Fall 2008

Message from the Commodore

Hey Sailors!

All four of the Outer Harbour clubs have already had their regattas…must be August!! And what a season it has been…besides the cancellation of three Friday night races, which I mentioned in my last article, we have had bad weather for the regatta season. We started with only one race on the lake for OHCC, two races at the Westwood regatta (before a big storm rolled in), four races sailed at the JTown regatta (after waiting all morning for the fog to clear) and only three races at the Mooredale regatta (before a terrific electrical storm passed over, putting an end to racing). Of course none of these weather problems dampen the spirit of the sailors especially at the Mooredale party which was dubbed “Moorestock” for the amount of mud. I think Mother nature is keeping all the wind for the Canadians Regatta!!

The last two months have seen two separate race training clinics organized again by Michelle Arnot. First there was Racing 101, lead by Henry Pedro and Barrie Farrell, and Women on the Water lead by me. Both were sold out almost immediately and both received rave reviews from the attendees. We most certainly will plan something specifically to train for the Internationals next year in Largs, Scotland.

Coming up on September 19, 20, 21, will be the Canadians Regatta in Kingston, Ontario. Kevin Soldaat has been working hard and energetically to make this event a success, but you have to attend to know for sure. More information is posted on our website, www.albacore.ca

On another sad note a recent, but enthusiastic, newcomer, Kevin Crowley, passed away on August 12, 2008. He was a member of OHCC, sailing AL7957. He will be fondly remembered as a gentle soul, with a great smile and a fun little chuckle. I hope to see him at that race course in the sky.

I'm off to Shelburne, with a mighty crew to sail the first ever East Coast Championships. There are eleven teams attending from Toronto and Ottawa. I'm looking forward to the change and some salt water in my hair. Speaking of change, this will be my last message as I am retiring from the Commodore position this fall. It has been so gratifying to see the effect of the work that this executive has done. It has been a pleasure to work with everyone and to implement a few changes which have had a significant impact. I hope others will step forward with the same zeal and belief that you can make a difference!

Now where did my trailer hitch go????

Teresa Miolla, Commodore Canadian Albacore Association

Report from the 2008 Ontario Sailing Championships

The 2008 Ontario Albacore Championships took place on the tea-coloured waters of Lac Deschenes, in the quiet little suburb of Nepean, Ontario. Happening at the same time as the Nepean One Design regatta, the Ontarios attracted 22 Albacores from both Canada and the US – the largest fleet in attendance.

The sunny Saturday of the weekend regatta opened up with very little wind. The optimistic race committee waited until 1pm before firing the three guns, and then tragedy struck. Knowing that the blender drinks would only last a few hours, the blender committee decided to wait until 3pm to start, so the fleet had to rely on local generosity to get through the dry hours. But at 3pm, the fruit and rum were busted out, and then an impromptu Bic regatta broke out right off the docks of NSC. The racers used the channel markers as race marks, and brought great amusement to everyone but the keel boaters who were trying to enter and exit the marina. Although Ralph Glass was declared the winner of the day, a protest is pending as Richard Piercey suffered several unintentional dumps at the hands of his better half, Allan Measor. The allegation is that Piercey made the tactical mistake of sailing too close to the Nepean docks where Measor was able to grab the hull and put Piercey in, several times. Measor's position is that Piercey was doing plenty of dumping without Measor's interference and would have been DFL anyway.

The powers that be were merciful, and on Sunday there was sun and breeze. At 10am, the first of five relatively short races started. There wasn't enough breeze to put anyone on his or her ear, but during the beats most bums didn't find their ways onto the gunnels. Being shorter races, everyone agreed afterwards that missing a shift had a pretty dramatic effect on one's standing.

