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Well, Big Lake's virtual zero wind on Saturday 9/2/00 prevented any racing, so for fun we disassembled some more wrecked docks and removed the last of the wreckage from the water. Wow, this is what real sailing is all about; tote, fetch, heave, pry, cut, etc.
Sunday 9/3/00 brought more of the same until an early evening breeze caught our attention. In preparation for the spectacular fireworks show from Saddleback Island that evening, I'd already sailed out and retrieved the first mark. So, we called a Challenge Cup Race with the first to the remaining mark - and first to retrieve it be awarded the Challenge Cup. With four boats in the water this looked like a real race. I was first to the mark but missed the grab. Trevor Weissller made a heroic leap and snagged the mark. Now if the last holder of the Challenge Cup could please forward it to Trevor, the award will be complete.
By Labor Day the field had thinned to the Robars
and myself. Very light, erratic winds in late morning suggested
it was now or never - so off we went. Of course the wind died
immediately. What normally would have been a 20 minute or less
race turned into an hour and a half drifter. Using the Portsmouth
Handicap: the Hobie 16 crossed the finish 5.5 minutes ahead of
the Skipjack. After correcting the ( actual race elapsed
time / Portsmouth No. ) * 100 = Corrected Time the Hobie
16 was 115.1 minutes vs. 107.5 for the Skipjack - behind
by 7.6 minutes! The other three columns are for
different wind strengths. Yikes. It looks like I'll have to
capsize that pesky Skipjack and keel haul the crew to ensure
victo
ry next time.
Congratulations to Ben and Birgitt Robar for the 2000 Governor's Cup.
RACE ET |
CORRECTED TIMES |
||||
HOBIE 16 |
96.1 |
125.1 |
115.1 |
121.2 |
127.6 |
SKIPJACK |
101.6 |
109.0 |
107.5 |
106.7 |
112.4 |
If you lose important parts before a Governor's Cup race, you
must dive the frigid waters to retrieve them as Ray DeLey has
done here!
The winch motor has been replaced, again. Thanks to Dave Johnson for ordering the motor. I installed it and we're electric again, but it will still slip some with heavier loads. That's because the brake pads are toasted. (Dave, I'll send you some info on this.) Also, make sure the clutch lever is fully engaged. Just lift the load higher than you need it and let it unreel slowly as you swing you're boat. Don't constantly tickle the switch or we'll have another doorstop labeled "electric motor". Ed Kornfield may know a shop that can repair these motors at a good rate.
The Fall Work Party is scheduled for Saturday September 23, 2000, 10:00am to 4:00pm. After yet more post storm cleanup work during the Governor's Cup weekend, us worker bees determined we were basically too tired to build docks this fall. That project will have to wait for spring - then we'll production line four dock sections and at least have an L dock.
So, the workload will be lighter: secure the docks to shore, reset and upgrade the shoreline moorings, disassemble and stack the last of the damaged docks, general site securing, pull the RL and any member boats that need the help.
At 2:00pm we'll have a potluck (bring an item)
and hold elections for the 2001 season. 
See you at the lake.
Note - Kendra being hoisted up the Midnight Sun's mast. If you don't
attend work parties, or follow the rules, this could happen to you!
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Two Boats Sunk As Wind And Waves Destroy
Eight Dock Sections
Monday August 14th was sunny and pleasant in Anchorage. On the evening news Jackie Purcel mentioned gusty winds were going to be coming out of the north. Right on cue, about 7:00pm the wind began to howl in Jewel Lake. My phone rang at 8:00pm. It was Alan Adrian calling from the club site at Big Lake. The docks were coming apart and several boats, including my Hobie 16, were in peril of damage and sinking. We called some other members and packed frantically for a trip to the lake.
I arrived at 9:45pm with my family and Rick Gilmore right behind me. Alan Adrian, a friend of his, Steve Anastos, Joe Ofner and Ray De Ley were already on site.
Things looked grim. It was getting dark. The wind was blowing about 40 mph. Three foot waves were breaking over the docks tossing all boats in the water like toys. Ray De Ley's new boat, the Frisk Luft had been holed and lay on its side. Rick Gilmore's runabout rested on the bottom in shallow water along the south seawall.
