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Delta Sailing Association, sailing for Memphis and the Mid-South.

Delta Sailing Association

Thistle Sailboats Fleet 72
Thistle Fleet #72  Hobie Fleet #134 Lightning Fleet #274

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Welcome to DSA, established 1949.

Delta Sailing Association was established in 1949 to foster sailboat racing, and sailing in general. The DSA grounds are located at Hernando Point on beautiful Arkabutla lake in Desoto county Mississippi. The sailing season runs from March through October depending on water level. Two club races are scheduled every Saturday and Sunday during the season. DSA is home to three active racing fleets: Memphis Lightning fleet #274, Thistle fleet #72 and Hobie Fleet #134. There are many other types of sailboats as well.

Please enjoy your visit and consider joining our sailing club. This site is full of information about sailing Lightnings, Thistles, and Hobie Cats, as well as other sailboats. Members are able to access additional private areas of the site to aid communication among our fleets.

Click on the Membership Form link to find the latest membership form and dues information.

Thanks,

Crit Currie Jr.
Commodore
Delta Sailing Association


CORPS AND DSA LOOK FORWARD TO BETTER SAILING IN 2008
 

The beach in front of the DSA lot at Hernando Point on Arkabutla Lake is undergoing extensive remediation by the Corps of Engineers.

The uneven sand and mud humps are being smoothed out and the heavy vegetation that has crept onto the beach in the last few years of low water is being removed. A small crew of DSA volunteers removed the Association’s docks on December 1 for the season.

DSA representatives met with local Corps officials to discuss the problems that weeds and sand ridges had created for recreational sailors. The Corps was very agreeable to undertaking work to make the beach on the west side of the ramp as user friendly as the beach on the east side of the ramp, and work was begun in mid-December 2007.

Additionally, the Corps shared some long range plans that envision a greater recreational role for Hernando Point and a possible doubling of the launch ramp width. No timeline can be given at this point. In meeting with the Corps officials, one of the goals of DSA’s elected officers was to stress the importance of a good sailing season in 2008, water permitting.

The water level is out of the hands of both the local Corps and the DSA, but the Corps was as eager as the sailors to see the physical facilities, including the beach, in as good a shape as possible for the 2008 sailing season.

Corps of Engineers working on the Delta Sailing Association Beach



DSA News
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WATER !
 
DSA News Rain plus dam maintenance equals rising waters.Sunday morning the water level passed  the 217 mark. We hope to have docks launched by saturday 07-21-07.  The Commodore

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Rain Required (Hernando Desoto Regatta Cancelled)
 

RAIN REQUIRED, that is the current state of sailing at Hernando point.

2007 is first year that the regatta known as Hernado Desoto was canceled out of 52 previous events due to lack of water. We plan o­n having water o­n hand for the Cotton Pickin Regatta this September. The Docks will be launch as soon as we have a water level of at lest 216.Hope to see everyone at the lake soon

The Commodore



DSA News
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Low Water at Arkabutla Lake Continues
 
DSA News

WANTED: RAIN! April 16, 2007 -- What Arkabutla Lake needs now is rain – lots of it.

As of mid-April 2007 Arkabutla Lake’s water level was at least five feet below what is needed to launch a boat at Hernando Point. Also as of mid-April the whole Mid-South was about five inches short of the rainfall normal for this time of year and that is on top of a shortage in 2006. The Corps of Engineers normally does not close the gates at Arkabutla Lake Dam to accumulate a recreational pool until May 1, and there is no indication they will do any different this year. Manipulating the gates prior to then will depend on rainfall amounts and the Corp’s mandate to control flooding in the Yazoo Valley.

Whether there will be enough water for sailing events planned by DSA for mid-May is fully dependent on how much rain we get. Sailing is a connection of faith with nature anyway, so based on that, we’ll look forward to getting on the Lake sometime this year. Meanwhile, some DSA members are trailering their boats to venues in the area that have water.

very low water at Arkabutla Lake 2007



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Thistle Invitational Regatta
 
Thistle “83 Handicap Regatta”
Delta Sailing Association
Hernando Point, Mississippi
May 12, 2007

NOTICE OF RACE

Rules: This regatta will be governed by the rules as defined in the Racing Rules of Sailing. Collegiate starts (3 minute)

The regatta is open to all dinghy classes.

DSA News
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Delta Timeline
 
DSA News Delta Sailing Club founded 1947-1967 -- Penguin Fleet 1947 not active -- Snipe Fleet 407 1955 not active -- Lightning Fleet 274 1956 -- Thistle Fleet 72 1956 -- Cougar Fleet (date unknown) not active -- MC Scow Fleet (date unknown) not active -- Hobie Fleet 134 (date?) -- Arkabutla Sailing Association 1962-1967 -- Arkabutla Sailing Association and Delta Sailing Club merge forming Delta Sailing Association 1967

Comments, criticisms, additions welcome

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Thistle Fleet 72 Charter
 
In 1955 Gordon "Sandy" Douglass, designer of the "Thistle", delivered #876 to John Martin. Martin named the boat "Loch a Lee". Within a year Francis Cole, M. D. and Clarence Fisher had purchased 883 ("Blue Bell") and 988 ("Mister Boo") respectively. They applied to the Thistle Class and the charter for Fleet 72 was issued. Fifty o­ne years and 3000 hull numbers later the fleet is still alive and kicking as o­ne of the oldest, if not the oldest, o­ne design fleets in Memphis. Lightnings arrived about the same time.

Thistle Fleet
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News: Docks Removed for the Winter
 
DSA News

Low water at Arkabutla LakeMoving the Docks at DSADSA's docks were disassembled and moved up onto the lot on December 9 and should be safe from winter storms and water fluctuations until sailing season starts next spring.  Thanks to all the stalwart members who showed up in the sub-freezing temps.

By the time next season starts, Delta Sailing Association hopes to have a new standing seam steel roof and new skylights installed on the head.  In early 2006 we had the same kind of rugged roof put on the pavilion.



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Fall Leaves and Business Meeting
 

fall leaves at delta sailing associationThe sailing season has ended at the DSA lot at Hernando Point on Arkabutla Lake with the water at a low pool with lots of beach. The off-season has its own attractions on bright fall and winter weekend afternoons. Delta Sailing Association's annual business meeting will be held Wednesday, November 15, 2006 at 7:00 PM in Room C of the Memphis Central Library on Poplar Ave. All members are welcome as we plan for 2007.



Note: Nice picture, Lynn!
Hobie Fleet
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Delta Sailing Pavilion Roof Complete
 
DSA News New Roof For Delta Sailing Association DSA has recently completed a new capital project by putting a new roof on our pavilion at Arkabutla Lake. The project required removal of about 20% of the old rotted roof decking, installing newly milled boards to match the original lumber, covering everything with a heavy rubber underlayer, and finally, installing a new standing seam steel roof in "park ranger" green. Fresh fascia and fresh paint finished the project done by local Mississippi contractor, Scott Gray. The roof should give us years of service and withstand the heavy breezes that can blow off the Lake in the winter months.

Note: Thanks to all involved for a new roof over our heads!
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DSA Pictures

Album: 2005 Broken Mast

Catamaran News
Olympic Sailing Venue Opening Ceremony

Coen de Koning and Jeroen van Leeuwen win 2008 Nacra Championships

2008 Nacra Championships Expect 45 On Starting Line

Dutch Olympic Tornado Has Secret Weapon

Deep South Regatta Cancelled

2008 Hobie Tiger and Dragoon Worlds

Spring Fever Regatta Back On!

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· Announcement (May 01, 2006)
· News (Dec 15, 2006)
· Racing (Jul 03, 2006)

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