Thanks to all who made the parade such a fun success!
Friday, July 16, 2010
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Stage Harbor Opti Regatta
We had a record number of CYC sailors in this year's Stage Harbor Opti Regatta - 14!! With the help of their two coaches, Oriane and Catie, we had sailors in both the green fleet and championship fleet.
The pictures are from the green fleet. The day starting with US Sailing's Gary Jobson giving the kids a pep talk. We had almost every kind of weather and situation...fog, no wind, more wind, capsizes, broken motorboats, rescues of our own kids & parents (in their motorboat), as well as, rescuing one drifting opti from Stone Horse Yacht Club. We had many new sailors in the green fleet who showed focus, bravery, camaraderie, enthusiasm for swimming & lunch, and sound sailing.
In the end we had a great day with Julia Fuller taking home a big 1st place win in the Blue Fleet and Oriane and CYC winning the sportsmanship award.
Lots of lessons learned and great stories made...what an adventure!
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
H2O Day!!!
What a hot week this has been! With temperatures reaching the nineties during the past few days, we have been making sure to keep cool here at CYC. Yesterday, the Tuesday/Thursday sailors got a special treat: H20 Day!!!
The sun was strong, and wind was light, so rather than sailing we decided to work on team building and leadership and have lots of fun at the same time. Sailors from different classes and of different ages got to work together on 5 separate teams in activities like synchronized swimming, relay swim races, rowing, and
opti bailing.
Everyone improved his or her teamwork skills, rowing, swimming, and bailing--all important parts of sailing. Three sailors in particular received special recognition on this special day. Cecily Long and Emma Sullivan were natural leaders on their teams, helping the younger students finish each activity and keeping positive attitudes. Ellen Fuller showed great sportsmanship when she led her team back to a mark in the opti bailing competition after they missed it the first time around. Great job to all our sailors, and hopefully we will have many more fun days to come!!!
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
A Fast Start to Racing!
The final placement of Chatham sailors was quite impressive. We had a sailor place in every division! Congrats to Jack Murphy, Ellen Fuller, Meg Sullivan, Julia Fuller, Courtney Bergh, and Sarah Fuller for placing in their respective divisions!
We should also take a moment to notice a very special honor given to one of our sailors. Meg Sullivan received a sportsmanship award! During a long race where she and another sailor (from Stage Harbor) were duking it out for the lead, Meg kept a great attitude! She ended up needing to complete a penalty turn close to the finish and did so with grace and her ever-present smile. We could not be more proud of Meg for the way she conducted herself on the water--a true competitor she still understands the most important part of sailing: having fun!
Cheers to a great start to the racing season! The Opti team eagerly awaits upcoming Stage Harbor Opti Regatta this Friday. Stay tuned for more racing updates!
Catie
Saturday, January 2, 2010
High Tide at CYC 1/2/2010
Saturday, January 2, 2010 brought a winter storm coinciding with an exceptionally high tide to Cape Cod. Rob Bergh and daughter Courtney visited the CYC clubhouse for the 2 P.M. high tide to take the photos shown here. To see additional CYC photos as well as others taken at various locations around Pleasant Bay, please visit Rob's website by clicking here.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
2009 Healy Cup
The 2009 NESSA (New England Schools Sailing Association) Single Handed Championship (Healy Cup) was held on September 27 at Conanicut Yacht Club in Jamestown RI. Racers braved tough weather conditions as a steady 15-18 knot day saw puffs of 25 knots by the end of competition. Driving rain lasted throughout the day as well. Three CYC sailors, Liz Dubovik, and Anoush and Oriane Longerstaey competed in the Laser Radial class for the right to enter the National High School Single Handed Championships for the Cressy Cup which will be held on Halloween weekend in Corpus Christi, TX. Of the 28 registered competitors, the top 4 would qualify for a berth in Texas. Two of the CYC sailors qualified, with Liz taking 2nd place and Oriane 4th. For her first participation as a freshman, Anoush finished 19th.
Liz Dubovik (Portsmouth Abbey right) and Oriane Longerstaey (International School of Boston -left) will join winner Nick Johnstone (Tabor) and 3rd place finisher Pearson Potts (St Georges) in Corpus Christi next month.
- Jacques Longerstaey
Friday, August 14, 2009
CYC Takes 3rd Place!
CONGRATS to the CYC Racing Team who placed 3rd at the Team Racing Championship!
Johannes Raatz, Schuyler Ward, Duncan Howes, Sarah Fuller, Meagan Moore, Courtney Bergh, Anoush Longerstaey, Spencer Ward, Lindsey Bergh, Sarah Hargreaves (Missing from photo: Christine deSilva)This summer has been a terrific sailing season for the CYC Racing Team. Both the A and B team's won all of their team racing clinics this summer which proved to be great practice for the Team Racing Championships.
