Frostbite News

Fall Season Update -11/28/2012
The fall season is quickly wrapping up. A few announcements:
- FBYC Gear is available for a limited time. Click on the Gear button on the menu bar.
- Post season holiday party is scheduled for December 9th at 7:00PM at the Essex Corinthain Yacht Club.
- Thanks to all for helping out with the food drive. Read the article in Valley News.
- Weekly and season race results are posted. Sailors you have one more week to work your way to the top.
- First warning for the Spring Series is Sunday March 3, 2013 at 1300.
- Thanks again to all the VOLUNTEERS that make racing possible each week!

Fall Season Update -11/28/2012
The fall season is quickly wrapping up. A few announcements:
- FBYC Gear is available for a limited time. Click on the Gear button on the menu bar.
- Post season holiday party is scheduled for December 9th at 7:00PM at the Essex Corinthain Yacht Club.
- Thanks to all for helping out with the food drive. Read the article in Valley News.
- Weekly and season race results are posted. Sailors you have one more week to work your way to the top.
- First warning for the Spring Series is Sunday March 3, 2013 at 1300.
- Thanks again to all the VOLUNTEERS that make racing possible each week!

Frostbite Yacht Club Fall 2012 Party
Please join us at the Essex Corinthian Yacht Club on December  8th at 7:00 for the End of season awards, annual meeting, new officers, annual report  and a holiday party. The order of starts have not been posted, so just show up at 7. Recommended donation  of $10.

Beer will be supplied by Craft brewing, special thanks to Lou Davison and Ed Fiske.   Wine supplied by That’s the Spirit Shoppe Main Street, Essex. Soft drinks supplied by FBYC. There will be music from Michael Cartwright’s band Jeckel & Hyde. If you have some musical talent, bring along an instrument and join the band.

Grab some crew members and come on down to the Essex Corinthian Yacht Club. The Party will start at 7:00 and will run until  whenever.

Please bring an hors d’ oeuvre to share with the group.

Questions: Contact  Bill Robinson 860-916-0789


Can Drive to Help Local Food Banks
Local food banks are in need of canned goods in order to provide relief from hurricane Sandy.

Our 420 fleet captains Roman and Travis are organizing a canned food drive.  Please bring non perishable food goods to Frostbite this coming Sunday November 10th. 

Storm Sandy
Check out the lastest Frostbite Status on our Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/pages/Frostbite-Yacht-Club/279387048799907

Fall 2012 Message from Commadore
Dear Frostbite Racers,
       I hope you have had a great summer, and are looking forward for some fantastic fall sailing this season.  The board of officers and volunteers invite you to the fall series which will start Sunday October 7th at 1:00pm.  The season runs for nine consecutive Sundays and our holiday awards party will be December 8th.  Essex Corinthian Yacht Club will host the party and Essex Yacht Club is our host for the racing. We will have a work party on Saturday October 6th at 11am.

       There are a number of improvements this season.  First our webmaster has linked us to PayPal so you can sign up and register on line.  You can still pay in person; however on line registration will be more efficient and convenient.  Please look for the link on our website and spread the word to sailors who would enjoy the challenge and camaraderie of racing.  If you haven’t already, like us on facebook.

     Our new Treasurer, along with board members undertook writing by-laws for our organization.  These by-laws were adopted by the board in September, however, this is your club, and we welcome your input.  Feel free to discuss improvements to the by-laws or the club with myself or any officer, provided we are not in the middle of a race. Our new by-laws will evolve over time to reflect our needs as a club.

    The level of commitment of our officers and volunteers is extraordinary.  Whether it is making repairs to Fair and Square, getting crash boats ready, or doing the countless things to prepare for the season, it is apparent that our officers and volunteers love this club.  Soon the river will be buzzing with one design racing. That combined with pleasure boaters out for one last ride in their boats, makes for a congested river.  As always safety is vital.  As usual we will discuss safety at our skipper’s meeting but here are THREE key points.  Always check in with the race committee by passing the stern of Fair and Square before racing starts.  If you leave the course Always check out with a crash boat so that you are accounted for.  Always wear a lifejacket.  We want you to enjoy the delicious soup at the end of the day, so play it safe. 

A few announcements this year:
Our PRO duties will be filled by Tom Carse, Frank Murphy and Stan Horan. All three served as PRO during the spring season, and orchestrated fantastic races.

Volunteers – Since 1933 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, our volunteer Coordinator. (Check the website for his email) We are especially interested in developing the ability of our volunteers to score races using a computer if you are interested please contact me. 

Haven’t sailed with us before? Frostbite is open to any sailor who is age 15 or older. (Younger with parental permission) Sign up for a whole season or kick the tires with a single day of racing. Please send me an e-mail, and we will connect you with the fleet captain of your class and you can speak with them 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 find a boat. Let us know and we will try to find you a boat. Also there a couple of JY’s for sail.  For a small investment you would be off and racing.

