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Leadership Changes on Your Board

By on August 5, 2018 in Board of Directors, Commodore's Corner

Dr Sharon Bell

Dr. Sharon Bell

In a recent email it was mentioned that your Rear Commodore, Sharon Bell, was retiring her post. While we all know her as “Sharon,” Dr. Bell is a clinical psychologist and she decided to dedicate more time to her patients and her philanthropic efforts. I want to take a moment to thank her for all her contributions for the year and a quarter she held the post. Under her tenure as Rear Commodore, the AYC featured speakers like Gary Jobson, North U founder Bill Gladstone, J-Boats president Jeff Johnstone, Oracle USA Tactician Andrew Campbell, Tom White of The Moorings, and John Jourdane the author of “Modern Weather for Sailors.” Of course no one does all this alone. Maryellen Ferring was on Sharon’s team and was also instrumental in all of the planning as well. Sharon will be missed!

Rear Commodore Josh McClain

Our new Rear Commodore is Joshua McClain. He has been around sailing for a long time with his father but started down his personal sailing journey when he and his wife, Heather (your Cruising Fleet Captain,) took the Adult Beginning Sailing Class right here from the ASF. With their daughter Emma, they sail as a family often and just got back from a 10 day BVI trip this summer.

I know Josh will put everything he has into the job and I look forward to working with him for the rest of this Board Year!

AYC Happy Hour – 4 Peaks Brewing in Tempe

By on July 27, 2018 in Commodore's Corner, Sailing News, Social Events

Happy Hour at 4 Peaks Brewing!

In conjunction with our effort to focus more on our members and the relationships that make our club strong, we had an AYC Happy Hour at 4 Peaks Brewing in Tempe last Tuesday. The Club sprung for some appetizers and there were about 25-30 people that showed up!

We’re going to continue this “Off Week Happy Hour” effort moving it to different parts of the Valley so different members can attend. How do you know when and where they are? The Club Calendar will be updated with the events and we are trying to utilize the Facebook Events Page more as well! We’ll also include them in the roughly weekly email update with what’s going on.

We’d love to have your help to organize one! These are the kinds of events that help make our club great, so if you are interested in helping put a Happy Hour together in your part of the Valley, email Cruising@ArizonaYachtClub.org.

Our Club is YOU!

By on July 24, 2018 in Commodore's Corner

What makes a Club?

A club is its membership. It is YOU! It is made strong by the relationships among its members. We want to build on our foundation and create more and new relationships between the members of our club. So here are a few things to look for in the coming months:

August Meeting – New Member Mixer – Come meet the new members! New members, meet each other! The Club will be providing appetizers from 6:30 to 7:30 at Rolling Hills Golf Course and we want as many people to come as possible! Particularly New Members in the past 2 years!

AYC Campout – Get out of the heat with your friends! August 10-12 is our annual AYC Campout. Get more information on our Facebook Page or on the AYC Website.

Crew Party / Sail Jam 2018 – We are working with Scorpion Bay to have a Lake Pleasant Crew Party out on the end of the new docks! Were looking at 8 September for this – Bring you boat! You’ll be allowed to use the empty slips for the evening! We’ll also be having one at Tempe Town Lake as well…with Dates and Times to be announced.

Member Highlight Reel – We’re going to be working on a slide show to run at the beginning of meetings that highlights YOU! Look for an email with a form to fill out for us!

Your 2018 board is really excited about serving YOU. We really hope you are able to participate and that you find these events fun and meaningful.

Post-regatta party on the deck at Scorpion Grill. Photo: Mike Ferring

A New Way to Find Crew!

By on July 20, 2018 in Commodore's Corner

Are you a skipper looking for crew or crew looking for a ride? We’re going to try to create more sailing opportunities by moving the AYC Crew List right onto your phone with the Go Sailing App.

The Go Sailing App is a free one sponsored by ASA (American Sailing Association). Skippers can create a trip that they want crew for and crew can apply for the ride. It’s really easy to do either from your desktop or your Android or iPhone. It’s really easy to use. Create your account profile. Be sure to select the Arizona Yacht Club as your club. Then creating a trip is easy.

Check out this tutorial video:

 

Looking to crew? Check out all the events in this area and around the country!

 

Sail MORE! How to do an “Away Regatta”

By on June 30, 2018 in Commodore's Corner

Heather McClain poses overlooking the 11 Catalina 37 sailboats that LBYC charters for LBRW. AYC teams chartered two of the boats this year.

