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June Meeting: Sailing Around the World Scared

By on June 5, 2013 in Events, Meetings
Camille Gannon

Camille Gannon

For the June monthly meeting, come hear the fascinating story of a woman who overcomes her fears to go ocean sailing.

The meeting is at 7 pm, Tuesday, June 11, at the Caddy Shack @ Rolling Hills, 1415 North Mill Avenue, Tempe. Visitors are welcome.

Camille Gannon wrote a book about her exploits and the blurb of the book begins this way: Camille Gannon cannot swim. In fact, she suffers from a gut-wrenching fear of drowning. At the peak of her professional career, her husband, Peter, reveals his lifelong dream of circumnavigating the world on a sailboat, with Camille as first mate.

So begins a nearly two-year saga where Camille must suppress her fears and dreams and find the will to accept a life of isolation and her own inadequacies as a sailor. Living within the confines of a 44-foot sailboat, experiencing the awesome power of nature on the open sea, and enduring the intrusion of crew members along the way, she struggles to support Peter as they island-hop across the South Pacific. While landfalls and shore leaves are fascinating adventures, cruising is not all blue lagoons, sunsets, and tailwinds. Yet Camille’s anxiety slowly evolves into confidence in her abilities as a sailor, a wife, and a woman.

The book is called Woman Overboard and she promises it will resonate with all women faced with the choice of enabling the passion of a beloved mate when doing so means personal sacrifice and confrontation with their fears. The memoir is a warm-hearted glimpse into the life of a cruising couple as they discover the true meaning of bon voyage.

Taking America’s Cup to the Max

By on March 19, 2013 in CP, Events, Meetings, Sailing News

The cup is coming but what got us there?

AC72For the April monthly meeting, Philip Freedman offers his view of America’s Cup 34 and what it takes to compete for the sport’s oldest trophy. The meeting is at 7 pm, Tuesday, April 9, at the Caddy Shack @ Rolling Hills, 1415 North Mill Avenue, Tempe. Visitors are welcome.

A meteor has hit the America’s Cup and the dinosaurs have disappeared. The oldest sports trophy has become of age. In one of the biggest sport upgrades in history, the America’s Cup has roared into the 21st century and you better use a fast shutter speed to take a shot. This summer in San Francisco Bay, the 34th America’s Cup will be defended against three countries wanting to take it out of the U.S. An estimated 600,000 will watch the competition from the banks of San Francisco Bay. Never before has the America’s Cup been sailed in a bay rather than in the ocean where few could see.

These are not just sailboats, but 72-foot-long catamarans with 13-story hard-wing masts that go twice the spend of the wind and rise out of the water onto small foils. Their crew of 11 not only wears heart monitors, life jackets and helmets, but will take physical requirements to the limits.

So come spend a fun evening and hear how college, youth sailing and the twelve meters got us to where we are today. Phil warns: This will be fun.

Phil Freedman is an AYC member and longtime sailor who fielded the entry Betsy Ross for the 1990 America’s Cup challenge.

The Sailing Life of Andrew Campbell

By on March 13, 2013 in CP, Meetings, Member Interest
Andrew Campbell sailing a Star on the US Sailing Team.

Andrew Campbell sailing a Star on the US Sailing Team.

Olympian and 10-time national champion Andrew Campbell looks at the big sailing picture. Boil it down to something like this: explore and enjoy. Sure, there’s a lot we can learn about wind shifts and boat handling and that kind of thing, but a lot of the advice he offered the AYC monthly meeting on Tuesday, March 12 was bigger than that.

Here were his bullet points:

  • Clear air (get in it)
  • Practice like you mean it
  • Even when it’s uncomfortable
  • Sail weird boats
  • Sail with old friends
  • Make new friends (he got to meet President George W. Bush)
  • Sail against the best
  • Study and learn every chance you get
  • Sail with lots of people
  • Sail with kids (You never know what will inspire them)
  • Sail in new places

The big point is that you learn through these broad experiences, picking up something about sailing or just about life itself. Or you just have a good time with friends.

Whoa. Is this the the message from a cutthroat, world-class sailor? From a calm, focused one, it is.

Andrew is a 10-time national champion at the youth, high school, collegiate levels. Racing in the Laser and Star class, he competed on the Olympic Class World Cup level during 10 years on the US Sailing Team. He won the 2007 Pan Am Games, represented the United States at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, and was ranked #4 in the World in the Star class in 2011. Now Andrew’s professional sailing and coaching experience has set him up to expand into big boats and match racing as well as writing for sailing publications.

Sailing Champion Andrew Campbell at the AYC monthly meeting.

Sailing Champion Andrew Campbell at the AYC monthly meeting.

March Meeting: Sailing Coach Andrew Campbell

By on March 1, 2013 in CP, Featured, Meetings
Andrew Campbell sailing a Star on the US Sailing Team.

Andrew Campbell sailing a Star on the US Sailing Team.

Fresh off an Olympic Star campaign, Andrew Campbell is a busy sailing coach and tactician… and our March Monthly Meeting Speaker. Would you like a boatload of racing tips? Andrew’s your guy. He’ll speak at 7 pm, Tuesday, March 12, at the Caddy Shack @ Rolling Hills, 1415 North Mill Avenue, Tempe.

His bio on the Andrew Campbell website describes his work as a tactician on the Farr 40 Nightshift, his coaching, and much more. It says, “As a professional sailor, coach and writer, Andrew draws from experience in Olympic and top international sailboat racing. He is a ten-time national champion at the youth, high school, collegiate levels. Racing in the Laser and Star class, he competed on the Olympic Class World Cup level during 10 years on the US Sailing Team. He won the 2007 Pan Am Games, represented the United States at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, and was ranked #4 in the World in the Star class in 2011. Andrew’s professional sailing and coaching experience has enabled him to expand into big boats and match racing as well as writing for sailing publications.”

AndyCampbell

Andrew Campbell

AYC welcomes nonmembers at our events, including the monthly meetings.

Annie Gardner Applauds On-The-Edge America’s Cup

By on February 13, 2013 in CP, Events, Meetings
Annie Gardner shows off her new AYC polo shirt after speaking at the March meeting.

Annie Gardner shows off her new AYC polo shirt after speaking at the February meeting.

Champion sailor Annie Gardner told the AYC February meeting that the coming America’s Cup will be the most amazing in the Cup’s long history. Go watch it, she said, because it may not happen again.

Annie ran down the entries, agreeing with most AC watchers that Emirates New Zealand has the inside track to take the Cup in September’s competition in San Francisco Bay. The team is ahead of the other three entries in preparing its boat and is getting more essential practice time in Auckland.

She was the expert TV commentator at the first European AC 45 races and got a ride with the French entry with Loïck Peyron at the helm. She said he had never capsized a mult-hull despite multiple trips around the world in difficult conditions—hadn’t capsized one until he flipped the Energy Team boat in the heavy wind in Plymouth. That’s the sort of challenge these boats present. (Peyron has sailed the Artemis AC72 boat and says, “These are boats that aren’t that wide or that big, but…have a very powerful ‘engine.’ To get an idea of what I mean, it’s a bit like putting a V8 or V12 engine on a go-kart. So it is no easy matter making use of all that power.” And he adds, “Of all the boats I have sailed on, she is the trickiest.”)

You may remember Annie from her role on America³, the women’s America’s Cup contender. She was chosen for the team from 700 applicants and sailed as navigator on the boat. Her qualifications for the team: A Silver Medal in Olympic Boardsailing exhibition in the 1984 games and a host of national and international Hobie cat and boardsailing titles. She’s still an active sailor (and skier; she was on her way to Utah to ski), sailing with her fiance on a NACRA 17 multi-hull.

AnnieGardner-ws

Annie Gardner talks multi-hulls at the February AYC meeting. Photos: Mike Ferring

 

Annie Gardner on Multihulls for February AYC Monthly Meeting

By on January 28, 2013 in Events, Featured, Meetings
annie_gardner

Annie Gardner

International sailor and broadcaster Annie Gardner will be our headline guest for the spring, giving us her view of the rise in multihull sailing, led by the intense interest in the coming America’s Cup competition in San Francisco.

Annie will speak at the February meeting, at 7 pm, Tuesday, February 12, at the Caddy Shack @ Rolling Hills, 1415 North Mill Avenue, Tempe.

You may remember Annie from her role on America³, the women’s America’s Cup contender. She was chosen for the team from 700 applicants and sailed as navigator on the boat. Her qualifications for the team: A Silver Medal in Olympic Boardsailing exhibition in the 1984 games and a host of national and international Hobie cat and boardsailing titles.

She’s continued to compete, and as recently as 2006 won a bronze medal in the women’s multihull class at the ISAF World Sailing Games and was a watch captain and helmswoman on the winning boat in the 2009 Chicago-Mackinac race. She teaches sailing and coaches, including for the annual North U-Offshore Racing School.

But in addition to the sailing resume, Annie’s dynamic personality and style has made her a natural in announcing and producing sailing television. For instance, she did TV color commentary on one of the AC 45 World Series weekends.

AYC’s monthly meetings are open to the public and anyone interested in sailing is encouraged to attend. Here’s more on the club and the meeting.

This summer’s America’s Cup competition in multi-hulls promises to be the wildest of all time, within easy spectating distance from the waterfront in San Francisco. Here’s a look:

The Big Christmas Party

By on November 28, 2012 in Meetings, Sailing News

December’s membership meeting brings the annual AYC gift exchange, a gift exchange with a twist. You might say twisted, even. The meeting is at 7 pm, Tuesday, December 11, at the Caddy Shack @ Rolling Hills, 1415 North Mill Avenue, Tempe.

Here’s how the gift exchange works:

  • You bring a wrapped gift valued at less than $20.
  • You pick a number from a hat to determine the order we select gifts.
  • We’ll have two people called to the front of the room at the same time.
  • Each person can choose to pick a wrapped gift from the pile or play pirate and take the gift from someone who’s already opened one.
  • Gifts can be “pirated” only twice before they’re safe from further theft.

Consider giving AYC goodies as Christmas gifts. The Ship’s Store will be open at the meeting. Other gift suggestions: Liquor always seems to bring applause!

Here’s what happened last year.

November Meeting: Common Sailing Mistakes

By on November 5, 2012 in Events, Featured, Meetings

Rob Harring

Our Tuesday, November 13 speaker is Rob Harring, former J/World San Diego Senior Instructor and current Beneteau yacht dealer.

At J/World, Rob saw firsthand the sailing mistakes that we all make that slow us down and we’ve titled his appearance, What It Takes To Make Rob’s Top Ten List of Common Sailing Mistakes—And How to Correct Them to Make Your Boat Go Faster.

Rob grew up sailing on Lake Geneva, Wis. and crewed for his dad from the age of 4, so sailboats are in his blood. As a young man he was competitive in the 150-boat E-Scow fleet on the lake and went on to sail as a collegiate sailor at USC, where he took 4th in the College Nationals in the Sonar class. Rob really knows how to make a sailboat go fast.

The meeting begins at 7 pm at the Caddy Shack @ Rolling Hills Golf Course, 1415 North Mill Avenue, Tempe. (map) Dinner at 6. Non-members are welcome to attend.

Besides Rob’s appearance and the joy of hanging out with the rest of us at the meeting, there’s this incentive: we’ll give away a pair of Hobie Segundo Polarized Sunglasses (retail $210), courtesy of Hobie, the official sunglasses of US Sailing.

Win these $210 sunglasses at the November meeting.

Dave Perry Leaves Us Laughing… and Better Sailors

By on October 9, 2012 in Featured, Meetings

Dave Perry sketches the options for a mark rounding during the October AYC meeting. Photo: Mike Ferring

The most critical times of any race are when bunches of boats compete for the same bit of water at the same time: during starts and mark roundings. So here’s Dave Perry’s prescription:

  1. Build space to leeward at the start line so you can accelerate at the gun.
  2. Don’t get caught in the bad-air parade at the windward mark.
  3. Take your turn at the leeward mark.

Okay, there was a bit more to it in the space of more than two hours this hall-of-fame sailor spent moving magnetic boats around a white board and showing video of boats converging. I hope you were there. This was a meeting packed with tips and hints for anyone who races and a meeting full of fun for anyone who doesn’t.

Dave Perry entertaining the October AYC meeting. Photo: Bob Whyte

Before the meeting, Dave waved off the wireless microphone. “I don’t use those,” he said seriously and it was immediately obvious that he knew what he was talking about as his voice boomed through the Caddy Shack. He drew in the crowd by asking people to stand who drove Buccs and Thistles and Catalina 22s and so on and asking who drove and who crewed and then urging the crew members to yell back at their drivers in return for all those times the crew gets blamed for poor finishes that are usually the fault of the person holding tiller. We loved it of course.

For a two-minute snippet of Dave’s talk, click here to see a YouTube video recorded by Rear Commodore Bob Whyte.

Dave’s visit to Phoenix (his first ever) was part of the US Sailing Speakers Series and included Scotch tasting by sponsor Old Pulteney. He made this stop on his way from San Francisco to his home in Connecticut after working with Artemis Racing at the America’s Cup AC45 World Series. He advises the team on rules, which are still evolving to match the unbelievable performance of the boats.

After riding on the back of one of the 45s, what did he think? “Scared,” he said. And with the 72-footers pushing the boundaries of sailing, he says no one’s quite sure what will happen. The teams planned to have sailed the first copy of the new boats about 15 days by now, he said, but only Team New Zealand has had more than a few days on the water and all of the teams have come limping back with broken bits on the boats. Artemis broke its wing when trying it out on a trimaran. Hang on. This could be nuts.

Fun fact: At Yale, Dave roomed with Peter Isler and navigation ace and “the man who invented football’s first-down yellow line,” Stan Honey. All have gone on to fame and glory. Two of the three have spoken to AYC within the last year. Can Stan Honey make it three-some? Stay tuned.

A large crowd laughed through two hours of Dave Perry’s presentation. Photo: Mike Ferring

 

October Meeting: Dave Perry with “Tactics in Crowds”

By on October 1, 2012 in Events, Featured, Meetings

Our October 8 speaker: Dave Perry

Our headline meeting of the fall: Hall of Fame sailor and teacher Dave Perry. Special meeting date to meet Dave’s schedule: Monday, October 8, but the regular meeting time and place, the Caddy Shack @ Rolling Hills Golf Course, 1415 North Mill Avenue, Tempe. (map) Dinner at 6. And come prepared for a longer than usual meeting, about two hours (but if you need to leave early, we’ll be taking an intermission).

Also, come prepared to taste some more of that sweet Old Poultney Scotch. Just as they did with “Luigi” last year, Old Poultney is pouring tastes of the good stuff.

Oh, back to sailing. What’s Dave’s subject? Tactics in Crowds. What happens when you approach the start or mark in a herd of boats that all want to go first? Dave will offer the entertaining answers, backed by what he says are some spectacular videos.

Dave is one of the country’s top sailing coaches and he’s fresh from coaching the US Sailing Team women’s match racing team for this summer’s Olympic Games. He currently chairs the US Sailing Appeals Committee, was rules advisor for U.S. Olympic Sailing Team and he’s rules advisor for Artemis Racing, the Challenger of Record for the 2013 America’s Cup.

Here’s his bio:

Dave grew up on Long Island Sound in Connecticut, racing Lightnings. He received his undergraduate degree at Yale University, and has received an honorary Doctorate of Education from Piedmont College. He is Chairman of the US Sailing Appeals Committee, and is a Senior Certified Judge.