This past Thursday and Friday the A team competed against 13 other teams at Beverly Yacht Club and Tabor Academy. The weather gave us quiet the conditions on the first day with pouring rain and gusty wind conditions. This made for an exciting day out on the water however it did not stop the A team! They sailed 12 races in the qualifying round with a 8-4 (wins-losses) record. The second day was split into the Gold and Silver rounds and with our scores carrying over from the first day we placed 5th in the Gold Round for the finals.
The weather man on day 2 gave us much nicer conditions with sunshine and warm temperatures. The morning had extremely light wind conditions so the teams drifted around for the greater part of the morning. Around noon time a nice breeze filled in and the Gold Fleet started their double round robin. After the first round robin the team had a record of 3-2 sitting us in 3rd place overall. With New Bedford winning, Hyannis in second, Chatham in third, and Wianno, Cotuit, and Beverly right on our tails with one more loss. We needed to go into the next round robin with our game faces on.
The second round robin started off with a race against New Bedford which over the past two days had only lost 1 race!! Chatham unfortunately lost, however they still had their game face on for the next 4 races! Up next was Cotuit which we needed to win against or they would pass us in the standings. Unfortunately they came out on top and beat us! Chatham picked themselves up and started to turn things around. With the scores of the bottom 3 teams changing continuously it made for some exciting team racing and very nervous coaches!!!
Chatham turned things around and sailed the next two races flawlessly! Sailing against Wianno and Beverly the team pulled out two wins to put us back into 3rd. However we were tied for 3rd place with Cotuit. We needed to win the last race again Hyannis and have Bevery win against Cotuit. The team got hyped up with the help of our cheering section on the motor boat and pulled out a win against Hyannis to put us in 3rd place overall!!
Congratulations goes out to not only the kids who sailed but to the ENTIRE racing team who helped push the A team to where they are today. With out every single person on the team going to practice every day and working hard the team would not have gotten to where it is today! Both Ryan and myself are extremely proud of the entire team for their hard work and dedication this summer!
CONGRATS!!!
Final Results:
SMSA Team Racing Championship:
1. New Bedford YC 11-1, 5-0, 5-0 = 21-1
2. Hyannis YC 9-3, 4-1, 2-3 = 15-7
3. Chatham YC 8-4, 3-2, 3-2 = 14-8
4. Cotuit Mos. YC 9-3, 1-4, 2-3 = 12-10 (beat Wianno 3-0)
5. Wianno YC 10-2, 0-5, 2-3 = 12-10
6. Beverly YC 8-4, 2-3, 1-4 = 11-11
1. New Bedford YC 11-1, 5-0, 5-0 = 21-1
2. Hyannis YC 9-3, 4-1, 2-3 = 15-7
3. Chatham YC 8-4, 3-2, 3-2 = 14-8
4. Cotuit Mos. YC 9-3, 1-4, 2-3 = 12-10 (beat Wianno 3-0)
5. Wianno YC 10-2, 0-5, 2-3 = 12-10
6. Beverly YC 8-4, 2-3, 1-4 = 11-11
Silver Round:
7. Wild Harbor YC 6-6, 3-1 = 9-7
8. Edgartown YC 6-6, 2-2 = 8-8
9. Nantucket YC 2-10, 4-0 = 6-10 (beat Falmouth on points 18-24)
10. Falmouth YC 5-7, 1-3 = 6-10
11. Stage Harbor YC 4-8, 0-4 = 4-12
12. Vineyard Haven YC 1-11, 0-0 = 1-11
13. Stone Horse YC 0-12, 0-0 = 0-12
7. Wild Harbor YC 6-6, 3-1 = 9-7
8. Edgartown YC 6-6, 2-2 = 8-8
9. Nantucket YC 2-10, 4-0 = 6-10 (beat Falmouth on points 18-24)
10. Falmouth YC 5-7, 1-3 = 6-10
11. Stage Harbor YC 4-8, 0-4 = 4-12
12. Vineyard Haven YC 1-11, 0-0 = 1-11
13. Stone Horse YC 0-12, 0-0 = 0-12
Meredith
Finally...
Summer sailing on Cape Cod is a whirlwind of activity. 2009 has taken this maxim to a new level. Regatta after regatta has gone off successfully in the past month in Chatham, Harwich, Hyannis, Buzzards Bay, and now, on Nantucket for Nantucket Race Week. CYC's annual regatta, followed quickly by the East Coast Junior Windsurfing Championships, and then by the Leo J. Telesmanick Beetle Cat Regatta, all hosted at CYC, drew sailors from around the country and around the world. All three events were a smashing success thanks to the hard work of so many volunteers.
