Holiday Gift Ideas from Vela Sailing Supply

As the holidays are approaching, don't miss out on the fantastic gift ideas and deals from Vela Sailing Supply.  Click below to see more!

Grand Opening!

Ronstan Vaavud Wind Meter

New from Ronstan... Turn your smartphone into a mobile wind meter!  The Vavuud will run you much less than the cost of a traditional anemometer, but without sacrificing any accuracy or durability. The Vavuud is compatible with the following devices:

Apple - iPhone 4, 4s, 5
Apple - iPad 2, 3 & 4 generation, Mini 
Samsung - Galaxy S2, S3, S4

With more android devices soon to be added.  

Check out the Ronstan Vavuud on Vela Sailing Supply's site here  

https://www.velasailingsupply.com/Ronstan_Vaavud_Wind_Meter_s/2416.htm

VX One North Americans- Day 3

Sunday saw a day between weather patterns, leading to very light breeze.  After a brief postponement on shore, the wind built to a sailable level and the competitors headed out to the racecourse.  The first and only start of the day was a general recall.  Just after the start, the breeze diminished greatly and racing was put on hold once again before it was called off for the day.  So thats a wrap!  The 2013 VX One North Americans was an excellent showcase of racing.  A big thanks to all who helped make it a success.  The results from Day 2 carry over to the final results making Rob Doolittle and crew from Mandeville, LA the 2013 champions.  Congratulations to all the competitors for a great event.

VX One North Americans- Day 1 and 2 Report

The first day of racing of the 2013 VX One North Americans, hosted by Rush Creek Yacht Club, kicked off Friday.  Day 1 brought chilly conditions with light to moderate breeze increasing gradually throughout the day.  Rob Doolittle of Pontchartrain Yacht Club led Brian Bennett of Bristol Yacht Club at the end of day 1 by a slim 1 point margin.  Erich Schloemer of Rush Creek Yacht Club rounded out the top 3.  Day 2 brought a heavier, steadier breeze that gradually built into the middle teens allowing for an expanded range of conditions to test the competitors.  Brian Bennet suffered a breakdown during the 6th race keeping him off the course for the remainder of the day.  Bennet's absence allowed Kevin Northrop of Pass Christian Yacht Club to sneak into the top 3.  After day 2 Doolittle remains the leader with a 2 point lead over Northrop and a 13 point lead over 3rd place, Schloemer.  Tommorow's forecast is calling for lighter, more unpredictable conditions.  Hopefully the conditions are workable for another 4 races.  Keep posted for the results from Day 3!

Click here for the full results  

Click here for photos, courtesy of John Hopper

Velocitek Shfit

The long awaited Velocitek Shfit is now available at Vela Sailing Supply. The new Shift is loaded with features like:

• Intuitive shift-tracking with large buttons for storing port and starboard reference headings.
• 1.5" (38mm) compass digits can be read from over 100 ft (30m) away
• Screen is remains visible through polarized sunglasses.
• A 9-axis solid state sensor completely tracks the orientation of your boat for smooth instantly responsive heading indication.
• A simple countdown timer that also syncs for a late or missed signal 
• Red LED backlight protects night vision.
• Solar powered with 100+ hour battery reserve.
• Does not use GPS or any other radio signals; can be configured to comply with the rules of any class that allows electronic compasses.

The shift will ensure that you sail a smart and in phase race.  More information is available on our site.

https://www.velasailingsupply.com/Velocitek_Shift_s/2661.htm

VX One North Americans

The final preparations are being made for the 2013 VX One North Americans hosted by Rush Creek Yacht Club.  This years N/A's are drawing sailors from across the globe and is setting up to be a very competitive event.  The championship kicks off Wednesday Nov. 6th with a welcoming party and boat measurement.  Thursday brings another day of boat setup and measurement, with a practice race scheduled for that afternoon.  The racing kicks off Friday and continues through Sunday.  Follow the action in real time on Vela's Facebook page and Twitter feed @VelaSailing with #VXONE.  Daily race and activity reports will be posted here on our blog.  Stay tuned for some tight racing!

New Ronstan Watches in Stock!

We're proud to carry the newest sailing watches Ronstan has to offer.  These new additions come preprogramed with multiple start sequences with audible cues helping you to keep your eyes off your watch and outside of the boat.  They also come with Ronstan's unique synchronization feature that will keep you on track if you miss the 5 minute signal. Water resistant to 150 feet and incredibly durable, these are built for the water, but easily toggle between race mode and time mode making them perfect for everyday use.
Check them out here on our site:  https://www.velasailingsupply.com/Ronstan_Watches_s/2411.htm

Some of the works done on the field by Vela Sailing Supply: application of Spartite (polymer mast wedge) to the partners on an Islander 40 MS. Now the partners are completely waterproof, yet the plug is removable allowing for a solid base and secure mast.

Learn more about Spartite Mast Wedge Systems

After 4 days below the tropical sun of Cartagena, Colombia, we managed to have another rig back up on a nice Beneteau First 35s5.

"Oh La La" is a very well kept boat that had a turnbuckle failure in October 2012 and the mast snapped in two sections. The rigging was made out of Rod and we changed it to Dyform (Compacted strand wire) in order to make it simpler and more forgving for "on the field" installation. The owner decided to go ahead and repair the mast rather than buying a new one and we sent them a mast section with the help of Rig Rite who still manufactures this Isomat extrusion.

The boat is almost ready to go sailing, with a new set of rigging and deck hardware.

J/70 Parts and more...!!

The hottest One Design on the block: the J/70 has arrived to Vela Sailing Supply. Visit our dedicated page where you will find running rigging, accessories and upgrades to get your J/70 ready to hit the racecourse. Needing gear for you or your crew? Vela Sailing Supply offers you a complete line of sailing gear, foulies and much more.

It's that time of the year again: there are several opinions from vendors and manufacturers on what to wear when it comes to sailing in cold weather. Frostbiting is the ultimate test for gear and , unless you try every single suggestion from every manufacturers, it becomes a bit hard to pick up the right set of garments. Here is an article published by Sailing World magazine, than rather technical is more practical from first hand experience from sailors of four different dinghy fleets in the NE: