VOLUME I / ISSUE 2 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2003 On the Cover... Beautiful Beardrop Fulfilling a Dream ......................... 3 Harbor anchorage on the west shore of the North Channel. All Jack Bierley... Passion for Sailing .... 5 Photographs taken by the Myerburgs. Officers Excellent Adventure .......................... 7 Commodore Peter Traphagen ....... 838-1225 [email protected] An Extended Boating Season .......... 11 Vice Commodore Andrew Hanks ... 476-7328 [email protected] Rear Commodore Richard Vicary ...... 456-6813 Let Us Entertain You ...................................... 6 [email protected] Fleet Captain James Means ......... 833-4358 The Grounds Committee ............................... 9 [email protected] Dr. Diz the Bay & Lake Wiz ....................... 10 Directors P/C Dick Robertson ..................... 453-5322 “Tom & Jerrys” ..............................................14 [email protected] CONTENTS CONTENTS CONTENTS CONTENTS CONTENTS Matthew Bacon ............................ 833-3347 CONTENTS [email protected] James Finn ................................... 453-6966 [email protected] David Arthurs .............................. 455-3935 From the Bridge [email protected] Nick Van Horn ............................. 838-6640 Vice Commodore Andy Hanks [email protected] James Edgett ............................. 835-1120 [email protected] David Penman ............................ 474-1648 If you look around the Club you will see end of I Dock, replacing the bulkhead [email protected] that many of our slips have been resized, wall in front of the Club, and the it seems, for specific boats; some long redesigning of A Dock to better utilize the Log Staff and narrow, some wide and short. Well available electric, deep water and overall they were. The Dock Committee has space in that area. This project list will, if John Ashby.................................... 455-2757 been dealing with this situation for years. approved, be completed for the 2004 [email protected] In addition to our rigid dock situation, boating season. many of our pilings are loose and shaky. Our goal is to build bulkheads that will Irene Boyles ................................. 899-6606 In trying to rebuild our docks we need last 75 years and have a flexible dock sys- [email protected] to consider the size of boats now being tem that addresses the future of boating Pat Benekos ................................. 838-4591 brought into the club, along with the at the Erie Yacht Club. The infrastructure [email protected] depth of water, the condition of the bulk- of our Club, the docks and walls, are head, and will floating or ridged docks be deteriorating. We have started a plan to Jan Stachelek................................ 459-6991 best for the future. The trend is for longer, rebuild our boating facilities. It will take [email protected] wider, deeper boats with electrical several years with considerable costs Sandy Will ................................... 833-0303 needs that exceed what we have in involved. If you have ideas on how to [email protected] some areas. improve our docks or expertise please Projects that we are currently working e-mail me at [email protected]. Sue Parry.................................... 838-7740 on are a floating dock at the north [email protected] Judy Emling ................................ 833-3293 Directory [email protected] Club House ......................... 453-4931 Club House Fax .................. 453-6182 Doc Bressler ................................ 833-1497 Fuel Dock/Guard House..... 456-9914 Canoe House ...................... 453-6368 [email protected] EYC Web: www.erieyachtclub.org E-mail: [email protected] Alex Webster ............................... 323-3954 [email protected] Created, Designed & Published by J.G. Ashby Advertising, Inc. Fulfilling a Dream By Jan Stachelek Cruising the North Channel needed to be on bow watch. This involved clinging to the Genoa as she hung over the bow peering into water that was so clear, it was nearly impossi- ble to discern whether the rocks were ten feet below the surface, or mere inch- es. Very traumatic for Kathie! The cap- tain, of course, loved every minute of the challenge. In reality, Rick was quite con- fident in his route. His GPS, which was now interfaced to his laptop computer on board, provided the critical enhance- ment of the area that dead reckoning or charts would have lacked. Once there, both agreed that it was worth every minute. One morning, Rick opened the Pilot Cove anchorage is in the northeastern extremity of Drummond Island forward hatch to a scene of immense beauty; blue skies, bright sun, and deer eating foliage and drinking crystal-clear When Rick and Kathie Myerburg board- in Harbor Beach, MI. On July 11, they water while two beavers busily worked ed KARIMI at the EYC for an extended were finally ready