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Commodore’s Corner – January 2025
Happy New Year, GMSC!
The Board and I are gearing up for a busy year ahead, with many exciting events on the horizon. We look forward to a season filled with sailing, social gatherings, and continued improvements to our club. I would like to extend a big thank you to everyone for their tireless efforts, especially those who consistently go above and beyond in service to the club. Service to GMSC truly is a labor of love. They say, “do what you love." Many of us truly love being part of this club!
We have a variety of events planned over the next few months, including races, social gatherings, and even a clubhouse cleanup party. Please take a moment to visit our new website, where you can view our full calendar and find ways to get involved. Whether or not you are racing, you can still be part of the action by joining the race committee. It is a fantastic way to make a difference, learn more about racing, and connect with other members.
Although this Sunday’s race has been canceled, we are excited to invite you to a social gathering at the clubhouse instead, where we will enjoy a late lunch and follow it with a brief sailing rules seminar. We would love to see you there!
We are also continuing to focus on improving and maintaining our club infrastructure. Much work has been completed on our docks, but there is still more to be done. We have several necessary infrastructure repairs, upgrades, and safety enhancements planned that will improve the overall experience for everyone who uses our facilities.
As of this week, a major project is underway to repair the seawall around Kiko’s Corner. Over the past few years, the seawall has significantly degraded, creating structural challenges for the crane and the surrounding area. The team has already begun clearing the base and pouring a solid footing. Once that’s complete, Foundation Specialties will install a new retaining wall system, which should take a week or two to finish. We are confident that this solution will not only secure the crane area but will also enhance the beauty of the space. A huge thank you to our member volunteers, especially our club engineers, for their hard work and expertise in making this project possible!
Although our Board has a lot of active participation, we have a few key roles we are hoping to hand off mid-year to fresh faces. Current Regatta Chair Roger O'Quin is ready to train a new understudy to take over by the summer. We are also looking for a new Race Committee Co-Chair once centerboard season begins in May. Another position ready for handoff is Harbormaster. If any of these roles interest you, please contact me so we can begin your training!
Fair winds and following seas. See you at the lake!
Sincerely,
Yates Phillips
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Races Cancelled - Sunday, January 19!
But, We can Still Have Fun! Lunch and Brief Rules Discussion at Clubhouse at 12:30
The first race of the second series scheduled for January 19, 2025 has been preemptively cancelled. Temperatures are prohibitively cold and the go-no-go index is expected to be a no-go.
Among the many factors included, we've plugged in the following values for 1pm on Sunday:
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Air Temp: 31
- Water Temp: 49
- Wind Speed: 10 mph
- These variables equate to a go-no-go index value of 92.6.
The no-go is any value over 75.
Obviously, the forecast is for a no-go on Sunday.
Normally, the decisions to race or not aren't made until 12:30pm on the race day. That said, one benefit to using this index is our ability to predict no-go situations in advance, like this coming Sunday. Really, there's no point getting everything organized and set-up just to cancel when it's an obvious no-go.
Thanks to everyone who was prepared to race and all those who support the racing.
In lieu of racing, we will have a late lunch at the clubhouse with a brief rules seminar. Arrive at 12:30. We plan to serve pulled pork, slaw, potato salad and dessert. Tea and lemonade will be provided as well.
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Sunday, January 19 – Lunch and Brief Racing Rules Discussion
We are serving lunch at the clubhouse at 12:30 followed by a brief racing rules seminar.
We will have pulled pork, buns and fixin’s, slaw, potato salad and dessert. Tea and lemonade will be provided. Bring anything else you want.
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Central Arkansas Water Statement on Required Dam Work and Lake Drawdown
Central Arkansas Water (CAW) issued the following statement regarding the lake drawdown:
This year’s planned seasonal lake drawdown, part of the Hydrilla remediation program, has been impacted by a slide on the Lake Maumelle Dam. On December 15, 2024, the dam’s upstream (lakeside) slope experienced a shell slide, affecting the outer earthen layer. The clay core remains intact, and the slide occurred above the normal pool elevation. No leakage has been detected, and all slide material is contained at the base of the affected area.
Initially 250 feet long, the slide expanded to 500 feet within two weeks, with some debris reaching the lake’s pool. Similar slides have occurred since the dam’s construction 67 years ago, with the most recent repair in 2010 requiring a 10-foot drawdown.
CAW’s geotechnical engineer has assessed the situation and recommended repairs, which will begin soon. Repairs will require a deeper drawdown than the planned eight feet (hopefully just 2 additional feet from the current level) and may take longer than expected. If challenges arise, work may resume later this summer. Until repairs are complete, lake levels will fluctuate as needed to ensure the continued safety of the dam.
We appreciate your continued support as we work to remove Hydrilla, a highly invasive species, from our drinking water reservoir while maintaining the integrity of the dam with the pending repair.
Leland Sykes, our liaison with Central Arkansas Water (CAW) has discussed the required dam work with CAW and confirmed:
- The integrity of the dam is not threatened currently
- There will be no rapid reduction in water level, the 10-foot drawdown is the total amount already in progress and approximately 1.67 feet lower than the current lake level. This should put the Natural Steps gauge at around 80 feet.
