COMMODORE’S MESSAGE

The 2025 Season is off to a very auspicious start with Sailpast!

Despite a cloudy start, the weather steadily improved throughout the day. Boats were shipshape and Bristol fashion, and much fun was had. The highlight of the day was the exceptional High Tea, which was possibly the best I have ever had, and I speak with some experience in these matters! The tables were laden with delicacies including traditional Melton Mowbray pie, quiches, salads, and a particularly delicious Coronation Chicken, as well as a desert table including scones with real English clotted cream and jam! All my favourites, although I had absolutely nothing to do with the menu. This was really a tea for the ages, so much so, that our family had to forgo dinner! Tremendous thanks to Tina Burdett, Ingrid Heaslip, Kim Southerst, Denise Nosella, Karen McDonald and their team of helpers who prepared the delicious food and decorated the clubhouse to put on such a spectacular event.

Looking forward to seeing all of you at the dock or on the water this summer!

Nicholas Miller, Commodore, Valinor.

Welcome New Members

New Boats in the Club

Proudly displaying the coveted new boat mermaid fenders. Dock 5, Slip 3, Greg and Hilde Ballinger, Petrel - but not for long - swiftly taken by Dock 2, Slip 1: Andrew Mollard, Jenny Bunning and Charlotte, Four Winns.

ADMINISTRATIVE UPDATES: Parking

Designated guest parking bays are clearly marked and **require a guest pass**. If all bays are full, guests must find parking elsewhere

Have you arranged your parking passes? A maximum of two parking decals are issued annually for permanent placement on your front windshield. The location doesn’t matter as long as they’re visible. If you’ve lost your decal or need a replacement, contact the office for a replacement. With limited parking available, only one vehicle per membership is permitted in the parking lot.

Complete this FORM.
Pickup from the office.

Guest passes? New protocols: Guest passes will be available by request only. Members can contact the office to arrange a temporary Guest pass for a set date. A designated area with 7 clearly marked (white curb) guest parking stalls are available. If outside of EHYC staff hours (Mon-Fri 9.30-3.30)- text Ian with a photo of your vehicle plate and your name.

No guest parking overnight, on long weekends or during Club special events.

James Burdett, Vice Commodore, Bavaria 36.

A Note on the Yearbook and Member Roster.

As previously shared, EHYC will no longer be producing a printed Yearbook. Instead, everything you need to stay informed—past highlights, current updates, and what’s ahead—is now available on our website, in the Soundings blog, and through our weekly emails.

The only thing not published online is the Member Roster. For privacy reasons, we won’t post member emails or phone numbers online—even behind a password.

If you'd like a copy of the Member Roster:

a QR code will be available in the office. It links to a PDF version you can save to your device or print at home.
Alternatively you can request a printed copy from the office, or
a PDF copy sent to your private personal email (no company or institutional-linked email addresses please).

Alexandra Mancini, Executive Secretary, Sundancer.

Help Us Spread the Word: July and August kids sailing camps at Eagle Harbour YC.

We need your help to promote our Kids Sailing Camps this summer. If you know friends, neighbours, or local families who might be interested, please share our registration link with them!

We also have lawn signs available—if you live in a visible spot or know of a good community location, come grab a sign from the office and help us get the word out. Every share counts and helps grow the next generation of sailors at EHYC!

We have a sailing camp for all kids. They can work their way up from absolute beginner to the highest skill level, or repeat camps because they were so much fun. Taught by talented local instructors who learned here too, all of our camps are the perfect balance of learning, fun and wonderful summer memories.

This year, we’re offering 7 courses tailored to different age groups (7*-17) and skill levels. You don’t have to be a member to participate. All your kid needs is a little interest and lots of energy. Camps run for 1 or 2 weeks at a time from 9AM-4PM, Monday to Friday. Windless days also include paddleboarding, kayaking, swimming and other fun activities at the clubhouse, beach and local parks.

How to register and everything you need to know. *Age 6 accepted if turns 7 by the end of the year.

EHYC IMPROVEMENTS: Projects and Upgrades

**Parking Lot Wall Repair**

You may have noticed that the wall of the car park that adjoins the beach is in a poor state of repair and has some visible cracking. We have been monitoring these cracks for growth but a longer term solution is required . With the help of member Dave Pfeil, EHYC has engaged Thurber Engineering to do a geotechnical survey of that area of wall and car park to see what remedial work is required and we now await their report. Many thanks to Dave Pfeil for coordinating the visit and arranging quotes from various geotechnical companies.
**James Burdett**, Vice Commodore *Bavaria 36.*

Onshore Improvements: One thing EHYC members take pride in is the condition and appearance of our clubhouse, grounds, and docks. A particularly visible area—right along the public roadway—is the parking lot planter and its adjoining rock wall, which forms the border between the street and our parking lot.

Unfortunately, that wall takes a fair bit of abuse from drivers who underestimate the size of their vehicles. After one too many bumps, the corner needed a proper rebuild.

I’ve built dry stone rock walls before and have seen plenty done with just rock and concrete, but this one needed to stand up to more than just time—it needed to withstand impact. And nothing says internal strength like a layer of concrete reinforced with ½" and ⅜" rebar, hidden behind a face of rock - a surprise for any driver who happens to bump into it.

Jamie McJannet and Nick Hawley emptied the planter of soil in a previous workparty. Once the pieces of rubble were cleared away and calculations for volume of concrete completed, our small volunteer crew—myself, Greg Ballinger, Michael Booth and Ian got to work. We drilled into the base to set vertical rebar into the concrete pad, bent the horizontal bars to match the curve of the wall, and formed a thin plywood mould for the inside curve. This formed the inner face for the concrete pour, while the rock wall remained the outer face, with rebar and concrete sandwiched in between.

As we rebuilt the wall, I carefully selected stones to follow the classic 1-on-2 and 2-on-1 pattern, echoing the dry-stone craftsmanship seen across the English countryside. Concrete reaches about 67% of its full strength in 24 hours, but takes about three weeks to cure fully, so I came back later in drier weather to complete the mortar cap.

All told, the team put in about five hours of work just on the rebuild. Big thanks to Ian, Greg, Michael, Jamie and Nick for stepping up—your help keeps EHYC looking sharp for members and the community alike.

Bruce Pollock, Rear Commodore Offshore Pursuit.

This Saturday work party proved the mettle of our EHYC Garden Team. What a wet day, but despite the weather, we tackled the weeds and did a massive clean up of the gardens. The blackberry, scotch broom and ivy are quickly retreating and in their place we are planting a combination of natives and hearty perennials that are brightening up our space. These all compliment the beautiful cistus roses, rhododendrons and azaleas that Margaret planted and are delighting us with their progressive blooms.

I want to extend a big thank you to the members (and Ian) who showed up and did exemplary duty last weekend. I hope you will enjoy the fruits of your labours this summer and for years to come. For example, check out the new planter on the deck which has rosemary, mojito mint and (when it warms up) basil to share with members.

Nancy Brown, Landscape Committee Head, MatAshEron.

**Thank you Anita!**

A big thank you to Anita Green for her generous donation of plant material for our Beach Corner Garden. Anita's donation of a Serviceberry tree and evergreen huckleberry shrubs puts the finishing touches to a previously wild area of our gardens that were in need of rejuvenation after a tree was felled by a windstorm a few years ago. The donation was made possible from the sale of Anita's woven scarves at the Cork and Canvas last autumn, so much appreciation goes to our members for supporting our cause. We hope that you enjoy the warmth of the scarves and the beauty of this corner of our gardens.
**Nancy Brown**, Landscape Committee Head, *MatAshEron.*

**Dock Improvements:**

Our resident carpenter, Rob Sloss, continues to work on refurbishment of the docks. He is working on Dock 6, or ‘*Commodore's Row’* along with other vessels owned by current and past executives of EHYC. Don't get me wrong, Rob just happens to be following a logical dock by dock process and there is no favouritism intended.

Other upgrades to docks will include fire hose bibs, life ring and heaving line and fire extinguisher stations that have and continue to be installed at specified intervals on the dock.

Ian and I spent time running a new 1.5" water line to the docks. This included an exterior high density plastic sheath to prevent abrasion at the contact points along the rocky shoreline under the clubhouse. Water supply to docks should be good for another 20-25 years!

