February 2013 - United States Snipe Sailing

Winter 2013 

US SNIPE SAILOR 

The Official Magazine of the Snipe Class International Racing Association, USA 

Green Regattas 

Regatta Stories 

Dave Perry talks 

about changes in 

the new rules

C 

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CM 

MY 

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CMY 

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12_USSnipeFallAd_2.pdf 2 11/1/12 2:42 PM 

US Womens Nationals 

US Pan-Am Trials 

US Master Nationals 

www.quantumsails.com/snipe 

+619-226-2422 

gszabo@quantumsails.com 

eheim@quantumsails.com 

MADE IN THE USA 

USA Snipe 

Sailboat 

Class 

photo credit: Fried Elliott: friedbits.com 

Promotional Brochures and Bumper Stickers are 

available from SCIRA USA 

They’re FREE! 

Email Betsy Altman at 

Betsy@SnipeUSA.com for a supply 

to promote your fleet. 

SERIOUS SAILING, SERIOUS FUN ® 

WWW.SAILINGSNIPES.ORG 

US SNIPE SAILOR 

Volume 8, Number 1 

Winter, 2013 

Published by SCIRA USA 

P.O. Box 578838 Chicago IL 60657 

Publisher Advertising: 

Betsy Altman 

312 635 3113 Betsy@SnipeUSA.com 

SCIRA USA 

Board of Directors: 

Martin Bebb (National Secretary) 

martinrb@swbell.net 

TBD (Vice National Secretary) 

TBD (Chief Measurer) 

Sarah Levinson (District 1 Governor) 

slevinson15@gmail.com 

Steve Tautz (District 2 Governor) 

stautz@lat-lon.com 

Eric Ulbrich (District 3 Governor) 

eric@thelandscapecompanyinc.com 

Steve Lang (District 4 Governor) 

snipe29963@gmail.com 

John Fretwell (District 6 Governor) 

john@sdyc.org 

Kirk Smith (District 7 Governor) 

kirksmith01@msn.com 

Art Rousmaniere (Member At Large, 

Class Development Officer) 

art.rousmaniere@gmail.com 

Lee Griffith (Member At Large, 

International Qualifications Officer) 

lee.griffith@contextgroup.com 

Kathleen Tocke (Member At Large, 

Major Regatta Resource Officer) 

ktocke@hotmail.com 

Tara Levy (Member At Large, 

Public Relations, Advertising and 

Merchandise Officer—PRAM) 

taraclevy@gmail.com 

Non-Voting Board Members: 

Betsy Altman (Executive Administrator) 

312 635 3113; Betsy@SnipeUSA.com 

Ken Culver (Director of Finance) 

kculver@mo2inc.com 

Andrew Pontious (Legal Counsel) 

apontious@collette.com 

The US SNIPE SAILOR is published 

quarterly on February 1, May 1, August 1, and 

November 1. Submissions should be received 

by the 1st of the previous month. Please send 

material to Betsy@SnipeUSA.com. 

The Snipe Silhouette, the International Snipe 

Class Crest, and the slogan ‘Serious Sailing, 

Serious Fun’ are trademarks of the Snipe 

Class International Racing Association.and 

are registered at the US Patent and Trademark 

Office. 

From Our Outgoing 

National Secretary 

Now that my two years as your 

National Secretary have come to an 

end, I want to thank the membership 

for the opportunity to serve SCIRA 

USA, and thank the Board members 

and volunteers for their service, as 

well. It’s been a pleasure to watch 

Snipe sailors from all over working 

on behalf of SCIRA purely for the 

benefit of the class. From the local 

fleet to the international board, 

your class leaders have started new 

fleets, reactivated old fleets, rebuilt 

classic Snipes, funded and operated 

the Traveling Snipe Fleet, funded 

and created a new promotional 

DVD, run local, district, national 

and international championship 

regattas, administered a Perpetual 

Fund, operated within tight budgets, 

recruited and welcomed a new 

Executive Administrator, increased 

our social media presence, and added 

youth to our membership. 

Our class has a rich history of people 

who have kept it active for more than 

75 years. I encourage members to 

access the minutes of past SCIRA 

USA board meetings. There you 

will find that in previous years 

others may have already discussed, 

2012 Masters at Mission Bay Yacht Club. Photographer: Gene Ratliff 

considered, and dealt with issues that 

are important today. You will find 

the minutes on our website under 

Resources, Rules. 

I liked the trial run allowing 

international competitors to 

race in the US Senior National 

Championship this year, and I 

encourage the membership to 

support a continuation of this 

effort and to open up the US Junior 

Nationals, as well. 

We implemented an online dues 

renewal, joining and donations 

program which has been successful. 

You should have received an email 

announcing this new process. If 

you missed it, you can go to www. 

SnipeUSA.com and register online. 

Thank you for this extraoridinary 

opportunity to serve you and our 

class as the National Secretary. It 

is a privilege and a pleasure. I look 

forward to further growth. 

Fair seas and following winds, 

Gene Soltero 

Outgoing National Secretary 

2 www.snipeus.org US SNIPE SAILOR Winter 2013 3

Editor’s Highlights 

It is a pleasure to serve as your new Executive Administrator. 

The welcome from old friends and new ones has been 

stellar. Mary Buckley’s shoes were large and filling them is 

a challenge. She has exceptional skills at maintaining the 

records for the class and provided insightful understanding 

into the finances and class history. John Buckley produced 

a fine magazine worthy of being saved. John has captured 

the great history of the class, its events and trophies, and its 

culture. Many thanks to Mary and John for their dedication 

to the class and decade of service. 

I have been fortunate to sail with Martin Bebb at the 2012 

Nationals and at the 2012 Masters. This allowed me to meet 

many of you and to know first hand the excitement you have 

for the class. As a result, I met John Fretwell who introduced 

me to Dave Tillson and with Gus Wirth and others an online 

registration system has been created to take renewals, new 

member registration, donations and other miscellaneous 

payments like borrowed boat insurance and fleet dues. Many 

thanks to Dave for his thorough approach, and best wishes 

to him as he starts his new web services company. 

SCIRA is volunteer led and run. We are looking for help 

with projects (as Dave did for our online registration). If you 

would like to contribute skills, please let me know. We need 

help with branding our publications and website, managing 

our accounting, overseeing the one design adherence of our 

class as our measurer, handling our archives, serving in our 

leadership and helping your fleet organize pot luck dinners. 

We probably have needs we haven’t thought of, too. 

2013 Miami Under 30 Invitational. Photographer: John Payne 

Our 2013 regatta calendar is online on our home page at 

www.snipeus.org. Please send me your fleet’s local schedule 

so it can be added. Our members travel and would like to 

know if they can jump in a boat on a Tuesday evening or 

join you in the bar after racing. The North Americans are in 

April in Houston and Nationals are in July in Buffalo (the 

Buffalo Canoe Club is actually in Canada so don’t forget 

your passport.) 

The magazine relies on your contributions. Please send your 

photos and thoughts about the events you attend, preparing 

your boat, planning your sailing season and whatever else 

interests you. Everyone loves reading stories. Gavin O’Hare 

initiated a column about his personal experience with the 

Snipe Class. Please contribute to it. Tell us what tickles your 

interest and what makes your blood boil. 

We are beginning to plan to make the website more user 

friendly, and are interested in your ideas. 

There are many benefits of class memberships and our 

borrowed boat insurance program is one of them. We have 

complete coverage including liability, and charge a modest 

$40 fee for it. If you charter your boat, there are affordable 

options for your insurance, so call me for more information. 

I look forward to seeing you at events this year. Please let me 

know how I can help you to grow your fleets. 

Betsy Altman, Publisher/Editor 

SCIRA USA would like to thank JC Coolidge and his team at Chattanooga 

Printing and Engraving, LLC for printing this magazine. 

