NAUTICAL NEWS FOR NORTH & CENTRAL FLORIDA SAILORS
HAVING FUN AT A TRAIN WRECK!
HUNTER RIDDLE HAVING FUN AS HE SHEETS IN AFTER ROUNDING THE WINDWARD MARK AT THE LESC TRAIN WRECK REGATTA
SOME OF WHAT’S INSIDE: WAYFARERS & MC SCOWS DUKE IT OUT IN EUSTIS CATALINA 22 FLORIDA STATE CHAMPIONSHIP LIGHTNING FLEET TESTS SPINNAKER RIGS ON LAKE MONROE DEAN’S WEATHER, ADM MUDGEON, CLUB NEWS, AND A LOT MORE
A Game On! News Publication
It’s cool that it is February and while the temperatures have dropped a bit, things are heating up on the race scene. The Lake Eustis Sailing Club hosted the Wayfarer Mid-Winters and MC Scow Train Wreck Regatta over the weekend of January 30 - February 1. The turnout in both fleets was exceptional and the racing was even better as the winds cooperated all three days. The 22 boat Wayfarer fleet managed to get nine races in while the 36 boat MC Scow fleet got in eight. There was plenty of close and competitive racing in both fleets and we have the story along with photos. While on the topic of LESC, I owe those good folks there an apology. We were hoping to do a “behind-the-scenes” story on their race committee procedures but we just were not able to pull it off for this issue. We will make it happen though. LESC is a very cool club located in a very cool spot with a lot of very cool and friendly sailors. If you are in central Florida and are looking for an active club, check out what’s going on at the Lake Eustis Sailing Club. The Indian River Yacht Club hosted the Florida State Catalina 22 Championship January 24 & 25 in Cocoa. That regatta came down to the final race with two of the usual suspects, Brad Ruffe and Randy Pawlowski battling for the win. The wind had all but died as the boats
Nautical NEWS For North & Central florida sailors Publisher/Editor Bob Seay Reporters Leslie Roberts Ben Seay Gayle Woerning Contributing Columnists Willie Blevins Dean Vanderbleek Robert Beringer Graphics Rusty Fedsovich Distribution Ben Seay Wendy Waters
P.O. Box 2029 Daytona Beach, FL 32115 Tel. (386) 868-5910
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ghosted to the finish line with Ruffe and Pawlowski neck and neck. Check out the story on page 8 to find out what happened. It’s great to see how much interest the newly re-established Lightning Fleet #526 is drawing on Lake Monroe. The Sanford Fall Regatta in September and the Kettle Cup in December drew a good number of competitors to the class and, in January, Lightning boat builders and sailmakers converged on Lake Monroe to do some spinnaker rig and sail testing. Willie Blevins has a report on what was going on out there in this issue on page 12. I was fortunate to be invited to the First Coast Sailing Association’s Annual Meeting hosted by the St. Augustine Yacht Club in January. FCSA is a volunteer group made up of representatives from eight member clubs from Jacksonville, St. Augustine, Daytona and New Smyrna. The organization expanded south last year by inviting the Halifax River and Smyrna Yacht Clubs to join their ranks. One of the group’s main functions is to provide a common source of boat handicap ratings using the PHRF system. They also provide race management and rules guidance. Perhaps the best outcome of their expansion last year is that they provide a way for the clubs to work together when scheduling, conducting and promoting races and
Regatta Results can be emailed to racing@waypointnews.com. Information must be received by 5 PM the on the 25th of every month. For advertising information call (386) 682-9573 or email to info@waypointnews.com. You can also find advertising information by visiting waypointnews.com. is free and published the first week of every month (except for holidays when it will be published the first business day following the holiday). Between 4,000 and 5,000 copies are printed monthly and distributed primarily to marinas, yacht and sailing clubs, restaurants and other retail locations. No part of this publication may be reproduced without permission of the publisher. The publishers are not responsible for any errors, omissions, etc. Views expressed are not necessarily those of the publishers. Advertising and copy appearing in is believed to be the truth and to be accurate. Advertisements are the responsibility of the advertiser. The publishers do not necessarily endorse any product, individual or service advertised in The publishers and advertisers are not liable for errors, omissions, or other mistakes in advertising. This is Volume I- Issue 11 A Game On! News Publication
regattas. This has greatly reduced date conflicts and has increased participation in all of the member clubs’ events. Waypoint thinks that the FCSA is a great asset to north Florida sailing and would like to see more of this type of cooperation throughout our coverage area. The bottom line is that it gets more boats and sailors out racing and that is what we all want. See you out there. Sail Fast! Bob
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RACING NEWS North & Central Florida Regatta Report: IRYC hosts Catalina 22 FL Championship in Cocoa, page 8. LESC hosts the MC Train Wreck Regatta and Wayfarer Mid-Winters on Lake Eustis, page 9.
CLUB NEWS Club Scuttlebutt: What is going on at the clubs, page 6.
CLASS NEWS Lightings: Spinnaker testing on Lake Monroe, page 12. Flying Scots: Florida District Series Results, page 13.
DEPARTMENTS Admiral Mudgeon: Utilizing the backstay, page 3. Club Directory: A listing of clubs in your area, page 7. Weather: Dean talks cold temps in Florida, page 10. Club Spotlight: FCSA holds it all together, page 14. Classifieds: Have something to buy or sell? Page 15. Schurr Shot: The best of many great shots, back cover.
The breeze built throughout the day on Sunday at the LESC MC Scow Train Wreck Regatta in Eustis. Hunter Riddle, owner of Schurr Sails and avid MC Scow sailor, is obviously enjoying the racing. He scored a bullet in the 5th of 8 races and went on to a respectable 10th place overall finish in the 36 boat fleet.
