• RC sailboat
    Social

    Social April 2022

    April 2, 2022 - By 

    Soon we will feel the sun on our face and the wind in our hair.  The club will be filled with the hustle and bustle of launching our boats and preparing for another successful sailing season.  We are looking forward to the warmer weather and making progress with our plans for a calendar full of fun social events too!

    As mentioned in the last newsletter, we are seeking volunteers to host and help with our events.  If you have an interest in supporting social events, please let us know.  You will earn work credits that convert into cash off of  your next year’s dues!  Our immediate need is for our Mother’s Day Brunch.  Remember you will receive work credits for volunteering with events!

    Below is our calendar of events:  (click here for our website’s calendar)

    Mother’s Day Brunch – Sunday, May 8th from 11:30 – 1:30

    Memorial Day Celebration – Saturday, May 28th from 6:00 – 9:00

    Father’s Day Brunch – Sunday, June 19th from 11:30 – 1:30

    Kids/Family Fun Day – Saturday, July 2nd, Time to be determined

    Beach Party – Saturday, July 16th, Time to be determined

    Labor Day Celebration – Saturday, September 3rd from 6:00 – 9:00

    Lobster Fest – Saturday, September 24th, Time to be determined

    Chili Cookoff – Saturday, October 8th, Time to be determined

    Final Bash – Saturday, November 5th, Time to be determined

    Please feel free to contact Jen Curtis or myself with any suggestions on how we can enhance your social experience.  You may locate us in the Sail Club Directory.

    Vickie Greenough                            Jennifer Curtis

    Social Chair                                         Social Assistant

    317-847-7400

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    Junior Program

    Junior Program April 2022

    April 2, 2022 - By 

    Registration for Summer Junior Sailing Camp is now open. Click here for more info. 

    Junior Sailing Camp Dates:

    Week 1: June 6 – 10 (12 – 18 years old)

    Week 2: June 20 – 24 (8 – 12 years old)

    Week 3: June 27 – July 1 (8 – 12 years old)

    Junior Sailing Update:

    The 2022 sailing season is just about here!

    First off, I would like to say “THANK YOU” to all the members that made a donation to ECSC Junior Team this year. You guys are the best! The $$ go to cover Gas, Camping and Major Jr. Events.

    Jr. Team Members 2022

    I’ve been working out with our newest rookie, Matt Johnson (age 15),  who goes to Avon High School. This young man shows he has the will and the heart to be a champion.

    Olivia DeGrella, age 17, will graduate from high school this year (which is one year early for the smart lady).   This will be her 3rd year on the team so we are looking forward to some wins from her this year. Time will tell…..

    The Junior Sailing Camp registration opened up on March 30th. This fun camp involves learning to sail in small boats and getting to enjoy the fun of being on a lake. This year we are limited to 3 weeks and around 60 kids. New to the 8-12 year-old age group are Kayaks that we bought for this year.  This is the perfect size for younger kids.

    So don’t wait! Sign up your sailor-to-be soon!  The spots will fill up FAST!

    Also I wish to thank Katie DeGrella for taking the lead on Junior Sailing Program. She is my right hand. Also thank you to Perry Cameron for working on the Jr. Camp web page. Other members I’d like to thank are Ralph Merriman, Jeremiah Johnson, Sue Tennant, Dennis Jr. and Dennis Robertson.

     

    Wayne Myers & Katie DeGrella

    ECSC Junior Sailing

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    Membership

    Membership April 2022

    April 2, 2022 - By 

    The registration process is now over and it is almost time for the new season to begin! The new online system received a ton of feedback in which the overwhelming majority was positive. There were a few issues that had to be overcome, but I expected more than we had and was pleasantly surprised at how smooth it went. I will keep working to improve it in the future and am open to productive suggestions from members.

    One of the main benefits of going online is the improvement of our data. For example, using email to verify who you are added the benefit of making sure we have the correct email for you. I was surprised how many we had wrong. Another benefit was having the ability to collect data that people would normally ignore using paper copies. An example of this would be our collection of approximate birthdates. This is something we always asked for on our new membership application forms since 1992. It is a good idea for the board to be equipped with correct and useful data so that decisions can be made with facts in mind. It gives us the ability to make tweaks and adjustments to better serve all of you.

