the laser sailor summer 2014

SUMMER 2014

6 continents, 122 countries - the biggest adult and youth racing class in the world

®

FALL 20132

Call Clay to discuss rigging or ask questions.

[email protected]

1649 Bay AvenuePoint Pleasant

NJ 08742

Colie has the gear you need to win, not just get around the course.

SignatureUpgraded

KITS

Upgraded

Colie Sails’

732.892.4344www.ColieSail.comwww.ColieSail.com

732.892.4344www.ColieSail.com

Call Clay to discuss rigging

www.ColieSail.com

Clay-Allen Kit: rigged exactly how Clay Johnson rigs his boat. • Clay’s Centerboard Bungee System: often copied but never matched• Top of the line Allen blocks• Spliced and whipped 5mm V12 traveler• FSE Robline Dinghy Control• Hand-made, spliced dingleberry• Spectra hiking strap line with instructions for the BEST hiking strap adjustment system

Mojo Kit: successful upgrades to be Competitively Equipped.• Maffioli and V12 upgraded control lines• Custom made inhaul bungee• Vang Retaining Bungee• Ronstan and Harken upgraded blocks

NEW

www.Laser.org 3


[email protected]


NJ 08742


SignatureUpgraded

KITS

Colie Sails’




NEW

www.Laser.org 3


[email protected]


NJ 08742


Signature Upgraded

KITS

Colie Sails’




NEW

Buy a new 4.7 rigged Laserfrom Colie Sails and get outfitted with

a SEA starter pack for FREE:

• SEA Neoprene Hiking Pants• SEA Life Jacket• SEA Rash Guard

Retail value of over $325!

For a limited time:

SUMMER 20144

NEW

WWW.ZHIK.COM

EXTREME WICKING SUPERTHERMAL™ BASELAYER

LIGHTWEIGHT

EXTREME MOISTURE WICKING

FAST DRYING

BODY TEMP REGULATION

EXCELLENT THERMAL INSULATIONEvery innovation known to the Zhik designers was utilised in HydroBase® to optimise moisture wicking away from the body and also to promote quick drying on the outer fabric surface.

The Hydrobase® composite material combines hydrophilic polyester fibres and hydrophobic polypropylene fibres in a 3D knitted thermal grid. The hydrophilic polyester fibres suck moisture away from the skin and the hydrophobic polypropylene fibres filter this moisture through the fabric and to the outside of the garment. The active transfer of moisture will keep the user dry even after extended periods and will also aid in regulating body temperature.

www.Laser.org 5

Offi cial publicationof the InternationalLaser Class AssociationNorth American Region

US Postal Service:Please return undeliverables to:ILCA-NA2812 Canon StreetSan Diego, CA 92106 USA

Canada Post:Publications Mail Agreement #40612608Please return undeliverables to:Bleuchip InternationalPO Box 25542London, ON N6C 6BC

EditorsSherri Campbell & Jerelyn BiehlILCA-NA

Offi cers

Andy RoyChairman15 Claudette CourtPeterborough, ON K9J 7Y7 [email protected]

Meka TaulbeeVice ChairmanDunedin, FL USA727-631-7005meka@sailfi t.com

Eric ReitingerTreasurer7908 Normandy DriveMt Laurel, NJ [email protected]

John LongSecretary4707 Sierra Madre RoadSanta Barbara, CA [email protected]

Al ClarkMember at Large337 E 6thNorth Vancouver, BC [email protected]

Sherri CampbellExecutive Secretary2812 Canon StreetSan Diego, CA 92106 USAphone: 619-222-0252fax: [email protected]

SUMMER 2014District Contacts .....................................................................................................6

Treasurer’s Report ..................................................................................................8

The Laser Regatta Experience............................................................................10

ILCA-NA Membership Promotion....................................................................12

What’s Up With the Layline?..............................................................................14

Coaches Corner: Mike Kalin & Ryan Minth....................................................16

Trailer Tricks...........................................................................................................18

2014 Event Schedule..............................................................................................21

Laser World Insert .........................................................................................center

Racing Lasers - Then and Now.--Part 2...........................................................22

Regatta Reports

Masters Report........................................................................................24

Midwinters West.....................................................................................26

North American Championship...........................................................28

District Reports.....................................................................................................30

I Need to Develop More Strength!.....................................................................38

Why Join the Laser Class?...................................................................................40

Membership Applications....................................................................................41

NEW

WWW.ZHIK.COM

EXTREME WICKING SUPERTHERMAL™ BASELAYER

LIGHTWEIGHT

EXTREME MOISTURE WICKING

FAST DRYING

BODY TEMP REGULATION

EXCELLENT THERMAL INSULATIONEvery innovation known to the Zhik designers was utilised in HydroBase® to optimise moisture wicking away from the body and also to promote quick drying on the outer fabric surface.

The Hydrobase® composite material combines hydrophilic polyester fibres and hydrophobic polypropylene fibres in a 3D knitted thermal grid. The hydrophilic polyester fibres suck moisture away from the skin and the hydrophobic polypropylene fibres filter this moisture through the fabric and to the outside of the garment. The active transfer of moisture will keep the user dry even after extended periods and will also aid in regulating body temperature.

Cover shot: Action from the District 10 Champs - photo by Tom Lord

SUMMER 2014

6 continents, 122 countries - the biggest adult and youth racing class in the world

®

SUMMER 20146

District 1Danielle Dube, 8 Sunnydale DrGlen Haven, NS B3Z 2T8902-823-2802, [email protected] 2Philippe Dormoy, 385 Place Desmarest,Ile Bizard, Quebec, H9C [email protected] 3Nigel Heath416-417-0193; [email protected] D3 website: www.d3laser.comDistrict 4Brigitte Smutney, Sail Manitoba; 409-145 Paci� c Ave. Winnipeg, MB, R3B 2Z6 [email protected] 5Mark Lammens510 Cynthia St. Saskatoon, SK S7K 7K7306-975-0833, [email protected] District 6Andy Hunt, 111-2260 W 8th AveVancouver BC V6K 2A7604-733-9663, hotline: [email protected] 7Derek Snow28 Starlit RoadTiverton RI [email protected] 8Lindsay Hewitt & David Trinder631-692-4798: [email protected]: [email protected]

District 9Chas Williamson, 9 Lagrand CourtIthaca, NY 14850607-272-0630 [email protected] 10Eric Reitinger7908 Normandy DrMt. Laurel NJ [email protected]://d10.laserforum.orgDistrict 11Jon Deutsch3422 Blithewood Dr, Richmond VA 23225804-305-1244, [email protected]://www.laserdistrict11.orgDistrict 12Glenn Walker6255 Turtle Hall Dr, Wilmington, NC 28409910-612-5618 [email protected] 13Michelle [email protected] www.laser.org/m/_general/d13.aspDistrict 14Britt [email protected] District 15Forest [email protected]://groups.google.com/forum/?fromgroups#!forum/txLaser/District 16Tim Fitzgerald, 2322 Brom� eld CircleWichita KS 67226, [email protected] 17John E. Coolidge, Jr., 1113 Hanover StChattanooga, TN 37405 [email protected]

District 18John [email protected] 19Ken Swetka27022 Koerber St., St Claire Shores, MI 48081248-635-5363www.d19laser.orgDistrict 20Steve Dolan21140 Chancery Ct. Brook� eld, WI 53045262-506-8879, [email protected]: Laserd20District 21Matthew � [email protected] 22Kurt Hoehne, 524 N 67th StSeattle, WA 98103206-335-8776, [email protected] 23Geo� HurwitchGeo� [email protected] 24Nick [email protected]://skysail.com/sailing/d24/District 25Jorge Suarez, 7 Covina AveLong Beach, CA 90803562-260-8116. [email protected]/group/nalaserdistrict25District 26Guy Fleming, 44-392 Olina St. #6Kaneohe, HI 96744-2617808-955-4405, [email protected]

SAVE 10% off any online order of clothing, parts and gear over $75 (excluding boats, trailers, electronics and charters).

Enter Code KOLASER at checkout.

KO Sailing is proud to support the youth, performance and recreational boating communities all over the U.S., from right here in Seabrook, Texas.

As the largest small boat dealer on the Gulf Coast, KO Sailing is uniquely equipped to provide today’s performance racers with everything from boats and sails, to gear, apparel, guidance and more.

• Charter boats online Book for both events, get a discount!

• Coach boat charters available

• Preorder items online Pick up order at either event.

Plus, stop by our onsite KO Support Trailer for last minute bits and advice.

Photo by Matias Capizzano

Get a jump on the competition atkosailing.com

SAVE 10% off any online order of clothing, parts and gear over $75 (excluding boats, trailers, electronics and charters).

Enter Code KOLASER at checkout.

KO Sailing is proud to support the youth, performance and recreational boating communities all over the U.S., from right here in Seabrook, Texas.

As the largest small boat dealer on the Gulf Coast, KO Sailing is uniquely equipped to provide today’s performance racers with everything from boats and sails, to gear, apparel, guidance and more.

• Charter boats online Book for both events, get a discount!

• Coach boat charters available

• Preorder items online Pick up order at either event.

Plus, stop by our onsite KO Support Trailer for last minute bits and advice.

Photo by Matias Capizzano

Get a jump on the competition atkosailing.com

SUMMER 20148

Treasurer’s Notes

NEW CK CLEAT

3-6mmø

(1/8"-1/4")www.clamcleat.com/CK

CL830 CKAN

Keeper allows rope to run freewhen uncleated.

Cage allows rope to be cleated up to 70o.

Positive click when rope is cleated.

27mm (11/16”) hole centres, easy to retrofit.

R.R.P $27.99 or less,complete.

Performance cleatingfor Control Lines

Cleat froman angle.

For reservations or information: [email protected]

Coaching for all levels of sailors Excellent variety of conditions from flat water to wind and waves Custom designed programs for your level or group Top quality charter boats Cabarete, the perfect place for an outdoor family vacation

C

M

J

CM

MJ

CJ

CMJ

N

Carib_Laser 3rdver.pdf 26.11.2006 16:42:53

Dec-Jan 2015 Clinics & Regattas

Dec. 29-Jan. 3 New Year’s Clinic and Regatta

Jan. 5-9 Midweek Clinic and Regatta

Jan. 11-14 Midwinters Pre-race Clinic The perfect warmup for our annual regatta

Jan. 15th-18 13th Caribbean Laser Midwinter Regatta

Jan. 20-24 Masters Clinic and Regatta

www.caribwind.com

BOOK NOW to attend a winter clinic or regatta.

By Eric Reitinger - ILCA-NA Treasurer

As I arrived at Surf City for the Annual Orange Coffee Pot regatta, my fi rst regatta of the year, time was spent walking around and seeing my friends that I haven’t seen since the previous fall. We got their boats off their trailers or cars and caught up. The trophy, an Orange Coffee Pot mounted on a base is impressive particularly when you see all the names on the trophy. This is the longest continuously running Laser regatta in the world, with Skip Whyte winning the fi rst time back in 1972. We were fortunate to see him back at the event back in 2008 when I was able to add my name to the trophy. This year’s running included 6 previous champions and we welcomed John MacCausland, current Star World Champion, back after his 15+ year hiatus from competing here. It always amazes me (Tillerman recently wrote a blog post about this topic and I’m borrowing the topic from him) to see people who’ve sailed since the early days of the Laser continue to sail the boat now and still beat up on the young folks. After running a Masters event myself it’s great

to see their enthusiasm every time they come to an event. The junior turnouts get larger and larger over the years and they see how much everyone enjoys sailing the Laser, creating friendships after traveling all over the country/world racing these boats.

It’s a great time to be a Laser sailor and here are just a few reasons:

We see sailors coming back to Lasers after years away from the boat. There was an article written in the previous issue by Matt Fisher, a Lightning world champion, on how he decided to come back to the Laser for the Master’s Midwinter circuit and how much fun he had. We also see people like John MacCausland, racing his Laser when not racing his Star. While the Laser isn’t the primary boat for many, they still take time to race it. Once you sail this boat, you are hooked.

We see people like Newt Wattis from Surf City YC, a terrifi c great grand master, (who has chaired the Orange Coffee Pot regatta for years), keep that event alive while going out in a radial and kicking butt against juniors at the same time.

We see people like Clay Johnson start back up a Barnegat Bay Spring and Fall series that had been dead for years and get a team together and coach them throughout the year. The turnouts have been great, the sailors want to keep getting better and continue to sail wherever they can.

We see Laser sailors excel in college sailing and recent alums moving on to Olympic campaigns.

We see US Sailing decide to use the Laser NA’s as their O’Day championship over their

previous regatta format due to low turnouts.

North Americans and Nationals should have great turnouts on the west coast and we should see folks enjoy the end of the summer up in Maine for ACCs.

For those who don’t think there are big events around in their area, why not start an event yourself? If you think you can run a major event, look at the calendar and send a proposal to the class offi ce.

As a volunteer group, the Executive Committee does what it can to help promote the class but we are only a few people. We have hard working district secretaries who help spread the word in their areas and then even the sailors themselves taking new people out sailing or just talking it up at their yacht clubs to get more people on the water. Take some time thanking them for all their hard work keeping the local sailing alive and well. You think there’s an event you want the membership to know about, write an article and tell us about it. If there is a technique or new skill you want everyone to know about, write an article and tell us about it. The newsletters are getting better every issue and with your help we can continue making it a must read once it hits your mailbox. This is the biggest one design class in the world for a reason, let’s keep it going strong. You will read in another article I wrote in this newsletter about another attempt your class is trying to spark more interest in the boat at the yacht club/junior level. We also want to fi nd ways to generate more interest at our Annual meetings held at every NA championship and increasing contact with the Executive Committee. The past few years we have had very light turnouts at these meetings. As sailors of this boat, you should be concerned about how the class is run as well as the issues that come up. If you have something you want to ask, let the Executive Committee know and we can discuss it with you. Our email addresses are available on the class website and we are always happy to hear suggestions or concerns. We appreciate your input.

Have a great summer sailing season!

PS: My home club Brant Beach YC is hosting the 2015 Nationals next July, can’t plug them too early…

I’m going to pass on this issue’s Message to ExCom member, Eric Reitinger ...... I’ve been a bit focused on writing another article (see Part 2 Laser Racing Then and Now) for this issue that I hope you’ll enjoy. Have a great summer of Laser sailing! - Andy Roy, ILCA-NA Chairman

www.Laser.org 9

For reservations or information: [email protected]

Coaching for all levels of sailors Excellent variety of conditions from flat water to wind and waves Custom designed programs for your level or group Top quality charter boats Cabarete, the perfect place for an outdoor family vacation

C

M

J

CM

MJ

CJ

CMJ

N

Carib_Laser 3rdver.pdf 26.11.2006 16:42:53

Dec-Jan 2015 Clinics & Regattas

Dec. 29-Jan. 3 New Year’s Clinic and Regatta

Jan. 5-9 Midweek Clinic and Regatta

Jan. 11-14 Midwinters Pre-race Clinic The perfect warmup for our annual regatta

Jan. 15th-18 13th Caribbean Laser Midwinter Regatta

Jan. 20-24 Masters Clinic and Regatta

www.caribwind.com

BOOK NOW to attend a winter clinic or regatta.

SUMMER 201410

SEA Waist Lock Hiking Pants give you lower back support when youneed it most!

www.sailequipment.com.au

NEW

1st dynamic hiking trainer Rock this!

portable - 25 lbs

dynamicno-tool assemblyinterlocking partsadjustablecollapsible - 30 seconds

2013 USA Champ

“The secret weaponyour friends

won't tell you about”

Ask a Hike Pro™ SailorTom Burton #2 World

Joseph Hou Sabot Nat’l Champ

#1 USA

Luke Mueller

Charlie Buckingham

+1 (714) 329-1995 or hiking-bench.com

Chris BarnardLaser NA Champion 2012College Sailor of the Year

Cy Thompson USVI Olympic Rep

John LongILCA-NA Secretary

Summer ti me is here and that means Laser North Americans, Nati onals and many of our regional regatt as are in full swing. As I look at my calendar I see that I have a regatt a just about every other week for the next few months. There is a lot of work that goes into preparing for a summer full of regatt as and fi guring out the logisti cs on how to make it all happen. Will we be driving or fl ying? Securing a charter can be diffi cult and needs to be done well in advance for the larger regatt as because charter boats can be limited. Towing can be a daunti ng task especially if going across the country. Hotels reservati ons need to be booked and airline ti ckets need to be purchased if fl ights are required. And of course don’t forget to sign up for the event.

Aft er all this planning and eff ort what happens when the weather doesn’t cooperate? Is the day wasted? Not really, we all came to sail but when the weather doesn’t cooperate we fi nd other things to do. I remember being at a Sabot regatt a in Southern California with fi ft y kids ages 8 – 12 and absolutely no wind. What do you do when you have fi ft y kids ages 8 -12 sitti ng around with nothing to do? You pair up all the kids and have

an egg tossing contest, of course. The conditi ons at this year’s Miami OCR reminded me of that Southern California Sabot regatt a. I haven’t seen an egg tossing contest at a Laser regatt a yet but the competi tors do fi nd things to do when they can’t go on the water. Most will take care of needed boat repairs, go over boat rigging techniques or catch up on what our friends have been up to since the last regatt a.

Speaking of repairs, I like to think that I go to these regatt as well prepared but it always seems like the one spare part that I didn’t bring is the one that I need. Who’s got a spare clevis pin, ring ding or a mainsheet block? Or maybe a drill and a rivet gun are needed to repair a boom block or vang tang that came loose. Usually someone has it and is glad to help out a fellow sailor. I remember a ti me when we were at CORK OCR and my younger son came in for the day with a severely bent upper secti on. Since we chartered for the event I didn’t have a spare and bought a new one. I handed the bent upper to one of our Canadian friends because I had no way of getti ng it back to southern California. I fi gured they would take it home and fl ip the collar and use it themselves as a practi ce spar. Much to my surprise they returned the upper secti on seven months

later when we saw them at Laser Midwinters West in Long Beach. The collar had been fl ipped and it was straight and ready to go.

