March 2013 2013
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MainSheet The Newsletter of Thames YachT club m arch march 2013 2013 MT h e N eain w s l e tt er ofS Thamesheet Yach T c l u b From the Commodore From the Vice Commodore Is IT sPrING YeT???? I am sure this is well, it’s finally time to put this winter the question on everyone’s mind it has and all the snow we had behind us and been a long winter. The officers, executive begin to plan for a great 2013 TYc committee and members are working hard to season. we will kick off this year with get the club ready for your use this summer. our traditional so it is time to read your emails and the main St. Patrick’s Day pot-luck party sheet so that you are aware when volunteers on Saturday, March 16th, at 6:30 are needed. ($12.00 per person). Please bring your favorite dish to I want to thank the people from the south field that took an share (s-Z entrée, a-h dessert, I-r appetizers) and rsvp to interest in the reorganization plan and came to the meeting to get [email protected]. your questions answered. This is a project that is long over due so Mark your calendar with these 2013 tYC activities! that our mooring field can be ready for new members so thanks March 16 St. Patrick’s Day Pot Luck 6:30 Pot Luck to the committee. April 12 General Membership Meeting 6:00 Pot Luck house has a big job that will be starting at the end of march so Dinner/7:00 Meeting they will be looking for volunteer so be on the lookout for the May 4 Spring Clean Up Day 8:00 a.m. notice. (Rain date May 5) The fleet captain is working with some of our members to try May 17 Commissioning Day 6:30 Ceremony/7:00 and give some variety to the cruises to fit everyone’s needs. I am Cocktail Hour excited about this because it is a lot of fun to go places with a group of boats. June 29 Calvin Brouwer Memorial Regatta To be announced so stay posted so that you can take advantage of it. so see you all at st. Patrick’s Day celebration on march 16, 2013. July 14 General Membership Meeting 6:00 Pot Luck Dinner/7:00 Meeting Lynn Webber - Commodore Aug 16, 17, 18 Member’s Weekend To be announced Sept 8 Commodores’ Regatta To be announced MARCH AT THE CLUB Oct 12 Oktoberfest 6:30 p.m. Oct 25 Children’s Halloween Party 6:30 p.m. tYC executive Meeting - march 12, 7:00 Nov 3 General Membership Meeting 6:00 Pot Luck St. Patrick’s Day Pot Luck - march 16, 6:30 Dinner/ 7:00 Meeting MARK YOUR CALENDAR Nov 9 Decommissioning Day Clean Up 8:00 a.m. (Rain date November 10) tYC executive Meeting - april 9, 7:00 Dec 7 Christmas Party 5:30 Cocktail Hour/7:00 Dinner General Membership Meeting/Potluck Dinner If you have any suggestions for the social activities for april 12th - 6:00 pm Potluck Dinner/7:00 meeting this year or would like to help in any capacity, please don’t hesitate to email me or call me at 860-303-3366. See pages: Thank you, 2 - for Calvin Brouwer memorial 10 - for PHRF racing form Leigh Reinhart, Vice Commodore [email protected] Page 1 MainSheet The Newsletter of Thames YachT club march 2013 A Reflection About Our Friend he ran races at fisher’s Island and also traveled to New Past Commodore Calvin K. Brouwer York, florida and other areas to do race committee. I can use one word to sum up cal’s love of sailing and cal was the mentor at TYc for anyone wanting to help out Thames Yacht club. Passion. with race committee. he taught us when to raise the flags, shoot the guns, blow the horns and many new swear words. he lived for sailing and Thames Yacht club. and a few pet names for people. Numb nuts being a mild other words that describe cal as we know him are: favorite. on my first day on rc as I watched and listened mentor, grumpy, out spoken, friend and soft hearted. he to cal speak loudly to a lobsterman who was pulling a pot had Thames Yacht club at heart. right in the starting line I realized that I was starting a new adventure and it was the start of a new love for me and a wonderful new friendship. cal meant different things to different people. he will always be remembered on the race committee boat, the Queen merry, by the force 5 fleet, by cruiser and racers or just being around the club and sitting on the porch. a few words by Olvier Wendel holmes: “I find the great thing in this world is not so much where we stand, as in what direction we are moving: to reach the Painting by Bevan Crighton port of heaven, we must sail sometimes with the wind and he was a life long member of TYc, his parents being sometimes against it-but we must sail, and not drift, nor lie members when he was born and he started sailing at at anchor.” about 5 with his father on his 110, thus beginning calvin’s cal was the answer man at TYc whether it was a question lifelong love affair with the 110, racing one until 2011. cal on racing, when the carpet was installed or who owned was always a tough competitor, regardless of what type of what boat. he freely gave answers sometimes with colorful boat he sailed. he just loving to be on the water. he had comments. he was the flag etiquette person and the keeper special bonds with his stately elco “Duchess” and his 110. of TYc traditions. In the 80’ and 90’s on race day morning it was special to see cal on duchess either having his coffee or finding another cal shared his boats with friends having many adventurous leak. Then it was off to be the race committee boat. cruising with memorable stops in hadley harbor and raising heck off ocean beach. he loved to have fun on his since cal joined TYc at age 11, he rose up the flag boat fireworks night was always a party on Duchess. officer ladder at a young age. he was treasurer, rear commodore and commodore at 32, much younger than cal raced and cruised on friends boats, not wanting to most commodores. he was a very proud of the title Past miss off soundings or a ccNe cruise. cal was a founding commodore. his lifetime passion was race committee. he member of the cruising club of New england. he didn’t was race committee chairman and race secretary. cal want to miss columbus Day in hamburg cove. also had a special place in his heart for youth sailing. cal put up a tough crusty front, but break that shell and he In 2010 cal was honored by TYc and us sailing for 50 was soft and caring, and a true friend. years of race management. cal did race committee for the cal you will always be with us on race committee or first time at the age of 13 and continued until age 64.s ome sitting on the porch. of the highlights were being Principal race officer for the sleep in peace my friend. You will be remembered and ensign Nationals, and several regionals, force 5 North missed by all. americans and regionals and so many events at TYc and Reflection by Judy Gibbs, Past Commodore and dear friend the New london area that there are too many to mention. Page 2 Page 3 MainSheet The Newsletter of Thames YachT club march 2013 From The Rear Commodore The 2013 race calendar is in the works & soon to be No one person was more surprised than published! a ”rules” seminar/refresher is a probability as myself for accepting the parking place it seems the only “authorities” out there are those who yell & position of rear commodore TYc the loudest…I’m continually amazed by the lack of basic 2013. realizing the club was obviously rules proficiency on the battlefield (myself included) and in dire need for someone to step up, any clear refresher will certainly be for the good. combined with the fact that for over 40 If you plan to do any racing please fill out the PhRF form years I hadn’t, seemed about time. on page 10 or download from website. The race schedule is I’ve always looked at my membership as basically access also posted on the club calendar. to the water, periodic ventures into the various racing as we all know by now, the Governors regatta will be programs and admittedly not much more, relying on the renamed in remembrance of Cal Brouwer Memorial effort of a never ending succession of tireless volunteers. Regatta. cal was truly an individual whose contributions my intent is to make the racing program a bit more fun, and dedication to TYc racing will be sorely missed. stay interesting, and challenging through my diverse experience tuned. spanning nearly 50 years of organized sailboat racing Bob Cullen, TYC Rear Commodore without upsetting previously established norms. [email protected] we’ll be looking to entice more wednesday evening keelboat sailors to join the Thursday evening force 5 fleet racing as loaner boats will be available and conversely f5 guys cross- One Day Race Management Seminars: pollinate as potential crew(on wed).