- CAW expects to replace the clay slump with a more durable rock solution – the CAW board approved investing $1.4M in this project yesterday.
- The low water level may extend through Spring if they are not able to complete the required work over the next several months. Like our Kiko’s Corner project, this work is heavily weather dependent.
- We will share more information as we receive.
What You Need to Do to Protect Your Slip
As a reminder, GMSC Members are responsible for all maintenance and repairs to their keelboat slips and not GMSC, including modifications needed during the lake drawdowns. GMSC is only responsible for the walkways up to the point they reach the slip sections.
As the water goes down, the underwater brackets on the slips can hit the lake bottom forcing the fingers upward and putting significant pressure on the slip structures. Some slips, especially metal frame structures, can survive this if it is not too extreme. However, the main problem occurs when the fingers are elevated above water level causing the flotation to be dislodged and lost. Consequently, when the lake level rises again, the fingers may sink. This has happened on numerous occasions.
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Determine your underwater bracket height and monitor the lake levels. Some may need to disconnect the brackets and raise them up temporality until lake levels come back up. Most of us have determined our boat drafts and have shortened our brackets permanently so we don’t have to do this every year.
- If you decide not to raise your bracket, check your flotation blocks to make sure they are secured. Ratchet straps are great for temporary use.
- Never tie anything to spud poles. This includes boats, electrical conduit, or anything else. Historically this practice has caused considerable damage.
- Be careful going up and down ramps – they will be steep!
If you have any questions or need assistance with your slip, please reach out to Dock Chairman, David Nigus at 501-283-4347.
Also, Don't Forget to Winterize Your Boat!
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The Work at Kiko’s Corner has Started
Work has begun at Kiko’s corner to replace the seawall securing our crane area. The low water levels have allowed Foundation Specialties to access the area and make significant progress this week.
Kiko’s corner is closed until mid-February. Please keep the area clear to avoid interfering with the work.
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Find Your Perfect Match on the GMSC Crew List!
Grande Maumelle Sailing Club (GMSC) has launched a new online Crew List, making it easier than ever for skippers and crew to connect. Developed in response to member feedback, this tool simplifies finding or offering crew for racing and leisure sailing.
To get started, go to GMSC.org, click on the Racing tab in the main menu, and select the Crew List. Prospective crew can sign up using a public form, while skippers log in to submit Crew Wanted Requests. The Crew List ensures member-exclusive features like reports and requests, but newcomers are welcome to sign up and get involved.
One member shared, “I’m new to sailing and want to crew. How do I connect with skippers?”
This tool bridges that gap, bringing more boats to the racecourse and more fun for all involved.
Visit GMSC.org today to sign up, submit requests, or share this resource with others. Let’s grow our sailing community together!
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Your Sailing Adventure Starts Here!
The Grande Maumelle Sailing Club (GMSC) is thrilled to introduce the "Your Sailing Adventure Starts Here" campaign, designed to welcome aspiring sailors into the exciting world of sailing. Whether you’re a beginner or simply curious, this initiative provides practical tips, links, and guidance to help you get started.
Aligned with GMSC’s mission to grow the sport, foster community, and promote education, the campaign highlights four pathways:
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Crew on a Boat – Learn the ropes hands-on by joining a crew.
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Volunteer for Race Committee – Get a behind-the-scenes look at sailing while supporting races.
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Learn to Sail – Build confidence and skills with expert instruction.
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Join the Party – Connect with the community at fun social events.
This campaign opens the door for anyone to discover the thrill of sailing. As one newcomer said, “I’d love to sail, but I don’t own a boat, and I’ve never sailed before.” With GMSC, the answer is clear: just start here. Ready to dive in? Here is the link https://gmsc.org/adventure
|  | | Keelboat season is underway, and boats are always looking for crew members. |  | | Check out our social calendar and join us for upcoming events! | | |
GMSC Clubhouse Cold Weather Reminders
Please help us keep the clubhouse safe as the temperatures are predicted to drop.
If you use the clubhouse, leave the sink dripping slightly from both hot and cold taps, and keep the cabinet doors below the sink open. The downstairs restrooms are winterized with RV antifreeze and are closed until further notice.
We cannot depend on electric space heaters due to frequent power outages during severe weather. Even a short outage can cause plumbing to break when temperatures stay below freezing all day.
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Race Committee Support Volunteer Sign-Up Reminder
Sign up for dates using this Volunteering link to support our racing program. Your participation is vital for the success of our events.
For more details, visit the Race Committee page. You can also access the link by clicking "Volunteering" under the "Volunteer" tab on our homepage.
| | Looking for GMSC merch, check out the new apparel site and show off your GMSC pride. | Looking for a Boat or Sailing Stuff?
Visit our website page and see GMSC Marketplace
| Grande Maumelle Sailing Club is a non-profit organization formed to promote sailboat racing through educational, social, and competitive racing activities.
Please visit our website to find out more about our events and volunteer opportunities.
Mailing Address: PO Box 55237, Little Rock, AR 72215 USA
Physical Address: 12000 Maumelle Harbour Road, Roland, AR 72135 USA
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