from the masthead david a. dragonas commodore · 2014-10-09 · from the masthead david a. dragonas...

FROM THE MASTHEAD David A. Dragonas Commodore

October 2014 The American Yacht Club Newsletter Issue 8

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Well, folks, I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news, butClosing Day is fast approaching. How sad. Did you get

to use your boat as much as you had wished? Did you attend allthe functions you wanted to? By the way, did you attend theChili Contest on October 8! If you've never attended one,you've really missed out!

We had a great season, culminating with some wonderful newevents in September. We had our first annual Fun in the SunRegatta, where we raced, ate, raised money, had a lot of fun,and contributed to a very worthy cause. We are going to holdthis event next year in the spring or early summer , so startthinking about your floppy hats now.

We also held our first joint presentation with the Custom HouseMaritime Museum. Tom Ellis and Harold Burnham came andpresented a video on the construction of the schooner ThomasE. Lannon. Due to the size of the room, unfortunately, we had

to limit the audience. But since it was so well received, we areplanning more events with the museum—even as early as thiswinter. CHMM Executive Director Michael Mroz waswonderful to work with. Many thanks to Jim Grenier fororganizing the event. It was a pleasure to host it with him.Thanks also to Steve Osborne and Rob Brun for helping out.

The folks who attended from the museum were very impressedwith our Club, its history, the clubhouse, and our hospitality. Ithink this is the beginning of a great relationship between theAYC and the Custom House Maritime Museum.

Please remember to complete your winter storage paperwork,take your mooring balls home, and join us on Saturday, October18, for Closing Day. And remember—you can get out ofworking by bringing hot food for lunch.

Oh No, Say It's Not So!


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Fun in the Sun Regatta 2014–The Hats!Photos submitted by Homer Shannon


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Fun in the Sun Regatta 2014–The Boats!Photos submitted by Homer Shannon


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Results of the AYC Fun in the Sun Regatta 2014Position Boat Name Skipper

NameBoatType

PHRF TCF Time CorrectedTime

Racing Class

1 Prime Time Johnson 219 0.85 13:36:23 1:55:172 Kalani White Sabre 38 114 0.98 13:23:15 2:00:393 Squidnocket Jacque J-80 120 0.97 13:26:00 2:02:144 Terrapin Pratt Frers 30 135 0.95 13:30:33 2:03:53

5 Banzai Brown J 37 75 1.04 13:19:19 2:04:056 Paradigm Shift Cutting Cat 727 114 0.98 14:01:26 2:38:02

Cruising Class

1 Ayacucho Stoehr T30 198 0.87 13:38:41 1:51:49

2 Sargo Douglass 150 0.93 13:32:37 1:53:52

3 Nanoda Lambert 180 0.89 13:48:52 2:03:39

4 Wind Sound Morin 192 0.88 13:52:14 2:04:36

5 Classy Lady Hewey Custom Ketch 195 0.87 13:53:10 2:04:55

6 Paradiso Gyman Ben 43s7 93 1.01 13:45:47 2:17:16

7 Breezing Up Connell Cape Dory 144 0.94 DNF DNF

Fun in the Sun RegattaTee-shirts Still Available

A few regatta tee-shirts are still available in sizesmedium and large. The proceeds from their sale go tothe cause, so feel good when you buy one now! Formore information, contact Paul Morin (978) 270-2204.

Activities and EventsEVENT DATE TIME HOST

Chili Cook-Off 10/8 Wed 6:30 PM Mary Wilson/Chris Rutchick


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On Tuesday, September 30, the American Yacht Club hostedmembers of the Custom House Maritime Museum with a

presentation of the short film The Building of the SchoonerThomas E. Lannon.

I conceived this event after seeing the movie at the EssexMaritime Museum in early March. After listening to Lannonowner Tom Ellis and Lannon builder Harold Burnham fieldmany questions from the audience, I knew it had to be presentedhere in Newburyport.

