Summer 2007

TA H O E Y A C H T C L U B
SUMMER 2007
Annual Trans
Tahoe Regatta
Welcomes 48
Boats
Mullen Family puts on a good
show for annual regatta
Arguably the premier sailing event on
the Lake, the TransTahoe Regatta held
on Saturday, July 14
brought 48 competitors from California,
Nevada and several
other western states.
Geoff Gardner
of Olympic Valley
steered his 20foot Ultimate 20
Ricochet to overall
victory in this 44th
annual running of
the Regatta. The ABOVE RIGHT: Dan Hauserman, on his Melges 24 Personal Puff, sailed to 2nd place in the
lightweight sloop Melges Division of the Trans Tahoe Regatta. ABOVE: The crew of August Ice, a.k.a."The
has a sport boat- Green Machine" hikes over the rail on an upwind beat of the Trans Tahoe.
style that features an
Division 3 winners were Staff Commodore
asymmetrical spinLes
Bartlett first in the modified Venture 24,
naker perfectly suited to this year’s wind
Groovy;
Jim Mullen second in the J-24, Blue
conditions and racecourse. Ricochet also benJ; and Brant Hoffman third in the Catalina 22,
efited from crisp crew work by Brian Plautz
Bouta’ Doubt It.
and Joe Moore. Moore, 15, is an instructor
A hotly contested Corsair catamaran diviin the Tahoe Community Sailing Program in
sion
featured nine boats all of identical design.
Homewood.
First place went to Ross Stein in Origami,
Ricochet completed the 29.9 nautical mile
second to Pete Adams in Gaigin, and third to
course in 5 hours 45 minutes and won the
Jerry Grant in Freedom Dance.
regatta after application of a PHRF handicap.
The multi-hull division winner was Bill
The course began off Tahoe City, rounded
Erkelens in a custom 36-foot multi-hull,
marks off Eagle Rock, Chambers Landing
Adrenaline, finishing the race in only 3 hours
and Glenbrook, then returned to Chambers
46 minutes, a record for the course.
Landing and Tahoe City.
The competitive Melges 24 Division was
Staff Commodore John Utter of Reno finsmaller than usual, having only four boats this
ished second in his 10-meter Tartan 10, True
year. Tim Hawkins (Go Dogs Go) finished
Luff, just 17 seconds behind Gardner, and Jack
first, and Dan Hauserman (Personal Puff)
Tatum in the Sonoma 30; Arc Angel finished
finished
second.
third, 10 seconds behind Utter. All three top
The Cruising Class featured a face-off
finishers were in the Keelboat Division 2,
between two octogenarians and long-time
which race co-chairman Jim Mullen noted,
Trans-Tahoe rivals, Dr. Frank Roberts and
“did particularly well in the regatta because
Bill Briner, both former commodores of the
they reached Sugar Pine Point after the wind
TYC. Briner founded the Trans-Tahoe 44
had filled in and finished the race before sunyears ago. Roberts finished third, and Briner
set, when the wind died.”
sixth. Winner of the Cruising division, which
Division 1 winners were Staff Commodore
raced a 19.5-mile course without use of spinBryce Griffith first in the Antrim 27, Arch
naker sails, was Chaco Mohler in the San Juan
Angel; Gary Redelberger second in the Farr
24, Knot Bitchin. Second place went to Randy
36, Racer X; and Richard Courcier third
Chitwood in the Catalina 30, Charisma.
in the Farr 36, Wicked. Dick Ferris finished
The race committee remained on station
fourth in the J-125, August Ice, and was the
long into the night on board Jim Gregory’s
first-to-finish keelboat, completing the course
Chris-Craft Constellation, Another Summer,
in 4 hours 42 minutes.
2
TAHOE YACHT CLUB
FOUNDED
1925
700 North Lake Blvd., Tahoe City, Calif.
(530) 581-4700 • Fax (530) 581-4771
E-MAIL [email protected] or
[email protected]
WEB SITE www.tahoeyc.com
Darren Kramer, Clubhouse Manager
Linda Williams, Business Manager
FLAG OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS
Philip Ballantyne, Commodore
Stacy Conner, Vice Commodore
Jenny Ludwig, Rear Commodore
Andy Wagner, Port Captain
Directors at Large
Hank Upton
John McKinney, Treasurer
Bruce Block
Ray Holstead
Larry Tomlinson
Paul Cunha, Senior Staff Commodore
Jack McKenna, Junior Staff Commodore
TAHOE YACHT CLUB
FOUNDATION, INC.
Dave Olson, President
G. Douglas Ball, Treasurer
Ken Selvidge, Secretary
Kelli Gintel, Lake Tahoe Concours
d’Elegance Show Manager
BLOCK & TACKLE
Gretchen Sproehnle, Design/Production
Photos by Steve Lapkin, Darren
Kramer, Dick and Nileta Morton, Philip
Ballantyne, Deni Mateer, Sue Stout,
Jill Casey
ON THE COVER: “Wicked,” the red
Farr 36, owned by John Corda et al, is
the newest boat in the TYC Fleet. In the
foreground, Bryce Griffith’s Antrim 27,
“Arch Angel” jockeys for position.
Cover and Trans Tahoe Photos, above:
Staff Commodore Steve Lapkin,
h20mark.com
awaiting the last finisher, which came in at
10:05 pm. Principal Race Officer Dan Pavel,
who just returned from the America's Cup
in Valencia, Spain, commented, “The race
finished late because of a two and a half hour
delay due to the initial lack of wind. Once the
wind came in though, we had 15 to 18 knots—a
See "Trans Tahoe," continued on page 13
Philip Ballantyne and
Deni Mateer aboard the
Linmar last fall.
COMMODORE'S LOG
W
ith the season fully upon us, and the calendar
packed with power boating, sailing and social
events, the Club has reached its usual summer pace.
We have already enjoyed a number of very successful events
and are looking forward to those to come.
Our spring Fizz Fling drew one of our biggest crowds in
years as we celebrated the season send-off with this TYC tradition and enjoyed a delicious buffet banquet and plenty of good
cheer. The Membership Committee hosted a reception in late
June that was very well attended and gave new members and
old alike the opportunity to enjoy the camaraderie of our Club
and the wonderful group of folks that make it what it is. Our
Independence Day celebration consisted of an all-American
barbeque held at the Clubhouse complete with hamburgers,
hot dogs and apple pie, and was a tremendous success in every
regard.
The Tahoe Yacht Club Foundation, the charitable arm of
the TYC, has a full schedule of events for our annual Wooden
Boat Week and Concours d’Elegance festivities beginning
Thursday, Aug. 9 with the Opening Night Gala to be held again
at Pine Lodge at Sugar Pine Point. New this year is a special
V.I.P. opportunity to preview the Boat Show on the afternoon
of Thursday, Aug. 9th from noon to 4:00 pm. If you have not
yet secured social reservations and show tickets, do so soon as
the entire week is sure to be a sell-out.
