Large Fleets for Susan Hood and LOSHRS 2 and 3

CORK/Sail Kingston has been selected to host the 2013 Laser, Laser Radial and Laser 4.7 North American Championships, July 24-28, 2013. The Laser, a Canadian designed dinghy, is the largest dinghy class in the world, with more than 200,000 boats built. Furthermore, both the men’s Laser and the women’s Laser Radial are Olympic class events. The event will attract sailors from all over North America, from youth participants in the Radial and 4.7 to members of the Canadian National Sailing Team. The event is also open to competitors from outside North America.

Every year for one glorious week in January, sailors from all over the world gather in the laid back town of Florida's Key West. This year the event was host to 260 boats from 18 different countries. There were 16 fleets in total, eight of which were one design fleets with the likes of Farr 40's, Mumm 30's and the largest fleet in the regatta Melges 24's competing. The other classes were the Melges 32, J/105, J/80, Swan 42, and the Corsair 28R. There was also a large number of handicapped racing, as well PHRF fleets 1 through 6 and the IRC 1 and 2 had some fierce competition.

Two years ago, I interviewed Amy Minnikin and her mom, Paula, as they had just taken possession of a Ranger 28 that they named Ry’n Sun. They were given this boat by a friend and it was in pretty rough shape. After a lot of hard work and elbow grease, they boat started to come back to life, and the mom/daughter duo started to race together. Today, Amy has started to sail without mom, and has her own crew of dedicated, bright, young women (all between the ages of 15-17) who have banded together as a team to sail Ry’n Sun.