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NEW Sangria party date - Saturday September 25 - - Loren McFadden |
You are cordially invited to a “Home Made Sangria” party in celebration of the Level 3-4 transfer trip 2010.
What’s the occasion? Avast me hearties! A group of ASI Sea Dogs are returning from a cruise of the “North Channel”. They will be heavily laden with tall tales and rich pictures of their adventure. What better excuse for throwing a party?!
Where? N 42’25.813, W 83’40.157
For you Landlubbers the address is:
63345 W. 8 mile road
South Lyon, MI 48178
We had planned this for July, but too many sailors were... sailing! We're hoping that late September works for you!
What to bring? A dish to pass and a bottle of red wine (The wine is for the Sangria so it doesn’t need to be the good stuff) and lots of sailing pictures and stories. What say you! A cat on board!? There is a cat that insists on living here. Arrrg! If you have allergies to a cat please take any precautions necessary to enjoy the party.
Join us in the second annual celebration for the 2010 ASI students earning their “Level 4”. This is ASI’s highest Level of achievement. Truly worthy of an evening of merry making, cheer and congratulations!
Your host, Loren McFadden Cell (248) 568-5960 Please RSVP by clicking on the link, or email to loren.j.mcfadden@gmail.com. |
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Evening sails at Kensington - - Don Caley |
You know about Wet n' Wild Wednesdays at Kensington Metropark - Bob Dallos and John Johnston are on deck, to get you matched up with a crew, if you're rated - or with a skipper, if you're not. Then you'll get a little help from them at the outer dock when you're ready to take off, and return after your sail.
And there's also Thundering Thursdays, same place, twenty four hours later, with Dave Amsdill and Don Caley to assist.
But ther e's a continuing problem with Thursdays- lots of students but not enough rated skippers. Last Thursday, the weather wasn't too bad, but with only one determined sailor - Richard Jager - going out!
Also, David Ei committed to give 2 students a practice sail this Thursday at 6 PM at Kent lake. Another committment is going to make it very difficult for him to make. Can anyone cover it for him? You don't have to be an instructor, just a rated sailor. If you can do it, please contact David here: david.ei@eieioh.net or (734) 449-2404 - home or (734) 205-9151 - work
So we'll try again this Thursday, but unless things improve, we'll be rethinking this Thursday schedule. Ideas? We'd like to hear them. Email me. |
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LISAGRAM - - things your sail Secretary wants you to know! |
The office will be closed at 10am on Friday, July 30 and will not re-open until 8am on Monday, August 16. If during that time you need immediate assistance, please contact the following members directly:
Thank you for your patience and understanding while I'm away on vacation.
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2011 Keelboat classes - - Bill Lane |
Level 2 Class 2011
Become a Level 2 Captain andSail the Level 2 O’Day 28 foot Keel boats Interlude and Overture on Lake St Clair
Learn the basics of: navigation and GPS, docking a keelboat, anchoring, keelboat sailing, radio operation, boat systems, rules of the road for power boats, and much more
Prerequisites are:
- Declare sailing ability by submitting a sailing resume to head of Level 2 instruction.
- Be an ASI member and Level 1 Sail Pass holder with all volunteer hours up to date.
- Complete and present a certificate showing completion of US Power Squadron or US Coast Guard Auxiliary Safe Boating / Basic Seamanship course before the start of Level 2 classes. The class must have a navigation component.
Sail longer and farther than ever before!
Contact Bill Lane, Level 2 head instructor, for details248-891-6125Email: wjl6355@gmail.com
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Level 3/4 class for 2011
Level 2 sailors, it is not too early to be think of joining the level 3/4 class for 2011
Sail to interesting ports such as
- Thames River
- Port Huron/Sarnia
- Goderich
- Kincardine
- Port Elgin
- Harbor Beach
- Tobermory
- Killarney
Georgian Bay and the finest cruising area in North America.
The North Channel
Enter beautiful coves such as: Cover Portage Cove, Snug Harbour, Marianne cove, The Pool and Browning Cove
Learn advance navigation techniques and enhance your knowledge of GPS
- Do off shore sailing work
- Advanced anchoring
- Boat provisioning
- Crew organization
- Sail to a destination overnight
- Prerequisite are to have a Level 2 sail pass and work hours current, and to sail the Level 2 keel boats 8 times, 4 times as captain and 4 times as crew.
