The Sailing Club, Inc.

Rock Hall, MD & Fairlee Creek May 13-15, 2005

On-Water Training was held May 13-15. We used five nice boats from Haven Charters. (Captain Sherwood might disagree. More on that issue later…) Almost everyone met at Haven Harbor in Rock Hall for the 3½ hour trip up to Fairlee Creek. Overall the winds were light and from the south. However, we had a brief period of good air as we exited Swan Point Channel. Some crews sailed a bit more than others. Shortly after leaving Rock Hall, Julio Menendez hailed the club via radio. He was completing a delivery in the vicinity. Saturday morning, Dave and Rob took time to discuss many of the important details of docking and close quarter maneuvering. Cleat hitches were de rigueur but white boards were very useful for discussing prop walk, prop wash, and the theory of line handling, particularly spring lines. The more senior crews worked inside Fairlee Creek in the morning with K-turns and docking. After lunch, two of the three boats worked out in the bay on reefing, heaving-to, and MOBs. The crew of Wind Venture got to practice emergency procedures for loss of propulsion when the propellers fell off of the boat. Yes…I said the propeller fell off the boat. They smartly deployed their primary anchor moments before drifting down on several Cigarette boats beached at Jellyfish Joel’s on the spit of land at the entrance to Fairlee Creek. Overall it was an excellent day. One crew was so enthusiastic, they did not even break for lunch. Everyone was back in a slip or along side by about 5:30. Snacks and libations came forth into several cockpits. A significant number of people walked over to the unofficial opening of the bar at Jellyfish Joel’s. I understand the drinks were strong and easily forthcoming. Most of the group dined in the restaurant at 7. Rob addressed the group thanking everyone for their participation as it strengthens our club. He then introduced the newly appointed Senior Skippers, Don Gilmore and Dave Steward as well as new First Mate John Myer. Dave, the new Training Coordinator, thanks Rob as outgoing Training Coordinator. Dave also fondly remembered how Rob had encouraged him at their first meeting at OWT in 1999. Dave then encouraged everyone to consider who among them might fill more advanced roles in the club. Since Wind Venture was towed back to Rock Hall, her crew was split among the other four boats for the ride back to Rock Hall. Everyone got some sailing in…again, some more than others. In all cases, it was a student participant who docked for fueling or put the boats back in their slips. How much they learned and how well they were taught was clearly and very admirably demonstrated. Even though this was a training weekend, there was NO damage reported, not even to the brand spanking new Catalina 387! On Water Training 2005 was another success. We have had some good suggestions for improvements next year and many people were already looking forward to it. This exercise is clearly a club favorite and a huge success! Trip Leaders Rob Chichester & Dave Steward Training@TheSailingClub.org