Private Ear
NEWSLETTER OF PRIVATEER YACHT CLUB Lake Chickamauga May 2012 Peter Snyder, Editor
Chattanooga, TN
VIEW FROM THE HELM
May 2012
goes on. Come join in on the largest sail camp yet. Yes, this year we have potentially nine weeks of sail camp.
Time flies when you’re busy at the club. Well, a month has passed, and believe it or not my boat is launched! Yes, Whatta Ride is no longer on the hard, and my “view” is no longer myopically limited to the
bottom of Whatta Ride’s hull.
June also brings three days of racing each week, kayaking, and socials. The “Chicks On the Pond Sailing” are having a stake your date party! Sorry, dates and steaks party. Also, the club social will be a “Spanish Nights” themed affair. Margaritas? Cerveza? Holy Guacamole! Don’t miss this one. See you there, bring your sombreros. Maybe our Blue Grass players will play mariachi music.
Your club is buzzing with activity. We have had a hive of activities and more to come. This month saw a very successful Scowabunga, MC Scow regatta with 28 participants, some from as far as New Jersey. Also, a well attended, get-to-know the MC Scow Friday night sail and burgers party. And, don’t forget the “Dock Party” which was a “jammin” good time avec “pickin and grinnin’”. If you missed the story about the comforts of a kilt, just ask Rhonda Seeber to ribbon the details for you.
It was truly a first place story.
El Commodoro,
Senor Chris
June is here and so is Sail Camp 2012. Admiral/swash-
buckler Steve George is heading up the camp this year. He is looking for volunteers to help with a variety of
tasks. Erica Cyrul and Hannah Matthews were seen
scrubbing out the club boats in anticipation of all the little campers descending this summer. Eddie Gra-
ham was toiling away, putting the finishing touches on
the new rigging docks, which are even safer and more user friendly than ever before. Brian Holloway, lead instructor, was observed educating newbies in the club Flying Scots. Steve Sherman has readied the Club FJ’s with some needed repairs. Marji Cyrul is organizing the menu and helpers to serve the campers. And, the list
photo by jim davis
COMING EVENTS
JUNE
Check the PYC website CALENDAR for more info.
2-Jun-12 3-Jun-12 5-Jun-12 6-Jun-12 9-Jun-12 10-Jun-12 11-Jun-12 13-Jun-12 16-Jun-12 16-Jun-12 17-Jun-12 19-Jun-12 20-Jun-12 21-Jun-12 23-Jun-12 23-Jun-12 24-Jun-12 27-Jun-12 30-Jun-12
Keelboat Races Dinghy Races
1 pm Saturday 2:00 pm Sunday 6:15 pm Tuesday 7 pm Wednesday 1 pm Saturday 2:00 pm Sunday 7:15 pm Monday 7 pm Wednesday 1 pm Saturday 6 pm Saturday 2:00 pm Sunday 6:15 pm Tuesday 7 pm Wednesday 7 pm Thursday 1 pm Saturday 6 pm Saturday 2:00 pm Sunday 7 pm Wednesday 1 pm Saturday
COPS PHRF Race Keelboat Races Dinghy Races Board Meeting PHRF Race Keelboat Races
Spanish Nights Paella Cookout (Door Prize!!)
