Club Profile: Beaufort Yacht & Sailing Club
News Flash! Beaufort is Hiring!
Beaufort Yacht & Sailing Club is located on the Beaufort River, a part of the Intracoastal Waterway, in the heart of Beaufort, SC. The stunning sunset views are the background to our location. We offer an array of activities including sailing, motorboating, tennis (Professional lessons available), swimming, rowing, kayaking and paddleboarding. Affordable sailboat and motorboat storage is available for our members.
We are members of US Sailing and SAYRA. We host several popular regattas like the Jean Ribaut, Lowcountry and the D-12 Laser regattas.
Beaufort Yacht & Sailing is host to the Junior Sailing of Beaufort, where they provide certified instruction to our youth, the future sailors of BYSC and abroad.
Every year, Beaufort Yacht & Sailing offers our highly acclaimed Summer Camp program for children, members and non-members, ages 5 – 12. An array of exciting activities for the children including shark tooth hunting, swimming, sailing, tennis lessons, tubing, and our marine biology week. (Some activities are limited to older children only.)
Come join us every Friday as members and guests gather for casual get-togethers on the back porch. We are a diverse and casual group. Help us bring in the end of another fine week in Beaufort. The conch horn sounds at sunset! See you there.
What makes your organization unique?
Location! The personality of the BYSC club and its members are heavily influenced by the club’s location. Beaufort SC is in the heart of the “Low Country” which can only be described as one of the most beautiful places on earth. Water is visible from almost any location in Beaufort with extensive rivers, marshes, estuaries, and of course the “Sea Islands”. The people of Beaufort are friendly and “see ya on the river” is more fitting, and more often used, than “see ya later”. Beaufort has rich and colorful history including the site of what might have been the first European settlement in the continental United States (http://www.sciway.net/sc-photos/beaufort-county/port-royal.html ) and many historically important Civil War sites.
Why is working at Beaufort special?
In one word, “Passion”. Junior Sailing Of Beaufort is passionate about sailing and we want kids to learn to sail and love to sail. We are a volunteer organization that exists because we are all passionate sailors. We are also passionate about competitive sailing and regularly host many regattas including national championship regattas.
What else goes on in Beaufort that makes it an attractive place to be?
“Beaufort Water Festival” is the biggy! See http://bftwaterfestival.com/ for more details on the month+ long festival including concerts, a regatta (hosted by BYSC), a golf tournament, fishing tournament, 5K and 15K runs, water ski exhibition and culminating in fireworks, a parade, and an air show by the Blue Angels. Side note – the Water Festival tradition was has its roots in the Water Festival Regatta hosted by BYSC. If the Water Festival is not enough there are Oyster Festivals, Shrimp Festivals, Soft Shell crab festivals … we like our festivals!
News Flash! Beaufort is Hiring!
Club History:
The roots of sailing go back many years in the Beaufort area. A Beaufort Yacht and Sailing Club was organized as early as 1884, according to records found in the 100-year time capsule that was opened at the County Courthouse in 1984. It is known that the Beaufort Yacht Club was chartered on August 28, 1908. Its purpose was to sponsor sailboat racing and to serve as a social club for the local citizens. From that time until World War I, sailing was a very popular sport and many exciting races were held in the Beaufort River. During the war, the sport declined and formal races were discontinued. There were many informal races among the oyster boats, however, and since sailing was a popular form of transportation between the islands, there were many impromptu races. In 1929 the Beaufort Yacht Club purchased a 25-foot scow, the “Betty B,” and sponsored the first formal races in years. Five boats, representing Charleston, Rockville, James Island, Savannah, and Beaufort, participated. Since then, regattas have been held in the Beaufort River at least once a year. During the 1930s, the annual regatta was the big social event of the year. The regattas were three-day affairs, Wednesday through Friday, with dances and banquets each night for the participating sailors. The South Atlantic Yacht Racing Association (SAYRA) was organized during a meeting in Beaufort in 1936 or 1937. The Beaufort Yacht Club was an original member. The late F.W. Scheper of Beaufort was SAYRA Commodore in 1939. During the 1950s, however, the Club lost all interest in sailing events. It came into financial difficulties, failed to pay the annual SAYRA dues, and was dropped from membership. Sail boating reached a low ebb in local waters, and at one time, the only active participants in competitive races were five high school boys who owned Moths. These five, Michael Jones, Ricky Pollitzer, Kemper Powell, Tommy Stokes and Jim Thomas Jr., refused to give up and, through their insistence; interested citizens organized the Beaufort Sailing Club in 1955 and sponsored local races. In 1962, the club was issued a charter by the Stateof South Carolina. During this period the Beaufort Sailing Club petitioned for membership in SAYRA and was accepted, taking the place earlier held by the Beaufort Yacht Club. The popularity of local sailing increased even more when the Municipal Parking Lot was constructed on Bay Street. The city allowed the Sailing Club to build boat racks for the storage of Sailfish and Sunfish. (This property is now a part of the Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park and overlooks the downtown marina.) This made sailing more accessible, and boats no longer had to be stored on the river bank or on shore near the homes of friends. By 1964 the club had well over 100 racing sailboats registered in its membership—seven Y-Flyers, six Moths, thirty Sailfish, and eighty-five Sunfish! And its only headquarters was the parking lot.