As a member of both the AYC and the CHMM, it was hard forme to decide which facility was best for the presentation.Because the AYC has the smaller room - and also because wecan’t darken the room sufficiently for a movie until fall. Ioriginally pitched the idea to hold the event at the museum toMichael Mroz, CHMM Executive Director. I also pitched asecond film presentation about the schooner Adventure.

I had almost forgotten both ideas until I got a phone call fromMichael in mid-August. Because I had met with him in early2013 to talk about events the two organizations mightcollaborate on, Michael suggested that the Lannon movie couldbe the perfect way to begin developing a closer relationship.After a visit to our clubhouse, Mroz and I agreed it was thebetter place to try out an event.

The biggest drawback, of course, was the room size: it couldonly hold about 50 people in folding chairs.

Try as I might, I could not convince Lannon owner Ellis to givepresentations on two consecutive nights. This meant we neededto limit the audience. Splitting the capacity in half allowed onlya few dozen members from each organization to reserve a seat.No one was thrilled with the idea of limiting attendance, but itwas the only way to make it work.

The presentation went off without a hitch—well, maybe my notbeing able to get the sound right for a short CHMM video mightbe considered a minor hitch—and everyone seemed tothoroughly enjoy the feature film.

It shows almost every step of how a traditional woodenschooner was built, from floor lofting to selecting and cuttingtrees for keel, ribs, and planking; steaming 2-inch-thick planks,drilling a shaft log through 3½ feet of solid oak; and makinglocust trunnels to hold it all together. I’m not sure how TomEllis edited over 40 hours of video down to 50 minutes, but itturned out great.

During the question-and-answer session, both Ellis andBurnham were open and engaging, and answered every questionasked. Some answers might have been unexpected, some werequite humorous, but all were enlightening in one way oranother.

Commodore David Dragonas co-hosted with me. Steve Osborneand Rob Brun were a great help with setup, serving beer andwine at the bar, and cleanup.

Hopefully this was but the first of many cooperative eventsbetween the AYC and the CHMM. I will try to hold the eventagain next year, along with a presentation about the schoonerAdventure—the last remaining Gloucester fishing schooner stillafloat and still under working sail.

Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have ideas for futureevents that might further the relationship between our two orga-nizations. I am already working with the CHMM for anotherevent this winter.

The Building of the Thomas E. LannonSubmitted by Jim Grenier


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ClassifiedsCatalina Sailboat for Sale

2004 Catalina MKII, Trail-Rite trailer w/mast-raisingsystem. Honda 9.9 4-blade prop w/electric start,Raytheon radar on pole, Garmin GPS/Plotter,Raymarine ST60 Depth/knotmeter/temp. Pressurewater 20 gallons, macerator, and holding tank, 135 onfurler and full-batten main, Bimini, boom cover for rain.Ablative paint on bottom for 2015, everything in niceclean condition. Stored and winterized. View inFremont NH. Steve Ercha 786-401-5443

The Cape Ann Challenge, the around-Cape-Ann PHRF racehosted by the Annisquam and Eastern Point yacht clubs,

was originally scheduled for Sunday, June 29. Due to very lightwinds, the race was rescheduled for September 14.

Bruce Brown of the AYC entered his J37, Banzai, for therescheduled event. His crew included Patrick Mulligan, ChuckNeville and friend Amy, and Homer and Denise Shannon.Homer and Denise sailed to Annisquam aboard their boatCinderella on Saturday and met up with Banzai Sundaymorning at the Eastern Point Yacht Club. Winds had been highon Saturday and were still blowing 20 knots or more Sundaymorning.

After a confusing start, featuring mismatched flags andinaudible horns, Banzai got off to decent start under a #2 jib andreefed mainsail. The wind was from the north with moreeasterly shifts as Banzai worked northeast to round Cape Ann.The wind seemed to calm, and soon the reef was taken out ofthe mainsail. Off Thatcher’s Island the crew switched to the #1jib.

