Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Welcome to the New Board
The 2010 GBSA Board:
President - B.J. Porter
Vice President - Kevin Coughlin
Secretary - Jeff Stevens *
Treasurer - Dave Wehr
Registrar - Maggie Elson
Trustee - Celia Cooper +
Trustee - Greg Manning *
Trustee - Sue Illerhues *
Trustee - DeLyse Shakespeare
* = New to the GBSA Board this year
+ = New voting member though not new to the board
On a personal note I am thrilled with the makeup of the board this year. We have a lot of energetic and excited people on board this year. I am looking forward to working with all of them as we head into a busy year.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
SAVE the DATE: GBSA Auction, June 5, 2010
Sunday, December 20, 2009
GBSA BowLine for the people by the people

This is long overdue, and I apologize for the delay. I had the best of intentions to do a 2009 season wrap up much earlier, and then life and work happened. It's been an especially busy season. But, everything for a reason. As I started to put together the season wrap-up Bowline, it occured to me that the print/pdf format can be limiting for photos and other fun stuff. It seemed that a blog would allow more people to access and participate. That's what GBSA is about - people, their stories, and the ability to share them with eachother. What better vehicle to allow that to happen than a blog - we hope. At least we'll give it a try.
We are also looking for a new BowLine editor(s) and bloggers. Please share your stories, photos, tips on buying and caring for boats, racing tactics, results, and whatever else you want to do here.
Matt Coughlin earns 2009 C.J. Buckley Courageous Spirit of Sailing Award
This year’s winner Matt Coughlin is pictured with his parents, Kevin and Beth (left), and CJ’s parents Carter and Lucy Buckley. Past winners are: Josh Blasbalg (2004), Tricia Sellon (2005), Paige McClatchy (2006), and Mia Cooper (2007), and Ryan Whelan (2008)
GBSA Awards Night 2009
About 300 GBSA sailors and family and friends celebrated yet another successful season back in August. Congratulations to all the award recipients and everyone who participated this year!
Note: Below are the results for the season. If you would like to add or correct something, please email greenwichbaysailingassociation@gmail.com, or add a comment here on the blog.
2009 GBSA AWARDS
C. J. Buckley Spirit of Sailing
Courageous Award
Matt Coughlin
Most Improved Beginner
Mike Walsh, Nick Hand, Andrew Willis, Ben Rosenberg, Sean Sceery, Tressa BT
Most Improved Sailing Adventures
Paige Mattos, Mary Larcom, Tristan Bella Balsamo
Most Improved Opti Beginners
Andre Bouisvert
Most Improved Opti Racer
Caroline Decessare
Most Improved 420 Racer
Mykahla Renyolds
Most Improved Laser Racer
Mia Cooper
On The Edge Award - Opti Green and 420 Intermdiates
Dan Medicci, Danielle Ellson
Best Crew Award 420 student
Oksana Goretoy
Most Improved Sailor Of The Year
Jake Ruhling, Connor D’Albora, Mia Cooper
Gordon Hagglund Award perpetual
Sportsman of The Year Racer
Marisa McCann
Sportsman of the Week
Ross Smith, Tyler Williams, Hadley Ruhling, Lexi Handy
Zach Bender, Mary August Olson, Julia Stevens, Chris Pearson
Instructor Award
Julia Stevens
Sailor of The Year Award perpetual
Norbert H Mongeon III
Coach of The Year Award
Danielle Fleet
Seamanship Award
Andrew Paliotta, DevinAlex Deneault, Chris Pearson, Will Porter, Ben Manning
2 Beginners, 2 Sailing Adventures, 1 Division I, 1 Division II
Swamp Rat Awards
