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May 2011
The San Francisco Yacht Club
November 2009
The San Francisco Yacht Club
2 • MAY 2011 THE BULLETIN • www.sfyc.org
TThhee BBuull lleett iinnMagazine of
The San Francisco Yacht Club
May 2011Volume 17 • Issue 4
OFFICERS & DIRECTORS
Commodore Robert HellerVice Commodore W. Robert GriswoldRear Commodore Thomas C. LaceySecretary Paul S. RosenlundTreasurer Suzie MoorePort Captain Jay HookerDirectors: Daniel C. Buckstaff
Edward LynchWilliam MelbostadAngie Lackey OlsonWilliam StarkJr. S/C Raymond Lynch
AUXILIARY OFFICERS & DIRECTORS
President Lisa HarrisVice President Melissa TulpTreasurer Mimi BlakesleeSecretary Lori FrommDirectors: Molly Brilliant
Ginny De MariaTina SetzerGinna MilanSue MillironMarily RimmerVicki SilvermanJane YoungAlisa Bekins - Ex-OfficioEmily Heller - Honorary
General Manager Dennis ConneallyAsst. General Manager Evelyne Swinscoe-Byer
THE BULLETIN
Editor P/P Mimi Cornelius
Ads/Calendar Editor AGM Evelyne Swinscoe-Byer
Race Editor Ross Tibbits
Production Manager Vince Mattera
Bulletin Committee Joan Linn BekinsMike NorthMarily RimmerP/P Sally SecorBarbara Raeuber ThomasP/P Jane Watts
Contributors Phil Atchison, John James Audubon, S/C Kyle Elliot, S/C Ken Frost, Forrest Gay, Ed Lynch, S/C Ray Lynch,Chef Reny Madrid, Steve Masonand Ginger Souders-Mason,
Anne McCormick,Angie Lackey Olson,Paul Rosenlund, Bill Stark
Photographers David Dibble, Jeffery Stein, S/C John Swain, Serge Zavarin,Joan Bekins, Ron Steinau
THE SAN FRANCISCO YACHT CLUB98 Beach Road • P.O. Box 379
Belvedere, CA 94920-0379(415) 435-9133 • FAX (415) 435-8547
www.sfyc.org
THEBULLETIN
The San Francisco Yacht Club
November 2009
Columns3 Commodore
14 Auxiliary News22 General Manager23 Food and Beverage
Departments4 Bowline5 Around The Club6 House Committee7 Harbor8 Race News12 Youth Sailing
Features16 Crossing Wakes17 Cruising18 Point In Time21 Food and Beverage
Social Events15 On the Horizon
20 On the Horizon
Patriotism and excitement filled the air at the South Beachcruise out
Cover photo: The Optimum Opti Arena!Cover photo byBlake Elder
Racing
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Opti practice session inRaccoon Straits
From the CommodoreFrom the CommodoreBob Heller, Commodore / commodore@sfyc.org
IIt’s Opening Day andeveryone is enjoying TheClub. After the long winter
rains, Spring has finallyarrived and the sailing seasonhas begun.
This is the time of yearwhen the old drawbridge onBeach Road used to be opened– hence “Opening Day” – andthe boats that had wintered inthe protection of the lagoon
would again be venturing forth into the Bay to be ready for thefirst regattas of the year.
How times have changed! This year, Opening Day brings a frantic rush of activity.
The Club Deck is brimming with activity, the bands are playingand the flags are flying high!
The Youth Committee has been working for severalmonths to be ready for the onslaught of 160 young Optisailors from around the country and their entourage ofdoting parents and training coaches that accompany themfor the U.S. Team Trials. The sailing competition for thecoveted spots on the official U.S. Opti Team promises tobe fierce in the first week of May.
The regular regatta season began long ago – no needto wait for the opening of the drawbridge! The SanFrancisco Cup, which was ably defended by our team ledby Jonathan Perkins, was wrested away in drenchingrains by his older brother and SFYC Member ChrisPerkins, who was flying the St. Francis burgee. So muchfor brotherly love.
The Club series got off to a great start with theRosenblum Regatta, which was won in the spinnakerdivision by the indomitable Hank Easom sailing once again hisclassic Yucca to victory and in the non-spinnaker division byStaff Commodores Kyle Elliott and Bill Smith on Fast Friends.Hank Easom showed that he is a master of all classes by alsowinning the Etchells division in the Resin Regatta together withBill Barton and Laurence Pulgram. Kevin Clark from theEncinal YC won the Melges 24 division on Smokin. A fullcalendar of Club racing and regattas awaits our sailors thissummer, which will include over two dozen regattas andchampionships!
The Cruisers are also getting ready for a busy season,which will include a cruise to Greece and Turkey.
Opening Day also saw the Club Deck rejuvenated with anew surface of beautiful and long-lasting Brazilian Ipehardwood that should serve us well for decades. Club MemberSteve Stroub did an amazing job in record time! Not to worry,the railings will be redone as soon as the necessary permits can
be obtained from the City. And Marily Rimmer has done agreat job replanting all the planter boxes with colorful newflowers for everyone to enjoy!
The kitchen remodel is next – and Chef Reny Madid cannotwait to finally get a modern and efficient kitchen so that he andhis staff can create even more inspired cuisine! Expanding thekitchen will necessitate a relatively small addition to the mainbuilding to accommodate our administrative offices and maybecreate some new space for members – as was suggested duringthe Open House. We are still considering the feasibility of thatproposal. Some of you who looked at the external dimensions ofthe story poles may have gotten the wrong impression that theoutermost story poles actually define the new building. Thismay be a mistaken impression as the rendering on this pageshows. The higher poles define the roof line and the outer polesessentially show where the gutter will be located – with plentyof space to walk underneath. The footprint of the actual buildingextension is defined by the interior markers. The floor space
addition will measure only 25.5 by 27 feet – and much of thatspace is now covered by a concrete walkway to the backdoor.
Oh, by the way, the Chinese did not buy the Cove Houseafter all the April 1 Bow Wave hoopla. A local TV stationthought that they had a real scoop and were very disappointed –as were several Club members who wanted to charter their fineyachts to the Chinese. While the bar crowd was drowning theirsorrow over having missed their promised $1,500 bar-bonus,most Club members were relieved to hear that this April Fool’sDay joke was just that. But now the hard work of coming to anagreement on the final shape of the Cove House rejuvenationhas to be tackled by the Facilities Planning Committee.
While much construction work still remains to be done, wehope to have everything spruced up soon, so that you can fullyenjoy your own Club facilities and welcome your friends – bethey your neighbors or sailors from around the world!
Commodore Bob
MAY 2011 THE BULLETIN • www.sfyc.org • 3
4 • MAY 2011 THE BULLETIN • www.sfyc.org
The BowlineThe BowlineKeeping The SFYC membership tied to what’s happening around The Club
Molly Robinson Joins All-American
Offshore TeamBy S/C Ray Lynch
When the United States MerchantMarine Academy SailingFoundation recently accepted
applications from sailors across the US forthe first All American Offshore Team,SFYC’s Molly Robinson’s name quicklyrose to the top of the list. With animpressive background that includes a
strong college sailing resume at theUniversity of Charleston, and businessstints with North Sails and SpectraWatermakers, Molly was selected as oneof the two women to join the elite teambeing assembled on the East Coast.
The team was created as a part of thevision of USMMA Sailing FoundationPresident Ralf Steitz, whose focus “is tocreate seaworthy, high performance,offshore training opportunities for the nextgeneration of American ocean racingleaders.” The effort was readily endorsedby the USMMA when the organizationprovided their STP 65, Vanquish, and aracing program was scheduled. The Teamwill be competing in the Around BlockIsland Race, the Annapolis to NewportRace, and the 2,975 nautical mileTransatlantic Race that will take place inlate June. The team then intends to remainin the United Kingdom to prepare for theirfinal endeavor, the Rolex Fastnet Race.
Molly’s love of the water and sailingstarted at an early age. Her proud parents,S/C Jim and Martha Robinson alwaysbrought her along with them while sailing
on The Bay or surfing out at Bolinas.Her skills were enhanced through manyyears of Junior Sailing summers andhigh school racing with Tam HighSchool. While in grammar school,Molly took a few months off to sailthrough the Caribbean with her family“experiencing the not so idyllic life asit exists here in Marin.” This exposurehelped to prepare Molly for “her roadless traveled”; one that has taken her toCharleston, New Zealand, and nowwell over the horizon in her excitingnew challenge.
Congratulations Molly!!
