Bilge Pump: January 2011
1. Commodore's Report
Happy New Year!
Start marking your calendar for 2011. We have lots going on at our club. Look for your new annual with all of the upcoming events and take notice of the new photos of the captains. Your Vice Commodore, Don Wilson, spent a lot of time and effort to get this into this year’s annual so we could put a name to a face. Kathy Fish did another great job getting this together. We need your feedback on how many annuals we mail you, We have historically sent two, but these are slowly climbing in price and if you only need one let us know. In the future we may only mail one and charge for the second one.
As I write this we are in the middle of a whirlwind of events. Thanksgiving was wonderful with family and friends and at the club we had tree lighting at Vaughn’s by the fleet captain, decorating the Xmas trees and the clubhouse, Breakfast with the Bridge with 80-90 people, a Special People’s Holiday Cruise with 29 boats, a wonderful Captains’ Dinner by the Tarrettes, two nights of lighted boats, a children’s Christmas party by Sandy Werner, a WIC Luncheon and our monthly meetings. While I write this I realize how many of our club members have chaired and participated in making these events happen. Thank you.
We have a contract with an electrical engineer to examine our existing electrical system so we can fix as necessary or plan for replacement. We have been talking about this for six years and your Planning and Finance Chairman, Gary Stone, said let’s get to it. The cost of this is being covered by way of $.04/kilowatt hour surcharge, so only those who use power on the docks are paying for this project. John Alving has been and will continue monitoring the contracted work. Look for their findings in about two to three months.
What’s coming up? We have bowling on Jan 9th. Last year we had a great time, so get your name on the list. Winter is still here so keep an eye on your lines and cold weather problems. There are a couple of cruise-ins at Winslow, one by the Past Commodores on Jan 8 & 9 and then the current Grand 14 Bridges will be having theirs on Jan 15 & 16. Both of these events will be using the clubhouse for meals and presentations but feel free to use the docks and all the facilities: it’s your clubhouse. On the weekend of Jan 22 & 23 we are hosting the Predicted Log Racers “1st of the Season” Race and Mike Cochran will be making a special spread on Friday night the 21st. If you’re thinking of coming or can help let Mike know. The Big Seattle Boat Show starts on Friday the 21st and runs through the 30th. We have our booth at the show so sign up for a four hour shift. We need a few new members. Remember to wear something with our burgee on it. How about a Martini on Jan 29th? This is a well attended event. Let Scott McPhee and Traci know so they have plenty of olives.
We have finished the dock inspection so Art Mauldin has started making the list of Waterfront Construction items to repair and getting materials for these. We had at least 25 members who helped on this inspection project. Thank You.
The issue of “ Storage Boats” has been an on-going item for a couple of years and by February we hope to have the language in our rules made more clear and we will be taking some action. If you have not been part of the active club and have in-station moorage we will probably be talking to you. Come to the next two board meetings. They are open to all members, and we will be discussing this issue.
I keep mentioning The Bilge Pump. This is one of the key ways we communicate with all of you and we would like to know who doesn’t need a mailed copy and would just like to access it by email/website. Please let Deborah know so we can update the mailing list. These last couple of issues were packed with upcoming events. Pick one: if nothing else get your plans ready for the summer cruise, and let’s have some fun.
George Austin
Commodore
2. Vice Commodore's Report
Here we are already in the new year. Where in the world did 2010 go?
December was filled with activities: parties and cruises kept everyone busy.
Kudos to Bill Field and his crew for a great job in organizing and implementing the Special People’s Holiday Cruise.
The Lighted Boat Parade was great fun as usual. Fortunately I chose to go out on Friday night, the night it didn’t rain and blow, and had a great time. Luckily I wasn’t able to go out on Saturday night when the weather changed for the worse. I know that everyone had a good time in spite of the weather.
The Captain’s Dinner was a great evening. The Tarettes, along with Chef Willie, put together a delicious steak dinner. After the entertainment, the gift basket auction took place and, of course, Judy bought a basket when I stepped out of the room to take someone’s picture.
