Perry Yacht Club

Memorial Day Party – Start your season with a big celebration and live music at PYC

Shirley Cline — Sun, 13 May 2012 14:35:59 +0000

Memorial Day is just around the corner so get ready to sail and party over the holiday weekend. A big celebration with live music, hosted by Eileen Koutelas. is scheduled for Sunday, May 27.

We’ll start with a pot luck dinner at 6 p.m.. Bring your favorite dish to share. PYC will provide beer and other drinks but we’ll also will provide chicken to complete the meal. This chicken will be smoked by our own PYC chefs – thanks to Jim North for volunteering to be head chef.

At 8 p.m. live music by PYC’s own Bret Oberholtzer’s band will begin and we’ll dance the evening away.

In order to be sure we have enough chicken, please RSVP to this event (in the “Comment” box below) so we will know how much chicken to buy. It was very helpful to have RSVPs for our Cinco de Mayo so please help us again by RSVPing for this and future parties.

Come join us for a fun weekend and RSVP so we will have enough chicken. And please indicate which pot luck dish you plan to bring.

Thanks!

Shirley and Lisa

Social Co-Chairs Lisa Hockenberg and Shirley Cline

Junior Sailing Program – Just weeks away

Jim North — Sun, 13 May 2012 13:10:36 +0000

PYC’s great Junior Sailing Program begins in just a few weeks. Thirteen kids are already signed up. We will divide them into three groups based on their skills and they will spend as much time as possible at the helm.

Space still exists (but is limited) for past Junior Sailing participants as well as new sailors. Kids who have previously graduated Junior Sailing may participate in our new catamaran program instructed by Ricardo Oben.

For safety reasons, parents are required to be on property and encouraged to participate.

Please contact me with questions or to sign up your child.

Jim North, Jr.
Director of Sailing Education
s/y Slainte
rjnorthjr@msn.com

Jim North, Sail Education Director

The Life of a Middle-Aged Boat

Gary Templeton — Sun, 13 May 2012 11:32:54 +0000

ALEXANDRIA, Va., May 11, 2012 (reprinted with permission from BoatUS) – With people, middle age begins at around 40. With boats, it’s about the 10-year mark. And for both, it signals a time when age begins to show. But that doesn’t mean life is slowing down – only that more effort is needed to stay in shape. With decade-old boats, that means taking a hard look at things that haven’t been checked out over the years. BoatUS has these nine “middle age” maintenance tips on boats:

Bilge pumps: Like a Louisiana oil field roughneck, a ten-year old bilge pump has likely lead a tough life. Switches are often the first to go, so make sure yours works fine by pouring water in the bilge to activate the pump, making sure nothing interferes with the switch. Take a close look at wire connections as they often are near or in standing water at the bottom of the boat.

Gas hose: When it was new, the fuel hose did a great job of delivering gas to the engine. Over time, however, gas can permeate the hose wall causing damage. Take a rag around the hose, wipe it down and then smell the rag. If you smell gas, replace hose immediately. If you do have to replace, always install new hose clamps, too.

Steering and control cable: Like an arthritic knee, bend the cable in your hands and listen for “crunching,” a telltale sign that all is not well. Swelling and rust are also bad signs and indicate it’s time to replace.

Caulked fittings: The boatyard rule of thumb is that after 10 years, the bedding compound owes you nothing. Begin a schedule to periodically remove and rebed fittings, doing a few each year so the job isn’t overwhelming. This will keep the leaks out that could lead to more expensive repairs.

Prop: Eventually all props get dinged, and you may not see the damage clearly with your eye. If it’s never been to a shop, now is a good time to take it to a prop shop for reconditioning, and you’ll also likely save some money on fuel with a tuned prop.

Other drive gear: If you have an inboard, the cutlass bearing might be due for replacement, especially if there’s more than just a smidgen of play in the drive shaft. It’s also time to take a hard look at the stuffing box. If you’ve had to re-tighten the stuffing box nut often, it’s time to replace the packing.

Exhaust manifolds: If you boat in salt or brackish waters and you still have the original manifolds, thank your lucky stars they haven’t failed yet. Now is the time to do some proactive maintenance to replace them. “Leaking manifolds can destroy an engine,” said BoatUS Seaworthy Magazine Associate Editor Chuck Fort.

Seacocks/Through Hulls: If it’s been years since one has been fully opened and closed, it could be frozen, and that’s useless. Make it a point to work seacocks a few times each season and while you’re there, check the hose clamps.

Standing rigging: When was the last time you had a close look at all of the fittings and mast attachments (even the ones up high)? Ten years is a long time for rigging on boats that are raced, but even those used for day sails can suffer from the cyclical loads that cause stress cracks, and saltwater can cause corrosion in swaged fittings not easily seen by the naked eye.

