Around the World of Sailing

7 August 2002

Event News: 73rd Annual WMYA Regatta Preview
Available on line at:
http://www.torresen.com/news/atwos/2002/ag/0807/ms.htm

The West Michigan Yachting Association's 73rd annual regatta
begins today. Racing will continue thru Saturday. The
venue for this year is Lake Cadillac, Cadillac Michigan.
Six classes will participate.

One of the regattas unique features is that not all classes
race at once. This means, for instance, you could participate
as a member of an E scow crew at 1000 and then sail solo in
a Laser or Butterfly later in the day.

The first WMYA regatta was held in 1930 on Muskegon Lake.
Participating classes were: A Scows, C Scows and E Scows,
all of these classes with the exception of A scows will be
represented at the 2002 regatta.

In addition to overall honors sailors compete for many other
awards. These include the Muskegon Chronicle Trophy for the
winning E Scow, Midge Verplank trophy for the winner of the
final C Scow race, the Charles Young Trophy for the winning
MC Master skipper and the Gordon Tousey Trophy for the
winner of the first MC race.

Defending Champions:
E Scow Tom Munroe White Lake Yacht Club
C Scow Brett Hatton Spring Lake Yacht Club
MC Scow Brian McMurray
Laser Pete Comfort
Open Butterfly Joe Rotunda White Lake/Spring Lake
Junior Butterfly Kevin Anderson Grand Rapids Yacht Club
M 20 Chuck Gorgen

Links:
Regatta Info
http://www.wmya.org/race_info/2002/wmya_regatta_73rd/index.html
History
http://www.wmya.org/about/history.html
Trophies
http://www.wmya.org/race_info/perpetual_trophies/index.html
2000 WMYA Regatta
http://www.torresen.com/races/wmyaregatta/2000/default.htm
2001 WMYA Regatta
http://www.torresen.com/races/wmyaregatta/2001/index.htm

Theme Article: Sailing Education
http://www.torresen.com/news/atwos/2002/ag/0807/ms.htm

Sailing is not a sport that people typically learn on a mass
basis when young. When's the last a physical education
class focused on sailing?

So it falls to private clubs, sailing businesses and
community groups to train people how to sail. This months
theme articles looks at four learning options for the
perspective sailor: ASA, US Sailing, Red Cross and Power
Squadron.

Option 1 - ASA or American Sailing Association. The ASA has
been in the sailing education business since 1983. 150,000
sailors have gone through ASA schools. There are currently
150 schools using ASA courses and standards including the
Torresen Sailing School. ASA has trained 5000 instructors.

In the Great Lakes region there are 2 ASA schools in Ohio, 1
each in Illinois, Minnesota and Wisconsin and 4 in Michigan.

ASA classes start at the beginning sailing level (Course 101
Basic Keelboat) and continue onto open water cruising
(Course 108 Offshore Passage Making). Through the ASA
courses you can learn everything from hoisting sails to
celestial navigation. ASA schools tend to be geared more
towards adults and keelboat sailing.

Costs for some of the beginning and intermediate courses are
moderate. At Torresen Sailing School Classes 101/103 taken
together cost $ 450 for a 3-day class. Classes 103/104
taken together cost $ 600 for 4 days and 4 nights.

Another part of the ASA system is reinforcing learning
through excellent books. At the introductory level ASA uses
Cruising Fundamentals by Harry Muns and Sailing Fundamentals
by Gary Jobson.

This is just one excellent way you can receive formal
sailing instruction. Follow this series of articles to
learn about three more.

Links:
ASA http://www.asa.com/
Torresen Sailing School
http://www.torresen.com/school/
ASA Classes
http://www.asa.com/standards.html

Event News: Holland Regatta
Available on line at:
http://www.torresen.com/news/atwos/2002/ag/0807/ms.htm

Over the weekend 2 one design fleets from the board of Bruce
Farr raced off Holland. The Offshore One Design
Invitational was hosted by Macatawa Bay Yacht Club.

Winner of the regatta was Pendragon with their best regatta
of the year. Pendragon won races 3 & 4. 2nd was Inferno
which now has 2nd at 3 events including Boaters World and
the NOODs. Third was Program on the podium for the first time
this season.

For the season Inferno leads the series. When discard races
are figured in, Inferno's lead is a single point over
Heartbreaker which won the NOOD regatta and Chicago Mac.
3rd is Virago.

Of note at the Holland regatta was the appearance of Paul
Cayard onboard Heartbreaker. Bob Hughes' boat had an
atypical 6th place finish despite winning the 1st race.

This situation serves as a case study for professionals
competing against amateurs. On the one hand Cayard is a
world class sailor and does not offer his services for free.
On the other hand amateur sailors were offered the chance to
compete against him. This means in the neighborhood of 40
to 50 sailors got home saying, I/we beat Cayard.

Final event for the class is the Verve Cup, sponsored by
Chicago Yacht Club to be sailed 16-18 August.

