Summer is kicking off in San Diego. Words cannot describe just how awesome SDYC is during the summer, it just does not get any better than our slice of paradise. So Joe Nichols wrote “us” a little country song "Sunny and 75" – to get SDYC in the summertime mood!
Listen to Joe Nichols' "Sunny and 75"
The PLHS Sailing Team is off to defend their 2013 national High School Team Race (3 on 3) Championship for the Toby Baker Trophy this weekend at Lakewood Yacht Club in Houston, TX. This is the final regatta for the 2014 season. The Pointers – stacked with SDYC Junior Program sailors – are coming off an exhilarating win at the high school Mallory double-handed national championship two weeks ago on their home court, SDYC. Here is an article about the Toby Baker Team Race Nationals. You can follow the action and live scoring here Go Pointers!
SDYC Junior Program alumni will be all over the college national championships – representing a number of college powerhouse sailing teams. The action begins May 27th with the Women's Nationals, followed by the Team Race Nationals then followed by the Co-Ed Dinghy Nationals – all hosted by the US Naval Academy. Go to College Sailing Nationals to follow the action of your favorite college team and SDYC Junior Program alumni sailor!
A sure sign of summer is the kick off of SDYC's Junior Summer Sailing Program June 16th. Kids, life jackets, sunscreen, hats, shades, smiles, giggles and the pure joy, exhilaration and freedom of piloting your own boat for the very first time!
On Monday, June 9th, we will be holding our semi-annual meeting of the membership at 1900 hours in the Main Dining Room. Along with general business updates, your Board will be asking the membership to support three Bylaw changes to help invigorate and attract young, active and engaged members into our Junior Flag category (21 through 29 years old) and Junior Member category (<21 years old), critical to the future of our Club. Here is the scoop:
Junior Flag Membership
The Junior Flag category of our membership, has been stubbornly pegged at less than two-thirds of our 100 Jr. Flag maximum for several years now. That is 35+ Jr. Flag vacancies today. In fact, over the past 5 years, we have seen our Junior Flag membership ranks actually decrease.
It's no secret, SDYC thrives with young, engaged energetic members among our ranks. The economic world around us is changing. From time to time, we need to take a look within and adjust. We challenged our Membership and Membership Development Committees to develop a plan to re-invigorate not only our Junior Flag membership, but also Junior Flag participation in, and contributions to, the Club. The Committee has developed an elegant solution to tackle this challenge. The solution is directed at Junior Flag Members ages 21 through 26 years, young people just out of school and early in careers.
Bylaw change #1)
To Amend Article II, Section 5, of the Bylaws: (Replace with the following)
(A) Initiation Fees:
(2) Junior Flag Members:
(a) Ages 21 through 26: $0
(b) Ages 27 through 29: $300
Bylaw change #2)
To Amend Article II, Section 5, of the Bylaws: (Replace with the following)
(B) Dues and Other Charges:
(2) Junior Flag:
(a) Ages 21 through 26: $700 per year, except this amount is reduced by $100 per Service Day (as defined in the Club Rules) up to a maximum of two Service Days per year.
(b) Ages 27 through 29: Fifty percent of the dues of the Flag members.
Service Days are full days a Junior Flag Member contributes his or her time to the Junior Program, Race Committee, Buffalo Beach or the like.
If this plan generates zero new Junior Flag members, the economic downside to the Club is ~$675 per month resulting from lower dues of existing Junior Flag members. If the plan is successful, and we generate 11 new Junior Flag members (21 through 26 years old, only 1/3rd of our current JF vacancies) the plan breaks even. The Membership Committee and the Board believe the economic risk/reward associated with this plan is reasonable.
Junior Members:
This proposed Bylaw change increases the number of Junior Members (< 21 years) from 30 to 40. The Junior Office, Membership Committee and the Board of Directors review each Junior Member’s activity and eligibility annually.
Bylaw change #3)
To Amend Article II, Section 2, of the Bylaws: (Changes underlined)
(C) Junior Members:
(1) Eligibility: Forty persons, ages 12 through 20 years, whose parents are not members of the Club may be admitted as Junior members for one year terms, which the Board of Directors may renew upon written application. Junior members who are eligible and apply for Junior Flag membership prior to their 21st birthday, and who have maintained their Junior membership in good standing for two consecutive years immediately preceding the application, shall be entitled to retain their Junior membership until the approval or denial of their admission to Junior Flag membership. We'll see you on the 9th.
If a very cool regatta poster is any indication, the 2014 Senior Sabot Nationals sponsored by SDYC's SSSS Fleet is going to be epic. Grab a boat, join the Class and join the fun June 14-15. Regatta info and registration
Reminders:
Our coyote statues to ward off the seagulls have been disappearing. Our "coyote pack" has shrunk from 6 to just 2! Please let coyote statues do their work at SDYC. We need them! The seagulls, and the "messy seagull calling card" are making a comeback.
Remember to make reservations with the Dining Room staff if you plan to dine at SDYC. It makes everything run smoother and your experience better.
Enjoy the Memorial Day Weekend everybody. Welcome to a "Sunny and 75" weekend at SDYC. We'll see you around the Club.
Good sailing,
Chuck Sinks
SDYC Commodore