Consistency was the dominant theme of the regatta, with the young teams (and relative newcomers to the fleet) of Sarah Bury and Kyla Brown, Dave Provan and Christine Short, and Allan Measor and Richard Piercey, placing high in almost every race. The veterans of the fleet, like Warner Monteiro and Sonya McAuley, also demonstrated some solid sailing. Fresh off his victory at the RCYC regatta in Toronto the weekend before, Barney Harris won the Ontarios in 8122, the little boat he made (mostly) with his own two hands. Due to a freak accident, yours truly wound up with a horseshoe up her butt a few days before the Ontarios, and had the honour of holding 8122's jib sheets (and ruining Barney's dastardly plan to have an all-American team win the Ontarios). Sadly, everyone was too tired to hold day two of the Bic regatta.

On behalf of the participants, I'd like to thank the excellent Race Committee at Nepean Sailing Club for running such a great event, with special kudos to Van Sheppard, who, even though he isn't sailing in the fleet, is still doing a great job of keeping it alive and kicking.

Full results can be viewed here: http://nsc.ca/nsc_racing/nod/nod-results.htm

Cheers,
Stephanie
(who usually sails with the other Harris)

Racing 101

On June 28th and June 29th, fourteen eager teams of sailors converged on the Outer Harbour to brush up on racing technique. The course, aptly called “Racing 101”, was the brainchild of Michelle Arnot who is in charge of training activities for the Canadian Albacore Association.

Threatening skies loomed on Saturday as Barrie Farrell and I, the instructors, talked about boat positioning and start line tactics– picking the favoured end of the line, timing the perfect start, starting successfully from the committee boat side, the pin end, and mid line. The participants were split into two groups. I took one group into the parking lot for a land based start-line drill: the participants “pretended” to be sailboats. The rules were simple: you were on “port” or “starboard” (indicated by one arm stuck out behind your back symbolizing a boom) and you couldn't go directly “upwind”, have massive bursts of speed nor stop dead. (Sailboats never really stop.) Sounds simple yet most of the “fleet” were over early! After a few tries, the group began to get the hang of things and it got quite competitive. Of course, there were a few priceless stares from passing drivers!

While the parking lot shenanigans were progressing, Barrie had his group riveted to the chalkboard with mark rounding tactics. Barrie covered things like inside overlap, the ideal approach, bail-out tactics, and the notorious and challenging port-layline approach. Discussions that bring up the Racing Rules of Sailing tend to get rowdy and this was no exception. There definitely was some pent-up competitive spirit on display!

After exchanging groups, we took a break to enjoy the delicious lunch Michelle had prepared. Meanwhile, the weather was clearing up and a fine breeze freshened in from the south west. We drew race courses on the board and two groups were formed on the water to practice start line tactics. The line bias was changed from time to time and 10 or 12 rapid fire starts were put together to get everyone warmed up. Next, a few short races were held to practice mark rounding skills along with starting line tactics. As it was on shore, so it was on the water. At first the teams were tentative and misjudged the start line, but then produced tight and close starts. Things got even more competitive during the two-leg races (to the windward mark and back). There were heated discussions at the one and only mark rounding of each mini-race.

Day Two also started with wet conditions and little wind but everyone was in good spirits. Group instruction started with basic sail trim and evolved into advanced sail trim. This was not the our intent, but everyone was eager for more so we spoke about jib sets, leech tension, pre-bend, vang adjustments, fullness and flatness, how different sail cuts affect sail setting, and on and on. After lunch discussions turned to roll tacking techniques. This discussion didn't last long because skies cleared and the wind filled to six – eight knots. Perfect for roll tacking practice. The teams were asked to tack-to-order until they reached the Eastern Gap where they turned around and then gybed-to-order. Some competitive races were then set up. By this point everyone was ready for some healthy competition and there were close starts and healthy amounts of “discussion” at the mark roundings.

Ashore, the teams were tired, but happy to have been sailing. We debriefed and further rules discussion ensued. Who knew that such apparent importance was placed on the rulebook during these training sessions?

It was obvious that most, if not all the participants left Racing101 better racers than when they arrived.

