In This Issue
General Manager 14
Black Rock Yacht Club 2024 Officers and Board of Governors
Officers
Commodore Tom Herrmann
Vice Commodore Roisin Black
Rear Commodore Jeff Morrison
Fleet Captain Kelly Raskauskas
Secretary Pete Roper
Treasurer Rob Martini
Immediate Past Commodore Elizabeth Collins
Board of Governors
Terence Brady
Mary Jo McGonagle
Alex Plitsas
Katie Coleman
Ben Holley
Bruce Hubler
Amy de Lannoy
Ralf Shockey
Trevor Uhl
Commodore
Tom Herrmann
Dear Fellow Members,
As the summer season comes to a close, the whirlwind of activity at Black Rock Yacht Club is gradually winding down. I want to take a moment to reflect on an exceptional summer, marked by vibrant poolside gatherings and spirited races on the water.
MEMBER SATISFACTION
The spirit of Black Rock Yacht Club is stronger than ever, thanks to the incredible contributions of our members. Our Mid-Season Survey shows member satisfaction at an all-time high A record 20% of you said your overall satisfaction with the Club this summer exceeded your expectations, and over 90% reported your expectations were met or exceeded This is a testament to the hard work of our staff and volunteers who make our Club such a special place.
POOL
Our refurbished pool and new furniture have been a huge hit, creating a beautiful outdoor space that many of you enjoyed throughout the summer. The increased food and beverage sales at the snack bar show just how much everyone appreciated this area Despite a few rainy days, the weather was mostly on our side, and there was always plenty of room to relax under an umbrella. I'm pleased to announce that the pool will remain open on weekends through September 15th Additionally, for members who have signed a pool liability waiver, the pool will be accessible during daylight hours through the end of October, weather permitting
SUMMER PROGRAMS
Junior Activity members had another outstanding season. Our swim and dive team finished the season with 3 wins and only 1 loss As a result, we were advanced to Division 2 for next year. The is the second most competitive group of the six divisions in our league Go Barracudas! In addition to excelling in the water, our JA sailors demonstrated their extraordinary talent on the water.
Big round of applause for Michael Miller and Sam Newton winning the FEVA East Coast Championship! It's also heartening to see such high levels of participation, especially on the tennis courts Our JA coaches have commented how inspiring our youngest Club members have been to them, and our Junior Activities program remains one of the most meaningful offerings of our Club
LIFE ON THE WATER
Commodore
Tom Herrmann
The Wednesday Night Race series continues to draw enthusiastic participation, with the final race of the season scheduled for September 11th This will be the last chance this year to enjoy the camaraderie of our WNR après sail gatherings at the bar please join us!
This year’s Ideal 18 Clinic was another great success, along with the popular Ideal 18 Sunburn Series Building on that momentum, the Yachting Committee is excited to announce a new Fall Series starting Sunday, September 8th. This series will provide another fantastic opportunity to get out on the water, whether you’re an experienced sailor or new to the sport. There will be four consecutive Sundays of low-stakes racing I encourage everyone to sign up and join in!
MEMBERSHIP
We were delighted to welcome 13 new members to our Club this summer, each bringing fresh ideas and energy to our community The Membership Committee relies on all of us to introduce the Club to potential new members As we settle back into our fall routines, please consider inviting friends and neighbors to experience the special spirit of BRYC
BRYC SPIRIT
The end of summer may be near, but the spirit of our Club continues to shine. As we transition from the warmth of summer to the crisp days of fall, let's take the time to appreciate this beautiful change of seasons, both on and off the water. Whether it’s one last swim, a final sail at sunset, or gathering with friends at upcoming social events like Chef Lamar’s Jamaican dinner on October 25, there’s something for everyone to savor
Thank you, as always, for entrusting me with the opportunity to serve as your Commodore Please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions or concerns Here’s to a wonderful end to the season and to more great times ahead!
