Collisions prompt new rules for PBC sweep teams

Following is an important safety message from PBC club president, Bob Price.

Two recent safety incidents, on-the-water collisions between PBC men’s sweep boats and smaller sculling boats, have kicked up a lot of questions and concerns regarding what we, as a club, can do to be safer and more aware out on the water. I’d like to provide an overview of the actions we’re taking.

First, effective immediately, we have instituted a no-hard-strokes rule and a no-side-by-side pieces rule above Hens and Chicks for all PBC sweep teams to ensure no large boats are at full speed in such a small area.  This will afford smaller boats more of an opportunity to see larger boats coming their way, and coxswains and coaches more of an opportunity to note on coming traffic.

Second, we are reaching out to the community – the DC Harbor Police, Thompsons Boat Center, and the Potomac River Safety Council (PRSC) – to reaffirm our commitment to the highest levels of safety and to demonstrate that we always take these incidents seriously.

Third, we plan to host a forum through the PRSC and invite the entire local rowing community to ensure we are all on the same page when it comes to safety rules and policies.  We hope to get this on the calendar in the early fall.  As soon as we have a date confirmed, we will let everyone know.

Finally, we ask that everyone stays vigilant out on the water.  Our sport has become more popular than ever with more and more boats sharing the same stretch of river every season.   With these additional chances for mishaps out there, we need all to keep heads up for potential trouble.

One thing has not changed:  Safety is everyone’s responsibility, but the safety of our members and others with whom we share the river remains the top priority of the Board and the Club.  Please do not hesitate to bring your safety questions or concerns to me, any Board member or committee chair.

For safety information from USRowing, please visit http://www.usrowing.org/Safety.aspx.

For safety information from the Potomac River Safety Committee, please visit http://www.potomacriversafetycommittee.org/index.php.

Thanks.

Bob Price, President, PBC

Car-top carriers to go

Do you really, really need to keep that car-top carrier for your boat at the club? Like, really? Or is it just that you need the room in your garage for Grandpa’s dusty croquet set and an old Weber charcoal grill that you never ever use?

Well, while you ponder that question (we’ll think about it, too), another precariously hanging car-top carrier may have just fallen on yet another boat, like one did last year.  Next time, one might land on someone’s head instead.  You’d never be able to look at a croquet wicket the same, again.  Might be time to eBay the croquet set.

Following is an important message from our newest Board member, Michael Malone, about the current, no-joke, dangerous state of our pile of car-top carriers:

The PBC Board has decided that the car-top carriers stored on the aqueduct side of the house need to go. There are 30 carriers currently stored on that side of the house in enough slots for only 24.  They are cluttered and often have fallen, sometimes damaging boats.  The plan right now is to move the carriers during the June 11th Club Work Day.  In the meantime, I have volunteered to clean up the space to see if we can limit the amount of carriers to a reasonable, safe number, but I need your help to get it done.

First, members desiring to keep their carriers stored at the club must provide a justification as to why the carrier should remain at PBC instead of at home.   This will force us all to think about whether or not we travel so often with our boats on top of our cars that we really should have a carrier at the club.  Second, every carrier must have the owner’s name and phone number or email address clearly displayed on the carrier before the June 11th workday or it will be removed.  This will allow us to track usage of the carriers, and remove unused or unclaimed ones.

If you already know that you need to keep your carrier at PBC, please send a message to me at mwmalone@gmail.com with your justification.  Also, please start labeling your carriers now.  If you would like, I can print you a label for your carrier and leave it for you at the boathouse. Van Dusen carrier owners should make sure they get a label, too.

Again, this needs to be done before the June 11th workday to prove that we can efficiently manage the carriers before the Board decides for our own safety that they all must go home.

[Note: Rumor has it that even the "justified" carriers are going to be stored in the attic with a friendly family of about a million spiders. No, thanks. We'll take ours home to our garage, where there are only about a hundred spiders. -PS]

Federal shutdown? Board says GW Invitational must go on!

ATTENTION PBC:

In the event of a federal shutdown at midnight tonight, Thompsons Boat Center (run by the National Park Service) will be closed to the many collegiate crews in town this weekend, for the 2011 George Washington University Invitational Regatta (GW Invitational).

