PSA Sailing

With respect all. Does all of the wall really need to be replaced? George thank you for being so observant and speaking out. Yes, I too have observed some rot in the retaining wall, but do not see any immediate need to spend $18k to replace the whole wall for the want of one or two rotten timber. The wall is not falling down and to my limited knowledge no one has put so much as a nail into the wall to repair it. A timber wall is much more in keeping with the club's character, ambience and with the other two timber walls. One just build out of treated timber. Our 800 gallon holding tank is not about to uproot its self and roll down the hill! I adhere to the principle that saving for a project that is worthwhile and not immediately affordable, which pose no danger, is a prudent way to proceed. How about we start a "Wall Fund". If we do it right the $'s will appear when needed and yes everything will be more expensive next year! Richard Wagner.

I am a boatless Life member (1968). "I would like to see this cost shared by all members who have voting rights which includes Life members who still have a boat at the club." Ross By my count there are eight Life Members who have boats at the club and enjoy the club as their second home during the summer with the upkeep paid for by Senior Membership dues. If boat owning LM's were required to pay the $65 towards the wall project, times eight members for two years the revenue would be over $1000 which could purchase at least a few feet of wall and maybe reduce the $65 Senior membership cost. This is only fair. Thought I'm not required to, I will pay my fair share, as I too, hope to enjoy the club this year (Covid permitting). P.S. Could we do the demo and maybe install a time capsule. The Wall to Black Hole Creek Richard Wagner

Commodore elect Duer, I wish that the present board had "discuss the pros and cons (to) make a decision going forward" and yes Andy has keep the system running.

Samantha and the Poo Pump How she put it away in the fall for her dad and PSA 1/28/21 Her name was Samantha. Her family called her Samantha but everyone else called her Sam. She was a graduate of the PSA Junior Sail program and was now on leave from college because of COVID-19. Sams father was being called out of town on business and was not able to keep his obligation to the club to winterize the Pump Out System (POS) and asked her if she would do that for him. He felt confident that she could a good job and it wouldn't take much of her study time since they lived close in North Shore. So the first good day after the fall work party Sam trucked down to the club with two 5 gallon buckets in hand, 2 gallons of Clorox and a box of trisodium phosphate. No one was there - no one to look over her shoulder and question what she was doing. She was confident she could winterize the POS just the way she and her father had done before by (1) cleaning the system (2) filling the system with Black Hole Creek water (3) Running a pressure check on the pier section, then (4) pumping the system dry. Down at the end of the pier, Sam filled one bucket with 2 gallons of Clorox and water the other with trisodium phosphate and water. Then she went over in her head what to do next. She would vacuum the Trisodium Phosphate into the system and then the Clorox filled container followed by Black Hole Creek water from the pick-up pipe installed on the pier. Sam knew the timer on the pump was set to five minutes before it shut off the pump witch was ample time for all of the Clorox and the trisodium solutions to be pumped up and into the holding tank on the hill. This will leave the entire plumbing system filled only with clean Black Hole Creek water. With the pump turned off, Sam can now switch the Vacuum/Pressure Switch to the Pressure Position which will allow the pump to pump in the opposite direction pressurizing the pier section. She knew there is no way to test the pier section for leaks with vacuum, but she could now check for leaks by pressurizing it, as has been done many times before. She knew that the pump was capable pumping up to 60 PSI, with the pickup valve closed and the system is full of fluid it only takes seconds for leaks to appear, so she shut the pump off. With the system full of pressurized Black Hole Creek water it becomes easy to locate and record leaks. If all is well, Sam can carefully open the pickup hose nozzle and turn the pump back on, and while it is still in pressure mode, wait for all of the clean Black Hole Creek water to be pumped back out of the entire system and back into the creek. When all of the water is out, the pump will still be pumping, but only with easily detectable sewer gas. She he can now turn the pump off and return the V/P switch to the vacuum position. DONE! As Sam walked back up the hill with her two empty buckets, she was proud of the good job she had done for good-old-dad (god) and PSA (round trip 75 minutes). She wondered why in the past the club made such an ecological mess, wasted so much time, money and energy filling the entire Pump Out System with gallons and gallons of antifreeze, to be carted away by a Honey-dipper in the spring. Since she didn't bring a wrench with her, and needed to get back to her studies, she would have to let some one else disconnect the hose and put it away for the winter. Good job Sam. R. W Wagner

Jen You are asking all the right questions. My taken is that we have a very simple but robust industrial grade pump and the rest of entire system does not have to be replaced. Replacement is going to cost us big bucks. Member need to understand how the system works and how to care fore it. This is our Marina There are things that I would like to change with the pump out plumbing: (1) To in crease the pumping efficiency (2) To help in winterizing the system (3) To help monitor the system while pumping out boats and pressure testing the system. There are other thing that can be done to help the users and the pump repair man while doing there job. The pump itself needs to have its flexible tube replaced at some time, but only when worn out (leaking). This is expected. The pinch rollers in the pump are not adjusted in according to the manufactures procedures but still seem to be working, but maybe wearing the flex tube prematurely. The biggest focus should be in rebuilding the pump control box which holds the timer and contactors that run power to the pump motor. The housing is duck taped together and the wiring looks like a rats nest. I have never seen an electrical schematic of this control box so a new one should be drawn and studied before any work to rebuild it should start. This can be done. If it is to rebuilt, the pump out system will need to be shut down, maybe during the winter. This will not be an expensive job as only he housing needs to be replaced and all of the components inside should be still usable. I still want to eliminate the antiquated procedure of filling the pump out system with many gallons of antifreeze (lots of club dollars) instead of filling it with air at zero club dollars and zero club time, effort and mess. I would love to address the board about all of my above concerns. Richard Wagner. 10/4/21 PS; I still want to know why two feet of pipe got chopped out of the pier pipe and why PSA members have to pay a plumber to it fixed.

Adam you are the first person to say a word or infact to give-a-good-s--t. RW