What is a Nomar Dock Bumper?

By Kelly Granger

What is a Nomar Bumper? I found myself asking that same question about two years ago.

The Background

We had just purchased a marina. The gentleman who brokered the marina deal came to me during our first summer. He explained that he represents a company that manufactures a system to help with the efficiencies of the fuel dock. I was curious as to what they were and how the application worked. We agreed to bring in a few to look at and he gave me three as a gift. (A salesman ploy to get you hooked!)

We have 140 feet of fuel dock, so three was a big tease. I placed them on the dock for a week. The pump I installed them on was handling flow of traffic nicely. Remember the hook! Okay, here it comes, that tug and set. I soon reached out to him to equip our entire 140 feet. Now here is where the big fish gets dangled; he casually let me know that the business is for sale, with a few tidbits of info on cost, margin, etc.

By now, Ken we will call him that for the sake of things, has a fairly good understanding of me. I tend to project when my interest is peaked. Ken starts talking about patents, P & L statements and assets, which was all good. In my mind I was already thinking of the next type of bumper and additional products we could manufacture. A couple months go by and boom, now we own a bumper business.

Looking back a bit, to those tidbits; the one that hit me the most was that the original owner worked three days a week, three hours a day, and made surprisingly good money doing so. I am thinking winter project, right? The marina is slow (ya right!!!). The original owners had advertised in a couple of magazines, along with doing the Seattle Boat Show. I knew with a little more energy things would increase dramatically.

No Marring

So, what is a Nomar Bumper System? A patented design, 100% American made, dock bumper system that stands up to the harshest conditions. NO Marring; NOMAR. The unique fabric is UV protected. That is the corporate terminology behind this product, the nuts and bolts. We are a small, family-owned company that takes pride in what we do. We are excited each time the phone rings. I enjoy designing new products that make your boating adventure enjoyable. We are still small enough to take the time to get to know our customers.

So, a NOMAR Bumper System allows you to come home, layup to your slip without messing with fenders. You set your lines and go home. We have become so much more then that know. Please take a minute and look at our website, www.grangermarine.com. You can find it all there to suit your boating needs. If not call us at 253-315-1629 and we might be able to build it for you. I look forward to hearing from you. Imagine NOT having to hassle with your fenders, every time you leave or come home.

Thank You

Kelly & Cindy Granger

Texas Marine Industry Bill Passing is Great News for the Boating Industry and Texas Economy

HB 4032 caps the sales and uses tax on boats at $18,750 and makes Texas competitive with other Coastal states, like Florida.

By Rick Clapp

The recent passing of the Texas Marine Industry Bill has been approved as HB 4032. It was successfully filed and signed by Texas Govenor Abbott. The passing of this marine bill will most positively impact the Clear Lake Area and Bay Area Houston Marine Region. We will now have a strong opportunity to compete with the state of Florida and other coastal states for large yachts, sailboats, and high priced center console fishing boat sales.

“The state of Texas can now return to its place among the Nation’s leaders in yacht and boating sales, and employment related to the marine industry,” said John Preston, president of the Texas Marine Industry Coalition (TMIC) and owner of the Boater’s Directory.

This bill will take effect Sept. 1, 2019 and shall effectively make the Texas marine industry competitive with other coastal states with lower tax policies for boats. The bill sets a limit on the 6.25% sales and uses tax for all taxable recreational vessels at $18,750, effectively matching the $18,000 tax that Florida enacted in 2010. The bill contains an additional provision to allow boats for use outside of Texas to temporarily remain in the state to utilize Texas marine service companies for refit and repairs.

There is also a provision to establish a fee permit system for out-of-state registered vessels if returning to or visiting Texas waters for temporary periods of time and spend money in our coastal communities. The intent and effect of each measure of the bill is to eliminate the incentives other states have been providing for large boat buyers and keep business in Texas. The bottom line is that the boat sales tax cap and additional provisions of HB 4032 will provide more boats, more boating and more business for Texas.

The bill took a tremendous amount of time, money, effort and planning, as well as an intense lobbying effort in Austin. It was heavily supported by the members of the marine industry and local communities.

“We want to thank all our members and supporters who responded to our call for action. They wrote letters and called legislators, contributed money, and made many trips to Austin. Their efforts paid off,” said Jay Dee Jackson, Treasurer of TMIC and Sales Manager for Galati Yacht Sales. “Our well-organized grass roots effort was extremely effective and we achieved the goal we sought.”

There are so many people to thank that were instrumental in passing the bill, such as Greg and Glenda Allison, John Preston, Jay Dee Jackson, Senator Larry Taylor, Representative Greg Bonnen, Genie Morrison, Dennis Paul, Ed Thompson, Todd Hunter, and Senator Louis Kolkhorst and many other rank and file members of TMIC.

Finally we all want to thank TMIC and all the local marine service people that helped pass the Texas Marine Industry Bill as it will have a major economic impact for years to come. A celebratory party is set for Nov. 9 at Lakewood Yacht Club from 6-10 p.m. For more information call 281-474-5875.

For more bill information feel free to contact the Texas Legislative committee

John Preston 832-788-2860

John Bowen 832-226-2881

Randy Bright 713-816-2165

Jay Dee Jackson 941-720-5081

tmicolation@gmail.com

www.tmicoalition.org

South Texas Yacht Service

South Texas Yacht Service owner Mark Grinstead has close to 40 years of experience.

South Texas Yacht Service handles any and all marine issues, power or sail

By Xander Thomas

There are plenty of boat yards along the coast, and certainly in the Clear Lake Area, home to marinas and great sailing areas, but any of them offering full service seems like a thing of the past. South Texas Yacht Service is one of few places that still does just that.

“Most of the yards now are what we call contractor yards, where you got 10, 12, 15, different contractors working out if the yard,” said owner Mark Grinstead.

He says that the convenience of a full service yard like this one can be priceless to someone who doesn’t want the hassle of going through a different professional for any problem that comes up. So that you do not have to act as your own general contractor by yourself, South Texas Yacht Service can do almost anything you need, all at one time, right in one place.

“You got an electrical problem, you gotta find an electrical contractor, if you got a mechanical problem, you gotta find a mechanical contractor, you got a rigging problem, you gotta find a rigger, well we do all of those things in house,” Mark said.

It’s not just that these guys can do whatever you need them to, they are good at it.