2012 Nationals at Coral Reef Yacht Club, Miami. Photographer: Marco Oquendo. Images By Marco 

4 www.snipeus.org 

Stories/Information 

Contact Us 02 

Outgoing National Secretary Letter 

by Gene Soltero 03 

Editor’s Highlights 

by Betsy Altman 04 

US Sailing Leadership Award 

by Lee Parks 15 

Traveling Snipe Fleet 

by Bruno Mello 16 

by Don Hackbarth 17 

Premium Membership Recognition 18 

Reactivating the Santa Monica Fleet 

by Robert Garlipp 21 

Ernie Coleman 

by John Rose 22 

Tips for a Clean Regatta 

by Sarah Levinson 23 

Overview of the Rules Chcanges 

by Dave Perry 26 

Environmental Rule 21 

My Snipe Experience 

by Gavin O’Hare 30 

Advertising 

APS 31 

Made By Digital Style 27 

North Sails 32 

North U 21 

Quantum Sails 02 

SCIRA USA Brochures/Bumper Stickers 02 

SCIRA Dues Renewal Reminder 15 

Snipe Video 15 

SOAK LLC 05 

The Sailor’s Tailor 29 

2013 Nationals/Junior Nationals Regatta 05 

2013 Masters 06 

Regatta Reports 

2012 Juniors/Nationals 

by The Old Man Gonzalez 08 

2012 Missouri Valley Championships 

by Pat Flood 06 

2012 North American’s 

by Tara Levy 12 

2012 Halloween Regatta 

by Craig McClean 14 

2012 WH&O 

by Tarasa Davis 10 

2013 Miami Under 30 Invitational 

by Kathleen Tocke 24 

On the Cover: 

2012 Nationals at Coral Reef Yacht Club, Miami 

Photographer: Marco Oquendo (imagesbymarco@bellsouth.net)

Regattas 

2012 Missouri Valley 

Championships and World Qualifier 

by Pat Flood 

Photos courtesy of the Organizing Authority 

On Labor Day Weekend, Iowa Nebraska Sailing Association 

(INSA) Snipe Fleet #309 hosted its annual Missouri Valley 

Championships at Lake Manawa, Iowa, with the added distinction 

of it being a World Qualifier Regatta. The 12 teams had a great 

weekend of competition on the water and fun off the water. 

The weather all weekend was pristine, but the wind was extremely 

light and shifty most of the time. INSA recruited ace PRO Fields 

Gunsett from Des Moines, and he and a group of local race 

committee officials worked hard to get seven competitive races 

completed despite the challenging conditions. 

Day One proved to be the best sailing day, 

with winds in the 3-12 range. Martin Bebb 

from Oklahoma, with local crew Mike Allen, 

ruled the day with a 1-1-3. That night, INSA 

hosted a beautiful banquet dinner at the 

Council Bluffs Country Club. 

Day Two started with a drifter, but the 

winds gradually increased throughout the 

day. Locals Pat Flood and Sigrid Festersen 

sailed to a 1-2-2, making it nearly a dead 

even regatta with Bebb/Allen going into the 

last day. 

On Day Three, the fleet sailed another 

drifter. On the first beat, the fleet split 

to the far right and far left. Bebb/Allen 

were looking strong on the left as they 

approached the windward mark, only to 

fall victim to a massive shift from the right 

which put them in a huge hole. Flood/ 

Festersen ghosted around the mark in first 

and were able to sail to a bullet and win the 

regatta. Bebb/Allen finished second overall, 

and Stephen and Monica Irgens from St. 

Louis were third. 

Four different teams won a race, and 

competition was fierce every race. 

Note that the upper photo was taken just after the starting signal of 

a race. #28470 at the pin end tacked shortly after the top photo was 

taken, crossed the fleet as is shown in the bottom photograph, and 

won the race! 


2013 US Snipe Nationals & Jr. Nationals 

July 19-26, 2012 

Buffalo Canoe Club 

Abino Bay, Ontario, Canada 

The Host of the 2010 Western Hemisphere Championships Again Welcomes the Snipe Class 

This beautiful club is located on the sandy shores of Lake Erie, only 20 minutes across the border from Buffalo. 

The BCC provides families with a 2 mile sand beach, playground, tennis courts, beach volleyball, baseball field, 

snack bar, dining room, bar with live music, many changing rooms, and full-service boat yard. 

Families can visit historical forts, Niagara Falls is only 25 minutes away, and Toronto is a great day-trip. 

Subsidized babysitting will be available for children ages 3-11 during the Nationals from 9:00 - 5:00. 

A limited amount of housing will be provided to junior sailors. There are many beach cottages available for rent, 

as well as nearby camping facilities, and hotels are a 5 or 15 minute drive. 

Both US and Canadian Customs are accustomed to boats trailered across the border. 

Passports Are Required By All. 

BCC

Regattas 

Rios Led The Snipe Juniors. . .Again 

by The Old Man Diaz 

Photographer: Marco Oquendo, ImagesByMarco.com, this page and the facing page 

The 2012 US Snipe Junior National Championship, 

hosted by Coral Reef Yacht Club, ended with clear 

proof that age and experience count when the wind 

blows. Raul Rios and crew, Manuel Inserni, won the 

event with a first and a second in the final day’s races. 

Nineteen-year-old Raul used the local knowledge he 

earned when he won the International 420 Class in 

the 2011 Open Orange Bowl Regatta. He also won 

the Snipe Juniors in 2011. His team won with a four 

point lead over San Diego’s 18-year-old Nevin Snow 

and Claire Reidman. Nevin, an accomplished sailor 

himself with a National High School Single-Handed 

and Team Racing Championships under his belt (or 

should we say life jacket), made a great fight out on the 

Bay. Unfortunately, their boat capsized in race 4 and 

they fought their way back to 15 th . That race became 

their discard. In third place, were Addison Hackstaff 

from St. Petersburg Yacht Club and Natalya Doris from 

Coral Reef Yacht Club. The top local sailing team was 

Scott Ewing, age 15, and Liz Ryder of Coral Reef Yacht 

Club who placed 4th. In ninth place, the winners of 

the “Old Man Diaz Trophy” for the top Special Junior 

(youth skipper with adult crew) were Coral Reef Yacht 

Club’s Ivan Shestopalov (won the 2012 Opti Team Trials 

qualifying him to represent the United States in the 2012 

Optimist World Championships), and crew Nick Voss, 

a University of Miami Senior and sailing team star. The 

top all girl team, finishing in sixth place, was made up 

of Taylor Scheuermann of Coral Reef Yacht Club and 

Jessica Claflin of Edgewood Yacht Club. 

With Saturday’s consistent 15-knot wind and Sunday’s 

breezes gusting up to 21 knots, the 21 teams put the 

Snipe Class motto of “Serious Sailing, Serious Fun” 

into reality. Principal Race Officer Jaime Ramon pushed 

them to sail hard and Regatta Chair Rich Raymond 

hosted them back at Coral Reef Yacht Club where 

they enjoyed the pool and Opening Ceremonies of 

the 2012 US Snipe Nationals. Racing for the National 

Championship with 46 boats competing. 

1. Raul Rios/Manuel Inserni (PUR) 2-(-4)-1-1-2 T.6 

2. Nevin Snow/Claire Reidman (CA) 1-2-3-(-15)-4 T.10 

3. Addison Hackstaff/Natalya Doris (FL) (-6) 5-6-3-1 T.15 

4. Scott Ewing/Liz Ryder (FL) 3-3-8-2-(-13) T.16 

5. Axel Sly/Pere Puig (FL) 5-1-(-9)-8-3 T.17 

Complete results at http://www.coralreefyachtclub.org/ 

Waterfront/Snipe-Nationals-2012.aspx 

Competitors Enjoyed Amazing Conditions at 2012 Nationals 

56 boats competed in the 2012 US Nationals 

at Coral Reef Yacht Club. A light wind regatta 

was expected, but the weather was uncharacteriscally 

windy for the time of year. Racing was 

cancelled two days due to wind and storms. 

Bruno Bethlem (BRA) won the event, followed 

by Ernesto Rodriguez (USA), and Augie Diaz 

(USA) in third. 


Regattas 

WH&O—Tough Racing, Warm Friendships 

by Tarasa Davis 

Photographer: Jorge Cousillias/El Ojo Nautico 

I was lucky enough to attend the recent Snipe Western 

Hemisphere & Orient Championship regatta in 

Olivos, just north of Buenos Aires, Argentina. The 

regatta was a wonderful refresher on what makes 

the worldwide Snipe family special…the camaraderie 

and friendships both renewed and newly made at 

the regatta are a reminder of why we compete…win 

or lose. Everyone who attends such a regatta comes 

out a winner…even if it doesn’t always feel like it 

when crossing the finish line! 

The conditions in the Rio de la Plata are as difficult 

as I have ever seen . . . just look at the scores to 

see that only one boat, the winner, Bruno Bethlem 

maintained all top 10 finishes. From third place, 

each sailor had finishes in the 20’s. The conditions 

had big chop combined with strong river currents, 

and huge (unpredictable to me) velocity differences 

across the course. These were topped off with big 

shifts that would take a top 10 rounding and quickly 

make it a bottom 10 rounding. One mistake would 

drop you 15 boats in an instant. Occasionally I was 

able to reverse these, but it was, oh, so hard! 

A key was to keep your head out of the boat . . . 

something that is hard for us lake sailors to do while 

driving a boat through chop with constant boat 

balance changes. Seeing the changes on the water 

was hard due to the brown water . . . puffs look 

different! We American’s need to get more reaching 

practice…watching the Argentinians, Brazilians and 

a Japanese catch a plane and fly three times faster 

than the other boats was awe inspiring…except 

when it was humbling! You just had to smile. 

Another observation was that the young blood in 

the class is alive and well, globally. Our extended 

Snipe family is out there . . . everyone should make 

plans to travel to a regatta. Can you tell I am itching 

for another shot?! When can I go? 

Top: Augie Diaz with Kathleen Tocke 

Middle: Brian Kamilar with Enrique Quintero 

Bottom: Tarasa Davis with Kim Calnan 

Six USA teams attended the regatta. 


ELIGIBILITY 

2013 U. S. SNIPE MASTERS 

hosted by the 

ERIE YACHT CLUB 

August 30 30–September 30 September 2 

The member's and Board of Directors of the Erie Yacht Club, Erie PA are pleased to welcome 

the U.S. Snipe Class to the 2013 Master's Regatta. Come and enjoy the superb hospitality of the 

Erie Yacht Club, host of the 2006 US Snipe Nationals and 2008 North Americans. The Erie 

Yacht Club is located on scenic Presque Isle Bay off the shores of Lake Erie. This fresh water 

protected harbor is an excellent venue for dinghy sailing with the race course just minutes from 

the club. There are lots of local attractions for our non sailors as well including Presque Isle State 

Park, Waldameer Amusement Park, Erie Zoo, and the Grove City Outlets. 

Regatta is open to SCIRA registered boats and Class 

Member skippers who are 45 years or older in the 

year of the regatta, whose age combined with that of 

the crew must equal at least 80 in the year of the 

regatta and are in good standing with SCIRA for the 

current year subject to any Deed of Gift trophy 

restrictions. 

RACE FORMAT 

There will be two races scheduled each day. Races 

are expected to start at 11:30 AM with a lunch break 

after race one. On Sunday races will be held back to 

back with lunch and trophies after races. There will be cold beer ashore to greet you daily when you hit the dock and 

we promise lots of delicious food and entertainment along with the great EYC hospitality. 

SOCIAL 

Thursday 8/30—Club Happy Hour on front deck with music and drink specials 

Friday 8/31—Cookout at lighthouse with music 

Saturday 9/1—Dinner at club with band 

Sunday 9/2—After race trophies and lunch on front deck 

REGISTRATION/M 

REGISTRATION/MEASUREMENT 

EASUREMENT 

Thursday evening 4-7 PM and Friday morning 8:30–10 AM 

HOUSING 

There will be onsite camping available at no charge as well as area hotels and motels. Home stays are only available 

for out of town race and SCIRA officials. 

INFORMATION 

For more information contact Holly and Gavin O'Hare at holliso@obyc.com or check out the EYC website in the 

coming months at www.erieyachtclub.org.

Regattas 

On the Road to the NAs 

by Tara Levy 

Photographer: Tara Levy 

Two weeks post surgery, I definitely had no plans to 

sail let alone travel, so I was amazed that I could plan 

a trip with only a few days’ notice. I was set to leave St. 

Pete and drive to Atlanta where I would meet up with 

everyone’s favorite sniper and TSF driver, Bruno Mello, 

to start our trip to Canada. 

When I arrived at Bruno’s farm where I stayed the night, 

the first order of business was to check out the famous 

La Parilla Mexican Restaurant that we have heard so 

much about. It was definitely worth checking out! Then, 

I cuddled on the couch with Tya, the yoga dog, before 

I woke to cows grazing in the pasture. After a trail ride 

on a beautiful horse, we were on our way. We stopped 

briefly in Chattanooga to pick up John Coolidge and, 

then, we were off for 24 hours straight in the van. It was 

6pm on Tuesday 9/11. Let the driving commence! 

We drove through the night to Rhode Island where 

we picked up the TSF trailer from Andy’s Jibtech 

Headquarters. On the way to Andy’s shop, I got to 

see the New York City skyline from the New Jersey 

turnpike as the sun was coming up. Although it was very 

beautiful, I learned that I would NEVER want to be in 

that traffic again at 8 am. Trying to maneuver through 

the traffic in a van with a boat on the top was no picnic, 

but we finally made it to Portsmouth on Wednesday. 

After a brief stop to see one of John’s old friends and 

a trip to Providence to drop Bruno off at the train 

station, it was back on the road for more than 12 hours 

to Toronto, Canada. We rolled through the Canadian 

boarder with no trouble around 3 am and made it to our 

destination at Etobikoke Yacht Club in Toronto, around 

4:15 Thursday morning. We could finally get out of the 

van! 

We were greeted by regatta chair Francisco Perez, who 

played host to us, and to the whole Snipe family over 

the next few days! After a little sleep, I awoke to find 

that Etobikoke is a beautiful, sprawling club. They had 

camping, an inviting club house, a playground, beach 

launch, lifts, nice bathrooms, and rows of sailboats that 

hosted many of the sailors all overlooking downtown 

Toronto. John, Francisco and I stayed on Tangaloa, a 

beautiful 45-foot sailboat in the middle of all the action. 

Thursday was marked by arrivals and measurement. It 

was nice to be able to sit back and watch all the craziness 

rather than participating. It was bitter sweet. I looked 

on as people were measuring sails, weighing boats, and 

getting reacquainted with old friends (my favorite part). 

It’s what the Snipe class is about. As the evening was 

setting, Francisco was finishing up the event chair duties. 

It was time for serious sailing, serious fun! 

On Friday, the racing began. Since I couldn’t sail, I 

was the photographer thanks to Alan Capellin and his 

awesome professional camera. The forecast was for 

rain. Race 1 of two kicked off in a steady 10-15 knots 

but as the clouds rolled in, things began to change. Just 

as race 2 was about to start, the freezing rain started to 

come down and the wind quickly died. A postponement 

followed by a race in 60 degree tempratures, light 

rain and five knots made me happy that I could go in 

and have a nap and a hot shower! Later that evening 

everyone thawed out and we had a nice pasta dinner and 

drinks in the clubhouse. 

Saturday’s racing kicked off with an AP flag until noon 

followed by two races sailed in 5-8 knots. Saturday night, 

Francisco and his dad Luis had planned a great evening. 

We had an excellent steak dinner with Harri Palm’s band 

playing, a raffle, and a cake for SCIRA’s 80th birthday 

decorated with photos of old and new Snipes. The only 

downfall was that all the Floridians and Californians 

were very cold that evening. You could easily spot us 

gathered around the outdoor heaters. 

Sunday wrapped up with two more races, packing up 

and an awards ceremony. The defending champion 

Raul Rios and his crew Edgar Diminich walked away 

with the winner’s trophy. As most everyone was leaving 

and saying their goodbyes, those who were not leaving 

till the next day were plotting our evening in Toronto. 

John Coolidge wanted to see the famous CN Tower 

so we headed out with Ernesto Rodriquez, his local 

crew, Anna, Eric Heim, and Francisco. After dinner, 

John went to the tower while the rest of us hung out at 

Anna’s apartment, which looked at the CN Tower. It was 

so beautiful and so close with the colors changing every 

few minutes. 

John and I left Canada Monday morning headed to 

Niagara Falls. What an amazing sight especially for a 

first timer! To anyone who has not already seen it, make 

sure to see it from the Canadian side. You cannot get 

the full spectrum from the US side. Once we made it 

through the boarder, we made a final trek to Annapolis 

to drop off the TSF trailer for the Frigid Digit regatta 

before flying back to Atlanta. We stayed with another 

generous Snipe sailor, Kim Couranz, who put John 

and me up for the night. Tuesday, I wandered around 

Annapolis as John got his things ready to fly back to 

Nashville. My plane left Wednesday morning. I enjoyed 

dinner with Kim and her husband before packing my 

things and getting to bed so I could be up to catch the 

shuttle at 3 am. 

Back in Atlanta the very generous Don Hackbarth took 

time out of his busy day to pick up a fellow sailor from 

the airport. He dropped me at the farm to get my car so 

I could make the final leg of my trip, a five-hour drive to 

Gainesville. What an amazing experience! 

I had so much fun traveling around with the TSF trailer, 

meeting new people, seeing new sights, learning more 

about the Snipe class. I got to see first hand what it took 

to put on a regatta. Francisco mentioned that he and his 

dad started planning over a year ago when they received 

the bid. Well, Francisco, all your hard work paid off, 

buddy, because it was a great event! The venue was great, 

the hospitality was great, the food was great! Thanks to 

everyone who helped make the trip possible. See you all 

on the water! 


Regattas 

2012 Halloween Regatta— 

The View from the Pavilion 

by Craig McLean 

On Saturday, a cold front nudged its 

way into the Allatoona basin from 

the northwest with winds 10-12 

mph, and notably higher in gusts. 

Steeper gradients were forecast for 

Sunday morning with significantly 

higher winds as the front penetrated 

deeper into the area. 

When Saturday results were in the 

books, Tarasa Davis and her finelytuned 

crew, Kim Calnan, had two 

bullets and looked dominating. Their 

nearest competitors were knotted in 

a three-way tie for second at eight 

points, and two more boats were tied 

for fifth at 11 points. Significantly, 

of the top six boats after Saturday’s 

races, only one skipper was not already 

on the Halloween plaque from 

previous years. The other five were 

all previous winners. Tough crowd! 

