New American Section Website

All,

As your newly elected information officer, I have been taking some steps to unify and expand our web presence. To me, this all starts with a simple, functional, and information-rich web page. As of tonight, I have launched the new website at the same familiar URL www.usa505.org. Please check it out!

Note that this is still a work in progress, but at this point it has all of the information and functionality of the Wiki page, which is no longer accessible. My hope is that you will find it more functional and professional. I am still populating responses as they come in for the "Who, What, When..." promotional piece on the home page. My goal with this is to showcase the best thing the 505 Class has to offer: it's people.

Over the next few months, I will work to incorporate all of the great articles from the old International Site as well as information from around the web into the "Rigging and Project Archive" and "Improve Your 505 Sailing" pages. I want our American Section website to be the one-stop shop for all this type of information. There is a lot of content out there, but I just want to make it easier to find.

We will still utilize the International Site for forums, classifieds, supplier listings and schedule (although I will maintain a Google calendar with all the events from the Int. site). However, we will keep our contact information up-to-date so that perspective 505 sailors can get in touch with the fleet in their area.

I would also like to utilize Facebook to expand our reach with prospective sailors. Please "Like" us on Facebook to subscribe to updates, new Tank Talk posts, regatta results, pictures, video, etc: http://www.facebook.com/AmericanSection

I am 100% open to your feedback on the new website; positive or negative. This not my website, but rather OUR website. If there is something that you would like to see that is not currently incorporated, please post in the comments section here!

Thank you for your time.

Craig Thompson
USA 7346
webmaster@usa505.org

SSA Plane Insane / Region II Championships - Drew Buttner

Spinsheet Photo Gallery

The 2012 Region 2 Championship was held this past weekend at SSA in Annapolis, MD.  14 teams competed including the past two North American champions.  The strong fleet enjoyed some great racing, great weather, and great hospitality.

The event started on Saturday, but a few boats decided to get a little practice in on Friday.  The word on the street was that the Chesapeake Bay served up some champagne conditions and that those that couldn't make it out missed a perfect day for tuning.  For those that couldn't make it, some evening rigging or a morning scramble would have to suffice.

Saturday dawned with warm temps and very little wind.  The forecast wasn't great either with a 9 knot breeze to peak at 11AM, then dying throughout the day.  Needless to say everyone was worried about the prospects of the day.  The lack of wind did give the fleet some extra time to digest the coffee and donuts that were supplied by Bryan Richardson!!  The breeze started to fill around 10AM, and after a short postponement ashore, everyone quickly made their way out to the race course and the RC got things started with only a small delay.  The breeze was from the NW, and with the course set just north of the Severn, the wind was off the towers and pretty variable.  In race number one, the majority of the fleet looked to take advantage of the seemingly more pressure on the left, but it would be right angle that would prove dominate.   Nelson/Falsone played things perfectly and led the fleet around the first weather mark.  Diaz/Lanzinger found that pressure on the left at the very top of the beat to sneak into second and put them in position to battle for the lead downwind.  A mistake (jibing away from the pressure) on the run by Nelson/Falsone allowed Diaz/Lanzinger the passing lane they were looking for they capitalized quickly.  Once in the lead, Diaz/Lanzinger would not be caught.  Nelson/Falsone finished second with locals Sitzmann/Becker sailing a solid race to get 3rd.

Unfortunately the breeze was dying throughout the first race, and as the second race of the day was getting started things really went downhill.  Zagol/Buttner were the rabbit, but upon rounding the pin the wind shifted hard left and they were already above the port tack layline to the weather mark.  Great for the rabbit, but not great for the fleet.  The RC wisely postponed at the starting gun and reset the course.  A second attempt got the race underway, but the breeze was light and it really became a guessing game as to where the breeze would fill from next.  Zagol/Buttner headed right (not a big surprise given they were the rabbit) and this tactic paid off as they rounded the top mark first.  Both Meller/Coe and Moore/Ewenson were close but neither could pass on the downwind leg.  On the second beat the wind got even lighter.  Meller/Coe and Moore/Ewenson tacked out to search for pressure coming from the Severn river on the left.  Unfortunately for them the pressure never materialized.  Instead it came in from the right.  Diaz/Lanzinger had rounding the leeward mark in 4th and never tacked, enabling them to be the first to get to the new pressure and to take the lead.  The RC wisely shortened the course and finished the fleet at the top.  Zagol/Buttner were second and Papadakis/Falsone Jr. were third.

