Cold Water Immersion Workshop June 15 - 16

The new NYC Logo and Burgee

Northern Yacht Club (NYC) is located on beautiful Lake of the Woods in Northwestern Ontario. This group of sailors, power boaters and house boaters share a common love for the lake and enjoy the more social aspects of lake life. "NYC has a very robust social calendar planned for the summer. All of our activities are themed around bringing people together in fun ways" says Kelly Brown, this years co-commodore of NYC. Social activities are typically planned every other weekend. They range from the hugely popular Icebreaker Social on the May long weekend and the always well attended Fish Fry to the Caribbean Night food and rum party. 

Every year the club tries to keep the best events and to try something new! This year, NYC will be hosting a 3.5 mile stand up paddle board rally from Queen Bay to 22 Foot Bay. Linda Strachan, Brown's wife and co-commodore says "this will be a great event! We're all going to anchor in 22 Foot Bay and have a couple of the larger power boats load up all the boards and participants and drive them to Queen Bay to begin the rally. The power boats will provide music, drinks and support in the event that anyone in the rally gets tired or needs help". 

This year we are also rebranding the club with a new logo and burgee design. What do you think of the new design? Burgees will be available for purchase early in the season.

NYC also plans several sailing races throughout the season and will be hosting this year's Manitoba Keelboat Championships on September 10-11. "Our small group of regular racers are very competitive and welcome anyone interested to come join them" comments Paul Gomori, this year's racing coordinator.

NYC's theme for the season is 'Love the Lake'. "It's our common love of the lake that brings us all together" says Brown, "We want to encourage anyone and everyone at Lake of the Woods, especially those at Northern Harbour, to consider joining our club. You don't have to race, you don't have to sail and frankly, you don't even have to own a boat, but you do have to love the lake and have a desire to share in a lot of fun experiences with a great group of people".

A complete schedule of social activities and races can be found on Northern Yacht Club’s web page (northernyachtclub.blogspot.ca) or look for our new Facebook page. Our annual membership is very cost-effective and we also allow non-members to drop into any event for a small donation.

In summary, Northern Yacht Club members are an adventurous group of people who love the lake. We know serenity but also can throw and enjoy a good party! Contaact us at northernyachtclub@gmail.com for more information.

Ride the Lake

This is the story of how my big mouth can get me into things that otherwise might be passed off as a bad idea....

In November 2015 I was thinking it would be fun to have a Fat Bike to ride over the winter. Needing to convince my wife (Leah) that it was a good idea to buy another bike seemed to need some supporting usage plans.  I started by telling her that I was going to ride my new Fat Bike across the lake from Warroad to Kenora sometime during the winter.

This was not a commitment by any means but seemed like a good supporting conversation for the purchase of a new bike!

Shortly after this conversation was the Fall Lift party in Winnipeg which also made for a good Fat Bike shopping opportunity. At the party I was talking with Keith Holm about the bike dealers in Winnipeg and the subject of the Lake Ride came up. Keith said “Warroad to Kenora, I’M IN”!

This was now a commitment even though I didn’t own and had never even ridden a Fat Bike yet.

I bought new bike within a week or so and started collecting the needed gear for bike packing and winter camping. Tents, cold weather sleeping bag, sleeping pads, cooking gear, down layers, merino wool everything and much more…

I did a couple of rides and campouts near home in some cold weather to shake everything down and replace the stuff that didn’t work. Keith and I were both riding and getting into shape for a long couple of days.

The plan was to cross Lake of the Woods on Jan 1^st and 2^nd but the ice wasn’t going to allow that plan this year. I was able to do a 50 mile ride on the lake with an overnight camp near Rocky Point but the crossing had to wait.

From early January to early February I was travelling for work and not able to ride.

Once I returned, Keith and I started working on the plan again and picked Valentines weekend to give it a shot.

Keith drove to Roseau and stayed with us on Friday night, 2/12.

