All custom ISC logo apparel can now be ordered directly from Concept Prints. This means you now have hundreds of customizable items to choose from in the Concept Prints online catalog. Check out the ISC Apparel webpage or the clubhouse for order forms and catalogs. Concept Prints can also work with your fleet for all types of regatta awards and favors.

Some stock items can be purchased directly from Barb Spaans (317-372-1475). Note also the lower, at cost, pricing.

Just a reminder that ISC will be hosting an Open House on June 20th from 1:00PM to 5:00PM. For more information see the news item from May 27th below and the linked flyer.

ISC's own Paul White was named US Sailing's "Sailor of the Week" for the week of May 20-26.

ISC will be hosting an open house (1.47 MB; get Adobe Reader) on Saturday June 20th from 1:00PM to 5:00PM. Come learn about the club, our facilities and take a sail with a club member. I've you have ever wanted to try sailing this is a great opportunity to get out on a sailboat skippered by an experienced club member. Come and see what ISC has to offer!

An interactive map and directions to the club can be found on the Directions/Map/Lodging" page.

© 2009 IMS LLC

Helio Castroneves won his third Indianapolis 500 win yesterday in convincing fashion. The win puts him in the company of the other three time 500 winners: Louis Meyer, Wilbur Shaw, Mauri Rose, Johnny Rutherford and Bobby Unser. Only three drivers have won the 500 four times: A.J. Foyt, Al Unser and Rick Mears. This year's race, the 93rd, celebrates the 100th anniversary of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway which opened in 1909. The first Indianapolis 500 was run in 1911.

Complete coverage can be found at The Indianapolis Star or Indianapolis Motor Speedway websites.

The 2009 ISC sailboat rental schedule is now available. For details see the Sailboat Rental page.

Due to a lack of interest, the US Sailing Rules Seminar scheduled for April 26th at ISC has been cancelled.

The NOR (174 KB; get Adobe Reader) and SI (734 KB; get Adobe Reader) for the ISC Lightning Burl Harmon Regatta (May 2-3) are now available on the Racing Calendar page.

Just a reminder of the 2009-2012 Racing Rules Seminar being hosted by ISC on April 26, 2009 from 9am to 5pm. This is a great opportunity to brush up on the changes to the racing rules for 2009 from an expert, Dobbs Davis. Get your reservation now! You can register online here or you can email Fran@northu.northsails.com. More information is available in the online flyer (359 KB; get Adobe Reader).

The NOR (66 KB; get Adobe Reader) and SI (52 KB; get Adobe Reader) for the ISC Spring Laser Regatta (April 15-26) are now available on the Racing Calendar page.

The 2009 PRO & Safety Boat schedule is now available on the PRO & Safety page.

"Dave 'n Joe" think about getting on the ball with boat repairs in the middle of the winter...

"Dave 'n Joe" is created by Dave Foster

Dave Foster, the creator of "Dave 'n Joe", now has a book available with some of his best comic strips. If you enjoy the occassional "Dave 'n Joe" that I publish on the ISC website then you really need to get Dave's book. You can read a review on the Sailing World website. My recommendation? Don't bother reading the review and go straight to Dave's website and buy the book. If you're a serious racing sailor it will have you rolling on the floor laughing...

Oh, and by the way, the club opens next month! Better get the boat whipped into shape quick!

The Indiana Sailing Foundation is circulating a petition to create a "sailing" license plate for the State of Indiana. To get the "special group recognition license plate" approved will require signatures from 500 Indiana residents pledging to purchase the plate should it be made available. If the required number of signatures is obtained by 3/31/2009 the plate can be made available in 2010; otherwise, the plate would be made available in 2011.

The plate would cost $25 with $15 going to the state and $10 going to Indiana Sailing Foundation. You can download a form to indicate your pledge to purchase a "sailing" license plate here (86 KB; get Adobe Reader).

The NOR (56 KB; get Adobe Reader) for the ISC Thistle 8-Ball Regatta (April 18-19) is now available on the Racing Calendar page.

The new 2009-2012 Racing Rules have already taken effect. Are you ready? Prepare yourself for the upcoming racing season by attending the US Sailing 2009 Racing Rules Seminar to be held at the Indianapolis Sailing Club on April 26, 2009 from 9am to 5pm. You'll learn how the new rules work and how they change the game. Using North U's 2009-12 Racing Rules Seminar Workbook, you'll see and solve sitations on the racecourse and develop a sharper rules sense. Dobbs Davis is scheduled to run the seminar.

For more information you can download the flyer (359 KB; get Adobe Reader) or visit the North U website. You can register online here or you can email Fran@northu.northsails.com

The 2009 ISC Racing Calendar is now available.

