April 1997

Shackles and Cringles — April 1997

Canadian Albacore Association — Volume XXXVII, Number 2

And so another Season starts — April 12, 1997

In this issue: Goin’ down (page 4) · The Weather (page 8) · Vice Regatta (page 18) · Worlds’ (page 26)

The Albacore Advantage

Canadian Albacore Association, P.O. Box 16 660 Eglinton Ave., East, Toronto, Ont. M4G 4G1

A One-Design Boat

• no unnecessary expense of constant upgrades in design.

A Safe Boat

• large air-filled tanks give excellent buoyancy
• hull shape gives stability on the water
• self-rescue after an unexpected puff is easy

A Light and Manageable Boat

• tongue load of less than 100 lbs gives ready trailerability
• launching and retrieving are a breeze

A Comfortable Boat

• large, open cockpit
• benches on port and starboard sides

A Performance Boat

• seriously campaigned by major sailmakers
• planes in moderate winds
• buoyant heavy-air hull shape

Ideal for Junior Clubs

• 4 to 5 juniors will fit easily
• will stand up to heavy use

A Vibrant Class Association

• well organized and vital
• recognized by the International Sailing Federation
• strong fleets through Ontario, Canada, US, Great Britain, Ireland and Bermuda
• top notch competitive sailing
• junior programs in some areas

The Canadian Albacore Association

The Canadian Albacore Association is responsible for encouraging participation in and maintaining the integrity of the Albacore class in Canada.

1996/1997 Executive

Position	Name	Address	Contact
Commodore	Bob Stiff	20 Southlea Avenue Toronto, ON M4G 3L9	Res. 416 423 3294 Bus. 416 482 5002 Fax 416 482 5040 [email protected]
Past Commodore	Jim Quibell	495 Vanguard Crescent Oakville, ON L6L 5G6	Res. 905 827 9019 Bus. 416 231 1222 Sat/Sun. 705 454 3524
First Vice Commodore	Chris Gorton	#1204, 8501 Bayview Ave. Richmond Hill, ON M4J 3C6	Res. 905 886 8324
Second Vice Commodore	Gord Chu	38 Queensdale Avenue Toronto, ON M4J 1X9	Res. 416 465 5558 Bus. 416 972 7336 Fax 416 972 5515 [email protected]
Third Vice Commodore	Dave Bussin	24 Munro Boulevard North York, ON M2P 1B9	Res. 416 223 3851 Bus. 416 223 3851 Fax 416 225 0287
Rear Commodore	Mike Leishman	94 Harris Avenue Toronto, ON M4C 1P6	Res. 416 699 8100 Bus. 416 494 3343 Fax 416 368 0956 [email protected]
Specifications Chair	David Weaver	14 Lansdowne Road, North Cambridge, ON N1S 2S8	Res. 519 623 4402 Bus. 905 525 9140 X24907 Fax 905 572 7944 [email protected]
Chief Measurer	Rick Clayton	362 Brookdale Avenue Toronto, ON M5M 1P8	Res. 416 783 9194 Bus. 905 670 8700
Treasurer	Heather Wroldson	83 Lillian Street, Unit #1 Toronto, ON M4S 2H7	Res. 416 481 8503 Bus. 616 982 2120 Fax 416 944 5891 [email protected]
Secretary	Lynn Shannon	362 Brookdale Avenue Toronto, ON M5M 1P8	Res. 416 783 9194 Bus. 416 298 5141 [email protected]
Shackles Editor	Uwe Ackermann	Dept Physiology, University of Toronto Toronto, ON M5S 1A8	Res. 416 778 6897 Bus. 416 978 4017 Fax 416 978 4940 [email protected]
Membership	Ross King	635 Broadway Avenue Toronto, ON M4G 2S6	Res. 416 422 5830 Bus. 416 592 3676 Fax 416 592 4000 [email protected]

Shackles and Cringles is a quarterly publication of the Canadian Albacore Association. Deadlines for publication are January 15, April 15, July 15 and October 15.

Commodore’s Comments

One of the great things about the sport of sailing is talking about it. Even on the dreariest day a conversation about past experiences on the water, a problem or feature on a boat or the upcoming season lights up my day and lifts my spirit. Now we’ve got a new way to chat and expand our experience. Recently, I had the opportunity to explore some of our sailing web sites for the first time. This is a great new facility for exploring our sport and sharing ideas and interests. If you’re not connected yet, consider it because it’s another way to learn and to stay current. For example, you can hit on the USAA site at http://ww.my-town.com/sailing and get boat rigging guides, race strategies and Michael Mac’s tuning guide. Or if you need information about regatta schedules, details about events, it’s all there, just press print and you’ve got hard copy. OSA has a site, [email protected] or www.sailon.org. Want to know about licences, life jackets, new boating regulations? Just log on to the Canadian Coast Guard site, and it’ll take you to another interesting site by ‘hot links’ and so on.

Your executive committee is convinced that CAA should get on-line and develop a web site so that you and anyone interested in Albacores can get information, up to date and comprehensive. If you have some experience and a willingness to help, Chris Gorton would like to hear from any members out there who has web meister capabilities and enthusiasm.

This year’s Boat Show exhibit identified a number of new members and re-established contact with former Albacore owners and lots of people who didn’t realize how active our class association is. A big thank you to Chris Gorton for organizing our participation in OSA’s booth and to all of you who helped to represent us during the week.

The ’97 Regatta Schedule is published in this issue. Gord Chu has established a comprehensive list of contacts with the various clubs and has met frequently with them to coordinate our plans. We still need some help organizing the Albacore Juniors event and specifics for the North Americans continue to elude us.

Several of our members sailed at the Mid-Winters in Sarasota and it has been reported that all participants had great fun in the sun. Rosemary Helmer has been working out strategies for transportation and participation at the International Open Championships (a.k.a. the World’s) at Hayling Island, England in July. A strong contingent from Canada is expected to go and duke it out for the silverware.

Enjoy the new season and resolve to get on-line.

Bob Stiff
Commodore

“This won’t take long, will it? The first race starts in 20 minutes.”

