Annapolis, MD – Sail1Design is pleased to be named the official job board/career center supplier, and Marketplace supplier, for US Sailing. We offer sailing’s #1 Career Center and Job Board, always chock full of incredible sailing job opportunities, from summer coaching positions to full-time, professional opportunities. Our comprehensive career center also offers job seekers the ability to create their own resume and web page, highlighting their experience and posting their resume. Likewise, employers can search our resume database to find the right match for that open position. Sail1Design is proud also to be the official job board of the Intercollegiate Sailing Association (ICSA), the US High School Sailing Association (ISSA), and now, US Sailing. US Sailing members will receive a discount on Career Center and Marketplace posts.
Unique to the industry, Sail1Design hosts and manages an active private, by-owner Marketplace, focusing on performance and one-design sailboats & gear. For all boats under 25′, our ads are free. What makes us different is that we also provide, side-by-side, professional brokerage services as well. We have had great success helping our sailing clients market and sell their boats, using our powerful client base, social media, and the brokerage industries multiple listing service to ensure your boat gets noticed.
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About US Sailing
US Sailing was originally organized as the North American Yacht Racing Union (NAYRU) on October 30, 1897. As the National Governing Body for the sport of sailing, US Sailing’s mission is to provide leadership for the sport of sailing in the United States. The organization works to achieve this mission through a wide range of programs and events, geared towards providing an equal level playing field for all sailors. US Sailing sets the course enabling sailors to enjoy the sport for a lifetime.
For first-time sailors, US Sailing ensures that they will learn from experienced and certified instructors who follow national guidelines and are trained using a nationwide curriculum. For sailing programs and one-design sailing organizations, US Sailing hosts networking events and symposiums that bring together experts who address the latest developments in these areas of the sport. Young sailors who are just starting out in the sport can learn about sailboat racing through one of many Junior Olympic sailing festivals organized by US Sailing every year.
For racing sailors, US Sailing provides an equal level playing field by training and certifying race officials, judges, and umpires and by ensuring standardized rules and sailing instructions. For sailboat owners who enjoy competing in offshore events, US Sailing provides rating certificates such as IRC and ORR to enable boats of various sizes to compete against each other. Safety on the water is an essential part of US Sailing’s training programs, including powerboat courses. US Sailing’s Safety at Sea Seminar is a course required by many offshore regatta organizers.
We host 16 National Championships at sailing organizations around the country. These championships offer various disciplines of racing so sailors can test their skill level at a national level. For sailors aiming to represent the USA at the Olympic and Paralympic Games, US Sailing trains, selects, and manages these great athletes.
US Sailing could not achieve its mission without the ongoing support of its members and volunteers. Our members have a shared passion for this lifelong sport.
– See more at: http://www.ussailing.org/about-us/#sthash.LPb8ednS.dpuf
What Great Sailing Coaches Do
All good coaches, regardless of their chosen sport, share some important fundamental qualities that transcend technical knowledge, or specific x’s & o’s. In other words, whether it’s a basketball, tennis, hockey, football, chess, or sailing coach, there are certain key characteristics to good coaching, and none of these really requires technical knowledge of the sport they are in.
See our Profiles in Pro Sailing: John Mollicone
Here are some of those characteristics: logistics, organization, energy, leadership, passion, creativity, patience, dedication, motivational skill, humility.
I would bet that you could take a good coach, put him or her in a new sport, and that coach would find some success. Think about the best coach you ever had, and visualize that person in another sport, and you might see just how that person could adapt and still be a difference-maker.
However, we all know that great coaches not only possess these core qualities, but indeed they are also masters of the subtleties, rules, and technical chess moves of the sport they are involved in. Very often, great coaches are former players themselves, and often they are good, but not necessarily great players. In any event, it seems virtually certain that actually having been in the arena at some level, having been a true game player, is a necessary ingredient for a great coach.
So then, what an important advantage sailing coaches have, since the sport allows lifelong top-level competitive opportunities. While it would be impossible for a middle-aged football coach to live, first-hand, what his players go through on the gridiron, middle-aged sailors and coaches can stay current, and can compete right alongside the world’s best sailors, and even win world championships in sailing. Opportunities exist in team racing, match racing, and all types of one-design classes offer regattas, year-round. In this manner, sailing coaches have the ability to get inside the sport, at the highest levels, learn more, and feel the same things that their players go through out on the race course. The empathy gained here is a very powerful tool that great coaches employ when coaching.
Getting into the rhythm of a sailboat race, realizing first-hand the excitement and frustrations of the sport, preparing mentally for each race, “knowing when to tack”, these are all things that coaches must be able to talk to their players about, and talking to them about these things is so much more clear and present when done by someone who is actually good at them, and has done them recently at a high level.
For example, it was always easy for me to say to a team, “make sure when you are in FJ’s at the starting line to allow yourself more leeward room to accelerate since the foils are small and the boats need to go bow down first before they start lifting.” It was really easy to say. It was quite another thing to actually do it, and to go out on the starting line, in FJ’s, and practice what I preached. That was a LOT harder, and I drew a great deal of empathy with my players from that situation and recognized better ways to talk about it and to talk them through it, having been there myself. This is especially true in team racing, where coaches can see plays easily on the coach boat or on the drawing board, but it’s one thing to talk about a mark trap at Mark 1; it’s another thing altogether to go out and be able to execute it. Without being, or having been, in the arena, sailing advice and technical coaching can be somewhat hollow compared to other sailing coaches who know it first-hand and live what they coach.
So, when you look to your coaches for advice or to get to that next level, or if you are a interested in sailing in a college program, take a moment and check out the coaches resumes, just as they will most assuredly be checking yours. The list that makes coaches good coaches should be there for sure, but see if the coaches list how, or if, they stay current in their profession and have the passion to go out on the racecourse themselves. Great coaches usually always have a story, and very recent one, of a lesson learned at a regatta they sailed in themselves. They love to sail and get better, if only to become a better sailor and coach.
While there is a short list of coaches who choose to (and can) do it all, many top collegiate programs now share these coaching qualities by hiring an assistant or co-head coach, who is very often a recent college sailing alumnus and is active in dinghy racing and brings that empathy, right away, to the team. The head coach then ties everything together with experience, maturity, management, and knowledge of the game.
