Proposed New Jib Window

PROPOSED CLASS RULE CHANGE FOR SAIL WINDOW

We have too many racing collisions in our C15 fleet here in Marina Del Rey CA.  I’ll bet other fleets are having the same problem.  The C14 fleet corrected a similar problem years ago by changing the class rules to allow for more window area in the jib and subsequently had less collisions for low cost (the sails were easily retro-fitted by sailmakers). We have separate starts for the C15’s and Lido 14’s and are constantly crossing and hitting or near-hitting too often because the jib blankets the skipper view and crew’s view when not on the wire.  The existing window is too high most of the time, especially in light air.

I proposed at the national C15 business meeting this year and 2 years ago a change in the one design class rules to allow more window area in the jib for safety purposes. In 2010 the issue was tabled. This year it was decided by majority vote to appoint a committee to explore this idea, to invite input from the general membership on the website, then make a binding decision about how the window rule would be altered in the class rules by this Labor Day, expeditiously implementing this safety change.  The committee is:  Barrett Sprout, Charlie Quest and me, Becky Tobin.

So far the discussion has centered on adding a second window above the foot and below the existing window, essentially separating the 2 windows by the sail seam.

This message will also be posted in the C15 Yahoo group where you can engage in the discussion. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sailC15/messages

But you also email Becky directly at   helmzalee@msn.com

Please contribute to this important discussion before Monday September 3, 2012 Labor Day so that we may make an informed decision based on all of our members input.  We will then let you know, on this website, how the class rules will be amended by October 3, 2012.

In the meantime come out and race with us Thursday nights in the Sunstroke Series until August 30th hosted by SCCYC, the friendliest yacht club in Marina Del Rey.

Sincerely, Becky Tobin

SAILING BIOGRAPHIES OF THE 3 COMMITTEE MEMBERS:

Becky Tobin
I have been an active C15 racer/owner in Marina Del Rey for the last 3 years. My sail number is 3622.  My husband and I also owned and raced a J24 in the one-design fleet as well as in PHRF from 1995 until recently. We had competed in the C14 fleet from 1992 to 2008, placing in the national championships many times without ever winning.  Always the bridesmaid, never the bride.  We still own the C14 but don’t race it anymore.

Charlie Quest
Learned to sail as a kid in summer camp and it became my recreational passion. I was OK but not at all educated in how to sail a boat fast. Still it was a passion and time was beginning to run out for me when 55 years old a friend said he needed a new toy and I shared my notion that the best toy was a fleet of one design sailboats to race. He concurred and we got a group of ten together and the most experienced presented the pros and cons of all designs 13-16 feet long and at the end of his presentation there was no one in the room that didn’t think the C15 was the hands down best choice. The next step was to find some boats and since it was my passion, I set myself to that task. I quickly found 10 in in January 2000 we started sailing them as a fleet of novices. Great fun and in that arena I did quite well. However when I stepped beyond our cloistered group into the real world, I learned that I had a great deal to learn and at 67 years of age I am still intent on doing that. But I have not even been the brides maid. I can say with reasonable confidence that at 40 I have probably bought and rehabilitated more used C15s than any one alive. I remained convinced that we made the best choice back in 1999.  I am delighted to participate in effecting changes in the by laws that improve the C15 while keeping it a highly affordable fleet in which to join and compete.

Barrett Sprout
(Written by Becky and may be updated later)
Six time North American champ. Barrett has been sailing C15 for 15 years with his dad Randy Sprout and many other boats as well. He races all around SoCal. Generous with his time and suggestions to any in the fleet who ask.

Thrills, Chills, And Spills! 2012 Londerville Cup, Saturday, Feb. 11

By Kent and Bonnie Arndt

A few days before this year’s Londerville Cup Regatta, Kelly Pike began to send out daily emails to the HalfMoon Bay Yacht Club Sailing Committee and Keel Boat Sponsors with the latest weather predictions for race day. The final report on Friday read: Wind speed prediction for Saturday is back up slightly to NW 11-15mph and warmer (51-54F). Friday will be light and possible showers. The front passing through Friday night accompanied by a few lingering showers and NW winds. Game on sailors! His forecast turned out to be spot-on. A fantastic day of thrills, chills, and (for some) spills was in store! Thrills.