Leah dropped Keith and I off at the point in Warroad about 10 am on 2/13. At the lake it was up to about -26 degrees, after the morning started off from -36 degrees. We packed the last few items in our bags, poured hot water in our camelbaks and set off towards the North. We stopped after about 100 meters and turned around, heading back West on the groomed snowmobile trail instead of random snowmobile tracks that lead to who knows where. The groomed trail runs to the West towards Springsteel Island then back to the NE and around the tip of Manitoba onto a straight North course about 12 miles out from Warroad. The riding on the south end of the lake was good and firm. We were averaging about 10-11 kph for the first 4-5 hours. The wind stayed light and we were dressed well for the conditions. At the Northern end of Buffalo Bay the trail turns Northeast and the wind picked up a bit but still less than 15. This slowed us a little and increased the effort but it was still pretty good going. We stopped for a bit at the snowmobile warming hut at Driftwood point. This left about 15 mile to Young’s bay. We left the warming hut in the dark heading to Young’s Bay for customs.

We planned to make it to Young’s Bay to check into Canadian Customs and then head into the islands to find an adequate camp spot. As we got closer to Young’s the signs for Jerry’s bar and restaurant seemed to become more prevalent and the thought of a hot meal and some clothes drying near the heaters sounded really good. After about 9 hours in the saddle we arrived at Jerry’s and settled in for a hot meal and some drying out. About an hour later we geared back up and headed out to the customs phone. Keith called in and seemed to be taking a long time on the phone. I later found out that without a license # or registration to file they had to fill out a special form since we were on bikes without a vehicle registration number.

We were checked in and heading north at about 10 pm. The ice road from the NW angle to Kenora is like a superhighway, plowed down to the ice and about 50 meters wide! We rode another few miles into a strong headwind on the bare ice. Keith didn’t have studded tires on his bike and was nearly getting his tires blown out from underneath him by the wind.  We started looking for a spot out of the wind. After exploring one spot off the road by pushing our bikes through knee deep snow we needed to find a sheltered spot quickly and close to the road. We walked into the second spot that looked ok and that’s what we found, ok, but not great. Still windy and it was back down to – 20. The snow and ice was slushy nearly to the shore but we had a few feet of dry snow the set up camp in. We both got our tents set up, bags and pads in place and crawled in. The wind, cold and 10+ hours of pedaling kept the party to a minimum but we both stayed reasonably warm and comfortable overnight.

Day 2 started with a little snow and the SE wind that was still blowing. I made oatmeal in my tent with a little butane stove and the water that I slept with in my sleeping bag. I think Keith had cold breakfast of a Clif bar and few other snacks. We packed up our bags and tents, got geared up and headed out through the slush to the ice road. We only needed to make about 10 miles of Easting riding before turning North for the run into Kenora. The ride up the ice road was interesting and it was really fun to see the lake in this condition. We rode up French Portage Narrows, passed Rope and Crescent islands, rode over 12 mile portage and we’re nearing town. The Brewery was “calling us on”! We arrived in Kenora at about 1:30 pm after about 4.5 hours of pedaling on Valentine’s day. It was a fast pace and pleasant ride in lots of lake traffic at the end of two days on the bikes.

 Day 1 was made up of long stretches white ribbon snowmobile trail while focusing on pedaling and not thinking about how far we had to go to the next landmark. Day 2, on the ice road, was quite a bit faster and more interesting, looking at the changes to the landmarks when everything’s frozen and covered in snow.

The total ride from the point in Warroad to the Brewery in Kenora was 144.5 kilometers, averaging about 11-12 kph for the trip.

We had good luck with the weather, didn’t get any frostbite, both ate and slept well, which is a testament to the work that went in beforehand. The planning and preparation was extremely important.

The fact that you’re on your own out there and need to be well prepared is the same summer or winter!

This was a Great Adventure and many thanks to Keith and Leah for participating and helping out.

I can’t wait to see what my big mouth gets me into next!

Marty

2016 Sail West & Laser Canadians taking place in Gimli, Manitoba this summer

In advance of 2016 Sail West & Laser Canadians taking place in Gimli, Manitoba this summer, we would like to share with you the recently published Regatta Network and Facebook event pages. We would be grateful for your Clubs support by sharing the pages with you membership via email, website and Facebook.  

The Event Regatta Network Page which includes the Notice of Race and Event Registration is:  http://www.regattanetwork.com/event/11978

The Event Facebook Page is:  https://www.facebook.com/SailWest2012/ 

Have Burgee will travel.

Kelly and Linda  found a place for the LOWISA Burgee at the Crawl Pub at Bitter End Yacht Club in BVI. I am guessing they had a small ceremony with shooter afterwards...

