SWG

2015 North American Championships, Sodus Bay New York

Aug 082015
 
photo 1

The crew of Ritalin on the raft at Sodus Bay Yacht Club.

The 2015 Olson 30 NACs in conjunction with LYRA (believed to be the oldest association of yacht clubs on the continent!) was hosted by the beautiful Sodus Bay Yacht Club.  In addition to SBYC’s general amenities, they were set-up with dining tent, music tent, and outdoor tiki-bar with local and domestic chilled brew on tap.  Each night the dining tent was packed with sailors sharing stories of that day’s race while enjoying the nightly feast: Pasta dinner, BBQ chicken, Pulled-pork, Burgers and Sausages.  The party moved quickly to live music under another tent complete with outdoor dance floor.  Those that still had the energy closed out the evenings at the Sodus bars (Capt’ Jacks – a fan favourite).
Six boats registered for Thursday’s long distance course which opened the event.  The course followed the shoreline west and upwind toward Pultneyville, then a long downwind back past Sodus Bay to Port Bay, then upwind again back to Sodus peer.  It was a windy day with big shifts that lead to a commanding victory and presentation of the long distance trophy to Victrix (aka Surfer Girl from Quebec City), followed by High Anxiety (from GYC in Rochester), Ritalin (from KYC in Kingston), and Chicane (the home-town-hero from SBYC).  The long distance race was not eligible for a low score throw out, so it set the strategic stage of the following races.
Dave Savard of Victrix accepting the hardware for first place in the 2015 Olson 30 NAC's Long Distance race

Dave Savard of Victrix accepting the hardware for first place in the 2015 Olson 30 NAC’s Long Distance race

Course racing followed Friday through Sunday on Charlie course which presented almost every condition possible on the open waters of Lake Ontario: 25kts and 6ft waves to 0kts and flat calm, a brief line squall, and one 90° hard shift; racing was also enhanced by sharing the race course (separate starts) with J-80 fleet (~12 boats), R boat fleet (~6 boats), and C&C fleet (~6 boats).  LYRA also had Alpha and Bravo courses with about 30 additional PHRF boats on each.  The Olson 30s observed thrilling starts with all boats getting off the line in tight quarters.  The fleet battled early for control of the favoured side and race winner was generally the one who gained control early.  Atop the overall podium observed Ritalin bringing the George Olson Memorial trophy back to Canada after High Anxiety’s (USA) win last year; Victrix took red flags and High Anxiety took blue flags.
Olson 30's on the raft at SBYC. The club is spectacular and our hosts put on a fantastic event.

Olson 30’s on the raft at SBYC. The club is spectacular and our hosts put on a fantastic event.

Some personal memorable moments were:
 
1. The best RC I’ve ever experienced.  Constantly chatting on the radio with updates of next start, end of day racing, course changes, counting down each start flag sequence.  And true up-wind-down-wind courses with appropriately distanced weather marks with off-sets.
2. An introduction to ramp launch and haul of Victrix!!  Dave’s custom trailer with elevated keel guide bars and keel stop is lowered down the ramp off of high-test ropes tied to his truck hitch.  The trailer is submerged up to the pads which are duct taped on (so as not to float off or rotate); the boat is slowly motored into place; another set of lines, running from the front of the trailer back to the kite blocks then forward to winches, are used to pull the boat forward into place.  Amazing!
Rum

No Caption Needed. It’s a regatta, after all.

