New PTSA Mailing Address
Please note, PTSA has a new mailing address: Port Townsend Sailing Association 1240 W. Sims Way # 284 Port Townsend, WA 98368
Fall Nightcap Series Starts Sunday, September 14th
Here we go again, last series of the year, The Fall Nightcap Series, starts Sunday at 12 o'clock noon. This Sunday will be a boat start, somewhere on the Bay. Head out of the marina, look for the committee boat and the pin, go there, have fun. The days are getting shorter. Better have some fun on the water while you can.
Skipper’s Meeting, Thursday the 28th, NWMC
Bar opens around 6 upstairs at the Maritime Center, meeting starts at 6:30. As part of the meeting we'll be talking about on the water safety, and part of that discussion will be crew overboard rescue. The story we heard was that the most popular crew overboard rescue device - the LifeSling - was developed initially in PT and then in Seattle. Here's a video reminder of how to use the LifeSling that's probably sitting on the stern pulpit of your boat. Good video and worth your time to watch.
Saving Sailing, What’s Changed?
The board of the PTSA, like sailing organization boards all over, is trying to figure out how to attract more folks to come out on the water and join us. This spring we’ll be putting up a number of voices that address this issue. This first post is from a saving sailing post by “Glenn McCarthy” on Sailing Anarchy. The first thing everyone needs to understand are the numbers. In 1970, 25.5M people in the U.S. said they went sailing one day or more. In 2010 the number was 2.5M. When accounting for population growth, this means that 6% of people are sailing [...]
Thanks, Myron
Myron Gauger, photo by Wendy Feltham Much of the success of the PTSA in the last couple of years is due to the hard work of our Race Committee. We are grateful for everyone's efforts but special mention has to go to the RC Chairman, Myron Gauger, who has set a standard that will be hard to match. Myron needs to throttle back his involvement but we will always be thankful for all he has contributed to our sailing community and for all the work he has put in. Thanks, Myron, you'll be missed.
West Marine Donates New PTSA Race Mark
PTSA is proud to announce that West Marine of Port Townsend recently become a sponsor to our events, by donating all the ground tackle and buoy for the replacement of the missing mark "Y,"( which should be in by the summer series.) This is no small donation, as the cost of the replacement ground tackle exceeds $500.00. The Staff at the P.T. West Marine has been busy updating inventory, and if you have not been in lately be sure to check it out. They have added lots of new cordage, including Endura Braid, and Technora T900 that will be in soon. There is a [...]
Race Committee Introductory Meeting, February 11th
Racing On PT Bay Can’t Start Without You! Come meet the Port Townsend Sailing Association Race Committee at the NW Maritime Center classroom at 6:30 pm on February 11th for a Race Committee Introductory Meeting. You’ll learn what the Race Committee does, how it does it’s work, why it is so key to racing on our Bay, and how you can get in on the fun. Refreshments will be provided. Members of the PTSA Race Committee spend regular time on one of America’s most spectacular Bays surrounded by of some of the most beautiful sailboats in the country. Now you [...]
New Forum Is Waiting For You
The new PTSA Forum is online and waiting for you to give it a try. We're going to open it up to PTSA members and folks from the Port Townsend boating community. That may have to change in the future if the spam avalanche hits, but until then we hope all Port Townsend boaters will join in. To post on the Forum just click the Forum link on the site's top bar as shown in the picture above. When you get to the Forum page click "Post New" and you'll be taken to the registration function. It's easy. Really. Once [...]
Dallas Johnson – No Saving Needed
An interesting article on building club participation from Scuttlebutt News here lifted from Sailing Wold. Does any of this relate to PTSA? Comments are open, let us hear your thoughts. (October 19, 2010) Dallas Johnson submitted a letter in the September issue of Sailing World magazine, where he commented that while everyone is talking these days about “Saving Sailing”, there are still sailing areas – such as his home waters of Lake Minnetonka – that are doing just fine. As current Commodore of Wayzata Yacht Club, Dallas provides some insight into what’s going right at his “inland lake fly-over world” [...]
Put Variety in Your Courses
Perhaps to start a conversation, here's a column from the June, 2010, issue of Sailing World on varying the racecourses beyond windward - leeward. What do you think? There's a poll at the bottom you can enter your opinion. Jon ================================= Are the sailors in your fleet tired of sailing around the same old racecourses year after year? If so, inject some excitement into your races with a few easy ideas. From the "Jobson Report" from our June 2010 issue It’s much different nowadays, because we’ve come to expect perfectly aligned windward-leeward courses, but it seems sailors are growing tired [...]
Revision to Sailing Instructions Gives RC Multi-Start Option
There's been an important change to the 2010 Sailing Instructions. If there's time and wind to run a two lap race, the Race Committee now has a choice whether to run two, one lap races (which gives us two starts), or one, two lap race. A number that comes before anything else on the course board tells you if two races are are being run. A number after the course tells you if there is more than one lap. There is the possibility that the second race may not use the same course so check the board before [...]
2010 White Cap End of Series Party
Party this Thursday, June 10th. Doors open at 6 for socializing, meeting will begin sometime after 6:30. Location - the Port Townsend Yacht Club. Share stories and good cheer with fellow White Cap racing sailors at the Port Townsend Yacht Club. Awards, laughter, beverages, tasty snacks, fun racing photos, and discussion about the upcoming Cats Paw summer racing series are on the agenda. Doors open at 6pm, meeting starts at 6:30. Picture doesn't have anything to do with the party but it's a pretty nice picture. Bogart and Bacall sailing circa 1945.
APB for the Missing Pin
Sometime during the week before last Friday's race, the big orange "pumpkin" that we use for the starting pin left Comet. I have checked with the yard office and the Boat Haven office but no one has turned it in. I checked with Bob at Marine Exchange, but he hasn't seen it either. I'm not sure why anyone would take such a thing, but if everyone keeps an eye out maybe it will turn up. Thanks, Myron
2010 White Cap Series Pre-Race Meeting for Skippers and Crew
Greetings skippers and crew. All sailors planning on sailing in the 2010 White Cap Series are invited to attend the pre-race meeting . There will be beer, wine and non – alcoholic beverages available by donation to support the race buoy fund. Wednesday Evening March 31st, 2010 Port Townsend Yacht Club 6PM Yes, that is this Wednesday Come join in the fun.