It’s a Good Ol’ Tradition    by  Guy Racette
   Wednesday night Yacht (pronounced "Yak-Tchutt") races are a Good Ol' Tradition hereabouts on Corpus Christi Bay.  And it is with proper reverence for that Tradition that Biff, Dr. Charles (a.k.a. "Molar-Man") Allen, and your humble servant Racerguy officially joined that proud parade for the first time last Wednesday.  Well, almost joined the parade.
     Y' see, Biff and Racerguy's Gaastras from last season have already headed down the dusty pre-owned trail.  And the New, Improved Editions are still in the stinky bilge of a freighter somewhere in the Specific Ocean.  Consequently we were resigned to a miserably underpowered 8.3 on a day when a (~shudder~) 10.9 would have been more appropriate.
     Still we showed up.  It turned out that Molar-Man was there but Biff and Racerguy never saw him.  Seems Charles is (just barely) respectable enough to rig right there in the Marina without being chased off by the Gendarmes.  However rigging his (~gulp~) 10.9 for the first time, he encountered the inevitable Technical Difficulties and wisely decided to stick around inside the Breakwater rather than risk swimming until dawn in the open Bay.
     Meanwhile, inside the Breakwater was precisely the place where Biff and Racerguy could NOT sail their 8.3s due to the small but important decrease in windspeed therein due to the Big Pile of Rocks.  We tried, but after sitting nearly dead-duck still and narrowly avoiding the Fleet's best efforts at plowing us under, we departed without ever attempting their first 
Official Start. We live to race another day.
     Biff and Racerguy managed to catch and pass the slowest boat before the Separator known to the Club veterans as Mark Number Five, thereby getting some much-needed exercise.  Molar-Man dialed in his monster 10.9 in the friendly flat water of the Marina, where I think all new sails need to be tuned.  A good time was had by all.
     Anyhow, the Equinox has passed, and the days are quickly getting longer.  Not to mention the demise of Daylight Wasting Time upcoming, we'll have the luxury of sailing the full course.  Wind permitting, of course.  Buphy has threatened to join this modest first contingent as soon as her new Nitros arrive. Hope to see some more racers next week.
Later for now
Racerguy

Hatchery Closed
In what is being called ‘a case of our politicians attempting to blackmail us’, Columbia River Gorge residents did not cave in to demands for significant tax increases.  Many state parks are being closed as a result and the property given back to other authorities.  The Hatchery will revert to the Army Corps of Engineers control.  Maryhill is also no longer a public park.  What comes next with this issue is uncertain- much like the careers of the “responsible”  politicians.

Editor's Puffs:   by Roy Tansill
For over a year I’ve heard rumblings about a water quality study that had been completed but public release was being delayed .  I’ve followed the rumors with some interest.  Finally the study was to be made public and I went to the meeting to hear what the locally based study had to say.   The first thing I found out is that I didn’t pay much attention way back when I took Biology 101.  I’d heard of coliforms and knew they were not something you want to swim in but I learned about another bacterial agent- enterococci.  These are better correlated with human illness then coliforms and the enterococci counts along the Bay launches are often well above the established healthy levels for recreational waters.  These ‘bugs’ seem to increase even when it hasn’t rained and speculation is that they may be in the sediments along the Bay shore and wave action is what stirs them up.  Wave action in the Bay... now what could cause that?  The winds we all enjoy may well be the trigger for  increases in enterococci counts.  The slide shown at the meeting regarding enterococci levels was motivation for concern- more than half of the month displayed (I think it was June) the levels at Ropes, Oleander and the Marina were well above the established healthy level- with rain or without it. 
     In addition to Dr. Motts and her University colleagues, the Coastal Bend Bays and Estuaries Program deserves credit for funding the study and by extension, those corporations that have donated funds to the program.  I think we should know more, perhaps expand such studies to additional local beaches that have recreational usage.   Knowing what’s wrong is a critical first step;  things often become quite difficult when it gets to  corrective steps.  If you would like to get a copy of the study, its available from the TNRCC, their offices are on TAMU-CC campus.  Contact Jeff Foster at (361) 825-3424 for a copy of the study.

