Crows Nest

Clear Lake Yacht Club

Crows Nest
Editor Brad Osmundson MC 1635

Clear
Lake
Boats

April 7

May 4 26

June 2 10 16 30

July 7 14 21

Aug 11 18 26

Sept

Archives

September 2, 2004

Lots of nice sailing last weekend. That makes 2 weekends in a row……a new season record! Enjoy it while you can cuz there’s not a lot of season left. Don’t be too quick to pull your boats out this Labor Day weekend, because I am predicting a marvelous Indian summer……and I bet my predictions are at least as accurate as those of the so-called experts. Plus a little optimism never hurt anyone.

LABOR DAY REGATTA…..is this weekend, so look for back-to-back races on Saturday.

YEAR END BANQUET…..starts at 5:30 p.m. this Saturday, September 4 at the Yacht Club. Burgers, chicken, hot dogs, salad, chips, dessert and beverages will be catered by the Backyard Deli. All you have to do is bring $6.00 if you are an adult and $3.00 if you are a child. Join the group and see what great new trophy ideas Jeff Nicholas came up with this year, press the flesh with Bill Casey, the incoming Commodore, and find out who the new Vice Commodore and new Board Members are.

FINAL BOARD MEETING OF THE SEASON……is this Saturday morning, Sept. 4 AT 8:00 A.M. Bring your pillows and PJs…….

INTERLAKES FEES……..There are still some scofflaws out there who haven’t paid their Interlakes fees……and I just realized I’m one of them. Anyway we scofflaws need to get those in to the Fitches by Saturday…….or else. Cs are $70, MCs are $60 and Xs are $55.

GET THOSE BLOOPER AWARDS IN….to Stu Oltrogge (oltrogge@clyciowa.com) before Saturday. It’s always fun to tell embarrassing stories about other people. But, you can also tell on yourself…….especially if you don’t think you’ll be getting any hardware at the Banquet and would like to mount the Blooper Trophy in your den until next year.

By the way (and this seems like as good a place as any to bring it up) I heard something about Bob Swanson hauling around extra crew with him during last Saturday’s back-to-back races. It seems that Z-24 discovered a stowaway on board at the starting line of the first race…..in the form of a furry feline. Once Bob figured out that the cat could neither pull in any lines, hike out, or give him advice on tactics and strategy he forced it to retreat under the bow until the day’s races were over.

THE SAILING WORLD LOST ONE OF ITS MOVERS AND SHAKERS……..Ken Allen, patriarch of the Allen clan, passed away this week. The longtime Minnetonka sailor has certainly left his mark on sailing…..and we’ll all miss him.

CLASSIFIEDS………Dueling MCs are up for sale. The 2002 and 2003 Fleet Champions both have boats on the block.

Eric Protzman has MC 2050 for sale. It’s a 2001 Melges with 3 sails and a lift. All for $7500. Call Eric if you’re interested (357-1418 or 972-979-0021).

Stu Oltrogge will let you steal MC 2091 with 3 sets of sails for $7750. Call him at 651-365-5108, and he’ll also tell you how he won Interlakes in the boat (didn’t Eric do that, too…..even if he didn’t, he should have).

Incidentally, the weather has improved just enough that I’ve stopped working on my iceboat……….

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August 26, 2004

Lots of nice racing last weekend. Sunday was a little weird with the wind dropping from a howl to a whimper a half hour before race time, and a mad scramble to find a sub for PRO Caslavka whose boat broke down about that same time. I know at least Charlie MacNider (and probably a few more folks) deserve thanks for filling in at the last minute. And for those of you who have already headed back to school……. my sympathies.

THANKS TO LUNDEENS……..for hosting last weekend’s Yacht Club party…… and for giving tours of their new home. A great time was had by all. We should do that every weekend.

REGATTA REPORTS…….Bill Nicholas ended up 13^th overall at C Championships after leading all 53 boats around the course the last race until the very end. Team Chaos finished 4^thoverall after leading the other 4 A Boats at one of the windward marks, and actually brought home some hardware. Mark Tesar redeemed his C Championships showing by hauling in some hardware at the MC Nationals at Maxinkuckee, Indiana after earning 9^th place overall in the 89 boat fleet. Stu Oltrogge, Mike Risewick and Byron Beasley didn’t get the glory but gave us some good representation at the same event. Wait till next year when MC Nationals are at our lake!

E FLEET PARTY……In case you E Fleet members and groupies didn’t hear yet, the fleet party is this Saturday, August 28, starting at 6:30 p.m. at the Yacht Club. Make sure you invite your crew(s) as well. If you have any questions, contact Mike Lundberg at 515-964-7612 or malund@netins.net.

FINAL CLYC BOARD MEETING OF THE SEASON…..is Saturday MORNING, Sept. 4, 8:00 A.M. at the Yacht Club.

YEAR-END BANQUET……is SATURDAY, Sept. 4, at 5:30 p.m. at the Yacht Club. I understand it’s going to be catered by the Backyard Deli. More information to follow….

With the season really beginning to wind down, that’s about all there is.

Later, OZ

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August 18, 2004

Alice Cooper’s concert at the Surf last Friday night must have worn out even Mother Nature, because she failed to show up with even a breath of wind on Saturday. On Sunday, however, she more than made up for it, with a beautiful breeze that was just right for back-to-back races. And congrats to John Hanson who actually got to judge some club races this season by filling in Sunday for PRO Craig Caslavka…….John usually has the Saturday afternoon duties, which this season have mostly involved sitting out on a calm lake just long enough to cancel races, so I’m thinking it was a pleasant change of pace for him.

MC NATIONALS……..is this weekend at Lake Maxinkuckee in Indiana. I believe we’re sending 4 boats to represent Clear Lake. But, because of the new scoring system that was instituted this year on a test basis, the MC club races will still count…..so get out there Saturday and Sunday with all the other fleets and improve your average.

ILYA CHAMPIONSHIPS……are wrapping up today at Green Lake, Wisconsin. Unfortunately, I haven’t heard any word about how well our troops did. When I hear you will hear.

