LASC - Lake Arthur Sailing Club - Lake Arthur, Moraine State Park, Butler PA (Western PA)

Plan Ahead for the Transpac Race Sailing Across the Pacific
The Notice of Race has just been published for the 46th Transpac ocean sail race starting in July of 2011. At 2225 nautical miles from Southern California to Hawaii, the Transpac is not only the premiere West Coast sailboat race but also one of the longest-running sail races in the world. Boats from 30 to 100 feet, amateurs and professionals, compete in this exciting, fun race - now with no celestial navigation required! Check the <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://www.transpacrace.com">official race site</a> for the NOR or more information. And for a taste of what a recent race was like for 11 young sailors on a fast 52-footer, watch the Disney movie <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://sailing.about.com/od/resourcesforsailors/fr/MorningLightReview.htm">Morning Light</a>. <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://sailing.about.com/b/2010/03/09/plan-ahead-for-the-transpac-race-sailing-across-the-pacific.htm">Plan Ahead for the Transpac Race Sailing Across the Pacific</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://sailing.about.com/">About.com Sailing</a> on Tuesday, March 9th, 2010 at 11:58:56.<a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://sailing.about.com/b/2010/03/09/plan-ahead-for-the-transpac-race-sailing-across-the-pacific.htm">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://sailing.about.com/b/2010/03/09/plan-ahead-for-the-transpac-race-sailing-across-the-pacific.htm#gB3">Comment</a> | <a href="http://sailing.about.com/gi/pages/shareurl.htm?PG=http://sailing.about.com/b/2010/03/09/plan-ahead-for-the-transpac-race-sailing-across-the-pacific.htm&zItl=Plan Ahead for the Transpac Race Sailing Across the Pacific">Email this</a>

Racing Rules of Sailing iPhone App
<img src = "http://z.about.com/d/sailing/1/0/t/2/-/-/USRulesApp.jpg" hspace="5" align="right" width="170" height="323"> US Sailing, the organization that governs most sail racing in the US and organizes the American <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://sailing.about.com/od/typesofsailboats/ss/OlympicSailboats.htm">sailing entry in the Summer Olympics</a>, has just announced a new iPhone/iPod Touch app that both avid and casual racers will appreciate: the Racing Rules of Sailing 2009-2012. Included are all the rules plus other handy information such as images and definitions of all signal flags and detail on penalties, protests, etc. Check <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://media.ussailing.org/US_SAILING_Media_Home/Special_Events/RulesApp.htm">here</a> for more information. While I'm not sure you'd want to pull out your iPhone in a spray-wet cockpit in the heat of a race, I can see lots of other uses for this app wherever racers gather (on bar stools) and spontaneously dispute races and argue over precise rule definitions—times when you might not have your rule book handy. How cool would it be to whip out your iPhone as you say, "No, you're wrong! The exact phrasing of the overtaking rule is...." For those occasions when a written version is easier to use, check out the US Sailing <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://sailing.about.com/od/equipmentgear/tp/sailinggifts.htm">pocket-size version</a>, a perfect gift for any sailor. <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://sailing.about.com/b/2010/03/04/racing-rules-of-sailing-iphone-app.htm">Racing Rules of Sailing iPhone App</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://sailing.about.com/">About.com Sailing</a> on Thursday, March 4th, 2010 at 18:22:58.<a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://sailing.about.com/b/2010/03/04/racing-rules-of-sailing-iphone-app.htm">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://sailing.about.com/b/2010/03/04/racing-rules-of-sailing-iphone-app.htm#gB3">Comment</a> | <a href="http://sailing.about.com/gi/pages/shareurl.htm?PG=http://sailing.about.com/b/2010/03/04/racing-rules-of-sailing-iphone-app.htm&zItl=Racing Rules of Sailing iPhone App">Email this</a>

