Community Boating Inc. Executive Director's Blog

Can you see the wind? OR

2012-05-25T14:04:00.000-07:00

When a CBI sailor capsizes his or her boat, our staff plucks them out of the water and returns them to CBI safe and sound. While we retrieve their vessel they have an opportunity to find something dry to put on and fill out a "Capsize Report". One of the questions we ask on the report is something along the lines of "What caused you to capsize? What happened?". From time to time folks have reminded me that if they could answer that question then they probably wouldn't have gone swimming. So I'm here tell you what may have (most likely) happened. You were not watching the wind. You didn't see the big gust of wind charging along in your direction. You were caught unawares and the wind blew you over. Simple. So all you have to do is watch the wind to anticipate when it will hit your sails and be prepared to to ease them out, and more importantly hike out hard and allow your boat to head up (some) as your boat heels over in the gust..

But wait, you may ask. I can't see the wind. Air is clear. How can you possibly see it and therefore anticipate when it will strike the sails? Ah Grasshopper, here you ask about one of the great secrets usually revealed only to those already in possession of the secret handshake. While I am not willing to reveal anything about the handshake I am willing to reveal the secret of "seeing the wind"

You can't see the wind. You can see the surface of the water which the wind rubs against creating little wavelets or wrinkles as it moves along. The more wind the bigger the wrinkles you can see on the water. On gusty days if you just sit and watch the water sheet for a while you will see big dark areas on the water surface moving along quickly. Kind of like moving ink blots. These are gusts. Wind does not simply move horizontally. A good bit of it moves up and down. When a significant downdraft hits the water surface, it spreads out and moves in the general direction of the prevailing breeze. There can be a significant temporary change in the direction of the gust. If you are caught (surprised) by the leading edge of the gust which probably changes direction by 10, 20 30, 40 degrees or more (on the Charles River), then you have a good chance of a surprise tack or jibe. This can leave you sitting on the leeward side of the cockpit while the boat heels over and fills up with water. You probably won't recover from this before finding yourself completely immersed in the water and wondering just what happened and why.

To avoid this adventure in swimming, pay attention to where the wind is coming from all the time. Keep looking upwind at the surface of the water for dark areas that are moving in your direction. As a novice sailor you are most interested in managing the sudden increase in velocity. When you become more expert you will actually seek out these dark areas for the excitement and speed they can produce. Sailboat racers are always trying to "connect the puffs" - that is sail to and in the puffs as much as possible.

Happy Memorial Day Weekend!

Charlie

Steering Tips and Tricks.

2012-05-09T11:52:00.000-07:00

For all you new sailors here are a few more tips and tricks to advance you along your sailing learning curve.
You have three ways to steer you boat. The first one we talk about is the rudder. Push the tiller off center and the rudder pivots such that water pushes more on one side than the other and the the stern of the boat is pushed left or right. Like a grocery cart being pushed backwards. Fine enough so far. You can steer the boat with the rudder. However....

There are two other ways to turn your boat. The first is to shift the weight of the skipper and crew to either minimize or accentuate the heel of the boat. When sailing, if you let the boat heel to one side the boat will turn toward the other side. The last way to steer the boat is to use your sails to increase or decrease weather helm. Remember that when turning the boat it tends to pivot at a point roughly over the centerboard. Most of the mainsail is aft of this point. So when the force of the wind hits the mainsail, it has a tendency to push the boat such that it turns around that pivot point.

You will know that you are becoming an expert helmsman when you use the rudder less and less and use your weight and sails more and more to steer your boat.

These pointers are generalizations which are true. As with all generalizations there are a few exceptions. However, as a beginner working toward your Helmsman rating there are no exceptions! Follow these "rules" and you will be on your way to becoming an excellent sailor. Next blog - How to "See the Wind"

Charlie

New Sailor Tips and Tricks [top secret stuff!...please share].

2012-05-02T12:12:00.000-07:00

For all you new sailors at CBI - progressing to the Helmsman Rating will be one of your first goals as you learn to sail. The Helmsman Rating means you can go sailing at CBI most days without restriction and bring guests. So I will keep posting some tips and tricks along the way which I hope will help you out.

Tip #1
Keep the boom vang off except when sailing.

Tip#2
Face forward when tacking and gybing. Avoid turning or facing backwards at all.

Tip #3
When you're not moving at all and you want to get going, straighten the helm, trim the sail until it stops luffing, wait until you start moving forward before you attempt to turn or tack. Often you will see newbies attempting to turn their boat by pushing the tiller hard-a-lee before moving forward. It never works. Have you ever tried to turn your car when it is parked with the brake on? Nothing happens. Same in a sailboat. If you're not moving forward then you can't turn using the rudder. More advanced sailors learn how to steer with the aid of their sails, but that is something we'll teach you after you have a Helmsman rating.

More to follow...