In 1967 the Beaufort Sailing Club was selected to host the SAYRA Championship Regatta in August. James G. Thomas Sr. of Beaufort was SAYRA Commodore that year. The Beaufort Sailing Club officers realized that theirs was the only club that did not have a club house. So the wheels began to turn, and in a few weeks adequate pledges were in hand to purchase a 12-acre tract on Lady’s Island, two miles below Beaufort on Meridian Road, for $32,000. The property included the former home of Mr. and Mrs. Irving E. Kinghorn, built about 1940.
The Beaufort Sailing Club was renamed The Beaufort Yacht & Sailing Club and became the local SAYRA organization, whose purpose was “to further sports and sportsmanship. ” Within a few weeks a letter was sent to the Corps of Engineers requesting permission to build a dock; the boat racks were moved from the downtown parking lot to the new location; a screened porch was added to the river side of the house, a flagpole raised, and by August all was in readiness to host the big SAYRA Regatta! Twelve thousand dollars had been spent on renovations and construction. The original BYSC dues were $50 per year; and, as of October 1967, there were 82 stockholders.
The massive anchor and chain, resting at the foot of the flagpole on the front lawn of the club, were a gift during the early years from the Shipman family in memory of Mr. E.A. Shipman of St. Helena Island. It is believed that it was lost by a four-masted schooner that burned and washed ashore on the south end of Fripp Island in the late 1800s. Shipman Seafood Company retrieved the anchor in 1953 about 500 yards off the beach when it became tangled in the nets of one of their trawlers. When recovered, a part of the wooden stock showed signs of being charred. As recently as 1930, the remains of a wooden schooner still rested in the sand about one-half mile from Skull Inlet. The ribs and backbone, still intact, had been burned. The flagpole in front of the clubhouse once stood at the entrance of the USO Building on Harrington Street, on the block where the County Health Department now stands. The USO was demolished in 1962 and the flagpole put in storage until BYSC obtained it in 1967. In the late 1960′s the design of the official club burgee was conceived by Russell Harley and approved by the board of directors. The white dolphin represents “Carolina Snowball,” an albino bottlenose dolphin that once lived in Beaufort waters. She was later captured and taken to the Miami Seaquarium, over the objections of many Beaufortonians, where she died. According to the August 9, 1962, Beaufort Gazette, Senator Jim Waddell sponsored a bill to prevent the capture of this unique porpoise from our Beaufort County waters. It was found that there was only a ten million to one chance that an albino porpoise would survive in its natural habitat, so she was truly unique! However, her captors allegedly enticed her into Colleton County waters, and captured her there. The blue field of the burgee represents the beautiful blue waters of Beaufort County in which “Carolina Snowball” lived and where so many of us have untold hours of pleasure. As each subsequent year passed, improvements to the property continued to be made. By the summer of 1968, a Junior Olympic swimming pool with a diving L had been added. Including the pool furniture and the sliding board, the costs were $34,688. Two hard-surfaced tennis courts were completed in May 1971 for $10,871. Lights were added in 1972, making nighttime play possible. The late George Madlinger, architect and club member, was in charge of the clubhouse renovations that were completed in 1974 for $33,400.
When the property bordering the north side of the club became available, it was purchased from Capt. and Mrs. C.C. Champion for $125,000 in June 1977. The home there became a dwelling for the club manager, and the club property was enlarged by 12.5 acres. The east portion of both properties was subdivided into 14 building lots and named Yacht Club Estates. To date, all lots have been sold and ten residences have been built. Two more tennis courts were built in 1978 at a cost of $19,425. The dock was also extended during that season.
Although sailing, swimming, and tennis lessons had been offered off and on, it was not until 1980 that an official Junior Activities Program for school age children was begun. These summer programs have been held each season since then.
Improvements to the club facilities are constantly being made. All four tennis courts were resurfaced in 1985; and in 1986, a new $48,000 bathhouse was constructed. Additions to the sail shed and to the boat launching ramp were made in 1987. In preparation for the 1990 swimming season, the pool deck was resurfaced. Over $100,000 was spent for major clubhouse renovations designed by architect Jim Thomas Jr. (a club member and the same active sailor who was mentioned earlier in the third paragraph of this history). A grand reopening gala was held on September 22, 1990.
In 1991 the manager’s residence was partially renovated including a new bathroom, an addition with a closet and laundry room, and new back steps. The cost was $13,000. A new septic tank system was installed for the clubhouse at a cost of $4,000. In 1992, two tennis courts were resurfaced and 1000 square feet of deck were added to the pool.
March 1993 brought the storm of the century with winds estimated at 65 knots in front of the club. The south float was damaged beyond repair and was replaced at a cost of $7,300. Many trees were damaged and several Sunfish were cracked when a rack blew over. July 1993 saw a severe lightning storm strike the club with damage to several trees, all the telephones, and many of the power circuits. In 1994, 400 square feet was added to the pool deck. In 1994, eight kayaks were purchased to supplement the Junior Activities Program. 1994 and 19 95 brought the purchase of four new Sunfish to replace aging sailboats, and the addition of three JY-15s to provide a sloop sailing opportunity for members.
