Upcoming Events
GAYC Events
Our meetings are online right now. Email Jeff here for a link to the meeting. Nonmembers are welcome to join us for an event and get to know the club.
Of Glaciers, Bears, and Whales: A Trip Up the Southern Alaska Coast
Save the date and check back for more information on Jeff’s presentation about his Alaskan Expedition Adventure Cruise.
The Sante Fe Canal: From Lake Sante Fe to Lake Alto and Back
Learn about the fascinating history of the Santa Fe Canal, how it was built and the significant change it facilitated in the area. This days it is very difficult to traverse, but Dave and Bob will take you along their journey as they did just that.
A Paddling Adventure on the Santa Fe Canal
Bob,, Maria, and Dave are planning to canoe and kayak their way through the Santa Fe canal, weather permitting, to prepare for their talk about it’s history. Join them for this adventure, and no doubt some discussion of it’s history along the way.
Cruising the Canals of Alsace, France
Join us as Karin presents about cruising the Canal du Marne au Rhin in Alsace, France for 10 days with 2 friends. She will showcase negotiating the deepest lock in France, the region’s iconic boat lift at Arzviller, as well as long tunnels, and over 25 locks (and back again). Oh, and also the pastry runs.
Return to the Abaco Islands - April 2023
Join us Monday evening for a GAYC presentation by Jess Gregory with Jacksonville sailing friend Paul Stoff about his voyage on his Sabre 30 sailboat from Jacksonville to the Abaco Islands of the Bahamas.
Our Spring 2022 Abaco Adventure
Jess Gregory and Nelson sailed from Jacksonville area to Abaco for a great adventure on Jess’s Sabre 30 sailboat “Destiny” and will present about it at GAYC’s January meeting.
GAYC Business Meeting and Social Hour
Join us for a quick business meeting followed by Social Hour, catching up with sailing adventures and more.
First Annual (?) Descend on Nelson’s Day
Its time for the first annual (?) Descend On Nelson's Day.
This Sunday, 15 May, from about 11:00am onward, come out to Nelson Laffey's Lake Santa Fe house. There will be several boats to sail and a grill will be available. Come prepared to sail and have a good afternoon. Bring some food & drink to contribute.
South Pacific Catamaran Adventures
Speaker: Dr. Edward Staples
Tentatively scheduled. Join us to hear about Dr. Staples adventures in the South Pacific where he chartered a catamaran. More details to follow.
Location: Zoom
Alaskan Adventure from Valdez to Whitaker
Join us to hear from Jenny Freeman as she recants her Alaskan voyage.
More details to follow.
Location: Zoom
Attending JKU - John Kretschmer’s Bluewater Workshop
Join us to hear from Jesse Gregory, a GAYC sailor who had the unique opportunity to attend "JK University" - a four day Blue Water Passage Workshop where John Kreschmer, veteran sailor with a career spanning over 35 years, involves his students first hand in all things boating, including structure, repairs, safety and navigation.
You can read more about John on his website, https://johnkretschmersailing.com, or through his books, his most recent being "Sailing to the Edge of Time: The Promise, the Challenges, and the Freedom of Ocean Voyaging."
Location: Zoom
The Pleasures of Chartering
Speaker: Barry Jacobson
Join us to hear Barry describe the ins-and-outs, joys, travails, and adventures aboard and abroad while chartering. Below are Elaine and Barry Jacobson onboard their chartered catamaran in Grenada.
Yacht Club Meeting
We are out sailing. No meetings for July and August. Check back for a talk on charter sailing in September.
What’s the Difference Between a Boat & a Ship?
Speaker Sam Trickey
“What’s the difference between a boat & a ship?” The difference matters. This presentation will be about the Sept 2019 capsize & subsequent scrapping in place of the m/v Golden Ray in St Simons Sound, just off the St Simons lighthouse. Sam will explore not only the wreck, but also its remarkably high-tech but slow removal.
Sam's perspective is unique as someone who has been going to St. Simons for many years by both land and water.
Location: Zoom
Jesse and Sam Cruise the ICW
Speaker: Jesse Gregory
Jesse and Sam took a week to cruise north via the ICW and Atlantic, leaving
from Ortega River in Jacksonville in Jesse's Sabre 30, Destiny. They took
their time, exploring such places as Cumberland Island, St Simons and Sapelo
Island. (And, they ran into Fred Braman on Rhombus, who has presented to us
in the past.)
Join us to hear about their adventures!
Location: Zoom
A History of Hydrofoil Sailboats
Speaker: Dave Carlson
The story of: the Monitor Monohull 1950, Dave Keiper's Hydrofoil Voyager homebuilt trimaran foiler that sailed to Hawaii from Califrisco, to New Zealand and back. Then on to Dennis Connor's huge cat (no foils), thence to High speed catamarans, to (less) high speed foiling monohulls not quite well enough designed except for the Kiwis.
Dave has been racing hydrofoils since their inception. Check this video of various hydrofoil sailboats, including the Hobie.
Location: Zoom
Cruising the Great Northeast (Florida) and Georgia Too
Speaker: Captain Fred Braman
Fred is a retired Navy captain and high school math teacher who has cruised extensively on the east coast, southeast US and the Bahamas in his Catalina 30. He is the author of Too Old Not to Go - Voyage of Rhombus, a Single-hander's Tale! Join us as he shares his exploits along the coast of NE Florida and Georgia.
Location: Zoom
You can enjoy one of Fred’s articles about sailing in Grenada here. And make “sailing in Grenada here” into a link using: https://www.allatsea.net/return-to-grenada-a-cruiser-remembers-an-invasion/
Also, in July 2021, Fried was interviewed by Melissa Ross, interview with Melissa Ross, host of First Coast Connect on Wjct Radio on NPR Radio:
‘Cruising by Mailboat’
As travel slowly returns, and cruises begin to set sail, there may be a surprising - and cheaper way - to travel the islands. Author Fred Braman's new book Cruising by Mailboat; History, Culture and Adventure in the Bahama Islands details his adventures of traveling the Caribbean by mailboat.
Journey of the Eveline
Speaker: David Edwards
See the Journey of the Eveline from flatbed to flat water. David Edwards will show us the drama of her move. WHOOPS, Don't drop her!
Bonus: our Commodore, Bob Gould, will talk about a recent kayak adventure (or two), and how he uses navigation and manages the weather while in the great outdoors (not the restaurant).
Location: Zoom
Marine Insurance in a Time of War
Ever wonder how much money is lost when a ship goes down? And who pays? Nelson Laffey is taking a step back in time to look at marine insurance in a time of war when sinking of ships was common. He will be exploring how the insurance protection worked, the way it was paid for and some tricks by the originator.
Worst Weather Yarns
A bunch of sailors whose main use for electronics are on a sailboat have moved further into the digital age, having our first zoom meeting. Let’s discuss whether we will join the Gainesville Boating Club, or remain as we have been since 1976.
Cruising the Bahamas
Speaker: Fred Braman
Fred Braman, retired Navy captain and math teacher, will be presenting on cruising the Bahamas aboard his Catalina 30, S/V Rhombus. He will be discussing the cruise he took to the Bahamas in 2012, as well as another in 2018, highlighting changes that occurred in the interim, as well as new destinations.
Fred is the author of Too Old Not to Go - Voyage of Rhombus, a Single-hander's Tale!
You can enjoy one of Fred’s articles about sailing in Grenada here. And make “sailing in Grenada here” into a link using: https://www.allatsea.net/return-to-grenada-a-cruiser-remembers-an-invasion/
We will have a social at 6:15 and Fred will be speaking from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.. Feel free to join us just for the speaker.
Location: Zoom. Members will receive a link. Guest can attend, please email Jeff at shap6102(a)gmail.com, and he will send you the link.
Future Plans for GAYC
A bunch of sailors whose main use for electronics are on a sailboat have moved further into the digital age, having our first zoom meeting. Let’s discuss whether we will join the Gainesville Boating Club, or remain as we have been since 1976.