Menu

Top
Close Mobile Navigation

Sail1Design

You are here: Home / Archives for Sail1Design Editor

Sail1Design Editor

2019 505 World Championship Results & Report

by Leave a Comment


American teams take the top 4 spots!!
While most of us are still recovering from a gluttonous holiday season, Mike Martin and Adam Lowry were busy winning a world championship. Full results HERE.  The 2019 Worlds for the International 505 Class are taking place in Freemantle, Australia.  With one day to go, Martin and Lowry have mathematically secured their victory.  This is the fourth world championship for Martin and the 2nd for Lowry.  For the uninitiated, the Martin/Lowry duo put on a clinic this past summer at the North Americans in San Francisco.  Their prowess in the breeze is undeniable, and unmatched by any other team right now. Read more on the 505 website

2019 Lightning Youth Boat Grant Program Applications Open!

by Leave a Comment


The International Lightning Class is accepting applications for the 2019 Boat Grant Program!

The International Lightning Class will loan three competitive Lightnings to promising young sailors for the 2019 summer sailing season. The grant covers all regatta entry fees, boat insurance, some travel money and we also provide you with a competitive boat, great sails and a mentor to help get you started. You’d be provided with all you’d need to compete at the highest level! The Lightning Class Boat Grant Program provides sailors like yourselves, who maybe can’t afford to buy and campaign a competitive 3-person dinghy like the Lightning, with all they need to sail against some of the very best racers in the World!

Who should apply?

You should! You and your team must each be at least 19 years old. You should be motivated to try to take on the challenge of competing in one of the most competitive One-Design classes in the US and assemble a team to campaign in a number of highly competitive regattas around the country! You would be selected by a panel of experienced Lightning sailors based on the proposals that each team submits and through an interview process.

What do I get out of the program?

You get to augment your college sailing experience with skills that are not normally associated with college sailing. A strong emphasis on boat speed, rig tuning and sail trim, spinnakers, shifting gears, longer course tactical and strategic decision making are all part of Lightning racing. You get to travel with your team to a number of regattas all over the country. You also get to make friends with a new sphere of sailors and business professionals who might be able to help you in a broad range of ways after college.

FIND OUT MORE

New for 2019: Check Out The McLaughlin Pro Race Team!!

by Leave a Comment

McLaughlin Boat Works, the premier American builder of the Optimist for over 25 years and proud sponsor of the Opti Sailor of the Year Award, is pleased to announce The McLaughlin Pro Race Team. Our intention is to foster the development of the top talent in the nation and provide the sailors, their families, and coaches with all of the resources they need to succeed on the national and international level. With over 50 years of combined experience in our sales and support team, your sailors are in the best hands.

Each year at Team trials, we select the top 5 sailors who use our boat.  Placing well in a regatta isn’t the only way to get selected. We know some sailors have good regattas and bad regattas throughout the year so if you sailor has a bad trials, don’t worry, they are probably still on our radar.  Being selected for the team has a few perks listed below.

New for 2019:

– Sail the official charter boat of 2019 Worlds and North Americans!

– International Team Riders – Come see who we have selected to represent McLaughlin at Orange Bowl. We have reached out to the top sailors from Canada, the Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, and Puerto Rico to represent our International Pro Race Team.

– We know that coaches are one of the most important driving factors behind your sailor’s success. We want to make their jobs easier, and getting them on the water in a great coach boat is one way to do that. We will extend preference of our fleet of charter Kiwi 4.8 coach boats to the coaches of Team McLaughlin sailors.

As part of this team we have several requirement that sailors are expected to abide by:

  • Agree to code of conduct, same as USNT
  • Compete with Pro Racing Team Decal when available
  • Occasional posts to various social media
  • “Thank-you” to McLaughlin as a sponsor when speaking on the podium
  • Agree to use of name and likeness to promote the McLaughlin brand

These easy requirements will give them access to some of the best support available in the boat park.

  • Use of a new Pro Racer hull, built to sailor specifications, for the full calendar year that we will deliver to most USODA Regattas.
  • Sailing Kit provided by Magic Marine
  • 50% off on Charters and truck boats as well as first option on PRO hulls when truck boats are not available.
  • Concierge boat repair and speed prep before all events, have the same guys that build your boat, go over it and bring it up to shape before each major regatta.

