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"Hot Stories of Icy Sailing Adventures"
Volume 8 No. 1 January 1997
(C) Chris Voith 1997
| Give Your Quiver a Spring Makeover | |
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Windsurfer's HomeJournalNew Carbon Fiber Diet: lose 10 PoundsCheryl Zeman shares New Regatta LoCal RecipesTips from the Pros: Uphaul Your Way to Thinner Thighs | February 1997
Kathy Lee talks about Regis, Fame and Duck Jibes
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Elections Held, and Are Still HoldingThe ugly side of term limits raised its head at our January meeting. While several officers had decided to step aside to let fresh minds take a turn, the fresh minds stayed home. With attendance well below recent norms, club members apparently mistook the invitation to serve as one to swerve. Some positions remain vacant or filled temporarily such as president and spring regatta chair.
Nonetheless some important decisions were made. Foremost was the revamping of the club's organizational structure. Those present took heed of the longstanding complaint that meetings often consisted of lengthy discussions over matters not of general importance. While the outgoing administration tried to improve the situation (it's wonderful to be able to write your own epitaph), most felt the need for a wholesale change.
As you'll note on page 2 of the newsletter, the club now has a board of directors who will take care of most club details away from general meetings, only bothering the general populace with important things. Further, the board will include several new positions in an effort to involve more members and spread the responsibility.
We also decided to ask club members to volunteer for one (or more if you chose) areas within the club, such as social, membership, travel, races, and teaching clinics. On the member questionnaire, we have a section where you can put down your area(s) of interest. We realize that every member has a real life and commitments outside the club. You can leave it blank but we really hope that there is some part of the club where you would like to invest even just a little time and energy. The club can always use every bit of help and you'll get a lot more out of the club, too.
This segues beautifully into the last major topic discussed, the Long Distance Sail. It became apparent that everyone present felt that our major events also should have an aspect that benefited those less fortunate. Whether it's a specific event such as the Sail or part of another one such as a regatta, ideas were put forward on how to make these events more meaningful.
As windsurfing can be a very self-involved sport (thousands of dollars of plastic and aluminum that allow us to splash in water), this insures that we keep a perspective on the important things in life. Yeah, we've all heard the "I live to sail" maxims, but I don't know anyone in the club who doesn't have a deeper sense of beliefs. Actually, I know one but he is our only canine member. We all thought that this presented a major step forward in the growth of the club- graduating from merely being a group of windsurfers to being part of the larger community.
Inaugural Long Distance Charity Sail SetLocal sailors will have a chance to test their endurance and do a good deed at the same time on March 15th as the club holds its first Dam to Bridge Long Distance Sail to benefit Parent to Parent. This will be a great opportunity to actually sail someplace on Lanier and do something swell for other folks as well.
Parent to Parent is a locally based organization that provides support and information to the families of children who have disabilities or special needs. It is a valuable resource when parents face extraordinary challenges. Club member Beci Falkenberg has been involved with them for 6 years and serves now as one of their over 1000 volunteers. Because of state cutbacks, this organization is faced with being supported entirely by private means.
While the title of the sail is Dam to Bridge, the actual route will depend upon wind direction. If the typical southwest to northwest breeze is blowing, we'll launch from West Bank Park, an optional stop at Van Pugh for lunch or sail change with a destination of Sunrise Cove. If the wind is northeast to southeast, we'll sail the opposite direction. As conditions can change rapidly, the sail should be attempted only by more experienced and accomplished sailors who can adapt either sailing over- or under-powered. Other sailors are invited to join us at the end point just for fun sailing.
As well, we'll need volunteers to help ferry bodies and gear. So even if you don't feel quite ready for it, we'd love to see you help out. The entry form is enclosed in this issue and contains directions and details. You can either pledge a fixed donation or collect pledges based upon the mileage. Sunday, March 16, will be our skunk/ rain date. However, because of the possibility that conditions won't permit completion of the event, donations and pledges will be collected in any case. There's no reason that our good intentions should get skunked, too.
We should have a chase boat along but it is possible that conditions will not permit it to operate (remember those caution advised on area lake warnings?). Also, Fred Dey of Windsense should have available his fleet of charter longboards, IMCOs and Superlight IIs. If you need something with a dagger-board, call him at 770-345-5514 for details.
