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DEC 2017 & JAN 2018 NEWSLETTER |
You have to admire the intrepid sailors in the Frostbite Fleet who head out on Saturday mornings for some friendly and spirited competition. They have been having a great time this winter and leading the way forward.
(Photo by Biff Wruszek.)
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Announcing the Mt Gay Rum Corporate Championships
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One of the great new sailing initiatives of 2018 will be the Mount Gay Rum Corporate Championship. This will be a ladder event beginning with a series of eight Industry Regattas. The top two in each Industry Regatta will advance to the Corporate Finals. Then the top two teams in the Finals will meet on America's Cup 12 Meters to match race for the Championship.
All sailors in the NY/NJ/CT region are invited to enter their companies. The Notice of Race is now available. To request one, send an email detailing your name, company and industry to [email protected].
MYC has hosted corporate sailing events for 30 years. There is an on-going Corporate Sailing League which meets every Thursday evening from May through October. Eight teams currently participate. Over the years, there have also been a series of Industry Regattas. There was a Finance Cup, a President's Cup and the Hedge Fund Regatta which funded the start of the junior sailing programs. There is also an Architect's Regatta which was founded by our Club but now sails elsewhere.
The concept of Industry Regattas is well established and a great annual event for all the sailors involved. The Mount Gay Rum Corporate Championships will combine the sailing history of Mount Gay Rum with competition in front of the skyline of Manhattan. Eight industries, such as shipping, finance, insurance and tech, will be selected to participate. There are eight berths for each Industry Regatta.
Summer is still far away but now is a smart time to snap up one of the eight berths for your Industry Regatta. Don't be left on the sideline. Lock in your chance for fame and fortune. Maybe you will end up in the Championship Match Race on the America's Cup 12 Meter yachts!
The Club is also in discussions with various industry groups to help develop specific Industry Regattas. So for example, if you work with companies in the Tech industry and wish to be considered as a potential sponsor of the Tech Industry Regatta, pease send a quick email to [email protected].
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30th Anniversary Annual Dinner
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The Annual Dinner is always one of the most boisterous evenings of the year. We do not know exactly why, but it is. After the season ends, many Members have not seen each other for a while so when the dinner is held, they burst forth with glasses full of joy and happiness.
This year, our Club was joined by the Gustavia Yacht Club of St Barts. Treasurer Ken Griggs (2nd from left) and Manager Celia Meralikan (right) were among the guests representing GYC at the Annual Dinner. Their club is also hosting a race between St. Barts and St Kitts at the end of February. If you would like to enter a boat, please contact the Club office for more details at [email protected].
Photo: Bryon Ehrhart explains what it is like to race a Maxi Yacht in the Med.
Photo: The US 46 team stands and cheers for one of the presentations during the evening.
Photo: The US 42 team shows off the 12 Meter Season Championship Trophy.
Photo: Other dignitaries joining the Commodore at the dinner, in addition to Ken Griggs (2nd from left), included Peter Mocco Jr. of Liberty Harbor Marina (left) and Rick Thompson of Bermuda (right).
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Bermuda Delivers Great Weather and Sailing
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 For the second year in a row, Manhattan Yacht Club Members flew down to Bermuda in November for a weekend of competition after sailing ended in New York Harbor. This has become one of our Club's new traditions and a great way to wind down (or wind up) the season.
We were hosted by the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club and raced on IODs thanks to connections which were made with Rick Thompson through Paula Lewin. Rick arranged for our Club to have three boats and lots of IOD sailors participated in this enjoyable weekend.
The racing this year was excellent with three full days. This made up for last years event when there was only one day of racing because of too much wind. Most of our Members stayed in the Hamilton Princess Hotel which has restaurant, late night bar, pol and hot tub, plus is a short walk from the yacht club. Other Members branched off to new locations around the island.
In the morning, everyone would meet at RBYC and then board race boats or volunteer for race committee duty. On the second night of the trip, many Members went to dinner at the Royal Hamilton Amatuer Dinghy Club which recently established reciprocal relationships with our Club. The highlight was being able to inspect
Elizabeth II, the Bermuda Fitted Dinghy campaigned by RHADC. Their Commodore, Neil Redburn, brought us to the storage shed and gave us a first class tour. We then offered him an opportunity to race on the 12 Meters in NY Harbor if he invited us back to Bermuda to race on the fitted dinghies.
In the IOD racing, Bermuda boats showed their superior skills until the final day when an MYC boat finished second in each of the three races. We were getting better every race but time ran out. Maybe next year. The awards presentation was presided over by RBYC Commodore Lettie Oatley. Mike Barry from MYC, who founded the Manhattan-Bermuda Cup, presented it back to Bermuda for the second year. Then it was off to the IOD Class Dinner and the final night on the island.
The great news which came out of this regatta was an invitation for more people to participate next year. On the weekend before the regatta, there will be a special "Discover IOD Sailing" clinic. This is an opportunity for cruisers and novice racers to get involved. Any Member can sign up, fly to Bermuda and spend two days learning how to rig and sail these classic boats. You do not have to be a racer to participate. You just have to be excited about something new. And just to forewarn you, be ready to fall in love with the IOD class.