Backstays Dear Admiral Mudgeon, Sometimes I look aft and I see the backstay adjuster, sitting there mocking me. What can I do to get the upper hand? Thanks, Slow upwind and down Dear Slow,
least as accessible as the mainsheet or the traveler and powerful enough to do the job in any weather. I use a 12:1 purchase on my San Juan 21, and I have used as much as 32:1 on Catalinas. Larger boats commonly use hydraulic Abbys, discussion of which might cause me to digress into an analysis of the fluid dynamics, so I will try to focus on how any backstay adjuster is capable of increasing your performance. Let us pretend we are going up wind in 8 to 12 knots, the sails are trimmed well and working well together. The top batten is parallel to the boom. The telltale off the top batten is streaming back about half of the time, life is good. Wind eases, heel angle decreases, ease the backstay, sails power up, heel angle returns to perfect, life is good. Choppy water ahead, ease the backstay, power up, punch through, life is good. Wind builds, now there is There are many types of backstay adjusters. The one above is a Harken 4:1 too much heel, so you tighten the backstay, the sails flatten and split backstay adjuster typically seen on small keelboats. twist off, the boat stands up a little and goes fast, life is good. Need to take a bite to windward? Ease the backstay, the sails power up, the boat heels a little, the leech on the main curls in, your boat heads up, the windward boat tacks away, life is good. Abbys are the perfect gear shift in my opinion. If you need power, down shift, ease the backstay. In clear air and flat water, tighten the backstay, shift into overdrive. When the wind is extremely light, such that full sails are more drag than power, tighten the backstay, flatten them out, and reduce the drag. Do whatever you have to do to make your backstay accessible, and functional. On a windless or very light air day, at the dock on or on the water, hoist the sails, adjust the backstay and watch the sails, take pictures, make notes, eventually Abby will be laughing with you, not at you. Go, be Slow no mo.
Consider that the backstay, clearly with a mind of its own, may not be mocking you so much as it is lonely. It knows it can help you, it knows that it is the one control that adjusts the entire rig with a single line. The Rodney Dangerfield of sailboat controls, no respect. And how do you treat this awesome key to sailing ecstasy? You yank the hell out of it when you are going upwind, and spank it until it releases as soon as you round the windward mark. Have you no shame? The adjustable backstay or ab or even Abby, has more control of the entire sail plan than any other control. Although the mechanics differ somewhat when you compare the Abby on the fractional rig to the Abby on the mast head rig, the effects are substantially the same. Ideally, when Abby is released, the rig will be centered; mast straight or with optimum pre-bend, and the forestay will have minimal tension. Tuning of the rig is critical to the proper operation of the backstay so for the purpose of this discussion we will assume that the rig is properly tuned. In general terms, a tight Abby will cause the main and jib to flatten out. The top of the mast is pulled back which tightens the forestay reducing the sag in the jib luff. The fractional rig forestay attachment to the mast, acts as a fulcrum, so the top of the mast comes back and the center of the mast go forward stretching the middle of the mainsail. On the mast head rig the mast head is pulled back and the mast is compressed which again, tightens the forestay reducing the sag in the jib luff and stretches the middle of the mainsail. Consequently, draft position, camber (draft depth), and twist are adjusted in both sails at the same time. As an aside, being particularly entertained by purchase systems, I have rigged several boats with Abbys capable of totally inverting the mainsail. This is not generally fast but it can be entertaining. It is also possible to go too far in this regard as proven by the remnants of an old broken mirage mast I have around somewhere. Using the backstay more is the real answer to your dilemma Slow. No Admiral Mudgeon single control on the boat is more effective at shifting gears, in my opinion. The first issue is being able to adjust your Abby quickly and easily. If you Send you questions to admmudgeon@waypointnews.com, I have an answer for everything. have to go to the back of the boat, or even look back to play with your Abby you are giving an edge to the competition. The Abby needs to be at
ADVERTISING IN WAYPOINT IS A GREAT WAY TO REACH NORTH & CENTRAL FLORIDA SAILORS. WAYPOINT IS PUBLISHED MONTHLY IN PRINT AND ONLINE AT WAYPOINTNEWS.COM. YOU WILL FIND WAYPOINT AT SAILING & YACHT CLUBS, MARINE SUPPLY STORES, MARINAS, SAIL LOFTS & CANVAS SHOPS, REGATTAS AND OTHER SAILOR HANGOUTS FROM JACKSONVILLE TO STUART. CALL (386) 682-9573 FOR MORE INFO.
Titusville Sailing Club to Host Space Coast Catalina 22 Regatta The Titusville Sailing Club will host the Space Coast Catalina 22 Regatta March 14 and 15 in Titusville. Two fleets are scheduled, Gold and Silver. Three boats constitute a Fleet. In the event insufficient competitors register to form a Silver Fleet they will be registered as Gold Fleet. Awards will be given to First, Second and Third of the Gold Fleet and First in the Silver Fleet. Boats will be launched at the Titusville Municipal Marina. Boats can be docked at the TSC Club House Slip or Vacant spots at the Marina. The sailing area will be in the Indian River, South of the 406 Causeway. Course will be Windward Leeward as defined in the Sailing instructions, which will be distributed at registration. There will be a Dinner Saturday Night and will be announced at the skippers meeting. Skippers registration will include a breakfast and dinner ticket. For more information contact Regatta Chairman-Lorry Simpkins at Sail76@bellsouth.net, or 321-452-7761 or by cell 321-537-0069.
cruiser-friendly class for the casual sailor and a racing class is available for the serious. Interested boat captains and crew are invited to attend the skipper's meeting which will be held Friday Feb 13 at the F.P.Y.C. at 8 p.m., following a BBQ for attendees and guests at. 700 N. Indian River Drive. Pre-regatta registration is encouraged . For registration information and to learn more about upcoming events, visit www.ftpierceyachtclub.homestead.com
ECSA Plans Cruise
Sail to Cocoa Village and join us for the annual “Mardi Gras” Cruise February 28 (Saturday) through March 1st (Sunday). Even though Cocoa Village is foregoing a parade this year, ECSA is going to continue tradition. Chef Johnny will be treating us to BBQ similar to last July 4th. We'll have the Cocoa Village Marina (CVM) clubhouse reserved for ECSA starting at 3:00 PM where we can socialize until dinner is ready about 5:00 pm. The main entree will be BBQ chicken with hamburgers and hot dogs as an alternative. Attendees are asked to bring their favorite drinks and side dishes to share. There will be a $5.00 per person charge to offset some of the meal costs. If you want to get a slip at Cocoa Village Marina, the phone # is 321632-5445. The number of slips is limited in both the East and West SYC Lipton Cup basins so reserve as soon as possible. Remember to tell them that you are The Smyrna Yacht Club (SYC/www.smyrnayachtclub.com)* invites with ECSA and ask for the club rate of $1.50/ft/night. If you anchor out, sailing teams, weekend yachters and racing enthusiasts from across the someone will meet you at the dinghy dock in the park at 4pm to walk up Central Florida and beyond to join in Corinthian fun and camaraderie that to the CVM clubhouse. Make sure the hosts know that you are at anchor. is the one and only Lipton Cup regatta. Like last year, we will meet at Ossorio's at 9 am for breakfast on Competitive classes include Spinnaker, non-Spinnaker and Cruising Sunday morning followed by a safe and enjoyable sail home. class divisions vying for the Lipton Cup Trophy, donated by Sir Thomas Sign up at the February general membership meeting Lipton in 1922. In addition, a special trophy will be presented in the (www.ecsasail.com) or if you miss that, please email Bob at Team Category; any three boats from a yacht club or sailing group can ip380.94@gmail.com or rwiley1@cfl.rr.com or Dave at sail as a team to earn points for this special prize. The two-day racing davecordial@hotmail.com and leave a message with the info on how action will be held Saturday and Sunday, April 18 + 19, 2015 in the many for dinner & breakfast, whether you are coming via car or boat, and Atlantic Ocean just south of Ponce de Leon Inlet, due east of Flagler if by boat, whether you will be at the marina or on anchor. Please make Avenue, beachside, New Smyrna Beach. Festivities kick off Friday, April your own reservations with the marina if you want a slip. 17 with the traditional skippers meeting and opening reception at the Come join us for a good time. yacht club’s Tiki Bar. MYC Sunfish Regatta Registration details are available at www.smyrnayachtclub.com. Again Ballard Park in Melbourne will be the site of a major Sunfish Past regatta participants have hailed from Volusia County, the Space racing weekend, The 2015 International Sunfish Mid-Winter Regatta, Coast, St. Augustine and Jacksonville. March 19-22, 2015. This event is a 2015 Pan AM qualification event and The 2015 Lipton Cup Regatta is proudly sponsored by: the hosts, Sunfish Fleet 669 and the Melbourne Yacht Club, expect 50-70 The Rotary Club of New Smyrna Beach, WSBB 1230 AM radio, sailors to attend, coming from as far away as South America and Edgewater Power Boats, Pusser’s Rum, Barracuda, Wild Side, Buddy Canada. This is the 5th major small boat regatta sailed from the park over Davenport State Farm Insurance Co., Blackbeards and many more. the past decade; it’s a great location with tons of room for people, gentle Prime viewing of all the on water action can be enjoyed along New Smyrna beaches and at Toni & Joe’s Patio, another proud sponsor of both sandy shores for boats and great racing on the Indian River. Most of the events will be held at the park around the great pavilion. Details are in the the Lipton Cup and Solstice Regatta (a new Smyrna Yacht Club sailing event flyer, which can be found along with the NOR at event coming Saturday, June 20th). www.Sunfishflorida.com or www.sail-race.com, under racing events. Or Ft. Pierce Yacht Club Open Regatta call Chris Gates, 321-727-7227. The Fort Pierce Yacht Club will run its 6th Annual Open Regatta on USSCMC To Host Laser Masters Feb 13-15, 2015, a sailing event that is held offshore with local and Laser Masters Week Regattas takes place in Florida over Saturday, visiting sailing enthusiasts. Our goal has been to promote sailing to all February 7 through Sunday, February 15. age groups starting with the youth sailing program and extending to our The first event, the Laser Masters Midwinters, will be sailed at US octogenarian group. The regatta is the highlight of our sailing yea. Having notified 7 area yacht clubs, FPYC is expecting an above average Sailing Center Martin County (USSCMC) in Jensen Beach, Florida on Feb 7 to 9. The second regatta is Midweek Madness, also sailed at turnout. The Saturday race is a 18 mile race with progressive starts; two back USSCMC, Feb 11 & 12. The final is sailed in the ocean outside Lake Worth Inlet from Palm Beach Sailing Club Feb 14 & 15. to back races will be held on Sunday. Races are handicapped in Link to current registrants: accordance with handicaps assigned by the Melbourne Yacht Club Handicap Committee. All levels of sailing enthusiasts are encouraged to http://www.regattanetwork.com/clubmgmt/applet_registrant_list.php?reg atta_id=9328&custom_report_id=85 attend and participate in Saturday's and Sunday’s regatta. We offer a
Send Your Club’s News To: clubnews@waypointnews.com