Midwinter Albacore Regatta — Sarasota, March 1997

“Memories of Sarasota” — Albacore Mid-Winters, March 11–14 1997

I guess we’re gluttons for punishment… We ran the Laser Masters’ Gulf Coast Champs at the Sarasota Sailing Squadron, then the Laser Mid-Winters, then I found out that the Albacores were coming down for their mid-winters when Denis Wettlaufer called looking for crew. ‘Sure — head on down — someone’ll crew for you’ and sure enough someone did. I couldn’t stay away from the club, just had to see who would turn up. I’d sailed my own Albacore out of the Toronto Sailing and Canoe Club back in the late 60’s and crewed to a 7th place in the ’77 Worlds’ in Kingston. Saw a wooden boat from RCYC and figured it must be someone we know. It was Rosemary Helmer but we couldn’t get out of the club before she saw us — damn, trapped.

So we got to meet all the Albacore sailors — all being 10 people not boats — a disappointment for Rosemary who originally expected a dozen boats which dwindled to 8 before only 5 arrived.

So for all you Albacore class members out there, here’s what you missed in Sarasota. Warm weather, clear blue green water with the temperature about 72 old-fashioned Fahrenheit degrees, sunny skies and great sea breezes bringing a little bit of everything in sailing for everyone, including sunburn, and Bill Brandenberg with a great race committee making sure the playing field was level.

Jocelyne and I took Thomas, our powerboat, out for a ride on Tuesday to watch the first day of racing and take pictures. The racing was surprisingly level and Rosemary was leading. Went over to chat to the race committee. Then headed for a nearby sandbar for lunch and splashed around in the water for a while looking for some early season sand dollars. By the time we got back the fleet was heading for the finish line and Rosemary had gone down the sewer — probably following the dolphin — I think John and Chris won it — and anyway we took pictures at the finish line. Strange sailors, camera-shy, we had to chase some of them down on the way back to the club to get pictures.

Well, we hadn’t planned to go back to the club as we had work to do, but we did and for better or worse, John had bought some Boddingtons naturally brewed beer (English bitter) — awesome stuff and the day was shot. Well if it wasn’t shot then it certainly was by the time we took the fleet to Hemingways bar at St Armand’s circle where the attraction is beer for $1.25 and free hors d’oeuvres — and we are talking major finger food here — BBQ’d ribs that were so big we figured they must have come from an extinct species — I called it the Jeffrey Dahmer special, which kind of disgusted everybody and for those it didn’t I had a bad joke about where jewelry comes from that did. That’s something else you missed along with the penguin stories — tooooo bad!

Canadian Contingent plus (photo courtesy of Rosemary Helmer)

Jocelyne and I had to go back to the club for an executive meeting and I think everyone else went to the Beach House. The name says it all, it defies description for anyone who has ever seen snow and the food is good too. Thankfully Thomas knew his way across the bay and up Bowlees Creek to his home dock.

Wednesday I woke up and found the memory chips reset, but somewhere in the backup of my mind there was something about inviting the fleet home for supper. If we must do this sort of thing, why don’t we buy shares in Budweiser first? Jocelyne’s memory provided some more reliable information and between us we pieced together the events of the previous afternoon with the assistance of a couple of calls on the VHF to Bill on Big Ben, the squadron’s RC boat. Oh well, what else was there to do on Thursday anyway?

Cold showers for some… (photo courtesy of Chris Gorton)

Thursday is another nice day for racing. I don’t have a clue who’s winning. Seems to me Rosemary had the fastest boat, but was doing everything she could to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory — turned up with missing parts, was putting her centerboard in the boat while everyone else was sailing race 1, sailed the wrong course in race 2, but in Sarasota it’s so nice it really doesn’t matter. In the meantime Gordo, her crew, I wouldn’t say he was frustrated, perhaps he always acts like Kato in the Pink Panther movies — I wouldn’t know, I’d never met him before.

Well for supper on Thursday, everyone turned up with their own BBQ choice. Since I cooked I got to try it all, salmon, lamb, steaks and a bottle of the stout that Rolf brought along. He left me with a dozen bottles — a lifetime supply for a large family. The pictures we had taken on the race course turned out great and everyone seemed to have a good time. Well they looked suitably stuffed and no one got drunk and fell in the pool — our basic standard for a successful party. It had been the breeziest day so far and some tired and aching muscles were insisting on some down-time. “Where’s the Advil?” — “I dunno, try the stout”. After a couple of games of Jenga, which involves a steady hand to increase the height of a pile of wooden blocks, most headed back to their tents at the club. But our task was just beginning. To ensure her win, Rosemary had bribed us to keep John and Chris up late so they wouldn’t sail well the next day. Luckily we had a bunch of Fawlty Towers tapes — don’t mention the war — and a bottle of Glenfiddich, which suffered some serious damage and held them up till the wee hours.

Catnaps for others… (photo courtesy of Chris Gorton)

Rosemary Helmer and Gord Chu (photo courtesy of A & J Broadribb)

It’s Friday and tonight we’re barbecuing salmon at the club. Don’ ask how that happened. It probably seemed like a good idea at the time. Rosemary called a couple of minutes ago and said they weren’t racing because a front went through in the night and it’s overcast. You think that’s a reason not to race? Just wait for the TS&CC Icebreaker! So she got the RC to cancel the racing while she was in front — works every time — just kidding. And to think we stayed up late for nothing.

Anyway, we’re heading out for the BBQ’D salmon. Eat your hearts out! Die of envy! Blame yourself, because it ain’t my fault you weren’t here and missed the fun.

Mustn’t forget to take the salmon and all the stout, except one bottle. I’ll still have a lifetime supply.

Next time there’s an Albacore Midwinters’ in Sarasota, make the effort and get yourselves down to the best sailing club in the world — Sarasota Sailing Squadron — where the sign by the door tells you all need to know about our club, “Last one out locks the door”.