Gemma McCluney, age 9, wet-suited up early to crew for her dad Richard aboard their C15, and got a wild ride she will not soon forget as the winds gusted across the harbor. Another young new club member, John Sorfleet, teamed up with John Powell on his C15 to brave the challenging conditions and sail in the races. Three intrepid and skilled Laser sailors came from out-of-town to make up the Laser fleet. The remaining Cal 20 and C15 fleets this year were all HMBYC boats. Overall the boats were sailed quite well, with great determination by skippers and crews to win. Many races in all fleets came down to just inches separating the competitors at the finish line! The game was on indeed! Chills. Everyone who participated in the regatta got wet. Some went swimming after capsizing. They got “salty” wet. Everyone else got “fresh water” wet from the passing rains that created a mist over the water making it difficult at times to see the next buoy on the course. Even though you were sure to get cold and wet, everyone had fun. After all, isn’t that what winter sailing is all about? Spills. Lucy and Hunter Gillies ended up breaking both port and starboard shrouds on their C15 on their way out to the start line! It’s a wonder the mast did not break in two pieces. Lucy went back out sailing in Richard McCluney’s boat after the lunch break. Ofer and Howard capsized their C15 and then turtled the boat. After that they got their mast stuck in the muddy bottom of the Pillar Point Harbor. Fortunately a stand-up-paddle boarder in the area stopped by and helped them get their boat upright and sailing, and they returned to the club tired, cold, and very wet. Someone else saw them with the boat upside-down and radioed the Coast Guard. The USCG in turn contacted the 911 dispatch and sent the Police and an Ambulance to the club to attend to the “victims”! What’s the big deal? We’re OK! And so the memories and stories of the day’s events will live long and strong. Can’t wait to do it again next year!

Regatta Results: (7 boats, 4 races sailed, 1 throw-out) 1st : Kent Arndt/Bernie Forde, 3 pts. 2nd: Charlie Quest/Andrew Quest, 5 pts. 3rd: Rick Winans/Ron Karp, 11 pts. 4th: John Powell/Jon Sorfleet, 12 pts. 5th: Richard McCluney/Gemma McCluney, 14 pts. 6th : Lucy Gillies/Hunter Gillies, 24 pts. 7th: Ofer Amir/Howard Weis, 24 pts.

Richmond Yacht Club – Small Boat Midwinters Races 2012

By Kent & Bonnie Arndt

Six Coronado 15s participated in the Small Boat Midwinter Racing Series hosted by the Richmond Yacht Club, located in Richmond, CA. The Half Moon Bay Yacht Club had four skippers in attendance (Patrick Melley, Charlie Quest, Lucy Gillies, and Adam Quest), and the balance of the fleet was represented by Connor Vance from the Lake Washington Sailing Club (Sacramento, CA) and Seamus Vanecko from the Cal Berkley Sailing Club. The C15 fleet raced in the February and March regattas, and managed to complete a total of 5 races. This year’s midwinter racing in the San Francisco Bay area has been plagued by light winds, forcing some local SF Bay Area Yacht Clubs to cancel their races. February’s pair of races were held in very light winds, while the three races completed in the March regatta benefited from a mid-day breeze that built to about 10 knots by the afternoon. This regatta series has become very popular with small boat racers from all over California and Nevada. This year there were a grand total of 309 boats entered including Opti’s, Lasers, El Toros, 29ers, 505s, Snipes, Bytes, Daysailors, Thistles, various multi-hulls, Ultimate 20s, Wylie Wabbits, and so on. Three separate racing areas were used simultaneously to accommodate all of these fleets. This group of C15 racers was very impressed with the warm hospitality shown by the Richmond Yacht Club, and the well organized racing out on the water. Plans are already in the works to have an even bigger turn-out of local C15s for next years RYC midwinter series which begins the first Sunday in December, 2012. For more race info and complete results go to www.richmondyc.org Hope to see you there in December! Congratulations to skipper Patrick Melley from HMBYC for winning the C15 fleet midwinter series in style with 5 “bullets” (all “firsts” in each race). Race results: 1st – Patrick Melley, 2nd – Lucy Gillies, 3rd – Charlie Quest, 4th – Adam Quest, 5th – Connor Vance, 6th – Seamus Vanecko