commodore’s message - benicia yacht...

April 2015

COMMODORE’S MESSAGEChristine Machado, Commodore

If it’s April, we must be on the water! Every year at about this time the Club shakes off the winter blahs and embraces everything on the water. While my only claim to fame in this regard is a sailing patch rightfully earned at summer camp many, many moons ago and before the days of “trophies for everyone” and “we’re all winners” (read: I REALLY earned my patch), my appreciation for and support of the Club’s water-related endeavors is unwavering. And while I won’t be sailing the Sydney to Hobart or the Transpac any time soon, as Commodore I want to publicly re-afÞrm my commitment to the ClubÕs sailing and boating endeavors. We are a yacht club after all! April welcomes back Thursday night Beer Can races as well as the vanguards on Friday nights. Thank you to Joe

Kallios for overseeing Thursday night races. They truly bring a renewed energy and sense of purpose to the Club. Once again we welcome the vanguards on Friday nights and look forward to an increasingly mutually beneÞcial relationship for the good of the Club and for the good of the sport. Opening Day on the Strait is right around the corner. Saturday, May 16th marks our 36th annual Opening Day

on the Strait celebration at the Club. Mark your calendars for this day-long event. This year’s theme is “Red Skies at Night, a Sailor’s Delight.” Thinking about volunteering (remember “FTGOTC”), contact Vice Commodore Richard Boltz. PICYA is also hosting its annual Opening Day on the Bay, Sunday, April 26th. This year’s theme is Youth in

Boating. I recently had the pleasure of sitting next to PICYA Vice Commodore Eric Schoenwisner at a PICYA Delegate Dinner and asked him about his theme, to which he replied “because the youth are the future of boating and our Clubs.” I couldn’t agree more. Speaking of youth in boating, our very own Youth Sailing program is expanding. With the acquisition of new

420s and FJs, Youth Sailing is on its way. I said it during my installation speech and I will say it again now, every thriving yacht club in the Bay Area has a thriving youth sailing program. They can’t, however, do it alone. But Commodore, I don’t have any sailing experience . . . no worries, we’ve got that covered. For those without sailing experience, Youth Sailing is in need of a person to oversee the registration process. In addition, there is always a need for people to help clean and repair the ßeet. Youth Sailing also invites anyone to help with the daily running of the day camp with on-land support, including checking in students in the morning and then out at the end of the day, helping with lunch time, Þrst aid issues, if any, and the like. Interested “FTGOTC” contact Derith Lutz. Cruisers. . . I haven’t forgotten about you. Cruise-outs continue. Last month we were at Oakland Yacht Club,

thank you to Brian Stiles and Joan Shepard, and this month we are cruising to Emery Cove under the direction of Steve and Ginger Penny. April also sees our Þrst cruise-in. Please extend a very warm Benicia Yacht Club welcome to the CA Clippers Cruisers who will be with us April 17th through the 19th. Another BYC tradition Jazz Cup is on the horizon. For the BYC, Rear Commodore Bob Bohnet is heading up

this year’s cup. In preparation, we have purchased, thanks to proceeds from Monday Night Football (thank you to Bob Cates, all the guest chefs and all of you who participated), new markers. Be on the look out for more information about Jazz Cup in the months to come.

Whether you own a boat or not, sail or cruise, the Club is the place to be. So come on down to the Club and

enjoy the magic that is April and beyond. . .

Christine Machado, Commodore

If it’s April, we must be on the water! Every year at about this time the Club shakes off the winter blahs and embraces everything on the water. While my only claim to fame in this regard is a sailing patch rightfully earned at summer camp many, many moons ago and before the days of “trophies for everyone” and “we’re all winners” (read: I REALLY earned my patch), my appreciation for and support of the Club’s water-related endeavors is unwavering. And while I won’t be sailing the Sydney to Hobart or the Transpac any time soon, as Commodore I want to publicly re-affirm my commit-ment to the Club’s sailing and boating endeavors. We are a yacht club after all!

April welcomes back Thursday night Beer Can races as well as the vanguards on Friday nights. Thank you to Joe Kallios for overseeing Thursday night races. They truly bring a renewed energy and sense of purpose to the Club. Once again we welcome the vanguards on Friday nights and look forward to an increasingly mutu-ally beneficial relationship for the good of the Club and for the good of the sport.

Opening Day on the Strait is right around the corner. Saturday, May 16th marks our 36th annual Opening Day on the Strait celebration at the Club. Mark your calendars for this day-long event. This year’s theme is “Red Skies at Night, a Sailor’s Delight.” Thinking about volunteering (remember “FTGOTC”), contact Vice Commodore Richard Boltz.

PICYA is also hosting its annual Opening Day on the Bay, Sunday, April 26th. This year’s theme is Youth in Boating. I recently had the pleasure of sitting next to PICYA Vice Commodore Eric Schoenwisner at a PICYA Delegate Dinner and asked him about his theme, to which he replied “because the youth are the future of

boating and our Clubs.” I couldn’t agree more.

