It certainly seems that the weather gurus have accurately predicted the El Nino for 2015-2016. The other possibility just might be the Austin Yacht Club scheduling a major regatta. Beginning with Turnback, which brought us a full lake, the Roadrunner, which had weather delays, and the rescheduling of Governors Cup to miss an all day rain event, we certainly have had our share of wet weather.
Since racing sailboats sure is nicer with a bit more space, I am not complaining about any of these events. It has been fun having a bigger playing field, and the absence of powerboats when the weather is bad has made it even better.
The rescheduled Governors Cup turned out to be a great decision, and all the hard work of James Wilsford, his numerous helpers, and race committee anchored by Larry Ratliff , John Mandell, and Bill Records made it a fun regatta. The Roadrunner fleet finished the weekend with another great meal. The effort required to plan and execute a regatta is enormous and those of you who don’t support the AYC regattas are truly missing a lot of what AYC has to offer.
The only downside to having a full lake and an El Nino weather pattern that promises to continue, is the possibility that we may get more than we have wished for in terms of a full lake. Our long time members can certainly recall the times we have had a lot more water than dry land. Be sure and keep an eye on the weather and emails from AYC in case that happens again. This is particularly true for those of us who keep boats on trailers in the dry sail area. Boats will float, and trailers will not. Having your boat and trailer part company is not a good thing. You will be notified if it is time to move your boat and trailer. Be sure to keep it in operating condition, particularly if it has been a while since you have seen it. A trailer with flat tires is not easily moved.
There are only a few more events on the AYC calendar for 2015. The Fall Series will conclude on November 22, the Wild Turkey Regatta is scheduled for Saturday November 28, so you can work off that extra pie you had on Thanksgiving. Our AYC Annual Meeting is scheduled for Thursday December 3. We will be presenting awards to thank those members who have given their time during the year to make everything work at our club. And two nights later on Saturday December 5 we will finish with an Annual Banquet at the UT Steiner Ranch Golf Club. This is a great place for a party and you will miss out on a great meal and a fun party if you do not send in a RSVP before the deadline.
This has been a great year to serve as your Commodore and I have truly enjoyed it. Having been a member for so long before taking my turn at the helm has made it even more worthwhile and memorable. I thank you all for allowing me this opportunity and I hope that I have served the Austin Yacht Club well.
Barry Bowden
2015 AYC Commodore
