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In This Issue: Ontario Sailing Annual General Meeting; Nominations Due for Annual Awards; Ontario Sailing Mad Men Gala; CANSail Program Overview; TIBS Special Preview Night; Ontario Sailing Courses Available; Navigation Charts Available from Google Earth; New Initiative - Regatta Nutrition; Miami Training Report; "Life of a Cruising Sailor" ; High Performance Day Report; Club Conference & Learn to Sail Symposium Presentations; Seven Golden Rules for Docking Your Boat; Dell Member Pricing Program; How to Submit Articles to Ontario Sailing
Ontario Sailing Annual General MeetingOntario Sailing Annual General Meeting
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Direct Energy Centre, Salon 101 - Toronto
The Annual General Meeting (AGM) will begin at 10:00 am and will cover business of the Association including:
Ontario Sailing Awards and Ontario Sailing Grand Prix Awards will also be presented during the AGM.
If you plan on attending the AGM please RSVP to Shauna Cartlidge at 1-888-672-7245 ext. 221 or info@ontariosailing.ca. Please indicate if you will also be the voting representative for your organization.
If a representative from your organization cannot attend to vote on your behalf you may assign your vote to someone else via proxy. Download the proxy below and return to the Ontario Sailing office by Thursday, January 19, 2012.
In addition, at the end of the AGM, Allen Doppelt will be speaking. Mr. Doppelt is the legal counsel who drafted the Ontario Not-For-Profit Corporations Act and will be giving our members information on the new Act that will be coming into force.
Nominate Today for the Ontario Sailing Annual AwardsOntario Sailing is now accepting nominations for the Ontario Sailing Annual Awards.
 Did your club run an exceptional regatta this year? (Nominate for Regatta of the Year)
Did you have a fabulous coach/instructor? (Nominate for Angus (Bud) Roulstone Leadership Award)
These are just 2 of the award categories of the Ontario Sailing Annual Awards. If you have someone you'd like to nominate for one of these Awards now is the time to submit the nomination.
The deadline for nominations is Wed, Dec. 14, 2011.
Click below for a list of awards criteria and the nomination form. Awards will be presented to recipients at the Ontario Sailing AGM, Sunday January 22, 2012.
Get yours in today! How many awards will your club go home with?
 Make Plans Now - Ontario Sailing 'Mad Men' Gala Saturday, March 31, 2012 - The Boulevard Club
6pm until the dancing stops!
Be sure to make plans now to attend THE party of the year, Ontario Sailing's Annual Celebration of Sailing Gala! All proceeds go towards the development of sailing in Ontario. It's a great way to kick off the 2012 sailing season and support a good cause all at the same time!
Tickets - $150/person or $85/athlete
Ontario Sailing is pleased to once again have Tectona Inc. as a Star Sponsor for the Gala. Relatively speaking, Tectona is a senior citizen in the youthful world of electronics. Other technology companies emerge virtually overnight, claiming global status. Tectona was established in 1985 ans has worked diligently since then to achieve true global respect as provider of electronic manufacturing and design services. Tectona is a highly versatile electronics industry supplier. They can provide everything from basic cables to finished electronic appliances, all accompanied by a range of convenient services, backed by customer service that is second to none. Tectona Inc. has been a long time supporter of Ontario Sailing and we are happy to be working with them again!
Returning this Year:
*Exotic Wine Tasting - donated by Pierre Gagnon
*Presentation of the Legends of Ontario Sailing Award for 2012
*Live & Silent Auctions, Fabulous Food & Dancing the Night Away!
Live Auction Preview
Sponsored By:
 Official Media Sponsor:
 
 CYA New CANSail Program for Learn To Sail ProgramsIn 2012 the Canadian Yachting Association is launching CAN
CAN
Existing CYA Instructors will not lose their Certifications. They will be required to complete the CANSail Instructor training module at http://www.sailing.ca/ as it becomes available in early 2012. Successful completion of this module will allow them to deliver the new CAN
Ontario
Benefits of the new CAN
If you are planning on delivering CAN
If you have any questions regarding CAN
Megan Medlock, Program Director - ucansail@ontairosailing.ca, 1-888-672-7245 x 226
Special Preview Night - Toronto International Boat ShowAttend The Premiere Night Of Canada's Largest Boat Show!
