WRYC 2025 Calendar of Events
September 25 Rotary BBQ Fund Raiser
October 11 Oktoberfest / ** REGATTA POSTPONED ++ Harry Sindle Memorial Mobjack Bay Regatta
November 8 Oyster Roast
December 6/7 Christmas / Holiday Social (Host choice)
From the Helm
It has been a busy time for the Club over the past month. Last weekend we hosted the 61st Governor’s Cup. It was a great success with too many members helping out to list here. Thank you to all that came out! There will be some photos of the event soon on the website.
Over the next couple of months we have some fun socials coming up. Near and dear to me is the Oktoberfest which will be October 11th. We will need volunteers to help cook, set up, and clean up. Unfortunately, due to circumstances outside of anyone’s control, the usual host of the event will not be able to come from Germany this year. However, Clara, our German exchange student will fill the void. If you wish to volunteer please contact Harry at commodore@wryc.org . Mark your calendars for the event!
Josh James has been hard at work with organizing socials, we are forever in his debt. Ray Mazzocco has done a phenomenal job bringing in new members. John Dudley has kept the sailing program alive and well. Jim Woodward did a great job getting the grounds and clubhouse ready for the Governor’s Cup. As always Layne Brown has been toiling away behind the scenes managing the club. A special thanks to Vice Commodore Scott Titus for organizing the Governor’s Cup again this year. If anyone in interested in getting involved with planning the 2026 Governor’s Cup, let Scott know at vice@wryc.org.
The Sea Scouts Ship 1971 has become very active this summer, you might see them at the club on Sundays. Please say hi. They volunteered themselves for the Governor’s Cup and have been a great addition to WRYC!
Fleet Scuttlebutt
Greetings sailors and all club members! July has been true to form – warm and wet – but we’ve enjoyed some good sailing since dodging tropical storm Chantal. Many thanks to the Adult Sailors who have been good sports dealing with summer’s challenges. And we’re gratified to see some new faces among our Adult Sailing group!
If you see this Telltale prior to Aug 1, 2 or 3, please make plans to join us for our Governor’s Cup activities. There may still be opportunities to volunteer, such as preparation on Friday the 1st, and racing and hospitality support on Saturday and Sunday, the 2nd & 3rd. If you’ve not seen a regatta, observing the activity is a great way to gain a new perspective on the sport, and the experienced skippers and crew are always willing to share their knowledge and debate the finer points.
As mentioned in a previous Telltale, our club received the donation of a third Albacore from West River Yacht Club in Edgewater, MD. The boat is seaworthy, and the trailer serviceable for storage and launching. The sails and running rigging are in good shape – indeed, our Vice-Commodore has plans to race it in the Governor’s Cup. Some rigging and preparation were completed recently with invaluable volunteer assistance, and after its use in the regatta, we hope to see more members take advantage of this boat, as well as our other Albacores.
A further note about using our club’s fleet: Thanks to Commodore Harry Taylor, the ‘Reserve A Boat’ link on the member page now displays our fleet’s availability on a Google Calendar appearing above the form submission. If you’re unfamiliar with the Member Pages, or if you need the password to access them, please let us know!
Stay cool, healthy and safe, and we look forward to seeing you on the water!
John Dudley, Fleet Captain
WRYC 2025 Calendar of Events
August 1/2 61st Governor’s Cup & Junior Regattas & Awards
September 1 Labor Day Social (Host choice)
September 25 Rotary BBQ Fund Raiser
October 11 Oktoberfest / ** REGATTA POSTPONED ++ Harry Sindle Memorial Mobjack Bay Regatta
November 8 Oyster Roast
December 6/7 Christmas / Holiday Social (Host choice)
Membership Corner
We have one new member joining us in the month of July…please welcome Ginny Nolan to WRYC! Ginny and her husband have retired to Gloucester from upstate New York, where Ginny learned to sail on Lake Seneca in the Finger Lakes region. Later, while living in Chicago, she crewed on larger keelboats on Lake Michigan. Ginny has already been out with John Dudley on Tranquility Base, and will be actively taking advantage of his adult sailing program.
I want to also take a moment to thank all the volunteers who stepped up to support our hospitality program for the Governor’s Cup Regatta. There is a lot of work that goes into preparing and serving breakfasts, lunches and dinner for the participants.
Liz and Chris Brown
Layne and Bill Brown
Nancy Dykeman
Jean and Jim Garrett
Lorna Hanson
Paul Hellebrandt
Shanah Kendall
LuAnne Knuteson
Mary Helen and Harvey Morgan
Katherine Mazzocco
Sean Smith
Tina and Bellamy Stoneburner
Greg Strader
Paula Volk
Cheryl and Jim Woodward
Thank you!!
Ray Mazzocco
Membership Chair
Membership Corner
Hello WRYC Members!
