Peter Reggio to Speak and Free Scotch Samples
One last reminder that ECSA has scheduled a US Sailing Speaker Series presentation by Peter Reggio, one of the world's top Principal Race Officers. The presentation is at Milford Yacht Club on Thursday, April 7.
Peter has worked virtually every major racing venue over the years, from America's Cup and Farr 40 Worlds to Block Island Race Week. He is an engaging and highly entertaining speaker and will share his interesting experiences handling the events and personalities with which he's been involved.
In addition, the US Sailing Speaker Series has obtained a new sponsor, Old Pulteney Single Malt Scotch!! They will be providing some samples to those of you of age!
DATE: Thursday, April 7
Time: 7:00pm
Admission: $10.00
Location: Milford Yacht Club
131 Trumbull Avenue
Milford, CT 06460
We look forward to seeing you there!!
Check www.ecsa.net for more info on this event and to join ECSA.
Racing Schedule for March 6, 2011
The Ideal and Etchell fleets will not race on Sunday March 6th. The severe winter has delayed to repairs to the bulkhead in and around the Essex Yacht Club crane. EYC feels that putting boats in the water while this area is under construction would pose a hazard to those launching the boats and the boats them selves. EYC has asked that we postpone launching the Ideal and Etchell fleets until next week. We have every expectation that this will only be a one week delay. We will be going ahead with races for the Laser and JY Fleets. However, for racing on March 6th, the boats will need to be launched from the gravel parking lot at the rear of the club. Floating docks are in place to make the launch a little easier. We will all have to pitch in to help launch the boats. As always, lasers and JY sailors should dress for cold conditions including Dry or wet suits and US Coast Guard approved PFDs. With an ever growing population of transient Harbor Seals and Bold Eagles, we can all look forward to another great season of sailing on the Connecticut River.
Laser Fleet wins 1st Annual Ski Trip
The 1st Annual FBYC trip is in the history book. Top three fleets represented were the Lasers, Ideal 18 and JYs. Minor equipment damage (hamstring), but all-in-all no carnage left on the mountain. Pencil in on your calendars the same weekend next year. Thanks to Captain Doug for putting together this adventure.
FBYC members Ed birch, Doug McDonald , Rob McDonald, John Paranak , Burke Wasserman, Dan Rennie relaxing on the Mt Snow deck.
Planetarium's Navigation & Weather Courses Spring 2011
Planetarium's Navigation & Weather Courses Spring 2011. All classes are held in the Susan Peterson Howell Memorial Classroom of the Treworgy Planetarium. http://www.mysticseaport.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.viewpage&page_id=E27DAB8E-B0D0-D05E-1AC0D8B9709D10BF
Welcome to the Spring 2011
Frostbite Series.
As I sit to write the Spring 2011 Frostbite series welcome letter, I look out my window to the frozen tundra I call my back yard. We have nearly 30 inches of snow on the ground with the forecast of well below freezing temperatures and more snow to come. I have to admit, my mind is drifting to those beautiful warm spring Sundays sailing on the Connecticut River. Well, starting on March 6th, we can put the icy cold days of winter behind us and enjoy the warm tranquil days of spring sailing. Just to be safe, better have a snow shovel in your car. It is after all Frostbite sailing.
We have a few announcements this season:
1. First, Tom Carse will be back as our PRO. Tom did an incredible job in the Fall and we are very pleased to have him back.
2. Many of you may have noticed we have a new and improved web site. Every member and prospective member has benefitted from the dedicated efforts of Mark Fortin our Webmaster. Mark is eager to improve the site and has solicited your Board of Governors for Ideas. If you have suggestions on what you would like to see on the Web, please contact Mark directly Mark.Fortin@Kattack.com
3. In the past we have given out daily awards, seasonal awards and had our open board meeting and elections on the last day of sailing for the series. Your Board of Governors has decided to try something different. We will give out daily awards and have our open Board meeting on the last day of sailing; however, we have decided to have a separate awards gala. Details on location and date will follow.
YEARLY MEMBERSHIP: Skippers registering for a series will receive a membership card and FBYC bumper sticker.
ASSOCIATE MEMBERSHIP: The fee for an associate membership is $20 dollars. Associate membership is offered to crewmembers and FBYC volunteers. Associate members will receive a membership card and a FBYC bumper sticker.
Spring Series - The Spring series begins on March 6th and runs every Sunday until May 1st with one exception. On Easter weekend, we race on Saturday April 23 with no racing on Easter Sunday the 24th.
Racing begins at 1:00pm with no starts after 3:30pm.
We currently expect to have five classes participating, Etchells, Ideal 18s, JY 15s, Lasers and the 420 fleet. We are open to and would love to see other classes participate. Our objective is to start any fleet with 4 or more boats.
Work Party - In preparation for the Spring Series, FBYC has scheduled a work day on March 5th beginning at 12:00 noon. We need to launch all of the crash boats and make sure all of our equipment is in working order. If you have the time, please join us for a couple of hours.
Volunteers – For more than 80 years, FBYC has been hosting a frostbite series. We could not do this without the commitment and generosity of our Volunteers. If you would like to volunteer, we encourage you to do so. We appreciate the contribution of all skill levels. Please contact Bob Leary, Volunteer Coordinator. bobl@keyconversions.com
Haven’t sailed with us before? Frostbite is open to any sailor who is age 15 or older. Sign up for a whole season or kick the tires with a single day of racing. Please send me an e-mail, and I’ll connect you with a fellow class participant you can speak with about our fun, challenging racing on the river.
Don’t have a boat- occasionally we have opportunities for sailors who are looking to crew or a boat. Let us know and we will try to find you a boat.
If you have any questions, comments, or feedback, please feel free to contact me via E-mail or at the phone number listed below.
Scott
Baker, Commodore
Scott.k.baker@gmail.com
Winter Ski Trip - Feb 13th
Ahoy fellow frostbiter the Frost Bite Yacht Club in Conjunction Action sports of Old Saybrook is doing its first Annual Ski Trip. It will be on February 13th that is Sunday. If we get 40 people or more to go Action Sports will give us our own Bus. The bus will hold 56 people. If we don’t get 40 people they will put the people that sign up on their regular week end bus. The cost for the bus trip is $80.00 per person that includes your lift ticket. If you don’t want to ski but just want come along for the ride and hang out in the lodge the trip is $45.00. We will be heading to Mount Snow which right now has the most snow in Vermont. You can sleep on the way up and relax with some beer or wine on the way back. The dead line in February 7 so we need to move along on this.
There is 2 ways to register. #1 is to go to www.actionsportsct.com and go to ski trips click on registration and print the form and sent it or drop it off at Action sports in Old Saybrook or Call them and give them you credit card number and state that you are on the FBYC trip. That will let them know how many people from FBYC are going and as to whether or not we get our own bus. Please look at your schedule and sign up as soon as possible. This will be a lot of fun. Also if you could drop me an email at dougmcdonald138@comcast.net so I will have a tally on how many sailors are going.
Thank you Sincerely,
Doug McDonald
2010 Fall Wrap Up
With the end of the 2010 sailing season we put sailing behind us and turn our attentions to the holidays, family and winter sports. The days get shorter and 2010 drift into memories. As we close the books on one of the best Fall FBYC series in recent memory; in fact, the Fall series caped off an incredible year when we take in to consideration the great spring sailing we enjoyed, we can reflect on Fall 2010 as one for the record books. FBYC had five fleets competing. Through the talent and organization skills of our PRO, Tom Carse we were able to get off more them 170 races, we had 52 boats with 112 plus sailors. With more boats on the line and more sailors on the water, we should all be very proud that Essex FBYC is arguably the largest and most diversified Frostbite Fleet in the Northeast.
Great racing doesn’t just happen. FBYC runs on the efforts of our talented and dedicated volunteers and the efforts of your Board of Governors. There is a lot that needs to take place before we ever hit the water. It is through their effort we are able to a well run program.
I am happy to report our members elected the following Governors for 2011.
2011 Board of Governors
| Scott Baker | Commodore | |
| Mark Kondracky | Vice Commodore | |
| Ed Birch | Rear Commodore | |
| Steve Adkins | Port Captain | |
| John Parunak | Treasurer | |
| Jen Hull | Secretary | |
| Doug McDonald | Past Commodore |
Appointed Officers
| Tom Carse | PRO | |
| Bob Leary | Volunteer Coordinator | |
| Mark Fortin | Webmaster |
Fleet Captains
| Marcus Garofalo | Laser |
| Rich Peale | JY's |
| Toby Doyle | Etchell |
| Carter Gowrie | Deal |
| James Baker | 420 |
Award winners for 2010
| Laser | Chris Field | ||||
| Etchells | Chuck Poindexter | ||||
| JY-15 | Mark Kondracky | ||||
| Ideal 18 | Dennis Posey | ||||
| 420 | Not Awarded | ||||
| Ted Bodde | Jen Hull | ||||
| Frostbite Polar Bear Award | Ken Brooks | ||||
| Walter Rowe Junior | Scott Gowrie | ||||
| Bininger Trophy | Cindy Gibbs | ||||
| Old Salt Trophy | Philip Will | ||||
| Sandy Poindexter | Chuck Poindexter | ||||
Happy Holidays and Happy New Years from your Board of Governors.
Scott Baker, Commodore