Tiramisu took home his first victory this season in the Jack Island  Doublehanded Race, "three score and ten" now that's a big number! Jerry Vanderveen brought it home for those young'uns. In the Jack and Jill lovebird division who else but our own Windermere Regatta chairs Capt Mike and first mate Jamie.(sign up now!) For those that like to do it by themselves John Gunn got the bullet in the SH class. 8 boats and 4 winners!
In Seattle, where the big boys play, in the Sperry NOOD Regatta @ Shilshole our very own Commodore dominated the Viper class, while Ian and Joy Sloan were battling in their F-18. 4 races each day and boats from mini 12's to 6 meters makes this a terrific regatta.
This Wednesday the 22nd features an old skool Guemes Channel race if the winds and current allow, look for the start line near Randy's pier 66 and a turning mark near the West end of Guemes. Of course if the wind gods don't cooperate this plan could change. No points at stake here so take it easy and enjoy the evening. This race dates back to the day when skippers didn't want to crash their boat the day before they left for Swiftsure, or maybe it was  because Handyman was typically out of the water, but I digress. In any case Swiftsure!
Swiftsure is the grand daddy of them all, actually several races in one. First the race to the bank, Icon will compete for line honors skippered by Kevin Welch, Doug Fryer and his big old woody  Nightrunner will attempt to chase them down on corrected time. Passepartout fresh off the ocean from Oregon will compete in the Neah Bay course. Our favorite scorer Kyle Saum will attempt to score in the Juan de Fuca race to Clallam Bay and back. Wild Rumpus skippered by the lovely  Stephanie Schwenk will find her competition in the inshore races that finish at RVYC this year. Goto the Swiftsure website and follow the action via the tracker system each boat carries.
Sign up for Windermere. Please register for Windermere. Windermere Regatta is typically the biggest event of the year at AYC and it really helps to know how many of what to buy from trophies to T shirts to paper plates!

The 37th annual Oregon Offshore Race started Thursday the 9th in Astoria, Oregon. What is it about blue hulled boats and AYC? ICON is always tearing up the race course with all the newest gadgetry, Teddy Bear does it old school with strategery and homecooked family style, in this case Passepartout skippered by Pete Shainin and ably assisted by former Commodore Jerry Vanderveen, Arty,Vince, Dean, Bryan and some new faces too! The trip down proved nav instruments not required as the Windex pointed to the destination the entire way. A skippers meeting featuring the longest raffle in yachting history, and it was down the Great Columbia River for a ten am start. A humpback whale actually breached here two years ago and took the rig out of a Beneteau 36 named ....wait for it...L'Orca. (Truly this did happen) In any case with more whales spotted in the start area, crews were on high alert. Passepartout led out to the West first across the start line chased by a fleet of 27 boats. (check out their website for all the details) Winds were North at ten knots and built into the twenties the first night. Westerlies wre predicted and most boats rounded the Duntze Rock corner near Flattery sometime on Friday. The classic spinnaker run down the Starit of Juan de Fuca the obligatory fireworks going through Race Rocks and a coast to the finish. Passepartout earned a deuce in class B.
In other news:
New plan for Wednesday nights seems to be popular lots of boats and smiling faces
Syndicat wins Sucia Island Race (after so many victories is this still news?)
New sail loft in town Ulman Sails located at MSC
Your race chair sailed to a class victory aboard SC-27 Bladerunner at Oregon Offshore
Anacortes Rigging owners Ian and Joy have volunteered to be RC for first Wednesday night series.
Commodore Steve took his Lido to Oregon for spring racing. He owns a lot of boats!
Big Blue Show ICON 1st to finish at SYC Protection Island
Swiftsure around the corner let's represent for AYC!

Last year at the Waterfront Festival, AYC gave around 300 people the chance to get out on the water, some for the first time. We play a huge part in the success of this event and it's a great time to promote Anacortes Yacht Club and boating in general. We still need boats, skippers and dock crew to help out.

