| EYC Sail School 2009
Over 100 students enrolled in Sail School 2009. And over 40 volunteer staff members were there to teach them, feed them and keep them safe on the water. Staff and students pitched tents, slept on boats and moved into camper trailers for a week of Sail School June 21-26. Students included adults, teens and youth who enjoyed sunny skies (every day except Thursday) and big winds building from Monday until Friday (a Friday when some classes couldn’t even go out).
All photos for 2009 were taken by Sail School student Shirine Taylor.
Because Sail School 2009 had more guests-of-members enroll than in any sessions of the recent past, Susan Pfanner EYC’s Membership Chair graciously postponed her evening plans to hold a Sunday afternoon meeting to answer questions about club membership and benefits. During the week of Sail School, five families asked for membership applications and two of these secured sponsors and submitted applications before the week’s end.
Food
Anne Ellsworth and her capable staff "wo-manned" the kitchen serving over 150 meals three times a day. Assisting Anne in the kitchen were Barbara Nelson, Marji Clune, Ann Woeste, Jane Powell, Carmen Frojen, Betty Clark and Kathleen Henderson. More than 30 pizzas supplied by EYC’s Rich Johnson and his Papa Murphy store on River Road fed students and families as they set up tents on the EYC grounds on Sunday afternoon and checked in with Directors John and Terri Ward and their son Brian. At check-in students and volunteer staff received a green water bottle donated by Jay Platt of Platt Electric, a whistle for their life jackets and a sail school t-shirt designed this year by siblings Zina Stavitsky and Brian Ward.
Monday Morning Welcome
At Monday morning’s general meeting Dr. Dick Brust, founder of EYC sail school, gave his traditional hypothermia talk demonstrating how layers and layers of foul weather gear can protect a sailor against life-threatening situations on the water. Commodore Nadine Powell welcomed the students and volunteers and introduced the Corinthian Spirit Award trophy.
Zuma Class
Later when classes began, Zuma students (ages 10-12) were capably instructed by Rene’ Fabricant, Susan Bloom and Bill Slattery aided by skilled junior instructors Laura Marshall, Andrea Powell, and Kell Thompson. By the end of the week, most students had soloed. Of the few who didn’t one volunteered to the Director in the Yot Pot that she hadn’t done so because "I plan to come back next year to solo instead."
Beginning Centerboard Class
Day sailers-- another beginner class but this one for teenagers and adults-- included a few Lido 14 boats with their skippers as instructors and a majority of day sailers. Led by Mark Schroeder, his team of Marisa Balough, Alan Schultz, Mandy Miller, Terry Sellers, Jim Skeen, Nadine Powell and junior instructor Ben Swetland taught older beginning students how to leave and return to the dock on their own and all the sailing techniques they needed to handle the boat in light and not-so-light wind conditions.
Catamaran Class
Lynne Fabricant and Larry Cox led the catamaran class along with junior instructors Erin Holt and Jack Thomas. They left the launch area early each morning and didn’t return until late afternoon. Where did they go? Well the big boat class found them one day in the channel by W. 11th learning how to tack out of a tight area in difficult wind conditions. But no one needed a tow, a tribute to some good instructors and skilled students.
Big Boat Class
The big boat class had a mix this year of adults and teenagers. Two girls --both age 16-- wanted to learn how to handle a big boat and did so. Their classmates were adults of various ages and skill level. By the end of the class, Bill Temple and Rich Johnson (with some fill-in time by John Ward) had all the students leaving and returning to the docks, and anchoring in the middle of the lake with skill and confidence. The class used several different types of big boats to ensure that the students could comfortably handle a wide range.
Beginning, Intermediate and Advanced Laser Classes
Two laser classes enrolled a total of 33 students. A few adults were sprinkled among the beginning and intermediate class led by Kaylee Brown and Jerald Skeen, assisted by junior instructors Alex Aaring, Iris Young and Charlie Frogen. On Thursday when the skies were gray and the wind was fierce a few of the smaller and younger students were given rides back to the clubhouse on the rescue boat from the lunch spot at Fern Ridge Shores. A few others got individual instruction or tows from Dave Brown’s rescue boat when they were a bit ineffective on their own. But all were pushed beyond their comfort zones and learned to handle conditions in which they weren’t initially comfortable but were ultimately successful.
