Bilge Pump: March 2011
1. Commodore's Report
January was a busy month for our club. The past commodores had a Winslow cruise-in on the 8th and the Grand 14 Bridge officers had a cruise-in on the 15th. For the Grand 14 cruise-in the Vice and Rear of each club usually put together some sort of nice presentation sometimes called “a roast.” Don and Bob wrangled Dave and Margaret Krows into making a nice little slide show. Now the world knows more than they should about me. I had forgotten all that rotten stuff, and they will pay next year! Thanks, Margaret, it really was great. Mike Cochran and his crew put together a terrific Friday night dinner for the “First of the Season” predicted log race. See Bob Lindal’s article. I went along as a novice racer with Don Wilson and Bob Stettner as assistants on Grey Goose. Bill Anderson, of log racing fame, came along to help us get around Lake Washington and Mike Cochran came along as our observer. If you have ever thought about considering log racing, contact Bob Lindal and he will help you with all of the beginning steps how to get involved. We didn’t do well (I filled the boat with fuel, which slowed us down) but we had fun.
Martini Madness, hosted by Scott and Tracy McPhee, was well attended: lots of socializing and the food was terrific. The list of special drinks was long and I had a red apple martini that was super. Put it on your calendar for next year. At the second club meeting of each month we have been having guest speakers. For March we have Seattle Yacht Club coming to talk about Opening Day and you can get the free pin. Put this on your calendar.
Thank you to all the Boat Show helpers. This is such a big exercise for the club. The open house has passed and hopefully we have asked some of the applicants to become members. As P/C Jennerich says, the number one reason people don’t join an organization is that they are not asked.
January and February are gone already and that means it’s time to start thinking about our spring clean ups, dock work parties, washing our boats and making plans for our big weekends and the summer cruise. We need lots of volunteers for these clean-up events. Contact Becky Garvie for grounds, Art Mauldin for docks, Jim Damery for house. The big cleanup before Opening Day, “The Pride” will be chaired by Jerry Zuvich.
Sometime in March we will see the last section of Winslow dock arrive. Installation will occur when the tide and weather are right. What an improvement this will be. We have other clubs asking how we do all the things that make us stand out. It’s all about the volunteers who take a project, run with it and make it happen, this one by our own Eric Wood.
Gary Halverson is looking to get a good count of who is going to Tacoma for Daffodil. He was passing out boat registration forms at last night’s meeting, so contact him about this. We also need to have a little meeting before we go so we’re organized for the Trivia Contest: maybe some t-shirts. This is a fun cruise and we really only decorate one side of the Officer’s Boat, a couple of hours with help, so come along.
Opening Day is coming, Salish Sea is the theme. Dick and Elin Storey are the Opening Day chairs, so they might be asking for some help with this event. It seems early but if you are thinking of helping Don Wilson with next year’s Opening Day it would be good to work with Dick and Elin so you have the experience to handle this big event. All of our big weekend event chairs need help. Even a couple of hours during the weekend makes a big difference.
I look forward to seeing you at these events.
George Austin
Commodore
2. Vice Commodore's Report
March already! Unbelievable that the year is zipping along so quickly. Judy and I were in Poulsbo early in February for their Junior Officers’ Ball. Its theme was Around the World in 80 Days. I, of course, went as Phileas Fogg, top hat and all. Quite dapper, eh! Judy was a Chinese princess instead of an Indian princess since she couldn’t find an Indian (dot not feather) Princess costume. We also attended the JO Ball at Seattle Yacht Club. Their festivities are black tie, of course. We have our final Junior Officers’ Ball this month in Olympia. That is it for costumes for us! We’re all finished.
With the New Year came our new Annual. I hope that you like the changes in it as much as I do. We have found some errors and will work to eliminate them for next year. I apologize for some members’ pictures not making it into the final printing. We are not sure how that happened, but we are working on an improved system that will prevent that from happening again. Also, I must apologize to our Fleet Surgeon, Dr. Peter Grimm, whose picture was of someone other than him. Not sure how that happened but don’t try to indentify him from this year’s Annual picture. I will start taking pictures for next year’s Annual late this month so hopefully we can get everyone’s picture in next year. If you have any suggestions for changes in the Annual, please forward them to Kathy Fish or me.
By the time you read this, the QCYC Open House for new membership will have taken place. I sent 4,200 invitations to every one in King County that has a boat longer than 20 feet. Deborah sorted and edited the list to eliminate our members and any commercial boats. It was a very big job and we owe a giant “THANK YOU” to her. A “job well done” goes to Chris Benson for all of his work on membership and all of the members that worked in the boat show booth.
Lately there has been a great deal of discussion regarding “Active Members” and “Storage Boats.” We assume that most members realize that an “Active Member” should be attending club activities at the clubhouse and the outstation along with using their boat. Unfortunately, we should never ASSUME, because it seems as though a few members don’t understand this concept. The Bridge, together with the Board and the Moorage Committee will be evaluating the usage of some boats that don’t appear to have been used over the past year. There may even be some that don’t even run. Please remember that our club is an active club and moorage should be reserved for active members that use their boats. Queen City Yacht Club is not a storage facility. If you are one of those persons please start taking part in club activities or make arrangements to relinquish your space to an active member. There are many active members waiting for moorage at the club.
A special committee on membership is studying proposals for spousal membership. It is very close to presenting its findings to the membership for approval. This concept has been buzzing around the club for over 5 years and it is high time that we move into the 21st century and approve it. Many hours have been spent on this issue and we have lost potential members because of our current criteria. Please consider this issue with an open mind and realize that it is good for the future of Queen City Yacht Club.
I hope that you are all aware of our new meeting night programs. The second meeting of each month is being devoted to presenting programs that should be of interest to our membership. Our program for March promises to be very good and informative. Johari Vos M.H.D., a QCYC member, will present six solutions to a healthier life.
On another note, we have a number of dock projects that need our attention.
Work Slip: The work slip is slowing sinking and needs to be replaced. We have received three bids on replacement and now need to figure out how to pay for it. We looked at possibly having our members build and replace it but that does not seem feasible, nor would we really save any money by doing that.
Docks Maintenance: Docks work is continuing but we need to find some members to manage and carry through the projects. Managers are needed to plan and acquire materials so that when the work crew shows up, everything is in place to complete the job. Crewmembers are also needed to perform the work. Here is a list of the current manager and crew opportunities:
Planking: Co-Managers, Chuck Gould & Mitch Garton could use some ongoing help.
Dock Lights Repair & Service: Need Manager and Crew (4 to 7 people)
Reposition Lights: Need Manager (some electrical experience required) and Crew (4 to 6 people)
Cleats: Manager, Bob Maruska needs Crew (4 to 6 people)
Dock Holes Repair: Need Manager and Crew (3 to 5 people)
Cleaning & Painting of end of Dock 3: Need Manager and Crew (2 to 3 people) This job needs to be completed before Opening Day but can be done during Pride of Queen City.
If you are able to assist in any of these projects, and I hope that many of you are, please contact the project managers or Art Mauldin.
I hope to see as many of you as possible at the club functions this month.
Don Wilson
Vice Commodore
3. Rear Commodore's Report
Wow, what a great Boat Show this year! How beautiful were those Navigators and Meridians? Once again, our QCYC booth had a great physical presence at the Boat Show this year. Captain Chris Benson and his team deserve our appreciation for a job well done.
This year we were very pleased to have the Tarettes join us in the booth to present information on the Queen City Tarettes program. Kudos and thanks to Sistee Lentgis and the Tarette team for their support.
GROUNDS: On Feb. 12 we had a grounds clean-up/work party. There were several members who showed up to rake leaves, pull weeds and sweep the sidewalks. We even got a little break in the weather and it turned out to be quite a productive three hours.
Our winter spruce-up made our beautiful clubhouse and grounds a show case for our “Prospective Members” Open House hosted by Captain Chris Benson on Saturday, February 19.
Thanks to Captain Becky Garvie and the volunteers for their help on Saturday. What would we ever do without you!