And The Winner Is…
After a lengthy submission period that broughtin many creative and exciting originalphotographs, the Bulletin Photo Contest has beenwon by Frances Barbour Melbostad. Frances’photo of Bernie Wills was submitted with thefollowing caption: “If he’s not ‘having a yarn’,he’s spinning one”…. In her photo, the contest’sJudging Committee saw a photo that included ademonstration of sailing skills, the joy of beingaround boats, and a friendly, open acceptance ofall who wander down any SFYC dock – A trueexample of “The Spirit of SFYC.”
Congratulations Frances! Enjoy your SFYCgift certificate.
From the CommodoreFrom the CommodoreKyle Elliott, Commodore / commodore@sfyc.org
If you have not been aboard your boat as of recent, may Iremind you that come Spring the thoughts of all youngswallows turn to love? Swallows are the birds that fly like
fighter jets (or bats) and chase away the nasty little fecesmachines, known as starlings. As a reconstructed gentlemanwho was put together from body parts, previously owned by theliving once said, “Swallows Good!!!! Starlings bad!!!Starlings bad!!!!” (I recommend that you read this last bit toyour kids while walking around stiff legged with your armsthrown out to either side).
The only problem with swallows is that they love to nest inyour sails, boom, and women’s hair styles seen in the latefifties into the early sixties. Sailors, please consider inspectingyour boat covers, and look into your booms in the near future.If you don’t do this, expect that in a few weeks from now youwill climb aboard your vessel, raise the sails and voila!!….babybirds will be pouring out ofthe sail folds onto the deck.Should this tragedy happenyou must be prepared to:
View the terror in yourchildren’s eyes that might beleading to extensivepsychological counselingexpenses down the road.
Incur extensive distainfrom your wife; similar towhat you received a fewmonths back when you didone of the many stupidthings that make you a guy.
Feel pretty darn bad for the poorlittle birdies.
Regards to all, as I have my ownwings now,
- John James Audubon
Ed Note: Mr. Audubon will be thelast Hard Aground guest columnist forsome time. The Hard Aground column is going on hiatus. Weappreciate all the letters of support our guest writers havereceived, both verbal and in writing. Over the past year, thecolumn’s guest writers over the past year or so have ranged fromthe well endowed, to the incredibly uninformed, to the dead. In allcases, the columnists have insisted that they hoped to inform,entertain, or at the very least, keep the kids awake at night withnew and interesting nightmares.
As Mr. Audubon declared recently, “With Summer rightaround the corner and the little nippers getting out of school, itseems as if it’s a great time to let Mr. Audubon aka James Cookaka Howard Jarvis aka Cap’n Al Hope, etc, etc join the fun. It’salmost summer time, the wind is blowing, the kids are laughing(normally at you – not with you) and I bid you farewell.”
MAY 2011 THE BULLETIN • www.sfyc.org • 5
Around The ClubAround The Club
Hard Aground
The San Francisco Yacht Clubvs
St. Francis Yacht Club
The First Commodores’ Golf ChallengeMonday, June 6, 2011
Marin Country Club in Novato
Ladies are WelcomeGolf Committee will put teams together.
Limited to 72 People
The fee is $150.00 which can be billedto your SFYC Membership account.
Registration forms are available forpick up at the SFYC Front Office.
Any questions:please contact Tony Guzzardo
415-435-0889 tguzrdo@aol.com
House CommitteeHouse CommitteePaul Rosenlund, House Committee Chair
On the House
Many of us have been busygetting ready for the Spring andSummer seasons. Our SFYC
employees and the volunteers who workin and around the Clubhouse are noexception. As I write this column, ournew Ipe deck is looking terrific. It’salmost ready for its first barbeque and theupcoming Opening Day festivities. Mostassuredly, the deck’s now pristine surfacewill suffer a few indignities from spilledmai tais, red wine and whatever falls fromour kids’ plates, but Ipe is pretty toughstuff, and it will look good for many yearsto come.
Thanks to our members and the ClubBoard for supporting the deck project, toS/C John Swain for the planning anddrawings, and to member Steve Stroubfor giving us the best bid and executing itbeautifully.
Comment cards have been coming in.As reported last month, the HouseCommittee has reinstituted the commentcard program. As of mid-April almost 100cards have been received. Comments havebeen overwhelmingly positive, but a smallnumber (four) had some constructive
The House Committee is also nearlyfinished with a review of policies andcharges for private events at The Club.This has been a touchy subject for some.But the goals remains to have policies andcharges that are transparent, to treat allmembers equally and fairly, to cover TheClub’s cost of putting on the event, and tominimize displacement of regular memberactivities around The Club. As has alwaysbeen the case, all private events must behosted or sponsored by a member. The hostor sponsoring member is responsible forthe event and the guests who attend it.There is no plan to bring in outside eventsthat are not sponsored by an SFYCmember. If you plan to sponsor an eventat The Club, you will need to send an emailor letter to our Catering Manager, NatalieWatson, to confirm your sponsorship.
Also on the horizon: House Committeemember Leslie Ruhland is assemblinganother all-star cast of speakers for ourclub Speaker Series. Another Committeemember, Mark Kasanin, is organizing afirst aid course for sailors. Look fordetails soon.
Please come out and enjoy The Club’snew deck. All of us on the HouseCommittee look forward to seeing you.
criticisms that are being addressed. Wewant to hear from you. Remember,you don’t need to wait for your checkin the Dining Room to submit acomment. There is a stack of cards anda locked box to receive them on thetable near the ship’s wheel in theDining Room. I attempt to pick up thecards at least once a week. And afterreviewing them, I make sure they arerouted to the General Manager or otherclub departments for review andaction. More is in the works in thecomments department, as we will soonhave the capability to conduct onlinesurveys.
The House Committee has severalprojects underway, and one – anupdated employee handbook – was justcompleted. With the assistance of ourHuman Resource consultant andoutside counsel, we have updated theemployee manual to be sure ourprograms and policies meet currentrequirements (which are alwayschanging). While a few minoradjustments were necessary, we nowhave gotten it right, and our HR andmanagement team are working out thedetails of implementation.
6 • MAY 2011 THE BULLETIN • www.sfyc.org
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HarborHarborEd Lynch, Harbor Chair / elynch@rpm-mtg.com
As I mentioned in the last fewmonthly Bulletins, the HarborCommittee has a lot going on
around the SFYC harbor. The harborrebuilding project is underway, the drydock reorganization is moving along, andactivity around the harbor is picking up.
Last month the Harbor Committee wasseeking input and feedback on berth rentersinterested in pump out services on ascheduled program. We have not had anyfeedback on the idea and will keep theoption open for another month before wetable it. If you are interested please send anemail to harbor@sfyc.org and let us know.
The harbor staff has added a weekendperson, Chris Davies, to assist membersand visiting boaters. If you are planning onvisiting the harbor by boat, you can reachthe harbor office by phone, 435-4202 or onVHF channel 68. Hail The SFYC harborand they should answer between the hoursfrom 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Some of you may have received a letter regarding your boator storage box. As mentioned in previous articles, the HarborCommittee is actively working through the list of unused boatsberthed in SFYC slips, and trying to clean up the dry storagearea to free up space for active boats and members racing underthe SFYC burgee. Please help us make the SFYC dry storagespace a clean and well used area. We want to provide as manymembers as possible the opportunity to enjoy The Club.
During the month of May, the Member Docks will be closedon weekdays for the rebuilding project. If you plan to leave yourboat at The SFYC overnight, please use the Guest Dock area soas not to interfere with the work occurring on the Member Dock.The less interruption and need to move boats, the faster we cancomplete this work and get out of the way. Please help us withthis project to minimize disruption. Also, during the course ofthis work, please pay attention to the Bow Wave noticesregarding electrical and water shut downs to the docks. Anyboats that use inverters will need to be turned back on after eachshut down.
Lastly, if you have a boat in the harbor or on dry dock andyou are not receiving the Bow Wave email updates or not keepingup on information about the harbor via the Bulletin, you aremissing important information about changes, issues, updates,and events occurring around The SFYC and harbor. If you do notcurrently receive the Bow Wave please send your email addressto office@sfyc.org and request to be added.
Go Sailing!
Ed Lynch, Harbor Committee
MAY 2011 THE BULLETIN • www.sfyc.org • 7
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MasterMarinersWooden BoatShowSunday, June 19th
10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
CorinthianYacht ClubMain StreetTiburon
Admission$10 Childrenunder 12free
Supports thePreservation of Classic Sailing
Vessels, Seamanshipand Nautical
Education
A rare opportunityto view and board
San Francisco Bay’sclassic sailing
yachts, meet theskippers and
learn theirhistory.
