The Mainsheet Newsletter of PYC Sailing Live well, have fun, sail!
(Vol 2 No. 4, June 2021) Sailboat Racing Returns to Portage Lake!
Feedback or questions should be directed to: Photo of the Month Jack White, Race Committee Chair: [email protected] Clark Chapin, Race Committee Secretary: [email protected] Tom Ehman: [email protected] If you no longer wish to receive this newsletter, send an email to [email protected]. Back issues are available HERE.
Interlakes and Flying Scots sail away from the In this issue: starting line on Saturday 22-May as sailboat racing Photo of the Month ...... 1 returned to Portage Lake. Later, the Weather Gods Sailboat Racing Returns to Portage Lake! ...... 1 smiled and sunny skies returned to grace the other Upcoming Regattas ...... 2 two races. Michael Ehnis photo TFE Live Interviews Gary Jobson ...... 2 Join the Race Committee Team! ...... 2 New Series: Dear Rick...... 3 Sailboat Racing Returns to Portage Slalom Race Returns June 13! ...... 3 Lake! Most Promising Beginner Award ...... 4 Sailboat racing returned to Portage Lake on Saturday 22-May after a 20-month hiatus. Brook Your 2021 Race Committee Smith (Interlake) and Brian Hawkins (Flying Scot) started the season off right by winning the first race Jack White, Chair in Interlakes and Flying Scots, respectfully. Clark Brook Smith, Vice Chair Chapin and pick up crew Steve Wiseman followed Clark Chapin, Secretary Brook across the finish line in the first two races (IL) (Vacant) Rick Lyons before taking Interlake line honors in the third and Tom Ehman Bill O’Donnel last race. The vintage crew of “The Toms” (Tom Bill Foster Kerry Pebbles (FS) Ehman and Tom Kimball) were always in contention Brian Hawkins Ann Taylor and had a second-place finish in the third race. Rick Jarzembowski Steve Wiseman (LA) The boats raced for 2½ hours under our new format of three shorter races run back-to-back-to-back. 2021 HPYC Board of Governors Bill Foster and Michael Ehman manned the Signal Brian Hawkins, Commodore boat and were assisted by Nicholas and Greg Marion on the Service Boat. Clark Chapin, Secretary and Past Commodore Afterwards, the sailors retired to the park at PYC Brook Smith, Treasurer and enjoyed various and sundry beverages along Bill Foster, Governor with some classic Doritos furnished by Brook Smith. Bill O’Donnel, Governor Our next Gold Series race day is Saturday 5-Jun! The Mainsheet June 2021 Upcoming Regattas There are several regattas coming up for the classes that sail on Portage Lake. Sailing at another venue helps grow skills as well as make new friends and contacts. It’s also the best way to see how others rig and sail their boats.
Class Regatta Location Start End Link (FS=Flying Scot, IL=Interlake, SF=Sunfish, MC=MC Scow) Cowan Lake Cowan Lake FS Flying Pig SA, Cowan 5-Jun 6-Jun LINK Regatta Lake, OH Topic discussed included the upcoming Olympics, Jolly Roger plans for the Olympics in 2024 (Paris) and 2028 IL
Cattail Regatta SC, Toledo, 5-Jun 5-Jun LINK Laser (Los Angeles), as well as Gary’s views on the OH America’s Cup and World Sailing. You can see the Lake Fenton MC Cage Match interview HERE. MC SC, Fenton, 5-Jun 6-Jun LINK Regatta MI Watkins Watkins Lake Lake, Join the Race Committee Team!
