COMMODORE

This issue of the Telltales should reach you sometime between the end of February and the first of March.  Mathematically, this should mean that for you early birds, thirty or so days until you’re back in the water and for the rest of us “Fair Weather Sailors,” forty-five to sixty days.

These will be very busy days especially for your Board committee chair heads.  MIKE KASCHAK will have been busy processing all of your 2002 dues renewal statements; R. THOMAS MOORE logging and recording all of the financial details surrounding the depositing of membership dues, slip and beach rentals, and winter storage fees. Your Harbormistress, CHRISTY MERRIMAN, is up to bat next.  Her endless duties include assigning parking lot, beach and slip locations, readying the Club for Spring, and seeing to it that A-Dock gets installed.  WAYNE MYERS and his racing staff are making preparations for the Wednesday night and Sunday afternoon racing series as well as the major weekend regattas scheduled during the summer.  EDNA SPROWL has just completed hosting our annual bus trip to the Chicago Boat Show attended this year by 38 members.  I believe she still needs chair people for some of our summer socials...so please give her a call.  If you see these people – Thank them.  They volunteer many many hours to help make our Club what it is.

Volunteers – Step Forward.  During the next thirty to sixty days, A-Dock needs to be removed and the new dock floated and installed.  The Club grounds need grooming, picnic tables need unstacking, plumbing reconnected, flower beds mulched, etc. Check out the article in the Telltales by your Harbormistress.  I am sure Christy needs your help and has work parties scheduled for you.  Everyone is welcomed regardless of your work skills.  There is a job for everyone.

In my first article, I told you to put that extra log on the fire, pull up that blanket, hunker down, and to get ready to hibernate during the cold winter months ahead.

Now it’s time to kick off that blanket - find that picnic cooler.  Let’s get ready to go sailing!

T- minus 30 – 60 days and counting.

Larry January, Commodore

HARBORMASTER

Hello All,

I hope you have been enjoying the mild winter as I have.

We are setting the date for A-Dock removal for March 23rd & 24th.  If we have nice weekends prior to that, we may opt to bump that date up to an earlier weekend.

If you are interested in helping, please call Rick Sprowl, 244-1561 or Christy Merriman, 247-1401 and leave a message that you would like to help with the dock removal and your phone.  That way, we will know of your interest and can call you if we decide an earlier date is to our advantage.  This will be very heavy work.

We will also be opening the Club in April this year – the work party will be Saturday, April 20th – 9am.  There is plenty of work to go around on this one for ladies and the men.  Jack Hale is in charge of our landscaping.  If you are interested in helping with this task, please let him know.

I will also be working on slip assignments and parking. You will receive the same slip as last year unless I call you with a change.  Sublets will be on the agenda as well.  I won’t know how many we have available until after the deadline for dues and Mike (Membership) sends me the records.  See you all soon!

Christy Merriman, Harbormaster
Rick Sprowl, Assistant Harbormaster

RACING

Please take note, our 1st meeting will be held Sunday, March 17th at the Club shelter house at 4:00pm.  With a cook-out, items to be talked about are:
 

    1.       PHRF by-laws
    2.       Election of the new PHRF committee
    3.       Race Committee assignments
    4.       New starting times and flags
    5.       Friday night racing
    6.       Single handed fleet class
    7.       Scoring

Bring your own drinks (green ones for you leprechauns).

YOUTH SAILING PROGRAM

The “Learn to Sail” training program is new this year.  It is for members only...both girls and 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 9:30am until 4:30pm.  Bring your own lunch.  For more information, or to sign up, contact Wayne Myers at 852-3665 (or alarmco@netdirect.net)

Race Office

MEMBERSHIP

By the time you read this, the annual membership/slip dues deadline will probably have come and past.  Hopefully everyone made the February 28th deadline.

The membership ranks continue to grow.  We need to welcome three new members!

James and Bernadette Fletcher will be sailing on a Hobie 14.

Bob Ganyard and his children Heather and Erica will be out on either a Hobie 16 or Hobie 18.

Keith and Barbara Rector will be sailing a Hunter 235 named Imagine.

Mike Kaschak, Membership

SOCIAL

I can’t believe that March is upon us already.  That can only mean one thing; the ECSC social program will be in full swing in a couple of months.  The events calendar should be located somewhere in this issue of the Telltales, so mark your busy calendars now so you can attend each event.

I would like to challenge all of you to volunteer for an upcoming social event or any other activity at the Club (i.e. Harbormaster’s work parties) and get the chance to meet new people.  If you would like to help with a social event, please give me a call or contact the host of the event.

