January 2023 Ditty Bag - Lake Canyon Yacht Club

January 2023

Commodore’s Report | New Members | Adult Learn to Sail Class | Flying Scot Regatta | Series and Event Racing

Commodore’s Report

by Anu Day, LCYC Commodore

Greetings, fellow LCYC members! Hopefully we all got to sail on our beautiful lake on the first day of the year, followed by a serving of black eyed peas and cornbread at the clubhouse, thanks to our port captains Mindy Rogers and Ann Cook. What a great way to start 2023!

I am looking forward to serving as your commodore this year. A big thank you to our outgoing BOG (Marty Chrisman, Ann Cook, Jim Garity, Vivian Miller and Carlos Rosende) and a big welcome to the incoming BOG (Bill Cook, Terry Tomko, Jordan Merson, Laurie McGill and Carlos Rosende). And to Fred Lindsey, Mindy Rogers, Joe McDonough and Chris Pickett: welcome back! Bill Clark will be rear commodore this year and we welcome aboard Glen Graham as our vice commodore.

The 2023 directory will be available soon and will have a list of all the officers and committee chairs. These members are once again giving of their time and talents to make our club function at an optimal level. Please remember that all these positions are filled by volunteers; let’s offer all the help, support and encouragement we can.

Our docks and grounds staff is back this year, and so is our administrative staff. We are blessed to have them as part of our incredible team at LCYC.

Last, but not least, let us remember that this is OUR club. Let’s all get involved in whatever capacity we can, be it racing, sailing, helping in the galley, volunteering…..participate, participate, participate. Let us make LCYC the best club ever.

Welcome New Members

John and Shane Foster, Wimberley, TX
Robert Deady, Spring Branch, TX
Dane Connell & Christine Sollinger, Canyon Lake, TX
Mariana Wachter, San Antonio, TX

Series and Event Racing

by Chuck Begley, Race Director

It was a lot of fun handing out awards to the leaders of our Race Committee Team at the Annual Meeting and to the winners of the 2022 racing fleets (J-22, PHRF Spinnaker, PHRF Nonspinnaker, Flying Scots, Portsmouth, and Multihulls) for their success. We ended the 2022 racing year with the last race of the Long Distance Race Series December 4 in fog, drizzle, and little or no wind. Congratulations to Gustavo Medellin and Fred Lindsey for winning the 4-race Series 1st and 2nd place trophies in the Spin Class and to Bill Clark, Jake Dempsey, and Jack Mogab for winning 1st, 2nd, 3rd in the Non-spin class respectively. Special thanks to Fred Lindsey for managing this series throughout the year. We are looking forward to continuing to strengthen the racing program in 2023 with the addition of a couple of racing clinics in the spring, the Flying Scot District Championship in March, and a third event, yet to be specifically defined, in the Fall. We will repeat our race committee training sessions in the spring and continue to offer informal training and coaching sessions for new racers. The 2022-23 swinter series has already begun and we look forward to the next racing on the third weekends of January and February. Thanks to Joe McDonough, Travis Grahmann, and their crew for volunteering to manage the series, and thanks to Bo Wright for getting the Tracker into the shop for some needed repairs on the steering system. The first long distance race of the new year, which will be Saturday February 4, will be part of the 5-race long distance series. See you on the water.

Adult Sailing Learn to Sail Class

by Mike Stellato

I. Introduction to Sailing- Part 1, Feb 25 – 26

Goal – Provide basic understanding of sailing and specific water safety practices related to sailing.
Each day after classroom instruction there will be on-the-water sailing that will use keelboats skippered and crewed by experienced club members. To the extent possible we will provide one boat for each two students for the sailing sessions each day. After demonstrating each new course objective, students will be given the opportunity to do the helming and sail trimming to learn hands-on. Subjects will include;
Types of sailboats, sailing terminology, what makes a sailboat go, relationship to wind, sail trim, controlling a sailboat, knot tying, basic right-of-way rules.

II. Intro to Sailing- Part 2, March 4 – 5

Goal – to build on the previous week’s basic training by providing additional classroom topics and on-the-water sailing activities.
Subjects will include: Launching a boat from a trailer, Rigging and de-rigging the boat, Departing and returning to a dock or mooring, Planning a short trip, basic understanding weather considerations, making a sail plan, Safety Considerations & emergency procedures, knowledge of the Texas Water Safety Act, right of way rules, and using correct sail trim to sail the boat efficiently (as quickly and as safely) as possible.
Saturday afternoon will be a 3+ hour sail, depending on weather. The intent on Saturday is for a leisurely sail, to use the boat to take a trip, practice the lesson objectives and build self-confidence.
Sunday afternoon, we will lay out an hour-long triangle and have the students sail the track as quickly as possible, two times around. The intent Sunday is to sail the boats as well as possible, with primary emphasis on efficient upwind sailing, best boat speed, and compass headings to cover the course in minimum time.

Class Schedule for both weekends: Saturday and Sunday – 9am-noon – classroom; 12-1pm -lunch (bring your own); 1pm-4 pm – on the water sailing. PLEASE ARRIVE EARLY.

Everyone is encouraged to treat these two weekends as a single course, although we will accept entrants for either one (must have prior sailing experience to sign up only for the second one).

The fees are $30 for both weekends for course materials and books, or $15 for either weekend separately. Only one fee is required for two family members (must be 18 yrs of age or older) if they are willing to share the course books.

Please contact Mike Stellato at mjstellato@gmail.com with any questions.