The Chowder Chatter Monthly Newsletter of the Caloosahatchee Marching and Chowder Society Next Full Moon: January 14 January 2006 LOOKING FORWARD TO THE L.A.M. CLUB The past year as Commodore was both exciting and fun. The move from Salty Sam s Marina in Ft. Myers Beach to the Cape Coral Power Squadron was monumental in terms of planning and organization. The positive result of the move is evident in the smiles on the faces of our members when they are in our beautiful new clubhouse. We also came out of the closet with the design and printing of our beautiful, six-part CMCS brochure. With more than half of the 5,000 copies in circulation, the awareness of the great CMCS Sailing Club has brought many admiring friends and new members. Our membership has increased to 265 sailors. This year, we instituted a Skipper/Crew Race Training Program. This program is held in conjunction with our regular Thursday-before-the-race Skipper/Crew Meetings. The program, coached by our trained sail racing professionals, educates new racers and crew members, along with our regular race members, in specific racing rules, strategies and tactics. The secret to the success of CMCS, as the finest sailing club in Southwest Florida, is the participation of our members. We have guys and gals helping out everywhere. This help includes racing, cruising and socials. The 2006 Flag Officers, Board of Directors and the Committee Chairpersons will be looking for you to volunteer this coming year. If you have been in this club for one year and not having a great time, then you are not participating in any of the programs available. We are a GREAT club. Do not let us sail away from you. Join in the fun and meet sailors you will remember forever. The best, Russell COMMODORE Russell Vance 574-4704 The very first CMCS Change of Watch dinner. Can you pick out Betty, Betty, Ginny, Carol, Madeleine & Dina?
Vice Commodore Elise Missall 489-0422 ANNUAL CHANGE OF WATCH DINNER DANCE ON FRIDAY, JANUARY 13, 2006 REMINDER.GET YOUR RESERVATION AND $$$$ IN NOW!!!! It s almost here... The Annual CMCS Change of Watch Dinner Dance. Mark your calendar for Friday, January 13, 2006, at the Landings Clubhouse. The Landings is located on McGregor Blvd., just south of the Cape Coral Bridge in Fort Myers. When you arrive at the gate, just give your name and the guard will direct you to go straight ahead, turn left, then turn right just after the tennis courts. The Clubhouse will be on the right. Festivities and cocktail hour with cash bar begins at 1800 hours, buffet dinner at 1900 hours. Awards and The Change will take place during dessert. Music by Mr. Deke throughout the evening for your dancing and listening pleasure. The price is $32.00 per person. (Cash Bar) Please complete the coupon below and mail it in as soon as possible. We have a strict deadline for reservations - Tuesday, January 10, 2006 - with NO exceptions - SO DON T MISS OUT! CMCS Annual Change of Watch Dinner Dance Friday, January 13, 2006 The Landings Clubhouse (located just south of the Cape Coral Bridge in Ft. Myers) Names of persons attending: Total amount enclosed ($32.00 per person): Make checks payable to CMCS and mail to: Elise Missall 13163 Tall Pine Circle Fort Myers, FL 33907 The deadline for reservations is Tuesday, January 10, 2006 with NO exceptions as we are required to give a complete list of attendees to The Landings for gate admittance 2
Liberty Ashore Monica Smith 699-9678 KUDO S!!!! A wonderful time was had by all at the Christmas Party held on Tuesday, December 13 at the Cape Coral Power Squadron. Members filled the dinghy full of presents for all the good little girls and boys of Cape Coral and bags of food for the needy families throughout the community. Thank you for a wonderful turnout and participation in decorating the tables with centerpieces and the singing of the Twelve Days of Christmas. So many different ideas and creativity were displayed. Our own and new Fleet Yeoman Dee Vaigl was the winner.! We also had several winners that went home with great gifts from the raffle. I have to say this was one of the best events of the year that was full of cheer and giving. If you were not there, you missed out on Santa and the Christmas Ornaments that were made by several Elves in the Club. Thank you CMCS members for all the support and volunteer hours you have so graciously donated for me in 2005 as your Liberty Ashore Flag Officer. I will continue to be your Liberty Ashore Officer in 2006. If there is anyone interested in this position for 2007, you can start now by working with me as a part-time assistant!! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR A WONDERFUL YEAR. MAY SUNSHINE AND FAIR WINDS FILL YOUR NEW YEAR. FLEET RECRUITER Please welcome the following new members: Jim and Beverly David 3278A Sunset Key Circle Punta Gorda, FL 33955 (941) 639-5470 bevdavidmz@earthlink.net Change of Address effective 2/1/06 Will & Susan Burton 16169 Coco Hammock Way Ft. Myers, FL 33908 Ladies Bridge Club Mary Lou Mullins 541-2479 Twenty-five ladies attended the Ladies Bridge Club Christmas Party and Annual Yankee Swap/Chinese Auction at Mary Lou s house. Food and beverages were plentiful we could have served twice as many people. Again the rules for our Swap/Auction were Carpe Giftum it s not the gift it s keeping it that counts! Ladies Bridge Club will NOT be meeting in January because: 1. On New Year s Cruise 2. Change of Watch Dinner Dance 3. Dieting 4. Bad hair day CMCS MEMBERS IN THE NEWS CMCS Members John & Aline Hyatt have entered an international sailing regatta taking place in Key Largo, FL sailing their 24 Melges GONE MAD. Their crew of three consisted of another CMCS Member Dave Naumann, Cape Coral as well as Coleen Timmer, Naples and Arthur Anosov, Ruskin. They will be competing with world champion racers as well as America s Cup winners in the 102 boat fleet. Approximately 20 boats will be sailed by amateurs, the rest are professionals. This regatta consists of two races a day for six days. Each race takes about 90 minutes, depending on conditions. Every boat races every race. No heats. No staggered starts. No divided class. FOR SALE Six (6) different styles of female wetsuits available. Sizes 6-8. Call Gloria Bogan at 549-8012, if interested in one or all. CMCS Website: www.cmcs-sail.org check it out 3
Diane Fowler Rear Commodore of Racing 540-0016 The Commodore's Cup Race on Saturday, December 10 was started with a foggy background and light winds. Fifteen boats came out to celebrate Russell Vance's "last hurrah". Dale & Ginny Jepsen came out in their own boat to be our PRO. New volunteers, Curtis & Rebecca Tarvin (Island Time, the sailboat), was our mark boat. Thanks! We NEED you! After two starting sequences, the wind died to about 1.5 knots! After Judy (Tom Gore) finished, the rules called for the race to end within 2 hours of his finish time. Unfortunately, only Midnite Rider (Forrest Banks) finished within the time limit. We had plenty of laughs and Italian music playing (Russell's choice for theme dinner). Overall, it was a fun and challenging year of being your Rear Commodore of Racing. I am constantly learning, too. We got the new Acrylic Wine Glass Trophy Awards, (also used as "thank you" gifts to Race Committee) We had a total of 66 different boats join us for fun (including Summerset). We averaged about 12 boats per race! The early skipper's meeting at 6:30 p.m. proved to be a HUGE success. Lots of learning, good questions and good presentations by our more experienced racers. Our Ladies Day may go down in history. The Galley Drag Queen was a HOOT. The 8 minute tapes sold quickly, as folks were anxious to remember Dwight Wilson and Pete Welles in "drag". The mermaid on Coyote (Marla Parker) was FAB! He won the "most likely to pass for a girl" contest. My goal was to get some new folks on the water and that was accomplished. We had after-race parties at The Dek, Bonita Bill's, my house, and the CMCS clubhouse. THANKS for your participation. If you have ANY desire to race, crew, or be a committee boat (you guys get to spend a day on the water to sun and fish)-- please call Tom Gore ASAP. He is our new Rear Commodore of Racing. Already, Tom has "hit the phones" and has a FUN year planned for us in 2006. Also, we are reviving the CMCS Class. This is GREAT for newer racers who will WIN once in awhile. Not the same old guy all the time. This system's rating is more like a golf handicap system. NO PHRF rating certificate needed!! It's YOUR Club... Come on out & participate! See you on the water. HYDE A WAY ADVENTURE by Skip Hyde & Carol Palumbo The Thanksgiving