Private Ear NEWSLETTER OF PRIVATEER YACHT CLUB Lake Chickamauga Chattanooga, TN January 2012 www.privateeryachtclub.org Peter Snyder, Editor [email protected] all Y’all, VIEW FROM THE HELM Ahoy January 2012 I am truly excited about this year! I have to be honest and past Commodore and now nominating committee member, say that hasn’t always been the case. In fact, I was in the grip Kent Overbeck, gave me a dissertation on how great it was of the devil’s ally — fear. I have this problem. I know what going to be as Commodore. I wasn’t buying it! Then he prom- I’m capable of, and I’m my own worst critic if I don’t live up ised me a field white with harvest. That helped a little, but fear to that standard. doesn’t give up easily. Then I got a call from this slow, low and sweet-talking south- Then he pulled out the final arrow in his quiver, and this one ern gentleman with an infatuation for small green critters. Yes, was laser-guided, fusion technology, carbon fiber constructed with a titanium tip. He shattered that bubble of fear with this final arrow, which was this year’s slate of officers. When he read the names to me, my blood pressure diminished 50 points, my pulsed slowed, my respirations returned to deep calming breaths and I said to myself, “I can do this with these great people”. The calm that came over me was similar to the calm I expe- rienced in the Atlantic that allowed me to sleep with the wind meter pegged at 50 knots and 25 foot seas. This calm was sim- ilar to the calm I felt when all @#$% broke loose in this year’s Mackinac race. A calm that only comes when you know you are in the hands of God and he is going to use this experience to strengthen you to glorify himself later. I was no longer in the grip of fear, but only heard the words “God is here, peace be with you”. I would like to thank last year’s board for the tremendous amount of work that was done. It was truly an amazing year. I am lucky in the fact that I am going to benefit from the con- tinued support of many members of last year’s board. David Varnell, who served as Past Commodore in 2011, will con- tinue on as leader of the clubhouse renovation. Pete Sny- der will continue to work his magic with The Private Ear and continues to slave over our new website. I tire to think of the work that has gone into this. photo by mike rasbury - continued on page 2 COMING EVENTS Check the PYC website for more info. CSC events are open to all PYC members. FEBRUARY 4-Feb-12 DIYRA Annual Meeting at PYC 9 am Saturday 4-Feb-12 Fleet 95 Meeting 6:30 pm Saturday 11-Feb-12 Burning-In & Valentine Party (Door Prize!) 6 pm Saturday 12-Feb-12 Frostbite Race 2 pm Sunday 13-Feb-12 Board Meeting 7 pm Monday 16-Feb-12 Land Committee Meeting 7 pm Thursday 18-Feb- Power Squadron Dinner 6 pm Saturday MARCH 10-Mar-12 Power Squadron Dinner 6 pm Saturday 12-Mar-12 Board Meeting 7 pm Monday 17-Mar-12 St. Patrick’s Day Race 1 pm Saturday 17-Mar-12 St. Patrick’s Day Party (Door Prize!) 6 pm Saturday 22-Mar-12 Land Committee Meeting 7 pm Thursday 24-Mar-12 Cruisers & C22 Race 1 pm Saturday 31-Mar-12 Cruisers & C22 Race 1 pm Saturday PLANNING RACE COMMITTEE VIEW - continued from page 1 ASSIGNMENTS Mike Seeber is continuing construction on the trail system in If you have a day you would prefer - Wednesday, Saturday or the rain with waders on! He also has another big undertaking Sunday; or, if you have a day you can’t do race committee; or, that he has been concocting in the laboratory that is his mind. if you do not want to do race committee at all, then let Steve It will benefit the UTC Sailing team and others who choose Sherman know so he can schedule you appropriately. Call him to sail Flying Juniors. I look forward to his continued coop- at 423-432-6501 or e-mail him at [email protected]. eration with this year’s board. If you see Mike, wipe his brow and give him a bottle of water (not beer) and pat him on his back— this is one hard-working man. New boater? Inexperienced First Mate David Bergevin and John Rathjen nearly worked themselves This seminar is for you! to death last year on a multitude of maintenance issues on the grounds and docks. Their leadership will also be drawn on in the coming year. Finally, Past Commodore Dieter Ku- Chattanooga Sail and Power Squadron berg has pledged to help me on any