Hello one and all!
Are we dry yet or still somewhat soggy from the recent atmospheric river brought by mother nature?
Whatever your condition, your board has been busy moving ahead with a number of objectives.
You asked for more club events, so we have responded!
- Fall Meeting! We had the annual meeting and dinner in September at Casa Bixler for the first time in several years to the enjoyment of about 45 members. Thank you Sally Bixler, Bill and Ellen Ewing, Larry Calder and Frank and Sam Taliferro for setup, lights and Hawaiian music. Also thank Chris Snow, Craig and Andrew Doud and Beth Swift for sharing their trailside parking area for some “necessities.” Thanks also to the board for their organization and set up for this fun event. Also, we thank chef Julius and the catering crew at Jensen’s market. I think everyone had a good time with good stories and appropriate grog.
- WINNERS!!!! We announced the winner of our Star Clipper give away that evening as well. Meg and Brian O’Hearn were the winners of the Star Clipper sailing experience donated by Star Clipper representative Beth Lindsley-Elwood and they chose a 7 day sailing in Costa Rica. They sailed in February and had an awesome time! Visit our NEW website to see photos of their fabulous trip!
www.LaPlayaYachtClub.org - 2024 starts with a BANG! On January 26th, we had a club mixer at the Point Loma Assembly on Talbot Street hosted by your board. We got to meet our NEW members and welcome them to the club! That night we again, promoted the Commodore’s cruise from Malta to Sicily and Athens, Greece aboard the Royal Clipper. She will carry only 227 thrill seekers. La Playa Yacht Club will have 9 members aboard. We are really looking forward to this sailing experience. Our sincere thanks go out to vice commodore Tracy Anderson-Riston of TravelStore for her direct efforts to bring this opportunity to us!
HO HO HO!!! We’ve made cosmetic improvements to our pier over the Christmas holidays as we had multi-colored lights put on the pier and ramp. Even “Voila” (the Stephens raised deck sedan cruiser at the float) showed holiday colors. All was all very festive and appropriate. We received compliments and recognition from the public for our efforts to bring the holidays to the trail.
Let’s Hit the Water!!!! Jeff Riston, our new LPYC Treasurer, is leading the way to organize a La Playa Yacht Club raft -ups this summer. We plan to have these in La Playa Cove and the area along the trail. For more details, including necessary port procedures, visit our website www.LaPlayaYachtClub.org . Remember to get your permit in advance. Port of San Diego Permit
WE are Now Online! Visit our New LPYC website for member communications, club marketing and identification, www.Laplayayachtclub.Org- check us out! We also have a “QR” code to assist members and the public with a direct and easy way to reach the la playa yacht club. We intend to work the QR code into all of our material. We were really fortunate to have the professional assistance of both Rosemary and Chelsea Taugher to organize and establish our website.
OTHER NEWS! - We have shifted our banking relationship to JPMorgan Chase. They offer the website products we need and are in our neighborhood. Some members are already renewing via our website and sending in event RSVPs.
- We just created an updated membership roster and distributed it with your 2024 membership card. We also included your Yachting Club of America card.
- Ellen Ewing and Commodore Mike are working on finding a lower premium insurance policy. This is a critical task as our insurance bill (like yours) has probably gone through the roof.
- We now enjoy formal reciprocity with Coronado Yacht Club and more recently, Silvergate Yacht Club. They will ask that you sign in upon arrival and show your LPYC card. I will continue my efforts to obtain at least daily guest privileges with SWYC and SDYC as well as other clubs on our behalf. I know this is important to you.
- Recently the board responded to a request from our reciprocal club in Maui, the Lahaina yacht club. Although their clubhouse, artifacts, and burgee collection were totally destroyed in the devastating fires, they intend to rebuild their facilities including their burgee collection. Our earlier burgee gift to them was lost, so we sent a new one with a small donation to encourage them in this endeavor.
- We also enjoy reciprocity with the Royal Hawaiian Yacht Club in the Ala Wai Harbor in Waikiki on the island of Oahu. This was arranged by member Steve Cushman. Thank you, Steve!
AND there is more!!! One last new initiative: we are donating personal labor and funds to clean up the end of San Antonio and Qualtrough St. These parcels are not in our port lease, but they are at the entrance to our club, your board asked for LPYC volunteers to do this and they did. New member Darrell Little responded with a promise of help and a significant cash donation. We have a bid by a professional landscaper to finish up what Ellen and Bill Ewing, Dotsy Baber and Commodore Mike started.
So that’s what we’ve been up to lately. Change is in the air and we’re proud to be part of them. We hope that you are pleased with these efforts!!! If you have any ideas of how we can improve our club or if you want to join our Board, please reach out to me. Wishing you bright days and quiet moments at sea,
Commodore Mike Bixler
New Board of Directors:
Commodore: Mike Bixler Vice Commodore: Tracy Anderson-Riston
Port Captain: Frank Taliaferro Secretary: Diane Sullivan
Treasurer: Jeff Riston Director at Large: Ellen Ewing