We currently expect to have five classes participating; Etchells, Ideal 18s, JY 15s, and Lasers. We are planning on the Valley Regional Sailing Team to sail again in 420s. We are open to and would love to see other classes participate. Our objective is to start any fleet with 4 or more boats.

The officers and members of FBYC are grateful for the support from Essex Yacht Club, Essex Corinthian Yacht Club, Brewers, Pettipaug Yacht Club and the Connecticut River Museum. We would like to also express our thanks for the support from the community of Essex.

 If you have any questions, comments, or feedback, please feel free to contact me via E-mail.

Have fun and Sail safe
Mark Kondracky, Commodore
Mrk399@aol.com

NBYC Summer Laser Regatta
Niantic Bay Yacht Club Summer Laser Regatta, Saturnday, August 25th, 2012. Click here for Notice of Race.


Leukemia Cup Regatta
The Frostbite Yacht Club along with Duck Island Yacht Club and North Cove Yacht Club, will be hosting the 2012 Leukemia Cup.
Here is a break out of events:

- July 28, 2012 - Leukemia Cup Poker Run & Post Run Party, Niantic
- August 18, 2012 - One Design Class Races, Westbrook
- August 24, 2012 6pm-8pm - Pre regatta Social Party North Cove Yacht Club
- August 25, 2012 - Leukemia Cup Regatta, Old Saybrook/Westbrook
- August 25, 2012 - Post Race Party - Pilots Point Marina, Westbrook - 4pm-8pm (open to all, advance tickets $20 adults/$10 children 12 and under, $25 adults at the door)

Please register early and join in on the fund raising campaign. More information and registration available at http://www.leukemiacup.org/ct/

2012 Spring Post Season Party
Please join us at the Essex Corinthian Yacht Club on Sunday, May 6th at 6 to 8 PM for the End of Season celebration. Invite the crew and your friends to join us for the celebration.

There will be a 50/50 raffle, Frostbite swag will be available for purchase.

The beer and wine will be supplied by That’s the Spirit Wine Shoppe in Essex. Music by Michael Cartwrights band Jeckel & Hide. A $10 donation is suggested to help offset the Frostbite Boat Repair fund.

Please bring an hors d’ oeuvre of your choice and join us in the fun and camaraderie of a great group of sailing enthusiast.

Frostbite Yacht Club in the News
An article Published by the Columbia News Service, stories by students at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism which has a quote from Commodore Kondracky. The article is entitled "Sailing Crews Get Cold, But Camaraderie Keeps Them Coming Back".

Frostbite Challenge
On April 14, 2012 Frostbite Yacht Club is hosting our fellow frostbite sailors from Manhasset Bay Yacht Club. The two clubs have a long history, and even have the same burgee. Racing will take place in Ideal 18’s, with four of our Ideal teams against four of Manhasset Bay Ideal teams. Racing will start at 11:00am, and you can watch from the club or catch the races live, on line. Kattack tracking devices will be placed on each boat. Both clubs are looking for a day of fun competition and win bragging rights until the next time we compete.

Click on the Notice of Regatta and Sailing Instructions for more details.

There is some extra room on the Mark boats and chase boats if you would like to view the competition up close. For more information contact Commodore Mark Kondracky.

LIVE Race Tracking for Frostbiters
The ECSA has purchased a Kattack Publisher licence for the 2012 Racing Season. Kattack has extended this license to all ECSA member clubs for season.

Racing will be tracked LIVE each week. Tell your friends and family to take a look at your performace. Race replays will be available for all to enjoy after racing.

If you do not have a tracking device contact your fleet captain, Mark Kondracky or Mark Fortin.

All System Go (Except Wind)
A big thank you to all the FBYC officers, and volunteers. Also thanks to everyone who helped repair fair and square yesterday. And a big thank you to all involved with the repair of the sea pro. All we need now is wind.

Next Sunday, prior to results, EYC will extend the offer of a Guest membership for after the season. Frank Flores and I will make a brief presentation regarding this unique opportunity.
Thanks,
Commadore Mark K

Spring 2012 NOR Posted
The 2012 Spring Frostbite Series documents have been posted:
- Notice of Regatta
- Entry Form
- Schedule
- Sailing Instructions

Welcome to 2012 Spring Frostbite Series
The year 2012 marks our club’s 79th year of racing on the Connecticut River in Essex. While sailing might seem far away, our season will begin on Sunday March 4th. Currently football games are occupying our time, but your zealous board members have already started to plan for a great year. If you check out our website, you can see the countdown clock posted by our webmaster Mark Fortin. We are also planning on raising revenue by selling space to advertisers on the website. Our webmaster is working on setting up way to register on line, until then please mail your registration to our secretary, Jen Hull, using the P.O. box posted on the site or as always you can register in person. If you know you are going to race, please register as soon as possible.

