May 20 18 · Past Commodore Ron Mazza [email protected] Manager Laura Vanek [email protected] COMMUNICATIONS The Clipper is published four times a year: approximately May 1, June

CLIPPERMay 2018

The magazine of Queen City Yacht Club

PAGE 2 QCYC CLIPPER MAY 2018

BOARDCommodore Jacqui Cook [email protected] Commodore Genia Vanderkruk [email protected] Commodore Graham Dougall [email protected] Captain Keith Aldridge [email protected] Russell Sergiades [email protected] Nansi Thomas [email protected] Chair Thomas King [email protected] Andy Oakes [email protected] Joanna Kidd [email protected] Sandy Mandel [email protected] Martin Hodgkinson [email protected] Chair Keith Nunn [email protected] Mark MacRae [email protected] to Sail Robert Eckersley [email protected] Chair Trevor Brisco [email protected]

Past Commodore Ron Mazza [email protected]

Manager Laura Vanek [email protected]

COMMUNICATIONSThe Clipper is published four times a year: approximately May 1, June15, August 15, and October 1. Contributions may be submitted tothe publisher via email at [email protected].

While an effort will be made to publish submissions, the publisherreserves the right to edit material for length and suitability.

Clipper Editor & Publisher Mark MacRae [email protected] Copyeditor Heather Jackson [email protected] Layout Glen Newbury [email protected] Quick Clipper - Moderators Jim Neundorf & Victor GranicWebmaster Arleigh Crawford [email protected] Keith Nunn [email protected]

Communication NotesMark MacRae [email protected]

In this first edition of the Clipper, you’ll find afeature article on the history of women at QueenCity. If you’ve been watching the Volvo OceanRace, this year has been seen a shift in includingboth sexes at the highest level of the sport andit’s fantastic. So thanks to Richard for a timelypiece – this will be Part One of a three-part serieson the topic.

Thanks also to the Board members for submittingupdates on what’s going on in their respectiveportfolios. And as always, please support ouradvertisers!

PHOTO CREDITSCover Vi Rae at the helm

P8 Deanna Owen

P17 Genia Vanderkruk, photo of Moira Burgess,(1986)

P25 Yurii Kazman

P27 Jacqui Cook (both photos)

P28 Kristin Basmadjian, Eriks Rugelis, JacquiCook, Russell Sergiades

MAY 2018 QCYC CLIPPER PAGE 3

CommodoreJacqui Cook [email protected]

Spring finally has arrived and our boats are in theirspots. Our Club comes to life again after what seemedlike an endless winter. I love Launch. Not just becauseit is the start of our boating season. I love Launchweekend. I love talking in the Yard to old friends andnew. I marvel at what we accomplish together. Morethan 80 boats are launched in just under three days,manually pushed and pulled onto the car. Boats thatweigh thousands of pounds. That is the power of manyhands making light work.

Another of our spring traditions is the Spring WorkParty. This is our time to make repairs, paint, clean,and rake. This is our time to get the Club ready forsummer fun. The magic of the work party comes fromhaving as many people as possible come together forone day to tackle projects on the grounds, in thehouse, in the yard, and at the moorings. In one day,with enough people power, it is amazing what can bebuilt, repaired, and painted.

Queen City Yacht Club is a self-help club. This meansthat along with their fees, all members lend theirlabour to help with the running, maintenance, anddevelopment of our Club. And your labour is just asimportant as your fees to the health of our Club.

We believe that by working actively together we buildour community and our friendships. We have fun, wefeel a sense of accomplishment, and we learn newskills. Where else would I have had a chance to learnhow to build a railway and a roof?

Often which projects happen and which are delayed isdetermined by how many people are prepared todedicate themselves to organizing and doing thatproject. So, the members have the power to makethings happen. Which is as it should be.

Welcome to the new Board members: Thomas King,House Chair; Russell Sergiades, Treasurer; MartinHodgkinson, Planning; Andy Oakes, Moorings; andSandy Mandel, Membership. Thank you to each of youand the returning Board members for volunteering agreat deal of your time to help your Club.


Vice CommodoreGenia Vanderkruk [email protected]

Welcome back for what we all hopeis a much better sailing seasonthan last year!

As I write this, our Club Manager,Laura Vanek, has already been inthe office for a couple of weeks,preparing for the season opening.We are pleased to welcome back

also our maintenance staff, Brian Drapeau and AbbyCampomanes. Morgan Baskin will again be looking afterdockmaster duties, and will keep theoffice open on Laura’s days off. We’vemodified our staff reporting structurethis season, so that our Head Captain,Michelle McLean, and our Head LTSInstructor, Rachel Kozicz, will bothreport to Laura. Since Laura is on site ona daily basis, she is in a good positionto provide day-to-day supervision ofstaff. The House, Fleet and LTS chairswill continue to make decisionsregarding the operations of their depart-ments, but if you have any complimentsor concerns regarding our staff specifi-cally, please speak to Laura or to me.

We welcome two new members to theManagement Committee this year,Thomas King as House Chair, and RussellSergiades as Treasurer. Thomas has agood understanding of his portfolio, ashe has held this Board position in thepast, and Russell is quickly learning theropes of his important role. Togetherwith other members of the ManagementCommittee–Keith Aldridge (Fleet Chair),Jacqui Cook (Commodore), Nansi Thomas(Secretary), Laura Vanek (Manager) and

me—they will make decisions about club operations.Thank you for supporting our volunteers who helpmanage the Club on the members’ behalf.

I’m sure you’ll be hearing from all the Board chairsabout projects planned for this season, particularly tohandle those items which were put off last year due toflooding, and items resulting from the flood. I lookforward to seeing you at the Club as we tackle theseprojects together.


FleetKeith Aldridge [email protected]

It was a great pleasure at last fall’sAGM to report the successfulcompletion of the five-yearinspection for the Algonquin QueenII. While that was certainly good

news, significant upgrades and repairs to the boat’smechanical and electrical systems were needed torestore our tender to a safe and reliable condition.

