The club and site are well-used this time of year. Water levels are down and the dock has been moved further out. The clubhouse and deck were in good shape for a well-attended Sail Past Day and BBQ (even though the weather didn’t cooperate). Propane delivery arrived in the nick of time.
Continue enjoying your cottage in the city 🙂
Registration for the 12-Mile-Island Regatta is now closed
The event will be held on Saturday July 16, 2016. Please see the Notice of Race (NoR) and Sailing Instructions (SIs, to be posted soon…) for event details, including how boat allocation will occur.
To register, enter the details of you and your team-mates below. If you’re a lone skipper looking for crew (or crew looking for a skipper, or someone willing to do either) then send an e-mail to [email protected] and I’ll do my best to get you in touch with other sailors to form a team.
If you’re planning on sailing a club boat, we’ll work out who gets which hull the day of (i.e. of 4 teams all want Albacore 8033 then we’ll sort that out later… please see NoR/SIs for details).
The e-mail field is optional (not everyone likes to be spammed but the e-mail helps keep you informed of any changes, like if we have too many sign ups for a particular boat class, etc)
Holy smokes, what an awesome night! A huge turn out (at one point we had 12 boats on the water, between the racers and those going out for a leisure sail) and great racing.
At 5:30 it seemed that the race might be cancelled due to low wind. How wrong I was! Albacores, Lasers, Bytes, a Laser 2, and a Hobie 16 were rigged up and hit the water as the wind started to build. Decent starts by Dominic/Heather (Albacore), Ken S/Rob (Laser 2) and Jason (Laser) meant there was some congestion at the pin end of the start line and a bit of jockeying for position. Before too long the rest of the fleet had crossed. Jason was (surprisingly) able to keep up with Dominic/Heather for the upwind and on the reaching legs, but went to the right of the course instead of the favoured left on the second upwind. Ken S/Rob and Ken E battled it out with Fanny/Vitali (Albacore) coming on strong. Dominic/Heather took the race, followed by Jason, and Ken E had won the battle for third.
Race 2 was run after a shift to the left, favouring port tack. Dominic/Heather correctly identified the shift and won the pin end of the line, while Jason, Ken S/Rob and Ken E had great starts as well, followed by Corinne (Byte), David R (Laser), and Tony/Annie (Hobie 16). the wind continued to build and sustained gusts from the left of the course meant planing conditions. Dominic and Heather dominated the race, and the real battle was for second. On the upwind, Jason (Laser) got caught in dirty air behind Ken E (Laser) and Ken S/Rob (Laser 2) and lost a bit of distance as he had to reach out to the right side of the course into clean air. The 1st reaching leg saw the Hobie and Byte catch up meaning the second reach featured a pack of boats all overlapped. Ken E’s Laser was first to the leeward mark, followed by Annie/Tony (the catamaran), and Jason was able to sneak his Laser on the inside of the pinwheel (overlapped with Corinne, and Ken S/Rob). The 2nd upwind leg began just as the wind picked up speed. It appeared that Ken S/Rob got stuck in some turbulent air and lost some time as they entered the upwind. The Lasers were able to put some distance between themselves and Corinne’s Byte. Jason was able to use his, ahem, greater righting force (i.e. could stand to lose a few pounds…) to keep a flatter boat than Ken E without feathering, and passed him just before the upwind mark. By this time Dominic/Heather were almost done their downwind leg and it was obvious that there would be no catching them. The downwind was fairly processional for the rest of the fleet although the Laser 2 was able to make up distance on Ken E. On the final upwind, some people were able to make the line just by staying on port tack (due to the shift) and Jason took 2nd place. The real battle between Ken S/Rob and Ken E was tight, with the Laser 2’s greater hull speed and better pointing making a move on the Laser. Ken E was able to hold onto it and scored 3rd place by about half a second over the Ken S/Rob team.
Although a few sailors went back to the club assuming racing was over (watch for the signal flags!) a third race was run. Since your humble sailor director was ashore at the time, I’m afraid I don’t have a blow-by-blow account of the race, but again Dominic/Heather took first. Ken S/Rob were able to grab 2nd this time over Ken E, with Frank/Jean (in an Albacore) and Kevin/Valerie (Albacore) rounding out the finishers (Corinne started the race but retired).