cruise for the Hyde A Way had both ups and downs. We set out on the new boat as happy as could be and had a wonderful time Wednesday through Saturday. Sunday morning, while heading back to Fort Myers, the mast fell down! A cotter pin came out of a clevis pin on the head stay shackle. Fortunately, the mast fell over the side of the boat. Neither of us was injured nor did the boat receive serious damage. Skip dropped the anchor so he could secure the mast to the boat for the run back to Calusa Island Marina. We were unable to pick the anchor up so we had to leave it behind. Since it was Sunday, the marina staff was unavailable to help us out. We where very fortunate that CMCS Club Members where still at the marina and being the wonderful people they are, they came to help us get the boat secured to a dock. Skip joins me in thanking them for their help and support. CMCS is comprised of a great group of people living in Southwest Florida. We hope to have the boat up and ready for the Christmas trip. This was the first mast to fall down for Skip. I* hope it will be the last. Editor s Note: *We ALL hope it will be the last! (See the Thanksgiving Cruise Report on Page 6.) Man is a fragile vessel in lifes uncertain voyage William Shakespeare (The Tempest, 1610) 4
The following Officers of the Fleet for 2006 were officially elected at the December Membership Meeting. Please give all of them your congratulations and support. We are looking forward to a fantastic year for CMCS in 2006. CMCS 2006 OFFICERS OF THE FLEET Commodore Vice Commodore Rear Commodore, Racing Rear Commodore, Cruising Fleet Purser Fleet Yeoman Diane Fowler Forrest Banks Tom Gore Ron Maddix Jo Ann Nucifora Dee Vaigl BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2005-2006 2006-2007 John Guzzetta Tim Cheek Dick Mullins Al Eastman Jim Vaigl Don Czech Elise Missall Debra George COMMITTEES OF THE FLEET Liberty Ashore Clubhouse Programs Ladies Bridge Club Fleet Recruiter Storekeeper Bartenders Historian Chowder Chatter Sunshine over the Yardarm Sunfish Guru Website Guru Public Relations Sailmate Monica Smith Sue Reekie Dee Dee Cheek Doreen Milbrandt Ray Gheradini & Mel Rudd Katie Pfaff Mary Lou Mullins Pauline Wylie John Kremski Susan Burton Steve Romaine Skip Hyde 5
THANKSGIVING CRUISE REPORT The CMCS Gang At Stan s in Goodland, Florida Many CMCS boaters enjoyed the nice weather and sail (12 all together) at the start of the Thanksgiving Cruise to Panther Key lead by Mary & Waite Alexander on Island Time. The first evening was spent in Champney Bay off the Gordon River. Thanksgiving Day, the weather was perfect and everyone enjoyed a great sail to Panther Key. Twenty-one people joined Tom & Kathy on Thor s Hammer for Thanksgiving Pot Luck Dinner. Great food, beverages, music and conversation was enjoyed by all. The next day a dingy tour lead by Waite and Mary brought us to a great beach on White Horse Key with nice shelling. Very warm calm days with cool evenings. Friday afternoon dingy races for the Great Wazoo Cup followed by a cookout on the beach. Many campers on the island watched (probably thought we were crazy). Saturday, we sailed to Caloosa Isles Marina and gathered for stone crabs in the Marina Pavilion. The stone crabs were delicious along with side dishes from everyone. Mary Lou & Dick Mullins, along with other family and friends of club members, drove down for the day to join the festivities. Sunday, we had a large crowd gather at Stan s Bar. Every Sunday a huge crowd gathers for the music. Our club members all had lunch and enjoyed each other s company and a relaxing day at Stan s. At 1700 hours., we all gathered on Waite and Mary s boat for cocktails (21 people) and to celebrate Waite s birthday. Jim & Dee Vaigl brought a Key Lime pie (Waite s favorite) so we passed the pie for several tastes and sang a rousing version of Happy Birthday to Waite. BIRTHDAY BOY Monday, six boats left for home while the others enjoyed another day on the water and anchored at Champney Bay. Another great trip run successfully by Waite and Mary Alexander of Island Time. WAITE ALEXANDER IS THAT A PUDDLE IN THE SAND??? PUT YOUR RUMP ON A STUMP AT THE PLACE L-R: Dee Vaigl, Waite & Mary Ron & Shirley Maddix 6
