Burgee Apr 2010 - Sarasota Sailing Squadron

MOORING COMMITTEE MEETING
Tuesday, April 6
FRIDAY NIGHT RACE SERIES
Friday’s in April
SUNDAY RACE SERIES
Sunday’s in April
SPRING FLING DOCKTAIL PARTY
Saturday, April 17
BOARD MEETING
(ALL members welcome)
Tuesday, April 13
ESCOW RACING
Wednesday’s in April
LUFFING LASSIES
Thursdays in April
FLYING SCOT RACING
Sunday, April 11
Saturday, April 24
The Burgee - April 2010
From the Commodore
N27º20'14" W82º34'25"
1717 Ken Thompson Parkway
Sarasota, Florida 34230
Phone: 941-388-2355
Fax: 941-388-5524
sss@sarasotasailingsquadron.org  www.sarasotasailingsquadron.org
Manager: Nancy Carolan
Email: nancy@sarasotasailingsquad.org
Assistant Manager: Joanne Hawkes
Maintenance Technician: TBD
Webmaster: Mike Halliday (webmaster@sarasotasailingsquadron.org)
Burgee Editor: Lindsay Krienen
(burgee_editor@sarasotasailingsquadron.org)
2010 Board Members
Commodore:
Alan Pressman (941-350-1559)
commodore@sarasotasailingsquadron.org
Vice Commodore:
John Huber (941-650-7020)
vice_commodore@sarasotasailingsquadron.org
Rear Commodore:
Bill Niblock
rear_commodore@sarasotasailingsquadron.org
Treasurer:
Michelle Lee
treasurer@sarasotasailingsquadron.org
Secretary:
David Jennings (941-650-7354)
secretary@sarasotasailingsquadron.org
Race Captain:
Robert Miller (941-795-4646)
race_captain@sarasotasailingsquadron.org
Fleet Captain:
Sara Allen (941-224-9025)
fleet_captain@sarasotasailingsquadron.org
Regatta Director:
Gregg Knighton
regatta_director@sarasotasailingsquadron.org
Social Coordinator:
Cassandra Roznos (941-907-2620)
social_coordinator@sarasotasailingsquadron.org
Education Coordinator: Lindsay Krienen (941-527-6292)
education_coordinator@sarasotasailngsquadron.org
From The Editor
I want to take this opportunity to thank the readers for their continuous appreciation! I receive
so many ‘thank yous’ it is truly overwhelming. This
issue is short compared to those of late, but special thanks to Bob Miller for sharing the cover
shot, what just might be one of the most beautiful
to date.
Cheers! Lindsay Krienen
Page 2
Alan Pressman
In some months here at the Sarasota
Sailing Squadron it seems that we
are involved with BIG THINGS and
in other months we seem to be involved with the smaller things.
March seemed to be more in line
with the smaller things.
At our March Board meeting the Board agreed to fund the
purchase and installation of a dishwasher in our clubhouse
galley. It seems like a little thing, but there were some impassioned pleas for us to get into the modern era with respect to
food sanitation and safety.
There has been much made of our policy to have the last
member shut the lights and lock the doors each evening and
many members have found that they were locked out after
coming back into the clubhouse after a stroll around the
grounds. So we are finally installing keypunch door locks so
that members will have access 24/7 to the clubhouse. Each
member will have his or her own “code”. The code will be
available from the office staff upon request. The system will
have the ability to record who is accessing the clubhouse and
when. Do not share your PIN code. It is yours and yours
alone.
Last month, we experienced a purchasing snafu. With the
unseasonably cold weather we’ve been having all winter, the
Squadron determined to have a custom made sliding door
fabricated that would be installed between the clubhouse and
the hallway/head area of the club. Member Bill Brooker and
Rear Commodore Bill Niblock headed up this purchasing
with the approval of our Manager. At some point after accepting the order for this custom made door, the contractor
determined that it was not possible to build it to the width as
ordered and as they had accepted. Unable to contact Mr.
Niblock, they contacted Mr. Brooker who told them it was no
problem and that they should make it a little smaller. Unbeknownst to Mr. Brooker, our original plans on file with the
City (drawn up years ago by Mr. Niblock) required that the
door width be 53 inches and not 48 so as to accommodate
codes regarding ingress/egress.
So the change was made and the door was built, and we are
unable to use it. Since a member authorized the “change” we
are forced to “eat it”. If you know of anyone who wants a
custom made aluminum sliding door 48” wide, please contact
the office for a really good price. This raises an important
subject that will serve us all well in the future. Not one of us,
from the Commodore on down to the average member, has
authority to “go it alone”. Any issues that will affect the
Squadron must be reviewed by the management at a minimum, and if management determines that we need board interaction then so be it. We cannot have
(Continued page 12)
The Burgee - April 2010
Sunday. Combine the eagerness with some fluky wind and
tide and there were several general recalls due to dozens of
boats going over early. On Saturday we quickly realized we
LUFFING LASSIES
had to fly the I-flag to keep the racers in control. On Sunday
Ellen McKeefe
even the I-flag wasn’t enough and we ended up flying the
dreaded Black Flag which means that anyone over the line
Hosting Sunfish Midwinters
early is disqualified. As the Black Flag was raised a hush fell
over the fleet. The Black Flag definitely kept the fleet in
check with only a few foolhardy boats broaching the line
A couple of dozen Luffing Lassies helped the Sarasota
early.”
