March 19, 2005 Spring Meeting San Francisco Yacht Club

(If you like, you can skip down through the prose and go straight to the pictures below!)

NOAA weather radio sounded like a liability lawyer and scared the bejesus out of almost everyone, but the loyal and brave arrived by boat, and the rest hung in there and arrived by car. Five straight days of rain – Friday through Tuesday – was predicted, along with 25 knots of winds, hazardous seas offshore, and some thunder and lightning thrown in for good measure. Rain it did, and blow it did, particularly Friday night, but Saturday saw only passing showers and some nice periods of sunshine in the afternoon. Somewhat to Cruise Chairs Smokey & Laurie Stover’s delight, the scheduled overflow crowd of 18 boats at the dock and 72 diners for the Cove House’s 60 person capacity, took a hit from the forecast and all could be accommodated at the dock and at the tables.

On Friday afternoon, four boats (Gary and Pat Salvo on Ophira, Ron and Karen Damsen on Woodbine, Cruise Chairs Smokey and Laurie Stover on Evanescence, and Harry Farrell on Pacific High) had a wet passage to SFYC, where Hendersons joined them by car. Commodore Mike Dickson invited all to his relative's house on nearby Corinthian Island for a couple happy hours (4-6:00). The fireplace was burning, hors d'oeuvres laid out and the wine flowed. The view of Belvedere Cove and the yacht club was gorgeous. Just before departing, yet another intrepid I-36 was spied braving the rain to come to dock - Freedom Won with John and Nanci Melton aboard! The whole group, with addition of Don Schumacher, piled aboard Evanescence for a hearty pot-luck of chicken
Marbella, chicken wings, artichoke-bread salad, meatballs, veggies, and ambrosia fruit salad. Of course a bit of wine was sipped to wash down the food.

One additional boat cruised in late Saturday afternoon: Miss Kryptonite (formerly known as Four Cs) with new owner Steve Kent and friends George Ritchie and Linda Collison aboard.

Though only 5 boats graced the dock, 33 were represented by 58 people. The full list of attendees and their boats was:

Saturday started out rainy, with those aboard dashing between bursts of rain to take showers and do their morning ablutions. Since the men’s shower was under repair, it was reported that a couple of gentlemen sneaked into the ladies showers while wives stood by. But by mid-morning the asphalt cruisers started arriving and Attitude Adjustment commenced on schedule at 1130 hours. Again, because of the rain forecast, SFYC had not set up the usual portable bar outside the Cove House, so it was a slightly longer trek into the main bar for a beverage.

One of the most special things about this year’s Meeting was the number of new faces present, including some who have been members for a while but have not been at events lately. Nine of the 31 boats, or almost 30%, are new additions or participants: Dream Catcher, Free Time, Gypsy, Mai Pen Rai, Miss Kryptonite, Nantucket, Silver Cloud, Taku III, and True North. A special thanks to the Taku III family of Charles & Deborah Stephens and father Stuart Stephens for stopping in to join us on their way home to Vancouver, BC from Mexico (by car). Being a retired professor, Charles runs sailing lessons and charters aboard Taku out of Gibsons, BC, while Deborah offers gourmet dinners after a day of sailing – easy to do when the summer sun doesn’t set until after 2100 at 49 degrees north! We are honored to have new participants in racing and cruising and again thank our new friends for coming and look forward to many more enjoyable visits during the 2005 season.

Commodore Mike Dickson kept the day on schedule by multi-tasking the meeting between the delicious entrees of beef, chicken and fish served with style and grace by SFYC regulars Vincent, Phoebe and Miguel. Mike started us off laughing with his story on how he trained his crew to be ready for the racing season. After lugging all of the sailing gear to the attic from the basement, and still wearing their wet gear, they piled into a cold shower and took turns tearing up $20 bills, eating soggy sandwiches and then lugging the gear back to the basement. Ron Damsen reported that we were still nicely solvent with 204 members at the moment. Rick Van Mell chimed in that the web site received 1,026,161 hits in the last year, and that we now have 203 pages with 4,059 pictures to view. After dessert, Mike had a harder time reining in Joseph Krensavage as he waxed eloquent about the great prizes won by last year's winners and that we have even more growth planned for this year - maybe 25 or more Islanders on the starting line for the Vallejo Race! Not to be outdone, Smokey Stover painted a glowing picture of the coming cruising season with two ocean cruises and return visits to perennial favorites Benicia and Sequoia Yacht Clubs. Joseph & Charles Hodgkins came right back to remind everyone of the Sail Trim Race clinic with Hood Sails' Robin Sodaro at the Golden Gate Yacht club on April 17^th, followed by a Rules Clinic with US Sailing Judge Tom Roberts on April 23^rd at Encinal YC in conjunction with our cruise and the ever-popular Svendsen's Discount Night!

