The DSC COVID-19 Reopening Guiding Principles

1. K.I.S.S. (Keep it Simple, Sailor)
2. Re-Evaluate Daily
3. Be Human
4. The Rules are The Rules
5. COVID-19 is "an invisible killer"
6. The DSC process only works if sailors act to serve the next sailors

For more details on these guiding principles, click HERE

For a one-pager about Maryland's Reopen Boating policies, click HERE

Dear sailor,

Per Governor Hogan's announcement today, May 6th, recreational boating in Maryland will be allowed beginning tomorrow, May 7th.

I am thrilled, and I know you are, too. But we must continue to exercise good judgment and common sense. The coronavirus is still a major threat to our local area, and we must continue to do our civic duty and continue to flatten the curve by practicing physical distancing and using good safety practices to protect ourselves and others. 

Because of this, The DSC will be reopening for private reservations beginning on Monday, May 11th and not tomorrow. 

I know that is not the fun decision, but it is the correct course to take. My team and I are working on a plan to reopen as quickly as possible, but we must be safe and we must be reasonable. A few boats may go out on a case-by-case basis over the next four days to test our action plan, but we want to be sure to ease back into operations in a methodical manner. This is not a decision I take lightly. I care about the safety of our sailors and while I want to be out there with you right this very minute, I know doing so is not the best course of action.

When we do reopen to our general membership, which we will do on Monday, May 11th, we will do so in a calm, practiced manner with a gradual reopening and a gradual return to normalcy. It will not be instantaneous, but we will get there together.

I truly appreciate your patience and I know first hand how difficult it is to wait. For the good of our community, I thank you for waiting through the weekend. The DNR will thank you, too.

At the time of this writing, our team continues to ramp up to make it possible for reopening in a safe and deliberate manner that will enable us to serve our sailing community, not just tomorrow, but over the long road ahead.

Thank you for believing in The DSC and doing your part to keep us moving forward during these times. More information will be delivered through our Wild Apricot system to members tomorrow and Friday. Again, let me express that we would not be where we are today without your support these past two months. Thank you.

Sincerely, and with much gratitude and heartfelt appreciation,

-Stuart

April 23rd, updated April 28th

“Becalmed...”

It was first light nearing dawn on our way to Bermuda. My trick at the wheel had just begun and we had hit our first few patches of sargassum a couple hours beforehand. I was sitting to weather to feel what little wind there was; The two crew on deck were sitting to leeward, not quite dangling off the rail but doing their best to stay awake, engaged, and dry. Our fourth was below taking a look at the AIS tracker. It was cold for June but everyone was underdressed to better feel what little breeze remained. I was driving by feel, the telltales heavy with dew.

The digital display registering the GPS speed was 4 kts overground, ENE. The paddlewheel registered 2.5 kts. Our bow was no longer pointed toward Bermuda, though our AIS plotter still had us going that way. Phosphorescence tickled the water. The sun arose and the boats we had been chasing all night reappeared on the dome of the horizon, left, ahead, right, and far right, astern. We were with the lead pack. GPS speed became 2.5 kts overground, ENE. The paddlewheel registered .5 kts. The next watch was roused and rustling into their gear. I changed my tether point, slid to leeward, and called for coffee. Half an hour to go on our shift, half an hour more on the helm. The minutes ticked by. The main hung limp. The #1 flapped lazily. Sargassum weed drifted alongside. 2.5 kts, NE. The sun bounced off the lumpy, oily surface of the water below. The sun rose and the ocean became green: an eddy, not quite to the stream. A clump of grass transfixed itself alongside of us, just off the slap of our hull wave. I melted as the power of motion slipped out of my control. The next driver took the helm, locked the wheel, and I went below to get ahold of myself. We fired up the engine to charge the batteries - a daily task - and began to reconfigure our emotions and expectations to our new situation: we were becalmed.

I learned a lot from that experience. Our team was adrift for most of the day. We did all sorts of things to keep racing: chased the puffs, threw up the kite as a new breeze filled in; struck the sails when the wind died again that afternoon, chased the puffs, lounged on deck, lounged below decks, and generally tried to remain calm. Which is tough to do in a race when you are not moving. It is difficult to know which mentality to take when one is floating toward Greenland at two and a half knots while racing towards Bermuda, which lies just ahead in the imagination somewhere a couple points south of due east, drifting somewhat further and further away in our minds eye.

