DSC Sailor Update
Dear DSC Sailor and Supporter, 

Autumn is upon us! Because of you, we were successful this season. Thank you for being integral to our DSC community. This newsletter is big, so please scan the email for the information that is most pertinent to you!

Our DSC community includes Adaptive/Accessible sailors, campers & their parents, youth sailors, volunteers, adult members of all backgrounds and interests, and adult students, too. If you read nothing else in this update, please know that our DSC team is honored to serve our great community. We truly feel loved and supported by you throughout this pandemic.

I know things are going to get more challenging before they get easier, but we will get through this together. Remain Steadfast!
Peace to the East! Female campers sail past Canton
It was a special summer. Campers demonstrate good face covering etiquette during a sail to Fort McHenry and back. Photo courtesy of Jaz Gardner
The DSC Community Wraps up a Successful Ya Gotta Regatta Fundraising Campaign
Thanks to you and our collaborative community efforts, The DSC exceeded its 2020 YGR fundraising goal!

The DSC community raised over $75,000 in individual gifts, with additional corporate support. Extra-special thanks to War Horse Cities for their "Gold Level" sponsorship, Venable Foundation for their "Bronze+" support, and for RCM&D's early support of The DSC during the initial lockdown this past spring.


The DSC team is looking forward to an even more successful YGR in 2021 and we will announce the date for next year's Regatta in a few short weeks. Your 2020 fundraising support enables us to move forward with all scheduled programming in this year ahead.
Duncan Hood's ADVENTURER leads the parade of sail
Hansa Access Sailors participate in the parade of sail led by Duncan Hood and ADVENTURER in commemoration of the Great Chesapeake Bay Schooner Race, October 2020. Photo Courtesy of Clara Dawson
Member Rates Remain Steady for 2021
The coronavirus pandemic has left no one unscathed and we are all feeling battered and bruised, especially going into the winter. To provide some certainty during these uncertain times, I am excited to announce that member rates will not increase for the 2021 season.

Early bird member registration will open on Friday, November 27th.
Powerboat students return back from their high speed trip to the FSK Bridge to Fort McHenry
Powerboat Students return from a high speed "Bridge Run" during the final ASPBH Course of the 2020 season.
Baltimore City and the State of Maryland Update Coronavirus Pandemic Policies
Baltimore City recently released updated guidelines for mask use. All persons out in public, whether social distancing or not, are required to wear masks when out and about per the Baltimore City Health Commissioner’s Order.

The DSC strongly urges our sailors to wear multi-layer cloth masks or surgical style masks when on the boats or docks. While sailing or engaging in strenuous activities, consider sporting a cool DSC neck gaiter. While on the docks or about the town, The DSC face mask is a classy way to show your DSC pride (using an additional filter layer, such as a HEPA filter).

Stay safe, Sailors!
Canada geese fly past the grey hulls in the outer harbor
Canada Geese fly south as the sun hangs low one autumn afternoon
Sailing School and Summer Camps receive updates, with modest price increases to offset continuing pandemic structure
Summer camp pricing receives a very modest bump to accommodate for the increase in minimum wage, additional staff training costs, and new programmatic costs associated with COVID-19. Camp remains affordable for all, however, with scholarship opportunities each week.

Camp Sign-ups will open on Friday, November 27th, with maximum deals through January 1st. The DSC team is preparing for a very similar program structure to 2020, with improved staff training as our #1 pre-camp priority.

The Sailing School will maintain the same format for 2021 that was developed in 2020. Boats will remain limited to 2 students per instructor and training will be in our Sonar keelboats. 

Classes are live for Intro and Basic Keelboat, with costs remaining stable.
The 2-day Accelerated Powerboat (ASPBH) Course receives a price increase commensurate with the one-student per boat format we have adopted for safety... yet still remains more affordable than any other comparable program. The DSC’s ASPBH Course remains the premier course in the region.

Powerboat students practice their close quarters maneuvers Fall 2020
Powerboat Students practice their close quarters maneuvers in the ASPBH course. Here they are working on pivot turns and maneuvering at minimum control speed
Facilities Updates
The Downtown Sailing Center continues to improve our fleet and our facility. Our philosophy adheres to the principle that our facilities must be designed with the beginner sailor in mind. This is clearly illustrated by our approach with bow fenders on the J/22s, in which we fender the bows to reduce damage to the boats and fender the docks to reduce damage to the bow fenders. 

