Oakcliff Offshore: Halifax, MI, SFO & UK 
 Truckloads in Oyster Bay Too!
July 15, 2011
Greetings!
As was forecast, the newsletter is a bit late this week as the bulk of us were between Marblehead and Halifax Nova Scotia.  A long report is below. As I write this now, the Oakcliff All American Offshore Team drifted across the finish line off of the Lizard in England.

Closer to home, we have Bruce Cook leading the second session of an umpire seminar at 4 South Street with 10 potential umpires listening intently late into the night.  Yesterday and today, Dave Perry led 8 strong youth teams in drills. Hunt's financial seminar this afternoon was a recap of his 30 page primer.   And last night, all groups melded into the Classic's Thursday Night Race Social.  Pretty soon we are going to need a room scheduler to keep it all straight :-).

 

In This Issue
Halifax Win!
Offshore Team Crossed the Pond
This Sunday Racing
Great Lakes - Great Race
Fastest Halifax Race Ever!
This is a long report - more like a blog entry but I hope you enjoy.  When we last visited, the Ker 11.3 was on their way North and the 50 had just competed the Boston Harbor Wednesday Night Race. On Friday, both boats made it to Marblehead, arriving in such pea soup fog that they directed them to the harbormasters dock and we were able to stay shoreside until the start of the race on Sunday.  Score!
Acorn's Tiller
Acorns With a New Tiller
Acorns Aidan and Randy, supporter Ann and I drove up on Friday with a car packed full of gear and food and the new emergency tiller for the 11.3.  Aidan and Randy had made it themselves from start to finish. Everything from lay up and vacuum bagging to filling and sanding and painting. Everyone else arrived in various forms of transport and we were off the dock on a bright and sunny Sunday.  The start had us all go around two marks before heading off to Halifax.  It was basically a show for the thousands of spectators but we took it on and the 50 was the only boat to deploy the A3 genneker on the 1st 1.5 mile leg.  Hello world Oakcliff is here!

We headed out from Marblehead with a double head rig, jib top and genoa-staysail.  Soon we were able to deploy the spinnaker and sailed with the A3, A5 or Jib Top, 90% of the way hardly ever dropping below 10 knots and hitting top speeds of 17.    Jeff MacFarlane and Mike Nicoletti double handing the 11.3 were close to the same speed in perfect performance conditions. 
Onboard the 11.3 in Southern Ocean Conditions
Ker 11.3 in Southern Ocean Conditions
Coming into the finish in the middle of Tuesday night we were in pea soup fog with everyone on the rail listening for other ships as well as navigational aids.  It was great to have the AIS (automatic identification system) on board both boats as we could see the ships positions and their speed and direction and visa versa.   We still used all of the 'old fashioned percautions' as well, as in running lights, radar reflector and fog horn tooted regularly and LOUDLY from the rail.   The Ker 50 finished at 3:38am on Tuesday morning and the 11.3 a few hours later.  This race was the fastest in history with 3 boats breaking the previous record.


When the sun came up and the fog cleared we realized that we were in a beautiful place. I described the place (land and people and restaurants) as cozy like a big welcoming warm hug.  We also discovered that there is a fair amount of entertainment in the down town.  The very friendly customs agents told us where to go. 
Halifax Harbor
Beautiful Halifax Harbor
Out on the town we ran into a boat that we had beaten in IRC 1.  They bought Suzy, Ann and myself a drink and grumbled about being beaten by an 'all girls team'.  Ann informed them that we were actually a coed team to which they responded.  "OH thank God!" I said - Really!? and then added -  You know what, you weren't beaten by an all girls team, you were beaten by a team of women and children.  For some reason they stopped buying me drinks.

A big congratulations to everyone who raced and raced hard:

Oakcliff Ker 50 - 3rd in Class and 11th Overall in IRC:
Watch Captains Mark DiSanti and Mike Komar who was on his second overnight race.  Navigator and acorn, Jacon Mayer who was not only navigating for his first time, it was also his first overnight race.  He did an excellent job.  Also from Oakcliff, Aidan Vascatto, Randy Neureuter, acorn graduate Colling Leon,  supporters, Bob Zazzera, Sue DiSanti, Ann Schwagerl, Dr. Rob Gorski, Dan Nudelman and new recruits, Dan the perma-trimmer Warnekros, Match Racer Bobby Martin, Nick Osvlads and ESPN reporter and America's Cup veteran Suzy Leech. 

