FROM the MASTHEAD Vice Commodore Bob Chadwick June 2009 • Eric Vasquez, Commodore 978-373-6106 Rear Commodore 'Tis the Season to Be Jolly… Fa, La, La, La, La, David W
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June 2009 Issue 4 Sailorgram Commodore Eric Vasquez 978-521-9017 FROM THE MASTHEAD Vice Commodore Bob Chadwick June 2009 • Eric Vasquez, Commodore 978-373-6106 Rear Commodore 'Tis the Season to be Jolly… Fa, La, La, La, La, David W. Hewey 978-373-6038 but isn’t that now? Secretary Gary Gastman here is so much to be Jolly about when you are a member of the AYC! Let’s take a 978-462-6533 Tmoment to consider just a few reasons (of the hundred’s) why. Treasurer Douglas Cornell First, I want to thank Past Commodore Gary W.Thompson for making the installation of this 978-474-4323 year's Canonniers such a great success.Amazingly, the 2009 roster of our AYC Color Guard Collector is now at 18 members! Past Commodore Thompson has done a superb job of developing a Pamela Mertinooke 978-388-4515 solid team structure, including a monthly schedule, time charts, personnel assignments and of course training. Be sure to catch them on the porch every Friday and Saturday nights this Measurer William R. Gynan season with the lowering our colors and firing our house cannon, all accompanied by our 978-462-1157 National Anthem.This is great fun for everyone, and I want to thank Past Commodore Membership Committee Thompson for a job well done! Daniel Streeter 978-462-4605 Continued on page 2 Mooring Committee Gene Piermattei 978-374-7940 House Committee Robert A. Saldarini 978-463-8219 Regatta Committee Bruce Brown 978-521-6802 Entertainment Committee Angela Vasquez 978-521-9017 Activities Committee Rob Brun 978-462-1948 Sailing Camp Sue Manzi 603-474-9644 Steward/Club House 978-465-9053 The new AYC floats for ease of launching and hauling. Eric Vasquez photo June 2009 Issue 4 FROM THE MASTHEAD continued from page 1 Next, our Entertainment and uses only.Thank you, in advance, for your support. Activities Committees, chaired by Mentioning support, our Mooring Committee Chair is Angela Vasquez and Rob Brun seeking volunteers for Thursday evenings on “Da Barge”. (Editor’s note: Rob is committee We’re constantly busy hauling out approximately 30 “Liason,”not Chairman – just ask moorings this year for annual maintenance. Our barge is him!) respectively, have started off always fun to work on, and of course, it is the backbone of with a bang.And thanks to our new our mooring field safety program. Everyone is invited to help! members Steve & Jeanne Parker, our Simply e-mail Gene Piermattei at [email protected]. AYC Pot Luck dinner events are Gene would love to have you, and it’s a great way to get now under way like never before. involved with a very important operation of the Club. With attendance to upwards of 50 Come along and join us! participants, their June 2nd Pot Luck event was a smash. Guess what? Our city neighbors the Waste Water Treatment Soups and Salads was the menu of the evening, and of Facility are once again in the news, and this could mean course with the contributions of the AYC Canonniers dur- some great things down the road for our good Club. Past ing the Get Acquainted Party, and our first potluck event, Commodore M. Clifton Robinson has volunteered to the season came in with a cheer! Thank you so much, represent the AYC as Club Liaison for the city’s planners. Steve and Jeanne.Your good volunteerism, as new mem- Clif is an extraordinary communicator, and so enjoy bers, should stand as an example for all our members to some very important news and review from Clif.We are come on down, get involved, and be jolly! We look for- very happy that he has stepped in to assist.Thank you ward to seeing more Past Commodore Robinson! of the Parkers this season. Finally, with so many new members this year, I want to And friends, what about our new float line! This was a take this opportunity to express the Club’s excitement design drawn up 5 years ago, and it has finally come to about your induction into this very old yacht club.And fruition. Just think, now our dinghies and trailerable with that, I ask you all to accept this sincere “Commodore’s sailboats can enjoy safe access to our ramp during any Request” to take a moment of your own and read the tide.This great float system ensures that when you AYC House Rules distributed earlier in the year. It is launch a boat at low tide, all you need to do is pull it critical that we all abide by and participate in the frame- around using a new solid platform to stand on, and away work of our rules and regulations for health, spirit, and you go! I want to thank Rear Commodore David Hewey harmony…because after all: ‘tis the season to be jolly! for staying the course and making this a reality.And along with that, I want all of our members to remember that Fair Winds and Following Seas, this float system will not be available for tender storage Commodore Eric T.Vasquez (or tying up). It is