Many of CYC's racers have been competing "off site" in the last month. They have tested their skills at the regattas of Hyannis, Stone Horse, Stage Harbor, Buzzards Bay, and many others. Our 420 racing team is as I write competing at New Bedford for the Southern Mass. Sailing team racing championships. So many of our sailors have earned high places and awards in their travels. I will be adding more pictures and results to come. Above is a shot of Oriane Longerstaey at Stone Horse.
Stay tuned for more news and stories from the last few weeks -
Willis
Many of CYC's racers have been competing "off site" in the last month. They have tested their skills at the regattas of Hyannis, Stone Horse, Stage Harbor, Buzzards Bay, and many others. Our 420 racing team is as I write competing at New Bedford for the Southern Mass. Sailing team racing championships. So many of our sailors have earned high places and awards in their travels. I will be adding more pictures and results to come. Above is a shot of Oriane Longerstaey at Stone Horse.
Stay tuned for more news and stories from the last few weeks -
Willis
Friday, July 31, 2009
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Crazy Clothing, Pirate Ships, Racing Galore, and a New Dress Code
Both tomorrow, Monday the 27th, and Tuesday the 28th, are Crazy Clothing Day. Sailors are encouraged to mish mash their clothing as much as possible in competition for the first place prize. The festivities continue Friday with the annual Commodore's Buffet dinner at CYC. The Chatham Regatta, the Cape's oldest and one of the world's oldest free regattas, begins with a 1000 harbor start Saturday August 1st and continues Sunday August 2nd. That next week, the club hosts the East Coast Junior Windsurfing Championships on August 5th and 6th, with a clinic for the sailors on August 4th.
"Chatham Race Week" continues that weekend with the 2009 Leo J. Telesmanick National Beetle Cat Championship on August 8th and 9th at the club.
What a stretch! To spice it up a bit at the Sailing School during that week in between the Regatta and Telesmanick, Monday August 3rd and Tuesday August 4th are "Preppy Day" at the club. Sailors are encouraged to dress as "preppy" as possible. That whole week is being called "tucked in shirt week" for all the kids and staff of the club.
The next Monday and Tuesday, August 10th and 11th, are Pirate Day! 2009 at CYC. Dress in full pirate garb, play the "Pirate Game" with all your might, and the top costumes will be awarded prizes at the end of the day.
As an update, I would like to make you all aware that Meredith Dart has been away from the club on a medical leave this past week. She underwent appendix surgery last week, and we hope to see her back at the club perhaps by next weekend. Let's send our thoughts and prayers to her as she recovers. She is recovering well and is in good spirits (although she is missing the water).
The Day Sailer North American Championships at SHYC concluded today, and the early word out from stage harbor is that CYC boats claimed the top two spots at the championships! Yeah!
Willis
"Chatham Race Week" continues that weekend with the 2009 Leo J. Telesmanick National Beetle Cat Championship on August 8th and 9th at the club.
What a stretch! To spice it up a bit at the Sailing School during that week in between the Regatta and Telesmanick, Monday August 3rd and Tuesday August 4th are "Preppy Day" at the club. Sailors are encouraged to dress as "preppy" as possible. That whole week is being called "tucked in shirt week" for all the kids and staff of the club.
The next Monday and Tuesday, August 10th and 11th, are Pirate Day! 2009 at CYC. Dress in full pirate garb, play the "Pirate Game" with all your might, and the top costumes will be awarded prizes at the end of the day.As an update, I would like to make you all aware that Meredith Dart has been away from the club on a medical leave this past week. She underwent appendix surgery last week, and we hope to see her back at the club perhaps by next weekend. Let's send our thoughts and prayers to her as she recovers. She is recovering well and is in good spirits (although she is missing the water).
The Day Sailer North American Championships at SHYC concluded today, and the early word out from stage harbor is that CYC boats claimed the top two spots at the championships! Yeah!
Willis
Thursday, July 23, 2009
GOOD LUCK Sarah!
GOOD LUCK THIS WEEKEND!!!!!
Check out the link below for the video of Sarah!
http://www.sailgroove.org/videos/coverage/view_video/235366-optimist-girls-national-championship/195160-sarah-dasilva-after-race-5
Meredith
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Chatham Girls Love Wind!
Sun, Wind, and Waves are what the girls sailing The Gill Trophy came across today as they set out for day two of the regatta hosted by Falmouth Yacht Club. The day started off with a medium breeze with flat water for race one however by the time the second race came around the sea breeze kicked into high gear and made for an eventful afternoon!
These girls love big breeze! As soon as the sea breeze filled in all 3 crews were out on the trap and having a blast! CYC took off in the breeze and sailed themselves into all top 10 finishes today with two boats experiencing OCS's as well as winning the last race! Oh well....I am just excited that they were pushing the line! All of the boats did a fantastic job dealing with the current and 3-4 foot waves considering we do not deal with those on Pleasant Bay.