After racing, harbourmaster Robert organized a work crew to move some of the damaged Albacores up the ramp to the work shed — many thanks to all those who helped out! Food and beverages followed (although a squirrel had gotten into the club house and cause a reduction in the number of hamburger buns before being chased off by Emily). It was great to see so many people having a good time. Many thanks to Carla and Hannah for running RC with Mario! As usual, Series and Season results can be found at https://kanatasailingclub.com/sailing/racing/
Although few boats showed up to race, the ones that were there had a great time. A 90-degree wind shift just prior to the first race meant that one could *almost* reach the top mark by staying on a starboard tack. Two Albacores (Ken E with Rob N, and Robert B with Norm Y), a Laser (Ken S) and a 29er (Jason M and Eric M) battled it out to the windward mark. The double-handers had a great start, with Ken S in the Laser having to fight to catch up. As the “windward” mark was being rounded, it became apparent (to some) that the leg to the gybe mark was almost dead downwind. The 29er was slow to realize this and the asymmetric spinnaker (ineffective dead downwind) did more harm than good — their first capsize of the night soon followed as the 29er tried to head up to get wind in the sail. The Albacores and Laser battled their way around the course, with Ken S in first as he rounded the windward mark on the second lap, and there was no catching him on the downwind. Ken E and Rob came in second, followed by Robert and Norm. The 29er, after 5+ capsizes, just made the first rounding of the downwind mark, and was marked as OCF (yeah, yeah, get your jokes in now… once I figure this boat out it’ll be a different story!)
A large sustained wind blew in from the North, leading to an Albacore capsize and retirement for Robert and Norm. Emily and Heidi in a mark-set boat were able to set the new course, and the second race was run. A great start for Ken S and Ken E/Rob was contrasted by a lousy start for Jason/Eric. Ken S again took the race, with Ken E/Rob taking second, and Jason/Eric in another OCF (after another 5+ capsizes, and we barely made the leeward mark).
Kudos to Mario and Corinne for running RC, Emily and Heidi for rescue/mark-set boat, and Jean and Frank for bringing the food/beverages!
Results of the summer season (and the unified complete season, now converted to low-score system) can be found on the club’s Racing page, https://kanatasailingclub.com/sailing/racing/
Race Night Itself
The last night of our Spring Series (more info on the series as a whole momentarily) was unfortunately cancelled due to thunderstorms rolling through the area. Despite the water looking inviting, we had reports of severe thunderstorms rolling in from the West (there was at least one storm visible to the North, and the wind meter at Britannia to the South was showing 40 knots, so we seemed to be in the eye-of-the-hurricane, so to speak). Mario, as Principal Race Officer, was monitoring the radar, and made the call to abandon the race (around 7:30 I heard thunder and saw lightning, so it was definitely the right one…)
The Spring Series
Uncooperative weather meant we only got to run 4 of the planned 10 races (i.e. we went out on 2/5 nights) so we can hardly say it’s been an exemplary series from a “racing” standpoint. What was great, though, was the number and enthusiasm of sailors who continue to come out to race! Once the weather is okay, it’s going to be an amazing year! The competition was fantastic and we had sailors of all levels in all kinds of boats out there having a great time.
The awards!
No surprise, but Mr. Ken Eaves claims yet another KSC title. Ken consistently racked up 1st and 2nd place finishes in an Albacore for 58 points (out of a possible 60). 2nd place was awarded to club newcomer Luc who used a Laser to earn 53 points, with Frank hot on his tail in an Albacore at 52 (as of this writing, there is a mistake in the online score sheet, which shows Frank at 51 points, tied with Mike Thompson and Jason McKenna, but he actually earned 52).
Our inaugural “Rookie” award goes to Jean (who scored 52 points as well). That’s right, the same Jean who was saying at the beginning of the series “I don’t care about winning, I just don’t want to come in last…” She was followed by Monica (47 pts), with a 3rd place tie between Sarah and Heather (44 pts each). A big high-five to all the rookies, and the Learn-to-Sail contingent who braved the sometimes-less-than-ideal conditions to come out on race night! We hope that we were able to help you learn, and hope that you’ll keep coming out racing — see you on the start line!
Congratulations once again to Ken and Jean, but don’t despair, other sailors… we still have two more series (Summer Series I and Summer Series II, 5 weeks each) and bragging rights are again up for grabs (hopefully we’ll get more races in…)
Summer Series I – Learn-to-Sail Graduates Joining the Fleet
We try to schedule the race series and lessons such that a new series starts after the 1st Learn-to-Sail classes finish. Sometimes its tricky (some lessons get postponed due to weather, and make-up-lessons are scheduled) but it looks like it worked out this year — we should have two Learn-to-Sail contingents completing their lessons this weekend! All you sailors with shiny new blue-tags are invited to come out racing on Mondays! Grab a Laser/Byte if you’re in a solo-sailing mood, or find a friend and grab an Albacore, and hit the start line for an evening of sailing followed by BBQ and beverages! Not only is it the safest time to go out and hone those new skills (there’s tons of other people on the water if you get into trouble) but it’s also the best way to continue to learn and there’s lots of friendly folks to ask for advice or tips (most of us won’t shut up).
If you haven’t come out racing yet (but want to) it’s generally recommended to show up around 5:30 or maybe 5:45 if you rig fast (later than that is pushing it). This give you enough time to find a crew/skipper (if you’re sailing a double-hander), change clothes, rig up a boat, and get to the start line for a 6:30 start. Even if you miss the first start, there’s typically a second race starting around 7:20 or so (occasionally, even a 3rd race if the sun and wind are holding!) Send me an e-mail ([email protected]) if you have any questions, concerns, or if there’s anything I can do to help you get out to the start line. You can take a look at the course here and our official formal SIs (Sailing Instructions) here.
