News
Last weekend, our Laser sailors descended on California Yacht Club for the annual Laser Midwinters West. The Midwinters draws sailors from across the United States and Canada. With this year's event being a qualifier for the Youth Sailing Worlds, the competition was fierce.
Sailors were greeted to large swell and winds in the 7-14 knot range throughout the three days of racing.
We are congratulating SBYSF Sailor, Caden Scheiblauer for finishing 5th overall!
On Sunday, March 31st we held our first Spring Series Regatta! After a huge success at our Winter Series, the Spring Series brought together 10+ Optis and a handful of CFJs.
Coaches Lucas and Alex ran race committee and sailed races on a beautiful Santa Barbara Spring day.
We look forward to the second Spring Series on 4/28.
PCISA Gaucho Regatta
Over the weekend of March 9-10th, our high school sailors competed locally at the PCISA Gaucho Regatta, hosted by SBYC and UCSB. We are very lucky to have one of the five major PCISA events here on our home waters. Our teams, SBHS and DPHS, were ready to take some home court advantage. March and early spring in Santa Barbara can be an interesting time for wind conditions. In fact, the day before the regatta saw wind velocities in excess of 30 knots. We were fortunate to have two beautiful days of wind and weather for the Gaucho Regatta.
Saturday brought blue spring skies and wind ranging from 9 to 16 knots. Race Committee was ready to jump at the perfect conditions. A 1100 first start signal commenced without a hitch and sailors battled it out just off the breakwall. Our sailors displayed great boatspeed and starting technique during the twelve races that were completed. SBYC’s Race Committee did a great job squeezing in races all day long. During rotations, sailors had fun on the beach at Sandspit and enjoying the amenities of SB Harbor.
On Sunday, sailors arrived to overcast skies and light wind out of the south. With a 3:30 end time, Race Committee was looking for the conditions to improve and get racing underway. Fortunately, the weather made a turn for the better and sailors were greeted to light but sailable conditions. In a southerly breeze which eventually shifted to a southwesterly wind, sailor’s finished eight more races, bringing the race count to twenty total.
At the end of the weekend, SB teams had great results! Congrats to SBHS (Caden Scheiblauer, Sydney Mendoza, Ryan Satterberg, Jon Seawards, Liam Andresen, and Cameron Scheiblauer) for finishing 5th overall of 48 teams! They were the 3rd school in the rankings. Also a shout out to DPHS’s Chris Kayda/Claire Wicker for finishing 2nd in the hyper-competitive A-Division!
We look forward to the Pacific Coast Championships in San Diego April 13-14th!
Congratulations to 29er Team Satterburg/Donaldson for placing 5th overall at the first stop of the 29er Youth Worlds Qualifiers in Miami, FL. The boys fought hard against 23 other teams vying for the Youth Worlds berth.
They were coached by SBYSF Alum, former SBYSF Program Director, and US Olympic Team Coach Willie McBride!
Their next stop is the 29er Midwinter West in Coronado.
SBYSF Winter Series #1
On January 27th, SBYSF introduced a new regatta series to our local Santa Barbara youth sailors. The SBYSF Winter Series, part of the SBYSF Seasonal Series, offers no-cost local racing to our active participants. The goal of the SBYSF Seasonal Series events is to introduce new sailors to racing without the need to travel as well as giving our veterans another day on the water. For many new racers in Optimist Green Fleet and High School JV, attending a big travel regatta can be a daunting task. With local access to racing, sailors and parents have an opportunity to experience a regatta while sleeping in their own bed!
On Sunday 1/27, sailors were greeted to a warm and sunny Santa Barbara winter day. At 1030 hours sailors met on the SBYSF Dock, rigged their boats, and awaited race time. After a brief competitors meeting with Principal Race Officer and SBYSF Director Nick Kaschak, sailors hit the water in anticipation of the day’s racing. Upon arrival to the racing venue inside SB Harbor, a light but raceable SE wind filled the course. Over 30 sailors in Green Fleet, Champ Fleet, and CFJs battled the conditions and competition to complete five races.
We had a phenomenal turnout for our first Winter Series Regatta! With over 30 sailors making the trek to the harbor. We can’t wait for the next event and to create a new staple of youth sailboat racing in Santa Barbara.
Over Christmas, I got to go to the Orange Bowl regatta in Miami. I had heaps of fun there catching up with old friends and learning a ton. I did a clinic before hand over at Key Biscayne yacht club and I learned about how to read the wind based on what clouds are doing from Mauricio and more about sail tuning and rigging from Juan Carlos. I also got to speed test against my friend Rocco Wright who finished first at British Nationals in junior fleet and Pearse Dowd who finished 6th at British Nationals in junior fleet.
When the regatta started we had one practice day and it was breeze on. We did upwind grind and then did a whole bunch of races. The wind carried through to the next day and got a little windier which made the first day of racing really hard for me. Unlike California, in Miami it was consistent wind at a strength of 18-22 kts and there were hardly any lulls. I learned the hard way that you always check your hiking strap before going out and right after I had a fairly good start in the last race, tacked out and got clear air my hiking strap broke! I also realized I have to practice a lot more bailing and sailing. That day did not go so well for me but the next day I managed to come back. The wind was quite a bit lighter starting at 10-14 kts and dropping through the day to 8. I was super happy to come back with a 5-8-8 and that boosted me from 107th to 64th and I could make gold fleet! I found it super cool that I was up there with top kids from Sweden, Mexico, Greece, Puerto Rico, Japan, ISV, and more. I think there were more countries than there were at British Nationals.
The first day of gold fleet was hard.The first race, I was in the middle-right and the wind went super hard left and the next few races it went hard right when I was on the left! I found it super tricky to get in phase and I did not have a very good first day of gold fleet. The second and final day of gold fleet and the regatta was great. The wind was 8-12 kts so right up my alley for wind. The first race I was right up in the leading triangle after a good start and I ended up getting 7th. The second race I was over on the left side tacking on shifts and when a big lefty came through I was winning the race for a bit, but unfortunately at the top mark a little righty came in and I rounded in 15th and ended coming 11th for the last race of the regatta. I was super stoked to come 33rd overall.
Overall, the regatta was great and I am glad I went. I learned a lot and I am ready for a big year of sailing. Thank you so much for the grant. Going to big events like this helps make me a better sailor.
Aston Smith
SBYSF Hot Chocolate Clinigatta #2
What: The second rendition of our learn to sail clinigatta (clinic and regatta) series! New sailors will be taught the basics of sailing under the guidance of our professional coaching staff.
When: Sunday, January 13th from 9:30-3:30 pm
Where: SBYSF Dock (located at the beginning of Marina 1 near break wall)
Who: Enthusiastic kids aged 7-11 who are interested in learning to sail! No experience necessary!
Cost: $10/sailor
Registration
Congrats to SBYSF sailors: Caden Scheiblauer and Chris Kayda for being named to the 2019 SCYYRA Race Team!
The SCYYRA Race Team is a representation of the top youth sailing talent in Southern California!
Awesome job!
A huge congratulations to SBYSF sailor, Caden Scheiblauer, for finishing 2nd at the High School Singlehanded National Championship (Cressy Trophy)!
The Cressy Trophy was fought for over two tough days of sailing in Holland, Michigan. Sailors endured temperatures in the 40's and super shifty/puffy lake sailing conditions.
Congrats Caden!
Team SB finishes up 1-2 on a tie-breaker at the Carrie #1/Goblin Regatta! Congrats to Aston Smith for taking the overall win! And to Blake Behrens who tied for the win, finishing second!
Team SB also took 6th (Oliver Stokke) and 7th (Crue Ziskind) of 45 competitors!
