Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Fund-raising event for "The Movement Centre"


From Dale and Eleanor "Good Spirit"

About a year ago Dale and I went to a fund-raising event for "The Movement Centre" which is here in Winnipeg. We were totally moved by the work that they do for children and adults in Manitoba. We found out that the Movement Centre receives no government funding and that they rely completely on community donations and fund-raising.
Sun Life Financial is sponsoring an event at Niakwa Golf and Country Club on November 29th, 2012. Please consider joining us for the evening!
Tickets are available by contacting either Dale (801-8328) or myself (803-1201).

2012 Fall Lift at the Nonsuch



Play Slideshow
  It was a good night at the museum.

Thanks to Transcanada pipelines who assisted the opportunity to do this with a $1000 credit that they let us use for our event. Remember to call before you dig is all they ask in return!

Thanks to Snafu Ian who had this idea in the first place and also played a role in the wheeling and dealing for the credit.
Thanks to the staff at the Museum of man and Nature who assisted at many levels to have the event run so smoothly.

Thanks to Craig from Urban Prairie Cuisine who yet again put on a fabulous spread and ran his show and staff like clockwork.

Thanks also goes out to all the people that contribute to creating a piece of our lives that we all love;

In no particular order;

All the elves who do clean up either after an event or the morning after, at the club house. I am sure we are missing some but those that we have spied; Thanks to Al, Dave L and Deb, Dave C and Vera, Don Lindsay, Don and Karen, Fred, Don Fillion, Blair and Wendy, Paul Moorey

All the sailors who keep their plant pots blooming and especially Marlene and Karen who we have often seen dead heading and watering at the club.

All the kid entertainers but especially Vivian and Deanna

The shed cleaners who survived the otter pooh stench! Fred, Rob, Al, Ian, Bob, Skoog

Beer man Dave L for Brats and beer night

Rum man, Bob for rum tasting

Wendy for running an excellent Lowisa

The DID it crew; Dave, Ian and Dave who bought us the new barbeque this year.

BBQ reconnaissance & assembly; Al and Rob

Arnie, Lil and friends who do an incredible job of the fish fry year after year

Garry and Barb who provide us with the facility to share so many good memories and laughs & have provided parties, bands and great food for the whole harbour.

Dave C who organized for his band to play for us again

And the executive who try to focus on what’s really important which is the maintenance of fun and a chance to get to know each other whether old or new members. Stewart who has kept the books in line, Rob, who has sorted out races, Ann who got the members list together which is no mean feat when some of you are SOOO slow to pay up! May next year everyone or some midgits may bite your knee caps! Vera for sorting those gigantic trophies and the whole team who managed the events throughout the year by cooking, buying, delegating, blending, checking, chatting and organizing.

We do understand from some members that a members list is important to them. We will try a new approach in 2013 to have people give us permission to print out their names, contact number and boat name, but in a manner that this is for members only, not public. It can only work if you pay in a timely manner. So if this is important to you, nag your fellow sailors to pay up by May. If members do not want their details published at all, this wont work. We will see what happens.

Awards were given out or announced for missing members; Those present had to walk the plank of the Nonsuch to receive their awards.

2012 Awards

2012 Novice Boater: Kelly Brown, Linda Strachan – Contender

2012 Family Award: Victor and Robyn Goncalves – On A Call

2012 Racing Family: Stewart and Quin Anderson – Black Knight

2012 Super Cruiser: Mark and Monique St Denis – X-Ta-Sea

2012 Volunteer of the Year: Vera Steinberger - Aftica

2012 Single Handed Sailor: Don Lindsey - Fandango

2012 Race Committee: Kelly Brown, Linda Strachan – Contender

2012 Safety Race: Steve Well - Micalangelo

2012 Summer Solstice Pursuit Race: Wendy, Blair, Peter, Ann Magnus - Grand Cru

2012 Warroad Race: Jeff Bath – AI

2012 Traverse the Traverse Race Wendy, Blair, Peter, Ann Magnus - Grand Cru

2012 Commodore’s Cup Pursuit Race: Dave Nelson - Kite

2012 Rear Commodore’s Cup Pursuit Race: Ian Kelly, Carol Ann Kjartanson - Raven

2012 Club Championships: Wendy, Blair, Peter, Ann Magnus - Grand Cru

Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Fred and Bob's Excellent Sailing Adventure



Fred Finlayson and Bob Webb are sailing across the ocean from Hampton Virginia to Tortola, British Virgin Islands.

We are sailing in a Rally called The Salty Dawg Rally and here is the website for it:


The boat we are crewing on is a Jeanneau 54DS called Sapphire with Bill & Linda Knowles who are the organizers of the Salty Dawg. There are more than 50 boats participating.

The expected departure from Hampton is next Tuesday Nov 6 (weather window permitting).

Also, we will be using a SPOT personal locator which sends a signal showing our location and you can track it on the internet by going to this site:


 Save the above URL in your hotlinks and you can check it from time to time.

When you go to the web page – change the map to “hybrid” and zoom out to get a better view.