The GW Invitational is the largest collegiate regatta on the Potomac and includes crews from Georgetown University, George Washington University, The Naval Academy, Cornell, Holy Cross, St. Joe’s, Columbia University, Gonzaga College and others.  PBC has stepped up to offer assistance to ensure the GW Invitational will go on for the many crews who have prepared to race tomorrow … even if Thompsons is closed.

If Thompsons does close, we plan to allow access through the Club to our docks to crews participating in the regatta. This means, if a shutdown happens, the notice below from the Board will become effective, and you should be prepared to find many boat trailers parked at the end of Water Street tomorrow and a lot of traffic on the docks.

We thank you in advance for your cooperation and appreciate your support of rowing on the Potomac.

Ed Ryan, Secretary

*ATTENTION*

The GW Invitational will be launching boats from the PBC dock on

Saturday, April 9, 2011 from 9am to 5pm

and

Sunday, April 10, 2001 from 8am to Noon

You are welcome to launch and row, but please yield to boats launching to race.

Thank you for your cooperation.

PBC Board of Governors

Oh, you have to go to this one!

Could it be time for our 145th Annual Meeting already?  Seems like just yesterday, we were sitting around at our 45th discussing the Italian-Turkish War and our invasion of Honduras.  My, how time flies once women are given the right to vote.

Well, enough reminiscing.  Below is a very important message from Ed Ryan, club secretary and member of the Board of Governors, that you simply must read.  Before you scroll down, though, go ahead and mark your calendar for the big meeting on April 6th, at 630 PM.  We hear these things are a lot more fun than they used to be.  (Read:  More food.  More drink.  Fewer reports.  Men and women allowed!)

Besides, if you don’t go, like, for sure, we’ll talk about you.

See you there, PBC!

-The Potomac Star

---

On Wednesday, April 6th, Potomac Boat Club will hold its 145th Annual Meeting.
All members are welcome and encouraged to attend.

Here is the evening’s agenda:

• 6:30 – 7:30 PM – Social Hour (a.k.a. Happy Hour with food and drinks)
• 7:30 – 9:00 PM – Elections (senior members will vote on three Board seats and all Officer positions (President, Secretary, etc.)); President’s Report; Committee Reports; Old and New Business

We are Potomac Boat Club.  If you are interested in where we are going, or how we are getting there, this is a good opportunity to get involved, as well as a great opportunity to recognize the many individual members who are called out in the Committee Reports for their accomplishments and contributions to the Club.

Hope to see a good turnout.

Ed Ryan
Secretary

Headed to the boathouse? Read this first!

Please check your email for a very important PBC Yahoo Group message from Jean Hopkins and the Security Committee regarding access to the club for this week only.

If you’re a PBC senior member or a competitive member and you haven’t subscribed to the PBC Yahoo Group, click here, then follow the directions to subscribe.  In the meantime, please get with your team captain, coach or best PBC friend (BPF?) regarding this announcement.

If you’re not going to the club this week, please ignore the access message and resume feelings of guilt.

We have a date! PBC Annual Meeting, April 7th

On Wednesday, April 7, Potomac Boat Club will hold its 144th Annual Meeting.  If you’re like us, you’re probably asking yourself … 144th?  How did 144 annual meetings happen in a span of 140 years? But if you’re normal, and without a lot of time on your hands, you’re probably just wondering whether or not you really have to be there. The answer?  Yes.  You do.

Here is the schedule of important events:

• 6:30 – 7:30 PM – Social Hour (a.k.a. Happy Hour … you know, with food and drinks and stuff)

• 7:30 – 9:30 PM – Elections (senior members vote on three Board seats and Officers), Committee Reports and Other Business

Okay, the truth is, you don’t have to be there … but you should be. We make much better decisions when you’re around.

See you soon!

First update to PBC Bylaws in 30 years

To: Members of Potomac Boat Club
From: Ed Ryan, Club Secretary

I am pleased to announce that the Board has updated the Bylaws of the Club for the first time since their last revision more than 30 years ago. The newly updated Bylaws can be found on the PBC website in the Members Area section and in the Members Only Info area of the Potomac Star (both areas are passcode protected).

The primary changes to the Bylaws were made to eliminate provisions that the Board determined were no longer relevant or applicable (availability of purchase option for life membership and waiver of initiation fee for active members of other rowing clubs); to update the fees and dues referenced in the Bylaws to those that are currently payable; to institute the use of a Club Bulletin Board for posting of Club information (contact information, fees, dues, etc.) and other official notices from the Secretary; to correct the descriptions of the Club uniform and flag; and to institute an improved mechanism to ensure early member notification of any proposed changes in fees or dues. Other changes included many “clean up” and ministerial changes to correct typos and the like.

