Maintenance classes at Kent Lake - - Don Sharpe

The Interlake Maintenance workshops are scheduled for the first and third Saturday of the summer months, except for holiday weekends. This class is a requirement for level 1 certification. If you're taking the level 1 classes this year, be sure not to miss it!

These June Saturdays are June 4 (next Saturday) and June 18. Workshops start at 9 AM and run two to three hours. No need to sign up; just show up!

Already rated? Even if you've had the class before, you might want to take it again to refresh your knowledge of centerboard nomenclature, rigging, history and trivia. 

Saturday June 18 - the LOTS sail (an 'un-guy' trip) - - Claire Zepeda

It’s time again for the Ladies Only Time Share (LOTS) and we are going to have LOTS of fun!

This year’s date is Saturday, June 18th. We will be meeting at JBM around 10am. Then we will head out, enjoy the (hopefully) wonderful weather and fair winds. Maybe stop and anchor for lunch and a swim, return to JBM and tie up at Jack's for dinner then be back to our dock around 10pm.

We will divide the cost of the boats by the number of sailors. Last year’s per person cost was about $12. Please bring your own drinks and something to share for lunch.

Please call or email one of us if you are interested. Space is limited. Looking forward to a wonderful day of fun and friendship!   Guys need not apply!

Marilyn, Jessica, Sherri & Trudy

Claire Zepeda (clairezepeda@gmail.com) 734-973-6665

Jessica Hogg (swtpeablue@aol.com) 734-748-0328

Marilyn Leece (sailrmare@sbcglobal.net) 313-618-1188

Trudy Morse (Tmorse@co.wayne.mi.us) (248) 930-0659

Thundering Thursdays at Kent Lake - - Dave Amsdill

Please join us for open sailing, practice sails and guest sails on Thundering Thursdays 6 PM till dark each week beginning June 9. I will be keeping an email distribution list and will email a reminder and update of weather projections on Tuesday each week and will be accepting reservations via cell phone. Please email me (amsdill@comcast.net) to get on our distribution list and call me, Dave Amsdill, at 734-645-3806 to let me know your plans in order that we may do our best to get everyone out and sailing.

If you are a rated sailor and could be available for most or at least some Thursday nights please volunteer to join the Thundering Thursday team to provide practice sails to students, guest sails to prospective members and just get some sailing in. Please don’t worry that you’re not experienced or knowledgeable enough, we’ll learn together. It’s a great way to earn hours, empower new students, improve your skills and knowledge and give back to the club.

See you there, Dave Amsdill

Tuesday Day Sails - - Dave Pardy

For those interested, David Pardy will be coordinating day sails at Kensington on Tuesdays. This is not meant to replace any other sails but meets the philosophy of 'the more sailing the better'.

Here is how it works.:

Send David a quick note saying you're interested at dspardy@pardysell.com so he can add you to the email list. David will check the weather and send out a note to those interested probably by the Sunday before the Tuesday sail confirming the sail.

Those who can make it on the Tuesday, reply back to David that they will make it and whether they are rated or not. This should allow David to make sure that we have enough rated sailors for the number of students/guests.

We all meet at the lake at 10:30 and sail until about 1:00 or until people wear out. If weather looks good other days, David might add sails now and then and he'll email those on his list. We also need a few more rated sailors who can commit to be there most Tuesdays since David won't be able to make all of them. He'll also need help if we have a surplus of students/guests. If you can make most Tuesday, please let David know so he can plan.

A Plethora of sailing opportunities! - - Vic  Macks

I'm putting together a list of rated sailors sailing daytime weekdays. You can initiate a sail by email/phone call to anyone on the list. For example, you can look ahead one to three days, check the weather, decide on a day, and call/email those on the list for crew. This could be on Interlakes or keelboats, depending on your rating and interest and the interests of those on the list. It's that simple. The list may contain rated sailors interested in Kent, Stony Creek, or Lake St. Clair. The time share fee for keelboats would be split among the number aboard.

This will not conflict with what Dave Pardy is doing on Tuesdays at Kent (see above). It may compliment his efforts with sailing on Kent on other weekdays.

Send me an email (vicmacks3@gmail.com) with the following:

• Name and rating
• email address and phone number(s)
• likely days available
• preferences (Kent, Stony Creek, Lake St. Clair)

I will email an updated list as often as there are changes, additions, etc. Remember, sails will be initiated by anyone on the list. All that's needed is you on the list.

Questions? Send an email or call me at 586-779-1782

Still another connection for sailing! - - David Ei

I’m available for practice sails at Kent lake most Mon, Wed, and Fri evenings. I can be reached at (734) 205-9151 (days) and (734-449-2404 (evenings)

Sailing - - A poem by Tom Langelier

Motor’s off, the sails are set,

Only wind and sea are heard

And my soul is soothed

By a quiet peace.

You feel

More than hear

The hull slicing

Through the silvered water.

Occasionally, the sails luff a little,

Sending their soft, insistent message,

“Wind shift, wind shift.”

Then my hand moves slightly

On the helm

And the ship falls off a touch

To find again the near-perfect balance

Of wind and sail, and hull and sea.

Those who doubt

The sea’s alive

Have never held a helm,

Or perhaps

Are empty jars

With all the poetry poured out.

It doesn’t matter where we go

This ship and I,

For the journey is our destination,

And the beginning is its end.

The modern world is less alive

Than when we struggled to survive.

And life has lost much of its meaning

When we get too far from the soil and the sea.

Sailing is my prayer,

For never am I

Closer to God.

The 'A' Dock - - Happenings at JBM 

Marilyn Leece, L2 Co-Manager

Lost Navigation Tools - last week I mentioned that we found some navigation tools at the shore end of A Dock. No one contacted me to claim them so I turned them into the Jefferson Beach Marina office. If you did not see last week's notice and they are your tools contact the Jefferson Beach Marina office at 586-778-7600.

If you have not been out JBM lately you will see some improvements. During the late winter / early spring months JBM has been making several renovations to the marina. For some of the "high end" docks new patios have been constructed complete with 'planter' trees on the dock. JBM has not forgotten those of us that frequent A Dock, there are all new finger dock pilings, and dock cleats, and most of the old main dock planks have been replaced. A Dock's gazebo got a new propane grill over the spring, this grill is open for use to anyone on A Dock. If there is no propane contact the office or security and they will replace the tank.

Not only has JBM been busy fixing up the place but according to the latest Scuttlebutt magazine they have also purchased the Toledo Beach Marina. TBM is located on the southwest shore of Lake Erie (south of Monroe).

Jack's Waterfront Restaurant is no more - Jack's closed down over the winter, promising to re-open by April but that did not happen. Instead new owners have open Brownies on the Lake.

Brownies had their grand opening over the Memorial Day weekend and from what we could see and hear it was a huge success. Some of our "older" members may remember Brownies from long ago when it was a Nautical Mile institution, the place to be. That was 14 years ago when they were located at JBM, they closed to make room for the Beach Grill. Check them out and let us know what you think, also check out their Facebook link for more information.

Another new restaurant hit the Nautical Mile this spring - Mike's on the Water. Mike's is located just behind Colony Marine, on the opposite side of JBM than Brownies- we are surrounded by restaurants. The owner of Mike's was a former part owner of Jack's in the 1990's, he left the area and just recently decided to return and start up Mike's. You can also access Mike's from the water, their website mentions you can tie up to one of several slips right at their patio. Check out their website  for their menu, hours and location. If you try them out, let me know what you think.

Jack Townsend 

Keelboat Availability

• Manitou – available for classes – not available for timeshare
• Voyager III – available for classes – not available for timeshare
• Overture – available for classes and timeshare
• Interlude – available for classes – not available for timeshare*

* There is a problem with Interlude’s head, we expect it to be fixed by this weekend – parts are on order. However if you are interested in timesharing the boat before the head is repaired contact Interlude Boat Captain Jerry Brady for an explanation of the head problem and how it can still be used if needed.

L2 and L3 On-Water classes

• L3 classes are finishing this week, Group 1’s last class will be Saturday June 4th. Group 2’s last class will be this Thursday, June 2nd.
• L2 classes for Group 1 and 2 were completed last week. Groups 3 and 4 will beging their classes this week, Tuesday and Thursday and will run through June 14th and 16th.

Have input for 'The A Dock'? Send it here!

That OTHER Metropark - - Heidi Dzendzel, Stony Creek Level 1 Manager

Stony Creek News

Well as you all know, we had major rainfall over the past few weeks. It continued straight through the week of our first Intro class of the season set on Wed. 5/25. The continuing rains made the ground of our dry lot saturated.(see photos) The lightning cancelled our class.

We still need water instructors for Saturdays, June 4, 11, 25 and July 9. Please sign by the email below.

A Dockmaster is also needed for all the class dates above. She or he will need a vehicle with a trailer hitch, and a 1-7/8 ball attached. Please sign up by email below.

The Adopt-a-Boat program is on at our park. You can claim a boat of your own to adopt and maintain throughout the season. This is a great way to get to know the details of what keeps our boats afloat from the tip of the mast to the bottom of the centerboard. Please sign up by email below.

Fourteen (14) Level 1 volunteer hours are needed each season for all rated sailors. Volunteer hours are given for each activity stated above. If you’ve ever had a provisional sailpass, this will help to fill your timeslots each season. Please sign up by clicking here, or send an email to asiheidi26@gmail.com.

Weeds! Challenging for a Sail Boat! - - Richard Jagers

Well, it is that time of year again where the weeds are doing great stuff for the ecology, but they are also starting to hinder sailing.

So if your boat isn’t handling as it should, try checking for weeds. No you don’t have to flip it over to check! When it is safe, pull the center board all the way up, and then gently let it down. You will be amazed how quickly weeds can build up while you are sailing. These weeds will most likely end up on your rudder a great weed catcher, so remember to clear that too. Sometimes the rudder gets pushed up by weeds leaving you with very little steerage. Yes, this is one time you can blame poor boat performance on the boat, instead of operator error! Have a fun and safe time sailing!

Feeling ambitious? When some of the slips are empty why not grab the weed rake out of the Dock Master box and rake the empty slip for you fellow sailor.

Dockmasters needed at Kent Lake - - Anne Ostroth

 DOCKMASTERS are needed at Kent Lake for all Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays throughout the sailing season.  The dock master helps keep things running smoothly at the dock when there are a lot of boats coming and going,  Also, it is helpful to club members who want to take children and non-sailors sailing to have someone to catch a line or give a timely shove. This is especially important on class days. 

Instructors should not have to conscript friends and family to serve as dock masters for when they are teaching.  Best of all serving as dock master is a good way to earn work hours.  There are two shifts per day AM (9 am - 1 pm) and PM (1 pm - 5 pm).  If you are interested please email Anne at aostr2@yahoo.com.

A few more things...       

Words to live by: Nobody cares if you can't dance well. Just get up and dance!

The photo below was taken by Christian McTurk, aboard Overture last summer (it would make a great desktop shot!) 

The ASI Burgee is on a weekly schedule. The next one will be next Tuesday, June 7. Please send your Burgee input to asidon@comcast.net by Sunday for inclusion in that Burgee.