waypoint sailing news may 2014
DESCRIPTION
Nautical News For North & Central Florida SailorsTRANSCRIPT
NAUTICAL NEWS FOR NORTH & CENTRAL FLORIDA SAILORS
GHOST LEADS NFCC TO A BIG WIN IN NEW SMYRNA BEACH
SOME OF WHAT’S INSIDE:LIPTON CUP WRAP-UPJUNIOR SAILING SUMMER PROGRAMSMT. DORA, MELBOURNE & LAKE WEIR COVERAGE
A Game On! News Publication
P.O. Box 2029 Daytona Beach, FL 32115 Tel. (386) 868-5910
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This is Volume I- Issue 2
Tom Davis’ Cal 9.2, Ghosts, turned in a dominating performance at the Lipton Cup. Davis & crew posted three bullets, winning theSpinnaker Division, and leading the North Florida Cruising Club to the team trophy .
Publisher/Editor Bob SeayReporters Leslie Roberts Wendy Waters Gayle WoerningContributingColumnists Willie Blevins Gene O’ConnorGraphics Rusty FedsovichDistribution Ben Seay Matt Powers
Thanks to everyone for the positive remarksand kind words regarding our first issue Theresponse has been tremendous and is greatlyappreciated. We know that our inaugural issueleft plenty of room for improvement, but hey,finishing mid-fleet your first time out ain’t sobad.
School will be out soon. Get the urchins offthe couch and away from the xbox and intosailing camp. We have a list of the programsgoing on in the area this summer in our “YouthSailing Directory” starting on page 5. There issomething out there for everyone and the clubshave done a remarkable job in keeping costsdown.
Wow! That is all I can say about the job thatPRO David Smith and the crew at the SmyrnaYacht Club did on the Lipton Cup. Wow! SYCraised the bar on how to run a regatta. If you didnot race in New Smyrna Beach this year, mark itdown on your calendar’s for 2015. This is goingto be one of those premier races in the area for along time.
The folks in Mt. Dora and Ocala also ransome pretty good regattas in April. We havestories on both of those events in this issue aswell. Thanks to Charlie Kennedy in Mt. Doraand Jan Schumacher in Ocala for helping us outwith our coverage.
We ran our first “Sailor’s Poll” on ourwebsite and, being the degenerates we are hereat Waypoint, we asked sailors about theirfavorite adult thirst quenchers. Beer toppedboth Dark & Stormies and Mt. Gay by thenarrowest of margins. If you have not visitedour site or Facebook page, take a look, there ismore there than beverage preferences.
To quote a sailor favorite, Jimmy Buffett,“mea culpa ,mea culpa, mea maxima culpa.” Iowe the NFCC and SAYC an apology. Wecompletely blew our coverage of the First CoastOffshore Challenge. We had planned to be therebut the god of trailer hubs and fuel pumps hadother plans. Or as my drill sergeant used to tellme all the time, “ prior planning prevents pisspoor performance.” We will make it up to bothclubs, I promise.
Sailors are friendly. As I have beentraveling around the region visiting clubs, sailingschools, marine stores, marinas and other saltyplaces, I have been impressed by everyone’shospitality. I can’t walk in a yacht club withoutsomeone offering to buy me a beer or go to apost race party without someone telling me tograb a plate and join their table. I’m a nativeFlorida guy who is getting a little gray so I amaccustomed to southern hospitality going back afew years now. While it may be dying out in
other venues, the traits of friendliness,hospitality and camaraderie are alive and well inFlorida sailing. Keep it up. We need more folkssailing and when newbies experience what Ihave lately, they will join the fold.
The Mug Race starts in a couple of days.
Sail Fast! - Bob
WAYPOINT is alsopublished online atwaypointnews.com
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North & Central Florida Regatta Report: Spring is windingdown but the weather is not the only thing that is warming up.Racing season is in full swing and we have plenty of regattacoverage on pages 4, 8, 9, 12, & 13.
Club Scuttlebutt: There is always something happening at theclubs. Get the scoop on pages 3 & 14.
Summer Camps: We have the rundown on many of the summersailing programs throughout North & Central Florida. Page 5.
Club Directory: A listing of clubs in your area, page 6.Used Boat Review: The Olson 30, page 7.Boat Maintenance: More tips on fuel tank issues, page 15.Move of the Month: The best of many great shots, back cover.
Morning Dew sailing fast at the Lipton Cup.
RACING NEWS
CLUB NEWS
JUNIOR SAILING
DEPARTMENTS
Smyrna Yacht Club Sailors Provide WelcomeFlotilla and Hospitality To Polish KayakerLanding In Florida After Six Month AtlanticCrossing Provided by Mary Jane Kolassa, SYC
As Polish adventurer Aleksander “Olek” Doba concluded his 6,000mile kayak journey from Lisbon, Portugal to New Smyrna Beach, Florida,fellow mariners from the Smyrna Yacht Club (SYC) were on hand toprovide a warm welcome on April 19, 2014.
Members of the yacht club, their Commodore Dan Kolassa (of Polishancestry), the SYC Board of Governors, city mayor Adam Barringer, arearesidents, members of the Polish American Club Sarasota, and local mediawere on hand to provide a four-gun salute, official proclamations andgregarious greetings.
On Sunday, Olek stopped by the Smyrna Yacht Club’s tiki bar towine, dine, sign memorabilia and share (through his interpreter) details ofhis trip providing demonstrations on how he managed to eat, sleep andnavigate from October 5, 2013 to his landing in New Smyrna Beach onApril 19th – America’s Patriot’s Day.
Smyrna Yacht Club is located at Lat. 29°01’N; Long: 80°55’W atIntracoastal Waterway Mile 847.5 – Marker 151. Street address: 1201South Riverside Drive, New Smyrna Beach, FL32168. www.smyrnayachtclub.com.
Video of Olek arriving at New Smyrna Beach City Marina afterreceiving SYC four-gun salute paddling past Smyrna YachtClub: http://youtu.be/5skANEU9Fhs.
ECSA Plans Memorial Day Cruise to PortCanaveral Provided by Lynda Geraci, ECSA
Join East Coast Sailing Association (ECSA) for a long, relaxingMemorial Day (May 24-26) weekend cruise to Port Canaveral. This year wewill be staying on the ocean side of the Port at Ocean Club Marina. Spend aday sailing offshore in the beautiful turquoise waters of the Canaveralshoreline or enjoy a day at the pool while listening for the sound of thecruise ship horns signaling their departures.
Make your slip reservations early. Call Ocean Club Marina, 930 MulletRoad, Port Canaveral, 321-783-9001, or reserve online atwww.oceanclubmarina-pc.com.
