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| Commodore |
Believe it or not, I wore shorts to work the other day. Some might call me a little crazy, but I was just getting back from some warm sun down south. Looking from the plane en route to Tampa Int'l, I saw the NOOD racers in Tampa Bay. What a sight! The other passengers were awe-struck! I also saw hundreds of junior sailors off the shores of Clearwater. Made me realize it won't be long until the ice thaws and we're sailing on our home-away-from-home, Eagle Creek Reservoir. If you attended the club ski trip, you had some good fresh snow this year. Made for some tricky road travel, but the 20-plus that went had a ski-tastic time. Thanks, host Cheryl Roberts, for making sure everything well went!
I caught up with our membership chairman, Rich Fox, and assistant Pete Combs at Sailboats Inc. where they were taking membership dues on February 24th. Several members took advantage of this opportunity to personally deliver their dues and immediately receive their packets. Harbormaster Bill Harrington and assistant Rick Graef will be busy assigning wet slips and parking slots and getting ready for the first work party. Sign up to help and see what the buzz is all about. Lastly, if your boat is stored at the Club, make sure to check on her. The cover may have blow off or you may need to clear the drain holes of debris. Take a minute to check on the boats in your area for problems. You may even see a fellow sailor you haven't seen all winter!!
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| Social |
 March winds bring April rains...which bring May flowers! Here we are in March and inching closer to the time we move our crafts to the Club and start enjoying all the good things about ECSC. Thanks to Cheryl Roberts for hosting the ski trip in February…snow was definitely abundant this year.
Right: Ben, EJ, Tom, and Tyler at Perfect North
Just a reminder that the social season gets into full swing during the month of May beginning with the Mother’s Day Brunch. Please refer to the social schedule in the telltales for all dates and times of upcoming events. And remember, we are always looking for volunteers to help chair and work these socials. Call me at 566-0353 if interested in earning some work credits for this year!
See you all soon….on the water…..
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| Harbormaster |
Work Party “Work Parties = Work Credits” If you are interested in taking charge of one of the several small jobs at the Club that always need to be done over the season, then either talk to me or look on the bulletin board at the main shelter house for announcements. Painting, cleaning, and building are three that come to mind immediately.
Above: Our Harbormaster sailing in Charlotte Harbor with Ron & Tippy
SlipsIt’s that time of year to take some slip lease and sublease assignments off the wait list. If you think you're close, be expecting a call from Rick or me by March 17th. Other than last year, the Club averages about 5 to 10 permanent slip changes each season. Subleases vary each year. If you subleased a slip last year, there is no guarantee you will get a permanent slip this year. I'll send you the details and then you send the payment and documents to the Membership Chair Rich Fox. The first crack at a new slip is by people with a dated slip change request filed with the Harbormaster (on a piece of paper...bar napkins are ok...or E-Mail). Then, the people on the list that usually always pass get asked. If they pass again, the next person on the wait list is then offered a permanent slip in the order they appear on that list. At that time, they will be required to come up with the slip fees or pass. After that, the sub-leases will be offered. |
| Racing |
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We are currently working on finalizing the 2007 racing schedule. It will be posted on-line as soon as it is complete. It was good to see many of you at our first winter race meeting. We are excited that the sailing season is just around the corner. For those of you who missed the meeting, we are currently revisiting several items. We are talking about making some changes to our schedule to make the most out of Daylight Savings Time...and taking a closer look at the idea of giving a first place for running a race. We will have a better idea of what will/ won’t be changed at the next race meeting. Hope to see you all there again. The next winter race meeting will be held again at Sailboats, Inc., this time on March 21st at 6:50 pm. We are excited to see some new faces showing up. Turn out so far has been great, but you know what they say...the more the merrier. Anyone and everyone is always welcome to attend. Remember, we need volunteers to run the series races and regattas. If you’ve participated in regattas in the past and haven’t yet run one, give us a call. We can’t do it without you. Don’t forget, work credits will be given to all those who help!
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| Bailer's Tips & More |
 I was walking the docks in the early morning fog, as is my habit...normally my dock buddy Trouble at my side to scatter the sleeping geese and to share the local gossip as well. Trouble is a fine dog, but he does chatter like a magpie. Bless his heart. He is good people and that’s what I like about my Club (Forgive the possessive “my club” 'cause I did some paper work with some of the higher ups and if it came to a legal battle, I could own all the boats, case closed! I gain trust and then my deceit pays big time).
Right: Erika & Cody at Perfect North As I approached my boat, I noticed a note had been safety pinned to my little tattered flag that has a faded beer glass printed on it. The note read “Meet me at the pressure warsher tonight at 11:45pm. Don’t bring no one.” I thought about this...whoever this night owl is needs a lesson in grammar. The note smelled of danger, so I palmed it so Trouble did not catch on. I did not want the little fella to get into trouble on my account. We said our good byes. I acted busy and when he was out of sight, I gathered my cooler, chair, night vision goggles, a nice cuddly throw, and various other items that might prove useful. I showed up at 11:30pm and waited and waited 'till about 12:15...not a soul. I put on my night vision goggles and noticed what looked like a shop rag in the gravel not ten feet in front of me. I started to gather my stuff figuring I had been stood up...walked over, picked up the rag/litter. I was curious because what I thought was a rag felt like leather. With my goggles, I could see it had writing on it...a foreign script?