We will be celebrating the end of summer at a new event
that will take place at the Clubhouse in the evening following
the Annual Membership Meeting, which will be held at 2:00
pm on Saturday, Sept. 1. The Summer Celebration will be a
casual cocktail party with several drink specials at the bar and
a variety of potluck hors d’oeuvres.
Other upcoming events for the fall include the Monday
Night Football potlucks kicking off on September 10 and our
Oktoberfest celebration on September 29.
Deni and I look forward to seeing you on the water and
around the Clubhouse.
Cheers!
Commodore Philip Ballantyne
Slate of Nominees — Flag Officers and Directors
The Tahoe Yacht Club Nominating Committee presents the following slate of nominees to serve on the Tahoe Yacht
Club's Board of Directors for Fiscal Year October 2007–September 2008.
Flag Officers
Stacy Conner, Commodore
Jenny Ludwig, Vice Commodore
Andrew Wagner, Rear Commodore
Hank Upton, Port Captain
Presented by the Nominating Committee:
Richard Stout, Chairman
Donna Block
John McKinney
Dave Olson
Larry Tomlinson
Directors at Large
Bruce Block
Ray Holstead, Secretary
Larry Tomlinson
Keith Fields, Treasurer
Jim Fleming
Philip Ballantyne, Junior Staff Commodore
Jack McKennna, Senior Staff Commodore
Nominee biographies on following page
3
Stacy Conner is a real
Slate of Nominees
(continued from page 3)
Philip
Ballantyne
and Deni Mateer reside
in Truckee where the
master boat builder and
restorer of antique powerboats owns and operates Philip B. Ballantyne
Wooden Boats. Philip is
also author of featured
articles in Classic Boating and a book, Classic
American Runabouts, Wood Boats 1915-1965,
published in 2001. A TYC member since 1991
and Director since 2001, he has served as
chair of the House Committee, Nominating
Committee, and Wooden Boat Week 20012005, and currently chairs the Long-Range
Planning Committee.
Bruce Block, a Bay
Area financial consultant, attended Cal Poly
and San Jose State
where he graduated with
a B.S. in Business and
an MBA in Marketing.
The Blocks reside in
Tiburon and Tahoma at
Lake Tahoe where Bruce
enjoys sailing and power boating with his wife,
Donna, and Golden Retriever, Winchester, in
their 1937 Chris-Craft, Tomahawk. Bruce, past
Executive Director of the Pacific Inter-Club
Yacht Association, has been a member of TYC
since 1987 and active Concours volunteer and
Hospitality Committee member.
estate agent with Pullen
Realty Group and a very
busy mom of two very
active sons, Ryan, 10, and
5-year-old Blake. The
University of Nevada,
Reno graduate has been
a Lake Tahoe local for
more than 20 years. Stacy is an avid skier, runner and sailor, skippering her Melges 24, TTFN,
as well as serving as race committee for the
Laser fleet on Monday nights. A TYC member
since 1992 and Director since 2004, she is a
member of the Sail Committee and chairs the
House Committee. She is slated to be the next
TYC Commodore.
nally hired by the Tahoe
Yacht Club in 1995 as
Assistant
Manager.
Shortly thereafter, Keith
was promoted to General
Manager overseeing all
of the day-to-day operations of the Club. For
nearly five years he managed TYC’s operations
including club events, the sailing program,
private clubhouse activities and working hand
in hand with the Foundation coordinating the
Concours events. In 2000 Keith resigned from
the TYC and took a new job for an Italian company managing their U.S. operations in Reno.
Keith, his wife Sarah, and son, Jacob, are yearround residents of Homewood and are active
in the Tahoe boating community. The family
continues to enjoy their club membership and
Erik Arnold and son Duke have a lot to
smile about… they are in the lead for
the 2007 O-T-B series.
O-T-B Series Off to Fast Start!
From Director Andy Wagner, Powerboat Chair
The Summer 2007 OTB series started with a kick-off party at the
TYC Clubhouse on Friday, June 29. More than 40 members, families
and friends joined to celebrate the start of the Summer season. The
following morning, Saturday, June 30, Co-Chairman Tom O’Rourke
demonstrated a fine start, captaining the Summer Daze first across the
start line at 9:00 a.m. A total of ten boats participated in the event which
began at the Tahoe City Marina and followed a course that led to Dollar
4
Keith Fields was origi-
Keith looks forward to returning to “active
duty” at the TYC in his new role as Director
and Treasurer.
Jim Fleming grew up
in Southern California,
moved to Newport
Beach at the age of 21
and “learned” to sail.
He became General
Manager of a Telecom
company that serviced
all of California and
later was transferred with his firm to San
Francisco. Jim moved to Tahoe in 1992. He
credits Joyce Drechsler and JC Krise for bringing him into TYC and for introducing him to
Les Bartlett, with whom he has been racing
in the Wednesday Beer Can series and Trans
Tahoe for many years. Jim’s business (Jim
Fleming Consultant) has him busy installing
efficient furnaces and tankless water heaters
throughout the Tahoe area. Jim also hosts the
annual TYC Christmas party as well as the
Club’s Monday Night football events. Along
with Lucinda Sayre and dog Paco, Jim lives
year-round on the Truckee River and looks forward to working with the other TYC directors
to make our Club the best it can be.
Ray Holstead and his
wife, Kathy, split their
time between homes
in San Francisco and
Tahoma. A California
native, Ray is a graduate of San Jose State
University (BSEE) and
Point, Hurricane Bay, Sunnyside and back to the TYC. Participants
learned several new navigation points around the lake, including the
“Gooseneck” above Hurricane Bay.
Upon return to the TYC Clubhouse, participants were treated to a “Do
It Yourself Bloody Mary Bar,” created by Clubhouse Manager Darren
Kramer. The DIY movement has never seen a finer moment!
The big winners at the TYC Awards Ceremony follwing the event
were Erik, Becky, Duke and Ava Arnold in Tingle, a 16-foot, 1959
Century Resorter, who not only placed first with the time closest to the
mark but also won the poker hand competition. In second place were
Harvey and Nancy Rogers in Where’s Harvey, a 22-foot, 2004 Cobalt.
Third place went to Ray and Kathy Holstead in Our Girl II, a 2003
Mastercraft Maristar.
Over-the-Bottom events are held on Saturday mornings throughout
the summer season. The first registered boat crosses the start line promptly at 9:00 a.m. and additional boats follow at two minute intervals. Please
arrive by 8:30 a.m. in order to register and obtain your starting card and
instructions for the event.