Want to learn more? Contact Us!!

US Coast Guard Academy is Hiring a Full-time Offshore Coach!

by Leave a Comment


The United States Coast Guard Academy is accepting applications for the position of Offshore Sailing Coach. The U. S. Coast Guard Academy is situated on more than 100 acres of rolling hills on the west bank of the Thames River in historic New London, Connecticut.

We are looking for a highly self motivated individual with sailing and teaching/coaching

experience at the collegiate level or equivalent. Successful experience racing one-designs, PHRF and IRC level racing and offshore sailing are preferred qualifications. The individual should be able to use proven and innovative coaching methods to help us achieve our ultimate goal of a high participation, safe and result oriented varsity sailing program.

For more information and to apply, please see our Offshore Sailing Coach Job Ad !

Vineyard Haven Yacht Club is Hiring!!

by Leave a Comment

Vineyard Haven Yacht Club, located on the island of Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts is searching for a Sailing Program Director to oversee and advance our 2019 summer sailing programs. For more information and to apply, please see our job listing HERE.
Just about everything to do with the Vineyard Haven Yacht Club is not what you would imagine when you think of the word “yacht club.” No blue blazers, white trousers, or officer’s caps. Not even a clubhouse for the first twenty years of its existence. Just a crack sailing program that’s fielded three Olympic racers and captured an improbably large net tonnage of regional and national trophies going back more than seventy years – the North American Junior Championship six times between the 1930s and 1950s, for instance. The focus, from its first days on the water in 1928, has been on kids, on teaching them how to sail and race and letting them have fun along the shoreline. Its a wonderful way to grow up. You make lifelong friends.

Vineyard Haven Yacht Club was incorporated in 1928. The primary objective of the Club was and continues to be yachting with tennis, swimming and other sports and activities included as secondary objectives. The original building was owned by Charles Norton and was known as The Casino. It is on the beach at Owen Little Way in Vineyard Haven, Massachusetts. Mr. Norton owned an Inn on the corner of Main Street and Owen Little Way and leased the beach property to the Yacht Club for several years before the Yacht Club purchased the location. The Board of Governors looked for land or a building on the waterfront for a number of years. The original two-story building was condemned at the end of the 1966 season as unsafe. Tom Hale designed a one story building which opened for the 1967 season and lasted through 2008. The current two-story building opened for the 2009 season.

Sightsailing of Newport, RI is Hiring!!

by Leave a Comment

Sightsailing of Newport is the oldest, locally-owned company offering sailing cruises in Newport. We strive to give you a fun sailing experience and show you the best of Newport Harbor and Narragansett Bay! For more information and to apply for Licensed Captain and Unlicensed Day Crew positions, click HERE.

Sightsailing of Newport is a 30 year old company located on Bowen’s Wharf in Newport, Rhode Island. We offer public sails and private charters aboard three boats ranging from Starlight, an O’Day 34 which sails with 2-6 guests, Sightsailer, a custom one off which sails with up to 13 guests and Aquidneck, an 80′ schooner which can sail with a whopping total of 49. All boats offer sails ranging from 1 1/2 hour to 2 hours 4-5 times a day. 
Come sail Newport, Rhode Island and Narragansett Bay, where you’ll find some of the finest sailing in the world. We offer daily scheduled public sailing cruises, sunset sails and private sailing charters aboard three beautiful vessels. You’ll see stately seaside estates, world famous yachts and America’s Cup racers all against the stunning backdrop of a historic colonial town and picturesque, rocky shoreline.  Sailing in Newport is fantastic.

2018 Trofeo Ciutat de Palma Optimist Regatta Report & Results

by Leave a Comment


With only one American registered out of over 400 entries in the Optimist, Europe Dinghy, 420, and Laser 4.7 classes, the 68th Trofeo Palma was most decidedly a European event. The list of competitors was nonetheless very impressive; our countries lone entry was 2018 Optimist World Team member Tommy Sitzmann, who made the trek to this beautiful Mediterranean island to compete and meet up again with some friends he’s made in the Optimist class. Initial reports coming in from Mallorca are very positive; this was a very competitive event run by a great race committee, with an incredibly friendly and gracious host club. Best of all the host club was wonderfully accommodating, the kids also very friendly, and the venue, well, beautiful. If you ever get a chance, put this one on your calendar! Regatta report below courtesy of the Royal Nautical Club of Palma:

The Majorcan regatta sailor María Perelló (Club Nàutic S’Arenal) added a new title to her list by winning the 68th Ciutat de Palma Bufete Frau Trophy, the “mundialito” held these days under the organization of the Royal Club Náutico de Palma (RCNP) with the presence of several of the best international sailors of the Optimist class. The women’s Top Girl in 2017 and 2018 remained on the lookout for the lead in the first two days and finally assaulted it today, in the third, with strong west wind and strong waves.With almost 280 Optimists, the fleet was divided into three groups. After 2 days of qualifying racing (4 races per fleet), the wind blew generously from the west in the Balearic capital from early in the morning on the final day, which began to record gusts of more than 20 knots. All classes were able to finish three races and return to port before 3:00 p.m. Manu Fraga, sports director of RCNP, said he was very satisfied with the development of the competition, especially on the last day. “The dates of the Ciutat de Palma,” he said, “are very good because they coincide with a bridge, but the weather in December is always an unknown. This year we have been lucky: we had a day with a moderate wind, another weak day and today strong, so no one can say that he has not found the conditions that are better. “
Favorites of the Optimist fleet did not fail in almost any condition. They are the best in the world for good reason. Maria Perelló, the winner, chained partial results (2+ [6] + 1 + 1 + 1 + 2 + 2) and ended up taking an advantage of  eight points to second place, the American Thomas Sitzmann (1 + 5 + 1 + 1 + [9] + 4 + 5), fifth in the world and leader on the penultimate day, and third, the Maltese Richard Schultheis, fourth in the last World Cup and seeded of the trophy, which ended up earning the bronze, or third place overall. For complete results, visit the RESULTS SHEET.

In Laser 4.7 there were no surprises and Isidro Codoñer (RCN Valencia) was comfortable with the victory (2 + 2 + 2 + 2 + 2 + [59] +1) to be able to discard a black flag in the penultimate race. The silver went to Justo Martinez (CN Arenal), who was five points behind the champion. Robert Keal (CN El Balis), with a disadvantage of 34 points with respect to the head, was awarded the bronze medal. The winner in the female category was Gemma Llamas (RCNP), seventh in the overall general classification.

The Europa class, which was returning to the Ciutat de Palma Trophy after several years of absence as a scoring event of its national ranking, offered a great show and proved its validity as a single vessel. Marc Tello Pons (CN El Balis) was the absolute winner with a counter of 1 + 3 + 4 + [11] + 2 + 3 + 5 and an advantage of only two points over the runner-up, Alejandro Pareja (RCN Torrevieja), and six with respect to the third classified, Oriol Piña (CN Estartit).
Laura Homar and Mar Fuster (CNA – RCNP) met the predictions and remained at the forefront of class 420. The Mallorquins, in three days of competition, and with eight contested events, totaled 12 net points with a partial of 2 + 2 + 1 + 3 + 13 [UFD] + 1 + 1 + 2. The second position went to Marina Lladó and Ángela Serra (CN Sa Ràpita – CNA), with 17 points, while the third place went to Lucía Ruiz and María Munar (RCNP), with 24 points.

The Ciutat de Palma Trophy concluded with the awards ceremony held in the regatta village with the presence of the Deputy Mayor for Sports, Susanna Moll; the president of RCNP, Javier Sanz; its commodore, Juan Besalduch, and José Carlos Frau, CEO of Bufete Frau, sponsor of the event. María Perelló raised the silver caravel on whose base her name will be inscribed and which she credits as the absolute winner of the Ciutat de Palma Trophy Bufete Frau, one of the few Optimist regattas that she had left to win.

Palm Beach Sailing Club is Hiring!!

by Leave a Comment

Palm Beach Sailing Club is a not-for-profit private club in West Palm Beach, FL. The club is located on the Intracoastal Waterway with a short sail to ocean access. PBSC teaches sailing to youth ages 7-17 through a variety of programs including a year-round recreational program, Opti and 420 race teams as well as weekly summer camps from June to August. Exciting news: he Club is searching for a full-time Youth Sailing Director! For more information on this position and to apply, please visit the job ad HERE.

