SQUEEGEE. Summer 2012 Sausalito Yacht Club Established 1942

SQUEEGEE Summer 2012 ★ Sausalito Yacht Club ★ Established 1942 Marotta Yachts of Sausalito Brokers of Fine Sail and Motor Yachts 415/331-6200 • Fax ...
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SQUEEGEE Summer 2012 ★ Sausalito Yacht Club ★ Established 1942

Marotta Yachts of Sausalito Brokers of Fine Sail and Motor Yachts 415/331-6200 • Fax 415/331-6213 Email [email protected]

M AROTTA Y ACHTS

SAUSALITO Y ACHT CLUB

Sausalito, Gateway to San Francisco Bay Why we’re consistently one of the Bay Area’s most successful brokerages: • Full page ads every month in Latitude 38, California Yachts and Yachts for Sale • Great exposure at show dock on Sausalito Boardwalk • Walk-through photo tours at marottayachts.com and yachtworld.com • Long experience with power and sail boats, chartering and cruising • Open seven days a week (M–F 9–5, Sat. 10–4, Sun. by appointment) • Proactive brokers with contacts up and down the West Coast • Licensed Coast Guard Captains • Continuous brokerage at this location since 1946 100 Bay Street



Sausalito



California 94965

Letter from the Commodore

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lot has been going on since the last Squeegee came out. Rear Commodore, Mike Fiske continues to push ahead with his project list of improvements to the clubhouse. Thanks to Bob Braid and Richie Vasquez we will not be hearing the ramp squeak because they have removed the offending wheels and reinstalled the Teflon slides. I had hoped to say that the squeak has completely gone, but it appears that the wheels did some damage to the steel plate. As usual, Mike Fiske already has a plan to deal with this issue. Mike and Jay Avis removed all the old wooden shelves from the liquor storage room including some shelves that I built in 1996. We are all enjoying Dick Marsh’s fine refinishing work on both bars. He did have help from Roger Milligan, Malcolm Cameron, Tom Francis, Mark Rushford and Gene Ghisolfo. Bob Braid and Richie Vasquez were a little late offering their help with the bars, so they refinished the front door. Mike still has many projects on his list and is always looking for volunteers. Port Captain, Bill Aubrey has been involved with dry-docking Mercury

S queegee ★ S ummer 2012

as well as planning the servicing of all support boats before the start of our summer camp in June. Additionally he has replaced or repaired the entire mooring field. Secretary, Larry Moraes has been working with our Communications Chair, Robert Stoeber to improve record keeping and communications between board members. Even though Larry has recently been very busy with his work, he has taken on the supervision of the Ship’s Store, which has now reopened after a complete redo. Thanks go to Mary Goff, Tammy Blanchard, Stephanie Magruder and Jeri Stoeber for all their hard work on the new store. Staff Commodore, Tim Prouty has been working on Jonas (our management system) to get a handle on our e-mail blast to members. We now feel we know 99% of the system and all members should be getting the club’s e-mail blast. If not, please contact General Manager, Dave Martel. Race Chair, Dave Borton has started the Spring Series while working hard on the week long Hobie Regatta. Entertainment Chair, Cheryl Popp and her committee continue to put together one successful event after another. Coach, Christine Bletzer has outlined future requirements for equipment for the Sail Training program. Once again, we are hard pressed to accommodate all 1

boats required for our current program. Case in point is the jet dock currently tied to the Junior Sailing dock. I must apologize for my recent e-mail blast concerning the implementation of a late charge. It read as if it was directed at you, but it was intended as a general announcement to all members. The new policy reflects the commitment the current leadership has to managing the club finances in a sustainable manner. We have achieved a measure of success by paying off our line of credit and have reduced monies owed the building fund to less than $9000. This is due to a marked increase in member participation. As Treasurer Merrill noted in the June 3rd Town Hall Meeting: “To continue this trend we must collect all monthly billing promptly.” Hence the new late charge. By the time you read this, we will have had our second town hall meeting - this time chaired by Vice Commodore, Ross Blanchard. Although we have experienced issues with our communications, we remain committed to open and timely flow of information. If you have questions, please feel free to ask any Officer or Chair. Stay calm. Carry on.

