ICSA News


One Week Away from the 2017 ICSA National Championships

Inter-Collegiate Sailing Association

We are a week out! We look forward to seeing you all soon! Please contact with any questions- Greg Fisher     410 212 4916     fishergv@cofc.edu.

Annual Meeting
 
                 Will take place in the McAllister Suite in the TD Arena as mentioned below. Please enter at 301 Meeting Street, right side door, just behind the cougar statue. Signs will direct you to the elevator, then to the third floor and take your immediate right. Questions, call Greg Fisher 410 212 4916 or Mitch Hall 727 455 7907. Starts at 11:30am.
                  Parking for the annual meeting--Public Parking lots are available on George St, just east of King St; on Wentworth Street just west of King St. and there are 2 hour meters around. Since the lots are not inexpensive we’d suggest carpooling, Ubering when possible. Frankly an Uber from the Sailing Center at Mt. Pleasant is  less expensive than parking downtown for long periods of time. For this meeting do NOT park in the College lot on George St. across from the Public Lot.
 
Coaches Meetings
             Will also take place in the Hospitality Suite as mentioned below and will start at 6pm. May 22, May 26 and May 29. Parking for these events will be availabe in the College lot on George St just east of King St. across from the Public Lot-- on a first come-first serve basis. But again, please don’t park in this lot until after 5pm.
 
Parking near the C of C Sailing Center/ Yorktown in Mt. Pleasant- Patriots Point
 
                  Speaking of parking- we have several different opportunities near the sailing/spectating venue. First, where we CANNOT park- the lower parking lots for the resorts (unless you’re staying there of course) are off limits. Please do not fudge it in there as we will be notified.  
                   As you approach the Sailing Center at 30 Patriots Point Rd. you will first see a submarine monument on your left. The next left is an entrance to a free public lot at the C of C Tennis Center. Just past the Tennis Center lot, and on your right is the USS Yorktown museum lot and that is only $5/day. Finally, during Charleston Race Week, many cars parked alongside Patriots Point Rd. (nose in so a number of cars could utilize this space) just before the roundabout and along the road paralleling the resort parking lots (again those areas and other areas roped off are not available). This roadside Patriots Point Rd.  parking is not “official” designated parking but certainly many sailors parked there without issue during Race Week and it is the shortest hike to the center.
 
SPECTATORS
             As stated below will be given wristbands for free entrance to the ship and the flight deck. We’ll have 4 tents on the deck- with an area designated for spectators and an area designated for competitors and coaches only. We’ll have a small pile of chairs but we’d strongly suggest bringing a chair along if possible and convenient.
                   Wristbands for spectators will be provided at the top of our Sailing Center ramp AND at the main entrance to the Yorktown until 11am each day. 
                   Wristbands for Coaches and competitors will be provided in your team bags (12) and more can readily be had at the sailing center.
                   Coaches, if you could rsvp with a rough guess of the numbers of each- coaches and competitors and spectators that would appreciated.  We will need to ask for names and home towns of spectators who take a wristband for the Yorktown for the town of Mt. Pleasant at the entrances. Sorry, but this name gathering will only be needed once. 
                    We will have signs to the flight deck, the awards areas and the judges/umpires protest hearing area.  These is a snack bar and the ship is available to explore. Again, please remember that we are being granted free access for the Nationals- a savings of $22. We appreciate their support!
 
Again, please rsvp with an estimate of your team and your spectators if possible. Thanks.
 
Food and Coolers
              Unfortunately coolers and food not purchased on the ship are not permitted on board the Yorktown. We appreciate that this does create an inconvenience and we are sorry. However, we are setting up tents at our sailing center for staging of team coolers, as well as they’re being allowed on the edge of the outer wall where rotations will occur (designated for competitors and coaches only), along the edge of the submarine dock between the Yorktown and the Sailing Center. Please do not push this rule with the Yorktown…it was heavily discussed. Thank you.
 
Sailing Instructions
              SI’s will be posted on Tech Score by Thursday evening and a hard copy will be included in your team bag. We can report that East will begin in FJ’s and West in Z420’s and switch at the end of the first day for the Women’s and Coed Nationals.
 
Photographer
           Several teams have taken advantage of working with our onsite photographer and setting daily pictures.  wisermc@g.cofc.edu   301 957 0443
 
Afterguard Regatta  
          Can you rsvp by email if you’re considering sailing on Saturday June 3rd. Thanks.



Welcome to the 2017 Nationals at College of Charleston J. Stewart Walker Sailing Center, Mt. Pleasant South Carolina.
 
All of us at C of C Sailing are enthused to host a great event off and on the water. Listed below are many of the details about our venue, our boats, our facilities and the event as we have in place at this time. There will be more to come and some adjustment as we get closer to the event.

QUESTIONS?
Regatta Chair: Greg Fisher, 410-212-4916, fishergv@cofc.edu

VENUE

The regatta will be sailed out of the College of Charleston J. Stewart Walker Sailing Center in the Charleston Harbor Resort and Marina in Mt. Pleasant. The actual racing will now be held in front of the marina directly west of the USS Yorktown. Only if the conditions dictate (ie: an east wind) would we anticipate sailing further north in the “Marsh” area of the Charleston Harbor. 
Spectating will now be staged on the flight deck of the USS Yorktown aircraft carrier and NOT on the Mt. Pleasant Fishing Pier. An unfortunate logistics change dictated the move.

EXCLUSION ZONE
Please note the pre regatta practice exclusion zone in the NOR as determined by the Championship Committee.

HOTELS
The event is fortunate to enjoy the support of the City of Charleston and the town of Mt. Pleasant and their bureau of tourism committees. As a result there are numerous hotel choices at all different prices and levels to choose from. Check them out here >>
Please note that the weeks of Nationals are incredibly busy in Charleston. I would strongly urge you to make reservations very soon and if your team is unfortunate and unable to qualify cancel later. Also note that the Charleston Harbor Resort has numerous deals for competitors and parents/spectators and it is on site and excellent. It will be one of the very first hotels to fill up.

RESTAURANTS
Great options to eat here in Charleston from basic team only type to very nice parent treated 5 stars. We will provide more deals/options at regatta time.

Food and Coolers
              Unfortunately coolers and food not purchased on the ship are not permitted on board the Yorktown. We appreciate that this does create an inconvenience and we are sorry. However, we are setting up tents at our sailing center for staging of team coolers, as well as they’re being allowed on the edge of the outer wall where rotations will occur (designated for competitors and coaches only), along the edge of the submarine dock between the Yorktown and the Sailing Center. Please do not push this rule with the Yorktown…it was heavily discussed. Thank you.
 

SPECTATORS
It is our goal to make this event exceptionally comfortable and inviting for spectators/families/friends. Great spectating will be available from the flight deck of the USS Yorktown- a famous WWII aircraft carrier. The ship/museum has been very accommodating to the event in that they are allowing all sailors, coaches, families and spectators on the ship at no charge! (normally $22 per person). The racing may literally be 100 yds. away. We will have 3-5 large tents assembled on the flight deck with chairs and/or bleachers. The ship has a nice snack bar and obviously rest rooms (we will have port a potties placed in appropriate places around the venues as well).
Please Note: Unfortunately small pop up tents will not be allowed on the flight deck for safety reasons per the Yorktown. At this point it does not appear we will have the ability to accommodate team tents.   SORRY!  
BUT we will have plenty of space under our provided tents on the flight deck. Parking will be fairly easy and in many places free. The Yorktown parking lot close to the ship is only $5/day. 
             You will be given wristbands for free entrance to the ship and the flight deck. We’ll have 4 tents on the deck- with an area designated for spectators and an area designated for competitors and coaches only. We’ll have a small pile of chairs but we’d strongly suggest bringing a chair along if possible and convenient.
                   Wristbands for spectators will be provided at the top of our Sailing Center ramp AND at the main entrance to the Yorktown until 11am each day. 
                   Wristbands for Coaches and competitors will be provided in your team bags (12) and more can readily be had at the sailing center.
                   Coaches, if you could rsvp with a rough guess of the numbers of each- coaches and competitors and spectators that would appreciated.  We will need to ask for names and home towns of spectators who take a wristband for the Yorktown for the town of Mt. Pleasant at the entrances. Sorry, but this name gathering will only be needed once. 
                    We will have signs to the flight deck, the awards areas and the judges/umpires protest hearing area.  These is a snack bar and the ship is available to explore. Again, please remember that we are being granted free access for the Nationals- a savings of $22. We appreciate their support!

In addition during the ICSA Nationals, Spoleto, a very popular arts and entertainment festival, will take place in downtown Charleston. It is immensely well attended and will make touring downtown Charleston challenging for sailors. However for those spectators who want to truly enjoy all Charleston has, this is without question, the deal!

 

BOATS/SAILS
Below we outlined the boats to be sailed in Women’s and COED fleet racing.
 
In Team Racing both Z420’s and FJ’s will be sailed in the initial round robin. In the Round of 8 and the final 4, Z 420’s will be sailed.
 
SAILS USED IN THE 2017 NATIONALS
It is now clear exactly which sails will be raced in all there events in Nationals.
 
Sperry Women's Championships:
FJ's 
mains: "Sperry" branded LP Gold Standard
jibs: "CollegeSailing.org" branded 2017 LP Gold Standard FJ jibs
420's
mains: "CofC" branded North Blue Ribbon 
jibs: "CollegeSailing.org" branded 2017 LP Gold Standard Z420 jibs 
 
LaserPerformance Team Race Championships
FJ's 
mains: "LP" branded LP Gold Standard
jibs: "CollegeSailing.org" branded 2017 LP Gold Standard FJ jibs
420's
mains: "LP" branded LP Gold Standard 
jibs: "CollegeSailing.org" branded 2017 LP Gold Standard Z420 jibs
 
Gill Coed Dinghy Championships
FJ's 
mains: "Gill" branded LP Gold Standard
jibs: "CollegeSailing.org" branded 2017 LP Gold Standard FJ jibs
420's
mains: "CofC" branded North Blue Ribbon 
jibs: "CollegeSailing.org" branded 2017 LP Gold Standard Z420 jibs


Fleet A will be 18 2015 standard Z420’s that have been recently refurbished by LP and so should  be in excellent shape. We intend to have new North Blue Ribbon Sails. If we are not able to secure the new inventory we will use a 1 year old inventory of Standard Gold LP North produced sails.

Fleet B will be 18 2012 FJ’s with filled rails and tiller over the transom set up. They too have been recently refurbished by LP and they will sail the ICSA donor branded Standard Gold LP North produced sails used in years past.

RACE MANAGEMENT / CHIEF UMPIRE
We are fortunate to have Ryan Davidson, former C of C Team Captain, PRO all three events. Ryan was PRO for the High School Mallory in 2016 and the 2015 ICSA Match Race Nationals.  He will be PRO for the Bob Bavier Team Race at C of C. Steve Wrigley has served both on and off the water as an International Judge, International Umpire, US Sailing National Umpire and US Sailing Senior Judge. Steve is assembling an equally impressive team to work with him. We are fortunate to have Steve as our Chief Umpire/Judge for all three events.

WEATHER / CURRENT
Here are links to the closest Sail Flow and current indicators:
Breeze within ½ mile of venue
http://www.sailflow.com/map#32.79,-79.908,15,1,!100807,2   (Patriots Point)
Current with ¼ mile of venue.
Suggest using the Tide Graph app and select  Hog Island Reach, Buoy ‘12’, Charleston Harbor South Carolina

TRAVEL
Charleston International Airport is 25 minutes from the sailing center. Columbia Airport is 1:45 and Charlotte Airport is 3:15 from our center. Ubers seem to be on every corner here in Charleston.