February 2020
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HAMPTON YACHT CLUB FEBRUARY 2020 4707 VICTORIA BLVD.•HAMPTON, VA 23669•TEL: (757) 722-0711•FAX: (757) 722-4700•WEBSITE: WWW.HAMPTONYC.COM• EMAIL: [email protected] Meridian XI finishes 2nd in Class and 3rd Overall in 2020 Fort Lauderdale to Key West Race Submitted by Mark Wheeler Sledd Shelhorse’s new Carkeek 40 went south to compete in this year’s Fort Lauderdale to Key West Race, which took place on January 23rd. The race runs south past Miami and slowly bends towards the west along the Keys for 160 NMs. This year Meridian XI started in an easterly wind with all the boats jib reaching. Within a few miles boats started setting their reaching spinnakers. For Meridian that meant a FR0 (fractional zero). A similar boat to Meridian XI, the Dunning 42 Baby B., was the competition for Meridian for the complete race. Unfortunately, there was never a chance to compare speeds in the reaching spinnaker configuration because a squall hit soon after setting the sails. The squall took out the FR0, and when the FRO blew up the single fractional halyard also broke. Without that halyard we were not able to set the other reaching spinnaker, the A5. We watched the Dunning sail away from us with their zero set while we jib reached behind them. It seemed to take forever for the course to bend around far enough to set the masthead A 1.5 spinnaker and begin to make ground on Baby B. The Gulf Stream flows hard to the north just a short distance out from the reef. For the first half of the race it’s not hard to stay out of the Gulf Stream and up against the reef because it’s a port tack rhumbline. For the second half of the race, the best VMG course on port tack had the fleet heading out into the adverse current. We chose to do significantly more gybes than the Dunning and stay up against the reef. This strategy seemed to be working with a very good gain each time in. At about 1:00 a.m. we experienced more bad luck when we ran over some abandoned, heavy duty commercial fishing line with a float. The line ended up wrapped around the keel with the float banging on the side of the hull. The drag from this took about 3 knots off the boat speed and forced us to drop our spinnaker, stop, and back down to remove the line. After resetting the spinnaker it was clear the Dunning was not to be caught before the end of the race. Meridian finished at about 2:50 a.m., averaging a little less than 10 knots. Meridian XI was built in Dubai and completed less than a year ago. The team has been working hard at both getting the boat and the crew up to speed. The next race will be the SORC Miami to Eleuthera Race on March 11th. That will be a 290 NM Race. Wish us luck! 37° 01’ 12.52” N 76° 20’ 38.43” W PAGE 2 MAINSHEET COMMODORE’S LETTER TO THE MEMBERSHIP Fellow Members, Ah yes, we’re entering what my family refers to as the “February Funk.” Don’t let it get you down. There’s plenty to do at the yacht club in winter, and you’re invited to come hang out with friends and meet some new ones! Check out this month’s calendar, attached as a separate sheet with your hard copy bill, to see what’s scheduled. Find the calendar online at: http://hamptonyc.com/events/events-calendar/. Event notices are regularly posted on Facebook where you can find us by searching @hampton.yachtclub. If you’re not getting event emails, or your spouse wants to be added to the email list, please contact Anne Shortt in the club’s office at [email protected]. Saturday, February 8th, I hope you’ll seriously consider bringing your whole family to the Commodore’s Dining Room to meet the new HYC Board of Directors. Enjoy a Spaghetti Dinner that will knock your socks off; seriously, Chef Mike really gets into this. This event was so much fun last year that I think the Board is secretly excited! I’m still polling them to see who is going to be our Strolling Guitarist for the evening. I hope you’ll make a reservation to ensure you get a “ringside” table. Our new Membership Incentive is officially in full throttle! The exact wording of the incentive is a bit oppressive, but suffice it to say, the initiation fee is 50% off and there is a discount on slip rental if the new member qualifies. Our members have always made our greatest marketing team, so spread the word. Our club is a fantastic bargain, as you probably already know. The offer ends with the April Board meeting, so please go ahead and reach out to friends, neighbors, and co-workers who enjoy boating, but may be on the fence about joining a yacht club. Bring them around for a meal, or a Happy Hour. Let a Board member know, and we’ll be glad to meet with them, as