Also racing were the Mumm 30 classes. Results were as
follows:
Event #3 in the Mumm 30 Great Lakes Championship Series
Final Results
1st: Illusion-John Podmajersky, Chicago Yacht Club
2nd: Asylum-Eric Wynsma, Muskegon Yacht Club
3rd: Team Intermec (USA 320)-Dan Cheresh, Macatawa Bay Yacht Club

Links:
Farr 40 Season Results
http://www.greatlakesfarr40.org/Championship/2002/2002greatlakes.html
Holland Results
http://www.greatlakesfarr40.org/Championship/2002/MBYCResults.html
2002 Lake Michigan Sailing Calendar
http://www.torresen.com/calendar/c1.htm

News: Boat Smart
Available on line at:
http://www.torresen.com/news/atwos/2002/ag/0807/ms.htm

Boat Smart is a weekly column written by Chief Tom Rau,
Group Grand Haven, U.S. Coast Guard and appears in a number
of newspapers. Chief Rau has been writing and promoting safe
boating since 1986. Many of his columns are taken from real
life experiences from Station St. Joseph/South Haven, where
Chief Rau is currently serving.

New child life jacket law should be ageless

By Senior Chief Tom Rau, United States Coast Guard

Boaters may not be thinking about Christmas now but come
December they may well be thinking about summer if they have
youngster under the age of thirteen.

On December 23, 2002, a new federal law will take effect
requiring children less than 13 years of age to wear Coast
Guard approved lifejackets aboard recreational boats while
the vessel is underway, unless the children are below decks
or in an enclosed cabin. The regulations apply on waters
subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, including
the Great Lakes.

A violation of federal requirements for failure to carry
required safety equipment or the failure to use safety
equipment as in the case of this new lifejacket regulation
could find a boater subject to a maximum civil penalty of
1,100 dollars for each violation.

The most recent Coast Guard statistics show that in the year
2000, twenty-eight youngsters age 12 and under lost their
lives in recreation boating accidents. During the previous
year (1999) there were 51 child fatalities. Bruce Schmidt,
who compiles recreational boating statistics at Coast Guard
Headquarters in Washington D.C., reported that between 1993
and 1999 the fatality rate for children under the age of 12
averaged out to 34 a year.

So, if lifejackets are mandatory for kids 12 and under then
why aren't they mandatory for adults? Should a 12-year-old
child end up in the water along with a fifty-year adult who
do you think has a greater chance of surviving? The adult?
And is sparing the life of a 12- year old any more important
than sparing the life of a 50-year-old? Absolutely not-
life is precious at any age. And when it comes to water and
drowning fate knows no age.

What I find insidious about the new law is that it implies
that once you pass the age of 12, you no longer need to wear
a lifejacket. On top of that, the same adults who insist
that kids wear life jackets often fail to follow their own
dictates. Statistics addressing water related fatalities
certainly seem to bear this out.

Of the 5,000 or more recreational boaters who drowned over
the last ten years because they failed to wear a lifejacket,
96-percent were over the age of 12. I'm absolutely
convinced the way to stop adult drownings is for adults to
wear lifejackets. That way when their kids become adults
they don't relate wearing life jackets to age or a law, but
to the life-saving device they have proven to be or not for
those who fail to wear them.

Mark my words, when the need to wear a life jacket calls it
can happen so unexpectedly and suddenly that the crisis can
often prevent donning a life jacket. That's why Coast Guard
rescue responders direct boaters to don life jackets when
they assist them just in case….

Although the Coast Guard and other marine rescue agencies
have sought mandatory wearing of life jackets for all
recreational boaters regardless of age, they have faced
opposition from political and economic forces that oppose
such a law. I'll certainly give credit to the Coast Guard
though in that they practice what they advocate. Life
jackets are mandatory for all small boat crews, no
exceptions. The moment a coastie steps onto a Coast Guard
small boat, they don a lifejacket, regardless of the
weather, the mission, or the time of day.

Next time you are out on the water and come across a Coast
Guard boat crew take note that they are wearing life
jackets. And if you have a youngster aboard point it out to
them. However, be prepared to explain why you are not
wearing one. And why aren't you? Boat Smart- lead by
example.

The following questions and answers address the new
lifejacket

Question. What is below decks? Does it include the space
below a flying bridge deck?
Answer. Below decks is below the main deck. A space below
a flying bridge deck does not qualify; however, such a space
may be an enclosed cabin.

Question. So what defines an enclosed cabin?
Answer. An enclosed cabin is a space that is enclosed by a
solid bulkhead, windows or doors. A space with button down
or tied down plastic or canvas coverings over rails or
braces does not qualify as an enclosed cabin.

Question. If an enclosed cabin on a vessel has a sliding
door(s) like those leading to the aft deck, is it still
considered an enclosed cabin with the sliding doors(s)
locked in the open position?
Answer. Yes, it is still an enclosed cabin even with the
door(s) locked open.

Question. Do the regulations apply to chartered vessels?
Answer. No. The regulations apply only to recreational
vessels, whether owned or rented for recreational use.
Vessels carrying passengers for hire, such as non inspected
vessels carrying six passengers or less ('six-pack'), head
boats, party boats and the like are commercial vessels and
are not subject to this regulation.

Question. Can a state law enforcement officer take action
regarding the federal regulation?
Answer. Yes, any state law enforcement officer can submit a
Coast Guard 'Report of Boarding' form through a Coast Guard
official, who in turn will submit it to a Coast Guard
hearing officer for due process.

Question. How do officials verify the age of children?
Answer. In most cases, the verbal claim of the child will
suffice. If the boarding officer has reasonable grounds to
doubt the verbal claim, identification may be sought. In
the absence of identification, and where reasonable grounds
exist to suspect a violation, enforcement action will be
taken and noted on the 'Report of Boarding'

For additional information you may call the Coast Guard at:
1-800 368 5647

Links:
Boat Smart
http://www.boatsmart.net/