Maybe its time we begin to recruit new members- by getting new folks into our sport
    Awhile back Chip Biery had a vision of  the CCWA putting together a program at the TAMUCC beach for Windsurfing introduction events.  With no modern beginning gear available the idea got pushed aside since the goal was to hook new folks on our sport not turn them off.  The new potato chip beginning gear all but guarantees that 95% of those giving it a try will have a successful ‘ride’ within an hour.  The Start board from Starboards is the board for  beginners- its so stable a drunk could stay up on it.  Like its higher strung racing brothers, the Start planes quickly and will not be like the old beginner boards most of us bought then outgrew in a season.  They are light air machines that will be used for a long time to come.  The manufacturers are selling a package deal (to clubs and schools only) of six complete boards, rigs, and numerous other products (certificates, tee-shirts, stickers etc) at a bargain price.  I think it might be an easy sell to one of the local corporations but wonder if there are enough volunteers who could teach small groups several times a summer.  I’d enjoy it.  The new style gear makes it very easy to have a great ‘first experience’ and that’s a karmic lift for any windsurfing teacher.  The primary goal of such free introductions is to give the beginner the knowledge that they can do it- and its fun.  They are reminded of their present limitations, safety issues and encouraged to get in touch with a commercial teaching facility (we have two locally).  Bottom line: they’ve tried it, could do it and had fun in the process- they’re ready to learn more.... and the hook is set. 

Repairing a Footstrap Insert by  Tom Sullivan
From the web: http://www.viser.net/~anthwind/Repair/Epoxy_Repair/epoxy_repair.html#BrokenNose
1. Purchase your replacement footstrap inserts. Since these plug can be of various shapes it may be necessary to make a template for the use of a plunge router. If you can purchase round 1" deep plugs (Chinook) or simple UHMW or Delron 3/4" diameter plastic rod cut in 1" lengths. Holes for these round plugs can be cut with a small inexpensive hole saw bit in an electric drill.
2. Cut the hole in the boards skin. (as above)
3. Fit the plug and check the depth of the hole as compared to plug. The plug should be just below flush with the boards skin.
4. Masking tape around the hole so that the epoxy resin will not spoil the deck area around the insert.
5. Mix in proper amounts epoxy resin and hardener. Avoid using large amounts of resin that will create heat enough to melt the Styrofoam. An insert that fits well will help. Also add powdered fillers such as microspheres or microballoons to thicken the resin.
6. Put the thickened resin in cavity and coat the surface of the rough sanded insert. A small square of fiberglass cloth can be put into the cavity just before you push in the epoxy coated insert. Excess epoxy should escape from the cavity onto the masking tape protected deck. This is messy.   Rubber gloves will help.
7. Ensure that the insert will stay flush with the deck by using a piece of plastic film such as a bread bag or poly sheeting along with a weight. The epoxy will not stick to the plastic film. Allow the epoxy to set at least 8 hours.
8. With a sharp utility knife cut the epoxy around the insert hole and remove the protective masking tape. With a rasp or heavy 40 grit sandpaper score the insert and surrounding epoxy deck around the new insert.
 9. Again tape the deck around the insert this time leaving a small area for new fiberglass cloth to adhere to the roughened deck skin just around the new insert.
10. Cut several 4 oz fiberglass cloth squares to cover this area. 
11. Mix a small amount of resin to wet out this fiberglass cloth. Excess resin can be squeezed out by again using plastic film and a squeegee. A piece of soft foam with a weight will hold this film in place until the resin and cloth have cured.
12. Again cut away the tape and any fiberglass cloth stuck to the masking tape.
13. Drill the proper hole for your footstrap screws. A countersink bit will bevel back any cloth that can be delaminated by the screws threads.
 14. White paint can be sprayed over the epoxy or just the footstrap can be screwed into the board.

 Ed’s Note:  This repair advice is from a web page which is full of such useful answers to your board repair questions.  Take a look at the site the next time something breaks- you probably broke it, maybe you can fix it.

Kitemares online
There is now a website which attempts to document kite related injuries in an attempt to help prevent future repeats of the same errors.  The site’s operators are kiters and they have compiled quite a horror show about the dangers inherent in their sport.  As most of you who know me have realized, I’m far from an advocate for the latest rage in windriding and I can’t view that web site as anything less than the best compilation of reasons why NOT to get into the kite flying .  If you are contemplating giving that sport a try, I urge you to take a look at the site.... and see if you are still up to it.  If so, I hope you’ll heed their safety suggestions because they have the evidence to support their recommendations.

