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

Greetings FWC Members!

I'm excited to let you all know that registration is officially OPEN for the 2023 FWC Championship Regatta!

https://www.regattanetwork.com/event/25826


Hopefully i'll give you everything you need to know here.. please feel free to ask any questions you have!

The regatta will be in Yankton, South Dakota - June 23-25. This is a beautiful sailing location that has been home to many championship level catamaran regattas in the past. If you haven't been here before, I'm confident you will love it!

Schedule
We will have regatta check in on Thursday afternoon and Friday morning. Racing will be Friday, Saturday, and Sunday morning.


Thursday evening we are planning a pre-race chat/training for any newer sailors or those who have less experience and want to ask questions about the race course, how to start, etc. Jane Sherrod will host this, and it is open to any sailors who just want the opportunity to talk through some things and participate and learn from an expert!

Friday evening we are planning on providing a Taco Bar and having lawn games available to play, like cornhole, lawn golf, bocce, etc. It should be a fun, relaxing evening where we can socialize and maybe have some friendly competitions.

Saturday evening, the Yacht Club will host a party with food and drinks, and some form of entertainment in the evening!


You can see full details here: https://www.regattanetwork.com/clubmgmt/regatta_uploads/25826/2023MidwestWaveNOR.pdf


Lodging
There are several lodging options available!

There are quite a few local hotels within 5-10 minutes of the regatta site.


At the resort on site, there are some rooms and cabins reserved through early May.

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.

Please call 1-605-665-2680 and mention the Wave Regatta to reserve one of the set aside options.

Also available is on-site tent camping, right next to the beach! Campers will need to pay the regular campgound fee.


We hope to see as many of you there as possible! We expect this to be a fun, and competitive regatta! If you plan on sailing, please take a moment to sign up as soon as possible to help regatta organizers and to encourage other sailors to participate.

Again, please ask any questions you might have.

Thank you, and see you on the water soon!

Greetings FWC Sailors –
 
I am excited to share some great news and exciting changes with you regarding the format in which the FWC holds regattas.
 
Currently, the FWC holds regional regattas, and a Championship regatta, and those are the only opportunities to accrue season points and are all 3+ day regattas.
 
We have feedback that there is a desire for 2 day options, and we have come up with a solution that will open up FWC sailing opportunities across the country.
 
Please see the document at the link below for full details and an explanation of how it works:
https://1drv.ms/w/s!Al8ZttwMFwUAgRweCpWUD64Qu-F5
 
Regattas will be broken down into three Tiers.
 
Tier 1 will be reserved for Championship and Special Event regattas. Sailors participating will earn double points and must be FWC members to attend.
 
Tier 2 will be our Regional Regattas. Sailors participating will earn standard points, and must be FWC members to attend.
 
Tier 3, which is our new option, looks like this:
 
Tier 3
The third tier can encompass any other regatta who wishes to offer a Wave start using the FWC rules and sailing format. Regattas who wish to do so will be given a copy of the FWC rules and will be allowed to use the FWC logo in promotion material. The FWC will not have any hand in planning but will promote the regatta on the class website and social pages. These regattas can be 2 day weekend events and paired with any other sailing class or regatta. The amount of frills offered at these events is completely up to the organizing group. FWC membership is not required, but non-FWC members will not accrue season points. Points will not be retroactive if a non-member races in a tier 3 regatta and chooses to become a member at a later point in time. Points will only accrue from time of active calendar year membership going forward. Regatta organizers will be required to provide results to the FWC scorekeeper within one week of the regatta ending, or season points will not be distributed to participating sailors. Regattas must have a minimum of 5 waves to qualify as a tier 3 FWC points regatta. The FWC will NOT be the Organizing Authority for any Tier 3 regattas. They must be paired with an existing event.
 
Tier 3 participants will earn half points at these events. Again, membership is not required, but it is encouraged. Non-members will not accrue season points.
 
I would encourage you to review the document in its entirety for all details regarding this new structure. There is a benefit for both sailors and any host clubs or fleets.
 
We are currently working on a re-design of our website to show participating regattas in each Tier. We will also link a document for updated season points that can be referenced at any point in time. We expect this re-design to be done by the end of January.
 
I would encourage you to share this with your local sailors or host yacht clubs or fleet. Spread the word!
 