Friday, January 13, 2012
4pm - 9pm $100 per person (advance sales only)
Online tickets at TorontoBoatShow.com or call 905-951-0009 Direct Energy Centre, Exhibition Place
Toronto, Ontario
Since 2000, the Special Preview Night has raised more than $560,000 in the past 10 years for boating-affiliated charities.
To date, The 2012 Charity Recipients are:
Courses Available Through Ontario SailingDid you know that there are number of courses/workshops available to your organization through Ontario Sailing? Read on for more information and then contact us to arrange a course/workshop at your club.
Youth Oriented Workshops
This workshop is intended for your club's youth sailors and will focus on:
The workshop can be run on a weeknight or a 1/2 day on a weekend and is $20 + HST per person. The day will be run by the Ontario Sailing Development Coach, Chris Hewson. To set up a workshop contact Chris Hewson.
Race Officer Seminars
The Ontario Sailing Race Management Committee runs both Assistant Race Officer & Club Race Officer Theory seminars. You can run a 2 day seminar with both Level 1 & Level 2 or you may run a 1 day seminar with just one of the levels.
Assistant Race Officer (Level 1) Theory
Prerequisites: None Club Race Officer (Level 2) Theory
Prerequisites: Assistant Race Officer seminar
If you are interested in hosting one or both of the above seminars be sure to contact Shauna Cartlidge today to arrange dates for the 2012 winter/spring.
North U Course - Coming in 2012
Thomas Fogh, member of the Ontario Sailing Board of Directors, will be offering a North U course coming in 2012. The details of the course are still be finalized and will be posted once all details are available. Course topics could include:
If your club is interested in hosting a North U course in 2012 please contact Shauna Cartlidge and read the Hosting An OS North U Seminar document.
Navigational Charts Direct from Google Earth - And It's FreeFrom Sail-World.com/Cruising and Paul Higgins:
If you have ever had a problem with inaccurate charting where you sail, you'll want to know about something that seems so simple in concept that it should have been done years ago, and wasn't - a program that can create navigation charts directly from Google Earth, avoiding any inaccuracy. Retired Canadian HP programmer Paul Higgins tells the story of how he came to create the program, AND explains how to do it, free!
 'Chart Corrected Using Google Earth' - Paul Higgins
In the fall of 2009 I took a 6 month sabbatical from my Systems programming job at Hewlett Packard and took my sailboat G'DAY II to the Caribbean from Toronto Canada. My sailing buddy was Bill. Our first stop from the Keys in Florida was Cuba. From there we sailed to Isla Mujeres Mexico. While there we heard about about a sailor who had run aground on a reef near Puerto Morelos about 30Km south of Isla. He had been aground for nearly a week and was getting desperate. The sailors at the marina we were in decided to send a few boats with supplies and see if there was anyway to help. I volunteered to go go with another boat. Bill and I sailed down with the supplies. When we got there I found the Navionics chart on my chart plotter that I was using didn't seem to be correct. The paper chart for the area, 28201 Puerto Morelos also seem to be somehow incorrect. We had to be be very careful we didn't get in the same situation as the boat we came to help. We tried for nearly a week to get the stranded boat off the reef but finally it was decided to abandon it to the sea. It was starting to breakup from the pounding surf. Just before I left the boat, I noticed that he had the same chart 28201 on his navigation table. After I returned to Canada I decided to compare chart 28201 with the Google earth. I was shocked to see the difference was over 2nm. I couldn't help wonder if our unlucky friend had been using it when he ran aground. I verified that Google earth was correct because I had kept my track data. I thought wouldn't it be nice to be able to create a chart from Google earth for these areas of the world where the official chart was not correct. I then discovered that Google earth had an interface that allowed programs to access it. So I wrote a simple program that allowed you to display an area on Google earth and push one button to create a chart. GE2KAP was born. Since that time GE2KAP has been enhanced many times from requests from sailors around the world. First we enhanced it so you could overlay an official chart on the Google earth display and have both the GE picture and the chart. Then I allowed you to recreate an incorrect chart by aligning a bad chart with GE and extracting the datum correction for a corrected chart. The interface and messages have been translated into 4 languages so far: French, Spanish, German as well as English. The new version has help files in both English and French. I am sixty seven years old and now retired. I sometimes sail with my dog Whitey a Chihuahua, Jack Russell mix who thinks he owns the world. I still love programming and computers. It keeps my mind active.  