Description of the club index

Welcome to the Goddard Sailing Association. The association owns 3 boats: Wavelength, a 19' centerboard flying Scot; See Breeze, also a flying Scot; and a 26' cabin cruiser named First Light. The flying scots are kept on a trailer and the cruiser in a slip at Selby Bay Sailing Center off the South River, south of Annapolis. Members may charter these boats at the lowest rates on the bay. The club also offers instruction at several levels, opportunities to socialize and sail with other club members, and opportunities to race in the Scots.

Membership index

GSA follows the GEWA rules for membership. Briefly, any present or retired civil servant, contractor, and immediate family of the above can be members. In addition up to 10 people can be associate members, if they are approved by the Executive Committee. Detailed information on how to join is posted here.

Activities index

In addition to classes, the club sponsors day-long sails to destinations such as Galesville, Annapolis, and the Eastern Shore. There are evening sails where both beginners and salty helmsmen enjoy a sunset on the bay and an occasional astronomy lesson a bit later. We have periodic (sometimes spontaneous) happy hours, lunches, and dinner parties. Contact the Rear Commodore (or anybody in the club) for tips about what activities you might enjoy.

History index

Organization and participation index

How to get started in the club index

Instructional program index

BASIC SAILING CLASS

This class teaches beginners how to sail. The class fee of $100 includes 6 lectures, 4 boat lessons, and the qualification test on the Flying Scot. There are typically two or three class sessions offered during the season. Classes are announced in the GEWA bulletin and are posted here.

SATURDAY MORNING OPEN SAIL

The club will attempt to provide sailing opportunities with experienced skippers on Saturdays or other times for those who wish to build confidence in their sailing abilities. There will be club Email announcements with further information.

EVENING SAILS

Flying Scot racing index

For information about racing opportunities, contact the Racing Coordinator. There are four types of events a racer might want to participate in: NIH CASUAL RACING, designed for helmsmen with little or no racing experience. The races will be held on a weekly basis, but the day has not yet been decided. Selby Bay Sailing Center [SBSC] WEDNESDAY NIGHT RACING, races begin at 6 p.m. in the mouth of Selby Bay from May into September. Charter a boat, get a crew, and show up before 5 p.m. NIH INTRAMURAL REGATTAS, once a month for racers with some experience. Call the Racing Coordinator at least a month in advance. WEST RIVER CLUB REGATTAS, for a year for experienced racers.

Ratings index

FLYING SCOT HELMSMEN

CRUISER HELMSMEN

ADVANCED CRUISER HELMSMEN

QUALIFIER

DEFINITIONS OF SAILING AREAS

Charters index

POINTS OF CONTACT

ELIGIBILITY

To be eligible to charter, you must be a GSA member in good standing and owe no fees from prior charters. Also, you must be qualified to sail the boat you are requesting.

SCHEDULING

Scheduling is now being done through the web site at http://www.AircraftClubs.com.

FEES

Current rates for all charters are listed at the page on fee information. Morning charters run from sun-up to 2:00 pm. Afternoon charters run from 2:00 pm to sun-down. Government holidays count as weekends. You can also purchase a "Salty Dog Package" of $150 in charter credits for $100, paid in advance of sailing.

All charter fees are non-refundable and due one week after you schedule the charter. Pay the club treasurer with a check made out to the Goddard Sailing Association. Please indicate the charter date, time (a.m. or p.m.), and boat on the check (or for a Salty Dog, if appropriate). Excess payments (charter fees paid by a member but not used before the end of the sailing season) will be carried over to the next season.

In the next season, any cash balance carried forward can be used by the member toward any type of payment due to the club.

SALTY DOG BONUS

Pre-pay $100 toward future charters to receive $150 of charter credits. The club encourages this for any member who anticipates doing a reasonable amount of sailing in the club. This generous bonus is a good deal for club members, and is offered because it reduces the number of charter fee payment checks that the club must handle, and because having an existing credit balance encourages people to sail more (which is why we have a sailing club in the first place). If a member has any unused Salty Dog balance remaining at the end of the sailing season, a pro-rated cash amount is carried over for the next season. Example: a member purchases a Salty Dog ($100 cash + $50 bonus), and uses up $90 of it for charter fees, leaving an unused balance of $60 at the end of the season. The pro-rated cash balance carried over to the next season would be $40, because the total Salty Dog credit is 2/3 cash and 1/3 bonus.

