A wider, deeper entrance to our Bay

No more bump and grind in the entrance to Frenchman's Bay. The governments of Canada and Ontario announced on July 1 that they will work together with the City of Pickering and the Toronto Region Conservation Authority to rehabilitate Frenchman's Bay harbour entrance. This initiative will replace two breakwaters located at the harbour entrance as well as widen the entrance to improve user safety and accessibility. Reconstruction will preserve and enhance ecological conditions, provide new opportunities for public use and recreation, enhance tourism and strengthen local businesses. Construction is scheduled to start this fall with the western breakwater and continue in 2013 with the eastern breakwater. Frenchman's Bay is home to Fairport Yacht Club, Frenchman's Bay Yacht Club and two marinas and has provided a natural calm water harbour for over a century.

Dockfest upcoming on August 18

Watch for details to be posted soon. What About Bob has been signed to play. Give a listen: http://www.whataboutbob.ca/samplesong.html

Dockfest big success, again

Larry DeBono's Suite Fifteen lights up the night during Dockfest 2011 at Fairport Yacht Club. Close to 200 members and guests partied the night away following a sailpast and sailing race.
Commodore Gary Peck, aboard Adios Dinero with his admiral, Arlene, salutes member boats during the sailpast on Frenchman's Bay.
Rathlin Gael sports her new dodger and bimini during the afternoon race on Lake Ontario that was part of the Dockfest program.
Free Spirit close reaches with good friends Chitra and Brian crewing with owners Audrey and Dave Leithead.
Ralph Birkhoff, skipper of Marina Cay, reported that Jim Simpson and Paul and Lori Murray were awesome crew . . . "once I got them to put their beers down."

(Click on any image for a larger view.)

Annual Dockfest upcoming August 13

Click on the image for a larger view of the poster.

Old Guys with Old Boats

Eight Fairport Yacht Club boats rafted up in Frenchman's Bay on July 30 to celebrate the 30th year of Heaven's Door and Marina Cay cruising the "high seas."

Other boats participating were Back Nine, Pugmunster, Doghouse, Dolce Vita, Chitz N Giggles and a no-name SeaRay 34 owned by Molly and Crawford MacFadyen.

The plan was to anchor out until about 6 p.m., conduct yacht denaming, renaming, or christening as required, and then head back to the dock for a ribfest BBQ/potluck dinner.

Alas, the septet did fall short of the Guinness World Record for a raft-up of 1,651 boats.

FYC is a full-service yacht club

Witness Ralph Birkhoff, Vice-Commodore, Sail, delivering James Simpson and his dead-engine motor yacht to his slip:
Why is the Vice-Commodore using oars despite the rubber duck having outboard power? Well . . . it seems there is a tow line wrapped around the prop.
(Click on any image on the site for a larger view.)

Dockfest 2010 an evening to remember

Michael Dunn's tall display of blue lights dominates the night scene at Fairport Yacht Club but the best-decorated-boat award went to Larry Debono for his sweet treatment of Suite Fifteen. Click on any image for a larger view.

More than 200 members and guests attended Dockfest 2010, the Fairport Yacht Club's annual summer pig and beef roast and dock party.

A great time was had by all, largely thanks to a fleet of volunteers led by Molly MacFadyen, FYC's capable secretary-treasurer, and the roast crew under the command of James Simpson.

It took a little longer to roast the pig to perfection but James Simpson and his crew did a great job.

One guest went home ecstatic when he was allowed to collect all the crackling pig skin that others shunned.

The final numbers are still to be tallied but Dockfest turned out, again, to be an excellent fund-raiser for FYC.

The club's share of the 50/50 draw was $240. Marinus VandenBrink won the other $240 in the 50/50. The Wooden Sticks Golf Course auction raised $400. Jim and Carol Simpson won the prize donated by Dreamcast Marine Canvas.

Larry Debono won the award for best decorated boat.

More than 200 members and guests partied into the night at Dockfest 2010.