Allan & Jocelyne Broadribb
Sarasota Sailing Squadron

Chris Gorton and John Struthers (photo courtesy of A & J Broadribb)

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There was a good dump of snow in Toronto the day before Rosemary and I were to leave for Sarasota, just to make it obvious that a Midwinter-Regatta is all about fun in the sun, away from the cold and snow! Sure enough, it was warm and sunny in Florida. This made up for having been a captive audience to Rosemary for the past 32 hours? (Just kidding, Rosemary!!) The racing was fabulous; lots of tight tactical races against Chris G. Now if we just didn’t have that unfortunate first day we could have been contenders. (Rosemary I still think its better to put in the centerboard more than an hour before the first race!) But then again, if we had been on time we would not have seen the dolphins cruising around Sarasota Bay. This was almost worth missing the first race. So, after a wonderful week, it was back to T.O. What did we find there? We missed the big dump of snow and freezing rain. Perfect!

— Gord Chu

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For all those who didn’t make the Midwinters’ in Sarasota this year, there was a negative side: we had to come back to Toronto! Where does one start? … the 80°F (American) weather, 78°F water? The people like Allan and Jocelyne Broadribb who had us all over barbecued salmon, staying up till 2 AM watching “Faulty Towers” videos, drinking Allan’s scotch? Or maybe it was the chance for Northerners to race Albacores in the middle of March! Actually Chris Hanson and I sailed around Toronto Island today, March 27. Didn’t see too many Albacores there either. The drive down from Toronto took Chris Gorton and me 24 hours door-to-door, I-75 all the way. With good music and the right attitude it is very doable. Yes, we had our boat in tow. We camped out on the lawns of Sarasota Sailing Squadron (at their invitation). This made things quite affordable. The sailing was great. I wish, though, that Chris had bought his compass. Searching for little black fuzzy things on the horizon added an extra challenge; loosing our mainsheet during the race was another. This was too much fun, hope more of you can get down next year. I sure wanna be! Did you know they can sail all year long in Florida? Makes you think.

— John Struthers

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This was my 4th (or was it 5th?) Midwinters’ in Sarasota. Like the previous events it was wonderful and memorable. The need to start organizing in November (booking dates with Sarasota, selling people from Canada and the US on the idea of going. The event sells itself (once you’ve been), but the pre-sell is tough. I guess in November people have delusions of skiing and snow boarding. The frantic scramble the month before to keep people faxed, posted, e-mailed, not to mention budgeting to an ever-changing registration, finding prizes to fit the budget, advising new Midwinterites about weather, dress, camping, my response “just come all will work out!” The stress of the 12–14 hour days the week before to satisfy clients’ needs, deal with domestic issues (Mom was visiting), pack, dig out summer stuff (now where is my bathing suit?) — then the 24–32 hour drive down I75, I usually hate the thought (but the minute we are out of the snow belt) and Cincinnati, Ohio looms over the horizon with day break signaling, it is time for breakfast after our first all night drive, I know it is all worth it. After breakfast, we get into the green rolling hills of Kentucky with their picturesque white-fenced horse farms and then were almost half-way, I-75 is a no-brainer all the way. Then we roll through Tennessee, through Georgia and finally into northern Florida where the pungent smell of orange blossom and gardenia waft through the sunroof. Ah, I remember this gorgeous “Welcome to Florida!” We arrive in Sarasota at 3.30 AM, Sunday (Gord and I had agreed we’d drive non-stop so as to spend all our time in Florida!) Gord having to scale the fence at SSS to find the gate activator button. Pitching our tents in the pitch black while trying not to wake Chris and John and not finding the anthill till the next morning. Our first breakfast in Sarasota on the 2nd floor patio of the Hungry Fox overlooking St. Armand’s Circle with Canadian menu choices suggest a lot of us hang out here. Solving the predicament of my inspection ports and buoyancy caps being left in Toronto. Calling friend BG in Toronto Sunday night and persuading him to go and root in my closets to find them and Fed Ex them early Monday for arrival no later than 10 AM Tuesday (1st race was Tuesday at 11 AM). Now Gord’s comment re the centerboard is put in perspective: when you are missing something and can’t buy it in Florida, putting the centerboard in gets forgotten. Testing my crew’s patience and learning his great sense of humour. Bumping into long-time friends and SSS members Allan and Jocelyne Broadribb whose story is nearby. (I knew those long CYA Board meetings from 87–89 when Allan was Exec. Dir. of CYA would pay off one day — and they did most hospitably.) Thanks, A&J! A week of sun, friends (a bonding occurs in tent colonies and in Albacores that pays dividends), my birthday at Garden Restaurant, the tour of the Salvador Dali Art Gallery in St. Petes, dinner at the Beach House on Longboat Key with the US team, serenaded by waves on sand, dolphins, flowers everywhere, bougainvillea, azaleas, hibiscus, orange blossoms, St. Armand’s Circle shopping, fresh Swordfish, shrimp, scallops, Key lime pie!!, the great Race Committee work of Bill Brandenberg, Joe Sargis, Allen Becker, John Doherty and Bunkey. The cordial help of Club Manager Pat Murphy for whom anything you need is “No Problem” and “Just come and we’ll figure it out together!” Thanks guys!

Booty (photo courtesy of A & J Broadribb)

What more do we have to say to sell you on Sarasota? Oh yes, holidays don’t come any cheaper!

— Rosemary Helmer

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Ask me no questions, I’ll tell you no lies.

— Chris Gorton

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Sarasota, as always, is sublime. Good sailing, decent winds, tight races, balmy breezes and, OK, those pelicans to welcome us back to the incredibly hospitable and informal SSS. This time, besides the great company, we had 80°F days which made it possible to swim in the Gulf of Mexico, as well as stroll the beach endlessly at sun-up and sunset. Even Max (age 3), who couldn’t sail, thought the regatta was more than swell.

— Lloyd Leonard, Elizabeth Wiener & son Max

Results

Name	City	Sail Number	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	Total Points
Gorton/Struthers	Toronto	7619	2	1	1	1	2	3	6.25
Helmer/Chu	Toronto	7384	6	5	2	2	1	1	10.5
Byron/Mooney	Silver Spring	7380	1	2	3	4	4	5	13.75
Wettlaufer/Heiss	Buffalo	5923	4	4	5	3	3	2	16
Zeisler/Leonard	Frederick	7378	3	3	4	5	5	4	19

Oh, Is That How It Works? The Weather

Another one in an irregular series.

