Put-in-Bay 2023 Regatta Report.  August 4-6 2023
 
Put-in Bay Yacht Club (Ohio) on Lake Erie is the site of the annual FWC North Coast Regional.  Held in conjunction with the I-LYA Bayweek, competitors on boats from 13 foot Hobie Waves to large 56 foot monohulls compete in many different classes over several different racecourses for this year’s bragging rights.  The town is actually on an island a couple of miles off Port Clinton, Ohio, and you get there by a nice ferry ride.  I had no wait to catch the ferry on the way over, but quite a long wait for the ride back to the mainland - all part of the adventure.
 
This is my 2nd time to attend this long running and well known regatta.  As before, I elected to tent camp on the yacht club grounds, especially since other accommodations are rather expensive for my frugal tastes.  Campers have a nice grassy area, with 24 hour access to yacht club restroom facilities, which includes good hot showers.  Boat setup and storage was roomy, on the freshly mowed grassy area right next to the yacht club patio.  Launching each day is via a single wide ramp, which can get a bit tricky in some winds, but there is usually a helper there to assist you - so no problem.
 
Each day begins with an 0730 competitors meeting - yes 0730!  Area winds generally die in the afternoon, so getting an early start is important.  Also, due to heavy boat traffic, both regatta participants and abundant (and large) powerboats - the Wave course is set up several miles from the launch site.  For the scheduled 0900 first start, you needed to leave a little bit after 0800 - practically the middle of the night for me.  Local expert Doug Seib brought up the tail end out to the race course each day to make sure everyone found their way.
 
Friday’s races started in about 10 knot winds.  Race Committee set up Course 5 - A B C A C Finish with long legs from A-B, and B-C.  The 1st race featured Jim Hildebrandt winning by a big margin, with local expert Doug Seib (uncharacteristically) at the back.  However, after that, Doug got his groove back, and didn’t finish worse than 3rd the rest of the regatta.  Old hands - Bob Everson and Jane Sherrod (that’s me) also found themselves with bad races and poor finishes, including Bob’s boat being particularly fond of A-mark on 2 different races.  New FWC members - Sam Falter, Michelle Harman, Ken Farber, and Steve Goodyear showed off their local knowledge and skills with lots of crowded mark roundings, tight finishes, and exciting starts.  Excellent work by the signal boat and chase boats yielded 5 races for the 1st day, with the last race in much lighter winds.  It was a long sail back to the yacht club, with abundant large powerboat traffic, making for a slow and bouncy ride.
 
Friday evening featured the Mount Gay Rum sponsored party - rum punch! - as well as a couple different beers.  The yacht club offered a reasonable pasta and salad dinner option - which I gladly bought.  There are pretty much unlimited entertainment and dining options, many within walking distance, but I was content to stay right where I was at the regatta site..
 
Saturday began with the usual 0730 competitors meeting, long sail to the race course, and early 0900 first start.  Course 2’s - A C A C Finish were the main course choice of the day.  Starts were competitive, with crowds at the signal boat end every race.  A-mark continued to be crowded as well.  Four races were finished before the winds diminished for the afternoon, with another bumpy sail back.  Bob Everson had a much better day - with 2 bullets - including 1 where he was practically a whole leg ahead of the 2nd place boat.
 
Saturday evening featured the Tito’s (from Texas) Vodka party - hard lemonade - and some different beers.  The yacht club offered a Taco Bar, which I bought, and it really hit the spot.  Except to buy some ice, I never had to leave the yacht club at all.  Put-in-Bay is known as a real party town - the “Key West of the North”, but I was fine with all the variety from the Put-in-Bay Yacht Club.
 
Early Sunday morning brought rain and winds from a bad direction, with unsettled weather forecast for much of the day.  Regatta organizers cancelled further races, allowing me to pack up my tent and boat in scattered rain showers.  Trophy presentation took awhile due to the many many different classes - such as PHRF A, B, C, D, Singlehanded A and B, as well as something called JAM A and JAM B.
After a quick hot shower, I left the yacht club around 1230, but sat in line for the ferry for almost 2 hours.  While waiting, I finished my Book-on-tape - Mr Mercedes by Stephen King - and tidied up the van for the 1450 mile drive home.
 
The Put-in-Bay Wave Regatta is perhaps the oldest Wave regatta around - with its roots in the old IWCA (International Wave Class Association).  The options of “party party hearty” within walking distance, or “relax and chill” make for an attractive trip to a fun location.  The race committees know their stuff, and set good race courses, especially if you like those triangle A B C courses.  I encourage all you Wave sailors to attend the Put-in-Bay Regatta next year.
 