Each event has its own experiences from which we get new stories and create new memories. Someti mes the sailing is great and someti mes not so much. Most of what we remember from the events isn’t the sailing except for those few ti mes it happened to be blowing 20-25kts with gusts of 30. Most of what we remember is something that happened off the water, who we met or something we forgot to bring. We enjoy going back to places like CORK, Miami, Long Beach, or the Gorge and seeing our friends that we made at the previous regatt as. We enjoy meeti ng new people, making new friends and the camaraderie of our fellow Laser sailors. We also enjoy going out to dinner with friends at a restaurant that might be 2000 miles from home. For most of us it’s about the enti re regatt a experience, sailing is just the vehicle that brings us together.Enjoy your summer of sailing and I hope to see you at the next regatt a,

The Laser Regatta Experience

www.Laser.org 11

303030303030303030303030303030303030CELEBRA

TING OVER

OF SERVICING S

AIL

OR

SYEARSYEARSYEARSYEARSYEARSYEARSYEARSYEARSYEARS

canada’s largest LP dealer and we have the parts and boats to prove it

901 Oxford Street | Toronto | Ontario | M8Z 5T1 | [email protected]

416.251.0384 or toll free 1.800.342.fogh(3644)

mob

ile

scan

www.fogh.ca

NEW

1st dynamic hiking trainer Rock this!

portable - 25 lbs

dynamicno-tool assemblyinterlocking partsadjustablecollapsible - 30 seconds

2013 USA Champ

“The secret weaponyour friends

won't tell you about”

Ask a Hike Pro™ SailorTom Burton #2 World

Joseph Hou Sabot Nat’l Champ

#1 USA

Luke Mueller

Charlie Buckingham

+1 (714) 329-1995 or hiking-bench.com

Chris BarnardLaser NA Champion 2012College Sailor of the Year

Cy Thompson USVI Olympic Rep

SUMMER 201412

Orange Bowl - December 26th to 30th 2013Miami OCR - January 25th to February 1st 2014 Mid-Winters East - February 20th to 23rd 2014

Contact [email protected] to secure your position!

Sailing’s most accomplished brother and sister Olympic team members Zach and Paige Railey are pleased to share their knowledge

and techniques to fast track your sailing skills.

RPSRailey Performance Sailing

COACHING AND COACHBOAT CHARTER AVAILABLE AT THE FOLLOWING EVENTS

COACH BOATS FOR SALEILCA-NA Membership Promotion

We know it’s not just the sailors that help promote Laser sailing. We are working with the yacht clubs to help get more juniors in sailing programs involved in the Laser class. A group of approximatly 50 yacht clubs have received a package from the Laser class which includes some back issues of the Laser sailor and a letter explaining the benefi ts of a Laser Class membership. These were sent

out before programs and are great boosters for parents new to the boat or have been sailing for years and don’t know about us. The more the kids and parents are in the loop the more contacts District Secretaries have for events and the exposure to the North American Class. Plus with the newsletter reaching more people, who doesn’t want to see their name in print after a good regatta? Just like other classes we wanted to try a club membership. That way they show their support for the class and offer possibly some space in the newsletter as well as given copies to place around the club for more promotion. It’s a work in progress but we are trying to get the word out to more sailors.

3/4 AirpreneHiking Pantsthe soft breathable perforated neoprene allows water to penetrate and cool the body.


3/4 AirpreneHiking Pantsthe soft breathable perforated neoprene allows water to penetrate and cool the body.

www.sailequipment.com.auwww.sailequipment.com.au

www.Laser.org 13

Orange Bowl - December 26th to 30th 2013Miami OCR - January 25th to February 1st 2014 Mid-Winters East - February 20th to 23rd 2014

Contact [email protected] to secure your position!

Sailing’s most accomplished brother and sister Olympic team members Zach and Paige Railey are pleased to share their knowledge

and techniques to fast track your sailing skills.

RPSRailey Performance Sailing

COACHING AND COACHBOAT CHARTER AVAILABLE AT THE FOLLOWING EVENTS

15 ft with 50 hp Evinrude E-Tec $17,70017 ft with 50 hp Evinrude E-Tec $19,700

All come fully rigged with trailer and engineContact Zach Railey [email protected] or 727 439 5505

COACH BOATS FOR SALE

SUMMER 201414

By Judith Krimski

I decided to spend this past winter helping run race committee for our local frostbiting fl eet of Rhodes 19s. The fl eet sails Saturdays on Boston Harbor. Did I mention it was the coldest most miserable winter ever? But that’s beside the point.

One day after watching the fl eet repeatedly try to fi nd the windward mark layline from many boat lengths away (Can anyone say the defi nition of insanity?) I expressed my frustration to our PRO. He responded, “Why don’t you write a blog post about it?”

When considering laylines the concept seems so simple; A straight line (or bearing) extending from the next mark to indicate the course a boat should be able to sail on the one tack in order to pass to the windward side of the mark. There is always a port layline and a starboard layline. But when you further consider all the factors in actually fi nding and successfully sailing the layline things become a bit more complicated.

Factors affecting laylines:1. Wind shifts2. Current3. Wind blown swell—height and direction 4. Disturbed air from other boats5. Your vessel’s leeway (side slippage)

Layline tactics:Taking all the factors above into account it follows that you would choose your layline carefully.

1. Consider timing and distance: Finding the layline from far away is a failing proposition. You’ll most likely overstand

(sailing extra distance and giving other boats the opportunity to tack in front of or under you) or conditions will cause you to fall to leeward. It’s much better to tack under the layline into the fast lane, sail to within fi ve or less boat lengths (depending on where other boats are) and fi nd a space to tack into.

2. If you are ahead: You want the fl eet to follow you so use the K.I.S.S. principle. Stay between the boats behind you and the mark. Take advantage of lifts and headers to build distance but try not to take a fl yer because boats on the other side could get a lucky shift and gain leverage on you.

3. If you are behind: Look to sail in clear lanes. Time and again I see boats cross behind other boats sailing towards the mark, then tack to follow. You don’t gain anything with that maneuver. Instead use the rule, “Cross when you can, Don’t let them cross.” This means you would lee bow or tack under other boats. You gain some leverage when a header hits you fi rst. Remember: The key is to get a decent rounding with clear air.

4. Conditions: If you are sailing in fl at water, when steering becomes much more sensitive, you can afford to pinch and

take advantage of changes in velocity or wind direction. Therefore you may be able to cheat the layline a bit. But in big wind and waves pinching is not only slow but you will have greater leeway. Keep the focus on sailing fast towards the mark.

Common Questions:

Q. How do I know when I’m on the layline?R. On either tack look over your back shoulder. If you can see the mark you are most likely on the layline.

Q. How close do I need to sail towards the mark before I fi nd the layline?S. That depends on the size of the course, wind shifts, sea state, current, and where competitors positioned. That said when in doubt closer to the zone or inside the zone if

you have room is optimal.

Q. What should I do if I come in on port tack and there are starboard tackers on the layline?

R. When you approach the mark from port tack it’s imperative to think ahead especially if you have competitors on starboard to maneuver around. Defi nitely avoid being “that guy” who comes in on the PTL and tries to sneak in between starboard tackers and the mark. I recommend staying outside the zone so you either have the option to tack to leeward of starboard tackers (there’s a chance they’ll have overstood so there will be room for you to sneak in) or duck those on starboard, sail a bit further and then tack to starboard.

What’s up with the Layline? Tips for fi nding and using the layline to get ahead on the racecourse

www.Laser.org 15

Q. What if I get to the mark below the layline. Can I luff up to round it?

R. Yes. If you have some speed and you think you can make it you can luff up because your proper course is to round the mark (in this case even if you come from astern gaining the overlap outside the zone). That said this is a chancy maneuver. It’s important to take into account the conditions (is there current? Lots of boats trying to round?) so you can make a successful rounding. Also remember if you luff up to round and hit the mark you’ll need to do a penalty turn.

Q. What can I do to prevent port tackers from tacking under me.R. First of all don’t try to fi nd the layline too far out. You will

most likely overstand and give port tackers an opportunity to tack in front of you. You can dissuade pesky port tackers with a preventative hail, “Don’t Tack!”

Q. What if I’m sandwiched between two boats while rounding the mark. The leeward boat luffs up to round the mark but because I have a boat above me I can’t get out of his way fast enough to avoid contact. The leeward boat protests me. Do I need to do a penalty turn?

R. Not necessarily. Here are the rules that apply to this situation: Rule 11: Same tack, overlapped Rule 16: Changing course

Rule 17: Same tack, proper course So while the inside boat’s proper course is to luff up to round the mark, they are changing course so need to give you room to keep clear. As you change course the boat to windward needs to give you room to keep clear and so it goes. If you are protested you need to pass that protest up the chain. In this case Rule 21: Exoneration, may apply.

DO’s and DON’TS:

DON’T look for the layline too far out.DO sail below the layline in the fast lane and plan out your mark rounding.

DON”T make last minute decisions about where to go.DO look ahead so you can make a good tactical rounding.

DON’T get stuck in a pack of boats pinwheeling around the mark.DO overstand to avoid bad air and contact with other boats.

The period when you are approaching the windward mark, or any mark, is one of the most important moments to get your head out of the boat. Take time to look around, assess the conditions and positions of

your competitors so you can formulate a solid tactical plan. Be proactive, not reactive and you’ll start to build your tactical sensibility.

Questions or comments? Email me at [email protected]. I’m also excited to announce that I’ll be coaching this winter at the Laser Training Center, Cabarete, Domincan Republic. Come visit us and take a clinic.

Happy Lasering!

SUMMER 201416

Upwind Sprint Drill by Mike Kalin

--works best with 1-3 boats and with or without a coach. This is a great drill to build fi tness and stay motivated.

Objective: develop the strength needed in all muscle groups to sustain “sprint mode” off the starting line and eventually maintain that level of effort for an entire 15 minute beat. The challenge with doing “fi tness” beats (ie. sailing upwind for a long time) is that inevitably (after 2 minutes or so), your form starts to suffer (shoulders in, butt droops, arms in and not extended, head in). The only way to build strength and endurance in your legs and core is to treat a portion of your training like a gym workout. The idea is that you build up your sprint mode into a very intense 1 minute sprint, then spend 30 seconds resting (coming in from a hiked position, and re-positioning your boat relative to your training partners). During this 1 minute, you will develop strength in all your key hiking muscles, as well as explosive strength -- something you don’t get when doing an “endurance” session of continual upwind sailing. By keeping it short, you won’t reach a lactate threshold (that deep burn), and your muscles will build to support your body while extended (and not crouching in from lactic acid pain buildup).

Set up: Line up boats bow even with tight spacing (about 1 boat length) on a close reach/close haul with boats going 2/3 speed (i.e. moving, but not yet full speed). Coach gives 5 second countdown, during which sailors sheet in and go ballistic! For one minute, each sailor gives everything they’ve got, sparing nothing. Toes pointed, knees close to the gunwale , shoulders down, hands high, and aggressive upper body torques. For one minute, this sprint mode should be explosive and driven by that same intensity you feel when Tom Slingsby is threatening to roll you from your windward side and Robert Scheidt is just underneath you. You can’t afford to give up one inch! After one minute, come in from hiking but keep the boats going 2/3 speed; all boats should effi ciently get bow even over the next 30 seconds of rest (keep in mind, it’s a very short break -- similar to walking to a new station in a circuit training workout -- not the time to whine about how you think your training partner pinches too much). After this quick re-balance, the 5 second countdown begins.

How much: try three 1 minute sprints on starboard, followed by three 1 minute sprints on port, (about 9 minutes of solid work) then break for 3 minutes for water (at this point you can complain about how much your buddy loves to pinch). During the tack to port, a natural re-shuffl e will occur (leeward boat will now be windward etc.). You should be diligent about switching roles to make it challenging (the most challenging and most benefi cial spot(s) is to be sandwiched with boats on either side. Consider the above routine of 9 minutes to be one set -- go for three sets! Each time out, try and add another 5 seconds -- without sacrifi cing form or intensity -- as those are the primary objectives!

Variations: Try alternating upwind modes for each sprint. For sprint 1, go normal mode; sprint 2, go pinch mode (block-to-block mainsheet, looser vang, deeper outhaul, shoulders forward); sprint 3, go “Slingsby mode” (mainsheet out 1-2 feet, tight vang, tighter outhaul, shoulders back, boat planing).

Photos by David Schack

Coaches Corner We’ve asked a few of our top North American coaches to share some of their favorite drills with us. If you have a drill to

share, send it to the ILCA-NA offi ce for publication.

www.Laser.org 17

How much: try three 1 minute sprints on starboard, followed by three 1 minute sprints on port, (about 9 minutes of solid work) then break for 3 minutes for water (at this point you can complain about how much your buddy loves to pinch). During the tack to port, a natural re-shuffl e will occur (leeward boat will now be windward etc.). You should be diligent about switching roles to make it challenging (the most challenging and most benefi cial spot(s) is to be sandwiched with boats on either side. Consider the above routine of 9 minutes to be one set -- go for three sets! Each time out, try and add another 5 seconds -- without sacrifi cing form or intensity -- as those are the primary objectives!

Variations: Try alternating upwind modes for each sprint. For sprint 1, go normal mode; sprint 2, go pinch mode (block-to-block mainsheet, looser vang, deeper outhaul, shoulders forward); sprint 3, go “Slingsby mode” (mainsheet out 1-2 feet, tight vang, tighter outhaul, shoulders back, boat planing).

Photos by David Schack

We’ve asked a few of our top North American coaches to share some of their favorite drills with us. If you have a drill to

share, send it to the ILCA-NA offi ce for publication. by Ryan Minth

When I joined the US Sailing Development Team as coach with Brett Davis in 2010, one of their go to drills was “Win Your Side”, a valuable drill where a sailor remains focused on beating the boats around them and leading them back toward the center to consolidate with the fl eet from the other side of the course at the top of the beat. It reinforces the general strategy of managing a beat by: First 20%, levering out. Next 60%, playing (hopefully winning) your side. Last 20%, consolidating your position with the fl eet. When you win your side of the race track, you are normally in fairly good shape with the fl eet at worst, and you could be leading! Not many successful beats come from crossing rhumb line back and forth.

When I realized that few sailors, particularly developing youth, make the required effort to develop a race plan (sail upwind above the line, stand up to view the beat, check the line for bias, inspect for current, etc.) adjusting this drill around the starting sequence allowed me to increase the focus from beating surrounding boats to also develop a strategy and execute on that plan. When sailors have a bad fi rst beat during a race, it is often diffi cult to determine if the strategy was faulty or merely the execution. The altered drill, “Pick Your Side / Win Your Side” can help identify areas of weakness and help develop good racing habits.

I rarely run any practice races ever, but “Pick Your Side / Win Your Side” can bring focus on good pre-race habits and fi rst beat management in a racing environment.

The basis of the drill is set up around a standard windward/leeward course, where the beat is six to twelve minutes (mostly depending upon fl eet size). A dividing mark in the middle of the line divides the fl eet going right with the left. Start on the boat end tells me your want the right and starting on the pin half of the line says you are going left. At least a fi ve minute starting sequence is used. At times, we will sound a “line set” horn fi ve minutes ahead of the sequence to simulate some of the larger championship events, allowing more time to evaluate the line, beat, conditions, current and develop a strategy. Shortly after calling the start from the pin end, especially if I am limited

with the four marks, I will idle up the beat from the pin up rhumb line, separating the boat end starters and sending them out right. When I get about fi fteen to twenty percent away

from the top mark, I will stop the RIB and allow the fl eets from each side to cross and converge with the other boats, consolidating their position. If I have a few more marks, I may drop a wide gate that is closed to separate the sides and maybe another short of the windward mark indicating the ‘consolidate’ zone (last 20%) of the beat. These marks allow me to change my angle of view on the course and the position of the sailors relative to each other.

Coaches may challenge (torture) the fl eet with altering line bias with a favored side. For example, set a pin favored line ahead of a right favored track, much like a good PRO will do to spread the fl eet across the line. This was recently seen at our North American Championships at Alamtios Bay Yacht Club this past June, where boats off the favored pin where not able to get across the fl eet on port and ever make it to the right for the predicted shift of a few races. Bad plan (liked the left) or poor execution (did not take a duck to get to the right or a bad start and no port lanes)?

It is always easy to fi nd a good lane going the wrong way. A bad start, getting tacked on or lee bowed, should not change your race plan entirely. Too many times I hear a young sailor tell me something like “I wanted to < do something >, but some stupid idiot < did something >, and I had to < do the opposite of what I wanted >!” To which I say, “You let an idiot take you off your plan? Who is the bigger idiot?”

A successful fi rst beat is 80% of the race. Pick Your Side / Win Your Side covers just that.

Pick Your Side - Win Your Side Coaches Corner

SUMMER 201418

The Gill 4358 Pro Top has been engineered for unrestricted movement and incredible waterproof defense during performance sailing. Its protective design is enhanced by adjustable PU collar and cuffs, a non-lift neoprene waistband and front zip neck closure for cooling ventilation. A non-intrusive zipped pocket is positioned on the back for essentials.

Laser Racing. We’ve got it covered.

gillna.com

gillna.com

Trailer Tricks by Nick Burke

Shoreline Fleet Captain Roger Herbst suggests that since Lasers have the Fundamental Rule guaranteeing performance differences are the sailor not the boat, we fi nd an outlet for mechanical creativity with our trailers. Here’s a view around District 24 of some things people have done.Roger has attached his spare tire to the front of his trailer. See picture 1. Roger says the picture is self-explanatory except note the angle iron reinforcing the wood crosspiece He says be sure to use a locknut on the end of the bolt ! Remember to bring along wrenches that fi t the bolt and locknut.

When car topping, you need to attach the bow to the front of the car. To make this faster and more secure, see pictures 2 and 3. The straps just fold down out of the way when not in use.

