High Tidings October 2022
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Upcoming Events
October Wednesday evenings – Grill Night
Monday October 10th – Last Day of Launch Service
Wednesday October 12th 5:30 pm – Membership event at the Club.
Friday October 28th 6 pm – Halloween Party
Tuesday November 1st 6:30 pm - NCYC Board Meeting at the Club
Sunday November 6th 4 pm – NCYC Annual Meeting
Sunday November 6th after the Board Meeting – Penny Lane Pub
Saturday November 12th – NCYC Club Cleanup
Bookmark the NCYC Calendar: https://www.northcoveyc.com/calendar
Commodore Remarks
As the 2022 boating season comes to an end, there are a few reminders:
· Annual Meeting – I hope to see everyone at the Annual Meeting on Sunday November 6 at 4 pm. Attendance at the NCYC Annual Meeting is critical - there needs to be a quorum of members present to vote on the new slate of Club officers, the budget and any other official business such as by-law changes. After the meeting we will head to Penny Lane pub to toast the outgoing Board and welcome the new Board and Flag Officers.
· Moorings - Don’t forget to put an orange ribbon on your mooring. This tells Scot Mitchell to place your mooring on the NCYC property
· Stewards - Don’t forget your Stewards. The Stewards not only serve as Launch Drivers but as Stewards of the Club. They maintain the Club House, grounds, waterfront, and fleet on a day-to-day basis, helping members as needed.
· Club Cleanup – Saturday November 12th at 9:30 am will be the club cleanup. This is always a “all hands-on deck” event to winterize the clubhouse and fleet.
Although the boating season has ended, the NCYC Board continues to work throughout the winter. Work includes:
· Filling Club Positions – I want to thank all those who have stepped up and helped for me for the last couple of years. The following positions are open. Please let VC Vinciguerra know if you are willing to help with:
o Clubhouse Reservations
o Grounds
o In-House Chair
o Moorings, Dock & Dinghy Racks
· Replacement of the Deck and new flagpole installation – We continue to look for a builder for the Deck.
· Dumpster enclosure – Volunteers are needed to help expand and enclose the dumpster and septic cover.
· Launch work – We will be having “parties” this winter to work on the launch. Don’t miss out of the fun.
Membership:
On Wednesday, October 12th, the Membership Committee will be hosting one last Membership event for the season. If you know anyone that may be interested in hearing about NCYC Membership, send Commodore Miller an email.
Storm over North Cove
A beautiful weekend for the Mattituck mini cruise
Launch Operations
Greetings & Salutations Fellow NCYC Members,
Another marine season has come to an end on our beautiful and picturesque North Cove. Here we are again moving through our final routines of tucking away our boats for the winter, enjoying some final days of fellowship at the club, assisting with work groups, attending the annual meeting, and eventually closing the club for the season. As we attend to all these things and button up, let’s remember the NCYC crew of Launch Captains. Please stand with me and extend a heartfelt thank you for their hard work, reliability and loyalty to the stewardship of the club during our 2022 season.
As you may or may not know, our Launch Captains serve a dual role as Club Stewards ensuring that the club is opened and a welcoming place for our members and guests. At the days-end these are the folks closing the club and ensuring that all is secured. I want to take this opportunity to offer our Steward’s home addresses. There may have been an occasion where you received exceptional service or perhaps there were several trips to and from your boats with guests and baggage in poor weather. Here’s an opportunity to say we didn’t forget, and thanks for being there when we needed you. Gratuities are not required here at North Cove, however it’s always nice to receive a note with some kind words and a little something extra to close out the season.
On behalf of all the Stewards, I thank you for the kindness and patience you showed throughout the season. North Cove Yacht Club members remain a great bunch of Old Salts! Cheers to another enjoyable and rewarding season at our stern. Our memories on the water, good times, and the friendships we’ve made along the way will surely last a lifetime. I wish you and your families a safe and enjoyable winter. I look forward to seeing you all at the next gathering.