CLYC PARTY AT LUNDEEN’S THIS SATURDAY………August 21, 6:30 p.m. at their 5950 S. Shore Ct. residence. Apparently the web site and the yearbook are in disagreement over who is supposed to be responsible for hosting duties. After much reasoned thought and hand-wringing, an executive decision has been made: Cs, Hobies, MCs and X Parents are in charge of bringing yummy hors d’oeuvres and serving beverages.

X FLEET PARTY……..is this Sunday, August 22, at the Taylor’s, 1125 South Shore Drive. X Boaters, bring yourselves and your crew(s) and be there at 3:30 p.m. Lots of games and food are promised.

BLOOPER AWARD NOMINATIONS……..should start rolling in to Stu Oltrogge at oltrogge@clyciowa.com. And remember, it’s not just summer sailing where stupid things occur….many of our members (myself, of course, excluded) are prone to screwing up in the fall, the winter and the spring as well. So email Stu with any stories you may have that happened since last summer ended and he will get them together in anticipation of another fine Blooper Awared presentation at the year-end banquet.

CLASSIFIEDS………Taylor Zachar’s 1999 Z-6 X Boat is for sale with or without trailer. I don’t know what else it’s got, but Jaime Zachar does, so call him at 515-979-8010

Later, OZ
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August 11, 2004

Hopefully you didn’t miss me too much the past couple of weeks. Apparently I get 2 weeks off every 9 or 10 years….so I took them. Or maybe it was that the regatta season has been just crazy enough this year that it got me off track. Or maybe the dog ate my newsletter. It’s got to be one of those excuses. Anyway, I just came in from sharpening up my iceboat runners….. they might come in handy any day now. We are beginning to wind down the Summer That Never Was and hoping for the Winter That Never Was.

X INLANDS WRAP UP……….In case you didn’t notice we had 108 X Boats visit 2 weekends ago to race the X Inland Regatta. Clear Lake was represented by 6 of our X Boats (3 in the 51 boat Junior Fleet and 3 in the 57 boat Senior Fleet) , and lo and behold, Nathan Kotz won race 5 in the Senior Fleet going away. He and the rest of the X’s, as well as their Sailing School instructors deserve big congrats for what they were able to accomplish.

As for the rest of you, from meal helpers, to taxis, to event organizers, to judges, to those who filled in wherever needed at the moment, a HUGE THANK YOU from the Regatta Co-Chairs, Margaret Oz and Joanne Nicholas, and from the Clear Lake Yacht Club itself. I’m not going to name names because (1) I will forget some vital volunteers, and (2) this newsletter would quickly turn into a mini-novel. But the emails and phone calls we have received from regatta participants have been especially glowing. In fact, the lakes who will be hosting the next two X Inlands are nervous because the bar has been set so high. Yet another over-the-top regatta by the CLYC volunteers………congratulations.

INTERLAKES WRAP UP……..This past weekend saw a bunch of our sailors race at Lake Okoboji in the Inter-Lake regatta. All 5 races were held in pretty good winds and nice weather. The MCs won back the team trophy that they let the Okoboji MC team borrow for the past year. Bill Nicholas grabbed 3^rd place overall in the 34 boat C fleet. Nathan Kotz won 2 races in the X Fleet and likely would have finished 3^rd or 4^th overall except for a nasty tipover in the 4^th race. Eric Protzman grabbed 4^th overall in the MCs followed closely by the rest of the Clear Lake MC team, who filled in 6 of the top 12 places. It was a fun regatta and, as usual, provided some good story telling. One of our former sailors, who is now the Minnetonka commodore, ended up in the hospital with stitches after he fell off his boat while it was on his trailer. One of our current C boat sailors discovered that some animal had been residing in his boat over the winter….he could tell because the huge Okoboji waves washed all the droppings this particular animal had left in the bow back through the entire boat during the races. You might accuse me of over-sharing, but it is part of my job description.

NOW ON TO THE ILYA CHAMPIONSHIPS……at Green Lake, Wisconsin. The MCs and E’s will be racing from August 11-14; and the Cs and As will do the same thing from August 15-18. I think we are sending reps from each of those fleets, so good luck to you all.

INTERLAKES FEE REMINDER……I hate to talk about mundane things like money, but for those who sailed at Interlakes and have not yet paid your fees, please do so as soon as you can, by writing a check to the CLYC and sending it to the attention of our Secy.-Treasurer. Xs owe $55; MCs owe $60 and Cs owe $70.

SAILING SCHOOL…..has ended another successful season. It seems that many learned a lot and most importantly, had a great time. Thanks to all those who spend so much time making sure that the learning and the fun go hand in hand.

PARTY HEADS UP…..Tom and Nancy Lundeen are hosting the next Yacht Club party on Saturday, August 21 at their home, 5950 S. Shore Ct., Clear Lake. MCs, Cs and Hobies have the honors on munchies and beverage distributing.

CLASSIFIEDS…….

Langharts are selling their X Boat, Z-4. It’s a 1997 Johnson with 3 sets of sails, including a new North jib, a trailer and a lift. If you have $4700 that is burning a hole in your pocket, call Karl or Jennifer at 641-423-4205 or 641-423-0121.

Does anyone have a line on a Johnson mini-scow mast? I received an email from a fellow who broke his. If you know of one lying around, just call or email me and I will get him in touch with you.

I’ve got to get back to my iceboat runners………..

Later, Oz

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July 28 / Aug 4 No Crows Nest's
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July 21, 2004

This week is the calm before the storm. Regatta season is upon us. And we will be doing our share by hosting the X Inlands for 120 or so boats next week from Wednesday through Saturday.

SPEAKING OF X INLANDS……..we will be placing yellow flags on the docks of all Yacht Club members. The idea is that if an X-Boater needs assistance or there is some emergency they can head to a yellow-flagged dock to temporarily deal with their problem. IF YOU DON’T WANT A YELLOW FLAG ON YOUR DOCK, please call Jamie Zachar at 515-979-8010 and let him know that.

All CLYC members are invited to the party at the Surf on Thursday, July 29. Buddy Holly won’t be making an appearance, just as he hasn’t for the last 45 years, but there will be a DJ to keep things rocking. There is also a cash bar. The only hard part is that you must purchase tickets for the event on Wednesday, July 28 from 9:00a.m. to 6:00p.m. during registration.

Also, there will not be any organized club races on Sunday, the day after the regatta is over. I suppose you can create your own “disorganized” race if you and your fleet feels up to it.

