Pictures Of The Storm And Racing In FBYC's 73rd Annual One Design Regatta Last Weekend.

Heading out to the Chesapeake Bay to race on Saturday morning.
(photo by Diane Cook-Tench on yougogirl with Dwight Timm)

The scene at FBYC's dock just after we got to shore.
(photo by Diane Cook-Tench)

Flying Scots were tossed upside down and about a 1/3 of the 112
 boats were caught out in the storm.  (photo by Diane Cook-Tench)

People raced to help one another get all racers and
boats back in.  (photo by Diane Cook-Tench)

FBYC's volunteer crews were great, rushing out on motor boats to
help the people on Flying Scot and the Juniors. (photo by Diane Cook-Tench)

There wasn't much time before the storm was going
to worsen. (photo by Diane Cook-Tench)

The crews manning the tractors continued to work for
driving rain for hours. (photo by Diane Cook-Tench)

(photo by Diane Cook-Tench)

(photo by Diane Cook-Tench)

(photo by Diane Cook-Tench)

(photo by Diane Cook-Tench)

(photo by Diane Cook-Tench)

(photo by Diane Cook-Tench)

FBYC's Jackson Creek docks after the worst of the
storm had passed. (photo by Diane Cook-Tench)

The rains started to pick up and we couldn't see much of anything
while the FBYC crews continued to haul the boats out into the night.
(photo by Diane Cook-Tench)

RRYC's Scott Vail, his wife Kimberly, and son John enjoy
dinner with us while Scott tries out a new red wig.
(photo by Diane Cook-Tench)

The Chris Stanley Band had originally set up under the outdoor tent.
We saw them pouring water out of their guitar cases before resetting
everything up inside and giving us a great performance.
(photo by Diane Cook-Tench)

Heading out to the Chesapeake Bay to race Sunday morning.
(photo by Diane Cook-Tench on yougogirl with Dwight Timm)

It Was Wild And Wooly Racing!

The view driving up to FBYC as I was dropping my crew mate
Dwight Timm off at 7AM Monday morning to bring yougogirl
back to RRYC. (shot by Diane Cook-Tench)

Now that I've gotten the important final results out, I want to post some of the details of racing in Fishing Bay Yacht Club's 73rd Annual One Design Regatta.  Saturday, Dwight and I got ashore just as the storm was breaking and I managed to get some great shots of the wild action on Saturday as people raced to help those overturned by the wind.  Most of the junior fleets were caught out on the water, along with about a third of the 112 boats racing.

Here's the press release that I did manage to send out to meet the Rappahannock Record deadline this week for Thursday's paper so if you're local, be sure to pick up a copy tonight or tomorrow.

IRVINGTON, VA, August 14, 2012 – Last week, the Rappahannock River Yacht Club’s Typhoon sailors traveled to Fishing Bay Yacht Club’s 73rd annual One Design Regatta. “Just getting there Friday morning was a bit sporting at times with winds clocked between 15 and 22 knots once we reached the Bay” said Dwight Timm. 

Saturday, the winds picked up as over 120 boats, including large junior fleets set out to race. “As we neared the starting line of the first race, a pin dropped down on the deck. Seconds later the boom swung out of the mast itself and we were off,” said Diane Cook-Tench. “Our main sail was already reefed so we had to leave it that way and race with just our Genoa.” “The boom was swinging around and it was crazy fun - we still managed to beat a couple of other top competitors.” “Before the next race, Dwight Timm lashed our boom to the main with rope and we were able to compete with a full main.”

“The winds grew stronger during the second race. “We were keeled over so much that I couldn’t see anything but the telltales on the Genoa.” “Dwight Timm handled the main sail and navigation, making sure that we didn’t hit other boats on the course,” said Cook-Tench. “At the leeward mark on the second race, we narrowly avoided a collision when a boat from another fleet lost its rudder, coming to within two inches of us,” stated Dwight Timm. The third race was quickly cancelled as heavy winds and a storm front arrived fast catching many sailors out on the water. Volunteers scrambled for hours, working to upright boats that had turned over out in the water and bring everyone ashore safely. Luckily, racers later enjoyed a great pulled-pork barbecue 

dinner, shared tall tales and dance to live music by the Chris Stanley Band. 

Day two brought beautiful weather and good wind for racing. The Fishing Bay volunteers and the PRO Rick Klein did a remarkable job throughout the entire weekend. On Sunday, there were able to fit in four races, making up for Saturday’s rough weather. With six races completed, the low scoring race is tossed out, helping to raise everyone’s final score. 