Kyle Riggs, Kyle Williams, Callie Wehr, Mary Larcom, Alexis Jagmnis, Katie Macdonald, TaylorMcCann
Motor Mouth Award
Gabe Boisvert, Brendan Lada, Julia Stevens, Nick Handy, Emily Swanson, Brad Sunderland, Jamie Alstrom, Axel Olson, Daniel Porter, AJ, Dan Locke
Smile Award
Dan Medici, Mia Cooper, Hadley Ruhling, Katie Coughlin, Katie Langlais, Amelia Grumbach, Tom DeCesare
Know Knot Award
PeterBrouillard
Turtle Award
Peter Brouillard, Ben Manning, Sarah Pearson, Dan Locke, Thomas Decesare, Mitch Renyolds, Geoff Grumbach
Broken Boat
Mia Cooper
Maguire Awards
Ivan Goretaya
GBSA Racing Series Awards
Opti Race
1. Chris Shakespere
2. Hadley Mullins
3. Jake Ruhling
420
1. Erin Mullins/ Matt Coughlin
2. Michaela R/Oksana Goretaya
3. Lauren McCann/Lauren McClatchy
Lasers Radial
1. Nori Mongeon
2. Mia Cooper
3. Julia Stevens
Laser 4.7
1. Connor D’Albora
2. Talyor McCann
3. Brendan Lada
Opti Green
1. Kyle Riggs
2. Gabe Boisvert
3. Dan Medeci
2009 CJ Buckley Team Racing Regatta Breaks Records
Pictured are regatta founders and organizers (l to r): Lucy Buckley (CJ's mom), Kyle Assad, Justin Assad, Carter Buckley (CJ's dad)
Team Boss from Lake Beulah YC Wins the 2009 CJ Buckley Team Race for the Club 420 National Junior Team Race Championship.
For 2009, the Club 420 class designated the CJ Buckley Team Race as this year’s Club 420 National Junior Team Racing Championship. With 24 teams and 144 junior sailors from as far as Texas, the United States Virgin Islands, and Wisconsin, the CJ Buckley Team Race was the largest team race in the United States this year, and the second-largest team race event in the world! Regatta organizers delivered, completing 340 races over three days.
Congratulations to Team Boss, from Lake Beulah YC, Wisconsin, who won the event and are the 2009 Club 420 National Team Race Champions! Team members were Will Haeger, Ian Schappe, Chris Banholzer, Nick Clemence, George Kutschenreuter, and Ellie Banholzer.
A very special thank you to CJ’s parents, Carter and Lucy Buckley, and to the many GBSA parents who played leading roles in organization, from securing support boats and the Goddard Park venue, to handmaking 180 lunches to distribute on the water each day. Thank you to PRO and Chief Race Officer Justin Assad, his team of Tyler Baeder, Scott Millard, Alex Baittinger, Kim Murtha, Jess Langella, Melissa Monbouquette, and all the coaches who helped run 340 races in three days.
Markboat support was provided by Laser Performance representatives Alexa Schuler and Chris Souza, who were instrumental in keeping things square. Additionally, Head Scorer Kyle Assad and assistant Sol Vairavan, who worked fiendishly to keep results current and rotations coming out efficiently, especially during Tuesday’s swiss-league style format. Finally, Chief Umpire and Judge Baker Potts was joined by Joel Hanneman, Joey Mello, and Brendan Healy for on the water umpiring, and 3-minute justice protests were heard by Ted Hale, Rob Hurd, and Josh Saltmarsh.
This year’s regatta was sponsored by Doyle Sails, LaserPerformance, Harken, Annapolis Performance Sailing, Vineyard Vines, and US Sailing.
Day 1, August 3:
24 teams arrived in East Greenwich to beautiful weather and perfect team racing breeze. Two 12 team round robins were set up, and racing commenced in 5-12 knots of wind. With lunch served on the water, 66 team races were sailed in each round robin, with two teams going undefeated. A total of 132 races were completed with 9 protests resulting in 2 disqualifications.
