Let the season begin!! The snow has disappeared, it is warming up here in New England, and winter covers are coming off. And we just met for our Annual Meeting And Dinner at Bristol YC in Bristol, RI. It was another wonderful evening. Bristol YC and Chris Healy, BYC steward, were again gracious hosts. Drinks at the bar were followed by a delicious catered buffet. We met old friends, laughed a lot, and dreamed about the summer coming. The Annual Meeting followed. Carter brought everyone up to speed about the health of the SSA (good) and about assorted issues (SS23 class rules and Narragansett Bay racing plans). And, of course, awards were given out.

Details are below in the official minutes of the evening. Unfortunately we have no pictures, for our resident photographer Bob Rude was out of town. You will just have to imagine the fun, the camaraderie, and the many smiles.

Have a great summer, everyone!!

 

 

Minutes

Sea Sprite Association 2015 Annual Meeting And Dinner

April 10, 2015
Bristol YC

Welcome

The 2015 Annual Meeting was held at Bristol YC on Friday, April 10, 2015. Drinks at the bar were followed by a delicious buffet dinner catered by Morin Fine Catering. The meeting was then opened with welcoming remarks by Carter.

Old Business

State of the organization

Financial:

The SSA is in excellent financial condition. Net balance grew last year from $1169 to $2673. Administrative costs remained low at approximately $300. For 2016 that number will be closer to $500 as initial deals expire.We are approaching our goal of securing 6 years worth of administrative costs should at any time the SSA become leaderless for a spell.

Membership

Active dues paying members rose from 55 to 77 for 2015. 98 members have joined during the past 2 years.. Sea Sprites are spread across the US, with 21 states represented up from 14 in 2013. Dues will remain at $25 for 2016.

Organization

The SSA remains well structured and financially secure. The website is active and continues fully accessible to all visitors. 75 visitors a day access the site, with 400 to 500 pages visited each day. Numerous rehab projects were placed as story lines on the website. Classifieds are growing, with a total of 22 boats listed for sale in 2014 and 16 sold.
Advertising

Members receive 10% off Jamestown Distributors products. Racing and cruising sails ordered by members from Thurston Sails are also 10% reduced. Fine Art prints by Will Sofrin generate for the SSA 10% of his sales of this print.

Plans For 2015

Taxes

We will spend in 2016 a one time cost of $400 to the IRS for our determination as a federally recognized tax-exempt organization. We are already exempt from state taxes.

SS23 Class Rules

A Rules Committee has been formed by the BOD to formulate a set of class rules. A draft was formulated, and circulated for review and input. The initial set of rules will be in place by the end of May.

Race Committee (Narragansett Bay)

An ad hoc race committee has been formed to review issues raised as the SSA considers running some of its own races on Narragansett Bay this summer. The committee will review liability issues, number and location of races, type of races, promotion of races, etc.

 

New Business

BOD

Resigning: Chad Brown, Herb Browne
Remaining: Dana Menillo, Bob Catani, Dejan Radeka, Carter Hall
Proposed: Paul Sollito, Jonathon Goff

Those in attendance voted unanimously to retain the remaining members of the Board and to elect the proposed new members to the Board.

Bylaw Changes requested by the BOD:

“A treasurer shall be added to the SSA organization. The treasurer shall be responsible for the financial operations. He/she will work closely with the Coordinator regarding the daily financial operations and reporting requirements of the SAA, and shall be a member of the BOD.”
“Upon dissolution of the SSA under the direction of the BOD, the SSA’s assets shall be distributed to a sailing non-profit organization.”
Those in attendance voted unanimously to adopt the above changes to the
by-laws.

 

Awards

Skip Mattos won the 2015 SS23 Regatta. It was a wild and windy day last summer with close racing.Bob Catani won the Mr. Hog trophy for being the winner of the 2015 ‘Round The Hog, and for the 2nd year in a row accepted the trophy agreeing to keep Mr. Hog on his fireplace mantle at home.

