Although the weather did not cooperate and we had a few mechanical setbacks we enjoyed some very pleasant sails thanks to Connie gentle prodding and Hugo more vigorous urging.

We could not bring Whimbrel to the Riverlovers ShadFest but joined them at the park until the weather forced us out.

Our first sail of the season was on May 28th and it showed us Whimbrel was ready so on June 17th Captain Lenny with Sue, Gertha and Lionel as crew went over to the Revival at Croton Point and took some friends and family sailing. Duke, Mara, Bob, Connie, Elise, Walter and Mary Catherine were at the Sloop Club Tent representing FerrySloops. The next day with Gertha and Hugo (who just became a member)

 

Lenny took the Clearwater photographers around the bay so they could take close up pictures of all the boats.        

On July 3rd we renewed our tradition of watching the Fireworks from the river and sailed across to Haverstraw.

The following Friday: Captain Gerhard with Hale, Connie, Elise, Gertha and Joe as crew went down to Nyack so he could judge the Wacky Boat Race held by the Rockland Friends of Clearwater the next day. On Saturday Duke, Mara, Connie, Elise, Walter and Mary C. manned the Booth at the Nyack Memorial Park while Gerhard, Hale, Gertha and Lionel took Whimbrel back to Senesqua after the race.

July 30th Captain Gerhard, Joe, Ken, Connie, Elise and Hale took Whimbrel out on a morning sail and I tracked them aboard Kirolou so I could take pictures of Whimbrel sailing on the Hudson. On the way back they sailed Whimbrel to a slip at the Half Moon Bay Marina that our honorary member Roger Blaho was going to let us use until he got his own boat there. It was a relief as Whimbrel had been quite battered by the weather at the Senesqua mooring. Lionel       

 

 

We Missed You

This could have been you enjoying the breeze and Sharing the Beauty of the Hudson.

 

August 9th, Joe, Emil (our latest member) Roger and Lionel took Whimbrel out to make sure she was ready for the trip to Beacon the following week-end.

We are back on the right tack

Saturday August 12th Captain Gerhard with Hale, Hugo, Joe and Lionel as crew sailed Whimbrel up river to Beacon for the Beacon Sloop Club Corn Festival. With the approval and a little help from Pete Seeger who happened to be there when we docked we set up to take the public out for sails on Sunday alternating with the Woody Guthrie. We had four sails with a very nice breeze and took out about 20 guests.

 

                                                                        (We may even have enticed a future captain. )

We plan to go up to Beacon again October 15 for the BSC Pumpkin Festival

We also plan to have our Annual Membership Meeting and Potluck on November 11th at 2:00 PM in Randy's Barge at Randy King Marina in Verplank. Among the topics to be discussed will be the election of board members and our plans for 2007.

The Meeting will be followed at 4:00 PM by a Potluck where we will again ask Riverlovers to join us to  celebrate our common love of the River.

 

Why I joined FerrySloops (by Hugo Strubbe)

I wanted to meet people that liked to sail on the Hudson...

I checked out the Ferrysloops organization at their meeting in April got quickly involved, and on May 28, I sailed Whimbrel, their boat-- or by now, "our" boat!

I had heard from friends that Ferrysloops was an organization that introduces people to the pleasures of sailing on the Hudson river. I consider this a worthwhile activity, so I checked out their organization by attending 2 of their monthly meetings. I found a small group of keen, dedicated members, highly in need of help and additional manpower to achieve their big plans.

So I became a member, and helped to get their boat, Whimbrel, ready for the season. Finally, on Sat. May 20, expectations were high, as we hoped  to take her for the inaugural sail of the season. We wanted to show her off at the Shad-fest the next day. But our luck run out when we discovered that the steering gear was broken.

Therefore, no sailing on Sunday ... which was in fact not much of a setback, as the weather did not collaborate that day. We would not have sailed much anyway. Instead I had a look at the good-looking and well-organized Ferrysloops booth on land.

On May 28, the hot Sunday of Memorial weekend, we undertook a new sailing attempt. Various people had made repairs during the week, and everything was in fine shape. So after a few more hours of preparation, we (7 people!) finally set sail in a 5 knot breeze. Everybody was delighted.

As I had never sailed a boat of that type, I thoroughly tried her out when I was given the helm, to see how she tacked and gibed, luffed and bore away, etc. She feels like a really nice yacht.

I can't wait to take her out in somewhat more wind for an exciting trip, meet many more members aboard -- in particular the sailors of the previous boat, and share with them the pleasures of sailing on the Hudson.

 

WELLCOME BACK ABOARD

After a somewhat slow start FerrySloops is back on the River sharing its beauty. We need you on board even more now to keep the wind in our sails, not just by making sure your membership is current but, even more so, by participating in our events, regaining your sea legs and reclaiming your position as land or boat crew of FerrySloops

 

Visit our Web Site at

www.ferrysloops.org

Or Join our E-group

groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrysloops