Check out the exciting list of speakers for the Speakers series. Come often, and don’t forget to invite your friends.
NSC Winter Speaker’s Series – 2012 Season
February 8 – May 2, 2012
All events start at 7:30 pm and are held in the East Room of the
Nepean Sailing Club, 3259 Carling Avenue, Ottawa.
Updated April 9, 2012
February 8: Antoine Rose – Story of an Atlantic Crossing. In 2008, after two years of preparations, Antoine and two friends set out aboard a C&C 30, “Cousin”, to cross the Atlantic. The voyage took them from their homes in Longueuil, Quebec through the Gulf of St. Lawrence, across to the Azores, and then north to France. Along the way, they encountered engine problems, gales and friendships. After a summer cruise in France in 2009, Antoine brought back the boat across the Atlantic again, alone this time. Come hear the story of this amazing adventure.
February 15: Robert Bériault – Sailor Without a Boat. From childhood, Robert Bériault had dreamed about sailing around the world. Finally, at age fifty-seven he joined the Aylmer sailing club for lessons, and life was never the same again. Robert drew upon a decade of sailing adventures to write Sailor Without a Boat: How I Sailed on Other People’s Yachts and Lived to Tell About It, which was released this past December.
February 22: Hugh Morrin’s Who Dunnit — Protest Hearing Entertainment, à la Murder Mystery Night. Join us for an entertaining and informative evening as we illustrate what happens behind the closed doors of a protest hearing. Like a Murder Mystery Night, you too can play a role as a protestor, protestee, committee member or witness — or just sit back and observe the proceeding. The outcome is yet to be determined and, like any good trial, there will be a few twists. Hugh Morrin will host the evening, and we’ll draw from attendees to fill the roles. No protest experience is necessary, but this should be of interest to all those who race. We’ll walk through the process of filing a protest, the hearing of evidence, and how the Protest Committee must reach a decision, using a hypothetical situation and acted out by those in attendance. We hope the evening will be both entertaining and educational, with ample time for discussion and socializing with your fellow racers. Those wishing to play a role are asked to contact Hugh at protests@nsc.ca or show up a little early. Bring a rule book, if you have one that’s not still on your boat. Hope to see you then!
February 23 (In French): Robert Bériault – L’AVENTURE À CHAQUE COUP DE VENT…ET À CHAQUE PAGE. Chaque fois que Robert Bériault s’embarque, c’est une nouvelle aventure qui s’annonce. Et il l’a fait à maintes reprises depuis plusieurs années, sur plusieurs voiliers, mais jamais le sien. En effet, Robert a toujours navigué sur des bateaux qui ne lui appartenaient pas, … et il a survécu (parfois de justesse). Instructeur CYA, convoyeur, équipier, encadrant au CNBG et capitaine à ses heures Robert a sillonné en plus du lac Deschènes, le lac Champlain, le détroit de Georgie, mais aussi la mer des Caraïbes, l’océan Atlantique et il a même tenté le diable sur le Pacifique. À quelques semaines d’un départ pour un tour du monde qui marquera son 70e printemps, Robert a accepté l’invitation de venir nous présenter le livre qu’il vient de publier : Sailor Without a Boat: How I Sailed on Other People’s Yachts and Lived to Tell About It. Venez avec votre curiosité et vos questions.
February 29: Diane Reid – One Girls’ Ocean Challenge. A sailor since she was four years old, Diane is now planning the biggest adventure of her life. In 2013, Diane will tackle the Mini-Transat Race from France to Guadeloupe, crossing 4300 nautical miles in a 6.5-meter open class Mini……. single-handed! Come hear her amazing story, and what she’s doing to prepare for it.
March 1: Antoine Rose – Navigation sur le Golfe du Saint-Laurent: Grandeurs et défis. Antoine Rose a été instructeur de voile croisière et a enseigné durant plusieurs années sur le fleuve et le golfe du Saint-Laurent. Venez découvrir et apprendre ce qui vous attends comme grandeurs et défis sur ce plan d’eau aussi vaste que le Golfe de Gascogne mais relativement peu connu de beaucoup de plaisanciers. Yes, this presentation will be in French.
March 7: Tristan Story, U.K. Halsey – Sail Trim Seminar. Whether you are trying to get to the next mark or the next port, proper sail trim can help you get there faster and in a more comfortable state. Come hear Tristan Story – sailmaker for UK-Halsey, ex-CYA instructor and competitive sailor – as he walks us through the tips and techniques to ensure your sails are trimmed for optimal performance.
March 14: Wendy Zatylny – The Big Adventure: Halifax to Bermuda on a CS40. No one ever forgets the first time they go to sea – especially when Mother Nature decides to act up. When Great Habit and her crew set out for the 5-day sail to Bermuda, it looked to be a fairly typical passage. Then, three days out, a good old-fashioned North Atlantic gale blew in and pounded the boat and the crew for two days. Come hear the tale of lessons learned and friendships forged on the Halifax to Bermuda passage. **NSC regalia will be available for purchase.
March 21: Paul Henderson, The “Pope” of Sailing. A famous champion of amateur sailing in Canada, Paul offers up both the story of his life and the history of Canadian sailing efforts at the Olympic and international levels. Henderson competed in every Canadian Olympic trial from 1952 to 1984 and was President of the International Sailing Federation (SAF) for ten years. His backroom stories about the Olympics and the IOC are particularly entertaining. Copies of his book, The “Pope” of Sailing, will be available for purchase.
March 28: No talk.
April 4: Racing 101: A Beginners Guide to Weeknight Racing. Racing is fun, but it can be intimidating. Here is a great opportunity for less experienced racers to learn the basics of weeknight racing. We’ll talk about how to prepare yourself and your boat to go out racing, the Sailing Instructions, the start sequence, the favoured end of the start line and things to think about while racing around the course (including dreaded protests). Presented by long-time racers Corey Glynn and David Searle, the session is intended as an exchange of ideas and experience. **Note, while designed for less experienced racers, all racers are welcome, especially experienced racers willing to share their knowledge, experience and mistakes! Think about situations you found confusing, and bring your questions.
April 11: Paul Dockrill – BT Global Challenge. The 2000 BT Global Challenge was the third running of a round-the-world yacht race organized by adventurer and yachtsman, Sir Chay Blyth, to give “ordinary” people the chance to live their dream of competing in a round-the-world yacht race. Paul was one of those ordinary people. Billed as the World’s Toughest Yacht Race, come and hear Paul’s story and see a movie that shows how the race lives up to its name.
**NSC regalia will be available for purchase.
April 18: Andrew Robertson “ Boat Insurance Claims and Yachting Disasters“. Who hasn’t had a shoal named after them yet….or at least worried about it? But to keep your worries in perspective, come hear Andrew share a few stories of some more…er, extreme reasons for the insurance world’s disaster claims – and learn a bit about insuring your own craft.
April 25: Ken Aalders – Exploring the Ottawa Riviera. How many of us tell ourselves, “This year, I’ll sail way up past Aylmer Island”? Well, this is the year to do it. The Ottawa River has many riches to explore, from calm anchorages to hopping eateries – not to mention WiFi all the way. Come hear Ken’s take on exploring the “Ottawa Riviera”, and plan your summer excursions.
May 2: David Searle: “Everything you wanted to know about Racing Rules, but…“. Help us wind up the Winter Speakers Series and get ready for the upcoming racing season with this popular session on racing rules, taught by NSC’s own Senior National Race Officer, David Searle. Learn the four (yes, there really are only four!) rules that cover every boat-meets-boat situation and how these apply as you progress around the course. We’ll discuss how the rules apply in the two most adrenalin-packed situations: starts and mark roundings. Finally, we’ll go through the start sequence so everybody starts at the right time. The session is designed for new or less-experienced racers, though all will find it a useful refresher. Experienced racers are encouraged to attend and share their experience with the rest of us. Please bring your Rule Book (you do have a Rule Book, right?) and any specific questions or situations you’d like to discuss. After all, it’s not just the boats – racers need prepping, too.