College Sailing kicks off the Spring Season! Boston University Terriers charge to the win at College of Charleston Women’s Regatta, the UCSB Gauchos pull out a gritty win over Stanford at the McIntyre Team Race, and the USF Bulls won the Mendleblatt Team Race at home. For full details visit (link to article on collegesailing.org)
February 26, 2017- The functional opener for the college sailing season was quite the success. Many teams made the annual pilgrimage south to compete in the palm-tree filled, warm weather that February can present in South Florida and Charleston.
College Sailing kicks off its Spring Season!
College of Charleston ran the Charleston Women’s Interconference Regatta. One of the warm-ups to the spring National Championships, this edition of the regatta was filled with quality women’s teams. The Cooper River sailed as it typically does this time of year; choppy, light to medium with the current being a major factor. Boston University came away with the victory, scoring 100 points after 10 races in both A and B division. Brown University and Stanford University finished second with 114 and third with 115 points respectively. Maeve White and Meg Gerli of Stanford University won A division with 38 points while Margaret Kilvert and the combined effort of, Audrey Giblin, Mia Steck and Lisa Genthner of Dartmouth College won B division with 45 points. “We were happy to get all of our women sailing this weekend,” said Dartmouth Assistant coach Ali Blumenthal, “It was one of our goals going into this regatta. Peggy, Mia and Lisa had a great run in B and it was great to see first year Audrey Giblin contribute to the divisional win with the last four races of a 4, 2,1,1.”
The Mendelblatt Team Race, hosted by South Florida, helped to kick off the college team race season. Six teams competed in the event and five full round-robins were completed. The host school, University of South Florida, won the event with a 20-5 overall record. Eckerd College finished a close second with a 19-6 record. Brian Clancy, head coach of Cornell Sailing, said of the event, “The Mendelblatt was a fantastic event… perfect team race conditions and a great early season tune-up. USF did a great job with race management, we couldn’t have asked for a better outcome.”
Photo provided by Brian Clancy
Elsewhere in the conference, University of South Carolina won the USC Gamecock Invitational with 33 points in 8 races in both A and B division.
The other Interconference Team Race held last weekend was the McIntye Team Race, hosted by Stanford University. Eight teams showed up for the event. 2 full round robins as well as a final four were sailed. Stanford University, University of California at Santa Barbara, University of Hawaii and University of California at Berkeley qualified for the final four. Stanford University and University of California at Santa Barbara finished tied at 15 wins and 2 losses with Santa Barbara winning the tie breaker going 2-1 in 3 tight races against the host school, Stanford. Stanford Assistant Coach, Clinton Hayes said, “Tight racing at the top!” This was clearly the case and could be something to look forward to in future PCCSC team race regattas. Perhaps there is a new force stepping forward on the West Coast.
Blog
Club Profile: Park City Sailing Association
News Flash: Sail Park City is Hiring
When the town of Park City is mentioned it brings to mind the 2002 Olympic Games, 3 world class ski resorts and an eclectic funky community. Just outside of the town and under the slopes of the Deer Valley ski resort the State of Utah constructed the Jordanelle Reservoir within a State Park. This created a 6 square mile body of water at 6200’ in elevation. South east of the reservoir is Provo Canyon and the city of Provo. The summer heat in the valley creates a reliable thermal breeze and the combination has become the ideal setting for Park City Sailing.
It turned out that Park City is the home of a large number of sailing refuges who relocated to live a unique mountain town lifestyle. With the creation of the Jordanelle the pieces began to fall into place during the summer of 2008. The rest is history.
Park City Sailing sails at the Jordanelle State Park – between Park City and Heber City, Utah. The lake is about a 10 minute drive from downtown Park City. The lake is 6 square miles at 6200’ elevation. The Jordanelle was created in 1995 as a future water supply for Utah.
The laser fleet sails out of the Personal Watercraft Ramp (PWC) area – there’s a 40′ storage container and fenced area for laser storage. The Jr. Sailing Program operates out of the Beach House.
The Park City Sailing Association’s fleet has grown each season. From a borrowed power boat in our first summer 2008 the membership has worked tirelessly to raise funds to develop a fleet that will permit us to expand our sailing programs to met the wide needs of our community.
8 x Elliot 6m’s in 2013
During the spring of 2013 PCSA received a donation of a fleet of 8 Elliot 6 Meter boats. The donor was the Sailing Educational Association of Sheboygan (SEAS). The Elliots are identical to the boats used during the 2012 Olympic Games in London. So far the fleet was been used to support Wounded Warrior programs as well as a Thursday Night Racing Series.
