Greetings RYC,
I want to extend my thanks and best wishes for the 2025-26 season. It's a surprise to be your Commodore once again. I appreciate Patti Spaulding for her service over the past year. Due to unforeseen personal issues, our succession planning went awry, and emergency arrangements had to be made. Having already served as Commodore for two years, it seemed best for me to step in and keep the ship on an even keel.
The Annual General Meeting (AGM) in September was well attended and significant. This meeting is one of our most important gatherings. In 2021, I was first asked to join the Flag Officers as Vice-Commodore at this meeting. I am pleased to announce that Jeff Merz is our new Vice Commodore and Mark Stetler is our new Rear Commodore. They were discovered at the AGM, too. Thank you both.
After a review and rewrite by Lenny Reich, Randy Picklemann, and the Excomm team, we have a new set of ByLaws approved at the AGM. This is the first update in many years and now accurately reflects the Club's current operations. It should see us well into the future. I appreciate all the effort that went into this important work.
We have had many discussions over the years about improving our Club, and the best way to do that is for more of us to get involved. Everyone's a volunteer, with some like George Sayer volunteering for decades. We encourage anyone with a special interest to join the Race Committee, Finance Committee, Waterfront Committee, Cruise Committee, Communications Committee, or Membership Committee. All need fresh voices and greater participation.
Special recognition goes to Yvonne Smith, who has been seen driving the Race Committee's boat on the racecourse countless times and has also been our long-term bookkeeper. Yvonne is unable to continue this important work, and I want to thank her for her dedication to the Club. Ken Von Felton is our new Treasurer, and he wants to establish an advisory Finance Committee. Volunteers are urged to help.
On the Facilities side, Ralph Manglass has stepped down. Thank you, Ralph, for all your efforts. Ken Wexler has officially taken over, and we have completed the handover. I look forward to working with Ken over the next year to keep our clubhouse in top shape.
Remember, we're having a Launch Driver course here at RYC on October 18 & 19, run by Boatwise. This is the first step to getting Coast Guard certification to drive "GinnieT." Drivers sign up for 6-hour shifts from mid-June to mid-September. They deliver you to your boat, recruit new members, and watch over our boats. It’s the coolest job on the water! By the way, members make great launch drivers.
As we enter the darkest time on the Coast of Maine, boating is but a dream. I’ve been sailing for over 20 years, and it never gets easier to put the boat away and prepare for freezing weather. Our new Sabre 34, S/V "Serenity," went on the hard a week ago and will be covered soon. I'm already thinking about spring!
I hope you are all well and look forward to seeing you at the next RYC event this fall.
Tim Woodworth
Commodore
Duck Harbor, Isle l'hautOn September 20th, the club gathered for our annual lobster bake and steak dinner, followed by the Annual Meeting. A total of 22 lobsters and 9 steaks were served alongside delicious sides and desserts brought by members. Many thanks to everyone who contributed, helped with preparation, and pitched in with the cleanup. The evening was filled with end-of-season stories and talk of haul-out preparations.
The Annual Meeting was held after dinner, with attendance easily meeting the quorum requirement. Highlights included:
Thank you to all who attended in person and to those who submitted proxy votes for the Bylaws change. A special thanks and congratulations to our new flag officers!
Meet our new Vice Commodore Jeff Merz
Jeff and Jan live in Rockport and are dedicated Etchells racers. Jeff is working closely with the Commodore and is engaged in many committees and monthly meetings.
From Jeff:
We attended our first Annual Meeting expecting to swap stories with friends, meet new people, and enjoy a lobster dinner. Being asked to step into Club operations as Vice Commodore was not on my mind. That said, it has been a busy week of emails, calls, and meetings. I am happy to volunteer my time, experience, and support for the mission of the RYC.
We have both been passionate sailors for over 60 years, ever since our families moved separately to Greenwich, CT. Junior and scholastic sailing, instructing, cruising, dinghy and big-boat racing—both inshore and offshore—have been, and continue to be, important parts of our lives. Our first Etchells was a wedding present to ourselves. We campaigned her for 15 years in the local fleet, up and down the East Coast, and in the ’92 World Championships. After selling the Etchells, we spent two years chartering in other areas before buying a Farr 37. We cruised and raced her between Long Island Sound and Cape Cod for five years until she was totaled in a winter boatyard incident.
When we learned there was a developing Etchells fleet in Rockland, our decision on what boat to buy—and where to base our sailing—was clear. We’ve enjoyed our time as members and look forward to meeting and getting to know more RYC members moving forward.
Meet our new Rear Commodore Mark Stetler
Sailing for over 18 years, Mark holds a 200 ton USCG Masters License and has served honorably in the United States Navy. His recent offshore voyages include the Bahamas, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Cuba, and the Virgin Islands. Most of Captain Mark’s experience offshore has been single-handed sailing or short-handed sailing with limited crew. He also raced his Ericson 380 in Charleston, SC, for ten years.