We ultimately retired from the race at the end of that day three for reasons that were more profound than simply being becalmed. Some other boats had never made it past Cape Charles the day before, set back by the tide and unable to slip out past the tankers to the ocean just on the other side of the breakwater. The boats that carried on raced onwards until sunset and were becalmed again the next day; a front came through and many boats suffered breakdowns. Those that faired well sailed on for another day with breeze, were becalmed again, and ultimately caught a few puffs that enabled them to claim victory and respite after making their way into the Great Sound. I, on the other hand, was back to work. Everyone on our team has a different story about our experience. Nobody likes to talk about it.

We are becalmed and set adrift by the coronavirus. The environmental factors are beyond our control. Yet we are still racing: racing to stay in business; racing to keep our kids engaged; racing to find ways to stay sane; racing to support our favorite causes and establishments; racing to secure grocery items; racing to do our best, to stay in front of the screen in the home office for just a little longer before pulling the plug each day, racing to remain calm…

The difference between that boat race and this race is we are on track to “complete the race.” We have a crackpot team. We have a strong board. We have an amazing community. We have a tenacious staff. We’ll get through this. We are getting through this, one day at a time. It’s not the Stu show, the John O’ show, or the Chris Rossi Show. It’s The DSC as a collective, collaborative community… wait, I see breeze up ahead under those clouds on the horizon. A puff on! Our ship races onward.

Last week, Rena and I took a two-day First Aid/CPR/AED Instructor course at the American Red Cross headquarters in Baltimore. Stuart initially wanted Rena to take the class so she would be able to certify our Instructors at the DSC as part of her role as The DSC’s new Sailing Education Manager. However, early Tuesday morning I got a call from Stuart saying that 15 people dropped out of the class and Rena was the only participant who showed up. The course instructor would have to cancel if nobody else attended. I volunteered to enroll and quickly drove north to the headquarters to join Rena in a two-day immersive course of intense learning. 

We spent day one going through the Instructor Manual and reviewing many of the skills which we would soon be teaching to others. Due to the unique situation we are in regarding COVID-19, we had to learn several social distancing approaches, such as for CPR, controlling bleeding and managing a choking victim. 

That evening, although we were both weary  from a full day of class, we went home and spent another few hours studying and preparing for our “teach-back” presentations the next day. Rena and I had to give three different presentations and then pass a written test. I am pleased to share that both of us passed the course and are now certified to teach First Aid/CPR/AED courses to The DSC Community. The feedback we received from our instructor as well as from each other was invaluable. And it was terrific to collaborate and target our learning to the DSC environment

We are both looking forward to teaching First AID/CPR/AED classes at the DSC for our Instructors, Summer Camp staff and members. We are hoping to offer our first class in June, conditions depending. Stay tuned for more details, and thank you for taking safety seriously!

Dear Sailors,

We are committed to making sure The DSC weathers this storm so that we are ready to sail when it is safe to do so again. That is our collective determination. It is also why we launched the “Keep Our Ship On Course” fundraising campaign in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. Though fundraising is only one aspect of our overall strategy, it is important nonetheless. I recognize that giving charitably to the Sailing Center is not the top priority for most people in these uncertain times.

To those who have donated thus far, Thank You. But that is not why I write today.  Today, I offer something different. I ask for you to unplug. Read a book, take a hike, or sit on your stoop and enjoy the weather. As sailors, we typically use our sailing time as an opportunity to hit “pause” on our connected lives. Sailing is how we disconnect from the ails of our daily lives while connecting with those who share our passion. Sailing will be there for us, soon. For now, we can use this as an opportunity to do something different. Perhaps we can even rediscover truths we forgot long ago. At the least, we can use this time to hose down our salty foul weather gear; re-arm our inflatable lifejackets; or simply reconnect with family and friends who are relegated to second fiddle once the spring weather hits.