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Frostbite Sailing Grows from 10 to 17 Sunfish!
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It started last fall when the Club offered its extra fleet of Sunfish dinghies to Members and began organizing races on Saturday mornings. From there, it has grown substantially. There is no looking back. This is the Frostbite Racing Series and th
e fleet has grown from 10 to 17 boats this winter. The Club also constructed two dinghy docks which hold six Sunfish each.
Photo: rear Commodore Luigi Galbiati introduced Laura-Belle to the pleasures of Nordic conditions at Manhattan Yacht Club.
The Saturday races begin at 10 am with most sailors arriving at the docks around 9 am. Up to 5 or 6 short-course races are held if conditions permit. The racing ends by 12 noon and the sailors return to dock for derigging and the social aspects.
Photo: This winter has been colder than most! But it is also magical and sailors love getting out of the house and doing something fun on Saturdays!
Up until this point, frostbite racing has just been for single-handed sailors. Next winter, we expect to open this program up to a 2-person dinghy so crew Members can participate as well.
Dinghy sailing will expand this summer when the Sunfish on floating docks will still be available to Members for sailing. You will be able to cruise up and down Morris Canal (be sure to wave to everyone at Surf City Restaurant) and we hope to try a Full Moon Regatta to coincide with the Full Moon Parties on the Honorable William Wall.
Photo: Some of the intrepid Frostbite Racers gather around the awards podium after the first week of sailing.
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12 Meter Program Open to a Few New Sailors
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 Attention all Members: The New York Harbor Sailing Foundation has openings for a few lucky sailors to take part in the incredible 12 Meter Program this summer. The Foundation owns and operates the two America's Cup 12 Meters, US 42 & 46, both named "America II." These boats raced for the Cup in 1987 in Freemantle, Australia. You may have seen them sailing in the harbor with the Louis XIII mainsails this past summer.
Each year, the Foundation invites a select group to become "12 Meter Sailors" and live the life of these magnificent racing machines. The Foundation's mission is to continue restoring, preserving and operating these important pieces of American yachting history so that they inspire sailors now and for generations to come. Participants in this program help the Foundation with fundraising, maintenance and operations of these boats. Qualifications to be considered for one of the Foundation spots include:
- Experience & Enthusiasm - You need the minimum experience of a Basic Sailing course and the more the better. You also need to be enthusiastic and committed to learning and improving.
- Contribution - Participants will be asked to devote time to helping maintain and operate these machines. You will also help the Foundation raise money to restore and preserve these rare 12 Meters.
- Agility & Strength - 12 Meters are large and physical boats. The crew has to be nimble and agile. This program is open to both men and women.
If you are interested in becoming a 12 Meter Sailor, please send a short email with your sailing experience to [email protected] for more details. This program has sold out in the past so if you would like to be considered, please respond soon.
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Would you Like to Visit New Zealand in Fall 2018?
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The Royal Akarana Yacht Club of New Zealand won the 11th International Yacht Club Challenge in August of 2017. This was their second appearance in the IYCC. They also finished 4th in the 1988 regatta. Following their win, the RAYC graciously extended an invitation to our Members to compete on their traditional 18 ft M Class in Waitemata Harbor in Auckland. This regatta would coincide with the ribbon cutting of their new clubhouse. Would you be interested in traveling to New Zealand to enjoy the racing and hospitality of the RAYC?
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Upcoming Events |
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These are the upcoming events you should add to your calendar:
De Caribbean Regatta - Jan 27 - Feb 3, 2018
Every winter, our club teams up with Manhattan Sailing School to have a great week of sailing vacation in the Caribbean. This event is always one of the greatest vacations of your life.
Spring Launching, Saturday, April 7, 2018
Sailors Ball - Saturday, April 28, 2018
Commissioning Ceremony - Saturday May 5, 2018
Fleet Week Regatta, Saturday, May 26, 2018
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Seen at the Club |
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There are hundreds of pictures which get uploaded in real time on our club Facebook. Stay in touch with all the exciting things happening by liking and following this page
After the season ended, Members formed a Ring of Fire at the Club to demonstrate and practice firing a red safety flare.
In December, Members were invited for a tour of the US Coast Guard VTS Operation in Staten Island. This program is headed by Greg Hitchen who is a former Assistant Captain of the Port and has attended the Sailors Ball. The tour was an incredible experience which helped Members understand how traffic flows and is coordinated in the busy harbor.
Liberty Harbor Marina donated a shipping container to the Foundation's 12 Meter program. Volunteers showed up for two work days to clean, polish and paint the container. Next it will be moved to the asphalt and shelves installed for storage of spare parts. A tool bench and small workshop will also support the 12 Meter program. This is the first step towards creating a mini-America's Cup Village with logos, flags and a festive atmosphere.
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One of the unique aspects of the sport of sailing is that it connects you with people around the world. Some of our friends this fall included the 