But the main event for the day was yet to come. Noble Brown captivated the crowd with his witty and insightful narrative of sailing his I-36 Mai Pen Rai in the 2004 Baja Ha Ha Race/Cruise. Noble led us through the preparation work leading up to the three week event. Special attention went to electrical issues - batteries, lights and all those things you want to keep working. Find and fix the leaks. Lots of attention to the engine and fuel system too - often a problem when shaken up at sea. He even had his standing rigging replaced. But it was all worth it, because everything worked just fine when they crossed the starting line in San Diego in October for the 750 mile journey.

The first leg is the 300 miles to Turtle Bay - really a big bay where the fleet of over 200 anchors for - what else - a big party. Then another 200 miles to another bay party. And finally the last 250 miles to Cabo San Lucas. The usual routine is for light wind at the start in San Diego, getting lighter, and warmer, as you go south - with periods of motoring factored into the race scoring. This trip had some 30-40 knot stuff along the way, but the Islander came through just fine. Told with slides and warm narration, everyone was ready to sign on as crew. Noble chose not to do the "Baja Bash", beating back upwind 750 miles, but chose instead to round the tip of Baja and have Mai Pen Rai shipped back to the Bay by truck.

It was a great afternoon and the rain held off long enough for folks to talk a while and visit aboard the boats before heading home. Those who stayed were already organizing dinner as the last 4-wheelers departed by car. Everyone was looking forward to the next Islander event for another warm and pleasant gathering of friends.

Pictures are from Barb Henderson, Ron Damsen, Bill Higdon, Linda Collison & Rick Van Mell. Click on images to enlarge, click "Back" to return.

Harbor entrance	Local boats	Ditto	Steve Kent & George Ritchie
Friday potluck on Evanescence	I'll take more of that!	Mighty tasty...	and fun too!
Laurie Stover & Karen Damsen	John & Nanci Melton	Wine time.	Pat & Gary Salvo
Don Schumacher, Ron Damsen, & Harry Farrell	Harry Farrell, Don Henderson, & Smokey Stover
Pacific High	Smokey selling SFYC Member	John Melton, Harry Farrell & Roger McClellan	Quiet between rain showers
Woodbine	Still selling!	SFYC Dressed Ship	Hi Karen Damsen!
Our Host	Linda McClellan & Ron Damsen	Come on Pat, Gary's not THAT funny.	Spare engine juice
Nanci Melton story telling	Vicotria's Secret for the older, wet, set	Sorry, Cathy, not for you.	But if you wear it this way.....
Don Henderson to the rescue.	Commodore Mike Dickson...	& Daphne & Eleanor	The Princess
OK Mom, I'll get up.	It's wet out there!	Pat, Daphne & Nanci	Laurie Stover & Kelley Montana work Regestration
Bill & Jim Higdon, Smokey & Laurie Stover	Kelley Montana	Rick checks I-36 drawings	Arrival time
Paying up!	Sylvia & Barry Stompe	Vern Verling & Cheryl Lawson; Ron Damsen	Kathryn & Charles Hodgkins
Commodore's new crew!	Don't drop Eleanor!	Claire & Chris Mellor
Barb Henderson, Diane & Lou Zevanov, John Melton	Commodore, Mrs. & Miss Dickson	Lou Zevanov spins a tale	Meichael Melin & Harry Farrell
Cozy Cove House Fire was Welcome	Diane Zevanov, Nanci & John Melton	Cindy Shultz, Steven Peters & Ray Reilly	Travis Huff & Katie Van Thillo
Deborah & Charles Stephens & Sylvia Stompe	Michael Melin & Noel O'Brien	Measurer, Kris Youngberg	Noble Brown...
sitting down with Tim Shea	Rory & Kris Youngberg; Mike Dickson	Charles & Kathryn Hodgkins	Joseph Krensavage, Don & Barb Henderson
Kelley Montana, Don Schumacher	Pat & Gary Salvo, Lou Zevanov	Dennis Bush, Art & Betsy Fowler	Table talk
Photo catcher	Our Heros! Smokey & Laurie Stover	Matt Callahan, Rhys Cheung & Michael Jeffries	Michael Daly
Karen Damsen, Claire Mellor, Linda & Roger McClellan	Vern Verling eats, while Cheryl Lawson....	Donna & Bruce Hallberg	Great dessert
Commodore Dickson starts the meeting	Newsletter: Sylvia Stompe & Kelley Montana	Fleet Captain Joseph Krensavage	Speaker Noble Brown
Mai Pen Rai starts Baja Ha Ha	Foggy downwind	Rapt attention	Vern gets a new burgee
The Sun came out!	Don't they look nice?	As advertised!	Ship shape...
and Bristol fashion.	Linda & George on Miss Kryptonite	Great afternoon.	Good girl Cathy!
Dockside view	Freeport foredeck conference.	Neil Lefmann & Rick Van Mell	Ophira party.
Commona my boat.....	Tim makes a point	Linda Collison is listening.	Smiling Smokey
Mellow George & John.	Empty fun.	"This way", Besty says to Pat.	"Yah, sure", Art & Karen say.
Harry's selling some locals!!!	Bye, San Francisco!