NLYC Membership: As I reflect on 2011, and look forward to 2012, I cannot help but think of getting N-33 out for a sail. I’m sitting on my screened in porch, in the sun and out of the wind, and it is no worse than a cold weekend on Nag. Hang on a minute, the NLYC membership  intro isn’t cutting it with me. I often address the Board as a Team, and can’t help but lean towards that moniker here.  NLYC Team: Much better. So, here is the Commodore, the Big Cheese, the big Gambino, giving you the “what’s up” at “our” club, in addition to some editorial comment.  While the Club sits idle, your appointed ones have been grinding out thoughts and ideas, ways to  improve  our  club  and  what  it  has  to  offer.  Ways  to  keep  it  monetarily  solvent and on the upswing in a time when….., well we will just leave it at that.

Forbes Hotchkiss and Chuck Hajinian and their Committee have worked extremely hard to try and find a way to bring more talent into our club. In the past, we attended local events, sent fliers and mailings, plus did some minimal advertising. And with our efforts to date, we are basically maintaining the membership number. Discussions have been bantered about for a classification of “social” membership. This went back and forth over three board meetings, and I think I can safely say that  we  have  put  that  idea  to  bed.  However,  an  idea  that  came  up  at  our  last meeting is to offer, possibly, and for one year, an “introductory” membership with limited privileges. This idea is in the infant stage and I do not know where it will lead. All discussions on all topics seem to fall back to the “In the Spirit of Sailing”. It is a  simple  phrase,  yet  deems  to  be  a  founding  phrase  to  lead  us  in  our  tasks.    It  is with this in mind that we attempt to get more team members, improve and keep up with the times in sailing classes; and by  classes I not only mean instructors, but also class of sail boats, and offer to  keep our existing members involved and interested in the club.  Jan Monahan (Sailing School) is looking at the up and coming 420-class of sail boat. It looks like it is definitely here to stay on the inland circuit, and Jan has attended numerous meetings  in North  Lake  that  have  been  attended  by  a  very  large  number of area clubs. Jan will have more with another meeting on January  14th, and we will be attending the Winter Inland meetings in February where there will be more discussion.  We are looking at improving the “X-C” Share a Dream sail, and looking at the Labor Day race as a Club kick-off, or “Commissioning of the Fleet” party or race, or both. We  are  also  looking  at  our  instructors  to  be  more  accredited  by  attending  Level  1 instructor classes to become Certified.  

When we look at our over-all financial  stability, thanks to efforts of Lynn Morrison,  it  is  clear  that  bringing  in  Regatta’s  to  our  club  is  what  brings  us  from  a basic breakeven year to a year when we can put some of it away. Judy Grosch (Vice Com.) and Bob Ross (Rear Com.) with support  from others will be looking to have our club be more exposed and available for regatta’s.  The “State of our Club” is excellent.  But as they say, “To maintain is to retrogress”.  In  order  to  continue  to  make  NLYC  the  Club  we  want  it  to  be,  we continue to need the contributions and input of all members, both new and old. We have a new classification of membership, the “Emeritus” class, for members who have been a member in the club for 50-years and reached the age of 70-years young. I am honored and proud to include: Henry Bills, Robert Perlick,  George Butzer, Joanne Price, Amy Limbert & Art Streich with that, we look for a great 2012 sailing year. I look forward to meeting those I have not yet met, and those who know me all too well.  

On Wisconsin and NLYC from the Team: Les Birbaum, Judy Grosch, Chuck Hajinian,  Michele Heinze, Forbes Hotchkiss,  Alison Lux, Dick Milaeger, Jan Monahan, Lynn Morrison, MaryLloyd Lynn Murphy, , , Bob Ross and Kristin Zietlow, and all the members.  

CYA Note: The views expressed by the Commodore are those of his personal opinion and not that of all Board or members. ;-)