The Racing 101 course provided by the CAA was a wonderful experience to learn from highly knowledgeable seasoned racers. The instruction provided by Henry and Pedro was simply superb! The course focused on supplying new racers with the basic skills, knowledge and techniques that they can use to build their own racing career. I hope the CAA continues to keep valuable courses like these available. Racing 101 was an amazing opportunity considering what I got in exchange for one weekend of time and an extremely small fee. Ian Mills

Report on Largs, Scotland – 2009 Albacore Internationals Venue

Barney Harris – USA 8122, 6701, 8124 (soon)

I visited Largs, Scotland on July 16-17, 2008 to scope it out and sailed there for the Scottish and European Championships on August 9-10. This will be approximately the same week as the world championships. While there I went to the Largs Sailing Club and met with Mr. Dave Kent of the Scottish Sailing Institute. Here is a report of my observations.

Facility: The club is built on reclaimed land created from the spoil removed to create the marina during the 1980s. It is one of four centers of excellence in the UK for sailing.

Launch Ramps: Two launch ramps exist. The club has a launch ramp suitable to simultaneously launch 4 boats and another that is good for one boat to the north. Dave says that the current plan is for the smaller ramp to be replaced / enlarged next year.

Car Parking: Good news and bad – first, there is PLENTY of automobile parking on site and near the boat storage areas. I suppose the bad news is that all accommodations are located a mile or more to the north and so a car will be necessary for all but those who enjoy long walks in the morning.

Container Parking: PLENTY of room for container parking during the entire week. Allows us to keep spare masts, etc nearby, within walking distance and there will be no need to trans trailer the boats from the container to the launch area as we had to do at Lyme.

Container Off load / Load: The facility has a large crane on site can easily lift the container on/off a trailer. I suspect there would be a charge for this service but it will no doubt be less than bringing in this capability.

Boat Parking: There are several parking lots convenient to or adjacent to the launch ramps. Dave said that the dinghy storage area to the north of the club house may be cleared to provide additional parking.

Boat Washdown: The larger ramp has a fresh water hose available where it connects to the boat storage area. More convenient than Looe where one had to obtain buckets of fresh water from the public bathrooms and then manually sponge the boats clean!

Chandlery: There is a nice chandlery on site with various dinghy supplies, clothing, fittings, fasteners, and other gear. The prices, when considering the exchange rate, are roughly 2-3 times what one would pay for similar stuff in North America, so it would be best to bring plenty of spares and only rely on local suppliers for unusual emergencies.

Sail Repair: A sail maker is on site and located a short walk from the club and launching areas.

Food: There are several small coffee and sandwich joints on the grounds. The clubhouse is equipped with showers and locker rooms below and offices and a nice banquet facility on top. A deck has commanding views of the sailing area and marina. A beer costs 3.3 UK Pounds – a touch pricey.

Report on Largs, Scotland (continued)

Race Management: Largs is one of four UK / RYA designated centers of excellence for yacht racing. They are planning to supply one course RC for the 2012 Olympics. They have worked hard to develop the infrastructure and management to conduct large events and have hosted several with 300 to 500 boats in multiple fleets spread across the sailing area.

Race Area: Will be to the north of Great Cumbrae Island for most conditions. In extreme wind conditions they have operated between the island and the mainland.

Water Depth: Is way more than an Albacore mast height in depth so no chance of a mast in the mud event. The water is quite chilly – way colder than the Potomac river this time of the year. Hah!

Tides: Tides range to 3 meters or so, somewhat less than other sites in the UK but far greater than those most North American sailors are used to.

Wind: I have heard different things with respect to wind. The two days I was in Largs the breeze seemed to build each day. The first day was pretty nice with solid white caps. The short fetch prevented large waves. The second day started light but built to moderate pressure by mid afternoon.

Weather: Temperatures varied with cloud cover. I wore a light jacket the two days I was there. It rained a bit but not continuously – not unlike any UK venue.

Accomodation: There are a plethora of B&Bs, a few hotels, and some dorm type rooming houses nearby. Parking can be an issue in the town and while there are a few car parks, they do not permit overnight parking and the cost is 2 BP/day. It's a good idea to obtain housing that has on site parking. One night I stayed at the Brisbane hotel – 75 pounds per night with a crummy breakfast. For the Scottish Championships I stayed at the Biscayne House B&B for 25 pounds / person. Not a bad breakfast but I just cannot stomach haggis that early in the morning!