For more information on inspecting middle-aged boats from BoatUS’ Seaworthy Magazine go to BoatUS.com/middleagedboats.

Please note: PYC is a participating BoatUS group, so members can join BoatUS for half price. Just reference the Group ID Number GA81491Y on their application form.

Blessing of the Fleet – Get your boat blessed at PYC

Patrick Allen — Sun, 13 May 2012 09:56:47 +0000

Every year on the Sunday of the Memorial Day weekend the US Coast Guard Auxiliary at Perry Lake conducts a Blessing of the Fleet Ceremony. This year’s PYC Ceremony will be held on Sunday May 27^th at approximately 10:30 AM. Please consider being on your boat or the dock to take part in this ceremony. It is a great way to start off another fun and safe sailing season.

The blessing of the fleet is a time-honored tradition that goes back many centuries into the murky sea of legend and tradition. Some legends have the origins going back to early Greek fishermen. One story has it that the tradition of asking clergy to bless boats and their crews began in Sicily after some fishermen were saved from certain death in a storm. According to the legend, they had lost their way in a thick fog when they suddenly saw a glimmering light in the distance. Following the light, they were able to make their way back to shore. There, they discovered that the light came from a medallion of the Madonna del Lume (Mother of Light) set in a grotto high on a cliff.

Commodore’s Corner – May, 2012

Mij Frierson — Mon, 07 May 2012 04:30:46 +0000

Wow, are you like me and wondering where April went? Though we’re just getting started it seems like this year is already zooming by. Boats are starting to fill slips in the marina and the noise of boat work can be heard from the storage yard.

This year promises to be a busy one again at PYC. Join us this weekend for the annual Cinco De Mayo party. It is a perennial favorite. Keep up to date on other upcoming events with our on-line calendar. A busy race schedule is about to get under way and new this year will be the Leukemia Cup Regatta in June.

Feel like doing a little volunteer work? Planning for the Commodore’s Cup has begun and additional help is always welcome. And of course all members are invited to join us on the second Thursday of each month for our monthly Board Meeting at Kansas City Sailing.

Most of all, come on out to PYC and enjoy our little jewel on the lake. Sailing time has arrived. I look forward to seeing you at the club.

Mij Frierson, Commodore
s/v let it breeze
beamreach@att.net

Sailing – A poem by Marina Wilson (13 y/o)

jim.wilson — Mon, 07 May 2012 03:00:36 +0000

My crew and I lift the main sail,
We are off.
The waves slowly hit the boat,
Creating a peaceful sound.
I listen,
The wind is calling my name.
While my crew talks and laughs,
Braying like wild horses,
I watch the moon,
Its brightness reflected on the water.
The tiny stars twinkle,
Glitter in my eyes.
The moon is large,
It slowly rises.
While I sit on the bow,
A wave of emotions rushes through me.
Love, contentment, peace.
I smile to myself,
For I am sailing.

Cinco de Mayo was Loco!

Bruce S. Liese, Editor — Mon, 07 May 2012 02:50:32 +0000

Thanks again to Patrick and Stacy Harper who hosted the Cinco de Mayo party on Saturday. It was another great PYC social event. Ricardo’s famous Rumaritas were served to adults, piñatas were busted up by adults and kids alike, and food was provided by and for all. Over 75 members were in attendance.

If one picture is worth a thousand words five pictures are worth five thousand words. Here’s some evidence of the fun that was had…

Photo by Jerry Jones

Photo by Shere and Roy Graham

The Kansas Leukemia Cup Regatta and Flotilla at PYC – June 15-17, 2012

Patrick Allen — Mon, 07 May 2012 01:00:20 +0000

The weekend is quickly approaching – only five weeks away!

Raise a sail with The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Leukemia Cup Regatta hosted by Perry Yacht Club, and help raise funds to support life-saving cancer research.

The Leukemia Cup Regatta is joining forces with Perry Yacht Club for the first ever Kansas Leukemia Cup. We are thrilled to partner with local businesses, sailors, friends and family as we work together to raise funds for those battling cancer. The Kansas Leukemia Cup will be held June 15th – 17th, 2012.

Since 1993 participants in Leukemia Cup Regatta events throughout the country have raised over $38 million in funding for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS). Thanks to people like Gary Jobson, who not only is a lymphoma survivor, but the winner of the 1976 America’s Cup, an ESPN commentator and the chairperson of The Leukemia Cup campaign since its inception, the sailing community provides even more support year after year.

Not only will there be two full days of racing for all classes of boats but there will be sailing events for those who do not want to race – as well as many shore-side events.