Roger has had his bottom cover modifi ed to make loading on a trailer faster: “You know the load-up

drill….Position the cover more or less over the support rails and bow support. Heft the boat onto the trailer as the cover falls out of position. Then lift each corner of the boat and wrestle the cover back into position. There’s a better way. Pictures 4 and 5 show a bottom cover cut out to slip over the rails

and bow support. Just load the boat, slide up the cover, and done. Sooner or later, the boat will chafe through these spots anyway ! Be sure to reinforce the cutouts. I use Shelter-Rite tape from Saiirite or vinyl coated polyester from Seattle Fabrics. It’s strong and will not tear or fray, but any heavy material

will do. On my old boat, I used iron on patch material and it worked fi ne for many years.

Adding some fl ags is a way to make your Nautical America trailer more visible to people that lack situational awareness. This approach could be applied to other

types of trailers as well. This is Mark Halman’s work. As you can see from pictures 6 and 7, there is a base tube into which you fi t a tube with a fl ag. The base tubes are made from 1.25” schedule 40 PVC pipe and are attached using the two existing bolts on the trailer. The fl ag staffs are 1” schedule 40 and are fi t into the base tubes after the boat is on the trailer.

Another thing you can to raise the visibility of your trailer is have your local sail maker sew SOLAS grade refl ective tape across the transom of your top and bottom covers. Tape like this really lights up in car headlights and should make your trailer visible to the most distracted of night-time drivers. See picture 8.And a fi nal word of advice from

Roger: “I’d like to relay some words of wisdom I recently heard: “Check the tie downs twice before leaving the lot. Then after the fi rst mile, 10 miles, and every

hundred miles” Once or twice I’ve been surprised and relieved at how well gravity alone kept my boat on a trailer. I now follow my friend’s advice. Be safe. Have fun !”

www.Laser.org 19

The Gill 4358 Pro Top has been engineered for unrestricted movement and incredible waterproof defense during performance sailing. Its protective design is enhanced by adjustable PU collar and cuffs, a non-lift neoprene waistband and front zip neck closure for cooling ventilation. A non-intrusive zipped pocket is positioned on the back for essentials.

Laser Racing. We’ve got it covered.

gillna.com

gillna.com

SUMMER 201420

Regatta Laser Radial Laser 4.7 Masters

World ChampionshipISAF Grade 1

SR: Santander, ESPSept 8-Sept 21

JR: Douernenez, FRAAug 16-23

Women’s: Douernenez, FRAAug 21-23

Mens: Gdynia, POL July 19-25

Youth:Gdynia, POL July 26-Aug 3

Karatsu, JPNAug 8-15

Hyeres, FRA Oct 3-12

NA Championship40 GP pts. ISAF Grade 1

Alamitos Bay YCJune 12-15

www.abyc.org


www.abyc.org


www.abyc.org

CGRACascade Locks, OR

July 11-13

Canadian Championships

30 GP pts. ISAF Grade 2

Royal Vancouver YCVancouver, BC

July 25-27


July 25-27


July 25-27

Etobicoke YCToronto, ONJune 25-27

US Championships30 GP Pts, ISAF Grade 2

St Francis YCSan Francisco, CA

July 31-Aug 3


July 31-Aug 3


July 31-Aug 3

Rochester YCRochester, NY

Sept 11-14

CORK30 GP Pts. ISAF Grade 1

Kingston, ONwww.cork.orgAugust 16-20



na

Midwinters East30 GP Pts. ISAF Grade 1

Clearwater, FLwww.clwyc.org

Feb 20-23


Feb 20-23


Feb 20-22

Sarasota SSSarasota, FL

Feb 14-16

Midwinters West30 GP Pts. ISAF Grade 1

Richmond YCRichmond, CAMarch 28-30



na

Rolex Miami OCRISAF Grade 1

Miami, FL (men only)www.ussailing.orgJanuary 25-Feb 1

Miami, FL (women only)www.ussailing.orgJanuary 25-Feb 1

na na

Atlantic CoastChampionships

25 GP Pts. ISAF Grade 2

Sail MainePortland, ME

Aug 30-31


Aug 30-31


Aug 30-31

Fishing Bay Yacht ClubDeltaville, VAOctober 18-19

Pacifi c CoastChampionships


Santa Barbara YCSanta Barbara, CA

June 27-29


June 27-29


June 27-29

Jericho Sailing CentreVancouver, BC

July 18-20

Gulf CoastChampionships

25 GP Pts

Ft Walton YCFt Walton Beach, FL

June 21-22


June 21-22


June 21-22

Ft. Walton YCFt. Walton Beach, FL

May 17-18

No CoastChampionships

25 GP Pts

Dillon Yacht ClubDillon, CO

Aug 2-3


Aug 2-3


Aug 2-3na

Great LakesChampionships

25 GP Pts

Vermillion, BCVermillion, OH

July 19-20


July 19-20


July 19-20

Thunder Bay YCThunder Bay, ON

July 12-13

www.procontrolsystems.comEasy online ordering. We accept PayPal and all major credit cards.

• Minimal Friction

• Reliable

• Superior Design

• Low Cost

Superior laser control systems devleoped with the demands of the best laser sailors in the world now available to everyone. Our designs are unique, tested and ready to make moding for your outhaul/inhaul, cunningham and vang an easy task.

PRO CONTROL SYSTEMS

All Spliced • Light BB Blocks • Best Cordage • Fast Rigging • No Knots • No Frayed Ends

Tel: 262-691-3320 • Email: [email protected]

For more information on Harken hardware for the Laser®, visit www.harken.com

16 MM FORKHEAD BLOCKThese 16 mm blocks for the mastbase have shackles built into their heads so

your cunningham and outhaul stay close to

the deck—perfect for integrating with compass mounts.

NEW! HARKEN LASER® MAINSHEET BLOCKSDon’t fight friction to ease at the windward mark or in light

air; get ball bearing smoothness with Harken’s class-legal

traveler/boom blocks.

CARBO RATCHETThe Carbo ratchet’s sheave design offers the perfect balance between holding power and easing ability. Line-friendly geometry prevents premature line wear. For no-hands switching, try a Ratchamatic®—the patented design switches the ratchet on at a load you choose. Simply adjust it to match your strength and sailing style.

Visit www.laserperformance.com to find your local dealer

www.Laser.org 21

Regatta Laser Radial Laser 4.7 Masters

World ChampionshipISAF Grade 1

SR: Santander, ESPSept 8-Sept 21

JR: Douernenez, FRAAug 16-23

Women’s: Douernenez, FRAAug 21-23

Mens: Gdynia, POL July 19-25

Youth:Gdynia, POL July 26-Aug 3

Karatsu, JPNAug 8-15

Hyeres, FRA Oct 3-12

NA Championship40 GP pts. ISAF Grade 1


www.abyc.org


www.abyc.org


www.abyc.org

CGRACascade Locks, OR

July 11-13

Canadian Championships

30 GP pts. ISAF Grade 2


July 25-27


July 25-27


July 25-27

Etobicoke YCToronto, ONJune 25-27

US Championships30 GP Pts, ISAF Grade 2


July 31-Aug 3


July 31-Aug 3


July 31-Aug 3

Rochester YCRochester, NY

Sept 11-14

CORK30 GP Pts. ISAF Grade 1




na

Midwinters East30 GP Pts. ISAF Grade 1


Feb 20-23


Feb 20-23


Feb 20-22

Sarasota SSSarasota, FL

Feb 14-16

Midwinters West30 GP Pts. ISAF Grade 1




na

Rolex Miami OCRISAF Grade 1

Miami, FL (men only)www.ussailing.orgJanuary 25-Feb 1

Miami, FL (women only)www.ussailing.orgJanuary 25-Feb 1

na na

Atlantic CoastChampionships



Aug 30-31


Aug 30-31


Aug 30-31

Fishing Bay Yacht ClubDeltaville, VAOctober 18-19

Pacifi c CoastChampionships



June 27-29


June 27-29


June 27-29

Jericho Sailing CentreVancouver, BC

July 18-20

Gulf CoastChampionships

25 GP Pts


June 21-22


June 21-22


June 21-22

Ft. Walton YCFt. Walton Beach, FL

May 17-18

No CoastChampionships

25 GP Pts


Aug 2-3


Aug 2-3


Aug 2-3na

Great LakesChampionships

25 GP Pts


July 19-20


July 19-20


July 19-20

Thunder Bay YCThunder Bay, ON

July 12-13

2014 Schedule

SUMMER 201422

Racing Lasers -- Then and Now - Part 2by Andy Roy

In the previous TLS issue I outlined some of the differences I’ve noticed with the Laser from when the boat was fi rst launched in the early 70’s. I mainly focused on changes to the boat, parts, sail, spars and rigging. I also discussed the challenges sailors faced when trying to make sail control adjustments, especially in breezy conditions. In this article I’ll discuss my views on how the game itself has evolved, including changes to clothing, sailing techniques, race courses and regattas.ClothingLet’s start with the improvements in clothing. Typical race wear in the earlier days, starting at the feet, consisted typically of either nothing, sneakers or decent dinghy boots and I liked the Aigle boots (now supplied by Neil Pryde), which are still the favourite of many sailors. Many of us wore shorts – just plain gym shorts – even in windy conditions as long as the water was warm. We were kind of proud of how the back of our thighs toughened up as the season progressed. I remember when strap-on hiking pads started to just come onto the scene, and we would actually chirp guys who used them: “C’mon, you wimp, be a man and tough it out!” What were we thinking!? Our tough guy attitude was pretty foolish, as we now know how comfortable and effective good hiking pants are. We tended to wear multiple sweatshirts with the sleeves cut-off, typically a spray jacket if it was breezy, and a standard farmer john wetsuit if it was colder. The best life jackets were either the Musto air pocket type or a Danish made Compass model. But there were some funny clothing choices back in the day. Some guys wore keelboat foul weather gear, such as chest highs or bulky one-piece suits. Best Laser clothing story I can recall was from the 1976 Canadian Youth Champs. A buddy, Rob Routliffe, was late getting to his boat on the fi rst day (I can’t imagine why), and he had forgot his sailing gear. He managed to show up on the race course just in time, but was wearing jeans, sneakers and he sailed over to a guy in a motorboat and has to borrow an old “keyhole” life jacket (the bulky type you see strapped to the overhead

deck of a ferry). We all got a laugh but, wouldn’t you know it, he was blistering fast and proceeded to win the fi rst race! Quite a few guys wore weight jackets, and usually the water bottle type (one on your upper back, one on your chest), as you were allowed to wear about 9 kg / 20 lbs of clothing (soaking wet after a 1 minute drain on a hanger). I didn’t like weight jackets as I knew they couldn’t be good for my back and I also felt I could move around in the boat much better without one. At many larger Laser championships, random (or selected by the jury) weighing of a sailor’s clothing when they hit the shore was commonplace. Thankfully the ISAF (then called IYRU) banned weight jackets in 1994, but not before many sailors damaged their spines, including most Finn sailors to some degree where the class rules allowed sailors to wear an absurd 20 kg (44 lbs) of weight.Technique changesSailors hiked pretty darn hard in the early decades, but not as hard as the top sailors of today who can seemingly go fully “planked out” for a full beat and pretty well all race. This of course is a result of the Olympic pursuit (which I’ll touch on later). I think most of us set up a looser hiking strap then, as the technique used by many today of using a tighter strap can only be done effectively with hiking pants and excellent conditioning. Some sailors today think that “S” turning downwind is a relatively new technique, and that early Laser sailors “lit up a smoke” and headed straight downwind on the runs. Well, we defi nitely were S-turning and working

the waves; however, our turns may not have been quite as pronounced and perfected to the degree top sailors can manoeuver the boat today. As I mentioned in Part One, we were not able to supervang like sailors can do now due to the strengthened boom and vang purchase system. This means that in big breeze sailors can really work the mainsheet upwind and effectively use the sheet as a traveller and

sail “bow down”. With our comparatively loose vang tension we had to keep the sheet in tighter and “feather”

the boat by sailing closer to the wind to try to keep it fl at. I also think we tended to heel the boat to leeward too much when sailing upwind in lighter air, as there is no doubt that fl at is fast. For the fi rst couple decades of Laser racing the fl eet generally policed itself for rocking, pumping and ooching. If you felt that a competitor close by was working things a bit too hard, you might ask another sailor nearby what they thought and, if in agreement, one of you would shout out “cool it, dude!” This seemed to work reasonably well, although of course illegal movements were more prevalent compared to what we see with on-the-water judged racing of today. I recall at the Laser Worlds there were on the water judges; however, the jury had to formally protest the sailor and the whistle-fl ag-do your turns penalty was still a few years away. At the 1982 Laser Worlds American Mark Brink was protested in the last race by the jury for illegal movements on a light air reach. I was right behind him on the leg and felt he was sailing fairly, so I witnessed for him. He ended up saving his race and regatta and fi nished 5th. On-the-water judging is not a perfect system, but it seems to be the best option. I’d like to see a change for windy conditions, say at 20+ knots, and let the jury save their fuel and enable Laser sailors to focus on trying to keep their boats upright on the runs without worrying about a rocking penalty. In the 2010 Laser Masters Worlds in England fellow Canuck, Al Clark, was fl agged on a 25 knot run! He had no

Heading out from Kingston Olympic Harbour for a 1980 Worlds race. Aigle boots, gym shorts, cut-off sweater, heavy “hoodie” underneath and “Memosail” stopwatch. Note the outhaul and vang adjustment lines hanging down. (Photo credits – Elaine Taylor, N. Ireland)

www.Laser.org 23

chance of pulling off a 720, and naturally he dumped right away, got separated from his boat and had to drop out of the race. I couldn’t believe he had been fl agged, as my only thought on that leg was to not dump, and rocking (intentionally) was unthinkable, but also would have been ineffective. Radial RigThe Laser radial was still a couple decades away back when I started sailing a Laser. The Radial (and the 4.7) has enabled youths, women and lighter guys to more fairly enjoy Laser racing. It’s too bad the Radial wasn’t around back then, as more of item two in that previous sentence would have added to the fun we had at regattas. Race CoursesMajor regattas in the earlier days typically used much longer courses and legs to the point where you often couldn’t see the weather mark from the start line. I just realized that nowadays you don’t hear an expression that was frequently used back then of someone “banging the corner”. Courses are too short now to really “take a fl yer” and the most you can do now is go “hard right” or “work the left”. Olympic style courses with two long reaches and a gybe mark were standard fare. If you were leading rounding the windward mark you often had to guess on the location of the gybe mark. The reaches could get pretty boring in light air and would often, if you found yourself back a little, present a tactical decision of sailing either a high road with the pack or going low early to try to pick off large clumps of boats at the mark. In windy races the gybe mark, something I miss with W-L or trap courses, always got your blood pumping and was the subject of many good stories back on shore. In the fi nal race of the 1981 Canadian Nats it was just howling, and as I screamed towards the gybe mark I saw that it was a debris fi eld of overturned Lasers and guys trying to swim to their boat. After weaving through a few bobbing heads and somehow surviving the gybe I think I went from about 12th to 3rd.We didn’t have the windward offset mark or leeward gates, which in addition to the shorter courses/more races per day,

have proven to be good additions to large fl eet courses throughout sailing. We also fi nished most races with a full windward leg, and the change to a shorter beat or a reach to the fi nish in most Laser regattas has been an improvement for sailors and the race committees alike.Coach boats didn’t really exist, even at the Laser Worlds. We just didn’t seem to need them, and many now feel there are far too many at larger regattas. I think coaches should all be together on one or two larger boats, and that’s how it was done when I coached the Canadian team at a few Women’s World Championships back in the 80’s (I know what you’re thinking. Yes, it was a tough job). But if coaches have to be in RHIBS I don’t believe they should be allowed to be in contact with a sailor once the fi rst warning of the day is signalled, and this would be fairer to the many sailors who can’t afford a coach. Fun FactorOk, now on to the reason most of us race in the fi rst place -- fun! I don’t think the higher end Laser sailors of today have quite as much fun as we did in our day, on and off the water. I’m not blaming them as I fully understand that total dedication is required to be on the Olympic bandwagon. The effects of being an Olympic class has been a big increase in fi tness levels, good nutrition, coaching and a fairly signifi cant speed and boat handling difference between the full and part timers. Unless one is sailing on a near full time basis with funding and a coach, unfortunately it’s pretty diffi cult to even

pull off a single digit race fi nish at a major regatta. This is a noticeable change from when I campaigned a Laser. Even though the fastest guys would usually end up in the top positions at the end of a regatta, the weekend warriors were competitive and could easily pop in a good race or even a bullet. This very rarely happens these days.Another big difference between then and now is the post-race shore

scene. Since becoming Olympic it seems that the top guys generally disappear pretty quickly

after putting their boat away. They either head off for a debriefi ng with their coach, they’re working the lactic acid out with a bike ride or stretching, or they’re hopping into an ice bath. The only thing we needed ice for was for the blender or cooler! Après racing was one of the best parts of Laser racing. Many sailors arrived at a regatta in a tricked out van, and after de-rigging we would head to the circle of vans, someone would pop in maybe a Pink Floyd tape, we’d crack open a few cool beverages and tell lies about the day’s racing. Fortunately this still is the case at most Masters regattas (except for the vans and Pink Floyd). (Now that I think of it, I might write a Part 3 that covers regatta van road trip stories; however, the names may have to be changed to protect the innocent).So there you have it. Although there have been many changes, most good, some debatably not so good, the one thing I don’t believe has or will change is the relatively low cost, highly competitive and large fl eet singlehanded racing that the Laser provides, requiring a premium on fi tness, boat handling, wave playing and tactical skills. The best sailors in the world who are sought after for Americas Cup and other grand prix helmsman and tactician positions are often former Laser sailors (Coutts, Ainslie, Slingsby, Goodison, and many others). Yes, there really is no other class that comes close to offering sailors of both genders and almost all ages around the globe what the Laser delivers.

Rounding windward mark at the 1980 Worlds trailing a Brazilian wearing a water bottle weight jacket. Note also the sponsored mark from Rothmans (a cigarette company!)