Jane Sherrod

Yankton 2023 FWC Championship regatta report
 
I arrived in Yankton Wednesday evening, and set up my tent on the freshly mowed big grassy area, and set up my boat by the nice sandy beach.  Rod and Lorie Haglund, the Bommersbachs, and the Fleet 291 people made everyone feel welcome while we caught up with old friends, and told sea stories to our new friends. 
 
On Thursday, I hoped to get in a short sail, but winds were rather fickle, so I ended up spending the rest of the busy day in my dorky sailing outfit. A few sailors managed a little sailing despite the light winds.  Arriving sailors participated in measuring of all sails.  In all, 22 sails were measured on site, with all being within the FWC sail specs.  Class Measurer Jane Sherrod (that’s me), along with approved measurers Andy Larson and Eric Dorschner had plenty assistance as they marked and measured the 7 specific sail measurements of each Formula Wave or Hobie sail.  For some sails, the luff curve was also measured - after Bob Curry showed us how.  By late afternoon, almost everyone was hanging out around the measuring area - helping when asked, visiting, and perhaps imbibing in a few adult beverages.  A lively Intro to Racing “chat”  by Ryan Richardson (teacher and illustrator extrordinaire) and Jane Sherrod (that’s me) was fun and informative.
 
Friday brought early gentle winds.  Skipper’s meeting, led by PRO Dick Graves, with his merry band of able assistants - Paul, Mary, Lorie, and Wendy - with new trainee Kylar Wessels - gave us all we needed to know about the day’s racing.  After a short postponement, Race 1 started with a square starting line and a nice 8-10 knot breeze.  Course 2 - A-C-A-C- Finish.  A wind shift on the 2nd A to C leg meant you could go around the Course Right Gate, immediately tack, and close reach to the finish in the best wind of the day.  Provided lunches were consumed on the water while the race committee reset the course.
 
The signal boat posted another Course 2 for Race 2.  Winds were lighter - about 5-8 knots.  About the time the leaders rounded A the 2nd time, the wind died to a whisper.  Keeping your boat moving was a challenge.  Watching everyone’s unique downwind techniques- from sitting on the “wrong” or “right” side, standing, leaning, on your belly - none seemed to be an advantage over the other.  Thankfully, the race committee shortened the course to lessen the sailor’s misery.  The race committee then sent us ashore to wait for wind - which had completely died.  After waiting a while, the PRO cancelled racing for the day due to lack of wind.  However, the forecast was for much better winds on Saturday, and very strong nuclear winds for Sunday.  Forecasts also showed good chance of thunderstorms during each night, with 10-20 knot winds.  Many sailors staked down their boats - just in case.
 
Friday evening saw a delicious Taco Bar with all the fixins.  Wendy and her minions really outdid themselves.  Rave reviews from everyone.
 
Around 0345 Saturday morning, I woke to a sudden increase in the wind.  My tent was well staked and I wasn’t worried.  Very suddenly (as I remember), the wind increased violently, my tent (with me inside) was picked up and slammed upside down violently.  Suddenly, I was outside but still in my sleeping bag.  My tent had literalIy blown up.  I waited a few minutes for the unbelievable winds to lessen, crawled out of my sleeping bag, and scampered to my van for shelter from the rain.  Arriving at my van, I found a big limb from somewhere had busted out a window, and my van was now full of limbs and tons of broken glass.  As the rain dwindled, I made a few trips back the the tent wreckage for my 2 duffel bags of clothes.  A potential disaster was averted when I finally found my only bra later that morning.  Never found a trace of my lawn chair.  The smarter campers took refuge in the bathroom.
 
The rain stopped in less than an hour, and I thought to go check on my boat - in the dark.  The area right off the beach where everyone left their boat was EMPTY!  Where were the boats?  I found mine with it’s mast broken and jammed against Mike’s motorhome.  Other boats were jumbled together in piles and amongst the trailers. Most tie downs did not hold.  Lots of broken masts, especially comptips. Rudders castings snapped.  Hulls folded over.  Squashed mast bobs and mangled brackets. 
 
Daylight brought everyone together to untangle the boats and trailers.  It was obvious there weren’t enough whole boats to race, so dazed sailors began packing up boats.  A short skippers meeting confirmed the cancellation of further racing, and set the Awards presentation for later Saturday afternoon, to be followed by the usual yummy dinner held in conjunction with the friendly yacht club group.
 