The wind continued to drop and the boat’s speed fell to about 4knots—only 2 knots over the ground in a strong north-to-southcurrent was running across Rockport Harbor. Crew memberswatched in dismay as the two lead boats struggled to round thegovernment mark G1 off Dry Salvages. For nearly an hour thetwo boats tacked, nearly reaching the mark before being pushedback by the current. Eventually, the lead boat rounded the mark,only to be becalmed on the other side. By this time, Banzai wasbarely making way over the ground.

Bruce watched as other boats dropped their sails and withdrewfrom the race. Finally he exclaimed, “Well that’s it. We can’tmake it from here to the finish by the 5 o’clock deadline. Dropthe sails and let’s motor in.” And so we did. The lead boat,apparently from Rockport, seemed to be trying to sail on butthen disappeared, having ducked into Rockport Harbor. No boatfinished the race.

After the race the traditional chowder was served at theAnnisquam Yacht Club. It was a lovely afternoon, but it hadbeen a challenging year for the Cape Ann Challenge.

Cape Anne Challenge–Take TwoSubmitted by Homer Shannon

Boat Stands Needed

If you have any boat stands I can borrow or rentcheaply for this winter, I’d like to hear from you. I needabout 6-8 motorboat stands, or short sailboat standsto support ROSEBUD while I replace a portion of herkeel. Let me know if you can help me out this winter. Ican pick up and deliver back in the spring.Jim, 978-388-4445 or [email protected]


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The Rescue 21 program is one of the strongest tools madeavailable by the US Coast Guard to address vessel

emergency situations. This incorporates the use of DSC (digitalselective calling) for all VHF radios. VHF radio manufacturershave been required to incorporate DSC capability in theirproducts for over a decade. In order for the VHF to reach its fullDSC capability, a Marine Mobile Service Identity (MMSI)number must be programed into the unit. This number is freeand available online from sites like www.boatus.com andwww.seatow.com. To receive a number, just fill out the simpleonline application form.

User manuals for VHF radios, usually available as freedownloads from most manufacturers’ web sites, provide clearinstructions on how to program the number into your VHF.This gives your radio/vessel an "identity" in Rescue 21, andtherefore with the USCG. (No, they don't track you all the time.)It works like a limited-range EPIRB, limited by the range ofyour VHF—usually 10 to 14 miles using a standard 8-footantenna.

You'll notice that the DSC button on your fixed-mount VHFhas a flip cover. Holding this button down for 3 to 5 secondsactivates a transmission that tells the USCG and all vesselswithin your transmission range that you have an emergencysituation. You might think that every boat will now rush toassist you, but the truth is that 70 to 90 percent of privatevessels do not yet have their MMSI numbers. If your VHF hasthis capability, get your number today and program it into yourVHF.

When you network your VHF with a GPS, your latitude andlongitude will be transmitted along with your MMSI number.This allows a troubled vessel to appear on other vessels’ chart-plotters. It’s also the only way the USCG can know the lat/longof a troubled vessel. So, it’s very important to connect yourVHF to your vessel’s network. Please pass this advice along toothers.

TVHF-DSC and Rescue 21Submitted by Rick Kilborn

AYC in the Fall, watercolor by Rob Brun


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CLOSING DAY

• Scheduled for Saturday, October 18, starting at 8:00 or 8:30. Rain date October 25. Tasks include:

• Pull out the floats and place them in the yard

• Pull Club boats and winterize the motors

• Put the sailing school boats away

• Board up the Clubhouse

• Shingle the south side of the ClubhouseNeeded:1 Task Manager

6 helpers to install shingles Gloves, hammers, stapler, flat bar, compressor

• Put away all the outside items like the gin pole, hoses, signs, picnic tables, etc.

YARD COMMITTEE ON CLOSING DAY:

• Move some boats and spread the remaining stone. 4 or 5 people needed.

• Clean out the electric gate and fill with stone and build a barrier.

Needed: 1 Task Manager 2 to 3 helpers.

• General cleanup of the yard.

