Commodore's Corner
If I ever knew how much I would love aviation before I joined an international commercial aviation company in 1973, I would have looked for a similar job earlier in my life. There is nothing more fragrant than the smell of kerosene on the tarmac. The same goes for sailing, although it doesn't smell like kerosene on the water! I have always had a fascination with clouds, and when I met my sweet husband, Bob (a pilot) in 1983 when we started working for the same corporate aviation company, I not only learned to love clouds more (going up for the first time with Bob in command of a Cessna 172) but little did I know how much I would learn to love sailing shortly. I never had the chance growing up on the Jersey shore to go sailing, although we had a several rivers around our area but didn't know anyone at my young age that owned a sailboat. My parents were friends with members of at least one sailing club but didn't include young children on these dates! When I met Bob in 1983, I was off to a brand-new adventure that would prove to become my passion also. One of the first purchases after we bought our lake house in north Jersey was to purchase a 12' AquaCat sailboat for $200 (has a trampoline and one sail as I remember). Great place to sleep out at night on the lake!! As I watched Bob maneuver our little 12' Aquacat on Cedar Lake in Denville, I never realized what a beautiful feeling of freedom and joy came with the warm breeze rushing past your face as you slid silently through the water, listening to the waves slapping against the hull. We didn't go that fast, but I knew this was my new love of life with Bob. I remember how frustrated Bob was that he couldn't make that little boat tack perfectly (that's my Bob) until he realized if he would only gybe, the boat performed beautifully. We eventually bought a used 14' Advance Flying Junior from my brother and sailed at NJ's Spruce Run Reservoir (state recreation park/lake). I was absolutely hooked by then! Life without sailing would have been empty. Of course, I would have done anything that Bob wanted to teach me, as he always did such adventurous things, and we had such a good time together. Bob drove our trailered FJ sailboat down here to Nashville in 1994 to start his new job in corporate aviation, and I would follow. And our little boat still sits on the beach at Hamilton Creek Marina. Since it is now submerged (again) from the recent flooding, I'll look forward to resurrecting her soon (we renamed her Lazarus after the first flooding in 2010) and would love some help to fix some boat issues for sailing season (no, she still can float and sail!). For those who know how to sail, I'd be happy to have her used at the Creek. She's meant to sail! Of course, now I've also been blessed with a 25' Kelt 7.6 (Soul Mate) who sits on the left side of Pier 1. He'll be de-winterized soon and ready for April sailing!
Kathy Ware, Commodore
Kathy On Her 25' Kelt 7.6 (Soul Mate)
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ICYMI (In Case You Missed It):
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The PPYC Documents page has been expanded considerably. The new menu selection is Member Resources. There’s quite a bit more content there. Check it out. ... Member Resources
Communications Corner
The online store has an expanded section of products on which our logo can be placed, and more options for the desired logo version. Check it out at the Online Store link toward the bottom of the Home page!
In the 2/14 Newsletter, I mentioned some additional capabilities on the web site that you will see when you click on the Member Resources menu tab (that page is a considerably reorganized and expanded version of the former PPYC Documents page.) Among the new capabilities are some new online forms and a link to the Forums section of the web site (this section was apparently used in the past, but it has been dormant for several years.) This year, we would like to move more and more toward full use of online capabilities at the web site, so when you can take a few minutes, please go there and check it out. One of the Forms provides a quick way to give us feedback on current and planned features at our web site, and any feedback — positive or negative — will be very much appreciated.
If you haven’t taken the Member Survey, we would sincerely appreciate your doing so as soon as you can. It’s mostly check-box selections, so taking it should only take about five minutes. Just click the link in the top banner message on the Home page, or click it here: Take Survey Now
Don't forget to check out Upcoming Events.
Charles Jones, Communications Director
communications@ppyc.org