There are forecasts and there are forecasts

Did you hear about the man whose cousin’s friend had a neighbour who once heard a weather forecast that later turned out to be right?

There are such forecasts.

Our attitude to forecasts is coloured by the experience of a lousy day instead of the good weather that was predicted and by their failure to live up to the regional precision that is demanded by the small geographical ranges of dinghy sailing.

The information on which skilled professional weather analysts base their estimates is available to all of us and so are their high-quality forecasts that are routinely provided to mariners and aircraft pilots (www.cmc.doe.ca/indexe.html). However, most of us get our reports from bubble gum machines that lump traffic, sports and weather into the same flash infomorsel. Their foci are Commercial, It looks like a personal injury situation, Bahb, Commercial, Commercial, Who won?, Commercial, Commercial, Sun or Cloud? Precipitation or Not?, Commercial.

Exactly!

Fortunately many forecasts have clues to help the careful listener interpret them correctly and even to anticipate possible forecasting errors. Unfortunately, the clues are contained in words and phrases that may have special meanings or may be given in unfamiliar units. The first step in getting the most from a forecast is, therefore, to understand the definitions and special meanings.

Terms and Their Meanings

Wind speed, wind direction, temperature and pressure are described in a variety of terms and units.

• Wind speed over land is usually reported in miles per hour or kilometer per hour, whereas marine forecasts usually express wind speed in knots.
• Wind direction is reported with reference to compass direction or with reference to the shore.
• Temperatures are reported in degrees Fahrenheit or degrees Celsius.
• Pressure is reported in millibars (abbreviated to mb), in inches of mercury (in Hg), millimeter of mercury (mm Hg) or kilo Pascal (kPa).

Conversion Factors

Wind Speed

1 knot = 1 nautical mile/hour.
1 nautical mile = 6080 feet = 1.85 km. 1 statute mile = 5280 feet = 1.61 km.

Since the difference between a nautical mile and a statute mile is small, the difference between miles/hour and knots is small.

Speed in knots	= 0.85 × Speed in miles/hour = 0.54 × Speed in km/hour
Speed in miles/hour	= 1.15 × Speed in knots = 0.62 × Speed in km/hour
Speed in km/hour	= 1.85 × Speed in knots = 1.61 × Speed in miles/hour

Atmospheric Pressure

1012 mb	= 29.88 inHg (inches of mercury) = 760 mmHg (mm of mercury) = 100 kPa (kiloPascal)
1 mb	= 0.03 inHg = 0.75 mmHg = 0.1 kPa
1 kPa	= 0.3 inHg = 7.5 mmHg = 10 mb
1 mmHg	= 0.04 inHg = 1.33 mb = 0.13 kPa
1 inHg	= 25 mmHg = 33.3 mb = 3.3 kPa

Special Meanings

Wind Direction

A northerly wind blows out of the north. On the other hand, a northerly current is one that flows towards the north.

An onshore wind blows from the water to the land. The familiar sea breeze is an onshore wind.

An offshore wind blows from the land towards the water.

Probability of Precipitation

This term is included in most forecasts and expresses the degree of uncertainty about the possibility of precipitation in the forecast area. Most sailors don’t particularly care whether they get wet and might conclude that a probability of 40% is low enough to leave the rain gear on shore. The laws of probability make this an unwise decision because the uncertainty actually consists of two separate uncertainties multiplied together. For example, if there exists an 80% chance (p = 0.8) for a storm to pass through the area AND IF that storm passes through then 50% of the area (p = 0.5) affected by the storm is likely to experience precipitation, then the forecast will call for a precipitation probability of 40% because 0.8 × 0.5 = 0.4.

An 80% probability of a storm passing through is, indeed, something that every sailor would care to know.

Forecast Errors

Air motions and weather systems too small to find a place on conventional weather maps contribute in unpredictable ways to larger weather systems. With time, these smaller systems contaminate the large-scale systems and make long-range forecasts less accurate.

A careful watch on the sky and the wind can help you anticipate regional and short-term changes in a weather system because the weather seldom changes without warning in the form of cloud- or wind patterns. Therefore, learn to recognize a cloud or two, take time out to watch the way the clouds move and learn some rules about differences in the direction of cloud movement and surface wind.

Wind

Weather maps like that shown in Fig. 1 and provided by Environment Canada (www.cmc.doe.ca/cmc/htmls/reg_4panel.html) show areas of high atmospheric pressure (H, Fig. 1), areas of low-pressure (L) and lines of constant pressure (isobars) separated by 4 mb. At our latitude there is a constant procession of such highs and lows. In the lower parts of these weather systems (up to about 3,000m from the surface) the air moves around and creates the wind we sail in. Above that height a predominantly westerly flow drives the highs and lows in an easterly direction, independent of the winds at lower altitudes. High clouds move in these westerlies. Lower clouds like stratus (Fig. 2 A), stratocumulus (Fig. 2 B) and cumulus (Fig. 2 C) move in the winds around highs and lows.

Fig. 1: Typical weather map showing regions of high pressure (H), low pressure (L) and isobars

Wind Strength

The air moves from higher to lower pressure. The more closely packed the isobars on a weather map or the greater the difference between the high and low pressures the steeper the pressure gradient and the stronger the wind.

Wind Direction

Because of the rotation of the earth, wind does not go in a straight line down the gradient of pressure (line “A”, Fig. 3), but spirals out of high pressure regions and into the low pressure regions (Line “B”, Fig. 3). At our latitude the wind blows so as to keep Low pressure on its Left. As a result, the following rule applies in the Northern Hemisphere:

Fig. 3 Winds moving within and between highs and lows. (A = gradient of pressure; B = path of net air movement; g = gradient wind; s = surface wind)

If the wind were not deflected by surface effects then its direction at any one point approaches being parallel to the isobar that goes through that point. This is the gradient wind and this is what would be observed if the wind blew unimpeded over smooth terrain.

