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6/27/2010
Early Season Racing Recap:
The season has started out well. Interestingly, winds have been breezy or nearly non-existant and participation has been good.
We've had a few races where RC volunteers haven't showed up. If you have signed up and can't make it to the lake, please contact one of the club officers so alternative plans can be made.
We are also in need of RC for many of our club races. With the new pontoon boat it's a lot of fun and even if you have no experience doing race committee, come on out and enjoy watching the sailing.
The Saturday, June 26 Saturday race was canceled due to lack of wind. 5 boats took to the water, but with the biggest "gust" measured to 1.5 knots and no wind inbetween the committee boat towed in most of the sailors and called it a day. Several sailors then rendez-vous at Saloon DuBay, enjoyed the AC and good food and talked sailing.
There have been several novice sailors giving racing a try and they've been doing great! A GREAT way to learn how to make a sailboat go where you want is to sail around the buoys and it's evident our newest sailors are learning quickly. If you're thinking about giving it a try but are hesitant for any reason, wait no more. Our club racing is fun and you don't have to worry about "getting in the way" because our races are friendly and the club racers accomodate all skill levels.
6/6/2010
Lighthouse Regatta Recap
By: Joe Terry
The Lighthouse Regatta is a multi-fleet one-design regatta for Buccaneers, I-20 Scows, and Lightning sailboats hosted by Mike Elmergreen and Dave Kuharski of the Fond du Lac Sailing Club on Lake Winnebago. This year, the Lightnings and I-20’s took to the water, as there were no Buccaneer entries. I and Calen decided to give the Lighthouse a try for the first time in our I-20. Although Calen has crewed in several I-20 regattas, this was the first time with me. We just about didn’t make it to the regatta as Calen wasn’t feeling well, but early Saturday morning, Calen thought we should give it a try, so we were on the road before 6:30 am.
The two-day regatta started Saturday, June 5 with fairly light winds out of the north at around 5-7. With 30 miles of lake for waves to build, wind out of the north generally brings pretty tough conditions at Fond du Lac.
In the first of four races sailed on Saturday the winds started out light so the waves weren’t too bad and we finished a fairly competitive 7th. The winds continued to build slowly for the 2nd race to nearly perfect conditions of about 10 to 15. We finished a respectable 4th in the 2nd race. By the 3rd race, Calen’s minor health problem left him tired and the waves created some pretty lumpy conditions but we finished 8th in the 3rd race and then retired from the 4th race.
Leaving the race course did have its advantages. With no one at the crane hoist and empty bathrooms and showers, the boat was out of the water and we were in clean, dry clothes to watch the fleet come into the harbor - just as it started to rain.
We enjoyed meeting old friends and making new ones during supper. Calen was just beat, so he decided to take a nap in the truck and ended up getting a ride with Ann to Andy and Ann Gratton’s house where we were bunking for the evening. The rest of us stayed until late reminiscing good times, talking shop, and even ice boating!
Sunday morning brought more wind, but out of the northwest, so while it was wavy, it was certainly sailable. We got out on the water, practiced a few tacks and got ready for the two planned races. We read the wind and water well, and sacrificed a few degrees of pointing ability and traded it for a little extra speed and power through the waves. This paid off huge as we passed most of the boats in the fleet and ended up taking 3rd place. We were competitive in the last race as well, but the winds were a little lighter and it was very challenging sailing in the lumpy waves. We ended up 5th in the final race.
Because we sailed 6 total races, our worst, a DNS was thrown out and we ended up taking home the 5th place trophy! We celebrated by getting a ½ gallon of A&W root beer, drank it from our 5th place etched drinking glass trophies, and headed for home.
The Fond du Lac Sailing Club really hosted a nice regatta and everyone had a really nice time. If you have the opportunity to sail or crew on a Buccaneer, I-20, or Lightning you should put this regatta on your calendar. I know I’ll be going back.
6/1/2010
With the first race of the season complete, it's officially NOT WINTER in Wisconsin. Come on out and try sailing around the course. We're sure you'll have fun doing it and learn valuable sailing skills!
4/15/2010
The racing page has been updated with several notices of race. There are several spring regattas scheduled at affordable prices and great values. With the warmer water, this is the year to get your boats out early and go sailing!!!
3/21/2010
The 2010 club racing season is shaping up to allow even more events for sailors to enjoy. Please go to the racing page to sign up to volunteer for RC duties. With the new committee boat, it's almost as much fun to watch the races as it is to participate!
