Hello Eagle Creekers,

Dennis Robertson is going to be my other half of the Harbormaster Department as he is very skilled in the art of sailboats.

The club has been growing at a steady pace since it was started and we are running out of room for those enjoying the sport of sailing. Those members that do not maintain their boats are on our target list since we are not a storage marina for your boat.

We came up with a plan to get some of the uncared-for boats out of our club. The main idea is to have their boats declared a health hazard concerning black mold, full of water (mosquito nests), moss and vegetation growing everywhere, along with years of no usage at all. Another tactic we may use will be to implement a new rule that all boats must be in sailing condition and sailed at least once a year or removed from the property.

With that said, I have talked with our Commodore, Chuck Goff, and Vice Commodore, Ki Hickok, about expanding our sailboat parking area into the grassy area South of the lower shelter. I have a bid from Bill Williams to properly transform this area into space for about 20 sailboats.

The ramp project may happen this coming year, 2021, it is my hope that it happens in June or July as most boats will be in the water and the ramp will not be heavily used. Hopefully we will have communications between the board and the racing director considering racers that dry sail. We should be able to accommodate dry sailors with 48 hr slips for a few weeks or postpone races as the ramp gets rebuilt.

In any case, Dennis and I will be working to make this club as good as possible for next year.

Kenny Chapman

It looks like the ramp project is going to take place in October and will be complete by the end of October.

I will need 6 to 8 boats on the beginning of A-dock to move their boats to open slips on various docks. If the spot has no mooring lines then that generally means it’s an open slip. Or I have a list of open slips, so contact me if you need me to find one for you. No one is required to pull out early, but if you normally pull out before November then think about doing it before the project begins.

With this in mind I would like to get all boats off the beach to allow room for parking along the beach road. They can be trailer parked and down by the beach ramp. Compliance with these suggestions will greatly improve the timeline of this one time event.

Hello ECSC members,

Please remember to attach your new stickers to your boat and trailer. That way I know who you are and I can contact you if there are issues with your boat. Some of the issues might be: improper mooring, improper parking, overuse of the 48 hour docks, or your boat sinking. Current stickers on boat and trailer are a very important detail to club membership.

Another topic I would like to cover is boat storage. We are willing to allow members to store their well-used boats on this leased property but those members that have not used their boats in years are doing nothing but making it harder for all members to enjoy this club. Stickers with membership numbers are vital in this instance. We are not a storage facility for boats full of water, mold and mosquito nests. Some of these boats are becoming a health hazard and it may be time to get it off of the property.

The ramp project may start in October and if you are interested in helping the club by pulling your boat before that month it would be greatly appreciated. We will have to relocate the first 6 or 8 of the slips on A-dock as that dock access will be moved to the West by about 20 feet. If you are planning a vacation and were going to pull out before November then it might be good idea to pull out before October since this ramp project could get in the way.

Please make sure you have current stickers on boat and trailer.

Kenny Chapman
Harbormaster

Hello Eagle Creekers,

I hope everyone is enjoying themselves at our secret hideaway. It really is a great way to get rid of cabin fever.

Today’s topic will mostly be about dockage, both dry and wet. Starting with wet, I know many of you slip renters feel good about the way your boat is tied up to docks that belong to ECSC. The problem is that many marinas all over the country will not stand for the way about 10% of you tie up your boat. No part of your boat should hang over the main dock walk way. In some wind conditions it may seem fine, but if it comes from the other direction it may present a problem. Most marinas will fine you or boot you out of the slip you are renting. I really don’t want to go as far as that, but I may have to with how long I have been ranting about it. This week I will be acquiring dock boards for repairs to some of our main docks and fingers.

Now on to the dry side, I will begin building a new kayak rack this week. Once it is built I will start working on the cable tie-down system for catamarans on the beach. I will also be getting bids on a new larger gin pole. It will most likely have an arm that will swing to the West so as to prevent people from driving into it. Beach parking will end close to the middle of October so Wet slip renters can begin parking along the beach road. The sea wall area will be used for transient boaters who will be pulling out early for vacation or just ending their season early and taking their boats to inside storage. Please do not park in front of boats on trailers any time of the year. Ki has ordered some safety swim ladders for the docks. They will be installed fairly soon.

Kenny Chapman

Harbormaster

Ahoy all Eagle Creekers.  I hope everyone is enjoying this unusual sailing season. The best part of being a member at this club is the fact it is the best stress reliever known to us all.