Speaking of youth in boating, our very own Youth Sail-ing program is expanding. With the acquisition of new 420s and FJs, Youth Sailing is on its way. I said it during my installation speech and I will say it again now, every thriving yacht club in the Bay Area has a thriving youth sailing program. They can’t, however, do it alone. But Commodore, I don’t have any sailing experience . . . no worries, we’ve got that covered. For those without sailing experience, Youth Sailing is in need of a person to oversee the registration process. In addition, there is always a need for people to help clean and repair the fleet. Youth Sailing also invites anyone to help with the daily running of the day camp with on-land support, including checking in students in the morning and then out at the end of the day, helping with lunch time, first aid issues, if any, and the like. Interested “FTGOTC” contact Derith Lutz.

Cruisers. . . I haven’t forgotten about you. Cruise-outs continue. Last month we were at Oakland Yacht Club, thank you to Brian Stiles and Joan Shepard, and this month we are cruising to Emery Cove under the di-rection of Steve and Ginger Penny. April also sees our first cruise-in. Please extend a very warm Benicia Yacht Club welcome to the CA Clippers Cruisers who will be with us April 17th through the 19th.

Another BYC tradition Jazz Cup is on the horizon. For the BYC, Rear Commodore Bob Bohnet is heading up this year’s cup. In preparation, we have purchased, thanks to proceeds from Monday Night Football (thank you to Bob Cates, all the guest chefs and all of you who participated), new markers. Be on the look out for more information about Jazz Cup in the months to come.

2 January 2013

CLUB DIRECTORY

400 E. Second StreetP.O. Box 782

Benicia, California 94510

CLUB MANAGER Karen Garrett

OFFICE HOURS DESOLC noM

NORTON LOUNGE & BAR 707 746-6600

FOOD SERVICE SCHEDULE

ish

January 2013

CONTRIBUTORSTom Konecki Derith Lutz Richard Boltz Ken OxmanLorie Campbell Mark CampbellDaniel Holt

General Manager 707-746-0739 [email protected] Commodore Christine Machado 707-631-9015 [email protected] Vice Commodore Richard Boltz 707-746-1194 [email protected] Rear Commodore Bob Bohnet 707-745-1877 [email protected] Secretary Nick Grebe 707-315-6711 [email protected] Treasurer Larry Bennett 707-746-8657 [email protected] Director Larry Booth 415-990-9990 [email protected] Director Don Radigan 707-334-3192 [email protected] Director Lee Ritchey 707-568-1564 [email protected] Director Ken Oxman 707-745-6159 [email protected] Staff Commodore Tom Konecki 760-889-3295 [email protected] Fleet Commander Ken Oxman 707-745-6159 [email protected] Fleet Surgeon Deb Murray Historian Kathleen Treese 707-746-5553 [email protected] House Chair Barbra Brooks 707-334-4083 [email protected] Entertainment Chair Penny Stell [email protected] Membership Chair Robyn Boltz 707-704-2594 [email protected] Publicity Chair Lorie Campbell 707-477-9960 [email protected] Audit Committee Mark Campbell 707-748-7783 [email protected] PICYA Bob DuBois 707-853-6028 [email protected] PICYA Mark Conners 707-567-5141 [email protected] PICYA Rick Mares 707-745-8324 [email protected] Port Captain Lorie Campbell 707-447-9960 [email protected] Race Chair Joe Kallios 707-628-2914 [email protected] Safety & Protocol Paul Brighton 707-746-8852 [email protected] Ship Store Manager Michelle Konecki 707-297-6883 [email protected] Sunshine Chair Ross Oxman 707-745-6159 Welcome Committee Linda Hudson 925-708-5881 [email protected] Webmaster Larry Bennett 707-746-8657 [email protected] Wind Word Editor Derith Lutz 401-258-7304 [email protected] Youth Sailing Dir Derith Lutz 401-258-7304 [email protected]

2

December 2014

G ENERAL M ANA G ER Office 707 746-0739Office Fax 707 746-1052

O FFICE H O URS

Mon CLOSED

Tue-Fri 9A-5P

N O RTO N LO UN G E & B AR 707 746-6600Mon 4-10PTue-Fri 11:30A-10PSat 11:30A-11P (or whenever the last guest leaves)Sun 1-8P

FOO D SERVICE SCH EDULE

Lunch Tue-Fri 11:30A-2:00PAppetizers/Bar Menu Service Tue 11:30A - 2:00P Wed 11:30A - 8:00P Thur-Fri 11:30A - 9:00P Sat 5:00 - 9:00PWednesday Night Buffets 6:30-8PDinner Menu Thur - Sat 6-8:00P

