Hopefully, most of you will read this before sailing practice tomorrow. E-mails have become a way of life for all of us and quite frankly, it is the best way to contact you all with information that you should have. I simply cannot call each and every one of you. So, please check your e-mails periodically. I check mine fairly often, but some times I can't because I am giving lessons or teaching a course elsewhere. But you all can call me because I am only one person.

• The deadline for signing up for the Naples Cup Regatta is Saturday, Oct. 27. That allows everyone two weeks to make the necessary arrangements. It give VYBA a chance to figure out about how many coaches are going, who is pulling what trailer. It gives the host organization an idea of how many people to expect so they can make proper preparations regarding such items as T-shirts and food. But more importantly, it gives our sailors and their parents a chance to make reservations if the regatta requires an overnight stay. And of course, there is usually a special reduced rate for early bird registrants.

• Red White and Blue sailors have received new regatta sails. There are enough spars to allow each skipper to rig a practice sail along with a regatta sail. Practice sails will be kept in the wooden slots along the north side of the Pram Shed. Regatta sails will be kept in their bags in the hanging storage space just inside the main door.

• Crow's Nest Restaurant owner Steve Harner, dockmaster Jack Mehl and key people from the Crow's Nest came to Higel Park on Oct. 13 to feed some 30 people. Jack handed out the awards for the regatta which we held Oct. 6. In the Portsmouth Division, trophy winners were: 1, Jackie Sims. 2, Michelle Thomas. 3, Ben Mohney and Katie Paolillo. Red, White and Blue award winning skippers were: 1, Cara Patete. 2, Tyler Thorpe. 3, Paul Kreider. And in the Ernest Green Fleet, it was: 1, Stephan VerHulse. 2, Aubrey Khachetoorian. 3, Jonathan James. The luncheon originally had been scheduled for the restaurant but was changed to Higel Park.

• Along the same lines, the Venice Women's Sailing Assocation, also known as the Bitter Ends, voted to donate their entry fees for their part of the Crow's Nest Regatta to the VYBA. And Steve Harner very graciously matched those funds and gave VYBA a check for $1,220 when the women had their luncheon at the restaurant.

• Some sailors, mostly Green Fleeters, have been leaving their blades out. The blades must be put in the boats. First time offenders must sing a song to use their blades. That usually does the trick, but keel hauling is a definite possibility.

• VYBA wants to welcome back John Dexter, a long time volunteer who usually serves as committee boat for the Green Fleet. Mr. Dexter served in the Navy during World War II and is a member of the local Coast Guard Auxiliary

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