In 1996 & 1997, major pool and bathhouse improvements were undertaken. 1997 saw the addition of three Optimist sailboats for junior sailing. In early 1999, a large deck was added to clubhouse. Late in 1999, the club’s dock was replaced. In 2000, the activities pavilion and an extension to the sailing building (maintenance shop) were added.
2006, at the cost of $198,000, found the Club refurbishing the swimming pool, replacing the pool equipment, the fence and deck furniture. The children’s pool was relocated to the west side of the adult pool. Membership cards were incorporated for members. The boat launching ramp was widened and extended deeper into the river. At the same time, an extension was added to the west end of the dock and 6 moorings installed. Approximate cost of this work was $200,000. In 2008 a playground was built next to the Clubhouse, and the lighted tennis courts were resurfaced. In 2009 the Clubhouse was tastefully furnished and a keyless access system installed so BYSC members could enjoy the facilities as desired. The sail shed was expanded, and an additional fire hydrant installed. In 2010, six additional mooring buoys were permitted, constructed and installed in the Beaufort River, and the two unlit tennis courts resurfaced.
Amateur Team from Minnesota Takes Third Place in J/22 Midwinter Championship
Held for the first time at the Jackson Yacht Club in Ridgeland, Mississippi, the J/22 Midwinter Championship was a rewarding regatta for the J/22 sailors on Aquavit from Minnesota. The top amateur boat at the event earned a third place trophy competing against some of the best professional sailors and seasoned veterans in the J/22 class. Finishing first was Terry Flynn and his crew on Tejas. Allan Terhune’s team on Dazzler came in second.
The team used J/22 # 810, a leased boat, because they were able to work on it when it was -20°F outside. The boat was stored in a heated warehouse during the winter. |
Interest in the amateur team started after they earned good results on the first day. The excitement around their performance built as this crew, consisting of a teacher, lawyer and marketing professional, scored a fifth and two first place finishes on the second day of the J/22 Midwinter Championship. What was the secret sauce for the success of this Wayzata Yacht Club (WYC) boat from J/22 Fleet #1?
Forming the Team
When Wayzata Yacht Club sailors were wrapping up the 2014 season and getting the boats out of the water before the lake froze, John Dyer and Holly Jo Anderson discussed going to the J/22 Midwinters. John had competed at national and international Laser regattas. However, he had never gone to a national J/22 event as a skipper and was looking for the regatta experience. When Kevin Kenny heard about the potential plan, he asked if he could join the crew.
“In February we discussed the potential of going again,” explains Dyer. “Having not sailed since October, we were enthusiastic about sailing. Once we all decided to go, the plans started to come together.”
Choosing the Parts: Boat, Tow Vehicle and Sails
Anderson purchased J/22 #1048 in the spring of 2014. Dyer had been leasing J/22 #810 for the past couple of seasons. And, Kenny had just purchased J/22 #1311, which he had crewed on for numerous years.
“Holly’s J/22 and my boat were snowed-in at a cold storage barn on a farm,” explains Kenny. “Dyer’s leased boat was proven to be fast and was being stored in a heated facility where we could do maintenance on it. So we got permission from the boat owner to take J/22 #810.”
Anderson’s Ford Escape, with a towing capacity of 3,500 lbs. Kenny wore an ankle brace during the regatta because of an injury. |
The other challenge was the tow vehicle. With limited option, the sailors decided to use Anderson’s Flex Fuel Ford Escape with a towing capacity of 3,500 lbs.
“After doing some research, it was clear that my Ford Escape was right on the boarder of not having enough towing capacity to make the 1,000 plus mile trip,” details Anderson. “Ultimately, it worked fine. The only drawback was the need to stop every 1.5 to 2 hours to refuel.”
Lars Hansen, Mike Miller, Sue VanGrevenhof and several others from J/22 Fleet #1 shared some of their regatta trials and tribulations along with tips to avoid problems. This information helped the team prepare for the event.
The sailors did quite a bit of maintenance on the boat over many weekends, including checking the trailer lights. Both the car and the trailer had faulty wiring that needed replacement. Additionally, the trailer needed new tires and a new spare.
Armed with a collection of sails, Dyer, Kenny and Anderson had to decide which sails to bring. We took a set of the best sails from two of the boats, including a new North Sails spinnaker and the recently purchased gently used 2014 main from North Sails sailmaker Michael Marshall.
The sailors on 810, bow number 37, didn’t get the boat in the water in time for the practice race. Having not sailed together as a team, they got up early to practice before the first race. |
The Event
“The Jackson Yacht Club was extremely organized, which made registration and getting the boat in the water very easy,” explains Dyer. “Since we hadn’t raced in six months and had never sailed together on the same boat, we were looking forward to the practice race. Unfortunately, we missed the practice race. So we agreed to get started extra early to practice before the first race.”
“The Ross Barnett Reservoir had many similar shoreline and wind patterns to Lake Minnetonka, where our home yacht club is,” explains Kenny. “We gathered compass data, reviewed the weather information, looked for the breeze and discussed the direction we planned to go as a team. We also ran the line to get a good sense of the time and distance of the line as well as the favored end.”