At least 10 boats had good-to-excellent 

starts for the Sunday finale and 

stayed bunched halfway up the first 

leg. A clear lane was hard to find. 

Hal Gilreath, who always points very 

well, inched his way into the lead at 

the first mark and loose-covered the 

fleet for the rest of the race, only 

yielding the lead a few times, briefly. 

At the first rounding of the leeward 

mark, the question among viewers in 

the Pavilion was, "Where's Tarasa?" 

A quick count by the person with 

binoculars . . . "Tarasa is in 10th." 

Mental arithmetic: Hal, and his 

crew, Amy Benner, were leading the 

regatta overall! 

More calculations… if Hal stays in 

first, which was looking more and 

more likely, that would give him nine 

points overall at the end of the day . 

. . Tarasa needed a six to win . . . to, 

wait, she needed a seven to win in a 

tie breaker. She had to swallow three 

boats in the next lap. 

Hackbarth, David Muhlhausen, 

Elliott, Cline, Coolidge, Anna Lee, 

Chris Stang, Irvine, and our new 

friends from the college sailing circuit, 

Mitch Hall and Bethany Herbert, 

were between Tarasa and Hal. 

Anna Lee Bradley was among the 

top three boats for much of the 

Sunday race, including times when 

she took the lead from Hal. When 

Irvine rounded the windward mark 

for the second time, he found the 

broad stripe of higher winds to the 

middle-left of the course. He and his 

daughter, Carley, blew past several 

boats who had stuck with the right 

side, going for geometry over wind 

speed. 

At the finish line, Hal got the horn 

and finished with nine points overall. 

Tarasa and Kim amazingly passed 

four competitors on the last lap to 

take sixth place giving them eight 

points overall and first place in the 

regatta. Anna Lee Bradley and her 

sister Kelley were second on Sunday 

to finish fifth overall. Chris and 

Lindsey Stang were third and finished 

third overall. And, John and 

Carley Irvine were fourth to finish 

fourth overall. 

All skippers who finished the regatta 

in the top five places were previous 

winners. Ian Elliott sailing with 

the orange jib (donated by George 

Szabo of Quantum Sails) took sixth 

place overall and was the top finisher 

who had not previously won the 

Halloween Regatta. Of the 10 sailors 

in the top five boats, only three were 

men. All of the top 10 boats had female 

crews (including one wife, one 

sister, and two daughters). Discouraging 

news for some of us: the top 

six boats after two races, were still 

the top six boats after three races. 

As the boats came off the water 

Sunday, the wind picked up to 

15mph and above. It is impossible 

to know how it might have affected 

the regatta results if the winds had 

rolled in an hour earlier. 

After this warm-up at the Snipe 

Fleet 330’s annual Halloween Regatta, 

Tarasa Davis and crew, Kim 

Calnan, headed to Buenos Aires, 

Argentina, for the Snipe Western 

Hemispheres. 

2013 SCIRA USA Dues are Due 

It’s time to start planning for your sailing season! 

Thank you to everyone who has already renewed their Snipe USA membership. If you haven’t yet joined the class or renewed your membership, 

please use SCIRA USAs new online registration system to pay your 2013 dues. (www.SnipeUSA.com) It is easy, and allows you to make donations 

to the SCIRA Perpetual Fund (supporting junior sailing and other class growth initiatives) and the Traveling Snipe Fund (which provides four boats 

for charter at regattas expanding our outreach to potential Snipe sailors). Our dues year is January 1 through December 31. 

Dues increased modestly for 2013, the first dues increase in a decade. Please consider joining other active Snipe racers supporting the class with a 

premium dues contribution. The dues rates are: 

Platinum $215 

Gold $140 

Silver $ 90 

Boat and Senior Owner $ 65 

Senior $ 30 

Junior $ 20 

Boat and Junior Owner $ 50 

Congratulations, Kathleen! 

Kathleen Tocke won US Sailing’s One Design Class Leadership 

Award for her efforts in the development of the Miami Snipe 

Invitational. The event was a huge success two years in a row 

in attracting new sailors 30 years and under to the Snipe class, 

while providing quality instruction in a fun, exciting atmosphere. 

The Traveling Snipe Fleet is instrumental in providing 

equipment to this innovative event. 

Snipe Video 

Serious Sailing, Serious Fun: 

Traditions Build Winners 

See why our class is strong after 82 years. 

Produced by Vince Casalaina, USA 30569 

Fleet 12 San Francisco Bay Fleet Captain 

Send a check for $35 payable to: 

Image Integration 

2619 Benvenue Ave. Apt. A 

Berkeley, CA 94704 

This project benefitted from the support of 

over 100 individual contributors. 


Traveling Snipe Fleet 

Traveling Snipe Fleet—Sails Into 

Year Three 

by Bruno Mello and Don Hackbarth 

Photographer: Bruno Mello 

TSF Program 2012 

I decided to drive around the country spreading the 

word about a 15 ½ foot, 2-person, one design racing 

dinghy. The Snipe Class has given me more than just 

a very competitive level of sailing, it has given me an 

opportunity to make friends from different parts of the 

world who share a passion for the Class and the serious 

sailing that happens in the Snipe Class. 

Many thanks to those who made this incredible program 

possible and who have proven, year after year, that the 

Snipe Class is very strong at recruiting new sailors to 

grow and benfefit from the great racing in the Class. 

My journey had many highlights, from accidents where 

I was stuck for eight hours, to unbelievable places where 

I watched the sunset for hours. I drove many miles and 

reunited with many Snipe friends in many states. 

Thanks to Andy Pimental for contributing to the Snipe 

Class and giving me a crash course on all the repairs I 

needed to know to keep the boats sailing fast. 

The Snipe family made many contributions to the 

program, from housing me to crab cakes that were out 

of this world (thanks Annapolis fleet). Long hours on 

the road made the TSF VAN a complete five-star hotel 

as I drove 15,000 miles in 24 states. By the end, I had a 

complete apartment built inside the van. 

The Travelling Snipe Fleet program makes a very important 

contribution to the development of the Class, 

providing the opportunity to attract new snipe sailors. 

The program allowed two high school sailors to qualify 

for the 2013 Snipe Worlds in Rio, Brazil. Visiting sailing 

clubs all over the country with the objective of spreading 

the Snipe word is a successful way to increase the 

Snipe family and its support. 

TSF Manager’s note, many thanks to Bruno for taking 

on this nomadic task for 2012, and to the numerous 

Fleet members who helped him unload, rig, and reload 

the boats at the sailing venues. 

Please Support the TSF Initiative 

TSF Sails Into Year Three in 2013 

The TSF is accomplishing its primary goal of introducing 

young adults to the Class. It has completed two years 

of operations and traveled 31,950 miles from Dallas, 

Texas and Miami, Florida to Toronto, Canada (2012 

NA’s). The program has introduced approximately 200 

sailors to the Snipe boat and the class’ sailing/social 

environment at 26 events (10 in 2011 and 16 in 2012). 

The program was recognized along with our Miami Invitational 

Regatta for those under 30 with a Leadership 

Award from US Sailing! 

The two years of operations have cost approximately 

$65,000 (excluding assets acquired). All but $6,000 of 

these costs were funded by donations. A $6,000 loan was 

obtained to fund a 2012 cash shortage, resulting from 

new sails purchase and acquiring a fourth boat. 

We have been fortunate to have two coach/drivers over 

this period that have been reliable, self motivated and 

devoted to promoting the Snipe and the Class (Austin 

Kana and Bruno Mello). The van and trailer remain in 

top condition. Two of the four boats are competitive 

and the other two are acceptable and functional. 

The highlight of the year was when one of the TSF user 

teams (Juniors, yet) qualified for the USA team to the 

Rio Worlds. The Miami Snipe Invitational has grown as 

a result of the TSF support. The TSF was important to 

the success of the Women’s and Junior Nationals, too. 

The Program costs about $30,000 to $40,000 per year. 

We must raise this money from you, members of our 

class, in order to run the program in 2013. Donations 

can be made online at www.SnipeUSA.com and click on 

the Donations tab. 

We thank you in advance for the support you offer for 

this important effort. You may donate cash, a boat, or 

good sails. Please note that we want to keep this program 

going and have the full support of the SCIRA- 

USA Board. The Board expects to make contributions 

from the Soltero Development Fund and from the 

income from the Perpetual Fund, as well. 


Snipe News 

2012 SCIRA USA Premium Members Thank You For Your Support 

Thank you to all Snipe sailors who support the class with Premium Memberships. These contributions help promote 

the class and continue to build strong fleets with active boats. If you are able, please contribute to the Traveling 

Snipe Fleet, as well. The Snipe is popular as a result of these programs. Dues renewal and donations to the 

Traveling Snipe Fleet and Perpetual Fund can be made online at www.SnipeUSA. com. 