Over land or water, friction with the rougher surface causes surface wind to be slower than gradient wind and to differ in direction (Fig. 3). Surface wind blows in a direction so as to cross isobars towards the low pressure. The angle between surface wind and gradient wind varies directly with the degree of friction between wind and earth surface. It is 10 to 15 degrees over a large body of water and up to 45 degrees over land. This difference between gradient wind and surface wind is used in the Crossed Winds Rules to predict weather changes.

Of the three, Rule #5 is the most important because it foretells deterioration in the present weather system. To use it correctly, you must stand with your back to the true surface wind and not some wind that has been deflected by buildings or trees. The most effective way, if low cloud-like cumulus (Fig. 2 C) is about, is to watch how it moves and use that as a guide for measuring the direction of the surface wind. You must also be able to tell high cloud from low cloud. Cirrus clouds (Fig. 4) are high clouds, made of ice crystals. They tend to move slowly and it is easier to gage their sped if you stand under some natural grid like the branches of a tree, a TV antenna or utility wires.

Fig. 4 Cirrus. Good weather if winds from W, NW to N. Precipitation likely within 20 to 30 hours if winds steady from NE, E to S.

When you have determined the relative directions of surface and gradient winds, making a forecast using Rules #5 to #7 can be further helped by assessing the speed at which the high clouds move and their individual conformation.

Unexpected changes in the intensity of weather systems are more difficult to anticipate. The real surprise is the appearance of a storm that wasn’t forecast at all. In summer, these often take the form of squall lines that move out ahead of cold fronts. Watch for a line of low, dark clouds. Such squall lines move very quickly and often will arrive only minutes after becoming visible amongst the general haze.

No two weather systems are exactly alike, which is what makes weather forecasting both interesting and challenging. By paying careful attention to the type of system that the forecasters expect to influence your weather you may be able to anticipate the unexpected.

Additional Reference Sources

1. Watts, Alan, Instant Wind Forecasting. Adlard Coles, London, 1989
2. Rubin, L.D. and J. Duncan, The Weather Wizard’s Cloud Book. Algonquin Books, Chapel Hill, 1989.
3. Environment Canada; Great Lakes Marine Weather Guide. Ministry of Supplies and Services, Canada, 1992
4. www.cmc.doe.ca/indexe.html

Congratulations

…to Fran and Ross King. Laura Stephanie, a sister to John Ross, has arrived.

1997 Toronto Friday Race Schedule

Date	Host Club	Location
May 2	Mooredale	Outer Harbour
May 9	St. Jamestown	Outer Harbour
May 16	OHCC	Outer Harbour
May 23	Mooredale	Outer Harbour
May 30	Westwood	Outer Harbour
June 6	Toronto Island	Inner Harbour
June 13	St. Jamestown	Outer Harbour
June 20	OHCC	Outer Harbour
June 27	Mooredale	Outer Harbour
July 4	OHCC	Outer Harbour
July 11	Toronto Island	Inner Harbour
July 18	St. Jamestown	Outer Harbour
July 25	Westwood	Outer Harbour
Aug 1	OHCC	Outer Harbour
Aug 8	Mooredale	Outer Harbour
Aug 15	Westwood	Outer Harbour
Aug 22	Toronto Island	Inner Harbour
Aug 29	Westwood	Outer Harbour
Sept 5	St. Jamestown	Outer Harbour

Friday Scoring: Will Lincoln (Mooredale) — (H) 416 759-6095, (W) 905 479-2434 x2603

1997 Albacore Regatta Schedule (as of 97/4/14)

Date		Event	Host Club	Location
March 11–14		Mid Winters	Sarasota Yacht Squadron	Sarasota, Florida
April 27		Spring Vice Regatta	Mooredale S.C.	Outer Harbour
May 25		Harbour Master 1–2	RCYC	Inner Harbour
May 31–Jun 1		TARTS & BALLS	TS&CC	Humber Bay
June 1	G	Peterborough Examiner	Peterborough S.C.	Clear Lake
June 8		Harbour Master 3–4	OHCC	Outer Harbour
June 14–15		RCYC Open	RCYC	Inner Harbour
June 21–22	G	Midland Walwyn	Nepean S.C.	Nepean
June 22		Harbour Master 5–6	Toronto Island S.C.	Inner Harbour
June 28–29		LSSA/Ontario Championship	RCYC	Toronto
June 29		Centennial Regatta	Peterborough S.C.	Clear Lake
July 5		OHCC Open	OHCC	Lake/Outer Harbour
July 6		Harbour Master 7–8	Mooredale S.C.	Outer Harbour
July 12		Women’s Helm	St. Jamestown S.C.	Outer Harbour
July 19–20	G	St. Jamestown Open	St. Jamestown S.C.	Outer Harbour
July 26		Westwood Open	Westwood S.C.	Outer Harbour
July 27		Harbour Master 9–10	Toronto Island S.C.	Inner Harbour
July 26 – Aug 1		World’s	British Albacore Assoc.	Hayling Isl., England
Aug 9		Mooredale Open	Mooredale S.C.	Lake/Outer Harbour
Aug 10		Harbour Master 11–12	Westwood S.C.	Outer Harbour
Aug 16	G	PABAR	Pointe au Baril S.C.	Georgian Bay
Aug 16		New Skipper’s Race	Westwood S.C.	Outer Harbour
Aug 23		Toronto Island Open	Toronto Island S.C.	Inner Harbour
Aug 24		Harbour Master 13–14	OHCC	Outer Harbour
Sept 6		Round the Island	St. Jamestown S.C.	Toronto
Sept 13–14		Fanfare ’97 (Area 10)	Nepean S.C.	Nepean
Sept 14		Harbour Master 15–16	St. Jamestown S.C.	Outer Harbour
Sept 19–21		Canadians’	Royal Hamilton Y.C.	Hamilton
Sept 28		Fall Vice Regatta	Mooredale S.C.	Outer Harbour

G = Races designated for Gooderham Series.
The Gooderham Trophy was established in the memory of Bill Gooderham to encourage Albacore sailors to travel to regattas across Ontario, and is awarded annually to the helmsperson who achieves the best result in the series.