 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/kitesurf/files/ KiteKitesurfng%20Accident%20Database/ 

Recreational Water Quality at Corpus Christi Bay Shoreline Areas Associated with Storm Drain Runoff
by  Joanna Mott, Ph.D.
     In recent years, there has been increasing awareness of the importance of clean (uncontaminated) water, not only for drinking but also for swimming and other recreational activities.  Many surface waters are contaminated with fecal pollution, containing pathogens, which can be a public health concern. In coastal waters one of the major sources of pathogens is storm water runoff.  While it is known that rainfall results in increased levels of bacteria in outflows, there is less information on the duration and extent of this contamination.
     The effects of storm drain runoff on Corpus Christi Bay water quality was examined recently at several public access areas over a 1.5 year period which included 6 rainfall events.  Water quality was assessed using several standard bacterial indicators of fecal contamination.  Three public access locations: Cole Park, Ropes Park, McGee Beach/Marina, each with three sites (the outfall and at a distance each side of the outfall) and a reference site: Swantner Park (further from an outfall) were sampled.  Indicator bacteria peaked within two days of rainfall, often exceeding 10,000/100 ml (standards are all below 400) and remained elevated for up to 6 days after 1-3.5 inch rainfall and 9-11 days (depending on location) after a 7 inch rainfall.  Bacterial concentrations at sites 50-135 m from each outfall were not significantly different from those at the outfall, in either dry or wet weather.  Our data show that rainfall would be a useful parameter in predictive modeling of water quality in Corpus Christi Bay.  Corpus Christi  shoreline waters exceeded EPA maximum allowable densities of bacteria for several days after rainfall, the duration depending on rainfall quantity.  During periods of intensive monitoring (5 times in 30 days) EPA standards were exceeded five of the six months at all three sites at Ropes Park.  The extent and duration of elevated indicator bacteria levels found in this study supports the importance of intensive monitoring and characterization of recreational waters impacted by storm drain outflows. 
       Joanna Mott is originally from England where she received her B.S. in Biological Sciences from the University of Aston in Birmingham. She earned a M.S. Degree in Biology from the University of Waterloo, Canada, with work on nematodes in drinking waters. She received a Ph.D. degree in Soil Sciences (Microbiology) from Texas A&M University. She has worked at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi for 15 years, full-time since 1994, and is an Associate Professor of Biology and Coordinator of the undergraduate biology program.

Ed’s Note:  The above is the public notice of Dr. Mott’s recent study.  At the 03/11/02 meeting of the Coastal Bend Bays Foundation the findings were made public there were some disturbing additional findings that Bay sailors should be made aware.  The CCWA was represented at that meeting and in the Editor’s Puffs column I have tried to summarize some of those additional comments.  If you sail the Bay, you should find out just what you are sailing in.  The full text of the study is available from the TNRCC.  (see Editor’s puffs for the address)

BIRD ISLAND BASH
Saturday, April 20th
Four windsurfing clubs will descend on Bird for the official opening of the 2002 season.
The CCWA will host:
The Austin Windsurfing Club, The Rocky Mountain Windsurfing Association, The New Mexico Windsurfing Association
Come on out and join the crowd for a day of fun and a celebration of Spring

There will be a race BUT the winner will need as much luck as skill to be the winner 
There might be a speed check- we are trying to line up the radar gun
There will be food & drink (CCWA will provide burgers & hot dogs),  Lots of free sailing with friends.  There will be something for everyone and a good time for all so come on out to Bird and be part of the celebration of another windy Coastal Bend Spring

DON’T MISS IT
Pot Luck so...bring something good for everyone to enjoy

It’s that time of year again and the prime beach real estate is going fast. The RV Windsurfing Gang is claiming turf faster than they can fill their plates at Floyds Christian Restaurant in Flour Bluff during all-you-can-eat Chicken Fried Steak Night. I have no idea whether Floyd’s actually has an all-you-can-eat Chicken Fried Steak Night but odds are pretty good that they do and so what’s my point?  My point is that things are heating up at Bird Island and lots of folks have been scoring big wind (why do I keep hearing all these little voices saying:  “Oh, so that was your point”?) 

