May 1997 - Volume 27 Number 5
Last updated: June 1, 1997 @ 15:19 CDT
Details in Cruising Report
May 20, 1997 - 7:30 p.m.
COMMODORE'S REPORT - Dave Taylor
VICE COMMODORE'S REPORT - Ray Pryor
CRUISING REPORT - Don and Martha O'Grady
26 FLEET NEWS - Steve Hanes
RACING - Al Barboza
17/21/22/23/24 FLEET REPORT
TWENTY-FIVE JIVE - Wilma Liggett
EDITORS' NOTES - Marshall & Carol McKenzie
MAINTENANCE TIP!
ARRIVING SOON!!!
IN SYMPATHY
WORK vs PRISON vs SAILING
1997 OFFICERS and BOARD OF DIRECTORS
1997 CALENDAR OF EVENTS
DOOR PRIZE!
THE SALE MAKER (Classified Ads)
COMMODORE'S LOG
It is May, warm weather is becoming a regular event, and it is only raining every other week. There were actually other sailors on Lake Lavon besides our own group last weekend, though the manners of some of them were lacking. Lakefest has recently concluded, the Memorial Day Cruise is just a few days away while conditions of the Bachelor Cruise are only a distant memory. It is sailing season.
Thanks to Dick and Beth Hardin for running another successful series of sailing lessons. And thanks to all the members who brought their boats out and spent time with the students. Many spent Saturday racing and came back the next day to teach. Makes for lots of sailing but takes away from other things that may need to be done. Unless you have just returned from the BVI. Carol and Marshall McKenzie decided to go there to visit their son in April. Doesn't seem fair. When we visit our son we go to Wisconsin...or Plano.
Anyway, let's get sailing out there. Contact some of our new members and help get them out on the water. Remember, the cruise is a great time to meet new people.
By the way, are you a sailor?
You know you are a sailor if...
...your wife can't understand why you put everything away on your boat but put nothing away in your house.
...you wind up looking at pictures in Sail instead of Playboy.
...most of your Christmas cards are sent to you by marine retail stores.
...all of your Christmas presents come from marine stores.
...all of your wife's and kid's presents come from marine stores.
...you start calling your boat an investment to justify the cost.
...most of your bulk mail has something to do with boats.
...your most pressing social engagement is this weekend's race.
...you have a 8X10 picture of your boat and a 3X5 picture of your wife and kids.
...your only political contribution was to "citizens for the elimination of personal water craft."
...you think nothing of sailing all morning to eat at a restaurant that is only 10 minutes away by car.
...all of your docklines match.
...you spend more than one day at the boat show.
...you actually read the brochures you brought home from the boat show.
...you don't talk to anyone for 2 days after you hit a mark.
...you are uncomfortable at a social gathering of non-sailors.
...you believe a man who doesn't own a sailboat is a little effeminate, or has some other personality disorder.
...your marine hardware bill exceeds your grocery bill.
...you came out ahead when you got only the boat in the divorce settlement.
...you've got more money tied up in sails than in your kids' college fund.
...you spend more on boat soap than on clothes.
...you want to name your boat The Other Woman and you wife doesn't object.
...you remember how old your mainsail is, but not how old your kids are.
...someone mentions the Bible and you think of Chapman's.
...your favorite channel on TV is the weather channel.
...you go sailing on Superbowl Sunday.
...you know when your boat permit expires, but not your driver's license.
...you spend more time cleaning your boat than you do using it.
...flying the spinnaker at 2 pm is your idea of an "afternoon delight."
(Adapted loosely from Capt. Les Hall in Motor Boating and Sailing 3/97).
VICE COMMODORE'S REPORT
Membership Update
Odds and Ends
I missed races 3 & 4 of the Spring Series due to the afore mentioned trip, but I made the 5&6 races. What a strange day. The wind was blowing about 20 knots when we launched. By the time we started the race everybody had shaken the reefs out, and by the time we finished I was thinking about getting out a deck of cards.
The following Sunday I showed up with Bobby Allen and his 26 "Dream Boat" for the sailing class on Lake Lavon. We ended up being an extra boat but we put a beautiful sailing day to good use.