Paul Higgins and his dog, Whitey, who helps with programming
...................... Now, Here is the program that will convert a Google earth picture directly to a BSB/KAP chart without you having to enter any calibration data. I get the necessary calibration data directly from Google earth using its ActiveX API. This comes in very handy creating charts where the official charts are not great or don't exist. (I will leave it up to you on how to interpret the Google earth license.) It only supports Windows operating systems: XP, Vista and Win7. Download the program from my website: http://www.gdayii.ca/ and unzip to a directory on your system. Install the prereqs: : 1. This program is written in REXX programming language and uses the oorexx interpreter. The lastest version of oorexx can be down loaded from: Open Object Rexx Please install V4.0.1 or higher: ooRexx4.0.1.i586.exe (32bit). Note: Install the 32bit version even if you are on a 64bit system. 2. You must have Google earth V5.1 or higher which can be download from: Download Google Earth Start GE2KAP by double clicking on it from Windows explorer. Then click the Help button and read the instructions on setting up Google earth. Be sure you turn off 'Terrain' as it can cause GE2KAP to create inaccurate charts. New ADC Initiative - Regatta NutritionThe Athlete Development Committee is working towards new guidelines for Athlete Nutrition for the Ontario Grand Prix Regattas . This initiative was first presented by ADC Chair, Evan Lewis, at the Ontario Sailing Club Conference at Mimico Cruising Club in November. The presentation was met with excellent questions and a terrific reception from those in attendence.
The summary of the initiative is as follows: As athletes compete in multiple races per day, they require continued access to nutrition including carbohydrate based snacks and fluids. The traditional regatta lunch of a sandwich and other goodies provides athletes with only one point to consume food between races which can be at an unknown time for racers. Additionally, this is a large amount of food to consume at once between races and can cause a significant delay in racing.
The proposed Guidelines will have regatta organizers move towards having a food boat stationed just outside of the race course area to allow athletes to access snacks such as bars and fruit and water after every race.
This system has been used at several major North American level regattas in the US with great response from both sailors and regatta organizers. Below is a slide taken from the presentation, of how a food boat could be positioned on a race course with separate start and finish lines.
Stay tuned for more information.
 Click on image for larger view
Miami Training Report Submitted by Murray McCullough, High Performance Coach:
Venue – US Sailing Center, Coconut Grove, Miami, Florida - Nov. 9th - 13th, 2011
Athletes – Emily McIlquham & Meredith Megarry (2012 Youth World Female 420 team), Hugh McRae (2012 Youth World Male Radial), Violet Stafford (2012 Youth World Female Radial), Mitchell McDonald (OST Laser) and Bronwyn Richardson (OST Radial).
Coaches – Chris Hewson (Ontario Sailing Development Coach) & Murray McCullough (Ontario High Performance Coach – Sailing)
Conditions – 8-15 knots varying in direction from West to Northeast. Flat and mixed chop days, waves maxing at 1.5feet.
On-Land Training
The group met at 9am each day for morning fitness, which included a warm-up, crossfit workout, and a cool-down. The warm-up included footwork exercises to increase heart rates and improve foot and leg coordination. The main workout targeted major muscle groups including, arms, chest, torso and legs. The cool-down consisted of a series of dynamic stretches targeting the major muscle groups used during exercise.