J/22 #810 with John Dyer at helm, Kevin Kenny trimming and Holly Jo Anderson on bow. Photograph By: Christopher Howell
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Out of the 40 boats registered, 37 were on the line. This made the starts very competitive. Displaying bow number 37, the sailors on J/22 #810 found a hole and went for it in race one. Another boat came in to leeward just before the gun and went up hard. Boat 37 had to head up right at the start. While not confident that they weren’t over early, 37 had a clean air and speed off the line.
“We were right in the mix at the top of the fleet,” explains Dyer. “That gave us the confidence that we could be in the front with the pros. Thanks to Kevin’s extremely good spinnaker trimming and Holly’s ability to spot the breeze and call downwind tactics, we gained the lead. We were delighted when we crossed the line in first. Then we got a sixth, fourth and 15th finish in the next three races. We were pleased with the crew work and boat handling. It wasn’t until we got back to the club that we discovered we were OCS in the first race. While disappointing, it helped us focus on having fun during day two. Unfortunately, our marine radio wasn’t working properly and the spare was in the hotel room. We made sure that the back-up radio was charged that night.”
The race committee, food and entertainment for the 2015 J/22 Midwinters were exceptional. The facilities are top-notch and everyone was extremely friendly. It exceeded the expectations of what a regatta experience is like for the sailors from Minnesota.
Boat 37 in the lead on the downwind run to the mark. Photograph By: Christopher Howell |
“Downwind, we steered the boat with our weight to maximize speed,” explains Anderson. “Because we hadn’t sailed as a team before, the jibe sets weren’t as smooth as they should be. The new twing didn’t get pulled on during the jibe so the pole skied. In addition, we were using old e-scow jib sheets, and the catch knots didn’t hold, blowing both sheets out of their blocks. We had to grab them and put them back through the blocks. But, we recovered very quickly and picked off a few boats in the process.”
Based on weather forecasts, compass readings and wind pattern observations, the crew on 37 made a decision to go right middle in the fifth race on day two. After the start, boat 37 discovered that most of the fleet went left. While knowing that it is best to stay with the fleet, the sailors had committed to the right and continued. This tactical decision, Dyer’s exceptional helming and boat handling resulted in a fifth place finish for race number five. Kenny continued to document compass readings during and before each race. This data along with the team’s ability to spot and stay in the breeze resulted in two bullets in races six and seven. On the last leg of the seventh race, boat 37 was very close to Tejas, helmed by Quantum sailmaker Terry Flynn. The two boats got into a jibing duel. The finish was so close that the race committee had to confirm that bow 37 won the race.
Left to right: Kevin Kenny, Holly Jo Anderson and John Dyer accepting their third place trophies at the awards ceremony. Photograph By: Christopher Howell |
Dyer (right) on the North Sails panel with several professional sailors on day two. |
“On day three the starts got even more competitive,” Kenny recalls. “John’s driving and reaction time is extremely good. His skills at the helm combined with our information about the boats around us helped us avoid being hooked to get clean starts in the last two races. Additionally, John’s mark rounding were very tight. During one of them, Holly had to pick up her feet so she didn’t hit the mark.”
Lars Hansen mentoring first-year boat owner Anderson on moxxie, J/22 #1048. |
After the last race, the crew headed to the line to wait for their turn at the crane. Just after the boat got put on the trailer, the awards ceremony announcement was given. Not knowing where they finished, crew 37 discussed if they should continue to get the boat ready for the long 1000 plus mile drive home or go to the ceremony. Anderson encouraged them to head in. Dyer and Kenny looked at the results on the board and were extremely surprised to discover we had improved to a third-place result. It was an exceptional regatta experience for this amateur team from WYC in Minnesota.
“I want to thank Lars Hansen, J/22 #865, for mentoring me and many other sailors in J/22 Fleet #1. His willingness to share his knowledge definitely advanced my sailing skills. And, Bruce Martinson’s training improved my downwind racing under spinnaker,” notes Dyer. “Having exceptional talent on this level and offering tips and guidance has helped J/22 Fleet #1 grow and gain competitive strength.”
“The event photographs by Christopher Howell and Facebook posts were very good. This kept everyone in J/22 Fleet #1 and WYC informed of our progress. They were cheering us on. We were getting comments on Facebook, texts and calls from our fellow Lake Minnetonka sailors. And the ride home got broken up with several congratulatory calls,” continues Dyer. “We sincerely thank Jackson Yacht Club, Fleet #63 and all the race officers, judges, members, event organizers, volunteers and participants for making this an event to remember.”
ICSA Team Race Rankings Update #3, 4/7/2015
Profiles in Pro Sailing: Britton Ward, Vice President and Senior Naval Architect at Farr Yacht Design
Editors Note- As part of our mission to support the sailing community, Sail1Design is pleased to unveil our new series, Profiles in Pro Sailing. This series is designed to give our community thoughts, ideas, tips, and reflections on how some of the best in the industry made it to where they are today. We hope these articles are informative, and maybe even inspirational. As always, we invite comments and feedback.
