Are you ready for some  'fish action?

Come join us at Rush Creek Yacht Club for the 2015 Sunfish North American Championships to be hosted on the waters of Lake Ray Hubbard, Texas.


www.sunfishclass.org

www.rcyc.org

Got sportboat?  YOU BET!!

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:

Bob Oatley’s five-time Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race line honours winner, Wild Oats XI,beat her 2005 record time this morning, in a gentle glide to the finish that kept everyone on the edge of their seats. She finished in one day, 18 hours, 23 minutes and 12 seconds, taking 16 minutes and 58 seconds off her old record.

Get the gear you need...and a present for a fellow sailor with Vela Sailing Supply and Magic Marine!

Just add water!

Our VX One Fall special has been extended for another two weeks: Get the right boat before the year ends and the price kick back up!
The ultimate crossover trailerable: light, strong, fast....really fast and at the best price on its category: $29,950, including a set of North Racing Generation 5 sails, aluminum road trailer and everything else you need to roll. We will even get you a pair of lifejacket with your purchase. Don't miss it!

More information here

Comments and data about your standing rigging:

when a boat owner looks at the standing rigging of his boat it certainly looks like a strong cable holds the rig and can withstand severe weather conditions and rough seas. Truth is that standing rigging is engineered and manufactured to do so, but they certainly need maintenance and replacement periodically. Vela Sailing Supply offers all sort of “of the shelf” rigging components, whether is swaged in terminals or swageless such as Sta-Lok or Norseman, as well as custom made stays and shrouds. We carry the standard 1x19 grade 316 cable, Compacted strand (Dyform) cable, 7 strand cable and even synthetic rigging shall you decide to save weight aloft. Besides the fact of assuring you the best quality and effective solution when it comes to the standing rigging for your sailboat, we would also like to share some knowledge that will help you better understand some of the origins and behavior of the components that work above the deck level: As its name implies, standing rigging stands, that is, it is fixed or semi-fixed, as opposed to running rigging which moves and requires constant adjustment. The function of the standing rigging on a sailboat is to support, stiffen and control the mast and often carry sails as well. Normally made of steel wire or rod, and for the extreme performer synthetic fibers, standing rigging comprises two general components: shrouds and stays. The mast is supported and stiffened in the fore-and-aft direction by stays and in the transverse (port to starboard) by the shrouds. The standing rigging on a sailboat is fastened to the hull with chainplates, or in the case of the forward stay, a stem head fitting.

Occasionally, one hears shrouds called “side stays” and while this is an accurate description, the expression is considered  lubberly by old slats. Shrouds are designated as upper, lower or intermediate, according to the height at which they attach to the mast. The mast that is held by this standing rigging system, includes spreaders that are fastened 90 degrees to the mast profile. The spreaders hold the shrouds out from the mast, reducing the compression loading. On modern sailboats with multiple spreaders, the shrouds are often designated “V”  for vertical or D for diagonal and then numbered according to the height above the deck. Shrouds within the lowest panel, between the deck and lower spreaders, are numbered One; shrouds within the next panel above, between the lower spreaders and the next higher set, are number “two” and so on. On important component among the standing rigging on any sailboat is the capability of adding or removing tension of each stay or shroud. For this purpose, the turnbuckles the link between the hull and the stay or shroud that allows for this. Needless to say how important is to have healthy and low friction turnbuckles installed on the boat. Some sailors like to replace the cables and re-use existing turnbuckles. This may be a risky move, as the replaced stay is, in most cases, as old as the turnbuckle is and this increases the risks of rig failure. The most common brands of turnbuckle and rigging fitting manufacturers  are Gibbs, Navtec, Alexander Roberts,Sta-Lok, Johnson Marine and Hayn Marine. Vela Sailing Supply gives you access to all these parts at unbeatable prices and exceptional customer service. If you have a sailing problem, we have a sailing solution.

After the 2012 Olympic games in London, the ISAF has launched the racing rules of sailing for the 2013- 2016 period starting on January 1st. 2013.

Here is the link to the new rules: 2013 - 2016 Racing Rules of Sailing

Sail fast....sail fair!

When "fresher" winds blow from the East or North in the middle of the North Texas summer, things are not usually good for 10 to 20 minutes. This is proves the point:

This Melges 24 was not tied down to the ground and a microburst from the East made the trailer tongue turn West and headed dead downwind towards Lake Ray Hubbard. After 4 hours and $600 the boat and trailer were safe and sound. We are glad no major losses occurred and nobody got hurt. Certainly a lesson learned.