Let me welcome all current and new Clear Lake Yacht Club members to a new sailing season.  We have much to celebrate.   

Recognition of all our combined efforts embodied by our Club being named the Best One-Design Club of the year by US Sailing.  I’ll let the Press Release from US Sailing, national organizing and sanctioning body for sailing in the United States, speak for itself:

“• One-Design Club of the Year: Clear Lake Yacht Club

Clear Lake Yacht Club in Clear Lake, Iowa, has received the One-Design Club of the Year award. The Club is run entirely by volunteers and offers a variety of racing events for numerous one-design classes including Hobie 16, Optimist, E, C, MC and X classes as well as a sailing school, with US SAILING certified programs for both youth and adults. The Club consistently operates with a positive cash flow enabling them to fund regattas, youth programs and scholarships as well as make charitable donations. Each year, the Club has seen increases in every class due to the visibility of the club in the community and the success of the sailing school converting students to lifelong sailors. Clear Lake Yacht Club has become a centerpiece of the Iowa community, not typically thought to be a sailing region, by creating a fun, successful, social, one-design sailing organization run solely by dedicated volunteers for the past 75 years.”

Many thanks to all that made this possible.  Special thanks to Chris Wessels for his efforts to develop the application for recognition. 

The Clear Lake “CLEAR” Project nears completion.  The CLEAR Project has been supported from inception by the Club and our membership.  As a Club, we’ve contributed money and more importantly, many of our members have given their time to turn this vision into reality.  We are proud and happy to be part of this great project that has at its core, a determination, to assure that the waters of Clear Lake will be improved and preserved for future generations of sailors. 

Positive revenue growth to provide continued support for all Yacht Club activities.  Several years ago, the Board began to recognize that our reliance on the revenue generated by the Club’s hosting of major regattas for on and off lake sailors was declining.  The Board made the tough decision that our annual registration fees needed to increase to offset the decline.  Last year was the first year of our revised registration fees.  Our registration numbers declined slightly, but we saw positive financial results without the benefit of a major regatta.  Well done! 

Accolades and accomplishments aside, the constants that have made our Club successful are our members.  Our commitment to sailing is based on a friends and family approach.  Friendly competition on the water and family involvement in our social activities is a constant.  Plan to attend all (or at least one) of our social events this season to see for your self. 

Development of new sailors by our Sailing School is our focus for future growth of the Club.  Through the efforts of many volunteers, the Sailing School is set to provide practical sailing education to all pupils of all ages.  

Please join us for another season of Sailing, Learning, Fellowship and FUN!  
 

                                                                                                                                       Commodore         Dave 

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Last updated May 31, 2009   X