If you are attending the  “Boat Handling & Sail Trim” seminar on Saturday, June 21, at BCYC you will have a chance to win either a one-year subscription to the online PDF verison of Dave Dellenbaugh’s “Speed & Smarts” newsletter, or a hardcopy of a single issue autograpthed by Dave!  If you are not familiar with “Speed & Smarts”, click here. Every sailboat racer should read this superb one-of-a-kind newsletter! Dave, who you may have seen sailing with the team from Yale at this year’s Baldwin Cup, has generously donated these items which will be raffled at the seminar. Everyone gets a ticket at the door!

Not registered? You still can. Might even make a great Father’s Day gift. For information, testtimonials, and registration information, click here. We hope to see you there!

RAISE MORE THAN A SAIL FOR LEUKEMIA!

As Bob Yates and Emile have expressed so well, the Leukemia Cup is more than just another regatta! Even though this is not a High Point event, it is an important event. A portion of the registration proceeds will go to the Leukemia Society, and you will have an opporunity to make an additional donation. You are also invited to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Auction and Dinner tonight, June 7, at BCYC from 5:50 to 11:00 PM, which will feature live music. Click here for event information and registration.

Skippers, Crew – Up your game! The more everyone aboard understands how the boat works and how to get the most out if it, the more competitive you will be! Register before June 19 for the best price.

Course Description

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We hope to see you there!

Maybe it’s climate change, but whatever the reason, it is WINDY this season! The Harbor 20 was designed to perform well in very light air, and as such can become quite over-powered when the breeze is up if you don’t manage the power by flattening, or ultimately reefing the main. At the last H20 Board Meeting, it was recommeded that everone should know how to reef their Harbor 20. This keeps things both FUN, and SAFE! To that end, it was decided that it would be a good idea to post some instructions on how to reef the Harbor 20 on this website which can now be found here, or by looking under the “SAILING TIPS” category on the Home Page. Try this at the dock, and then make sure you can do it under sail as well. You will find yourself feeling much more confident when the breeze is up when you have this critical skill under your belt.

I am guessing you might not know this: Learning the Racing Rules can be a WHOLE LOT OF FUN! There is no sugar-coating it – the rules are very complex. That’s what makes actually understanding them so much fun. And every person that improves their understanding of the rules helps improve the quality of competition for everyone out on the race course. Please come join us at BCYC on March 15 for the “Understanding the Racing Rules of Sailing” seminar. The venue is fantastic, the hospitality excellent, and you will find yourself in the company of like-minded folks spending the day immersed in the inner workings of your favorite sport. Whether you are learning the rules, or refining your knowledge, this experience will be worth your while. So, please join us. You’ll be glad you did!

Click here to register.

The only situation in which a boat may make a tactical rounding, i.e. go wide and then cut close to pass the mark on a close hauled course is when she has entered the zone clear ahead. Boats behind often misunderstand this as an opportunity to cut inside, because the space looks very tempting. But, she has no right to do so, and is likely to hear a robust “Don’t go in there!!!”

The rules are not just for skippers. The more knowledge on your boat, the greater your competitive edge. So, whether you are a skipper or crew, if you would like to up your game in 2014, join us at BCYC on March 15 for the “Understanding the Racing Rules of Sailing” seminar. Animated PowerPoint slides like that shown above make the rules come to life. The game is a lot more fun, and safe, when you know the rules!

Course Description

Register

We hope to see you there!

When: 10:00-2:00, Saturday, February 22

Where: Lido Isle Yacht Club

Guest Speakers: Bill Menninger & Peter Haynes

If you need help with rig running, or other fixes or adjustments, bring your boat.

Because lunch, compliments of Fleet 1, is included please RSVP no later than February 19th: Michael Volk, michael@mvaarc.com .

The theme for this year’s Tuning Day on Saturday, February 22, is “Tuning”. Tuning is the act of adjusting the lengths and tensions of your standing rigging, i.e. the wires which support the mast. Because your mainsail is attached to your mast, and your jib is attached to your headstay (which is part of the standing rigging), rig tuning affects sail shape. If your mast is not centered athwartships, or your mast is shaped other than straight when sighting up the mainsail slot, your boat will not sail the same on each tack. Raking your mast aft by lengthening the headstay will increase windward helm, and help you point higher at the cost of stability. Outer shroud tension sets headstay tension, and thus headstay sag, and is the one adjustment you might see being made prior to a race, especially if it is expected to be very windy.

How important is rig tuning for Harbor 20 racing in Newport Harbor? If the setup is not just wrong, probably not that much. That is because we don’t do a lot of long legs where a tenth of a knot of boat speed can make a difference. Properly playing one wind shift, or gaining an inside overlap at a mark makes a much bigger difference. But, you are competing after all, so your boat should be setup properly. We will show you how.

What do you need? To measure mast positioning in the boat, you need a tape measure longer than 30 feet. To adjust your turnbuckles, you need a small wrench to keep the wire form rotating (a small crescent wrench or vicegrip works well), and a screwdriver to turn the buckle. It is easiest to tune with two people, one on each side of the boat, in which case you will need two sets of tools. You will also need a wire tension gage (Loos Gauge), but these are expensive and we will have several on hand.

We will also be talking about sail shape, and the adjustments which can be made underway. One adjustment which many people cannot make easily when underway is the height of the jib in the headstay. Use of two fiddle blocks, as shown here, makes it a snap!

The fiddle block is a Ronstan Fiddle Block with V-Jam, RF341. West Marine Part 110884.

Every sailor should know the basic knots which can get you through a lifetime. They are the proper cleat, the clove hitch, the rolling and taut line hitch, the bowline, and the c-gasket to secure a coil of line. If you can demonstrate each of these knots, you will win a prize. If you cannot, we will teach you the knots, and then give you a chance to win.

PROGRAM

10:00am Welcome sailors. Boats secured on the docks.

10:30am Tuning Tips- Peter Haynes and Bill Menninger give a brief review of rig tuning and sail trim under various weather conditions. The Schock Factory will be participating in the Q & A.

11:15am Lunch available to eat on the patio or dock.

11:30am Boat tuning and repairs begin. Experienced sailors will be on the docks to share tips and assist with tuning. Loos Gauges will be available for shroud adjustments.

2:00pm Tuning Day concludes

Lunch and Refreshments are compliments of Fleet 1. (You must RSVP to receive Lunch and Refreshments)

The Schock Factory will have many parts for sale so we invite you to work on your boat repairs during Tuning Day. If you share your plans for any unusual on-site repairs, we will inform the Schock Factory in advance.

Please RSVP no later than February 19th: Michael Volk, michael@mvaarc.com