Spring Series Raceday 1, 2019
4/13/2019: Raliegh Christman handily won two windy races sailed in flat water, just downwind of 11th street (where the fishmongers are located, in Seabrook). The reaches were tight and terrifically fast. Unfortunately, races were called off when freakish looking clouds came from the West with the wind backing radically and dying.
Susan Caradec, Race Governor
The Race Governor, Sue Caradec, has continued to keep the racing alive, despite the closure of the 146 motorboat ramps. Above, she supervises the Race Committee and Commodore Ty in hauling the whalers directly from the Bay.
Spring Series Race Day 2
SSC May 4: The predicted thunderstorm rumbled through the Galveston Bay area about 6 hours ahead of schedule, setting us up for a beautiful, albeit light air conditions. Ten laser sailors competed, with the race committee setting two Olympic and two windward-leeward courses. The fleet was more compressed than usual, making mark roundings, tactics, and strategy difficult to call. The starting line was generally pin favored, but the length of the course and the right-side puffs made starting strategy tricky. In general, there was some inconsistency in everyone's finishes, making for an exciting conclusion with Karel Wagner tying Dave Ryden, with 8 points apiece. Raleigh Christman took 3rd for the day with a total of 12 points. The winner of the series will hinge on the final Race Day on the Spring schedule, 5/25. The standings for Spring 2019 are on the SSC race page.
After the racing, sailors enjoyed the Cinco de Mayo celebration in the clubhouse!
After the racing, sailors enjoyed the Cinco de Mayo celebration in the clubhouse!
The ILCA Laser is Selected for 2024
SSC May 4: The predicted thunderstorm rumbled through the Galveston Bay area about 6 hours ahead of schedule, setting us up for a beautiful, albeit light air conditions. Ten laser sailors competed, with the race committee setting two Olympic and two windward-leeward courses. The fleet was more compressed than usual, making mark roundings, tactics, and strategy difficult to call. The starting line was generally pin favored, but the length of the course and the right-side puffs made starting strategy tricky. In general, there was some inconsistency in everyone's finishes, making for an exciting conclusion with Karel Wagner tying Dave Ryden, with 8 points apiece. Raleigh Christman took 3rd for the day with a total of 12 points. The winner of the series will hinge on the final Race Day on the Spring schedule, 5/25. The standings for Spring 2019 are on the SSC race page.
After the racing, sailors enjoyed the Cinco de Mayo celebration in the clubhouse!
After the racing, sailors enjoyed the Cinco de Mayo celebration in the clubhouse!
David Morgan Takes Spring Race Day #3
5/25/2019: Facing a solid 18 Kts- 21 kts breeze (readings from Eagle Point), ten Laser sailors left the harbor in breaking waves. The leeward mark, set just off the dock, made for some thrilling roundings, as sailors had to negotiate the steep chop and flawlessly execute their gybes. The reaches were super fast and it was a classic SSC day.
The race committee set two Olympic and two double windward leeward courses. In the end, Dave Morgan proved the strongest, but it was a hard-fought victory, with his finishes registering 1-2-1-3. Both Raleigh Christman and Dave Ryden each scored a first, but neither could match Morgan's consistency. Clearly, David's focus on district racing this past spring is paying dividends!
The fleet was very grateful to the race committee for their superb courses and management of both the Laser and Sunfish fleets. SSC has significant depth-of-talent: thank you Karel, Susan, Seb, and Daniela!
The race committee set two Olympic and two double windward leeward courses. In the end, Dave Morgan proved the strongest, but it was a hard-fought victory, with his finishes registering 1-2-1-3. Both Raleigh Christman and Dave Ryden each scored a first, but neither could match Morgan's consistency. Clearly, David's focus on district racing this past spring is paying dividends!
The fleet was very grateful to the race committee for their superb courses and management of both the Laser and Sunfish fleets. SSC has significant depth-of-talent: thank you Karel, Susan, Seb, and Daniela!
David Morgan Wins the Spring Series!
May 25: Dave Morgan came out on top of 16 competitors, 9 of whom qualified for the Spring 2019 series. With an average of only 1.75, David edged out Karel Wagner, who finished second with a 2.0 average. Dave Ryden was only two one hundredths of-a-point ahead of the fourth place finisher, Raleigh Christman.
Congratulations to all the other qualifiers, including Tom Grasso, Pablo Peillard, Guillermo Garcia-Manero, Ty Geiger, and Seb Dubois. Remember, the Summer series starts June 15.
Congratulations to all the other qualifiers, including Tom Grasso, Pablo Peillard, Guillermo Garcia-Manero, Ty Geiger, and Seb Dubois. Remember, the Summer series starts June 15.
Summer Series 2019 Starts in June
The Seabrook Sailing Club short-course Summer Series starts June 15. The competitors' meeting is at 16:00. This first race day will be a great warmup for the Summer Solstice Regatta. The format calls for 10-12 minute, collegiate style racing.
