Commodore’s Message
The Wet Hens have a new name! Thanks to the help of Patty Maxfield, who canvassed for name suggestions,voting ended with a resounding vote for Windward Women!
I borrowed the Wet Hen name and idea of starting a yacht club women’s group a couple of years ago. It has been wonderful to see how, under the masterful leadership of Katy Shaner, the group has taken off and included fun activities and programs from movie night to a recent tour of Nichols Brothers. Whatever the name, what the women seem to enjoy the most is the opportunity to meet and have time to get to know fellow club members in a social gathering outside of the monthly membership meetings.
I look forward to watching the Windward Women continue to grow and define their mission and goals in the coming year.
SAVE THE DATE
It’s almost time for the 2019 Commodore’s Ball. Please mark your calendars for Saturday, November 9th. In accordance with our new environmental policy we will be sending invitations via email this year.
Expect to receive your email invitation sometime mid-October.
Sincerely,
Debra Richardson, Commodore SWYC
Rear Commodore’s Message
October 16th GENERAL MEETING
Guests Welcome – Bring a friend or neighbor!
In 2017, Peter and Amanda Ford traveled to Scotland and Norway. They had the opportunity to visit several boat hot spots such as the Anstruther Fishing Museum, Portsoy’s stone-walled harbor built in the 1600s that hosts the Scottish Traditional Boat Festival, Nordheim’s Maritime Museum on the Hardanger Fjord, and the Oselvar Workshop in Os that apprentices boat builders of the Oselvar Faerings, thereby preserving the historic skills of Norwegian wooden boat building. In 2018 the Fords returned to Scotland, this time to Shetland Island. They embarked on a 180 mile passage across the North Sea on a 1900 built 70-foot herring fishing boat named the Swan (www.swantrust.com) from Lerwick Shetland to Portsoy Scotland to attend the Scottish Traditional Boat Festival. The Swan is operated by a non-profit on Shetland so that kids on Shetland can experience their nautical heritage, including sailing the Swan from Shetland to the Tall Ship Events in Denmark and Norway. To fund these events, the Swan also offers paid sailings such as the trips Peter took from Trondheim to Bodo to the Lofoten Islands above the Arctic Circle. This evening, we will do a whirlwind tour of sail-boating from Shetland to Scotland and Norway.
Jim Rogers, Rear Commodore
OCTOBER GENERAL MEETING
Wednesday October 16, 2019
Deer Lagoon Grange Hall
5142 Bayview Road, Langley
6:30 Sips & Chips 7:00 Business Meeting 7:15 Program
Kayaking News
WEST BEACH RESORT KAYAKING TRIP
We did it! The SWYC first ever kayaking trip. From planning the trip starting last November to taking the trip this past weekend September 19 – 22, everything flowed together.
What started as a kayaking overnight to West Beach Resort on Orcas Island became much more – kayakers, boaters and those that just wanted a time away to enjoy the island and each other’s company. It became a fun club outing. We kayaked Mountain Lake in Moran State Park Thursday afternoon. Some hiked around it. We paddled Friday to Pt Doughty from West Beach Resort and picnicked on the beach beyond it. On Saturday, we paddled from West Beach Resort towards Deer Harbor Marina (stopped short of it) and on our return, had our picnic lunch while gently bobbing in our kayaks in a small cove beneath a bluff. Very peaceful.
In the evenings we socialized. Some of us had gone together to reserve the largest lodging at West Beach Resort called the Farm House. There we gathered on Thursday for appetizers, wine, beer and good cheer and on Saturday for a complete salmon pot-luck dinner. Friday evening 16 of us went for dinner at the Madrone Bar and Grill in East Sound.
Dare I say, “Good times were had by all?” You bet I will. It was a good weekend.
Wet Hens News
The Wet Hens are now the Windward Women. The votes were tallied and Windward Women we shall be! Thanks Patty Maxfield and Karen Miller for spear-heading this effort.
Gals, mark your calendars. Our next social is Monday, October 28. The activity, the place, the time will come to you sometime mid-October.
