Club sails into its 40th year
The Daily News
Published June 11, 2009
CLEAR LAKE — The Clear Lake Sailing Club has continued to sail along since 1969.
The nonprofit educational organization is a group of sailing enthusiasts who hold events and races as well as social gatherings throughout the year.
Don Pearson, commodore of the club, said the CLSC has roughly 30 members. Pearson, a Clear Lake resident, said he’s been a member for the past five years.
“I came down to Houston in 1976 and kind of fell in love with small sailboats,” Pearson said. “You could rent sailboats on Clear Lake, and that’s how I learned how to sail. Now it’s very difficult to rent a small sailboat. We’re trying to fill that niche.”
Pearson said he enjoys the camaraderie of the club, the fun races and learning from other sailors.
“It’s always fun when someone else is out there sailing,’ he said. “I’m not a loner.”
Pearson owns a pair of 14-foot sailboats — a Catalina Capri 14 and a Laser, which is a high-performance, Olympic-class sailboat.
“I’m in my 50s, so I kind of question why I’m sailing such a thing,” Pearson said, referring to the Laser. “The nice thing about Clear Lake in the summer, if you capsize, it’s pretty warm and you just hop back in your boat and sail again.”
The CLSC’s signature event is an annual regatta in October called “Waiting for the Great Pumpkin Regatta,” which attracts participants from throughout east Texas.
Benefits Of Membership
One of the chief club benefits is networking as members help one another in preparing boats for sailing and providing information about boats for sale, if available.
“We focus only on small sailboats under 18 feet or so,” Pearson said. “Sometimes we get boats donated to us, usually one or two a year. We fix them up and turn around and essentially give them away. It’s a way to promote interest in sailing on Clear Lake.”
Boat donations to the CLSC are tax-deductible.
Regular club dues are $50 annually. Racing dues are an additional $25.
Pearson said interest in sailing small boats started declining about 10 years ago.
“We went through this whole phase when Waverunners and jet skis really became popular,” he said. “It was much easier for people … and because of that, there’s been a de-emphasis in sailing.”
Pearson said Hurricane Ike created some initial concerns about sailing on Clear Lake.
“It worried some people because there was a lot of debris in Clear Lake, and it’s very shallow, only about 5 feet or so,” he said.
Pearson is still optimistic about the sailing community on Clear Lake.
“Recently I’ve seen these Wednesday night sailboat races, and they typically have 50 sailboats racing on Clear Lake in front of the Turtle Club,” he said. “We have club members that sail Wednesday night. I just wish I had more time.”
For information about the club, send an e-mail to info(at)clearlakesailingclub.org or visit clearlakesailingclub.org.
Basic Sailing Course Offered
Veteran instructor Richard Hoover is teaching courses on sailing for the 42nd year.
The basic sailing course costs $75 and includes a one-year racing membership in the CLSC.
The course targets beginners and is composed of a trio of three-hour sessions on successive Saturdays followed by a one-hour on-the-water demonstration ride.
How a boat sails, parts of a boat, steering and sail adjustment, maneuvers, launching and docking, safety, and choosing your first sailboat are among the topics of the course.
Hoover is in the midst of the spring course now but is offering another session next month.
This summer the course is scheduled from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. July 11, July 18 and July 25 at Clear Lake City-County Freeman Branch Library, 16616 Diana Lane.
For information about the course, visit www.clearlakesailingclub.org, e-mail Hoover at rhooversr(at)comcast.net or call him at 281-996-7716.
Pearson actually took the course from Hoover back in the 1970s and recommends it.
“There are three things you have to know,” Pearson said.
Know which way the wind is blowing, know where you want go (at least the direction) and learn to sail in the direction you want to go, he advised.
“Within a few hours you can learn the details of adjusting the sail and rudder,” Pearson said. “It’s not difficult at all.”
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At A Glance
WHAT: Clear Lake Sailing Club
ON THE WEB: clearlakesailingclub.org
E-MAIL: info(at)clearlakesailingclub.org
CONTACT: P.O. Box 580312, Houston, TX 77258
