WBSS – White Bear Sailing School

ILYA News/ PRO Updates/ Racing Rules NORs and SIs/ Social Announcements/ WBSS - White Bear Sailing School/ WBYC News

2023Registration is Open!

Need a mental escape from our dreary spring?  Start getting ready for the sailing season by completing your registration!   Registration instructions detailed below.  We’re excited for another great season of racing!

Check out the WBYC Summer Social and Racing Calendar

Lift In: May 6th at 8:00am 
We have a crane scheduled to help place lifts in the water on May 6th at 8:00am.  If you keep your boat at the club, please come help put lifts in or send a representative in your place.  Breakfast treats and coffee will be provided, feel free to stop by for some socialization.

New Fleet: Melges 15

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We are thrilled to add the Melges 15 as a new fleet at our club!  Many WBYC sailors raced their Melges 15s at Jensen Beach, Florida this winter with great results, so this will be a competitive fleet!  If you are interested in learning more, reach out to fleet representatives Tom Dresen and Ed Cox.

Registration Process:

To begin the registration process, navigate to: http://wbycsail.org/wp/member_area/
(Your “username” is your email address. If you forgot your password there is an option to have it sent to you.)

Once you are logged in, use the navigation links on the left side of the screen to: 
1)    “Edit Your Info” if you have changes in your address or other preferences. 
2)    Next, go to “Edit Your Boats” if you have any changes from last year,
3)    Go to “Registration Form” to print your form.
4)    To submit and finalize your registration, you must MAIL your printed registration form, along with payment in full AND LIABILITY WAIVER for boat owner and crew, to the address provided on the registration form. 

Registration paperwork must be postmarked 1 week prior to the first race you wish to be scored.  Late fee applied if postmarked after May 15th. 

Link to 2023 Liability Waiver (Required for all Skippers and Crews)

ILYA News/ WBSS - White Bear Sailing School/ WBYC News

Remembering Fletcher Driscoll

It is with great sadness that we share with you the news that a dear friend of the White Bear Lake sailing community, Fletcher Driscoll, passed away March 8, 2023.
 
Fletcher may be best known to many of you as the man who brought back A scow racing to White Bear Lake. In 2001, Fletcher bought his first Class A Scow. He wanted a boat big enough that his extended family of 18 could enjoy sailing together. He felt that one boat was lonely, so he purchased two more and in June of 2004 the three A-boats began racing on White Bear after more than a 70-year hiatus. Excitement for A-boat sailing spread quickly through WBYC sailors as a result of his magnificent vision and generosity. There were at times as many as ten A boats moored at his dock, making WBL the largest active A Fleet anywhere. Every Monday evening, he and his wife Bev welcomed more than 60 sailors to their property to race these sailboats, trade tales of their adventures and learn from each other. Everyone was welcome, from kids to old timers and newcomers. He built it, and we came.
 
In recognition of this spectacular effort, Fletcher was awarded the US Sailing One Design – John H. Gardiner, Jr. Trophy for Service award in 2012. Following that, in 2015, the Inland Lake Yachting Association recognized Fletcher as a Hero & Legend at the Inland Championship. He was a tireless volunteer for the association as well, serving on the ILYA Foundation Committee for the past 15 years.
 
Fletcher started sailing on White Bear Lake at 10 years old crewing on an X boat skippered by Nicky Benz, a top sailor and sister to longtime WBYC sailor and member George Benz. At the age of 12, he bought a Y boat and competed against Alex (Ordway) Bjorklund for Championship honors. He didn’t only enjoy sailing the boats, but also enjoyed building and repairing them. He built wood boats back in the 1960s and in more recent years, fostered many aspiring woodworkers at his workshop in The Barn, where numerous vintage scows were restored to their original glory.
 
Fletcher was meaningfully involved in so many aspects of community life. We are indebted to him and his wife Bev for their immense generosity and unwavering commitment to our sailing community on our beloved lake. We will miss his presence on and off the water. He will be remembered for his kind heart, love of conversation, and his dedication to the sport he loved. 
 
Fletcher

High School Sailing/ WBSS - White Bear Sailing School

Twin Cities Youth Sailing (TCYS) Sets 2018 Schedule

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Twin Cities Youth Sailing (TCYS) is a volunteer, non-profit organization of youth-sailing supporters committed to providing yacht racing for young sailors in the Twin Cities area. These volunteers are active amateur sailors representing the local sailing clubs of: Lake Minnetonka Sailing School, Wayzata Community Sailing Center, Lake Harriet Yacht Club, Minneapolis Sailing Center, Saint Croix Sailing School, and White Bear Sailing School.