The Breakwater (BW) Committee; Commodore Nick Miller, Vice Commodore James Burdett and myself are exploring our options for the expected replacement for the BW. These options are: like for like (i.e. a newer old barge), a different system (i.e. like the Lund BW) or something similar to Sewell's BW, except much smaller. At this point in time, we have approximately 2-4 years left in the serviceability of the existing BW. It is our objective to come back to the executive this year with our recommendations for replacing the existing BW.

On the work party front we continue to ask for volunteers to install dock ladders for egress. These ladders are an asset and are simple to install. Ian has done a nice job on the installation protype. Anyone that volunteers for this task will certainly be adding that extra layer of safety to the EHYC docks.

Finally, I wanted to congratulate those EHYC members and families that were able to pass recent the Radio Operators Certificate (Marine) with Digital Selective Calling course offered by EHYC in March. Please take every opportunity to follow the proper protocols when operating your VHF.

J Bruce Pollock, Rear Commodore, Offshore Pursuit.

Work Parties

How to signup for a work party

Select the work party you’re interested in on the website or below, Click BOOK and turn up - it’s that easy.

EHYC Winter Socials: Anniversary Dinner to Sailpast

Anniversary Dinner, April 5. The Club's 56th Anniversary was observed with a celebratory dinner. The event was designed to showcase the Club's history, emphasizing its founding and the construction of the current clubhouse. The clubhouse was elegantly decorated with magnolia boughs, enhancing its aesthetic appeal. Tables, named after spring flowers, featured corresponding floral centerpieces, complemented by pink napkins bearing the club's motif, creating an elegant presentation. Upon arrival, members were greeted by live guitar music performed by Alex Dougherty while reviewing the menu and seating arrangements. The bar offered an expanded selection of wines, primarily from British Columbia, with additional choices from Argentina and Australia.

Rear Commodore Bruce Pollock served as Master of Ceremonies. He delivered a compelling historical review, which is reproduced here in its entirety. During his presentation he asked past Commodores to stand up to be recognized. Similarly, he asked everyone present who had helped in the construction of the clubhouse to stand.

Clubhouse Construction Team: Ingo Klose, Margaret and Roger Campbell, Andy Cleminson, Lynn Spink, Jan Schier, Chester Spink, Al Lill and Tom Bowen.

Philippe Segur, our chef for the evening, maintained his usual calm and diligent demeanor. Following the speech, plates of appetizers were presented to each table for communal enjoyment. Each member's entree had been pre-selected; the options included prime rib, salmon and prawns, or a vegetarian (mushroom and polenta) alternative. The attentive servers efficiently delivered each member's chosen dish to their table. Serving 63 people in such a short time frame was a challenging feat; yet, it was flawlessly executed.

During our dinner, there was much discussion about the clubhouse's construction, particularly from those who had been involved. Several members asked if we could hear from some of those participants. Bruce kindly introduced me to lead this discussion. After a brief introduction I invited Al Lill, a former Commodore instrumental in initiating and navigating the project through the District of West Vancouver, to share his recollections. He recounted some challenges they faced but also their unwavering determination to succeed, explaining that continuing was essential due to the lower floors flooding during spring high tides. We then heard from Tom Bowen, the project architect. He shared some of the challenges encountered, such as waiting for inspectors who were sometimes found asleep in the parking lot. As an artist, Tom fondly remembered the pleasing patina developing on the fir floors. However, after several weddings with dancing in stiletto heels, he questioned whether there was a limit to the patina's development. Chester Spink then spoke about spending a week wheeling barrow loads of rocks to fill a hole. He mentioned that, as volunteers, not everyone consistently adhered to safety regulations. However, one morning, upon seeing a worker fully equipped with a hard hat, eye protection, and high-visibility vest, he commended the individual for setting a positive example, contrasting it with the behavior of most other workers. It turned out that this exemplary worker was from WorkSafeBC!

I recalled that Dave Wilson generously donated the wood for the bar and other areas needing specialty wood. I had overlooked the contributions of the interior design committee, and Andy Cleminson, Linda Cleminson, Jenni Bowen in particular. There are many others who generously contributed to the construction in different ways. Of course Collen Santer our long term Superintendent spent many hours supervising the construction. I believe we should create a place to store everyone's memories to preserve them for future generations of members.

