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The Navy Yacht Club Long Beach was established under the authority of Naval Station Instruction 1710.9 dated 23 October 1967, for the express purpose of encouraging Corinthian sailing and boating; promoting safety, traditions, customs, and competition in yachting; and providing a competitive sailing identity through which members could participate in local, state, and nation competitive events.
As Port Services Officer, Naval Station Long Beach, LCDR John P. Larson, USN, originated and brought into being a sailing facility, a new form of recreation for the Navy in the Long Beach area. In the fall of 1967 LCDR Larson called a group of sailing enthusiasts to a meeting to organize the club. The by-laws were approved on 8 November 1967. Last year we celebrated our fiftieth year, and what a spectacular anniversary celebration it was!
Mr. Robert M. Allan, Jr., a member of the Fales Committee, an organization of influential civilians devoted to acquiring boats and facilities to support Naval Sailing programs, supported the Clubs establishment.
The Naval Recreation Fund provided the initial equipment and facilities the Club used. Four Coronado 25’ and ten Coronado 15’ boats, a floating dock and a 16’ x 32’ trailer were enclosed with a chain-link fence. Commodore Driscoll in 1969 asked for a Navy Marina for private boats; Commodore Sernmens in 1970 was able to provide docks and fingers installed with 30 slips for boats donated. The Marina Club House provided heads and showers and a meeting room where a three-ton jib boom was installed in 1972.
1967: November the Club was founded. The facility was begun in December. Four Coronado 25‘ were each named after four Commanders; John Paul Jones, Alfred Alliance, Ariel, and Providence. Charles Gardner
1968: Wednesday noon races began along with the Winter Day Sailor Series. Dues were 25 cents a month. First flag pole and patio roof installed. Charles Gardner
1969: Several Seaplane Buoys installed for moorings. 117 members. Serapis, a Coronado 25‘ was raced with other four Club boats and raced to Ensenada. 39 entrants in Navy Day Regatta. Henry Sprague represented NYCLB, winning the Congressional Cup. Scott Driscoll
1970: In August the new Marina with 52 slips was dedicated. Coronado 25‘ rabbit races held on Thursday evenings. First Club cruise to Catalina. NYCLB joined Yacht Club Association of Los Angeles - Long Beach Harbors and was accepted as SCYA Affiliate Member. James P. Seramens
1971: Seventy-five boats in Commodore‘s Invitational. Hosted Cal 40‘ for Mid-Winter Regatta. First Salty Saturday Race in April. Initiated intra-Club Independence Day Regatta in August. Membership 200. Robert J. Trauger
1972: Marina Clubhouse dedicated 21 June. Cruises to KHYC and Bahia Corinthian. Parking lot and jib boom installed. Coronado‘s 25‘ replaced by 27‘ Catalina's. New Year Eve party in new Clubhouse. Harold S. Croyts
1973: NYCLB became incorporated. Naval Station downgraded to Support Activity - no longer have port for ships. Newsletter became SCUTTLEBUTT, Membership records stolen, recovered next day. David W. Whelan & Carl W. Coe
1974: Ocean racing participation increased. Club sponsored sailing symposium, it was a success. Clarence Shaw organized Junior Sabot Program. Junior sailing scholarships established. May Salty Saturday was for Single-handed Race. 180 people at 4th July picnic. Lady Skipper‘s Race began in October with chili fest following. George H. Christena
1975: NYCLB Associate member of SCYA. Full cruising calendar now a tradition. Club hosted 25‘ Cal Nationals. Cookouts and social activities increased thanks to a new gas BBQ grill. E. Lawrence Bingham
1976: The year brought successful racing, cruising and social programs, a Bicentennial Dinghy Parade, hosted West Coast Sailing Championship race, and the after-effects of a fire in the Clubhouse. Alfred C. Krueger
1977: Increased participation and activity in racing and cruising program. Ruel Cameron, TAHUNA, raced in TRANSPAC. Tenth Anniversary party in October. Philip H. Novodvorsky
1978: NYCLB joined Southern California Youth Yacht Racing Association. Long Beach will become home port for ships. A five-year plan for the Club was approved. Donald E. Burke
1979: Cruises once a month, including Don and Dee Bastin named Yachtsman and Lady Mariner of the year. SCUTTLEBUTT with pictures and personal articles. Hosted first international race series with the Japanese. Hosted first SBORA Nationals. First USMC Commodore. Clarence E. Smith, Jr.