8 • MAY 2011 THE BULLETIN • www.sfyc.org
Race NewsRace NewsAngie Lackey Olson / Anne McCormack
Tuning Upfor theEtchells WorldsForty-five Etchells weregathered at the San DiegoYacht Club on April 8-10 forthe SLAM EtchellsMidwinters West, drawingcrews from the local area as wellas France, Australia, Chicago,Detroit, Houston, San Francisco andBellingham, WA. The Worlds will beheld in San Diego June 6-11 so thiswas a great opportunity to get someSouthern California sailing time undertheir keels. Four boats were present fromthe SFYC membership roster:In order of their finish:
(2nd) Craig Healy I Love My Wife(3rd) Don Jesberg Viva(16th ) Phillipe Kahn Pegasus-MotionX(38th ) John Sutak White Jacket
Tuning Upfor theEtchells WorldsForty-five Etchells weregathered at the San DiegoYacht Club on April 8-10 forthe SLAM EtchellsMidwinters West, drawingcrews from the local area as wellas France, Australia, Chicago,Detroit, Houston, San Francisco andBellingham, WA. The Worlds will beheld in San Diego June 6-11 so thiswas a great opportunity to get someSouthern California sailing time undertheir keels. Four boats were present fromthe SFYC membership roster:In order of their finish:
(2nd) Craig Healy I Love My Wife(3rd) Don Jesberg Viva(16th ) Phillipe Kahn Pegasus-MotionX(38th ) John Sutak White Jacket
ResinRegatta
Hank Easom, Bill Bartonand Laurence Pulgramwon the 2011 ResinRegatta by one point.
On Saturday, Magic leads a start with the fleet close behind.
Teams JR and Ginna Fe round the windward marklooking for opportunities....
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MAY 2011 THE BULLETIN • www.sfyc.org • 9
Race NewsRace Newsrace@sfyc.org
San Francisco Cup
The 2011 San Francisco Cup, the annual matchrace regatta pitting The SFYC against theSt.Francis Yacht Club, was completed over the
weekend of March 26 and 27. Cloudy skies, coolconditions, unpredictable, shifting wind and somerain welcomed teams from both clubs.
The St.FYC was this year’s challenger andselected the J/105 as the boat of choice. Chris Perkinsrepresented the St.FYC aboard his boat GoodTimin.The SFYC’s skipper, Jon Perkins, representedThe SFYC with a crew of several newcomers to theevent, which included Steve Fentress, JBFerranone, Alison Russell, Greg ‘Radar’ Feltonand Brent Harrill. Team SFYC sailed aboardScooter Simmons’J/105, Black Hawk. Many thanksto Scooter for turning over the helm and his beautifulboat to help The SFYC defend the Cup.
The St.FYC won the Cup this year withprecision starts, and an excellent boat and crew.The SFYC team was in the mix the entire regattaand fought hard to the bitter end. Team SFYCspent many hours on the water preparing for theregatta, often in heavy rain and even hail storms.Thank you Team SFYC for your dedication, hardwork and effort!
The SFYC Joint Committee members wereR/C Tad Lacey, Bill Melbostad and KyleElliott. Angie Lackey-Olson served aboardVictory as scorer and timekeeper. Suzie andBryan Moore deftly crewed the mark set boatand David Dibble volunteered to take on-the-water photographs.
Simply put, it wasn’t our year in spite of agreat boat, skipper, crew and extensive practiceand preparation. The SYFC has already startedplanning to challenge for the SF Cup in 2012!
ResinRegattaWinners:Magic’screwLaurencePulgram,HankEasom andBill Barton
Jay Lawton, Tina Lundh and Jeff Zarwell were volunteers aboardthe support boat, Martin, during the recent Resin Regatta.
The crew of Fast Friends charges to a first place finish inthe Rosenblum, Non-Spinnaker Division
Hank Easom and his Yucca crew round the leeward markduring their first place performance in the Rosenblum,Spinnaker Division
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10 • MAY 2011 THE BULLETIN • www.sfyc.org
Race NewsRace NewsAngie Lackey Olson / Anne McCormack
Winter Racing Wrap-Up
Undesirable winter weather did not discourage theintrepid racers of The SFYC Club from venturing out tosail. Congratulations for win-place-or-show go out to:
Scott Easom Eight Ball: 1st PHRF 2 Manuel FagundesSeaweed Soup Series; 1st PHRF 2 Corinthian Midwinters. HankEasom Yucca: 2nd PHRF 2 Manuel Fagundes Seaweed SoupSeries; 3rd PHRF 3 Corinthian Midwinters. Chris HermanThea: 2nd Folkboat Manuel Fagundes Seaweed Soup Series.Glenn Isaacson Q: 1st Div C Sausalito Midwinters; 1st Non-Spin1 Corinthian Midwinters. Elliott James Bloom County: 2nd
PHRF 3 Corinthian Midwinters. John Jenkins Narcissus: 3rd
Knarr Manuel Fagundes Seaweed Soup Series. Tina LundhFjording: 2nd Cal 20 Berkeley Midwinters. Bill MooreShenanigans: 3rd PHRF 3 Manuel Fagundes Seaweed SoupSeries.Tim Parsons Carpe Diem: 2nd BAMA Big DaddyPursuit. Richard Pearce Fjaer: 2nd PHRF 6 CorinthianMidwinters. Nancy Rogers Spirit: 3rd AE28 CorinthianMidwinters. Scooter Simmons Blackhawk: 3rd J105 Regatta ProWinter One Design; 3rd J105 Corinthian Midwinters. KirkSmith Dream: 1st AE28 Corinthian Midwinters. Steve StroubTiburon: 3rd PHRF 1 Corinthian Midwinters. John Sutak WhiteJacket: 2nd PHRF 4 Corinthian Midwinters. RichardvonEhrenkrook Can O’ Whoopass:1st Cal 20 BerkeleyMidwinters; 1st Non-Spin 3 Corinthian Midwinters. JohnWimer Desdemona:1st PHRF D Big Daddy (Sat)
Club Championship Series: Rosenblum Regatta By Bob McDermott
The cobwebs had barely cleared from the St. Paddy's DayParty when, on the morning of March 19th, 18 intrepid skippersand their crews ignored the small craft advisory and bravedthe elements to take part in the first regatta of the season andthe first regatta in the Club Championship Series, theRosenblum Regatta. With steady rain and winds blowing at 15to 20 knots out of the South East, PRO Steve Mason set achallenging 9 mile cross-bay course to Ft. Mason, LittleHarding, Ft. Mason and Finish. With the tide flooding at thestart and beginning to ebb on the City Front later, tactics were,as always, the key to doing well.
Steve Stroub in Tiburon took line honors, but he had tosettle for third place on corrected time in the Spinnaker Divisionwhich was won by Hank Easom on Yucca with Doug Holmtaking second in Mirthmaker. In the Non-Spinnaker DivisionGlenn Isaacson in Q nipped Fast Friends (Bill Smith and KyleElliott) at the post, but also had to accept third place oncorrected time while Eben Marsh in Elusive took second place.
In addition to PRO Steve Mason, thanks go to MichelleFarabaugh, Tracey McClain, Paige Brooks and Lynn Spilleron Victory and Zarko Draganic, Dani Dabbah and ShawnDavies setting the marks on Golden Retriever while RonSteinau took the photos.
Resin RegattaThe Resin Regatta for the Etchells and Melges 24 fleets was held
April 9 & 10, led by PRO Dave Carrel. Dave had an excellent RaceCommittee staff of Angie Lackey Olson, John Sanford, JayHooker, Michelle Farabaugh, Tina Lundh, Mac McCall, SuzieMoore, Anne Scully and Nancy Demauro aboard Victory. JeffZarwell was the support boat captain and had two new volunteers outon Saturday), Jay Lawton and Graham Quinn. Saturday was a dayof wind shifts, from 140 to 270 (momentarily) and the course wasrotated several times to accommodate the shifts, the tides, the dyingand then freshening breeze. Sunday was a steady 15 knots.
Top honors go to: Etchells: Magic, Skipper Hank Easom, crewBill Barton & Lawrence Pulgram. 2nd JR ,Skipper Bill Melbostad,crew Bryan Moore & Steve Fentress
Magic came in first with a one point lead over JR. This isEtchells racing at its finest. Of particular note, Hank was the foundingsailor of the Etchells fleet on San Francisco Bay and it great to seehim out there again in the Etchells fleet after a 10 year gap. Team JRis the reigning fleet champ of the local Etchells fleet (and have beenthree out of the past four years). They will be sailing in the Worlds inSan Diego in June.