Some shipyards are turning to vodka to flush systems and make sure your boat is ready for winter.

What are they using to clean your systems for winter? It might not be what you think... Some shipyards have taken to using vodka to decommission boats with freshwater systems. The practice has existed for some time, but it was only recently that it started gaining popularity among boatyards for their higher end customers.

The concept is that the vodka will help identify places in the system where water remains. First the freshwater system is drained entirely, then vodka with food coloring is flushed through to penetrate any spots where water might remain. After the water is cleared, any vodka that remains will evaporate leaving no taste and no trace next season.

Click for more...

Ode to all things boating, early century video

Your 2016 Executive

Welcome to our new Co-Commodores Kelly Brown & Linda Strachan.

Also joining the committee this year is Dale Milne.

Continuing on this year: Ann Peikoff as Past Commodore, Rob Eby, Vera Stienberger, Don Lindsay, Stewart Anderson and Paul Gomori.

NYC 2015 Awards

Novice boater of the Year John & Nancy Tisdale

Family of the Year - Rob & Heather Eby & girls

Super Cruiser - Marty and Leah Sampson

Single Handed Sailor – Tom Wood

Volunteer of the year/Race Committee - Kelly Brown & Linda Strachan

Racing Family - Rod & Viv Boychuck

Club Champion - Paul Gomori

Commodores - Kelly Brown & Linda Strachan

Update from Goose

Well we're here in Hampton after a nice 2 day trip down Chesapeake Bay. The marina bar is rockin with SDR sailors however Salty Dog banquets and evenings start in the next couple of days.

Goose handled very well (all new sails help) - solar panels and wind gen keeping all charged. She's a fast boat- smoked a few larger boats on the way. Water maker working good. Noticed loose bolts on top of rudder post bearing so fixing that up with double nuts, nylocks and split washers. Now have powered wifi antenna (rogue wave) and router for harbour wifi plus Iridium sat phone and Redport Optimizer for off-shore email access. A few small projects remain for Goose crew. Ordered a small Engel fridge which will fit in cockpit locker. Also last minute purchase of a 10 foot Apex rib to replace the 9 foot beater - Lucy likes this a lot so she can assume her favourite bow cruising position.

Left my 4-Runner in Washington at Reagan airport for Fogger and Leslie's arrival and drive down here. Spot Connect tracker can't seem to get a GPS fix so a new one might be coming.

Rick Langille is docked right behind us on his giant Hylas 54.

Lucy has been to the vet in Annapolis and got all paper work ready for our visit with the USDA vet on Tuesday morning for final paperwork.

Fall Lift Social and Dinner, October 30 at 6:30 PM at the Winter Club

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. Our Fall Lift Social and Dinner is now booked for October 30 at 6:30 PM at the Winter Club. Tickets are $15 per person and are now available on PayPal for purchase. 

Passed Hot Hor d oeuvres:

-Manitoba Chicken Satay w/ red Thai curry dip

-Beef Wellingtons with Mushroom and Pastry

-Manitoba wild mushroom Tarts V

Cold Platter of Passed Canapés and savories:

-Maple BBQ salmon with Saffron Dipping Sauce

- Smoked Salmon pizza with Herb Cream Cheese and Dill

Manitoba Carvery:

-Manitoba Smoked NY York Striploin Carvery Station

Served with Hand-picked wild mushroom Sauce

Horseradish, Dijon mustard, and caramelized onions served with Mini Crusty rolls and butter

            - homemade Mac and cheese w smoked Anaheim peppers

            -Fluffy meat balls w/ Roma tomato sauce and parm

             Curried Chix pea stir fry Vegan dish

             

-Platters of Antipasto platters w/ sliced Meats, pickles, and Manitoba Bothwell Cheese with Fancy Crackers V

-Grilled Mediterranean veggie Platters with Feta Cheese and Truffle oil V

Coffee, tea, decaf station Assorted Dainties, sliced fruit, and mini Cookies

Manitoba Keelboat Championships

Saturday + Sunday, September 12th & 13th, 2015

Hosted By: Gimli Yacht Club 

Friday Evening - Registration at 7:30pm and late Registration Saturday morning before the Skipper’s Meeting.