Eastern Marine Services has continued with therequired work on the AQII over the winter at OuterHarbour Marina. For the technically inclined members, Ican report that while the quoted work was done asexpected, it was not possible to straighten a bent driveshaft, and the shaft had to be replaced. Badly wornbearings were replaced and the out-of-balancepropeller was statically and dynamically balanced.Clearly this imbalance will have been responsible forexcessive wear and some of the noticeable vibration wehad experienced on the boat. Electrical cabling hasbeen changed to marine grade as required. A new high-capacity bilge system with working high-water alarmshas been installed. With these changes and severalothers, we look forward to a smoother-running andmore reliable vessel when our season begins.

I had been in regular contact with Eastern Marine as Imonitored the repairs to the AQII. At this writing Ihave just learned from Eastern Marine that completionof the repairs to the AQII were temporarily delayed: anessential part of the drive train, the transmissionbacking plate that was ordered weeks ago, is en routefrom Germany, due to arrive on Friday, April 13. Whileall other repairs and upgrades were complete, we couldnot launch the boat without this part.

The Algonquin Princess will remain in the Yard until wehave added surrounding rails that extend 36” above thedeck level. This is a requirement from Transport Canadathat affects all pontoon boats. These higher rails are

now installed on all operating water taxis.

Enough of the technical jargon! I am pleased toannounce the hiring of our new Head Captain, MichelleMcLean. Michelle comes to us from RCYC, where she hasbeen a captain on their tenders Kwasind and Hiawathafor the past four years. Prior to that, Michelle workedas an engineer on the River Gambler.

We will also be welcoming back our Captains JacobPiekarski, Justin Vanek, Leo Millen, and Zach Reiber,and mates Drew Ingall and Jason Reiber, who will makeup this year’s tender staff.

As our 2018 season begins, members are reminded thatour captains and mates need the cooperation of bothyou and your guests when travelling on the tenders.While it should gowithout saying, neithersmoking nor consumptionof alcohol is allowed onour tenders. Members andtheir guests are alsoreminded to arrive ontime for departures oftenders, and those withbicycles must arrive earlyenough to stow thembefore other passengersembark. Finally, membersand guests will appre-ciate that when thespring line is removed, the tender is considered to haveleft the dock. It will then be at the discretion of theCaptain as determined by surrounding conditions toaccommodate any late arriving passenger.

That said, let’s have a safe and enjoyable season in2018!

Michelle McLean,Head Captain, 2018

Happy spring! I know by the timeyou read this (in two weeks)spring will finally have arrived ...Or else we’ll be getting ready to

sail the first race in drysuits.

This year in Communications you can expect to see foureditions of the Clipper magazine: May 1, June 15,August 15, and October 1. This is your club magazineand you are the writers and photographers. If you havean idea for an article, please email me. And I amalways looking for your best photography, not only forthe magazine, but also for Photo of the Day in theQuick Clipper and for the coveted Photo of the YearAwards – congratulations to Nick Mather and Jeff Imaifor their winning 2017 photographs.

Speaking of the Quick Clipper, it will continue to comeout regularly every Monday and Thursday, assumingthere is at least one announcement to go out, plusspecial editions for “emergency” time-sensitive infor-mation as needed.

I would like to single out Bryan Gough for his work oncreating a new iOS tender app after Apple caused theold one to stop working on their latest operatingsystem. Bryan is a great example of a member justemailing a Board member out of the blue, as he sawthe need for this work to be done and knew he had theexpertise to do it. How’s that for the Self-Help Spirit?Sorry if I’m embarrassing you, Bryan. Thank you.

On a related note, if anybody notices Bryan and me inthe same vicinity at the Club one day, please introduceus.


CommunicationsMark MacRae [email protected]

Sail Past Banquet Menu

by The Cove@QCYCSOUP

Curried Butternut Squash with Cilantro Crema

SALADBaby Greens and Spring Seedlings with RoastedGrape Tomatoes and a Champagne Vinaigrette

MAIN COURSE* Choice of Grilled Beef Tenderloin

with Sautéed Mushrooms and a Red WineReduction and served with Roasted Potatoes

and Spring VegetablesOR

Crispy Red Snapper with a Green Mango andPapaya Salsa

and Jasmine Rice and Spring VegetablesOR

Eggplant Parmigiana (Vegetarian option)

DESSERTTiramisu

Coffee and Tea Service

Pricing$44.90 including HST Early Bird Period price

applies until Tuesday, May 15, 2018$49.90 including HST On and after Wednesday,May 16, 2018. Main Course choice no longer

available, only first optionHalf-price including HST Children, 12 & underfor special children’s menu. Full price for full

menu

Please book with the Club Office and have main course selection ready at time of booking

[email protected] 426-203-0929 Extension 5

* Choice of the main course Tenderloin or Snapper is availableduring the Early Bird Period and must be selected with booking.

Only first option is available after the Early Period.


Another season is upon us andhopefully we will have fair winds

and following seas–no high water nor freezing tempera-tures.

Here are some of the key Sailing Program events:

• Wednesday, May 9th – Participants’ Meeting in theGreat Hall at 1835

• Wednesday, May 16th – First Race

• Saturday, May 19th – Sail Past – see the article inthis Clipper

• Friday, June 8th – Top Gun Racing Training Program –On Water - see the article in this Clipper

• Friday, June 22nd – Top Gun Racing Training Program– On Land - see the article in this Clipper

• June 30, July 1-2, Canada Day Weekend Cruise– seethe article in this Clipper

• Friday, July 22nd – Top Gun Racing Training Program– On Land - see the article in this Clipper

• August 4-5-6, Civic Weekend Cruise– see the articlein this Clipper

• Friday, August 10th – Top Gun Racing TrainingProgram – On Water - see the article in this Clipper

• Saturday, August 11th – Women Skippers Race

• Friday, August 24th – Top Gun Racing TrainingProgram - see the article in this Clipper

• Saturday, September 8th –QCYC REGATTA!

More details will be available on posters at the Club,and in the Clipper and Quick Clipper.

Brandon Zagorski and his Measurement Committee willbe very busy at the beginning of the season helpingracers clear their PHRF-LO mainsail penalty by helpingthem measure their mainsail. We all need to thank

Brandon and Dave for this work.