“I’ve been doing this for almost 40 years now, and most of my staff probably average about 20 years experience,” he said, “We have an experienced staff, probably the most experienced staff of any yard on the Texas coast.”

So what this means for you, is that you talk to one person about everything, you take it to one place, you get quality service, and you won’t have different people messing with someone else’s previous work – we all know how that ends up.

“We keep our employees, we don’t have a real high turn-over rate, so our work is consistent,” Mark said.

Mark says that his love of sailing and the sea started at an early age. His family lived on a boat for a few years when he was a child, and he has been around them his whole life, so this line of work just came naturally to him. He has earned a bachelor’s degree in marine transportation and has a Coast Guard license.

He says that there is almost nothing that they can’t do for you. They even take on a few complete restoration cases a year, usually.

“We handle the whole deal,” he said, “I think we’re the only yard left on the Texas coast that’s a full service yard.”

South Texas Yacht Service is located at 1500 Marina Bay Dr. #3510 in Kemah. Visit them online at www.stysyacht.com

33rd Annual Harvest Moon Regatta

October 10-13, 2019

Prestige 460 Flybridge

Welcome aboard the 2019 Prestige 460 Flybridge, where luxury meets relaxation.

Produced in Nantes, France she boasts an abundance of space for her passengers and storage for all of their needs. Whether you are setting sail for an extended voyage or cruising around for the afternoon, this Prestige will surpass all of your desires and expectations.

This is a two stateroom, two head vessel with a comfortable salon and functional aft galley. The full beam master stateroom is complete with an en suite, window lounger, beautiful wood finishing and ample drawer and closet space. The forward stateroom offers a sliding berth option, allowing for single bed conversion.

The salon and galley offer a brilliant open-floor concept, which allows for seamless entertaining. Crisp white leather sofas adorn the salon, permitting plenty of comfortable seating. A fully efficient galley is another enticing feature of this Prestige 460. It’s unique aft placement opens up to the cockpit and transom creating an inclusive realm for family and friends onboard.

This boat also includes three docking stations for the utmost convenience, combo washer and dryer, Bose loudspeakers throughout, and a popup television in the salon, just to name a few more of her exceptional features.

On top of the well-designed and functional features of this cruiser, she also has many opulent qualities including a flybridge with a sun pad lounger, as well as bench seating surrounding a flybridge table to also carry entertaining up top. A hydraulic swim platform enhances the transom, as well as a grill and more seating. This vessel truly offers its passengers a wealth of options and enjoyment. Come by Galati Yacht Sales in Galveston to climb aboard this astonishing Prestige 460 Flybridge.

Cruisers Yachts 50 Cantius: Infinite Entertaining

SOAK UP THE SUN: Ample cockpit seating and a hydraulic swim platform makes summer days on the water a breeze.

The state-of-the-art Cruisers Yachts 50 Cantius perfectly blends luxury and function for unrivaled comfort

By Alyssa Jackson

Set sail on this 2018 50’ Cruisers Cantius that is perfect for extended-stay voyages, as well as quick day or weekend trips on the water. This one of a kind cruiser, handcrafted in the USA, is equipped with three staterooms and two heads, and plenty of space for endless entertaining. It also features easy joystick docking to ease the minds of it’s captains. With numerous lounging options, this yacht offers an abundance of comfort for your days on the water.

The master stateroom is full beam with an ensuite. It includes a luxurious and comfortable lounger and plenty of storage to bring along all of your trip’s necessities. The VIP stateroom encompasses panoramic windows for a beautiful waterfront view. The third stateroom features dual bunks for the opportunity to bring along even more family and friends. The accommodations on this vessel are abundant!

The salon’s unique open-floor concept and aft galley allows for infinite entertaining. The retractable windows create an oasis on the water by offering 360-degree ocean views. Plush seating surrounds the space to allow for plenty of relaxation and conversation. The creatively constructed galley with a retractable aft window offers an exceptional atmosphere of functionality and opens the space to create inclusivity for all onboard.

cantius salon Cruisers Yachts 50 Cantius: Infinite Entertaining

ROOM WITH A VIEW: The roomy salon and adjacent galley have everything you need to entertain family and guests.

TAKE A SEAT: The helm boasts innovative joystick and digital throttle features.

Cruise with ease with the innovative joystick controlling feature and digital throttles. Ample seating is incorporated in the cockpit for many guests, as well as a lavish bow lounge to escape reality and soak up the sun and beautiful views surrounding you. The list of amenities continues with a compact, yet efficient grill that sits within the transom, hydraulic swim-platform with convenient stairway, as well as a state-of-the-art audio system and descending blinds that transform the master stateroom into a media sanctuary. The gorgeous slate gray hull is truly picturesque as it gracefully glides along the water.

Not just known for her looks the 50 Cruisers is an efficient seaworthy vessel that will make your time on the water enjoyable while you travel to your desired destination. Cruisers Yachts reports that with the Volvo IPS 600 (435HP) at wide open throttle they reached a top speed of 32.93 knots (37.90 mph) at 2950 rpm. Best cruise came at 2500 rpm where the boat went 25.46 knots (29.30 mph), burned 42 gph for .70 statute miles per gallon, and had a calculated range of 282 statute miles at that speed.

This 50’ Cruisers Cantius is truly one of a kind. It is extremely spacious for its size and complete with many opulent amenities, bounteous accommodations and storage, and a perfect blend of comfort and extravagance for your memorable getaways. Come by Galati Yacht Sales in Galveston, Texas to take a look at the incredible Cantius.

STRETCH YOUR LEGS: Retreat to the full beam master statesroom and rest in spacious comfort after a long day of cruising.

HYC’s Mermaid Regatta

On-the-water racing action during the 2019 Mermaid Regatta held at the Houston Yacht Club. Photo by Dmitriy Yegorov

By Babs Bukowski, DPH, RN

Houston Yacht Club recently held the Mermaid Regatta – a women’s only race. HYC is the only known yacht club at this time to have a Spinnaker fleet in a women’s only regatta. The downwind leg had 17- to 19-knot winds and boat speeds of more than nine knots.

Winner: Allie Cribbs, helmswoman of S/V Pesto, a J 105, in the Spinnaker class.
Second place: Lisa Cushing driving S/V #77, J92.

