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 [email protected]
 
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 [email protected]
 
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 [email protected] 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 [email protected]
 
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 [email protected]
 
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