Please note that the new Bylaws are effective as of December 16th, 2009, but are effective on a prospective basis only. As for any matter predating December 16th, 2009, the former Bylaws are effective (including the waiver of initiation fees for active members of other rowing clubs).

I hope the revised Bylaws will work for the Club for at least another 30 years.

Ed Ryan
Secretary, Potomac Boat Club

Security reminder from the president

Hi All –

A recent locker room theft reminds us that despite significant improvements in house security, we must continue to take reasonable precautions to secure our belongings while at the club.

This particular theft was from an unlocked locker.  Please make sure you are locking your locker and closing doors behind you.  As an added measure, don’t be shy about questioning anyone you don’t recognize.

It’s unfortunate we have to be on guard at our own club, but if we remember to do these simple things, we will continue to increase the level of safety and security for all of us.

Bob Price
President, PBC

143rd Semi-Annual Meeting this Wednesday!

The Potomac Boat Club 143rd Semi-Annual Meeting will be held this Wednesday, October 7.  Happy Hour will start at 6:30 pm, with the business of Club set to commence at 7:30 pm.

Here are a few of the agenda items you can look forward to so far:

• General remarks by PBC president, Bob Price
• Election of Float Officers
• Reports from the Committee chairs
• Presentation of the first annual David Challinor Memorial Fund Awards

If you missed helping out with the regatta last weekend or any number of volunteer opportunities the House Committee has thrown your way, the Semi-Annual Meeting is your chance to participate by just standing around and having a drink or two.

Heck, you might even find a committee you’d like to join!  (That’s the plan, at least.)

See you there, Potomac!

HOCR deadline for 1xers and Challinor Fund details!

Thinking about racing in a single sculling event at the 2009 Head of the Charles Regatta?  Well, it’s time to quit thinking and get to registering! 

Single sculling event applications are due this Saturday, August 1!

Need more inspiration? 

Don’t forget that if you are a PBC member or a competitive program member with an accepted entry to race a single at this year’s HOCR, you could be recommended to receive reimbursement for your racing expenses from the David Challinor Head of the Charles Memorial Fund!  And if you’re one of the chosen two scullers, not only will you get reimbursement, but your name will appear on the Challinor Fund’s plaque at the boathouse with names of fellow recipients for years to come! 

For general registration information and deadlines, please visit the HOCR competitor’s information page here.  To go straight to the single sculling events registration page, just click here. 

For more information on the David Challinor Head of the Charles Memorial Fund, Board Member Ed Ryan has provided us with all the latest details below, on behalf of the Board.

* * *

As many of you are aware, Dave graciously and generously remembered PBC in his will, and made a significant bequest to the Club.  The Board solicited ideas from members on an appropriate use of these funds, and after receiving and considering many excellent suggestions, we arrived at the David Challinor Head of the Charles Memorial Fund (“The Fund”) as the best way to remember Dave and promote his ideals and competitive spirit.

The Fund will be used as follows:  Each year, starting this year (2009), the Racing Committee shall nominate for Board consideration qualified scullers, at least one male and one female, to receive reimbursement of up to $1000 for expenses related to racing at the Head of the Charles Regatta.  To qualify, each nominee must have an accepted entry to race in a single sculling event for PBC at the Head of the Charles Regatta.  Each nominee must be an active member of PBC (or a child of an active member) or a member of a competitive program at PBC.

The Racing Committee’s nominations are due to the Board in September, after the accepted single sculling entries are announced by the Head of the Charles Regatta organization.  From the pool of nominees, the Board will select the final recipients, one male and one female.  Recipients will be announced at PBC’s Semi-Annual Meeting in early October.  A David Challinor Head of the Charles Memorial Fund plaque will be created and displayed at PBC with the names of each year’s recipients.

The Board believes this to be a fitting and appropriate tribute to Dave’s legacy, and that Dave would appreciate this use of the funds he entrusted to the Club.  The Board intends the Fund to continue in perpetuity, meaning that it is intended to rely on the investment proceeds of Dave’s gift as opposed to the principal of the gift.  The Board reserves the right to the change the terms of this Fund at any time, and/or to discontinue it.  Any issues regarding the Fund shall be resolved exclusively by the Board.

 

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