Squaw Island Race photos taken by Roger Bardwell, Keith Calkins and Tracy Blevins have been posted and we have links to them on our photo page.
Click here to visit our photo page to check them out.
If you have additional photos you’d like to share, send them to us and we’ll include them in our gallery or link to your page. Thanks!
Jonathan Gorbold congratulated by race director Keith Calkins at the finish. Joan Calkins was recording the finish order of the boats as they arrived back at CYC after the race.
Jonathan Gorbold finished in front of a field of 12 RC Laser skippers who sailed in a two-mile “offshore” race from the docks at the Canandaigua Yacht Club to Squaw Island and back.
Second place went to Gary Schmidt. He was first to round the Squaw Island mark after sailing a course close to shore on the first leg but he got in lighter air and shifty wind a little too far out in the lake near the finish to fend off Jonathan from passing on the inside.
Sharing a chase boat with Gary didn’t seem to hurt Bill Schmidt as he arrived back at the docks in close contest for third place.
After a shotgun start from the docks, this first annual event for the fleet required each skipper to jump in a chase boat and follow their RC Laser in some type of powered watercraft. Kayaks, canoes, pontoon boats and ski boats carried the racers, race committee and spectators.
Sailors agreed after the race that the appropriate strategy would have been to use the big “A” sail. Hugging the shore also seemed to pay off for everyone who took that route rather than heading out to the middle of the lake although the wind appeared to be a little stronger further from shore. The wakes and chop caused by powerboats out on the lake seemed to stall the air in the smaller “B” sails for the RC Lasers that went out as compared to the boats that stayed in close to the shore.
The wind direction was steady and blew from the south. The wind speed at the start was at the low end of the “B” rig and only Jack Bennett chose to sail with his “A” sail. Sail changes weren’t allowed during the race so Jack benefitted from the light air sail almost winning the race before he got lost somewhere in the mooring field as he approached the finish line.
Roger Baldwin (#99) and George Walter in the background navigate their RC Lasers towards Squaw Island on Canandaigua Lake.
Roger Baldwin and Harry Henkel drove up from the Oxford RC Laser Fleet in Maryland to participate. Harry picked up a copy of Stuart H. Walker’s book The Tactics of Small Boat Racing for persevering in the light winds and being the final finishing boat that didn’t drop out. Roger picked up a copy of Chapman’s Boating Etiquette as a prize for being the mid-fleet finisher.
Anne Lambert paddled Nelson Habecker (#54) in to shore after his RC Laser found the big hole with no wind in the lake within sight of the finish docks.
Awards were handed after a cookout for everyone at the waterfront pavilion where everyone walked away with something, including Keith Calkins, our Race Director –in his first duty overseeing a Radio Controlled race in which he did an exceptionally good job– all of the race participants and all of the chase boat drivers!
Plans are already in the works to hold the Second Annual RC Laser Squaw Island Race next year, at 2 p.m. on the Saturday of the Memorial Day weekend holiday!
Canandaigua, New York RC Laser Fleet 14
May 28, 2011
Rules: The regatta shall be governed by the rules as defined in the current Racing Rules of Sailing, as amended by Appendix E for RC sailing, prescriptions of US Sailing, class rules of the RC Laser Class of North America and further Sailing Instructions as mandated by the Race Director (RD) who also has the authority during the course of the event to make changes which will be announced to the competitors.
Eligibility: The regatta is open to all RC Lasers conforming to RC Laser Class Rules.
Entry: Eligible boats may be entered by submitting the attached Entry Form prior to the Skippers Meeting on May 28, 2011, with an entry fee of $10.00 per boat.
Location: Canandaigua Yacht Club (CYC), 3524 West Lake Road, Canandaigua, NY 14424
Race Course: The RD will announce the course at the skippers meeting. The Turn Mark shall be a large yellow inflatable buoy located about 1 nautical mile north of the start and finish dock, near Squaw Island. The race will be from CYC to Squaw Island, around the turn mark, leaving it to port, and then back to CYC.
