GRAND TRAVERSE YACHT CLUB Waterlines AUGUST 2007 FROM THE BRIDGE WATERLINES Official Newsletter of the Grand Traverse Yacht Club By Bud Cline, Commodore 13615 S. Bayshore Drive Traverse City, MI 231.946.9779 BOATS AND KIDS www.gtyc.org I had the pleasure of assisting Dave Skibowski on the race FLAG OFFICERS committee boat during the Interlake Regatta July 22. The wind was COMMODORE Bud Cline light so we postponed for an hour. We started the first race by 2 pm VICE COMMODORE and got four races in before heading in for dinner and the awards. It Mac VanStratt was a great day of family . Dave’s son Austin was on board. REAR COMMODORE Out on the course Dave Phelps and Sherry raced with and son Dirk. Ken Stepnitz Dave’s son Clark and Cam Forton (Jon’s son) raced “No Fear.” Tom PAST COMMODORE and Simone raced their Interlake while their son Morgan and Ben Tom Cowell Corwin raced a TACS Interlake. Bob Cornwell and his friend Lou 2007 BOARD OF DIRECTORS raced Jim Milliman’s Interlake while Jim’s son Eric raced with Jim Jim Dye Dan Spyhalski Menzies. Bev Stepnitz It was great to see the next generation of GTYC members Than Dykstra out sailing with their folks. Twenty-five years ago, Tom Young was Paul Davis out racing with his dad and two brothers. Jon and Keith Forton were Steve Wyckoff out sailing with their dad, as was David Phelps out with his dad. TREASURER David Skibowski SECRETARY Jon Siebers When I was learning to race Heather Clark, Tom Babel, Bob Cornwell and others were out on the Bay with our dads (and moms) COMMITTEE CHAIRS Building/Grounds Matt Hughey learning to race. This past week, Dave Skibowski purchased a Club Rentals Jessica Gerber/Jim Dye so his daughter Abby could start racing on Tuesday nights. There’s Cruising Club Karen Downing & nothing like kids messing around with boats! Lisa Wilmeth Interlake Regatta Results: Bob Sagan (crew Jason Masaroni) Food/Beverage Jessica Gerber Membership Jim Dye first, Jim Menzies (crew Eric Milliman) second and Clark Phelps Merchandise Deb Wyckoff (crew Cam Forton) third (with Clark and Cam winning the junior Moorings/Storage Steve Wyckoff, Fred division). The Interlake and Laser Fleets are aggressively adding Wilmeth young sailors to the GTYC racing scene. If you scan through the Newsletter Dannielle Higgins Race David Gerber, Joe Richter, July Waterlines issues and locate the results of June’s races you will Nate Reynolds find more members of the next generation than of my generation. Hound Dog Regatta Dan Spyhalski LOTS OF ACTION IN AUGUST Leukemia Cup Jamie & Laura Stuursma August will be a busy month. The Laser - Great Lakes Melges 24 Fleet Mike Dow Championship is August 11 & 12. The GTYC to Omena (Not Just a Interlake Fleet Bob Sagan Laser Fleet Jamie Stuursma & Race / Not Just a Bar) race is on August 18 and 19. The Melges In- Than Dykstra vitational Regatta is on August 25 and 26. Plus our usual Tuesday, Social Fred & Lisa Wilmeth Wednesday and Thursday races. Website Steve Wyckoff Get out on the Water! 1 KNOT JUST A RACE TO KNOT JUST A BAR, FIRST ANNUAL LEELANAU CELLARS REGATTA. AUGUST 18TH AND 19TH, SATURDAY AND SUNDAY

Two races, Saturday at 9am skippers meeting exact course north to Omena bay will be announced by Eric Lind Race Chair. Sunday morning at Racers Breakfast course will be announced. (Dan S. suggested a Mass Start for Sun. morning as some boats will be heading back to their respective home ports, (not confirmed yet ,but we think that Charlevoix YC may be changing their finish line for the 18th to Omena instead of Northport.

