Historically November had been the beginning of slow period at MSC. This year is definitely different as we end one season and jump into another. While Dock Days are behind us for the most part we have a a few dedicated sailors who have extended their season and Mother Nature seems to be cooperating with the mild 70 degree weather. Hopefully the weather will continue to cooperate as we complete the removal of the remaining dock hardware.
We have established a calendar for 2023 and Roger Domingo has already posted a schedule for the racing program. We will continue to post other program updates for other events as they become available so keep an eye on the website for updates.
Prairie Creek is undergoing a review of their rules for all the park operations and we were given the opportunity to comment on the rules and and make recommendations. Unfortunately we had a limited timeframe to review and common so each board member was given a copy of the rules for review and comment in less than a week. Once all the board member comments were received they were consolidated and provided to Dustin Clark and Ashley Wright by myself and Steve Bucher in a face to face meeting on October 25, 2022. As a result of the meeting we have more work to do and present to additional comments to for consideration by the park board. As we get more clarity on these rules we will provide that detail.
In addition to changes in the rules Prairie Creek is moving away from the graduated fee structure for camping and boating to a flat fee structure. This change comes in the way that the the reservoir is funded. The reservoir does not receive tax dollars and is required to to be a self sustaining venture. We are working with Prairie Creek to develop a fee structure that takes into account that we own and maintain our own docks. We have not reached an agreement at this time but we are working with the Prairie Creek staff to minimize any financial impact on our members and the club. It is important that we bring this issue to a close soon so that we can communicate the plan and develop a budget. Based on the discussions that we have had with the staff I am optimistic that we will reach an agreement that is equitable. As soon as an agreement is reached we will post the details.
The 2023 sailing season will find a new boat in our club fleet. Thanks to a generous gift by the Grasso family we now have a 1973 Snipe in our fleet. For those who are not familiar with Snipe sailboats they are a popular 16 foot sailboat that was first produced in 1931 and has international recognition. 31,000 Snipes have been produced and built as racer. Fleets of racers exist around the world and the boat is recognized as a fun boat for the serious sailor. The boat is complete with only the need for some light cosmetic work. A few of our members have begun their sailing experience on Snipes and will likely be returning to their sailing roots. We do expect to see this boat competing in the club racing program.
Our original plan was to place permanent anchors for the floating docks that currently exist on A dock. As part of the plan a design to fabricate a floating bridge crane was created so that we could safely and accurately place the permanent anchors. Due to some delays we were unable to complete the fabrication of the crane. The crane will be worked on during the winter and will be ready for spring. As part of our spring launch we will place permanent anchors for the current floating docks as well as add additional slips to A dock and place permanent anchors for those additions. Once the placement of anchors is completed the bridge crane will be disassemble. The two EZ Dock sections used as pontoons for the bridge crane will be used to create a walkway on the west side of the launch ramp and provide a safer and larger work area when launching your boat. The dock sections will also provide a barrier to break incoming waves and protection from westerly winds.
We look forward to the 2023 sailing season!