In 2021, we will be furthering this effort by adding thick, long-lasting fenders to our docks and piers to reduce that damage that occurs when departing and docking. We are in the early phases of preparation for this marina improvement, but I want you to know we are taking a positive direction at The DSC and I ask for your support this upcoming spring.

For the 2021 “Spring Into Giving” fund drive, The DSC will focus on improving the 'A' dock marina to provide additional safety for the boats and docks, including on the cruising piers. Our staff and board are committed to improving The DSC facilities in a sustainable, up-front manner. The staff are working closely with the board on the project scope and details and we will communicate our efforts in a transparent and honest way as we move forward. We will need your philanthropic support and your volunteerism to complete this important project.

In other news, the hoist pier structure will be completed this winter using donated funds that have already been secured. The hoist pier is proving to be a great addition to our facilities and has been used most frequently for the launch and retrieval of our powerboats that support our Adaptive/Accessible program. 

Speaking of the Adaptive/Accessible program, The Hansa-Access docks will receive tweaks to make the launching and retrieving of the dinghies easier. Our community overcame substantial hurdles to relaunch the program in September of this season, and we are already working to make sure we re-implement the program by May of 2021. It has been awesome to see the Hansa-Access Dinghies used by so many sailors of different backgrounds this season.
John O' beds down the toe rails on Stormy to reduce water ingress
John O' is in the process of rebedding all of the Sonar Toe Rails to prevent water ingress. The boats keep getting older, but under John's leadership they are getting better with age!
Fleet Updates and Usage Guidelines
The Sonars will be hauled in December and John will be using the “off-season” to complete many structurally significant improvements to our Sonar fleet. These include improving structural bulkheads, re-bedding toe rails with waterproof sealant, and implementing solutions that reduce rainwater ingress. It is amazing that our Sonar sailboats, some that are more than forty years old, are actually improving in quality as time goes on.

As we move toward winter, The J/22s will remain operational as long as possible into 2021: if there is no hard freeze, they will remain available for private reservations through February. John O’ will be hauling the J/22s locally this year and we will, as always, rely on volunteer support to assist with the work parties this spring.

Hansa-Access Dinghies will remain available into this winter on a limited basis. Whatever boat you sail, please remember to check the forecast in advance, reserve the boat online, and assess the conditions before sailing. If in doubt, don’t go out!

Many thanks to the volunteers who attended last Saturday's work party, and thanks in advance to the ten volunteers who have signed up to help this Saturday. We have more exciting news that we look forward to sharing with you in December, so please stay tuned!
The completed Feva Ramp complete with padding
The new Feva Ramp showcases the high density foam rubrail and some possible Hansa Access Dinghy ramp solutions that we are evaluating for the 2021 and 2022 marina improvement projects
The State of The Board
The DSC is fortunate to have an active and engaged board of directors. 2020 saw many board updates and 2021 looks to be another productive season. Chris Rossi ascended to the Presidency after serving his first board year as Vice President under Charley Tucker’s leadership. In 2020, Elizabeth Truong joined him as The DSC’s board Vice President; Alan Dunklow succeeded Lynn Handy as the board Secretary.

Other board additions include Tony Stephens (junior camp parent, member, and adaptive sailing volunteer), Bill Hamilton (active “member sails” sailor and member of the “Member Connections Task Force), Mike McNamara (active CBYRA racer), Marty Fetsch (founding member), and Jim Kucher (longtime racing and cruising member).

All of the new board members have a passion for The DSC and are actively engaged in organizational service and fundraising. Elizabeth rounded out the incoming class last December, and her work with Bill Hamilton and others through the Member Connections Task Force continues to be of tremendous benefit to our community.
Sha'mar and Nate go for one last sail in light winds
Sha'mar and Nate enjoyed one last fall sail one October afternoon. For Rena and me (Stuart), it was a nice break from the pile of office work
Coronavirus Restrictions Redux (and winter sailing)
The Coronavirus pandemic is in full stride and we want our members to remain safe. Please, do your part to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

We are frostbiting on Saturdays and the Cruising Program is hosting events through December, including the lighted boat parade (email cruising@downtownsailing.org), but we can only do so if our members take local and national pandemic protocol seriously.