If you’ve ever noticed, baseball coaches actually suit up for games even though they certainly won’t be playing. This historically comes from the old “player-coach” model, and perhaps, this connects them with the game and the player more intimately. Sailing offers the unique ability for all ages to compete at the highest levels of the sport, and great sailing coaches take advantage of this, “suiting up” themselves and making themselves better at coaching by sailing competitively.
Profiles in Pro Sailing: John Mollicone
By Airwaves Writer Tyler Colvin
Editor’s note: John Mollicone is a classic example of a coach who also “practices what he preaches.” We believe strongly in the model of a coach who keeps up with professional development by actually being out in the game himself. See our old post “What Great Sailing Coaches Do.”
To any current or former college sailor, the name John Mollicone is immediately recognizable. Head coach at Brown University, J-24 champion and dedicated ambassador of the sport, Mollicone has been a fixture in college sailing for a decade and a half. Whether it’s in the classroom or on the helm, Mollicone has made his living on the water since he left school.
It was in the college sailing mecca of New England that Mollicone rose to prominence. An All-American Boston University sailor, Mollicone cut his teeth on the icy waters of the Charles River and led the team his senior year to a New England Dinghy Championship and an impressive third at Nationals. This performance landed him a job at Brown University as the head coach. (To get some perspective on coaching in college, see John Storcks article “A Life in one Day: Coaching in College“)
“I was lucky to be offered the position at Brown University as the Head Sailing Coach right out of college. I always enjoyed coaching and I really enjoyed my college sailing experience so I was lucky the position was available.” Said Mollicone. Faced with the challenge of rebuilding the program from the bottom up, Mollicone wasn’t sure at first if the shoe fit. “At first I wasn’t 100% sure. I figured I’d give it a year or two and see if things progressed at Brown and how much I liked the lifestyle and hours. After a few years of a one-year at a time approach, I decided I really loved college coaching, working at Brown, and interacting with the Brown student-athletes more than I ever imagined.”
His first year was tough. “When I started coaching at Brown in 1999 we were in a rebuilding stage from the depth of the team to moving to a new home site. It was a challenge to get the program competitive again by increasing the amount of sailors on the team and the depth of talent.” Pulling together and gaining financial support to supplement the talent, the Brown team quickly climbed the college sailing rankings to the top spot in both Women’s and Coed.
In addition to the ability to work with some of the top student-athletes in the country, Mollicone also enjoys the flexible nature of coaching. He is a self-described “part-time professional sailor” and routinely dominates local J-24 racing. No weekend warrior, Mollicone has won numerous World, North American and National J-24 Championships. In 2011 he was a member of the silver medal US Olympic team at the Pan-American games in the J-24 and was a US Sailing Rolex Yachtsman of the Year nominee in 2012. He has recently forayed into the world of J-70s, winning Midwinters in 2013 and 2014, North Americans in 2014 and a third at Worlds in 2014.
During the college sailing season (Sept 1-mid November and mid February-early June), Mollicone is swamped, “During the college sailing season…there are not enough hours in the day, it’s certainly not a 9 to 5 job.” A program the magnitude of Brown’s requires constant attention. “Mornings and early afternoons during the week are consumed with meetings, recruiting, phone calls, emails, regatta planning, practice planning, and boat work.” He excels in this three-ring circus and has lead Brown to 48 National Championship appearances 21 top 5 National Championships, 12 New England Championships and six Atlantic Coast Championships. Student-athlete development has also been strong, producing 54 All-Americans, 17 Academic All-Americans and 87 All-New England Sailors.
Dedication and hard work drive the Brown University team with Mollicone at the helm. His position with the team was a combination of luck and ability, “I was very lucky to get a college head coaching position right out of college. I had a successful last year of college sailing, was from Rhode Island, and the Brown job was probably not to appealing to anyone with lots of experience since it was more of a club team on a tight budget.”
He is quick to point out the difficulties of getting into the college coaching game, “Nowadays, becoming a head coach of a good program takes some experience and there are many great opportunities available to become an assistant coach at a strong program or a head coach of a smaller program if you are younger or need some much needed experience.” Mollicone admits that modern coaching requires a wide variety of skills, “The sailing and coaching background are only a small part of the job description. You have to be able to fund-raise, budget, recruit, and be a really good organizer and administrator.”
Whether it was his experience in the biting New England winters, or a trial by fire approach to his first (and only) college coaching position, John Mollicone has a multitude of successes. Mollicone’s biggest piece of advice for an up and coming or aspiring coach? “Be ready to put a lot of hours in if you want to be successful!”
About Sail1Design
SAILING/MARINE INDUSTRY CAREER CENTER & JOB BOARD
We offer sailing’s #1 Career Center and Job Board, always chock full of incredible sailing job opportunities. Our comprehensive career center also offers job seekers the ability to create their own web page, highlighting their experience and posting their resume. Likewise, employers can search our resume database to find the right match for that open position. Sail1Design is proud also to be the official job board of the Intercollegiate Sailing Association (ICSA), and the US High School Sailing Association (ISSA).
MARKETPLACE & PROFESSIONAL BROKERAGE
Unique to the industry, Sail1Design hosts and manages an active private, by-owner marketplace, focusing on performance and one-design sailboats & gear. For all boats under 25′, our ads are free. What makes us different is that we also provide, side-by-side, professional brokerage services as well. We have had great success helping our sailing clients market and sell their boats, using our powerful client base, social media, and the brokerage industries multiple listing service to ensure your boat gets noticed.
AIRWAVES NEWS & CALENDAR
S1D also hosts Airwaves, an interactive, user fed Sailing Calendar and informative Sailing News, Articles, tips, & more. Airwaves has developed a great niche in the sailing publication world, and now boasts a seven-member staff of dedicated sailors, all contributing to our varied content.
