Message From 2009 Commodore
Andrew Lewis
 Welcome to the official website of the Mendota Yacht Club. Founded in 1903, the Mendota Yacht Club is the oldest sailing organization on Lake Mendota as well as in Dane County. Organized club racing occurs on Wednesday and Friday evenings, Saturday and Sunday mornings, as well as Sunday afternoons. With six one-design scow fleets and an ever growing population of cruising fleets racing so often, many racing opportunities for both the novice and the experienced sailor can be found with MYC. The Mendota Yacht Club is a US Sailing organization and is highly active in the Inland Lake Yachting Association. I welcome you to explore our website, and invite you to contact us for information on how to get involved. Our organization offers vast social opportunities, great on the water activities, and we enthusiastically welcome new members. In the coming weeks, and all through the summer, don’t forget to check back for new and exciting updates. Our membership committee is taking on new roles this season, and our social activities are ever expanding. The Bilgeboard, the MYC newsletter is a great way to keep in touch with what we have to offer. This exciting publication is being made available via email to non-members at NO COST. Long range plans include continuing and expanding the greatest racing in the area, bringing the largest regatta’s the region has to offer here to Lake Mendota, continued growth in our membership and ever expanding social and racing opportunities for us all. Special thanks to the members of the Mendota Yacht Club for making this organization the greatest sailing opportunity to be found and for the continued efforts of our tireless volunteers who make this happen for us all. To the non-members who are exploring this website, you have found the Dane County organization that nurtures and supports your passion; sailing. I wish to extend a warm welcome and a sincere invitation to join us. You’ll be happy that you did. I look forward to being on the water with all of our sailing members, spending time with all of you at social gatherings, and to meeting the new members who join us this coming season. Never relent: You can always go faster.

Andrew Lewis, Commodore Mendota Yacht Club
Latest News
January 2009

MYC Members,

We recently became aware that our good friend, sailing competitor, and Board member Stu Seffern, and his long-time partner Debbie Loiselle, died when their single-engine plane crashed at the Joliet Regional Airport, near Chicago. Stu and Debbie were returning from a trip to Orlando, Fl.

Stu has been a member of MYC for decades, and a was regular crew member aboard "Wild Thing", Bill Shelton's E-Scow, H 101. Stu was always willing to share his opinions on sailboat racing, flying, motorcycles, iceboating, and local politics with us; we were happy to listen, because our take on things really mattered to him. Stu's interest in such activities not only showed his passion for life, but his selfless approach to such involvements showed his interest in, and again passion for, the lives of many in our community.

Stu recently accepted a position on our Club's Board of Directors, immediately providing substantial innovative ideas and input, which the Board will be taking into consideration as 2009 and beyond initiatives are addressed; he of course was also a magician when it came to tackling and resolving carpet condition challenges.

In 2006, Stu volunteered to organize our"celebrity gunners," local politicians who fired the harbor gun one hour before each race at the ILYA MC Invitational Regatta at Bishops Bay (pictured above with Sen. Fred Risser).

Stu and Debbie were substantial boosters of our club; they were seemingly at every social event, appreciating conditions, race results, the company of all, also occasionally providing friendly ‘water taxi’ services to those stranded on land or anchored at sea.

Memorial service arrangements are pending.

Andrew Lewis Commodore MYC

December 11, 2008

2008 Trophy Recipients

Memorial Day Handicap. All Fleet-Chuck Duroni
July Fourth Handicap. All Fleet-Peggy Elath
Labor Day handicap. All Fleet-Julie Mills
Best Showing in E Invitational Regatta-Patrick Heaney
Tanglefoot-Patrick Heaney
Most Improved Scow Sailor-Justin Segersten
Most Improved Cruiser-Bruce Wampold
Best Showing in ILYA Regatta-Patrick Heaney
Member of the Year-Scotty Louther
Member of the Year-Don Sanford
A Scow Memorial Day 1st-N/A
Perpetual First Gun-Brian Louther
Perpetual Last Gun-Bill Stebbins
Payton Regatta-N/A
Yachtswoman of the Year-Not Awarded
Suhr Memorial Cup- Anderson/Russell

November 8, 2008

Commodore's Banquet Photos Now Posted!

