October 2020
Commodore’s Report | New Members | Series and Event Racing | TSA Update | Port Captains | Lifetime Service Award | Laser Coach Wanted | LCYC Personnel
Commodore’s Report
by Elizabeth Bentzen, LCYC Commodore
It looks like Fall is beginning to make an appearance this week with some cooler weather. While social events are still on hold, LCYC did resume racing on Labor Day weekend with COVID safety guidelines. Many were looking forward to the long distance race, but the wind did not get the memo. The following weekend, Club Series Racing restarted. For the most part, racers abided by the safety guidelines – wearing face coverings while on the docks, rigging and leaving the dock in a timely manner, and not gathering after the races. I know that no one enjoys wearing a face covering, but it is a necessary practice to continue to have races and keep each other healthy. I hope that we will be able to continue to race safely for the rest of the year. Thank you to Chuck Begley and Travis Grahmann for volunteering to be the PROs for the races and to everyone who volunteered for race committee and chase boats.
Youth Sailing Instruction had a successful Summer session and will begin a Fall session soon. They will continue to implement COVID safety protocols for the Fall session. Hopefully, several of the youth sailors will be participating in the TSA Youth Regatta that is currently scheduled for October 17th & 18th. Although the Regatta will look different this year, I am sure that the kids will have a good time. The Regatta will primarily be an on the water event with grab and go lunches being the only meals provided.
The SEW MAD Regatta is scheduled for September 26th. The event will be limited to Board Boats and Keelboats under 20’. Although the traditional post race dinner will not take place, I am sure it will be a great day on the lake.
The Lifetime Service Award Committee is asking for nominations. These awards are designed to honor those club members who have served LCYC for multiple years in multiple ways. Factors to consider when nominating someone for a LCYC Lifetime service award are: long term volunteerism (20 or more years), consistent support of club activities, effective service in elected or appointed positions and demonstration of leadership, sportsmanship, and cooperation. Submit nominations to the LCYC Club Administrator (Carolyn Cole) by email (clubadmin@lcyc.net) or in writing (Lake Canyon Yacht Club, P.O. Box 18554, San Antonio, Texas 78218-0554) by October 23, 2020. Include the nominee’s name and membership number, reasons the person should receive the award, and your name and membership number. Your name will be removed from the submission before it is forwarded to the nominating committee. You may begin submitting nominations October 1, 2020. Nominations must be submitted by October 23, 2020.
Please remember that Docks & Grounds is working on refloating A Dock and members should not tie boats up to A dock at this time. Work should be completed in a few weeks.
I would like to thank everyone who worked this summer to monitor the Club gate! It made a huge difference in reducing unauthorized access. I enjoyed the opportunity to meet so many of our members.
Welcome New Members
- John Ledesma, San Antonio, TX
- Gary and Lindsay Avants, San Antonio, TX
- Paul and Kandice Coppala, Georgetown, TX
- John and Katie Allred, New Braunfels, TX
Port Captains
by Margaret McGill and Mindy Rogers, Co-Port Captains
Thanks to Mindy, the kitchen, refrigerators, and freezers are cleaned out so we have plenty of storage when social events can safely resume at LCYC. I’m missing the usual social activities at the club, but I’ve enjoyed seeing people on the docks and at the pool. I’ve also enjoyed seeing old friends and meeting new ones at the gate during the months we monitored the front gate. What to do with weekend mornings now? Sew, cook, garden, throw pots, read, work on the boat, go sailing!
On October 18 (rain date Oct 25), you have an opportunity to drive your car across the Canyon Lake dam. For a tax-exempt donation of $10 to the Dam Community Alliance, you can join others for this rare – possibly ONLY – opportunity to drive across the dam service road. Check it out at www.damcommunityalliance.com. A prepaid pass will reserve your spot; at the “door”, passes will be on a space available basis. If you don’t live at the lake and you’d like a different view of it, come on! I walk the dam regularly, and I’m in awe that I get to live in this beautiful setting, and thankful for the friendly people of the community.
I again want to thank the Board of Governors again for their thoughtful and responsible management of the club during this unusual time. Please stay safe.