A few announcements this year:
Our PRO duties will be filled by Tom Carse, Frank Murphy and Stan Horan. Tom led the way making the fall series fantastic. Both Stan and Frank have served as PRO’s and have contributed to great racing for our club.

We will continue with our yearly membership program. Skippers registering for a series will receive a membership card and FBYC bumper sticker. Crewmembers and FBYC volunteers can become associate members for a fee of $20 dollars, and also receive a membership card and a FBYC bumper sticker.

The spring series will begin on March 4th and run every Sunday with one exception. On Easter weekend, we will race on Saturday April 7th. Racing starts at 1:00pm, with no races started after 3:30pm. Daily awards, and tasty hot soup will follow in the Essex Yacht Club.

Racing Fee’s: The board has voted to raise the racing fees by $10 dollars a person. This means that a laser racer will pay $10 dollars more, a two person boat will pay $20 dollars more and the Etchells $30 dollars more. Our racing fees have been the same for a number of years, but our costs have not. We are on a tight budget. End of the Season awards party: We will continue to combine our seasonal awards and annual meeting. Save the date (May 6). The main brace will be spliced. More details to follow.

By-Laws: Three of our board members are preparing a set of by-laws; we look forward to having them ready for your review in the spring.

Work party: In preparation for the start of the Spring Series a work day is scheduled for March 3 at 12:00 noon. We need to launch all of the crash boats, and make sure all of our equipment is ready to go. If you have the time, please join us for a couple of hours, and also spread the word about our season to potential new sailors now.

We currently expect to have five classes participating; Etchells, Ideal 18s, JY 15s, and Lasers. We are planning on the Valley Regional Sailing Team to sail again in 420s. We also have invited East Lyme high school to also compete. We are open to and would love to see other classes participate. It appears that the single person Sea dog class will join us for a couple of Sundays in the spring. Our objective is to start any fleet with 4 or more boats.

Volunteers – Since 1933 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 Bill Foster, our volunteer Coordinator.
Bill@mitchel.net

Haven’t sailed with us before? Frostbite is open to any sailor who is age 15 or older. (Younger with parental permission) Sign up for a whole season or kick the tires with a single day of racing. Please send me an e-mail, and we will 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 find a boat. Let us know and we will try to find you a boat.

The year 2012 marks our 79th year, and the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812. Essex is a beautiful town with a rich nautical history. The officers and members of FBYC are grateful for the support from Essex Yacht Club, Essex Corinthian Yacht Club, Brewers, Pettipaug Yacht Club and the Connecticut River Museum. We would like to also express our thanks for the support from the community of Essex, and promise that if the British try to attack the town now or in 2014 we will be there to stop them, at least if it is a Sunday and we are not off the racecourse or at the club or the Black Seal.

If you have any questions, comments, or feedback, please feel free to contact me via E-mail.

Have fun and Sail safe
Mark Kondracky, Commodore
Mrk399@aol.com

Post Season Party/Holiday Party
Don’t forget the end of season party on December 10th at 7:00pm at the Corinthian Yacht Club. Bring a little something to contribute to the food table. This will be the annual meeting with the election of our new Board of Governors and annual report. Click Here for more details.

2011-Fall Comments from Commadore Baker
Well another season of Frostbite sailing has come to an end, and what a season we had. Standing on the dock last Sunday a great sailor, a gentleman and a generous competitor came up to me and said, why can’t we just keep the season going, why do we have to end today? I told Carter Gowrie that if the Board knew that we would be sailing in December with air temps in the 50s and laser sailors in t-shirts and shorts, we would have, without doubt, extended the season. Carter’s comments embody the spirits of each and every one of us. And not just the sailors, the volunteers and the entire Essex Community feel the same way. As I said in a recent thank you letter to Jerry Roberts, Executive Director, Connecticut River Museum, “Essex is a beautiful town with a rich nautical history, a history which the River Museum memorializes and FBYC has contributed to for more than 80 years.”

The days are getting shorter and it’s time to put our toys away for the winter. But before we turn to eggnog and mistletoe, I hope you will all join me in giving thanks to all of the volunteers for their more than generous contributions to the season. It is their love of the sport and our Members that draws them down to the Connecticut River each Sunday. Although so many contributed so much, I need to recognize three people who, through their efforts and commitment to Frostbite, made it possible to get started on time in the spring and allow us to race in the fall. Please join me in thanking John Swett and Marcus Garofalo from Essex Yacht Club for helping us get out of the ice in the spring and representing FYC and our needs when working with the dredging company this fall. We need to also thank to Jerry Roberts, Executive Director, The Connecticut River Museum. Without the River Museum allowing Fair and Square and the crash boats to birth at their facility, we would have been in a big jam.

