Lanier Sailing Academy and The Passport Sailing Club has organized a six day fantasy sailing trip onboard the 135 year old schooner "Stephen Tabor".  We'll be sailing from our homeport of Rockland exploring the picturesque coast of Maine and participating in the Rockland Windjammer Parade.

 

Come join us for a once in a lifetime journey living the 19th Century schooner lifestyle while escaping the killer summer heat of Georgia. 

 

Where: The Coast of Maine

 

When: July 12 thru 18

 

Cost:  Boat and meals: $937; typical airfare: $350

 

Prerequisites: Only friendly people allowed.

 

Why: You've been dreaming of this since you were 10 ! 

 

Who:  Matt & Cindy will be leading this vacation group  :-)

 

Capacity:  22 passengers (7 remaining)

 

Extras: The Rockland Windjammer Parade, experience old style sailing, participate as crew or just hang out, gourmet food, sight seeing ashore, cool summer evenings and a few surprises.  

 

To discuss the details or register, please call Cindy or Matt at(770) 945-8810.  Also, feel free to log onto the schooner Stephen Tabor's website: www.stephentaber.com for more dream material.

 

Just another fun activity from The Passport Sailing Club. 

 

 

We double dog dare you, to live a dream !

 

If you've been around the dock lately, you have likely heard people earnestly discussing the best head sail to use when leaving Cape Town, the shallows lurking around the Indian port city of Cochin, or the wind patterns off the coast of Singapore.  No, you didn't miss a Docklines announcement about an around-the-world LSA flotilla.  A group of fellow LSA sailors is racing around the virtual globe in the on-line version of the Volvo Ocean Race, and you're invited to join in the fun!
 
The on-line race follows the same schedule and course as the real-world Volvo Ocean Race (http://www.volvooceanrace.org/).  Although the virtual boats do not face threat of pirate attacks and freezing temperatures like the real boats do, the virtual sailors do contend with same wind conditions and tricky navigation challenges experienced by the professional crews in the real boats. 
 
Participating in the on-line race is a great way to meet and bond with other LSA members as well as over 100,000 sailors from around the world who are also taking part in the game.  It's easy to send a message to another boat or join in a discussion group to compare strategies and talk some smack.  Playing the game does not require a lot of time.  It is sufficient to log in a couple times a day to check your course and sails, though you should be warned that the game may be addictive, enticing you to spend much more time plotting the next tack and maneuvering around the doldrums.

 

If you need help, or want to keep in touch with other racers, then search for these LSA friends, who are regularly chatting about the virtual idealic crew (pictures in your mind yet?), virtual stories of heroic sailing and the beer or rum at the end of the next leg.

Recently I was out on the lake.  The wind had died, the beer was gone, the bladder was full and sun was starting to set.  I decided to crank up the out board and head for the dock.  I pulled and pulled and could not get the thing started.  Fortunately, I was able to flag down a club boat that gave me a tow back to LSA.   What was wrong?  It ran okay when I left.
 
Yancy Yamaha
Yancy,
 
I have no idea.   Seriously dude, I'm gonna need a little more information.  Okay, since I can't tell what happened last time let's talk about what to do next time.  Below is a list of items to check if your outboard won't start.
 
  1.    Gas, do you have any?
  2.    Is the vent on the gas tank open?
  3.    Is the primer bulb pumped up/firm?
  4.    Has the fuel line been crimped?  (Example - A 100 pound ice chest sitting on

           top of the fuel line could be your problem.)
  5.    Is the fuel line attached securely to the engine?
  6.    Is the red kill switch attached?
  7.    Is the engine in neutral?
  8.    Is the prop clear?
  9.    Is the choke out ? (Should not need the choke if the engine has been running  

            in the past couple of hours.)
 10.    Is the throttle in the "start" position?
 11.    Cell Phone: make sure you have one with you so you can call the dock for aid.
 
Typically if 1 through 10 are ok then the engine will start.  If not, use 11.
 
The answer to the last trivia question - What does doubling a line mean?  Doubling a line is to take it from the boat to a shore piling or cleat and back to the boat.  This allows the line to be let go and retrieved from the boat. 
 
For next time - Why is one of the helm commands for sailing closer to wind called head up as in I want you to head up 10 degrees.
 
Safe Sailing,
Capt. Noah T'all

I am not an artsy kind of guy.  I don't hate the arts; I just don't get them.  
 
For years now the lovely Lady Honez's attempts to culture me up have met with dismal failure.  Her fault really; she should have listened to her mother Martha Dark Cloud, who once said of me that "anyone who thinks Dogs playing Poker is a classic is never going to have an appreciation for art."  She said other things about me that Sweet Jane didn't listen to either.  Such is young love, "I will change him, Jane said, teach him to wear shoes, quit dragging his knuckles and get him to eat with a fork. "  Poor lass, some things you just can't change. 