well. Your friends will be glad you told them about us! I have to say, one thing I love about HYC is the number of people who say “yes!” Right now, as I’m calling committee chairs and other volunteers to ask about continuing to serve, I get a resounding “yes” almost every time. When I float one of my hair-brained schemes by Rich Ash, our Manager, I get a “yes,” although with a bit more fast talking on my part sometimes required. When I reach out to members about helping out with Race Committee, I get “yes” unless they are getting married or missing a critical body part. The volunteer spirit that HYC is famous for is alive and well in 2020. If you have time and ability and want to volunteer, please let me know and I’ll say “yes” to finding you a home on one of our myriad committees! Keep an eye out for the daffodils. Spring is peeking around the corner at us. Leigh HYC Daytona 500 CHILI COOK-OFF & DESSERT CHALLENGE Sunday, February 16, 2020 2PM – 5 PM Bring your red or white chili or dessert entry by 1:30 pm. Register your chili/dessert and get your tickets. Judging and prizes will be done at 3 pm. Enjoy the great variety of chilis and desserts while watching the Daytona 500! Bring the whole family and friends. 37° 01’ 12.52” N 76° 20’ 38.43” W FEBRUARY 2020 PAGE 3 MANAGER’S REPORT As we move forward in to February, I have several events planned for this club. The first one is our Super Bowl Party on Sunday, February 2nd. We are having a limited a la carte menu and beer specials. On Saturday, February 8th we are having a Board-served Spaghetti Dinner. Come down and enjoy a fun meal while getting to know the 2020 HYC Board of Directors. Our popular Wine Tasting will be held on Thursday, February 13th. Next, we are having our Valentine’s Dinner on Friday, February 14th. We have a wonderful menu coupled with the best view in town. Reservations are required for this evening. On Sunday, February 16th, we have our annual Daytona 500 and Chili Cook-off and Dessert Challenge. There will be prizes for best red chili, white chili and dessert. On February 20th we are doing the Birthday Bash. I can’t think of a better venue to celebrate your birthday. Reservations are required for this event. I would to thank the staff for their effort on New Year’s Eve. We were very busy upstairs and downstairs. The decorations were perfect and the entertainment was just right. I thought it was a great way to bring in the New Year. I look forward to seeing everyone around the club. Best Regards, Richard Ash Club Manager Notice to All Members Preparations are being made for the publishing of the 2020 Dockline. Correspondence from HYC information on file is included in your January statement. Please be sure to look for this information, review it carefully and make any changes necessary. This is very important as this information will be included in the 2020 Dockline! Thank you in advance for your attention and cooperation. Special 2020 Membership Promotion Hear ye, hear ye, hear ye!! At the January Board meeting, the HYC Board enacted a membership incen- tive for applications submitted at the January, February, March and April Board meetings. Prospective members will receive: 50% off of the initiation fee for each category of membership; two months free slip rental for new members who agree to sign a 12 month dry or wet slip lease of 30 feet or more, if one is available; and the option of 20% down payment on initiation fee, with remainder spread over 12 months, with a $5 per month administration fee. To be clear, leasing a boat slip is not a prerequisite to taking advantage of this offer. If you have friends, neighbors, or crew who desire membership in our club, please inquire in the Main Office to sign out an application for them. And feel free to bring them around to Fri- day Happy Hour, for a walking tour, or for a meal. If Board members know ahead of time, we’ll be glad to meet with you and greet prospective members in person! 37° 01’ 12.52” N 76° 20’ 38.43” W PAGE 4 MAINSHEET Y’ALL COME RACING ! COMING SOON [ER than you think] to YOUR YACHT CLUB! HYC-ers will be hosting the most prestigious regatta on the southern Bay the weekend AFTER Memorial Day - May 29, May 30, & May 31, 2020 Regatta Headquarters: HAMPTON YACHT CLUB, HAMPTON VIRGINIA Finally, the elevator is coming For Information & ON-LINE ENTRY: https://yachtscoring.com/emenu.cfm?eid=11754 or call 757-850-4225 (Lin) Racing for PHRF, One-Design Classes, Cruising and Multihull boats over 20’ LOA NEW for 2020: Viper 640 Chesapeake Bay Champion Trophy SBRW CONDO CRUISER Fleet (Cruising Division) HYC Members may charge their SBRW entry fees to their personal HYC accounts.