Sailing
Roton Point Sailing Association
This year, we want you out sailing!
Welcome to Roton Point Sailing, 2011!
Roton Point’s greatest asset is its prime waterfront location. The sailing bay is one of the best small-boat harbors on Long Island Sound, with its sandy beach protected by two breakwaters. The sailing bay shares the waterfront with the swimming bay, separated by the central jetty. This makes the spacious, sandy central jetty a prime –get the deck chairs and chill out spot.
Roton Point Sailing Association (‘RPSA’) carries on in the age-old tradition of being run by the Commodore, the Flag Officers, and the rest of the Board of Governors of RPSA. The Roton Point Club Commissioning Ceremony will be held at the flagpole in the grove at 3:00 PM on Memorial Day, when (after appropriate cannons have been fired and flags raised) Commodore Chip Romans will announce the club to be open for the 2011 season. This is a ceremony that should not be missed, especially for first-timers. Another don’t miss event will be the annual Hambone Race, open to anything that floats, on the Fourth of July.
For those who are new, and those who have forgotten, the RPSA “fleet” consists of four Sunfish, a Trac 16 catamaran, a Precision 16 dinghy, and some sit-on and sit-in kayaks. The Club also owns five Pixel sailboats reserved for the Sailing School. All of the club boats (except the Pixels) are available for member use at weekends and holidays. The procedure for any club member who would like to use a club boat is very simple check in with the Waterfront Assistant, who will be glad to assist you at getting the boat ready and onto the water. For safety’s sake you are required to wear a life jacket, and not to sail out of sight of the sailing bay, so that the Waterfront Assistant can see you at all times, and if necessary provide or summon aid.
For the summer of 2011 we plan to offer some or all of the following activities for the enjoyment of members:
- Regular weekend sailing instruction by the junior sailing instructors on a first-come-first served basis for the first five people who show up
- Junior Sailing barbecue
- Paddle board Day
- Banana ride day
- Flat top rides
- Catamaran rides
At the beginning of each summer season, RPSA ponders the same old question how do we make it easier and more attractive for more of our membership to make more use of these prime waterfront facilities? Stated differently, how do we get more people out in boats? We are not talking racing here, but rather the concept of members using our and their own boats, of parents taking their kids out in boats.
To assist us with feedback, RPSA recently emailed all the membership referring them to a brief online survey that members are asked to complete and submit back electronically.
Here’s to the summer of 2011!
It’s Regatta Time Again!
Please Click Here for the Notice of Race
Click Here for Regatta Results
Cats Nell (closer) and Patient Lady 3 leaving the beach for family fun rides
Cookout and Cat Rides Well Attended
On Sunday, July 11 2010 RPSA cordially invited Roton Pointers down to the sailing area to enjoy a cookout of burgers and dogs, and to go out on catamaran rides.
Over 70 people (adults and kids) responded to the invitation, John Cross organized the food, while Chip Romans and Charlie Janson did the cooking.
Five disparate felines lined up to offer rides, the sailors who volunteered being:
Kevin Simmons, sailing the majestic lioness PL3
Charlie Janson, sailing the sleek Miracle 20 cougar Charlie’s Angel
John Byrne, sailing the tough Hobie catamount Nell
John Burnap, sailing the sly Prindle 19 cougar
and event organizer Chip Romans, sailing the majestic Hobie Tiger Wishful.
(Thanks to Charlie for his catty descriptions)
Thanks also to anyone else not listed who also helped, including Caroline and Tom.
Pixel Guys or Pixel Chicks, Roton Point has got the fix!
Thursday, July 8 2010, is a day that will go down in memory, like D Day, the day the Berlin Wall came down, and the day when Nelson Mandela got out of jail. It’s the day that Roton Point junior sailors showed the world how Pixels should be sailed! Bruce Kirby, you should have been there!
The official race results show John “Jack” Lane and James Maguire in second place, Kyle and William Halloran in fourth.
Emma Janson and Samantha Schrenker are in seventh of this nineteen boat fleet, so seventh is in the top half of the fleet.
There were several problems with the first race, including boats over early, and boats that did not round the offset mark at the weather mark.
If we hypothetically remove the race one results from the scoring, then John and James, and Kyle and William, come first and second in the Pixel class.
Congratulations!!!!!!!!
We have a Compass Rose!
Reviving an old tradition, Mike Smith did the design, and was ably assisted by Alan Keyworth, Marty “Stay within the lines” Roth, Adam Lazarus (Waterfront Assistant) and of course Commodore Ron Borge in painting the compass rose onto the ground in front of the sailing beach. The only complaint we have had so far is that Pete Weber says he can’t read it from the water!
About RPSA
Roton Point Sailing Association (RPSA) oversees all boating activities including rules, berthing assignments, races and sailing instruction. The activities of RPSA are governed by a fifteen-member board, currently:
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RPSA was founded in 1958 by the late Tony DiMauro, who served as Commodore for a remarkable 35 years until 1993. Tony became internationally known for sponsoring the development of C-Class catamarans, which since 1961 have raced for the International Catamaran Challenge Trophy, popularly known as the “Little America’s Cup.” After Patient Lady III took the cup from Australia in 1977, Tony DiMauro led four consecutive successful defenses of the Little America’s Cup with a series of “Patient Lady” catamarans equipped with wing sails, at the very cutting edge of small-catamaran development.
RPSA has a long and proud history in promoting multihull sailing, as attested to by the collection of artifacts, trophies and newspaper articles on display at Roton Point. Membership of RPSA is automatically bestowed upon all Roton Point members.
Boating at Roton Point
Access to Long Island Sound is a primary Roton Point asset, and members are encouraged to make the most of it. There is a large fleet of privately owned catamarans, sailing dinghies, kayaks, and rowboats. In addition, several club boats are available for general membership use. Adult sailing lessons are also available.
Junior Sailing
This program is open to members’ children ages 8-18. Students learn sailboat handling skills, water safety, boat rigging and basic racing strategy aboard Optimists, Lasers and Pixels. There are morning classes for novice sailors and afternoon classes for experienced sailors. Classes are coordinated with the swim team and tennis clinics so juniors can participate in all three activities.
Racing Program
The 2011 racing season is currently being planned. Watch this space for further details. Racing will start with the Skipper’s Meeting at 11 am, and races will begin at noon. Any members who want to crew can usually find a position at the Skipper’s Meeting.
Friday Night Monohull Series
Throughout the summer, impromptu monohull races are held every Friday night beginning promptly at 6 pm.
Annual Multihull Regatta
This fall’s race will be held over the weekend of September 17/18. See above for a link to the Notice of Race.
Special Events
In addition to the normal racing program, RPSA sailors will participate once more this year in the annual Stamford Denmark Friendship Race.
Social Events
This year’s planned RPSA social events include the opening ceremony on the Memorial Day weekend, the regatta dinner, and the highlight of the sailing year, the annual awards dinner in the fall.
Revised on October 12, 2011