Team Cactus League—a group of Arizona Yacht Club members—chartered one of 11 Long Beach Yacht Club Catalina 37s for Long Beach Race Week, June 22-24.

We all had a great time and it wasn’t even that expensive to do. We all made more sailing friends and opened up more sailing opportunities around the country for ourselves.

We weren’t the only ones there, either. There was another C37 team from Arizona, headed up by John Riddell. Mike Hester brought his Viper, Joel Hurley and John Mayall from Phoenix and his daughter Sarah from Austin. Mike and Jo Grijalva were there with their boat Shockwave in the Random Leg Racing with an all-AZ crew. Mike and Maryellen Ferring and David Newland were there too, representing Arizona in the J/70 Fleet.

I want to talk a little about what our experience was, do some rough numbers, and maybe lower your anxiety level about traveling with your boat to other regattas.

LOGISTICS

Everybody but the afterguard on the Cactus League C37.

We have 10 people on the C37, and some “shore crew” (people who don’t race), so for our team, coordinating to get everyone to the dock and ready to race—all at the designated time—can be a bit challenging. With a crew of two-to-four people, this is obviously a bit easier. Everyone was responsible for their own travel to Long Beach, but we gave them the opportunity to car pool if they wanted.

We rented a house that (barely) held all of our crew and was pretty close to Long Beach Yacht Club. Depending on your preference, you could get a hotel or even camp, if that’s your thing. The house was nice because everyone came back and hung out in the hot tub and the kitchen. It also made coordinating everyone easier. I posted the regatta schedule in the kitchen with a note every morning about what time everyone had to be on the boat and ready to depart.

Because we were all in the same house, we made breakfast for the team. The regatta coordinated with a local grocery for a sandwich menu that we used for lunches on the boat. And there was food every night at the post-racing parties. We also had some beer, booze, soda and salty snacks at the house.

MONEY

Every year we create a “magic spreadsheet” to track expenses and payments. For the entire weekend the cost per person for a three-day boat charter, the race entry, the three-night stay at the house, and the food was right at $450/person. We personally spent about $120 in gas to get there and back, but that was for two people. Also, shore crew were spared boat expenses and paid just a portion of the house and food.

SAIL MORE!

Hopefully this lays out some of the details on how to have a successful “away” regatta.

I would encourage anyone who wants to get a group together to take boats out to a regatta to put it out there to the club. It was really fun to see our friends at an event and have us known as the “Arizona Yacht Club Group!” Many of our sailors go to the national and regional events for their fleets. Check your fleet’s website for information on those.

More on LBRW, including photos.

Here are some annual and upcoming opportunities in the region:

Colorado Governor’s Cup
Mission Bay One Design Regatta
San Diego NOOD
Marina Del Rey to San Diego (Hosted by Santa Monica Windjammers YC and Southwestern YC)
Newport to Ensanada
Fiesta Regatta (Colorado Sail and Yacht Club)

The crew of AYC’s Cactus League Catalina 37. From left: Dave and Stacey Haggart, Emory Heisler, New Jersey import Dave Rawstrom, Heather McClain, Toby Ambrose, Mike Parker (sitting), Josh McClain, Rob Gibbs, and Cindy Pillote.

 

Welcome to Long Beach.

 

 

 

 

Our Purpose

By on May 18, 2018 in Commodore's Corner

What do we do at the Arizona Yacht Club? If you asked ten people, you’d probably get five people that say “we race” and then you’d probably get five other answers. In undertaking the leadership of the club, I wanted to make sure that our new board was clear about our purpose. And when you read it, it will seem almost over-simplistic. The trouble is that without making a point of putting into words what we do, what our purpose is, we lose it.

I spent several weeks and talked with many different people about how to drill down and clarify what we do. It combines what we are passionate about, what we can be the best at, and what drives our club financially, all into one statement. This is your club, and now I want to share what we’ve worked on with you.

I identified that our purpose is to “Create the best sailing opportunities in the region, providing the highest value per member.”

This is the lens through which all activities and expenditures will be viewed. Our litmus test.