The sailing instructions are posted off the SSC race page. If you have any questions about the race schedule, please contact Seabrook Sailing Club's Race Governor, Susan Caradec.
If you want to join Seabrook Sailing Club, contact the Vice-commodore, Dan Currie.
The sailing instructions are posted off the SSC race page. If you have any questions about the race schedule, please contact Seabrook Sailing Club's Race Governor, Susan Caradec.
If you want to join Seabrook Sailing Club, contact the Vice-commodore, Dan Currie.
Raleigh Wins a Blustery Solstice Regatta!
June 22-23: The summer solstice regatta attracted 16 lasers from as far away as San Antonio, Dallas, and Montevideo, Uruguay. Conditions were very blustery, from ca. SSW at 20+ kts.
Raleigh Christman mastered the course and achieved a commanding win, with 1-3-1-1-[4]-2-1 scores. At the end of the final race, it seemed as if Raleigh was a full leg ahead of the fleet, when he crossed the finish line.
Craig Beleme, of San Antonio, and Griffen Orr, from Dallas, tied at 20 points. Craig won the tie breaker with Griffen, having won race number 5 and 6 by convincing margins.
Jorge Samitier, former SSC member and now living in South America, took top honors among the Radials. It was terrific to see Jorge back at the club and we hope he joins us, again, next time he passes through Houston.
The SSC regatta organizers, led by the unflappable Race Governor Susan Caradec, did a fantastic job. The food, put together by the SSC social committee, was delicious. The decision to hold lunch on shore, on Saturday, proved to be an excellent idea. Last, the Olympic courses and the big breeze set-the-stage for some thrilling reaches and spectacular wipe outs; there were plenty of capsizes and broaches on both days. The race committee, led by PRO Herb Powers, efficiently started three other fleets, in addition to the lasers, and provided assistance to sailors with various breakdowns. A very well run regatta.
For full results, go to Regatta Networks. Pictures are on SSCLaserFleet photopage.
Hopefully Raleigh will provide us with some tips for heavy weather sailing, but I suspect much of his success had to do with off- and on-the-water training and simply sailing smart. Congratulations Raleigh!
Raleigh Christman mastered the course and achieved a commanding win, with 1-3-1-1-[4]-2-1 scores. At the end of the final race, it seemed as if Raleigh was a full leg ahead of the fleet, when he crossed the finish line.
Craig Beleme, of San Antonio, and Griffen Orr, from Dallas, tied at 20 points. Craig won the tie breaker with Griffen, having won race number 5 and 6 by convincing margins.
Jorge Samitier, former SSC member and now living in South America, took top honors among the Radials. It was terrific to see Jorge back at the club and we hope he joins us, again, next time he passes through Houston.
The SSC regatta organizers, led by the unflappable Race Governor Susan Caradec, did a fantastic job. The food, put together by the SSC social committee, was delicious. The decision to hold lunch on shore, on Saturday, proved to be an excellent idea. Last, the Olympic courses and the big breeze set-the-stage for some thrilling reaches and spectacular wipe outs; there were plenty of capsizes and broaches on both days. The race committee, led by PRO Herb Powers, efficiently started three other fleets, in addition to the lasers, and provided assistance to sailors with various breakdowns. A very well run regatta.
For full results, go to Regatta Networks. Pictures are on SSCLaserFleet photopage.
Hopefully Raleigh will provide us with some tips for heavy weather sailing, but I suspect much of his success had to do with off- and on-the-water training and simply sailing smart. Congratulations Raleigh!
Karel Jumps ahead in a Windy Short-Course Series Opener
June15: The first evening of the summer short-course series was nearly blown out, with a solid 19 kts. and gusts reaching nearly 25 kts; survival conditions for the four sailors who raced. The south-southwest direction made for relatively flat water, but the puffs did overpower the sailors, with everyone flipping at least once, if not twice, during the racing. Things were particularly dicey at the leeward mark, just off the T head. There were several breakdowns, including an aft boom block failure on Karel's boat. Despite this initial problem, he was able to fashion a repair and sail on to be low-point for the day! Congratulations Karel!
Photos.
Photos.
Six Races in One Night: Summer Short-Course Series #2
July 6: While all sailors were hiking during the 2nd evening of the series, it was not the boat-breaking conditions that we have seen all year. The breeze was roughly at 180 degrees and felt slightly more than the predicted 8 kts. Turnout was good for a holiday weekend, with 5 lasers and 6 sunfish sharing the short course. The race committee, led by Karel W., did a fantastic job starting a total of 12 races (each flee had six starts). The races were well timed at about 12 minutes in length. The starting pin was favored, thus making it a tough call as to whether to stake-out a controlling position at the boat (i.e. Dave Perry start) or elect to go for speed and try to quickly pinch off those on their right-hand hip.
