New Evolution Tuning Guide
Evolution Jib Raffle at Nationals
T-shirt Deadline for Internationals
From Out President
Ferne Find His Boat (Who is Ferne?)
Championship of Champions Regatta Announcement
Evolution Sails Tuning Guide
Greg Fisher has put together a brand-new Y-Flyer tuning guide and it will be soon added to the website. In the meantime, you can print a copy for yourself at this link:
Evolution Jib Raffle at the Nationals
Greetings Sailors,
We are opening sales now for a great raffle item from Evolution Sails; a brand new Y-Flyer Jib
Here are the details:
1 ticket: $20
3 tickets: $50
10 tickets: $100
Raffle will be awarded at the Friday night banquet at the Nationals at CSA.
You DO NOT have to be present to win. Proceeds benefit Jr. Sailing!!
Please click on this link: https://csa-sailing.org/shop/regatta/eCepaD8W75
Scroll down to the raffle item and please make your purchase.
Please help us spread the word as well, thank you, and we look forward to seeing everyone in less than 2 weeks.
Cordially yours,
Rick Bernstein
Regatta Chairman
Deadline for International T-Shirt Orders
2024 Championship of Champions
US Sailing will hold the annual CofC Regatta in Y-Flyers at the Grande Maumelle Sailing Club near Little Rock, Arkansas. This year will mark the 5th time that the CofC has chosen the Y-Flyer as the event boat. In 1976, the first year of the CofC, the event was held in Y-Flyers at the Carlyle Sailing Association, the site of this year’s Y-Flyer National Championship.
American skippers who win the Y-Flyer Nationals as well as the Y-Flyer International Championship will both receive Invitations to apply for this event. |
Saratoga Internationals: July 16 – 19
Register soon. T-shirt orders must be received by June 23rd
We are raffling a 48x42 quilt and matching bag (below). Tickets are $3.00 each or 5 for $10.00.
You can contact John Smith, Regatta Chairman with questions at: JOHN.SMITHYFLYER@GMAIL.COM
From Our President – Amanda Smith Hodges
Ready for Nationals. I think. With four Hodges boats caravanning out to Carlyle packed to the brim with
life jackets, sails, radios, floats, squirt guns, bubbles, paddle boards, sailing clothes, camp chairs, sun
screen, bug spray, camera, laptop, extra weights, anchors, throwables, shackles, lines and sheets, we
might as well just take everything we own and drag our ‘bass boat without the motor’ on down the
road.
As we left the club after loading up, covering up, tying up and packing up I realize I have forgotten
hats and sailing gloves. But at least it appears that everything else is checked off my ‘regatta list’. Now to
mowing the hay field of a front yard as short as the mower will go so that I can see my house when we
get back.
After all the prep necessary to be able to leave home for a week of sailing, we are still so excited about
the Y Flyer Nationals every year. And this year I get to share the fun with two granddaughters. It’s the
second Nationals for Frances and the first for Kennedy. The girls are the next generation of lady sailors in
the Y class. The memories they will make with family and new friends will be the best of a lifetime, just
like it was for me and my sister. Almost as good as Christmas!
I can’t wait to greet those of you who will be coming to CSA for their marking 50 years since the first
Nationals held there in ’74. For those who can’t make it – we will miss you. Hope to see you at the
Internationals in July. Both will be top notch events.
See you in a few days, I hope. For now, I’ve got to get laundry done so that I can pack……
The Sailing Siren,
Amanda Hodges
Y2660/2813
WHERE’S MY BOAT?……by Ferne Gulley
As I drove I70 W. on my way to Kansas, it dawned on me, I had forgotten about one of my favorite clubs. I was about 40 miles outside of St. Louis when I realized that the Lake Saint Louis Sailing Club was right off the freeway. My boat could be there. I loved going to that place with the little retail village, the friendly people, and crazy race courses. Just like most memories in life, it seemed much smaller than I remember. I drove into the little gravel parking lot on the point, and looked around. Not only was my boat not here there were no Y Flyer’s in sight. How can this be, it was so vibrant I just knew my boat would be there so I closed my eyes and I could see John and Coe Brown and a little French guy running around. There were birds all around, big ones and little ones, along with bleeding heart liberals. For some reason, I saw the Michigan colors in my mind, go blue, and thank goodness the flag pole was still standing. Still closing my eyes, I could envision Sailing here in early spring with the wind, and the cold, and the sleet. Sadly, I opened my eyes and realized it was time to go. I was way behind getting to Kansas, and even though I would have been tickled pink to go to Creve Coeur lake, I must push on.
Finding the sailors in Kansas is not hard. Just follow the smoke (what too soon?) There I found an affable fellow repairing his house. At least he was fiddling on the roof with something but he came down to help me look for my Y. He was a very nice guy with a cool family, but he was of no help because as he explained, he was the last enthusiast in the area. It was obvious my boat was not there, and he had to go inside and apply his Clearasil, so we parted ways with a handshake and a Miller Highlife. On to Arkansas.
I wasn’t sure what to expect of this place out in the middle of nowhere but I heard they had a pretty good fleet and a lot of active boats so I figured it would be a good place to look. As I crested the little hill and came through the club gates, I was dumbfounded. This had to be one of the most beautiful lakes I had ever seen, with a nice easterly about 12 miles an hour, blowing a cool breeze into my face. Incredibly, there were Y Flyer’s everywhere on both sides of the parking lot, many of them road ready as if traveling to a regatta. Surely, my boat was among this large group. I happened upon a quiet fellow, applying termite prevention to his boat, and a loud guy expounding upon something or other. I stayed clear of him. My quiet new friend told me he had not seen my boat, but he knew an old Polish fella who used to be very good who has been around for a long time that might know its whereabouts. I thanked him, and encountered a tall, slender lady, who politely explained that she had not seen my boat either. She was very nice and had a very confident and competent air about her. She’d make a good president someday. I was sad I had not found my boat, but happy to have been here and found this wonderful club. Promising to return for a regatta I left and headed back east towards home.
Driving that far gives you lots of time to think. As the miles clipped by I thought of all the wonderful places I had been. All the great people I had met in my search. Beautiful clubs, active members and delightfully wrong misconceptions. It really is almost like a family with homes spread across the country.
And that’s when it happened – I FOUND MY BOAT. Where was it you ask? It was in my rearview mirror. I realized it had been with me the whole time, because a Y Flyer and its fleet is not something you tow behind your car. It’s something in your heart that is never lost because it’s just around the bend at the next club. It’s the people, the friends, the competition, and the love we share for our Y Flyer’s and each other. Silly me, it can never be truly lost if you can realize and cherish what you have. And that’s how I found my boat.
Ferne
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