Charlie

Welcome New Members! Here are some Rigging Tips and Tricks

2012-04-30T05:56:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday CBI held an open house and welcomed close to 100 new members. Many thanks to all the volunteers who helped conduct orientations, take new members for sailboat rides, and helped cook some delicious b.good burgers on the grill. It was a breezy day with it's share of capsizes. We measured the water temperature and it's creeping up to 70 degrees....not bad.

For you new members we taught several rigging classes yesterday so I am going to share some tips and tricks for rigging a Mercury sailboat correctly and quickly.

1) CVS is a Retail Store

Once you have pulled your Mercury out of the slip to the front of the dock and secured it with a NIGHT KNOT, put your Centerboard down first, loosen the boomVang 100% (often referred to as simply the Vang), then uncleat the mainSheet. Then you'll put on the Rudder and bend on the Sail. (IMPORTANT! In order to keep the Rudder safe from collision with other sailboats while at the dock please leave it until last.)

2) When bending on the sail remember this: front before the back and bottom before the top. I'll give you a clue, the tack is not the back, the clew is.

3) When hoisting the sail crouch in front of the mast where you can easily hoist and guide the sail's bolt rope into the mass groove. You will be positioned such that the boom can not bump you on the head and the boat will be very stable because you are centered athwart ship.

4) TOP SECRET TRICK!! Better than the secret handshake!!! Do not tighten the boomvang until you have cast off from the dock and are a boat length away. AND when you are returning to the dock make sure you have loosened the boomvang as soon as you are inside the island or similarly close to the dock.

Next blog I'll continue to reveal some of the most helpful tips and tricks about tacking, gybing, avoiding irons and docking on a breezy day. Stay Tuned.

Charlie

Open House - Top Secret Answers to Trivia Questions

2012-04-28T06:30:00.000-07:00

#1 1941

#2 1946

#3 Wareham

Friday Night Racing - Giving Informal Instruction

2012-04-23T13:12:00.000-07:00

Last Friday was a fun evening for sailing and racing on the Charles River - The breeze was up and down and a bit shifty. I want to recommend that you use Friday night racing as a good opportunity for giving informal instruction to newer and less experienced sailors. I raced with a young man named Matty. He's got a Solo rating and has been sailing for a couple of weeks and had not a clue about racing sailboats. I warned him in advance that a good part of the evening would be me giving him direct commands such as "trim, ease, weight to leeward, hike out now, centerboard up, centerboard down, tack, gybe, etc. He would learn more by doing than by me explaining. On one race, approximately 45 seconds before the starting gun he started to ask about how the jib telltales work. "Later" I said, "TRIM!". He picked it up rather quickly. We had a great time. By the end of the night he was shifting his weight in and out, forward and back, while paying close attention to the jib's trim, and starting to "see" the puffs before they hit us. I found an opportunity to give him a short lesson on telltales. I think he learned a lot and enjoyed the whole experience. He asked me if he showed up next Friday night would he be likely to find a crew position. I said yes.

I think that what I described here is a small slice of the essence of CBI. I hope you agree and will join in by inviting more novices to crew on Friday right races too. I can tell you with complete certainty that Matty will be a great crew in the next couple of weeks and probably will be skippering his own Mercury by the end of the summer.

Charlie

Sailing World Archive 1997 - Recovering from a Bad Start

2012-04-18T12:51:00.000-07:00

In sailboat racing a lot has changed since 1997. There are new composite materials for hulls, rigging and sails. The shape of hulls and keels are not what they once were, and in the America's Cup both competitors will be catamarans going very fast with a good chance of capsizing when the breeze pipes up. However, some thing stay the same. Check out this article from 1997 by Terry Hutchinson - "Recovering from a Bad Start". Still works as well as it did15 years ago. I know. I had a bad start last week. After applying the principles enunciated in the article - voila! first across the finish line. Thank you Sailing World! http://tinyurl.com/cpgeun2

charlie

Tweaks to CBI's Boat Sign-Out/Sign-In

2012-04-17T13:10:00.000-07:00

CBI Adult Program Director Andrew Alletag writes today's blog. You probably have noticed a number of small changes to various standard procedures at CBI this year such as a new flag color (yellow), bright pink floats at the tops of the Mercury masts, and we now require that adult members (as juniors already do) leave their membership card at the dock house when they sign out a boat. This of course means signing the boat back in when you return. So we've added a step to the process of going sailing here. Our goal is to improve CBI's management of your safety on the water. And so far on that front we are very satisfied. However, we've noticed that we still have a little work to do in making this new process of signing back in flow smoothly. Andrew here offers some suggestions that you can follow to help out and we both thank for any and all thoughts on how to make the new system work better. Shoot us an email!

