GC32 World Championships

Next Extreme Racing Series Regatta is this May 24-27. Officially this event will also be the first inaugural GC32 foiling catamaran World Championships. It all takes place at Riva del Garda, Italy.
Watch live on Youtube and Facebook... Extreme Racing Series... https://www.youtube.com/user/ExtremeSailingSeries
https://www.facebook.com/extremesailingseries/

UFO

The UFO will land in the Inland NW this May if all goes as planned. Then it will be shown, highlighted, demoed, and raced at the May 19th Desert Regatta near the Tri-Cities. When ordering a UFO there is about a 3 month lead time from the time you give the deposit from the time the boat will ship.

We are excited to receive out first UFO sometime this May. The alien invasion has begun, and you can be a part of it.

So here is the deal the deposit are 100% refundable until the point that production commences on the undersigned customer specific boat. Beyond that point the deposits are non-refundable. The Full UFO foiler, ready to sail boat is priced at $7600 USD, payable at any time in the process. Shipping is not included. For more info please email at funtosail@gmail.com or call/text 208-704-4454.

SuperFoiler Final

Today's (Saturday or Sunday in Australia) SuperFoiler Grand Prix racing is done and EuroFlex triumphs in winning all of the days races and the series overall. It's been a great 3 days of racing and today's final was spectacular. Tech2 (2nd) and Pavement (3rd) gave EuroFlex a run for their money, leading at times but in the end it was EuroFlex that pulled out the wins. The racing is on for next year with word there will be more teams joining.

All the racing took place in Australia but there are rumors it's going to go international. Certainly they will be very successful it they do so and we will keep you posted as it develops.

The racing was live on youtube but now watch the replay via the video supplied here. For all the info and highlights visit superfoiler.com

Fridays Racing (Saturdays racing in Australia)

TRAPSEAT NEWS

Attention Trapseat sponsors, potential sponsors, and interested parties.

For 2018 our adaptive recreational program is going to focus on our Hobie 16 Trapseat program. Trapseats which are adaptive wing seats that attach to either side of a Hobie 16 catamaran sailboat, which allows those with spinal cord injuries, etc. to sail/race on equal terms with those without any physical limitations.

Some call the Trapseats the wheelchairs of adaptive sailing due to the fact that the Trapseats are fairly economical priced (like some wheelchairs) and used Hobie 16's can be had for very little cost all over the world (like some wheelchairs), yet are also still in production (like wheelchairs), and is the most active beach cat class in the world (like wheelchair sports).

The Hobie 16 Trapseat program is progressing forward at a steadily pace. In 2017 we were able to acquire two very nice Hobie 16's to attach our Trapseats (adaptive wings seats) to. These two boats are now on a double stack trailer that allow us to transported them to any venue. We have two sets of Trapseats for these boats.

One of our goals is to put Trapseats back into production in 2018, which will allow us to grow the Trapseat program internationally. With the current decline in accessible/disAbled sailing throughout the world (a topic for another time) the Hobie 16 Trapseat is positioned to renew the sport.

There is a major difference between the previous Trapseat design, which was large and balky, and our 2018 Trapseats. Our new designed breaks down into a small size for ease of shipping to programs and/or race venues all over the world. Both the old and new Trapseats meet the weight and specs of the class rules.

The exciting news for 2018... There will be a international San Diego Trapseat regatta. Stay tuned as more info about this is coming soon.

We do need sponsors to help support our program. 2018 donations will go to the following...
1. Production of the first batch of Trapseats.
2. Some welding work on our double stack trailer.
3. New hitch for our trailer.
4. Other needs as they arise.

TO DONATE... Contact Miles Moore at funtosail@gmail.com or text 208-704-4454

Muscat Final

4 days of top notch racing ended on Sunday with team Alinghi squeaking out the top spot, but SAP Extreme (last years winner of the series) was hot on their stern. In my view the team to watch this year is Red Bull Sailing team. Check out the video here of the final day of racing or visit the extremesailingseries.com for all 4 days or racing and other info. Next stop in the series is Riva del Garda, Italy, May 24-27.

Learning to sail on Lake Pend Oreille, Idaho

Learning to sail aboard a Ranger 24 Keelboat on Lake Pend Oreille, March 3rd 2018. Wind was consistent at 9 knots and temperature 56 degrees, which was warm for this time of year. Spring is here! Want to learn to sail? Take a private lesson or take one of our regularly scheduled lessons. Learn more at Learn-to-Sail or see Lesson tab above.

Required Equipment

It seems some get confused about what safety gear is required on their small trailerable sailboats, 26 feet and under, which this article is geared. I think the confusion in part is due to safety checklists are for all boats, more specifically geared towards powerboats. In all my searching online I could not find a single small sailboat safety checklist. The good news is attached to this post I have created and attached such a safety checklist.

So let's get started and eliminate the confusion...

1 & 2. PROOF: The first items you need on your boat is your registration numbers/letters and stickers, plus your registration documentation on the boat and ID on your person. In almost every state your boat needs to be registered, and the trailer must be registered (remember to cross the safety chains when trailering, it's the law). If you live in a state such as Washington that does not require sailboats that have no motor of 16 feet and under to be registered and then you go to a state where it does, your likely to have issues with law enforcement when they see no registration numbers on your boat. My recommendation is register your boat no matter what, plus it's a plus if your boat is stolen. Like with your car you need your license plates on and with boats you need your registration numbers/letters on your hull(s). Numbers must be highly visible in block letters that are at least 3 inches high and placed nearest the bow. Validation/Registration stickers (some call them Decals or Tabs) like with cars you will get two stickers (to place on either side of the hull) to put at the end of the series of numbers/letters. Some states have invasive species stickers that are placed aft of the validation stickers. See your state laws for any differences. Boats are not required to be insured as is the case with cars.

