August 2016 Tiller - Monterey Peninsula Yacht Club

Tiller
The
Monterey Peninsula Yacht Club
August 2016
Year 64, Issue 8
Commodore’s Log
Our summer is almost over,
and the calendar is still full
of events! I’ve just finished
watching the final legs of the
Great Pacific Race and the
Pacific Cup, and now it’s
Santana Nationals,
Santanarama, Veeder Cup,
Sunset Series, Cruisers---I
can scarcely keep up! This
Club certainly keeps me busy
at the helm!
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vote on accepting them. This is so important—please do
not miss this opportunity to make choices about the
future of our Club.
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See you on the 29th—fair winds until then!
Our Big Blue Backyard
Former MPYC junior Paul Allen wrote a great article
about his experiences racing on the Mod 70 in this year’s
Spinnaker Cup.
Commodore
David Duncan
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All hands on deck! Yes, it’s
that time again…Club Pride
Day. The Club is in dire need of some maintenance and
attention, and I’m asking for all members to participate
on Saturday, September 3. The short list of items that
need attention are:
-Replacing burgee on the Club flagpole
-Painting on the exterior of the Club
-Painting/maintenance on north stairs
-Alteration of one floating dock section to
accommodate new ramp
Enjoy his article at: http://www.pressure-drop.us/forums/
content.php?6518-Our-Big-Blue-Backyard
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These are only some of the items that need addressing,
but the Board has decided to work on these. We need
volunteers! We need as many hands as possible to make
these tasks go quickly and smoothly, and I am asking
everyone’s help. If you feel you’re not able to complete
the actual task, please consider a support task like
expediter, errand runner, or lunch maker. We’ve even
been known to have fun on these Pride Days, so please
contact me to offer your assistance.
!
There is another very important date on the Club’s
calendar, and that is the Special Membership Meeting
on Monday, August 29, 2016. I have called this
meeting specifically to address the expansion and
renovation of the Club, including plan review and
financial needs. The Construction Oversight Committee
has forecast the direction of these changes, and the
Board of Directors has reviewed and voted to accept
these recommendations. I want every member to be
aware of the recommendations of the Committee, and to
Page 2
Uncorked
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by Jerry Stratton
Upcoming Events
Thursday, August 18
7:00PM - Board Meeting
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All good things must come to an end... and our SUPER
deal on Rombauer Chardonnay is coming to an end. We
just purchased the last 15 cases, so enjoy! We will
identify some excellent alternatives for your sipping
pleasure, but treasure the glasses and bottles you have
enjoyed at far less than wholesale!
Saturday, August 20 - Postponed to January
Hawaiian Luau
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Saturday, August 27
Winemaker’s Dinner
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!
The next Winemaker's Dinner is scheduled for August 27
as we are finalizing details. Watch for information at the
Club and online!
Monday, August 29
7:00PM - Special Membership Meeting
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Saturday, September 10
Capitola Art and Wine Festival
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Tuesday, September 13
6:00PM - Cruisers’ Potluck
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Regular Schedule
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Dinner is served every Wednesday and Friday
evening at 6:00, bar open 5:30.
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Lunch is served every Thursday from noon until
1:00PM.
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The MPYC Board of Directors meets every third
Thursday of the month at 7:00PM.
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Remember to check the online calendar for
updates. http://www.mpyc.org
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House Rules
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Members of reciprocal yacht clubs are always
welcome; please remember to register in the Club
guestbook before using Club facilities. Other
guests are encouraged, but must be welcomed to
the club by a current member.
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Membership is easy, and applicants need not be
boat owners. For further information on
membership and house rules, call (831) 372-9686
or visit us on the Web at www.MPYC.org.
* must show yacht club membership card
* must tell cashier prior to completing transaction
* one offer valid with one purchase per transaction
* offer valid on in-store purchases only
* locals and reciprocals
About the Cover Photo
Tiburon checking in for Konigshofer Regatta.
Photo by Eric Anderson.
Page 3
Konigshofer Regatta
by Eric Anderson
The annual Konigshofer Regatta was contested on
Sunday, July 31st. The 3 race series saw 8 boats
competing with consistent southerly breezes ranging from
9-13 kts. This regatta featured some of the most
competitive finishes in recent memory. Rolly #209
defended its 2015 championship with 1st place finishes in
each race. Other top finishers were Yankee #187 in
second and Tiburon #191 in third place. The Hobson
family and Jaime Anderson performed Race Committee
for the event.
Konigshofer start. Photo by Garth Hobson.
Yankee and Harriet. Photo by Eric Anderson.
Spinnakers flying after rounding the windward mark. Photo by Garth Hobson.
