Activity at ECSC is certainly increasing at a hectic pace this month. It’s very good to spend time out in the warm air, sprucing up boats, visiting with old friends, and getting out on the water!
We have two great social events on the May calendar to look forward to. The annual Mother’s Day Brunch is scheduled for Sunday, May 14th at 11:30am. Bill Harrington and crew have generously volunteered again this year to head up this event. He always does a great job...so grab your Mom and come celebrate! If your Mom can’t attend, come on out anyway and enjoy the day. ECSC supplies the eggs, meat, and drinks...and we ask that you bring YOUR favorite dish to share with everyone!!!!
Another popular social event this month of May is the Memorial Day Cook Out on May 29th at 5pm. This event will be hosted by Larry January, Jack Hale, and crew. These guys know how to cook GREAT burgers and dogs...so don’t miss this event. Again, ECSC provides the meat and drinks and we ask that you bring YOUR favorite dish to share with us.
Above Pic: Couple of Kool Kats
Remember, if YOU would like to help work these events, give these hosts a call and they can line you up to help...or call me at 566-0353 and I’ll get you in on the fun.
JUST A NOTE: I’m still needing a host for the Hornback Chili Cook Off on October 7th at 5:30pm.
Looking forward to seeing you all on Eagle Ocean!
| Harbormaster |
Bill Harrington | Chauncey Olin |
Thanks to the 25 members who helped at the April 1st work party. The weather was perfect and the workers motivated. All of the usual Club opening tasks were finished in record time. The beach was cleaned & raked so well it looked like we were in the Caribbean. Too bad swimming is not allowed! If you are caught swimming, there will be an individual fine and the Club will be fined. The Club’s policy is to assess the member the fine given to the Club.
We also started building a long-needed high pressure sprayer shed. Thanks to Don Birt, Greg Johnson, Bob Bodish, & Mike Kaschak for all the help building the new shed. It’s a nice new building with a nice big spool to help reel the hose in...so it doesn’t flop all over the ground (see pic below).
And, thanks to new member Pete Combs for all the help painting the new sprayer shed and both garages.
Above Pic: Bob & Bill
We moved A-Dock a little east so you won’t drop your trailer wheels into the ditch while launching (see pic below).
When the Club directory comes out, it will have the dry parking assignments listed for the new and old members. Check with Chauncey or me if you're confused. It's close to last year’s...with some modifications. All the parking assignments are already posted on the back door of the school shed, the Race bulletin board, and the Harbormaster bulletin board on the front of the main shelter.
Even though we have had some very good weather, there are still several members who have not launched their boats.
Here are some reminders:
All boats must be out of the Car Corral area before Mother’s Day (May 14th).
2006 stickers must be on the trailer tongue and port bow of your boat.
All boats must be in their proper slips by Friday, May 20th.
No boat shall be tied to the “48 hour” dock for more than 48 hours in a seven day period.
For some reason, we seem to be having a little trouble with our well. Until it is fixed properly, all that is available are the toilets. Hand washing sanitizer is available in both bathrooms if needed. Please don’t drink the water until the problem is resolved.
I have a couple more projects, big and small, that need a volunteer. Remember that the work credit value has gone up...the max for this year’s work will get you $150 off of next year’s dues.
Please make sure we all keep the gate locked after dusk. Even if there are a bunch of members at the Club, lock the gate when you leave after dusk. We’ve had problems in the past and would prefer not to have them repeated.
|
| Safety & Education |
Wayne Myers | Rick Graef |
Something to Think About
As every child has learned, no matter how hard you try, you can’t baptize cats.
Junior News
Please welcome Hanna and John Fisher to our Sailing Club. Hanna is a 15 year old and John is 12. Both junior sailors are up and coming stars. Hanna sails on a radial rig (laser) with national racing to her credit. John is on the Pram USA National Team.
They are part of ECSC Junior Sailing Scholarship Program that was passed by our Board early this spring. We have two more opening for this program. For more info.... talk to Rick or me.
31 Boats on the Line
Over the weekend of April 8 & 9 at ISC, with the wind blowing 20 to 30 mph, wind shifts up to 40 degrees, water temperature in the high 40s, with many boats turning over, the ISC safety teams were kept rather busy.
Auto-tacking was a problem that was common.
Above Pic: Weekend Warrior Winner Tyler Andrews (left) with Wayne Myers
Seven ECSC sailors: Tyler Andrews, Jason Hubbard, Jacob Hubbard, RJ Graef, Rick Graef, Hanna Fisher, and Wayne Myers with Tony Hubbard as coach and Joyce Hubbard as dolly girl.