2015 505 Midwinters Championship Report & Results
–FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE– 505 Class All-Stars Rumble at Midwinters
St. Petersburg, Fla. — Mark Zagol (Stonington, Conn.) and Drew Buttner (Westwood, Mass.) bested the nation’s top 505 sailors to win the class’ 2015 Midwinter Championship this weekend, breaking a three-way tie in the final race. For the entire six-race series the tricky St. Pete breeze kept the top six boats guessing, constantly trading places and often finishing within only a few boat lengths of each other, a rarity for a class whose focus on boatspeed is known to see splits times of minutes not seconds.
Macy Nelson drives with Reeve Dunn on the trapeze, training before the 2015 505 Midwinters
It was the first Midwinters win for the pair, adding to a handful of regional and North American titles captured since they began sailing together in 2012. “It’s hard to beat the Floridians,” said Buttner, referring to accomplished class veterans like former world champion Ethan Bixby (sailing with Chris Brady), who finished one point behind Zagol/Buttner, and Augie Diaz (sailing with 2014 world champion crew Rob Woelfel) who took third.
Some of the champions’ success, says Buttner, can be attributed to the training sessions Wednesday and Thursday, run by some class members from the east coast. On those days St. Pete delivered colder temperatures and big breeze up to 25 knots. While this regatta is traditionally sailed in the open water of the Gulf of Mexico, swells left over from a storm earlier in the week relegated the fleet to Tampa Bay, which brought unique challenges for the three race days. Friday saw excellent flat-water conditions for the first three races, but Saturday became trickier, leading to a couple of abandoned races. Sunday offered shorts and flip flops weather, but not enough wind to go sailing, so the fleet got an early start on their trips home.
This mid-winter meeting of the 505 class is not only a pleasant way for snowbound sailors to stretch their trapezing muscles, but is also a training event for some big time upcoming regattas. Reigning World Champion Mike Holt (Soquel, Calif.) booked his cross country trip to St. Pete knowing he would have plenty of quality sparring partners. “Great week of training, full range of conditions, fun group, great racing. It was a perfect way for us to get some time on the water before the 2015 worlds in South Africa next month,” said Holt, speaking of his longtime crew Carl Smit. While the pair have finished second sailing together at multiple World Championships, Holt earned his 2014 honor with crew Rob Woelfel.
505 Midwinters Champions Mark Zagol (skipper, right) and Drew Buttner (crew, left.)
Also coming down the pike are the 2015 North American Championships in Annapolis, Md. and the 2017 World Championships at the same location. This could be the start of the East Coast ramp-up to Worlds, says Buttner. All six of this regatta’s top finishers have their sites set on that event, but this class has a culture of teamwork, and the 505 American Section will be working together to make a strong showing on its home waters.
While this year’s fleet was stacked with top talent, overall the fleet was a little short on size expectations, partly due to the breakdown of a three-boat trailer carrying entries from Annapolis. One of the three pairs was able to borrow local sailor Zack Marks’ boat and compete. Alexander Meller recalls, “pulling frogs, lizards and a snake out of Mark’s boat.” with his skipper Lauren Schone. “The snake was pulled out Saturday morning, so had raced with us Friday,” said Meller. “The snake had no comments about 505 racing.”
All photos by Ethan Bixby
Top 10 Finishers:
1 Mark Zagol & Drew Buttner 13
2 Ethan Bixby & Chris Brady 14
3 Augie Diaz & Rob Woelfel 18
4 Macy Nelson & Reeve Dunne 19
5 Tyler Moore & Patrick O’Brien 19
6 Mike Holt & Carl Smit 22
7 Nick Nelson & Kelsey Averil 33
8 Henry Amthor & Dustin Romey 33
9 Arnie Heubner & Ted Heubner 35
10 Lin Robson & Stephen Long 45
Full results at http://www.505tanktalk.com/2015/02/2015-505-midwinter-championship-final.html
Media contact:
Chris Love
774-217-3394
Beating the Cold in the Spring Season
Lydia Whiteford, Airwaves Writer
All photos taken by Tufts Sailing Coach Ken Legler
As hard as it is to believe with the East Coast buried in snow, the spring season for college sailing is only a couple of weeks away. While the spring brings with it the excitement of team racing and the ultimate goal of nationals, it also presents a big weather hurdle for sailors who want to excel. With the first month or more of the spring season being chilly at best and brutally cold at worst, I’ve made a list of things that I have tried to keep in mind after four years of fighting off the frosty New England early spring months.
- Invest in Good Gear: While it is tempting on a college budget to buy the cheapest options in cold weather gear, or to buy the bare minimum you think you will need to stay warm, I sincerely encourage you to do the opposite. Especially if you are an underclassman, the best thing to do is to start out your college sailing career by buying top quality gear that will work and will last you throughout most of your four years.
The best of the best in sailing outerwear to me means a Kokatat dry-suit, rubber boots instead of neoprene ones (originally made best by Aigle, now made by Sperry), and a sturdy pair of gloves (the best cold-weather ones are ones that have a little thickness, but will also allow you to bend your fingers and retain your grip.) Dry-suits are the pinnacle in cold-weather gear, and although they are a hefty investment, having a good one will make sure you stay happy when the water and wind temperatures are barely above freezing. The Kokatat option is most popular with college sailors, because of the excellent quality and lifetime warranty. While it is the most expensive of dry-suit options, Kokatat will also repair or replace your dry-suit for close to free if it starts to wear out.
The best under layers, in my opinion, are made by Patagonia. With most schools offering access to a killer discount, there isn’t a reason not to invest in some of their cold-weather clothing, especially when it works well. My favorite layering options in my sailing bag are my R1 pullover, and Capilene 1 shirts and pants. While Patagonia also makes excellent socks, my favorite socks are made by Smartwool to keep my feet toasty…or at least not frostbitten.
- Know the Tricks: While you can have the most expensive and best looking gear on the water, it is still important to know all the tricks of how to use it in order to keep yourself warm and in peak performing condition.
No matter how good your dry-suit is, there is always going to be exposed skin that needs to be kept warm and dry too. For my head, I like to wear a baseball cap with an ear-warmer or winter beanie overtop of it. This keeps a little extra warmth locked onto the top of your head, and if the hat on the outside gets splashed your head will still stay dry. I try to stay away from hats that are pure wool or fleece, because if they get wet around your ears it becomes very hard to hear. Instead, I opt for synthetic warm hats made by Under Armor or Patagonia, because a lot of them are more waterproof. To keep my hands warm, my favorite glove option (when its unbearably cold) is fleece-running gloves under waterproof dishwashing gloves. Under Armor makes a great pair of these too, they’re light enough that you can move your hands but stay dry so they can provide extra warmth.
