PRSA 2009 Spring Series # 8
Results

Sunday, June 7, 2009

Lightning Class Series Summary

8 Jun, '09, 11:44
St. Pete Scorer

Scorekeeper Jeff Storck

PRO Rick Welch
Mark Boat Driver  Matt Wallace
Crash Boat Driver Aaron Boesnecker
Helpers Maryann Gallagher, Bronwyn Wallace, Devon Welch, Emory Welch

Actual winds at National Airport were:

• 11 AM    SSE 7

•  Noon     S 12

• 1 PM      S 9

• 2 PM      SSE 12

• 3 PM      S 10

• 4 PM      S 12

• 5 PM      S 9

The river flow was four times normal for this time of year at 40,500  CFS (gage height 6.2 ft).    High  tide was at 8:27 AM and low tide at 3:49 PM PM.  The high air temperature was 79 degrees at 4 PM.

What a great way to end the  Spring Series!  The AccuWeather forecast (always subject to change) called for partly sunny skies, a high of 83 degrees, and  winds from the south at  6 - 9 MPH. We got better than that  --  a steady southerly averaging around 10 MPH, under sunny skies and with a high temperature of 79 degrees.  The river flow was way up --  four times normal for this time of year, at 40,000 CFS (gage height 6.2 ft) and the water was  cooler than last week, at 72 degrees.  With high tide at 8:27 AM and low tide at 3:49 PM we had an outgoing tide to combine with the high river flow to produce a strong downriver current.  Thirteen Lightnings came out, although several were short crew, and Russ sailed single-handed.  Russ gets the "Sailor of the Day" award for being seen single-handing on a downwind run with spinnaker up, a cigarette in one hand and a beverage in the other, dodging the considerable debris in the river, including a large tree trunk, a section of a dock, and a railroad tie, and managing to finish tenth.  How do you do it, Russ?   Patrick McKnight and family did a day sail down past the Wilson Bridge, making 14 Lightnings on the water. PRO Rick Welch got off five races in quick succession on a long windward-leeward course before we were too exhausted to sail more. Here is a report by "The Nudge."  Here are photos, courtesy of Aaron Boesnecker.

PRSA 2009 Spring Series # 7
Results

Sunday, May 31, 2009

Lightning Class Series Summary

1 Jun, '09, 15:47
St. Pete Scorer

Scorekeeper Jeff Storck

PRO Jim Graham
Mark Boat Driver  Erich Hesse
Helpers Dan Miller, George Wirth, Kevin Cowley, Will Dunham, Bill Swanson

Actual winds at National Airport were:

• 11 AM    VAR 3

•  Noon     SSE 6

• 1 PM      VAR 6

• 2 PM      W 8

• 3 PM      W 9

• 4 PM      W 13

• 5 PM      WNW 18

The river flow was above normal for this time of year at 16,500  CFS (gage height 4.6 ft).   Low tide was at 9:28 AM and High  tide at 3:06 PM.  The high air temperature was 82 degrees at 4 PM.

We sailed up to the race course in a light southerly with more than a few no-wind holes and ran the first race, a W-2,  with the windward mark to the south and the leeward mark to the north, and started the second race, also a W-2, that way.  However, before the first windward leg of the second race got very far, the wind shifted to a northerly direction and the chutes went up.  The winds picked up after that, and the second race finished in good time, with a downwind finish, confusing a couple of boats that sailed outside the finish line headed for the (now leeward) mark.  PRO Jim Graham re-set the course for the third race to reflect the then-westerly gusty up-and-down conditions, and  sent boats home after completion of the third race.  We welcomed new Fleet 50 skippers Chan Swallow, sailing with Evans Van Hook, and Patrick McKnight, sailing with spouse Katherine and son Patrick Jr.  We also welcomed new crew Len Gunther who sailed with Russ, Jeff Kuhn, who sailed with Frank, Michael Brown, who sailed with Bobby, and Bronwyn Wallace, who sailed with Rick.

