I would like to congratulate the Members of the Board of Directors for their contribution to the successful General Meeting this past Monday.  It was quite evident to the members assembled at the GM that our Board is involved in the planning and executing of many projects.  It was also evident that membership support through the extending of their time and talents was an incredible help to them.  I thank the Membership, the Board, their Committee Chairs and Project Leaders for their work on behalf of the Club.  Much has been accomplished.

Last night, our Vice-Commodore of Financial Services, Axel Noriega guided us through an overview of the Budget and presented a Fees Structure that was deemed to be acceptable to the Membership.  Also passed was an extension of the year-old Trial Membership program that included a reduced Initiation with a graduated Boat Introduction Fee. There were no changes to the fees for that program.  The feedback that was received supported that it was an attractive one for new Members.  It was also an obligation under the terms of the Member Contribution program passed at last year's January GM, that Members vote on the hourly commitment and fee for deficit hours.  The Board proposed a schedule that was unchanged from this past year at 20 hours and $45 and it was received well and passed.

 

Also brought to the attention of the members present was the Member Contribution program.  Although it was mostly successful in its first year, and it has been reported that generally member contribution was up substantially as a result, we have quite a sizable number of members who have either not contributed, not reported, or wish just to make a dollar contribution.  Brought forward to the membership was the intention that we would give one last opportunity for members who wish to report 2012 hours to do so.  If you are short on your hours, you may receive a gentle reminder through the mail this week.  If this is you, you may call or send an email to Roxanne, Office Assistant at officeassistant@abyc.on.ca.  Please accomplish this by February 3, as the billing date is February 6.  Make it easy and just report an hour total and a one or two word description of the work that you accomplished.  

 

All in all, it was a fruitful meeting that was well-received with little issue.  On behalf of the Board, I wish to thank the Members who were in attendance.  It was very evident that our Club is healthy, extremely engaged, has a Vision, and is financially stable.

 

Congratulations everyone.

 

Respectfully submitted,  

 

Rick Humphrey, Commodore  

commodore@abyc.on.ca

 

- from ABYC Sailing Committee 

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ABYC Members advertise in the Events Book for 2013.  

Starting at $100.00 for a quarter page black & white ad; colour is only $125.00.   The cover pages have been taken by returning advertisers but space is available.

 

There is an option for everyone, from black & white or colour and full page to a 1/4 page business card,

 

 

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In response to member inquiries, a sub-committee has been created to review the potential of storing boats at ABYC with masts in place for those owners who are interested.  The Committee members are Peter Lancaster Brooks, Bruce Hannah, Bruce Morrison, Anthony Mirvish and Roy Little.

 

We will be holding a Town Hall information session on Thursday, 21 February, at 7pm, in the main hall of the club house.  This is your opportunity to learn what we have done to date, contribute to the decision making, and understand its impact on you.

 

In the week following the Town Hall we will be conducting a survey to round out the information gathering process.

 

Last week we inadvertently showed incorrect dates for two important events - the General Meeting and the Cruising Awards Night.  We apologize for these errors and hope they didn't cause anyone to miss either event.

That's the last time we use the Mayan calendar!

 

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We're off to see the Wizard....the wonderful Wizard of France!

 

Well, it may be that my next few months will be filled with excitement, confusion and the wizardry of the French racing coaches, but I don't think I'll be seeing Dorothy or Toto!  Nonetheless, it will be four months of an incredible voyage filled with training and being coached, learning new skills and practicing those skills, and loads and loads of math calculating tides, tidal gates, tidal streams....and maybe a few tides as wel!.

 

Yesterday (Tuesday), I flew to England to pick-up my new home....a Ford Transit van, and head to France on the ferry.  First objective in France is to gather up my boat from Douarnenez and all my possessions and head to the AOS yard in Lorient.  Then I'll join the ranks of the traveling mini caravan and all the other mini racers in their vans and set up residency in my van in the AOS yard.  I'm feeling very fortunate that I have a van to live in.  Many others only have their boat!  The training will run for two months on the weekends.  Then during the week I'll be out practicing some more.  I'll share back all the stories and as many pictures as possible.  

 

Once the training wraps up we move in to full race mode for another two months.  I only have two races left to complete to be fully qualified for the Transat race.  One of those qualifying races will be the Fastnet.  My co-skipper Andrew and I are very much looking forward to staring the dragon in the eye and kicking its sorry butt!  Then I'll be fully qualified and ready for the Transat Race in October!

 

Thank you to my ABYC family for being such a big part of making this happen.  Together we are going on an adventure of a lifetime and proudly carrying the ABYC burgee everywhere we go!

 

See you back on the docks in June!