A few days ago, I had all the board members for the 2018-2019 board over to my house and we had a workshop to talk about what was important to us and how to “Create the best sailing opportunities in the region” and “provide the highest value per member.” We took the time to identify some focus areas for the coming year. They were:

  • Long-Term Planning
  • Reducing the Barriers to Entry to Sailing
  • Adding to our Social and Cruising Calendars
  • Creating Ways for our Junior Members to Participate

In order to keep you informed, I’m going to be writing on a regular basis using the “Commodore’s Corner” name plucked from the old Compass Points club magazine. We may also be reaching out for your opinion from time to time via email, survey, or phone call. This is your club and we want you to enjoy it! Please take the time to give us your feedback when you can.

I’m grateful for the opportunity to serve you as Commodore this year. You are always welcome to contact me directly any way you like.

Sail MORE!
Rob Gibbs

Aloha Commodore’s Celebration!

By on May 18, 2014 in Commodore's Corner, Events, Member Interest

Mike Ferring receiving a Superman shirt along with the US Sailing Sportsmanship award.

Mike Ferring receiving a Superman shirt along with the US Sailing Sportsmanship award… and Blunder Bucket

This was a Commodore’s Celebration of a different kind: a Luau with fire dancers, hula dancers, and AYC dancers. Sizzled with some awards, music, and a changing of the guard.

New Commodore Peter Lehrach called for continued high level of excitement for the club heading into the next year and welcomed  his board of directors: Senior Staff Commodore Mike Ferring, Junior Staff Commodore Cindy Pillote, Vice Commodore Christina Campo, Rear Commodore Chris Smith, Fleet Captain Steve Brown, Cruising Captain Tom Errickson, Membership Directors John Riddell and Dianna Andress, and (elected by the board that night), Secretary Lori Reger and Treasurer Tony Chapman.

Outgoing Commodore Cindy Pillote presented the night’s top award to Mike Ferring, the US Sailing Sportsmanship Award, otherwise known as the MVP award. And Mike scored a unique double: winning the coveted Blunder Bucket for creating a new way to break a mast at Tempe Town Lake by driving the boat under overhanging rowing shells.

The ASF Jerry Linderman Most Improved Junior Racer award went to Peter Blake. The Wayne Jason Tucker Most Improved Junior award was given to Ian Altobelli. And the Heavy Lifting Award for contribution to ASF was given to Don Hubele. Who immediately dropped it.

Commodore Peter Lehrach welcomes the new board of directors. From left: Christina Campo, Lori Reger, Chris Smith, Dianna Andress, Tom Errickson, Peter, and Mike Ferring. Off camera: Cindy Pillote. Not present: John Riddell, Tony Chapman, and Steve Brown.

Commodore Peter Lehrach welcomes the new board of directors. From left: Christina Campo, Lori Reger, Chris Smith, Dianna Andress, Tom Errickson, Peter, and Mike Ferring. Off camera: Cindy Pillote. Not present: John Riddell, Tony Chapman, and Steve Brown.

Martin Lorch (right) and Kyle Clark accept the big cup for winning the Club Championship. It's the sixth time for Martin. Photos: Mike Ferring

Martin Lorch (right) and Kyle Clark accept the big cup for winning the Club Championship. It’s the sixth time for Martin. Photos: Mike Ferring

Peter Lehrach, Cedric Lorch, Rick Johnson, and Emory Heisler wiggle on cue to the delight of the crowd.

Peter Lehrach, Cedric Lorch, Rick Johnson, and Emory Heisler wiggle on cue to the delight of the crowd.

The delighted crowd.

The delighted crowd.

And the women showing how the hula dancing is actually done.

And the women showing how the hula dancing is actually done.

Well, okay, THIS is how it's really done.

Well, okay, THIS is how it’s really done.

To the sound of music from the Island of Mesa.

To the sound of music from the Island of Mesa.

And a flash of fire.

And a flash of fire.

Big surprise: George Tingom that day had proposed to Bev Cryer.

Big surprise: George Tingom that day had proposed to Bev Cryer. She accepted.

George presents the Jerry Linderman award to Peter Blake.

George presents the Jerry Linderman award to Peter Blake.

Ian Altobelli (with father Frank) won the Wayne Jason Tucker award.

Ian Altobelli (with father Frank) won the Wayne Jason Tucker award.

Don Hubele receives the ASF Heavy Lifting Award (and immediately drops it).

Don Hubele receives the ASF Heavy Lifting Award (and immediately drops it).

Aloha Alexia Lorch, Maryellen Ferring, Christina Campo, and Cindy Pillote.