And, again, if you want to help in any way and, for some strange reason, no one has tapped you on the shoulder yet, please give Margaret Oz a call at 357-5513. Believe me, she will find a place for you to make your volunteer skills shine.

MC AND C COMBINED FLEET PARTY…..is this Sunday, July 25. MC Fleet Captain, Eric Protzman, has taken his duties seriously (thank God) and asked me to add the following notice:

“We hope all MC and C boat sailors and their families will attend the fleet party next Sunday (July 25) at the Protzmans at the Outing Club (#36). The party starts at 3:30 p.m. with BBQ being served between 4:30 and 5 p.m. so Sunday travelers won’t feel rushed. Beer and soft drinks will be available and you are encouraged to bring any other beverages you’d like……..But wait there’s more! We’ll be hitting the links for 9 holes at Oak Hills Par 3 at 1 p.m. for those interested. So far there are 12 players. RSVP to Eric and Nancy (ericprotzman@mac.com or 357-1418) with 1) number of golfers 2) number of adults/kids attending the main party 3) your choice of which to bring…appetizer, side dish or dessert………..Finally, if you do not sail a C or MC but are interested in the fleets, please join us.”

THANK YOU TO THE HOSTS AND HELPERS…..at last week’s 2 parties, the Yacht Club party at Taylors and the Sailing School Picnic at the Yacht Club building.

Later, Oz

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July 14, 2004

Last weekend we managed to show E-Boaters from around the Midwest that we can add 3 inches of depth to our lake at the drop of a hat. Now, I suppose it’s time for a drought.

GREAT JOB ON THE E INVITATIONAL REGATTA…….It rained a lot, but there were 4 races in decent breezes and it never rained at party time. You all were splendid hosts and I heard only compliments on how much fun it is to come to Clear Lake to race, see old friends and make new ones. The racing itself was very close with Andy Burdick winning on a tiebreaker. Mike Lundberg led our home contingent of E sailors, finishing in the 18^th spot. Thanks to those who hosted and helped out with the Friday night party at the Yacht Club and the Saturday night party at MacNiders. And we had a great turnout of spectator and taxi boats…..although, as it turned out, so many boats parked at homes around the lake that the taxis didn’t have all that much to do.

A final thank you from the regatta chairperson, Andi Tisor to “everyone who helped out at the club and on the lake, and to those who came out on the water to support the regatta.”

By the way, there are still quite a few T-Shirts left from the event in sizes L and XL. They have a nice Jim Larson design (just like our yearbook) and go for $15. Just call 357-7342 if you want to pick one up.

X INLANDS………is 2 weeks away, and we get to do it all over again……….except this time we might see 120 boats. Registration and put-in will be Wednesday, July 28. Races will run from Thursday, July 29 thru Saturday, July 31. There will be lots of evening functions, but the highlight should be Thursday night, July 29 at the Surf….this will be a family night and everyone is invited……..just make sure you get tickets during registration (even if you or your child isn’t sailing in the regatta). I know we still need volunteers for various things, especially taxis and spectator boats (and believe me, we will absolutely need them for this regatta…..especially with all the hyperventilating parents). Call Julie Oltrogge at 357-8957 if you would like to help out.

CLYC PARTY AT TAYLORS…..is this weekend, Saturday, July 17, 6:30 p.m. at Don (Sr.) and Dolores Taylors, 1125 South Shore Drive. A’s, E’s, Cougars and X Parents get hors d’oeuvres and beverage preparation honors. Watch the water gush over the outlet while you party!

SAILING SCHOOL FAMILY NIGHT….is this Friday, July 16 from 6:00-8:00 p.m. at the Yacht Club. Bring an entrée for your family (there will be grills), your own beverage and table setting……and a potluck dish to share with everyone else. As always, there will be Opti and X Boat racing…….so bring your own boat and tie up at the dock, or use one of the sailing school’s boats. Make sure you bring lifejackets for your kids. If you don’t think this is enough to get you out to the club Friday evening, Julie Oltrogge informs me there will be fabulous door prizes. Any questions, call Julie at 357-8957.

MC INVITATIONAL REPORT…..Our own Stu Oltrogge, Eric Protzman and Steve Dunbar traveled to Okoboji to find out just what that lake could throw at them. It sounded like plenty…..one day of calm, one day of screaming winds, and one day of nice medium stuff. I haven’t seen the final results, but I do happen to know Stu did end up 3^rd out of the 45 boats in attendance (mainly because he called to make sure I knew).

MC FLEET PARTY….is very tentatively scheduled for Sunday, July 25 at Protzmans at the Outing Club. In other words it could change for any reason or no reason. Eric has been and will continue to email each MC Fleet member to keep them updated. He claims this is the 73^rd annual…..and I’m fairly certain I’ve been to every single one……although I’m not as certain that our memories (and our math) are quite what they used to be.

Back to regular club racing for a couple of weekends………

Later, Oz

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July 7, 2004

OK……Saturday was only fit for ducks and geese. In the morning we were batting 2 out of 3 (rain but nice breezes and no motor boat chop) so Judge Charlie MacNider got in some races. In the afternoon we were only batting 1 out of 3 (rain, no breeze, but no boat chop) so Judge John Hanson was not able to add to the one race he has been able to judge so far this season. Sunday, we were back to 2 out of 3 (no rain, a breeze, major boat chop) so Judge Craig Caslavka ran some more races. Those who raced on Sunday learned a good lesson…..always carry Dramamine in your boat to combat the annual tidal wave fest known as the 4^th of July.

The fireworks were the best yet…………..And if you attended the “Never Ending Parade” you got to see the new, improved Sailing School float (thanks to Anjie and Chandler Cayot and their friends and family) and if you were very, very lucky you caught a beach ball thrown from the float. The beach balls were in such demand that I expect to see some going on E-Bay this week.

ATTENTION SATURDAY MORNING SAILORS……….Apparently the scores for last Saturday morning’s races (July 3^rd) were “stolen” before they got to the scorer. So your places were based on the collective memories of the judge and the scorer, who claim to have elephant-like recall. Since I’m not sure that’s a good thing, and since all that rain may have caused water on their collective brains, you might want to check your places for those races. If you think there might be an error, please contact Mark Tesar at 357-8642.