400 E. Second StreetBenicia, California 94510

Commodore’s Log ...................1Club Directory .........................2Contributors ............................2Over the Botom Contest ..........3Chef’s Corner ...........................3Note from editor ......................4Lichted Boat Parade .................5Richard Boltz ...........................5Harvest Cruise .................. 6 & 7Cruise-in Schedule ..................8Cruise-out Schedule ................8Burge Project ...........................8Ken Oxman .............................9Comedy Night .........................9Election Results .....................10

Commodors Log ......................... 1Club Directory ............................ 2Contributors ............................... 2R. L. Wren Article ....................... 3Nauitcal Things to Ponder ........... 4Opening Day .............................. 4Thrifty Sailor ............................... 5BYC Upcomming Events ............. 6Crusing Notes ............................. 6Cruise-In Schedule ..................... 7Wind Damage ............................ 7Letter from Editor ........................ 8Chef’s Article .............................. 9Wine & Canvas ......................... 10R. C. Tipton Obituary ................ 10Ads ........................................... 11Should, Could, Would, Did ...... 12

CONTRIBUTORSChristine Machado Derith Lutz Richard Boltz Daniel HoltJohanna Wright Susan GarskeSally & Don RadiganRachele & Bob Bohnet

April 2015 General Manager 707-746-0739 [email protected] Commodore Christine Machado 707-631-9015 [email protected] Vice Commodore Richard Boltz 707-746-1194 [email protected] Rear Commodore Bob Bohnet 707-745-1877 [email protected] Secretary Nick Grebe 707-315-6711 [email protected] Treasurer Larry Bennett 707-746-8657 [email protected] Director Larry Booth 415-990-9990 [email protected] Director Don Radigan 707-334-3192 [email protected] Director Lee Ritchey 707-568-1564 [email protected] Director Ken Oxman 707-745-6159 [email protected] Staff Commodore Tom Konecki 760-889-3295 [email protected] Fleet Commander Ken Oxman 707-745-6159 [email protected] Fleet Surgeon Deb Murray Historian Kathleen Treese 707-746-5553 [email protected] House Chair Barbra Brooks 707-334-4083 [email protected] Entertainment Chair Ginger Penny 707-290-7170 [email protected] Membership Chair Robyn Boltz 707-704-2594 [email protected] Publicity Chair Lorie Campbell 707-477-9960 [email protected] Audit Committee Mark Campbell 707-748-7783 [email protected] PICYA Bob DuBois 707-853-6028 [email protected] PICYA Mark Conners 707-567-5141 [email protected] PICYA Rick Mares 707-745-8324 [email protected] Port Captain Lorie Campbell 707-447-9960 [email protected] Race Chair Joe Kallios 707-628-2914 [email protected] Safety & Protocol Paul Brighton 707-746-8852 [email protected] Ship Store Manager Michelle Konecki 707-297-6883 [email protected] Sunshine Chair Ross Oxman 707-745-6159 Welcome Committee Linda Hudson 925-708-5881 [email protected] Webmaster Larry Bennett 707-746-8657 [email protected] Wind Word Editor Derith Lutz 401-258-7304 [email protected] Youth Sailing Dir Derith Lutz 401-258-7304 [email protected]

Keep your eyes peeled for us please... Youth Sailing has changed so much over the years and so have our needs. For the last few years we have been taking our young sailors out into the Carquinez Straits once they reach level of sailing to do so. Our ßeet of RIBS are old and the engines unreliable. We are always in need of a reliable vessel for use as Safety Boat. We have found a few on the internet, but usually miss out because they go so quickly. We are asking for your help boaters. If you see a boat or nice engine on the internet or in your neighbors yard, please let Derith know either by phone or email with a link. Ideally, weÕd like a Þberglass boat (such as a Boston Whaler) that could be boarded with ease from the water. Please call Derith if you need more information…

“Don’t own a boat but still interested in racing?

Skippers always need crew for the races.”

Youth Sailing

Racing News By Johanna Wright

April 2nd marks the start of sailboat racing every Thursday night through September. The Thursday Night Beer Can Races start off the Benicia Marina Thursday evenings at 6:00 pm. Racers return to the Club around dusk to party and hear race results. Everyone is welcome to watch the races and join the sailors in the Norton Lounge afterwards.

New racers are very welcome and long-time racers are eager to help beginning racers get going. Don’t own a boat but still interested in racing? Skippers always need crew for the races. If you have questions about the racing program or are interested in racing, contact Race Chair Joe Kallios at 707-628-2914 or email him at [email protected].