This is the first time in "?" that we've tried something like this and we'd like as much as help as possible from everyone. This is a club-wide event where everyone can contribute and define us a more than just a group of neoprene toadies.
ed. note: Phidippides was the soldier who ran the 23 miles from Marathon to Athens in battle armor to tell of the Greek victory over the Persians. It should also be noted that upon giving the news he collapsed and died. This singular lesson in the hazards of long-distance running remained sacred through time until our present generation, being ignorant of world history, who find running 26 miles a recreation.
Member Profile- You
This month, instead of introducing you to a club member, we are asking you to intoduce yourself to us. The more we know about you, the more we can plan activities and events that are fun, meaningful and well-attended. We want to know what you sail, where you sail and how well you sail. We want to know how you like the club and what we can do to make it better.
Inevitably, some of you will wonder, "Why should I take the time and 32 cents to do this?" Well, my friend, we could appeal to your love of the sport. But we won't. We could appeal to your sense of duty. But we won't do that, either.
Instead, we'll use a time honored method that works exceedingly well. We'll simply say:
From the responses, we'll pull two. First prize is a neat recent regatta shirt and second scores a year free membership to our club. Both are great values. How can you get a chance at such neat prizes? Its easy. We've enclosed the questionaire. To make life really simple, the Long Distance Charity Sail entry form is on the other side, saving you valuable postage (aren't we nice?). Send it in by Feb 25 and we'll tell all in the next newsletter.
For you net heads, we'll link it on our Bulletin Board and you can email it in.
ABC Women MeetA group of ten windsurfing women (11 if you include my future 1 yr old shredette) met January 12 at Jackie Greaner's house to meet, compare notes and generally have a good time. The group included seasoned as well as beginner sailors and represented a good cross section of abilities and interests. They discussed common problems and some possible solutions.
The group agreed to meet quarterly and plan a ladies-only trip this spring or summer. Missed it or interested in the next one? Give Jackie Greaner (404-266-3572) or Lisa Wise (404-294-0492) a call .
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Our Apologies to Dr. Oscar Von Luff of Flowery Branch College whose name was incomplete last month. Also, to Phil Duvic whose photo appeared on last month's back cover. Phil, as soon as I get a real scanner, we'll show everybody it wasn't a mouse but a Norwegian wharf rat.
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In 1805 Commander Sir Francis Beaufort of the British navy devised a scale for estimating wind strengths without the aid of instruments. He based the scale upon effects the wind is having on the physical environment. This 13 point scale (0-12) has since been added to by the US Weather Bureau and now goes to 17. The Beaufort Scale, as originally drawn up, made no reference to the speed of the wind and various attempts have been made to correlate the two.
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Dear Sirs,
Sincerely, Mr. P. P. G. Corning, Waycross, GA
ed: Mr. Corning, thank you for taking notice. We somehow felt that Scandal Papers ABC or Scandal Scissors ABC didn't have the same ring to it as Scandal Rocks ABC.
Dear Sirs,
ed: Yes, and your point is, sir?
Dear Sirs,
ed: Our apologies. May we instead suggest a wonderful family sport where each of you spends $7000 for an eight foot boat whose sole purpose is to seek out houseboat wakes. We've passed your name along to a Mr. DeEare. Expect a call soon.
Dear Sirs,
The past couple of swap meets (windsurfing...not swingers), I couldn't sell crap. At the last one, I got paged and had to go into work, so I left my wife there. When I got back, she had sold almost all the equipment! I never asked her selling techniques,(I don't want to know), but it allowed us to get the new gear for this year!! Lessoned learned: .I stay home and she goes to the swap meets!
ed: Brian, say this quickly three times-
"She sells old sails at swap sales." (This is a true story and we thank Brian and Melissa for letting us use it.)
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The Benevolent and Paternal Order of the Skunk regrets the postponent, too, of its Winter Regatta. Order members had arranged for isobars but received isocicles instead. The Order's racing vp vows to hold off the event until, "I so warm, I can feel my ... iso-[extremities] again."
