In which we introduce a regular monthly feature, as your commodore attempts to answer your questions and clue you in about life and dealing with your personal problems…
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Dear Commodore: I don’t know anything about
sailing. Can the NLSC help me?
Dear Landlubber: Yes. Sure. Our monthly meetings feature interesting and educational programs, travelogues and trip reports – something for everyone from beginners to certified instructors and circumnavigators. We also welcome everyone on our sailing trips – everything from local weekends with trailerable boats, to group charters all over the world.
Our members love to teach others. Come and get sailing experience – hands on and otherwise. And we can put you in touch with sailing schools and other groups if you want to learn even more.
Dear Hungry: Glad you brought that up. The NLSC is also known as the “Dining Club That Sails”. Our September meeting features our annual Carolina Shrimp Boil. Join us for this event on Tuesday, September 16 at the Mound Bay Park shelter in Mound, Minnesota – that’s out on the northwest end of Lake Minnetonka. You will be sure of getting not only plenty to eat, but a really good tasty meal. And lots of interaction time with other sailors and wannabees.
Details and a sign-up form may be found in our monthly Bearings newsletter, and on our NLSC.ORG website. Come hungry.
Dear Easy Rider: Probably not. Our trips are not cruises where everything is catered for you and others do all the sailing. Everything on our trips is “hands-on”. Our skippers and crew want you to get more experience and become a better sailor – and they will show you how to do it.
Our crew are expected to participate in all aspects of running the ship, and even in helping to plan the trips. And all activities have experienced, capable skippers and leaders, so you are not on your own.
Dear Crew: First, keep up with our announcements and sign-ups. Read our newsletter, come to meetings, and – for the most up-to-date information – watch the “What’s New” section of our website. Trips are normally “first-come, first-served”, and boats have limited crew capacity.
And there are often last-minute cancellations when life gets in the way. Sign up on the waiting lists for each trip – you may luck out and get to go even if the trip is “full”.
Of course, the people who actually plan the trips get to sign up first on their own trips. So, the surest way to go on a trip is to help plan one. And priority must be given to qualified skippers. We can help you with this. If interested in more information, contact our Sailing Trip Coordinator.
Dear Dragged-Aboard: I can’t answer that for you. But if you want to learn and get involved, come on aboard the NLSC! See some of my other answers for how we can help you.
Dear Volunteer: Yes. Of course.
Dear Captain2B: We don’t certify skippers. But we do have policies for accepting volunteers to skipper our boats. This includes looking at your Sailing Resume (your what?) for leadership qualities, sailing experience and knowledge, certifications from sailing schools and similar organizations, current or previous boat ownership, and similar things.
We have an active program to help our members improve their sailing skills, both for their own use (and safety!), and to develop future leaders and skippers so we can continue and expand our offerings of sailing opportunities.
Dear Cruiser: Is it ever! We have lots of members – single and otherwise – and many know how to sail, some are sailing instructors, and some even own their own boats. However, we are primarily a sailing (and dining) club, not a dating club.
We do have social activities – monthly meetings, potlucks (in the summer), a holiday party (in December), and opportunities to meet and hook up with new and old sailing partners. Come and meet our sailors, all flavors.
Dear Not-Yet-But-Future-Member: Sometimes. Our dues help to cover our operating expenses and to keep a reserve for club trips where expenses exceed our projected trip income.
Our monthly meetings are free and open to all. But no free lunch – we charge for food at our annual Carolina Shrimp Boil and Holiday Party.
Only members are allowed to go on club trips, and they receive our membership directory and mailed copies of our monthly “Bearings” newsletter. Club sailing trips each have separate charges to cover expenses such as boat charters, dockage, and maybe food.
And there are the special benefits of being a member - like the wonderful feeling you get of helping our organization to coordinate and provide sailing to the Twin Cities community, and no longer getting hit on to join by the membership chairperson.
Dear Hacker: Boy, am I glad to see this one! Contact your friendly NLSC webslinger – he needs a lot of help in this area. And thanks for asking.
Dear Spammer: You’re kidding, right? Go away!
Dear Helper: Duh!
Dear (Captain?) Kid: In sailing, we use the term “bound for”, not “going to”, as our destination is a target which may change depending on safety, wind, tides and weather, as well as the changing conditions of the boat and crew. That being said, yes, this column is almost over.
Dear Reader: Sure, and probably not. But I’m always glad to attack your questions. Keep those cards and letters coming, folks!
- Bob Rouda, NLSC Commodore