No results have been posted yet, but in order of ECSC sailors were Tyler, Jason, Hanna, Rick, Wayne, RJ and Jacob. The only team member not to turn over was Hanna Fisher. Her finished number was at the top of her class. Look out guys, this junior is fast.
Below Pic: Weekend Warrior Regatta, Ki leading
Support
We wish to say “ THANK YOU “ to the following members for their support of the Junior Sailing Program:
John Pankhurst, Niles Daggy, James Fletcher, Larry Bruce, Warren Smith, Daniel Neath, Larry & Pauline January, David Hamernik, Thomas Yedlick, Robert Shaw, James Vogel, John Carmichael, Robert Storms, Bruce & Ethel Berner, Paul Schenkel, Joe Taylor, Harold Hankins, Tony & Joyce Hubbard, Malcolm & Joyce Mallette, John & Marsha Schaub, Barbara Drew, Larry Conrad, Bob & Janet Hickok, Adam Hiett, Bill Harrington, Bob Glenn, Barry Harvey, Steve Pithoud, Bruce & Cheryl Roberts, Richard Phillips, Richard & Edna Sprowl, Sean O’Brien, Ron Landbloom, William & Barb Andrews, Nick Marson, Jim & Carol Dolder, Ed Ashworth, Tom Mallinger, Colin & Jenn Riseley, William Hutchinson, Joe Traub, Greg Jacoby, Kenneth Chapman, Eric Monesmith, Jeff Williams, Nancy Guyott, George Alyea, William Carmichael, Jim Grant and Paul Keenan.
...and again, thank you for your support!!!
See you at the Mayor’s Cup Dinner.
CALENDAR
Vermillion Ohio Boat Club
www.vermilionboatclub.com
Lake Erie, Saturday Only
May 28, 2006
Toledo, Ohio Cattail Regatta
June 3, 2006, Saturday Only
Sandusky SC Open
June 24 & 25, 2006
Indy Finn Championship
Mayor’s Cup at ECSC
May 20th & 21st
ECSC Regatta
July 8th & 9th
We have 4 Flying Junior sailboats and are looking for parents and kids to race them. Give us a call or e-mail about this annual Race.
RJ in the Weekend Warrior Regatta
|
ECSC Junior Sailing Week
Ages 10 - 18
June 5 - 9, 2006
Equipment/Boats provided
9am - 5pm
3 Days: $80
5 Days: $125
Two US Sailing Instructors this year
Bring your own lunch. Drinks/Water provided
Water Games
Some classroom learning
Must Know How To Swim
Must have own life jacket
Non-Members welcome
We're in the 4th year of this junior sailing program
The kids really have fun with this and the slots
Fill Up fast!!!
Sorry - This class is full!
Contact:
Wayne Myers
AlarmCo@NetDirect.net
|
See you on the water....
Have a teenager that will be just staying home and playing the video games this summer? Let us help .... Junior program open to ages 13 - 18, m/f…
|
ECSC Sailing School
Saturdays
Starts May 27th
9:30am - Noon
Free to Club Members
$25 per class day for Non-Members
Equipment/Boats provided
2 Man Boats to Learn In
Lasers and FJs
Some Classroom Learning
Small Boat Drills
Life Jackets Required
Afternoons Open for Sailing
Contact:
Wayne Myers
AlarmCo@NetDirect.net
|
|
| Racing |
Chris Cunningham | Mike Irwin |
|
Series Racing Begins…..
ECSC Veteran Racers Welcome New Racers!!!!
The first race of the series was held on Sunday, April 23th. The competitors and race management meeting was well attended on April 19th with more than 20 Club members participating. RC Guidelines for running races were distributed at the meeting and are available online and on the RC boat.
Club Series Racing is one of your many benefits of membership in ECSC. IT’S ABSOLUTELY FREE!!! All you have to do is gather a crew and show up for lots of fun any Wednesday evening and just about every Sunday afternoon. At the competitors’ meeting, a challenge was issued to the veterans to help out a new racer “learn the ropes” and enter a race. ECSC has one of the best racing programs in the Mid-West and we want every Club member to know they are welcome. Meet Mike or Chris at the committee boat at 5:30pm on Wednesdays or 12:15pm on Sundays for a crash course on starting signals and few quick racing tips.
Brian Scally on a Windrider Rave
May racing assignments are: Wednesdays: May 3rd Charlie Brehob, 10th Tony Hubbard, 17th Dolders, 24th G. Alyea, 31st Graef. Please plan to arrive at the Club by 5:30pm and on the water at 6pm. First flag is at 6:50pm. Sundays: May 7th Cunningham, 28th Leonard. No series race on Mother’s Day or on May 21nd (Mayor’s Cup). Sunday’s RC should be at the Club by 12:15pm and on the water by 12:45pm for the 1:30pm warning signal.
