Ida Lewis Distance Race adds Youth Challenge

Junior sailors from Narragansett Bay and the surrounding region will be able to extend their summer sailing season this year by 150 miles. The Organizing Committee of the Ida Lewis Distance Race has announced the introduction of its Youth Challenge–aimed specifically at introducing junior sailors to offshore sailing.

Regional yacht clubs and sailing organizations are invited to field youth-crewed teams on the 150 nm mile course that is offered for PHRF classes. (The other course, reserved for IRC classes, is 177 nm.)

Image - Billy Black - Tom Rich’s (Middletown, R.I.) mostly teenage crew aboard the Peterson 42 Settler finished second in the 2006 Ida Lewis Distance Race.

All the details here.

Brits challenge for C-Class Championships

Fixed Wings headed for Newport!

Armed with all the lessons learnt from Team Invictus’ first event in Rhode Island in 2004, they have been preparing a new boat for the International C-Class Catamaran Championships taking place this summer from 22-28 August at the New York Yacht Club, Newport, Rhode Island, in the US. More.

Offshore 160 - July, 16 2010

Interested in doing some single-handed miles in the off year of the Bermuda
One-Two or getting a qualifier in for next year’s Bermuda One-Two? Take a look at the Offshore 160.

The race will consist of a course of approximately 160 NM in length, to be sailed single-handed. The 2010 OFFSHORE 160 Single-Handed Challenge is intended to be a sporting event encouraging seamanship and fellowship among offshore sailors. Although it is a competitive event, the major emphasis is on safety, navigation, and acquiring long-distance sailing experience and boat-handling techniques for shorthanded passage makers.

These can also be downloaded from the Newport Yacht Club website.

offshore160nor20101

offshore160noraddendum20101

calendarofevents20101

offshore160application20101

Paddling in Rhode Island - tonight!

Jim Cole, author of “Paddling Connecticut and Rhode Island”, will present this slideshow and lecture about the many wonderful paddling locations within our state at the North Kingstown Free Library, Monday March 8, 2010. Find out more.

Z Blok helps UNH

The University of New Hampshire Sailing Center burned to the ground on Wednesday March 3rd. Fifty-five boats were destroyed along with a significant amount of equipment. The loss totals approximately $500,000.

Newport RI based, Z Blok sunblock will donate $1 to the UNH Sailing Team for each tube of Z Blok sold on-line in the month of March. This donation includes all sales retroactively since March 1.

The UNH Sailing Center served local high school teams as well as the local community with sailing instruction programs in addition to being the home of the UNH Sailing Team. Get some Z Blok and help UNH sailing at ZBloksun.com.

Follow the Great white sharks

capecodonline.com - BOSTON - Since applying satellite tags to five great white sharks off Chatham last summer, shark researcher Greg Skomal has been anticipating their return to Cape waters this year. But he’s surprised with the migratory data that is being gathered from the tagging effort. Story

Leukemia Cup - Registration is now open!

The Leukemia Cup Regatta is being held on June 4th and 5th at The New York Yacht Club. If you register for the 2010 Leukemia Cup Regatta by APRIL 1ST, you will receive a vintage Mount Gay Rum hat.

Each sailor who raises funds through their participation in The Leukemia Cup Regatta can also qualify for the opportunity to sail with world-renowned sailor and ESPN commentator Gary Jobson, national Regatta chairman, at the 2010 Fantasy Sail off the coast of Charleston, SC.  All the details here.

Planning for 2011

These guys are on top of it! The Bermuda 1-2 March, Newsletter is out.

The next Skippers’ Forum and Shore Party is Saturday 20 March at the Newport Yacht Club. The Fall Skippers’ Forum and Shore Party is scheduled for 6 November 2010. Read it here.

Design it and they will come

EDC steps up bid for return of Cup

projo.com - NEWPORT - As it works to lure the America’s Cup back to Newport, the state is close to selecting an architect to help design its pitch for the races. Details

Hermès wimps out - Probably smart

ibinews.com - French high-fashion house Hermès is exiting its joint venture partnership with Monaco-based boatbuilder Wally Yachts, saying it is not experienced enough to complete the project, according to a Reuters newswire report.

The two companies recently unveiled a full-size model of its first creation, the 58m x 38m (190ft x 125ft) WHY superyacht, at the Monte Carlo Yacht Show in September. The yacht was also displayed at last week’s Abu Dhabi show. More

Strange WHY pop up ad.

Boat builders urged to branch out

projo.com - BRISTOL - Rhode Island’s boating industry should leverage the world-class skills it already has to take advantage of the growing green economy. The Rhode Island Marine Trades Association, which held a conference at Roger Williams University Friday, calls the idea “green marine.”

For Richard O’Meara, president of Core Composites in Newport, one of the speakers at the gathering, the future is all about composites, already widely used in the boating industry. Full story.

LNG - A Hot Issue

1. City manager says LNG proposal is in the wrong place

eastbayri.com - “It is my opinion that the location for the LNG facility is improper. It is much too close to significant landside risks and should just flat out not be allowed,” he said.
The Barrington Yacht Club recently hosted a presentation by Save The Bay on the proposed LNG terminal. About 30 club members attended. Read on.

2. Save the Bay rallies opposition to LNG tanker proposal

warwickonline.com - The Rhode Island Marine Trades Association and others interested in activities on Narragansett Bay got a one-sided view of the Weaver’s Cove Energy proposal to an offshore berth in Mount Hope Bay for liquefied natural gas (LNG) Monday night and it wasn’t positive. Read on.

3. The Bay Keepers Blog

By JOHN TORGAN

It’s not surprising that Ted Gehrig of Weaver’s Cove Energy attacked Rhode Island legislators in his Feb. 18 Commentary piece, “LNG worrywarts ignore facts, kill jobs.” Consider the source: Gehrig and the folks at Hess are in this for private gain at the public’s expense. Naturally, they dismiss opponents as hysterical, and say anything to solicit support for their latest scheme to take over the East Bay with their mega-liquefied-natural-gas operations. It’s obvious to me that the proposed Hess project would damage the environment, hurt the local economy and effectively privatize what is now a public waterway. Read on.

24 Teams coming to town

NYYC - Last month, the New York Yacht Club (NYYC) invited the leading American yacht clubs to compete for spots in the second biennial New York Yacht Club Invitational Cup, to be sailed in Newport, R.I., September 10-17, 2011. The U.S. Qualifying Series will be held in Newport, RI this summer on September 7-11.

Twenty-four yacht clubs have accepted the NYYC’s invitation. Read on.

The U.S. Qualifying Series is an invitational fleet racing regatta to be sailed in Sonars and J/22s.

Image - Dan Nerney/New York Yacht Club.

What do you think?

white space

Cool - but I hope their boat building skills are better than their video production skills.

http://www.planetsolar.org/