Three remaining sections from C dock had been secured against
the damaged A docks and the RL, Midnight Sun and Ed Kornfield's
sloop were tied up there. They were taking a beating and the
Midnight Sun had lost her outboard in deep water.
The Frisk Luft was pumped out, re-floated and with great struggle motored to the cove and pulled onto its trailer. Rick's boat would have to wait for morning, it was just too dangerous to do much more than attach some foam blocks for floatation. We pulled Alan Adrian's boat onto its trailer and pulled it out. My Hobie was pulled by hand since the beam seas would wreck it by morning. The rescue boat was rescued before it filled completely and sank at the dock.
The wind continued to blow all night. We added extra fenders to the three big boats on the jury rigged A dock. By 5:00am we called it a night and hoped for calmer weather by Tuesday. On Tuesday, when these photos were taken, the wind continued to blow but no further damage was sustained. Rick's boat was pumped out and pulled with the hoist Wednesday morning.
Work continued during the week with damaged sections detached and floated to the hoist area. On Saturday Steve Anastos, Ed Kornfield and I took the remaining serviceable docks tied them along the shore. We'll have to build two sections this fall and two more in the spring to be able to have a set up close to the previous C configuration..
Thanks again to all members who answered the call and especially Alan Adrian, whose quick thinking and early actions prevented the damage from being worse.
On a lighter note, it's racing time again. The annual Governor's Cup series, three races per day for the Labor Day weekend, is fast approaching. Big Lake winds are typically prime this time of year. Bring your competitive spirit and some potluck goodies. It's always fun to race around the marks like Dennis Conner - well we can pretend..
Portsmouth rules allow all boats to compete but beware, it's tough to beat a Skipjack with the Robars aboard.
Don't worry if you don't know about all those yacht racing rules, we'll walk you through them. The more boats on the water the more fun it is. See previous issues on the web site for coverage of previous races as well as some essays on racing in general. Read the Mary Wells excerpts for more on the importance of a racing contingent to a successful club.
See you at the lake September 2 through September 4. May the wind be with you.
This issue and the previous issue, which is obviously late, are being mailed together. My sailing time and publishing time has been severely curtailed this summer by pressing job requirements.
In the interest of member privacy I have not posted names and addresses on this web site. If you would like soft copy, drop me an email at the web site's address aksailclub@aol.com This mailing will include a membership list with contact information. A copy has been posted at the club house to provide contact information in the event of future emergencies at the lake.
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Saturday May 20th was the annual spring party. Drainage canals, the usual leaf raking, cleaning and dock launching were accomplished.
Many thanks to contributing members Curtis Dunkin, Ellen, Ben and Birgitt Robar, Mark Weissller, Alan Adrian, Joe Ofner, Paul Willing and Steve Anastos. A slim showing to say the least – we can do better.
Late season ice in the boat ramp cove prevented launching of
any large boats. The same ice made for the coldest late May water
this reporter has felt! While connecting the dock anchor lines,
thirty seconds per arm in the water was max.
A surprise visit by Matt Flickenger brightened the day. It’s always good to see long time members return. Matt is currently assigned to the USS Pennsylvania. It’s a boomer (guided missile submarine for all you non-Tom Clancy readers). He goes to sea for 90 day tours and then does 90 days of light shore duty.
Work commitments delayed my departure from Anchorage until Saturday morning. My son Taylor and I arrived at the club site at 11:30 am greeted by a fresh breeze and glorious sunny skies – A Big Lake sailor’s dream. It looked to be a perfect day for some on the water time with the students. But then looks can deceive.
After some unpacking and during a quick lunch, Birgitt Robar stopped by, I assumed for a social call,
"The dock is coming apart." she said.
I replied that I’d be right down to take a look, as I finished some reheated kung pao chicken. I visualized a loose piece of wood. A couple of nails should take care of that, no problemo.
The fresh breeze had increased to a stiff one (20-25 mph). Steve Anastos had his boat, the Midnight Sun, at the end of C dock, mainsail up, ready to take students Nancy, Debbie, Azul and the others out for their first on the water session.