Alex’s dad Rich Aaring led the advanced laser class with no junior instructors assisting. This could be because neither he nor his students seemed to need more instructors or because the directors forgot to give him more help. Either way, Rich and his students seemed very able to go to the far ends of the lake and return, race several times and hold their own regatta with multiple races in a single afternoon.
Santana 20 Class
Sail School Director John Ward started a new class this year for students wanting to learn how to sail a santana 20. The class enrolled 7 students --about half adults and half teens. Instructors Leanne Bale-Fish and Nick Genovese, both accomplished racers in the Santana 20 Fleet 19 group hoisted spinnakers and took off with much glee and delight among the students. John Franklin and Don Erickson also filled in on the third boat required by the class.
Rescue Boat Apprentice Class
Finally one student enrolled in sail school but really wanted to learn how to be a rescue boat driver. After confiding such with one of the Directors, he was given a chance to apprentice all week with Rich Aaring on a powerboat supporting the Advanced Laser students. He learned beginning skills that may prepare him to be Sail School’s youngest rescue boat driver years from now.
Chase and Rescue Boat Drivers
Chase and rescue boat drivers Jim Hewett, Dan Weber, Robert Williams, Kim and Jay Majors, Whaanga Kewene, Billy Crutchfield all led by Dave Brown kept students safe. They assisted with capsized and turtled boats and tired sailors every day and ensured that students learned in an environment both supportive and safe. Students knew their chase boat drivers by name and frequently asked for help and advice from them.
Evening Entertainment
Jeanne and Phil Weiler organized and led evening activities including Bingo and a talent show. Gary Powell led both the scavenger hunt on Sunday night and the traditional gutter boats on Wednesday. This year he added an adult bracket for parents who in the past had difficulty leaving the design and engineering of the boats to the participating youth. The adult bracket wasn’t decided until nearly dark with lots of hooting and howling after the youthful students had left the competition and were on to s’mores and ice cream.
Corinthian Spirit Award Winners
As a sail school tradition, students in each class voted for the classmate or instructor who most exemplified the Corinthian Spirit. Their names have been engraved and are on display on the Corinthian Spirit trophy permanently housed in the trophy case in the EYC clubhouse. Awards went to:
Big Boats: Rich Johnson
Laser I: Jacob Kiefer
Laser II: Wes Service
Cats: Ty Leech
Santana 20: Pam Previti
Zumas: Chase Matthews
Centerboards: Alan Holt
Thursday Night Racing
On Thursday, 19 students raised their hands and attended an orientation meeting to ensure themselves spots with racing teams during Thursday night fleet racing. Some learned how to run a race on the Race Committee boat with the race officials. Some learned how to serve on the rescue boats that support the racers. Some learned how to race on boats as small as the speedy Thistles, or in the large fleet of Santana 20s. A few students wanted to try out the wet catamarans and two asked for spots on big boats with crews up to six. Those who raced were often given jobs and responsibilities during the race by their adult teammates. The next morning they spoke at Sail School’s general meeting about the exciting and challenging experience.
The Finale
By Friday students and instructors were tired and happy, two qualities indicating a very successful week. On Sunday when Directors Terri and John Ward finished racing in the Wavelength 24 national regatta and headed out the EYC gate, the lake was full of large boats out for a Sunday cruise and a single Zuma out practicing techniques learned during a week of Sail School.
Sail School 2010
Sail School 2010 will be the 40th anniversary since Dr. Brust envisioned a place for EYC youth to learn how to sail in a school-like atmosphere. Next year Sail School will run from June 20-25. Directors will be Gary and Jane Powell who will lead the students and staff as they pursue the great sport of sailing.
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Sail School began in 1970, when member Dick Brust organized the EYC Sail School to teach the children of EYC members how to sail. Years later member Nan Culver added a ladies' sailing school to provide an activity for the mothers who accompanied their children to sail school. Several years ago EYC members elected to invite a small number of non-members to attend Sail School.