May 2022 Ditty Bag - Lake Canyon Yacht Club

May 2022

Commodore’s Report

by Bill Clark, LCYC Commodore

Greetings from the Commodore —

If you haven’t heard the good news, LCYC is open 100%! The clubhouse capacity is 45 people. I would like to personally thank the COVID task force for all of the hard work and large amounts of time spent determining what is best for our club and members. Quite a bit of research and meetings have been happening for over a year.

We had a great Commodore’s breakfast hosted by the Martinez family. They provided a delicious menu and an abundance of good beverages! Thank you to Mindy Rogers as well.

By the time you read this, we will have hosted our annual TSA Canyon Chaos Regatta. It is a part of the Texas Sailing Association’s Youth Racing Circuit. A huge thank you to our members who have volunteered for the special event. Last count, we were expecting 60 youth racers.

Moving forward to all of our new events coming up this spring and summer, please RSVP as early as you can so the kitchen crew will know how many people to prepare for.

Our racing program for the keel boats and board boats is working very well thanks to Chuck Begley and all the amazing volunteers that are needed to pull this off. I appreciate each and every one of you who have stepped up.

Docks and Grounds has a very ambitious plan for the marina going forward. Stay tuned.

See you on the water!

Welcome New Members

Joyce and Alan Hunter, Canyon Lake, TX
Theodore and Karen Belitsos, San Antonio, TX
Alexander and Christine Papanastassiou, Olmos Park, TX

Club Gate Codes

by Maggie Carty, LCYC Business Manager

The codes to the entry gate and clubhouse will be changing on June 15th. The new codes will be noted at the bottom of the 4/30/22 and 5/31/22 club statements. Reminders will also be posted in the weekly blasts. Please make note of the new codes so you will have them handy starting on June 15th.

Wurstfest Regatta

by Anu Day, Vice Commodore & Wurstfest Chair

November will be here before we know it! Please start thinking about how/when/where you plan on helping with the regatta this year. If you have any general questions, please contact me at wurstfesrregattachair@lcyc.net

Or you may contact the committee chair directly at:

wfr-racemanagement@lcyc.net (Chuck Begley)
wfr-raffle@lcyc.net (Marty Chrisman and Beth Wells)
wfr-registration@lcyc.net (Elizabeth Bentzen)
wfrfoodchair@lcyc.net (Mindy Rogers)
wfrrampcrew@lcyc.net (Jean Junker)
wfr-volunteerchair@lcyc.net (Carolyn Popp)

Looking forward to a great Wurstfest regatta this year. Let us show our sailing community that LCYC volunteers are the best!!!

Adaptive Sailing – Skippers Needed!

by Joe McDonough

Our first Adaptive sail outing is scheduled for Saturday May 7th. Our guests will be wounded warriors and their families from Operation Comfort. Just as we have done under Bill McVey’s leadership the last 15 years, we will take these veterans sailing again. For an estimated 25 guests we will need 10-12 boats with a skipper and crew for each. We will also need 2-3 people to prepare and serve lunch in our clubhouse. We hope to follow the below itinerary.

10:45 guests arrive
11:00-Check-in, orientation
11:30-lunch -skippers and crew invited to join us
12:00 -skippers meet assigned guests, go to boats
2:45- return to docks, and end event.

We still need volunteers and boats to make sure there is enough support to conduct this activity.

Please email me you willingness to help out, your boat, and if you will have crew or need one assigned. These veterans served us and now its our turn to serve them. If you can help, email Joe McDonough at adaptivesailing@lcyc.net

Member Payements – Answers and Options

by Vivian Miller, LCYC Treasurer

Dues and Fees paid by Bank Bill Paying Services

Recently there have been several questions from members about the dates their payments are processed. In each case, they used a bank bill paying service: the funds had been deducted from their checking accounts but were not reflected on their latest Club statement. The members expected to see their payments posted to their Club accounts on the date the funds were deducted.

When a bank bill paying service is used, the bank deducts the amount from the checking account on the date specified by the customer. It then issues a bank check payable to LCYC and mails it to the Club’s mailing address. When the Club receives the check, it is posted to the member’s account.

