by Airwaves writer Elizabeth Dudley
Winter Sailing Opportunities
It’s December. Depending on where you are living, the air is getting cold and the water temperature will soon follow. It’s easy to pack your sailing gear into the closet and wait until May to pull it back out and realize you forgot to wash it.
But between the months of December and March, there are great one-design sailing opportunities to keep your skills sharp. And, in some cases, the events make a great excuse to go somewhere warm as your Vitamin-D levels begin to deplete. And who doesn’t love a good stop at South of the Border??
Some of the events listed below are almost upon us, but it is never too early to start planning for next year!
Winter Sailing XXII by James Patterson
Orange Bowl—December 26th-30th 2012, Miami, Florida
The Orange Bowl International Youth Regatta is one of the more popular youth events of the season. Last year, the regatta saw 558 sailors competing in 483 individual Optis, 420s and Lasers.
Participants of the regatta say that is a great event for all levels as it ranges from Green Fleeters to those getting one last event under their belts before the Youth World Qualifiers that follow in January.
Orange Bowl is also an event that many college coaches attend. There is even a college night dedicated to meeting coaches and learning all about college sailing and the type of programs each school has to offer.
There are also many great clinics prior to the event for sailors to hone their skills and work out any kinks.
Orange Bowl 2012 NOR:
http://www.coralreefyachtclub.org/getmedia/b6817a75-da13-4b98-815d-82c2724b14e9/2012-NOR.aspx
College Night at Orange Bowl Information:
https://www.sail1design.com/airwaves/high-school-college-news/1030-cn
V-15 Midwinters—December 28th, 2012-January 1st, 2013, Jensen Beach, Florida
V-15 Midwinters, as it is this year, is typically held in Jensen Beach, Florida at the U.S Sailing Center of Martin County. And although there was recently one very cold year held in Sarasota, Florida, the regatta typically sees mild weather and decent breeze. The event has a history of drawing everyone from ambitious high schoolers, to the top college sailors, as well as the post-college crowd.
The first two days of the regatta are fleet racing but the main event is the 3 days of team racing that follow. The opportunity to have fun and be creative with team names and pinnies mixes with the stiff competition and makes for a laid back but challenging event.
With most of the regatta participants staying within walking distance of the sailing center, nighttime activities prove just as fun as being on the water.
V-15 Midwinters is a great, fun event to sail and the V-15 class is very helpful when it comes to finding crews, teams, trailers and boats.
Check out the Facebook page 2012/2013 Vanguard 15 Midwinters for more details.
Snipe Invitational—January 3rd-6tt, 2013, Miami, Florida
The Snipe is a boat that is gaining more and more attention due to a large effort put forth by the Snipe class members. When I was asking around about good winter events, an overwhelming amount of people included this regatta and Snipes in general on their list.
According to one avid Snipe sailor, the boat is so great because it’s dinghy sailing but technical, extremely competitive, has great fleets all over the country, has a fun group of people in the class and is a relatively inexpensive boat.
The Snipe Invitational is a 30 and under event that is aimed at introducing college-age and recent grads to the International Snipe Class. It boasts a cheap entrance fee of only $60 (or $120 with a 4-day charter) for a two day clinic and then two day regatta.
At the clinic, which includes rigging and tuning, as well as boat handling and racing, sailors new to the boat will be paired with veteran Snipe sailors to help them learn the intricacies of the boat.
Trophies are given to the top boats that are newest to the Snipe class and the event is also the last chance for the young sailors to qualify for the US Team at the 2013 Jr. Snipe Worlds in Rio.
For more information, check out the NOR:
http://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/news/12/NOR2013MiamiSnipeInvitational.pdf
The Don Q regatta in Miami, which is taking place March 14th-15th, 2013, is another great Snipe event that would be worth checking out. When details are posted you will be able to find them here:
http://www.snipe.org/index.php/regattas-mainmenu-23/calendar-mainmenu-26/1809-regattas/5-don-q
One Design Sailing Symposium—January 11th-13th 2013, Rocky River, Ohio
A way to stay involved in sailing over the winter without actually getting on the water is the One Design Sailing Symposium.
This annual Symposium is a great place to hear from industry experts, class champions
, learn how to grow your class/fleet and improve your sailing skills.
Keynote speakers this year include two-time Olympian Anna Tunnicliffe and racing rules expert Dave Perry.
For more information click here:
http://racing.ussailing.org/One-Design/ODSS/2013_ODSS.htm
InterClub Midwinters—January 26th-27th, Larchmont, New York
A great dinghy to help sailors segue out of the college sailing scene and into the post college sailing scene is the InterClub. Similar to a Tech Dinghy, the InterClub is specifically used for Frostbite sailing on the East Coast.
According to class members, the boats provide awesome racing because starts, top quarter of beats and mark roundings are comparative to top college events. The boats are also required to be sailed at a certain weight which helps even the playing field and they are “quirky” which keeps things interesting.
The class boasts a very diverse group of sailors providing competition to all ability levels. Also, a college style A and B division format allows for lots of sailing, socializing and keeping warm.
Midwinters is part of the InterClub class championship regatta series that runs from early December to mid-April.
For more information on the class and the even click here:
Local Frostbites—November 2012- March/April 2013—Everywhere!
There are fun and competitive frostbite fleets all over the country and they are the easiest way to keep you out on the water in the cold, wintry months. Most are as low-key or as intense as you want to make them and safety is a number one concern among all Race Committees.
Check with your local yacht clubs for more details!
The Duplin—End of March, Tufts, Boston, Massachusetts (written by Katy Nastro, the unofficial Spokeswoman of The Duplin)
Team racing has been historically dominated by men, with the exception of a few small local women’s events. College sailing specifically has catered to the male dominated sport until recently. This particular event was named after Joe Duplin. Joe turned into Josephine however about four years ago after debates on whether or not the event should go female finally came to a halt and a pro-girl decision was made.
The first year of its transformation brought a small but competitive group of teams from across New England to the Larks on the Mystic Lake, home to the Tufts Jumbos. But as the girly word spread, so did the list of competitors.
The first ever all-female (no boys allowed, unless you’re a coach, then it’s alright…kind of) college team race has transformed from a standby mid-level event for NEISA teams into an all-out ICSA cat fight. The Duplin is now one of the most sought after women’s events in the country due to the fact that is it one of a kind and that it’s “like totally awesome!”
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