He has authored three books on the sport, Understanding the Racing Rules of Sailing, Winning in One-Designs, and Dave Perry’s 100 Best Racing Rules Quizzes. He is a two-time All American sailor and Intercollegiate Dinghy National Champion, 5th place finisher at the 1979 Laser Worlds, two-time Congressional Cup winner (1983 & 84), Silver Medalist in the 1983 Soling Pre-Olympic regatta, 2003 Ideal 18 North American champion, and the 2006, 2008 and 2011 winner of the U.S. Match Racing Championship for the Prince of Wales Trophy (a championship he also won in 1982!).

He is a member of the Sailing World Hall of Fame, and recipient of US Sailing’s W. Van Alan Clark, Jr. Trophy for Sportsmanship and Captain Joe Prosser Award for Excellence in Sailing Instruction. He was the Rules Advisor and Afterguard Coach for Victory Challenge, Sweden’s 2007 America’s Cup Team, and the Rules Advisor for the 2008 U.S. Olympic Sailing Team. From 2009-2012, he was the coach for the US Sailing Team Alphagraphics women’s match race team, and is the Rules Advisor for the 2012 U.S. Olympic Sailing Team and Artemis Racing, the Challenger of Record for the 2013 America’s Cup. He has conducted hundreds of “rules talks” and seminars on the sport, and is best known for his clear, humorous and highly interactive presentations.

Lake Pleasant Committee Boat Work Party

By on September 9, 2012 in Meetings, Sailing News

It’s time to clean up and fix up the Lake Pleasant Committee Boat and runabout.

We’ll do it Thursday evening, September 20, beginning at 5pm. Please meet at Valley Marine, 7018 N. 53rd Ave., Glendale AZ 85301 (53rd Ave and Glendale). Some of the tasks that need to be done include:

  1. Replace Horns
  2. Move hardware that could snag a sail away from the side of the boat (especially hardware on the roof)
  3. Tighten the Ignition switch.
  4. Add step by step instructions to start the boat, where to put oil and gas, use the windlass, label the keys.
  5. Check the marks for leaks and patch.
  6. Check the mark rodes and anchors, noting those needing replacement.
  7. General Clean up.

 

September: The Secrets of My Best Boat Buy

By on August 29, 2012 in Events, Meetings, Sailing News

At our next monthly meeting three of AYC’s most notorious boat shoppers will tip you on the secrets of their success.

It’s the Tuesday, September 11 Monthly Meeting, beginning at 7pm at the Caddy Shack @ Rolling Hills Golf Course, 1415 North Mill Avenue, Tempe. (map) Dinner at 6.

Boat buying whiz Bill Hutchinson

Mike “I’ll Drive Anywhere to Buy a Boat” Parker, Bill “I’ll Even Buy It Twice” Hutchinson, and Tom “I’ll Keep Buying and Selling It” Errickson will take turns tipping the crowd to their secret strategies for successful boat buying.

Their instructions: Offer the audience some tangible tips for buying a sailboat by dissecting one of your boat buys (or in Tom’s case, perhaps the boat buy of someone he knows). We’re looking for how to get the best price on the best boat.

Also, check out the “Pre-Meeting Meeting” on “How to Select the Right Boat.”

Mike Parker has towed boats home from all over the U.S.

September Pre-Meeting: Selecting the Right Boat

By on August 29, 2012 in Events, Meetings

Wondering what boat’s right for you? Sort through the options: Length, build, performance, equipment, and on and on.

In September, we’ll hold a “Pre-Meeting Meeting” on “How to Select the Right Boat.”

How about a Hobie 33? We now have two club members who chose Hobie 33s.

What’s a pre-meeting? Before the regular monthly AYC meeting, we gather a dozen or so people around a table and simply talk about something they all care about. Such as how to select the right boat. We’ve asked three people to lead an informal Q&A: Mike Parker, Bill Hutchinson, and Tom Errickson, each an experienced boat buyer and seller.

