April 2021 Ditty Bag - Lake Canyon Yacht Club

April 2021

Commodore’s Report

by Scott Wells, LCYC Commodore

Yahoo! In March the Board of Governor’s (BOG) took action to begin a gradual reopening of club activities. In September of last year the BOG permitted club sponsored on-the-water activities to resume. In April we will host our first Commodore’s breakfast in over a year and will also resume limited food service for regatta’s utilizing our kitchen. The clubhouse will remain closed for now, but anticipate changes there as well at some point in the near future. Remember to social distance and wear a mask if you can’t. Yahoo!

Sailing: Regatta’s are returning in May with the Long Neck Multi-hull regatta and the Leukemia CUP. Volunteers are needed for both events so please make yourself available for on-shore or on-the-water positions. Reach out to Rick Mella (Race Director) or Mindy Rogers (Port Captain) if you are available those weekends.

Storms: As many of you know, our marina was hit by a tornado this month and has caused considerable damage. Our marine contractor, MDI, along with our Docks and Grounds staff will handle the major repairs. We are in need of a very good turnout for the work day in April to complete an endless list of tasks to finish recovering from this storm damage. If ever there was a need for volunteers on the work day this is it. Remembering that many hands make light work I am asking every member to make this work day a priority for our club – we need you.! Mark April 24th on your personal calendars, show up and lend a helping hand.

Water: the BOG has engaged the services of a prominent Engineering firm to lead the effort responding to TCEQ about our water system. The regulatory environment has changed over the years, will continue to evolve going forward and we have to keep up. Our water system is safe and well maintained. Compliance with the ever-changing world at TCEQ means we will be installing some new equipment and upgraded other systems. Cabana owners should expect changes in fees for water as compliance with TCEQ costs money to do and we all must share that burden.

While there is plenty to do with tending to the business of the club, remember our primary purpose is to enjoy and share our passion of sailing with others. Spring brings nice weather and makes for many great days on the water. Grab your friends, family and make a point of getting out on the water this spring. Then do it again and again. Your boat loves you and wants to make you happy. Run that main up the mast and set out for an adventure!

Just Go Sailing!

LCYC member Anibal Diogenes send us this aerial photo of our marina.

7th Annual Charles L. Branch Leukemia Cup Regatta – May 22 & 23, 2021

by Ray Leubner & Phil Crane, LCR Co-Chairs

At its March meeting, the Board of Governors decided on a gradual reopening of Club activities for the second quarter of 2021. There will be an April Commodore’s breakfast, however it will be held outdoors on the various clubhouse decks with well-spaced tables. As a result, there will not be a traditional indoor kick-off for the Leukemia Cup Regatta. We will, however, have a manned table with a brochure explaining the details of this LCYC event. Both Phil Crane and Ray Leubner will be on hand to answer any questions you might have. As stated in the February Ditty Bag, given the general state of uncertainty, there will not be any promotional items this year.

To date, 11 fund-raising teams have been signed up: Team Alibi (Jim & Renee Kizziar), Team Canyon Wind (Gustavo Medellin), Team Chili Pepper (Chuck & Laurie McGill), Team Hugo (Ray & Kathy Leubner), Team J 22 (Wayne & Ginny Peacock), Team Over the Hill Krewe (Marty Chrisman), Team MABL (Lindsey Family), Team Pluckers & Pirates (Gary & Debbie Kirkham), Team Skeeter (Chris & Debbie Fogle), Team Stevie Boy (Phil & Barbara Crane), and lastly, Team LCYC. This is not quite as many teams as in the past, but those not sponsoring teams this year are joining with some of the teams listed above. The LCR web page on the LCYC website is in the process of being updated and will have links to the fundraising teams in early April. So far, three of our previous sponsors have returned: Cemex, McCracken & Carroll (UBS), and JS Fine Wines and Spirits.

Rick Mella has signed up to be Regatta Chair. Racing should be pretty much like past LCRs, with the NOR being posted by mid-April. SIs for the Branch Long Distance portion of the racing will be available at the Skipper’s Meeting. Rick needs volunteers for Race Committee, so please call him and sign up. Trophies will be awarded on the McKowen Deck after racing, with self-serve chips, dogs, iced tea, water, and beer.