Dinghy Races COPS PHRF Race Land Committee Meeting Keelboat Races COPS - Steak Out (COPS & Signif Others) Dinghy Races PHRF Race Keelboat Races
JULY
1-July-12 3-July-12 4-July-12 4-July-12 7-July-12 8-July-12 9-July-12 11-July-12 14-July-12 15-July-12 17-July-12 18-July-12 19-July-12 21-July-12 22-July-12 25-July-12 28-July-12 29-July-12
Dinghy Races COPS July 4th Picnic & Cardboard Boat Races (Door Prize!!) 1 pm Wednesday
2:00 pm Sunday 6:15 pm Tuesday
- PHRF Race
- 7 pm Wednesday
1 pm Saturday 2:00 pm Sunday 7:15 pm Monday 7 pm Wednesday 1 pm Saturday 2:00 pm Sunday 6:15 pm Tuesday 7 pm Wednesday 7 pm Thursday 1 pm Saturday 2:00 pm Sunday 7 pm Wednesday 1 pm Saturday
Keelboat Races Dinghy Races Board Meeting PHRF Race Keelboat Races Dinghy Races COPS PHRF Race Land Committee Meeting Keelboat Races Dinghy Races PHRF Race Keelboat Races
- Dinghy Races
- 2:00 pm Sunday
As would be logical, Bill and Bob decided to leave Friday to make a nice leisurely trip to Seneca. Not so for the other two teams, who careened through the mountains on Saturday morning to arrive six minutes before close of registration. However, the weather was beautiful, and all six competitors were set for a great day of racing. Unfortunately, no one explained this to the wind, which clearly had a mind of its own!
PRIVATEER WELL REPRESENTED
AT GRITS & HAGGIS
by Linda Knudson Lind
Theannual Flying Scot Grits and Haggis Regatta
was held May 19th and 20th at beautiful Keowee Lake near Seneca, South Carolina. Three teams made the scenic three and a half hour journey through the North Georgia mountains to represent Privateer. Lead by last year’s winners, Rob Fowler and Scott Cline, the two
other teams consisted of veteran racers Bill Robertson and Bob Ives
and first-time-ever-pairing, Tom Clark and Linda Lind.
After blowing a signal for postponement prior to the start of the first
race, due to lack of wind, the race committee changed the course and tried to start a race. After drifting through over half of the course,
continued next page
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RACE COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS
Steve Sherman — Race Committee Chairman
- Day
- Date
- Time
- Fleet
- PRO
- Assistant
JUNE
06/02/12 06/03/12 06/05/12 06/09/12 06/10/12 06/13/12 06/16/12 06/17/12 06/20/12 06/23/12 06/24/12 06/27/12 06/30/12
1:00 PM 2:00 PM 7:00 PM 1:00 PM 2:00 PM 7:00 PM 1:00 PM 2:00 PM 7:00 PM 1:00 PM 2:00 PM 7:00 PM 1:00 PM
Saturday Sunday Wednesday Saturday Sunday Wednesday Saturday Sunday Wednesday Saturday Sunday
Keel Boats Dinghies PHRF Keel Boats Dinghies PHRF Keel Boats Dinghies PHRF Keel Boats Dinghies PHRF
Duvoisin, Pete Dyer, Carl
Dugan, Patrick Eldridge, Teresa Barnes, John Garverick, Tom Gill, Harrison Godwin, Tim Gregory, Martin Halley, Mike Keane, Coleman Ives, Bob
Easparam, M. Few, Jonathan George, Steve Fowler, Rob Graham, Eddie Rathjen, John Graves, Mike Healy, Paul Holmquist, Ken Ford, Ed Cline, Scott
Johns, Alan Hitchings, Frank King, Peter
Wednesday
- Saturday
- Keel Boats
JULY
07/01/12 07/04/12 07/07/12 07/08/12 07/11/12 07/14/12 07/15/12 07/18/12 07/21/12 07/22/12 07/25/12 07/28/12 07/29/12
2:00 PM 7:00 PM 1:00 PM 2:00 PM 7:00 PM 1:00 PM 2:00 PM 7:00 PM 1:00 PM 2:00 PM 7:00 PM 1:00 PM 2:00 PM
- Sunday
- Dinghies
PHRF Keel Boats Dinghies PHRF Keel Boats Dinghies PHRF Keel Boats Dinghies PHRF
Humphreys, Monty Holloway, Brian Humphreys, Bill Irwin, Scott Sherman, Steve Jenison, Walt Kuberg, Dieter Kindervater, Kent Jennings, Bill Lesley, Bryson Landers, Josh Klein, Barry
Koch, Fred
Wednesday Saturday Sunday Wednesday Saturday Sunday Wednesday Saturday Sunday Wednesday Saturday Sunday
Manning, Richard Mashburn, James Mason, Brant Matthews, Chris McCroskey, Cindy McFarlan, Dan Irwin, Bill Mies, Jonathan Morgan, Steve Frank Knight
Keel Boats Dinghies
Polidoro, Van
- Powell, Steve
- Lockemann, Fred
NOTE: IFYOU DISCOVERAPROBLEM WITHANY OF THE COMMITTEE OR CHASE BOATS, PLEASE
NOTIFY JOSH LANDERS ASAP (412-303-4219)
IN CASE YOU CANNOT DO YOUR RC DUTY,
BE SURE TO GET
A DEPENDABLE SUBSTITUTE.
