NAUTICAL NEWS FOR NORTH & CENTRAL FLORIDA SAILORS
PATRICK FISHER-CARNE DRIVING PERPETUAL MOTION & HAVING FUN IN NEW SMYRNA
SOME OF WHAT’S INSIDE: FLEET 80 GAULDEN REED’S SUMMER SIZZLER WE REVIEW THE FLYING SCOT (GREAT BOAT) OBSESSION TOPS CLASS AT SYC SUMMER SOLSTICE STEALS A WIN IN TITUSVILLE & MUCH MORE
A Game On! News Publication
It is hot out. I know summer is here when I have to pack extra shirts in my gear bag . My first mate, wait a minute….my skipper, Leslie, tells me that when I spend all day on the water taking photos, I have to change shirts before attending the awards party. According to her, no one wants to grant an interview to the smelly, sweaty guy, even if he is from that hot new sailing rag. We have been crewing together for a long time now and I get much of the credit for that, because I listen to her. It is warmer out now but cracker sailors are lucky here on the east coast of Florida. It might be hot but it is seldom unbearable, what with the seabreeze and all, and its rare that a lack of wind will cancel or even postpone a race here. The weather element that certainly will send everyone back to the dock in a hurry is the patented Florida afternoon thunderstorm. Mother nature must have a VHF radio and spin one of these ominus looking, electric bolt throwing, wind blowing, water dumping boomers up as a way of humoring herself. I swear she is listening in on the race committee trying to figure out what the hell to do about the weather. The new apps we all have on our phones don’t help either……Mark Boat this is the RC over…….RC this is the Mark Boat, go ahead, over…..what does it look like over where
Nautical NEWS For North & Central florida sailors Publisher/Editor Bob Seay Reporters Leslie Roberts Ben Seay Gayle Woerning Contributing Columnists Willie Blevins Dean Vanderbleek Graphics Rusty Fedsovich Distribution Ben Seay Wendy Waters
P.O. Box 2029 Daytona Beach, FL 32115 Tel. (386) 868-5910
WAYPOINT is also published online at waypointnews.com
you are? over….well I am about 200 yards from you and it pretty much looks like the world is coming to an end, over……yup I can see that too but I was looking at the radar and we only have that one really bad cell to the north there, and a smaller one behind it, there is something trying to bubble up to the east and I think the one to the southwest will miss us for the most part, after that it looks like we will have at least a 30 minute window, over……RC this is the Mark Boat, roger that, if we have a 30 minute window, let’s get this party started, over….. I had a really good time covering the Titusville Sailing Club’s Annual Regatta. The race is open to PHRF and any other class that has enough boats and wants a start. Unfortunately the only start they had was for the Catalina 22 class. Eleven boats showed up for some spirited racing over two days. They had everything you could ask for in a regatta, a lot of wind, boats retiring for repairs and coming back to affect the outcome, boats that had never won before, winning, and a dramatic last race victory to capture the coveted Pritchard Cup. Boy oh boy, and all of that in a fleet where about $2000 will get you on the race course in your own boat. I was talking to Joe Waters at Waters Sails in South Carolina about the cost of campaigning a boat and why that is a big reason numbers are
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 day of every month (except for holidays when it will be published the first business day following the holiday). Between 6,000 and 8,000 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 4
down at regattas everywhere. He said, “Bob, you can pull the bulb off the Farr 40 and load it on the trailer, buy the entire crew a matching set of foul weather gear and fly them off to meet the boat and that is yacht racing. That’s not what we do. We race sailboats.” Cheers Joe! Sail Fast! - Bob
sailing fast at the SYC Solstice.
Send letters to editor@waypointnews.com
RACING NEWS North & Central Florida Regatta Report: Things are a little quite on the race course but we have plenty to report. TSC Annual Regatta, page 4. LESC Sailstice, page 6. Gaulden Reed Summer Sizzler, page 8. SYC Summer Solstice, page 13.
CLUB NEWS Club Scuttlebutt: Things may slow down during the dog days of summer but some clubs are still active, page 3.
JUNIOR SAILING SYC Summer Program: Report of camps in progress, page 3. Reports from HRYC, TCYSF & HYS: , page 12.
DEPARTMENTS Boat Review: The Flying Scot, page 5. Club Directory: A listing of clubs in your area, page 7. Business Spotlight: Lake Fairview Marina, page 9. Willie Blevins: aka…. Admiral Mudgeon, page 11. Weather: Dean talks lightning bolts, page 14. Schurr Sure Shot: The best of many great shots, back cover.
Halifax Sailing Association Offers Adult Classes
SYC Summer Sailing
The Halifax Sailing Association will offer a two day Adult Intermediate Daysailor Course on July 12 and July 19 at 15 Fremont Court, Daytona Beach. The classes will run from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. US Sailing certified instructors will teach intermediate level sailing skills including sail trim and crew coordination. Instruction will be conducted in Capri 14.2 daysailors. Cost for the two day course is $125. Students must have basic sailing ability, be able to swim and be in good physical health. More information is available at halifaxsailing.org or hsa.sail.training@gmail.com. The Halifax Sailing Association will offer a four day Adult "Learn To Sail" Beginner Course starting August 2. The course is conducted on four consecutive Saturdays from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. on the Halifax River at 15 Fremont Ct, Daytona Beach. US Sailing Certified Instructors will teach basic sailing skills, knots and safety procedures. Cost for the four day course is $125. No sailing experience is required. Students must know how to swim and be in good physical health. More information is available at halifaxsailing.org or hsa.sail.training@gmail.com.
