DATES TO REMEMBER

April

Happy spring to all!

Our May General Membership Meeting will take place on the main deck on Thursday May 4th at 7:00 pm. The focus of the meeting will be reporting on the financials for 2022. We will also be discussing our strategic plan and voting for a nominating committee. We require 51 voting members to reach a quorum, so I hope you can make it to the meeting.

There are two separate New Member receptions scheduled for Saturday April 22nd and Saturday May 13th. They are staggered due to the high number of new members who joined during the pandemic. 2021 new members will receive invitations for April and the 2022 new members will receive invitations to the May event. I look forward to meeting all of you if I haven ‘t done so already.

Sign up for our annual Commissioning Ceremony opens on May 1st. Please visit the calendar on our website to sign up. Commissioning Day is Saturday June 10th and I believe it will be great fun and different from the past ceremonies. Many thanks to the Entertainment Committee and staff in advance for their planning and hard work that will be needed on the 10th.

Have a wonderful spring!

Bob and Rosalie

UP YOUR GAME: PADDLING SKILLS CLASS

If you paddle a kayak or SUP, this class is for you!  We’ll cover skills, gear, places to paddle, local paddling events, safety, kayak/SUP maintenance and more. This is an ashore class and a great foundation for future on-water learning. Bring your questions and get ready…and excited…for the season ahead. Led by certified ACA instructor. Beginners welcome.

Course is April 26, 6:00 pm to 8:45 pm, at Newport Yacht Club. OPEN TO EVERYONE, not just Club members.

Seating is limited, register now at: communications@newportyachtclub.org

COMMUNITY SPIRIT: FOCUS ON SUSTAINABILITY

Sustainability is an important focus for the Club.   The Board has developed a sustainability plan. One action is the elimination of single use plastics in the bar.  Plastic straws have already been replaced by compostable straws. You will soon see that plastic cups and utensils will be replaced with those that are compostable as well.

Also, we the Club is engaging with local organizations like Clean Ocean Access to amplify our sustainability impact.

Whether your vessel is stored in the NYC marina this winter or in a boatyard, please remember to recycle your shrink wrap cover when removed in the spring. A limited number of recycling bags from Clean Ocean Access are available at the Club for those that don’t already have them. For helpful resources including on instructions for removal and collection sites, please visit Clean Ocean Access’ shrink wrap recycling website at https://www.cleanoceanaccess.org/shrink-wrap-recycling/. 

 Also, consider joining in the Earth Day Fort Adams Shoreline Clean Up from 10 am to 12 pm on April 22. See the flyer here.  

Please stay tuned for additional updates on the Club’s sustainability efforts and on future events in which  members can get involved.

REGATTA COMMITTEE

A successful Club Race Officer training class was held back in February at Newport Yacht Club. This was a USSAILING facilitated class that trained attendees from as far away as Texas and Blue Hill Maine. Thank you to those Club members who participated.

The upcoming sailing season is shaping up tentatively on the weekend of Memorial Day with the Mitchell Race out to Block Island. Planning for this event is ongoing with more information follow. The Summer Series for the Tuesday One Design and Wednesday PHRF series is scheduled to begin 30 and 31 May respectively. The Notice of Race and Sailing Instructions will be posted on the Club Website later this month. To register and make payment for these events, the Club’s website will be the only method allowed for a boat/team to participate. Hard copy registrations and cash will not be accepted.

As always, MEMBER VOLUNTEERS are welcomed and needed for the Club to successfully race these race through the summer. If you would like to participate in race committee on Tuesday and Wednesday nights, please contact the Regatta Committee at: regatta@newportyachtclub.org

F.J. Ritt, Chair

JUNIOR SAILING: NAME A BOAT FUND RAISER!

Junior Sailing needs to raise $$$ to help offset increased operational expenses and to ensure that we can serve as many youth as possible!  Show your support for Junior Sailing by naming one boat…or the entire fleet. Name it with your company, someone you care about, etc. Learn more by viewing the flyer here. 

Michael Barszcz, Chair

OFFSHORE COMMITTEE

On March 18 we conducted a Skippers’ Forum/Shore Party at the yacht club.  About 27 people (past participants, potential skippers and those just interested) participated. Dr Frank Bohlen got the group started in analyzing the Gulf Stream in preparation for this year’s race. Particulars for the race were briefed and afterwards we had a gam including food thanks to the yacht club food crew.

On March 25 the Bermuda One-Two co-sponsored, along with the Marion Bermuda and Marble Halifax races, the Northeast Ocean Race Symposium held at Beverly University in Waltham.  Almost 150 people, including a bunch of Bermuda One-Two skippers, listened to speakers in various subjects: Crew Selection & Preparedness, Communications Options, Rigging Systems, Newport Bermuda 2022 Race Accident, Survival Navigation, Heavy Weather Management and Steering Systems.  Our own NYC member Kristen Wenzel was on a “Captains” discussion panel with a representative from each of the Marion Bermuda and Marble Halifax races. Past Bermuda One-Two and Marion Bermuda skipper Roy Greenwald (Roy2) MC’d the event.

We are currently up to 25 entrants for this year’s Bermuda One-Two.

If either your slip (preferred) or your mooring will be available for skippers of both the Bermuda One-Two and the New England Solo/Twin, please let me know.

The Harbor Master has stated that the time you allow a competitor to use your mooring will not be attributed to your 14 days of allowing someone else on your mooring. We have been told by the Harbor Master that mooring owners will not be charged against the 14 allowed days for our race boats using your mooring.

The dates we would need moorings/slips are:

Bermuda One-Two

• May 27 – June 2: They leave for Bermuda on 2 June
• The week leading up to and including June 24th (Awards)

New England Solo/Twin

• July 26-28: They start on the 28th.
• July 29

Thank you very much for helping out.

Roy Guay, Chair Offshore Committee