…a little dinghy
Gold Country Yacht Club monthly Newsletter Call for more info: 530-273-5911 October 2012
Volume 34, Issue 10 From The Commodore
Welcome FALL and I hope everyone has their boat covered and ready for the upcoming winter months. This past weekend, I spent an hour cleaning the deck of my boat, Regular Columns: emptying the interior and covering it with a tarp. Of course I would have much rather spent my Sunday watching the AC45’s on the bay or sailing up at our local watering hole however chores are not an option! • From the The GCYC General Meeting Commodore will be moved back to Alta
Sierra Pizza this month. • Events 1 Usually if you make a call
ahead and make your order • Minutes 2 before 3:00 you can get 10%
off of the check. As usual • Club Notices 3 members arrive around
• Classifieds 8 6:00pm and the meeting starts at 7:00pm.
Earlier this month a group of past, present and future commodore’s committee met and nominated members for the 2013 GCYC Board of Directors. The nominations will be presented to the membership at our upcoming October 7th meeting. A vote will be taken to elect the new board members at the November meeting. Thank you to everyone who has been involved in this process.
At this month’s meeting we will be starting to organize our Christmas Party committee. If you feel like party planning then this is the committee for you. Our Christmas party is Individual planned for December 8th at the Board of Realtors Building. The end of the year party Highlights: is a fun, social event where we celebrate the clubs history and traditions by handing out the perennial awards. If you have any nominations for any awards please contact me: [email protected] I have heard a few stories for the coveted TIOLET SEAT award. • Nautical Trivia 3
• Valhalla checks in 4 Anchors Aweigh! • Island of Romance 6 Chris Buti s/v Nauti I, Catalina 22
Events on the Horizon
October November 4-8 - Fleet Week – SF Bay 14 - General Meeting-Alta Sierra Pizza & 10 - General Meeting-Alta Sierra Pizza & Grill Grill (Elections) (Nominations for 2013) 20 - GCYC Board of Directors Meeting 30 - GCYC Board of Directors Meeting
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At Our Helm September 2012 General Meeting Minutes Commodore GCYC General Meeting Highlights September 12, 2012 Chris Buti 530-273-5911 Commodore Chris Buti welcomed everyone to the last lake meeting of 2012. [email protected] Upcoming events include the Catalina Island cruise (mid Sept) with several GCYC members participating, including the Wights and crew aboard Vahalla. Hugh and Nicki Vice Commodore Talman and crew will sail from Long Beach. Katie Wight has been blogging about Don Hare their trip along the way. 916-774-6610 Several GCYC members got to enjoy watching the Americas Cup races in August [email protected] from various vantages on the Bay.
Secretary Reminder: the club Christmas Party is December 8th at the Association of Realtors Janis Johnson office in Whispering Pines Business Park. 530-265-8090 [email protected] Chris reported that Rick Paulson (newsletter editor) was away on business and would be getting the newsletter out as soon as possible. Treasurer Jean Cutshall The Port Captain has suggested that the club offer to fix up the interior of NID’s party 530-477-1709 barge as a thank you gesture to NID. Chris said the Board will discuss the idea in [email protected] more detail.
The club is still looking for new/used youth sailing dinghies. Cruise Chairman Don Wight Board nominations for secretary, membership, vice-commodore and education 530-272-4647 [email protected] director will be coming out soon. The Board is also looking for a treasure’s apprentice to assist Jean next year. Please contact a current board member if you are interested in serving on the GCYC board. Publicity/Membership Melinda Day Port Captain (Bryant Cockcroft): The September work party will be 9/22. 530-265-2070 [email protected] Secretary (Janis Johnson): The October General Meeting will be at Alta Sierra Pizza. She will be providing member roster to the club soon. Port Captain Bryant Cockcroft Guests 530-265-5196 Hugh Talman introduced Ed and Mary Townsend, who bought his and Nicki’s Capri [email protected] 16. (One of the conditions of the sale was that the Townsends had to become GCYC members!)
Race Chairman Mary Elsom also joined tonight. She has a Triak, sailed in L.A. and was in the Coast Jerry Lewis 530-272-9380 Guard auxiliary Search and Rescue.
[email protected] Announcements Cindy and Paul Pekarek won prizes at the Gold Panning National Competition Newsletter Editor recently. Rick Paulson 530-274-2549 Ransom Burford wants to get an online crew list together and will talk to Dudley [email protected] Gaman about getting that on the club’s website.
Sailing Education Lynn and Dale Buchannan canceled their Lake Sonoma Labor Day weekend cruise. Stewart Nielsen But she wants to cruise during Fleet Week. She bought Larry Graham’s Catalina 22. 530-277-6632 Lynn also wants to start a Fleet 54 trophy cup. [email protected] Phil Easley will be leading a pack of horses at the Draft Horse Classic.