1980: Bareboat charter cruise to the British Virgin Islands. By-Laws revised and updated. Hosted new PHRF open event for ladies, the Footin‘ Foxes Race. First annual 4th of July Parade and hors d‘oeuvres contest. Jean G. Goppert
1981: Hosted SCYA dinner meeting at Allen Center in April. Held first Opening Day Ceremony. Dinner meeting held on Buccaneer Queen. Held expanded 4th of July Boat Parade and Picnic. Membership increased to 248. First Coast Guard Commodore. Richard F. Goward
1982: Regular Member of SCYA. Student membership program of NROTC members at USC and UCLA to provide sail training as future Naval Officers. Organized chapter of International Order of the Blue Gavel for S/C. Placed seventh out of nineteen in Lipton Cup. Clubhouse now has four showers. William J. Nelson
1983: Participated in management of SCYA sponsored Olympic Classes Regatta. Raced C1 5‘s against HMAS Sydney and lost, but against Japanese destroyer ―Sawakaze we won. Ladies Invitational was a clean sweep of 1st, 2nd, and 3rd places. Reciprocal cruising schedule included Dana Point Yacht Club and Dana West Yacht Club. USNSA Bob McWethy was speaker at November dinner meeting. Mario Ferrara
1984: NYCLB participated in Olympics sailing program with SCYA volunteers helping to make the sailing events a success. The C-15 program included races against the Australian from ―Sydney which was in NYCLB‘s favor. George F. Mahoney
1985: Major facility expansion and improvement with 350 slips, concrete pilings and renewed docks. The Club hosted thirteen different yacht clubs from the Southern California area. They visited with 155 boats and 515 guests. NYCLB members enjoyed an active racing and cruising year. John A. Monkvic
1986: NYCLB‘s membership peaked at 273. The first Member‘s Day Brunch, as well as an outstanding Opening Day, 4th of July, and pot-luck dinners rounded out a busy social calendar. First Christmas Parade of Lights Club sponsored for crews of Navy ships in port. Clubhouse renovation going slowly. Jonathan C. Ide
1987: The Club‘s twentieth anniversary year. The Membership Roster contains a broader representation of the various uniformed services than in the past: retired members continue to be the main force in leadership and continuity in the Club‘s operation. Mike Elliott and Ray Vida led the cruise program with 216 boats coming in from 16 different yacht clubs. The cruise- out sent 116 NYCLB boats with 232 members, on reciprocal cruises from Marina del Rey to San Diego. NYCLB for the 1st time assisted Metropolitan Yacht Club of Oakland, CA in staging the San Francisco to Catalina Race. John Larson, Membership number 1, received the LA-LB Harbor Association‘s Yachtsman of the Year Award. Herbert A. Turner
1988: The Club participated in a full calendar of racing, cruising, and social events. Along with five other yacht clubs, NYCLB co-sponsored the Charity Regatta for the benefit of the Children‘s Clinic of Long Beach. We assisted the Metropolitan Yacht Club of Oakland to Catalina Race. Lt. Mike Turner and crew on the USC-NROTC‘s 41‘ ketch ―Sea Traveler, won their class in the race. Groundbreaking for the new 2 story Clubhouse, and the construction began. (First woman Commodore). Alita Marks
1989: New Marina Facility was completed. NYCLB‘s trophies, plaques, and burgees highlight new Clubhouse décor. A pictorial gallery of S/C‘s honors our past. Bobby Novodvorsky was LA/LB Yachtswoman of the Year. First annual Lady Skippers Invitational race offers opportunities for future regional exposure. 4th of July and Christmas Parades show innovative talents of our members. Bill M. Lewis
1990: NYCLB continued to co-sponsor Oakland-Catalina race with MYCO. Followed by our own homeward bound race. Members participated in race management seminars; women‘s sailing convention; NYCLB‘s women‘s invitational is part of the women‘s championship of LA/LB Harbor. Sponsored LB Charity Regatta. Ron Tornan establishing Jr. Sailing Program. Continue to use cruise-ins and cruise-outs to visit local yacht clubs. Finish each Salty Saturday with a social activity at the Marina Clubhouse. Herbert L. Schoonover
1991: The good news: released, furnished, and occupied our fist dedicated office; by-laws were modified permitting some dependent membership, and allowing spouses to hold membership and office; new renovated shower and laundry facilities. New trophies were added to the perpetual list for Race Committee Boat participation and most miles logged in our cruising program. The bad news: A dock blew away, leaving a few Club members in temporary slips and requiring a monumental effort on the part of our MWR colleagues to stabilize the situation. Robert E. Fort
1992: 25th year as a Club. Bill Lewis, S/C was LA/LB Harbor Association‘s Yachtsman of the Year. Second time in 5 year history of the award a NYCLB member has won. Hosted the SCYA‘s Old Timers dinner, with 150+ guests. Racing Fleet participated in NYCLB‘s Salty Saturday Series, Club‘s Invitational, numerous local invitational and the Catalina Series. Jr. S/C Bob Fort, in SCEPTRE won a trophy in Oakland-Catalina Race. Numerous NYCLB members assisted Betty Larson, Committee Chair, with the Catalina end of the race and the Homeward Bound Race. Bobby Novodvorsky became first Associate Member on the Club‘s Board of Directors. Numerous pilings were added to the Marina and construction on the new sail loft began. Paul W. Lowry
1993: The Oakland to Catalina race was rescheduled to be conducted on odd numbered years to avoid conflict with other events. The first annual hosting of NOSA‘s Argosy Race layover. One hundred plus sailors involved, hopefully this event has found a home at the Navy Marina. NYCLB was involved for the first time in the USC/UCLA NROTC Regatta, by contributing a Race Committee for the midshipmen from schools nationwide. Club By-laws were changed in response to the problem of having a 15% quorum for general membership balloting. The change provides strictly controlled absentee ballots. NYCLB re-instituted the MWR assist work weekend now required as compensation for the Club‘s free use of the Clubhouse for some 30 events per year. John P. Larson