The complete schedule of assignments is available online. If you cannot make your assigned date, please trade with someone and let Chris or Mike know.
The first big regatta of the year is the Mayor’s Cup on May 20th and 21st. Highlander Fleet #45 will host a welcome party on Friday evening May 19th beginning at 7pm to welcome the out-of-towners and all regatta participants. The Notice of Race (NOR) is on the website and in this Telltales...it has the details. Please note that the cost for regatta T-Shirts is discounted when you register early. Entry fee includes one T-Shirt and one regatta Saturday dinner.
Smooth Sailing......
Remember, all we wanna do is have some fun!!
|
All of the 2006 Membership Kits were mailed by April 3rd. If you did not receive your Kit, or did not get a key or label that you expected, please contact me at 815-8599. The Annual Directory is in production with expected delivery in mid-May. This year’s edition will include the Ground Parking assignments.
Lost your Club key? Contact me for a replacement key ($5 each).
If you have an address change, please notify me so I may update the Membership Database. The Membership Database is used to prepare the mailing labels for the Telltales and the Annual Dues/Fees Statement.
New Member Pete Combs doing a paint job!
New Member Tip - when leaving the docks by boat and heading east out of the cove, the water is very shallow and rocky along the northern tip as you exit the cove and enter the main body of the reservoir. This shallow water area is unmarked. To avoid grounding your keel or rudder, you should plan on going another 300 feet straight out towards Rick’s Boatyard before heading north.
Active Membership Count: 247
|
| Ship's Store |
Joyce & Malcolm Mallette |
Check out our new T-Shirts, both short and long sleeved, at the Mother's Day Brunch. Also, we will have tank tops for the ladies, new hats, and fleece vests...per your request. The store is open at all social events, including regattas.
We are still looking for helpers, particularly for Father's Day. Malcolm needs your help while I go see my Dad who'll be 93. Learn about the Ship's Store and earn work credits at the same time.
Vice-Commodore Bob Hickok volunteering for Safety Boat duty.
|
| A Great Summer of Junior Sailing |
Tyler Andrews |
Representing ECSC in the Junior Nationals events over the past four years has without a doubt been the most important part of my sailing career. For those of you who don’t know, the Junior Nationals events are a combination of the two qualifying events Junior Bay Week at Put-In-Bay and Semi-Finals, at North Point YC which qualify two sailors from each area for the Junior Nationals. Sailing these junior events has given me the opportunity to not only sail against great sailors, but to travel all over and meet a lot of great friends along the way.
Tyler pic'd right and below.
This past year was some of the best sailing that Bay Week has offered me yet. The week started out with great breeze for the qualifying series and I was able to qualify for the championship fleet with almost total domination. However, I knew that once the cut was made, my competition was going to be coming at me fast in the lighter air...which is exactly how I wanted it to be. After the first day of sailing in the championship fleet of 8 boats, I was in a 3-way tie for 1st with Ryan Lashaway and Kevin Shockey. The third day of racing I was able to overcome the light and choppy conditions and I squeezed out just a 3-point lead over Kevin Shockey. The last day came down to two races in a dying breeze that started out at about 8 knots. I knew that if I could win the first race, then I could not lose the regatta. I started out well on the right side of things with a couple boat lengths lead at the first leeward mark. However, by this time the breeze had died down to well under 5 knots and Kevin and Ryan squeezed by me with great boat speed upwind. Kevin won that race, which brought me into the last race with only a one point lead. With one minute until the start of the last race, I simply began stalking Kevin. Right before the gun, I pushed him up into a small hole and then took a nice and easy lane a couple of boats to windward of him. From there, I stayed on top the whole race and won the regatta!
Winning Bay Week advanced me to Semi-Finals (which was another great regatta for me). I won Bay Week with what I was told was a great light air performance. It was a game of patience and waiting for the shifts in the very light winds of the 2nd day.
I was then on my way to Newport Beach, California for Junior Nationals. I made it there with high hopes of sailing the light air regatta of my life...I was right about one thing. Every day offered a long tow out of Newport Harbor...only to arrive to a very flat ocean. A 3-knot thermal would fill after about 2 hours of sitting on the water. I ended up 15th out of the 20 qualified sailors and I learned a lot of lessons about sailing in Southern California.
