2011 News & Announcements:
Annual Membership Meeting
Date: 12/12/2011
Time: 7pm (Come at 6pm for dinner and social)
Place: Seven Bridges Restaurant, Onalaska
Major Beach Improvements
9/15/11. We are in the process of removing concrete from the beach side of the club. Three loads are done and about one load to go. There are about 20 pieces in each load. Also vegetation harvesting has started on both sides of the club today. Greg Martin.
Commodore’s Letter Summer 2011
As I write this letter in early June we’re already a month into the sailing season. The club survived another spring flood, we have had several very productive workdays, the racing season is underway, and our first full moon picnic is this weekend.
We’ve planned several improvement and repair projects for the summer including a new shed with changing room, removal of obstructions from the beach area, and replacement of the electric power line to the flagpole and north slips. We will let you know via e-mail when we require help with these projects. Our aquatic vegetation (weed) harvesting permit has been renewed and we have lined up a contractor to do the work as it’s required.
So far the weed situation is much better than last year. Apparently the high water and somewhat cooler spring weather has slowed weed growth, so come out and enjoy the nearly weed free lake while you can.
Check our excellent club web-site (lax-sailing.org) for current listing of events planned for the summer, race results and updates and information about special workdays that may be called to accomplish our list of summer projects.
As a club we have always been able to count on our members to support club activities from racing events to special workdays. However, we are in need of a few members each year to take on leadership positions. This summer we are still in need of someone to take on the responsibilities of social committee chairman. This job is important to make sure that all or our social events have a person responsible for their planning and execution. This would be a good job for one of our new members as it’s a good way to get to know people in the club. If anyone is interested please contact myself, Tim or Adriane. I’m sure you’ll be glad you volunteered.
As the only organized sailing club and sailboat harbor in the La Crosse area our membership continues to grow. All slips, beach locations, and trailer spots are currently taken and there is a long wait list for any spot along the bulkhead and south pier. Our rules permit current members that are not planning to use their space assignment to offer it to the club for sub-leasing on a year by year basis. This enables new members to place their boats at the club and enjoy sailing the lake on at least a temporary basis. Over the years some of our members have become less active sailing-wise and some boats spend the entire season at the dock or on the lift unused. This is very frustrating for new members on our waitlists to see. If you are a member who has not uses their boat infrequently or not at all, please consider opening up your assigned spot for the club for sub-lease by a new member. You will have your dockage fee refunded and retain your rights to the spot for use in later years. Contact myself, Tim, or Adriane if you are interested in doing this.
Thanks, and have a great sailing season,
Bill Plzak – Commodore LSC
La Crosse Sailing Club Social
Saturday, June 11 is the date of the first 2011 La Crosse Sailing Club social, hosted by the Beach Fleet. The Social will have a international theme. Cost is $5 per person. The Social begins at 5pm. Food will be served at 6pm. If you want to eat, please RSVP ASAP to gregamartin@hotmail.com or leave a message on the home phone, 608.452.3793.
We could use a few more folks from the Beach Fleet including Cats, Lasers, and Trailers to help out. Please call 608.792.1304.
Help Needed
Every Tuesday and Thursday evening the club holds racing for one design boats and keel boats respectively.
We need a dedicated individual to run the races. Basic powerboat skills would be required but we can also train the right individual. Someone would need to set the buoys out for the race course (prior to 6 PM),
count down to the start with a stopwatch and record the finishes (again, we will help train someone).
The individual could be a club member, who would like to do this as a volunteer task, and could get workday credit, or it could be someone who would like to be paid ($20 an evening), maybe a teenager or a retiree.
If you think you'd have fun seeing some competitive sailboat racing up close and spending some extra time on the water please give us a call or drop an e-mail. If you might know of someone else who might be interested please contact us as well.
Thanks for the consideration,
Bill Fox and John Zinn
Race Committee Chairmen
La Crosse Sailing Club
Fox: bfox@trane.com 608-397-0973
Zinn: jzinn@mwt.net 608-634-3834
.
Social Events 2011
5/14 Workday Pizza - Saturday after work is done, no charge
6/11 Ethnic night - (Mexican, Mid East, etc.) No one - possibly board, trailer, beach fleets?
7/16 Island Party Lee Perterson - Lift boat fleet
8/13 Steak night Leathens
9/10 Fish Boil
2011 News & Announcements
-
The 2011 Sailing Season dues letters have been sent out. In order to renew your membership for 2011 please return your dues payment by April 2, 2011. Make sure to send updated contact information with your dues payment and contact Bill Plzak with any dock assignment changes for 2011.