In 2014 the Smyrna Yacht Club organized two Junior Sailing Schools in cooperation with the New Smyrna Beach Parks and Recreation Department. The start dates were Monday June 9th and Monday June 23rd. The details of this course are on the town web site. The course is organized and run by the SYC Sailors, which is the wing of Smyrna Yacht Club that maintains the Precision 15 fleet. The Precisions are available to any club member, who passes the Skipper Test and the SYC club organizes a Spring Race Series as well as interclub competitions. The club has never had a need to publicize this course. All the instructors and safety boat operators are SYC volunteers. A first was the inclusion of junior instructors, who have completed the course many times and have the advantage of being able to relate more directly to students of a similar age. This year we have coached 26 students and also joined with New Smyrna Beach Sea Scouts to assist in their sail training. A great way for young sailors to sail regularly and continue to improve is via the New Smyrna Beach Sea Scouts. They meet at the Boat & Ski Club on the North Causeway in New Smyrna Beach from 6 – 8 pm every Wednesday. You can call Richard Sturge on 386 690 8998 or email SHIP495@AOL.COM.
ECSA Plans July 4th Festivities Join ECSA (East Coast Sailing Association) in historic Cocoa Village as we celebrate our nation’s birthday. This is a fun cruise that provides a birds-eye view of the city’s spectacular fireworks. Anchorage is available on the southwest side of SR 520. Cocoa Village Marina has slips available, but don’t delay. The Marina can be reached at 632-5445. We have reserved the Cocoa Village Marina Clubhouse for Friday, July 4. Join us beginning at 3:00 p.m.; feel free to bring cards or board games and your favorite snacks. We’ll have ice for drinks and there’s a water cooler as well. Please RSVP if you plan to attend the dinner. You can contact us via the website at www.ecsasail.com/contact. The Brevard Symphony Orchestra concert will begin at 8:00 p.m. in Riverside Park and fireworks are scheduled to start at 9:15 p.m. You can watch the fireworks from the park, from your boat if you’re anchored out, or join us at Cocoa Village Marina. Bring chairs as we will sit on the docks to watch the show. We plan to have breakfast at Ossorio’s at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday. For those in the marina, complimentary coffee is available in the Clubhouse on Saturday and Sunday morning. This is a great opportunity to enjoy the weekend in Cocoa Village. We hope to see you -- and please RSVP!
MYC & PCYC Firecracker Regatta The Port Canaveral Yacht Club will host the 2014 Firecraker Ocean Races July 5th and 6th in Port Canaveral. There will be two Classes, PHRF A (long courses) and PHRF B (short courses). For either Class, boats may declare spinnaker or non-spinnaker. PCYC is offering complimentary dockage (first come, first serve). Contact the Fleet Captain at 717-858-1992. For more information and to register contact Regatta Chairman Del Wiese at del@sailordel.com or 321-773-4884. You can also contact Greg Peery at PCYC by email at gpeery@msn.com or by phone at 717-858-1992.
Advertising in WAYPOINT starts as low as $20 per month. Classified ads are available for a one-time fee of $15 and will run in print and online until your item sells. For advertising information visit waypointnews.com or call (386) 682-9573.
Smyrna Yacht Club’s summer sailing program Class 1.
This logo means we have regatta and other event photos posted on Waypoint’s Facebook page and on waypointnews.com.
last race of the day for a seven point total and the regatta lead. Lurking in the shadows was Ruffe Wins TSC Regatta & Pritchard Cup Brad Ruffe’s Mercury Rising Bullet in last race gives Mercury Rising the win over Go Daddy O! with two 3rd place finishes sandwiching a 2nd for an eight Better than expected wind point total. Skipper and crew conditions made for some exciting Kirk Ketterer were nipping at racing at the Titusville Sailing Ottavianni’s heels. Club’s Annual Regatta held June The forecast for light winds 7th & 8th in Titusville. Weather held true on Sunday as the RC forecasts called for 3-4 knot NW was only able to get one race off winds clocking to the ESE by the in the diminishing breeze. Gold afternoon. The shifts held true Rush was repaired and on the however by race time the breeze line winning the start and getting had built to a steady 8-10 knots on Dave Ottavianni’s Go Daddy O sailed a superb off to an early lead. Needing not regatta coming up just shy of winning it all. the course south of the 406 only to beat Go Daddy O but causeway. also needing a win, Ruffe managed to catch Pawlowski at the final While the regatta was open to windward mark putting Gold Rush in between himself and Ottavianni who all who wanted to race, only the was close behind in 3rd place. The boats would cross the finish line in that spirited Catalina fleet of 11 boats order giving Mercury Rising the low point score and regatta win, including made it to the start line. the coveted Pritchard Cup. “After the race Randy told me that he did not The shocker of the first day was when Randy Palowski’s Gold Brad Ruffe’s Winning C22 Mercury Rising know how I caught up to him and I told him that I didn’t either,” said the happy Mercury Rising skipper in a post-race interview. “It was a great Rush had to retire from the race course for boat repairs before the first starting signal. Gold Rush is always regatta and the class is a lot of fun,” he added. See “TSC Results” Page 6 a heavy favorite so with skipper and crew back at the dock repairing the Al Pivonka’s Boat took a boat’s bulkhead, it was anyone’s regatta. bullet in the second race. TSC Commodore Carl Jones, sailing the club owned boat, Discovery, took the bullet in the first race, walking away from the fleet in the fresh breeze. Unfortunately Discovery could not continue the magic rounding out the day with two 5th place finishes. Al Pivonka sailing Boat got off to a rough start finishing 7th in the first race but rebounded nicely to win the next race and finish 2nd in the third race to stay in contention. At the end of the day it was Dave Ottavianni’s Go Daddy O however, who was sitting in first place. Ottaviani and crew turned in a better than solid day sailing to 2nd and 4th place finishes before taking the gun in the TSC Commodore Carl Jones, sailing a club refurbished boat, Discovery, got off to a fast start with a bullet in the first race. Unfortunately the Discovery skipper could not maintain that pace but still managed to finsh in 4th place overall.
