Jennings wins 2010 Windmill Nationals

John Jennings and his crew, Julie Valdez, took top honors for the event with 16 points. Jennings and crew sailed his boat, Silly Wabbit, capturing six bullets and a handful of top five finishes.

However, it was an impressive performance by a couple local boys that caught the attention of many. J. D. Reddaway, with the assistance of his little brother, Michael, skippered a well founded, borrowed boat and took second overall, besting the third place boat by seven points.

The performance of the Reddaway boys should not at all lessen the accomplishments of the rest of the fleet. These kids are just that good. Sailing’s in their blood, and don’t forget, they were playing in their own backyard. Good job, guys.

Third place was taken by Arthur Anosov and his crew, Danny Florianovich, ending the day with a total of 32 points. Hailing from Ruskin, FL, they were poised to take second place going into the last day of racing, however, they lost significant ground in the point standings after middle of the pack finishes in races eight and nine.

Overall results can currently be found at the website for the Windmill Class. I was fortunate to be on location for the second day of racing taking several happy snaps. After scrubbing down the lot, I have over 130 images available for viewing at my Strictly Sailing Photos site at Picasa. Enjoy.

The Spirit of South Carolina

Part of Charleston’s unique history is well rooted in its importance as a major sea port. To this day, the shipping industry is still incredibly active. The fourth busiest container port in the nation, the port of Charleston handles over 3 million dollars worth of cargo an hour and provides service to over 140 countries around the globe. So, I would be remiss to ignore the historical significance of shipping in the region.

Enter the Spirit of South Carolina operated by the South Carolina Maritime Heritage Foundation. Commissioned new in 2007, she serves as a bold reminder of days past when the region’s shipping industry would have been replete with tall ships of every configuration. Spirit is a beautiful 140 foot double-masted schooner and represents what would have been one of the quick and agile pilot vessels commonly operated during the age of sail. She was designed and built using the plans of the Francis Elizabeth which were retrieved from the archives of the Smithsonian and has been updated and modernized to exceed Coast Guard standards.

In addition to her role as an ambassador of the city, she also operates as a Sailing School Vessel (SSV) and is used to offer unique, at sea, educational opportunities which are designed to bolster and develop, not only a seafaring skill set, but character, teamwork, and leadership. Since her commissioning, she has seen over 6000 students cross her decks. And because the experience can be powerful and influential, in addition to her regular at-sea curriculum, she is also used as a platform to reach out to local, under privileged and at-risk youths.

As a guest of my good friends at Gill North America, I was giving an opportunity to get underway on this exceptional craft. The afternoon outing was part of a sponsor appreciation event during this year’s Charleston Race Week. The day was better than expected, absolutely fabulous to be perfectly honest. And the thing that amazed me most was the skill and professionalism of the young adults that served as skipper and crew. They were exceptional and most impressive.

With help provided by her guests, the crew demonstrated the level of calculated coordination that goes into hoisting the sails of this gaffed rig vessel--spectacular. Once all the halyards had been secured and stowed on deck, everyone was allowed to relax. It was time to sail. The 20 knot breeze was perfect moving us smartly about Charleston Harbor. There are fewer things more beautiful than a gaff-rigged schooner underway. We were a moving postcard. For yours truly, it was quite memorable and one of the highlights of that visit to Charleston. It was simply outstanding.

Sailing Credentials?

At the skipper's meeting, my anxieties resurface. A woman was quizzing several other new members about certifications. Quite insistent and a bit spastic, she would ask, "What type of credentials do you hold? Where did study, an ASA or USSA school?" I thought to myself, certifications? Oh, crap! Was there a requirement for this club that I didn’t know about?"

Eventually, she got around to me. Caught in a vulnerable moment (I had been trying to avoid her) she introduced herself, made small talk, and then with extroverted energy she popped her questions about certifications, "Where did you do your quals?"