Don't miss the last O-T-B, August 25, off the Tahoe City Marina.
Drop-ins are welcome for $25 per individual event. Additional Victory
Celebration Party tickets for crew members and those attending individual events will be available for $25 each. To participate in the Summer
2007 OTB Series, or an individual event, please contact the Clubhouse
staff to reserve your start-time.
Santa Clara University (MSE). The retired
electrical engineer (PG&E, City of Oakland,
UCSF) has been a member of TYC since 1991
and has volunteered this past year as a Club delegate to PICYA. Watch for the Holsteads, too,
in this summer’s Over-The-Bottoms, as Ray,
Kathy and Our Gal II plan to make a comeback
after 2005's fourth place finish.
Jenny Ludwig lists
her occupation as “volunteer” and that she’s
been for some 30 years
—from PTA mom and
Junior League to ACBS
and since 2002, a member of TYC’s Board of
Directors and current
Membership Committee co-chair. A fourth
generation Californian, Jenny met her husband,
Concours Chief Judge Barry, while both were
students at the University of Oregon. The now
“empty-nester” parents of Hilary and Matthew
make their home in San Jose and at the Lake at
Rubicon Bay.
Jack McKenna and
his wife, Cindy have
been members of TYC
since 1989, beginning as
skipper and crew of their
Catalina sloop, Cynthia
Marie, with Jack taking the helm of the
Club's Sailing program
from 1998 through 2002. With election to
the Board, he became Treasurer (2000-2005)
and has also served as a Concours judge for
the past six years. The now-retired Professor
of Management and Director of Graduate
Programs at Chico State University, Cindy, and
Delaney, the dog, make their home in Paradise,
Calif., and at Homewood where Jack is an
active member and current president of the
Homeowners' Association.
Larry Tomlinson went
from the Navy to college
(BS,
Rutgers;
MBA, University of
Santa Clara) to a globetrotting 38-year career
with Hewlett-Packard in
Brazil, Switzerland, and
on both coasts of the U.S.
before retiring in 2003 as Senior Vice President
and Treasurer. But totally retired he isn't, as
he continues as a board member of two public
corporations. Along with Jenny Ludwig, Larry
is co-chair of the Membership Committee.
Larry and his wife, Gail, are both avid skiers,
downhill and cross-country, and are frequent
participants in the TYC Penguin ski trips. The
couple, who have been members of TYC since
1997, now make their home full-time in Squaw
Valley.
Hank Upton and his
wife, Joan, now serve as
Hospitality chairs after
first volunteering for a
Club Halloween party a
few years back (displaying Hank's hidden talents as a cartoonist). The
Stanford alum, semi-
retired physician and TYC Director since 2004
also stays busy traveling with Joan and keeping
three boats afloat, including a 1941 Chris-Craft
barrel back. The Uptons, TYCers since 1997,
reside in Woodside, Calif., and McKinney
Shores at the Lake. Last summer, Hank hosted
the revival of the West Shore Hoe-Down and
BBQ, which is again an annual event.
Wagner has
been a director since
2004. He is currently
Chairman of the Wine
Events
Committee
and the Power Boat
Committee. Andy established the Club's wine
events program including wine-tastings, biannual winemaker's dinner and the annual
Fall wine tour in October. Professionally, he
is a co-founder and partner at Tradewinds
Capital Management, LLC, a merchant banking firm focused on privately-held, growthoriented companies. Andy is a graduate of
U.C. California, Berkeley where he received
a B.S. degree in Business Administration with
emphases in finance and marketing. Members
since 2002, Andy, his wife, Suzanne Boucher,
and Ruby, their Newfoundland, split their time
between homes in Walnut Creek and Carnelian
Bay.
Andy
EDITOR'S NOTE — The Slate of Nominees
will be voted upon at the Annual Membership
Meeting on September 1st.
New Committee Boat
For the last several seasons the Sail
Committee has depended on the generosity of
the Molly owners syndicate to provide a committee boat for a very reasonable fee. Last fall,
the group decided to put the 1963 36’ ChrisCraft cruiser on the market for sale.
Staff Commodore Rich and Sue Stout have
recently made the very magnanimous
donation of their 1962 28’ Chris-Craft
Sails Call Too to the Club for use as a
committee boat for the administration
and operation of the many sailing and
power boating events held each summer at the Club. As of this writing, the
boat is in the water and on active duty
for sailing regattas and numerous other
TYC events.
THANK YOU, Sue and Rich!
5
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Dale O. Reynolds
LIC #0E45710
6
tel: 650-369-1669
[email protected]
www.thestockbridgegroup.com
Staffers on the Tahoe Cruz: (Back row, L-R) Nate Fryirs, Darren Kramer, David Price, Bo Massopust,
Patrick Jackson. (Front row, L-R) Jenni Buxton, Kimberly Mann, Steven and Kelli Gintel, Skipper Mike Pavel,
Linda Williams and Tahoe Cruz First Mate Greg.
G
well as a great boat for our offsite events. The
Stouts' generosity cannot go unmentioned.
Thank you Stouts!
TYC moorings are available on a first come
first served basis. Please identify yourself as a
TYC member and marina staff will direct you
to an available mooring. Once you are tied up,
they will provide valet service to and from the
dock. The valet service is not 24 hours so be
sure to ask what time the service ends that evening if you are going to dinner in town.
Boats may not be left overnight unless
arrangements have been made with the Club
Manager. Please contact the Club at 530-5814700 to make mooring inquiries.
Next time you’re headed out for a day on
the lake or an evening in town, stop by the
Club for a visit. It’s your Club; the staff is
ready to serve you and your guests!
Clubhouse News
reetings from the Clubhouse! Our summer hours are in effect now until Labor
Day. The Clubhouse, the office and bar will be
open seven days per week, with the bar open
daily from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m.
The TYC is a “WI FI hot spot” and is a great
location to get a little work done and enjoy our
incredible view. A wireless computer connection is available to you anytime we are in the
office or that the Clubhouse is open.
TYC’s summer crew
Welcome back Danny Pavel! If you hadn’t
heard, Danny was in Valencia, Spain working on the America’s Cup for the past several
months. Look for his article on the back cover
describing his time at the Cup!
New at the bar this summer are Patrick
Jackson, Bo Massopust and Marie Walther,
plus you will remember David Price and Jenni
Buxton from last summer. Also look out for
our guest bartenders Danny Pavel and “Aussie”
Nate as well!
Running the races out on the water are
veterans Greg Barraclough, Patrick Jackson,
Darren Kramer and Danny Pavel, plus new-
TYC’s Email Directory
Please note that some of our email addresses
have changed. Please delete kt@tahoeyc.
com from your address books. It is no longer active. Here is a list of our current staff
email addresses at the Club:
• Darren Kramer, Clubhouse Manager
[email protected]
• Linda Williams, Business Manager
[email protected]
• Kelli Gintel, TYC Foundation Show
Manager—[email protected]
• Kimberly Mann, Front Desk/
Administrative Assistant—
[email protected]
comer Eric Holman who we hope to have with
us for many summers to come.
Our new office assistant, Kimberly Mann,
helps with general Club and TYCF/Boat Show
information, and takes reservations for the
TYC events. You may also see Kim stepping
behind the bar from time to time.
Summer Events in Full Swing
The Tahoe Yacht Club had yet another successful tennis social on July 21 and we would
like to THANK the Ferris, Harris and Rogers
families for providing tennis courts and helping
to organize this wonderful annual event.
Linda Williams is leading several monthly
hikes again this summer for those active TYC
members. Watch your email for dates, times
and trailheads in the coming weeks.
First Friday Cocktail Parties are hosted on
the first Friday of each month twelve months a
year. This is a great opportunity to mingle with
fellow members and start your weekend right
with hosted appetizers and cocktail specials.
This is Tahoe casual!
As a reminder, all members are welcome
and encouraged to bring guests to the Club.
We have a lot of great summer and fall events
planned, so please R.S.V.P. early!
Danny Pavel, water staff, bar staff, and TYCF operations
manager is sporting the NEW Devon Jones Button down
shirt with TYC tie and Safari Hat. Danny has been with TYC
for over a decade and he continues to be a great ambassador of the Club.
Book the Clubhouse for your next party!
One of the many benefits of being a TYC
member is that you can reserve the Clubhouse
for a private party. Be sure to think of our
lakefront setting for your next birthday party,
anniversary or rehearsal dinner.
TYC Mooring policy
Once again, TYC has secured five moorings in the Tahoe City Marina for use by our
members and guests. Please note that one of
our buoys is being occupied by our NEWEST
addition Sails Call Too which was generously
donated by Staff Commodore Rich and Sue
Stout. The 28-foot Chris-Craft Constellation
makes for an excellent race committee boat as
Kimberly Mann, our summer office assistant, models our
new women’s wear: canvas brim hat, 3/4 sleeve polo, Eliza
B tote bag and belt, and hoodie. Kimberly teaches skiing at
Alpine Meadows in the winter. Be sure to say “hi” as she
greets you on your way into the Club.
7
Welcome TYC’s
NEWEST
Members…Elected since April 21
Randy Hill
Tahoe Vista, Calif.
(Regular Membership) Randy is retired and
looks forward to meeting new friends at the
TYC with common interests in boating and Lake
Tahoe. An active member of the local community, Randy is a Rotarian and serves on the board
of Tahoe Forest Hospital. (Sponsors: Nancy
Cunningham, Jim Hagan and Jim Moore)
James Taylor and Lisa Bornstein
Berkeley, Calif.
(Regular Membership) "With many friends in
the Bay Area, we're interested in meeting more
people who spend time in Lake Tahoe," says
Taylor and Bornstein, who have a home in
Tahoma. They own a 1955 19-foot Chris-Craft,
fifties chic, and have three grown children, all
25 and older. Lisa is a copy editor and Jim is the
Global Creative Director for Chevron. (Sponsors:
Barry Ludwig, Kirk and Julie Pumphrey)
Hilary Ludwig,
San Jose, Calif.
(Young Adult Membership) Hilary hopes to
continue the TYC tradition that her parents have
begun for her family. She looks forward to supporting boating at Tahoe, and hopes to integrate
more young member events at TYC. Hilary's
family has a home at Meeks Bay. (Sponsors:
Barry and Jenny Ludwig, Ray Holstead)
Bob and Suzy Schumacher
San Antonio, Texas
(Non-Resident Membership) The Schumachers
enjoy visiting relatives at Lake Tahoe and have
leased a home near Tahoe City for much of
the summer. Owners of a 23 foot Monterey
Deckboat and a 21 foot Dargel Skout home
ported in San Antonio, both Suzy and Bobby
were “raised on boats.” Bobby is also an avid
sport fisherman. The couple has three adult
children. (Sponsors: Thomas and Rebecca
Smith, Don and Denise Kirby)
Branden Heaps
Los Altos, Calif
(Young Adult Membership) “I have always been
fascinated with wooden boats and their history.
I thoroughly enjoy Lake Tahoe and have visited
the TYC and the Concours many times and feel
I would be able to contribute to the success of
the Yacht Club,” states Heaps. (Sponsors: Ben
Hance and Tom Hennig)
(Regular Membership)
Bill has a passion
for the maritime heritage of Lake Tahoe as
evidenced by his lifelong love of wooden boats
and a personal and professional commitment to
the preservation of the Lake-in-the-Sky’s historic resources. As Manager and Curator of the
Thunderbird Lodge, Bill, through his non-profit
foundation, owns the 1939 Thunderbird, a 55
foot Hacker and truly classic Tahoe wooden
boat. Bill looks forward to sharing in the camaraderie of fellow yachtsmen and women at the
TYC, and to “protecting the waters upon which
we motor and sail.” (Sponsors: Joan Gibb and
Bernie Sloop)
George and Therese Elwell
Ivins, Utah
(Regular Membership) Both George and
Therese were raised in Marin County and have
lived or vacationed at Lake Tahoe since childhood. Boating and fishing on the lake have
been passions for years and now that their three
children are grown the Elwells look forward
to sharing their love of Tahoe with other boating enthusiasts at the TYC. The Elwells own a
Bayliner and a brand new Chris-Craft Speedster
Woody and spend summers at their Tahoma
home. (Sponsors: Royce Johnson and Ralph
Silverman)
Sandra and Alan Richards
Incline Village, Nevada
Jim Taylor annd Lisa Bornstein are welcomed to the Club at
the New Members Reception, June 23.
William Watson
Incline Village, Nevada
(Regular Membership) Alan and Sandra
Richards have a keen interest in boating and
spend considerable family time on the water
with their four children (ages 17 to 25). Alan is
a Realtor and owns his own home building business; both he and Sandra are involved members
of the Incline community. Proud owners of two
boats, The Alessandra, a 37-foot Chris-Craft
and Entrepreneurial Spirit, a 28-foot Cobalt,
the Richards are very excited about Wooden
Boat Week and look forward to celebrating their
love of boats with other members of the Yacht
Club. (Sponsors: Bruce Ells, Tom Rowlands
and Mary Fran Murphy)
New member Bill Watson, Executive Director of the
Thunderbird Lodge Preservation Society, on the left with
Dave Marion, the new skipper of the Thunderbird on the
right. New Members Reception, June 23.