This brings us to the recently passed holiday season.  Mitch Paradise, my son and heir, scoured the Islands (Manhattan, Staten and Long) to find the perfect gift for Dear Old Dad.  Understanding my love for all things nautical and my problem with multi-syllabic words he found the perfect item, a wonderful book about classic yachts that were built between the turn of the last century and the beginning of WWII.   It is full of excellent photography, line drawings and a minimum number of words.  Needless to say, I loved it.
 
Sweet Jane, hearing my little grunts of happiness as I paged through the book came over and looked over my shoulder.  "Oh, it's just another boat book" she said.  "Just another boat book!", I cried.  Sit yourself down and let me show you something.  This beautiful creation before you of wood, steel, rope and canvas is the Shamrock V.  She is a J-Class yacht built for Sir Thomas Lipton, yes dear; he is the tea guy, that's where the money came from.  He built five yachts from 1899 to 1930 to try to win the Americas Cup.  He never won the cup but along the way, he was responsible for creating some of the most beautiful boats ever to grace the seas.  True temples to the wind and waves.  I mean look at those lines, look at the way she heels and slices through the water.  Look at the detail in her woodwork and doesn't the brass accent the teak perfectly?  When she raced, she had a crew of 20 to 30 sailors working together in perfect coordination, each maneuver a carefully choreographed ballet to wring every ounce of speed out her.  You can almost hear the wind's music in her rigging and the symphony of the sea as she sails in perfect harmony with her environment.  She is as beautiful today as she was 78 years ago, more so because she is so rare.  Only 3 of her kind are left.  As I finished my little tirade she looked at me and said "maybe Mom was wrong about you, maybe you do understand art."  "Well okay", I replied, "but this doesn't mean that I am going to wear shoes".
 
The sailor as artist; interesting thought.  Each weekend the sailor climbs into a boat to create his or her art. Lake Lanier provides the canvas; LSA provides the easel, palette and brush.  All that's needed is you to make a scene.
 
See you on the East Bank of the Lake at Café LSA.  We'll share a couple of Irish Coffees and talk art.  I'll be the one in the Dogs playing Poker T-shirt.      

 

 

Heavy Weather Sailing Clinic
Saturday, February 7th, 10:00 am - 1:00 pm

 

Please join John & Kurt for a three hour overview of offshore heavy weather sailing.  This classroom presentation will provide videos of various high risk situations that will allow for "What Now Captain?" discussions.  This is the best way to absorb these sailing skills without becoming sea sick!

 

The price is FREE to our club members, please call the dock for reservations  (770) 614-5724.

 

 

Saturday, March 14th, 10:00 am - 4:00 pm 

Have you thought about joining our regattas but felt you needed more knowledge prior to your first race ??  Here's your chance to become race ready using our proven methods that include both classroom and on the water training.

 

The price is FREE to our club members, please call the dock for reservations (770) 614-5724.

 

2009 Spring & Summer Regatta Series     

Break open your new 2009 calendars and circle these dates !!  The warm weather is just around the corner and the Spring & Summer Regatta Series will be here before you know it !  Come to one or all of the races/cookouts ... whatever your schedule/family will allow.

 

Race 1 --- Saturday March 21

               (Trophy awards for Fall '08 Series)

Race 2 --- Sunday March 29

Race 3 --- Saturday April 18

Race 4 --- Sunday April 26

 

Race 1 --- Saturday May 16

Race 2 --- Sunday May 31

Race 3 --- Saturday June 20

Race 4 --- Sunday June 28

 

Please call the dock for reservations (770) 614-5724.  Food & soft drink fee of $20  BYOB

 

 

Capri 22 Match Racing

Sunday, March 22 --  2:00 pm til 6:00 pm

Sunday, April 19 -- 2:00 pm til 6:00 pm

Sunday, May 17 -- 3:00 pm til 8:00 pm

Sunday, June 21 -- 3:00 pm til 8:00 pm

 

 

Docking Clinic

 

Please join Michael Blanchard for a three hour adventure into the Art of Flying a Spinnaker.  We will review the tools and techniques necessary to use a spinnaker safely, followed by a test drive. 

 

Beware, this clinic is rated WTMF (way too much fun !) and is meant for the crazy at heart !!

 

The price is FREE to our club members.  Please call the dock for reservations (770) 614-5724.

 

 

Friday Night Overnight / Camp Out

Look for These Future Clinics
Understanding the Weather
Bareboat Management Tips

Anchoring

Sail Making & Repairs

Celestial Navigation
Bondage Knot Tying  :-)