Very respectfully,
Tom Herrmann Commodore
Vice Commodore
Roisin Black
What is it about the White Party? From its humble beginnings over 10 years ago it has been our most attended event Maybe it’s the anticipation of the outfit? I know I always keep my eye out for the perfect white dress all year long and look forward to finally donning it on the big night Even the guys get into it as the level of fashion has certainly been elevated with white linen pants, Nehru collared shirts and even jackets commonly seen now. Back in the day, it was mostly a white shirt and khaki pants :)
Maybe it’s the food? The other night was amazing with a raw bar, passed hors d’oeuvres, and a buffet that included carving stations and a paella table! I’m still thinking about that bowl of bacon on the salad line haha!. But again, that wasn’t the draw; back then, for those who remember JP, who had no clue of what a white party was all about, put out his table of white food (Alfredo pasta of every shape and size, along with grilled white cheese on white bread). Mind you it was only $25 a head.
No, I think something else draws us to this party I remember trying to get it going on the Entertainment Committee It took a few years of convincing that members would be in town on the Friday of Labor Day weekend and would all dress in white. But Patty Hennessey in her reign as Chair gave it the thumbs up and we gave it a shot back in 2010 Look closely at the pic taken right after setup and you’ll see white tablecloths wrapped around the red umbrellas - no big tent then! But we came out to party as hard as any other party happening in the Hamptons that same night. And we’ve been doing it ever since…
Hope you all had a lovely Labor Day weekend!
Fleet Captain
Kelly Raskauskas
It’s hard to believe that Labor Day is in the rearview mirror! Our BRYC sailors made the most out of their time on the water this summer, learning to sail in the Ideal 18 clinics, racing on Wednesday nights (or even further afield #NewportToBermuda), cruising, rafting up, Chowder Racing and more A big thank-you to our Yachting Chair Katie Coleman, who put together a great season of programs and events!
Still to come: Ideal 18 Fall Racing, the Donahue Cross-Sound Regatta on September 14, and our annual Scuttle the Ship on October 5. Please see the Yachting section in this issue for more details
Special thanks go to Adam Walker, Bernie Pratt, Adam Allam, along with Commodore Tom Herrmann, Rear Commodore Jeff Morrison and PC Lisa Thornton for their assistance in prepping the Club for Storm Debby in early August. Two days of hard work ensured that our vessels and docks were safe, and a third day of their efforts brought everything back online in time for some beautiful Saturday sailing. Thanks also to our boat owners for being so responsive and properly securing their vessels to ride out the storm.
We’ve been fortunate that Storm Debby has been the only heavy weather to date, but the Atlantic hurricane season is far from over. Please make sure you are signed up to receive text updates from the Club – email memberservices@blackrockyc org to be added to the distribution list.
As the days get shorter, the Waterfront team will be ramping up their end of season work. Boat owners, stay tuned for updates to the launch schedule (and start planning your haul-out)
The BRYC Decommissioning Ceremony is scheduled for Sunday, October 13 at 6 pm and all members are welcome to attend this ceremony marking the official end of the 2024 season
If you have questions about moorings, launch hours or other Waterfront topics, please email fleetcaptain@blackrockyc org
A sailor is an artist whose medium is the wind.
~ Webb Chiles
House Committee
Ralf Shockey, Chair
Dear Fellow Members
Fall is in the air….. As we come to the end of another awesome Summer season at BRYC I want to thank all of you who participated in the recent survey This is invaluable information for our committee and team. We take your feedback very seriously and use it to make meaningful changes
We had several great entertainment events this Summer concluding with the White Party
That said with the Fall/Football season upon us the House Committee and Entertainment Committee have a lot of special events planned for you Please keep an eye out on your email and or Facebook for these planned events, which include Lobster Night, Italian Family style pasta night, Bingo, and many more!
The House Committee and the F&B team have been working on a new Fall menu with some great new additions as well as the classic dishes everyone enjoys
Thank you for your continued support! I look forward to seeing you at the club!