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Northern Yacht Club Racing


The 2012 Northern Yacht Club race series was once again very competitive. We had over 20 boats participate in the series and a friendly rivalry has developed between the Ontario and Manitoba based race crews. After the six race series, Ontario and Manitoba tied with 3 wins each.

Leaving from our club base at Northern Harbour Marina, the races start just before noon and usually finish around three in the afternoon. All races are pursuit style and take the competitors 15-20 miles down the lake to a remote anchorage where most of the fleet anchors for the evening after an afternoon of hard racing. The races are run to include both flying sails and non-flying sails and it’s a great family activity for the day. Racing also makes the Saturday afternoon appetizer hour feel a little more “earned”.

While the races are run to include both flying sails and non-flying sails, the Club Championship is available to the flying sail boats only. This year, the Club Championship was won by Grand Cru (8.5 points), by the slightest of margins over the second boat, Goliath (8.75 points).
Race results as follows:
Summer Solstice:

1) Grand Cru (Manitoba - Wendy and Blair Magnus)

2) Kite (Ontario - Dave Nelson)

3) Goliath (Ontario – Steve Wells)


Traverse the Traverse:

1) Grand Cru (Manitoba - Wendy and Blair Magnus)

2) Raven (Manitoba – Ian Kelly)

3) Black Knight (Manitoba – Stewart Anderson)


Warroad:

1) AI (Ontario – Jeff Bath)

2) Kite (Ontario - Dave Nelson)

3) Borderline (Manitoba – Paul Gomori)


Commodore’s Cup:

1) Kite (Ontario - Dave Nelson)

2) Grand Cru (Manitoba - Wendy and Blair Magnus)

3) Goliath (Ontario – Steve Wells)


Witch Bay Pursuit:

1) Raven (Manitoba – Ian Kelly)

2) Goliath (Ontario – Steve Wells)

3) Borderline (Manitoba – Paul Gomori)


Sgt. Dick Booth Safety Race

1) Goliath (Ontario – Steve Wells)

2) Raven (Manitoba – Ian Kelly)

3) Black Knight (Manitoba – Stewart Anderson)

We look forward to seeing some new boats next year – Everyone is welcome!

The greatest freshwater sailing race on Earth resumes August 3, 2013


Lowisa 48 gets underway on incomparable Lake of the Woods August 3-10, 2013. This will mark forty-eight years of hard racing (and pleasure cruising), easy socializing, lake exploration, shooting stars, old friends, water fights, barbecues, and great sportsmanship.
We, the Debicki family, grew up on Lake of the Woods. Lowisa is engraved on the family calendar, and we've benefited from the years of great planning that have made this our favorite sailing event of the season, year in year out. We are very excited to take the helm for Lowisa 48. We are presently settling on a route plan. Safe sailing, opportune racing, and discovery guide us.

Lowisa is such a diverse and colourful event that it means different things to different participants. But there is one thing we all share: a love of sailing on what just might be the most beautiful lake in the world.

We are building a great team who bring with them their vast knowledge of racing and cruising on the lake. Rob Eby who has now overseen a series of extraordinarily successful Lowisa race committees. David Nelson who has a superb knowledge of the lake and course design. And Wendy Magnus who carries with her the energy that she instilled in this past summer's fantastic regatta. As usual, we are looking forward to the tremendous support of Northern Harbour and the Hall family, as well as the town of Kenora and a host of a incredible sponsors that in recent years have ensured that this remains an affordable family friendly event. There are a number of others, the solid crew of people who have worked so hard over the years to make Lowisa what it is. We will be reaching out to you over the next few months for your guidance.

One of the things that has made this race so strong and live up to the hyperbole is the stalwart commitment from many of the greatest sailors of our inland region (one which spans two countries and several provinces). We will spend much effort encouraging new participants. And we will honour these great sailors who come year after year by chairing a regatta that builds on the tradition.

For the love of sailing, join us.

Thursday, September 6, 2012

Hall of Fame


The MSA is proud to announce that Kelly Hand of Carmen, Manitoba was selected to be one of the inductees into the Sport Manitoba Hall of Fame. Congratulations Kelly! The induction dinner will take place November 3rd at the Victoria Inn. The tickets are $125. Sport MB will issue a tax receipt for $90 with purchase of a ticket. Please let us know at sailing@sportmanitoba.ca if you would like to attend the induction dinner.

For those not familiar, Kelly is the daughter of past Northern Yacht Club member Chip Hand, and started sailing at a young age on her fathers C&C27 at the harbour.  Kelly is a past World Champion Laser sailor, and has won the Gold medal that the 1999 Pan Am Games as well as being a coach and mentor to many sailors participating is past internationl and olympic events.

The Craig & Ross Youth National Sailing Championships, hosted by the Gimli Yacht Club

The Craig & Ross Youth National Sailing Championships, hosted by the Gimli Yacht Club, was a great success and many compliments have been sent to the sailing office from people all over Canada! To quote a parent from Ontario: “This club offers so much space to leave and launch boats, the volunteers are friendly and organized and the meal service is spectacular. It puts CORK to shame” CORK (Canadian Olympic Regatta Kingston) is organized by many experienced volunteers at a full time office, so kudos to everybody at the Gimli YC for their commitment to make this the best event possible! It was a great team effort.