Three minutes and 3 seconds separated these two racers.

Joining Allie Cribbs on the Mermaid throne winning the perpetual trophy were:

Nicole Laster, racing S/V Bad Girl, a Cal 33-2, PHRF Non-Spinnaker. She was 2 seconds ahead of her next competitor.
Nancy Welch driving, S/V Mischief, a Catalina 380, HYC Club Handicap. Nancy won same class in 2018.

In sum, there was the 1st spinnaker competition, a photo finish (NS), and repeat winner (Club Handicap)… MER-mazing!

More than 100 women were on-the-water representing at least 12 local, national, and international sailing/yacht clubs. Sailors traveled from Michigan, New Jersey, Illinois, Louisiana, Florida, Virginia, Alabama, and Mississippi.

Following is a list of six upcoming women’s races for 2019:

May 11, the off-shore Mermaid division of HYC’s Offshore Regatta
June 1, GBCA’s in-shore Women’s Regatta
June 15, HYC’s in-shore Catherine Spiller Race
June 16, HYC’s in-shore Fairfax Moody Race
Sept. 28, TASS’ in-shore Carol Becker Race
Oct 10-13 LYC’s off-shore Harvest Moon Regatta’s, Luna Trophy

Judy Olsen’s Boat Décor LLC Covers All Your Boat’s Needs

Before and after

By Xander Thomas

The Clear Lake Area is one of the largest boating centers in the U.S. With the number of crafts that take to our waters most of the year, given our lengthy warm season, someone must tackle the task of helping maintain these boats. Judy Olsen’s Boat Décor LLC is exactly the kind of place that can help these captains-at-their-own-leisure with all things canvas and upholstery for their boats.

“This line of work is definitely challenging but it is very rewarding to see the final product and that my customer is happy.” Olsen said, “We take pride in our work and provide excellent customer service.”

Judy has been in business for eight years, but she has been working with her mother as a seamstress since she was 15, and using a sewing machine since she was five-years-old. She has experience with all different sorts of items and even used to make wedding dresses.

“I could not make any money making the dresses, I had maybe two orders” she said, “They were both very happy, but you cannot compete with China.”

Olsen’s current location opened in the summer of 2018. She moved to this specific building because before her, it was another canvas shop and was already set up in a good way for her business. That made it easier to open shop right away, as there were already cutting tables and other items set up usefully for sewing. But getting her business set up in the exact spot that she wanted proved to be no easy task.

“As soon as I found out that they moved, I immediately called to get this spot, and was told that it had already been leased,” she said.

Business continued and Olsen secured a different location. Days later, she got a call that the deal on her preferred location had fallen through! Luckily enough, she was let out of her lease without a fee, and was able to move into the space that was already partially set up for her work.

She starting selling out of what used to be called “Sundowner Canvas” and that has helped her business.

“Sometimes people call the owners of Sundowner, and they say go to Judy, she does good work, she will take care of you,” Olsen said.

Before attaining a place to open business, Judy worked out of her own house, but that was not ideal.

“There was stuff everywhere. I only really had the master bedroom and kitchen for myself.”

She had a four-bedroom home at the time. She was even having to cut materials out on the driveway.

Olsen does mostly work for boats, but she will make custom canvas pieces and even re-upholster regular furniture, if that is what the customer wants. She makes her own custom pattern for every item she does.

Boat Décor LLC crafts screens, furniture upholstery, custom covers for any part of the boat imaginable and bedding, such as sheets, pillows and even high-quality mattresses. They use top of the line marine products such as sunbrella, stamoid, strataglass, tenara thread, dot stainless steel snaps, and more.

A full list of the services Judy Olsen offers can be found at www.BoatDecorLLC.com. Call 281-928-8548 to chat about your boat or visit her at 900 Anders Lane Suite 11 in Kemah.

WYC Charity Regatta Benefiting Sailing Angels

Waterford Yacht Club will be hosting its Fifth Annual Regatta Charity benefiting the Sailing Angels Foundation on Saturday Oct. 20. This event will provide an exciting opportunity for Galveston Bay sailors to enjoy an afternoon of fun and competitive sailing. All proceeds go directly to the Sailing Angels Foundation.

The regatta will be held in Galveston Bay with the post-race activities being hosted at Sundance Grill II at 6 p.m./ Waterford Harbor Marina, 800 Mariner’s Drive, Kemah, TX 77565. Cost for the regatta is $110 per sailboat entry. Dinner tickets are $25 per person. Race participants will receive one dinner ticket, one skippers shirt and a great skippers bag of goodies if registered by the Oct. 11 deadline. Additional dinner tickets can be purchased for $25 through www.waterfordyc.com. The post-regatta event will feature dinner, music, awards, and a silent auction to support Sailing Angels. The skippers meeting will be held at Sundance Grill on Friday, Oct. 12 at 7 p.m. For tickets and additional information visit www.waterfordyc.com.

The race course will consist of a 9.62 nautical mile course in Galveston Bay outside of the Kemah channel bounded by Redfish Island, the Houston Ship Channel and Red Bluff Point. There will be both a Spinnaker and Non-Spinnaker Class. This event is open to area yacht clubs, sailing clubs, and sailors. The Sailing Angels Foundation is a 501(c) (3) non-profit charitable organization, based in the Greater Houston area. Sailing angels provides boating excursions, free of charge, to children with cognitive, physical or emotional needs and / or chronic illnesses as an opportunity for educational and recreational therapy. Also invited by the foundation are wounded warriors and military veterans. These special participants are encouraged to crew on the boat to the best of their abilities. Family members are encouraged to join in the experience. The Foundation relies on volunteers who donate their time and boats. All financing for Sailing Angels is raised through charitable donations throughout the year. More information can be found at www.sailingangels.org.

The Waterford Yacht Club Board and members encourage the Galveston Bay boating community to come together, support this wonderful charity, and enjoy a great sailing event!

Don’t Let Your Sails Get Burned

By Quantum Sails

Nobody likes getting sunburned, and neither do your sails. What happens when the sun burns your sails?

If not properly protected, sunburned sails can tear while in use, stranding you and your family. Ultraviolet (UV) covers can help protect your sails and your sailing season. Even seasonal UV exposure in the Northern latitudes can cause serious problems in a short amount of time. Quantum Sails Pacific Loft Service Manager Emre Kalaycioglu has a lot of experience helping customers. Here are his tips.