Jerry Tarpin, Commodore

This &That S queegee ★ S ummer 2012

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n the last issue of the Squeegee, we introduced Jane Reichert as our Executive Chef. Following her recommendation, it was decided that we would be better served by having a full-time chef rather than the part-time position offered to Jane. Therefore, say hello to Patrick Sastrasasmita who has taken the position of Executive Chef.  Chef Patrick grew up in a mélange of cultures in the cross roads between East and West. He has always enjoyed good food and spent a lot of time watching his grandmother cook as well as haunting the kitchens of Mrs. Sakamoto and Mrs. Chen, his next-door neighbors. He peppered all of these women with questions about the use of herbs and spices and asked endless “why and how to” questions. He stumbled upon a career in the culinary world by accident. While on assignment to write his paper for school to get a degree in hotel

New New Executive Chef

management, instead he found himself spending more time in the kitchen with the chef and was fascinated by how a combination of spices and herbs could create such a delicate balance in the flavor. More of those annoying “why and how to” questions were posed to the chef. But this time he had found someone who could

give him the answers as well as the reasons why. He found deep comfort and satisfaction in creating and cooking. As they say: “The rest is history.” After finishing school, he worked for the Norwegian and Holland American Cruise line for a few years, then for restaurants and hotels in Honolulu and Kauai.

Photograph by Gary Ferber

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He finally moved to San Francisco working for a few restaurants under various European-trained chefs. After a couple of years in Texas and Louisiana spent capturing the soul of Southern food, he moved back to California and, in Palo Alto, opened his own restaurant called Higashi West. Chef Patrick finally settled down and had two beautiful daughters. The three women in his life are the toughest critics he ever encounters in his career. He continued his career in the more stable environment at Sharon Heights Golf & Country Club and worked for Bon Appetit, a premier food management company famous for their approach to culinary excellence by the use of fresh ingredients and social responsibility. To quote Chef Patrick: “My vision is to bring the level of the food one step forward by introducing global cuisine and current trends in order to make the Sausalito Yacht Club a premier yacht club.”

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11th Annual “SYC Buddy Cup” Golf Tournament Place: Peacock Gap Golf Course Date: Sunday, August 19 Tee Time: 10am will count as a bogey no matter what you score on the hole. You have a choice of three different box lunches and, of course, the beverage cart will be running on both the front

Looking for a fun outing this weekend? Visit the newly reopened Point Bonita Lighthouse and enjoy incredible views of the Golden Gate. Photograph by Robert Stoeber

and back nine. An Awards Dinner will follow the event at our own Sausalito

B

uddy DeBruyn was our

the video of the day and award

Commodore in 2002 and,

prizes for men’s and women’s

prior to that, the Mayor of

Closest to the Pin and Longest

Sausalito. We started the Buddy

Drive.

ment, which, this year will be held

your friends and family. You can

at the newly renovated Peacock

sign up for a foursome or a single

Gap Golf Course in San Rafael.

and we will pair you with other players. Mark your calendar now

format in which each player tees

and look for more information

off and the foursome chooses the

and the registration form which

best ball location from which each

will be on the SYC website in

player continues. Every player

July. If you have any questions,

will be accountable for two drives

please don’t hesitate to call me

during the 18-hole game. There

at 415-717-9319 or e-mail me at

will be three Blind Bogey holes.

[email protected].

These holes (designated by the management of Peacock Gap)

Point Bonita Lighthouse on the Marin Headlands has reopened to the public after being off-limits for the past two years while a rickety suspension bridge was replaced. It is perched 124 feet above the water on a craggy outcrop and offers breathtaking views of the approach to the Golden Gate. There’s a half-mile trail to get to it that includes a tunnel and a bridge and the trip to get there is fun for the whole family. The Lighthouse will be open Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays from 12.30 to 3.30pm. The Lighthouse Board originally built a light higher up on the cliffs. This opened in May, 1855 and proved to be too far above the water - the light was useless because fog made it impossible to see. The Board authorized the use of a cannon and hired a retired army sergeant to fire it every half hour during foggy conditions. Apparently they didn’t realize just how foggy San Francisco Bay can be – they forgot to hire a relief and the sergeant’s life became a sleep-deprived hell. He eventually quit. The Board moved the light closer to the water in 1872 but the new location fell prey to erosion and another site was picked. Chinese workmen fresh from the Sierra railway were hired to do the pick-and-shovel work. They dug a 118-feet long tunnel to get to the spot where the Light is now located. It opened on February 2, 1877 using the secondorder Fresnel lens from the original light. Point Bonita was the last manned lighthouse on the California coast until the final light keeper retired in 1981.

The tournament is open to all

Cup as a fun-for-all golf tourna-

We will be playing a Scramble

Open Again

Yacht Club where we will enjoy

Cheers to you all, Temple Stuart

SYC Domino Tournament Several members have indicated that they would be most interested in participating in a Domino Tournament at SYC. To start, each SYC member will select a partner and then, by July 15, notify Lydia and Tony Cameron at lydiac1045@ aol.com or 332-7354.

