7/11/21 Club updates
Pete Japikse | Published on 7/26/2021
July 11, 2021
Here are some club updates for you. Topics include:
1) Road repairs
2) Free paddle sports instructor course
3) Camping at the club
4) Paddle sports race on July 18
5) Emergency contact numbers at the club
6) Heat precautions
7) Water system
8) Women's weekend
9) Kayak racks
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1) Road repairs: We are under contract to have the driveway repaired. The contractor has informed us that they will fit this into their production schedule as soon as possible. Look for this to occur either in July or August. The bad sections of the road will be milled down, new culvert installed, and the road will be compacted. These sections will then be repaved. There are also 20 patches that will be installed in various sections of the road. The work will take 2 days and traffic will be maintained, although you may have to wait.
2) Free paddle sports instructor course: The division of parks and watercraft is offering free instructor trainings for kayak, canoe and SUP instructors. The course will be held July 27, 28 & 29 at Maumee State Park. If you are interested, contact Craig.Watson@dnr.ohio.gov to register. Registration will remain open as long as seats are available.
3) Camping at the club: The club board has been reviewing the increased use of the camping facilities at the club. We now have more members with campers than camping spaces. We are pursuing an expansion to the camping area, but realistically it will be late this season before that expansion can be completed. To accommodate as many members as possible, the board has adopted the following guidelines for camping, effective July 15 of this year:
a) Camping is free (no cost) for up to 15 consecutive days. After 15 days, there is a fee of $100 per month to leave your camper in a camping space.
b) Members who wish to leave their campers at the club for more than 15 days must have their name on the front of the camper and must notify the club secretary (secretary@clsa.club) with the camping space number they are leaving their camper in.
c) No camper may be left unused in a camping space for more than 30 days.
d) Maximum camper length is 30 feet overall.
e) Camping is available only for full (active) members, and for families of youth members only during camp week.
f) Campers not in use must be taken home or placed in storage somewhere other than CLSA property.
g) No campers may be left at the lake before April 15 or after October 30.
4) Paddlesports race at Cowan on July 18: A paddle sports race will be held on Cowan Lake Sunday morning, July 18. The race is sponsored by Friends Caring for Cowan Lake State Park and supported by CLSA. This is open to all paddlers. If you are interested in participating here is a link to the flyer for the event: Paddle race information
5) Emergency contact numbers: We have a plaque with emergency contact numbers hanging in the kitchen above the wall phone.
6) Heat precautions: This year we went from cool weather to seriously hot weather very quickly. As we enjoy our sport of sailing and our time outdoors, it is common for us to get hot and sweaty. It is important to recognize when that progresses to a point where we should be concerned about our health. Heat illness, specifically heat exhaustion, is something we should all be aware of. It can affect any of us.
Here is some guidance from the NSP's outdoor emergency care guide:
Many people who are experiencing heat exhaustion think that they’re just dehydrated and that they need to drink more water. The loss of too much water and electrolytes through sweating can result in dehydration. If we allow that dehydration to continue, heat exhaustion can occur.
It is important to drink plenty of fluids. While that may help, the most important thing to do is get out of the heat. Watch for these signs of heat exhaustion in yourself and in others around you: exhaustion, dizziness, nausea, headache, leg cramps, rapid breathing, rapid pulse, anxiousness and excessive sweating. Heat exhaustion occurs when the body temperature raises above 101 degrees and must be treated immediately. Fortunately the body responds rapidly to treatment including the following: move to a location with shade and cooler temperature, loosen clothing and cool the patient by fanning, apply cool cloths to the neck and forehead, and if the patient is alert and can swallow have them drink cool water or a sports drink with electrolytes.
7) Water system: When the new water system was installed last year a number of enhancements were included. One of those is an 80 gallon pressure tank that serves as a buffer between the well pump and the club's water system. The pressure tank provides a reserve of water to protect the pump from heavy use, and also maintains pressure on the water supply when multiple uses occur at the same time. There are a couple of cases where it is possible for this tank to lose pressure and shut the water system off. If the power goes out and the well pump does not function, the tank will lose pressure. Likewise, the tank can lose pressure if there is a stuck toilet valve or other continued heavy water use. When the tank loses sufficient pressure there is a safety valve that turns off the well pump. A couple of times this year members have come to the club to find no water pressure. This is a symptom of the safety valve engaging. It is easy to reset. Look for instructions that will be posted on the grey pressure tank in the basement mechanicals room.
8) Women's weekend: Women's weekend has been scheduled for August 6, 7 and 8. This event is exclusively for CLSA members. No experience is necessary, all levels are welcome. This will be a sailing bootcamp (on Friday and Saturday) followed by the Betty Duncan regatta on Sunday morning. The goal of the weekend is to build confidence in helming, crewing and racing. Training will be provided by top sailors and crews, and weather permitting there will be a lot of time on the water. Sign up now on the events page on the CLSA calendar. Here is a link to that event: CLSA's Women's sailing bootcamp - 8/6/2021.
9) Kayak racks: Last year the club built kayak racks on the old sunfish dock. Those racks have the same rules as our docks and other racks - they require a request to the harbormaster for assignment and payment of state fees. Member names have been placed on the rented racks. If you want to bring your kayak to the lake and leave it there, please contact the harbormaster first (harbormaster@clsa.club). Currently the racks have been filled . . . but if the need continues to grow for these racks we can build more.