After racing the fleet converged under a tent (SSA is being completely renovated) for beer and oysters.  Conversation about a 2016/2017 worlds bid ensued.  Eventually the need for real food took over and everyone convened at a local establishment down the street.

Sunday was much better from a breeze perspective.  The forecast was 10-15 out of the NW and that is pretty much what we saw all day.  The cost of this was of course the temperature which dropped a few degrees overnight.  The sun stayed shining through and kept things manageable all day.  Three races were completed.  Each race turned into a three way battle between Diaz/Lanzinger, Moore/Ewenson, and Zagol/Buttner.  In the first race of the day, and by far the most exciting, the three boats separated from the pack and pushed each other all the way around the course.  Each had their moment in the sun with the lead changing constantly.  Down the last run, Zagol/Buttner held a slight lead but started running out of pressure on the downwind left near the finish.  Diaz/Lanzinger were closing fast on the downwind right.  Zagol/Buttner jibed back to the finish with starboard advantage but now sit running.  The two boats were bow to bow.  Diaz/Lanzinger were forced off the wire by the starboard Zagol/Buttner and tried to square back and beat them across the line.  But Zagol/Buttner held on for the race win.  Diaz/Lanzinger were second and Moore/Ewenson followed in third.

The fourth race of the series was won by Diaz/Lanzinger.  (the editor forgets the details of that race)

In the fifth and final race, Thompson/Curtin jumped out to a commanding lead by nailing the shifts on the first leg.  The course had been changed to a triangle meaning we all had to find the new reach mark.  The fleet had all but conceded the race to them, until they decided to do a harbor cruise and check out the starting pin for another race course.  The rest of the fleet sailed to the correct jibe mark.  Thompson/Curtin's was so big however that they were able to round the wrong mark and then sail to the jibe mark still in the lead.  They held on the rest of the way for the race win with Zagol/Buttner in second and Diaz/Lanzinger in third.

In the end, the team of Augie Diaz and Fritz Lanzinger proved too good and they captured the overall title.  They sailed an amazingly consistent event given the tricky conditions.  Congratulations!!

Many thanks to Bryan Richardson and everyone at SSA for all their hard work, and for putting on a truly GREAT event.

Pos	Sail	Skipper/Crew/Club	1	2	3	4	5	Total Points	Pos
1	8808	Diaz, Augie/Lanzinger, Fritz/ CRYC	1	1	2	1	[3]	5.00	1
2	8830	Zagol, Mark/Buttner, Andrew	[4]	2	1	2	2	7.00	2
3	8722	Falsone, Jesse/Nelson, Macy/ SSA	2	6	4	[8]	7	19.00	3
4	9007	Moore, Tyler/ewenson, Geoff/ HYC	9	[11]	3	3	4	19.00	4
5	7346	Thompson, Craig/Curtin, Mike	[11]	7	7	5	1	20.00	5
6	8851	Sitzmann, Tom/Becker, Geoff/ SSA	3	5	[9]	9	5	22.00	6
7	7200	Meller, Ali/Scannell, Peter/Coe, Mike/ SSA	6	8	6	4	[9]	24.00	7
8	8012	Duncan, Whit/Miller, Russell/ Sail Newport	10	[12]	5	6	8	29.00	8
9	8822	Burchfiel, David/Froman, Andy	7	4	10	[12]	11	32.00	9
10	8952	Smith, Charles/Smith, Jay/ CYCNC	8	10	[13]	10	6	34.00	10
11	8850	Watson, Doug/ WRSC	[12]	9	8	7	10	34.00	11
12	814	Papadakis, Stergios/ SSA	5	3	[15/DNC]	15/DNC	15/DNC	38.00	12
13	8535	Seamon/Artman/ SSA	13	[15/TLE]	12	11	12	48.00	13
14	8766	Richardson, Bryan/Schoene, Matt/ SSA	[14]	13	11	13	13	50.00	14

Region II Fall Events - Are you in?

We have two exciting events coming up in the next few weeks in Region II:

1. SSA Plane Insane / Region II Championships October 20-21 (12 Confirmed Boats)

Schedule:

Saturday 10/20

0830 to 0930- Registration (payments will accept credit card)

0930- Skipper's meeting

1000- committee boat leaves the dock

1100- First Warning

Sunday 10/21

1000- Committee boat leaves the dock

1100- First warning

1400- No more races will begin

Trophies!