WHY ARE UV COVERS IMPORTANT?

If you have a furling genoa or mainsail, you probably keep it on your rig for an extended period of time. However, the elements – especially the sun – are harmful to your sails. Over the years, the sun will begin to burn out the sail’s leech, and sunburn will appear on the sail. These sunburned areas weaken over time. While sailing, stress on the sails can cause the threads to break in the weaker areas. A proper UV cover can protect your investment from the damaging UV rays of the sun.

HOW DO I TAKE CARE OF THE UV COVER?

A common misconception is that when a UV cover is installed it will last forever, but the sail cover actually needs to be maintained to last.

Something that most people overlook about their UV covers is how often they need to be re-stitched in order to last. While the UV cover can last anywhere from 4-8 seasons – depending greatly on exposure and maintenance – the thread may only last about half the lifespan of the cover, as it degrades faster than the cover itself. Bringing your sails into your local Quantum Sails loft to have the covers re-stitched will increase the lifespan of your UV covers and ultimately your sails.

Another common mistake most sailors make is keeping their sails hoisted on the boat for an extended period of time. It’s important to drop your sails and, whenever possible, keep them in a cool, dry place between sailing trips. To prevent the UV cover from deteriorating, wash your sails with fresh, clean water on a regular basis, then let them dry completely before refurling (washing and drying is very important for your sails, especially after a rainy season).

When leaving the boat, take extra caution to make sure your sails are set and won’t come loose with any strong winds. An extra sail tie could help prevent your sails from flogging, which will protect your sails and UV cover from extra wear and tear.

WHEN IS IT TIME TO SERVICE?

UV covers degrade with UV exposure and use. While a UV cover in New England may last anywhere from 6-8 seasons, that same cover in the Caribbean may only last 3-4 seasons.

It’s important to check over your sails at the beginning and end of every season. See if there are any chafed or damaged areas on your sail and UV cover. Be sure to check the side of the sail opposite the UV cover. If you see any color change on that side, it’s time to replace the UV cover as soon as possible, as the discoloration means the current UV cover has expired and is no longer protecting your sail against the sun. Delaying that replacement can cause extensive damage to the sail.

WHAT MATERIALS DO YOU SUGGEST FOR A UV COVER?

At Quantum Sails, we recommend Sunbrella UV Cover fabric. Our sewing machine thread we generally use is 138 Dabond thread for sewing UV covers – it’s thicker than what our competitors use, and thus lasts a little bit longer. We can also use UV stable thread, such as Tenara or SolarFix thread, but it’s considerably more expensive, so may not always be the best option.

For more great sailing tips and tricks or to learn about Quantum Sails, visit www.QuantumSails.com.

Fighting the Good Fight Against Sail Stretch

Stretch is an unfortunate reality of woven sails. Quantum’s David Flynn takes a deeper dive on the topic and explains why it’s a problem, how it happens, and how to fight it.

The number one enemy of woven sail performance is stretch. Of course, the definition of performance may vary for cruising sailors, but performance is really more about control over heel and weather helm and optimizing upwind angles and less about boat speed (though that is not a bad thing). Performance is also very much about the functionality of the systems you rely on to make sailing easier–the furling system for your headsail or the in-mast or in-boom system for your mainsail. Stretched sails threaten the functionality of all these systems and ultimately your sailing experience.

WHAT STRETCH DOES TO PERFORMANCE

If your sails stretch and the shape becomes fuller as the breeze builds, all sorts of bad things happen. When sails are too full, they become harder to trim and will cause you to heel more than you should or want to, and the boat becomes difficult to control. Balance is lost and you get more weather helm, causing you to have to fight the helm.

Bad sail shape also compromises your ability to sail upwind. Full, bloated sail shapes are a particular liability if your destination happens to lie to weather.

Stretched sails can cause issues with your sail handling systems. I challenge you to find a cruising boat that doesn’t use at least a headsail furling system and depend on one sail to be big and powerful in light air, but flat and small in heavy air. Nowhere is there a better case for less stretch. Have you ever had an in-mast furling system jam up as the sail bunched and creased, making it impossible to roll in or out? The culprit was probably stretch. In-mast sails must remain flat and smooth or they won’t roll up properly in the small cavity provided. In-boom systems also have a small space in which to stuff a lot of sail. They rely on precise boom-and-batten angles to get everything to line up and fit in. If the leech stretches and the angles change, the system doesn’t work.

Think about the wasted effort of pulling on the furling line when your sail is stretched. The sail has to stop stretching before anything moves. Everything works better with less stretch. (Think about that for control lines as well). In the end, the functionality of all furling systems is compromised by stretch.

WHY WOVEN SAILS STRETCH

If you look closely at your woven sail material, you will notice hundreds of small, woven fibers. The fibers go over and under the fibers running in the opposite direction. This distortion is called crimp. When the sail is put under load, the fibers have to straighten out or stretch before they can begin to bear load.

Since stretch is a function of load, the bigger the boat the higher the loads, and the more difficult it becomes to maintain flat, clean shapes–especially over the life of the sail. There are very few woven sails built for boats over 70 feet today. The loads make composites the only reasonable option.

HOW TO BATTLE STRETCH

The good news is you can combat stretch; the bad news is that it is a never-ending battle. Every time you hoist a brand new woven sail, it will stretch. The more load you carry, the more it will stretch. The way to prevent your sails from becoming too stretched is to monitor their sail shape with photos, and work with your sailmaker to have the sail periodically recut. As long as the sail material is in good condition, a sailmaker can remove the excess fabric and bring it back to approximately 90 percent of its original shape.

If you’re in the market for new sails, composite–or membrane–sails are an excellent choice for cruisers. They are more costly upfront, but they resist stretch much better than woven materials as they are made with unwoven, bigger fibers. These fibers are protected with classic woven polyester (called taffeta in the trade) exterior skins. These lightweight outer layers protect against chafe, wear, and UV damage. There is usually a layer of polyester film inside, too. The film is equally strong in all directions, so it can help support the off thread line, or bias loads.

