Attention Offshore Fleet:

I hope everyone's year is off to a great start and the excitement for the upcoming 2013 season is building.

FBYC Opening Day is scheduled for April 13th and provisioning/launching time is here. By the way - Opening Day dinner is FREE this year to members. Sign up here: Opening Day.

Don't forget Spring Series 1 starts the very next day - Sunday, April 14th.

Also, be sure to sign up for Spring Clean Up scheduled for Saturday, March 23rd. Come out and help get the club ship shape. Sign up here: Spring Clean Up

 Are you getting ready for the upcoming season? Here are five items that may help...

1. PHRF Certificates. Have you renewed your PHRF and received your updated CERT? The long time PHRF Exec. Sec. has retired and passed the torch to a new one, impacting the yearly renewal process. As a result, currently issued 2012 PHRF CERTs will expire May 1st, 2013 instead of March 31st. So if you have completed the process and received the 2013 CERT - congratulations! If you have not, expect to receive your renewal packet in the next few weeks and return it before May 1st.

 2. FBYC Sailing Events and General Sailing Instructions. I'm sure everyone reads these documents cover to cover, especially after the time and effort that goes into them...So when you receive your yearly installment there are few things to note... 

First: The High-Point Percentage Scoring System will be used to score standings in series races (Spring, Long Distance, Fall). The low point system will continue to be used to determine daily awards.

Second: Courses and course board. Courses were clarified and new courses were added. The course board was brought in line with the way it’s done at other yacht clubs and sailing events.

Third: Review all GSI's because there were several tweaks made throughout.

 3. RRS 2013-2016 Updates: There have been updates to the rules. Be sure to become familiar with these updates especially regarding mark room.

 4. MOB: Are you planning on performing a random (unexpected) MOB drill prior to opening day? Also, now is a good time to start double checking your safety equipment - for example, are those 5 yr old flares rolling around in the bottom of the lazarette really going to work?

 5. Come out and sail! Life is busy and crew is hard to come by. So why not get on the water early and support the club's crew training program and you may be able to pick up a few crew members for the season? The crew training program was SOLD OUT this year! So, this means there will be plenty of newly trained crew out there. The on the water portion of the training is scheduled for two weekends weather permitting - March 23 and April 6. So, if you are a skipper and want to get some practice prior to Opening Day, contact Caroline Garrett at cgarrett17@gmail.com or A.L. Braun annlisa.braun@bdnreit.com for details about volunteering to take new crew out.

Please let me know if you have any questions or comments...

Paul Wash

804.399.2568