By Tom Lewis
Willow Bank Yacht Club (WBYC) will host the 2019 FD National Championships on 19, 20, 21 July 2019. We plan to train local sailors as qualified FD crews, should traveling skippers need a competent crew. Please register early so we can have trained crews available. Old FDs are welcome and will be awarded trophies. We have camping on the grounds plus local hotels, B&Bs and inns in the village.
By Douglas Dommermuth
The United States National Championship was sailed in San Diego, California at Mission Bay Yacht Club on August 17-19, 2018. Six FDs sailed eight races in winds between 8-12 knots in the ocean. Boats traveled from Canada and Florida to sail in the Nationals. Paul Scoffin and Brendan Heussler won the National Championship, winning 5 of 8 races. Three teams, Paul Scoffin and Brendan Heussler, Lin Robson and Kim McDonald, and Douglas
By Tom Lewis
Photos By Al Marshall
Three FDs competed in ideal sailing conditions Saturday. Temperature 78 F with reasonably steady southerly winds 8 to 12. Carl Boller and Jeff Barbero took 4 straight firsts to win the 2018 Cuspidor trophy. Willem and John Henry Light-Olson turned in an amazing performance in their first FD regatta, finishing a very close third place in 3 races as well as capsizing 4 times. Capsizing 4 times enabled them to capture the gremlin trophy that migrated to Cazenovia Lake from Monomomac Lake. This was Willem’s second time sailing their FD. Tom
By Jonathan and Anna Gorbold
This was an amazing regatta from many aspects. Thank you to CYC for enabling us to hold this regatta, thank you to the efficient Racing Committee chaired by Keith Calkins, and thank you for the awesome hospitality provided by Bruce McGinnis, our Club Manager, and his wonderful staff.
The US FD National Championships have been held continuously since 1955 and attracted 60- 70 boats in the early 60s, 70s & 80s with many of the top US sailors and
The Cazenovia Lake Cuspidor will be held July 21 and 22, 2018 at the Willow Bank Yacht Club. The new Empire Farmstead Brewery in Cazenovia is within walking distance of WBYC. All FDs and FD sailors welcome at the Brewery and Regatta. Camping available on the club grounds.
By Tim Sayles
Halloween weekend provided a new venue and great sailing for FD sailors at the Clearwater Community Sailing Center for the National Championship Regatta. Over 3 days on the open waters of the Gulf of Mexico off Clearwater Beach, the fleet had a range of weather conditions, largely based on a weather system that came out of a south easterly direction, moving east and then back to southeast as the weekend progressed. Winds ranged from ligher 7 knots up to mid-teens over the weekend, under sunny, warm skies.
Clearwater Community Sailing Center will be the site of the 2015 USA Flying Dutchman National Championship. The event will be held October 29 through November 1. Registration will be held Thursday and racing will commence on Friday, October 30. The Notice of Race can be found here.
By Dave Ellis
Coronado Yacht Club in San Diego, California was the site for the North Americans April 17-19, 2015. An idyllic setting for racing it was indeed, with plenty of parking, open bay for racing and breeze starting promptly at noon, a civilized time to start racing.
By Kurt Hemmingsen
It was a tough start for the FD Nationals at Santa Cruz on Friday. The weather forecast for the weekend promised light winds from WSW, typical for the time of the year, however the local sailors knew better and warned participants on shore that the breeze typically fills in and sure enough we ended with heavy air, 15-18 mph from SW, gusts to exceed 25 mph which is nothing for the enduring FD’s, but requires skills and perseverance.
By Tim Sayles
The 2014 NAs proved to be three days of working through issues, arrangements and curious weather passing through the Tampa Bay area. Veteran PRO and FD sailor Dave Ellis ran the racing out of the St Petersburg Sailing Center, setting windward/leeward courses relatively close to the harbor entrance. The changing conditions interacting with shore effects were challenging and put a premium not only on boathandling but also quick responses. The last weekend in April was in a transition period on Tampa Bay. During this time the Gulf water temperature is still low enough to allow sea breezes to develop on the Bay, but also bookend fronts that typify spring weather still influenced overall patterns.