SYC members gathered at Quinn’s Inn in St. Andrews on November 4 for a delicious roast beef dinner and to celebrate a great year of sailing as well as the club’s 65th anniversary. Over 60 people attended including Past Commodores Katherine Runnalls, Charlie Runnalls, Bob Earle, Michael Beelich, Lloyd Chaput and Nick Cox. Paul Rodrigue (SYC Fleet Captain) was the Master of Ceremonies and kept the crowd entertained all evening.
The highlight of the event being the presentation of the 2023 sailing awards. Disclaimer: most of the notes below are from Paul’s speech with some careful additions from yours truly!
The 2023 SYC Award Winners are:
Spring Race Series, Fall Race Series and Overall Race Winner
Congratulations to Cory Petrie (Skipper, Beethoven). 2nd Place: Essoin; 3rd Place : Sealestial
Most Improved Sailor of the Year goes to Brayden Girard (Skipper, Walkabout)
Brayden raced singlehandedly up and down the Borland race and was a regular in the spring and fall series. He finished fourth in the fall series. It is awesome to see Brayden at the club and carrying on a family tradition – his grandfather, B. Girard was SYC Commodore 1993-1994.
Enduro Race winner is Lynn-Marie Legault (Skipper, Mattea), 2nd place Essoin
The Enduro Race consists of racing around Sheek Island from 11am to 11 pm. Mattea, Essoin, Sealestial and Sylphide I made their way out into the bay. The race started out with barely 3 knots of wind and then went to virtually no wind. Only Mattea and Essoin managed one lap.
Other than no wind, there were no groundings and nothing as memorable as one year when someone (who will go unmentioned) unintentionally keyed their radio mike for around an hour broadcasting their boat conversation.
A great addition to the day was the first Big Easy Race and Italian Night. The Enduro racers even got Italian food delivered to them via the SYC rescue boat. The Big Easy provided many non-racers and new members with the opportunity to race in the bay in safe conditions in a spirit of club camaraderie. Eight boats and two paddle boards raced with Jason Sinkus (Skipper, Whisper) winning.
The plan is to run the Enduro race again, same time, same duration. If you want sailing at night experience, this is a good opportunity. And if you run aground the SYC rescue boat is just a radio call away.
Ladies Day Race goes to Kate Miller (Skipper, Amorce).
This race had 4 lead changes and very strong westerly winds throughout the entire race. One of the best races of the season. 2nd place Mattea; 3rd Place Lagan III; 4th place Chinook.
Borland Race
Upper Canada Village trophy for the upward leg of the race – the winner is Chris Williamson (Skipper, Essoin).
Sails and Paddles trophy for the downward leg of the and the overall winner getting the Borland Memorial trophy is Sealestial (Skipper, Paul Rodrigue).
It must be mentioned that No Worries was crewed singlehanded by Craig Gleadall and finished in 2nd place for both legs. Outback (Skipper Brian Clinton) took the north channel route around Croil Island. With a westerly wind this put them in the lead which they kept until the finish.
Cruiser of the Year is awarded to Anna Kiff (Crew, Jenna’s Journey)
Anna and Mike made the loop from Long Sault to Halifax up the Hudson River and back. I asked Anna how it went, she said “I want to do it again.”
Sailors of the Year – Mike Guay (Skipper Jenna’s Journey) and Robert Zwanenburg (Skipper R&R).
Mike and Robert sailed from SYC up the St. Lawrence; around Gaspe; down the coast of New Brunswick; along Nova Scotia’s Northumberland Shore; through the Canso Causeway to Cape Breton and then to Halifax last summer. Robert spent summer 2023 sailing in the Halifax area. Mike departed Halifax during the summer, sailed south along Nova Scotia’s South Shore to Maine and then New York City. Finally, up the Hudson River, the Erie Canal, to Canada and Lake Ontario and back to SYC.
Senior Sailor of the Year
Fleet Captain’s selection of all-round club member who by enthusiasm, sportsmanship and participation contributes to the general operation of racing and cruising activities. As an older member this year’s award goes to Ted Losinski (Skipper Beethoven).
Brass Monkey Trophy (See No Evil, Hear No Evil and Speak No Evil) again goes to the Race Committee: Betty Chaput, Mynra Earle, Marjorie McCoy and Nicole Cayer. Know your contribution is essential for the continuation of racing at SYC. Not to be left out of on-the-water SYC Racing, it needs to be mentioned that Betty, Mynra and Marjorie were crew on Chinook for the Ladies Day Race and Nicole was crew on Mattea.
Clam Digger Trophy
This award is given in recognition of an unfortunate and amusing incident on the water, usually the result of cutting corners and causing damage. The salient words are “result of cutting corners and causing damage”. If you look at this trophy you see some very familiar names like Charlie Runnalls and Lloyd Chaput. I actually asked both what they did to deserve this award but I didn’t get a reply. Wonder why, it must have been good.
Back to the present, this year the award goes to Craig Gleadall (Skipper, No Worries). Awarded to him for being involved in a race that resulted in a protest that took a week to analyze and adjudicate. What did he do? He tried to pass a boat essentially with inches in clearance, after a wind shift, a collision occurred. Me thinks he is trying to take Lloyd’s crown.
The awarding of this trophy became quite interesting at the dinner as the 2nd boat involved in the protest continued the protest as the award was being presented. Joanne Suffel (Crew, Glory Days) and Craig proceeded to entertain the crowd with their individual versions of the event. It was great fun that brought huge laughs from their audience. Our Fleet Captain decided on the spot to give the award to both Craig and Joanne.
Upside Down Trophy
Awarded at the sole discretion of the Fleet Captain to the club member in recognition of an odd experience on the water, usually a memorable nautical blunder, faux pas, unseamanship act.
But for this year’s winner I received four nominations for the same boat. So how can I go against that.
John St-Marseilles (Skipper Mers Soleil) you are the winner. It occurred during the last race of the fall season when apparently you decided not to finish the race but rather decided to turn 180 degrees to face into the racers behind you scattering them into the four winds.
Rusty Nail
Awarded by the Fleet Captain to commemorate an embarrassing sail moment or incident. The salient words here are “embarrassing sail moment or incident.
I award this a new SYC member, Karen Jones (Rhythmos).
Karen called me to give me a detailed account of the incident. She hit my boat plus two others in the east bay. My first question to her was: is my boat on the bottom? I also told her that there are 2 boats at the club that you don’t want to hit. The Commodore’s and the Fleet Captain’s. I then told her that I was the Fleet Captain. I calmed her and told her she was in good company, and this shows your integrity by making that phone call. I think you should begin racing.