SAILINGOur Volunteers are working on schedules and plans for the upcoming sailing season. Each summer we host a camp for the younger sailors with Introduction to Sailing, a half day, one week camp in June. Our hope is that those who go through the intro camp will find it fun enough to join us for the five day, full day, Learn to Sail Camp. There, the chil-dren have hands on boat rigging and de-rigging and work toward learning as many of the skills in the US Small Boat Red Book as they can accomplish. They will be qualified to sail a vessel on their own, in light to moderate winds, within that week. The Intermediate Sailing Group will hopefully gain momentum this summer and we’ll be out on the Straits with the most qualified students that we have. We have advertised in the Benicia Recreation Guide this year and hope to sell out sooner that usual. We are offering a discount for our members families until MAY 15, no exceptions. By the time this issue of the WW is published we should have the dates for each camp listed on the BYC website. With the dates, you’ll find detail information about each camp as well as the registration and scholarship applications.This summer we are looking forward to making use of our two new (to us) Vanguard 420’s. These boats are sturdy 2 person boats with a simple rig, safe for the beginning sailor AND fast enough to keep the high school and collegiate sailor excited! We are very excited to have them!As Usual, we invite you to help us out.In whatever capacity that you are willing! We would like to have our registration and direct payment for classes put on line on the BYC website, can you help us with this? At this point, our registration is not on line, so we need a person to collect the mail from the office, keep track of the registration list (because we run on a first to register basis as well as a Minimum and Maximum number to run each session) and to get the deposit ready for the bank. We always need extra hands during the camp weeks. You do not have to be a sailor to help with camp, but enjoying children is a must! Vol-unteer needs are help with checking students in and out each day, lunch time assistance, playing games, exercising and on-land “learn to sail” activities. If you wish, you can join the instructors as an “on-the-water-look-out” in the chase boat, while the kids sail. Please help us out with one or more camps. While we’d appreciate a commitment for a full one week session for the benefit of the children, thought we would be thankful to have the extra help if you can only do a day or three. Before each camp there is the usual clean up and repair of our fleet, we ALWAYS welcome extra hands with that. Another way to help is to sponsor a scholarship, we offer one per session. As a sponsor you will be invited to our Award dinner where you’ll see first hand the happy students who went through our camps, you’ll receive a letter of thanks from the child that you sponsor, as well the reward knowing that you might change the life of a child with the gift of knowing how to sail!At this time we are a core group of six volunteers, a few of which have been by my side for all of my time as Director and some have surpassed my time with being with the program since it first began. Ken Vanstory has taught sailing for our program since YS began, teaching youngsters to sail each summer at the BYC and Tim Rose has always been a contribu-tor. We have several junior sailors, member Jack Sutter and non-members Thomas Fredericks and Blaise Place, who have been volunteering for the last few years, a delight and a huge help. Join this group of volunteers, you’d be pleasantly surprised by how much fun and how great the reward of teaching children to sail, a lifelong skill. Please support our efforts and the wonderful youth that come through the program each summer to learn to sail. Keep your eye out for upcoming events that will help to promote BYC Youth Sailing.

Keep your eyes peeled for us please... Youth Sailing has changed so much over the years and so have our needs. For the last few years we have been taking our young sailors out into the Carquinez Straits once they reach level of sailing to do so. Our ßeet of RIBS are old and the engines unreliable. We are always in need of a reliable vessel for use as Safety Boat. We have found a few on the internet, but usually miss out because they go so quickly. We are asking for your help boaters. If you see a boat or nice engine on the internet or in your neighbors yard, please let Derith know either by phone or email with a link. Ideally, weÕd like a Þberglass boat (such as a Boston Whaler) that could be boarded with ease from the water. Please call Derith if you need more information…

“Don’t own a boat but still interested in racing?

Skippers always need crew for the races.”

Youth Sailing

Racing News By Johanna Wright



SAILING

By Johanna Wright



Racing News

Member of the Month:

Penny Stell

Honorable Mentions: 1.The Ladies Room Bathroom

Crew... 2. Pittsburg Cruise Directors Rachele and Bob Bohnet &

Sally and Don Radigan.

Mark your Calendars!

April 2015First Friday Cocktail Party - April 3rd

Cruise Out to Emery Cove - April 10-12Cruise In - CA. Cruising Clippers - April 10-12

Winemaker’s Dinner - April 16Sunday Brunch of the Month - April 19

BYC Wine and Canvas - April 29

May 2015First Friday Cocktail Party - May 1

Don’t miss our weekly ongoing fun at the BYCWeekly Membership Buffet (every Wednesday)

Membership Meeting: Third Wednesday of each month

Trivia TuesdayThursday Night Beer Can Racing Friday Night One Design Racing

English Rose Submitted by Chef Daniel( Not named after the East Coast Tim Rose)

R e c i p e o f t h e M o n t h

12 quality lamb cutlets, French-trimmed

Spanish smoked paprika

12 large fresh bay leaves

dried oregano

1 clove garlic, finely sliced

½ small onion, finely sliced

extra virgin olive oil

2 cans chickpeas, drained of theirliquid

1 large handful crustybreadcrumbs

1 red chili, finely sliced

1 green chili, finely sliced

1 small bunch fresh curly parsley,roughly chopped

yogurt, to serve

Gril led Lamb chopswith bay, paprika &chickpeas

MethodThis is really quick and easy and could be done for a barbecue if the weather's nice enough.

