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Next Club Meeting
4/15/2008, 6:45 p.m. Avila Yacht Club.

This will be the last meeting before the start of the 2008 race season. Agenda items include:

1) Setting date for PKO fun race / BAR-B-Q @ Avila
2) Safety topics
3) Membership policy
4) Equipment stuff
5) Pineapple Express 2008- update
6) Sponsorship presentation
7) Coaches reports
8) SCORA news

Radios & Steerspersons Meeting From Mike H
4/4/2008

Radios:

1. We are missing a marine handheld radio. I has been missing since the boats came back from Morro Bay, so perhaps it is in with some gear that never made it back to our storage shed. If you find it, please forward it to me (Mike Harkness @ 540-0334). I have been bench testing all the radios each year, and would like to test this one if found prior to placing it in service.

2. The club has purchased 3 new hand held radios. Added to the 3 we have, this gives us a radio for each boat. I am in the process of installing radio clips in each boat within reach of the steersperson seat. Once the radios "click in" to these clips, THEY MUST BE TURNED UPSIDE DOWN TO REMOVE THEM. If you try and force the radio out without turning it strait upside down, it will break off the clip. The radios are submersible, but I will also be adding a tether so that we do not have any potential for loosing a radio if we Huli a boat.

3. We have installed new chargers in the shed for the radios. The old radios have a plug in the side, and the new radios just slide in to a charging unit. The radios/chargers are not interchangeable. I will be purchasing new plug in chargers for the old radios, as they are getting corroded. Please remember to insert the rubber waterproof protector over the charging hole in the old style radios prior to putting them in the boat.

4. We will be discussing radio use and policy at length at our steersperson meeting.

5. If you have questions about the use of radios versus cell phones, I have attached the recommendations that Denny has approved regarding the use of radios versus phones. Basically we will have a radio in each boat, and if you would like to carry a personal cell phone in addition to that, we have waterproof bags for that use.

Steersperson Meeting:

1. We have scheduled our annual steersperson meeting for Tuesday April 29th at 6 PM. at the Port San Luis conference room. The format will be similar to last year. The room is reserved, and Chief Harbor Patrol Officer Greg Wisberg is again on the agenda. While we never will turn anyone away, seating is limited so if possible please limit attendance to steersperson and alternate steersperson.

Coaching Clinic Notification From Denise & Mike
3/24/2008

ATTENTION ALL PALE KAI MEMBERS!

We all have an awesome opportunity to pick up some paddling skills from Chris Cornejo, an accomplished OC-1 and OC-6 paddler and a very experienced coach.

WHEN: This Friday night 3/28 from 6 - 9:00 pm. Classroom session with dry land instruction, instructional videos, and question and answer period. This is the introduction to Chris's coaching series. Don't miss this. Bring a lawn chair, note pad and pen.

WHERE: Mike and Denise Shandroff's house. 575 Leff St. (between Nipomo and Beach streets) San Luis Obispo. It will be in our backyard, so dress warm.

SATURDAY & SUNDAY: On the water in Avila during regular practice session for the women and men. Chris will observe, coach and critique, putting into practice what he teaches us on Friday night. This will give him a baseline of our skills to compare when he comes back later in the season to follow up with more clinics.

Chris will be paid by Pale Kai, as voted and approved this past Winter. This is not a party, it is a coaching clinic. Please be prompt and ready to learn.

NEEDED: A power boat to coach and videotape from this weekend. Please contact Denise or Denny if you have a line on one ASAP.

Mike and Denise will provide big screen video projection.

SCORA Report From Denise
3/19/2008

Hello Pale Kai!

I attended the SCORA Board of Director's Meeting on Saturday 3/15/08 in Redondo Beach.

It was the first meeting lead by the new SCORA President, Michelle Cassel of Kupa'a Mau Outrigger, and her new cabinet. She has appointed 6 Vice Presidents, and put each of them in charge of 2 to 3 of the 13 SCORA committees, in hopes of making those committees more active. It is required that each Director and Alternate from all of the 28 clubs sign up for atleast 1 committee, and encourage other members in their clubs to sign up for any committee they might have an interest or specialty in. Full job descriptions of each committee are available on the SCORA website, under SCORA file cabinet. I signed up for the Coaching and Education Committee as well as the Cultural and Historical Preservation Committee. Linda Fitzgerald is signing up for the Coaching and Education Committee. Bud Hohl, former Safety Committee Chair and active member of both Safety and Race Committees, has asked about Mike Harkness participating on the 2008 Safety Committee. If any Pale Kai members are interested in getting a little more involved with SCORA, please let me know, and I will direct you to the appropriate contact.

It is also required that each of the 28 SCORA clubs provides at least 2 volunteers to be "race officials". Last year, Mike & I and Scott Bixler were trained as race officials. We were asked to help with race registration, timing at the finish line, riding on the escort boats, checking the canoes for safety equipment, etc. If Mike Harkness is willing to become a "safety official" this year, he would count as one of the Pale Kai volunteers. There will be a mandatory safety training sometime in April (TBD) at Newport Aquatic Center.

The Ironman Lawsuit is still on-going. There's been a small victory in a Florida courtroom that might help SCORA. A judge in Florida ruled against the World Triathlon Corporation in their lawsuit against an Ironman Dating group. Yes, that's right... DATING! I believe WTC is appealing, but the Dating group gets to keep using the word ironman for now. SCORA believes that if a dating group can use ironman, then outrigger should certainly be able to use a word that has described our races since at least the 1950's.