Garry “Kiwi” Moore
Olympic Valley, California
(Conner’s Crew)
Garry, or “Kiwi” to his
friends, has sailed in the Laser “B” fleet for
the last two years, won the series in 2006 and
moved to the “A” fleet for the 2007 season. He
has thoroughly enjoyed this sailing experience
and looks forward to becoming involved in
more events at the TYC, as well as sailing lasers
for many years to come. A full time resident of
Squaw Valley, when not sailing Kiwi pursues
his professional career as a well known local
photographer. (Sponsors: Stacy Conner and
Dan Hauserman)
2007 Rowing Regatta Recap
Saturday morning, June 16th dawned a
beautifully clear day for this year’s North Tahoe
Rowing Regatta. The 53 rowers, split between
the 8.75 NM course and the 3.75 NM course,
started cleanly and finished in close to record
times (1:13:48 for the long course, rowed by
Tim Huebner and Patrice Rioux in a double, and
0:32:10 for the short course , rowed by Nabeel
Shirazi in a 24). Though we experienced a little
breeze this year half-way through, the race was
smooth and uneventful (the best kind), and the
8
barbeque afterwards was delicious, as always.
Thanks to the volunteers who helped with
the race this year, particularly the first-time
TYC chase boat volunteers—Ray Ellen Wisse
in the Salad Bowl Express, the Tomlinsons in
Olympic Lady, the Blocks in Tomahawk, and
Rich Stout in Ken Selvidge’s Zodiac. Thanks
to Club staff who manned the Club Zodiac and
supported the sign-up process and the pre-race
event at the club. We look forward to another
successful regatta next year on June 21!
Photo courtesy Matt Diethelm
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9
Ahh… This is the Life!
Another Summer of Tahoe Sailing
From Dan Hauserman,
Sail Committee Chair
Racer X, a Farr 36 in TYC's Division 1, placed first in the
2007 Beer Can Regatta Spring Series.
Life is what happens while you are trying to
get out and sail! And boy does it go by fast! At
press time of this newsletter, summer sailing is
already more than half over.
The Spring Series has concluded for both the
Monday Night Laser Races and the Wednesday
CATT C ONTRACTOR
OF THE
Night Beer Can Races. The sailors are fine
tuning their rigs and sheeting in their mainsails
to try to better their performances in the second
half. Let’s look at the first half of the season’s
very active Spring Series and more.
Sixteen sailors participated in the Laser “A”
fleet (more experienced veterans) and, despite
one night of no wind, 18 races were completed
in six of seven nights. Three per night is all we
can hope for so that is fantastic participation
and conditions. The “B” fleet (the up and comers to the sport) produced nine sailors quickly
learning the ropes in 16 total races.
It is especially gratifying this year to see
a transition take shape from the Community
Sailing Program’s youth race clinic and Monday
night advanced clinic. Four recent junior
graduates (Drew McMillan, Ryan Hackbarth,
Zach Thomas and Hayden Hauserman) moved
up in their sailing careers by graduating from
the “user friendly” Pico sailboat featured in
Junior Sailing to the more volatile Laser, and
are now racing in the Laser “B” fleet. This is
exactly what we hoped for when we started this
program a few ago. To see it actually come to
fruition is, well… the wind in our sails!
Y EAR 2006 - R ESIDENTIAL P ROJECT
CONSTRUCTION
ARCHITECTURE • DEVELOPMENT
Richard W. Loverde
530 581-5533
Fax 530 581-5599
P.O. Box 5535, Tahoe City, CA 96145
CA 757430 • NV 0049877
10
Congratulations to all the participants. Here
are the Spring Series Results for the Lasers:
“A” Fleet: 1st Place - Stan Eriksson.
2nd Place - Jim Granger. 3rd Place – Dan
Hauserman. 4th Place – Todd Jackson. 5th
Place – Buff Wendt.
“B” Fleet: 1st Place – Tony Dahlman. 2nd
Place – Mark Oshiro. 3rd Place – Brad Tyler.
4th Place – Zachary Thomas. 5th Place – Ron
Driller.
Moving on to the “Big Boats,” Mother
Nature shined upon the keel boats as the winds
were nearly always there on Wednesdays.
Racing was held on all seven evenings. There
are four divisions this year as follows:
Division 1 consists of the biggest boats with
the fastest ratings. (PHRF rating system less
than 53). In Division 1, there was a heated
battle each week with all boats not only fast but
big (all in the 36 to 42 foot range). Racer X, the
Farr 36 skippered by Gary Redelberger, took
the top honors for the series narrowly beating
rival Dick Ferris on August Ice, a J-125. Third
place honors went to another Farr 36, Wicked,
skippered by Rich Courcier.
Division 2 comprises a wide variety of
boats with handicap ratings between 56 and
114. There was incredible competition in this
continued on next page
OF THE
Y EAR 2005
Sailing, continued
newly realigned division. Each of the top five
boats placed first in one or more of the races
and second and third place overall came right
down to the last race of the series! The winner
was Bryce Griffith, helming his Antrim 27 Arch
Angel. Second place went to Chinook, a J-105,
skippered by Jim Duffy, who just nipped Brian
Barger and his Olson 30, Stray Cat. Man that
was a close one!
Division 3 consists of boats with a rating of
117 or above. The competition was again very
tight and again came down to the final race.
This series was fun to watch as two of the top
three boats were 30 feet or longer and the other
was Tinker Toy, a 20 foot Santana. It was the
sailing equivalent of David and Goliath! This
time, David (Blair Wallace) prevailed. As for
the Goliaths, John Utter's Tartan 10 True Luff
took 2nd place and Sting, John Larsen's 36-foot
Canadian, placed third.
All the fun wasn’t had on Mondays and
Wednesdays though. There have been several
exciting weekend regattas so far this summer.
On Saturday, June 16 the Sunnyside Regatta
marked the first of the three weekend restaurant
series. Gar Woods Restaurant hosted in July,
and the series concludes at Chambers Landing
on August 18. There were exceptional winds
in the 15 to 30 knot range for most of the
Sunnyside event which led to some thrilling
action. This year we switched the format to a
reverse start, with the slowest boats starting first
followed by multiple start intervals; the fastest
boat starts last and well behind. The first boat
across the finish line wins so you know exactly
where you stand at all times. Dan Hauserman
skippered Personal Puff to first place. Stan
Eriksson, on Pro Spirit, was close behind in
second, and Gary Redelberger and the Racer
X crew took third place after the Santa Cruz 27
Poopsie drove through the finish line the wrong
way. Ooops! Poopsie quickly corrected their
mistake but not in time to beat Racer X. Great
fun to watch it unfold!
Another exciting weekend event was the
Melges 24 High Sierra Series held July 7 and 8.