Cowabunga! What a way to end March.  Easter weekend blew 30 to 45 and that brought out the small boards and small sails; big wind and big jibes; cheap talk and cheap beer; good friends and good times – we had a little something for everybody. And the best news is that the spring thermals are just around the corner. With all this anticipated fun looming on the horizon, it might be a good idea to remind everybody to be safe out there.  It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see that the recreational mix in the Laguna is changing.  We now have windsurfers, boaters, and kiters all taking up more and more geography.  Each group has an equal right to be there and none of us wants to see anyone get hurt. The best way to not get hurt is to not get hit.  Situational Awareness. Know what is going on around you on the water and keep as much distance as possible between you and all the other flying objects in the neighborhood. Remember the game “Rock Breaks Scissors”?  Well in our case it is could well be called “Boat breaks Windsurfer”. 

It really doesn’t matter who has the right-of-way. If you are right in the way you will get ironed out. And who cares anyway? – This isn’t the America’s Cup finals. All that’s required is mutual respect and a little common sense.  And before we blame the boaters again for all of our problems, keep in mind that over the years boaters have helped countless windsurfers from beginners struggling with the learning curve to advanced sailors wallowing about with mechanical breakdowns. And I have yet to hear of a fisherman asking for gas money. 

IT DOESN’T TAKE A WEATHERMAN TO TELL HOW HARD THE WIND BLOWS:

All it takes is a visit to the Worldwinds Palapa of Knowledge where we have installed a high tech weather gadget that will do a whole bunch of things if John or I ever get around to reading the directions.  Right now it tells you wind speed, wind direction, and whatever random data comes up when windsurfers start pushing buttons. And thank you in advance for not calling on the phone and asking us to stop whatever we are doing to go look and see what the wind is doing right this second.  Instead, go to our web site at www.worldwinds.net and click on Real Time Weather on the menu bar.  The advantage is that the data there is printable. If you call us on the phone there is a very good probability that the data you receive will not be printable.

AND THE RESULTS ARE IN. MAY I HAVE THE ENVELOPE PLEASE: 

I really appreciate all the comments/compliments I got after last months newsletter. The number of responses was way more than I anticipated. What I anticipated was that maybe one out of the four people who actually read the newsletter would take the time to respond.  The bottom line is that we will continue on with the basic email format.  Almost nobody had problems with photos or file size but several did have security problems with attachments.  I don’t want to lose anybody (my goal is to increase the readership to five by the end of the year) so we will just do it the old fashioned way.  Works for me. 

2ND ANNUAL WORLDWINDS GARAGE SALE:  This is not a swap meet but more like a spring-cleaning of odds and ends. Misc. aluminum booms, one Bell Helmet, a few odd fins, T-shirts, junk box full of junk, inexpensive masts, Hifly Max board, Bic Veloce 288, portable hammocks, and whatever else we are tired of looking at. Hint: we are way tired of looking at the hammocks.  I will put the stuff out most weekends in April until all these treasures are gone.  Come on by and make me an offer that I can’t refuse. 

WORLDWINDS ONLINE STORE:  Remember to check out our online store before you make your next purchase of windsurfing paraphernalia.  We still are offering free shipping on boards, sails, masts, and booms throughout the month of April.  Our spring special (as long as supplies last) is a brand new Dakine High Back waist harness complete with spreader bar for $64.00.  These days a comparable harness will run between 80 and 100 bucks.

PARK NEWS UPDATE:

We have a new Chief Ranger in the Park and his name is Randy Larson.  Randy comes to us from Sequoia National Park and has a whole bunch of Park Service experience. Randy is also a real nice guy and that is a very good thing because I would say that he is no matter what. Now, I know what you are all probably thinking: “Oh, sure, Worldwinds is a licensed concessionaire in the Park, they have to say nice things.”  Not so. It turns out that he and his family bought the house almost next door to me here on the Island and as I was watching all the stuff coming out of my new neighbor’s moving van I realized that I’m going to be needing to borrow some of his power tools as soon as he gets unpacked…  When you meet Randy, give him a big Texas welcome.

The other news is that this year the Padre Island National Seashore is celebrating it’s 40th anniversary.  Maybe we should combine our Worldwinds Annual 4th of July BBQ with a park birthday party.  I was thinking about roasting a whole pig this time so maybe we should call it the  “South Texas Luau, Independence Day, Padre Island National Seashore Birthday, The New Guys at Worldwinds Haven’t Left Yet Celebration”.  Kind of has of a ring to it, doesn’t it?  Details will be coming soon.  Mark your social calendar now for this July 6th gala extravaganza. 

July BBQ?  I almost forgot that we wouldn’t even be here.  By that time we will hopefully be buried knee deep in our new jobs.

That’s it from here, Don

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