Melges 24:1st Smokin’ ,Skipper Kevin Clark (with seven firstplace finishes); 2nd American Lady, Skipper Kristian Notto.
J/ FestThe StFYC hosted the annual J/Fest in April. Congratulations go
to Scooter Simmons and the BlackHawk crew for 2nd place in theJ105 fleet & John Wimer and the Desdemona crew for 2nd place inthe J120 fleet.
Double-Handed Farallones RaceWhile it might have been a bit fluky wind-wise in the Bay on
April 9, the ocean had plenty of breeze for the Double HandedFarallones Race. The SFYC had two competitors in this short handedrace out to the rock pile and back, both in Division 2 (ULDB <60).Congratulation to Skip & Jody McCormack on the Farr 30 TruckMonkey for taking 1st Place honors and Sean Mulvihill on the J120Jamani for 4th.
Elite Keel May 14-15Six fleets (Melges 24, Etchells, Express 27, J24, Knarr and IOD)
will be pulling into the harbor on May 14th. Join us on the race courseor back at the dock for a Sailor’s BBQ on Saturday.
Race Management Seminar May 21US SAILING and The SFYC are sponsoring this seminar which
is designed for sailors who have some race committee experience,although newcomers also are welcome. It will be held in the CoveHouse from 0745-1730 hours. The principal instructor for the day willbe Jeff Zarwell, a certified National Race Officer who has taughtnumerous seminars and workshops. Registration can be found athttps://secure.ussailing.org/ ussis/register/index.asp?eventid=519030
Spinnaker Cup May 27Erich Ringewald, the PRO for Spinnaker Cup, will be getting
the Memorial Day weekend started on Friday and the boats on theirway to Monterey. If you want to lend a hand on the Race Committee,let us know.
MAY 2011 THE BULLETIN • www.sfyc.org • 11
All Members invited to honor Old Timers!
OLD TIMERS’ PARTYSaturday, June 25
COCKTAILS 6:00 p.m. DINNER 7:00 p.m.
ENTERTAINMENT
Brian Ramsey & FriendsSaloon Songs of San Francisco
CASUAL ATTIRE
Price $30.00 Inclusive of Club service charge and Marin sales tax.
The San Francisco Yacht Club ishosting the 2011 Optimist U.S.National Team Trials. The regatta
is the most important Optimist regatta ofthe year, and must be qualified forthrough competition in other regattas.The swarm of Optis that are here at TheSFYC are practicing for and then racingin this prestigious event. The resultsfrom these Team Trials are used to selectTeam USA for the World Championship,North American Championship,European Championship, BritishNationals, and other major Optimistchampionships this summer.
The San Francisco Yacht Club hasbeen at the forefront of the CaliforniaOptimist scene since Optis arrived on the
The team’s coaches are: Nico Winogradand Robi Bisi.
The south half of the SFYC parkinglot will be full of Optis from May 2 toMay 7. Please make sure to come downto The Club and have a look at thespectacle. These kids, regardless of theirage, are already some of the best sailorsin the country. They are here to race andrace hard on the Berkeley Circle. So ifyou can get out on the water, head downRaccoon Straits and towards the EastBay where you will find a swarm of 180little white sails and about 50 supportingmotorboats.
SFYC Youth Sailing is excited to bethe heart of Opti racing on the WestCoast. Good luck Team SFYC!
West Coast almost ten years ago. Sincethen, The Club’s team has grown to beone of the biggest and best in the country.We currently have 70 Optimists on ourdock and 45 kids on our racing team.With our success in recent years, andwith our SFYC sailors being the topNational Team, the United StatesOptimist Dinghy Association has decidedto host its first-ever West Coast TeamTrials here at The SFYC.
The SFYC sailors competing are asfollows: Alex Moody, ChristopherCasciani, Dylan Meade, JacksonWagner, Kristopher Swanson, LawsonWillard, Logan Lee, Lucy Wilmot,Maria Casciani, Romain Screve, WillCefali, Will Dana, William McMullen.
12 • MAY 2011 THE BULLETIN • www.sfyc.org
Youth SailingYouth SailingForrest Gay, Director / youth@sfyc.org
What is at stake for all these Optis?By Forrest Gay, Youth Sailing Director
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The US National Opti Team enjoyedthe SFYC Youth Sailing Center
Optimist U.S.National TeamPractice at SFYC
The U.S. Optimist Class supportsfive special practices per year forthe National Team. The National
Team is chosen at the Team Trials andone other regatta and is comprised ofsailors who attend international regattasrepresenting the United States. TheSFYC is currently hosting the 2011 TeamTrials. But in early April The Clubhosted the National Team for practicesessions and for getting ready for theTeam Trials Regatta.
Six coaches spent three days on thewater with the fifty sailors for intensiveall-day practice followed by video andwhiteboard debriefs. SFYC’s very ownhead Opti coach, Nico Winograd, waschosen as one of the six National Teamcoaches. SFYC was also able to includeeight sailors of our own who are not onthe National Team. The event requiresspecial attention as these visiting sailorsarrive “on their own” and need to be fedand housed for the duration of the event.
Special thanks to Mike McMullenfor organizing all of the kids’ logistics.He assembled a team of volunteers tomeet the kids at the airport and transportthem to their host families. Thefollowing families made this eventpossible by hosting visiting sailors andcoaches and driving them back and forthto The Club daily: Steve and MegAbbott, Will and Eileen Baylis, Bill andLisa Dana, Kurt and Lisa Hovan,Gordon and Jennifer Hull, Gianfrancoand Lisa Giometti, Mike and KarenMcMullen, Todd and Lucy Moody,David and Nelle Placek, Francois andBeatrice Screve, Jon and KyungSwanson, Dave and Patty Young.
The SFYC kitchen staff providedthree meals a day and classroom timewas held in the Cove House. Five SFYCcoach boats and a loaner from ScottWilmot got the coaches on the water andtowed the sailors back and forth to theBerkeley Circle every day. The visitingsailors used charter boats that arrivedfrom the East Coast in trailers fromMcLaughlin and The Dinghy Locker.
MAY 2011 THE BULLETIN • www.sfyc.org • 13
2011 Summer SailingSign-ups
Summer 2011 is right around thecorner and enrollment is now open.The SFYC Summer Sailing
Program fills up fast and is the largest inthe Bay Area with over 300 kids sailingin over 450 sessions. Make sure you geta spot reserved for some of the action bysigning up early. Classes for youth aged7 through 15 years old are available inmany different types of boats. The bestsailors are the kids who participate inmultiple summer sessions and then stickaround for the racing throughout the year.So get started or continue sailing in 2011.Applications are available atwww.sfyc.org/youth.
SUMMER SAILING 2011Session 1: June 13-17Session 2: June 20-July 1Session 3: July 4-15Session 4: July 18-29Session 5: Aug 1-12
2011 Fees (for 2-week sessions)Member half-day: $385Member full-day: $680Non-member half-day: $590Non-member full-day: $1045
phot
os b
y S
am H
ayth
orn
Serious competition on the Lazer scene
SPRING DINGHY @ STFYC (MARCH 12-13) Laser 4.7 (7 boats) 2nd Markus Suorsa;3rd Michael Tan; 5th Kyle Larsen; 6th Lola Bushnell Laser Radial (10 boats)1st Domenic Bove; 6th KaitlynBaab; 10th Lindsey Baab
PERRY (420) #4 @ CORONADO YC (MARCH 12-13) (34 boats) 18th Reid Bergsund/Kate Gaumond; 20th Jack Barton/Cassidy Lynch; 26th Kennedy Placek/LeaRussellPCISA (HIGH SCHOOL) #5 @ SANTA BARBARA (MARCH 19-20) Gold Fleet (28 teams)10th Redwood; Silver Fleet (27 teams) 5th Redwood JV
NORCAL WINTER OPTI #4 @ PYSF (MARCH 19-20) Championship Fleet (9 boats) 1st Lucy Wilmot; 2nd William McMullen; 3rd Jackson Wagner; 4th Lawson Willard;5th Mats Keldsen; 6th Logan Lee; 7th Christian Ehrnrooth Green Fleet (8 boats)2nd Nicolas MarwellLASER MIDWINTERS WEST @ CALIFORNIA YC (MARCH 25-27) Radial (58 boats)2nd Annie Rossi; 7th Kaitlyn Baab; 16th Kyle Larsen; 29th Lola Bushnell;30th Lindsey Baab; 40th Lauren Cefali; 51st Michael TanBIG ROCK REGATTA @ MORRO BAY (MARCH 26-27) Opti Championship Fleet(19 boats) 8th Teddy Russell Opti Green Fleet (15 boats) 7th Lucie Russell
SSFFYYCC YYOOUUTTHH RRAACCEE TTEEAAMM RREESSUULLTTSS
14 • MAY 2011 THE BULLETIN • www.sfyc.org
Auxiliary NewsAuxiliary NewsLisa Harris, SFYC Auxiliary President, 2011
Thanks to Auxiliarymembers Ginny DeMaria, Lori Fromm,
Marily Rimmer, Tina Setzer,MelissaTulp and Emily Hellerfor “manning” the Friday nightPaddle Board Sales Table. Theirsmiling faces and soft-sellapproaches have been successfulin bringing in huge crowds ofpotential winners! At the timethis article is going to print wedo not know the winner, whose
name will be drawn on Opening Day. Details will follow in theJune Bulletin.