The Flying Scot By Bob Seay Designed in 1957 by Gordon "Sandy" Douglass, who also designed the Thistle and Highlander, the Flying Scot is an extremely popular 19-foot dinghy with main, jib, and spinnaker. It has a lowdisplacement hull with a flat tapered shape in the stern which allows her to plane when the wind speed reaches 15 knots (meaning the boat is not limited to her waterline hullspeed). With over 200 square feet of sail area, she has the "engine" to move well in any wind speed. With nearly 6100 boats built and over 100 fleets racing across North America, the boat definitely has staying power. As a matter-of-fact, it was the first ever centerboard dinghy inducted into the American Sailboat Hall of Fame, an honor it received in 1998. The Flying Scot was the last of Douglass’ “big three” still popular designs. The Thistle came first in 1945 and then the Highlander a few years later in 1951. The Flying Scot was the first of Douglass's boats to go into fiberglass production and has been built that way from the beginning. The boat can be sailed alone or with a crew. For racing, a crew of two or three sailors is the norm. For day sailing, due to its large cockpit, the Flying Scot can carry as many as eight adults. The Scot, as it is referred to by its sailors, is built by Flying Scot, Inc., (formerly the Gordon Douglass Boat Company) located in the western Maryland town of Deer Park and owned by the husband and wife team of Harry and Karen Carpenter. Harry and Karen are avid Flying Scot sailors and actually met at a regatta on Smith Mountain Lake near Roanoke, VA. Harry grew up sailing the Scot, mostly on Deep Creek Lake close by the company’s sailing school and in 1978 he Flying Scot Specifications was hired by then owner, Eric Ammann, Length, overall 19’ boat’s factory. While in college he worked as an instructor at the Length, waterline 18’6” on a full-time basis. In 1991 Harry and Beam 6’9” Karen had the opportunity to purchase the Draft, board up 8” 4’ company. They have run it since, with the Draft, board down Mast height 28’ help of Office Manager Dee Burns and a Sail Area, main & jib 191 sq. Ft. team of dedicated craftsman charged with Sail Area, spinnaker 200 sq. Ft. Weight, all up 850 lbs. building the boats. With Harry’s nearly Gross Trailering Wt. 1200 lbs. life long association with the Scot and company that builds it, you would be hard pressed to find another boat built by a more experienced and knowledgeable builder. The Scot is known for its stability and ease of handling. Her slightly tunneled hull design, hard bilges and weighted centerboard provide a strong righting moment. With over 600 lbs. of reserve buoyancy, the Flying Scot is unsinkable. The wide side deck and seat allow the Scot to take a knock-down with little or no water in the boat, and one person can easily right her in the water. New Flying Scots start at around $20K for a boat built for racing (basic and radical racing packages are offered), less for one built for day sailing. Flying Scot, Inc. has a very good website explaining the ordering process and it is never hard to reach live person there for help. A quick internet search turned up numerous used boats. A mid 80’s race boat in decent shape can be had for between $5K-$7K. We found a sharp 2003 model that appeared ready to go for $12,500 while a 1970’s project was for sale in the St. Augustine area for just $1500. With large an active fleets in Jacksonville, Lake Eustis, Stuart, Melbourne, Sarasota, Miami, Charlotte and Tampa there is no shortage of local racing opportunities. The “Scot” may be just the ticket for someone who wants to race and likes the lines of a classic and the performance of a modern sport boat. Thanks to Flying Scot, Inc., and the Flying Scot Sailing Association for The Rudder Club’s Karl Hoffman sailing his Flying Scot fast, sails trimmed perfectly, in driving rain at the start of the 2014 Mug Race in Palatka.
providing information for this review.
TSC Annual Regatta Results From Page 4 Catalina 22 Titusville Sailing Club Spring Regatta - Titusville, Florida [11 C-22's raced] Boat
Skipper
Race 1
MERCURY RISING GO DADDY "O" IMP DISCOVERY SPIRIT OF '76 BOAT FORTUNE 500 GOLD RUSH MY SWEET ANNE ATLANTIS ENDEAVOUR
Brad Ruffe Dave Ottaviani Frank Brown Carl Jones Lorry Simpkins Al Pivonka Butch Charlton Randy Pawlowski TSC Peter Bush TSC
3 2 4 1 5 7 6 DNF/12 8 DNS/12 DNF/12
Race 2 2 4 3 5 6 1 7 DNS/12 DNF/12 8 DNF/12
Race 3 3 1 6 5 4 2 DNF/12 DNS/12 DNS/12 DNF/12 DNF/12
Race 4
Total Finish
1 3 4 6 5 DNS/12 8 2 7 9 10
9 10 17 17 20 22 33 38 39 41 46
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
Mercury Rising skipper Brad Ruffe (center) crew Kirk Ketterer (left) and TSC Commodore Carl Jones.
NAUTICAL TERMS: Crew - Heavy, stationary objects used on shipboard to hold down charts, anchor cushions in place and dampen sudden movements of the boom. Fluke - The portion of an anchor that digs securely into the bottom, holding the boat in place; also, any occasion when this occurs on the first try. Commodore Jones presents the 2nd place trophy to Go Daddy O skipper & crew Dave Ottaviani and Matt Homan.
Imp’s Third place skipper Frank Brown with crew Jennifer.
Lake Eustis Sailing Club Sailstice Submitted By Gus Chennells LESC
LESC put on a great sailing party this Sailstice! Besides perfect wind, there were 3 main events scheduled, with a break in between. First was the water battle with teams facing off by sailing directly at each other from opposing marks, and rounding the marks 3 times. This gave 3 opportunities to douse the enemy with your water cannons, bombs, or any way you could. After returning to the docks, it seems the pounding continued on, with much fervor and excitement! Prizes were awarded with me winning a nice T shirt for getting poured on the most!
Sailors enjoyed a wide range of water activities at the LESC Sailstice.
