October 26, 2002
Fall Meeting
San Francisco Yacht Club

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

A rousing 53 people, representing 29 boats packed the San Francisco Yacht Club's Cove House for a delightful Fall Meeting. Fifteen boats were at the guest dock, plus two more in residence flying their I-36 burgees in the beautiful, warm, bright sunshine with the sparkling Bay beyond. It doesn't get much better than this!

A record 11 boats had arrived by Friday night - must have been that word got out that Don Schumacher and Marti Griffin were hosting "cocktails" for all who arrived at Don's house high up on Belvedere Island overlooking the harbor and Tiburon. Don Henderson and Peter Wilhite drove carloads up the steep and winding roads until no one was left on the dock. Originally expecting just 5 boats, somehow Don & Marti pulled together a sumptious spread of salmon, cheese, crackers and dips - the only entry fee was to bring your own bottle of wine. And, after enjoying the wonderful house full of sailing mementos, sipping wine on the deck with a great view, chatting among the now 30 people with great gusto, Don & Marti cleared away the nibbles and rolled out salad, ribs and chicken, tamped down, if possible, with Halloween cookies. So great was the intake that a short dozen chose to walk the winding roads and stairs down 250 vertical feet to the back edge of the yacht club, the rest were again ferried down by Don & Peter.

Saturday mroning dawned clear and gentle as four more boats arrived and we spent the morning boat-hopping. One topic was repair options for the main starboard bulkhead, three of which had been loosened on the last race of the season in a 30 knot beating. Paul Tara on Zoop still had the repair work exposed, so we captured some pictures to share. They are in our Maintenance section under Bulkheads. Robert Aston, one of our newset members, had asked bout the types of anchors used in the fleet, so we had a good opportunity to get pictures of those represented - about evenly divided among traditional Danforth or Fortress types, CQR or plows, and Bruce anchors. They too are in the Maintenance section under Anchors. Another addition to the Gadgets section is Woodbine's above-deck solution for an LPG tank that's been added to Galley Fuel.

By then it was time for the meeting, so we all adjourned to the Cove House, found beverages, and filled the tables for a tasty chicken lunch, with strawbery tart for desert. Len Cardoza, from the Port of Oakland (and previously with the Corps of Engineers and the Bay Model) was our speaker and gave a great history of the development of the port facilities. Work is currently under way to deepen the Oakland channel to 50 feet for the largest container ships, and also widen it to 1500 feet for the same reason. Part of the project is to restore a large wetlands area near the mouth of the estuary.

Our celebration of the season's winners included recognizing all of the racers and awarding Paul Tara and his crew on Zoop with the Buster Hammond Half-Hull Trophy for first place in the non-spinnaker division. (By prior agreement there was no spinnaker section this year to promote the maximum number of participants.) All of the cruisers were given a small gift for participating in the cruises. Then Newsletter editor Barbara Henderson was presented with the Schneider trophy for her many years of publishing, and improving, our Newsletter. Finally, 2003 Officers were elected, and the 2003 Racing Schedule distributed.

The program ended with the drawings for door prizes - which insured that almost no one left before it was over! Patrick Tara drew tickets from the Schneider Trophy as Sandy Van Mell described and awarded the great prizes. Lots of fine donations from West Marine, Svendsen's Boat Works, Hood Sails, North Sails, Pineapple Sails, the Embroidery Factory, and Sail San Francisco which included duffel bags, vests and jackets, some hats and shirts too, two giant baskets of cookies and goodies from Ron & Karen Damsen's Woodbine Bakery (hence the name of their Islander), and the KKMI bottle of wine which is also good for a free haul out! Gail Bowdish, from Grand Haven, Michigan received recognition for coming the farthest to the meeting. She has sailed "Aerie" extensively on lakes Superior, Michigan and Huron. Look for a complete list of prizes, vendors and winners in the January issue of the Newsletter.

By Saturday night we were back to "only" 11 boats, and 17 folks were happily squeezed aboard Bruce & Caol Hunter's Freeport "Escape". People brought dishes to eat while Carol steeped a cauldron of steaming soup that was just right after our big lunch. As the wine flowed, the voices limbered up and more than an hour of joyous singing rang through the cabin and spiled onto the dock. Bruce strummed his uke and out-remembered Rick verse for verse of chanties fair and foul! The only downer of the evening was the S.F. Giants snatching defeat from the jaws of victory in the 6th game of the World Series. But we mumbled on, slept well and early, then sailed home in beautiful weather after breakfast on Sunday morning.



Pictures are compliments of Bill Higdon and Rick Van Mell. Click on images to enlarge, click "Back" to return.

Member Gail Bowdish, from Grand Haven, MI, sails Vanishing Animal past the Bay Bridge to the meeting. Teak is second in command.
The Fleet! San Francisco Yacht Club.
Neat & Tidy on Saturday morning. Teak checks out the other side of the dock.
Just a typical cockpit breakfast aboard Ron & Karen Damsen's Woodbine. Commodore Bush chats with Pat & Gary Salvo as Kathy inspects Patrick Tara.
Harry Farrell, Art Fowler & Carol Williams aboard Pacific High... While Bruce Hunter ponders morning aboard Escape.
Kathryn Hodgkins & Pat Salvo collect money and distribute name tags and door prize tickets. Sandy Van Mell joins Carol & Bruce Hunter at the refreshment stand.
John & Nanci Melton talk with Diane Zevanov... while Marti Griffin does the same with Lou Zevanov.
Chris Mellor (Persistence) chats with Harry Farrell and Ron & Karen Damsen. The Woden team, Bob Knickerbocker & Maureen Drotleff looking for a table.
Jim & Bill Higdon and Peter Wilhite have found their table. New Member Robert Aston & Mary fill out the 2003 Cruise Survey.
Laurie Stover, Noel O'Brian (Free Time) and Jack Thompson. Don Schumacher & Marti Griffin (Friday night's hosts) with Ron & Karen, plus Diane Zevanov.
Diane & Lou Zevanov with Gary Salvo. Speaker Len Cardoza with Comm. Elect Don Henderson, Mike Dickson, Commodore Bush and Sandy Van Mell.
A full house. John & Nancy Melton and Bob Knickerbocker & Maureen Drotleff get served.
Paul & Mary (McKinnon) Tara get the non-spinnaker prize from Mike. Barbara Henderson was awarded the Schneider Trophy.
Len Cardoza, our Guest Speaker. Door prize goodies baskets and the coveted KKMI free haul-out wine bottle.
Betsy Fowler, Gail Bowdish (hidden), Sandy Van Mell & Marti Griggin relax after the meeting. Carol Williams, Harry Farrell and Lou Zevanov relax aboard Pacific High.
Jack Thompson wears his new retirement hat that... gives wind speed & direction, rainfall, temperature and relative humidity! A must-have for the offshore yachtsman!
Robert Aston & Mary take the opportunity to check out boats along the dock. There are lots of boats to look at!
Note the sign at the bottom - SFYC made us feel very welcome. The fleet from the club roof.

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