Irvington winners Frank Birdsall, Tom Richardson and daughter Hannah Richardson had a clear lead and won First Place. Second - Fifth Place racers were close, just a couple of points separated the rest of the field. Gary Hooper and Mike Kennedy took Second Place with Chuck Carmichael finishing in Third Place. While area 

Typhoon racers used to jokingly call the annual Spring and Fall Typhoon Races the “Crockett Cup” because these brothers were so hard to beat, they’re facing more and new competition these days. “Competition is certainly heating up and we’re happy to have more sailors to compete with in all the races. It’s great fun,” said Typhoon Fleet Captain Ned Crockett. (Having noted the winners, it’s also important to note that every Typhoon racer in FBYC’s One Design was a member of RRYC’s club. They report that FBYC sailors couldn’t have been friendlier.) 

For full details go to http://www.fbyc.net/Events/2012/08.11.onedesign/FR-SJ-Typhoon%20Final%20Standings.html

Competitive club racing continues this coming weekend. “We tore a 3 ft. hole in our brand new Genoa sail in heavy winds on the first day. The shackle on the bow holding the Genoa broke, too. But, yougogirl will be repaired and ready to take on all racers August 18 and 19th when the Rappahannock Yacht Club hosts its new One Design and Junior Invitational Regatta,” said Dwight Timm. 

“Information and registration for the new one design regatta are posted on the Club’s home page, www.rryc.org” said Debbie Cycotte. “The regatta is open to the following classes: Flying Scot, Typhoon, Laser Radial, Club 420 (Non- Spinnaker), Sunfish and Optimist Dinghy (Red, Blue, White and Green Fleets).” “Additional classes may be added at the discretion of RRYC. Classes with 5 or more boats entered will be given individual starts.”

“We are also expecting participants from FBYC, WRYC and ICYCC and hopefully from some other Chesapeake Bay yacht clubs,” said RRYC’s Junior Sailing Director, Bo Bragg. “Arabella Denvir’s terrific work with our young sailors in her Premier Sailing classes is really making a difference in both the ability and number of junior racers in the Club’s fleet.” “Our junior program continues to grow, with over 60 boats competing in the last Club invitational, hosted earlier this summer.”

RRYC Typhoon Racers Win Top Awards At FBYC's 73rd Annual One Design Regatta

FBYC's great crew of volunteers worked tirelessly
to bring in boats after the racing concluded Sunday afternoon.

Well, instead of live blogging from the regatta last weekend, how about late blogging.  It was a wild and woolly weekend with no way to do more than race through the winds on Saturday while trying to control my boat yougogirl with the able help of Dwight Timm.  I returned from a very full weekend of racing and awards at about 10:30PM Sunday to find lots of real advertising and marketing work to swamp me in Irvington.  It's 5:30AM and I'm feeling too guilty about my lack of posting to sleep.  Here's the scoop on what was a very exciting, competitive weekend.
Fishing Bay Yacht Club's 73rd Annual One Design Regatta attracted 120 boats, some chose to pull out due to the heavy winds Saturday.  Many of you have already seen Lin McCarthy's Southern Bay Racing News You Can Use.  Please note that RRYC's member Frank Birdsall, a mere 82, won first place with his RRYC crew mates Tom Richardson and Tom's daughter Hannah Richardson age 15.  They're all terrific racers.  Hannah was registered to race in the Laser Fleet but made the smart decision to pull out and join the Typhoon racers after learning the weather report.
Not mentioned in the SB Racing News report are the second and third place winners in each category.  In the Typhoon racing, RRYC club member Gary Hooper and his crew mate Mike Kennedy narrowly took second from RYYC member Chuck Carmichael who narrowly beat out RRYC's Ned and Stan Crockett and yours truly racing with Dwight Timm.

Here's its Monday morning recap:

Southern Bay Racing News You Can Use   # 603

SBRNYCU is an independent weekly publication of southern Chesapeake Bay racing happenings. Founded in April, 2000.

