Dear Southern New England District J/30 sailors,

As most of you know, we are working to put together our own District Championship Regatta this year. Our goal is to maximize participation by our district members while we are also leaving the regatta open to sailors from other nearby districts. This would be a Saturday/Sunday event with a BBQ or Grill dinner available on the Saturday night. To this end, we are currently looking at two options for venue and timing. Either or Newport YC on July 21/22, or Barrington YC on July 28/29. Each venue has its logistical plusses and minuses. Also, the racing itself at either venue will be great as Newport can take us to either Halfway Rock, or outside the bay, and Barrington would have us in the vicinity of Ohio Ledge, the likely location area for the 2013 NA's.

At this time we need your help in determining which venue/date would attract the most participation.
You should know that we are anticipating that the entry fee if at Barrington would be around $75.oo per boat, and Newport would be between $75.00 and $150.00 per boat. This covers only RC and trophy costs and does not include food or drink, although sponsors may be available for some beverages. Each site would have a pay per head BBQ or Grill for dinners.

In order to make the best decision for us all, I need your input as to whether you would likely (No commitment at this time) sign up for this regatta if it were held at Newport, and then again if it were held at Barrington based on the conditions listed above. And if you could briefly tell me your reasons for each (Why, or why not) it would be very helpful.

Thanks, and hope to get our final decision out to you soon. The quicker you respond, the quicker we can make the decision.

Mark Rotsky
J/30 Southern New England District Governor

Newport. I have extra mooring right off Ann St pier available for participant. for that matter anyone who is looking to visit newport ... it might be available at no charge for J30 members with J30.

Barrington would depend on a front coming through that weekend.

I prefer Newport YC 21/22 July for the following reasons:

1. I'm selfish - it's closer to home and I don't need to travel up the bay
2. I think it will draw more people from Buzzards Bay, Marblehead and LIS since the distance for delivery is less.
3. 27/28 July conflicts the Newport Jazz festival anchor and drinkathon off Fort Adams and the EGYC Regatta

On a side note - if this J/30 OD event draws more boats than just the standard NBYA participants, it could be thought of as a regional event replacing the now defunct Larchmont NOOD. Remember the Newport NOOD in 1997 that was also the NAs???
I believe the NOOD registration fees are anywhere from $200-$500 depending on the venue. I'd have no problem if the registration fee was $150 for the race related costs on a weekend event if we could get 10 plus boats on the line.

Like Vic - I can come up with some guest moorings and possibly a slip at the Navy Marina in Newport to help out of town folks. The guest mooring would be no charge. The slip would be at transient rates that I'd have to check on.

To clarify, The Newport Jazz Fest is not an issue as 27/28 July is not an option in Newport. Only 21/22. Barrington would be 27/28 if chosen.
Mark

Actually Mark - rafting up at the Newport Jazz Festival is an opportunity for anyone in addition to the 21 / 22 July regatta option. Rhapsody should be there

Newport YC has the Solo Twin regatta on 27/28 July, thus the real reason for not being an optional regatta date in Newport.

Blue Meanie would probably be there if the regatta is on the 21/22nd-I don't think we can make the 28th. You may also get a couple of other RYC boats. Sounds like fun! I'm hoping some kind of reasonably priced mooring space can be found!

Arbella might be able to participate if regatta is held in Newport July 21, 22. The later weekend does not work for us. How about one or two others from Buzzards Bay? We would need a mooring for Fri, Sat, and Sunday nights.
Regards, Bill Saltonstall

Evelyn votes for July 21,22.

guys, guys,
why are we hearing about this only now??
wish I could be there..... 21,22

maybe make it an annual thing? so we can put it on the books for next year....

Stefan Jans
Pale Rider 519

2013 the N/A's will be July 25 thru 28th @ Barrington so there will be no regional event but we do want to make a regional a yearly event on years when the N/A's are not on Narragansett Bay

Even though I can see ohio ledge from my house, Wicked can only do it on 21/22... so we vote for Newport (sorry Charlie)

I would like to suggest that we open this up to other boats who may not be at OD level ... I plan to participate using roller and 155. And would love to compete in "mixed competition" as such with "non OD" boats.

Vic - The reason to have the regional event is to allow maximum participation for OD configured boats. Many can race PHRF without traveling. I believe you will see some wording in the NOR that encourages OD configuration for this event, but will allow some exceptions if approved by the SNE District Measurer. Stay tuned as the details are available.

I would strongly encourage the organizers to stick with a one design only format, so there is no need for any timekeeping. Nothing reveals smart strategy or superior speed so clearly as one design racing.

who said anything about handicapping???

just straight open class. anything goes. any configuration can compete.

You OD guys afraid that there is a better config?

1 mile W/L are all about crew work ...

OK how many "meals" included in sat dinner?

Roller furled Vee Jay is in.

Vic - Saturday dinner is pay as you go. Whatever Newport YC charges for their normal grill.

roger, roger. They do basically two different grills ... one for race nights to order[hamburgers, sausage, dogs, chowda], and something on Friday nights that may run into grill fish, steak, chicken ... mostly a sign up night.
Saturday is generally something else. We may perhaps want to find out what their plan is.

NYC does not have a full service restaurant ... and generally run with sign up sheets for meals which are basically set up by our "summer" contract chef. so if we estimate 20, but show up with 40 ... that may be a problem ...

recently down here in Naples at two meetings in a row, our host YC ran out of the advertised and paid for pizza; same,same the next month on the advertised and paid for burger bar.

so I thinking NYC may need some sort of estimate.

Also Sunday morning NYC has a full breakfast program which is the best breakfast deal on the water. And since we will be early to that ... no problem.

So OK ... I been checking on the regional's sat night dinner and it is looking very Providence Italian. For yous that have any relationship with "Federal Hill" where all the Italians were over the last 100 years or so ... and where I was brought up ... Angelo's Restaurant was a stella family restaurant ...

It turns out that the current decendants are in the Newport YC ... but they never catered a dinner at NYC for us NYCers.

So from what I am hearing they are going to do abundance in three of their signature dishes ... veal and peppers, meat lasgana and vegetable lasagna. with Italian bread of course ... and probably a salad of some kind. I am looking forward to it ... 60 years ago was the first time I was in their restaurant, and I have been back since ... but it will be a first for the J30 regionals. More data lata.

There is a parking lot directly in front of the NYC ... that runs 9 hours @ $1.25 an hour ... you pay at a machine and get a receipt that you leave visible in your car window.

Currently bottles of house wine are available at $14. you go upstairs to the bar and they will provide glasses and open the bottle for you ... as of today ... it had a real cork.

I've been contacted by a couple of skippers who are looking for crew for the J/30 SNE Regional Regatta on 21/22 July at Newport, RI. Please post here or send me an email if you are available and I'll put you in touch with those looking for crew.