Edna Sprowl, Social

2002 SOCIAL CALENDAR

TAILER’S TIPS & TALES

Being the smart sailors that you are, I'm absolutely sure that you have been noticing that the days are getting longer.  That means sailing and all the things that come with it.  Guys need to rinse the mold out of their coolers and gals need to … well, I know better than to tell gals what they need to do (Insert subliminal message here: Shopping for swimwear might be a good idea!).  Anyway, welcome to the pointless and unending torment of another episode of Tailer's Foolish Rantings… er, I mean Tips and Tales.

There is so much to write about during the winter.  Let’s see, it has been cold.  We have seen each other (at the grocery store, now and then) and talked about boats.  Let’s see, it has also been cold…  There is only one cure for this winter thing; Sailing! 

Your Club has organized another dock replacement.  Be there and help get the old dock removal project on its way. Your harbormistress, Christy Merriman, will know where you need to go and apply your energy.  All of your friends will be there.  Don't miss out on the fun.

If you are on C-Dock, we're coming… just not real soon. A-Dock is the one we all will work on this year.  C-Dock folk are welcome to help.  Come out to see Bob Bodish working real hard on a weekend.  You know, come to think of it, Bob is only supposed to work on weekdays, but work crews only come on weekends and Bob is always there for the work parties.  Think of it… always there.  Can you imagine going to every Club work party?   No…

Wait!  It's worse than that for Bob.  Every work party comes right to his front doorstep on the weekends.  The next time that you see Bob, you might want to thank him for countless hours of service.  And after all, he did teach his dog "Trouble" not to jump up onto too many car doors. We are working on the begging thing right now.  Bob is not having much luck so far.

We will be on the water soon and I see it as our patriotic duty to live our lives and go sailing as often as possible this year.  Don't let those terrorist kooks see you sweat.  Come out soon and often this year.  Camp out, help with events, bring your kids.  With El Nino coming, it might be real hot and we might have to camp out on our boats with almost no clothes on!  Who wants to miss that?

Will we have new members this year during this economic slump?  You bet we will!  You can't beat 'em away with sticks and high initiation fees.  The "no room at the inn" theory mentioned at more than one chair party probably won't stop them from coming either. That is why we need winter tips that you have all heard before...the new guys don't know unless you tell them.

Your tips, new guys:

Tip 1) If you have been at the Club for a few years and you don't recognize one of these tips, you are still a new guy.

Tip 2) Pay your dues on time by the end of February.  If you don't, you will lose your place on the slip waiting list and your present slip.  That line is a couple of years long...you only want to stand in it once.

Tip 3) Always lock the gate after dark.  Everyone should order extra keys this year.  We should have one with us at all times.

Tip 4) Don't forget to put a buck in the bag for the ice you take from the cooler.  It's the honor system...let’s keep it that way.

Tip 5) Dump port-o-lets into the big gray tank by the ramp port-a-potty.  Protect your lake from e-coli. Remember, swimming is against the law… but you could fall in.

Tip 6) Relations with the Parks Department should always be nurtured.  We are the renters.  Any contact with Parks personnel must be in-line with Club policy.  That  is: We are the renters and we are always willing to help any way we can.

Tip 7) Be polite to other people on the lake.  It's our reputation that you are protecting.  You only get one chance to do this one right.

Tip 9) Be sure to pick up some lawn chairs and keep them in the trunk.  You will need them for the CHAIR PARTY.  Trust me, you'll need chairs.

Tailer, The De-staffinator

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
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 26

Catalina 22 Technical Seminar

There will be a Catalina 22 Technical Seminar on Saturday, April 13th, from 1:30pm to 3:00pm at Sailboats, Inc.  There is no charge to attend.

Topics will include: A Brief History of the Catalina 22, Tuning a Catalina 22, standing and running rigging, keel and rudder, outboard motor, maintenance and bottom paint, how to sink a Catalina 22, and a question and answer session specifically for Catalina 22 owners.

Following the seminar, we will have a group dinner at a nearby restaurant.  Please RSVP by March 22nd, to Rich Fox at 815-8599 or fox.rich@verizon.net.

SPECIAL THANKS

What a better symbol of friendship and dedication can one expect from a fellow ECSC member than to voluntarily donate life saving blood to an ailing member?  A world of thanks goes to that B-Dock sailor from a grateful sailor on A-Dock.  What a great Club we have!

FOR “SAIL”

13 foot AMF Windflight (Sunfish) Board Boat with two sails.  $750.  Call Member #26 at 293-6157.

5HP Honda outboard motor.  Two year’s old, 4-cycle, with fuel tank.  $850.  Call Member #26 at 293-6157.