-
The Annual Membership Meeting has been scheduled for Thursday, March 31, 7:00pm at Seven Bridges Restaurant. For those wishing to socialize and eat, please come earlier. Watch for the meeting agenda and budget updates to be posted in the coming weeks. They will be posted at http://www.lax-sailing.org/meeting.
-
The Spring Workday is set for Saturday, April 30th. Any delays or cancelations due to high water levels or inclement weather will be communicated through the website. Currently the rain day will be Sunday, May 1st.
Adriane Melby
Secretary-Treasurer
La Crosse Sailing Club
The 2011 Racing Organizational Meeting
The 2011 Racing Organizational Meeting will be held at noon on Saturday, April 16th at Schmidty's Bar & Grill in La Crosse. We hope you can make it!
John Zinn and Bill Fox
12.17.2010 To the Beach Boats……….
My key words are "May and June" and "weeds"! May and June were great months for sailing and getting off the beach. Because of the aquatic vegetation last summer, we were unable to get into the lake after mid July. The Lazer boats were forced to leave to continue racing on another lake. For the beach itself, the foundations that lie submerged in front of the beach should be out next year. Weed cutting will probably start in July.
I encourage beach boats to get out and sail heavy in the only two months that were available to us last year (May and June). Water temps are low during these months especially in May. Dangerous situations can happen especially if you are out alone. So…….During these two months, assume no one will be around to help you! So…..Go out with another boat or at least another swimmer. It's safer, we learn from each other, and it's more fun! Wear appropriate clothing...wet/dry suit depending on temperature. If you are not certain how to right your boat, let someone teach you! May and June are beautiful, weed free, windy months. You can go just about anyplace on the lake, places where you can't go during any other time of any year. Most seasons are great seasons for sailing off the beach (Last season not so muchJ ). When we are part of a club and we take advantage of the knowledge and friendship other members can provide, we find lots of fun things to do.
So….. Contact each other. Call each other. Make a date with each other. Get early sailing dates on your calendar NOW. May and June will slip by fast.
Happy Sailing, Greg gregamartin@hotmail.com 608-792-1304
U.S. Fish and Wildlife News Release
Unusual Weather Patterns Intensify Challenges with Aquatic
Plants on the Mississippi River (pdf)
Jon Feist and Geoff Ghatterton Featured on WKBT
Here is a snippit of the story. Also check the resources page for an embedded video version of the story.
Dr. Jon Feist is a popular local dentist who's spent the last 25 years looking down the mouths of patient after patient. Geoff Chatterton is a 75-year-old retired engineer who originally hails from Selby, England. Two men from two very different backgrounds with two common passions. They both love to sail and they both love to win.
Chatterton has been a member of the La Crosse Sailing club since 1970 when he bought a small 2 man boat called a snipe. "In 1971 we started to race the snipe...and at that time, we were just happy if we weren't in last place. That was an accomplishment."
Since then however, Geoff has become the man to beat on the waters of lake Onalaska. But if there's one man that's up to the Chatterton challenge it's Dr. Feist. "My very first dock was right next to Geoff's. The first day I moved in...he was already asking if I was interested in racing. He hooked me pretty hard and pretty quick."
But here's what's interesting about this pair of sailors, on Tuesday night's they're teamate's, on Thursday's...competitor's. "He and Jon are usually at the head of the pac. If we get ahead of them, it's because we broke something!"
"Who between the two is a better sailor? Depends on the day." "Well Jon is quite good in his own right...but he doesn't have as many years as I do." "So you are the better sailor? I didn't say that!" Rivals one day, near unbeatable teamates the next, these two very different men have found common ground on the water.
Ready to Sail? Join Greg Martin's News Group
We enjoy sailing and this year I hope we can get together to sail as often as possible. That is why I started a Windows Live group that I hope will make it easy for us to communicate and let each other know when we might be sailing. I know some of us won’t go to the club unless we have a crew or just feel better knowing someone else is around at the club. So lets try this communication form and see how it works out.
Primary Goal: To get the best form of communication to let each other know when we are going to the club.
Secondary Goals: To keep in touch; To learn from each other; To have the best sailing experience possible.
The group is now open to all Lake Onalaska sailors. You will need a user name and password. Make up your own. When you ask for permission into the group, I'll get an automatic email and as soon as I see it, you will have access. Take a look at the calendar (Click on the date and then on the blue+ to add your information).
Check out the cool photos (which you can add to). I hope we can all benefit. Let me know what you think.
Greg Martin
Http://Sailus.Groups.Live.com
Any problems, questions: Email to: gregamartin@hotmail.com