There should be room for all of us at Ocean Club, but there is back updockage available at the neighboring marinas (Port Canaveral Yacht Cluband Cape Canaveral Marina). There is no anchorage available in the port. Saturday evening ECSA will be hosting a pot luck dinner and on Sunday,meeting up for dinner. Full cruise details/itinerary in the May Foot Tack &Clew (www.ecsasail.com). Please let us know if you are planning to makethe cruise (by boat or car) so we can make appropriate reservations andaccommodations. Email [email protected].
Smyrna Yacht Club Assembling Artifacts for aHistorical Perspective of Social and YachtingActivity Conducted Since 1928
Established in 1928 by 36 charter families, the Smyrna Yacht Club hasalways offered great dining, sailing and an abundance of other recreationalactivities to members of the community. However, for all these years, theClub and its members have been lacking for one particular item of note, andthat’s now being corrected.
When first built, and during five subsequent additions to the Clubhouse,a time capsule/corner stone has never been laid. This spring, with thereroofing and some additional exterior design work occurring at the Club,this issue is being corrected and a time capsule will be buried near the frontentry, to be opened in 50 years.
Inasmuch as many SYC members are donating photos, memorabilia andwritten personal accounts creating a vision of what the Club has been likethese past 86 years, they are reaching out to members of the New SmyrnaBeach community at large, to ask if they have contributions to provide. Forinstance, do you have a photo and anecdotal story from when yourgrandfather was Commodore? Or an invitation/menu from your cousin’swedding held there? Did you win or inherit a small sailing trophy from aClub sponsored regatta?
SYC will be accepting memorabilia through June 1, 2014 forconsideration of placement in the time capsule. Items not selected will bestored in the Club’s archives. It is kindly requested all items submitted beaccompanied by a written document identifying the person(s) in the photos,etc. and their affiliation with the club (i.e. past commodore from 1955, etc).
Items may be dropped off at the Smyrna Yacht Club’s front desk 10:00a.m. – 7:00 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, through June 1st. The Club islocated at 1201 South Riverside Drive, New Smyrna Beach, Fla. Ph: 386-427-4040.
NAUTICAL TERM: Zephyr - A warmpleasant breeze. Named after themythical Greek God of false hopes,wishful thinking, blind optimism andunreliable forecasts.
President Tom Davis presents a racing
Commodore Kolassa welcomes Olek Doba to SYC after six months at sea.
Wild Child Tops Fleet To Win IRYCWednesday Night Spring Series
Duncan Mackensie’s self built Wild Child won overallfirst place honors in the Indian River Yacht Club’s SpringSeries. Wild Child and Rene Arriens’ Tarten 10,Sneaker, both tallied an eleven point total in the six race, onethrow-out, series but Mackensie was awarded first placebased on two wins.
Dale Ley Vey’s Hobie 33, Moving Party, topped MikeYoung’s Melges 24, Airborne, by one point in another closebattle for third place.
The IRYC Wednesday Night Summer Series starts May7. For more information on IRYC racing contact Mike Nulfat [email protected] Wednesday Night Spring Series Results1. Duncan Mackensie Wild Child I-550 112. Rene Arriens Sneaker Tarten 10 113. Dale Ley Vey Moving Party Hobie 33 164. Mike Young Airborne Melges 24 175. Jerry Butz Sold Out Cat 22 306. Roberto Weinman Picante C&C 24 32
Ghost, Blue Sky & Twilight Take 1st
At First Coast Offshore ChallengeThe SAYC and NFCC 2014 First Coast Offshore
Challenge was held April 2-5 off of St. Augustine. Theregatta included a mix of “round-the-buoys racing,” an “out& back” race and a “St. Augustine to Mayport & back” race.
Tom Davis’ Ghost won the spinnaker division whileDana Hunter’s C&C 32, Blue Sky, topped the non-spin fleet.Racing in the cruising class was close as Mac Smith’sTwilight and Ken Christensen’s Onyva both finished with 5points. Twilight was awarded first on the strength of twobullets earned in the out and back and Mayport race.First Coast Offshore Challenge Results (Top 3 finishers)Spinnaker Class1. Tom Davis Ghost Cal 9.22. Hakki Etem Layla Bene OC 4613. Brett Grover Passion Catalina 34Non-Spinnaker Class1. Dana Hunter Blue Sky C&C 322. Victor Barbi’ Milky Waves Bene OC 3813. Carter Quillen Monkey’s Uncle Hunter 45Cruising Class1. Max Smith Twilight La Fitte 442. Ken Christensen Onyva Catalina 3203. John Meehan Kotchka Hinckley 38
WAYPOINT ATTEMPTS TO COVER AS MANYREGATTAS AS WE CAN GET TO BUT WE CAN’T GETTO ALL OF THEM. IF WE MISSED YOURS WE WILLSTILL PRINT A STORY IF YOU FORWARD THE INFOTO US AT [email protected]. WE AREALWAYS LOOKING FOR HELP FROM WRITERS ANDPHOTOGRAPHERS OUT IN THE FIELD. LET US KNOWIF YOU ARE INTERESTED. SAIL FAST!
A HYS sailor steers his Opti on the Halifax River in Daytona Beach.
School will be ending soon and what better way is there to spend part ofsummer vacation than out on the water learning to sail. We havecompiled a list of programs available, what they offer, dates &associated costs. Many clubs have scholarships available. There are amyriad of sailing camps going on throughout the summer all overWaypoint’s coverage area. They offer classes for beginners all the wayup to advanced racing in Opti’s, 420’s, Lasers and other boats. Let’s allhelp perpetuate the growth of our sport by getting young sailors outhaving fun on the water. Contact the clubs directly for more information.
Epping Forest Summer Sailing Camps Students will learn to sail while having lots of fun activities includingtreasure hunts, swimming and much more! Experienced sailors willexplore the river, learn advanced techniques (like sailing backwards) andparticipate in sailboat racing. Dates are as follows:Age Weeks Offered (Monday - Friday)5-7 June 30 - July 3 (4 day camp $250)8-12 June 9-14, June 23-28, July 14-2812-17 June 2-7, June 16-21, July 7-12Extended day camps are offered from 3 to 6 pm at a rate of $15 per hour.Details are posted on www.efyc.com but phone calls are alwayswelcome. Please contact Harbormaster, John Tipton at (904) 739-7150or at [email protected].
Halifax Youth Sailing Summer SailCamp 2014Enjoy a summer of fun! Sailors aged 8 and up can learn sailing and
seamanship skills at Halifax Youth Sailing in Daytona Beach, on theHalifax River.