It’s hard to believe that Summer is in full swing, and that we are more than halfway through the year! That means the Club’s signature event, the Virginia Governor’s Cup Regetta is coming up soon. And, as we do each year, we need volunteers to help to provide breakfast and lunch for the participants. Last year we fielded a great team to support the event. I’m hoping we can count on our members to step up again this year.
Helping with the Governor’s Cup is a great way for members - especially new members to experience what the Club is all about. If you would like to help, please contact me at membership@wryc.org or 312-543-8220. The schedule is as follows:
Friday afternoon, 8/1
Assemble sandwiches from cold cuts provided by Nuttalls
Pre-cook bacon and breakfast sausages
Set up tables and warming trays for breakfast
Saturday and Sunday morning, 8/2, 8/3
Set up coffee, cereal, fruit, utensils, etc.
Put out sandwiches, condiments, chips, etc. for lunch
Cook scrambled eggs, home fries, biscuits
Warm up bacon and sausage
Deliver food to serving line
Serve breakfast to sailors and race officials
Clean up
Speaking of new members, please join me in welcoming the following families to WRYC!
Dan and Jennifer Smullen, and daughters, Madelyne and Daphne
Hannah and John Pearson, and children, Emma and Matthew
Shannah Kendall, Adam Bair, and sons, Peter and Fred
Cheston and Cameron Harris, and children Bennett and Jane
Paul and Thelma Hellebrandt, and granddaughter, Emma Lynch
Finally, and very sadly, we have just learned of long-time member Tish Grant’s passing. Will and Tish Grant have been very active and supportive members of WRYC for many years, known for their sponsorship of the fall Oyster Roast, one of the club’s most popular events.
From Becky Meeker via email:
Letitia Montague Grant, a long-time member of the Club, died last night surrounded by family at her beloved home, Cottage Point. A Remembrance of Life will be held at a future date. Andrews Funeral Home is handling details. Will Grant’s address is PO Box 36, Ware Neck VA 23178. The family appreciates the many cards and messages she and they have received during her illness.
Ray Mazzocco
Membership Chair
From the Helm
Summer is off to a fantastic start—Junior Sailing is in full swing, the Sea Scouts are underway, and our social events have been a hit. A big thank you to Josh for organizing the latest low-key social, and to everyone who came out to enjoy it. It was a great time—exactly the kind of easygoing, no-fuss gathering we should do more often!
The Sea Scouts have begun their introductory sailing training, and the club has officially gifted them Wagtail to serve as their “ship.” If you or someone you know is between the ages of 14 and 21 and interested in seamanship, leadership, or just having fun on the water, let them know about the Sea Scouts. And if you’d like to get involved yourself, you can learn more at wryc.org/seascouts. They're a wonderful group doing meaningful work.
Fun Fact: Did you know that the Sea Scouts trace their origins back to 1912 in the United States, just two years after the founding of the Boy Scouts of America? Their nautical traditions are inspired by centuries of maritime heritage—many early Sea Scouts even trained aboard decommissioned naval vessels, continuing a long tradition of youth seamanship training that dates back to the age of sail.
The 61st Annual Virginia Governor’s Cup is coming up fast! Information for that can be found at https://www.wryc.org/governors-cup .
Looking forward to seeing you at our upcoming events!
Fleet Scuttlebutt
Greetings sailors and all club members! We’re looking at a weather forecast that includes most days in the low nineties (on land). This makes being on the water more welcome, and those temperatures can strengthen our afternoon sea breeze that makes sailing more enjoyable. If you’re not receiving our bi-weekly emails to Adult Sailors, please email me at sailing@wryc.org, and we will include you.
With water temperatures now mild if not downright warm, we are looking to activate our Albacore fleet for the benefit of adults. Our club is the recipient of a third Albacore due to the generosity of West River Yacht Club in Edgewater, MD. Depending on your sailing experience, handling a smaller boat such as a Laser or Albacore can offer immediate feedback in response to changes in sail trim and rudder position. This responsiveness really helps to emphasize the basics of sailing, which can then be transferred to handling any size boat under sail, as the principles are identical. As long as you’re OK getting wet, dinghy sailing is great way to enjoy the river.
A note about water safety – in addition to wearing a life jacket or other floatation, please be aware of the risk of a Vibrio vulnificus infection. This is a rare infection, but it is more common in warmer months and may cause serious issues. An open wound or a break in the skin can allow the bacterium to enter the body, and it can spread rapidly. Fortunately, treatment with antibiotics is very effective if it’s caught early. Since it’s much more prevalent in warmer months, consuming raw oysters in months with ‘r’ reduces the possibility of food-borne transmission. Meanwhile, be aware of any cuts or scratches that don’t heal quickly, and don’t delay seeking treatment if you suspect this infection.
For what it’s worth, I don’t let the remote risk of that bug to interfere with my enjoyment. Stay cool and healthy, and we look forward to seeing you on the water!
John Dudley, Fleet Captain