See you at the club or on the water!
Series & Event Racing
by Rick Mella, Rear Commodore of Sail
LCYC resumed sailboat racing this September by hosting two events as a test to our new normal environment around COVID-19 pandemic. The first event held on September 6th, the Labor Day Long Distance race and the second event started on the following weekend. LCYC started the Fall Racing Series beginning on Saturday, September 11th with the Keel boats and running for the next two months, ending November 15th with the last board boat racing weekend.
For the Labor Day Long Distance race sailors were asked to keep a safe distance while on the docks to prevent the spread of this new virus. Skippers and crew launched their boats, rigged and departed off the docks as quick as possible to ensure minimum contact with others, and then repeated the same process when returning after racing by de-rigging, retrieving and storing sailboats as quick as possible to avoid violating social distancing requirements.
Twelve boats were registered for the Labor Day Long Distance with the fleet split between eight PHRF Spinnaker and four PHRF Non-Spinnaker. The race was scheduled with a Pursuit start to begin later in the day to avoid the morning light winds. Unfortunately Mother Nature had other plans and produced a beautiful light wind Sunday afternoon, along with warm temperatures where sailors had a difficult time in reaching the race course starting line, and for those boats that had started rounding the first mark. By late in the day, only one boat was able to complete the reduced race course and cross the finish line at 17:46. Congratulations to the Skipper & Crew, Canyon Wind, Sail # 007.
The Fall Keel Boat Series started Saturday, September 11th, with 19 keel boats registered to race the three month series (Sep 11th, Oct 10th & Nov 14th). Skippers & their crews did a good job in following the launching instructions outlined in the Fall Series Notice of Race. Two races were scheduled for Saturday, but again Mother Nature shined brightly and produced very light winds where the volunteer Race Committee officials were only able to complete one of two scheduled races. The second race was abandon.
Sunday’s Board Boat races had nice weather with 18 board boats registered, (9 Flying Scots, 2 SunFish, 3 Lasers, & 4 Portsmouth). Three races were sailed Sunday, Sept 12th, and will continue each month on Sunday October 11th, and finishing November 15th. Most sailors followed the COVID-19 guidelines, but a few did not wear masks while on the dock. There are provisions in the Notice of Race for boats to be disqualified if these guidelines are not followed.
Finally, the Tiki Taxi is back online with a new look. The upgraded changes will help volunteers run and support LCYC club race events. Questions can be sent to email: rearcommodoreofsail@lcyc.net
Lifetime Service Award Nominations
by Sandra Lindsey, LCYC Lifetime Achievement Committee
Members who have made outstanding contributions to LCYC for 20 or more years are eligible to be nominated for the LCYC Lifetime Service Award. Factors considered by the Board of Governors when selecting honorees from those nominated by Club members include (but are not limited to) the following: 1. Long term volunteerism to LCYC 2. Consistent support of club activities 3. Effective service in elected and/or appointed positions 4. Demonstration of leadership, sportsmanship, and cooperation
How do I nominate someone for the Lifetime Service Award? Submit nominations to the LCYC Club Administrator (Carolyn Cole) by email (clubadmin@lcyc.net) or in writing (Lake Canyon Yacht Club, P.O. Box 18554, San Antonio, Texas 78218-0554) by October 23, 2020. Include the nominee’s name and membership number, reasons the person should receive the award, and your name and membership number. Your name will be removed from the submission before it is forwarded to the nominating committee.
How are LCYC Lifetime Service Awardees selected? A committee appointed by the Board of Governors will review and evaluate nominations, and make recommendations to the Board of Governors, who will make the final selection. The nominator’s identity is not revealed to the committee or the Board. Who is on the nomination committee? The Board of Governors will appoint at least 5 committee members, only one of whom can be a current board member. A requirement for committee appointment is club membership for at least 10 years.
When will the awards be made? As with many things this year this date depends on the health of our state and country. The awards will be made when it is safe for us to do so.
How many awards will be given? The number of awards is not limited and there is no minimum or maximum.
May I nominate myself or someone in my family? Yes, and yes.