A huge thank you in advance goes to Mimi Blakeslee andMolly Brilliant for their expert guidance and unbridled talent
chairing this year’s Easter extravaganza! Beautiful DiningRoom décor, stilt walkers, two egg hunts replete with goldeneggs bearing money, balloon animals, face painting, and anamusing Easter Bunny with his ever patient and jovial assistant,
(thank you Jim and Martha Robinson) are just some of theday’s popular planned activities. Chef Reny always outdoeshimself with an over-the-top buffet that caters to the soldout crowd. Thank you Reny. Kudos and more thanks to allthe SFYC staff who so willingly assist the Auxiliary everystep of the way in pulling off this exceptional day.
The Auxiliary is especially proud to have just pledged$5000 to Youth Sailing for the building of new lockers ontheir docks. Youth Sailing Director Forrest Gay hasassured us that this is a very much needed, worthy expense,and that the young sailors’ belongings will be much safer ina new and secure environment. We of course agree and arevery happy to be able to step in and fund this project. Weare also in the early stages of working on other gifts to TheClub; ones we will divulge, as they get closer to fruition.
As always your Auxiliary is working hard and havingfun at working hard!
See you soon,
Lisa Harris
Auxiliary President Lisa Harris, Lori Fromm, Emily Hellerand Tina Setzer enjoyed selling tickets for the Opening DayAuxiliary Paddle Board Raffle.
SUMMER IS JUSTAROUND THE CORNER
A good time to gatherwith friends and family
Create an eventand lasting memories
Contact Natalie in the Catering OfficeAnd let the fun begin
catering@sfyc or 415-9133 x25
MAY 2011 THE BULLETIN • www.sfyc.org • 15
The San Francisco Yacht Club’s
Pasta NightSunday, June 5
Enjoy fresh pasta dishes cooked to orderin the Member’s Dining Room
BUILD YOUR OWN PASTA BARINCLUDES CHOICES OF:
Steak, Chicken, Shrimp, Scallops and CalamariBell Peppers, Mushrooms, Olives, Broccoli,
Sundried Tomatoes, Winter Squash and Seasonal Vegetables
YOUR CHOICE OFPENNE PASTA OR FETTUCCINI WITH
Alfredo Sauce, Pesto Sauce or Marinara SauceDelicious Garlic Bread and Full Salad Bar
with Chef Reny’s famous Assorted Salads
ALL YOU CAN EAT:$18.95 Adults $10.95 Kids 10 and under
All prices subject to Club service charge and Marin sales tax.
SEAFOOD RAW BAR STATION
FRUIT AND ARTISAN
CHEESE DISPLAY
CARVING STATION
OMELET STATION
COMPLETE BREAKFAST BUFFET
CHEF’S CRAFTED GOURMET SALADS STATION
FABULOUS DESSERT STATION
Mother’s DayChampagne Brunch
Buffet
SundayMay 8 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
$ 45.00 Adults $12.95 Children 10 & under
All prices subject to Club service chargeand Marin sales tax.
Special Kid’s Buffet
Memorial DayBarbeque 2011
Monday, May 30Noon - 7:00 p.m.
Music on the DeckKids $7.9510 and under
Adults $18.95
Choice of:HamburgerHamburger
HotHot DogDogGrilledGrilled ChickenChicken BreastBreast
CarneCarne AsadaAsadaAngus Beef Tri TipAngus Beef Tri Tip
Grilled Fresh Fish Of The Day Grilled Fresh Fish Of The Day
IncludesTexasTexas Chili, CORN ON THE COBB Chili, CORN ON THE COBB
Chef’s EightChef’s Eight Selection SaladSelection Salad BarBar
DessertENGLISH TRIFFLE BARENGLISH TRIFFLE BAR
All prices subject to Club service charge and Marin sales tax.
H H H H H H H H H H H H H H
H H H H H H H H H H H H H H
16 • MAY 2011 THE BULLETIN • www.sfyc.org
Crossing WakesCrossing WakesSteve Mason & Ginger Souders-Mason
Auspice, with Kim and Jim Cogganaboard, spent February and Marchin the outer atolls north of Majuro
in the Marshall Islands. No internet wasavailable until they returned to Majuro forsupplies of red rice, beer and rum.
They enjoyed the Marshall Islandsimmensely; writing from Maloelap Atoll,while anchored at Ollot Island (08 46.0 Nby 171 10.255E), of the pristineenvironment unlike Majuro 60 nm to thesouth. The people were friendly, butsomewhat restrained compared to theFijians. They tend to give visitors a littlemore space, and yet were very warm andgenerous once you take the initiative. Thekids were wonderful, with quick smilesand an eagerness to practice English. Likemany kids, they love to have their picturetaken.
The Islanders maintain a subsistencelifestyle, depending on fishing, coconuts,bananas, breadfruit, and the occasional pig,chicken and egg. Cooking is done overfires of dried coconut husks. The Coggansdid not see any signs of malnutrition, andobesity was seldom noticed, unlike other“more civilized” islands they visited.Solar ovens would be a natural for thesepeople but they haven’t heard of theconcept. The islanders don’t depend onmoney, but trade among themselves.
Islanders have a fleet of wheelbarrows, a few outboard powered boatsand a domestic solar systems donated bythe Taiwanese. They have neatlymanicured paths and yards, an occasionalbicycle, NO motorized vehicles, NO TV orcell phones. VHF radios are used tocommunicate with other islands. A supplyship visits once a month or so. And that isnot even scheduled. Everything happenson island time. The Coggans felt theIslands to be a wonderful place to getaway from “the benefits” of civilization.
When Jim helped out at the clinicswith dental issues he found it was woefullyill equipped. He helped organize arequisition for basic supplies andinstruments from the government. Itremains to be seen what support they willreceive from RMI at Majuro. Dentaldisease is rampant and is at the top of the
area’s health issues. Jim believes thebest that could be done would be toinstitute a preventive program, especiallyin schools, and to train the island medicsin basic surgery.
One day Jim and Kim took twoislanders fishing and came back withthree yellow fin tuna, averaging about10kg, a small wallu, and a 30kg gray reefshark. Their tackle suffered some lossesas they were overpowered several timesby the big fish. Snorkeling was worldclass, with visibilities estimated to be100 feet and better.
In mid-March the Coggins plannedto sail the 60 nautical miles to Wotje, thenext atoll in the chain and do somefishing along the way. Eventually theywill go as far as Ailuk, where it iscommon to sail outrigger canoes. At theend of March, their plan was to headsouth, cross the equator, then go on toFiji for the southern winter. From FijiKim and Jim will probably head west.But then again who knows. They may beinclined to return to the Marshall Islands.
Gay and Wyman Harris left Safariin Canada over the winter and wentcruising aboard the Lindblad/NationalGeographic Explorer in the southernhemisphere instead. They flew from SanFrancisco to Miami to Lima, Peru andeventually ended up in Santiago, Chiliwhere they spent two nights enjoying thecity and museum tours. Ushuaia,Argentina, the southernmost city in the
world, was their last continental stop.Ushuaia, a city of 60,000 remindedWyman of Juneau.
After a day of cruising the BeagleChannel with lunch aboard a catamaran,the Harrises boarded the 356 footLindblad/National Geographic Explorer,an ice expedition vessel, with about 140other guests and a crew of 100 thatincluded Lindblad naturalists andNational Geographic wildlife photoexperts. Thus began the trip of alifetime.
The 600 mile crossing of the DrakePassage was routine with wind gusting to60 knots and 20-25 foot seas which wereeasily handled by the stabilized ship.They cruised 50 miles south of theAntarctic Circle to Adelaide Island andmade a dozen landings before retreatingto Elephant Island. The ship then headed800 nautical miles northeast across theSouthern Ocean to South Georgia, trailedby wandering albatrosses, black-browedalbatrosses and giant petrels. SouthGeorgia is remarkable for its fjords,glaciers, historic whaling sites andabundant wildlife. After a visit to theFalkland Islands that included the townof Stanley, Carcass Island and NewIsland, the ship returned to Ushuaia,having traveling 4,014 nautical mileswith 20 days aboard ship and 29excursions ashore. Now home, Gay andWyman are still glowing in the memoryof all they experienced.