1994: We hosted the USC/UCLA NROTC regatta and the Read Cup Challenge for the first time. NYCLB challenged for the Gator Cup at NYCSD. The Independence Day Regatta following an eight year absence, was to fill in for the Homeward Bound Race with 14 yacht clubs making a cruise-in to our facility. Bad weather kept our Club dockside. We hosted the 2nd Annual NOSA Argosy Race finish and put on a dinner for 150+ racers and NYCLB members. Naval Station Long Beach was disestablished and down graded to a Naval Support Activity for the third time in its history. The loss of active duty members resulted with a by-laws change allowing marina patrons to be Affiliate Members. The first Virgil Crabtree Memorial Fishing Tournament was held. The Navy Day Regatta teamed up with the Oktoberfest making it a highlight event. NYCLB participated in the Annual Long Beach Charity Regatta. A new Ship‘s Store was opened to supply the marina‘s needs. NYCLB was a contender for the SCYA‘s first ―Club of the Year Award for regular members. Richard Satchell
1995: Six of our members passed this year. We received the announcement of the Naval Shipyard closure in 1997, thus the Navy Marina will also close. NYCLB brought home the Gator Regatta Cup, an annual race in San Diego between Commodores of the 4 Southern California Navy Yacht Clubs. The MYCO race from San Francisco to Catalina was sponsored by our Club. We hosted the NOSA Argosy Race for the third year. The finish was in Long Beach with a steak dinner for the racers. Al Toll
1996: The By-laws were changed to allow broader eligibility for membership to include Coast Guard Auxiliary, DOD civilians, and veterans as the result of the need to relocate due to the Marina closure. The Navy Marina renters were given slips at the Downtown Marina at our present slip rent for 3 years. Navy Marina renters began relocating in October to the Downtown Marina, some moved to Cabrillo Marina in San Pedro. We found a building on the Seal Beach Naval Weapons Station we shared with the WWII Submariners. The facility is a former brig with a kitchen, storage, bathrooms, and somewhat renovated. Moving our Club to offshore facilities will affect our ability to provide reciprocal privileges to other yacht clubs. The hosting of regattas and other events will continue. We hosted the NOSA Argosy Race finish at Long Beach as well as a steak dinner prepared and served by our members. The men‘s team won the Gator Regatta at NYCSD, but due to our not having a women‘s team, under the new rules, we could not win the overall team trophy. Beginning our 30th year our membership with a strong group of volunteers. William C. Nielsen
1997: Moving from the old facility to storage and finally to our present location at Seal Beach Naval Weapons Station was the result of teamwork as well as the many hardworking and dedicated members. Our Clubhouse looks very nautical and inviting, with the help of the WWII Submarine Vets. In the latter part of the year we contacted the Long Beach Maritime Foundation regarding the possibility of our Clubhouse aboard the USS NEW ORLEANS. The Foundation has asked for a decommissioned ship from the US Navy for permanent berthing in the Long Beach Harbor, we are awaiting approval from the Navy Department. This is a fantastic opportunity for the Club and many have given support the Foundation with contributions. This would make NYCLB the only yacht club in the world on a Navy ship. Our first MEMBER‘S APPRECIATION DAY was held in September at the Seal Beach Naval Weapons Station on the water at the Beach House. This resulted in our first mini cruise-in to SBNWS. Along with the numerous changes, the Club also experienced and survived the first non-military female commodore. Marion Monkvic
1998: We started with the traditional, Commodore‘s Invitational Race. This is a Long Beach/Los Angeles area performance handicapped racing series. Our members participated in the annual Ensenada Race. Ron Toman in PASSAGES won a trophy for first place in his class. He also won the NYCLB‘s READY FOR SEA PERPETUAL trophy. Our Opening Day Ceremony was well attended with the highlight of 3 marine F-18 fighters fly- over during the ceremony. The Club continued with the MEMBER‘S APPRECIATION picnic on the beach at Seal Beach Naval Weapons Station. The arrival of the USS New Orleans was delayed, but the Seal Beach Naval Weapons Station is a good home until our ship comes in. Richard Tyhurst
1999: NYCLB continues at the Seal Beach Naval Weapons Station. Our membership is around 130+. The hope of moving aboard the New Orleans is not looking good. Our biggest event during the year was Opening Day ceremony. The Newport to Ensenada race was a slow race, with most wanting to just finish. At the Cabrillo Marina Mary Hunt MAME held a dock party with a great turnout. The 4th of July party was on H dock at Shoreline Marina. The annual picnic honoring Member‘s Appreciation was held with a good turnout. I thank all the members of the GREAT club. Victor Padilla
2000: The Commodore‘s Invitational Regatta was cancelled due to no wind. The day following Opening Day the wind flipped the tent up on the gaff of our flag pole, shredding the tent, and blowing down the flag pole. Novodvorsky re-erected the pole, anchoring it to the building‘s eve. NYCLB‘s chances of getting the former USS New Orleans as a new home is looking bleak. The Club began cruise-outs to Long Beach Downtown Marina along with Long Beach Single Sailors Association, and BCYC. We began a Friday night happy hour at Fort Mac Arthur in San Pedro. There are regular Club members of about 20-30 people. A Burgee on a small post was put on the table with the Fort Mac Community Center helps by putting a white table cloth on the table for our group. Thanks to Mary Hunt, we have had several dock parties aboard her boat MAME. The Club‘s spirit seems stronger and we have gained more members than we have lost. Frank Herbert
2001: The Club‘s Friday night social at Fort Mac Arthur were attended with between 20-35 people each night. The Commodore‘s Invitational Race had 12 racers and the Navy Day Regatta had 14 boats. Our Cruise-out included Shoreline, Long Beach, Dana Point, Newport, even the Isthmus with many Club boats participating. For Opening Day there were about 250 members and guests. The City of Los Angeles agreed to give the ship a berth somewhere in its Harbor area. Then September 11th happened and all the rules changed. All MWR Clubs were barred from military bases due to their being locked down tight. The Friday night socials moved to Ports 'O Call Restaurant, then to the Hilton Hotel at Cabrillo. It was a struggle to find suitable places for socials and even our Board meetings. During that time Flag Officers and Members alike put in extra hours pulling strings, calling in favors, anything to keep the Club going. We all pulled together doing whatever we could to help one another and the Club. Whatever the challenges our Club will continue to grow and prosper. Bryan DeAro
