Wanted: 1 Commodore - contact CCWA

Fall Race Series II     by  Craig Greenslit
  21 October 2000 - 12 sailors blazed back-n-forth at Bird as they participated in the CCWA Fall Fun Series Event #2. The event included a brief "Off the H2O" clinic on Starts: 1) Start types, 2) What do all of those flags/horns mean, 3) What do you do if you are over the starting line early, and 4) Starting strategies. On the H2O, sailors ran a figure 8 course with 6 starts. The entire fleet improved their starts throughout the day, and by the last heat they all hit the line at the red flag with full speed.   Special thanks to WorldWinds for their support!

    Men                                                            Women
1) Kyle Krebs            6) Stefan Froelich      1) Laura Miller
2) Jon Bright               7) Don Gentry           2) Stephanie Froelich
3) Eric Christianson     8) Bill Blanke
4) Nick Antrobus        9) James Bozeman
5) Brian Miller           10) Roy Tansill (injured while avoiding the start kayak)

Next race:  11/4/00 - CCWA Fall Fun Series Event #3 @ Bird
10am if a North wind, 2pm otherwise
Off the H2O clinic - Upwind Sailing - Secret Revealed

Ed’s Note   Look out for that kayak parked right up there on the start line- its a potential killer! 

Hey Boardheads,
     I don't know how many of you out there know me, but I've been sailing in Corpus the last 6 years, and windsurfed for the last 19, so I hopefully have some knowledge of what's going on. Which brings me to my point. I've been approached by a few of you to run for an executive board position, and wanted to make clear what my goals are for the club, if elected. (Yep, I was a poli-sci major for a while). 
     By simply observing attendance at meetings and events, I hope you agree that the club is in need of a major infusion of new blood. This is not to detract from what the present commodore is doing, because we all know what great effort he has put forth to promote our sport. My suggestion would be to incorporate kite-surfing into the club. I would lobby all windsurfers to include this sister sport of windsurfing into the CCWA. Like it or not they're here to stay, and from what I've seen, it is growing much faster than windsurfing. This would enable kite-boarders and windsurfers to resolve future access issues in a civil manner, share ideas about competition to benefit both sports, and finally, it would bring new revenue to the club. As part of this, I would suggest the Wataburger Series hold kite-surfing "freestyle" events, along the lines of the expression session held at this years US Open. Prizes would be given out just like we do with windsurfing. Again, I've done my homework, and have gotten the support from key kite-boarders in town. All we need to do is make it happen. I plan to approach our major sponsor with this idea, if elected, and expect an enthusiastic response.  Additionally, I am in the process of talking with the Houston sailors to generate support for kiting events here in south Texas.
     I don't want to leave out the folks who prefer fun events, and course racing.  I'm a big believer in both and would support the current format.  However, I'm writing to lobby the CCWA to incorporate kite-surfing into the club, and that's where I'd like to begin.  The club will elect new officers at the Christmas party, so this is your opportunity respond to my proposal. I hope for your support in keeping the CCWA strong, fresh, and fun! 
           Cheers.   Chip Ducrest