Whether you opt for a modern composite sail or stick with the trusty woven variety, following sail care best practices is always important. Here are some tips to help battle stretch and keep your sails lasting as long as possible:

Protect your sails from unnecessary exposure to sunlight and heat. The sun might not stretch your sail, but UV rays are a sail’s nemesis and can burn the material, rendering it unusable and disqualified for a recut when the time comes.
Avoid prolonged luffing and flogging. Flogging must be avoided since it will shake out the resin that holds the weave together.
Motor with your sails down unless they can be filled.
Never back a genoa against the spreaders when tacking.
Use the correct halyard tension. Halyard tension changes as a function of apparent wind velocity. Add just enough tension to remove horizontal wrinkles as the apparent wind increases. Ease when the apparent wind velocity drops.
Protect from chafe. Make sure spreader and chafe patches are in the right place.
Take sails off the boat when it is out of the water or not in use or for any extended period of time.
Periodically rinse sail with fresh water. Annual professional servicing and washing is recommended.
Store sails dry. Be sure roller furling sails are well secured when leaving the boat.

As your sailmaker, we’re here to help you fight the battle against stretch and make sure you get the most out of your investment. We are always a phone call away to arm you with information and help guide you to the best solutions.

Contact Quantum Sails Gulf Coast at gulfcoast@quantumsails.com or 281-474-4168 to learn more about how to combat sail stretch. You can also visit QuantumSails.com for more great tips and tricks to help you meet all of your sailing challenges.

Something for every boater

The Quantum Sails Seabrook team discusses the designs for a custom sewing project. From left: Rese McLaughlin, Farley Fontenot, James Berry, Alan Woodyard. Photo by Brandon Rowan.

It’s no secret that the team at the Quantum Sails Seabrook loft share your passion for all things sailing and boating. We take pride in working as a team and in the services we offer; going far beyond new sails.

Many people don’t think about swinging by their local loft unless they need new sails or [gulp] they need something repaired. However, there are a vast number of services beyond setting you up with a handsome new set of sails or your annual service that you may not be taking advantage of to help you get where you want to go, even if you prefer powerboats.

Quantum’s high standards don’t stop at our sails, it extends to every person that puts the green Q on their business card. Our team members are truly experts in their fields and work together every day to help you with any need, big or small. Here are some of the ways you can use your local experts to meet your next challenge.

woodyard sail Something for every boater

Quantum Sails Seabrook Loft Service Manager Alan Woodyard fabricates a canvas boat cover for a local power boat.

CANVAS AND CUSTOM SEWING PROJECTS

Quantum designs custom canvas for sailboats and powerboats and even for on-land projects for companies such as NASA. We come to your boat, meet with you and see what your needs are via private interview. The pattern and frames are then custom created to your boat. We finish the job with a personalized installation and work to make sure everything is finalized to your exact standards.

Our canvas is sewn with SolarFix PTFE Thread which is guaranteed for the life of the fabric. We create every kind of canvas need for boats such as biminis, enclosures, hatch covers, dodgers, sail covers, and Roller furling covers. We also make sun shades for parks, ceilings for museums, and ceiling shapes for our local library and churches.

A specialist in advanced fabrication techniques from the Hood Marine Canvas School, Alan Woodyard will make sure your new canvas is the perfect solution for your boat.

CHOOSING THE RIGHT SAIL FOR THE CONDITIONS

Reachers, runners, Code 0s, jib tops, genoas, windseekers, and staysails—that’s just a tiny sample of the type of sails that can make up your inventory. How do you know which one to use and in what conditions? And does the sea state matter? Ask us to come out for a sail and help you build a crossover chart to get the most out of your sail inventory so you have a better chance of winning that top regatta or a successful weekend sail with the family. Don’t forget, if sails are sun rotted, or too stretched they won’t do you much good, we can also help make sure everything is in tip-top shape for when you need it.

Quantum Sailmaker James Berry puts the final touches on a sail repair project.

PROLONGING THE LIFE OF YOUR SAILS

We take great pride in helping you prolong the lifespan of the sails you already own. Regular sail maintenance and evaluation in the offseason can prevent a costly sail repair later and will help your sails last as long as possible. Additionally, before you open your checkbook for a new sail bring your sails to us to look over. There might be some adjustments or repairs we can make to buy you some more time, particularly with our Precision Recuts. Precision Recuts give new life to your sails by restoring up to about 90% of their original shape at a fraction of the price of a new sail.

DIALING IN THE LUFF CURVE FOR PEAK PERFORMANCE

Take a picture of your mainsail and genoa when it’s brand new, and hold onto that for future reference. As a sail ages, sail cloth naturally stretches making the sail deeper, which in turn makes it less efficient. It’s great if you have the budget to replace your main every few years, but it’s not always necessary. A small adjustment can make all the difference in performance.

Quantum Sail Scan powered by VSPARS is a simplified version of the very powerful VSPARS real-time sail-scanning tool used on grand prix programs like Quantum Racing. Any photo uploaded to the program creates a digital version of your sail, allowing us to analyze the flying shape and determine where it may need to be recut. It’s a good idea to have the luff curve on your mainsail and genoa evaluated every three to five years.

These photos can be taken to your loft for tips on adjusting your trim and rig settings to get the best flying shapes.

ON-THE-WATER COACHING

Many of our customers are first-time boat owners. We’ll deliver your sails, and then go out sailing with you to get it set up and trimmed for performance. We’re available for on-the-water coaching to help you dial in crew work and communication. Farley Fontenot, the co-founder of Quantum Sails, has coached everyone from the J105 Local North American Champion to the 2018 new Swan 78 from Hamburg, Germany.

BUILDING A CUSTOM SAIL REPAIR KIT

Your sail repair kit should be unique to your boat and type of sailing. We’ve got a good starter list, but spend some time talking to the team at your local loft and we can line up the perfect kit for you. They can also give you tips and tricks on how to handle the most common repairs you’ll likely see during your adventures or regattas. You can also check out our photo guide to some common repairs and how to fix them.

At the end of the day, anything you need from sails to advice, our entire staff such as Rese McLaughlin, a 30 year veteran of our loft with a focus on spinnakers and James Berry, our highly trained and experienced service tech, are here to help you every step of the way – so be sure to use our expertise to help you meet your challenges.

Tight Budget? How to get the most out of your current sails

Part of managing a sailing program of any kind–be it cruising or racing–is balancing the budget. From deck hardware to bottom paint and sails, something always needs replacing or fixing. Luckily when it comes to sails, there are a few inexpensive things you can do to help you extend that budget a little further.

