It is hard to believe that August has arrived. This is probably the slowest month of the sailing season due to hot temperatures and light winds. For many, it may be a welcome break as July ushered in most North American Championships for one-design fleets. I was fortunate enough to participate in the Flying Scot NACs in Newport Rhode Island this year. It was a humbling experience with the large waves, strong current, and sea breeze between 15-30 mph all week long. While I had the time of my life, I could not help but appreciate that our little lake offers some pretty nice racing as well. My favorite conditions are on a cooler day with 7-10 mph winds. Generally in Indiana, these kind of days fall in the late spring and early fall.
It is amazing how the dynamic of the sailing experience changes so drastically in different locations. These differences also propagate different cultures. For instance, I was recently on a lake that had roughly 200 sailboats. While this may not seem so strange, the fact that 199 of the boats were of the same kind seemed strange. Can you even picture everyone having the same kind boat on Eagle Creek? Perhaps it was the secluded Appalachian Mountain environment which caused everyone to get the same boat. Perhaps it was the fact that these boats were manufactured just a few miles from that particular lake. Maybe no one wanted to “rock the boat” and get something different. At any rate, it has created a sailing culture that is very unique to that lake.
Speaking of unique; Our club, located in a quiet and unassuming spot, has developed an inclusive and easy going cruiser boat culture. I am not sure if it is more about sailing or socializing. I suspect the latter. Sure, we have some of the finest Beer Can racing around, but mostly it is about the camaraderie found at the “liars” table afterwards. I have been to many clubs around the country and never found one quite like ours. We don’t have the greatest body of water to sail on, nor the finest facilities. What we do have is some of the coolest people you will ever meet, and a pretty decent oasis of fun that does not ruin our appreciation of other venues. Most importantly, we have spunk. That is all you need.
If you like spunk, you may enjoy helping to keep it going. We are looking for people interested in joining the board of directors. Please contact me at commodore@ecsail.org if you are interested in a position next year.
Perry Cameron