Internet: There are not a plethora of internet ready coffee houses or other places – in fact I found NO places with free open access internet. Some of the B&Bs and hotels offer this as a service to guests. The B&B we stayed at charged one pound for internet access.

Distance to Airport: Largs is around a 45 min ride from Glasgow International. It's a pretty easy drive with all but the last bit being on limited access highway. There is another airport called Prestwick or something but I could not find any flights that landed there.

Useful Links: www.scottishsailinginstitute.com   http://www.largsonline.co.uk/largsonewaccomm.html

Summary: So it looks like we will need cars but there is plenty of parking at the club. The optimal deal will be to have a car and housing near the town center so that after carousing one can simply walk home. I am excited about this venue – the locals were very friendly, the sailing will be interesting and challenging, boat transportation and handling will be convenient and uncomplicated. I can't wait to get there!

Barney

More photos, photos, photos!

Local Map. LSC is at the bottom end.

Largs, Scotland – Aerial View of LSC and Surrounding Facilities (supplied by the SSI).

East Coast Albacore Championships

August 22nd – 24th, 2008.

Cub reporters Cathyann White and Ralph Glass at the Shelburne Harbour Yacht Club. In the spirit of the month: higher, faster, shiftier, lobster. Festivities began with the "Come from Aways" joining the Shelburne Albacore Friday Night Series.

Si's (Sailing Instructions): racing to take place directly in front of the beautiful clubhouse and the waterfront bars and restaurants for maximum spectator participation. Race committee runs the race from the upper deck of yacht club.

Wind: south west heading from the ocean directly up the middle of the bay which is less than a mile wide. Therefore, Si'. Reaching start - transiting across two red poles mounted on the clubhouse deck and the dock; the start gate on the water was indicated by two yellow balls. Sail on reach to mark # 1 (red buoy) and take it to starboard. Reach back to mark #2 (green buoy), take it to starboard. Reach down the bay to red mark #3 and take it to port and reach back up the bay to mark#4 and take it to port. Repeat for about 40 minutes. A series of short blasts to indicate impending finish so proceed to nearest next mark and line that up with the red transit poles and that is the finish line. Twenty three boat results posted on the website.

(www.shelburneharbouryachtclub.com) Lovely homemade chowder followed at clubhouse.

Regatta took place over two days with a total of six races completed. For these days more traditional courses were set approximately one mile out in the bay. All races completed in varying conditions of 3-10 knots. The fleet was colourful and friendly and the RC helpful and excellent. All competitors felt very welcome!

Many local competitors in this fleet of newly purchased albacores. These boats, purchased from the Canadian military and spirited by Wayne King, have been lovingly reconditioned with the support of local sponsors, lots of sanding and no Fogh Marine in sight. Each Shelburne Albacore sports a unique colour reminiscent of vibrant architecture seen up and down the coast. Each Albacore also has a clever name, often fancy graphic embellishments (Canadian flag) and sometimes matching sailor outfits- Touche and Squeezed Lime Race Colours.

East Coast Albacore Championships (continued)

Geographical anomalies included some current (maybe) although the jury is out and windsheer off of the Fish Pens. Continuing obstructions included a 250 foot trawler standing six stories high, apparently a breaching whale in the distance and one cheeky seal.

Competitors and locals alike were treated to a Pig Roast Saturday night plus local music on the deck - some heel kicking dancing and of course a kitchen party! Guess the Toronto folks will host another Lobsterfeast when they come our way…. A large breakfast, prepared by volunteers, on Sunday.

Final results: congratulations go out to first place finishers Pasquale Leone and Barney Harris (in Pasquale's boat), Sonja McAuley and Warner (Monty) Monteiro in second (nosed out only barely) and in third, Joanna and Robert Bartlewski (the Bartskis).

Many of the “Come from Aways” were graciously billeted in homes, on the Committee Boat, and in at least one case - a riverside palace. Others opted to camp in the serene campgrounds across the bay.