The meeting adjourned at 19:50
Janis Johnson Secretary S/V Kuani, Cascade 42
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Melinda’s Membership Memos
So another season comes to an end... Club Notices Free Sailing Magazines Mental Floss was tucked away for winter around mid August. Daydreams just re- Latitude 38 and 48 North turned from a lovely coastal California cruise. magazines can be picked up anytime at 148 Richardson The spring and summer of 2012 were mild in temperature but almost consistently Street in Grass Valley. They are windy (except on race days). in the driveway in the BLUE MAILBOX. Usually we get them I got my first taste of racing on Scotts and had an absolute blast out there. Although, between the 2nd and 4th of the we never did too well, I thoroughly enjoyed it. We have some incredible competition month. in our club, makes for a great challenge and a lot of fun. Club Meetings I also swam across the lake several times this summer; there is nothing sweeter than The September general a weekday morning on the lake. meeting was held at Scotts Flat Lake on Wednesday the 12th. I would like to give you an update on club membership. To date we have 79 families The next meeting will be at Alta for this year. Several families found us through the Youth Sailing Program, several Sierra Pizza Wednesday the others through word of mouth. However they find us, I am just glad they do. 10th of October, dine from 6pm, Commodore’s bell at 7pm to At the last "Lake" meeting in Sept. we had 2 new members join. start the meeting.
First, Ed and Mary Ann Townsend from Grass Valley jumped aboard. They heard (The club meets the 2nd about us from Hugh Talman. They purchased his clean Capri 16. I talked to Ed Wednesday of every month but recently and they are very new to sailing. So, club members will have to show them December and on the 1st the ropes! Ed owns the Grass Valley sign business and mentioned helping out with Wednesday of the month of the signs, banners and decals. Gold Country Regatta.)
Secondly, Mary Elsom, of Pacific Palisades also signed on. I understand she has a second home at the lake so spends time up here. She owns a 2010 Triak model trimaran. I look forward to meeting her and hearing of her sailing experience.
In closing, I would like to share a few photos of the American's Cup races we saw Nautical Trivia first hand on the bay in late Aug. While sailing at night and still some distance from land, although Melinda Day you cannot yet see the lighthouse, Membership you see its beam sweeping across S/V Mental Floss, Catalina 22 the sky from the horizon ahead. S/v Day Dreams, Pearson 385 Spectator boat traffic jam This beam is called what? Events on the horizon
a. The sweep
b. The streak c. The ray d. The loom
(answer, page 7)
Up close and quick Beautiful back drop/perfect venue
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Valhalla, Checking In Katie Wight
After a couple of days on the dock at the Morro Bay Yacht Club, we headed for Santa Barbara. In the cool of the night, the sea around Point Conception was rolling which made the ride a bit uncomfortable with no land to focus on. About 22 hours and 111 nm later, we arrived where we docked with GCYC friends, Steve and Laurie Ells, on Nommo, at the Santa Barbara Yacht Club guest dock. Thanks to the Ells, it was all aboard Valhalla for appetizers and Margaritas; a very nice welcome, indeed. At last, we have made it to sunny Southern California!
After a couple leisurely days here, we headed out with Nommo on her maiden voyage to the Channel Islands. We enjoyed a vigorous sail when winds kicked up between 22 to 27 knots. Both boats anchored for the night at Prisoner’s Bay. Nommo headed back to Santa Barbara and Captain and crew aboard Valhalla took off in hopes of finding dolphins and a beautiful anchorage.
Next stop, Coches Prietos…what a gem! We set anchor alongside one other boat and soon after, Stewart, Shawna, Don and I were swimming in cool, clear water of the ocean bay. The color of the water and the scenery at this anchorage is absolutely beautiful. It was good we got there early because by evening, the anchorage was full up with 5 sailboats, plus a couple other boats. We had the front row to the beach and spent a perfect 24 hours here swimming and hiking.
We pulled up anchor and motor sailed along the coast of Santa Cruz Island back toward our next anchorage of Smuggler’s Cove. Along the way, we witnessed an orange Coast Guard helicopter hovering above a fishing vessel while both vehicles were in forward motion. It was interesting to watch, but we later learned it was an actual rescue, not a drill. After a brief one night stop here, we headed to the Port of Los Angeles.
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The magnitude of this Port is amazing. Talk about L.A. traffic! Big boats, little boats, tugs, freighters, tankers, fishing boats, Coast Guard and harbor patrol. Our boat seemed so small passing by this enormous cruise ship in the channel. A little way up the channel to San Pedro, we met up with Island Girl, Hugh and Nicki Talman’s new boat. Don and I, with our crew of Stewart Neilsen and Shawna Emery, met up with Talmans’ and their crew of Ken Neely and Janis Johnson. Soon after, we’ll be on our way to Two Harbors on Catalina Island! Once again, beautiful warm weather with plenty of wind made for a great day of sailing. We moored up side by side in the island paradise. More swimming and then we were off to shore for Buffalo Milk!