So, even though the funds have been deducted at the bank, until the check is received at LCYC, the payment will not be credited to the member’s account.

Unfortunately, over the past few months, delayed mail – in one case, three weeks – has adversely impacted both members and the Club. Please consider the possible delay when setting the date that the bank will issue and mail the check.

My to-do list includes researching the bank approval process and bank terms for accepting bank bill pay payments electronically, instead of by check. I hope to research this by the end of the summer, so we can see if there is a cost-effective option that will minimize the time lag on those payments.

On-line Payment Option

Watch the weekly e-Blast for information on an on-line debit processing option that the Club will offer beginning in May. This will not be a credit card transaction, instead, it will be a direct debit to the member’s bank account through an ACH transaction.

Members who wish to use this option will be able to pay their dues and fees up to the 25th of the month and have the payment credited on the date the transaction is processed. There will be a $3.00 online payment convenience fee for this service.

To participate in the On-line Payment option, members will complete a sign-up form which will be available in the weekly blast and on the website under “Info/Membership.” The form provides details about the convenience fee, sign-up deadlines, and other important information about the program.

Help the Club Save Money!

Consider paying your statement earlier in the month. According to the By-laws, dues and fees are actually due when the statement is received and are considered “late” if not received by the 25th. Paying earlier, or setting your automatic payment to an earlier date, saves expenses by reducing the time spent compiling “late” or past due accounts – something that the Bylaws require – and smoothing the monthly workload of posting payments and reviewing statements. Fewer mistakes result in less time spent on corrections.

Thanks for your consideration!

Spring Work Day Docks and Grounds

by Pete Prados, Docks & Grounds Chair

The April 2nd member work day was a huge success! Thank You to our many members and Sea Scouts who volunteered.

Series Racing

by Fred Lindsey

TBD

Port Captains

by Mindy Rogers and Dru Wright, Co-Port Captains

The April 10th Commodore Breakfast was a big hit with a Mexican food flair hosted by Josue & Rosario Martinez and family, along with helpers Bill Clark, Mindy Rogers and Bryant Bowington. Forty five members enjoyed the tamales, eggs, sweet breads, guacamole, jugo verde (fruit smoothies), Mimosas and hot coffee. Thank you so much for our amazing hosts and cooks!

Coffee, donuts and kolaches were served for the first in person Board meeting on April 9th thanks to Mindy Rogers. Next month we’ll add some healthier options like granola/protein bars.
Looking forward to the all male crew of LCYC sailors who will continue the grand tradition of celebrating Mother’s Day on May 8th serving breakfast from 9:00am to 10:30am. Come and enjoy a hearty meal of scrambled eggs, pancakes, sausage/bacon, fresh fruit, juice, coffee and mimosas. Be sure and RSVP thru the weekly blast by May 6th . Please, no more than six people per party.
We’re still looking for Commodore Breakfast hosts for Father’s Day on June 19th, July 10th and August 14th.

We are hoping to have the following events this summer but we need volunteers to step up to host these events! So, grab your friends and sign up to host a summertime party! (Mindy and Dru will assist as needed). Unfortunately, we will have to cancel if no one steps forward to host.

Carl Hawkins Memorial Day Fish Fry on May 30th.
Sail Away “Jimmy Buffet” party on June 25th
Shrimp Fest party on July 30th

If you have an idea for a different themed party let us know! We can see about getting it on the calendar!

We are always looking for galley volunteers to help host, decorate, prepare food, serve and clean up. Let us know if you would like to be a member of the infamous “Galley Crew”! It’s a great way to meet new members and renew old friendships!

It’s a wonderful time when we can gather for meals and friendship!!

TSA Canyon Chaos Regatta – Winds Galore?

by John Thompson, Canyon Cactus Volunteer

On April 23rd & 24th LCYC hosted the Canyon Chaos Youth Regatta, an annual stop on the TSA Junior Circuit. What a great weekend of sailing we had! It was good to get this opportunity to showcase LCYC on the TSA Circuit. This year’s event marked the 17th time LCYC hosted this event, and it was led by John Thompson and his Flying Scot sailing partner Gary Clark.