Congrats to all the sailors for a job well done! Here are the Results:
9th Place: Christine deSilva/ Spencer Ward
10th Place: Anoush Longerstaey/ Catie O'Sullivan
12th Place: Sarah deSilva/ Lindsay Sullivan
GREAT JOB GIRLS!!!!
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Tour de Bay
Coincidentally occurring during the Tour de France, today, the sailing school embarked on a Tour de Bay. We began the day by talking about the aerial photograph in the clubhouse. We talked about Ryder's, Crows Pond, Bassing Harbor. We went over what makes a bay a bay, a pond a pond, a cove a cove. We island hopped across the picture from Strong to Little Sipson, to Big Sipson and imagined the rest up in the Orleans side of the Bay (Hog, Sampson, Pochet). One student even elaborated on Quanset Pond.
At 1015, the sails went up and the first stage of the tour kicked off. Destination one - Head of the Bay. Rounding down, we weaved in and out of the mooring field and around the dock of Wequasset. Meeting the 420's and Lasers at Barker (CYC buoy on the Orleans side just Northwest of Wequasset), the Beetles launched an "invasion" of the swimmers in the water and unleashed havoc with splashes, shouts, and cannonballs off the front of the motorboat (even a couple instructors joined in the mid-morning cool down swim).
Back in the boats, the sails were trimmed and the fleet (which resembled a row of ducks) moved to their next stop - the Channel buoy that marks the corner of the Bay by Strong Island. Here, the maneuvered close to shore and hugged the shallow waters up to the CYC mooring field. As the fleet neared their moorings, the time approached 1145. Perfect timing for derigging and ship-shape, which although maybe not as fun as swimming, are two of the most important tasks for sailors at the end of the day.
PS - the pic above is not from today, come see me if you think you can identify the sailor and the year it was taken...
Willis
At 1015, the sails went up and the first stage of the tour kicked off. Destination one - Head of the Bay. Rounding down, we weaved in and out of the mooring field and around the dock of Wequasset. Meeting the 420's and Lasers at Barker (CYC buoy on the Orleans side just Northwest of Wequasset), the Beetles launched an "invasion" of the swimmers in the water and unleashed havoc with splashes, shouts, and cannonballs off the front of the motorboat (even a couple instructors joined in the mid-morning cool down swim).
Back in the boats, the sails were trimmed and the fleet (which resembled a row of ducks) moved to their next stop - the Channel buoy that marks the corner of the Bay by Strong Island. Here, the maneuvered close to shore and hugged the shallow waters up to the CYC mooring field. As the fleet neared their moorings, the time approached 1145. Perfect timing for derigging and ship-shape, which although maybe not as fun as swimming, are two of the most important tasks for sailors at the end of the day.
PS - the pic above is not from today, come see me if you think you can identify the sailor and the year it was taken...
Willis
Racing team is off to a Fantastic Start!
This summer's racing team is off to a fantastic start! We have a total of 22 sailors signed up for the Racing Team with all 22 ready and raring to go!
The team started off the season by hosting the first A division Team Racing Clinic/ Scrimmage at CYC coached by Charlie Enright. Charlie did a great job in running the clinic given the weather conditions. The sailors had to deal with every type of weather condition that day including lots of wind, rain, thunderstorms, lightening, and a ton of fog! The team did an awesome job with the windy conditions and won the entire scrimmage (6-0) against Stone Horse, Stage Harbor, and West Dennis. This team consisted of Duncan Howes, Lindsey Bergh, Johannas Raatz, Spencer Ward, Courtney Bergh, Sarah Fuller, Sarah Hargreaves, and Hunter Rosenthall all of whom did a fantastic job!!!
This past week has been a very busy week for the racing team and with an even busier week ahead. CYC was represented in the Cummings Cup (the triple-handed elimination) by Sarah Fuller, Lindsey Bergh, and Hunter Rosenthall. The regatta was held at PBCB/CYC in Flying Scotts where CYC held their own in very tough sailing conditions and a new boat. The team worked extremely hard and learned alot from the experience! They look forward to tackling it again next summer.
Duncan Howes and Catie O'Sullivan placed 3rd in the West Dennis Invite this past week as well. With great sailing conditions this duo had a great regatta and had a ton of fun. Congrats on a job well done!!
