Port & Starboard Yacht Club
Member Newsletter
Summer 2010
The ‘Port and Starboard Yacht Club kicked off its summer season in fine style with thirty five members and guests attending the dinner meeting at the Blue Bird Ranch Restaurant in Machias on June 25, 2010. Conversations flowed as old friendships were renewed and ten guests were welcomed.
Commodore Urquhart called the meeting to order at 6:55 p.m. He asked for reports at this time with other orders of business following the meal. He welcomed everyone and asked for self introductions. He then reported that he has been unable to contact the person who tests the guest mooring and thus the safety of the mooring is unknown at this time. Treasurer Robin Rier gave the Treasurer’s Report. The current checkbook balance is $1,813.16. Income for the past year totaled $495.00 and expenses totaled $460.00. Dues of $20.00 per year are now payable. Faith Merriman noted that the secretary’s reports have been in the newsletter. She welcomed returning members and guests and thanked those that responded to the request for reservations. Art Totman gave the Scholarship Committee report. He reported that the recipient, Skylar Cook, “could not have been a better representative of the school”. Art recommended that more members attend the presentation of the scholarship, and he recommended that the scholarship be increased to $275.00. Commodore Urquhart noted that it has been suggested that donations be taken for the scholarship and passing the hat at each meeting was also suggested.
Commodore Urquhart noted that this was the end of his four year term. He thanked his crew that served with him during his tenure as Commodore and felt that his crew had plotted a really good course.
Under new business, the first order of business was to set a date for the annual regatta. The date of August 7, 2010 was moved and seconded (Totman, Fish) and approved. August 8th will be rain date.
Harry Fish and Arthur Hill discussed a new course for the annual regatta. Their committee had been charged with suggesting a new location in hopes of increasing participation. The suggested new course is in Chandler Bay, Jonesport. They felt it was a good course, had navigational markers in place, and had viewing space for spectators. Following a discussion, it was moved and seconded (Woolsey, Hill) that the race course be changed to the suggested new course. The motion passed unanimously. A start time of 11:00 a.m. was moved and seconded (Dean, Fish) and passed unanimously.
The Port and Starboard Yacht Club Scholarship was discussed. A motion to increase the scholarship to $300.00 was made and seconded (Christie, Totman) and approved. A motion was made and seconded (Fish, Brown) to create criteria for awarding of the scholarship. Following a discussion, a committee was established. Art Totman, Harry Fish, and Shirley Rennie will be members.
The next order of business was the Pre-Regatta Party. Twig and Sune Noreen graciously agreed to be the hosts. It will be a pot luck at 6:30 p.m. on August 6th. Members are also encouraged to bring musical instruments.
Election of officers was the next order of business. The term for Commodore is four years. Arthur Hill was nominated but declined. Starr Sweeney was nominated (Woolsey, Totman) and elected as Commodore, Arthur Hill was elected Vice Commodore, Faith Merriman as Secretary, and Robin Rier as Treasurer. Starr Sweeney will also be the Race Commodore.
Membership cards will be distributed at the Pre-Regatta dinner. A 50/50 raffle was suggested for raising funds for the scholarship.
The meeting adjourned at 8:30 p.m.
A WORD FROM THE COMMODORE
Starr graciously provided the following in response to my query if she would like to share a few words about her background and election.
“In the honored tradition of the Port and Starboard Yacht Club officers were elected at the meeting in June. Elections went as they have gone before -misleading talk, motions and discussions and then new officers were born. I came ready to fight for my position as race committee member (I still want to shoot off that potato cannon!) and left “Commodore”. I am without Commodore experience, it is not even mentioned on my resume, but I will do the best I can to support the traditions of the Port and Starboard Yacht Club. I do have some sailing blood – I started racing with a “Flying Scott” during college. In the Northwest, Steve and I sailed a series of increasingly scary boats ending with a Contest 33. Now we sail the catboat called “Who”. One sail-one sheet and a huge rudder. My day job is at DECH and my evenings are spent on the East Side of Machiasport. I can be found at starrsweeney@hotmail.com and at 255-6822.
Member news
Twelve new members have joined the club. They are Bruce & Peggy Arden, Bob and Marshia Brown, Tony & Karen Marmiani, Chuck & Carolyn Schwender, Bernie Sund and Lina Beal, Stim and Betty Jean Wilcox. A warm welcome to all of you. I asked if they would like to share a few sentences about themselves and the following responses have been received to date.
Bruce Arden and his wife Peggy Arden divide their time between Machiasport and Ann Arbor, Michigan (one cold place and the other colder.) Bruce is a retired University of Michigan and Princeton professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. Peggy is a retired hotel interior designer and former Realtor.
Bob Brown grew up in Washington state next to the water and had his first exposure to sailing about age 12. He and his wife Marshia have resided in Jonesport for the past 13 years and are avid boaters. A public auction of their home and possessions on August 14 will allow them to move onto their 36 ft Nova Scotia design boat that Bob has rebuilt into a comfortable live aboard. They plan to cruise the Maine and Canadian waters during the summer months and travel around the states by auto in the winter months. Marshia is from Monterey, CA and is an artist specializing in seascapes. She is Chairman of “Art in the Library” at Peabody Memorial Library in Jonesport. Bob will sails his Kelly 24+2 sailboat “Precious Moments” in the regatta with Dana Urquhart.