73rd ANNUAL ONE-DESIGN REGATTA at Fishing Bay Yacht Club experienced
thunderstorms and heavy rain on Saturday afternoon, but yesterday
brought a gentle 5-8 from the North.  The 112 boat regatta raced on
four courses including a special Optimist course for 17 youngsters.
The San Juan 21 fleet of 14 boats was sailing for the class (East
Coast) National Championship. Branin Thorn won the spinnaker group
title and Mike Evans the working sails group for 2012.  John Aras
sailing in the Flying Scot Fleet won the John R. Hawksworth Trophy
which recognizes the best sailor in the most competitive fleet. The
winners for the classes racing are:  Front Runners (9 boats) – Matthew
Braum ;  Typhoons (6 boats) – Frank Birdsall ;  Flying Scots (33
boats) – John Aras;  Albacore (6 boats) – Barney Harris;  Lasers (10
boats) – Dan Herlihy;  Lasers Radial (3 boats) – Luke Hayes;  Thistles
(4 boats) – Robert Perera;  Windmills (10 boats) – John Danneberger.
Optimists (17 boats) – Guthrie Braun.     Event Chairmen: David
Hinckle and George Burke;   Event Principal Race Officer and Front
Runners, SJ21, and Typhoons – Rick Klein;    Race Officer  Flying
Scots – David Lee;   Race Officer Albacores, Lasers, Lasers Radial;
Windmills and Thistles -  Allan Heyward;   Racer Officer Optimist –
A.L. Braun.   For complete results, please go to www.fbyc.net

Register for the Regatta Today!!!

Poster designed by Diane Cook-Tench

Hi there everyone, we really need your help today!!  Rappahannock River Yacht Club developed a new regatta. It's also an invitational for junior racers since the junior group is growing at our club.  They had over 60 boats racing here in the last junior sailing invitational.  As of last Friday morning, not a single junior had entered this new regatta.  I'm sure it's because they simple didn't know much about it.
I jumped in to get the word out last week, designing a poster, T-Shirts, and the canvas bags that are will be given away as awards. We sent this poster out to the other clubs last Friday but I was also racing in Fishing Bay's One Design Regatta and didn't get back in until later last night.
The two post-race beers I drank must have addled my brain as I didn't ask Lin McCarthy to send out word about the regatta in the Southern Bay News that went out this morning.
If we don't get enough racers signed up today, Debbie Cycotte will have to cancel this regatta before it gets started.
Please help spread the word about this great opportunity to race to your fellow racers.  It should be a lot of fun if we can just get enough people entered in it.  There are many fleets and many chances to win.
Both the NOR and registration can be found on the RRYC's homepage or by clicking on these links.  All you need to do is to send Debbie an email today if you want to register for it.  You can do this by sending a quick note that simple says you're going to race.  Then you can fill out the paperwork later.  Debbie's email is dcycotte@yahoo.com

Here are the details on the Regatta:

The Regatta is open to the following classes: Flying Scot, Typhoon, Laser Radial, Club 420 (Non- Spinnaker), Sunfish and Optimist Dinghy (Red, Blue, White and Green Fleets). Additional classes may be added at the discretion of RRYC. Classes with 5 or more boats entered will be given individual starts. Each competitor will be responsible for their boat being in compliance with class rules.

3. FEES: $80.00 for double- handed boats (includes two dinner tickets and one t- shirt) $25.00 for Junior single- handed boat (includes one dinner ticket and one t- shirt) $35.00 for Junior double- handed boat (includes two dinner ticket and two t- shirts) Additional social/dinner tickets are $20.00 for adults and $5.00 for Juniors.

Menu: Adult - Low Country Seafood Boil, corn salad, French bread and Key Lime pie. Junior - Chicken tenders, Mac salad, carrots w/ranch dressing and ice- cream.

$10.00 upgrade for Seafood dinner for Juniors (with boat registration). Extra t- shirts will be available for $15.00 each.

RRYC Typhoon Racers Take On Others In FBYC's One Design.

A small fleet of sailors from Rappahannock River Yacht Club sailed to the Deltaville area and Fishing Bay Yacht Club.  The waves and wind were strong, rain came down hard at times but all of us made it across and are ready to race tomorrow and Sunday in their One Design Regatta.  Stay tuned as we update you on how things go tomorrow.

Dwight Timm heading out of Irvington.

The fleet sails under the White Stone Bridge.

Heading to the Chesapeake Bay,
Ned Crocket is in front on Miss Daisy.

Sierra Rose under motor with Genoa up.

Heading toward the channel maker off Stingray Point.

Waves and wind are building preventing further picture taking.

Heading into Jackson Creek.

This Osprey doesn't like the looks of us.

Coming up on Fishing Bay Yacht Club's harbor.

Another bolder Osprey.

Entering the harbor area.