Wyman Harrisand a party ofpenguins
Cruising NewsCruising NewsBill Stark
MAY 2011 THE BULLETIN • www.sfyc.org • 17
Join the SFYC Cruise To
THE COYOTE POINT YACHT CLUB
JUNE 10-12
Come on down for a fine old fashionedSFYC get-together!
~Visit the CPYC ~ Enjoy the wonderful CP Recreation Area
~ And dine with our fellow sailors~
InformationCPYC:
www.cpyc.com
EARLY RSVP’S WILL BE VERY WELCOMEBy
Rich and Shawn Wideman atcrwideman@aol.com
And Ken and Carol Jesmore at
kandcj@aol.com
Giants Opening Night Saturday, April 9, 2011
Our Giants Home Night Opening Game was a hugesuccess. We had approximately 14 boats and over 100members and guests attending. Most boats arrived duringthe day on Friday and cruisers had dinner at variousrestaurants around town.
On Saturday, we started with a dock party at 3 pm andthen wandered over to AT&T Park around 5 pm. TheGiants put on a nice “World Series Ring Ceremony” wherelast year’s players were awarded their trophy rings. Thiswas followed by a great game against the St. LouisCardinals which was finally settled with a “walk off double”in favor of the Giants.
Our cruising fleet represented The Club well with mostof us staying to the end in spite of what some non-cruiserswould call a cold, damp evening. As long as theSheboygan Brats, Garlic Fries, and drinks held out we weredetermined to support the Giants to the end.
Many thanks to Rich Wideman for coordinating the berthassignments and “herding the cruising cats.”
Follow the FlagOur SFYC Cruise Flags were a big hit
at South Beach. They were flying frommost of the masts and antennas. It certainlymade it easy to spot our fleet and join theparty.
Thank you to everyone who purchasedone to support the Cruising Fleet.
Benicia Yacht ClubMay 13-15, 2011
The Benicia Yacht Club is one of the best cruising locations onthe San Francisco Bay. The marina is located just a few steps fromthe town’s First Street shops, restaurants and pubs. Just an hourdrive from The SFYC, Benicia is also a perfect destination forasphalt cruisers.
Cruise chairmen: Al Haussener (ahaussener@comcast.net) andHerb Potter (hspotter@aol.com)
Delta Yacht ClubJuly 16-24, 2011
The planning for our week-long cruise to and from the DeltaYacht Club is well underway. Harold Kleiderman and LisaKlairmont will lead this cruise for us. Mark your calendars nowand prepare to relax on Delta Time.
SFYC Cruisers enjoyed a dockside gathering before the Giant’s Game
phot
o by
Bill
Sta
rk
18 • MAY 2011 THE BULLETIN • www.sfyc.org
garrison. At Fort Point the guns and fortifications were inspected,and the Presidio band performed several airs in the courtyard duringthe visitors presence, including God Save the Queen, which waslistened to by her Majesty’s subjects with uncovered heads, the restof the party followed their example. At Alcatraz, the commandantafter showing them all over the fort, fired off a couple of shells
from the big guns, one with a 22 second fuse which made quite apretty piece of pyrotechnics and another with no seconds at all tospeak of, as it burst at the gun’s muzzle, scattering pieces all round in
The Story Behind the James L. Ashbury Trophy
Did you know The San Francisco Yacht Club has aconnection with The America’s Cup that dates back tothe first challenge from England in 1869? The
challenger was Mr. James Ashbury, owner (or as was said inthose days “proprietor”) of the schooner Cambria. The racewas sailed August 8, 1870. Asbury had been encouraged byCambria’s competitiveness in races against New York YachtClub schooners in the Isle of Wright Race in 1869. After muchnegotiating, The New York Yacht Club would only agree torace in a fleet race against Cambria. There was no match race.Ashbury had to beat all seventeen NYYC schooners.
Even though he did not win, Ashbury spent the rest of thesailing season participating in NYYC events prior to coming toSan Francisco on the train. Once here, The San Francisco YachtClub provided Asbury with a tour of The Bay in grand fashion.The event was described in the November 3, 1870 SanFrancisco Bulletin as follows.
“Mr. James Ashbury, proprietor of the English yachtCambria, which has raised such a furore in the yachting world,recently arrived here on a visit to the Pacific Coast, and wasyesterday tendered a formal reception by the members of theSan Francisco Yacht Club. … An excursion took placeyesterday in his honor, on board the steam yacht Brisk, atwhich he and some English gentlemen travelling with himwere present, and which was likewise participated in by someforty or fifty members of the San Francisco Yacht Club. TheBrisk left Long Bridge Wharf at a little before 10 o’clock, amidmany misgivings as to the weather, which was, during the earlymorning, at times cloudy and drizzly. She steamed up to thedry dock at Hunter’s Point, and thence outside the heads. FortPoint was visited, as also Alcatraz and Angel Island. At eachplace the party was received with the greatesthospitality by the officers of the
A Point In TimeA Point In TimeS/C Ken Frost, SFYC Historian
MAY 2011 THE BULLETIN • www.sfyc.org • 19
no place that he had seen which wasso suitable for racing purposes, notalone from its extent and shape, butbecause in the summer months therewas an unfailing supply of wind.He knew nothing so tedious orannoying as to be becalmed whileout yachting or racing, and that wasa condition of the weather that wasof frequent occurrence during theyachting season in England. Inconclusion he stated that with thepermission of the Commodore ofthe Club he should take greatpleasure in offering a prize, whichhe should send from England on hisreturn, to be sailed for by the yachtsof the San Francisco Yacht Club.He would give it, not on account ofits intrinsic merit, which would besmall, but to show what an interesthe took in yachting, and how muchhe appreciated the kind receptionwhich the members of the SanFrancisco Yacht Club had seen fit toaccord him.”
August 24, 1871 the silvertankard pictured here arrived at TheSFYC. According to club records,it was first awarded to the yachtPeerless owned by Richard L.Ogden in that same year.
Several mysteries still surroundthis tankard. No records of the steamyacht Brisk have been found. Based onthe size of the party aboard, she musthave been about 200 tons. However, theonly reference the Historical Committeehas been able to find is around this event.If you know anything about her, pleaselet us know. Also, The Club has no otherrecords of this beautiful trophy beingawarded. In fact it disappeared from TheClub for over 60 years. Based on anexchange of correspondence between TheSFYC and Mr.Leon de Fremery, a formerattorney for the John Spreckles family,the Spreckles family had the trophy formany years before it was given to him asa Christmas gift. When de Fremery wasretiring to cruise the world he thoughtThe SFYC should have the tankard. Hesent it to The Club in 1954. It now sits inthe trophy case, not as it donor originallyintended- a trophy as important as “thefifty guinea cup”- but a treasurenonetheless.
Submitted by S/C Ken Frost
the water beneath but doing nodamage. At Angel Island a verygreat pleasant hour was spent andthe Brisk sailed up throughRaccoon Straits round AngelIsland and arrived at Long Bridgeat quarter before six o’clock.
During the trip an elegantdinner was served in the fore-cabin, after which severalspeeches were made. Letterswere read from Senator Casserlyand Mayor Selby, regretting theirinability to attend, and conveyingcomplimentary messages to Mr.Ashbury. Commodore Platt, ofthe Yacht Club, notified Mr.Ashbury of his election as anhonorary member of the Club,and handed him his certificate assuch. Mr. Ashbury in replyingmade some remarks upon thesubject of yachting at home andabroad, which his experiencerendered of value and interest.He spoke of yachting in Englandand the extent to which it isindulged in by all the betterclasses of that country, andcompared the Royal ThamesYacht Club with that of NewYork. As a representative of theformer club, he took greatpleasure in visiting a maritime town ofsuch importance as San Francisco, andalso in seeing what progress had beenmade in aquatic matters in this distantregion. There was no country in theworld where yachting carried on withsuch spirit and vivacity as in America.The English notwithstanding their passionfor yachting, and the length of time theyhad been engaged in that pursuit, hadlearned much in the matter from America.He then alluded to the famous yachtAmerica, and the revolution that shecreated in the English yachting worldwhen she made her appearance in 1851.(Finally) He was sorry he had not beenable to get up a match a fifty guinea cupbetween his Cambria, the present typicalEnglish yacht, and Admiral Porter’s yacht.That would have been an interestingcontest… He alluded at some length tothe San Francisco Yacht Club: Rome wasnot made in a day, and he had no doubt inthe world it had a brilliant future in storefor it. Owing to its geographical positionit could not attain the eminence reached
by the clubs he had already referred to.This he explained by saying that itssphere of action would be confined tothe Bay, because outside of the GoldenGate there were no harbors or places tocruise to whereas in England they had awhole coast-line of cruising placeswhich were pleasant and suitable foryachting trips; and the same applied toNew York, and accounted for the greatsuccess which the New York Yacht Clubhad attained.