Our staff of experienced instructors will teach your kids lifetime skillsin our fleet of Optis, 420s, Lasers and Sunfish . The new sailors have anopportunity for non-stop fun in, on and around the water in a safe, clean,outdoor environment. No experience necessary. Over the duration of thecourse, students will progress through the ranks from Seaman to Skipper.
Halifax Youth Sailing is dedicated to teaching your kids to sail.Sailing is fun but also requires proper training since it involves water,speed and moving structures. Our Instructors are US Sailing Certified toteach sailing safely to all ages.
All sailors must be able to swim and will be given a swimming testprior to their first class. Sailors must provide a properly fitting CoastGuard approved Personal Floatation Device [PFD]. Everyone must wearwater shoes at all times at the shore and on the water. Sun screen is alsoessential.
Safety is our primary concern at all times. Every US Sailing CertifiedInstructor is also certified in CPR and First Aid for each sailor’sprotection.To register go to www. HalifaxYouthSailing.orgPrice : $225Ages : 8 - 17Learn to Sail Camp-1 June 09/ June 13 6/15Learn to Sail Camp-2 June 23/ June 27Learn to Sail Camp-3 July 07/ July 11Learn to Sail Camp-4 July 21/ July 25Learn to Sail Camp-5 August 04/ August 08Sessions are Mon. - Fri., 9 am - 4 pm. Early drop-off and late pick-upavailable with 2-day advance registration required - additional fees.Located at:15 Fremont CourtDaytona Beach, FL 32114Questions? Please email Steve Caron at: [email protected] call (904) 545-3123.
St Augustine Yacht Club Junior Sailing442 Ocean Vista Ave.St Augustine, FL 32080904-824-9725; [email protected]: Wendy Thomson; 904-687-4625; [email protected] camp program starting June 9th - August 12th; 9:00am-3:00pmCost: $195 per week (discounts for additional weeks)Beginner (Opti I) * Intermediate (Opti II) * Advanced (Club 420)US Sailing Certified Instructors with over 35 years of sailing &racing experience Mission Statement: SAFETY * LEARN TO SAIL * HAVE FUN
More Camp Info on Page 10
* All Day Camps beginat 9 a.m. and end at 3p.m. and include lunchat a price of $300 Like many camps, HYS sailors learn in Opti’s, Lasers and 420’s.
WAYPOINT WILL BE VISITING SAILING CAMPSTHIS SUMMER LOOKING FOR GOOD PHOTOOPS. IF YOU HAVE SOME GOOD PICTURES &STORIES FROM CAMP AND WOULD LIKE TO SEETHEM PUBLISHED, PLEASE SEND THEM TO US.WE CAN’T PRINT THEM ALL BUT WE WILL TRY.
Cruising & Sailing Club Directory
The Central Florida Yacht ClubOrlando, FL
www.cfyc.com
Crescent City Yacht ClubP.O. Box 121
Crescent City, FL 32112www.cc-yc.com
East Coast Sailing AssociationPO Box 372054
Satellite Beach, FL 32937www.ecsasail.com
Epping Forest Yacht Club1830 Epping Forest Dr.Jacksonville, FL 32217
(904) 739-7150www.efyc.org
The Florida Yacht Club5210 Yacht Club DriveJacksonville, FL 32210
(904) 387-1653www.thefloridayachtclub.org
Fort Pierce Yacht ClubPO Box 3108
Fort Pierce, FL 34948-3108www.ftpierceyachtclub.Homestead.com
Halifax River Yacht Club331 S. Beach St.
Daytona Beach, FL 32114(904) 255-7459www.hryc.com
Halifax Sailing AssociationPO Box 2031
Daytona Beach, FL 32115-2031www.halifaxsailing.org
Indian River Yacht ClubP.O. Box 992
Cocoa, Fl 32923-0992www.iryc.org
Lake Eustis Sailing Club1310 CR 452
Eustis, FL 32726www.lakeeustissailingclub.org
Lake Monroe Sailing Association, Inc.P.O. Box 297
Sanford, FL 32771(321) 578-8364
http://www.flalmsa.org/
Melbourne Yacht Club1202 E. River Drive
Melbourne, FL 32901(321) 768-9921
www.melbourneyachtclub.com
Mount Dora Yacht ClubP.O. Box 876
Mount Dora, Florida 32756(352) 383-3188
www.mountdorayachtclub.com
Navy Jax Yacht ClubPO Box 29
Jacksonville FL 32212(904) 778-0805
www.navyjaxyachtclub.com
North Florida Cruising ClubP.O. Box 24268
Jacksonville, FL 32241http://nfccsail.com
Ocala Sailing ClubP.O. Box 2091
Ocala, FL 34478www.ocalasailingclub.org
Palatka Yacht Club131 Crystal Cove Drive
Palatka, FL 32178(888) 851-1811
www.palatkayachtclub.org
Port Canaveral Yacht Club910 Mullett Drive
Port Canaveral, FL 32920(321) 784-2292
http://portcanaveralyachtclub.com
Rat Island Yacht ClubP.O. Box 1053
San Mateo, FL 32187www.ratisland.com
Rudder Club of Jacksonville533 Malaga Avenue
Orange Park, FL 32073(904) 264-4094
www.rudderclub.com
Sailing Club of Central FloridaLake Baldwin / Winter Park /
Orlando, FL Areawww.thesailingclub.us
Smyrna Yacht ClubP.O. Box 560
New Smyrna FL 32170(386) 663-7322
www.smyrnayachtclub.com
St. Augustine Yacht Club442 Ocean Vista Avenue
St. Augustine, Florida 32080(904) 824-9725
www.sayc2000.com
Titusville Sailing ClubPO Box 2791
Titusville, FL 32781-2791www.sailtitusville.com
USSC Martin County1955 NE Indian River Dr.Jensen Beach, FL 34957
The Olson 30 Has Earned Its Place as aClassic and is Still Winning Races By Bob Seay
The following is the first in a series of used sailboat reviews thatWaypoint will begin regularly publishing starting with this issue. We willbe covering some of the more popular and reasonably priced one-designand PHRF racing boats beginning with this month's featured boat, theOlson 30.
The Olson 30 is one of a class of racing sailboats referred to aULDB's or ultra light displacement boats. ULDB's were all the rage withCalifornia performance boat builders centered around Santa Cruz in thelate 1970's through the end of the 1980's. Some of the more popularproduction ULDB's built during those days, along with the Olson 30,were the Moore 24, the Santa Cruz 27, the Express 27 and the Hobie 33 toname just a few. All were spawned from designer Bill Lee's Santa Cruzsleds built specifically for fast downwind sailing from California toHawaii during Transpac races, the most famous being the 68' Merlin, thefirst result of Lee's "Fast is Fun" boat building philosophy.