Trophies were beautiful 3D etched glass, presented by FWC president Ben Wells.  Lots of thanks to FWC organizers, Fleet 291 members, yacht club members, chase boat and signal boat workers, and all other volunteers.
 
Yankton SD, and Lewis and Clark lake are a great place to sail.  The lake is quite scenic and pretty.  Regatta site has tons of room for boats and trailers with a soft sandy beach for launching.  There is good tent camping, and nice bathrooms with hot showers. For racing, there is a well trained and knowledgeable race committee.  The Taco Party was great and the Saturday dinner and special desserts were delicious.  Although this year experienced some tragedy and a shortened racing schedule, I can’t wait to come back next year.
 
The Formula Wave Class is a friendly, welcoming and competitive group of sailors.  We welcome both new and experienced racers at our events.  Join us!
 
Next stop - Ohio and the Put-in-Bay Regional FWC Regatta.  The Key West of the North!

Greetings FWC Members!
 
I hope all of you have been enjoying the summer and getting all the sailing time in that you want! Here is your June newsletter!
 
What’s going on?
 
We have been hard at work with the preliminary organizing of the Wave 100 distance race on Lake Michigan next year, and we have the goal of opening up registration in August. This is a different kind of regatta, and we want to be thorough with the information and make sure you are crystal clear on what the race is, what it isn’t, and what the expectations are of you as a sailor participating in this event. I think we have a lot of great things in the works and are making safety a number one priority. We will continue giving out more information as we have it!
 
I’m excited to announce we established a partnership with the Sailors for the Sea organization and will be an official Clean Class as part of a new program they have launched. This means we will be designating a portion of our regattas each year as clean regattas and will be making efforts to have sustainability be a focus for the regatta. You can read on our website more about the Clean Class designation and can find links to the Sailors for the Sea website to learn more about our partner for this endeavor.
 
Schedule
 
Our full schedule can be found on our website here, but to showcase a couple of the next events..
 
The FWC Championship is only a week away from this writing! We have 18 sailors signed up (and may get a couple of last minute entries?) I believe this will be a really fun regatta, and we have some great things planned in addition to the racing. The Championship this year will be held as a clean regatta, in line with our clean class designation.
 
Thursday evening will feature a clinic hosted by Jane Sherrod and Ryan Richardson for newer/novice sailors to learn more about the race course, boat handling and setup, and how to have a great race!
 
Friday will feature a taco bar with lawn games available after racing, and Saturday will be a party held in conjunction with the local yacht club.
 
There is still time for last minute entries – come join the fun in Yankton, South Dakota!
 
Our next regional is in Put-in-Bay (aka Key West of the North). If you are planning on attending, please be aware of ferry times and lodging, as the island fills up very quickly. This is a really unique and fun venue, and everyone enjoys their time there.
 
Website Showcase
 
This month on the website showcase, I want to highlight the News page. Essentially set up like a blog, it’s the place where we add these monthly newsletters and other writings of interest. It’s a great place to check back and read previous information or check up on something you might have missed.
 
Membership

Membership remains at $25 for the calendar year and is required for our Tier 1 and Tier 2 regattas. It is optional for Tier 3 regattas, however only FWC members will earn season points at Tier 3 events. If you have completed your 2023 membership – thank you! If you haven’t yet, I would encourage you to do so by following this link (https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/FormulaWaveClass) or sending an email to formulawaveclass@gmail.com
 
Our referral system is still in place! Refer a brand new member to the FWC and earn $5 off next year's membership cost (max of $25)! If you have questions about how this works, please contact us to ask any questions!
 
Our youth membership is only $10, and we strongly encourage any younger sailors to jump on a wave and come race!
 
Resources

I want to make sure you are aware of all other resources we have for you to stay connected and informed.
 
Social Media
Follow us on Facebook for updates, information, and sometimes just for fun pictures and all things Wave sailing.
 
Forum
This is a user content generated forum for you to start conversations, ask questions, or discuss whatever is on your mind when it comes to Wave sailing and racing! Check it out if you haven’t yet!
 
 
Thank You
As always, Thank You to everyone who supports and sails with the FWC. It’s truly an honor to be part of this amazing class and fun group of sailors. See you on the water soon!
 
 
Ben Wells
FWC - President

Jane’s Lifejacket Quest
 
So, it’s time for a new lifejacket, better known now as a PFD - Personal Floatation Device.  My current one is pretty worn out, over 10 years old, and the pocket zipper broke.  It also has some features I don‘t like so much.
 