This extensive cruising series and other Sailing Programevents could not have been put together without theeffort of many volunteers. Thank you everyone!We can always use more help for

• Cruise Co-ordinators and Assistant Cruise Co-ordinators

• Jury

• Race Committee – on water and onshore

• Race Committee equipment and vessel maintenance

• Trophy Custodians

• Wednesday night scoring

In particular, a Chair is required for the Women SkippersRace. Without one, the viability of this event is indoubt.

If you’re interested in helping in any way, pleasecontact me.

The Commodore of ABYC has issued the challenge toQCYC again this year. Support the Club by participatingin the ABYC Open Regatta and our Regatta. Sail Pastcoincides with Safe Boating Awareness Week that startson Saturday, May 19th. For information on the Weekand on boating safety, see www.csbc.ca/en/safe-boating-awareness-week.

Feedback, comments, or suggestions are [email protected].

Rear CommodoreGraham Dougall [email protected]

The sailing season has finallyarrived after unusually cold daysand 90 km storm-force winds inearly April delayed the good

weather that is ideal for the preparation of theboats. Fortunately, nothing keeps the spirits of QCYCmembers down–as the flood of 2017 surely demon-strated.

While Benjamin Franklin in 1789 stated that “In thisworld nothing can be said to be certain, exceptdeath and taxes”, we can all agree that risingexpenses at QCYC are a certainty for us too.

QCYC has recently experienced the effects ofincreasing government regulations, includingTransport Canada’s legal requirements this past yearfor improvements on our tenders to meet safetystandards. We are consequently paying higherregulatory operational and capital expenses for ourfleet in 2018.

Beyond the current requirements of TransportCanada, we are continuing with additional repairs,upgrades and engine-part replacements to ensurethat our club tenders, learn-to-sail, and race-committee boats are in first-class condition.

The Ontario Provincial Government introduced Bill148, the Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act, 2017, onNovember 22 last year. This has increased wages andbenefits at QCYC, increasing our expenses beyondcore inflation.

Additional expected 2018 expenses include 2017flood-related expenditures for significant repair orreplacement of our Club’s utility vehicle. This is likelyrequired because the unexpected flood led to overuseof the small truck by transporting sandbags. This

vehicle is necessary for the disposal of Club garbageat Gibraltar Point and the movement of lumberaround the Club.

During the flood of 2017 QCYC members made greatefforts with sandbags, pumps, and below-gradeemergency repairs. We have not detected a need forsignificant repairs to our clubhouse this spring of2018.

Thank you in advance for limiting regular and toxicwaste at the Club, as the disposal fees are high.

I look forward to seeing you all at the Club thissailing season and welcome your suggestions.

TreasurerRussell Sergiades [email protected]


QCYCmemberKen Owenbringinghome thedinner!

Happy “spring”. It sure doesn’tseem like it, but we are only amonth and a half from our firstLearn to Sail course. Here is an

update about our summer Learn to Sail programs.

The key ingredient of any camp is having coaches whocombine experience and fun. Our goal is to have thebest staff on the Lake. I’m therefore very pleased thatRachel Kozicz is returning to QCYC as our HeadInstructor after spending two years working full-time inFrance, teaching Elementary School English. Rachel ishighly respected and well known to QCYC, having spentthree years at QCYC as our Race Coach. She is anengaging, professional, and organized person. Say Hito her when you see her at the Club.

Emma Fricker is returning as our High-Performance RaceCoach and Louis Riel-Brickie, a former 29er CanadianChampion, joins as our Advanced Coach. We will haveexcellent coaching for our racers!

Arry Vasilodimitrakis-Hart, who has very successfullyled our CanSail 1 and 2 program for the last threeyears, will be moving up to coach CanSail 3.

For CanSail 1 and 2 we have a great and enthusiasticteam of QCYC Learn to Sail Alumni: Mathew Jennings,who returns from last year, and Nicholas Dotsch in hisfirst year of coaching. Nick spent last summercampaigning a 29er at a very high level, and you maysee him out on the water after classes this year.

Here is an overview of our 2018 programs:

May 26 - Youth Spring Tune Up (CanSail 3 andup) starts May 26 and runs on Saturdays throughJune 23. These sessions are a great weekendoption for intermediate or advanced youth sailors(CanSail 3 and up) to shed the winter rust and

get an early start on the season with expertcoaching. Signing up for all five days gives adiscount, while there is also an option forsigning up for three of the five days if you can’tcommit to five weekends.

July 3 – August 24 Full Youth LTS program. Werun a great summer camp/sailing school foryouths aged 8-17. Courses cover the full rangefrom beginner to expert. See the Youth LTSsection on the website for full details. Some ofthe sessions are almost full, so sign up soon!

July 4 – 26 Summer Weeknight Adult Dinghy(Beginner/Intermediate) is a great way forpeople 18 and over to learn sailing. After work,head out to the Club for professional sailinginstruction, followed by a relaxed sunset dinnerand beverage overlooking the city.

August 24 6:00pm – The always legendaryYouth Awards Banquet

As of this writing our Adult keelboat Basic Cruisingcourses are full. I am working on arranging anothersession, hopefully in May. Stay tuned.

For more information and registration please see theQCYC website, or give me a call at 416-843-5435.

Lastly, a request. Please promote our LTS programs! Weoffer great programs at competitive prices. Our costsare largely fixed, so each additional person we sign upbrings new revenue and potential new members to ourClub while helping us stay true to our charter ofpromoting the sport of sailing. Thanks to Glen Newbury,we will soon have brochures which you can distributeto your friends. They will be available from the office.

Looking forward to Launch and to seeing you soon atthe Club!


Learn to SailRobert Eckersley [email protected]

Welcome, everyone, to the start ofanother sailing season and anothergreat social experience at the Club!

In the realm of Yard, there is onemain project on my radar: improvement to thetemporary way setup. Currently, temporary ways mustbe dismantled and rebuilt every year, a time-consumingand physically demanding project. Modifying this setuphas been a topic of conversation for years, with manydifferent solutions proposed. This season I would liketo revive the conversations and tackle thisproject–with your help. If you have ideason how to improve the situation, or wish toassist in any stages of planning, design,construction, or general labour, send me anemail and we’ll coordinate.

