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Toronto Police Service

55 Division

101 Coxwell Av.,

 

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New Members' Night - Saturday March 28

 

Be sure to mark Saturday, March 28 on your calendars to attend ABYC's New Members' Night.  The Membership Committee invites all to attend this important event to welcome new members to the Club.  

It is an opportunity for members who have joined over the past year to meet more established members of the Club, in a fun and relaxed manner.

 

Come on down to the Club and meet our new members.

 

The Membership Committee 

 

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Photo - Bruce Hannah

Last Thursday more than 75 members attended ABYC's Toonie Thursday for Bernie Caron's detailed  account of his Atlantic crossing in 1978.  Even back then, Bernie could be counted on to have his camera ready to help tell the story of that windy crossing.  Those in attendance were treated to an exciting and informative slide show of his 3 week crossing from Halifax, N.S to Plymouth, England.

 

Bernie's extra encouragement to those in attendance that he wanted his seminar to raise a lot of money resulted in a record $281.00 being donated.  Thank you to Bernie and all who contributed to the support of our Jr. Opti coach boat.  

 

We are heading in the home stretch with our Toonie Talk Thursday series, we hope you can join us for our next presentation on April 9 with John Gayford..."Transatlantic Delivery".

 

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Finding it hard to find things in your closet?  Love those heels but know you'll never wear them again?  Find them a new loving home at the second annual ABYC clothing swap!

Come out for an enjoyable afternoon with friends.  You may find that perfect something you've always wanted!  Don't worry if you don't have anything to bring, but if you do, please make sure it's in good condition, cleaned, and with all its buttons and zippers etc.

If you want to donate but can't make it on Sun. March 22, you can drop it off at the club (please leave in the communications room) the week before.  Please make sure it is clearly labeled for the clothing swap.

Things to donate can include:  clothing, purses, shoes, boots, hats, scarfs, gloves, jewellery, belts, coats, jackets etc.

Whatever is left over will be donated to a worthy cause!

So mark it on your calendar - Sun. March 22 at 1:00 - Hope to see you there.

Any questions contact Kathy Deemar at dds@interlog.com.
 

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Basic Cruising Course for Adults

The ABYC Keelboat Course is a beginner level, internationally recognized Sail Canada program offered in conjunction with Humber College.  Classes; which are scheduled at various times during the week and on weekends, provide both off- and on-water instruction and are designed to give students the necessary skills to act as both skipper and crew on a sailboat of up to 35 feet in length, in moderate weather conditions.  The course is taught on a 31 ft. keelboat (Hunter) and is ideal for new sailors.

 

The fee includes a one-year Introductory Associate Membership at ABYC with all privileges.

 

For more information, class schedules and the registration form see http://abyc.on.ca/abyc-sailing-school/sailing-school-keelboat-program/ 

 

The Learn to Sail Open House is scheduled for Tuesday, May 5, so pass that on. 

 

Classes, especially those early in the season, fill fast.  So tell your friends to register now to avoid being disappointed.

 

And once your friends graduate, they are eligible for the introductory Co-Op program, a great way to keep sailing an ABYC boat for the whole summer.

 

Launch this year will be on Saturday April 25th, starting at 8 AM for both the large and small cranes.  The early start is necessary in order to complete the launch in one day.  Sunday April 26th will be the back-up day in the event that weather or other circumstances pushes us beyond a one day launch.   No boats will be launched on Friday.   As was the case last fall, the hydraulic trailer boats will be brought to the cranes at intervals and staged in areas around the cranes until they are launched.
 
Prior to launch, boat centrelines will be marked on cradles that lack them (these consist of a yellow CL symbol with a vertical yellow line next to them), most likely on Wednesday April 22 or Thursday April 23rd.  Do not paint over the centreline marks because they are used when we lay out the cradles in the fall.  Keels will  be marked at the same time as cradles.   These are typically a small vertical yellow line or mark towards the aft end of the keel.  Unlike the centreline marks on the cradles, owners should feel free to paint out keel marks they think are incorrect, if more than one mark appears, or to paint their own mark based on where they think the boat should be sitting in the cradle.
 
It is also a very good idea to take advantage of your boat being out of the water to identify sling lifting locations by marking them on your deck, toe rails or just beneath the toe rails on the sides of the boat with stickers.  This saves much trouble and reduces the risk of accidental damage to the boat during haulout in the fall.
 
Additional notices about launch will appear in S2S as we get closer to launch. Members will be contacted about crane crew assignments in the next few weeks.
 
Anyone with questions about launch should direct them to me.

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Well prior to launch, the newly formed Cradle Safety Committee will be reviewing the status of all cradles currently in both the crane and rail yards.  This committee consists of the chairs of both the crane and rail committees, and members experienced in the technical aspects of cradle design.  Its mandate is to provide a baseline standard for safe cradles.  In this context, "safe" doesn't refer only to the structural stability of the cradle as such, but to any risks its design or condition might pose to the crews working on and around it during launch/haulout.  Pads that lack easily adjustable nuts or cradles whose pad layout that makes it highly likely that the slings will get stuck not only add unnecessary time to the launch/haul process, but frequently create situations in which the crews must use considerable physical force (e.g. having to hit the uprights/pads with 2x4s while 2-3 people pull on the slings) to overcome the problem.  This creates situations have a high potential for injury when the stuck pad or sling finally pops loose. 
 
Members whose cradles are deemed unsafe will be contacted by the club and requested to correct the problems prior to the fall haulout.  The committee will make every effort to communicate this information early enough for the cradles to be left out, should the member so desire it, rather than stored immediately after launch.