This past Thursday the CYC Racing Team was split in half to participate in two team races. Half of the team participated in the B Team Racing Clinic/ Scrimmage at Stone Horse Yacht Club coached by John Stork while the other half went to scrimmage Hyannis Yacht Club's Racing Team. Both teams came across extremely windy conditions which made for a very eventful day at both yacht clubs. The B Team Race Clinic was represented by Hunter Rosenthall, Will O' Sullivan, Connor Sullivan, Andrew Duggan, Schuyler Ward, Anoush Longerstaey, Meagan Moore, Christine deSilva and Cary Anne Kane. The team that went to Hyannis consisted of Duncan Howes, Lindsey Bergh, Colin Hamilton, Johannas Raatz, Spencer Ward, Sarah Fuller, Sarah Hargreaves, Courtney Bergh, Andrew Winn, Ariana Murphy, Rose Healy, and Katelyn Moore. All sailors did a fantastic job and are showing a great deal of progress!
This past weekend was the New Bedford Regatta where we had a number of CYC sailors participate in different fleets. Sarah Fuller and Sarah Hargreaves raced in a 420 and placed 23 out of a fleet of 77 boats! A great accomplishment! Hunter Rosenthall sailed his full laser and placed 4th in his fleet while Anoush Longerstaey sailed her laser radial and placed 5th. Quinn Howes, another CYC member at the regatta, won the laser radial fleet! We had a great showing at the New Bedford Regatta. Congrats to all who participated.
Currently we have two regattas going on. We have Sarah Fuller and Sarah Hargreaves representing CYC at the New England Women's Champs held at Sail Newport, in Newport RI as well 3 women's boats sailing at the Southern Mass Women's Champs at Falmouth Yacht Club. The three teams are Sarah deSilva/Lindsay Sullivan, Anoush Longerstaey/Catie O'Sullivan, and Christine deSilva/Spencer Ward. Send positive vibes to all this women's sailors over the next couple of days!!
The Racing team is off to an awesome start and we look forward to many more great regattas!
Meredith
Meredith
Monday, July 6, 2009
Independece Day, Cumming Cup, and Sun
Anyone in downtown Chatham on Saturday, the Fourth, can attest to the excellence of the parade. Saturday's weather was perfect for summer sailors (maybe a tad windy after noontime for wooden boats). The Chatham July Fourth Parade was a huge success. Many organizations, businesses, and other groups had decorative floats and wide grins as they marched down main street. The sidelines were packed twenty deep in many spots. The CYC kids enjoyed riding in the two military style Jeeps, the decorated Opti, and marching holding the gigantic American flag. After a few year respite from an official float, CYC is back as a force in the parade, and we are here to stay!
Saturday afternoon's races, club photo, and opening meeting went well. The race was fueled by SW winds consistently above 20 kts, with gusts over 25. Things got a bit hairy for the Beetles on the reaches and runs, but there was no damage and all crafts successfully finished the race from each fleet.
Today, Monday, CYC served as the host site for the SMSA's triple-handed championship event, the Cumming Cup. In the morning Chatham raced against Stage Harbor, Stonehorse and Wianno. In the afternoon, New Bedford, Nantucket, Vineyard Haven, and PBCB squared off. The winners will race Tuesday morning in the championship event. Come down to the club to watch from the deck to see the finishes.
The sun blasted down today, and warmed up the water another degree or two. We had our swim test for the M/W class, and will likely do the same for the T/Th class on Tuesday. The forecast as of Monday evening is for AM sun and the possibility of PM storms developing in ESE winds of 10-15 mph. See you on the Bay.
Willis
Saturday afternoon's races, club photo, and opening meeting went well. The race was fueled by SW winds consistently above 20 kts, with gusts over 25. Things got a bit hairy for the Beetles on the reaches and runs, but there was no damage and all crafts successfully finished the race from each fleet.
Today, Monday, CYC served as the host site for the SMSA's triple-handed championship event, the Cumming Cup. In the morning Chatham raced against Stage Harbor, Stonehorse and Wianno. In the afternoon, New Bedford, Nantucket, Vineyard Haven, and PBCB squared off. The winners will race Tuesday morning in the championship event. Come down to the club to watch from the deck to see the finishes.
The sun blasted down today, and warmed up the water another degree or two. We had our swim test for the M/W class, and will likely do the same for the T/Th class on Tuesday. The forecast as of Monday evening is for AM sun and the possibility of PM storms developing in ESE winds of 10-15 mph. See you on the Bay.
Willis
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Parades, Trains, and Automobiles
Okay, maybe no trains. The news is that CYC is making a triumphant return to Chatham's Fourth of July Parade this summer! The plan involves two 1940's Willy's Jeeps as the bookends of the CYC float, which will be a heavily decorated Optimist. Kim Cone and Kim Summers are coordinating the festivities, and will send a club-wide e-mail out shortly. Both have spoken this week at sailing school. There is a float decorating party happening Friday afternoon, which they will provide the details for.