Editor's Puffs:   by Roy Tansill
    If you haven’t read page 2 yet you ought to do that before you read this- its a point counterpoint thing so both sides are required to make sense of this.  First let me say I welcome Chip Ducrest’s more active participation in the club with that said I’d now like to oppose his idea of including kite sailors into the CCWA.  I get around the various local launch sites a good bit and while I don’t sail on the Bay I often drive up and watch who’s doing what.  The locals who are now hanging onto kites are 99% former or present windsurfers but only a few have been club members for the past four years even though none were sailing kites more than 2 years ago.  I question how many of these same folks will now want to join the CCWA even if we open the door to them or why they would want to do so. 
     I will inject here that I have a personal gripe with any one sailor using up way more space than any individual should of our launch and sailing areas and kiters do that with the wide swath they cover with their lines.   I’ve sailed upwind of several kiters and have had to go out of my way to stay upwind because being downwind is asking for trouble when a hard gust hits and they are suddenly yanked many yards downwind.   I seriously doubt that even a half a dozen kites can safely sail amongst 10 to 50 windsurfers at any local launch and believe separation is the only way we can safely coexist with them. 
     I’m not alone in this assessment; one local business looked into offering kite lessons but backed off when their insurance carrier’s response was, ’No Way!’ The insurance industry makes its living by properly assessing risk and they clearly feel the risks are potentially higher than a kite with kite power. 
     The idea that this sport is taking over with its rapid growth is also a questionable point; Worldwinds taught more beginning windsurfers in just the past month then the total number of current local kite sailors.  A high growth rate is easily obtained when you start from scratch but don’t confuse growth rate with number of practitioners.  I do agree that they are here to stay but also feel that the sport will not ever obtain a broad range of devotees because it requires too much: too much space, too much help (it takes 2 folks to launch one easily), too much wear-n-tear on most aging bodies, and too steep a learning curve.
     My final point of contention is due to the fact that I am on the CCWA’s executive committee.  With no insurance in place to cover club sanctioned kite events and no protection for the club’s executives from non-profit status, I can not remain on the executive committee if kiting will be included in the club’s sanctioned events.  I’m sure no one out there is worried about losing a  newsletter editor who’s lousy grammar is exceeded only by his inability to spell but the risk of being held liable for some accident (which is present now) becomes uncomfortably escalated (for me) if kites get thrown into the mix.  I would be far less opposed if the CCWA was a registered non-profit organization.  At this time, with no insurance and no non profit status, I feel inclusion of kite surfing into CCWA events is a case where the risks far outweigh the benefits- but that’s just my opinion.
     I plan to vote for Chip as the new Vice Commodore but will oppose his ‘platform’ until the financial liabilities are covered- get non profit status completed and insurance coverage acquired first then let’s talk about it.  I’ll end here because Mrs. Tansill just read that last paragraph over my shoulder and is demanding an immediate explanation regarding how she is potentially liable for CCWA activities- this one is going to be a tough sell! 

Bird Should Be Getting Safer   by  Roy Tansill
On 10/26 I had a meeting  with the Commander of Texas Parks & Wildlife  for the Coastal Bend area, a very nice gentleman named Don Parker. Commander Parker lives on Padre Island and regularly uses the Bird boat launch. He knows about the problem with speeding boats ripping through the near shore area seemingly oblivious to the safety of the windsurfers. He told me that right now he's an agent understaffed for the area between Baffin Bay and the Nueces (Corpus Christi's Southern border) County line and this being hunting season his folks are busier than one armed paperhangers. Despite all of that he considers the problem serious and will get a patrol boat out there on a not too distant weekend to help make the boaters aware that if they feel it necessary to stay close to the island side of the channel because of rough water then they will have to slow it down. About 3 years ago, on a sunny Spring Sunday, a patrol boat did just that and they stopped almost every boat during the entire afternoon.  For the next three weeks the boaters slowed it down- way down but, as time wore on, the full throttles returned. If you see the Parks & Wildlife patrol out there while you're sailing at Bird please thank them- maybe we'll see them a lot more often if they get to know a few of us. One more thing, Mrs. Parker wants to learn to windsurf and Worldwinds has already offered her complimentary lessons. Wanna bet there will be very few speeders anywhere around Bird if Mrs. Parker takes Don Jackson up on that offer? 