Aloha Alexia Lorch, Maryellen Ferring, Christina Campo, and Cindy Pillote.

Christina organized the event at the Mesa HQ of Polynesian Luau.

Christina organized the event at the Mesa HQ of Polynesian Luau.

New Rear Commodore Chris Smith with Cruising Captain Tom Errickson.

New Rear Commodore Chris Smith with Cruising Captain Tom Errickson.

Commodore Peter Lehrach

Commodore Peter Lehrach

Maryellen Ferring with Victor Felice.

Maryellen Ferring with Victor Felice.

Faye Hubele and Dennis Davis.

Faye Hubele and Dennis Davis.

Greg Jackson, Chrisann Tortora, Dave Christensen and Wendy Larsen

Greg Jackson, Chrisann Tortora, Dave Christensen and Wendy Larsen

Chris Smith with Mike Grijalva

Chris Smith with Mike Grijalva

Greg Jackson and Chrisann Tortora

Greg Jackson and Chrisann Tortora

Ian and Isabel Love

Ian and Isabel Love

Honorary Life Member Tia Renshaw

Honorary Life Member Tia Renshaw

Trey Harlow explains mark rounding to Life Member Mike Yarnell. Nina Harlow doubts it.

Trey Harlow explains mark rounding to Honorary Life Member Mike Yarnell. Nina Harlow doubts it.

Outgoing Senior Staff Commodore and hula dancer Emory Heisler

Outgoing Senior Staff Commodore and hula dancer Emory Heisler

Commodore’s Corner – May 2012

By on May 4, 2012 in Commodore's Corner, Sailing News

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:

  1. 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!
  2. 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!
  3. 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!
  4. 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!
  5. 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!
  6. “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!
  7. “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

Commodore’s Corner – April 2012

By on April 1, 2012 in Commodore's Corner, Sailing News

Spring Training may be over, but the 2011-2012 AYC season sure isn’t and as always we’re saving some of our best events for last!

Final races at LP and TTL are on tap of course and April means time to kick-back and cruise to Humbug with the gang for Tall Cactus Regatta.

In addition to Tall Cactus we’ll have a busy month for “paperwork” with Election ballot mailing – hopefully the last via snail mail – and two recommended AYC Bylaws changes to vote on. Please give your serious consideration to both these motions from the board:

  1. Expansion of “Junior” membership to sailors 25yrs and younger (currently up to 21) to allow more of our ASU students to join us on the water at “Junior” rates.
  2. Modification of votion procedures to allow members to “Opt” to vote electronically rather than requiring mailing of paper ballots.

Both of these changes look like good improvements and I hope you’ll “bounce around” these ideas with your crew and friends and share your feedback with us online with comments and on the AZYC Yahoo Group.

Have a great April!

April 2012 Calendar of Events

      • Sunday, April 1
        • 9:00am LP Race Day 8
        • 1:00pm Opti 1-2 Sailing Classes (TTL)
      • Tuesday, April 3
        • 4:00pm High School Sailing Program
        • 6:30pm AYC Board Meeting
      • Saturday, April 7
        • 9:30am ASF Start Sailing Right Day 4
        • 1:00pm ASF Sailing Skills Development Day 4
      • Sunday, April 8
        • Easter Sunday
        • ASF Opti 1-2 Day 4 (TTL)
      • Tuesday, April 10
        • 4:00pm High School Sailing Program
        • 7:00pm AYC General Membership Meeting
      • Saturday, April 14
        • 12:30pm LP Race Day 9
      • Sunday, April 15
        • 9:00am LP Race Day 10 – FINAL DAY!
        • 1:00pm ASF Opti 1-2 Day 5 (TTL)
      • Tuesday, April 17
        • 4:00pm High School Sailing Program
      • Sunday,  April 22
        • 3:00pm TTL Race Day 8
      • Tuesday, March 27
        • 4:00pm High School Sailing Program
      • Saturday, April 28
        • 9:00am Tall Cactus Regatta – Skipper’s Meeting
        • 11:00am Tall Cactus Regatta
      • SATURDAY, MAY 5
        • AYC CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP!!!
      • SATURDAY, MAY 12
        • 6:00pm THE PARTY!  Food!  Music!  Friends!  Fun!!!

Emory Heisler
AYC Commodore

Commodore’s Corner – March 2012

By on March 4, 2012 in Commodore's Corner, Sailing News

A fabulous spring season is off and running with over 50 boats registered for LP and TTL racing and 35 students registered for ASF Sailing Education courses.