Charlie

Dear CBI Sailors,

As you may have noticed, the Dockstaff will now retain membership
cards at the dockhouse when you check out a boat. We have received

a lot of useful feedback, and we thank you for taking the time to

express your ideas and thoughts. As we get further along into the season,

and the dock becomes busier we will need to streamline the process a bit

more. Here are a couple of things that you can do to help keep the line

moving and help us get everyone out on the water quickly and on your

way home after sailing:

When you arrive at the boathouse, grab a PFD and a sail before coming
to the dockhouse. Remember to line up starting at the ramp instead of
the stairs to limit confusion and traffic. If assigned to an incoming
boat, wait on the dock away from the boathouse.

These small things can help improve the flow of traffic around the
dockhouse and we believe will speed up both sign-outs and sign-ins. Thank you for
helping us out with this and for an amazing first couple of weeks of
our sailing season.

Andrew

CALLING ALL VOLUNTEERS! CBI Prepares For April 28 Open House

2012-04-13T09:15:00.000-07:00

We're planning on holding an Open House on the 28th and we need some help. Our goal is to introduce folks to CBI, sign them up for a membership, take 'em for a sail and treat 'em to a delicious grilled gourmet CBI hot dog or burger. mmmmm......so good. What we need: CBI Volunteer Sailors available from 11 to 3 to take folks out for a sail and CBI Grillers to individually cook and serve delicious and succulent burgers and hot dogs. The cookout will have a suggested donation of $5. For anyone who purchases a full year membership on the 28th the cookout is on us.

So...A Call To Action! :

1) Email me at charlie@community-boating.org. or Andrew Alletag at Andrew@community-boating.org. Let us know that you can volunteer as either a Sailor or Griller. Many Thanks!

Charlie

America's Cup Get's Interesting

2012-04-12T13:27:00.000-07:00

Check out this link to see the latest footage of America's cup racing http://www.youtube.com/user/AmericasCup?feature=watch . I have to confess, that after the last America's Cup where gigantic sailboats (one cat and one tri) cancelled racing one day for some pathetic reason such has too much wind, I lost complete interest in America's Cup racing and took up wall paper watching. Trust me, watching wall paper was more interesting than watching the last America's Cup. However, it is very good news indeed for those of us who love the sport of sailing to see the current version of America's Cup racing. The byline today is "The Best sailors. The Best Boats." They might have it right. The racing is great to watch. The boats go fast and crashes are not uncommon. There's a reason the crews wear helmets. I wonder if they might be interested in hot pink floaty things (that's a technical term) at the top of their masts? Whether you know anything about sailboat racing or not, you will find a lot to enjoy in the competition which has become the new America's Cup.

Charlie

Learn to Race Class to Kick Off in April

2012-04-10T12:45:00.000-07:00

I've spent a good part of my life teaching sailing, and sailboat racing. Throwing yourself into sailboat racing is the best way I know of to learn the fundamental boathandling skills you need to truly become an excellent sailor. It's not the competition per se but rather the instant feedback loop. You know immediately if your sail trim is off, your point of sail is off, if anything is off, as you watch your competition's transom as they sail away. When I can't figure out why my competitor is pulling away from me I go through a systmatic procedure of comparing and contrasting what I'm doing and what she is doing. If this doesn't turn the light bulb on for me then when we get back to shore I seek her out and ask her what the heck she was doing to go fast. I've learned a lot about sailing and racing in this way. So I want to encourage you as you develop your skills as a sailor at CBI to start racing. And we have the perfect way - CBI's now famous "Learn To Race Class ". Taught by the extraordinary CBI volunteer Jennifer Bodde, this is a series of three classes, Intro to Racing, Basic Racing Rules, and Basic Racing Strategy. The first series runs for three consecutive Wednedays, April 18, 25, and May 2, from 7 to 8:30 at the boathouse.

Charlie

In memory of Norman Priebatsch

2012-04-04T10:46:00.000-07:00

CBI's President, Karyn Brudnicki has authored today's blog remembering Norman Priebatsch. Reflecting the complexity of life, we all have our own memories, recollections and feelings when we lose someone. I know I'm not alone in expressing deep sadness that comes from losing a friend. Karyn has remembered Norman beautifully. Thank you Karyn.

Charlie

Walking out on the new docks, it is impossible to miss the red shed hosting a fleet of windsurfer sails and the array of windsurfing boards hanging on racks beside it. Perhaps like me, you’ve even abandoned the comparatively stable (and dry) boats to check out a windsurfing class.

Our windsurfing program has come a long way from where it was when I first joined CBI in 2002. We now have an impressive fleet of over two dozen windsurfers, with a range of beginner to advanced boards, a dedicated crew of volunteers that fixes the equipment, and robust class offerings including windsurfing clinics.

All this is possible largely due to the efforts of one particular volunteer, Norman Priebatsch.

He dedicated countless hours to improving CBI’s windsurfing program, leading working groups to acquire new equipment, as well as to maintain and improve the quality of the programming offered at CBI. He was passionate about infusing his zest for windsurfing into countless members’ lives.