Come down to the club for great food, drinks and football!
Respectfully
Ralf Shockey
Yachting Katie Coleman, Chair
From the Yachting Chair: A Summer to Remember! Ahoy, Sailors!
As the warm days of summer begin to fade, it’s time to reflect on the incredible season we’ve had here at Black Rock. From perfect (and not so perfect) breezes to thrilling finishes, this summer was packed with excitement, learning, and, of course, camaraderie on and off the water.
We kicked things off with the Ideal 18 Clinic, where sailors honed their skills and some sailed for the first time! They showed off their skills during the Rookie Regatta and winners took home Sea Bags made from BRYC Ideal 18 sails. The Sunburn Series (Eric West, legend!) brought us hot competition under the scorching sun, and we saw teamwork at its finest during Teams Racing (thank you to Pat Pavone and our friends at Pequot Yacht Club for bringing us into the mix). We also had a great day at the Sail Park City Regatta by Fayerweather Yacht Club, with the Black Rock fleet well-represented on the water Ladies Big Boat (TY Marjorie Flynn, my ride or die) was a success with more than 30 participants and four fab sunset sails. We were especially lucky to have Partnership 3 and Skipper MaryEllen Tortorello join the fun this year And, we still have one race left in our Wednesday Night Racing series, which has provided 16 weeks of fun on the water Chowder Racing was well attended and a big thanks to Roisin Black and Amy de Lannoy for organizing Thank you, Race Committee!
Don't worry, there's more to come!
Yachting Katie Coleman,
Chair
The Ideal 18 Fall Series will take place on Sundays in September starting Sept. 8. It's a great opportunity to do some casual racing before the boats come out of the water. Our final Wednesday Night Race will be Sept. 11 - all are welcome to join in the bar after the race! Then, mark your calendars for the Brent C. Donahue Cross-Sound Regatta on Sept 14, where we’ll test our endurance and skill across the Sound.
And of course, we’ll close the season in style with our annual Scuttle the Ship event on Saturday, Oct. 5 You won’t want to miss this celebration as we recognize our amazing volunteers and wrap up a fantastic summer
Until then, enjoy the last few weeks of summer, and we’ll see you on the dock! If you are interested in learning more about yachting please contact me.
Smooth Sailing!
Katie Coleman
Yachting Chair
Pool
Gregory Sargent, Chair
My Fellow Members,
It is hard to believe that we are already winding down the 2024 season. But with the sun rising later and setting earlier, the kids back at school, and morning dew settling on our windshields after a chilly night, the change is undeniable. So, it seems quite appropriate to take a moment and highlight what has been a remarkably productive year at the pool.
First and foremost, a hearty round of applause goes to our Pool Director, Sam Mouziyk. His seemingly permanent presence during every opening hour of the pool this year leant a bit of gravitas and leadership to all of our staff. And how ‘bout those guards? For the first time ever under my chairmanship, I did not receive a single complaint from the Membership. Let’s hope that they can all return next year…
A very special shout out goes to our Flag Officers and Board Members of both the current fiscal year and last How much nicer did our pool look this year with new coping, decking, chairs, and umbrellas? Also, mechanically, our pool performed very well, once again, under the watchful eye of Director Sam.
And not to be overlooked, our swimming instructors, our swimming and diving coaches, Masters Coaches Hope and Ashlyn, all added tremendous experience and expertise to our deck.
On that line of thought, how about our swimming and diving team?! They had another extraordinary season, moving from Division 3 in the FCSL up to Division 2 As a noteworthy point of comparison, our team was in the lowest Division 6 a mere five years ago It has been an extraordinary (almost meteoric?) rise for the team and one of the athletic joys of my life to watch our youngest swimmers go from a complete inability to even stay afloat a few years ago to going to the Divisional Championships and, in some cases, qualifying for the County Championships There’s just no keeping our Black Rock Barracudas down!