The pre-meeting will start at 6 pm and will last 30 minutes. It will happen at the Caddy Shack @ Rolling Hills Golf Course, 1415 North Mill Avenue, Tempe. (map)

We’ll limit the audience to 10 or 12 so it can be a comfortable chat in the corner of the restaurant. Reserve your spot by emailing Mike Ferring.

We did one of these in August on the subject of Bareboat Chartering and had a great discussion, with lots of good questions. And we’ll do more. What subject would you like to talk about? Email Mike.

September: The Secrets of My Best Boat Buy

By on August 15, 2012 in Events, Meetings, Sailing News

At our next monthly meeting three of AYC’s most notorious boat shoppers will tip you on the secrets of their success.

It’s the Tuesday, September 11 Monthly Meeting, beginning at 7pm at the Caddy Shack @ Rolling Hills Golf Course, 1415 North Mill Avenue, Tempe. (map) Dinner at 6.

Boat buying whiz Bill Hutchinson

Mike “I’ll Drive Anywhere to Buy a Boat” Parker, Bill “I’ll Even Buy It Twice” Hutchinson, and Tom “I’ll Keep Buying and Selling It” Errickson will take turns tipping the crowd to their secret strategies for successful boat buying.

Their instructions: Offer the audience some tangible tips for buying a sailboat by dissecting one of your boat buys (or in Tom’s case, perhaps the boat buy of someone he knows). We’re looking for how to get the best price on the best boat.

Also, check out the “Pre-Meeting Meeting” on “How to Select the Right Boat.”

Mike Parker has towed boats home from all over the U.S.

September Pre-Meeting: Selecting the Right Boat

By on August 15, 2012 in Events, Meetings

Wondering what boat’s right for you? Sort through the options: Length, build, performance, equipment, and on and on.

In September, we’ll hold a “Pre-Meeting Meeting” on “How to Select the Right Boat.”

How about a Hobie 33? We now have two club members who chose Hobie 33s.

What’s a pre-meeting? Before the regular monthly AYC meeting, we gather a dozen or so people around a table and simply talk about something they all care about. Such as how to select the right boat. We’ve asked three people to lead an informal Q&A: Mike Parker, Bill Hutchinson, and Tom Errickson, each an experienced boat buyer and seller.

The pre-meeting will start at 6 pm and will last 30 minutes. It will happen at the Caddy Shack @ Rolling Hills Golf Course, 1415 North Mill Avenue, Tempe. (map)

We’ll limit the audience to 10 or 12 so it can be a comfortable chat in the corner of the restaurant. Reserve your spot by emailing Mike Ferring.

We did one of these in August on the subject of Bareboat Chartering and had a great discussion, with lots of good questions. And we’ll do more. What subject would you like to talk about? Email Mike.

August Meeting: Dave & Wendy Boatworks

By on August 2, 2012 in Events, Featured, Meetings
The Mini 6.50 is craned onto its trailer.

The Mini 6.50 is craned onto its trailer.

 

For the August monthly meeting, Dave Christensen and Wendy Larsen will tell us what it’s like to build an ocean racer in a suburban two-car garage. Besides showing pictures of the the building of their Mini 6.50, they’ll actually bring the boat for us to see and touch.

For those of us who have been following the project since Dave muttered something about knocking a hole in Wendy’s garage, we’ve been wondering if this massive undertaking would ever actually get wet. In August, they’ll offer the proof, along with stories of the incredible time and work it’s taken to reach this point. Think sanding. Lots and lots of sanding.

The meeting begins at 7pm at the Caddy Shack @ Rolling Hills Golf Course, 1415 North Mill Avenue, Tempe. (map) Dinner at 6.

See the saga at the Dave and Wendy Boatworks website.

Also in August: A pre-meeting meeting. If you’ve wondered what it was like to charter a boat in some exotic destination, come talk with people who have been there. Ralph Vatalaro joins Mike and Maryellen Ferring to explain the ins and outs of international chartering. RSVP for this 6 pm pre-meeting meeting to Mike at commodore@arizonayachtclub.org. Space is limited.

