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February 2009
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Valentine's Day Dinner Saturday February 14th boat show at Marina Village Yacht Harbor on Feb 19-22 Crab and Pasta Feed February 21 Svendsen's OYC Member Night, February 28th
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A reminder that Valentines Day is coming and it happens to fall on a
Saturday night....how about dinner at your favorite yacht club?
I was fortunate to visit the San Diego Yacht Club this past month and
was very impressed. I had breakfast and lunch there along with a few
alcoholic beverages in their bar. For those of you that have not seen
it, it is a beautiful club and their members and staff are very
friendly. it is quite large and has a wonderful board room with floor
to ceiling books and a lovely parlor with a fireplace. There is a
separate bar open every day and they have indoor and outdoor dining
but, our chef is much better!
Included with your monthly statement, you will find something new. We
are going to be sending out a one page information sheet for you to
keep handy. One side will have the monthly calendar on it and the
other will be news items. Please feel free to contact me or Craig
with anything you would like to mention for the good of our club.
This is in addition to our electronic Seascape.
Our Merchandise chair, Marsha Stark, came to the Board meeting with a
special report and is getting ready to order some new items for
spring. If there is something specific you would like to have or see
the club carry, please let her know. It would be great if we could
get some new items this year.
SVENDSEN'S DISCOUNT NIGHT FOR OYC! It is scheduled for Saturday,
February 28, 2009 from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm. There will be a 10% to 40%
discount depending on the item. Items excluded are electronics and
outboards.
Please mark your calendars...this is a great way to get all our "boat
stuff" at a discounted price.
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There will be a boat show at Marina Village Yacht Harbor on February
19-22. Several brokers and vendors will be there along with some
food, music and seminars. OYC will have a booth and we are looking
for volunteers. There is a sign up sheet in front of our club
office. If you could spare an hour or two, please do sign up.
A special thank you to Tom Charron for handling the Point Vista/Tied
House permit issues. Thank you Tom for keeping on top of this and
going to all the meetings. Currently, the corporate entity still does
not have any business license or permits.
Another special thank you to Maria Murray who pitched in at a very
full Sunday brunch. We had an unanticipated number of guests due to
a race and two visiting yacht clubs. Maria got right in and
helped the staff deliver meals to our hungry guests. We all
appreciate your initiative and energy.
At the Board meeting in January, racing chair, Sheldon Haynie,
requested a radio and antenna to assist with communications to
racers. Over 40 boats participated in the first Sunday Brunch Series
race. The radio will supplement existing flag/horn/gun signals. This
was approved by the Board of Directors.
OYC received a $500 check from the Singlehanded Sailing Society.
Doug Hipsley, RBOC Director and OYC Past Commodore has asked to attend
one of our Board meetings to brief us on the value of supporting RBOC
and the current political issues impacting recreational boating. I
will be contacting him for a date and will have our club manager send
out the information when it is confirmed.
And now, a fun item for me..... I received a Xmas card signed by
Prince Rainier himself inviting us to the Monaco Yacht Club. I will
be sending him an OYC flag and will be asking for one from the Monaco
Yacht Club. Maybe.............I just might have to go get it
personally.
Carolyn Hooper, Commodore
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HARBOR
VIEW: Len Cardoza, Vice
Commodore Highest regards from the Harbor!