SUMMER 201424

VELA-LA.COM (562) 243-8820 VELAVELAVELAVELAVELA LA.COMLA.COMLA.COMLA.COMLA.COMLA.COMLA.COMLA.COMLA.COMLA.COM (562) 243(562) 243(562) 243(562) 243(562) 243(562) 243(562) 243 8820882088208820(562) 243 882088208820Laser hu l ls and spars new for 2014 . Reserve your charter today!

Memorial Day Regatta – Long Beach (NA’s warm -up) North American Championship – Long Beach SOLD OUT Pacific Coast Championship – Santa Barbara (just 12 days after NA’s!) Leiter Cup - US Junior Women’s Singlehanded Championship – Mission Bay US National Championship – San Francisco

Come for NA’s stay for the PCC’s Call for long term rental and team discounts Rentals available for any event in California

Y o u r S o u r c e f o r L a s e r R e n t a l s i n C a l i f o r n i a

2014 Schedule of Events

Masters Report by Bill Symes

Summer 2015 is shaping up as a blockbuster racing smorgasbord for North American Laser masters. The action kicks off June 25-27 with Masters Canadian Nationals in Toronto, then heads west for Masters North Americans in the Columbia River Gorge July 11-13. Big wind, big waves, big fun! The west coast tour then moves north to Vancouver, BC, for Masters PCCs July 18-20, followed by open Canadian Nationals July 25-27. Then it’s back down the coast to San Francisco for open US Nationals July 31-Aug. 3 or, alternatively, take a right turn and head to Edmonton, AB, for the Western Canadian Masters Champs Aug. 2-3. Midwestern masters not making the western trek can fi nd action closer to home at the Masters Great Lakes Champs, July 12-13, in Thunder Bay, ON. Whew!

Grizzled road warriors will have a few weeks to catch their breath and nurse their wounds before hitting the water again in Rochester, NY, for Masters US Nationals Sept. 11-14, followed the next weekend by the New England Masters Champs in Osterville, MA. That will leave just enough time to dry out the sailing boots before hopping the plane to Hyeres, France, for the Laser Masters World Championship, Oct. 3-11 (60+ NA masters signed up for Worlds as of this writing!). In case you have any fuel left in the tank after Worlds, you can head down to

Deltaville, VA, for the Atlantic Coast Championship Oct. 18-19.Hope to see you all at one or more of these events. Hope we all survive!

Southeast Masters Report (by David Hartman)

The 2015 Florida Masters Week schedule is set. First leg will be the Masters Midwinters East at USSCMC, Jensen Beach, Feb. 7-9, followed by a lay day, then on Feb 11-12 we’ll sail Midweek Madness, also at Jensen Beach to reduce travel time and give folks more opportunity to enjoy the area. Friday will be the travel day

to Palm Beach Sailing Club for the Florida Masters, Feb 14-15, where we will all be seeking the coveted “Dirty Old Man of the Sea” trophy and Green Jacket. Steps have been taken to upgrade the race management at Palm Beach to maximize the ocean sailing, which is what we all look forward to.

For those with plenty of time on their hands who want to get away from the northern tundra, there is the open Orange Bowl Regatta hosted by Coconut Grove Sailing Club, Dec 27-30, which now includes a Masters Division that sails with the open competitors (over 18). Also,

Lauderdale Yacht Club has scheduled their Lauderdale Olympic Class Regatta for January 18 -20 which may give some added incentive to spend some more time in Florida’s warm sunshine. Of course, there is also the Miami OCR/World Cup the last week of January.

DR. STRANGELASER OR:HOW I LEARNED TO STOP WORRYING ABOUT RACK SPACES AND LOVE MY TRAILER

Matthew Thompson, D21 secretary

Without getting into the details, our club has gotten to the point where we’ve had some space issues. I am sure many of you are running into the same thing with the obvious value of waterfront. After years of storing my boats at the club, I’m now getting used to keeping mine rolling. It’s different. I

need systems, I need a few more minutes, but in the long run – it’s better for the sport.

BUT THEY’LL SEE THE BIG PICTURE?!?!

1. BUT IT’S AWKWARD TO LIFT?It weighs less than your fully grown child/signifi cant other/probably your groceries. The boat was designed to be car-topped. Seriously. The million dollar doodle, the boat recreated over 200,000 units, was meant to be on your roof. Enjoy the freedom that comes with that. Plus you have to meet

your fl eet members to get it down. Socialize. Trailers are cheap on craigslist. You don’t need something fancy.2. BUT WHERE WILL I STORE IT AT HOME?

The Laser is beautifully equipped for being stored lifted, stacked, leaned, left literally anywhere. Find a friend to share a trailer with if you have to. A member in our fl eet has somewhere upwards of 12 boats. I would gather he’s got an equal number of odd places to store them. My neighbors now

ask, “Where you headed this weekend?” I’m proud of that.3. BUT I’M BUSY?

That’s what life is. Personally that’s why I sail. Excuses are a dime a dozen these days. Once your boat is stored somewhere you’ve got it out of sight: it’s a death sentence, like shipping Stevie off to stay with Grandma. When your boat is on a trailer you’ve got to consider it. You will sail more. You

will get better. Fun will follow. 4. BUT I ONLY SAIL AT ONE VENUE?

Get out of your bubble! We all dream of travelling, learning a new language, trying exotic foods. Do it with your Laser. When was the last time you explored the rest of your country? Incidentally the USA isn’t as homogenous as you’d believe. I drove from MN to Midwinters in FL this year. Make

an excuse for some fun, even if it’s at the club on the other side of town. 5. BUT MY GAS MILEAGE?

I had a ’98 Corolla that I used to car-top my Laser on. It was longer than the car. Know what? I lost three MPG and made approximately 30 more friends. I’d say that’s a fair exchange.

6. BUT IT’S EXPENSIVE?So is Netfl ix, your surgically attached iPhone, eating out, and everything else in your life. Free housing is easy to come by in this fl eet, the only

additional expense is gas. Get a big cooler, share food, travel as a team. House together, rent an AirBnB house, or get out your tent. Your co-workers will be impressed.

6. BUT LASER SAILING IS INTENSE, I WON’T HAVE FUN AT THAT EVENT?Since when was sailing about winning everything? Everyone should be having fun at a regatta/race night/practice regardless of skill. Sometimes we set expectations and don’t reach them, sometimes that doesn’t feel great. Sailing is incredible because I can go sail against the best. Maybe they’ll be a leg ahead, but at one point you’ll have that moment. One glorious moment, where you round a mark in fi rst, make that perfect start, save that near

capsize. Suddenly all that intensity melts away.

And then I’m left with the reason I sail, the reason I chose not to pursue a “real” career, the reason I spend every day at the lake. Don’t miss that moment because a trailer or boat storage or anything else in life feels diffi cult.

If General Ripper were a sailor, he’d say “Permanent storage spaces are the most monstrously conceived and dangerous leadbelly plot we have ever had to face.”

And then Buck would respond, “Gee, I wish we had one of them doomsday machines.”

Trailer. I mean a trailer.

www.Laser.org 25

Combine the HydrophobicThermo Skin Fleece with theNeoprene Ultrawarm tobe AMAZINGLY WARM!


DR. STRANGELASER OR:HOW I LEARNED TO STOP WORRYING ABOUT RACK SPACES AND LOVE MY TRAILER

Matthew Thompson, D21 secretary

Without getting into the details, our club has gotten to the point where we’ve had some space issues. I am sure many of you are running into the same thing with the obvious value of waterfront. After years of storing my boats at the club, I’m now getting used to keeping mine rolling. It’s different. I

need systems, I need a few more minutes, but in the long run – it’s better for the sport.

BUT THEY’LL SEE THE BIG PICTURE?!?!

1. BUT IT’S AWKWARD TO LIFT?It weighs less than your fully grown child/signifi cant other/probably your groceries. The boat was designed to be car-topped. Seriously. The million dollar doodle, the boat recreated over 200,000 units, was meant to be on your roof. Enjoy the freedom that comes with that. Plus you have to meet

your fl eet members to get it down. Socialize. Trailers are cheap on craigslist. You don’t need something fancy.2. BUT WHERE WILL I STORE IT AT HOME?

The Laser is beautifully equipped for being stored lifted, stacked, leaned, left literally anywhere. Find a friend to share a trailer with if you have to. A member in our fl eet has somewhere upwards of 12 boats. I would gather he’s got an equal number of odd places to store them. My neighbors now

ask, “Where you headed this weekend?” I’m proud of that.3. BUT I’M BUSY?

That’s what life is. Personally that’s why I sail. Excuses are a dime a dozen these days. Once your boat is stored somewhere you’ve got it out of sight: it’s a death sentence, like shipping Stevie off to stay with Grandma. When your boat is on a trailer you’ve got to consider it. You will sail more. You

will get better. Fun will follow. 4. BUT I ONLY SAIL AT ONE VENUE?

Get out of your bubble! We all dream of travelling, learning a new language, trying exotic foods. Do it with your Laser. When was the last time you explored the rest of your country? Incidentally the USA isn’t as homogenous as you’d believe. I drove from MN to Midwinters in FL this year. Make

an excuse for some fun, even if it’s at the club on the other side of town. 5. BUT MY GAS MILEAGE?

I had a ’98 Corolla that I used to car-top my Laser on. It was longer than the car. Know what? I lost three MPG and made approximately 30 more friends. I’d say that’s a fair exchange.

6. BUT IT’S EXPENSIVE?So is Netfl ix, your surgically attached iPhone, eating out, and everything else in your life. Free housing is easy to come by in this fl eet, the only

additional expense is gas. Get a big cooler, share food, travel as a team. House together, rent an AirBnB house, or get out your tent. Your co-workers will be impressed.

6. BUT LASER SAILING IS INTENSE, I WON’T HAVE FUN AT THAT EVENT?Since when was sailing about winning everything? Everyone should be having fun at a regatta/race night/practice regardless of skill. Sometimes we set expectations and don’t reach them, sometimes that doesn’t feel great. Sailing is incredible because I can go sail against the best. Maybe they’ll be a leg ahead, but at one point you’ll have that moment. One glorious moment, where you round a mark in fi rst, make that perfect start, save that near

capsize. Suddenly all that intensity melts away.

And then I’m left with the reason I sail, the reason I chose not to pursue a “real” career, the reason I spend every day at the lake. Don’t miss that moment because a trailer or boat storage or anything else in life feels diffi cult.

If General Ripper were a sailor, he’d say “Permanent storage spaces are the most monstrously conceived and dangerous leadbelly plot we have ever had to face.”

And then Buck would respond, “Gee, I wish we had one of them doomsday machines.”

Trailer. I mean a trailer.

SUMMER 201426

Laser Midwinters West at Richmond Yacht ClubBy John Long

Fifty two Radials and thirty two Lasers competed for three days in tricky spring like conditions on the SF Bay for the 2014 Laser Midwinters West. A storm front moving through the area made things interesting for sailors and required careful course management by race committee. On the fi rst day of racing, race committee worked diligently to keep up with the shifty wind conditions. After a couple of on the water postponements and general recalls in the Radial fl eet, three races were scored in light to moderate winds. Day two started with a lengthy onshore postponement due to lack of wind, poor visibility and rainy skies. Anxious sailors were sent out after conditions improved.

One light air race completed and they were done for the day. Sunday, the fi nal day, proved to be the best day of racing. With plenty of breeze, 10 – 15 knots, and mostly sunny skies the sailors got to experience conditions more in line with what the SF Bay area is known for. Over the three day event race committee was able to maintain focus and provided some excellent racing in the trying conditions. A total of seven were scored and both fl eets had fi nal race showdowns for the top places. Congratulations to Derick Vranizan who was able to break the tie with Greg Martinez with a fi rst place fi nish in the last race. In the Radials it was a battle between bay area Claire Dennis and Southern California native Christopher Weis. Claire Dennis eventually prevailed, besting Chris in a throw out tiebreaker.

Sail Skipper Yacht Club 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Total Pos

182841 Claire Dennis St. Francis Yacht Club/ SFYC [6] 3 3 4 2 3 1 16T 1

181828 Christopher Weis Del Rey Yacht Club 3 [8] 2 3 3 2 3 16T 2

204424 Scott Rasmussen Lauderdale YC 2 5 [13] 1 5 4 2 19 3

204478 Graham Harney Royal Vancouver Yacht club 1 2 1 12 4 [17]

5 25 4

190468 Lawson Willard San Francisco YC/St Francis YC 5 4 4 [11]

10 5 4 32 5

Sail Skipper Yacht Club 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Total Pos

197265 Frederick Vranizan Seattle Yacht Club [7] 2 1 1 1 2 1 8 1

188149 Greg Martinez Texas Corinthian yacht club 1 1 2 [4] 2 1 2 9

195601 Ian Elliott RVicYC &Calgary Yacht Club [12] 5 6 2 8 6 3 30T 3

187393 Richard Didham San Diego Yacht Club 6 4 4 [15] 4 5 7 30T 4

206171 Max Gallant Royal Victoria Yacht Club 9 3 7 [34/OCS]

3 4 5 31 5

Radialstop 5 of 52

Full Rigtop 5 of 32

1

www.rightontrailer.com

Lasers: Max Gallant, Richard Didham, Ian Elliot, Greg Martinez, Derick Vranizan, Matt Long (top youth sailor)

Radials: Lola Bushnell, Lawson Willard, Scott Rasmussen, Christopher Weis, Claire Dennis

www.Laser.org 27

11

www.rightontrailer.com

SUMMER 201428

By Steve Smith

The 2014 Laser North American Championships were scheduled for June at Alamitos Bay Yacht Club (ABYC) in Long Beach CA. The 2014 U.S. SAILING (USSA) Singlehanded Championship was also scheduled at ABYC later this summer as well. Early in the year ABYC and the Laser Class were approached by USSA with a proposal to conduct the USSA Singlehanded Championship in conjunction with the Laser NA’s. Turns out USSA was fi nding the Singlehanded Championship and Area qualifying ladder events around the country, were no longer attracting a caliber of women and men racers to this stand-alone event. Knowing the Laser NA’s would attract top tier Laser and Laser Radial racers, USSA asked to be part of the NA’s.Following a fl urry of phone conversations and e-mail messages, we meshed the two events and set about planning our regatta. A nice benefi t of this collaboration was major sponsorship from Gill® who generously provided all the competitor souvenir t-shirts and water bottles at no cost to the organizers, along with Hobie® Polarized who provided two pair of sunglasses which we raffl ed off at the competitor’s dinner. Additionally each sailor received a copy of David Dellenbaugh’s Speed and Smarts newsletter in their welcome pack. David also donated a one year on-line subscription to his newsletter which we raffl ed off. Laser racer Philip Thompson

gave us one of his slick Hike Pro hiking benches for our raffl e and ABYC member Jennifer Golison gave us fi ve Sea Bags of Maine tote bags made from recycled sails for the raffl e.Racers and coaches began arriving with multi-boat trailers early in the week. ABYC soon took on an International fl avor with fl ags fl ying from the seawall representing racers from 14 countries. Competitor check-in began on Wednesday with Laser Executive Secretary, Sherri Campbell verifying each sail had correct numbers and National letters. In the meantime sailors were required to move their boats to the beach adjacent to the ABYC boatyard, where we launched and recovered for the rest of the regatta.A Practice Race was scheduled for noon on Thursday in the original Notice of Race; however, a number of coaches and

competitors advised against this as a Practice Race followed by three additional regular races would make for a long day on the water. The Practice Race was cancelled and a good thing too as Thursday presented racers with the most challenging conditions of the regatta.The race area was set in the ocean a mile or two south of Seal Beach and as we sailed to the course, the breeze was already well above ten kts with a building confused sea state. The breeze continued to build reaching 19 kts as the day progressed. The conditions pressed even the top tier racers and numerous racers headed for the showers after one or two races. Packy Davis from the San Francisco Bay Area said, “It wasn’t the wind, just the pounding”. This sentiment was repeated by Race Committee offi cials who reported having diffi culty just

2014 Laser North American Championship and U.S. SAILING Singlehanded Championship

www.Laser.org 29

holding on and writing down sail numbers at the fi nish line.In the 72 boat Laser fl eet after three races, Bruno Fontes from Brazil was the leader followed by Charles Buckingham from Newport Harbor YC, Tom Ramshaw from Stony Lake YC in Canada, with Cy Thompson from St. Thomas YC and Andrew Lewis from the Trinidad & Tobago Sailing Assn. tied for fi fth, but Erik Bowers from the U.S.A. did take fi rst place in the last race of a challenging day. The 102 boat Radial fl eet was split into two fl ights for the fi rst two days of racing. Luke Miller from Lauderdale YC and Pedro L. Fernandez Gamboa dominated their respective fl eets in Thursday’s blustery conditions with three straight wins each in their respective fl ights.Wind conditions moderated to the 8-13 kt range for day two and three of the championship and once six races were completed everyone could discard their worst score. Going into the last day, Charles Buckingham had taken over the lead from Bruno Fontes, but the fi nal outcome would depend on Sunday’s races. The Radial fl eet was split for the fi nal two days into Gold and Silver fl eets with racers earing the lowest scores in the fi rst two days advancing to the Gold fl eet. Paige Railey from the St. Francis YC enjoyed a comfortable lead going into the fi nal day of racing over Jack Marshall from the FAST Sailing Foundation and Luke Miller who suffered a DNC with a breakdown in race nine. There must be something to the FAST Sailing Foundation as members Henry Marshall scored bullets

in races seven and eight, and William Marshall scored seconds in races two and three.We did have a nine boat Laser 4.7 fl eet and after eleven races Gage Wilson from the Edison Sailing Center won the regatta followed by Macey McCann from the Texas Corinthian YC and Gage Schoenherr from Sailfi t/Clearwater Sailing Center.Twelve races were scheduled for the championship and the Laser fl eet almost pulled off a twelfth race Sunday before the 3:00PM cutoff for further racing. Light winds on Sunday meant the races took longer to complete, so the Lasers were lined up for a twelfth start just before three and

would have completed the race had there not been a General Recall, meaning they missed the cutoff time for a restart by mere minutes. Chris Barnard took fi rst in the last two races, but could not overcome Charles and Bruno. Matheus Dellangelo from ICSC in Brazil was fourth, Cy Thompson was fi fth. In the Radial Gold fl eet, Paige was fi rst, followed by; Jack Marshall, Luke Miller, Claire Dennis from St. Francis & San Francisco YC and Pedro L.

