyone knows, the Snipe was designed with trailering in mind. So whether or not you travel with your boat, the trailer is an integral part of the Snipe experience. And like your Snipe, your trailer also needs a little TLC if you expect it to perform reliably.

F ortunately, the light weight of the Snipe means less than average wear and tear on the trailer and tow vehicle and, consequently, less maintenance; most Snipe sailors enjoy trouble-free operation most of

the time. Nonetheless, when problems do occur they can be annoying at best, and dangerous at worst. A few precautions can minimize problems and make trailering your boat, whether to regattas or across town, a painless experience. Here are a few things to consider:

Trailer hitch and safety chainYour vehicle must have a properly installed, frame-mounted trailer hitch with ball; the coupler on your trailer must be the correct size for the ball. The coupler, when closed, should secure the tongue to the ball with just a little play between them. A damaged or malfunctioning coupler mechanism can and should be replaced (a little WD-40 squirted on

the coupler mechanism once a year will keep it operating smoothly).You MUST have two safety chains, positively attached to the tongue of the trailer on one end, with the other end hooked either to the hitch or the frame of the tow vehicle.

TiresTrailer tires are reasonably priced; if you have old, cracked tires, or tires that are unmatched or severely worn, get rid of them and get new ones. It’s false economy to do otherwise. It is recommended that you use tires especially designed for trailers. Sometimes these will carry the “ST” (Special Trailer) designation, as opposed to the “P” (Passenger) or “LT” (Light Truck) designation. Passenger type tires are generally not suitable for trailers. Carry a spare that matches the other two tires. Just do it.Keeping tires properly inflated is easy to do, but is often overlooked. Improperly inflated tires can result not only in catastrophic failure, but can also cause premature wear and uncomfortable ride.The difficulty is in determining what “proper” inflation is for your tires. Many people have been misled into thinking that the proper inflation for a tire is simply the maximum inflation embossed on the sidewall of the tire. In fact, maximum pressure is proper only when the tires are loaded to their maximum capacity. If you’re carrying significantly less weight than your tires are rated for, you might be able to use less pressure for a less bouncy ride. However, the “proper” inflation can be hard to determine (and risky, if you don’t


know what you’re doing). So if you’re not sure, the safest course is to simply inflate your tires to the maximum pressure and put up with the bounce. If you’d care to pursue this further, most manufacturers publish tables that show proper inflation for their various tires across their respective load ranges. Whatever you do, keep all your tires (including the spare!) inflated to the same pressure.

Wheel bearingsThe best way to avoid bearing problems is to inspect and re-pack your wheel bearings annually. If you don’t know how to do this, or don’t like to do it (and who could blame you?), just take your trailer to a mechanic or tire dealer and have them do it. The best way to avoid having to mess with bearings annually is to use a bearing protector system, such as Bearing Buddy®. This is a simple, inexpensive device that works by keeping the hub contents under slight pressure, thus preventing the entry of water and dirt.One of the main causes of bearing problems is worn grease seals that allow grease to escape, and water to enter, the wheel hub. The grease seal is a flat, protective ring that fits into the hub on the inside of the wheel; the inside of the ring has a flexible rubber or plastic lip that fits snugly around the axle when the wheel is mounted. Look at the inside of your trailer wheel, where it turns on the axle; if you see excess grease on the axle, or grease “sprayed” on the inside of the wheel or underside of the fender, your seals are likely bad and need to be replaced. If the grease inside the hub appears milky, then it’s been compromised by water and has lost its lubricating properties; a leaky seal is the likely culprit. Since they work by maintaining pressure inside the hub, Bearing Buddies are useless when paired with worn seals. So if you choose to install Bearing Buddies, replace your grease seals at the same time. Bearing Buddies also come with an optional seal replacement kit.