CRUISING REPORT
Just five more days," I thought as I listened to the music coming from my clock radio after shutting off the Monday morning alarm. Relaxing on the beach, playing in the water, float races, pot luck dinners, lunch at the marina, watermelon decorating, sand castles, campfires with story telling, s'mores and more... it's finally here!
The kids get out of school on Wednesday the 21st -- so I figure they can clean and load the boat on Thursday and then we'll hit the road after a leisurely breakfast on Friday morning. I'll let you know how it works out.
We do plan on arriving by mid-afternoon on Friday and laying claim to our usual spot on the end of North Island. I hope to have a few more early birds joining us. (Dave, I'm sure you'll be glad to know that according to my souvenir chart, this is in the vicinity of 33051.9' N, 96041.7' W. You might check with Steve Hanes for a more precise GPS fix).
In addition to the games for kids of all ages, please plan to join us for a Saturday night potluck dinner and the evening campfires. It would help if everyone brought a few sticks of wood for the fire. It could also keep Larry away from your tiller.
So what else will you need? You can pick up a more complete cruising checklist at the membership meeting -- but the basics should include:
Anchors (1 Bow and 2 Stern Lines)
Boat and Water Shoes
Bedding and Pillows
Clothes for Hot, Cold, Wet, Dry Weather
Cooking Utensils, Stove & Fuel
First Aid Kit
Flashlights and Batteries
Float Toys
Games
Ice and Money for Ice
Lawn Chairs
Lots of Food and Drinks
Matches or Lighter
Motor/Fuel/Oil
Safety Equipment
Sailing Gear
Swim Suits
Sun Screen & Bug Repellent
Towels
Be sure to prepare a checklist for traveling as well:
Charge Battery
Check Lights and Tires
Grease Bearings
Snug Winch Strap and Tie-Downs
Tighten Lug Nuts and Hitch Ball
And one more important reminder... If you launch at Loe's as many of us do, be aware of the power lines. A member had the misfortune of losing a mast last year.
"Just five more days," I thought as I listened to the music coming from my clock radio after shutting off the Monday morning alarm.-- Oh Yes!
26 FLEET NEWS
Waco weather wrecks wonderful weekend!
The only adventure in our first "local lake adventure" to Lake Waco was making and then canceling all the arrangements! Two months of phone calls with our members, marinas, and race director in Waco, along with newsletters and Internet articles and talks at meetings to promote the event, and a Sunday advance trip to finalize plans took care of everything but one minor detail. Mother Nature had her own arrangements for the weekend of April 26th and 27th, and decided that was a good time to dump another round of thunderstorms.
We had 12 boats lined up for the weekend including 4 new 26X members, all of whom were not surprised when I called Friday evening to share the news that the event was being postponed due to the wet weather that was expected to continue throughout the weekend. Thanks go out to Jerry Van Meter, Race Director of the Waco Sailing Club for his hospitality in arranging for the joint racing event, Larry Hull of Airport Park Marina for the slip, launching, and restaurant arrangements, and Lee Crawford for showing Marshall McKenzie and me around during our visit to Waco.
I will likely try rescheduling the event for late summer or Fall unless someone else wants to organize an earlier event. That's the earliest that Linda and I would be able to attend. I do have information on the remaining summer night race dates for the Waco Sailing Club and all the contact information, if anyone is interested in taking charge of this event.
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Congratulations, |
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BRIAN HANES |
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Plane East Senior High School |
Linda
and I will also have to miss the Memorial Day Cruise this year. Brian is graduating that Tuesday, and we will be having a house full of out-of-town guests throughout the holiday weekend and the following week. I trust the rest of the 26 Fleet will be well represented on this annual cruise that traditionally kicks off the summer cruise schedule.On a brighter note, I spent some time on the lost weekend of the 26th and 27th by redesigning our website. It sports a new "framed" look without the water background that made it difficult for some to read. The content is intact, but broken up into smaller pages with one-click navigation from a table of contents on the sidebar. Stop by the next time you are on the Net and let me know what you think of the improvements. I welcome your suggestions to further improve our site at http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/vmyc.
