Table of Contents:

1. Keith Conrad, Commodore
2. Bill Rumbold, Vice Commodore
3. Bob Bachman, Rear Commodore
4. FYI
5. Fleet Surgeon
6. Previous Towline

With Summer comes the picnic in the Park at least once a month. Although many of our members are cruising, the turnout has been a great success. V/C Rumbold has selected some great chairman and committee members. It is also great fun to have a theme for each one. I enjoy them as I hope the membership does.

BYC is moving ahead with legal advice pertaining to our Oro Bay Outstation. Last month's Towline indicated that Pierce County determined that our original permit has limit attendance to 13 boats at one time. Our permit has no such limitations in the decision. After discussions with Pierce County, they want BYC to re-apply for a permit to ask for a larger number, at a filing fee of $2,050. I have been in contact with the law firm that represented Tacoma Yacht Club in their permitting with the county. I have asked for legal advice and representation with our problem. I believe the first option would be to petition the Hearing Board for a clarification to our original decision and allow a 50 boat limit. We will proceed based on the legal advice. As of this date, the Labor Day Cruise is on schedule.

Our Annual Committee has been very busy these days. Chairman Mike Thomas and Committee is in the progress of obtaining pictures of all members, and they need everyone's cooperation when contacted. They are prepared to knock on doors if not provided with a recent photo. Great job guys.

Bremerton now has a new location for our web site thanks to Captain Dave Uebele. The site is . www.bremertonyachtclub.org. Check it out and give Dave   input. Good job Dave and thanks.

The computer that was used for many years has been replaced with one that is capable of doing the Annual and Towline. The old one is has been relocated to the conference room and is available for anyone to use.

Remember the theme for the coming year is to "do your share plus a little" and be positive with comments. Oh and lets not forget why we have a Yacht club and that is to promote the enjoyment of boating. Enjoy the summer and remember the next general meeting is September 17^th. 

Keith and Shelly
Commodore
Awesome Ospreys

Quiet reigns on the docks. While walking the docks I have noticed that there are many empty slips and boathouses these days. Many of our club members are out on the water enjoying the great weather and long days we have been having this summer. I am sure that we will hear many "sea stories' when our friends return. How they almost ended up on the rocks, how they broke down, how many fish and crabs they caught and so on. Well, tell them about the great picnics in the park they missed.

Al and Joanne Gonzalez and their committee put on a great Western BBQ for over 70 cowboys and cowgirls at our July Picnic in the Park. The fixins were fantastic and I am sure everyone enjoyed the picnic. Speaking of cowboys and cowgirls  -- for those of you who could not make it you missed a real sight! Our Rear Commodore and the Vice President of the Skipperettes came dressed as cows and Jerri was "udderly" well equipped!

Wednesday, 15 August - mark your calendars. Mike and Abby Dunn are putting on "An Old Fashioned Picnic in the Park", 6 pm. Sunday, 9 September will be the Salmon Bake and Norm Smith is working on it now. Don't miss these two fun events.

On August 3 - 5, BYC will have the honor of hosting the officers of the Grand XIV for their annual cruise-in. All the Commodores and Vice Commodores will get together to welcome the new Rear Commodores onto the bridge of their respective clubs. The Commodores and Vice Commodores will get together at Port Orchard Yacht Club Friday while the new Rear Commodores come to BYC. Saturday noon all the Commodores and Vices will sail up the Narrows and into the yacht club for a get together to "encourage some bonding" among the Rears. With the arrival of the 42 boats the docks will be a little crowded. We plan to moor the Commodore's boats between A and B strings, the Vice Commodores between B and C strings and the Rear Commodores south of C string. If you plan to move your boat Saturday afternoon or Sunday morning and don't want to get parked in, contact Rear Commodore Bachman or me so we can make other arrangements for you.

Hope you are all enjoying this great summer!

Bill Rumbold 
Vice Commodore 

We're now in the middle of summer, at least that's what the calendar says. Most of the tans I've seen around the Club are on members who wintered in Arizona. It is, however, for the most part, perfect weather for painting, yard work, remodeling, etc., which leads me right into the remodeling of the galley--- it has begun! If we can't be tanning we may as well get our work party time in, right? We can use your help as there is lots to be done. Stop by and check out the progress. You will be impressed in a couple of ways. One, impressed, as in you like it and two, impressed, as in the old English navy way of raising a crew. See Dale Armstrong to sign on. Also, for those looking for the moorage board, points list, railway sign up sheet and the other lists that were posted previously in the Chart Room these have been moved to the lower level of the Club in the conference room. It's a bit of a mess down there but it is being worked on. There are some modernization/beautification projects slated for the conference room as well as other areas of the Club over the next several months.

With the July Picnic in the Park just around the corner as I write this, the three new picnic tables are in place in the park as promised. They are conspicuous by their lack of paint which, hopefully, should be on before the winter rains.

Perhaps by now everyone has seen the "remodeling" that was done to the oil lobby building. It seems that in the dead of night (when most things spooky happen), an auto in the lot decided to slip its moorings and "remodel" the shed. The car and handiwork were found in the morning to the chagrin of its owner who immediately had his tape and notepad out to affect repairs. Well, he did such a nice job on the shed that was sort of pieced together in that area anyway, that I thought I'd talk to him about giving his car a shot at the fence by the dumpster. Also, I'm sure he's heard all the ribbing about dragging anchor in the parking lot, chocking, etc. so I'll not say a word more here.

Speaking about the dumpster/recycle area, we have a continuing problem with unfastened boxes and "stuff" that comes from someplace other than the club house or the docks. It costs you, the owners, $4500.00 a year for dumpster service and when it overflows onto the ground it costs more and like everything else, annual costs won't be going down. So remember, flatten 'em and if it comes from someplace else, dispose of it someplace else.

In the recycle area the scrap metal is periodically removed by an obliging member but what are we to do with a full size plastic reefer, a delaminating glassed over mast that is rotting, and several tires on rims. I don't know where the last things are used on a boat but we've got them in the recycle area. These items will have to be hauled to the dump by another obliging member and the cost borne by the Club.

Remember, this is your Club. Each of us shares these costs. When we have additional unbudgeted expenses it takes funds that could have been better used elsewhere.

So, with all that said, lets hope for better weather and get on with the summer.

Bob Backman
Rear Commodore

If you place an order for delivery to the Yacht Club, please be here to let them in the gate and to pay for it. There's no guarantee someone else will be here to let them in.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Unknown

Antibacterial Soaps, Not!

Would you believe that using antibacterial soaps can actually increase your risk of bacterial illness? If it's true that our homes are teeming with bacteria, why don't we get sick? It's because good bacteria on our skin protect us against the bad bacteria.

According to Robyn Gerson DrPH, senior research associate, Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public health, Baltimore, if you use antibacterial soap, you can kill the good bacteria that are protecting you.
Source: Bottom Line Health, March 1998

Captain Mike Thomas
Fleet Surgeon

For the July Towline on the web, click here.
Last update: 20 July 2001