Looking Ahead to Olympic Sailing
<img src = "http://z.about.com/d/sailing/1/0/s/2/-/-/StarFleet82491048small.jpg" hspace="5" align="left" width="300" height="209"> With the <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://sailing.about.com/od/advancedsailingcruising/a/americascupoverview.htm">America's Cup</a> races behind us and sliding from excitement (or disappointment, depending on your perspective) into history, attention is turning to the sailing events in the Summer Olympics slated for England in 2012. The <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://sailingteams.ussailing.org/Teams/USSTAG10.htm">US Sailing</a> organization has just announced the American national team for the 10 Olympic sailing events. The <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://www.sailing.org">International Sailing Federation</a> made some changes in boat classes; check <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://sailing.about.com/od/typesofsailboats/ss/OlympicSailboats.htm">here</a> for photos and descriptions of the boats in the 2012 events. One of the great things about one-design sail races such as the Olympic events is that with all competitors using identical boats, it really is the sailors' skills that make the difference between winning and losing. Another great thing about the Olympics (and the many other US Sailing competitions) is that you don't have to be wealthy to participate; a kid with enthusiasm for sailing can buy his or her first Laser with summer earnings from mowing lawns and, with perseverance and skill, work hard enough to advance all the way. Contrast that with the 2010 America's Cup, where the tens of millions spent on engineering made it more a battle of different boat designs than a competition of sailors' skills, and where only two of the world's richest men could come out to play. Yeah, I'm a little cynical about staking any sense of national pride on that. But all those hard-working young and not-so-young sailors in their Lasers and Finns and 470s, bring 'em on! Let's see some real competition in some real boats the rest of us can identify with! Photo: Star class in 2008 Olympics. Paul Gilham/Getty Images. <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://sailing.about.com/b/2010/02/28/looking-ahead-to-olympic-sailing.htm">Looking Ahead to Olympic Sailing</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://sailing.about.com/">About.com Sailing</a> on Sunday, February 28th, 2010 at 19:41:50.<a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://sailing.about.com/b/2010/02/28/looking-ahead-to-olympic-sailing.htm">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://sailing.about.com/b/2010/02/28/looking-ahead-to-olympic-sailing.htm#gB3">Comment</a> | <a href="http://sailing.about.com/gi/pages/shareurl.htm?PG=http://sailing.about.com/b/2010/02/28/looking-ahead-to-olympic-sailing.htm&zItl=Looking Ahead to Olympic Sailing">Email this</a>

Boston Liveaboards
The Boston Globe recently published an interesting <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2010/02/16/local_boaters_find_crafty_way_to_live_cheaply/">article</a> about hardy souls living aboard boats through the harsh Boston winter. At the Constitution Marina, over a hundred people are living on some 70 boats. The Globe reporter pushed his own theory that the economic recession was moving people onto boats as a cheap way to live, citing the example of a professor who said he lived aboard for only $200 a month. The prof uses a space heater, has no shower, and had to deal with the boat almost sinking—but hey, it's cheap, right? Many of the liveaboards at this marina, some of whom I've met, were amused by the article. Apparently the quoted prof is subletting and not really paying the true costs of boat ownership, maintenance, dockage, utilities, etc. And most of these liveaboards had chosen to live on their boats years before the latest recession struck. As they commented frequently via their email group, it's the boating lifestyle that really motivated them, not how cheaply they could get by. But interestingly, many of the online readers' comments following the article also showed the same misconception about those who live aboard. Maybe you have to actually be a boater in order to understand? As one 7-year liveaboard wrote, "We wouldn't trade it for the world." <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://sailing.about.com/b/2010/02/23/boston-liveaboards.htm">Boston Liveaboards</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://sailing.about.com/">About.com Sailing</a> on Tuesday, February 23rd, 2010 at 13:53:17.<a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://sailing.about.com/b/2010/02/23/boston-liveaboards.htm">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://sailing.about.com/b/2010/02/23/boston-liveaboards.htm#gB3">Comment</a> | <a href="http://sailing.about.com/gi/pages/shareurl.htm?PG=http://sailing.about.com/b/2010/02/23/boston-liveaboards.htm&zItl=Boston Liveaboards">Email this</a>

The New England Boat Show
<img src = "http://z.about.com/d/sailing/1/0/g/2/-/-/NewEngBoatShowsmall.jpg" hspace="5" align="right" width="170" height="126"> The New England Boat Show opens this Saturday, February 20, at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center and runs through the 28th. With over 250 exhibitors and a full schedule of seminars everyday, as well as two weekends for the experience, sailors throughout New England should all find something to attract them to this show nextdoor to Boston Harbor. A wide range of both sail and power boats will be on the exhibition floor for boarding and inspection. A special feature this year is the "Affordability Pavilion," a showcase of boats you can own for less than $250 a month. And of course a major show like this is always the best place for those who already own a boat to see and learn about new equipment and gear. Seminars run everyday virtually all afternoon. Topics include all things boating, including using boat equipment (VHF and DSC radios, plotters, radar, safety equipment), cruising (the ICW, the Caribbean, cruising with children), buying or chartering a boat, getting your captain's license, and the basics of sailing, chart interpretation, and rules of the road. Lots of specialty boating topics are also covered in seminars, such as this one that I think sounds particularly interesting: "Suddenly Singlehanded: What Every First Mate Should Know." The boat show is also a great place to be (indoors) during the New England winter, thinking about sailing and getting ready for spring. For more information visit the <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://www.newenglandboatshow.com/">show website</a>. <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://sailing.about.com/b/2010/02/19/the-new-england-boat-show.htm">The New England Boat Show</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://sailing.about.com/">About.com Sailing</a> on Friday, February 19th, 2010 at 14:39:02.<a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://sailing.about.com/b/2010/02/19/the-new-england-boat-show.htm">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://sailing.about.com/b/2010/02/19/the-new-england-boat-show.htm#gB3">Comment</a> | <a href="http://sailing.about.com/gi/pages/shareurl.htm?PG=http://sailing.about.com/b/2010/02/19/the-new-england-boat-show.htm&zItl=The New England Boat Show">Email this</a>