To my alarm, I saw the center B dock section’s outboard (north) 2"x 10" x 20’ frame had broken completely in half. The north wind and Steve’s boat were pulling C dock and half of B dock toward the hoist and opening a two foot gap at the break. While we evaluated the damage, whitecaps and pounding waves made standing on the dock a new and exciting challenge.
Birgitt and I shouted to Steve to shove off ASAP. A piece of line between cleats on either side of the break provided a tenuous fix and the wind seemed to increase even more (only when you don’t need it). My wife, Jody, arrived from Anchorage about this time. By then B dock was rocking a foot or more side to side. Jody and Birgitt held the straps of my life jacket while I leaned over the water and lag bolted a section of chain across the break. With great relief we found this was working, then added a come-a-long and an additional line to bring the dock back together. Just another quiet moment at the club.
Meanwhile out on the water, Steve took the class for a real
eye opener of a first (for some) sail. They couldn’t say
they were bored! Wide eyed and exhilarated they recounted the
high winds and fast sail, some thrilled and others relieved to be
telling 
the story instead of experiencing it.
The next day began bright and beautiful with no hint of the wild ride we had all experienced...
Day Two
As day two of the instruction began, we were joined by Ben Robar, a.k.a. Mr. Skipjack, who provided technical and water training for our emerging sailors. As always, Ben did a great job and the students took giant steps forward in their abilities.
Sunday morning was calm and Rick Gillmore helped me install a 2" x 6" x 8’ repair plate with lag bolts. It seemed good at the time but this is really only a temporary repair. The whole plate is rotten. We must build at least two dock sections this year or risk losing the whole thing in the next storm.
Here is a material list for one dock section:
Note: All wood is Cedartone Wood with water repellant by Exterior Wood, Inc.
2 ea. 2"x10"x20'
2 ea. 2"x10"x8'
14 ea. 2"x4"x8'
5 ea. 3/4"x4'x8' plywood
28 ea. joist hangers
4 ea. corner fittings fabricated from 1/4"x4" steel plate 88"
32 ea. 3/8"x2" coarse thread bolts for corner fittings
Decking screws
Paint
If anyone has contacts to obtain these materials at a reduced rate or is willing to make a donation for construction, please email this web site or phone a board member.
Keys to dock longevity:
The club is at another lull in both membership and activity. That's not really news to long time members. The infrastructure is aging and in need of constant maintenance. I think we need to offer a free membership to a valley resident who could perform light maintenance and provide caretaker services by camping onsite or checking every couple of days. Hmmm, sounds familiar.
I try to repair something every time I visit. Vice Commodore Steve Anastos has been up virtually every weekend maintaining and setting new moorings, repairing the RL and cutting firewood. Way to go Steve. Dave Johnson roofed the new shed, added some missing floatation to the B-C dock intersection and installed some fire hose on C dock.
A presence onsite is important. The new paved road is great at reducing dust, but it increases pressure on the club site from uninvited guests. Every time I camp at the club I have to explain to people that it's not a public beach or a fishing hole, but a private sailing club. I think a sign at the entrance would help a great deal. Some people just need direction, others will rudely intrude anyway unless there is a physical barrier. We've all discussed the gate issue before; too many cons and liability issues.
So to open the basic sign dialog:
Alaska Sailing Club
Members and accompanied Guests only
Membership information available online http://members.aol.com/aksailclub
or Phone Commodore at 907-222-2222
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I wish to extend a very happy spring greeting to all of our sailing club members and associates. Spring and breakup are upon us which brings with it the ever-nearing opportunity of sailing in Alaska. I hope none of you have had the withdrawals and sailing necroses that I had this winter (especially while viewing the America’s Cup action in New Zealand). Thus it is time to start thinking seriously about our annual Memorial Day weekend sailing course, a few membership meetings, paying our dues, the spring work party, and general needs of the sailing club as a whole.
