Jericho Sailing Centre "in the wind" September 20, 2007

Ahoy JSCA Members:

Here is what's "in the wind", coming events and items of interest at the Jericho Sailing Centre, your ocean access community centre, for September 20-26, 2007 and beyond:

JSCA Members Food Services Forum - Monday, September 24

The primary purpose of the food and beverage facility at the Jericho Sailing Centre is to serve the needs of our members and we want it to be the best it can possibly be. The JSCA Board is inviting members to provide their input into how we might improve our food and beverage service. Members are invited to participate at the Forum on Monday, September 24 at 1900H. If you are unable to attend but would like your ideas considered please send them in via "Reply" email by September 23. Bon appetite!

Daze of the Longboat - Big Canoes coming to Jericho

Get set for the annual UBC Rec "Day of the Longboat" event coming to the shores of Jericho over the next two weekends. Three thousand competitors will race in heats of up to eight boats paddling 10 crew "Voyaguer" canoes over a two kilometer race course on the event weekend September 29 & 30. This weekend will be the mandatory practice clinic where each team takes a 15 minute orientation session in the class room and a 45 minute on water session with a coach. Many of the participants are pure bred landlubbers so any opportunity to germinate and sprout some last minute boat handling skills before the big race is a welcome and sometimes terrifying experience.

If you are on the water this weekend be sure to keep a sharp lookout and give these babies a wide berth-they have all the maneuverability and stopping attributes of a rusty old freighter crewed by drunken pirates.  

Who Speaks For Ocean Access in Vancouver? You do!

The Vancouver Park Board is developing a "Vancouver Sport Strategy" to 2015 for the City and is requesting input from citizens and sports organizations to further develop their draft strategy report which is due to go before the Park Board and City Council in November. I participated with a focus group on behalf of the JSCA this past week and although the draft report identifies a growing trend to participation in "..ecologically-sensitive outdoor activities.." they could end up missing the boat as they receive overwhelming feedback from traditional landlubber sports organizations and individuals who have strong, organized, squeaky wheel, lobby groups while the recreational seafaring community remains largely mute. Let's not get left "blowing in the wind", make your sea siren voice heard by participating in the online survey for individuals at:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=MAUUUXT286gSq6z4rIo74A_3d_3d .

In general, the emphasis of the discussion leaders in the focus group tended toward the "Excellence" level of competition and sport as well as providing improved access for disabled athletes. Points I was able to make on behalf of the JSCA include: Vancouver provides unique opportunities for "ecologically-sensitive outdoor activities", ie. the sea, which could be better utilized through prominent inclusion in an overall Sports Strategy; The Jericho Sailing Centre facilitates a wide variety of these opportunities including: dinghy sailing, windsurfing, ocean kayaking, rowing, outrigger canoeing, skimboarding, stand-up paddling, canoeing, surf skiing and even open ocean swim events; The Jericho Sailing Centre has facilitated a disabled sailing program since 1988 which has grown Canada wide, achieving 800 launches this year; Our facility has generated Olympians and many other high calibre athletes in the competitive sports we facilitate; The Marginal Wharf area to the east of the Jericho Sailing Centre presents a timely opportunity for the City to improve ocean access facilities for Vancouverites; A modest dock facility could cost less than a new playing field and effectively double the capacity of the disabled sailing program, accommodate current and anticipated future demand and provide year round opportunities to high end athletes in the sports we facilitate. The Canadian Olympic training centre for sailors is in Kingston, Ontario and Canadian athletes must train abroad in the winter-if an adequate facility existed in Vancouver they could train here year round. I will continue to faithfully report developments on the Vancouver Sport Strategy to members as they occur-please do your part by taking 10 minutes to complete the survey-thank you.

Marginal Progress

Since I last reported on the Park Board initiative to deal with the failing Marginal Wharf structure immediately east of the Jericho Sailing Centre there has been no movement at all. The civic strike has required Park Board managers to pull back from pending projects to focus their limited resources on projects in progress.