How to Charter a Sailboat at the “Pre-Meeting Meeting”

By on August 2, 2012 in Cruising News, Meetings, Member Interest, Sailing News

The ideal as sold in countless charter advertisements.

I think one of the great pleasures of sailing comes when a charter company in some exotic place hands you the keys to an expensive sailboat and tells you to “shove off.” Soon after I post this, Maryellen and I will catch the end of the Whidbey Island Regatta and then spend a week on a boat in the San Juan Islands. Cool, huh?

[Note: as of August 4, this meeting is full so we can't accept any more RSVPs. Because of the positive response, we'll hold more of these pre-meeting meetings, perhaps even on this same subject.]

If you’ve thought chartering seemed like a fun thing but didn’t know where to start, or you’ve done a little but would like to do more, join us before the next AYC monthly meeting for an informal conversation on charter destinations, costs, and procedures. During this 30-minute “pre-meeting meeting” at 6pm on Tuesday, August 14, you can ask questions of frequent-charterer Ralph Vatalaro, Maryellen, and me. We’ll do it for two people or 10, but no more than that, so send me an email to reserve your spot. We’ll gather around a table at the Caddy Shack @ Rolling Hills Golf Course, 1415 North Mill Avenue, Tempe. (map)

This “pre-meeting meeting” concept is the brainchild of Vice Commodore Decker Williams and the charter idea came from Fleet Captain Greg Woodcock (who’s right now chartering in Canada). If we get some interest, we’ll do it on various topics throughout the year.

—Commodore Mike Ferring

July Meeting: Game Night Competition

By on June 30, 2012 in Meetings

What do you call that metal loop thingy on the front of the mast? What’s the penalty for violating Rule 14? Who “won” Ye Blunder Bucket this spring?

If you can answer these questions, your team may be in line for some prizes at the AYC Monthly Meeting Game Night, Tuesday, July 12, starting at 7 pm (with dinner at 6 pm).

Like last year, we’ll split the crowd into teams, hand each team an electronic, interactive clicker, and flash questions on the screen. The team that gets the most right answers will be the winner. The questions will be a mixture of general sailing questions, some trivia, and some local knowledge. Bring your kids, because we’ll have some questions reserved just for them to answer.

The AYC monthly meetings are held at the Caddy Shack @ Rolling Hills Golf Course, 1415 North Mill Avenue, Tempe, AZ 85281-1205 (map) and both members and non-members are welcome to attend.

Garth Reynolds on Light Air Sailing

By on June 17, 2012 in Featured, Meetings

What do you think of this sail trim for light air?

North Sails designer Garth Reynolds provided a full explanation of sail trim in light air during the AYC Monthly Meeting on Tuesday, 6/12. And he provided his PowerPoint slides to help understand it all.

You’ll find the slides here. And here’s a narrative of how they tuned and sailed a Viper 640 during a regatta in San Diego.

For just one week, North is also offering a 10% discount on all North One Design sails. Contact Garth for further information.

Garth Reynolds of North Sails Returns in June

By on May 20, 2012 in Events, Featured, Meetings, Sailing News

Garth Reynolds of North Sails

He was a hit last July; now he’s coming back for a return engagement: North Sails designer Garth Reynolds will be our speaker at the AYC June meeting. His assignment: Light Air Sailing. Not that we ever have any of that.

Join us at 7 pm, Tuesday, June 12, at the Caddy Shack @ Rolling Hills Golf Course, 1415 North Mill Avenue, Tempe. Guests are welcome to attend.

Garth will be leaving the San Diego North loft soon to take a promotion to the Boston loft, where he’ll work under JB Braun, the designer for the Oracle America’s Cup effort. (Braun is in charge of the aero for Oracle’s new 72-foot boat.)

For this meeting, Garth has gotten North to offer a discount on sails for AYC only. You’ll receive a 10% discount on one-design sails purchased within 7 days of his presentation. Normally those sails are put on sail only in September. Here’s a list of all the one-design fleets covered by the offer.

Describing sail design during last year's AYC meeting.