Platinum Members 

Renee Bartell 

San Diego Area Snipe 

Fleet, Fleet #495 

Martin Bebb 

Windycrest (formerly 

Sequoyah), Fleet #68 

Don Bedford 



Lee Bradley 

Atlanta, Fleet #330 

Doug Broeker 

Miami, Fleet #7 

Kathy Bronaugh 


Mary and John 

Buckley 

Lincoln, Fleet #567 

Vince Casalaina 

San Francisco Bay, 

Fleet #12 

Peter Commette 


Henry Davis 

Iowa/Nebraska, Fleet 

#309 

R. Means Davis, Jr. 


Tarasa Davis 


Augie Diaz 


Gonzalo E. Diaz Sr. 


Nancy and Berkley 

Duck 

Indianapolis, Fleet 

#409 

Peter and Suzan 

Fenner 

Dallas, Fleet #1 

Sigrid Festersen 


#309 

Henry C. Filter III 

Annapolis, Fleet #532 

Hal Gilreath 

St. Johns River (aka 

Jacksonville), 

Fleet #630 

Stuart L. Griffing 

Cowan Lake, Fleet 

#433 

Don Hackbarth 


Mark Hasslinger 


Tom Henderson 


Thomas A. Hunt 

Redwood Empire, 

Fleet #654 

Bruce A. Hurst 



Andrew Klein 

Winchester, Fleet #77 

Carolyn Krebs 



Eric Krebs 



John Lally 


Lisa and Craig 

Leweck San Diego 

Area Snipe Fleet, Fleet 

#495 

Andrew and Elizabeth 

Pontious 


Fleet #12 

Ernesto Sanchez 

St. Petersburg, Fleet 

#801 

Francis A. Seavy 

District 4 

Neal Snebold 


Eugene Soltero 


Steve and Danielle 

Suddath 

St. Johns River (aka 

Jacksonville), 

Fleet #630 

Mrs. Ralph Swanson 


Doug and Karen 

Swenson 

Rocky Mountain, Fleet 

#210 

Dan Williams 

Privateer, Fleet #142 

Celeste Suggs and 

Joel Zackin 

New Haven, Fleet #37 

Gold Members Silver Members 

Frank H. Briggs 


George and Joan 

Kanter Buck 



Charlie and Michele 

Bustamante 

District 4 

Ned Daly 


Packy Davis 


Fleet #12 

Martin Fetsch 


Martin and Suzette 

Fraser 

Medford, Fleet #777 

Brian Hetherington 



Matthew Heywood 

North Cape , Fleet 

#762 

Robert A. Hunt 

Redwood Empire, 

Fleet #654 

Phil Lee 


#309 

Harry and Sarah 

Levinson 


Michael Mack 


Fleet #12 

Bob Panza 

Quassapaug, Fleet 

#231 

Eliot R. Payson 

Bow Mar, Fleet #640 

Lisa Foulke Pline 


Eric Reinke 


George Rood 


#309 

Dave Schibler 



Thomas Schmitt 


Trey Shipp 


Steve and Mary 

Snider 



John Tagliamonte 

Cottage Park, Fleet 

#244 

Jim Tomassetti 

District 1 

Ken and Kay Voss 


Peter Wolcott 


#231 

Bill and April Worster 


#433 

2012 Nationals at Coral Reef Yacht Club, Miami 

Photographer: Marco Oquendo. Images By Marco 

Robin Baker 

Palm Beach, Fleet 

#51 

Lee Barrett 

Valdosta, Fleet #580 

T.H. Barrett Jr. 

Valdosta, Fleet #580 

Ellen C. Booth 

Onondaga, Fleet #18 

Bob Bowden 



Jim Bowers 


Anna Lee Bradley 


Larry L. Briggs 


Mike Choquette 



J. Scott Cline 


Tom Colligan 

Seattle, Fleet #444 

John Coolidge 

District 4 

Lanny Coon 

District 6 

Charles Courtsal 

Newport Y.C., Fleet 

#103 

Robert Coyle 


#244 

Paul and Carol N. 

Cronin 

Narragansett Bay, 

Fleet #17 

Arthur J. Cunningham 

District 1 

Norman Dahl 

Newport Y.C., Fleet 

#103 

Gary W. Derrick 

Oklahoma City, Fleet 

#14 

Jno Disch 

Cleveland, Fleet #747 

Ian M. Elliott 


Barbara J. Evans 

Charleston, Fleet #52 

Robert & Donna 

Ewoldt 


Patrick Flood 


#309 

Jim Foreman 


#433 

Jack Gannon 


Neil Gerren 

Portage Lakes, Fleet 

#110 

Richard P. Grant Jr. 

Grand Rapids, Fleet 

#137 

Greg Group 


#110 

Ernest E. Hardy Jr. 


#244 

Dexter Harshbarger 

Wolf Lake, Fleet #141 

Doug Hart 

San Diego Area Fleet 

#495 

Kevin Heatherington-Young 


Monica Irgens 

Carlyle Lake, Fleet 

#705 

Stephan Irgens 

Carlyle Lake, Fleet 

#705 

John Irvine 


Robert S. Jackman 

DVM 



James Lampros 

Willamette, Fleet #533 

Steve Lang Family 

St. Petersburg, Fleet 

#801 

David Lence 


Bryson Lesley 


Dee L. Lockwood 


Pedro Lorson 

Manhasset Bay, Fleet 

#258 

Jim and Rita MacKenzie 

Rocky Mountain, Fleet 

#210 


Snipe News 

2012 SCIRA USA Premium Members 

Silver Members continued 

John MacRae 


#244 

John J. Marx 

Lake Mohawk, Fleet 

#10 

Shan McAdoo 

Beverly (formerly Annisquam), 

Fleet #554 

Todd McBride 

District 1 

Aine McLean 

Fretwell 



Christopher Melton 


Ava Moore 


David Muhlhausen 


John Muhlhausen 


Carey Nelson 


#433 

Tom O’Brien 


#309 

Michael J. Otto 

Gull Lake, Fleet #190 

Michael Papp 

Birmingham, Fleet 

#828 

David C. Patterson 


Lawrence Pellett 


#231 

Gene Ratliffe 



Roger F. Ream DDS 


#110 

Robert R. Recker 


#309 

Ken & Julie Redler 



Phil Richmond 


Ken & Mary Ann 

Rix 

Wichita, Fleet #93 

John D. Rose 

District 7 

Chris Scofield 


#309 


Rick Scofield 


#309 

Robert L. Smith 


Bob and Sherry 

Stevenson 


Jim Stillson 


Craig Storms 



Herbert Stouffer 


William Swanton 


Karen Swenson 

Rocky Mountain, 

Fleet #210 

Todd Teachout 


Fleet #12 

William G. Thomas 


The Tillsons - 

David, Barb, Cole, 

Shane and Paige 

San Diego Area, Fleet 

#495 

Tom Townsend 


#409 

Tug Townsend 


#409 

Simon Verghese 


Chuck Wahl 


Darryl Waskow 

Barnegat Bay, Fleet 

#256 

Gifford Weary 

Hoover, Fleet #760 

Robert W. Whitman 


#433 

Bridget Creney 

Wiatrowski 


Mark Williams 


Cliff Wright 

Seattle, Fleet #444 

Andy Zeratsky 

Green Lake, Fleet 

#129 


2012 Masters at Mission Bay Yacht Club 

Photographer: Gene Ratliff 

Rules & Tactics 

Over 40 seminars and webinars on Rules & Tactics and 

Expedition Software will be offered throughout North 

America. Visit us online for a complete schedule. 

www.northu.com 1-800-347-2457 

The North U. Rules & Tactics Workbook is included with the seminar. 

New Basic Principle 

and Rule 55 

Sailors are responsible for the marine environment. 

A new Racing Rules of Sailing for 2013–2016 was published in the 

fall 2012 to take effect in January 2013. In it, sailors are encouraged to 

minimize the environmental impact of the sport of sailing, and trash 

disposal is addressed directly. 

In the new rule book, on page 6 under Basic Principles, Environmental 

Responsilibity states “Participants are encouraged to minimize any adverse 

environmental impact of the sport of sailing. “ 

On page 27, Rule 55 Trash Disposal says “A competitor shall not 

intentionally put trash in the water.” 

You should be aware of these changes as you can be protested if you don’t 

act responsibly. 