A week ago, Norman emailed out to announce that Dan Weiss of US Windsurfing would open the season with a rigging class in the morning of March 31st. On that Saturday, Norman led his last volunteer effort for CBI, helping rig sails and prepare the equipment for the season.

Thus it is with a very heavy heart that I write to share this news with you. Norman was hiking the Tuckerman Ravine on Mount Washington on Sunday afternoon with friends and family when he fell into a deep crevasse. Rescue efforts have been suspended.

I always knew Norman as the go-to windsurfing guru, but it was not until I joined the Board in 2008 that I got to know him on a more personal level. He welcomed, encouraged, and supported me on the Board. An award to recognize the efforts of our volunteers was his idea. At his request, I drafted the wording for the volunteer award, the first of many policies I created or reviewed, thanks to his initial inspiration.

Norman always had a bright smile on his face and an even brighter idea to share about how to improve CBI. It was a challenge to keep up with him – he was more energetic than 10 members, putting those ideas into action and spurring others to participate. A noted entrepreneur, he employed his business talents serving CBI as a Board Member from 2007-2009.

You could always find Norman on the water. The classic Norman outfit was a pair of sneakers, white socks, and sporting a walkman. How many people do you know who still rock a walkman, much less on the water? Norman carried it in a plastic bag in his fanny pack, while both windsurfing and running on the Charles. (Yes, on the Charles, not just by it!) He didn’t care if it got wet – it was only a walkman after all. He generally listened to books on tape, turning to rock and roll only when it was particularly windy. This truly embodies the type of person he was – someone with strong intellectual drive and a passion for active living.

An avid outdoorsman, he enjoyed exploring nature through windsurfing, cycling, running, skiing, and hiking, among other pursuits. He truly seized life by the horns and would wish for no regrets. In his honor, I plan to try windsurfing again this summer and I hope you’ll join me.

He leaves behind a strong legacy on the Charles River: a superb windsurfing program with top-notch equipment and enthusiastic volunteers and sailors. His efforts will be felt by members of our community for generations to come. Norman, you will be sorely missed. I invite members to share your favorite memory of Norman, to celebrate his life and impact on CBI.

Charles River Watershed Association (CRWA) Receives International Recognition

2012-04-02T08:39:00.000-07:00

Link to CRWA Prize http://www.crwa.org/events/Riverprize.html

For quite a few years we have been telling folks the good news about the water quality of the Charles River. With the exception of the swimmers in the annual Charles River One Mile Swim, CBI sailors, windsurfers, and kayakers, have a more intimate relationship with the water of the Charles River than just about anyone. So we've witnessed first hand the significant and steady improvements in the water quality over many years. Many hands have worked hard at making the Charles River clean. However for all of us here at CBI I extend a heartfelt thanksand congratulations to the folks at CRWA for their leadership in advocating for a better Charles River.

Charlie

Amazing View of Ocean Currents

2012-03-30T08:32:00.000-07:00

From a very young age we've all learned about ocean currents such as the Gulf Stream. Ben Franklin was one of the early folks to write about it in detail. For thousands of years sailors have been making their way about the planet using ocean currents to their advantage when ever possible. Sailboat racers spend a lot of time, energy, and thought plotting the best way to cross the Gulf Stream on their way to Bermuda. Finding that perfect spot to cross the steam often results in trophies and accolades at the the finish line. So in prepartion for your next ocean voyage check out this video to get the most comprehensive and condensed view the our planet's ocean currents.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xusdWPuWAoU

Charlie

Blogging, It's a Lifestyle

2012-03-21T13:52:00.001-07:00

Last year on April 28 I started blogging. I wrote a total of 42 posts. It was fun. I enjoyed doing it. It also was a pressure cooker! Finding topics to write about. Finding words to express things well. Finding the right balance between light hearted and deeply serious...... and then the followers...so intimidating to "have followers". ..Well not really. Granted there were only a handful, and they were mostly folks I begged. (thank you) ..but still ..the ..pressure.. Now the truth and confession. I ran out of gas. CBI went through a lot in the previous year getting the new piers built while pushing our programming onwards and upwards. And I just ran out of gas. Now anyone who knows me, knows that this new age of social media is dragging me along kicking and screaming. However, now is now and then was then, and bloggin is a lifestyle, so today I sit before my computer, newly energized with the dawning 2012 sailing season before us, and a lot to write about. CBI is an exciting place to be lately and it will be my goal to communicate to the entire world how incredible this place is. So here's is some of the latest news.

CBI has a new website. We've tried to make the web site work better and present CBI with more pictures, more video, more fun, more excitement...in short more of everything that we think makes CBI so special.

In addition to our email newsletter we are using Facebook, Twitter, and You Tube. You can expect to see more and more of our communication through these media.

CBI is adding two Sonars to out fleet. They'll be coming online in the next few months.

And about those pink bouys at the top of the Mercuries..... Some of you may have noticed a shocking pink splash of color living at the top of our Mercury masts this spring. This came out of experiments last year with various floats at the top of the masts. Our goal here is twofold. One, to minimize the number of capsized Mercuries that "turtle", turning fully upside-down and sticking their mast into the mud, and two, increase visibility of our fleet. Anyone who has ever had to evacuate our entire fleet of sailboats from the river in advance of a summer thunderstorm can appreciate improving our ability to identify our boats. As is our usual method we are constantly testing ways to improve our programming and on-the-water safety. Our hope is that the new bright floats at the top of the mast will serve this purpose.

There's much more to report but I want to save that for my next postings. So stay tuned. Finally, I want to express a big thank you to the many volunteers who have been helping in the shop this past winter and at work parties. Thank you!

Opening Day : SATURDAY, MARCH 31 OPEN HOUSE

Cheers,

Charlie

What's the best way to improve your sailing skills?

2011-04-28T15:02:00.000-07:00

The absolute best way to develop and improve your sailing skills is to go racing. Even if you are less than thrilled with the competitive adenaline that racing can bring out in folks, there is absolutely no better way to become a better sailor. Clear;ly I'm biased here. But my bias is from a lifetime of sailing, racing, cruising, and teaching/coaching. Because of my experience on the race course, my cruising skills are better than most. Racing teaches boathandling, sail trim, awareness of wind, current, weather,...the list goes on. So if you want to improve your skills as a sailor this year, no matter how good you think you are, you need to go racing. Here's how:
Click here

Charlie

Great news for the Charles River!

2011-04-25T06:39:00.000-07:00

The last couple of years I have learned more about algae in the Charles River than I really wanted. While the Charles River has been getting dramatically cleaner over the past 10 to 15 years, in the last few years we have witnessed problems with algae blooms which raised concerns about human contact with the water. The algae can produce toxic stuff which may (NOTE THE WORD MAY) not be so great to come in contact with and certainly not to ingest. The science is incomplete and therefore lends itself to many, often conflicting, conclusions. Simply put, add the right mix of nutrients in the water (I suspect we may want to have a word with the folks upstream who apply fertilizer to their lawns), add sunlight, warm it up and algae has a feast. To be fair this algae may be responsible for giving our planet oxygen. For that I will always be grateful. But all things in their proper time and place I say. At the risk of being one more NIMBY person, I say go make your oxygen somewhere else.

So here is some great news. Power plants create a lot of heat and have to constantly cool things down. The Kendall power station in Cambridge is no different. As I understand it in the past they would use river water to cool things off and then when done return it to the river. However, it would still be kind of warm, maybe 100 degrees Fahrenheit +/-. So the really good news is that they are implementing new technology that will reduce the amount of warm water returning by 95%....95%!! That's a lot a percent. Here is the link to the article about this great development for all of us who play on the Charles River.

Charlie

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2011/02/02/power_plant_plan_to_cut_discharge_send_heat_to_boston/?page=1

Dock project approaching completion!

2011-04-19T10:54:00.000-07:00

On opening day (April 1) under snow and rain I espoused to the news cameras that it was really 80 degrees and sunny at Community Boating. I think I mentioned something about weather being a state of mind. hmmm...I know I was feeling the fact that being open at all on April 1st was really quite remarkable. To have seen, day to day, the dock construction throughout the winter and perhaps understand better than most that there were many more reasons for the project to fall behind than push ahead, such as a brutal winter and materials coming from third world countries on slow boats, I am still pinching myself to see that we are open and coming close to completion. Some of the areas still being worked on include the 420 floats, the high performance floats, the boat ramp by the crane, the fence around the facility, some areas of decking and bumpers along the edges of the entire structure. There's also a "punch list" being worked through. I'm feeling pretty comfortable that we will see the entire facility 100% by mid May. Keep an eye out on this web site, blog, and Basin Breezes, for info about when windsurfing and Lasers will be "open". They're coming soon!

Spending so much of my attention and energy focused on the construction project makes me miss paying more attention to sailing. This is one reason why I really appreciate our great staff. There's a reason why CBI received a lot of awards this past winter from the US Sailing Association. Thanks to the work of our program directors this winter we will see great programming again this summer. Just today we have a group of kids from two Boy's and Girl's clubs embarking on a week long course of sailing instruction - a jump start to the summer junior program. Last weekend CBI hosted an important high school qualifying regatta. Sign-ups for the Accessible Sailing Program are underway and the adult program will see a continuing emphasis on on-the-water instruction and advanced classes such a sailboat racing (Look to our class schedules on the web site to see what's being offered). While I honestly feel a little pride for all of us in the new facility, I am most excited about what we will do with it in the future. It's no mystery - we're gonna turn more and more folks, young and old, into sailors. Think of that song " What the world needs now....(more sailors!)

