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McKee to Speak at Annual Meeting Nov. 16

Olympian and CYC member Jonathan McKee will be the featured speaker at the club's annual general meeting Tuesday, Nov. 16 at the Shilshole clubhouse. The meeting, open to members only, will begin with a social hour starting at 6 p.m. and the program starting at 7 p.m.

Also at the meeting, club members will elect new officers and directors for 2011, and will hear reports on 2010 club activities and performance as well as plans for next year. A slate of candidates will be presented by the club nominating committee, chaired by Staff Commodore Joe James. Members are Suzette Connolly, Eric Sanderson, Jim Frazier and Carol Buchan.

The Nominating Committee present the following nominees for the 2011 CYC Board. Ballots have been mailed to voting members of CYC, and the election will occur at the Annual Membership Meeting at our Shilshole Clubhouse the evening of November 16, 2010.

Ballots are also available for downloading here.

Bios for CYC Officers and Directors

Candidate for Commodore, Wayne Balsiger, has been a member of CYC since 1981 and was commodore in 1991; Wayne has agreed to step forward once again to bring his experience in support of CYC. He currently races his Thistle, Rainbow and serves a USYRU judge at local events. Wayne ran the highly successful Heart of CYC fundraising campaign and is now an analyst for T-Mobile.

Candidate for Vice Commodore, Ken Johnson, has been a member of CYC since 1978. . An attorney, Ken is a long-time member of the Seattle San Juan 24 Fleet and currently owns and races Grauer Geist. He has been active in the club for many years, including assembling nominees for CYC's annual awards for review by the board as well as serving on the CYC Board.

Candidate for Rear Commodore, Bruce Vandeventer. Bruce's involvement with sailing goes back to his parent, who started sailing with CYC in Blanchards in the 1950's and then later sailed OK dinghies. Bruce was a junior member of CYC in the 1970's where he sailed C-Larks at Leschi. Later he became involved with the racing program first as a whaler driver and then later as PRO. Bruce is a former fleet captain-Race and currently is actively racing a 505 and the Melgest 24 Wiggle Room which he partners with Chris Johnson. He's also been the organizer for the CYC Rookie Rally for the past several years. Bruce is also a certified ski and snowboard instructor and instructor examiner.

Candidate for Fleet Captain Race, Jerry Diercks, has been a CYC member since 2005. Jerry is seeking to continue on in the position for an additional year. Jerry races his J105 Delirium when he isn't working on keeping our CYC race committee equipment in working condition.

Candidate for Fleet Captain Cruise, Mike Irish has been a CYC member since 2001. Mike enjoys racing his San Juan 24 weeknights on Lake Washington and racing and cruising his Cal 40 on the Sound. Mike has been a CYC Director in charge of facilities.

Candidate for Treasurer, Remmert Wolters, has been a member of CYC since 2003. Remmert is seeking to continue in his role of treasurer for an additional year. Remmert is an active member of the J24 fleet having made the transition from many years at the helm of his San Juan 24. As a board member he's worked to enhance members CYC Lake sailing experience by taking the lead on events such as the Lake Sailors Appreciation Night this past summer.

Candidate for Secretary, Lydia Volberding, has been a member of CYC since 2007. Lydia bought an Olson 30 and became involved with the Tacoma Women's Sailing Association. She has participated in two Vic-Maui's, the Van Isle 360, two Bayview Mackinac races, three Newport to Ensenada races, several Swiftures and a number of ocean deliveries. Lydia is actively involved with the Seattle J24 fleet, skippering her boat Jailbreak. When she is not sailing her own boat, Lydia can be found aboard the J109 Tantivy.

Candidate for two year Director, Brian Watkins, has been a CYC member since 2006. He started racing off Shilshole in CYC races as a kid with his family in the early 70's and has been enjoying sailing and boating ever since. He has raced with some of the region's best in Etchells, J-24, and PHRF fleets, raced dinghies at Tufts, skippered his own keelboat, volunteered for several years with the Leukemia Cup, and organized many of the races in our area. Currently, he is doing more race committee and judging work for adult and junior events. Brian thinks it's good to have multiple clubs in the area since each has their own character and that it's also important for clubs to work together to build our sport.

Candidate for two year Director, Bob Ross, has been a CYC member since 1983. Bob has served on CYCs board twice before and is the outgoing treasurer, 3 terms, for the Northwest Yacht Brokers Association. Many may know Bob from his starting J/Fest NW in 1984 and saving Whidbey Island Race Week in 1994 and heading it up for 14 years. He has been a J/24 fleet co-captain, organizer of the NW MORC championships, the first Lake Moonlight Race, Friday Night Sail Fest, Sail Sandpoint benefit regatta and been instrumental in forming all the J/Boat One Design Fleets in the NW.

He has been in the marine business for most of his life, over 35 years. He is the owner of Sail Northwest, dealers for J/Boats, MJM Yachts and a full service boat brokerage. Bob is managing partner in the Seattle Sailing Club which has over 200 members and will give over 700 adult sailing lessons this year. Bob's goal is to help build membership by exploring the offering of more services other than just racing. "We have resources at our disposal that are underutilized. These resources should be used to enhance the club experience for our members and give new benefits to belong to CYC."

Candidate for two year Director, Jonathan Flack: 42 year old father of newborn daughter Nanami, has been sailing since the age of 5 when his grandparents gave him his first sailboat (a Sunfish). Growing up in Seattle he soon found crew positions on many varied yachts sailing out of CYC and enjoyed many years sailing in varied positions before falling in love with the Star Class just prior to relocating to New York City for school.

While living in New York Jonathan actively sailed Stars and Vanguard 15's at Cedar Point Yacht Club as well as serving as crew on numerous one design yachts, including a National Championship on Dave Dellenbaugh's Thistle, tactician and trimmer for two time Soverell 33 NA Champion 'Burnaham Wood,' and numerous others, including the Edlu Trophy winning 'Strider' on which he served as navigator, tactician and helmsman.

Jonathan also sails aboard numerous classic S&S yachts back east as helmsman in the annual Pannerai classic series and is returning this spring to Antigua to drive the famed Puffin II in the annual Classic regatta.

Since returning home to Seattle Jonathan has become active on a number of boats including Commodore Rahn's Rubber Ducky on which he serves as Tactician. Jonathan will be rejoining the CYC Star fleet next year.

Candidate for one year Director, John Fry, has been a member of CYC since 1998. An avid dingy sailor, since joining the club he has primarily raced in Snipes, with an occasional outing in his Laser. John learned to sail in Sabots on Alamitos Bay in Long Beach at the age of 8, and has enjoyed a passionate love of sailing ever since. Since 1975 he has raced 505's at the local, national, and international level, with an occasional foray into the Flying Dutchman.

John works as a Senior Portfolio Manager for the US Bank in Seattle and lives on Mercer Island with his family. He is past Fleet Captain for Snipe Fleet 444 at Leschi and current member of the CYC Board of Directors and CYC Lake Council.

Prior to moving to the Seattle in 1998, he lived in the New York area and raced Stars at the Cedar Point YC in Westport, Ct and Interclub's during the winters at the Larchmont YC in Larchmont, NY. Growing up in Chevy Chase, MD, John spent many of his summers sailing the waters of the Chesapeake Bay and was a member of the Severn Sailing Association.

There are three continuing Board members