Photo Credits: Paul Dehn

October 29, 2008

Christmas Gift Idea


Are you looking for an affordable holiday gift giving idea? Look no further because MYC has a great solution. For $5 (that's not a typo!), you can buy a brand new white polo with a really nice MYC logo (no dates are printed on the shirts so you won't be embarrassed giving out "expired" merchandise). Current inventory is 10 Medium unisex polos (sorry - all other sizes are sold out!). These polos are white and made of 50% dacron polyester and 50% cotton.
Email treasurer@mendotayc.org to reserve yours. First Come - First Serve. When the inventory is gone - it's gone!

October 7, 2008

Burrow's Park Pier Out

Reminder: Pier-out is scheduled for October 11th at 8:30.

NOTE: We are still in need of a vehicle to pull the rails out of the water! Please let me know ASAP if you have a vehicle we can use to get this done. In the past we've used Paul’s Ford Explorer but that went with him. The main requirement is that it fits between the rail spurs, i.e. a short wheelbase.

Additionally, this year we also have a lot of extra work to do:

1) The MYC Board has approved galvanizing the pier sections this winter. To get this done we need to remove the legs and the bumpers from each section. Please bring a cordless drill/driver if you have one, and wrenches and/or a socket set.

2) The city is coming in this fall to remove trees from the north tree line. To facilitate this we need to cleanout the area by the canoe racks. This will include removing the old dollies and anything else that isn’t needed. We’ll need a saw or two to cut these up into manageable pieces, bring one if you can.

Other Burrow's news:

1) The city and DNR have agreed to a landscaping project to repair the shoreline. It will be funded by the city and Madison Parks Foundation monies.

2) MYC will be purchasing 20 replacement deck sections for next season.

Thanks for your assistance, Myles Sommerfeldt

September 2, 2008

Departure is Afloat!

By Don Sanford
Perhaps you have heard that Skeeter, Renegade and E Boat skipper Ken Krieder has been the owner of a 38 ft. Shannon sitting on the hard in Racine. The rumor mill has been ablaze with suggestions that many of us would not live long enough to see this fine vessel afloat. Well, scratch those those rumors off your list and move on to the next urban legend. I'm here to say that Ken's boat, "Departure" is afloat. Continue reading.

Labor Day Photos from Jeff Russell

Posted here on Jeff's Picasa web album.

August 31, 2008

Friday Night A-Scows


See more photos from Don Sanford here.

August 30, 2008

Wednesday Night Cruisers


Here is a good photo of Bret Newcomb while crossing the finish line after winning the Wed Night Cruiser 1 series.


Below is the core team of: Bill Biesmann, Bret Newcomb and Erik Hallquist (left to right, not pictured is D. Polzin)

August 28, 2008

Saturday A-Scow Race on Youtube

Mark Tregilgas uploaded video toYoutube showing an on-board view of Saturday's fourth A-Scow race on Lake Mendota featuring a lot of fleet at the start of the race. Click here to see video.

August 15, 2008

Cruiser Photos Now Posted

Here is a page of pictures from Bill Schellpfeffer took while doing ROA duties on August 6, 2008.

August 5, 2008

Victory Day Photos Now Posted

There are a bunch of Victory Day pictures posted here including things like A-scow H-13 doing a douse (four closeups) and lots with the capitol building in the background.


July 29, 2008

MYC MEMBERS PLACE 1st OA IN THE 2008 100 MILER

MYC sailors Dave Gorwitz, Andrew Lewis, Bruce Renwick and Elise Renwick teamed up with skipper Chris Schoendorf (Sturgeon Bay Yacht Club) on the Melges 24, Taz, to place 1st overall in the 72nd annual 100 Miler race sailed out of the M&M Yacht Club in Menominee, Michigan, this past weekend. Read more.

July 9, 2008

A BEAUTIFUL NIGHT FOR...


Photo Credit: Carolyn Curry
Good friends, and good music! Approximately twenty sailors of all ages showed up to lounge on old spinnakers and celebrate the start of the Fourth of July weekend at the Concert on the Square. The news that the no wake ban had just been lifted on Lake Mendota made everyone all the more cheerful and ready to get back sailing on the 4th!
Click here for more photos.