Professor George W. Davidson, ofthe United States Coast Survey,subsequently made a speech in which hecompletely knocked the legs from underof Mr. Ashbury’s argument, anddemonstrated to that gentleman’sastonishment that the bays and creeks,gulfs, islands, etc. of the Pacific Coastafford opportunities for pursuit ofyachting on the most extensive scale. Ashe had himself ascertained frompersonal observation and research.
Mr. Ashbury continued by saying itwas true that the Bay of San Franciscowas unparalleled. At any rate there was
James Ashbury’s 1871 gift to The SFYC in thanks for The Club’s hospitality.
20 • MAY 2011 THE BULLETIN • www.sfyc.org
The San Francisco Yacht Club’s
Friday Night BBQServed from
6:00 PM to 9:00 PM
All items include Salad Bar, With Condiments, Corn on the Cob, and Hearty Sailors Chile
Angus Burger ........................................................................10.00
All Beef Hot Dog ....................................................................8.00
Carne Asada.........................................................................10.00
Grilled Breast of Chicken......................................................10.00
Grilled Fresh Fish of the Day ................................................14.00
Caribbean Skirt Steak............................................................13.00
DESSERTS
Hot Fudge Sundae ..................................................................5.00
Fruit Pie ala Mode ..................................................................5.00
All Prices are Cash Prices and include Service and Tax
It Will Be a Lucky, Delicious Night
at the Bar
Friday, May
DrinkSpecials
DeliciousSuperstition
Lucky13
Cinco De Mayo PartyThursday, May 5
5:00-9:00 p.m.
AuthenticMexican Food
Stations
MargaritaDrink Specials
Wine Committee News– SAVE THE DATES –
Wine Committee NewsWine Committee News
July 30, 2011WINE TASTING ANNUAL EXTRAVAGANZA
Main Dining Room and Deck 6-9:00 pm
November 18, 2011SCHRAMSBERG VINEYARDS
CHAMPAGNE DINNER
Cove House6:00 pm Reception
6:30 pm Dinner
July 30, 2011WINE TASTING ANNUAL EXTRAVAGANZA
Main Dining Room and Deck6-9:00 pm
November 18, 2011SCHRAMSBERG VINEYARDS
CHAMPAGNE DINNER
Cove House6:00 pm Reception
6:30 pm Dinner
MAY 2011 THE BULLETIN • www.sfyc.org • 21
Food and BeverageFood and BeveragePhil Atchison
Wine andFoodPairing
The subject ofpairing winewith food
incites a wide spectrum of attitudes andapproaches. At one end of this spectrumis a lack of patience: “I eat what I like, Idrink what I like. Just open the bottle andlet’s dig in.” At the other end is thescrupulous search for the ultimatepairing, where every nuance of vintage,flavor, body, acidity, tannin, and oaktreatment of the wine is scrutinizedagainst the acidity, flavoring, and weightof the base ingredient of the main dishand all its sides - the spicing, savoring,and preparation of everything on theplate.
This can be quite intimidating. Thereare dozens of wine producing countries,hundreds and hundreds of grape varieties,thousands of regions, many thousands ofproducers, strange terms on labels, andlofty verbiage from professionals. Butjust because it is an intimidating subjectdoesn’t mean you should be intimidated.To drink the wine you like with the foodyou’ve ordered or made is Rule One ofwine pairing. Whether it’s takeout,leftovers, or your best kitchen creation,you can pour a glass of whatever wineyou have handy, and as long as it’s oneyou like, you’re bound to enjoy thematch.
The wholehearted search for theperfect pairing is valid too, as long as theprocess in itself is pleasurable. Theperfect pairing of wine and food is anincredible experience, elevating both tosuch an extent the meal will bememorable long after.
Some simple principles: Pairing is allabout matching the main components ofthe dish and the main components of the
wine. Matching doesn’t alwaysmean complementing,sometimes a contrasting style isideal. In general, think about themain dish’s dominant flavor, itscharacter and intensity as well asthe comparative levels of fats toacids. Then find a wine whosestyle (acidity, viscosity, tannin,alcohol, and flavor type andintensity) will best showcase thatdish. The food and wine willenhance one another, boostingthe flavor of each. Think lightbodied whites with light bodieddishes, and fuller bodied whiteswith heavy or rich dishes.Sauvignon Blancs and crispPinot Grigios versus aChardonnay. For seafood dishesthink about the body of both thecore fish or seafood and theheaviness of the preparation. Forexample, a lighter stir fry preparationwith a crisp white, and a buttery dish orsomething with a cream sauce (likeshrimp scampi) go with a richer white.Generally Asian-spicy, tangy dishes gowell with a white with a vibrant acidityand a touch of sweetness (think Rieslingand a riper style Sauvignon Blanc).Some big rich Chardonnays can evenstand up to steak.
For red wines, again body is thebasis for complementing matches. Forexample, a big Napa Valley Cab orItalian Super Tuscan red stand up to abig steak or rich cheese, but a delicatePinot Noir is better suited to lightergrilled salmon, pork, or chicken andlighter cheeses. A peppery Shiraz goeswell with spicy dishes like barbeque.Earthy wines such as Italian Chianti,Spanish Rioja, or Oregon or FrenchPinot Noir wines are a greatcomplement to earthy based dishesbased on mushrooms, grains such asbarley or polenta, or legumes like lentilsand chickpeas. For contrasting matches,
both tangy and tannic qualities in redwine can cut through richness in food.For example, tangy Chianti with cheesetortellini, or tannic Red Bordeaux withrichly marbled steak or prime rib. Herbalflavors such as basil pesto or rosemarycrust for lamb make a fabulous contrastwith the rich blackberry fruit flavors ofCalifornia, Chilean, and WashingtonCabernets and Merlots. And, of course,you’ve got to try California Syrah withdark chocolate. I am putting together amore extensive pairing list together foryour enjoyment. When it is completed Iwill have it installed on The Club’swebsite.
Take Care, Phil
“Drink bravely, old boy…for nothing is so dear and precious
as time…”–Francois Rabelais, Book V (1564)
phot
o by
: Jo
an B
ekin
s
22 • MAY 2011 THE BULLETIN • www.sfyc.org
US Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 14Vessel Safety Inspections
On April 10, US Coast GuardAuxiliary Flotilla 14 spent a full day atThe Club providing free safetyinspections for members with vessels inthe harbor. SFYC member RobertHendry of Flotilla 12 along with Flotilla14 Staff Officer Gail Giacomini and hercrew of Jerel Berkov, Alex Bennett andHerb Goldenpaul (all Flotilla Officers)were on hand giving the inspections andoffering expert advice on safetyrequirements at sea. Many SFYCmembers took advantage of thisopportunity and received their officialcertifications for 2011. A special thanksto the US Coast Guard Auxiliary for theircontinued support in educating the publicon boat safety and for providing ourmembers with this valuable service. TheAuxiliary has agreed to come back andprovide additional safety inspections laterthis fall.
National Safe Boating Week "Day onthe Bay" at USCG Station Golden Gate
National Safe Boating Week is May21- 27. In support of this national event,USCG Station Golden Gate and USCG
Auxiliary Flotillas 12 and 14 of Marin,are teaming up with local safetyorganizations that include Sea TrekKayak Adventures, West Marine, ModernSailing, Marin Sea Scouts and SailingEducation Adventures for a “Day on theBay”, Saturday, May 21 from 10 a.m. to2 p.m. to educate the public about simplewater safety practices and promoteresponsible recreational boating. AlsoSaturday morning from 10 to 11:30, theBay Area Discovery Museum is offeringan interactive life jacket exhibit forchildren of all ages. Participants willreceive free coloring books.
USCG Auxiliary volunteers willprovide vessel safety checks, proper lifejacket fit, and safe boating information.Tours will be offered of the US CoastGuard Station Golden Gate’s 47' surfvessel, and the USCG Auxiliary facilityvessel Sunrise. USCG Air Station SanFrancisco will have a static helicopterdisplay and there will be free dinghy andkayak rigging demonstrations, music,food, games and more.
