TheTiller. Monterey Peninsula Yacht Club. July 2017 Year 65, Issue 7

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Debra McDowell
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1 TheTiller Monterey Peninsula Yacht Club July 2017 Year 65, Issue 7

Commodore s Log As I write my log this month, I have to confess how amazed I am to see where we have come with the ADA remodel If you recall, in January we were busy securing a loan for the project.

I am sure you will be as impressed as I am Commodore Betsy Jeffers I have said this before, but I would like to send another immense thank you to folks that made such generous donations to the

2 Commodore s Log As I write my log this month, I have to confess how amazed I am to see where we have come with the ADA remodel If you recall, in January we were busy securing a loan for the project. Now, in July, we are in full construction mode. If you have not had an opportunity to come down to see the progress, please do. I am sure you will be as impressed as I am Commodore Betsy Jeffers I have said this before, but I would like to send another immense thank you to folks that made such generous donations to the building fund to help all this be possible, and something we should be proud of for years to come. I send my compliments to our contractor, Layout Construction, and his team for keeping the job site as clean and orderly as possible, as they move through the building process. They are particularly careful when the sailing program is in session which slows them down but we certainly appreciate their cautiousness. With all construction projects, there are times when things need to be done to accomplish the work, so I would be remiss in not mentioning there will be a time when the bathrooms will be unavailable. Rest assured we have planned on making this as pleasant as possible for the short duration. Remember to read the eblast updates from Dave Blaskovich as we head further into the project during the summer. He is doing an awesome job in keeping us up-to-date on our progress. This past month we had a successful Commodore s Regatta with one exception, the wind This may possibly be the first, non-race race day due to the time limitations. That nasty wind just made it impossible to finish on Saturday. Bustin Loose was so close; sorry guys Aboard Gary Owen s Scandalous we made the best of the non-resident wind being entertained by quite possibly the best whale watching experience I have had. What is the saying if life hands you lemons, make lemonade, or something like that. Several of the cruising fleet made the trip over to Stillwater Cove for the weekend. The anchorage was remarkably calm making for a pleasant stay with mostly sunny skies. As always, this event is one of my favorites; racing and cruising in one We have a lot of events coming up this summer. Remember to read the weekly eblast s or check the online calendar to ensure you don t miss out The sunshine has been glorious lately and the deck is a great place to soak it all in. You may even be lucky enough to catch Jack Davies playing keyboard on the deck Cap n Jack on the Keys Jack Davies will bring his music again to MPYC for happy hour on the deck on Friday, 7/28. Come on down and join the fun Photo by Martisa Light. About the Cover Photo Randy Hamilton and Jackie Petro s Westsail Symbiosis anchored at Stillwater Cove for the Commodore s Regatta. Photo by Tom Albright. Page 2

Uncorked After The Solstice by Jerry Stratton Our summer solstice and sailstice of June 21 has come and gone, after providing fickle winds and frustrations It was good to see all sailors and land

3 Uncorked After The Solstice by Jerry Stratton Our summer solstice and sailstice of June 21 has come and gone, after providing fickle winds and frustrations It was good to see all sailors and land supporters make it back to the Club to sip off the frustration We keep getting great compliments on our wines and everyone seemed to enjoy the evening. I ve been asked about our next winemaker s dinner and unfortunately, until we get a clearer picture of the progress with the remodel, we are not in a position to schedule an event. I will tell all that Keenan Vineyards has expressed strong interest and their wines are fantastic Debbie and I selected one of their Reds for our wine list at the last tasting we attended. We continue to offer close out wines at significant discounts, so enjoy And please remember to abide by the pouring portions when serving yourself. We have a glass filled with sand behind the bar to assist you if needed. Save the Dates Saturday, September 23 Lip Sync and Karaoke Night Get Your Act Together Saturday, October 28 Halloween Party with music by Retrospect band Sunday, December 31 New Years Eve Party with music by Retrospect band Upcoming Events Thursday, July 20 Board Meeting Friday, July 28 5:30PM - Jack Davies provides Happy Hour Music on the Deck Monday, August 7 6PM - Book Club Potluck at MPYC This month s book: The Little Paris Bookshop by Nina George Tuesday, August 8 6PM - Cruisers Potluck Thursday, August 10 6PM - Entertainment Committee Meeting Regular Schedule Dinner is served every Wednesday and Friday evening at 6:00, bar open 5:30. Lunch is served every Thursday from 11:30AM until 1:30PM. The MPYC Board of Directors meets every third Thursday of the month at 7:00PM. Remember to check the online calendar for updates. House Rules Members of reciprocal yacht clubs are always welcome; please remember to register in the Club guestbook before using Club facilities. Other guests are encouraged, but must be welcomed to the club by a current member. Membership is easy, and applicants need not be boat owners. For further information on membership and house rules, call (831) or visit us on the Web at Page 3