2002: The after effects of the September 11th attacks affected our Club‘s ability to access the Seal Beach Weapons Station and Fort Mac Arthur. Dick DeRusha and I returned in the middle of March from a four month vacation in Mexico. On my return I needed two new Flag Officers so Pam Padilla became the Club‘s Vice Commodore and Ted Valdez moved to Rear Commodore with Dick DeRusha assuming the Fleet Captain‘s office. The Opening Day ceremony at Little Ship‘s Fleet in Alamitos Bay was a success. Cruise-outs included Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club, California Yacht Club, Dana Point Yacht Club, King Harbor Yacht Club and the Isthmus. Betty Jackson was the Cruise- out chairman. The Commodore‘s Invitational Regatta and the Navy Day Regatta were successful. MAME‘s dock parties, a Sunday Brunch at Khoury‘s, and the Beach Party at Barney‘s Beach House on the Seal Beach Weapons Station were among our social events. The annual election was exciting as well as good spirited. I want to thank everyone who worked hard to make this a successful year. Millie Warren
2003: This year was mostly a period for recovery for the Club. The Twin Tower attack on 9.11 left us without a home. Access to Seal Beach Naval Weapons Station was terminated, so the Club was forced to find other accommodations. Early 2003 the Military Club at Fort MacArthur, opened to the Club meeting there in a private room for Friday night functions, with a bar and Happy Hour facilities. In late 2003 we returned to SBNWS. The Club held a social event nearly every Friday night after we returned to the Weapons Station. During this period, we held the Club‘s monthly board meetings at local restaurants, i.e. the Crab Shack. After Little Ship‘s Fleet vacated 223 Marina Drive we presented a proposal to the Long Beach City Council, resulting with the Club continuing without a meeting place. The Club continued developing Club activities with cruise-outs to Long Beach, Dana Point, Bahia Corinthian, King Harbor Yacht Clubs, and Catalina Cat Harbor. The Club held four Regattas including the Commodore‘s Invitational and the Navy Day Regatta. The Children‘s Clinic of Long Beach continued to be an outreach of the Club. The Pancake Breakfast and the Charity Regatta were held at the Seal Beach Yacht Club. NYCLB Flag Officers and S/C‘s prepared food for both events. William Plumlee
2004: With the help of Captain Rusty Mirick, Commanding Officer, SBNWS, the Club was permitted to return for monthly Board Meetings and for two weekend events each month. The Club took advantage of these facilities, yet we continued to meet at Ft. MacAruthur for Friday night events; however, with the change of Command structure at the Fort, it became increasingly difficult for the Club to access the facilities. Captain Bob Fowler, and Jack Gordon, MWR Director, assisted the Club with the use of Building 6 so the Friday night activities at Fort MacArthur were discontinued. Two weekend events were held at Building 6 and one at Barney‘s Beach House. The most difficult problem for the Club was gaining access to the SBNWS base. Capt. Fowler continued to support the Club even though he considered the Club one of his greatest security risks. The Club presented to the City Council a proposal for NYCLB to use the facilities at 223 Marina Drive. While negotiations with the City were ongoing, the Club met for a General Membership Meeting to consider moving off the SBNWS. After a lively discussion the Board unanimously voted to continue the negotiations and to sign a lease if one was offered. The lease for the Alamitos Bay Clubhouse was signed in December and the Club moved into the Clubhouse in January. Cruise-outs were held in the following Yacht Clubs: Long Beach, Dana Point, Bahia Corinthian, King Harbor, and Catalina. The Club supported the Charity Regatta, Navy Day Regatta, and the Commodore‘s Invitational. Membership increased to 160+ during 2004. LaVon Plumlee
2005: A rejuvenated spirit of adventure and a much needed boost to members‘ morale was a positive result of the wind break/wind shield at the Alamitos Bay clubhouse. This prompted dreaming about the possibilities for future Clubhouse expansion. Navy Yacht Club is a member of SCYA, ASPBYC, US Navy Sailing Association, and LBMBOA. The Friday night socials are a success. The Club began seeking a liquor permit through the ABC and submitted necessary papers. Opening Day was well attended, as was the 4th of July Barbecue and Christmas Boat Parade. The Commodore‘s leadership kept the NYCLB moving forward and active. The Club continues to support the Charity Regatta and the annual Christmas baskets for the SBNWS. William M. Gordon
2006: This was a rebuilding year for NYCLB. Emphasis was placed on recruiting more volunteers and members to participate in Club activities. A new double-door and the addition of a fence to enclose the Clubhouse was planned. Friday night socials continued as well as an active sailing schedule, A well-attended Opening Day celebration and cruise-outs to Cabrillo Yacht Club, Shoreline Yacht Club, Long Beach Yacht Club and Catalina Island were very successful. The Commodore encouraged membership involvement in the Club activities resulting in a positive growth atmosphere. Several new members were added to the roster. The annual Christmas Party was held at Alpine Village complete with a gift exchange. We celebrated the Christmas Boat Parade at the Clubhouse with several members and guests attending. Richard DeRusha
2007: The unofficial theme this year was renew and rebuild! Under the watchful eye of Commodore Tony Rietdyk a double-door was installed in the Clubhouse. The fence surrounding the Clubhouse was completed providing an enclosed area for social activities. Permits for activities were obtained from the Alcohol Beverage Commission for subsequent events. During Opening Day a fly over of four vintage navy fighter planes added to the festivities. The NYCLB continues to be a regular and active member of the SCYA, the US Navy Sailing Association, the Long Beach Marina Boat Owners Association, and the ASPBYC. The race schedule was very active throughout the year. The Charity Regatta was supported by us and continues to have strong support from several yacht clubs in the Long Beach area. Attendance at the Friday evening socials continues. Several cruise- outs were held with positive responses from the membership. Mariner of the year was Phil LeVine and Lady Mariner of the year was Sara Zak. The annual Christmas Party was held at the Petroleum Club. The Christmas Boat Parade was very well attended by NYCLB members and guests. Tony Rietdyk
