Batten the Breeze Spring 2016 Issue Moraine Sailing Club Newsletter www.morainesailingclub.org Board Members 2016: Commodore: Javier Lopez Vice- Commodore: Cheryl Bermester Treasurer: Carla Costello Secretary: Flo Donnelly Membership: Kelly Gresh- Haller Social Director: Mayte Seanz-Robles Race Dirctor: Jason Harrison Education: David August CSP: Bill Paviol Property: Robert Kindelberger Website: Joe Shields Ex Officio: Rich Halapin Fleet 80 Liaison: Paul Rowan Newsletter Editor: Sarah Paviol [email protected] Take the Tiller April 22, 2016 Is it Spring again? For real this time? Cruel winter tried to held at the South Side branch of Carnegie Library on March ruin our 2016 Spring Fling, but it couldn’t dampen the 19. We had a good turnout of about a dozen LTS students, spirits of the MSC crowd and we kicked off the season and despite initial problems with the audio-visual successfully on Saturday April 9 at the Three Rivers Rowing equipment we managed to convey our excitement for Association. Winter even relented a bit after all, and the sailing and clarify many questions about the LTS program snow held off as the sun came out for the duration. Over 60 and the club. Thanks to Dave August, Cheryl Burmester and club members turned up for friendship, food and the Bill Paviol for help with this. The following day saw the dessert contest, in which Dan Goldberg took first place. We second event, a seminar on Sunfish Tactics, Techniques and all enjoyed the opportunity to see old friends again and to Tips organized by John Baker and Ken Andrews at Fox greet many new members. We also got to meet the four Chapel Library. John and Ken plan to organize more of newly elected officers of the University of Pittsburgh Sailing these to serve our growing and enthusiastic population of Club, which continues its fruitful association with MSC. If Sunfish sailors. For skippers and crew of all boat types, we you haven’t met them, say hello and introduce yourselves will continue our Learn-To-Race on-land and on-water at Watts Bay. Thanks to Mayte Saenz for organizing the series at Watts Bay, with sessions on June 11, July 9 and event and to the many who helped, especially Flo Donnelly August 20. for help with setup and take-down, and Eddie Grimes and Bill Paviol for manning the grill, and Sarah Paviol for Despite the significantly increased size of our fleet, all the handling the sign-in table. club boats made it from the barns to Watts Bay on the first Barn Day (April 16). Bill Paviol has more to say about this We actually managed to pack in two educational events in a separate article, but I want to thank Flying Scot Fleet before Spring Fling. The first was an Introduction to Sailing 80 and especially Paul Rowan for organizing a survey of our seminar for new and prospective Learn-To-Sail members, Flying Scots to identify equipment upgrades and additions to make the boats both competitive and qualified for example, if you take a look at the Events schedule you will sanctioned racing events. Paul will coordinate with notice a new Fall Race series following the annual Race for Community Sailing Program Director Bill Paviol to the Grail regatta. We are inviting sailing clubs from the implement these recommendations. western PA and eastern Ohio area to participate in this three-day series, so plan to make new sailing friends and The 2016 season really gets into swing now, with the learn new things. second Barn Day/CSP work day coming up on April 23rd, our first Race Day on May 14, and the first Learn-To-Sail In his Sailing magazine column, Nick Hayes recently wrote: class on May 29. Jason Harrison is our new Racing Director, “Sailing ranks among country churches, Amish barns and and Dave August is our new Education Director. Both are potlucks as institutions substantially built and shaped by introducing new features into our programs that we hope volunteers.” He went on to note that if you need volunteers will enhance the racing and educational experiences for you need to invite them. Moraine Sailing Club is no both seasoned and beginning sailors and racers. For exception. Since its origin in the 1970s, volunteers have built and grown the club, expanding it from the initial always welcome, regardless of experience, to help on all racing focus to create its popular Community Sailing and aspects of the club, from boat washing to race committees Learn-To-Sail programs, and along the way developing to board positions. Don’t be shy – you are invited! fruitful relations with Moraine State Park and with regional outdoor organizations. But the number of available Javier Lopez volunteers ultimately limits what the club can do. More are Commodore Special thanks to everyone who participated! The desserts were delicious! Dan Goldberg Carol Startare Cathy and Dave August CSP prepares for the Sailing season The April 16th barn date was a huge success. The weather was sunny and warm and we had more than 35 members who all came out to either tow the 16 boats from the Butler County Barns to Watt’s bay. There was a wash station with power washer and brushes to clean up the boats after a long dusty winter’s storage and full sailing season. We had a “Sunfish sail” station where members put the clips on all 15 sun fish sails after we had to store them in sealed containers due to the mice getting into them last winter. We had a group getting the Opti’s out of the race center and put onto the new Opti mooring stations and those who set up lunch for everyone who came out to work that day. All boats were removed from the barns on this day. Barn Day#2 was the following weekend and we were blessed again with a beautiful day. Twenty members and two non members who came to meet sailors and ended up handing in their membership applications all got busy and removed everything from the MTC. The Maintenance and Training Center got totally cleaned and they repositioned the sailed which were stored on the back way but after some member discussion, it made more sense to move them to the side wall for easier access when there are boats in the building. Awe Wright was put into the water at Davis Hollow in G6 and the Hobie cats were rigged. Lunch was again served to those who lent a hand to help. The Season is off to a good start and all boats are now in the reservation system ready for CSP participation. Bill Paviol Gibbs, Bill and Sarah Paviol’s service dog in CSP Director training, is enjoying a nice day at the lake 2015-2016 and patiently waiting for his first sailing journey! STORM WARNING By Dan Goldberg, FS 4991 During a major Flying Scot regatta last fall in North Third, it is possible you may not have enough advanced Carolina, an unpredicted microburst suddenly hit with winds warning to get back to shore. So there are two things you of 50 – 60 knots. Most of the boats capsized and many should do: First, and most importantly, GET THE SAILS DOWN! suffered damage. Luckily none of the sailors were For a Flying Scot, lower the jib first, then the main. Then injured. That incident reminded me of a thunderstorm that detach the boom from the mast and put in on the floor of the hit Lake Arthur during a race about a dozen years ago. Many boat, with the front end under the deck. Then throw out your boats capsized but no one was injured. There are lessons to anchor. Attach it to the bow handle (where the bow line be learned from both incidents. [painter]) is attached, not to the base of the mast. You can First, it goes without saying that everyone should be then just ride out the storm. Pull up the anchor and sail back wearing PFDs if the conditions are (or become) windy, or if in when the storm dissipates. That is what we did a dozen there is any threat of unsettled weather or thunderstorms. years ago and were one of the few boats that did not Second, in both cases, there was enough visual capsize. On a Sunfish, just lower the sail. evidence of a brewing storm at least 10 minutes before the Fourth, you should always have a “bad weather” plan storm hit. But many sailors wanted to finish the race instead that you discuss with your crew before leaving the dock. It of preparing for the storm. If you see danger coming, it is should include reviewing the procedure for lowering sails and better to err on the side of caution and safety. There will anchoring, and should also include who does what in the always be another race! Even if you are not racing, do not event of a capsize. I do not use a mast flotation device when tempt Mother Nature by thinking a brewing storm may pass racing, so the best swimmer on my boat is assigned to swim to you by. At any hint of a darkening sky or ominous clouds, get the top of the mast and hold onto it until the boat is up back to shore ASAP. You cannot outrun a storm! During the righted. And one crew member carries a winch handle with both incidents mentioned above, those who tried to capsized. them in a secure pocket. Furthermore, always stay with the At Lake Arthur most of the storms come from the southwest, boat! so you can see clouds building from the direction of the Rt.