Today (Tuesday) over at the club went off without a hitch. Well, maybe the fog could qualify as such, but the sunshine we got before and after the 1 o'clock hour made for a great day on the water. In the pre-noon hours, the sailing school sent out Crew class (in Beetle Cats), beginner Optimists, Lasers, Sunfish, and 420's. Around 1130, the fog started to roll. And roll it did. Handheld radios buzzed, and all the fleets adjusted heading to make their next destination "home base" back at the beach. Once we were derigged and organized after the morning, lunch ensued. Though we ate and enjoyed the sea breezes outside on the deck, on every one's mind were the worsening conditions. By 1245, the fog had moved to envelope the North end of the PB-2 mooring field next to the dock, and the viability of the scheduled Tuesday Series race at 1300 was in question.
The race began as scheduled, despite the fog, and it was followed by the 6/23 Tuesday Series makeup race, and then by the Ladies' Race and the other regular second series races on Tuesday afternoons. Interestingly, although the fog did not lead to any "lost at sea" young sailors (it slowly burned off from 1300-1500 in the afternoon), it did lead to an unusual protest in the Beetle Cat fleet.
In the end, everyone was happy to get through a full day without the precipitation and cloud cover that has plagued the Northeast United States for the past 6-8 weeks. While walking back and forth to the Chatham Yacht Club, please respect the wishes of the Eastward Ho! Country Club and refrain from cell phone use other than in your parked car. Please also make sure you a dressed appropriately (shirt and shoes) on your way to and from the club. Below is a shot of Dr. Fuller (Sarah, Julia, and Ellen Fuller's dad) after kite surfing in the Nor'Easter last week.
Willis
Today (Tuesday) over at the club went off without a hitch. Well, maybe the fog could qualify as such, but the sunshine we got before and after the 1 o'clock hour made for a great day on the water. In the pre-noon hours, the sailing school sent out Crew class (in Beetle Cats), beginner Optimists, Lasers, Sunfish, and 420's. Around 1130, the fog started to roll. And roll it did. Handheld radios buzzed, and all the fleets adjusted heading to make their next destination "home base" back at the beach. Once we were derigged and organized after the morning, lunch ensued. Though we ate and enjoyed the sea breezes outside on the deck, on every one's mind were the worsening conditions. By 1245, the fog had moved to envelope the North end of the PB-2 mooring field next to the dock, and the viability of the scheduled Tuesday Series race at 1300 was in question.
The race began as scheduled, despite the fog, and it was followed by the 6/23 Tuesday Series makeup race, and then by the Ladies' Race and the other regular second series races on Tuesday afternoons. Interestingly, although the fog did not lead to any "lost at sea" young sailors (it slowly burned off from 1300-1500 in the afternoon), it did lead to an unusual protest in the Beetle Cat fleet.
In the end, everyone was happy to get through a full day without the precipitation and cloud cover that has plagued the Northeast United States for the past 6-8 weeks. While walking back and forth to the Chatham Yacht Club, please respect the wishes of the Eastward Ho! Country Club and refrain from cell phone use other than in your parked car. Please also make sure you a dressed appropriately (shirt and shoes) on your way to and from the club. Below is a shot of Dr. Fuller (Sarah, Julia, and Ellen Fuller's dad) after kite surfing in the Nor'Easter last week.
Willis
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Ready to Rock, and the Horns Have Sounded
The storm now several days passed with all damage repaired, we can set our sights on a smooth week of sailing. Nearly all schools are now out for the summer, our entire staff has descended upon Chatham, our whalers are all functioning perfectly, and many more boats have made their way down to the club. The fourth of July glimmers in the distance at us as we begin our week of sailing on Monday.
Glancing down at the wristwatch, there's 1:40 left until the starting gun. The sun is hot today - Saturday June 27 - and the wind is light but steady from the SW. The sails are hoisted, the mooring is jettisoned, and after a few minor modifications to the rig, we join the others approaching the line for the first start of the season. The 420's are on a dead run to Barker, spinnaker's full. They oscillate back and forth, passing each other, protecting air, and preparing to make their moves at the Jibe mark. Behind them 1/4 of a mile are the Sunfish, rounding Head. The daggerboards are yanked out of the deck and the sails are allowed to breathe after the first beat. 0:30 until the start now, sails out, head on a swivel. The Beetle Cats are converging on the favored end. Cruising patiently 5 boatlengths off the line are a swarm of Optimists. Their start is now just over 6 minutes away. The SW breeze is alternating between cool gusts of nearly 10 knots, and hot lulls of just 3-5. The last few Optis have left the shore, and quietly squeeze between the dock and the guide pin (Inner). HORN! The starting gun has sounded, and the sails are trimmed.