• Arrange winter storage boats.

PRE-CLOSING DAY HOUSE COMMITTEE WORK PARTY

• Scheduled for Saturday, October 4. Rain date October 11.

• Trim out the locker house doors that were installed in the spring.

Needed: 1 Task Manager 1 or 2 helpers Woodworking tools, and pickup trucks

• Strip the cedar shingles off the South side of the Club house (about 500 square feet) and install Tyvek.

Needed:1 Task Manager

4 helpers to remove shingles and install Tyvek Hammers, flat bars, gloves, staple gun for Tyvek, Tarps, Working platform Building materials will be provided by the House Committee

FALL OR SPRING

• Install new chain link fence by the sea wallNeeded:

1 Task Manager 4 to 5 helpers to dig holes and stretch fence Possibly a welder

ADDITIONAL PROJECTS FOR THIS YEAR

• Sand and finish the Clubhouse floor. This may be a combination of volunteer and contract labor.

• Research and repair/replace the lighting in the yard in the spring.

Needed: 1 Task Manager 1 or 2 helpers A lift that can reach the top of the pole. If anyone has access to or knows a good place to rent such a lift, please contact Dave Hewey.

• Build additional racks for kayaks and sailing dinghies that will also accommodatelasers at the base (spring project).

Needed: 1 Task Manager 3 or 4 helpers Woodworking tools and some pickup trucks

House and Yard Committees ReportSubmitted by Dave Hewey and Paul Morin

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It is that time of the year again. The boating season is winding down, which means the House and Yard Committees are startingprojects for the new year. As a rule, we try not to start any projects during the boating season because we know everyone wants to

be boating and not doing maintenance. However, the two committees have a long list of projects planned and it is time to get towork. The following is a brief list of the projects that we have prioritized for this fall and spring, along with small tasks that wepublish in Constant Contact emails to members. We greatly appreciate all the help we get and look forward to working with all of you.

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Please send all digital* Sailorgram submissions [email protected]

Send all physical** Sailorgram submissions to:Homer Shannon, 15 Autumn St., Windham, NH 03087

Due date is the first of each month. Sailorgram will only be publishedwhen there is enough material to warrant it.

* Copy submissions must be in .txt, .rtf, or .doc format; image formatsmust be .jpg, .gif, or .tif

** All written matter must be typewritten; images can be photos,drawings, or other flat artwork. Artwork can only be returned if providedwith a self-addressed and stamped envelope.

American Yacht ClubP.O. Box 1360

Newburyport MA 01950Organized 1885, Incorporated 1890

Commodore David Dragonas 978-834-9924

Vice Commodore Barry Gluck 603-382-8302

Rear Commodore Joe Puleo Jr. 603-876-4012

Secretary Joyce Stoehr 978-462-9083

Treasurer Len Johnson 978-388-0501

Collector Homer Shannon 603-880-4328

Measurer William Caron 603-437-3902

Membership Committee Tom Lochhaas 978-462-6311

Mooring Committee Don Sestini 978-682-1624

House Committee Ray Faucher 603 235-0145

Yard Committee Paul Morin 978-462-6533

Landscape Committee Nancy & Doug Cornell 978-474-4323

Regatta Committee Dan Pratt 978-388-3041

Entertainment /Activities Lon Sherman 978 388-3434

Sailorgram Jim Grenier 978-388-4445

Sailing School Jackie Morin 978-462-6533

Steward/Club House 978-465-9053

And God said, "The woodpecker must go!"Submitted by Jim Grenier

AYC Yard 2014 watercolor by Rob Brun

“The sea can bind us to her many moods, whispering to usby the subtle token of a shadow or a gleam upon the waves,and hinting in these ways of her mournfulness or rejoicing.Always she is remembering old things, and these memories,though we may not grasp them, are imparted to us, so thatwe share her gaiety or remorse.” — H.P. Lovecraft

from the masthead david a. dragonas commodore · 2014-10-09 · from the masthead david a. dragonas...

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