4^TH OF JULY REGATTA RESULTS………Assuming the elephantine memories hold up, these are the results:

E Fleet C Fleet Cougar Fleet

1. Z-16 Tom Erickson 1. Z-110 Don Taylor, Jr. (tie) 1. US7 Bob Krogh

2. Z-5 Mike Lundberg 1. Z-100 Steve Swift (tie) 2. US282 Andi Ludwig

3. Z-24 Bob Swanson 3. Z-2 Tom Birdsall 3. US276 Vince Tomlinson

4. Z-1 Steve Paulsen 4. Z-1 Mark Tesar

5. Z-4 Dan Allen 5. Z-3 Bill Nicholas

MC Fleet X Fleet Hobie

1. 1764 Randy Kotz 1. Z-84 Jon Oz 1. 1228 Bruce Ray

2. 2091 Stuart Oltrogge 2. Z-21 Nathan Kotz 2. 105339 Bill Wilson

3. 2257 Eric Protzman 3. Z-4 Chase Langhart 3. 363 Paul Eliason

4. 2178 Mark Tesar 4. Z-23 Emily Oltrogge 4. 107914 Chris Wessels (tie)

5. 2079 Steve Taylor 5. Z-77 Drake Lundeen 4. 105377 Jeff Griffen (tie)

E INVITATIONAL REGATTA IS AT CLEAR LAKE THIS WEEKEND……Racing starts Friday morning at 10:00 a.m. and runs through Sunday. There won’t be any club racing. When you’re out watching the races, make sure you swing by City Dock or the Yacht Club dock to pick up spectators. And feel free to stop by the Club and help with anything you can any time during the weekend.

You should also order a regatta T-Shirt ($15.00). It’s got the Jim Larson design that is on the cover of this season’s CLYC Yearbook. Regatta co-chair, Andi Tisor wants to encourage the members to get tickets to the events……especially Friday night’s pig roast at the Yacht Club with a live Jimmy-Buffett-type band (“Split Second”). It’s $20.00 and you MUST CALL AHEAD BY THURSDAY NIGHT to reserve tickets. Call Denni Erickson at 357-7342 or the CLYC at 357-8001.

PREPARING FOR THE INTER-LAKE REGATTA AT OKOBOJI…..Qualifying is over and the fleet captains are in the process of figuring out exactly who the teams will be. A Notice of Race is attached to this Crow’s Nest, along with a list of accommodations at Lake Okoboji. Margaret Oz has arranged a block of rooms at the Super 8, but if you want one you’ve got to call the Super 8 ASAP (712-336-4901). The rooms are under Osmundson/Clear Lake Yacht Club and give them your credit card number to hold your own room.

MC INVITATIONALS……are at Okoboji this weekend. I know Eric Protzman and Stu Oltrogge and possibly a few others will be representing Clear Lake there. Good luck.

THE ANNUAL GLSS TRAINING REGATTA…….for X Boats at Lake Geneva is this coming Monday thru Wednesday. I know we are sending a contingent of our younger sailors over with coach Mike Risewick and some of the other instructors to help get more on-the-water time before the X Inlands we are hosting at the end of this month. Have fun and sharpen those regatta skills………

ADULT SAILING SCHOOL CLASSES……I forgot to get this in last week’s newsletter, but Stuart Schurtz (357-6350 or 424-9777) and Mark Tesar (357-8642) asked me to remind all the older members that it’s never too late to learn how to sail. Come out on Tuesday from 6-8 p.m. for adult lessons. The cost is $60, dirt cheap. Nowhere on the planet can you get such good, individual instruction for that price.

Later, Oz

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June 30, 2004

Somehow it doesn’t feel like this should be the July 4^th weekend…….but I’m looking at the live Clear Lake webcam and the CARNIE IS SETTING UP !!! And I haven’t even sharpened up on my critical carnival skills……shooting basketballs into softball sized hoops, retrieving rubber duckies from the tub, tossing Frisbees, necklaces and baseballs at glued-together beer and milk bottles, and, most importantly, reaching deep into my pockets for tapeworm-like reams of ride tickets without also pulling out wads of dollar bills at the same time.

FIRST SERIES IS OVER………Lack of cooperation from the weather kept the number of races down since Memorial Day (the Cs and Cougars only got in 3 races during the Series while the Xs got in 10), and last Saturday was no exception. Nada, zippo until about 3:00 in the afternoon. Fortunately, Head PRO Craig Caslavka was able to jam in two races Sunday morning and got to watch many of us scramble for crew in between the back-to-backs. In any event, the First Series results are:

E Fleet C Fleet MC Fleet

1. Z-5 Mike Lundber g 1. Z-1 Mark Tesar 1. 2257 Eric Protzman

2. Z-15 Charlie MacNider 2. Z-100 Steve Swift 2. 2284 Mike Risewick

3. Z-24 Bob Swanson 3. Z-3 Bill Nicholas 3. 2178 Mark Tesar

4. Z-2 Tom Birdsall 4. 2000 Brad Oz

5. Z-55 Don Taylor, Jr. 5. 1764 Randy Kotz

X Fleet Cougars Hobies

1. Z-21 Nathan Kotz 1. US7 Bob Krogh 1. 94425 Regan Elsbury

2. Z-6 Taylor Zachar 2. US276 Vince Tomlinson 2. 77602 Doug Southwick

3. Z-84 Jon Oz 3. US282 Andi Ludwig

4. Z-4 Chase Langhart

5. Z-16 Nick Zachar

4^th of JULY REGATTA…..will be Saturday and Sunday with back-to-backs on Saturday, if we can buck the trend and get a breath of wind.

THE LONG-AWAITED DAD/MOM/LAD/LASS RESULTS………..for all you brave souls who were willing to suffer the slings and arrows of mutterings and dirty looks from your kids who are astonished that you have absolutely no idea how to get an X Boat around the race course…..

1. Z-21 Randy/Nathan Kotz 5. Z-61 Jamie/Nich Zachar

2. Z-4 Karl/Chase Langhart 6. Z-23 Stu/Emily Oltrogge

3. Z-84 Margaret/Jon Oz 7. Z-16 Bill/Megan Casey

4. Z-6 Lori/Taylor Zachar 8. Z-888 Steve/Grant Holbrook

INTERLAKES QUALIFYING…….The Inter-Lake Regatta teams are starting to shape up, but we won’t know for sure until this weekend’s 4^th of July Regatta is over.

