1. Commodore's Report

The publication of this Bilge Pump will roughly coincide with the mid point of my year as Commodore and I thought it would be a good time to report on the current state of affairs in our club. To start with, it should be noted that your officers and board of trustees are working in concert and many of the objectives set by the Bridge are being achieved. Having Ed Jennerich as my Vice Commodore and George Austin as my Rear Commodore has been a huge factor in accomplishing these goals. A large portion of this responsibility falls onto the Vice Commodore’s shoulders, as he oversees the functions of the club that see most of these improvements. What is really overwhelming is how effectively our committee system functions to reach those goals. The efforts of these committees and their chairmen are extraordinary and I can’t express how much the bridge depends on them for making our club operate like a well oiled machine.

The club has hosted some very successful social events recently, and the “Boys of 1938” Friday Night Social, headed up by P/C Lynn Montgomery was one of these. This was also the kick-off event for the First of Season IPBA race. Scott and Tracy McPhee hosted Martini Madness, and as usual, they did a wonderful job. Brian and Carolyn Barton, putting on their first major event, made Sweetheart Dinner an event you didn’t want to miss. Your junior officers hosted the Officer’s Cruise-in for the Grand 14 at the Winslow Outstation, and in doing so, did a wacky job in roasting your Commodore.

Upcoming events to make plans for include the Skiers and Boarders Friday Night Social on March 13th, headed up by Steve and Susan Hanson. Our Fleet Captain has an exciting Saint Patrick’s train trip to Portland scheduled for March 14th and 15th. Our predicted log racers will be testing their navigational skills at the Novice and Old Timers Race which is being held March 20th through the 22nd. Seattle Yacht Club’s Opening Day Trio will be making their presentation at the March 25th general meeting. And March 7th will see Breakfast with the Bridge 2, a breakfast meeting hosted by your Bridge Officers. This is a chance for your to express your ideas in a relaxed open forum type setting, all while enjoying a complimentary breakfast cooked by our caterer, Willie. The Bridge will also give an update on items discussed at the last Breakfast with the Bridge meeting.

Finally, I want do announce the formation of the “Classes of Membership Special Committee” which has the charge of looking at possibly updating the types of memberships the club offers. It’s a tough task, but one that I thought its time was due. The committee, which consists of seven people from different aspects of our club, has been meeting and making great strides. This committee is grassroots in nature and no bridge, board or Planning and Finance Committee members were included. They will complete their work by March 7th and will present their conclusions at the Breakfast with the Bridge meeting. I look forward to their presentation and I hope you are there as well.

Dale Roberts
Commodore