Start: The south concrete dock will be designated as the starting and finishing dock. This changes Rule E3.7. A two-minute audible countdown sequence will be used and the goal is to begin the race promptly at 2 PM. Boats must be out of the water at the beginning of the two-minute countdown sequence. Boats shall be launched from the starting dock after the start signal sounds.
Finish: A boat is considered to have finished when the skipper retrieves it from the water from the finishing dock after successfully navigating the entire course.
Time Limit: The time limit will be 4 hours. If the first boat has not finished within 4 hours of the start, the race will be abandoned and the party will begin. If a boat does finish within the time limit, all others will be allowed to finish but the party will still begin at 6 PM.
Shortened Course: After the starting signal the course may be shortened with 2 sounds or abandoned with 3 sounds without displaying flags. This changes Rule 32.
Sail Changes: Sails may not be changed during the race.
Outside Help: Rule E5.6 will not apply.
Launching and Re-launching: “Rule 45 is changed to (a) Boats scheduled to race in a heat may be launched, taken ashore or re-launched at any time during the race except between the preparatory and starting signals. (b) While ashore or at the water’s edge or on a chase boat, boats may be adjusted, drained of water or repaired; have entangled objects removed; or have batteries changed.” This changes E4.4. Also see “Chase Boat Rules” below.
Radio Communications: VHF radios are not required and will not be used to communicate changes to the sailing instructions. The RD will monitor VHF channel 9 as well as mobile phone number #585-729-6779.
Protests: It is the responsibility of a right-of-way (ROW) skipper to call a protest against a fouling boat. Please solve your disputes on the water. If there is a remaining protest after the race, see the RD immediately upon finishing.
Marks: You may touch the yellow Turn Mark by Squaw Island. This changes Rule 31. The Squaw Island Turn Mark must be rounded to port. There will be a large orange inflatable buoy placed at approximately half the distance between CYC and Squaw Island. It is not a mark of the course and is only to be used for reference purposes and can be passed on either side. You can even run into the orange mark if you wish. You may also hit the start / finish dock, but do so at your own risk. It is made out of concrete.
Retiring Boats: Boats retiring from the race shall notify the RD as soon as possible.
Scoring: The race will be scored under the Low Point System described in the Racing Rules of Sailing Appendix A and the event will consist of only one race.
Personal Flotation Devices: Rule E1.4 is changed to “When on board a rescue boat or chase boat, each competitor is responsible for wearing a personal flotation device adequate for the conditions.”
Chase Boat Rules:
Prizes: A Crystal Head will be awarded to the skipper who completes the course in the fastest time. Other positions awarded as we find things to give away.
Party: A cookout on the waterfront will follow racing for all skippers and crew.
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2011 Squaw Island Sailing Instructions (.pdf / .doc file download)
2011 Squaw Island Entry Form (.pdf / .doc file download)
2011 Squaw Island Notice of Race (.pdf / .doc file download)
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Our Race Director and PRO for the 2011 Squaw Island Race will be Keith Calkins.
See you on Saturday!
We decided to only count first place wins in the Spring Series. Every first place win during the 7 week series, or about 60 races, will garner that skipper a special award (for each win!)
After 3 of 7 weeks, here’s how the skippers are stacking up:
With 7 wins, Gary Schmidt is in the lead. Bill Blevins has 5 first place finishes. Bill Schmidt, one of our newest members, has 3 firsts. Coming in with two each are Jack Bennett, David Turnbull and Jonathan Gorbold. George Walter is on the board with one bullet.
Now, to shake things up even more, we’re going to move to staggered starts for weeks 4 through 7 of the series. Here’s how it will work.
Any RC Laser skipper with fewer than 3 wins will get to start at the one minute mark during our two-minute countdown sequence. Skippers with 3 wins but fewer than 6 wins can start at the 30 second mark. Skippers with more than 6 wins have to start at the normal start time at 00 seconds.
A skipper can opt out of this starting advantage and start with the scratch boats at the 00 mark.
The goal is to help spread out the pack of boats on the starting line as well as to get the field finishing closer together with the fastest boats catching the slower or new boats on the final leg of the race.
