February Newsletter

 

 

The Grand River Sailing Club board met on Fat Tuesday to continue planning for the up-coming sailing season.  The sail race committee should have the new club racing schedule and new ideas organized by the March board meeting for presentation to the membership at the March 19 membership meeting.

 

Rear Commodore Ray hit the ground running and has found us a new location for the awards banquet, enabling the club to move the event back to Saturday night. The price will remain the same as last year, and the banquet hall is connected to a hotel. The new location will allow us choices for a main menu and hors d’oeuvres. Save the date of November 19, 2005 for the awards banquet. Great Job Ray!

 

The board continues to have good discussions on ways to have fun after racing on Wednesdays and Sundays.  We would also like to include cruising and general members in these new activities that Rear Commodore Ray and the board are developing.

 

This winter continues to be hard on the friends and family of Grand River Sailing Club. On February 3, 2005 trustee Cathy Weeks’ mother, Mary Lou Newpher passed away. Friends will be received Saturday, February 26, 2005 at Mentor Harbor Yacht Club from 2-4pm, where the Newpher family had been members since October of 1939.  Memorials may be made to the Hospice of the Western Reserve, 300 East 185th Street, Cleveland, OH 44119.

 

Finally, for those of you who have attended board meetings over the last few years…I had so little to say that the meeting was over in about an hourJ.

 

Members and friends of Grand River Sailing Club, be well!

 

 

 

Robert Mock

 

 

 

 

 

 

Why your PHRF LE Rating is changing.  PHRF LE will be giving all boats an additional 3 seconds this year!  PHRF LE is making an effort to conform to the national average and base boats, and it will be easier for Lake Erie boats to travel elsewhere with more similar ratings to the national average ratings.

 

IRC Finds its way to the Great lakes  In early January PHRF LE Chairman Bill Kellner traveled to Detroit to learn more about IRC.  Here he shares his report.

 

1.     The Port Huron MAC will use IRC for the Southampton course only. Boats rating less than 60 in PHRF will be required to get an endorsed IRC certificate which includes certified weighing.  The higher rated boats on the Southampton course can use a standard (owner supplied measurements) certificate.

 

2.     For the PH MAC Shore course, they will still use DRYA PHRF ratings.  Shore course boats include PHRF boats rated 123 and higher, and the cruising class.

 

3.     The Chicago Mac will be using a modified Americap II. This new version of Americap II will be time on time with a single number which is a departure from past practices.  The final handicaps will be assigned on the Friday night before the race using a VPP based on the predicted wind strength and direction.

 

Some additional information about IRC

·       Standard certificates are based on owner supplied measurements.  The overhang measurements can only be taken with the boat in the water in the designated unloaded condition.

·       Expect it to take 4-6 weeks to get a certificate once all of the measurements are supplied.

·       It is important for anyone wanting an IRC certificate to apply early to start a file with the rating office.  You can forward the missing measurements as you get them which will speed up the process.

·       Cost of first year certificate is $4.83/foot

·       Endorsed certificates cost $4.83/foot plus a $50 endorsement fee plus the cost of a measurer ($3-$4/ft) plus the cost of the yard service for hoisting the boat.  Currently there are 2 IRC certified measurers on Lake Erie:  Bill Kellner (Cleveland) and Steve Jackson (Sandusky)

 

Editorial comment- our club is not alone in trying to determine what a “fair” rating system is.

The Cleveland Sailing Association is expanding.  This year a new series is being added.  In an effort to increase participation in CSA, a shorter series using only the Cleveland club regattas will be add to the traditional all-club series.  For this year a boat has three options: the longer series, shorter series or both.  The women’s series will also adopt the two series.  There was even further discussion of adding a long distance races only series, using events like the Robert’s and Governors race. Look for your CSA flyer sometime in late April or early May for more details.

 

 

Up Coming events: 

 

February 14  Valentines Day

                             

February 19, 2005  Wine tasting tour – Meet at Old Church Winery, Doty Road, Madison 4pm

 

March 5, 2005  Edgewater Yacht Club 8:30am- 4pm Dave Perry rules update sponsored by North Coast Women’s Sailing Association. $40.00 Contact Sue Michos at 216-261-9922 or suemichos@sbcglobal.net  Deadline to register is February 28, 2005.  Don’t get caught learning the new rules in the protest room.

 

March 6, 2005 10am Home Town Buffet

 

March 8, 2005 GRSC board meeting

 

March 19, 2005 GRSC membership meeting/party

 

 

Enjoy the fun International Code.