questions or issues I may presents: have. Thanks again for a great year; you are a group of “men “Partner in Command” amongst men”. Privateer is dear to me. I’ve raised my kids on the water Learn boating basics, rules of the road here. There is nothing more satisfying than to see the personal and what to do in an emergency. growth and confidence that occurs in someone when they learn to harness the wind. Chattanooga Boat Show I pledge that I will continue to navigate this club in its en- Convention Center Conference Room deavor to share this great sport with our community. We as a February 2, 2012 board will direct our efforts toward the future of this club and 6:30 PM Registration – 7:00 PM Seminar not our own wants. Sailing as a sport and Privateer is greater than any one individual. It is ours to love, nurture, grow and share. Thank you for the opportunity to serve you. Free Seminar; Fee for optional materials. Instructor: Herman Green ~ Chris Cyrul, Commodore For more information – [email protected] 2 EIGHT BELLS Glen Hardin Myrick Glen Hardin Myrick, 73 of Charleston, South Carolina died on Wednesday, January 4, 2012. Born February 7, 1938, in Lawrenceburg, Tennessee, he was the son of the late Glenn I’m entitled to it!” He also built three boats. He had a private Myrick and the late Hilda Hardin Myrick. He was the husband pilot’s license and enjoyed motorcycle riding. Most recent- of Margaret Kaye (Law) Myrick. Mr. Myrick was a licensed ly he had been a member of the James Island Yacht Club in pharmacist and later worked in textile sales. Charleston. Glen moved to Charleston, SC some years ago, but always Glen proudly served in the Marine Corps. He was a gradu- kept in touch with friends at PYC. He had been an active ate of Lawrence County High School and Samford University, member of PYC. When you sit on the porch in cool weather, School of Pharmacy. Surviving, in addition to his wife of 24 thank Glen for building the large, swing up windows we now years, are son, Kevin Myrick of Villa Rica, GA, daughter, Lisa enjoy. Glen was a colorful, opinionated individual, who en- Sullivan and husband Timothy of Carrollton, GA; grandchil- joyed sharing those opinions with others at the round table on dren, Lindsey Myrick Carlisle, Mitchell and Matthew Myrick, the porch. His favorite saying was “That’s my opinion and Emma and Graeme Sullivan and one great grandchild. Voting for the Annual Meeting HAVE YOU SEEN I was very disappointed at the poor response from our fam- OUR NEW WEBSITE? ily members to the request for proxies. Out of 124 family members, only 80 took the time to vote either through proxies here are some things you or at the meeting itself. You were provided with stamped, ad- need to know about it dressed envelopes and all you had to do was to mark your vote, sign it and mail it out, yet 44 of you chose not do so. If you haven’t visited it in a while, click on this link: www. privateeryachtclub.org and visit all the pages of our new web- The issues in the motions are therefore not resolved, either by site. You will find that you won’t have access to the Member- passing or getting voted down. As such you will probably see ship Roster or the Social Page if you haven’t registered. But, them again. registering is relatively easy. ~ Dieter Kuberg It’s relatively so because most people have no trouble signing up. A few with Windows XP operating systems have experi- enced some difficulty, as well as a very few others. But, we WINTER SAILING 2012 have overcome all stumbling blocks thus far. If you have dif- ficulty, contact Pete Snyder and he will help you through it. February 12 - 2 pm When you sign up, or register, you will need to enter a user- Pursuit Start name and a password. These are your choice. It is not the same as our old website where everyone used the same user- Entry Fee: $1 per participant and a covered name and password. When you first register, the website will Dish, Dessert or Drink to share after the race. send you an e-mail to verify that you are registered. Once you Non-racers are welcome. get that e-mail, go back to the website and sign in, then go to the Social Page, and fill out all of your personal information Please bring a dish - at least as much as is contained in the Membership Direc- and come share a spot by tory.