LCR social activities will include Cocktails with the Commodore, hosted by Scott Wells, on May 21st from 4-7pm, outdoors on the Leubner’s pool deck and veranda. This event will be scaled back in terms of numbers to comply with social distancing. Dinner on May 22nd will be served outdoors on the Club decks. It will either be roast pork or chicken (still undecided) with potato salad, beans and dessert. Joe and Lonna O’Brien are taking the lead and need some help. An RSVP will be set up for dinner given the uncertainty of attendance in addition to the Club’s COVID protocols. There will be no live music, but Charlie Mayer has been kind enough to set up his sound system to play the music we like at the volume we like. Sad to say, there will not be a Silent Auction this year, the reason being to avoid congestion on the McKowen Deck and provide good table spacing for dinner. Awards will be presented to sponsors and fundraising teams after dinner.

Please call me at 512-633-4434 or Phil at 210-289-3620; you can also email us at LeukemiaCup@lcyc.net if you want to help in any way.

Welcome New Members

Justin and Jennifer Newell, San Antonio, TX
Robert and Donna Morris, Driftwood, TX

Adaptive Sailing

by Bill McVey

Our first Adaptive Sail Outing for 2021 is scheduled to host wounded warriors and their family members from Operation Comfort. I’m sure you recall that last year we weren’t able to have them due to the COVID restrictions, and in fact Operation Comfort had to cancel every planned activity they had for the entire year. They are really looking forward to this sailing outing as it will be their first activity since 2019! We have not finalized our plans regarding lunch yet; the clubhouse is off-limits, but I am asking for consideration to cook and provide hot dogs and eat them outside keeping plenty of distance between everyone. If that’s approved, they will go by the schedule below;

If not, we will skip the lunch all together and have our guests arrive 11:30 for the registration and orientation, and at noon meet their skippers and crews to go sailing.

Our normal schedule is

11 am- orientation to our club and sailboats
11:30 – lunch; LCYC provides sandwiches, chips, cookies, and drinks for both guests and our volunteers. Please join us.
12:00 – assign guests to boats
12:15 – go to boats, sail
2:45 – return to docks
3:00 – end of event

We would like to have 10-12 keelboats and skippers and also 10-12 additional experienced sailors so we can accommodate up to 25 guests. WE will be limiting guests to two on boats under 28’ and to three on larger ones. All guests and LCYC members will be required to wear masks.

We will also need two- three volunteers to prepare the lunch and clean up afterwards.

May 8 is just six weeks away so please let me know if you would like to help with this outing. Please contact Bill McVey 210-601-9144 or email bmcvey@gvtc.com Thanks very much!

LCYC Covid-19 Guidelines

by LCYC Officers and Board of Governors

Lake Canyon Yacht Club (the “club”) desires to continue its events to the extent possible while requiring enhanced safety measures to reduce transmission of COVID-19 and comply with applicable legal requirements and governmental guidelines. These guidelines apply to all individuals at club events or on club property, regardless of their status as members, guests, employees, volunteers, or otherwise.

Club leadership may approach event participants or attendees, or any other person on club property, who are not abiding with these guidelines and request their compliance or departure. Individuals who violate the guidelines, or other club requests for enhanced safety measures, are also subject to sanctions as set out in the club bylaws, club rules, and employee manuals.

Social/Physical Distancing

Maintain a distance of at least 6 feet (about 2 arm lengths) from people outside of your household while on club property and at club
Comply with limits on the size and location of group activities, gatherings, and events, as directed by the Commodore or other appointed or designated club leadership.
Avoid enclosed places where distancing is not
Respect the social distancing needs of

Hygiene

Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after being in a public place, and after blowing your nose, coughing, sneezing, or using the
If soap and water are not readily available, use self-provided hand sanitizer that contains at least 60%
Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed
Avoid physical contact (including hand shaking, hugging, or sharing food or utensils) with persons outside your
Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue, if possible, or cough and sneeze into your elbow.
Wear a face mask when physical distancing is not

Symptoms, Suspected COVID-19 Infection or a Positive Test for COVID-19

Do not come onto club property or attend club events if you are experiencing any communicable illness or any symptoms of COVID-19, as identified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A current list of COVID-19 symptoms is available here: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/symptoms.html.
Promptly notify club leadership and those with whom you had contact while at the club or attending club events if you test positive for COVID-19 or experience symptoms of COVID-19 within 48 hours of being on club property or attending a club event. Individuals who should be notified are those with whom you had contact within 48 hours of taking the COVID-19 test or experiencing symptoms.
Any individual who (i) has symptoms of, (ii) suspects he or she may have COVID-19, or (iii) tests positive for COVID-19 must not come onto club property or attend club events until the individual has completed all of the CDC’s requirements to be around others. These requirements are set out on the CDC website at “When You Can be Around Others After You Had or Likely Had COVID-19,” which is available here: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/if-you-are-sick/end-home-isolation.html.

