Luff 'N Laff September 2023
Please RSVP Below!
| Our Gulf Coast Sailing Club Mission:
As Naples and Southwest Florida’s leading volunteer sailing club, we support inter-club racing, cruising, day sailing, social events, and boating education for the benefit of sailors and their families. Let’s keep it fun.
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From The Commodore:
The Commodore shall be the senior officer of the Club
| Trudell Kolpack
Hello sailors!
We have a fascinating member meeting planned for you this month!
Come hear, see and experience a 1300 mile boat delivery from Naples to Old Saybrook, Connecticut...
Yes, 3 of your fellow members will share their trip with you. It will be edifying!
Also, NOW is the time to plan for the Summerset Regatta in October. Details are below.
We have many new activities we're planning to up-level everyone's enjoyment in the club.
Don't miss our new Day Sailing plans, headed by Bob Diamond. Thanks Bob! Details are below.
All of our Flag Officers and committee members are hard at work creating these events, please volunteer where you have interest. Reach out to any of us!
We look forward to seeing you,
Trudell Kolpack
Commodore
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From The Vice Commodore:
The Vice Commodore is responsible for Membership, Communications, and Volunteer Coordination activities for the Club.
|  | John Steiner
Greetings Fellow GCSC Members!
As Summer winds down, we are gearing up for another, excellent GCSC season!
Here are your Vice Commodore's updates:
1. Membership Director Volunteer. VOLUNTEER CONFIRMED
Denise Brown agreed to serve as our Membership Director. THANK YOU DENISE from all of us!
She replaces Terry Nauck who did a fantastic job in this critical role for many years!
Terry plans to serve as our meeting registrar on September 13; so, please give him a big Thank You when you see him.
2. Landside Events Meeting Management (LEMM) Team Leader -- VOLUNTEER NEEDED
I'm happy to report that since my last solicitation for help with LEMM, several Members stepped-up and volunteered.
You know who you are and we're very grateful for your commitment.
When we convene in November at Moss Hall -- I'll give each of you a big shout out!
However, we still need a LEMM Team Leader. VOLUNTEER NEEDED
The primary responsibility of the LEMM Team Leader is to assemble and direct a team that:
* Handles all aspects of the meals at Moss Hall for our monthly meetings. Moss Hall has an institutional kitchen that we may use.
GCSC has a budget for the monthly meeting meals.
* Coordinates the Audio / Visual requirements for our meeting speakers at Moss Hall.
As mentioned in my earlier Luff & Laff column, we are fortunate that Donna Donaly, a GCSC member, is our main contact between GCSC and Moss Hall. Thus, whoever agrees to serve as LEMM Team Leader will be supported by Donna (as well as other LEMM volunteers).
3. Social Director. VOLUNTEER NEEDED
This role reports to the LEMM Team Leader. It's a great role for someone who enjoys creating and running membership social events ( other than our monthly meetings). In the past and, hopefully, into the future those events include:
* Potluck get togethers at Members' homes or HOA Community Rooms (could be centered on a pool party, for example).
* Sunset get togethers on the beach
* Meet-up get togethers at Naples area restaurants/bars
* Group tickets for Artis Naples
* Other outdoor activities such as a 'bike ride meetup,' day trip to Sanibel, powerboat tours of the 10,000 Islands / Rookery Bay
EXAMPLES OF SOCIAL EVENTS in the PLANNING STAGES FOR THIS SEASON:
*A member has offered her HOA pool deck and grill for an event (details to follow later this year).
* Another member gave me information about a Pickleball coach and courts for a possible group outing.
* I'm planning another powerboat tour of the 10,000 Islands/ Rookery Bay (perhaps as early as November).
* Planning is underway for a beach side event to be held close to Naples Pier AND to coincide with a GCSC race that will be run close to shore for beach goers to observe. GSCS members who join us on the beach will be encouraged to engage with interested members of the public who express interest in sailing.
Finally, planning for our season-opening November meeting is underway.
The big picture is Education and Information Sharing. Briefly, we will have dedicated tables staffed with GCSC Flag Officers, Board Members and other volunteer leaders. Each table will represent a core activity of our club, e.g. Racing, Cruising, Small Sailboat Program (Sugden Sundays at Lake Avalon), Landside Social Events, and more. Details to follow in Luff & Laff and other GCSC communications.
Best regards and here's to 'keeping sailing fun in SWFL!"
John Steiner
Vice Commodore
Please contact me ASAP if you're willing to serve in any of the above roles for the GCSC. johnsteiner4748@gmail.com or 847-337-5077
Respectfully,
John Steiner
Vice Commodore
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From The Rear Commodore:
The Rear Commodore is responsible for the On The Water activities for the Club.
|  | Bob Andreini
Greetings from the Cape Verde Islands off the west coast of Africa. I just completed a 900nm adventure from Tenerife to Mindelo. The picture above shows us making landfall on Aug 31. The boat is a Kaufman ‘47 blue water cruiser with a crew of 5 people.