NICHOLS BROTHERS BOAT BUILDERS TOUR
The Wet Hens’ tour of Nichols Brothers Boat Builders on Monday, August 26, was quite successful. Eleven of us had lunch together at Blooms Winery and 5511 Bistro. Then, nine of us met with Matt Nichols, who welcomed us to Nichols Brothers home/office overlooking Holmes Harbor where we saw photos of the many vehicles Nichols Brothers has made. Matt led us on a tour of the facilities where we saw boats being repaired from Island Tug & Barge: Reliant Barge Conversion, Golden Gate Ferries: Golden Gate High-Speed Catamaran Ferry Routine Maintenance as well as new construction of S-190 Hybrid Tractor Tug and high-speed passenger-only ferries for Kitsap Transit. A tour that usually runs to 30”, Matt showed us around for 1’30”. It was most impressive. Go to their website to learn more. http://www.nicholsboats.com/
Welcome New Member Mark Ross
Mark Ross of Langley recently moved to Whidbey Island and became acquainted with the SWYC Laser Fleet through Zak Malbin. He has been sailing most of his life, primarily on dinghies. Over the last 15 years he has been sailing primarily a Laser, and is currently the President of the Seattle Laser Fleet, and a co-owner of a J24 which he races regularly in Seattle. He hopes to do some racing with the SWYC Laser Fleet next year while balancing his duties with the Seattle Laser Fleet and his J24 team. Please welcome Mark to the South Whidbey Yacht Club
THE FOUNDERS’ AWARD
It’s time to nominate candidates for the annual FOUNDERS AWARD. Please select a SWYC member who you believe has gone above and beyond and fulfilled the mission and vision of the original SWYC founders
Send your nominations for the Founders Award to Perry Lovelace at perry.lovelace@gmail BEFORE OCTOBER 15th. Details and instructions can be found at the SWYC website, The recipient will be honored at the Commodore’s Ball on November 9th. Contact Perry if you have questions or concerns.
The DON MCARTHUR AWARD is an award for the person who has given outstanding service to the Youth Sailing Association for an important contribution to the Youth Sailing Program. The recipient is selected by the Youth Sailing Coordinating Committee rather than the entire membership.
The SWIFT
The SWIFT experiment is winding down its first year. SWIFT stands for South Whidbey Island Fun Team, and it is the name of the San Juan 24 sailboat purchased late last year by a club member consortium. The idea of a club keelboat had been kicked around for several years. The objective was to offer an incremental step from out established dinghy sailing programs. The San Juan 24 is suitable for day sailing, racing, and even fairly primitive overnight cruising. SWIFT is moored at Oak Harbor, where the team has been racing in the Oak Harbor Yacht Club Thursday night races as well as the SJ 24 North American Championship regatta. Although we are far from being a podium threat, we are progressing up the learning curve for flying spinnakers and other race crew evolutions. See the picture of SWIFT finishing its first race with an SWYC crew last spring.
Financially, the project is supported by cost-sharing among the 11 member purchasing consortium. For the first year, this amounted to $600 each with about half of this being a share of the purchase price. The balance is budgeted to cover ownership expenses, especially moorage at Oak Harbor. Our usage policy is that at least one member of the consortium must be aboard as the Skipper of record. Other SWYC members are welcome as guests, and non-member guests are also welcome but must sign a liability waiver. We are using an on-line app, NauticalMonkey, for scheduling reservations. Title to the boat is in the name of the SWYC Youth Sailing Association, and it is thus covered for liability insurance under the club’s policy.
The consortium will be meeting soon to plan for next year. The group cut- off membership at 11 for this year, but there may be openings for new additions for next year due to possible drop-outs. Anyone interested in joining should contact Bill Brown. Another future hope is to add keel boat lessons to our Adult and possibly Youth programs. This would require an instructor or Skipper with a USCG captain’s license. Anyone so licensed and interested is also urged to contact Bill at
2019 SAILING AWARDS DINNER
Congratulations and thanks to all who sailed in and supported our summer racing series, especially Race Committees, safety boat crews, Holmes Harbor ramp and dock volunteers, and of course, after race party hosts. The Pelican fleet saw eight different boats participate in one or more of 18 total races. In the Laser fleet, 12 different skippers sailed in some or all of 26 total races. Complete results are posted on the club website. The Annual Awards Dinner will be held at the Grange Hall on Saturday, October 12th, starting at 6:00. In addition to trophies for the first three positions in each fleet, there may be awards for “special achievements”. All sailors interested in the club racing program are encouraged to attend, as we will include some time to collect audience feedback on ideas for next season. The club will provide food, probably pizza and accompaniments, and attendees should bring their own beverages and dishes. So that we can plan food quantities, please RSVP with number of attendees by Monday, October 7th to Bill Brown.