September 2013

Volume 43 Number 9

September! This is my favorite month of

the year. Perhaps because my birthday

is this month...but really it’s because it is

the start of fall. Fall is the best time of

year for just about everything I like to

do. It is definitely the best time of year for sailing. Our calendar supports that. We just had

an awesome Labor Day weekend. There was a cruise to Crisfield and the Fouled Anchor

Regatta...and the weather was perfect! Later this month we will be having our Women’s series

regatta, Small Boat Invitational, Fall Series, and a Where the Wind Blows cruise...just to name

a few.

We have a tremendous amount of activity coming up. Check out the SMSA calendar and

website for more details. Our member volunteers have done an awesome job this season

getting things rolling.

One of the things I always like to rave about is the success of our Junior program. Ed Sierra

took the lead of the program this year and continued to build on the success we’ve been

seeing...and it was a homerun of a season.

SMSA Small Boat

Fall Invitational Regatta! Saturday & Sunday, September 28 & 29th

Skippers' Meeting: 0930 at the SMSA Clubhouse, Sat, Sept. 28

Race fee: $60 prior to Sept 15th; $80 Sept 15 or later

Register online at www.smsa.com today!

Commodore’s Dinner 7:00 pm

Friday September 20th

Theme: all good things start with “S”

As I already mentioned September is my favorite

month...so let’s celebrate September with all the

great meals that begin with “S”… Spaghetti,

Salisbury Steak, Steak-ums, Sautéed Onions…

See you there!

Other Upcoming Social Events

Mark your Calendars …

Crab Feast, Sun Oct 6th, 4 pm

Ladies Night Out, Sat Oct 12, 7 pm

Chili Cook-off, Sat Oct 19th, 4 pm

The Clew, September, 2013 Page 2 www.smsa.com

Program Updates

Junior Program:

We’ve wrapped up the Junior program for this season. It has been extremely successful. We had 114 participants in

the camps this summer and brought in over The Adult Learn to Sail class brought in over 15 members. This is signifi-

cant growth over our last year. This is promising trend we intend to continue next season. We are starting preparations

for the 2014 season and have a tremendous amount of enthusiasm to carry us through the winter. Our 2014 calendar

will be posted early January.

Thanks to everyone who contributed to the program. Without SMSA volunteers, instructors, members, and of course

the students this wouldn’t be possible.

SMSA Junior program is currently taking applications for 2014 Sailing Instructors. Please go to the Junior page at

www.smsa.com for more information.

Small Boat Program:

The Summer Series has wrapped up. We have four more Thursday night races scheduled. We’re going to

change the format a little to allow more folks an opportunity to hit the water in the shortened daylight.

SMSA’s annual Small Boat Invitational will be Sept 28-29 this year. Registration is available on the SMSA web-

site. Go to smsa.com and click on the “Smallboat Race” button to get to the registration. This is the premier small boat

event for the season...so don’t miss out.

Keel Boat Program:

We wish to thank Zahniser’s for their continued support of the SMSA race program. Labor Day marked the end

of the Zahniser’s Wednesday Night Series. The SMSA Wednesday night series continues into September with the after-

race party moving to SMSA. Watch the Facebook page and your weekly SMSA email for information on the after-race

dinner.

Port Events:

by-Hannah Schneider:

Mark your October calendar's for this years Halloween Festival, SAT Oct

26th starting at 5:30pm!

Theme: "Gilligan's Island". For KIDS & ADULT kids alike.

Little people activities: Costume contest for scariest, cutest, and most

original costumed kid. Wait to see what this year's haunted house and

games will bring!!!

Grown kid activities: Beer tasting!!! Come thirsty! Gourmet food

dishes!!! Bring your favorite Halloween dish!!! We have so many talented

members that really baked & cooked to the Halloween occasion last

year!!! And of course costumes!!! Gilligan's Island is the dress up theme!! Prizes for: Best dressed Gilligan, Best fe-

male supporting costume, Scariest look alike!!! Your helping hands for decorating are appreciated; quite a few of you

could probably donate the S.S. Minnow!

The Clew, September, 2013 Page 3 www.smsa.com

SMSA Represents at Gov Cup!

The annual Governor's Cup regatta this year saw a good turnout of current and past SMSA boats. For the

5th year in a row the Governor’s Cup race has had good breeze all night. No reason not to do this great

race.

On the ANNAPOLIS COURSE:

On the POTOMAC COURSE:

Division: PHRF N (2HS)

John McKinney's Tennounce came in 2nd.

http://www.smcm.edu/govcup/Results2013/stmarys_govcup2013_race1.html

Division: Cruising

Joe Frost's Gemini came in 3rd.

Prior member Art Kuehne's Phoenix came in 8th.