Sailing Squadron host the Sunfish Midwinter Championship
Carol McDowell expected to spend Sunday in a chase
from March 11 through 14. This was an important regatta;
boat
handing out water but got right in the thick of things
nine countries were represented. Our cold and windy winter
when the windward and offset marks deflated. Cindy gave
continued, forcing cancellation of Thursday and Friday
Carol a Missing Mark flag which she and Ken McKinney
events. Principal Race Officer (PRO) Cindy Clifton kept the
lashed to the bow of their boat. Carol reported, “We sat still
flock of 78 Sunfish together and managed seven races Saturwhile all these crazed Sunfishers raced around us. John
day and Sunday. No surprise that Venezuela’s Eduardo
Steele and Kirk Burnette were the other mark. What an inCordero took six of those races. His single defeat was handed
credible sight to see all of those World Class sailors and how
to him by Chip Clifton, Cindy’s son who now lives in Palm
they rounded the windward mark and offset with no colliBeach but grew up sailing on Sarasota Bay. Chip’s Dad, and
th
sions.”
our sometime Sunfish coach, Charlie Clifton, placed 14 .
Carol also described Sunfish champion and regatta winner
Our own Rita Steele was the sole LL competitor. She was
th
Cordero
in action, “He works his way through the fleet, takes
in the middle of the pack at 36 . By the time you read this
his advantages at the windward mark, then is exceptionally
she will know if she has a wild card entry for the Sunfish
fast on a run, nobody can catch him.”
Worlds, mid-June in Italy. She’s booked a place to stay at
LL volunteers were everywhere, on and off the water.
Punta Ala on the Tuscan Coast.
Registration was handled Thursday and Friday by Dottie
Former LL Captain Jo Dzina and her husband, Carrol, proSchell, Fran Mericle, Bridget and Michelle. Friday night
vided their power boat as a chase boat. Bill and Linda Tiffan
dinner and clean up crew included Dottie, Carol, Cathy Carwere also on board. After the torrential rains of Friday, Jo
tier, Linda Schwartz, Joan Johnson, Pat Comstock and
described Saturday, “It was wet and wild for about an hour
Loretta Garber. Many of the same LL’s came back for more
(then) turned beautiful and we all enjoyed our first day in the
and served Saturday’s dinner as well. Renate Mamula
sun since forever.”
pitched in at the bar. Dottie, Cathy and Linda took a crash
Michelle Lee, Mariella Doyle and Bridget Smith were on
boat out both Saturday and Sunday. Then they all tended the
the Race Committee boat with Cindy both Saturday and Sungrille on Sunday.
day. Michelle describes the scene, “Since the first two days
“LL helped out big time, they were terrific,” said Regatta
were stormed out, everyone was eager to sail on Saturday and
Chair Cindy. In addition to
those mentioned above, others who helped were Jib
Rita Steel Racing in Charlotte Harbor
Browning, Lu Burke, Captain
Lisa Dodds (Willy raced his
Sunfish, Lisa cheered him
on,) Gillian Whatmore,
Ursula Olson and Rita Steele
when she was not out on the
Bay racing. Without doubt,
someone has been left out.
Whoever you are, please
know that your LL volunteer
spirit is much appreciated.
These big deal regattas would
not happen here if the SSS
did not have a corps of experienced volunteers that
show up and work their tails
off. LL’s are a big part of
that. So, thanks for all you
do.
XXX
Page 3
The Burgee - April 2010
FLYING SCOT FLEET 36 NEWS
Submitted by: Bob Twinem
March 6 Race
Great to see, and many thanks to, Lainie and Marshall and their big honkin Whaler/Committee Boat.
If you count the early cruisers, including Dick
Frankland's YSP yacht, we had a dozen Scots on
the Bay today, and ten or eleven racing types at I. I
am renewed. Three long tight races and Brenda Pat
and Bob were
clearly most
consistent and
The fleet rounding taken by:
strong amongst
Susan Domagala
a great group of
one-design maniacs Almost
feeling warm
agin'.
lines, good WLW courses. Many thanks to Peter
and crew for a great day of racing. After the Day
our new Florida District Champion team, Dave and
Kim Thinel, sat atop the leader board tied with
Team Fisher. They were followed closely by Chuck
and Skip, in third. Duking it out for mid fleet honors were the usual suspects of Leprechaun,
Eighball, Damifino, Snowbird and NEW TO THE
FLEET, Ted Weihle. Writing this from home on
Sunday am to
meet yesterdays
deadline watching wind and
rain out the
window so do
not have a report on 2nd day
of regatta.
Jeff
March 14
Yesterday featured the
weather we
used to be
spoiled by.
Ron was installing centerboards for Jeff
and then grabbing Barry to lead us ducklings
around the Bay. Great to see a thousand Sunfish
completing their Midwinters. Eduardo doesn't
mind crowds. He's always happy to take the time
to administer that quality spanking to each sailor.
And new Scot owners got some needed tiller time
as we head into the popular JimBarr One DesignWeekend, plus the Scot Mids at Pontchartrain. All
the best, US3917
March 20 One Design Midwinters Day 1
Eight Scots lined up on a line for 5 races on Saturday. The weather was what we have been dreaming
about since 09. Races were well run with good
Page 4
Finally we are
getting some
sailing weather
and we are loving it. Our 0910 season
wraps up in
April and we
are looking to
finish with
some great racing before we bid adeau to our snowbird friends. At
this moment Ron and Chuck T. are trailering Sidewalk Express to New Orleans for the FS Midwinter
Regatta. They will represent well I’m sure. We all
wish a warm welcome to Ted and Judy Weihle to
the fleet!