Load distributionThe fore and aft weight distribution of a loaded trailer is important because it affects the load on the tow vehicle and the trailer tires, and the way the trailer rolls down the road. If the weight is too far forward on the trailer, it can overload the rear of your tow vehicle and contribute to a bouncy trailer. It can also adversely affect your steering. If the weight is too far aft on the trailer, it can sway or “fishtail” at highway speeds; also, you could be overloading your trailer tires.The basic rule of thumb is that the tongue weight (the load on the hitch ball) should be 5% to 15% of the total weight of trailer and boat. For example, a 200 lb. trailer carrying 400 lbs. of boat and equipment should have about 60 lbs. of tongue weight (10%). With a light trailer you can easily measure tongue weight using a bathroom scale. Park the trailer on a level surface and elevate the scale, using concrete blocks, etc., to the height of your trailer hitch. Use a small block of wood between the tongue and the scale, if necessary, so that only the tip of the tongue rests on the scale. If your tongue weight is less than 5% or more than 15% of your total load, you may want to consider changing how your boat sits on the trailer. Redistributing items in the boat can make smaller adjustments.

Miscellaneous No-BrainersIf you launch your boat from your trailer, the taillights need to be submersible. Boat trailer lights all claim to be waterproof; some of them actually are. In particular, the type that are open on the bottom seem to be durable as well as waterproof (the air trapped inside them when submerged keeps water out). Check your lights before a trip to make sure they’re still working.Check the bunkers on your trailer occasionally to make sure they are sound and firmly attached. Ideally, they should be contoured slightly to conform to the shape of the hull so that weight is distributed evenly across them.The boat and mast must be tied down securely before traveling. The bow should be tied to the bow stanchion of the trailer to keep it from moving fore and aft. At least two additional tie downs should be used across the hull to keep it from bouncing and shifting sideways on the trailer. Some people insist that straps are better than ropes for this purpose; they are probably right. The mast needs to be firmly secured; if you’re carrying it on the boat, the front end should be raised above the back end of your vehicle. That’s so when you’re rear-ended by a truck, the mast won’t come crashing through the rear windshield. Some bow stanchions have an adjustable extension that can be used for this purpose.

Keep these tips in mind, and with a little regular maintenance your travels will be trouble-free.

18 www.snipeus.org

Swell and Chop:Two Kinds of Wavesby Merrill Varn

Addressing the question of how to sail in waves depends on what is meant by waves. Here we distinguish between the two types of waves, “swell” and “chop”, and discuss sailing in ocean (or big lake) swells. In the Summer issue of US Snipe Sailor, we’ll talk about sailing in wind and chop – conditions that are likely to prevail at the Nationals in San Franciso this summer.

T here are two types of wind-generated waves – chop and swell. Chop tends to be steep and of short period (close together), and seems to move fast, but that is only because the peaks are so close together. Swells,

on the other hand, are the large rolling hills of water that you encounter, sometimes even on calm days. While chop tends to be locally generated, swells come from deep water, where they started out as chop and coalesced as they traveled.

When wind blows, it “pushes” water ahead of it and actually transfers some of its energy to the water in the form of a wave. As wind builds, waves of many different energy levels are created. In general, the short period waves (chop) have little energy and dissipate rapidly as they travel through the water. As the chop builds under a storm, the individual waves merge and their heights increase. The higher the wind velocity, the larger the area of water, and the longer the wind blows, the greater the opportunity waves have to combine and grow. Eventually either the wind dies or the wave speed exceeds the forward speed of the storm, and the waves “escape” into relatively calm waters. These escaped waves are still rough, ragged and cover a wide energy spectra. Each individual wave is a mass of chop, bump and unruly un-groomed energy. But these waves have inertia and they are moving forward. As a wave moves away from the storm, the choppy components dissipate, leaving only the pure swell energy.

If your fleet’s home is a small lake, then your first Nationals in, say, San Diego or San Francisco will require some new skills. Midwinters in Clearwater can also be sailed in either chop or swell. Even a relatively small lake can kick up a pretty good chop in a fresh breeze - but you won’t find swell.

