Beginner Sailing Clinic on Saturday, 17 June 2006

[Rick McClain]

Kudos to Rick Henninger for planning the whole two day outing and Sara Ranes for supplying the food and drink at a great Beginner Sailboarding Clinic.
Each day of the clinic was a rousing success. Friday evening at Skyline High School had a good turnout of both teachers and students and Saturday at Grantsville Reservoir had a larger turnout of instructors with equipment and beginning students, too.
On Friday night, dry land simulators were set up on the grass and safety issues were covered in a group. Instructions and demonstrations proceeded after that, then students were paired with instructors and students got hands-on practice with the simulators.
After a fair amount of practice on the grass with the simulators, most moved over onto the parking lot asphalt to try out the land sailors. I was amazed at the number of sails moving around the parking lot and at the variety of land sailing boards. No two were alike and many if not most were hand crafted.
Saturday's event was superb. Sails were rigged and people got out on the water quickly. The event was planned to last from 10:00 AM 'til Noon, but lasted beyond 5:00 PM, so it's obvious a lot of learning and fun was had.
Rick Henninger had wrangled lots of prizes for students that included hats, T-shirts, decals, etc., but the big surprise was that TWO students went home proud owners of a great, complete rig, EACH; thanks to the generosity of individuals in our sailing community.
A brand new mast donated by PowerEx was also awarded to one of the instructors.
Everybody had a great time and it was decided that we should do this again at least every 15 years or maybe even sooner. If you weren't there, you missed a great time. Don't forget the upcoming get-together in August at Sulphur Creek Reservoir. It's great to hang out with the Utah Windriding community.

Again, MANY THANKS to Rick Henninger and Sara Ranes. Great Job!

[RickHeninger]

To be honest, it's not very often that things work out this much better than your expectations but it sure is a nice reprieve when it does... Thanks to those of you who helped this experience be this way!

Everybody and everything contributed... Learners and Instructors, wind and weather... I'm sure we've learned a ton from this time... But the two locations actually turned out pretty optimal for these purposes... Relatively no bugs, wind was present although shifty but not too strong. Everybody got time on the board~ These people had at least two hours on the board:

Adam & Christine, Daniel and his mom Karen, Matt, Tyson, Joe & Jen, John G. and Carter, Preston & Taylor, Erin's girlfriend, Rachel and her oldest daughter, Keith Robertson and son and daughter, Kris Riser, Kelly P... I hope that I didn't miss anybody, then there were a few semi beginners who were learning some techniques... More than 20 people absorbing all kinds of good stuff... In fact, these numbers were perfect. Anymore may have started diminishing returns!

Thanks to all Instructors who came, suffice it to say we had at least one on one instructing... Thanks to those who brought or contributed land boards, rigs, sailboards and sacrificed them to the Ding volcano Gods:

LAND: Emmanuel Pons, Brett Linde, Rick McClain, Layne Petersen, Fred and Lana Grundell, Josh Shirley (landboard and homemade golf ball bearing stimulator!), Sarah, Ivan, mine.

H20: The Obzansky's! (2 boards a kayak, which saved the day, gave a board away, Brett Linde! 2 boards and much gear, John Dubock and Troy (who knows how much gear!!!), Fred and Lana (Gear and Much moral support), Erin, Rick McClain, Powerx (MQC) loan me their Start...

Sarah and UWA thx for food! Thx Kel for picking up the copies, Grant and Clark Richey, owner and brother respectively at Alphagraphics on 265 S Main St. in Bountiful Utah, for making me copies at 2.5 cents a side!!! (my stepbro's). Thx to MQC/Mike R. for the Mast, Windance and Hawaiian Island Surf and Sport for the parafernalia! free stuff.

I know I've accidentally missed somebody...

The only thing I regret is that I forgot to have instructors teach the beginning lesson of waterstarting! Dang! That was one of my main things... I think that water starting should be taught first lesson... So beginners if you read this, start, nose pointing 45 degrees downwind, let the wind pick up the mast edge of the sail out of the water till it is flying just above the water like a wing, put your back heel (or front, depending on angle of board) on the board somewhere balanced and let the wind pull you out of the water!!! he he! Oh, if you're not getting wet, you're not improving! Just my philosophy! Those were the two things I forgot!

[Carl Christensen]

Good job folks. I am impressed and wish I could have gotten out there myself. Was there any instruction for the instructors? Sometimes I just don't know what to say to people to help.

[Josh Shirley]

This was a great event! This should be done twice a year for some community reach out. I was a little scared to see what would happen on the land boards but that seemed to really help out a lot.

The two people I had committed to come out didn't show, but they asked me about it the next day. They really regretted not coming after I told them about the event and they asked if we were hosting another one this year.

I just want to say good effort on everyones' part. I know a large group of people have been conversing, emailing, and planning this for at least two months. And Rick thanks for putting your neck out there and getting this done.