It was after experiencing a delivery of Merlin from Honolulu back toSanta Cruz after the 1977 Transpac that surfer and board builder, GeorgeOlson, came up with the idea for the Olson 30. After testing a prototype,Pacific High, Olson teamed with partner Lyn Neal and started PacificBoats. The company built approximately 255 Olson 30's between 1978and 1984.
Pacific also produced the Olson 25, 29, 34 and 40 foot models as wellas the 30' Carl Schmacher designed Olson 911 produced in the mid1980's. The Olson 29 was built on the Olson 30's hull but with an opentransom, fractional rig, and different rudder and keel shape. Only 27 ofthe Olson 29's were produced during a run from roughly 1985 to 1988.
The Olson 30 was constructed with a base of polyester resin and E-glass. It has a balsa core in the hull and deck which requires carefulobservation and regular maintenance to keep dry. The age of these boatscoupled with the fact that most have been raced hard means that it islikely that some core repair may be necessary. The keel is cast leadcoming off of a small fiberglass foot. The stock rudder is a fiberglass andfoam sandwich with a fiberglass shaft.
The interior of the boat is handsome compared to the sparse interior ofmost ULDB's. The Olson 30 has a light spruce plywood interior asopposed to the common Bruynzeel plywood used on other boats. Thereare starboard and port pipe births aft of the main "salon" which includes atiny sink and one burner portable stove if equipped. There are port andstarboard seats, either of which is a handy spot to park while repackingthe spinnaker. There is also a small nav-station and chart table. Shortplywood bulkheads separate the head area and v-berth from the rest of theinterior. A common issue on these older race boats is the failing of thefiberglass tabbing adjoining the plywood seating, cabinets and bulkheadsto the hull. As all of this woodwork adds stiffness to the boat, it is criticalto make sure that the tabbing is in good order.
Another important maintenance area to check on the boat is thecondition of the mast step. The base of the step is located under the cabinsole in the shallow bilge. It is a fiberglass covered laminate and willbecome compressed over time. It is not uncommon to see a mast heightdrop of 3-5 inches which will definitely have a detrimental effect on theboat's performance. Many owners replace their boat's worn out mast stepwith a ready to install kit produced by Moore Sailboats.
While not a construction or maintenance issue, most of the Olson 30'sstill racing today sport a double spreader rig produced by Ballenger Spars.This is a retrofit adding stability and replacing the original, more flexible,single spreader Sparcraft rig.
The Olson 30 does what it was designed to do. Being so light with adisplacement of only 3600 lbs. she is a giant killer in light air. Downwind
in a breeze the boat is scary fast, easily getting up on a plane under thechute when the wind speed gets into the double digits. The originalrudder design is considered under powered making the boat difficult todrive downwind in a blow. Many Olson sailors will tell you that if youdon't broach at least once on the way to the leeward mark that you are notsailing the boat at its full potential. The downwind difficulty has ledmany Olson 30 owners to replace the stock rudder with an ellipticalshaped one also produced by Moore.
If downwind sailing is the boat’s strong point, going to windward canbe a challenge. In moderate breezes, experienced Olson 30 skippers holdtheir own sailing upwind by keeping the boat flat. As the wind picks upthe O30's light displacement makes driving through bigger seas achallenge and that is where she may lose ground to similarly rated butheavier competitors. The trick is to stay flat and stay close enough tomake up lost ground on the downwind legs.
As for auxiliary power, most Olson 30's are powered by 6-8 HPoutboards which are mounted on an outboard bracket off the stern. Crewswho want to win remove the engine and place it below during races as theO30 does not like weight aft. A small number of these boats have beenfitted with inboard engines.
Currently Olson 30 one-design fleets are located in San Francisco,Long Beach, Chicago and the Chesapeake Bay. There are many moreOlson 30's participating in PHRF fleets across the country. PHRF ratingsrange from 95-114 depending on the fleet and boat configuration. TheOlson 30's rating in Florida narrows and it’s base usually falls somewherebetween 108 and 111. The Olson 30 National Association website islocated at www.olson30.org where a large group of owners offeringplenty of technical support is readily available. Repair and after-marketparts are also easy to acquire.
Finding a race ready Olson 30 that is in decent shape is not toodifficult although you may have to be prepared to pay for shipping. Ofthe dozen boats we found currently for sale, only one was listed inFlorida. Prices range from $1600 for a beat up hull with no mast andrigging to $25K for a race ready boat in great condition. The Floridaboat, located for sale in St. Augustine, is listed for $9900. Rumor has itthat two more Florida Olson 30's, located in Jacksonville and Ponce Inlet,will be on the market soon. There is also an Olson 29 currently listed inFt. Myers for $15K.
If you are looking for a reasonably priced and exciting club-racer thathas earned it stripes, is built tough enough to still be racing after morethan 30 years since its production run ended, then the Olson 30 isdefinitely worth consideration.
Many Olson 30’s like this one have been winning races for over 30 years. Theyhave a reputation as downwind rockets and giant killers in light air. They alsostill look sharp out on the water.
Ocala Sailing Club Lake Weir InvitationalFickle Winds Make For A Slow Start But Things Improve OnSunday
As sailors who sail on central Florida lakes know, one day the lake canlook as flat as glass and the next day you will swear you are sailing in agale off of Hatteras. Things were not that extreme at the Ocala SailingClub’s Lake Weir Invitational and Harpoon National Regatta but, after thefirst day’s drifter, day two’s 5 knot breezes surely seemed like a blow.
The regatta was run April 24 through April 27 with a welcome party onThursday, practice time on the water Friday, and actual racing happeningon the weekend. Saturday’s racing was postponed until early afternoonwhen a trickle of breeze arrived on the lake allowing the RC to get a start
in for all fleets. It was slow going and finishing well required equalamounts of skill and luck.
The improving wind on Sunday let the fleet get in two races and put agood ending on the regatta.
Vice Commodore, Bob Cole, summed up the four day event. “TheLake Weir Invitational and Harpoon Regatta are now over and theparticipants have headed home with memories of an exciting weekend. Theregatta team did a great job of organizing, preparing and executing ourplan. I want to thank all of you for a job well done. We had four days offun in the sun.”Results (First 3 Places)Harpoon 1. Ian Gibson 2. Ed Sims 3. Art TwitchellMultihull 1. Jim Eden 2. Nelson Wright 3. Bob HendersonSan Juan 21 1. R. Pawlowski 2. Ross Martin 3. Michael LoughlinMutineers 1. James Davis 2. Edwin Plotts
Saturday’s light air made for some tricky conditions on Lake Weir.