I know there are those members who just want to sail and
exist as a
paying member, however, it is imperative that everyone contribute
working help that benefits the longevity and sustainability of
our ‘member-sponsored’, ‘volunteer-based’,
non-profit organization. Without the unconditional contributions
and time and energy of past and current members, the sailing club
would have long since vanished.
Please, if you can offer unique assistance to or simply good muscle and time towards improving/maintaining the Alaska Sailing Club, then by all means please…JUST DO IT!!! If a project that you are considering involves ambiguities of legal realty or sensitive club issues then please simply approach the board before tackling the project (i.e. relocating the winch, any shoreline work, etc.)
The club welcomes landscapers of all kinds so if you have extra garden materials or skills, they will be most welcome. We only ask that such items as pink flamingos and anything remotely relating thereto be considered ‘not an option’…if you will. Painting the outside of our clubhouse and replacing its rotted wood portions should be one of the clubs priorities this spring. I believe it would best to have a pre-work party which would involve building and setting up the docks, buoys, and moorings as well as launching and rigging club boats (most likely just the RL). That way, we can utilize the membership work party force for other long overdue projects. On that note, it should be recognized that the membership work parties in the spring and fall are an absolute requirement of all sailing members of the club and that work parties are designated exclusively for work on club projects; not for concentrating one’s working time on personal boats and/or campers.
Our membership is actually growing by a member or two each year. The club welcomes new members and associates and encourages current members to recruit new sailing interests to our club membership. Considering that the founding membership in 1968 consisted of some 120-plus full-time sailing members, and our current membership count tallies in at a modest 17, there is really no limit to our growth potential. We can only improve and grow and indeed we are.
With those thoughts I would like to invite all of our current and perspective members and associates to visit the club site at Big Lake as soon and as frequent as possible in order to prepare it for the year 2000 Alaskan Sailing Club season. Good cheer and best wishes to all of you. Indeed I look forward to this sailing season with great anticipation and excitement and look forward to seeing all of you at the club soon. Again happy spring.
By Paul Willing - Sheet Editor
Jewel Lake, Delong Lake, Mirror Lake and Wasilla Lake are all liquid again and Big Lake is getting soft. Daylight hours are increasing and trees are starting to bud. A short sleeve shirt is a serious consideration... - IT MUST BE SPRINGTIME IN ALASKA!
So, we will gather for the annual rites of Alaska sailing (tote, fetch, scrub, rake, paint, polish, saw, nail, etc.) on Saturday May 20th, 10:00am -4:00pm. This will prepare the club for the season and accomplish some needed maintenance. Bring your work gloves, tools, donated materials, some energy and a food or beverage item for the traditional potluck. See you there.
By Paul Willing - Sheet Editor
The annual Spring Sailing Class is scheduled for classroom sessions at Campbell Elementary May 10th and May 17th beginning at 6:30pm. Curtis Dunkin and Steve Anastos will be the instructors but any members are welcome to share their knowledge as well. Kudos to Curtis and Steve for volunteering to instruct.
The Bartlett High pool session will be May 24th for some Laser righting and checking students for buoyancy.
The on the water portion at Big Lake will be held May 27 through May 29 at the club site. As usual we'll need other members and boat owners to volunteer for some on the water instruction time.
If you know any last minute recruits, have them contact Anchorage Community Schools to register. The cost is $90.00 and is deductible from club dues if the students join the club.
By Paul Willing - Sheet Editor
Thanks to Steve Anastos for getting our two classic Evinrudes repaired last fall. Rather than death by oil starvation it seems they were killed with kindness - too much oil in the mix. Please be sure to use the correct oil/gas ratio for these engines. They can power the RL and the rescue boat this season.
Continued from Vol. 4, No. 3 1999 issue of The Sheet, here is the next excerpt of Revival. Check out previous installments on our web site under The Sheet 1999 issues. Excellent reading and food for thought for sailing clubs and racing fleets. For our purpose consider catamarans and small sail boats synonymous.
Available from - Ram Press Bookstore (Affiliated with Amazon.com, this is a well stocked nautical bookstore site) http://www.catsailor.com/ram_press.html
OTHER THINGS YOU CAN DO - AND NOT DO:
When you have social events or non-sailing events, whether it is at a bar or restaurant or at a member's home, make sure everyone feels like part of the group. Fleets are not that big to begin with, and it is destructive when people segregate into cliques - the social group, the racers, the cruising sailors...