Before I continue, I feel I need to share a bit about my background. I have mastered and am quite fluent in 26 languages. By the end of the year, I hope to have a total of 30 under my belt. My next conquests will be German, French, Spanish, and Pig Latin. A friend questioned why I saved the last four to master, he said, “Think of all the new people you could talk to”! I told him it's not that I don’t want to talk to more people, it's just that I think I have exhausted the ones I have already talked to. In other words, I think the world is not ready for more of my drivel…. So it goes. Left: Our ECSC skating rink I took the rag/leather artifact back to my boat. I will come clean. Yes, I’m a live-aboard! I am sure you have seen me around the docks, but for now I think it's best not to reveal too much about myself other than when I studied the rag under my microscope, I realized that the Script was written in blood...my best guess Ox blood!! And, it was written in Sanskrit! further testing in my forward cabin lab revealed that the leather was from an Ox, but the blood was from a yak. Yak? Yes yak. Yuck you might say, but right or wrong, this is what I discovered in my lab. If that was not enough, I did carbon dating. The leather rag was at least 1,200 years old! The language was Sanskrit...which as I shared earlier, I am fluent. I was shaken, taken aback, dumb struck, etc. When I translated it for the fifth time, it revealed the same message. I will now share with you the translation. I suggest you sit down…
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 as well as your present slip. That line is a couple years long...you only want to be on 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. Above: Our unplowed drive...complete with stuck car! 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. I am dumfounded. I find a note pinned to my flag, the note leads me to an ox leather scrap with ancient Sanskrit writing on it in yak blood and when I translate it, I discover it is the exact tips from Tailer circa March 2002! So, who gave me the leather artifact? Was Tailer plagiarizing Sailing club tips over 1,000 years old? Tips that are still relevant? What in the Sam Hill is going on? More later...the editor tells me the Internet is running out of ink. I will get to the bottom of this! Kind Regards and tack well..... The Bailer
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| Safety & Education |
It's almost impossible to be your best all the time. Therefore it is important to choose some important regattas during the year and peak at those times. Most importantly: Keep having fun...no matter how you finish! In the long term, it’s very important to feel fit. You can be lucky...it can be light winds all the time. Or, there can be a day with no sailing. You are better off being prepared for the difficult conditions. This will also make you mentally at ease.
Most of us have enough power/endurance to sail pretty well for one or two days. But when you are going to sail more often, you need to be stronger to be able to keep sailing. But mostly just to stay free of injuries. If you increase your power, you also have to increase your flexibility...so learn to stretch and do it! You need a plan every time you go out to practice. If you just go sailing without having anything particular in mind, you will spend a lot of time without improving. Also try to find someone you like to train with and work together. Nobody can get to the top alone...we all need partners to train with.
Our boat parking area When you’re training with a partner, it’s up to the faster sailor to help the slower sailor to be as fast as him/her. I know that sounds like giving your secrets away, but if you wanna get help when you’re in trouble, you had better help sailors when they're in trouble – that’s teamwork. Don’t waste your time on jealousy...sometimes you’re ahead...sometimes you’re behind. The race is long! In the end, it’s only your own actions that dictate your finish.
SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT What parent doesn't want their kids to grow with self assurance and all the other "selfs" needed in later life? I have seen the change in kids that we have brought through our sailing programs. Your child will only sail if you make the commitment and make it fun.
NEWS
The Miami OCR looks like the opening day of the 1996 Olympic Sailing Games in Savannah, GA. Teams from around the world in sunny Miami. I guess that 70% of them will be going to Olympics in China next year. 72 of Laser world class boats are the best female sailors in the USA and the World...what a great turn out for them this year! This year’s race saw normal winter winds NE 15-25 mph covering the 4 & 5 day event. The chop/waves of one to three feet high were from the ocean side of the Bay with some current. It rained and turned cold on Thursday “if 52 degrees is warm.” The guys were cold and hungry when they came back to the center that night! D-Dock Tyler Andrews started out slow, but was up to speed by the 2nd day. He just missed out on the cut over to the gold fleet. Overall, he finished 9th in the silver fleet, about mid-60’s on the World Stage. Phil Tate brought a new plastic sail and could never find the right setup the first three days of the OCR...finishing at the back of the pack in most races. Phil will move on to the Finn Mid-winters after the Super Bowl in Fort Lauderdale...where the large waves, and high winds are more to his liking. “Hang in there guy...” Note: Just got off of the phone with Phil. He said, “want to see the hole in my boat?" He was hit by a Finn that was flying down wind in the 27mph breeze! On Wednesday at the Miami OCR (the 3rd day of racing and about mid-day), Tony Hubbard made a surprise visit to the center, so the rest of the day we stayed at Monty’s Bar in Coconut Grove and/or walked around checking out the boats at the US Sailing Center. The Olympic flag was flying from the mast head off the center this year...with other nation’s flags moving in time with the wind. This is the 3rd or 4th time that I have run into an ECSC member down here. The van and trailer were loaded by 9pm, Friday night. It's time to start the long trip back to Eagle Ocean. On this leg of the trip back to Indy, I’m pulling three new Lasers for the ECSC sailing school...along with a Finn mast that needs to be dropped off in West Palm Beach for a friend. I hear that it’s cold and snow is on the ground back home. I really don’t want to go back to the land of no sun. But...