Fernandez Gamboa.For the U.S. SAILING Singlehanded Championship, Charles Buckingham won the George O’Day Trophy as highest placing male in Lasers and Paige Railey won the Helen Wills Hanley Trophy as highest placing female in Laser Radials.For complete results, race coverage and photos, go to: http://www.abyc.org/event.cfm?id=1917 Photos here from Scott Barnard & Stephanie Gwinn.

2014 Laser North American Championship and U.S. SAILING Singlehanded Championship

SUMMER 201430

District ReportsDistrict 3 Ontario Nigel Heath

The sailing season got off to a slow start this year in Ontario given that the water was still solid in many locations through April. Lake Ontario and Lake Huron water temperatures are about 4C-5C cooler than the average in recent years, while Lake Erie has already warmed up to the average. And water levels are defi nitely higher than in past years, given all the snow pack run-off.

Once again District 3 has a summer full of sailing regattas across the region, so hope to see you out there on the race course. But speaking of racing, our sailing theme this year at the Water Rats is to do LESS racing and to become better sailors as a result. What the?….. has Nigel lost his mind? (Not yet but that may be coming.) For years we have just raced and raced and raced around the course with 4-6 races per night. This was ok, but the unanswered question was: were we progressing as Laser sailors and actually improving our technique or just repeating the same old bad habits. We concluded the latter and we also concluded that we weren’t providing an optimal environment to develop sailors in the middle and the back of the fl eet who were newer to the Laser.

Refl ecting upon this, we decided we needed to take a two pronged approach to kick start training for all levels of sailor. Firstly we introduced regular evening training at the Water Rats with a focus on skills development that replaced doing numerous laps around a race course. Then for more advanced Masters sailors that have their eye on the Laser Masters World Championships in Kingston in 2015, we structured a training/coaching program with Thomas Fogh from Ontario Sailing. Essentially, we rejuvenated the Ontario Master Sailing Team. Thomas has coached the Ontario Sailing Team in the past and has a lot of experience in different boats. So we are hoping to develop the club level sailor and the international level sailor at the same time.

The Heinz Gebauer Spring War was recently held at the Water Rats. Congratulation to: 1st Daniel Berry, 2nd Ray Davies, 3rd Nigel Heath. Picture below shows regatta chair Richard Roberts presenting

Daniel Berry with the Heinz Gebauer trophy.

A quick reminder that the Fogh Gold Cup series winners will take home a new Laser sail, the Radial winner wins a new Radial sail and the top female wins a new Radial sail courtesy of Fogh Marine. See d3laser.com for all the events and details. Good luck to all.

District 5Saskatoon, CANMark Lammens

20 races 2 days and a very good mix in conditions. LP Gagnon continues his winning ways from

the September Westerns by fi nishing in the top 3 in 17 races, but only 3 wins. Payton Byrns won 6 races for 2nd and Lewis O’ the Spanish speed demon won 7 races including the Driftwood trophy for winning the fi rst race.

In the Radial Colin Krawchuk from MB is fi rst, including a fi rst, beating the full rigs, (breeze was up and right was good), Heather Boyle is 2nd and Bill Dawson, is 3rd. Bill is obviously learning about racing on the autobahn from MB super coach B Smutny. In the 16 and under category Andre Gagnon is 1st, Anthony Clark 2nd and Kayden Polacheck 3rd. Molly Ingenmey is 2nd female, Molly had basically brand new everything but the top section. Guess what happened?

The other reminder was to always consider holding onto something if things break, (top section, hiking strap, break in boat handling) consider the mainsheet instead of the tiller extension, tiller breaks, rope not so much. Then you can pull yourself to the boat for self-rescue.

Special thanks to Olympic and Canadian Sailing Team meteorologist Doug Charko, Doug gave a little update on what to expect on the water, very informative. He was right, it got windy and as Colin took from the talk, watch the right.Doug lives in Regina but was the weather guy with Prada, the Italian boat at 2 America’s cups as well as the CAN Sailing Team in China and the USA Sailing Team in London. He also just came back from Russia working with the Canadian team, specifi cally the downhill and cross country skiers. He was fully accredited team expert, so he has all of the nice clothes.

Also a Thank you to Brigitte Smutny and Shelby Williams for their assistance in the RC Boat. 20 races means 20 starts and many boats crossing the fi nish line. Shelby just fi nished her clinic training in Halifax and is on the fast track to be a Comp. Dev. coach. Good luck Shelby.

District 6British ColombiaAndy Hunt

Greetings to all District 6 Laser, Laser Radial and Laser 4.7 sailors.The 2014 racing/sailing season for District 6 is now fully underway. Local evening and weekend racing has been going on since late April / early May. For those of you who don’t like formal regattas, casual club racing is an excellent way to see if you like informal racing.

For the more serious sailor, I will report on some of the usual local regattas. There were two regattas in April. two regattas in May (there might have been a third but I can’t fi nd any information / results for the regatta) and one in June. The two April regattas were on English Bay and are usually back to back. Since Easter fell on the third weekend of April for 2014, the Flights of Spring Regatta was scheduled for April 12 and 13. Wether the earlier date had something to do with it, I don’t know but there was a very low turnout for Laser Standards (3) and Laser Radials (6). Ellie Shaw Unger (Radial) was the only sailor (in both Standard and Radial) that was not a local sailor. Eight races were run over the two days, the three Standard sailors (in order of third to

fi rst) were: Kyle Gerrard (RVANYC), Chris Cowan (RVANYC Race Team Coach) and Andriy Kanuka (VC). In the Radial Fleet, fi rst place went to Grand Master Peter Woytkowiak (JSCA) while second place went to Jake Cullen (RVANYC) and third place went to Ellie Shaw Unger (SYC/RVANYC). The remaining three sailors were: Jacek Suski (JSCA) (4), Connor Black (RVANYC) (5) and Brianna Tsui (RVANYC) (6). By contrast, the Kitten Cup (hosted by the Royal Vancouver Yacht Club) had better wind and more competitors (in both fl eets). The Kitten Cup is also the fi rst regatta of the BC Sailing Circuit and the North West Youth Racing Circuit. All of the other regattas that make up the NWYRC are in District 22 so I won’t be reporting on any more of their regattas. The Kitten Cup also had competitors from outside the BC lower mainland. In fact, the top three Standard sailors were all from the Royal Victoria Yacht Club. The Kitten Cup was on April 26 and 27. There were a total of 14 Laser Standards and 22 Laser Radials. The Standard Fleet had 9 races while the Radial Fleet had 8 races. The top three sailors in the Standard Fleet were: Bob Britten, (Grand Master), Reece Myerscouth, (youth) and Max Gallant (youth). The top three Radial sailors were: Alexander Fritz (RVANYC), Maura Dewey (RVICYX) and Graham Harney. (RVANYC) A week later, the Royal Victoria Yacht Club hosted the Spring Dinghy Championships. Very light winds were the norm for the regatta (3 races on Saturday, none on Sunday). There was one Laser 4.7 (Matthew Stanaghan from Gibson Yacht Club) and 17 Laser Standards and Laser Radials. Top fi ve Standard sailors were: Bob Britten (again), Max Gallant, Dominic Fritz (RVANYC). Aiden Kotster (RVICYX) and Adrian Vlasic (RVANYC). Top fi ve Radial sailors were: John Owen (RVICYC) Jake Cullen (RVANYC), Graham Harney (RVANYC), Alexander Fritz (RVANYC) and Fillah Karim (RVANYC). The Central Okanagan Sailing Association (COSA) held its annual Springtime Regatta on May 17 and 18, 2014. This is the third regatta of the BC Circuit (the second was the Spring Dinghy Championships). Most of the sailors were from the Rocky Point Sailing Association. The Royal Vancouver Yacht Club did not send its usual contingent of sailors. That said, there were 11 Laser Standards and 13 Laser Radials. I have no idea what the conditions were like on Okanagan Lake. The top three Laser Standard sailors were: Fillah Karin (RVANYC). Adrian Vlasic (RVANYC) and Nick Smith (RVICYC). The top three Radial sailors were: John Owen (RVICYC),Evan Robson (RPSA) and Jayden Potter (RPSA). The lone regatta (so far) in June was the Jericho Classic Regatta. This regatta had the best wind of all of the regattas that I have mentioned. The winds were in the range of 8 - 12 knots on both days. The regatta was held on May 31 and June 1 at the Jericho Sailing Centre. There were 6 Laser Standards and 7 Laser Radials. Eight out of the thirteen boats came from the Jericho Sailing Centre. Top three Standards were: Sascha Smutny (JSCA), Alex Shepard (RVANYC) and Jorge Yanez (JSCA). Top three Radials were: Hanne Weaver (SYC/RVANYC), Peter Woytkowiak (JSCA) and Ellie Shaw Unger (SYC/RVANYC). Congratulations to those District 6 sailors who went down to California for the 2014 North American Laser, Laser Radial and Laser 4.7 Championships. The sailors were: Frederick Vranizan, SYC/RVYC, 10 Laser Standard; Ricardo Montemayor, RVANYC, 14 Laser Standard; Max Gallant, RVICYC, 26 Laser Standard’Dominic Fritz, RVANYC, 39 Laser Standard; Nick

www.Laser.org 31

Smith, RVICYC, 45 Laser Standard; Alexander Shepard, RVANYC, 48 Laser Standard and Adam Sorensen, RVICYC, 56 Laser Standard. In the Radial Gold Fleet, Graham Harney (RVANYC) was 13th; Hanne Weaver (SYC/RVANYC) was 30th; Natalia Montemayor (RVANYC) was 33rd and Ellie Shaw Unger (SYC/RVANYC) was 51st. In the Laser Radial Silver Fleet, Miranda MacGillvray (RVANYC) was 7th. In the Laser 4.7 Fleet, Matthew Stanaghan (Gibson Yacht Club) was 9th.Please don’t hesitate to contact me with any questions or comments.

District 7Tiverton, RI Derek Stow

In New England our long, cold, snowy winter was followed by a long, cool, rainy spring. But it didn’t deter our hardy Laser sailors who showed up for an active schedule of early season regattas.

The fi rst regatta on the 2014 summer calendar was the Peter Milnes Regatta in Newport on April 27 (or maybe it was really the last event on the winter calendar for the Newport frostbite fl eet?) 32 sailors competed in the regatta with the usual suspects taking the top 5 places.1. Peter Shope2. Scott Ferguson3. Steve Kirkpatrick4. Dan Neri5. Mark BearChristine Neville was fi rst woman in 6th place overall.

In what seems to be a general trend at many District 7 Regattas these days, of the 21 sailors who showed up for the May Madness Regatta at Quannapowitt YC in Wakefi eld MA on May 10, all except one were masters - and the exception was under 18. So it was decided to score the regatta using the masters handicap system. The winds were from SW 10 to NW 15, shifty, and gusty. Peter Follansbee didn’t need any handicap adjustments to win the regatta.1. Peter Follansbee GM2. Stu Nickerson GGM3. James Jacob GM4. Peter Seidenberg GGM5. David Frazier GGMHank Thorburn was fi rst Master and Nat Cook was fi rst Apprentice Master. Stephen Young won the Under 18 category.

Cedar Point YC in Westport CT held their Spring Laser Regatta on May 11. 24 sailors enjoyed breezes from W to NNW and 6 to 16 knots.The fi rst 5 in the 16 boat Full Rig fl eet were...1. Britt Hughes2. Tom Lawton3. Sam Barron-Fox4. Philip Swanton5. Tim MillhiserAnd in the 8 boat Radial fl eet the top 3 were1. Sarah Hatsell2. Jean-Yves Fillion3. Jim Vos

The Striper Cup, the fi rst event in the 2014 Maine Laser Series was held in Georgetown, ME on May 24. 10 sailors battled it out in light cross-cove breezes over 6 races. Ed Rowe of Portland fi nished fi rst with 11 points, followed closely by Fred Boursier of Thomaston at 12 and then Mark Gaffney of Hope with 18. On May 31, 12 sailors enjoyed the 7th Annual Laser

Regatta at Massapoag YC in Sharon MA. Lake Massapoag served up some sprightly lake winds winds from the E and NE at with slam dunk headers and capsizes for some. The top 5 sailors were…1. Joe Berkeley2. John Eckart3. Eric Aker4. Matt Russell5. Brandon DickermanJudith Krimski was fi rst woman in 6th place overall.

That same weekend was also a “double-header” in New Hampshire with two one-day regattas. At the NH Seacoast Regatta at the Great Bay YC on Saturday May 31 there were 18 boats sailing 7 races in E-SE winds of 5-10 knots. 1st was Peter Shope, 2nd was Christine Neville, and 3rd was Peter Follansbee. Then on Sunday June 1 at the Lake Mascoma Regatta there were 8 boats who sailed 4 races in a NE breeze of 2-8 knots. 1st was Peter Seidenberg and 2nd was Nat Cook.

The fi rst two day regatta on the District 7 schedule was the Wickford Regatta on June 7-8. (Wickford is famous as being the only location on American soil where an individual was hanged, drawn and quartered for treason. Not many people know that.) The date of the regatta was moved from May to June this year which did seem to achieve the aim of attracting more youth sailors by avoiding the confl ict with high school sailing events. 19 full rig Lasers and 11 Radials competed on what seemed like the fi rst warm sunny weekend of the summer. Of course the downside of that was that the sailors did have to wait for the sea breeze both days, but when it came it was quite steady from the south, blowing 5-12 knots on Saturday for 4 races and 4-8 knots on Sunday for 3 races.

Mark Bear sailed a superb regatta to win the full rig fl eet and 15-year-old Carly Broussard from Kentucky won the Radials. Top 5 in each fl eet were…Full Rig1. Mark Bear2. Dan Neri3. Peter Shope4. Peter Follansbee5. Marcus EdegranRadials1. Carly Broussard2. John Kirkpatrick3. Peter Seidenberg4. Ted Bjerregaard 5. Christine Neville

Just seeing those fi ve names at the top of the Radial fl eet gives me great confi dence in the current and future health of Laser sailing as a lifelong sport. The current Great Grandmaster World Champion (Peter), a US Sailing Development Team Member (Christine) and three teenagers,

three males and two females, all enjoying close competitive racing. And there was a 61 year age spread between the fi rst and third place sailors. How many other sports appeal to all ages and both genders so successfully?

The rest of the year’s district 7 regatta schedule can be found at www.laserdistrict7.com.

Please feel free to contact me about any district matters at [email protected]. I look forward to hearing from you.

District 8 NYDavid Trinder and Lindsay Hewitt

The summer season started with a whimper as the wind refused to play ball, but since the DInghy Shop series started in early May, it has been a series of excellent weekends of racing. So far at least 8 boats have been on the start line with this last weekend having 14. Winners have been different each weekend with Mike Matan, David Trinder, Matt Doherty and Lindsay Hewitt each taking honors. The racing has been close and we have seen sailors of all levels participate. There is no doubt that laser sailing on D8 is still strong and we are working hard to build the weekly turnout to +20. The www.laserd8.org web site shows the full season’s schedule and is also updated weekly with results. Narrasketuk Yacht Club has also been holding informal Sunday racing and the turnout of both experienced and less experienced sailors to these races has been very encouraging. Special thanks to everyone at the Dinghy Shop, our

SUMMER 201432


new sponsor, and Narrasketuk Yacht Club for their hard work providing the Saturday and Sunday series this spring. We look forward to a great summer series highlighted by the D8 Grand Prix and District Championship at Sayville Yacht Club on July 19th and 20th.

District 9 NYChas Williamson

Welcome to 2014, Sailors in D9! This season we have had four regattas so far, with a mix of gusty breezy and light conditions, and all of them fl uky. Our four main regattas have been Ithaca YC, Willowbank YC (Cazenovia), Saratoga Lake SC, Newport YC (Rochester). Finally we are in the heart of Summer, and after a bitterly cold sluggish winter.

ITHACA YC - 24 May 2014We had a day of sunshine and light winds. Chris Wilson was irresistibly fast, and won 4 out of the 5 races, followed by Luke Miller who was comfortably in second. Third and rounding out the College sailors taking part, was Chippy Williamson. Boathandling in the very light winds was key and the younger sailors were ready! We were exceedingly lucky to have a great race committee, comprising Chris Rogers, Steve Little, Keith Rice and their team. The top 6 sailors were: 1. Chris Wilson; 2. Luke Miller; 3. Chippy Williamson; 4. Chas Williamson; 5. Joe Miller; 6. Mark Stuhlmiller. Thanks for coming, Mark, and for setting up a new Laser fl eet at Buffalo!

WILLOWBANK YC - 31 May 2014We were met with a moderate sometimes strong breeze, with super-shifty autotack conditions; wind shifts suddenly appearing with little warning. Willowbank put on a great regatta. Thanks to the Webster family for allowing me to come aboard their motorboat for several of the races. Luke won 4 races, sailing beautifully, to beat Mark Sertl, from Rochester YC. Local sailor Sam Webster got a string of 4th places to fi nish third. Ray Cudney of the home club sailed really well, and had a very close battle with Luke in race 4. Bobby Bryant was also present from Rochester, sailing fast. Bobby and Mark are sailing more regattas this year in readiness for their running of the US Masters championships in September at RYC. Chippy Williamson was astoundingly slow off

the wind, generally overtaken by the whole fl eet whenever a downwind leg got underway. During the fi fth and fi nal race, he discovered he had no stern plug. After the racing it took around 15 minutes to empty the water from his hull - waterlogged hulls are not fast! It was great to see Allan Miller making the trek from Saratoga. The fi nal placings were: 1. Luke Miller; 2. Mark Sertl; 3. Sam Webster; 4. Ray Cudney; 5. Bobby Bryant; 6. Chippy Williamson; 7. Allan Miller; 8. Dave Filiberto; 9. Alex Marshall; 10. Joe Miller; 11. David Burtis; 12. Chas Williamson (Retired).