The on-water part of the regatta was covered by 61 volunteers (26 from Gimli YC, 8 from other clubs in Manitoba, 13 from out of province clubs, and 14 from the Cadets). The on-shore duties were covered by 32 volunteers from Gimli YC. The work of the kitchen crew and the grounds and equipment people was fantastic! The free gas was a nice touch and much appreciated by all coaches.

Last year, Sail West was nominated as Regatta of the Year, and many coaches from other provinces have already indicated that they will put forward for another nomination. Gimli Yacht Club can be proud of putting on such a great event that is being recognized as one of the best of the season!

We would like to thank all volunteers for dedicating their time, and we appreciate all the work you put in to making this event a success! We want to especially thank the co-chairs and all the committee chairs for the hard work they put into the planning and organizing of the event. If it weren’t for them, the event wouldn't have run as smoothly as it did. Congratulations!

Sgt. Dick Booth Saftey Race Results

1) Goliath
2) Raven
3) Black Knight
4) Borderline
5) Vindur

For Rum Party Next Year

Was thinking taking the gummy coke bottles and doing it with rum --- hmmm might just have to make a run to Bulk Barn!!



This video sums up how to make alcoholic gummy bears very nicely, but it fails to mention several things.
1) You can use various liquors and liqueurs of your choosing. It doesn’t much matter what you use. Our favorites are St. Germain, vodka, rum, and tequila.

2) The technique works with most other gummy products of the same consistency as gummy bears. This means you can make alcoholic gummy worms, alcoholic gummy coke bottles, gummy ANYTHING.

3) People will eat these gummy bears like it is their business, and they will get very drunk because they don’t keep track of how many they are eating.



Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Northern Yacht Club Fall Lift












Friday November 9th 2012

On the Nonsuch

Manitoba Museum of Man and Nature
190 Rupert Ave

$40 p/p

Caterer; Urban Cuisine

Cash bar

Awards and tours on the ship

Tickets are limited to the first 80 members who buy tickets

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Houseboat from Cyclone Island

For those that travel to Warroad, the houseboat from Cyclone Island has been a fixture for many years.  It was recently spotted at Kenora Harbour frount in the past week.  Who knew this thing could move...

Monday, August 13, 2012

Dirty Pirate Popsicles

2 1/2 cups Coke
1/3 cup Captain Morgan Spiced Rum
1/3 cup Kahlua

Instructions:
1.Place all ingredients in a large glass and stir to combine. Pour mixture into popsicles mold.

2. Freeze for about 2 hours or until mixture starts to solidify enough to hold a popsicle stick upright. Insert popsicle sticks and finish freezing popsicles overnight. To release popsicles run hot water on the outside of popsicle molds for a 2-3 seconds.

*Slightly flat Coke will produce a popsicle that stays frozen longer. To quickly and manually flatten out the carbonation, empty out enough Coke from a 2-liter bottle to leave a 3-inch space from top of bottle to top of coke. Place cap back on and shake vigorously for 10 seconds. Set aside to leave bubbles to subside.

Breakfast Television Clips Featuring Kenora and LOWISA

http://video.citytv.com/video/detail/1782795851001.000000/kenora/ 


http://video.citytv.com/video/detail/1782795919001.000000/kenora-part-2/ 

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

LOWISA 47 Schedule


A generalized description of the LOWISA 47 week includes:

On-site registration, race instructions and charts will be available at the Northern Harbour Boaters’ Club in Northern Harbour on Saturday August 4th. Help with lifts in and out, will be provided by Gary Hall and his family at Northern Harbour. We will be offering a seminar which will provide local knowledge on navigating Lake of the Woods along with tips for having a successful week on the lake. The seminar will be held in the Northern Harbour Boaters’ Club on Saturday afternoon at 3:00pm. Those who are new to the lake will find it interesting and valuable. The Skippers’ meeting, Sailors Social, and dinner will follow starting at 6:00pm. Following dinner Gary Hall has provided LOWISA with a great band that is sure to kick start our week of sailing fun! The kids will be treated to a kids’ movie night with yummy snacks and drinks.

Day 1, Racing gets started on Sunday August 5th. The race starts at noon just north-west of the northern entrance to Keewatin Channel, finishing in the same vicinity.

Our first event of the week: the Lowisa Betty Crocker Event will take place that evening with sailors competing for the chance to win a culinary prize and most importantly, Top Chef LOWISA status. Kids will meet up in the bay to play on the Splash Mountain. Throughout the week, the kids’ activities will be announced on the VHS following the race.

Day 2, Monday, August 6th: Race starts at 10AM just south of Strawberry Island and finishes in the vicinity of Bunn Island.

Our second event of the week: the Mount Gay Wilderness Party. Hawaii Five-O attire is optional, but at the very least be sure to wear your Mount Gay Rum hat/T-shirt and your best smiles for the photo ops. Hawaiian Luau activities on the beach for the kids with special tropical punch and leis for kids to wear!