Race by David Brock, Race Chair I know there are so many excellent articles to read in this edition of the Tiller, so I will keep my report short and sweet.

this season, unless you re a Dodger fan, but sailing Oh, and did I mention the flowers blooming? Just beautiful. Drop dead beautiful.

4 Race by David Brock, Race Chair I know there are so many excellent articles to read in this edition of the Tiller, so I will keep my report short and sweet. Following the Club s Birthday Party, the month of June was filled with beautiful sunsets and breathtaking views of our natural sea life, while we all enjoyed our favorite pastime: no, not baseball this season, unless you re a Dodger fan, but sailing Oh, and did I mention the flowers blooming? Just beautiful. Drop dead beautiful. One notable top boat that seems to keep coming to the surface and dominating the racing scene is none other than Ardea, captained by Augie Louis, aka Crash Helmet. After winning a few of the Sunset Series races this month, they catapulted ahead of the competition during the Commodore s Regatta, with a commanding lead, and clinched the title of Champion. Congratulations Caution: Please read this next section at your own discretion (my wife will kill me if I print this, but she s my wife so I have to brag). The Ladies Day Race was sailed this year, and Becky Brock, skipper of the S/V Barbara, won the race This was sailed with an all-girl crew, although rumor has it that a man was on board wearing a wig. (This drama gives me flashbacks of the movie, Austin Powers, where he removes a wig from a would-be assassin. Yikes). Finally, I have to report on the Año Nuevo Race, which was actually held on the first of July, but I just can t contain my excitement and wait until next month to share with you the news. First of all, Santa Cruz Yacht Club provided us with some of the most amazing support, and I hope we can return the favor to them if they ever need our help. Entertainment Committee provided all the sailors with delicious chili and cornbread (Kit, please double your recipe for the jalapeño cornbread for next year). Four boats competed. Two from Monterey, and two from Santa Cruz. After over eight hours of sailing in blustery conditions, Locamotion from MPYC and Hijinx from SCYC ended the race in a hold onto your hats perfect tie. Somebody needs to call Guinness Book of World Records to see if we have something here. It s something special and I feel like it opens the door to pondering some of the philosophical meanings of Life. Is it like a double rainbow? Does it mean that we are connected to Santa Cruz through some kind of spiritual vortex? Perhaps we ll never be able to decipher the true meaning of this. And perhaps we mortal humans should never try to understand this mystery of coincidence. I don t know. But what I do know, is that this race was meant to be raced and I m so happy that we were a part of it. Cheers to all Hijinx from SCYC in the Año Nuevo Race with Locamotion from MPYC in the background. Page 4

5 Cruising to Stillwater for Commodore s Regatta Photos by Martisa Light Epic Spring Skiing Above: Juli Alexander at Alpine Meadows famous Ice Bar making the most of a great ski season in the Sierra. Right: Alex Wilbanks soaks up some sun after a morning of epic Spring Skiing at Alpine Meadows. Amazing winter is creating difficult choices between skiing and sailing. Page 5

Clubhouse Expansion by David Blaskovich, Chair Construction Oversight Committee Photos by Patrick Tregenza We're making good progress on the exterior of the clubhouse, replacing the roof and framing

Since we're located over open water, the building can not be safely tented and a gas fumigant used, so we have contracted for a two-phased treatment: the first treatment while the old roof is exposed

