News

The Regatta Road gate near Unwin Ave will be locked beginning this weekend‬ (Sep 4) for the near future to reduce illegal activity such as garbage dumping and presumably others such as overnight parties and cruising.

OHSF members must apply their code to use and return key from lockbox and then close gate.

The City of Toronto Parks, Forestry & Recreation @TorontoPFR thank you for your cooperation. 

See Norm’s email for more details on the process.

From Race Rat Randy

Drum roll please.....

Attention Race Fans!!! (Been a while since you heard that eh? Whoot whoot!)

With the GTA now cleared for COVID Phase 3, we are cleared to start our weeknight racing program forAugust, Sunday racing in Sept/October, and possibly host the infamous Fall War Regatta.

Here’s the deal for August.

-We will race Tuesday and Thursday nights until the end of August
-All classes welcome from all OHSF clubs. If we get enough interest from the cats we can think about a separate start and handicaps
-Races will start promptly at 630 pm and run TIL dusk.
-Expect 3-4 races per evening
-Races are simple windward leeward as shown in the very professional looking diagram below.
-Starts will be 3 minutes. There will be no visual aids (flags) - we use a whistle only.
- you must sail by the committee boat and identify yourself so we can score properly. Last year we had way too many unnamed participants.
-no protests - if you break a rule take your circles
-Wearing PFDs mandatory
-our RC will be made up of students who will be trained on how to set up the course but are not PROs. No abuse will be tolerated - this is meant to be fun so if the line is not perfectly square just take a deep breath
- the Race Director is totally open to bribes to overlook OCS’ and other infractions - just DM me.

First race night is Tuesday August 4th. Be there or be square. Tell your friends...

Race Rat Randy (RRR)
416-712-7444

We each need to help minimize the spread of Covid this August and fall. 

Be aware of a false sense of security. We should still be very vigilant as numbers have spiked in many places when restrictions have been lifted. It may be safer to assume that each person you meet could have Covid. Take necessary precautions including avoiding groups, social distancing, wearing a mask, and hand washing.

Sail or paddle with people from your household or bubble. If you don't go with people in your bubble, Ontario Sailing recommends that you wear a buff or face mask or covering while on the water.

We are still required to maintain physical distancing of at least 2 metres with people from outside our household or ten person bubble. We must wear a mask or covering when close to people outside our household or bubble.

Our club is responsible for ensuring physical distancing can be maintained. It’s important we present well, as you reflect our club. So let's not let our safety measures slip.

Always bring a mask, have it with you at all times and expect it to be required when things prove difficult to maintain physical distancing.

The clubhouse remains locked. 

There will be a clean up day in early November.

The AGM will be done via zoom.

Knowledge about Covid prevention has developed further since this spring. Please see the following about this awful disease.

Reputable Sources for Covid Info

Province of Ontario

City of Toronto

Health Canada

World Health Organization

Related Information

Ontario Sailing Association

Outer Harbour Sailing Federation 

Water Rats COVID-19 Guidelines, May 2020

Getting out on the water with caution

We are all members and as such must bear responsibility for the well being of all. Please carefully read the following sections: 1) COVID-19 Guidelines 2) Before Coming, and 3) At the Club.

1) COVID-19 Guidelines

1. Club members with any possible signs of COVID such as cough, sniffles, fever, headache, lack of smell and/or taste must seek medical help and not visit the club
2. Club members who have been exposed to anyone with COVID or are suspicious of having COVID, must stay home 14 days
3. Club members are responsible for ensuring the safety of others and themselves
4. Club members should clean anything they touch that will be touched by others, with sanitizer or soap and water
5. Club members should not assume, however, that common surfaces are clean. On the contrary, they should assume the opposite and do frequent hand washing in an appropriate fashion for at least 20 seconds
6. Club members should avoid touching their face
7. Club members should avoid close contact with others and should be at least 2 metres/ 6 feet away from others and probably more
8. Club members should not assume that if they are wearing a mask, this will necessarily protect them from getting COVID. Wearing a mask is more protective of others by helping to prevent the transmission of virus from the person wearing the mask. It has less protection for the person wearing the mask of getting the virus from others and especially from someone not wearing a mask. Club members can wear masks but still keep their distance from others
9. On the water, sailors should be as far away from others as possible, and at least several metres. Recommendations re runners / bike riders, etc., have been to stay considerably more than 2 metres away as people exerting themselves, as may be the case in stronger winds, may spread the virus longer distances
10. Generally, the virus is spread by droplets from a person's cough, sneeze, breath and by touching something contaminated with the virus and then touching one's face
11. COVID is very contagious and is probably significantly spread unknowingly from asymptomatic individuals or from people with minimal symptoms
12. While many, if not most, club members are in good health, they should not necessarily assume that they will not get severely ill, and at any rate may unknowingly pass the virus onto a more compromised person who could get very ill and / or die
13. Members should be encouraged to keep their distance from others, not assume that what they are touching is free of virus, frequently wash their hands and not touch their face