Day 3, Tuesday, August 7th: The race starts at 10AM in the vicinity of Bunn Island and finishes in the southern end of Ash Bay, just outside Ash Rapids Camp.

Fleet to enjoy Ash Rapids Camp restaurant, bar and lounge. Ash Rapids Camp is a full service wilderness lodge and well known for their hospitality. They offer great food, a rustic bar and sell fuel and ice. Nicely furnished cabins are available. See the LOWISA Website for their Internet link and to make reservations.

Day 4, Wednesday, August 8th is a day of rest. For those with the urge to race, we’ll have an optional and stand-alone windward leeward series of races. The skippers meeting will be held at 10:00am at which time, we’ll describe the location and course choices. We have lots of kid’s crafts and activities planned on shore this day. Ptarmigan Bay is close by and is a great place for a leisurely day-cruise for those who want to get away. Dinner in the dining room or on the patio will offer great items of your choice so be sure to make a reservation (807) 543-4025 for that evening for you and your crew members. A Fun Awards night is planned on the patio that evening including some fun activities for all! Pump out and garbage disposal will be available during the layover day.

Day 5, Thursday, August 9th: The race starts at 10AM just outside the north entrance to Ash Bay and finishes near the western end of Cliff Island.

Anchorage is at Deadbroke Island. There will be a kids’ activity planned and announced at the start of the week. Be sure to hail the kids’ events planner (Vivian Boychuk) on Ram Bunk Shus and they will provide the kids a dinghy ride to shore/ beach to explore as a group!

Day 6, Friday, August 10th: The race starts at 10AM off the western end of Deadbroke Island and finishes in an area ½ mile south of the western end of Shammis Island.

Anchorage is at 22 Foot Bay. Cabins are available at Crow Rock Lodge, which is just around the corner from our anchorage. See the LOWISA Website for their Internet link and to make reservations. Crow Rock Lodge offers a full service bar and dining. This evening will bring a true Mexican Fiesta full of salsa/tango music, dancing and margarita making. Our special blender will be on hand so be sure to bring your favorite vintage, a sombrero and your maracas! The kids will enjoy a pirate treasure hunt full of costumes, face paint and booty for all!

Day 7, Saturday, August 11th, marks our last day of racing. The race starts at 10AM in an area ½ mile south of the western end of Shammis Island and finishes in the northern end of Pine Portage Bay, just outside Northern Harbour Marina.

The LOWISA Commodore’s Dinner and the Awards Banquet will be hosted in the Northern Harbour Boaters’ Club on Saturday, August 11th, at Northern Harbour. Aqua Vitae has sponsored beautiful wines to pair with our buffet meal!

Miscellaneous Details

Free put-in Saturday August 4th at Northern Harbour between 1200 hrs and 1600 hrs. Free lifts out on Saturday August 11th at completion of racing. (For boats requiring a crane, see Gary Hall at Northern Harbour. See Gary Hall for car and trailer parking at Northern Harbour.
Lodging available in various hotels and motels in Kenora and Keewatin area; reservations recommended.

Monday, July 23, 2012

Commodores Cup Pursuit Race

1) Kite
2) Grand Cru
3) Goliath
4) Kitchen Party
5) Raven
6) Auberge
7) Aftica
8) D Boat

Friday, July 13, 2012

Warroad 2012 Race Results

Overall:
1) AI
2) Kite
3) Borderline
4) Fogger

Day 1
1) AI
2) Kite
3) Borderline
4) Fogger

Day 2
1) AI
2) Kite
3) Borderline
4) Fogger






Thursday, July 5, 2012

Traverse the Traverse

Overall:
1) Grand Cru
2) Raven
3) Black Knight
4) Kitchen Party
5) Dress Rehearsal
6) Sloops Troops

Race 1:
1) Raven
2) Black Knight
3) Grand Cru
6) Kitchen Party
6) Dress Rehearsal
6) Sloops Troops

Race 2:
1) Grand Cru
2) Kitchen Party
3) Raven
4) Black Knight
5) Dress Rehearsal
6) Sloops Troops

Summer Solstice Pursuit Race

1) Grand Cru
2) Kite
3) Goliath
4) Kitchen Party
5) Black Knight
6) Raven
7) Borderline
8) Knock-out
9) Auberg
10) Fred Again

Thursday, June 28, 2012

10 Cool Summer drinks

The Goods:
chilled wine glass

2 ounces Mount Gay Special Reserve White Rum

1 ounce fresh lime juice

3/4 ounces honey syrup*

2 to 3 ounces well chilled sparkling wine, such as Prosecco
Add the rum, lime juice and honey syrup to a shaker filled with ice. Shake well. Pour into wine glass and top with sparkling wine.
*Honey syrup dissolves more quickly and is easier to pour than pure honey. To make Siegal's, combine five parts inexpensive honey with two parts very hot water in a small bottle. Seal, and shake vigorously. Let cool.

Click for more


Monday, June 25, 2012

Kayak Flashmob at Kenora Harbourfront this past weekend.



Drowning doesn't look like drowning...