Flotilla 12 is offering an Auxiliaryinstructed “About Boating Safety” classon Saturday, May 21 and Sunday May 22from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The fee is $22,with textbook included. Everyoneinvolved in, or on, or near-the-wateractivities, including boaters, water skiers,paddlers, anglers, and swimmers, areencouraged to participate at US CoastGuard Station Golden Gate, 435 MurrayCircle at Fort Baker, Sausalito.
Please call (415) 924-3739 toregister, or e-mail gkminder@comcast.netor for more information visithttp://flotilla14.d11nr.info
A final reminder for those parentsand grandparents with kids or grandkidsof junior sailing age, the SFYC JuniorProgram is rapidly filling up. Pleasecontact Stephanie Marraccini in theJunior Sailing office at (415) 435-9525sfycyouth@pacbell.net to register. Somesessions are already closed but there arespaces still available.
I look forward to seeing you aroundThe Club!
US Sailing YachtClub Summit
Last monthI had thegood
fortune ofattending the firstever US Sailing
Yacht Club Summit for yacht clubs acrossthe country in Chicago, Illinois. With mewere two of our Club directors,Treasurer Suzie Moore and RaceCouncil Chair Angie Lackey-Olson.There were over 200 yacht clubsrepresented at the Summit with nearly400 overall participants. The host of theevent was US Sailing President GaryJobson and included forty guest lecturerscovering all aspects of yacht clubs fromclub governance to regatta management.
Many great ideas were exchanged atthe Summit and the three of us tookcopious notes for SFYC’s Board ofDirectors and for the various Clubcommittees’ consideration. These topicscovered a myriad of issues includingeffective club communications, creatingsignature events for The Club and thebenefits of long range planning. Therewere discussions involving regattamanagement, waterfront / harbormanagement as well as ideas forincreasing regatta participation. The topicof yacht club branding and imagebuilding was of particular interest to us,especially as we look toward to theupcoming America’s Cup races andbeyond.
Membership recruitment was also aconcern for many clubs in attendance. Inaddition, break-out sessions includedlearn-to-sail programs for juniors andadults, regatta sponsorships, clubgovernance, recognizing and retainingkey staff and relevant environmentalissues. These, along with several othertopics, fostered stimulating discussions.The Board and various committees lookforward to reviewing these findings to seewhich, if any, might be worthwhilepursuing here at The SFYC.
From the General ManagerFrom the General ManagerDennis Conneally CCM, CCE / Dennis@sfyc.org
US Yacht Club Sailing Summit attendees(L-R) SFYC Race Chair Angie LackeyOlson, US Sailing President GaryJobson, SFYC Treasurer Suzie Moore,and SFYC GM Dennis Conneally
Food and BeverageFood and BeverageReny Madrid, Executive Chef / renymad@sbcglobal.net
Chef’s From Hood Philosophy:“Mothers are the place we call home.On them we rest our heads and closeour eyes. There’s no one else whogrants the same soft peace, happiness,contentment, sweet release; erasingnighttime tears with lullabies, restoringthe bright sun that makes us bloom. ”
-Nicholas Gordon
Kitchen Confidential:Ask our ace server Raul “Barney”
when his new baby is due.On every Sunday, come join us for “Reynaldo’s Over the
Top Bloody Mary Bar”. Members can make their own perfectBloody Mary. It will be right next to “Maria’s Omelet Bar”.So, come on down to The Club and enjoy yourselves on the newdeck while enjoying a drink and an omelet made just the wayyou like them.
I would like to thank the Auxiliary for the Children’s EasterParty and Buffet Brunch. It was a wonderful party. I especiallyappreciate all the work that Mimi Blakeslee and Molly Brilliant(the M&M’s) did to make the event so much fun. I served theM&M candies in their honor. Hope you enjoyed some.
During May, the GM Special of the Month will be Lobsterfor Two for $48.95++, including shrimp cocktail or house salad.The entrée comes with spring vegetables and fingerling potatoes.
Join us for a Mexican Fiesta on Thursday, May 5. No timefor a Siesta…It’s time to Fiesta!
I can’t wait (wink, wink) for the Cooking Class scheduledfor May 22. I need your HELP… What do you want to learn tomake? I don’t know what to choose. Please… email merenymad@sbcglobal.net some suggestions!
We willannounce the menuon the Bow Wave. Itwill be a blast!
Regards, Reny
MAY 2011 THE BULLETIN • www.sfyc.org • 23
Pho
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ffery
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Chef Reny’s
CookingClass
SundayMay 22On the Deck
3:00 p.m.
Winemaker Dinnerfeaturing
KOSTA BROWNEWINERY
Elegant4-course dinner
with highly rated
and collectable wines
Limited to50 seats
June 4, 20116:00 p.m. Reception • 6:30 p.m. Dinner
Cove House
$115.00 per personRESERVATIONS REQUIRED
Please contact the Front Office (415) 435-9133, ext. 10All prices subject to Club service charge and Marin sales tax – Cancellation policy in effect
Lobster Dinner for Twoserved with soup or salad, crusted fingerling
potatoes and seasonal vegetables
May7, 14, 21, 28
$48.95 for two
SaturdayNight
SaturdayNight
Breakfast: Sat 0830-1130; Sun 0830-1400 • Lunch: Thur-Sun 1130-1500 • Dinner: Wed-Sun 1730-2100 (Fri 2200)
June 2011Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
19 20
7
21
1
8
22
2 3
10
4CYC FridayNight Races
Friday Night BBQ
CYC FridayNight Races
Friday Night BBQ
CYC FridayNight RacesFriday Night BBQ
Club Closed Club Closed
Club Closed Club Closed
Club Closed Club Closed
Club Closed Club Closed
3:30-9 p.m.Beef Sliders &
Mini Tacos$1 each
Old Timers’ Night:Main Dining Room
WBRA:Knox
3:30-9 p.m.Beef Sliders &
Mini Tacos$1 each
3:30-9 p.m.Beef Sliders &
Mini Tacos$1 each
3:30-9 p.m.Beef Sliders &
Mini Tacos$1 each
3:30-9 p.m.Beef Sliders &
Mini Tacos$1 each
Rack of Lambfor Two $48.95
Farallones RaceCRUISE OUT
CYC FridayNight Races
Friday Night BBQ
Rack of Lambfor Two $48.95
Spring International:Circle
Winemaker Dinner:Kosta Brown Winery
CYC WoodenBoat Show
Father’s Day
No Corkagewith Dinner
No Corkagewith Dinner
6 11
12 13 14 15 16 17
252423
27 28 29 30
No Corkagewith Dinner
95Pasta Night(no regular
a-la-carte menu)
Spring International:Circle
Rack of Lambfor Two $48.95
18
Bal lena Bay
No Corkagewith Dinner
No Corkagewith Dinner
26
May 2011Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
1
22
2
23
3
10
24
4
11
25
5 6
13
7
Opening Dayon the Bay BBQ
Club Closed
CYC FridayNight Races
Friday Night BBQ
CYC FridayNight Races
Friday Night BBQ
CYC FridayNight RacesSpinnaker CupStart: Knox
Club Closed Club Closed
Club Closed Club Closed
Club Closed Club Closed
MemorialDay BBQ
Club Closed
100 DockParty
Lobster Dinnerfor Two $48.95
3:30-9 p.m.Beef Sliders &
Mini Tacos$1 each
3:30-9 p.m.Beef Sliders &
Mini Tacos$1 each
Elite KeelRegatta: Circle Lobster Dinnerfor Two $48.95
CYC FridayNight Races Friday 13thBar Party
Lobster Dinnerfor Two $48.95
ChefReny’s
CookingClass
Elite KeelRegatta: Circle
No Corkagewith Dinner
No Corkagewith Dinner
9 14
15 16 17 18 19 20
282726
30 31
Cinco de MayoParty
Club Closed
128Mother’s DayBrunch Buffetand Dinner
RaceMangement
SeminarLobster Dinnerfor Two $48.95
21Cruise Out Benicia Yacht Club
Cruise Out
Cruise In
Sierra Point Yacht Club Cruise In
No Corkagewith Dinner
29
Youth Opti Team Trials – N. Circle and Southampton
Youth Sai l ing Program: Session 2
Youth Sai l ing Program: Session 2
Youth Sai l ing Program: Session 1
Ballena Bay Yacht Club Cruise In
HAPPY HOUR Wednesday-Sunday 3.30-5.30pm
$3 Beer on Tap • $4 Well Drinks • $5 Selected Wine Specials
3:30-9 p.m.Beef Sliders &
Mini Tacos$1 each
3:30-9 p.m.Beef Sliders &
Mini Tacos$1 each