OLYMPIA YACHT CLUB February 2018 Commodore Captain Bill Sloane First Mate Lorie Sloane S/V Endless Summer ometimes I hear people I suspect that for many members of our club, boats S talking in coffee shops have the same effect on them as I describe above. I think and restaurants about how those of us with boats enjoy the company of others with they have to get rid of their the same affliction. OYC is a great place to accomplish all boat, that the boat “just is- of this. We have plenty of events coming up for you to n’t working out,” that it is share with fellow club members. The bridge officers de- “losing value,” that they scribe as much on the following pages of this newsletter. don’t “use it enough.” These are all very valid Commodore Bill Sloane points, yet I still like our [email protected] boat and want to keep it. (360) 280-3276 Why is that? First Mate Lorie Sloane [email protected] Owning a boat in the Pacific Northwest is really about S/V Endless Summer relaxing, stepping off the too fast treadmill we find our- selves on that defines our culture and lifestyle, slowing down and enjoying a moment in time, an afternoon or morning, when the only sound you hear is the caw of a seagull or the lapping of water against the hull. It’s look- ing out to the horizon where the only thing you see is the horizon, maybe a tree line in the distance, a ripple on the water where a seal has just disappeared. I find when I pass through the security gate to the docks at OYC, I already am less stressed than a few sec- onds before. Climbing aboard the boat lowers my stress further. Leaving the dock is even better, that is, after the stern of my boat clears the dock. The waters of Budd Bay are familiar to me, and I don’t need to look at a chart or my GPS to know where to go. The world of freeways and traffic jams, deadlines and clients melt away. That, I believe, is the real value of a boat. It’s an attitude adjust- er, a lifestyle fixer. The Beachcomber February 2018 Olympia Yacht Club 2 Vice Commodore Rear Commodore Captain Marty Graf Captain Mark Welpman First Mate Jen Graf First Mate Annette Welpman S/V Cygnet We just returned from the Happy Valentine’s Day! Grand 14 cruise-in that took A little history about Annette place in Winslow (Eagle and me. I know… this will Harbor). We had a great time sound a little cliché, but I asked and the weather was pretty Annette to marry me 10 years good. This time it was well ago on Valentine’s Day. Being above 25 degrees at night, so the romantic that I am, I had we didn’t trip the breaker hatched a plan that I would take trying to keep the boat warm her up Whistler BC for a week like last year. This cruise-in of skiing. Sometime during is where all the junior offic- that week I would ask her to ers and commodores from the Grand 14 clubs come togeth- marry me when the timing was right. er and eat, drink, and roast the commodores, exposing their Now at the time, Annette was a novice skier . Usually when most memorable moments advancing through the chairs we went skiing, our mornings went something like this; We over the previous three years. Commodore Bill has been on would get up and have breakfast. Off to the slopes we would his best behavior, and we had little embarrassment to share; go. I would take her to Mr. Handsome Ski Instructor, drop her however, no one knew of his love for the cowbell! I think off for a half day of lessons. I would go blast snow all morn- Bill and Lorie enjoyed the video we made, and we hope to ing. By noon, I would have several hours on skiing under my share with you at a future dinner meeting. belt and need a break. I’d meet Annette for lunch and spend Several of you have been asking about the commodore’s the rest of the day skiing the bunny hill. cruise. Will it happen? Yes! But, due to a silly prior en- While spending a day on the kiddy slope was great fun for gagement that typically prevents August cruising (my job), Annette, I hated it. She would ski 10 feet and fall down. I’d it will be slightly shorter than previous commodore’s ad- pick her up and she would ski another 20 feet and fall again. ventures. We will still get some awesome stops in, so plan So on and so on. So, my grand plan was that one of the after- on August 3 -10! A meeting to plan will be scheduled noons after lunch, I would take Annette up to an advanced shortly, but I wanted to make sure those of you who have beginner run, and after she fell down, I would bend down to silly obligations (jobs) can request leave for these dates. help her up. Once she was up, I would drop to one knee and You may have heard already, but there is an event enti- propose to her. I know you’re saying aww right now… Well tled “Daffodil” that is a must see and it’s only a few the damndest thing happened. The woman learned how to ski months away (April 13-15). The event is based around Ta- and would not fall. For two days, I tried my best to get her to coma’s Opening Day and is full of fun activities. Jen and I fall and she just wouldn’t. have gone every year since we joined the club, and we have Valentine’s day was our last day on the mountain. I decid- had a great time every year. If you love eating, drinking, ed that there was no need for her to take a lesson with Mr. dancing and/or watching people embarrass themselves, you Handsome Ski Instructor, since her skiing had improved. So will have a great time. Go online and register now! The fun we went up to the top of Whistler for breakfast and Fresh increases with the amount of members we have participat- Tracks. After breakfast, off we when. I figured she would fall ing, so go to the Tacoma Yacht Club website at http:// on the more advanced runs. But, we skied all morning and not www.tacomayachtclub.org/Mobile/ Daffo- one fall. I was starting to think that the good Lord was giving dil_Marine_Festival.aspx and select “general information” me a sign. When all of a sudden a little rat bastard kid Snow- under the “more information” heading. That will take you boarder came careening out of control and laid Annette out to the page where you can register your boat. Let’s see how flat. Now, I did not know if I should kick the kids butt or give many boats we can get! (New this year: There is a fee to him $20 for knocking her down. As kids do, the little brat was register, but you will be rewarded with daffy drink tickets up and gone with no apologies. I gathered up her poles and upon arrival. This will hopefully solidify the moorage plan skies, and picked and her up a little worse for wear and tear. I and avoid assigning the good spots to those who will not handed her the pole and a ring. Of course she said yes. And show up. Don't let this prevent you from attending!) that is just how it happened. Then we skied off into the sunset Well, that’s about it. Hope you are still taking the boat and she promptly fell…. I hope you enjoyed this as much as I out. It needs the love. And, it’s the only way to identify the enjoyed sharing it will all of you. items that need fixing before we start our cruising season! Happy Valentine’s Day! See you on the water! Fleet Captain Power Fleet Captain Sail Captain Jesse Mitchell “Mitch” Captain Bill Velez First Mate Anne Marie Murdock First Mate Cathy Velez M/V Release S/V Karen Ann Ahoy OYC! February is Spunky Old Broads Month Here we go again with a new year Did that get your attention? and new dreams. Spunky Old Broads Month Speaking of was created by Dr. Gayle dreams, have you Carson and celebrates all met my First Mate women over 50 who be- AnneMarie? Yes, lieve it is never too late to we are going to live your dream, to be who celebrate all of our you want to be, and to cre- “dreams” on the weekend of 9, 10 ate and to do whatever you and 11 February want to do. So, to all those out at Island Home. We have once again invited more seasoned wives and friends out there who are SOB's and Kern out to tantalize us with his awesome chefness are choosing to live life to the fullest, I salute you! Without Saturday evening, not to be outdone by AnneMarie’s your unyielding energy, I would be lost. Speaking of energy, Apple Pancakes on Sunday. There’s an updated flyer there's lots of upcoming events to look forward to. One last in this edition of the Beach- shout out for the annual OYC - SSSS Joint Cruise to Island comber as well as on Face- Home on January 26, 27 & 28.