There were six local boats and nine overall in
the event. Good winds filled in for Saturday and
three tightly fought races were completed. On
Sunday, after over two hours of postponement
due to no wind, the two final races were abandoned. As a result, it was a three-race series won
by Nick Pullen, skippering TBD, owned by Jim
Granger. Nick had near perfect starts and consistently played the shifting winds better than
his fellow competitors. Second place honors
went to Santa Cruz-based Melges Go Dogs Go,
owned by Tim Hawkins and skippered by Chris
Watts. Finishing third was local Stan Eriksson
and his boat Pro Spirit. Congratulations to all!
Most recently, we hosted the annual TransTahoe. It was another fantastic year for this
Nick Pullen was the helmsman for Jim Granger's winning
Melges 24 in the High Sierra Series held July 7-8, 2007.
signature sailing event. Be sure to read the
article on page two by Jim Mullen for details
on the top finishers. The Mullen family did
an outstanding job again this summer putting
together this prestigious and historic regatta. If
you see any of the Mullens (Jim, Lynn, Brian
or Kevin) please thank them for their much
appreciated efforts!
11
TYC Summer Wine Events
From Director Andy Wagner,
Wine Events Chair
Champagne Salute to Dom
Perignon, Saturday, June 30
M
ore than 30 TYC wine enthusiasts and their guests celebrated
the start of the Summer season
with a Champagne Celebration honoring Dom
Perignon on Saturday, June 30, at the TYC
Clubhouse. Chris Drake, TYC’s fine wine representative from the Estates Group of Young’s
Market Company, presented a sampling of five
fine Champagnes and one domestic sparkling
wine all produced under the traditional Méthode
Champenoise. This was a rare opportunity to
taste some of the most prestigious vintage and
cuvee sparkling wines from some of the most
exclusive Champagne houses side-by-side.
End of Summer Winetasting
Friday, August 31, featuring
Tandem Wines’ winemaker
Greg La Follette
The TYC Wine Events Committee proudly
welcomes world renowned winemaker Greg
La Follette to the Tahoe Yacht Club on Friday,
August 31, at 5:30 p.m. The evening will
focus on Greg’s newest venture, Tandem
Wines. Members will have the opportunity to
Staff Commodore Brad and Sandi Hill, rarely at the Club
since moving from the Lake to Coeur d’Alene, Idaho,
attended the Winemaker's Dinner on April 21, 2007.
Jon Katis of Lucchesi Vineyards pours some of the first wines of the newly released 2005 vintage for
Larry Tomlinson, Gil Magnani and Les Schwoob on March 31.
sample some of Greg’s award winning Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays from the Sonoma Coast
while socializing with friends at the Clubhouse. If you plan to attend, we ask that you please
bring an appetizer to pair with the wines and share with friends.
Background on the Winemaker
Greg La Follette was born in Europe, growing up with an old-world view that wine is “raised”
rather than “made.” After studying ancient Burgundian techniques at U.C. Davis, he continued
on-the-job studies at Beaulieu Vineyard as research viticulturist/enologist with wine master, André
Tchelistcheff. From BV, Greg went to work at Kendall-Jackson where he was responsible for
gathering and disseminating the best and latest thoughts on vine/wine quality as in-house troubleshooter/consultant. La Follette then turned his talents to Flowers Vineyard & Winery where he
was the winemaker and general manager, launching one of the most successful small Pinot labels
to date. The winery he built at Flowers is still considered one of the very best gravity-flow, gasassist green wineries in the world.
All of this experience has led Greg La Follette to combine his talents with Linda Villagomez
and Rick Davis to create Tandem Wines, crafting fine wines from multiple vineyard sources along
the Sonoma Coast, a region cited by the Wine Spectator as producing some of the finest Pinot
Noir grapes in the world.
Among the numerous awards for his accomplishments in the wine industry, Greg is an unprecedented three-time winner of Wine & Spirits’ “Artisan/Winery of the Year” in 1995, 1999 and
2000. In addition, Tandem was the number-one rated Pinot Noir in the world in the 2004 Pinot
Noir Shootout and Summit, an independently-judged Pinot competition involving hundreds of Pinots world-wide.
La Follette’s wines have been served at the White House at several
state events, and Greg has been asked by the State Department to represent the U.S. in goodwill efforts abroad to improve winemaking
practices in other countries.
Recently, Greg has turned his attentions to vineyard and
winery consulting internationally. He has designed or redesigned 14 wineries worldwide with an emphasis on “green”
design, has served as designing winemaker for the new
U.C. Davis teaching winery and is involved in projects
on five continents.
Tandem Wines
The
August 31
Winetasting
will feature
Tandem Pinot Noirs.
12
Greg LaFollette and his team rely upon multiple
vineyard sources at Tandem Wines to produce several distinct vineyard designated Chardonnays
and Pinot Noirs.
Tandem’s focus is fixed on quality achieved
through passion and dedication to the craft of
fine wine making. Tandem employs sustainable agricultural practices through balanced vine
Trans Tahoe, continued
perfect day for racing on Tahoe.”
Each year, the overall winner of the Trans-Tahoe has his or her
name inscribed on the permanent Eric Conner Trophy on display in the
Clubhouse. The highest placing TYC member has his or her name on
the Jake Obexer II Perpetual Trophy, also on display. The winner of the
Cruising Division is inscribed on the Hellman permanent trophy. This
year TYC member Geoff Gardner won both the Conner and Obexer
Trophies. Thanks to the donation of individual trophies for the next ten
years by former Commodore Les Bartlett and his family, the winner of
the Obexer trophy will also receive a take home commemorative trophy
to memorialize their performance in this classic Tahoe sailing event.
RIGHT: Stan Eriksson consistently
sails to top honors in the Laser "A"
Fleet. BOTTOM: The "C" Fleet of
Pico youth sailors learn the ropes.
Photos courtesy Jill Casey.
Wine Events, continued
management that fosters the dialogue between vine and wine, creation
and interpretation.
Thank you to TYC member Andreas Papaliolios for setting up this
event. The winetasting will be held on Friday, August 31, at 5:30 p.m.
Please keep an eye on the TYC website, www.tahoeyc.com, watch for
email announcements, or call the Club for further details.
Planning for Fall
Plans are underway for a variety of autumn wine events, including
more varietal and region-specific winetasting events, the winetasting
tour, and the popular Fall Harvest Celebration winemaker’s dinner. If
you would like to become involved in wine event planning for future
events, please contact Andy Wagner at (530) 581-3881, or email
[email protected].
Laser Racing
Welcomes New
Junior Fleet
The following is an excerpt from an article written by Buff Wendt for the
Sierra Sun July 18 issue. Kudos to Buff for her journalistic endeavors!