Grits & Haggis - cont’ from page 2
complaints, decided it was not a terrible first day’s work.
they called for abandonment and re-set the course yet again. After this, they valiantly pushed forward through four more races, but the wind made the day eventful. Sometimes coming out of the east, then changing totally to the west, there were a wide variety of challenges facing the competitors. Auto-tacking became the expectation of the
day, and there were several races where spinnakers were flown on
what was supposed to be the “up-wind” leg. Even when the wind was supposedly behind the competitors, captains were heard shouting a series of “Hoist the spinnaker,” “No, drop the spinnaker,” “No, hoist the spinnaker,” which caused for a challenge to normal race course strategy.
Two races occurred on Sunday morning, with slightly better wind, and at the end of the event, Rob and Scott found themselves once
again in first place, with Tom and Linda finishing fourth and Bill and Bob finishing seventh.
Sure, in the end, maybe the guys had more fun in the pool Saturday night than they did on the race course, and maybe they decided having a girl along wasn’t soooo bad, as long as she was willing to cook breakfast, but it was still a great weekend of camaraderie and beautiful scenery, with a little sailing thrown in.
Bottom line, the Grits and Haggis travelling trophy, the “coveted” wooden sheep Haggy, returned safely to Chattanooga, and once again, Privateer was well represented at a Flying Scot regatta.
By the end of day one, four races had technically been completed,
and no big surprise, Rob and Scott were in first place. Tom/Linda
and Bill/Bob weren’t far behind, so all six, though voicing lots of
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photos by Jim Davis
across the lake getting into the stronger wind on that shore. Pete Gregory, new to the MC but a great Thistle sailor, led at both marks.
It was the best of times and... After several years of
great wind and 5 race series, we got in only two races. But, Privateer Yacht Club lived up to its legend of throwing great Regattas. MC’s from 8 different clubs participated. Boats came from as far away as Connecticut.
On the last leg, Pete covered Rob forcing him into an area of
no wind and then tacking off for the finish line. Amy Larkin
and Barry Klein rounded the down wind mark almost simultaneously. Sherman held back and outside and was able to cut inside as Amy and Barry left the mark wide. Sherman tacked immediately, going back up the shore he had just come from. He also thought a pontoon boat on this side of the lake was the
finish line. The finish line was actually clear across the lake. But, as luck would have it, the fleet went to a pocket of light air, and Sherman, who now was over standing the finish line,
rode in on a steady breeze for third place. Meanwhile Lucky
Rob picked up a shore breeze and rode over Pete. David Var-
nell sailed two very consistent races for fourth overall with Amy coming in 5th.
First race on Saturday had a nice, long weather leg. Spencer
Wiberley (MBW) led, followed by Pete Gregory (MBW), Chris Cyrul (PYC) and Steve Sherman (MBW). It was a
home town meeting at that mark. One wonders where all the professionals came from. It was pretty much that order at the gates. But, it didn’t last long. The leaders went left. Others followed but going right toward shore paid off big.
We almost got in a second race in on Saturday but “No Races will be started after……” ended that thought. The Race in-
structions have been modified for 2013 eliminating that sen-
tence. If there is wind and light, we sail.
Top Master award went to Kurt Stadele and the Grand Master award went to Mike Neidig. Our NOR passes the age awards
on to the next highest finisher who does not rank in the top five
trophy places.
