October 1996 - Volume 26 Number 11
Last updated: November 16, 1996 @ 6:55 CST
Don't Miss the November 19th Membership Meeting
for the
Your presence is needed! We must have a quorum present to vote!
(See 1997 Elections for Details)
November 19, 1996 Membership Meeting:
December 14, 1996
(See Social News for Details)
COMMODORE'S LOG - Final Entry - Larry Featherston
VICE COMMODORE'S REPORT - Steve Hanes
26 FLEET REPORT - Dave Taylor
TWENTY-FIVE TALES - John Vaughan
23/24 FLEET - Ray Pryor
RACING REPORT - Al Barboza
SOCIAL NEWS - Lora Featherston
1997 ELECTIONS
1996 OFFICERS and BOARD OF DIRECTORS
1996 CALENDAR OF EVENTS
DOOR PRIZE!
THE SALE MAKER (Classified Ads)
COMMODORE'S LOG
Star Date one thousand, nine hundred and ninety-six, eleven point six, point seven three zero. Captain's log, last entry for this voyage. As we come to a close of our journey, I think we can look back upon some fine memories. We have learned things and have also experienced some wondrous sights during our journey. We have traveled through the heaven of bodily waters of our minds and have soaked up many things of liquids of various sorts. We have taken on the challenge to seek out new areas of friendship to unknown people who are now in part, a part of our own families. Some of us have sailed way over there and come back just in time for dinner. Yea, I guess you could say we have boldly gone the same place everybody else goes but with class.
Some of us have learned that it takes a fuel cell to make the element prepare food properly, and that's why the flame probably keeps going out when we try to light our cooking machine. Some have learned to carry extra such devices whether we need them or not. Some of us have learned to build camps on higher ground, unless you really enjoy being that close to the water's edge and becoming part of nature as a Procyon lotor. A large flashlight is good, too. Some of us have learned that it is not necessarily demanding to have to experience the discomforts that Mother nature tries to impose upon us. Some have warmer caves than others due to more advanced conveniences. But the waters are still cold. And still others just like it that way so they can return home to their mates after a short adventure and elaborate about the cruelties that they had to endure. Just don't do it, Dale. Some are better at shelter design using little or no materials to aid in the warmth of others who just happened to stroll by.
All in all, this has still been a most fascinating adventure for me. I was allowed to be part of a body that did all the labors and can say that we all did it. Together we have traveled the far reaching of the aquatic ways and have spread our joys and dreams to others. In hopes that they may someday join us for another journey, but not into an abyss of someone else's mind. All is well from this old and weather battered cockpit, for the sparkles on the waters are never ending. It's been fun and it's been real, so let's party on, skippers and skipperettes. I am ready to commit myself to my cabin for awhile (but refuse to be committed), while others exceed their own imaginations upon the endless horizons of sanctum's. It's time for a change in latitude with not too much attitude and keep the party sailing, sailing along.
VICE COMMODORE'S REPORT
I thought it would be appropriate for my last article this year as Vice Commodore, to switch from my usual membership report (we're still at 74), and upcoming events (read about Thanksgiving Potluck, Elections, and Christmas Banquet elsewhere in this issue).
At the last meeting, many of you heard about an incident that occurred between the 3rd and 4th races of the Fall Series, but I'd like to take a few minutes to share with you a second incident which occurred during Race 4. I was a member of the crew on Al's boat, and in preparation for a tack, I was stepping down from the cabintop to the cockpit when I slipped and took a hard fall, landing with my ribcage against the starboard rail on the cabintop. I tumbled into the cockpit in considerable pain and out of breath. After initially recovering, I assumed I might have cracked ribs for which little can be done and chose not to pursue medical care. The next week the pain subsided and I continued on with tenderness in my ribcage, until the following weekend when I apparently aggravated the injury while doing some bending and eventually had to visit my doctor as my abdomen was protruding and painful. She gave me the "good" news that my ribs were not broken, but that worse yet, I had stretched the tendons connecting the ribs and breast plate cartilage. The protruding abdomen was caused by severe pain and inflammation from the rib injury which would likely take 6-8 weeks before the pain would be gone and I could "safely" sail without significant chance of reaggravation.
Well, before you think this is one of those stories where I was "unfortunate" to have to miss 6-8 weeks of sailing, please don't. This month's SAIL magazine has a series of articles on sailing safety. In reading the articles I began to recognize just how "fortunate" the incident really was. I thought back to how slim the margin of error was of my center of gravity being ever so slightly inside the rail rather than outside. Had the opposite been true, I would have been in the lake, and as most of us do, I was racing without wearing a life jacket. I began to realize what little chance I would have had, doubled over in pain and out of breath. How long would it have taken any skipper and crew to have known the seriousness and made a recovery? Would it have been seconds? Minutes? And, how long might I have remained afloat?
If you haven't read the articles in SAIL, I would encourage you to do so. Ponder the thoughts of how it is stated that every sheet, halyard, winch handle, moving part and each movement of your boat can become an instrument to cause serious injury or death. There were several factors involved in my incident. Likely my lack of experience, most likely the several cans of liquid refreshment, which many of us drink while racing, and the lack of a life jacket (paramount had I gone overboard) which might have cushioned my ribs.