REMINDER NOTE: This year once again Captain Jerry Zuvich has volunteered to chair our annual “Pride of Queen City Clubhouse, Grounds, and Docks Cleanup” to be held on April 30, from 0830 to 1630 hrs. Please take special note and mark your calendars for this important traditional club activity.
This is one of those activities that always provides a great time for members to get together and share stories and enjoy the camaraderie of good fellowship which has always been a part of our tradition. Also, it is a great opportunity to help get our yacht club facilities in good shape before the start of Opening Day week on May 5 thru 8.
Additionally, for Queen City members who moor their boats in other locations and are volunteers on April 30, you are encouraged to bring your boats to the club “U” that day. As we did last year, there will be time set aside during the day on April 30 for boat owners to make their boats ready for Opening Day weekend.
Oh yes, Jerry mentioned that we won’t have to worry about the hunger pains on April 30, as around noon we will be treated to a delicious hot dog, chips and soda lunch, and for dinner that evening Jerry and his kitchen dream team will be treating us to a Queen City thank you dinner at 1730.
As you may know, Queen City’s participation in the Opening Day of Boating Season is one of the flagship activities that we participate in each year. It is an important tradition that we wish to preserve and it is no less important that we make our club facilities ready for this wonderful weeklong event. Please remember to schedule time to volunteer on April 30. Your club needs your help.
If you have any questions contact: Capt. Jerry Zuvich at (206) 919- 9266
BILGE FEEDBACK: It appears that members have been placing bags of garbage in the Recycle Dumpster located in the enclosure adjacent to Cummins Hall. This is a “no no,” and if it continues, we have been advised that it will cost the club an extra $40.00 per month to take care of this recurring problem. I will be posting a sign to help remind us not to place the wrong items in the recycle dumpster. Please give this request your immediate attention and let’s do the right thing.
Also, we have been reminded that members are placing pop cans, full doggy bags, and other unacceptable material in the yard waste flip top receptacle located along the west wall of the dumpster enclosure. Please refrain from putting the wrong material in this receptacle. Remember, “yard waste only.” I will post a sign above the receptacle to help remind members.
Lastly, I need to mention that I will be posting a sign in the park area to remind park users to pick up after their dogs. There are doggy bag dispensers available at the park and on the outside wall of Cummins Hall. Your assistance is appreciated.
MEMBERSHIP: Our membership at the end of Jan. was 469 which include 352 active members and 117 Sr. Life members. Our 2011 goal is to add 45 new memberships; we are currently at 27 % of our goal.
SECURITY: Capt. Rod Hilden confirms at this writing there are no security issues to report either at the Winslow outstation or the Seattle In-station.
In closing, as you can see it takes a lot of members to keep our club running smoothly e.g. this year’s boat show booth team volunteers. QCYC is fortunate to have so many members who are willing to step up to make this the great club that it is! Thank you all.
Bob Stettner
Rear Commodore
Children's Easter Egg Hunt & Party
Dancing With The Bridge
Docks Committee
Preparations for Opening Day are underway. It’s time for some cleanup and painting and some the projects need preparation steps ahead of “Pride of Queen City.” Ron Stevenson and Wolfgang Werner are teamed to head up some important painting work, but they’ll need some help to make it happen. One important painting project is the end of the covered moorage section of Dock 3. The entire face of that structure needs a face lift to greet our guests and ourselves. You’ll note that the lumber storage rack is nearing completion. We’re waiting for a roof and painting before we get the lumber pile removed from the parking lot. Much thanks to Mitch Garton, Kelly Stocklin, Ron Stevenson, John Alving, and Commodore George for making this project what it is. Well done!
We’re in constant need of dock planking and a few areas are becoming a real concern. Let’s give Chuck Gould and Mitch Garton all the help we can in the next few months.
The new waste oil disposal tank has suffered some unexpected hiccups and delays for which we apologize. The tank will be moved to the location of the previous tank to avoid rain water entering the tank as it has been since it was placed near the laundry room. You are reminded that it is here for waste motor oil only. Progress on moving the tank was stalled when we found the tank loaded with considerable water with outboard gasoline poured on top. We’ve been trying to find some service to dispose of the contaminated contents, but in the mean time the tank is closed. Please: no gasoline. It’s such a hazard and such a huge task to deal with.