Charlie

Opening Day is Here! Weather Forecast - Sunny, 80

2011-03-31T16:14:00.000-07:00

Have you ever considered that weather is a state of mind? I hope so. Because I have for a long time now been boasting and bragging that it is always Sunny and 80 on the dock at CBI, ......which it is. In fact I even promised my boss (CBI's Board of Directors) that we would open on April 1 and I would personally deliver a sunny, gorgeous, and warm day. Recently a few naysayers have pointed out to me that the weather forecast for tomorrow includes snow. What's your point I say? Let's consider... Isn't weather as we generally know it something that we experience? And haven't we all noticed how no two people can be counted on to recount in the same way experiences that they allegedly share? Therefore we see that no experience is the same for any two individuals and therefore experience is an invalid basis for quantifying states of being and any related issues. So while it may appear to some that snow, rain and cold will be the dominant features of the weather tomorrow, the truth is that it will be warm, sunny, and windy.

Welcome to the 2011 sailing season!

Charlie

Opening Day Weather Forecast

2011-03-24T12:36:00.000-07:00

Beautiful weather expected for Opening Day. In fact the weather is going to be so brilliant that no matter what the weather actually is, it is going to be beautiful, brilliant, fantastic and generally wonderful. This is a fact. And I am willing to stand by this forecast no matter what. So here are the plans we have made.

Thanks to a lot of hands helping out at the work party last Saturday (65 in total) we got a lot of the boathouse put back into order. Starting tomorrow we will be launching, with the help of the contractor's crane, R19s, Sonars, and Launches. The focus on Saturday will Mercuries in the slip - as many as possible. That will give us all of next week to rig, tune, and tweak. We invite everyone to take next Friday off from work, come lend a hand in the morning and go for a sail in the afternoon. I have to confess that I am so excited to get the 2011 sailing season off and running and do it on April 1. A part of me really thought that we might not be able to sail until mid April. So a big hats off to the management team at the DCR and the crew at CRC Contractors for pushing this project all the way through. Remember what this winter was like? The workers who built this dock never took a break even when the wind, snow, and cold seemed unbearably harsh.

Now onto a more worrying subject.. There are not many who sail at CBI who do not recognize the ebullient southern voice of Jim Johnson. I don't know if I've ever met a more enthusiastic sailor in my life. One thing I've learned at CBI over many years is how easily enthusiasm in our adult members turns into a certain childishness. I am of course completely immune to this. Jim on the other hand, is another story. While purportedly visiting the boathouse to renew his membership for 2011, Jim was found to be preparing to rig a Mercury and go sailing. Photos attached.

Upon interrogation Jim explained "there is a pretty good wind today." Well, yes Jim there sure is but that doesn't make what you were doing right....does it? .....mmmmmm........... there sure is a nice wind.......mmmmmmmm...... gotta go....

Charlie

So what's that dock made out of anyway?

2011-03-14T13:00:00.000-07:00

As the dock moves toward completion I've been asked a few times about the materials used. The piles are greenheart and the decking is purple heart. They are both imported from South America. This can raise concerns about whether the dock is being built out of eco friendly and sustainable materials or contributing to deforestation and global warming.

When the design work was started almost 4 years ago CBI and others raised the question/concern about what materials would be used and advocated for the dock to be built out of sustainable resources. For all of our information I have copied the relevent parts of the contract specs used by the DCR (Department of Conservation and Recreation) .

Charlie
(SECTION 02300-2):

6. Greenheart piles shall be supplied by a company that operations in the Guiana Shield countries are in
conformity with the International Conventions and National Forestry Regulations relating to the
management of forestry concessions. Company shall enforce the protection of the endangered species
listed by CITES (Convention on Trade in Endangered Species) and the bio-diversity of the ecosystems.
It respects the Intellectual Property Rights of the Indigenous Peoples, whose communities are the
beneficiaries of the Company’s field operation.
7. Greenheart piles are supplied by a company that stresses the need for low impact forestry operations,
ensuring that its forestry extraction is state of the art while constantly monitoring the effect of its
logistics systems on watershed management and its use of biodegradable wood preservatives.

(SECTION 06100-2):
3. Tropical hardwood shall conform with the International Conventions and National Forestry
Regulations relating to the management of forestry concessions.
6. Tropical hardwood shall be supplied by a company that operations in the Guiana Shield countries are in
conformity with the International Conventions and National Forestry Regulations relating to the
management of forestry concessions. Company shall enforce the protection of the endangered species
listed by CITES (Convention on Trade in Endangered Species) and the bio-diversity of the ecosystems.
It respects the Intellectual Property Rights of the Indigenous Peoples, whose communities are the
beneficiaries of the Company’s field operation.
7. Tropical hardwood shall be supplied by a company that stresses the need for low impact forestry
operations, ensuring that its forestry extraction is state of the art while constantly monitoring the effect
of its logistics systems on watershed management and its use of biodegradable wood preservatives.