Page 4
Shields Nationals Coming Soon
by Juli Alexander
The 52nd Annual Shields Nationals are
coming to Monterey…. SOON!
!
Check it out! www.shields.mpyc.org
videos and lots of info and details!
Amazing
!
Thirty-two years of waiting are finally coming to an end
as The Monterey Peninsula Yacht Club prepares to host
the 52nd Shields National Regatta! The Shields Fleet has
worked hard over the last 2 years to raise money, build the
Fleet and make preparations for a five-day event that will
be memorable and fun for competitors, Club members
and spectators alike. There are a host of activities planned
for September 27 – October 1st and we hope that the
entire Club will come out to help welcome our out-oftown competitors and join the fun. Monterey Peninsula
Yacht Club has a reputation for its warmth and hospitality.
Let’s show these folks what we’ve got!
!
Here is a tentative schedule of non-racing activities that
are open to everyone so mark your calendars!
!
Tuesday, 27 September:
1700- Heineken Happy Hour
Ribbon Cutting for the “Bear Flag Bar
Presented by Heineken”. Beer specials.
Wednesday, 28 September: Practice Races
1600 - Heineken Happy Hour
1800 - Shields Class Dinner MPYC
1900 - Shields Class Annual Meeting
Thursday, 29 September: Day 1 of Racing
1100 - Regular MPYC Luncheon Come see what’s happening at the Club!
Race results will be continuously updated
live throughout the afternoon.
1600 - Heineken Happy Hour
1800 – “Evening with the Legends” Dinner at
Memory Gardens
Join in the excitement as we honor Past
Champions including or own Dick Clark
and Mike Polkabla! Walk over to
Memory Gardens from the Club for a
buffet dinner, a game of corn hole and all
the stories about Day 1 of Racing.
Friday, 30 September: Day 2 of Racing
1600 - Heineken Happy Hour
1800 - Regular Dinner MPYC
As the competition heats up on Day 2 of
racing, come to the Club for dinner to
share stories with our local racers and
meet some of our out-of-town guests as
well! Then stay to…..
2100 – Dance to the Music of the Salty Dogs!!!
Saturday, October 1: Final Day 3 of Racing
1300 – Come aboard the Spectator Boat to view
the final races live! Packages will be
available to include food, wine and beer.
More info to come!
1600 (approx) – Dockside Winner’s Ceremony we expect some great press!
1730 – Food Stations available at MPYC
1800 – Awards Dinner at Ferrante’s on top of the
Marriott
All are invited to join The National Fleet
for a delicious dinner and spectacular
views as we celebrate the winners of the
52nd Shields Nationals.
!
*Exact times and prices for some events are still being
tweaked. More information and confirmed details will
be available on the web site, at the Club and in next
month’s Tiller.
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Get involved! As you all know, it takes a lot of
volunteers to put on a National Regatta. The Shields
Fleet would like the whole Club to participate – either
by volunteering or attending some of the events. Please
contact any of the following Chair persons to see how
you can volunteer to help with this fun event:
!
John Feeley – Race Committee
Lino Belli – Concierge and Hospitality
Juli Alexander – Entertainment (Dinner with the
Legends and Awards Dinner)
Garth Hobson and Eric Anderson – everything else!
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See you at the Club! Woo Hoo! ~ Juli
Page 5
Three New Shields Coming to Monterey Owners Needed
by Eric Anderson
MPYC’s Shields Fleet proudly welcomes three new
boats to our local waters. Shields #46 Stardust and #69
Mokey arrived in July from Madeleine Island,
Wisconsin. In late August, #141 Rebel will arrive from
Southern California.
!
Originally
from Fleet
10 in
Marion,
MA;
Stardust was
once known
as Lionheart
where she
was
successfully
campaigned
by Graham
Quinn,
longtime
Shields
skipper and
current
Stardust on Great Lakes mooring. President of
Harding
Sails. In the late 1980’s, she moved west to the nowdefunct Shields fleet in Holland Michigan. Mokey
started out in Chicago’s Fleet 3 and later joined Stardust
in Michigan. In 2011, they were purchased and
relocated to an island in Lake Superior where they were
campaigned in PHRF racing. These well-cared for
Shields have aged very gracefully; enjoying the
freshwater sailing of the Great Lakes and spending the
greater part of each year stored indoors for the winter. A
group of local Shields owners pooled their resources to
bring these two to Monterey. Each is expected to race in
this year’s National Regatta.
Stepping the mast on Stardust.
1987. In 2014, Mike’s son Stan, relocated to Los
Angeles and brought Rebel with him. Rebel will arrive
in late August and become a permanent part of our fleet.
!
