The Lake Palestine Yacht Club will be beginning Wednesday evening March 22, a one hour sailing challenge every week. No trophy, no winners, no losers, no protests, just good fun! We will lay a short course in Saline Bay, just off the docks of the Marina.
It's a great time to get in some practice on starting, rounding marks, and catching up on the rules of sailing in preparation for the up-coming Spring Fling Regatta. Those of you who prefer to crew, please come out as well. Sometimes it's easier to observe others before taking the plunge in the art of skippering. All skippers will have additional room for additional crew on the participating boats so don't hesitate to come out and crew.
Location: Lake Palestine Marina
Meeting time: 6:00 pm
Starting time 6:30 pm
Ending time 7:30 pm
Continuing as long as people enjoy coming out to the event.
The 2016 sailboat race series wrapped up under fair skies and generally good breezes. A total of 8 boats participated in the final race.
Here several boats are tacking towards the first mark.
The 2014 sailboat race series finished under some light and fluky winds. Finishing in First Place of the series was Bob Coker, Closely followed by Jim Stevenson and John Owens tying for the 2nd place, and rounding out the top finishers was Warren Lyon. The race course has been located to the southern part of the lake in hopes of better winds, and freedom from underwater stumps.
As many as 10 different boats competed, with as many as 8 in a single race, and next year promises to be even better with new participants and several returning from mechanical problems.
The 2015 series gets underway in April, stay tuned for the schedule of race events.
As we reach the mid point of the 2014 race series, the biggest challenge has been the disappearing wind on race days. One of the races no one finished, one boat did make it a hundred yards from the start line though. One race was shortened to the turning mark, even then some of us never quite made it. Only one race had fresh, challenging breezes, the others were just enough to keep moving breezes.
At the mid point, the current leaders are Jim Stevenson in first, followed by John Owens, Lynn Easley, and Bob Coker. But there is only one point separating each of the top four, so a lot can, and will happen in the second half of the race series.
The final race before the summer break will be on June 21, and the race course will be moved to the southern part of the lake in hopes of better wind conditions as a test.
See everyone on the water!
LPYC would like to thank everyone who competed in the 2013 series sailboat races. Conditions were sometimes quite challenging, especially when weather fronts like to arrive right in the middle of a race!
Bob Coker took first place in his Islander 28 with 27 points.
Lynn Easley finished in 2nd place with his San Juan 24 with 21 points.
Jim Stevenson and John Owens tied for 3rd place with 19 points.
The 2014 series will start up again this spring, see ya on the water!