By Airwaves writer Tyler Colvin
Ever since the early 1970s, performance and Farr have been synonymous in the sailing world. Bruce Farr made a name for himself in the 18’ Skiff Class of Australia and New Zealand, with Farr designs winning the 18’ Skiff Giltinan World Championships several times. Teaming up with Russell Bowler in 1980, Farr took the operation to Annapolis, MD and began churning out winners.
Around the same time, Britton Ward was sketching floor plans of houses and boats. Growing up in Western Australia, Ward watched in awe as Australia II won the America’s Cup. “…all the talk of winged keels made a big impression on me. I think I followed every race of that 1987 defense and was hooked from then on.” Said Ward. It just so happened that Bill Langan, designer of America II (NYYC), was a family friend and told him about the Webb Institute.
In 1991, Ward picked up everything and moved halfway around the world to attend the Webb Institute. He received his BSc in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering in 1995, after which he headed to MIT for his Master’s in Ocean Engineering. “(The) most challenging part was probably moving halfway around the world at 17 to attend Webb. It was a big step but I think it set me up for my career better than I could have imagined.” After graduation, Farr happened to be hiring candidates with Ward’s background. 19 years later, he’s still at it.
Farr Yacht Design has been one of the driving forces behind performance yachting over the past several decades. Notable designs include America’s Cup yachts for New Zealand in ’87, ’88, and ’92, Young America in ’00, and BMW Oracle in ’03 and ’07, as well as super Maxi’s and now famous one-design classes. Many of the iconic high performance monohulls raced today are Farr designs, TP 52, GP42, Volvo Ocean 70, Volvo Ocean 65, Volvo Ocean 60, Mumm 36, Mumm 30 and the Farr 40 to name a few. Additionally, Bavaria and Beneteau have both commissioned designs for their fleets from Farr.
Ward’s work spans the entirety of the design process. “A lot of my work is focused on the conceptual design, hull shape development and performance prediction side of the design process and that can take me from fairing a 3D hull shape to setting up computational simulations or refining VPP algorithms and a lot in between.” While a mouthful, in short he works on figuring out how to make boats faster. “Life in a yacht design office can be pretty varied on a day to day basis and the tasks can vary a lot. Some of our employees may be drafting a fitting or doing structural engineering and weight calculations while others are working on handicap optimization for existing designs or designing new rudders or keels.”
After 19 years in the industry, Ward remains focused and intrigued by his work. “There is something very pure about designing boats… that’s always fascinated me. You need to develop a product that often has to meet many different design objectives all while being as efficient as possible both aero and hydrodynmically but also optimized structurally for weight, strength and manufacturing.” Putting together this puzzle is what makes a great boat, and full concept understanding is a key component. “In a lot of industries you might work in a little big of isolation, designing a little piece here or there and a project might take years to come to fruition. But with the yacht design problem we have tight time frames and you need to be able to wrap your head around the whole design challenge, as everything is so tightly inter-related. When your team pulls all the pieces of a design together into something that exceeds all those expectations it can be pretty rewarding.”
Ward takes great pride in his work and is excited to tackle a new challenge. “The (project) one that looms largest right now is the VO65 for which I was lead designer. The challenge of a short design and build time, big performance expectation, tight cost control and incredibly tight tolerances and reliability requirements is like nothing I’ve worked on before. Watching them send it though the Southern Ocean this month has been nerve wracking for sure but I’m really proud of how close the racing is and that they seem to have delivered on so many of the often conflicting design objectives.”
Every young sailor at one point or another has sketched boats in a notebook or on the sand; big, small, sailboats and motorboats, in crayon, marker, pencil or pen, in corners of lined paper or on the back of an assignment. It is the imagination of a young mariner at work. Britton Ward’s imagination transformed into an unbelievably productive career at one of the most successful yacht design firms in the business. While degrees from Webb and MIT might not be your chosen path, he explains, “The more technical paths need college or graduate school level engineering but others require advanced software skills and real world experience. Everyone needs a lot of creativity and has to have a passion for pushing the envelope and developing unique design solutions.” Dream big and keep drawing.
Club Profile: Tiverton Yacht Club
The Tiverton Yacht Club is a small family oriented yacht club on the Sakonnet River in Tiverton. We have a full sailing program (sail training, racing and cruising) with a twenty-one slip marina, dingy docks and storage racks and moorings in the Tiverton basin. We have a swimming pool, full social calendar and great views of the bay and beautiful sunsets.
News Flash: Tiverton Yacht Club is hiring a Sailing Instructor!
The club is busy preparing for the 2015 summer season. We are fixing, cleaning and getting club ready for summer. We have many activities planned for young and old alike.
The TYC Sail Training Program offers all levels of sailing lessons for children age 5-18. The classes are taught in Optimist dinghies, Club 420’s, Sunfish, Harpoon 4.6, Hunter 140’s, Bic Open’s and Flying Scots. Five safety boats escort the students during the lessons. Students are encouraged to bring their own Opti’s to class. Free rack storage and shared locker space provided. The instructors are certified by the United States Sailing Association, and have first aid training.