USA 17 Wins America's Cup in 2nd Race
<img src = "http://z.about.com/d/sailing/1/0/A/2/-/-/BMWOracleWing.jpg" hspace="5" align="left" width="200" height="301"> Although the windward first leg of race two offered drama and a close race, once USA 17 took the lead on the lay line to the first mark, it was all speed thereafter. Alinghi benefitted from wind shifts and strategy at first and led to the lay line but had to go a way past the line to avoid tacking right in front on USA. BMW Oracle USA 17 took the lead and was 22 seconds ahead at the first mark. After hitting speeds up to 33 knots on the reach second leg, USA 17 increased its lead to 2:44 at the second mark. Then it continued a simple fast sprint to the finish, with USA winning by 5:26 after Alinghi's penalty turn at the end. All in all, it was a triumph for the high-tech wing sail of USA 17—a feat of engineering, perhaps, more than sailing. Both teams sailed superbly, but in the end the USA aerodynamic engineers won the race. You can't help but wonder what the sailors on Alinghi were thinking, with so little they could do to influence the results of differences in the boats themselves. My guess is that at least some of them were nostalgic for the good old days when match racing meant similar boats and the sailors rather than the engineers made the difference. We can only hope that in the 34th American's Cup, we get back to sailing. Photo courtesy of BMW Oracle <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://sailing.about.com/b/2010/02/14/usa-17-wins-americas-cup-in-2nd-race.htm">USA 17 Wins America's Cup in 2nd Race</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://sailing.about.com/">About.com Sailing</a> on Sunday, February 14th, 2010 at 12:44:41.<a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://sailing.about.com/b/2010/02/14/usa-17-wins-americas-cup-in-2nd-race.htm">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://sailing.about.com/b/2010/02/14/usa-17-wins-americas-cup-in-2nd-race.htm#gB3">Comment</a> | <a href="http://sailing.about.com/gi/pages/shareurl.htm?PG=http://sailing.about.com/b/2010/02/14/usa-17-wins-americas-cup-in-2nd-race.htm&zItl=USA 17 Wins America's Cup in 2nd Race">Email this</a>

America's Cup Race 1: USA 17 BMW Oracle Wins by Two Miles!
There was a lot of speed but not much drama in Friday's race 1 of the America's Cup. The competitive action mostly occurred before the start, including Alinghi making the mistake of not keeping clear and receiving a penalty. Then, 30 seconds before the start, BMW Oracle's USA 17 made its one mistake and stalled above the start line, letting Alinghi get off to a large starting lead. But thereafter it was all speed for USA 17 and not much more drama. USA 17 soon passed Alinghi upwind under the wing sail alone and was 3:21 ahead around the mark 20 miles upwind. The lead continued to increase downwind to the finish, where Alinghi lost more minutes doing the penalty turn. USA 17 won by 15:28, leading by over 3.5 kilometers. <a href =http://sailing.about.com/b/a/000251.htm>Read more...</a><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://sailing.about.com/b/2010/02/13/americas-cup-race-1-usa-17-bmw-oracle-wins-by-two-miles.htm">America's Cup Race 1: USA 17 BMW Oracle Wins by Two Miles!</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://sailing.about.com/">About.com Sailing</a> on Saturday, February 13th, 2010 at 12:55:54.<a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://sailing.about.com/b/2010/02/13/americas-cup-race-1-usa-17-bmw-oracle-wins-by-two-miles.htm">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://sailing.about.com/b/2010/02/13/americas-cup-race-1-usa-17-bmw-oracle-wins-by-two-miles.htm#gB3">Comment</a> | <a href="http://sailing.about.com/gi/pages/shareurl.htm?PG=http://sailing.about.com/b/2010/02/13/americas-cup-race-1-usa-17-bmw-oracle-wins-by-two-miles.htm&zItl=America's Cup Race 1: USA 17 BMW Oracle Wins by Two Miles!">Email this</a>