SARATOGA LAKE SC - DERBY REGATTA - 7 June 2014.The annual Saratoga Derby Laser regatta was held on Saturday June 7, run by Allan Miller. The forecast was for lightish winds, but conditions were zephyr-like. We fl oated in the sunshine for 2 hours, and were fi nally rewarded with a light but manageable race. Chippy Williamson had a great pin end start, and led at every mark, followed by Chas Williamson and Allan Miller. At the fi nish, Mike Kitner crossed the line third, followed by Ray Cudney. Race two was launched again after a further delay, giving us a close reach to the fi rst mark, as the wind shifted within 30 seconds of the start. Chas Williamson led around the race course, but Chippy caught up to second at the fi nish, followed by Al Miller. Thanks go to Saratoga and especially the committee and Al Miller and the photographer who supplied framed pictures of the racing as charming awards. The places were: 1. Chas Williamson; 2. Chippy Wlliamson; 3. Michael Kitner; 4. Allan Miller; 5. James Nicol; 6. Kurt Ofer; 7. David Burtis; 8. Bill Hamilton; 9. Ray Cudney; 10. Bob Posson; 11. Tom French.

NEWPORT YC (Rochester, NY) - 14 June 2014Sailors experienced a gusty moderate breeze, with a lot of Westerly in it. Since Irondequoit bay lies north-south this meant huge shifts, sometimes with a pair of boats heading in the same direction but on different tacks ! The competition was strong, due the presence of a number of very fast legendary sailors; Mark Sertl, Dan Fien, Bobby Bryant, Doug Kaukeinen, and Richie Wait (Welcome back Richie!) sprinkled in amongst speedy College sailors. Doug won three races, and took the

regatta comfortably from Chris Wilson. Dan Fien started slowly but picked up speed during the afternoon, fi nishing with a beautiful race win. Fourth placed Mark Sertl sailed fast but had to count a big score in race one. Rounding out the top fi ve was Chippy Williamson just pipping Richie. Thanks go to Kenny Fourspring and his committee for running a great regatta! Final places were: 1. Doug Kaukeinen; 2. Chris Wilson; 3. Dan Fien; 4. Mark Sertl; 5. Chippy Williamson; 6. Richie Wait; 7. Bobby Bryant; 8. Chas Williamson; 9. Steve Leach; 10. Bill Wilson; 11. Kenny Fourspring; 12. Landy Atkinson; 13. Kurt Ofer; 14. Tom French.

District 10NJ, PAEric Reitinger

Thanks to Glen Dickson for a few write-ups of the spring events 33rd Annual Philadelphia Laser ChampionshipMarsh Creek Sailing ClubDowningtown, PAApril 12, 2014

Sunny skies and crazy breeze greeted the 14 competitors who made thetrip to Marsh Creek for their annual spring regatta, which traditionally opens the District 10 season. With the air temperature in the 70s but the water hovering around 50 degrees, a pretty solid inversion was in place over the lake, making it tough for the gradient breeze to break through and establish any sort of consistent fl owacross the course.

Nonetheless, the veteran RC team from Marsh Creek Sailing Club managed to get in six races in winds that kept shifting from SE to NW, and everywhere in between. While the course confi guration pretty muchstayed the same, three races were completed with the windward mark set off the eastern shore of the lake, and three were held with the windward mark off the western shore. The velocity was equally spottywith breezes ranging from 0-12 knots but mostly in the 1-5 knot range and huge puffs randomly fi lling on either side of the course.

Staying consistent in such challenging conditions was obviously diffi cult to say the least. Glen Dickson of Bay Head YC started off hot with two bullets, but then cooled off dramatically and posted several high numbers. Jim Knab of Cooper River YC rallied from some early stumbles and put together several

www.Laser.org 33

top-three fi nishes to close the day, while clubmate Faye Flam was the only competitor to avoid major trouble and never fi nished worse than sixth. In the end, Dickson took advantage of the drop (getting rid of a 12th) and did just enough in the last race to edge Knab by a point, 16 to 17, while Knab beat Flam (the fi rst woman) on a tiebreaker for second. Tony Iacono of the host club was fourth with 21 points and the fi rst Great-Grand Master. All received great prizes of APS gift certifi cates and bottles of wine (always appreciated).

Many thanks go to Marsh Creek Commodore Dave Cliffel and his team for putting together a fun event, including great breakfast and post-race spreads. Make sure to mark your calendar for Marsh Creek’s fall regatta, to be held Oct. 18. Shrewsbury held their Annual regatta in May with a small group. Mike Hecky taking the 5 race series with Dave Magno second and Had Brick third. Mike Ehrot won the 3 boat Radial fl eet.Monmouth Spring Laser RegattaMonmouth Boat ClubRed Bank, NJMay 17, 2014

Monmouth’s annual spring Laser event featured beautiful weather, with sunny skies and temperatures in the mid-60s, and a very tricky westerly breeze that made for some challenging racing on the NavesinkRiver. Under the able RC work of Laser Fleet 9 captain Dave Watts and his daughter Julia, nine boats enjoyed (or suffered through, depending on your point of view) six windward-leeward twice-around races with breeze ranging from 1 to 12 knots and shifting regularly through 80 degrees. Had Brick of Island Heights YC was the big winner, showinghis veteran savvy by avoiding trouble and never placing out of the top three.

Glen Dickson of Bay Head YC won the fi rst race, sailed in about 4 to 6 knots, wire-to-wire with Brick second and Jim Knab of Cooper River YC third. Brick took the next race, with Mike Hecky of Riverton YC second and Larry Nociolo of the host club third. Brick also won race three, edging Dickson and Dan Vought of Monmouth. Hecky would then heat up in a major way and win the next three races, which saw some of the most up-and-down conditions of the day. But with Brick dropping a third from Race 5 and Hecky counting a fourth due to a capsize in Race 2, it wasn’t enough. Brick took the regatta with 8 points to Hecky’s 9, with Dickson leading the “B fl eet” in third with 16 points. Nociolo was fourth with 18 points and Vought fi fth with 21 points. Kara Licara of the host club was the fi rst woman (and Radial) in 8th.

Many thanks go to Dave and Julia Watts for working hard to conduct fair racing in such shifty breeze, as they constantly adjusted the marks and starting line throughout the day in an effort to square up the course. (It wasn’t easy. Brick noted that his compass showed the breeze moving from 220 to 300 degrees on one beat. Since he was on starboard, he didn’t tack.) They also provided a great breakfast and post-race lunch spread, along with the requisite beverages, and some very classy embroidered backpacks for prizes. For advance notice, Dave wants everyone to know that Monmouth’s Fall Regatta will be Sept. 20.Try to make the trip to Red Bank and support one of the country’s oldest Laser fl eets.—Glen DicksonWell you wanted wind, the Orange Coffee Pot delivered. Winds started off around 20-25mph and stayed between 15-20mph for the rest of the day. 7

races through the day tired out the sailors but also provided some close racing between many of the sailors. 16 fulls and 13 radials arrived to race for the day. Clay Johnson won the fulls and Andy Widmeier won the radials. Thanks again to SCYC and Newt Wattis for hosting us. Consider adding thisregatta to your calendar next year, we keep getting previous winners (6 this year) and the racing is always fun. District 10 full rig champs were held at a combination of Greater Wildwood YC and Corinthian YC of Cape May. Racing was done in the ocean just off the coast of Wildwood. Breeze was up day one with 15-20mph winds with shifty and puffy conditions. Almost every one of the 18 boats capsized at least once. 5 races were sailed day one with Mike Russom leading and his father Dennis in second. Luckily the following day the conditions died down a little and a different direction and 3 races were completed. Despite Eric Reitinger and Matt Goetting’s late charge, Mike and Dennis still held the 1-2 and Matt moved up to third. Congratulations to Mike on winning his fi rst D10 championship! We also had a few travelers making the trip. 2 Old Dominion sailors made the trip up as a break from summer semester and one from Kingston YC in Ontario. NJ’s ocean sailing reputation is starting to get out of the district. Look for future events to be hosted in the ocean this year and the upcoming years. You can see from the pictures taken by Tom Lord how windy it was and even some of the carnage.Iron Man Jr Regatta @ Shore Acres YC July 10thPowder Puff Jr Regatta @ Metedeconk YC July 11thBeachwood Blowout Jr Regatta @ Beachwood YC July 18thAtlantic City Race Week July 19th (*OCEAN*)Jr. Olympics @ Island Heights July 21-22Jr. Summer Classic @ Ocean Gate YC August 1stD10 Radials and 4.7 Championship @ Brant Beach August 16-17th

SCYC Annual September 6thShore Acres Laser Regatta September 13thMonmouth Fall Regatta September 20thRadial and 4.7 Mid-Atlantics @ Little Egg Harbor YC October 11-12Marsh Creek Fall Laser Regatta October 18th

District 11VA, MD, DEJon Deutsch

Our season is well underway and a number of spring summer regattas have already been sailed - look for results in the fall edition of the Laser Sailor. For the second half of the summer we have Racing at SSA July 12 & 20Deep Creek July 19-20Corsica Annual July 26-27Ware River August 2-3FBYC Annual August 9-10Oxford Regatta August 9-10District 11 Championship August 23-24West River Annual August 30-31

Our District Championship in August will be at Tred Avon Yacht Club on Maryland’s eastern shore. Look for the NOR and registration on our website.

SSA Held their Sunshine Open Regatta in May with ideal conditions for a spring regatta. Thirty four boats were registered, 23 standard rigs and 11 radial rigs. Although conditions were light to nothing on the way out to the course the fi rst day, the wind soon fi lled in to the forecasted 12-15 knots out of the northwest. The sun was shining but the water temperatures were still cool enough to warrant spray

tops and even a dry suit or two.

Competition was fi erce in the standard fl eet on Saturday with four points separating 1st and 3rd place after four races. At the end of the fi rst day John MacCausland was leading the standard fl eet with Mike Russom, Jonathan Phillips and Luke Shingledecker close behind. Kim Couranz led the radial fl eet with Susan Taylor and Dorian Haldeman in second and third. On the way back to the dock both fl eets were treated to 20+ knots with gusts exceeding 30. Timing is everything.

Saturday evening the sailors enjoyed drinks and dinner on the deck overlooking the Naval Academy, Annapolis and the Chesapeake Bay. The Unifi ed Jazz Ensemble provided cool jazz on the upper deck to round out a great evening.

Sunday turned out just as beautiful with bright sunny skies and breeze in the low to mid-teens. The race committee got in three more races on Sunday for the standard fl eet and two for the radials before the wind turned shifty and began to die. Final results did not change much from Saturday. In the standard fl eet John MacCausland fi nished in fi rst with 11 points through 6 races scored, Mike Russom was second with 15 points and Jonathan Phillips was third with 19 points. In the radial fl eet Kim Couranz was fi rst with 7 points through 5 races scored, Susan Taylor was second with 10 points and Dorian Haldeman was third with 15 points. - Steven D Cofer

Look for more results in the fall and our complete schedule can be found online at www.laserdistrict11.orgDistrict 12NC, SC, GAGlenn Walker

Our series is off to a great start, with 17 races split between two regattas there is no shortage of competitors looking at the title of District 12 Champion. Our District Championship series has been producing quality sportsmanship minded champions for 36 years and our perpetual trophy is something all of sailors want hanging on their wall or their club’s wall for the next year. As it stands now Wrightsville beach sailor Martin Willard and Hilton Head’s Peter Gamble are tied for 1st with each one having scored a 2nd and a 3rd. However, with 4 regattas left to go and only three regattas needed to win the coveted trophy, it is anybody’s guess as to who will be crowned District 12’s next champion. Beaufort Yacht and Sailing Club hosted the District’s fi rst regatta of the year May 3rd-4th. 24 competitors made their way through shifty conditions and strong current on Saturday which produced 5 races and 2 standout competitors John Potter and Peter Gamble, both former D12 Champions. One point separated them at the end of the day. Over in the radial fl eet the top two were tight with a two point gap at the end of day with Will Mont holding the lead. Sunday saw slightly less breeze and 22 competitors on the line. Mr. Gamble came back to tie things up in the 1st race of the day but it was short lived as Mr. Potter took back the lead in races 2 and 3 of the day and fi nishing with a 2nd and two bullets (1st). Will Mont and close rival Walter Gnann (BYSC) went toe to toe and this time Mr. Gnann came out on top to win the regatta.Savannah Yacht Club hosted our second regatta. Friday John Porter hosted the annual Friday Junior Clinic for kids and adults alike for radial and 4.7 sailors. Saturday started off a little scary with a random out of nowhere lightning bolt hitting

SUMMER 201434

in the marsh not a 100yrds away from the nearest competitors, to say the least the fl eet that had left the dock promptly headed back. After a brief delay the fl eet headed out and the breeze fi lled in. Working the current and the edges was the name of the game as the RC positioned the course across the intersection of two rivers and the ICW. Local sailor and Tufts University sailor Rolfe Glover gave the fl eet of 21 a lesson or multiple lessons as he fi nished the day with four 1st and a 2nd. Sunday conditions picked up and it turned into a full on vang sheeting cunningham on kinda day, the stuff Mr. Willard (CYC-NC) relishes. He lead the day with three 1st and one 2nd while Mr. Glover fi nished no worse than 3rd and went on to handedly win the regatta, his fi rst D12 championship win! In the radial fl eet Walter Gnann lead wire to wire in all fi ve races on Saturday and fi nished no worse than 2nd on Sunday to win the radial division. As for the 4.7 fl eet Collin Porter (SYC) lead the juniors around course in every race, wow!D12’s next regattas are as follows:Charleston S.C., CYC-SC July 26-27Wrightsville Beach N.C., CYC-NC August 2nd-3rd GRAND PRIXMooresville NC, LNYC September 27th-28thColumbia SC, CSC October 4th-5thwww.d12.laserforum.org for more info and results.

District 13FloridaMichelle Davis

Things quiet down a lot in the summer in Florida compared to all the big regattas during the winter months. There are several local series going on to keep us entertained throughout the hot season when the seabreezes are dependable but we do have to dodge the thunderstorms. LaserFleet Miami is hosting racing the last Sunday of every month on Biscayne Bay, in cooperation with USSC Miami and SailMiami. Upcoming dates are June 29, July 27, Aug 31, Sept 28, Oct 26 and Nov 30. First start 1300. More info: Roberto Porter at [email protected] Melbourne YC hosts Small Boat Sundays all summer long for Lasers and Sunfi sh, every other Sunday. More info: Dave Hartman at [email protected] Treasure Coast series will resume in July at USSC Martin Co. Monthly racing on the Indian River. First two : July 12 and Aug 9. More info: Alan Jenkinson at [email protected] Suncoast series is monthly between May and November; rotating between various locations in the Sarasota and Tampa/St. Pete area. More info: Buzzy Heausler at [email protected] summer a few D13’ers are on the road doing some pretty major events. Erika Reineke is the sole American in the Gold fl eet at the Radial European Champs in Split, Croatia, while a whole swarm of folks are at Long Beach for the North Americans. Luke Muller was leading the Radial fl eet with Paige Railey a close second at this writing. Good luck to all!For more information check the D13 website or email Michelle at [email protected].

District 19 MichiganKen Swetka

Michigan’s long winter has made for a late start for Lasering. The D19 Championships are the weekend following the deadline for this article. They will be in Harbor Springs. They did such a fi ne job last year

and volunteered to do it again!

2014 Regattas/Events (if you see ?? it means it is not confi rmed)

June 15 UofM Spring Regatta - Michigan SCJune 21-22 D19 Grand Prix Championships July 27?? Leland Laser Regatta - Leland YCAugust 16 Lake Lansing Annual - Lansing SCSept 14 UofM Fall Regatta - Michigan SCSept 13-14 Spring Lake Fall Regatta - Spring Lake YCSept 27? No Sweat Regatta - Portage Yacht ClubSept 27? GTYC Fall Regatta - Traverse City Oct 4 Frosty Mug Regatta - Irish Laser Fleet, Little Traverse Bay, Harbor SpringsOct 12? Pumpkin Head Regatta - Grand Rapids YC

That’s all for now from D19 (Michigan)! As always check www.D19Laser.org for more reports and photos!

District 20WI, ILSteve [email protected]

https://www.facebook.com/groups/laserd20/

Long winter, cold spring and many of us are now just getting started. Weeknight sailing is underway at Milwaukee, Pewaukee, LaCrosse and Chicago Corinthian. Great to be back out out the water! Below is the 2014 Regatta Schedule. We have lost a few of our early spring perennial events. Please get out and support those listed so that we may be invited back in future years. Also, please welcome Troy Tolan who has joined forces with Dave Abbott to develop/reinvigorate our D20 Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/groups/laserd20/ Go there to join and see what’s happening in D20. This site will replace our defunct D20 web page on laserforum.org. Our listserv on Topica.com is still active but I hear it is diffi cult for new members to join. Please start communicating through our Facebook page instead. Many thanks to Rick Strilky for once again organizing a June D20 Laser clinic complete with high profi le coaches and one on one feedback. With these at hand I am running out of excuses why I keep bring up the rear. That’s all I got. First regatta in the land of D20 is a month away. Stay fi t, sail fast, see you out on the water.