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New Members

GUESS WHO

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couple has taken up residence at the south end of the Club – a breeding pair of California Gulls. Larus californicus. Larus (Latin) or Laros (Greek) means ravenous sea bird and, although many outdoor diners think they feed on French fries, their appetite has earned them the status of state bird of Utah. In 1848, a large flock of seagulls came to the aid of the Mormon settlers in Utah, ridding their crops of a plague of crickets. The nest is typically a shallow depression. In the case of our pair, they have three eggs in a nest lined

This studious young man is the last photograph that I have in my files. In order to continue the game, send me more. Solution to Guess Who in the Spring issue: The youngest

boy (on the right) is Jim Gabbert. The other two are his brothers.

Ship’s Store C

ome down this weekend and check out SYC’S new Ship’s Store. Jeri Stoeber, Stephanie Magruder, Mary Goff and Tammy Blanchard have done an absolutely fabulous job on the remodel with help on carpentry from the indispensable Mike Fiske. The new merchandise is fantastic and has been tagged and logged into our Jonas system making it easy to put purchases on your account. Open hours are Fridays and Saturdays, 5 to 8pm. Volunteers are needed and any assistance would be appreciated.

with Eelgrass on top of an abandoned piling. Both parents take turns sitting on the nest in three- to fourhour shifts. They will also take turns feeding the young birds that should arrive around mid July. Mike Fiske, Rear Commodore

Adult Sail Instruction First Timer to Off Shore, US Sailing Certification Skipper boats to 34 Feet after 8 Days of Training

Charter from Our Fleet 40 Boats From 26 to 49 Feet, Sail and Power Locations in Clipper Marina Sausalito & Alameda

Private Charters & Special Events Birthday, Anniversary, Bay Tour, America’s Cup Corporate Team Building and Sail Retreats

USCG Licensed Instructors Classes, Private Lessons on Your Boat or Ours School boats from 26 Foot Keelboat to Offshore Tammy Blanchard and Jeri Stoeber (second and third from the left) have worked hard to give the store a fresh, new look. They are flanked by volunteers Christine Sinnott-Urroz (left) and Cathleen Ford (right). 
 Photograph by Gary Ferber

To Book a Class or Charter a Boat Call: SYC Member Charlie Bogue,Captain USCG

707-486-5511 [email protected] Member Services Director, Club Nautique Sausalito 400 D Harbor Drive, Clipper Marina

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R AC I N G R E P O R T F R OM DAV E BORTON

Spring Sunset Series

Series awards were made to places 1, 2 and 3 in Divisions A, C and D. These nine boats are now eligible to compete for the overall Sunset Series Lischeske Trophy on October 20th. Race 1: A beautiful spring evening with a strong flood and light, light winds made for about an hour delay in getting the race started. The spinnaker boats were able to cross the starting line for the beginning of a one lap windward-leeward course. The non-spinnaker fleet was poised for the start five minutes later when the race committee fouled the starting sequence. The five-minute starting sequence correction period came as the wind died and about half the fleet was able to cross the start line. The other half drifted toward Angel Island and down Raccoon Straights. Then a whale cruised through the parked boats to see what was up! Meanwhile, most of the spinnaker fleet rounded the weather mark and headed to the finish only to run into the same parking lot the non-spins had found. One by one, the spinnaker fleet drifted by the finish line and headed toward Raccoon on the flood. Three non-spin boats were able to round the weather mark, but the race committee abandoned all races about fifteen minutes before the time limit when it was apparent that no boats would finish.

2012 Spring Sunset Series Series Standings Provisional S P I N N A K E R 9 Boats 4 Races 0 ThrowOut(s) Pos Skipper

Boat Name-Model

1

Gammon-Tartan 10 126 8084

Jeff Hutter

Rating SailNo Pts. R1 R2 R3 R4 R5

6

2 1 1 2

2 Ron Anderson Streaker-J 105

78

469

14

1 2 10 1

3 Neil Gibbs

78

468

18

4 6 3 5

78

388

19

7 4 4 4

5 Steve Hocking Ohana-Beneteau 63 45f5

38023 20

6 5 6 3

6 Nick Sands

38011 22

8 3 5 6

Nimbus-J 105

4 Chuck Cihak Hazardous Waste-J 105

Escapade-Sabre 402

75

7 Pat Broderick Nancy-Wyliecat 30 129 28890 27

5 1 0 2 10

8 Doug Grant

138 38405 28

3 10 7 8

168 3837

10 10 8 10

Grey Ghost- Hanse 342

9 Travis Dewater Woodstock-J 24

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N O N - S P I N C ( P H R F < 1 6 7 ) 6 Boats 4 Races 0 ThrowOut(s) Pos Skipper

Race 2: The race started on time in about 20 knots in a growing flood. The spinnaker and first non-spin fleets were sent on a double-sausage course to Yellow Bluff and Knox. The second non-spin fleet did a single sausage version of the same course. The winds varied considerably over the course with gusts and calms at Yellow Bluff and light winds at Knox. Spinnaker wraps – and even a knockdown of the new Open 5.70 Sportboat created excitement on the course.

