DRYA Winter Seminar Series 2012
DRYA 2012 Winter Wednesday Seminar Series Overviews
Seminars start at 7PM
See DRYA Web Site for more information, updates, and potential winter weather changes
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Seminar #1 Jan 4 SAILING PURE AND SOMETIMES SIMPLE
“Sailing, Pure and Sometimes Simple” is a selection of experiences that local sailors have
enjoyed as they embrace this exciting and in some cases all-consuming sport. This first seminar
of the 2012 series will feature four speakers:
– Barb Schmid and Charlie Todd were live-aboard cruisers on their 30-foot sailboat
“Sayonara” in 17 countries over 11 years. You’ll share the adventure of their first three years,
from the whales of the St. Lawrence to the manatees in Florida; Maine, the Chesapeake, the
Great Dismal Swamp, the Intra-Coastal Waterway; locks, tides and currents, peaceful
anchorages and hurricanes.
- Stephen Hume, proprietor of Detroit Boat Works, and Susan McDonald, Archivist of the
Crescent Sloop Class Association, are anxious to share their infatuation with this historic
boat that was designed and built in Detroit and still has a spot in the Detroit racing
community since its launching in 1953 as the first full-keel fiber glass boat in the world. The
Crescent Sloop Class has competed in Detroit ever since and continues today with starts on
Saturday and Tuesday race courses.
- Tim Metcalf, a USCG captain and Rear Commodore of The Doublehanded Sailing
Association, asks: “Have you ever wondered what it would be like to sail an extended
distance with only two, or maybe even one, person on the boat? Why would you want to do
that in the first place?” This session will explore the answers to these and similar questions,
with an emphasis on encouraging the audience to get out there and do it!
- Lindsey Vickers, a home grown sailor races on MSU’s Sailing Team. She will describe her
experiences racing in dinghy competition around the country in both conference and
intersectional regattas. MSU is in the Midwest Collegiate Sailing Association, comprised of
thirty five colleges and universities.As sailors, experience what it is all about! Please join us for this free seminar which will be
hosted by the Grosse Pointe Yacht Club, 788 Lake Shore Road, Grosse Pointe Shores,
from 7:00 – 9:00 PM on January 4, 2012. The restaurant will be open ahead of time,
accepting credit cards only. Beverage service will be available. The Spinnaker restaurant will
also be available before hand for dinner and snacks. Credit cards only, please. The formal dress
code will be waived. - Seminar #2 Jan 11
MARKS & OBSTRUCTIONS RULES MADE EASY
Rule 18 (Mark-Room) of the Racing Rules of Sailing is the longest rule in the book. Many sailors
think it is the most difficult as well. You’ll leave this seminar understanding rule 18 — all of it -—
and its companions, rules 19 (Room to Pass an Obstruction) and 20 (Room to Tack at an
Obstruction). This informative and entertaining seminar will be led by Ted Everingham, an
International Judge, US SAILING-certified Umpire and Senior Judge and past chair of the US
SAILING Judges Committee. Please join us for a joint DRYA and BYC event Wednesday,
January 11, at 7:00 p.m. at Bayview Yacht Club, 100 Clairpointe, Detroit. - Seminar #3 Jan 18
ZEN AND THE ART OF ENGINE MAINTENANCE
Engine Expert Paul Lee will follow up last year’s educational and entertaining presentation with
an emphasis on needing to understand the basics to enable you to effectively trouble shoot
problems. Specific items to be discussed are: Understanding the cycles of an engine; Major
components; Understanding the fuel system; Understanding the lube oil system; Understanding
cooling and exhaust systems; Understanding the electrical system; The transmission; Engine to
prop shaft alignment; Check lists/preventative maintenance system. Join us January 18
th
at 7
PM at Great Lakes Y. C., 23900 Jefferson in St. Clair Shores - Seminar #4 Jan 25
AN EVENING AT THE PLANETARIUM: MARS, LAKE HURON AND
CELESTIAL NAVIGATIONThis very special DRYA evening will be held in the recently upgraded, state-of-the-art,
digital Wayne State University Planetarium. The planetarium uses a Spitz SciDome HD
projector to provide a spectacular full dome experience for visitors. The group will be
divided into two segments to see the special planetarium show, and to receive a primer
on celestial navigation from members of the Power Squadron. Both will be presented
twice.
The planetarium show will include a look at the dazzling winter night sky, along with
currently visible planets and a number of spectacular winter nebulae. Visitors will enjoy
the use of special diffraction glasses and be treated to a stunning multi-media
presentation on Mars. This will be followed by a tailored presentation of what it’s like be sailing on Lake Huron to racing and recreational destinations and all of the magic and
navigational information to be gleaned. The Power Squadron will provide a primer on
sextants and practical celestial navigation. The planetarium presentation is hosted by
the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Wayne State and will be presented by
Professor Jeff Conn.
This will be no charge for this evening, but “Wilson” will be passed and all donations will be
accepted. The Planetarium is located on the lower level of Old Main (corner of Cass
Avenue and W. Warren Avenue) near the main, Cass Avenue, entrance to the building.
There is signage near entrances to help direct visitors to the planetarium. There is plenty
of street and nearby (pay) lot parking. Please arrive on-time. Watch the DRYA website
and Facebook page for further information. For general information see:
http://planetarium.wayne.edu/about/index.php -
Seminar #5 Feb 1
PREPARING FOR AN AWAY REGATTA … AND HOW THAT WILL
MAKE YOU A BETTER RACER AT HOMERacers with little travel experience and those who are champions, both home and
away, will be able to learn important considerations in making one a confident and
prepared champion. Com. Burton will also discuss the very important topic of two boat
tuning, which for one-design sailors is the foundation of good boat speed. Also, DRYA
C Course tips, along with the tactics to win a regatta in the final two races will be
discussed. Bruce Burton is a Past Commodore of the Bayview Yacht Club, National and
International Etchell’s Champion, frequent lecturer on sailing topics, and is newly-elected as a Director of U.S. Sailing. This presentation is a special joint DRYA and BYC Seminar
at Bayview Y.C., 100 Clairpointe, Detroit. -
Seminar #6 Feb 8
COMMON SAILING INJURIES AND A GLIMPSE AT THE FUTURE –
TELEMEDICINE ON THE GREAT LAKESDr. Robert Welch, an avid sailor and forward looking emergency department physician from
Wayne State University, plans on reviewing and up-dating the care of many common
emergencies. But where is emergency care going? In the age of expanding communications the
delivery of medical care is changing. Telemedicine is a reality but in its infancy. What are the
futurists saying? What are the limitations? Join us on Wednesday, February 8 from 7-9 p.m.
at the Tompkins Community Center,14900 Windmill Pointe Dr., Grosse Pointe Park, home
of the Grosse Pointe Sail Club to hear the latest. -
Seminar #7 Feb 15
DEMYSTIFYING RATINGS
De-Mystifying Rating Systems” will be presented by DRYA Chief Handicapper David Spiers and
DRYA VC and Nautical Historian, David M. Coleman. The Holy Grail of any yacht rating
system is the fair and equitable leveling of the playing field for often-disparate vessels.
The first part of the presentation will be a brief historical look at the evolution of sailboat
rating systems. Professor Coleman will review the evolution of this concept from the first
‘America’s Cup’ race, through the mighty J’s. Included will be a discussion of Herreshoff’s
“Universal Rule” and the development of the alphabet classes (P, Q, R, and J) and the
Meter Classes. The parameters from these early racing systems are precedent to today’s
and their evolution will be tracked descriptively and with visuals. The majority of the
evening will briefly review the IRC, IMS, ORR and One Design handicapping systems and
usage in today’s yacht racing.
Then we will discuss in detail the PHRF System used by about 80% of the racers in the
world today, as well as who administers the databases and how consistency is
addressed. We will cover the US Sailing databases, standards and what items affect the
rating and how we address them to give fair handicaps and racing across the many
types of yachts racing today. Questions are welcome! Comments are expected. The
Detroit Yacht Club, on Belle Isle, will be our host for this seminar from 7:00 – 9:00
PM. The Starboard Haven Lounge will be open with a limited (special) menu starting at
5:30 PM. Credit cards please; formal dress code has been waived for the evening -
Seminar #8 Feb 29
LOCAL WEATHER FOR LIBERAL ARTS MAJORS
Pat Healy will build on his presentation last year, “Weather for Poets” a non-technical
explanation of why there is weather and why weather patterns look the way they do, with
another non-technical explanation of why local weather does what it does. This year’s focus will
discuss thunderstorms, lightning, lake breezes and review some of the best local weather
sources.
