January 2026 Newsletter
Commodore's Message
We’re kicking off the new year with our first Club meeting of 2026 this Wednesday January 21. Please note we will be starting at 6 PM rather than the usual 6:30 PM to provide a bit more time for the interactive meeting we have planned. The Interest Groups will be presenting their plans for the year and will be looking to get your feedback and suggestions in a round robin type format. As usual, the meeting will still start with a pot luck. It should be fun so please join us.
In the meantime the Board, YSA and the Interest Groups have been busy getting prepared for 2026. The Board approved the proposed budget for the year and firmed up the dates for the Club’s annual events, our new Program Chair Kat Bivoino has already lined up topics and presenters for most of the Club meetings for the year and the interest groups are laying out their plans and events. The Kayak group kicks off with an in-pool self rescue class being taught by Whidbey Island Kayaking at the end of this month.
The beginning of the year is also the time we send out membership renewal notices. Those notices went out on January 4. You may have noticed the slight increase from last year’s dues. The Board has approved a $5 increase for both family and individual memberships. Dues have remained unchanged for the last 2 years and this relatively modest increase (less than 5%) will help to fund our use of the to Freeland Hall and the reciprocal slip at the Langley Marina. Annual dues provide the biggest single source of revenue for the Club. A big thanks to those who have already renewed and for those who have not yet done so please go on-line to either the link in the renewal notice or our web site and renew. It’s going to be another big year for the SWYC!
Vice-Commodore's Report
Welcome to the 2026 Yachting season! Robin and I, along with Jack and Ann Holton decided to find warmer weather and water, and headed off to the British Virgin Islands. I’m going to say “great” was a word we used a lot on the vacation. These new sailing catamarans are unreal, like sailing an apartment that goes 10 knots! Was there wine? Was there rum? Did we jump off the top deck of the “Willie T”? You know we did!! And the 50’ Leopard was a bit more appointed than my West Wight Potter. Haha.
The big news? We signed the contract to become Stewards of Freeland Hall and establish the “Official Clubhouse” of the South Whidbey Yacht Club! We have approval from Island County and our “landlord”, the Holmes Harbor Activities Club, to affix a Club sign to the exterior and post our burgee and related Club items. Be sure to notice our SWYC corner in the Hall and the nautical themed items throughout the Hall and downstairs. The Hall has an amazing history and our involvement will bring increased membership, ideas, and energy that fits their mission as a community non-profit organization. For us, it gives us a permanent home with a waterfront view! As a member of SWYC, you are now a member of Freeland Hall, and can participate in their First Thursday Potlucks, music groups and various activities. All included in our agreement.
We’ll have our CrabFest and Holiday Party at the Hall, and Board meetings for both YSA and SWYC in the lower meeting space. We agree to have one fundraiser for the Hall and two work party/improvement days during the year.
As Stewards of Freeland Hall, our Vice Commodore will also serve on the Board of Freeland Hall. This will help streamline communication and ensure we’re all on the same page.
I hope you’re excited about this huge progress for our Club. We had the good fortune of outgrowing the wonderful Progressive Club. I know change can be hard, but we all know Freeland Hall. It’s like your favorite cousin and a gem that’s been a cornerstone of the Freeland community since 1914. We’re now part of that story and it’s all systems go!
Kapitan J
Kayaking by Co-Fleet Captains Nina Fitts and Diane Lagerstedt
Happy New Year to All!
The January SWYC monthly meeting on January 21, 6pm at the Freeland Hall will include a planning round table session for all SWYC interest groups to gather and discuss the 2026 season. We are asking our kayakers to please come to the January monthly meeting and bring your kayaking goals and dream paddles for us to help you turn into reality during the 2026 kayaking season. Let’s make it a great season on the water for all. Remember this is a large group potluck dinner. Please bring a salad or main dish to share along with your plates/utensils and a drink.
January 31 we are hosting a Kayak self-rescue and assisted rescue training session at the Oak Harbor swimming pool. Instruction to be provided by Whidbey Island Kayaking. Details and RSVP can be found on the SWYC Kayaking Group Me page under the calendar events. There is space for ten in-pool participants with a $40 fee and up to 20 spectator participants with a $5 fee. Space is still available so please consider taking advantage of the warmer water and calm conditions to practice or learn for the first time your kayak rescue skills. Not yet on Group Me? Contact Nina Fitts or Diane Lagerstedt to get you added to our kayak group chat and calendar of events.
We have awesome trips already on the calendar and listed on Group Me for the New Year! Check out the SWYC kayak page on the website to read about our trips to Oyhut/Ocean Shores May 28-31, Sun Lakes/Dry Falls June 22-25 and West Beach Orcas Island September 17-20. Plus, two camping trips to Sinclair Island in July and August hosted on the property of members Barb and Pete Grimlund. 2026 is already shaping up to be a fun time out on our beautiful PNW waters.
Windward Women by Fleet Captains Ann Christensen, Gayle Austin and Mary Stewart
Windward Women sail into 2026!
Katy Shaner has passed the reins to Ann Christensen, Gayle Austin and Mary Stewart for leadership of our group. Many thanks to Katy for all her exceptional hard work and support in this transition.