THANK YOU Stewart Doty for donating three signal flags necessary to complete our inventory of regularly utilized race flags. If you wish to brush up on what flags are used for racing and what they mean, check out the top, right of the racing page for a link.
10/7/09
There are new Governor's Cup photos now on the photos page thanks to Russ and Tammy! Some of these photos are really great, so be sure to check them out.
9/21/09
Joe and LaCinda Terry have returned after a successful competition at the Inland 20 National Championships, held on September 18, 19, 20, 2009.
The Terry's sailed consistently in tough conditions for race finishes of 3, 4, 1, 8, 11, 3. Each sailors' worst race was a throw out if 6 races were sailed. The competition was extremely tight for 3rd through about 8th and Joe and LaCinda were 6th going into the last race before the throw out.
They won the 3rd race from the start, legging out after picking a great shift and finding pressure on the first leg and holding on for a race win.
The excitement, however, was in the last race. They attribute their success to going out on the lake early and studying the wind conditions. Like DuBay, the land caused changing characteristics in the wind and after studying both sides of the lake, they made a game plan. Fortunately, they were able to cary out that plan and they beat everyone they needed to in order to move up three places and take home some silver.
The following is an excerpt from the I-20 website:
The Inland 20 National Championships concluded the I-20 season with a back to back repeat champions in Steve Scheck and Leigh Leonard sailing a masterful regatta.
The Lake Wawasee Yacht Club in Syracuse, Indiana were gracious hosts and not only provided good racing, but opened up their homes, prepared fantastic meals, and really welcomed the I-20 fleet for an enjoyable National Championship Regatta.
The racing started on Friday afternoon in light and variable conditions. Finding the wind was key and taking advantage of the shifts made tactics very challenging for the entire fleet.
Saturday morning looked promising with winds around 8 and fairly steady. As race time approached, the winds lightened up a bit, although there were some puffs to be found in the 10 mph range. Staying in the pressure proved to be the key, although the irregular lake chop tested the sailors’ ability to read the water. At the end of the 3rd race on Saturday, and the 5th race for the regatta, 1st and 2nd were locked up but the battle for 3rd through 5th involved the top half of the fleet.
Saturday evening's dinner will be remembered with tenderloin, pasta salad, baked potatoes, beans, fruit, with ice cream and brownies for dessert. The volunteers at the Lake Wawasee Yacht Club sure know how to host a dinner! The evening social had a great atmosphere with a fire in the fireplace at the club house and lots of talk about sailing all sorts of scows.
As sailors took to the water on Sunday morning, the winds looked steady, but like Saturday, they started to swing a bit. Some of the conditions can be attributed to the shape of the lake, and the local knowledge paid off as two Wawasee boats went 1, 2 to finish the regatta.
In great form, the boats were packed up, awards were presented, lunch was served, and sailors were on the road around 1:00 for the trip home. Enough can't be said for the excellent organization.
The top five overall are as follows:
1st: Steve Scheck, Leigh Leonard, Lake Mendota, WI
2nd: Willie Crear, Suzy Sternkof, Lake Minnetonka, MN
3rd: Joe Terry, LaCinda Terry, Lake DuBay, WI
4th: Robbie Quisser, Ben Herdrich, Lake Wawasee, IN
5th: John Spargo, Jim Brust, Lake Mendota, WI
Full Results HERE
8/26/09
Photos from the 2009 Governor's Cup are now uploaded on the Photo Page. Thanks Melissa Sims for the photos!!!
8/26/09
The Butterfly One Design season came to a close after a beautiful evening of sailing. Light winds required patience, but two competitive races were sailed. For final results, check out the Butterfly One Design page and click the RACING button.
8/23/09
After a great day of racing on Saturday following by no racing on Sunday due to no wind, the 28th Annual Governor's Cup Regatta came to a close.
With 18 boats on the starting line, it was the best turnout in the last 15 years. Thanks everyone for coming, and check out the RACING page for results.
Hopefully, we'll have photos uploaded soon.
8/17/09
A big week for LDBSA: Tuesday evening is the last Tuesday race for the season - don't forget that we start at 5:45 due to earlier nightfall.
This weekend is our signature event - the Governor's Cup Regatta. The 28th Annual event will host an open daysailer fleet, open scow fleet, I-20 scow fleet, and Buccaneer fleet. Come out, race, watch, help out, and have a great time!
Things get started on Saturday at the Portage County Park at 8:00 with registration, a 9:30 competitors briefing, 11:00 start for race 1 followed by race 2, a break for lunch, and an afternoon race.
Saturday evening winds up with a dinner at the shelter at 6:00 for those who pre-registered. If you didn't pre-purchase supper? Bring something to cook on the grill and join us anyway!!!
Sunday starts off at 9:30 with a brief competitor's meeting followed immediately by the last two races sailed back to back.
The RC and safety boats are both large pontoon boats, so some spectator seating is available.
Photos and video from previous Governor's Cup regattas will be displayed at the shelter.
Hope to see you there!
8/16/09
Calen Terry, crewing for multi-time National Champion John Spargo finished 8th overall at the ILYA I-20 class Championship Regatta, sailed on Green Lake, WI August 13, 14, & 15. With a best finish of 3rd place, Spargo/Terry were nipping at the leader's heels for most of the regatta. The competition was tight and they were only five points from 5th a place trophy.
Joe and LaCinda Terry finished 10th overall with a best finish of 6th. There was some serious excitement in the 4th race when about 10 boat lengths from the windward mark the jib halyard let go with Joe and LaCinda in 4th place with two legs to go. They managed to over stand the top mark enough to sail in under main and flogging jib, set the spinnaker, and hit the bottom of the course still in 4th. Upon dousing the spinnaker, they tied the spinnaker halyard and tried to use it as a jib halyard. The jib set pretty soft, but allowed them to sail the last mile windward leg. They lost four boats in the process, but still finished the race respectfully.
The icing on the cake was SailGroove.org covered the regatta. There are some good racing clips, so check it out. John Spargo and Calen Terry were sailing H-III and have a black and white spinnaker, and Joe and LaCinda on DB-34 with a orange, white, and black spinnaker. Enjoy the footage!
8/9/09
The Governor's Cup Regatta is just around the corner. Pre-registrations have determined four classes: I-20, Buccaneer, Open Scow, and Open Daysailer. Come out, enjoy our "new" RC boat and Mike Koss's pontoon for spectating. We can easily fit four or five on each, so even if you don't race, come out, enjoy the day with friends from near and far at the 28th annual Governor's Cup Regatta!
7/24/09
Calen Terry, Joe Terry, and Dennis Gamble traveled to Spring Lake, Michigan on July 21, 22, and 23 for the 2009 Butterfly National Championships for the Junior and Open divisions. Calen finished 16th in the Junior division. Joe finished 23rd and Dennis finished 33rd overall. Additional details can be found on the racing pages.
A photo album has been added that has many photos from the regatta. Check it out!
7/18/09
Stewart Doty and his young RC helpers set up a great course on a fantastic day for sailing. So fantastic that the racers sailed four races. Results are on the race page
6/24/09
The Butterfly fleet took to the water and had some extremely close racing. Going into the last race, there was a 3 way tie for 1st between Ed Peck, Dennis Gamble, and Joe Terry. A 4th race was sailed and settled the tie in some really fun, light air conditions. All 6 boats hit the beach at the same time to the delight of the public. Good fun!
6/10/09
The Butterfly One-Design season kicked off on Wednesday, June 10. The racing was very competitive and really tight, even though the winds were very light at times. Check out the Butterfly One Design pages for results. Congratulations to Calen Terry taking first place and to Amy Meilke for sailing in her first race.
5/26/09
Valerie Charneski represented LDBSA at the Syttende Mai Regatta in stoughton, WI. We have no report from Valerie, but the results are posted on the Racing page or by clicking HERE. Check it out!
5/23/09
The Tune up day went excellent, thanks to RC work by Dennis Gamble and the LDBSA sailors who attended. Three practice races were held, and sailors got good practice with mark roundings, starts, and even some tactical work on the course! It's shaping up to be a great sailing season.
5/20/09
I-20 Sailors from Lake DuBay sail well at Cedar Lake, IN
Joe and LaCinda Terry finish 2nd in a 3-way tie for 1st place.
Calen Terry crews for Andy Gratton and finishes 5th overall.
Rich Barker and Kurt Sims stick it out in tough conditions on Saturday after many of the boats retired to finish in the top 1/2 of the 18 boat fleet.
Results links can be found on the race page, right column, or by clicking HERE
4/13/09
A Race Committee Signup Sheet is now available on the racing page. Click the "volunteer" tag to send an e-mail to the Webmaster for the appropriate date. Volunteer today!