We'll all docked up and ready for tomorrow.

Dwight Timm, Frank Birdsall, and
Ned Crockett discuss sailing plans.

Dwight Timm enjoys lunch in the West Marine
parking lot on our return trip by land.

RRYC One Design Regatta - August 18 & 19

Designed by Diane Cook-Tench

Hey everyone, it's been a little quite in July with all things having to do with racing Typhoons.  The action is starting to pick up again.  Rappahannock River Yacht Club is hosting a One Design for Typhoons and Flying Scots.  This year, there's also a Junior Program.
The Regatta is open to the following classes: Flying Scot, Typhoon, Laser Radial, Club 420 (non-spinnaker), Sunfish and Optimist Dinghy (Red, Blue, White and Green Fleets.
Fleets with five or more boats entered will be given individual starts.  Hurry as the original deadline for lower cost entries is this Sunday evening, August 12.  Entries will be taken up to the Skipper's Meeting, Saturday morning, August 18.  Please visit the RRYC web page for more details and entry forms.  If you'd like, a quick email can be sent to Debbie Cycotte who's running it.  dcycotte@yahoo.com The forms can be delivered to her the morning of the races.
As part of the entry fee, you'll receive a T-Shirt with the design from the poster on it and be included at the dinner on Saturday evening at the club house.  Larry and Jill Worth will cook up something special for us.
Please help us get the word out by posting copies of the poster in your clubhouse and emailing a link to this site.  We'll hope to see a lot of Typhoons out competing along with a lot of other great sailors.

Typhoon Fever Hits The Press

The Start, shot by Tom Norris

Typhoon Fever Hits Young And Old

RAPPAHANNOCK RECORD JULY 19, 2012 – By 2011, the local Typhoon fleet had grown to become the largest in the world.  Area sailors were used to racing in weekly Spring and Fall Series events.  Ron Mihills, former commodore of the Rappahannock River Yacht Club, had become the number one Ty booster, finding boats all over the country for people interested in hauling them back here and, fixing them up. 

About two years ago, Ron decided it was time to strike out past the Chesapeake Bay and launch the annual Typhoon Nationals.  The first Nationals in 2011 were a big success with three days of events and two days of racing.  Winning a national sailing race was appealing and it started attracting more sailors in earnest last year.  Boats were bought and additions made to home fleets.  Ned Crockett, Typhoon Fleet Captain, added more races to the 2012 schedule. “There are now over 50 opportunities to get out and compete with some of the top Typhoon racers on the East Coast,” said Ned.

Over 45 boats are berthed on Carter’s Creek, part of almost 70 owned in the area.  Because it’s a very stable and easy boat to sail, the Typhoon appeals to both older and younger sailors.  “This year’s Nationals saw four generations of racers competing against each other, 12 competitors were over 70 years old,” said Ron Mihills.  “One of the toughest competitors, Frank Birdsall, is a mere 82.  Frank’s one of the newer Typhoon racers and came in second in this year’s Spring Series with crew member Jeff Wainscott.” In this year’s generational mix, the 2012 Nationals also attracted more students who have racing experience. 

Students Graham Shivers and Archer Ruffin won second place in the Corinthian Fleet on Lobster Girl. Graham Shivers is a rising junior at Christchurch and just completed his second year of sailing for their team. Archer graduated from Christchurch in 2011 and is attending VA Tech.  He was named to the VISA All-State Team and has instructed youth sailing at Fishing Bay Yacht Club. 

Matt Wallin, a recent grad from Christchurch crewed on Teacup skippered by Harry Wells.  They and Jane Wells, won third place in the Corinthian Fleet.  Matt sailed Varsity for CCS for five years, starting there in 8th grade.  He will be a freshman at VA Tech and is currently working as a sailing instructor at Ware River Yacht Club where he’s instructed the past four summers.

Even Matt Guthrie, Christchurch’s head sailing coach, has gotten in on the action.  He skippered Patriot with Bill Turenne the first day of this year’s Nationals.  Matt was head coach when the school team went to Seattle for the National High School Sailing Competition this spring.  “My younger brother Justin Guthrie, a recent college grad, sailed with Bill the second day” said Matt.  Christchurch’s sailing program has competed in four out of five ISSA national Fleet Racing Championships.  Their tough young sailors are perfect for the Ty Nationals since they have great experience racing 420’s also a small boat.  

