Text Box: mittee boat.  Maintenance of existing facilities continues:  moorings are inspected and repaired on a continuing basis; floating docks are repaired and expanded; the committee boat, tractor and out-haul receive routine maintenance.  Maintenance of the grounds is performed  primarily during a Spring and Fall work-day.  In April 2003, Club members completed the construction of a new, larger shelter which replaced one that had served the Club for more than 20 years.

Racing has always been a focal point of the activities of the Club.  In early years, the racing program was especially ambitious.  It was common to have a spring, summer, and fall series that included 24 races held on Wednesdays and Sundays plus long distance races, special regattas, balloon races, single-handed championships, and overnight races.  The Club joined the Central States Sailing Association (CSSA) and hosted several Association regattas.  BVYC won the CSSA award for best regatta of 1981, hosted several Kansas District Laser Championships, and hosted the Sweet 16 National Championships of 1976.  The early Club received a lot of public interest as well as financial support from the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce.  A large amount of public approval was won by offering free sailboat rides, sailing instruction, racing clinics, and novice races.  After a very flourishing racing beginning, publicity, and support (both external and from within the Club) gradually waned.  The low point for racing was 1988 when only the two traditional long distance races were held.  Since 1989, the Boards of Directors has aggressively pursued revitalization of the racing program.  The annual Racing Program normally includes about 10 round-the-buoy races and the two long distance (approximately 12 mile) races.  Once again, fleets of white sails rounding orange markers are familiar sights on many weekends at Lake Tuttle.

Social events have not changed significantly throughout the years.  The Club By-Laws require that an annual meeting be held in November.  Traditionally, this meeting has been a social event with a banquet and program to complement the required business meeting.   The Club also inaugurates the sailing season with a Spring meeting and dinner.  In the Fall the popular pig roast  (and covered dish dinner) is held on the BVYC grounds; sandwiched between Spring and Fall are sailing events, moonlight sails, and barbecues.  In addition, small, informally organized groups often congregate at an anchorage or even on impromptu raft-ups during windless days. 

When the marina at Fancy Creek, near Randolph, was relocated to the spillway area, the Fancy Creek Yacht Club (FCYC) moved also.  Members of the FCYC enjoyed an  advantage of having slips for their yachts rather than

Previous   /   Next
Pages
:  i   ii   1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10   11   12   iii   iv

Page 9