March 2024 | Issue #41

Midwinters
Nationals
Internationals Information
2024 Regatta Schedule
Y-Flyer Class Officers/Contact List
News from Canada
Eight Bells for Phyllis Robidoux
Ferne Gulley’s Search Continues

Registration Links for the Three Majors

2024 Y-Flyer Midwinter Championship (atlantayachtclub.org )

Y-Flyer Junior & Senior National Championship (csa-sailing.org )

Y Flyer Internationals (sailsaratoga.org )

New Website

Y-Flyer Class Sailing | YFlyer Sailing (yflyerclass.org )

Y-Flyer MidwYnter Championship

The 2024 Y-Flyer MidwYnter Championship Regatta is almost at hand. Y-Flyer Fleet #1 invites you to join us for a great weekend of racing March 15 - 17. It’s not too late to register and sail, so come one, come all. So far we have 37 competitors coming from over 11 states and Canada, so help us give them a big AYFSA welcome.

You are invited to join us for Welcome Aboard, meals, fellowship, and storytelling. Lavon is cooking up a storm, so you know you won’t go hungry.

Simply register online and come join in the fun of this prestigious event.

We hope to see you at the regatta.

2024 Y-Flyer Midwinter Championship (atlantayachtclub.org )

Attention:

Letter from the President – March 2024

In like a Lion – out like a Lamb. Yes, it is cold, windy, and wet here in Georgia just two weeks before the Midwinter Regatta and the beginning of our sailing season. So, we start out rough and, hopefully tame down the cold and wet part of March and have wind and warm for the almost 40 boats registered for our “Scow Jumped over the Moon” regatta.

There is still time to register with Nile at Atlanta Yacht Club’s website or just go to the Y Flyer website at www.yflyerclass.org and click the NOR for the Midwinter Regatta.

Our Midwinters has sailors from as far North as Canada, as far West as Little Rock, as far East as New York and as far South as Georgia gathering to mingle on and off the water. So check off a couple of local regattas this Spring to get you ready for the Nationals at the end of June at Lake Carlyle and just three weeks later is the Internationals in July at Saratoga in New York. All are wonderful venues for sailing a Y.

Our website, thanks to the tremendous efforts of Mark Buchanon and Paul White, is up and running! Go to www.yflyerclass.org to see the beginning of what will be a great resource for all things Y Flyer. Classified ads, blog conversations, merchandise, regatta info and resources are still being built on this excellent platform. Take a look and give us feedback.

In a week, the first two hulls from Beacon Composites will be picked up and brought home to be rigged out in the next weeks (and perhaps months). They won’t be ready to sail at the Midwinter Regatta, but 2813 and 2814 will be on the line by Nationals. Boat #3 will be in the molds next.

Hope to see you at the next regatta,

The Sailing Siren

Amanda Hodges, Y-2660 and Y-2813

Y-Flyer Junior & Senior National Championship (csa-sailing.org )

Y Flyer Internationals (sailsaratoga.org )

Eight Bells for Phyllis Robidoux

Obituary

Phyllis J. (Kisolek) Robidoux,86, of North Brookfield formerly of Southbridge, MA died on February 14, 2024 after a brief illness surrounded by her loving family. Phyllis was born in Ware MA, daughter of the late Mary (Kisolek) Peltier.

She was predeceased by her husband, Richard P. Robidoux and her sister, Kathleen Leroux. Phyllis leaves behind her daughter Dorene Caron & her husband Jeffrey of Attleboro MA; sons Michael Robidoux of North Brookfield, MA, and Kenneth Robidoux and his wife Meghan of Brookfield, MA; 5 grandchildren Lauren, Kelsey, Zachary, Nicholas, Abigail, and her great-granddaughter Remi.

Phyllis & Richard Robidoux were married on June 20,1964 and celebrated 57 years together. Phyllis dedicated her life to bringing up her three children and worked part-time at Park ’n Shop.

Phyllis enjoyed over thirty years of sailing with her husband as members of the Lake Lashaway Sailing Club, traveling cross country & participating in Sailing Regattas.

She loved listening to her favorite artist Elvis, polka dancing, and she never missed a Celtics game, making her one of their biggest fans. Phyllis loved being surrounded by her family and friends creating memories with them on the lake.

Friends and family are invited to celebrate Phyllis’ life on Friday, March 1, 2024 from 3pm-6pm followed by a brief service in Pillsbury Funeral Home, 44 Gilbert St. North Brookfield. In Lieu of flowers, please send donations to North Brookfield EMS, PO Box 73, North Brookfield, MA 01535.

Posted online on February 19, 2024

Published in Worcester Telegram & Gazette

Editor Comment: Captain Terryble

It was with extreme sadness that I heard the news of the passing of Phyllis Robidoux. Phyllis now rejoins her husband, Dick, who left this world in February of 2022.

Dick and Phyllis Robidoux were so very kind to have let me keep my boat at their dock for 25 years. I remain forever grateful for their kindness.

Y-Fleet 53 at Lake Lashaway in the Brookfields of Massachusetts began in the 1970’s when Dick and a couple of his lake friends brought in some Y-Flyers and it soon expanded to where the Y-Flyer fleet was the only fleet that raced on the lake. Dick applied for, and received, permission from the Y-Executive Board to assume the Fleet 53 designation from a former Y-Flyer fleet on a nearby lake.