SPONSORS (TO DATE) • LEELANU CELLARS (Their new tasting room facility shares the building on the waterfront in Omena Bay) • KNOT JUST A BAR (Just opened this new location last week Monday, has sister restaurant at latitudes at bay harbor, Petoskey) • WJZQ FM 92.9 (WTCM,AM580) My employer, The promotional efforts on the air for the Horn Dog Regatta were part of our interest in seeing GTYC benefit as much as possible from this event in respect for their sponsor- ship of this regatta and the physical efforts involved in conducting these two races. The registration fee of $30.00 is paid to GTYC. If other yacht clubs choose to participate which we encourage, the reg. fees are thiers to keep. We want interest to build and see this as an annual event to grow deep into the future. PLEVAS MEATS (Tom and Connie Pleva of Cedar are to furnish homemade dogs and brats, we love ‘em be- cause they are real Leelanau County!)

SUPPORT BUSINESS • TAMARACK GALLERY (Sally Viskochil, Owner, has volunteered to keep her fine art gallery open late Satur- day night untill 8pm. They are directly across the street from the event at Leelanau cellars and enthusiastic about greeting and entertaining new visitors to the village of Omena) The gallery features some truly fantastic regional and nationally renowned artists and is a thrill to visit. OMENA BAY COUTRY STORE (Sunny, the owner is a wonderful silver haired true salt of the earth with the most beautiful sincere eyes you will ever see. She has the only store in the village and normally closes early on Saturdays. For us she will remain open till 8pm. This is great as boaters often need a quick pick of items, espe- cially if they are spending the night in the bay on anchor or rafted up along the 300 yards of drop off edge right in front of the Leelanau Cellars facility.

A WELCOME MAT FROM OMENA TRAVERSE YACHT CLUB, (on the opposite shore across the bay about 1/3 mile away is the beautiful yacht club building. Bill Knorp, the Commodore for the past 3 years has arranged through their governing board to invite our members to visit them during a welcome time of 5pm to 7pm Saturday night. Bill is stepping down Aug 15th and Mr. Tom Buhler is replacing him. I hope we are cordial and gentle in the bay during the night as we want this welcome mat to stay open. In years to come this relationship development may be very important. Bill said they will provide 'set ups' for anyone coming over with their own hard beverages. The front porch and yard and beach are all priceless, however the building is incredible, built in 1911 like a wooden grange hall it is the most beautiful yacht club in the Grand Traverse region. They agreed to drive anyone back to the party that just walks the one mile along the shore road. to their home (Historical footnote; back in the fifties and sixties GTYC AND OTYC were very active partners in the development of serious Class Racing. For almost thirty years a healthy fun relationship bonded the two clubs in competitive spirit and great ca- maraderie).

REGISTERED RACERS. For those vessels that register, either over the internet with GTYC, or at the last min- ute on Saturday the 18th, we have embroidered race hats and colorful regatta t-shirts for their crews, as well as the supper after the race provided by Knot Just a Bar, there will be a festivities tent and entertainment for Satur- day night to encourage boaters to spend the night comfortably. The wine tasting room will be staffed and we are providing courtesy vessels to ferry boaters from and to the event and their boats. An awards ceremony after din- ner under the tent will be conducted and another after Sunday’s return race to GTYC. At that ceremony the over- all best time prize will be awarded; a luxury condo weekend above the knot just a bar restaurant with all glass views of the bay and an outdoor deck (this is still under completion and will not be available as an immediate oc- cupancy). A WJZQ RADIO announcer will be out on the water accompanying the race giving live race updates every 20 minutes on WJZQ THE BREEZE! and we hope to have something special at the finish line. Greg Nachazel at WEVERYTHING 2 Discharged (this article came to us from Eric Lind, who found it on Sailing Anarchy, 07/26/07)

This comes to us from a concerned reader. Maybe we're high, but this almost seems inevitable, does it not?

For 34 years the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has exempted discharges from recreational boats from the Clean Water Act permit system. Regretfully, a recent court ruling can- celled this permit exemption. EPA is required by the court decision to develop and implement by September 30, 2008 a national permit system for ALL vessels in the United States for a variety of normal operational discharges.