On-water Training
The primary focus of this training block was dedicated to boat-handling, while a secondary focus was leeward mark roundings. As the majority of these athletes haven’t spent consistent time training since mid October, boat-handling was without a doubt an area that required attention. Short course drills enforced boat-handling for two reasons:
1. It forced the athletes to engage in a variety of manoeuvres over a short distance and in a short period of time.
2. It forced the athletes to execute basic manoeuvres repetitively, allowing them several opportunities to improve their skills.
Following short course drills, the athletes were given an opportunity to focus entirely on leeward mark roundings. To end each day, a series of starts and short-races were conducted to incorporate the skills practiced during training in a race setting.
Team Building
As Henry Ford once stated,
“Coming together is a beginning, keeping together is a process, working together is a success”.
In the past, this fundamental principal has been distant to the Ontario Sailing Team. To re-establish this concept, the team engaged in several team activities including, dinner at a local restaurant, visiting the MacDonald family who kindly hosted the group for a homemade pizza night, and finally we topped things off with a trip to the Bank Atlantic Center to watch the Florida Panthers play the Philadelphia Flyers. Might I add that the tickets were $10.00 each and that season’s tickets were advertised for $410.00!!! That’s right, season tickets equal to two nosebleed tickets at the ACC followed by a soft drink and popcorn…
Thank You
On behalf of Ontario Sailing, the athletes and coaches, I would like to extend a special thank you to all of the parents who made this training block a success. Without your dedication, support and generosity, the athletes would have been stuck back in the frozen north, dreaming about sailing in the sunny South!
Thanks again everyone! Looking forward to seeing you all again in December!
"Life Of A Cruising Sailor"By Wally Moran
Late December, at anchor on the ICW in Georgia. It’s chilly, but not as cold as the last week has been. I’m beginning to believe that I may not freeze to death before getting to the Bahamas, and I promise myself - once again - to start south sooner next fall. I’d like to keep a promise to myself to celebrate New Year’s Eve in the Bahamas one day, it’s supposed to be an amazing night.
I’m sewing up the puppy’s chew toy, a red fuzzy lobster bought for her in Eau Gallie FL after I brought her back from Cuba, where she adopted me at a dock in Varadero. There’s a story there, but not for now. Aduana (Spanish for ‘customs’ - I told you, there’s a story there) sits patiently as I work - this is her favourite toy - but her quiet muttering tells me she is more than ready to pounce and take it back. I, on the other hand, want this job to last, so I’m using sail thread and what few sewing skills I inherited from my mother to get this done right this time. Karen Carpenter plays on my speakers - something quiet, since most of the music tonight has been calypso, soca or other island music. Not by choice but by chance - the iPod is on shuffle. Dinner tonight was basmati rice and a porkloin with portabello mushrooms and spices. Hot and tasty, and to accompany it, a hot rum and honey toddy. I had one last night when I was feeling a cold coming on and it was so good, I decided to have one tonight, even though I feel fine. Life is good, or would be if the dishes weren’t there to be washed. Maybe later and if not then, in the morning. The beat of the music changes to a fast island tune - and Aduana has rediscovered the squeaker in her toy. She’s actually squeaking to the beat of the music. What a talented pup! So passes another night in the life of a cruising sailor. Nothing dramatic, but there’s a quiet satisfaction in all of this: were I back home in Canada, I’d be preparing for bed, with another workday ahead of me, a painful trudge through snow and slush to meet someone else’s schedule, achieve someone else’s goals. Instead, I anticipate doing exactly what I want to in the morning. Not what someone else wants me to do, or what I must do, but what I want to do. Or not do. Life is about choices, and I’ve made mine. I have no intention of dying of stress induced heart failure. I already know that the toughest part of my day tomorrow will be getting the pup ashore in the morning, because the dock on the nearby island is falling down and isn’t safe. We explored there earlier