Bill Porter / Board of Governors
Launch Operations
Our Club Stewards/Launch Captains
Tatiana (Tanya) Anderson
32 River Road
Old Saybrook, CT. 06475
Michael Misset
26 Deer Path Lane
North Branford, CT. 06471
Stefan Golicz
536 Main Street
Old Saybrook, CT. 06475
Jack Cardello
2 Deerfield Road
Old Saybrook, CT 06475
Activities Report
September was another busy month. We had a meeting to finish planning the last few activities, which was very well attended. We had free yoga sessions twice a week, courtesy of newly certified yoga instructor, Cheryl Miller. Thank you, Cheryl! We look forward to many more years of you helping us with our practice.
On September 11th we had Frank Andrews and his mobile kitchen at the club for pizza night. He and his co chef, Max, kept cranking out gourmet pizzas like you may never have experienced before. Especially memorable were the blueberry, goat cheese and arugula and their signature pear pizza. Who knew fruit on pizza could taste so good? We finally had to go out and tell them they could stop making pizza, as we were all feeling quite stuffed. We would love to have them back in the future. There was also salad and dessert and lots of camaraderie. Thank you to all of you who helped and contributed to this wonderful get together.
Oktoberfest was the last event of September held on the 30th for the end of month social gathering. It was a great turn out as always. We will most likely continue to have this event in the fall, because who doesn’t like a good bratwurst and a beer? Thank you to all who helped with this event, specifically, Lauren and Rich Peters who chaired the event, Kathy Reddington and her husband Frank Borzenski, Cathy and Bob Murphy, Caroline and David Miller, Carolyn Turner, Janet Vinciguerra, Lucy Armstrong Driggs, Linda Tuzzio, Nancy Miller, Jennifer and Karl Frost, Cheryl and Mark Miller and of course Pete Jenkin and his band, the Old Sauerkraut Band. I’m sure I may be forgetting a few, but we are so appreciative of your help. Thank you so much.
Thank you to all my activities members and non who helped the following day with the memorial service for our great friend Peggy Stump. You are all such giving, energetic people.
ON THE RADAR:
Please mark your calendars for the LAST social gathering of the season, October 28, at 6 pm. This will be a Halloween party with heavy, and spooky appetizers. Costumes are encouraged but optional. Watch the weekly emails for the link to sign up to help. As this is a social gathering night, you may bring your set ups and BYOB or make a donation for a howling, signature cocktail. And as mentioned already, this will be an appetizer-only evening. Start thinking about your costumes and if you are able to help either in set up, clean up, or be in the kitchen. Sign up at the link below or get in touch with Melissa Clark (860-848-1813 / maclark307@gmail.com) or Lucy Armstrong Driggs (860-510-6944 /lucy.driggs@gmail.com).
The fall meeting will be on Sunday November 6 at 1600 (4 p.m) followed by a get-together at PennyLane Pub at 1700. Mark your calendars for this important meeting.
Thank you for helping and attending all of our events in September.
Ann Chan and Cathy Murphy
Activities co-Chairs
Junior Sailing
Pete Stump donated a new-to-us 420 in memory of Peg. Lou V. says this will move our racers to the top of the fleet for every regatta we enter next summer! Thank you so much, Pete!
From the Chaplain
Poem from Peggy Stump’s Memorial Service
Gone From My Sight
I am standing upon the seashore. A ship, at my side,
spreads her white sails to the moving breeze and starts
for the blue ocean. She is an object of beauty and strength.
I stand and watch her until, at length, she hangs like a speck
of white cloud just where the sea and sky come to mingle with each other.
Then, someone at my side says, "There, she is gone."
Gone where?
Gone from my sight. That is all. She is just as large in mast,
hull and spar as she was when she left my side.
And, she is just as able to bear her load of living freight to her destined port.
Her diminished size is in me -- not in her.
And, just at the moment when someone says, "There, she is gone,"
there are other eyes watching her coming, and other voices
ready to take up the glad shout, "Here she comes!"