SF 6-Jun 6-Jun LINK Regatta Waterford Twp, MI Big Blue Sailing 17- 20-
Laser ILCA Nationals LINK Academy, Jun Jun Norfolk, VA Carlyle Sailing Assn. 18- 20-
FS Egyptian Cup LINK Lake Carlyle, Jun Jun IL Cleveland YC, Cleveland Race 18- 20-
IL Cleveland, LINK Jun Jun Week OH George Fisher Hoover SC, 19- 19-
IL Memorial Columbus, LINK Jun Jun Regatta OH Eagle Lake SC, 19- 19-
MC Eagle Lake Open LINK Edwardsburg Jun Jun , MI Deep Creek 26- 27- The PYC Race Signal Boat doesn’t look like this, but
FS Women's NAC YC, Swanton, LINK Jun Jun MD you shouldn’t let the proliferation of flags (or cylindrical shapes) intimidate you. The Principal Race Officer (PRO) is always able to take one or TFE Live Interviews Gary Jobson more “newbies” on board to help out and see With the Tokyo Olympics a mere six weeks away, sailboat racing, as they say, “up close and personal.” Tom Ehman, Jr. interviewed renowned sailing A baseball writer once wrote a book about umpires commentator Gary Jobson on Friday 21-May. entitled, “The Best Seat in Baseball, But You Have to Besides being a TV sailing commentator for both Stand.” This is true for sailboat racing, but we have ESPN and NBC Sports, Gary won the America’s Cup chairs! as Ted Turner’s tactician in 1977 and has also While it is always best to call the Club ((734) 426- served as President of US Sailing and Vice President 4155) beforehand and say that you want to go of World Sailing. aboard the Signal Boat, someone can almost always The interview was part of Tom’s bi-weekly videos show up at the briefing unannounced and go that are streamed live on Facebook, but you don’t aboard for the evening’s or day’s activities. have to be a Facebook member to view them. Page 2 The Mainsheet June 2021 Series Briefing Usually Over by: conservative approaches to starting a race, pushing Gold (Weekend) Noon 2:30 PM your ability. Many times, an experienced racer will Silver (Tuesday 5:30 PM Sundown try a risky starting approach that ends up a Small Boats) complete failure and puts them at the back of the Silver (Thursday 6:00 PM Sundown pack in an instant, so there’s a balance to be struck, Large Boats) until 15- Dinner afterward at which makes racing fun and interesting. Aug, 5:30 PYC Basics to achieving a front row start in a PM after conservative manner, and some links HERE (starting If you show up, you will: at 6:20), HERE, and HERE that go well beyond the • Get the best seat in the house to see the pre- space allowed. start maneuvering and the start of the race; Typically, the first leg of the course be to a buoy set • Get a front row seat on some of the most directly into the wind (the Windward Mark, so you exciting parts of the racing (the mark roundings have to tack back and forth while close hauled to and the finish) get to it. • Help the PRO with the starting and finishing Because all port takers must give way to starboard process; and tackers, the safest move at the start is to be on • Learn something, whether you want to or not! starboard tack as you approach the SL the final time Take the plunge, call the Club, show up, and, you to start. The next goal is to be within a half boat- know, learn something while you spend a pleasant width at full speed while close hauled at the starting evening out on Portage Lake! signal. So that will require sort of a swoop up New Series: Dear Rick toward the SL during the last few seconds before Dear Rick, the start, by turning and trimming the sails at the same time to close hauled, with sails tuned for the I’m a new sailor. I always conditions (watch others, ask, or research your class seem to be behind everyone, association, sailmaker, such as HERE.) even at the start. What’s the Rick Lyons best way to improve my (More questions? Send them to [email protected]) starts without getting in someone’s way and being protested? - Newbie Slalom Race Returns June 13! The Second Annual PYC Slalom Championship will Dear Newbie: Don’t worry about being protested, be held on Sunday, June 13. Last year’s event taught it’s not personal. The first race I was ever in, I was us a lot and we’re eager to expand the fun this year. protested for tacking to close and learned from it. Because there are only two boats on the race A lot of times a sailor applies the rules at the course at any one time, there is little chance for Starting Line (SL) by hailing a rule claim to another contact and this is a good opportunity to try out boat because they themselves failed to get a good your boat handling skills. position and are trying to pry a hole in the SL to get This is a fairly informal event, so although the entry into the front row. They have to allow you time to from only lists Lasers and Sunfish, we can probably react to their claim, so start to react, and most of find a way to squeeze in anyone who shows up. the time they will move on before there is need for There is no entry fee for registered racers and only a protest. $20 for anyone else. But nobody wants to be a wrecking ball bouncing off other boats. See HERE for a basic overview of Where can I get more information? the most common rules that are intended to keep The Notice of Race, Sailing Instructions, and a group boats apart, but allow for close quarters, without a of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) are located quarrel. HERE. As a beginner, should be conservative (maybe watching others), and as you learn, try less Page 3 The Mainsheet June 2021 Most Promising Beginner Award displays outstanding sportsmanship, desire, courage, and sailing skill. Our racing sailors get an inordinate amount of joy out of seeing someone get into sailboat racing and Many of the winners of this award have gone on to grow in both skill and enthusiasm. We have an embrace sailing as a life-long pursuit: award to encourage them. Year Recipient Year Recipient 2020