This brings a cap to my junior sailing. So, for the next four years I guess I will sail college sailing for IU...and Wednesday nights out at Eagle Creek as often as possible. So far, the IU sailing team has achieved mid-fleet at every event. However, I bumped us up in the standings this past weekend by getting 3rd at a collegiate single-handed nationals qualifier in Milwaukee. I missed qualifying for nationals by 2 points. However, Hawaii is a long trip for a freshman to take while in college, so it’s probably all for the better. I have three more chances and I will let you know when I get there. Because, without the support of Eagle Creek Sailing Club Junior Sailing Program, I would not be where I am today.
Thank you...to all of the members of ECSC!
|
| Catalina 22 News |
Rich Fox |
The Catalina 22 Regional Championship Regatta is coming to Eagle Creek Sailing Club as part of the ECSC Regatta the weekend of July 8-9. We are expecting at least 8 boats from across the Great Lakes Region on the start-line, including 2003 Catalina 22 National Champion Don Carsten of Toledo, Ohio.
If you would like some assistance to get your boat race-ready, please contact me at 815-8599.
RJ with his Weekend Warrior trophy.
|
Test Your Sailing Knowledge....
Try out the inter-active website listed below. It gives great scenarios graphically. I was surprised by own knowledge of these rules. You may want to post it in for the ECSC.
www.finckh.org/rspiel/indexe.htm
Ki with his Weekend Warrior award.
|
| Tag Article |
Tim Hollingsworth |
|
Racing – Why and How!
I am told that as a Tag Article, I get to write about anything that interests me. So here it goes.
My introduction to the Club came as a result of an invitation from Chris Harlan to “race” with him and Tom Reynolds on Chris’ Sirius 21 (The boat is now owned by Jim Wier). I put race in quotes because a Sirius 21 is hardly the swiftest boat at the pier (sorry Jim). After a season of finishes way back of the pack, the three of us pooled our assets and meager abilities and bought a brand new S2 6.7 that ultimately became “Crazy Rabbit” (see in pic below).
Each of us had considerable sailing experience, but little racing experience. For more years than we care to remember, we were the tail-end-Charlie. We also discovered that three skippers do not make a crew and over time moved to individual boats. Actually, Tom and Chris moved on and left me with the S2.
Tim in the center
In time, we got the S2 and its crew (and mainly me) up to speed and had some success in racing at the Club and elsewhere. Boat fashion, like all other fashions, changes over the years, and one day, after my son Josh and I had a great start, sailed a good solid course, and avoided any major mistake, we noticed that we won our class not because of our skill, but because we were the only boat in our class. After counting boats to determine the biggest class at the time, we went out and bought a Highlander.
I grew up on a lake, but it was a skiing and fishing lake. I had little previous experience with dingy sailing. The Highlander introduced a new learning curve.
Success at sailboat racing is the result of incremental improvements gained over time with experience. There are countless variables involved in making a boat go better and even then, because of tactics, rules, crew work, equipment, and luck, the fastest boat does not necessarily win the race. At least for me, the challenge of “getting better” at sailboat racing has been rewarding and fulfilling.
My expectations are tempered by the knowledge that the really, really strong racers have a level of dedication that will not be matched by me – a Club racer. This is most starkly brought home when I have competed at the National level in the Highlander and other classes. The wining crews are not only younger and stronger than us, but they have spent the necessary time on the water to hone their skills and have spared no expense on the best sails and gear. They also tend to be the children and grandchildren of sailors and have literally grownup with sailboats. Nevertheless, usually we know with whom we are truly competing and that friendly competition and the camaraderie ashore makes all of the effort worth whiled.
Next three pics - in some regatta
It is not that I dislike cruising. When it comes to water, I find little that is not enjoyable. I can get my kicks on anything from a Jet Ski to a row boat. Of course, the best time on the water, whether on a 50 footer off the Keys or one of our little boats on Eagle Ocean, is when you reach over and turn off the engine. It is even a better time if your boat and others head off for a distant buoy at more or less the same time.
All of the forgoing is by way of preface to the point of this article. The point is to suggest to those of you who have not raced your boat to consider giving it a try.
As excuses for not racing, I have heard over the years that racing is intimidating and complicated or more work than the owner wants to take on. Let’s discuss both.
Yes, the racers are competing and are trying to “beat” the other guy. However, like in so many other things, the really good sailors are never going to yell at a novice. To the contrary, the good sailors are going to give nothing but encouragement and advice (often contrary) to the new sailor. If someone does yell at you unnecessarily, remember this essential truth.
