Table of Contents:

1. Keith Conrad, Commodore
2. Bill Rumbold, Vice Commodore
3. Bob Bachman, Rear Commodore
4. Mike Henry, Regatta Chair - Power
5. Bret Halffman, Environmental Chair
6. From your WebMaster 

From:  Keith Conrad, Commodore

HEAVY WEATHER WEEKEND is February 15-17. Heavy weather weekend is considered an all-hands event, due to the many activities involved. A quick summary of major events: Guests start to arrive Friday noon; dinner and dance Friday night; Saturday is log race day; Saturday night are the skits followed by dancing and a snack. Sunday is the breakfast followed by awards presentation. BYC will need a lot of help to perform all of the tasks. Key chairmen that can use your help: P/C Mike Henry, John Rosendale, Rick Ormiston, Jack DeWitt, Dale Armstrong, or contact a Bridge Officer for assignments. Each key person has been briefed on duties and is invited to contact me for or with any questions.

Tacoma Yacht Club has decided to revive the Daffodil Parade and now we desperately need a Daffodil Chairman and a boat to decorate. Please contact me if you can help. Service points are always available for those interested.

An update on our outstation situation finds no change in status. Tacoma Yacht Club is appealing to the State Dept. of Ecology and a hearing is scheduled for March. BYC membership is requested to limit outstation use to 13 boats at one time.

"Do your share plus a little" and always be positive.

Keith & Shelley Conrad
Commodore
Awesome Ospreys 

From: Bill Rumbold, Vice Commodore

This morning was cold and windy, but Lynne and I got up, dressed and rushed down to the boat to get the flags and pennants on so we could be out to welcome home the USS Sacramento. We were not alone. Seventeen other members of the club were out there too. It was a beautiful sight when she came into view around the corner in Rich Passage. The sailors were manning the rail straight and tall and I am positive they were freezing their ---- off, but they sure looked impressive to me. The Sac was flying a huge American Flag and it was streaming straight out in the wind like it was proudly sending a message. Two tugboats were pumping streams of water high into the sky and the wind was carrying the mist far back behind. The Sac was doing probably 10+ knots - too much for us slow guys, but getting a head start and putting Sundance all ahead full we stayed with her for a while. Our BYC boats and the six from Port Orchard put on a fine display of appreciation for our military men and women. Coming past the gazebo and the Bremerton marina we could see hundreds of men, women and children waving flags. A band was on the dock at the marina and I am sure they were playing their hearts out, but with the wind blowing so hard, we could barely hear them. It was cold and windy, but a day that I shall never forget! I am looking forward to Wednesday when the USS Vinson returns. Rain or shine, wind, cold or whatever, Lynne and I will be out to welcome our people home. Hope I see you all out there too.

If it is February, it is HEAVY WEATHER time!!!! Traditionally, this is an ALL HANDS evolution. Everyone turns to and does their share, plus a little. This is the biggest and the best that Puget Sound has to offer in races, skits and meals fed. Bar none! Folks from all the other clubs talk about Heavy Weather and express their admiration for the efforts that BYC members display. February is normally a blah month, but not at BYC! We need YOUR help to prepare for and put it on. Some of the chairmen needing help are:

Rick Orminston	Dinner Friday evening
Dale Armstrong	Breakfast Sunday morning
Jack Dewitt	Set up all weekend

In addition, nearly every committee chair can use a helping hand. Give them a call. Here is a list:

Regatta for Power	PC Mike Henry
Fleet Captain	PC Mark Miller
Float Chairman	John Rosendale
Regatta for Sail	Joe Payne
Club Stewards	Riley Evans/ Randy Trott
House & Grounds	Mike Leedy
Skipperettes	Juanita Armstrong

In case you need something else to fill out your social calendar, don't forget the CRAB FEED on 3 February, chaired by Owen Ritter and the FISHING DERBY on 24 February sponsored by last year's winner - Doug Smith.

A big round of thanks to Roger and Blanche Horne for sponsoring our fantastic New Years Eve party. Its theme was "American Spirit". A fitting focus for the end of 2001! Bill & Dee Nickerson for hosting the Taco Feed on 11 January and to Dave and Janet Cleator for the breakfast on 20 January. I really appreciate you guys, you do a great job!!!

Bill Rumbold
Vice Commodore 

From: Bob Bachman, Rear Commodore

Winter is slowly settling in as we bid January goodbye and prepare for the BIG EVENT-Heavy Weather. As in the past, we can expect to welcome many guests and visitors in and about the club and floats. I am sure we will all make them feel welcome. During this time of Heavy Weather, parking will be at a premium so in consideration for our guests please keep vehicles to a maximum of one per family in the parking lot. We expect to again host several motor homes and for parking to overflow onto the road outside the gate. Remember, one car, please.

In preparation for Heavy Weather there will be a Work Party scheduled for the weekend of February 9 and 10. We will be sprucing up the clubhouse, grounds, and floats. It?s pressure washing time again for the floats so if you have a pressure washer it would be put to good use de-greening the floats. See Capts. Terry Stevens or Steve Stearns, our Workparty co-chairs to sign up for your time.

Also, Capt. John Rosendale is looking for a crew to put out the mooring timbers to accommodate the anticipated 50 to 70 visiting boats. This will not be done on Workparty weekend so give him a call.

In the lounge there is a sign up sheet for Fire Watch. Here is a chance to help out and get points too. Quite a few openings still left. Check it out.