March is an especially busy month for Arizona Sailors with as 15-20 boats heading to San Diego for the NOOD regatta along with our regular slate of LP and TTL Racing. Good luck and safe travels to the Viper, Buccaneer and other sailors heading to San Diego for the 3/16-3/18 SD NOOD!

On the Board of Directors front please on the lookout for RECOMMENDED BYLAW CHANGES being proposed by the Board to land in your in-basket in the next few weeks.

Have a great March Madness!

March 2012 Calendar of Events

TTL Sailors…remember the time change!  TTL Racing “First Horn” moves back an hour in March to 3:00pm for first horn.

    • Saturday, March 3
      • 12:30pm LP Race Day 3
    • Sunday, March 4
      • 9:00am LP Race Day 4
      • 1:00pm Opti 1-2 Sailing Classes (TTL)
    • Tuesday, March 6
      • 4:00pm High School Sailing Program
      • 6:30pm AYC Board Meeting
    • Sunday, March 11
      • 1:00pm Opti 1-2 Sailing Classes (TTL)
      • 3:00pm TTL Race Day 6
    • Tuesday, March 13
      • 4:00pm High School Sailing Program
      • 6:00pm AYC Board Elections – Nominating Committee Meeting
      • 7:00pm AYC General Membership Meeting – Anna Tunnicliffe!
    • Friday, March 16
      • SD NOOD Regatta Day 1 of 3 – San Diego, CA
    • Saturday, March 17 
      • GO GREEN!  Happy St. Patrick’s Day
      • 12:30pm LP Race Day 1
    • Sunday, March 18
      • 9:00am LP Race Day 2
      • 1:00pm ASF Opti 1-2 (TTL)
    • Tuesday, March 20
      • 4:00pm High School Sailing Program
    • Saturday, March 24
      • 9:30am ASF Start Sailing Right Day 3
      • 1:00pm ASF Sailing Skills Development Day 3
    • Sunday, March 25
      • 3:00pm TTL Race Day 7
      • Sunday, February 2
    • Tuesday, March 27
      • 4:00pm High School Sailing Program
    • Saturday, March 31
      • 12:30pm LP Race Day 7

    Emory Heisler
    AYC Commodore

Commodore’s Corner – January 2012

By on January 2, 2012 in Commodore's Corner

 
HAPPY NEW YEAR!

New Year’s Day for the AYC means it’s time to celebrate our birthday “sailing style” with the AYC Birthday Regatta and Leukeumia Cup!
(have you signed up yet?????)

And although it’s New Year on the calendar, it’s mid-season for us in the AYC and time to look forward to lots of “winter” and spring racing including Thistle Midwinters, SCYA Midwinters, SD NOOD, and of course our springtime ASF classes too.

Don’t blink! Just another 90 days and we’ll be nominating new officers for the 2012-2013 AYC Year.

Here’s hoping you have a wonderful 2012!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Emory Heisler
AYC Commodore

Commodore’s Corner – October 2011

By on October 2, 2011 in Commodore's Corner, Sailing News

“I’m SAILING!!!!!”  We’ve all seen Bill Murray strapped to the mast shouting for joy that HE IS SAILING! I’m sure many of you had the same feelings as the fall season began this month and you and your crew headed back out no the water together.

As soon as Fall Season starts that also means it’s time to start thinking about the AYC BDR – the BIRTHDAY and LEUKEMIA CUP REGATTA!! Start going through your contact lists and get yourself ready to be part of our biggest AYC community service event of the year.

Lots of volunteers will be needed, as always, so be on the lookout for emails and phone calls from the BDR Committee to see how you can help to make this year’s installment another great success for sailing and for helping to CURE BLOOD CANCERS!

Hope to see you on the water!

Emory Heisler
Commodore

Commodore’s Corner – July 2011

By on July 3, 2011 in Commodore's Corner, Sailing News

“Help Wanted!  Inquire Within!” 

Many wonderful ideas have been flowing in from you all in the past months since I became Commodore, and now YOU can provide the hands, heads and hearts to bring them to life. 

Here’s your chance to fill in some of that “free time” you have (ha, ha) by helping out the sport you love.  Volunteers are needed to both lead and support several Arizona Yacht Club special committees:  Here are just a few places where you and your special talents and interests can help improve your club.

