Wow! What a year! We had our share of “headwinds” and “windshifts” but all in all together we—your Board and all of us volunteers—turned out another fabulous year of desert sailing.
As I write my last “Corner” it’s time to say thank you to recognize a few of our more outstanding successes from AYCs 2011-2012 sailing year:
- OUTSTANDING MEMBERSHIP MEETINGS! Maryellen and Mike Ferring, you turned out an exceptional series of programs with national and international sailing stars and experts together with our own local cruising experts. Thank you Maryellen and Mike!
- CRUISING FLEET CONTINUED RESURGENCE! Michael Parker, you continued sharing your love of “non-buoy” racing and cruising with us all, all to OUR benefit with the Governor’s Cup, Tall Cactus, and don’t miss the upcoming Catalina Cruise in July! Thank you Michael for keeping the cruising fleet activities growing!
- RACING, RACING, RACING! Trey Harlow, you MORE than just delivered on the water, you also delivered in the “Delivery Room!” We all know racing is by far racing what we do the most of in AYC (despite having a new little sailor in the house) Trey and many, many volunteer hands on RC, on boat maintenance and elsewhere made for another excellent year of racing. Thank you Trey – and Nina too!
- HAPPY BIRTHDAY REGATTA! Joe and Katherine Motil you two together with a host of volunteers including new and long-time members and even non-members provided the entire Southwest with another great celebration of our Club and of “winter” sailing in the desert. Thank you Joe and Katherine and all involved!
- ARIZONA SAILING FOUNDATION-ASF: John Mayall, George Tingom, Lisa Lake, Leo Bauman, Greg Dean and a cast of US Sailing Certified Instructors and other “Just happy to be on the water” volunteers continued this great legacy of the Arizona Yacht Club. Our ASF classes continue to overflow and the ASF team continues to ensure our passion for sailing is passed on to many new sailors every year thanks to their efforts. Thank you ALL!
- “VIRTUAL” VICE-COMMODORE: Thank you Rob Gibbs and Mike Ferring and “yours truly” for combining to fill the vacant Vice Commodore role and deliver club communications – i.e. our website and Compass Points. And, yes, we may have missed a topic or a deadline here and there, but by and large we kept up the great AYC tradition of excellent, frequent and comprehensive coverage of all things happening in and around the AYC and ASF. Thank you Rob and Mike for all your extra efforts!
- “MY” BOARD: Thank you each and every one of you for your guidance, your engagement, your TOLERANCE of me and my many faults and frailties. Together, we did a job that we all can and should very proud of. I am. Thank you all!
And lastly, let me thank all of you in the AYC that brought me into the club 10 years ago with such joy, passion and commaraderie. Thank you for your trust to allow me to be your Commodore this past year. Thank you for your kind words—and your challenging requests :), and for making this such a great club and great “family” of people who make sailing in the desert so wonderful for all of us!
Fair winds! Arrr!
Emory Heisler
AYC Commodore