tonight on our walk, finding a cottage that was long abandoned hidden back in the sabal palms. It looks like it was once a nice place, but it’s now clearly derelict - probably lost to the state for back taxes. I ponder the wisdom of purchasing it. There’s deep water not even one hundred feet from the shore and it’s only a few hours sail to the nearest Atlantic inlet at Jekyll’s Island. But why? For what it would probably cost me and the use I’d get from it, I could spend a lot of nights like tonight. Still, it would make a great location for a cruisers’ hangout - put in some mooring balls, fix up a little pub and restaurant, run it for the fall and spring migrations....nah, maybe when I retire from sailing. Aduana jumps into my lap, thrusting her toy in my face, squeaking like mad. She wants to play and won’t take no for an answer when I push her aside. Much later..... I should have fixed this toy for her a week ago; I’d forgotten how much she enjoys it. Still, this way it should last until I can replace it with a new one from the same store. The night is calm - no wind, no other boats for miles in any direction - the moon is nearly full and, were it not cold, it would be a great night to sit outside and sip, and ponder the mysteries of this world. I’ve had people say to me that they’d love to live as I do, but when I tell them to go for it, they quickly say ‘oh no, I couldn’t’. There’s the Jaguar to pay for, the house, the job.....there’s every excuse in the world. People simply don’t understand: life involves making choices. I don’t have a Jaguar - I have endless nights under a full moon like tonight’s, and no worry about paying for an expensive car that will only depreciate. If I really have to drive a sports car, I have my classic Datsun 280, paid for years ago, sitting in a garage back home. I only have myself to please, not a boss or fussy clients, and while I understand that these things are important to some people and once were to me, I now wonder why. What on earth does it matter if one more widget gets sold, or one more lawsuit filed, if you’re not happy doing it? Is it the sense of being important in this world? If so, who is more important than the person you look at in the mirror when you shave or put on makeup? What about his opinion, what about her happiness? Don’t they matter? Sure they do. Or so you say. Go back to dreaming my friend. It’s not your time.  Aduana
Wally has still not kept his promise and as he writes this in mid-November, he’s docked at the south end of Chesapeake Bay, about to begin his 18th transit of the ICW. You can follow his progress down the ICW this year at LiveBloggin’ the ICW, http://bloggingtheicw.blogspot.com/, and meet him at the upcoming Toronto International Boat Show as he speaks about the ICW, and his new seminar, “Paws on Board”, about cruising with pets. High Performance Day ReportSubmitted by Murray McCullough, High Performance Coach
This year’s Ontario Sailing High Performance Day was hosted by the Burlington Sailing and Boating Club and Crossfit North Burlington on November 19th. The day attracted 29 athletes ranging in ages from 14-50 and from various classes including; Laser, Laser Radial, 29er, 420 and Boards (windsurfers). The day was split into two sections, in-class seminars and in-gym fitness.
Information Seminars
The morning consisted of 3 valuable seminars targeting:
1. Nutrition,
2. Hydration and
3. Recovery.
The nutrition component was addressed by Trionne Moore, the lead nutritionist for the Canadian Sports Center Ontario. Trionne is a registered nutritionist and has extensive experience working with National and Provincial level sport, including cycling, figure skating, rowing, sailing, and volleyball to be brief. Trionne spoke about the importance of proper pre-, during and post-exercise nutrition. She also outlined the importance of a well balanced diet for a high performance athlete, one which incorporates protein, carbohydrates and fats. Her knowledge and expertise in nutrition were greatly appreciated by the coaches and athletes present.
The hydration section was tackled by Evan Lewis, a recent graduate of the University of Toronto who completed his thesis in the general area of hydration and its effects on performance. As a former member of the National and Provincial sailing teams and with his base of knowledge, Evan can personally attest to the importance of being well hydrated during training and competition. Evan revealed that a mere 2% loss of body weight due to hydration can significantly impair performance.