PRSA 2009 Spring Series # 6
Results

Sunday, May 17, 2009

Lightning Class Series Summary

19 May, '09, 16:34
St. Pete Scorer

Scorekeeper Jeff Storck

PRO Bob Wilbur
Mark Boat Driver  David Thompson
Crash Boat Driver Will Phillippe
Helpers Larry Bradley, Laura Lake, Joe Kimak, Mike Barnel, Wilda Heiss

Actual winds at National Airport were:

• 11 AM    NW 20

•  Noon     NNW 17

• 1 PM      NNW 17

• 2 PM      NW 16

• 3 PM      NW 12

• 4 PM      N 20

• 5 PM      N 10

The river flow was normal for this time of year at 14,500  CFS (gage height 4.4 ft).   Low tide was at 8:58 AM and High  tide at 2:52 PM.  The high air temperature was 72 degrees at Noon.

Once the long windward-leeward course was set (made more challenging by lack of radio communication between the mark boat and the line boat) we got off five W-2 races in quick succession in chilly winds.  Gusts to 25 kept spinnakers in the boats for the first two races, but then they came out -- Pat was the first one to fly a chute, but before long all had their chutes up heading downwind.  We welcomed new crew Jennifer Bergeron who sailed with Red.  Congratulations to Nabeel who walked away with 5 bullets.

PRSA 2009 Spring Series # 5
Results

Sunday, May 10, 2009

Lightning Class Series Summary

Scorekeeper: Jeff Storck
11 May, '09
St. Pete Scorer

PRO Bob Astrove
Mark Boat Driver  Rob Bennett
Crash Boat Driver Red Fehrle
Helpers Suzan Humphrey, Laurie Duncan, Lindsay Vaala, Patrick McKnight; Patrick McKnight Jr; Daphne Byron

Actual winds at National Airport were:

• 11 AM    WNW 16

•  Noon     W 16

• 1 PM      W 18

• 2 PM      W 14

• 3 PM      W 13

• 4 PM      WNW 15

• 5 PM      W 16

The river flow was up, due to rains the past several days, at 45,000  CFS (gage height 6.5 ft), three times the median flow of 16,500.  High tide was at 9:46 AM and low tide at 4:53 PM.  The high air temperature was 75 degrees at 5 PM.

We had a sunny day with challenging westerly winds at 16 - 18 MPH with gusts to 25.  Five Lightnings came out along with a handful of Albacores and a Bucc.  The Bucc capsized in a death roll by sailing dead downwind and catching a shift by the lee.  Pat took water over the side on a tack in a gust.  On the way out of the channel we observed a Flying Scot capsized in front of the Power Plant.  See story below.

PRO's Report:

Yes,  based on the time of day it was definitely the Scot we saw flipped from the RC boat.  The capsize occurred off the power plant area.
 
For the record:  We were sending our crash boat (Red & Susan), when 3 police boats whipped by w' lights flashing.  At that point I decided that our presence was likely to be more in the way then helpful, and we proceeded to our race course.
 
And in our activities for the day, we kept our Crash boats very  busy.  One Buc & three Albacores flipped.   Much thanks to Bob, Lindsay, Susan, & Red for their hard & wet work yesterday. 
 
I also want to thank those on the Bayliner;  Laurie D., Pat & Patrick (new lightning owners) and Daphne Byron (of Albacore fame and mother of a Lightning owner) for their hard work as well.
 
16 mph, plus gusts, from the west, w' 30 degree shifts, made for a not perfect course (and a really bad, short finishing leg).  Given the lack of chutes and differing preferences for courses we mixed it up sailing W/L, Triangles, and Olympic courses.

- Bob Astrove

PRSA 2009 Spring Series # 3
Results

Sunday, April 26, 2009

Lightning Class Series Summary

Scorekeeper: Jeff Storck
11 May, '09
St. Pete Scorer

PRO John Taylor
Mark Boat Driver  Keith Strasser
Crash Boat Driver Bob Etheridge
Helpers Steve Yelland, Shelly Kirby, Yates Dowell, Ben Ackerman, Hakan Topalhan

Actual winds at National Airport were:

• 11 AM    V 3

•  Noon     NW 6

• 1 PM      NW 13

• 2 PM      N 8

• 3 PM      Calm

• 4 PM      S 8

• 5 PM      S 8

High tide was at  9:37AM.  The river flow was seasonal, at 20,000 CFS, and the water temperature 64 degrees. The high air temperature was 92 degrees, at 3 PM.

