Last weekend was the first time that I  sailed on an Oakcliff Classic.  As I stepped aboard  Dolphin,  I was quickly transported back to my childhood. 

We grew up on a 36' Fred Ford Great Lakes Cutter painted bright red and named Firefly.  She was built of wood in 1964 at Burr Brothers in Marion Mass, designed for the CCA rule and was a racing machine in her day.

Firefly had many of the same characteristics as Dolphin.  A full keel and decent beam, lots of varnish, which in our case was kept beautiful by child labor :-).  But it was the sailing and the gentle powerful movement that was the most transporting.   

Slowly other things came back.  There is no vang on the boat so you have to use a preventer rigged to the rail.  In a flash I remembered that that was why my Dad convinced us that laying on the boom in the pocket of the mainsail foot was fun... he really was using us kids for 'more vang'.   Burying the rail on these boats is OK, with a full keel and rudder broaching isn't an issue. Even cleaning up the boat was gentle.  The sails are soft dacron and easily handled.  The atomic 4 engine which requires a blower, makes a nice throaty sound that somehow makes you feel safe.   As we returned to the mooring off of Centre Island I noted how beautiful and natural the classic fleet looked against the greenery and it sparked a desire to go cruising and discover other special harbors and scarcely populated coves.

Even if skiff sailing is your 'thing' you should take the opportunity to sail on one of the Oakcliff's beautiful classics.  We sail both days for the next two weekends and then the final race of the Spring series is on Saturday June 12th.


Sign up for a Spring Classic Race

 

Match Racing at Oakcliff begins again the Saturday after Memorial Day.  Every scheduled Saturday we will use Swedish Match 40s to host a round robin regatta for as many teams as show up.   The more that show up the better not only because there is fun in numbers but also because the skippers will receive ranking points.

If you are new to match racing don't be timid.  We can place you on a team that is somewhat more experienced and you will see your skill level increase quickly. Match Racing is an excellent and efficient way to raise your game.

Tuesday Match Race drills also help out.  We run drills every Tuesday evening beginning with a 5:30 pre brief and then sail until the sun sets. The debrief is kept to under 15 minutes and often participants grab a quick bite at Fiddleheads. 

Sign up for tonights match race drills!

Oakcliff's mission is to raise the level of sailors and sailing in the US and we focus on adults in this mission but in July we will be pairing up with Dave Perry and Seawanahaka Yacht Club to host two, three-day weekends of youth match racing.  The first weekend July 9-11 will be a clinic format.  The second weekend, July 23-25 will be a Clinegatta with one day of clinic and two days of a match racing regatta.  Participants not required but are strongly encouraged to attend the clinic before the Clinegatta.

Recently Oakcliff Sailing Center has been in the press quite a bit and it shows no sign of stopping.  The Oakcliff concept, the supporters (you) and the racing that we are doing makes a compelling story.
 

This link is to the Newsday article and is a sampling of what is out there.  

We will have two more reporters out tonight for Tuesday night drills,  SHE Network and Pulse Magazine. So if  coming out purely for the   drills isn't enough motivation,  you might also get your picture in the newspaper.

See you tonight.

Sign up for tonight's drills

This is from Oakcliff Supporter extraordinaire David Storrs who is also a match racing umpire:

"At the debrief after the Tuesday night match racing practice, the question was raised of how far a leeward boat can luff a windward boat when both are under spinnakers, and I mentioned the umpire call that when the windward boat can no longer fly her spinnaker because of the luff, leeward must give her time (I said most umpires would allow at least five seconds) to drop the spinnaker.  Just for future reference, it is CALL UMP 33 and can be found in the Umpire Call Book.

To Download a Call Book