All three new Shields look forward to resuming their One
Design racing careers. These are all very nice boats and
will be great new additions to our local fleet. All are for sale
currently. Please contact Eric Anderson, Fleet Captain,
for information on how you can become an owner.
!
Rebel is a two-time National Champion. Mike Deland
skippered her to championships in 1980 and again in
Mokey on wharf II.
Page 6
Santana 22 Nationals
Santa Cruz Yacht Club
by Mary Conway
Good showing Cnidarian and Santy Anno…We are proud of you.
Above: Logan Allen (junior member/instructor), Kate Conway (regular
member), Andy Goodman (Kate's original sailing instructor in Stockton Sailing
Club Learn to Sail Program, currently SCYC member).
Page 7
Billy’s Pac
Cup
!
by Ashley Hobson
!
An excerpt from “Billy’s Pac Cup blog”
aboard the Cal-40, Psyche:
“All hands on deck! We’re losing the mast! …
Somehow, our mast is torn at the deck. It is a mystery
why the mast has not toppled. Several inches of the
mast above the tear collapsed onto the cabin top next to
the part below the tear. This could very well turn from
bad to worse, hence Jimmy’s call. So, we have a serious
emergency on our hands. It takes FOREVER for the
crew to get their foul weather gear and flotation devices
and head-lamps together and on, but finally everyone is
on deck in the pitching stormy darkness working to get
the jib and mainsail down. I am steering, and head the
boat down wind to lighten the load on mast. The sails
are so wet and heavy, this is a monumental task. We
set the motor to “slow” to reduce gasoline consumption,
and started the roly-poly bare-poles trip to Monterey. So
it is now nearly 9 AM a day later, and we are motoring
into Monterey. Happy to be safe, but really sad we
couldn’t continue in the race, for it most assuredly will
be a record breaker, with a tropical depression climax.
We will have to wait till another time.”
of unfortunate events. They explained exactly what
happened and said that an unknown voice over the radio
recommended that they return to Monterey rather than
San Francisco for an easier and shorter motor back to
shelter. After I left to return to work, the rum was
consumed in its entirety and the crew decided the next
best thing to do was motor around the race course to
watch the Wednesday evening races. Another excerpt
from their race blog: “Then, spontaneously with little
discussion, we suddenly cast off our dock lines and
powered the now mast-free Psyche out to the starting
line of the Monterey Peninsula Yacht Club’s “wet
Wednesday” and loudly cheered for every clean
spinnaker set we saw. Then we powered Psyche back to
the clubhouse for their post-race barbecue. A fantastic,
warm, friendly yacht club. We are grateful to them for
that.”
!
To hear the entire story and read the complete blog from
the Psyche crew, visit https://billyspaccup.com/author/
billyspaccup/.
!
So what’s my connection to the event? Well, here’s my
side of the story: I was sitting at my desk on a typical
Wednesday morning in the Carmel City Hall when my
phone lights up with a text message from an unknown
number. I start to read the text “Hi Ashley, it’s Graham.
I got your number from your sister.” (Graham is my
oldest sister’s cousin-in-law) The text continues: “…We
have some friends from LAYC that almost dismasted
last night on Pac Cup…Any way you would be able to
swing down to the boat sometime today and drop off a
bottle of Mt Gay Rum and some Tonic?” I responded:
“YES!” and planned the rest of my workday
accordingly to deliver some much needed tasty
beverages to well deserving recipients.
!
Dismasted Cal 40, Psyche, at the Monterey Bay
Boatworks.
I delivered the beverages to the boat and met the
amazing crew who described their heartbreaking series
Page 8
Summer Sailing Camp
photos by Sharron Frey
Page 9
Great Pacific Race 2016
Conversations with Moana Uli
Ocean Rowing: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly
by Jan Loomis
Background:
• Team Moana Uli, aka the good ship, Isabel
• 23’ Ocean Rowing Vessel
• Skipper Tim Spiteri (age 38), Melbourne,
Australia
• Teammates: Greg Vlasek (age 60), Sacramento,
CA, Brian Conville (age 23), Dublin, Ireland and
Tina Neill (age 50), Laguna Beach, CA
Teammates met for first time just two weeks prior to
race in Monterey, CA. Only one person had significant
ocean rowing experience.
!
Race:
• Monterey, CA to Honolulu, Hawaii
• Start: June 4th – Finish: July 22nd, 2016
• Second place, Category: Classic fours, third
place all boats
• 48 days, 20 hours, 40 minutes
• 2,326 miles rowed, average speed 2 knots
!
Note: Less than two weeks into the race, team member
suffered a shoulder injury and was evacuated. While
waiting 72 hrs for evacuation, Moana Uli fell into third
place overall. Rough weather necessitated the three
uninjured team members to “sardine” inside a single
cabin measuring 6’6” x 2’ while waiting on sea anchor.