The Kid’s Christmas Party was a success thanks to Sandy Werner. This year there was a clown for the kids’ entertainment and all the kids seemed to enjoy the change. I am always impressed by the energy and work done by club members and the Tarettes to make our club activities so good. I would like to thank all of you individually but am not sure I could even remember all of those involved. Please accept my thanks as a group. The club would not be the same without you!
As most of you know, we are adding pictures of the members to the annual this year. The annual should arrive in January. I took about 170 images this year and worked closely with the publisher. I learned a lot of new techniques and look forward to getting everyone’s picture in the annual next year. Thank you, Kathy Fish, for all the time that you put into the annual. Kathy and I are going to work together and try to improve our annual each year. Thanks to all of you for making the effort to come to the club so that your picture would be included this year. I really appreciate it. I will begin taking pictures again in a few weeks. My goal is to have everyone pictured in next year’s annual.
We have had two boats broken into this month. Dee Dee May and Tom Phelps both had their boats broken into in December. Both boats sustained some damage. Tom’s boat had a portable TV stolen. Rod Hilden, our security chairman, is following up to see what we can do to minimize the situation. We all need to be aware of the people walking around the grounds and docks. Be sure to question anyone you don’t recognize. Don’t be afraid to call the police if you suspect anything. It is always better to err on the side of caution.
Club keys are issued only to captains and their mates. They should never be lent to vendors, relatives, friends or anyone else. If someone needs to be on your boat you should accompany him or her to your boat. The captains are responsible to the other members to maintain our club’s security.
With that said, Judy and I would like to wish all of you Peace, Love and Laughter in the New Year.
Don Wilson
Vice Commodore
3. Rear Commodore's Report
HAPPY NEW YEAR! When we look back on the month of December, it’s pretty astonishing to see the amount of activities and energy that QCYC members generate at that time of the year.
Thank you to Nancy Austin and her team on their successful “New York, New York” New Year’s Eve dinner dance. Queen City members were treated to great evening of fun, food and dancing to welcome in and celebrate the New Year based on New York time.
MEMBERSHIP: Kudos again to Capt. Chris Benson for adding two new memberships at the December general meeting. Welcome aboard to our new members. QCYC has many activities to offer, and I encourage our new members to become actively involved in the club.
Our membership at the end of Dec. was 476 which include both Sr. Life & Active members. Our 2011 planning goal is to add 45 new memberships: we are currently at 27 % of our goal.
The Seattle Boat Show will open on Jan 21 and run through Jan 30. Mark your calendars. Chris Benson, Membership Chairman, will be busy setting up and attending our boat show booth. Chris is always looking for volunteers to join the boat show teams to promote QCYC membership. Members are encouraged to drop by and join in on the fun.
GROUNDS: Mark your calendars, our winter grounds cleanup is planned from 10:00 to 12:00 AM on Saturday, February 12, 2011. Captain Becky Garvie will be looking for volunteers to assist her in sprucing up the clubhouse grounds and parking lot area. I suggest that you dress warm, wear rubber boots, gloves and hat. Bring a bucket for weeds. The winter spruce-up makes our beautiful clubhouse grounds look very inviting as we get ready for our “Prospective Members“ Open House which will be hosted by Captain Chris Benson at 10:00 AM on Saturday, February 19.
Volunteers can contact Becky at (425) 778-4823 or R/C Bob Stettner at (206) 372-5819
SECURITY - There are no QCYC security issues to report at either the Winslow outstation on Bainbridge Island or the Seattle In-Station facility.
Recently, we were alerted that the Seattle Yacht Club (Portage Bay) had reported that a 32 ft. Bayliner was stolen in mid-November from the SYC moorage at Portage Bay. Fortunately, the stolen boat was recovered by the Seattle Police who had located it somewhere on Lake Union. It has now been returned to the SYC owner with no noted damage.