Contact Bill Lane for details 248-891-6125 or Email to wjl6355@gmail.co |
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ASI Racing - Notice of race - - Casilda de Benito |
RACE: Team Race
WHEN: Sunday, August 1 at 3:45pm
WHERE: Kent Lake
Race Committee (RC) TBD - arrives at 3:15 p.m.
DISCUSSION TOPIC: Kent Cup countdown
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Balsa Wood, Concrete and Metal - - Richard Jagers
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Did you know that the wood used to make the Interlakes was at least 6 years old before it was harvested? I say harvested, but balsa wood (ochroma lagopus) grows in small groups and is often mistaken for a weed. After many years of experimenting, man finally learned to grow balsa on farms.
Why use balsa wood for the Interlakes? It is one of the lightest woods around. It is also one of the softest woods around. It was originally used to replace cork, but it was discovered that by coating it the strength and softness could be vastly improved.
So why use balsa wood for the Interlakes since it is fragile and easily damaged? Light boats sail better, they are easier to handle, and give more maneuverability. Just like a race car, or the space shuttle making them lighter makes them perform better. Space shuttle saved over 600 lbs, or about the weight of an Interlake simply by not painting the external tank.
The key is to make boats lightweight yet strong, so we coat them with fiberglass. While fiberglass greatly strengthens the balsa wood, the last half of the word should give you a clue as to why it is so brittle. Yes fiberGLASS just like any other glass it is brittle and chips or breaks when it comes in contact with hard or abrasive objects like concrete and metal docks or other boats. What’s all this got to do with sailing?
Why would I even care? If you spend any time around docks you realize that most people don’t have a clue how fragile boats made out of fiberglass really are. I’ve seen $60,000 dollar boats totally trashed by a $2 piece of wood because the owner didn’t tie up at the dock correctly. Fiberglass chips, scratches, cracks and even breaks. So when you move fiberglass, like sailing or paddling you take the chance of damaging it. When boats made out of fiberglass contacts any immovable object, wood, concrete, metal, other fiberglass objects like other docked boats they are at strong risk of damage. Even clothing and tools can scratch and damage the fiberglass.
Since the club has many boats, but only buys one per year, it will be at least another 15 years until the new boat that launches this year is replaced. Most people don’t drive their cars that long, but when they do they take very good car of them.
Since these boats need to last a long time my only thought is that we all need to learn how to take better care of them. OK I’m a newbie to the club, but just because I’ve driven lots of other people’s new cars, doesn’t imply I put a scratch or ding in them. I treat them with respect and pride.
Fiberglass that protects and gives strength to the boats while keeping the water out can last a very long time, but we all need to do our part and take care of it. What are you doing to help preserve and maintain not only the good looks, but the structural integrity of the fiberglass, thus extending the life of the boats? Thanks to all you who have adopted a boat, and are keeping them clean, polished (yep half way thru the season, it might be time to polish them again) and maintained. It is such a joy to go out and be able to sail on boats that people take pride in.
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Ahoy, Level 1 Sailors and Students! - - JoAnne McClure |
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Attention 2009 Students!
If you didn't get rated in 2009, you must complete your rating this summer. Once you've done some practice sails and are ready to take the test, contact a Water Test Instructor to take your test. Here is a list of Water Test Instructors.
- Tom Sand
- Alberto Ferrero
- Don Caley
- Yasuo Fujita
- Don Anderson
- Sam Olive
- Bill Lane
- Bob Frank.
Once you've passed your Water Test, contact one of the Written Test Instructors below to take your written test. You must have completed the Maintenance Class prior to this step.
- JoAnne McClure
- Sam Olive
- Trudy Morse
- Nancy Weiss
- Dave Pardy
- MaryJane Bacinski
Don't let the summer slip away without getting your rating!
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All Hail, the Dockmaster - - Joan Swain |
You've seen the weekly requests for dockmasters, and to those of you who have responded, a big THANK YOU! Yet, I hear that the second half of the sailing season needs more volunteers, so I thought it appropriate to not only express our collective appreciation of your time already given, but review some of the main tasks should you choose to help out in the future.
