Commodore's Message
It is truly an honor for me to take the helm of this incredible organization. In the past 15 years, Barbara and I have watched this club transition from a small group of dedicated sailors who had just started a youth sailing program to a comprehensive boating program with two racing fleets and a very active kayaking group. I hope all of you had a great Thanksgiving and are looking forward to the upcoming Holidays. You don’t want to miss the special holiday entertainment Diane Lagerstedt has planned for our annual Holiday party on Wednesday, December 13th.
This is also the last opportunity to hear from our 2023 charity partner Whidbey Island Nourishes. Please join me in thanking them for the critical service they provide to our community. In the next month your Board will select a charity partner for 2024. If you have any recommendations for a deserving local charity, please pass them on to me or any board member.
I want to thank the 2023 Board for the hard work involved in managing club resources and all aspects of delivering a great boating program to our members. Each of these board members brings new ideas and a valuable perspective.
Please welcome new 2024 Board members Phil Simon (Rear Commodore) and Sean Cruz (member at large). Other Board changes: Jim Rogers will transition from Commodore Emeritus to a member at large, and Melody Carney is now our Club Secretary. We are always looking for suggestions for programs for next year’s meetings. If you have interesting boating experiences you would like to share, or if you have a speaker recommendation, please contact Rear Commodore Phil Simon.
2024 Board of Directors
2024 will see a new Board of Directors. Most will be familiar faces. The “Meet the Board of Directors” page on the club web site provides brief biographies of the leadership. https://swyachtclub.org/meet-the-board-of-directors/
Flag Officers
- Commodore: Bruce Morris
- Vice Commodore: Dan Mooney
- Rear Commodore: Phil Simon
- Secretary: Melody Carney
- Treasurer: Starke Scott
Members At Large
- Jill Brown
- Mark Conover – Membership & Communications Chair (“Bilgerat”)
- Sean Cruz
- Jim Rogers
- Katy Shaner
Youth Sailing Association (YSA)
- President: Bob Rodgers
- Secretary: Bob Boehm
- Treasurer: Starke Scott
Group Leadership
In recognition of their important contributions to SWYC, leaders of our subgroups are now being honored as “Fleet Captains”.
- Cruising: Jim & Kathy Rogers
- Kayaking: Barb Grimlund
- Laser Racing: Carol Rose Dean & Zak Malbin
- Pelican Racing: Bill Brown
- Windward Women: Katy Shaner
Commodore's Ball
The Commodore’s Ball was a success thanks to the work of Ball Committee members Jill Brown, Melody Carney, and Emily McArthur. Almost seventy members were in attendance. The committee made a point of expressing how helpful was the staff at the Useless Bay Golf & Country Club, with special appreciation for Kindra Nelson’s assistance. Kindra is the Event Manager at Useless Bay.
In keeping with club tradition, every two years the Ball marks the completion of our flag officers’ terms of office. This year Pete Grimlund handed the Commodore flag to Bruce Morris. Dan Mooney moved up to Vice Commodore. Our new Rear Commodore is longtime member Phil Simon. Be sure to read Phil’s profile on our website’s “Meet the Board Members” section.
Pete was recognized for navigating the club out of the pandemic while keeping the club in excellent financial health. Considering Barb Grimlund’s significant contributions to enhancing communication within the club, it is no wonder that Barb Grimlund (retiring from her Bilgerat role) received enthusiatic applause. Unsurprisingly, Pete and Barb received the Founders Award.
Speaking of awards, Clay Canfield, who has played a huge role in the club for many years, received the McArthur Award.
This year’s Ball was especially significant in that it included a 20th Anniversary tribute, organized by Emily McArthur. The spiffy wine glasses bearing a special club logo were donated by the anniversary committee. Some members made a point of purchasing additional glasses.
Many of us filled those glasses with wine that was supplied by Karen Krug, proprietor of the Spoiled Dog Winery.
Kathy Parks donated a sailing print for a raffle that benefited the Youth Sailing program. Almost $400 was raised.
With scheduled the proceedings concluded, Ball attendees spent the remainder of the evening dancing to the live band, “Outta Control”.
Kayaking by Captain Barb Grimlund
Although the Kayaking Group has no planned paddling events in December, members of the group are already planning ahead for the 2024 season. In January, we’ll start the year with a paddling and navigation skills survey to assess where our group members can expand their paddling knowledge to feel safe and confident on the water, possibly leading a paddling event. Skills training will be held in February and March, partnering
with Whidbey Island Kayaking. Watch for more on these classes in the next months.
Also on Sunday, January 21, the group is having a Kayaking Winter Social/2024 Season Planning evening. Click on the link for more details. Any SWYC member who has an interest in kayaking with the club kayaking group is welcome and encouraged to join us to meet other paddling members, learn more about how to participate in our many events and offer ideas of places to kayak around Whidbey Island and beyond.
