Fleet30 News Page

Latest News: Jay Hansen joins Fleet # 30 with his purchase of USA 1110. Jay, Bruce Kuryla and Vince Brun are racing at the Sailing World - NOOD Regatta in Annapolis.

Etchells owners time to mail in your 2006 Dues! Please send to Roland Kamens before April 7th.

Sept. 11th Races start at 12:45 to coincide with MYC PHRF race. Website up-dates on "For Sale" list and Crew List.

August 29th - Fleet Races on Sunday, 28th "finally" has 7 boats racing! While there are 12 boats registered to Fleet # 30, trying to get them on the starting line at the same time is a challenge. On the 28th there were 7 boats out to race, except the winds failed to materialize of the forecast 10 to 15 knots. There was one quick W-L race.

June 19th - five boats out on Father's Day in the winds that started at 6 knots and died, we were able to get 2 race in. A review of the racing is posted by Blake Marriner, see Results & Reviews. At the request of other Etchells owners (one from Australia), a new section has been added: Sailing Tips. One more boat has joined the Fleet # 30 group, still for sale: USA 165 . "Thanks" to Dan Parisi who did race committee on the 19th while regular RC member Roland Kamens was assisting with a Star Regatta.

June 12th, two more races in the Spring Series, this time Bruce Kuryla put two 1st place finishes in his pocket. With winds from the southwest the fleet got in a long race and a short "up & back" race. There were 6 boats out for the racing which also saw one boat sold. The Amendola boat, USA 109, has been sold. The new owner hopes to continue racing out of MYC. Last Thursday evening, the Windjammers Sailing Club race, there were 4 Etchells racing.

June 5th, first two races of the '05 Spring Series went off with John Coffey, USA 1200, putting two bullets on the scoreboard. For full results:

John Coffey, USA 1200 and Bob Gulomb - Al Karenko, USA 1179, went to the Long Island Sound Championships in Westbrook, CT over the weekend (5/14 & 15) for an "exciting" drifting regatta. The first day of the regatta was cancelled when the wind stayed light and variable (and then it got worse!). The beer kegs were tapped at 3:30, right when the 22 boat fleet arrived at the docks and the wind finally filled in. On Sunday morning the Gulomb-Karenko crew were sick and with-drew. So John Coffey, George Desrosiers and Basia Karpinska were the ones from Milford YC to sail the 5 races in winds at 5 to 8 knots. John called it a "learning experience" in making the boat go fast in a fleet of excellent sailors. *** There will be a fleet "tune-up" race on Sunday, May 22nd. *** Nick & John Amendola will be joining the MYC Fleet sailing USA 109 until they can sell it. See the USA 109 For Sale page to get the details.

- The '05 Atlantic Coast Championships NOR and Entry forms are now available. The Notice of Race - the Entry Form - Regatta site info: www.siyc.com

- 2005 MYC Etchells Sailing Instructions, click here. One (1) laminated course chart of the race area will be given to each '05 dues-paid skipper. Additional charts are available at $4.00 per copy. Order additional charts from Greg Geiger.

The '05 LIS Championship NOR & Entry form are posted. For the Long Island Sound Championships in Westbrook, CT, John Coffey sailing USA 1200 and Al Karenko, USA 1179, have entered the regatta. Greg Geiger will be on site to video-tape the event. The Duck Island YC will have a couple of spectator boats on-hand. Contact Fleet Captain Tim Keyworth if you would like to watch the races.

Skipper/owner Fleet Meeting on, Saturday, March 12th at 3 PM, meeting site is El Torero Restaurant, 1698 Boston Post Rd., Milford, CT. Agenda was sent to registered 2004 owners and is available here. John Coffey, USA 1200, has agreed to take on the duties of Fleet Race Committee Chairperson - Fleet Recorder for the 2005 season. John will record the fleet race results and keep a running standing of the results. The other detail discussed among fleet members, pre-season tune-up sailing for the May 14th & 15th Long Island Sound Championships at Duck Island YC, Westbrook, CT. For those interested in attending the LIS Champs, the fleet will conduct 5 Sundays of practice beginning on April 10th, ending on May 8th with dropping masts and packing boats to go to Westbrook. Remember that the LIS Champs is an Etchells Class "C" event, skippers must be "05 Dues paid" and all crews will be weighed, the total can't be higher than 628 lbs.

Welcome John Stoltenhoff, USA 359, as a member of Milford YC. John is doing a long-term charter of Carl Hiese's boat. He was sailing with the fleet late in the '04 season.

It's 2005 DUES time again! That's right, time to pull out the checkbook to pay the Class and Fleet dues for the coming racing season. If you are an Active skipper/boat owner, please download this page; for Associate member - "crew", use this page. Both files are in MS Word format.

On Saturday, February 5th, there will be a winter sailors pot-luck party at Milford Yacht Club. Hosted by the Star Fleet, the NOP (Notice Of Party) is at: www.mycstar.org - click on the "Menu" button to sign-up and select the choice of dish you will bring.