We, The DSC staff team and DSC volunteer leaders, also recognize our human need to connect with others. We recognize that doing so does require some screen time. The cruising program is hosting virtual seminars and it is hosting a virtual social hour this Saturday. The education team is going virtual to train staff on Saturday (everyone is welcome to attend!), and the racing program is soon to do the same. The DSC staff and volunteers will continue to provide our sailors with updates and means of connecting together. We are uploading videos. We are ‘gramming little DSC experiences in our daily lives. We are doing our best to help you connect in the ways you want to connect. 

But we must remember that sailing is an outside activity. Sailing is a tinkerer’s hobby. Sailing is an explorer’s getaway, one that relies on the mind more than the body. Sailing is Our Great Pause. Sailing is our salve for a world full of exhaust, of advertisements, and of work responsibilities. It is our environmental escape. Sailing enables us to physically feel things. We feel physical discomfort and we love it because it reminds us that we are alive. We feel physical euphoria, too: vitamin D from the sun makes us happy; oxygenated air from the wind enables our lungs to consume more deeply. Sailing is not, no matter how we try to make it, a “screen” sport. Sure, knowledge is learned through screens. Our charts and our navigation software play out on screens. And in these times, our very lives revolve around the screen. 

Sailing is typically our antidote to our increasingly digital existence. This is the crux our DSC team recognizes: we want to continue to learn as sailors and connect as people, as a community, but we do not want our fellow sailors to be any more burdened by the digital world than necessary, however tempting it may be to remain connected. Thanks in part to your generous donations, The DSC is doing what we can to be there for you now and with your continued support we will sail together again. But charitable contributions are only part of the equation, and The DSC is designed to be open to all. YOU are the much bigger factor that keeps The DSC going. I hope you are able to use this time for self care - away from the screens and unplugged from technology - and I look forward to our fellowship on the water together. Before we know it, that time will come again.

Fair Winds,

-Stuart

Ahoy!

This post will be updated soon... in the meantime, please accept the delays and enjoy "The State of The DSC" web address on our new YouTube Channel. 

We will be doing our best to upload content on a regular basis to keep our sailors engaged and informed.

Sail fast,

-Stu

March 31, 2020

Dear DSC Community Members,

There is a purpose to what we do. We sail with a purpose beyond ourselves, and I thank you for being a part of The Downtown Sailing Community.

Before I elaborate on that purpose, I want to begin by letting you know that I would not want to be anywhere else in the world than at The DSC. Obviously, I wish we were sailing right now. But we are living through a crisis that has no defined end in sight and we are adjusting to a world that changes daily. Rather than viewing this landscape as a problem, The DSC team is using this opportunity to prepare for when we are able to return to the water. We will overcome this time and we will go sailing together again. The DSC will be the balm for us when this crisis is over. 

A Big Year For The DSC

This is a big time for us. The coronavirus notwithstanding, this would be a big year for The DSC. It is my second year at the helm. It is John’s third in his role. We have two new staff members, Rena and Graham, who have already proven their worth as we adjust to each new day. Less than three years remain on our marina expansion loan, a debt that we continue to pay down, and we are continuing to sustain our fleet in the manner that delivers the highest quality product at the best value for all of our sailors.

COVID-19

Before I introduce Graham and Rena, I first want to address what is on everyone’s mind: COVID-19 and its many effects. People are freaking out, naturally; but as sailors, we know that freaking out does not result in proactive action. We know how important it is to discern the weather ahead of us, to plan for the next shift, to look after our teammates, and to handle ourselves in a seamanlike manner. We have agency and power to make the correct decisions even during painful times - even as individuals, and especially as a community. Yes, COVID-19 is going to have a major impact on The DSC. I get it: this experience is stressful. But we will get through this, together, and with purpose.

The Correct Team For Action

The DSC now has the team and organizational structure in place to make sure The DSC thrives in any environment. Rena and Graham add to the team in such a way that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Every team member can rig a dinghy, tow a boat, teach a lesson, transfer a sailor, analyze numerical data... if it needs to be accomplished, the individuals on this team can accomplish it. More importantly, every individual on this team has a unique skill set and passion that complements the others’. To use a sailing analogy, every staff member can drive, trim, and work the bow - but each team member has talents that are best suited to a particular position. But above all else, the individuals on this team have grit. The DSC has the best team in place for action during this crisis, and this team will thrive when we move beyond it. 