Tip of the day:
A little heel to windward with the spinnaker up can
be fast. Less wetted surface and with the center of
effort over the center of the boat, less drag on the
rudder.
The Burgee - April 2010
Social News
APRIL 17th—Spring Fling Docktail Party
Bring any photos you would like to share of your sailing adventures. We will have projectors
set up for cd,dvd or thumb drive. Let the sailing stories begin. BBQ will be open and dock
space will be available if coming by boat.
May 8th—Hawaiian luau, complete with a pit roasted whole pig.
April 24 and 25—Raftup at Pointe Desoto.
POSTPONED TO June 19th DUE TO COLD WATER: FIRST ANNUAL WHAT IS THAT?!
SAIL CHALLENGE—$5 ENTRY FEE, 100% OF PROCEEDS GOES TO THE CORINTHIAN
FUND.
If you would like to volunteer to help out with any event, please email
social_coordinator@sarasotasailingsquadron.org
US Sailing Level 1 Instructor Course
The US Sailing Level 1 Instructor Course for Small Boats will be offered April 17-18 and April 24-25 at Venice
Yacht Club. This 40 hour class with be taught by Jabbo Gordon, who is a US Sailing certified instructor/trainer and
holds a OPUV license from the Coast Guard. Prerequisites for the course include:



Must be 16 years old by the first day of class.
Must be a member of US Sailing.
Must have NASBLA approved safe-boating certification, CPR and first aid certification.
Information and registration is available on the US Sailing website, www.ussailing.org under the training and
course calendar headings. The course number is 491415. Any questions can be directed to Jabbo Gordon at 941468-1719 or gordonjb35@yahoo.com.
COMMITTEE MEMBERS NEEDED!
MISSION STATEMENT
The Sarasota Sailing Squadron is a club organized to
encourage the sport of sailing, to promote the science
of seamanship and navigation, to sponsor cruises,
races and instruction classes for adults and children,
and to foster a spirit of good fellowship, courtesy and
sportsmanship; and to provide entertainment and
refreshments for members and their guests.
Education Coordinator seeks committee members to help
with The Burgee, SSS Marketing (including internet postings), New Member and Prospective Member Orientation,
Monthly or Quarterly Burgee articles, new ideas, and anything else you can think of! All meetings to be held via
conference calls.
INTERESTED?
Please email:
Education_Coordinator@sarasotasailingsquadron.org
Page 5
The Burgee - April 2010
Vail
By:
t
Scot
Get to know your fellow sailors!
Cindy Clifton’s Story
When asked about her life story, SSS member Cynthia (Cindy)
Clifton said she has sailed Sunfish one design sail boats all her
life beginning in Long Island and the Great South Bay area of
New York. At age 17 she had her
own Sunfish. That’s the beginning of her story and she has
stuck with it. Just last month
Cindy served as Chairperson and
manager of the Sailing Squadron’s annual Midwinter Sunfish
Regatta.
When not racing, Charlie worked as a commercial fisherman and
Cindy worked in a library and in a fabric store. They were also
raising two children; their daughter Molly and Chip their son.
In the early eighties they participated in Bermuda Race Week in
Sunfish and later moved back to the east coast for a time. Their
adventuress spirit eventually led them to the Virgin Islands where
they supported their sailing life style by operating a Deli. Cindy
raced with an all female crew on a Beneteau 42, participating in
the Caribbean Race Triangle Regatta.
The responsibilities of parenthood eventually persuaded Cindy
and Charlie to return to the States so their children could attend
better schools than were available in the islands. They toured the
east coast of Florida for several weeks searching for an appropriate place to locate. In late August,
1988 they traveled from St. Augustine
to Sarasota in time to participate in the
Sailing Squadron’s Labor Day Regatta. Cindy recalls there were about
350 boats in that Regatta. They stayed
in a motel for two weeks after Labor
Day before permanently settling in
Sarasota.
Her early sailing experience included sailing on her dad’s
Friendship sloop and racing one
design boats like Lightings and
Penguins. She also sailed a Blue
Jay, an experimental boat similar
to a Lightning but smaller and
built out of plywood but carrying
a spinnaker.
By this time Cindy had become a veteran in sailboat race management.
Fortunately, she soon became involved in the Sarasota Sailing Squadron’s racing program and related
Squadron activities. She was elected
to the Squadron board in 1992 and
served a total of seven years with a
two year break in between. Among
her accomplishments she started the
Cindy’s love of sailing did not
annual Race around Lido; helped reorSSS Member, Cindy Clifton
prevent her from graduating from
ganize the Youth Sailing Program
Cornell University in Ithaca, New
(YSP) and served on its board. Cindy
York. She majored in Art, speand Dave Bridges restarted the Sailcializing in Environmental Defest Regatta. In 2000 she was involved in organizing the Sarasign, an innovative field at the time.
sota Bay Yachting Association which includes all of the sailing
clubs and organizations from Bradenton to Venice. Although she
She met Charles (Charlie) Clifton, also a sailor from Long Island
has participated in the Friday night races and crewed on Dave
and they were married in 1972. The new couple moved to YaBridges Spars & Stripes, Cindy has never abandoned the Sunfish
chats, Oregon. Sunfish racing, always part of Cindy’s life, conracing program. She managed the Sunfish World regatta in 2000
tinued on Lake Woahink and Yaquina Bay along the Oregon
in Sarasota and 2001 in Antigua. As this issue of the Burgee
coast. While on the west coast they also raced in San Francisco
goes to press Cindy expects at least 80 boats to participate in the
Bay, and Lake Washington near Seattle, WA. In 1980 they par2010 Mid Winter Regatta March 11-14. 2010.
ticipated in the World’s Sunfish Regatta in Kingston, Ontario.