Beta Iota Kappa, the windsurfing honorary society gave out its annual media awards (the Windies) last Sunday at a ceremony at Flowery Branch College. The Weather Channel once again won Best Overall and Best Ensemble Performance. Cable superstation WGN captured Best Individual and Graphics honors. Local radio weatherman, Curt Mellisch won for Best Dramatic Performance. Presenter Prof. Pascal (Pepe) Van Pugh compared his stunning recitations of the word "breezy" during calm and windy days alike to stage and film great Sir Lawrence Olivier's best Shakespearean oratories. Our congratulations to all.
BLOW (Berkeley Lake Org. of Wind-surfers) says their recent swap sale was a stunning success. By posting "Estate Sale" signs in Dunwoody, they were able to pass off tired old sails as heirloom linens and drapes, vintage teak booms as Scandanavian designer chairs and old polyethylene boards as patio furniture. Well done, gang.
Annual membership in the Atlanta Boardsailing Club is still only $20 ($30 for a family). Send payment to the address below.
Atlanta Boardsailing ClubCorrections and Retractions
by Alastair Donaldson
Your Friend, the Wind, Part 18: The Beaufort ScaleBEAUFORT WIND STRENGTH SCALE
Beaufort Wind Speed
Number MPH(Knots) Description (Standard/ Donaldson)
0 0-1 (0-1) Calm: Still: Smoke will rise vertically. What does a Jetski cost anyway?
1 1-3 (1-3) Light Air: Rising smoke drifts, weather vane is inactive. Can you say PUMP? How much was that trip to Aruba?
2 4-7 (4-6) Light Breeze: Leaves rustle, can feel wind on your face, weather vane is inactive. It could have been a squirrel. Like the Georgia Lottery, think Big.
3 8-12 (7-10) Gentle Breeze: Leaves and twigs move around. Light weight flags extend. Large sails may start planing.
4 13-18 (11-16) Moderate Breeze: Moves thin branches, raises dust and paper. Planing on medium to large sails.
5 19-24 (17-21) Fresh Breeze: Moves large branches, trees sway. Don't I have a doctor's appointment?
6 25-31 (22-27) Strong Breeze: Large tree branches move, open wires (such as telegraph wires) begin to"whistle", umbrellas are difficult to keep under control. Small craft warnings on area lakes. How many sick days do I have left?
7 32-38 (28-33) Near Gale: Large trees begin to sway, noticeably difficult to walk. Small craft warnings on area lakes. Fred I need a smaller sail.! Life is good.
8 39-46 (34-40) Gale: Twigs and small branches are broken from trees, walking into the wind is very difficult. For those who can handle it, shred on.
9 47-54 (41-47) Strong Gale: Slight damage occurs to buildings, shingles are blown off of roofs. Can I downhaul that much?
10 55-63 (48-55) Storm: Large trees are uprooted, building damage is considerable. Do thay make sails this small ?
11 64-72 (56-63) Violent Storm: Extensive widespread damage. These typically occur only at sea, and rarely inland.
12 >73 (>64) Hurricane: Extreme destruction..
NOTE: The Beaufort number is also referred to as a "Force" number, for example, "Force 10 Gale". Also 1 knot = 1.15 MPH
Small Craft advisories are issued when winds reach up to 33 knots. Force 6-7. Text has been liberally copied from: http://www.windsurfer.com/cgi-bin/wscalc.cgi and http://www.anbg.gov.au/jrc/kayak/beaufort.html
Welcome to our newest member:
We now have 79 individual or family memberships.Letters to the Editor
I noted that two headlines on the front page of last month's newsletter contained the word Śrocks'. Does your editor have rocks in his head?
We have noted a virulent anti-jetski bias in your recent newsletters. You continually portray us as rude, loud and uncaring members of the water sport community with no regard to the rules of safe boating. Don't you feel guilty of stereotyping?
Sincerely, Mr. Payne N. DeEare
Your last issue, we felt, was inappropriate for families. Laced with tales of nudity (Dan Burch profile), debauchery (the Christmas Party), and immoral behavior (jetski Scandal), it upset both our children and our poodle, Rudy. Please cancel our subscription.
Sincerely, Name Withheld
I was reading your News from Local Clubs in this issue and would like to relate the following true story:
Sincerely,
Brian & Melissa Mckenzie.
Raleigh, NC
Triangle Boardsailing Club
http://jollyroger.com/windsurf/
by Our Staff
News from Local Clubs
P.O. Box 28376
Atlanta, GA 30358
For a membership form
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