The new captain jumped from the deck, fully dressed, and sprinted through the water. A former lifeguard, he kept his eyes on his victim as he headed straight for the couple swimming between their anchored sport fisher and the beach. “I think he thinks you’re drowning,” the husband said to his wife. They had been splashing each other and she had screamed but now they were just standing, neck-deep on the sand bar. “We’re fine, what is he doing?” she asked, a little annoyed. “We’re fine!” the husband yelled, waving him off, but his captain kept swimming hard. ”Move!” he barked as he sprinted between the stunned owners. Directly behind them, not ten feet away, their nine-year-old daughter was drowning. Safely above the surface in the arms of the captain, she burst into tears, “Daddy!”
How did this captain know – from fifty feet away – what the father couldn’t recognize from just ten? Drowning is not the violent, splashing, call for help that most people expect. The captain was trained to recognize drowning by experts and years of experience. The father, on the other hand, had learned what drowning looks like by watching television. If you spend time on or near the water (hint: that’s all of us) then you should make sure that you and your crew knows what to look for whenever people enter the water. Until she cried a tearful, “Daddy,” she hadn’t made a sound. As a former Coast Guard rescue swimmer, I wasn’t surprised at all by this story. Drowning is almost always a deceptively quiet event. The waving, splashing, and yelling that dramatic conditioning (television) prepares us to look for, is rarely seen in real life.
The Instinctive Drowning Response – so named by Francesco A. Pia, Ph.D., is what people do to avoid actual or perceived suffocation in the water. And it does not look like most people expect. There is very little splashing, no waving, and no yelling or calls for help of any kind. To get an idea of just how quiet and undramatic from the surface drowning can be, consider this: It is the number two cause of accidental death in children, age 15 and under (just behind vehicle accidents) – of the approximately 750 children who will drown next year, about 375 of them will do so within 25 yards of a parent or other adult. In ten percent of those drownings, the adult will actually watch them do it, having no idea it is happening (source: CDC). Drowning does not look like drowning – Dr. Pia, in an article in the Coast Guard’s On Scene Magazine, described the instinctive drowning response like this:http://gcaptain.com/maritime/blog/wp-includes/js/tinymce/plugins/wordpress/img/trans.gif
  1. Except in rare circumstances, drowning people are physiologically unable to call out for help. The respiratory system was designed for breathing. Speech is the secondary or overlaid function. Breathing must be fulfilled, before speech occurs.
  2. Drowning people’s mouths alternately sink below and reappear above the surface of the water. The mouths of drowning people are not above the surface of the water long enough for them to exhale, inhale, and call out for help. When the drowning people’s mouths are above the surface, they exhale and inhale quickly as their mouths start to sink below the surface of the water.
  3. Drowning people cannot wave for help. Nature instinctively forces them to extend their arms laterally and press down on the water’s surface. Pressing down on the surface of the water, permits drowning people to leverage their bodies so they can lift their mouths out of the water to breathe.
  4. Throughout the Instinctive Drowning Response, drowning people cannot voluntarily control their arm movements. Physiologically, drowning people who are struggling on the surface of the water cannot stop drowning and perform voluntary movements such as waving for help, moving toward a rescuer, or reaching out for a piece of rescue equipment.
  5. From beginning to end of the Instinctive Drowning Response people’s bodies remain upright in the water, with no evidence of a supporting kick. Unless rescued by a trained lifeguard, these drowning people can only struggle on the surface of the water from 20 to 60 seconds before submersion occurs.
(Source: On Scene Magazine: Fall 2006 (page 14))
This doesn’t mean that a person that is yelling for help and thrashing isn’t in real trouble – they are experiencing aquatic distress. Not always present before the instinctive drowning response, aquatic distress doesn’t last long – but unlike true drowning, these victims can still assist in their own rescue. They can grab lifelines, throw rings, etc.
Look for these other signs of drowning when persons are in the water:
  • Head low in the water, mouth at water level
  • Head tilted back with mouth open
  • Eyes glassy and empty, unable to focus
  • Eyes closed
  • Hair over forehead or eyes
  • Not using legs – Vertical
  • Hyperventilating or gasping
  • Trying to swim in a particular direction but not making headway
  • Trying to roll over on the back
  • Appear to be climbing an invisible ladder.
So if a crew member falls overboard and everything looks OK – don’t be too sure. Sometimes the most common indication that someone is drowning is that they don’t look like they’re drowning. They may just look like they are treading water and looking up at the deck. One way to be sure? Ask them, “Are you alright?” If they can answer at all – they probably are. If they return a blank stare, you may have less than 30 seconds to get to them. And parents – children playing in the water make noise. When they get quiet, you get to them and find out why.

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Lake Superior PHRF Championships!

The Thunder Bay Yacht Club is thrilled to be host to this regatta in the port of Thunder Bay on Saturday August 4th & 5th, 2012. The regatta will consist of a day of short “round-the-can” races in the big bay, and a middle - distance off-shore race the second day.