It is equally important to know how to dress under your dry-suit. The most important lesson I’ve learned is, when it comes to layers, go for quality not quantity. This is especially important for socks. Putting on too many socks will actually restrict the blood flow to your feet, because they become too tight inside of your boots. Instead, find one pair of socks you really trust and put a foot-warmer on the bottom, like you would for skiing. Just make sure the foot-warmer is inside your dry-suit bootie, because they cannot get wet. I use this same approach when putting on other layers, opting for just one pair of fleece-lined spandex pants and two layers on top, one thin and one thicker. The best way to add another layer, if you need it, is to wear a thin, down or fleece vest over your top layers. This will heat up your core to spread more blood to your extremities, but will keep the amount on your arms thinner so they are easier to move.
- Toughen Yourself Up: Okay, I know this sounds obvious, but stick with me! Half of the battle against the cold is mental, and if you keep yourself physically fit to beat the elements then the mental part is easier to master. It is crucial to try to be one step ahead of the cold at all times so that you don’t find yourself getting beat by it with no more ways to fight back.
There are a couple of techniques I use to try and keep myself in the game, and I’m sure that most of them help more mentally than physically. The first, and my favorite, is the extremely popular “crew shuffle.” It is a fact that crews get more wet than skippers do, just because of our boat-handling and positioning so close to the bow, so it is important to know how to stave off the creeping chill that comes with being constantly soaked. The “crew shuffle” goes like this. Stand up in your boat, jump up and down a few times to force blood into your toes, wave your arms back and forth like a penguin trying to fly, and repeat. This is an excellent tool between sets or races to get your heart rate up slightly and the blood moving around to freezing extremities. Another way to keep the cold away during down time on the water is to stick your hands inside your lifejacket. Your core will be the warmest part of you, and a lot of lifejackets have secret fleece-lines pockets for your poor, shriveled up hands. Will either of these actually make you significantly warmer? Probably not, but mentally the little boost of relief they bring will seem like a saving grace.
Staying sharp in terms of knowing how to keep yourself as warm as possible is also important. I always keep multiple headbands, hats and neck-warmers in my bag so that if one gets wet I can replace it quickly. Sometimes, I will even change all of my under layers during a lunch break or an offset just to mentally feel like I will be warmer with different gear. Odds are, the temperature outside is not going to change, so it is important to know how to make the best of it by constantly replacing wet, worn-out, or broken gear throughout the day. Any off time that you have, try and be in a warm place (i.e. the famous head-warmers in the bathrooms at Navy) or ask your coach to blast the heat in the van for a few minutes. If you are an alternate, stay warmed up as best as you can because you never know when you will need to go in.
These are all of the tricks that I’ve learned throughout my college sailing career, and, while it is still not fun to have your fingers and toes go numb while you endlessly shiver, it is fun to know that you are strong enough to take it. As with any sport, athletes are expected to tough it out, and the more you can tough it out over everyone else, the better chance you have at winning. So, college sailors everywhere, dig out your dry-suits, find all of your layers, and pray for the ice to thaw so we can all get out there and start racing!
US Sailing Match Racing Committee Launches The Dial Up Newsletter
February 17, 2015-For immediate release
Southport, CT- The US Sailing Match Racing Committee (USMRC) has re-launched The Dial Up newsletter. The intention of this free newsletter is to regularly inform the North American match racing community of all the opportunities for match racing in North America, and for getting better at match racing whether as a competitor, umpire, race manager or event organizer. To maximize the spread of this news and information, the USMRC has created an email database of sailors interested in match racing in North America. “There is so much match racing going on in this region of the world,” said Dave Perry, chairman of the USMRC, “and we want to do all we can to ensure that people who want to get involved or get better have the information and resources they need to do so.”
Issue #1 of The Dial Up was recently sent to the new North American match racing database list. To see the issue, click here. If you are currently involved in match racing and did not receive the first issue, please check your ‘junk’ folder. If you would like to join this list and receive The Dial Up, simply click here to subscribe. There will also be mailings from time to time targeted at just youth or women match racers, or umpires, etc. When you sign-up, you can also indicate any of the specific groups about which you would like to receive information.
“If you are at all interested in match racing in any capacity,” said Perry, “I encourage you to sign up for The Dial Up immediately so you know what is going on. And please spread the news of this newsletter with other match racers in North America. I know you will find it very helpful.”
For compete information on match racing in North America, including calendars, US Sailing championships, resources for racers, officials and organizers, and regional match racing news, go to the US Sailing Match Racing site.
~Dave Perry
Club Profile: Little Traverse Sailors
build a lifelong passion for sailing. Over 350 students participated in our programs in 2014. The best testament to the LTS program is the number of graduates who work for the program over many summers. They just keep coming back to enjoy the great sailing, fun atmosphere and wonderful students in the program. Past LTS graduates have enjoy great racing success and the program boasts professional sailors among its graduates. LTS graduates have competed in recent America’s Cups and Volvo Ocean Races. Many local sailors participate in the Chicago to Mackinac and Port Huron/Bayview Mackinac. Fun and unique home regatta, the Ugotta Regatta featuring the historic Tour of the
Bay Race.
Each learn-to-sail student will be working through a ranked sequence of skills which will take them from Seaman Third Class through Skipper. Achievement awards will be given weekly.
Our staff members are US SAILING, CPR and First Aid certified. Most instruction is from safety boats.
Junior Racing Programs from 10 and up
As students gain sailing skills, many will want to learn to race as well. LTS provides racing programs geared for students all levels.
The LTS Race Team (13yo and above) practices every weekday afternoon in our Lasers and 420s, as well as in J/70s and other bigger racing boats. The Race Team also travels to regattas to compete against teams from other junior racing programs around Michigan.