In the meantime, watch your GroupMe app for last minute winter pick-up paddles. There’s still plenty of fun
to be had on the water on a clear winter day. Or maybe on a ski slope?!?
Contact Barb Grimlund to learn more about the SWYC Kayaking Group and to be added to the email distribution list.
Windward Women by Captain Katy Shaner
All women in the SWYC are members of the Windward Women’s group and are welcome to join in all of our social and exploring gatherings. We usually meet every other month on the first Thursday of that month, but that can vary depending on the planned activity.
And with that in mind, please mark your calendars for our first social of the 2024 year to enjoy each other’s company and make plans for our activities in 2024.
Safety Matters #7:   Save Your Back by Clay Canfield
Considering the number of people I know that have back problems, it appears to me that we as a society are not treating our backs very well!
The nature of boating is such that we are very often required to lift something that is heavy or awkward, or both. It doesn’t seem to matter whether it is kayaking, dinghy sailing, sail cruising, or motor cruising, there always seems to be a situation where we are required to lift something in a way that strains our back excessively. The crux of the problem is the fact that we ignore or don’t know the mechanics/ergonomics of saving our back. As an engineer, I can see very clearly what is needed to save our back while lifting something. However most people don’t have that advantage. Put simply, it is best to do the lifting with your legs, rather than your back.
Your back is not designed to be lifting heavy objects, while your legs are. Rather than going into a long list of “how-to’s”, I recommend visiting the following link, which gives a very concise run-down of the principles of ergonomically saving your back.
https://ergonomics.ucla.edu/backsafety/how-to-save-your-back
Applying all these principles while lifting something awkward and maybe heavy into your boat is not necessarily easy. However The trade-off between an improper lift and lifetime back problems is not a good one. I suggest thinking ahead and saving your back.
New Member: Steve Eldridge
Over the last several years, kayaking has been a big part of Steve Eldridge’s life. Having arrived on Whidbey after retiring from the custom home building business in California, Steve and his late wife, Bonnie, noticed all that ocean out there and immediately plunged into the kayaking scene.
Steve’s primary motivation in joining the club is to expand his kayaking skills.
His sponsors are Diane Lagerstedt and Emily McArthur.
Holiday Party!
The last big social event of the year happens at 6:30 pm on Wednesday, December 13, at the Greenbank Progressive Club. There will be a pot-luck dinner; so, bring your favorite main dish, side, or dessert to share. Diane Lagerstedt is the maestro for this year’s event. Thank you! She is planning some fun activities for after dinner.
This year, the SWYC has been supporting Whidbey Island Nourishes which is a volunteer powered organization dedicated to nourishing youth on South Whidbey Island. Representatives from WIN will join us to talk about how they help kids in need stay nourished and healthy throughout not just the school day but into the weekends. There will be a donation box at our event if anyone chooses to make a personal donation to WIN or donations may be made online or mail in.
Learn more about WIN at their website: https://www.whidbeyislandnourishes.org
As always, be sure to bring your own plates, utensils, and glassware.
Note: This is an in-person event. So, no Zoom.
2024 Calendar of Events
We now have dates for our big club events in 2024. So, mark your calendars! Please consider volunteering, too!
Audio / Visual Technology Squad
With the retirement of former Commodore Pete, who single handedly set up all the A/V equipment for each membership meeting, we need volunteers to assist Mark Conover (aka BilgeRat) in assembling a team of A/V geeks. Mark threatens to play obscure atonal music in the background of all future meetings unless volunteers step up. You really don’t want that to happen. Please contact Mark if you want to be part of this <desperate-marketing>elite and very cool team</desperate-marketing>.
Request for Storage Unit Materials / Labor
Our club’s storage unit (at A-OK Storage in Freeland) requires additional shelving in order to take better utilize the space. Please contact Commodore Bruce if you have materials or can donate labor.
Looking for holiday gifts? Getting outfitted for the winter boating season? Looking for SWYC clothing, hats or gifts?
Click here: Land’s End Store
PLUS A NEW LOCAL ON-ISLAND OPTION
Savage Screen Printing & Embroidery in Clinton now has our burgee logo on file (Only the burgee. Not our other logos). SWYC members can stop in to Savage and have the logo applied to their own personal item, or select a hat from Savage’s selection. Stop by next time you’re in Clinton to better understand this alternative to Land’s End.
Land’s End still offers the greater variety of merchandise, more logo configurations and the ease of shopping from your home, but it’s nice to have a local alternative as well.
Visors from Savage Screen Printing and Embroidery
These are examples of some of the products that Savage Screen Printing and Embroidery, in Clinton, is able to create for you locally.
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