Two additional tasks I plan to focus myattention on this season are in the realm ofsafety during Launch and Haulout. One ofthese tasks is ensuring that all membersuse adequate lines between their boat andcradle during Launch and Haulout. Theimportance of using stout low-stretch lineswill continue to be stressed; however, toensure that this requirement is notoverlooked, an individual will be assignedto inspect these lines on the days of. Thesecond task I plan to focus my attention onis the creation of photo documentationduring Launch 2018 that captures thecurrent relative position of each boat in itscradle. This document will be used as areference point by the boat owners andYard Chair to assist in positioning duringfuture Haulouts.

There are many other smaller projects in

the Yard that will also need to be completed thissummer. If you are interested in getting involved inYard activities, or are simply looking to earn workhours, send me an email at [email protected] or watch forwork notifications in the Quick Clipper.

As a final note, by the time you read this article, ourboats should be moored in the lagoon and mastshopefully up. Let us not forget the Yard entirely at thistime. Please ensure that all gear, tarps, ladders, butter-boards, etc. are organized, put away, or safely storedon cradles after Launch. Maintaining a clean and clearYard is critical to ensuring the safety of all membersand nonmembers while in the Yard.


YardTrevor Brisco [email protected]

We have a great sailing and partyseason ahead of us. See thecalendar for the next set of partieson the previous page and a full

calendar at https://qcyc.ca/social/entertainment.

We made the best of a bad situation last year and Iknow that this year is going to be better—flood,freeze, or shine. Thanks to everyone who made theparties happen last year and to those of you who havealready stepped up this year. You are what make theparties work and we need you all. Many hands makelight work and many feet make for a dance party. Take alook at the calendar and think about what parties youwant to help with or even take the lead on.

By the time you read this, we should have had our firstevent of the season, Chili Challenge, and we’ll have aflavour of the year to come. I have been talking withour new caterersSherry and Simonand we’ll beworking togetheron a few newparties. The firstof these, Cinco deMayo, will be (orwas) on Saturday,May 5. May 19 isSailpast, June 9is New MembersNight and June15 is Team Trivia.

The Commodore’s Ball has become the Commodore’sBBQ on June 23. This is the first event that reallyneeds a champion. The band is booked (and excellent)and the plan is to keep it simple and on the lawn, butwe really need someone to be the lead for it. Let meknow if you’re willing, we can talk details.

All events need party-goers and I know we can counton your support to party. They all also need some helpwith setup and cleanup and I hope we can count onyou there too. A few events are in desperate need of achampion to get off the ground. You will be supportedby me and many helpful members, but think about yourfavourite event and whether you might be the key tomake it go.

In addition to the regular events, we’ll see a murdermystery night in late July and the return of gamesnights and music jams or small combos like a rumouredQueen City Blues Band reunion.

It’s going to be a great summer.


EntertainmentKeith Nunn [email protected]

July 20, we'll try to solve a terrible murder that happened in 1935 aboard the Rapids Queen.


Welcome back for the 2018 season.I am happy to report that we havesigned all the documents with thenew caterer. The new name of our

restaurant is The Cove at QCYC.

I would like to recognize the hard work of our ViceCommodore, Genia Vanderkruk, in putting together andrevising the contract.

This year Simon and Sherry have a lot of specialevenings planned, such as theme nights with a guestchef, and they all sound wonderful. We will have acappuccino machine at the bar for the first time. Newservers have been acquired; their dress andattitude have been discussed. On race nightthere will be additional staff to handle all thehungry racers.

We will have new wines and some new beers aswell this year. For Launch we will not have aliquor license but it will be coming soon after.Remember that it is still not advisable to buy adrink at the bar and take it outside on the lawn.It could cost us our liquor license. If you pushboats in the yard, you will drink at the end ofthe day anyway.

There is an extensive lunch menu during Launchso be sure to come by and try one of the elevenitems being offered.

The next task is the Snug room. I’m sure youagree we need to do something with that roomas well as the kids’ room. Any volunteers orsuggestions to improve the Snug are welcome.If any members know how we can recover thepillows on the chairs and couches, their helpwould be especially appreciated.

Since my last post, I have received offers from

two members to help with the sand under the Club: Christopher Sumpton and Peter Steele-Mosey. Thankyou both.

Remember that Laura is back in the office to give youany help you might need regarding membership cards,guest tickets and Sailpast tickets.

By the time you are reading this article, the Houseshould be back in good shape, though we will still needwindows cleaned, painting done, and some repairscompleted. Boards need replacing on the decksurrounding the Club. Last year very little was donebecause of the water levels. Let’s try to make this yeara good year to get Queen City looking great again.

HouseTom King [email protected]


Firstly, thanks to all who placedtheir trust in me to serve as yournew Membership Chair. And to NickAbrahams, your former Membership

Chair, who has been so helpful in the transition.

The year started with our booth at the January BoatShow. Our crew of volunteers drummed up ten leads,one of whom joined as a senior member. Yves Florackhas stepped up to take the lead for next year’s show.

When I agreed to serve as Membership Chair, mystrategy was to keep my eyes and ears open and mymouth shut for the first three months. That date haspassed and I want to share some percolating thoughtsabout how to keep our club vibrant and our lagoon full.I put these ideas out there not to launch new initia-tives but rather as points to start discussions. Stop mein the Yard, join me at the bar, or come over to Twisterand share your thoughts. Consider forming acommittee.

• Open house – A Saturday and/or Sunday in June toopen the gates and welcome people who are visitingthe Island. Maybe set up an info kiosk at the ferrydock and offer a return tender ticket to suitableprospects who might share our enthusiasm.

• Condo dwellers. One can’t look across the harbourand imagine that there would not be more than ahandful of condo dwellers within walking or bikingdistance to the tender dock who would be intriguedby an opportunity to join as associates. What are thebest ways to reach out to them?

• Lockers – so that associates can come for the day,enjoy the Island, sail with a new friend, chill at thebeach, and change and shower for dinner at the Club.

• Advertising in localized publications around theharbour and downtown.

• An advertising banner on the Rapids Queen aimed atthe Ward’s ferry dock.