July 7, 2008

Weekend Racing Photos Posted

First, here's a link to Jeff Russell's Picasa album for some great photos. And second, check out these photos from Tim Stanton on the Photo Page.

June 2, 2008

Sunday Racing Photos Posted


Take a look that these beautiful photos from Tim Stanton.

May 21, 2008

New Tradition Begins on Memorial Day

The MYC Memorial Day race always been a trophy race recognizing those who have died in service to our country. This year our fantastic membership chair, Carolyn Curry, approached the board with a suggestion to honor those MYC members that are no longer with us but still sail with us in spirit by give them their own start. The board thought it was a great idea and the motion passed unanimously.

Starting on Memorial day 2008 we will run the first start in a rolling sequence to honor our past sailing friends and to those who have died in service to our country. As a salute to their memory, we would ask that boats plese keep clear of the line during this sequence in recognition of our friends that are still in our hearts. The MYC Board hopes that you support this recognition and that it becomes a long standing tradition.

May 18, 2008

MYC Season Off With a Bang!! (Really a Honk!)

Drum roll please.......
And the first HONK trophy goes to Brian Louther and Team Veloce! They sail a flawless W3.5 spring series race with the exception of hoisting the tack of the chute. Scotty, the head of the sail is goes on top and up first; maybe save the green bottles till after the work is done!!! Team Veloce did fight off the hard charging Eldolon and three others to kick off the 2008 season.
The William L. Ward (MYC 1) completed its maiden race voyage on May 17, 2008 when Grant Frautschi and Ken Kreider put her though her passes. All of her systems were tip top and functional, thanks the the tireless volunteer efforts of Don, Anma, Scotty, Steve, Andrew, and others, not forgetting the great support from the Boathouse of Madison staff. After a day on the water there are a few placement issues and tweaks to be done, but this RC machine will get the stamp of approval from PRO God Bill Ward himself! This ride is top shelf!
So... remember this year, you barge you die! The RC might even have special shells to repel borders, so remember, clean starts and don't hit the boat. Also remember the head of the sail attaches to the halyard.
Good luck to all for 2008. Sail Fast!

May 2, 2008

MYC Kicks in to Gear at the Spring Banquet

Over 70 were in attendance for Mendota Yacht Club's Spring Banquet this past Saturday. As the sailing season quickly approaches it seems that all we want to do is talk about sailing and so it was great to be among so many kindred spirits. We had a fantastic speaker, MYC member and writer for Cruising World Magazine Jim Carrier, who provided some fascinating photographs as well as very informational and entertaining commentary on this past year's America's Cup Races which he was in Valencia, Spain to cover. Of all the insider photos that he shared, many of us were most amazed by the photo of a helicopter flying a large catamaran through theSwiss alps. It had a few of us wondering if maybe Jim had done some fancy photoshop work. But on second thought, it certainly wouldn't fit through all those tunnels in the mountains, so via helicopter suddenly begins to sound logical! More photos posted here.


March 17, 2008

2008 Membership Form Now Posted

Spring is here and ice boating is winding down. It is nowt time to join the Mendota Yacht Club for the 2008 season. It is important and a rule that your entire crew joins the club. It is the skipper's responsibility to make sure all crew are paid members. The sooner dues get paid, the more accurate the Membership Directory will be. Download the membership form and send it in today. If you have any question or updates contact Carolyn Curry, Membership Chair, at membership@mendotayc.org


MYC Hat For Sale!

Mendota Yacht Club Merchandise Store

It's time to order your new MYC duds. Just in time for regatta season! We've got a fine assortment of MYC T-shirts, golf shirts, caps (like this one) and other fabulous items. You'll be able to place your order online in our Mendota Yacht Club Merchandise Store.

March 13, 2008

Crewing Opportunities

If you are intrested in crewing or looking for crew on a boat for the 2008 season there will be a few skippers looking to fill some positons. Send us an email with a few specifics, like when you can sail and some of your experience. Join the List.