TELL TALES (June 29, 2007)

All: Am reviving VYBA's newsletter that has come out periodically in the past, varying from seasonally to weekly. Hope to send out this new version at least once a month, but may make it weekly. For openers, information won't be listed in any particular order. And I hope to hold early editions to only one page.

• VYBA is advertising for a new coach to replace Kevin Dooley and replies are trickling in.

• Lake Eustis Sailing Club will host a "Sail Fast" racing clinic in conjunction with its annual fall regatta on Oct. 20-21. Classes will include Optimists, Lasers, and 420's. Unfortunately, it is the same weekend as the annual Junior Olympics Regatta (River Romp). However, for more information, go to Lakeeustissailingclub.org. Martin Zonnenberg is the contact person.

• Many thanks to Jin Dietrich who has been taking many photographs at our events. She not only has been gracious enough to share them with some of the subjects, but has provided the media Ð such as "Southwinds" magazine and the Venice Gondolier Ð with some excellent shots.

• In case you missed it, Mark Jaquith married Sarah Macy at St. Martha's Catholic Church in Sarasota on May 5. He is the older brother of VYBA sailor J.P. Jaquith.

• As usual, summer sailing sessions will continue during the Fourth of July holiday. However, Venice Yacht Club is hosting a cardboard box boat race around the floating dock from 2 to 4 p.m. that afternoon. Sailors should be especially alert when they come in from Roberts Bay that day.

• There is a pile of clothing and other items in our lost and found box. Sailors and parents should check it soon because the contents are going to be given or thrown away. For example, there is a nice red jacket, a flight safety bag, a Venice sailing team shirt, two pairs of hiking pants, a purple back pack, a black jacket, a cap, seven pairs of gloves, a pair of Nike shoes, a black polo shirt, a sleeveless shirt, a t-shirt, a blue jacket and two wet suits. First come, first served.

• The annual Hula Cup, which is for female sailors only and hosted by the Luffin' Lassies in Sarasota, was postponed from Apr. 28 to some time in the Fall. A new date has not been set yet.

• Portsmouth sailors are relieved that the electric wire that ran between a couple of poles near the Higel Park launching ramp has been removed. Thanks go to the City of Venice for removing that safety hazard. Now our boats don't have to use the floating dock or lower their masts.

• We have a separate container for recycles. Please use it and don't throw your empty (or half empty) bottles and cans in the regular trash can. Or worse, don't leave them in the shell pit.

• We still have some openings in the summer sailing sessions. Talk it up among your friends and neighbors and see if we can fill the remaining slots. Sammy Waldron and Charlotte Sims are doing a superb job with our annual summer program and have spotted some real prospects for the advance program and possibly our new Ernest Green Fleet.

• Michelle Thomas and Cara Patete are leading their respective fleets going into tomorrow's (June 30) third race of the summer series. Both have two bullets. Ben Mohney is second to Michelle in the Portsmouth division with seven points and Bryan White is third with nine markers. There is a three-way tie for second in the Optimist class: Chloe Dietrich, Evan Dacey and Marissa Phillips. All have eight points. So far there have been nine boats in Portsmouth and 10 in Optis.