Cruising & Sailing Club Directory The Central Florida Yacht Club Orlando, FL www.cfyc.com Crescent City Yacht Club P.O. Box 121 Crescent City, FL 32112 www.cc-yc.com East Coast Sailing Association PO Box 372054 Satellite Beach, FL 32937 www.ecsasail.com Epping Forest Yacht Club 1830 Epping Forest Dr. Jacksonville, FL 32217 (904) 739-7150 www.efyc.org The Florida Yacht Club 5210 Yacht Club Drive Jacksonville, FL 32210 (904) 387-1653 www.thefloridayachtclub.org Fort Pierce Yacht Club PO Box 3108 Fort Pierce, FL 34948-3108 www.ftpierceyachtclub.Homestead.com Halifax River Yacht Club 331 S. Beach St. Daytona Beach, FL 32114 (904) 255-7459 www.hryc.com Halifax Sailing Association PO Box 2031 Daytona Beach, FL 32115-2031 www.halifaxsailing.org Indian River Yacht Club P.O. Box 992 Cocoa, Fl 32923-0992 www.iryc.org
Port Canaveral Yacht Club 910 Mullett Drive Port Canaveral, FL 32920 (321) 784-2292 http://portcanaveralyachtclub.com
Lake Eustis Sailing Club 1310 CR 452 Eustis, FL 32726 www.lakeeustissailingclub.org Lake Monroe Sailing Association, Inc. P.O. Box 297 Sanford, FL 32771 (321) 578-8364 http://www.flalmsa.org/
Rat Island Yacht Club P.O. Box 1053 San Mateo, FL 32187 www.ratisland.com
Melbourne Yacht Club 1202 E. River Drive Melbourne, FL 32901 (321) 768-9921 www.melbourneyachtclub.com
Rudder Club of Jacksonville 533 Malaga Avenue Orange Park, FL 32073 (904) 264-4094 www.rudderclub.com
Mount Dora Yacht Club P.O. Box 876 Mount Dora, Florida 32756 (352) 383-3188 www.mountdorayachtclub.com
Sailing Club of Central Florida Lake Baldwin / Winter Park / Orlando, FL Area www.thesailingclub.us
Navy Jax Yacht Club PO Box 29 Jacksonville FL 32212 (904) 778-0805 www.navyjaxyachtclub.com North Florida Cruising Club P.O. Box 24268 Jacksonville, FL 32241 http://nfccsail.com Ocala Sailing Club P.O. Box 2091 Ocala, FL 34478 www.ocalasailingclub.org Palatka Yacht Club 131 Crystal Cove Drive Palatka, FL 32178 (888) 851-1811 www.palatkayachtclub.org
Smyrna Yacht Club P.O. Box 560 New Smyrna FL 32170 (386) 663-7322 www.smyrnayachtclub.com St. Augustine Yacht Club 442 Ocean Vista Avenue St. Augustine, Florida 32080 (904) 824-9725 www.staugustineyachtclub.com St. Lucie Saiing Club www.stluciesailingclub.org Titusville Sailing Club PO Box 2791 Titusville, FL 32781-2791 www.sailtitusville.com USSC Martin County 1955 NE Indian River Dr. Jensen Beach, FL 34957
To be added to this list send your club info to clubnews@waypointnews.com
Down to the Wire at the Catalina 22 Florida State Championship A diminishing northwesterly breeze was the story of the day on Sunday at the Catalina 22 Florida Championship Regatta hosted by the Indian River Yacht Club January 23-24 Craig Oulton rounds the leeward mark on in Cocoa. his way to an overall 1st in the Dinghy The irony of the regatta is that division. while racing ended with boats ghosting across the line on Sunday, Saturday’s racing had to be canceled due to high winds and hazardous conditions. Saturday’s winds were blowing steady at 25 knots with gusts in the 30-35 knot range. Things had settled down quite a bit by Sunday morning and at race time there was a decent 5-7 knots of wind but forecasts called for it to fade by lunchtime. The RC did a great job getting three races in. Mercury Rising skippered by Brad Ruffe and Gold Rush skippered by Randy Pawlowski split bullets in the first two races The third and final race of the day was decided when Mercury Rising gained enough momentum to pass through the lee of Gold Rush and crossed the finish line just two seconds ahead, thus earning the race and regatta wins. Dave Ottaviani’s Go Daddy O crossed the line in third place just ahead of Al Pivonka’s Boat which finished fourth. Ottavianni’s finish was good enough to lock up 3rd place for the regatta as well, nipping Pivonka by just one point. Peter Bush’s Frank & Beans and Lorry Simpkins’ Spirit of 76 finished the race in fifth and sixth place respectively and also finished the regatta in the same places.
Randy Pawlowski and crew had Gold Rush poised for a regatta win but had to settle for runner-up.
Mercury Rising skipper Brad Ruffe had to connect the dots in a diminishing breeze in the final and deciding race on Sunday.
There are a lot more photos from this regatta and a bunch of others on the Waypoint Sailing News Facebook page. Please visit and “Like” us while you are there.
LESC Hosts MC Scow Train Wreck & Wayfarer Mid-Winters The three day Train Wreck and Wayfarer Mid-Winter Regatta hosted by the Lake Eustis Sailing Club offered up about as much excitement as you could ask for on the water. Shifting winds, dead calm and gusts over 25 knots were just some of the challenging conditions sailors faced as they maneuvered their boats around the buoys. Day one started in a steady 6-9 knot breeze. In the MC Scow fleet, LESC member Dave Helmick finished the day in 1st place with a 2nd place finish in the first race and a bullet in the second. Not a bad start at all, however with eventual regatta winner Rob Seidelmann lurking in 3rd with just 8 points on the day, no lead was safe. In the Wayfarer fleet, Peter and Alex Rahn started on top, finishing the day in 1st place which was a spot they would hold on to throughout the The RC’s did a great job getting in eight races in the MC fleet and nine in the racing. Wayfarer Fleet. Photo Courtesy of John Cole Photography The second day of the regatta with steady 10 knot and building breezes allowed both fleets to get in plenty of racing. After four races in the MC Seidelmann moved from a 3-way tie for second into first. The Rahn's were Scow fleet the leader board had changed significantly. When the day sitting comfortably atop the Wayfarer fleet having hit for the cycle on the ended Helmick had dropped to 5th place. Eventual regatta winner day. At the end of day three Seidelmann was sitting atop the Train Wreck fleet while the Rahn's were first amongst the Wayfarers after a dominating performance. For full results and more photos visit Facebook and www.waypointnews.com.
Peter and Alex Rahn’s worst finish was 4th place in the regatta’s first race. The duo would log 3 bullets in route to a convincing regatta win.
We could not ID this sailor but any dude who can steer with his feet and sheet in at the same time while rounding a mark in traffic deserves a shout out.