Boat Name-Model

Rating SailNo Pts. R1 R2 R3 R4 R5

1 Dale Flaming J Hawk-J 133

30

54574 12

7 1 2 2

2 Robert Bloom Jarlen-J 35

72

28528 13

4 7 1 1

3 Robert Long MIMICAT- Hinkley 38

153 2707

14

1 5 4 4

4 Carl Robinette Quicksilver- C&C 39

105 8529

14

2 2 3 7

5 Jay Drake

156

22

3 5 7 7

6 Tim Bussiek Califia-Islander 36 144 67074 26

5 7 7 7

Swellbound- Colgate 26

296

S P O R T B O A T 2 Boats 4 Races 0 ThrowOut(s) Pos Skipper

Boat Name-Model

Rating SailNo Pts. R1 R2 R3 R4 R5

1 Dave Peckham USA315- Open 5.70

138 USA315 9

2 3 1 3

2 Elliott James 134-Melges 20

111 148

3 3 3 3

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M U L T I H U L L 1Boat 4 Races 0 ThrowOut(s)

5

Pos Skipper

Boat Name-Model

Rating SailNo Pts. R1 R2 R3 R4 R5

1 Ross Stein

Origami

66

357

6

1 2 1 2

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All fleets started off to Blackaller on time in about 8 knots. Some went right - the winning way it turns out. Others went left. The flood pushed them down the City Front where the winds built to 25+ knots. Boats had not been set up for these conditions and those who could not easily reduce sail were way overpowered. Several retired; the rest continued through the heavy air. The ride back to Knox was exhilarating – until the winds dropped way off at the mark. But everyone was able to finish with lots of talk at the club afterwards. The talk was all about the big winds and no winds. Even a 40-knot gust was reported. What a night!

Race 3: The fickle winds returned. The race committee settled on 270 degrees, long enough for a start on a short windward leeward, twice around course. The winds freshened to almost 10 knots and hopes were clearly up. The spinnaker fleet was so anxious to get going that three boats were over early. Then the winds shut down and the fleet worked its way up the course - sometimes boats were going the wrong way looking for breeze on the course. Eventually, half the boats finished. Two boats crossed the finish after the 2045 time limit. So close! The biggest test of racing rules knowledge came in Division D. They had a shortened course at the leeward mark. The first three finishers chose to go through the nearby finish line instead of rounding the leeward mark. Two of them realized their mistake when they received no finish signal and then finished properly. Lesson? Carry the rulebook for those unusual situations. And read it.

Race 5:  This was another light air evening. The winds clocked to 300 degrees at the committee boat. Then they flipped to 100 degrees. Rather than set up a whole new course, the fleets were sent off on a single lap reverse course with a downwind start. Then came the light airs at the leeward turning mark. The early ebb surprised many boats as they fought their way up current back to the mark. Many just didn’t make it and chose to retire. Mimicat drifted in front of the bridge and was unable to finish before the 2100 time limit.

Race 4: Glassy waters. Not again! Then the wind began to fill in from the City Front over to Knox and built to 5 to 8 knots from the south. Blackhaller as the weather mark looked like a good bet with the wind direction.

 

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B y C .“B u d” L i v i n g s tone

Fast is Fun

After completing four years at Eckerd College and a business degree in his pocket, Mighty Mike Wheldon is back residing in Sausalito.

T

his phrase, often attributed to Bill Lee of Merlin fame, does not only apply to sailing for SYC member Michael (Mini-Mike) Whelden. He takes seriously his fun off the water in the form of an open wheeler Formula racing car. On a recent Saturday, I visited the Infineon Raceway in Sonoma to lend moral support to young Mini-Mike and came away extremely impressed. He finished first in class in the afternoon race on that day and followed it up with another first in class in the main feature race the next Sunday. Michael is the son of long time SYC members Michael Sr. and Jane “Lovey” Whelden. Both were very active and popular SYC members enjoyed by all who knew them during their active yachting years before 2003. During the summer of 2001, MiniMike’s dad purchased a beautiful Beneteau 45 in Vancouver BC and asked a group of SYC members to assist him in returning the boat Spacificly to the Bay Area. We did, and that passage became memorable given that we were 40 miles off the Oregon coast when the 9/11 attacks occurred… but that is another story.