May I nominate more than one person? You may nominate as many people as you believe deserve the award. Usually only one person in a married couple is a voting member. May I nominate both? Yes. Can posthumous awards be made? Yes What is the deadline for nominations?
Nominations are accepted by the LCYC Administrator through October 23, 2020.
Laser Coach Wanted
by Travis Mitchell, LCYC Youth Sailing
LCYC Youth ds ready to start lessons this October if a coach can be found, otherwise, sailing will resume March of 2021. The club has six functioning Lasers, two of them currently on the dock and ready.
For more details please contact me at travis@travismitchellcustomhomes.com or 210-771-4703.
TSA Update
by Chris Fogle, LCYC TSA Representative
Racing resumed on the TSA Youth Circuit in September with a one-day regatta held on White Rock Lake in Dallas and hosted by the Corinthian Sailing Club. Most of the sailors came from the Dallas-Ft. Worth area, along with Austin YC, Lakewood YC, and OK City Boat Club. Sailors met with very light conditions, but all agreed it was a fun time on the water.
The next regatta on the schedule is a two-day event – October 10-11 – hosted by Dallas Corinthian Yacht Club on Lewisville Lake.
The following weekend – October 17-18 is the Spring Fling / Canyon Chaos Regatta on Canyon Lake!
If you have any questions about US Sailing, Area F events, the TSA Youth Circuit in 2020, please contact your LCYC TSA Representative, Chris Fogle (the author).
The remainder of the projected schedule is as follows:
2020 Texas Sailing Association (TSA) Youth Racing Circuit Dates
| 10-11 Oct | Pirates of the Corinthian Regatta and KO Sailing Texas State Optimist Champ | Dallas Corinthian YC |
| 17-18 Oct | LCYC Spring Fling Regatta/Canyon Chaos Regatta | Lake Canyon YC |
| 14-15 Nov | Chocopalooza Regatta | Rush Creek YC |
| 19-20 Dec | TSA End of Year Regatta: Roadrunner Regatta and Texas State Youth Laser Champ, and TSA Alumni Regatta | Austin YC |
LCYC Personnel
| Officers | ||
| Commodore – Elizabeth Bentzen | Treasurer – Renee Kizziar | |
| Vice Commodore – Scott Wells | Port Co-Captains – Margaret McGill, Mindy Rogers | |
| Rear Commodore – Mike Samulin | Rear Commodore for Sail – Rick Mella | |
| Secretary – Laurie McGill |
| Board of Governors | ||
| 2019 – 2020 | ||
| Debbie Fogle | Ed Miller | |
| Bubba Harris | Jean Junker | |
| Scott Wells | ||
| 2020 – 2021 | ||
| Chuck Begley | Carolyn Harris | |
| Boguslaw Godlewski | Joseph McDonough |
| Committee Chairs | ||
| Adaptive Sailing – Bill McVey | Membership – Jim Garity | |
| Adult Sail Training – Mike Stellato | Nominations – Jim Kizziar | |
| Audit Committee – Rick Cioppa | Personnel – Ed Miller | |
| Budget Committee – Laurie McGill | PHRF – Jim Garity | |
| Cabana Owners – Christina Purcell | Safety – Ron Popp | |
| Corps of Engineers – Joe McDonough & Rick Mella | Slip Utilization – Steve Edlund | |
| Docks & Grounds – Rick Walker | TSA Rep – Chris Fogle | |
| Emergency Task Force – Julian Craven | Vice Docks and Grounds – Dave Sanford | |
| Lifetime Achievement – Sandra Lindsey | Wurstfest Regatta – Scott Wells | |
| Long Range Planning – Marvin Arnold & Ed Miller | Youth Sailing – Travis Mitchell | |
| Women’s Sailing – Lynn Simpson & Debbie Fogle |
| Staff | ||
| Club Administrator – Carolyn Cole | Docks & Grounds – Rashad Williams | |
| Staff – Carolyn Cole Maggie Carty, Tiffany Hodge | Ditty Bag – Bill Cook | |
| Property Manager – Julian Craven | Website – Kathy Leubner |
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