Commodores Report

Commodores Report

I am hopeful that everyone survived the Holidays and retained their sanity. As we look forward to the New Year I feel obligated to report on the state of White Point Yacht Club and the outlook for 2011.

“The state of White Point Yacht Club is excellent”. I’m happy to report the Club is financially sound and that our Membership is stable. We have gained five new members but lost a couple of long standing members. Most of the annual dues have been received and all new members have paid their initiation fees. The New Year calendar of events is firming up with great participation and new enthusiasm.

The Bridge is listening to the general membership’s suggestions and implementing the will of the majority. Thanks to the previous Board of Directors we have instituted a policy of with or with out alcohol event pricing and the new BOD will sustained that policy for the upcoming New Year. We have eliminated the burden of having one Social Chairmen, for all events, and implemented the policy of a volunteer event Chairperson for each event. The general membership voiced their opinion again suggesting that we have a Christmas Dinner in lieu of a Christmas Brunch. The Bridge listened and we had thirty eight people attend the first annual Christmas Dinner at the Bravo Italiano Restaurant in Fredericksburg’s Virginia. Thanks to all of those who participated.

There are other areas that still need to be addressed in the upcoming year and I’m hopeful that I can receive your full support and participation. Most importantly we must remember that we are a boating club and our first priority is to support boating related activities. Tom Kranz has taken the initiative to coordinate the Boating Safety Class with Jim Colston and a firm date has been established. I hope that all Captains that need this certification attend. Also pleased be advised that even if you aren’t a Captain you can take this course that includes children over sixteen and women. Please contact Vice-Commodore Tom Kranz if you have any questions or wish to register.

White Point Yacht Club was the first Virginia Yacht Club to be accepted to the Chesapeake Bay Yacht Club Association and we should be very proud of our heritage. However we don’t have a delegate to attend CBYCA meeting and advents. In most yacht clubs the past commodore fills this position. I am looking for a volunteer that will actively pursue this position and report to the general membership. The CBYCA has helped in passing legislation that affects all boaters and keeps clubs, like ours, apprised of ongoing events. Most important they promote reciprocity between clubs which allows us to visit other member clubs with privileges. We need to have a voice in this prestige’s organization.

I would like to organize a day cruise to the Cone River for the purpose of Porpoise watching. I need boat Captains to volunteer their boats for the trip and I will assign our Fleet Captain, Jeff Wallace, to organize the cruise. I will ask that the volunteer Captain’s to accept guest that are non-boating Members on their vessels. The Yacht Club will sponsor a box lunch and beverages. There would be no cost to the guest. The flotilla would leave the Club about 10:00 am and than raft up in the Cone about 11:00 am. We could enjoy lunch and watch for the Porpoises. It is reported, by Chesapeake Magazine, that a Pod of Porpoises makes their home in the Cone River. Many of us has seen them swimming in the Yeocomico River. I have had the pleasure of three sightings over the past two years. If you would like to volunteer your boat please contact me. Also if you would like to attend the day cruise as a guest please contact me. We most likely would return around 2:00 pm in the afternoon. A formal date has not been set as this adventure is still in the planning stages.

One last reminder is to make sure that your information in the 2010-2011 White Point Yacht Club Year Book is correct. Please review the 2009-2010 Year Book to make sure that your personal information is correct. If there has been changes to your address, telephone number, e-mail address or boat information please contact Lorna Helal or Cathy Millison with the new information. Remember this is our life line to each member.

Well that will do it for the Commodores Report. I look forward to the next issue of the Dock Lines and Opening day. Bon Voyage.


