Commodore's Corner - September 2011
The sea was angry that day, my friends…
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Tropical Storm Lee provided some epic
summer sessions, just in time for the Labor Day weekend.
Saturday started off with clear skies and excellent
5.5 to 6.5 winds from the east. On Sunday, the winds
were lighter, 7.5 conditions, but the outer bands of
Lee were making their arrival, which cut short the afternoon
session. Everyone had derigged and packed up when the
weather arrived and we huddled high atop the Snug Harbor
Studios on the lee side and enjoyed the storm. Monday,
ah! Monday was a different day altogether. I arrived
around 0800 and the wind was already a solid 20 +. Small
rigs were the call that day and I rigged a 4.7, the
smallest sail that I own. I spent the day trying to
get a water start, which may have been entertaining
if I had managed to get on the board and went screaming
off towards St. Marks.
The carnage tally for the weekend of Lee was:
One board and rig separated, board and rig recovered
One board and rig blown by a 50 mph wind band into the
end of the trailer, cosmetic damage only
One board nose busted in a catapult.
For those of you living under a rock, the Endless Summer
Sailboard Classic is barely 3 weeks away! Our sponsor
hunters have done it again and there will be door prizes
galore and a most excellent grand prize drawing. Perry
and John will set an excellent course for Sport and
A fleet, as usual. We expect to have a strong C fleet
this year, thanks to our lessons instructors and Tina,
Queen of the C fleet captains. Café Donaldo will
be up and running so bring on those gumbo entries. See
the notice of race for all the details. Register
early and often to guarantee your swag and we will
see you at the beach!
Respectfully
submitted, W.D. Olson, Commodore
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Lessons Review |
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Bob Andrews ran the last lesson of the
season on September 10th and what a successful season
this has been. Through lessons, run and organized by
Bob Andrews, and the ever inspiring leadership of our
Commodore, His Holy Highness, Bill, we have increased
membership by 10%, and these new members have learned
to sail really well in a short time and all seem like
really swell individuals.
The lesson this past Saturday was a lot of fun, with
every student in attendance learning very quickly how
to sail. The wind from 1:30pm to 3pm was between 6-8mph,
enough to get some good practice in AND some racing.
Bob G. had the lam brained idea of having a race around
a channel mark amongst the male students. In hindsight,
a channel mark is pretty intimidating to go around for
your first race, unlike a buoy that is nice and soft.
Bob A., Linda, and Tina got together and put a buoy
out a ways for the women’s race which went well,
but the buoy was still a bit far out. When we finally
got it together, we had another men’s’ race
and then women’s race which were a lot of fun
to watch and hopefully fun for the students. The men’s
winners were Matt and Brendon and the women’s
winners were Mai and Lani. Hope to see them all at the
Endless Summer Sailboard Classic!
There are so many people who have done so much to make
lessons as successful as they are. I am not going to
name them since I would probably forget someone but
thanks to those who conceived and all those who executed
the building of the training trailer, and thanks goes
out to those who have acquired equipment for the purpose
of training. Some of this equipment was donated to the
club because of its age and some was bought brand new
by club members and donated for the sole purpose of
training. Thank you to all, the club has benefitted
from your philanthropy.
However, without the trainers, lessons would be nonexistent.
A special thanks to Tina for being a trainer for longer
than many of students have been around (sorry Tina),
for Bob A. , Linda, Bill, Bob G., and Chris and Donna
McMahon. Many of these folks showed up twice a month
on Saturdays to help others learn the sport we enjoy.
Hopefully next year we will have some other people come
out on these Saturdays because teaching is fun and many
of the students are truly grateful to get the opportunity
to try this sport in an enjoyable environment.
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Changing a Tire, a story of inspiration!
I went down to Shell Point on Saturday to oversee a sailing
practice lesson by some previous students. Upon my arrival,
lo and behold, his Excellency, our esteemed commodore, Mr.
Bill, was hard at work taking one of the tires off the trailer
that need to be fixed. Being one of his many minions in
the club, I expected him to jump up, hand me the tools,
and supervise the project from then on out. However, I was
in for a surprise, and this is where you will realize why
this commodore will be elected to the Commodores hall of
fame, a shrine at Shell Point beach in the first stall at
the bath house, men’s side.
