COMMODORE
This evening, I sit here pondering what words of wisdom I should type to occupy this space my editor requires that I fill.
If you were to take a poll of ex-Commodores asking them what were the best and worst parts of acting as your Commodore, I feel their response would be to 1) To thank the endless supply of volunteer suggestions telling us what we should be doing, 2) Having to fill this space each month with space-filling rhetoric.
Fortunately, this month this column can contain mindless space-filling rhetoric as everything at our Club is in great shape.
Mike Kaschak tells me that membership retention was about normal this year with only about fifteen members not renewing. During the past few membership years, new members have outstripped members that we have lost for a positive increase in membership. Mike will soon be mailing/delivering the 2002 membership packets.
Put your 2002 stickers on your boat and trailer. As soon as the weather and dock installation permits, begin the springtime shuffle from your winter hibernation spot to your summertime location. This shuffle always poses quite a puzzle as the space you may now be in is someone else’s parking spot for the summer months. Use the month of April to jockey positions so we can have the parking lot open for Mother’s Day. Remember, the Harbormaster may assess fines after June 1st for not having your boat in its assigned spot.
By the first of April, the replacement of A-Dock should be well underway and the erasure of winter’s dirt, grime, sticks, and debris should have begun. Christy Merriman and Jack Hale can use your help in readying the grounds for spring, so stop by and offer to lend a hand.
We have a full lake and racing season is set to begin Wednesdays on 4/24 and Sundays on 4/28. If you would like to start racing or would like to crew on someone’s boat, contact Wayne Myers.
Or if you would just like to socialize, stop by any Wednesday night after the race for some hot dogs...and you can join in all the whining and bragging that goes on.
Spring’s here, water is up, wind’s up – Let’s Go Sailing !!
Larry January, Commodore
HARBORMASTER
Short and sweet this month - Rick and I are busy and need your help. Half of A-Dock was removed on the day we had
50 mile an hour winds!
Some have been torn apart and disposed of already. Thanks to all of you that
volunteered, we appreciate it! I will be
working on the slip assignments soon - so if you are on the wait list and I
call you - please call me back ASAP!
See you all very soon - our season is almost here!
Christy Merriman, Harbormaster
Rick Sprowl, Assistant Harbormaster
RACING
Our thoughts go with Capt. Bruce Roberts and his family on this
day of our lives.
Talk about a
chair party...25
plus members turned out for the Sunday afternoon annual race committee
meeting. This year, we all met at the
club house with a very warm fire around us, hot food, and cold drinks.
Welcome
aboard: Capt. Mike
Gray, Chairman of the PHRF committee.
Need a job? ~ call Mike at 299-0409.
Race Dates and Committee Duties: see the sheet that
comes with this paper or check <ecsail.org> on the web.
Read: the Spring and Fall
sailing instructions about the "New Starting Flags." You will get the jump on the other skippers
at the starting line.
Racing 2002: starts off
April 24th this year on a Wednesday. Sundays
start on the 28th. See you on the line
with a new watch.
Mayor's Cup is just around the corner,
will your boat and crew be ready? Mike Kaschak, Colin Riseley, and Richard
Sprowl will run the Mayor's Cup show this year.
Past Racing News: Tyler Andrews and Jason
Hubbard spent their new year holidays at the
Orange Bowl in
Check Out: Eagle Ocean Friday Night
Race ~ June 7!Skippers’ meeting will be before the
race at the Liar’s Table around
Don't Forget: Marks 2 and 4 are in a new
place on the lake.
Race Office
YOUTH SAILING
PROGRAM
The “Learn to Sail” training program is new this
year. It is for members only...both girls or boys ages from 10-17. Only 10 slots are open, at a cost of
$50. This is for a week of sailing. Classes
start on Monday, July 8th and end on Friday the 12th.
Class times are
ECSC / Coca-Cola Classic
Mayor’s Cup
The water's up and the temperature change will
come. That can only mean that it's
regatta time of year again, finally! Kick-off the season with us at the 2002 ECSC / Coca-Cola Classic Mayor’s Cup.
Shake off those winter cobwebs, and enjoy two days
of racing, camaraderie, and good food.
There's even talk of maybe bringing in last year’s DJ for some post
dinner entertainment. The Mayor’s Cup is
June 1st/2nd, so come a day early and be ready to party. Non-racing members are, of course, always welcome to attend both the dinner and the party. But! … your registration form must be
received by May 27th for the cost has increased (for day of race registration)
to help everyone have the initiative to save the hard working folks that are
putting on the event from having to do all of the work at the last minute.
A schedule of events, the registration form, and the
liability release will come to you by way of your trusty Telltales. All of us are looking forward to seeing you
there. One footnote: read the registration
form carefully. Preregistered
fleets of five or more will have their own start for every race. Preregistration is
the key word, help us out. I'll get the
beverages, you can count on it. I hear
that the Comet Fleet is coming out again.
If you want to see something cool, you should come out to see these
people.
This year there will be trophies for all of the preregistered crew members thanks to Wayne Myers. Mike Kaschak and Rick Sprowl will be running the race committee show. Don't miss it!
Your presence is required and the call comes from
the highest level. If you only come to
one regatta/party this year, make it the Mayor's Cup 2002. You won't regret it.
Colin Riseley
MEMBERSHIP
The annual membership/slip dues deadline has come
and gone. It seems that 19 members have
not renewed their memberships for 2002.
It is unfortunate for the Club to lose these members, some of which have
been members for over 20 years. The good
news is that nine slips will be available (the Harbormaster will contact you).
The membership count stands as follows:
230 Regular/Family Memberships
7 Social Memberships
2
1 Race Fellow
Once again we need to welcome a new member:
Chris and Colleen Herdrich will be sailing on a
Highlander with their children Jamison
and Corey.
I would like to thank Bill Harrington for his patience while answering all of my
questions.
Mike Kaschak,
Membership
SOCIAL
Greetings everyone. Not much news in the Social scene since the
last Telltales. I will be opening the
Social shed and kitchen once the Club has its opening work party, so watch the
Telltales for the Harbormaster’s Club Opening work party and come out to join
us for opening day.
Now is the time to start looking for that special
chair so that you will be all set for our notorious “chair parties.” Be sure to carry it in your vehicle at all
times since these parties tend to spring up when you least expect them. If you have any questions, or would like to
volunteer for any social events, please feel free to give me a call at
244-1561.
Edna Sprowl, Social
TAILER’S TIPS & TALES
Yep, it's my turn to smart off again. Eagle Creek sailors of
Has anyone guessed who that unselfish, totally
truthful, thoughtful, conniving, politically insensitive, gonna expose the
evildoers, story telling, white lying, errr … sprite
drinking, boat sailing, skinny dipping, good looking, staying out at the Club
way “lateing”, dock walking, dirt digging, no good
rotten, good friending, behind the scenes, stinky,
anchor putting out, big mouth with a mission is? Well, who cares … you are all probably
wrong. This Tailer
job is up for grabs though. Even Evan is tired of standing up for me at
the "bored" meetings.
Get yer chairs out, it's spring. No sense
working on the boat, it's way too early for that. All you really need is a hat, coat, and
gloves to go sailing right now. Summer
is the next thing that will happen. What
could be better than that? The work your
boat needs now can be done in better weather.
Summer really is just around the corner. Sail now,
work later.
My investigative reporter, Trouble, has filled me in
on the A-Dock project. Our Harbormistress brought out lunches for work parties in the
worst weather and a few real heroes wore their foul weather gear to rip the old
dock out of the water a week earlier than planned. There was a day with the worst weather
possible and "Hooter's hot wings" that Trouble mentioned was the
He mentioned the "Subway Sandwich
Day". A couple of guys dropped
tomato slices. He was pretty sure that
the sandwiches had meat in them but he never got any. So he did ask me to tell the ladies who
actually bring the food to give some thought to a large piece of meat attached
to a large bone. I told him that it was
unlikely, but he reminded me that he has been very good lately and I believe
him. Still, ask a dog to do your job and
he comes back with the facts about the food … go figure.
OK, time for the tips:
NUMBER ONE!) Don't sail straight out of
the channel with your chute up in a gale unless Bruce Cameron is steering your boat. Well, seeing your mast in the water just has
to be cool. This is a story that all of
you should research at chair parties this spring.
#2) Ramp Etiquette: This year nobody knows what
day will be race day. Friday
nights have been suggested. There were already Sunday and
Wednesday. Trick is … if all the racers
are putting out it is a bad time for you to shellac your teak at the ramp. You guys knew that already, right?
#3) New members: Come to as
many events as you can fit in your schedule.
You have a bunch of nice folks to meet and they will be
needing your help in the way of finding new and creative ways of maxing
you out on work credits that will reduce your contribution to your dues next
February. Just do it and then give a bit
more. Everyone you know already does
this.
#4) The sailing school is a
great way to make yourself go to the Club every time you have a class to
attend. The Lasers on the beach are
yours, after all. Try one out in the
cove with some good advice and then take the thing out to the big waters of
#5) Do not litter! I'm not talking about answering nature’s call
with your left hand on the backstay. NO
butts, NO cans, NO Nothing goes into the lake that
isn't organic and worse than what the fish and geese already do to our home.
#6) Drive up to Geist and
know how wonderful it is over here. No
rudeness to the Geist folks, but if you haven't seen
the difference, go look. Have a pizza at Puccini's and then come back
home to the pirate's cove where you belong.
Attend a Regatta dinner, this year it is
#7) Find out who that darn Tailer guy is.
Stay tuned for more …
Tailer,
The De-staffinator
PROCESS FOR REMOVAL OF
ABANDONED BOATS
When the Rightful Owner
CANNOT be Determined.
The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will
remove abandoned watercraft from ECSC using the following basic steps
1. ECSC notifies the DNR of
such boats that have been left on our premises for over 48 hours.
2. A DNR officer will attach a
notice tag to the watercraft that it will be towed after 72 hours if not
removed.
3. After 72 hours, the DNR will
remove the watercraft.
When the Rightful Owner CAN be Determined.
1. ECSC sends notice to the
owner that the boat will removed.
2. After 6 months, ECSC must
search for the boat's title and any liens.
3. ECSC must notify the owner
(and potential lien holders) of the boat's upcoming sale by auction.
4. ECSC must advertise for 2
weeks of the public auction.
5. ECSC must conduct an auction
where the boat was abandoned.
6. ECSC must execute an
affidavit of sale with the BMV.
7. Any money received in excess
of our costs goes to the owner (or lienholders).
2002 BOARD
MEETINGS
April 9 May 14
July 9 September 10
October 8 November 2
November 12 December 10
2002 REGATTA
SCHEDULE
Mayor’s Cup June 1/2
Finn Championship June 1/2
Friday Night Race June 7
ECSC July 6/7
Comet Championship July 6/7
5 for 5 August 31
Governor’s Cup September 7/8
Highlander Cup September 7/8
Hornback October 12/13
Thanksgiving November 29
FOR “SAIL”
13 foot AMF Windflight
(Sunfish) Board Boat with two sails. $750. Call Member #26
at 293-6157.
5HP Honda outboard motor. Two years old,
4-cycle, with fuel tank. $850. Call Member #26
at 293-6157.
Wanted: Used Sunfish or Laser sailboat in fair/good
condition with trailer if possible. Call
Jim at (317) 856-5220 or email jmenden@earthlink.net