[Image preview] Dear Pettipaug members, You may have noticed that it is not even March and our club is already very much alive. The calendar<https://www.brownbearsw.com/cal/pyc10_calendar> is rapidly filling up with our traditional races, courses and activities that we had to miss for a while. I can guarantee there will be plenty of action at Pettipaug Yacht Club this summer. All members should have received the long-awaited yearbook via USPS mail. It is THE annual Pettipaug reference work with practical information, the recognition of trophy winners and lots of beautiful and fun pictures. A big thank-you for many hours of hard work goes to Past Commodores Amy Pullin and Cameron Taylor and to Vice Commodore Priscilla Robinson. The registration of the Pettipaug Sailing Academy has been open for just over a month and the first course is already fully booked. So if you are interested in one of the programs, please make sure that you secure your spot and register as soon as possible via the website<https://www.pettipaug.com/PYC-academyPage.html>. With the Pettipaug Safe Powerboating Course back on the calendar, this is the perfect opportunity to get certified and to acquire the necessary skills to safely operate powerboats. Also, if your feel your boating skills are a bit rusty then the Pettipaug Safe Powerboating course is a great choice. There are courses from April until September. For more information and registration, check this page<https://www.pettipaug.com/PDFs/2022%20PYC%20Safe%20Powerboating%20Course.pdf> on our website. One of the main activities at Pettipaug is racing. Besides the need for a well-equipped boat and skilled crew, races cannot start without a seasoned Race Committee. Our Race Committee Chair will be hosting a RC Seminar at Essex Town Hall on March 2 from 6:30pm until 8:30pm. See attached leaflet for more information. The seminar is free for all Pettipaug members. In case you have not paid your membership dues yet, please do so as soon as possible. Please do not make it necessary to send personal reminders. We are a volunteer club and we would like to use our valuable time for organizing fun activities. Please return the membership form and your payment by means of the return envelope. It is also possible to pay your dues via the Pettipaug membership<https://www.pettipaug.com/PYC-membershipPage.html> page. It is clear we are getting ready for the summer. However, we are not there yet and the work does not stop. Therefore, the club is aways in need of enthusiastic members who are willing to make a difference. This month's hot vacancies are the following: * Treasurer. After more than 30 years of undisputable and outstanding service for Pettipaug, Marian Carson has indicated that she is looking forward to handing over the financial books of our club and of Pettipaug Sailing Academy. If you have affinity with financial record keeping, experience with QuickBooks (or similar software) and if you are enthusiast enough to join the team of Pettipaug Officers, please send me a direct message via commodore@pettipaug.org<mailto:commodore@pettipaug.org>. * Weekend Attendants. We are looking for persons (min. 16 years of age) to be the hosts of our active club. This paid position will give you a working location with the best view of Connecticut. And most of the time, good weather too!! (And if you don't have a power boating certificate yet: no worries, we can recommend you a great course.) For more information, please send a message to vicecommodore@pettipaug.org<mailto:vicecommodore@pettipaug.org>. At the end of this Commodore Update, I sadly share the news of the passing of longtime Pettipaug member John Emery 'Jack' MacElwee. Jack set sail for his final voyage on February 20 at the age of 93. We express our condolences to his wife Carol, his family and his friends. Jack's obituary can be found on the website of Robinson, Wright & Weymer<https://rwwfh.com/tribute/details/1516/John-MacElwee/obituary.html>. I am looking forward to seeing you all during one of the many activities that we have planned for this year. Keep an eye on the calendar<https://www.brownbearsw.com/cal/pyc10_calendar> on our website. On behalf of the Board of Officers and Governors, thank you very much. Mischa van Berkel Commodore