Americas Cup: Will It Happen?
The <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://sailing.about.com/od/advancedsailingcruising/a/americascupoverview.htm">America's Cup</a> race one was postponed again yesterday for the second time this week, and is now scheduled for Friday. After two tiresome years in the courts, first on Monday there was not enough wind initially, and then it blew from the wrong direction; Wednesday there was too much swell left over from Tuesday night's blow. Not to be cynical, but one wonders what could now go wrong Friday? Maybe the blue of the sea will be a shade too greenish and reflect nonphotogenically off those carbon fiber sails? <a href =http://sailing.about.com/b/a/000248.htm>Read more...</a><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://sailing.about.com/b/2010/02/11/americas-cup-will-it-happen.htm"> Americas Cup: Will It Happen?</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://sailing.about.com/">About.com Sailing</a> on Thursday, February 11th, 2010 at 12:50:07.<a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://sailing.about.com/b/2010/02/11/americas-cup-will-it-happen.htm">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://sailing.about.com/b/2010/02/11/americas-cup-will-it-happen.htm#gB3">Comment</a> | <a href="http://sailing.about.com/gi/pages/shareurl.htm?PG=http://sailing.about.com/b/2010/02/11/americas-cup-will-it-happen.htm&zItl= Americas Cup: Will It Happen?">Email this</a>

Sailing Quote of the Day
Here's a nice little goofball <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://www.abcactionnews.com/content/news/local/pinellas/south/story/Missing-boater-located-safe/Y6upABFES02IZT8RZoiFzQ.cspx">sailing story</a> to remind us of an important safety principle. A sailor recently sailed out of his Saint Petersburg marina, telling a friend he'd check in with him daily. When the friend didn't hear from him after a couple days, he alerted the Coast Guard, which began a search with a helicopter and two search vessels. Seeing the news story about the search for the missing sailor, a stranger recognized the sailor and his boat tied up at a local restaurant. The reporter drily concludes his story, "The Coast Guard reminds boaters that it is important to not only have a float plan but to also follow the plan." If not, your bill for the day may include a lot more than lunch, if you're charged for the expense of man hours and helicopter fuel! <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://sailing.about.com/b/2010/02/07/sailing-quote-of-the-day.htm">Sailing Quote of the Day</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://sailing.about.com/">About.com Sailing</a> on Sunday, February 7th, 2010 at 15:54:31.<a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://sailing.about.com/b/2010/02/07/sailing-quote-of-the-day.htm">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://sailing.about.com/b/2010/02/07/sailing-quote-of-the-day.htm#gB3">Comment</a> | <a href="http://sailing.about.com/gi/pages/shareurl.htm?PG=http://sailing.about.com/b/2010/02/07/sailing-quote-of-the-day.htm&zItl=Sailing Quote of the Day">Email this</a>

America's Cup Battle of High Tech and Big Bucks
Unless there's a last-minute legal twist or bad weather, the 33rd <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://sailing.about.com/od/advancedsailingcruising/a/americascupoverview.htm">America's Cup race</a> is slated to start in only four days on February 8. For many, the Cup races have in the past been the pinnacle of international sail racing, eagerly followed and discussed. But for many others, the legal wrangling of the last three years combined with the exorbitant expenditures on the boats, teams, and all possible technological advances have left a sour taste. At times the media coverage does make this feel less like a sailing event than the ego-sparring of two of the world's richest men, BMW Oracle's <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://sailing.about.com/od/advancedsailingcruising/a/LarryEllison.htm">Larry Ellison</a> and Alinghi's Ernesto Bertarelli. <img src = "http://z.about.com/d/sailing/1/0/c/2/-/-/alinghihydroplanesmall.jpg" hspace="5" align="right" width="170" height="113"> Still, I confess I'm looking forward to watching the event <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://sailing.about.com/b/2010/01/28/americas-cup-to-be-televised-live-on-internet.htm">via the Internet</a> despite all that. The racing itself should be very, very fast and exciting. And the sideshow footage and commentaries should be, at the very least, fascinating. Take, for example, the two little hydroplanes Alinghi is using to buzz around the race course measuring windspeed at various altitudes and water locations off Valencia. With a mast over 17 stories tall, the trimmers need to know how the windspeed differs at different points along the sail. Think of all that technology next time you're tweaking your mainsail sail in a club race! Photo courtesy Alinghi <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://sailing.about.com/b/2010/02/04/americas-cup-battle-of-high-tech-and-big-bucks.htm">America's Cup Battle of High Tech and Big Bucks</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://sailing.about.com/">About.com Sailing</a> on Thursday, February 4th, 2010 at 09:06:24.<a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://sailing.about.com/b/2010/02/04/americas-cup-battle-of-high-tech-and-big-bucks.htm">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://sailing.about.com/b/2010/02/04/americas-cup-battle-of-high-tech-and-big-bucks.htm#gB3">Comment</a> | <a href="http://sailing.about.com/gi/pages/shareurl.htm?PG=http://sailing.about.com/b/2010/02/04/americas-cup-battle-of-high-tech-and-big-bucks.htm&zItl=America's Cup Battle of High Tech and Big Bucks">Email this</a>