1 x Rhodes 19
Through the generosity of one of our families, PCSA received a donation of a Rhodes 19. This sturdy 19 footer became a popular family boat as she is stable and very comfortable. She also sits on a mooring to keep her user friendly for intermediate sailors. For 2016 we have expanded our Rhodes fleet to 4 boats. They are undergoing an extensive renovation and each of the boats will be rigged identically with the latest fittings.
2 x J22 Sailboats
In the summer of 2011 we acquired our first J22 keelboat which permitted us to establish both our Charter Sailing Program and our Adult Sailing Program. Due to the popularity of both programs we acquired our second J22 keelboat for the 2012 season. The J22’s also permit us to host special day and weeklong sailing camps for other summer youth programs in our community. For 2015 the J’s were given new sails through a donation of one of the PC Sailing families.
13 x Optimist Dinghies
Our Junior Sailing Program is supported by our 14 club owned Optimist sailing prams. The “Opti” was selected by our Board due to its ideal trainer characteristics as well as the fact that in any given year there are over 150,000 Optis being sailed in over 100 countries. In addition to our club owned boats, there are 8 privately owned Optis in our program. For 2015 all of the club owned boats received new sails through a donation from one of our families.
6 x Club 420’s
For the 2012 season we acquired four Club 420 sailboats. These 14 foot two person boats are ideal for teenagers and they are one of the most frequently raced boats on the inter-collegiate circuit. Our 420’s are rigged with a trapeze and spinnakers that provide both a physical and advanced experience for the intermediate young sailor. In 2014 we acquired 2 more Club 420’s to support our expanding program with group such as the University of Utah and the Park City High School Sailing Club.
50+ Lasers sailing on the Jordanelle
Our adult sailing members privately own 42 Laser Class Olympic sailing dinghies. The majority of these boats are stored in our secured facility on either racks or owner provided dollies. The spars and sails for the Lasers are stored in our 40’ cargo container, which is 100 yards from our paved launching ramp.
PCSA’s 17′ Boston Whaler + Others
Our primary race committee and safety boat is a 17 ‘Boston Whaler Montauk. Complementing it are our smaller power boats which are three 13’ Boston Whalers and a 11′ Boston Whaler. These fast and unsinkable boats support our Adult Racing Program as well as our Junior Instructional Programs.
Fathom: CNU’s Sailing Leadership On and Off the Water
| Sail1Design would like to welcome our newest sponsor & Airwaves team member, FATHOM. This program sounds like a great opportunity for young aspiring sailors, and we are proud to have CNU join our team! Christopher Newport University (CNU) is an up and coming varsity program in MAISA (Mid-Atlantic Intercollegiate Sailing Association) located in Newport News, VA at the southern end of the Chesapeake Bay. Over the past five years the program’s leadership, under Head Sailing Coach, Maxwell Plarr, has revitalized their sailing center, installed new docks, procured a new fleet of eighteen 420s from Whitecap Composites, and had their first debut at the ICSA Women’s National Semi-Finals in 2016. There is an energy and leadership at CNU, a strive for excellence that is visible in the team and at the university. CNU has a population of roughly 5,000 students on a gorgeous 260-acre campus. It’s a four-year public institution that prides itself in small classes where professors know their students and help prepare them to pursue a life of significance. The university has spent more than $1 billion in new construction over the past twenty years and has built a beautiful campus with world-class facilities. This summer the university sailing team partnered with the Tyler Patnaude Foundation to provide a unique  opportunity for high school sailors titled Fathom, or “First at the Mark.” Advertised as a Sailing Leadership Institute, this clinic is an all-inclusive experience focused on fleet racing, team racing, sailing leadership, goal setting, self-awareness, team work, and character development. This is not your traditional summer sailing camp!The program will take place June 18-25, 2017. Participants will get a taste for living life as a college sailor in CNU’s award winning residence halls, attend a morning session on “sailing leadership” with Dr. Elizabeth Gagnon and working on the water in 420s, lasers, and Sonars with Coach Maxwell Plarr every afternoon. The combination of sailing focused academic leadership training and physical application is to help high school sailors improve their skills and better understand their strengths so they can achieve their personal and team goals. During the evenings Fathom will provide interaction with industry professionals such as Britton Ward, VP of Farr Yacht Design credited for the Volvo 65, the class chosen for the 2014-2015 Volvo Ocean Race, and extensively was involved in the 2003 and 2007 Oracle Campaigns. Lyles Forbes will be coming back from Bermuda to talk about the systems and foil designs unique to the current America’s Cup foiling yachts and modern catamaran developments; other speakers include sail makers and pro sailors that will be giving presentations