THE E INVITATIONAL REGATTA AT CLEAR LAKE…..is almost upon us. It’s next weekend, running from Thursday July 8 thru Sunday July 11. The co-chairs of the event, Andi Tisor and Denni Erickson, are in desparate need of volunteers for the following:

Taxis – any day or every day, morning, noon or night (call Brian Tisor at 357-7342)

Noon Lunches – call Andi at 357-7342

Putting up the tent at the Yacht Club – in the late afternoon or evening on Wednesday, July 7 (call Denni Erickson at 357-7342)

Notice the symmetry in those phone numbers. Basically, the phone will be ringing off the hook at the Erickson residence, so if you get a busy signal, feel free to send a carrier pigeon.

LAST WEEKEND’S SURF-N-TURF…..was great. Thx to our Commodore, Vice Commodore and Board for filling us up with goodies and to all those who helped make it happen and who cleaned up our leavings afterward.

THE INAUGURAL 2004 SAILING SCHOOL POTLUCK….was also very well attended and most enjoyable. Special thanks to Anjie and Chandler Cayot, who went above and beyond the call of duty to make it a memorable event. And thanks to the Fitches, who donated a grill to help protect us from having to eat raw food.

SIDEWALK BRICKS……In case you weren’t aware, the Chamber of Commerce is ordering more sidewalk bricks this July. If you would like to get your name on a brick and have it placed in front of the Yacht Club building, you should stop in or contact the Chamber to get an order form (Denni Erickson might also have some forms….her phone number appears innumerable times earlier in this newsletter). By doing this, you can be assured of being walked all over, trampled, spilled upon, and generally abused during next years July 4^th Carnival.

START GATHERING YOUR FAVORITE RECIPES….All the great treats at the first CLYC party got Carolyn Hanson thinking about putting together a book with favorite recipes of Yacht Club members. Carolyn is willing to coordinate it all and get a book together…..BUT she wants good recipes (so she has personally asked me to recuse myself from the process). Carolyn is at 357-8059 or jvhanson@netins.net

Later, OZ

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June 24, 2004

The Saturday morning racers got a couple in before the wind went kaput for the rest of the day. Sunday did give the rest of us a chance to actually experience a bit of a breeze out of the southwest, just like the old days (doesn’t it seem like the last few years we’ve had a few too many squirelly winds out of the north and east?).

THE DAD/MOM/LAD/LASS RACE……went off without a hitch with some decent wind. When I get the final results you will be the first to know. All I can really tell you right now is that, based on my wife’s performance, I believe I am out of a skippering job the next few Dad/Lads.

SURF-N-TURF PARTY IS THIS WEEKEND……..Saturday, June 26, 6:30 p.m. at the Yacht Club. This is an open house party for all members (long-time and brand new) and for non-members who might be thinking about joining. The scary thing is that your Commodore and Vice Commodore are supplying the Surf and the Turf (I don’t know which one is doing which, and I’m not so certain that turning these 2 guys loose is going to really impress the new members and the potentially new members….but that’s what we’re stuck with!!) The Board members get to bring light appetizers. The Yacht Club provides sodas and mixers: if you decide you need something stronger it’s BYOB. A copy of the invitation is attached to this newsletter.

BOARD MEETING…….this Sunday, June 27 at the Yacht Club at 1:00 p.m. It should be short, mostly about our upcoming E and X Regattas. Board members are also hereby officially notified of their duty to bring appetizers to the Surf-N-Turf party. An assessment of your performance will be discussed at the Board Meeting.

SAILING SCHOOL POTLUCK….the first one of the year is next Wednesday, June 30, 5:00 p.m. at the Yacht Club. The Sailing School held several of these last couple of years and I know they have been a lot of fun. Families with sailing school members, families thinking about having sailing school members, and families that are just curious about the sailing school are invited to join in. The Club provides grills…..you just have to bring your own main course, beverages and utensils, plus a dish you can share with the rest of the group.

THE E INVITATIONAL IS COMING…..in a few weeks to Clear Lake…….July 8-11 to be exact. I know the ILYA has sent email reminders to all of its members. Andi Tisor says she is already getting calls and emails from E-Boaters who are looking for 4^th crews ( I guess they’ve heard we’ve had a few windy days this summer). If you would like to crew on an E during the regatta, let Andi know and she’ll hook you up with an E. You can reach Andi at the lake (357-7342), at home (515-221-1208), and at her computer (tisor@mchsi.com).

READ THE INTERLAKE NOTICE….attached to this newsletter. It’s about the increase in the number of boats each fleet can bring to the Regatta. Basically, each fleet can now bring 3 alternates instead of 2……except for the E Fleet, which can bring as many as their hearts desire.

AQUATENNIAL X REGATTA….is this coming Monday and Tuesday, June 28-29 at Lake Calhoun in Minneapolis. A notice and registration form is attached to this newsletter if you are interested. I know we’ve sent several of our hot X Boat sailors over the past few years to this regatta, which is part of the big Aquatennial celebration, and they’ve always reported back that it was a good time.

IF ONLY IT WOULD GET A LITTLE WARMER…..There are frost warnings 30 miles north of the Twin Cities tonight. Apparently global warming is an oxymoron!

Later,

OZ
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June 16, 2004

What a surprise! I’m looking at weather radar and watching yet another storm bearing down on Clear Lake. Hopefully, by the time you read this, it will have skirted the area…..but, based on recent history, I doubt it. Last Saturday brought our regularly scheduled non-existent breezes at both race times, and our regularly scheduled 2 squalls later in the day……one came straight out of the west at dinnertime and the other came directly out of the north at about 2:00 a.m. On Sunday morning the wind built quickly and Head PRO Craig squeezed in 2 races…..and I think he was handing out Advil at the finish line for those of us not yet in prime shape for hiking out more than 30 seconds at a time.

