For those of you that are interested in distance racing, tomorrow is the last of a 6 day, 550 mile catamaran race up the coast of Florida and Georgia. The Tybee 500 is now one of the most popular distance races in the world of catamaran sailing and has pretty much taken over for the Worrell 1000 that not longer exists. This year was a very unique year for the race in that there were more than double the usual 10 or so teams that compete every year with 24 boats. Also unique this year is the number of Formula 18s competing (7 total, looks like 3 Hobie Tigers and 4 Nacra Infusions). » Read the rest of the entry..

The USA icebreaker was a great success last weekend with REALLY good consistent wind coming from the north-west that picked up at 3:00 sharp on saturday.  There were more boats than people to operate them and so a couple never made it off the trailers.  Overall it was a great first sailing weekend of the season with lots of setting up for the year and some really good sailing.  Coty and I took his 5.8 out and flew all over the lake, shaking off the dust from the winter and breaking in all his new lines. There were some pretty massive waves that were a BLAST to ride and reminded me of sailing last summer off the coast of Long Beach.  Coty’s boat seemed to ride very smooth, with those 19′ hulls handling the rough water really well.  By the way, Coty showed up this year to impress everyone with his newly completed MOTHER off all sailing boxes on his trailer.  This thing is big enough to store/transport all this sailing gear with room enough for him to sleep in the thing!  Very technical engineering and craftsmanship on his part!  We’re looking forward to a great season, and hope to you on the water soon!

BRETT BINGHAM

District Ranger Thomas Peters

Pinedale Ranger District

29 East Fremont Lake Road

PO Box 220

Pinedale WY 82941-0220

March 24, 2009

Tom- Fax: 307-367-5750

I wanted to offer some thoughts on the use of the southern area of Fremont Lake.
Having studied the Environmental Assessment, I would like to offer my perspective on the immediate impact this assessment has on the usage of the lake by catamaran and dinghy sailors, while addressing their needs.

» Read the rest of the entry..

UPDATE: Jason has some updated information and links available at SailingKarma.com, please check them out and submit your comments to the Forest Service. We only have until the end of March to give  feedback on the Fremont Lake development.

Jason Essington from our sister club, the Pinedale Boat Club, has put together a message to request public comment on the Fremont Lake Recreation Enhancement project proposed by the Forest Service. Many members of the Utah Sailing Association have enjoyed sailing and racing on Fremont Lake every year for over a decade, so as the Forrest Service looks into developing the lake it is important that we provide our feedback and concerns over the development to ensure we retain or improve the access we have enjoyed over the years.

Please continue reading for more information on how you can help with this process.

» Read the rest of the entry..

The BYU Sailing Club has extended an invitation to the Utah Sailing Association to view the documentary Morning Light at the BYU Varsity Theater on March 6, 7, 13, and 14. Showtimes are 6:40pm & 9:10pm – Admission is $1

Movie Summary:
A group of 15 young sailors prepares to compete in the most revered open-ocean sailing competition in the country, and the director and editor of the 2006 surfing documentary Riding Giants keep their focus on the water in order to capture the adventure of a lifetime. Racing in the Transpac is no easy feat; after enduring six months of grueling training, the daring young crew of the Morning Light will engage in a 2,300-mile endurance against the most experienced sailors in the country. In the process of becoming a world-class team, however, this group will form a bond incapable of being broken by even the most massive of ocean waves.

From the Masthead

 G’day Mates
 
Welcome to the Utah Sailing Associations’ 50th Anniversary 2009 Sailing Season!
 We’ve come a long way baby!
 
Here’s some background for those new to the club. (just in case you’re asked this on Jeopardy)
 
The Association began in 1959 by a sailor named Cal Warren, who held the first race at Wanship Reservoir, now known as Rockport. As the story goes, the fleet consisted of a hodge podge of several brands of boats, the Finn, Newport, Scows and others, Cal raced a 19 foot Lightning. The regatta was going fine, when dark ominous looking clouds rolled in over the mountains, the wind suddenly and violently whipped up and roared down the lake, sails flapped wildly, the rigging howled and like dominoes the fleet of boats toppled over, pitching captains and crews into the water. Boats scattered and drifted down the lake. It turned out to be a real mess!  Undeterred, Cal and the rest of the sailors had been bitten with the racing bug! » Read the rest of the entry..

Greetings folks,

I’d like to do more racing this year and have posted an ad on KSL classifieds to that extent.  I’ve had great response to the ad and think we could have some fun on Utah Lake, Yuba, Deer Creek, and possibly Rockport in 2009.  I own a 17′ O’day Daysailer and a 16′ Hobie Cat.  We’re considering a PHRF style system for daysailer type monohulls 19′ and under, and then possibly racing the Hobies as a class.  Please respond to this post if you’re interested in joining us and I’ll be sure to let you know what we end up doing.  I’m thinking the regattas would be on Saturday afternoons at about 3:00 PM, mainly on Utah Lake.

Let me know,

Steve

If you are interested in taking a quick 12 hr drive to San Diego for some great ocean regattas click here for the NORs.

We have now updated the events sidebar and the events page so you can all put these great sailing events into your 2009 schedule.  We are looking forward to a monumental year of sailing and celebration of the Utah Sailing Association’s 50th anniversary.  Come join us for some great sailing seminars, family outings, and regattas in 2009!

G’day Mates

You may ask, “so now what do we do with the boats now that winter is here?”
If you take them to the top of a snow covered hill, push off and jump on, they make a great bobsled!

To help your boat survive the winter, I recommend: » Read the rest of the entry..