A 2% reduction in weight equates to 3.5LBs for a 150LB athlete, a fluctuation both coaches and athletes note on a regular basis during training and competition. Furthermore, Evan explained and provided a hydration matrix to the group. This outlines different conditions and the corresponding fluid intake suggested for the particular temperature and wind velocities present for sailing. Remember, unless you’re the Grinch, if your peeing ‘green’ you’re in serious trouble, so get drinking some fluid!
The third and final section covered was Recovery by Rob Ruff, the lead Physiologist for the Canadian Sports Center Ontario. Rob has an extensive background in Kinesiology and Physiology and thoroughly understands how the body functions under different stressors. At the Sports Center, Rob frequently works alongside several National and Provincial teams, including rowing, cycling, volleyball, basketball, sailing, and figure skating, just to name a few. Rob highlighted the importance of ‘flushing’ the system following training and competition to reduce/eliminate the harmful by-product known to many as lactic acid. The general message to the group was that sailors should be engaging in an aerobic recovery exercise (biking, running) for approximately 15minutes at a heart rate of 130-140 immediately following the on-water session. This short exercise will promote recovery and increase muscle performance in the days to follow.
Fitness and Analysis
Following an hour break for lunch, the athletes reconvened at Crossfit North Burlington where they were greeted by Dr. Paul Ziemer and Batman. This dynamic duo lead the group through an exercise technique component which taught the basic Crossfit exercises and enforced proper form for each skill. Once the group was comfortable with the designated exercises, Batman led the group though a warm-up, two Crossfit workouts finished off with a cool-down. The significance of Crossfit for sailors in particular is that Crossfit is a high intensity circuit of exercises that does not require any additional pieces of equipment. As sailors frequently change training and competition venues, the elimination of equipment during fitness is highly desirable.
In between workouts, select athletes were placed on a machine which passes an electrical impulse up through the left leg and arm then across the torso and back down the opposite arm and leg. This impulse provided several pieces of information including, a body composition analysis, segmental lean development analysis, body mass index diagnosis, and each individual’s basal metabolic rate (BMR). In summary, this analysis is used to identify muscle imbalances between upper and lower limbs for injury prevention, the percentage of lean muscle mass and percentage of body fat, and it outlines the recommended caloric intake to maintain each athlete’s current weight. As sailors are constantly striving to be at the optimal weight for their specific class of boat sailed, this BMR reading is a valuable tool to help athletes gauge the amount of calories they should be consuming.
Summary
The day was packed with valuable bits of information that the athletes could immediately apply to their training programs. For instance, in addition to the information conveyed during the presentations, the athletes walked away with several handouts including:
- “Snacks for Training and Competition” (Trionne Moore)
- “The Clean Snack Bar List” (Trionne Moore)
- “Sailing Hydration & Nutrition Guidelines” (Evan Lewis)
- “In Body Analysis” (Dr. Paul Ziemer)
On behalf of Ontario Sailing and myself, I would like to thank Trionne Moore, Evan Lewis, Rob Ruff, Paul Zeimer, Batman, the Canadian Sports Center Ontario, the Burlington Sailing and Boating Club and the athletes and coaches for making this day a great success!
Club Conference & LTS Symposium ReportThe Ontario Sailing Club Conference and Learn To Sail Symposium took place on Saturday, November 26, 2011 at Mimico Cruising Club. Approximately 60 representatives, from over 30 member organizations, were in attendance. Topics included:
Click on those that are in blue above to view the presentation from that session.
Ontario Sailing would like to thank Fogh Marine for sponsoring the Club Conference and Learn to Sail Symposium.
 Seven Golden Rules For Docking Your Boat"It's Your Call, Skipper!"
Imagine that you are coming back from sailing...
entering a narrow canal, waterway or marina channel. Shoals to the left--shoals to the right... plus a nice stiff cross wind blows onto your beam. All of a sudden--out of nowhere... Pop! Bang! Sputter! Your engine just died!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Make This Recipe for Good Seamanship
When reading about sailing or power boat seamanship, you'll run across one word time after time--preparation. The formula might be simple, but the followers often seem to be fewer these days. Look at this as a two part recipe for docking success... 90% preparation What does this mean? Preparations include defensive measures above and beyond the ordinary. For example, go down to any marina on a busy Saturday or Sunday and watch boat after boat as they return to their slips or come alongside a dock--unprepared for the unexpected! Make sure your small sailboat gets prepared for the unexpected ahead of time--every time. Make this a habit when you know you will enter any narrow, restricted waters. And that always includes your own familiar marina. Why? Engines fail when you least expect them to fail. Boats might block your path when and where you intend to tie up. An unusual current or wind may convince you to change from a port-side-to docking to a starboard-side-to docking (or vice versa). Mad last minute scrambles to shift lines and fenders can result in confusion, lines that lead the wrong way, and accidents or injury. Follow these seven golden rules and you'll be ready for action in any tight quarters situation: 1. Rig fenders on Each Side. Lose power and you will not know which side you will tie up on. Your objective will be to get the boat alongside an open spot along a pier or seawall, slide into an empty slip, or drift up to a stationary piling. 2. Attach Docking Lines Port and Starboard. Use extra lines or join two lines together (with a becket or double becket bend) to cover both sides of the boat in case of emergency. One extra bow and stern line on the opposite side will be enough to hold you alongside. Lead each docking line under the lifelines or pulpit and back aboard, coiled and ready to use in an instant. 3. Pass the Eye Ashore Always! End the debate right now ("Do we use the eye on our boat or pass it to the folks on the pier?"). If you need to use a large eye in one end of a line when docking, pass the eye ashore. That allows your crew to work the boat cleat with the bitter end. If possible, avoid using eyes in a line altogether unless you have no other choice (i.e. when tying up inside a slip). That gives you more options for docking line adjustment or springing alongside or off a pier. 4. Hold a Crew Pow-Wow Now Gather the crew in the cockpit and assign docking duties. Pick the most experienced crew to handle lines. Remember that line handling skills often make or break any docking approach. Lesser skilled crew might work the roving fender (a single loose fender, carried to cushion contact points). Encourage quiet communications to keep stress levels low and concentration levels high. 5. Make Up a Roving Fender Not many pieces of equipment get forgotten or ignored more often than a single, loose fender carried by a crew. Pre-hung fenders can be next to useless when docking. Their duties start when you get tied up. The roving fender does 90% of the work when docking or undocking. The crew walks with the fender (roves) to cushion any point where the boat might make contact with the pier or another boat. Use a roving fender even with short-handed crews as your first line of defense against costly hull damage. 6. Use Headsets or Hand Signals When I crewed aboard "SHIBUMI" this past summer--a big 65' New Zealand ketch with an enclosed pilothouse--we used headsets for docking maneuvers. These wireless wonders keep communications quiet and clear as a bell. No yelling necessary. As an alternative, develop easy hand signals that all hands can understand. Keep communications quiet to keep stress levels low and confidence high. 7. Step Ashore and Work the Docking Line Caution the crew that they need to step to the dock and never jump. Get the boat close enough before your crew goes ashore. This will help prevent serious injury. Go over the basic procedure and terminology for working a docking line. Again, line handling will make or break a great docking approach. Keep your line handling crew or partner safe. Imagine that you are docking with giant rubber bands--which you are! Nylon can stretch up to 40%. If it breaks under tension, it will snap back at 700 feet per second. Keep that in mind whenever you place a docking line under tension. Line handlers should take a turn onto the dock cleat right away. Work the docking line (see below) from the side of the dock cleat opposite that of the tensioned line. This prevents serious injury should the line fail. Go over the basic line handling terms that you use aboard your boat with your crew. Never assume that new or experienced crew know how you communicate in tight quarters docking situations. For example, newer crew might think that the docking term "ease" means to "cast off". There's a huge difference in docking when you "ease the after bow springline" as opposed to "cast off the after bow springline". Once your crew understands how to work with docking lines, your dockings will go smoother and you'll gain an envious reputation among the dockside lawyers! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Use these seven steps to dock your boat like a pro--even when the unexpected crosses your path. You will soon gain the skills you need to cruise with confidence--wherever in the world you choose to go sailing!
