Timely newsbytes from the Lake Yacht Racing Association

December 2007

President’s Report

Outgoing president Ursula Cattelan has some parting thoughts on the future of LYRA:   

The idea of the Lake Yacht Racing Association was hatched at an annual meeting of the Toronto Yacht Club on January 5^th 1884.  After some discussion, delegates from the Toronto Yacht Club, the Royal Canadian Yacht Club , the Oswego Yacht Club, and the Bay of Quinte Yacht Club agreed to meet at the Queen’s Hotel in Toronto on March 29^th 1884 and voted to have their clubs become charter members of The Lake Yacht Racing Association.  It will now take some hard work, creativity, and persistence to restore this Grand Old Lady to its former glory.   It is my opinion that the effort is definitely worthwhile, - after all LYRA is believed to be the oldest association of yacht clubs on the continent; no other similar body was known to exist in North America in 1884.

LYRA is celebrating its 125^th anniversary in 2009 and one of its charter members, the Royal Canadian Yacht Club, has taken the role of host club for the 2009 regatta.  It is my sincere wish for LYRA that as many racers as possible come out to participate in this celebration.

Your Executive Committee members are dedicated to the task of restoring LYRA’s prestige, however, the objective will be difficult to achieve without the participation of LYRA member clubs.  Member club contributions could be in the form of appointing a LYRA representative or representatives to communicate with LYRA and to attend the Annual General Meeting, to support personal involvement by club members to assist on the LYRA Executive, or simply encourage club racers to come out to the LYRA annual regatta.  Moreover, LYRA needs to hear what the Lake Yacht Racing Association can do for you.

Based on LYRA’s recent website survey, the result of which indicated that due to work pressures and ensuing lack of crew, member club delegates present at the 2007 Annual General Meeting, convened at Whitby Yacht Club, voted unanimously in favor of a proposal that the LYRA race week be shortened as follows:

That for the 2008 regatta the Centennial and Feeder races remain as they are; that the Freeman Long and Short races be combined to one course, held on Thursday evening of the LYRA race week, with a length of sixty to eighty nautical miles; that the buoy racing be reduced by one day to be held on Saturday and Sunday of the LYRA race week but that those fleets requesting three days of buoy racing will be accommodated. 

The Whitby Yacht Club is LYRA’s host for the 2008 regatta.  As a first annual regatta host, Whitby has already demonstrated great enthusiasm for the tasks ahead and is eager to share with racers their excellent location and hospitality, as well as some great racing.  And, by the way, water levels are high at Whitby; in fact, the club, during this year’s drought, took in yachts, which lay stranded, from surrounding clubs.

In conclusion, I can only say that I am proud to serve LYRA in whatever capacity.  It is my hope, that you will be equally inspired by LYRA’s history to become involved, be it by racing in the LYRA regattas or participating in its day to day activities.

Most of all, I hope to see you at Whitby Yacht Club in 2008 and in the years beyond!

Ursula Cattelan

Past President

At the conclusion of the LYRA A.G.M , in recognition of her long and faithful service, Cattelan was presented a polished brass clock in an elegant cherry case.

Whitby Yacht Club to host 2008 LYRA Regatta

Several changes to the format of the LYRA Annual Regatta were

approved at the Annual General Meeting.  The changes were proposed in response to numerous requests from sailors for to reduce the buoy racing from three days to two, to relieve chronic challenges in crew availability.

Besides limiting the buoy racing to Saturday and Sunday, the delegates also voted unanimously to combine the Freeman Long and Short courses to one course of 60 to 80 nautical miles.  Participation in the Freeman races has been declining in recent years, and it is hoped that a somewhat shorter overnight event will appeal to more sailors.

A large and enthusiastic Whitby LYRA committee presented a thorough review of their plans for the 2008 LYRA Regatta which will start on Monday, July 28 with the Centennial Race from Youngstown Yacht Club to Whitby, and continue through Sunday, August 3.

The chairman of the Whitby LYRA committee, Mark Ashworth assured A.G.M. delegates that Whitby would be ready to put on a great event.  In particular, he pointed out the club’s 250 slips plus another 500 across the harbor in the municipal marina with plenty of water for deep draft boats.  A full complement of marine services is available in Whitby Harbor.  WYC has a beautiful beach just a few step from the clubhouse, and 15 acres of land for parking, camping, etc.  Current plans call for five courses.

More details on the 2008 LYRA Regatta will be included in forthcoming issues of this newsletter.

Patrick Lymburner elected president of LYRA

Twenty-six delegates representing 13 member clubs attended the Annual General Meeting of LYRA, held at Whitby Yacht Club, on Saturday, November 10. 

Port Credit Yacht Club’s Patrick Lymburner was elected president.  Lymburner has been a LYRA vice president for the past three years, and he has served as vice commodore of PCYC as well as Ashbridges Bay Yacht Club where he was a member for many years.

A strong supporter of sailing in general and a keen advocate of youth sailing, Lymburner  is the current principal race officer for CORK in Kingston, Ontario.  He is accredited as a national judge and a senior national race officer, and serves as the chair of the Canadian Yachting Association’s Officials Committee.  He has twice been the principal race officer for the Annual LYRA Regatta and served as judge or race officer for numerous events in both the US and Canada.