to enter the North on their home along side. sailing tour in the summer of 2001, they Channel. Kathie wrote, “Rick has been were not sure what adventures were in dreaming about this for years (as do a lot store, they only knew that they were ful- of boaters), hundreds of little coves to filling a dream. Their destination was the anchor in, beautiful rock formations, North Channel of Lake Huron. “I have clear water and skies, remoteness and wanted to sail in the North Channel for an abundance of wildlife.” They planned years,” said Rick. KARIMI set sail from to spend about three weeks in the area, the EYC on June 15, 2001, and four although Kathie has heard that there are weeks later, Rick got his wish. Of course, only two kinds of boaters, those that every extended sail is fraught with deli- have hit the rocks and those that are cious highs and frustrating lows, but like about to! a good captain and first mate, Rick and Kathie recorded it all via e-mails to friends and daily logs. What follows are some of the highlights. Benjamin Island anchorage in the North Channel On their 1500 nautical mile journey, Rick and Kathie stopped in 29 ports, and Perhaps now would be a good time to took advantage of six secluded anchor- mention those frustrating lows involved ages. Their favorite anchorage, by far, with an extended sail. For starters, the was Pilot Cove where they were able to wind! On many days, there was either skinny-dip, and enjoy each others’ com- too much (as in gale force), or none at pany for nearly three days before all. When there was none, the boaters encountering another boat or human. As Killarnie Port lies on the north shore of suffered from the invasion of literally mil- you can see from the photographs taken, Georgian Bay, north of the east end of lions of bugs and the ever-present the scenery was breathtaking. Rick and Manitowaning Island, in the lee of Mayflies. When this became too much, Kathie also met incredibly friendly peo- George Island they holed up in port longer than antici- ple along the way, some with ties to their pated; thereby delaying Rick’s eagerly Pittsburgh home. They ate wonderful This became increasingly clear to awaited passage through the North meals, from Rick’s Puttenesca, which he Kathie as they meandered north in the Channel. The trip involved way too much prepared on-board with only two six-inch channel toward one of its best-known motoring and power-sailing for Rick’s alcohol burners, to the seven course anchorages, the Benjamin Islands. The taste. On one day, he was able to sail at feasts they enjoyed on consecutive appeal of the Islands is their massive hull speed for nearly eight hours and was nights at the Manitowaning Lodge. They pink rock formations, both above and in his glory! But the lowest of the lows attended a jazz and blues concert featur- below the surface... a truly spectacular occur when misinformation provided by ing Denise Pelley in Port Stanley, a sight! The only problem was that in navi- either charts, or the locals, result in Summer Festival in Port Huron that fea- gating a course there, Rick chose a route a captain’s worst nightmare, going tured the Robinson Racing Pigs, and had through a very tricky, narrow, and rocky aground. dinner aboard a 65 ft. luxury powerboat entrance. Kathie was convinced that she continued on page 4 3 Lights Out! Fulfilling a Dream... By P/C Gib Loesel (continued from page 3) Many years ago it was at least an Before motoring out of Lake St. Claire unwritten rule that you never never drove (no wind again), Rick and Kathie had on the Club grounds at night with your been assured by a local that depth was headlights pointing out onto the water. If “no problem.” Kathie wrote the follow- you did, more than likely one of the old ing: “While angling our way into the ship- timers would “dress you down”. The ping channel, we ran aground in two feet reason for this is it absolutely eliminates of water. Big problem! The Captain a boater’s night vision. (Rick) started his “grounding routine.” I was reminded of this on July 4th this First, rock the boat and reverse. Nothing! year when I was unable to start my Second, the Captain sits on the end of engine, I sailed up the bay with a furious the boom, which has been extended at a lightning storm approaching, for safety right angle to the boat (there’s a vision), and tries rocking again while Kathie reasons I elected to anchor in the lee of Gardens at Manitowaning Lodge about the east pier near the light house. My reverses. Nothing! Third, the Captain attaches a long line to the halyard, jumps 10 miles into Manitowaning Bay from the next step was to call Lake Shore Towing North Channel to get my guests and boat back to the into the water, stands on the bottom, and safety of our basin. pulls on the line as hard as he can, tilting Someone who probably thought they the boat just enough to dislodge the keel size.