There was no new report on the 2008 World Sprints, because none of the coaches or committee chair were there. But all SCORA members were encouraged to paticpate as paddlers or volunteers. The World Sprints are in Sacramento Aug. 2 - 10th.

If Pale Kai is interested in hosting the Pineapple Express in 2010 & 2011, we need to submit a bid NOW to Cheance, Race Committee Chair. I know it seems like a long way off, but the race bid process is for 2 years of hosting, 2 years in advance.

I was approached by Vered Yakovee, SCORA Vice President of Insurance and Risk Management. She mentioned that she has not yet been contacted by our Keiki Coach, Jeff Blauer, regarding changes to our keiki program this season. She reminded me that the Avila Junior Lifeguard Program needs to name both Pale Kai and SCORA as "Additional Insured" by "endorsement" not just by certificate. That needs to be done before they can use Pale Kai equipment, in order to protect everyone's butts.

Mahalo for your time and support of Pale Kai and SCORA!

Message from Denny
ALOHA PALE KAI PADDLERS
A FRIENDLY REMINDER
3/5/2008

WHO:
All PKO Paddlers
WHAT: Wash, Wax, & Rig (Women to paddle to after)
WHEN: Saturday, March 8th @ 8:30 am (I will be there @ 8:00)

Daylight Saving Time is finally here and we are ready to hit the water of Avila. Many thanks to the members that have worked extremely hard to ensure that our canoes not only look nice, but will perform their duty safely, swiftly, and last for many seasons to come. That said, we now need all of the PKO paddlers to contribute in the final efforts required to get the canoes on the water. This will include: washing the hulls, waxing the hulls & amas, rigging all 6-boats.

It has been a challenge to coordinate all of the canoe maintenance efforts, but I feel confident that the personal rewards for all of those who took part will be realized when they see the canoes hit the water and feel the pride associated with the sport of outrigger canoe racing.

See you Saturday,

Denny Thatcher
Pale Kai Outrigger

P.S.- Below is a list of work performed to date:

- The iakos: All broken pegs have been replaced and the wood has been sanded and varnished to radiant shine.
- The seat pads have been reglued where necessary. Additional padding to be purchased for replacements as needed.
- The non-slip spray material for the floors of the 2-clippers has received 2 coats of additional material. We will see how it stands up to daily use through the season.
- The non-slip roller applied material for the 4-racing canoes has been a real challenge. In addition to weather conditions and initial surface cleaning/prep, it has required 3-seperate applications of material while allowing drying time in between. The results were not as hoped for as much of the material did not adhere to the fiberglass floor. Thus, the remaining material is to be removed and non-slip tape is to be applied.
- The bottoms of the boats will receive gel coat touchup at a later date (prior to the first race.
- The wooden manus for the clippers are to be refinished (by me) and reattached. I have 1, but the other is missing. If you know where it may be, please let me know.
- The Amas have been washed and are covered at the site.
- The canoe covers have been power-washed

Message from Laurel
3/5/2008
Hi Wahines!

This is a reminder to bring your waiver, medical info
sheet- filled out and signed, and driver's license
copy (if you are new or your license expired last
year- otherwise i should still have yours) on
Saturday!!! You can also scan and email these to me if
you are savy!

Please bring them already signed as there will be lots
going on with rigging and getting on the water- and
you can't get in the boat unless...you know how it
goes!

Also if anyone has waivers they have collected in
Morro Bay, if you can bring those to me I will be most
grateful!

Thanks,
Laurel
lldunning@yahoo.com

Message from Denny

PKO FEBRUARY / MARCH ACTIVITY SCHEDULE
2/6/2008
Aloha Pale Kai Paddlers,

As many of you are well aware, January was a very busy month for PKO. The Morro Bay crews have been hitting the water early, the new Bradley Lightning have been ordered, the Pineapple Express committee is in full swing, and a few of you are even racing the OC-1 series. Well done all!!

Now, lets get ready to hit the open waters of Avila and kick off this 2008 season!! Below is the schedule of activities required to assist our coaches in fielding crews and our equipment man to fine tune our canoes:

-- Saturday, February 16th, 1pm to 4pm @ Mike Nunno's house: Men's & Woman's Coaches to meet with all PKO paddlers racing in 2008. Further details to come.

-- Saturday, February 23rd, 9:30am: Boat maintenance session @ Avila site. Non-slip surface to be applied, new seat pads to be installed, amas to be washed. All materials will be pre-purchased by Sully and Ted Rich.

-- Saturday, March 1st, 9:30am: Rigging Clinic. All members encouraged to come out and learn to rig and ready the boats for the open ocean. All boats to be rigged for opening day of practice. Bar-B-Q to follow Clinic.

-- Saturday, March 8th, time TBA: First day of WOMEN'S practice.

-- Sunday, March 9th, time TBA: First day of MEN'S practice.

Notes: The Clippers are scheduled to return to Avila on Feb. 23rd for maintenance work.

The iakos are being refinished by Sully and Fosters crew(s) @ Nunno's.

More detailed information will be provided prior to each activity.

See you there,
Denny Thatcher