CREDIT

Chartering credits may be used in place of cash for the purposes of chartering GSA boats. With your annual dues, you will be awarded a $50 chartering credit. GSA officers and standing volunteers receive an additional $20 chartering credit. Instructors receive a $5 charter credit per student per water lesson. These credits are applied to charter fees before other types of payments are used. You cannot use chartering credits accrued from previous years, and credits cannot be applied toward the cost of the membership fee or a Salty Dog.

RESCHEDULING

You may reschedule a charter by notifying the Charter Representative at least three business days before a sail date. For example, call the Charter Representative on or before Tuesday to reschedule a Sunday sail.

You may also reschedule a charter canceled due to bad weather, including the complete lack of wind. You must cancel a charter if winds are forecast or observed in excess of 20 knots, or if a small craft advisory, thunderstorm warning or tornado warning is issued for the area. Please call or email the Charter Representative the first business day after a weather cancellation even if you have not yet selected a reschedule date.

Etiquette near slips index

Do not drive a car onto the pier. You will be held responsible for damage you cause to other boats or the structures or facilities of the Selby Bay Sailing Center. Any conduct that interferes with the pleasure of neighbors or other tenants is unacceptable. Excessive profanity or intoxication on the part of you or any of your guests is unacceptable. Charcoal fires are only permitted in the picnic area, subject to posted rules. Excessive speed on the roads leading into Selby Bay will not be tolerated. Observe posted rules.

Late returns index

The charter skipper is responsible for returning the boat to the dock before the end of the charter period. Late return of less than one hour requires a penalty of $10, payable to the waiting club member. Return in excess of one hour makes the late charter skipper liable for the full charter fee, also payable to the disappointed charterer.

Map of the water near Selby Bay index

Safety index

• Ensure boat and all equipment is in good shape before shoving off.

• Always wear a life preserver or other Personal Floatation Device (PFD). Keep a throwable cushion in the cockpit.

• Always check the weather forecast by phone, computer, or weather radio.

• At least 2 people per boat; 3 for newly qualified, inexperienced sailors.

• Always discuss with partners the sailing plan and ensure everyone knows what they are to do in a given situation.

• In case of thunderstorms, head to nearest shore, drop sails and anchor.

• Use common sense - don't sail beyond your abilities!

USE OF CLUB BOATS IS BY THE FOLLOWING DISCLAIMER. A CHECKOUT SHEET WITH THE DISCLAIMER MUST BE SIGNED FOR EACH CHARTER. THIS IS THE TEXT OF THE GSA LIABILITY RELEASE FORM:

I hereby acknowledge and agree that the decision to sail is at all times my sole responsibility, and I assume full responsibility for any and all actions I take and decisions I make while sailing. Whether or not I charter a boat from the GSA, I hereby release the GSA from any and all liability and agree that neither the GSA nor any of its officers, directors, and/or members shall be liable to me or to any other party for any act, occurrence, or failure to act in connection with my sailing, including but not limited to: the decision to sail at any time; the evaluation of weather conditions; the condition of any boat in which I sail and equipment used in connection with the boat; the decision of where to sail; and any injury or damage to any person or property in or out of any boat.

I also hereby acknowledge and agree that I take full responsibility and assume all liability for any injuries to myself and my party while on or around the boats, slip, dock area, parking area, and all property owned by the owner of the slips. I understand I am responsible for damage or loss of club equipment that I am using, or expenses incurred, up to the insurance deductible limit, which is $100 during the 1998 calendar year.

ACCIDENTS

If the boat is involved in an accident while you were chartering it: (1) See that all passengers get to shore safely; (2) if you cannot return the boat to the docks, beach it or anchor it; (3) contact any member of the executive committee.

Flying Scot: Leaving index

CHECK EQUIPMENT

• You can orient yourself by standing on the base of the pier facing the water. Our Scot Wavelength is the first boat on the left side of the pier. You can see a white shed and a blue shed to your right; behind them is the green bathroom. The NASA locker is the left half of the blue shed.

• Get checklist from locker. Printable checklist.

• Remove boat cover, fold, and put in rear of the boat or in the locker.

• Use the checklist from the locker to check required equipment and the next group of items. As you rig the boat, check off the remaining items in the third group on the checklist

• Don lifejackets.

MOVE BOAT TO END OF DOCK

• Raise rudder if it is down. Attach a painter (line) to the bowplate.

• Unclip the docking lines from the boat and remember where they clip onto the boat. Do not untie the other ends of the docking lines.