1. GET YOUR SAILS INSPECTED

Sail inspections can bring to light not only torn stitches or tired webbing, but also use issues that may be causing damage to your sail. For example, broken stitching on the luff of the sail could indicate too much halyard tension or dimples in your spinnaker could be the result of crew pulling it down by grasping the middle of the sail instead of using the tapes.

Annual inspections should be part of every program with the goal of maximizing the life of the sail. Catching and fixing a few small problems (especially if the sail is older) can also prevent catastrophic failure on the water.

2. RECUT YOUR SAILS EVERY FEW YEARS

All sails stretch and lose shape over time and through use. If you’re experiencing the tell-tale signs of stretched sails–an inability to point, difficulty steering, or lack of power under sail–it doesn’t necessarily mean you need new sails. Many sailors don’t realize sails can be recut to bring back up to 90 percent of their original shape and extend their life at a fraction of the cost of new ones. Typically, one or two recuts can be done over the life of a sail. Recutting sails has been a common practice for pro programs for years, sometimes adjusting and recutting sails between race days.

You’ll want a handful of good sail shape photos to take to the loft along with your sail. And bonus points if you take photos of your sails on an annual basis! Click here to learn how to get the best shots and start your recordkeeping. If you’re curious about the recut process and benefits, click here for an article to shed some light on what you need to know about recuts.

3. HAVE YOUR SAILS PROFESSIONALLY REPAIRED

You might have saved the day with your quick fix when the spinnaker caught on a turnbuckle and started to rip, but did you remember to take it to the loft for a proper repair afterward? Onboard sail repairs are great when you need to finish the sail and get back to the dock safely, but they’re not meant to be a permanent fix. You’d be surprised how easy it is to forget you have a few strips of duct tape holding part of your sail together when it’s packed out of sight and out of mind. As you can guess, ignoring damage will not end well for the sail or your budget.

4. CHECK YOUR RIG TUNE

If your rig tune is out of whack, it can significantly affect sail performance. Before you throw in the towel with your current sails, check to make sure the issue isn’t your rig. Have an expert sail with you to see what adjustments might remedy the problem. This is especially important for cruisers who don’t regularly tune their rigs for conditions the way a race program might. We have more information on that here.

5. CONSIDER SAIL ADD-ONS

There are a number of sail add-ons and updates that can help improve functionality and extend their lifespan. Reefing points, UV covers, and spreader patches are all on the list. Talk to your sailmaker about what modifications can be made to help the sail work better and make it usable for a few more years.

6. LOOK BEYOND THE SAIL

It is important to look at the health and setup of your boat’s entire system in order to get the most out of your sails. Not all systems are created equally, and having the right sail handling system for your needs will help reduce stress on the sails. Roller furlers are great for easily and smoothly using your headsail, especially if you have a novice crew or sail shorthanded. Mainsail handling systems, such as the Dutchman and an in-mast or boom furling system, can also come in handy and help to reduce wear-and-tear on your sail.

Of course, the right system needs to be in good shape. If the sail handling system is failing, you’re at risk of damaging your sail. Similarly, sun-rotted lines or finicky winches pose threats to sails under load, as do sticky tracks and tired blocks. Invite your sailmaker or local rep to your boat for help identifying problem areas or to discuss options for improving your sail handling systems.

You shouldn’t give up on your trusty sails just because you’re starting to experience performance issues or they’re getting older. Call your sailmaker and explore a few of these ideas before you open your checkbook to pay for a new set. If you decide a new set is the right solution, use this information and the expertise of your sailmaker to ensure your sails are setup properly and you’re using best practices and sail care services to maximize their lifespan and protect your investment.

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Contact Quantum Sails Gulf Coast at gulfcoast@quantumsails.com or 281-474-4168 to learn more about getting the most out of your sails. You can also visit QuantumSails.com for more great tips and tricks to help you meet all of your sailing challenges.

1st Annual Ladies’ Night at West Marine Rig Shop

Kemah West Marine’s check presented to Judy’s Mission.

West Marine in Kemah hosted Ladies’ Night in the Rig Shop, and a benefit for Judy’s Mission Ovarian Cancer Foundation on Thursday, Nov. 9. It was an evening filled with education, fund-raising and good times to empower women to be confident boaters, to connect ladies with a shared passion of being on the water and to educate them (along with their first officers who attended) about early symptoms of ovarian cancer.

Judy’s Mission Ovarian Cancer Foundation was created in 2010 to honor Judith (Judy) Liebenthal Robinson, Ph.D., a NASA scientist and avid sailor at Lakewood Yacht Club. Despite habitual exercise, a consistently healthy diet, and regular medical examinations, Judy was diagnosed with advanced stage ovarian cancer and died within a year. While battling ovarian cancer, it was Judy’s mission to raise awareness about the vague symptoms and ineffective screening procedures associated with ovarian cancer. She inspired all who knew her; and as a result, friends (many from Lakewood Yacht Club) came together to create the Judy’s Mission Ovarian Cancer Foundation a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.

Along with lots of food, and spirits provided by cosponsor Railean Distillery of San Leon, West Marine Rigging associates Suzanne Kutach and Randi Miller taught knot tying and dock-line instruction, while Rigging associate Josh Gray (with his wife Angie) spiced up the evening in ‘Pirate’ regalia.

rigging table 1st Annual Ladies’ Night at West Marine Rig Shop

Knot tying and dock line instruction at the rigging table.

With ‘Rigging Solutions’ donated by the West Marine Rig Shop (Tide-Minder Soft Shackles, Dyneema Cleat- Extender Loops and Shackles, and Sailboat Rigging Inspections), as well as donations from the 2017 Harvest Moon Regatta, $1,255 was raised in silent auction for Judy’s Mission Ovarian Cancer Foundation.

“Although Ladies’ Night was our first event of its kind,” said West Marine Rig Shop Manager Franklin Viola, “The overwhelming enthusiasm and support by local lady sailors will certainly not make it the last!”

HYC Youth Sailor Brings Home the Gold from China

Charlotte Rose – Sanya, China. Photo by Thomas Miya/Sailing Energy.

Houston Yacht Club’s Youth Sailor and US Youth World Champion, Charlotte Rose, recently returned from Sanya, China where she won the Gold Medal in the Youth World Championship competing against 374 of the world’s best youth sailors from 60 nations.