TYC has an active adult racing program for cruising class yachts. TYC recently joined forces with the Spar Island Racing Association, which enables larger fleets, more varied competition and more fun all around. During the summer, Wednesday evening races start at 6:30. Participation is encouraged at all skill levels. Boats ranging from 23 feet to over 40 feet competed. These are handicap races using the Performance Handicap Rating System. A current PHRF certificate is required. Boats are divided into three classes depending upon PHRF rating. Racers in any class may chose to race on any given day with or without spinnaker and the appropriate rating will be applied. This is a superb rule which encourages people of all skill levels to get out and race and progress.
News Flash: Tiverton Yacht Club is hiring a Sailing Instructor!
Testimonials:
“The Tiverton Yacht Club is wonderful program. Led by Meredith Collins it get’s back to the basics and genuinely teaches kids to love the water, sailing and each other. In the this world of overly competitive everything, this is a welcome oasis of great camaraderie” – Mike Zani
“I am forever grateful for the skills and knowledge I acquired while participating, then teaching in the program. The positive experiences I had in at the TYC influenced and eventually led me to a career in the marine industry.” -Brendan Prior
Club Profile: Sandy Bay Yacht Club
By Airwaves writer Tyler Colvin
The North Shore of Boston, Massachusetts offers some of the most historic boating in the country. From Nahant to Ipswich, there is a wealth of sailing to be had. On the tip of Cape Ann is Sandy Bay Yacht Club, in scenic Rockport, Massachusetts.
Operating since 1885, Sandy Bay Yacht Club has been in its current clubhouse on the end of T-Wharf since 1930. From, 100 Years of Sailing at Sandy Bay, “In 1885 Annisquam challenged Rockport to a race around Thacher’s. Annisquam must have had an organization to issue the challenge; Rockport must have had one to accept it. So we say a sailing club, from which ours is descended, existed here in 1885.”
Sandy Bay is a large bay on the tip of Cape Ann measuring about a mile long and one and a half miles wide. Average depth is around 60’ and is partially enclosed by a WWII era breakwater. In the summer it features a strong southerly sea breeze very consistently with temperatures in the high 70s/low 80s. Of all the locations on the North Shore, Sandy Bay has by far the most consistent wind. While tourist driven income is still a staple in the town, fishing and lobstering are still prevalent.
The yacht club itself sits out on the end of T-Wharf at the heart of downtown Rockport. It is home to the Cape Ann Star Fleet, as well as several healthy one-design classes such as the Bullseye, Flying Scot and Rhodes 19. There are about 800 members ranging from ages 8 to 95, all of whom participate in some capacity in the sailing, recreational boating, and social activities at the club. Membership dues are very reasonable and provide access to all the facilities, including one of the best decks in Rockport to sit back and relax. One thing it does not guarantee however is mooring or dockage, as both are at a premium.
In addition to the facilities, Sandy Bay Yacht Club also has adult and junior learn to sail and race programs. The SBYC Junior Sailing program is a 501(c)(3) charity and caters to youth from all around Cape Ann. A couple hundred kids pass through the program each summer and make use of the 18 club-owned Optis as well as 9 club-owned C420s. Lessons run for 10 weeks in the summer as groups, and private lessons at any time in the dinghies or in a club owned Rhodes 19 or Bullseye by one of the very qualified instructors.
Sandy Bay Yacht Club is the perfect place to get away from the city life and enjoy the best the North Shore has to offer. Several beaches, countless excellent restaurants and the Yacht Club are all within walking distance of each other. So pack up the car or jump on the train and head north on 128 to beautiful Rockport and Sandy Bay Yacht Club.
ICSA TEAM RACE RANKINGS #2 of Spring 2015!
Yale holds the top spot, followed by Boston College, and College of Charleston. Check out the latest rankings!
Selden US News: The i420 Mast
The International 420 Class is heating up in the United States as sailors pursue the higher performing version of the classic Club 420. Features of the International class include a tapered mast and mainsheet traveler in addition to the lighter faster hull design. The US Youth Championship hosted by Roger Williams University July 6-10, 2015 will feature the International 420 (i420). This year US Sailing has a record number of applications with over forty teams. The class has been doubling in size year by year and it seems that the US Youth are excited to test their skills in a higher performing race boat.
For years sailors in Europe have enjoyed the luxury of personalizing their mast and rig setup to best suit conditions and the team’s sailing weight.
That performance advantage is now available to sailors in the United States via Seldén Mast Inc. headquartered in Charleston, SC.
Seldén offers THREE rig packages which allow sailors to choose their ideal mast characteristics dependent on the weight of the team. These options are highly valuable as Seldén propelled nine of the top fifteen finishers at the 2014 European Championship event where 108 teams competed.
Seldén has been building masts since 1960 when founder Per Seldén first looked to replace his wooden dinghy mast with aluminum. Today Seldén now leads the way in producing top quality aluminum and carbon fiber rigs around the world for boats ranging in size and performance from the Optimist to large luxury yachts. In addition to masts they also have a complete range of deck hardware which makes them the only single company able to outfit an entire boat from the deck-up.
In the United States, top level collegiate programs including MIT, Coast Guard, Eckerd, Brown, Yale, and Christopher Newport look to Seldén to provide customized top performing 420 and FJ rigs to meet their unique needs.