The start of 2009 has been exciting with the “Iceberg Cruise” to PSPYC; several cruise-ins, including California Clippers and San Jose Sailing Club; and the start of the Sunday Brunch racing series. Special thanks to Sheldon Haynie, Jane Mika, and the Race Committee for a well organized and executed racing program. I am happy to report that Kachina and her Krewe, during the first race, actually overtook and passed a pallet floating on the Estuary. We are still trying to figure out if the pallet was on a starboard or port tack. The next Harbor Committee meeting is scheduled in the Regatta Rm., at 1900 (7P), on February 5, 2009. Significant agenda items include 1. Future plans for Dock One; 2. Priority for repairs /reconfiguration; 3. Dinghy / kayak storage; 4. Live-aboard rates; and 5. Finances. We will continue monthly harbor inspections. Safety continues to be a primary issue. Thanks for your attention in keeping the walkways and finger docks clear of items. As always, I look forward to your input and participation! Harbor News: Current work items include repairs and replacement of the inter-connecting docks, and replacement of the next wooden ramp with an aluminum one. We are also looking at consolidating gates, perhaps six and seven. Our current agreement to lease berths on Dock One to Encinal Yacht Club (EYC) members expires in April 2010. We are currently developing options for the future use of the dock. We have a meeting scheduled with EYC on January 28 to discuss future plans. Jack London State Historic Park. The famous author Jack London was an early member of Oakland Yacht Club. Barbara and I took advantage of wonderful weather to drive to Jack London State Historic Park, about 1.25 hours north of OYC, on January 19th. We highly recommend the experience! We visited the House of Happy Walls museum and took a short (.6 mi) hike to the ruins of Wolf House. We also toured the Beauty Ranch, including the Londons’ cottage and “Pig Palace”. The museum included a model of Jack London’s ketch Snark and Jack London’s membership card to…California Yacht Club??? I seem to remember reading in Woodruff Minor’s voluminous History of Encinal Yacht Club that the original (and short lived) California Yacht Club (different from the current yacht club in Marina Del Rey of the same name) was an antecedent of Oakland and Encinal Yacht Clubs. You can check out information about Jack London State Historic Park at www.Jacklondonpark.com. The park’s address is 2400 London Ranch Road, Glen Ellen, CA 95442. 707 938 5216. It is a very pleasant drive; north along Highways 121/12, off of Highway 37. Final but important note: Please remember to check out your dock lines for adjustment, wear, and chafe. Our harbor inspectors observed some boats surging as much as three feet in either direction during significant wind events. You may need to employ spring lines to properly secure your boat! Regards! Len Cardoza |
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HOUSE View: Connie Russell, Rear Commodore
Our 2009 House Committee has started
the New Year with a flurry of activity:
Holiday Decorations: Many thanks to Carmen Konkle, Bob and June Steffensen, and Toni Lyman for helping us take down and label the Holiday decorations for the next 2009 decorating crew. This saves many hours for next year’s crew. Flag Cleaning: It’s been awhile since the club burgees, which are hanging around the dining room, have been cleaned. The House Committee has made this a project for 2009, so you may see a few flags missing from time to time as we work our way around the room. I’ve decided that this cleaning process could qualify for Discovery Channel’s “Dirty Jobs”, but I don’t think we’d want the publicity! Card Night: The House Committee decided to initiate impromptu Card Nights. A small bulletin board has been placed on the back of the door to the left of the Bar. This board will be used to announce a Card Night and/or can be used by the Race Committee for Race results. Our first Card Night was January 16th and we had 7 participants for the game called “99”. Anne Jacobson was our first game winner, and we understand from Sandy that she was quite excited about her new found skill. Of course, we aren’t going to let Anne win the next Card Night. For those of you that have never played “99”, this is a very simple but fun group card game. June Steffensen always provides a brief instruction sheet for new players and experienced participants provide guidance to new players ---- up to the point that the new player starts winning a few hands and then he/she is on their own. New House Wines: Several House Committee members and known member wine makers met on January 17th to select a replacement for the House Wines that had been discontinued. Craig and Elaine presented a well organized blind wine tasting of approximately 8 vendors. Based on the volume of wine the Club sells on a monthly basis, there is a pricing advantage if we select one vendor that can provide all of our major needs for Chardonnay, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Our wine enthusiasts narrowed the vendors down to 2 and authorized Craig and Elaine to make the final decision. I’m happy to announce that our new House Wine is Coastal Vines. Participants in the Wine Selection are listed below, so if just by chance, you don’t like the new house wines, here are the “ears to bend”: Anne and Sandy Jacobson Mona and Roger Elliott Carmen Konkle Louis Johns Marilee and Steve Shaffer Michael and Diane Rose Anthony and Sharon Barone Michael and Connie
Russell. Landscaping: Many thanks to our resident gardening expert, Carmen Konkle and “gardener in training”, Vice Commodore, Len Cardoza for doing an expert job of trimming the plants and trees in front of the Club House. Great improvement! What’s Next? Over the next few months, you will continue to see several new House enhancements. Please make sure to reserve the date of Saturday, March 7th for the Ladies Luncheon and watch for further details. Carmen Konkle and Claudia Bass are co-chairing this event and it will be a good one! As always, if you have any input or recommendations regarding the House, please send me an email at connierussell1@comcast.net (note 2 lls in Russell followed by the number 1), give me a call or join us at the next House Committee Meeting
Thank you, Connie Russell Rear Commodore |
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OYC Crooze Nooze
Unfortunately, the Ballena Bay cruise
scheduled for February 20 – 22 had to be cancelled. It conflicted
with the annual OYC Crab Feed which is contracted a year in advance.
