DETROIT, MICHIGAN (March 23, 2017) – Premiere Sailing League USA (PSL) has found a partner to help elevate stadium style sailing to the next level of technological sophistication.  MarkSetBot, located in Detroit, will provide the league with the world’s first robotic race mark, which allows a Race Committee to set up or change a race mark on a course more quickly and accurately than ever before.

MarkSetBot will provide Premiere Sailing League USA with the world’s first robotic race mark.
Photo courtesy MarkSetBot

“I am thrilled by this idea and happy that Premiere Sailing League USA is going to be the first to use the MarkSetBot,” said Premiere Sailing League USA President Benjamin Klatzka.  “The engineering and programming that has been developed for this unique piece of equipment are synergistic with the innovative thinking we are bringing to PSL events to give sailors and regatta spectators an entirely new way of experiencing sailing.”

The MarkSetBot unit is approximately 8’ x 4’ in size, self-propelled, and uses GPS technology to zero in on a specific location and remain there until told to move.  Best of all, it is controlled with a smart phone. A course can be set by pointing the connected phone at the wind or by using add-on wind instruments to research trends and then set the bearing based on that info.

Premiere Sailing League USA will use MarkSetBot at this summer’s stadium sailing event planned for the Great Lakes Boating Festival at Michigan’s Grosse Pointe Yacht Club (GPYC) on May 20.  The regatta will be sailed in one-design J/70s, promising “adrenalin-fueled action” over a four-hour timeframe. The format is based on the concept introduced by Premier Sailing League USA and tested with great success last Fall at the club.

“Our May 20 event is going to be a new experience for the race officials, the sailors and the audience, said GPYC Sailing Director Wally Cross, “and it’s great that we will have associated the innovation of stadium sailing with the invention of MarkSetBot.”

More About MarkSetBot

Founder and creator Kevin Morin conceptualized MarkSetBot while racing on Cass Lake (Michigan) at Pontiac Yacht Club, where he was a member. “It’s a challenging place to do Race Committee work, as the wind is very shifty, and there are many areas that are too deep to set an anchor,” said Morin.  “Often the Race Committee is forced to set a course that isn’t ideal, because it’s the only location where a mark can be set. Additionally, every racer at the club must volunteer for Race Committee twice a year; I figured if we could replace the mark set boat, each racer would only have to volunteer once a year, which would mean one extra day of racing for everyone!”

Morin gives credit for his inspiration to continue the project to a retired engineer and old family friend, the late Bill Margolin. “He had a way of dissecting problems, and during the months before he passed away, we talked about the concept for MarkSetBot. He was fragile, but he still loved to solve problems, so I brought a prototype to the hospital one day. He suggested that I ditch the preliminary prototype and create a way to provide thrust via a propeller on a pivot.  At the time, I thought he was crazy, but several weeks later, I saw a GPS-based trolling motor and I knew that was the way to go.”

More About Premiere Sailing League USA

Premiere Sailing League USA is the first national sailing league for America, designed to increase awareness of the sport with an innovative approach to an annual series of regattas that starts with District Qualifications (for districts North, East, South and West) in special-edition J/70s, then moves on to National Finals in special-edition J/88s that determine rankings in the PSL League.

The League’s purpose is to provide a platform where sailors from different backgrounds can compete in a fun, dynamic, fast-paced competition that has been conceived and structured to be easily understood by the media and non-sailing audiences. The format calls for short windward/leeward races with as many as 20 races a day on courses close to shore, providing sensational stadium-style entertainment for crowds ashore.

For more information about Premiere Sailing League USA, visit www.premieresailingleague.com, email info@premieresailingleague.com, or find us on Facebook. For more information about MarkSetBot, visit www.MarkSetBot.com, email info@marksetbot.com, or find us on Facebook.

Wally Cross has seen the future and wants to share the view. Here he reports on what may be the next big thing in our sport.

An interview with Wally Cross about running regattas with MarkSetBots

By David Schmidt, Sail-World USA Editor on 6 Nov

Launch Event Scheduled for September at Grosse Pointe Yacht Club

Detroit, Mich. (August 15, 2018) – The Premiere Sailing League USA (PSL) has announced its choice of the new RS21 to elevate the dynamic of the sport through its stadium sailing program. RS Sailing, the largest small boat manufacturer in the world, debuted the 21’ keelboat in January 2018 to address the need for a progressive, simple, and affordable solution for keelboat clubs that are seeking solutions to growing fleet ownership, league competition and sail training.

“It is exciting to be one of the first to sail a brand-new boat,” said PSL USA President Benjamin Klatzka who travelled to Southampton, England, in April to test hull number three which the RS Team had fresh out of the factory. “Sailing together with the designer, I saw not only the limits on a windy day but also why this boat is so special and the right choice for stadium sailing, team racing, youth and family sailing.”

Like the PSL USA, RS Sailing was born from a passion for the sport. With a goal to be the brand to increase participation and utilizing the latest design and technology to create high performance boats, the RS Sailing range was created for beginners, families, clubs, programs and schools, all developed by the desire to advance the sport of sailing for everyone. Their approach has earned the company numerous international awards; in early August the RS21 was nominated for the 2019 European Yacht of the Year award.

“We’re proud that RS Sailing designs have built some of the most vibrant class communities, been chosen by leading organization’s globally, and that from our humble beginnings we’ve become the world’s largest small-sailboat manufacturer and America’s fastest growing sailboat line,” said Martin Wadhams, Chairman of RS Sailing.

The Premiere Sailing League USA will hold a demonstration event in Michigan at Grosse Pointe Yacht Club (GPYC), September 7-8, 2018, to explain in detail why the boat is a perfect tool for the modern and pioneering pathways to sailing that GPYC is developing. An RS21 will be available for up to five crew to sail with Ed Furry from Sail22, from 2:00-6:00 p.m. on Friday, September 7, and from 10:00 a.m. through 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 8.

“The RS21 is a competitive, race-ready one-design that nails the desired criteria of a wide range of U.S. owners, clubs and fleets,” said Furry, who helped to fine-tune the layout and mechanics with RS Sailing during the final design stages of the RS21.

For more information about this event, please contact info@premieresailingleague.com or info@rssailing.com whether to schedule a demo or ask questions about the RS21.

Following the demo event at GPYC, RS21s located in the Mid-West, and on the East and West Coasts, will allow demo opportunities to be accommodated on request. The RS21 will also be on display at the Newport International and Annapolis Boat Shows in, respectively, mid-September and October. For more information about RS Sailing, visit www.RSSailing.com, email info@rssailing.com, or find us on Facebook.

More About Premiere Sailing League USA

Premiere Sailing League USA is the first national sailing league for America, designed to increase awareness of the sport with an innovative approach to an annual series of regattas that starts with District Qualifications (for districts North, East, South and West)

The League’s purpose is to provide a platform where sailors from different backgrounds can compete in a fun, dynamic, fast-paced competition that has been conceived and structured to be easily understood by the media and non-sailing audiences. The format calls for short windward/leeward races with as many as 20 races a day on courses close to shore, providing sensational stadium-style entertainment for crowds ashore. For more information about Premiere Sailing League USA, visit www.premieresailingleague.com, email info@premieresailingleague.com, or find us on Facebook. For more information about RS Sailing, visit www.RSSailing.com, email info@rssailing.com, or find us on Facebook.

Stadium Sailing: Redefining Sailboat Racing

Sailmaking professional and Grosse Point Yacht Club Sailing Director Wally Cross shares his plan for changing the way we view the sport of sailing…

GROSSE POINTE SHORES, MICHIGAN (March 17, 2017) – For this summer, Grosse Pointe Yacht Club in Michigan has organized a series of three stadium-style regattas – scheduled May 20, June 23 and September 16 – and will host the Premiere Sailing League USA’s Freshwater Cup/Great Lakes Challenge, slated for August 12. All four competitions will be sailed in one-design J/70s, with the May 20 event promising “adrenalin-fueled action” at the club’s Great Lakes Boating Festival.

Premiere Sailing League USA’s Freshwater Cup/Great Lakes Challenge is slated for Grosse Pointe Yacht Club, August 12.

“The May event, like the others, is free, open to the public, and designed to capitalize on fast-paced sailing in close quarters that is thrilling for both competitors and spectators,” said Grosse Pointe Yacht Club Sailing Director Wally Cross, explaining that in a timeframe of four hours, 18 races will be sailed.  Each race will have four legs and last between two and three minutes. Skippers and crews “sail nine, watch nine,” giving them an opportunity to interact with the shore-side crowds. “It’s based on the concept introduced by Premier Sailing League USA and tested with great success last Fall here at this club. Because of the fun factor, word has already spread and people are excited to get involved.”

There are approximately 20 J/70s that regularly sail in the Michigan area, and Cross says the club’s three-race series is open to anyone who owns or can get their hands on a J/70. Points will be cumulative, with the series winner determined at the final event in September. The Premier Sailing League USA event will be separately scored and slightly different. It will be a yacht club challenge open to all clubs on the Great Lakes, and each club (as many as 30 are expected) will be allowed to sail one J/70 in the one-day event. It also guarantees exciting action close to shore, but with as many as 20 short windward/leeward races

“When the action is literally right out in front of the dock, where the dock is part of the course (meaning you tack not to hit it), people standing there really get a feel for it,” said Cross. “The J/70 is the perfect boat; it’s sporty but manageable and really fun to sail.”

According to Premiere Sailing League USA’s Director and Founder Benjamin Klatzka: “The PSL concept, by nature, is a competition between districts and regions in J/70s and then ultimately between national finalists in J/88s.  We are excited that Grosse Pointe Yacht Club has taken the initiative to host its own series to prep the sailors and fans for our August 12 event.”

Because of the need for three marks to be constantly moving due to changing wind direction and length of course desired, Grosse Pointe Yacht Club and the Premiere Sailing League USA plan to test a new remote-controlled buoy system for the races.

“There are so many elements that make all this truly exciting, but the key thing is that it starts at one time and finishes at another, just like a basketball game,” said Cross. “Life today is all about justifying your free time, and if you can clearly say that from beginning to end something will last four hours, that our families can join in, and we’re going to have a lot of fun, it’s going to change the way people view the sport of sailing.”

For more detailed information on the Premiere Sailing League USA, visit  www.premieresailingleague.com; contact us at info@premieresailingleague.com, or find us on Facebook. For more information about the Great Lakes Boating Festival, visit www.greatlakesboatingfestival.com.

A Q&A with Ben Klatzka about his plans for the Premiere Sailing League published in Sail World

By David Schmidt, Sail-World USA Editor on 7 Nov

Premiere Sailing League USA to Debut Concept at United States Sailboat Show

Detroit, Mich., (September 4, 2019) – In just over a month, the Premiere Sailing League USA will debut its concept for an organized, national fleet racing league during the United States Sailboat Show in Annapolis, Md., which runs from October 10-14, 2019. Modeled after the sailing league in Europe that has taken off globally, the Premiere Sailing League USA (PSL) will supply a fleet of identical RS21 keelboats that will be raced on inshore, short course, stadium style races at select venues across the country. Sailors and fans attending the United States Sailboat Show can experience first-hand the new RS21s in multiple exhibition style races directly in front of the show for free. Look for the PSL on D Dock.

Seen on the Detroit waterfront, the RS21 is the PSL’s choice of equipment for stadium sailing.

“The PSL represents the next generation of sailing,” said co-founder and President Benjamin Klatzka. “This is the first step in getting this national sailing league started in America. We expect to have enough boats in position for League events to take place in waterfront cities across the country by 2022. The series schedule will be similar to other major sports leagues in the U.S.A. (NBA, MLB, etc.) and will take place over a four-month season to determine the overall series champion.

” Yacht Clubs and other sailing organizations can join the League as members to enter teams in multiple regattas and to host official League events, with the advantage of not being required to purchase a fleet of boats. The unique PSL leasing model provides the boats, gear and everything necessary for this style of sailing as the concept maximizes the experience for the sailor while minimizing the cost for clubs and competitors.

Sailing broadcaster and America’s Cup commentator Tucker Thompson, an enthusiastic supporter of the concept, will provide live race commentary during the exhibition event at the United States Sailboat Show, as well as during broadcast coverage of future League events. “Yacht club membership and sailing participation is in decline,” said Thompson. “People aren’t buying and campaigning keelboats like they used to. A provided fleet of boats and the “pay-to-play” model of sailing provides the solution and will generate new yacht club members as well as activate existing sailors looking for a new, easy and affordable competitive sailing outlet. The boats, the sails, the equipment is all provided and equalized. All you need to do is show up. It’s like college sailing for adults!”

The boats are not the only equipment that will be provided by the PSL, as their partnership with robotic buoy manufacturer MarkSetBot means that technology will be incorporated into the league package. MarkSetBot remote buoys can be set, retrieved, and held in position by GPS – controlled by a mobile phone App – reducing the need for large volunteer race committees and multiple support boats.

“We are thrilled to partner with the PSL to help revolutionize sailboat racing,” said MarkSetBot inventor and founder Kevin Morin. “MarkSetBot’s mission is growing accessibility and ease of sailboat racing and the PSL model is perfect for doing just that. The Bots will certainly be a great addition and help to keep racing competitive and fair for such a talented group of competitors.”

Technology is also at the forefront of the PSL concept making it easier and more affordable for sailors to compete and clubs to run events while decreasing the amount of personnel, overhead, and costs necessary to run traditional races while maximizing the FUN in sailing. The goal is to remove the hurdles that make access to sailing, or running events, difficult by providing an easy solution that can revolutionize the competitive sailing experience. With time and money in short supply in today’s fast-paced lifestyle, the PSL style of “Pay-to-Play” will revolutionize the sport of sailing.

About Premiere Sailing League USA Premiere Sailing League USA is the first national sailing league for America, designed to increase awareness of the sport with an innovative approach to an annual series of regattas that will start with District Qualifications (for districts North, East, South and West) and then progresses to National Finals that determine rankings in the PSL League.

The League’s purpose is to provide a platform where sailors from different backgrounds can compete in a fun, dynamic, fast-paced competition that has been conceived and structured to be easily understood by the media and non-sailing audiences. The format calls for short windward/leeward races with as many as 20 races a day on courses close to shore, providing sensational stadium-style entertainment for spectators ashore.

For more information about the Premiere Sailing League, visit www.premieresailingleague.com, email info@premieresailingleague.com, or find us on Facebook.

About MarkSetBot MarkSetBot is the world’s first robotic sailing mark. Led by a team of passionate sailors and innovators, MarkSetBot strives to grow the sport of sailing by improving quality and ease of race management. MarkSetBots use GPS technology to hold position and direct marks to a specific location. Changing courses becomes simple as marks are moved by dragging a waypoint and pressing a button. All this can be accomplished with greater precision than that of traditional marks. For more information visit: marksetbot.com