There was one other incident that SYC reported that involved a small dinghy which was stolen and has not yet been found. The dinghy had been tethered to the main yacht without the benefit of a cable and padlock security attachment.
Our Security Chairman, Rod Hilden, is currently exploring with SYC the possibility of starting a regular security dialog to see if there is any interest in setting a common emergency notification system with SYC.
REMINDER - It’s important to again emphasize keeping a close watch on your precious investment tied to the dock. Cold wet weather constantly hammers away at the boats during the winter months, and we all are a little prone to put things off. Let’s be sure to check our boats often, and especially the shore power electrical connections.
In closing, I want to again express appreciation to all of our club members and volunteers for their help in December. Your generosity of time really contributed to the success of the Queen City HOLIDAY SEASON.
Lois and I extend our best wishes for Happy and Prosperous New Year.
Regards,
Bob Stettner
Rear Commodore
Bowling At The Garage
Clamp Lamps Dangers
Clamp-style lamps are handy devices for providing portable light on boats for many things – repair projects, cleaning, etcetera – but they can be a serious fire hazard if used improperly.
Some boat owners use clamp lamps as heat sources, and that’s not a good idea for a number of reasons. Even with a small light bulb, the clamp lamp can still start a fire on board if it falls off whatever it’s clamped to, and lands on something flammable, like bedding or carpeting. And the danger increases if a heat lamp bulb is used in a clamp-style fixture. Even if it’s a good quality clamp lamp, with a ceramic socket and a bulb guard, the spring clamp can be weakened by heat conducted from the bulb. These clamp-style lamps are at their most dangerous when clamped to something overhead, pointing down. The heat generated by the bulb will, of course, travel upward, and when the spring clamp itself gets warm, it will lose some of its spring tension and possibly fall off the object to which it’s clamped.
There are several safer sources of heat that should be used instead of clamp lamps. Davis makes the Air-Dryer, and West Marine makes a similar dehumidifier; they draw very little current, don’t get hot enough to ignite flammable materials, and don’t contain thermostats, so they’re safe for use in gasoline engine and tank spaces. They produce just enough heat to provide convection currents that keep air moving.
We all remember the disastrous fire a few years ago at the Seattle Yacht Club. That fire started on a boat that had a clamp lamp attached to a deck beam in the forepeak. The lamp fell off, landing on the bunk, and dozens of boats were destroyed or damaged as a result.
So, please remember, while clamp lamps are handy items aboard boats, they should never be left plugged in and turned on when there’s nobody on the boat. After all, boats aren’t puppies! They don’t need to be kept warm when nobody’s aboard. They need just enough heat to prevent mold and mildew, and to protect against freezing.
John Strong
Club Manger's Report
If any of you would like to get involved and become a bartender, please contact Judith Pippin or Andy Gerde to get you started. For most of you that are currently licensed as bartenders, your license will be expiring on 1/1/2012. Stay tuned for more information on group or individual renewal throughout 2011. In the meantime, please contact Judith Pippin if you are interested in bartending for any of our upcoming club events or private parties. We always need bartenders, and currently have about 20% of the licensed bartenders doing 80% percent of the work.
Get signed up, I look forward to seeing you behind the bar.
Andy Gerde
Club Manager
Docks Committee
The under docks inspection was fabulous, dahling! I am so proud of the achievement of so many of my fellow members and I believe every one of them discovered just how rewarding it is to have given so much value to the club along with new friends and old ones with whom they’ve grown closer. I’m the ugliest Zsa Zsa you’ve ever seen, but what I saw is fabulous. It got cold out there during the final day, just before the Thanksgiving freeze. If you had not shown up in the numbers you did, some of us would have suffered much worse trying to complete the task. We have a work list that will require at least two years to complete, as it is 51 items in length. The need for these inspections is very real. We’ll be back every year for more, but the plan is to do only a third of the marina each year. The whole inspection in one dose is very overpowering. Special thanks goes to Captains Dick McGrew and Bob Myers who took so much pressure off me and actually made me feel like I could be away from it at some times. Please express your appreciation to all of these devoted members.