The multi-hulls beardown onthe wind-ward markas thebreezebuildsduring thefirst day ofracing.
2014 Lipton Cup RegattaSmyrna Yacht ClubResults (Top Four Finishers)
Spinnaker Division1. Ghost Tom Davis NFCC2. Obsession Norm Church HRYC3. Siduri Bubba Ball SAYC4. QuiksailNon-spinnaker Division1. Perpetual Motion Patrick Fischer-Carne New Smyrna Beach2. Scallywag Robert Smith NFCC3. Blue Sky Dana Hunter SAYC4. Sailaway Phil Cornett SYCCruising Division1. Copperhead Todd Stebleton HRYC2. Xanadu David Brangaccio SYC3. Kotchka John Meehan SAYC4. Onyva Ken Christensen NFCC
Lipton CupGhost tops Obsession In Hard Fought Contest
PRO David Smith and the entire crew atthe Smyrna Yacht Club deserve a bigthanks and cheer for the job they didhosting the 2014 Lipton Cup April 12 & 13in New Smyrna Beach. The Chamber ofCommerce weather and a steady seabreezemade for some very competitive racing inall three fleets.
Fresh off wins at the FCOC and RiverCity Regatta, skipper Tom Davis and thecrew aboard the Cal 9.2 Ghost, sailed aboutas good as you can posting three bullets inthe spinnaker class to win top honors. Itwas not an easy task however as NormChurch and the crew on Obsession werenipping at their heels the entire weekend.Church and crew posted three 2nd placefinishes to land in second place overall. St. Augustine’s Bubba Ball droveSiduri into third place.
Perpetual Motion won all three races in the non-spin fleet to finish infirst place. Robert Smith’s Scallywag, also coming off a River City win,finished in second while another St. Augustine boat, Blue Sky, took the thirdplace trophy home.
Not to be outdone, the cruising class provided plenty of fireworks aswell. Todd Stebleton’s Copperhead posted a win in the last race to comefrom three points down and nip skipper David Brangaccio and crew sailingXanadu by one point to take home first place. John Meehan’s Kotchka wasright behind in third. As if sailors are not competitive enough, SYC spiced things up for thefourth year in a row by throwing in a team trophy. Each club with at leastthree boats entered was eligible to compete. The North Florida CruisingClub rode the strong performances by Ghost, Scallywag and Onyva to ateam win. All of the fun was not just happening on the water. SYC had a full hostof onshore activities going on as well. From an ocean side sky-box forspectators to a number of parties, sailors’ family and friends were keptentertained the entire weekend. “I know I am a little biased but I think thiswas one of the best Lipton Cups we have done,” said Smith.
Todd Stebleton’s Copperhead crew had every reason to be stoked postin awin in the last race to come from 3 points down and finish in first place.
Obsession, Quiksail & Ghost (in front of red chute) bear down on theleeward mark during spin-fleet racing during day one of the Lipton Cup.
Obsession’s crew prepares to douse the chute as the near the leeward mark.
Team Award1. NFCC2. SAYC3. HRYC4. SYC5. HSA
This logo means we have morepictures of this regatta posted onWaypoint’s Facebook page.
100’s of photos are also available at:www.waypointnews.com
Spectators get a great view ofthe racing action along NewSmyrna Beach.
Treasure Coast Youth Sailing ProgramsThe Treasure Coast Youth Sailing Foundation, Inc., sponsored by the
Fort Pierce Yacht Club and the City of Fort Pierce, teaches sailing to youngpeople of the Treasure Coast in an environment stressing safety,sportsmanship, self reliance, self discipline, and respect for authority and thecommunity. We offer two programs: ONE WEEK SUMMER CLASSESand Sunday year around Advanced sailing/racing.In 2014, the Foundation will hold beginner and intermediate One WeekSummer Classes for two age groups: Ages 7-14 in Opti Prams and Ages 14-18 in Collegiate 420’s. Young students who are big for their age can sail inthe larger Collegiate 420 with the coaches approval. All class are taught bycertified instructors
Beginner Sailing Prerequisites: Students must be 7 to 18 years of age,able to demonstrate swimming proficiency, and own a life jacket fitted tothem. These classes teach younger students the basic sailing skills andprinciples. Curriculum includes learning names of boat parts, finding winddirection, steering with a tiller, practice tacking and jibing, crisismanagement, and additional sailing skills.Intermediate Sailing Prerequisite: Completion of Beginner Sailing class orsimilar experience, and own a life jacket fitted to them. This course isdesigned to prepare sailors for sailboat racing. Students are introduced toRacing Rules of Sailing, and intermediate racing techniques. Instructorsteach skills including sitting on the rail, using tiller extensions, roll tacking,equipment care, changing sail controls, and sportsmanship.2014 Summer Class Schedule*
All students must be able to swim and have a life jacket fitted to them.Registration fee is $210 for the Oppi Pram students and $225 for theCollegiate 420 students
A $50 deposit is required with the registration application.Lunches are available for $25 per week.
Classes will be held during the following weeks from 8:30 AM to 4:30PM Monday through Friday.Beginner Classes Intermediate ClassesJune 9 – 13 July 7 - 11 Jul 13 - 18June 16 – 20 July 21 - 25 Aug 4 – 8June 23 – 27 July 28 - Aug 1To reserve a spot in a 2014 class for either program fill out a studentapplication and mail it with $50.00 to:Treasure Coast Youth Sailing FoundationP. O. Box 1783Fort Pierce, Florida 34948-1783Applications may be found on our website atwww.TreasureCoastYouthSailing.com, or call 772-971-8330, and leaveyour name, phone number, and the address to which you would like anapplication mailed.
Smyrna Yacht Club Sailors Partner With NewSmyrna Beach Parks & Recreation To Offer YouthSail Camps It’s almost time for the much-anticipated annual youth Sailing Campsessions. For young boating enthusiasts between the ages of 12-18, this is agreat opportunity to learn seamanship along our local IntracoastalWaterway.
Each weeklong course trains students to become skippers, which willallow them to sail without assistance. The course includes hands on training,terminology, sailing techniques, wind, currents, safety precautions andmore. Class size is limited to 12 students per class, so sign up early.Sessions are offered Monday-Friday:I. June 9-13 II. June 23-27
Both sessions will be held from 10:00am – 3:00pm leaving from the Yacht Club’s TikiDock.