The overall 2011 batting averages will still be calculated for every skipper. The latest batting averages file has been updated on the results tab of this site.
The RC Laser “Offshore” Squaw Island Race is this weekend. We are still hoping for additional powerboats to be available at 2 p.m. to carry skippers from CYC to Squaw Island and back. The Sailing Instructions should be finished and posted on this site by Thursday.
Canandaigua, New York RC Laser Fleet 14
May 28, 2011
Rules: The regatta shall be governed by the rules as defined in The Racing Rules of Sailing as amended by Appendix E for RC sailing, prescriptions of US Sailing, class rules of the RC Laser Class of North America and further Sailing Instructions as mandated by the Race Director (RD) who also has the authority during the course of the event to make changes which will be announced to the competitors.
Eligibility: The regatta is open to all RC Lasers conforming to RC Laser Class Rules.
Race Summary:
Schedule:
Location: Canandaigua Yacht Club (CYC), 3524 West Lake Road, Canandaigua, NY 14424
Entry: Eligible boats may be entered by submitting the attached Entry Form prior to the Skippers Meeting on May 28, 2011, with an entry fee of $10.00 per boat.
Scoring: The race will be scored under the Low Point System described in The Racing Rules of Sailing Appendix A and the event will consist of only one race.
Prizes: A Crystal Head will be awarded to the skipper who completes the course in the fastest time. A dock party will follow racing for all skippers and crew.
Contact: Bill Blevins at rcsailors@gmail.com or 585-662-7638 if you need us to find a chase boat and driver or for any other information.
PDF File Download: NOR and Entry Form
As reflected on the racing calendar and due to the J/22 regatta at the yacht club this weekend, there will not be any formal RC Laser racing activities Sunday. The next group of races in the series will be on May 22 with starts at 4 p.m.
With that being said, we’re placing a pretty good bet that you’ll find several boats on the water on Sunday afternoon if the weather permits!
The Canandaigua RC Laser fleet has been warming up on Sunday afternoons since mid-March but the seven-week spring low point series beginning May 1 is the first official scoring series of the year.
Regular weekly racing for the RC Lasers begins this weekend and will be held at the south end of the CYC docks with starts at 4 p.m. after “big boat” racing is finished each Sunday.
Coming up Memorial Day weekend, on Saturday, May 28, the fleet will hold the Squaw Island Race with awards provided by Crystal Head Vodka. This unique and grueling 2.25 mile long distance offshore race promises to be entertaining for sailors and spectators alike with a dock party to follow so plan on coming out and enjoying the fun!
Here are a few details about the race:
Skippers, start lining up your chase boat now and email us as soon as possible if you don’t have a ride for the race. If someone reading this has a powerboat and would be willing to chauffeur a RC Laser skipper on race day, send an email to rcsailors@gmail.com and let us know. We will connect skippers without boats to powerboats who can give rides.
Check out our “Calendar” of racing and special events, or click on “Buy Your RC Laser” to find out to purchase a boat or just visit our “Ship’s Store” to pick up one of our fancy new t-shirts!
Come join the fun!
We’re pretty sure that we walked at least 5 miles today.
Well… not each person individually, but if you added up the paces from each sailor, plus all of our fans and then those from the spectators, in total, the group probably walked at least 5 miles!
The first race started to windward (sort-of) in front of Anne and Nelson’s house and the fleet then rounded two marks located up the channel to the West and then took a long downwind run (sort-of) to the end of the channel past Jack’s place and then a long windward beat (sort-of) back up to the main channel where we headed South to a leeward mark, and after rounding ending up with a final starboard beat (sort-of) to the finish – right back where we started. Bill Blevins (#254) took the gun in the first race.
Whew!
Winds were heavy at times (top of the B sail) and then light (really needed the A sail) and steady and shifty – What else would you expect from Canandaigua Lake?
The second race repeated the course from the first race, but the sailors headed back in the opposite direction with port roundings, ending up finishing by crossing the starting line which was the finish line from the first race. The second race ended with a photo finish after 30 minutes of sailing. Jonathan Gorbold (# 62) crossed the line first, just after he misjudged the pin at the end of the line and then quickly circled around to squeeze in ahead of Bill.