The following day, Monday August 6th is the official start to the International off-shore race, Thunder Bay to Houghton MI. This is one part of the Lake Superior Triangle, a three race series held annually and attended by sailors from far and wide.
Our event, the Lake Superior PHRF Championships is open to all keel boats and details are available in the notice of race and race instructions, attached. Also information is available on the Thunder Bay Yacht Club web site at http://www.tbyc.on.ca/

Thursday, April 26, 2012

Boat Shoe Sale At the Club Swap and Shop. Sunday May 20th; All profits go to the club.



I have brought in a few cases of Boat shoes;

As a podiatrist I have been frustrated at the lack of support most women’s sailing shoes offer. The women’s selection have been chosen because they make your butt look shapely ( OK I made that up), will make your feet and knees happy and look hot! There is a limited supply and I have already sold 4 pairs to Gimli sailors who loved them. I hardly had them out of the box! I have Dansko; approved by the American podiatric association, some Timberland and Merrels. They all have removable foot beds and if you do have sore feet or legs, I’ll do my best to help you with choices. One brand has been made to remain odour free and should not mould in damp places. I brought in several in large sizes as these are particularly hard to find at boat shows or in town. I have regular, wide and narrow. Arrive early if you don’t want to be disappointed.

For men; I have a limited supply of Sperrys; Sandals, thongs and slides. Sorry fellers I did not bring in shoes for you as you enjoy a much better selection in town or at boat shows.

I have one pair for a lucky kid who fits them; Timberlands; youth size 2 ½.
Sally Snafu.

Ceremony for Renaming Your Boat

By Capt. Pat http://www.boatsafe.com/nauticalknowhow/rename.htm

Everyone knows that renaming your boat will bring nothing but bad luck and make your boating experience something that you will want to forget. But what happens when, after months of searching, you find your dreamboat with a name that you just cannot live with. For example, my first love was a 28-foot Alden with the most beautiful lines I’d ever seen. She was named Perfidious.How could anything this graceful be named betrayer of trust? Well, I never bought her, but I often thought that if I had, I would have renamed her Magic, after my wife.


Renaming a boat is, of course, not something to be done lightly. Since the beginning of time, sailors have sworn that there are unlucky ships and the unluckiest ships of all are those who have defied the gods and changed their names. So, is there a way to change a name and not incur the wrath of those deities that rule the elements? Yes, Virginia, there is.

According to legend, each and every vessel is recorded by name in the Ledger of the Deep and is known personally to Poseidon, or Neptune, the god of the sea. It is logical therefore, if we wish to change the name of our boat, the first thing we must do is to purge its name from the Ledger of the Deep and from Poseidon’s memory.

This is an involved process beginning with the removal or obliteration of every trace of the boat’s current identity. This is essential and must be done thoroughly.

I once went through the ceremony after the owner had assured me that every reference to his boat’s old name had been purged from her. A couple of weeks later, he discovered he had missed a faded name on her floating key chain. I advised him to start over, perhaps with a little extra libation for the ruler of the sea. Unfortunately, he declined.

Since then, his boat has been struck by lightning, had its engine ruined by the ingress of the sea, been damaged by collision and finally sunk! It pays to be thorough.

In purging your boat, it is acceptable to use White-Out or some similar obliterating fluid to expunge the boat’s name from log books, engine and maintenance records etc., but it is much easier to simply remove the offending document from the boat and start afresh. Don’t forget the life rings and especially the transom and forward name boards.

Do not under any circumstances carry aboard any item bearing your boat’s new name until the purging and renaming ceremonies have been completed!

Once you are certain every reference to her old name has been removed from her, all that is left to do is to prepare a metal tag with the old name written on it in water-soluble ink. You will also need a bottle of reasonably good Champagne. Plain old sparkling wine won’t cut it. Since this is an auspicious occasion, it is a good time to invite your friends to witness and to party. Begin by invoking the name of the ruler of the deep as follows:

Oh mighty and great ruler of the seas and oceans, to whom all ships and we who venture upon your vast domain are required to pay homage, implore you in your graciousness to expunge for all time from your records and recollection the name (here insert the old name of your vessel) which has ceased to be an entity in your kingdom. As proof thereof, we submit this ingot bearing her name to be corrupted through your powers and forever be purged from the sea. (At this point, the prepared metal tag is dropped from the bow of the boat into the sea.)


In grateful acknowledgment of your munificence and dispensation, we offer these libations to your majesty and your court. (Pour at least half of the bottle of Champagne into the sea from East to West. The remainder may be passed among your guests.

It is usual for the renaming ceremony to be conducted immediately following the purging ceremony, although it may be done at any time after the purging ceremony. For this portion of the proceedings, you will need more Champagne, Much more because you have a few more gods to appease.Begin the renaming by again calling Poseidon as follows:

Oh mighty and great ruler of the seas and oceans, to whom all ships and we who venture upon your vast domain are required to pay homage, implore you in your graciousness to take unto your records and recollection this worthy vessel hereafter and for all time known as (Here insert the new name you have chosen), guarding her with your mighty arm and trident and ensuring her of safe and rapid passage throughout her journeys within your realm.