Harbour Master Scoring/Admin: Ian Aukema — (Ph.) 416 225-3108 (Fax) 905 851-6460

Notice of Regatta — 1997 MidAtlantic Championship, May 17/18

United States Albacore Association

SPONSORED BY: ALBACORE FLEET 20; HUNTERDON SAILING CLUB, CLINTON, NJ

Entries: Entrant must be a member in good standing of a national Albacore association. Membership can be obtained at registration. Registrants must show a current measurement certification. Registration fee is $35 per boat if received before May 1, $40 thereafter. Add $5 if not a US Sailing member or a Canadian Association member.

Divisions: Entrants to select racing division, subject to Regatta-Committee approval. “A” division is for the more experienced skippers. “B” division is for novice skippers. Depending on the number of starters, there may be separate starts subject to Regatta Committee approval.

Schedule of Events

Saturday May 17
9:30–11:30	Registration
11:30	Skippers’ Meeting
12:00	First Race (of 3–5)
17:30	Pizza Party
Sunday May 18
10:00	First Race (of two planned) No race to begin after 14:00 hrs
14:00	Awards Presentations Lunch will be provided

Racing will be on Spruce Run Reservoir, a New Jersey State Park. No park entrance fee will be required. Arrangements have been made with park officials to store boats overnight at the park near the launch sites. Launching will be via concrete ramps or off the beach. Picnic lunches will be provided on May 18.

Housing

(Discounts may be available; Taxes are extra)

• Holiday Inn, Clinton (10 min; $96) 908 735 5111
• Holiday Inn, Bridgewater (25 min; $54) 908 526 9500
• Red Bull Inn, Bridgewater (25 min; $55) 908 722 4000
• Bel-Air, Flemington (25 min; $76) 908 782 7422

Camping

Excellent lakeside camping facilities are available at Spruce Run ($10/night). Reservations are required. Call Spruce Run State Park (908) 638-8572. They will fax the details.

Directions to Spruce Run

From West Take I-78 from eastern PA, cross into NJ and continue to Clinton, exiting at NJ Rt. #31 North. Spruce Run is approximately 3 miles north on your left. At the 3rd traffic light above the 31-78 intersection turn left onto Van Syckles Rd. (brown signs will indicate Spruce Run Recreational Area). Follow this road to the park entrance on your left. Go through the entrance and follow the signs left to the boat launch area. HSC is located on the far right of the boat storage area.

For Further Information

Art Mohan 908 526-8506 — Email: [email protected]

April 12 by the Toronto Waterfront

…and while the Beauties lay there sleeping…

…the Princes came

…and kissed them.

Club Poulet Scores El Vice

Toronto’s Albacore and social season opened April 27 with the Third Annual Vice Regatta. The Vice is now listed among CAA-sanctioned regattas and the event has, thereby, become the springtime equivalent of the Brazilian Ball, even in the eyes of J-town’s executive.

The regatta is traditionally run under the Etobicoke Virtual Scoring and Handicap system and features a unique choice of entry fees: $127 or 3 Exports to the race committee.

El Vice

Fifteen yachts, immaculately scuffed by winter tire marks and freshly gouged by crane grapple hooks, paraded to the Outer Harbour racecourse amid joyous shouts of, “We must be nuts!”

The wind was raw and from the East, 10–15 knots and provided energetic winter wake-ups for all. The water was so cold that the E. Coli had not yet returned from their Florida trailer parks. Morticians will soon line up to sponsor this event because any capsize promises to be a quick, clean cryo job.

Quickly: What’s worse, five minutes of Lake Ontario in April or Pat Maltby’s laugh?

Race Committee: John Gilchrist (left) and Barry Farrell

In spite of the brass monkey conditions on the RC boat, the committee of Barry Farrell and John Gilchrist, ably spelled by Tim Broughton and Steve Goode, ran 5 races over an intricate, reachless course. Peter Nurse was not amused. All starts were clean and there were no general recalls. Peter Vasoff was not amused. There was no shotgun. Peter Vasoff was not amused.

Carnage on the course

At the end there were prizes for all. The crowd loved the unveiling of the new, permanent first prize trophy, donated by a grateful Scarborough basement. It is known as El Vice and its tawdriness of concept is in perfect harmony with the motto of this season opener: Only first prize is tackier.

Tim Broughton and Steve Goode of Club Poulet posing for victory photo

Results of Vice

Position	Sail	Helm/Crew	Club	Points
1	7472	Broughton/Goode	MSC	7
2	7982	Gorton/Struthers	WSC	13.75
3	7479	Johnstone/Harrison	MSC	20
4	7942	Marin/Mehta	WSC	32
5	7474	Ackermann/Duff	MSC	33
6	7970	Nurse/Married to Claire	SJSC	33
7	7928	Doell/MacDonald	SJSC	36
8	7924	Balinsky/HisHoney	SJSC	39
9	6563	Broecker/Maltby	MSC	42
10	7923	Aukema/Not Married to Claire	SJSC	47
11	7931	Clarke/Collins	SJSC	50
12	7473	Revill/Birse	MSC	58
13	7967	Simpson/Klein	SJSC	58
14	6560	Cameron/Hogeboom	MSC	70
15	7929	Wallin/Melody	SJSC	72

Midland Walwyn One Design Regatta — Nepean Sailing Club, June 20–22, 1997

Test and tune your skills, and enjoy our social activities, at one of the major sailing regattas in eastern Ontario. Albacores and Fireballs will share the dinghy course at this well sponsored combined dinghy/keel-boat event.