Jane’s new PFD requirements:
USCG approved
Comfy, with unrestricted arm movement
Center front zipper - not a pullover or side zip
Full thin back floatation - not the thick chunk of foam below the neck that kayaker’s like
Not too thick in front
Pockets for radio, snack, and lip balm
Full or bucket trapeze harness friendly
Not ugly
 
Of course, I want my PFD to be USCG Approved.  With a previous “floatation device”, I would have to ask everyone in my racing class if they were OK with it - meaning they would not protest me.  Lots of people still wear this well known (and very comfy) side zip jacket, but it’s just not worth the hassle.
 
Many racers today sport those minimal PFD’s, very sleek and smooth, some with minimal (not USCG approved) floatation, which they wear cinched down tight, and under a rashguard to minimize snagging on stuff.  Some are “impact rated”.  Minimal pockets.  One even has a sleeve for a 10 minute air tank in case you get trapped under the boat.  I am way past that stage.  I sail mostly in hot weather.  I consider myself a competitive sailor, but comfort, air circulation, and convenience top my list. 
 
Lots of PFD’s these days are pullovers or have a side zip.  I prefer a front zip, that I can leave open on really hot days, and is easier to put on.  The “valley” made by the center zip helps me find my trapeze hook, unlike the side zip/pullover - where the trap hook is “down there somewhere”.
 
Many of the nice PFD’s today are made with kayakers in mind.  They can be very thick in the front, with a  thick block of foam behind your neck in the back, then sometimes a mesh back below that.  The back thick block of foam is meant to ride above the kayaker’s seat back.  However, when sailing, that thick chunk by your neck catches on the sail/boom as you go under.   A kayaker paddles with their arms spread wide.  Thick front panels can interfere with sailing motions (sheeting) where your upper arms are closer to your body, and also make it hard to hook up to the trapeze .  I wanted a smooth full back panel with thin back floatation that doesn’t catch, and front panels that do not restrict movement.
 
The thin full back PFD design works well with full trapeze harnesses too, worn either under or over the harness.  PFD’s with those short thick backs might be good for half harnesses.
 
Pockets.  I now carry a radio on my person, instead of in my tramp pouch.  I was recently working a regatta where a competitor called out on his radio to inform the RC that he had capsized and was separated from his boat.  A radio in his tramp bag wouldn’t have done him much good.  With it’s floaty mast bob, my Hobie Wave can easily get away after a capsize.  I also carry a whistle, some lip balm, a spare watch, and an energy bar in my life jacket.  Sometimes a knife too.  You need pockets for that.  There are some excellent Fisherman PFD’s out there with gobs of great pockets - but watch out that those pockets aren’t too thick.  Some pockets are actually constructed with a radio in mind - with 2 zipper pulls that meet around the radio antenna.
 
Choosing the contenders
 
More than half of the PFD’s I looked at lost out in the 1st round.  Mostly because they were a side zip/pullover, or because they utilized the thick high back foam.  This included the Hobie side zip (side zip, back), Stohlquist Edge (side zip, back), Zhik USCG Approved (side zip), Astral EV-Eight (back), Forward WIP (not USCG approved), and Magic Marine center zip (not USCG approved).  All the side zip models had crappy pockets, except the Zhik, which has a huge center pouch pocket.
 
I took lots of pictures of the top 2 finishers, but the PFD manufacturer’s websites have better ones.  Check the back and front designs, zipper placements, pocket layouts, and colors of ny PFD you are interested in buying.
 
Finalists
All these PFDs had center zips, full thin backs, were super comfy, unrestrictive, and USCG approved.  Pockets were good. If pockets are not important, you have a much larger pool of choices. Go for it!
 
I would like to have tried the Hobie Thinback and/or the Hobie Women’s Thinback PFD’s.  They appear to check all the boxes, but nobody seemed to have any in stock.  I didn’t like the colors offered too much either.
3rd place went to the Astral E-Linda (REI, online) - a woman specific model designed to cup and support “the girls” instead of mashing them down.  It did accomplish that, but it’s pockets were a bit too small for my full size radio.  Very comfy.  Colors were not my favorites.  It looks like the Stohlquist Betsea is very similar.
2nd place went to the Astral E-Ronny (REI, online) - which easily checked all my boxes, and was the best looking PFD of them all.  The ventilated split back (Thin Vent) should help dissipate heat.  My radio (or phopne) fit easily in the left zipper pocket or the left elastic mesh pocket.  I loved the brilliant Fire Orange color, but it is also available in Space Black, Soil Tan, and Water Blue.
1st place - Winner, winner, chicken dinner - went to the NRS Odyssey (NRS, online) - which also easily checked all my boxes.  The inside back features raised mesh bumps - the Cool Flow System, designed to improve ventilation.  Both left and right outer pockets are designed to hold a VHF radio (or phone), so there are 2 zipper pulls which meet at the antenna.  There are also zip pockets behind the radio pockets.  You can get most of your hand inside that inner pocket, which could even take a handwarmer (I needed those a few times this year).  I also liked the simple bottom clip, which would allow me to safely unzip the PFD to ventilate between races on really hot days, and is meant to keep the PFD from riding up.  A final big plus for the Odyssey was that the shoulder straps had a place to fully tuck the ends away.  No more shoulder straps flappin’ in your face.  Those pockets might be too much for some, but they are just right for me.  Available colors are Red, or Charcoal with bright green accents.
 
