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July 28, 2020 The COVID -19 pandemic has virtually shut down the club's sailing since March. The club had four class series underway with excellent participation until the City of Palm Beach Gardens closed the lake for about 2 months in response to the Governor's emergency declaration. After opening the park, organized competitive series sailing did not resume, but some members have trickled back to the Lake to get some stick time. Some informal sailing has resumed, but is casual fun among friends and is not sanctioned by PBGMYS. Some Solings and EC-12's have been sailing while diligently remaining socially distanced. Most bring a chair and sit 10-12 apart rather than walk with their boats. Hopefully all of this will pass soon and we can get back to our series. On a lighter note, the new marks are finished and the City and neighbors love them. There was a boat that lost control and drifter across the lake to the opposite shoreline. As luck would have it, it landed in front of the person who went to the City Commission complaining about the old buoys. She and her friend were sunbathing and drinking wine by the pool and actually tried to help get the boat out of the weeds and get it sailing again. David Zahn, our new, young and handsome member went over to retrieve the boat and met them . They told him how happy they were with the new marks and how much they enjoy watching us sail! The person told David to come in to her yard anytime and also which of her neighbors who would get upset. So, all of the hard work was worth it. Jon L. February Update 2020 - DF95 One year ago this month, the DF95 class started competition as a PBGMYS class. Since then 15 members have sailed their 95s in competition. Thanks to all the skippers that have supported this new effort. After four months into the Winter Season, the top three in the club DF95 standings are: Luscomb, Wright and McMullen. Thanks, Brent, for doing the scores quickly and accurately. The fourth round of the Florida Travelers Trophy Regattas for DF95s, The Gerd Petersen Memorial, will be held at C.B. Smith Park in Pembroke Pines on Sunday March 1. I was told recently that Chuck Le Mahieu from DSNA made a presentation on a webinar about the DF95. They are seeing lots of reports about cracking around the keel area in the hull. The cracking occurs when boats are toss-launched and the keel bulb bottoms out on the lake bed, which creates a shock load into the hull. I suggest you check the water depth first and then launch more horizontally maybe with the boat slightly heeled to avoid the keel bulb contacting the lake bottom. New changes coming to the DF95 include: A revised rudder post assembly with a stainless steel insert to remove excess slop between the assembly and the rudder shaft (It already allows you to re-sleeve the original design to add your own insert). A new sheeting clip design available as a spare part or you can use any clip you want as long as it does not have a swivel. A 1 mm increase in the rudder servo opening in the servo tray to accommodate the upgrade servo. Lessons Learned: I found a crack slowly advancing across the forward end of the hatch opening from port to starboard side. As the boat sails, the keel, rudder and servos load the hull structure and that works the crack. The crack initiated in the port side forward corner hatch opening radius. The corner radius crack was the result of pushing down too hard when installing the spool on the main servo while the servo tray was attached to the hull. The crack was fixed with Super-Glue. If the crack had advanced across to the starboard side corner radius, it would have been time to get a new hull as that flange supports the forward end of the servo tray. Check your boats. See you at the Lake, Terry
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The Hav-A-Chaw Regatta is this coming Saturday Feb 8 2020 at the PBGMYS pond, Lake Catherine. Our Soling fleet will try to win the Have-A-Chaw trophy back from the St Lucie Model Boat Club. NOA predicts NE winds at 8 mph, perfect. But cool/cold in the upper 50 degree area.
The skippers meeting will be held at 9:15 with racing beginning at 9:30. The format will be odd-even. Sandy Warrick is the Race Director. John Biles is the scorekeeper assisted by Peter Burns, Ken Harman and Al Stall. We need more help as mark judges, so please volunteer. We will have cold drinks available but bring your own lunch. Entry fee is $10 cash paid at the pond. |