This dinner also celebrates the arrival of spring, a time when we look forward to enjoying our boats and gardens. This year, the gardening committee has done a tremendous job throughout the club grounds, particularly on the patio and towards the point. Before dinner, we arranged high-top tables and chairs so members could enjoy drinks and conversation on the deck during the lovely evening. Not only was the view of the water breathtaking, but it was further enhanced by the beautiful spring flowers.The gardens will become even more spectacular as the warmer months approach. Please be sure to admire this wonderful addition to our club.

Many people lingered after the official closing time, which was very encouraging. I spoke with several newer members who expressed their delight at hearing these stories, as they were previously unaware of them.

I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Philippe's team of chefs and kitchen staff, as well as to our volunteer bartenders Tom Nosella, Ingrid Heaslip, Sean and Kim Whittall, to the young servers, Alex Dougherty, Beibhinn and Mia, to the Social Committee members—Denise Nosella, Tina Burdett, Ingrid Heaslip, and Kim Southerst—whose tireless efforts were instrumental to the event's success. Their dedication, from initial planning through execution, encompassed clubhouse decoration, table arrangements, flatware preparation, and numerous other tasks crucial to presenting the clubhouse in optimal condition for this celebration.

A special thank you is owed to Ian Brownlow, our Superintendent, whose invaluable contributions were essential to the event's success. From clearing the clubhouse to managing logistics and the final kitchen cleanup, his assistance was greatly appreciated throughout

Tim Lepard, Social Director, Pegasus

Oh Canada We Love You! Pub Night, March 27th. The pub night last night was a special event to celebrate our love and support for our beloved country. Over 50 people came to show their support for Canada. The clubhouse had been decorated with Canadian flags, local art (many done by our own art club), a quilt, and books depicting the beauty of our country.

Many members brought food to share. But the focus of the evening was definitely talking and flag waving. O Canada was sung enthusiastically. With the togetherness shown last night, I have renewed hope that we will weather the current issues and end up stronger than ever..

Tim Lepard, Social Director, Pegasus.

**Yin your stress away.** This past winter, EHYC member Lindy Pfeil graciously led weekly Yin Yoga classes at the clubhouse during November, January, and February. Her calm voice and gentle guidance created a peaceful atmosphere, helping members unwind and de-stress during the darker months.

Read about Lindy’s classes HERE.

**Mindfulness and Guided Meditation**. Following the yoga classes, we were grateful to EHYC member Susan Karda who lead a 4-week series introduction to mindfulness and meditation in March.
The series offered members a chance to explore practices that can bring more calm, clarity, and presence into everyday life.

We’re incredibly fortunate to have members like Susan Karda and Lindy Pfeil, who generously share their expertise to help nurture both body and mind at EHYC. We hope to persuade them to return in the Fall.

SOS Weekend, April 26&27th. What a fantastic and successful SOS Weekend at EHYC! It was amazing to see all the great activities and the strong sense of community within the club. The combination of hands-on learning, community connection, and fun made it one to remember.

We kicked off with breakfast and coffee — always the perfect start to a busy day. A big highlight was the boat safety checks conducted by RCM/SAR, now with new EHYC recruits Connor McMullan and Murray Klassen on board — congratulations and thank you for stepping up! The hands-on safety training was incredibly valuable and 39 boat checks were completed!

The Marine Gear Trunk Sale was a treasure trove for boaters and looked to be a great success, while the CPR/AED demonstration in the clubhouse drew a strong and engaged crowd. These are skills we hope to never need, but are essential to know.

The SAR man-overboard demonstration (featuring the brave Caylee Auge!) was both powerful and informative, and the tour of the SAR vessel was a hit with kids and adults alike.

A successful event wouldn’t be complete without delicious food and drinks, so thank you to Sean & Kim Whittall, Peter & Katy Maclellan, Callum Beveridge, Tom Nosella, and Tim Lepard for keeping everyone well-fed and hydrated throughout the day. And for those showing their EHYC pride — the merchandise table was a great touch.

