On Thursday, February 21, a Town Hall meeting was held to present the findings of the committee and what actions will be taken next.  Approximately 30 members attended and all seemed pleased with excellent presentation.

The committee's mandate is to consider whether the hauling and launching of boats with masts up is feasible for boats stored in the crane yard as well as the railway yard, in response to member request as well as large mast safety.  The committee will NOT recommend whether anyone should haul their boat with the mast up nor will this procedure become mandatory.

The logistics of hauling and launching a boat with mast up was explained with detailed drawings as well as the effect this will have on the overall haul and launch operations.  Major considerations include the additional time required as well as costs, and how the process could best be integrated with ABYC's current processes.

Due to yard space constraints and the requirement to segregate these boats, this will only be available for a limited number of boats.  The plan is to run trials, start small, and develop the process carefully, with appropriate checks and balances along the way.

The next step is to conduct a survey.  This will be announced in the next few weeks in Ship2Shore.  After the survey results and all other available information is assembled, the Board will be brought up-to-date.  It is expected that the membership will be updated at the General Meeting in April. 

At launch this spring, there will be tests conducted on volunteer boats in both yards to determine how much additional time will be involved in launching and hauling boats with masts up.  The results of the spring trials will be evaluated during the summer as well as a review of the procedures required.  The demand for haul with mast up will be reviewed in the fall and a maximum of 10 boats that can be hauled with mast up in the crane yard (5 in the rail yard) will be identified.  A pre-haul meeting with the owners of the identified boats will be held prior to haul-out to review procedures and requirements.

Mike Filey Lecture - March 21, 2013

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The Mike Filey lecture originally announced for March 7th will be held on March 21st.  Mike Filey, Toronto's renowned Historian will be telling the story of the Toronto Waterfront through historic pictures and their contemporary updates.

His - My "Toronto Then and Now" hour-long Powerpoint presentation features a selection of rare old photos juxtaposed against contemporary views of the city.  Special emphasis is placed on views across Toronto's fast changing waterfront.                         

A BRIEF BIOGRAPHY OF MIKE FILEY

Mike Filey was born in Toronto in 1941.  Educated at North Toronto Collegiate Institute and from 1962-65 at Ryerson Polytechnical Institute where he received a diploma in Chemical Technology.  Following a nine-year stint with the Ontario Water Resources Commission (renamed the Ontario Ministry of the Environment), Mike decided to pursue employment in the fields of event planning and public relations with the Canadian National Exhibition (1974-79 & 1983 - 1985) and at Canada's Wonderland (1979-1982).

Over the past few years he has turned his interests to researching and recording the fascinating history of his hometown.  He has written more than  two dozen books on various facets of Toronto's past.  One of his most popular books is "The TTC Story, the First 75 Years".  Mike came by his desire to record the history of the Toronto Transit Commission honestly, having first relied on the Commission's streetcars to get him to and from the Bathurst and St. Clair Branch of the public library from his home at 758 Bathurst Street (top floor flat over the bicycle store) when he was just 8 years old - "and if you get lost, tell the policeman your phone number is Melrose 2154".  Other titles include "I Remember Sunnyside", "A Toronto Portrait", "Toronto, Then and Now", "Toronto Sketches, The Way We Were" (Volumes 1 thru 11) and "Trillium and Toronto Island, the Centennial Edition".

Mike has contributed a popular column titled "The Way We Were", to the Toronto Sunday Sun newspaper for more than 30 years.  He is also featured on his own radio show on the New AM 740 at 12:30 noon on Sundays (also available on the Internet via www.am740.ca and in "blog" format anytime).  Mike also hosts guided tours of Toronto as well as presenting illustrated presentations, the most popular of which is titled "Toronto, Then and Now".

Mike remembers a horse trough at the Bathurst and Bloor corner, some guy named Mirvish running a store just along the street, seeing the movie "The Wizard of Oz" over and over again at the late, lamented Alhambra Theatre (now the site of a Swiss Chalet restaurant) and, especially, the nearby Downyflake donut shop where he learned his first piece of poetry:

    As you go through life brother,

    Whatever be your goal,

    Keep your eye upon the donut

    And not upon the hole.

- from Jim Allen

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On Friday Feb. 22nd Meredith Cutting returned to ABYC and as usual his loyal followers were  rewarded with an excellent evening of entertainment.  Meredith mixed Down East music in with John Denver, Peter, Paul and Mary and Johnny Cash just to mention a few.

During his rendition of the City of New Orleans he was joined by the ABYC Male Chorus as seen in the picture.  The chorus wisely let Julius and Martin have the microphone, so they sounded half way decent.

A truly enjoyable 3 hours of entertainment as Meredith gave his, as always high energy performance.  

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Cruising on Board the Veleda IV

Both those interested in offshore sailing or who just enjoy a good sailing yarn or watching a fine travelogue, come follow the Veleda IV as she visits the fjords of Newfoundland down to the reefs of the Yucatan. Aubrey and Judy Millard will share their experiences on board their Ontario 32 and their over 15 years cruising experience.

How To Find Competent Crew and Encourage Them To Come Back

Of interest to those who may not as yet have a boat of their own, Robert Beriault will talk about the extensive sailing he has done while crewing on other peoples' boats, how to make contact with skippers and provide advise to skippers on how to find and keep crew.  His book, "Sailor without a Boat: How I Sailed on Other People's Yachts and Lived to Tell About It" says it all. 

First speaker - 7:30 p.m.