Juniors: The junior program’s activity level has always been “parent driven”, and that activity has dropped off in recent years after “graduation” and relocation of several of those families.  If you have kids and want to see more Kid-Friendly sailing and social activities, this is the committee for you! 

Equipment: Got a special talent for “messing around with boats”?  Love the smell of curing epoxy and fiberglass?  Got a trailer-hitch and a little free time to haul a boat down to Phoenix Fiberglass?  Keeping up with all the little repairs and preventive maintenance on our AYC/ASF Fleet is a never ending job – opportunity! – for you if any part of this sounds like what you like to do in your spare time. 

Adopt-a-boat:  This one is pretty simple.  If you want to adopt a boat, we need to have someone to manage the adoption process.  This is a perfect position for someone that wants to sail at TTL, but doesn’t feel a big need to race.  Yes, you can manage your own adoption paperwork!  Like everything in AYC, it doesn’t happen on it’s own. 

History:  As we’ve “gone digital”, and simply by the passing of time, we’ve lost visibility of our history, and many have suggested that it would be wonderful to see that history at club meetings, and online.  This one calls for a little bit of the “librarian” in you for researching and organizing club’s history from the many cabinets and boxes of material, AND for some folks with high speed scanners to help get it into online form.

Marketing: From “brochure” design, to “working a booth” (or a boat) at local events, this is a great role for someone that loves to tell the story of AYC to others at events like Tempe Arts Fair, Lake Pleasant events, TTL events, REI “water sports day”, etc.  Help us get the word out about what a great club we have! 

You’ll keep hearing me say this, “Many hands make light work!” Please give me a call (602 679 0462) or drop me a quick email to let me know where you can help bring more life to the ideas that keep coming in about these types of activities and services in our club.

Emory Heisler
Commodore

Commodore’s Corner June 2011

By on June 1, 2011 in Commodore's Corner, Sailing News

Ahoy Arizona Yacht Club!  So here I am, Commodore!  Whoa! You really can’t believe how surprising it is to me that I’m in this position.  Well, ok, yeah I suppose it’s pretty surprising to some of you too.

Experience?  OK, I ain’t got it….but fortunately, we have a great Board of Directors to help keep me out of trouble and help create a great year for us all.  We have past Commodores (Joe, Greg, Mike and Mike), former Commodores from other clubs (Roger, Philip), tried and true BoD mainstays of the past few years in Trey, Cindy and Tony, my good buddyJohn Mayall at the helm of the ASF and our lone “newbie” Brenda Shears that has no qualms about keeping me in my place.  THAT is some talent.  (Thank goodness!)

Talented as this bunch is, a ship the size of AYC needs a big crew too and that means we need YOUR help too.  So step up, “grab a line”, ask how you can help “trim” the sails on this vessel we call the Arizona Yacht Club.  Crew comes in all shapes and sizes and there are roles just right for everyone to make a difference, from racing, sailing classes, and equipment maintenance, to helping re-energize our juniors program, getting our “Golden Sailors” on board, and on and on.  “Many hands make light work!”

First on the agenda for the year is FAMILY NIGHT.  Come on out and bring the kids for a night of fun for everyone.

I look forward to seeing each and every one of you this year!

Fair winds!

      Emory

Commodore’s Corner

By on April 1, 2011 in Commodore's Corner, Events, Featured, Social Events

My year as Commodore is nearing its end and that can only mean IT’S TIME FOR THE COMMODORE’S BALL!

The Commodore’s Ball will be held “lake side” on May 14, 2011 at the Chart House Restaurant in Scottsdale on McCormick Lake. We have a very nice lineup of exciting evening events scheduled, I hope you can join us for the annual celebration of the Arizona Yacht Club

SCHEDULE FOR THE EVENING:
6pm-7pm Social Hour
7pm-9pm Dinner and Program
9pm-????  Celebrate!!!

Registration is available online and additional details will be mailed out in with the 2011-2012 Board of Director Ballots.  To register CLICK HERE.

Speaking of elections, I want to thank all our volunteers that have stepped up to fill in all the seats for the 2011-2012 AYC Board. I’m looking forward to working with Emory and the new team from the Jr. Staff “chair.”

Enjoy the rest of spring! Hope to see you on the water!