Pat has served as head dinghy team coach at the Naval Academy. He was the Canadian
National Sailing Coach leading the Canadians to five Olympic medals and twenty-two Pan
American medals. In 1995 he ran the Louis Vuitton Cup for the America’s Cup competition. He
has been the marketing director for the Commanders’ Weather Corporation, a private weather
forecasting company supporting boats worldwide. Pat graduated from the University of
Wisconsin with a bachelor’s degree in Meteorology. Join us on February 29, 2012, 7:00 PM at
the Great Lakes Yacht Club. 23900 Jefferson, St. Clair Shores -
Seminar #9 Mar 7
A PRACTICAL APPROACH TO REWIRING YOUR SAILBOAT
Com. Skip Gmeiner and sons Ron and Stephen will build on last year’s popular
presentation on wiring in a sailboat. This presentation will quickly review last year’s topics
(new battery-saving LED navigation lights; changes in ABYC wiring requirements; and
new ways to charge auxiliary batteries). From there they will provide practical
information for the do-it-yourselfer; how to effectively re-wire with modern innovations;
dealing with 110 VAC and 12 VDC systems, and grounding. The Gmeiners are well versed
in this topic area as their commercial venture, SPEMCO, is a large distributor of nautical
switches, indicator lights, circuit breakers and many other electromechanical items. Join
us March 7
th
at 7 PM at North Star Sail Club, 32041 South River Road, Harrison Twp. -
Seminar #10 Mar 14
SAIL MAKING FROM START TO FINISH
Sailmaking from start to finish will be an exciting and informative evening as Al Declercq and his
team of sailmakers at Doyle, Detroit, will host us at their Harrison Township loft and take the
group through the entire process from designing the sail to cutting it and then through every
assembly step.
Gluing the panels
Laminating the seams
Applying the corner reinforcements
Applying the load path fibers
Applying the Dacron corner reinforcements
Applying the edge tapes
Installing corner rings and finishing details
Measuring the completed sail.
They will have 10 sails partially completed so that they can be working on actual sails at each
stage of production. Please join us from 7-9 p.m.at Doyle, Detroit, 24227 Sorrentino Court ,
Clinton Twp, MI 48035-3237 (586) 790-7500 -
Seminar #11 Mar 21
UNDERSTANDING AND IMPROVING YACHT RESISTANCE …
AND WINNING MORE RACESThe focus of this presentation is to describe how hydrodynamic drag influences sailingyacht performance. The hydrodynamic drag is conventionally broken into several
components including wave, frictional, and induced drag. During the talk an overview of
each of the components of resistance will be given with an emphasis on the relative
importance of each component in different sailing conditions. This presentation will be
by members of the University of Michigan’s Naval Architecture Department including
Professors Steven Ceccio, Robert Beck, Kevin Maki, and Armin Troesch. Among the
faculty are several who are also seasoned sailboat racers as well as designers. Please
join us March 21
st
at 7 PM at Ford Y. C., 29500 Southpointe Road, Grosse Ile. -
Seminar #12 Mar 28
MODERN SAFETY AND SEARCH AND RESCUE TECHNIQUES AND
RELATED ELECTRONICSCoast Guard Lieutenant Justin Westmiller will speak on modern safety and search and rescue
techniques including a review of how AIS impacts our safety on the water. He will address what
to do when the helicopter is overhead and how to get the helicopter to come including
transmitting calls for help using EPIRB and DSC.
Tim Metcalf will discuss Digital Selective Calling (DSC) and the familiar red “Distress” button. In
order to take full advantage of this technology, boaters must ensure that their identity and
location are available in the event of an emergency.
The discussion will led by Tim Metcalf, a USCG licensed captain, experienced offshore sailor
and racer, and the owner of a small business that sells, integrates and installs marine navigation
electronics. Tim Metcalf is the Rear Commodore of the Double Handed Sailing Association. He
has accumulated almost 13,000 offshore sailing miles.
Please join us March 28
th
at Port Huron Y. C., 212 Quay St., Port Huron
Please note:
No Seminar Wednesday Feb 22, 2012
< Winter Break >
Seminars (8-12) resume Wednesday February 29, 2012.
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