Clew - an indication from the skipper as to what he might do next.
After lunch we headed out again for an individually timed race on a course that looked to me like an apple, we started at the bottom of the core, sailed up thru the core and out at the stem, turned right and sailed LESC Sailstice party-goers were treated to a steel all the way around the drum duo. apple, back to the stem and down thru the the core to finish. With the strong wind it only took about 20 minutes. Back at the dock everyone thought it was way too much fun to only do once! Back on shore we had a nice surprise with a live steel drum duet playing sing-along Jimmy Buffet! What a hoot! The final event was a sunset raft-up on Monte's floating Tiki Bar until it was dark; thanks to Ray for the Pina Coladas! It was crazy fun!! Thanks to all 62 entries and to Sherry Magno coordinator, Dean Grimes worthy assistant, Ray Lagona course designer, Pirate Dave and Dennis safety (and they were busy!) Dave Moring master of ceremonies, Monte cook and Tiki Bar, and Randy for providing Petunia powerboat and general hooliganism!! Just wait till next year Randy!
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
Smyrna Yacht Club P.O. Box 560 New Smyrna FL 32170 (386) 663-7322 www.smyrnayachtclub.com
North Florida Cruising Club P.O. Box 24268 Jacksonville, FL 32241 http://nfccsail.com
St. Augustine Yacht Club 442 Ocean Vista Avenue St. Augustine, Florida 32080 (904) 824-9725 www.sayc2000.com
Ocala Sailing Club P.O. Box 2091 Ocala, FL 34478 www.ocalasailingclub.org
Titusville Sailing Club PO Box 2791 Titusville, FL 32781-2791 www.sailtitusville.com
Palatka Yacht Club 131 Crystal Cove Drive Palatka, FL 32178 (888) 851-1811 www.palatkayachtclub.org
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
Hobie Fleet 80 Gaulden Reed Summer Sizzler Points Regatta By Peter Haley June brings the sizzle of the summer as well as the annual Gaulden Reed Summer Sizzler Hobie Points regatta. The event is named after Gaulden Reed, Daytona Beach’s legendary sailor, surfer and businessman. Gaulden once owned Aloha Marine, where Hobart “Hobie” Alter drove in with his new radical catamaran design the Hobie 14, on the roof of his station wagon. Gaulden was the first Hobie dealer in the southeastern United States. Hobies start Saturday off the beach in Hobie Fleet 80, on the web at Daytona. Photo By Vicki Duckett fleet80.com, hosts the catamaran race each June. This year, there were approximately 30 boats from all over the state of Florida. Racers spent Friday evening and Saturday morning rigging their crafts on the beach in front of Perry’s Ocean Edge Resort. The weather teased us with a beautiful morning; however, the instability in the weather haunted the race committee. Thunderstorms kept popping up in the wrong place. Even with two attempts to start racing, organizers were unable to get a race started. Thanks to S.R. Perrott, there were loads of tasty beverages with which to sit back and enjoy the lightning show. On Sunday, the weather was more forgiving. Sailors were able to get four races in, with wind speeds just under 10 knots. The sailors and visitors to the beach were able to enjoy the colorful sails dancing along the ocean all day.
Father and son, Mark and Tyler Baker of Port Orange, sailed to 1st Place in the Open Class Non-Spinnaker Division. Photo By Vicki Duckett Fleet 80 Gaulden Reed’s Summer Sizzler Results (Spinnaker) 1. Laura Muma & David Ingram 2. Stick Boy Back & Kelsey Dunn 3. Frank Rodericks & Andrew Clarke 4. Team Loewen 5. Bob & Kathy Ingram 6. Karl & Beth Langerfeld 7. David Reed
1717 1231 637 1051 242 286 1224
F18 F16 N20 N20 F18 F18 F18
3-1-1-1 2-3-8-2 6-5-2-3 4-2-3-8 5-4-4-8 1-8-8-8 7-6-8-8
Total Total Total Total Total Total Total
6 15 16 17 21 25 29
(Open) 1. Tyler & Mark Baker 2. Harnden & Branum 3. Kim & Colleen Brew 4. Rich & Shannon Brew 5. Richard Uschold & Amy Trainer 6. Michael & Joshua Mysicka 7. Jerry Shuett & Al Perlouisi 8. Les & Lisa Bauman 9. John Kuna & Kathy Wilson 10. Branden Nathe & Quinn Duckett 11. Pete Pollard
462 189 12940 15718 640 218 15767 F3 293 138 702
N5.5 T4.9 H18 H18 P182 N5.5 H18 N6.0 P19 N5.2 I-420
2-1-3-1 1-3-1-12 6-4-5-2 3-2-4-12 4-5-2-12 10-9-8-3 7-7-7-12 8-8-6-12 5-6-12-12 9-12-12-12 12-12-12-12
Total Total Total Total Total Total Total Total Total Total Total
7 17 17 21 23 30 33 34 35 45 48
(Hobie 16) 1. Joel Hurley & Sean Hurley 2. Mike Burley 3. Arden Haley & Ryan Clarke 4. Steve Caron & Delaney Caron 5. Vicky Trainer & Josie Trainer
86097 107995 113550 113640 114264
H16 H16 H16 H16 H16
2-1-4-1 1-2-1-6 4-3-3-2 3-4-2-3 5-5-5-6
Total Total Total Total Total
8 10 12 12 21
Brothers Joel & Sean Hurley sailed their boat (86097) to a first place finish in the Hobie 16 Division.
Even though it looks like a glassy lake this photo was taken on the ocean as Richard Uschold & Amy Trainer were sailing their Prindle 18, SS Minnow back to the beach while storms rolled through the race area on Saturday. We thought this was a cool shot.
