Mayor's pension proposal heads to the Board of Supervisors

Mayor Ed Lee's proposed November ballot measure to rein in the city's skyrocketing pension and health care costs was heard in the Board of Supervisors' rules committee this morning and forwarded to the full board. The measure will likely come up for a vote July 12 or 19.

The measure already has enough backers on the board to make it to the ballot, but that doesn't mean it's in for smooth sailing once it gets there. Lee may call his proposal "the consensus measure" but there are plenty of people who aren't on board.

Service Employees International Union Local 1021, which represents more than half the city's 26,000 employees, has refused to sign on to the plan. And a group of angry retirees, who say they've been left out of the entire process, has vowed to fight the measure in a high-profile way.

They strongly object to Lee's plan to remake the Health Service Board , which chooses medical and dental benefits for employees and retirees. Currently, four of the board's seven members are employees or retirees and the rest represent the city. Lee wants to even that out to three and three and have the seventh person appointed by the controller.

"We weren't allowed to speak out, negotiate or do anything to get into this process," said Kay Walker, who worked as a social worker for the city for 21 years and is involved in SEIU's retirees chapter. "It's like we've been ignored.

Dave Riley Bookmarks: Simple Sail Rig from Bill Mantis design

Impressed with his book except for one small problem – his plans call for putting holes in the bow deck and gunnels to attach the rig. No way was I going to alter my 1920 Old Town OTCA that way! The following is a tale of my attempts to use this design w/out drilling holes in “my baby”. Note, “The $50, 5 Hour Canoe Sail Rig” will explain the sail and mast much better than I can as well as a history of similar rigs and sailing technique.

This view shows to connection at the top of the mast, with pulley for the halyard.

My sail is smaller than Mantis’s, on an 8’ yard rather than 11’. This makes the yard fit inside my car AND when the sail is dropped, the yard ends next to me, by the rear thwart. This allows me to paddle solo on either side without dismantling the rig. I can go from paddling to sailing in seconds by : I pass it through these loops when the sail is down to keep everything neat.

I kneel on padding and rest my “bum” on the rear thwart, padded with pipe insulation. I have a folding canoe seat, but have not tried it yet.

I steer with my paddle as described in Mantis’s book.

The sheet is passed through a pulley {tied through openings in the gunnel at the stern deck} and to a “V-Cleat” attached where a toggle had been for holding down a “floor” that I no longer used. I had previously wrapped the sheet around the toggle that was here. I have not tested this “V-Cleat” yet -- it may not be held down very well by the one screw. I may use a larger screw but cringe at the thought of putting any new holes in “my baby”.

I may attach the V-cleat to the gunnel with a bolt where there is diamond bolt, for a removable carrying yolk. This may require a screw, w/ plastic wall anchor, through the other hole in the cleat – this would fit the gap between the rips.

The current rig, shown w/out leeboards. My rig may not be pretty, or very fancy, but it is a simple way to take advantage of the wind, and save on some paddling! I should note that I made the rig to be lazy, not for “speed” as with Bill Mantis. I may try a 10’ yard, maybe a wooden flagpole, allowing the yard to be taken down into two parts. I still have the other half of the tarp for a second sail.

Sailing the rig is fun, and without a boom, the worst I get when the wind changes is a face full of sail! I usually only need one lee board in the water, but using both aids sailing “Close-hauled”.

The Complete Book of Laser Sailing

Sailing, the basics

Sailing For Dummies

The New Book of Sail Trim

Singlehanded Sailing, The Experiences and Techniques of the Lone Voyagers