FBYC sailors take first place in A2N (Annapolis to Newport) ORC 4. The 475 nautical mile race breaks down into three legs, down the Bay, Ches Light to Block Island, and Block Island to Newport finish. The Bay was finicky as usual with everything from light breeze, to no wind, to 15 knots. The crew battled with competitor Integrity, a Navy 44, and were side by side exiting the Bay. At Ches Light the chutes went up and the run to Block Island was on! Fair winds and following seas to Block Island were enjoyed by all!
Supposedly we kept block to our port, but with all the fog we didn’t see land until we were within 100 yards …
We love working with other sailing organizations on the Chesapeake Bay--especially the Harrington Harbour Sailing Association (HHSA)! This Thursday, June 10 at 7 PM, HHSA is hosting a Zoom presentation with FBYC members Nica (and perhaps Jeremy) Waters where they discuss their major refit, rerig and renovation of their Bristol Channel Cutter, Calypso. They've been living on the hard just down the road from the club while preparing for some far-flung sailing adventures.
Register to hear how they're progressing at: HHSA.org. Look under the "Social" tab (we're sure this has been only great and relaxing fun!) to sign-up.
I am completely amazed how rich the "Corinthian spirit" has been at our club and how many members are volunteering for our upcoming two day regatta. After a year of being bound by a computer our kids finally have the opportunity to be on the water again to represent our amazing sailing program and club. We are hosting the Virginia State Championship which is also the season opener for CBYRA. With registration open for about a month we have been successfully amassing an army of volunteers to serve over 100 sailors along with their family and friends. As far as the eye can see will be an armada of kids geared and ready to give it their all June 26-27th …
EVERYONE is welcome to join in the fun at FBYC's first Family and Adult Sailing Festival this Saturday! It's our Adult Sailing School Grand Opening where we'll welcome our latest addition to the club's Flying Scot fleet--our 4th boat. There will be sailing instruction, activities for kids, tours of the club for guests and food for all. REGISTER NOW AT: https://www.fbyc.net/events/2021/210521-training-adult-sail-training/
Learn to rig, launch, stow, heave-to for a snack or watch a dolphin, hit a picnic beach—avoid hitting the dock—you get the picture—skills you will need to have a fun and safe day on the water. And maybe show off a bit to your friends/kids/grandkids.
Make the highlight of your Memorial Weekend this fun-filled day of "low-key" racing, camaraderie, music, and summer-inspired food with your fellow club members. The Open House Regatta, Raft Up and Party is an event for every part of the club. We've got Offshore, One Design, Junior, Cruising, and Social divisions all coming together for an easy race, a raft-up, and dinner with a band. Our members are encouraged to invite all of their friends on their boats and to the club for the festivities. Invite your friends if they have boats that meet the criteria! See the Event Notice for more detail. Note: Don't miss out on the BBQ Dinner - it's Pre-order only and all orders due by May 24 …
In a move back to normal, FBYC's Opening Day and Blessing of the Fleet was just what we all needed. With safety first, both on the water and on land, members welcomed spring and a new season this past Saturday. The racing was excellent and all who sailed had huge smiles and great fun. Thanks to our new social chairs, Karen and Gary Akens, and their volunteers for holding a great Opening Day.
Spring is here and with that comes our Opening Day Regatta and the honored Blessing of the Fleet.
Please join us this Saturday, April 17 following the Offshore Race to join (socially distanced) your fellow FBYC Club Members, Friends and Family. We will gather on the Jackson Creek side of our campus near Fannies House—waterside for the Blessing. We hope to see YOU there! If you have not registered for the race, please do so @ fbyc.net.
0900: Flag Raising & Skippers Meeting 1100: Warning for the first start 1600: Blessing of the Fleet--Fannies House backyard Post Blessing: Immediately following--Main Clubhouse Grounds (Outside Only for Social Distancing) We will have individual snack boxes which include sweet and salty …
Weather: Get a Shiver in your bones just thinking about it?
We can help with that. Join us this Thursday April 15th at 7:30 pm for a webinar with Steve Zubrick and Brandon Fling from the National Weather Service.
BTW, this one is FREE AND OPEN to the entire CBYRA community, members and non-members alike.
The 15 April presentation will focus on what it means to be part of a Weather-Ready Nation. What this means is that Society is prepared for and responds to weather, water, and climate-dependent events. Read more about what this means to you at Your National Weather Service: Evolving to Build a Weather-Ready Nation.
You will learn more about using the NWS radio based, online …
FBYC member Jerry will entertain and enlighten us with his discussion of the physics of sailing as well as the beauty of a well-set sail. This is also a great opportunity for you to invite a friend to join us online and share your love for FBYC and sailing.
Tonight's the night to introduce your family and friends to our "Welcome to Fishing Bay Yacht Club" webinar.
It's also the last time you, yourself, can participate to really learn about all the programs our club has to offer. Did you know about our Adult Sailing School? How about the Women's Sailing Clinic?
Until we're all together, in person, let's gather together online and prepare for a great sailing season in 2021!