Sponsored Events

Comply with these Guidelines, all supplemental club COVID-19 guidelines, and rules posted on club property or communicated by club leadership or the organizers of a club event (e.g., racing, social, training).
Comply with cancellation or modification of events by event organizers, the Club Board or Commodore if they determine that the event previously scheduled could not be conducted safely.

Members and Guests

Members must be present with their invited guests at the club. Club rules regarding unaccompanied guests have been temporarily

Members are responsible for the conduct of their guests and must advise guests of COVID-19 recommended behaviors before coming onto club property or attending a club event..

Series Racing

by Rick Mella, Race Director

LCYC Spring Series regattas got underway Saturday, March 20th, for the Keel boats and Sunday, March 21st, for the Board boats. This spring series runs from March 20th, into April 17th & 18th, then completes on May 1st, for Keel boats and May 2nd for the Board boats.

Saturday, March 20th, Keel boat race had twenty two registered entries with six (6) J-22s, five (5) PHRF Spinnakers, five (5) PHRF Non-Spinnakers and six (6) Big Boats. The weather forecast was for sunny skies and winds from 5-10 mph. With three starts the racers faced winds coming from the Southeast, dropping to 4 mph at the Big Boat start. The windward / leeward course was set for a distance of 2.0 miles, and sailors struggled to make the downwind leeward mark in light air. Wind readings by the Race Committee registered 0.0 mph at one point during the afternoon. As the J-22s finished, followed by the PHRF Spinnaker boats, the other fleets were wondering if the Time Limit Expired (TLE) rule as outline in the Sailing Instructions where a boat in each fleet has two hours to sail the course would come into play. For the PHRF Non-Spinnaker fleet, no one reached the finish line within the 2 hour time limit, and their race was abandon. One happy moment during the afternoon was to see the newly refurbished Big Boat “Cascabel” cross the finish line before the time limit and take first place honors on her maiden sail.

Winds on Sunday, March 21st for the Board Boats were blowing at 5-15 mph as forecasted but oscillated from East to Southeast direction throughout the afternoon keeping the sailors on their toes. Seventeen (17) boats were registered for the Spring Board boat series, with nine (9) Flying Scots, two (2) Sunfish, and six (6) Portsmouth Boardboats. Three races are scheduled each month, for a total of nine races during the spring series, where the best six races will be counted for each skipper in presenting awards after the May 2nd Board Boat races.

Finally, my special thanks for the Race Committee volunteers. They worked very hard to set & manage the race course for our LCYC Series Regatta for the first Spring Series weekend. Maria, Nancy, Roger, Fernando and Bill Cook (Saturday) all deserve a warm hand bump & thank you when you see them on the docks.

For those LCYC members / non-members, who want to help with Race Committee duties, please reach out to me since we have plenty of openings for volunteers throughout the year.

Any information about the LCYC Race Events can be found on website www.lcyc.net, or an email sent to racedirector@lcyc.net

TSA

by Chris Fogle, TSA Representative and Travis Grahmann, Youth Regatta Chairperson

Stay tuned to the Ditty Bag for more updates as the season progresses. You can also check out the TSA website at https://txsail.org/ for more information, or check us out on the Facebook TSA Junior Sailing Page www.facebook.com/groups/172730702754870

2021 Texas Sailing Association (TSA) Youth Racing Circuit Dates

Check the TSA website for updates.

8-9 May	Silly String Regatta	Grapevine Sailing Club
5-6 Jun	Roadrunner Regatta and Alumni Regatta	Austin YC
19-20 Jun	Rockin Rockport Regatta	Rockport Yacht Club
TBD	TX Youth Race Week
24-25 July	Round Up Regatta	Texas Corinthian YC
11-12 Sep	Rock the Rock Regatta	Corinthian Sailing Club, (White Rock Lake)
25-26 Sep	Jr. Ol’ Man of the Sea & USODA Mid-America Champs	Fort Worth Boat Club
9-10 Oct	Pirates of the Corinthian	Dallas Corinthian Yacht Club
30-31 Oct	Chocopalooza	Rush Creek Yacht Club
20-21 Nov	TSA End of Year Regatta: Changes in L’attitude Regatta and KO Sailing Texas State Optimist Championship	Corpus Christi Yacht Club