6 Clubhouse Expansion by David Blaskovich, Chair Construction Oversight Committee Photos by Patrick Tregenza We're making good progress on the exterior of the clubhouse, replacing the roof and framing the areas of expansion behind the bathrooms and galley. No surprise, but termites have been found to have permeated the entire clubhouse. Since we're located over open water, the building can not be safely tented and a gas fumigant used, so we have contracted for a two-phased treatment: the first treatment while the old roof is exposed and location of termite nests is easier and then a second treatment will be performed once all construction is complete. I expect by the time of publication of this article, installation of the sewage ejection system will be under way, which means we will be close to the point at which gutting of the old bathrooms can begin. At that time, we will have portable toilet facilities installed near the main entrance to the Club, so there will be a little inconvenience for a few weeks while work on the bathrooms is completed. If the new bathrooms can be finished in August, then September will be all the finish work, and we should be near completion. In the mean time, enjoy the transformation and look forward to the finished product. Page 6 Membership Drive Members Being Wined And Dined More Than Ever While Club is Under Construction by Ryan Flagg, Corresponding Secretary We're undergoing more than cosmetic procedures so our facelift may not look so attractive yet; however, our parts are rejuvenating. While our guardrail may be down, our current and new members can be enticed by the following opportunity, besides looking forward to our improvements underway. We re having a membership drive that will last during construction. Being Sponsor #1, you will be treated to dinner for each new member joining the club. New members will receive two free dinners with a bottle of house wine. They can opt to pay half of their initiation at the time of application and pay the balance over a year. All proceeds will benefit our construction renovation, maintaining the caliber of our club, benefiting us all So for potential members perhaps turned off at the sight of construction, please share this opportunity.

Your Dollars Hard at Work by Scott Brubaker In last month s Tiller, David Blaskovich detailed the exciting activity taking place at the club and all the hard work to date by the Construction

If you ve been down to the club lately you ve seen the progress first hand Many thanks go out to all the committees involved in bringing this to fruition as well as past and present board members and

7 Your Dollars Hard at Work by Scott Brubaker In last month s Tiller, David Blaskovich detailed the exciting activity taking place at the club and all the hard work to date by the Construction Oversight Committee. If you ve been down to the club lately you ve seen the progress first hand Many thanks go out to all the committees involved in bringing this to fruition as well as past and present board members and commodores. And now comes the time to recognize those club members who stepped forward to fund the project This could not have happened without the support of our members. We currently stand at a total of roughly $80,000 in donations ($54,000 collected and $26,000 pledged). THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT If you would like your name on this list there is still time Or if you do see your name but prefer the pure and kind-tothe-skin qualities of Platinum, don t fret, we are still accepting donations. There are many reasons to donate and many ways to do so including monthly or quarterly installments. If you have any questions, please contact Betsy Jeffers, Art Sutton or Scott Brubaker. Thanks once again and see you at the club Page 7

PHRF Long Distance Race Photos by Ruby Gee

of MPYC construction includes giving our restrooms a

our temporary loss of the Loo by sponsoring a

decorated by a different committee of MPYC.

8 PHRF Long Distance Race Photos by Ruby Gee Porta-Potty Pageant by Martisa Light The next phase of MPYC construction includes giving our restrooms a much needed overhaul. The down side of this is. Porta-Potties. The Entertainment Committee has decided to embrace our temporary loss of the Loo by sponsoring a pageant Each week, our port side privies will be decorated by a different committee of MPYC. Votes will be cast and winners will be awarded for their best commode creations. Lets herald in the new heads in style Page 8

9 Ocean - Great Lakes Challenge by Eric Anderson A mixed crew of Shields sailors from Yankee and Tiburon represented Monterey at this year s Ocean Great Lakes Challenge at Larchmont Yacht Club on June Michael Polkabla, Michelle Balaam, Jon Dean and Eric Anderson were joined by Randy Shore from Newport, RI and sailed as #191 Tiburon. First held in 1915 at the Chicago Yacht Club, the Ocean-Great Lakes Challenge Cup has been contested by several different classes during its long history. Since its revival in 2014, the trophy has been the exclusive domain of the Shields Class. With eight crews from six different fleets, and featuring four Shields past-national champions, this year s event was the most competitive in the 100+ year history. Friday was spent tuning and re-designing our assigned loaner boat and getting familiar with the local sailing conditions. The practice races validated our tuning philosophy and we were consistently able to generate good boat speed. They also underscored the importance of understanding the tide tables of Western Long Island Sound and how the different breeze directions impacted the race course. Friday evening, we enjoyed a superb casual dinner at the LYC Pandemonium, a covered cabana adjacent to the main club which overlooked the club s sprawling lawn, boat launches and the inner harbor. It was also a nice opportunity to renew acquaintances with sailors from around the class and to meet the members and host families from the local fleet. Saturday featured four races. The typical Larchmont light breezes were absent on this first day of competition. Rather than the usual 6-7 kts, we were treated to northwest winds which built throughout the morning and finally settled in around with gusts to 25 kts. These winds also had persistent 30-degree wind shifts. Following Race 2, where several competitors narrowly avoided broaching on the runs, the RC displayed the K Flag, which meant that spinnakers would not be allowed for the remaining races of the day. After the conclusion of Day 1, we found ourselves in 3 rd place, with a thin margin over the 4 th place crew. The outcomes of Sunday s two races were more to our liking. In both races we won the pin, stayed fast and found a nice 10-degree lift about half way up. We won Races 5 and 6 easily by equal margins in each. Unfortunately, this was not enough to overtake Fleet 9 s entry of John Burnham and Reed Baer, who had amassed a fairly significant lead heading into the final day of competition. Page 9