2) Before Coming 

1. You must bring hand sanitizer with 70% alc. and/or soap & water
2. A face mask, and ziplock bag for safekeeping it on you, is recommended
3. Bring your own water, cleaning supplies, dishes, utensils, thermos, and personal chair if needed
4. No guests at this time

3) At Our Club

1. The clubhouse will be closed. Practise 6 feet / 2 metre spacing everywhere
2. Washrooms may be infection hotspots. Sanitize door handles, toilet seat cover before and after use. They will be cleaned on Fridays
3. Front Gate: You must use sanitizer on the lock and gate before and after. Mowing under your boat? Sanitize shed lock, shed handles, lawn mower handles and cord handle before and after
4. In larger boats, such as cats, a second person should only be a household member. Luckily, most of our boats are for only one person and are shore launched which is an ideal situation 
5. We are not permitted to run any organized programs or events
6. Sanitize your hands and cellphone after handling anything shared

4) COVID-19 In Toronto

The trend in new infections has not yet started to fall in Toronto by mid-May as it has elsewhere. We still need to be cautious until we are vaccinated. Please see COVID-19: Status of Cases in Toronto.

According to current evidence, the COVID-19 virus is primarily transmitted between people through respiratory droplets and contact routes. Symptoms have included: cough, fever, difficulty breathing, and pneumonia. In severe cases, infection can lead to death (650 to date in Toronto). Symptoms can be mild and may take up to 14 days to appear after exposure. 

Please visit the following resources. And please verify news sources you see online as the world collectively responds to this tragic pandemic. 

Public health information about COVID-19

• City of Toronto
• Ontario Ministry of Health
• Health Canada
• World Health Organization

5) Boating Guidelines

A) City of Toronto & Province of Ontario directive

B) Government of Canada boating directives 

• Physical distancing and safe boating for Canadians
• Guidance for Canadians using marinas and boat launches
• Safe boating for Canadians to reduce the burden on emergency responders
• Guidance posters for marine transportation
• COVID-19 measures, updates and guidance for marine transportation issued by Transport Canada

Note: The guidelines were written by member, MD Larry Chad and sections by Grounds Rat, Barbara Anderson and Web Rat, Matthew Burpee. They will be updated as the season progresses through stages of relaxing restrictions and in keeping with directives from the Province of Ontario, the City of Toronto, the Ontario Sailing Association and the Outer Harbour Sailing Federation. For information about clubs please see: Guidance on Health and Safety for Marinas during COVID-19 (PDF). 

After considerable discussion during a conference call last night attended by all members of the Club executive, it was unanimously decided that the Club will be closed effective 4 pm on Sunday, March 29.

The lock on the gate will be changed and only one or two executive members will have keys.

The decision to close is based on the COVID-19 pandemic and the declarations of emergency made by the Province of Ontario and the City of Toronto.

The delay in closing is to permit notification to all members and provide a brief period for members to remove their boats and trailers should they wish to do so before the Club is locked down. The combination for the lock on the Clubhouse door will be changed when the gate lock is changed. Please bring hand sanitizer. Or bring soap to wash your hands with lake water brought onto land. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands. Keep distance from any others.

Anyone with a catamaran on the beach is urged to move it to the catamaran parking area to the east of the Club road. High water is forecast for Lake Ontario and could occur during the period when the Club is locked down. Any catamarans left on the beach will be solely at the risk of the owner and the Club accepts no liability for any loss or damage to catamarans left on the beach.

All members are urged to make sure their boat is properly secured especially those with kayaks or canoes on the racks prior to lock down.

Spring clean-up is indefinitely postponed. 

The Club will re-open once government authorities indicate that normal activities can resume.

Norm Lamb

Chief Rat (Commodore)

Resources

Outer Harbour Sailing Federation

City of Toronto COVID-19

Ontario Ministry of Health COVID-19

Health Canada COVID-19 

World Health Organization COVID-19 

A letter from the City of Toronto for Water Rats, April 9, 2020

The international body that helps regulate water levels on Lake Ontario is forecasting a return to flood-level heights this early summer but not as high as in 2017 and 2019. 