Unfortunately, Michael Sr. passed away from a stroke in June 2002. Little Mini-Mike (as he was affectionately called by his dad) was only thirteen years old at the time and the apple of his dad’s eye. Although sad, life moved on with little Mike growing up to be a big Mike. Now, after completing four years at Eckerd College in Florida and a business degree in his pocket, Mighty Mike is back residing in Sausalito. Between job searching for an entry position in business, he sometimes crews on friends’ boats but more often drives his #24 Formula race car.

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Speed is speed. Michael Wheldon has as much fun tearing around a corner at Infineon as he does racing a sailboat on the Bay.

Mighty Mike can occasionally be found at the Club bar, quietly sipping a beer and speaking enthusiastically of his budding racing and/or business career depending on whom he’s talking too. A tribute to our Club, this very personable, polite and hard- charging young man is a credit to his SYC mom and dad and would be a desirable candidate for anyone needing an employee in local business of finance… or possibly Formula racing.

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Hobie Cat Racing At Its Best From June 16 to 22 the Sausalito Yacht Club, in conjunction with local Hobie Fleet 281 and the North American Hobie Class Association, hosted the 2012 Hobie 16 & 20 North American Championships. Fifty colorful Hobie catamarans launched from Dunphy Park and raced between Knox and Yellow Bluff. The title “North American” was stretched to allow teams from as far away as Fiji, Brazil and Puerto Rico to compete with USA racing teams making this a top-level event. A complete list of results can be found at www.hcana.hobieclass.com.

Photographs by Jim Blakeley, Roxanne Fairbairn and Neil Shakery

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“The landscape is amazing and it was an important experience for us. We learned a lot from other sailors.” – Marcos Ferrari/Priscila Ralisch,

“Enjoyed sailing here as it provides the challenge necessary for an international event.” – Tristram Craig/Thomas Simkalo

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Sailing Vacations by marik a E dler

Boat Exchange Vacations You list your boat and you can see what boats are available for exchange

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teve had never been to Europe and I wanted to introduce him to my country, Holland. This was our first experience in boat exchanges. GeorgeEric from Belgium had come here first. He brought a crew: his son, and two friends who were all good sailors. They took Ohana to Drake’s Bay, the Farallon Islands, Half Moon Bay and Monterrey. They also participated in two SYC Tuesday night beercans. George-Eric wrote about his experience in an article in the Squeegee some time back. Our trip in Holland was unforgettable. The boat, a Bavaria 34, was a perfect size and handled well. We sailed from Zeeland out onto the North Sea to The Hague, from there to Amsterdam where we stayed in a harbor directly behind the railroad station, downtown. After this we sailed out onto the Ijsselmeer to various cute little towns. Then came the big trip down the inland canals all the way from Amsterdam to Zeeland. All manner of bridges and locks just opened up, even for one sailboat. This was called the “standing mast route.” We could just moor anywhere, free of charge, downtown along the entire route. Best of all, during

the whole three weeks, not a drop of rain! We’re going to do it again in July, on the same boat, Tosca. And GeorgeEric will meet up with us sometime next year to sail in Mexico on Ohana. Our last sailing vacation was just this last January to Australia. Included in the swap was a lovely waterside apartment, use of a car, bicycles and a sailboat. Our hosts were most gracious and awaited us with a sumptuous Aussie BBQ. They had also stocked the refrigerator with all the food we could possibly want, including frozen meals

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Generally, there is very little traffic in the myriad bays in the Seychelles Islands and the jungle comes right up to the edge of the water.

for on board. The boat is located in Gosford, just north of Sydney, surrounded by inlets, national parks and rivers. After exploring the Broken Bay area, we set sail for Sydney and spent a week or so in Sydney Bay as guests of the Royal Cruising Club (sponsors of the Sydney-Hobart race). Good sailing,

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warm weather, just a bit of rain now and then. Steve managed to get in on some races out of Palm Beach on Broken Bay. They won! We attended Mozart’s Magic Flute Opera in the famous Opera house. Our hosts, John and Marilyn, have not come to San Francisco yet. We had been introduced to John and Marilyn by Woody, another exchange partner from England on whose boat we had the great fortune to sail in Turkey and Greece. Roxanne (of SYC Race Committee fame) and Charles came along and we had a fabulous time on Woody’s 42-ft Beneteau. The home port in Turkey was Marmaris and from there we sailed to Rhodes, Simi, Kos, Knidos, Bodrum and other bays and inlets. Steve and Charles learned to expertly back the boat up to the various quays after first throwing the anchor out from the bow. That’s the way they moor boats in Europe pretty much all over. By boat we were able to visit many ancient sites