May 3-4 Vlad Memorial Regatta Chicago Yacht Club, BelmontJuly 12-13 Great Lakes Masters, Thunder Bay, OntarioJuly 26-27 Hobelman/D20 Champs, Chi Corinthian YCAug 8-9 Racine Laser Regatta, Racine YCAug 23-24 Verve Inshore Chicago YC BelmontAug 30 End of Summer Regatta North Shore YCSept 6-7 Milwaukee Bay One Design, Milwaukee YCSept 13 Titletown Regatta Windjamers SCSept 12-13 US Masters Champs, Rochester YCSept 20-21 Border Challenge, LaCrosse SCSept 27-28 Jimmy Talbot Chicago YC BelmontOct 11-12 Oktoberfest, Nagawicka Yacht Club

District 21Dakotas, MN, IA, NBMatthew Thompson

District 21 has fi nally unfrozen, though Lake Superior was still pushing icebergs in June. Fortunately those of us in the Minneapolis metro got to skip “spring” season and get right into summer. Temps have been gorgeous but the water is high. Locally we’re setting 100 year high water marks...

hopefully tempting and encouraging those of us that were looking to new sailing areas!Our fi rst regatta is in the books thanks to Ryan Drake and the entire White Bear Yacht Club. Your club and members are fantastic! Unstable weather didn’t stop 16 boats from showing to the opening event. Sailors had to wait on shore until lunch, but were able to sail hard after the cells had cleared to complete 7 hard fought races. While patterns emerged, the course was a minefi eld and boat speed alone was not enough to make the podium. Very excited to see the large collegiate turn out for this event, seeing a group with such an age span mesh so well is very encouraging. Instead of a brains vs. brawn match it came down to a good mix of both last weekend!

Results:

1st Matthew Thompson 15 points2nd Bruce Martinson 18 points3rd Mark Dunsworth 23 points4th Eddie Cox 24 points5th Tim Siemers 35 points6th Mike Schmid 36 points7th Will Crary 40 points8th Martin Bonsager 41 points9th Kurt Taken-Holtze 43 points10th Anders Ekholm 47 points11th John Weiss 55 points12th Allison Prange 63 points13th Ryan Drake 64 points14th Bill Siemers 74 points15th Matthew Carlson 77 points16th Rachel Drake 91 points

Twin Cities Laser Association weeknight racing has gotten huge again with local sailing center staff and students back on the scene. 24 boats for a weeknight start! Very fun, hopefully we can spread the wealth to our other locations and use this energy to build up our regatta fl eets! This coming weekend (June 14/15th) is our District Championship at Gull Lake Yacht Club. GLYC is an amazing club and we’re very excited to be back. They set the standard for Laser events - camping/housing options, great lunches, beautiful facility, and a super supportive membership. We’re looking at 25 boats right now, crossing my fi ngers for 30! Current registration is showing travelers from as far as Montana and Illinois. Don’t miss this one

Upcoming events include Lake Calhoun in July, a Grand Prix event at DSSA in Duluth during August, and hopefully another event in September. A number

www.Laser.org 35

of our membership are looking out of district and adding your events to our calendars. Hopefully you can do the same and make one of ours work! Come see some real freshwater!

As always, the best place to fi nd D21 info is via our facebook page or by going to our website http://d21laser.wordpress.com/

District 22WA, MT, WY, IDKurt Hoehne

District 22 is enjoying a great year.

The new Can-Am Fort Peck Lake Laser Regatta on August 15-17 will be this year’s District Championship. Hopefully this will spark some more activity on that end of the district, which is a full two-day drive from western edge of the district.

The Columbia Gorge Racing Association has once again put together a July of fun with the Gorge Laser Performance Clinic, Blowout and Master NAs back to back to back. It promises to be an epic year of competition.

The Seattle Laser Fleet continues its quest to get butts into boats. A free monthly program with Tasar World Champion Anthony Boscolo coaching from a RIB has attracted some serious competitors, while four fl eet members held a clinic at the Sail Sand Point community sailing center for 20 sailors ranging from beginning adults to skilled juniors. Rigging, basic racing and Q&A were covered shoreside, then after a barbecue lunch the entire fl eet hit the water just in time for the wind to kick up to a perfect 8-12 knots.

D22 SouthOregonBill Symes

Ah, summer! Portland area Laser sailors are emerging from hibernation and turning out every

Monday evening for racing at the Willamette Sailing Club. Former US Youth Champ John Sturman has been beating up the 20+ strong fl eet, winning both the winter and spring series and jumping out to a comfortable lead in the fi rst few weeks of summer racing. Runner-up in both winter and spring series was Bill Symes, followed by Tim Mulvaney (winter) and John Purdy (spring). Sturman, Symes, and Purdy are among the team of mentors offering racing clinics this summer to help new fl eet members get up to speed. Weekly Laser racing at WSC continues through October. Find out more at www.willamettesailingclub.com. The onset of summer marks the migration of northwest Laser sailors out to the Columbia River Gorge to get their annual fi x of YEE-HAH! sailing conditions. First up is the WIND Youth Laser Clinic July 1-4 with celebrity coach Javier “Rulo” Borojovich. Rulo will stick around to share speed secrets with the older generation at the Gorge Laser Performance Clinic July 6-9, providing a good warm-up for the 2014 Laser Masters North American Championships July 11-13. Laser sailors who haven’t yet had their fi ll of ripping around the river will get another chance at CGRA’s annual CGOD Regatta August 2-3. For more info about events in the Gorge, check out www.cgra.org.

District 23CO, UT, AZ, NMGeoff Hurwitch

District 23 is pleased to be hosting the 2014 No Coasts yet again but this time in a different venue, at the Lake Dillon Yacht Club in Dillon, Colorado. Well known for its amazing backdrop, excellent camping and great winds, the Dillon YC is looking forward to hosting the combined No Coasts and District 23 Championships this year. More information and registration will be available at http://www.dillonyachtclub.com/ Meanwhile the Park City Sailing Association continues to see growth within its Laser fl eet. The initial sailing night on June 3rd saw eighteen Lasers turn up, a new group record for fi rst night turn-out. To see more about the growth of the Park City Sailing Association go to their website at www.sailpc.org

District 24NorCalNick Burke

NorcalsApril 12-13, Santa Cruz YCEmilio Castelli in the standard fl eet and Jon Andron in the radial fl eet put their names on the long list of people who’ve won the Norcals over the last 41 years. That list is here: http://tinyurl.com/nt4ua5dIt has some gaps so please help fi ll them in. It is worth pointing out that Chris Boome won the fi rst Norcals and also won the 2010 Elvstom-Zellerbach in the radial fl eet. That’s an impressively long Laser career. Chris was also 3rd at the fi rst Laser Worlds.

There were 5 races on Saturday and 4 on Sunday. The iWindSurf instruments show on Saturday a south-westerly starting around 5 knots and building to 10 gusting a bit. On Sunday they show a westerly built all day, starting around 5 knots and peaking at steady 20 by 4pm.

There were 8 standards and 5 radials entered. That’s a very low turnout for this fi ne event. The weekend prior to Norcals many juniors spent 5 days at the CISA clinic at ABYC. There were only 2 Lasers at Big Dinghy which confl icted. Did a lot of people go

to the boat show ? It isn’t clear why there was a low turnout this year.

Here’s what Emilio had to say: Saturday was light building to 10 at most; Sunday we might have seen 15 in the last race. Jon seemed to always be on the correct side of the shifts and was often in front or very close to the full rigs at the windward mark. I would say Saturday (5 races) was left the fi rst two races and then right. Sunday I would say the opposite; right the fi rst two races, then left. No big swells though you could get some nice rides downwind occasionally. Nice weather but we do need to get more boats on the line.

Elvstrøm-ZellerbachMay 3-4, St Francis YC Claire Dennis won the 16 radial fl eet and Charlie Buckingham won a tie-breaker with Tracy Usher to win the standard fl eet. There were 16 radials entered and 13 standards. This was the 40th time the Elvstrom trophy was contested. The list of winners is here: http://tinyurl.com/ofq6che

The trend in attendance at the Elvstrom-Zellerbach has been rising over the last decade but this was a down year. See Figure 1 or http://tinyurl.com/pdkpqne

Monterey Fleet ChampionshipMay 10, Monterey Peninsula YCHere is a report from Angela Yates:

I was on the race committee boat, but my photos aren’t too good due to having to hold on to prevent from falling over the side! The boat was defi nitely bobbing around like a cork at the mercy of the wind, waves and swell!!

Here is what I remember us recording... On the race committee boat was Jack, Laurette and myself. There were two rescue/mark-laying boats. Three full rigs turned up: Tracy Usher, David Lapier and Nick Roche. Two radials turned up: Toshi Takayanagi and Laird Henkel. There were four races.

The fi rst race started at 12.03. Swell was recorded as 4 to 6 feet, waves 3 to 5 feet and winds 16 to 20 mph with strong gusts (there was no wind recorder on the boat so the race committee boat and the two rescue boats agreed upon the wind speed). Tracy came fi rst, closely followed by David, then Toshi and Laird.

Can’t remember the time of the second race I’m afraid - I think 12.33. Swell, waves and winds were the same. Laird retired before the start of this race - which was surprising because he had a massive grin at the end of the fi rst race. He looked like he was really enjoying himself. Tracy came fi rst again, then David and Toshi.

I can’t remember the time of the third race, but the numbers had dwindled to only three at this point - Tracy, David and Toshi. The wind was beginning to pick up and the ‘guestimate’ was now 18 to 23 mph. Tracy fi nished fi rst and David fi nished second. Toshi was unable to fi nish this race because his traveller broke.

At this point, the race committee (who were still being tossed around on the boat) were thinking about fi nishing for the day, but the OOD (race offi cer of the day - not sure what it is called over here), decided to let Tracy and David have one more race. They fl ew round because the wind had picked up even more. Tracy came fi rst and David second.

SUMMER 201436

There was defi nitely a lot of surfi ng the waves that day and I think everyone had a thoroughly enjoyable time. Laird said he’s glad Tracy convinced him to get out there, if only for one race.

Of course the sea otters were chilling and laying on their backs, scratching their bellies, cracking crabs and wondering what all the fuss was about. There was a massive raft of sea lions at the breakwater as well, barking away.

When we were in the clubhouse after, the wind really picked up and nearly blew a couple of the other dinghies over (not sure what type they were - two man ones though).

Whiskeytown RegattaMay 24-25, Whiskeytown Sailing ClubThis was the 50th time this regatta was held at Whiskeytown National Recreation Area, elevation 1200’. This was the largest Laser fl eet in the last 3 years, with 11 standards and 0 radials. That was 1 more than the 10 Banshees. But 1 less than the biggest fl eet, Moore 24.

There were 6 races ending up with 1st place Emilio Castelli, 2nd Richard Leland and 3rd Tim Sullivan of Rogue YC, which is about 20 miles east of Ashland,Emilio moves into 1st place in Sven’s GP standings. Richard enters the standings in the top 10 after this event. Bruce Braly and Jim Christopher also enter in the top half of the standings: http://svendsens-grand-prix.myfl eet.org

Here’s what Emilio had to say about it: The fi rst day we started with a dying westerly. The westerly died in the fi rst “beat” and then fi lled in from the east so the fi rst beat became a run and the run a beat. Funny thing, even though the light breeze seemed pretty well established, it was still full of holes and shifts. We sailed the next two races in very light and shifty stuff which I gather is the norm in Whiskeytown. First and second race the left paid; third race it was right but it also had to do with the way the course was laid out. The next morning the westerly was still up at the 10:30 start and it was strong enough to let me put my fat bottom over the side and hike. The wind stayed from the west all day and decreased but we still had enough to hike a bit even in the last race. Had fun but I thought I was going to die of an heat stroke on Saturday...I actually drank from the lake as I had fi nished my water...

Go for the Gold RegattaJune 7-8, Gold Country YCThe High Sierra Regatta on Huntington Lake in the Sierra National Forest, elevation 7000’, is probably the most popular event on the lake circuit. It was cancelled this year due to low water levels associated with the drought. Scotts Flat Lake (aren’t they all fl at ?) in Tahoe National Forest, elevation 3100’, had enough water to run the Go for the Gold Regatta so it was substituted on this year’s Svendsen’s Grand Prix. Go for the Gold will probably be added to next year’s GP as well to tilt things slightly more towards lake events.Here is a report from Buff Wendt:

The Go for the Gold regatta got off to a good start on Saturday with full albeit light wind across the entire course. Richard Leland displayed his lake sailing talent, hitting the shifts up the middle of the course and taking a large lead early. As he essentially walked away from the fl eet downwind there was some good natured ribbing coming from Emilio Castelli and Chris Boome calling out from behind “Richard we are coming to get you…..” Mike Rohde

was the closest to trying to close the gap but it was never a question that Leland would run away with the fi rst race. “It was nice having a consistent wind, because usually I would have been concerned that one good gust from behind would take me from hero to zero.” mused Leland. Ultimately the top fi ve fi nishers were Leland, Rohde, Jim Christopher, Buff Wendt and Chris Boome.

Race two brought even steadier and increasing wind allowing everyone in the fl eet to be fully hiked out, which was certainly a treat at Scott’s Flat. Emilio Castelli quickly fi gured out that the right had a favored shift along the shore and although he didn’t immediately look that favored going up the long beat, a nice knock at the top of the course allowed him to tack to the mark with a signifi cant lead over Leland and David Suder who were next around the mark. On the downwind leg, Leland and Suder duked it out with Suder taking Leland up allowing Wendt who sailed a lower course to slip by and take second. Leland fi nished third with Suder and Boome behind him.

The third race continued to have the same breeze as the second and Emilio continued his same strategy of going right and being the fi rst to the windward mark. Wendt tried to give him a run for his money on the triangle course, but could never quite catch up. The two were close enough to talk about Jim Christopher coming straight down the course unfortunately having a great race, but having missed the jibe mark. With the temperatures in the high 90’s and everyone more than a bit sunbaked, Jim decided he had already done his triangle and was on his way to the fi nish. It was unfortunate because the withdrawal would play into Christopher’s results later. Top fi ve fi nishes were Castelli, Wendt, Boome, Rick Raduziner and Leland.

The fi nal race for the day saw a massive shift to the right. At this point in the regatta it became clear why this was the friendliest and happiest race committee most people had ever seen. They don’t change any course marks or the line. Ever. They operate on a “it is what it is” philosophy and are wildly amused by whatever happens as the wind rotates in a 360. So we all tried to start on a reach at the committee boat. Chaos ensued and we had our fi rst recall of the day. After the second try, we fi gured out the reaching start and were off in much lighter and fl ukier winds. Jim Christopher after the last race was out for redemption and quickly took out Castelli going downwind after the jibe mark. Mike Rohde was third with Leland and Boome following.

Sunday the typical conditions for Scott’s Flat had returned and we set off in extremely light and fl uky winds. The fi rst two races were extremely long, hot and at times with no wind at all. We had a downwind start and were even sent on the triangle course. There were two good quotes that summed the exquisite pain of sailing in these conditions: Castelli upon seeing the triangle course announced “Oh I see this is going to be one of those races.” Then Mike Rohde commented as Raduziner called for room on him and Wendt as they spent ten minutes drifting by the windward mark, “It’s irrelevant, there are going to be at least fi ve more restarts before this is done.” Ultimately Castelli and Boome won those two races. Christopher unfortunately had a breakdown which caused him to drop back to 11th and forced him to use the 13th from his withdrawal as his throw out.The race committee had indicated that we were going to go in when the wind fi lled and they decided to send the lasers on one last race. After baking in the sun and drifting for so long this race was a relief and a great way to end the regatta. The right once again

paid, but this time Christopher, again, won the race with Wendt and Castelli fi nishing neck and neck behind him.

Castelli with 11 points was the clearly dominant sailor of the weekend followed by Leland with 19 points, Boome with 21 and Wendt with 22 for the regatta trophies.The Gold Country Yacht Club had fabulous food, people and regatta. They were extremely friendly and welcoming, so in spite of the drifting I’m sure many of us would come again as it was overall a very fun weekend with a great group of people sailing. Finally, the big discussion of the weekend was about Jim Christopher’s 80th birthday next spring. We want to have a birthday regatta, (on a lake of course!) to celebrate our dear friend and the fact that we all want to grow up to be just like him, a great sailor and impressive person both on and off the water. Years ago in master’s laser sailing the category for 75 years and older was “Olympian”. I don’t know if that was eliminated by the IOC but we think this category needs to be revived. Emilio voted for “bad ass” as that is how everyone at the table viewed Jim and anyone sailing a laser over 75. Dynamo and Yoda were also considered. I think we really need to reinstate this category with some name that exemplifi es our most senior of senior sailors and to celebrate that Jim, at 79, is a serious threat, even in wind in his laser.

District 26HawaiiGuy Fleming

The Laser District 26 Championships were hosted by the Hawaii Yacht Club on May 10 with 14 boats on the line. The North American Laser Class breaks up the continent into districts and Hawaii is #26. Seven races were held in very challenging conditions for the Race Committee and the fl eet. In the fi rst race the wind was coming from the south at about 6-8 knots and was steady. The third race the wind dropped to 2 knots on a double windward/leeward course which tried the fl eets patience and will. The wind started to veer and by the fi fth race it was 12-14 knots with big chop from the west. There was a huge shift at the start with most of the fl eet over early in race 5 and it made for some new race leaders. The wind backed off some to 10-12 knots for the last two races. Sailing very well were Dylan DiMarchi, Nolan Laramore, and Zach Kaan all with very low point totals. A new laser master, Michael Bacon, came out to race and we welcome him to the fl eet. As always the pizza and Mountain Dew were especially delicious. Thanks to Charles Barclay and Marty Loo for the race committee work. The results were:

1Dylan Dimarchi 2 Nolan Laramore3. Zach Kaan4 Scott Melander 5 Charlie Field 6 Grant Christopher7 Michael Bacon 8 Guy Fleming9 Matthew Butler 10Mason Comerford 11 Leah Ford 12 Manny Bacon 13Trent Chismar 14Nicholas Tortora

www.Laser.org 37windcheckmagazine.com WindCheck Magazine October 2012 55

SAIL WITH INTENSITYBest prices on Dinghy sails, parts and gear!

Back to basics on price without compromising performance!

