April Breeze

April 2021

May your Easter basket be full of

JOY, HAPPINESS AND PEACE

today and always!

April Festivities

BIRTHDAYS

4/1 Mark Stabile

4/4 Michelle Bish

4/4 Michelle Johnson

4/5 Steve Matas

4/18 Patty Patterson

4/20 Ann LoDico

4/20 Wendy Stabile

4/20 Jacob Gray

4/26 Russel Martin

ANNIVERSARIES

4/1 Joe & Lori Markiewicz

4/16 John & Theresa Carr

4/23 Mark & Ann LoDico

4/24 Tom & Melinda Ristvey

Note from the President...

Spring is officially upon us and the weather has been unseasonably pleasant. We've begun to take care of some outside club chores but there are still a lot to go. The permanent docks took a beating this winter with all of the ice the lake saw so they need some work to get them ready for the season. Repairs are underway both inside and outside of the club house. Big thanks to Ron Gallagher for his time and effort in the women's locker room. I'm certain it will be highly appreciated by all.

While it was a long and sometimes tough winter due to the pandemic, cases are down everywhere and the vaccine will soon be available to all who are interested. With this in mind, we will be having our regularly scheduled Spring Work Party on Saturday April 24th, with a rain date of Sunday April 25th. Keep an eye on your email the week prior to the party for a Breeze Extra announcing a delay should it be necessary. Weather permitting, we plan to hold the member meeting outdoors again. If you are unable or uncomfortable attending the Spring Work Party, no worries, just contact Ron Gallagher and he can let you know what tasks need to be completed outside of the work party. There are always ways to contribute to the well being of the club throughout the season.

The Hors D'oeuvres parties will resume in May and club parties are being planned for the summer. Our goal is to have the club mostly back to normal this season, barring any unforeseen circumstances. The docks will once again be full this year and we have a robust waiting list. We expect to see more boats on mooring balls this year than we have since the permanent docks were installed. If you are not planning to use your dock space this year or even plan to launch late and wish to rent your space (even for part of the summer), please get with Menno Jager to discuss your options.

It will soon be time to start preparing our boats for launch. If you need help with any club equipment (gin pole, extenders, etc.) please reach out for help. Someone is always willing to lend a hand, don't do it alone. This is also a good time of year to review the PCC Member Rules and Regulations. They are also available on our website, posted in the club house, or available from any board member. These Rules and Regulations make the club enjoyable for all and many are a requirement of our lease with the state. Please be sure to watch your speed on the driveway as there will start to be lots of activity at the club.

Stay tuned to the Breeze, our website, and our Facebook page to keep up to date on all of the activity at the club. Hope to see you all at the club soon.

Bill Gray

PCC President

Spring Work Party

It's finally time to schedule the Spring Work Party! Mark your calendars! The planned date to get the club ready is Saturday April 24th, with a rain date of Sunday April 25th. While we're moving back to the traditional work party, there is a slight modification; We will move the temporary dock sections into the water on Sunday April 11th. We'll tie them to the main dock like last year. Doing this ahead of the work day not only allows some flexibility in scheduling Jon Dreher and his machine, but also means we can get started immediately building the docks on the work day. If you can help on the 11th, let Ron Gallagher know. We'll need 4 helpers that day and should only take a few hours once we get started.

Thanks!

Ron Gallagher

Valley Voices Article

We are so humbled to have this awesome article published in Valley Voices!

Although the online version is available by subscription only, you can read the article here or on our website under Breeze.

Thank you Valley Voices for this great publicity!

US SAILING LEVEL 1 SMALL BOAT LESSONS 2021

Our Level 1 Small Boat sailing lessons are entry-level sailing classes for adults (16 and up), taught by certified US Sailing instructors. This course is perfect for those who want to see "what sailing is all about" as well as those who have been away for far too long and need to brush up their knowledge and skills.

Our first lesson will kick off with classroom theory session (half day), which includes land drill of capsize recovery and basic rigging instruction. This lesson is open to ALL past students who would like a refresher on terminology, rules of the road, boat parts and what they do, etc.

--Sunday: May 16 9AM

The consecutive sessions will all include a briefing on land, followed by on the water lessons/drills/practice, rigging and de-rigging, and knot skills.