The LTS Junior Race Team (10yo – 12yo) introduces motivated younger skippers to the basics of racing, using both our single-handed Bugs and 420s.
Our Fleet
9 Lido 14s (14ft sloops)
6 Pixels (14ft sloops, with spinnaker)
5 Bugs (8ft singlehanded/doublehanded)
6 Lasers (13ft singlehand racers)
3 Club 420s (14ft sloops, with spinnaker & trapeze)
6 RIBs/Boston Whalers for use as instruction and safety boats.
Get in Touch
Little Traverse Yacht Club / 343 East Bay Street / Harbor Springs / Michigan / 4974
www.littletraversesailors.org/
Contact: Dan Thompson: Director@LittleTraverseSailors.org
News Flash: Little Traverse YC has a Head Race Coach position opening!
LaserPerformance Presents a National Invitational Series for High School Sailors
Portsmouth, RI – LaserPerformance is delighted to announce the LaserPerformance High School Invitational 2015. The inaugural event represents the first stop in an ongoing series to be held at different college venues around the United States.
Regional high school sailing teams have been invited to participate in a series of collegiate style events hosted by prominent universities representing different regions of the country. LaserPerformance is working with the Interscholastic Sailing Association (ISSA), Intercollegiate Sailing Association (ICSA) and top universities to offer high school teams the opportunity to compete in collegiate settings at locations that are easily accessible to them.
For spring 2015, the series will kick off with 2 events, one the east coast and one in the mid-Atlantic region. Yale University will host the first regatta on May 3, 2015. The second event will be cohosted by George Washington University and Georgetown University on May 9, 2015. LaserPerformance intends to host 2 events for the fall in other districts of the ISSA which will include the west coast and gulf region.
LaserPerformance is thrilled to kick off this exciting new series in an effort to help introduce high school sailors to the college sailing environment. We are committed to working with and supporting the ISSA in an effort to grow and further develop high school sailing around the country.
For more information on the LaserPerformance High School Invitational, please visit the webpage at http://shopna.laserperformance.com/laserperformance-high-school-invitational-2015/ Registration information coming soon.
Rebecca Dellenbaugh
Public Relations Executive
LaserPerformance Services
SKYPE: rebecca.dellenbaugh
Office: 203-663-4516
Fax: 203-663-4516
Class Profile: International Moth
In sailboat racing, there are several categories; handicap, one-design and development. Handicap allows for boats of different designs to compete against each other using a rating system to calculate final times. One-design racing uses boats of nearly identical design and configuration, and development uses a formula or box rule of different design rules to contain the ultimate product. A case can be made that one-design has the most competitive racing, however it is development classes that have driven the evolution of the sport.
The Boat: Evolution
The original International Moth was the combination of two similar boats from opposite sides of the world. In the late 1920s in Australia, Len Morris built a cat-rigged scow to sail at a resort near Melbourne. Flat bottomed and hard chined, the boat was 11 feet long and carried 80 square feet of sail area. The boat performed far beyond expectations and Morris built two more, giving birth to the Inverloch Eleven Footer.
That same year in America, Joel Van Sant built a similar boat with less sail area (72 square feet) and called it the American Moth Boat. Gaining traction, the name was changed to the International Moth Class. The Australians noticed similarities between the boats and changed the name of their class to reflect as such. However due to the economic instability in the world caused by the Great Depression, no effort was made to join these classes and they developed separately for nearly 30 years (Classic Moth Boat Association).
In the 1970s the class saw a revival and a bid to combine the US and Australian designs and class associations. This proved to have mixed results as the class continued to grow in popularity throughout Europe and Australia yet sputtered in the US.
Since the merger of the International Moth Class Association and the Australian Moth, the boat has grown and changed into the freakishly fast machine it is today. Ultra light hulls, carbon rigs, high tech sails and most importantly, hydrofoils.
Foiling for the first time in 2001 at the Moth World Championships, the foiling Moth has replaced all other variations on the international scene. In fact, since 2004, a foiling Moth has won every Moth World Championship. Equipped with a centerline foil and height control wand, Moths can foil in as little as 6 knots of breeze and hit speeds upwards of 25 knots. The Mach2 Moth is the most successful brand with 10 out of the last 11 World Championships since its launch in 2009.
Set Up and Sailing: Lift Off
Being a development class, each Moth differs slightly with set up. Once mast is stepped, the sail slips on similar to a Laser sail. The boat can be laid down on its side as to not damage the foils. This was seen a few times at the most recent Moth Worlds with the weather delays.
One of the new and most challenging parts of sailing the foiling Moth is height control. The wand senses the height of the boat off the water and adjusts the lift on the main foil to bring the height of the boat up or down. This can also be adjusted by playing with the angle of the foil on the rudder blade. The altitude of the boat is initially adjusted by the trim of the boat, using the rudder foil for fine tune.
Once out of the water, or flying, the boat must be controlled using body weight adjustments and the rudder foil. Sitting too far back will cause the boat to continually climb until it launches out of the water. Sail trim also contributes greatly to control of the boat. Because of the huge amount of apparent wind created by foiling at high speeds, controlling the power in the sail using vang and mainsheet is key. More detailed information on getting the boat airborne and responding to different conditions can be found here (http://www.teknologika.com/mothblog/wp-content/uploads/Guides/sailing_the_bladerider.pdf).
Class Association: Growing
The International Moth Class Association has had wildly successful World Championships the past few years. They have drawn many of the biggest names in speed sailing to locations such as the 2015 Worlds in Sorrento, Australia. With 79 boats in the Gold Fleet and 76 in Silver, this event was by far one of the most popular, from a numbers standpoint, of any one-design class currently. The class is still gaining popularity in the states and a large cohesive body is still in its fledgling state with a Facebook group but no formal website.
Why Sail?
This should be a no brainer. There is no more exciting and accessible boat in the world at the moment than the foiling Moth. A big price tag may scare off most weekend warriors, and by no means is it a beginner boat, but for current/former competitive sailors with some extra money, there is no better purchase.