2008: The sailing schedule with Race Committee Chair Tony Rietdyk continued to be a Club activity. Southern California yacht clubs were participants of this successful activity. A new lease, the first of three one-year leases for the Clubhouse was signed. A storage shed next to the Clubhouse was completed with Vice Commodore Ron Warren‘s supervision. Perhaps one of the most significant projects was Bunker 33 on the Seal Beach Weapons Station for our use as an on base Clubhouse. Mariner of the year was Frank Farmer and Lady Mariner of the year trophy was awarded to Cindy Heavrin & Kathy Reed. The cruising boat of the year was Mike & Gloria Richards 42‘ Catalina, RAGAMUFFIN. The Christmas Party was held on the paddle wheel river-boat GRAND ROMANCE with dinner and dancing to a live band. LaVon Plumlee
2009: Bunker 33 is our new SBNWS facility, and the Club has signed the first of three one-year leases on the Alamitos Bay Clubhouse. Friday evenings at the Club continue as a tradition with many members attending. Plans include expansion of the current facility to the footprint of the original building. The expansion of the galley and bar area was completed with an opening between the galley and the salon. Several cruise-outs, an active social schedule, and a highly successful race schedule added to the festivities as members continue to join the Club. The Scuttlebutt and a web page have added to the communication between Club members and other yacht clubs. Ron Warren
2011: Our goal was to push forward with Clubhouse expansion. The City of Long Beach is supportive and we look forward to it becoming a reality. Proceeds from our well-attended monthly social activities this year will help with Clubhouse expansion plans. We began the year with our January Installation Champagne Brunch featuring our 5-Star NYCLB chefs. I‘d like to highlight the socials this year by mentioning our Luau featuring the Sandy Feet band and a whole pig roasted to perfection by my husband, Bill Plumlee, and a BBQ at Barney‘s Beach House aboard Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach. Our thanks go to the NWSSB MWR for their continued support of NYCLB. Our Fleet Captain and Race Committee Chairman S/C Tony Rietdyk continued to outdo his previous accomplishments. Five-buoy races and two point off shore races were scheduled by NYCLB this year. Our thanks go to Becky for all her contributions including her famous Mexican food after the races. And thanks to our Fleet Captain we have been provided with a long list of reciprocals for our members to enjoy. I‘m proud of our NYCLB racing history. Our own LTJG Sprague, an NYCLB racer, was the recipient of the Congressional Cup in 1969. NYCLB proudly nominated S/C Richard Tyhurst for the 2012 ASPBYC Yachtsman of the Year award and I‘m happy to announce that Dick was chosen to receive this prestigious award. He has been a member of NYCLB since 1987, and has been an enormous asset to our Club. He is also the recipient of the Distinguished Flying Cross. Our congratulations go to Dick and his wife Marge. I‘d like to recognize those who contributed to make this year special. First, thanks to my Flag Officers and Directors for their support. Following awards were made: Lady Mariner, Becky Rietdyk; Yachtsman of the Year, Mark Steiert; Top Gun, and Camille D‘Esposo for her outstanding assistance on the Racing Committee. Passagemaker Trophy was presented to my husband, S/C Bill Plumlee for the longest journey from San Francisco Bay to Long Beach. NYCLB is an all-volunteer club and I thank all members who donated time and expertise this year. It was an honor for me to again serve as Commodore. LaVon Plumlee
2012: NYCLB average done cruise in each month, welcoming members and sister yacht clubs: American Legion, Mariner YC, Potters and Hurricane Gulch. We sponsored one social each month plus weekly Friday night potlucks. Highlights include the July 3 lawn party with an overwhelming fireworks display from McKenna‘s at the Bay, our annual August Luau, and the September barbecue and dance party at Barney‘s Beach House aboard the naval base. W e welcomed the new Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach Commanding Officer, Captain Tripp Hardy USN and his wife Grayce, as new active members, in July. Tony Rietdyk has managed the racing schedule each year followed by taco dinners courtesy of Becky Rietdyk. Kathy Reed and her team recaptured the Gator Cup at the annual race among the three Navy Yacht Clubs in Southern California. Several NYCLB members led by Lisa Meier entered the LBYC Catalina 37 race as The Spice Girls and came in third overall. We cruised out to Catalina Two Harbors twice. Tamara Carbone
2013: It was pleasure being your Commodore although my year consisted of both highs and lows. During my year we lost our battle with the Planning Commission and were told the new build on our site would not happen. Being the club we are, we rolled up our sleeves, put our heads together and creatively started improving the space we had. The tree table in front of the club made way for a larger patio that included the start of the Navy Nook. One of the year‘s highs, based on the Commission‘s decision not to let us have a new building, was that I was able to lower the dues. Other highs started with Tamara planning a wonderful Opening Day to start our yachting season, and Victor and Pam Padilla keeping the ball rolling throughout the rest of the year. Gary Halliburton grabbed the reins and started publishing the Scuttlebutt, proving he was a great Editor. Tony and Becky keep the racers happy with Becky‘s famous tacos ready and waiting after each race. I really enjoyed my year as your Commodore. Thank you all for letting me be of service. Jeanne Stafford