On a more lighthearted side of the pool goings-on, did you happen to participate in this year’s Island Party or Family Fun Day? Thanks go to Katie Holley and Lia Filiberto for overseeing those special events at the pool. Managing a special event is often a thankless job so here is a big Thank You to you for all of your efforts!
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Pool
Gregory Sargent, Chair
And just when you thought that there was nothing left to do at the pool for this season, alas, for some Members the season is just barely past the midway mark. Back by popular demand, let The Polar Bear Challenge begin!!!
For the uninitiated, the Member who jumps in and swims some self-satisfying number of lengths of the pool deepest into the autumn is crowned the Toughest Polar Bear at BRYC. It is a formidable title indeed with the winner usually lasting well into October There will be a sign in book kept in the launch where you can mark your plunge. I will leave the pool open as long as any Member continues to use the facility
Good Luck to all you polar bears out there. Let’s see who has the thickest hide! Until next month, Gregory Sargent, Pool@blackrockyc org
Entertainment
Lia Filiberto and Katie Holley, Co-Chairs
We closed out this amazing summer with the Endless Summer White party; BRYC knows how to party! We danced, made memories, had incredible food curated by Chef Llamar and a tent full of friendships formed within our incredible community
As your Entertainment Chairs, we would like to thank our amazing committee who stepped up and hosted events; your volunteerism is seen and greatly appreciated! You each killed it and made these events full of fun and special moments. Now we can all look back on memories and smiles made this summer, you guys made it so special We thank you!
Without the support of our GM, Scott Green our Food and Beverage Manger, Jose Morales and Chef Llamar Carter, along with our incredible staff, these events could not take place. It’s the team that really makes these events happen. We want to thank you all for your support and dedication to our community!
Another special thanks to our fellow chairs, across the board, who have stepped up to help collaborate with us to make events even more special to the BRYC family.
Looking forward to an amazing Fall…there is more to come!
Lia and Katie
Entertainment
Lia Filiberto and Katie Holley, Co-Chairs
General Manager
R Scott Green
Happy early Fall everyone! And in the blink of an eye, another wonderful BRYC Summer slips past us. Thankfully, we all have great memories from our peak season to carry us through for the next several months and there is more to come!
I would like to thank everyone who was involved in making our JA program work so smoothly this year; Andy Vonderheyde and his team, Charlotte Walsh and her sailing coaches, Rob Urban and his team, Pool Director Sam Mouzyiak and his lifeguards, Chef Llamar Carter and Jose Morales and their snack bar/pool bar teams who all made the summer season great for all of us.
A special thank you as well to member volunteers including; Terry Brady, Carrie Curtain, Renee Newton and Jesse York for all the effort they each put forth to ensure our juniors had a great season.
The pool will remain open with lifeguard support during the first two weekends in September (7th/8th and 14th/15th). During the week there are no guards and you are required to fill out a pool waiver, if you have not already done so, should you wish to use the pool. These can be found in the launch house.
We closed the season last weekend with another epic White Party, which was a fantastic evening. Thank you to Entertainment Co-Chairs, Lia Filiberto and Katie Holley for sourcing a fantastic Band,” What Up Funk” who definitely got the party going! A large thank you to Chef Llamar and Jose and their teams for serving up an absolutely delicious menu!
Looking forward, we have a number of fun activities scheduled for the month including:
• Friday 13th - The first of a monthly planned Prime Rib Dinner
• Wednesday 25th- Wednesday Night Racing Awards hosted at Fayerweather Yacht Club
• Sunday 29th - The first of a monthly planned Family Pasta Night, perfectly timed for those of you who have an end-of-month minimum
• Saturday, October 5th – Scuttle - Club Volunteer Awards, Dinner, and Music
Please enjoy your club over these next weeks as September offers some of the best weather for yachting, tennis, laying by the pool, and dining outside
See you at the Club!
Scott