LIghtning "Better Boat Handling" Video Showing Wednesday

This Wednesday evening (November 28th) a one hour video showing Lightning boat handling techniques will be shown. LSC Members and Crew are invited. The video will be shown at Pat Dolan's home.

This Video is titled "Better Boat Handling - the Next Step to Higher Finishes" and includes light, medium and heavy air boat handling lessons shot on the water over two days of filming in Annapolis. North American Champion Greg Fisher and his crew were miked, so viewers hear the actual communication between crew members as they do a number of upwind and downwind boat handling techniques. Rick Bernstein, an award winning viedo producer, did the filming.

Dolan's are at 1340 Hickory Island Drive, on Lake Lansing. From Marsh Road, go east on Lake Drive .7 miles to Hickory Island Drive. Turn left on Hickory Island Drive. Dolan's is the third home on the right.

Let Commodore Know of Deck Duty Preferences

Each Lansing Sailing Club member helps keep the Club going by contributing their time in four ways: Docks-In, Docks-Out, serving on a Race Committee and performing a Deck Duty. Usually a deck duty involves serving on one of the LSC "teams" and helping with the work of the team.

The Board will be making Deck Duty Assignments for 2008 at its next meeting this coming Sunday. Members having a preference concerning their deck duty should contact Commodore Pat Dolan by email at patrick@dolan.name. Here are a list of the areas where we know we will need help next year:

Landscaping. We are looking for members who will take responsibility for one area of the Club grounds and maintain the landscaping there. Volunteers for this duty will also be asked to participate in a planning meeting to coordinate all landscaping. Areas that need volunteers are:
* Front gate area
* Bed on north side of Clubhouse
* Berm on south property line
* Launch ramp area
* North property line between lake and sail shed

Club Boats. This duty would involve adopting a Club Owned Boat to make sure it is kept in working order by regularly checking on it to assure everything is in working order. The Club owns three Sunfish, a Lightning, two Lasers, a Safety Boat and the Committee Boat.

Communication. Examples of duties in this area are:
* Send ract results to local media
* Communicate with local media to obtain coverage of sailing events at LSC
* Periodically check for messages left on the Club's answering machine and direct them to the proper person.
* Print and mail e-Sheets to the few members without email.

Community Relations. Help organize sailboat rides as part of "Be a Tourist in Your Own Town", assist with our booth at the "Quiet Waters Symposium" and other community relations activities.

Junior Sailing. Help organize and run our Junior Sailing program tuesday evenings from mid-June to mid-August.

Docks and Grounds. Help make sure the docks and grounds are properly maintained. Among the activities are:
* Overseeing the employment and work of someone to cut the grass, trim and use Roundup in areas we don't want grass growing.
* Monitor the docks to make sure they are in good working order, maintaining the seagull preventers
* Arranging sand for the beach area as necessary
* Arranging gravel and other fill for the driveway as necessary.

Facilities. This team helps keep the facilities in proper condition, the first aid kit up to date, supplies on hand, does minor maintenance and works on minor improvements.

Information Systems. Those members helping in this area work on the website and on e-Sheet publication.

Racing. Members of this team employ and supervise persons to run Wednesday and Sunday races, provide PROs for Regattas, make sure the racing equipment is properly maintained and coordinate member participation on Race Committees.

Adult Sailing. Help organize and run our Adult "Learn to Sail" and mentoring programs.

Special Events. Organize one of the three holiday picnics (Memorial Day, Independence Day and Labor Day), a moonlight sail or the Annual Banquet.

Landscape Volunteers Still Wanted

We are still looking for members that would be willing to help out with landscaping at the Lansing Sailing Club next year. Anyone interested should contact Commodore Pat Dolan by email at patrick@dolan.name if you are interested in joining this effort.

LSC Board Meeting December 2

The Lansing Sailing Club Board of Directors will meet this Coming Sunday, December 2nd from 1 pm to 3 pm at Commodore Pat Dolan's home. Any member wanting to sit in on the meeting is welcome to do so.

Among the items to be discussed and acted upon are:
  Implementation of recent changes in the LSC By-Laws
  Establishing Priorities
  Making Deck Duty Assignments
  Schedule for 2008
  Planning for "Dues Night".

The Dolan home is a 1340 Hickory Island Drive, on the south side of Lake Lansing.

Colin Park Dies

Colin

Lightning sailor Colin Park, who sailed in a number of Lake Lansing Regattas, died at home the day after Thanksgiving. Colin and his wife Karen were living in St. Petersburg, Florida where they moved after his retirement from Dow Chemical in 1999.

Colin was very generous to Lansing Sailors. He gave of his time to speak at a Lansing Sailing Club winter workshop and did impromptu seminars during Lake Lansing regattas while sailors were waiting for wind to develop.

Colin began his racing career early in life. He was a member of the inaugural class of the Collegiate Sailing Hall of Fame. He represented Canada, sailing 470’s, in the 1976 Olympics in Kingston, Ontario. Colin was active with the International Lightning Class for more than 30 years, serving as president in 2001 and 2002. Sailing with wife Karen, he won the Lightning North American Championship in 1988, and went on to become Lightning North American Masters Champion in 2000, 2001 and 2003.

Upon retirement to Florida, Colin joined the St. Petersburg Yacht Club, where his activities included serving as head of the Sailing Center, Coast Guard Liaison and most recently, Yachting Information Officer. He also became involved with the local Snipe fleet, and won the Snipe World Masters Championship in 2002. He and Karen continued to sail Snipes locally and had recently begun racing Sunfish.

A celebration of Colin’s life will be held at the Saint Petersburg Yacht Club at 5:30 pm on Thursday, November 29. Memorial donations may be made to Roswell Park Hospital in Buffalo, New York or the International Lightning Class Mentor Fund. Anyone wishing to leave an on-line memorial tribute can do so through the Anderson McQueen website at www.andersonmcqueen.com. Click "Obituaries", then "Current", then on Colin Park's name, on "Memory Tributes" and finally on "Add Condolence".

Mast and Sails Found By Side of Road

Picture of Mast and Sails Found

Mast and sails found by side of Upton Road about a mile north of Old M-78, in the orange colored sleeve pictured to the right. Sail plan is approximately 10 feet long from the aft most part of the leech to the tack of the jib. The mainsail is a near vertical gaff rig.

To claim, contact Mickey Szilagyi by email at mickey@apex-internet.com or by phone at 517-641-4357