2014: I was Commodore of this great club in 1999. Although I left for about 5 years, I always kept up my membership. One day Jeanne Stafford, incoming 2013 Commodore, asked me if I would like to join as her Vice Commodore. After talking with my wife Pam I decided to volunteer again. I had learned so much about this club when we were at the Long Beach Naval Station. Fast forward to 2014 and here I am Commodore again. There is a different facility and many new faces. Membership increased steadily this year. To improve our facility, we added more patio around the clubhouse, including the NavyNook. Our members poured the concrete and made the structure for the placement of the window area. Member Al Del Real installed the glass window in the nook and Don Bastin and Tony Reitdyk placed a shade cover over the nook. We added some shade cloth in front and on the side of the building. We bought a new 52" HD TV for inside the clubhouse and set the older 45" TV outside on the clubhouse wall. We started an outdoor summer Movie Night. There were outstanding cruise outs to Catalina, Shoreline YC, Cabrillo Beach YC, King Harbor YC, just to name a few. Our Opening Day was a huge success with perfect weather and dancing all afternoon. Many times other yacht club members stated that NYCLB is the highlight of their Opening Days to attend. Race Chairman Tony Rietdyk and his crew did an outstanding job running about 5 races this year and hosting Becky‘s after-race taco parties at the clubhouse. Tony developed some great sponsors and awarded trophies and gifts to the top 3 class winners. Our club once again was a major sponsor of the Long Beach Charity Regatta, hosting a burger bash, golf tournament, and a brunch at our clubhouse to raise donations. Bill Plumlee and Gary Halliburton cooked omelets to order. The annual Membership Meeting was held at the Navy Golf Course in Cypress with the best turnout in many years, about 65 members, with a delicious dinner and memorable evening for everyone. Bar Manager Tommy Wheeler and his crew did a terrific job this year. As I close this article about my year as Commodore I want to say that I couldn‘t do any of it without the help of my lovely wife Pam. I am very glad we came back to NYCLB; we‘ve had so much fun this year. Thank you for having me as your Commodore for 2014. Victor Padilla
Newport ALYC, Cabrillo Beach YC, Pine Avenue Pier and Long Beach YC. Vice Commodore Jeanne Stafford chaired the 2012 Long Beach Charity Regatta. Our members cooked at the pancake breakfast and sponsored a brunch with IOBG at our clubhouse producing a sizable donation to the charity. The Long Beach Planning Commission granted a two-year lease extension on the clubhouse. Progress toward permit approval for a new building is slow, but we are still working toward this long-term goal. We are very sorry to report we lost S/C Dick DeRusha this year. His burial at sea took place in Alamitos Bay followed by a touching celebration of life at our Clubhouse. Tamara Carbone
2015: We started out 2015 with some big surprises. Our parking lot was closed off for six months to replace the gasoline tanks for the fuel dock. A large shipping container stood directly in front of our clubhouse which cut off our view. Due to the construction, some members wanted us to close the clubhouse; however, we continued to have successful Friday night potlucks and monthly special get-togethers. We held the Commodore‘s Brunch with omelets in January, a sweetheart barbecue dinner in February, and a St. Patrick‘s celebration in March. In spite of the construction, in April we held a very successful Opening Day. Thanks to Marine Manager Elvira Hallinan and the city construction crew, were able to get a portion of the parking lot cleared and held our ceremonies behind the shipping container and our luncheon following in the sunshine of our patio and lawn area. This year we also lost our free dock privileges and our ability to med tie our boats. We had meetings with Ms. Hallinan and our council member Suzie Price to voice our disappointments. We were told that they would try and work on an amicable alternative. The balance of the year continued a busy racing schedule, our weekly potlucks and monthly socials, including a fantastic July 3rd barbecue with a terrific view of the fireworks on Alamitos Bay, a Halloween party, and Christmas chili potluck to watch the annual Naples Boat Parade. We ended the year in a very positive cash inflow, due to dues received from 265 members, monthly socials, and Friday night potlucks. Gary Halliburton
2016: It‘s been an honor to be Commodore. Serving as an Army Medic during the Vietnam War, I developed friendships with many of the young men I worked on. There is a special bond that takes place between Military people when they meet. It‘s that same feeling that drew me to join NYC. 2016 was filled with many events and gatherings; from Friday Potluck dinners, Wine Tasting, Holiday Celebrations, Costume Parties, Weddings, or just enjoying an evening sunset. The many upgrades and improvements to the club house have made it an appealing place to hang out. We held our first Wounded Warriors Cruise in September. We took Veteran‘s, many dealing with PTSD, on a cruise followed by lunch. The conversations and genuine delight they expressed, gives me hope that in the future we can connect with them again. Our R/C Dale West and his wife Angie provided the club with training and installation of a Defibrillator. Like Commodores before me, I faced some challenges, but was inspired by the way board members stepped in to help, working to solve any problems together. I thank all of them for their support and dedication. One of the success stories of 2016 is our Salty Sailors Races directed by Chris Mewes. He does a fantastic job encouraging camaraderie and friendly competition, all while people have the chance to improve their skills at sailing. I feel one of the keys to the success of our club is the committed members willing to lend a hand. For the first half of the year, our Scuttlebutt Newsletter was published by Grayce Hardy. When Grayce and Tripp sadly had to leave us, Sylvia Wheeler stepped in. It‘s a perfect example of the dedication of our members. As my year ends, the club will continue to grow and thrive under Commodore Tommy Wheeler‘s leadership. I‘m grateful for the privilege to serve as your Commodore for 2016, but I‘d be remiss if I did not thank my wife Carolyn for her faithful support and help all year long. She‘s been by my constant strength and love. Roy C. Queen
Wow 2017 was a spectacular year. I had the honor and privilege of being the Commodore during this special time frame. We started catering more of the social events so that the volunteers, that normally performed the vast majority of the work, could start enjoying the events without having to work the entire time. For the first time in many years, we actually had to cancel some of our social events due to rain.