2013 SEMINAR SCHEDULE 

Perth Amboy, NJ ............ Jan. 26 

Marina Del Rey, CA .........Feb. 2 

Richmond, VA ...................Feb. 2 

Canyon Lake, TX ..............Feb. 2 

Duluth, MN.........................Feb. 9 

Milford, CT .........................Feb. 9 

Hilton Head Is., SC ..................Feb. 9 

Wayzata, MN ....................Feb. 9 

Wayzata, MN (Cruising) ... Feb. 10 

Vancouver, BC .................Feb. 16 

Chestermere, AB ...........Feb. 23 

Portland, OR ....................Feb. 23 

San Francisco, CA ..........Feb. 23 

Seabrook, TX ...................Feb. 23 

Shreveport, LA ...............Feb. 23 

Seattle, WA ......................Feb. 24 

Dallas, TX ..........................Feb. 24 

Oxnard, CA .......................Feb. 24 

Marblehead, MA ................. Mar 2 

Portsmouth, RI .................... Mar 2 

San Diego, CA ................... Mar 2 

Winnipeg, MB (Trim) ......... Mar 2 

Detroit, MI ............................ Mar 3 

Annapolis, MD ..................... Mar 3 

Macatawa, MI (Evening) ..... Mar 7 

Kenosha, WI (Evening) ......... Mar 8 

Chicago, IL ............................ Mar 9 

Lexington, KY ...................... Mar 9 

Stamford, CT ........................ Mar 9 

Nanaimo, BC ......................... Mar 9 

Milwaukee, WI ................... Mar 10 

City Island, NY ................... Mar 23 

Boston, MA ......................... Mar 23 

Westport, CT ...................... Mar 23 

Long Island, NY ................. Mar 24 

Erie, PA ....................................Apr 6 

Ottawa, ON ............................Apr 6 

Half Moon Bay, CA ..............Apr 6 

Jersey Shore, NJ ...................Apr 7 

Raritan Bay, NJ ...................Apr 13 

Toronto, ON .........................Apr 13 

Montreal, QC .......................Apr 20 

Coos Bay, OR .......................Apr 27 

Marion, MA ..........................Apr 27 

Saint John, NB ....................Apr 27 

Halifax, NS ...........................Apr 28 

Rochester, NY .....................Apr 28 

Rules Webinars: 

Feb 27 & Mar 6 

Apr 2 & Apr 9 

Apr 25 & May 2 

Expedition Software Webinars: 

Feb 6 & Feb 13 

Apr 23 & Apr 30 

Rules & Expedition Software Webinars are 

taught in two 3-hr sessions, 6pm-9pm EST. 

More seminars to come!

Classic Snipes 

Underway—Reactivating 

Santa Monica Bay Fleet #24 

by Robert Garlipp 

Photograph courtesy of Robert Garlipp 

Snipes were once a familiar sight in 

Los Angeles, CA, with four fleets 

calling Los Angeles home, Fleet 2 

Los Angeles Harbor, Cabrillo Beach 

Yacht Club; Fleet 24 Santa Monica, 

Santa Monica Sailing Club (later 

moved to South Coast Corinthian 

Yacht Club); Fleet 90 Los Angeles 

Harbor, Los Angeles Yacht Club ; 

and Fleet 117 Redondo Beach, King 

Harbor Yacht Club. Many of the 

yacht clubs started their racing activities 

with Snipes, as documented by 

the historic photos lining the walls 

of older clubs. Other Snipe fleets included 

94 Newport Beach, Newport 

Harbor Yacht Club; and 218 Long 

Beach, Alamitos Bay Yacht Club. 

Snipes have vanished from the Los 

Angeles racing circuit; so it comes at 

no surprise that the appearance of a 

70-year old Snipe gets attention. 

“Toper”, a 1939 Varalyay, was in 

storage for 25 years after a rich racing 

history as part of Fleet 2. It was 

in continuous ownership with the 

same family for 72 years. Last year, 

I became the new guardian of the 

boat. Following winter maintenance 

and paintwork, she re-appeared in 

the Spring 2012, and took part in 

a casual regatta. It the oldest existing 

Varalyay Snipe, according to 

John Rose, Classic Snipe Editor for 

SCIRA USA. 

When I go sailing, I look forward 

to the engaged conversations by the 

hoist with older sailors remembering 

Snipes and younger ones exploring 

an unfamiliar boat. The conversations 

have excited many with “fleet” 

slipping into conversations. 

Fleet 24 in Santa Monica is connected 

to our sailing club, the South 

Coast Corinthian Yacht Club in 

Marina del Rey. They originally sailed 

out of the long disappeared Santa 

Monica Marina, launching wooden 

Snipes from the beach. 

The fleet was de-activated in the 

1950’s. Under the motto “See what 

one wooden Snipe can do, let’s see 

what three can do,” the idea emerged 

of the classic boats acting as ambassadors 

for promoting a fleet revival. 

We achieved getting three boats 

together to re-form the fleet. The 

second boat is a 1963 owner-built 

wooden Snipe #12521, formerly 

part of the now dormant Fleet 94 

at Newport Beach. “Katawampus” 

sports a bikini blue cedar planked 

hull and a clear mahogany plywood 

deck including its original spars, 

rigging and Racelite hardware. As 

the fleet grows, we plan to supplement 

the vintage wooden Snipes by 

including fiberglass Snipes. 

While searching for boats, we started 

a newsletter to keep the community 

energized and distribute information 

about development, conversations 

and available boats on the market. 

We enjoyed enthusiastic support 

from SCIRA that helped to evolve 

our idea into a realistic plan. 

Next year, we must add two more 

boats to retain a fleet. I can’t wait. 

Toper sailing last spring after her recent renovation. 

Ernie A. Coleman (1916-2012) 

by John Rose, Classic Snipe Editor 

Photographs courtesy of Marilyn Coleman 

“Sailing is my life.” So goes a quotation on the introductory 

page of a new book “Chasing the Wind”, written 

by Jeff Spevak, about the life story of Ernie Coleman of 

Rochester, New York. Coleman, sadly, passed away just 

after Christmas in December 2012, at age 96. 

Ernie Coleman's ventures into Snipe sailing began in the 

late 1930s, when he built his first Snipe “Kiddo” from a 

frame kit, when he was in his early 20s. He raced Snipes 

at Newport Yacht Club on Irondequoit Bay in Rochester, 

where there was a big Snipe Fleet #103 in the 1940s 

and 50s. An active Snipe fleet still exists there. Although 

new to one-design racing, Ernie learned the ropes and 

mastered the local conditions and winds, and soon was 

winning races over other Snipe competitors. 

Then WW II began, the Snipe was sold and Ernie went 

into the Navy, serving in the South Pacific. He was one 

of a small number of survivors when the Navy ship he 

was on was sunk during a battle. After WW II, Ernie went 

back to Rochester and began sailing again in 1946, this 

time aboard a new Snipe that he built, #5894 “R's.” He 

again began winning Snipe races in the Newport Yacht 

Club fleet, and in other regional races in New York State 

and the northeastern region, including the North Atlantic 

Snipe Championship held that year in New Jersey. He 

also raced this boat in the 1947 and 1948 Snipe National 

Championships. A photo of Ernie sailing “R's” appeared 

in the first edition of Ted Wells book, “Scientific Sailboat 

Racing.” Later, that Snipe was sold as Ernie re-enlisted 

again in the Navy to serve in a Navy shipyard during the 

Korean War, building Navy troop landing craft using his 

carpentry and boat-building skills. When he returned to 

Rochester after the war, Ernie embarked on building a 

new Snipe in 1950 using the latest vogue in hull shapes 

and materials; #8038 “Feather” was so named because it 

was a lightweight, fast boat. #8038 has survived all these 

years and is now owned by Jim Vibert (Windwalker Boats, 

Ottawa, Kansas) who is restoring and upgrading the 

boat. 

Ernie maintained his interest in sailing for all of his 

life. In more recent years, he raced a 26 ft Columbia 

Mark II sailing yacht “Desire” in handicap races of the 

Rochester Yacht Club and the Genesee Yacht Club on 

Lake Ontario. Amazingly, he was active in racing until 

age 95, and won many races and regattas during these 

years, much of the time with an all-female crew. 

Ernie is survived by his wife Marilyn Coleman, a travel 

agent who expanded Ernie's life experiences to include 

skiing and world traveling, and by other family members. 

Ernie was well known in the yachting community 

from the 1930s on around northern New York state 

and the Rochester area, in particular. He and his wife 

visited the 2010 Classic Snipe Rally sponsored by the 

Finger Lakes Boating Museum, at Geneva, NY. 

Note: “Chasing the Wind” may be purchased from the author 

Jeff Spevak, through theadhub, 28 Grassmere Park, Rochester, 

NY 14612; tel. 585-258-2452 or web site http://www.adhub.com/industry/jeff_spevak 

The book has 20 chapters plus 

an Epilogue, and 159 pages. It makes interesting reading and is 

an insight into the life of a devoted and accomplished sailor. 


Green Regattas 

Tips for Running a Clean Regatta 

by Sarah Levinson 

The SCIRA USA Board of Directors endorses 

making our regattas as ‘green’ as possible. We are 

adding to the Regatta Bid Form a request for a plan 

to keep the regatta green. Below are some ideas. 

Transportation: Encourage van pools and ride 

sharing to the event, provide preferred parking for 

double or larger boat trailers. 