Friday	registration BBQ (about $5) live entertainment
Saturday	registration free breakfast race… race… race… race spinnaker packing contests, prizes hip of beef dinner (about $15) live band, party
Sunday	free breakfast race… race… race awards
Fees	$25/dinghy

Information Contacts: NSC (613-829-6462, or web at www.nsc.ca), Phil Wilcox (613-763-3141, or e-mail [email protected])

Outer Harbour Centreboard Club — Albacore Regatta, July 5, 1997

• Registration: Outer Harbour at OHCC
• Races: On the lake, weather permitting.
• Cost: $50 per boat
  Includes: breakfast — coffee, juice, muffins… happy hour, dinner, prizes (for best cross-dresser)
• Lunch: Bring your own. Lunch is on the water.
• Extra Dinner: $15

Schedule

9:00 a.m.	Registration
10:00 a.m.	Skippers Meeting
11:00 a.m.	1st Race
	2nd Race to immediately follow first Race
(Lunch time to be determined by the Race Committee)
2:45 p.m.	3rd Race
	4th Race to follow 3rd Race, time permitting
4:45 p.m.	Cocktails
5:15 p.m.	Dinner
	Awards

All times are approximate and weather dependent. (If 4 races, best 3 to count, if 3 or less races, all to count.)

For more information call David Harris (416) 923-8416 ext. 22

1997 Toronto Harbour Master’s Series

The Harbour Master’s Series for Albacores began in 1978 to promote weekend racing. It was organized by three clubs located on the Toronto islands, The Royal Canadian Yacht Club, North Toronto Sailing Club and Westwood Sailing Club. The perpetual Trophy was donated by Captain John Mann, the Harbour Master of Toronto. Hence the name of the series. The series consists of 16 races (2 races, back-to-back on 8 Sundays).

1997 Organizing Clubs and Representatives

Club	Representative	Phone	Fax
Mooredale Sailing Club	Todd Johnstone	H: 416 485 3572	416 485 0873
Outer Harbour Centerboard Club	Zsolt Kecskemeti	H: 905 881 9995	416 482 5040
St. Jamestown Sailing Club	Ian Aukema	H: 416 225 3108	905 851 6460
The Royal Canadian Yacht Club	Rosemary Helmer	B: 416-964-8427	416 967 5412
Toronto Island Sailing Club	Christine Mehling	H: 416 516 9963	416 867 7495
Westwood Sailing Club	Dave Smith	B: 416 360 8211	n/a

Scorekeeper: Ian Aukema, St. Jamestown Sailing Club

Schedule of Races

Race No.	Date	Host Club	Location
1 & 2	May 25	RCYC	Toronto — Inner Harbour
3 & 4	June 8	OHCC	Toronto — Outer Harbour
5 & 6	June 22	TISC	Toronto — Inner Harbour
7 & 8	July 6	MSC	Toronto — Outer Harbour
9 & 10	July 27	TISC	Toronto — Inner Harbour
11 & 12	Aug. 10	WSC	Toronto — Outer Harbour
13 & 14	Aug. 24	OHCC	Toronto — Outer Harbour
15 & 16	Sept. 8	StJSC	Toronto — Outer Harbour

Awards & Prizes

• Weekly Prizes to Top Three Skippers and Crews for Individual Races
• Overall Series Champion — Harbour Master Trophy
• Participation Award — David Treissman Memorial Trophy

*1997 Prize Giving at Canadian Championships, Royal Hamilton Y.C. September 19–21.

Entries

• Any yacht which is a member of one of the organizing clubs or their National Albacore Association is eligible to participate in the Series.
• Members of MSC, OHCC, StJSC, TISC and WSC will have their fees paid by their clubs.
• Members of RCYC or any other Club must register their yachts and pay their $16.00 per boat series fees to “Rosemary Helmer — Harbour Master Treasurer”.
• Boats registered for the Series are eligible for full participation in the racing, awards and prizes. Completed registration forms with cheques are to be mailed to: 264 St. Clair Avenue West, Toronto, Ontario, M4V 1R7.

(The issue printed a fill-in registration form — name, boat number, address and contact numbers — here.)

Waiver of Liability

By participating in this Series of Races, I understand that I voluntarily assume and am knowledgeable of the risks of sailing and I assume sole responsibility for myself, my crew and the boat in which I sail. I agree to hold harmless and free of liability the organizing Clubs, their members, employees, officers and individuals appointed as volunteers for this Race Series and the Canadian or US Albacore Associations for any damage, material or personal, suffered by me and my crew during the racing or otherwise.

July 4th Weekend in Canada — A New Event in 1997

The Toronto Area Sailing Clubs invite Albacore Sailors from far and wide to enjoy a typical weekend of racing in the Outer Harbour.

This will include:

• Friday July 4th — Friday Night Race — 7 pm start with awards following at our local watering hole.
• Saturday July 5th — Outer Harbour Centreboard Club Regatta with dinner following — An All-day regatta with details to be announced
• Sunday July 6th — Harbour Master Race — 2 races back to back — Time TBA

Cost: Fee for OHCC Regatta (around $40 Cdn) plus food for the weekend and a token gift for your accommodation billeter.

This is a chance for our competitors from the US and Ottawa areas to experience some of our regular summer events. To keep costs down, we would like volunteers for billeting our guests. For volunteers for billeting or information about the regatta, please call Heather Wroldsen at (416) 481-8503.

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…and speaking of July 4th… United States Albacore Association 1997 Regatta Schedule

Date	Event	Location	Contact
May 17–18	Mid-Atlantics	Spruce Run, NJ	Art Mohan 908 526-8506
May 25	Memorial Day	Red Bank, NJ	Margaret Little 908 332 1575
June 7	Spring Fling	Red Bank, NJ	Margaret Little 908 332 1575
June 14–15	Kerr Dam Fun Daze	Kerr Dam, VA
July 6	Independence Day	Red Bank, NJ	Margaret Little 908 332 1575
July 12–13	Cambridge	Cambridge, MD	Yacht Club 410 228 2141
Aug 9–10	Fishing Bay	Fishing Bay, VA
Aug 30–31	West River	West River, VA
Aug 31	Labor Day	Red Bank, NJ	Margaret Little 908 332 1575
Sept 6–7	Leukemia Cup	Washington, DC
Sept 27	Tuna Bowl	Red Bank, NJ	Margaret Little 908 332 1575
Oct 11–13	US Nationals	Rehoboth, DE

Albacore Worlds, 1997

International Open Championships now approved as Albacore Worlds, 1997

Hayling Island Sailing Club

Sandy Point, Hayling Island, Hants PO11 9SL
Telephone Hayling Island (01 705) 463768
Fax (01 705) 469381

Once over the bridge, follow the road south to the seafront, turn left, continue along the seafront until the road takes a sharp turn left. Immediately after this, turn right into Southwood Road, continue along Southwood Road until you come to a telephone box on the left. Turn left just before this along Bosmere Road, turn right at the second junction into Sandy Point Road, then first left into Bracklesham Road. Continue on the same road until you reach the Club causeway.

Canadian sailors planning to go please get latest info on chartering, transporting, sailing and so on from Rosemary Helmer at 416 964 8427.

Local Accommodation List

(Telephone code 01705)

Hotels
Newtown House Hotel, Manor Road	466131
Cockle Warren, 36 Seafront	464961
The Rook Hollow, 84 Church Road	467080
Broad Oak Hotel	464205
Forte Posthouse Havant	465011
Guest Houses
Smugglers’ Haunt	466542
Waynflete Hotel, Seafront	462507
Bed & Breakfast
Mrs J Hooper, 30 Hollow Lane	463296
49 Wheatlands Avenue	468302
Xanadu, 7 Seagrove Avenue	466301
Patch Cottage, 15 Seagrove Avenue	465338
Mrs Day, 4 Southwood Road	464396
Mrs Vousden, 4a Southwood Road	465434
Mrs Coe, 15 Poplar Grove	467064
Mrs Clare, 28 Richmond Drive	464495
Colin Huggins, Tide Reach	467828
Pat & Norman Bunn, Sea Holly	462077

Self-catering and Camp Sites also available

Albacore World and U.K. National Championships 1997

International Albacore Association, National Albacore Association, Irish Albacore Sailing Association, Canadian Albacore Association, United States Albacore Association

26th July to 1st August, 1997, to be held under the Burgee of Hayling Island Sailing Club, Sandy Point, Hayling Island, Hants. PO11 9PQ. Entry Fee is £120.00. Late Entry Fee (after 26th June, 1997) £140.00. Cheques made payable to Hayling Island Sailing Club.

The entry form asks for sail number, boat name, owner, helm, crew, club, hull colour and make, national association (NAA, IASA, CAA, USAA), whether the boat is entered for the U.K. National and/or the World Championships, the number of people in the party, and a certification that the boat is insured to a minimum Third Party Liability of one million pounds and that the Helm and Crew will abide by the Rules of the Championships and the Bye Laws of Hayling Island Sailing Club.

For the UK National Championships a boat may be eligible for:

• Helensburgh Trophy (most improved helmsman’s performance compared with best previous Nationals’ result)
• Under 21 Cup (Helm under 21 years)
• Swansea Bay Trophy (Crew are Husband and Wife)
• Thorpe Bay Trophy (Helm is over 45 years)
• Armed Services Trophy (Helm is a U.K. Serviceman)
• Local Helmsman’s Trophy (Helm is a member of a Club within 15 miles of Hayling Island Sailing Club)
• Lady Helmsman’s Trophy (Lady Helmsman)
• The Scotsman Trophy (Helm is a member of a Scottish Club)
• Digby Trailers Trophy (First boat under 2000)
• Graham Ebbon Trophy (First boat between number 2000–6000)
• Chairman’s Goblet (Helm and Crew’s joint age over 90 years)
• Wolfe Memorial Trophy (Helm over 60 years)
• President’s Open Handicap Trophy (Please state whether Fairey or Fairey-derived hull — e.g. Rondar, Omega, Linton, Fosrite or similar or other — e.g. Young post 6000, Woof, Kingsfield etc.)

If entering prior to Championships, the form is to be returned to: Hon. Sailing Secretary, Hayling Island Sailing Club, Sandy Point, Hayling Island, Hants, United Kingdom, PO11 9PQ, marked “Albacore Championships”.

I.A.S.A., C.A.A. and U.S.A.A. members may pay at Hayling Island without late entry fees, provided entry forms are received in the U.K. before 26th June, 1997.

Competitors entering and paying prior to 26th May, 1997 are eligible to enter into the Half Entry Fee Prize Draw.

Notice of Race — St. James Town Albacore Open and Laser Regatta

“Return of the Klingers”
&
J-town’s 30th Birthday Party

Date:	Saturday, July 19 and Sunday July 20, 1997
Place:	St. James Town Sailing Club (Regatta Rd. off Unwin Ave., Toronto, Ont.); Toronto Outer Harbour
Registration:	Fri., July 18/97 9:30–10:30 pm Friday night Community Club Pub (“C’est What”) Sat., July 19/97 9:00–10:00 am St. James Town Sailing Club
Entry Fee:	Albacore $65.00/boat Laser $30.00/boat (Limit 20 Lasers)

Entry Fees Include: A minimum of five races will be scheduled, one drop (all races count if fewer then five races are sailed). Two continental breakfasts, two lunches, a supper and J-Town’s 30th Birthday Party (Additional supper/party tickets available for non-racers).

Prizes: Albacores — “Klingers” Top three boats overall (skipper & crew) and top three J-Town boats (skipper & crew). Ribbons 1st.–5th. place each race. Lasers — Laser awards Top 3 boats. Ribbons 1st.–5th. place each race.

Questions? Ian Aukema (416) 225-3108 (H); (905) 851-3910 ext. 350 (W)
Club House: (416) 466-3421

Buoyancy Test

• Submerge each tank for at least 5 minutes.
• After such an immersion test, each tank shall contain no more than 0.5 liter (2 cups) of water.

Beast for Sale

Why sail a copy cat when you can have the original?

Woof-made wooden Albacore, KC6660 (Beast of Burden) is currently looking for a new home. She comes with more than five sets of North sails, trailer with dolly and absolutely fully racing-equipped.

If you are interested, please call Joseph Li at 905 883 4454 or E-mail to [email protected].