Around the World of Sailing

19 December 2001

This weeks features:

Finish Line

Entries for the 2002 edition of Key West Race Week to be
sailed 21-25 January are at 313. This is nearing the record
of 326 last year. Biggest classes: Melges 24 (77), J 105 (28)
and Farr 40 (26). Final entry deadline is 26 December.
See http://www.premiere-racing.com/ for more.

Water Level Update

Weekly Water Level Update
Available on line at:
http://www.torresen.com/atwos/2001/oc/1024/frw.htm

Below you'll find water level info that pertains
to Lake Michigan and Huron.
For information on other lakes see:
http://huron.lre.usace.army.mil/levels/weekly.html

Reference Point:

Difference from Chart Datum +1
Difference from last month 0
Difference from last year +9
Difference from long term average for December -13
Difference from Record High -47
Difference from Record Low +17
Forecast for 7 January 2002 -1

Rowing Reporter

The Rowing Reporter is a weekly column of commentary and
observations by Ike Stephenson, Marine Informationist. It
concentrates on the home waters of Around the World of
Sailing, Lake Michigan and Muskegon Lake.
****************
The Friendly Flashing Buoy
As with many people I am heading home for
the holidays. Back to the scene of the friendly
flashing buoy of my youth. The below story provided by
my father shows why to this day I always still take
notice of flashing buoys and lights as I arrive at work
in the AM.

Oh yes, the friendly flashing buoy. How it helped
get my son to bed at reasonable hours during pre school years.
Our home is located on the shores of Green Bay
with Door County and it's many lights in the distance. A
couple of miles away from our house is a Coast Guard Lights
buoy, #1A the Menominee Shoal Buoy also used as the Menominee
Sea buoy.
An unintended use of this buoy came to light during
the winter months while getting son Ike into the sack. After
several trips, the length of our home we said good night to
the Friendly Flashing Buoy.
If I didn't walk too fast to Ike's bed room he want
to bed for the night. If I was fast walking him to bed he
would say, "Do more walks."
Off we would go and usually say good night, again,
to the Friendly Flashing Buoy. Some times several times.
In not many years Ike was introduced, close up, to
the Friendly Flashing Buoy from our sail boat Perfection or
maybe our sailing dinghy Amazon. Those were fun times!
**************************
Readers Write
Judy Cook of Racine WI contributed the following.
Lake Michigan sailors lost a great comrade last week
when Al Henning passed away. He was well know throughout the
region as an avid racer, USSailing judge and club member.
I'm enclosing his obituary in hopes you will print a portion
of it in the next ATWOS. His family held a memorial service
last night (12/14) followed by a reception at home in accordance
with Al's wishes that his friends gather and drink a few beers
and tell a few tall tales. We did.
Lester Allan Henning
Lester Allan Henning, age 62, of Winthrop Harbor, IL
died at Evanston Northwestern Hospital on December 6. Al was
born on April 3, 1939 in Oakpark, IL, raised in Birmingham MI.
He graduated from Wayne State University, Detroit MI in 1963.
Al began his career at Rinsed-Mason Company in Detroit.
He joined W.P.Fuller for a short period. In 1965 he started
with DeSoto, Inc., where he worked for 25 years. He was the
holder of 22 U.S. and Foreign patents, and advisory to many
college boards in applied programs In 1991 he formed Quality
Directions LTD, a consulting firm specializing in
Research/Technology, TQM and ISO.
Al sailed and raced on the Great Lakes for the last
fifty years. Starting as a junior at the Detroit Boat club,
he was past president of Columbia Yacht club, former Race
Director of Racine Yacht Club, a Certified United States
Sailing Judge, past director of the Goldman Adaptive Sailing
Program, and an Officer with the Lake Michigan Sail Racing
Federation. Al was recognized by his yacht club with the US
Sailing Sportsmanship Award for his work and efforts in the
sport of sailing.
He is survived by his wife, Sonya united in marriage
on April 27, 1974; his sons, Christopher (Stacey) of Grayslake
and Gregg (Amy) of Antioch; two step-children, Dana Johansen
(Kathy) of Antioch and Sheryl Hughs(Edward) of Green Oaks;
seven grandchildren; two brothers, Robert of Roswell, GA,
and William of Clinton Township, MI.
*********************
Sailing #'s
Judy's email contained the following in the signature
line, "The world needs more sailors." I can agree with this.
Currently according to a sports participation survey
the USA has 5,271,000 sailors as of 2000. This was down 1.1%
from 1999 and down 17.2% from 1987! These sailors own 1,642,800
boats or 3.2 sailors per boat.
Another survey carries a number of 3.6 million sailors
in 1998 down from 6.7 million in 1988. Different numbers,
same trend. From Britain a report that sailing participation
has dropped 7.5% in the last 3 years.
27,800 sailboats were sold in 2000. In 1981 the number
was 77,100.The recent low year for sailboats was 1991 with sales
of only 8700. An encouraging number is that 6600 more sailboats
were sold in 2000 than in 1999.
US marine retailer West Marine breaks down sailors as
follows. 92% don't race, 8% do.
Another info bit reads as follows. 98% of the population
of our watery planted don't take part in any form of sailing.
How does sailing compare?
Swimming 57.9
Fishing 53.8 -.9%
Boating Motor/Power 24.4
Canoeing 13.1 +2.7%
Power Boating 11.5
Water Skiing 10.3 +3.8%
Kayaking 4.1 +3.1%
Sailing 5.2 -1.1%
PWC's 10.8 +8.6%
Windsurfing 655,000 +5%
The Rowing Reporter's home state had 985,732 boats
registered in 2000. This was an increase of 5354 boats or
1.67 boats per 3200 miles of Great Lakes shoreline in Michigan.
As a sailor who works at a sailing business and writes
about sailing I have many reasons for wanting more people to
sail. I'll simply second the thought that the world needs
sailors and hope to see you on the water.
*************
The Goss Jinx?
On 10 December 2000 Pete Goss and his crew including
Alex Bennett abandoned the radical maximaran Team Philips at
sea. The catamaran that was left 750 miles west of Ireland
has shown up in pieces throughout the year.
On 14 December 2001 Alex Bennett once again abandoned
ship in mid ocean. This time he stepped off the Open 50 mono
hull One Dream One Mission. Originally this had been Pete
Goss' Aqua Corum.
Bennett made the decision after a hydraulic ram broke
and made the boats canting keel unmanageable. He was picked
up once again by a German flagged freighter and will fly home
to Britain 21 December.
For some great photos of another Open class boat see
http://www.islander36.org/oceanplanet01.html
**************
Solstice Note
The final Rowing Reporter piece will be a note on
the winter solstice which will occur this Friday.
If the days leading up to the solstice are the
coldest then we're either in good or bad shape.
We could be in good shape as cold weather is absent.
Record high temperatures keep us warm.
We could be in bad shape if you believe that this
warmth is not natural but rather due to the affects of man.
We're in bad shape if your recreational choices
involve ice boating, or skiing.
Maybe it's just typical shape if you are a big
picture scientific person and feel that we are experiencing
an every so often aberration. A year that tweaks the averages
upwards.
Regardless have an interesting holiday and enjoy what
may come. Thanks for reading and always think warm
sunny sailing weather!