The 2012 Ty Nationals was clearly a mix of young and old – everyone cheering each other on.  And while this year’s Nationals have ended, there are a lot of racing opportunities left this year.   Multiple blogs, Facebook, and social media sites such as Flicker are being used to inform and update current racers and attract new racers to weekly racing opportunities. Next year, we predict that the competition will be even steeper as more young racers join in.  You can follow the action at http://www.facebook.com/TyphoonNationals or at http://typhoonnationals.blogspot.com/ or http://rryc.org/typhoonracing.asp

The Olympics Sailing Events Will Be Closely Guarded

HMS Bulwark

I have a business friend on holiday in Britain right now.  He shot this yesterday through binoculars.  The HMS Bulwark is the guard ship of the 2012 Olympics Sailing events.  The amphibious assault ship will be used as the police command base off the coast of Dorset.  It's the Royal Navy's flagship with an amazing set of communications and security gear, housing gunships and helicopters.  Their team has been training for 12 months. It's a step up from our Typhoon Nationals Committee Boat.  If you'd like to see it in action, just click on the above link.

August Opportunities For Typhoon Racers

July is a relatively quite month, race-wise, for Typhoons but RRYC's Typhoon Fleet Captain, Ned Crockett, has a "fall" race series set up for area sailors at 5:30PM on Wednesday evenings, starting August 22nd.  In the meantime, he's put out a call for Typhoon racers interested in forming a fleet in the Fishing Bay Yacht Club's One-Design August 11 and 12.  Here's a link to the Notice of Race NOR.

Our Rappahannock River Yacht Club also has a One-Design Invitational the following weekend, August 18 and 19.  Contact Ned, via the Typhoon Racing Blog, for details.

Some Of The Toughest Competitors Are The Youngest

Lobster Girl sailed by Graham Shivers
 and Archer Ruffin

We've added more portraits of Typhoon boats and their crews, photographed by Tom Norris.  This shot is of Graham Shivers and Archer Ruffin who sailed to a second place in the Corinthian Fleet. Both have attended Christchurch School.  Graham Shivers is a rising junior and just completed his second year of sailing for their team.  Archer graduated from Christchurch in 2011 and is attending VA Tech.  He was named to the Visa All-State Team and has instructed youth sailing at Fishing Bay Yacht Club.

Teacup sailed by Matt Wallin and Harry Wells

Matt Wallin, a recent grad from Christchurch School, sailed on Teacup with Harry Wells.  They and Jane Wells won third place in the Corinthian Fleet.  Matt sailed Varsity for CCS for five years, starting there in 8th grade.  He will be a freshman at VA Tech in the fall and is currently working as a sailing instructor at Ware River Yacht Club where he's instructed the past four summers.

Please click on this Flicker link to see more handsome portraits of Typhoon teams.

A Dozen New Typhoon Portraits

Matt Ashenden's boat Moco, Sail 11

Here are more handsome Typhoon "portraits" shot by Tom Norris for you to enjoy.  Go to our Flicker site to see all of the latest and make your copies.

You'll Feel Cooler Just Looking At Typhoons On The Water

Chris Ehring and Mosby West sailing Cricket

Here's another group of 24 photos, 23 are shot by Tom Norris.  Lin McCarthy shot the picture of Blaine Liner.  Thanks to both of these hardworking photographers, we're lucky to have "portraits" of so many Typhoons with their crews.  Click on this Flicker link to see them larger or download copies for yourself.

The Daily Dozen Plus A Dozen

Jerry and John Latell, shot by Lin McCarthy

We've posted 24 new shots taken by Lin McCarthy.  Overall, they're great pictures and some of you never looked better in your Typhoon.  Check them out on Flicker.

Everything's Coming Up Sunflowers

We hope that you enjoyed a good Fourth of July yesterday and were lucky enough to see some fireworks on the water.  We're not going to show you photos from last night but we do have a nice sunflower pattern on the water to share with you today.  For those of you that opted to join the 2012 Sunflower Raft Up, look for yourself, you're in there somewhere!

2012 Sunflower Raft Up shot by Your's Truly Photography, Kilmarnock

Typhoon Shots Of The Day

Lin McCarthy shot these pictures and the rest of the dozen photos posted today on Flicker.  We'd like to thank Lin for her shots.  A BIG thanks also goes to Tommy Asch and Steve Sommers for their work managing the mark boat duties on the race courses.

Steve Sommers at Skipper's Meeting

Steve Sommers and Tommy Asch

Steve Sommers with mark

Tommy Asch