For more information on the US Youth Championship Regatta see:
http://www.ussailing.org/racing/championships/youth/youthchamps/
For Seldén Mast Dinghy information or to purchase spars, rigging & deck hardware call Seldén Mast Inc. at 843-760-6278 or email [email protected].
One Design Class Profile: Sunfish
There may not be a more iconic or well-known sailboat than the Sunfish. Since 1952, hundreds of thousands of hulls have hit the water in bays, lakes, ponds and rivers around the world. One of, if not the, most popular boat ever built, the Sunfish has provided countless families with hours of summer fun on the water.
The Boat
Offered initially as a kit boat, the Sunfish grew from the Sailfish design by Alex Bryan and Cortlandt Heyniger. At 13’ 9” long, 4’1” wide and drawing 2’11”, the Sunfish weighs in at 120lbs and is easily transported by car top or trailer. It features a Lateen style rig and shallow v-shaped fully sealed hull. This makes the boat particularly beginner-friendly because despite fully swamping, it will not sink. Additionally the low-aspect Lateen rig helps the boat perform well in light air and off the wind.
Roger Williams University Head Coach Amanda Callahan has fully embraced the Sunfish class and thrived with top finishes at local, regional and national events, as well as qualifying for the 2015 Worlds. “After crewing in team racing for years, I was really looking to get back to driving,” says Callahan, “I’m 5’3”, and there aren’t a lot of affordable boats that I can skipper. I’m on the small side for a radial, and I wasn’t too excited about sailing against the Laser 4.7 crowd. I like that I can be competitive in the boat until 14 knots…”
While there is a strong Sunfish racing fleet, it is not the primary use for the boat. Of the 300,000+ boats that have been produced, there are only fraction (<2000) Sunfish class members. This is a testament to the flexibility of the platform. “On Sunfish you can raise your halyard up to get the boom way off the deck and bring 3 of your friends out on the water for a fun afternoon,” said Callahan on the recreational benefits of the Sunfish.
Class Association
Everyone everywhere sails the Sunfish. You are just as likely to find a racing fleet in Peru as you are to finding a relegated hull in a New England back yard. Internationally the Sunfish is raced across North America, South America and parts of Europe. Within the US, there are strong fleets in New England, Chicago, Texas, New York, California and the Gulf Coast.
Callahan got her Sunfish start in New England, “One of the members, Jack Willy, of the club where I grew up (Wessagusett Yacht Club), suggested that we (my friend Kate and I) try out the Sunfish. He lent us some boats for a couple of regattas down the Cape.” She now calls it her “retirement boat” (from competitive team racing) and hasn’t looked back.
Why Sail?
The Sunfish is a great boat for people of all ages and ability levels. “You can easily car top a ‘fish and go anywhere,” commented Callahan, ”the Sunfish was a perfect fit for me. Plus, the sunfish class is very supportive, especially my sunfish friends in NE.” She adds, “I would love to see more women get into the class. I was boat homeless for a while, and this class is my new home. Also, I know there are many college grads who don’t know where to turn to continue sailing, this is a perfect outlet.” Affordable and everywhere, the hundreds of thousands of Sunfish owners worldwide have to be on to something. It is an ideal platform for the casual sailor, the “retired” competitive racer, or “boat homeless” college grad.
Learn more about the Sunfish Class History
Laurie Jury on Command Coaching & Giving Feedback
By Laurie Jury
Editor’s Note- Sail1Design is pleased to present coaching technique and style from Laurie Jury. Laurie is a product of the esteemed Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron’s Youth Training Programme, which he commenced at the age of 15. Match racing became his chosen discipline, pushing through the ranks to become Telecom New Zealand National Match Racing Champion in 2009 and, in 2010 his team won the Mumbai International Match Race. His team’s other sailing accomplishments include first places at the Nations Cup Grand Final, USA Grand Slam, Knickerbocker Cup, Oakcliff Match Race and the Qatar Match Race.
I recently spent a bit of time observing different coaches around the country. One thing I saw a lot of was “command coaching.”
What basically happens with command coaching is the coach drives next to a sailor and tells them exactly what to do: ‘ease the main’ , ‘hike harder’, ‘point lower’, ‘move forwards,’ and so on.
While there is nothing wrong with this (and it can be a fast way to get sailors up to speed) you have to know why you are doing it, and there has to be a reason for it.
I use command coaching a lot; additionally, most of the coaching I do is “impact coaching” at clinics. I am there for a few days to make a difference, and with command coaching, this goal can be achieved. But, this must be followed up with both submissive and cooperative coaching, and a lot of explanations.
Another reason to use command coaching is to improve the sailor’s confidence. If, in a two or more person boat, you can sail with them and tell them exactly what to do, they will do well and the sailors will gain more confidence. You can do the same from the chase boat in a single handed boat. Beware: this will backfire if they don’t do well, so you have to be confident that you will help their performance.
Command coaching can also be used it to demonstrate a skill to a sailor. This is normally followed by a lot of submissive coaching (i.e. practicing the skill on their own), then cooperative coaching, talking to the sailor about the skill and how they think they can do it better.