to help understand what it takes to be a leader in our sport and what pathways one may want to pursue from campaigning for the Olympics, to building sails, or crossing oceans. Other unique opportunities will also be provided by The Mariners’ Museum for the finals of the 35th America’s Cup in the new America’s Cup Gallery that will open in May 2017. The gallery will feature the AC72 Oracle Team USA that defended the 34th America’s Cup held in San Francisco and will provide participants and guest speakers a unique back drop for presentations. If you can’t be in Bermuda, this is most likely the second best place to watch! The best part of this clinic is the low price tag, only $1000 for the week, including lodging, meals, coaching, charter fees, speakers, etc. Fathom is open to high school sailors ranging from rising freshmen through senior year but have not graduated. Registration is open until June 1, 2017. To register or to find out more information please visit www.cnu.edu/fathom or contact CNU head sailing coach, Maxwell Plarr at [email protected]
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Profiles in Pro Sailing: Kyle Gross & Annapolis Performance Sailing
By Airwaves Writer Taylor Penwell
Known to those in the sailing world as APS, Annapolis Performance Sailing is the capital sailing store in the United States that does business around the globe. The core values held close have been to stock a wide selection of products 
and their accessories, to have stock of hard to find items, and have a staff of active sailors who are able to help customers solve problems and make purchases with confidence. A team of up to 32 members in season calls APS home today and enjoys being able to walk out the door at the end of the day and be on the water sailing not too long thereafter. APS prides itself on its staff and their extensive sailing knowledge, this being the main reason it sets itself apart from other sailing stores. APS just celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2016.
APS was founded in 1991, by company president Kyle Gross, the year he graduated from college. After competing on the St Mary’s College Sailing team and working at the college’s sailing center, he recognized the need for a business that would supply dinghy racers with everything they needed, from foul weather gear to obscure boat parts that seemed impossible to find.
Original APS Store
With a clear strategy, lots of slog, a small bank loan, and help from his employer and friends, he opened the first location in Eastport, an area adjacent to the Chesapeake Bay, in the historic city of Annapolis, Maryland.
The first collection of hardware, line and apparel here at APS was limited. With no employees, Kyle worked seven days a week, and sailed in the evenings building the business, and relationships within the sailing community. He was quick to realize that the only way his business would grow would be if he had a direct relationship with his key vendors. So he bought a plane ticket, jumped the pond, and rented a car in England. Driving around, getting lost on narrow back roads, he managed to locate and introduce himself to the primaries of companies who were making equipment and gear for dinghy racing. Visits to many chandleries provided much insight. It didn’t take long for him to realize, there’s a big difference between the US and England in terms of the geographical spread of sailing.
In 1992, Kyle decided to produce a mail order catalog to bridge the gap between sailing locations and connect with customers nationwide and around the world.
APS Founder and President Kyle Gross
With technology being far from what it is today, the product photos were taken, trips to a photo shop to turn film into half tones were made, and actual cutting and pasting was the method for creating the catalog. Friends helped by modeling for apparel photos and were enticed with beers and pizza to stick address labels on finished catalogs. The initial circulation was around 3000.
The APS catalog grew in size and distribution year after year establishing APS as a serious mail order company. The addition of a dedicated and knowledgeable call center team increased customer service, further helping the company grow into an international presence.
APS catalogs were expanded to over 100 pages, full color with a distribution in excess of 100,000. The retail space increased in size twice, the APS website was launched, the rigging department was created and the product offering became much larger.
In 2003, Kyle designed and built the current 6000 square foot APS storefront and fulfillment center. Since then, our product offering has been expanded beyond 15,000 items, staff size increased and the Crugear department for decorating team gear was added.
APS Current Store
APS became known as the first-to-market sailing retailer by developing relationships with innovative vendors outside of the US and exclusively introduced new brands including: Zhik gear, Optimum Time Watches, Holmotro tools, Polilite rope, Rooster clothing and hardware, Sea Australia gear, and others. The company also has the most extensive offering of one design parts here in the United States. Another quality part of the store is its Rigging Shop staffed by top quality riggers who have the skills to help you with whatever technical needs and jobs you require.