L. Roger Mason
Commodore,
White Point Yacht Club

Docklines 2009

WHITE POINT YACHT CLUB
DOCKLINES – WINTER 2009


From the Commodore:
Greetings! I trust that everyone is having a happy new year. I am very much looking forward to this year’s boating season with all the club members. We are planning to do the pig roast and fireworks ourselves this season, which will be a great deal of fun. But we do need your help. Volunteers for all events will be greatly appreciated. Please contact Maria (maria.bell@corp.aol.com) or me (571-236-0553) to sign up.
I also wanted to welcome the new members of WPYC. I encourage you to jump in and get involved in the many activities and committees in the club.
New Members:
Rick and Mary Beth Bearden
Gary and Carol Briggs
Scott and Dee Butterfield
Jim Eury and Carolyn Gorman
Andy and Linda Kovac
Tom and Linda Kranz
Vicky Moss
Bruce and Laura Plantin
Garrett Preis and Jacqueline Mackey
Jim and Cynthia Stultz

January 24-25 - Winter Rendezvous - Kitty Hawk, NC
Twenty members had a great time at the Winter Rendezvous in Kitty Hawk. The company and food were outstanding! Half of the group spent Saturday sightseeing the local lighthouses and Elizabethan Gardens in nearby Manteo. The other half of the group went four-wheeling on the beach in Corolla. All in all, a good time was had by all! Next year will be even better. All are encouraged to join in.
--- Kevin Whicker, 2008-09 Commodore

In Memoriam: Thomas Moss
Tom Moss, a new member to WPYC, passed away on Wednesday, March 18, 2009. A service was held on March 21 at Jefferson Funeral Chapel. Tom will be buried at Arlington National Cemetery, Thursday, May 28, 2009, 11 a.m. Contributions may be made in his honor to Walter Reed Society.

In Memoriam:
Harry Lee Arnest Jr.
Harry Lee Arnest, a long-time member to WPYC, passed away on Wednesday, March 3, 2009. A memorial service was held on March 14 at Yeocomico Episcopal Church. Contributions may be made in his honor to the Kinsale Foundation.
He graduated from the Naval Academy in 1942, just in time to serve as gunnery officer on the fast battleship North Carolina, just after the first American landings on Guadalcanal. He was in some of the hottest action during the war.
He came home to become an enterprising businessman and expert realtor, and devoted husband to his dear wife, Betty, and grandchildren, Will, Annie, and Lee.


March St. Patrick’s Day Event
Rick and Mary Beth Bearden win the prize for the best new member volunteers. The food was delicious and the event was well attended.

Club Calendar – 2009 Season
Check out the new schedule on the next page, and be prepared to discuss any new ideas at the Opening Meeting, April 25th. In addition to your old favorite events, we are going to try a Surf and Turf Dinner on June 27th. The club will serve Filet Mignon or New York Strip, seafood, baked potatoes, salad and dessert. The price is TBD. We will still be gathering for a casual brunch on May 3rd, July 5th, August 2nd, and September 6th during the season. We’ll ask one volunteer couple to host each event, bringing (at the Club’s expense) OJ and V8 plus Danish. All others bring a pot luck brunch dish. We’ll start late and end late, 11:00 am – 1:00 pm, so churchgoers can catch up.

Docklines Fall 2008

WHITE POINT YACHT CLUB
FALL DOCKLINES 2008


NEW BRIDGE:
Elected at the closing meeting
The membership voted in the following new Bridge for 2008-2009:
- Commodore: Kevin Whicker
- Vice Commodore: Will Ashley
- Rear Commodore: Maria Whicker
- Secretary: Lorna Helal
- Treasurer: Barbara Turpin
Past-Commodore: jolly and lovable Robin Thompson was full of ideas on how to get our members out on the water, and was always supportive of new ways to get the membership together. She was often our acting-Commodore during 2007, so she’s had almost two years’ duty as our fearless leader. Kevin’s remarks at the meeting spoke for us all: “Robin, thanks so much!”
Another highlight of the closing meeting was the large group of prospective members on the September ballot. Ten boating families were approved by the membership and they are being invited to join the Club.


“IT WAS A DARK AND STORMY NIGHT…” Rob Redfearn and his brave crew saved many a boat. Unusually high tides and strong winds meant some sleepless nights for the White Point staff this summer, as they re-tied boats, or in some cases, moved them to safer slips. Said Rob, “We are thankful that we have escaped hurricanes this year, and hopefully we’ll have calm weather for the remainder of the Fall.” Two points to remember about securing your boat:
* Make sure you have extra lines on board – twice as many, or perhaps eight, as you need in calm weather. These extra lines should also be considerably longer, to allow for adjustment.
* Try to tie your docklines so that they can be adjusted even if the docks are 2-3 feet under water; in other words, tie your boat high on the piling.

CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS
Need Social Chairman and Auditor
Although Barb Turpin is above reproach, she feels she needs WPYC’s books audited. We’re looking for someone to look over the financials and validate the balance sheets and/or make suggestions. It’s a one-time responsibility, taking only a few hours.
The Social Chairman spot is unfilled, and although Kevin and Maria are stepping up to the plate this Fall, we need someone to organize a strong committee and to create the 2009 calendar of social events. White Point events always enjoy many helping hands. Sue Nunn, past chair, says, “No one ever turned me down for a chore; in fact, there were many more volunteers asking to help than I needed.”
Jeff Wallace has agreed to continue as Fleet Captain in 2009, and Will Ashley has volunteered to edit the yearbook this year. We owe many thanks to Noel Yancey, who has performed this chore for so long. Will is also going to keep the WPYC blog up to date. For the latest postings go to: www.whitepointyachtclub.blogspot.com



Fourth of July Field Day
All participants win a prize
Jan Redfearn organized an action-packed and sometimes hilarious “Youth Olympics” Field Day at our Fourth of July Celebration this year. Every participant earned a ribbon. There were many events, including the Spoon Carry, the Water Balloon
Toss, the Spider Dash, the Backwards Dash, and a Three-Legged Race (pictured below). A special event organized by Will Ashley was the Blind Dingy Race made up of two-person teams. The rower was blindfolded, and the coxswain barked out directions around a slalom course. Each team was timed. Winning times: Will and Parker Ashley (2 minutes, 15 seconds), and Steve and Julia Helal (2 minutes, 32 seconds).

Winter 2008 Docklines

WHITE POINT YACHT CLUB
DOCKLINES – WINTER 2008

From the Commodore:
January 25-26 - Winter Rendezvous - Navy Lodge, Annapolis
We had an eventful stay in Annapolis January 25th and 26th. Only a few members attended; Bill and Rosemary, Bob and Cynthia and Bruce and I. We had plenty of good fare and the hospitality room worked out great. We went to a local restaurant the first night called Jimmy Canter's and the seafood was exceptional. Saturday during the day the guys were off to Kent Island looking at boats for sale and pubing their way back to The Navy Lodge. The gals had fun shopping around the historic part of town and not to be left out- had lunch at the Castlebury pub on Main Street. That evening we went to The Charterhouse for an elegant dinner where the views of the harbor were amazing! All in all a good time was had by all!
--- Robin Thompson, 2007-08 Commodore

In Memoriam: Bob Harper 1937-2007
On Sunday, December 2, 2007, Bob Harper passed away after an evening spent doing what he loved best: Eating dinner out with his beloved “Bird” and some of his best friends, Dot Watkins, and Middie and Ben Morris. Bob graduated from Fork Union Military Academy and Virginia Tech. He was active in the community, holding a membership at the Westmoreland Lodge and the ACCA Temple. An excellent businessman, Bob’s Harper Seafood was an important addition to the local economy. He served as our Commodore in 1986-87, and loved boating and the Club. Bob was hale and hearty, a booming big man – the kind of old-fashioned man who “called a spade a GD shovel.” He leaves a big empty spot in our Club.

Club Calendar – 2008 Season
Check out the new schedule on the next page, and be prepared to discuss some new ideas at the Opening Meeting, April 26th. In addition to your old favorite events, we are going to try gathering for a casual brunch on 1st Sundays during the season. We’ll ask one volunteer couple per month to host the event, bringing (at the Club’s expense) OJ and V8 plus Danish. All others bring a pot luck brunch dish. We’ll start late and end late, 11:00 am – 1:00 pm, so churchgoers can catch up. Worth a try? We’ll find out on April 6th – Join us for White Point’s first “Annual Sock Burning Day” Brunch.


Classifieds:
1966 13’ Boston Whaler with rebuilt Evinrude 25 hp outboard (low low hours). Cox trailer included. This unsinkable legendary boat can be yours for $2000 obo. “The smaller the boat, the more fun you can have with it!”
Contact Sue Nunn, 804-472-4489.