On Sunday morning the Gals in the kitchen fixed eggs, big
homemade biscuits, grits, gravy, bacon, sausage, coffee and OJ - you’re typical Southern breakfast. (There was no more
key lime pie. I checked.) The wind filled in on the club side of the lake, and race number 2 was underway. The fleet pretty
well hit the up wind mark at the same time. Event though the gates were across the lake, everyone elected to stay on the club shore in the wind as long as they could. Only Sherman headed
Starting with last place each sailor chose from a table one of
30 prizes donated my McLaughlin Boat works. As an added
surprise T shirts were later sent to each participant. (MBW): McLaughlin Boat Works
~ Steve Sherman
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your overall course length would be 4 x .75 NM, or 3 NM
(rhumb line distance). If you assume that the downwind leg takes ¾ the time that the windward leg takes, then your overall
race duration is approximately 15 + 11.25 + 15 + 11.25 (downwind finish) or 52 ½ minute race! That’s just about perfect in
my book. Of course that’s nice to know the distance between
the start line and first mark, but how do you gauge that on the
water? A good GPS is very helpful, and maybe someday we’ll have one installed on our pontoon boat. A good chart plotter would let you get really accurate. But, there is a simpler way to do this. How fast does the pontoon boat go? If you know that, then you can derive how long it would take to set a ¾ mile leg. A little test drive has revealed that the committee boat
will go 14.2 MPH flat out, and 10.2 at “cruise” speed. Cruise
speed for this test was achieved by advancing the throttle so that the middle of the white stripe on the inside face of the throttle lever aligned with the rounded knuckle on the throttle control mount.
WE NEED LONGER RACES
The racing season is in full swing, and we are getting great turn out on the race course for both Saturday, Sunday and Wednesday opportunities. We’re also getting our race committees to show up, which is a big improvement from recent years. All
of us who race appreciate this, which is why it is difficult to
direct any criticism at the RC. So please don’t view this as a complaint, but more as customer feedback.
Twenty five years ago, the racing was somewhat different at
PYC. Saturday keelboat racing was all based on channel markers, and the Snipe and Highlander classes sailed Olympic or triangle courses. For the most part, a race would be at least 45 minutes long, but many times, especially in the PHRF class, it would be an hour and a half. There are probably a handful of old “PYC Sailing Instruction” handouts that reference time
limits, 30 minutes to the windward mark, 1-1/2 hours for the first boat to finish. These rules were in place for a good reason,
and they got enforced every once in a while. We also threw in a good number of “long distance races” to Patton Island. These races were challenging and allowed a crew time and opportunity to play the wind, work on sail trim and tactics and work together as a team. Sometimes they were an endurance contest
as well. Drifting around Selcer light with 3 miles to go to the finish can be tough, but that’s part of racing.
To place a buoy ¾ of a nautical mile to windward, simply set your starting pin, point the bow of the boat into the wind, and drive for 5 minutes at “cruise” speed. That will put you in the
ballpark. If you want to set a modified windward leeward, set your starting pin, and drive into the wind for 2-1/2 minutes. Set the leeward mark or gate 2-1/2 minutes the other side of
the starting area. If you are using channel markers, just try and get a proper overall length of course by adding the distance be-
tween the buoys. Setting a course of approximately 3 nautical miles is a good start to getting a 50 minute race.
Lately however, it seems as if we’ve decided to shorten all of our race courses down to a bare minimum time and distance.
A few weeks ago I participated in a race that was only 14 minutes long. I can see Opti prams doing this, but 20 to 30 foot
keelboats? There have been many races over the last couple of years that resembled this one, and I know that if you ask the sailors who have been at this a while, they will almost always disapprove of this kind of race. I’m not sure where this comes from. Do race committees just want to see how many “sprints” they can get in on a given day? Are they in a hurry to get through with RC duty and go back to the air conditioning? Whatever the reason, it is degrading the quality of the racing to the point that something needs to be said. So I’ll say it, respectfully. Please make the races longer! How long? A good race
course for dinghies should take 45 minutes. It should take 15
minutes, at least, to get to a weather mark. For keelboats, you could use the same guideline as a minimum, but an hour long race is better in my mind.