FOR MORE HOBIE FLEET 80 GAULDEN REED’S SUMMER SIZZLER 2014 PHOTOS VISIT FACEBOOK & WAYPOINTNEWS.COM
boat repair and maintenance for both power and sailboats. They even offer full restoration services, which was evident when we visted as technicians were finishing up a Waypoint will periodically review businesses that offer unique services to the sailing beautifully restored Cape community. We lead off with the Lake Fairview Marina located just a stone’s throw from downtown Orlando. This beautiful spot offers sailors a getaway from the urban Dory. Sailboat services grind and provides sailing services you don’t expect in a metro area. include engine repair, rigging, brightwork, canvas Spotlight On The Lake Fairview Marina and sails, fiberglass repair A Sailing Haven in the Middle of Orlando and painting. For trailer sailors full trailer The Orlando area is home to a lot of entertainment venues and it goes maintenance and repair without saying that a few are world famous. You can find Mickey & Donald there along with Shamu and even Harry Potter. But what’s a sailor services are available as well as parts for the do-itto do when he wants to “haul the sheet in and ride on the wind” in yourselfer. Orlando? The small well protected harbor at Lake For residents of the Surprisingly enough, even with the numerous lakes in the Orlando Orlando area who don’t own Fairview Marina. metro area, there are not many places that cater to sailors. Of course you a boat, and also visitors who have the popular sailing spots at need a break from the theme parks, the marina has a large fleet of rental Lake Eustis and Lake Dora to the sail, power and pontoon boats. Kayaks and paddle boards are also north, and Lake Monroe to the available. For those who have not sailed before but want to learn, classes east, but in town your best bet to are offered as are private lessons. All instruction is conducted aboard find a place to sail sits on the stable Compac 16’s & 23’s. Lake Fairview Marina also has dry storage shores of Lake Fairview, just off for boats at reasonable rates. A public ramp is located right next door of Orange Blossom Trail and Lee enabling sailors to leave their masts stepped while stored. Fourteen wet Road. The Lake Fairview Marina slips are available in the small and well protected harbor. is the place to head when you want The Johnsons are involved in perpetuating the growth of sailing in the to go sailing in the “City area and volunteer marina resources to support such activities as the Beautiful.” The brother & sister team of Jay & Central Florida Yacht Club’s Clemen’s Cup , Beach Ball race and Annual Brother and sister, Jay & Cynthia Johnson have owned and run the Lake Fairview Marina since 2002. Christmas Boat Parade and the Orlando Sailing Club’s learn to sail Cynthia Johnson, purchased the programs on Lake marina in 2002. Cynthia and Jay Baldwin. They also were both raised in the Orlando area. Their father, Charles Johnson, skied for "Cypress-Gardens" and instilled a passion in both of them for all water sponsor four “Open related activities. These days Cynthia handles the day to day operations of Sail” days annually offering up the the marina which includes new and used boat sales, consignment boat sales, boat rentals, sailing lessons, a full service department, slip rentals and marina’s boats for free sails and serving dry storage. Cynthia is a sailor and you can hear the tone in her voice hotdogs and drinks in change when she starts talking boats. the very cool tiki hut The marina is an authorized Hunter, Compac, Precision and Laser Performance new boat dealer. They have many of these boats on display in located adajacent to the harbor. the yard. “Sailboats are about 70% of our boat sales business,” said If you are in Cynthia describing the boat dealer side of the operation. “Due to the economy we really saw a drop in new boat sales after 2008 but it is starting Orlando and have the One of the coolest tiki huts we have seen is located urge to go sailing, to show signs of improvement,” she added. The marina also has a good at the marina and provides great views of the lake. check out the Lake selection of used boats for sale plus boats taken in on consignment. (For Fairview Marina. Just The tiki hut is a great venue for parties and is anyone looking to join the expanding San Juan 21 fleet racing out of the show up, you don’t need available to rent. Lake Monroe Sailing Association, there is a race ready boat sitting in the to bring anything. The friendly and knowledgeable staff will set you up yard at the marina for a good price.) While it is a big part of the business, boat sales are not all that the Lake with what you need to take a break from city life and get out on the water. Fairview Marina offers. They have a full service department that provides
Armen Silverbach puts the graphics on a Cape Dory that was beautifully restored by technician Mario Bermudez.
Don’t Let July 4th Be Your Undoing
Why Boats Sink
BoatUS: Nation’s Birthday Requires Special Caution
When a boat sinks, that’s likely the end of her. That’s because repairs on a sunken boat often cost more than the actual value of the boat. So if boaters want to prevent a sinking at all costs, what can they do? Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS) recently took its first significant look since 2006 at its boat insurance claims files to identify the causes of boat sinkings and found that most were preventable. About two out of every three (69%) boats sink at the dock or mooring, while the remainder (31%) sink while underway. Of all of the dock/mooring sinkings, 39% occur when some small part gives up the fight with water due to wear, tear and corrosion. When it comes to gradual leaks due to slowly failing parts, too many boats existed in a “zombie state” somewhere between floating and sinking, dependent upon the bilge pump, which merely postponed the sinking until the pump failed or was overwhelmed. This one is a no-brainer: lack of maintenance is the factor here. For boat sinkings while underway, the most common cause (43%) is hitting something – a log, the bottom or colliding with another boat or dock. Some of these sinkings might have been avoided if some some extra care had been taken – and some can be chalked up to simply bad luck. Interestingly, low-cut transoms that were common on boats in the 1990’s and a cause of sinkings is no longer much of a factor, as contained splash wells separating the interior of the boat from the transom are more common in boat designs today. However, being swamped while tied stern-to waves remains a cause. To prevent a sinking, here are ten tips from the boat owner’s group: ● For inboard-outboard powered boats, inspect sterndrive bellows annually and replace every three to five years. The shift bellows is usually the first to fail. ● For inboard powered boats, check the stuffing box every time you visit the boat, and repack – rather than simply tighten down the nut – every spring. ● For engines with raw water hoses, replace them the moment they indicate wear – such as when small cracks appear or they feel “spongy” when squeezed. Rusty hose clamps are also a concern and should be replaced. ● Replace the engine cooling system impeller every two to three years. ● Inspect the boat’s cockpit and livewell plumbing – again look at hoses, clamps, and cracked or broken fittings. Make sure you can inspect all such plumbing, and if you can’t, install inspection ports to make the task easier. ● Each season take are hard look at all below-waterline fittings, hoses, and clamps. ● Don’t forget the drain plug – you knew this one would be on the list. ● Keep a good lookout and ask guests to help keep their eyes peeled for deadheads. If you’ve grounded or hit something, consider a short-haul to inspect the bottom or drive gear. ● Always pull trailerable boats from the water when storms are forecast. These boats generally have too little freeboard to stand up to any kind of wave action. ● Dock line management systems that keep the boat centered in its slip can prevent snags that sometimes lead to a sinking.