Early Season Gains

The DSC is not alone in its suffering, and thanks to the nearly 250 paying members who renewed early, we are in a much better financial position than some of our peer organizations. We also had an unprecedented number of summer camp registrations. The early season support, especially from Junior Parents, turned out to be much more than just a confidence boost. Because we started off strong in this 2020 season, we are able to move forward with a modified action plan, and we will be in a very strong position to deliver the highest quality product to our entire community when we get back into action. 

Introducing New Staff Members Graham and Rena

We will sail again. I don’t know when that will be… but we will - with your help. Before I go into our action plan and how you can help, I want to introduce Graham and Rena.

I met Graham in 2014 He was newish to Baltimore, soft spoken, and somewhat nervous as I put him through his coaches’ checkout. Graham showed up early to work. He volunteered for tasks that nobody wanted. He stayed late; learned more; failed, stuck to it, and succeeded. I soon found he had a knack for connecting with kids. Then I learned he was good at teaching adults, too. Later, I found how good he was at paperwork. He is so good with paperwork, in fact, that he basically ran our keelboat school for the past two years while I transitioned into the Executive role. Even as a part time employee, Graham proved himself to be an indispensable part of The DSC team. And all the while, I saw how much Graham loves The DSC Community. He recognizes its purpose.

Rena recognizes The DSC’s purpose, too. Rena was one of the first two people I met at The DSC when I was considering a move to Baltimore, and she greeted me with a smile. Through her fifteen years of volunteering with the Accessible Program, she has led hundreds of transfers and has greeted each and every sailor with that same smile, a kind word, and often a laugh. She drives the powerboats, the Sonars, and serves as a sailing buddy. She brings her friends to volunteer and gets their families involved. She does whatever it takes. There is no one better suited to run the Adaptive/Accessible Sailing Program nor the S.I.T. Program. Not only does she have intimate knowledge of how these critical programs run, but she has a real passion for the people who are frequently marginalized by our society. She gets the purpose of what we do at The DSC.

The DSC’s PURPOSE

What purpose is that, exactly? The purpose of The DSC is to provide a space and an environment where people of all backgrounds can celebrate the joy and freedom of sailing with others. The uniqueness of The DSC lies in the fact that our structure and mission encourages diversity and inclusion through a sport platform that is traditionally set up to be homogeneous and exclusive. The power of The DSC lies in its sailors and their embrace of its core values. The DSC’s core values are rooted in the belief that diversity makes for a stronger organization and a more enjoyable experience. For individual sailors in our community, they can be exactly who they are without modification; for our community, we celebrate the unique attributes of the individuals who sail with us. At The DSC, we embrace sailors for their differences from ourselves rather than their similarities.

The DSC Asks For Your Continued Support

At The DSC, we sail with a purpose. In order to sustain that purpose, I am asking you to invest in The DSC. I know many of our members are in uncertain financial times. I can only imagine how trying life is for some of you right now. In order to remain on course and continue moving ahead, The DSC needs your continuing philanthropic support. Beginning Wednesday, April 1st, The Downtown Sailing Center is launching a $50,000 “Keep Our Ship On Course” fund drive. We invest in people; please consider investing in us.

KEEP OUR SHIP ON COURSE

Though this fundraiser is being launched through our Click & Pledge Portal, I also encourage supporters to use corporate matching during this campaign. We are connected with most employer giving portals, including The United Way, Benevity, The Maryland Charity Campaign, and many corporate platforms. In conjunction, we are soliciting philanthropic gifts from community stakeholders. If you are not in a stable financial place to give right now, please focus on your immediate needs first: your physical and emotional wellbeing are of utmost import. But if you have the financial means and stability, please consider donating to The Downtown Sailing Center during this giving campaign. 

Additional Action During This Time of Crisis

This fundraising campaign is just one part of our action plan. In all likelihood, we are shifting our operational plan to focus on a June 10th re-launch. Our team is using technology to keep our members connected and engaged. We are cutting costs wherever possible to make sure we are fiscally lean during this crisis. We are reaching out to participants, volunteers, and program partners. We are working with clients to reschedule lessons and manage our sailors needs without providing a break in service. We are prepping for summer camp, for The Siebel Sailors Program, for Sailing League, and for all of our member programs. All the while, John continues to engage in critical maintenance that keeps our boats afloat.

