Summer is winding down, but not sailing season. The Blue Valley Yacht Club has some fun-filled upcoming events, including the annual Pig Roast and fall racing series. I hope that everyone has had a chance to sail to his or her heart’s content this summer. Unfortunately, Sean and I have not been able to sail as often as we wish. We hope to have some beautiful end of the summer weather.

Due to a hectic work and travel schedule this summer, not only did I not get to sail as often as I wanted to, I also neglected to get as many newsletters out. With that apology stated, I would now like to issue an invitation. A conversation with Harriet Ottenheimer sparked my desire to know more about the “good old” days of the club. I want to extend an invitation to members to share their fond recollections about the early years of the club or their experiences sailing. These anecdotes will be printed in the newsletter in coming months. In this month’s newsletter, we will hear from Ken Conrow and Ned Gatewood.

 If you have input for the newsletter or a story to share, please e-mail me at tbk296@aol.com.

Happy Sailing,

Tracie Kalic
Tbk296@aol.com

September 1-3 Lake Perry Regatta: Club members have been invited to sail in a regatta at Lake Perry over Labor Day weekend. Contact Ken Conrow for specific details.

 September 15: 9 am at Java in Aggieville. Telltales: Informal Gatherings of the Blue Valley Yacht Club

Sailors! While we would have a hard time getting lost of Tuttle Creek Lake, and while GPSs are easier than the sextant to determine your latitude and longitude, the sextant is still an intriguing instrument to us all. Henry Otto has persuaded David Stuzman, who formally was an instructor at the British Royal Navy College, to give a talk on the use of the sextant. David will present an overview of the subject, and while Henry suggests that participants are not be prepared to go to sea, we will learn the theory of celestial navigation and how to use the sextant and associated tables.

 Pig Roast: The annual Pig Roast will be held on September 29. More details will follow.

Fall Schedule:

September 9               September 29

October 7                      October 21

Membership will be reminded early in each week before a race on the coming Sunday, and requiring five positive responses for a race to be held. Responses will be required by Friday, so there will be time to notify would-be racers if a race does not make. If a race is canceled due to lack of interest, there will be no makeup. If bad weather causes cancellation of a race in which people indicated they would participate, the notification and response cycle will be repeated in the following week in the hope of getting a makeup race in on the Sunday which would otherwise be an off one.

We congratulate Shannon and Dave Heroux on the purchase of their new Stortriss. We know they will enjoy the camaraderie of the club!

Thank you to John Willis and his father for the new American flag and flagpole. John’s father donated the flag and pole, and John installed it on the shelter. It is another nice addition to the club.

 A special thank you to John Joehnk, John Willis, and others who helped bail out a number of boats this weekend after the storms.

As told by Ken Conrow

 One of the most exciting memories involved a regatta at Milford. It might have been the dedication regatta-- Al Liebler served as race committee. Phil Hostetter and Maarten van Swaay were there as well as Marka and I. The weather was very unsettled, and I think we didn’t get any race in on Saturday, so we were all eager to go Sunday morning. L ventured out and set up a course, and we all milled around in the starting area waiting  for a signal sequence to start. Without even a flag change or an audible signal, Al suddenly took out full speed for the cove. We took the hint and headed in also. The first big gust told us to take down the jib, which we had just completed when the wind hit us for real. Within a second every boat in the fleet was either capsized or on a flat out broad reach screaming plane toward the cove. We beached near the ramp, took down the mast, sail and all, and secured it enough to keep everything from blowing away just before the hail started. Then we waited it out from inside the car-- not long, maybe 15 minutes.

 After that, I went with Maarten to help him sort out his boat-- he was beached across the cove on a point leeward of the original committee boat site, having been one who capsized. It was still blowing pretty well, though the rain and hail had stopped. We had his boat nearly on his trailer when we noticed a fairly big catamaran coming straight at us very fast. The skipper made no effort to luff up or anything, and his momentum carried him up on the shore right next to us for a distance well over the length of his boat. The skipper said his sheet (rudder? both? I forget) was jammed and there was nothing he could do. Fortunately, the shore was just slick mud, and there seemed very little damage to his boat.

 When we got back to the ramp and the wind was down to something normal, Phil came sailing peacefully up to the loading dock. We asked him how he had managed. He said, “No problem. I just anchored in the cove, took down the sails, went below, and shut the hatchway.” He was completely unperturbed.  

The two VHF radios recently purchased will provide safer sailing during races as well as the other occasions when members have a use for them. Here are a few bits of information and some protocol to be aware of when using a VHF radio.

 The use of “handles” 10 codes and chatter has no place in marine radiotelephone communication. Conversations should be efficient and succinct.

 Channel 16 is the marine emergency and calling channel. Federal law requires a vessel to monitor channel 16 unless actively speaking on another channel. There is a prescribed format to initiate a call on a marine radiotelephone. All calls are made on channel 16. Once contact is established, both stations shift to a working channel to transact their business. Do not monopolize channel 16 for any more time than is necessary.

PASSWORDS:

 Over.               It is your turn to talk.

Out.                 I have finished talking, and no                                reply is necessary.

Roger.             I understand.

Wilco.             I will comply.

Say Again.            Please repeat your last                                          transmission.

- Ned Gatewood

            There was nothing unusual about the Friday night at the Blue Valley Yacht Club. Several boats were coming into the Cove, and one or two were sailing out for a moonlit cruise. That night, like many other nights this summer, “The Usual Barnacles” (Henry Otto’s phrase) were hanging out under the shelter talking about everything under the stars.

            This night, the chef in the crowd was trying to find a source for a propane refrigerator. He is living these days on the cheap, camping regularly on his boat that powered-up with a solar panel that runs a TV, and other pleasures of a modern minimalist. Ah, the low cost of high living. A propane refrigerator will make this guy really happy. The chef, who also has a background in mechanics, was advising on how to clean the points of a 1953 Evinrude.

            Another Usual Barnacle, the veterinarian, was also under the shelter telling tales of a recent camping trip in Canada with a bunch of teenagers and mosquitoes. And the attorney, recognized by WoodenBoat magazine as “our man in Kansas”, was there declaring the finder points of something nautical, specifically what it was I don’t remember. There was also the retired colonel carrying on about Jane Fonda, or some such. Most listeners, however, were tuning out the Jane Fonda stuff and picking and choosing from the smorgasbord of the other Usual Barnacles’ wisdom being thrown around.

            What’s amazing about last Friday night is that it’s often like this these days at the Blue Valley Yacht Club. The place is hopping. Really. And on the weekends, there’s always a bunch of interesting people sailing and hanging around. So come sailing, or just hang out with the Usual Barnacles. Bring dinner one night and watch the sun set over the Cove. It’s guaranteed to be a pleasant evening, with or without the Usual Barnacles.