The Amon Trophy, donated by Harold Tucker last year, goes to the winner of the Bristol YC SS23 Wednesday evening series. It, too, was close racing. Bob Catani emerged the winner.

The Nancy Belle award is given to the best SS23 racer on Narragansett Bay. Originally given to the Fleet in 1972 by Gil Thorpe, it is a lovely half-model of an SS23. The decision on the winner was done by the BOD reviewing all the SS23 races on the Bay. Racing in 2014 was extremely close. Skip Mattos narrowly beat out George Cochran.

The Denise trophy was originally constructed in 2002 to be given to the winner of an around Prudence Island race. It languished for almost a decade, and in 2012 was returned to be given to a member of the organization who has contributed greatly to the SSA. It was presented to Carter this year.

The Browne Cup is donated this year to the SSA by Herb Browne to be given to an individual for “Sportsmanship And Contribution”. Herb selected Carter to receive the award this year.

 

Meeting was then adjourned.

Hard to believe it is that time of year again for the Annual Meeting. Hard to believe we may have an annual meeting with snow still on the ground! But here we go.

We will enjoy the hospitality of Bristol YC on Poppasquash Rd. in Bristol, RI, on Friday evening April 10th. The evening will start with cocktails and gathering between 5:30 and 6:00 followed by a buffet dinner catered by Russell Morin Fine Foods from Newport at 7:00. The menu is below. Cost will be $20/person.

We will have our meeting between 7:45 and 8:30 (ok, maybe 9:00). Agenda items include a brief state of the Association report, awards for 2014, approval of minor changes to the by-laws, election of a Board Of Directors slate, and topics from the floor.

Please call or email (best) Chris Healy, the Bristol YC steward, at either 401-253-2922 or at his email to let him know how many are coming in your party. You will pay by cash or credit card at the bar that evening.

I know Bristol is a hike for many of you. Believe me, I would love to have the meeting in a warmer clime! But Bristol in the epicenter of the sea sprite world, so it makes sense to have it here to maximize attendance.

It is always a fun night. What a way to say goodbye to Winter and welcome in the sailing season!

Hope you can make it.

 

ANNUAL MEETING MENU

April 10th, 2015

Mixed Field Greens with Chevre
Crisp Spring Greens with Mandarin Oranges, Crumbled Goat Cheese,
Toasted Pecans and Drizzled with Champagne Vinaigrette

Hearth Baked Breads with Whipped Butter

Raspberry Chicken Breast

Pan Seared Peppered Salmon Laced with a Chimichurri Sauce

Lemon Citrus Pearl Cous Cous

Grilled Vegetable Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette

Dessert
Chef’s Dessert of the Day
Regular Colombian and Decaffeinated Coffee

 

The BOD at its winter meeting in January authorized the formation of an SS23 Class Rules Committee (see post following) to write and implement a set of Class Rules. The members of the committee are Paul Sollito (elected Chair), Bob Rude, Carter Hall, Bob Catani, and Brian Anderson) The draft is published in this post below.

There will be a comment period of approximately one month. Please send suggested changes with explicit language you would like to see in the rules and your reasons for your proposals to either Paul or any other member of the Committee (emails can be found in Membership List…all are from RI). The Committee will reconvene to consider submitted changes, and will promulgate the final set of Rules in May.

Here is the draft:

 

SEA SPRITE 23 RULES AND SPECIFICATIONS
(DRAFT FEB 11,2015)

Purpose: The purpose of these rules is to promote and develop Sea Sprite Class racing and to maximize and maintain the one design characteristics of the boat.

The Boat: The boat is a 22.5 foot fiberglass sloop designed by Carl A. Alberg in 1957, both Weekender and Daysailor configurations.