Andy & Lisa Batchelor's Allora came in 12th.

Division: PHRF A1

Norm Dawley's Pursuit came in 2nd.

Prior member Scott Ward's Crocodile came in 4th.

Marc Briere's CHEETAH came in 11th.

John Edward's Rhumb Punch came in 12th.

Jim Whited's Bad Cat came in 14th.

Division: PHRF A2

Jim Young's LAKAHI came in 5th.

Division: PHRF B

Tom Moulds' Natural Disaster came in 3rd.

Chris Helmkamp's Cheetah came in 8th.

Division: PHRF C/D

Our Navy friends on Blue Goose came in 6th.

Gary Shaw's Elan came in 7th.

Division: PHRF N (2HS)

Dan Shannon's The Doghouse came in 4th.

SMSA Ladies Night Out! The ladies and lady crew of SMSA are cordially in-vited to a ladies night out. No husbands, boy-friends, or kids. Just the girls. Come enjoy the evening with friends.

When: Oct 12th at 7 o’clock PM

Where: SMSA Clubhouse

Menu: Heavy hors d ’oeuvres and Desserts Dessert Drink Specials

Please RSVP to Ladies@smsa.com

The Clew, September, 2013 Page 4 www.smsa.com

SCOTT KIRBY IN SOLOMONS

by Megan Hildenberger and Tim Flaherty

Annual Scott Kirby Concert This year's concert was another big hit, not only because we sold out (yet again), but be-cause the accompanying second guitar which we're all used to was replaced by a violin! And, as if that wasn't enough change to the lineup, Scott's playing companion was the beautiful Emily Leader. We all love Dave [Edmiston], but Emily and her violin were a real treat! Together, they created the perfect scene for enjoying stories and songs written by one of our favorite singers. Both Scott and Emily are down-to-earth performers, and they connected well with the crowd, both on and off the stage. During intermission, door prize winners walked off with duffel bags, football-shaped bean bag chairs, gift certificates, and much more! Thanks go out to our door prize dona-tors: The Hilton Garden Inn in Solomons, The Ruddy Duck Brewery & Grill, Zahniser's Pool Bar, The Striped Rock, Port of Call Liquors, The Blue Fish Pub at Solomons Yachting Cen-ter, West Marine, Isaac's Restaurant at the Holiday Inn, Spring Cover Marina, Bozick Dis-tributors, Buck Distributing, Bob Hall Distrib-uting, and Calvert Marine Museum. The event sponsors were: Bozick Distributors and Co-rona Extra Beer, The Holiday Inn and Conference Center in Solomons, and Bob Hall Distribut-ing. Be sure to show your support for them as they have for us. If you haven't thanked Lisa and Tim Flaherty for organizing this wonderful event yet again, please do! And if you run into Scott in Key West at the Smokin Tuna Saloon (see the ad in the SMSA yearbook, page 28), thank him for coming back each year!

The Clew, September, 2013 Page 5 www.smsa.com

Is it a race for cruisers, or is it a cruise for racers? No matter what your perspective, it was another great on-the-water event for our members who made the journey up the river to Battle Creek for this year’s annual Mixed Couples fun race/cruise/rendezvous event. Over 20 boats participated in the rendezvous raft-up with most of them also participating in the race. The top three overall finishers based on PHRF were: (1) Kick’em Jenny; (2) Easy Button; and, (3) Bad Cat. Complete race results can be found on the web site or elsewhere in this issue of the Clew. The race was essentially a starboard tack all the way from start to finish with a decent breeze mostly on a broad and beam reach. Most boats had arrived at the finish before noon-thirty and enjoyed some leisure floating around in the river before venturing into Battle Creek. Ruste Nayle was the first boat to head into the creek and dropped the anchor to begin the raft. Right

Shift arrived next and dropped another anchor and rafted up to Ruste Nayle to establish a solid holding point for the total of 22 boats that streamed into the creek to build the remainder of the raft. Festive activities began immediately as we visited on each other’s boats, dined on fine hors d'oeuvres, absorbed our favorite beverages, and enjoyed some swimming and paddle boarding. The Coast Guard arrived later in the afternoon to look us over but did not join our raft. They gave us a good look and then departed – I guess they decided that we had everything under control and posed no threat to national security. A highlight of the raft-up was the discovery that three couples were celebrating their wedding anniversaries on the exact same day as the race/cruise, August 17. Congratulations and champagne toasts were extended to new members Rose & Larry Ray (45 years), Robin & Mark Witte (33 years), and Jackie & Dave Meiser (11 years). Thanks for choosing to celebrate

your special occasion with your friends at SMSA. Later in the evening Robin & Mark were seen reliving their first dance on the foredeck of Noon

Somewhere to the beautiful music of Chuck Mangione’s “Bellavia”. By nightfall several of the boats had departed for home, leaving a total of nine boats rafted up with an overnight forecast for a calm but wet night. As predicted, a steady rain began falling during the night, but the wet morning did not detract from enjoying a morning cup of coffee, a hearty breakfast, and preparation for the journey home. With light wind and a steady drizzle, an easy motor-sail down the river closed out another great weekend on the water with SMSA.