I offered to help, but Bill said “There is no offer,
just do”. He then closed his eyes, extended his right
arm and the trailer started to lift of the ground. His right
arm was the only one that could reach the jack. He was hard
at work, loosening rusty lug nuts, and sweating like he
was sitting in a sweat lodge. Wait, he was, he was sitting
in the sand at Shell Point Beach in August with 100% humidity
and 90 degree temperatures. Sweat lodges aren’t that
hot or humid. Bill got his jack out and slammed that sucker
as high as he could under the axle but it was not quit tall
enough. Most people at this time would have just quit, but
not out fearless leader. He ‘MacGyvered’ that
sucker, WITHOUT using duct tape. Utilizing some of the massive
amount of debris housed under the trailer, he was able to
get the jack to lift the axle and remove the tire, inserted
the axle stand, and all was well.
This entire time I just stood there, awed by his abilities
and, when most people would have quit, he just kept going,
seeing it through. In my mind, I kept hearing the song “Eye
of the Tiger” as Bill triumphed over this gnarly,
unfeeling, uncaring, hard to move object. He “rose
up to the challenge of his rival” as he was “face
to face, out in the heat, hangin’ tough” and
he was probably hungry.
Anyway, I needed to share this story of inspiration or else
it never would have been told. I believe stories like this
are everywhere; we just need some folks to take notice and
write about them.
SPSC Club Meeting August 9, 2011
Once again, Ann was kinds enough to take minutes for me since
I was busy vacationing down in Vero Beach area, sailing on
the Indian River. If anyone reads these minutes and doesn’t
remember, we’ll just mark it up to your forgetfulness
and not my inability to read Ann’s notes, OK?
Opening remarks
Mark presented a flag to Lee in a very compelling, filled
with emotion, tears, and huzzahs, presentation of the colors
aka flag ceremony.
Scribes report
The minutes the scribe posted on the website were approved
except by Mark who didn’t see them, but figured they
were wrong since they were written by Bob G. and Bob wasn’t
present. Ann, who was subbing for Bob as scribe, and was scribe
last year, didn’t much care for Marks comments, but
I don’t dare repeat what she wrote down on the paper
and the pictures she drew. Shocking.
Training
There are only three sessions left for lessons, with 9 confirmed
for next weekend. Lessons are providing new members to the
club and they are not only new members, but quality new members.
Pursers Report
Purser reported a balance but did not indicate whether it
is negative or positive. NIMBY was a success. Rum & Root
beer money and shirts had gone missing since Bob G. did not
show up at the meeting. Rumors circulated as to where he absconded
with the dough and threads, some people claiming he’s
using the money to pay off the massive debt he piled up after
last year’s Viva Shell Point extravaganza.
We currently have 55 memberships with 78 members. Four have
already paid for next year. Someone claimed that the games
at the R&R were great. Thanks went out to Bob and Sandy.
Dues are due next meeting. Do bring the dough for the dues
that are due. $30 single, $45 family.
Political Stuff
Next meeting is the election. Committee recommended Bob A.
as commodore, Mike Levine as Vice Commodore, Bob G. as Scribe
again even though he rarely shows up and Ann is stuck with
doing the minutes again, and Wright as treasurer. Need four
at large board members. Meeting was open to accept nominations
for at large Board members
Mark Powell was nominated as was Ann, Perry, Rich, and Chris.
Linda and Tina declined. Mark V was nominated but would
like to take a year off, or so it was thought since he was
speaking in some strange Minnesota dialect that few people
understood.
Endless Summer Discussion
Endless summer kick-off meeting next Tuesday at 7:30 at
the 4th quarter.
Sponsorships – BP may be a candidate.
Basing Endless Summer budget on last years. Donaldo’s
will once again host the Gumbo contest.
Bill requested $5500 for budget. Don F. Seconded. Something
about Bill asked for cost of last year and about Sergeant
of Arms Mark Voigt. I’m guessing what happened is
that Mark didn’t like the request, and being a Sergeant,
decided to beat some sense into the Commodore, with people
on both sides of the political equation jumping into the
melee. But then, I may be overstating what happened.
Misc (everyone knows it Windy)
Windy – found a box full of modems that may work.
They are on the way. This is last gasp attempt as analog
modems are outdated. Power not an issue. Problem is analog
modem. Rick and/or Mike may have if this doesn’t work.
LC at place to see if modem will work, then will go from
there.
Trailer contingency follow-up. Bill checked the tires and
found three of the four tires were ok, with the bad one
needing to go to the tire store but it needed to be taken
off first.
SPSC directory is on the website. Check it out. Someone
wanted to know if members would be able to update their
own information.
Conclusion
Bob A. said next board meeting is September 6th at Tina’s
and the next club meeting September 13.
Tina motion to adjourn, Mike seconded.
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