I truly appreciate your support and dedication to The Downtown Sailing Center Community. The DSC has always proven itself to be a rare and powerful community in the face of adversity, and we will get through this together and be stronger for it.  

Sincerely,

Stuart T. Proctor, Executive Director

In order to aid the active response to the Coronavirus and curb the potential spread of infection to our members, The DSC is moving forward in concert with other concerned entities: Beginning effectively at 6 PM on Friday, March 13th, all DSC events are cancelled or postponed through at least March 29th.

The prudent mariner recognizes the squall line and reefs in advance.

Sincerely, 

-Stuart Proctor, Executive Director

March 13 UPDATE: In order to facilitate the best possible outcome for the public health response, ALL DSC events are postponed or cancelled through at least March 29th, 2020. The safety of our community members are of the utmost importance. This decision gives public health workers the best opportunity to mitigate the effects of the virus.

March 12, 2020

Dear Valued DSC Community Member,

The DSC remains committed to carrying out the highest quality programming in all that we do. Quality requires us to uphold the highest safety standards throughout all of our operations. 

Though recommendations for how to act and deal with the presence of the virus have not changed in the past week, perceptions have changed substantially. We want all of our participants to remain physically and emotionally safe, and we will continue to abide by the best practices that are outlined by the CDC and WHO. Due to the current climate, we have postponed our Spring Soirée to the May 29th social. 

As fear abounds, we feel it is important to encourage the safest and most reasonable actions in our community. As the situation surrounding this coronavirus continues to evolve, The DSC will continue to do what it does best and take prudent action, removing risk when possible and mitigating risk when risk-removal is not an option. For more information about Covid-19, please visit the following links:

World Health Organization (WHO) Covid-19 information page

Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Covid-19 information page

Maryland Department of Health Coronavirus information page

Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center

The DSC will be taking its cues for action and best practices from the WHO, CDC, and MDH.

At the moment, our Spring work parties remain on the calendar, as do lessons and recreational events. However, we are flexible and adaptable, ready to change course as needed. We are sailors, after all! We may decide to cancel or postpone certain events based on guidance from the above sources. If you sign up for an event, please check your email as the event draws closer If you are sick, think you are sick, or have recently been in direct contact with someone who is sick with a cold or pneumonia-like symptoms, please stay home. We look forward to seeing you when you are well and return to full health.

I am very much looking forward to our April 4th membership meeting. There is a chance the meeting may run as a web conference, based upon potential predictions; that decision will be sussed out as the date draws nearer. The DSC will continue to remain flexible and committed to the health and safety of its participants. Most of our day fleet boats are hauled out over at Young’s Boatyard in Edgemere, but when they return all day fleet boats will be open to private reservations until further notice. For many in our community, sailing keeps us sane.

One of the foundational principles of US Sailing instruction is “monitor and adjust.” The DSC will continue to do just that, and we ask for you to do the same.

Fair winds,

Stuart Proctor

Executive Director 

Five Takeaways from US Sailing’s National Conference (SLF) 2020

1. Yacht Clubs and Community Centers acknowledge the need for improved diversity and inclusion practices.

2. Fun is in.

3. Yacht Clubs are beginning to think like Community Sailing Centers and vice versa (in good ways!)

4. The DSC is a major leader in community sailing… and then again….

5. It’s not about the boats: It’s about the people.

On Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity

Over the course of the Sailing Leadership Forum, which took place from February 5th through February 8th, it became clear that sailors recognize sailing needs to become inclusive and diverse. These efforts are being heralded by some of the biggest, most prosperous yacht clubs, too. Community sailing programs like The DSC have the biggest access opportunity to connect people of all backgrounds to our beloved sport, and clubs across the country are also lauding the initiatives. 

