Commodore
Russ Kaiser

The 4S cruise is just around the corner. Our host this year is the Stockton Yacht Club. It’s kind of a rule that the host club makes up the games and this year Stockton is stacking the deck. Games like volley ball, scrabble and Bocce are out. Seems we have done too well in those so for now, they’re out. Don’t get me wrong, some of the old favorites are still in. Games like: Liars Dice, Texas Holdem, Darts, Pinochle, backgammon, cribbage and dominoes are still “in”. 

Some other favorites like Pool (co-ed this year) and horse shoes are still in too. Snakes is back and so are the blind dingy races. Well the bottom line is we need players. Two years ago, we took home the trophy. Last year was not so good. In fact we placed third.

Let’s turn things around this year and bring home the trophy. I’m sure that RC Hubble and games master Tony Cardoso will be calling for players soon. We need to start practicing and setting up teams now. Call them if you can help out. Let’s bring home the gold!!

Click here for 4S Flyer

Vice Commodore
Bob Lygren

Shipmates,

This year our crustacean hungry shipmates made our Crab feed one to remember. We served around 130. Thanks to the Larry and Marcie Best, Frank and Sue Bettis and Lew and Alice Cain for another great job. When you see these shipmates say thanks for all they do. They handle the galley for all the major events at SYC. Jeff and Rolande Loftus brought a bit of the Irish to SYC again with their St.Patrick’s Day, Corned Beef and cabbage affair. It was exceptional this year.

We had a great work weekend on the 15th and 16th of March. We did some sorely needed trimming along the banks. Those of you that think we trimmed a little much need to know the following. We have done this major trimming every 5 years or so. Many of the trees that we took out were either overgrown bushes or trees whose tops were broken due to the weight of the invasive vines that has been choking the upper portion of our trees. Those vines are now out and we will be planting ground cover and providing more routine maintenance. We will also be installing some lattice material on the East facing portion of the club understructure to make it more aesthetically appealing.

Jazz night at the club was a great success. Commodore Russ and Christie Kaiser took the club in a new direction with Cynthia Marie, jazz singer extraordinaire.

Safety Officer Ron Sheets engineered another Safety Day. This included CPR training, Skipper savers, fire extinguisher maintenance and boat inspections. Show your appreciation and thank Shipmate Ron.

This club is all about volunteerism so contact me if you want to be on a galley team or if you just interested in helping out in other areas. Memorial Day at SYC is just around the corner and event coordinator Harold Alves has been planning for weeks now. We have about 100 boats and over 200 cruisers heading for our club.

This is a huge undertaking and we will need significant participation from you, our shipmates to pull this off. We will have sign up sheets in the clubhouse. We will need dock workers, (see Rear Commodore Hubble and or Port Captain Lenert), also galley crews and a lot of them, see Sue Bettis. In addition we need check in folks, bar tender help and the list goes on. We have enough work for everyone as this event stretches over 6 days and site preparation for weeks before. Become involved as the club appreciates it and it is a lot of fun as well.

That’s it for now from the VC’s Fly Bridge.

Rear Commodore
Gordon Hubble

Shipmates,

Since the last Wingdammer we have had our two cruises. They both were amazing successes. We had 32 boats on the docks of Old Sacramento, which was a record number for the cruise. The weather was about as perfect as it could be for February, sunny and warm. The Capital tour was very educational and the dinner and show on the Delta King was a lot of laughs. Nascar on Sunday along with the fellowshipping on the docks was very relaxing and made for a great Sunday. I want to thank Dave and Victoria Hoppe for being great hosts for the event. I also want to thank Mark LaBella, Dave Mulcahy and Dave Hoppe for being fleet dudes for the cruise. I want to thank Ron Sheets for bringing all the equipment for Nascar on Sunday and for also taking pictures of the event that you can see on the web site.

The next cruise was the Shakedown Cruise to Willow Berm. More on that next issue. Many cruise locations have limited space, so don’t delay getting your reservations in or you will miss out on all the fun!!!!!

Opening Day will be here before we know it so start thinking about your decorations for the parade. The Olympics is the theme for this years parade (“One River One Dream”). Awards will be the popular bar credits so get going and win the gold!! Click here for Opening Day flyer

• Measurer
  
  In the month of March we inducted Tom and Jennie Chiappone of El Dorado Hills. The Chiappone’s sponsors and neighbors are Rich and Sandi Solis.
  
  We have several other new member applications pending and should have a few inductions at the April meeting. Please consider inviting your friends to join our Club. I know they will be glad they joined.
  
  I would like to ask our members to help make our newer members feel welcome. Perhaps go up and introduce your self and get to know them. Invite a new member to join you at your table in the dining room or bar. Who knows, maybe they will become your new best friends!
  
  Don’t forget to give your address, phone, email and boat changes to the office. Notify Paul Taylor by email or phone at 371-5058.

• Assistant Port Capt. Joe Mayes
  
  Monday afternoon I was on the top deck of Hotel California getting the dinghy down for the coming boating season. I noticed a boat coming upriver that seemed to be looking for a place to dock at the club.
  
  I went down to the trusty three wheeler, and sped down the dock to help. The boat looked familiar, it was shipmate Terry Thomas’s former boat, Tradewinds II.
  
  It is now the boat of Brian and Marianne Briley of Melbourne, Australia! They have been here in the states on business before and fell in love with San Francisco and the Delta. So they bought past commodore Thomas’s boat to keep here and spend a few months a year cruising the bay and delta. Shipmate Mark Bay handled the deal.
  
  After picking the boat up in Stockton they went cruising. They meet Port Capt. Chuck Lennert at Tower Park, and were invited to come and visit the club. They used Chuck’s slip at the club.
  

• Safety Officer Ron Sheets
  
  Thanks, to all members who attended Safety Saturday on March 29th.
  
  We had about 16 people take the CPR and AED class. Don Morgan of the power squadron taught the class for free this year.
  
  Sacramento Police officers also brought their new police and fire boat to the guest dock and let us get on board, and demonstrated the water cannon they use to fight fires. They also spoke to the club for about 45 min. concerning the new rules on the American River and DUI on the water. Also, great news, - they will be using our club and the hotel across from us as a speed trap this summer....which means less wake for us!
  
  River City Fire, checked and filled our extinguishers and West Marine brought new products for us this year.
  
  We had a few people take the First Mate Class, and thanks to Bob Lygren and Chuck Lenert for instructing.
  
  Also thanks, to Russ Kaiser and Pete Little for doing many safety inspections.
  
  My thanks to all who helped make this event a success and to Bob and Pam Lygren for making lunch for all of us.

Up close and personal with the dummy.