The Ker 11.3 - 1st in Double Handed Class and 11th Overall in PHRF:
(including all fully crewed boats!) Jeff MacFarlane and Mike Nicoletti

Halifax Champions Jeff and Nico
Halifax Champions Jeff and Nico


 

Oakcliff AAOT - Final Report
Oakcliff AAOT Last NightThis is their final report and you can link to all of the updates from the Oakcliff Website;

 The Oakcliff All-American Offshore Team is on the homestretch: land is in sight and we can smell England. It's been a long and tough race, though we managed to squeeze a few extra days into the voyage-extra days that maybe now seem a burden, but in a week, month, or year, will probably seem like a privilege. I for one am hesitant to finish. I've gotten to know the 15 other sailors on this boat well enough that I want to stay another day, sail another race. But there's still this race to finish, and as it now turns dark we'll get back to it for one last push to Lizard Point, 20 nautical miles away.
 
We've had a hard go of it in the standings. The fast boats from our start and the faster boats from the June 29 start managed to beat the high-pressure ridge that we couldn't avoid, and we parked up along with the Beau Geste for a few days. We sat for long enough to allow the slower boats we had already passed to catch up, and then, when everyone was even, the ridge lifted and moved east-as did we. The way the ratings work, we lose, but it's made for a fun day of good company. We're approaching the finish with five other boats in sight which after just under 3000 miles of sailing is pretty neat. We went all day with Beau Geste beside us, at one point close enough to ask for toilet paper. If this has been a long race for Vanquish, it has been an even longer one for them (15 feet longer). We wondered if they were serious!
 
There will be plenty of time for reflection in the coming days, but for now-it's time to grab a quick bite to eat ("Eat Your Veggies" freeze dried pasta) and head up on deck for the last few hours of Transatlantic Race 2011 goodness. We're all awake and planning on enjoying the remaining time on the rail. T-minus 3 hours.
This Sunday Match Racing for Classic Sailors
Match Racing


We have gone electronic - you can now sign up for the match racing for classics sailors on Sunday by clicking here. Next weekend is a bit light at Oakcliff so if you are keen your options is to race the match racing for classics!


Don't forget we still have Tuesday Night Match Racing Drills, Wednesday Night Fleet Racing and the spectacular Thursday Night Classics Racing with a BBQ after.

If you are around this weekend come down and see some great young match racers duking it out in SCYC's Sonars for the Oakcliff Youth Clinegatta.

Finally we truly want to thank everyone who has been supportive of a crazy and busy but so far very successful summer of 2011.  Don't forget to make your donations if you haven't already.  There is plenty racing left this summer as we still have over half way to go!

 

Sail Soon at Oakcliff!

 


Dawn Riley
Oakcliff Sailing Center
Mack Attack - 11.5
Ker 11.5 in Chicago
Ker 11.5 at the Columbia Yacht Club, in the Shadow of the Sears Tower
Once again Andrew and the Ker 11.5 are in the Great Lakes and will be starting to race from Chicago to Mackinac tomorrow morning. The forecast is looking optimistic.

 

We want to wish sponosrs Ken Flaska, Fred Detwiler,  Clune Walsh III (aka Baby Clune), Al Declercq all of the crazy sailors from Detroit fast sailing and podium finishes.

You can track the race here

 

 

  A personal shout out to my brother Todd and to the  Nitemare friends wherever they have ended up this year they are still Team Nitemare.  

Gill PJ's OK Foul Weather Gear
Gill Shorts
Email Your Gill Gear Order Here


If you had asked me a week ago as to what is one of the keys in terms of surviving an offshore race, I would have said making sure that when you do grab some sleep you get OUT of your foul weather gear. 

And then I discovered the Gill Women's Offshore Drop Seat Trousers.  Not only was I able to keep them on for the couple of hours of sleep I got during the race, I also was very comfortable crashing and sleeping for the 3-4 hours after we had finished and where already on a mooring.

I was truly and pleasantly surprised!

Join Our Mailing List
Congratulations
Quaglio's
Match 40s practice
Last Saturday's Grade 5 match Race was won by Team Quaglio with Doug Shannon in second and Anthony Pulgram in 5th.  The next Grade 5 is August 6th and you can, practice on Tuesdays, put together a team and sign up to race and gain skipper points.  It's a great opportunity.

 

San Francisco the Next Frontier
J-120
Board Chair, David Halliwill plus acorn Jeff MacFarlane and a host of local San Francisco sailors are headed to South Beach Yacht Club for a regatta this weekend. I know they are going to have a great time because I know South Beach Yacht Club.  They do good work and throw a great event!  Good Luck Team Peregrine.