Lightly bash each chop with a rolling pin to flatten a little. Season well with salt, pepper and smoked paprika. Folda bay leaf around each one and press it firmly to hold it in place against the meat. (It might snap, but don't worry,just press each half of the leaf against the meat so it sticks.) Sprinkle with a little oregano.

Griddle the chops in batches for 2 minutes or so on each side for pink, or for longer if you like your meat a littlemore cooked. Keep warm while you cook the rest of the chops.

While the chops are cooking, in a wide, non-stick frying pan, gently fry the garlic and onion in a good splash ofolive oil until soft and light brown. Add a pinch of paprika and the chickpeas. Fry for a moment then add thebreadcrumbs. Stir and fry until the chickpeas are warmed through and the breadcrumbs are crispy. Season andscatter with the sliced chili and parsley.

Serve 3 cutlets per person with a spoonful of chickpeas, a dollop of crème fraîche or yogurt and a pinch of smokedpaprika. Enjoy!

5 ounces gin2 ounce dry vermouth2 ounce apricot brandy1 ounce lemon juice2 tsp grenadineMaraschino cherry for garnishYield: 2 Cocktails

PREPARATIONPour the ingredients into a cocktail shaker with icecubes.Shake well.Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.Garnish with the maraschino cherry.

PITTSBURG CRUISE OUT FEBRUARY 20-22, 2015

PITTSBURG CRUISE OUT FEBRUARY 20-22, 2015 We had an excellent turnout this year for the Pittsburg

Yacht Club Cruise out. All in all, 15 boats participated as well as some land cruisers. The weather was fantastic. Half of the cruisers went up a day early on Thursday. Everyone said that the Thursday ride up was about as calm as they had every experienced. We received similar reports from the Friday travelers. Thursday was a quiet day for most. Some took walks, others went for bike rides, some got right to the cocktails, and Richard Boltz decided to wash his boat. The Bohnet’s dog (Farrah) was so intent on biting the water stream that she slipped off the dock and into the water without her life vest. Note: I believe that cruiser’s dogs do not qualify for the Shark Award. The early evening found us heading to the New Mecca for a very hearty dinner. We were all able to sit together at one large table and had a great time.

Friday was pretty much an “on your own day”. Most had breakfast on their boats. Walks and bike rides were enjoyed. We also waited on the dock for the rest of our cruisers to come in. Everyone ultimately arrived safely and the dock was Þlled with Benicia Yacht Club boats. With only hours away from our Pittsburg Yacht Club dinner, it was time to get the Friday night party started. It was truly a sight to behold when nearly every woman at the Yacht Club dock found a way to cram into the Sea Shell cockpit. The guys found it best to just retreat to the back of Karma. Much safer there! Dinner consisted of your choice of Pork Loin or Chicken with salad, mashed potatoes, veggies, desert, and of course, the Þne hospitality of the Pittsburg Yacht Club. Two land cruisers also joined us, Jacqueline Vullierme and Barbara French. And, we did a pretty good job supporting their bar as well.

Saturday, once again, was a “do whatever you feel like day”. It was a good day for napping for those so inclined.

PITTSBURG CRUISE OUT

Photos submitted by Bob Bohnet Sea Lions on a calm day, perfect for a cruise...

Nice dinner for our Cruisers.

Ladies taking over Sea Shell

Continued: PITTSBURG CRUISE OUT It’s a tough life being a Cruiser. Pre-dinner cocktails preceded our evening walk to La Veranda for a wonderful dinner. We were joined for cocktails and dinner by our three newest members, Bert and Paula Armelino, Jerry Cook and Nancy Comstock, and Greg and Terry Coleman. As we have become accustomed to, the dinner and ambiance was amazing and paled only in the comparison of the company that was kept. We were joined by land cruisers Commodore Christine and Joe Machado and Steve Gilliland. After dinner, some chose to attend the movie “Ray” which was playing at the theater across the street from the restaurant. Complementary tickets provided by the Pittsburg Yacht Club were a nice touch. Some stopped by to continue to support the PYC bar. Others just retired to a relaxing evening back on their boats. What a nice day.

We had arranged for the club to be opened up on Sunday morning so that we could enjoy a little breakfast buffet. On the menu was scrambled eggs, bagels and cream cheese, smoked salmon, granola, nuts, berries, and yogurt. And, everyone’s favorite, pineapple and cottage cheese☺. After the breakfast, all the cruiser’s enjoyed testing their nautical wits against a very heavy gusting wind that made even getting out of the marina a challenge. Things did smooth out closer to home and everyone returned safely. Thanks to all for coming.