Test fitting any PFD
Loosen all the side straps and the shoulder straps.  Put the PFD on, and zip it up.  1st tighten the lowest straps, and work up.  Go easy there, it’s not a straitjacket.  Unless it’s blowing 20+, or you are sailing far from shore, or you are in the Olympics - you probably don’t need the straps overly snug.  The PFD should be comfy and un-binding.  Last, tighten the shoulder straps.  To test - sit down in a sailing position, squat, kneel and crawl.  Windmill your arms and making “sheeting” motions.  The PFD should not chafe your inner arms, interfere, or ride up.  Take the PFD off, put it back on, and tweak your strap adjustments.  Try the PFD over your trap harness, or possibly under your trap harness.  Does it ride up and irritate your chin?  Can you lay on your belly - for those light wind days, or on your back - for between races resting.
 
Just like my foot protection, hat, sunglasses, and gloves, I never leave the beach without my PFD.  Wearing my PFD at all times gives me a sense of security and safety, plus it is easier than tying the thing down on the boat.  I encourage all sailors to wear their PFD all the time, every time, no exceptions.

Greetings FWC Members!
 
I hope you all are enjoying the warmer weather and have taken the time to do some sailing! It’s been great to see boats on the water again, and to have some successful regattas in the books. Here’s your May newsletter.
 
What’s going on?
The FWC leadership team has been busy planning another large, unique, and exciting event. We put a little teaser video out on Facebook a couple of weeks ago, but if you missed it, here is the official announcement: We are excited to share that we are planning a distance race, scheduled for August of 2024!
 
The Wave 100 will be sailed on Lake Michigan and will see sailors sail from South Haven, MI to Michigan City, IN, over the course of three days. This is most definitely going to be an endurance race, and while we are working hard to make safety a top priority, it’s not going to be a typical regatta! Please look for more information on this exciting race soon!
 
**Some of you might be asking “Why the Wave 100? Those locations are not 100 miles from each other...” Right you are, astute sailor! 100 miles was determined to be probably a bit too far for the Wave, but this route will give us about 60 miles of sailing distance. 60 miles is pretty darn close to 100 kilometers! **
 
Regatta Recaps
Our first two Regional regattas are in the books, and we have posted recaps of each to our website!
 
Read about the Mid-South Regional here
 
Read about the Southeast Regional here
 
Website Showcase
Speaking of the website, I want to include a section in the next few newsletters to highlight some different parts of our website. Often times, visitors only visit 1 or 2 pages, but we have a lot of great information scattered throughout! The page I want to showcase today is the Information Page
 
On this page, we have linked important documents like our rules and bylaws, season points, past meeting minutes, and more. Towards the bottom of the page you will see an archive of previous race results. If you ever want to walk down memory lane, or settle the argument about who beat who at a certain regatta, look no further than the Info page!
 
Schedule
Our next big regatta is the FWC Championship in Yankton, South Dakota! This is a favorite sailing destination for many Midwest sailors – a great beach area, on site camping, beautiful scenery, and of course, generally good winds! Yankton has been host to many championship level regattas in the past, most recently the Hobie 16 and 20 fleets in 2017.
 
Prices for the regatta increase on June 1st, so please don’t delay – if you are going to come sail, sign up today! Registration can be found on Regatta Network
 
We are excited that Jane Sherrod will be available to host a quick clinic on Thursday evening for any newer or novice sailors. We certainly want this regatta to be open and accessible to all, and we hope this gives any sailors who may not have as much experience some confidence to come and learn and compete well!
 
See you in Yankton, South Dakota, June 23-25.
 