Remember that everyone is in this group because they love sailing, regardless of how they do it (or, in some cases, whether they do it at all anymore). So try to structure your events around themes of water or sailing, so everyone feels a common bond. (Remember, a lot of people who belong to NOW are not women, and you don't have to be black to belong to the NAACP.)
- If anyone starts thinking "This is just a social club" or "This is just a racing club" or "This is just a cruising club," you are going to lose members.
- Above all, don't try to push racing on confined nonracers. It's hard for some people to understand why everyone doesn't want to race, but pushing people into it will only result in pushing them away.
- Show videos of sailing-related things - like the America's Cup or the Worrell 1000 or maybe a charter cruise in the Bahamas. Have a member who has a camcorder take videos of your own group racing or just having fun on the water, and show them at a party.
- Speaking of charter cruises, why not get your whole fleet together to take a charter cruise to the Bahamas - either on one big boat or a group of smaller ones. 'There are bareboats in south Florida that can sleep anywhere from 12-24 people for a week.
- Have speakers come in to talk. There is an endless variety of subjects. When we were in Tucson one time, the fleet had speakers come in and give a slide-show presentation on their research on whales in Alaska.
- Have someone take videos of all the fun events you have during the year and then show them at your end-of-season party.
- Make sure someone takes photographs, as well, and try to get every fleet member on film at one time or another. Keep fleet albums for each year.
- Finally, one important thing we can do is eliminate segregation among catamaran fleets. The proliferation of catamaran designs has resulted in diluting fleets. A fleet with two or three boats is no fun for anyone. Perhaps at this point it is time to consolidate fleets and form "catamaran clubs" open to all classes, and with Portsmouth races available to those who do not have enough boats for a start.
THE IMPORTANCE OF A NEWSLETTER
One of the most important forms of glue for any fleet (or any class association, for that matter) is an interesting and informative newsletter that comes out often and that isn't just about racing. Get social and fun stuff in there, things about equipment and tuning and safety, places to go for short daysails or overnight cruises, etc. A lot of people don't bother to learn much about what there is to do in their own area. They reach out and back within a few miles of a beach for a couple years, get bored and take up another sport.
Put in informative tidbits about the waterline and the birdlife seen in your area when you are at the beach or sailing. For example: Where do the seagulls in Michigan go in the wintertime? Where do Florida's pelicans sleep at night? What is all that seaweed or grass that sometimes floats on the water and where does it come from? How does algae in lakes affect people with allergies? All you have to do to get ideas is think of questions.
Read sailing magazines, and when you see something interesting about your class of boat, send it to the newsletter chairman so they can put a paragraph about it in the newsletter.
Put in notes about political things happening that affect sailing in general or your class in particular.
A newsletter should not be the job of one person - and it should not be a job that is dreaded because "it is too much work." It should be a fleet effort. Everyone should contribute items to it. And questions that would make interesting little articles should be assigned to various people to research.
At the beginning of the year, send all the fleet members a long list of questions and possible mini-topics and ask people to pick out things that interest them and or that they already know about and send you two or three paragraphs.
Have a "Tips" column that everybody can contribute to. Like how to jury-rig a repair for some part that breaks; an easier way to raise a mast how to make your own cat tracks - cheap; how to build a cabin on a Hobie 18 and turn it into a houseboat .... well, you get the idea.
The well of information you can draw from is bottomless, and there should never be a reason to have trouble filling up a newsletter. In fact, the problem should be the reverse.
NOTE: If your fleet is doing interesting things, it is a lot easier to have an interesting newsletter, so adding more fun stuff to your schedule gives you more to talk about and, in turn, generates more interest and makes more fun events possible.
WHAT YOU CAN DO TO BUILD UP THE RACING
Open up your fleet races to all catamarans and provide a Portsmouth fleet.
Put on clinics prior to the skipper's meeting on each race day for the novice sailors. Discuss rules, boat tuning for the conditions that day, how to find the marks, etc.