A long day on the water exposed to the elements combined with crowded waterways and alcohol consumption could be a recreational boater’s ultimate undoing this July 4th holiday weekend. “It’s mayhem,” said BoatUS Foundation President Chris Edmonston, “So pull out all the stops and make safety priority #1 to ensure you have a wonderful time on the water.” BoatUS suggests these tips to enjoy America’s birthday on on a boat: Every boat owner becomes popular on July 4th because they’ve “got boat”. Whoa, that doesn’t mean everyone can safely come aboard. Overloading combined with intense wake action always spells trouble on recreational boating’s most highly-trafficked holiday. Keep to your boat’s capacity limit, ensure everyone has a seat inside the boat, and have a life jacket for everyone aboard. Wearing life jackets, especially after the fireworks end when the risk of a nighttime collision is the greatest, is a wise move. Get all of the lights working: In the dark, the only way to determine a boat’s direction is by seeing its navigation lights. Fix any broken lights before you go – and ensure they are visible from 360 degrees. You may be surprised to learn that just because the light switch is turned on, it doesn’t mean your nav lights can be seen from every quarter. Paddlers, resist the urge: Stand up paddleboards, kayaks and canoes are great – but not in the middle of a nighttime fireworks display. Wearing a headlamp or hanging glowsticks around your neck isn’t enough to be seen and may confuse other boaters. If you do insist on going out, stay very close to shore and away from any boating traffic, have USCG-approved nav lights, and keep clear of any channels, marinas or launch ramp areas. Assume that no one can see you. Patience is a virtue: Wait a little bit after the fireworks show ends for boating traffic to thin out before you haul anchor. It’s also better to pass other boats astern to avoid anchor line entanglements – one of the top reasons why boaters will call for on water assistance from the TowBoatUS or Vessel Assist fleets. BoatUS reports their 24-hour dispatch call center switchboards (800-391-4869) light up like a Christmas tree after the fireworks shows end. Check your dock: Before you invite everyone down to the lake house, ensure that any dock with electric service or a boat tied up to it isn’t leaking any stray current into the water. Minute amounts of alternating current in fresh water can be hazardous to swimmers and lead to Electric Shock Drowning. An easy way to check your dock is with a circuit tester and a clamp meter. If in doubt, just shut off all electricity to the dock, relax, and enjoy the fireworks. Boat Sober: While it’s embarrassing to be arrested for boating while intoxicated, it also means the boat driver has forgotten his or her responsibility to keep everyone aboard safe. Wait until after you’ve tied up for the night before drinking, or one of the hundreds of law enforcement officers assigned to increased patrols may have to remind you in a very unpleasant, humiliating and costly way. Drunk driving on the water can cost you your car driver’s license, too. About BoatUS: Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS) 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 member-funded 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.
10 Prevention Tips from BoatUS
No Need To Be Intimidated By Race Committee Duty by Admiral Mudgeon Dear Admiral ‘Mudgeon’ I have Race Committee Duty coming up, and I have not done it before. Can you give me an idea of what to expect, what to do, and where to get the info that I need? Sincerely, Drawn out of a Hat
http://www.flalmsa.org/?page_id=1174. It is a little out of date but it has a fair tongue in cheek review of the basics. There are few better ways to observe and learn about sailboat racing than working a committee boat so keep your eyes open and pay attention. There is a level of seriousness that must not be overlooked, racing can be dangerous in any form so proper protocol is important. Boat safety is ultimately the responsibility of the skipper, but as the race officer you have significant responsibility also. So read the rules, pay attention, have some fun, and encourage the big boats to stay off of the little boats. Contact Admiral Mudgeon at admmudgeon@waypointnews.com.
Dear Drawn, What to expect? Well… There will be the compliments that you hear. “Good job!”, “Thanks to the Race Committee for a great job”. Questions that you hear at the competitor’s meeting; “What is the order of starts?”, “What is the class flag?”, “Do we have to start with the big boats?”, “Can’t you make the legs longer?”, “Can’t you make the legs shorter?”. Questions and comments on the water; “What does that flag mean?”, “What time is it?”, “ That line is awfully long.”, “That line is awfully short”, “Do we have to start with the big boats?”. There are comments that they think you won’t hear; “There is plenty of wind why don’t they start the damn race?”, “You would think they could set a damn anchor”, “Are they really gonna make us wait on that guy?”. “ They couldn’t set a square line if (insert the reference of your choice here)”. Most likely the line will be too short or too long, the course will be too short or too long, the start line will only be square between races, there will only be a little wind in between races, no wind or a tornado and thunderstorms during the races, and the conditions will be perfect as soon as you get off the water. By the way, if you start the Compact 16 in with the Farr 40’s you will probably get a lot of grief about not enforcing the TLE, as well you should.
NAUTICAL TERMS: Chart - a type of map which tells you exactly where you are aground. Displacement - when you dock your boat and can't find it after the post-race party. Emergency Flares - old pair of trousers to change into if you fall overboard.