Our next scheduled work parties are Saturday’s March 12, April 9, and May 14. 8:30 breakfast with work starting about 9:15. The next committee meetings are: March 22, April 26, and May 24 at 6:00pm. Work parties are on the second Saturday of the month and meetings are scheduled for the fourth Tuesday.
It’s near to spring time and the Army Corps of Engineers will be raising the lake level beginning about now and progressing into June. Please watch your lines, fenders and all moorings on a frequent schedule. Some heavy spring rains can raise the lake level many inches in a day and sometimes a foot over a few days’ time. Lines pulled tight in a vertical direction are a real threat to boats, piers, and people. A terrific amount of energy can be stored in a stretchable poly-line. The forces can and have been enough to rip the end of a finger pier off its mountings here. Cleat mountings and the associated fasteners and frames can be seriously damaged by these forces. Cleats on the vessel and the vessel itself can be badly broken. A large wake through this marina with many tight vertical lines can do a very large amount of damage, as we witnessed a few years back with a fire call next door. Even releasing heavily loaded lines can be a very dangerous process. Cutting them is sometimes the only solution and that is a risky undertaking. Summary? Lines tied in a vertical manner are a real danger.
Instead you are asked to keep lines horizontal and fairly long to serve as springs in your moorage. Lines can keep your boat safely against the dock but always free to move should waves arrive to move it about. Doubling up lines is always a good idea but is especially important for boats that will be left unattended and those moored at the far eastern parts of the marina where the exposure is much greater. Remember that lines, however they are rigged, need long enough sections to stretch and accommodate the motion from changes in lake height or from wave action. If lines can’t do that, more important and expensive parts, not made to stretch and move, will be forced into action. The Docks Chairman doesn’t like that.
Our major repairs contractor should be on site as you read this. The work is scattered around the marina this year and should be completed during the first half of March.
Arthur Mauldin
Docks Chairman, now available at: docks@queencity.org
Fleet Captain Daffodil Regatta Cruise
Fleet Captain St. Patrick's Day Cruise
In Memoriam
Frey, Larry 1914 – 2010
Captain Larry Frey crossed the bar on Dec 10, 2010 at the age of 96. He was born February 27, 1914. At Larry’s death, there was no family or close friends to provide information about Larry’s life but a Bilge Pump article written by the then Rear Commodore in 1988 provides a lot of information and is quoted here:
“You’re going to meet a captain from the ‘far east’ this month - from ‘steel city, USA,’ and that stood for Pittsburgh, PA at one time.
Larry Frey was born in a suburb of Pittsburgh, and while still a youngster, the family moved into the heart of the city. He then attended grammar and high school and then on to the University of Pittsburg to pursue a course in Electrical Engineering. During the last year of college studies, he was recruited by the Department of the Navy for advanced design work in electronics.
Before leaving Pittsburgh for the assignment in Philadelphia, he married Lu, who was then attending Duquesne University. Lu was born in North Carolina and as a baby journeyed with her parents to the Pittsburgh area and settled some 20 miles from Larry’s home. Occasionally in their youth, their paths would cross and in so doing, the stage was set for more social activities to bring them together often.
After two years with the Department of the Navy in Philadelphia, Larry was assigned and transferred to the Puget Sound Naval Radio Materials Office in Bremerton, to pursue further research and development in the Advanced Electronics Field to help the cause of the war in progress.
During his tenure with the Navy, and as a result of the nature of the research activities, acquaintances were formed with others performing similar work at the University of Washington.
At the close of the war (circa 1946), he was approached by the Department of Engineering at the U of W to join the staff. Acceptance was made and he remained a “Husky” faculty member for 31 years until his retirement in 1977.