Island Time, the team composed of sailors from the USVI, RI, TX, and NY sailed to a perfect record of 11-0 in the even numbered teams division. This team, formed just the day before at a fleet race event, consisted of Dan Eichler, Katia DaSilva, Tyler Rice, Billy Gibbons, Taylor Lutz, and Nick Galligan.
St. Georges Yachting Squadron, composed of team members attending St. George's School in Newport, RI, raced 11 solid races, going undefeated in the odds group. The 6 sailors who escaped unscathed after the first day were Pearson Potts, Caitlin Connerny, Evan Read, Sarah Peck, Kevin Martland, and Will Webster.
Day 2, August 4:
Teams were seeded into 4 leagues for modified Swiss league based on their results from Monday. With 6 teams in each league, the top two and bottom two teams could move up or move down from their league based on their win/loss record following each rotation.
League A consisted of the two undefeated teams, as well as LISOT q, and LISOT Bobsled Team, teams hailing from the LISOT racing program. They were joined by Wild Harbor, from Wild Harbor YC, and Team Boss, from Lake Beulah YC, Wisconsin.
Tabor Academy, CJ Buckley’s high school, brought two teams this year, coached by Tabor Head Coach Rob Hurd. The White Seawolves and Cardinal Seawolves were joined in League B by LISOT MOAS, Team Shibby, team Green Fleet, and team NBYC Sailors.
League C had the Wu Tang Whalers, the North Kingstown Yacht Squadron, LISOT Turfdogs, Young Dudes Older Babes (YDOB), JV Production, and Team Rubix.
League D started with the Gym Class Heroes, the Tye Dye Tigers, Wood, Saunderstown Tennis Club, Blowin’ Up Homies, and The Flying Turtles.
A round robin for each league was completed, and while the teams waited on the water, scorers Kyle Assad and Sol Vairavan tallied the scores and reseeded teams to run a second round robin before the day was done. A total of 120 races were run on Tuesday with 11 protests filed. Of those protests, 9 boats were disqualified, once again showing that sometimes it may be better to take a quick circle and keep racing than bring it to the room.
Day 3, August 5:
Based on the two round robins from the day before, teams were seeded into Gold, Silver, and Bronze fleet. After the competitor’s meeting, the 144 sailors charged off the beach for the final day of racing in a building southerly, which fluctuated from 8-15.
The gold fleet had modified umpiring, with an umpire following each race in the round robin. Joel Hanneman from LaserPerformance, URI Head Coach Joey Mello, Tufts University graduate Baker Potts, and College of Charleston graduate Brendan Healy. Umpires were able to help sailors with settling disputes on the water by flagging offending teams.
Silver and Bronze fleets also completed their round robins. Racing was tight around the course, and no team went undefeated. Principal Race Officer and Race Committee Chair Justin Assad kept the racing running, and 84 more races were completed on Wednesday.
Even with on umpires on the water, 11 protests were filed, 7 in gold fleet and 4 in silver. All four silver protests were withdrawn, and 3 boats were disqualified after the last round of racing.
Final Results:
GOLD FLEET
1st
Team BOSS
2nd
Island Time
3rd
LISOT q
St. Georges Yachting Squad
Bobsled Team
NBYC Sailors
White Seawolves
LISOT MOAS
Island Time wins the head to head tie breaker with LISOT q
NBYC Sailors win the head to head tie breaker with White Seawolves
SILVER FLEET
1st
Wild Harbor
2nd
NK Yacht Squadron
3rd
Green Fleet
Cardinal Seawolves
LISOT Turfdogs
JV Production
Gym Class Heroes
Wood
3 way tie between NK Yacht Squadron, Green Fleet, Cardinal Seawolves broken by points in championship round robin.
BRONZE FLEET
1st
Team Rubix
2nd
Wu Tang Whalers
3rd
YDOB
Tye Dye Tigers
Team Shibby
Saunderstown Tennis Club
The Flying Turtles
Blowin' Up Homies
Ties broken by head to head results