--Saturday: June 5 9AM

--Saturday: July 3 9AM

--Saturday: August 7 9AM

--Saturday: September 4 9AM

Anyone interested is requested to submit an Application ASAP - and no later than May 1, 2021.

Visit our Website for more information.

***NOTE TO INSTRUCTORS: please assure your instructor credentials, SafeSport and CPR/First Aid training are all up to date prior to first class.

Questions? Contact Lidia.

Dates to remember

As we continue to plan our 2021 season full speed ahead, please keep an eye on our Website for important information. All social events, sailing lessons and any additional events will be published as we finalize plans and information becomes available.

WORK IS GETTING DONE!

Our small boats are the sports cars of sailing in heavier weather. We love jumping the waves in white caps, while clutching the main sheet and tiller in white-knuckled hands. Sometimes we are cold, wet and exhausted and oh-so-happy!

But to continue to serve us well (and safely) every once in a while our toys need a little love. All the Sunfish and P15 rudders, tillers and dagger boards got a thorough sanding and many many coats of varnish. Just wait till you see them!

This brave crew set aside their bikes and basketballs to lend a hand and learn a little about woodwork. Awesome job kids!

May Hors D'oeuvres party

Hors D'oeuvres parties are back!

Come and enjoy the camaraderie of the evening. Bring your favorite dish to share. It's BYOB or donate to the fridge. Friends and new members are welcome. No RSVP's necessary, just show up. See you all there!

Updates on "other" work in progress

Repairs to address the issues identified by our insurance provider are underway and will be completed by the May 1st deadline. Thank you Bill Gray and Brian Bish!
The ladies room shower/bathroom facelift is in progress and should be completed by April 24th. Remember, this started out as a repair to a soft spot in the floor near the shower and the project quickly grew as other issues were uncovered. See the pics below for a sneak peak of the nearly finished project. Thank you Brian Bish, Menno Jager, and Sue Valitsky for your help!
The shared bathroom has been added to the "Needs repaired" list. We discovered issues with the floor recently. Everything we need to repair this bathroom is on-hand. This project will be tackled some time late spring/early summer.
New kitchen sink faucets and repairs to the shelf under each sink. Done! PVC planks were installed under the sinks. These will NEVER rot!

Thanks again to the folks that have helped and continue to help with these projects! While the labor is free, the materials are not. Want to help too? You can by donating a little $$ to help pay for the materials. We've already received a few donations. Please send your donation to Michelle Johnson (Webster) and write "Bathrooms" in the memo field. Any amount is greatly appreciated!

Kitchen Sink PVC Shelf

Bill Gray keeping our insurance provider happy

Issue in one of the bathrooms

Sneak Peak of one bathroom

Sneak peak of the ladies room floor

Sneak Peak of the other bathroom. Recognize that ponytail?

New Boat Engine Cutoff Switch Law

There is a new US law that goes into effect April 1, 2021. We recommend you read and understand the law yourself. More details can be found here.

Effective April 1, 2021, the new law requires a vessel operator to use either a helm or outboard lanyard on vessels less than 26 ft in length with engines larger than 3 HP. The requirement is for vessels that (1) have a functioning engine cutoff device installed or (2) vessels manufactured after January 2020. There is an exemption for vessels not operating on plane or at displacement speed, which likely means that most sailboats do not apply because most (not all) sailboats don't motor at or above displacement speed. This would primarily apply to power boats but only if a functional engine cut off switch is currently installed. The law does not require vessel owners to retrofit their vessels with a cut off switch.

This law applies to all federally navigable waterways, but since it's a federal law, states don't have the ability to enforce this law, only federal agencies. PA currently does not have their own version of this law but it is expected that most states will adopt one in the future.

While our reading of the law indicates that this may only effect a small number of PCC members, it is your responsibility to understand this and all boating laws and how they may apply to you both at PCC and on other vessels on other waterways. Whether this law applies to you or not, if your vessel is equipped with an engine cut off switch, we recommend you practice safe boating and use the lanyard according to the manufacturers instructions.

Input to our monthly newsletter is encouraged and greatly appreciated! Please email articles and photos to Breeze Editor in Chief, Lidia Gray at szarak2000@yahoo.com by the 25th of each month.