The March cruise will be to Corinthian Yacht Club. This picturesque and stately facility is located in Tiburon and is a favorite destination. The scenery is great and shopping is a short walk away. Because their marina is small, this cruise will be limited to 6 – 8 boats under 45 feet LOA. The dates are March 20 – 22. Any volunteers for Cruise Captain? This will be an easy and fun cruise. Please contact me at daswitzer25@msn.com. There are two annual award traditions at Oakland Yacht Club. The first goes to the boat, skipper and crew who attend the most cruise outs. The second is the Rusty Shackle Award and this goes to the skipper with the most embarrassing blunder during a cruise out. Lots of competition for the first award and not much for the second. |
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Hi everyone! January weather has been fabulous; I do not remember a
January when I have had spring fever almost every day. February and
March will probably give us a little more of a winter reality check.
Then, we think spring. Of course, we have to see Phil’s official
prognostication on February 2nd. Events in Red below require reservations.
see the entire social calendar
Boat Show
Staffing
PHOTOS NEEDED Your webmaster and seascape editor requests event photos to publish in the Seascape and on the web site. Tom Charron has offered to upload the photos to the OYC Photo Albums. So please take some photos and forward them to Tom. Monica Duncan (she is missed) used to take the photos and upload them for us. |
PUT IT ON YOUR CALENDAR!
ATTN LADIES! You’re invited! LADIES LUNCHEON March 7th 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM Ladies – join us for our annual fundraising luncheon Enjoy a lovely lunch, raffle with really great prizes, jewelry vendors, and a guest speaker who will talk to us about yoga moves that can aid keeping us young and limber and in preventing injuries in and around boats. The proceeds from this annual event benefit our club directly so we hope you will assist us in completing future projects and have a good time while you are at it! So bring your mom and girlfriends for a fun afternoon and support this event. We’ll see
you there. DONATIONS NEEDED The Ladies Luncheon is accepting donations of prizes (worth $15 or more) for our raffle on March 7th, 2009. If you would like to donate, please contact Carmen Konkle at 925-831-0991 ckonkle@spectrumreps.com or Claudia Bass at 925-372-8679 cbasslancer29@aol.com Thank you very much.
Editor's Column Pandora is a free music service that helps you listen to and discover new music. You can use it on your computer or on your iPhone/iTouch. You can get a free annual credit report. See also some background information on this. It's a federal law thing. I now have a portable wi-fi hot spot. I use my USB Sprint or Verizon modem, and plug it into a Cradepoint box. This is a wonderful device and I use both the bigger one with the router and the little portable one. I have a wood boat, and really like the Smith & Co products, so I printed their "seminar" brochure below. Contact your webmaster at webmaster@oaklandyachtclub.com, or your Seascape Editor at SeaScapeEditor@oaklandyachtclub.com. Please report errors and suggestions.
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From the Race Deck:
January 2009
January's racing featured superb weather and
excellent racing. 40 boats were on the starting line for the first
Sunday Brunch race and 38 for the second. Seeing the "B" fleet
start, with 7 boats crossing the line in less than 15 seconds is
quite a sight. Finishes have been tight as well, with some sharp
sailing just off the club.
Racers came from as far as Merced, and we
have a balance of boats from PHRF 27 to 250+. We could always use
more to round out the fleets, the smaller non spinnaker boat Class
G had only 2 starters last week, and it would be nice to give Tom
Charron in Snarklet some more competition. If you have a Cal 20,
Santana 22 or similar sized boat, why not come down, heck bring a
bigger boat, we'll fit you in, you might even win a snazzy "OYC
Racing" hat.
Other OYC racers of note include Emile Carles
who is making the "E" (6th) fleet eponymous, Michael Maurier who
is chasing an all too fast Peterson 34 in Fleet F (7), George
Gurrola who is gamely contending in Fleet "4", Mike Jackson who is
running 2nd in the 5.5's and John Tuma in Green Onions who is
holding down first in Fleet "2".
Results are posted on the racing web pages,
which are linked from the OYC home page, as well as links to still
photos of the first week and Youtube Videos of the second (search
for "OYC). Rumor has it that George's start is especially
memorable. We hope to continue to update the photos and video, if
anyone cares to contribute please contact me, we can upload your
images, or set you up in the chase boat to take on the water
shots.
Looking forwards, our next two races will be
Feb 1st and 15th followed by the series finish Mar 1st. Following
that will be the Shorthanded "rites of spring" race April 18th. If
you want to see the full schedule, look at
yra.org.