A sure way to spot our Dockmaster is when our valuable boat hook is ever present (it can reach further than any arm). With that tool, we can be guided in our departure or be nimbly saved from a docking mishap should our judgment or paddlers be a bit off (the DM and hook have preserved a few egos and boats). The DM also double checks that we've signed in (necessary for insurance you know), locked our boat's dock box to protect against theft, and does some good-will for the Club when a passerby shows interest. Sometimes the DM needs to remind us to move our boat from the tip of the J-dock, so as not to block other boats wanting to dock. And for those of us going out to sail, have your membership card handy. The DM doesn't know everyone, so may ask to see it.
There is a laminated, complete list of duties, along with a "Dockmaster" name tag in - what else - the Dockmaster notebook placed in the - this is getting redundant - Dockmaster lock box. With all the stuff provided for the Dockmaster, you know that is an important part of our safe-sailing program.
We may not always thank the Dockmaster when you help us out, or remind us if something is amiss as we wave off your help, but we sure miss you when you're not there. So, contact Anne Ostroth - see below - to fill up the rest of the season's weekends and holidays, meet some new folks along the way, and enjoy the fact that you've helped make ASI stronger.
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Dock Masters Needed - - Anne Ostroth |
Attention all rated sailors! Dock Masters are needed at Kent Lake every Saturday, Sunday and holiday for the entire sailing season.
It’s a great way to get work hours, meet new people, and earn the appreciation of the level one instructors. There are two shifts per day, AM (9 am -1 pm) and PM (1 pm – 4 pm). If you would like to sign up for some shifts or have questions, email Anne. |
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late-breaking North Channel opportunity ! - - Dave Clark |
Crew needed for north channel trip. Leaving Friday 7/30/10, returning 8/14/10. Singles or a couple, 1 week or two. Call if you could make it, or for further details. Dave Clark 1-248-921-6203
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How does 'crew and skipper matchup' work? Maybe you've put together a cruise, taking one of our keelboats for a few days, or even a few hours. But you're in need of another crew member or two. Maybe you've got a North Channel charter and need another crew member. Or maybe you're interested in crewing, but don't have a 'skipper' to sign on with. And Interlake sailors too; perhaps you'd like to set up a sail with another ASI sailor. Newbie or old salt, here's a way to find a skipper or fill out a crew.
If you're a skipper in need of crew, send me the particulars of your sail; the date, other members, destination, etc. Or if you are looking to crew for somebody else, send me possible dates, places, times, etc. I'll post responses here, and you can get in touch with a potential crewmember, or potential skipper. Be sure to include phone number and email address.
Let's see if we can match everybody up, to make sure we take full advantage of this upcoming sailing season!
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- The Summer ASI picnic is on August 7 at the East Boat Launch at Kensington, and is being coordinated again by Marilyn Alimpich and Clair Abrams. Be there or be square!
- Nautical Deli has offered a free drink when you buy a full sandwich or a "soup and sandwich" to ASI members for the 2010 sailing season. It is located at 23839 Jefferson Ave, St. Clair Shores, MI, just north of 9 Mile Road. You must show your ASI membership card. (thanks, Mary Hein!)
- The entire Race Calendar is posted in the Racing section of the ASI website.
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ASI Picnic on Saturday August 7 |
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The ASI Picnic is on for Saturday August 7 staring at 11:30 am. This is ASI's big social event for the summer! Be sure to mark your calendar! Should we be rained out, we'll try again on Sunday August 8.
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Saturday's Docking Practice - - Richard Jager |
Rainy and windy, but a few people put up with the weather and practiced docking. It wasn’t just new students, but seasoned sailors who decided they needed to brush up on their skills. Why practice? To improve what we have learned, are learning, or remember that which we have forgotten.
I congratulate all those who braved the weather and decided that getting better at this one critical aspect of sailing was a priority in their schedule.
For those of you who skipped Saturday’s practice there is another one coming up soon. If you missed sailing on Sunday, you really missed out. It was one of the best days to be out on the water in many days. It was a real blast! And so was the wind!
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The Kent Cup Teams have been chosen - - Joe Jaeger |
The competing teams for the Kent Cup were chosen and are as follows. Note that crew members are listed in race order.
- Interlake #6- Steve Poulos- Joe Phillips
- Interlake #7- Joe Jaeger- Gary Crosbie
- Interlake #9- Alberto Ferrero- Sherri Gregory- David Wilpula
- Interlake #10- Mary Hein- Kathy Chrzanowski- Fred Trinker
- Interlake #11- Michael Golden- Diana (Boss) Jaeger- Chris O'Reilly
 Teams, get out and practice, polish those hulls and work with ASI's Maintenance crew (you do the work, they provide direction) on any items you think need to be addressed on your boats. Remember, these are the boats and crew you will be sailing with until after the Kent Cup on August 7.
