Ahoy mates! It’s countdown to sailing time. In less than two months we should be able to begin our sailing season on beautiful Prairie Creek Reservoir. Our first event will be our Spring Banquet which is slated for April 5th. There will be more information on this and an rsvp form next month. For now, I have a lot of information to share about the season.
Membership Renewal
We are now receiving Member Renewals for this season, and you should renew soon. Just go to the website www.sail-msc.com and click on the JOIN at the top of the screen, or just click here: Member Application. If you want to pay by check, you can print out the online form, fill it out, and send with a check to Muncie Sailing Club, PO Box 390, Muncie, IN 47308. The deadline to renew is March 22nd to give us time to process the membership cards and have them available for the Banquet.
The pricing is the same as last year and is displayed on the form. If you need an additional locker, you can enter it in the “other” column on the form. If you’re renewing, and were on “D” dock last year, you will be given priority for a floating dock slip but you must select the $300 (for year 1 of 3) fee in addition to the normal selection. If you have any questions, call me at the number below.
Training and Social Activities
We are planning to have Basic Skills Training as we’ve had before. These will be targeted to new sailors and for anyone that would like a refresher. There are four sessions which meet on Saturdays for two hours at the club house. These are tentatively scheduled for April 26, May 3, May 10 and May 17.
We also will provide Ad hoc training times/days for short specific training on topics like: how to use club equipment (go-hoist, gin pole, club boats, rigging inspection), sailing tips and safety (radio procedures, knots, PFD’s, safety on the waterway, trailer maintenance, anchoring, motor tips), etc. Tell me if you have any ideas.
A full social calendar is available on the website, and it promises to be full of fun, food, and sailorship!
Projects
Harbor – This year we’re planning to finish off “A” dock by adding two slips at the end. When this project is done, we’ll have 51 floating dock slips available. Slips are assigned on a first come first serve basis after previous slip holders (that renew by the deadline) are filled. We will not have any slips available that are not floating this year. This simplifies and standardizes our harbor area and greatly reduces the need for “Dock day” volunteer resources which have been a trending problem.
House and Grounds – Some water shutoff valves will be installed on sinks and toilets in the club house so that leaks can be fixed easily and we don’t have to turn off the building water. Decking will be repaired and/or stained in common deck areas. A safety handrail will be installed on the loft stars in the club house. We’re also planning to add some sand to the beach area as it gradually washes away over time.
Security of the grounds and dock area have been and continue to be a concern. We’re working with Prairie Creek to find ways to improve security. It’s complicated right now with obtaining money for services, clarifying jurisdictions, and having available patrol staff, but as we get options we’ll review and update.
Finally, we’re looking for someone with Video Skills – We’d like to provide training videos for some of our more common sessions. You’d need to video a training session and then edit it as necessary. Let me know if you’ve got what it takes for this. THANKS!
If you have any questions, please contact me.
Keith Addison