SCRATCH LIST

1. Whit Duncan/ Russell Miller
2. Macy Nelson/Jesse Falsone
3. Bryan Richardson/Matt Schoene
4. Ali Meller/Mike Coe
5. Drew Buttner/Mark Zagol
6. Tyler Moore/Geoff
7. Erika Seamon/Bruce Artman
8. Mike Curtin/Craig Thompson
9. Augie Diaz/Fritz Lanzinger
10. Tom Sitzman/Anthony Burton
11. Jay and Charles Smith
12. Doug Watson/ Eric K on Saturday and Gabe on Sunday
13. Sterg- possible, still trying to work out schedule, would sail with brother

2. Hampton Fall Training Weekend November 3-4 (10 Confirmed Boats)

*Coached training event with video debrief! DON'T MISS THIS OPPORTUNITY TO ELEVATE YOUR GAME!

Schedule:

Friday 11/2
1200 to 1600- warm up drills for those interested

Saturday 11/3
1100- briefing at sailing center

1200 to 1600- practice

1700- debrief at sailing center

1900- party at Tyler's house

Sunday 11/4

0900- Briefing

1000 to 1400- practice perhaps finish with a race or 2

Current Scratch List:

1. Thompson/Curtin
2. Englert/Huntsman
3. Duncan/Miller
4. Nelson/???(SAT) Falsone(SUN)
5. Richardson/???
6. Long/Long
7. Rasmussen/???
8. Smith/Smith (SAT) Revill (SUN)
9. Moore/Ewenson
10. Amthor/Amthor(SAT) James(SUN)

The Art of Crewing - Scott Ikle

Sailing World dug up a great crewing article today from a past issue written by the retired 505 crew Scott Ikle:

http://www.sailingworld.com/racing/from-the-archives-doublehanded-synergy

Scott is seen below sailing with October 2012 Sailing World "Coverboy" Tyler Moore. I would say this picture was probably taken close to the time the article was published based on those Reebok Pumps he is wearing.

Santa Cruz Fall Regatta Report

Written by Mike Holt:

Santa Cruz Yacht Club hosted a 505 regatta this last weekend but unfortunately most of you had better things to do than sail in 15-20 knots with warm sunshine and great waves. Most certainly your loss!

However six boats made it to the start line for the first race and Santa Cruz delivered the best weekend of sailing on a long time. Great race management from Beau Vrolyk and his team with straight forward windward leeward courses with a gate in the beat. Unusually for Santa Cruz the course was not right hand biased, in fact we felt we gained by going left on most beats and certainly watching the compass was important. For a change my view of the race track was from "the wire" hanging on the side for Steve Anderes who kindly stepped in to sail with me.

At the end of day one Mike Smith and Jeff Miller had a perfect 1,1,1 score although they did have to cover us up the last beat of the second race! Steve and I ended the day with a 2,2,2 score and to complete the symmetry Evan Diola and Eb Russell had a 3,3,3 score. However the racing was close and exciting with some really full on wire running and tight mark roundings.

Sunday was pretty similar to Saturday, starting just a shade lighter but by the time we were going up the first beat of the day the wind had filled in to a good 15+. This was a more typical go right upwind, left downwind day than though which nearly caught Mike and Jeff out, heading right downwind while we gybe set. However when it all matters at the finish line Mike and Jeff maintained their perfect score and Steve and I maintained our less perfect run of 2's. However Reeve and Pat managed to pass Evan and Eb in the last race to ruin their run of 3's!

A real shame more of you did not make it to Santa Cruz, we had absolutely perfect conditions.

Results:

1. 9082  Mike Smit Jeff Miller  1  1  1  1  1  5
2. 9002  Mike Holt Steve Anderes  2  2  2  2  2  10
3. 8829  Evan Diola Eben Russell  3  3  3  3  4  16
4. 8967  Cameron McDonald Philippe Kahn  5  4  4  5  5  23
5. 8878  Reeve Dunne Pat Diola  4  7/DNF  7/DNS  4  3  25
6. 7156  Geoff Gales Aaron Ross  6  7/DNS  7/DNS  7/DNC  7/DNC  34