Sailors, racing small one design boats, most often have a horror
story or can relate some event worth at least a laugh. When
asked, Cindy recalled once having lost her daggerboard overboard in Barnegat Bay, she dove in to retrieve it. Her sunfish
sailed off without her. There she was with only her life jacket
and daggerboard to keep her company until someone came to
rescue her -- a half hour later.
Page 6
Cindy does have a full time occupation as a Graphic Designer.
She creates designs and logos for companies and organizations
for use on wearing apparel such as shirts, caps and jackets and on
printed material. Her designs appear on Sarasota Sailing Squadron products for sale and on Squadron publications. As a hobby,
Cindy pursues her interest in drawing and painting in the Ringling Art School Botanical Illustration Program.
The Burgee - April 2010
No, it‟s not a typo! Dot org has arrived! What you many
(or may have not) noticed while reading this issue, is
that the SSS‟s official website and extension have
changed!
The NEWLY designed and named SSS website is:
place.
Eventually, they will change again to allow for a single
entry of events directly into the website itself. That information will then be used for not only marquees on
the web, but when printing The Burgee as well. Pretty
kewl, huh?
WWW.SARASOTASAILINGSQUADRON.ORG
This transition will take some time, as the principals
learn the new technology and
the details and accompanying
kinks are worked out.
The Management and the
Board have wanted to make
this change for a few years
and have now been given the
opportunity. With the tireless
efforts of Mike Halliday our
fearless webmaster, the dream
has become a reality (well, not
that dramatic, but you get the
point. lol).
As Education Coordinator, it is
one of my goals in 2010 to
keep forward progress on this
effort. Mike and I have discussed and plan on implementing several things including
rewording verbiage and adding
pictures of our property in order to give current and prospective members/visitors a
true glance into the wonderful
world and all the amenities the
The new web address and extension of .org will align the
Mike Halliday hard at work!
SSS‟s visibility to that of a true
non-profit organization, and
eliminate that pesky “just
SSS offers.
„squad‟ … not the whole word‟” phrase that followed the
mention of anything computerized or web-related, including SSS email addresses for board members and
Suggestions are always welcome either on the web, in
staff alike.
The Burgee, via Letter to the Editor or by touching base
Mike has also rolled out the new look and feel of the
website. As you might imagine, this is a constant work
in progress (hummm, much like that sailboat...sailors
are really gluttons for punishment, apparently). The
website as you see it now will continue to undergo
changes as needed.
As you also may have noticed, the calendars in The Burgee have changed over the last two months. With so
many events, groups, coordinators and the like—the
calendar is one of, if not the most, difficult part of the
publication. Add an entire second step of repeating the
entries on the web and, well, you have a whole heck of
a lot of work. The format they currently are in is a
„temporary fix‟ in the fight to centralize entries into one
with any of your board members, SSS personnel or by
connecting with Mike himself:
webmaster@sarasotasailingsquadron.org
Above is a picture of Mike at work in the office. If you
know him or recognize him, please thank him for the
hard work, commitment, and tenacity he has shown in
rolling out the new website, addresses, and all things
technical. Mike is always professional, timely and easy
to work with. He is a true measurement of why a
member run, volunteer club works.
Congratulations, and thank you, MIKE!
YSP BOARD MEMBER NEEDED!
Volunteer Director needed for YSP Board: The SSS Board of Directors is seeking suitable volunteers to serve in a liaison position and to become a Board Member on the Youth Sailing Program's
Board of Directors. The YSP Board holds once monthly meetings which must be attended and
you will be required to report on those proceedings to the SSS Board of Directors, monthly, at our
regularly scheduled Board meetings. If interested, please submit your name and phone number to
the Manager, and you will be notified of the next steps in the process. As always, we thank our
volunteers for participating in this process. Any questions, please call the office.
Page 7
The Burgee - April 2010
At the Starting Line...
By: Bob Miller, Race Captain 2010
FIRST ANNUAL “BONE ISLAND REGATTA”
RACE TO KEY WEST
May 18th – May 23th, 2010
(This is NOT the official Notice of Race)
Since the last “Blast”, sailors at the SSS have really began to show up on the water.
Our first “Jack Attack” attracted seventeen entrees (it
might have been the free beer). The following Friday
found fourteen skippers enjoy a beautiful night on the
bay. Appetizers were warmed up and passed out along
with some powerful “Jello” shots.
The final Motley BOTY race this past Sunday had
twelve captains start with Rudy Reinecke onboard Hot
Tuna catching the entire fleet at the finish line. These
reverse handicap starts have balanced out the finish
times where at least half of the fleet finishes within ten
minutes of each other. The complete April 4th Motley
race results can be found here….. Over the course of
the season we have had twenty-two different boats participate in this popular race series. The final overall
Motley “Boat of the Year” race results will be posted
on the SSS website within a week or so.
Special thanks to Kirk Burnett for getting all the tackle
and gear needed to replace several of our SSS circle
marks. This past Saturday, Kirk and his crew spent
several hours putting our missing marks back on station.
Enjoy this great weather and go sailing!!!!
 The regatta will be governed by the rules as defined in the Racing
Rules of Sailing (RRS).