Actual winds were lighter than forecast, requiring towing of some boats to the racecourse, and delaying the first start until 12:30 PM.  Northerly winds picked up briefly to above 10 during the first race but slowly petered out after that.  Still, RC was able to get off 3 races before calling it a day. Ten Lightnings came out, along with 5 Albacores.  We welcomed first  time crew Haim Hectman, who sailed with David, and Justin Engel, who sailed with Russ.

PRSA 2009 Spring Series # 2
Results

Sunday, April 19, 2009

Lightning Class Series Summary

Scorekeeper: Jeff Storck
9 Apr, '09
St. Pete Scorer

PRO Russ Roberts
Mark Boat Driver  Joe Warren
Helpers John Hart, Diane Butler, Kristen Lopez, Michael Scott, Sharon Kent

Actual winds at National Airport were:

• 11 AM    E 3

•  Noon     SE 3

• 1 PM      E 6

• 2 PM      E 18

• 3 PM      E 12

• 4 PM      E 7

• 5 PM      E 7

Low tide was at  10:40 AM.  The river flow was seasonal, at 16,000 CFS, and the water temperature 61 degrees. The high air temperature was 73 degrees, at 1 PM.

Twelve Lightnings set up at the marina, eleven splashed and came up to the race course, and ten raced on a day where winds could only be described as weird.   The AccuWeather forecast called for mostly cloudy skies, a high temperature of 72 degrees, and easterly winds at 6 - 9 MPH, with the possibility of rain during the afternoon.   The rain held off, but the winds were calm at 10 AM so RC agreed to tow us up to the racecourse, getting us there at about 11:30.  A light southerly sprang up gave us the opportunity to set spinnakers and practice gybing and dousing, but then it died, and for an entire hour we sat drifting in the current without a hint of breeze.  Then, just before 1 PM, PRO Russ Roberts moved the start line and the windward mark  and raised the course flag -- an Olympic -- and started the Cats.  With that an easterly flow kicked in big time and soon we were sailing in gusts to 20, travelers down, backstays on, hiking hard in heavy puffs, and completing the first race in under 20 minutes. The winds continued, although not quite as gusty, through the next 3 races, and when it was over, no one needed a tow home.

PRSA 2009 Spring Series # 1
Results

Sunday, April 5, 2009

Lightning Class Series Summary

Scorekeeper: Jeff Storck
9 Apr, '09
St. Pete Scorer

PRO Nabeel Alsalam
Mark Boat Driver  Jeff Storck
Helpers Stefano de Leo, Becky Mach, Craig Huzway, Dario Soto

Actual winds at National Airport were:

• 11 AM    Var 3

•  Noon     W 14

• 1 PM      SW 8

• 2 PM      ESE 6

• 3 PM      S 8

• 4 PM      SW 15

• 5 PM      Calm

Low tide was at  12:04 PM.  The river flow was seasonal, at 17,500 CFS, and the water temperature 57 degrees. The high air temperature was 70 degrees, at 4 PM.

We had mostly sunny skies; a high temperature of 70 degrees, and winds forecasted to be from the WSW at 7 - 8 MPH.  What we actually got were winds light and flaky, except for a brief period during the first race when there was a westerly gust at 18.  We had 90-degree and 180-degree shifts during the first race (and even a 360), and started the second race with the former leeward mark re-designated as the windward mark.  With low tide at 12:04 PM we had issues hitting bottom on the way up to the course, and even on the course.  8 Lightnings came out, along with three Cats and two Albacores, and got in two races before it was time to call it a day.  We welcomed new crew Melissa Lan, who sailed with Russ, and Bob Laughlin, who sailed with Frank.