Rose raced against defending champions, Dolores Moreira Fraschini, (URU and the 2017 Youth Radial World Champion, Hannah Anderssohn (GER), pulling out to dominate the 40-boat competition.

“After a tough week of racing the fact I am a World Champion has still not set in. I find myself still astounded by my achievement even with all the best wishes and recognition I have received,” Rose said.

“It was a tough last race to win gold but I did it. I knew what I needed to do and I did it. I am especially grateful for my coaches, Rosie Chapman and Leandro Spina of US Sailing, for believing in me. I am very grateful for HYC for their positive thoughts and support from afar. The utmost thanks goes to my family who have and always believed in me and supported my dream I cannot thank them enough, they earned this gold medal too,” Rose added.

Rose earned her spot in the World Championships as the only single-handed sailor on the US Youth World Team through hard work, determination and finishing at the top in the most competitive national regattas during 2017.

Rose is a senior attending Westside High School in Houston. She has sailed in a wide variety of national and international sailing competitions including representing the USA in the International Laser Radial Youth Worlds competition in Canada, where she placed 3rd in the Under 17 category.

To learn more about the Houston Yacht Club, please visit: www.houstonyachtclub.com

Harvest Moon Regatta Donates to Port Aransas Hurricane Harvey Recovery

Members of Lakewood Yacht Club and the Bay Access Foundation presented a check for $22,638 to the Port Aransas Education Fund, and the Seabrook Rotary Club presented its own check for $2,000 on November 7, 2017.

Port Aransas sustained considerable damage during Hurricane Harvey including the destruction of the new basketball court in the high school gymnasium. The Port Aransas High basketball teams were on hand to accept the check as the funds will be used to pay for a portable gym in the Port Aransas Civic Center until their school’s gym can be repaired.

“Port A has been a gracious host to the finish and post-race festivities of our Annual Harvest Moon Regatta for many years,” said LYC Commodore Jim Winton. “As soon as we heard of the devastation in Port Aransas, we gathered our resources and started thinking of ways to help. The Lakewood community is very pleased to have worked with HMR race organizers and volunteers to raise this contribution through various raffles and our Hurricane Harvey/Port A Recovery Fund.”

If you’d like to learn more about the Harvest Moon Regatta, visit www.harvestmoonregatta.com. Information about the Bay Access Foundation can be found at www.bay-access.org.

unnamed1 Harvest Moon Regatta Donates to Port Aransas Hurricane Harvey Recovery

Check Presentation: Photo provided by Port Aransas South Jetty Reporter Zach Perkins

Sea Star Base Koch Cup Awards

Sea Star Base Galveston recently hosted the 9^th Biennial William I. Koch International Sea Scout Cup Regional Regatta Trial, “Aggie Cup”, Saturday, September 23, on Offatt’s Bayou, 7409 Broadway.

The oldest continuing qualifier for the Koch Cup, the regatta is open to any Sea Scout Crew in a Southern Region Ship, and is one of four races held in Scouting’s Southern Region. Qualifiers from the regatta will compete in the William I Koch International Sea Scout Cup to be held at Sea Star Base Galveston in 2018. Regatta Director is Skipper Dan Wilson, Commodore of Sam Houston Are Council that includes Houston and the surrounding 16 counties.

Admission to the race was open to all Southern Region and is governed by the ISAF Racing Rules of Sailing 2017 – 2020, Boy Scouts of America Guide to Safe Scouting, posted Aggie Cup sailing instructions and the Official Notice of Racing, the regatta is a Sea Scouts, BSA event. Sailors compete on FJ’s, or Flying Junior, which are popularly used to teach young sailors the skills of boat handling and racing.

At the conclusion of the races, following the protest and penalty review, winners were announced as follows:

1^st place: Ship 1000, Andrew Vandling and Isaac Barkely
2^nd place: Ship 45, Ryan Shaw and Kaytlynn Welsch
3^rd place: Ship 846, Zander Sexton and Simon Sexton
4^th place: Ship 45, Jonathan Franks and Bo Steber
5^th place: Ship 45, Esteban Garcia and Amber Steber

Sea Star Base Galveston is a high-adventure aquatic destination offering marine and maritime education programs that foster teamwork, skills, lifetime leadership, and independence in body, mind, and spirit. The Base offers sailing and educational programs for youth, adults, and physically challenged individuals.

For information on upcoming regattas or SSBG Community Sailing programs go to www.ssbgalveston.org or call (409) 572-2560.

IMG 9119 1024x683 Sea Star Base Koch Cup Awards

Koch Cup Regatta Trials, 1st place – L – R: Dan Wilson, Commodore of San Houston Area Council, Andrew Vandling and Isaac Barkely

IMG 9117 1024x683 Sea Star Base Koch Cup Awards

Koch Cup Regatta Trials, 2nd place – L – R: Kaitlynn Welsch, Commodore Dan Wilson, and Ryan Shaw

Koch Cup Regatta Trials, 3rd place – L – R: Zander Sexton, Dan Wilson, and Simon Sexton

Koch Cup Regatta Trials, 4th place – L – R: Jonathan Franks, Bo Steber, and Skipper Dan Wilson

Lakewood Yacht Club Hosted J/105 North American Championships

Day Two of J/105 North American Championships by LYC member Kim Payton.

Last week, 22 J/105s representing clubs from across North America, Bermuda and beyond raced on Galveston Bay to determine the 2017 North American Champion.

Lakewood Yacht Club also hosted the first J/105, Fleet 17 Fall Invitation Regatta last month to help local boats prepare for the North American Championships. Hosting the invitational must have paid off; three local racers took the top three spots.

The top five finishers were:

1st – Mojo, Steve Ryhne of LYC

2nd – Deja Voodoo, Bill Zartler of LYC

3rd – Radiance, Bill Lakenmacher of LYC

4th – Sanity, Rick Goebel of San Diego Yacht Club

5th – Good Trade, Bruce Stone of St. Francis Yacht Club

Complete race results can be found at www.j105nac.com

Sailors, volunteers and guests gathered in the LYC Ballroom for cocktails, dinner and dancing on Saturday, Oct. 28th. Live entertainment was provided by The Anchormen. The Awards Ceremony was held in the LYC Lounge on Sunday.

John Barnett, Chairman of J/105 North Americans, commented on the support staff and sponsors. “We could not have pulled this event off without the help of all our dedicated volunteers and generous sponsors.”

Sponsors for this event included City of Seabrook, Bay Access, Upstream Brokers, Seabrook Marina, nue Vodka, Layline Petroleum, Leeward Yacht Club, Hayes Rigging, Davis Marine & Electronics, J/Boats Southwest, George Ocean Rum, Blackburn Marine, OJ’s Marine, Quantum Sails, YES Marine, UK Sails, Calamity Gin, Little Yacht Sails, True North Marine, JR Ewing Bourbon.

Visit www.j105nac.com for details. Or, for more information about J/105 Fleet 17, contact John Barnett at J22B@comcast.net or 281 414 4010.

2017 A-Class North Americans

By Bruce Mahoney

The 50th Anniversary of the A-Class North American Championship was held in San Diego Bay on Oct. 5-8. Hosted by San Diego Yacht Club, the event was held on the Silver Strand State Beach which is halfway down Coronado Island. The sailing area was well protected with flat water and great racing conditions for the Classics and Foilers alike.

San Diego is a long way from the larger East Coast fleets in the US, but the A Catters saddled up and headed west to support the Californians. We had 32 boats racing from all over, including Mischa and Eduard from the Netherlands, Larry Woods from the Toronto area, a container load from New Jersey, a 6 boat trailer from Atlanta, and many smaller rigs coming from Florida, Louisiana, Texas and all over.

Ben Hall a.k.a. “The Admiral” drove 2,500 miles with Bill Vining from Tampa, Florida to get three boats from the Sopot Worlds there just in time, and he wasn’t even sailing! It was another good example of the quality of people in the A Class.

Due to the flooding in Houston from Hurricane Harvey, there was a fair bit of debris in the water at home. My training partner Benn Hooper and I decided to head out early to sail in San Diego to keep the boats in one piece. We drove 24 hours straight through and sailed for 6 days prior to the event. Mischa joined us and we spent a lot of time on setup and techniques to maximize our performance, with Benn in the Classic as a good benchmark.

Ben was on his recently modified Classic LR5 with the long leech version of Mischa’s Decksweeper, while Mischa and I pushed the F1’s with a smaller head design. It was a bit of a gamble in the short term as San Diego is not thought of as a windy venue, and conventional wisdom pointed to light airs being the Achilles heel of a small headed sail. It was great testing though and the new sails performed well across the range.

As always when I get the opportunity to train early with good people before a championship, I could pack up and go home the night before the regatta and be perfectly happy, as I find it really satisfying to learn so much and progress in how to sail these amazing boats.

After some good battles with Mischa and Matt, I was fortunate enough to come away as North American Champion…

We pulled off the regatta with Foiling conditions throughout, except for small sections of a leg or two. The breeze was on average 7-12 knots, some less and more on the last day. There was only a bit of short chop on the last day near the bottom when the breeze was up in the mid-teens. The pressure was always changing just a little bit throughout the trip, so you really had to stay on your toes with the mode and setting changes. Often times you weren’t in exactly the ‘perfect’ setting, so learning to keep the boat ripping while managing that aspect was a big part of the regatta.

The SDYC Race Committee did a great job getting off 11 good races over four days. They kept us apprised of their intentions and were great with communication, which we all appreciate.

The battle for the Classics division was never over, with a different leader at the end of each day. Craig Yandow came out on top, and there were a lot of tight finishes across the line throughout the week. Great to see some new energy in that group and I believe the US will send a good Classic contingent to Australia for the Worlds.

Matt Struble sailed a solid event in the eXploder I used in Poland, and thank you again to Emmanuel Cerf from eXploder USA for helping me at the Worlds and Matt here at the NA’s. Emmanuel is a great promoter of the class, and motivates our sailors to get to our events. He is the man behind the 2020 Worlds in St. Petersburg, Florida. Be sure to put that on your long term planning, as it will be truly first class.

Mischa won the event as Open Champion, with his blazing speed and complete command of the boat. It was great to have another fun mission with him, and we hope in the future to have more international competitors here to raise the level even higher. The perpetual trophy for the Open Champion has gone missing (if you have it, send it back…), so the Regatta Organizers did a cool thing with a Multihull Elapsed Time Trophy that they award each year. By their reckoning, having won 9 of 11 races means Mischa completed the regatta in the lowest elapsed time, so his name is now on the trophy with ORMA 60’s and other offshore Multihulls.

After some good battles with Mischa and Matt, I was fortunate enough to come away as North American Champion, and looking at the trophy my 2 wins pale in comparison to the multiple winners over the 50 year history of the class in the US. The trophy has the winning skipper and boat type which we will post shortly on our US Class website. Apparently even Hurricane Andrew has a victory in 1992, but no boat type was listed. It’s pretty cool to think for half a century A Cat sailors have been throwing boats on trailers and traveling around the country for the fun of it. I’m happy to be one of them.

The 2018 North Americans will be at the Sandy Hook Bay Catamaran Club in New Jersey. The club is just across the water from New York City and has hosted the Atlantic Coast Championships the past few years. It should be a great event. From there the US Fleet will be loading containers to head down under to Hervey Bay for the 2018 Worlds. Come and join us!

Houston Yacht Club Plans Annual Turkey Day Regatta

Registration is now open to race in the annual Houston Yacht Club Turkey Day Regatta Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 18-19. The regatta is open to all boats and classes for racing Windward-Leeward or Pursuit. Prizes are turkeys. The number will be based on the number of registrants per class. Our annual “Grog” party will follow racing on Saturday.

As part of the Competitors’ Briefing on Friday, Nov. 17, all racers are invited to attend a presentation by HYC Member and Laser Radial Youth Women’s World Champion, Charlotte Rose, who will share her on-the-water racing experiences and upcoming 2017 Youth Sailing World Championship in China later this year. She has been nominated for the 2017 Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year.

The awards ceremony on Sunday, Nov. 20 will feature our chef serving up turkey and trimmings for the racers at the trophy presentation.

See the HYC Web Site for the Notice of Race for the schedule of events. Boats may enter the Regatta through Regatta Network.

For further information, contact Event Chairmen James Liston jtliston@aol.com or Madonna Breen mbreen@embarqmail.com.