It was an exhilarating trip taking over 6 days straight with wind averaging 15-25 kts and going through a few squalls, so we got a bit wet! I took lots of pictures and notes, complete with a series of lessons learned. I hope to show them to you at a future meeting.
On to club business. Our Racing, Cruising and Small Boats (Sugden Sundays) calendars are all set for the season. Of course there is always the opportunity to modify as we go through the year, but you can now “save the date” for all of these events.
I am pleased to announce that we are introducing Day Sailing and Chartering as new Activity Areas to our club. Thank you to Bob Diamond and Anthony Short for being our Fleet Captains for each of these areas!
If you are interested in helping to plan and coordinate any of the events below, please let me know (bandreini@ra3.com). We have a FUN group of members already highly engaged.
Even if you are not a boat owner, this is a great way to get involved in YOUR club, get to know people, and get out on the water.
| First Things First!
Summerset Regatta is coming up October 6-8
Register and Details:
| Upcoming Races:
2023 to 2024 Boat of the Year (BOTY) Schedule Announcement:
We have an exciting schedule of BOTY races this season!
Coordinating with NSYC, CMCS and PGSC we are pleased to have finalized our Notice of Series and launch our regatta style and distance racing season!
8 regattas consisting of multiple races or individual races as follows:
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Tequila Summer Racing:
Casual racing for free Starting at 10am or 11am roughly every other weekend when we don’t have another club activity. These are pursuit starts based on your PHRF rating.
You will see the announcements from Frank Brown and Jeff Gage.
To hold these races, we are asking people to confirm no later than Thursday prior to the race and we need a minimum of 4 boats to participate.
Pursuit races are fun casual races for racers and cruisers alike.
Even if you don’t compete, join us out on the water as a Day Sail. Almost always, there is a raft up or after party that everyone is welcome to join.
FROM Jeff Gage and Frank Brown:
Tequila Summer Racing:
NOTE: Jeff has a special email list for boat owners for Tequila notices. If you want to be added to his list email Jeff or Frank: jeffrey.gage@cbre.com or Frank Brown
Casual racing for free Starting at 10am or 11am outside of Gordon Pass. Pursuit start based on your PHRF rating.
When: ONE LAST race on Sept 16 and a tentative party for Oct 7 IF someone steps up and organizes the party. Might have to change the party date because of Summerset. Contact Jeff to organize!
Where: Starts off Gordon Pass at 11AM with finishes in the early afternoon
More details will be forthcoming <Friday Night> as soon as we have a better feel for wind direction and velocity. It will be pursuit start with individual start times. Encourage racers and cruisers to participate. Very easy!!
Please reply to jeffrey.gage@cbre.com or Frank Brown if you plan to attend so we can assemble the scratch sheet. If you need crew tell me that in your reply. We have qualified crew members interested in getting on the water.
Monitor VHF #72 For Details on the Race and the (Potential) Party
Are you willing to organize an after race Landside Party? Please contact Jeff with the details
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The Cruising Committee has been quite busy the past month. We have finalized the dates for our 4 typical cruising events and are still working on some other fun and exciting events to offer throughout the year.
Below is a summary of our events and cruise captains assigned for each:
Pink Shell Ft Myers Beach (the marina opens this summer!):
- Cruise Captain: Stacey Onorato
- Cruise Dates: January 13-15, 2024
- Landslide Lunch: January 14, 2024 (TBD Ft Myers Beach)
Panther Key:
- Cruise Captain: Frank Ross
- Landslide Bon Voyage Dinner: February 16, 2024 (TBD Marco Island)
- Cruise Dates: February 17 - 19, 2024
Marathon Key:
- Cruise Captain: Mary Lee Cale
- Cruise Dates: March 15 - 17, 2024
- Landslide Dinner: TBD
Cayo Costa:
- Cruise Captain: James Lotspeich
- Cruise Dates: April 26 - 29, 2024
- Possible Cabbage Key Dinner (not Landside): TBD
There has been some interest in a “Race to Marathon Key”. Please let me know (bandreini@ra3.com) if you are interested. Details TBD, but we will have winner take all and the entry fees collected will be awarded towards the Marina slip fees! This is open to anyone “sailing” down to Marathon this year.
We are still working out a cruising series around Charlotte Harbor in the late May, June or July time frame which could include destinations such as:
- Cabbage Key
- Cayo Costa
- Boca Grande Marina
- Fishermans Village
Let us know what interests you as we start our planning on this series in the next couple of months.