Looking ahead to 2008, Lymburner says, “Improving our visibility on the Lake and effectively competing for the valuable time of our member racers will be my top priorities.”

Other officers elected to the LYRA Executive Committee included:

Ursula Cattelan, National Yacht Club, honorary president and secretary

Donald Finkle, Youngstown Yacht Club, vice president

Robert Elliott, Genesee Yacht Club, vice president

Peter Hilton, National Yacht Club, vice president

Susan Cassidy, Olcott Yacht Club, treasurer

Robert Porter, Oswego Yacht Club, director and US Sailing Area E representative

Dan Hollands, Rochester Corinthian director, scoring

Allan Whitehead, National Yacht Club, director, press secretary

FLAK is LYRA Boat of the Year

Skippered by Adam Farkas of National Yacht Club, the Andrews 30

FLAK has been named the LYRA Boat of the year.

FLAK won its division in the Freeman Short Course as well as the mandatory LYRA buoy races.  It also took first at the Level Regatta and a second at the Toronto NOOD.  In tier II events, FLAK won the Argosy Rose Bowl, the QCYC/NYC Weekend Regatta, ABYC Weekend Regatta, and the EYC Regatta.  They also finished second at the RCYC, and third at the PCYC weekend regattas.

Adam Farkas along with last years BOTY Skipper Robert Porter and newly elected LYRA President Pat Lymburner.

Past President Mike Foley receives LYRA Award for Service

At the recent Annual General Meeting of the Lake Yacht Racing Association (LYRA) long time SBYC Member Michael Foley was recognized for his service to LYRA and its member clubs. Michael was presented LYRA’s Blake VanWinkle service award. The award states: “Exceptional Service to LYRA”

“Like most volunteer staffed organizations, the Lake Yacht Racing Association has been fortunate over its long history with people who have unselfishly provided their time, experience and skill to help continue the mission of LYRA and give something back to the sport of sailing. Among the hundreds who have served as Officers, Committee Chairs and filled other volunteer needs, there have been some who have gone above and beyond the basic expectations of their tour of duty or what they were asked.

LYRA and its sailors and member clubs have indeed benefited from the extraordinary service of those who have been honored to date with this special award – the Blake Van Winkle Trophy.”

LYRA Seeks Long-term Club Representatives

In a move to improve two-way communications within the association,

the LYRA Executive Committee appealed to delegates at the Annual

General Meeting to establish a primary liaison at each club. 

The club representative could be one of the official delegates to the LYRA Annual General Meeting, or some other member designated by the officers of each respective club.  Ideally, the club representative should committed to the sport of sailboat racing and have strong personal ties to the racers at his or her club.

The purpose of the club representatives is to provide a single point of contact for disseminating important LYRA information to the members of each club, and to give every club a year-round voice in LYRA matters.

The name and email address of the club representative should be sent to Robert Elliott by email at elation@rochester.rr.com

RCYC’s Terry McLaughlin wins Richardson Trophy

For the second year in a row, a LYRA team has won the Richardson

Trophy, the Great Lakes’ top match racing prize.  In 2006, the winner was Adam Burns and his team from Youngstown Yacht Club.  This year, it was Royal Canadian Yacht Club’s Terry McLaughlin and his crew John Millen and James Carminati.

In second place this year was Chris Van Tol representing Inter Lake Yachting Association, while third place went to a second LYRA team skippered by Adam Burns.

Commissioned in the early 1900’s by Toledo (Ohio) Yacht Club Commodore S. O. Richardson, the Tiffany-crafted Richardson Trophy was donated to encourage international match racing on the Great Lakes, the first of which was held in Chicago, in 1912.  Following World War I, the trophy was transferred to the Yacht Racing Union of the Great Lakes (YRUGL).

This year’s Richardson competition was chaired by Hank Stuart at Rochester Yacht Club, September 28-30.  The event, which rotates among YRUGL’s six member associations (LYRA, Inter Lake Yachting Association, Detroit Regional Yacht-racing Association, Lake Michigan Sail Racing Association, Lake Superior Yachting Association, and Lake Huron Yachting Association), will be held next year at LSYA’s Wayzata Yacht Club.

Terry McLaughlin wins Stolze Cup

On August 18-19, Buffalo Yacht Club was host to the 2007 Ira G. Ross Great Race which determined the winners of the Righter Trophy (overall), the Stolze Cup (LYRA), and the Shore Cup (I-LYA). 

The Righter Trophy for first place in the match racing event was won by Chris Van Tol from Bayview Yacht Club, Grosse Pointe, MI.  The win also earned him the Shore Cup as the top I-LYA competitor, and qualified him to advance to the Richardson Trophy regatta in Rochester.

With second place overall, Terry McLaughlin from Royal Canadian Yacht club won the Stolze Cup and advanced to the Richardson.

With third place overall, Adam Burns from Youngstown Yacht Club was the second racer from LYRA to qualify for the Richardson.  Burns won the Richardson Trophy in 2006.

Other competitors included Adam Holler from Bayview Yacht Club (I-LYA), Kevin Doyle from Buffalo Harbor Sailing Club (LYRA), Brendan Jordan from Buffalo Yacht Club (I-LYA), Jake Doyle from  SUNY Maritime College, New York, NY, and Susan McDowell from Edgewater Yacht Club, Cleveland, OH (I-LYA).