Join us on Tuesday, March 5th

for the Membership Meeting,

doors open at 5:30, it is $7 at the desk -

there is no need to sign-up for dinner, just join in!

We were wined and dined, and danced into the early evening. As Commodore, I was presented with a gift of two cocktail glasses with the Fox Island logo etched in - wow! We were one of five visiting yacht clubs present. Next Saturday, we will attend the Des Moines Yacht Club Commodore's Ball. After last night’s experience, we are very much looking forward to this event. As Commodore, it is a great learning experience to see how other clubs function, and to be able to interact with fellow Bridge Officers from the South Sound.

The pace of the year is beginning to heat up, as the days get longer and warmer. We have the Crab Feed coming up shortly, as always greatly orchestrated by Dave and Traci Augenstine. This is always a fun time with more crab than anyone could ever eat. In mid-April, the club will participate the Daffodil Festival, which will be organized by Vice Commodore, Lori Ulsh. Please see Lori's report for more information and details of the weekend's activities.

On April 27, the Fox Island Yacht Club Commodore’s Ball will be presented, under the guidance of Past Commodore Fletcher McGregor and his First Mate, Rhonda.  I am very excited to see how this is orchestrated, as after attending other clubs Commodore's Ball, I hope to have some great gift ideas for future visiting Commodores.



Finally, things are very busy concerning dock replacement activity. Over the next several membership meetings, I will bring members up-to-date as to progress in this area.  The Dock Replacement Committee, chaired by Harbormaster Gene Miller, will interact with our contractor, Marine Floats, for the next 4 to 5 years as the project comes together. The membership of this committee will remain intact throughout the process to ensure consistency and quality. The Audit and Finance Committee, chaired by Assistant Treasurer Erik Pearson, will be tasked to provide, among other things, financing options for dock construction to be presented to the Board, and eventually to the Membership. The future looks exciting!

In March, we have the ever so enjoyable Crab Feed on March 16th, see the reservation link below to

RSVP by March 8th!

The Friday night BBQ is on March 22. If someone would like to plan an activity for this night please reach out, otherwise it will continue as an informal dinner and BYOB.

We are still in need of someone to step up and take on the Halloween Party and New Year's Eve Party. Please contact me directly if you have any questions or are interested in taking one of the events on.  

Mark your calendars to spend some time sprucing up the grounds around the FIYC property. 

Saturday April 6th 8:30-12:30 (or whenever the work is done!) 

"Many hands make light work," so we need all hands on deck (or FIYC property). If you've been hibernating and haven't been to an FIYC event in a while, this your opportunity to reunite with friends and help beautify "your" Clubhouse grounds. There will be coffee, water, snacks etc. on hand and we will send out an email with more details. 

Speaking of helping out, we are in need of a member to join the Building/Grounds Management Team. Please contact me if you will help Jeff Morrison and Dennis Rowland keep our facility in tiptop shape!

Be sure to check out the new 4K Smart TV in the bar! You can easily Screen Mirror, AirPlay and access installed apps for sports, movies, local tv and events. Additionally, our Historian Traci Augenstein will be able to display photos from FIYC events. Is there a picture of you in there?

Do you want a TV? Show up to the March Membership meeting for your chance to win a 65" Vizio TV (The old TV from the bar). There will be a free drawing for any Member who is interested and in attendance at the meeting. Perhaps you'll have a little luck O' the Irish!

Poker Night at the Club was good this past month - I won instead of the usual. Carl Martin has managed to gather a few members these past 2 months to "try it out" and it has been fun. If you're interested in growing the group, get in touch with Carl. 

I think we finally have our membership renewals put to bed. It turns out we had only four regular members resign this past year, along with one Silver member. In addition to the three families last month, we say goodbye to Hal & DeeAnn Cline and Linda Dodds. This extremely low turnover would suggest our membership likes what we're doing and what the club has to offer. The down side to that is we have eight families that have completed all their requirements and have been approved by the Board and only half of them will be getting in. The four remaining have almost all the privileges of a regular member and don't have to pay any dues so it's not as frustrating as it appears. We also have another six families in the middle of their application process...and the Waitlist continues to grow.

Our Membership Committee is in the process of putting together a New Member Orientation program that we hope to have ready for prime time by late April. Lisa Gray, Jackie Lindstrom, and Arleen Woodley have been meeting every two weeks to create what we expect to be a one-hour orientation program. And from what we are hearing, it should be of interest to members that came into the club over the last five or six years. You'd be amazed at what you don't know about the FIYC!

On a different note, Rhonda and I would like to thank all of you for the heartfelt cards, messages, and personal condolences we have received these last couple of weeks regarding the passing of our daughter Gina. It has meant a lot to us. Thank you all.

With the days getting longer and the boating season nearly upon us, I hope to wrangle up as much participation as possible from all of our members! Whether you plan to attend our cruises by boat or by car, we really want to see you there! 

My sights are set on the Opening Day of Boating weekend in May - we will need many pirates (both ladies and gents) on board our fleet vessels as FIYC will join the boat parade in the Spirit Category! Brush up on your "Arghhhs" and "Shiver Me Timbers"...and join in the merriment by signing up via the link below!

Our slips at Cap Sante Marina in Anacortes (July 31-August 4) are secured for boaters but if you plan to drive up your RV, they just opened up reservations for the brand new 25-space RV Park on February 22. The Grand Opening will be the last week of June. With the Anacortes Arts Festival taking place the same weekend (August 3 & 4), and the word gets out, the park will fill up VERY fast - so don't wait. $65.00 per night. Call Cap Sante Marina @ 360-293-0694. Thank you to Ron Larson for sharing this information! Make sure reserve your hotel rooms early too!

The sign-up period for the sailing camp scholarship offer has closed, and I am happy to report that we will help seven of our FIYC youth with camp fees this year! Registration for the camps open up on March 1 at 7:00 am - make sure to register with TYC Junior Sailing Camp early as it fills up quickly!

“If we didn't laugh, we would all go insane.”

-Jimmy Buffett 

What we won't all do, but should, is make sure our safety equipment is on our boats and operational. That means the necessary number of life jackets; an operational fire extinguisher; a sound device such as a whistle and visual distress signals such as flares or a flare gun. Test your navigation lights and horn to ensure they are operational. Fire extinguishers should be tested every year and reloaded every 5 years. Flares should be replaced every three years and would encourage everyone to have an up-to-date and stocked first aid kit on your boat. 

For a copy of the U.S. Power Squadron Vessel Safety Check checklist of everything you need on board in case your vessel is boarded by the U.S. Coast Guard, click here. Vessels passing safety checks are awarded a U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Decal that informs the Coast Guard/Auxiliary, Sheriffs & Police, and other boating law-enforcement & safety agencies that your boat was in full compliance with all Federal and State boating laws during a safety check for the year. To have your vessel inspected, and pass in 2024, please reach out to David Wemmer, a U.S Coast Guard approved vessel examiner. Many thanks to David who offers his time and service to our members year after year.

Safe boating starts with a safe boat. While we all hope to never need to use our safety equipment, it is always better to have it and not need it than to need it but not have it.  See you on the water soon!

Board of Trustees

Committee Chairs and Area Managers