Second, yes racing does involve rules. The rules can get complex. If you want to get better, you will need to learn the rules. But for purposes of just giving it a try you only need to know a few things. The easiest rule to remember is to not hit another boat or a buoy. After that, you need to know the difference between a starboard tack and a port tack. On starboard, the wind will come over the right side of the boat and the boom will be on the left side. On port, it will be just the opposite. If two boats meet, the one on starboard tack has the right of way. In the normal event, it will be just like a four way stop. A vehicle on your right has the right. Although not required by the rules, the polite thing for the right of way boat to do is to yell at you “starboard.” If is helpful if they really are on starboard. In the heat of battle I have personally screwed this up. If they do (and are), you have two choices – tack or go behind the other boat. Go behind the other boat. It is almost always better.
Racing is done over a course starting and ending at an imaginary line between the committee boat (the Race Committee or “RC”) and a small buoy. Ask any racer ashore and all of this will be explained to you, probably in more detail than you need. Or, just go out there and find the RC. At ten or fifteen minutes before race time, the RC will be anchored and a buoy will be in the water to the left of the RC when facing the wind. The start line is between the two. At the Club we race in classes and each class has a start. It works this way: The RC hoists a colored flag and blows a horn. It is now X minutes to the start of the class (these days X usually equals 5). There is a countdown of horns and flag movements and X minutes from the first horn and flag, a flag is dropped and a horn sounded. Any time after, but not before that flag, a boat may cross the start line and start the race. If you are over the start line before the flag, you have to get back to the other side before you can “start.” I am not going into the details of what is called the starting sequence for three reasons. First, over the years the process has changed and it is not the same everywhere. Second, the best way to learn this is to volunteer to go out with the RC and watch it...not read about it. Third, if all you want to do is to give racing a try, find another boat in your class and start with it (to find another boat in your class ask the RC).
I mentioned a course. You have seen the white buoys out there on the Lake. These, and temporary buoys carried from shore, are used to determine courses. Boats race from the start to a buoy (to another buoy to another buoy to another buoy) to the finish. Courses are determined or “set” by the RC...a process that may result in the racers giving grief to the RC. The racers want the first buoy or “mark” to be directly upwind of the start. This takes luck out of the game. It is nearly impossible for the RC to do this if for no other reason than the facts that the direction of the wind is always changing and our lake is kind of small. The course is posted on the side of the RC in code. If you want to know the code, ask ashore and it will be explained to you. The RC can even give you a map. Or, you can follow the boat(s) you started with. Eventually, they will come to a buoy and go around it. Watch carefully. It matters how you go around the buoy. The “normal” thing is to leave the buoy on your left hand side. They will then sail off toward another buoy or to the finish line. Follow the fastest boat you can keep up with.
Regardless of what kind of boat you have, in your first race you will either be the last or near to the last boat to finish. The good news is that there are lots of things you can do so you are not the last to finish. You can learn to start better. You can learn to sail better. You can learn the rules.
Tim leading a Line Dance
What about this all being hard work? No question...if you want to go out on a Laser and race with the kids, racing can be athletic. On the bigger boats, the ones that have and use a spinnaker do require some crew work. But on the usual cruising boat the most that you are going to do is – steer the boat (easy); tack (easy); and trim sails in and out (easy.) Indeed, when you make any of these things physically hard, you are slowing the boat down. One of the things you find out racing (and one of the reasons I suggest you give it a try), is that it will prove to you that making sailing hard work is a sure way to make your boat slow. All racers know that a comfortable boat is a fast boat. A boat heeled way over with the crew hanging on for dear life is slow. A boat turning (tacking) real fast so that the crew can not keep up with the headsail is slow. Any boat where the helmsperson is struggling to steer is slow. Learning to make the boat faster is also learning to make the boat more comfortable.
As an aside, lots of folks mistakenly think that the person steering the boats is automatically the “skipper.” Steering the boat is (or should be) physically easy and, in some ways, takes the least skill. When my boys started racing with me, I would put them on the tiller as soon as possible. I could then worry about sail trim, crew work, and tactics working from the rail.
There is something else. Every year I see nice, expense boats dropped in water in the spring, tied to a dock, and pulled out in the fall with virtually no intervening use. I suspect that the owners wait for the perfect weekend of sun and breeze to use their boat and we all know that these can be few and far between here in Indiana (or happen on a weekday). There is nothing wrong with being a fair weather sailor. But, on the other hand, racing can be fun in less than perfect weather.
Why not look for another reason to use your investment? And who knows, you might get hooked.
Tim On Safety Boat Duty
|
|
Board Meetings |
January 10* |
February 7 |
April 11 |
May 9 |
| July 11 |
September 12 |
| October 10 * |
November 4 |
| November 14 |
* Exe Com Only |
| |
| 2006 Racing/Social Calendar |
2006 Social Calendar, Click Here.
2006 Racing Calendar, Click Here.
2006 Overall Club Calendar, Click Here.
|
|