To find out about sailing in swell, talk to anyone who frequents Snipe Worlds. Here are a few tips that we were able to gather:

Peter Commette says: big ocean waves, of the purest type, are easy. Because of the cyclical motion of the waves,

and because of the changes in apparent wind as you go up the face of the wave and down the back, you head up on the face of the wave as you go up, and head down as you travel back down the back of the wave, unless you are Bruce Goldsmith, who did it the other way and did pretty well over his career. However, he was wrong ... in theory. Possibly, he was right in that either way is preferable over doing nothing and letting the boat slap down after it clears the crest.

Hal Gilreath explains: “the reason you head up the face of wave is that the boat starts to slow going up the wave. This causes the apparent wind to move aft and allows the boat to point higher, which means you need to head up to take advantage of the situation. The boat then accelerates down the back of the wave moving the apparent wind forward. You must then head down to keep up with the apparent wind. There is nothing like practice in waves to gain the touch of the exact angles to sail.”

A few additional tips from Hal: lean back to get the bow up and over and lean forward to pull the boat down the front of the wave. Sail with more power than in flat water; keep the bow down and the boat powered up.

Peter adds, “you just have to feel the boat and keep it moving, and whenever you can see that there are no bad waves to slow you down, pinch and get back some windward distance”. He warns that if there is lots of chop in the swells, then choppy conditions take precedence (more about that in the next issue).

Yuzo Morita cautions that swell, unlike chop, doesn’t always come from the same direction as the wind and you need to be ready to sail in some unexpected situations.

“When the wave is coming directly at you then you can shorten the distance by cutting through the wave. As the bow goes up crew weight should go forward and as the bow goes down the wave crew should go aft. When the waves are coming at your forward quarter it is more lean in a little going up the wave and hike hard going down the wave. You also sometimes get into situations where you are sailing upwind and the waves are coming from behind you. When this happens you want to keep the boat very flat so that there is no weather helm. Weather helm will pull you into the wind and this is very slow. Also if you keep the boat flat, you can surf the waves longer. Surf the waves that carry you toward the mark; let the waves pass if they carry you away from the mark.”

Yuzo says that he also tacks differently in waves and flat water. “In waves, you try to find a flat spot to tack. If there is no flat spot you tack so that you finish the tack at the top of a wave.”

Those are some initial tips from several people who frequent swells. As is obvious, there is quite a bit of theorizing, yet no agreement on what works best. Please send us additional suggestions. If you sail in swells, try out the various tips and let us know what works for you. In the Summer issue of US Snipe Sailor, we will focus on sailing upwind in chop. That article will be just in time for Nationals in San Francisco Bay, where you’ll definitely see chop.


A Recipe for Fleet Buildingby Susan Odell

Ingredients:2 Avid Snipe Sailors (A.S.S.’s) from local fleet1 Catalyst to encourage Avid Snipe Sailors from local fleet to participate1 Avid Snipe Sailor who wants to grow Snipe ClassSeveral of Carmen Diaz’s famous Don Q daiquiris2 Snipe sailors with some old boats1 Willingness to sell old boats at an affordable price1 Triple trailer1 Big truck

Method:At a large round table in Miami, combine two Avid Snipe Sailors from local fleet with one Avid Snipe Sailor who wants to grow Snipe Class.Add several Don Q daiquiris and mix with Avid Snipe Sailors until the Avid Snipe Sailor who wants to grow Snipe Class commits to deliver affordable used boats to Avid Snipe Sailors from local fleet (even if local fleet is in Mexico).Gather two Snipe sailors with a collection of old boats and extract one willingness to sell old boats at an affordable price.Combine affordable old boats and triple trailer; place in one location.Insert Avid Snipe Sailor who wants to grow Snipe Class into big truck; transfer to location where affordable old boats and triple trailer reside.Layer three affordable old boats on triple trailer; place any remaining boats on top of big truck (or wherever there is room.) Fill big truck with miscellaneous parts, boards, sails, etc., to complete the assembled rig.Transfer Avid Snipe Sailor who wants to grow Snipe Class with the assembled rig to local fleet (even if local fleet is in Mexico.)Once assembled rig reaches local fleet, mix affordable old boats with interested sailors. Allow to marinate for one weekend, or until interested sailors are completely hooked.