Thursday Night Racing
the Last Thursday Night Race of the season.
It has been yet another memorable summer of Thursday Night racing, with several new NCYC members participating, and even winning races.
A race occurred almost every Thursday night this year; it was rare when racing was cancelled because it was either too stormy or there was not enough wind to race. Happily, nearly every Thursday evening race was visited with at least 8-12 knots of wind, just enough to get the heavier boats moving and strong enough to allow the smaller and lighter boats to beat out the larger heavier boats. Occasionally, a warm downpour accompanied the sailing, but what the hay? The damp clothes dry up quickly back in the clubhouse eating a hamburger/hot dog meal cooked by Linda Tuzzio.
This year saw vast improvement in the racing fleet. The sailors learned and applied the rules of racing. They learned and utilized the tides and currents of Long Island Sound to their advantage and improved the timing of their starts. Sailors paid attention to race committee instructions.
At dinner, they discussed subjects such as sail draft, smooth bottoms, mast adjustments, weight distributions, and application of racing rules. Sailors improved their sail trimming techniques so that their boats go faster — even if it amounts to a small fraction of a knot more.
Many races, even long distant races are lost by fractions of a second just because the boat isn’t where the wind is, a sail wasn’t optimally trimmed fast enough at any given time, or any host of reasons that crews experience. Through trial and error, a crew can overcome these hindrances to make their boat and team come over the finish line first.
It was apparent this summer that all of the racers were out there to win.
However, there is consolation in losing. Rarely does anyone come away from a race without learning something about themselves, their fellow crew mates, their boat, and yes, there were many exceptional sunsets, dinners, and dinner conversation to enjoy this summer. But everyone very much wants to win! Or at least be “in the money.”
Meanwhile, our race committee and race officers are improving and developing expertise in running races. They attend racing seminars, and occasionally work with nearby yacht clubs’ race committees for improvement and coaching. NCYC is very fortunate to have a race committee that is so dedicated to running Thursday night racing. They use their own boats as the Race Committee boat and chase boats. The Race Committee usually has to stay on station during a race no matter what the wave action is, wind conditions, or any host of unpleasant inconveniences. They do this all for us —the NCYC Thursday night racers.
Not all of the sailors in our club race. Some use their boats for day sailing, some for cruising. These are time honored NCYC activities. But, almost every boat over 23 feet has a PHRF rating which handicaps boats that are racing. So, almost everyone can take even an old sailing barge and race with us. You will not be disappointed.
Your navigation will improve and your sailing skills will improve. You’ll learn more about wind by the smell of the increasing wind, by feeling the sensation of a wind change upon your neck, and observing how the changing tide affects wind speed and wind direction. You’ll experience how the heat of an afternoon’s summer day affects the breeze off Knollwood/Fenwick/Cornfield Point Beach, and see how a school of fish can indicate wind speed, direction, and changing tide. Something as simple as how the flags are flying in Fenwick, or any host of natural observations will positively affect how you sail your boat on to victory.
All of the above, forces sailors to become better sailors, since they have to be more in tune with the environment of wind, tides, cloud formations, boat-bottom to water-friction, sail trim, navigation, and anything that makes their boat faster than other boats. However, this knowledge take time to develop and apply. Knowledge that can be developed by committing oneself to Thursday Night Racing. Please consider racing with us next year starting approximately the end of May and ending in the beginning of September. And this year, starting October 9th please consider representing NCYC in Frost Bite Racing on the Connecticut River off Essex and Essex Corinthian Yacht Clubs.
Faithfully reported by,
Joe Carroll
The overall results of the 2022 Thursday Night Racing Series are…
Congratulations everyone!
The Racing Doesn’t End on Thursdays
NCYC has its Outer Light Regatta and the Belle 8 race in honor of Anne Troy, but other clubs also sponsor races that our club members participate in.