On Saturday Night September 12^th, 2015, the Manitoba Keelboat Championship is featuring a Steak Dinner at the Gimli Yacht Club with all the fixings: baked potato, salad, dessert, and complimentary Pre-dinner Appetizers with free refreshments.  The steak will be done to your specification as one of your Team Members will be BBQing it for you!  Please bring your own Refreshments.  The Steak Dinner is $20.00 per person and needs to be ordered in advance by Saturday, September 5th. After this deadline your order will not be guaranteed as the steaks need to be pre-ordered.  Payments may be cash or cheque (payable to Cliff Carefoot). Please include boat name and the names of each crew member.  Cliff is available at GYC, cmcarefoot@mymts.net or 204-770-8779. Visiting Boat Owners please email your orders to Cliff by the deadline.  GYC Members are invited to join this Sailing and Dining Event!

2015 Northern Yacht Club Championships

Sailed: 5, Discards: 1, To count: 4, Ratings: PHRFTOT, Entries: 15, Scoring system: Appendix A

Boat	Class	HelmName	PHRFTOT	Summer Solstice	Queen Island	Morson 1	Morson 2	Witch Bay	Total	Nett
Borderline	C&C 30	Paul Gomori	174	2.00	2.00	0.75	(3.00)	2.00	9.75	6.75
Kitchen Party	Beneteau 36.7	Eric Vogan	90	4.00	(16.00 DNC)	4.00	2.00	0.75	26.75	10.75
Kite	Antrim 27	Dave Nelson	81	(16.00 DNC)	16.00 DNC	2.00	0.75	16.00 DNC	50.75	34.75
Sanity	C&C 29	Tom Wood		6.00	3.00	(16.00 DNC)	16.00 DNC	16.00 DNC	57.00	41.00
Knock Out	C&C 36	Peter Fuller	108	(16.00 DNC)	16.00 DNC	5.00	4.00	16.00 DNC	57.00	41.00
Black Night	Abbott 33	Stewart Anderson		(16.00 DNC)	0.75	16.00 DNC	16.00 DNC	16.00 DNC	64.75	48.75
Grand Cru	Beneteau 36.7	Blair Magnu		0.75	(16.00 DNC)	16.00 DNC	16.00 DNC	16.00 DNC	64.75	48.75
Oh Boy	C&C 33	Wade Glew		(16.00 DNC)	16.00 DNC	16.00 DNC	16.00 DNC	3.00	67.00	51.00
Dress Rehearsal	Catalina 46	Marty Sampson		(16.00 DNF)	16.00 DNC	3.00	16.00 DNF	16.00 DNC	67.00	51.00
Lode Star	Mirage 24	Trevor Holm		3.00	(16.00 DNC)	16.00 DNC	16.00 DNC	16.00 DNC	67.00	51.00
Kapriz	Alerion Express 28	Rick Thompson		(16.00 DNC)	16.00 DNC	16.00 DNC	16.00 DNC	4.00	68.00	52.00
Intrepid	C&C 30 II	Jim Fogg		5.00	(16.00 DNF)	16.00 DNC	16.00 DNC	16.00 DNC	69.00	53.00
Sloops Troops	C&C 32	John Beringer		(16.00 DNC)	16.00 DNC	6.00	16.00 DNF	16.00 DNC	70.00	54.00
RamBunkShus	C&C 30 II	Rob Boychuck		(16.00 DNF)	16.00 DNC	16.00 DNC	16.00 DNC	16.00 DNC	80.00	64.00
Blondie	Hanse 371	Bob Webb		(16.00 DNF)	16.00 DNC	16.00 DNC	16.00 DNC	16.00 DNC	80.00	64.00

Morson 2 

Start: Start 1, Finishes: Elapsed time

Boat	Class	HelmName	PHRFTOT	Elapsed	Corrected	Points
Kite	Antrim 27	Dave Nelson	81	6:50:19	7:52:20	0.75
Kitchen Party	Beneteau 36.7	Eric Vogan	90	7:11:10	8:08:57	2.00
Borderline	C&C 30	Paul Gomori	174	8:13:11	8:11:02	3.00
Knock Out	C&C 36	Peter Fuller	108	7:39:30	8:26:01	4.00
Dress Rehearsal	Catalina 46	Marty Sampson		DNF		16.00
Sloops Troops	C&C 32	John Beringer		DNF		16.00

www.sailwave.com