Larchmont Memorial Day 2013 ($0 entry fee, free party, good racing)

[Peter Beardsley]

May is almost here.  At the end of the month (May 25-26) is Larchmont Memorial Day.  We're preserving the best parts of past years ($0 entry fee, free boat storage, drysailing both days with three hoists for fast launching, late-ish start time, free party Saturday night with beer and BBQ, trophies included post racing Sunday for top 3, chalk talks in the morning pre-racing and practice if conditions allow, free housing Friday and/or Saturday night if people give enough advance notice, etc.)   In 2011 and 2012, we had 16 Vipers each, so it's a decent little event.

But since we're always trying to improve upon the wheel, here are some changes / improvements for 2013:

- The first warning had been at 2:25 pm both days.  Once we have a better sense of the scratch sheet, we may move the Viper start time up for 2013 to 1:25 pm on one or both of the days to allow for more races to be held.  Details to follow, but the RC is amenable to the change.

- The racing area will be moved to the east to south of R 38 -- this is in between Larchmont and Greenwich to allow for easier transit for the Western CT Vipers who want to come by water.  It's basically the HPDO racing area for everyone else.  We will have tow boats for the teams sailing out of Larchmont in case conditions are bad on the way out or the way back since it is around a 3.5-4.0 mile sail, but we can also do drills on the way over each day after a morning chalk talk if people are able to organize themselves.

- For a half dozen or so Vipers, if conditions allow, we'll have a "feeder race" to Cedar Point on Memorial Day Monday (22 nm) and leave boats there for the week for New Englands.  By "if conditions allow," I mean if we have at least 10-12 kts from the S, SW, W, or NW, all of which is a decent probability if we start late enough for this time of year, to allow for a downwind 22-mile "race" to Cedar Point.  Scores will be determined in part based on elapsed time and in part based on beverages consumed en route (responsibly, of course), with the exact rating system to be announced before the start.  You'd need shore support to move your trailer over, and preference goes to those who are willing to do demos at Cedar Point Memorial Day after sailing over. 

We now have 13 Vipers at LYC for 2013, though we're still working out details as to whether a couple of the new boats will be delivered in time for the regatta.  In any case, there's a reasonably good chance that this will be a 20+ Viper event.  Also counts toward the WLIS Viper Championship Series (along with New Englands, American Independence, Larchmont Race Week, YRALIS Champs and HPDO). 

There's no NOR yet.  The YRALIS SIs govern, though there's usually a short amendment and basic entry form for the event.  The 2013 YRALIS SIs are posted at http://www.larchmontyc.org/racing/documents/2013YRA-LISODSIs-FINAL.pdf and the 2012 amendment and entry form is posted at http://www.larchmontyc.org/racing/memorialday2012public.shtml -- should be substantially similar except for a possible start time change for the Vipers. 

Please email me with questions or if you're planning to attend so that I can add you to the scratch sheet. 

[Peter Beardsley]

Working scratch sheet:
CONFIRMED: 14 boats
40: Joe Bainton
50: Paul Zinger
95: Brian McCloskey/Matt Hart
121: Joe Healey
159: Peter Bauer
161: Team Vicious Panda
162: Bob Matthews
163: Cam McKnight
172: Charles Goodrich
176: Pierce Crosbie / Kayvan Heravi
179: DragonFire
180: Steve/Mike Levy
193: Peter Broszkowski
195: Jonathan Nye

On the fence but haven't given a firm "no"
54: Justin Scott
170: David Dougherty
177: Gabe Jostrom

Still looking at 15-17+ boats for this one, should be fun. 

[Peter Beardsley]

The WLIS Viper season kickoff is this Saturday and Sunday at LYC.  The forecast looks good (sun both days, temperatures in the mid 60s) and the wind will be decent (around 10 knots both days).  I know of A LOT of available crews, so if you need someone or are on the fence about sailing, please let me know ASAP.  We can even offer up free housing for those who may want to travel in. 

1. There's no entry fee, but you need to send in an entry form ASAP: http://www.larchmontyc.org/racing/2013MemDaypublic.shtml -- for the NOR, SIs and the amendment to the SIs.

2. First warning both days is 1425.  For those who want to leave the dock earlier and some boathandling practice and speed testing, that opportunity will be there.  I suspect there will be plenty of others who are just putting masts up in the parking lot and finding all of the parts post Sandy/winter storage/Charleston. 

3. There is a BBQ at Peter Bauer's house after racing on Saturday -- I need a headcount as to how many people you expect to bring so that the Bauers, who graciously offer to host this every year, know how much food and beer to get.  If you have special dietary requirements...pick up your own food at the supermarket on the way to Peter's place.   

Working scratch sheet:

Definitely planning to sail at least one day, if not both: [14 boats]
40 Bainton
50 Zinger
81 McHugh
95 McCloskey/Hart/Maneker
121 Healey
159 Bauer
161 Beardsley/Owen
162 Matthews
163 McKnight
176 Crosbie/Heravi
177 Jostrom/Mauro
180 Levy
193 Broszkowski
195 Nye

Possibly sailing one day but still working on the final details: [2 boats]
122 Parkin/Logue
179 Weiss/LaMotte/Asch

Other owners from the WLIS area with confirmed "acceptable" excuses for not attending: 9 out of 13...I won't name the 4 who are MIA with no stated excuse.

Anyway, should be a fun weekend -- looking forward to getting back on the water.  On Monday, if the weather is good, up to 6 boats are "allowed" to sail to Cedar Point and store boats at CPYC for the week before New England Champs -- pre-regatta storage is tight, so if you're planning to sail over on Memorial Day Monday, please let me know ASAP.  I will be making the trip if we can get at least 10 kts from the NW, W, or SW, which doesn't seem to be too much to ask for this time of year. 

Send in entry forms and let me know how many people you're bringing to the BBQ.

[Jason Hyerstay]

Wow. Is Larchmont now the largest club fleet?

I'll have to make it down to one of your events when I get my new crew up to speed.

Cheers!

[Peter Beardsley]

13 Vipers at LYC once a couple of new ones get delivered in 2-3 weeks, definitely the largest club fleet.  Jason: it's a really informal regatta.  There will be a couple of pretty solid teams there, but a few of the very top of the fleet local boats will not be in attendance, and at least half are new to the class.  We even have spare crews available (and have given other newbies away for this one), and will be doing tuning and boathandling practice in the mornings before racing -- consider coming down.  Did I mention $0 entry fee and free housing? 

[Dan Tucker]

What is an "acceptable" excuse, Mr President?
Is there such a thing??

Sent from my Nexus 10 using Tapatalk 2

[Peter Beardsley]

There are all sorts of acceptable excuses -- step 1 is writing back and being polite to say what's up.  Family and work conflicts happen.  Slightly less acceptable is an alternate sailing conflict unless it is on your own boat (i.e., you own more than just a Viper).  Totally unacceptable excuses include no crew (or thinking you have no crew) or boatwork -- those are easy problems to solve, some of which can be solved by motivated regatta organizers and/or fellow competitors.

[Peter Beardsley]

Scratch sheet updated above - 14 boats now for at least one day -- forecast has deteriorated a bit from sunny and moderate to cloudy, possibly rainy, and windy, possibly really windy.  We'll still have fun though. 

[Peter Beardsley]

The weather didn't cooperate this weekend (too MUCH wind -- how's that for a change at Larchmont for all the WLIS haters?), but we had fun anyway: http://www.viper640.org/component/content/article/14-news/416-memorial-day-madness