There is still a major need to get honest about (the lack of) equitable practices in our sport… but there was much grumbling about the need to reconcile our mistakes. Nearly one quarter of the seminars were dedicated to improving inclusive practices within our sport. Many communities are already creating equitable, inclusive systems in their clubs and centers. Though US Sailing has yet to define a concrete means or methodology to improve diversity, equity, or inclusivity, the “elephant in the room” is finally being acknowledged.

On Fun

One easy area for improvement is to focus on the fun rather than the winners. Traditionally, the national conference has focused on racing and winning. There has finally been a shift: US Sailing finally recognizes that sailboat racing is a small part of the total landscape. It also recognizes that long-term competitive excellence will not be possible unless sailing becomes fun and focuses on the relationships created through sport. 

This “Sailing is Fun” mantra connects all of the takeaways, and it was nice for John and I to have some time to go sailing just for fun on some brand new boats, too. (The new boats are nice but, well, you’ll see further below…).

Yacht Clubs + Community Sailing Centers

There has traditionally been a divide, real or perceived, between Yacht Clubs and Community Sailing Centers. Clubs are often, by their very nature, exclusive; Community Sailing Centers are, by contrast, supposed to focus on inclusivity. Without getting too deep into the reasons for this classic perception, I am happy to proclaim that Yacht Clubs are beginning to adopt a number of the best practices that Community Sailing Centers have developed. A brief list includes: club owned fleets; women’s only programs; open access junior programs (youth and their parents do not need to be full-fledged club members); and support for adaptive sailing programs.

In the other arena, Community Sailing Centers are beginning to think like Yacht Clubs. Community Sailing Centers are focusing on strategic growth and stability. They are partnering with Yacht Clubs to provide better opportunities. And community programs are learning to save, to invest, and to plan for the future. We, at The DSC, are focused on efforts such as these. The mission now is balanced with the ability to keep fulfilling the mission into the future.

The DSC is a Leader. True? Absolutely Yes. And also just kinda.

The DSC is doing awesome work and accomplishing awesome things. We have a great adaptive program for people with disabilities. We have an awesome sailing school. We have a rigorous safety protocol. We have a vibrant, connective membership. We are the regional Reach Hub and we are a regional Siebel Sailors Program Supporting Center. We have a phenomenal workforce development program. We, The DSC, are doing awesome work through the sport of sailing. 

But we aren’t the only organization in the country doing amazing things. The DSC is ahead of the curve in one very critical, important area: we are leading the effort on being honest about our lack of diversity and we are rectifying our errors through targeted, equitable practices. These practices include youth and junior memberships, summer camp scholarships, after school programs, the Siebel Sailors Program, and Women on the Water (among others). However, other Community Sailing Centers and even some Yacht Clubs are innovating more quickly in other areas. Some organizations are doing amazing things with adaptive sailing; others are bringing youth of color into their racing programs; and still others are fostering gender-balanced and women-only programs that are stronger, more developed that ours. 

I was exceedingly impressed by the Wayzata Community Sailing Center, who went from nearly shutting its doors a decade ago to raising over $2 Million in donations to build a new clubhouse and docks. Fortunately, other leading programs are excited to share, support, and collaborate with us. The DSC has a great opportunity to improve our programs in ways that will benefit more people within our community. We have allies and advocates within the sailing community; we have systems that we are developing through a consortium of schools, centers, and clubs; and we have a growing network of sailors who care about people. The conference also reaffirmed my belief that The DSC has THE BEST PEOPLE in sailing. No other community connects people the way we do, and few have the opportunity we do through The DSC. 

It’s all about The People (Not the Boats)

US Sailing is often focused on new boats. Or Olympic medals. Or technology. At This Forum, we were constantly reminded that our sport is not about the boats: it’s about the people. There were five keynote speakers over the three full days of programming. All five of the key note speakers - including Doug DeVos, of AmWay fame - iterated and reiterated that “it is not about the boats: it’s about the people.” And at the end of the conference, after nearly four days of presentations and networking, Jack Gierhardt, US Sailing’s CEO, wrapped up the conference with these closing words: “It’s all about the people.”

Truly, it is “all about the people.” At The DSC, it has always been all about the people. It was comforting to know that US Sailing recognizes this, too. I was renewed, refreshed, and excited to return to the work that lies ahead of us.