This weekend truly showcased the best of EHYC: teamwork, community spirit, and a shared love of the water. The weekend was a team effort, and a big shout-out to Tina Burdett, Denise Nosella and Kim Southerst and of course Ian Brownlow, Rosie and Nancy Mitchell along with all the other members who helped, truly highlights the collaborative spirit we have at EHYC.

It was a memorable weekend that combined fun, learning, and community spirit perfectly!

A big thankyou to RCM/SAR for facilitating our boat safety checks over two days, organizing the SAR vessel tour, man overboard and CPR/AED demonstrations. To keep their stations mission ready so their volunteers are trained to respond to emergency situations, please consider donating to help save lives on the water.

Sean Whittall, Staff Captain, Tribune.

Marine Life Sea Sponge Pub Night, May 1st. We welcomed Adam Taylor from the Marine Life Sanctuaries Society (MLSS) for a fascinating presentation on the health and future of Howe Sound’s marine environment. Adam’s family has lived on Bowen Island since 1890, and his background as both a commercial fisherman and diver gave him a unique perspective on the changes in our local waters over the past century. His first-hand experiences ultimately led him to conservation work and advocacy.

MLSS was co-founded by former EHYC Commodore Bernie Hanby, a passionate diver and underwater photographer. Bernie and others were among the first to observe the fragile glass sponge reefs in Howe Sound. These rare reefs—composed of slow-growing, tubular organisms—serve as vital habitat for rockfish and other marine life. Unfortunately, they’re highly vulnerable to damage from anchoring, fishing gear, and crab and prawn traps. Some of the protected areas identified by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) are located just off Eagle Harbour.

Adam gave a compelling and informative talk, fielding a wide range of thoughtful questions from the audience. His insights highlighted the importance of supporting the ongoing work of MLSS, and how EHYC members can contribute to the preservation of these unique ecosystems.

About 35 members attended the event, including Bernie Hanby’s two daughters and several of his longtime colleagues. It was a meaningful evening that honoured Bernie’s legacy and reinforced our club’s connection to local marine conservation efforts..

Tim Lepard, Social Director, Pegasus.

Sailpast, May 10th. The weekend started on Thursday May 8th night with a review by the Commodore of the weekend’s activities and instructions. Brisket, which had been freshly smoked, was served as an enticement to attend. We had an excellent turnout with approximately 40 members attending. The brisket received lots of positive comments as did the wonderful vegetarian option that consisted of portobello mushroom, tofu and wine. The latter was made by Denise Nosella.

Saturday started wet but by the time coffee and Timbits were served the rain stopped. At 12 midday the gun indicated the time to commence. Sailboats first followed by powerboats. In total 17 boats (out of 90) left the marina to salute our Commodore whose boat was somewhat securely anchored not far off the breakwater.

The sailboats had sufficient wind to gracefully sail while still managing to keep glasses from spilling. The latter became a little more challenging as the wind picked up. Once the last sail boat cleared the harbour the column of boats turned towards the Commodore. Sailing to port of the Commodore made for an easy approach with the crew on deck. The salute was made and the ensign dipped as per protocol. The following sailboat followed suit. It was a rather seamless exercise, missing some of the drama and excitment of previous years. We saluted the right Commodore and no collisions occurred.

The power boats followed in a very orderly procession.

The rather low boat turn out, while disappointing, did, in conjunction with favourable weather, led to a rather fast Sailpast with boats returning to the marina by 1.15. I would encourage members who did not participate in the water component of Sailpast to come next year. It is fun and actually an expected courtesy to our hard working Commodore.

The ladies of the Social Committee along with helpers were busy preparing a feast. The members and guests were able to have time to chat over a drink while final preparations were made. We were fortunate to have a 6 person band to serenade. The band members were all North Shore residents who donate their time for community events. They said that they had a great time. They played pro bono and are interested in returning in August.

What a feast the ladies of the Social Committee had prepared! This feast took many hours to plan and prepare. We are indeed fortunate to have such a hard working team. A big thank you from everyone attending. They really excelled themselves

During the preparations, the sailpast and the celebrations after, Doug Bower, another volunteer North Shore resident and expert photographer donated his time to take over 400 photos! Many were shown in the clubhouse over the food. These photos are available to members. We have arranged for them to be viewed and you can download your boat photo for free. As I said, Doug gave his time and expertise freely. However, I would encourage anyone who receives a great photo of their boat to donate something to RCM-SARS.