Lodging: Promote on-site camping, which is 

the ultimate in green, living off the grid for the 

weekend with great camraderie! Host social events 

especially for the campers such as volleyball and 

s’mores around the campfire one evening. Place and 

maintain water jugs near the campsite location so 

that campers don't have to trek far for water. Give 

campers priority parking locations (car and boat), 

and priority in the food line. Offer campers free ice 

(to replenish their coolers) during the weekend. 

For those who prefer the comfort of a hotel room, 

recommend local hotels that are green. In Erie, PA, 

(site of the 2013 Masters), I was able to find a hotel 

near the yacht club that offers a green program. 

Printing: Keep printed materials to a minimum and 

print double sided, when necessary. Use paper containing 

recycled content. Be sure to announce that 

the regatta is taking steps to ‘go green’ and list the 

initiatives. Let people know that SCIRA encourages 

all competitors to act environmentally responsibly 

during the event, using refillable water bottles and 

recycle bins. 

Registration: Encourage online advance registration 

and online registration at the event so as to 

minimize paper. Regatta Network is a good resource 

for online registration and scoring 

Food: Discourage individually wrapped sandwiches. 

Where possible, for meals ashore, encourage the use 

of serving on plates and with silverware that can be washed 

vs. disposable plates, cups, and plastic cutlery. 

Drinks: Encourage people to bring their own reusable cups 

and water bottles. Consider providing reusable water bottles 

or cups as regatta give aways. Make cold water readily accessible 

during the event for competitors to replenish water 

bottles (large coolers). Encourage the use of re-usable 

glasses during Happy Hours or evening socials. Announce 

at the Skippers meeting the locations of the water stations. 

Recycle bins: If necessary, purchase recycle bins to place 

strategically around yacht club grounds for competitor use. 

Announce the locations of recycle bins at the Skipper’s 

meeting. 

Trophies: Be creative. People prefer trophies they can use, 

like lawn chairs or water bottles. Use the companies that 

make bags from old sails. 

Press Coverage: Share your new message with your local 

newspaper and highlight the green nature of your event. 

Clean Regattas Liaison: Appoint a volunteer to be responsible 

for making your regatta as green as possible. This 

role is detailed at the Sailors for the Sea website at http:// 

sailorsforthesea.org/programs-and-projects/clean-regattas/ 

become-a-clean-regatta.aspx. 

2012 Nationals in Miami. Photographer: Marco Oquendo, imagesbymarco.com 

2013 Miami Invitational—Under 30s 

by Kathleen Tocke 

Photographer: John Payne 

Eckerd College Coach Kevin Reali and Ashley Reali were proclaimed 

the winners of the Second Annual Miami Snipe Invitational. The 

Reali’s narrowly beat the second place team of Mitch Hall (College of 

Charleston Coach) and Nicole Popp who posted an impressive three 

bullets on Sunday. Recent University of Miami graduate David Hernandez 

with local crew, Pere Puig, finished third. The award for the 

highest placing new team went to Canadian National Development 

Team member Rob Davis and his crew Natalya Doris. The top placing 

junior team was 2012 Smythe Winner, Addison Hackstaff sailing with 

Alex Voce, and the top women’s team prize went to Charlie Bess & 

Kristen Walker, who recently represented the USA at the 2012 Women’s 

Snipe Worlds in Spain. 

The 30 and under event attracted young racers from around North 

America, many of whom were racing the Snipe for the first time. 

Twelve year old, Ivan Shestopalov, who placed seventh in the 2012 

Opti Worlds, and has sailed Snipes with his Dad for a couple of years, 

posted two top five finishes in the light breeze with crew Bruno Mello. 

The two-day clinic before the regatta included coaching and a panel 

discussion with Snipe Champions Peter Commette, George Szabo, 

Augie Diaz, and Kathleen Tocke. Competitors enjoyed eight races in 

the Miami sunshine and one of Carmen Diaz’s famed Cuban dinners, 

which is enough to make anyone to want to join the Class. Mark your 

calendars for next year’s event, same place, same weekend. 

Regattas 


Tactics and Rules 

Overview of Rules and Game 

Changes in 2013-2016 RRS 

by Dave Perry 

The following is a list of the significant changes in the 2013-2016 

edition of The Racing Rules of Sailing (RRS). These are changes 

from the 2009-2012 edition. NOTE: These brief summaries are 

not intended to be actual representations of the rules; nor is this a 

complete list of all the changes in the 2013-2016 RRS. 

Basic Principles 

A new Basic Principle has been added called 

“Environmental Responsibility”, which reads, 

“Participants are encouraged to minimize any adverse 

environmental impact of the sport of sailing.” This is 

supported by new rule 55 (Trash Disposal) which reads, 

“A competitor shall not intentionally put trash in the 

water.” Rule 55 applies at all times when boats are on the 

water and subject to the RRS. 

Definitions 

Finish The definition has been revised to clarify that if 

a boat crosses the finishing line but then takes a penalty 

or corrects an error in crossing the finishing line, she 

has not “finished” yet and is therefore still “racing.” 

She “finishes” when she crosses the finishing line after 

completing her penalty or correcting her error. 

And if a boat happens to cross the “finishing line” on 

her way to the next mark (say the start/finish line is in 

the middle of the beat), she doesn’t “finish” until she 

crosses the finishing line and stops racing. 

Keep Clear The second part of the definition has been 

expanded to apply to overlapped port and starboard tack 

boats as well as windward and leeward boats. If a porttack 

boat allows herself to get so close to a starboardtack 

boat that the starboard-tack boat cannot change 

course in both directions without making immediate 

contact with the port-tack boat, the port-tack boat has 

failed to keep clear. Note that boats on the opposite 

tacks can be considered “overlapped” only when rule 18 

applies or both are sailing more than 90 degrees from 

the true wind. 

Mark Now an object attached “temporarily” to a mark 

is considered part of the mark. For instance, if the race 

committee hangs a “keep-off buoy” off the back of the 

race committee boat, that buoy and the line attaching it 

to the boat are part of the race committee boat which is 

a “mark.” 

Mark-Room The definition has been changed to 

remove the “to” / “at” convention from the previous 

definition. The new definition allows an inside boat 

“room” to leave the mark on the required side. In 

addition, when the inside boat’s proper course would 

bring her close to the mark, as it would when a boat is 

rounding that mark, she is entitled to “room” to sail to 

the mark, i.e., the space she needs to get to the mark 

while sailing in a “seamanlike way;” and then “room” 

to round the mark as necessary to sail the course, i.e., 

the space she needs to round the mark and begin sailing 

the next leg of the course in a “seamanlike way.” Note, 

the reference to “proper course” is merely a test for 

whether an inside boat is entitled to “room” to sail to a 

mark. “Mark-room” does not include room for a boat to 

sail her “proper course” anymore (though certain rules 

in rule 18 do permit an inside boat to sail her proper 

course near a mark). 

Party The definition has been expanded to include a 

boat for which redress has been requested, the race 

committee when it requests redress for a boat, and any 

body listed in rule 62.1(a) (Redress) when it is alleged to 

have made an improper action or omission. 

Room The definition now includes space for a boat to 

comply with her obligations under the rules in Part 2 

(When Boats Meet) and rule 31 (Touching a Mark). For 

instance, rule 16.1 (Changing Course) now means that a 

right-of-way boat cannot change course if it causes the 

keep-clear boat to foul another boat or touch a mark. 

Part Two Rules 

Rule 14 (Avoiding Contact) has been modified so that 

when a right-of-way boat or one entitled to room or 

mark-room breaks rule 14, but there is no damage or 

injury, she is to be “exonerated,” which means freed 

from blame for breaking the rule. The previous rule said 

that the boat would not be “penalized.” 

Rule 18.2(c)(2) (Giving Mark-Room) answers the 

question: when a boat is taking mark-room, how far 

can she turn to shut the door and still be exonerated 

under rule 21 (Exoneration) for breaking rule 16.1 

(Changing Course) when a boat that owes her markroom 

tries to sail in between her and the mark? Rule 

18.2(c)(2) effectively says she can sail up to her “proper 

course,” but if she sails higher than that, she will not be 

exonerated if she breaks rule 16.1. 

Rule 18.2(e) (Giving Mark-Room) adds that if a boat 

obtains an inside overlap by tacking to windward of 

another boat, and from the time the overlap began the 

outside boat has been unable to give mark-room, she is 

not required to give it. 

Rule 18.3 (Tacking in the Zone) now applies only if the 

boat that is tacking passes head to wind inside the zone 

(the previous rule applied if the boat completed her tack 

in the zone, even when she had passed head to wind 

outside the zone). The rule is now broken if the tacking 

boat causes any boat in the situation to sail above close- 

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hauled to avoid contact with any other boat, which 

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comes up in multiple-boat roundings. 

Rule 20 (Room to Tack at an Obstruction) has been 

reformatted but with very little change in meaning. The 

changes are: 

• if a boat is fetching an obstruction that is 

also a mark, but would not have to change 

course to avoid a boat that hailed for room and 

subsequently tacked, the hailing boat has not 

broken a rule; 

• from the time a boat hails until she has tacked 

and avoided the other boat, rule 18.2 (Giving 

Mark-Room) does not apply between them. 