Mixed Couples

Cruise/Race/Rendezvous to Battle Creek

Anniversary Toast

Dancing the night away

The Clew, September, 2013 Page 6 www.smsa.com

On the Horizon There are several upcoming opportunities to enjoy some on-the-water camaraderie with your fellow SMSA members. Here is what is coming up in September: Where the Wind Blows (14 – 15 Sep): A tentative destination for this weekend overnighter will be announced a few days before the cruise date, and confirmed by radio contact when getting underway on 14 Sep. A volunteer cruise leader is still needed. Contact Cruise Chairman Rod Schroeder at rodschroeder@comcast.net or 301-752-5515 (cell). San Domingo Creek – Backside of St Michaels (20 – 22 Sep): Join us for a nice cruise into the Choptank with a lay day in San Domingo Creek which affords easy dinghy access to historic St Michaels. Contact cruise leader Rich Freeman, teknikr2004@yahoo.com, for details and/or to give him a heads up that you will be joining the cruise.

Rod Schroeder SMSA Cruise Chair rodschroeder@comcast.net (H) 410-326-0167 (C) 301-752-5515

Piper and Noon Somewhere pacing each other

Cruising Corner (cont.)

Wet ride home on Lickety Split Favorite drinks aboard Right Shift

The Clew, September, 2013 Page 7 www.smsa.com

SMSA sailors work to support local Wounded Warriors

August 30th marked the start of what will hopefully be a new tradition. SMSA joined nu-

merous other local organizations in sponsoring the Warrior Fun Run and Sail to benefit local

wounded warriors, Patuxent Habitat for Humanity, and the PAX River Chiefs. The event began

Friday night with registration at SMSA for local runners and sailors. Over a hundred folks gath-

ered at SMSA to complete their registration, enjoy a beverage, or stay for the skipper and crew

pre-sail meeting.

The Race/Walk kicked off early Saturday morning with over 300 participants. Many of

the participants then jumped on their boats to go sailing. The Warrior Sail was named the

‘Fouled Anchor Regatta’. The boats started at Sandy Point for a boat parade out to the starting

area in front of the boardwalk. The racers then anchored for a time of remembrance as the Na-

tional Anthem was sung from the RC boat. And then they were off! Conditions were sunny and

windy – about 15kts out of the South. Two races were run for each of the four classes – spin-

naker, non-spinnaker, cruising, and Portsmouth.

After racing, the participants in both of the day’s events gathered at the Navy Solomons

Recreation Center for a concert by the Navy Band Country Strong, dinner, and results. Not to

be left out – the kids were entertained by a moon bounce, hoola hoops, coloring, bubbles and

hot dogs, cotton candy, and popcorn provided by the USO. Colleen Johnson Malebranche, NRI

Coordinator at Patuxent Habitat for Humanity, said “To recap, we had over 300 runners/walkers

in the 5K Fun Run/3K Walk, 30 boats in the Warrior Boat Parade, 22 sailboats in the Fouled An-

chor Regatta and approximately 250 guests at the Warrior BBQ Dinner and Concert Party.”

All-in-all it was an amazing day for a great cause. We hope to see you all again next

year!

September 2013 Volume 43, Number 9

Date September Start time

9/21 Fall Series (CBYRA)

9/26 Small Boat Sundown Series 6:30 PM

9/27 Friday Happy Hour 5:00 PM

9/28 &

9/29 Small Boat Invitational

Regatta

9/30 Program Chair Meeting 7:00 PM

10/5 Hoopers/Point No point

Race

10/6 Fall Clubhouse Cleanup 9:00 AM

10/6 Crab Feast 4:00 PM

Date September Start time

9/4 Wed. Night Race Series 6:30 PM

9/5 Small Boat Sundown Series 6:30 PM

9/6 Friday Happy Hour 5:00 PM

9/7 Sharps Island Race

9/7 Happy Hour Raft Up

9/11 Wed Night Race 6:30 PM

9/12 Small Boat Sundown Series 6:30 PM

9/14 Women's Fall Regatta

9/14 Where the Wind Blows Cruise

9/19 Small Boat Sundown Series 6:30 PM

9/20 Friday Happy Hour

9/20 Commodore's Dinner 6:30 PM