Since we are still in the “warm-up” series, we didn’t calculate tie-breakers for the finishes, but it was interesting to see that out of the 11 RC Lasers that participated (with one new sailor – welcome Dave), that after the two races were completed, 8 sailors out of that group were tied for a position.
There are two more weeks of warm-ups and then the serious racing begins!
We are getting ready to head out to set the marks for this afternoon’s “walkabout” races.
Admiral Nelson Habecker (# 54) has schemed up a race where we’ll start from our regular sailing location and then proceed to sail around marks (starboard roundings) set in each of the canals in Holiday Harbor, such that we’ll walk the boardwalk, following our boats all the way around the complex, and end by crossing the finish line where we started – we’ll just be on the other side of the canal!
After regrouping from the first race, we’ll start another race going in the opposite direction (port roundings) and will finish back where we started the day. It should be fun as it is a beautiful day with wind! Now the decision is which sail to use! See you for the start at 2 p.m.
Today, we are adding a link to the site that will take you to our new store!
After several trials and tests where we experimented with various designs, our first officially sanctioned T-shirt is available for purchase for $18.99.Throughout the year, we’ll add more designs and more products.
The back of the shirt has a QR Code that has a link to our website embedded in it. When someone who has a smartphone photographs the QR Code, they will be taken to our site in their web browser. Pretty high tech, huh?
Support the club and order a few shirts. They are marked up $1 and the profit from each shirt will go into the club account and be used for parties (or awards if there is any money left over after the parties.
Finally, I found 5- packs of speed clips online for sale for $3.15. One pack of 10 clips will probably last you a lifetime so maybe splitting the order with a fellow sailor would help cut the shipping down which I imagine is more than the item itself.
Speed clips make it convenient to quickly connect and disconnect your mainsheet to the boom clip or your outhaul.
The Burning of the Socks is a tradition where Spring-fevered sailors throw their smelly old winter socks into a fire to signal the first day of sailing season. The festivities usually coincide with the Vernal Equinox. The event is the symbolic kick-off for sailboat racing on Canandaigua Lake and is hosted annually by sailors from Canandaigua RC Laser Fleet #14.
The sun came out and the weather warmed up quickly into the mid-40’s on Sunday, just enough to melt the ice skim on the water in Holiday Harbor, getting the five-week warm-up series underway for the Canandaigua RC Laser Fleet.
Nine boats participated in 6 races which were held in very light winds. Most sailors used their tall “A” rigs all day.
Over the Winter the Canandaigua fleet grew by 3 boats bringing the total number of RC Laser sailors here to 11. Bill Schmidt (#88), Dave Kelsey (#652) and David Turnbull (#17) are now fleet members and will be racing with the fleet.
These early season races are meant to help the new skippers get familiar with their boats and for the more experienced skippers to tune their rigs and get their fingers moving in the right direction on their transmitters again. As such, this series of races is not scored for the series low-point awards however the races do contribute towards the 60% participation requirement for the overall 2011 “Batting Average” awards.
Hank Buchanan (#732), a long-time RC Laser sailor and recent Marco Island Midwinter Championship participant who finished in 7th place in that regatta, drove over from New York City on Sunday morning to participate in the Burning of the Socks event and the first week of races in Canandaigua.
Hank’s boat set the pace for most of the races on Sunday but he was closely followed by Jonathan Gorbold (#62) and Bill Blevins (#254). Nelson Habecker (#54) sailed to his first “gun” in RC racing during the fourth race.
WEEK 1 of 5 Results for the Warm-up Series
In other news, the fleet has purchased a professional starting countdown timer. We are collecting $20 in the form of dues from each fleet member to help pay for the device. The timer has a large speaker and it counts the starting sequence out loud for 1 or 2 minute starting sequences.
Next week’s races on March 27th – Warm-up series Week 2 – will begin with the first start sequence going off at 2 p.m. in Holiday Harbor. Weather permitting, we’ll race until about 4 p.m..