In the previous rules, this was stated in the 

preamble to Section C; 

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26 www.snipeus.org US SNIPE SAILOR Winter 2013 27 

NEW - WATERPROOF 

MEMBERSHIP MATTERS

Tactics and Rules 

Significant Rules Changes—continued 

• and if a boat has been hailed to tack, but 

can’t tack due to boats to windward of her, 

she can pass along the hail even when she 

herself does not need to take any action to 

avoid the obstruction. 

Rule 21 (Exoneration) This rule covers rules 18 

(Mark-Room), 19 (Room to Pass an Obstruction) 

and 20 (Room to Tack at an Obstruction), and 

provides exoneration for a boat sailing within the 

room or mark-room to which she is entitled if she 

breaks a rule of Part 2, Section A (the basic rightof-way 

rules), or rules 15 (Acquiring Right of Way) 

or 16 (Changing Course), or if she is forced to 

break rule 31 (Touching a Mark). Previously, some 

of this exoneration needed to be handled by using 

rule 64.1 (Penalties and Exoneration). 

Rule 22.3 (Starting Errors; Taking Penalties; 

Moving Astern) now clarifies that it is only when 

you are moving backwards “through the water” by 

backing a sail that you can break this rule. 

Other Rules 

Rule 41(a) (Outside Help) has been expanded to 

allow a boat to receive outside help when one of its 

crew is in danger, which obviously includes being 

in the water. The rule now also permits that boat to 

be protested, and the protest committee to penalize 

a boat, for gaining a significant advantage after 

receiving help under rule 41(a), but the penalty can 

be less than disqualification. 

Rule 42.3 (Propulsion: Exceptions) has been 

revised. Rule 42.3(c) clarifies that a boat may pump 

to surf down the “front” of a wave (the prior rule 

said the “leeward side” of a wave), which means a 

boat can, for instance, pump to surf a powerboat 

wake that is not moving directly downwind. And 

a boat can now pump her mainsail to “pop” an 

inverted compression batten, but not in a way that 

propels the boat. 

Rule 44 (Penalties at the Time of an Incident) has been 

clarified to say that a boat need only take one penalty per 

incident, regardless of the number of rules that may have 

been broken in that incident; and if the sailing instructions 

state a different alternative penalty is being used, such as 

the Scoring Penalty, then that penalty replaces the One- 

Turn and the Two-Turns Penalty. 

Rule 48.2 (Fog Signals and Lights; Traffic Separation 

Schemes) has been added. It reads, “A boat shall comply 

with rule 10, Traffic Separation Schemes, of the International 

Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea.” 

Rule 49.2 (Crew Position; Lifelines) has deleted the phrase 

“of wire,” meaning the rule applies to lifelines whether they 

are wire or not. In addition, the rule has added this sentence: 

“If the class rules do not specify the material or minimum 

diameter of lifelines, they shall comply with the corresponding 

specifications in the ISAF Offshore Special Regulations.” 

Rule 50.4 (Headsails) now states, “For the purposes of rules 

50 and 54 and Appendix G, the difference between a headsail 

and a spinnaker is that the width of a headsail, measured 

between the midpoints of its luff and leech, is less than 75% 

of the length of its foot.” (Previously it was 50%.) 

Rule 60.1 (Right to Protest; Right to Request Redress or Rule 

69 Action) now only permits a boat to protest under rule 31 

(Touching a Mark) if it was involved in or saw the incident. 

Rule 61.1(3) (Informing the Protestee) now clarifies what to 

do when another boat allegedly isn’t sailing the course correctly. 

It says, “if the incident was an error by the other boat in sailing 

the course, she need not hail or display a red flag but she shall 

inform the other boat before that boat finishes or at the first 

reasonable opportunity after she finishes.” 

Rule 62.1(a) (Redress) has added “equipment inspection 

committee or measurement committee for the event” to 

the list of bodies whose improper actions or omissions can 


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• Available in print 

• Dave Perry’s explanation of the rules are now 

available as an In-App purchase within the Racing 

Rules App 

• eBook version available early 2013 

To purchase visit store.ussailing.org 

MEMBERSHIP MATTERS 

be the subject of a request for redress. 

Rule 63.6 (Taking Evidence and Finding Facts) now 

requires a member of the protest committee who saw the 

incident to state that fact while the parties are present. 

Previous Rule 67 (Rule 42 and Hearing Requirement) 

has been deleted, which means that the protest committee 

may never penalize a boat under rule 42 (Propulsion) 

without a hearing (this does not preclude an event from 

using Appendix P, Special Procedures for Rule 42). 

Rule 70.1 (Appeals and Requests to a National Authority) 

now permits a boat to appeal when she is denied 

a hearing required by rule 63.1 (Requirement for a 

Hearing). 

Rule 90.3(c) (Scoring) Now, when the race committee 

determines from its own records or observations that 

it has scored a boat incorrectly, it can correct the error 

without going through the redress process. 

Appendices 

There are appendices for specific disciplines within the 

sport of sailing. Many of these have been revised. Be 

sure to study the appendices that pertain to your racing. 

Appendix T (Alternative Procedures for Dispute 

Resolution) This appendix is a new US Sailing 

prescription, and includes systems for reducing the 

need for protest hearings, including post-race reduced 

penalties, expedited protest hearings, and arbitration (a 

short meeting held prior to a protest hearing to try to 

resolve the matter).

Opinions 

My Snipe Experience— 

Reflections of 20 Years 

by Gavin O’Hare 

Photograph courtesy of Gavin and Holly O’Hare, seen sailing upwind after a perfect tactical mark rounding 

I am a huge fan of the Snipe class. I 

guess that is why I have owned four 

different boats and continued to 

race the Snipe for 20 years. I think 

others might share my thoughts on 

the value of the Snipe experience. 

What I like about the class can be 

divided into three categories; people, 

racing venues, and the international 

aspect. I like Snipe sailors because 

they are very competitive as well as 

enjoying the social aspects of post 

racing fun. I have found that most 

Snipe sailors share their secrets to 

success. There are lots of secrets out 

there! There is nothing better than 

enjoying a cold beverage after racing 

and pimping information from 

your enemy on how they defeated 

you on the race course. This culture 

of sharing information has been in 

existence for much longer than my 

20 years, and I have enjoyed carrying 

the torch in the same fashion. 

Venues - what can I say… Miami, 

Long Beach (CA), Surf City (NJ), 

Mission Bay (CA), Bermuda, Nassau 

Bahamas – I have truly enjoyed them 

all. The hospitality of local fleets is 

amazing. All the racing and fun we 

do locally in the United States seems 

to be replicated in countries around 

the world. Taking a vacation with 

your wife in Brazil and being able to 

join in a local Rio de Janeiro weekend 

regatta is VERY cool! 

In 1992, I graduated from the Naval 

Academy and was assigned to San 

Diego. I did not have a lot of money, 

but I knew of an under utilized 

older Snipe that I was able to talk 

the owner into a race charter deal (I 

bring the boat up to racing standards 

and then get to race it). I learned a 

lot about the older models of Snipes 

and how to make them fast. I became 

a weekend warrior and enjoyed the 

road trips to great racing venues. 

Oftentimes we would bring sleeping 

bags and camp on locals’ floors/ 

couches and there were a few lake 

venue camping trips that made for 

great adventure. There is nothing 

like the camaraderie of driving many 

hours with a trailered boat, doing 

battle on water, and then licking our 

wounds in a social environment. 

The Navy deployed me to the 

Mediterranean Sea and I realized 

that there were Snipe fleets in most 

of the ports we pulled into. After I 

left the Navy, my Snipe connections 

enabled me to visit Japan, and teach 

Snipe and other racers about team 

racing. When I traveled to Norway for 

a vacation, there was more Snipe sailing 

there! And, as mentioned earlier, 

I enjoyed the hospitality of the local 

Brazilian fleet in supplying my wife 

and me a boat for one of their weekend 

regattas. 

A few years ago, I had to shift gears. 

A couple of young children created a 

healthy distraction from long road trips 

and the excessive social aspects of the 

sport. We decided to balance competition 

time and non-sailing vacations into 

the time management equation. And, 

then of course, there is financial concern 

of trying to race with my spouse, 

pay regatta entry fee, and many hours 

of babysitting costs. 

As I transition from weekend warrior 

to family guy/racer, I have found my 

passion for Snipe sailing is now satisfied 

with quick fixes; local regattas, afternoon 

series, and short course racing. 

Regardless of changes in my domestic 

life and demands upon my time, my 

quest for serious sailing and serious fun 

continues to be satisfied by Snipe class. 

What do you like about the Snipe class 

and its culture? 


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February 2013 - United States Snipe Sailing

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