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Dear fellow sailors,
I’ve been a member of my yacht club for nearly half a century and have served in nearly every leadership post offered, with the spirit of “giving back” to the club that provided me a lifetime of enjoyment and friendships.
Recently, at a cocktail reception for prospective members, after all these years, I discovered the highest honor of all, and the most important contribution any member can make to their club: the addition of well-qualified new members. As each of my fellow members introduced their candidates, I saw them stepping up to invite friends and family to become members.
I attended with my candidate and his lovely wife to proudly introduce them. As I stood forward to speak, I realized the significance of what I was doing and said, “I have been honored to serve our club in many ways over the years, as a flag officer, chair of many committees, and participant in all sorts of special efforts, but this is the greatest honor of all. I am so proud to introduce you to my candidates who will soon be excellent active members, committed to our club and sport, and adding to the strength and vitality of our club.”
My candidates then spoke to the gathering, relating their qualifications and interests, and were welcomed by a round of applause. It was a memorable moment, knowing I had accomplished something of lasting value for my club.
Any club is merely the reflection of its members. All the facilities and activities in the world cannot overcome that. The club, at its core, is its members and their mutual commitment to the club and the sport. It is an honor to contribute to that cause.
John McNeill
Currents Editor
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MEMBER CLUB ANNIVERSARIES
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Yacht Club Punta del Este Sails to its 100th Anniversary
The centennial celebration for Yacht Club Punta del Este (YCPE) is fast approaching in February 2024. In 1924, YCPE’s founders sought to create a club where members could learn to sail and participate in international regattas, as well as meet others with shared interests. A century later, YCPE continues to uphold their founders’ vision.
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Clube Naval De Cascais Celebrates its 85th Anniversary
Since its founding in 1938, Clube Naval de Cascais (CNC) has been a cornerstone of development in water sports in Portugal. For its 85th anniversary, CNC reflects on their achievements that served to advance the sport of sailing locally, nationally and internationally.
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Rolex/Daniel Forster
ICOYC Clubs Fill the Field for the Rolex Invitational at NYYC
When New York Yacht Club hosts the 2023 Rolex Invitational this September, 12 ICOYC Member Clubs will fill in nearly two thirds of the field of 20. The Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron and Southern Yacht Club previously won the event in 2019 and 2021, respectively, and will face strong competition as they seek to reclaim the title.
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St. Francis Yacht Club to Host Winging Championship
St. Francis Yacht Club located in San Francisco, CA, is preparing to host the 2023 Spring Wingding Regatta on April 14-16, 2023, open to all wingfoil competitors. Wingfoiling is the latest iteration of wind-powered water sports and this regatta represents a continuation of this Club’s long history of supporting the leading edge of sailing.
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Results from the Australian Dragon National
Following his win in the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, David Chapman returned to Sydney to take gold again in the Prince Philip Cup – Australian Championship for the International Dragon Class. Thirteen yachts from around Australia participated in the regatta, including three from Western Australia which were trailered across 3,500km of desert to reach Sydney Harbor.
Of note, during the preliminary Ted Albert Invitation Series in the days before the Prince Philip Cup, the Vale Liquidity was struck and quickly sank. Two yachts stood by and rescued the crew, who escaped uninjured, and as a result of their bravery the two yachts were awarded redress of equal first place.
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Kieler Woche Becomes a World Cup Regatta, Starting in 2023
Kieler Woche (Kiel Week) will be included in the group of four top international events that make up the World Cup in Olympic sailing. This grouping allows regatta organizers and World Sailing to coordinate dates, general conditions and training opportunities to make it easier for the world's best athletes to participate in the series. Kieler Woche will run June 17-25, 2023.
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ORC World Championships Coming to Kiel
The ORC World Championships come to Kiel, Germany, August 4 – 12, 2023. 70 yachts from 12 nations are already registered to compete, including the reigning World Champion, former champs, runners-up and newcomers. In addition, the all-female crew will pilot Tutima to compete for the first time since 2020.
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Entries are Open for Annapolis-Newport Race
Annapolis Yacht Club (AYC) is preparing for the biennial Annapolis-Newport race, which starts on June 2. As the date approaches, AYC is offering a series of seminars on “what to expect” to prepare sailors for the 475-nautical-mile passage.
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Women's Winter Invitational Regatta Takes Place at San Diego Yacht Club
The Women’s Winter Invitational returned to La Playa Cove on February 4-5, 2023, for two days of competitive short-course sailing in J/22s. This all-women’s regatta was recently selected to receive the US Sailing 2022 One Design Regatta Award, which recognizes excellence in development, promotion, and management of an outstanding regatta.
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Winter at the Royal Swedish Yacht Club
Short days, snow, and icy waters prohibit sailing in winter in Stockholm, even for the most dedicated. During this time off the water, the team at Royal Swedish Yacht Club focused on team building, e-sailing, preparing for upcoming summer activities, and more.
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Year-Round Activity at Long Beach Yacht Club
Although the waters off Long Beach Yacht Club are much more amenable to sailing year-round, in winter their team focuses on a series of training opportunities and safety courses in preparation for the busy upcoming spring sailing season.
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This issue of The Currents continues our series that asks Members of Member Clubs: What does the ICOYC mean to you? This month, we hear from Andy Anderson, Former President of ICOYC and Member of Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron.
“The Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron has benefitted greatly from being an ICOYC member. Most significantly, our Members have enjoyed the inter-club relationships — visiting like-minded clubs to engage in friendship and learn from one another.
The Council provides a special opportunity between clubs to reach out and host individuals that is second to none. In so doing, the knowledge gained enriches the individuals and provides an understanding of another club’s history and methods of operation, providing benchmarks by which to learn.
When I served as Commodore, the ICOYC gave me valuable insights that informed how we could improve our own club activities. This ranged from on-water events, regatta equipment and management strategy. Exploring the DNA of other clubs, often shaped by history and tradition, enabled me to see where we could improve our own operations.
The opportunity for members to race or cruise in another club’s waters is always a very special opportunity and the other benefit — which goes without saying — is how each member who has been highly engaged in the Council has formed lifelong friendships across the globe, especially through the World conferences where we have the opportunity to get to know each other in a sport that we all love and are passionate about.”
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