There are several ways to raise funds for this event:
- You can enter a boat and pay the entry fee
- You and your crew can raise funds through pledges
- You can raise funds as an individual via pledges
- You can donate directly.

All funds raised during this weekend go directly to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. As an individual if you raise $8500 or more you will be invited to attend a Fantasy Sail with Gary Jobson in New Orleans.

As we raise funds and achieve certain levels, then major corporate sponsors will participate in our event. This could include: Mount Gay Rum, North Sails, Sailing World, The Moorings as well as several others recognizable companies.

During the weekend you will have a chance to not only raise a sail and raise some funds but you can:
- Learn the fine art of smoking meats from one of the Kansas City areas champion smokers and enjoy a meal prepared by his team.
- Dance the night away to the tunes of the No Cash Value Band.
- Learn all about Stand up Paddle Boarding and just go for a sailboat ride.
- Visit and shop with sailing related vendors.

The will be several kids’ events highlighted by the first-ever Kansas Raingutter Regatta.

How do you get involved?

Go to leukemiacup.org, find the register button and register. You will be provided a number of tools to help you fund raise. You will also be able to find the Kansas event and enter your boat for the races. So register, enter and start now.

You can follow this event on facebook. Or visit our own Leukemia Cup web page: kansasleukemiacup.org.

The team putting this event on is always looking for help. If you would like to participate contact Pat Allen at allenhouse4@sbcglobal.net.

How to Use our Pumpout Station

John Anderson — Sat, 05 May 2012 06:43:17 +0000

In my role as PYC Harbor Master I’ve heard a lot of questions from club members who have never used a pumpout station before. The new pumpout is very easy to use, but there are a few things you need to know.

The first and possibly most important thing to know starts on your own boat. The waste system on your boat must be properly vented. A plugged vent, or a kinked hose leading to the vent can cause serious problems. Not only will the pumpout be unable to draw the waste from your boat, there is a very real chance that it will collapse the tank on your boat. This will most likely cause you to have to replace the tank (no fun), and possibly crack the tank spilling it’s contents inside your boat.

If you have having difficulty emptying the waste from your boat, stop, and check the vent system on your boat.

The pumpout process is very simple. Remove the cap marked “Waste” on your deck. Press the rubber tip on the end of the pumpout hose into the fitting on your deck. Open the ball valve on the pumpout hose, and push the green “on” button on the pumpout stanchion.

The waste should flow quickly out of your boat, and you will be able to see when the tank is empty. The fluid in the clear section of the hose will go from being straight liquid to a surge of liquid and air when the tank is empty. The effect is no different than sucking the last bit of soda through a straw.

Leave the pumpout hose pressed into the deck fitting as you shut off the ball valve on the hose. If you remove the pumpout hose from your deck fitting without shutting off the valve first, all of the liquid in the end of the hose will immediately find it’s way to your deck. If you want to clean out your tank a bit, you can run some fresh water into your holding tank with the garden hose on the pumpout stanchion, and repeat the pumpout procedure. Now put the end of the pumpout hose into the lake and open the valve again. This will draw water out of the lake to flush out the pumpout hose.

Turn off the pumpout system with the red button, and you have successfully pumped out your boat.

A quick note about deck fittings: I have seen some deck fittings with a small tab inside for attaching the cap with a chain. If you don’t use this chain, I would recommend removing this tab if it prevents the hose from going far enough into the deck fitting. Anything that prevents a good seal from the pumpout hose to the deck fitting will make it very difficult to pump out your boat.

John Anderson
PYC Harbor Master
autofixr@swbell.net

Commodore’s Cup, 2012 – Labor Day Weekend (August 31-September 2)

Terri Tilford — Tue, 01 May 2012 09:49:01 +0000

Commodore’s Cup, 2012 is coming soon. Planning has begun and we need your help.

Join us on the first Monday of the each month at Kansas City Sailing, 6:30 p.m., to help plan the biggest and best regatta of the region. Shirley, Jeff, and Kim are cooking a wonderful banquet. Jeff , Sue, and the boys are flipping pancakes for the breakfast surprise.

As usual, we want sponsors. It’s a great opportunity to show your support for the club and specifically Junior Sailing See below for the different levels to choose from.

Sponsorship Levels:

Captain Sponsor – $500 – 2 available – 4 color full page advertisement on inside back or inside front cover of program
Commander – $200 – Full page advertisement
$100 – half page ad
$50 – 1/4 page ad
$25 1/8 page ad

Volunteers are always needed and suggestions, questions, ideas, are always welcome. Contact Matt Gatewood or Terri Tilford.