Cruise Directors: Don and Sally Radigan / Bob and Rachele Bohnet

More Photographs... Pittsburg Docks filled with BYC Cruisers.

Dining with Friends in Pittsburg, CA.

Enjoying breakfast at the Pittsburg Yacht Club

2015

A Happy Anniversary for Ross and Ken!

Spirit of AdventureI once rode a mechanical bull. I recall thinking that the combined heave, pitch, and spinning motion make it impossible to stay seated for more than a few seconds. I thought I had found the perfect machine for tossing people off. Then I discovered the Volvo 60, Spirit of Adventure. Built at great expense at the last moment for the 2001-2002 Volvo Ocean Race, Spirit of Adventure, then named Amer Sports One, was a new breed of ocean going race boat, poised right on the cusp of an explosion in sailing innovation. Right before the ocean racing world went to canting keels and hull designs that looked more like pizza slices, here was a wide beamed, relatively narrow transom, state-of-the-art racing yacht weighing only 18 tons made of the toughest, strongest, lightest material in use at the time; a Kevlar epoxy composite over an aramid honeycomb core. With most of her weight in her massive bulb keel hung 12.5 feet below the water and sporting over a ton of movable water ballast, her 90 foot tall rig carries very large sails making boat speeds over 20 knots a regular occurrence. Skippered by New Zealand's most famous sailor, Grant Dalton, Amer Sports One found herself on the podium in a ßeet of seven very fast boats at the conclusion of the Volvo Ocean Race in 2002. However the boat's history was the furthest thing from my mind as I found myself standing at the very front of a

different kind of bucking bronco that was repeatedly dunking me in the blue waters of the Caribbean. Yup, I had found my way onto the bow of Spirit of Adventure for the 35th anniversary of the famous St. Maarten Heineken Regatta. Touted as "Serious Fun", the Heineken Regatta has a reputation as the largest regatta in the Caribbean and is known for what has to be the biggest, most elaborate regatta party in the world. The ofÞcial party runs for four days, longer than the regatta itself, but the pre-party was still ringing in my head the Þrst day of the Gill Commodore's Cup, the ofÞcial lead-in race to the three day Heineken Regatta. The 35 knot wind and horizontal rain at the start of the Commodore's Cup was doing a good job of clearing my head. Suddenly this yacht, which was such a pleasure to sail off the wind under a full moon on the delivery from Antigua, had turned into a real powerful monster, laid far over under a deep reefed main and a headsail only slightly larger than a storm jib. I gripped the forestay as the deck once again disappeared from beneath my feet. I was signaling back to the skipper to help weave through a starting box Þlled to bursting with multi-million dollar yachts. There were several large Gun Boat catamarans in the 55 to 75 foot range, a Volvo 70, two other Volvo 60s, several exotic high-end race boats, a super-yacht well over 100 feet, and a TP 52, the smallest boat in the starting area. Every time a TP 52 comes out to play on the San

Francisco Bay, it turns heads. Here, it was barely worth noting other than as one more fast moving obstacle we needed to avoid. An ocean racing boat designed for 2000 mile legs is not really all that quick to maneuver. Without a Þxed backstay, the timing of securing the running backstays is critical to safely tacking or gybing. Miss cranking in new running backstay in time, or release the old one too soon, and the entire carbon rig comes crashing down over the bow to the tune of half a million dollars. With an all amateur race crew, many of whom had less than a full year's experience sailing, the skipper decided to take things slowly and was very careful not to put the boat in a situation where a fast maneuver was needed. It was really quite a change of pace for this dinghy sailor who is used to split second tacks and hotly contested start lines. I couldn’t fault the skippers prudence however since I spent most of my time on the foredeck in what would have been the path of a collapsing rig.

As it turns out, our slow approach to the start line was for naught. About 30 minutes into the Þrst leg, the jib exploded in a fury of noise and Dacron. With the clew pulled clean off the sail, there was no saving it. I sprang into action, moved my tether from the hard eye at the primary winch onto the jack line and scampering up to the very bouncy and wet bow to get the jib down and secured to the deck. Having to resort to the storm jib, we were already in pretty bad shape when the mainsail, already in the second reef, began to

" 1

Continued: tear. The decision was made to retire to try and catch the last morning bridge to get the main into the sail loft and salvage the next three days of our regatta.

The party that night, the Þrst ofÞcial party of the regatta, was beyond any prior experience of mine. We took a complementary water taxi from the St. Maarten Yacht Club across the Simpson Lagoon to Cole Bay where the “Green Experience” kick-off party was being held. With several thousand people in attendance and a giant stage belting out dance tunes with a base track that could restart someone’s heart, Heineken showed what they were about. A bevy of dancers in green sequins tossed a constant stream of branded swag into the crowd. Green smoke machines worked overtime and green confetti rained down all night long.