Sailing along in the canals provides a very intimate and close view of numerous villages where one can stop at waterside cafes and restaurants, or just do some sightseeing. We never paid a penny for tying up anywhere in Holland.

not easily accessible to tourists and thus we often had the place to ourselves. Imagine walking unhindered into an amphitheater or temple, or finding pieces of carved marble on a beach. We didn’t quite make it by boat to Ephesus but rented a car in Bodrum and drove up. At the end of our trip, Istanbul beckoned with her mosques

and splendid museums. Woody and his wife came onto Ohana in the month of January. They mostly used the boat as a hotel and Steve and I let them have our car to tour the area. They did participate in the Corinthian two-day regatta to Woody’s great delight! Last May we had the most exotic exchange of all, and again Roxanne and Charles came along, with a Danish couple who keep their boat in the Seychelles. It’s a long way to fly to the Seychelles but, as Paris was the hub, our flying hardship was rewarded by spending time there as well. The Seychelles islands are incredibly beautiful, the people very friendly, the water aquamarine and warm. There are two world-heritage sites on the islands; one a Jurassic-like tropical forest, the other an island where the giant tortoises walk free. The small town of Victoria is quaintly colonial. The Seychelles was a colony of both France and England and

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Matt Prandi Borries Property Manager and Leasing Agent

Proud member of the San Rafael, San Anselmo, Corte Madera, Sausalito Chambers of Commerce and the Sausalito Yacht Club 1321 Third Street, San Rafael, CA 94901 • (415) 482-9988

Residential Leasing & Management Specialists 11

Melissa Prandi, MPM® 50-Year Marin Native (SYC Member)

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never had an indigenous population. The people there are a delightful mix of English, French, black with some Indian thrown in for good measure. We saw no beggars, no discrimination. There’s only a little tourism, mostly from Paris or South Africa. No big hotels or anything like that. Recently the government let the Moorings in, so sailboats can be rented. That’s not much for an archipelago about 880 miles long, 115 islands or so and only 80,000 inhabitants. As a result, we were generally the only boat in any of the myriad bays. The impeccably white sandy beaches were only sparsely used. The jungle comes right up to the edge of the water. Jens and Ingrid came to Ohana a few months later, but never took her out. Steve and I had to insist on taking them sailing the last day they were here. They had the use of our car and toured Yosemite, Carmel, Big Sur, Muir Woods, Napa, etc. Jens delared

Where To Look For Swaps As well as the two sites that Marika talks about using, you might want to check out: www.affordableyachting.com www.sosimpleholidayswaps.com www.yachtingswap.com In addition, you could place an ad in a local yachting magazine published in the part of the world that you would like to visit. Or, try a posting on www.craigslist.org And then, there’s always social networking. Try tweeting your hundreds of best friends that you are interested in boat swapping.

Yosemite the most beautiful place on earth. He is a former tanker captain who’s been around the world, so he should know. The web sites we use are www.Seemysea.com and www.boatswap. com. You list your boat and you can see what boats are available for exchange.

After the initial contact there are many e-mails back and forth, plus possible Facebook interaction. This is helpful in determining the level of seamanship of the other party. We have had absolutely no trouble with these exchanges. No regrets. Just good vibes all around. It is a very affordable way to get around the world without crossing oceans and spending the time and money that such a venture would entail. Our only expense has been the airfare. The food you buy is what you would spend anyway. Of course, one can and will go to local restaurants but, because you are on a boat, you are not in a tourist area and can eat where the locals go very inexpensively. Our insurance has no problem with these exchanges. In fact, it is the same as lending someone your car. As long as you give your permission, the insurance is valid. Steve and I highly recommend trying out this way to have a vacation.

We are delighted to welcome

MJ Roney

to our Southern Marin office at 100 Tiburon Blvd. in Mill Valley “ I have joined this fine organization and look forward to offering you, your friends, and family, excellence in real estate services. Our client benefits are available to everyone—from first-time home buyers to high net-worth individuals in Marin, and beyond.”