Time does fly when you’re having fun and it was time to head back to the Port to drop off crew and pick up my son. This will be Dalton’s first ocean voyage and first island adventure. Valhalla made another 25nm trek back to Catalina. With little wind for the crossing, sailing was slow going, but seeing dolphins made our day. We met Island Girl in the mooring field at Descanso Bay next to Avalon. The next day, we snorkeled around and spotted colorful Garibaldi fish hanging out in swaying seaweed beds. Later, we went ashore for a nice dinner of fresh fish…”party of seven”. In the morning, we headed back to port with Island Girl. We got in another great sail when winds kicked up nicely in our favor.
In a couple of days, Don and I will be moving along down the coast to San Diego. To date, we, with Valhalla, have completed 540 nm in a leisurely 24 days. I guess that would be the difference between cruising and racing. Alt- hough while in San Diego, we will be preparing for the XIX Baja Ha-ha regatta and then technically, we will be- come racer cruisers! The Talman’s new Island Girl
Katie & Don Wight
S/V Valhalla, Ericson 34
Left to right, Katie, Ken Neely, Hugh and Nicki Talman, Janis Johnson, and Don Wight
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The Island of Romance Janis Johnson
I was charged this year with planning Ken’s and my anniversary celebration and we had decided to take a four-day weekend to enjoy it. Three weeks before the weekend I still hadn’t come up with a destination or itinerary, but Hugh Talman inspired us to join him and Nicki onboard their new (to them) Catalina 36 Island Girl. Now that was the best idea I’d heard and we immediately signed on as crew. Valhalla was joining the Talmans in L.A. and we planned to buddy boat to Catalina together.
We left the L.A. harbor and raised the sails rounding the lighthouse point into open wa- ter. The breeze had picked up and we had a fine sail in 10-15 knots of wind all the way to Two Harbors Bay in the Isth- mus. The Isthmus proved to be a fun area to explore and we spent a few days enjoying the views from the island, the buf- falo milk cocktails (an island specialty), and the sea life while snorkeling and scuba diving. Evenings were spent on board singing along to the strumming of Don’s guitar or playing Jenga (a fun challenge in a rocking boat).
Valhalla left on Thursday to return Stewart and Shawna to land and pick up Katie’s son, Dalton. They rejoined us a day later at Descanso Bay, just north of Avalon Harbor. The tight and “rolly” mooring field in Descanso led to some tense moments of bumper boat play with the large power boats next to us.
While Ken went for a 16-mile run on the Trans Catalina Trail (www.wander- place.blogspot.com/2012/09/cim-training- week-five-santa-catalina.html?m=1 ), the rest of us explored Avalon. Then we took the tour of the Casino, a beautiful landmark built by the Wrigley family in the late 1920s. The Casino houses a large movie theater with a pipe organ and the world’s largest circular ballroom. (Gambling has never been-and will never be-associated with this casino.)
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Our last night in Avalon we enjoyed a fine seafood dinner at Armstrong’s overlooking the harbor and reflecting on our trip, discussing Don and Katie’s upcoming legs of their cruise, and celebrating Ken’s and my anniversary.
We tossed off the mooring lines the next morning and headed back toward the mainland. The winds were light, but freshened as the sun climbed the sky and we made decent time under 8-9 knots of wind. As the sprawl of the L.A. shoreline came into view, I was struck with the contrast of the charming and wild island that lay just 26 miles across the sea. Santa Catalina is waiting for me.
Janis Johnson Cascade 42 Kuani
Nautical Trivia Answer:
d. the loom
The loom can usually be seen well before the light it- self is visible. As soon as the light appears it is then possi- ble to accurately calculate its distance away. This is be- cause both the height of your eye and the height of the light above sea level are known. The time period and se- quence of the loom can also be measured, which then positively identifies the light- house from the boats' alma- nac.
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Classifieds
We have a 10' Caribe dingy, hard bottom, inflatable, that we would like to give away. It has a very small leak somewhere, but held air over the winter. We have the oars also. We bought a sailboat in 2002 with the dingy onboard. However, it proved too heavy for us, so it's been sitting in our barn ever since. I believe the original owner got the dingy with the boat in 2000. Other than being a little scruffy, I think it's still sound. Anyway, the price is right.
If interested contact Jerry or Kathy Stapp at 265-0496 or email [email protected].
Clipper 26 Quarter-tonner; 1973 fixed keel; Pop top with cover and screen. Sails fair condition..In Antioch Marina. New standing rigging; dry boat; 7.5hp Honda long-shaft. $2000 obo
Trailer for Quarter- tonner New bearings, brakes, hitch, support pads, configures
to various boat hulls. $2200 obo
Boat-on trailer, delivered locally: $4500 negotiable
David @ 530 265 0264, 530 274 0569
8' Modulus Blue Dinghy for sale.
Gold Country Yacht Includes new oars, oarlocks. No trailer, but Club can easily be carried in a pickup. Is fairly lightweight. Just the ticket to get out to your mooring ball, having fun. $400. Call Don Eagle at (916) 624 PO Box 813 4764. Dinghy is located in Grass Valley (Wolfe Road). Grass Valley, CA 95945
PHONE: 530-273-5911
E-MAIL: [email protected]
On the Web See us at: www.gcyc.net