John Kremski Sunfish Guru 277-9352 We had a fantastic two day regatta with 19 boats competing for this year s Challenge Cup. A notso-welcome change from past year s howling winds; this year was a drifter with around five knots, very shifty on Saturday making it a challenge even the current seemed to be shifty! Sunday s entertainment began with a visit from the Lee County Sheriff Patrol Boat, who informed us that Race Committee Czar Steve Olive was in big trouble - couldn t be; every body on the RC Boat all twelve of em had on a life jacket!! Seems Steve had commandeered the entire ESC opti fleet as Race Committee. They did a fantastic job setting the courses, and it was a unique experience. How often have you finished a race to the thunderous cheering and applause of a dozen kids? With a total of eight races and a fabulous bar-b-que dinner Saturday night with steak, shrimp, chicken and accompaniments; every body had a great time. Congratulations to First Place winner Danny Escobar, Second Place Paul Strauley and Third Place Joe Blouin who edged out Mindy Strauley on a tie breaker. Honors for Top Junior Sailor was Tommy Timberlake from Tampa. Congratulations to all. Next Ft. Myers Race will be Sunday, January 8. See everyone there! Quiz What is the significance of the following three coordinates...n41 o, 43 35, W49 o 56 54 - - N41 o 43 57, W49 o 56 49? If you think you have the correct answer, email maryloumullins@swfla.rr.com. You must be one of the first three pepple to email with the correct answer for a credit in next month s issue of The Chowder Chatter. To eliminate guessing (and lots of emails), only the first answer submitted is accepted. 2006 ANNUAL CHILI COOK OFF Saturday, January 21, 2006 1800 hours Cape Coral Power Squadron Val Fahs & Danny Hazen will be heading up the Annual Chili Cook Off. We need cooks to show off their stuff. Fix a pot of your favorite chili in something that keeps it warm or some way to heat it up. Salad and bread will be provided along with a light dessert Awards for the winners of the chili that is BEST TASTING, MOST ORIGINAL, and HOTTEST (spiciest) will be handed out. Please call Val 540-7966 or Danny 540-1752 if you will be bringing your killer chili. Bring your appetite and Maalox for this not-to-be-missed HOT FLASH EVENT Naples-Marco Island Hospice Regatta 2006 Saturday, February 4, 2006 Contact Bob McElwain at bob@mcelwaingroup. com if you are interested in receiving the NOR, Entry Form and Contribution Form for this race. Remember, winner of Regatta gets a partially funded trip to Annapolis 7
CMCS NEW YEAR S RESOLUTIONS 1. Attend CMCS monthly membership meetings 2. Take one (or more) of the many cruises to various locations 3. Attend a New Racer Seminar and/or Skipper s Meeting - ALL are welcome 4. Read The Chowder Chatter Newsletter 5. Volunteer to help out at a. a monthly meeting b. a race c. a club social d. the Summerset Regatta 6. Check out the CMCS Website: www.cmcs-sail.org 7. Attend Ladies Bridge Club (Please note: The Ladies Bridge Club will NOT be playing cards! Our goal is to meet and share knowledge and learn to be more selfsufficient in sailing. 8. Sail a Sunfish 9. Purchase a new CMCS item from the Ship s Store 10. Be a Sail Mate - CMCS s Sail Mate program pairs current club members with new members. 11. Be an Officer, be on the Board, or a Committee 12. Participate and enjoy your CMCS Membership 8
CMCS Chowder Chatter c/o Mary Lou Mullins 5010 SW 11th Avenue Cape Coral, FL 33914 541-2479 marylou@swfla.rr.com CMCS Schedule of Events Late December through January 2006 December 27-Jan. 1, 2006 Holiday Cruise Burnt Store & North January 8, 2006 1200 hours Sunfish Races January 12, 2006 1830 hours New Racer s Seminar Power Squadron January 12, 2006 1900 hours Skipper/Crew Mtg. Power Squadron January 13, 2006 1800 hours Change of Watch Dinner Dance The Landings January 15, 2006 Winter Races January 18, 2006 1930 hours Board Meeting Power Squadron January 19, 2006 1830 hours New Racer s Seminar Power Squadron January 19. 2006 1900 hours Skipper/Crew Mtg. Power Squadron January 21, 2006 Chili Cookoff Race January 21, 2006 1800 hours Chili Cookoff Power Squadron January 22, 2006 1200 hours Chowder Chatter Deadline There will NO General Membership Meeting held in January because the Change of Watch Dinner is scheduled for Friday, January 13, 2006. Also, note the time change for the Skipper/Crew Meetings