Across the Bay - Orleans side - the 420's are finishing a tight reach to Ewing. Up to about 8 knots... cruising now. The shoots are close in, and the skipper and crew both sit heavy. Centerboard up only 1/4 of the way. A righty puff approaches, trim! Trim! ... A fast minute passes, and with Ewing 10 boatlengths away, it is time to stuff the shoot. Pole down. Board Down. Shoot in both hands. Okay...Douse! The shoot's down, and the sails are trimmed as the boat sweeps up to close-hauled. The sun glares down into the skipper's eyes as the eyes try to concentrate on the heading. Waves splash over the side of the deck. The workable 8-10 knots on the run feels more like a difficult 10-12 with the apparent wind and waves on the beat. Sweat drips down the neck, and the boats fight amongst each other with tacks for positioning as they can feel the finish now, just over a few hundred yards away back at the Club.
The Saturday Series races began with a bang on June 27th at 1400. Conditions were great, albeit a bit light for the liking of many veterans, and turnout was strong. The first Tuesday Series race begins at 1300 on June 30.
Willis
Glancing down at the wristwatch, there's 1:40 left until the starting gun. The sun is hot today - Saturday June 27 - and the wind is light but steady from the SW. The sails are hoisted, the mooring is jettisoned, and after a few minor modifications to the rig, we join the others approaching the line for the first start of the season. The 420's are on a dead run to Barker, spinnaker's full. They oscillate back and forth, passing each other, protecting air, and preparing to make their moves at the Jibe mark. Behind them 1/4 of a mile are the Sunfish, rounding Head. The daggerboards are yanked out of the deck and the sails are allowed to breathe after the first beat. 0:30 until the start now, sails out, head on a swivel. The Beetle Cats are converging on the favored end. Cruising patiently 5 boatlengths off the line are a swarm of Optimists. Their start is now just over 6 minutes away. The SW breeze is alternating between cool gusts of nearly 10 knots, and hot lulls of just 3-5. The last few Optis have left the shore, and quietly squeeze between the dock and the guide pin (Inner). HORN! The starting gun has sounded, and the sails are trimmed.
Across the Bay - Orleans side - the 420's are finishing a tight reach to Ewing. Up to about 8 knots... cruising now. The shoots are close in, and the skipper and crew both sit heavy. Centerboard up only 1/4 of the way. A righty puff approaches, trim! Trim! ... A fast minute passes, and with Ewing 10 boatlengths away, it is time to stuff the shoot. Pole down. Board Down. Shoot in both hands. Okay...Douse! The shoot's down, and the sails are trimmed as the boat sweeps up to close-hauled. The sun glares down into the skipper's eyes as the eyes try to concentrate on the heading. Waves splash over the side of the deck. The workable 8-10 knots on the run feels more like a difficult 10-12 with the apparent wind and waves on the beat. Sweat drips down the neck, and the boats fight amongst each other with tacks for positioning as they can feel the finish now, just over a few hundred yards away back at the Club.
The Saturday Series races began with a bang on June 27th at 1400. Conditions were great, albeit a bit light for the liking of many veterans, and turnout was strong. The first Tuesday Series race begins at 1300 on June 30.
Willis
Monday, June 22, 2009
Take Cover, The Nor'Easter Front Has Stalled
Today we were forced to officially cancel our first day of Sailing for 2009. With sustained winds approaching 30 mph, and wind gusts frequently surpassing that speed up to the 40 mph mark, the entire area around the Bay and the club was a danger zone. The rain came and went throughout the day, sporadically clearing only to rain again within minutes.
The National Weather Service has issued a Coastal Flooding Advisory, a Hazardous Weather Outlook, a High Surf Advisory, and a Wind Advisory that remains through Tuesday. We are optimistic in hoping for a change, but are preparing for a day "off the water" again tomorrow. As long as the conditions around the shore are not hazardous, and the tides are not astronomical (which they have hit in the last 24 hours) we will hold on-shore activities and classroom sessions tomorrow.
The pier, secured by a group of brave senior instructors (some of our best knot-tiers) survived the afternoon and evening in solid condition. The 420's were all moved to a protected area behind the paddle tennis courts (backside, by the paddle tennis clubhouse).
I apologize to any brave sailors who were hoping to get out on the water today. Our concerns for safety precluded any consideration of going near the water's edge, although I must admit a number of instructors were tempted by the high wind speeds. I could see the look of "what if..." in a number of older sailors eyes as we moved the 420's within feet of the shore with waves crashing and rolling up against the sand. They rolled in one after another, without a hint of tire from mother nature. Swells, breaking waves, thunderous crashes against the pier. Boats, power and sail, slammed up and back by the waves, wind, and rain against the leash of their iron mooring chains.
The goal now is for the storm to subside enough for the first Tuesday series race at 1300 tomorrow.