What I have been seeing a lot of is command coaching with no explanation, follow up, or reason. This is not good.
Classic example, ‘weight in jimmy,’ then the wind gets up, ‘weight up Jimmy’, then ‘hike jimmy’- I was pretty sure Jimmy was waiting for the coach to tell him where to sit and what to do. If every time this sailor goes training the coach tells him where to sit, he is not going to learn. So what should you do? Manipulate the environment, or create a drill to get the sailor to understand the skill.
For body weight make the sailor sail the boat flat – blow the whistle every time the boat heels for more than a certain time or put levels on boats and make the sailors keep the bubble in the middle. Explain to the sailor why sailing flat is fast; show them a video of themselves compared to the top sailors.
Giving Feedback
Feedback always needs to be positive, negative, positive – the classic “feedback sandwich”. It does not matter if you are coaching Olympic sailors, the best sailors in the world, or beginners. It is the same. There is an art to doing this, you don’t want to waste time and the worst thing you can do is be airy fairy and not precise with your feedback.
You should not give feedback that the sailors already know, so the first thing you need to do when giving feedback is ask the sailor what they thought, if they already know what the did wrong they really don’t need you to tell them, so don’t. If you are good at giving feedback the sailor won’t know you are doing the positive, negative, positive feedback sandwich, and neither will you; it will just be natural.
Example this is actual feedback transcript from one of the better optimist coaches
Coach: How would you say your tacking is? Really good or not very good?
Sailor: Really really bad
Coach: Really bad, if tacking is not your strong suit that’s maybe not the worst thing in the world, OK. Because you do quite a lot of tacking upwind, but tactics and starting are always going to be more important, what I am saying is, the most important thing is, if tacks are not your strong suit and there is a boat coming in like this, doing a crash tack in front of them just means he’s going to roll over top of you. OK, it’s all about boat handling, if a boat’s coming in on starboard and you are thinking your tacks aren’t that great I’m not going to be able to tack underneath here then maybe just dip him and get some more speed and tack out here ok.
Sailor: Yip
Coach: Yeah, you are doing a lot of crash tacking and it’s not working out for you ok
Coach: Alright, sweet
Maybe Better option
Coach: Hey what did you think about the race?
Sailor: It was going ok but my tacks are really bad
Coach: Hey yeah, but I thought you’re starting and speed was right up there with the best. When you tack turn the helm a bit slower, also you really don’t need to do so many tacks on the beat, remember you can dip boats as well. Before we go in we can practice some tacking together.
For this next race just remember two things-
- Slow the helm down in the tack,
- Think, do I need to tack or can I dip.
Keep up the good work, once you get these tacks sorted, you will smash these guys and we will have to move you up to the top group.
This is seriously important for young optimist sailors. When coaching in a regatta, no matter the level, you must always remain positive and consistent, with the focus being on how the sailor can improve. Be careful not to get into the trap of always pointing out what they are doing wrong.
Your job as a good coach is to figure out why the sailor might be doing something wrong, not just telling them every time they do it. What were they thinking when they crash tacked? Why don’t they want to dip boats? Can they tack well when not under pressure? How can we improve this?
Avoid asking leading questions i.e. ‘were your tacks really good or really bad’; when it was obvious they were not good. Ask questions if you actually want to know what they think, or if you are checking for to see if they understand.
Key points for feedback to sailors
- Positive, negative, positive – feedback sandwich. Don’t get emotional, you need to be consistent whether or not the sailor is having a good or bad day.
- Two or max three key points to focus on. Prioritise what will help the sailor right now and what you can talk to them about later.
- Don’t waffle on – keep it short and to the point.
Check out Laurie’s notes on coaching the Monsoon Cup
World’s fastest Optimist Sailboat to be Given Away for Free!
For Immediate Release- Brian Holloway – www.optistuff.com – [email protected]
Chattanooga, Tennessee-March 19th, 2015- Chattanooga, Tennessee-March 19th, 2015- McLaughlin Boat Works announced its 25th Anniversary PRO Racer Giveaway today. Widely considered the fastest and most durable Optimist in the world, the chance to win one of the prized PRO Racers is surely an opportunity not to be missed. The drawing, open to sailors ages 8-15, runs now through the end of the 2015 calendar year. Entry forms can be found online at www.optistuff.com.
With over 350,000 active boats, the Optimist sailboat is the largest fleet of sailboats in the world. More young sailors start in the Optimist than in any other boat. Those sailors have had tremendous success as well. Over 70% of the Olympic medal winners at the 2012 Olympic Games in London began their sailing careers in the Optimist.
“The Optimist is the single most important element in keeping sailing alive and healthy in the world today,” says Steve Sherman, CEO of McLaughlin. “From the tens of thousands of children who learn to sail each year will come the sailors, Olympians, instructors, coaches, and commodores of tomorrow’s yacht clubs.”
For 25 years, McLaughlin has been building and supporting the Optimist. They have pioneered improvements in speed, strength, and durability. The McLaughlin PRO Racer is the end result of over 75 years of combined experience building the fastest Optimists in the world. That experience has been proven again and again at Continental and World Championship Regattas. As the saying goes, “Sailors in the know, race a PRO.”