Have races occasionally where the veteran sailors crew for the novice sailors or the mid-fleeters and help them out. Or have the veteran skippers and novice skippers switch crews. A novice crew can learn a great deal by sailing with a skilled skipper, and by the same token, a novice skipper can learn a lot from a good, well-trained crew.
Be nice to and tolerant of new racers or new members to your fleet. Don't be a hardnose and say, "You're disqualified" for some minor infraction they don't even know about. It's a sure way to turn people off.
Don't yell at novices when they make mistakes on the race course talk to them after the race and explain what they did wrong and how to do it tight.
Always be positive and encouraging and helpful.
Don't wait for them to ask - tell them everything you know (not all at once, of course). One of the common complaints of newer racers is that the hotshots in their fleet don't want to share their "secrets."
I think part of that problem is that people don't know what or how to ask. Not too long ago someone sailing their first race with our fleet was sailing his Hobie 18 wing-and-wing downwind. He must have wondered where everybody else was going, but he didn't ask later on the beach. In this situation, it is up to the more experienced fleet members to explain the concept of tacking downwind.
And if someone is always reaching off into never-never-land upwind, explain to them how to trim their sails and use their telltales to point up to a normal, 45-degree angle to the wind.
If you don't help people get better, they are going to get discouraged, and you are going to lose a fleet member.
End of this installment. Next issue: the conclusion of WHAT YOU CAN DO TO BUILD UP THE RACING. Future topics in the REVIVAL chapter: SEMINARS, TO GET NEW PEOPLE INTERESTED IN SAILING, WHEN YOU TAKE SOMEONE FOR A FIRST RIDE, A HOME OF YOUR OWN, THE BORING BUT IMPORTANT BASICS
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Indeed, these times mark changes and new tidings for us one
and all. Fortunately, we as sailors know without a doubt that our
motorless wind crafts are Y2K safe and that will be enough said
about that issue. As the new year and next millenium approaches,
I ponder the many experiences the Alaska Sailing Club has
endeavored and survived in the last 30 plus years - 
only the last
three of which have been in my time as a member of the club. As
standing commodore of the Alaska Sailing Club in my second
consecutive term, I feel honored to lead our club members into
the next millenium of sailing at Big Lake, Alaska.
The year 2000 is more than just a new millenium for the Alaskan Sailing Club. This year marks more than 30 years of successful small boat sailing fellowship and adventure for Alaskan sailors at Big Lake since the foundation of the club in 1967. Was sailing any different in 1967 than it is today in the year 2000? In my opinion, sailing, since it’s conception over 3000 years ago, was really no different then that it is today. Well, okay, I’m sure some would argue the differences in technology, hull design, rigging, sail materials and gear. Yet, sailing is not about any of these topics; they are only aspects of sailing. Sailing requires character, determination, perception, endurance, and persistency. Sailing also requires passion and creativity and if the beginning sailor has at least determination at the start, they will most certainly possess the other attributes in the close haul (if you know what I mean).
We are now gridlocked in our Alaskan winter when most sailors would consider the ‘sailing meter’ to be pegged out at 0 points with no potential. However, I am still determined (note this attribute here), to empower myself with a winter sailing rig that would be convertible to function on ice or snow. After many business trips to Madison, WI in the past years, I have made new friends in the ice sailing world. Yes, chaps who really scream at speeds in excess of 80mph in 20 knot winds across Lake Mendota in Wisconsin’s capital. Their stories are hair raising to say the least. Yet, I think this could be a new revolution of winter sailing activity for many as well as a very exciting extension of our sailing club season and functions. There are a handful of individuals in Alaska that I have heard through the grape vine who are already exploring ice sailing; one who even currently owns an ice sailor in Alaska. This is one of my most immediate sailing dreams, however it definitely still takes second seat to my dream of capturing the Governor’s Cup trophy from that infamous and immortally unbeatable sailing duo Ben and Birgit Robar. Still, there’s no rule that says our dreams have to come true in any order.