We have been working behind the scenes with other boating organizations to get the exemption reinstated for recreational boats. Fortunately, the Recreational Boating Act of 2007 (H.R. 2550) has been introduced by Representatives Gene Taylor (D-Miss) and Candice Miller (R-Mich) which would protect recreational boats from being swept into this unnecessary and expensive permitting system.

It is critically important that H.R. 2550 be passed and your support is essential. Please contact your Congressman and Senators TODAY and ask that they co-sponsor or support H.R. 2550.

If the permit system becomes a reality, you will be required to pay for a state permit for each of your boats. EPA will be monitoring your deck runoff, grey water, bilge water, engine cooling water, and the use of copper bottom paints.

The original lawsuit that led to this court decision sought to address ballast water discharges from large ocean-going ships, which can introduce damaging aquatic invasive species into U.S. waters. Keeping our waterways clean and preventing the spread of invasive species is of utmost impor- tance to the future of boating. But taking a complex permitting system designed for industrial dis- chargers and applying it to recreational boats will not yield significant environmental benefits and it will come at a very high cost. Requiring recreational boaters to purchase a permit would not pre- vent the spread of invasive species.

BoatUS has been a leader in educating boaters about Clean Boating practices for more than a decade. Our nonprofit Foundation has funded local education projects on invasive species preven- tion, helped develop voluntary Clean Marina programs, and authored much of the country's Clean Boating outreach. These positive education efforts are making a difference.

Please ask your elected federal representatives to support H.R. 2550. It is common-sense legisla- tion. As you send your emails to your Members of Congress, please copy BoatUS at GovtAf- [email protected] . We'd also like to ask you to send a copy of your correspondence to the EPA, so they can see how this will affect citi- zens. However, please know that if you choose to send it to EPA, it will become a Volunteer Opportunity part of the public record. EPA's email is If you can volunteer for weeding and/or [email protected] , and your email needs to have a subject line with Docket ID trimming3 plants at the Yacht Club please No. OW-2007-0483. call Cheri Buchbinder 941-0015. Thanks. Thanks to Dietrich Floeter & Jeff Cockfield!

4 August 2007 Grand Traverse Yacht Club Traverse City, Michigan

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1 2 3 4 CLUB OPEN CLUB OPEN INTERLAKE Nominations for SUMMER SERIES RACE # 9 2008 GTYC Officers RACE # 8 and Directors

5 6 7 8 9 10 11 CLUB OPEN CLUB OPEN LASER LASER INTERLAKE MUG OF GREAT LAKES RACE # 10 SUMMER SERIES RACE # 10 CHAMPIONSHIP RACE # 9 REGATTA

12 13 14 15 16 17 18 LASER CLUB OPEN CLUB OPEN LONG DISTANCE GREAT LAKES LASER INTERLAKE MUG OF SHRIMP SERIES RACE #4 CHAMPIONSHIP RACE # 11 SUMMER SERIES RACE # 11 Traverse City REGATTA RACE # 10 To Northport

19 21 22 23 24 25 LASER CLUB OPEN CLUB OPEN MELGES RACE # 12 INTERLAKE MUG OF SHRIMP REGATTA BOARD MEETING SUMMER SERIES RACE # 12 6:00 PM RACE # 11

26 27 28 29 30 31 MELGES WATERLINES CLUB OPEN CLUB CLOSED REGATTA Deadline INTERLAKE SUMMER SERIES RACE # 13 RACE # 12 September 2007 Grand Traverse Yacht Club Traverse City, Michigan

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1 Red Fox Regatta Charlevoix Yacht Club

2 3 4 5 6 7 CLUB OPEN 8 Red Fox Regatta CLUB OPEN LASER FALL Charlevoix Yacht NAN C JAY SERIES #1 Club Labor Day RACE MUG OF SHRIMP

9 10 11 12 13 14 15 CLUB OPEN NEW MEMBERS MEDIUM FALL SERIES WELCOME PARTY DISTANCE RACE # 1 LASER FALL # 2 RACE # 2

16 17 18 19 20 21 22 BOARD MEETING CLUB OPEN CRUISERS FLEET CLUB OPEN 6:00 PM FALL SERIES POTLUCK LASER FALL RACE # 2 6:00 PM SERIES # 3

23 24 25 26 27 28 ANNUAL FALL 29 WATERLINES CLUB OPEN MEMBERSHIP Deadline FALL SERIES MEETING & RACE # 3 ELECTION NIGHT

30 LEUKEMIA CUP REGATTA A HUGE SUCCES Many thanks to everyone who participated in the 4th of July Leukemia Cup Re- gatta. With everyone’s help in collecting dona- tions, purchasing items from the Silent Auction, dinner proceeds, and the regatta registration we were able to raise just over $10,000 for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society!! A tremendous accomplishment and we can’t thank you enough. The staff from the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society was impressed with the turnout and very compli- mentary of the Grand Traverse Yacht Club and everyone associ- ated with the event. We appreciate the support of the membership and the Board of Directors in helping put this event together. Hopefully we can do it again next year and S!! By Jamie & Laura Stuursma have just as much fun!! We served just over 150 people for dinner and had countless others there for post race refreshments and of course the fireworks. Of course an event of this size and success has some key volunteers who were instrumental in helping us organize the day. A hearty thank you to Than and Megan Dykstra, Mac & Heather VanStratt, Bill and Betsy Van Westen, Eric & Ginny Lind, & Greta Lyons, and many others who pitched in on the day of the event. Thanks to you all!!

For more pictures, see

7 page 9….. July Board Briefs The June Treasurer’s statements indicate we are well ahead of budget. The Hound Dog Regatta was extremely successful.

Dee Smith, GTYC social member, spoke to the Board on behalf of The Watershed Center. She requested an opportunity for John Nelson, Grand Traverse Baykeeper, to speak to the membership on water quality issues that affect all of us. Friday, September 14, was sched- uled for his presentation; 6-6:30 pm with dinner to follow.

New Social memberships were approved for: John P. Guba Thomas Reeber Matthew and Elizabeth Carolan Paul & Tracie Kochanny

Knot Just a Bar & Knot Just a Race Regatta is set for August 18-19, $15 entry fee per boat. There will be a race to Omena on Saturday and back to TC on Sunday. Cruising and power boats should just enjoy a cruise up to the event. All crew attending the skipper’s meeting will be given a voucher that will entitle them to a hat, tee shirt, commemorative wine glass, dinner, and breakfast. Boats will be available to shuttle crews to shore.

Elmer’s has suggested adding rip-rap on the north side to protect our launch ramp. Coke machine will be removed from our premises. In- stallation of new cash register requires staff training and will probably not be completed until Fall.

8 MEMBERSHIP

WWW.GTYC.ORG By JIM DYE, Committee Chair What a Great summer we’re having! De- lightful temperatures, steady winds and no bad storms, just what the doctor ordered! I hope you’ve been able to use your club and our beau- tiful waterfront. July brought us the 4th activities along with a big turnout for the Leukemia Cup, an In- terlake regatta mid month and the TC to Suttons bay race on the last weekend. 5 or 6 of our lucky “Cruiser” couples headed for the North Channel and a few boats did the Chicago/ Mac race. That’s what I love about this place, something for everyone!

We have 4 new members to join our ranks this month. Please welcome

Matt & Beth Carolan Traverse City Social John P. Guba Traverse City Social Tom Reeber Traverse City Social Paul & Tracy Kochanny Midland Social

Up coming events include, TC to Omena “Knot Just a Bar, Knot Just a Race” on the weekend of Aug 18th and the “New Member Potluck Dinner” September 14. Mark your cal- endars for more GTYC Fun and you will find out why we are the best kept secret in northern lake Michigan!

9 GRAND TRAVERSE YACHT CLUB P.O. BOX 131 TRAVERSE CITY, MI 49685-0131

Send newsletter articles, advertisements, pictures, or stories to: [email protected] Next deadline is Monday, August 27, 2007 The Grand Traverse Yacht Club newsletter10 Waterlines is published monthly.