3/31/2009
The new Butterfly fleet is mentioned on the Butterfly National Class Association website. Click HERE to
check it out.
3/17/2009
Welcome to the new Lightning fleet 515. Jim Force is the fleet captain!
New Butterfly One-Design fleet web pages have been added. Click Butterfly Fleet on the home page, or just click HERE
7/5/2010
Jim Young leads Calen Terry in their search for more wind. That wall cloud will do nicely! Click on the picture for the full resolution version. Thanks John Volrath for the photos.
6/27/2010
John Volrath took a few photos of the Wednesday evening racing. Take a look at the photo page to see the interesting weather and sailing fun.
5/23/2010
Our first sailing event of the season is now in the books. This morning was our Spring Tune-up sail. We had four boats show up to sail. Joe and Calen Terry were there in their I-20 along with new Association member Jill Kapla . Chuck Jagodinski had his Weekender 18 out as well. Chuck had a number of Boy Scouts in his boat. I believe they were working toward earning their sailing merit badges. Jack and Sheryl Thielke came out in their Buccaneer, and Ed Peck and crew were there with his Laser. Manning the committee boat were myself, Rich Barker, and a couple of family members of the scouts -- mom Michelle and sister Kara by name. We managed to get off 3 1 lap practice races. The winds were very shifty today ( how unusual ;-) ). Rich and I reset the starting gate a couple of times in an attempt to keep the line somewhat square to the wind, but eventually gave up and waited for the wind to come back to us -- which was somewhat successful. Congratulations to Chuck and the scouts for improving each race. They were only 12 seconds out of second place the last race, after finishing over 10 minutes back in the first. That's quite an improvement.
My 3 year old son Isaac decided he wanted to race instead of watching from the committee boat. So he jumped on Joe's boat and sailed the last two races on the I-20. He looked pretty comfortable out there I must say. At one point he went past standing on the rail with one hand around the port shroud like he didn't have a care in the world. Warmed my heart to see it. Then he jumped in Chuck's boat for a while as well. He really wanted to ride in the yellow Laser as well, but we just ran out of time.
The committee boat ran well. The throttle cables have been fixed, so it shifts nice and smooth. It just needs a good cleaning now, and for someone to go through it with a couple of screwdrivers and tighten up all of the loose fittings. We'll try to get that done before the first race in June.
After Rich and I got the committee boat put away, I did a little mowing. The yard is looking pretty good by the way. Thank you all for keeping your slips looking neat and clean.
After all of that hard work, we decided we needed some ice cream. So Rich Barker led us on his new motorcycle (Yamaha V-Star I believe) back to Mosinee, where we enjoyed some frozen treats at the Briqs Drive-in. A very pleasant ending to a very pleasant day I think.
Our next scheduled event is the first Tuesday evening race on June 1. Racing will begin at 6 PM. Looks like Kurt and Melissa Sims have the race committee duties.
Hope to see you all there.
-Dennis
LDBSA Secretary/Treasurer
5/2/2010
Spring is here and the BOAT YARD IS OPEN! There are several boats already in the yard and some folks are already taking care of their "lawn".
Also exciting was seeing Ed Peck ripping it up in a pretty good breeze. He was giving his laser quite a workout!
3/21/2010
After another well attended club meeting, we now have the Governor's Cup notice of race and sailing instructions published on the web site and a number of volunteers have stepped forward to sign up for race committe duties.
2/20/2010
Club business in the form of meeting minutes are now posted on the website. The minutes are in .pdf format and are encripted, so a password is needed. If you are a member in good standing and need the password, contact the webmaster.
2/14/2010
The America's Cup comes back home! After an exciting windward leg in the 2nd race, the USA boat pulled ahead right at the windward mark and extended significantly on the first downwind reach of the traiangle 1 course. With boat speed exceeding 32 knots in 10 mph breeze these yachts, extreme in every way, approach the performance of ice boats. Dominating the downwind, the USA boat finishes the 2nd race 5:16 ahead of the Swiss boat after a 15+ minute victory on Friday.
The next America's Cup will take place off the shores of California, and after the politics and debate, it'll be interesting to see what types of boats will be sailed and the format of the regatta.
