Last Sunday was a cold, "wintry" kind of day, with not a lot of wind, but enough for our frostbiters to get in three races. There was no crew race. Eight IC dinghies plus three Ideal 18s were on the starting line. At press time, results are only available for the IC dinghy class. Pedro Lorson came in first (#536), followed by Ted Toombs and Matt Cornachio (#514). There was a third place tie between John Silbersack and Catryn Silbersack (#007) and Ralf Steitz and George Tung (#537). The Frostbite YC has plans in place for the New Year's Regatta, and winter sailors are invited to join in on the fun. The festivities begin with the Past Commodore's Race, which is always interesting, if for no other reason than to see who shows up the morning after midnight celebrations. Considering the effort it may take some to get down to water's edge after a night of revelry, everyone who enters this mid-morning race should get a prize. Following the Past Commodore's Race, the two-day regatta begins, culminating in a fun social event back at Manhasset Bay YC, including the very serious Frostbite Annual Meeting. This year there is a rumor that the frostbite treasurer, who has held this position for as long as anyone can remember, may finally show up - but one never knows!

The documentary on the Rolex Transatlantic Challenge 2005, which originally aired on the Outdoor Life Network in September, will be re-aired in our area on Saturday, Dec. 17 at 3 p.m. on PBS, Channel 13. The documentary is entitled Chasing Charlie Barr's Record: the 2005 Rolex Transatlantic Challenge. It was produced by Gary Jobson, of Jobson Sailing, Inc. Last May, 20 boats from the space-age Mari-Cha IV to the steel clipper Stad Amsterdam, gathered for the New York start of the Challenge. Their goal was to beat a century-old record for the fastest passage to England in a race. The race, hosted by the New York YC with cooperation from the Royal Yacht Squadron, not only celebrated the Centennial Anniversary of the Great Ocean Race of 1905 but also served up plenty of excitement while rewriting sailing history. On June 1, race entrant Mari-Cha IV, a 140-foot high-tech schooner, crossed a virtual line off England's Cornish coast and crushed the transatlantic race mark set in the 1905 race by the schooner Atlantic, skippered by the legendary helmsman Charlie Barr. For more information on the Rolex Transatlantic Challenge, go to www.transatlanticchallenge.org.

Now that winter has really set in, and the temperature is registering in the teens, it may be time to start thinking about sailing in warmer climates. There are several races coming up that the serious competitor won't want to miss. Some east coast venues coming up:

The US-IRC Gulf Stream Series starts in January 2006, with the Fort Lauderdale to Key West Race and concludes with the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club's Anniversary Regatta following the Centennial Bermuda Race in June. The Notice of Series is now online. Entry will be online through the same site. Yachts will enter individually, and they may also form two-boat teams to compete for additional honors. Team entries do not have to participate in the same events throughout the series. For more information, go to www.us-irc.org/.

The destination of choice for sailors should be Key West for the Acura Key West Regatta, on Jan. 16-20 and the Acura Miami Race Week, March 9-12. With 300 boats headed to Key West, it's bound to be a great time and will offer competitive racing in an event that is known for great race management. Acura Grand Prix Awards will recognize the top winners in the combined events. TP 52, Swan 45, Farr 40, Mumm 30, J/105, and Melges 24 classes are eligible.

Go to www.premiere-racing.com for more information.

While landlubbers may think it is a little early to be thinking about racing in June, for sailors it is a way to get through the winter months - those long three to four months when they are separated from their boats. Next June will mark the 100th anniversary of the Bermuda Race, which was first sailed from Gravesend Bay on June 16, 1906 by three small yachts. The Royal Bermuda Yacht Club and the Cruising Club of America, co-organizers of the race since 1926, predict a record fleet this coming June. Early interest suggests a diverse fleet including some of the latest ocean racing designs as well as classic maxi yachts and a wealth of cruiser/racers. Many boats new to the race are also anticipated, with some of these entering the growing Cruiser Division of the Race. In addition, special festivities are in the works in Bermuda to celebrate the centennial of one of the world's great ocean races. This is an once-in-a-lifetime event. The Provisional Notice and Conditions of Race for the centennial Bermuda Race, Newport Bermuda 2006, is now online at www.bermudarace.com.

Sanctioned Safety at Sea Seminars are required of some crew for entry in the Bermuda race as described in paragraph 3.2.4 of the Notice of Race. You can find a schedule of US Sailing sanctioned seminars at www.ussailing.org/safety/Seminars. This website also allows you to confirm the date of the last Safety At Sea Seminar you attended. All sailors are encouraged to attend one of these seminars.

Berthing is limited in Bermuda so all yachts should make arrangements early, especially if you intend to stay at the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club's marina. You can obtain a berth reservation form on their website at www.bermudarace.com/2006/berth.pdf. Spaces are available on a first-come, first-served basis and approximately 30 yachts have already been registered.

Looking for a last minute gift? What about a nautical gift for your sailor friend? Sparkman and Stephens are offering limited edition art prints - five serigraphs of original line drawings of three of the most impressive and influential yacht designs. They are printed on archival paper, numbered and signed by Olin Stephens. The prints include: Dorade: Accommodations Plan, 1936; Dorade: Sail Plan, 1936; New York 32: Sail Plan, 1947; Bolero Accommodations Plan, 1949; Bolero: Sail Plan, 1949. Each print is limited to 300 editions each. If interested, see www.sparkmanstephens.com/shop-printstore.html.