Lightning Fleet #50
Sailing on the Potomac River in Washington DC since 1943

2010 Summer Season Started June 7!  What's up for the rest of 2010?  Check the 2010 Calendar.  Want to sail with us?  Find out how.  Skippers - want to stay in touch with potential new crew?  In addition to checking the Regular Crew List, take a look at the candidates on the Crew Candidates List.

Sign up for PRSA Race Committee Assignments NOW!  Go here to sign up.  Pick a day when Lightnings have the duty, and fill in your name.  Each Fleet 50 member should plan on serving on RC on two different days this year.

Wednesday Night Sailing! Informal racing in the cove or out on the river every Wednesday evening, weather permitting.  Crew -- come on down, jump on a boat at the dock -- be ready to sail by 6 PM -- or even better, arrive at 5:30 PM to help skippers set up their boats.  Orientation and training for new skippers and crew every other Wednesday.  Contact Joe Warren for more information.  

Atlantic Coast Championships July 24 - 25 - in Annapolis!  SSA is hosting this event, with significant help from Fleet 50 members.  This is a really big regatta, serving as a qualifier for the 2011 Pan Am games.  Here is general information.  If you are competing, pleased add your name to the "who is coming" list.

Time to renew, for 2010, our memberships in ILCA; PRSA; and Fleet 50! ILCA membership is on a calendar year basis and you can join or renew on-line. To renew your Fleet 50 and PRSA memberships, go to the Membership page. To see if you have renewed, visit the Fleet 50 Skipper roster or the Associate roster.

Sailing Saturday July 3!  We headed to the marina from Herndon at 3PM, got 15228 rigged and splashed by 4:15 PM, and enjoyed a very nice late afternoon and evening sail in a steady gentle southerly at 8 - 10 MPH under sunny skies and a high of 86 degrees, sailing up to the Anacostia and down to the Wilson Bridge, then getting back to the dock at 7 PM.  Met Perry Malcom, a M-16 skipper from Minnesota, now stationed at the Pentagon.  His is the second M-16 now at WSM.  That's enough for a fleet!  He was trying to craft a hoisting bridle, as he didn't have a car with a trailer hitch to use to ramp-launch his boat. Joe Warren was there, working on repairing the hole in his deck where the port side guyhook used to be  --  caution to skippers -- make sure your helpers don't inadvetantly connect the hoisting bridle to the guyhooks -- they won't hold!  Did anyone else go out?  Let us know!

Wednesday Night Sailing June 30!  Three Lightning skippers set sail -- Jeff Storck; Peter Lallas; and Pat McKnight -- and enjoyed moderate winds on a beautiful cool June evening.  Rick Welch and Aaron Boesenecker came down but decided not to go out. Also appearing, after an absence this spring, was experienced crew Kate Smith-Morse.  This was the first of the every-other-Wednesday training sessions for new skippers and crew.  The next session is scheduled for July 7.

Denise and Jeff Tied the Knot!  As reported in the Sunday Style Section of the Washington Post on June 20, Denise Pavone-Brooks and Jeffrey Storck were married on June 5, after a high school romance that revived after 35 years.  It is a most amazing love story.  Best wishes to the newlyweds!

Going-away Party for The Thompsons!  Twenty-five Fleet 50 members assembled on Saturday, June 19 at the home of Frank and Maryann Gallagher to say goodbye to David and Barbara, who have plans to move to Denver this summer, once their house in Herndon sells.  It was a wonderful party on a warm June spring evening, full of camaraderie and reminiscing.  Photos here.

Ted Hunting Memorial.  A memorial service was held on May 23 for long time fleet member Ted Hunting.  Joe Warren attended.  Read more.

 2010 Dixie District Championships  Saturday and Sunday, June 12 - 13 at Rock Hall Yacht Club!   Two great race days at an outstanding venue.  Lightning Results here. Congratulations to Fleet 50 skippers Frank Gallagher (12th); Nabeel Alsalam (14th); Bobby Astrove (18th); and David Thompson (22nd) in a field of 24 boats. All class results here