Other upcoming regattas include:
 
North Coast Regional, Put-in-Bay OH - August 4-6

Deep South Regional, Ocean Springs MS - October 13-15

Florida Keys Regional, Key Largo FL - December 1-3
 
In addition to those, we have some Tier 3 regattas coming up soon:
 
Mid-Americas Area Championship, Dallas TX - May 27-28

Candler Regatta, Panama City, FL - June 3-4
 
 
Membership
Membership remains at $25 for the calendar year and is required for our Tier 1 and Tier 2 regattas. It is optional for Tier 3 regattas, however only FWC members will earn season points at Tier 3 events. If you have completed your 2023 membership – thank you! If you haven’t yet, I would encourage you to do so by following this link (https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/FormulaWaveClass) or sending an email to formulawaveclass@gmail.com
 
Our referral system is still in place! Refer a brand new member to the FWC and earn $5 off next year's membership cost (max of $25)! If you have questions about how this works, please contact us to ask any questions!
 
Our youth membership is only $10, and we strongly encourage any younger sailors to jump on a wave and come race!
 
Resources
I want to make sure you are aware of all other resources we have for you to stay connected and informed.
 
·      Social Media
o   Follow us on Facebook for updates, information, and sometimes just for fun pictures and all things Wave sailing!
·      Forum
·      This is a user content generated forum for you to start conversations, ask questions, or discuss whatever is on your mind when it comes to Wave sailing and racing! Check it out if you haven’t yet!
 
 
Thank You
As always, Thank You to everyone who supports and sails with the FWC. It’s truly an honor to be part of this amazing class and fun group of sailors. See you on the water soon!
 
 
Ben Wells
FWC - President

The Mid-South Regional in Shrezeport (a traditional Nebraskan pronunciation) started off on Friday, the 21st. Sailors were welcomed with a great breakfast, and racing started mid-day. The first two races were sailed in medium air, and the winds backed off quite a bit during the third race. Race Committee waited a bit before sending sailors in with not enough wind to hold quality racing in anymore. The evening took the group to Daqs, a local restaurant. The food was great, and the company and conversation was even better!

Saturday didn't have a promising forecast, and sadly, that was played out. The lake was very calm, so sailors entertained themselves by playing cornhole, measuring boats and sails, and generally solving most of the worlds problems. Racing for the day was officially called in the early afternoon, so many enjoyed the on-site keg for the rest of the afternoon, or went to explore other parts of the city. Saturday evening was the traditional cook your own steak dinner with lovely music on-site. It was a beautiful evening.

Sunday brought cold and rain, but also some wind. The sailors who ventured out bundled up to withstand the low 50's temps, but the racing was high quality. The winds were mostly steady, and three races were held pretty quickly before sending sailors in to tear down in the rain.

As always, the Shreveport Yacht Club members were amazing hosts, and the Mid-South remains an annual favorite for many sailors.

Results can be found here:

https://www.regattanetwork.com/clubmgmt/applet_regatta_results.php?regatta_id=25827

Greetings FWC Sailors!
 
April showers bring.. umm.. April regattas? I guess the old saying doesn’t rhyme and work as well for us, but the fact of the matter is our racing season is in full swing now! We have several Tier 3 regattas in the books, and our first and second Regional regattas are only two weeks away!
 
What’s Going On?
As I have mentioned previously, we are excited to be celebrating our 5th Anniversary this year! As a way to celebrate, and as a way of saying Thank You, each sailor participating at one of our Tier 1 or Tier 2 regattas this year will receive a 5th Year Anniversary long sleeve T-Shirt! We will also have some short sleeve shirts on site for $10/each if you want to purchase extras or get one for a family member or friend.
 
I’m excited to announce that ALL our Regional and Championship regattas now have open registration! I would kindly ask that if you are planning on participating, please take a moment to register early. This really helps regatta organizers plan ahead and encourages other sailors to come race as well when the list grows.
 
There are a couple of price increases I want to call attention to.
 
First, for the Championship regatta in June – there is a registration price increase that takes place on June 1st.
 
The Upper Keys Regional in Key Largo has a big price incentive for early sign-ups. Save money by registering before May 1st.
 
Also, in terms of planning ahead – if you are considering racing at Put-In-Bay – secure your accommodations well in advance. The island can fill up very quickly.
 
Schedule
As always, please check our website for our full schedule of regattas and registration links. (www.formulawaveclass.com/regattas) There are few coming up I want to highlight!
 
Our first two regionals are coming right up!
 
The Mid-South in Shreveport will be April 21-23 and the Southeast will be in Charleston, April 28-30. There is still time to register and join the fun at these great events.
 
Our Championship regatta will be in Yankton, South Dakota, on June 23-25. We are planning a fun event with some lawn games to play, and a fun party with the local yacht club. Jane Sherrod will be hosting a pre-race chat on Thursday evening for any new or novice sailors who want some extra help or advice, or to ask any questions on their mind. This is a great opportunity to come sail at a championship regatta regardless of your skill level.


