The Mainsheet - November 2021

COMMODORE’S COMMENTS
Fellow Members, thank you to all who attended the Annual Membership Meeting. We made a lot of progress this year with clubhouse improvements, club boat Piper new systems & upgrades and with reviving our Mainsheet thanks to Angie Fausto and all who contributed. I am also very pleased to announce that Angie Frausto will be our leader as Commodore for 2022! Below is the 2022 AYC Bridge and Board:

BRIDGE

Commodore: Angie Frausto

Vice Commodore: Diane Wilkinson

Rear Commodore: Mike Gram

Junior Staff Commodore: Eric Swartz

Secretary: Linnea Von Wissman

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Randy Alcorn, Mike Taylor, Dominic Cortese, Dan Decesare, Jeff Birdt, Pablo Crandall Plascencia 

In November we can look forward to our Thanksgiving Potluck and Monday Night Football hosted by Joleen Darland. With the racing season slowing down, there is still plenty to do on the water. Take advantage of some great seasonal windows for island cruising. It is also a great time to prepare for the Parade of Lights, scheduled in our harbor for Saturday December 11th. Theme this year is Jingle Jungle. We will be announcing a meeting at the club for those of you who want to help dress up club boat Piper, or submit your boat on behalf of AYC.
Eric Swartz, AYC Commodore

CLUB DINNERS AND SOCIAL EVENTS:

Here's what's happening at our clubhouse in November: 

NOVEMBER 6 SATURDAY - Dinner: Young "Bear" Geitzen

NOVEMBER 8 MONDAY - MNF Beer & Brats: Bears at Steelers 

NOVEMBER 13 SATURDAY - Dinner: Dave Naughton & Sarah Rudolph

NOVEMBER 15 MONDAY - MNF Beer & Brats: Rams at 49ers

NOVEMBER 19 FRIDAY - Dinner: Thanksgiving Potluck & General Meeting

NOVEMBER 22 MONDAY - MNF Beer & Brats: Giants at Buccaneers

NOVEMBER 26-27 FRIDAY & SATURDAY - Club Dark for Thanksgiving

NOVEMBER 29 MONDAY - MNF Beer & Brats: Seahawks at Redskins

Dinner and camaraderie at the club

“They say it’s your birthday. We’re gonna have a good time. I’m glad its your birthday. Happy birthday to you…”

—The Beatles

Here are the November birthdays for the membership.  Happy Early Birthday!

 Paul Derby 11-4

 Russell Bigler 11-8

 John Koesterer 11-9

 Kiyoko Fitch 11-16

 Laura Swartz - 11-18

 Angie Frausto Gram 11-30

 Elyse Weise-Gorney 11-30

Linnea von Wissmann, AYC Secretary

very light wind

RACE COMMITTEE REPORT

At this time only thing to report is results of the first two of the race series. The last race of the Two Harbor Fall Series is on 11/13/21.

Thank you,

Todd Turner, AYC Race Committee Chair

TWO HARBORS FALL SERIES RACE #1 (10/9/21)

CLASS Spin A placed: RIVAL-1st, FAT TUESDAY-2nd , NO COMPROMISE-3rd, CIRRUS -4th

CLASS Non-Spin placed: VELERO-1st, GRACE-2nd, RUNAWAY-3rd, CHUBASCO-4th

TWO HARBORS FALL SERIES RACE #2 (10/30/21)

CLASS Spin A placed: RIVAL-1st, FAT TUESDAY- DNF, NO COMPROMISE- DNF, RISA- DNF, STAMPEDE- DNF, CIRRUS- DNF

CLASS Non-Spin placed: CHUBASCO-1ST, VELERO-DNF, GRACE-DNF, RUNAWAY-DNF

Searching for the perfect spot to anchor at Santa Cruz Island

CRUISING COMMENTS

This month didn’t see a lot of club cruising but several club members did spend some time at the local islands.

If you plan to sail to (?) for (?) amount of time and want company please group mail the rest of us and let us know.

It is becoming more evident that trips to the local islands on holidays is becoming more and more challenging due to over crowding of the island anchorages making enjoyment of a three day weekends not very relaxing. With 42 boats in Pelican, I don’t think I want to do that again ! It appears that our one day runs to Frenchy’s and overnight cruise/races to Smugglers on the weekends seem to be the most popular. If you have any suggestions for this next year’s cruising events please let me know. icnugram@aol.com. Happy Holidays and may your anchor never drag.
Michael Gram, AYC Cruising Chair, SV Compass Rose

The Ugly Fish Trophy is back!

In a friendly competition between local yacht clubs, 5 AYC boats showed up for the 20th Annual CAREGIVERS Sailathon on 17 October to take the Ugly Fish Trophy.

Jeff Birdt’s- Abide, Gary Goodman’s- Alcyone, Angie Frausto’s- Chubasco, Jordan Eller’s- Khira and Dave Gourney’s- No Compromise and crews did laps around a marked triangle course in front of the Ventura Pier from 1200 to 1400. Boats competed for the most laps and to raise money to support the charity organization. 

The wind started out light and increased to more than 16 knots making things a little sporty, especially for our own Jeff Birdt on Abide who sailed the course single handed.  Good job Jeff - our hats are off to you, well the ones that didn't blow away.

After boats sailed as many laps as they could, skippers and crews went to Channel Islands Yacht Club, where there was plenty of snacks, a chili cook off and drink (for purchase) available. 

Sponsors and donors provided items ranging from gift baskets of wine, to decorative home or boat items for the silent auction and raffle.

The boats that did the most laps include Dave Chase’s- Uhambo of Ventura Yacht Club and Graham Dawson’s- Glen De Mar of Pierpont Bay Yacht Club  with Dave Chase winning the challenge and the trophy. 

CAREGIVERS serves hundreds of seniors throughout all of Ventura County – one of the largest aging populations in the nation!  Thanks to generous gifts from individuals, foundations, corporations and municipalities, CAREGIVERS continues to respond to the important needs of homebound and frail elders.

This years CAREGIVERS Sailathon raised more than 22,000 dollars. Thank you all for participating.

See you on the water.

Randy Alcorn, 2011 Staff Commodore 

DID YOU KNOW?

Small Changes, Good Advice, an Editorial

Are you a racer or cruiser or both? I probably consider myself both but when you are cruising you get to stay out longer and have a fridge to keep your beer cold.

I became very frustrated last year because I was always coming in last in all the races and was routinely beaten. I went to the P.R.O. and complained that that certain boats ratings were unfair! He gave me the best race advice I think I ever heard. It’s not your rating that needs to change, it’s your ability to sail your boat better. I used to think I was a pretty good sailor but obviously not, so I took his advise.

A.S.A. has numerous excellent webinars as well as well as excellent articles written by professional skippers. Backstay tension, sail draft, cunningham, luff tension, car placement etc. play a major roll when seconds count. I didn’t know that in light wind conditions your main sail draft should be approximately 15% of your mainsail foot length! I have tried to put all this information to good use and we are doing much better. It has not only made me a better racer but a much better cruiser. Do you want to get to Hawaii in 14 days or 16 days ?

Submitted by Michael Gram, AYC Cruising Chair,SV Compass Rose/Chubasco

We at the Main Sheet would welcome any “Did You Know?” articles that you would like to share.

PIPER UPDATE

Let’s dress her up for the upcoming parade! If you have any ideas/time please step up. Thank you.
Angie Frausto Gram, AYC Rear Commodore