TCYS racing activities coordinate with the racing classes at the local sailing schools. TCYS sponsors a series of youth sailing regattas held in the Twin Cities area during the summer. Sailors up to 15 years old race in Optimist dinghies (single-handed) while sailors up to 21 years old sail the Laser and Laser Radial (single-handed) and Club 420 (double-handed). Volunteers from the local yacht clubs and sailing schools operate TCYS. These events will give sailors the experience needed to participate at ILYA, USODA, US-Sailing, high school and college sailing events.

For more information and updates, check out the TCYS FaceBook Page. The 2018 Summer Schedule is as follows:

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High School Sailing/ WBSS - White Bear Sailing School/ WBYC News

WBSS Launches New Website

Our White Bear Sailing School (WBSS) has launched a new website with a great new look and updated information. Click Here to see all the classes available for Summer 2018.

Olivia Staruck named new Waterfront Director for 2018
This is Olivia’s fourth summer at WBSS and her first serving as the Waterfront Director. She is currently a sophomore at UW Madison where she is studying Community Nonprofit Leadership and Political Science. Outside of classes, she is a member of the Wisconsin Sailing Team where she serves on the board as the recruitment chair. Previously she was captain of the White Bear High School sailing team where she sailed for 4 years. She has experience coaching Optis, X boats, and 420s. Olivia’s experience in both high school and college sailing is a great help to her race teams. When she is not coaching you will find her sailing MCs and E boats in WBYC races. 

Olivia Staruck, WBSS Waterfront Director
Olivia Staruck, WBSS Waterfront Director
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Social Announcements/ WBSS - White Bear Sailing School/ WBYC News

Coyote – The Movie at Excelsior Dock Cinema

Wayzata Community Sailing and filmmaker Thomas Simmons will present two encore screenings of the new feature documentary movie that shares the inspiring true story of legendary sailor and Deephaven native, Mike Plant. You are welcome to attend and assist with fundraising to support Wayzata Community Sailing with their new facility.

All proceeds from the event will go to support the Mike Plant Center. Help Wayzata Community Sailing launch a legacy by helping it complete the new Mike Plant Center, to solidify lake and sailing access for all!

Coyote
November 18th at 5:30 and 7:30 PM
Excelsior Dock Cinema
26 Water Street
Excelsior, MN 55331

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ILYA News/ Regatta News/ WBSS - White Bear Sailing School/ WBYC News

Owen Harrod Takes Third at X Blue Chip!

Congratulations to Owen Harrod and crew Hank Seum (W-20) for finishing third overall at the X Blue Chip Regatta held at Cedar Lake Yacht Club, WI August 11-12, 2017. Like all Blue Chip Regattas, this regatta is by invitation only and you have to qualify for it through the following criteria:

  • Previous year’s Blue Chip winner
  • Quad Lakes Winner
  • GLSS 1st and 2nd place finishers
  • WYA Regatta 1st, 2nd, 3rd Place finishers
  • Minnesota Inter-Lake Regatta Winner
  • Oshkosh Extreme 1st and 2nd place finishers
  • ILYA Senior Championship 1st through 15th
  • ILYA Junior Championship through 5th.

Only 30 competitors are invited each year, so this regatta is truly “the best of the best” in Class X.

All 30 slots were filled in 2017 and competition was fierce. Once again Owen and Hank sailed very consistently with finishes of 7, 11, 4, 6, 5 in the five race series. Their combined score put them in a tie for second place with Nathan Hetzler (D-30) who won the tie-breaker. Chapman Peterson (I-25) won the event for the second year in a row.

In addition to Owen and Hank, two other teams from White Bear qualified this year. Matt Dresen with crew Landon Kruse (W-15) finished 24th overall and had a third place finish in race 3, and Owen Reding and crew Cole Barre finished 27th.

Congratulations to these outstanding young sailors from White Bear and kudos to their instructors and coaches at WBSS.

For more information check out the new X Boat website.

Owen Harrod (right) with crew Hank Seum (left)
Owen Harrod (right) with crew Hank Seum (left)
Team "Shake and Bake" cooking again on Cedar Lake in Wisconsin.
Team “Shake and Bake” cooking again on Cedar Lake in Wisconsin.
Final Results
Final Results

ILYA News/ Regatta News/ WBSS - White Bear Sailing School/ WBYC News

Owen Harrod Takes Second at X Inland

The 2017 ILYA Class X Championship Regatta at Delavan Lake Yacht Club is in the record books and Owen Harrod with crew Hank Seum, sailing the “Shake and Bake“, W-20, captured second place overall in the Junior Fleet. Eight races were conducted from July 26-29, 2017 for the 67 boat Junior Fleet. Class X is limited to sailors age 16 and under, and the fleet is split into two divisions with kids 14 and under sailing in the Junior Fleet.

Competition was very tight within the top few boats and Owen sailed very consistently throughout the event, continually closing on the first place boat, Meta Simon (V-213) from Pewaukee who won her first Inland event. After six races were completed, one throw out was allowed, which resulted in a tie between Owen and Meta going into the last race Saturday morning. Tensions were running high and it took five general recalls to get the final race underway!