In appreciation of your munificence, dispensation and in honor of your greatness, we offer these libations to your majesty and your court. (At this point, one bottle of Champagne, less one glass for the master and one glass for the mate are poured into the sea from West to East.)

The next step in the renaming ceremony is to appease the gods of the winds. This will assure you of fair winds and smooth seas. Because the four winds are brothers, it is permissible to invoke them all at the same time, however, during the ceremony; you must address each by name. Begin in this manner:

Oh mighty rulers of the winds, through whose power our frail vessels traverse the wild and faceless deep, we implore you to grant this worthy vessel (Insert your boat’s new name) the benefits and pleasures of your bounty, ensuring us of your gentle ministration according to our needs.(Facing north, pour a generous libation of Champagne into a Champagne flute and fling to the North as you intone:) Great Boreas, exalted ruler of the North Wind, grant us permission to use your mighty powers in the pursuit of our lawful endeavors, ever sparing us the overwhelming scourge of your frigid breath.(Facing west, pour the same amount of Champagne and fling to the West while intoning:) Great Zephyrus, exalted ruler of the West Wind, grant us permission to use your mighty powers in the pursuit of our lawful endeavors, ever sparing us the overwhelming scourge of your wild breath.(Facing east, repeat and fling to the East.) Great Eurus, exalted ruler of the East Wind, grant us permission to use your mighty powers in the pursuit of our lawful endeavors, ever sparing us the overwhelming scourge of your mighty breath.


(Facing south, repeat, flinging to the South.) Great Notus, exalted ruler of the South Wind, grant us permission to use your mighty powers in the pursuit of our lawful endeavors, ever sparing us the overwhelming scourge of your scalding breath.

Of course, any champagne remaining will be the beginnings of a suitable celebration in honor of the occasion.

Once the ceremony has been completed, you may bring aboard any and all items bearing the new name of your vessel. If you must schedule the painting of the new name on the transom before the ceremony, be sure the name is not revealed before the ceremony is finished. It may be covered with bunting or some other suitable material.

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Welcome all boaters to the start of our 2012 Summer season!

Welcome all boaters to the start of our 2012 Summer season! With the early warm temperatures, we’re already looking forward to another fabulous season of adventure on the beautiful Lake of the Woods!

Sally & Ann, as the co-commodores of the Northern Yacht Club, are extending an invitation to ALL boaters to join us! Whether you sail or cruise along in a power boat or houseboat, we want you to join us for fun, adventure and forging great friendships this summer. Our calendar includes a great mix of social activities, racing and exploring the lake. It’s a perfect way to meet your fellow boaters and learn more about sailing or cruising.

On our agenda for this summer, we need to replace the roof on the club storage shed and to purchase a new BBQ for the upper deck of the Northern Clubhouse. We’ll be holding some fundraisers over the summer to help defer these costs. As the BBQ is well-used by many boaters at the harbour, we appreciate everyone’s support and help with this. Stay tuned for more details.

Membership has it’s privileges! The earlybird registration fee is $90 per boat (deadline May 21st). After that date, the annual fee is $125 per boat. The annual fee includes:
- NYC social events - free for members
- Icebreaker Social including snacks and live music to dance away the night.
- CYA membership and MSA membership
- Email updates on all club activities

Preferred payment is by Paypal available on the NYC blogsite. Less preferred but if you need to you can drop off a check at the harbour to either Sally Broderick (SNAFU) or Ann Peikoff ( Sloop De Jour ) (A Dock). Join early and get set for an awesome season at LOW!!

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

2012 Northern Yacht Club Calendar

























Sat, May 19 – Icebreaker Social
Sun, May 20 – Swap Shop @ Northern Harbour Boater Club 10am – 12 pm
Fri, June 15 – Beer & Brats
Sat, June 23 – Summer Solstice race
Sun, July 1 – Canada Day Beach Party & Dinghy Event
Sat, June 30 – July 4 - Warroad Race
Fri, July 20 – Fish Fry
Sat, July 21 – Queen Island Race
Fri, July 27 – Mexican Night- Taco’s & Margaritas
Sat, July 28 – Fri, Aug 3 – Cruise Week
Sun, Aug 4 – Sat Aug 11 – Lowisa 47
Fri, Aug 24 – Dark & Stormy Night
Sat, Aug 25 – Witch Bay Race
Sat, Sept 1 – Safety Race & Frock Night (Theme “Rockstars” @ LOW)
Sat, Nov 10 – Fall Lift & AGM

Monday, March 5, 2012

Tall Ship Sail Training Adventure of a life time on the Great Lakes and Georgian Bay

Toronto Brigantine is celebrating our 50th anniversary this year -Toronto's only Tall Ship Sail Training organization for youth. It is a unique life transforming experience. Over 20,000 people sailed on the boats over the years. We even trained some of the sailors of the HBC Nonsuch that travelled across Canada and is now at the Manitoba Museum in Winnipeg: http://tallshipsintoronto.wordpress.com/2010/04/18/doug-hunter-sails-on-nonsuch/

Our Tall Ship Sail Training experience compliments the sailing experiences that your program provides to youth. This season offers a variety of marine experiences ... the engineering of the Welland Canal, the history of the 1812 Festival at Niagara on the Lake, from the Thousand Islands of Lake Ontario, the provincial parks in Georgian Bay and the winds on Lake Huron. Having fun while learning valuable life lessons around responsibility, leadership and teamwork.

