Konza Sailor
Official Newsletter of the Blue Valley Yacht Club
Founded 1963
Post Office Box 961, Manhattan, Kansas 66505
http://www.bluevalleyyachtclub.org/
Volume 2002  Issue 1  January 2002

Secretary’s Message                              

We have just had our first official snowfall of the season, and it is difficult to imagine what else winter has in store for us. Hopefully, we will be sailing soon.   I would like to continue to encourage more active membership from new and old members alike. There are many ways this can be accomplished through attending work and social events, by racing in the spring series, or by simply greeting and chatting with fellow members. If you have input for the newsletter, please e-mail me at tbk296@aol.com. This year I would also like to continue printing sailing stories from members.

On a more somber note, in light of the context of recent events, the BVYC Board of Directors is discussing naming one of the racing series after Kyle Chapman, Chris Shipley, and Tim Bennet, the three young men who lost their lives on Tuttle Creek Lake.  In this month’s newsletter, I have included (thanks to Chris Ross), information about hypothermia.

Safe Sailing,
Tracie

Fall Banquet:

 The Annual Minutes from the Fall Banquet will be published soon. As many of you know, I could not attend, and Ken Hays graciously volunteered to take minutes for me. The only problem: his computer crashed, and he is anxiously awaiting the arrival of his new computer. Isn’t technology wonderful? I will send them out as soon as possible.

Applications Due:

Applications and membership fees are due March 1.  Please include your correct e-mail address and all other requested information. The membership list is created from the applications, so please print legibly. Please remember that all fees must be paid on time, or you risk losing membership privileges.

Upcoming Events

 This year’s schedule of events is posted on our website, but here are some highlights. Please remember that all dates are subject to change.

 Spring Banquet:             April 6 (Location to be announced.)

Spring Work Day:            April 13

Alternate Work Day:        April 20

 Tell Tales: Ned Gatewood is planning to continue his fine work organizing speakers and other events for us.  Dates, locations, and speakers will be announced soon.

 Sea Base 2002 will be held August 16-18 in honor of Chapman, Bennet, and Shipley. If you would like to volunteer to help, please contact Henry Otto or Chris Ross.

Racing Season is fast approaching. Ken Conrow sends the following message:

Spring Series (Sundays)                                      April 28, May 12. June 2, and June 9.

Scott Liebler Memorial Day Race (Saturday)         May 25.

Summer Series (Sundays)                                   June 16, June 30, July 14, and July 28.

Labor Day Race (Saturday)                                  August 31.

Fall Series (Sundays)                                          Sep  8, Sep  22, Oct  6, and  Oct 20.

Same SOPs as last year: it takes five to race; register by Friday evening. Make-up races will be held on the following Sundays in case of bad weather. Series races are on consecutive Sundays in early June (June 2, 9, 16), meaning  no make-up races for the first of those.

News from the Harbor Maintenance Committee

1. Dock improvements expected to be completed this winter include an added section to the end of the dock, with added and redistributed flotation. We would also like to stabilize the dock and eliminate some of the “flex” arising from wave action, and some of the hinge breakage. A pontoon platform will be added where the work barge used to be to provide a dinghy rigging and launch area.

2. It is strongly suggested that users of moorings add a safety chain, secured to the mooring anchor chain below, and to the galvanized eye above, the mooring float ball. This arrangement keeps your boat anchored even if the nut on the bottom of the mooring float falls off, which happens occasionally. Capt. Bartholomew and others can testify as to the usefulness of a safety chain. The moorings will be inspected in the Spring, and maintenance is scheduled for many of them.

3. It would be helpful for owners of tenders to identify permanently their boats and oars. Boats float away at times, and there is occasional confusion as to who exactly owns tenders and oars. Etching, tagging, or painting a name on these items can help avoid some of this confusion.

Hypothermia

A very useful article for all sailors to read concerns hypothermia. It can be found at http://www.boatus.com/onlinecourse/. It discusses safety concerns, basic tips to prevent hypothermia, as well as first aid for hypothermia.

(Henry Otto writes the following article on the Boy Scouting at the Blue Valley Yacht Club. Due to space constraints, it will be published in two parts.)

Boy Scouting at the BVYC: Part I

by Henry Otto

            Even though the current relationship between the BVYC and the various units of the Boy Scouts of America dates back four or five years, there is considerable confusion regarding the various programs and units involving the two organizations.

            The most direct involvement is with the Sea Scouts. The Sea Scouts, a ninety-year old subdivision of the Boy Scouts of America, is a national organization for young men and women between 14-21. In 2000, the BVYC chartered Sea Scout ship 5074 as its long sought after youth sailing program. The advantages to the Club to use the Sea Scouts as its youth organization were many. Besides providing both a national and local support organization for the club’s new youth sailing program, the Boy Scouts provide a million dollar liability policy to cover all Sea Scout activities. The Boy Scouts are also able to accept donations of boats and equipment on a tax deductible basis for the donor and the transfer of boats to the Club for the use of the youth. Even though the Yacht Club is a non-profit corporation, it cannot provide a tax deduction to donors because the Club cannot be a tax exempt organization under federal law.

            I am the Skipper, or senior adult leader of the Sea Scout ship. Other Club members involved are Bill Schapaugh, Committee Member; John Joehnk, Charter Organization Representative; Bob Mullen, Committee Chair; Chris Ross, Mate. The ship’s fleet includes three Sunfish, two Flying Juniors, two Windsurfers, a Flying Scott, the Oz Spray, a 26 foot Ranger which we share with the KSU Sailing Club.

            The Sea Scouts raise their own money, maintain their own boats, and operate at no expense to the BVYC, except for the in-kind mooring and dinghy park spaces. Recently, the Sea Scouts received a donation of two used pontoon boats from GENMAR Manufacturing and has re-donated one of them to the BVYC for a dock extension. The Sea Scouts have also benefited the Club by providing racers to fill out the minimum number of boats for races and providing crew members for club members.

            The Club also has helped out Troop 74 with its sailing camp-outs. Troop 74 is a traditional Boy Scout troop, serving about 70 youth from ages 10-17 and chartered to the Manhattan Presbyterian Church. The troop and the BVYC share member families in the Schapaughs, Marchins, and the Ottos. Every other year the troop has held a summer camp-out on the Club grounds, and various members of the BVYC provide sailing experience for the campers. The Scouts in return do a general clean-up of the grounds. Last summer, Troop 74 a number of youth and adults to Marsh Harbour on Abaco Island in the Bahamas and the Florida Keys to sail. All of those involved did their water training at the Blue Valley Yacht Club.