Sunny skies right up until boat packing time and warm salt water prevailed. Race Chair Guy Tipton and his team of volunteers hosted an excellent event that was their first ever and we hope will become a well attended annual destination for racers in the fleet. We also appealed to the crowd to join us at the Canadians in Kingston, US Nationals etc so we can return the hospitality.

In all, it was a great three days with inspiring enthusiasm from the newest additions to the Albacore Class Racing family. Welcome aboard Shelburne, thank you very much and Fare thee well!

Particular thanks go to: Debbie, Wayne, Jenn and Matt King; Rhonda and Mark Hennebery; Ed Preston, Sr. and Ed Preston, Jr. (the Eds); Sherri and Ken Taylor (Head of Social Committee, Commodore, owners of Committee Boat); Dave and Annette Williams (photographs and heel kicking music), Emily and Guy Tipton (organizer, race chair and Shelburne website uploads), Gerry Dunphy (yacht club go-to-guy); Mary Jane and Rick Brackett (pig roast organizers).

Photographs for this article courtesy of Dave Williams, Barney Harris and Jelena Balic

Shelburne, Nova Scotia

Women on the Water Workshop

The final training session for the season was once smiled on by the wind gods. It included a full day of sailing, laughing and good food- nothing but the best for the Women on the Water Workshop. The all day event was a one-on-one mentoring workshop headed up by our very own CAA Commodore, Teresa Miolla. We started in the sunshine with yoga and strength exercises and then moved indoors to get the low down on gear. The wind picked up mid-morning and was steady during the figure 8 drill in which passerby's could hear a cacophony of “STARBOARD”. After practicing our “on-water communication”, we worked on tacking and gybing on the whistle…and the whistle came swiftly at times. It rained briefly during lunch, but cleared and brought in some heavier (and trickier) wind in the afternoon. Hove-to, start-line tactics, and a few practice races were the order for the afternoon. I participated in this workshop as a “mentee”, and it was a great experience to sail with Ann Savege. Her comfort and ease in the boat, as well as some convincing reminders, has resulted in great improvements in my sailing…and with Teresa cheering on “Confident” reminders from the support boat, all the participants and mentors left the water feeling upbeat. The workshop debrief, with video footage, was followed by a great meal. It is important to note that this mentoring workshop would not have been a success without the outstanding volunteer participation from our TEN mentors. I know I truly speak for the participants with a big THANK YOU to all of them. I am still getting emails and comments from our “mentee” participants about the positive and fabulous learning experience.

Good luck at Canadians everyone- hopefully some of the knowledge gained from this season's training workshops will pay off. See you on the water!

Dear Albie:

I was wondering, what piece of sailing equipment or gear you can't live without? Time to Shop

Dear TiSh: …um…the sail??!!–Chris Lambert…. My custom fabricated fibreglass beer holders– Scott Snyder…. Ratchet blocks– Cathyann White…. Yes, ratchet blocks, and my Seal Skin gloves and hiking pants and…. –Christine Short…. Full fingered gloves for sensitive hands. SPF30 for sensitive head– Mr. Sensitive…. My Visa card, it's cross sport compatible– Randee Benson…. Kaenon Rhino sunglasses– JJ Hall…. Bottles of water (and a wetsuit with a zipper in the appropriate place!)–Jason McVeigh…. Incontinence pants– Phil Burchinshaw…. David Harris– Stephanie Mah…. Elvstromm bailers– Chris Michlik…. My life jacket, especially considering the amount of time spent in the water this year– Michelle Arnot…. My crew, it's very hard to win a race single handed–Teresa Miolla…. Teamwork– Pasquale Leone…. Stopwatch, it will make or break a start– Rob Koci…. My sailing booties. I HATE wet feet–Janet Duff…. Dotan Rudder. No more dunking your arm in the water to get rid of weeds– Lisa Philpott

Sketch courtesy of Tannis Baker

2008 Canadian Albacore Association Executive

Canadian Albacore Association
47A Harbour Square, P.O. Box 81085
Toronto, ON M5J 2V3
www.albacore.ca