On an educational basis:
Our first topical speaker was Kame Richards
of Pineapple Sails, who gave a talk on how to organize a race
boat, and his tips on spinnaker gybe technique were in evidence
during the race. Our second speaker will be Rusty Canada of Doyle
Sails, who will be talking Feb 1st on sail trim for the estuary
racer. He will be speaking In the Regatta Room, starting around
1030. We hope to have a third speaker for the 15th which will
probably be on rigging tuning.
We even had a good turnout for the practice
day, with 7 boats coming out for the practice starts, and helping
the race committee get its rhythm. The Staff Commodores say they
want to do that again, so keep a lookout for the schedule, it will
probably be sometime around early May, just before the Sweet 16
first half starts. This is a great opportunity to come out and see
what racing is all about in a non threatening environment. We plan
to have separate starts just for novices, as well as providing the
experts the chance to shake down their crews.
It takes a lot of concentration to keep track
of 40 boats, when some are on the finishing lap, and others are
just passing through the first time. If you would like a good
reason to stick around the club on a Sunday, please stop by, we
can always use the help.
Race Committee
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Member Appreciation Night Exclusively for OYC Members Saturday, February 28th 5:30pm—7:00pm When You Are Done Shopping Bring Your Receipt Back to OYC Show to Bartender & Receive A Free Drink! (Some Restrictions Apply) |
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Thank you for allowing us to be the Oakland Yacht Club PICYA delegates for 2009. We will be keeping the yacht club and its board of directors up to date on issues of concern to the yacht club and the general boating community. Should you have any questions or need clarification, just give us a shout!
John Roderick and Sue Roderick – PICYA Delegates – Oakland Yacht Club 510-521-6754 or cell phones 510-51704727, 510-205-1908
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Launch at Last We’ve all read about the magnificent Maltese Falcon, but at the other end of the sailing spectrum is my 7-foot seven-inch “Lil Love”, finally launched on Christmas day. Built on the “utility float” on dock 2 from the “stitch-and-glue” plans for an Eastport Pram by Chesapeake Small Craft (www.clcboats.com), I shortened her about two inches to fit the foredeck of my Golden Gate 30, “Love in Vane” as a working and sailing dinghy. As seems usual, if I can’t find something to fit, I find I have to make it myself, and although the company offers pre-cut wood or complete sail kits, I figured I’d save a few hundred dollars and also learn boat lofting. After 8-months of weekends and evenings, don’t ask me how many actual hours I have invested in “the learning curve”, even with help from friends like Joe Davis and my partner Lisa. And thanks, too, to my dock neighbors who always had an encouraging word and seeing progress when I only saw all the work ahead of me. But she has turned out fine, floats on her lines, rows nicely with one, two, or three aboard and I have only the rig to build before setting sail. Stop by sometime and I’ll be happy to show her off, share a few stories and encourage anyone to build their own “Maltese Falcon”.
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HUNGRY?? Taking the boat out for the day? Taking guests? Need some great food? Call OYC and order box lunches. Fixed fresh to your order. Sandwich – salad – cookie - & a drink! $ - - - - - $ Priced right $ - - - - - $ See the Box Lunch Program
IMPROVE YOUR SAILS’ PERFORMANCE & SHARPEN YOUR boat handling SKILLS
The fastest, and the most fun, way to fine tune your sail trim & boat handling skills is to join an OYC informal race series. Keep your eyes open for the advance notice about this winter’s Sunday Brunch Race series. Even the best among us can always get a little better. If you’d like to volunteer to help the Race Committee, please contact Craig Wong. Racing is a “hoot”, give it a try! |
Try something a little different and volunteer to help your Club. We belong to a Club that is completely dependent upon each of us volunteering to help with a variety of Club projects. Please make a little of your time available and become involved with our Club's governance, boating, & social functions; our Club's future always looks much brighter when we have a wealth of new ideas.
Host Your Next Event at Oakland Yacht Club I wanted to make sure that all members know that the Clubhouse is here for each member to use. If you are getting ready to celebrate a special occasion (Wedding, Anniversary, Retirement Party, Baby Shower, Holiday Party, etc.) the club is here for you. Members get a $200 discount off the Room Rental rate. We want you to feel welcome in planning any special occasion at you Yacht Club. For more information please contact Elaine Mendes at (510) 522-6868 or via e-mail at emendes@oaklandyachtclub.com Why do all the work, when we can do it for you |
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Bulletin Board
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Slips at OYC Available for Sublease |
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