Laser • Optimist •

Bic O’Pen • Sunfish •

C420 • CFJ • JY15 •

Flying Scott • Vanguard •

Rhodes 19 • Pico Zuma •

and more

401-738-8000

THEALUMINUMTRAILERLIKE NO OTHER

UNIVERSAL DOLLY FULLY ADJUSTABLE

EXTENDED

RETRACTED

Canfield, OH • Toll Free 1-800-282-5042www.trailex.com

SUMMER 201438

I NEED TO DEVELOP MORE STRENGTH!

By Dr. Chris Herrera DPT CSCS & Peter Krystoff CSCS

Over the past 8 years working with US Sailing we have had around 10 training camps at the Olympic Training centers in Colorado Springs and Chula Vista along with our new Miami Training Center. During these camps we spend 3-5 days working on everything from exercise testing, workout development, and exercise concepts and creation. When refl ecting on these camps the best and most useful information we get comes from the interviews, presentations, and question & answer sessions with the coaches and athletes. This gives us direct feedback on how to adjust and make the workout programs better and more specifi c to each boat class and athlete individually. Over this time I have worked with a lot of youth lasers on the US developmental team and past and current Olympic laser Athletes. When analyzing the athletes programs with them every one of them gives the same feedback: “ I need to develop more strength”. My follow up question is always: “Where?” And the answer from every athlete is: “ EVERYWHERE”

Focusing on major muscle group development with multi-joint exercises develops strength. These exercises must be completed with 3-5 sets, 6-8 repetitions, and rest periods between 2-3 minutes. By stacking exercises (combining non-complementary muscles groups) into one group, you will be able to get the most out of your lift in the least amount of time. This will also help make the strength program more sailing specifi c by working on a combination of movement patterns that work together while sailing.

In order to do this I break down every section of our resistance program and have developed a strength circuit for each. It is important to understand each section and what the main conceptual focus for each is in order to get the most out of it. The fi ve sections are: 1. Dynamic Warm-up2. Movement Lift3. Main Lift4. Auxiliary Lift5. Sports Specifi c (SSP)/Reinforcement Each Section is detailed below with example workout circuits

Dynamic Warm-UpResearch supports that if you increase your internal temperature from its normal state, power output increases. A dynamic warm-up is used to not only increase internal temperature but also to prepare the muscles for the workout ahead. You want to actively stretch and activate the muscle groups that are going to be focused on throughout the workout. For a full body strength workout it is important to attach each major muscle group with multi-joint movement patterns.

*COMPLETE EACH GROUP SET AND REPS BEFORE MOVING ON TO NEXT WARMUP GROUP. THIS WARMUP WILL TAKE 12 MINUTES.

Movement LiftThe movement lift is done at the beginning of the lift because it is used as a corrective exercise block. These lifts correct musculoskeletal imbalances that could possibly lead to injury and infl exibility that would hinder performance. The movement lifts are muscle activating and are also used as a warm-up to better prepare the body to perform the high

ACTIVE DYNAMIC WARMUP REST WORK

JUMPING JACKS 0 3X10

SEAL JACKS 0 3X10

BODY WEIGHT SQUATS 5 s 3X10

IN AND OUT SQUATS 0 2X10

WIDE OUT SQUATS 5 s 2X10

HIGH KNEES 0 2 x 10 yards

BUTT KICKS 0 2 x 10 yards

A-SKIPS 5 s 2 x 10 yards

WALKING LUNGES FOR-WARDS

0 2 x 10 yards

WALKING LUNGES BACK-WARDS

5 s 2 x 10 yards

OVER UNDER HURDLES (LATERAL)

0 2 x 10 yards

LATERAL LOW LUNGES 5 S 2 x 10 yards

IRON CROSS 0 1x10

SCORPIONS 0 1x10

SHOULDER COMBO

DB V RAISES 0 1x10

DB T SHRUGS 0 1x10

DB BENT OVER V RAISES

0 1x10

DB BENT OVER W RAISES

0 1x10

PUSH UPS 0 1X15

PULL UPS 0 1X8

MOVEMENT LIFT REST SET 1

SET 2

SET 3

SET 4

SET 5

POWER CLEANS 20 s 6 reps

6 reps

4 reps

4 reps

4 reps

DB SQUAT JUMPS 3 min 6 reps

6 reps

6 reps

4 reps

4 reps

HIGH BOX JUMPS 20 s 6 reps

6 reps

4 reps

4 reps

4 reps

FRONT SQUAT 3 min 6 reps

6 reps

6 reps

4 reps

4 reps

www.Laser.org 39

By Dr. Chris Herrera DPT CSCS & Peter Krystoff CSCS

Over the past 8 years working with US Sailing we have had around 10 training camps at the Olympic Training centers in Colorado Springs and Chula Vista along with our new Miami Training Center. During these camps we spend 3-5 days working on everything from exercise testing, workout development, and exercise concepts and creation. When refl ecting on these camps the best and most useful information we get comes from the interviews, presentations, and question & answer sessions with the coaches and athletes. This gives us direct feedback on how to adjust and make the workout programs better and more specifi c to each boat class and athlete individually. Over this time I have worked with a lot of youth lasers on the US developmental team and past and current Olympic laser Athletes. When analyzing the athletes programs with them every one of them gives the same feedback: “ I need to develop more strength”. My follow up question is always: “Where?” And the answer from every athlete is: “ EVERYWHERE”

Focusing on major muscle group development with multi-joint exercises develops strength. These exercises must be completed with 3-5 sets, 6-8 repetitions, and rest periods between 2-3 minutes. By stacking exercises (combining non-complementary muscles groups) into one group, you will be able to get the most out of your lift in the least amount of time. This will also help make the strength program more sailing specifi c by working on a combination of movement patterns that work together while sailing.

In order to do this I break down every section of our resistance program and have developed a strength circuit for each. It is important to understand each section and what the main conceptual focus for each is in order to get the most out of it. The fi ve sections are: 1. Dynamic Warm-up2. Movement Lift3. Main Lift4. Auxiliary Lift5. Sports Specifi c (SSP)/Reinforcement Each Section is detailed below with example workout circuits

Dynamic Warm-UpResearch supports that if you increase your internal temperature from its normal state, power output increases. A dynamic warm-up is used to not only increase internal temperature but also to prepare the muscles for the workout ahead. You want to actively stretch and activate the muscle groups that are going to be focused on throughout the workout. For a full body strength workout it is important to attach each major muscle group with multi-joint movement patterns.

*COMPLETE EACH GROUP SET AND REPS BEFORE MOVING ON TO NEXT WARMUP GROUP. THIS WARMUP WILL TAKE 12 MINUTES.

Movement LiftThe movement lift is done at the beginning of the lift because it is used as a corrective exercise block. These lifts correct musculoskeletal imbalances that could possibly lead to injury and infl exibility that would hinder performance. The movement lifts are muscle activating and are also used as a warm-up to better prepare the body to perform the high

intensity and compound main lift.*COMPLETE EACH GROUP SET AND REPS BEFORE MOVING ON TO NEXT WARMUP GROUP

Main LiftThe main lift is a group of compound exercises that are the most complex and activate the most muscle fi bers. These exercises are usually multi-joint movements. Prime movers are the target muscle groups in these lifts and often recruit stabilizers for added stability around the joints. These exercises are usually the most diffi cult and require the most energy, which is why they are at the beginning of the training session.

*COMPLETE EACH GROUP SET AND REPS BEFORE MOVING ON TO NEXT WARMUP GROUP*ADD WEIGHT TO PULL UPS IF YOU CAN DO MORE THAN PRESCRIBED REPS

Auxiliary LiftThe auxiliary is a lift that is not as energy consuming as the main lift. Therefore, these lifts follow the main lift in the exercise program. Since smaller muscle groups are the focus, the intensity, or resistance, is not as high as the main lift. The focus is to gain stability across joints by working stabilizers that assist prime movers through various athletic movements. These lifts can be unilateral or asymmetrical exercises that work trunk stability and connectivity. The exercises in this block can usually be done as a circuit because different muscle groups are being used and activated with every lift and therefore a rest interval is unnecessary.

*COMPLETE EACH GROUP SET AND REPS BEFORE MOVING ON TO NEXT WARMUP GROUP

SSP/Reinforcement The SSP/Reinforcement is a block dedicated to functional fl exibility and range of motion exercises. These exercises act as a cool down to prevent blood pooling and lowering heart rate that was maintained throughout the workout. Flexibility must be maintained or improved to be fully functional in in your specifi c sport.

*COMPLETE EACH GROUP SET AND REPS BEFORE MOVING ON TO NEXT WARMUP GROUP

The combination of all 5 of these sections makes a rounded full body strength workout. They should be completed in the order given while being very precise with the work-to-rest ratio (how much time you rest between sets). This program is a great way to build the base strength needed to sail a Laser strong!

MOVEMENT LIFT REST SET 1

SET 2

SET 3

SET 4

SET 5

POWER CLEANS 20 s 6 reps

6 reps

4 reps

4 reps

4 reps

DB SQUAT JUMPS 3 min 6 reps

6 reps

6 reps

4 reps

4 reps

HIGH BOX JUMPS 20 s 6 reps

6 reps

4 reps

4 reps

4 reps

FRONT SQUAT 3 min 6 reps

6 reps

6 reps

4 reps

4 reps

MAIN LIFT REST SET 1 SET 2 SET 3 SET 4

PUSH PRESS 0 6 reps 6 reps 4 reps 4 reps

INCLINE DB PRESS 0 6 reps 6 reps 6 reps 4 reps

ROPE FACE PULL 3 min 6 reps 6 reps 6 reps 4 reps

PULL UPS 0 8 reps 6 reps 6 reps 6 reps

S. ARM SEATED ROW 0 6 reps 6 reps 6 reps 6 reps

S. LEG SUSPENSION SQUATS 3 min 6 reps 6 reps 6 reps 6 reps

AUXILIARY LIFT REST SET 1 SET 2 SET 3 SET 4

DB STEP UP W/PRESS 0 6 reps 6 reps 4 reps 4 reps

MB ANTERIOR SLAMS 0 6 reps 6 reps 6 reps 6 reps

PLANK LATERAL LEG KICKS 3 min 30 s E 30 s E 30 s E 30 s E

LATERAL DB SWINGS 0 6 reps 6 reps 6 reps 6 reps

Z-BAR SKULL CRUSHERS ON PB 0 6 reps 6 reps 6 reps 6 reps

MB PULL OVERS 3 min 6 reps 6 reps 6 reps 6 reps

SSP/REINFORCEMENT REST SET 1 SET 2 SET 3

HIP CIRCUIT 0 8 reps E 8 reps E 8 reps E

S LEG HIP BRIDGES 1 min 8 reps 8 reps 8 reps

CABLE SHOULDER ER 0 8 reps 8 reps 8 reps

WALL CHEST STRECH 1 min 30 s E 30 s E 30 s E

SUMMER 201440

Why Join the Laser Class?

What are some of the benefi ts of a strong class association?

A strong class association means lots of boats to race against, near you and around the world!

A strong class association with lots of racing attracts the world’s best sailors - giving you the best racing possible!

A strong class association means major events scheduled at the best sailing locations and moving all over the North American Region - there will always be a big event near you!

A strong class association means solid class rules making all boats as identical as possible - you are competing against other sailors, not their pocket books!

A strong class association means lots of people looking to buy boats keeping the resale value of your boat high.

A strong class association keeps an eye towards the future and works with the builders to make improvements where needed while preserving as well as possible the competitiveness of older boats.

To be strong, a class association needs the support of its sailors!

What are some of the direct benefi ts of membership?

You receive the annual Laser Class Handbook with the current class rules, interpretations of those rules, class constitution, guidelines for events, useful information for keeping your boat in good shape, contact information for your district, etc.

You receive the International Class Association’s quarterly publication “Laser World” which gives a roundup of international events sailed around the world, as well as information from the international offi ce.

You receive the North American Association’s quarterly publication “The Laser Sailor” which is loaded with regatta reports, technique articles, fi tness and nutrition tips, sailor profi les, reports from each of the North American Region’s 26 Districts and much, much more. In addition, the magazine also contains advertising from Laser dealers selling Laser specifi c gear and aimed entirely at Laser sailors - if you are looking for something for your boat you will see it advertised here!

You will have access to the class website at www.laser.org containing all the latest news as well as the up to date calendar of events, complete with maps to show you how to fi nd the events. And you can also fi nd archived copies of The Laser Sailor as well as useful articles on how to sail your boat faster.

Your membership makes you eligible to sail in any of the 50+ major Laser Class regattas scheduled every year throughout the North American Region, including open, masters’, youth and women’s events.

Your membership makes you eligible for the LaserPeformance/ILCA-NA Grand Prix where you earn

points when sailing in major events, ranking you against your fellow competitors and making you eligible for end of the season prizes, like new sails, carbon tillers, etc.

You get direct benefi t by joining the Laser Class!

What does the class association do with your membership dues?

The fi rst $14.00 of your membership dues go to pay the North American staff who work incredibly hard to: make sure our North American events get scheduled every year and that these events follow the high standards of the Laser Class, to publish our quarterly newsletter, etc. Importantly, that money also makes sure that if you ever have a question you can simply pick up the phone, or send an email, and a knowledgeable person will answer you right away.

Depending on exchange rates, the next $9.00 of your dues goes to the International Class where they use the money to pay their staff to make sure world level events get scheduled, ensuring all the boats are the same by inspecting the builders to make sure they are complying with the Laser Construction Manual, keep track of rules changes proposed by members, interfacing with ISAF on various levels, including keeping both the Laser Standard and Laser Radial as Olympic equipment, etc.

A little over $7.00 goes to the quarterly assembling, printing and mailing of The Laser Sailor to you for the year.

Around $5.00 goes to support and promotion, ranging from direct support of the districts and regattas to the website.

Most of the remaining $5.00 goes to all the things it takes to running an organization of 2400 members, from Executive Secretary travel costs, to federal income taxes all the way to mundane offi ce expenses.Your membership dues are used to keep the Laser Standard, Laser Radial and Laser 4.7 as THE singlehanded dinghy to sail and race in North America and throughout the world!

Why should you join the Laser Class?

To enable the Laser Class to remain a strong class association and continue to make the Laser the pre-eminent singlehanded dinghy of our time.

To gain the benefi ts of membership outlined above.

To protect your investment in your boat, making sure that if the time comes to sell then you can be certain that the high demand driven by a strong class will enable you to get the best price for your boat.

The International Laser Class Association, North American Region is what it is today because of the support of its members. Keep that tradition alive, join or renew your membership TODAY!

www.Laser.org 41

APPLICATION

Name_______________________________________________________ Address_____________________________________________________ City ___________________State / Prov. _____Zip / postal code ________ Phone ____________________ E-mail____________________________ Sail # ______________DOB (month/day/year) _____________Sex ______ Boat usually sailed _____Laser ______Radial _____Laser 4.7

Current Membership Fees

All amounts are in US dollars. (Canadian checks must be in US dollars.) • Regular - $40 for one year or $75 for 2 years • Junior - $35 (Member may not turn 18 during term of membership), or $65 for 2 years (Member may

not turn 18 during term of membership)• Family, one year - $40 for the primary members and $25 for each additional member • Family, two years - $75 for the primary members and $45 for each additional member

Please provide family members names, DOB, boat type and sail number on an additional sheet of paper.

• International - $50 (any member not living in the US or Canada), one year only

Amount enclosed __________________US$

Please make checks payable to ILCA of NA or provide credit card informati on as shown below. Thank you for joining the Laser Class. Credit Card payment by Visa, Mastercard or AMEX (Sorry – no Discover)Name on credit card: ________________________________________________________ Credit card number: ________________________________________________________ Exp. date: _________ Credit card billing zip/postal code _________ Security code____

NOTE: Occasionally we make our mailing list available to our adverti sers. If you do not want your name included on these lists, please check here: _________

RETURN THIS FORM TO: ILCA OF NA 2812 CANON STREET SAN DIEGO, CA 92106

MEMBERSHIP

SUMMER 201442 SUMMER 201442The World Leader in Outfitting Performance Sailors.

Black Diamond Tiller By Acme

Deck Covers and Hull Covers by APS

Deck Covers and

$234.95

GRP Rudder and Daggerboard

Traveler Blocks

Class Legal Racing Sail By North

$565.00

$475.00

SeaHiker GripX3 Boot by Sperry

Airprene Hikers by SEA

$198.00

Pro Mainsheets

Exc

el F

usio

n

Roo

ster

Din

ghy

She

et

Pro Cunningham Control Handle

Class Legal Pro Daggerboard Downhaul Kit

Pro Outhaul Kit

Pro Cunningham

$210.00

$29.90$41.40 $78.20

$38.16

$95.00

Single $41.52

Double $58.11

$21.73

$50.01

$80.00

$485.00

Br1 Dinghyby Musto

Spray Top: $130.00

Trousers: $125.00

Speed Shop

www.Laser.org 43www.Laser.org 43

The World Leader in Outfitting Performance Sailors.

Black Diamond Tiller By Acme

Deck Covers and Hull Covers by APS $234.95

GRP Rudder and Daggerboard

Traveler Blocks

Class Legal Racing Sail By North

$565.00

$475.00

SeaHiker GripX3 Boot by Sperry

Airprene Hikers by SEA

$198.00

Pro Mainsheets

Exc

el F

usio

n

Roo

ster

Din

ghy

She

et

Pro Cunningham Control Handle

Class Legal Pro Daggerboard Downhaul Kit

Pro Outhaul Kit

Pro Cunningham

$210.00

$29.90$41.40 $78.20

$38.16

$95.00

Single $41.52

Double $58.11

$21.73

$50.01

$80.00

$485.00

Br1 Dinghyby Musto

Spray Top: $130.00

Trousers: $125.00

Speed Shop

PRESORTEDSTANDARD

U.S. POSTAGEPAID

San Dimas, CAPermit No. 4102812 Canon Street, San Diego, CA 92106

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

the laser sailor summer 2014

Documents

rigging clayallen kit

clay johnson

bungee ronstan

strap line

org3call clay

w clay

inhaul bungee vang

line allen blocks