Allan Haeger looks for the culprit whose heavy air port tack dumped him.
Cold Weather
By Dean Vanderbleek
“On Saturday and Sunday in the year 1886 there was a strong wind from the Northwest – the wind that always brings our hardest frosts. On Sunday morning at Mosquito Inlet the mercury stood at 22, the lowest on record in that region. The crop of oranges remaining on the trees was frozen; some so solid that no juice flowed when they were cut open. Pieces of ice taken from a tub lay on the ground all day without melting. Fish of all kinds in the river were so chilled that they were left on the shores and sandbars as the tide went out, and died there, and cartloads of them lined the shores.” -Dr. John Milton Hawks, founder of what later became Edgewater FEBRUARY FREEZES IN FLORIDA Florida’s climate is the product of its shape, location, and consequent land-sea relationships. Due to orientation of the Florida peninsula, extending south and east for hundreds miles away from the continental US, cold continental air masses have a successively decreasing influence upon temperature. Still, every part of Florida, with the exception of the middle and lower keys, may at times experience freezing temperatures (and even snow!) when polar air plunges into the state from the northwest in the winter. Low temperatures may vary greatly between coastal and inland locations, with a distance of only several miles inland from the moderating effect of the mild Atlantic Ocean dictating the severity of the freeze. While February is characterized by gradually rising temperatures over the course of the month, on average one day in ten the low temperature falls below 36F. The Great Freeze of 1835 The severe freeze that occurred February 2-9, 1835 produced some of the lowest temperatures ever recorded in north and central Florida. This freeze is considered an impact freeze because it ended attempts to commercially grow citrus in South Georgia, southeast South Carolina and in the northern part of Florida when entire groves of the fruit trees were destroyed down to the roots as far south as the 28th parallel (north of a line drawn from Tampa to Palm Bay). The cold outbreak cumulated in a hard freeze (28F or lower 4 hours or longer) on the 8th, and the St. Johns River iced over up to 50 feet out from the shore when the temperature descended to a mere 8 degrees above zero in Jacksonville and 11F in Fort King (what is now Ocala). The “Double Whammy” 1894-95 Freeze The close proximity of the hard freezes of 1894 and 1895 created an impact freeze situation that devastated citrus growers and rearranged the geography of the Florida citrus industry forever. The first freeze occurred on December 27-30, 1894. Temperatures as low as 16F were recorded in Volusia County, 20F was observed in Titusville. In the first days of January 1895, temperatures warmed and the state experienced a full month of exceptionally warm mid-winter weather. Daily highs in the 80’s and balmy nights in the 60’s encouraged the trees to bud, which made the citrus more vulnerable for the second killing freeze that invaded the state 5 weeks later on February 7-10, 1895. New Smyrna bottomed out at 16F, killing turtles and fish in the Mosquito Lagoon. Citrus trees, full of sap from the run of warm weather in January, froze and exploded like “cannon shots” on the coldest nights. The freezes of 1894-95 were so destructive that they caused the town of Astor, located in Lake County just across the St. Johns River from Volusia County, to be abandoned and become nearly a ghost town. The freezes forced many orange growers to move to sparsely populated southern counties in Florida, forever changing the citrus industry. Florida’s citrus production had been five million boxes per year just prior to the back to back freezes, but it took two decades of recovery before that production level was achieved again. Other Major Freezes In December 1898, and again Christmas Eve in 1983, temperatures in east central Florida plummeted 60 degrees from the upper 70’s to the teens
The above photo was taken at a boat ramp in the Everglades and shows hundreds of dead snook killed during the unseasonably cold weather during January and February 2010.
in a matter of hours. The radical temperature swings in these early winter freezes 85 years apart caught weather forecasters and growers by surprise, killing crops, coconut palms and mangroves as far south as Ft. Pierce on the east coast and Ft. Myers on the west coast. The 1898 freeze was followed by a four-day freeze between February 13th and February 16th when a record low of 15F was observed in New Smyrna. Exactly one year later, another February freeze known as the Great Arctic Outbreak pushed frigid Canadian arctic air into the state. During this event, the lowest temperature ever recorded in Florida (-2°F) occurred in Tallahassee on February 13, 1899. Freeze Protection for Boats Boat owners should winterize engines and freshwater systems when boats are stored ashore in the Florida panhandle and north Florida areas prone to deep freezes. Boats stored in the water in Florida will generally not require winterization unless an extended period of sub-freezing weather lasting more than several days is forecast. When the temperature falls and stays below freezing through a 24 hour period, if there is water inside the engine or gear case, the result can be a cracked block or housing, with a repair bill that can run into the thousands. It is easy enough to prevent this by winterizing the engine and the plumbing properly if storing
the boat ashore during the winter. If the boat is to stay in the water through the winter, routine inspection is paramount to keeping her afloat. Regularly inspect all fittings and plumbing above and below the waterline that could be cracked by freezing water during prolonged cold snaps. All too often, skippers rely on bilge pumps to bail them out when they don’t visit their boats in the winter. Over time, a hairline crack caused by the repeated expansion of freezing water will widen. If the automatic bilge pump fails and no one is around to notice the boat setting lower in the water, the boat sinks. Never, I repeat, NEVER EVER leave a portable heater plugged in on any setting when your boat is unattended- in or out of the water. In the winter, portable heaters are the wrong way to keep your boat from freeze damage. Marine insurance claims confirm that the leading causes of winter vessel fires are unattended portable heaters and overtaxed electrical systems. Unattended heaters are easily tipped over by