NE-TS Minutes, October 15, 2005

Location: Nashua Country Club

In attendance:
Jack and Rani Chadowitz (Mac 26S, "Zemer Hayam")
Nancy and Dan Dobbins (Mac 26X , "Y'Not")
Jeanne Brock (Mac 26x, "Zussamen")
John and Terry O'Conner (Mac 26C)
Barbara Garland (Mac 26D "Whale")
Pat and Lee Martin (Mac 25, "Bluestar")
Al and Karen Hill (Mac 26X, "Karamal")
Paul and Millie Seeberg (Mac 26M, "Mildred Rose")
Roger P. Jones (Mac 26S, unnamed)
Dan Lacey (Mac 26M, delivery Spring 2006)
Tony Distefano (Mac 26C, "The Beep")
Ed Goodhue(Mac 26X "Taurus Two" and San Juan 26)

Ed Goodhue, Vice Commodore presided. Commodore Bill Brock traveling. Meeting called to order 11:25 a.m.

Began meeting with introductions and short stories from each member. These included reports on ramps, sailing destinations of this season, discussion of marine insurance, and member background.

Some recommended ramps : Hadley Harbor in Buzzard's Bay(Dan Lacey); Bryant Island in Ct/Westerly area: gravel launch, 2 docks, 2 boats long, access to Long Island Sound, shallow. (Roger Jones). Old Saybrook: free; Norwalk, Ct nice ramp (Tony). Areas nice to sail: 1000 Islands (Dan and Nancy); Hadley Harbor, Buzzards' Bay (Dan Lacey); Cuttyhunk (Seeberg's). New Haven: nice marina and services, not expensive, free mooring and cheap slip ($1.50/night) (Tony).

TowBoat US highly recommended by several members, for on land and on the water help. Details of "Whale's accident and repairs, how insurance played in the whole incident. From this discussion, several recommendations came out:
1. Check where your insurance covers you to sail ("coastal waters" does not cover Lake Champlain).
2. Have your boat insured at "agreed upon" value, rather than book value, especially if you have made many irreplaceable improvements on your boat.
3. Trailer and dinghy can be insured with boat or separately, check this.
4. It's possible to cover your boat for short term sailing in destinations other than your usual areas, for an additional fee: check terms and costs.
5. Boat US and Allstate do marine insurance. Check where Allstate insures (not in Massachusetts). Rates will be increasing up to 20% at BoatUS because of hurricanes. See Tony if you would like a coupon for insurance for a year.

12:10 Break for lunch
Resumed meeting at 12:40

Secretary's Report read by Rani.Chadowitz, Secretary
Motion to accept: John O'Conner
Seconded by Pat Martin

Treasurer's Report: Read by Tony Distefano, Treasurer
Balance is $2379.50
$20 has not yet been deposited and isn't included.
$5 returned by bank for bounced check
$174.90 spent for bumper stickers
$5 paid for postage
Burgees - $600 deposit paid: waiting for bill for the remainder once the burgees are completed
There are several bumper stickers left, and please pay your dues.
Motion to accept by Barbara Garland.
Seconded by Jean Brock
Bank needs to change name of account, will add "NE-TS" in addition to "MOANE", hopefully by December.

Old Business:
Burgee Status report, by Paul Seeberg: Harding Sail took graphics and sent to screen printer, who made mistake (surf board instead of sail boat). New material will get to them Monday Oct 17; we should get new corrected burgees by end of October, for distribution by December meeting.

Ed: We had the best attendance for rendezvous' this year. The two Allen Harbor rendezvous' were well attended (11 boats and 6 boats plus someone who dropped in because they read about it on the web page): Champlain had 29 boats; Buzzards' Bay, which in the past was 3-4 boats, this year there were 13 - 14.

How to fill in August? Ed did an impromptu rendezvous to Provincetown, with Steve Silva, Chip Hindes, Ed, and Tony sailing with crew on each boat. Going to P'town was a nice quiet ride. Coming back through the canal was an altogether different and scary story. "Flume ride" according to Tony. Ed reported speeds 10 knots , with 20-25 knot winds, whirlpools, motor boats creating 8-10 foot wakes, lots of rocking and reversing of direction.

In conclusion, Ed feels this was a good year for NE-TS, even though "Whale" got harpooned. Barbara did a good job as Cruise Captain. ("hear hear" from all present.)

Meetings:
Barbara's suggestion of a November meeting was not adopted.
Date set for December meeting and Holiday party, Saturday, Dec 10 at Bruce and Pam Foshay's home, starting at 2:00p.m, finishing whenever people leave.
For a next meeting, we could choose from the following topics:
1.Trailer/Sailor presentation which Barbara and Tony did in Philadelphia
2. Presentation on weather by Barbara
3. Insurance discussion and information

New Business:
Discussion of length of time officers can serve on the board: Barbara looked in the By laws and it is 4 years unless waived by board of directors. We will discuss if the present officers want to carry on at the December meeting. We want to keep the Webmaster who has been in office for 2 ½ years.

Need to change description of burgee in bylaws to :
" Yellow sun, blue water, black sloop-rigged sailboat on white background".

Change bylaws for name of organization. Discussion of name of club, from "MOANE" to "NE-TS": "NE" was "New England' up until now. Ed proposes to change name to be "North East Trailer Sailor Yacht Club" as we have sailors from New York as well. Unanimously accepted.

Change bank checking account to add 'NE-TS".

John moved to post the proposed changes of bylaws on the website and will vote on the changes at next meeting.
Seconded by Dan. Approved

Need new membership cards printed using the burgee graphics on the website. Rani will look into it.

Dan will find out what it costs to join Yacht Clubs of America (YCA).

Someone not on the Board needs to audit the books, the last time was 2 years ago. Tony will ask Bill Baines and will bring the books to the December meeting.

Motion to adjourn meeting at 1:20 by Jack.
Seconded by Nancy.

Respectfully submitted by
Rani Chadowitz, Sec.

PS. Thanks goes to Karen Hill for covering the last meeting for Rani.

Following the meeting was a discussion on trailers. Contact Jack as he has experience with acquiring and adapting trailers for Classic Mac owners, and with some help, can also help "X" owners.

Barbara reminded everyone of the importance of checking tides and currents when sailing in Buzzards' Bay, Boston Harbor, Orient Point(NY), Hellgate(NY), and Block Island. Buzzards' Bay weather is better in September, usually rough in July and August which is why we don't formally rendevous there.

An additional footnote. On asking our treasurer for clarification of the report he told me we currently have 97 members.