The Standards: The original plans and specifications, as drawn by Carl Alberg and now held by the Peabody/Essex Museum in Salem, Mass, shall be considered the official standards of the boat. All boats shall comply with said standards except as modified herein, so as to ensure that the one design aspect of the Class is preserved. Copies of the original line drawings shall be made available on the SSA website for a small fee.

Hulls: All hulls shall conform to the design and specifications as set forth by the Designer. Amplifications and exceptions include:

The removal of thru-hull fittings shall be allowed.
Hiking straps shall be permitted.
Plugging and/or filling of the outboard motor well shall be allowed. Exterior and interior bulkheads, bunks, etc. shall not be removed. Combing boards, toe rails and other trim shall not be removed.
No interior trim shall be removed.
Pulpits and life lines shall be optional.
Drag reduction films/hull etching/other texturing of the hull shall not be permitted.
Fairing flaps between the keel and rudder shall not be allowed.
Use of a compression post shall be permitted.
Spars: No change in the dimensions, location, weight, shape, material or configuration of the spars shall be allowed. Amplifications and exceptions include:

The spinnaker pole shall not exceed 7.5 feet in length.
A whisker pole shall be permitted for use with jibs and genoa jibs and shall be the same length as the spinnaker pole. A spinnaker pole may be used as a whisker pole. Use of the spinnaker pole and the whisker pole at the same time shall not be permitted.
Spreaders shall be no less than 28” long.
Standing Rigging: No change in the location or strength of the standing rigging shall be permitted from the original design. Amplifications and exceptions include:

An adjustable backstay shall be allowed.
Roller furling headsails shall be optional.
1X19 wire and turnbuckles shall be used on headstay, uppers (5/32” dia) and lowers (1/8 dia). Other materials and thicknesses are permitted for backstay and jumper stays.

Running Rigging: The layout of the running rigging, its material, and its associated tackle shall be at the discretion of the owner. Amplifications and exceptions include:

The fittings for halyards shall not be altered so as to change the point of attachment to the mast.
Internal halyards shall be allowed.
Halyard tails may be lead across the top of the cabin so as to allow adjustment from the cockpit.

Ballast: The use of additional ballast shall be permitted. The amount and location of ballast shall be optional. However, once placed at the beginning of the racing season, the amount and the location of the ballast shall not be changed.

Sails: Sail specifications are as follows:

Mainsail Sails shall be crosscut
Sail material shall be 100% woven polyester
Any luff attachment system may be used
Foot may be loose or attached
Four (4) battens shall be used
Batten length is optional as long as it is IMS minimum
or greater
Windows are allowed
Sail shall have a sail number
The sail insignia shall be a circle which encloses a double “S”

luff 27.00 ‘ foot 11.33’ MTW 4.30 ‘ MHW 7.36’
Genoa/Jib Sails shall be crosscut
Sail material is open, with the exception of no string (continuous fiber) sails
Maximum LP shall be 135%
Windows are allowed
Sail shall have a sail number
Maximum number of 2 genoas/jibs shall be used during a race series

LP 10.46’ HHW 5.23’

Spinnaker SL 24.87’ SMG 13.95’ SF 13.95’

Exceptions: It is clear that there can be significant variations between boats. Construction standards of the SS23 varied over the years as the boat was produced by several different boat building firms. Also, over the years, significant additions and subtractions to interior configurations often have been implemented by various owners to fit their own sailing needs and to produce a safe repaired old boat.

Therefore:

1. It is expected that owners will embrace the integrity of the design,
and shall make every effort to conform to the spirit of these class
specifications.

2. Repairs shall be permitted that ensure the structural integrity of
the hull.

3. Reconfigured interiors and exterior trim changes shall be
grandfathered in as acceptable as of May 31, 2015.

4. Questions and concerns shall be directed to and adjudicated by
a Rules Committee appointed by the SSA Board Of Directors.
Such adjudication shall be guided by the intent of these
specifications that have been written to ensure the one-design
integrity of the class.

Effective date: These rules shall become effective on May 31, 2015.