REGISTRATION FOR THE 2015 FBYC JUNIOR OLYMPICS IS NOW OPEN!

The JOs will be held on June 27 & 28, immediately following Junior Week; and are a perfect cap to Junior Week!

Follow this link for all the details and to register: https://www.fbyc.net/Events/2015/06.27.junior/ssi.dtml

The Junior Olympics are sponsored by the US Olympic Committee and US Sailing, and are intended to develop the talents of future Olympians. We will host all junior classes at this regatta, including the 420, Laser Radial and Full, and Opti Red, White and Blue. All of our 2015 Race Teams will compete, and will be joined by teams from New Jersey, New York and North Carolina …

This Sunday the One Design fleets open their 2015 season.  The offshore boats have had their fun and now it's time for the Flying Scots and Front Runners to get some racing in.  Planning on coming?  Sign up online!

• 0900 Registration and Check In
• 1000 Optional Skippers Meeting
• 1100 First Warning
• Social & Awards following sailing

Five FBYC J/70s were in Charleston for the weekend competing in the 384-boat Charleston Race Week. 

• Matt & A.L. Braun along with Kevin Cross and Matt Lambert on E.L.E.
• Blake, Julia, Lud Kimbrough & Will Crump on Nostaliga
• Noel Clinard and Sophie Massie on Loonatictu
• Latane Montague on Full Monty
• Dan & Gannon Troutman on Pied Piper

RESULTS

Dan & Gannon Troutman continued their performance from Key West and wond up 4th overall on the 83 boat fleet.  They finished 2nd in the Dynasty division and Gannon won a new set of Opti Sails from Quantum Sails in a raffle.

Members of the 2014 Opti & Laser Race Teams at Corsica River Yacht Club, MD.

On March 14th the Chesapeake Bay Yacht Racing Association awarded the 2014 Junior High Point Awards. FBYC race team members dominated in all classes and fleets! Benton Amthor and Boyd Bragg finished 1st and 2nd in the Opti Overall and Alexander Hanna finished 1st in the Laser Overall! And continuing a long tradition at FBYC, our girls rocked: Reese Bragg finished 1st, Baylor Goldthwaite 3rd and Madeline Amthor 4th in the Opti Girls’ Division; with Claire Lennarz 2nd and Nina Willms 4th in the Laser Radial Girls’ Division! All of our kids did outstanding, placing in every division and dominating throughout the standings!

FBYC Girl …

What a weekend it was for an opening day!  The club celebrated the beginning of it's 76th year in style.  Pictures & Race Results.

• 0900: Flag raising and brief skippers meeting (Jackson Creek flagpole)
• 1100: First warning for offshore fleet
• 1700: Onshore activities begin, bar open (Ric's Place), will call ticket pickup at ticket table
• 1730: Blessing of the Fleet (Fishing Bay outside main clubhouse)
• 1800: Dinner served promptly
• 1830 - 2230: Entertainment by Alex Crain (Band on the Run)

Members began receiving the 2015 Year Book and Events Program starting today. 

Wondering what's different this year - read this.  Thanks to all of the work of those who put this together. 

The cruising season is about to begin with our annual shakedown cruise to the Mathews Yacht Club.  This has always been a well-attended event where everyone reconnects to start the season.  It is MYC’s Flag Raising and Dinner Dance.

See the event website for complete details.

Sign up deadline is April 27^th so we can tell the MYC how many people we will have.

John and Fay Koedel Jr. 804 776-6168 or jkoedel@hotmail.com.

Opening Day is less than two weeks away! I hope everyone has found time to start getting boats ready for the season. Let's kick off the season right with racing, a blessing, food, and entertainment. Come out and join the fun. Can't wait to see you there!

Official event information is here - check back for updates.

Online registration is easy and you can do it here - remember to buy your meals!

Also, don't forget to sign up to volunteer - let paul.wash@webnext.net know if you are interested.

Opening Day Schedule

9 AM: Flag raising and brief skippers meeting

11 AM: First warning for offshore fleet

5 PM: Onshore activities begin, bar open

530 …

From  Sailing Scuttlebutt

Portsmouth, RI (April 1, 2015) – Due to the long term decline in sailing as a sport in the United States, US Sailing, the national governing body for the sport of sailing, has announced cost cutting measures to remain solvent with its current membership size.

No longer will the organization support youth sailing events, recognizing that the current youth sailing model is not growing the sport. “The pussification of our culture has made it easy on kids, so we felt it was time for US Sailing to stop contributing to this issue,” explained Jack Gierhart, Executive Director of US Sailing.

The organization has also revised its outlook on education. “While we have derived significant income for …

WHAT COLD???

FBYC Juniors kicked off their season with the Spring Race Teams’ first practice on Sunday, March 29th. The day brought a balmy high of 45 degrees, water temperature of 43 degrees, and wind gusts into the teens! We had 6 Optis and 2 Lasers sailing, but many more sailors had to drop out because their drysuits were not rated for the conditions. Even the coaches, Cori Radtke and Bobby Lippincott, wore drysuits! For safety reasons we used two coach boats and kept everyone inside Fishing Bay. The sailors practiced mark rounding, starting, acceleration off the line, and boat speed. Aside from a few numb fingers and red noses, it was a great day and everyone had a wonderful …

32 participants started Crew Training last night with sessions led by George Burke, Jerry Latell and Bob Fleck covering the parts of a boat, what makes a boat go and safety.  Class continues next Tuesday with the hands on demonstrations.

OPTI KIDS AND JUNIOR WEEK ARE FULL AND REGISTRATION IS CLOSED

But there are many exciting FBYC programs that will keep your junior on the water and sailing all season, no matter their experience:

Private Lessons: Available all summer by appointment. We will design a curriculum to fit your sailor, from beginner to advanced, on Optis, Lasers or 420s. Private Lessons are a great follow-up to Opti Kids and Junior Week; and are a great option for kids who missed these programs.

August OptiWeek: August 10th-13th. Open to beginners and taught by our coaching staff.

Fun Sail: July 11th. The name says it all! Join us for a day of playing on the water and pizza by the pool. The …

Bermuda High Party

Saturday, March 28
6:30pm
Home of Paul and Julie Ann Wash
4106 Park Avenue
Richmond, Va 23221

$15 members, $20 non-members

Time to don your Bermuda shorts, blaxers,knee socks and sundresses and come party!
Bring your socks for the traditional sock burning! (please try to find a cotton pair. Last year we couldn't get ANY to catch fire!)

We are going to shake off those winter blues and warm up for the impending spring! Enjoy some of our favorite Carribean cocktails, and Latin and Carribean food that will be enough to make you Samba, Salsa - and whatever they do in Bermuda!

Back by popular demand are

handmade tortillas hot off the griddle all night …

We might not be sailing yet - but it's a busy week for FBYC.  Here's what going on and we hope you'll make plans to join some of it.

Wednesday, March 25 - Omit Hotel Downtown

Winter Program: Rob Overton Racing Rules

Rob Overton, chair of US Sailing Rules Committee, will give a presentation on how to improve your racing tactics by improving your knowledge of the rules.  Register.

Saturday, March 25 8:30am - FBYC

Spring Clean Up

We will gather in the main Clubhouse for coffee and refreshments at 8:30 a.m. and lunch will be provided after clean-up around noon.
 
On the agenda will be mulching, pruning, planting and raking.  Registration …

We will start the 2015 cruising season with wine, beer, and heavy hors d’oeuvres hosted in Richmond by George and Lyons Burke at their home, 22 Maxwell Road, from 7 to 10 pm, on Friday, April 10.   All beverages and food will be provided. We will have the opportunity to renew our friendships, share past sailing stories, and talk about the upcoming cruising schedule. Sign up at the website or phone George and Lyons directly.  For further details contact George Burke at gwburke3@gmail.com or call 804 359-1187.

Event Page

I noticed this Saturday morning that the sign-up list for Rob Overton's Winter Program on Rules (Wed. eve, March 25) is woefully lacking in participation.  This post is to encourage everyone who has yet to sign-up to do so.

Anyone who thinks they have complete command of the rules is simply wrong.  I've been a student of the rules for 35 years and I find myself continually amazed at what I don't know.  A seminar, such as what is planned for Wednesday from one of our sport's leading experts, is a wonderful opportunity to increase your knowledge of this perplexing subject.  I hope to see everyone there.

HOW COULD WE SAY NO TO A BEGINNING SAILOR?
Both classes of Opti Kids and all three classes of Beginner Opti during Junior Week are at full capacity and closed to additional registration; but we couldn’t bring ourselves to just say NO and disappoint all those kids we've had to turn away! FBYC has opened an additional Beginner Opti session to be held August 10th through 13th, and will be called August OptiWeek.

Space is limited.

Visit our website for all the details and to register: https://www.fbyc.net/Juniors/AugustOptiWeek

Note: Other Junior Week classes remain open at this time, but are expected to reach capacity shortly. Only Beginner Opti will be offered during August OptiWeek.

Saturday, March 28 6:30pm
Home of Paul and Julie Ann Wash
4106 Park Avenue Richmond, Va 23221

$15 members, $20 non-members

Time to don your Bermuda shorts, blaxers, knee socks and sundresses and come party! Bring your socks for the traditional sock burning! (please try to find a cotton pair.  Last year we couldn't get ANY to catch fire!)

We are going to shake off those winter blues and warm up for the impending spring!  Enjoy some of our favorite Island cocktails, and since one can't live on fish and chips alone, Latin and Carribean food!

Back by popular demand are

• handmade tortillas hot off the griddle all night, filled with
  • skirt steak with Chimichurri sauce and lime …