Cost: $150 for New Smyrna Beach residents. Additionally, each studentwill be required to purchase the Sailing Fundamentals by Gary Jobsonhandbook for $25 at the class (or bring their own copy) and must supplytheir own Type III Life Jacket. All students must also bring their own lunchand drinks daily, and a swimsuit/towel as there will be swimming in theClub’s pool during the break. Parents of children who would like to take advantage of this opportunitycan apply at the Parks and Recreations Department at 1000 Live Oak Street,call Kimla Shelton at 386-424-2175 for more information, or download andfill out the registration application form at:http://www.smyrnayachtclub.com/Default.aspx?p=DynamicModule&pageid=362187&ssid=271568&vnf=1 or pick up a form from the NSB RecreationDepartment at 1000 Live Oak Street. Apply early, camp sessions always sellout!
The team of volunteers from Smyrna Yacht Club Sailors is working onthe Precision class of boats used in the sail training series, prepping themwith freshly painted hulls and new rigging to ensure smooth sailing.About Smyrna Yacht Club:Established in 1928Lat: 29°01' N -- Long: 80°55' WIntracoastal Waterway Mile 847.5 -- Green Marker 451201 South Riverside Dr.New Smyrna Beach, FL 32168386-427-4040
More Camp Info on Page 11
SYC students have the opportunity to sail the club’s fleet of Precision 15’s.
TCYSFstudentssail Opti’soff thebeach atthe FortPierceSailingCenter.
Melbourne Yacht Club Offers Youth Sailing ClassesKnow anyone between the ages of 9 and 18 thatwants to learn to sail?
Melbourne Yacht Club is offering a 4 week sailing class that will betailored to the students’ ability and interest. The students will beplaced into either an Optimist or a 420. Class size is limited and fillsearly so contact the MYC Sailing Education director for moreinformation and to register today.MYC Sailing Education Director:Phil [email protected] ClassNon-MYC Members $175MYC Members $150Deposit Required $75
Youth Sailing Foundation of Indian River County2014 Summer Sailing CampLearn to Sail! Swim! Have fun!Beginning sailing instruction open to children ages 8-13.
9 AM to 3 PM -- $250.00 per week including lunch. Held at TheMoorings Yacht & Country Club located at 100 Harbour Drive, VeroBeach, FL 32963. Requirement: Child must be able to pass a swimming test. Visit ourwebsite to download forms: www.ysfirc.org or call 772 567-9000. Yourcheck is your confirmation..
* Classes are heldon Saturdays from10 a.m. until 2 p.m.
July 12July 19July 26Aug 2
Class Dates
MYC campers race Opti’s and Sunfish around the buoys.
Sessions: June 16-20 July 14-18 June 23-27 July 21-25 No Camp: June 30 – July 4 July 28 - Aug 1 July 7-11
Lake Eustis Youth Sailing FoundationInformation
The LEYSF is a 501(c)(3) charitable educational organizationdedicated to encourage children to experience the joy of sailing,teach essential boat handling skills, seamanship, water safety andrace in a safe fun environment.
We are very fortunate and grateful to use the facilities at LakeEustis Sailing Club.
The youth sailing program offers a range of classes - Beginner& Intermediate/PreRace/Advanced & High School RaceTeam. Classes are held on Saturdays from Sept thru May.
For information on our Intro to Sailing Summer Camp see thead on this page below.
STAY CLOSER, GO FURTHER.
Melbourne Yacht Club Big Boat RegattaThe always reliable seabreeze off of the Melbourne Yacht Club made
for some exciting racing at the MYC Big Boat Regatta conductedSaturday and Sunday, April 26 & 27. “We always have a great breezehere,” said regatta chairman Craig Rastello, “and great racing,” he added.
The steady 10-12 knot easterly winds allowed the J24 fleet to get insix, three loop, windward/leeward races over the weekend which allowedfor one throw-away. The PHRF fleets raced longer triangle courses witha windward/leeward leg each day.
Dave Noble skippered Half Ass to a first place finish topping theseven boat J24 division. Noble & crew logged 4 bullets and a 2nd,throwing out a 6th place finish for a low point total of 6. Jim Henry andthe crew of J-Mouse went into the final race with a one point lead overDave Nesbit’s Fine Finish for 2nd place. The slim lead held up as bothboats saved their worst for last logging throw-outs.
Paul Anstey and crew aboard J-Peas struggled early in the regatta butfigured things out and turned in two respectable 3rd place finishes in thefinal two races to avoid the dreaded DFL position.
Mike Young drove his Melges 24, Airborne, to a 1st place finish inthe PHRF A fleet finishing Saturday’s roughly 15 mile course in just over1 hour and 51 minutes. Sneaker, with Rene Arriens at the helm, finishedin 2nd place while Greg Kowolski and crew aboard Slot Machine came in3rd.
Brad Ruffe did Catalina 22 owners everywhere proud by skipperingMercury Rising to the top spot in PHRF B. Pat Lambert’s Down Pat wasrunner-up while Peter Bush and crew sailed God Speed into the finalpodium spot.
Mischief, J-Mouse and Half-Ass bear down on the windward mark infierce action during the MYC Big Boat Regatta. In Melbourne April 26th.
MYC Spring Big Boat RegattaSaturday & Sunday, April 26-27, 2014J241. Dave Noble Half Ass2. Jim Henry J-Mouse3. Dave Nesbit Fine FinishPHRF A1. Mike Young Airborne2. Rene Arrriens, Sneaker3. Greg Kowalski Slot MachinePHRF B1. Brad Ruffe Mercury Rising2. Pat Lambert Down Pat3. Peter Bush God Speed
Mike Young and the crew aboard Airborne on their way to a 1st place finish.
This logo means wehave more pictures ofthis regatta posted onWaypoint’s Facebookpage.
Slot Machine, skippered by Greg Kowalski, had a nice regatta finishing 3rd
in PHRF A.
2014 Mt Dora Annual Regatta The wind gods were not kind to the folks in Mt. Dora during thisyear’s annual regatta on April 5 & 6. The sun was shining but the breezewas non-existant on Saturday as only one class was able to get in a slowdrifter of a race. Race officials finally tired of waiting for the wind toshow up and cancelled racing for the day at about 3PM. Things improved
enough on Sunday for the remaining fleets to get a race in constituting anofficial regatta. “Well, we hate it because so many folks showed up torace and you want to do a good job for them but, that is sailing,” said Mt.DoraYacht Club race official Charlie Kennedy.
The folks in Mount Dora did all they could from their end to show thevisiting sailors a good time even if the wind did not want to cooperate. Aparty complete with a steel drum band was enjoyed by all Saturday night.