Here at Palm Beach Sailing Club, we feel that sailing has many benefits. Not only does sailing keep you physically active, it builds character and teaches independence, self-confidence, honesty, self-reliance, discipline, perseverance and respect for yourself, others, and your environment. Sailing is unique as it is a sport that you can continue at any age.

Mission
The objective of the club shall be to develop, encourage and stimulate interest in sailing in the Palm Beach County area, to promote fellowship and camaraderie among local and visiting sailors, and to offer sailing education and training to members and others.

Our History
The Palm Beach Sailing Club was founded in 1966 by sailors who wished to promote the sport in West Palm Beach. As the oldest club in the area, the PBSC offers its members many sailing related services and an active social calendar. The clubhouse is a waterfront residence built in the 1920s and offers a panoramic view of the Intracoastal Waterway and neighboring Palm Beach.

International Regattas: Experience, Friendships and Team Work

by Leave a Comment


By Airwaves writer Bernat Gali
I’ve recently come back from Pwllheli, Wales, after coaching one of the USA Summer International Teams which participated at the Volvo Gill Open Optimist British Nationals. This is so far my 4th International Regatta with Team USA, and considering I’ve barely been 3 years coaching in the US and just a year and a half leading an Opti Program, I’m quite happy with the amount of the Regattas coached and the coaches I’ve had the pleasure to work with during each of them.

But I’m not here to talk about me (just giving some background before I throw out my opinion about something), this time I’d like to give my two cents about the USODA International Teams and in my humble and personal opinion, what it takes to smoothly run one of these Teams and have a successful event (at all levels, from results to logistics).

The particular way USODA runs these Teams (the Selection Process is fantastic and pretty fair) requires parents to confirm and pay in advance any coaching fees, boat charters, entry fees…basically anything which could become an expense it’s covered by a Team Budget, so, since the beginning, it’s easy to have everything pre-booked and confirm it right away after the Team is complete.

Why do I mention this? Simple, by booking straight away parents only have to book their own personal logistics (flights, hotels, car rental) and the hustle is way less. Then Coaches step up and start organizing everything sailing related. Here’s where I find communication is key and specially if it’s a large Team (3 Coaches needed) it is essential selected Coaches get together before anything goes out. Each Coach is different and it’s important to set up guidelines in between the Coaching Team before we communicate with our customers at the start, parents.

I’ve noticed how important it is set up expectations and to inform everyone about everything they might be questioning themselves: venue, food, transport, equipment, gear…not only to the Team Leader but anyone who asks. Any question is important as a confident and well informed parent is a better prepared and trustful sailor at the event. The more Coaches spend preparing the Team the easier it is to lead all sailors and parents at the venue.

Two of the most difficult aspects of managing 15 to 20 sailors, in my opinion, are the following:

  1. Sailors and sailing experience
  2. Parents, personalities and expectations
  3. Coaches style

Starting with sailors, usually you don’t know more than a half of the sailors, maybe more, as you’ve never coached them before or never really noticed them sailing. Traveling a few days earlier to the venue provides Coaches with a great chance to get to know each of the sailors and start figuring out what kind of approach will better help them achieve their goals at the event. Every sailor’s got a different, personality, style, experience and goals, and Coaches need to speed up the process so the first day we are ready to help them 100%. We talk, we study, we take notes, but the expedited process means a higher chance of mistakes. We live with it and do our best.

About parents, well what can I say that I haven’t said before? They are our first costumers as they are the main and only sponsors for sailors and Coaches to attend this kind of events, and I’d like to think each family needs time with the Coach alone at least once, as many things they want to share or talk about are to be kept between Coach/sailor/parent. Something I find particularly hard to deny is the fact that Coaches bond better with other Parents, and honestly it doesn’t mean we only like John or Mike, but we have a similar personality and we try to have fun as well. I personally try hard in splitting my coaching time even between all sailors, as they all deserve my attention no matter what.

Finally, same way a Coach bonds better with a particular parent, Coaches find it easier to work with some sailors. Please do not misunderstand me, I’m not saying this particular Coach only likes to coach Sarah or Phil…but again, I believe the sailor is more used to an approach that only one of the 3 Coaches at the event brings, and he feels more comfortable with him/her.