MJ Roney 415.233.3344 mj.roney @ sothebysrealty.com

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Cruising

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By Lisa Theodoratus ahiti: The land of dreams, relaxation, and the most beautiful crystal clear water in the world. We were setting off on a two-week journey that would include a week on a 60- foot catamaran from Raiatea with a captain and cook followed by a stay in an overwater bungalow at the prestigious St Regis Bora Bora. My boyfriend Michael, otherwise known as “The Captain” and I would be joined on the catamaran by Rose, a Marin County park ranger, and Luc, a web designer who are both members of a sailing club we belong to in Sausalito, California. Tahiti is a nine-and-a-half hour flight from LAX - much closer than you would imagine. We chose to take the day flight departing at 1pm and arriving in Papeete on the main island of Tahiti at 7:30pm the same day. Our first two nights were spent at the InterContinental Tahiti, which is only a five-minute taxi ride from the airport. Our panoramic ocean-view room had a wall of glass that slid back to create a completely open environment and a great view of the pool and ocean. We headed down to the outdoor bar to enjoy a cocktail and listen to the band before retiring for the evening. We woke early the next morning to the sound of waves crashing on the outer reef and the chirping of many birds. After a leisurely breakfast, we decided to take the local bus downtown to the market. While it is interesting to see and take pictures of the fruit and fish vendors there is not much else to do in Papeete. I did have a tasty piece of pizza in the market with a cold glass of limeade while Michael tried what he thought was chicken with rice. It was not chicken and we could not figure out what type of meat it was but he ate most of it anyway. The afternoon was spent in the hotel’s sand-bottomed pool complete with an in-water bar where the specialty was a large rum-filled mai tai. Our evening was enjoyed in the hotel’s finedining restaurant over the water where I had mahi mahi with a delicious vanilla sauce, one of the many vanilla dishes I would enjoy on this trip. An early start the next morning for our 7:30am flight to Raiatea on Air Tahiti, the inter-island air carrier. We arrived at the airport too early forgetting that local flights only require a 30-minute check in. We were able to pack our bottles of dutyfree rum onboard and no one seemed to care what else we had. The inter-island flights do have a strict luggage weight limit and my carry-on had to be checked because it was too large for the tiny overhead bin, oops.

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Our panoramic ocean-view room had a wall of glass that slid back to create a completely open environment and a great view of the pool and ocean.

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n hour later our taxi dropped us off at Apooiti marina where we were told the boat would be moored. It was not there but we did find the company director who drove our luggage into town where our boat was actually docked. We elected to walk in a light drizzle the half-mile or so into town and, once there, headed to the Champion grocery store to stock up on wine, juice, and other mixers, which are the only things, not included in the cruise fare. After boarding our yacht Mata Fenua, an Eleuthera 60’ catamaran at noon and being shown our cabins, we were served a delicious lunch of poisson cru (a specialty of raw fish marinated in lime juice and coconut milk) accompanied by rice and a baguette. This meal was very typical of all the lunches although I am sure if someone did not like the uncooked fish, 14

in Tahiti

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It was all fun: Cruising aboard the Mata Fenua, the Eleuthera 60’ catamaran (opposite) or relaxing on the deck (above.) The author, Lisa Theodoratus (left) donned a huge floral headdress for a party at the Waikiki Hotel to celebrate the final night of her vacation. Photographs by Luc Simard

and brought up a string of oysters for the demonstration that followed our dive: We were shown the different grades of pearls and the way the oysters are coerced into producing the black pearls by the introduction of a special shell bead and a small piece of tissue from a “pretty oyster” which is the only fatality in the operation. Each of these donor oysters can produce up to 60 implanted cultured pearls of various sizes, colors, and qualities. One of the pearls we witnessed being removed from its host was a vivid golden hue, which I instantly wanted to possess. Unfortunately it was a very expensive pearl and I had to depart without it. After the pearl lesson, we pulled anchor and moved another mile or so in the lagoon. We anchored for the night and Thomas opened a bottle of Champagne. This will be the first of many New Year’s toasts for the evening! Dinner is leg of veal with polenta, a green salad, and bottles of French wine purchased in Raiatea. Every meal onboard is accompanied by crusty baguettes picked up along the way. The rest of the night was spent dancing on the bow but at 10pm we decided to hit the pillows with the excuse that New Year had already happened in California. ur first morning on the water started early with a breakfast of crepes, cereal, fruit and strong coffee. We set sail at 8am heading towards the misty peaks of Bora Bora. After navigating through the opening in the reef, the winds picked up and we were on our way. We were shortly passed by the other Eleuthera 60’ that would mirror our journey for most of the week. She had just had new bottom paint two weeks before giving her a big advantage.