A recent article to see some of Mark's adventures in Charleston:
Annual Meeting
2024 Dinner and Annual MeetingThe Maine Rocks Race was held September 16–17. Six boats registered, although two had to withdraw for personal reasons. The four remaining captains and crews gathered at the clubhouse on Friday, September 15, for the skippers’ meeting. With the forecast calling for light winds and little to no breeze by late Sunday morning, the course was shortened from 120 miles to 102.
The race began at 10:00 AM. Competitors pushed on through the day, rounding Matinicus Rock Light by sunset while managing light winds and strong incoming tides. By midnight, winds faded further, and three of the four boats retired after recalculating their projected finish times. The inspirational Libra pressed on, finding pockets of wind. She became the only boat to finish, crossing the line at 11:48 AM the next morning — a total of 25 hours, 48 minutes of racing.
Each of the boats came to the race with different goals. Some sought the challenge, having competed in prior years, while Laurana aimed to gain experience for a planned future overnight to Nova Scotia. Along the way, sailors enjoyed unforgettable moments: whales surfacing close by, the striking view of Matinicus Rock Light, and the unique feeling of being out on the open ocean.
Congratulations to all four boats and their crews for taking part. Maine Rocks is a demanding race, and participation alone is an accomplishment worth celebrating.
Ready for an adventure? Sail in the 2026 Maine Rocks race!
Russ Moser
Matinicus Rock Light
Sunset rounding Matinicus Rock Light
Sunset rounding Matinicus Rock Light
Happy Crew
Happy Crew
Libra rounding Mt. Desert Rock at first lightRYC’s racing season came to a beautiful end in mid-September with the relaunch of the Maine Rocks race, an overnighter of +100 nautical miles around Matinicus Rock and then on to Mt Desert Rock for single-, double-, and fully crewed boats. We had six hardy entries this season with four boats on the line
and only one finishing the race. Libra, from the Harraseeket Yacht Club was the only boat able to find some wind along the course to make it back to the finish line Rockland Harbor in just under 26 hours! Much enthusiasm and goodwill in this racing group and we expect to see them all back out for Maine Rocks! next season.
RYC’s Tuesday Night Racing series ended on a beautiful evening with five boats on the line as we managed to get in three races despite the dying winds. Totalitarian Regime, skippered by Jeff Dinse, took the top honors once again followed by ELLEA, skippered by Todd Schwendeman, in second and Take Two in third, skippered by Jan and Jeff. Merz. 2025 was an incredibly active racing season for the Etchells and made more exciting by the arrival of new boats and new skippers and their crews. The competition got better by the week and the fleet continues to support one another while we all look to expand the number of racers out on the water.
Recruitment was a top item this past season and I could not have done it without my fabulous Race Committee comprised of Jesse Henry, Randy Picklemann and Tim Woodworth. From the 2024 to the 2025 racing season, the number of boat registrations increased by 60% while the net proceeds from racing registrations increased by 53%. We intend to grow these numbers even more in 2026.
The Race Committee is looking into various ideas around some off-season activities from a crew match party to racing seminars and more. Please don’t hesitate to reach out with any ideas or suggestions.
Wishing you all a fabulous off-season and hoping you’re return to the water in 2026 will include some of our racing events!
Laura Shields-Haas
Race
Maine Rocks Start
Last Tuesday Night Series RaceThe Coast Guard is requesting additional public input on proposed changes to Northeast aids to navigation (ATON). This is an important second chance for mariners to speak up before final decisions are made.
If you use these buoys, please consider sending an email before November 15. In your feedback, be sure to include:
Submit comments by email to:
D01-SMB-DPWPublicComments@uscg.mil
Additional resources:
Your action truly makes a difference. Thanks to public feedback, over half of the buoys originally proposed for discontinuation have already been saved. Let’s make sure our local buoys remain in place!
Dennis Jud
As the boating season winds down, we still have opportunities to get together off the water!
Harvest Potluck – October 25th, 5-8 PM
Join us at the clubhouse for a cozy fall potluck. Bring your favorite autumn dish to share — hearty soups, savory casseroles, apple crisps, or anything that says “harvest season.” It’s a wonderful way to celebrate the close of the season together.
🎄 Rockland Yacht Club Holiday Party 🎄
Mark your calendars — the highlight of our off-season is just around the corner! The annual Rockland Yacht Club Holiday Party is coming up, and we can’t wait to celebrate together.
Expect an evening of great food, holiday cheer, and plenty of laughter as we wrap up the year with fellow sailors and friends. There will be festive decorations, music, and of course, the chance to swap sea stories while raising a toast to the season.