• Paddle, pole, or pull your way with ropes to the end of the pier. Tie the painter to a post with a clove hitch. It is VERY IMPORTANT that the boat be downwind of this post in open water so the boat is not banging against anything (even if the wind is light). In other words, the boat is on the leeward side of the pier. If the wind is from the direction of the South River and strong and you are concerned about having enough water to turn in, tie up at one of the posts where the big boats are docked. Do not attempt to sail out of the slip or to raise the sails in the middle of the water.

RAISE SAILS

• Take the jib out of its bag.

• Attach the jib halyard to the head of the jib.

• Attach the jib tack wire to the tack of the jib.

• Attach the jib to the jibstay with snaps.

• Feed the jib sheets between the mast and sidestay, through the fairlead, and through the cleat on the centerboard trunk. Tie a figure eight knot or stopper knot at the end of the jib sheet. Incidentally, the jib sheets should have a knot 10" behind the clew.

• Loosen the boomvang and Cunningham.

• Detach the main halyard from the ring on the forward side of the mast and attach it to the head of the mainsail, looking up the mast to see that the main halyard runs freely to the top of the mast. Disengage the lock on the lower winch. Pull the head down until the lower winch shows bare metal (in other words, the halyard is completely unwrapped from the winch).

• Insert the winch crank on the starboard side of the lower winch.

• Maintaining light tension on the main halyard by pulling lightly down on the mainsail's luff, crank the winch and feed the boltrope of the mainsail into the slot to raise the mainsail. Raise the mainsail until the shackle is 2 inches below the sheave on top of the mast. Engage the lock on the winch. If you raise the sail above this point you may damage the sheave. You never need to exert significant force on the winch crank. If you find yourself forcing the crank, look up the mast and determine what the problem is instead of muscling the crank. The boltrope may be bunched in the slot or the halyard may be wrapped. If you break a winch crank, you were exerting at least 3 times the force you should ever need.

• Disengage the lock on the upper winch. Grab the jib halyard shackle and pull down until the upper winch shows bare metal.

• While maintaining light tension by pulling lightly down on the luff of the jib, crank the upper winch until the jib is raised. Engage the lock on the upper winch. (The purpose of starting the halyard at bare metal and maintaining light tension is to prevent the halyard from jamming or kinking, which it does when loose on the winch.)

TAKE-OFF

• Plan your take-off to avoid jibes near the pier. Discuss with crew.

• Untie the tiller and push the rudder down.

• Lower the centerboard. (This should be the last thing you do at the mooring because the centerboard causes the boat to start sailing.)

• Detach the painter from the bowplate, pull the boat up to the post, and untie the painter from the post but hold on to the post with your hand or the painter.

• When the skipper says so and not before, let go of the post

• Turn the boat away from the shore by pushing the post toward the shore, backwinding the jib toward the shore, pointing the tiller away from the shore (if you are moving backwards), or pointing the tiller toward the shore (if you are moving forwards).

• Stay to seaward of the double post as you sail out.

Flying Scot: Returning index

LAND ON LEEWARD SIDE OF PIER

• Plan your landing and discuss it with your crew. Make sure everyone knows who will do what when.

• Tie the painter to the bowplate.

• Stay seaward of the double post.

• Sail to a point 2 boat lengths downwind of the post on the pier, turn up into irons, drift to a stop with the bow at the post, and tie the painter onto the post. Make sure you land on the leeward side of the pier. See Figure. Land softly so you don't damage the boat or pier. If you aim at the end of the pier as in the Figure, you can easily turn aside at the last minute if you are moving too fast. The Figure shows one approach: come in on a beam reach two boat lengths (more in light wind) downwind of the pier, when directly downwind, turn into irons and drift to a stop. A second approach is to come in SLOWLY on a close reach, trimming sails to gain speed, luffing sails to slow down, and turn into irons half a boat length from the pier. Tie the painter to a post with a clove hitch.

• Raise the centerboard.

DROP SAILS

• Crank the upper winch a tiny bit, enough to release the lock.

• Remove the crank from the winch.

• Let the jibsail fall into the boat. If the jibsail doesn't fall, pull it down by the luff. (Do not operate the crank in reverse; that will tangle the halyard on the winch.)

• Repeat for the mainsail.

• Tie the tiller.

MOVE BOAT TO SLIP

• Paddle, pole, or pull your way with ropes into the slip, bow toward the pier. We are in the slip closest to shore.

• Clip the docking lines onto the boat. The bow lines clip onto the bowplate. The stern lines clip onto the rings on the transom (the vertical back of the boat), not the eye straps on the deck. The docking lines have been cut to the correct length; do not adjust them.