The International Lake Ontario - Saint Lawrence River Board (ILO-SLRB)  

Club events Please join Sunday races into October. The Water Rats Club BBQ on was on September 12 and the Water Rats Cat Regatta was on September 21 - 22. Upcoming: 2019 AGM on November 3, Fall cleanup day on November 9, Holiday season party on December 7. Club news Water Rat’s own Joe van Rossem finished 2nd in his class though tied with 1st in points at the 2019 Laser Masters World Championship. Well done Joe! Very close racing as there was only 1 point between 1st, 2nd & 3rd. Congratulations to The Water Rat club founder Paul Henderson on becoming the first Sailor to be inducted into the Ontario Sport Hall of Fame. Please add your photo in the waterrats.ca directory so members can connect names and faces. Login and select members. On LinkedIn? Please press "Follow" on our new LinkedIn organization profile at https://www.linkedin.com/comp…/thewaterratsailingclub/about/ If you volunteered on the board in the past (you rock) consider updating your LinkedIn profile with the name "The Water Rat Sailing Club" and then your role. Please consider joining the Outer Harbour Chat (OHSF) on Facebook to learn about local concerns. If interested in the future of the Port Lands. You are invited to join a discussion September 11 at 5:30pm at Westwood Sailing Club. All welcome. A Hobie 18 and a Sea Kayak are for sale and more items are wanted.  Looking back, it was the wettest year on record with our road and beaches flooded. But it was a good summer as we had our 50th celebration party, good turnouts for Tuesday evening races, and members won in competitions abroad. What was your favourite moment?

Water Rat and Team Canada member Dan Borg won 3rd at World Championship Hobie 14, FF Voile in Paris last week! Congrats Dan! 

Lean more about Dan on Team Canada's page.

The first sailing club in the Portlands area of Toronto recently celebrated 50 years of providing low-cost and low-impact access for sailors and paddlers. See event announcement for background. 

The day

Event organizer Jordan Mitchell opened with how the event came together and how the club has transformed from a post-apocalyptic wasteland to a beautiful green space. Also, mentioned that during the planning of the event, some incredible stories came out of the woodwork (e.g., Water Rat costumes from the early 1970s, the Poona Pot Sail/Ski Championship and the Water Rat 10 Commandments).

Club member Jimmy Sabourin joined in for a land and water acknowledgement in Mohawk tradition, gave thanks to the land, water, winds and rains and talked about the importance of bringing your best self. 

Julie Dabrusin, MP for Toronto–Danforth, as a member of the neighbouring Windsurfing Club, she hadn't seen the Water Rat from the inside and was amazed at how beautiful the grounds were. She talked about the importance of having access to the water so close to downtown and the importance of protecting it from plastic waste.

Paul Henderson, Club founder, spoke for about 20 minutes on the development of the Water Rat and all of the clubs along the Portlands (see his Canadian Yachting article). He later cut a cake and showed the members the first membership badges for him, Gordon Norton and Bill Cox. 

Norm Lamb, our Chief Rat, thanked the 50th anniversary organizing committee and talked about the importance of member-run clubs where so many people dedicate their time for the enjoyment of others.

Paula Fletcher, City of Toronto Councillor for Toronto Danforth, talked about the tenacity of the club members for fighting to stay put on an incredible piece of water and land. She also planted a silver maple tree. 

Photos and video

YouTube, Flickr, Facebook and Instagram.

50th Slideshow

For 50 years The Water Rat Sailing Club has championed dinghy sailing in Toronto's Outer Harbour. 200 members and their families participate in dinghies, catamarans, canoes and kayaks. The volunteer-run non-profit co-op was founded in 1969 and has one of the largest Laser fleets in Canada.

Discussion online

Randy McMeekin: "Ray Davies is the 2019 European Masters Champion! You have done Water Rats, District 3 and all of Canada very proud! Al Clark from British Columbia won the Grand Master division as well. Two Canadians at the top of the podium and this international event.Well done Ray! Beers on us when you get home."

Johan van Rossem: "Congratulations Ray Davies! This is a big deal, to win the master division in Europa is a big deal and he is not just any old Rat. He is a Water Rat. Well done Ray."

Ray Davies: "Thanks everyone for the warm wishes. Overall, I had a great time and was very pleased with my results. Only had one bad race over the 9 race series. The venue hosted the World Masters previously and I can see why - consistent sea breeze, sunny and warm water. We didn’t race in anything less than 5 knots and the final race was probably gusting to 25 knots offshore. Excellent race management and was fun to race the trapezoids reaching in the gusty winds. Very proud to rep Water Rats and Canada at this event.