Willis
The National Weather Service has issued a Coastal Flooding Advisory, a Hazardous Weather Outlook, a High Surf Advisory, and a Wind Advisory that remains through Tuesday. We are optimistic in hoping for a change, but are preparing for a day "off the water" again tomorrow. As long as the conditions around the shore are not hazardous, and the tides are not astronomical (which they have hit in the last 24 hours) we will hold on-shore activities and classroom sessions tomorrow.
The pier, secured by a group of brave senior instructors (some of our best knot-tiers) survived the afternoon and evening in solid condition. The 420's were all moved to a protected area behind the paddle tennis courts (backside, by the paddle tennis clubhouse).
I apologize to any brave sailors who were hoping to get out on the water today. Our concerns for safety precluded any consideration of going near the water's edge, although I must admit a number of instructors were tempted by the high wind speeds. I could see the look of "what if..." in a number of older sailors eyes as we moved the 420's within feet of the shore with waves crashing and rolling up against the sand. They rolled in one after another, without a hint of tire from mother nature. Swells, breaking waves, thunderous crashes against the pier. Boats, power and sail, slammed up and back by the waves, wind, and rain against the leash of their iron mooring chains.
The goal now is for the storm to subside enough for the first Tuesday series race at 1300 tomorrow.
Willis
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Counting Down The Days
Grey marine paint, fresh off the brush, drips down onto the sand. The sun beats down, and the afternoon sun is countered by a cool sea breeze, more like late spring than early summer. The marks will be ready to put in their places soon. Winslow, Ewing, Barker, Sipson, Channel. First load has left to be dropped with two smiling instructors and a tank full of gas in the boat. Head, Inner, Outer, Middle are being loaded now. This load won't take as long...
A heavy shovel-load of sand gets thrown over the shoulder and sweat is wiped off the brow. Another ten feet of trench until we reach the dock. Keep shoveling, keep shoveling. Its day two now, and we can break for lunch once this is done. These two instructors are digging the trench to supply fresh water to the end of the dock. They see their colleagues staggering slowly, in unison, down from the Opti area.
Its hot now near mid-day by the Opti lot. Each of these weigh 75 lbs., and we have six to deposit. A 4x10 wooden platform has been spotted near the paddle tennis courts. Yes, that can help us. Combine that with our double-breasted dolly. Now we've got some mechanical help. One by one, each mooring is loaded onto the dolly. Watch the rust, watch the sharp edges. One, two, THREE. Heave-Ho, and soon each is loaded onto the makeshift trailer. Slowly down the path, watch the rocks and keep it under control. To water's edge, where we await our driver and sea transport out to the mooring field for the placement of each piece of cargo.
_____________
These are three of the tasks the staff undertakes, year after year, in preparation of the sailing season. The sailors will arrive in force on Monday, and in a matter of one week, the club must be transformed from its recently awoken state (thank you to the memorial day workers) to its high-energy, high-use daily schedule that commences June 22nd. The boats launched, the grass cut. The bushes trimmed, the clubhouse cleaned. The radios charged, the dinghys painted. Each year, the club is awoken with as much diligence as it is put to rest. Vintage course boards are hung, and flags are raised. Each day, the Chatham Yacht Club comes one step closer to being "back in business".
A heavy shovel-load of sand gets thrown over the shoulder and sweat is wiped off the brow. Another ten feet of trench until we reach the dock. Keep shoveling, keep shoveling. Its day two now, and we can break for lunch once this is done. These two instructors are digging the trench to supply fresh water to the end of the dock. They see their colleagues staggering slowly, in unison, down from the Opti area.
Its hot now near mid-day by the Opti lot. Each of these weigh 75 lbs., and we have six to deposit. A 4x10 wooden platform has been spotted near the paddle tennis courts. Yes, that can help us. Combine that with our double-breasted dolly. Now we've got some mechanical help. One by one, each mooring is loaded onto the dolly. Watch the rust, watch the sharp edges. One, two, THREE. Heave-Ho, and soon each is loaded onto the makeshift trailer. Slowly down the path, watch the rocks and keep it under control. To water's edge, where we await our driver and sea transport out to the mooring field for the placement of each piece of cargo.
_____________
These are three of the tasks the staff undertakes, year after year, in preparation of the sailing season. The sailors will arrive in force on Monday, and in a matter of one week, the club must be transformed from its recently awoken state (thank you to the memorial day workers) to its high-energy, high-use daily schedule that commences June 22nd. The boats launched, the grass cut. The bushes trimmed, the clubhouse cleaned. The radios charged, the dinghys painted. Each year, the club is awoken with as much diligence as it is put to rest. Vintage course boards are hung, and flags are raised. Each day, the Chatham Yacht Club comes one step closer to being "back in business".
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