Thankfully the Marine Department did come out and patch the roof before we were soaked through and through. Being that this was our 50th year, it was important that we design our new anniversary burgee and commemorative lapel pins. We also made some very nice changes at the club including the new engineered flooring, the patio resurfacing and a new awning.
The building was painted just before opening day by the grounds committee. A new grill was purchased, and Victor, Manny and Chris did an excellent job building a wind break around it. We also had two of our members, Rodney Coomber and Joyce Jackson get married at the facility.
We had a terrific 3'd of July party, a Spooktacular Halloween party plus a Christmas light boat parade party. Eric Stone once again came out and put on a great performance of beach style music. Unfortunately, we had some of our members cross the bar. Dee Bastin, Katheryn Cumber, Billand Jackie Gordon, Margarita Gulispie, Rayma Alexander, Margie Rokes. Thanks for all the support of the 2017 Bridge and Board of Directors. Very Respectfully, Tommy Wheeler
2018: It’s been an honor being commodore of this great club in 2018. During this year, we had a number of major accomplishments, achievable through the hard work and cooperation of a number of committees and a terrific Board of Directors. This was a big year for negotiating with the Long Beach City Council. One of the biggest accomplishment this year, I believe, was the successful negotiation of the clubhouse lease for a 1S-year period with minimal rent increases. To enhance the negotiations, a committee developed a Long-Term Grounds improvement Plan. After months of negotiations, the City Council approved the lease at their February, 2019 meeting. ln December, 2018, the city council gave approval for NCYLB to use the dock in front of the clubhouse for events at no charge for 130 days during the 2019 year. Also in 2018, we negotiated with the Alamitos Bay Marina to obtain parking passes for all members-not just members with boats-for 2019. One of the things I'm most proud of in 2018 is NYCLB's increased participation in activities for our local Veterans. We sponsored two Clothes Drives for the VA Hospitals P.l.E.R. Center.
We launched a new Veterans Programs in Partnership with the Long Beach VA Hospital and hosted the first annual Duffy Cruise in partnership with the VA Women Veterans Program. Also, in May 2018, we hosted a formal acknowledgment of National Military Spouses Day. Not only is NYCLB stepping up its contribution to our local veterans, but the emotional impact on our veteran participants and the connections our participating club members have made with these veterans is deep and lasting! 2018 also marked an increase in the safety features at our clubhouse' We installed three new fire extinguishers and two first aid kits, and hosted two training sessions for our new AED Defibrillator equipment. Topping off our fabulous year is our new professional website developed by member Mo Nelson, the addition of 80 new patio chairs as well as newly upholstered bar stools and a refinished picnic table. I want to thank everyone for your help and support during this year. it was an honor serving the Navy Yacht Club Long Beach. Rebecca Martinez
2019:The year started when the Commodore’s Brunch was almost canceled when it looked like we were going to get rained out, but because of some fast work by many of our officers and members, as well as help from our friendly neighbor, Seal Beach Yacht Club, we were able to move the brunch inside at their facility, in just a few days. With the bad weather and last-minute change, we were not expecting much of a turn out. But much to our surprise we had about 80 members and guests. The food was great, the champagne was plentiful, wine and Bloody Mary’s were also available, but best of all, was the camaraderie of our great little club.
Another unpleasant surprise, brought on by the weather, in February, was destruction of a large table canopy which ended up in the tree to the south of its location that had to be scrapped. Then later, after more rain and wind we lost more of the canopy over the main patio area. Weather was not kind to us!!
On a positive note,shortly after that, we received a new lease from the City of Long Beach which covers fifteen years total. A five-year period to start with and two five-year options thereafter. After a thorough review by the Lease Committee, we went back to the city with certain clarifications that we felt were needed and in doing so we received revised language which satisfied all of our concerns and which we signed.
During this same period of time, after discussion with the marina office, we received parking permits for our members, that do not have boats in the Long Beach Marinas System so that they can park without worry of citation or towing. This was a First!! These permits were assigned to members only by the yacht club and will be issued each year as is done with boat owners in the marina.