2001 Executive Committee Nominations
Commodore Nominees: Chip Biery, Steve Montuori, Phillip Keyserlingk, Don Jackson
      Commodore Duties:
* Lead CCWA and assume overall responsibility for CCWA operations and official activities
* Act as the official representative of CCWA at political, civic, & other community functions
* Call and preside over general and officers' meetings
* Appoint executive committees to advise CCWA general membership or conduct CCWA events

Vice Commodore Nominees: Chip Ducrest
          Vice Commodore Duties
* Assume Commodore's duties in their absence
* Secure location for and attend all general and officer's meetings
* Secure necessary insurance to operate CCWA events 
* Assist Commodore and Secretary-Treasurer

Public Relations Officer Nominees: Barbara Antrobus, John VanLeeuwen 
      Public Relations Officer Duties: 
* Solicit and coordinate media coverage for CCWA events
* Ensure that CCWA event schedules/results are distributed to the Media
* Assist Newsletter Editor in obtaining advertisers
* Assist in recruiting new CCWA members, attend all general and officer's meetings

Secretary Treasurer Nominee: Arleen Ward 
      Secretary Treasurer Duties:
* Assume responsibility for all CCWA funds (keep bank accounts & financial records)
* Advise officers on financial matters
* Maintain all CCWA records and assume responsibility for all official CCWA correspondence
* Certify elections, attend all general and officer's meetings

Newsletter Editor Nominees: Some guy named Roy
       Newsletter Editor Duties: 
* Collect, assemble, publish, & distribute the monthly CCWA newsletter
* Obtain advertisers and collect contributions for advertisements
* Advertise events, meetings, and other items of club interest in the newsletter

Aransas Triangle
    Saturday morning heading towards Aransas Pass, the gulls are up riding high currents- life is good. This year I arrive early so that I could find good parking.  Leo and Pamela DeVigil were right behind me in their Colorado Van.  It was clear and windy enough that I didn’t think I would be easily handling the 8.0- 6.5 was the optimistic pick.  Half an hour later, I was convinced it was the right call and the big weed blade was working upwind well -much better water depth this year.  That lasted to one tack after the first mark when some dark clouds seem to be knocking down the wind.  Three tacks later, and getting very bored since everyone within my limited vision was gone... somewhere and I had no clue to the location of that up wind mark, it begin to get rather strange out in the triangle..
     It was about that time that I began to hallucinate about the real reason I was there... the gumbo.  Ah the aroma filled my head the horizon I’d been scanning fruitlessly was now obliterated by steaming bowls of the hands down best gumbo there is.  Can’t see the upwind mark but can now make out the Intercoastal’s green markers and that third one, #25, was a nice beam reach awayygumbo-gumbo-gumbo-Yeee Hawww.
    There was a race and a tight finish as Jon J got hoodwinked by Guy Racette who slipped by at the disappearing mark then held him off to the finish.  From there on I was back out sailing but do know that Nick Antrobus finished third overall Jennifer was fourth it seems- any disagreement with these totally unofficial results is open to correction.  With the preliminaries out of the way it was gumbo time! 
     The gumbo was well up to John and Rose Williams’ perfect standard and the rest of the assortment of chow was icing on the cake.  The historic Aransas Triangle Trophy, proudly displayed on the wall of my office for the past year, was now off to an Ocean Drive residence but that was quickly forgotten with the initial  bowl of gumbo.  Gotta make sure you don’t miss next year’s Aransas Triangle- GO FOR THE GUMBO!         Roy Tansill 

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‘00 Bassett Course Race Board:  29 3/4" wide by 9'2" and 145 liters.  Amazingly fast.  Upwind or down.  Like new! Wide!!   $850.  '98 F2 Thommen 275 Slalom  converted to Tuttle finbox and "tweaked" for speed by Mark B. $550.  Plenty of other stuff too, whaddya need?  Contact:racetteguyjen@msn.com

‘99 Aerotech 7.5 VMG race w/ Kevlar panels $250    6.0 Air-X strong scrim panels $125.  6.5 Air-X non cambered $100  All 3 in fine condition.  Assorted booms, need one?  Call Dick Ward (361) 949-0232 

Stolen:  From Swantner,  9’ custom glass board.  The theives were reportedly driving a black pick-up truck.