2/12/2010
The America's Cup regatta is now underway. After years of lawsuits, this regatta is unusually different than any other America's Cup regatta. There is no challenge regatta - just two boats sailing, and both are multi-hulls: The defender, Alinghi from Switzerland and BMW Oracle from the USA. The boats are technologically fantastic, with upwind speeds over 20 knots in a 6 knot breeze over 25 knots downwind. Their performance rivals ice boats in these conditions!
After race 1, the USA boat completely dominated in performance over the race course. Sailing higher and faster, they made up a 600m deficit at the start to finish 3000m ahead. They were faster at every point of sail and were able to sail higher upwind and lower going downwind. Unless USA breaks and cannot be repaired, it's looking like this is the most expensive no-contest regatta ever.
The video has been exciting to watch. Replays can be found on ESPN360.com (if you are lucky enough to have the right internet provider) or bmworacleracing.com
2/1/2010
A new link has been put on the links page. For current and future wind predictions, WIND MAPPER.com is easy to use and comprehensive 6 days out at a single glance. Check it out!
1/31/2010
With complete reconstruction of the front half of the "LaCinda Mae" , Joe and Calen Terry raced at the Northeast Ice Yacht Association regatta. This event was first raced in 1913 and is held in Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin, depending on ice conditions.
Sailors from as far away as New Jersey attended and sailed in several classes. One Design classes included the DN and Renegade class. Skeeter classes included A, B, C, D and E class skeeters.
The old stern steerers have been making comeback. All classes, A, B, C,and D class stern steerers attended. The world's largest iceboat, the "Duce", was there and was quite an attraction.
There was little to no wind on Friday, and only the DN class got a race in. The wind on Saturday was light (around 5). There were 13 stern steerers registered, but only 4 took to the line for two reasons: The air was too light for many of the boats, and a large heave on the lake made it difficult for late coming boats to get to the race area. Two races were sailed on Saturday and Joe and Calen got their workout in having to push several times during the race.
The wind filled in to about 10 with gusts around 13 on Sunday. Some of the boats didn't come out and the stern steerers class had 8 boats on the line. Joe and Calen had top speeds recorded of just over 50 mph in winds of 10 to 13!
Joe and Calen sailed fair for their first regatta, but because they were able to complete every race, their results were excellent.
Overall, Stern Steerer, Joe and Calen finished 8, 4, 6, 7 for a 4th Place overall. In the D class, Joe and Calen finished 2, 1, 1, 2 to win the class.
The D class trophy was first awarded in 1950, and is a beautiful silver bowl on a granite, then wooden pedestal.
Part of the excitement also included the "bubble boats", the super streamlined E-class skeeters:
The Wisconsin Stern Steerer Association regatta is tentatively called for February 6 & 7 likely somewhere on lake Winnebago. If anyone is interested in seeing these old majestic ice boats, check www.iceboat.org for details.
12/19/09
The Terry family has ventured into old school ice boating. The stern steerer pictured is a mix of an early 1900's B-class stern steer hull mated with a 1940's-50's E-class skeeter rig. The performance is predictable and pretty fast (45 mph in winds 9-13). Unfortunately, a mishap has resulted in hull failure and the boat back in the shop for major repairs. Hopefully we'll see the boat on the ice again yet this year!
12/7/09
The December club meeting will take place at the Terry residence in Port Edwards. After club business, there will be discussion on the racing rules of sailing for 2009-2012.
BBQ will be provided. Bring a side dish if you like.
PLEASE RSVP so the Terry's know how much BBQ to make (715-887-3020)
11/7/09
2008 News has been moved to the news archive pages. See the link at the top of this page for the archives.
10/17/09
The fall banquet was a huge success with a near record turnout!
As customary, the special awards were given:
The Dedicated DuBayer for 2009 was Dennis Gamble. Dennis was recognized for his dedication as Secretary/Treasurer, overseeing the boat yard, participation in club events, and overall presence. Congratulations!
The Outstanding Crew award was earned by LaCinda Terry. LaCinda crewed with her husband Joe for a 2nd place finish at the I-20 spring regatta, 1st place for the Tuesday series, 1st place for the Saturday series, and 3rd place at the I-20 National Championships.
Saturday series trophies were as follows:
1st: Joe/LaCinda Terry
2nd:
Dennis Gamble
3rd: Stewart Doty
Tuesday series trophies were as follows:
1st: Joe/LaCinda Terry
2nd: Calen Terry
3rd: Dennis Gamble
Overall season trophies were as follows:
1st: Joe/LaCinda Terry
2nd: Dennis Gamble
3rd: Calen Terry
Butterfly season trophies were sponsored by Northern Lake Sailboats
1st: Joe Terry
2nd: Dennis Gamble
3rd: Ed Peck
Congratulations!
