It's not too late...        JoAnne McClure

Ahoy Level 1 Students! If you took your water test before the boats came out, there's still time for your written test before the Awards Banquet. Just contact one of the written test instructors below and get that Level 1 rating before the January meeting when certificates are presented. Deadline is December 15. Here's the list:

• David Pardy
• Chris Lamb
• Nancy Weiss
• MaryJane Bacinski
• JoAnne McCLure
• Sam Olive
• Trudy Morse

New L1 skippers: get into racing next season - - Michael Golden

Racing is a fun way for new or experienced skippers to refine their sailing skills. One learns sailing by doing it; having another boat sailing nearby at your performance level is a great teacher. You don’t have to get competitive about racing to gain confidence in your ability on the helm.

New racers must attend the basic seminar in April and a practice, to skipper in the early races, when you are ready. There is no racing fee for newly rated Level 1 members from this last season. To sign up, reply with your name, rating, and years of sailing/racing experience to Michael Golden 248-549-3030.

2011 Stony Creek Season Report - - by Heidi Dzendzel

On Wednesday, October 19, in the pouring rain, seven dedicated souls demasted four Interlakes and secured one utility trailer for transport in two hours. Thank you to Jeff Campbell, Don DeRyckere, Heidi Dzendzel, Mary Hein, Gary Hintz,

Ed Johnson and Stan Urbiel.

The drivers brought each trailer safely back to the farm early on Saturday morning. Thank you for your volunteer effort: Paul Bartold, Joe Haas, Gary Hintz, Ed Johnson and Jerry Sitarski.

Thank you to the Shore School instructors, MaryJane Bacinski, Mary Conlan and

Joe Haas.

Thank you to our Intro class and water class instructors as well as the practice sail mentors this season: Segmar Appell, Bill Davis, Heidi Dzendzel, Rick Gady, Joe Haas, Mary Hein, Gary Hintz, Jim Knodel, Bill Lane, Tom Majerowicz, Joe Roskoski, Jerry Sitarski and Mark Valentine.

Congratulations to all the new Level 1 Rated ASI sailors that sailed at Stony Creek: Paul Bartold, Weihan Cao, Bonnie Lynn, and Pam Schmidt.

Thank you to the maintenance crew: Rick Gady, Don DeRyckere,, Gary Hintz, Jim Knodel, Bonnie Lynn, Ed Johnson, and Heidi Dzendzel.

As manager of Stony Creek’s eastside operation of ASI, I thank you for another

fun and successful season!

Level 1 Student mentoring slot FILLED! - -  Joan Swain

I wrote in an October Burgee that the Club would now have an official Student Mentoring slot (instead of the vacant Assistant L1 slot). I was giving myself until Spring to finalize who would take on that important task, as an obvious choice was resisting.

Yes, I had very tunneled vision on this one. Now, I am most pleased to announce that John Tiley has recently agreed to officially guide our new students next season to become more familiar with whatever they are not able to grasp otherwise in terms of getting rated and feeling more inclusive as members.

For anyone wondering why John was chosen, it's simple. During the latter half of this past season, he had already started to unofficially mentor students. Reaching way beyond the group practice sails he participated in, it was a no-brainer for me to hone in on him. I am grateful that he has agreed to see how this next season's mentoring will flow, now that he has the official title. I have no doubt that his being at the helm of mentoring will work well for next season's L1 students. This will benefit not only them but the Club as a whole. And in speaking for the Club, my final words for now are, Thank you, John.

2nd Annual FOG DOG AWARD - - Claire Zepeda

fog·dog (fôgˈdôgˌ, -dŏgˌ, fŏgˈ-) noun - a bright spot sometimes seen at the horizon as a fog starts to dissipate; A bright or clear spot that appears in breaking fog. Origin: From the fact that it accompanies fog as a dog accompanies its owner.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th edition Copyright © 2010 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company

This annual award is given to a person in the club who has been - a beacon, a shining light, making a unique and nautical contribution to ASI There are so many people in the club who give so generously of their time and talents – many times with limited or no recognition of their contribution. This process itself will be an opportunity to acknowledge and thank some of those members.

Nominations by the General Membership will be accepted via email to Claire Zepeda  (clairezepeda@gmail.com) between now and Dec 1st.

Nominations should include a descriptive narrative explaining why this person should be nominated, what specific contribution he/she made, how they were a Fog Dog in the club, and how they furthered the goals and Mission Statement of ASI

In December, the narratives will be published in the Burgee, balloting will follow in early January and results will be announced at the Annual Awards Banquet.

Attention all Level 1 Sailors that want to sail ASI's keelboats - - Bill Lane

The ASI Sail Secretary is pre-registering students for the 2012 Level 2 Keel Boat Class. The cost is $50 which will be a part of your final class fee. To register, send me your sailing/boating resume - call or email me and I'll send you the form. See the qualifications for the class in article below.

Any questions or concerns call 248-891-6125 or email me.

Bill Lane 

Level 2 Head Instructor

Level 2 Class 2012 - - Bill Lane

Become a Level 2 Captain and Sail 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:

1. Declare sailing ability by submitting a sailing resume to head of Level 2 instruction and have sailed the Interlake 8 times as a Level 1 rated sailor this year.

2. Be an ASI member and Level 1 Sail Pass holder with all volunteer hours up to date.

3. 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. The “America’s Boating Course” has the component. Classes are offered by the Ann Arbor and Birmingham Power Squadrons in October.

Sail longer and farther than ever before

Contact Bill Lane, Level 2 head instructor, for details

248-891-6125

Email: wjl6355@gmail.com

Attention Level 2 Sailors  - - Bill Lane

The ASI Sail Secretary is pre-registering students for the 2012 Level 3/4 Class (cost $50). If interested send me your updated resume - call or email me and I'll send you the form.

Keep in mind that to pre-register you must have completed 8 sails on the Level 2 boats as a Level 2 sailor. For four of the sails or greater you must have been captain of the boat. I recommend pre-registering as this class filled up last season.

See article below for description of the course. 

Bill Lane 

Level 3/4 Head Instructor

Level 3/4 class for 2012 - - Bill Lane

Level 2 sailors, it is not to early to be think of joining the level 3/4 class for 2012

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, Benjamin Islands 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

Prerequisites are:

• Have a Level 2 sail pass and work hours current.
• Sail the Level 2 keel boats 8 times this year of which 4 or more of the sails you were the captain.

Contact Bill Lane, for details

248-891-6125

Email: wjl6355@gmail.com

A few more things...       

Now that the sailing season is over and most of the winterizing of the centerboard and keelboats has been completed, input for the Burgee has tapered off. So for the next few months, you'll only be receiving the Burgee when there is sufficient content. 

But ASI sailors are an active bunch, even over the winter! I know there are some crews headed to the Virgin Islands, some will head to Chicago for the big boat show, and some will be doing GPS geocaching around here. Whatever you're doing for the next few months, send your stuff in to let us know what you're up to. 

Please send your Burgee input to asidon@comcast.net for inclusion in the next  Burgee, whenever that might be. But send pictures as attachments, please!