Nearly 300 people including sixty five sailors and their families from across Texas made their way to Canyon Lake for some great sailing, and they were not disappointed. The regatta lived up to its name as the weekend proved to be a heavy wind sailor’s paradise both days and kept the young sailors moving and being alert for the next big wind gust. An ingenious idea to provide a course inside the breakwater allowed the least experienced sailors in Opti’s to sail ten races on a day where the most experienced Laser sailors sailed none.

LCYC was represented by 8 sailors in 3 of the six different classes. In Optimist Green fleet sailed 14 races and LCYC was represented by Cade Lockett, Blake Micklitz, and Jack Pickett.

On the Optimist Red/White/Blue fleet sailed 10 races and LCYC was represented by Cai Lockett. Cai earned the Bronze Medal in White Fleet sailing all 10 races.

The Laser 4.7 fleet got in only five races – all of them on Sunday. LCYC was represented by Ryan Mitchell, and Faith and Elly Yielding.

By the end of the weekend, we had some exhausted but happy sailors. Despite very high wind Saturday this regatta was a huge success. We would like to thank all the volunteers who made it possible, as our success as a club is directly attributable to our team of rock-solid volunteers!

We would like to thank the following volunteers who gave their time and talents to ensure a safe and fun racing environment for all the sailors.

Ramp Crew: Jean Junker, Ron Popp, Kevin Clark, Allen Broyles, Mike Barron, Alan Hunter, John Ruiz, Gabby Hayes, and Ava Clark.
Galley Crew: Lead Mindy Rogers, Dru Wright, Karma Yoakem, and Joyce Hunter
Green Fleet: PRO Bryan Calk, Chris Fogle, Chuck Begley, Bo Wright, Chris Pickett, and Troy Micklitz
Opti RWB Line: PRO Rick Mella, Nancy Hodo, Jim Kizzar, Kat Thompson, Fiona Dossin (LYC), Dave Sanford, Bill Cook, Commodore Bill Clark, and Jordan Merson
Laser Line: PRO and Chief Judge Mark Foster, Stacy and Steve Wilson, Allen Borden, Dwight Stickle, Ray Johnson (CCYC), Elizabeth Bentzen, Craig Uberroth, and Marianna Wachter. In addition, Travis Mitchell served as LCYC’s on-water coach.
Check-In and Shore Ops: Donna Mitchell and Debbie Fogle
Scorer and All-Around Regatta Admin Advisor: Ken Taylor

Special thanks to our wonderful Docks and Grounds crew – JR & Dave – who worked behind the scenes to make sure the venue looked beautiful, prepped the launching areas, and ensured we had everything we needed.

Another special thanks to Bo Wright for organizing our racing equipment and Gary Clark our on the water coordinator.

As you can see, regattas and events don’t just happen without a large team of volunteers who selflessly give their time and talents to make LCYC a great club. If you are new to the club and looking for a great way to meet new people or enjoy a weekend on the water, consider volunteering for one of our many upcoming events. In the meantime, sail safe, sail fast and thank you to Bill Clark and the entire BOG for allowing us to hold this stop on the TSA circuit.

Easter Egg Hunt Anyone?

by Harold Simmons, LCYC member

This Easter weekend two families held their own Easter Egg hunts at LCYC. Many of us old timers remember when the Club organized Easter Egg Hunts where our kids and grand kids scurried about collecting brightly dyed eggs and looking especially hard for the “Golden Egg” that had money or candy in it. Moms, Dads, and older kids spent the night before, creatively dying and decorating the eggs; especially the Golden one. Earlier, the next day, the older kids were tasked with hiding the eggs, after which the younger ones were released to find them. Usually, we had a light lunch of sandwiches or hot dogs, and cake and ice cream.

If there are LCYC families who would like to work to bring together a 2023 Easter Egg hunt, please contact Harold Simmons at dittybag@lcyc.net