 WFPHRF Class Rules may be found at www.westfloridaphrf.org
 WFPHRF Class Rules – Appendix F 3.0-f-l- Which currently
reads “Jibs – maximum of 2” is changed to “Jibs – maximum of
3”.
 Entries shall be made by completing the Official Entry Form,
accompanied by an exact copy of the boat’s valid WFPHRF Rating Certificate along with the entry fee.
 The entry fee for Venice to Key West is One hundred twenty-five
dollars ($ 125.00) Entry fees are non-refundable.
 For rating information, contact West Florida PHRF, Phone (727)
462-0450 or administratior@westfloridaphrf.org
 Participants in the Venice to Key West competition will register
by mail. They may register at the Skipper’s Meeting on May 18th
2010.
 The Skippers Meeting for the Venice to Key West Race will be
May 18th time and location to be determined.
 An accurate and complete crew list shall be provided at the Skippers Meeting or before.
 Minimum of one (1) boat makes a class.
 Classes are: WFPHRF Spinnaker, WFPHRF Non-Spinnaker,
WFPHRF Cruising, WFPHRF Racer/Cruiser and WFPHRF Multihull as defined in the WFPHRF Class Rules. Further division of
classes may be dictated by the number of entries received.
 Divisions will be assigned based on a combination of rating, displacement and sailing characteristics of each boat. An attempt will
be made to follow boat of the year divisions.
 The first Warning signal will be 1055 on Wednesday May 19
2010. Boats still racing after the following times shall be scored
DID NOT FINISH Venice to Key West– 200 on Friday, May 21.
DOCKAGE:
Venice Yacht Club, Crow’s Nest Marina, or Higel Park for dockage
in Venice. Marina Jacks, Sarasota Sailing Squadron, Sarasota Yacht
Club and Bird Key Yacht Club for available dockage in Sarasota.
Key West: Early reservations are recommended. The Galleon Marina
(800) 662-7462 has reserved a block of slips on a first come first
serve basis (Rate is 3.50/ft per day.). Conch Harbor Marina (305)
294-2933; A&B Marina (800) 223-8352; Key West Bright Marina
(305) 296-3838 (rate is 2.75/ft per day); Key West Yacht Club (305)
296-3446 and Key West Hilton Resort and Marina (305) 297-4000.
First “Jack Attack” Series Shot
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Alice Petrat 941-232-3635; Greg Petrat 941-232-3637; Gregg
Knighton, gregg@knightonsailmakers.com; Jason Roznos, sailmonster@sailmonster.com/941-545-8835, John Huber 941-650-7020, or
Rick Gress, mogress@aol.com.
FOR THE OFFICIAL NOR GO TO
WWW.SAILMONSTER.COM
Page 8
SSS JACK ATTACK SERIES #1 UNOFICIAL RACE RESULTS
SSS FRIDAY NIGHT RACES, SERIES #1
The Burgee - April 2010
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The Burgee - April 2010
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The Burgee - April 2010
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The Burgee - April 2010
Commodore (Continued)
members changing purchase orders without approval or making or withdrawing applications, or whatever, without first
consulting with the management and/or the board.
When the board passed its new budget and fee structure, one
of the new fees implemented was a $25.00 fee to be imposed
on any “non-member” who takes a course which they pay for
at the Squadron. Sometimes unintended consequences occur.
In this case, after passing the fee, the YSP director David
Livingston pointed out that some of their kids who take a
summer course will become members in the fall or in January
at the start of the new year. They would then pay a fee PLUS
the full membership if they joined which would be a hardship
on many.
Our intention was not to hit the kids hard. The Sailing
Squadron has a long history of supporting youth sailing. So
as a “fix” for this, the board agreed to allow a “rebate” for
any of the kids who pay the fee and later go on to become
members. They will be permitted to apply the amount paid
against their initial membership bill. This should solve the
problem and help keep youth sailing as affordable as possible
at the Squadron.
Last week the SSS sent three board members, Lee, Jennings
and Pressman to a meeting with the YSP which was attended
by three of their board members to determine how to enhance
and improve the working relationship between these two
groups. I am pleased to say we had a good meeting. The
SSS has long valued a member from the YSP to run for a
board position to serve on the Squadron board. In years past,
Stu Gilfillen, former YSP director had served on the Squadron board and to great effect. The greater communication
between the two groups during his tenure was substantial.
Although new Director David Livingston had been invited to
run, his expanded job requirements at the YSP prevented him
from having the available time.
It now appears that there will be two seats on the YSP board
available to members of the Sailing Squadron. This should
continue to foster good communication between the two
groups. The purpose of last week’s meeting was to try to
define the actual role of the two new board members from the
Squadron. The Sarasota Yacht Club has held three seats on
their board, and will now hold two, giving parity to the Sailing Squadron. In the interim, I’ve asked David Jennings to
sit in on the YSP board meetings until the Squadron Board
can appoint two members to be on the YSP board.
So, if you are interested in serving on the YSP board and are
a member in good standing at the Squadron, please contact
Nancy Carolan and advise her that you would like to be considered for this volunteer position. Your name will be forwarded to the SSS Board.
Page 12
Last week we hired the final open staff position here at the
Squadron. Our budgeting plans called for a change in the
way we did business in 2009. This was not only part of our
cost cutting mission, but also of making the Squadron Staff
more directly responsive to Squadron needs.