Ealier this evening our Commodore received an email notice from Geist United Opposition officially ending the Geist area neighborhood's fight against annexation by Fishers:

As everyone is aware, on December 31, 2008 Judge Nation ruled in favor of the Town of Fishers and ordered the annexation of the Geist area to proceed.

We have just received confirmation from our attorney, in consultation with the Town's attorney, that under the law the effective date of the annexation will be January 2, 2010.

This is because the order will not be final until the appeals period has passed (30 days after the date of the order-February 2, 2009 to be precise as the 31st falls on a Saturday). Since 2009 is the year before the decennial census, by law, an annexation cannot occur in 2009.

This means that we will be assessed for Town taxes on or about March 1, 2010 with first payments of property taxes to the Town beginning 2011. This just happens to coincide with the 1% property tax cap-too bad for the Town, we guess.

The GUO, as a board, will not be pursuing an appeal of the annexation order simply because we lack sufficient funds-in fact, we're a bit short paying the legal and expert witness fees for the trial. In our last report announcing the ruling, we said it's up to you to fund the appeal process; we did not receive much in the way of funding after that so we can only conclude that the affected residents don't want to appeal.

So, that's the bad news. The good news is that through the strong efforts of our volunteer organization and your contributions, we've all saved thousands of dollars in property taxes. Think about it: this all began November, 2005.

If we had rolled over like the Town Council expected-remember Scott saying that we'd welcome annexation with open arms?-we most likely would have been annexed in 2005 and been assessed for higher taxes in 2006. Thus, over the years we saved the taxpayers of the Geist area millions of dollars in higher taxes. Not bad for a group of volunteers taking on town hall.

What's next? Well, we can hold a grudge and be remorseful and cry a bit in our soup; or we can spend the next year gearing up to be good citizens of the Town. You know, good citizens who participate in local government, keep an eye on their elected officials to be sure the officials are serving the needs of the people (and not the other way around), and be organized to protest and bring to light inappropriate behavior (including sneaking through special assessments that raise taxes). And, of course, good citizens participate in the candidate selection and election process, don't they?

Not to mention watch-dogging how the Town spends the impound money. Remember, under the annexation fiscal plans, during the first three years a percentage of our property taxes to the Town is to go into an impound fund to be used to benefit our area-that's 75% year 1, 50% year 2, and 25% year three.

We lost the good fight-although others can take up the appeal if they want to (the GUO, as a board, will not however)-but a new opportunity emerges. An opportunity to make sure that our "new" government, to paraphrase Abraham Lincoln, is a government by the people and for the people. The next couple of years should be fun!

Lastly, we want to give a big, big thank you to all of the neighborhood coordinators, block captains, donors, and residents who participated so diligently, worked so hard, and gave of themselves and their checkbooks to our cause. Although we lost the annexation battle, we won in the end because we saved a lot of money and we showed big government that we are, in fact, a voice to be reckoned with. Thank you!

Sincerely,

Communications Committee
SayNOtoFishers.com

After our first full week of work after the Holidays, many of you will welcome the opportunity to head out to ISC for the next Fun Friday (and Happy Hour) on January 9. Just to make this Friday event more interesting, why not spend just a little extra time to learn more about great sail trim and go-fast ideas from one of the best one-design and small keelboat sailors, Greg Fisher. Greg will begin his presentation at 8:00PM.

Greg Fisher has been racing sailboats most of his life. He was born, raised and learned to sail in the Columbus, OH area, so he knows a thing or two about sailing on bodies of water like ours (he's won a few regattas here, too). Greg is the current J-22 World Champion as well as the current National Champion of the Thistle class. Also among his many sailing achievements, Greg is a past Highlander National Champion, past North American Champion in the Lightning class, past Mid-Winter Champ in Y-Flyers, 2nd 2008 Interlake Nationals, & 2nd in Snipe North American championship a few years ago. In 2007, Greg was awarded US Sailing's One-Design Service Award.

Greg has been "a sail maker" most of his adult life, first with Shore Sails, then later operating his own loft and brand, Fisher Sails. Greg's products were so successful that one of his competitor's made him an offer he couldn't refuse: Greg has now worked with North Sails for over 15 years, helping to make North the largest sail maker in the world.

So, on Friday, January 9, come on out to ISC for a Fun Friday and enjoy our sailing fellowship, some food, and some beverages, then settle in and absorb some great sail trim and go-fast ideas from one of the very best sailors in our country. Greg's presentation is planned for about an hour, but he won't mind going into overtime if that's what you want!

This event is open to everyone. If you have any questions about this event, please contact Paul Dovey via email, pldovey@yahoo.com, or give a call after 8:00PM to 317-842-2771.