Well another season has come to an end as has my term as Commodore. It will be hard to say goodbye. Fortunately, we have a very high functioning Board and a motivated cadre of volunteers that well carry on as stewards of the great and rich sailing heritage we call Frostbite Yacht Club.

2011-Fall-Week 8 Comments from PRO Tom Carse
It is difficult to call it Frostbiting when we have had such nice weather. There were people wearing shorts and Doug McDonald jumped into the water a couple of times to cool off!

All in all it was another good day of racing. The breeze died a little and was very unsettled after the first flight of races but it eventually held steady and at a good velocity for us to be able to get some nice ones in. We also had a large tree get caught on the anchor rode but it was kind enough to float off so that Bucket Boy had an easier time getting the anchor up.

I have to be honest that I did not see that much racing. It was that kind of day on ‘Fair and Square’. Trying to keep the fleets from getting back up, which they did, and trying to keep up with the shifts. I do know that Bill Robinson and crew had a great day winning the Etchells class! Careful, Toby might take that mast back! There were a lot of over-earlies once the tide changed but everyone made it back, which was slow and painful! And remember, I have a totally different view from the top. It makes it easier to decide who is over and who is clear!

It was nice having the 420’s back out this week. They have really caught on and seem to understand the procedure now so good job!

The Ideal class saw a beating happen!!! Great job Rob and Eddie. 4 points to 10 for second place. There is still a boat that does not have a name listed in the results. Does that mean they have not paid? We will have to look into this! Good close racing as usual and next week will be fun to watch how this class ends up.

8 JY’s out there! Excellent to see! Scott, who seems to only show when it is nice, showed everyone he has not forgotten how to sail these things. The real reason Scott is not always there is because he is racing with his young daughter. And after getting a 1-2-1-1 for scores I would think she is pretty good and has caught on! Great to see.

The Lasers also had a runaway winner with Kevin Gillman having a consistent day. Hotch went in for the last race probably because he couldn’t take the shame of the schooling Kevin was giving him. Since Murph was not there on Sunday we didn’t have to call Karl over, which was nice. Although I am sure he was over on the General Recall as most of you were. I was almost able to get away with not having to call the General but I just could not see the pin to ID the last few.

The real winner from the Weekend was Bucket Boy, Dave Lindner. He decorated ‘Fair and Square’ for the holiday parade with a big American Flag on the side. Unfortunately it was on the side that would be away from the judges. After some fancy driving and many odd looks from the crash boaters out there to help us, we were able to back the RC boat by the judges, at about ½ a knot. It got us a ton of cheers from the crowd that was there but only got Honorable Mention for an award! There were some really well done decorations on some of the boats. Hopefully next year we can do better!

Next week is the last one so make it count! There are a lot of positions open for the overall trophies so it should be fun. We are not sure if we will stay out after 2:30 or not but expect us to. We will see how the day is going.

Have a nice week and see you all on Sunday!

2011-Fall-Week 7 Comments from PRO Tom Carse
Mother Nature has been very nice to Frostbiting as far as temperature. Wind direction has been tricky though, especially for the Etchells. With 2 weeks left lets hope for warm and balmy weather and a nice southerly breeze direction.

The Etchells only had 4 boats this Sunday. Chucky has packed up his ball and gone south to the Pineapple Cup in Miami. Good luck Chuck! That meant that the others were all thinking they can sneak in to first. With a broken rig last week Bill and the guys were able to borrow a rig and make it back out this week. That is what it is all about. It came down to a tie breaker for first with Bruce edging out Toby with more first places. Good sailing and a lot of mixing it up.

The Lasers once again had the biggest fleet with 16 boats out there. With the puffs moving in they had some fun rides on the reaching legs and had a lot position changes. We did have a General Recall in one race but after that you all behaved yourselves and only a couple of individual recalls after that. Just ask Carl. It definitely looks like age and treachery are winning out in the puffy conditions over youth and skill. Hotch had to leave early to watch the NASCAR race but still was able to win the rivalry against Kevin on a tie breaker.

Prescott continued his winning way for the JY’s although the others seem to be sneaking up on him slowly. After a little swimming boat 1979 was able to stay out there for the day. That’s what we like to see.

The Ideals continue to be very fun to watch. Carter kicked it into high gear on Sunday almost scoring a picket fence! The girls seemed to have an off day and got an OCS in the first race. This will be an exciting class to watch the next 2 weeks as the battle for first overall.

Great job all crash boaters. We had a lot of shifts and moving marks to follow the breeze to the right, then back left a little. Also having 2 different tides didn’t help. We got it done and had a good day.

Remember, next week is the Christmas Parade so we will try to get everyone out before they close main street. Have a great Thanksgiving and see you all on Sunday!

2011-Fall-Week 6 Comments from Crashboat Bob
Wow. What a day on the water!