RC duty can be a lot of work but also a great learning experience & fun too.
What to do? Read the rule book, it has nearly everything that you need to know. It may protect you from the sea lawyers that are sailing. I have found that the number of sea lawyers in a race is equal to the square root of the number of competitors, unless there is a problem then you may cube that number. Many of the experienced racers have a pretty good handle on the rules and all of them think they do, so you might want to brush up. If nothing else at least try to make sure that your copy of the rules is the one currently in effect. There is a fair amount of information on-line about being race committee. The Lake Monroe Sailing Association has a power-point presentation on their web site. See flalmsa.org, About Us, RC Presentation. Or you may be able to get there with this
HRYC Summer Program Provided By Joan R. Baber
Halifax River Yacht Club has completed three of five scheduled week-long sailing courses offered annually to children 8 to 16 years of age. U.S. Sailing-qualified instructors teach basic beginner to intermediate sailing skills in Optimist, Designer’s Choice and JY15 sailboats. Each day begins with breakfast in the clubhouse followed by sailing classes. At noon, campers are treated to lunch. Afternoon classes continue through 3:30 p.m. and swim checks are performed in the club’s pool. An afternoon snack is provided at the conclusion of activities. This popular summer program fills up quickly and there is a waiting list for the rest of this season. For information about next year, please call the Halifax River Yacht Club at 386-255-7459.
HRYC Youth Sailing Program participants take a break from sailing to mug for the camera . Photo Provided By Joan Baber
their skills and enjoying catching up with old friends while meeting new ones. Summer storms are providing breaks, from being on the water, to Treasure Coast Youth Sailing Foundation Plans review sailing properties, wind awareness, navigation, safety & knot 2014 Annual Parker Whitehead Memorial Regatta tying. Several HYS sailors also participated in the Gaulden Reed’s Summer Make Plans to attend the TCYSF annual Parker Whitehead Memorial Sizzler and SYC’s Summer Solstice Regatta, with some placing in their Regatta at Jaycee Park in Fort Pierce. The regatta will be held September classes. 28, 2014, and is open to all boats of the Optimist class (including wood, There are still spots open for our August SailCamp. Learn more at plastic and fiberglass hulls) and Collegiate 420. (i.e. No spinnaker or www.HalifaxYouthSailing.org trapeze.) They will race and be scored in 3 classes; the Optimist Gold class will consist of Optimist sailors with 1.5 years or more of sailing experience, all other Optimist sailors will sail in the Silver class and a 420 class. Eligible crews may be entered by registering through Regatta Network at www.regattanetwork.com. There is a $20 registration Fee. When registering a 420, Regatta Network will automatically ask you for the crew name also. If you have any questions, please contact: Lou Tomasovic Director of Operations, Treasure Coast Youth Sailing Foundation, 772-879-1059, Ltomasovic@comcast.net.
Halifax Youth Sailing Summer SailCamp is in full sail with Halifax Youth Sailing in Daytona Beach. New sailors are having lots of fun as they learn to rig and sail Optis, 420’s and Lasers. Campers returning from past summers are improving Ryan Clarke, Lead Coach with HYS, works with a camper on the first day of SailCamp. Photo Provided By Vicki Duckett
STAY CLOSER, GO FURTHER.
SYC Summer Solstice Regatta Spectators Get A Great Show In New Smyrna Beach Great venue, great weather, great racing and great party. That pretty much sums up the Smyrna Yacht Club’s Summer Solstice Regatta held June 22nd in New Smyrna Beach. “It was a beautiful day out on the ocean for the sailors participating in the 3rd Annual Solstice Regatta. Participating boats came from New Smyrna Beach, Daytona Beach, Melbourne and St. Augustine. Thousands of beach-goers enjoyed the colorful sight of sails against the blue skies of New Smyrna Beach during the day competitors and spectators agreed was perfect for the race,” reported SYC’s Mary Jane Kollassa. Twelve boats were on the line for Saturday’s “round the buoy” racing. The RC managed to get three races in under optimal conditions. Norm Church and the crew of Obsession jumped out to a quick lead winning the first two races in Division 1. Patrick Fisher-Carne drove Perpetual Motion to a win over Obsession in the last race but it was too little too late as Obsession held on to win the division by one point. Phil Cornett skippered his Pearson 31-1, Sail Away, to a win in Division 2 with Incommunicado sailed by Dave Brangaccio finishing in second place. Kotchka, skippered by John Meehan, came out on top in a close battle in the Cruising Division.
Norm Church skippered his Morgan 41, Obsession, to two bullets and a 2nd. Results Division 1 (boats with spinnakers): 1st Place – Obsession, skipper Norm Church 2nd Place –Perpetual Motion, skipper Patrick Fisher-Carne 3rd Place – Morning Dew, skipper Chris Herbster Division 2 (boats without spinnakers): 1st Place – Sail Away, skipper Phil Cornett 2nd Place – Incommunicado, skipper David Smith Division 3 (cruising boats): 1st Place – Kotchka, skipper John Meehan 2nd Pace –Xanadu, skipper Dave Brangaccio 3rd Place –Copperhead, skipper Todd Stapleton
John Meehan sailed his beautiful Hinckley 38, Kotchka, to a 1st Place in the Cruising Division. Gutsy racing a Hinckley in these close quarters.
MORE PHOTOS ON WAYPOINTNEWS.COM
Dean Talks Lightning Waypoint is happy to welcome Dean Vanderbeek aboard as our staff weather guru. Dean is a lifelong resident of East Central Florida and has worked as a writer, environmental professional and Wildland Firefighter. He also serves as Regional Temperature and Precipitation Weather Observer (RTP Co-Op) and Storm Spotter, National Weather Service, Melbourne FL, Weather Observer, Community Collaborative Rain Hail and Snow Network (CoCoRaHS), USA. Dean is a fellow sailor and also enjoys surfing and Florida history as well. He is a graduate of FSU with a degree in Environmental Science.