Joe

Commodore’s Corner – March 2011

By on February 28, 2011 in Commodore's Corner

Well here we are at the end of February and about to begin March. For those who race at TTL, don’t forget that we start racing an hour later 3pm “first horn” in March and April.

The start of the 2011 ASF programs is just one more indication that the club is on its way to getting all things back to normal after Tempe Town Lake was recovered. With Start Sailing Right back “on the water” many new faces have shown up, anxious to learn abour sailing, which may be the realization of a lifelong dream, some young, some older.  Trying to keep them actively involved in sailing once they have completed the course is always a challenge.  We always promote joining AYC and gaining access to boats through the Adopt-A-Boat program as a means to more time on the water.

We, as a club, could maybe do more and this is a great transition into our March General Membership meeting. This month’s speaker, Nicholas D. Hayes, is a noted author who is running around the country speaking on the subject of “Saving Sailing”. He has some interesting insights into how clubs can actively grow membership and re-build a base of growth for an active sailing community. I would encourage all you to come and hear what he has to say and to take up the challenge.

And…don’t forget to reserve the date of May 14th for the Commodores dinner at the Charthouse restaurant.

Joe

From the Commodore’s Chair-February 2011

By on February 4, 2011 in Commodore's Corner, Meetings, Sailing News, Social Events

The 2011 year has been a busy year already with our Birthday Regatta and many other activities.  The March General Membership presentation will be Nicholas Hayes, an author who has recently been speaking all over the country about how sailing programs are being revitalized. I hope you can attend that session as it will be all of US that will need to help the club go forward.

The club does not go forward on its own, and relies on the continued participation of the membership.  Please step up and ask what you may do to help the club.  I know that each member will bring their strengths to the club if even for an hour a month. Clearly we need your help.

I am looking forward to the Commodores Dinner which will be coming up May 14th at the Chart House at McCormick Ranch.  We will have a festive evening of great dining along with awards and summary presentations with introductions of the next AYC governing board.  Planning is already under way and details of the event will be made available very soon.  So don’t forget to block that date for a very nice evening and watch the website or look for e-mails coming soon about the event.

Thanks.

Joe

Joe Motil
Commodore
Arizona Yacht Club

New Year’s Message from the Commodore

By on January 3, 2011 in Commodore's Corner

Ahoy,

Here we are on the eve of a new year and my wish for you in the coming year is summed up in a toast below.

We raise a toast to the good water, where boats abound never aground and has brought us these drinks, and the friendship that has brought us together to enjoy them. We raise a toast to the people that have gone on to better world, and the ones that have gone on to other lands. Though they are not with us in body, we raise this toast to their spirit, their memory, and the memories that we have created with them.

Happy New Years and I hope that the coming year is better tan the last as the promise of a new day inspires us to make it better in everyway.

Joe Motil

The Call of the Sea

By on December 22, 2010 in Commodore's Corner, Member Interest

Commodore Motil,

All these many years my “Pop” (90) has had another love in his life besides my mother; it’s his love of…the sea. A while back I wrote a song with him in mind. Now, with the internet, there are pictures with the words. It’s titled, “The Call of the Sea” and, since you have the same “calling,” I thought you might like to see it. I’d be honored if you did.

All the best, stay warm, and…smooth sailing,

Robert (bob) Edwards

Thanks to Chrisann Tortora for website image.

From the Commodore’s Desk…

By on October 29, 2010 in Commodore's Corner, Events, Featured

Ahoy Friend,

Welcome to the newly revised AYC website. This is a new effort at taking a great idea and trying to make it even better. What you see before you is the result of efforts to upgrade and add features to one of our main communication tools, the AYC website. Much of what was created before is being utilized in the new design. This is so that members and anyone wanting to find out about sailing in Arizona, can interact with our site.  Change always seems tough but the technologies of today require adaptation.

Please join me in a well deserved thank you to Mike Ferring for his multiple years of service as webmaster,  shaping and giving the website much of its look and style. Mike has done a fabulous job with our website.  Nicely done!  After many years of dedication, Mike made his decision to pass the baton on. Rob Gibbs has accepted the challenge as the new webmaster and stepped up to help renovate the new website you see before you.

There are new social networking tools embedded into this website. These enable a broader range of communication formats that allow you to be notified directly of current events and activities when they are posted. As with all new things, it will take time to shape it into the mature product our former web sight had become but it will allow for easier maintenance and facilitate a broader outreach.

Yours in sailing,

Joe Motil