COMMODORE

 

The hot days of summer are here and the Club is in full swing.

 

We have had our socials for Mother’s Day, Memorial Day, Father’s Day, and the Coca-Cola Mayor’s Cup Regatta. 

 

Next up is our biggest social of the year – the July 4th pig roast and the ECSC Regatta  July 6th and 7th.

 

The Commodore’s Dinner and Dance will be Saturday evening, August 17th.  This is not a pitch-in.  Just bring yourselves and your best Hawaiian shirt.  I am planning a buffet followed by dancing provided by the DJ that played last year at Eileen’s birthday party.  All those that attended gave two thumbs up to for the DJ.  We need you to make your reservations with a $10.00 per person deposit prior to August 5th so that we can plan the buffet.  Check the flyer inside for more details.

 

Sue Ross will be leaving us and moving to Florida. I met Sue many years ago as she began honing her blender skills mixing boat drinks.  While at the Club, Sue was responsible for having Coca-Cola sponsor our Mayor’s Cup Regatta, hosting her C-Dock parties, and Christmas in July parties.  Sue has also hosted many Friday, Saturday, and Sunday night impromptu barbecue pitch-ins as well as a lobster party where she risked it all by having live lobsters flown in for a dinner party. 

 

Sue will be missed and we wish her the best.  Hopefully, she has been training a secret apprentice understudy that will carry on in her footsteps.

 

Until next month- see you on the water.

 

Larry January, Commodore

 

HARBORMASTER

 

Hi fellow Club members, I hope all of you are doing well. I want to do something different this month; we are always telling you what to do and not to do, so I want to tell you how I began sailing and found ECSC.

 

I need to conduct some short business first - Rick and I are splitting up the responsibilities – we don’t want to be assigning more than one member to the same parking or beach spot.  Rick Sprowl will take care of all requests for parking and beach spots.  I will take care of any subletting – slip disputes – slip wait list.  Of course, that is not all we do!

 

My step-dad was in the Navy, stationed at Pearl Harbor and I had been mesmerized watching sailboats off the coast of Oahu...so I finally started sailing about 10 years later.  My journey to ECSC started in 1985, when I was talking to some people about sailing.  They introduced me up with a fellow who needed crew for Wednesday & Sunday races, Dave Dyer.  I think Dave Dyer may have introduced more people to sailing than anyone I have ever met at our Club.  He will take people from the public side sailing if they want….and they have all been very nice and appreciative.  One little girl told her dad, “See daddy, I knew if I wished hard enough, he would take us sailing.”  It was her birthday!  I raced for a couple of years with Dave & Lisa Walter (now Velasquez – met her husband at ECSC and now one of my best girl friends).  I had been sailing my little Super-Snark for about 10 years to that point, but frankly had become bored with it.  So, it was fun to be on Dave’s 24’ Caledonia with fun people and even the dreaded spinnaker!  I also introduced co-worker and friend, Rick Sprowl, to sailing and my Super Snark.  The sailing fever caught him and he started racing at the Club soon after that.  Lisa and I then began sailing in the D fleet  (beginner racers), what fun that was.  We met the Dolders, the Meulens, Bruce Roberts, and  the crew on Aaron Childs’ boat – they dubbed us with a nickname that is something like this – “The smoking ladies from Hades.” We learned so much by skippering a boat in racing, and had many entertaining Wednesday nights.

 

Last, but not least, I met my wonderful husband, Ralph Merriman, through sailing/racing at ECSC.  Ralph and I have been together for about 11 years now, so I can say I have been a sailor for over 20 years...I like that.  We joined ECSC in 1989 and we have sailed in Lake Michigan with great friends such as Jim & Carol Dolder, Puerto Rico and Culebra with Lisa & Felix Velasquez (former ECSC Race Fellows), the US & British Virgin Islands with Dick & Kathy Bullock (former ECSC members).  Ralph and I have sailed the Florida Keys and Gulf together.  Ralph has sailed with Bruce Cameron to Bermuda - Bruce went on to the Azores.  You can see how sailing has dramatically affected my life and those of others.  You might think about inviting those friends that would like to try sailing, they may love it as much as you do!

 

I hope to meet a lot of you this season.  Our boat is the Merit 25, named Parrothead.  I have a land chair, but I prefer my boat chair.  So, I probably won’t be at many of the land chair parties.  What can I say, it is a sailing club, see you on the water ……

 

Christy Merriman, Harbormaster

 

ASSISTANT HARBORMASTER

 

We've been busy this year, and the Club is really taking shape.

 

The newest change is the replacement of the 48-Hour docks.  Members without slips are welcome to use them for up to forty eight hours before being expected to put their boat back on the trailer.  This can make for some enjoyable weekends since you could launch on a Friday night and not need to pull back out until Sunday night. These slips are the first four fingers on your right as you walk out toward D-dock.  The end finger of the dinghy dock was removed to make room for the fourth dock, and has become Bob Bodish's new private canoe dock.

 

We have a new ice chest up at the shelterhouse on the west wall.  It's keyed for your gate key (same as the other ice chest).  Now we should be able to get through an event weekend without Bob having to reorder ice.  If we buy enough ice from it, Polar Ice will let us keep it permanently.

 

Jud Jaqua has finished painting the members sail loft, and we will being installing the sail storage tubes soon. Bob Lee has donated a new water fountain by the clubhouse restrooms.  It was installed by Roger Knapp and Bob Bodish   Paul Schenkel donated several new pieces of lawn furniture.  It's real quality stuff that should stand up to our abuses.

 

Please thank all of the above the next time you see them.

Please also thank Jay and Barb Meulen for keeping our restrooms spic and span.  The new cabinets in the restrooms are for the storage of their cleaning supplies.

 

Dry parking is becoming difficult for some members as some boats that had parked for the winter are still not in their assigned wet slips.  I have already moved a number of "late getting into the lake" boats.  Remember that June 1st was the deadline for wet slip owners to get their boats in and their trailers removed to the farm.  Some boats still not in their proper spots have padlocks on them.  Please be courteous to your fellow members.

 

We currently have seven abandoned boats on the grounds. We'll be making every effort to contact the owners and get them removed.  You will probably be seeing them parked along the left side of the drive as you come down the hill. This will open up the assigned spots and make for easier access for the Sheriff’s Department if we end up having to have any towed.

 

See y'all out there.

 

Rick Sprowl, Assistant Harbormaster

 

RACING

 

The Indy Highlander Challenge Cup Series is half over already with the ISC in a slight lead 44 — 41.  The first race was at ISC while the second at ECSC during the Mayor’s Cup.  Results are shown on page two..  The last two races will be at the Governor’s Cup then at the Indy 5 at Giest on September 14th.

 

Charlie Brehob

 

Mayor’s Cup Results

 

Highlander                           J-22

1.       Spengerman                     1.  Berner

2.       Brehob                             2.  Murray

3.       Feldhaus                           3.  Lowe

 

Red Fleet                             Finn

1.       Argay                              1.  Tate

2.       Childs                               2.  Myers

3.       Ahrbecker                        3.  Andrews

 

Blue Fleet                            Gold Fleet

1.       Richards                           1.  Gray

2.       Alyea                               2.  Fox

3.       Pankhurst

 

Green Fleet

1.       Hickock

2.       Ganyard

 

Mayor’s Cup Award:              Charlie Brehob

Broken Mast Award:              Bob McCoun

 

Our 1st Friday night race was on the evening of June 7th with a turnout of eight boats.  Wind from the East at 6-9 mph saw Ralph Merriman sail away from the fleet.  The next single handed race will be July 12th...skipper’s meeting around 6pm.

 

Race Office

 

LADIES FOR SAIL

 

June 22nd marked our first annual Sadie Hawkins Regatta. We had a great turnout of eight boats.  Despite light wind and scorching heat, the lovely and talented skipperinas, together with their devoted crew, did two races.  The results: 1st - Edna Sprowl, 2nd - Janet Hickok, 3rd - Patty Kashack.

 

Congratulations to our other participants as well: Kelly Mallaby, Therese Waechter, Eileen Leonard, Christy Merriman, and Lisa Wodock.  Special thanks to Chauncey Olin and Bob Hickok for race committee, George Sechrist for Safety, Mark Mallaby and Wayne Myers for Scoring, and Bob Ganyard for refreshments!

 

The next event will be the ever-popular Treasure Hunt in August...date and time TBA.  So ladies, show em your _____ -- ____s (bowline -- Knots)!!!!

 

Janet Hickok

 

YOUTH RACING TEAM

 

ECSC Youth Racing Team is set to debut skills at the I-LYA (Inter-Lake Yachting Association) Junior Bay Week Regatta held near Sandusky OH on  Lake Erie on July 21st-25th.  This event is held annually at the Put-In-Bay Yacht Club and is the Quarterfinals for the U.S. Sailing Youth National Championship for Sears, Bemis and Smythe Series.

 

Currently, there are eight sailors from our area (including four that will represent our Club) ages 12-18 that have been involved in traveling to numerous junior regattas around the Great Lakes and beyond.  We have several talented young men sailing Lasers (Smythe Cup-single handed fleet) and an all-female Thistle team sailing (Sears Cup-three person crewed fleet).  This group of young people is guaranteed to give the rest of us a run for our money here at home.  They have competed cumulatively in 9 National Championships in the top of their fleets and several North American Championships. One sailor was a member of a winning Nationals campaign and a winning I-LYA Sears campaign in 2000.

 

The future for youth sailing and ECSC looks promising.  We now have many young sailors at our Club.  Wayne Myers is sponsoring a youth training camp the 2nd week of July at ECSC that will bring in 15 new younger sailors. THANK YOU Wayne!  This is a wonderful opportunity to build a strong program and keep our Club active for years to come.

 

I am currently organizing the ECSC Junior Racing program for the Bay Week junior regatta for this year.  I have participated in the organization of ISC effort to send young sailors to Bay Week for the past two years.  Now I would like young ECSC to have the opportunity to go to this event.  I have recruited an experienced coach and shored support for the ECSC effort to send our your sailors to the premiere event.  While this program is still in its formative stages, there has been a great deal of momentum established thanks to the help of numerous volunteers and the enthusiastic support of ECSC membership.  THANK YOU so much for supporting this effort.

 

In addition to moral support and the use of equipment, we will be trying to  raise funds necessary to offset some of the expenses incurred in participating in this regatta.  These funds will assist in sending our young sailors, with safe and proper equipment, regatta fees, and related items to represent ECSC at this week long event on Lake Erie.

 

Please contact me, Tony Hubbard (thubbard@fluorrx.com or thsailor491@aol.com), if you would like to assist in the growth and success of this valuable endeavor to build a strong program at our Club.

 

Tony Hubbard

 

MEMBERSHIP

 

I would like to thank all of the new members who came to the annual new member cookout on Friday night, June 21st.  Hopefully everyone had a good time, plenty to eat, and actually received some helpful information about the Club.  I would especially like to thank George Alyea for planning, preparing, cooking, and hosting this event.  Also, a big thank you to the Commodore, Asst. Commodore, and all of the other committee heads who came and gave useful information.

 

Please welcome two new members and one member who cannot stay away from the club no matter how hard he tries:

 

Chuck and Susan Walker are back sailing a C-Scow.

 

Joe and Sharon Taylor will be sailing a Highlander with their daughter Kathleen.

 

Sergio and Jennifer Guerrero will be out on their MacGregor Venture 222.

 

We now have 242 family/regular members, 8 social members, 2 lake associates and 2 race fellows.  We also have 163 children who belong to the Club, so please drive slowly and carefully.

 

Mike Kaschak, Membership

 

SOCIAL

 

I hope everyone who attended the Father’s Day brunch had a good time.  Thank you to Roger Black and his cooks for a fabulous feast.  I think all of the Dads appreciated it.  I saw a lot of envious Dads watching Ed Rice open his new remote controlled sailboat.  Maybe the race committee should look into a smaller version of racing.

 

Please be sure to look further in this issue of the Telltales for information on the ECSC night at Victory Field.  We will be going on Thursday, August 1st to see the Louisville Bats take on our own Indians.  The game begins at 7:00pm.  Reserved seats will be purchased for those who send me their reservation form in time.  Please make sure to send me the reservation form or give me a call to let me know that you will be attending.  We have done this for the last couple of years and everyone has had a really good time.

 

Don’t forget about the July 4th Pig Roast at 5:00pm.  Plan to bring a side dish and attend a great family cookout.  Thank you in advance to Greg & Carole Branham and all of their helpers for undertaking this event that always seems to be on the hottest day of the year.

 

See you all at the Club….

 

Edna Sprowl, Social Queen

 

TAILER’S TIPS & TALES

 

Another article during the summer?!  Evan, you are annoying!  You know that I have lots to do.  This one is going to cost you.  Some of us actually like to sail, you know.  That's what YOU guys have been doing, right? Well, of course you have.  OK, I'll do my best to give you a short one with "new guy" tips.  Don't ask for more, I have local chinese delivery coming my way soon.

 

Welcome to this hot July episode of Taddler's Tips and Tales, the place for all the latest stuff that your Club has to offer.  Featured in this article: The new ice chest upstairs.  Great idea but I hear that it has trouble keeping the ice cold.  What's up with that Bob?

 

Let’s see … Trouble says that you new guys aren't  helping out with open coolers.  New guys, get over it, it's your turn.  We have all helped out before.  Open your cooler for Trouble in front of all of your friends for one month and you have done your duty.  New guys are coming in so fast now that you won't have to do it as long as the rest of us did.  Trouble needs more water when it is humid, give it to him or walk in goose poop. Your choice...it is up to you.  He's happy to spend his time in the ladies room where it is cool on the concrete floor and the traffic is better than the men's room because the guys have already had a chance to go out on the lake and won't be walking upstairs.  Trouble says you can wait in the men's room all day to get out but you can get your pass out of the ladies room every fifteen minutes because of the high level of traffic.  That is the way the doors open, Trouble knows his home.

 

Kenny Chapman is back!  See him at a chair party near you soon.  Sue Ross is going to Florida, spend time with her right now.  The sailing school is in session.  Get in there and help out or learn something new.  It's not just for the kids.  Adults can wear a swimsuit and get wet too.  Summer is here, the weather is right.  If you aren't coming, hire someone to keep the spiders off of your boat, they are getting on mine overnight.  Shame on you guys for not sailing, it is the end of June.  For the rest of you who are sailing, I have had a thought … what about a lady Commodore?  I have some candidates in mind, tell you later.  Don't get me wrong, the boys have done a good job.  You all must realize that a female commodore is going to be a reality during our lives.  The winds of change are blowing, get out on your boat and get a real big whiff of it.

 

Do I still have time for a couple of tips?  Well, sure …

 

Tip #1) Never dump your portolet into the lake.  You want the E-Coli level to stay way down.  Trust me and just use the big gray dump tank by the ramp behind the portable bathroom.

 

Tip #2) Watch your head, the boom will swat you.  Yes, it's a new guy tip.  The advice is sound though.  Old guys need to remind everyone about this that they take out on the lake for the first time.  Do not ruin someone’s first sailing adventure.

 

Tip # 3) Chair party!  Chair Party!  Chair party!  You will be needing chairs, go get them.

 

Tip #4) Reserving the shelterhouse for personal events requires the prior permission of the Commodore.  You'll be left alone when you choose the little one by the playground.  People will crash your party upstairs at the big one.

 

Tip #5) New guys, get some extra keys for your spouse, other car, etc … Be sure to lock the gate after dark.  The ladies of the Club really appreciate this.

 

Tip #6) Stay late and look out for the raccoons.  Trouble says that we now have twelve of them on the premises and he's pretty sure that a new family is now living out under C-dock just past the bridge.  Don't lean low and peek real close.  Raccoons are kind of mean when cornered, especially new moms.  Watch from a distance and surprise them with a flashlight.

 

Ooooh, The chinese is here!  Stay tuned for more …

 

Evan, this one costs you two months salary for me.  Just so you know.

 

Tailer, The De-staffinator

 

SAFETY & EDUCATION

 

***NEW*** There will be an introductory CPR class held in the main club shelter on July 13th from 2-3pm. The basics we all need to know.


Also, "Learn to right your boat" Practice Day.  A controlled environment for the people who want to learn to right their multihull or dingy boat before a catastrophe happens.  We'll meet at the launching ramp picnic tables about 1:00pm on July 20th.


The Sail Indiana 2002 sessions are officially underway. The class size is yielding 3-4 students per instructor...so more detailed training is available to the eager sailors. So far, they've learned the anatomy of a Laser, balancing a Laser (wet training), the points of sail, and some sailing history.  We'll be hands-on and sailing for the rest of the remaining classes.  Thanks to Dr. Bob McCoun for taking the lead Instructor position, and Wayne Myers for his unfathomable sailing knowledge.  We're trying our best to fill some very big shoes.  As we approach Independence Day, our thoughts and prayers are with you Karl Walther.  Thanks for your leadership at the Club and service to our nation.  God Speed.

 

Bob Hickok, Safety & Education Assistant

 

2002 REGATTA SCHEDULE

 

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

Highlander Cup                                    September 14

Hornback                                               October 12/13

Thanksgiving                                       November 29

 

FOR “SAIL”

 

Need to sell Highlander 'cause my family says "no more centerboard trunks for us".  Painted (Interlux Largo Blue) Fiberglass D&M hull #815, mostly foam re-cored, with aluminum mast, boom, and removable motor mount.  New halyards (quick-ups) installed 2000.  Two full sets of older sails in good condition, new spinnaker pole.  Original tilt trailer/bunks with new trailer jack.  Asking just $2,950.  Contact: Steve Myers (stevelm@comcast.net)