Perhaps you know a teenager that is are looking for a unique adventure this summer. Please Share our flier with them.
Click here: TBI 2012 Summer Program Flier for a softcopy of a flier for the 2012 Summer Schedule.

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Hi LOWISA 47 fleet!

We are happy to announce that Ash Rapids Lodge has invited us back formid-week layover. Layover day will be Wednesday, August 8th this year, so we will be staying for the Tuesday evening August 7th all day on Wednesday the 8th and leaving morning of the 9th.

The owners, Andrew and Tannis, have a very beautiful island and bay andtheir lodge supplies delicious meals, great drinks, and super cabins forpeople who wish to sleep in comfy beds! Call well in advance if you wish to reserve a cabin.

Their website is: http://www.ashrapidslodge.com/,
summer phone is 807-543-4025 and winter phone is 543-1531.

For those that are regularly on the lake, Ash Rapids camp is a great sailingdestination - just call ahead to let them know you plan on coming!

Sunday, February 26, 2012

Why does this exist?

Propane powered outboard, 2 ½ and 5 HP


Lehr is a company that patented the use of propane canisters to fuel small engines, and has introduced the first propane fueled outboard engines. The first two Lehr engines are 2.5 hp and 5 hp. The Lehr outboard is powered by propane from many sources big and small, including the small green BBQ bottles. The picture shows the bottle inserted into the outboard.

With zero evaporative emissions and no winterization needed, Lehr makes sure some boaters never need to carry gasoline aboard. If you have a diesel engine, you may still need some gasoline for the outboard, but with this invention, just grab a few extra bottles of propane from your BBQ.

At the recent Miami boat show the Lehr outboard, won an Environmental Award taking Green Product honors from West Marine and recognition from the National Marine Manufacturer’s Innovation Awards

Claims are that the The 2.5-HP model will run wide open (4,000 rpm) for about an hour on a small camping gas canister. At 3,000 rpm and you can hope for more than double the run time. A 20-pound propane bottle will power the engine for over 2 days.

Price for the 2.5-horsepower model will be just under $1,000, and about $1,600 for the 5-horsepower engine.

http://vimeopro.com/derema/lehr

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

The Lowisa 47 committee is thrilled to announce that Rob Eby will be the Race Officer for Lowisa 47.


The Lowisa 47 committee is thrilled to announce that Rob Eby will be the Race Officer for Lowisa 47.

Rob is a certified CYA Level 3 Race Officer, a certified Level 2 Judge and has been the Race Officer for more than ten Lowisa's.

Lowisa is very fortunate to have such a qualified Race Officer. Not only has Rob always ensured that the on the water aspect of the races are well organized, he is an excellent communicator with the fleet, so those less comfortable with traditional “flags and horn communication” need not worry – Rob does a great job of explaining all situations over the VHF.

Rob is also a fantastic off the water communicator and can be found meandering through the anchorage after each race handing out the printed daily race results and answering any questions from the competitors. (Although not required, some participants take a visit from Rob as an opportunity to provide him and his support team an appreciation rum – he prefers white rum).

Being the Race Officer is a significant job and Rob has always volunteered his time. This saves Lowisa thousands of dollars a year which allows us to keep registration fees low. Without Rob’s continued support, Lowisa would not be the event that is today.

It takes more than one person to run these races and Rob also organizes the Race Committee boats and his support team. Once we know who these people are for Lowisa 47, we will let you know so we can all be sure to give them a big thank-you during the Regatta.

More announcements to come!

About LOWISA 47:
LOWISA is an annual week long sailing regatta held on the Lake of the Woods in Ontario and Minnesota, usually occurring over the first Monday of August. The 2012 event will be held August 4th to 11th.

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Upcoming Cruising Courses

BASIC CRUISING EVENINGS (6:30pm–9:30pm)
1. Wednesdays, January 25 – March 14
2. Thursdays, March 8 – April 26

Basic Cruising weekend (9am-5pm)
3. Saturdays, April 14, 21, 28 and May 5

Coastal Navigation Course (6: 30pm –9:30 pm )
4. Wednesdays, April 11 – May 30

Celestial Navigation
5. tba

VHF Seminar (6:30 pm –9:30 pm )
6. Wednesdays, March 7 and 14

All courses will be held at the Sport for Life Centre on 145 Pacific Ave. For more information or to register call the office at 925-5650 or send an email to sailing@sportmanitoba.ca

Additional VHF Courses at the Gimli YC
Saturdays, June 9 and 16
Saturdays August 11 and 25

2012 Mid-Canada Boat Show

This year's boat show will take place from March 1-4, 2012 at the Convention Centre in Winnipeg . The show displays three floors of everything you need for summer fun - the newest boats and motors, camping, fishing and water sports equipment, from the top manufacturers and suppliers in the industry. More at www.midcanadaboatshow.com