Our next Tier-3 regattas will be the Mid-Americas in Dallas, Texas, May 27-28 followed by the Candler Regatta in Florida, June 3-4.
 
Membership
Membership remains at $25 for the calendar year and is required for our Tier 1 and Tier 2 regattas. It is optional for Tier 3 regattas, however only FWC members will earn season points at Tier 3 events. If you have completed your 2023 membership – thank you! If you haven’t yet, I would encourage you to do so by following this link (https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/FormulaWaveClass) or sending an email to formulawaveclass@gmail.com
 
Our referral system is still in place! Refer a brand new member to the FWC and earn $5 off next years membership cost (max of $25)! If you have questions about how this works, please contact us to ask any questions!


Our youth membership is only $10, and we strongly encourage any younger sailors to jump on a wave and come race!
 
Resources
I mentioned our website before and would again encourage you to check it out regularly for updates. I want to make sure you are aware of all other resources we have for you to stay connected and informed.
 
·      Social Media
o   Follow us on Facebook for updates, information, and sometimes just for fun pictures and all things Wave sailing!
·      Forum
o   This is a user content generated forum for you to start conversations, ask questions, or discuss whatever is on your mind when it comes to Wave sailing and racing! Check it out if you haven’t yet!
 
 
Season Points
FWC Members earn season points by racing at any of our Tier 1, 2, or 3 regattas. Points are weighted by the regatta type, with Tier 1 events earning double points, Tier 2 events earning standard points, and Tier 3 events earning half points. Want to see how things are stacking up? The link is on our info page of the website any time you want to check, and can also be seen here:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1xFj1xwn9DZn-AZNb49lXcjPng_Iytc7WhIA5HFQMk04/edit?usp=sharing
 
Thank You
As always, Thank You to everyone who supports and sails with the FWC. We look forward to seeing you at one of our upcoming regattas!
 

Ben Wells
FWC - President

Greetings FWC Sailors!
 
The Ides of March have come and gone, and our sailing season feels like an anxious SpaceX rocket in the final stages of countdown. Liftoff is only weeks away, with several Tier 3 regattas coming up and our first two Regionals happening in late April!
 
What’s Going On?
As indicated, we are gearing up for the sailing season to really kick off. We have nearly all our events ready for registrations, and it’s shaping up to be a great year! As I have mentioned previously, we are excited to be celebrating our 5th Anniversary this year! As a way to celebrate, and as a way of saying Thank You, each sailor participating at one of our Tier 1 or Tier 2 regattas this year will receive a 5th Year Anniversary T-Shirt (see image attached).  
 
Schedule
As always, please check our website for our full regatta schedule of regattas and registration links. (www.formulawaveclass.com/regattas) There are few coming up I want to highlight!
 
Mount Dora Yacht Club will hold their 70th Regatta on March 25-26. There is a nice Wave fleet shaping up with 13 sailors registered so far. If you are looking for something to do in Florida next weekend, head on over to Mount Dora!
 
MidWinters East and West are taking place on the same weekend, with the East in Ocean Springs, MS and the West in Lake Mohave, NV. Both are great locations and should offer a fun weekend of sailing on March 31-April 2.
 
**For those out West – Richard McCreedy has offered a small number of Waves that could be chartered for the event. If you are interested, please send an e-mail to formulawaveclass@gmail.com and we will get you in touch with him to make arrangements.**
 
Our first two regionals are happening at the end of April! The Mid-South in Shreveport will be April 21-23 and the Southeast will be in Charleston, April 28-30. Please take a moment to register as soon as able to help with regatta planning and to encourage other sailors to sign up as well.
 
Finally, our Championship regatta will be in Yankton, South Dakota, on June 23-25. We are planning a fun event with some lawn games to play, and a fun party with the local yacht club. Jane Sherrod will be hosting a pre-race chat on Thursday evening for any new or novice sailors who want some extra help or advice, or to ask any questions on their mind. This is a great opportunity to come sail at a championship regatta regardless of your skill level. We have some rooms reserved at the local resort. Please see the attached document for all lodging information.
 
Membership
Membership remains at $25 for the calendar year and is required for our Tier 1 and Tier 2 regattas. It is optional for Tier 3 regattas, however only FWC members will earn season points at Tier 3 events. If you have completed your 2023 membership – thank you! If you haven’t yet, I would encourage you to do so by following this link (https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/FormulaWaveClass) or sending an email to formulawaveclass@gmail.com
 
Our referral system is still in place! Refer a brand new member to the FWC and earn $5 off next years membership cost (max of $25)! If you have questions about how this works, please contact us to ask any questions!
Our youth membership is only $10, and we strongly encourage any younger sailors to jump on a wave and come race!
 