DAD/MOM/LAD/LASS RACE….is this Father’s Day, Sunday, June 20 at 1:00 p.m., weather permitting. Remember, if you’re a YC member, and you and your child want to be part of this traditional parent-child bonding experience, and you can get your hands on an X-Boat….please come on out and have some fun. In fact, the Sailing School is offering to loan out its boats for the event……so call Parker Zanios (357-2789) or Mike Risewick (357-5155) if this is a good way for you to participate.

GET YOUR SAILING SCHOOL REGISTRATIONS IN……..The first session begins Monday, June 21. And adult classes commence Tuesday, June 22. If you have any questions call Mark or Deb Tesar at 357-8642.

ANNUAL REMINDER….If the number on your racing sail is different than the number you registered under, you have to let the Head Scorer, Mark Tesar know that. Otherwise, he can’t score you, because he will assume you were just some casual interloper who happened to join the race for kicks.

LONG-AWAITED MEMORIAL DAY REGATTA RESULTS….

E Fleet C Fleet Cougars

1. Z-16 Erickson 1. Z-1 Tesar 1. US7 Krogh

2. Z-15 MacNider 2. Z-100 Swift 2. US276 Tomlinson

3. Z-22 Child (tie) 3. Z-2 Birdsall

3. Z-24 Swanson (tie) 4. Z-74 Risewick

5. Z-55 Taylor

MC Fleet X Fleet Hobies

1. 2257 Protzman 1. Z-6 T. Zachar 1. 94425 Elsbury

2. 2079 Taylor 2. Z-4 Langhart 2. 363 Eliason

3. 2000 Osmundson 3. Z-21 Kotz 3. 77602 Southwick

4. 2178 Tesar 4. Z-84 Osmundson 4. 102445 Raikes

5. 1349 Dunbar 5. Z-61 N. Zachar 5. 52295 ???????

Later OZ

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June 10, 2004

We batted .500 in last weekend’s racing. Lots of wind on Saturday; zilch on Sunday. In fact, on Saturday we learned that an X-Boat can turtle in certain parts of the lake without the mast sticking into the mud, (right Chase?). And on Sunday we learned that an awful lot of boats will show up for an early-season race even when it’s pretty darn certain the breeze won’t make a showing.

THAT WAS A HECKUVA SEASON-OPENING PARTY….. I don’t know who drew more…….Herman’s Hermits at the Surf or the Clear Lake Yacht Club at the Bergos’. And Mother Nature didn’t make her expected, unwanted appearance. I’ll just say thanks to the Bergo’s for being gracious hosts and let them thank the rest of you: “We would like to say thank-you to all the social members and new members of the CLYC. Your hor d’oeuvres were wonderful! Wasn’t it a great evening! How nice to see 3 generations of families here, all present or past sailors, judges and Commodores. And guess what! It didn’t rain – even a sunset……..A warm welcome to all new members, and we thank you. Pat and R. Lyle Bergo”

DAD/MOM/LAD/LASS RACE…….is coming up on Sunday, June 20, at 1:00 p.m. So start thinking about which other mom, dad or significant other you are anxious to match wits with. As we did last year, we are asking any Yacht Club members who have an X Boat (or can get their hands on one), even if it’s not registered, to bring your young future sailor out and be part of the race.

REMEMBER THE SURF-N-TURF PARTY…..on Saturday, June 26, as announced in last week’s newsletter.

THAT’S ABOUT IT…..unless we have Memorial Day Regatta results………..nope, not yet.

Latter Oz

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June 2, 2004

You were expecting something different for Memorial Day weekend??!!?? If so, you probably aren’t from around these parts. Let’s see, it was cloudy, cool, windy and wet….yep, pretty standard fare. A few docks (including the sailing school’s) finally succumbed to the onslaught of the ever-rising lake and the wind-driven waves. And I think I saw moss growing on the north side of the boats at my dock……you might want to check yours if and when the sun starts shining again. I can’t believe a month ago we were complaining about a drought………

MEMORIAL DAY REGATTA……..Saturday’s 25mph winds made mincemeat of our regatta schedule. On Sunday, I think the breeze increased from 7 to 20 mph in the half hour before the race started…..and it looked like it wanted to go to 25+ as the warning guns were going off. But it settled in nicely at something less than 20 and at least gave us a one-race regatta, with only a few capsizes and very few equipment failures. I don’t have the results because the Head Scorer, by his own admission, is a little rusty. Well, actually, I do know that I got 3^rd, but you probably don’t care about that.

FIRST PARTY…….is this Saturday, June 5, 6:30 p.m., at Bergo’s home. Social members are in charge of treats. The weather should be perfect………did I really say that? By the way, our Historian Committee has asked that, if you have any old photos or memorabilia you’d like to share, bring copies (or bring originals and the Committee can make copies) to the party and give them to Angie Cayot or Margaret Osmundson, who will handle them with the care and dignity they deserve.

THE NEXT PARTY ON THE HORIZON……..is the “Surf-n-Turf” affair hosted by the Commodore and Vice Commodore on Saturday, June 26, from 6:30-9:00 at the Yacht Club. An invitation is attached to this newsletter with more details.

THE 2004 CLYC YEARBOOK IS OUT…….and it looks great. Thanks to Denni Erickson, Dawn Southwick and others who made it happen again this year. As noted in last week’s newsletter, the schedule in the yearbook is the one to pay attention to; it corrects a few mistakes in the materials that went out with the early sspring Crow’s Nest. I think the only meaningful error in the yearbook is the list of board members whose terms expire in 2006. The correct list is: Brian Edison, Randy Kotz, Bob Krogh, Karl Langhart, Sue Roberts, Doug Southwick and Mark Tesar.

MORE SPRING REGATTA REPORTS………Jenny Child took me up on last week’s offer to share some news about regattas our members have attended this year: “….just returned from Annapolis MD for J22 Worlds. 130 boats, split fleets, light winds and strong Chesapeake Bay currents allowed only 8 of the 12 races to be completed. Raced against teams from Ireland, Italy, Canada, Netherlands, Grand Cayman, and of course the US. It was a fun experience and lessons were learned…but the smaller fleets on Clear Lake for Memorial weekend will be a nice change.”

That’s about it. The sun just peeked out and I don’t want to miss it……..