TIDY UP

• Remove the main halyard from the head of the mainsail and attach to the ring on the forward side of the mast. Pull the halyard until bare metal shows on the lower winch. Maintaining light tension on the halyard, crank the winch until the halyard is snug.

• Fanfold the mainsail on the boom and secure with the sail ties you find in the jib bag. Keep light tension on the leech as you fold the sail. Make sure the battens are parallel to the boom as you fold the mainsail. Do not crumple or roll the sail after folding it -- loose is good; neat may destroy the fibers by introducing sharp folds.

• Remove the jib halyard from the head of the jib and attach the jib halyard to the bowplate. Crank the upper winch until the mast is snug, i.e. cannot move fore and aft.

• Untie the figure eight or stopper knots from the ends of the jib sheets. Pull the jib sheets to the jib.

• Fold the jib on the boat or grass, but not on the pier or gravel. Be careful not to bend the battens. Put the folded jib in the jib bag and leave it on the boat

• Coil the centerboard pennant and rest it on the handle on the tabernacle.

• Take the slack out of the mainsheet and knot the mainsheet just beyond the block so the mainsheet prevents the boom from moving around too much. Coil the mainsheet and tie it so it hangs and dries.

• Leave the tiller extension attached to the tiller.

• Return lifejackets to their container in the rear of the boat

• Tie the boat cover to the eyestraps on the deck. Remember that red is port, green is starboard, and the dirty side is up.

• In our locker, return the completed checklist to the box. Complete the logbook entry with time in, wind and wave conditions, crew members and other stories.

Using the hoist index

CAUTION:

The following is a reminder for those who have already learned how to use the hoist. If you cannot make sense of it, ask one of the nice people who live in the blue house (Bob, Mary Ellen, or David Neff) rather than risking injury or damage. If you learn that the procedure below is incorrect, contact a member of the Executive Committee immediately because either you or this procedure is wrong and someone is risking injury or damage. EVERYTHING CAN BE DONE SINGLE-HANDED, BUT TWO PEOPLE WORKS BEST.

PREPARE BOAT FOR HOIST

• Position the golf cart in front of the trailer.

• Tilt the trailer from bow up to horizontal position.

• Attach the trailer to the hitch (ball) on the golf cart.

• Remove the boat cover.

• Tie a painter to the bowplate.

• Put the rudder in the UP position, and watch that it doesn't fall down.

• Put the plug in the transom drain hole (IMPORTANT!).

• Swing the hoist arm most the way toward land to avoid hitting the topping lift.

• Maneuver the trailer onto the metal grating under the hoist. Position the wheels of the trailer on the white marks on the grating. Now the stern should be facing the water and the bow facing the land.

AT THE HOIST

• Swing the hoist arm over the boom.

• The mainsheet and boomvang should be snug and cleated. The lifting bridle should be attached from the last sail. If it is not, you need to attach it. First, attach the forward end of the cable by fitting the bolt through the hole in the tabernacle. Only thread the nut until the bolt pokes through the nut; you don't need to snug the nut against the tabernacle. Second, pass the lifting bridle over the boom. Third, attach the aft end of the cable to the fitting on the aft end of the centerboard trunk; this fitting is halfway between the top of the trunk and the floor of the boat. BE CAREFUL that you have attached the lifting bridle correctly.

• Quickly load gear into the boat from the step.

• Lead the hoist's hook through the ring in the middle of the lifting bridle.

• Press the button on the hand held control to take out most (BUT NOT ALL) of the slack from the chain.

• Adjust the lifting bridle to (1) make sure the bridle won't scrape the boom and (2) make sure the attachment at the centerboard trunk is centered, not hanging over the side (***clarify here***)

• Get out of the boat if you needed to be in it.

• Lift the hoist slowly until the cable is tight and the boat is beginning to be lifted.

• Remove the trailer winch line from the bow plate and make the painter reachable. Have someone hold it

• CAUTION: THE NEXT STEP WILL DAMAGE THE BOAT IF YOU HAVEN'T ATTACHED AND CHECKED THE BRIDLE PROPERLY.

• Lift the boat until clear of the trailer.

• Push the boat (preferably from the bow) toward the water and begin to turn it when over the water. The hoist arm will move to become perpendicular to the shoreline. That is the point where the boat is farthest from the platform. The goal is to move the hoist arm perpendicular to the shoreline, not to spin the boat around the cable.