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The following are exerts of City/County law taken from www.municode.com.

CITY/COUNTY CODES

Title II — Public Order and Safety

Chapter 341 Boats, Docks, And Waterways *

*Cross reference(s)--Beaches and swimming pools, chapter 321; streets, sidewalks and public ways, chapter 431; provision for recreational boating activities at Eagle Creek reservoir, chapter 631-203; improvements and docks at Eagle Creek reservoir, chapter 631-221 et seq.

ARTICLE II.  BOATS AND BOATING

Section 341-201  Disclaimer of city liability

Notice is hereby given to all persons who, at any time, own or operate any kind of boat upon Lake Indy or at any other place within the jurisdiction of the city that all boats using any such waterway shall be used and operated solely at the risk of the owner, operator or the persons therein, and that neither the city nor its board of parks and recreation or any other board or city official assumes any responsibility or liability therefor.  The city also hereby gives notice to all persons who may use any such waterway that the city and its various boards and officials do not represent that any portion of any waterway has sufficient depth and is otherwise safe for boating or bathing purposes, or that it is free and clear of obstructions upon or beneath the surface thereof.

Section 341-202  Boat launching

a) All boats being launched in Lake Indy or Eagle Creek Reservoir shall be launched solely from launching facilities designated and approved by the department of parks and recreation.

(b) The board of parks and recreation is authorized to establish launch fees for boats using city launch facilities at Lake Indy, Eagle Creek Reservoir or Broad Ripple Park.

(c) No boat shall be launched from any city launch facility unless it has paid the launch fee established by the board of parks and recreation.

(d) No motorboat shall be launched from a city launch facility unless the operator is sixteen (16) years of age or older.

Section 341-203  Unlawful operation generally

It shall be unlawful for the owner of any boat to operate or cause, suffer or permit the boat to operate or permit such boat to be operated at any other place on Lake Indy or Eagle Creek Reservoir than those places so designated by the board of parks and recreation, or the board having jurisdiction thereover.

No boating activity shall be carried on within five hundred (500) yards of Eagle Creek dam.

Section 341-204  Maximum horsepower and length

It shall be unlawful for the owner or operator of any motorboat having a motor exceeding ten (10) horsepower or of any boat exceeding twenty-six (26) feet in length or smaller than eight (8) feet in length, to operate, or cause or permit the boat to be operated at any time in and upon any portion of Lake Indy or Eagle Creek Reservoir except for boats owned, operated or under contractual agreement with the city, county or the State of Indiana.

Section 341-205  Towing

It shall be unlawful for the owner or operator of any boat using any portion of Lake Indy or Eagle Creek Reservoir to tow another boat or any kind of object including water skiers at any time, except in emergencies of salvage, maintenance, or rescue work.

Section 341-208  Passing boats; speed and safety

It shall be unlawful for the operator of any motorboat on Eagle Creek Reservoir or Lake Indy to do any of the following things:

(1) To pass so close to another boat as to cause such other boat to be endangered, collided with, or to be swamped or overturned by the wake created by such motorboat;

(2) To operate any boat in a negligent or reckless manner or at a rate of speed so as to endanger the life or property of any person at any places in or on such water, or when the boat is in a defective and dangerous condition;

(3) To operate on any part of Lake Indy or Eagle Creek Reservoir any motorboat at a greater rate of speed than ten (10) miles per hour where or when not otherwise restricted to lower speeds, except in emergencies of maintenance, salvage or rescue, or when authorized by the department of parks and recreation for special events or programs.

Section 341-209  Waiver for special events

The board of parks and recreation is authorized and empowered, by resolution, to waive the provisions of this article in conjunction with special event activities on Lake Indy or Eagle Creek.

Chapter 321 Beaches And Swimming Pools *

*Cross reference(s)--Boats, docks and waterways, chapter. 341; streets, sidewalks and public ways, chapter 431

Section 321-1  Bathing in unguarded areas

(a) It shall be unlawful for any person to swim or wade in any canal, stream, pit, pond or other body of water or watercourse within the city which is unguarded by a lifeguard who is assigned to guard such area by the owner or operator of such canal, stream, pit, pond or other body of water.

(b) The provisions of subsection (a) shall not apply to pools of the department of parks and recreation or clubs or other private beaches or pools which are guarded by lifeguards, nor to private residential swimming pools maintained by the homeowners.

(c) The first violation in any calendar year shall be subject to admission of violation and payment of the designated civil penalty through the ordinance violations bureau in accordance with chapter 103 of this Code. All second and subsequent violations in the calendar year are subject to the enforcement procedures and penalties provided in section 103-3 of this Code.