The following persons are held in high regard by all: Richard Larsen, Rick Ashleman, Dick McGrew, Kent Soffel, Pete Collins, Dave Svendsen, Arthur Mauldin, Chuck Gould, Ron Stevenson, Mitch Garton, Tim Dies, Dick Dow, R/C Bob Stettner, Dave Tregoning, Dustin Bago, Marv Elbon, Jim McFadden, Richard Thymian, P/C Carl Weiss, Pete Clarke, Rick Sweezy, Bob Myers, Ray McGrew, Commodore George Austin, V/C Don Wilson, Larry Keeler, Rod Hilden, Kendall Hilden, Mark Nance, Dave Armstrong, Bob Collier, Steve Driscoll, Rick Anderson, Ray Huggins, and Bruce Ramon. Thirty-five people in all. Well done!
Cold weather always brings concern about heat in your boats and power on our docks. Balance please. We each need to keep our boats above freezing, but it’s also crucial to keep interiors well above condensation levels. Condensation is terrible on fabrics and finishes, induces mildew and mold, and is murder on electronics. It increases maintenance costs on everything. Yet we have precious little electricity to share. Please be as efficient as possible and carefully monitor your boats in freezing weather. I was present to watch one boat take the sickening plunge to the bottom on Thanksgiving Day. Freezing temps and then the thaw that follows can do that. We had a second potential victim here that had gotten unplugged, probably during the Monday night windstorm. Do monitor your vessels carefully. I’ve asked Captain John Strong to let you know why clamp on type lights cannot be allowed for unattended use. They are a hazard and I was present some years back helping deal with the astonishing results.
Some tasks need your help. Dave Svendsen and Ron Stevenson have led an effort to modify the end of Dock 2. It needs some real dedicated persons to make it complete. Please let Ron know if you can help. There are still some downspouts that need to be reconfigured. Yes, I know about the dock 2 leaks. Dick Dow will be doing something about that. We have the first parts for a lumber storage rack fabricated and on site. After the first of the year, I hope a team will form up to get that project underway. There’s a fair amount to accomplish and it should be done as rapidly as possible to keep the weather out of that area of Dock 3. Chuck Gould and Mitch Garton are now teamed up to start making planking replacements. They could use more hands as the need has grown pretty large. That’s one issue where we just can’t let up.
There is no set schedule with our primary docks contractor as I write this on December 15. We’re still hopeful that work can be underway by around mid January. Several boats will need to be moved. I think your receipt of this Bilge Pump should be fairly timely notice in this regard.
Arthur Mauldin
Docks Chairman
Fleet Captain St. Patrick's Day Cruise
Fleet Captain's Report
TREE LIGHTING—DOWNTOWN SEATTLE
Thanksgiving week started out on a very sour note with snow, ice, wind and 14 degree temperatures. As turkey day approached there remained a serious doubt in my mind that my planned get together for the Christmas Tree Lighting would actually happen. Fortunately the normal rain and temps of November showed up on Thursday and Friday turned out great with just a few light showers and 40 degrees.
Last unofficial count of 27 hardy souls showed up at Von’s for cocktails and Puu Puu's. Von’s did a great job and set us up in a semi-private area for us to carry on like a yacht club does and not bother the rest of the customers. Kudos to Von's!
The tree lighting, Macy's Star, and fireworks were all what they were supposed to be, and the preceding entertainment was very well done. Thanks to all who attended and to those who decided not to come it was your loss. A good time was had by all! Also, a special thank you to Commodore George Austin and Nancy and Vice Commodore Don Wilson and Judy for gracing this event.
Looking ahead to January “Bowling with the Commodore” is scheduled for the 9th. The first time this event was held two years ago it was a big success and plenty of fun. Then coming in February is “Underworld Tour” which is an adult themed tour of Seattle's Underground. Please read upcoming Bilge Pump issues for details or check out our web site for information on dates and times.
Steve Weiss
Fleet Captain
Martini Madness
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