Weather cooperated and breezes were up, delighting the 24 Laser
and Pico sailors racing out of the Tahoe Yacht Club on July 16 in the
Monday Night Laser Series. The “A” Fleet featured an exciting evening
of back-and-forth racing, with sailors swapping spots between the front
and back of the pack. “The winds were really shifty (Monday) night,”
said Dan Hauserman of the “A” Fleet. “You would think that you were
on the right side of the course and in the next minute be looking like you
were in last place.”
“It’s like playing chess while physically trying to keep your boat
moving at optimum speed and not capsizing or hitting another boat,” said
“B” Fleet sailor Brad Tyler. Ultimately in the “A” Fleet, Stan Eriksson
picked off Nick Pullen for first place in the opening race, but Pullen
fought back to win the next two races.
“I was deep quite a few times, with new faces ahead of me… the level
of sailing is improving fleet-wide. It’s anyone’s game out there right
now,” Pullen explained.
The same was true in the “B” Fleet, in which Brad Tyler took the top
spot on the night by ousting Tony Dahlman and Mark Oshiro from the
first-place position they were trading the last several weeks.
New teen racers Zach Thomas, Drew McMillan and Hayden
Hauserman also held their own in the wind. “I think I saw Hayden flip no
less than 10 times, but he hung in there and finished,” said Justin Casey
of the “A” Fleet. “He’s young and with this experience, he and the other
graduates from the Youth Racing Team will be moving up rapidly.”
Meanwhile, the youth team was out in the breeze in their Pico Lasers.
Bryce Griffith has headed up the youth program, which has successfully
started feeding youth sailors with solid skills into the local Laser fleet.
Sailing instruction is run through the Tahoe City Parks and Recreation
Department and any youth is invited to join.
“Some people view sailing as an elitist sport, but at the local level, it
is very reasonable for anyone to become a good sailor,” Griffith said.
13
Art Mennick (Chubby Cheddar) and Dick
Morton (Ivan Spudnik) plot their roles for
"Murder on the Grill," a 1950s spoof for
April's Murder Mystery Dinner Party.
Easter Saturday
Saturday,, March
April 7, was
was TYC
TYCKids
Kids
(and grandkids)
grandkids) Day
DayatatthetheClub
Club
with
rabbit
with
rabbit
ears to be made and eggs
eggs to
to be
be found,
found, led
led by
by
Hospitality “Big
"Big Bunny”
Bunny"Harold
HaroldRobinson
Robinson(far(far
right) and bunny-suited helper Diane Niland.
ON THE
SOCIAL SCENE
PHOTOS: Dick and
NiletaMorton,
Morton,Philip
PhilipBallantyne,
Ballantyne,Sue
SueStout
Stout
& Nilleta
Commodore Ballantyne (right) with
Cinco de Mayo Hospitality Hosts,
Board member Bruce and Staff
Commodore Donna Block.
Dr. Alex McDonald in very proper
"nattie" attire for the May 26th
Gin Fizz Fling…
Cinco de Mayo — Lynne Osmundsen (standing right) and husband
New member Randy Hill
and Schatzi Boyd
Ozzie brought the whole family for all-you-can-eat fajitas dinner with
all the trimmings, catered by D‘Lish.
A nautical Joan and Roger McGee
4th of July — Roy Dryer and Jim Koch (pictured left)
and
(above right) Lucinda Sayre, Jim Fleming and Staff Commodore
Dr. Frank Roberts get set for an upstairs front row seat for the
fireworks. Meanwhile members start to gather downstairs as Art
Mennick and Club Manager Darren Kramer ready hot dogs and hamburgers to go with salads, chips
and traditional apple pie for nearly 150 TYCers…including 30 children!
14
TYC “first ladies“ Deni Mateer
and Cindy McKenna
SUNDAY
MONDAY
TUESDAY
AUGUST
5
6
7
LASER REGATTA
SHORT HANDED
Regatta
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
1
2
3
BEER CAN REGATTA
Summer Series - 6 pm
4 pm Start
Marine
Swap Meet
8 am-2pm - Tahoe Maritime
Museum
Steppin' Out Dinner/Dance
- 6 pm
Wild Goose Restaurant
13 LASER REGATTA 14
19
20
12
Summer Series - 6 pm Ladies' Luncheon & Fashion
Show -11:30 am Cedar Flat
Woodie Over-The-Bottom
- 9 am Sugar Pine Point
Men's Grill -12 noon
Homewood
Sponsors Dinner
- 6 pm Wolfdale's
21
LASER REGATTA
27
Last LASER REGATTA
LASER Regatta
Weekend
15
BEER CAN
REGATTA
WOODEN
BOAT WEEK
BEGINS!
16
22
6 pm
FALL HOURS BEGIN
AT CLUBHOUSE
PRESENTED BY
TAHOE YACHT CLUB
FOUNDATION INC.
Sierra Boat Co. Marina - 9 am to 4 pm
17
18
Private Party
23
5
CONNER
BEER CAN
REGATTA
Fall Series
24
25
Over-TheBottom #4
ACBS Woodie Whoopie 8:30 am - Tahoe City Marina
LASER Regatta
Weekend
31
SUMMER WINETASTING
featuring Tandem Vineyards
Clubhouse - 5 pm
September 1st
End of
ummer
SC
elebration, 6 pm
Shop the TYC BOATIQUE online! Go to www.tahoeyc.com, click on Member Services, then Merchandise.
TYC Young Adult
Social
- McKinney Shores
Private Party at Clubhouse
5-8 pm
3 pm Start
Series Finalé - 6 pm
Beer Can Ball
Awards Party at
Clubhouse following Race
4
Hoe-Down - 4:30 pm
CHAMBERS Regatta
BEER CAN
29 REGATTA
30
Summer
of the Summer Series - 6 pm
+ Summer Awards
at TYC Clubhouse
3 LABOR DAY
8:30 am - Chambers Landing
11
Mahogany Magic
Potluck Grand Finale
- 6:30 pm Gatekeeper's
Museum Grounds
SEPTEMBER
2
Over-The4 Bottom
#3
Summer Series - 6 pm
Summer Series - 6 pm
28
10
VIP Preview Day, noon - 4 pm
Opening Night Gala and
Auction - 6 pm, Ehrman
Mansion
BEER CAN REGATTA
Summer Series
6 pm
26
FIRST FRIDAY
COCKTAIL PARTY
- 5 pm
9
BEER CAN REGATTA
Summer Series - 6 pm
ACBS Woodie
Whoopie
Summer Series - 6 pm
8
SATURDAY
6
7
FIRST FRIDAY
COCKTAIL PARTY
5 pm
1
Board Meeting
10 am, Clubhouse
Annual Membership
Meeting
2 pm, Clubhouse
8
LASER FLEET
CHAMPIONSHIPS
Sailing and Camping!