Junior Instructors In Training complete complete winter projects

2011-03-11T05:02:00.000-08:00

A few weeks back I made a promise to the world. I said I would get rid of all the snow, at least in my neighborhood. I just needed a little time. I'm pleased to report that my work is now done, ahead of schedule and under budget! By next Monday all the ice left in the river will also be gone! Boy does that feel good to get that out of the way.

Last winter CBI Director of Youth Programs, Amy Lyons, hosted a group of Junior Program Instructors In Training. Amy worked with these CBI sailors to develop skills as future sailing instructors. They taught classes, gave presentations, and worked on projects including knot boards and man-over-board "dummies". Amy's report follows along with a "class picture"

CBI is many things. One thing which many adult members may not be aware, is how much CBI is a youth training, development, and leadership program. Sailing teaches many valuable skills and concepts. But nothing compares to the experience of teaching sailing to others. There is a good chance that one day you will be seeing some of these faces on our dock staff. And when you do I predict that they will amaze you at their self confidence, responsibility, knowledge, and general where-with-all. Congratulations IITs!
Charlie

Community Boating's first Winter Instructor In Training program was a great success! The nine juniors who participated learned skills that will help them be excellent IITs, and they also made instructional aids that will be useful to all Community Boating members. Over the course of seven meetings, these juniors lead team building exercises and learned how to construct lesson plans. Each junior chose a topic, and wrote their own lesson plans which they presented to the rest of the group. Their presentations were all excellent, and we are excited to have such enthusiastic and well-trained IITs on board for this summer! The IITs also made four new "person overboard" buoys, and three traveling knotboards that will allow members to practice tying basic knots. We would like to thank the following juniors for taking part in this program: Maria Condon, Tori Condon, Gregor Dieckow, Chris Dsida, Khalil Kaba, Andrew Lazaro, Fiona O'Connor, Sam White, and Ben Zheng.

Pictured (left to right) back row: Chris Dsida, Gregor Dieckow, Khalil Kaba, Maria Condon front row: Fiona O'Connor, Tori Condon.

Winter IIT participants show off their handiwork - three new knotboards for our members!

Amy Lyons

CBI makes changes to junior program membership price

2011-02-23T14:09:00.000-08:00

For many decades CBI has charged a $1 membership fee per child to participate in the summer junior program. Commencing in 2011, CBI is changing course. We will now charge a sliding scale based on household income. Critical to discussing this change is understanding what continues to be a priority for CBI and has not changed - junior membership will still be $1 per child for families with annual household income of less than $75,000. At the bottom of this blog is a link to the 2011 Junior Program Application form..

A couple of questions I have been asked are: Why now? What prompted this change? And is it connected to the dock replacement? So I want to offer some discussion to these questions.

In 2010 CBI's Board of Directors adopted a 5 year strategic plan. It articulates our commitment to "Sailing for All" and provides for the needs of our programming today and for future generations. From this foundation, we took an in-depth look at our junior program pricing and came to the decision that $1 per child for all children was not a sustainable model for CBI in today’s world and in the future.

In the past two years, CBI's junior program grew to close to 2300 participants. Along with this numerical growth, in 2011 we're expanding our programming into the spring, the fall, the winter, and on weekends. Furthermore, we are improving the quality of programming by offerings diverse interactive lessons on topics such as the environment. The total junior program cost in 2011 will be approximately $300,000.

Additionally, the need to replace much of our fleet in the near future is an immediate and growing concern. I believe this price change has come at the right time for the right reason. It supports sailing for all, both today and in the future, while keeping our commitment to minimizing economic barriers to the sport of sailing.

The last question - Is this price change connected to the new dock? The answer is no. It is related, however, because CBI has accepted responsibility to deliver ambitious programming which lives up to the investment made by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the DCR, and other supporters of The Esplanade and "Sailing for All", something that we take seriously with humility.

I believe that the meaning of the new Community Boating Dock will be found in how well we meet our mission of "Sailing for All" in the 21^st century. In addition to increasing the quantity and quality of the Junior Program, CBI plans to double the size of our accessible sailing program in 2011 - something which wasn't possible before with the smaller dock - and to host more regattas such as the Massachusetts Special Olympics Championship. So while there is no direct linkage between the new dock and the change in junior program pricing, both changes will make CBI a stronger organization, and a more effective and impactful organization.

Charlie

Link to CBI's Junior Program application: http://www.community-boating.org/images/stories/JP_app_2011_web.pdf

CBI and staff receive multiple national awards!

2011-02-11T08:29:00.000-08:00

Reprinted here is our press release announcing the awards CBI and staff received in January at the US Sailing National Sailing Programs Symposium. Congratulaions to CBI, Tom Moore, and Amy Lyons!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 07, 2011

Contact: Marcin Kunicki

Community Boating, Inc.