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Apply for SCIRA fleet status and enjoy Serious Sailing, Serious Fun in your home waters.

Notes:Some of our fellow Mexican Snipe

sailors took this recipe to the test kitchen in an effort to start a Mexico City Snipe Fleet. The plan started cooking at the 2006 Midwinters when Martin Merino and his new bride Patricia Valdespino flew in from Mexico City to sail the regatta and the Winter Circuit. They had been encouraged to do so by Ft. Lauderdale Snipe luminary Peter Commette, who not only arranged a charter boat for them, but provided coaching and rigging tips throughout the four-regatta series. Martin and Patricia were overwhelmed by the attention and hospitality, and were sincere in inviting the entire fleet to sail with them on their home waters so that they might return the generosity. The only catch was that everyone would have to bring their own boat. Getting Snipes into Mexico is logistically challenging and pricey, and although there are a number of active dinghy sailors at Valle de Bravo (a stunning mountainous region outside of Mexico City where would-be Snipe sailors race) there are only a handful of Snipes in the country. Jorge Murrieta, another Snipe sailor from Mexico City, joined the lovebirds at the Don Q regatta in Miami and reiterated their fleet building challenges. Jorge was adamant that if he could find older, reasonably priced Snipes from the States, he would buy them on behalf of the fledgling fleet to kick-start the program.

David Odell, then Vice National Secretary (and supporter of any activity that will grow the Snipe Class) was moved by the stories of our Mexican

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friends (and by Carmen’s famous Don Q daiquiris). David offered his boat delivery services if Jorge and Martin could gather the used boats in one location.

Enter Jerry Thompson and Jeff Lenhart, two Snipe legends who have successfully competed at home and abroad for decades, and who’ve picked up a few extra Snipes along the way. Between them they came up with four boats, a triple trailer and a whole lot of stories. The boats were in Long Beach, California, so off David went (with his big truck) to help load up the rig (three boats on the trailer, one on the truck’s roof) and drive to Laredo, Texas where the boats would clear customs. Some improvisation was required as clearing Snipes through customs takes time, something David was running out of. He was able to leave the boats with a customs broker, and Jorge arranged to pick them up at the border.

A few weeks and some elbow grease later, three of the four boats began sailing at Valle de Bravo. The local dinghy sailors are getting excited about the Snipe Class and have already seen one Mexican team, Jorge Murrieta Jr. and Andres Akle, make a huge splash in the Class by winning the 2007 Bacardi/Gamblin Series in Nassau. Now the local fleet can cheer this same team as they represent their country in the Pan Am games.

Martin and Jorge Senior are thrilled with this fleet-building recipe. The ingredient list may appear long and the method time-consuming, but the results are well worth the journey. In fact, Jorge has already begun his search for more affordable used boats that might be available for emigration to Mexico. Next on his ingredient list is an Avid Snipe Sailor who wants to grow the Snipe Class. Any volunteers?Jeff Lenhart (l) and Jerry Thompson,

Odell’s Truck, and the Assembled Rig,

20 www.snipeus.org

Rules QuizA port-tack boat (P) and a starboard-tack boat (S) are

approaching the windward mark. When less than two boat lengths from the mark, P tacks to leeward of S. During the tack, S does not need to take ac-

tion to avoid contact with P. After the tack, the two boats sail for one length, at which point P luffs head to wind to make it around the mark. To keep clear of P, S luffs head to wind also, and there is no contact. S protests P. You are on the protest committee; how would you decide this?

Answer:Boat P is penalized under rule 18.3(a), Rounding and Passing Marks and Obstructions: Tacking at a Mark. Rule 18.3(a) states “If two boats were approaching a mark on opposite tacks and one of them completes a tack in the two-length zone when the other is fetching the mark... the boat that tacked... shall not cause the other boat to sail above close-hauled to avoid her...” Rule 18 applies until both boats have passed the mark; therefore rule 18.3(a) continues to apply when P luffs to make the mark. P completes her tack within the two-length zone, and when she luffs to make the mark she causes S to sail above close-hauled to avoid her, thereby breaking rule 18.3(a).