In 2009 we incurred cost for a Maintenance Tech, Cleaning
Services and Lawn Maintenance which relied on both a staff
member and outside contract services. This expenditure totaled $58,500. Now that we are fully staffed in 2010 we have
our Maintenance Tech, Custodial and Lawn services covered
for a revised amount of $29,500. This is an annual savings of
$29,000!
Earlier this year we installed a point of sale computer at our
bar so that we could begin to accept credit and debit cards, “in
house” club cards, and payment with PIN numbers by members. We have not been satisfied with this system and have
experienced a small number of problems. We have received a
partial refund from the vendor and have received promises
from the vendor to make this system fully functional. Management is monitoring this situation and will make the necessary recommendations.
But if you will remember, one of the reasons we installed this
system was to reduce the amount of cash in the register at any
given time. This was to reduce our exposure to theft. It is my
understanding, that we are currently processing 50 to 60% of
the bar purchases through this non-cash system. So even with
a less than perfect system, we have reduced cash on hand by a
substantial amount.
The dock rebuild project is moving forward. Rear Commodore Bill Niblock, Manager Nancy Carolan and I met before
the March board meeting to agree on the process of obtaining
some competitive bids. Bill has agreed to prepare the specs
needed to bid the project by the April Board meeting, and to
meet with Nancy to prepare for the bidding process to start.
Member Walt Sarkozy has been helpful in providing names of
a few qualified contractors in addition to the ones we know
well.
In the interim, some small dock project remediation is under
way with some new pilings being installed, hardware between
floating docks being installed, and other general maintenance
being performed by Duncan Seawall and member volunteers.
And the latest on the Sovereign Submerged Lands Lease with
the State of Florida is that they have responded to our letter
expressing our concern about our position that the Squadron
is not legally empowered to “cause to be removed” any of the
moorings (82 that are not permitted) in the event that our
SSLL is denied for ANY reason. They have agreed that the
Squadron will not be held liable for or be subject to any fines
The Burgee - April 2010
related to the individual members who have placed moorings
in the field.
This is HUGE. We have been told to expect the Consent order (negotiated down from a $13,000 punitive fine to a $500
administrative fee) and a Temporary Use Authorization
(TUA) document imminently. We are consulting a dictionary
now to determine what “imminently” means.
Once these two documents are received in finality we will
begin our process of a.) meeting with the City of Sarasota to
ask them to move forward with our new Long Term Uplands
Lease, and b.) meeting with the city to ask them to formally
indicate that they will partner with the Sailing Squadron to
seek a SSLL from the state of Florida on our behalf.
FROM: BILL NIBLOCK,
REAR COMMODORE
YOUR INPUT IS NEEDED AND APPRECIATED!
Please report any problems you encounter while using the Main Dock launching
ramp to:
Rear_Commodore@SarasotaSailingSquad
ron.org
THANK YOU!
So, there you have it… some BIG and some small issues. But
if this weather would just cooperate a bit, I know I will tackle
the biggest issue for me and that is to make more time to get
out on the water and GO SAILING. And so you should too!
MEOWS and PURRS to all
the kind people who gave to
the Cat Fund this month:
Brandon Lerman, Mike &
Katie Smith, Ray Pilot, and Jenifer & Mo Tamman. I sincerely appurrciate it!
TO VIEW A FULL COLOR EDITION OF
THE BURGEE VISIT:
www.sarasotasailingsquadron.org
AN ADVERTISING SPACE LIKE THIS IS AN
ECONOMICAL WAY TO REACH ALL 900+
MEMBERS OF THE SSS! FOR DETAILS, CONTACT THE SQUADRON OFFICE AT 941-3882355. BUSINESS CARD SIZE ADS ARE ONLY
$25 PER MONTH OR $250 A YEAR.
Page 13
The Burgee - April 2010
Ball Busters
Submitted by Pat Murphy
BALLBUSTER’S MARCH 2010
SQUADRON DATE 030310 One of the coldest, windiest
days I’ve seen this year. Ballbusters were everywhere doing what they could without letting the cold weather punish themselves too much. Dennis O’Brien (he chose a
great day to reappear), Allan Titcombe and maybe John
Borden gassed the Pontoon Boat which was down by half.
Later they picked up left over RC stuff such as black
boards, flags, etc. and put them back in the RC storage
room. John Borden later cleaned the BBQ grille to make it
presentable for the next event. Seeing as how as its March
it won’t have to wait long. When I got to the Squadron,
Wanda was already there having arrived about 15 minutes
before 7 a.m. and working the whole time. Eddie & Ron
arrived next and Eddie went right to work. Chris Mera
called upon his Boy Scout skills and built a fire and then
with Brian Clark and someone else chopped up firewood
to fireplace size with small Boy Scout type hatchets. They
later converted to an electric saw and sped up the process.
Carter & Carol Fox came over to do their Work Party duty
and drove around in the Golf Cart picking up trash everywhere as well as doing specific jobs such as moving 6-7
old trash cans/lids to storage in the dumpster area, picking
up the blown down palm fronds (happens every time the
wind blows) in the Small Boat Area and a old decaying
tarp as well as policing the road to the gate and elsewhere.