We had it all, 10 to 15 knots of wind gusting to 20, 60 degree air temperature and some of the best Fall racing in North America, thanks in no small part to a cadre of talented and dedicated volunteers lead by Tom Carse, PRO.

Gotta give big Kudos to the crash boaters today. It was a war of attrition, and as boats either dropped out or were sent in, you folks did a great job. The carnage was as severe as I’ve seen it. But even with the carnage, the fleets hung tough, sailing as many as 7 races. Competitors and RC volunteers certainly earned their soup today.

Speaking of carnage, notable was Bill Robinson, an up an coming “Etchells” owner, who broke his mast at the deck rounding the leeward mark in the second race of the day. Fortunately, his experienced and expert crew of Jimmy Garofalo and our own Commodore, Scott Baker, were able to secure the mast before it came down.

The 420 fleet, made up of Valley Regional High School Sailing Team, impressed us all. Today you guys and gals rocked. You are the future of the sport, and we are so happy to have you with us. They challenged the conditions with good cheer and a positive attitude, not only staying out for the whole day, but maintaining control of their boats with no 420s going over. You are the future of the sport, and we are so happy to have you with us. I think this fleet of young sailors has shown their salt and proved to the rest of the club that they are capable of managing challenging conditions. Hats off to the 420 fleet. I would be remiss if I did not recognize two parents of the Valley Sailor who have worked hard to motivate and keep the team properly geared up and on time, David Fasulo and Susan Daniels.

The Laser turnout was very impressive, as was the Laser turn-over with over 20 boats on the line and as many as 4 capsized at the same time. The starts were crowded and amazing to watch, and everyone seemed to be having a great time planing through the puffs. The JY’s had some spectacular sailing as well, and Rich Peale certainly chose a perfect day to have his folks come down from Maine to watch.

Charlotte Posey dragged her husband Dennis over the finish line handily winning the Ideal 18 Fleet. The Ideal Fleet is growing in size and in competition. As an example of how popular the fleet has gotten, John Parunak, the club's Treasurer, tossed his Laser under the car port to sail with Frank Flores on an Ideal 18.

Etchells? What can we say, except the usual suspects are getting it done. Congrats Chuck, and on behalf of the RC – you are welcome.

Check the pictures of mayhem from today and previous weeks. If anyone sees a picture they like, I’ll be more than happy to clean it up a bit and send you a high-res version via e-mail.

2011-Fall-Week 5 Comments from PRO Tom Carse
Well, based on the forecast for yesterday we got lucky! With a northwesterly forecasted to be fighting a southwesterly and a prediction of 3 at the most I will take the not-so-great direction, or rather directions. It was one of those days that we can see 3 different breezes from the top of Fair and Square so what may look like a bad course, un-square starting line from the water actually makes sense to us. At least that is what we tell ourselves from high up on our perch!

From a Race Committee point of view it was very tricky. Big shifts that didn't make a lot of sense thrown in with puffs and then lulls that made it almost too light to race against the current. Throw in a couple of clueless powerboats going up and down the river and it is a typical Frostbite day! Oh yeah, and the barge coming down river. In the past we have had barges going through all the time so we were all ready and practiced at this. Now, not so much! That being said, great job everyone! Well, almost everyone. A couple of boats, and you know who you are, tried to play chicken and got a few extra horn blasts from the tug but were able to stay out of the way. Great job crash boaters for making sure that boats gave him room and got the pin out of the water (Liz). Two things here: 1. He can't stop when he is going down river! You will lose. 2: It is in our best interest to stay out of his way even if racing. In the past we would abandon ALL races in progress if a barge came through. If we all stay out of his way then we can keep the racing in progress going and be ready for more a lot quicker. Good job to all for making that happen.

Now on to the racing. It is hard for me to really report a lot about this since I am not on the course but I will try to give some input.

420's. What can I say. Welcome back to Frostbiting. You guys are having some teething pains as far as the Sailing Instructions but towards the end of the day seemed to be catching on. Lots of coaching out there which helps a lot so thank you all for that and helping to corral the youngsters. Just remember, our SI's are on this web page and are available from the Race Committee before and after racing. We would be more than happy to hand out copies and answer questions. Once on the water though, not so much. We have a lot going on and for you to come over to us between races can interfere with other classes. Remember, those Etchells have very strong and pointy bows! Anyway, good job and see you all next week.

The Etchells class saw a lot of place changing. Someday we will have a good breeze direction for you guys so it is not fetchy so thanks for hanging in and dealing. Top 2 boats were pretty close in scoring and I didn't hear any yelling between them! Although I wasn't at the pin end for the start the Toby tried to dip with the other 5 boats there waiting for that maneuver. Nice comeback in that race. They were followed by Bruce 'Port end port tack start' Avery who would have been up there more if it were not for the 6th place finish. It was great to see all 6 registered boats out there today. Keep it going.