Additionally, NEW OFFICERS were elected for the 2010 season. We have a new Commodore and Vice Commodore this year.
Congratulations Rich Barker for being elected Commodore, Valerie Charneski for being elected Vice Commodore, and Dennis Gamble for being elected Secretary/Treasurer.
7/4/09
Happy Independence Day!
The race committee boat is now ready to go. After a few long days of cleaning and making minor modifications, adding anchors, places for committee flags, setting up a horn, cleats, dock lines, etc. the boat looks great and should serve the needs of the club for years to come.
See the photos page for some pictures of the boat all cleaned up and ready to go.
6/29/09
The club officers met at Badger Marine this evening and took the pontoon boat for a test ride. The boat runs good and performs very well. The square pontoons keep the boat from slipping and at all speeds the boat handles very nicely.
The officers discussed the boat and made the decision to make the purchase. David, LaCinda, and Joe Terry hooked it up to LaCinda's and Joe's jeep and took it back to Lake Nepco to spend some time getting to know the boat. After about a 1/2 hour ride, they were pleased that they felt they made the right decision. The jeep pulled the boat out of the water easily in 2 wheel drive, so most club members vehicles should be able to launch and recover the boat.
The boat is now at the Terry family shop where Northern Lake Sailboats will do some cleanup and ready the boat for committee duty.
Please note that the trailer has a 2" ball hitch.
Look for it in the boat yard soon!
6/24/09
After considerable discussion, the replacement committee boat has been narrowed down to a 21' pontoon boat. This boat is on a double axle trailer, has a bimini as well as a mooring cover and will accommodate 12 spectators and the race markers. It is being serviced by Badger Marine in Wisconsin Rapids and when it is ready, it will be launched and tested prior to purchase. The boat fits the criteria the committee boat selection committee was given (although the engine is more powerful than specified) and hopefully it will be a great platform to officiate a race on as well as enjoy roomy comfort for those who would like to come out and watch sailing.
5/25/09
We held our annual Tune-Up sail on Saturday and had a real nice turnout. I had the race committee duty and showed up about 9:30. After helping Mark Ennis step the mast on his J-Sailor in the yard, I took the committee boat down to the landing where I met Amy Mielke, who was getting her Butterfly ready to sail. Ed Peck was at the landing with his MC Scow, as well as Jack and Sheryl Thielke with their Buccaneer. I set a shortish course in the bay by the East Landing and sat back to wait for some sailboats to arrive. (Incidentally, the committee boat fired right up on the first turn of the key and ran well all day. The throttle control is still a bit touchy though.) Conditions for napping were excellent. There was a steady 5 knot breeze blowing from the southwest with high cloud cover to keep the sun from getting too hot. The power boat traffic was also surprisingly light for a Memorial Day weekend. Just a few fisherman and pontoon boats out there.
The first practice race started at 12:20. We did two additional practice races after that. I believe we went from 6 to 5 to 4 boats in the racing. Participants were: Joe and Calen Terry in their Butterflies, Jack & Sheryl Thielke in their Buccaneer, Mark Ennis in his J-Sailor, Stewart Doty single-handing his Lightning, Ed Peck in his MC Scow. Chuck Jagodinski even got in on the last race with his Johnson Weekender and did quite well. I believe he was second to the mark on the first windward leg. Joe and Calen had some nice head to head battles in their Butterflies, while Stewart had a very nice second race -- leading the fleet by about a minute and a half throughout the race. Also present, but not racing, were Mel Smith in his J-Sailor and Stanley Dale in his Catalina 22. Thomas Ralph was also out in his West Wight Potter. The Sims took their new M-17 scow out for a test run with the help of Rich Barker. When I took the committee boat back to the yard, Mark Ennis was busily engaged in mowing the yard. Thanks Mark! (Incidentally -- YOU are responsible for keeping your own slip mowed -- and it's starting to look a bit ragged out there -- there is a mower available at the yard). I also ran into Tomasz Okon, who was preparing to step the mast on the Paceship 23 he purchased from Joe Terry. Hopefully the Okons will get more opportunities to sail their new boat with us this year.
Well, I guess that's about it. Turned out to be a real nice day. I can't wait to get out in my own boat now. Our first race will be on Tuesday, June 2, starting at 6PM. I hope to see a whole bunch of you guys out there.