Learn more about the Moth: http://www.moth-sailing.org
Notes From New Zealand: The Javelin Skiff
Not Your Average Weekend Warrior: A look at the Javelin Skiff
By Airwaves writer Sara Morgan Watters
The Javelin Skiff is not your average double handed dinghy. At 14 feet this high performance, single trapeze skiff is far from a boat that will get you out on the water for some casual weekend racing. Expect to have a high intensity sail if the breeze is anything but light. Capable of exceeding speeds of 22 knots off the wind with the gennaker up, this class is not where you’d expect to find your average weekend warrior.
Before I attended the Javelin Nationals this past weekend at Takapuna Boating Club in Auckland, NZ most of my time “sailing” the Javelin during weekend club series had actually been spent in the water swimming. The most hours I racked up in the skiff was over this weekend of racing where I was thoroughly impressed with my competitors knowledge of the boat and how to make it to go fast – really fast.
With a few boats trickling in from different regions of New Zealand to compete in the event, it became clear to me that these were a group of people who, like the motto of the Javelin class, like to get out on the water to go fast, have fun and do it in an affordable boat. For this group, the Javelin provided them with more than just a boat to do weekend club series events.
Choosing my words carefully – I observed that my competitors were of a slightly older generation, which further contributed to the impression they left on me as we zoomed to the leeward marks in 20 knots of breeze on the first day of racing. But the impressiveness of the Javelin fleet didn’t start on the water. Most of the sailors have been sailing the boat for a long time and know the technicalities to really make them hum.
Being a Restricted Development Class, loose class rules allow sailors the freedom to experiment when building or modifying a boat. Surely enough this has allowed the class to evolve as individuals find new and innovative ways of making the boat go faster. Modifications range from hulls, foils and control systems (including a fuse release for the gennaker), to self-tacking jibs to elaborate mast bend control systems.
As the class website says, ‘the ability to “try something out” has seen some of yachting’s biggest names design Javelin hulls. IACC designers Bruce Farr, and Ian Murray being notable examples. It is also common for owners to build their own designs”.
With no fear of chopping and changing parts of the boat, the race begins long before the first warning signal. The “do it yourself” attitude not only helps keep participants of the class innovative, with the latest designs being developed at home in the garage, but it also keeps the boat affordable. This DIY attitude should come as no surprise as Kiwis pride themselves on taking initiative.
At Nationals having a good boat set up was just as much a part of the winning formula as making good decisions on the water. With former 470 World Champions and Europe dinghy world medallists, the competitors were by no means amateur racers. Only the winners of the event, who put up a perfect picket fence, demonstrated complete mastery of the boat as well as good tactical decision making. However, even then they weren’t always leading around the course, as the other competitors made them earn their positions.
Beyond this pinnacle event in Javelin sailing, others around New Zealand and Australia have enjoyed what the Javelin offers and it is common to find the Javelin on the starting line at different Club events around New Zealand. Where the important aspects of sailing, like boat design and tuning, meet a fun and fast boat on the water, there is something for everyone in the Javelin. No matter what your level or experience you’ll be able to take something away with you.
To learn more about the Javelin class, visit here: http://www.javelins.org/
ICSA 2015 Team Racing Season Preview
By: Clinton Hayes(Stanford), Brendan Healy(Navy), Ward Cromwell(Charleston), Bill Healy(Yale)
As always, New England features great depth in team racing. The big story in NEISA is Yale’s potential for a 3 peat at Nationals. Before the Bulldogs even think about that they will have to advance through their Conference Championship which is easier said then done. Most New England teams are short on practice in mid April so its anyone’s guess who will be ready with their A game. There are 13 teams profiled here with as many as 15 who might be in the mix for a spot at Conference Championships which has only 12 berths.
Photo by Rob Migliaccio
Yale-The Bulldogs are returning many players from the 12-13 and 13-14 National Championship winning squads. seniors Kate Gaumond and Graham Landy, junior Charlotte Belling and sophomore Ian Barrows are all back to try and three peat. With the loss of Chris Segerblom, Will Feldman, Eugenia Custo-Greig and team race phenom crew Marlena Fauer, the Bulldogs will have to look for skippers Mitchell Kiss ’17 and Malcolm Lamphere ’18 and crews Clara Robertson ’17 and Meredith MeGarry ’17 to try and fill that void. This team is deep and will have a great practice squad to scrimmage. This includes women’s All-American skipper Morgan Kiss.
BC– The Eagles finished a solid 4th at last years Team Race Nationals. They are returning ALL of their skippers! Seniors Katherine Wysocki and Beth Barnard in the front of the boat and Will Bailey on the helm with junior skippers Erika Reineke and Raul Rios have a ton of experience. This BC team is also deep and create great in house races as well. With a flock of very good crews at their disposal, this team will not skip a beat. Watch for Alex Palfrey, Allison Ferraris and Katherine Downey to see some action. And when the breeze is on look for Chris Dwyer and Dominic Bove be the difference makers. This team will contend for the national championship.
RW-The Hawks are the third team here that have all players returning. They had a difficult nationals but that was an anomaly. This team can get the job done and with another year under their belts they are, in my opinion, the favorite to repeat at the NE team race champs. Senior crews Wendy Reuss and Abby Preston along with senior skippers Will MacDonald and Henry Vogel will want to make the most out of their last year. Juniors Conner Corgard (sk) and Breanne Baldino (cr) will need to make the most of this opportunity. The Hawks have a fairly young 2nd squad and the upper classmen will need to get this group up to speed quick to make the most out of practice.
Tufts-The Jumbos might have the biggest loss here from graduation losing the skipper-crew pairing of Will Haeger and Paula Grasberger. These guys were a strong combo together. I don’t think Will ever needed a heavy! They were that good together. Add to that the loss of David Liebenberg and the Jumbos will be way behind where they were at this point last year. Senior Alejandro Ruiz-Ramon will most likely be flanked by skippers Dan Nickerson and Scott Barbano. A strong team of crews including Caroline Atwood and, Sam Madden and Janie Maffeo will be a strong backbone of the is team. Don’t get me wrong, even with the loss of last years seniors, this team will be well coached and ready.