Ocean - Great Lakes Challenge continued The trophy presentations that followed capped an extremely well-planned, well-participated and very competitive regatta.

The loaned boats were all in good condition, the club facilities were outstanding and the race course was square and appropriate for each day s conditions.

We were treated to handmade Old Fashioneds by our hosts, Will and Lydia Ingraham, and we then walked next door where our entire crew enjoyed a Single Malt Scotch private tasting at the home of Peter

Following the weekend s activities, our crew decided to spend a little time in Midtown Manhattan.

10 Ocean - Great Lakes Challenge continued The trophy presentations that followed capped an extremely well-planned, well-participated and very competitive regatta. Co-chairmen Peter McWhinnie and John Mawe attended to every last detail in putting together a top-notch event. The loaned boats were all in good condition, the club facilities were outstanding and the race course was square and appropriate for each day s conditions. As is the custom with all away regattas within the Shields Class, our host families were lots of fun and very accommodating. We were treated to handmade Old Fashioneds by our hosts, Will and Lydia Ingraham, and we then walked next door where our entire crew enjoyed a Single Malt Scotch private tasting at the home of Peter and Paula McWhinnie. The Monterey crew also made sure to try out the newly-renovated LYC saltwater swimming pool. Following the weekend s activities, our crew decided to spend a little time in Midtown Manhattan. We had a nice time seeing the sights of New York and enjoying the luxury and history of the New York Yacht Club s 44 th Street facility during our overnight stay. The Model Room was exquisite and our dinner was off the charts. Dessert was a delicacy called a Dark and Stormy Float, which included rum, ginger beer, rum raisin pudding and ice cream. In the four years of Shields competition for the historic Ocean Great Lakes Challenge Cup, the Monterey crews have fared quite capably. Cluster at Weather Mark Race #1, Photo Credit LYC Crew of 191 with LYC in Background st Place nd Place nd Place nd Place Big Breeze in Race #2, Photo Credit LYC Page 10 Model Room ay NYYC

11 4th of July Dock Parties Photos by Martisa Light Page 11

MONTEREY PENINSULA YACHT CLUB Municipal Wharf #2 Monterey, CA 93940 (831) 372-9686 Return Service Requested PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID MONTEREY, CA PERMIT NO.

12 MONTEREY PENINSULA YACHT CLUB Municipal Wharf #2 Monterey, CA (831) Return Service Requested PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID MONTEREY, CA PERMIT NO. 69 MPYC 2017 Officers and Directors Commodore: Betsy Jeffers Vice Commodore: Dino Pick Rear Commodore: Sharron Frey Staff Commodore: David Duncan Recording Secretary: Mary Conway Corresponding Secretary: Ryan Flagg Treasurer: Art Sutton Directors: Chris Gatward Kate Conway John Feeley Jeff Kise The Tiller Editor: Linda McLennan Layout: Linda McLennan Distribution: Kit Ruck Printing: Copy King Contributors: Betsy Jeffers David Brock Sharron Frey Martisa Light Di Cailliet Sarah Duncan Jerry Stratton David Blaskovich Becky Brock Tom Albright Juli Alexander Patrick Tregenza Ryan Flagg Scott Brubaker Ruby Gee Eric Anderson Editor s Note: Please send articles, photos, want ads, letters to the editor, notes and ideas, anytime to: tiller@mpyc.org. All articles subject to editing.

TheTiller. Monterey Peninsula Yacht Club. December 2016 Year 64, Issue 12

TheTiller. Monterey Peninsula Yacht Club. December 2016 Year 64, Issue 12 TheTiller Monterey Peninsula Yacht Club December 2016 Year 64, Issue 12 Commodore s Log This is it, friends My year as Commodore is nearing its end, and it s a bit unbelievable that an entire year has