Date & Time: December 6th, 4-7 PM
Location: Mark and Caroline Stetler's house in Rockland
Winter Game Nights
We’re planning a series of informal game nights hosted at members’ homes throughout the winter. It’s a fun way to stay connected, share a few laughs, and keep the RYC spirit alive until spring.
Stay tuned for more details and invitations coming soon. We hope to see you there!
Liz vonFelten
Help build Club recognition around the harbor—and knock out your Christmas gift list at the same time! Our Team One Newport store has club-branded gear for every season:
Shop now:
team1newport.com/Rockland-Yacht-Club
Tip: These make awesome Christmas presents—order early to account for production and shipping times. Wear your RYC gear at events and around town to help spread the word!
We learned that our members Bruce and Eleanor Krause are celebrating there 67th wedding anniversary September 27th. Congratulations!!
 1958 Photo by Bruce Krause |  2025 Photo by Bruce Krause |
Julie Moser
Russ Moser
Membership
Ken Von Felton -(Temp)Chair, Tim Woodworth, Mark Stetler, Lenny Rich, Bruce Krause, Ken Pride, Kirk Folk, Ralph Manglass, John Banta, Laura Haas, Jeese Henry, Howard Robbins
The 2025 Season came to and end with the running of RYC's Maine Rocks race in mid-September. Our end-of-season tasks started with Bruce Krause and Russ Moser using their trucks to haul the boats from the Snow Park ramp to Lake Chickawaukie to dunk the saltwater out of the motors and off the trailers. Then off to Port Harbor for oil changes and winterization. Bruce and Russ took the boats on 9/29 to Star Boat in Saint George. We will be gathering there in the next few weeks to shrink-wrap them and complete the process. Volunteers needed.
Happily, our harbor launch "GinnieT" ran perfectly all summer with that snazzy new Mercury motor. The Race Committee’s boat, "Tuesday Nights" had a carefree summer as well. We had a strong and professional launch driver crew this summer, though there are several retirements coming up. Hence, we are hosting the Boatwise launch driver course on October 18 & 19. Please consider taking the course and joining the driving crew!
We are recruiting a new Waterfront Committee Chair. This person will work closely with the Executive Committee and become part of the RYC management team. Interested? Contact Ken or Tim.
Ken von Felton
Launch and RC Boat at Winter Storage
Bruce Krause and Russ Moser
Bruce KrausePhoto submissions for the 2026 calendar closed on September 30. By the deadline, 58 photos had been submitted, with quite a few coming in right up until the end. Thank you to everyone who contributed!
Now comes the fun part. We get to vote on which ones will make up our calendar. When voting, please indicate how many calendars you would like to pre-order. The estimated price is about $25 each, possibly less if discounts are available through Vistaprint. It's a great deal! Having a good pre-order count really helps with the always-tough decision of how many to get printed.
Remember — they make wonderful Christmas gifts! The calendars are printed on high-quality cardstock, and the photos can even be framed after the year is over. The Executive Committee is working to place most Club dates on the 2026 calendar.
Voting is open October 1–15. View the photos and cast your vote here:
Russ Moser
Information : https://boatwise.com/launch-operators-license
Contact Boatwise to sign up
Phone : (603) 394-0412
Website : https://boatwise.com
Other Questions Contact :
Ken von Felton RYC - bookkeeper@rocklandyachtclub.org
Mark Scheffer CYC - j35surprise@gmail.com
Peter Orne LM - pete@lymanmorse.com
Ken von Felton
Brian Guck is a member of the RYC and the Boston Station of the Cruising Club of America (CCA). The CCA consists of sailors who have extensive offshore experience. It sponsors a variety of Safety at Sea training programs. This month Brian shared two CCA articles he thought might be of interest as people are getting ready to store their boats for the off season.
Russ Moser - Communications
Seven of the Club’s Etchells owners gathered on September 20 at Journey’s End Marina to coordinate a haul-out event. Skipper of the Etchells "Ellea" Todd Schwendeman used his center-console powerboat to tow each of the seven Etchells from its mooring to the Travelift. The lift operator hauled the boats, placed them on trailers, and then the team unstepped the masts.
The day started early at 7:30 AM, and by 11:00 AM the work was complete. A big "Thank You!" to everyone involved for a great team effort.
Boats participating: "Take Two," "Ballerine," "Ellea," "Toodle Pip," "No Name Yet," "Touch of Grey," and "Totalitarian Regime."
Etchells Haulout
Morning Haulout
🍂 October 25 (Saturday) — Harvest Potluck
🕓 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Celebrate the season with hearty fall dishes, friends, and good cheer at the clubhouse.
⸻
🎄 December 6th (Saturday) — RYC Holiday Party
🕓 4:00 PM – late
Share some holiday cheer with Club members with fellowship, stories and a Yankee Swap! ($20max). More details to come.
Events