Dartmouth-Here is another team that lost some great sailors from graduation. Looking to step in for Matt Wefer and Avery Plogh will be Women’s Sailor of the Year Deirdre Lambert and possibly Nathanial Greason as crew. Senior Scott Houck and Colin Murphy will be the logical skippers to support Lambert. Crews Hope Wilson and Sophie Kerr will be instrumental in this effort to reach the nationals.
Harvard – The Drumm brothers Brian and Michael are returning as well as skippers Andrew Mollerous and Graham Slattery. With Harvard hosting the 2015 Fowle Trophy, this team could be the wild card. But they won’t count on that. Mike and Bern will have them sailing better than ever this spring.
Brown-Pearson Potts and Lucas Adams are going to have to find a way to replace All Americans Tyler Rice and Judge Ryan. Big loss there. Add to that with the loss of All American crew Louisa Chafee and the Bears will need to have crews Jessica O’Dell and Lydia Whiteford really step up their game. Skippers Nathan Almann and James Barry will be vying for that third spot as will crews Marina Cano and Ragna Eide. The bears are potentially good enough to steal a spot but will have to work hard to gel as a tight team come New Englands.
UVM– All three skippers are returning for their senior year. Michael Zonnenberg is the clear leader of this team along with skippers Nate Jermain and Michael Booker and senior crew Bridget Murphy. The Catamounts finished pretty far outside the final four at last years qualifiers but this is a veteran group and should greatly improve upon that finish. Look for underclassman crews Megan Mackinnon and Lauren Jones along with Freshman Lilly Salveson to really improve the skill level of the Catamounts. BUT! The cold and frozen Lake Champlain will delay early season practice. This could hurt big time.
Bowdoin-The Polar Bears are another team where location could be an early season practice issue. But, Bowdoin does have some talent and coach Frank is doing a great job recruiting. They are returning Skippers Jack McGuire and Michael Croteau and all of their crews: Charlotte Williamson, Julia Rew and Mimi Paz. Freshman Harrison Hawk is the new guy at Bowdoin but brings with him some great team race experience finishing second at last years High School Nationals. This could be the most improved team from last year.
MIT– After a standout fall season, which saw the Engineers score numerous top 5 results, this spring might be more of a learning and rebuilding year for MIT in team racing. They have 3 strong younger drivers in Alexander Stewart, David Larson, and Ty Ingram that are supported by crews Lisa Sukharev-Chuyan, Jordan Ladd, Kyle Joba-Woodruff, Paige Omura, and Greta Farrell. Don’t count them out! MIT has an all star coaching staff with multi time Team Race World Champion Matt Lindblad, all around great sailor and coach Mike Kalin, and College Sailing Legend Fran Charles. These guys could be very good later in the season.
Coast Guard– The Bears have all of our returners from last year who started to learn the game and see some results. 1st at the Admiral Moore Trophy last year- the first time CGA has won a team race interconference in over a decade. Starters will be Avery Fanning, Nikole Barnes, and Dylan Finneran. They’ll be taking advantage of the strong “B-level” circuit sailing the Jackson, Geiger, Admiral Moore, Barque Eagle, and Fowle and looking to take some races away from the big dogs here and there.
Connecticut College– The Camels will be tested this year, graduating All New England and 4 year starter Kevin Martland and IG Schottlander. Returning skippers Jordan Bothwick and Bryce Kopp will work hard to help freshman Hugh McGullivary and senior Ellis Tonissi get up to Speed. All New England crew Lea Bushnell and senior Kim Bolick will keep the Skippers informed and lead a talented group of crews lead by Toti Allen, Ben Meyers and Eliza Gary. The Camels will be tough in each race but lack experience to make a run to the top of the New England list.
BU– The loss of last year’s team captain, Cam Fraser is definitely a hit for the BUDS, but with several other sailors returning for last year, the BUDS team racing team should improve relative to last season. A strong freshman class has certainly helped the BUDS, especially in the crew department. Connor Astwood finished 5th in B division at the New England Champs his freshman year, and had some strong events last fall. He will be the leader of the BUDS team race team. Freshman skipper Ravi Parent had some great F-18 results in high school, and finished 4th at the youth worlds in multihulls in 2013. He does not have tons of double handed dinghy experience, but may be contributing on the team racing team as the season progresses.
MAISA
The Mid Atlantic Conference is notoriously strong at the top with at least 1 team in the final 4 at Nationals every year. They may not be quite as deep as NEISA but their teams are well coached and looking to turn heads in May. Like NEISA, 4 will advance through their Conference Championships to Nationals.
Georgetown– Hoyas are returning all of their starters from the 2014 season and looking to improve on their 5th place finish at last year’s nationals. With the same players, Georgetown is clearly the early favorite in MAISA looking to tighten up their game from last year.
Navy– The Goats are returning 2 of their 3 starting skippers from last season, led by Mary Hall and with the addition of Patrick Snow, the Midshipmen are looking to step it up a notch from last year’s 6th place Nationals finish.
Fordham– The Rams are young, talented, and wily and with newly appointed coach Johnny Norfleet, they should be a pretty solid contender in MAISA.
St. Mary’s– Following a very impressive 2nd place finish at nationals last season, the Seahawks have unfortunately graduated all three of their starting skippers. Adam and Bill shine in the team race arena however, and they’ll have their squad competition ready as the season moves on.
Old Dominion– Led by Esteban Forrer, the Monarchs may have their hands full tightening up their squad for championship season. A talented coaching staff however will ensure that they take wins off the heavy hitters in MAISA in the process of making a name for themselves.
HWS– Eddie Cox and Elliot Morrill are expected to lead a young team. With some strong talent and the leadership of Coach Scott Ikle, these guys should turn some heads.
Cornell– Another MAISA squad who could take some wins off of the stronger teams. Matt Schofield and Connor Kelter are young guns who, with the help of Coach Brian, could have an impact on MAISA.
SUNY– This squad has some talent but youth and inexperience may prove hard to overcome. First year team race Coach Zach Runcey may have his hands full but this squad is fast.
George Washington– Certainly an up-and-comer in MAISA and could take some wins off the big names under the right conditions. Coach John Pierce knows his team racing and will certainly have these guys executing some good plays this spring.