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Four hours later we were crossing the reef line of crashing waves and entering the lagoon of Bora Bora. The peak was shrouded with clouds and the lagoon slashed with many shades of blue. We lowered our sails and motored near a motu (a reef islet formed by broken coral and sand surrounding an atoll) where we anchored for the afternoon. After lunch we all climbed into the Zodiac and motored into shallow water to play with the rays. Wynn had brought a piece of raw fish and we were soon surrounded by many of them swooping around and through us. Back on the boat we motored outside the lagoon for our final adventure of the day - sharks! Out in the deep water of the channel Wynn jumped in with more raw fish. Michael, Thomas, and Rose followed him and a crowd of various sharks looping in circles soon surrounded them. I decided to film

Julie the cook and hostess would be able to accommodate. The rest of the crew for our voyage consisted of Wynn, our captain, and Alene, a 19-year-old intern who was learning the ropes of the hostess position. The other passengers were Thomas & Vicki, a French couple on their honeymoon, and Christina from Switzerland. After lunch we motored a few miles inside the Raiatea lagoon and anchored near a small building set on pilings about a half-mile from the shore. We were shortly picked up by an Anapa pearl diver in her dingy. A short ride took us to the deep water near the edge of the reef where she dove down

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from the safety of the deck watching Rose actually chasing sharks with her video camera. After a few refreshments we motored once again into the Bora Bora lagoon for the evening and set anchor. Everyone was exhausted from the excitement of the day and we were soon sleeping soundly while the boat rocked gently in the breeze. Our third day at sea was much more leisurely with a visit to a motu for swimming and snorkeling, a picnic lunch ashore, and an evening of cocktails and laughter. The next morning we motored to Vaitape (the main town of the island) where Thomas and Vicki left us to continue their honeymoon and Luc arrived for the last four nights of the voyage. During our short stop in town we walked to the local grocery store and stocked up on more wine. he rest of the sail went flying by and I become extremely relaxed in the process. We crossed back to the Raiatea lagoon, took a jeep tour of the island and archeological sites, visited Taha’a’s amazing lagoon and beaches, then sailed to Huahine where we took another jeep tour to see the fresh water eels and a vanilla plantation. On our last day, we sailed from Huahine back to Raiatea in the rain with some pretty big swells but still managed to party, dancing and drinking the last of our stash of rum.

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For our last night on the boat, we docked back where we started in Uturoa town on Raiatea. Dinner was at the Waikiki hotel a bit down the road to watch the local dance show. I ended up dancing wearing a huge flower headdress much to the amusement of my friends. Michael and I were a bit sad the next morning to be leaving our friends. Luc was continuing on the catamaran for the next three days and Rose was flying back to San Francisco but we were heading to most everyone’s idea of paradise, the St Regis Bora Bora! Note: Lisa is a Tahiti expert as well as a worldwide charter broker and can arrange this or a similar trip tailored for you.  She can be contacted at [email protected] or 415 457.7186.

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Sausalito Yacht Club

EXECUTIVE BOARD

SQUEEGEE

Mike Magruder

Karin Shakery, Editor [email protected]

John O’Connell

Jim Blakeley, Advertising Manager [email protected]

Bryan Lawton Jerry Tarpin Ross Blanchard

Karen Berndt, Designer

Mike Fiske

STAFF

PO Box 267, Sausalito, CA 94966. Telephone: (415) 332.7400

Jim Merrill

Dave Martel, General Manager [email protected]

FLAG OFFICERS & CHAIRS

NOMINATING COMMITTEE

Jerry Tarpin, Commodore [email protected]

Tony Cameron

Ross Blanchard, Vice Commodore [email protected]

Jim Gabbert,

Mike Fiske, Rear Commodore [email protected] Jim Gabbert, Jr. Staff Commodore [email protected]

Larry Moraes

Ernest Morgan, Bar Manager [email protected]

Andy Eggler Mary Richardson John Williams SYS FOUNDATION COMMITTEE

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Todd Gates, Vice President

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Mary Sherman, President

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Jackie Lewis, Office Manager [email protected]

Bob Rogers, Treasurer

AUXILIARY

Jim Douglas, Vice President Gail Ward, Treasurer Marilyn Tousey, Secretary Mary Richardson, Director & Past President Elaine Thorne, Membership Director Kay Dunnigan, Entertainment Director Peter Thorne, Director at Large CJ Avis, Director at Large Anne Ledoux, Director at Large

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Monday to Thursday: 9am – 5pm Friday: Noon – 8pm Bar Hours

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On the cover: And they’re off. Hobie 16s cross the start line on the third day of the North American Championships held from June 16 to 22 in the San Francisco Bay. Photograph by Jim Blakeley.

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For reservations, phone (415) 332.7400 extension 115 or send us an e-mail at: [email protected] with the subject line “Reservations”

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