Latter Oz

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May 26, 2004

North Iowa, and much of the Midwest, went from drought to flooding nearly overnight last week. Clear Lake must have risen 6 or 7 inches from Friday night to Sunday morning…..and a lot of docks and lifts are now in some jeopardy. And yes, Virginia, there really is a running outlet. We might even be able to hold races in some of the nearby fields….maybe even in parts of Mason City. Hopefully, you all survived relatively unscathed by Mother Nature’s latest dramatics.

ITS DÉJÀ VU ALL OVER AGAIN…….another sailing season starts this weekend. Memorial Day Regatta is Saturday and Sunday. Expect back-to-back races on Saturday. And, as always, expect shaky weather.

ACTUALLY THE HOBIE FLEET GOT A JUMP ON US……by holding their regional regatta last weekend at Clear Lake. I think there were about 45 boats and……..you guessed it……weird weather and winds. The various fleets dodged the storms to get in anywhere from 3 to 5 races on the rapidly rising lake. The wind, of course was howling, until the first Hobie left the beach for the first race on Saturday morning, and steadily died down until the last boat hit the beach after the last race on Sunday, when it resumed howling. A bit of a disappointment for those who wanted to see some extreme racing. Thanks to all who helped open the season with such a fun event.

BOARD MEETING……..this Sunday, May 30, 1:00 p.m. at the Yacht Club.

IF YOU HAVEN’T REGISTERED YOUR CLYC MEMBERSHIP YET…….you are undeniably, indescribably, and utterly late! And it’s probably a chronic and uncurable condition for you. But it won’t stop the Yacht Club yearbook from being published and sent out…….it just means your name won’t be in it….and it will cost you an extra $10….and, oh, the judges will holler at you because your sail number isn’t on the list.

IF YOU HAVEN’T REGISTERED FOR SAILING SCHOOL YET….DO IT NOW! I’ve even attached information and registration forms to this Crow’s Nest, so you have no excuse. Or you can print them off the Yacht Club web site (that’s www.clyciowa.com).

FIRST PARTY OF THE SEASON…..is at the Bergo residence, 901 South Shore Drive, on Saturday, June 5, starting at 6:30 p.m. This is always the most scrumptious party of the year, because the Social Members are in charge of dishing out hors d’oeuvres and beverages……..and, unlike myself, they don’t consider Tostito’s an hors d’oeuvre.

STU OLTROGGE AND MARK TESAR….came back from the Lake Harriet Spring Regatta a couple of weeks ago with the usual muttering about disappearing and reappearing winds that shift on a dime and….you guessed it again…shaky weather. I take that to mean they didn’t win. If anyone else tried their hand at any early season regattas, please let me know…..so I can savage you as well.

CLASSIFIEDS……….There’s an MC for sale. Brad Price’s MC 2036 is on the block, with 2 sails, a Melges trailer and 2 (you heard it right, 2) full covers, making it the most weather-protected MC in the Inlands. During the day you can call 641-423-1173 and in the evening call 641-357-2946 if you’re interested.

GO TIMBERWOLVES !!!

Later, OZ

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May 4, 2004

6 DAYS AND COUNTING………until the deadline for your CLYC registrations. Get them in by May 10 !! Attached is a form you can fill out and send in, just in case you lost the stuff attached to the last Crow’s Nest. You can also got the YC website at www.clyciowa.com and either print off a registration form to send in, or register online (if you haven’t already maxed out your credit cards on this year’s hot sailing gear).

SAILING SCHOOL MATERIALS AND REGISTRATION FORMS……are also attached. I know many of you have been chomping at the bit to get the schedule. Again, you can also go to the website, print out the form and mail it in. Unfortunately, we don’t have online registration yet for the sailing school. Sailing School is offering something for everyone………beginners to advanced, kids to adults, cats to dogs and everything in between.

SPRING CLEANING AT THE YACHT CLUB…..took place last Saturday. The Building is now cleaned up and ready for the season. A big “Thank You” to the following people who answered the last minute call and helped with the cleanup: Bob Swanson, Mark Ebeling, Stu, Julie and Emily Oltrogge, Lynn Twedt, Chris Wessels (and his toilet brush), Bill Casey and Meg Casey. Mark Tesar tells me the building is looking good and ready for the Hobie Regatta on the weekend of May 22 & 23. Hopefully I don’t sound too sexist when I say I don’t trust Mark’s (or any other guy’s) judgment when he says its really, really clean……..I need to hear it from a member of the fairer sex before I know it’s true.

THERE WAS AN ERROR OR TWO……in the Yacht Club schedules that went out with the last issue of the newsletter. They will be cleaned up in the schedule that comes out in the Yearbook in a couple of weeks……..so, in legalese, “the yearbook contains the only correct information and supersedes, merges, combines and completely integrates any prior information, written or oral respecting the subject matter.” In other words, pay attention to the yearbook…...

THE HOBIE REGATTA……..is May 22-23. It should generate much more sailing activity than Tune-Ups have generated the past several years. Not a bad way to kick off the season. I’m also sure Chris Wessels would accept any offers of assistance you might be willing to make……….

THE LATEST ISSUE OF NORTHERN BREEZES………has a long article on the scrum going on in the A Fleet over some of the new technology being promoted by Brad Robinson. ‘Northern Breezes’ is a boating magazine published in Minnesota. The article is interesting and appears to slant toward Brad’s point of view. The entire hullabaloo reminds me of when metal masts were first used on scows a few decades back; the only difference is that with A-Boats nowadays you have to add a lot more zeroes to the cost than we had to add back then.

CONGRATS TO OUR OWN LINDA NERDIG……..the latest recipient of the NIACC Distinguished Alumni Award. We already know that she does a lot for the YC; and now we know she does a lot for a host of other organizations as well.

FLEET CAPTAINS…..I hope you know who you are by now. You were all chosen by a variety of methods ranging from being voted in by your peers to be appointed by whomever took it upon themselves to do the appointing. If you don’t know who you are yet, you will once the yearbooks come out.

REPORT FROM THE ANNUAL INTERLAKES MEETING………We had to settle for meeting at the glamorous Thunderbird Lodge this year……for the 25^th straight time. It looks like we probably won’t be seeing M-16s or 420s this year. The board voted to inform the ILYA that the new schedule proposed for the X Championships in 2005 and thereafter is OK so long as there is a weekend between that regatta and the Inlands to host the Interlakes regatta. We also decided to allow one additional alternate boat for each fleet this year (except for the E Fleet, where everyone is always invited).

