Welcome back GCSA! I can't even begin to express how excited I am to dive into this year's sailing season. We have tons of announcements, opportunities, and resources to share with you and have been working hard to make this season the best ever!

Since all boat owners will be needing assistance getting their boats prepared for "splashing", if you are serious about learning to sail, want to be involved, and hope to guarantee a spot on a boat, I highly recommend you come meet the captains and skippers and offer your elbow grease, your time, and your interest. Enthusiasm, not experience is all that we ask for.

Skippers- if you need help and crew, this is your time to get it! It was suggested at our board mtg that boat owners should showcase their boats. For this kickoff, please create a show-and-tell board to let members know a little about you, your boat, where she is docked (for transportation info) and when you are available to go sailing. (if you have specific questions, please email me directly)

Racers- this is also a good time to get members interested and trained for a smooth and successful racing season. Create a show-and-tell about your racing team and vessel, where and when you train or practice and what you are looking for in a crew member. The best team is comprised of reliable members and experience is gathered, not inherent!

Ahoy to all of our captains who are out there scraping, painting, cleaning, and polishing in preparation for the new season!
At the season kickoff next Wednesday we would like to do something a little different this time:
Instead of people milling about looking at name tags searching for boat owners and/or crew we would like to set up stations for each captain, so that potential crew can find you easily and learn about your boat, as well as your expectations for crew, sailing philosophy, plans for the season, etc.
If each captain can put up a poster board with some pictures of the boat and list the relevant information: the boat's name, location, if you want racing or cruising crew (or both), and of course a sign up sheet with contact information so that people are easy to reach. This doesn't have to be anything fancy, just enough of a presentation to get people interested and give them an easy opportunity to approach you.
FEEL FREE TO ASK FOR VOLUNTEERS TO HELP PREP THE BOAT PRIOR TO SPLASH!! Anybody looking to share your ride should help with the labor, so don't be shy!
Also, Tara would like you to send her some pictures of your boat, preferably on disc, so that we can do some sort of presentation.
We're looking forward to seeing everybody at the meeting.
This will undoubtedly be the best season so far!!
See you on the water,
Johncool

As always, if you have any questions or suggestions, email me directly and I'll be happy to assist you.

Can't wait to see you there!!!

Best,
Tara

City Island Yacht Club is now accepting a limited number of memberships for its Club Boat program. Members will have all rights as Social Members of the Yacht Club including reciprocity with over 700 clubs listed in the register of the Yachting Club of America directory. The Club Boat program will give non-boat owners the opportunity to use a Pearson 22' for occasional day sailing with their guests throughout the summer in a cost effective manner.

The CIYC, established in 1906, and incorporated in 1907, is located on City Island, NY.

City Island is the Bronx seaport as well as a quaint village-like community. It has a history of yachting that spans over 100 years and the home of America?s Cup boat builders in the last century.

The Club is well known not only in its home waters of Western Long Island Sound, but along the East Coast, as the home of winning racing yachts, as well as a terrific jumping off point for cruising, with a wonderful restaurant, clubhouse and convivial members.

http://www.CityIslandyc.org
Contact:
City Island Yacht Club, 718 885 2487 or,
Ernie Bivona,
Membership Chairman, Boat Committee Chairman
973 714 6902 for details.

Rigging Seminar by Jeff Lazar
When- Thu, Apr 3, 7pm ? 8pm
Where- City Island Yacht Club
Description--7pm to 9:30 pm Rigging & Repair - Winch Maintenance -
No Charge - Call club for info on restaurant facilities-718 885 2487

Speaker: Steve Card, New York Sailing Center

Topic: Sail Trim (talk starts promptly at 7:15),also cruising in the British Virgin Islands.
Slide presentation from Conserve Our Ocean Legacy, an environmental activist group.

Event Fee: $15 (includes 1 raffle ticket) ,American, Italian, grilled vegetable, and turkey heros, soda and snacks

Drink Specials:

$3 Budweiser & Coors Light
$4 Corona, Bass Ale & Amstel
$5 Sex with the Captain

Raffle Grand Prize: Your choice of one ASA Certification Course listed below:

*Start Sailing (Basic Keelboat). Value: $645
Prerequisites: none.
Certification: ASA Basic Keelboat (101)

*Start Cruising (Basic Coastal Cruising). Value: $495
Prerequisites: basic sailing skills on small keelboats, including overboard rescue, reefing and heaving to, and starting/stopping under sail.
Certification: ASA Basic Coastal Cruising (103)

*Start Bareboating (Intermediate/Bareboat Charter). Value: $695
Prerequisites: same as for Start Cruising, plus some long day sails or overnight cruising on boats at least 25 feet.
Certification: ASA Bareboat Charter (104)

*Start Navigating (Coastal Navigation). Value: $495
Prerequisites: none.
Certification: ASA Coastal Navigation (105)

Other prizes include sails on racing and cruising boats donated by Meetup members.

Building on the momentum of our May and June MeetUps, we're coming back to City Island Yacht Club for an outdoor dinner followed by an evening sail on some of the members' boats.

Save the Date! Tuesday, July 24, 2007! 7:00pm

Details about the dinner is coming soon from the CIYC Steward. Most likely a BBQ or Pasta night -- and the bar will be open for business!

Boat owners needed! If you own a boat at or near City Island, please help us by volunteering to take a few meetup members out for a sail. This is a great way to make new friends and perhaps secure some crew for an upcoming cruise or regatta.

RSVP today! Let's make this an event to remember.

And, coming soon, our own special kind of "Pub Crawl" in the first annual W/CI Sailing Meetup Boatless Regatta. Fun and prizes! Stay tuned for details!