Resources
I mentioned our website before and would again encourage you to check it out regularly for updates. I want to make sure you are aware of all other resources we have for you to stay connected and informed.
 
·      Social Media
o   Follow us on Facebook for updates, information, and sometimes just for fun pictures and all things Wave sailing!
·      Forum
o   This is a user content generated forum for you to start conversations, ask questions, or discuss whatever is on your mind when it comes to Wave sailing and racing! Check it out if you haven’t yet!
 
Thank You
As always, Thank You to everyone who supports and sails with the FWC. 2023 is going to be a fun and exciting year!




Ben Wells
FWC - President

Greetings FWC Members!
 
Spring is almost here, and I hope that you all are ready for the sailing season to kick up into high gear very shortly! Here’s your February update!
 
Schedule
I’m very happy that registration is open for many of our Tier 2 and Tier 3 regattas! I would strongly encourage you to make time to sign up if you are confident you will be sailing at one of these events. It’s a major help to regatta planners to have an idea of how many people they might be expecting, and more early registrations brings in more total registrations – so don’t delay! Sign up early, sign up often J
 
Please visit our website for a full list of regattas and registration links (https://www.formulawaveclass.com/regattas.html) but to highlight a couple of upcoming ones…
 
·      Mid-South Regional, Shreveport LA – April 21-23
o   http://www.regattanetwork.com/event/25827
·      Southeast Regional, Charleston SC – April 28-30
o   https://theclubspot.com/regatta/2FEqDvQUwL/#notice-board
·      FWC Championship Regatta, Yankton SD – June 23-25**
o   https://www.regattanetwork.com/event/25826
 
 
Also for our upcoming Tier 3 regattas, be sure to check out the following:
·      Mt Dora Yacht Club 70th Regatta, Mt Dora FL - March 25-26
·      Mid-Winters West, Lake Mohave NV - March 31 - April 2
·      Mid-Winters East, Ocean Springs MS - March 31 - April 2
·      Mid-Americas Area Championship, Dallas TX - May 27-28
 
We are still working to add more Tier 3 regattas to the list, so be sure to check back to the website periodically to see what else is coming up!
 
** Our Championship regatta planning is coming along nicely. I want to encourage any newer or novice sailors to feel welcome to join us at this event! Thursday night, our own Jane Sherrod will be hosting a race chat for newer sailors to have an open forum and ask any questions they would like or get some quick tips and tricks from an expert! We also have reserved some rooms at the host resort and are available now! Please call 1-605-665-2680 and mention the Wave Regatta to reserve one of the set aside options.
 
Currently held are:
4 -  Rooms @ 185/night
1 - 2 Bedroom Cabin @ $365/night
3 - 3 Bedroom Cabin @ $385/night
1 - 4 Bedroom Cottage @ $1350/night (cottage has massive common room and full kitchen available)
 
Campsites will full hookups are available as well, and there are several hotels located within 10 minutes of the regatta site.
 
 
Membership
Membership remains at $25 for the calendar year and is required for our Tier 1 and Tier 2 regattas. It is optional for Tier 3 regattas, however only FWC members will earn season points at Tier 3 events. If you have completed your 2023 membership – thank you! If you haven’t yet, I would encourage you to do so by following this link (https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/FormulaWaveClass) or sending an email to formulawaveclass@gmail.com
 
Our referral system is still in place! Refer a brand new member to the FWC and earn $5 off next years membership cost (max of $25)! If you have questions about how this works, please contact us to ask any questions!
Our youth membership is only $10, and we strongly encourage any younger sailors to jump on a wave and come race!
 
Resources
I mentioned our website before and would again encourage you to check it out regularly for updates. I want to make sure you are aware of all other resources we have for you to stay connected and informed.
 
·      Social Media
o   Follow us on Facebook for updates, information, and sometimes just for fun pictures and all things Wave sailing!
·      Forum
o   This is a user content generated forum for you to start conversations, ask questions, or discuss whatever is on your mind when it comes to Wave sailing and racing! Check it out if you haven’t yet!
 
Thank You
As always, Thank You to everyone who supports and sails with the FWC. Our class wouldn’t continue the success we have had without you, and I’m looking forward to a strong and fun 2023!
 
 
Ben Wells
FWC - President