3. My first broach while helming Ritalin/any boat; a daunting moment when you realize that you are NOT in control anymore.  It was Saturday, the fourth race (2 of 3 that day) on the last downwind leg, the windiest day with breeze above 20kts and big waves, all boats were rigged with jibs and only Ritalin reefing the main. We rounded the windward mark with a comfortable lead over Victrix: “Pole-on, but hold the hoist until we see a kite behind us…” [pause as Victrix rounds] “…damn, she’s hoisting, kite up!”  We were close to finishing when the boat started to speed-wobble in the waves (hind-sight, I should have heated up early to gain control, but was trying to make the finish line with-out gybing).  I tired to keep the mast under the boat with hard tiller corrections, but things were oscillating exponentially: “I’m loosing it!”  [bang; the boat rounds to leeward hard, tips, and the spreaders hit the water; the boom swings from vertical down towards the water, the boat sits oddly calm on her side almost as if waiting for us take a moment to reflect, then slowly turns back downwind and wrights itself; the kite flogs] “Get it flying – no, put it away – no, get it flying – NO, put it away!”  Once we get the kite down and boat under control, I look back over my shoulder to see Victrix surfing towards us at twice our speed, my heart sunk… then out of shear luck?karma??Neptune’s grace??? – Victrix’ kite snap shackle breaks open and the kite falls gracefully into the boat.  We finish wing-on-wing a few boat length ahead of Victrix.
4. The delivery home.  With a thrilling lightning storm the night before and heavy cloud cover and cells on the radar forecast, we set off at 7am back to Kingston with Breakaway-J (a J-80 also from KYC).  With our delivery crew of 3 and 2 on the J, we all decided to stay within radio communication unless we felt comfortable with the conditions.  Starting at 25kts wind swinging 5o every 10mins from NNW to SW, we plowed down waves on reefed main only bearing 20o aiming to take Main Duck, Pigeon, and Simcoe Islands to starboard.  The wind dropped to 15kts while the next storm front sucked up power; we shook the reef and hoisted the jib and sat anxiously for the rain to hit.  Pitter-patter, then full on low-visibility down-pour.  Wind back up to 20kts, we felt comfortable with full main and jib.  15mins of showers, then the clouds parted, the sunscreen was passed around, and the wind held at 20kts.  As we passed Simcoe Island and turned towards KYC the depth shallowed and wave height increased, we were able to hold win-on-wing with the spin pole taking whisker pole status holding the jib out full.  Max boat speed 13.3kts!!!  The end numbers were 10hrs dock-to-dock, avg 6.3kts boat speed, 1 round of coffee, and 2 rounds of hot cup-a-soup.
George Olson Memorial Trophy returns to the Great Lakes!

George Olson Memorial Trophy returns to the Great Lakes!

I hope our fellow racers made it home safely.  In general a truly wonderful regatta that will be hard to forget.
Can’t wait to race for the trophy next year.
Mike Hull
Ritalin

Pacific Cup 2016 Invitation

Jun 032015
 

Dear Olson 30 Fleet,

The 2016 Pacific Cup planning activities are well under way, and we’re pleased that 38 boats have already entered. We would like to invite the Olson 30s to participate in the adventure of a lifetime – the FUN race to Hawaii. Double-handed or fully-crewed it’s one of the most exciting and fulfilling sailing adventures possible from the California coast. Olson 30s have sailed in both configurations in the Pacific Cup in the past and done well. One-design racing adds an additional element of competition, and we have special trophies for our one-design classes in addition to the division trophies and regardless of the division (e.g. double-handed and crewed boats both count for the one-design rankings). Three of more boats of the same class will be considered a one-design class.

 

What sets the Pacific Cup apart from other west coast to Hawaii races?

  • Support for pre-race preparation. From our Pacific Offshore Academy seminars, where racers benefit from the knowledge of Pac Cup veterans and industry experts, to additional pre-race seminars and parties, as well as our personal inspection program, our goal is to provide a foundation for a safe and FUN race to Hawaii. The first of our Pacific Cup Offshore Academy seminars is coming up on June 13th and Richmond Yacht Club (RYC) on San Francisco Bay.
  • Pacific Cup Village at RYC. Through a central support hub we make it very easy for out-of-town boats to arrive, rig, and complete their preparations. The village also facilitates camaraderie among the competitors prior to the race – which makes for more fun during and after the race. RYC has several members that have sailed, and who currently sail Olson 30s.
  • Aloha at Kaneohe Yacht Club. From the welcome Mai Tais to the fantastic parties, KYC welcomes racers and their family and friends with the best in Hawaiian hospitality.
  • Post-race logistical support. Through our partners, we help facilitate return plans, and for 2016, the Kaneohe Yacht Club has up-sized their hoist to 4,500 lbs., and we are presently in negotiations to significantly lower the cost of shipping boats home.