• A boat-share co-op program where associatemembers have access to boats owned by the Club.Check this out at Ashbridges Bay Yacht Club,abyc.on.ca. This would be a considerable under-taking, but hey, let’s start a discussion.

• Reintroduce the buddy system. I found this to bevery helpful when I joined.

• Members’ bull session. What’s on your mind? Youspeak, I listen. Once a month in the snug/bar/frontlawn?

I look forward to hearing your thoughts.

On the events front, June 9th starts with the tradi-tional Gunning-in-of-New-Boats ceremony in theafternoon. Let me know if you have a new boat andwould like to be so honoured. This event leads intoNew Members Night, always a great party and a greatchance to introduce the new members. The Black Pearlswill be onstage to keep the party going. Advancetickets will be available in the office, or for a surchargeat the door. Come out for the afternoon and eveningevents and support our new members.

MembershipSandy Mandel [email protected]


Over the winter, the Planning Teamhas focused on two initiatives.First, we documented a list oftasks in case there is any repeat of

last year’s high-water problems. The list will bemaintained so that we can react faster to high-waterevents. It will also act as an historical record for futureBoard Chairs.

Our second initiative is a follow-up to the reviewcompleted in 2016 to re-invigorate member partici-pation in the Club. The review suggested a couple ofapproaches that we want to test out.

Firstly, we are updating the “Job Jar”–a list oftasks needing volunteers–to be placed on thewebsite so that members can access and findtasks that they want to take on, or tasks forwhich they have the necessary skills. We willalso use this list as input to “Job Fairs” whichwill be held during Launch and New MembersNight to attract members to volunteer andassist in the Club.

Secondly, one of the findings of the 2016review was that the Club work parties need tomaximise the value of the work provided by themembers. Based on that finding, we will testout having Project Managers for the May WorkParty. Ashley Kirwan and Paul Lehal have kindlyvolunteered to try out this idea for us. Theywill liaise with the Board Chairs to identifycritical tasks, ensure that tools and suppliesare in place, and allocate arriving members tospecific tasks. Also we are asking members toemail me at [email protected] so that weknow in advance how many members willattend and can therefore “tune” the work tothe volunteers.

Our aim is to make the best use of the time volunteeredby the members and ensure that the most critical tasksare completed first. If the Work Party ProjectManagement role is a success, we will be looking formore volunteers for future Work Parties.

I want to thank the Planning team of Ashley Kirwanand Paul Lehal for their support and also to ask anyother members who have an interest in Planning tocontact me. We need your input!

PlanningMartin Hodgkinson [email protected]

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The first thing I’d like to do isthank everyone in the membershipfor their support in electing me asyour new Moorings Chair. It is a

big responsibility to be entrusted with the safety ofyou and your vessels, a responsibility I will undertakewith sincere intent.

When Deb and I first joined the Club, roughly onehundred new members ago (2008), Rick Hardy wasMoorings Chair. Rick wasn’t your average run-of-the-mill Moorings Chair, he was a man with a plan, like Dr.Seuss in Green Eggs and Ham.

I see docks here and there and everywhere,

I’d like docks on the rocks with a view of theCity, in front of the clubhouse they might lookquite pretty!

And then there’s old Yellow, how it neededrepair, in came Rick telling us not to despair,

For in his grand plan a new Yellow would bebest, the old one sinking put that decision torest.

All in all, he worked hard and set the bar high,an effort I’ll match or at least I will try.

Through Rick’s leadership, QCYC was able to add 19 newdocks and replace the aging Yellow dock. Since thattime, Steve Geigel and Nikolay Roshtainsky have bothworked hard to maintain our Club’s moorings and toplan for the future. The addition of a new drysail rampin 2016 demonstrated the Club’s continued commitmentto our drysail members and its commitment to

providing safe, up-to-date equipment that ensures thatall members can enjoy the Club and everything it hasto offer.

Last season was tough on everyone. Boats didn’tlaunch, power was out to a lot of the lagoon, the workhours needed to keep the Club afloat were long and thesand bags were heavy. But in the misery of it all wecame together to make the best of our short summerseason. We persevered. My hope is that we can findthat perseverance again this season and put those workhours to use building, painting, planting, and repairingall the things around the Club that keep our everydayoperation afloat.

I have surveyed the med moorings throughout the Club,and I’ve begun refurbishment of chains and tiresthroughout the basin. So far this season we haveserviced 5 moorings. I have ordered another 10mooring balls, chain, and shackles to service anyremaining moorings that need immediate replacement.Once those moorings have been serviced, we will surveytheir placement and make any adjustments needed toaccommodate the changing makeup of our fleet.

I will make every effort to continue the hard work of allthose who have come before me and make every effortto justify your trust in my abilities.

If you have any question about moorings please feelfree to contact me anytime and I will do my best toanswer your questions.

MooringsAndy Oakes [email protected]


This is my second year serving onthe Board. Although I’ve been amember of QCYC since the midseventies, my eyes have been

opened wide to the number of important issues theBoard deals with. Yes, moorings, lockers, caterers etc.are obvious issues. But there is much more the Boarddeals with. So this season, give your Board a hug. Theywork very hard on your behalf. And offer to help outwith the various committees the Board depends on tolighten their load.

As Secretary, I arrange and attend ManagementMeetings and Board Meetings each month and keepminutes of the Board meetings. These are posted on

the website for Senior Members one month after theBoard meeting with the Director reports.

The Secretary is also charged withReciprocals–exchanging visiting rights and policieswith other yacht clubs. QCYC shares visiting rights withalmost 100 clubs, around the lake as well as on thewest coast of Canada and the US, in the Caribbean, andeven one in Australia. In the past, clubs have annuallyexchanged letters and courtesy cards, welcomingvisitors and stating visitor policies. While some clubscontinue this practice, increasingly reciprocals aregoing online. Most clubs now post their reciprocal liston their websites.

Two years ago LOCCA (Lake Ontario Cruising ClubAssociation) initiated an online Reciprocal Repository,available at http://locca.org/reciprocal-repository/.Starting in spring 2018, the LOCCA reciprocal privilegespage will be available to all yacht clubs on LakeOntario and the Western St-Lawrence Seaway as long asthey are members in good standing of LOCCA andOntario Sailing or a US Regional Sailing Association.

