GBCA Discussion Forum

Thanks for the great day on the water and the wonderful pics!

Maarten - it is indeed a wonderful  book.  J. Howard was our keynote speaker at the 60th Anniversary Commodore's Ball in 2007, quite entertaining and informative.  GBCA has quite an interesting history.  Hopefully he will see your post on the website!

Good luck, we'll be cheering you on!

Did I just see the weather forecast correctly?  Could we possibly have a downwind HMR?!!

There will be an open meeting this weekend at HYC at 12:30 Sunday June 10th to discuss the proposed dredging project.  Interested parties are encouraged to attend.

The Corps of Engineers has extended the comment period until July 5th.  HYC will be generating a template letter that you can use to submit your comments to the agency on the project.  Please check back here as this letter should be available within the next week for your use.

TxDOT will close all main lanes of Highway 146 at Port Road this weekend as crews work to construct a southbound connector ramp from Highway 146 to Port Road.

The main lanes of the highway will be closed Friday, March 9 at 9 p.m. and will reopen Monday, March 12 at 5 a.m.

Drivers should be prepared for congestion and delays in the area. TxDOT advises the public to seek an alternate route if possible.

Traffic will be detoured to the north- and southbound frontage roads and police will be on hand to assist with traffic control

Visit the Houston TranStar website at www.houstontranstar.org. All closures are subject to change due to inclement weather. Follow the TxDOT Houston District on Twitter @TxDOTHoustonPIO

Please post a picture of this in action when you get it flying!

As posted in the HYC newsletter:

"Join us Friday, March 16 for an evening with Gary Jobson and help us kickoff the Leukemia Cup Regatta at the Houston Yacht Club. A buffet will be available starting at 6 p.m. and the Gary Jobson program will follow at 7 p.m. Gary is the National Chairman of the Leukemia Cup Regattas and President of US Sailing.  His slides and stories about sailing events all over the world are very entertaining and in a lot of cases hilarious.  Everyone is invited whether you are racing in the regatta or not. Join us and enjoy an outstanding sailing show and receive Leukemia Cup Regatta Sponsor and Sailor Packets. Gary's latest signed book and Leukemia Cup wares will be available for sale during the evening. Be sure to set up your fundraising website at the program. There will be prize drawing for those beginning fundraising at the program. The Leukemia Cup Regatta is June 22-24 at HYC."

Nice chance to get some great coaching.  I have attended their racing clinic in Key West and it is well worth the time.  It is really beneficial of you can get your whole crew to attend - they might even give you a break on cost!

Wow.  Are any of you planning on notifying the USCG of the obstruction?  It seems like they might be more inclined to do something about it if reported by everyone that has has an issue with it. This is not like a submerged obstruction in the bay, this is in a designated channel.

Passing this along to all of the sailing community....

To:  all HMR skippers and sailors:
From: John Broderick, Co-founder HMR, Co-chairman 2011, Coordinator Elissa Afterguard

As you can see, I have worn several hats for the 2011 sailing of The Harvest Moon Regatta?. It has been a great year with 186 yachts entered in very good weather exercising their spinnakers to the maximum and showing their soft to light air skills to push for the best finish time they could. Congratulation to all the trophy winners!

You might remember in 2007 having ?Elissa? sail with the HMR fleet to Port A, then on to Corpus Christi for school children viewing.  Our idea is to repeat this spectacular event about every five years.  ?Elissa? is making plans to sail with HMR next year, October 25, 2012, looking stately and more ship-shape than ever.  The plan is to go into dry dock next June, July and August, coming out with a fully tested and approved bottom plating repair approved by the US Coast Guard to continue sailing on her own 134 year young iron plated bottom.   

This bottom repair alone will be more than one million dollars.  Is the effort worth it? You can judge for yourself. (See attachment) ?Elissa? is one of only three iron bottom tall ships still actively sailing the way she did as a cargo carrying commerce ship when she first called on Galveston in 1883 and again in 1886. She is the only one crewed and maintained by all volunteers.  ?Elissa? volunteers are what make her so special and able to carry on the tall ship sailing tradition.

Many generous HMR skippers and sailors pledged or donated more than $8,000 for the day sail contest for ?Elissa? repairs and I thank you very much for that.  Day sail winners: Cliff Haddox-Musica ($4,000),John LeBourhis-Caramba ($1,002),David Person-Wanita Cantik ($750). However, we have a very long way to be able to pay the dry dock charges in August so I am asking once more that you consider making a donation and ask your friends to participate in this sailing-super-star?s long life and future sailing.  Our TALL SHIP OF TEXAS needs your support.

To make your charity donation and receive a confirming charity letter go to; www.galvestonhistory.org/elissa-donate.asp to donate then check In support of HMR 2011 contest pledge.  If you will send an email to me at teetina@aol.com and let me know you made a nice donation I will put you on the list for possible day sailing on the then newly restored ?Elissa?. 

Regards and happy sailing,
John L. Broderick
John Broderick, HMR Co-Founder, HMR 2011 Co Chairman, Coordinator ?Elissa? Afterguard 

Charles - http://www.tmca.nu/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=106:double-bayou&catid=28:destinations&Itemid=50 this is a great link to local knowledge on getting to and from (and into) Double Bayou.  When they say hug the right and stay close to the red, they are not kidding!

I didin't invent the car bar, I just brought it up another notch!!

If you drink from the car bar consider yourself a trunk drunk (credit to JoAnn Korleski)!

It's official - Team Penrose has won the Blind Sailing Nationals!! They are qualified for the World's in Japan.  Way to go Karen, James, Scott and Dave!

I agree that it was a non-event, the problem is the crew without a clue about SA thought it would be a funny to put on that site.  Stupid idea.