Stampede Reservoir
Private Dinner Party
9
10
Member Wedding
6 pm
16
11
12
14
CONNER
BEER CAN
REGATTA
Fall Series
MONDAY NIGHT
FOOTBALL POTLUCK
- 5 pm 'til?
17
13
18
19
MONDAY NIGHT
FOOTBALL POTLUCK
15
Private Dinner Party
20
21
22
CONNER
BEER CAN
REGATTA
Fall Series
- 5 pm 'til?
Private Dinner Party
23
Fannette Island
Distance
Regatta
noon
30
24
25
MONDAY NIGHT
FOOTBALL POTLUCK
- 5 pm 'til?
26
27
CONNER
BEER CAN
REGATTA
Fall Series
28
29
OKTOBERFEST
POTLUCK CELEBRATION
5:30 pm
COMING UP IN OCTOBER… First Friday Cocktail Party, October 5 at 5 pm … Board of Directors (offsite) meeting October
20, and the Halloween Potluck, Ocotber 27 at 5:30 pm! Of course, Monday Night Football continues each Monday at 5 pm …
15
Wooden Boat Week just around the corner!
A Limited Number of Tickets Available for
New V.I.P. Preview Event, August 9
The USPS's new stamp series entitled “Vintage Mahogany Speedboats” — © 2007
USPS. All Rights Reserved.
Four Tahoe-area classic wooden boats will be featured in a new United
States Postal Service (USPS) collectors’ stamp series to be dedicated during the 35th Annual Lake Tahoe Concours d’Elegance. The new USPS
collectors’ stamp series, entitled “Vintage Mahogany Speedboats,” will be
dedicated by USPS officials at the Opening Ceremony of the Boat Show’s
new V.I.P. Preview Day on August 9.
Each pane of 16 first-class stamps will feature photographs of
Dispatch (1931 Gar Wood from Carnelian Bay, Calif.), Duckers (a 1954
Chris-Craft from Loomis, Calif.), Frolic (a 1915 Hutchinson Brothers
launch from Danville, Calif.) and the famous Thunderbird (a custom
designed 1939 vessel moored at the Thunderbird Lodge on Tahoe’s East
Shore) – still one of the fastest and biggest boats on Lake Tahoe. All boats
featured in this stamp series will be in the marina and available for specta-
tors to observe during the Lake Tahoe Concours d’Elegance.
The Opening Ceremony and V.I.P Preview Day on Thursday,
August 9 is a new addition to this year’s Concours d’Elegance, and will
provide an extra half-day of viewing opportunities. The opening ceremony will announce the official start of the show, with added attractions—
including private rides in some of Tahoe’s premier wooden boats—to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the event. Tickets will be $100, and because
sales will be limited to the first 500, spectators will be able to freely stroll
the docks and preview the boats while they are being judged.
With the earlier start, organizers have also bumped up the timeframe
for judging. With the exception of the “People’s Choice” Award, all trophies will be presented on Friday evening, August 10. This change will
allow Saturday’s spectators to see the winners of each class in the event,
which in the past has not been possible, and also allows boat owners to
share their successes with the public.
“We’re pleased that the USPS has chosen Tahoe’s wooden boats
for their new stamp series. Tahoe has played such an important role in
the nautical history of this classic craft and we’re proud to promote the
preservation of vintage wooden watercraft at the highest level,” said Kirk
Pumphrey, Concours and Wooden Boat Week Committee chairman.
Spectators attending the V.I.P. Preview day can purchase commemorative stamps and, if desired, local USPS postmasters will cancel them with
a custom Lake Tahoe Concours d’Elegance indicia. In addition, stamps
will be available for purchase at the USPS booth Friday and Saturday.
Tickets for the Wooden Boat Show may be purchased by contacting
Tahoe Yacht Club Foundation at (530) 581-4700.
From Danny Pavel, Concours d’Elegance Operations Manager
America's Cup Action—A Firsthand Account!
When I first discovered the “Volunteer
Opportunities” application for the America's
Cup back in September 2006, I had no real
intention to actually go to work for the Cup. I
had thought about doing a trip to Europe and
maybe stopping by Valencia to see some of
the races. But by the new year I had been confirmed to be a Race Committee Volunteer on a
mark set boat for the entire racing series—from
the first round robin of the Louis Vuitton Cup
through the final championship race of the 32nd
America’s Cup.
I arrived in Valencia, Spain on April 13,
2007, after three weeks of traveling through
Germany, France, and Switzerland. I had seen
beer halls in Munich, Cathedrals in France, and
Alps in Interlaken and Chamonix, but after all
that I was ready to see first hand the America's
Cup port in Valencia. Catching a glimpse of the
team bases and the sleek racing boats for the
first time was enough to send a chill down my
spine; I had been following the America's Cup
for as long as I could remember.
My official position was on Mark Set Boat
2, (one of four mark set boats in the initial
race series, which were ultimately reduced to
two) and along with a few others I was a mark
handler. Our boat was responsible for setting
the starting pin mark and the two leeward gate
marks. I have had quite a bit of experience
with setting marks for sailing races at Tahoe
and in Hawaii but nothing on the scale of the
America's Cup. The actual marks were about
eight feet tall, inflated with a leaf blower and
set in 50 to 150 feet of water with 75 pounds of
anchors and chain!
The first two round robins of the Louis
Vuitton Cup saw competitive racing from the
first pre-start. With the big teams like Luna Rosa
from Italy, New Zealand, and Oracle dominating
most of the competition and the smaller start up
teams like the South African Team Shosholoza
struggling to keep up, there were still moments
of underdog determination and excitement.
Each of the large teams was upset by a lower
ranked team; these were the
races that were amazing to
witness first hand.
After being on the water
for more than 150 races of the
Louis Vuitton Cup and living in Valencia for over two
months, the June 23rd start
of the 32nd Americas Cup
finally arrived. Team New
Zealand would challenge
the Swiss defender, Alinghi.
From what I, and most other
people, thought would be a
short series with a dominant
Alinghi team, came instead a
hard fought battle where the
final score did not begin to explain how close
the racing was. With lead changes in five of the
seven races, each race came down to the most
miniscule shifts in wind, each tenth of a knot of
boat speed, and each minor mistake.
When the Swiss successfully defended the
Cup on July 3, 2007, my time as a volunteer
came to a close. I left Valencia for home with
some pictures, some team gear, and most importantly the memory of an amazing experience
that I will treasure for a long time to come.
Our own Danny Pavel on the America's
Cup Mark Set Boat 2 with Emirates Team
New Zealand in the background.