The next day dawned disturbingly early, but the crew had been cautioned about the need to party responsibly and conserve our strength so none of us were too bad off except perhaps for our hearing. With a newly repaired main and more reasonable wind speeds in the low 20s, we were able to make good speed with the number 3 jib and a double reefed main. The race committee called the “round island” race and we were off, watching the fast cats pull away, but duking it out with the other Volvo 60s and 70. The

racing was very close and for hours the boats were within several boat lengths of each other. Once we turned the corner and started down the other side of the island, spinnakers came out and the boats took off. It is an amazing amount of work to hoist even an A8 spinnaker up 90 feet of mast.

With beautiful scenery ßowing by the entire time, we sailed to a Þnish at Simpson Bay, caught the early afternoon bridge back in, and proceeded to prepare for the Þrst beach party of the regatta, to be held on the Phillipsburg boardwalk. Dancing the night away on packed sand with thousands of fellow sailors was quite the treat. The green wash lights everywhere deÞnitely put a Heineken twist to the classic moonlit stroll along the beach as we headed to catch the shuttle back.

The second day of the regatta boasted more traditional buoy style racing with long windward/leeward courses set up and down the western coast of St. Maarten. Trying to buoy race a Volvo 60 is not for the faint of heart; or for those without excellent cardiovascular Þtness. At the end of the day, this sailor was really feeling it and honestly had a hard time getting excited about that evening’s party; the Þrst night of partying at the headlining venue of Kim Shaw Beach where a full concert stage had been erected along with two massive VIP lounges and about 100 vendor tents. Still, one round of “Shipping up to Boston” was

enough to get the entire crew to hurry through their excellent dinner at nearby Toppers and dance the night away on the white sand.

The racing on the Þnal day was one long race North to the French side of St. Martin with a leeward mark near Grand Case and then back to Simpson Bay for the Þnal Þnish of the regatta. Having Þnished nowhere near the podium, some of the crew elected to skip the awards ceremony for one last fabulous dinner and a chance to Þnally enjoy the famous Caribbean spiny lobsters. The grand Þnale was not to be missed though, so it was back to Kim Shaw Beach to watch Cool and the Gang take to the massive stage and close out the regatta in style!

We woke early the next morning for the quick delivery back to Antigua that ended up turning into a story of all its own. But that is a tale for another time.

By Nick Grebe

BENICIA YACHT CLUB2015 Opening Day

May 16, 2015

It seems like spring has arrived early this year. We have already had our first few cruise outs of the year. The weather has been perfect for getting out on the water. Opening Day on the Straits is coming up fast. This year’s Opening Day theme is all about getting on the water. One of the first sailing slogans I ever heard was “ Red Sky at Night a Sailors Delight”. That old saying indicates that a sailor going into an evening red sky will encounter fair weather and following seas. That’s my wish for the Club. Let’s all go forward into that fair weather, grow the club through the efforts of all of our members, improve our facilities and our books, enjoy club events, and get out in the sun and on to the water.Boaters, Captains and Crews should be able to come up with some interesting themes about “Red Sky at Night a Sailors Delight” to dress up and decorate their boats for the Blessing of the Fleet parade and contest. We have a big day planned starting at 10:00am. Please join us on the water or celebrate around the promenade through out the day. There will be crafts booths on the Benicia Marina green and fun games for the kids. The official Opening Day Ceremony will be followed by music. We will be having a Blessing of the Fleet, and hosting a Decorated Boat Parade and contest on the Straits. BYC invites everyone to Dinner prepared by Chef Daniel and his crew, and then to top off the night Dancing in the Norton Lounge. This should be a fun day for all ages, please come down to the club, bring your family and friends, and join in on the fun and activities. We are looking for volunteers for the weekend before for our annual sprucing up of the grounds as well as for set up and tear down on the day of the event. Please give me a call or send me an email. Thank You in advance.

Thank YouRichard Boltz – Vice CommodoreEmail: [email protected]

Joe Machado 04/01Gary Coverdale 04/02Greg Kennedy 04/02Richard Boltz 04/03Herman Brinkman 04/03Chavoya Cabrini 04/03Charles Reed 04/03Steve Marshall 04/04Theresa Sola 04/04Roberta Bennett 04/08Michael Calderman 04/09Larry Miller 04/15Bill Williams 04/16Ken Giusti 04/17Don Murray 04/18Connie Coughlin 04/19Roberta Mc Donough 04/20

Phil Joy 04/21Ken Oxman 04/21Gabriella Pyle 04/21James Peterson 04/23Lars Ekdahl 04/24Larry Petrie 04/24Gerald Martin 04/26Robert Cates 04/29Leeann Cawley 04/29Heather Todd-Heiser 04/30Don Turner 05/02Ann Holland 05/03Henrietta Ruiz 05/03Candy Garnett - Burrows 05/05Don Scott 05/05Dorothy Szabo 05/06Michelle Munn 05/07

Nichole Russell 05/07Monica Griswold 05/09Cheryl Kleinschmidt 05/09Sharon Stewart 05/10Jeane Corcoran 05/11John Dillow 05/11Jeanne Ekdahl 05/12Julie Thomas 05/12Sam Brenes 05/13Tara Keefe 05/13Robert Ritter 05/15Renee Amaro 05/16

BYC MEMBERS BIRTHDAYS

Benicia Yacht Club 400 East Second Street Benicia, CA 94510

“Wine and Canvas Join us on Saturday, April 25,

2015, in the Regatta Room to

meet artists from Plein Art

Gallery, local artists and BYC’s

own Terry Hughes.