Wind

S1P1

P2

P3

S2

S3

Answers are based on The Racing Rules of Sailing 2005–2008. Dave Perry’s 100 Best Racing Rules Quizzes is published by the United States Sailing Association (US SAILING) — 1 (800) 877-2451 or www.ussailing.org

A port-tack boat (P) and a starboard-tack boat (S) are approaching the windward mark. P tacks to pass the mark, and completes her tack within the two-length zone. At that moment she is one

length ahead and slightly to windward of S, and moving more slowly than S due to her tack. S holds her course. As P begins to bear away around the mark it becomes appar-ent that S will hit P’s leeward side, and that there will not be room for S to sail between P and the mark without hitting either. P luffs away from the mark and S passes between P and the mark with no contact. P protests S. You are on the protest committee; how would you decide this?

Answer:P’s protest is disallowed; neither boat broke a rule. When P completes her tack within the two-length zone, she does not cause S to sail above close-hauled to avoid her, nor does she prevent her from passing the mark. Therefore P does not break rule 18.3(a), Rounding and Passing Marks and Obstructions: Tacking at a Mark. Rule 18.3(b) requires P to keep clear of S if S becomes overlapped inside her at any time while the boats are passing the mark. Furthermore, S is not required to give P any room to keep clear whatsoever (because rule 18.3(b) says that rule 15, Acquiring Right of Way, does not apply). By keeping clear of S, P complies with rule 18.3(b) and rule 11, On the Same Tack, Overlapped.

Wind

S1

P1

P2

S2

P3

S3

US SNIPE SAILOR Spring 2008 21

22 www.snipeus.org

Mar 30-Apr 1 SnipeMidwinters-ClearwaterYachtClub,Clearwater,FLDickBoblenz:[email protected]

Apr 4-6 DonQRumKeg-CoconutGroveSailingClub,Miami,FLGonzaloDiaz,Sr.:[email protected]

Apr 9-12 Bacardi/Gamblin-RoyalNassauSailingClub,Nassau,BAHLori/JimmieLowe:[email protected]

May 9-11 2008SnipeUSAWomen’sNationalChampionship-PugetSound,Seattle,WAKirkSmith:[email protected]

May 31-Jun 1 ColonialCup-SevernSailingAssociation,Annapolis,MDBrianHetherington:[email protected]

Jun 21-22 LowCountryRegatta-BeaufortYachtClub,Beaufort,SCFrankPontious:[email protected]

July 5-6 OntarioOpen/CanadianChampionships-GuelphLake,Ontario,CAAdrian Dangerfield: [email protected]

July 12-13 WinchesterInvitational-Winchester,MAAndrewDavis:[email protected]

Aug 2-3 2008SnipeUSAJuniorNationalChampionship-RichmondYachtClub,Richmond,CAVincentCasalaina:[email protected]

Aug 4-8 2008SnipeUSANationalChampionship-RichmondYachtClub,Richmond,CAVincentCasalaina:[email protected]

Aug 16-17 BriodyMemorialRegatta-NewportYachtClub,Rochester,NYNormDahl:[email protected]

Oct 4-5 FrigidDigit-SevernSailingAssociation,Annapolis,MDBrianHetherington:[email protected]

Oct 25-26 HalloweenRegatta-AtlantaYachtClub,Atlanta,GAPeggyDavis:[email protected]

2008 Snipe USA Regatta Schedule

Go to www.snipeus.org for updates to the Regatta Schedule

Tattoo You!Get a supply of Snipe Tattoos like this for your regatta

or other Fleet function.

Contact Mary Buckley, [email protected]

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PAIDLincoln, NEPermit 1147

ADDRESS SERVICE REqUESTED

WEST (619) 226-1415Chris Snow [email protected] Hughes [email protected]

CHESAPEAKE (410) 280-3617Brian Bissell [email protected] Fisher [email protected]

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