To bring an end to this opinion, I believe it is all about perception and communication. The exchange of information keeps everyone in the loop (with the Team Leader, with parents onshore, with sailors offshore) and prevents steps back that might affect the sailors performance at the venue, really what matters and the reason parents sign up sailors for the Teams and Coaches are selected: to place the best they can, to gain experience internationally and to really create memories everyone will carry forever.

Bernat Gali Bou
Lakewood Yacht Club Head Opti Coach
USNT Opti Coach
S1D Airwaves Writer

Sachem’s Head Yacht Club is Hiring!

by 1 Comment

Sachem’s Head Yacht Club is located on the Connecticut shore of Long Island Sound, in Guilford, Connecticut. Sachem’s Head’s Junior Sailing Program is a successful sailing program with 75 sailors from ages 6 to 16. The program’s strengths are in fostering a love of sailing and respect for the water; teaching sailing, seamanship, and basic racing; and inspiring kids through fun, learning, confidence, and growth. We offer racing options and recreational sailing options for all sages. SHYC is hiring! SHYC is also offering on-site housing in the club house for sailing coaches!! For more information and application directions CLICK HERE!

Our classes include sea-squirts, beginner sailing, adventure sailing, intermediate sailing, and Opti and 420 racing. Our fleets include 30 Optis (privately owned), 6 Club-420s (plus additional privately owned 420s), 4 RS FEVAS, 6 OpenBICs, paddleboards, and a strong adult racing fleet of Lasers and Sonars. Our Junior Sailing team is comprised of six paid instructors/coaches and five club-member, volunteer “junior instructors”. STEM/REACH modules are integrated into all of our classes. Our safety coaching motorboat fleet includes two new RIBs, 13’ Whalers, and more.

Our program runs for 8 weeks, from late-June to mid-August. We offer housing on site in our club house for up to 4 instructors each summer. Pay is competitive and based on experience and years of instruction.

A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE SACHEMS HEAD YACHT CLUB

Whenever two sailboats meet , there is always a race , even if it is only in one of the cockpits. Such was the case in those formative years in the late 1800’s. The Club was founded in 1896, and the flag was designed in1897. The SHYC Corporation was founded in 1898 in order to fund and build the Clubhouse. Building activity went on with additions till 1901. In 1902 a windmill and ‘water tower’ were added. Various races ,regattas, and cruises were held from Rhode Island to New York. The breakwater was started in 1908 , “and the rock sunk into the mud as fast as it was dropped overboard”. The Hurricane of 1938 took off the top floor of the Clubhouse , and gave us the structure we basically have today. There have been any number of classes raced at the SHYC. There were the ‘Sachem Headers’ , a gaff rigged boat. There have been Zips , Stars , Eastern Interclubs , Lightnings , and the many classes racing today. The Sachems Head Yacht club prides itself on being a sailing club with a great ‘junior program’ to continue this tradition.

2018 Optimist Midwinter Championship Report & Results

by 1 Comment


24 November 2018, New Orleans, LA – They say that back in the early 70’s,  Times-Picayune columnist Betty Guillard coined the term “Big Easy” to contrast life in New Orleans to life in the “Big Apple”, New York City. What a fitting term for this great city, and also one for the 2018 USODA Optimist Midwinter Championship.
With Event Chair Duff Friend’s steady and experienced hand at the wheel, the regatta went off without a hitch, despite some light & fickle wind and a massive dock/bulkhead construction project underway at Southern Yacht Club. Club members and race administrators were cool, organized, friendly, accommodating,  and, well, just plain nice. Hospitality? Heck yes! Competitors arrived on Friday morning to find the Cafe du Monde Beignet Bus on station to deliver their hot coffee and world-famous Beignets to an adoring crowd…. gratis! We also had a marvelous Thanksgiving dinner in the palatial club dining room on the third floor Thursday evening, the Saints won (I believe our third place overall finisher, and Saints fan, was at the game..?), and Sail1Design is here to report that all is well in New Orleans at the Southern Yacht Club. They made a very Big regatta… look very Easy. Pass a good time!
The RC PRO Todd Fedyszyn was able to eek out five races in the first two days of sailing to complete a qualifying round, not an easy task when one considers one race actually means three races.* Conditions on both days found a wavering easterly shifting a bunch, with normal Lake Ponchartrain chop. The 2018 Opti Midwinters also served as the USODA Spring Team Qualifier, which added interest, competition, and nervousness, so the racing was very competitive and tight.
After the preliminary results were in, complete with a drop, the fleet headed into the final day hoping to hold on, or move up in the standings. As it is in sailing, and life, sometimes you have great wind and luck, sometimes not. A NW wind brought in some moist air on Saturday morning, and also heavy fog that was so thick at times, it would have made Jean Lafitte smile. While this former Maine resident felt right at home, it was not a great forum for Optimist

There are 234 Optimists in this photo!

