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On the Town: Area awash in boating fun
Yacht clubs put seasonal events in high gear
6/19/2011The 88th Invitational Mills Trophy Race festivities highlighted another successful year of fun and boating presented by Toledo Yacht Club and Storm Trysail Club. The fun started with the Winners Party June 8 at TYC, where lots of bragging took place as nearly 50 trophies were handed out to winners in various categories of last year's race, including the biggie, the 2010 Mills Trophy, to John Greiner of Toledo.
This year's race started June 10 at the Toledo Harbor Light and ended the next day at Put-in-Bay. The Mills is among the oldest sailing events on the Great Lakes and shines on sailors who show proficiency in the art of navigation as it starts in daylight and ends in the dark of night. Boats come from all over Lake Erie, Lake St. Clair, and Lake Huron to participate, including cities in Ohio and Michigan.
PHOTO GALLERY: Area yachting club events
The top winner was Flat Stanley, entered by partners Terry McSweeney and Trey Sheehan from Edgewater Yacht Club. The crew consisted of Bob Bennett, Chris Finke, John Gemperline, Wilson Stout, and Seadon Wijsen.
This year's honorary chairman was Robert Coleman of Grosse Ile, Mich., who has participated in nearly 30 Mills races.
None of it would be possible without the behind-the-scenes work of dozens of volunteers led by chairman Ron Soka and principal race officer Edwin Theisen with the support of Toledo Yacht Club commodore Charles Scott and Storm Trysail Club commodore Eric Krueter. Also helping were Kaye Soka, Barry and Becky Vincent, Barb Chauvin, Ron Gabel, David Ryan, Don Wood, Luiz Kahl, Jack Bernard, and many, many others.
CATAWBA Island Club's annual commodore's ball, First Class Voyage, was scheduled yesterday to honor 2011 Commodore Jane Doddridge and her husband, John. Ms. Doddridge is the first female Catawba Island Club commodore. She and her husband have been members of CIC since 1989.
The club's boating season started in April with a boat show followed by lots of parties and a blessing of the fleet and salute to our armed forces last month.
TOLEDO Sail and Power Squadron hosted its annual welcome-summer picnic earlier this month at Toledo Yacht Club with Commander Linda Fairchild. The squadron, part of the national organization, promotes boating safety and navigation. Educational officer Larry Cole says it is important to get a vessel checked by the squadron or by the Coast Guard Auxiliary to make sure it's in top working condition.
PERRYSBURG Boat Club hosted its regatta, A River Runs Through It, June 10 and 11 at the club on the Maumee River.
Event chairman was rear commodore Don Fritz, who was assisted by a host of people including Commodore Steve Thomas, Vice Commodore Don Hoste, and members Wayne and Marianne Eilers. The event included dinner on Friday night and a commodore's cocktail party Saturday followed by a breakfast on Sunday. The club is one that depends on its members to participate in hands-on fashion, with duties ranging from installing the docks and clean-up to helping with the weekly pot-luck dinners.
BAY VIEW Yacht Club held a burn-the-lease celebration June 11. Earlier this year the club purchased the land it had been leasing from the city for 100 years, said club member Brandon Smith.
MIDDLE Bass Island Yacht Club hosted its grand opening celebration June 4 at its new facility, which includes 56 docks. The club partnered with the state of Ohio's new State Park Marina, which has more than 150 transient docks. Construction of the State Park Marina was completed in 2009, and construction of the new yacht club clubhouse was completed in the spring of 2011.