    Have a great season!

    Perry Cameron
    Membership Chair

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    Racing

    Racing April 2022

    April 2, 2022 - By 

    Racers and Non-Racers

    Nancy and I wanted to thank all the racers and non-racers who came to the Winter Race Meeting last week. There was an excellent turnout, the pizza was great, and the company even better. Many provided input to the main agenda items to include approval of the racing schedule for 2022, determination of work credit values for the racing program, approval of Dedicated Race Committee proposal, and the major racing program work projects for this year. The proposals were all modified and improved with your feedback and suggestions.

    The schedule was approved, and two additional regattas were created. The first is a weekend focused on providing a racing experience for beginning or new racers. It would be comprised of a day of experienced skippers using their own boats hosting beginners to race with them to learn the ropes and a second day to have new racers skipper their own boats with experienced crew members from the club helping them learn to race on their own. Our main goal is to attract new racers into our racing program. The second planned regatta would be a single-handed regatta in a traditional fleet race format. These dates for these new regattas along with the traditional ECSC regattas will be posted soon on the ECSC web page.

    A consensus about work-credit values was determined for racing volunteers for major regattas and Wednesday night races. This will be incorporated into the racing work-credit process of the racing program going forward.

    The discussion of the Dedicated Race Committee program received the most discussion. Many new ideas were provided. The most central concept of having dedicated trained PROs (Primary Racing Officers) present for each Wednesday Night and Major Regatta was validated by all. The issue of how to provide the Assistant PROs to support the dedicated PROs was a more difficult problem to solve. There were several very good alternatives provided in the discussion. Nancy and I will continue to work on a final solution to this later issue and intend to launch this program with the start of the racing season this year. More to follow.

    Lastly, we updated the attendees of the purchase of a galvanized scissor-pontoon trailer to enable removal and storage of the RC pontoon and the Aircraft Carrier pontoon each year. Major racing projects this year will include the repair and upgrade of the Aircraft-Carrier pontoon, an addition of an anchor-winch device to the RC pontoon (to facilitate anchor movement and pontoon alignment in the pre-start sequence), and an addition of new buoy between buoys 1 and 6 to facilitate additional racing course options.

    Hope to see our usual racers and many new racers enjoy the fun of racing at ECSC this summer. See you on the water.

    John Kohne
    Nancy Goff

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    Publicity

    Publicity April 2022

    April 2, 2022 - By 

    I hope you all are enjoying the Telltales!

    I’m still looking for volunteers to help post pictures on our club’s Instagram account. We have a couple members who have stepped up already, but I’d like a team of 4 or so to keep our Instagram account active.

    Instagram is more about sharing photos than Facebook is. I’d like to find a small team who can help make more posts on the club’s Instagram account this year.  This can be as easy as snapping photos (with your phone) of various boats sailing on the lake or people hanging out around the club. Ideally, the club account would make about 2-3 new posts a week.  If you are interested in helping with ECSC’s Instagram account, please reach out to publicity@ecsail.org.

    My Ship Store inventory now includes (see images below):

    • 1/4 zip sweatshirts (more sizes being ordered).  $25
    • soft shell jackets (20 in stock).   $35
    • t-shirts (plenty of mens and women in stock).  $15

    Sizes & colors are limited to what’s in stock.  First come, first served!

    LOOKING FOR IDEAS!  Please email publicity@ecsail.org if you have ideas for what other apparel or items ECSC should sell in its Ship Store.  Burgees and coozies are already on my list.

    EJ Williams

    Publicity Chair

    Soft shell jackets:

    soft shell ecsc

    t-shirts

     

    1/4 zips

    ECSC quarter zip jacket
    ECSC quarter zip jacket

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    ECSC LOGOS DOWNLOAD: www.dropbox.com/sh/1auwrtcg6io2vgz/AAAXWwJfjJBZ9OFk4hWFt3xla?dl=0

    (.png files have transparent backgrounds.  .eps files are the “vector files” needed by most printers)

    Join our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/groups/ecsail

    Follow our Instagram:  @eaglecreeksailingclub

    Ship’s Store

    Apparel can be purchased through Coral Reef Sailing’s website.  They custom print or embroider our logos onto the clothes they have available.