Next Spring as you position your boat for the start of the first race and look over and see Dick Hardin and crew with their life jackets on, let it serve as a reminder of what could have been, of the slight margin of inches that kept me aboard, and how few inches there are to work with many times during a race. Please give consideration as to whether the "discomfort" of wearing a life jacket or inflatable vest is worth the potential price of not wearing one, and whether a can of liquid refreshment can wait for the celebration after the race. Sail Fast... But Sail Safe.
On a closing note, I have certainly enjoyed serving this year as your Vice Commodore. I continue to learn a great deal from each of you, our members. Our club continues to remain strong due to the efforts of each of you helping one another grow and gai! n from our collective sailing experiences. Continue to welcome and encourage new members as you have done for Linda and me. Our first two years of sailing would certainly have been considerably lacking if it were not for the tremendous assistance you have provided us. I look forward to continuing to assist our club in whatever capacity I can, and wish the new officers all the best in continuing the strong leadership and traditions that will keep us strong and heighten our experiences in 1997.
Bad Hair Day!
On a "final" closing note, while driving into work one morning, the radio DJ was telling of the 7 ways to know if you are having a Bad Hair Day. My favorite was...
"You know you're having a Bad Hair Day if, while walking from the parking lot to the office into the wind, you have to tack three times!"
26 FLEET
The sun is slowly setting on the 1996 club year, but it's not over yet and we have several activities left.
The November general meeting on the 19th is important. First, it's a pot luck supper. Turkey, provided by the club, and all the side dishes and desserts provided by the members. We have some great Cooks in our club, you know.
The second reason is election night. Now that we have practiced voting by electing a president and congress, it is time to get down to the serious issues, the V/MYC board. We need everybody there to nominate, discuss and vote.
Then, in December, is the Christmas Party on the 14th. Banquet, awards, music, dancing. If you haven't bought your tickets yet, call Lora Featherston.
If you have enjoyed any of the activities the club has put on, don't be bashful about thanking the people who worked to make it successful. It's our club, and we can only get out of it what we put in.
Throughout this year, our fleet has grown. We've had the opportunity to welcome several new members to the fleet: Chris and Mitra Alford, Bobby and Sissy Allen, Dan and Mary Hebert, Arnold and Lupe Jansen, Mike and Sue Kelton, Charles Morse, and Doug and Linda Totten. We also got to welcome some members who moved to 26 from other fleets: Mike and Judy Jones, John and Janet Molstad, and Sam and Donna Blake (Donna is welcome but the jury is still out on Sam). I hope we continue to see more people coming into the club.
After two years of saying I had no interest in racing, Jennie, Bryan and I entered the Summer and Fall races. Thanks to all who have helped us during these races. And I have to admit publicly that we learned more this year about making the boat go than we did in the last ten years, just like Al, Sam, Marshall, J.B., Larry and many others said we would. Me, stubborn?
I'm looking forward to 1997 in the club, at least after the weather warms up and the icicles Bachelor Cruise is just a fading memory.
TWENTY-FIVE TALES
How about that Indian summer? Bet you didn't think we'd have nice weather this long. Never fear though, the cool stuff will probably be here by the time you read this.
After talking to many of our twenty-five fleet, we've been told lots of folks are looking for water deep enough to sail in, and especially boat ramps deep enough to launch.
Ya Know? High water launching can always be done with a little ingenuity, but water too low to launch in is dog-gone near impossible. Maybe I ought to re-phrase that to say; "Low water launching is difficult, but not as hard as low water retrieval", especially when the trailer boards don't go down far enough into the water.
As some of our members have found, if the boat ramp drops off on the end rather than slanting off, your trailer has a tendency to make an unscheduled downward jolt which can "polish the rust, or spring shackles, or wheels and axles" off your trailer when you pull out. Some of our present and former Venture Clubbers solved this problem by welding a bridge underneath each of the springs/axle of their trailer so 's to skid the trailer out of the water if it drops off the end... a very good idea.
No matter. We expect this drought to end by at least spring of 1998. If you haven't converted the cockpit of your boat to a worm bed by then, "No problem". Even if you have, you know how hard it is to find good fish bait when you need it? ....Problem solved. Of course your boat might tend to sag a bit (or a lot) in the aft end, and it should make trailering very interesting, but every worthwhile innovation has its corresponding trade-offs.
Since this is the last Venturing of the year, let's change tacks and say "Many Thanks" to our officers and appointed board members for their fantastic job in providing outstanding sailing and social activities for all the membership this year.
As any of the past commodores or officers know well, planning and successfully implementing a "fun" annual sailing club program is as complicated and detailed as running a small corporation. It's everyone's behind the scenes work and dedication that makes it happen.... Thanks to all for a great sailing year!
Happy Holidays to everyone from Spar Chicken, Kay and I. We'll see you on "Island Time".
23/24 FLEET
Bobby Allen
and I took his boat (M26) to Lake Ray Roberts and had an enjoyable cruise on Saturday, 10/26/96. I don't know whether I liked the ramp or the lake the best. The ramp we used was on the west side, past the big marina that you run into coming out of Sanger. The ramp has floating docks that run up and down the ramp with the waterline (lake level) so that there is always a dock at the right spot to step onto your boat. Two docks take care of the four launching lanes on the ramp. You don't have to motor over to a separate dock or beach your boat, that's really civilized. There are no overhead wires, even though there are lights on both sides of the ramp. You have your choice of ramps on the north or south side of the point, so you double your chances of having an easy approach back onto your trailer. On the downside, there are environmental conscious composting toilets, which appear to be a newer version of a very old concept. Not too bad, but there didn't appear to be any running water. Did I use the term civilized a few sentences ago? Anyway, forewarned is forearmed.The lake is vee-shaped with a six mile east/west dam at the base, with 6 and 8 mile (sailable) arms on the North side. The wind was blowing about 5 to 10 mph and we sailed from the bottom of the West leg, around the bottom of the vee, and clear to the North end of the East leg and returned back to the ramp in about 5 hours or so. The water level was normal. We saw a windsurfer race around a course with marks, (no committee boat, though). I haven't developed the pictures yet, but if they come out, I'll have them at the November meeting. They were on the East shore where the wind was definitely the strongest on the lake. There is a big sandy beach with facilities there. Farther North on the Eastern leg, there are miles of partially submerged trees that are obviously good shelter for fish and a definite barrier to sailboats, even with keels up and sails down. There is an island there; I don't know if camping overnight is permitted, but it would be worth investigating if you are so inclined. There is very little development so far, but that will obviously change (there is at least one field of dreams already being surveyed and laid out in hopes of zero lot line loco urbanity). At least on the day we went, it was definitely not crowded on the lake, ramp, or parking.
There is a $3 per person charge to enter the lake/park (no separate launching fee), using the honor envelope type system. A season pass is available for $50 that covers the entire carload. If you are over 65, the season pass is really reasonably priced - it's free!
RACING REPORT
What a short year. I can not believe this year is already winding down and Christmas is knocking on our doors. Oh well, there's always next year.
The racing season is over, and in a week or two I will have all the results and trophies to be presented at the Christmas party, so please come and get your just rewards.
I think the race committee came up with a very good racing format for the fall series and I hope it will continue on into the next year. We (the race committee) have had good feedback on the idea of only one committee boat duty and 7 races. It also helps doing the committee duty along with an experienced racer. There's more to it than just blowing horns. I would like to thank Dave Taylor, John Vaughan, Ray Pryor and Mike Kmita for all their help and perseverance. It takes lots of work and long hours on the phone to keep all racers informed. Many thanks again, guys.
Don't forget to attend the November meeting for the election of the new officers for our club for next year. Sea ya'll on the water.
Elections of Officers for 1997
The November General Membership Meeting
of the Venture/MacGregor Yacht Club will be held
November 19, 1996 at 7:30 p.m.
at the First Christian Church in Carrollton, Texas,
for the purpose of electing officers for the calendar year 1997.
The Election of Officers and Fleet Captains
will be proceeded by a
Thanksgiving Potluck Dinner.
Please bring a dish to share.
The club will furnish turkey, plates, silver, and drinks.
If unable to attend, please use the enclosed ballot and vote by proxy
to assure a quorum is available to elect officers.
The following members have been nominated:
|
Commodore: |
Dave Taylor |
|
Vice Commodore: |
Ray Pryor |
|
Secretary: |
Cathy Young |
|
Treasurer: |
Dale Howard |
SOCIAL NEWS
Thanks to Sissy Allen, Donna Blake, and Kay Vaughan for bringing refreshments to the October meeting.
Don't forget our Thanksgiving Potluck Dinner November 19th. The turkey will be provided. Please bring a dish to share.
Tickets are available for the December 14 banquet. We will again venture to the Holiday Inn in Richardson for a wonderful evening of food and dance. Tickets will be $25.00 per person. When you purchase your ticket, you must tell us at that time whether you want Prime Rib or Chicken Cordon Bleu. Both dinners will come with a baked potato, mixed vegetables, roll, tea or coffee and a surprise dessert.
See you there.
DOOR PRIZE!!!
$100.00
How would you like to have an extra
$10.00 or MORE???!!!
At each membership meeting,
all members' names will be placed in a hat,
and one will be selected to win the prize.
But, You must be present to win!!!
If the member drawn is not present, $10.00 will be added to
the pot and left to accumulate meeting after meeting
until we have a winner!!!
Todd Sherry of Farmers Branch
was the lucky (?) name drawn at the October meeting
and was NOT present to collect his $90.00 prize!
Classified Ads are FREE to members. To place an ad, call the Venturing Editor. (972) 271-5073
FOR SALE:
1976 Venture 222FOR SALE:
1996 JohnsonFOR SALE:
1972 Venture 222EDITOR'S NOTE:
A special Thank You to
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© Copyright 1996 Steven J. Hanes, All Rights Reserved