As a result, many clubs now are sending letters of“Perpetual Reciprocal Rights,” which state that theirreciprocal policies are in effect until otherwise notified.Our Board has agreed to adopt this practice startingthis year. In addition, most clubs have dropped thepractice of sending reciprocal cards. I’d like to thankGlen Newbury for creating our reciprocal cards over thepast many years, but now we too will no longer need tosend them.

The Secretary also sends condolences to our membersregarding major life events. Should you know of any,please let me know.

Finally, I’d like to thank Leigh Geraghty, GeniaVanderkruk, and Joanna Kidd for their guidance overthe past year. With fingers crossed that high water willnot be a part of the 2018 season, may I wish all ourmembers a fabulous season at the best club on thelake.

SecretaryNansi Thomas [email protected]


Women at QCYC!


This series of three articles grew out of research I did atthe request of Mark MacRae for historical articles for theClipper. This article, Part One, gives a history of the first105 years of women at QCYC. Part Two will offer profilesof our three women commodores and other women who,without holding the highest office, made especiallynotable contributions to the Club. Part Three will tell thestory of the Women Skippers Race. It is fitting toexamine the history of women at QCYC this year as itmarks the centenary of female suffrage in Canada.

I owe an immense debt to Wayne Lilley and hisresearchers for Queen City Yacht Club, 1889-1989. The first hundred years of this article is based on hisbook. Further information is drawn from Club rostersand Clippers, supplemented by interviews and personal correspondence.

It is important to put women’s history at QCYC in thecontext of the evolution of women’s rights in Canada.Women could not own property in Upper Canada(Ontario) until 1859, they could not vote until 1918,and they were not considered “persons” until 1929.

In 1889 when QCYC was founded, sailing was a man’ssport. In the 1890s when the Club occupied a couple ofboat houses on Clindining Row, women could notbecome members and were not encouraged to visit.Though they might be permitted to use the BoardRoom, the only facilities offered were a mirror andhooks for wraps. In 1902, however, the Club built abeautiful new clubhouse at the bottom of York Street(approximately where the Gardiner expressway is now,infill has moved the shore line south) and ladies couldbe introduced by members and could use the Club

Women & QCYC IHistoryBy Richard Slee


balcony–but only on Saturdays and race days. A watersupply tank and a used stove were installed in thewomen’s washroom. The photo on the previous pageshows women on the balcony at QCYC circa 1910.

Smokers—parties where men smoked cigars and pipesand chewed tobacco–were very popular at the Club. In1903 the Smoking Concert Chair donated the year-end$45 surplus (approximately $1,000 in today’s money) torenovate the ladies’ parlour. The layout of the secondfloor of the 1902 clubhouse shows the location ofladies’ room and washroom.

It did not last. In a letter to the Entertainment Chair in1907, the Secretary-Treasurer stated, “I am alsoinstructed to advise you that ladies’ privileges arediscontinued from this date and ask that you instructthe steward accordingly so that the Ladies’ Room can beput at the disposal of the members for a sitting room.”Although several trophies had the names of women onthem by 1909, they had lost the privilege of using themembers’ balcony and a year later a member had to bereminded that introducing a lady in the Club wasprohibited between October and May. There was oneexception. Iceboating was so popular at QCYC that the

Club permitted women to use the Ladies’ Room in winteron iceboating days.

The years of WWI saw membership drop dramatically, tothe point that membership fees were significantlyreduced in order to attract new members. Even so, in1918 when a Miss Burt purchased the dinghy Reveriefrom a member and requested permission to store it atthe Club, the Board turned her down and said theywould consider changing the constitution at the nextannual meeting to permit lady members. It would befive years before the Club would allow Miss Burt to joinand another half century before women could becomesenior members. In the meantime, in 1920 the citysideclubhouse sank and was replaced by a new one on whatis now Algonquin Island.

In 1921, the Acting Treasurer, Richard Slee (my great-grandfather), promoting membership, described the new clubhouse as follows: “The assembly room has afloor space 32 x 67 feet for reception and dancing,with a balcony extending the full length, includingladies’ room, washrooms and shower baths.” This is ourcurrent clubhouse.

In 1923, women were finally allowed to join as ladymembers. The bylaw read, "lady members shall have allthe privileges of the Club House and may be appointedto any of the committees, but shall not be entitled tobe elected as Directors, or take any part in the controlor direction of the Club, serve only as members of suchcommittees, or vote at any meetings of members and itshall not be necessary to give them notice of anymeetings at the club." They paid only $5 for these“privileges” instead of the $15 senior member rate. Thiswas a purely social membership. But the samepersistent Miss Burt who had enquired aboutmembership in 1918 actually wanted to sail; she appliedonce more for berthing space in 1926, and this timewas advised to circumvent the constitution byreapplying but using her brother's name.

There are few references to the involvement of women


found in the records of the 1930s and 1940s. They werespending more time at the Club, but in what capacity isuncertain. In 1944 a ladies' auxiliary started by Vi Rae,wife of the commodore, boasted 40 members. But by1948, it seems women had lost the right to join theClub, even as lady members. When a Mrs. Meg Ruttaninquired about membership in 1948, she was told "wedo not permit women to join the club, however, thewives and sweet hearts of our members are welcome touse the club facilities at all times.” If Mrs. Ruttan'shusband were to join QCYC, the board added magnani-mously, “he could apply for locker space.”

In the early 1950s for the first time, women could moorand sail boats at QCYC. There was definitely resistanceto the revival of the lady member category, not only bymost male members but also by some of their wives. Butthe sisters Naomi and Vivienne Trudeau, who had beenaround the Club for some time, were encouraged and

supported by several influential members, Blake VanWinckle, Ray Lye, and Al Rae Senior among them. Theywere accepted as QCYC's first two female members ofthat era, and a worthy addition to QCYC they were. Atfirst sailing the Snipe Jay, they placed third in pointsand won the Club’s Sportsmanship Trophy.

The third female member at that time was Karin Larson,who in 1957 started the magazine GAM, which has sincebecome an institution. She was nominated by MalHarris, who also helped her buy her first boat, theComet Quill.