    Click here to access the Ship’s Store

     

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    Commodore

    Commodore February 2022

    February 23, 2022 - By 

    Happy New Year sailors! My name is Ki Hickok, your new Commodore. Thank you for giving me the chance to serve the members of this wonderful club.

    I first got into sailing thanks to my dad, Bob Hickok. My first memory of sailing was at Hobie Beach along with traveling to different Hobie regattas. I was both enamored and terrified of sailing at the same time. I guess being so little and being on a Hobie could do that to you. I remember always being terrified of flying a hull on the Hobie or heeling on any sailboat. Now, that’s all I want to do. I was introduced to this beautiful sailing club in 2000 thanks to Janet Hickok. A new world was opened to me. I always thought the only sailboat out there was a catamaran. Ha ha! Thanks to my dad’s and Wayne Myers’ guidance and teachings, I really got into sailing and racing…it was mesmerizing. I learned a lot about how to have fun, work hard, and have perseverance. I wanted to keep that going for other kids from ECSC and the Indy area, so I was graciously given the opportunity to chair the Safety & Education program from 2010-2012. I then went on to be assistant harbormaster in 2019 and 2020 – and, of course, vice Commodore in 2021. Again thank you for giving me this opportunity to serve and I look forward to working diligently and hopefully effectively in making Eagle Creek Sailing Club a better place for all of our members and guests.

    We have a great cast of Officers, Committee Heads, and board members who are looking forward to this coming year with excitement, dedication, and enthusiasm!

    This year for the first time ever, Eagle Creek Sailing Club’s entire membership registration is online, as well as different payment options. Thank you Perry Cameron, our membership chair, for all the hard work in getting this club into the 21st century. If you have not completed your 2022 registration yet, please make sure you do so ASAP – as the deadline is quickly approaching (Feb 28th).

    Also this year, we have a new Officer position, the Facilities Manager! ECSC’s own Bill Harrington has graciously agreed to head the grounds committee as Facilities Manager. For all the new members who may not know, Bill is our current longest-standing member at ECSC (Membership #1). Thank you, Bill, for being the first Facilities Manager ever.

    Currently, we have had two board meetings to get things prepared for a wonderful 2022 at ECSC. One on December 14th, at which the 2022 budget was approved. The other was on February 8th, when we discussed changes to the bylaws, general rules, and other needed capital expenses. A list of just a few of the much-needed improvements for the year include:

    – The deck around the main shelter will be repaired and repainted.
    – The steps to the main shelter will be repaired and repainted.
    – A new playground will be installed behind the upper shelter.

    Along with much much more…

    Feel free to contact me for help and or any questions. I’m looking forward to seeing some new and familiar faces around the club this year.

    Happy Sailing,

    Ki Hickok
    Commodore

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    Secretary

    Secretary February 2022

    February 23, 2022 - By 

    In my role as club Secretary, I am going to report on Board business that really does not fall into any Officer or Committee areas on topics of which I think the membership should be made aware.

    The General Rules have been updated. Club members shall be fined the equivalent of the current year’s winter storage fee if they fail to place their current ECSC membership decal on their boat and trailer by December 1st. The club doesn’t really need the money. However, the Board finally said “enough is enough” with members who do not properly tag their boats and trailers. Missing membership decals requires more time and effort by the harbormaster and membership committees to figure out winter storage invoicing. We also know that members who do not place the membership decals on their boats and trailers are typically those whose boats and trailers are more likely to become derelict and abandoned.

    Now is also a good time to review the Derelict Boat & Trailer policy within the General Rules (click here) For most members, this policy is a non-issue. However, for the dozen or so members who continue to treat ECSC as a cheap parking place and dumping ground, either shape up or pay up as we want to make Eagle Creek Sailing Club an attractive and enjoyable facility for everybody to be proud of.

    The Board also approved a new Social Media policy – also posted in the General Rules.

    The last page of the General Rules includes a history of changes during the past year.

    In the next issue of Telltales, I will update you on the Bylaws.

    Rich Fox
    ECSC Secretary