Until next month...
Smooth Sailing!
RACING
This year seems to be rolling by too fast. Spring Racing is almost history, and the Summer Night Races are almost here. The Summer Night Racing season will start May 31st, and the Skippers' Meeting will be held at 7:00 p.m., hopefully at the ramp at East Fork Marina. The races start at 8:00 p.m. If you would like to perform Committee Boat on any of the night races, please contact me at (972) 270-1048 any time after 6:00 p.m. or leave a message on the recorder. The volunteers for Committee Boat will be awarded a zero towards their points for a trophy.
Also remember the new racing rules will be in effect for the night races, so study your Racing Rules book CAREFULLY. The biggest changes that will affect most of us will be the LEEWARD BOAT RULE, the MAST ABEAM RULE or lack of it, and WHEN BOATS MEET AT MARKS. Key points to remember about LEEWARDS: They can luff a windward boat almost any time they wish. The only limitations on the leeward boat are that: (1). She must give the windward boat "Room to Keep Clear" and if the leeward boat's overlap was established from clear astern, she must sail her proper course. The MAST ABEAM RULE is HISTORY for the new rules, so if you decide to overtake the boat ahead, give her plenty of room. To save a little room in the Venturing, RULE 18.3, TACKING NEAR A WINDWARD MARK, deserves a little time in reading. Remember, a lot happens in the magic 2-boat-length circle..
If I can be of any help to anybody, please feel free to call. I will not have all the answers, but I can find someone who can help.
Sea ya on the water.
(***Al, the one who hated computers, has just bought one of his own!***)
17/21/22/23/24 FLEET REPORT
Well, it's time for me to do this again! So sit back, relax, have a beer, wine, or my personal favorite a strawberry daiquiri. and let's see what rambling pops out this month!
In checking my birthday list, I find that the fleet does not have any May birthdays! So instead, I have consulted my Kauai calendar hanging on the wall and I will wish you all a very happy "Lei Day" on May 1! This is when everyone in Hawaii dons a lei and there are festivities held throughout the Hawaiian Islands. Sounds like a great idea to me!
Yippee! We have added a new/old member to our fleet! Gus and Mae Gusler have purchased a V-21. Or maybe I should say that Gus purchased a 21 and Mae is trying to sell a 21! Whichever it is, they are now proud members of the 17/24 fleet and we are glad to have them.
Monthly activities to keep in mind are the Memorial Day Cruise on Lake Texoma May 24-27 and Race 1 of the Summer Night Series on May 31st.
FULL MOON CRUISE:
If you would like to end your week in this great way, why not contact one of the following members and arrange to hitch a ride: Ray & Charlotte Pryor (817) 481-6896; Mike Broyles (972) 484-4442; Charles Morse (972) 380-1984; Dennis & Michelle Starkey (972) 416-5944. Please be aware that Ray & I have a Pryor tradition of popping a bottle or two of wine or champagne after returning to the dock! Interested? Call us!
With the cruising season upon us this month, I would like to list for you a "Pre-Underway Checklist" that I recently came across on the internet. All of these suggestions may not currently apply to you and your boat, but may in the future. These come from Commander Bob, a Flotilla Commander of the USCG Auxiliary.
Pre-Underway Checklist:
TWENTY-FIVE JIVE
I'm so excited!! First, Lakefest was a great success. They raised over $100,000 for children's charities in the area. My husband Les Liggett was awarded a trophy for being the real McCoy--a dedicated sailor. He had a little accident-- He turtled his boat, got crew and boat back safe, went back and raced the next day and took a bullet on the last race, and was awarded a trophy that has inscribed on it: Les Liggett, Skipper of the Yacht "Willy Deally" Roll It Over One Day, Pump It Out That Night, Then Sail On To Victory With All of Your Might. "We are always getting ready to live, but never living"....You taught us about life and how to live it right in the here and now.---Ralph Waldo Emerson
I want to correct my last month's article. Brad Chilcote did go to Lakefest and rendered aid to Les and crew. He did not race but was there when we needed him. Thanks, Brad.