Tony and Karyn Marmiani: We were members for last season. We live in Billerica MA. and usually get up to Machiasport (on the East Side) for a week, once a month, from April to October. We have been doing this for about 11 years. Our place is next to the Miner’s and across the road from the Woolsey’s on East Side Road. We are both retired and really enjoy our visits down East. Our boat is an older 23’ Penn Yan Sportfisher “Shared Pleasures”. We keep her on the river just off Pot Head. We hope to co-ordinate our visits with some of the scheduled events of the club. We are looking forward to meeting the members.
Chuck & Carolyn Schwender: Our friends, MJ and Tom Zirolli, are former neighbors of ours in N.J. We have a daughter, Laura, who is married and has two children. They live in N. Carolina. We are retired and bought a vacation home in Machiasport in December and hope to spend a lot of time there, weather permitting. We both grew up in Buffalo, N.Y. and did a lot of fishing and boating in Lake Erie and the Niagara River so we like the water but will be cheering the race from the land.
Bernie Sund and Lina Beal: Bernie reports that he has lived here full time for a dozen years but has been coming to Washington County for 45 years. Lina is a native Jonesporter and avid sailor. She owns Weownit Cranberry Company, a value added cranberry business which wholesales to shops and B & B’s throughout Maine. Bernie hopes to sail “Aegir”, an Ericson 25 ft. sloop, in the regatta and thinks he remembers coming in last when he participated a few years back.
Upcoming events – Wine & Cheese & Potluck Catherine and Mac Lewis, new members from New Mexico, sent out an email inviting club members to a Wine, Cheese & Crackers, and Potluck. It will be on Friday, July 30 from 6-8 p.m. at Ocean Chimes Beach House, 187 Johnson Cove Road, Roque Bluffs. Our hosts will provide wine and cheese and whatever else anyone brings will be most welcome. Heavy cocktail, early dinner items would be great. RSVPs please. Their cell is 505 989-6921 and starting July 25 their local phone number will be 255-0662.
Directions: From Machias, turn left on Roque Bluffs Road (opposite Tom’s Mini Mart Mobil station), continue 6.4 miles, road turns slightly left and becomes Johnson Cove Road (turn left before church), continue 1.2 miles, house is on right, 9/10th house on right, and 187 on mailbox. From Jonesboro turn from Rt. 1 onto Old Route 1, .9 to Great Cove Road, continue 4.7 miles, turn at Roque Bluffs Road, turns slightly left and becomes Johnson Cove Road , then follow as above.
Catherine & Mac will not be here for the Regatta but they would be happy to crew if any captain gives them a call from July 24-August 6. Sailing is tops on Mac’s list but both would be pleased just to be out on the water if someone gives them a call.
Pre-Regatta Potluck
Twig and Sune Noreen will host the pre-regatta potluck at the Jonesport Shipyard in Jonesport on Friday August 6 starting at 6:30 p.m. Please call 497-2701 or 263-6804 to RSVP and to let Twig know what food you will be contributing. If you can do this by Friday, July 30 that would be ideal, but don’t hesitate to call after that date if you haven’t.
Noreens will serve crab rolls and green salad, and if you have a favorite dish you cook aboard, please bring that, with the recipe for use in other galleys. We will need main dishes, vegetables or salad dishes and desserts as well as some hors d’oeuvres.
Sune also encourages members to bring musical instruments.
Directions: From the North – take Rt.1 to Rt.187. Drive approx. 10 mi. You will see boats on your left and a Jonesport Shipyard sign. Turn in and drive past the shop building to the shingled building. Their home is upstairs. From the South – take Rt.1 to Rt. 187. Drive approx 10 miles to a stop sign. Turn left on Main St. and proceed approx. 1 mile. You will see boats and the Jonesport Shipyard sign on your right.
Regatta – The Port and Starboard Yacht Club will hold its annual Commander Wally Kurz Memorial Regatta in Chandler Bay in Jonesport on Saturday, August 7 weather permitting. The race will start from the Sandy River beach area. It will proceed in a southeasterly direction to the Mark Island Bell (ME0099) and turn northwesterly to the red nun (ME0098) off Squire’s Point and then back to the start point. Spectators may park near the start/finish area.
Now in its 43rd year, the handicap race is open to any monohull sailboat. The regatta will start at 11:00 a.m. The skippers meeting will probably be conducted via radio. Boats will be assigned competitive handicaps by the Race committee. There is a $15.00 race fee. Please notify the Commodore via email or phone if you plan to race.
Other – The club often has a late summer or fall gathering if someone would like to host. Thank you to all who have paid their dues. Dues remain at $20.00. Membership cards will be distributed at the pre-regatta dinner.
Faith Merriman, Secretary (255-8458)
wodahs@mgemaine.com