Canandaigua Lake RC Laser Sailing

This week we rolled out the red carpet (okay, it was just a red telltale that blew off someone’s boat) for a very special visitor: the AMYA Region 1 Director ( Glenn Chalder), who joined us for a day of RC sailing, questionable tactics, and light chaos — you know, the usual.

He’s on a mission to visit local fleets and see who’s racing, who’s just floating, and who might be eligible for some kind of national citation for “creative rule interpretations.” We’re proud to say: he fit right in.

But don’t let the polite smile and clipboard fool you — the man came to race. And he won 50% of the races. That’s right — this diplomatic observer from afar showed up, trimmed his sails, and quietly handed the locals a lesson in consistency and clean mark roundings. A few skippers were overheard saying they were “just being gracious” by letting him win… Sure.

Meanwhile, on the homefront, the usual antics unfolded:

• More collisions at the leeward mark than at a Black Friday sale.
• Some classic “I had room!” / “No, you didn’t!” disputes (which mysteriously all resolved with no protest forms).
• And a surprising number of boats sailing in the general direction of Canada at times.

All in all, a glorious day of RC chaos, camaraderie, and light tactical sabotage.

 Final Call: Next Week is the Finale!

Sunday, August 3rd | 1–3 PM | South Dock

This is it — the final week of the Spring/Summer Series. If you’ve been phoning it in, drifting instead of tacking, or haven’t shown up since May, now is your time to shine. Unless you want to be listed as “Also Raced” in the season results, you better bring your A-game (or at least a boat with a keel attached).

Points are close, bragging rights are on the line, and the AMYA Director might still be watching from the shadows.

Thanks to everyone who came out this week, especially our guest from AMYA. You’re welcome back anytime — but maybe give us a heads-up so we can, you know, train.

See you next week for one final Sunday of spirited racing and (hopefully) no lawsuits at the windward mark to complete our series  

Tha Admiral!!!!!!

Well racers, week 5 might go down as one of the most entertaining (and head-scratching) yet!

We kicked things off with barely a whisper of wind, prompting Jonathan and Rich to demonstrate some very advanced racing strategy by… not racing at all.

“Why sail when we can sit and look this good doing nothing?” — Jonathan, probably

Meanwhile, Tom, our ever-reliable mark set operator, decided to show up only after racing was over. Apparently he wanted to see if we could navigate by memory. Spoiler alert: we can’t. The windward mark became more of a concept than a location, leading to chaos, surprise lead changes, and a healthy dose of confusion.

The conditions were so unpredictable we ended up with five different winners out of seven races.

“I led at least once… for about 12 seconds.” — Tim Follette

Speaking of Tim, he nearly pulled off the comeback of the day, finishing within one boat of tying Nelson for second overall, while Rich slipped back to third, still pondering if sitting out the first race was the strategic brilliance he thought it was.

“This is fine. Everything is fine.” — Rich, staring into the abyss

Then came our final act: Jay Niggli’s personal boat tour of the east shore, generously bringing Nelson along for the ride. When asked what exactly happened out there, Jay simply replied:

“I couldn’t see.”

Temporary blindness, existential crisis, or a new navigational tactic? We may never know.

And let’s give a shout-out to Anna, who managed to stay awake this week through our thrilling low-wind drifts — a true iron will.

 Quote of the Day:

“I couldn’t see.” — Jay, explaining everything and nothing all at once.

 Mock Awards of the Week:

• Best Unintended Tack: Nelson, after being skillfully guided off course by Jay.
• Most Dramatic Entrance (Post-Racing): Tom, arriving just in time to miss it all.
• Most Likely to Need Sunglasses Next Week: Jay, in case that mysterious blindness strikes again.
• Best Use of Sitting Out: Jonathan & Rich, for conserving both wind and wit.

So that wraps up another epic day at Canandaigua — proving yet again that it’s not always about who wins, but who gives us the best stories to laugh about at the dock.

See you in two weeks to continue the meet  Next week we will not be racing so that everyone can enjoy the holiday weekend  We will meet again Sunday the 13th  1-3 off the south dock — hopefully with wind, marks, eyesight, and more questionable tactics to keep us entertained.

The Admiral!!!!

Ahoy again, racers!

Week three of RC racing delivered all the thrills, laughs, and head-scratching moments we’ve come to expect—plus one surprise dip in the lake!

Let’s start with the headline: Jonathan is officially in “beast mode,” taking all three wins like he’s got GPS-guided sails and an invisible turbo button. The rest of us? Well, we’re just trying to figure out how to stay within binocular distance.

Rich, meanwhile, edged out Nelson in two out of three races, slowly reeling him in for that coveted second-place spot. The scoreboard is tightening up—and so is the tension on the dock!

Now, Jay did manage to arrive with enough gas this time (progress!), but his victory lap was short-lived when he learned Nelson forgot to bring the spare keel for Jay’s boat—yes, the same one that went rogue and dove to the bottom of the lake last week.

After several failed attempts to fish it out with various improvised tools (including what may have been a hot dog skewer), Nelson finally took the plunge—literally. He dove into the lake to retrieve the wayward keel. We commend his commitment to the sport…and also his poor judgment in doing it with the wind chill in the 60s. Cold, wet, and shivering, Nelson attempted to sail, but most of his race consisted of trembling tacks and involuntary shudders.

Adding to the excitement, Anna the scorekeeper decided this would be a great day for a little nap—right during our “competitive drifting session” (also known as Race 3). Can you blame her? At one point, it was unclear whether we were racing or just slowly migrating south.

Here’s hoping for slightly more wind and slightly fewer hypothermic swimmers next week. We’ll be racing off the south dock from 1 to 3 PM—bring your boats, a cool pair of shorts, sun screen, and sun glasses.  Plenty of wind, warmth, and sunshine. 

See you Sunday—same time, same place (and hopefully dry)!

The Admiral!!!!!!

Week two of RC racing was full of surprises, triumphs, and a bit of good ol’ drama—just the way we like it!

Jonathan was on fire this week, absolutely dominating the fleet with seven victories out of eight races. The rest of us could only watch and wonder what’s in his secret sauce (hint: maybe a lot of practice, a perfectly tuned rig, and that steely competitive glare). Jonathan, hats off to you—impressive sailing!

Conspicuously absent this week was Richard Phelps, the previous leader. Rumor has it he’s plotting his comeback—so stay tuned for next week’s showdown.

Meanwhile, the Nelson and Rich saga continues. Let’s just say they’re still not on speaking terms after last week’s epic foul (or was it a mutual mishap?). Either way, they’re giving the rest of us plenty to talk about at the dock!

Then there was Jay Niggli, who added his own twist to the day’s excitement. His car decided to run out of gas on the way to the race course—talk about bad luck! After missing the first five races, he finally launched his boat, only to lose his keel and need yet another rescue. Jay, you sure know how to keep things interesting!

All in all, it was another memorable Sunday at the lake, proving once again that RC racing is never short on action or laughs. Racing resumes next Sunday—same time, same place. Bring your best moves (and maybe an extra jerry can for your car, just in case).

I’m excited to kick off another season of RC racing at Canandaigua Yacht Club! It’s always a great feeling when the weather turns and we can finally gather lakeside, radios in hand, ready to trim sails and chase clean starts.

It’s especially rewarding to see so many familiar faces returning for another year—those of you who’ve raced in every kind of breeze and helped build such a supportive and competitive group. Your continued enthusiasm and love for the sport are what make this fleet so enjoyable.

And to our new racers—welcome! We’re glad to have you on the starting line with us. Whether you’re brand new to radio-controlled sailing or just new to the club, you’re in for a fun and friendly season. There’s always something to learn, a new tactic to try, and a great crew of people to share it all with.

This year promises more of what we all love: tight races, great company, and plenty of laughs along the docks. Whether you’re tuning a rig or chasing that perfect rounding, there’s no better place to be than right here at Canandaigua Yacht Club.

Racing begins Sunday June 1st at 1pm off the south dock CYC .

Here’s to good racing, fair winds, and another memorable season ahead!

Name tags will be given out to ensure that everyone remembers your name.

See you on the water,

As the weather warms and the winds begin to whisper the promise of summer, I couldn’t be more excited to announce the start of our 2025 season of radio-controlled sailboat racing! Mark your calendars — the first race day is set for June 1st, and I can already feel the anticipation building.

There’s something special about the start of a new season — the thrill of competition, the camaraderie among skippers, and the peaceful yet electrifying buzz that only RC sailing can deliver. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or just getting your keel wet, there’s a place for you in our fleet. This year, I’m especially looking forward to reconnecting with all of our members, seeing some fresh faces on the water, and of course, enjoying those picture-perfect sailing days that keep us coming back for more.

From tight mark roundings to nail-biting finishes, the 2025 season promises action, strategy, and plenty of fun. So dust off those hulls, charge those batteries, and get ready — because this year is going to be one for the books.

Let the countdown to June 1st begin. See you at the starting line!

The Admiral!!!!!

It seems that the weather alerts are keeping most of our racers away. For the last few weeks we have called our races after a few starts to avoid the pop up showers that keep coming.

As it stands now Jay Niggli will walk away with the spring series having just one week left to race. It does not mean that the trend will continue. It is my intent to catch him for the overall during the summer and fall series.

After many delays we were able to get in 2 races for our annual Walkabout Regatta to begin the season. It was chilly and cloudy but the wind was ever present from some direction. The racing theme for the day was bring your sail in -no – let your sail out.

Jack Bennett was nice enough to host the party at the conclusion of racing. Everyone contributed to all the fixing and drinks on display.

After tallying up the scores with modifications it was Mary Schmidt taking first place and taking home this year’s award.

We will once again be using the south dock at CYC for most of our racing on Sunday afternoons. Please check the RC calendar for dates and times.

The 2022 racing season has come to an end with Jay Niggli receiving the majority of the awards. He managed to win the Spring series, the Summer series and the Overall series this year. The Fall series was a very competitive series with just 5 points separating first and fourth place. Winning the series was Rich Furstoss (net 37), Richard Phelps second (net 38) and Tim Follette third (net 40).

Next year’s schedule is on the calendar for your viewing.

May everyone enjoy the Holidays & best wishes all!!!!!

See you in the spring~~~~~~~The Admiral

Due to some technical difficulties you have not been receiving any news for some time. I am happy to say that most of the Gremlins are gone and most everything is now working again.

I was able to catch Bill Blevins while he was in port from sailing the east coast and have him take a look at the web site problems. I don’t know what he did but he turned the right switch and has returned to the Atlantic adding on more miles at sea.

Jay ran away with the Summer series and is on his way to capture the Fall series and quite possibly the Overall series.

Finishing a distant second was Tim Follette and Nelson Habecker third.

The Fall series is starting out slow with a lack of wind and several power boat interruptions. Our favorite place to race is off the boat launch which attracts several power boaters during the summer months. Hopefully, cooler weather will begin to keep them away.

  To see the complete results click on “RESULTS”.

Please be aware that there will be NO RACING Sunday Sept. 3nd so that we may all enjoy the Holiday Weekend.  Racing will resume on Sunday Sept. 10th 4:00 pm off the south Dock.

Until then :SAIL FAST”