There should be a fleet meeting in late Feb. or early March. Standby for the meeting announcement.

- Spring 2005 Oriental Regatta is set for April 8th, 9th and 10th. The NOR will follow. The Etchells Class has determined that we will support the Oriental Etchells fleet that weekend. This is the same weekend as Charleston Race Week, however, as Charleston doesn't have an Etchells Fleet (and there is not one to be formed in the near future) the Class officers would like Etchells owners to attend the Oriental event.

- Rusty goes to the Fl. Mid-winters. For the first regatta of the Jaguar Cup series, Rusty with his crew of Bob Peterson and Chip ? received a couple of lessons in starting in a 50 boat fleet, picking the 'fast" side of the course when the bay depth is less than 15', and changing gears in the variable winds. Rusty finished with 41-38-38-(42)-41 for a 46th place. The series runs through Feb. 5th. Details on the event: www.etchellsfleet20.org

On Thursday, October 21, 2004, the Fleet sailing trophies for the season were handed out by MYC Fleet Captain Dan Kacenski. Etchells Fleet Captain Gregory Geiger, USA 989, picked up First Place Season trophy and First for the Labor Day Series. Rusty Bodden, USA 1076, had 2nd Place Season and 2nd Place for the Labor Day Series. In addition Rusty took 2nd Place for the Fournier Cup. The Fournier Cup winner was Bruce Kuryla with a crew of Joe Nesteriak, Vanessa Mark and Jamie Valleau. The Fleet presented "MVP" Crew to Jim Gregory for his service to maintaining the fleet and being a part of the team always ready to race. Our "MIP" Crew award went to Mike Cohen as the most improved member of the fleet.

John was the former owner of a J-105 "Tern", and now is the latest owner of USA 1200. Purchased over the weekend (10-16-04) from Steve Girling, John stepped the mast on Sunday morning to get in a little sailing in the afternoon winds of 20+ mph. Crewing with John was Craig Morgan and George DeRossiers. The new hull will also take on the name "Tern". John did break anything in the boat, but was a little challenged with all the "strings" found on the boat.

The First Annual Fournier Cup Regatta was won by Bruce Kuryla sailing USA 1179. In the 3 race series sailed on Sunday, October 10, 2004, Bruce had finishes of 1-1-2 over 2^nd place finisher Rusty Bodden. Rusty went 3-3-1 to tie with John Coffey who was sailing hull # 11. John went 2-2-3, losing the tie-breaker to Rusty sailing his USA 1076. Rounding out the fleet was Greg Geiger, USA 989, with 4 – 4ths.

Winds were generally from the North at 8 to 11 knots with gusts to 15 knots. All the courses were twice around, downwind finishes. PRO Doug Jones did a good job of running the 3 races with assistance from John and Anneliese Hale, Pat Velleau, Paul Velleau, and Lisa Fournier. The windward mark boat was managed by Marc Doheny, with help from Melissa Nicholson and Catherine Doheny.

The Fournier Cup counts toward the Etchells Fleet # 30 Fall Racing Series. The series continues next Sunday, October 17^th.

MYC Sailing Banquet on Thursday, October 21^st beginning at 6:30 pm. Please join the Etchells fleet members along with the other sailing fleets of MYC for the yearly awards banquet. You have a choice Prime Rib - Chicken Chardonnay - Baked Cod Provencal with salad, ice cream dessert, coffee - tea. Please RSVP by calling 877-4236, BEFORE October 17th.

Fournier Cup Regatta is set for October 10th at MYC. Read the NOR or Read the Sailing Instructions This annual Cup race is in memory of MYC Etchells Fleet Charter member Al Fournier.

Bob Hubbard is the new owner of USA 35. After sailing big boats from Branford YC, Bob joined the winter program at MYC. On the day when the winds were 18+ mph, Bob skippered, after one especially long gust when the boat just kept heading up, Bob grinning for ear-to-ear said, "I have got to get me one of these!". So the hunt for an "entry level" began, he found USA 35, owned by Bill Gladstone and Ted Boynton, the "perfect" boat, full of sails and in pretty good shape. Bob and wife, Lynne, have joined MYC.

- Racing will be each Sunday* Memorial Day to Labor Day to qualify for MYC trophies

- In order to qualify for trophies, a fleet member has to sail 50% plus 1 of the races sailed.

Organized practice sessions on Saturday afternoons – possible MYC women sailing group

Milford Yacht Club website will be inter-active about March 1^st: www.milfordyachtclub.com

4. June 12^th & 13^th – 5 races for Worlds 04 Qualifications – a NOR will be published for the event – the winner to receive the Fournier Cup (aka FC). The FC will be a perpetual trophy housed at the MYC, a “keeper” for the winner.