In the meantime there were kids and others (about 25-30)
preparing food in the kitchen and getting ready for a laser
clinic later in the morning
GOOGLE ISLAND or SQUADRON DATE 031010 I got
to the Squadron about 8:30 a.m., and as usual as of late,
Wanda was already there hard at work. Ron & Eddie arrived later for breakfast and then work. After breakfast, a
very important part of the Ballbuster morning as is lunch
later on, everybody picks a job or is assigned one. Stu
Barnette and Carter Fox filled the motor boats with gas
and took the empty gas cans to Marine Max for a refill
while Brian Clark & Chris Mera spent some time rolling
up the curtains at the BBQ and Pavilion so when a cold
front comes through, and one will, they won’t get shredded. They then cleaned the grill for the week end. Alan
Titcombe, Bill Waggener, Larry MacMillian John Dougherty and Chris Mera worked on cutting square access holes
in the top of the aluminum floating dock and drilling ½
inch holes in the ends of the floating docks for stainless
bolts which they will insert next week to join the dock
sections together permanently. The previous stainless
bolts, because of being loose, wallowed a hole the size of
a baseball (hardball) and this was the only way to join the
Page 14
two dock sections. Ron & Don attempted to reattach a plywood sheet to the aluminum frame at the south floating
docks, but due to a lack of the proper bolt, were not able to
do it. Instead they nailed two 8 to 12 foot, 2 by 6’s to each
side of the bouncy ramp that leads to the 5 floats where
dinghies are tied. Next week they will drill holes and bolt
the 2 by 6’s to the ramp. The Nordman’s, Bill & Ruth
sanded and coated the rehabilitated Wave Tender with bottom paint so it can be launched and have a clean bottom
for at least a week. Somebody, I know not who, picked up
palm fronds, etc. out by the gate. John Dougherty and John
Gordon moved tables and chairs on the porch back to
where they belonged after last nights Board Meeting.
SQUADRON DATE 031710 ST. PAT’S DAY! A cloudy
day with the clouds getting blacker and blacker until we
got some fine drizzle for a while. I got to the Squadron
earlier than usual and there was Wanda & Ron hard at
work at the bar. Eddie couldn’t make it today as he had
fallen during the week and cut the back of his head causing
bleeding. The skin break in the back of his head was stapled shut. He’s only 93 but more hale and hardy than a lot
of us much younger. Dennis O’Brien and Stu Barnette, as
the rain was beginning to recede, gassed all the boats and
took Big Ben down to Marine Max and filled 6, six gallon
cans so the boats would not run out of gas during the One
Design Midwinter’s this next weekend. Dennis also
straightened up the tables and chairs on the porch and Pavilion while Stu emptied the over full garbage cans at the
Work Area. Chuck & Ruth Nordman, not to be out done,
cleaned the cabinets in the kitchen of all the built up gunk
from the last several months if not years. Frank English
washed the plates, dishes and pans that were piled in the
sink and then finished up by mopping the floor. Ron &
Don after they mounted a gorgeous photo chart of Sarasota
Bay in the foyer finished bolting the 8-12 foot 2 by 6’s that
were attached to the walkway to the 5 floating docks in
front of the dock last week after I drilled holes for the ½
inch bolts. Alan Titcombe and his crew Larry MacMillian,
Dennis O’Brien, etc. took on the big project of the day
which was to finish bolting the two sections of floating
dock together, pulling them tight, so there would be little
movement which causes the bolts to create larger holes and
leads to dock failure. I fixed a mobile podium that was
built several years ago for the Pavilion and had been somewhat discombobulated by misuse during regattas. In order
for the concept to work two movable bolts must be used to
assemble it and hold it in place. When these bolts are lost
the concept will not work and others must be found to replace them .
The Burgee - April 2010
Message from the Manager
THANK YOU VOLUNTEERS!
The SSS Board of Directors is seeking suitable volunteers
to serve in a liaison position and to become a Board
Member on the Youth Sailing Program's Board of Directors. The YSP Board holds once monthly meetings which
must be attended and you will be required to report on
those proceedings to the SSS Board of Directors, monthly, at our regularly scheduled Board meetings. If interested, please submit your name and phone
number to the Manager, and you will be notified of the
next steps in the process. As always, we thank our volunteers for participating in this process. Any questions,
please call the office.
Hosting four regattas in five weeks is not an easy
task, but thanks to all our volunteers, we did a great
job with the Windsurfers, Sunfishes, One Designs,
and Sailfest. We'll take a breather in April, as we
prepare for a calmer, summer season. Anyone who
is interested in helping with regattas in general,
please email Joanne at jhawkes13@aol.com. I
would love to have help with food, publicity, recruiting volunteers, and clean up.
We now have two additions to staff that I would like to tell
you a little about. Nelson Roberts is our part time Maintenance Technician with a strong background in boating,
engines, construction, and maintenance. He works Tuesday through Saturday from 9AM to 1PM. Regis Pontiere
is our part time Custodial/Grounds Maintenance Technician and he comes with a strong background in construction and repair and maintenance. His hours are Sunday
through Friday from 4PM to 8PM. As with all staff, hours
are flexible during Regattas. Please join me in welcoming
Nelson and Regis to the Squadron. One of the best things
about these two new hires is that the Squadron has eliminated two contract services, scaled back the Maintenance
Technician position to a part time function, and is not paying benefits. All and all the SSS is saving aprox.
$25,000.00 per year with this change.
This column consists of letters received in response to recent
articles or to address other issues at large within the SSS. The
purpose is to provide a forum for positive and constructive
views on articles and matters published in The Burgee.
You may have noticed Nelson installed the new combination door lock, and our member Dan Seluk has volunteered to assist us with the programming. This door software is capable of storing 3,000 individual combinations
which mean every member will have his/her unique code
to access the club after hours.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
SUBMISSION CRITERIA
The Editor requires that letters are expressed in a positive
way, with avoidance of negative terms, grammar or descriptions. This column is not to be used for negative comments or
innuendos about any person, product, device, company, institution, association or profession, whether intentional or not.