Captain John with 25+ years of experience shows you the no-nonsense cruising skills you need beyond sailing school. Visit his website at http://www.skippertips.com/ for a free sailing tips newsletter. Become a member to get instant access to hundreds of sailing articles, videos, eBooks, and live discussion forums. Dell Member Pricing Program Ontario Sailing members have year-long benefits under this program, including:
Shop now : www.Dell.ca/MPP or 1-877-297-6974
Member ID #: 5833909
Company : ONTARIO SAILING
Ontario Sailing ENewsletter & Other SubmissionsIf you are from a member organization and have something you'd like to see posted in the Ontario Sailing ENewsletter or on the Ontario Sailing home page please send your submission to Shauna Cartlidge at info@ontariosailing.ca. Your submission will be reviewed and you will be notified as to whether or not it will be posted.
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Having Trouble Reading This Via Email?Ontario Sailing ENewsletters are also available for viewing on the Ontario Sailing website under "About Us" --> ENewsletters
Holiday Office ClosureThe Ontario Sailing office will be closed December 22nd through January 2nd. Normal office hours will resume on January 3rd.
Georgian Bay Regatta - Help NeededDo you have a powerboat and want to support sailing? The Georgian Bay Regatta is looking for two people with powerboats to volunteer to help the regatta, one to be the race committee boat and the other to be the marker boat. Powerboats are preferred because of the distances involved and the need to stay ahead of the fleet. The regatta will run from July 29, 2012 to August 4, 2012. Details are posted at http://georgianbayregatta.ca. The regatta will help defray expenses. If you can help with this or know someone who can, please contact Ron Owston, GBR co-chair, at ronowston@yahoo.com or 905-235-3845.
 Toronto International Boat ShowThe Toronto International Boat Show will run January 13th - 22nd, 2012 at the Direct Energy Centre in Toronto. Be sure to stop by booth #1600 and visit Ontario Sailing!
Member organizations may send pamphlets on your programs to the Ontario Sailing office to be displayed at the Ontario Sailing booth during the Boat Show. Materials must arrive to the Ontario Sailing office no later than January 12th or, alternatively, they can be brought directly to booth #1600 during the Show. If you would like any left over material returned to you please be sure to have someone pick the materials up the last day of the Show or arrange for pick up at the Ontario Sailing office after the Show.
Hosting A Grand Prix Series RegattaThe application and information on hosting an Ontario Sailing Grand Prix Series regatta will be posted on the Ontario Sailing website in the next few weeks. Be sure to be checking www.OntarioSailing.ca for news!
Auction Items NeededOntario Sailing is currently in need of auction items for the Ontario Sailing Mad Men Gala on March 31, 2012. If you or your organization have something you could donate please contact Shauna Cartlidge at info@ontariosailing.ca or ext. 221.
Training Centre ApplicationsInformation will be posted on the Ontario Sailing website in the next few weeks on how your club can become a Designated Training Centre or Regional Single/Double Handeed Centre. Stay tuned to www.OntarioSailing.ca!
Canada Clinches Olympic BerthsFrom Canadian Yachting Association
RSX Women, Laser Radial, Finn & 470 Men all capture Olympic berths for Canada!
For full story, click HERE!
Ontario Sailing Contact InformationOntario Sailing
1-888-672-7245 (only within Canada)
905-572-7245
f: 1-877-677-7275 (only within Canada)
f: 905-572-6056
65 Guise Street East
Hamilton, ON L8L 8B4
For a complete staff listing & email addresses please see our website under Contact Us
Be sure to support our Corporate Sponsors and Corporate Members! Let them know you appreciate their support of Ontario Sailing.Happy Holidays from Ontario Sailing!    |
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