This month’s column takes a look at a topic pertinent to sailing in Florida, recognized as the “Lightning Capital of the North America” (no longer the World). NASA released a study based on information from the Tropical Rainfall Measurement Mission Satellite that showed Rwanda, Africa is the true lightning capital of the world. It receives nearly 2.5 times as many lightning strikes as Florida. From a sailor’s point of view, thunderstorms should be avoided. Given the frequency of thunderstorms (80-100 thunderstorm days/year), combined with the rapid propagation of individual storm cells in relation a sailboat’s speed (up to 5 times as fast), close proximity lightning strikes are inevitable, and a direct hit is not as uncommon as one may think. In Florida, Sea Grant document SGEB-17 suggests ground flash lightning can be expected to hit from 4-20% of moored sailboats per year on inland waterways and lakes in the “Sunshine State”. Offshore cruising sailboats typically get hit at least once in their lifetimes. Lightning does strike twicea cruiser in the Indian Ocean was struck twice in 10 seconds, and the record for total number of lifetime strikes to a single boat is five (in Sarasota, Florida). A well-grounded sailboat is as likely to suffer a strike as a poorly or ungrounded sailboat. However, boats that have no protection system suffer significantly more damage. A grounding system diverts the lightning current through the path of least resistance, providing a continuous conducting path from the water to the mast tip to channel the energy released in a strike so it does not make its own explosive path through fiberglass, teak, and crew members. When lightning strikes the mast of an ungrounded sailboat, it charges all of the rigging without having a conducting path to channel the charge to the water. Destructive sparks occur between the lower parts of the rigging (mast base, chain plates, and the water. The amount of heat generated by lightning traveling through a poor conductor such as fiberglass turns the impeding material into a nicely conducting plasma that is hotter than the sun’s surface! Of note, the saltiness of the water the boat is in is also important, and damage is much more extensive for boats struck by lightning in fresh water than in salt water because fresh water is less conductive. The components of a sailboat’s grounding system are: 1) an air terminal at the mast tip; 2) down conductors, and; 3) grounding conductors immersed underwater.an. Information on tailoring a grounding system to your type of sailboat can be found in Florida Sea Grant’s Lightning and Sailboats: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/sg071 An excellent source for web links to lighting information and safety is: http://www.lightningsafety.noaa.gov/links.htm. July Averages Mean high/low temperatures: 89-92 / 71-74 Average rainfall: 5-6” Average wind speed/direction: Southwest 7-9 mph Notable Weather Events On July 3, 1992, a 27-mile-long rouge wave rolled onto the beach in Volusia County at around 11 pm. The wave's extent was from Ormond Beach on the north, to New Smyrna Beach on the south. The crest was 18 feet high and centered near the Daytona Beach pier. Sailboats crashed
ashore onto cars and many people suffered cuts and bruises from glass and debris. Two people required hospitalization and 200 vehicles were damaged (nighttime beach driving was allowed back then), and a total of 75 injuries reported. On July 4, 1970, lightning struck a rookie Volusia County lifeguard in Ormond Beach, and he died July 10. On July 4, 1996, I personally witnessed a 32 year old man struck by lightning and immediately killed while watching fireworks on the Max Brewer Bridge causeway in Titusville. Meteorological Musings and Quote of the Month Accurate weather forecasts and timely updates via the web, phone apps or weather radio will alert sailors to the likelihood, proximity and movement of thunderstorms. Constant sky observations while under way can readily identify towering cumulonimbus clouds building over Florida that may eventually produce lightning. Counting the seconds between the flash and thunder (5 seconds = one mile) is a long-time and reliable way to determine how far away lightning is as well as if it is approaching. Another way to detect lightning in the area is a cheap AM radio, which will crackle with static when thunderstorms are as far as 50 miles away. “The trouble ain't that there is too many fools, but that the lightning ain't distributed right.” Mark Twain For my Florida east coast (Cape Canaveral to Jacksonville) wind/wave forecast (updated daily) and coastal weather links, please check out 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.
Boats and lightning are never a good mix.
Photo By Tim Sivez
BOATS 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. $3500 OBO. (443) 3366337
HELP WANTED WAYPOINT Delivery We are looking for someone to deliver Waypoint one day a month in our southern coverage area which includes Vero Beach, Ft. Pierce, Jensen Beach and Stuart. Perfect job for retiree, liveaboard, student or someone who just wants to make a few extra $. Should have an economical car because we pay peanuts. For details send email with your contact info to editor@waypointnews.com. No calls please.
Classifieds Only $15 Classified Category:____________________________________ (Boats, Equipment, Help Wanted, Deliveries, etc.)
Ad Copy:___________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________
Classified Ads cost $15 1. Deadline for the July issue is June 25th. for a max 2 1/2� x 2 2. Listings can arrive by email or mail. 3. Payment by check or credit card is necessary. 1/2� sized ad with up
We accept Visa, Mastercard & Discover
CCV______
to approximately 60 words and a photo or 85 words without a photo. Ads also include a free listing on waypointnews.com.
Account #:____________________________
____________________________________________________
Name:________________________________
____________________________________________________
Address:______________________________
____________________________________________________
You can also pay for your ad and find more advertising information online at waypointnews.com.
WAYPOINT News P.O. Box 2029 Daytona Beach, FL 32115 ads@waypointnews.com
Photos must be in jpg format and emailed to ads@waypointnews.com
(386) 868-5910
That beautiful bottom is on Norm Church’s Morgan 41, Obsession, racing in the Smyrna Yacht Club’s 2014 Solstice Regatta. Obsession sails out of HRYC in Daytona and wins a lot of races.
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.