2014 Annual Regatta Results (Top 4 Places)
Hobie Wave1. Ray Matuzak Wave Put In Bay Yacht Club2. John Sherry Wave Miami Yacht Club3. Nelson Wright Wave4. Mike Powers Wave Miami Yachtr Club
Flying Scot1. Dean Grimes Flying Scot LESC2. Gus Chennells Flying Scot LESC3. Henry Pico Flying Scot LESC4. Randy Boekema Flying Scot LESC
Sunfish1. Mindy Strauley Sunfish LMSA2. Joe Blouin Sunfish Davis Island Yacht Club3. Paul Strauley Sunfish LMSA4. David Silverman Sunfish Melbourne Yacht Club
Open Portsmouth1. Kevin Briggs C-Scow Lake Monroe Sailing Club
2. Rick Best JY15 Sailing Club of Orlando3. Brian Flora Puffer Sailing Club of Orlando4. Patrick Daniel Viper 840 Lake Monroe Sailing Club
Compac 161. Richard Mosher Compac 16 Villages Sailing Club2. Tom Terrent Compac 16 Villages Sailing Club3. Steven Stein Compac 16 Villages Sailing Club4. Robert Carberry Compac 16 Villages Sailing Club
Mutineer1. Ed Plots Mutineer TSS2. Jim Davis Mutineer Central Florida Yacht Club3. Don Miller Mutineer TSS4. Elma Madden Mutineer Central Florida Yacht Club
Catalina 221. Pete Page Cat 22 Dixie Yacht Club2. Frank Brown Cat 22 STL3. Brad Ruffe Cat 22 Titusville Sailing Club4. David Ottaviani Cat 22 St. Lucie Sailing Club
San Juan 211. Fisk Hayden SJ21 LMSA2. Kyle Everly SJ21 LMSA3. Randy Powlowski SJ21 LMSA4. Mike Loughlin SJ21 LMSA
Laser 4.71. Max Epaillard Laser 4.7 LEYSF2. Cameron Smith Laser 4.7 LESC3. Tom Jennings Laser 4.7 LESC4. Leah Harper Laser 4.7 LEYSF
Optimist1. JJ Smith Opti Blue St. Pete YC2. Adrian Aria Opti Green Lake Wales Pram Fleet3. Mathew Smith Opti Blue LEYSF4. Benjamin Kelly Opti Green LEYSF
Puffs were hard to find on the first day of the Mt. Dora Annual Regatta.The light air made for some tricky racing. Skill and luck were equallyimportant. The wind filled in a little on Sunday enabling all fleets to getin at least one race.
FOR MORE 61ST ANNUAL MT. DORAREGATTA PHOTOS VISITWWW.WAYPOINTNEWS.COM ORCHECK US OUT ON FACEBOOK
(from page 3)
FPYC Announce Spring Series Race DatesThe following is the Spring Series racing schedule for the Fort Pierce
Yacht Club. Races are open to all with PHRF ratings. Races are held offshore in the vicinity of the Fort Pierce Inlet.
The scheduled racing dates are: May 4 (Woman at the Helm Race),May 25 and June 29.
Contact Diane Korbey, VC Fleet, for information at 772-460-6138.
SYC Plans Summer Solstice RegattaThe Smyrna Yacht Club (SYC), will be hosting their annual SUMMER
SOLSTICE REGATTA on the longest day of the year, June 21, 2014.Competitors from across the region are invited to join in the competitivefun and book dock space at SYC for the weekend to join the Friday nightskippers meeting and party before the main on-water event Saturday.
There will be as many buoy races in the ocean as is possible onSaturday June 21, followed by the opportunity to relax and swap stories atthe club’s Tiki overlooking the Indian River. The awards ceremony willalso take place on Saturday evening. Trophies will be awarded to the firstthree places in each division.
The regatta is open to all sailboats of suitable seaworthiness toparticipate in near-shore racing in the Atlantic Ocean just south of Poncede Leon Inlet.
Boats will be entered into three Divisions.Division 1 - Boats with spinnakersDivision 2 - Boats without spinnakersDivision 3 - Cruising boats
Racing will be handicapped according the PHRF system. All PHRFsfor the regatta will be assigned by the First Coast Sailing Association. Ifyou previously entered the Lipton Cup or HRYC Commodores Cup thenyou will already have a rating. Prime shore-side spectator viewing area will be from Toni & Joe’sPatio, 309 Buenos Aires Street, NSB, a proud sponsor of both the LiptonCup and Solstice Regattas.Sailors who would like more information,contest rules, advance registration entry forms, please visitsmyrnayachtclub.com.
Indian River Yacht Club To Host 52nd AnnualBrevard Challenge The Indian River Yacht Club will host the 2014 52 Annual BrevardChallenge and Rockledge Centennial Cup on May 17 & 18 at Lee WennerPark in Cocoa Beach. The sailing area will be south of the 520Causeway.
Dockage can be secured at the Cocoa Village Marina. Contact Ken at321-632-5445. Trailer boats may leave their boats set up on their trailersat night in the park for free. This regatta is open to all monohull sailboats. The entry fee for theRegatta is $40.00. There will be two anticipated Classes: PHRF A andPHRF B. PHRF fleets will be split by rating, 174 and below will sail inPHRF A, 175 and above will sail in PHRF B.SCHEDULE OF EVENTSSaturday, May 17, 2014Registration and Continental Breakfast 9:00 to 11:00 AMSkippers Meeting 11:00 AMFirst Warning 12:30 PMDinner 5:30 - 6:00 PM (approx)Sunday, May 18, 2014Continental Breakfast 9:00 AMSkippers Meeting 10:00 AMFirst Warning 11:30 AM (approx)Awards 3:00 PM (approx.)
Trophies for each Division listed will be awarded at the end of racingon Sunday. The overall award will be calculated by a combined time ofboth days!! The Rockledge Centennial Cup will be awarded to the overallwinner of Saturday’s Race!
For more information contact Regatta Chairman, Mike Nulf at (321)604-2650 or via email at [email protected].
Lake Monroe Sailing Association To Host TwoRegattas In May
LMSA will be hosting the Florida Women's Sunfish Championship onMay 16th-17th and the Lightning Regatta on May 31st and June 1st.
For more information on the Women’s Sunfish Championship contactMindy Strauley (407) 739-2387 or email [email protected].
For Lightning info contact LMSA via email at [email protected].