Click Here to view the remaining 2007 regatta calendar
INDIANA BOATING LAWS - BOATING GUIDELINES
Motorboat Registration
Exceptions
Displaying Registration Decals
Transferring Ownership
Reckless Operation
Obstructing Waterways
Accidents
Required Equipment
Fire Extinguishers
If your boat has a motor, you must have your Indiana Drivers License with you!
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| Membership |
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There was too much snow and too much shoveling going on to allow any new members to join the Club during the month of February. The 2007 Membership Kits have been mailed to all members who paid their dues and fees in full by the February 28th deadline. For Regular/Family members, the Membership Kit included keys, round decals for boat and trailer, and the label for the back of the membership card. Please check your Kit to make sure you received the keys, decals, and labels that you expected. If something is missing or incorrect, please send me an E-Mail at ecsc_membership@yahoo.com or leave a message at 317-815-8599 describing what you need. Are you wondering why the round boat/trailer decals are orange and white? When you see the J-24 “Spontaneous Combustion” skippered by our Commodore Bob Hickok and his lovely Lady Janet, you have the answer.
I would like to thank the following members for serving on the Membership Committee – Pete & Nancy Combs, Mario Zambrano & family, Jim Hubbard, and Denise Fox. Their help made it possible to get your Annual Dues/Fees Statement out by early January and for the Membership Kits to be mailed within three days or less upon receipt of your check.
Key Codes
Pete helping Rich at Sailboats, Inc. Please keep your old Club keys until the Harbormaster has announced that the Club’s main gate lock has been changed. Your new keys will not work until the lock is changed. This is usually the first week of April. If you find that you need extra keys or decals, I have prepared a “mini membership office” in the back of my Trailblazer – a.k.a. the Membership Utility Vehicle (MUV). I will maintain a small supply of gate keys, school keys, sail loft keys, round decals, membership cards, and new membership applications. The ECSC Membership Directory will be published in April and distributed by Mother’s Day weekend. A big thank you to Barb, Bill, and Tyler Andrews for volunteering to help distribute the Membership Directory. The bulk of my work as Membership Chair is now complete. I want to thank those who took the time to write “thank you” notes during the past four years. Denise and I enjoyed the notes and appreciate your support. We made every effort to keep Membership organized and responsive to your requests. I look forward to permanent “membership retirement” at the end of the year and will re-focus much of my spare time and energy on the Catalina 22 National Sailing Association where I have been asked to serve another two year term as National Commodore. Membership count: 258
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| New Safety and Pontoon Boats |
 More pictures can be viewed of the progress on our new RC boat Here. We will continue to post updated photos when we receive them. We still expect the RC in Indy in March. The Caribe RIB should be here in April. We will have a lot of work to do when they arrive. Again, anyone interested in helping out at a boat work party this spring (Work Credits!!), let me know (rgraef@indy.rr.com) or watch the telltales and the website for more information.
Our "Old" RC Boat
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| Power Squadron |
The course is called “Boat Smart.” The classes cover such topics as boat design, stability, propulsion systems, boat handling, how to enter waves, anchoring, pwcs, trailering your boat, navigation lights, required safety equipment, right-of-way, aids to navigation (nuns and cans), crew overboard procedures, marine radio, and emergencies, etc. It is a very good initial course and is offered beginning on March 7, 2007. It continues for three consecutive Wednesdays from 6:30pm - 8:30pm. The course is free...although you do have to pay for your textbook. Once you complete this initial course, you may join the HSPS and take a wide variety of courses that may lead to the Coast Guard’s Captain’s License...or simply take the courses that interest you. The website to sign up for the course is: www.usps.org/localusps/hoosier. Just “navigate” to the education button. To talk to somebody, call the Education Officer, George Herrington, at 317-843-1084. George is also our past HSPS Commander (same as our ECSC’s Commodore). Carol and I have taken several HSPS courses and have found them valuable...helping make us better sailors. Hope you will join us. |
| Sailboats, Inc |
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Note from our local sailboat dealer: If you're planning to have any work done to your boat this spring before sailing and you are not on the work schedule already, please call us right away. There are a few openings left for May still. |
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2007 Social Calendar, Click Here.
2007 Racing Calendar, Click Here.
2007 Overall Club Calendar, Click Here.
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| Eagle Creek Sail Club ECSC Home Page |