If you have any questions about this new structure, or are interested in incorporating the FWC into your next regatta, please contact us and let us know. While this is new and subject to change as we see it play out, we are confident this will bring FWC sailing to more people and provide more opportunities to participate with the class.
 
Thank you!
 
Ben Wells
FWC - President

Greetings FWC Members and Happy New Year’s Eve to you –
 
Whether you are gearing up for a big party or a quiet night in, I hope you enjoy your day, and of course, wish you all the absolute best in 2023.
 
Voting closed for our ballot and election yesterday, so I wanted to share the results with you all.
 
First, this election has been the highest turnout we have ever had. I’m really happy to see the participation numbers and engagement with the class. Out of 74 eligible voters, 48 completed the electronic ballot giving us a 65% participation rate. This completely blows out the 39% and 36% from the two previous years. I sincerely thank you for your time and making your voice heard to help steer the direction of the class. Here are the results for the officer positions, including any write ins:
 
President 
Ben Wells 43
Bob Curry 1
Blank 4
 
Vice President
Chris Wessels 42
Michael McNeir 1 
Blank 5
 
Secretary
Wendy Rice-Larson
 
Treasurer
Andy Humphries
 
Rules Chairman
Eric Dorschner 35
Doug Seib 9
Jane Sherrod 1
Blank 3 
 
Event Coordinator
Krista Vind
 
Chief Measurer
Jane Sherrod 44
Bob Curry 1
Blank 3
 
 
Also on the ballot were updates to our Rules and Bylaws. Here are the results of those:
 
7Cii 
Nominating Committee appointed by: 
Vice-President  42
President 5
 
10P Backrests are allowed
Approve 46
No 2
 
2D Adaptive Sailor Modifications Rule
Approve 46
No 2
 
 
We will update our rules and bylaws document, and send out a fresh version to everyone soon, as well as update the links on our website and social page.
 
2023 will be the first year we have had some major transitions with officer personnel, but we will ensure it’s a smooth process, and continue to communicate out all needed information and the upcoming regatta schedule.
 
I want to specifically thank Doug for his time serving on the board the past several years as the event coordinator. We have had the opportunity to race at some great new locations and establish some strong connections with yacht clubs all around the country. This work was instrumental in our growth and will continue to help us grow in the future.
 
With that said, I would like to officially welcome and congratulate Krista Vind and Eric Dorschner as newcomers to the board. I’m lucky to have known both of these individuals for a while, and I have a high level of confidence they will bring a great deal of experience and value to the board. I’m excited for what we will work on and accomplish together in the upcoming years.
 
Finally, I’m going to be putting together a member feedback survey to help gather some data and understand the things that are going right, along with the areas we can improve. Look for that sometime very soon.
 
If you have any comments, questions, or concerns, please let me know, and again, have a safe, happy, and healthy 2023.
 
Ben Wells
FWC - President

Greetings FWC Members, and Happy Thanksgiving!
 
Our last regatta of the year is wrapped up, which means it’s time to move into the off season. There is still quite a bit going on, and we hope you participate with the upcoming annual meeting and election.
 
First, congratulations to Bob Curry, who won the FWC Championship regatta! The competition was close, and the scores definitely indicate that it was a battle.  If you haven’t seen them yet, the full results can be found here: https://www.regattanetwork.com/clubmgmt/applet_regatta_results.php?regatta_id=24713
 
Also, congratulations to Jane Sherrod, this year’s FWC Points Champion! Winning this award indicates that the recipient truly sailed at a high level all season long. Jane is very deserving!
 
What’s next?
 
As I mentioned before, we are heading into our off season, but much will be happening before the end of the year.
 
First, the annual FWC meeting will be held via Zoom on Wednesday, November 30th at 7:00 PM CST. I would love for as many people to attend as able to hear what is happening with the FWC and know what you might see on the upcoming election ballot. No voting will take place at the meeting, and it is open to anyone who wants to listen in and participate.
 
Topic: FWC Annual Meeting
Time: Nov 30, 2022 07:00 PM Central Time (US and Canada)
 
Join Zoom Meeting
(e-mail us for the link!)
 
Next, the election will take place very similar to how it has been done the past few years. Only paid FWC members will be allowed to vote. Members will receive a link via email towards the end of December. The voting period will stay open for several days before closing. Exact dates and details will be announced later.
 
If you have any questions about the election process or attending the meeting, please don’t hesitate to reach out. We want this to be a fair and transparent process, and make sure everyone has all needed information and the ability to cast a vote to have their say in the class.
 