Tri, Tri, Again-Backpedalling

Last weekend's inaugural Subaru Vancouver International Half Iron Trathlon was a splashing success despite a liberal sprinkling of "summer of 2007 liquid sunshine". Acting Vancouver Mayor, Peter Ladner (brother of Ecomarine's Chris) signaled the start of the event for 350 competitors ranging from first timers to world class pro athletes. The event began with a 1.9 kilometre swim immediately west of the Jericho Pier on a course set and monitored by Jericho Rescue who ended up rescuing 3 participants with cramps and various minor maladies. Many thanks to Jericho Rescue Team Members Ray Douthwaite, Josee Menard, Gail Owen, David Evans, Dave Paslawski, Mark Daigle and Elizabeth Buxbaum who reported for duty at 0600H to prove that the Jericho Sailing Centre is truly Vancouver's Ocean Access Community Centre. Next year the organizers are expecting up to 2,000 competitors.

JSCA Fee Increase for 2008

The JSCA Board approved a 4.3% fee increase for 2008 at their monthly meeting on September 10. A $69 Single JSCA Membership will increase to $72 next year. The increase will apply to storage, lockers, clubroom and office space. Traditionally fees have increased 2% each year to help us keep pace with the rising tide of inflation. This year a slightly larger increase is necessary to help us fund replacement flooring on the second floor.

LOST AND FOUND ALERT!!!

We have been accumulating a grand collection of clothing in our Lost and Found section this year - where do all these people go from here without their clothes? We would like to liberate some space, and some of them are quite smelly, so we are notifying members that on September 30 we will deposit all suitable clothing items into the Developmental Disability Association's donation clothing bin located just inside the main entrance to our compound. We will not include any sailing or paddling gear which, if unclaimed, will be included in next year's Bailiff Auction. Come check out our lost and found section if you are missing anything, prior to Sept. 30. Members who are looking to clean out their closets are encouraged to donate your old or poor fitting clothing items to the Developmental Disability Association.

JSCA Notice of AGM Tuesday October 23 at 1900H

The Jericho Sailing Centre Association's 34th Annual General Meeting will be held Tuesday, October 23, 2007 at 1900H in the English Bay Banquet Room of the Jericho Sailing Centre, 1300 Discovery Street, Vancouver, B.C. The 2006/2007 J.S.C.A. Board and Committees will report on their accomplishments this past year and the challenges for the future.  Please plan to attend and participate in the future direction of your ocean access community centre.

Call for Nominations

Voting will take place to elect eight members for a two-year term to our 15 member Board of Directors.   The J.S.C.A. Board meets once a month to set policy and determine Jericho's direction. Interested members who have time and expertise to offer are invited to submit a letter indicating their experience and areas of interest to the J.S.C.A. Nominations Committee c/o the Jericho office no later than 1700H, Tuesday, October 9.   The signed nomination letter must include your name, address and telephone number.   For additional information contact Mike Cotter, J.S.C.A. General Manager 224-4177 or email mike@jsca.bc.ca.

Weekly Events at the Jericho Sailing Centre

Jericho Folk Club  Tuesdays 2000H through Sept. 25
Penguin Cup Racing October 7, 14 & 21

Upcoming JSCA Meetings:

JSCA Board  October 9 @ 1900H
JSCA AGM  October 23 @ 1900H

JSCA Office Hours
September Hours 0930H-1730H Weekdays. 0900H-1800H Weekends.
Gates open at 0700H and are locked at Dusk. (approx. 1920H and fading fast).

On the Water, Your Safety is Your Responsibility

A reminder to members who play on the bay at this time of year-place an extra emphasis on boat safety for yourself and your crew. It starts with a check of the weather forecast and tidal activity. Let a friend or family member know you are going, where you are going and when you expect to be back on shore (follow-up with an après sailing phone call). Do a meticulous pre-launch check of your craft and equipment. Make sure you are properly dressed including your PFD. Double check your safety equipment-paddles, bailer, whistle, flares. Know when the sun is setting and understand that the wind often shuts off abruptly in the hour before sunset. Don't go farther from shore than you care to paddle back if you or your equipment should fail or the wind shuts off.

One final tip: enclose your fully charged cell phone in two sealed sandwich bags and keep on your person. In the event of a sea disaster you can't solve yourself, dialing *311 will put you in touch with the Canadian Coast Guard's Rescue Coordination Centre.

Fair winds,

Mike

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