wave movement. Good links: http://www.floridahistorynetwork.com/blog---floridas-worst-freezes.html http://climatecenter.fsu.edu/topics/winters http://www.xtremeheaters.com/firehazard February Averages Daily high/low temperatures: 68-72F / 48-51F Average rainfall: 2.74� Average wind speed/direction: direction varies from ENE to WSW 10-12 mph Notable February Weather Events February 3-4, 1917 - statewide - Severe Freeze with low temperatures of 15 degrees reported at Tallahassee, 17 at Gainesville, 18 at Ocala, and 22 at Orlando. February 3-5, 1963 - northeast Coast - Continuous strong northeast winds produced by a low pressure area east of the Florida coast generated high tides, rough surf and coastal flooding along entire northeast Florida coast from Nassau to Brevard Counties. Beaches sustained considerable erosion damage and some beach properties and roads were undermined. Damage was greater than expected as beaches had not been repaired from damages inflicted by a smaller storm in December 1962. Property damage was confined to the beach areas as winds inland were not sufficiently strong to cause other than minor property damage. February 4-5, 1958 - Statewide - Cold Outbreak - Arctic high pressure behind a strong cold front brought record cold to much of Florida. Freezing temperatures spread to south Florida. Lows reach 27 at Homestead, 28 at Belle Glade, 31 at Fort Lauderdale and 33 at Hialeah. Snow fell in Tallahassee. February 5, 1996 - West Central and South Florida peninsula - Extreme Cold/Severe Freeze - The coldest temperatures since the "Christmas freeze" of 1989 caused significant loss of winter fresh fruits and vegetables. Crop damage was estimated at $109 million dollars. Strong winds caused wind chill values in the teens, and disrupted electrical service to over 20,000 customers. Shelters were opened in several counties. At least one space heater initiated fire occurred. February 7-10, 1835 - The earliest well-documented severe freeze with a low temperature of 4 degrees reported at Tallahassee, 8 degrees at Jacksonville and Pensacola. The edges of the St. Johns River froze and ice was reported in Pensacola Bay. The temperature was below freezing for over two days at St. Augustine. All citrus was killed. February 8-9, 1895 - statewide - Severe Freeze with reported low temperatures of 11 degrees at Tallahassee, 16 at Ocala, and 19 at Orlando. This freeze followed the December 1894 freeze, and due to intervening mild weather citrus trees were greatly damaged.
Hard freezes such as this are rare in Florida but they do happen.
February 13-14, 1899 - Statewide - Severe Freeze with reported low temperatures of -2 degrees at Tallahassee, the all-time lowest recorded Florida temperature, six degrees reported at Gainesville, 12 at Ocala, and 20 at Orlando. Snow reported in Tallahassee. February 18, 1958 - Statewide - Cold Outbreak - Arctic high pressure behind a strong cold front brought record cold and second major freeze of month (see 2/4-5/58) to much of the state. Temperatures dipped to the teens in north Florida, twenties central, and low 30s south. February 23-26 1989 - Peninsular Florida - Cold Spell - A prolonged lateseason Arctic outbreak broke many daily minimum temperature records throughout Florida. A hard freeze occurred in the north and central peninsula with a freeze and frost in interior south. Extensive damage, primarily to produce crops. At least three people died of hypothermia and one person died in a fire possibly caused by a heating device. Near Tallahassee, a woman was found frozen to death in her home. Two people died of exposure in Dade County. Additional Links My regularly updated surf forecast (Cape Canaveral to Jacksonville) wind/wave forecast page (updated daily), with additional weather forecasting links: http://surf-station.com/north-florida-surf-forecast/ I welcome input! Please feel free to send questions or comments, submit weather quotes, and share your local weather knowledge to dean@waypointnews.com
Lightnings Conduct Sail Testing AT LMSA By Willie Blevins
Something doesn’t look right, or maybe it does. Several of the most knowledgeable and accomplished Lightning sailors, along with builders and sailmakers, gathered in Sanford, Florida on the last weekend in January to stir things up a bit. Since stirring things up is one of my favorite things to do, I felt it necessary to “help out” and eavesdrop a little. As I understand it, this exercise was intended to try out asymmetrical spinnakers and bowsprits just to see if it makes enough difference to investigate further. The criteria for evaluating were; performance of course, then easier handling, fun, and safety. The test boats include a standard rig for the control group, and a boat with a fractionally rigged A-sail, and a boat with a mast head A-sail (including a set of temporary jumpers). The asymmetrical sails were approximately 20% larger than the stock symmetrical spinnaker. Assisted by several volunteers from the Lake Monroe Sailing Association, the test vessels spent a little time Friday afternoon and all day Saturday sailing windward-leewards, and making adjustments and moving crews. Conditions were almost too good Friday and Saturday. The prevailing Northeast winds at 10 to 15 knots were excellent for reasonable testing but lacked the upper and lower ranges to evaluate the A-sails in more extreme conditions. At least once, the masthead rig achieved speeds above 15 knots, which may be the fastest a Lightning has ever gone, certainly in less than 20 knots of breeze, or without being attached to a trailer. High speed reaches seemed easy to achieve most of the day. I don’t have exact quotes but “on the edge” and “close to a wipeout” were purported to emanate from the vicinity of Bill Faude. Observers from the chase boat concluded that the learning curve was steep. Boat speed versus velocity made good to the mark is a difficult call. I consider the talent pool for this evaluation second to none, especially in Lightnings. Even the best sailors have to have a first time, the difference between “those guys” and the rest of us is that they get better a lot faster. Regardless of talent, sailing too deep and slow or too high and fast eliminates the advantage of the A-sail. The optimum angle can be very elusive. Over several downwind legs there did not seem to be a significant advantage to any of the sail plans. Comments from the parking lot indicated there were two significant opinions. 1. The masthead kite seemed to have more promise than the
The three sails & rigs being tested on display.
Photo By Mike Loughlin
fractional kite. 2. Further testing was needed. Some expressed a desire for even larger A-sails, which generally goes along with my philosophy of too much power is just enough. The competition seemed inconclusive, with both symmetrical and asymmetrical completing the runs essentially even. One participant said the biggest difference was that the crews of the a-sail boats had bigger smiles at the leeward mark. These crews were not average sailors. LMSA’s Fisk Hayden (with his own impressive list of sailing credentials) told me, “I have been sailing Lightnings all my life, but around this group, I just keep quiet and listen”. The A-sail test group included: Bill Faude – ILCA past President, Current VP of Marketing, organized the weekend Tom Allen – Allen Boat Co., ILCA Builder, NA Champion, World Champion crew, supplied the boats, designed & built the equipment to test. Larry MacDonald – North Sails VP, ILCA World & NA Champion, provided the A-Sails to test. Kip Hamblet – Past ILCA Class Measurer, World Champion Crew, provided powerboat & logistics assistance Steve Hayden – NA Champion. Jeff Linton - World Champion, twice Amy Linton- World Champion crew, twice Rob & Abby Ruhlman – ILCS past President, Quantum Cleveland Owners, really made the weekend possible.
STAY CLOSER, GO FURTHER.
Nick Turney- Quantum Cleveland Manager Ryan Flack- Nickels Boats GM, ILCA Builder Kevin Moran-Provided electronics & data collection Jim Thompson – Nickels Boats Will Tyner – Nickels Boats Laura Jeffers - ILCA Executive Secretary Will Jeffers Jeff Hayden Fisk Hayden- ILCA Past President Mike Loughlin – provided powerboat assistance Willie Blevins – listened intently
Flying Scot Fleets Staying Busy Regatta # 4 Florida District Circuit, January 10th and 11th, Charlotte Harbor Yacht Club
It was a beautiful weekend with tight racing. Down the final run of the last race, the top three boats were overlapped, with all three of the top spots in play. Kim and Dave Thinel (Sarasota Sailing Squadron) won the race, but wound up the regatta one point out of a three way tie for first. It seems that the mere thought of making such a significant change to a Rob Whittemore and John Wake (Fishing Bay YC, Virginia) took the top spot. Tom McNally (Lake Monroe Sailing Association) and Henry Picco one-design class with such a large following and nearly eighty years of (Indian River YC) were second. history, has at least a few people tied up in a knot. In the fifties the ILCA The fifth regatta of the circuit will be February 14th and 15th at the changed the masts and added the adjustable backstay. It is not like the Lake Eustis Sailing Club. class is jumping on every little innovation that comes along. I don’t believe there will be a test weekend for say, water ballast, or large Regatta #3 Florida District Flying Scot Circuit, Dec 6th and 7th, outboards. My observations of this weekend confirm that the Lightning Rudder Club – Jacksonville class has extraordinary sailors willing to investigate possibilities to maintain the legacy of Lightning one-design sailing worldwide. John Kreidler and Joe Brake (Western Carolina Sailing Club) Jeff Hayden was the youngest sailor participating in the test, and I believe dominated the weekend, with a 2nd in Saturday’s light air, followed by he is the only fifth generation Lightning sailor in the world. Truly four 1st places in windy conditions on Sunday. Second place went to Jim representative of the future of the ILCA, he likes the speed. In an ideal and Cheryl Signor (Upper Keys Sailing Club), who finished three points world, he would have a Moth for speed and high level competition, a TP52 ahead of Tom McNally (Lake Monroe Sailing Association). Mark Taylor to keep the offshore sailing competitive, a 49er or something similar for a and Michelle Robinson (Fleet 168) took fourth, and Dave and Kim Thinel fun fast boat, and a new Lightning. Jeff does acknowledge that his family (Sarasota) took fifth. has been in the class awhile. I have been sailing about 30 years (a relative newbie), I have seen several classes come and go, some return and some don’t. I’m pretty sure that the ILCA will be around, with a strong and growing class for a long time. Obviously any changes to the boat will require extensive evaluation and this event was intended to determine if any further evaluation is warranted. I believe that the Nichols boat builders plan to have an A-sail rigged boat available for people to test-sail at either the St. Pete Winter Championships or shortly thereafter in Miami. I think looking toward the future is always a good thing. I don’t know that asymmetric spinnakers are the right things for the Lightning but they might be. It seems to be a popular change for the E-Scow. How far do we go? When will the family racer/cruiser be leisurely blasting around the bay at forty knots on foils? I’m ready. Photo By Mike Loughlin
This boat flying the masthead A-sail hit 15 knots during testing.
First Coast Sailing Association FCSA is a volunteer group formed to coordinate PHRF sailboat racing in the NE Florida region. Board members are from the area yacht clubs and sailing organizations. - From the FCSA website Like the above statement says, the First Coast Sailing Association’s primary job is to coordinate sailboat racing between eight member clubs in Jacksonville, St. Augustine, Daytona and New Smyrna. Their annual meeting took place on January 28th at the St. Augustine Yacht Club and from the sound of things, the organization is doing more than just coordinating sailboat racing in the area, they are improving it. One of the main functions of FCSA is to provide handicap ratings using the PHRF system and that was a primary reason that the Halifax River and New Smyrna Yacht Clubs joined the FCSA last year. They were looking for more consistent and fair ratings of boats participating in their events. FCSA chief handicapper Alan Norwood overseas a program that grew from providing 62 ratings in 2013 to 103 ratings in 2014. The addition of the two southernmost clubs was also beneficial to the clubs who were already FCSA members as the addition of HRYC and SYC events to the calendar more than doubled the offshore racing opportunities that FCSA clubs had previously offered. All eight FCSA member clubs are playing an integral role in assisting the St. Augustine Yacht Club with St. Augustine Race Week scheduled for April 9-12. This is a brand new regatta that is being launched as part of St. Augustine’s 450th Birthday celebration. There will be inshore and offshore racing as well as junior racing in downtown St. Augustine. Another primary function served by FCSA is the presentation of trophies to series winners. The awards for 2014 were presented at the annual meeting. Trophies are presented to top three finishers in four different series, the Spring Series, Fall Series, Ocean Racing Series and the Women's Racing Series. To learn more about the First Coast Sailing Association’s activities and to view the skippers and boats who were presented with series awards visit www.sailjax.com.