After three days and an evacuation, they continued to
row to the finish with just three team members.
!
Why the heck would you want to row over 2,300
miles across the Pacific Ocean?
“I’m at a point in my life for a real challenge.”
“Wanted to prove I wasn’t too old for a challenge such
as this.”
“I did it because the Pacific was the next Ocean I needed
to row (previously I have rowed the Atlantic and Indian
Oceans”).
“I was 40 lbs overweight and needed a goal.”
“It was something yet to be done; another adventure.”
!
What did you see out there? Any wildlife?
“Lots of birds at start and finish. About 800 nm from
finish a blue footed booby landed on our vessel and
stayed for 24 hours. We fed it flying fish that kept
landing on our deck.”
!
“A huge squid that was washed aboard. I nearly jumped
out of my skin when this happened. We should have
eaten it.”
!
“I saw much less sea life than I saw rowing across the
Indian Ocean. One whale as we left Monterey and lots
of dolphin along the way. No sharks (at least that we
could see!)”
continued page 11
Page 10
Great Pacific Race 2016
continued
“Plastic was everywhere. In fact, every 20 or so minutes
of the entire race we saw plastic debris in the water.”
!
Hallucinations are apparently a common
phenomenon with long distance rowers. Did you have
any? (This question was asked to one other team as
well).
“I was convinced I could still see the shore days after
our departure from Monterey.”
“I regularly saw small sailboats on the horizon.”
“The crest of breaking waves had printed messages for
me, most of them were not positive. I stopped looking at
the crest of waves.”
“The moonlight provided a path that looked like my
street at home.”
!
What changes did you notice in your body?
“My muscles started to soften and atrophy after 3.5
weeks of rowing.”
“I noticed one of my team members started to look like a
coat hanger.”
“My clothes were noticeably looser in just four weeks.”
“My calf muscles completely disappeared.”
“I couldn’t walk without assistance when I got on land
after the finish.”
“During the last three weeks of the row, it was very
difficult to stay awake during my rowing shift.”
“My knees no longer felt stable.”
!
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery is currently
studying the general effects on the body of long distance
rowing. She provides remote medical coverage to the
teams at sea as well as advising on pre- and post-race
medical concerns for each rower.
!
Other comments:
“About the halfway mark, I had to take the maximum
Ibuprofen dose just to stay comfortable.”
“The last three weeks were pure agony as I no longer
had a butt to sit upon (butt muscles had atrophied). This
made it very painful to row.”
“If I never have to use another baby wipe again, I will be
very happy.”
!
What was the worst part of the row?
“The finish. The adventure was over and we have to
return to daily life.”
“The squeaky oar gates.”
“Trying to stay awake the last two weeks of the
race.” (Shift schedule was 3 hours rowing, 2 hours of
rest).
“Getting really sick and knowing I might be pulled from
the race.”
“Wedging three of us in a 6’6” by 2’ space for 72 hours
while waiting for 4th member to be evacuated.”
!
What was the best part of the row?
“The finish.”
“I was never bored.”
“Seeing amazing stars.”
“Twilight when everyone was in a good mood.”
“Rowing across a hostile, wet desert that was always
changing and always beautiful.”
Note: Great Pacific Race Team Physician, Aenor
Sawyer, MD, Director of Skeletal Health in UCSF’s
Page 11
MONTEREY PENINSULA YACHT CLUB
Municipal Wharf #2
Monterey, CA 93940
(831) 372-9686
!
PRSRT STD
U.S. POSTAGE PAID
MONTEREY, CA
PERMIT NO. 69
Return Service Requested
MPYC 2016 Officers and Directors
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The Tiller !
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Commodore: David Duncan
Vice Commodore: Betsy Jeffers
Rear Commodore: Dino Pick
Staff Commodore: Patrick Tregenza
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Editor: Linda McLennan Layout: Linda McLennan
Distribution: Kit Ruck Printing: Copy King
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Contributors: Recording Secretary: Mary Conway Corresponding Secretary: Rebecca Brock David Duncan
Patrick Tregenza
Treasurer: Art Sutton
Don Hoover
Sharron Frey
Directors:
Eric Anderson
Sharron Frey Jan Loomis
Chris Gatward Liz Chandler
Scott Brubaker Paul Allen
Luis Alvarez
Jerry Stratton
Garth Hobson
Ashley Hobson
Juli Alexander
Mary Conway
!
Editor’s Note: Please send articles,
photos, want ads, letters to the editor,
notes and ideas, anytime to:
[email protected]. All articles subject to
editing.