They hosted the 1989 Y-Flyer Internationals in their yard on Lake Lashaway. 29 Y-Flyers raced in that International Regatta.

Nearly every August, the annual Kenyon Cup Regatta was held in their yard. The last Kenyon Cup was run in 2013.

It was with such happiness when, every summer Sunday, Joanne and I climbed out of our van in the Robidoux driveway and walked around the Robidoux house to be greeted by Phyllis and Dick. And they were ready to race!!

So as time marches on, let’s all never forget our fellow Y-Friends.

Making lunch sandwiches at a Kenyon Cup in the basement kitchen at the Robidoux home. (L-R) Sally Tibbetts, Phyllis, Louise Woodard and Marge Barstow.

Receiving the Y-Flyer President’s Award at a Kenyon Cup awarded by President Kevin Black. (L-R) Jack Nash, Kevin Black, Dick and Phyllis.

A gathering of Y-Flyer friends at a Kenyon Cup party. (L-R) Merrill Callen, Dick, Brenda Latimer and Phyllis.

Dick and Phyllis at work on “Simply Wild” during a Sunday race.

Sail On, Sail On ....

The maritime tradition of ringing eight bells honors the deceased and signifies a sailor's "watch" has ended.

Fleet 1 Report

Atlanta Yacht Club:

Y Fleet 1 broke the winter doldrums with a Valentine themed fleet meeting in February. Food, wine and a chocolate dessert fountain led to a fast and furious game of Valentine drawing charades with boxes of candy as prizes.

This is what is happening in Canada:

News from above the 49th Parallel...aka Canada.

Spring like weather experienced in Southern Ontario the past few weeks quickly disappeared this morning with snow squalls off the Great Lakes causing blizzard like conditions for a few hours. The lakes never froze over completely this season. Out west, they have experienced bizarre weather with warm then extreme cold temperatures. The east coast has been bombarded with large amounts of snow, then rain and high winds. So sailing season in Canada has not started yet as you can see.

Meanwhile Richard Quinlan (our Alberta and British Columbia Area Director) Y-1085 and son Liam competed in the Australian Fireball Nationals Feb 5 to the 8th placing #39th out of 61 boats registered. They stuck around at the Royal Geelong Yacht Club for the World Fireball Championships Feb 11-16th placing #34 with 57 boats registered. Results can be found on the internet.

A few Canadians may make it to the Mid Winters at AYC weather permitting March 16-17th.

Cheers

Bob Somek Y-2758

I STILL Can’t Find My Boat..........

by Ferne Gulley

The drive from Nashville to Neoga is a pleasant one. Made better by a full belly and a "post tiki hut" experience. Passing corn fields and Carruthers IGA I took a right, then left and headed across the causeway to the club. Looking out at the lake I spotted a very short lady paddling a kayak and waved. As I pulled in to the Lake Mattoon Sailing Association there was Chuck Lowell busily hammering those numbers into the ground to instruct everyone to park at the Riviera.

Yep, my usual spot, near the shed with my back to the water was open, no boat. After some pleasantries with Chuck (ya’ gotta talk kind of loud to him) I wondered over to Chet's Farm. There was Chettie, throwing pallets and scrap wood on a large pile.

Dang, his back looks Ok to me! Always love talking to Chet and suggested we sit down with a cold one and chat. Lela was out in the garden planting something. There seemed to be a lot of weeds in a garden that was so meticulously maintained, but she seemed happy to see me.

We had a great visit and Chet knew the exact gelcoat used, PMS color, serial number, and even the small mistake he made on my boat but didn't know it's whereabouts. After a great talk he suggested I walk over to Iron's place and talk to Dave.

When I got there Dave was sitting out by the lake with one of those mirror semi-circle things around his neck getting a tan. (I always wondered).

He hadn't seen my boat since he returned from Boogala Boogala Summala last year. I felt as if I was being photographed so I left. No one here was any help. Miller would've known, God I miss Miller.

Oh well, Indianapolis is just up the road and as Forrest Gump once said, "I've gone this far, I may as well go a little farther." I love the club and the people at Indy but figured if my boat was there I should remove it before someone took the jib off, put leeboards on it and used her as an MC Scow.

When I pulled in Kevin was there arguing passionately with a smaller man (aren't they all) about something he felt strongly about. The little guy shook his head no, Keving nodded yes, they both grinned and Kevin bear-hugged him.

While this was fun to watch neither was helpful in locating my boat.

Dejected, I soon found Paul who knew my boat, the year it was built, who owned it before me, which brand of sails I used, when I last paid my dues and my hat size, but not the location of my Y.

Ugh, I tried to find Howard, but he was off fishing somewhere and besides, I smelled homemade pizza.

I guess I must do it: Drive out west, where the people are nice, but the wind seldom blows and it's always hot. But wait! Carlyle is right on the way. Yes, yes, I love Carlyle. Great lake, wonderful facilities and flat.

Unfortunately, I arrived to find ONLY one Y on the lot, and it wasn't mine. Sad. There we a lot of Flying Scots which resembled a herd of whales standing around. Maybe they named their regatta after those whales.

As I left I "Haled" goodbye to a friend and wondered when I would return. They should host a nationals soon.

Off to Little Rock.................................................................to be continued!!