After an off week for the Ideal 18 class, the girls had a good one. Although Dennis shows that he can still throw down when needed. This class is shaping up for a dog fight for the overall results! Usually the most competitive on the starting line and most tightly bunched. Fun to watch!

Happy Birthday (yesterday) Mark Kondracky! I was shocked to see that your fellow competitors in the JY class did not just let you win but then it guess it would not really be racing. Jeff Brooks owned the day in the class and Rich 'So there I was…' Peale finished the day in good form with a bullet. It was good to see the day start with 7 seven boats and maybe a little resurgence by the JY fleet.

And now for my problem children for the day, the lasers! You guys did have the most over-earlies but all came back. The saying goes that if you are not over early once in a while you are not trying hard enough! But it really is a pain in the &*% calling your sail numbers. Unless it is Doug McDonald who has a big old 4 on his sail! And Carl, every time you were near the line your good friend Murph would remind us that it was you so you could not get away with anything yesterday! Good day all around though. We had a few more boats show up and register, which is all good but we have 26 registered and only 14 out yesterday. I have to apologize for that general recall. The wind didn't come back to the left and so you all wanted the pin. Once we got that sorted out it was game on! And Bob, who is a contributing writer in the latest Sailing World, kept charging along. Although he did have a 4 and 5 at the end so maybe he was getting a little tired!

Have a good week all and next week we hope to have Crashboat Bob write this so it will be very entertaining!!!

Frostbiters in the News
Read the article published in the ValleyNewsNow.com... Frostbite Sailors Brave the Wind and Cold, "all for the love of sailing", by JermoneWilson. Great photos, including an action shot of Commodore Baker.

2011-Fall-Week 2 Comments from PRO Tom Carse
Well, yet again the wind Gods were not nice to Frostbite Yacht Club. This time though it was the direction and not the strength that they decided they would tease us with. With a Westerly breeze and not being able to use the mooring field it made for short windward legs but we were able to move the wing mark far out giving the small boats some fun reaches in the puffs and making the races take a little longer.

Etchells had the toughest time with this breeze direction. The short first windward mark made for all the boats getting there at the same time, except when there where over-earlies. It allowed for some good entertainment and a lot of the boats yelling to the other boats what great sailors they were and how they knew the rules so well! Once around there was not a lot of spinnaker work at first. The direction didn’t allow for it. The second race though Toby and crew set the chute. This immediately led to Chuck set as well, because he is not gonna let Toby have all the fun. After a couple of round-ups and the chute flogging in the puffs nothing changed in the results with the 2 boats that flew chutes. After the fifth race the breeze shifted enough for us to set the Etchells mark up river giving them some spinnaker work. It also led to some more yelling and mutual shows respect, especially at the finish line.

The Ideal 18’s have become the most competitive class recently with the most over-earlies and collisions. In the past I have heard about how they want more racing and want to be able to start before the other classes. Well, thanks to the JY 15’s coming out late they got their wish! Even though they are keels boats they appear to be a little dicey when a big puff moves in and the main trimmer is not ready with the sheet and traveler. A couple of times I thought we were gonna lose a few but they managed to pull it out. Probably the best part of the day for them was a collision between 2 boats. Why was it the best thing? Because it got handled on the water with circles and the boat at fault withdrawing and making sure that all damage would be taken care. That’s the way it should be. Thanks! Oh, and after nine races yesterday we had people begging for no more and thankful we were sending you in.

The JY class numbers have fallen a little but the quality stays the same. Welcome back Prescott! Just like riding a bike. Not a lot of exciting events in this class. Mark Kondracky and crew seemed to like the water for a while there as they won the start and then decided to take a bath. Once they got going again they dried out and were able to stay out the rest of the day. A few over-earlies but everybody came back. Again, not much else to report on this class.

Lasers probably had the most fun with the really blown out triangle course. Absolutely launched on those legs! You would not have thought they were having fun since they seemed to be the grumpiest group out there. Lots of yelling, mostly at themselves. As usual Bob won. Welcome back! Chris got a minor head wound and did a good job hiding it from the RC so that we would not send him in. By the end of the day his face was a mess but he did make it for the day. The person that had the least amount of fun in the last race was Doug. Unfortunately he got tea-bagged right in front of the RC boat and could not get going again. He lost a couple boats in the process and after calling no joy was able to finish and have a good laugh about it back at the club.

Well, after 9 racers for everyone except the Etchells, who had seven, it was time to go in. Count that as a successful day for all. The RC enjoyed running the racing, for the most part, and it seemed like the crash boats had fun as well. Just remember, a leeward mark is down wind! We got the new boats steering going again thanks to EYC and Marcus and had a little talk back from Bucket Boy. I have been in touch with his union leader and it is all taken care of! He is not allowed to go to the casino on Saturday nights anymore. Ha!!!