Congratulations to NCYC member Chris Griffin for placing 4th out of 17 in the fleet, and 2nd in his class at Duck Island Yacht Club's First Annual Bill’s [Seafood] Cup Regatta. He and the redoubtable Rob Hathaway double-handed Chris's boat, Shearwater, after which they enjoyed dinner and mudslides compliments of DIYC.
Off Soundings
Off Soundings, put on by the Off Soundings Club took place on September 16-17. This two-day race goes from New London to Greenport NY the first day, and thence around Gardiners Bay the second day. Day one, a magnificent fleet of boats set sail…in theory. Except there was no wind; so much no wind that even the spinnakers were deflated.
There was a lot of drifting. The captain and crew on Shearwater were thrilled to reach 0.8 knots. As Shearwater drifted closer and closer to Race Rock, they kept their cool (sort of) and hoped that the current would pull them away, which, at the last minute, it did.
Race rock from Shearwater
The much-vaunted after-party in Greenport did not disappoint with its coolers of pre-mixed drinks, but one Shearwater crew member needed to go to sleep earlier than most (apparently.) As the captain informed this crewmember when she was heading back to the boat to retire, “You’re not doing Off Soundings right, Deb.”
(But remember those breakfast sandwiches and coffee this early riser delivered to you guys while you were still sleeping it off? We all have our roles to play and we must be allowed to play them.)
The following day there were hopes for some wind, which developed on the first two legs, but the third or fourth (downwind; a tack that is rapidly becoming a certain crew person’s least favorite) had no wind, and Shearwater once again poked along, as her captain and crew shared even more stories of their lives.
The highlight was seeing the dolphins (and be sure to turn up your volume so you can hear Amy greeting them.)
Cross Sound Challenge
This year Gumdrop, Madaket, Osprey, and Shearwater represented North Cove Yacht Club in Essex Corinthian Yacht Club’s Cross Sound Challenge regatta on September 24. It was supposed to be a very windy day and Osprey’s crew was ready.
Disappointingly, the wind lightened considerably, and the lighter, faster boats got the glory. Although Osprey, with its full spinnaker, takes the award for most beautiful boat out there. (Not that we’re partial to NCYC boats, oh no.)
As Joe Carroll has pointed out in his lovely essays, racing has many facets, a major one of which is the camaraderie. Please consider racing next season–and women, consider the Belle 8 race, where a woman has to be at the helm. It’s a great deal of fun.
Belle 8
The Belle 8 race, in memory of expert racer and NCYC member Anne Troy, took place on September 10 and had a healthy number of boats entered this year, all with a woman at the helm, as per race rules. The other (unofficial) rule for this race (thought up by the captains on the launch on the way out to their boats) “You don’t have to bring back the same number of crew you started with.” Hmmmm...tiresome boyfriend or husband, anyone?
There was a very strong current on the initial windward leg, followed by an easy downwind leg and a finishing beam reach. The trick was to get around the first mark, which basically took forever. The committee boat, Sea Horse, with Rob Hathaway, Linda Tuzzio, Pete Stump, and Diane Stark on board waited patiently (as they always do.)
A lively pizza and beer party at the Club afterward brought a wonderful day to a close.
The Results:
First place: Osprey, captained by Sara Ferrier
Second place: Seacant, captained by Amy Vinciguerra
Third place: Bianca*, captained by Arden Rand
Fourth place: Kewalo, captained by Deb Paulson
Fifth place: Madaket, captained by Sharon Tracy and friends
Sixth place: Rascal, captained by Susan Wheeler
*Fittingly, Bianca was Anne Troy’s beloved boat.
the Belle 8 skippers. From left to right, Arden Rand, Sharon Tracy, Sara Ferrier, Amy Vinciguerra, Deb Paulson, susan Wheeler, and Sharon’s friends
Photo Credits: Ann Chan, Lisa Elliot, Chris Griffin, Melissa Mason, Caroline Miller, Dan O’Malley, Deb Paulson, Lauren Peters, Pete Stump, Linda Tuzzio, Amy Vinciguerra, Janet Vinciguerra,