Another immediate sailing dream of mine is to learn more about sailing Skipjacks, FJ’s, Lasers, and Catamarans. Fortunately for all interests, there are many experienced sailors in the Alaska Sailing Club who are experts in all of these classes. I’ve sailed the RL "Winsome" in all races of the last two years of the Governor’s Cup competition. All I have to say is that I’m retiring from the RL as far as racing goes.
As far as club business is concerned, I would like to say a sincere thank you to all of our voting members present at the 1999 autumn work party for having the confidence and trust in me to reelect into the office that none of them wanted! Well, actually, it’s fun to be commodore. I really enjoy the perks like, um, a…just to name a few. With that said, I think it would be fair and honorable for us all to take a brief moment of ponderance for our poor, unwise neighbor at the sailing club who had some big steel monster rise up from no where and without his permission and took a huge greedy bite out of his enormous and not-so-residentially proportioned hillside. Actually, instead, why don’t we use this ponderance time to thank the lake spirits that this monster only left footprints on our sailing club site and didn’t have the time nor the gaul to take a bite out of our more-so-residentially proportioned hillside. Enough said about that issue.
Last year’s Winter Festival/Foot Chopping and Frozen Gonad Rendezvous was a real ‘chop of the block’ and a real success due to inspired and determined (note this attribute) group of sailors who just missed each other so much that we all dared deathly cold and blasting weather to be together. It has been suggested that we have a "Keg-Thawing Derby" which would require contestants to build a fire, thaw a completely frozen 5 gallon keg full of beer, and consume it in the shortest period of time (consume the beer not the fire). So, please share your thoughts and ideas and desires for the year 2000 Alaskan Sailing Club Winter Festival.
Finally, it would be beneficial for the club to have a membership meeting as soon as most convenient for all in order to hash out and solidify many issues regarding our upcoming spring class, the spring work party, state of the club discussions, and just about everything else under the sails like the docks, landscaping, etc. My partner Ellen and I are amidst renovating our newly bought home as of Dec. 14, 1999! Yeah, our first home and holy camolie are we swamped. We did make it in time for Christmas and we even had our first Christmas tree. My new telephone and mailing address are as follows:
Curtis S. Dunkin (Alaska Sailing Club Commodore)
P.O. Box 4040 | Palmer, AK 99645 | Tel: (907)746-2587
Email: barley@alaska.net
Please feel free to contact me personally at any time except between 10pm and 7am Alaska time. With that, I would like to wish an ongoing brilliant holiday season to all of our members as well as an awesome new millenium. May your sails and hearts be full.
The Club Site was tucked away for its long winter's nap.
Thanks to all members who came out and pitched in. Projects
around the club site and spring / fall work parties don't just
happen, someone has to actually do it. If you see something that
needs done - just do it! 
Elections were held with the following results:
Curtis Dunkin - Commodore
Steve Anastos - First Vice Commodore
Mark Weissler - Second Vice Commodore
Birgitt Robar - Treasurer
Jody Willing - Secretary
Paul Willing - Past Commodore
Congratulations to new and re-elected club officers. Let's show them support and work together to make the club a better place.
As you may have noticed in the front page banner, this issue is a bit late to press. It has been on the club web site since January but the paper version has lagged like a government project. All the more reason to get online for all of you not yet connected. Just think, no mailed version at all = Another $60.00 saved annually.
It looks like spring is finally here and with it Alaskan's mad dash to utilize every daylight hour. For the club, spring brings the urgent need for funds to pay those nagging bills so we can enjoy another fine summer at Big Lake sailing. Membership forms are enclosed and, like this newsletter, late. Normally we like them back by tax day - April 15th. Since they're late getting to you and Uncle Sam is allowing April 17th this year . . . - Please return Membership Forms (including one Release of Liability for each member) and dues by April 30, 2000. Get a PDF Version of Membership Package here.
Get Adobe Acrobat Reader for free here - -to view and print Portable
Document Format files.
Please note - the $25.00 increase in dues for both family and single memberships is not applicable if you participated in one of the 1999 work parties. Just mail back your voucher with the forms. Don't worry, if you've lost your voucher, there's a list of participants - just make a note on your application.
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