Off-the-wind, the breeze seemed particularly well-paired with Seabrook's steep waves. Earlier this year Raleigh explained to me that he tries to regulate his speed so as not to hit the back of the forward wave, on windy days. In contrast to our typical conditions, the more moderate pressure on Saturday meant that by going for max speed one could surf for considerable distance; steering correctly down the face of the waves yielded huge dividends. I'm going to have to rethink how to regulate the speed (slow down) in big breeze.
The short-course format meant that there was lots of close-quarter action, where mark roundings and starts were key to success. It was great practice and, in Race 5, the well-sailed sunfish fleet converged on the weather mark with the lasers, forcing everyone to engage in big-fleet tactics.
Sportsmanship award goes to Guillermo, who spun immediately after getting himself in a sticky and un-winable spot (port-layline) in the third race. It was great to see new member, Tom Grasso, win the start on Race 1 and lead the way to the top mark!
Scores are posted.
Off-the-wind, the breeze seemed particularly well-paired with Seabrook's steep waves. Earlier this year Raleigh explained to me that he tries to regulate his speed so as not to hit the back of the forward wave, on windy days. In contrast to our typical conditions, the more moderate pressure on Saturday meant that by going for max speed one could surf for considerable distance; steering correctly down the face of the waves yielded huge dividends. I'm going to have to rethink how to regulate the speed (slow down) in big breeze.
The short-course format meant that there was lots of close-quarter action, where mark roundings and starts were key to success. It was great practice and, in Race 5, the well-sailed sunfish fleet converged on the weather mark with the lasers, forcing everyone to engage in big-fleet tactics.
Sportsmanship award goes to Guillermo, who spun immediately after getting himself in a sticky and un-winable spot (port-layline) in the third race. It was great to see new member, Tom Grasso, win the start on Race 1 and lead the way to the top mark!
Scores are posted.
Close Short-Course Racing, July 20
July 20: Terrific short-course conditions prevailed on Saturday evening, with ca. 9 kts of shifty breeze oscillating from the south. The unexpected headers and lifts made for inconsistent finishes and for very close racing. The committee started a total of six laser races, each between 10 and 15 minutes long; the race committee choreographed both the Sunfish and the Laser fleets so that there was ample space between the two groups. The leeward mark was set just off the T-head dock, making it easy to view the racing from the clubhouse.
The shifty conditions permitted quick gains and losses, but the short length of the course meant that tactical positioning was equally important. This was particularly true on the downwind leg, where the left (facing downhill) seemed to be the premium side by providing a corridor to the inside position, at the leeward mark. I suspect that it would have been faster going to the right (during the first part of the free leg) then heading dead-down-wind during the last 50 yards, where the waves were best for surfing. But rather than committing myself to this path, I generally battled for the left inside so that I would come-in hot on starboard, with the swells hitting abeam (which seemed slow, but again preserved/protected the inside overlap). Ty mastered this left-hand positioning quite nicely, in race #3, thereby clearing the way for a nicely-played win.
Things were particularly congested at the front, with Dave M. and Dave R. finishing the evening with identical scores. Karel, who had a breakdown in races 1 & 2, finished strong, winning by a convincing margin in race 6. It was great to see Rebekka back on the racecourse, showing impressive speed and tactics during the start and on the upwind legs, but sailing a radial rig, she lost some ground on the running legs. It was great to see Neil B., one of our long-time race committee members, join us for the first time as a competitor!
The race committee -- Raleigh, Tom, Pablo, and Zack -- did a fantastic job with the courses! Note that Pablo will be sharing some photos he took from the markset boat, soon. Thank you!
Scores.
The shifty conditions permitted quick gains and losses, but the short length of the course meant that tactical positioning was equally important. This was particularly true on the downwind leg, where the left (facing downhill) seemed to be the premium side by providing a corridor to the inside position, at the leeward mark. I suspect that it would have been faster going to the right (during the first part of the free leg) then heading dead-down-wind during the last 50 yards, where the waves were best for surfing. But rather than committing myself to this path, I generally battled for the left inside so that I would come-in hot on starboard, with the swells hitting abeam (which seemed slow, but again preserved/protected the inside overlap). Ty mastered this left-hand positioning quite nicely, in race #3, thereby clearing the way for a nicely-played win.
Things were particularly congested at the front, with Dave M. and Dave R. finishing the evening with identical scores. Karel, who had a breakdown in races 1 & 2, finished strong, winning by a convincing margin in race 6. It was great to see Rebekka back on the racecourse, showing impressive speed and tactics during the start and on the upwind legs, but sailing a radial rig, she lost some ground on the running legs. It was great to see Neil B., one of our long-time race committee members, join us for the first time as a competitor!
The race committee -- Raleigh, Tom, Pablo, and Zack -- did a fantastic job with the courses! Note that Pablo will be sharing some photos he took from the markset boat, soon. Thank you!
Scores.