We have had a busy month at GMSC! In addition to keelboat racing, we have had fun social, educational and community events. Things are only heating up from here, so please visit our new, beautiful GMSC website to see upcoming events and join in on the fun!
Racing Updates
We had some great racing over the past month – particularly notable was March 3rd with gusts north of 20 mph. While there were some challenges, it was great to see our racers out pushing themselves in those conditions.
We also have had some fun social gatherings (aka “alibi hour”) up at the clubhouse after the races. We greatly appreciate those who have been providing appetizers and snacks after races, helping to make our post-race gatherings even more enjoyable! If you are not sailing but would like to contribute by volunteering to bring food, please let me know!
February was action packed – Volunteering, Boat Commissioning and Chili Cook-Off!
Central Arkansas Water hosted the 16th annual lake sweep to clean our beautiful lake. GMSC had around 20 volunteers join the clean-up and the burger cook-out afterwards. The event was not only fun but also a great opportunity to show our support to CAW, who is such an important partner to GMSC.
We recently celebrated the commissioning of our new safety boat, "Scout", which is now a part of our fleet of race committee boats. The celebration included remarks and a toast, followed by Scout's maiden voyage on the lake. We are proud to have this new addition to our fleet and look forward to utilizing it to ensure the safety of all participants in our races.
After the commissioning ceremony, we hosted a Chili Cook-Off competition that featured 10 contestants with a wide range of chili recipes. From traditional beef chili to vegetarian and chicken chili, there was something for everyone. The secret ingredients used by the contestants made it difficult for the attendees to choose a winner, but in the end, Drew Daugherty was crowned the winner of the GOLDEN LADLE award. Congratulations to Drew and all the participants for making this event a huge success and thank you to Cait Tribett for arranging such a fun event.
Spring Clean-Up Day – April 27
It is time for a little Spring cleaning! Mark your calendars now and join fellow members in tidying up the club in anticipation of a jam-packed summer sailing season.
We will be tackling some big projects such as working on the Sunfish Beach area by the pavilion, cleaning up the grounds, sprucing up the clubhouse, and much more. We need everyone who can to participate and help us make our club look great. Stay tuned for more details on how to get involved!
Eclipse Solarbration April 8th!
In honor of the upcoming total solar eclipse on April 8th, we are hosting gathering for members at our club. Arkansas is fortunate to be in the path of totality, and we will have an estimated 4 minutes of complete darkness! Seems like a good reason to have a party! If you are interested, please register on our website.
Spring Regatta – April 20 & 21
Mark your calendars - the Spring Keelboat Regatta is on April 20-21. This will be a great event and we are even expecting boats from out of town to participate! AND check out the cute t-shirts designed by Cait Tribett – be sure to order t-shirts by April 7th
Website Continues to Expand
Neil Jones continues to make our website amazing! It is truly an asset of this club! A notable new addition is the MARKETPLACE! This is a free classified ad service designed to help the sailing community (members and non-members) to buy, sell, or trade relevant items. Check it out and be sure to post any items you want to sell! The more items that are out there, the more fun it will be to go shopping. In addition to a helpful feature, this addition has the potential to drive even more interested sailors to our website!
Board and Volunteer Updates
I want to welcome Fred Church to the board! Fred is taking over the position of GYA (Gulf Yachting Association) Coordinator. I have such fond memories of racing on the Gulf Coast in GYA regattas and I am excited to have someone that will spread the word on opportunities for our members to get involved in the GYA. One of the best ways to become a better sailor is to travel and test other waters!
We still have a few board positions including Communications, Volunteer Coordinator, and Docks Chair. If you are interested in any of these positions or just periodically assisting with any of the other areas, please reach out to me.
I hope to see you at the lake soon!
MM