Sailing. Eventually the skies cleared and the wind stayed…. long enough for one Gold race. The other fleets were not so lucky. They started, but never completed their race, and the RC wisely abandoned racing for the day and allowed all to head in. That last Gold race provided lots of nervous excitement, and shuffled the Gold fleet a bit. When the results were finalized, Tommy Sitzmann emerged at the finish with a 6th, good enough to claim the title of 2018 Midwinter Champion. He was followed by Lauderdale Yacht Club teammates Jack Redmond in second, and Saints fan Gil Hackel in third.
Southern Yacht Club and USODA, thank you! Go Saints!

*USODA normally splits large fleets (in this case 234 competitors) into divisions. Division splits change from day 1 to 2 to allow different sailor combinations in the fleets. Each division (in this case 3 divisions of 78 boats) then must have 5 races each to allow for a discard, and then a final fleet division into Gold (championship), Silver, and Bronze fleets. So, 5 races in the qualifying round actually means 15 races total.

TOP 10 OVERALL:
1. Tommy Sitzmann, Lauderdale YC

Regatta winner Tommy Sitzmann

2. Jack Redmond, Lauderdale YC
3. Gil Hackel, Lauderdale YC
4. Griggs Diemar, Coral Reef YC
5. Jonathan Siegel, Coral Reef YC
6. Sebastian Spinelli-Sax, CERT
7. Katharine Doble, California YC
8. Samara Walshe, Edgartown  YC, LISOT
9. Freddie Parkin, Coral Reef YC
10. Johnny Ciffolillo, Key Biscayne YC, RIOT
Final Gold Results

Final Silver/Bronze Results

TOP GIRL
– Katharine Doble, California YC

Katharine Doble

BLUE FLEET WINNER
-Gil Hackel

WHITE FLEET WINNER
-James Pine, Lakewood YC

Norfolk Yacht & Country Club is Hiring!

by Leave a Comment

Exciting news!!  Norfolk Yacht and Country Club is looking to hire a Head Coach starting in 2019. This position is a year-round, full-time, salaried position reporting to the Waterfront Director. To learn more and apply please visit our job ad HERE.
NYCC is in a major growth phase and is looking for the right applicant with a proven record of strong coaching and communication skills to enhance all adult waterfront programs and propel our Jr Sailing Program to the next level with Opti sailors ranging from Green Fleet beginners to those competing regularly in national USODA regattas.
The Head Coach will provide high-quality year round coaching to junior sailors, Opti racers and club members, maintain sail and powerboats and work with the Waterfront Director on day-to-day operations.

We are very proud of our history and our rich traditions here at the Club. We have a diverse membership with a variety of family, social and recreational activities, dining, tennis, fitness, and fun aquatic and youth programs. We pride ourselves on the camaraderie amongst one another and our strong ties for our Club.
Our Club is uniquely located on the Lafayette River on Hampton Boulevard between Old Dominion University and the Norfolk Naval Station.
The NYCC’s Junior Sailing Program is the oldest running summer program at the club; with a rich history, spanning over 65 years, the junior program boasts an array of alumni and coaches that range from CBYRA champions, to College All-Americans and even an Olympic Gold Medalist!
NYCC sailing programs offer a variety of classes to meet the needs of different skilled sailors. We are now running year-around sailing! The main focus of our instruction is summer; however we are now offering an avenue for Opti racers and Laser racers to keep continuing to sail and race during the non-summer months. Give your child the unique opportunity to make new friends, learn to sail and gain confidence and independence on the water. Each year we have over 100 young sailors participate in our summer programs. Sailing is a sport for life!

One Design Classes

Browse our extensive list of one design classes.
View Profiles