Playing a bit stupid (something I do naturally with little or no effort at all) I responded, "I'm sorry you have me at a bit of a disadvantage. What do you mean by quals?"

Immediately she went into a pitch describing the levels of certification at the American Sailing Association (ASA) and United States Sailing Association (USSA). Tirelessly, and without taking another breathe, she went on to babble about the pros and cons regarding each institution.

Luckily, I was well armed with a freshly opened cold beer. After all, it was after 10 A.M., my benchmark for libation consumption. Recognizing early on her innate ability to string together lengthy sentences and paragraphs, I prudently paced the consumption of my morning Bud.

Eventually, we found ourselves in an awkward moment of silence; which meant she was waiting for a response from me. Trying to sound engaged, I responded, "I'm sorry, where were we?"

Looking and sounding a bit annoyed because it was obvious I wasn't captivated by her seemingly endless monologue, she said, "Certifications. We were discussing sailing certifications".

"Ah, yes, certification." I continued, "I've never gone for that sort of thing. I just can't see much use for it. I mean quality instruction is great, but to attach some kind of certification/credentials to it is absurd, utter non-sense."

Looking as though I had just pissed in her Wheaties, my new friend got defensive and responded, strongly enunciating each of the words, "It-is-not-non-sense.” Damn this woman is wearing me out. She went on saying, “Levels of certifications provide definition to skill set areas and establish minimum standards for evaluating competence." All I heard was blah, blah, blah.

"Wow", I said. Reaching into my back pocket for my wallet, I began to shuffle through the short deck of business cards. "Ah, here it is. Perfect!" I said. I handed it to her.

Looking at the front and looking a bit confused, she asked, "What is it?"

"Well, read it. It's a Bull Shit card. I pull it out every time I come across some. You just go ahead and keep that one."

"Listen", I said, now trying to sound more understanding and caring (both of which couldn't be further from the truth), "the line you just gave me is nothing more than organizational propaganda. I mean come on, think about it. Somebody wants to get into sailing so they fork out several hundred dollars to attend a course. Upon successful completion they are provided with some sort of certificate or credentials to vouch for their certification. Certified? Certified for what? That's what I want to know. Most of the folks I know that have gone through the programs you mentioned know just enough to be dangerous. Wouldn't you agree?"

Astounded and with a disapproving glance at my beer, she turned and walked away mumbling something to herself about agreeing to disagree or something along those lines.

Shortly thereafter, one of the club veterans approached me with a fresh beer and introduced himself. I asked about a club requirement for sailing certifications. He said, "If there is one, you, me, and almost everybody else in the club is in deep trouble. Why do you ask?"

Nodding my head towards the zealot, he turned back to me and with a chuckle added, "Oh hell, don't worry about her unless you find yourself in a crossing situation on the water. She knows just enough to be dangerous, very dangerous." I smiled.

I went on to win that year's newbie race and have been racing every since. However, every time I look back on that day, I can't help but think of that one person's obsession with certification.

There are more than a few control freaks that would love to see certifications become a requirement to American sailing. They want government to intervene and place legislative restrictions on access to our favorite activity. They would love a system to require each sailor to carry a set of credentials, licensure if you will, for each level of sailing. You might have your general recreational stamp. Then, if you wanted to advance your skills, qualify for additional stamps such as racing, coastal, or blue-water cruising.

To date, I have yet to hear anyone articulate a compelling argument to support such an initiative, but I’m patiently waiting. In the end, these ridiculous ideas are dangerous and nothing more than another small step in a patient agenda designed to bring more government intervention in our lives.

On your Memorial Day

To some degree, I might understand why so many have been desensitized to the reason for the holiday. As time passes between wars and conflicts, it is hard to put a face with the names of those that have paid the ultimate price to keep us safe and to preserve our liberty. Until recent years, it has been difficult to personalize or relate with the reason why you’re getting the day off. However, today, things are different. We simply cannot ignore the fact that our men and women in uniform are engaged. They are in an active fight. A fight many simply can’t or refuse to understand. But, the fact is, they fight and die over there, so we can live in peace here today. To not stop and remember all those, past and present, that have suffered the ultimate sacrifice is simply the ultimate in disrespect.

So, whether you are at the lake, at the beach, or up in the mountains somewhere, while you are enjoying your holiday, please know that for many families across the country today, the significance of Memorial Day is a little more than just a day off.

2010 Tybee 500 Finish Snaps

I finally got a chance to scrub through the pictures I took while the boats finished the 2010 Tybee 500 this past Saturday. Almost 70 pictures in all and can be seen at the Strictly Sailing Facebook Page, or if you don't FB, then catch them at the Picasa, Strictly Sailing Photo Page.

Tybee 500 Finish

What a weekend! Got home from work on Friday, packed up the girls, threw some gear in the Vue and immediately headed south to Tybee Island for a little beach time and the Saturday finish of the Tybee 500. After greasing up at the Breakfast Club Saturday morning, we all soaked up some rays (for some, maybe a little too much), had few brewskies, and patiently awaited the arrival of the fleet.

At around three in the afternoon, a pop of yellow appeared against the blue horizon, then white, more white, and splash of bright blue. Spinnakers! They were headed in. It wouldn’t be long now. It was time to run, grab the camera out of the car and get down to the finish to do what I had come to do, take some snaps.

Sunday would bring another full day at the beach with family and friends then the long trek home. Now it is Monday morning and my mind is mush. I will have to write something more comprehensive later today for Tuesday’s post. Till then, the long and the short of it is, Trey Brown and Bailey White on Team Velocity One would ultimately take top honors in the Nacra 20 class, but it would be world class sailor Mischa Heemskerk and his crew, Eduard Zanen, on the F-18 boat of Team Bugaboo that would take top honors.

Once my brain decompresses a little I will have more pics and stuff. So, until tomorrow, enjoy these here snaps.

Two Legs left in the T500

TVS1 leads the 20s in Tybee 500

Tybee 500 and Live Streaming

And all it took was a little prodding and teasing (not really, but that's my line) and Tad finally shared the live streaming video code for me to use. He will be filming from his Droid phone at 3G speed (when available). The quality will not be high definition, but what the Hell. It's all pretty cool and he is willing to return anybody's money if they don't like the show. What a deal.

So, find the viewer below, the starts are at 9:55 am EST each morning. This first start is on the water, so I'm not 100% sure if Tad will be on the water for the big go or not, but I expect he will broadcast something. So go ahead and just keep your browser open and check the viewer from time to time. You never know when he might be filming. I expect you'll get to watch them eat breakfast, or something exciting like that.

The Sailing Mafia Heads to Tybee Island, GA

Not only will Tad have the four Team Velocity boats to manage, but he is also heading up the shore side logistics for three other teams as well. I’m confident that with looking after 7 chase vehicles and over 30 support personnel, Tad will be quite a busy lad the entire week. Plus, as a bonus he will be attempting to provide live streaming video of the starts. We hope to be able to provide a window for you to be able to watch the action, but Tad’s lazy ass hasn’t sent me the code for the website yet.

This will be the eighth running of the event and consisting of six legs that begin with an on-the-water start down off the coast of Islamorada, FL on May 10th, ending with a beach finish on beautiful Tybee Island, GA. Subsequent legs includes the following cities in Florida: Hollywood, Jupiter Beach, Cocoa Beach, Daytona Beach and Fernandina Beach. Each two man team will be sailing either a Nacra 20 or Formula 18 class catamaran. These are not your typical beach cats typically seen awaiting rental usage from some drunk, vacationing tourist. These are specialized racing machines capable of breath taking speeds. It will certainly be exciting.

We are looking forward to all the updates next week from the Team Velocity Mafia and wish them and all the other competitors all the luck in the world! With a little luck, we will be in Tybee next weekend for the finish.