Lastly, there is an attached document to this email. This year’s election does include officer nominations and elections. This document details all who are running for the various FWC board positions so you can get to know who you are voting for and what role they are seeking.
 
Thank you for your participation, not only in all of our regattas but in this end of year process.
 
Ben Wells
FWC - President

Greetings FWC Members!
 
September has arrived, but that certainly doesn’t mean it’s time to start thinking about packing the boat up for Winter! There is still racing to be done as we head toward the end of the year.
 
What’s going on?
The focus at the moment is planning for the Championship regatta, coming up in November! The FWC leadership team wants to ensure that everyone who attends has a great experience, and the event will be of the quality that one would expect of a championship level regatta.
 
After the regatta, there will be a few more things to take care of this year. Mainly, the annual meeting and the election.
 
As we have done in years past, the annual meeting will be held via zoom at a pre-communicated date and time. We hope that anyone interested joins to hear about where we have been, where we are going, and a discussion of items that may appear on the ballot. No voting will take place at the annual meeting – it will be done electronically as we have done in years past to ensure everyone who wants to cast a vote is able to.
 
We will hold a Q&A session at the championship regatta for sailors to attend – members of the leadership team will be present to answer questions about what might appear on the ballot, or answer and discuss any other items pertaining to the FWC.
 
This year is also an election year, and all board seats are up for re-election. Our election is an open election, and anyone may run for any position. Descriptions of the positions are listed in our Rules and Bylaws. If you are interested in running for a board spot, please send an e-mail to formulawaveclass@gmail.com with a little information about yourself and what position you are running for.
 
A link to our bylaws can be found here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1BTQNo_YgFl4INhsQQP0twep0h3Uo54rmjJ18RwmXvmw/edit?fbclid=IwAR3MVJGDUpfzxmJqfv_ozlE0J5ViUvwB5OJQnkElP_7b3nLa0Dc6QT0vN6Y
 
I would like to have any nominations submitted by October 15th.
 
 
Regatta Recap
The North Coast Regional took place in early August and was a fun, successful regatta! Read the full recap here à https://www.formulawaveclass.com/news/2022-north-coast-regional-recap
 
Schedule
FWC Championship Regatta, Gulfport, FL, November 17-20
https://www.regattanetwork.com/event/24713
 
The FWC sailing season will finish with the championship in Florida! Come test your skills with the best, and race for the title of FWC Champion! If you are planning on attending, the time to sign up is now! Please use the link above to register – it only takes five minutes!
 
Other Racing Opportunities –
*Please note – these are non-FWC regattas*
 
HCANA Wave North American Championship, Shreveport, LA – October 12-16
https://www.regattanetwork.com/event/23800  
 
Stay Connected
We have several ways for you to stay connected to the FWC! Please follow us on Facebook, or check out our website from time to time! We have started a user-driven forum that is linked from the website as well. The forum is driven completely by you!
 
Thank You
 As always, thank you all for your time, support, and enthusiasm for the FWC. Our class continues to move in the right direction, and the Wave is becoming an ever popular racing boat, thanks to you!


Ben Wells
FWC - President

We had a nice turnout for this year’s Bayweek regatta. Twelve racers from throughout Ohio came to enjoy the island along with the other boats participating in the I-LYA Bayweek Sail Regatta.
Everyone got a bonus tourist pass on Friday when the wind dropped to zero before we left shore and racing was postponed twice. Sadly, the winds never filled in. Everyone got to spend the day visiting their favorite watering holes and restaurants. The Commodore got everyone in the spirit by having the Mount Gay Rum party start three hours early.
Missing the first day of racing was unfortunate but on Saturday we got in 4 good races in 6-10 knots. Racing was tight, but the first day finished with Doug Seib ahead in points, followed closely by Bob Everson and Jim Hildebrandt.  Sunday dawned with slightly better winds with the goal of getting in 3 more races. With the higher winds the reaching legs were a blast. Doug took the first race but Bob, sailing very well, took the second. The third race started well, but some congestion at the first windward mark made for some interesting sailing. Bob got away from the mess and sailed on to a one point overall victory.
Congratulations Bob for winning his first Bayweek regatta and the Borman trophy for winning the largest one design class.
Hope next year traveling will be easier so that more of you can visit us and enjoy a little “island life”.

Greetings FWC Sailors!
 