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DAY SAILING
Fleet Captain Day Sailing: Bob Diamond
This is a New Official Activity Club at Gulf Coast Sailing Club
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Bob and Lorelei Diamond
Thank you Bob for volunteering to Captain this NEW Club Activity! | | |
The Goal is to get more Gulf Coast Sailing Club Members on a boat and enjoying Sailing our beautiful Florida Waters.
It is equally important for us to help Boat Owning Members and their Families enjoy more sailing on their own boat‘s with new Friends and Crew to help them enjoy the Florida sailing life.
The Plan: Actually not new. In the past two years, Lorelei and I have had over 80 Club Members on over 20 Day Sails as our Guests and Crew. This year, we are going to include more Skippers and Raft-Ups in this new Club Program. And it is free. |  | (see Photo above)
Our 1st Scheduled Raft-Up will be on Sunday, November 26th in Smoke House Bay on Marco Island, In 2019 we had more than a dozen boats rafted up on the Sunday at the end of Thanksgiving Weekend.
A Raft-Up is a created Island of Boats on an Anchor in the middle of a calm, well protected bay – see photo below. Here we relax and enjoy a pot-luck lunch with sailing buddies. Members can walk from boat to boat.
All Racers, Cruisers, Motorboaters, Members and their Families are welcome.
This will be both a “Sail -To” and a “Drive - To” event. As we have done in the past, we will have a dinghy shuttle service bringing Members from the Esplanade Marina docks (Home of CJs and Mangos) the few hundred feet to the Raft-Up.
This is a FUN Family Event. Please Mark your Calendars – Sunday, 11/26/2023.
More details to follow for all of our Day Sails and Raft-Ups.
This program, as well as all other Club Programs will be Presented, Explained and Members will have a chance to sign-up for all events and programs at our “Kick-Off” November General Membership Meeting on Wednesday, 11/8/2023 at Moss Hall. Please Mark your Calendars.
Now Let’s Go Sailing,
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SMALL BOATS
Fleet Captain Small Boats: Doug Foss
| | If you are a new member and interested in learning more, reach out to
Doug Foss
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Sugden Sundays at Sugden Park From 12 -3 PM:
Announcing the tentative Sugden Sunday dates for Season!
- Sunday November 12, 2023
- Sunday December 10, 2023
- Sunday January 21, 2024
- Sunday February 25, 2024
- Sunday March 10, 2024
- Sunday April 14,2024
Announcing: New Certification process for volunteer Skippers at Sugden. Thank you to Doug Foss for writing it all up. The document is available on the website in the News --> Documents --> Volunteering section HERE.
Where: Lake Avalon in Sugden Park – 4284 Avalon Drive, Naples, Florida
Cost: $15 for a single, $25 for a couple and $30 for a family – pays for the facility, boats, & staff
($5 more for non-members)
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All Boat Owners - Racers, Cruisers, Sailboaters & Motorboaters
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GCSC wants to help you and your family get out on the water more often to both GCSC Calendared Events as well as informal Day Sails and Raft-Ups. Any time you wish to go for a sail, we will try (and usually succeed) in getting you compatible Crew or GCSC Members as guests to share the FUN.
Please send me an Email (Texts do NOT work well for me) with your contact info including your Phone Number, Size and type of boat, Boat Location, and the Dates when you want to go sailing.
I will get back to you via phone promptly.
Now, Let’s Go Sailing.
PS If you do not have a boat in Florida, we will be contacting you soon. We did not forget you.
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Our Next Member Meeting is
Wed. September 13th! 6pm
(Always the 2nd Wed. of the month)
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🏨 Location: Moss Hall at Moorings Presbyterian 791 Harbour Dr. Naples
👩🏫 Speaker is Paul Carlson, Terry Nauck, and Mark Diebolt will give a presentation regarding the recent delivery of Mark's 41ft Beneteau from Marco to Old Saybrook, CT - a 1300 mile delivery
🍴🙋 Join us at 6pm: Menu is Garlic Chicken Wings and Mediterranean Orzo Pasta Salad Please RSVP so we know how much food to order - Just Click Reply to this email and newsletter@gulfcoastsailingclub.org will get your RSVP!!
🍪 Please Bring a dessert to share! Thank you!
🥤Y🍺 🍷BYOBeverages as always
P.S. Burgees will be available for sale at the meeting please bring $65 in cash or check (see image below)
See you on the 13th!
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Please Welcome our Newest Members!
| August 2023:
Gulf Coast Sailing Club welcomes the New Members who joined GCSC in August:
Jeffrey Fabacher has a Centaur 26 named Truman. He's interested in helping with Small Boat Program, Membership and Events & Planning. He wants to Day Sail, Cruise and Race.
Grahame and Melissa Horsell have a Trimaran Windrider 17. and Corsair dash 750. He's interested in helping with Small Boat Program, Membership and Events & Planning. He wants to Day Sail, Cruise and Race.
