Laser Fleet 413

Perfect sailing day. 8-10 knots and reallly shifty.

Perfect end of season sailing.

Well, that's a wrap on the regular season. Sailing was stormed out yesterday when lightning cells ripped across Conanicut as the first race was getting underway (thanks to Kim Hapgood for the diligent weather accounting). Fleet Captain Mike Z, tasked with RC for the day, quickly herded the fleet back to SN and after checking the radar (and the ensuing squall lines) decided that it was better for everyone to prep for the season ending Pete Milnes regatta next weekend without fried boats.

With the last day cancelled, we look back on last weekend as the last day of Frostbiting, and with it an amazingly close finish for overall honors. With throw outs counted, Mike Z and Steve Kirkpatrick were tied going into the day. Mike started slowly but got back on form to win the day to Steve's third, earning him the season championship by two points. Make sure you give him a hearty handshake when you see him.

In third overall was our master Master, Dr. Mark Bear, who logged the most race days with only two missed weekends. 4th was fleet co-captain (with Mike Z) Adrian van der Waal. Fifth was longtime fleet member Ted Hood, who generously donated a cover and dodger to SN to protect the sap who stands in the RC boat all winter. Overall results below.

https://theclubspot.com/regatta/rr5VrEXTiI/results

Next up is the season ending Pete Milnes Regatta next Saturday. We haven't gotten the website updated for entry but you can go directly to Clubspot and sign up. This is a great regatta to sail in honor of the guy who means so much to the fleet from the beginning, don't miss it. Keep in mind it's a 12:00 start. See you on the water.

https://theclubspot.com/regatta/ZRuwqmLSLy

2026 Peter Milnes Regatta 2026 Peter Milnes Regatta event details.

What a day on the water yesterday. 18 boats hit the line over the course of the day to play the very shifty southerly with the weather mark just under the shore. Kelly had her hands full zipping from weather mark to leeward gates, keeping the course as square as possible, the randomness of the puffs were enough to shuffle the leaders up and down every race though the usual cream rose to the top.

Mike Zonnenberg overcame an initial big push from returning fleet vet Dave Armitage (only his 2nd day back after many years away) who won the first two races and finished just 3 points behind the Z for the day. Steve Kirkpatrick had another solid day to take 3rd, some amusing stories about tacking right into flipping....even the best have an off day. Resident genius Mark Bear showed his Masters form for 4th for the day. Alexsei Semeniuk rounded out the podium with his best finish of the season.

Special note to the youth who get out there every week (for the most part). Norris Brookes, a St. Georges sophomore, has shown consistent improvement over the course of the season and is looking for the HS season to get into full swing. Norris was just two points ahead of Che Liu, a student at Tabor who lives to sail. Che missed the first race or his finish might have been higher, a great performance in the radial for the day. And Win Hodgson, another St. Georges sailor, had the highest youth finish of the day with a 3rd in the first race.

Scores from Sunday are here, filter to 4/12 for the results:

https://theclubspot.com/regatta/W6TL5CaOel/results

We're down to just one more day of the regular season before the Pete Milnes on April 25. Get out there next week and make sure your hiking muscles are working and that your boat is in working order. With that in mind, many sailors are finding that parts from their boats have been 'borrowed' and not returned. We understand that you might forget something and grab what's handy from a boat that 's not being used, but we don't condone it. If you have any parts that you've needed to get through he day, please return them to the boat you borrowed from or put them in the fleet dock box on the landing of the youth shed, no questions asked. We just want to get everyone out there, let's help each other out.

2025/26 Fleet 413 Frostbite Series 2025/26 Fleet 413 Frostbite Series results

Looking like a great day to get out and practice for the Pete Milnes. Filling SW breeze topping out at about 15 means a nice break in of hiking muscles over the course of the day. Only one more week in the regular season before the Milnes Memorial on the 25th. Get out, get ready. No better Laser sailing on Newport Harbor. Be there!