Remember Safe Boating Certification is required in all but 4 states (for now) if operating a boat of 10 hp or greater. It's only a matter of time before the motor hp limit is removed. A little

 extra education can only be helpful so is best just to take the class and get the certification. You can get this certification online for a small fee at boat-ed.com or for free when taking it in class or during one of our beginning sailing classes. A note of caution... If you get this certification from the US Coast Guard Auxiliary some states do not recognize certifications from this organization, which is strange when it's the Coast Guard that sets the standards. California is a state that does this, who knew this would happen in CA. ;)

3. EXTINGUISHERS: Fire extinguishers are required if your boat has gas on board, and if so a B1 type is required. I recommend you get a type BII, why because it is not that much bigger and gives you a little more time to put out a fire. I actually recommend all boats carry a fire extinguisher even if not required because you never know when you will be needed to help put out a fire. Remember this article is related to sailboats 26 feet and under.

4. LJ: Life Jackets in great condition of the correct size must be available for all on board. Any child 12 years old or under while the boat is underway MUST be wearing theirs. Life jackets must be readily accessible, meaning out in the open, not stored away or stuffed in a bag, etc. All LJ's are made for certain conditions. Type III or inland waters LJ's for example are perfect for lakes but if you try to use them on the coast the Coast Guard will require you to go and buy the right ones (Type II/near shore), you may even get a ticket. My recommendation is to always use Type II's/near coastal LJ's because even big lakes can potentially have ocean like conditions. Basically all LJ's are designed to keep you afloat and some float you higher than others, the lower the number the higher the flotation. Type I and II will help keep you face up when unconscious, a big plus for anyone, particularly for those with disAbilities who can not swim, etc. Also if your boat is 16 feet or longer you must have a US Coast Guard approved type 4 throwable flotation device, such as a square like seat cushion (a seat cushion is not approved) or life ring, etc. I recommend having more than one throwable on board so if someone falls overboard you can throw a bunch in the water, basically literal the water with them so the person in the water has a choice of which one to go for. Also it makes the person in the water more visible so no other boats run the person over. State, County, and City laws vary so check first before going boating.

5. SIGNALS: Day/night Visual Distress Signals (VDS) are required on all boats operating between sunset and sunrise. To keep it simple buy a night and day pyrotechnic, if not you could get a mirror for the day and a flashlight for the night that one can use for a SOS signaling. Boats under 16 feet are not required to have distress signals because you should not be out on the water at night, however we all know things happen that could result in you being out at night, so just have a VDS on board.

6. VENTILATION: Proper ventilation is noted on all safety checklists but sailboats up to and under 26 feet in length do not have any ventilation requirements. Sailboats built with cabins and compartments where small portable gas tanks can be stored are typically built with vents, but not always so make sure you check to make sure you have proper ventilation. If you keep gas for a cooking stove and/or fuel for your outboard and put them inside your boat of course there MUST always be ventilation.

7. SOUND: One must have a sound producing device. Basically all you need is a whistle that can be heard a half mile away. You want a whistle that will work when wet, so make sure its a high quality outdoor/marine whistle. Instead of a whistle there are all types of air horns available from very small in size to large, with a mechanical or manual method to produce the sound. I recommend you put a whistle on each Like Jacket so such a sound producing device is available at all times.

8. LIGHTS: Working navigation lights must be operational on your boat if you are operating between sunset and sunrise, no exceptions. If your boat is under 16 feet all you need is a white light, such as a powerful flashlight, but if your boats theoretical hull speed is 7 knots or greater then you will need a three light navigation system (Red port light, Green Starboard light, and white stern light) no matter its length. If your boat is 16 feet or greater in length then no matter its theoretical hull speed it must have the three light navigation system. Every time you go sailing you must check and make sure your light(s) are working. One more note if you are anchoring for the night you must have a white mast light.

9. TOILET: If your boat has a toilet it must be operational, secure, and not able to discharge into the water.

10. LAWS: An important requirement is to be aware of the laws and rule of where you are sailing. For instance there can be environmentally protected areas one is not allowed to sail, or military restricted zones, or LJ requirements beyond what you have on board. So it is REQUIRED that you check and be in compliance with local, county, and state laws beyond what is required federally. Also many states have launch, moorage, and other usage fees, some of which are not available on site. If you do not pay the fee expect to get a ticket. Doing a little planning goes a long way in creating an enjoyable sailing experience.

11. CONDITIONS: The final REQUIREMENT is that the boat MUST be in overall good condition to be on the water. See attached checklist.

12. RECOMMENDED: Please see the attached documents for recommended items to have on board, such as cell phone and/or VHF radio, first aid kit, chart/map, etc.

SMALL SAILBOAT SAFETY CHECKLIST: Page 1 & 2 Jpeg pics. To convert to PDF files save the pics and then load them into following site converter... https://docupub.com/pdfconvert/

SEE Other great articles...

Buying a used sailboat link http://bit.ly/2twgubg
What to rent a sailboat link http://bit.ly/2FJ14VM