• While one person lowers the hoist, the other holds the painter in one hand and the near shroud in the other. Watch that the boat doesn't hit the platform on the way down. If it appears that the boat may hit the platform, make sure the hoist arm is perpendicular to the shoreline rather than pushing the boat out, since the boat pushes back as hard as you push out

• After the boat is floating on the water and the chain is slack, remove the hook and raise the hoist a few inches to clear the boom. Walk the boat to the side of the pier, watching that the rudder or tiller is not caught in a piling and the boat does not knock the pier. Use the golf cart to put the trailer back where it was.

• Detach the trailer from the golf cart

• Detach the lifting bridle and stow it in the boat's rear locker or on shore.

OUT OF THE WATER

• Land at the end of the pier. Drop the sails and make the boat ship shape. Make sure the centerboard is up, the rudder is up, the tiller is tied, and the mainsheet and boomvang are snug and cleated. Leave the painter tied to the bowplate.

• Attach the lifting bridle. First: attach the forward end of the cable by fitting the bolt through the hole in the tabernacle. Only thread the nut until the bolt pokes through the nut; you don't need to snug the nut against the tabernacle. Second: pass the lifting bridle over the boom. Third: attach the aft end of the cable to the fitting on the aft end of the centerboard trunk; this fitting is halfway between the top of the trunk and the floor of the boat BE CAREFUL that you have attached the lifting bridle correctly. Use the golf cart to move the trailer onto the grating as above.

• Move the boat along the pier with the painter and near shroud toward the hoist. Don't let the boat knock into the pier. Position the boat under the hoist with the bow toward the right as you are facing land.

• Move the hoist arm so it is perpendicular to the shoreline.

• Lead the hoist's hook through the ring in the middle of the lifting bridle.

• Press the button on the hand held control to take out most (BUT NOT ALL) of the slack from the chain. Adjust the lifting bridle to (1) make sure the bridle won't scrape the boom and (2) make sure the attachment at the centerboard trunk is centered, not hanging over the side. Get out of the boat if you are in it.

• Lift the hoist slowly until the cable is tight and the boat is beginning to be lifted.

  CAUTION: THE NEXT STEP WILL DAMAGE THE BOAT IF YOU HAVEN'T ATTACHED AND CHECKED THE BRIDLE PROPERLY.

• Lift the hoist SLOWLY until the cable is tight and the boat is beginning to be lifted by the hoist. While one person raises the hoist, the other holds the painter in one hand and the near shroud in the other. Watch that the boat doesn't hit the platform on the way up. If it appears that the boat may hit the platform, make sure the hoist arm is perpendicular to the shoreline rather than pushing the boat out, since the boat pushes back as hard as you push out.

• Pull the painter to move the boat and hoist arm so the boat is over the trailer.

• If the boat is not over the trailer, reposition the trailer instead of thinking that you will push the boat over into the trailer as it comes down. Slowly lower the boat onto the trailer.

• Reattach the trailer winch line and snug the boat against the bow cheek.

• Remove the hook from the lifting bridle ring and lift the hoist a few inches.

• Swing the hoist arm most of the way toward land to avoid hitting the topping lift in the next step.

• Use the golf cart to put the boat and trailer back in their place.

• Leave the lifting bridle attached for the next person.

Cruiser guidelines index

MOTOR PREPARATION:

We are fortunate to have a fairly new and very dependable Yamaha 9.9 four-stroke outboard. Treat it kindly. The motor mount is also new in 1998 and has a piston compressed-air system to do most of the heavy lifting. Remember that the mount must be lowered prior to starting the engine. Use care not to stress or pinch the fuel and electrical connections to the motor when moving the mount position. To lower the mount, push the red release handle outward (away from you), pull up the motor a bit to release the mechanism, then push the motor down until the mechanism locks into place. To raise the mount, pull the red release handle inboard (toward you), push the motor down a bit to release the mechanism, then pull motor up until the mechanism locks into place. Again, two simple steps: (1) toggle red release handle and (2) start the motion by moving the motor in the opposite direction to release the mechanism. Also, remember to check gasoline level in fuel tank, loosen tank cap to allow ventilation, and squeeze fuel line priming bulb a few times until hard. This is a four-stroke motor that requires gasoline only (no oil mixture).

MOTOR DO's and DON'Ts:

• DO - always check that a cooling stream is flowing out the back. If not, turn off motor immediately.
• DO - leave the motor mount in the up position, but keep it vertical so the prop won't hit the dock.
• DO - use the handle to lift or lower the motor
• DON'T - stand on the motor cover. The cover is already cracked/damaged from past abuse.

LEAVING THE DOCK:

TIP:

RETURNING TO THE DOCK: