November Newsletter
Commodore's Message
The 2025 Commodore’s Bash is a wrap! We had a nice full house and a fun time seemed to had by all. As is our tradition we recognized our outgoing Board members, announced the Board election results and welcomed the new Board member and Fleet Captains on Board. Katy Shaner and Gayle Austin are departing the Board and George Bivoino and Peter Grimlund are the new Board members (and Officers) elected this year. The remainder of the current Board members were re-elected to serve another year. George Bivoino is joining the Board as the Rear Commodore and Peter Grimlund will be serving as the Treasurer. Phil Simon is stepping down from Rear Commodore and Starke Scott from Treasurer but both will continue to serve on the Board as Members at Large. Check out our web site for the complete list of Board Officers, Board Members and Fleet Captains.
Our annual awards were also announced and presented. This year’s McArthur Award went to Bob Rogers and Starke Scott received the Founders Award Trophy. New this year were Lifetime Achievement Awards which were presented to Bill Brown and Bob Rogers. Thank you to all including the Useless Bay Golf and Country Club staff who helped to make this year’s Commodore’s Bash so fun and successful.
Don’t forget to save the date for our “Winter Waterland” Holiday Party which will be held at Freeland Hall on December 10.
On a final note, I am pleased to announce the Board has selected SW@Home (South Whidbey at Home) to be our 2026 non-profit partner. They provide programs and volunteer services to help 55+ residents live independently and stay connected. We will be hearing more about SW@Home at an upcoming Club meeting.
-Commodore Dan
Commodore's Bash
SWYC Newsletter Special Correspondent Barb Grimlund reports: “The night was fun. Many new members attended. It was colorful with all the tropical prints and colors people were wearing. A big thank you to Dan and Julia Mooney for planning the dinner and entertainment, and a very special thank you to Diane Lagerstedt for transforming the room into a tropical paradise. And for all those who helped with the set up and clean up. A fun night! “
Award Recipients:
- McArthur Award (YSA Award) – to the dynamic force that is Bob Rodgers. Thank you Bob for everything that you contribute to the club.
- Founders Award went to Starke Scott. (So many deserving nominations this year. ) Starke was recognized for his year after year contributions in all facets of the club activities and Board work.
- Life Time Achievement Award – new award for years of leadership and contribution to SWYC and YSA. Two recipients: Bob Rodgers and Bill Brown (This is not an annual award, but will be awarded as the situation is right to honor those who have contributed so much over the years)
Kayaking by Co-Fleet Captains Nina Fitts and Diane Lagerstedt
The 2025 Kayak season is winding down for the year. We had high hopes for an October Witches paddle but had to cancel due to the gale force winds that day and weekend. We will look forward to next year for better weather to accomplish a costume paddle. Instead, we turn our heads to our annual Kayaks, Kazoos and Caroling paddle on Deer Lake. Please join the kayak group in getting into the holiday spirit. We will be decorating and lighting up our kayaks to circumnavigate Deer Lake and bring holiday cheer to the Whidbey Islanders who live on the lake. Last year we had several cookie deliveries dockside as we paddled around, and we even had a lovely couple who drove all the way down from Coupeville with homemade chocolate chip cookies to watch us launch and sing a few songs. Afterwards we will be gathering at Dale and Ann Christensen’s home for a soup supper and hot beverages.
- December 5: Kayaks, Kazoos and Caroling. Details on Group Me. Launching from Deer Lake Boat ramp at 3:30pm to be followed with soup supper at Dale and Ann Christensen’s home. Please RSVP to the event on the Group Me calendar.
- December 10: SWYC Christmas Party at Freeland Hall
- January Date TBD: Kayak planning session for the 2026 kayaking calendar of events. Please come and bring your ideas and your willingness to volunteer to help us organize these great ideas into events. It takes a village to keep us paddling as a group all season and we have a lot of great ideas to get us started!
- May 28-31: We are offering a NEW camping trip this spring to Ocean Shores. This trip is open to any interested SWYC members. We have reserved a group campsite for our members and plan on kayaking parts of the 30 miles of freshwater canals plus the Copalis Ghost Forest. There is plenty to do in the area for non-paddlers who would like to join us. Please contact Diane Lagerstedt or Nina Fitts if you are not on Group Me with the kayakers and would like to come on this trip.
- June 22-June 25: Sun Lakes/Dry Falls Kayak Trip. Details for this trip can be found in the SWYC calendar of events on the website. Please contact Barb Grimlund if you are not on Group Me with the kayakers and would like to join us on this trip.
- September 17-20: Orcas Island/West Beach Resort Kayaking Trip. This annual favorite is once again on our calendar. Please contact Diane Lagerstedt or Nina Fitts if you are not on Group Me with the kayakers and would like to come on this trip.
Details and RSVP for the upcoming kayak paddles and events can be found on the Group Me invitations located in the Group Me Calendar for the SWYC Kayak Group. Not on Group Me for the Kayak Fleet? Contact Nina Fitts or Diane Lagerstedt to get you set up.
Windward Women by Fleet Captain Katy Shaner
Fall is here. Some cold days and some crispy sunny days. Along with rain and gray skies, we are reminded, it is the Northwest and a great place to be!
Windward Women End of Year Social
Thirty Windward Women participated in the end-of-year social in October at the home of Debra Richardson. Debra provided all the appetizers and beverages. We had a chance to socialize and feast on the ‘abundance’ provided for us. There was a short meeting where each of the Windwards had a chance to introduce herself.
As it was the WW end of year social, it was a chance to review the past year’s activities. And afterwards, Ann Christensen shared some thoughts about hers, Gayle Austin and Mary Stewart’s plans for 2026.
It was also a chance for me, Katy Shaner, to say thank you for the pleasure I have had being the Windward Women lead for these past years. I have enjoyed getting out and about with so many gals of our club as we explored our fair isle and beyond.
And with the saying of goodbye and the passing of the ‘baton’, I am thrilled that Ann Christensen, Gayle Austin and Mary Stewart will be there to take the Windward Women ‘full speed ahead’ into the new year and the plans they have for future Windward Women activities.
All women of the SWYC are welcome to participate in the activities of the Windward Women.
Contact Ann Christensen, Gayle Austin or Mary Stewart if you are interested in participating.
Sailing / Racing
Pelican Fleet
The 2025 Pelican Racing Series completed last summer. In the new year, check our racing page for details about the 2026 races.
Laser Fleet
Race results for 2025 are available at Sailwave: Series I & Series II.
Cruising by Fleet Captains Jim and Kathy Rogers
(It’s hard to hold your martini glass when rounding the Cape Horn)
2026 Cruise Planning is Underway
Safety Matters #27 : Mishap Review November 2025
by Clayton Canfield, Safety Officer
Recently in a Fleet #3 Pelican race at Monroe Landing, there were two “mishaps” that bear a safety review to hopefully reduce or prevent repetition in the future. Here is a partial list of the relevant issues:
There was no safety boat or committee boat.
- Although each boat had a VHF radio, communication between boats was sketchy.
- While on the course, there was a significant increase in wind speed, beyond forecasts.
- Two boats capsized, one turtled. Both boats were righted, but unable to completely bail.
- None of the PFD’s had crotch straps, hence crept up around the COB’s neck. (COB: Crew Overboard)
- At least one Pelican did not have appropriate equipment installed. (Centerboard trunk plug, etc.)
- One COB opted to stay in the water to keep the boat upright.
- There was no provision to assist less physically able COB to get back in the boat.
- Once capsized, Pelican sailboats are nearly impossible to adequately bail and continue sailing.
More often than not, capsizes occur in bad weather conditions, e.g. high winds, and/or large waves, when the boat crew is already stressed dealing with the conditions. However we typically practice crew overboard recovery in good weather, giving us a false sense of security regarding COB recovery. As a result, the process of recovering a COB in bad weather is almost never “clean,” and almost always boils down to simply getting the COB recovered by any means possible at the time.
Pelicans are reputed to be relatively easy to prevent capsizing. While this isn’t far off the mark, what isn’t mentioned is the fact that once capsized, a Pelican is extremely difficult to re-enter, bail, or tow. As Safety Officer, I recommend SWYC conduct a Pelican Safety seminar or class each spring to go over the various aspects of sailing a Pelican safely. I also recommend that the most experienced Pelican sailors develop a pre-sail checklist that covers all the items available to mitigate the effects of a capsize.
Youth Sailing Association
Planning is already underway for next year’s activities. Come to one of our meetings to learn what we do, and about the great young people whose lives we change for the better.
YSA is currently meeting every other Wednesday at 10:00 am. Check the club calendar for meeting locations.
New Members
Sharon Adlis & Harry Laswell
“I’m retired after too many years in the tech industry, and Sharon works from home as a graphic designer. We are relocating from Sacramento to Whidbey at the end of October. We’ve been sailing since 1973 when I learned to sail in a Star Class boat, and campaigned throughout the. Midwest for 7 years, eventually placing in the district 4 Championships before moving to California to start my career and raise 3 daughters. That was unfortunately the end of my racing career. We’ve done a bit of sailing over the years, the last 7 years mostly day sailing cruising boats on San Francisco Bay. We’ve done charters in the San Juan and Dalmatian islands. We look forward to lots of boating and making new friends with our move to Whidbey.“
Sponsor: Mark Conover
Kristi & Mike Etzell
“Mike and I have been kayaking since our early days moving to Whidbey in 1998. In 2020, he and I circumnavigated Whidbey in multiple outings, with Deception Pass as our final mile, on a day when we “hit slack tide” without any planning! We LOVE the island and we both grew up in Minnesota (no mountains there!).
We raised 3 sons and 1 daughter who all graduated from Coupeville High School. Mike is the Developmental Disabilities Coordinator for Island County and I have been self-employed during our time living on Whidbey,”
Sponsor: Manfred Bartz
Heather Hartle & Rick Fahnestock
“Heather has been kayaking for a couple years and is interested in learning more about and participating in kayaking with the club. She is also interested in the Windward Women group. Rick has been a sailor for most of his life and taught Heather to sail on the Chesapeake Bay where we owned a 30-foot Catalina. He has ASA certifications in Sailing, Bareboat and Navigation. He has bareboat chartered on five different oceans and crewed on racing boats. We are both interested in meeting people with similar interests and participating in SWYC events.”
Sponsors: Jack and Ann Holton
Tonya Henney & Colin Bramhall
“I have a Willard trawler, moored in Pleasant Harbor that I have taken to Alaska I have been an avid sea kayaker for 35 years.“
Sponsor: Judith Canfield
In the News
Threading the Needle in the Northwest Passage
by Jennifer Dalton / 48 North Magazine
Coming Events
2025 Calendar of Events
Check out our Calendar for the dates of all of our Annual Events. And be sure to get them on YOUR calendar!
All Annual Events
Holiday Shopping?
Why Not SWYC Branded Clothing & Merchandise?
Looking for holiday gifts? Getting outfitted for winter boating season? Don’t forget about warm hats, canvas tote bags, aprons, towels or throws for the boat or home? Two different SWYC logos plus Windward Women logos to choose from. Make your customized selection and order on line from the Lands End Business site.
Land’s End Online Store
Alternatively, right here on Whidbey Island, Washington Design Company located in Clinton offers a broad range of SWYC branded apparel and a relatively quick turnaround.
There are three ways to shop at Washington Design Co:
- You can stop in at their store and see the apparel and hat assortments in store, choose an item and have the SWYC logo applied, or in some cases, even order the item in a different color or size.
- You can bring in your own personal apparel or item and have the logo applied to it, or
- You can visit their website, choose your item, then either have it shipped to your address, or pick it up at their shop across from Ken’s Corner.
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