The Burgee, as a publication, is presented as professional as
possible, therefore, an appropriate standard of grammar and
expression is expected. The author of the letter is responsible
for ensuring the facts are accurate and encouraged to cite references. All letters may be edited for clarity and grammar, and
the Editor reserves the right to print or edit all submissions.
Letters to the Editor should be sent to burgee_editor@sarasotasailingsquadron.org and contain the subject line “Letter to the Editor”. Deadline is the 20th of each
month. Submissions must include the author name and telephone number in order to provide means of verification.
The Board authorized me to purchase a new dishwasher
for the kitchen, and we’re getting ready to purchase one
that meets the specifications set by the Board and have it
installed. (Yay)
ALL ARTICLES & PHOTOS FOR SUBMISSION IN
THE BURGEE
SHOULD BE SENT ELECTRONICALLY TO:
BURGEE_EDITOR@SARASOTASAILING SQUADRON.ORG
BY THE DEADLINE OF THE 20TH OF EACH MONTH.
FILES THAT TRANSFER BEST ARE
WORD, PDF OR PLAIN TEXT FILES.
My thanks to the member who donated the rug and pillows to the living room. It’s a nice addition. Don’t be shy,
tell me who you are, I want to personally thank you.
Hopefully the nice weather is here to stay, and Laurel’s
quick fix winter canvas door has been put away for good
this year. I want to thank our Regatta volunteers from bartenders, to BBQ and all in between for the hours of hard
work they put in to make these events a great success.
"A sailor is an artist whose
medium is the wind."
-Webb Chiles
Happy Sailing
Nancy
Page 15
The Burgee - April 2010
DON’T SELL
YOUR
BOAT…
GIVE IT TO
THE KIDS!
The Sarasota Youth Sailing Program needs donations!
Pay NO SALES TAX on boats
purchased from the SYSP!
Call for updated list—new boats come in regularly.
Boats can be seen at the Sarasota Sailing Squadron, City Island,
1515 Ken Thompson Parkway, Sarasota, FL
Phone 941-504-4236
AN ADVERTISING SPACE LIKE THIS IS
AN ECONOMICAL WAY TO REACH ALL
900+ MEMBERS OF THE SSS! FOR DETAILS, CONTACT THE SQUADRON OFFICE AT 941-388-2355. BUSINESS CARD
SIZE ADS ARE ONLY $25 PER MONTH
OR $250 A YEAR.
SYSP is a 501c(3) Non-Profit Corporation
P.O. Box 2706
Sarasota, FL 34230
SSS S t u f f
SQUADRON BASEBALL CAPS
ONLY $14 EACH
LARGE TOTE BAGS
$25
POLO
SHIRTS
WITH
SQUADRON LOGO
$25
SSS INVENTORY SALE
Marc Dwiel
6010 Cattleridge Dr. Ste 200
Sarasota, Florida 34232
(941) 955-2133 Ext. 525
Fax (941) 957-4153
Page 16
www.ibcinsurance.com
E-Mail: mdwiel@ibcinsurance.com
PREVIOUS REGATTAS (EXCEPT LABOR DAY) - $5
LABOR DAY REGATTA—$12
FLEECE JACKETS—$45
FLEECE VESTS—$40
VISORS—$12
“SYLVESTER” T-SHIRTS—$10
The Burgee - April 2010
TO ALL MEMBERS
A FRIENDLY REMINDER
there is no room
in the parking lot,
please park outside
the gate. If you absolutely must park in
front of someone’s
boat, please leave
your keys in the car,
so it can be moved if
needed. Blocking
someone's boat may
lead to your car being
towed at your own expense. Thank you.
When
NOTICES
Per Management:
Dirty dishes left in the kitchen are thrown out
at member’s expense.
Freezers are not for member use.
Please see the back of your
directory for
REGATTA DOCK RULES
If you have any questions about
docking, please stop by the office.
Thank you.
Don’t forget…
The Squadron’s policy is that all contractors must have 1 million dollars in
liability insurance, with the Squadron
listed as the additional insured. Examples of this are: working for others
on Squadron property or the mooring
field, charging people to sail, etc.
ATTENTION ALL BOAT
OWNERS
In order to keep your boat at
The Squadron, you must have
VALID INSURANCE COVERAGE. (Standing Rules - Section
II. General; Item L)
Please make sure the office
always has a copy of your current boat insurance coverage.
You can: bring in a copy, fax
it in to 941-388-5524 or scan
and e-mail
joanne@sarasotasailing
ED
R
SU
IN
squadron.org. Each time you
renew your insurance, usually
on an annual basis, you MUST
resubmit it to the office.
Please make sure the expiration date is clearly legible.
THANK YOU!!
ATTENTION SQUADRON MEMBERS:
Floating marks that are missing
should be reported to :
Kirk Burnett @
544-6630 &
the SSS office
@ 388-3855
Current BOAT US members wishing to renew at
the reduced rate of $15 should write the group
name and number on their renewal bills and return
them to Boat US with their payments.
Group Name: Sarasota Sailing Squadron
Group #: GA82296S
Page 17
The Burgee - April 2010
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The Burgee - April 2010
Page 19
The Burgee - April 2010
PRSRT STD
U.S.POSTAGE
PAID
MANASOTA FL
PERMIT #802
Sarasota Sailing Squadron
1717 Ken Thompson Parkway
Sarasota, FL 34230
Page 20