We need race committee volunteers for the Kent Cup. We're looking for volunteers to act as Race Committee. We will need at least one individual with power boat status and another individual to officiate the start sequence, keep score, etc. We will provide instruction/direction for RC volunteers and you will even get volunteer hours for helping. If interested, please click here to contact me , or at the email address below.
WANT TO RACE? We still have slots and boats available. If you are an ASI Racer (previous or current) and would like to participate in the Kent Cup, please let me know.
Joe Jaeger Racing Manager Email: joe@computer.org
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Keelboat timeshares for 2010 - - Jon Buyle |
Timeshares continue to be accepted for the 2010 season. Here are a few reminders to make the process work best for all of us:
 Please limit your calls to 9AM-9PM, unless it’s an emergency. Feel free to email me anytime. - Use the ASI website to check on availability of keelboats before calling. It is updated daily. You can also click on an entry in the calendar to obtain more details, such as the designated captain of a timeshare. That information can be useful for several reasons, such as checking with the previous captain on any problems he experienced with the boat, arranging a transition with the next captain, or notifying the next captain if you are going to be late.
- When leaving voicemail requests, please speak slowly and clearly, especially when leaving numbers. I often have to listen to a message several times to get all the information.
- Be sure to notify the Boat Captain and Keelboat Scheduler if a boat needs immediate attention that could affect safety & future timeshares.
- Remember that reservations are made on a first-come, first-serve basis and are not held or confirmed for you until secured with a credit card.
- Make your reservations as far in advance as you can. I will do my best to respond to last-minute requests, but cannot guarantee a response in less than 24 hours. (I have a life too!)
- Finally, Do NOT take a boat without clearing it with the Scheduler first, even though a boat appears to be available or your boat becomes disabled. There have been situations where a member who has reserved and paid for a timeshare arrives later and finds the boat gone. It may also be a safety risk for you and your passengers, as the boat may have been taken out of service or have special instructions that the Boat Captain has asked me to convey.
For the new Level 2 Captains, remember that you cannot reserve a boat until you have passed all requirements, notified Lisa and paid for your upgrade. Have a great summer and great sailing season! Hope to see all of you out on the lake.
Jon Buyle, Keelboat Scheduler 313-881-6393 jmb51@hotmail.com |
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10 AM Day sailors - Sailing Monday to Friday - - Vic Macks |
JOIN THE FUN! Captain or crew with the 10 am Day Sailors one or more week days, Monday to Friday
For Lake St. Clair, must be level 2 or above for Overture and Interlude and Level 3/4 for Voyager and Manitou. For Kent and Stony Creek, must be Level 1 or above. Respond to Vic Macks at vicmacks3@gmail.com giving name, rate, preferred email address and phone, which week days, Monday through Friday, that you are typically available, and interest in sailing which lake.
 Here's how it works: I will send the recurrently updated list to all participants. We would perhaps sail once or twice per week as you wish. We can look ahead 1 to 2 or 3 days, see what the weather is and choose the better day. Day time week days boats are least used and available on short notice. Any member of the 10 AM DAY SAILERS could email (or phone) others who are listed as typically available on a given day and get a member's commitment to sail. A Lake St. Clair sail, of course, means that the first commitment of a crew member is necessary (a phone call response might be quicker) before the initiating captain books the time share with a call to Jon Buyle (which also may involve a delay waiting for a response from Jon). All crew who commit to sail a Lake St. Clair boat commit, of course, to share the time share fee.
When a member of the 10 AM DAY SAILERS expects to be away or otherwise unavailable for a period of time, they can inform me with an email. I will email an updated list as the need arises. That way, everyone is current on who's available for crew. For Lake St. Clair, we will stay on the U.S. side of the shipping channel, so an I-68 or Nexus isn't necessary, but adequate identification would be asked for on the U.S. side if stopped by Home Land Security or Coast Guard, which has happened. We will keep it simple, but can change the way we work if there are kinks in the plan. Questions?
See you on the dock, Vic |
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The ASI Burgee is back on an 'every Tuesday' schedule. The next one will be Tuesday, August 3. Please send your Burgee input to asidon@comcast.net by Sunday August 1. |
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