21 David Mugar Way

Boston, MA 02114

P: (617) 523-1038, x.23

Email: marcin@community-boating.org

Website: http://www.community-boating.org

Boston’s Community Boating Wins Four (4) National Awards

Community Boating recognized at US Sailing National Sailing Programs Symposium with awards for outreach and inclusion and excellence in sailing

BOSTON, MA – Community Boating, Inc. (CBI) received four prestigious awards at the US Sailing National Sailing Program Symposium in Clearwater Beach, FL, January 2011. The program received two awards—the prestigious US Sailing Captain Joe Prosser Award for Excellence in Sailing as well as the US Sailing Community Sailing Council Outstanding Inclusion and Outreach award for its efforts in Youth and Universal Access Programs. Additionally, Junior Program Director, Amy Lyons of Somerville, MA received the US Sailing Community Sailing Council Outstanding Director of a Seasonal Program Award. And Operations Director, Tom Moore of Brighton, MA received the US Sailing Community Sailing Council Outstanding Leadership Award.

Community Boating Executive Director Charlie Zechel states "It is a true honor for all of us at Community Boating to receive this level of national recognition and a testament to the dedication and hard work of our staff and many volunteers. As Community Boating prepares to launch it's 65th sailing season on the Charles River, we remain committed to the concept of "Sailing for All" and look forward to expanding our programming in areas of accessibility. The Commonwealth and partners have made an important commitment to our programs by rebuilding the docks this winter. CBI is equally committed to expanding accessibility to the sport of sailing for all individuals."

US Sailing, the national governing body of sailing awards the Captain Joe Prosser Award at US SAILING's National Sailing Programs Symposium in cooperation with the United States Merchant Marine Academy's Sail Training Program (Kings Point, NY). This prestigious award recognizes the life achievement of the Merchant Marine Academy's first sailing master, Captain C.A. "Joe" Prosser, USMS. The award celebrates an exemplary contribution toward improving the quality and safety in the training or instruction of sailors. Nominees shall embody all characteristics of sportsmen: namely honor, integrity, and a selfless dedication to the sport. In addition to the trophy, a $500 credit funded by US SAILING’s Training Committee will be awarded annually to the selected school or program for Instructor Training. For more information on US Sailing awards, please see: http://training.ussailing.org/ProgramMgmt/Awards.htm

Community Boating is the nation’s oldest and largest community sailing program offering learn to sail programming for adults, kids and individuals with special needs on the Charles River. The mission of Community Boating, Inc., is the advancement of sailing for all by minimizing economic and physical obstacles to sailing. In addition, CBI enhances the greater Boston community by using sailing as a vehicle to empower its members to develop independence and self-confidence, improve communication, foster teamwork and acquire a deeper understanding of community spirit and the power of volunteerism.

Be Good To Our Environent -Spare the plastic bottles!

2011-02-09T13:24:00.000-08:00

Today's guest blog is from our very own Director of Youth Programs, Amy Lyons. Thank you Amy.

Water Water Everywhere…

I don’t know about you, but sailing and being surrounded by water always makes me thirsty. If you share this sentiment, please read on before you dip your hands into the Charles for a sip… I’ve got a better solution.

CBI wants to put an end to two pervasive problems among our membership – drinking Charles River water, and buying single-use plastic bottles. For your health, and the health of our environment, we’ll be selling reusable aluminum water bottles for the low price of $6 each, as well as installing a new water fountain with a better filtration system. Cool, refreshing, filtered water… aaaaaahhhh.

Did you know:

Plastic bottles take 700 years to begin composting
90% of the cost of bottled water is due to the bottle itself
38 million plastic bottles go to the dump per year in America from bottled water
24 million gallons of oil are needed to produce a billion plastic bottles
The average American consumes 167 bottles of water a year
Bottling and shipping water is the least energy efficient method ever used to supply water

Be the envy of all your friends with a small piece of aluminum that says “I care”.

Best features of these bottles: there’s a spot to write your name, so no one can steal your awesome bottle (believe me, they’ll want to!), and they have a carabiner – attach it to yourself or your boat to keep that cool water coming!

Buying one of these bottles is a no-brainer, however choosing the right color can be difficult. Here are a few notes on what these different colors mean – choose wisely. These bottles also make great gifts, but you’ll want to make sure that you choose the appropriate color for your friends and loved ones.

Handy Color Guide:

Black is a very powerful color that portrays one of class, elegance and wealth.
Purple portrays rich powerful kings, leaders, wizards and magicians.
Green is the color of nature and health. It represents growth, nature, and money.
Blue has a calming effect; it is a color of loyalty, strength, wisdom and trust.
Red is a very strong color that evokes a powerful emotion of passion; it is a symbol of pride and strength.

You can order your water bottle TODAY by calling or emailing the Front Office (frontoffice@community-boating.org).

Stay Hydrated,

Amy