I hear the lake is up 2 inches. That’s 2 down and 10 to go………

Later, Oz

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April 7, 2004

Darn………it sneaked up on me again…….another sailing season. I have been told (rather pointedly, I might add) that if you don’t have your dock in yet, you’re late. And if you don’t remember where you stored your boats, you’re dumb. So there you have it……I’m starting out the year dumb and late.

ATTACHED ARE A FEW THINGS YOU MIGHT FIND USEFUL:

(1) This year’s schedule (note the 2 regattas we are hosting in July and the extra Surf & Turf Party that Commodore, Tom Erickson proposed);

(2) A CLYC Registration form (you can print it and mail it in OR go to the website (www.clyciowa.com) and register online……get it in by May 10 when the Yearbook goes to print or suffer a $10 late fee and no name recognition in the Yearbook);

(3) A volunteer sign-up sheet to give you lots of options if you want to help out but don’t know what’s needed; and

(4) A Preseason Refresher Course that should get you in shape for the season (it even has some hints for the race officers).

NOT ATTACHED YET……..is the Sailing School information and registration form. But don’t worry, it will come with the next issue of the newsletter in a week or so. Just so you know, the sailing school is planning to offer an Adult Class on Tuesday evenings and an Opti Racer class. So, if you want to race Optis or are an adult or (heaven help us) both, the sailing school has something for you……

THE ILYA WINTER INLANDS MEETINGS…..have come and gone. There was lots of heat and not a lot of light generated there, according to Mark Tesar and Margaret Oz. A proposal is on the table to move the X Championships back a week starting in 2005, and, in order to accommodate that change, to ask the Interlake board to also move its regatta date back a week from its traditional “first weekend in August” date. The entire A Fleet seems to be up in arms about boat designs and that is having some trickle-down effect in the other fleets.

THE INTERLAKE BOARD MEETING….is in a couple of weeks, so I’m looking forward to some dynamite gourmet food at the Thunderbird Lodge here in the Twin Cities. This year’s regatta will be at Okoboji and I assume there will much discussion about the ILYA’s request to move the Interlakes date in the future (see above).

3 REGATTAS AT CLEAR LAKE……..this summer. The Hobies will break the ice with a May 21-23 event with 60 boats. The E’s follow up July 8-11 with 50 boats for the E Invitational. And the X’s finish it off July 28-31 (a Thursday thru Saturday regatta) with 120 boats for X Championships. I’m sure the chairpersons for each of these events can use whatever help you can give them (contact Doug Southwick (Hobies), Andi Tisor (the former Andi Conway) (E’s) or Margaret Oz (X’s)).

LOTS OF OTHER REGATTAS……..have happened already or will soon be happening. MC Midwinters in Florida, Black Tie in Dallas, The Spring Regatta at Lake Harriet, the Upper Tuner Upper at Upper Minnetonka. Our own Eric Protzman won some regatta somewhere in the southeast a month or two ago (even though he now calls Colorado home), but, as you can tell, I’m a bit fuzzy on the details.

THE FIRST YC BOARD MEETING…..of the season was held a few weeks back. Most everything is on track for yet another good season. We still have some money; we still have race officers……..now if we could only guarantee enough water (the Lake is about 4 inches below the weir). The Yearbook is again underway. Doug Southwick, on behalf of the entire Hobie fleet, donated a really nice framed aerial snapshot of last fall’s Hobie regatta to the Club to put up in the Yacht Club building. There are some tweaks being made to scoring races, but we’ll talk about that in another issue.

NO TUNE-UP RACES….this year at Clear Lake. The Nielsen ratings have been steadily dropping over the years and the Hobie Regatta is now going to be held that weekend anyway.

What are you waiting for?!!?? Memorial Day will be here before you know it !

Later, OZ

Attachment 4

PRESEASON REFRESHER COURSE

To best prepare yourself for the sailing season it is recommend that you use these time tested exercises:

1. Buy a case of beer, sit it in a very warm place for several hours, and then drink it.

2. Apply sunscreen to your face in streaks and sit in front of a sun lamp for 2 hours.

3. Sit on a bench with large metal screws, bolts and other fixtures that protrude into your butt and legs, stare straight up into the
sun for two hours - For a more robust workout: invite 4 friends to come over and yell at you the whole time.

4. Go to bank and withdraw $1,000 - then light it on fire. Repeat as necessary.

5. Take a large duffel bag. Fill it with enough clothes for a weekend -then fill it with water. Put on and take off every article
of clothing in the bag while standing on a rocking chair.

6. Take your wristwatch, pound it repeatedly against a metal pipe and drop it into the sewer, try to fish it out.

7. Pour ice water in your lap and give yourself a wedgie, now alternate between hopping on and off a rocking chair.

8. Put on rain/ foul weather gear. Lie down in the driveway. Have a friend spray a garden hose at full blast at you while you roll up
and down the driveway for an hour. Stop. Attempt to take a nap for 15 minutes with the hose still on you, and then repeat the exercise.

9. Make 12 sandwiches on white bread with bad meat and cram them into a bread bag - leave them in the sun for 12 hours... eat them
all at once washing them down with the beer from number 1.

10. Tie ropes to rear bumper of friend's car, hold on tightly, but allow rope to slip through fingers as car drives away.
TIP: works best without gloves and rope lengths in excess of 50'.

11. Upon completion of previous 10 drills - sit down and drink 14 Mt Gay Rum drinks, any flavor. Without brushing your teeth, attempt to
strike up a conversation with anyone who accidentally makes eye contact with you.

12. (for the judges) Volunteer to mow your neighbor's yard in the rain and then invite them out to criticize your work with all their friends..

13. (in preparation for getting your boat in/out of the water at a regatta) Drink several cups of coffee before going to large department store
the day after Christmas to return packages. Get in the longest line with confused old people or mothers with several young children in tow.

14. (in preparation for boat tuning) Sit at your PC an hour before a deadline and attempt a function like mail merge that you have not done before. Better if performed with a virus in
place so the results are not consistent. Sit in close proximity to an experienced person doing the same thing but using a different program so their advice makes sense but doesn't help.