Don't forget "Sun Safety Awareness" in the next few months and wear your sunscreen, hats, glasses and also life jackets. Ha, Ha! For Les's sake, I'll have a little more to say at the May meeting on this subject.
Lake Lavon Report: The lake is about normal. They are letting the water out fast, and the gates seem to be wide open because the water is dropping quickly.
Jive, and keep the 25's alive.
EDITORS' NOTES
We have returned from an absolutely wonderful week in Tortola, B.V.I.! We chartered a Beneteau 37' sailboat and spent one week, along with Marshall's parents, snorkeling and sailing around all the islands around Tortola. We met our son, Scott, at Roadtown where he joined us on our boat for three days. It was great seeing him again. The time went all too fast, and here we are back home again, but the memories will last for a long, long time! It was just a totally relaxing, laid-back kind of trip. Scott went on to Antigua after being with us and raced in Antigua Race Week. From there he headed back to Newport, RI, to pick up his sailing gear and is now in New York City working on "Never Say Never," a 100' racing sailboat, getting it ready to race in the North Atlantic Challenge from NY City to England! He will begin the race on May 17th and expects to arrive in England in 2 to 3 weeks.
Just before the trip, Marshall's dad had a stress test which showed some abnormalities, and then right after we got back home he had more tests which resulted in quadruple bypass surgery! He is doing really well now, is walking half a mile each day, and is very happy to be alive!
MAINTENANCE TIP!
Try the following tip to clean the connection where the mast light hooks up on top of the cabin:
All you will need is Tarn-X (as advertised on TV) and some pipe cleaners. Pour Tarn-X into the female side of the connector & swab it good with the pipe cleaner (folded if necessary to make it fit the hole). Fill the Tarn-X bottle LID full of Tarn-X, dip the male part of the connector in it, and wrap a pipe cleaner around each prong to clean it.
This will work EASILY & WITHOUT FAIL!
ARRIVING SOON!!!
Early Congratulations
to Tina Barboza Garvin
and her new son!
As of this writing, he is not here yet,
but the stork is expected to arrive any time!
(Details to follow next month!)
In Sympathy
We extend our deepest sympathy to
RANDY GILBERT and family
in the death of Randy's father
who died suddenly in April
from a heart attack.
WORK vs PRISON vs SAILING
In Prison you spend the majority of your time in an 8' x 10' cell.
At Work you spend most of your time in a cubicle 6' x 8'.
In Prison you get three meals a day.
At Work you only get a break for one meal and you have to pay for that one.
In Prison you get time off for good behavior.
At Work you get rewarded for good behavior with more work.
In Prison a guard locks and unlocks all the doors for you.
At Work you must carry around a security card and unlock and open all the doors yourself.
In Prison you can watch TV and play games.
At Work you get fired for watching TV and playing games.
In Prison they ball-and-chain you when you go somewhere.
At Work you are just ball-and-chained.
In Prison you get your own toilet.
At Work you have to share.
In Prison they allow your family and friends to visit.
At work you cannot even speak to your family and friends.
In Prison all expenses are paid by taxpayers, with no work required.
At Work you get to pay all the expenses to go to work, and then they deduct taxes from your salary to pay for the prisoners.
In Prison you spend most of your life looking through bars from the inside wanting to get out.
At Work you spend most of your time wanting to get out and inside bars.
In Prison you can join many programs which you can leave at any time.
At Work there are some programs you can never get out of.
In Prison there are wardens who are often sadistic.
At Work there are bosses---
But to be able to afford to Sail, you must Work!
DOOR PRIZE!!!
$10.00
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!!!
Wilma & Les Liggett
were the Lucky Couple drawn at the April meeting
and WERE present to collect their $40.00 prize!
Classified Ads are FREE to members. To place an ad, call the Venturing Editors. (972) 271-5073
FOR SALE:
1976 Venture 222FOR SALE:
1972 Venture 222ADS WANTED:
Do you have sailing related products for sale or trade? Do you have a sail to sell? Do you need crew? Do you want to crew? Are you a member? If so, you can advertise right here for free!
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© Copyright 1997 Steven J. Hanes, All Rights Reserved