BoatUS Foundation Cuts the Cost of Online Boating Education in 2015 ANNAPOLIS, Md. January 13, 2015 -- When cold weather conspires to keep boaters off the water, it’s time to move inside by the fire and take one of many online boating safety courses offered by the BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water, US Power Squadrons and Offshore Sailing School partners. Accessible by computer, tablet or smartphone, the series of no-cost and tuition-based courses – now discounted for 2015 – give boating families time to brush up on their boating knowledge, get more confident, meet their state’s boating safety course requirements or even qualify them for a boat insurance discount. In addition to 33 individual, no cost, stateapproved boating safety courses, BoatUS offers: Weather for Boaters: Have you ever had the weather ruin your weekend on the water? What if you could anticipate the weather changes and understand what your observations really mean? From learning to recognize the early signs of changing weather to the basics of understanding storms, squalls, fog and wind shifts - the newest course from the United States Power Squadrons will help you to make an informed decision about weather to go or stay. Cost: $24.95 (formerly $35). Boating on Rivers, Lakes and Locks: This one is the best for inland boating families. Learn what you must know to boat on our inland waterways with confidence and increase your fun on the water. Created in partnership with the US Power Squadrons, this course will teach boaters the ins and outs of inland boating, from reading a river to navigating locks to boating near dams. Cost: $24.95 (formerly $35). Partner in Command: Are you a regular passenger or crew on a power or sailboat? Learn essential information on how to assist in the safe operation and become more confident with anchoring, signaling, handling emergencies and more. Cost: $24.95 (formerly $35). Learn to Sail: Jump-start your sailing life or refresh your sailing techniques with the interactive lessons from America's #1 Sailing School. With this innovative online course full of video and animations, beginners will gain the knowledge to make sailing a breeze. Cost: $55 (formerly $75). Clean Boating Course: As boaters, we have a close connection to the health of our waterways. This free course will show you the simple steps you can take to reduce the impact of boating activities on our waterways. There are also four individual courses tailored to boaters in MA, NJ, NC, and TX. Cost: $0. DSC-VHF Radio Tutorial: What is Digital Selective Calling VHF radio, how does it work, and how can it save lives by working seamlessly with the new nationwide rescue system, “Rescue 21”? This video tutorial, at BoatUS.org/dsc, will show you how. Cost: $0.
FCSA Chairman Tom Davis gives members a “State of the Club” address at the Annual Meeting held January 28th at the St. Augustine Yacht Club.
NAUTICAL TERMS Bare Boat - Clothing Optional. Mizzen - an object you can't find. Swell - a wave that's just great.
It’s easy to start and stop any of courses at anytime, working well with today’s busy schedules. Members of BoatUS, US Power Squadrons, Canadian Power Squadrons, US Coast Guard Auxiliary and Great Lakes Cruising Club receive an additional 20% discount. To see the courses available, go to: BoatUS.org/courses. About BoatUS: Boat Owners Association of The United States is the nation’s leading advocate for recreational boaters providing its over half-million members with government representation, services such as 24-hour dispatch, on water boat towing as well as roadside assistance for boat trailers and tow vehicles, feature-packed boat insurance programs, money-saving benefits including marina and service discounts, and vital information that improves recreational boating. Its memberfunded BoatUS Foundation is a national leader promoting safe, clean and responsible boating and offers range of boating safety courses – including 33 free state courses – that can be found at BoatUS.org/courses.
BOATS & SERVICES 1985 Freedom 32 FSBO. Easy sail plan for shorthanded sailors- all lines leading to the cockpit, easy reefing and a self tacking jib while fast and sea worthy. Well maintained and upgraded: new radial cut main, Mack Pack, Strong track, new canvas and jib; refrigeration, more. Engine completely overhauled. Very clean boat, dry, used regularly, NE boat; 3 years in Fl. $45,000 makorbey@gmail.com 2009 Hobie Wave Only used a few times. Boat needs to be sailed. Great for beginners. Bullet proof rotomolded hull. Sail is in brand new condition and has been stored inside. Boat located in Ormond Beach. No trailer. $2800 OBO. (443) 336-6337 2007 MacGregor 26M Includes Trailer; 60 HP Evinrude (just Serviced). Cruising Spinnaker; CARRY-ON AC; Chartplotter/GPS, Auto Helm. Fresh Bottom Paint, Just detailed. Turn Key Boat. Asking $22,000 Contact Steve or Jackie 386-402-4887. Can be seen by appointment at SYC slip #7.
8’ Walker Bay dinghy w/oars Walker Bay's Original Series offers a fun, practical boat that is lightweight, easy to handle, expertly engineered and requires no maintenance other than simple cleaning. With a virtually indestructible HIMC hull, Walker Bay boats are perfect for boating with family, a day of fishing or loading up as a tender. $300. (904) 829-0648 2001 Rendova 11’ Includes 25HP 4-stroke Yamaha Outboard. Tender To your yacht or runabout fun! Built-in fuel tank, Tilt controls, bilge pump, bimini, bottom paint. A beautiful ride! Just $4500. (904) 829-0648. 1996 MacGregor 26X 26ft. Water Ballast, swing keel and rudders. All equipment in good working order. VHF radio, Hummingbird fish finder/depth & speed indicator, compass with heel Indicator, topping lift, life sling, Genoa, 50hp 4-stroke Mariner engine outboard. $15,500. In Ormond Beach, FL. Cell Phone 386-8714967 Honda 15HP Short Shaft Very low hours. Four stroke. Runs perfect. Asking $1700. Also selling a 15’ x 22’ Dacron headsail in very good condition. Asking $300 Call Ed Woodring at (850) 849-0795.
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Willie Blevins is a Central Florida based sailor who has sailed and taught sailing for a long time on a wide variety of boats. He has a knack for translating what most of us feel when sailing to words on paper. Currently he races his San Juan 21 with the LMSA on Lake Monroe. You can read more of his musings on his blog at http://sailorsboatyard.com.