It was a great day and the official start of the sailing season. If your boat wasn't ready for Sailpast this year, can I encourage you to start earlier next year. It is right for the Club but better for you to be ready to enjoy the season.

Tim Lepard, Social Director, Pegasus.

SUPERCRUISE:

When: Friday May 23rd - Sunday May 25th

Where: Page’s Resort & Marina, Silva Bay, Gabriola Island

What You Need to Know:

Dock Space Reserved: Space for 15 yachts (Fri–Sun). Call Page’s at (250) 247-8931 to confirm your spot and mention EHYC.

Other Accommodations: Cabins, suites, and camping are probably booked now, but worth calling to find out!

Activities: Loosely organized fun, walks, markets, and relaxing with friends. Contact the office to be added to the Supercruise WhatsApp group.

Reserve quickly! Call Page’s to secure your spot, and we’ll see you there! MORE INFO.

Sean Whittall, Staff Captain Tribune.

Shout Out to Katy Campbell, Panacea X and Paragon- Congratulations!

Eagle Harbour member Katy Campbell (Paragon) has just won another set of trophies in the Caribbean. She started her water career at the EHYC sailing school, went on to be an instructor and eventually director of the sailing school. She then taught at Jericho, and after moving to the UK became fully qualified as a Royal Yachting Association instructor. I remember her commenting later that she was alarmed that so many of her former students were now buying sailboats but could not figure out how to sail them properly, having only enjoyed dinghies when learning about sailing skills. That is when she came back to Vancouver and started Sea to Sky Sailing. Margaret & Roger Campbell (Eagle Harbour YC members and proud mother and father).

Panacea X was the only Canadian boat to take part in the 2025 Antigua Sailing Week, held April 27 to May 2. The team from Nanaimo, B.C., including Katy Campbell (skipper), Jacob Binnema, Adrian Cox, Nikki Hornet, Brendan Wilde, Joe McAleer, Belinda Gilbert, Jhanna Paredes and Anja Salmon, who is just 14, took the 4th position on 12 teams in the CSA Racing 4 division. Panacea X also won two awards at this event: top majority female team/female helm for the 3rd year in a row, and the Traveler’s Trophy for the best overall performance on the Caribbean circuit this season. A total of 53 boats took part in the 2025 Antigua Sailing Week.

Facebook Post from Katy Campbell: Last night at the @sailingweekantigua was extra special as #Panacea😘 was awarded the top majority female team / female helm for the 3rd year in a row AND the Traveler’s Trophy for the best overall performance on the Caribbean circuit this season 🤩🥳🤯 Not every race we did counted for points towards this highly prestigious award, but the fact we got through NINE incredibly diverse events this season, each one with totally different crew in different venues… and managed to be consistently good-to-great in our performance despite a million challenges thrown into the mix… well. Saying I am proud of all our crew this year just doesn’t cover it. Thank you to every single crew who joined Panacea X from near and far, and gave her their best effort to sail fast. It’s been a privilege to sail with all of you, to see each team come together, gel, and then crush it on the race course. And an absolutely massive thank you to my dream team of Ben Daniel and Jacob Binnema for keeping our sparkly blue beauty trucking through thick and thin, across thousands of miles sailed this season, and around every race course at warp speed. These guys have worked insanely hard with me every step of the way to keep Panacea playing equally hard… and despite every hurdle we’ve had to vault to get to this particular finish line, it’s been a pleasure the entire time 🫶Thank you 🙏
Done and dusted this season:
✅St Lucia Mango Bowl - 🥇
✅ Barbados Sailing Week - 🥇 Calypso Cup & 4️⃣ in Coastal Series
✅ Rum to Spice Offshore Race - 🥉
✅ Grenada Sailing Week - 4️⃣
✅ RORC Caribbean 600 - 4️⃣
✅ St Maarten Heineken Regatta - 5️⃣
✅ Tour de Martinique - 4️⃣
✅ BVI Spring Regatta - 🥇Round Tortola & Scrub Island Invitational, 🥈 Spring Regatta
✅ Antigua Sailing Week - 4️⃣

Can’t wait to see what next season brings!