*As the weather turns colder, we will no longer run the water to the docks. Instead, we will provide a third water bucket to rinse the soap off with and also provide an alcohol hand sanitizer at the dock entrances. Similarly, the thermometer will only be available during scheduled programming because it is not functional in cold air even as we continue to utilize the sailor log. More information will be forthcoming specifically to all active members.* Thank you for doing your part to follow the pandemic boat-cleaning protocol and for wearing your masks on the campus, docks, and boats.

Moving into the winter season, our DSC full time staff will be working with volunteers to offer weekly opportunities for our sailors to connect with one another virtually. The Member Connections Task Force, simultaneously, is also working on simple, integrated solutions to keep in touch with one another as the nights grow longer and colder.
another beautiful DSC sunset
An autumn sunset sooths with warm tones while the grey clouds add a new dynamic with lavender hues
Vacation!
I just returned from a much-needed vacation to see my family and to reflect on the past few years. While my decision to travel involved inherent risk, it was important for my mental health to spend some long-overdue time away from work. John, Graham, and Rena are a capable team and proved their competence. As icing on the cake, I was able to enjoy a fun wave-sailing session, something I have not been able to do for a couple of years due to other commitments.

I am excited to be back in Baltimore and to return to the good work with The Downtown Sailing Center. I love our sailing community and I look forward to the opportunities that are ahead.
Stu taking a vacation in North Carolina's Hatteras Island near Cape Point
I was able to borrow some gear from my friends at Ocean Air Sports and had the chance to "grip it and rip it" in my old stomping grounds near Cape Point. Photo Courtesy of the Jedi windsurfer, Keith McCulloch
Holiday Closings
The offices will be closed on Wednesday - Sunday, November 25th through November 29th - for the Thanksgiving Holiday, and the offices will also be closed for Winter Break from December 20th through January 3rd.

Graham and I will be checking emails during the office closures to answer questions about membership renewals and camp sign-ups, but otherwise we will be doing our best to recharge for the busy 2021 season. Our team has been working double time for months and we are all looking forward to the little breaks.

Sailors are welcome to go sailing during those days, but as always it is critical to remain vigilant, to practice self-reliance, and to utilize good seamanship when deciding to sail. 
If the campers can wear masks, so can you adults! Stay safe, Maryland!
Winter Office Hours and Pandemic Protocol - Safer at Home
Winter is our staff’s time to renew and refresh as we prepare for another busy season. In order to best prepare for the upcoming 2021 season, our DSC staff will be operating with the following winter office hours:
Mondays: 10AM - 5PM (8AM-10AM are reserved for virtual staff meetings)
Tuesdays, Thursdays, & Fridays: 9AM - 5PM
Wednesdays: staff will be on site for boat maintenance but not immediately present in the office.

Our staff are working using the “safer at home” mantra. Graham will be in the office most days through December to best field phone calls and other inquiries, but Rena and I will be frequently working from home. John will split his time between boatwork outside and office work from his home. We will continue to provide training and socializing opportunities during the evenings this winter and we will offer weekend sailing activities when appropriate. Graham and Rena are gearing up for a new season of First Aid & CPR training, too.

As I mentioned earlier, staff and volunteers will implement strategies that keep us connected during the winter months. For some, this includes frostbite racing; for others, it will likely involve web events, online happy hours, virtual fireside chats, and other forms of socially-distanced connection. Thank you for being a part of our sailing community, and thank you for engaging with us during these challenging times!
Sailing Instructor Trainees demonstrate proper handwashing etiquette
Sailing Instructor Trainees make a better Baltimore with good handwashing techniques. The DSC recommends multi-layer masks for dockside use. These two sailors were about to hop on the capsizable RS Fevas where the neck gaiters were the more appropriate option. Summer 2020
Closing Remarks
I am looking forward to a 2021 season that continues to capitalize on the best actions of 2020. Like it our not, the coronavirus pandemic is our reality and we continue to do our best to adjust our course and trim for the best speed and safety ahead. We will get through this together and we will come out of this pandemic in a stronger position than when we entered.

I have experienced many moments of joy this season - and they all involve our sailors at The DSC. I did not get to know many of our new sailors this season, and that is my one big regret for the year. I look forward to rectifying that shortcoming in 2021 and I look forward to meeting our new sailors through video hangouts this winter. Thank you, sailor, for making The DSC such a special community.

Fair winds,
-Stu
November 17, 2020