Thanks everyone for racing and for all the crash boaters. Hopefully next week the direction will be better and we can rip of a bunch more races!
Tom Carse, PRO

2011 Fall Series Info Posted
The Notice of Regatta, Entry Form, Sailing Instructions and Schedule have been posted. Please sign up early.

Welcome to the 2011 FBYC Fall Series
Since 1933 a small cadre of adventurous and competitive sailors have donned their life jackets, boarded their small boats to challenge themselves against, the sometimes nasty weather, the demanding current of the Connecticut River and other like minded (some say crazy) sailors in a competition we affectionately, and with pride, call Frostbite Sailing. I am pleased to extend an invitation to all who are interested in the fun to join us for the start of the 2011 Fall Essex Frostbite Racing Series. This 9 weeks series begins on October 9th and will feature great racing, good friends and hot soup.

Essex Connecticut, the best small town in America, has earned that recognition in large part because of the waterfront activities lead by “we few” FBYC members. Essex is a better place because of FBYC and we are a better club because of how the Town of Essex, Essex Yacht Club, the Corinthian Yacht Club, Brewers and Pettipaug have embraced us and supported our activities for almost 80 years. Frostbite sailing is more than a sport, it is a tradition passed on from one generation to the next, a tradition of camaraderie where old and young alike are schooled by the mighty Connecticut River.



We have a few announcements this season:
• Tom Carse will be back as our PRO. Tom did an incredible job last year and we are very pleased to have him back.

• We are planning to send a short survey to our members and non-members where we have your email addresses. Please take a moment and complete the survey. Your Board of Governors wishes to continually improve the quality of the racing in Essex. We hear from the most vocal, now we need to hear from you.

• The end of session awards banquet went so well in the Spring, we have decided to try it for the Fall Series. We expect to be combining the FBYC seasonal party in December with our awards banquet and annual meeting. We expect that the banquet will be hosted by the Corinthian Yacht Club as it has been in the past.

• New Crash Boat – Your Board of Governors realized that the 13 ft. Whaler, although functional, was not best suited to the job as crash boat. You will see a new crash boat on the water this Fall, a 17ft. SeaPro has been purchased to replace the 13 ft. Whaler we sold to Pettipaug Sailing Academy.

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.

Racing begins at 1:00pm with no starts after 3:30pm.

We currently expect to have four classes participating; Etchells, Ideal 18s, JY 15s, and Lasers. We are waiting to hear from the Valley Regional Sailing Team and their entry of their 420s. 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 October 8th 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 find 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

A Chillingly Close Call for a Longtime Frostbiter
A great article written by Frostbiter Chris Marrs about his experience with hypothermia this past spring.
Soundings Article

Volunteer Appreciation
Frostbite Yacht Club would not function without the dedication and hard work of our volunteers. There is tremendous gratification for me to be part of an organization that promotes the sport of sailing. We are so fortunate to be afforded the Essex Yacht Club as our venue for these regattas and need, as a club, to reflect on our good fortunes.

I have been affiliated with FBYC for several years and found this spring to be particularly challenging; just getting Fair and Square out of the ice proved to be a major undertaking.

But here's the thing. Volunteers came together when we needed them to dig Fair and Square out of the ice, launch the crash boats, to oversee the racing, to do the scoring, to update and improve our web site, to charge the batteries, to purchase the fuel each week, to pump out the crash boats each week, to plan the parties, to solicit donations, to manage our budget, to select and purchase awards, to officiate the races. These tremendous people show up every week to freeze in the cold and get wet in the rain so that our members can enjoy a quality racing experience.

When Bob Leary reads the names of the volunteers each week and thanks them, lets us not forget that without these dedicated volunteers, we would not have the quality regatta we enjoy.

Thank you,
Scott Baker, Commadore

Frostbite yacht Club Spring 2011 Awards
Please join us at the Essex Corinthian Yacht Club on May 8th at 5:00 for the End of season award party. We will be awarding the end of season fleet awards and other seasonal awards.

There will be a raffle with lots of fun prizes including Frostbite Yacht Club Jackets and Shirts.

Beer will be supplied by Craft brewing alliance which carries Hooker and other small brewery craft bears and wine from the Law Offices of Christopher L. Morano. There will music from Michael Cartwrights band Jeckel & Hide.

So grab you mother and come on down to the Essex Corinthian yacht Club. The Party will start at 5:00 and will run til 7:00

  Please bring an hors d’ oeuvre of your choice and join us in the fun and camaraderie of a great group of sailing enthusiast.

Click here for Notice of Party

Parking Lot Sealing on Monday
Monday, April 25, 2011 the parking lot at Essex Yacht Club is going to be re sealed. Please be sure that all Etchells trailers tongues are clear of the pavement. All the dinghy’s are to be moved off the parking lot and into the grass behind the etchells, what ever does not fit can go in the main yard. The crash boat trailers need to be moved as well, they can be put behind the boat house in back. If you have any question contact Marcus Garofalo, Waterfront Manager, Essex Yacht Club 860-767-8121 x5.

Week 8 Racing on Saturday
Just a reminder the Frostbite Races are scheduled for Saturday this week, April 23.

Etchells Fleet 24 Members Meeting
There will be a meeting for Etchells Fleet 24 on Saturday the 23rd of April at Essex Yacht Club at 11:00. If you are racing please arrive at 10:00 to get boats launched , so we can start the meeting on time. For more information about Etchells Fleet 24 contact Tim Keyworth (Timothy@worldtradingcorp.com)

Connecticut River Dinghy Distance Race
Introducing the 1st annual Connecticut River Dinghy Distance Race. This is a race from the public boat launch at Haddam Meadows to Essex on Saturday May 7. The course is approximately 12 miles. It is open to any boat that is ramp launch-able and has a Portsmouth Yardstick rating. There will be a party and awards on the patio at Essex Yacht Club after racing. For Frostbiters, the timing works out well as this is the Saturday after racing ends. This is one of the very few distance races in New England that is open to dinghies. So come out and enjoy a race(and tour) of the lower CT river in beautiful early May. If you have any questions, contact Dan Rennie (203) 687-6901.

Spring Week 6 Results Posted
Week 6 races are posted. For more information about the Frost Bite Yacht Club contact Commadore, Scott Baker.

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.... More.

Spring Week 4 Results Posted
Week 4 races are posted. Check out the video Sailing with Etchells 1341. For more information about the Frost Bite Yacht Club contact Commadore, Scott Baker.

Leukemia Cup Regatta Kick Off Reception with Gary Jobson!
Tuesday, April 5, 2011 6:30pm - 8pm
Leukemia Cup Regatta Kick Off Reception with Gary Jobson! Sponsored in part by reception host: Water's Edge Resort & Spa 1525 Boston Post Road, Westbrook, CT 06498 Join LLS for this fun Kick-Off reception highlighted by a presentation by Leukemia Cup Regatta National Chairman, ESPN Commentator, Renowned Sailor and lymphoma survivor Gary Jobson!
Register to fundraise & race at the reception (online registration to open soon) and receive great incentives. Ticket cost for this reception is $10 per person, and includes appetizers, cash bar and the opportunity to meet Gary Jobson. To order tickets please call 203.427.2045.

Spring Week 3 Results Posted
Week 3 races are posted. For more information about the Frost Bite Yacht Club contact Commadore, Scott Baker.

Spring Week 2 Results Posted
Week 2 races are posted. For more information about the Frost Bite Yacht Club contact Commadore, Scott Baker.

Spring Week 1 Results Posted
Week 1 of the 2011 Spring Series is in the record books. The JY-15 class completed 5 races. Richard Formica took daily honors followed closely by John Amendola and Steve Euch. The laser class had 11 sailors on the water. Bob Merrick started the day with a rusty 6th, but managed bullets in the last 5 races to finish the day off in first place, Chris Field and Dan Rennie rounded out the top 3 positions. For more information about the Frost Bite Yacht Club contact Commadore, Scott Baker.

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. ...More.

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...More.

Planetarium's Navigation & Weather Courses
Planetarium's Navigation & Weather Courses Spring 2011. All classes are held in the Susan Peterson Howell Memorial Classroom of the Treworgy Planetarium. Mystic Seaport Course.

Welcome to the Spring 2011 Frostbite Series
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....More.

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...More.

Fall 2010 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,...More.

Welcome to the Fall 2010 Frostbite Series As the warm, sometimes unnaturally hot, days of summer wane into autumn, our thoughts begin to shift toward the two Fs, Football and Frostbite sailing. For those of you who sailed in the spring, you will recall we had one of our very best seasons ever; good weather, great turn out, lots of competitive and collegial racing and the best soup in Southern Connecticut. Autumn on the Connecticut River -- there is no finer time to be on the water. Fresh cool breezes and the picturesque foliage make this part of New England a very special place indeed. I hope you will join your fellow “Frostbiters” in another session of fine and competitive sailing...More.

Valley Regional Sailing Club to FrostbiteThe Frostbite Board is excited to announce that we have invited the Valley Regional Sailing Club to sail with us this Fall. Valley Regional High School recently began The Sailing Club this past spring under the direction of Head Advisor Kathy Scott and Assistant Advisor Tom Taber. Our mission for over 80 years is to encourage and stimulate high quality racing in the Connecticut River Valley. By providing Valley with their own start and offering up a chase boat as a coach boat, we are proud to continue our mission.

Tom Carse Named PROCommadore Baker, announces that Tom Carse will be back, after a long absence, as the Frostbite PRO. Tom has an impressive resume as PRO and will bring a high level of professionalism to the position.

More...