SAISA
While SAISA has very solid participation in Fleet Racing it has unfortunately struggled to create consistent participation in team racing. The story in the South Atlantic Conference is which 2 of the 3 strong varsity teams will advance to Nationals
Charleston– The Charleston Cougars bring back all of their team members from last spring and should be the team to beat in the Southeast. They just missed out on the round of 8 at Nationals last year and will look to better that result. There starting drivers are senior Nick Johnston and juniors Ryan Davidson and Jake Reynolds. Crews will be senior Alicia Blumenthal and juniors Rebekah Schiff and Emily Stuart.
USF– The South Florida Bulls will be returning several key team members from last spring including the senior duo of Christopher Stocke and Ali Yarbrough. USF with Chris at the helm nearly won Match Race Nationals this fall and will look to take that momentum into the spring team racing season.
Eckerd– The Tritons will continue to develop their young talent and make an appearance in NEISA for the highly contested Marchiando Team Race at MIT. Coaches Kevin and Zach believe in the process of learning team racing and will show steady improvement throughout the year.
Other teams who may get in the mix could include U Miami and the Jacksonville Dolphins.
PCCSC
Stanford– The Cardinal loses some big team depth graduating 11 seniors but return drivers Kieran Chung and Hans Henken who contributed to last years 3rd place finish at Nationals. Crews are still coming together but senior All American Haley Kirk is sure to be in the mix. There are a number of talented younger sailors vying for a starting spot and only time will tell who gets the nod. Once again, Stanford will travel east to compete in ICSA’s top events and should be a strong contender near the top. They will easily advance to Nationals but the question always remains, can they put it together at the big event?
Santa Barbara- The Gauchos continue to attract good recruits and are working hard this year to step up their team racing game. Returning starters Stephen Long and Ian Stokes will likely be joined by one of their talented freshmen possibly Kristopher Swanson, Sterling Henken, or Simone Staff. I would definitely expect Ginger Luckey and Madisson Thomas to contribute as crews. If the Gauchos can master their plays they will definitely take wins off some very good teams. At this point, they are probably the favorites to take the 2nd PCCSC birth at Nationals
Hawaii– The Rainbows are coming off a strong Fall PCC victory and will challenge the top teams in the west. They lack some team racing depth but have the boatspeed to get around the course. The Rainbows benefit from 2 experienced full time coaches and will certainly improve throughout the year.
Other teams to watch in the PCCSC include Cal Maritime who have a strong team racing coach to work with, USC, and Long Beach.
NWICSA
In the Northwest both Western Washington and University of Washington are always near the top of their conference. They will fight it out for a birth at the big dance but I give the early edge to Western Washington based off stronger fleet race results this fall.
MCSA
Top teams in the Midwest continue to mix it up with the best in college sailing. Like PCCSC and SAISA they get 2 births to Nationals based off conference population.
Wisconsin– The Badgers are lead by senior George Kutschenreuter, a legitimate contender in any ICSA event. Unfortunately they don’t return either of their other 2 drivers from 2014. Senior Conner Trepton is a likely starter. Wisco sailed 7 crews at Nationals last year and many others this fall so it’s unclear who will start for them in the front of the boat. These guys are definitely a favorite to win their Conference Championship and a spot at Nationals.
Michigan– Like Wisconsin, Michigan only returns 1 driver from last year but senior Alex Ramos has scored top 5 interconference results and can compete with anyone in college sailing. The Wolverines finished tied for 1st in the Big Ten Team Race this fall with drivers Thomas Etheridge and Christopher Cyr. They also have sailed a large number of different crews with these drivers this fall. Michigan is likely to take one of MCSA’s Nationals births and is probably the only team capable of challenging Wisconsin.
Northwestern– The Wildcats finished 3rd at the Big Ten Team Race and made the trip out west for the Rose Bowl. They will mix it with the top dogs in MCSA this spring.
Minnesota– Emily Oltrogge and Alison Kent are the Gopher’s Coed and Women’s starting drivers. They have better fleet race results then Northwestern but it’s unclear how they’ll stack up in team racing.
SEISA
Texas A&M Galveston seem to be the team to beat in the south and likely to take the conference’s one birth to Nationals. University of West Florida and Texas A&M have shown some good results this fall and may challenge Galveston for a spot at the big dance.
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Peter Beardsley & Danny Pletsch Win Viper 640 Sarasota Winter Circuit
February 9, 2015
Amidst snowstorms and freezing rain in the northeast U.S., 15 Viper 640 sport boat teams made the trip south to sail in sunny conditions with green water. This was the final installment of the three-part Viper 640 Sarasota (FL) Winter Circuit that included weekend regattas in December and January. The Race Committee at Sarasota Sailing Squadron squeezed in 9 races in conditions that never reached more than 10 knots, with large shifts, managing the seemingly impossible as fleets at other one design regattas in Tampa and St. Petersburg a few miles north struggled to get in 3 races in similar conditions.
The hybrid Blackout Panda team of Peter Beardsley, Rachel Beardsley, and Danny Pletsch improved on their January performance, winning 6 races and scoring no worse than a second to win the event by 15 points over the Amthor-Eberwine team from Hampton YC. Blackout Panda Larchmont Yacht Club stablemates Dragon Fire finished strong with a 3-3 to leapfrog Peter Denton’s Newport team by a point for third place.
The event also marked the conclusion of the Sarasota Winter Circuit, with an outstanding 28 races completed over 3 events in December, January and February. The circuit scored each race individually, with teams dropping their worst 30%. Blackout Panda discarded all but one of their DNCs from December to edge the Amthor-Eberwine team by five points for the circuit title, with Peter Denton’s Toriffic team finishing third, just ahead of event chair Travis Yates and his Sidewinder team, and Executive Committee member Steve Chapman from Ottawa, Ontario in fifth. The teams now prepare for two Miami March events, with the EFG Winter Cup March 1-2, and the EFG Viper 640 Pan-American Championship at Bacardi Miami Sailing Week sponsored by EFG International March 5-7 with a record 37 teams registered.
Results
http://www.regattanetwork.com/clubmgmt/applet_regatta_results.php?regatta_id=9200
Contact: Viper 640 Class Administrator Ed “Buttons” Padin, epadin@padesta.com