Please go to https://ayc.memberclicks.net/index.php?option=com_mc&view=mc&mcid=form_143020%20 to volunteer.
If you have questions, please contact:
Catherine Bearce:  bearce@comcast.net      360 708-9725
Bob Neumann: rneumann@wlgore.com

The weather is here, we wish you were.

Sunshine, wind and Walt behind the grill, this is guaranteed to make your workweek better. If God covered 3/4 of the Earth with water he must have intended for you to spend some time out on that whale pasture. Be on the start line or simply show up for a delicious meal and a cup of cheer.

Mark your calendar for Wednesday April 24th @1800, that's 6pm for an informative evening regarding everything you ever needed to know about Wednesday nights at AYC. Whether you are a seasoned salt or just a newbie, if you are a skipper looking for crew or an out of work foredeck ape come on down. We will review how to fire up the BBQ, what the start sequence is, the new No Flying Sails div that starts 1st this year, where the keys to the chase boat are hidden, how many buns to buy and where to dump the trash. The first race is scheduled for May 1st and the fine folks at Anacortes Rigging and Yacht Service have volunteered to do committee duties for the first series. These folks know what they're doing so if you are interested in this kind of work let them know you're available and it is likely they will work you in. Fred Abelman will fill you in on getting qualified to run the chase boat and my first wife (and current) Stephanie Schwenk will describe how cooking duties are handled. Goto the Racing section here on the website to see which night you're in the barrel, if you are going to be cruising or otherwise outa town find someone to trade nights with. Let's have some fun!

If the Anacortes Yacht Club was a sailing ship, no barnacles are growing on her hull.  The first quarter spied her crowding on the canvas from Foul Weather Race and Cruise to the Tulip Regatta (both terrific successes).  These events bracketed the big project, the expansion of the Club itself, which began with serious excavation work on March 25, 2013,  the day after the Ground Breaking which witnessed four gold shovels and two gold clam diggers wielded first by the current Board, then by attending past Commodores and finally by those present at the ground breaking for the current club house.   Although the work to date has not disrupted the interior of the Club, parking is now more limited, but footings have been poured and the forms are in for the downstairs walls.  (By the way, the Club raised its targeted $170,000 via member promissory notes in barely two weeks time- congratulate yourselves!)  Vince Henley prepared all the documentation so that in the future the Club will be zoned Commercial Marine instead of Residential which will remove the extended conditional use permitting process.

In between the major racing/cruising events,  Race Chair Andy Schwenk has Saturday long distance racing in full swing, Vice Commodore Sean Kelly has pulled off three terrific General Meetings, Bill Short has kept the Club fed with an at least an equal amount of $5 Buck Nights, Fred Abelman and his host of AYC volunteers ran a full-on High School Team Racing Regatta at Seafarer's Park and the Club hosted Dick Rose, ISAF Rules Review Committee Chair, to bring the sailors up to speed on the recent changes to the Racing Rules of Sailing.  Jerry Ball has the burners hot for a great cruising season.  Meanwhile MarKay Neumann, Member Chair,  signed up a host (I lost count) of new members while turning out the 2013 Roster.  We also upgraded the ownership of our web site and have planned a more user friendly interface.  And do not forget that Rear Commodore Jerry Reilly and his team of very dedicated volunteer keepers have the bar running like a smooth 12 year old Scotch.

Speaking of volunteers, not one of the activities listed above, plus the ones that I have forgotten to list, has been executed without active volunteers.  Often, we find the same dedicated club members signing up for duties and I want to urge all of you who have been riding on their shoulders to broaden our base.  I guarantee you will be valued, you will meet other great volunteers and you will have some fun.  Above all, hang on because the breeze is up at the Club and we are not shortening sail.

Steve Orsini
Commodore

Del Zane's great Tulip Regatta Photos are available for viewing now. There are three links to view the many pictures.Tulip Photos Group 1
Tulip Regatta Group 2
Tulip Photos Group 3

Last weekend's Tulip Regatta was warm and comfortable when viewed from the Committee boat. Brad Blymyer took videos and here's the condensed version for your enjoyment. (Two days in about 25 minutes)