Have a great Memorial Day. And don't forget to take a few moments today to remember all of the men and women who have served our country the past 233 years.
-Dennis Gamble
4/5/2009
The photo page has been refined and updated. Be patient the first time it loads, and enjoy the pictures. If you have photos you'd like to see on the photos page, please e-mail the webmaster. ENJOY!
3/31/2009
The Lake DuBay group on the yahoo groups pages is now listed on the links page. Join the group and use it to send messages to all of your LDBSA friends.
3/17/2009
Joe Terry spent some time on the ice and had the opportunity to sail in no less than 6 different types of ice boats. This LINK is to a five minute You-Tube video Joe made of a fun ride in a stern steer iceboat, the Wisconsin.
Pictured above is the Rosemary IV, a D-class stern steer. Pictured below is the Wisconsin. Joe says, "We were sailing in about three inches of hard pack on the Rosemary. The boat never got comfortable fighting through the snow, but we were flying along nonetheless doing just about 65 mph when Andy bore off in a 30 mph puff. The rig loaded up and the boat spun out. All I saw was snow for about three seconds, and we coasted to a stop in reverse. Needless to say, it was a life changing experience - and a shorts changing one too."
3/17/2009
The website is being edited and revised using new web design software. If you observe problems, please contact the webmaster. Your patience during the transition is appreciated.
Do you remember bloopers? The sailing kind?
A great sailing documentary has been found from the 1980's and re-introduced on You Tube. It is about 30 minutes total, and in three segments. If you have high speed internet and love sailing and/or big boat racing, you owe it to yourself to check it out:
Hall of Fame Regatta, Part 1
Hall of Fame Regatta, Part 2
Hall of Fame Regatta, Part 3
To keep the news page loading reasonably quickly, older news has now been archived. Just click "Archive" at the top of the page.
6/19/2010
Today was our annual Poker Cruise. Chuck had his newly improved buoys out on the lake and ready to go by 11 AM or so. We spent a little time discussing the weather in the parking lot, and then hit the water around noon. I went out in my Butterfly. Chuck sailed in his Weekender 18 along with some friends. Larry Sipiorski, his wife, and Rich Barker went out in Larry's MacGregor 19. Mike Koss was there with his Catalina 22. I think he was sailing with his sister and brother-in-law today. Jack and Sheryl Thielke took their Buccaneer out as well.
The lake looked a bit angry at the start with winds blowing a steady 15 mph out of the West and gusts to 25. My outhaul managed to come undone after about 10 minutes of beating into the wind, so I had to drop my sail and do some on the water repairs. I came through that unscathed -- and unbathed -- tacked right and headed up the channel for the first buoy. The winds did moderate a bit after the start, and the chop was much smaller farther up the lake, which made the sailing a little more enjoyable and much drier. I was able to get up on a plane on a close reach for the ride from the second to the 3 marker, which made for an exciting ride. Don't think I've ever had my Butterfly, or any other boat for that matter, up on plane that long before. I sailed up to and touched the highway bridge, and then turned around for home. More planing on the downwind run, so I made good time back to the landing. I did manage to tear a batten pocket on my sail though. So I'll need to get out the sail needle and thread before Wednesday nights race.
We reconvened at Saloon Dubay after all our gear was safely stowed away, and had a fine dinner and gift exchange. A pair of 3s was the best poker hand. I think Mike Koss had that. All I had was a single king, which netted me a large canister of deluxe mixed nuts and a lottery ticket. Unfortunately it was not the winning ticket. Well, there's always next year.
Many thanks to Chuck Jagodinski for organizing this event again this year. And thank you to all who came out and sailed today.
-Dennis
3/21/2010
The Apostle Island cruise for 2010 has been tentatively set for Thursday evening, July 29 through Sunday August 1, 2010. Check the cruising page for further details. Contact a club officer or Mike Koss if you're interested in joining in, wish to crew, need crew, etc. If you have not sailed the Apostle Islands, joining a fleet provides safety in numbers. The 2009 Door County cruise was great fun for new cruising sailors and experienced alike, so clear your calendar and get your boat ready!
11/06/09
Jim Force took a fantastic cruise on the Lewis R. French. A story about the adventure is on the CRUISING page. What a great woodie!
10/7/09
The Poker Cruise was a great success with six boats attending.