Larry and Lu were avid boaters, commencing in the 1950’s with small boats and progressing with larger boats until a 36’ Younquist was purchased in 1969. Larry was a Power Squadron member and an Advanced Pilot. He served in Piloting classes, Group Instructor and Supply Officer. In joining the Power Squadron, acquaintances were made with Queen City Yacht Club members and in 1970 the late P/C Orv Lupton sponsored his membership into the club. Boating continued until 1973, when it was interrupted by the necessity of corrective surgery on his spine.
Larry is still active in the Club, presently serving as Wednesday Meeting Night Steward. You’ll always see him picking up a plate or two and coming around to fill the coffee cups of those who want a refill. His second home seems to be our galley where you’ll find him constantly cleaning it and making it shine during one of our many club functions.
Lu is active in Tarettes and works right along with Larry in the various chores and duties, in and around the galley and club premises at our social events too.
Again, the subtle but very visible sign of team work is demonstrated where it counts most – making Queen City the ever friendly, vibrant and “good times” yacht club that it is.
We’re fortunate to have Larry and Lu as part of the team at QCYC. And, if the words that follow just might have any “taint” whatsoever of Larry’s profession – they’re meant to be that way.
More power to both of you!
R/C Doug O’Brien”
Captain Frey joined Queen City in October of 1970. As the above article reports, Larry served as Wine Steward and Meeting Night Steward for many years. His 36’ Youngquist was named “Sea Fly.”
Martini Madness Spirit!
Everyone had a great time this year at Martini Madness, thanks to the party
spirit of our members & the generosity of the volunteers! We had a
record-breaking 130 RSVP's, so Scott & I & our hard-working volunteers
wrapped pancetta around more scallops & prawns than we imagined everyone
could POSSIBLY eat - - yet by the end of the evening every morsel was
devoured! QCYC members & guests savored every bite of spicy stuffed
mushrooms, prosciutto-wrapped asparagus, marinated steak bites, crab dip
(donated by Butch & Nancy Scherrer), caramelized onion pastry puffs, Caprese
skewers, artichoke jalapeno dip, two kinds of deviled eggs (donated by Irene
Nelson, and Carol Soffel), pulled-chicken sliders (donated by Gayle &
Richard Frisch), and healthy veggie pizza (donated by Rosemary Collins).
For dessert, guests nibbled on chocolate dipped strawberries, various
flavored tarts, coconut macaroons, chocolate-dipped cherries (donated by
Carol Voegeli), banana sheet-cake (donated by Bob & Joann Collier), warm
Ghirardelli brownies - - - every bite of dessert was devoured too!
Our Martini bar staff served up so many frosty martinis that we sold out of
cosmopolitans and appletinis, yet continued to pour top shelf concoctions
with Bombay Sapphire or Tanqueray, & Grey Goose or Absolut. Of course our
guests that prefer beer, wine & mixed drinks did not go thirsty.
Our decorations crew re-arranged the clubhouse main floor couches and tables
to encourage mingling among new friends and old. We deliberately kept our
decorations simple & elegant, since the room was beautiful with guests
dressed in festive cocktail attire.
Scott & I would like to extend our thanks to all our members who attended in
good cheer, and those who invited their fun-loving friends. Of course an
appetizer party is only successful thanks to hard-working volunteers (and
they did work HARD!). Please join us in a heart-felt Thank You to the
members who gave generously of their time & energy:
Friday Food Prep Party: Bill Buller, Andrea Schock, Vivian Johnson, Carol
Soffel, Debbie Foote
RSVP List & office support: Deborah Cobain
Decorations and Set-up: Vivian Johnson, Carol Soffel, Greg Scott, Teri
McGrew
Galley: Irene Nelson, Rosemary Collins, Laurie Way, Greg Scott, new members
Ted & Linda Johnson, Kyle Bixby, Diede Janel
Bar Mix Masters: Jess Hill, John Steckler, Carolyn Rolstad, Cary Gould
(supported by Manager Andy Gerde, & Judith Pippin)
Greeters: Ron Voegeli, Denny & Joie Roehl, Ted & Linda Johnson.
Don't miss out on the fun next year, we hope to book Martini Madness on the
final Saturday in January 2012. Cheers!
Tracy McPhee
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