Our first planning session will occur on January 21st at the general meeting at Freeland Hall. The meeting time is 6:00 to 8:30pm allowing time for the general meeting and individual group planning sessions.. We highly encourage all women interested in our group to attend because we will gather input from members by a survey of areas of interest. Based on interests we will start setting up our calendar for 2026. Members will be helped to connect to our new GroupMe app on their devices. We will be communicating initially by both email and GroupMe to include everyone in our communications.
Bring your ideas for hikes, socials, book club discussions, field trips and more!
Onward Windward Women!
Remember, you can always go on the SWYC website for the calendar of WW activities.
All women of the SWYC are invited to participate in Windward Women activities.
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
Planning for this year’s racing season is happening now. Race results for 2025 are available at Sailwave: Series I & Series II.
SWYC Pelicaneers & Pelican Fleet III
It’s a Bird, It’s a Plane, It’s a Pelican
Our Pelican sailors and other Club members had a meeting with members of Viking Pelican Fleet III who are interested in joining our Club and enjoying Pelican racing. Their fleet started in 1952 and they looked at our Club, and realized the benefits of associating with a Yacht Club with safety protocols and an existing Pelican Fleet. Several of our members also race with Fleet III. They’re a wonderful group of sailors and should they decide to join, we welcome them aboard! Let the racing begin!
Cruising by Fleet Captains Jim and Kathy Rogers
2026 Cruise Planning is Underway
Check the club calendar later in the early spring.
Reciprocity News – January 2026
We are excited about the many new Cruising opportunities in 2026! We have added more than 20 new Reciprocal Destinations in the past year. Why pay for space in a noisy crowded marina, when you can dock for free at a welcoming Yacht Club dock? When you start exploring reciprocals you will find many available in popular locations such as Gig Harbor and Port Ludlow, but you may be surprised by the many hidden gems like Navy Yacht Club and Silva Bay Yacht Club.
We want to dispel a few common misconceptions about reciprocals. One of the things we frequently hear is that larger boats aren’t welcome at other yacht clubs. In fact there are a few places which cannot accommodate boats over 50 feet, but there are many clubs with linear docks where large vessels can comfortably dock. Another myth is that reciprocal docks are always full. We have been using reciprocals for over 10 years, and in all that time there were only a handful of instances where our intended destination was full. Like all cruising, it always pays to have a backup plan!
Now is the time look at our Reciprocal List and start planning your 2026 cruising. There are a number of hidden features on the Yacht Destinations list, so for first-time users of Reciprocals, we have provided a short tutorial (look for the Reciprocals Overview ) on our Reciprocal page. Also, feel free to contact us with questions or concerns about reciprocals.
A reminder to all our cruising members: you can use our slip at the Langley Harbor as a reciprocal, even if you have a boat larger than 36 feet, and you can reserve that slip up to 4 days in advance. We ask that our cruising members help defray some of this cost with an annual Reciprocal Slip Fee. You may pay that fee Online on our Reciprocal page.
Bruce Morris & Barbara Bergmann
SWYC Reciprocal Managers
Safety Matters #28 - Aging
Safety Officer Clayton Canfield
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 meets every Wednesday at 10:00 am. Check the club calendar for meeting locations.
New Members
This week, our Board of Directors had several applicants to review and approve. Please welcome the following new members:
Kathaleen Lizotte
Kathaleen has had a kayak for years and has mostly sailed on lakes. She would like to get much better and meet new people and explore new places. She is based in Langley.
Sponsor: Judy Canfield
Catherine Nelson
Residing in Langley, Cate has already been involved with Kayak group.
Sponsor: Ann Christensen
Gwendalyn and Mark Papenhausen
Both Mark and Gwen have kayaked for years. They will enjoy getting to know other kayakers and learn more about sailing and are interested in ocean kayaking. They live in Coupeville.
Sponsor: Judith Canfield.
Ken and Phoebe Price
Ken is graduate of U.S. Naval Academy, and was a sailing instructor. In Pacific NW since 2003. Have big boat sailing and also kayaking as hobbies. Based in Freeland.
Sponsor: Judy Canfield
In the News
A Trip to Antarctica
Tag along as climate reporter Raymond Zhong travels to Antarctica with forty scientists.
Coming Events
General Meeting
SWYC Fleets - Planning 2026 Activities
Freeland Hall Community Center (No ZOOM for this meeting)
6:00* – Sips n Dips, Socializing
(*Note earlier start time to allow for more time in planning sessions)
6:45 – 7:00 – Club Announcements
7:00 – 9:00 – Fleet Planning Sessions
Starting to put your 2026 calendar together? Do you have great ideas of where to go on our group boating or kayaking trips this year? Interested in learning more about our pelican and laser racing and how you can participate? Or our sailing lessons? Or Windward Women outings? How about our club social events? Do you have some great ideas for these?
Come to our January monthly meeting. After our Sips n Dips and short general club update, we’ll break into our fleets (interest groups) and start the planning for each group for 2026. The goal is to have a tentative calendar of each of the interest groups’ activities for 2026. If you have ideas and interests in more than one area, don’t worry, there will be plenty of opportunity to participate in multiple groups’ planning.
This will not be a hybrid Zoom meeting since we will be having multiple table discussions.
2026 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
SWYC Merchandise
Land’s End Online Store
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. lternatively, Washington Design Company, here on Whidbey Island, offers a broad range of SWYC branded apparel. Shop online, then either ship to your address, or pick up at their shop across from Ken’s Corner.
or at: 11247 WA-525 Clinton, WA 98236
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