Halifax River Yacht Club Gulfstreamer RaceThe biennial GulfStreamer Race from Daytona Beach, Florida to
Charleston, South Carolina takes place during Memorial Day Weekend oneven-numbered years. May 23, 2014, will be the 9th running of the Race. The first 10 miles of the Race is another challenge as the racers sprintto the Main Street Pier in Daytona Beach in the “Brian Every Sprint” race.Not only is this a ‘Race within a Race” before boats set a course toCharleston Harbor, 215 miles away, but it also gives spectators their bestview of the Race.
A separate trophy will be awarded in Charleston for this uniquetradition. The goal of the GulfStreamer is to increase awareness of sailingand area attractions and to provide an opportunity to organize a multi-staterace offshore for several different classes of boats.For information contact Dave Huff, 2014 Fleet Captain for Sail andGulfStreamer Race Officer, [email protected], or 904-806-2389.
Ethanol in GasolineWhy, you ask, are we talking gasoline? Sailboats have diesel engines
don’t they? While it is true that most later model keel boats are equippedwith diesel powered auxiliary engines, there are many trailer able boats,keel boats powered older model outboards and good old Atomic 4gasoline engine equipped sailboats out on the water. The following is forthose of you who have may fall into one of those categories of sailboatskippers.
Ethanol for fuel is highly refined grain alcohol that is mostly producedfrom corn in the United States. It can also be made from sugarcane,wheat, and as the technology advances, municipal waste, straw, paper andwood pulp. Ethanol that is used for fuel has been blended with gasolineand currently in the U.S. is referred to as E-10. This simply means that thefuel is 10% ethanol and 90% gasoline. This is what you put in your car’stank every time you fill up. In many states E-10 is the only gasoline fuelavailable for both on and off road use. In Florida, non-ethanol fuel is stillavailable. Many marinas and some gasoline stations in our area offer non-ethanol fuel. To avoid some of the problems discussed later in this article,use of non-ethanol fuel in your boat is the way to go. However, for somesailors, it may be more convenient to just pull through the gas station ifyour boat is on a trailer or to haul your fuel cans to the station fortransporting gasoline back to you boat. Is that ethanol blended gasolinesafe to use in a marine environment?
The major characteristic of ethanol that is of the most concern toboaters is that it is “hygroscopic” which means that it attracts water andwill more readily mix with water than gasoline. Ethanol also has differentsolvency characteristics than gasoline which will allow it to loosenpreviously undisturbed matter in fuel systems such as rust and otherdebris. In addition, ethanol has proven to be harmful to some resins andplastics that were unaffected by gasoline. Loose debris in your fuel canplug filters and affect your engine’s performance. Finally, when mixedwith water, ethanol has shown to be corrosive to some metals as it has ahigher capability to conduct electricity and therefore galvanic corrosion.
What brought about theuse of ethanol? The issue isthe demise of methyl-tertiary-butyl-ether or MTBE. MTBEis an oxygenated hydrocarboncompound that has a highoctane rating. Due to EPAregulations requiringoxygenated gasoline to helpreduce air pollution in theearly 1970’s, MTBE was thecompound most commonlyused by refineries to supplythe additional oxygen. Overtime MTBE showed atendency to work its way intogroundwater systems,reservoirs and aquifers, usuallyas the result of leaks and spills.Obviously contaminating ourwater supply is bad so the EPA now requires that ethanol be used as areplacement for MTBE.
As far as ethanol’s direct impact on your boat’s engine and fuelsystem, boaters should be aware of the following issues. Ethanol has alower (nearly 30%) BTU rating than gasoline which means that E-10 fuelwill yield a slight reduction in mileage and horsepower. Skippers shouldcheck with their boat engine’s manufacturer to determine what impact theuse of ethanol could have on their engine’s performance. Ethanol hasproven to be damaging to fuel lines, seals, hoses and gaskets that are notethanol acceptable. At the very least, check these components often forany signs of deterioration and replace damaged parts with ethanolimpervious ones. Ethanol can also be harmful to older fiberglass fueltanks. Resins may be drawn out of the fiberglass and carried to the enginecausing serious damage. If your fiberglass tank was manufactured prior to1990 you should replace it before using ethanol blended fuel.
The final and probably most common problem resulting fromethanol’s use in the marine environment is “phase separation.” If water ispresent in a fuel tank with gasoline that contains ethanol, the water will beabsorbed into the fuel until the saturation point is reached and then phaseseparation will cause the ethanol and water to separate from the gasolineand settle on the bottom of the tank. If it reaches the fuel inlet it will bepumped into the engine where it can cause significant damage. It isextremely important to check your tank for the presence of water beforeadding gasoline containing ethanol. If water is present it must beremoved. There are no additives that you can put into a tank where phaseseparation has occurred that will fix the problem. The only solution is toremove the contaminated fuel, clean the tank and then start anew with afresh load of clean and dry fuel. It is always best to maintain as full of atank of fuel as possible, this will cut down on the empty space inside yourtank thus reducing condensation on the internal walls and baffles of thetank.
When preparing to store the boat for an extended period it is best toremove all of the fuel from the tank. If that is not possible or practicalthen maintaining a full tank with a good quality fuel stabilizer is the wayto go. Add the stabilizer according to the directions and then allow theengine to run for at least 10 minutes to make sure it has worked its waythrough the entire fuel system. Shut off the fuel valve and let the enginerun until it stops. Make sure to top off the tank and cap any openings tostop the flow of air that can create condensation. Finally, inspect the o-ring on each deck fuel fill and replace if it shows signs of excessive wear,cracks or deterioration.
The bottom line is that ethanol blended fuel can be safely used in themarine environment if you are a little more conscientious regarding yourboat’s fuel supply.
Phase Separationoccurs in ethanolblended gasolinewhen the ethanolbecomes saturatedwith water andseparates from thegasoline. It thensettles on thebottom of the tank.The photo shows asample taken froma tank where phaseseparation hasoccurred. Theethanol and waterare on the bottomand the gas is ontop.
The good old reliable Universal Atomic 4gasoline engine can still be found inmany boats sailing today.
Even though this lookslike a sure T-Bonebetween Jim Henry’sJ-Mouse (3912) andPaul Anstey’s J-Peas(451), it neverhappened due to somefine boathandling andwork from both skippersand their crews. This isjust a taste of the greatsailing and frequentmayhem that happenedat the MYC Big BoatRegatta on April 26 inMelbourne.
Willie Blevins is a Central Florida basedsailor who has sailed and taught sailingfor a long time on a wide variety of boats.He has a knack for translating what mostof us feel when sailing to words on paper.Currently he races his San Juan 21 withthe LMSA on Lake Monroe. You canread more of his musings on his blog athttp://sailorsboatyard.com.