Though women could still not vote, this was a signif-icant step forward in the move towards equality of the

2009 Karin Larson at 120th with Thomas King.

1950s Karin Larson at GAM.

1950s Vivienne and Naomi Trudeau.


sexes at the Club. Not all the women sailors felt quite athome at QCYC, however. Island resident Anne-Lise deHaas remembers keeping her boat at the Club butsailing it only during the week because she felt out ofplace when the men were around on the weekend.

In 1969, after much discussion, the Board allowedwomen to join as senior members, but only as non-voting ones. They were not allowed to build boats inthe yard. Still, with this initiative, women wereintegrated a little more formally into the Club. And thiswas reinforced a year later when the Club dealt with itsfirst pay equity issue. Junior Club instructor AlexMcLaughlin appealed her $35 salary on grounds that herfellow instructor John Bleasby got $15 more though herqualifications were exactly the same. The Board, to itscredit, agreed.

By 1975 the Club started to emerge from the dark ageswhen the only two female senior members at the time,Grace Pincoe and Rivanne Sandler, became the firstwomen to vote as senior members. Finally, in 1979women could become Board members. Jean Grice waselected publicity chairman, thus becoming QCYC’s firstfemale officer—the only one until 1991.

The March 1990 Clipper noted that a planning sessionconducted by the Secretary John Ball had expressed as ahigh priority that spouses should be “provided with theopportunity to attend appropriate meetings and providetheir input (up to the board level).” In the same issue,Mary Partridge observed that the current system ofproxies “relegates spouses of senior members as non-entities at QCYC (or ‘tenders’ according to their clubcards). Many so-called ‘tenders’ already contribute agreat deal to the club without being permitted to do soin an official capacity. In short our constitution is blindto a potential human resource.”

The July Clipper followed up with a discussion paperfrom the Membership Committee, which proposed a UnitSenior Membership category. To quote the paper “WhyChange?”:

What's Wrong with The Status Quo? Not allmembers will immediately see the need forchange. That is the main reason we are encour-aging discussion throughout the summer. Theobjectives of this change are:

1)to allow spouses of senior members (who sodesire) to be full participating members in QCYC

2)to broaden the base of resources available to theclub by increasing the number of senior members

3)to encourage and allow for better attendance at club meetings

4)to entice new members–drawn by a more modernimage

5)to update QCYC's constitution so that it reflectscurrent family law

6) to underline the family orientation of the club

7) to clarify survivorship rights.

At the Annual General Meeting on December 6, 1990,the section of the bylaws on Senior Members waschanged to define a Senior Member as potentiallyincluding a spouse (a unit membership in which eitherspouse could hold office and vote but only one couldhold office at time and they were entitled to cast onevote jointly). This was a major game changer. Womenbegan to be elected to the Board. The next womanofficer, Lynda Chubak, Chair of Membership, was electedin 1991 (the year after she was accepted for SeniorMembership) and was joined by Moira Coull in 1992 asJunior Club Chair. Moira went to become our firstwoman Commodore.

In 1993, Mary Partridge became Membership Chair(replacing Linda Chubak) and Shirley Brown was electedSecretary. Mary formed an all-female MembershipCommittee and introduced an interview process for newmembers by two or three senior members reporting tothe Board, rather than having the entire Board performthe interviews. By late 1993 she and her committee hadamazing results. After several years of decliningmembership, they brought in 25 new members, 13 of


them senior. In 1994 they broke their own record afterestablishing QCYC at the Toronto International BoatShow and hosting a summer Open House that attractedalmost 200 people: the Club enrolled 23 Senior membersand 30 members in other categories that year. In 1995she became Treasurer and Gail Smith took over asMembership Chair. In the September 1995 Clipper, MaryPartridge proudly reports “I want to say how pleased Iam to see not one, two or three, but eight women whoare Senior members with their own boats in the Club:Gail Smith, Linda Toms, Diane Taylor, Sandra Hodgson,Gwen Egan, Nichole Clark, Ann Bromley and MoiraBurgess. I became a member in the days (early 80's)when women had a much lower profile. It's great to seewomen more involved and enjoying the Club to a fullerextent!” In recent years an average of four to fivemembers out of 15 Board members have been women.

Not to leave out younger women, Carrie Noak andDebbie Fogh advanced to the Canadian National Team

for 1995 in 470 Class and aimed for the CanadianOlympic team for 1996. Secretary Sari Bercovitch led theClub to raise $5,000 for Carrie and Debbie’s Olympicchallenge. In 1996 however, after a hard-fought race,Carrie and Debbie placed fourth in the Olympic trials inVancouver and would not represent Canada at theOlympics.

Part II on our Women Commodores and other importantwomen contributors to the Club to follow.

GO BEYOND EXPECTATIONS

IF YOU DON’T WANT TO GIVE UP SPEED FOR DURABILITYTHEN DON’T.northsails.com

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[email protected]


Canada Day Weekend June 30 July 1 July 2Destination: Niagara on the Lake Sailing Club (NOTLSC)

NOTLSC has always been one of our favourite cruisedestinations. Not only is it an opportunity to sail acrossthe Lake, but this destination offers activities for everytaste. In the past, members have toured wineries onrented bikes, played golf on the course within walkingdistance, and shared transportation to the casino inNiagara Falls. Remember, it’s a busy weekend for theShaw Festival, so it would be wise to book your theatretickets soon.

There will be a cruisers’ social gathering (usually on theSaturday evening).

Our cruise co-ordinator will be Paul Lehal, Initram.

Civic Weekend August 4, 5 and 6Destination: Fifty Point Yacht Club (FPYC)

Fifty Point is worth visiting. If you haven’t been there,the first time can be interesting. There is a gun rangeand Keep Out area on one side. Although many say it isno longer in use, it’s still marked on the charts sopersonally, we choose to respect the chart.

The point of entry to the harbour is not obvious at firstbut is really very easy to navigate.

In contrast to Niagara on the Lake, there are noofferings in town. There IS no town! Well away from thecity atmosphere, Fifty Point is a conservation area.There are opportunities to hike, bike, and visit thebeach which is closer to the gun range than the yachtclub is (yikes!).

