Fleet Scuttlebutt
Greetings sailors and fellow members, and welcome to July! While statistically it may not be the wettest month, it does have the most days with measurable rainfall, often coming in short bursts. This means we must keep an eye on the forecast and the horizon as we prepare for activities on the water.
Our staff, supporters and young sailors are in the middle of Junior Sailing camp, and it is encouraging to see the youngsters cooperating enthusiastically as their sailboats dot our section of the river. This is a great tradition at WRYC, represented by at least three and going on four generations of sailors and their extended families. There has been crucial support offered by volunteers in the form of talent and even donated boats! Such good deeds will ripple forward to future generations of sailors, so many thanks if you’ve been involved in any way – as a camper, family member, or as a volunteer donating your time and expertise!! There’s a Summer Happy Hour planned for Thursday, July 23rd, which is the final day of the final Sailing Camp session – if you’re interested in learning more about the program, come to that Happy Hour and ask questions of those who’ve been involved! Indeed, come anyway, as it’s an easy and informal way to learn more about any aspect of our club!
In addition to keeping our Optis and Lasers shipshape for Sailing Camp, we have begun work on our Albacores to make them more seaworthy and more easily launched. You may notice one or more in front of the sail loft, both club boats and member boats. These sloops are safe, relatively light (launchable on a trailer or a dolly), and great for beginners as well as more experienced sailors. If you are the owner of an Albacore, and can share your knowledge, please let me know! (I know only enough to get in over my head, despite having built them at Moorman Manufacturing when it was located behind the Birdsall’s veterinary practice in what is now a county building.)
Finally, I would ask again about some of the neglected boats and trailers in our storage area – we don’t want to see anyone’s treasured boat either forlorn or abandoned (please see last month’s Scuttlebutt). We were recently contacted by Mathew Maritime Foundation, and they offer donated boats for sale – perhaps that presents a win-win solution if you’re wondering what to do with your unused boat? That’s as much as I know, but I expect they can offer helpful details about their programs.
In spite of the promise of warmth in the coming days and weeks, I hope to continue to see you, or to see you for the first time, on or near the water!
-John Dudley, Fleet Captain