Artists will be presenting

Nautical themed artwork.

Enjoy a painting exhibition

by several artists.

Complimentary wine and

hors-d’oeuvres will be

served from 2-4:30 p.m.

Invite your friends to spend a

Saturday afternoon at the Be-

nicia Yacht Club.

Bob Bohnet’s Joke for the Month of April

A magician was working on a cruise ship in the Caribbean. Each week he would have a different audience. So the magician allowed himself to do the same tricks over and over again. There was only one problem: The Captain's parrot saw the shows each week and began to understand how the magician did every trick. Once he understood he started shouting in the middle of the show:

"Look, it's not the same hat." "Look, he is hiding the flowers under the table." "Hey, why are all the cards the Ace of Spades?"

The magician was furious but couldn't do anything about it. After all, it is the Captain's parrot.

One day the ship had an accident and sank. The magician was left adrift on a piece of wood in the middle of the ocean with, of course, the parrot. They stared at each other with hate, but did not utter a word. This went on for a day, then another, and another.

Finally, after a week the parrot broke the silence and said:

"OK, I give up. What’d you do with the ship?"

2 January 2013

CLUB DIRECTORY

400 E. Second StreetP.O. Box 782

Benicia, California 94510

CLUB MANAGER Karen Garrett

OFFICE HOURS DESOLC noM

NORTON LOUNGE & BAR 707 746-6600

FOOD SERVICE SCHEDULE

ish

January 2013

Inc.

Full LinePet Store

1202 E. FifthBenicia, CA 94510www.feathererpet.com

707 745-5016800 331-6702

Fax: 707 747-2933

Karen HubbardOwner/Vice President

Dog & Cat Grooming

Kemper PaintingContractor’s License #769117

Residential and Commercial

Phone (707) 745-2087Fax (707) 747-9620Cell (707) 322-0468

Free Estimates

707.745.3738 • [email protected] • www.mktgalacarte.com

Project-by-Project Marketing SolutionsCreate-Design-Write-Edit-Proofread-Print-Mail-SEO-Web

Vicki & John Garcia

January 2013 11

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A Taste of Life Menchu Andres Owner/Chef

Company cell (925)270-8985www.atasteoflifecatering.com

[email protected]

Customized Menus, Corporate Events, Private Parties,

Wine Pairing Dinners, Weddings, etc!

November 2014 11

Advertising Space is Available In the WindWord Ad Size. Monthly Annual 2”x2”. $20. $220 Bus’s card $25. $275 1/4 page. $45 $495 1/2 page. $85. $935

Please contactMike Mathews 745-0610.

November 20144

An apology to any of you whose articles did not make into last months WW. Biography’s for the candi-dates took up a bit of space in the last edition and we could not get all of the stories in, we have included your articles in this edition.

There is a lot of work that goes into getting the Wind Word to you. With each edition that I have done, it has gotten easier, though it is still very time consuming. I am hoping that there is a member out there that would consider coming on board to help with putting out the WW in 2015. I am willing to help you get started! I also encourage having a team to sell advertising to defray the cost of future editions.

With that said, I am concerned that the WW is set to go on line only. It has been a topic of discussion before my taking over for HR as Editor. My concern is for the many members who do not have internet access and those not familiar with the internet itself, that may not search for the BYC website and the Wind Word. Without the phone tree, our only news update to our members is the Scuttlebutt, also an

internet based informational blast.

It would be much more cost effective to post on line only. Would you go on line and read it? Would you miss getting this in the mail and reading it as a print material? Think about that and let the board know your thoughts about the Wind Word’s future.

Because of the low number of readership that we have, membership is just over 200, we are not in competition with other local newspapers and publications as far as advertising goes. I do believe that we could do a better job to gain advertisement with our low costs and help defray the cost of this paper. If you would like to advertise and would like more information, please feel free to contact me or the board about this matter. .... Contact Mike Mathews at 707-745-0610.

I will be accepting LETTERS TO THE EDITOR about the future of the WW and anything else that you would like to discuss.

As I mentioned before, I would love to hear from you. All articles will be considered for print though member and mariner related articles will take priority and preference.

Editors Note: from Derith

commodore’s message - benicia yacht...

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