Congratulations to Owen and Hank for sailing a great regatta! Full Results can be found online.

Owen Harrod (left) and crew Hank Seum at the 2017 ILYA Class X Championship awards ceremony.
Owen Harrod (left) and crew Hank Seum at the 2017 ILYA Class X Championship awards ceremony.
Owen Harrod (skipper) and Hank Seum (crew) showing great racing form.
Owen Harrod (skipper) and Hank Seum (crew) showing great racing form.
Past ILYA X Senior Fleet Champion and WBSS Coach Kate Cox poses with Hank (left) and Owen (right) after the regatta.
Past ILYA X Senior Fleet Champion and WBSS Coach Kate Cox poses with Hank (left) and Owen (right) after the regatta.
Shake n Bake!
Shake n Bake!

High School Sailing/ Regatta News/ Social Announcements/ WBSS - White Bear Sailing School/ WBYC News

High School Sailing Conference Regatta – May 6

We’re hosting our second 2017 High School regatta this coming Saturday, May 6, 2017.  Our HS racing coach Chad Carson has done a great job planning this event, and he has all the volunteers lined up to help run the event.
 
Now all we need is wind and a bunch of spectators to stop by, and watch our talented high school sailors in action!
 
This is a Saturday only, Conference Regatta with local sailors from around the Twin Cities area.
 
We hope to see you at WBYC on Saturday.
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High School Sailing/ WBSS - White Bear Sailing School/ WBYC News

WBSS Seeks New Director

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The White Bear Sailing School (WBSS) is looking for a full time (12 month position) Waterfront/Program Director. The Director will oversee our beautiful new facilities, our fleet of 16 420s, 12 Optis, 4 X-Boats, and an S2.59 keel boat.

The White Bear Yacht Club and White Bear Sailing School are located in the Twin Cities of St. Paul/Minneapolis, right in the heart of Scow country, with a rich racing history dating back to the 1880’s. We have thriving summer programs for children and adults, and growing Fall and Spring High School programs pulling from 5 local schools.

Job responsibilities and schedule will vary depending on the season. The summer season involves actively overseeing all aspects of a successful and safe learning environment, including managing registration (250-300 students), participants/customers (communication with students and parents), equipment, staff (approx. 10 Coaches/Instructors) and facilities. Fall and Spring High School seasons involve running after-school practices (Tues-Thurs), hosting 1-2 regattas per season (Fall and Spring), and sometimes coaching teams at regattas around the midwest. Winter (off-season) involves marketing, outreach to schools and community education, hiring staff, managing registration, social media and the WBSS website.

For more information, please contact WBSS President, Mark Dunsworth.

Regatta News/ WBSS - White Bear Sailing School/ WBYC News

2016 ILYA E Invitational Completed

Left to Right: Andy Kruse, Eddie Cox, Mark Dunsworth, Ryan Drake, Wheeler Morris, and Will Crary discuss E Scow tuning and tricks during a break at the 2016 ILYA E Invitational Regatta at Lake Mendota, WI.
Left to Right: Andy Kruse, Eddie Cox, Mark Dunsworth, Ryan Drake, Wheeler Morris, and Will Crary discuss E Scow tuning and tricks during a break at the 2016 ILYA E Invitational Regatta at Lake Mendota, WI.

The 2016 ILYA E Invitational Regatta just wrapped up at Lake Mendota in Madison Wisconsin. There were six races sailed in a wide variety of winds, culminating with two incredible races in 18-22 mph breeze on Sunday morning.  44 boats from Geneva, Delevan, Mendota, Oshkosh, Clear, Minnetonka, Pewaukee, Pine, and White Bear participated in the event sailed out of Governor Nelson State Park on Lake Mendota.  White Bear Yacht Club was represented by four boats this year – Charlie Igo’s “Nightmare” (W-9), Lee Alnes’ “Euphoria” (W-25), Wheeler Morris’ “Savanah Rose” (W-41), and Eddie Cox’s “Marvin” (W-66).

During one of the breaks while waiting for wind on Saturday, Ed Cox couldn’t help but notice how many sailors from White Bear were graduates of the White Bear Sailing School (WBSS). Former WBSS sailors at the event included Eddie Cox and Will Crary on board the W-66 who finished 7th overall, Lee Alnes, Andy Kruse, Mark Dunsworth and Kate Cox (W-25) were 15th, Wheeler Morris and Ryan Drake (W-41) were 18th, and Charlie Igo and Chad Carson on W-9 were 20th.  It was great to see a White Bear boat finishing in the top 10 in every race – our WBYC E scow program just keeps getting better and better.

Brian Porter’s “Full Throttle” team took first place in a tie-breaker with Tom Burton’s “Cygnet”. Vincent Porter, Augie Barkow and Sam Rogers rounded out the top five. Complete results are online.

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