provided for launching and landing From the House Committee Thanks to one and all. The House Committee wishes to to help can call me at any time to volunteer their services. thank all of the 70 plus people that helped on opening Please call me to work on projects at the Club. My correct day 2009 at the AYC. We accomplished far more than we phone number is 978 463-8219, cell 978 821-6525. My thought possible. e-mail address is also incorrect on the membership ros- Everyone pitched in to get the Club in ship shape and it ter. The correct address is [email protected]. was much appreciated. A Happy and Healthy summer ahead! We also want to thank the Entertainment Committee for Respectfully submitted, giving us sustenance.They always do a great job! Bob Saldarini, We still have plenty of work ahead in the coming weeks. House Committee Chairman Painting and cleaning seem never ending. Anyone wishing 2 June 2009 Issue 4 Merrimack River Challenge Saturday July 5th Start: 1:30 PM Warning signal for first boat starting. Individual Starting Times: Each yacht will be assigned an individual starting time based on its PHRF handicap and the course length. Timekeeping: Starting and finishing times will be determined using local GPS time. Registration: American Yacht Club, Skipper's meeting 12 noon. Course and starting times will be announced at the skipper's meeting. Entry fee: $10 Race Management: AYC Race Committee.The Race Committee will monitor VHF Channel 72.The Race Committee will give verbal instructions to the fleet over Channel 72.This may include pre-start changes to course and starting time. Rules: The current Racing Rules of Sailing (2005-2008) as adopted by the US Sailing Association will govern this event except where specified otherwise by the PHRF rules or the sailing instructions. Each participant in this event is solely responsi- ble for determining that their yacht is seaworthy for any and all conditions that might be encountered. Scoring: Based on the order of finish at the finish line. Each yacht is responsible for recording their finishing time and reporting it to the Race Committee following the race.Yachts failing to report their finishing time will be scored DNF. Classes: Racing (Spinnaker), Cruising (not Spinnaker). "Armchair" competitors will be included in the cruising class. Contact: For further information or to pre-register, please contact Brad Johnson at (978) 462-3739 or [email protected] From the Landscape Committee Many thanks to all who helped spiff up the courtyard, rose bank and entry gardens on opening work day. We raked, pruned, weeded, fertilized, mowed and mulched until everything was once again glorious to behold. It is always gratifying to see how many members voluntarily work all morning to open the club each year.We appreci- ate your hard work and community spirit. Thanks to all! Nancy and Doug Cornell 3 June 2009 Issue 4 News Flush: Waste Treatment Plant Upgrade Project submitted by Clif Robinson, Past Commodore n the past few weeks the project to upgrade the existing and the final disposition of the land after construction. Impact IWaste Treatment Plant has begun to heat up and is starting to the club operation will not happen until 2010. to take shape.The Commodore has graciously asked for my help with to work with the city and to see that the best inter- Currently the city has not closed on the project, design, or the ests of the Club are represented.As liaison, I would like to offer funding source for the project.The fast track would be to the members some of the inside track on project. apply for Federal Stimulus money by August this year and get a shovel in the ground by February.Then construct the new Newburyport city council has approved a the project to building and begin modifications of the plant.This would upgrade their existing plant.They have committed to higher mean a rerouting of our access road for the 2010 boating sea- standards on cleaning up their waste.The plant is being mod- son.The AYC is engaged with the head of the water depart- ernized to improve efficiency and better manage the waste. ment, the engineers, and the cities engineering manager.The There is no capacity expansion and the most of the work will city has hired an engineering firm and they are proceeding be upgrade of existing equipment with two exceptions.The with the design and have shared some concepts with us.The first being the existing building with plant will be raised and city and the engineers are fully aware and have acknowledged rebuilt to house the control rooms and some under roof treat- our deeded right of way.They have committed to work with ment processes.The second exception is the addition of a new us through all phases and have been very accessible.The dis- building for laboratories and administration.The net result of cussions on the right of way and possible acquisition of are the project will be reduced smell and improved water quality currently limited until the city actually owns the land.