APS continues to change, adapt and thrive as a sailing retailer in the digital age. In 2015 a new enterprise website was launched to further improve the customer shopping experience and the APS Advisor was introduced as the source for sailors to access the knowledge and information that is the hallmark of APS and its employees. The Advisor houses the hundreds of videos, articles and photographs developed by the APS team in-house. Be sure to check out Advisor for all your sailing needs and questions.
http://www.apsltd.com/aps-advisor/
Nothing represents the stores metamorphosis over these past 25 years than the catalog covers. They clearly show the evolution of a company that started out in dinghies, moved to keelboats, was an early adopter of online retail focusing effort exclusively on sailing rather than boating and water activities in general, and will continue to provide the widest selection of quality sailing specific products and services for apparel, line, hardware, and rigging at competitive prices. 
For all your sailing and racing needs APS is the store that is two legs ahead of the competition. Their friendly staff members can help you with your order over the phone, in their new websites online chat, and of course in person in the storefront.
Follow this link to check them out online,
http://www.apsltd.com/
A special thanks to APS Create Content Function Owner and friend Claire Davidson Yoste, and President Kyle Gross for supplying the information for this article.
APS is located at 104 Severn Avenue in Annapolis, MD. We can be reached at 800.729.9767 during business hours: 9:00am – 5:00pm US EST, Monday – Friday. Our Sales & Customer Service Center is closed on Saturday and Sunday – you can reach us by email by clicking here. Our storefront is open on the weekends from 8:00am – 5:00pm EST for walk in customers.
Herreshoff 12 1/2 "H Class"
H Class Association
The Herreshoff 12½ footer was designed in 1914 by Nathanael G. Herreshoff, and the first boats were launched in Buzzards Bay in 1915. Way back then, no one could have foreseen the cultish popularity and longevity of his design — which has remained unchanged for more than 100 years! She is widely considered to be one of the finest, if not the finest, small sailing yacht designs ever created.
The H Class Association hosts an annual regatta each summer, with between 30-40 boats participating. In addition there are very active racing fleets in the Buzzards Bay area (Marion, Quissett, Wing’s Neck) as well as on Martha’s Vineyard (Edgartown and Menemsha), and Shelter Island, New York. There are fleets all throughout Maine, down to Annapolis, and one in Saudi Arabia.
Please visit the H Class website for more information: http://www.herreshoff12.org
International Viper 640 Class Becomes the Newest World Sailing Class Crowning First Viper World Champions
February 21, 2017 For Immediate Release
In November 2016, World Sailing approved the International Viper 640 Class’s application to become a recognized World Sailing class. The International Viper 640 Class Association, at the same time, adopted an international constitution and signed a contract with World Sailing confirming the Class’s international status. World Sailing has accredited Zeke Horowitz, Ian Coleman, and Brendan Healey, all from Annapolis, MD, as Viper 640 World Champions, following their win last November at the first World Championships in Bermuda.
Commenting on the completion of this process, Viper 640 Class International Chairman Justin Scott said, “We have fleets in three continents and a circuit of destination regattas over the next three years that span spectacular locations across North America, Australia and Europe. The Viper 640 is now truly an international one-design class.” Jason Smithwick, World Sailing’s Director of Technical and Offshore, added, “The Viper 640 combines an excellent boat and a solid international organization with great sailors that enjoy each other’s company both on the water and off. We are delighted to have the Viper 640 class join the World Sailing family.”
Perth 2018 – World Championship
The International Viper 640 Class is pleased to announce its next World Championship Regatta from February 17 to February 23 2018 at South of Perth Yacht Club, Western Australia. SoPYC is one of the largest yacht clubs in Australia with more the 2,300 members and truly magnificent world class facilities. They have hosted several national championships, they co-hosted the World Sailing Team Racing World Championships in 2009 and the Sailing World Championship in 2011.
February will provide ideal sailing conditions on the Swan River estuary with the infamous southwesterly “Doctor” blowing in the afternoon from 15–25 knots.
Viper 640 Australian Class president Graeme Monkhouse stated, “We are aiming to host the largest Viper regatta ever outside of North America with 20 Western Australian Vipers eager to go up against some of the best Viper sailors coming in from around the World.”
Long Beach 2019 – World Championship
The Class is also announcing that , Alamitos Bay Yacht Club, Long Beach, CA, USA, will host the 2019 Viper 640 World Championship. Alamitos Bay Yacht Club Commodore Chuck Clay said, “We’ll make sure Viper sailors have spectacular racing on the water while enjoying our special southern California hospitality ashore.”
For more information contact Viper 640 Class Association Administrator Ed “Buttons” Padin ([email protected]) or Rondar Raceboats, the Class builder (www.rondarboats.com)
