Patrick Flynn of Idaho asked for dates on the 2000 nationals and Scott Poe
responded. There's a need to make one correction to the information, and the
time is right to supply additional information.
It will be great to have the Patrick Flynn's boat "Black Aye" and his friendly crew in Long Beach, and hope the Salt Lake boats will come also. "MOF" says he is coming down from BC for sure. SF Bay and PNW people are on-board also. Now we're looking for commitments from Santa Cruz!
We've been waiting till November and the completion of an agreement with Golison, and the Sailing Center before making an official announcement of the dates and venue. Golison has already issued a press release show-casing our fleet in their one design list.
The need for everyone to have these dates now for planning purposes is
certainly understandable.
So, needing to make that flimsy excuse(!), here is a minor correction to the
dates that were given this week, and all the other "stuff" that people are
asking
So...this not a notice of race.....just an early warning (legal mumbo jumbo).
The racing is planned to be out of Alamitos Bay in Long Beach California.
Feeder regatta: Long Beach Race Week (June 16/17/18, one 1600 start race Friday nite , with one throwout in this series, in case Friday nite is bad for anyone). We can vote and arrange to have a blank start for the Olson fleet on Friday night if this is not good for everyone, will be looking for advice on this. Many folks may want to fly in on Friday after work, and evening breezes can be a handful for a short crew. This event is arranged by Long Beach YC (www.LBYC.org), with various sponsors, including a sail maker.
Nationals: Golison & Golison's Race Week. Thursday - Sunday, June 22-25. Three races each day, Thursday-Sat, and two shorter races on Sunday. (Scott missed the 3 races on Thursday). This event will be conducted by the Golison Organization (now called something, that includes a dot com)(www.Golison.com), and is often co-sponsored a by sail maker, and an auto manufacturer.
The Olson nationals racing will be mostly all, or completely all outside the Long Beach break wall (TBD). The first two days, we will have the courses to ourselves. The third and fourth days, we will have a similar situation on courses and starts as at Whidbey this year. That has not been fully worked out. And will depend on how many one design fleets show up this year. We are not the only one design fleet to have newly turned eyes on this regatta, it seems.
Information on berthing, house rentals, motels, eateries, camping, regatta entry fees etc will be forthcoming (as soon as we can start pulling lists together). Also lists of attractions, near and far. Vegas is a short drive for during the week, and mid week costs are rumored to be very cheap. Catalina is a nice mornings sail away, or take the ferry over. The Getty is near (need reservations for parking), and a longer drive will get you to the art of Hearst Castle. Disneyland, Queen Mary, Watts, etc. The Spruce Goose is rumored to be in packing crates in the Oregon prarie somewhere. (note for skippers: it is cheaper to fly home to Seattle or the Bay between events, than to provde continued meals and hotels for crew!!!).
For budgeting, Long Beach motels range from $50 up, as high as you want. (mid-range, two beds is about $68). Restaraunt costs are moderate/comparable with the rest of the country. In general, the Belmont Shores/Alamitos Bay/Seal Beach area around the yacht clubs is very user friendly for yachties---a gentrified yuppie area, with lots of night life. We're considering coupons for a crewed pub crawl up Second street one night. (the area is crew safe, racing folk look out for errants, ours slept on the sand some nights and in outdoor eatery chairs some nights--Whidbey folks will recognize the rascals). Call your sandwich orders into the Luckies (oops!) across from our berthing.
There will be parties every single night of racing That is 1,2,3....7 nights of parties to go to. New this year at Long Beach Race week were wrist bracelets, providing nightly dinners.
Our annual dinner and rules fest are planned for Thursday June 22 at the Seaport Marina Hotel ( a virtual regatta sponsor), on the grass, around the pool. With the owner's meeting in the ball room. Lots of folks stay in this motel during Golison, as the regatta is staged out of this hotel, and is across the street from our boats. (we are looking for someone/anyone to provide a formal music program (live band, Spin doctor, whatever) for the eveing. Bruce Golison has volunteered to provide the sound system.
Berthing on race weekends is planned to be right next to the Rusty Pelican restaraunt, across from the hotel. We will have our own identified berthing area, with ample auto parking. West Marine (this does not constitute advertising!), a rigging shop, a sail loft (you can't pry the name out of me), and a full service boat yard are within walking distance. We are planning on using the Sailing Center hoist for initial launch and retrieval of trailering boats (there will be a mandatory donation). Plans are being made to dry store boats at ABYC (www.abyc.org) between the two events. If you wish to stay in the water between the two weekends, divers will be all over providing services.
And...we will get a notice of race/entry form out to everyone, for Long Beach race week also. (we will be providing a mailing list to Long Beach YC and the Golison organizations, what they then do with them, the great porpoise only knows).
Folks are asking about conditions in Long Beach. Here goes my three year history, and I hope someone like Ernie Richau, or Allan Rosenburg will help out on this. Races are scheduled to start at noon, and are often delayed 15-20 minutes, waiting for the wind to build and shift (like clock work). The wind builds thru the afernoon and then gradually dies for the sail back in. You start with a #1 and the use of a #2 or #3 is often required. If a front moves thru, it can get bumpy and blowy outside. This past summer was l ight to medium, the previous two summers had more wind, with more #3 days. Foul weather gear is seldom required, and then just pants and sweater. Most of our crew just wear nylon stuff. Oh yes, bring sunblock, Sears weatherbeater SPF 2000 is pretty inexpensive. (let's see, the wind blows, it's warm, and there is sun, maybe this place has something to offer...hmmm).
Outside the break wall can be up to a 3 foot chop, if it is blowing. Inside is relatively flat.
Race committees are very good in Long Beach. There has been some discussion of the size of our leeward gate at Long Beach Race week, and I hope that has been cured.
We have picked Long Beach/Alamitos Bay for its moderate, middle of the road conditions. Not constantly heavy like LA/San Pedro, and not consistently light like Newport/Dana Point/San Diego. Long Beach was the site of the LA Olympics back in um, 90(?). When races are sailed with in the break wall, there is good specatating on the bluffs over the bay. There is usually a commercial spectator boat during Golison. You may have gathered by now that Alamitos Bay is one of my favorite places.
Let's see....if you have any questions, send them to me or to the list, and I will get them answered. As noted, there are still details and lists to work out. If you know someone not on this mailing list, please provide info to them. We intend to have this information in the fall newsletter. Take a look at the three web sites listed for additional information and maps.
And......knowing there are local differing opinions on this(!), I'll go out on a local limb and suggest that you bring a small motor to use motoring out. Your time to get to the race course will be much quicker, and will reduce the wear on your new headsail caused by short tacking thru the jetties. And if you can imagine short tacking in a narrow channel (Harbor Patrol enforced), between 100-150 motoring boats... I doubt if we will be requiring a motor, just a suggestion.
Folks, the intent of our arrangements is to give a lot of good racing to those who are traveling so far. And provide a family vacation format, whilst establishing Southern California once again as a regatta destination for the greatest little boat in the world, our OLSON 30's!
As always, write if you have questions or suggestions. We'll leave the lights on.
Dave Lampert-- Olson 30 go-fer Received on Sat Oct 23 16:47:13 1999