Participating were:
Russ and Tammy Hessler, Catalina 22
Mike and Sara
Koss, Catalina 22
Joe and Tristin Terry, MacGregor 26
Dennis Gamble, Butterfly
John Volrath and Larry Sipiorski, Precision 18
Chuck Jagodinski and Rich Barker, Johnson 18 Weekender
The weather was questionable, but the eager sailors brought their foul weather gear and had a great time.
This scavenger hunt began when sailors rendezvoused with Chuck to get a lake map indicating the general location of the buoys. The buoys were custom made flotation devices with a red flag which had playing cards attached. The goal was to find all the buoys and take a card.
The winds were light, but enough to have a lot of fun. There was an occasional sprinkle, but not enough to dampen the high spirits of the sailors. There was some general excitement by those listening to the Badger football game when they won the axe from Minnesota for the 6th consecutive time!
At the end of the day, the boats were parked, sails folded, and the sailors then met at Saloon DuBay for dinner and to review who had the best hand. Sailors brought gifts and the best poker hand would pick the first gift, etc. John Volrath had the best hand with three of a kind 6's.
After a few hours of eating and socializing, everyone decided to call it an evening. WHAT GREAT FUN!
Thanks again, Chuck, for organizing this fantastic cruising/social event.
PHOTOS ARE POSTED ON THE PHOTO PAGE.
8/9/09
Hello Everyone;
Mark your calendar and get your boat and crew ready for the 4th annual Poker Cruise on beautiful Lake DuBay.
The Poker Cruise will take place on September 12th after the morning races conclude (about 1:00 PM). Skippers and Crew who wish to take part in the card pick/gift exchange need to bring a gift valued between $5.00 and $10.00 and, pre-register with Chuck Jagodinski.
It is important to pre-register because there will be a limited number of cards that can be placed on each buoy.
The Cruise will begin at the Consolidated landing (the one nearest the Boatyard). After receiving their instructions and map, Sailors will pilot their boats up the channel to the Hwy 34 bridge; locating the five buoys, and taking one card per registered participant from each buoy. Sailors will then return to the landing; put away their boats; and report to a nearby restaurant (to be determined later) for a club social at about 6:00 PM where cards will be revealed, and gifts and stories will be exchanged.
Everyone is encouraged to get out on the water and enjoy this great event. This maybe a great time to introduce non-sailors to the sport of Sailing. If you can not make the whole event, come out for any part of it - just for the fellowship.
Those wishing to take part in the card pick/gift exchange need to pre-register with Chuck Jagodinski at: cjagod@aol.com or by calling him at 443-2791 or: 297-2791 so that you can be assured that there will be cards for you and your crew at the buoys.
Chuck Jagodinski
8/2/09
After a safe return from the Door County Cruising adventure, the sailors are still talking about their exciting adventures! Four LDBSA boats attended. Some photos are on the photo page (from Joe and Tristin Terry) and more photos and stories should be forthcoming. There is already talk about trying to put together another adventure yet this year!
7/28/09
Cruising boats are loaded on their trailers and ready to head to Door County. Look for photos and some type of write up soon. HAVE FUN CRUISING LDBSA CRUISING FLEET!
7/15/09
Sturgeon Bay Cruise Update - July 15!
Ahoy Cruising Sailors. Mike Koss is planning this summers cruise and to date, three boats are signed up:
Mike/Chuck - Catalina 22
Terry Family - Magregor 26
Bill and Barb Bergstresser - O'day 17
Larry Sipiorski - MacGregor 19
We will splash at 12:00 noon, Thursday, July 30, 2009 at FISH CREEK. The advantage is that there is a nice cruising area, such as Ellison Bay, Sister Bay, Ephraim, Peninsula Bay State Park, Fish Creek, (all of which have copious services available if needed) and Chambers Island are all with reach, all to prevailing weather, which makes it more likely that we get back to Fish Creek when we want to be. Also, Washington Island, Detroit Harbor are in easy reach. This would also for sure be more picturesque than Sturgeon Bay. (sorry Sturgeon Bay, nothing personal).
Contact Mike Koss if you're going or have any questions by clicking Mike's name or calling 715-359-4890
6/17/09
Now on the calendar is our Sturgeon Bay Cruise. Further details are pending, but we will meet at a location to be determined on Thursday, July 30 around noon. We will discuss our daily destination on site depending on wind and weather. Take out will be on Sunday, August 2.
Visit back for additional details.