It’s the dog days of summer, but hopefully sailing has provided you a way to get out on the water and cool off. There is still some great Wave racing to be had this year, and we hope you can join us at one or more of our remaining regattas!
 
Regatta Recaps
 
We have completed two more regional regattas since the last newsletter. The Midwest Regional was held in late June in Yankton, South Dakota, and the Emerald Coast Regional was held in early July, at Fort Walton Beach. We have posted the regatta recaps to our website. Read them here:
 
Midwest Recap - https://www.formulawaveclass.com/news/2022-midwest-regional-recap
Midwest Results - https://www.regattanetwork.com/clubmgmt/applet_regatta_results.php?regatta_id=24197
 
 
Emerald Coast Recap - https://www.formulawaveclass.com/news/2022-emerald-coast-regional-recap
Emerald Coast Results - https://nextsailor.com/docs/files/31/2022_Meigs_Open_Results1.htm#summarywave
 
Schedule
 
North Coast Regional – Put-in-Bay, OH, August 5-7
https://yachtscoring.com/emenu.cfm?eID=14993
 
Held as part of the I-LYA’s Bayweek Regatta, the North Coast Regional takes the FWC to an island on Lake Erie. Put-in-Bay earned the nickname “Key West of the North” and for good reason. The social scene is always busy, and for the non-partiers, there are wineries and other local attractions to check out. Of course, there will be three days of racing on historic waters on top of that! Haven’t visited Put-in-Bay before? Come sail with the FWC and see what the fuss is all about.
 
FWC Championship Regatta, Gulfport, FL, November 17-20
https://www.regattanetwork.com/event/24713
 
The FWC sailing season will finish with the championship in Florida! Come test your skills with the best, and race for the title of FWC Champion!
 
Other Racing Opportunities –
*Please note – these are non-FWC regattas*
 
HCANA Wave North American Championship, Shreveport, LA – October 12-16
https://www.regattanetwork.com/event/23800  
 
Pensacola Yacht Club Regatta, October 28-30, Pensacola, Florida
 
The regatta will offer a start for Waves using FWC rules.
 
 
FWC Election Year
As I have mentioned in previous communications, this year is an election year for all FWC Board positions. Our elections are open to any class member who wants to run. If you are interested in being part of FWC leadership, please take a moment to look over the board positions and consider where your talents may be best applied. If you are interested in having your name on the ballot, please send an email to formulawaveclass@gmail.com with a little information about yourself, what position you are running for, and why you feel that you will be an asset to the FWC in a leadership role. Our rules and bylaws with the position descriptions can be found here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1BTQNo_YgFl4INhsQQP0twep0h3Uo54rmjJ18RwmXvmw/edit?fbclid=IwAR3MVJGDUpfzxmJqfv_ozlE0J5ViUvwB5OJQnkElP_7b3nLa0Dc6QT0vN6Y
 
Elections will take place at a date to be determined in December. I would like to have any nominations submitted by October 15th.
 
Future Events
We are currently considering some ideas for future Wave events that might fall outside of our normal regional regattas. We will be sending you a survey and posting it on Facebook sometime in the upcoming weeks to gauge your feedback and the potential participation. Thank you in advance for taking a few short minutes to help us plan for future Wave racing!
 
Stay Connected
We have several ways for you to stay connected to the FWC! Please follow us on Facebook, or check out our website from time to time! We have started a user-driven forum that is linked from the website as well. The forum is driven completely by you!
 
Membership
 
As a reminder, membership is required for participation at our regattas. Membership is only $25, and only $10 for youth. Our referral program is still in place as well. As a reminder, here is how it works:


For any existing/current FWC member, if you refer a brand new FWC member (meaning, this person has never had an FWC membership before) you will earn $5 off next year’s membership rate, with a maximum discount of $25. This means that by referring five brand new FWC members in one calendar year, your FWC membership is FREE the following year. The membership form contains a line that says “Referred By”. Whoever you encourage to sign up and support/race with the FWC, make sure they put your name in that line for tracking purposes. Only one name will be allowed in the refer by line.
 
Please contact Wendy (wricelarson@gmail.com) with any membership questions.
 
Thank You
 
As always, thank you all for your time, support, and enthusiasm for the FWC. Our class continues to move in the right direction, and the Wave is becoming an ever popular racing boat, thanks to you!
 
Ben Wells
FWC - President