They're your friends and family and work colleagues. They're the people you know from a sports team, your neighbors or the friends of friends you've met once or twice. And among the thousands of those collective people, we bet there are a few who would love to learn more about FBYC.
So here's your opportunity as an FBYC member to invite them to our online, 3-part webinar series, "Welcome to Fishing Bay Yacht Club" beginning next week, Wednesday, March 24 at 7 PM. Here's what they'll learn:
Wednesday, March 24: Commodore Elizabeth Staas will offer a tour of the club followed by a panel of club leaders, each describing their program. (This would be a great …
Join FBYC members Carol Vaughn and Dave Tabor Wednesday, February 24 from 7-8 PM, online, as they describe how they sailed to exotic lands and foreign waters on other people's boats. Two years ago, they joined the Oyster World Rally as crew aboard a 54-foot luxury sailboat. In their presentation, they'll describe how they found crew positions, where they traveled and what the duties and expectations of crew (and the owners!) were during the rally.
When they're not sailing overseas, Carol and Dave race their Canadian Sailcraft Merlin, Dianthus, in club, bay and offshore races and plan to race in this year's Bermuda 1-2.
This is a great opportunity to invite a friend who might be interested in FBYC to …
"I vividly remember my first Down The Bay race, delivering the boat to Annapolis," says Katie Yudkin our Membership Engagement Chair. "It was a grueling 14 hours. The rain was coming down sideways, the boat was crashing through four-foot seas and it was COLD. But I came to realize a few things after that long night: Boy do I love to sail."
Tasked with helping FBYC members to "get involved," Katie is actively working to increase participation across YAMS, Offshore and One-Design racers, Juniors and Cruisers. "There's something special about sailing and some of the kindest people I've ever met have been on the Fishing Bay dock."
FBYC's future is very much determined by retaining and attracting new young adult members (YAMs) and there is no one better to lead that effort than Mary Catherine Buhl McAllister. (Or "Cappy" as she will always be known to many.)
Mary Catherine's sailing career began during 1998 during Junior Week when she was seven years old. "That year, the Junior Week shirts were yellow and my oversized shirt fit me like a dress," she says. "I've grown a bit since then, but that yellow shirt has survived the years and I still proudly wear it.
"After growing up in the Junior Program, in Optis and Lasers, I transitioned to college racing at Christopher Newport University. My CNU sailing days …
Jim is currently FBYC's Long Range Planning Committee Chair. He's as colorful off the water as his boat is on. Here's his story:
"It all began in 1983 when a group of us at Virginia Tech decided to charter a sailboat for spring break. One of us had some experience so our band of misfits sailed a Morgan 44 OI to Bimini in the Bahamas. (Can anyone ID Jim in this photo?) It was my first sailing experience of any kind. It's amazing how much beer fit under the settees in that boat, Some years later, I bought my first boat in 1990, a 27' Jeanneau Fantasia with the intent of family sailing and didn't think about racing until Brooks …
From our much loved Chaplain and FBYC Honorary Member Doug Anderson:
During this holiday season of both tremendous stress and great hope, I am mindful of the gifts that don't go under the tree. These gifts are often priceless and just as often, cost very little. They seldom have to be wrapped, but most often are. You and I are the gift givers, as well as the recipient of many of these gifts. We, you, are the wrapping, and it is your time, talents and your service that is the substance of your gifts to us all.
As members of FBYC we are in a community of gift givers and gift receivers. Whether you know it or not, you are …
Even though "real sailors" are still out on the Chesapeake's waters, many of us spend the winter to regroup, work on boats and plan for the next sailing season. So now's a good time to share some stories about your board of directors, especially for new members.
We start with our club historian, George Burke.
George, wisely, embraced his wife Lyon's, childhood love of sailing. Lyons had sailed at the Hampton Yacht Club as a junior, but George didn't step aboard a sailboat until he was 40 years old. Long-term FBYC member Tony Sakowski, invited him to crew on a one design boat and taught him the fundamentals of sailing. They soon became members, initially to teach their two children …
While some were eating turkey or putting boats to bed, other members were keeping our club looking beautiful. Especially during the winter months, there's always work to be done. Whether it's clubhouse cleaning, dock repair or lawn clean-up, there's always something to be done. Thanks to Susan Roberts and Margaret Montgomery for ushering in fall at FBYC.
EVERYONE is welcome to join in the fun at FBYC's first Family and Adult Sailing Festival this Saturday! It's our Adult Sailing School Grand Opening where we'll welcome our latest addition to the club's Flying Scot fleet--our 4th boat. There will be sailing instruction, activities for kids, tours of the club for guests and food for all. REGISTER NOW AT: 
George, wisely, embraced his wife Lyon's, childhood love of sailing. Lyons had sailed at the Hampton Yacht Club as a junior, but George didn't step aboard a sailboat until he was 40 years old. Long-term FBYC member Tony Sakowski, invited him to crew on a one design boat and taught him the fundamentals of sailing. They soon became members, initially to teach their two children …