6. July 4^th MYC Regatta Series – July 3^rd, 4^th & 5^th – Sat., Sun., Mon..

10. Long distance – across the Sound race – scheduled for Fall Series in September

12. Monthly Fleet Socials – fleet parties at members’ homes – approved, should start in June

Sunday Sailing on Nov. 23rd: (Photos) Good turn out on Sunday with 4 boats. Winds were from the SW at 3 knots. Can you say, "drifting matches?" But this was good, as the team of Al Karenko-Bob Gulomb, turned out with their new boat USA 1179. Al, skippering, had Rusty Bodden as foredeck crew, so it was lucky for all of them the winds were really light. There were 3 new crew that joined us, Bob Hubbard, Tony Fitsch, Chris McNeil and Jen Bernhard is looking to begin racing with us. The winner of both races, Nick Amendola, Al Karenko 2nd both times. In the second race, Tony Fitsch, in the second whaler, served as the windward mark, he had all the boats round within 30 seconds. So at the finish, it was neck-and-neck between Todd Leonhard and the team of Jim Gregory-John DeFeo. Todd got 3rd by about 8 feet.

I've heard from enough people that will be in town next weekend, the Sunday after Thanksgiving, so we will race as long as the weather is not against us. Dressing in layers keeps you warm, bring the foul weather gear to stay dry. Meet at 10:00 AM at MYC to get the boats in the water, we get in several races (3 to 4) and are in at the dock about 2:30 PM to be at the bar by 3:30. Let me know that you want to sail, Greg Geiger, Fleet Captain (by e-mail) or Ph: 203.795.8651

MYC Sailing Banquet: The Etchells Fleet Awards were presented on Thursday, 10/23/03. Milford Yacht Club Fleet Captain Dan Kacenski introduced Greg Geiger to make the presentations. Geiger took the trophy for "First Spring Series; First Summer Series; First Overall". The Second Place trophy was presented to Lisa Fournier, wife of the late Al Fournier, while sailing USA 11 - "Promise". Lisa gave a moving speech on how after their return from a round the world voyage, he saw the Etchells racing at MYC and told her that he had to, "get out and race in those boats".

FOURNIER Albert "Al" Foumier, local restaurateur and sailing figure, died on Tuesday, October 14, 2003, following a brief illness. Foumier, owner of Milford's El Torero Restaurant for 33 years, was known for his love of the sea and had a long and successful competitive sailing career. Born in Amesbury, Mass., on June 21,1935, Foumier, a graduate of the University of Massachusetts, came to Connecticut in 1966 to work as a physicist at the CBS Laboratories in Stamford. Shortly thereafter, he changed career paths and joined a partnership in Westport's original Viva Zapata Restaurant. In 1970, Foumier ventured out on his own and founded El Torero Restaurant, still located on the Post Road in Milford. Fournier's ocean adventures included two single-handed transatlantic passages, one in the 1984 Observer SingleHanded Transatlantic Race aboard his converted Etchell's 22 "El Torero," and one in 1986 aboard "Airco Distributor." For that journey, he received the prestigious USYRU Seamanship Award. He was a veteran of six Bermuda I-2 Races, in three of which he earned first place honors, setting a world record in 1985 for fastest passage of a vessel 35-feet between Newport and Bermuda. At the same time, he participated in five Bermuda Races, serving as navigator aboard "Light Fantastic." In 1992, along with his wife, Lisa, he began his "journey of a lifetime," embarking on a nine-year circumnavigation aboard the couple's sloop "Sannyasi," which took them to 52 countries and 39,000 miles around the world. He and his wife received the Cruising Club of America's Circumnavigation Award in 2001. Mr. Fournier was a longtime member of the Milford Yacht Club, where he served on the board of directors, and was part of the Etchell's Sailing Fleet. He was also a member of the Lions Club and the Cruising Club of America. Mr. Foumier is survived by his wife, Lisa Cabrera Foumier of Fairfield; his three children, Roger Foumier of San Diego, Denise Fournier Zako of Norwalk, and Alix Foumier of Fullerton, Calif.; two sisters, Jacqueline Prizer of Londonderry, N.H., and Theresa Buckley of South Berwick, Maine; a brother, John Foumier of New Hampshire; a son-in-law, Matt Zako; a grandson, Zachary Zako, both of Norwalk; many dear friends as well as a host of loving and loyal employees, both past and present. Family and friends will be gathering for memories and farewells at the Smith Funeral Home, 135 Broad Street, Milford, at a wake on Friday, October 17, 2003, from 4 to 8 p.m. A funeral service will be held on Saturday at 10 a.m. at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Ocean Conservancy or UNICEF.

Send mail to gregorywed@optonline.net with questions or comments about this web site. Copyright © 2002 - 2005 Etchells Fleet 30, Milford-LIS Last modified: 11/06/06

Send mail to gregorywed@optonline.net with questions or comments about this web site.
Copyright © 2002 - 2005 Etchells Fleet 30, Milford-LIS
Last modified: 11/06/06