Menantic Yacht Club: Sailors were ready — wind was not
Menantic Yacht Club’s 2023 season is in full swing and it’s shaping up to be a successful summer.
We had many returning members and many new faces this past Sunday for our first Sunfish race of the season, including some who learned about the club from my Reporter column published two weeks ago. A total of 27 sailors participated in the fun on Sunday, a very respectable showing for the first day.
Welcome newcomers Dave Daly, Ben Gonzalez, Amy Cococcia, Elsie Rose, Isabel Parra, Joan Butler, Eugene van Rynbach, and Kevin Keegan. Dave and Ben will be permanent fixtures on the stake boat along with Elsie, who may also sail and replace Will Lehr as the youngest member of the club. Kudos to Doug Rose, who flies up from Virginia every week to join us.
With Commodore Pete and Sallie enjoying Florida this summer, we no longer have access to the little red house, so we held our skippers’ meeting at Commodore Pete’s Landing, aka the North Silver Beach Town Landing, which is our new “non-clubhouse.” I will approach the town to see if we will be allowed to place a sign renaming the landing. At the meeting, we reacquainted ourselves with old friends and met new ones. Course sheets that were laminated thanks to Linda Gibbs were passed out, and everyone signed waivers that Peter Beardsley had printed. We went over other club business, including voting for officers, which will take place at the annual meeting/awards banquet on the last day of racing. The meeting was short, as everyone was anxious to get on the water. It was good to connect with everyone.
I was watching the weather very closely this past week, hoping for sunshine and wind in the 8-to-10 knot range. Well, we got the sun, but definitely not the wind. I don’t believe that in the history of the MYC a race was ever abandoned in midstream because of lack of wind. That is until Sunday, when the first race of the day ended with three blasts of the horn after about 20 minutes due to the utter lack of wind. During the hour and ten minutes that we drifted, the sailors were talking, laughing, swimming and hoping to see some ripples on the water. The un-sailable conditions lasted until about 3:40 p.m., when the wind picked up and the Committee was able to complete three short races.
Doug Wefer won the first race of the day and the Windels Trophy as a result. Doug placed second overall even though he suffered a broken rudder just after rounding the leeward mark in the last race, which he managed to repair on the fly. Paul Zinger placed first overall on a boat he hoped was sea worthy, with Peter Beardsley placing third. The sailing was competitive, and there were some very congested mark roundings. With the light wind there were no flips, even accidental, but many people went swimming to cool off.
Betsy Colby is the MYC PRO for the season; she and her crew of Marian Thomsen, Mary Ellen Wefer, Debbie Davision, and Melissa Shepstone did a superb job under very trying circumstances. Thank you all, for a job well done.
Matt Fox and Betty Bishop captained the stake boats, assisted by Richard Masse and newcomers Diana Keegan, Dave, Ben, Elsie and Amy. Some of them were seen swimming and all had a good time. Thank you, all.
Many thanks to Linda Gibbs and Tom McMahon, who hosted a very well-attended after-race party. Master Griller Tom prepared hamburgers and hot dogs, ably assisted by his son Leo and Leo’s best friend A.J. Sunmonu. There was also a wide assortment of side dishes and desserts brought by the attendees. Prior to feasting, the first order of business was Betsy’s announcement of the day’s scoring. Next, Paul and Peter gave a short clinic on sailing technique and strategy which was very helpful and questions were answered. The camaraderie was evident, and naturally the conversation centered on sailing, although there were many other conversations going on as well.
We are a very congenial club, open to all, with no dues, no fees and no clubhouse. The sailing is great, the camaraderie is superb, and we just have tremendous fun. All sailors, novice to expert, are welcome. Just show up in West Neck Harbor at 2 p.m. on any Sunday through Labor Day, check in with the Race Committee, giving them your full name and sail number, and be sure to bring your life jacket. Non-sailors are also welcome to assist with the Race Committee boat and the stake boat. You can get more information about the MYC at the MYC website: MenanticYC.com, MYC Facebook page: Menantic Yacht Club, or from Bob Harris at ([email protected]). Steve and Melissa Shepstone have a fleet of loaner boats available on a first to reserve basis. Contact Ellen Leonforte at 914-450-1450 or ([email protected]) to reserve your boat.
See you on the water.
PTS PLACE
Paul Zinger 4 1
Doug Wefer 9 2
Peter Beardsley 11 3
John Modica 18 4
Kevin Keegan 19 5
Doug Rose 20 6
Bob Harris 26 7
Steve Shepstone 28 8
Rich Prieto 29 9
Brandt Davidson 32 10
Charlie Modica 33 11
Rachel Beardsley 35 12
Eugene Van Rynbach 39 13
Alicia Rojas 42 14
Linda Gibbs 44 15
Jodi Sisley 47 16
Joan Butler 49 17
Bill Martens 52 18
Tom McMahon 57 19
John Colby 61 20
Will Lehr 62 21
Denise Fenchel 63 22
Jonathan Brush 63 23
Kate Duff 66 24
George Zinger 68 25
Ellen Leonforte 76 26
Isabel Parra 82 27
