Tag Archives: Yacht Clubs

May20

TENDER TUESDAYS-PRAIRIE GIRL SERIES #28

Posted on by
TENDER TUESDAYS-PRAIRIE GIRL SERIES #28

SCHOONER COVE YACHT CLUB’S

NON-TRADITIONAL SAIL PAST 2019

It is the beginning of May and Yacht Clubs all over the Pacific NW are celebrating their opening day of the boating season with a dignified Sail Past ceremony. Schooner Cove Yacht Club, located in Nanoose Bay on Vancouver Island, had such a day planned for their membership. Now if you recall from reading other Prairie Girl Learns to Sail posts and previous COCKPIT CONFESSION stories, Prairie Girl’s husband became Commodore of the SCYC in November, 2018. Of course, the Sail Past is something that all members and guests love to participate in with the dock ceremony and the parade of boats sailing past to salute the Commodore and the Commander of … Read the rest

Mar4

TENDER TUESDAYS-PRAIRIE GIRL SERIES #27

Posted on by
TENDER TUESDAYS-PRAIRIE GIRL SERIES #27

Didn’t Prairie Girl and Husband Plan the Perfect Snowbird Get-Away EVER?

Some people were a tad skeptical when Prairie Girl and husband announced that they would be flying to Florida mid-January and returning home at the beginning of March. A quaint little Beach House had been rented, half a block from the beach and they couldn’t wait to leave the damp cold of the Pacific Northwest for their extended stay.  Friends and relatives queried them about what they would do for a couple of months down there. Husband’s response was, “Live the life I’ve always wanted and become a BEACH BUM.” Productive Prairie Girl’s response was more like, “I’m not sure… I visualize long beach walks, beach time for … Read the rest

Feb6

TENDER TUESDAYS-PRAIRIE GIRL SERIES#25

Posted on by
TENDER TUESDAYS-PRAIRIE GIRL SERIES#25

NEW BOAT DILEMMA

For those of you who follow my Prairie Girl Learns to Sail posts, you will know that husband recently decided that their 28 foot Catalina (the TwoCan) just wasn’t adequate anymore and became the proud owner of a 35 foot Beneteau (the TwoCanXL). And if you read my blog (Prairie Girl Series #23-Dec. 2, 2018), you will also know that Prairie Girl is somewhat challenged in the sailing skills department. This is noted in the author page of her book, WHO’S the CAPTAIN? that states:

“MARY LAUDIEN (alias PRAIRE GIRL) is a fair weather sailor (better known as a cruiser). She has never taken a sailing lesson or a power squadron/VHF Radio

… Read the rest
May30

TENDER TUESDAYS- PRAIRIE GIRL SERIES #20

Posted on by
TENDER TUESDAYS- PRAIRIE GIRL SERIES #20

A FISHY START to the BOATING SEASON’S

OPENING DAY

May 6th was the official start to the BOATING SEASON for our Yacht Club.  Members spent days ahead of the event with haul outs to power wash their boats, scrub the hull and paint the bottoms, finishing off with the onerous process of waxing and buffing.  Prairie Girl, in the past, had never shared in this part of the boat prep. Of course, it didn’t help that husband kept making bookings and cancelling them. (Apparently the forecast was for rain… which, she might add, did NOT materialize on the second booking!).

 

However, the real glitch in the booking process ended up being the timing.  Of course, the pull-out’s 3rd … Read the rest

Apr17

TENDER TUESDAYS-PRAIRIE GIRL SERIES #19

Posted on by
TENDER TUESDAYS-PRAIRIE GIRL SERIES #19

PRIMED FOR SAILING SEASON

How did it happen to be mid-April already?   Some of Prairie Girl’s and husband’s friends already had their boats hauled out in March and have them in tip top shape, ready to sail when the weather clears up. They’ll be out on the water in a flash.

Not so for this sailor and her Captain. They’ve actually cancelled their haul- out twice now, believing they didn’t have a good weather window. Wrong! The sun shone after the morning showers and husband freaked out that he had let his coveted haul-out spot go. When will it possibly get done with the many Yacht Club executive meetings and regattas (He is a Vice Commodore, after all…) and … Read the rest

Jan30

TENDER TUESDAYS- Prairie Girl Series #18

Posted on by
TENDER TUESDAYS- Prairie Girl Series #18

PRAIRIE GIRL’S CAPTAIN IS VICE COMMODORE!

Not only did they join the yacht club, but also through questionable circumstances, husband was voted in (by acclamation) at the Yacht Club’s annual meeting! You’re shaking your head at this point, knowing that he probably has the smallest yacht in the club and sails less than anyone else. To affirm your suspicions, just review the Prairie Girl Post #15 – WILL THEY EVER SAIL AGAIN?

In the early fall, husband was called by the Past Commodore to ask whether he would consider letting his name stand for the Yacht Club’s Executive Team. Husband, now retired 9 months, didn’t have his work excuse to fall back on, now did he? So he cautiously … Read the rest

Aug28

TENDER TUESDAYS- PRAIRIE GIRL SERIES #15

Posted on by
TENDER TUESDAYS- PRAIRIE GIRL SERIES #15

WILL WE EVER SAIL AGAIN?

Last year’s sailing season turned out to  be a bust for husband and Prairie Girl. Husband had a 2 week window in his incredibly insane work schedule. And wouldn’t you know it? On their first night out, anchoring in a local, familiar bay- they hit a ROCK! (Refer to Prairie Girl Series #1 2016/07/27 in the archives.)

As you’re aware from former posts, husband’s 93 year old mother was hospitalized the week that he was discharged from the hospital after his emergency surgery. Let’s just say, the TwoCan wasn’t getting any attention whatsoever, the entire spring! (Other than the new installation of a windlass and a bigger dinghy…) Sadly for their family, husband’s mother passed … Read the rest

Jun27

TENDER TUESDAYS-PRAIRIE GIRL SERIES #14

Posted on by
TENDER TUESDAYS-PRAIRIE GIRL SERIES #14

Our YACHT CLUB Wants PRAIRIE GIRL to Write Articles for their Website reporting on REGATTAS, SAIL PAST EVENTS, and COMMODORE BALLS! SERIOUSLY?

Imagine Prairie Girl’s reluctance when approached to create articles for their Yacht Club’s freshly updated website. That’s right… horror! If she thought she was getting away with fudging her ability as a sailor on spring cruises, it would quickly come out in the open- once she began writing articles about regattas! What did Prairie Girl know about racing? She had only participated in the CLUB REGATTAS and the JACK and JILL RACES organized to include those cruisers who NEVER race… not even for the less competitive Wednesday Night Fun Races. Now she was expected to review these events … Read the rest

May16

TENDER TUESDAYS- PRAIRIE GIRL SERIES #13

Posted on by
TENDER TUESDAYS- PRAIRIE GIRL SERIES #13

PRAIRIE GIRL CAN’T JOIN A YACHT CLUB!

(THEY MIGHT THINK SHE KNOWS WHAT SHE’S DOING ON A SAILBOAT!)

Moving to Vancouver Island meant finding a location that was handy to the marina, so that husband and Prairie Girl could get to the boat easily for maintenance and quick decision day sails and get-aways. Looking back on the last 6 years, it didn’t quite work out as perfectly as planned. It’s true the boat was within walking distance of their new home, but with husband still working, Prairie Girl writing and publishing books, and extensive travel (both work and pleasure related), the TwoCan hasn’t always had the usage one anticipated with the move.

Shortly after moving, husband was approached by SCYC … Read the rest