 

As a two-time Pacific Cup racer, one as a double hander and the other fully crewed, I can attest to the exhilaration of crossing the blue Pacific Ocean, enjoying the warm trade winds and surfing the following seas with spinnaker runs that last for days. In the race I did double handed, we were pressed very hard by a double handed Olson 30. In talking with them afterward and hearing the descriptions of their days of surfing/planing down big Pacific swells under the ¾ ounce, and particularly since I owned an Olson 30 at that time, I began to wonder why we hadn’t taken my boat instead of my skipper’s. For anyone who loves sailing an Olson 30, particularly with the spinnaker up, the Pacific Cup is a true “bucket list” event.

 

Race details can be found in the Notice of Race, posted on the Pacific Cup web site, http://pacificcup.org, and it’s easy to register for the race online. The web site also has a tremendous amount of excellent information on how to prepare for and do well in the race.

 

I am happy to answer any questions that might be standing in the way of a decision to sail to Hawaii, and if I can’t answer them myself, I can point you to someone who can.

 

We who are working to organize the 2016 version of this great race hope you will decide to join our racers and enjoy the incredible experience of racing a fast, light boat to the beautiful shores of Hawaii.

 

Aloha,

 

Tim Knowles

Former owner of Dragonsong, Hull #200, and two-time Pacific Cup racer

(editor’s note – anyone who needs Tim’s email or phone # please email webmaster@olson30.org)

NAC – LYRA 2015 – NOR/SI Finalized, Registration SOON!

Mar 182015
 

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Attention Northeast and Great Lakes Fleets:

 

Your Olson 30 Fleet Captains have been busy at work, along with the excellent Regatta management of LYRA and Sodus Bay Yacht Club, honing the Sailing Instructions for the 2015 Olson 30 North American Championships. The crew from SBYC have been super attentive and want to make this event special for our Class.

Registration will be opening soon and will be announced here as soon as it’s live. Register early if possible.

We will be making teeshirts for the regatta, stay tuned for details. If we can get teeshirt orders incorporated into the registration we will do so, otherwise we will handle that on our own.

If you haven’t done so – check out the new Olson 30 Class Association facebook page for news and points of interest to Olson 30 Class members and enthusiasts.

 

 

2015 NA’s: LYRA, Sodus Bay YC, July 28 – Aug 2, 2015

Jan 202015
 

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We are happy to announce that our 2015 Olson 30 North American Championships will be held at Sodus Bay Yacht Club at LYRA 2015. LYRA stands for the Lake Yacht Racing Association and this regatta has a long and vibrant history on Lake Ontario. We are delighted to have our event under the LYRA umbrella.

Sodus Bay Yacht Club has it’s own storied history and the location itself is beautiful. All members are encouraged to visit the SBYC website to learn more. There are some links to accommodations on the LYRA page. The vicinity of the SBYC is a picturesque village on the shore of Lake Ontario and there are lots of good options for places to stay. It’s a big event so plan your accommodations well in advance.

The Notice of Race and Sailing Instructions will be posted here as well as on the official LYRA website. Olson 30 class members will be required to register for LYRA through the myyc.org portal. Note that this is not live at this time.

We will be racing with the R-class yachts and the 8 metres, so bring your cameras for some spectacular views on the water. The R-boats are beautiful and performance-wise are a suitable match for our Olson 30’s.

The course events are July 31-August 2 and our distance race will likely be Thursday July 30. We are exploring all options for the distance race component of our Championship. There are distance race components to the LYRA regatta but they are all quite long distances. More details TBA.

Attention Olson 30 Racers from the Great Lakes and Northeast

Nov 252014
 

VOTING NOW OPEN FOR NORTH AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIPS LOCATION:

Eligible Class Association members should have received an email with voting link. If you believe you are eligible but did not receive your voting link, please use the Contact Form (choose Membership) and let us know.

 

Voting is OPEN NOW for the 2015 Olson 30 North American Championships!

 

Date and Location for the 2015 North American Championships Voting is now open. Olson 30 class members from Great Lakes and Northeast Fleets should have received their notification email to cast their vote.

Join the discussion here:
2015 NA’s Site Selection

FYI – North American Championships are held yearly in a location east of the continental divide. Past events have been held on Lake Ontario, and in Barrie, ON.

 

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