Fleet Captain's Report

Boy, time flies! While I write this report I realize you won’t read it till the April Bilge Pump and the “Underworld Tour” and “The St. Patrick’s Day Cruise” are history. I started the planning for my year as Fleet Captain back in January 2010 and now the end is in sight. Where does time go?

I think at this time in my service to Commodore Austin I would like to give you an analysis of the “whys and how comes” of choices made by me and other fleet captains in the past that choose to do “road cruises” in the winter time rather than true boat cruises. Traditionally we have done a cruise to Kingston and having a joint party with Kingston Cove Yacht Club. This year if I had planned on doing this the weekend before Thanksgiving the weather (if you can remember) was north winds @ 30+ mph and temps falling to the mid teens. Monday of that weekend temps fell to 14 degrees (a record). The planned “Underground Tour” for Feb. 19th, which was also Presidents Day weekend, started out with decent weather on Friday but overnight the winds changed to the north and were blowing @ 35 mph + all of Saturday the 19th with 5-6 ft. seas! Some members may scoff at these reasons for doing “road cruises,” but a lot of work and time is involved in putting on these parties for the club. It would be very disheartening to have to cancel or have no one show up for an event that took lots of effort and planning because of the weather. As time goes on and with global warming being an issue, I can see where in the future that winter cruises will come back. Until then “road cruises” are the answer.

THE UNDERWORLD TOUR

I want to thank the tour operators for putting on a great time for all 31 of us who attended. Everyone I talked with had a very good experience. Special thanks to Emily who was our tour guide. She asked me, “how risqué should the tour be?” I said,”we are a yacht club and not a church group” and to be as risqué as she wanted to be. After few well-placed “F-Bombs” I hoped no one was offended! A good time was had by all. Thanks to Vice Commodore Don and Judy Wilson for attending. You two are real troopers and your participation is much appreciated.

KINGSTON COVE YACHT CLUB CRUISE JUNE 17-18-19 2011

Now is the time for any member who would like to attend this cruise to begin making plans. I have reserved about 16 moorage slips at Kingston Marina. HOWEVER, they are NOT guaranteed! Each captain MUST make his/her own reservation. You can do this by calling the Port of Kingston—Jessica Olanie—360-297-3545—and reserve the first night’s stay by credit card. The marina works on a 1st come 1st served basis and will rent these slips to other boaters if we haven’t made a commitment. I have reserved mine already. Step up and reserve yours now! Look in The Bilge Pump and on line for more information about activities for the weekend. Please reference QCYC when you call.
Note: This cruise originally was scheduled to be a trip to Winslow, but I changed it. Hope this doesn’t cause any confusion.

SUMMER CRUISE STARTING JULY 29th

Look in future Bilge Pumps and on line for the upcoming Summer Cruise to the San Juans and beyond. Flyers and other updated information should be out to the membership in the May issue of The Bilge Pump.

Steve Weiss
Fleet Captain