Our Desert Land Cruise was a blast! A big thank you to EB Barden and her team for such a great hospitality suite. There were so many goodies and libations available to keep us hydrated. This has always been a cruise favorite (no boat needed)!

Our March cruise will be an exchange with Dana West Yacht Club, March 10-12. Registration is now open – you will need to log into the BCYC website and click on the Cruising tab to sign up for this cruise (and all future cruises). We have planned a Dock Party Happy Hour on Friday and dinner on Saturday night. Sunday morning, we head back to Newport Beach. A full itinerary will be sent to everyone who signs up, about one week before the cruise begins. This cruise will be more casual and give everyone a chance to explore and have fun with friends. NO BOAT IS NEEDED as you can drive down and enjoy the Dock Party on Friday, or Saturday dinner at DWYC (they have a new chef).

The Avalon Cruise at CIYC will be the last weekend in April. Watch for information to come out around the middle of March. As a heads up for those members who want to come and stay in an Avalon hotel, get your reservations made now.

One last change on the cruising schedule – the May Cruise will be to Long Beach Yacht Club (not Dana Point).

Our monthly meetings are the first Wednesday each month at 7:15 pm. Please join our fun group and help us plan the upcoming cruises. We look forward to seeing you!

SC Steve and DIR Lauri Moffett
Ian Hardy and Nesrine Cherkaoui
Cruise Committee

 

Your BCYC Food and Beverage Committee continues to put our best efforts forward for the membership. Every member is always welcome to join our meetings to both learn and ask questions and share comments.

Good things continue to happen as Chef Georges Rapicault and his culinary team provide selections that members and their guests can be proud of and enjoy. A separate and updated cordial and dessert menu is now available in the dining room. The chef’s-choice appetizer is available when ordering a dinner entrée – reservations are required. New on the menu is the Commodore’s Special, a shrimp and pesto pasta.

March 17 is the annual St. Patrick’s Day evening event presented by Las Commodoras and the Activities Committee. The March Sunday Night Supper, March 19, will feature your choice of Chef’s Beef Stroganoff or Beef Tenderloins with a baked potato and salad bar. In the very near future there will be a Signature Dining event in the dining room. The Commodore’s Ball, March 25, always a very classy event, will surely be an evening to remember.

Come join us for fun, food and excellent service!

RC Michael and Nancy Means, SC Rhonda Tolar
Food and Beverage Committee

 

I’m frequently asked why we say port and starboard instead of left and right. Well, here’s the short answer – mariners use port and starboard instead of left and right to avoid confusion. When looking forward, toward the bow of a ship, port and starboard always refers to the left and right sides, respectively. In the early days of boating, before ships had rudders on their centerlines, boats were controlled using a steering oar. Most sailors were right-handed, so the steering oar was placed over or through the right side of the stern. Sailors began calling the right side the steering side, which soon became "starboard" by combining two Old English words: stéor (meaning "steer") and bord (meaning "the side of a boat"). Boats had to tie up to a dock on the side opposite the steering oar. This side became known as larboard, or "the loading side." Over time, larboard—too easily confused with starboard—was replaced with port. After all, this was the side that faced the port, allowing supplies to be ported aboard by porters.

But why are port and starboard important to racers? Because:

· Racing Rule #10 says a boat on port tack shall stay clear of a boat on starboard tack
· BCYC’s Race Committee boat is usually located at the starboard end of the start line
· BCYC’s Race Committee boat is usually located at the port end of the finish line
· Racing marks are almost always rounded to port

Racing In April - The third and final Angelman Series race is scheduled in April, along with the second Weiss Series race.

Racing In May – The third and final Weiss Series race is scheduled in May…along with the Harbor 20 Charity Regatta. AND…Taco Tuesdays starts on May 9. For new BCYC members or those who may have not yet experienced a Taco Tuesday, here is a primer:

· The club and Columbia Room open at 4 p.m. and the buffet opens at 5:30 p.m.
· We race from 6-7 p.m. every Tuesday evening for 15 weeks.
· We run two venues…PHRF and Harbor 20.
· PHRF boats sail one race per evening.
· Harbor 20s sail multiple races per evening.
· After racing, we hand out prizes to the top winners.

And then there is the Mexican buffet and raffle. I’m always impressed with the amount and variety of food Chef Georges Rapicault and culinary team provides…and how Staff Commodore Rhonda Tolar comes up with such unique (and delicious) raffle items each week. By the way, anyone can enjoy the buffet and participate in the raffle…you don’t need to race.

Paul deCapua, Sail Fleet Captain

February was a busy, yet cold, wintery month with temperatures dipping into an area that most of us are not used to! Despite the weather, there were many club-sponsored events, such as the new Race Committee boat christening, Valentine’s Day dinner and live music events that were very well attended. Our first cruise was by car to Indian Wells Resort Hotel in Indian Wells, where members were able to get together in the club hospitality suite, golf, have cocktails and dine at Woodhaven Country Club.

Our first on-the-water cruise will be March 10-12. The destination is Dana West Yacht Club in Dana Point harbor. This is a great venue as there is an abundance of restaurants, shops to browse and lots to do. Register online or call the club office to be part of this great weekend!

Throughout the year, there are many great events planned, so be sure and check the Weekly Update, electronic board near the entrance to the Columbia Room and The Masthead – you don’t want to miss any of them!

“The smallest act of kindness is worth more than the grandest intention.”
~ Oscar Wilde

Cleve Sproule, Vice Commodore