As you have noticed, the lock on the float gate is removed for repair because someone kicked the gate open. If there is a problem with this or anything else in the club, please bring it to the attention of the appropriate chairman or the Rear Commodore. Expenses like this are unnecessary and cost all of us. It is our club. Please treat it like you own it, because you do.

And lastly, don't forget the log race. Here's your chance to have fun and a little competition with a group of visiting boaters. If you haven't raced in a while, dust off your charts and come out and show the burgee. Represent YOUR club in this premier race.

Bob Bachman
Rear Commodore

FROM: Regatta Chair - Power

Let the SOCIAL EVENT SEASON begin! And a great start it was! Nine BYC boats ventured across the deep seas to Queen City YC for the IPBA First of the Season Navigation Contest. The weekend started with lunch at QCYC on Fri followed by the infamous QCYC Burger Bash later that evening. Breakfast was available Saturday AM in the clubhouse followed by the afternoon race and capped by an evening of dining, race awards and dancing. Prior to departing Sunday morn, most partook of the good QCYC champagne brunch to get us focused for the trip home. Oh! - back to the race. The course took us for a 20 mile cruise around Lake Washington (at least most of us made it around). Nice day with a little bit of wind until it perked up to nearly 35 MPH near the end. First race in the lake for Capts Randy Trott and Steve Stearns and crews. Of the nine BYC entries, four took away trophies, four more did almost that well and one (Capt Stearns) had a mechanical problem which kept him from finishing the race. Taking trophies were Capts Chuck Silvernail and Ray Gorski on SOLMAR with 1.1438% for 1st Place in Class 1, V/C Bill and Lynn Rumbold on SUNDANCE with 1.5% for 2nd Place in Class 1, Capt John Rosendale and P/C Leo Longenecker on MISTIC BLUE with 1.2195% for 1st Place in Class 2 and P/C Mike and Billie Henry on PEACHY KEEN with 1.0027% for 1st Place in Class 3. Capt Tex Dominy on After 5, Capt Mike and Sharon Leedy on SEA TRUST II, Capt Owen and Linda Ritter on OUTBOUND and Capt Randy and Marcia Trott on RICOCHET were almost close. A great extra treat came when a few of us won bottles of wine for having zero seconds of error on at least one leg. Great time at QCYC!!

Upcoming is our own Heavy Weather Race which, believe it or not, is the largest log race in the world. Participating in this contest is a great way to show your support for BYC. Tradition has it that we, as the host club, should have the most contestants. Sooooo --- if you have any interest at all in taking a shot at it, give me a call. This year's course is almost too easy since we're not going through Rich Passage. There will be two skull sessions again this year. The first will be on Tuesday, Feb 5, at 7:00PM to discuss the course layout. A second session will be a week later on Tuesday, Feb 12, again at 7:00PM to discuss currents, et al.

The race logs are out and can be picked up from the wall holder next to the club store OR you can download the log from our BYC website http://bremertonyachtclub.org OR I can e-mail it to you. Please check the website and your e-mail for any corrections or changes. For all BYC'ers, don't forget to get your new Heavy Weather 2002 shirts from Capt Randy Trott. They're a really nice long sleeve knit style for only $18.00 (profit goes to the club). Besides, you'll really look good in one.

So, to paraphrase George Z________, you're going to like Heavy Weather Weekend; I guarantee it. Next contests coming up are at Meydenbauer Bay YC on Mar 2, Olympia YC on Mar 9 and Gig Harbor YC on Mar 23.
Keep on logging or start logging.

P/C Mike Henry
Regatta Chair - Power

From your Environmental Chair:

Hi, my name is Bret Halffman, I'm your Environmental Chairperson. I've always believed when it comes to environmental issues that "No news is good news" meaning we have been doing a great job keeping this club in compliance with the laws and haven't had to address any problems in the past year.

To ensure we stay on top of things, please continue using BMP (best management practices) to protect our environment. Take a moment and check out the latest BMP brochure hanging on the club store bulletin board or go online to www.cleanboating.com for the latest and greatest information. If you haven't read it in a while, it may be time to brush up.

One of my duties is to ensure the Hazardous Storage Area is in compliance with Federal Regulations. How can I help out you say? Here's your answer:

1. Do not leave containers of any kind in the shed I.E. 1 gal. Anti-freeze bottles or used oil filters. You can drain them but do not leave them there. Manage your time when draining containers by setting them up to drain and coming back later that same day to discard the container.

2. If you notice a tank nearing its full mark, Put a "FULL DO NOT USE" note on the tank and contact me ASAP @ 308-9120 night or 476-9185 days. I will arrange for it to be pumped. For those of you feeling real energetic call the pickup number located in your BYC Annual.

3. If you spill anything in or near the sheds, clean it up.

4. ABSOLUTELY DO NOT leave any containers laying around with substances in it. Worst case scenario: We get Local, State or Federal audited and have to pay for expensive testing to find out what it is, then it has to be cleaned up, and a possible fine. Of course then, we will probably be subject to more auditing in the future…Let's not go there.

Pat yourselves on the back for doing your part and keeping the club areas environmentally sound.

Capt.Halffman

From: your WebMaster

... Just a reminder to check the web page for upcoming events, and if you want to add something to the web page, contact the web team via the web page. www.bremertonyachtclub.org We've had a lot of favorable comments, and I want to keep it that way by making sure the web page is current and relevant to members of the community.

Also, for those members that had email via @home, please contact daveu@sptddog.com to let me know your new email address. I am already collecting email addresses for next years annual.

Dave Uebele