Summer Series I – Changes to Scoring
Two changes to scoring will be applied for the summer series. First, we’re moving to a low-point scoring system. Sailing is typically scored with the low-scoring mechanism described in Appendix A of the Rules book (1st place gets 1 point, 2nd place gets 2 pts…) and the person with the lowest score at the end of the series wins. KSC has traditionally used a high-point system, but it’s a headache to track because most of the scoring software has much better support for low-point. Switching to low-point means we won’t have to use custom spreadsheets or hacks to the software. An update to the SIs (Sailing Instructions) has been made, and the new instructions 2016 Summer Series I SIs have posted with details for anyone who’s interested. If low-point had been used for the Spring Series, the overall rankings wouldn’t have been affected, they’d just be expressed in a different way. For example, the scoring for the Spring Series using the new mechanism can be seen at Spring Series Results.
The second change we’ll be making is to even the field for RC (Race Committee) participants. Previously, RC volunteers effectively scored 0 points (in the old high-scoring system, or 15 points in the new low-scoring system) since they didn’t race at all on a given night. They were scored the same as someone who didn’t show up. This is in spite of the fact that they showed up, and are doing a service to all other racers. That struck me as unjust. After chatting with some of the racers, people seemed quite supportive of the idea of awarding the RC volunteers middle-of-the-pack points. For example, if a race had 5 boats, then the RC would be scored the same as the 3rd place finisher. Someone will never “win a series” by sitting in the RC boat every night, but this should allow for someone to help out the RC now and then without killing their chances. The SIs have been updated to reflect this change (although the change will not retroactively affect the concluded Spring series).
If anyone has any concerns (or other suggestions for how to run the races better) please let me know at [email protected].
The club was a popular place to be on Father’s Day – lots of families with children playing in the water, going to the swim dock, eating cake on the deck and of course, sailing.
Now, about getting those marshmallows to the campfire…
Thanks go to the many members who are working behind the scenes to keep the Site in very nice shape.
Wow, that was an eventful night…
Although the forecast called for sustained winds of about 7 knots, with gusts of up to 18, Those arriving at the club were greeted with winds at a sustained 15 knots and gusts of who knows how big. The waves were huge (if you were in a trough in a Laser, you would look “up” to see the next wave coming). But, KSC sailors are not so easily daunted, and Mario was out dropping marks, so into the boats we went!
As start time approached, the wind intensified. The AP flag flew, and first start was postponed since so many people had trouble launching in the heavy chop. A few minutes later (now that a few boats were out) the sequence started, but few folks were anywhere near the start line. At least one Laser sailor (who shall remain nameless, but who may or may not be writing this post) got stuck going backwards for several minutes — as soon as he’d get out of irons, the wind induced so much weather helm that it spun him right back in!
A few minutes later, when it was obvious that no one was going to be able to cross the start line, let alone run the course, the race was called, and people did their best to point their craft to shore. A few dramas were had as people fought to get their boats in, but in the end everyone made it back to the deck safely for well earned burgers and drinks (and lots of “Let me tell you about my nasty capsize tonight” stories).
At the end of the night, Mario sent out the recorded wind speeds — sure enough, sustained winds of around 16 knots (manageable) and gusts of 29 (not so manageable, at least for me in a full rig)!
A huge shout out goes to RC Mario and Andy, food-duty Arthur, Luc who helped another sailor get a Byte back to shore and to the club after it had blown downriver. Also, let’s hear it for our Learn-to-sail contingent (Heather and Andy L) who braved the elements (please let me know if I’ve forgotten anyone)!
The Harbourmaster’s job is to oversee our fleet. As a cooperative club, the Harbourmaster needs the support and help from other club members who can help to identify problems with the fleet and are willing to learn and assist with boat repairs.
Preventative care will always be our best contribution towards the longevity of our fleet. So, when preparing to set sail, be sure to take a few minutes to ensure the boat of choice is rigged for the sailing conditions. A few minutes of preparation and inspection will contribute greatly on a successful launch and return. If you are not sure about something, ask around, you would be surprise what tricks we’ve learnt that will ensure the entire boat comes back to shore.
Please reach out to Robert at [email protected] to share your observations of the fleet or to offer a helping hand.
This year, the KSC is offering six adult Learn to Sail sessions, and we have lots of programs for kids and youth. Private lessons are also available. Check out details on our training  at https://kanatasailingclub.com/training/.
Also, members can check out our sailing clinics!
Thanks to the help from many hands, those big items are in place for us to enjoy and, speaking from experience at Monday’s races, the water is certainly warming up 🙂
Also, the City of Ottawa fire ban is off and our open-air fire container is now on the beach (much better than having stones explode on us!). Please review the fire permit procedures posted on the club’s bulletin board.