Frank and Gabriela Zalles, He is interested in helping with Committee Boat, Day Sail Mgmt, Cruising Mgmt, Small Boat Program, Video, Photography, Events & Planning. He wants to Day Sail, Cruise and Race.
Questions about Membership? Contact Terry Nauck, GCSC Membership Director at membership@gulfcoastsailingclub.org
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Renew (or Start!) Your Membership!
| Have you Renewed your Membership for this year?
Your current Gulf Coast Sailing Club membership Expired June 30, 2023. (Our fiscal year is July 1 to June 30)
Renew now! The annual membership fee is $115 and will cover your membership until the end of June, 2024.
Club dues allow the Club to provide:
⛵ Races & Cruises planned and put on
⛵ Day Sailing events planned and put on
⛵ Raft-Ups planned and put on
⛵ Charters planned and put on
⛵ Small Boats Events planned and put on
⛵ Sugden Sunday Fun Day's 🏊🍔 planned and put on
👩🏫 Monthly meetings planned with activities for engagement, fun, food, and occasional speakers
🎉 Parties with food
😋 Comradery with your fellow sailors
🙋♀️🙋♂️Unlimited volunteer opportunities
You can complete the payment process online with PayPal or a credit card.
If you prefer, you can mail a check for $115 to Gulf Coast Sailing Club, P.O. Box 2121, Naples, FL 34106 and your membership will be manually renewed.
Please include any changes to your contact information.
We look forward to seeing you at events, on committees, and on the water!
| Our Very Own GCSC Online Store!
You can also get to the Store on the website at Membership --> Merchandise (see pic below)
Please Note: Because all merchandise has our logo, it can be returned only if defective. If you need help with the Store, please contact Michael Charalambous michael@charalambous.us
Thank you Michael for setting up this Store for GCSC!
| Do you have a boat or equipment to sell? Equipment you need?
GCSC BURGEES and NAME TAGS:
You’re a member – say it loud and proud with a GCSC official Burgee or Name Tag!!
(Not a boat owner? Hang it at home or in your office!)
Burgees are large (17” X 25”) fully embroidered – not printed. $65
Name tags are magnetic (no damage to clothing) and feature our logo, your name, and either “member” or your boat name if you choose. $11
E-mail Paul Carlson the exact spelling of your name and whether you want to have a boat name added to your name tag at least a week before a meeting so he can deliver it to you at the meeting: skippersail1@gmail.com.
Pay Paul with cash or check when he gives you the name tag.
| Sailboat For Sale!
Grand Cru is a 1980 Bristol 35.5 a true classic beauty designed by Ted Hood with a history of excellent maintenance and many recent upgrades.
She is the centerboard model with shallow draft ideally suited for Florida coastal waters. |  | Our Club thrives on your expertise, enthusiasm, and your presence!
This is a list of current volunteer opportunities - and there are always more, so if you have a desire, let any flag officer or director know what that is and we'll help you find a spot you love! We appreciate you 😃
The fastest way to get to know your fellow sailors and members is to volunteer!
😃 Membership Director -Thank you to Denise Brown for volunteering for this important role!
😃 Mentors for new members - Help new members get acclimated to the club and introduce them to other members.
😃 YouTube video collector of educational sailing videos
😃 Committee Chair - Landside Events and Member Meetings
😃 Committee Members - Landside Events - help plan, execute, and set up & clean up at member meetings as well as social events.
😃 Backups for all Communications - for Facebook, the website, and Luff 'n Laff newsletter
😃 Sailing Certification Program Chair 😃 and Certification Captains - Help members improve and prove their sailing literacy so skippers can recruit them for crew.
😃 Race Captains - We will train you!
😃 Race Committee - We will train you! | |
Do you have a sailing story to share with the rest of us sailors? Please submit your story to Michael Charalambous or Laurie Conrod at newsletter@gulfcoastsailing.org.
| Our Gulf Coast Sailing Club Mission
As Naples and Southwest Florida’s leading volunteer sailing club, we support inter-club racing, cruising, day sailing, social events, and boating education for the benefit of sailors and their families. Let’s keep it fun.
Our Gulf Coast Sailing Club Strategy
· Be an innovative volunteer and non-profit organization of beginner, intermediate and experienced sailors.
· Provide year-round on-the-water and land-based activities for our members, their families, and their guests.
· Build a robust sailing program by interfacing with all southwest Florida sailing clubs and coordinating interclub activities.
· Build community outreach through supporting local boating programs and marine industries.
· Actively support sailing and seamanship education programs.
Our Gulf Coast Sailing Club Core Values
· Maintain a welcoming and friendly environment for all.
· Respect all levels of experience and interest.
· Exhibit leadership, Integrity, and honesty.
· Have fun!
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