Many of you already have spring lines and many do not. If your boat is 22′ or less you may not need them. The best way to check your boat is to go to the bow of your boat, grab the bow pulpit and push your boat away from the dock then pull it back in. First and foremost, your pulpit should not come over the main dock ever, it is a walkway for your fellow members. Secondly, if your boat moves side to side you could very well damage your boat or your slip mate’s boat in stormy conditions. Our finger docks are only 24′ long so those of you with boats over 22′ long should consider buying some spring lines about 3′ longer than your boat. That would be 2 spring lines, only one does not work. Also, you are wrong if you think having a cleat in the middle of your boat and a line to your bow and stern dock cleats will save you some money. That configuration will only act as a pivot point. Like I wrote earlier, go to your bow and push and pull.

Another thing you should consider is running your lines from bow cleat to the stern dock cleat, and from the stern cleat to the bow dock cleat. This will keep your boat from touching the dock. There is a red J-24 on A dock (it is owned by Brad Kelley) and if you push on this boat it barely moves. This kind of tie-down will make your boat last forever.

Lastly, I have noticed many boats improperly moored. Most marinas will fine you for improper docking or lack of respect for their docks and slip mates. I really don’t want to start fining people or charging labor time and material for repairing docks. If you can spend $385 bucks to rent a slip from ECSC then you can surely afford to get some spring lines that will last for years. If any part of your boat hangs over the main dock then you are not showing any respect to fellow members and you can expect to hear from me. Like I wrote earlier, go to your bow and push and pull your boat.

Kenny Chapman

Harbormaster

GROUNDS COMMITTEE REPORT

Greetings ECSC Sailors,

Well it’s beginning to look a little more like the club we all love again. I would like to say how much I miss so many of you that I haven’t seen this year. In response to the Coronavirus Pandemic we have added a hand washing station next to the porta-potties and added social distance signage reminders around club property. Our restrooms will finally open on June 13. In response to the club thefts we have added additional security cameras. We are asking that you lock the gate if leaving after 8:00 PM even if you are not the last one at the club. Thank you all for your efforts and support for keeping our club a safe and enjoyable experience.

Thank you,
Chuck Goff
Vice Commodore
Grounds Committee

Happy May to all sailors at the Eagle Creek Sailing Club. This virus has slowed down everything in our lives but things change and we usually make it through to the bright side no matter what.

I will be getting a new air compressor this weekend and making it easier to turn on the water for the pressure washer. Mostly, I would like ask all members to try and get their boats in the water as soon as possible so that we can start getting back to a normalized schedule. I know many have been sticking to the stay at home orders, and that is just fine, but you can spend an hour or so putting your boat in to alleviate some congestion at the club. The work lot is pretty much full so any boats that can go in should go in, and if you need to work on your boat then we can designate a place close to power and water.

Spring lines. Please use spring lines to keep your boat in position in your slip. I need to make this clear, it is not a good thing if your bow pulpit is hanging over the dock. People can bump into them as they are walking down the dock and get knocked into the water. Another thing I have seen are bows of boats getting chewed up by the docks in storms. Now, I would be sorry to see a boat get chewed up by the dock but I am more concerned with damage to our docks than the owner of the boat who doesn’t understand the idea of spring lines.

Also, all slip renters should be aware that any damage to your slip mate’s boat must be reconciled. If you are not very good at docking a boat then go out to one of our permanent marks and practice motoring into that mark like it was a slip. Do it at different angles and slow speeds. If you do not have insurance on your boat then you are going to have to pay full price for repairs to others boats or our docks.

Make sure your club stickers are in place on the Port side of your bow and visibly on your trailer. Getting your boat registered in Indiana is a good idea too.

Also most importantly if for some reason you are willing to give up your wet slip or just want to sublease it this year please let Jane Schmidt know and you will be reimbursed the $385 for slip rental.

Kenny Chapman

Harbormaster

GROUNDS COMMITTEE REPORT:

Greetings ECSC Sailors,

To say this is a challenging Spring for us all would be an understatement. We have continued to address security issues at the club, our buildings are being secured much better, we have added security cameras and are looking at additional measures to secure our club. We have resigned Ron Anderson as our onsite maintenance person. Due to the Coronavirus we are not having a Spring work party, however you can use the available link to the signup genius to do the few remaining projects on your own while observing social distancing guidelines. Let me know your hours for work credits at chuckg121@gmail.com or 317-938-1019. I would like to thank the entire board and the newly formed ECSC Senior Executive Security Task Force of EJ Williams, Jim Bartek, Ki Hickok and John George for helping with a very comprehensive plan.

Signup for Spring work tasks: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0F44AAAC2AA7FB6-spring

Please refer to the signup genius for the following tasks:

– Blow leaves out of upper shelter and put the tables and chairs in place.
– Cut back ornamental grasses and clean up flower beds on hill below upper shelter.
– Blow leaves from entire grounds into the lake.

Thank you,
Chuck Goff
Vice Commodore
Grounds Committee