Now I know that not everyone agrees with the idea of longer courses, but a short course favors the boats that get great starts, and favors smaller, higher PHRF handicap boats. A 26 foot Impulse can’t stretch its legs enough to be competitive in
a 20 minute race. So what if you set a race course designed to be run in 50 minutes, and the wind dies half way through
the race? You have two great options. First, shorten course at a turning mark. Second, abandon the race entirely. I would rather see a fair race attempted and cancelled, than score a race that’s a joke. If you are a racer and feel as I do, don’t hesitate to politely and respectfully suggest that the RC should lengthen the course if you feel it is too short. The races are being run for the racers aren’t they?
~ Rob Fowler
NEW BOATING STORE
IN TOWN
How do you judge the proper distance between marks for the desired duration? Of course it depends on wind speed and the
average speed of your fleet around the course. We can make
some reasonable assumptions however, and derive an overall length for a particular leg. For brevity’s sake I won’t go through the math, but it turns out that if you assume an average boat speed of 5 knots, the windward mark should be approximately .75 nautical miles to windward of the start line, if you desire
a 15 minute windward leg. Obviously the distance would be
shortened if you are sailing in lighter breeze, or racing slower boats. From my experience, a ¾ mile windward leg is usually close to being right. So on a two lap windward-leeward course,
Boaters Plus has opened at 5950 Shallowford Rd.
That’s across the road from the old Red Food Store warehouses. They’ve got a limited line of marine supplies in the store but have a web site and say they can get anything you order in a couple of days with
no shipping charges. Phone; 591-6460, ext. 801
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photos by barbara snyder
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The 15th Annual Northern Gulf Coast Cruise,
sponsored by Catalina 22 Fleet 77 at Ft. Walton Yacht Club
and the Catalina 22 National Association May 11-18, 2012,
may well have been the best NGCC ever! Twenty two boats participated. Seven from our own Chattanooga Fleet 95 trailered down to Florida. These included Kent & Jane Over-
beck on Leap Frog, Josh & Katie Landers on Per Diem, Bob & Kathy Bissel on their unnamed boat, Scott and Mari- lyn Irwin on Galapagos, Jonathan and Alison Few on Fire Fly, Dieter & Evelyn Kuberg on Wind Chaser and Pete & Barbara Snyder on Windabout.
noise makers and tall tales of their single escapades. Tuesday morning brought a great show by the Navy’s Blue Angels as they practiced their routines right over and around our masts.
Next stop on Tuesday was at Bear Point Marina in Alabama.
Some of the fleet stopped just short of Bear Point at Pirates’
Cove, where Jimmy Buffet wrote “Cheeseburger in Paradise.” We were provided with some outstanding “Cajun” entertainment by the Captain and crew of St. Benedict from Lake Ponchartrain. Skipper Louis thought he could ease over a sand bar and glide into the beaching area at Pirates’Cove, but clearance was not there. He did make it off the bar with assistance from Josh and Jonathan, who swam out to help amidst the cheers and whistles of those enjoying cheeseburgers on the deck. Hardly a dull moment!
Other boats included a mom and dad with two daughters from Texas on one C-22 and a Florida boat with a mom and dad with four small dogs that managed to get sea sick one day...
After a windy start that had some of the wives rockin’ too
much in Choctawatchee Bay, thunderstorms the first night, and
a nearby waterspout on Mother’s Day at Spectre Island in the Intracoastal Waterway, the wind settled out and we all had a
great time. During that first 24 hours two boats also sustained fires. Our alcohol stove ignited in the stiff breeze, and another boat had an electrical fire enroute. Thankfully, a wet towel took care of the stove fire and the electrical was discovered
and extinguished before any serious damage occurred.
Wednesday, as we sailed back to the Pensacola Beach area,
eight boats took the outside route in the Gulf for 15 miles.
That turned out to be very calm and they had to motor most of the way. The Pensacola Beach Yacht Club fed us supper with a most generous pot luck buffet.