There will be a cruisers’ social and Halszka Weiss(formerly of La Luna will be our co-ordinator.

We hope this helps you with planning your summer.

If you are new to cruising, a club reciprocal cruise is the best introduction to havingmore fun on your boat. Watch for details on how to sign up in the Quick Clipper.

Cruising CommitteActivities for the SeasonBy Pat Whetung, Cruising Committee Chair


By Dan Smith

Introducing a keelboat racing program for all skill levels and boat types! This year’s sailing

program will feature a series of seminars and on-water training sessions designed to enhance

knowledge of theory and racing rules and boost crew performance.

The average racing season doesn’t leave much room for practice. Just one race per week means

our experiences siloed and variable with limited repeatability. The aim of this program will be

to provide an arena for exercising common racing manoeuvres and techniques with the oppor-

tunity to apply what you’ve learned immediately. An average racing season consists of about

15 starts: imagine doing 15 starts in a single session! Practice tacks and gybes in a risk-free

environment, talk your crew through 20 wide-close roundings and much more!

This is a perfect opportunity to get your crew together and practice for Wednesday nights,

LORC events, the Women Skippers Race, or just your own development! All skill levels welcome.

QCYC Top Gun Racing Program

Registration Includes

• QCYC Top Gun T-Shirt for registered skipper

• A current rulebook

• Two land sessions covering rules, tactics and theory

• Four on-water sessions including briefing anddebriefing

Dates

• On-water: June 8, July 6, August 10, August 24

• On-land: June 22, July 27

Cost

• $150 + HST per boat

• $70 discount for boats registered for the 2018 QCYCOpen (lorc.org)

Reserve your spot by contacting [email protected] copying [email protected] with:

• Skipper name

• Boat name

• Boat make & model

• A short description of your training goals

The Annual Sail Past and Review of the Fleet by theCommodore marks the official opening of the Club. This isa quite traditional and formal event. It’s a day when allmembers celebrate the new sailing season. It is an all-dayevent which everyone is expected to attend.

There are three components to the day:

• Sail Past in the afternoon

• Post-Sail Past social

• Sail Past Banquet and dancing in the Great Hall in theevening.

The schedule on Saturday, May 19, 2018.

1205 Participants’ Meeting

1320 AQII departs for Review of the Fleet

1345 Review of the Fleet

1600 Sail Past of the Fleet in the Lagoon accompaniedby the pipes

1630 Commodore’s Punchbowl Reception

1745 Sail Past Banquet

1755 Head Table Piped in

2030 Head Table departs for Flag Lowering Ceremony

2042 Sunset and Flag Lowering Ceremony

2045 Dancing to Big Tobacco and the Pickers

The Participants’ meeting is when the written instructionsfor the Sail Past are distributed and discussed. Oneimportant aspect of the Review of Fleet is the orderly lineof yachts passing the Commodore’s anchored yacht. As


Saturday, May 19 Sail Past at Queen City Yacht Club By Graham Dougall


with many aspects of yachting, naval traditions drive thispractice. The order, with minor variations, is

• Vice Commodore

• Past Commodores in order of seniority

• Fleet Captain

• AQII

• Sailing vessels, longest first

• Power vessels, longest first

• Invited vessels

• Rear Commodore

To provide some help in organizing the fleet, the fleet isdivided into groups with assigned group leaders. Theorder, groups, and group leaders are in the Participants’meeting handout.

Participation in the Review of the Fleet is a time-honoured yachting tradition. So much so that any ownerwhose yacht does not participate in the Review of theFleet needs to present a bottle of rum to the Commodoreto atone for their lack of participation. As a reverse ofthis, the Club will award a bottle of rum to a partici-pating yacht as selected by the crew aboard theCommodore’s yacht.

The actual Review of the Fleet begins at 1345 as persailing directions distributed at the Participants’ Meeting.

The review begins with the firing of a gun. The ViceCommodore leads the parade of Past Commodores by theCommodore’s yacht. The objective is to have an orderlySail Past and to allow the Commodore a chance to saluteeach boat and members. Please find the leader of yoursection and then fall in line to follow. If your boat ismoving too fast, please reduce sail or cut power. This isimportant and will help maintain an orderly procession.

It is important to leave two boat-lengths between youand the boat ahead as you “sail past” the Commodore’sboat.

Salute the Commodore in the following manner:

• Yachts wearing an ensign (the Canadian flag) dip theensign

• Yachts not wearing an ensign, luff the foresail

The salute should commence one boat-length beforereaching the Review Vessel and it should continue for oneboat-length beyond. Where possible, the skipper and crewshould stand to face the Commodore. ONLY theCommodore salutes by hand.

The traditional “dress of the day” is white pants and navyblazer. Many members follow this standard. But if theweather is lousy, the rule is: stay warm and dry. (If theweather is foul, the Rear Commodore may direct the fleetto remain at the moorings; in such case, the Commodore’syacht or his designate will pass through the lagoon.)Finally, your boat should look ship-shape: take up yourboat’s fenders; leave the dinghy at your dock.

Some members watch the Sail Past from the Great Hall. Inthe past several years, many members participated on thewater aboard the Algonquin Queen II, which acts as aspectator vessel for this event. Please reserve with theOffice if you intend to sail on the AQII.

After you sail past the Commodore, return to yourmooring and “dress ship”. This means hauling your line ofrace or signal flags up a halyard to the top of your mast.

At this point members tend to congregate in variouscockpits around the lagoon for drinks and hors d’oeuvres.At about 1600, the Commodore and Flag Officers willcruise past the fleet.

This is followed at 1630 by the Commodore’s Punch Bowlat the Club House. Another opportunity to raise a glass tothe Commodore and the new sailing season.

Sail Past dinner is a formal dinner in the Great Hall (withover-bookings in the dining room) which begins at 1745.Don’t forget to book your tickets early! Dinner dress is“semi-formal”.


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Welcome Back!

Documents

May 20 18 · Past Commodore Ron Mazza [email protected] Manager Laura Vanek [email protected] COMMUNICATIONS The Clipper is published four times a year: approximately May 1, June