Our Opening Day, held in April was well attended by about 125 people and one of the highlights for me was being able to present 50-year membership burgees to Deborah (Larson) Tyhurst (52 years) and Philip (Ski) Novodvorsky(51 years). Debra also brought an article from the 1968 Long Beach Press Telegram newspaper outlining how the Navy Yacht Club was formed with her father John Larson being one of the founding fathers. We were also able to make a copy for our archives.
In July we were able to get our front canopy back up, have a fun 3rd of July fireworks party and host a “Meet and Greet/Family Day” gathering for the Army’s 113th Medical Detachment who had just arrived back in the states after a year or more deployment overseas. This event was another first for our club and was attended by 74 members of that group including several children. We offered Duffy rides for the families, Piñata’s for the kids and food supplied and served by the Bob Hope-Orange County Chapter of the USO.
This it’s the type of thing, I would like to see our club do more of.
In August we again hosted the Charity Regatta Brunch and presented a nice gift to the Children’s Clinic of Long Beach. As for me, I finished the carts I promised to build in order to store the stackable chairs on, so they are easier to store in the shed.
Friday Pot Lucks remained a favorite throughout the year. And again, in September, we hosted the “Wounded Veterans Cruise” organized by Tommy Wheeler and administered by many. We were able to take a good number of veterans on the cruise in nine boats to L.A. Harbor to parade past the Battleship USS “Iowa” where we received a gun salute from the “Iowa” with all hands on the rail of the destroyer saluting our group of boats. It was quite moving.
Another first by our club was the hosting of an interview of the “Seahorse Whisperer” by Spectrum News, L.A. They set up in our grassy area with the marina in the background and did their interviews with lights, mics and cameras. The story ran several different days on their T.V News and listed Navy Yacht Club in its credits.
The Annual November General Dinner Meeting was also held at Seal Beach Yacht Club with 75 members present. A very good dinner was served with a Frank Sinatra singer/impersonator for entertainment. Old officers were recognized and newly elected officers and Board members were announced.
The newly completed 2019-member directory was also distributed to all members in attendance.
Thank you for letting me serve as your 2019 Commodore. It has been an honor & a privilege. Steve Stanec
2020:For every citizen of these blessed United States of America who have survived the Covid-19 pandemic I say never forget this moment in history. We have survived other disasters throughout our history and this is the latest one. It is heartbreaking to read reports of hundreds of thousands of our countrymen, women and children killed by a rapidly spreading virus. Sad to know it has spread all around the world, killing millions. Praise God the big pharmaceutical companies immediately began working on a vaccination to combat the virus. At the same time government instituted total lockdown except for essential services to stop the spread of the pandemic.
That is the backdrop to my year as Commodore of Navy Yacht Club Long Beach. We had a great Commodores brunch catered by Fernando at the clubhouse. My wife Joyce and I went off to Australia to visit my relatives. Days after our return a country wide lockdown was instituted. The board of directors made the decision to cancel Opening Day and any other planned activities until the Health Department lifted the ban on meetings and gatherings. That was disheartening as Opening Day is always such a highlight of the year.
As well as that, we had to give up our Friday night get-togethers. A small number of us continued to meet Friday nights UNTIL I received a letter from the supervisor of the Marine Department. The letter was a “Cease and Desist” directive warning us to comply with the Health Department or face a fine or even jail. He agreed to allow only the maintenance members (Tony and Becky) to enter the property until lockdown was lifted. Months later lockdown and isolation was lifted to allow a maximum of 10 members to gather together. We got around the 10-member limit by holding the Annual General Membership lunch at Seal Beach Yacht Club. They have a liquor license and a restaurant license and are not limited. However, the very next day there was a resurgence of the covid-19 virus and even restaurants had to close.
In the January Board of Directors meeting, we motioned to have the Long-Term Planning Committee start the process of upgrading our yacht club building. This included removing the existing storage building that was inside the fence and constructing a storage building outside the fence over the storm drain. The contractor, David Tran did an excellent job working with our planning committee of Doug Wilson, Moti Cohen-Doron and Tony Rietdyk. We now had an efficient storage and additional space on the patio with an attractive view of the marina looking shoreside. We also upgraded the AC power to a 200-amp service. We are now prepared for phase 2 which is to construct a patio cover extending out to the fence line giving us much more usable patio space. Rodney Coomber
2021: What a memorable year 2021 was! Despite the second year of Covid-19 related restrictions, we had many accomplishments, successes, and, yes, gatherings, too. After several months of complete lockdown, we began to gather for Friday night potlucks. They were actually “modified” potlucks; we could gather together and enjoy each other’s company.
And many of us were thrilled to do so! Although our Opening Day had to be postponed from April to June, and we had to reduce the guest list, it was an exciting day for those who attended. As restrictions were lifted, we scheduled eight events for the year beginning in June, with maximum attendance. Our largest and most successful was the annual July 3 Boat Parade Party with nearly 100 in attendance. Our club had many accomplishments in 2021, but I’d like to highlight one major ongoing achievement that began in 2018.
In 2018 we negotiated a 15-year clubhouse lease with the City of Long Beach, approved by the Long Beach City Council.The new lease includes a minimal rent increase and requires NYCLB to provide a specific amount in ground and structural improvements over a 10-year period. Phase 1 of improvements was completed in 2020 when we built our new storage shed. Phase 2 was completed in 2021 with the construction of our new patio. This ongoing requirement could never have taken place as quickly and as nicely as it did without the hard work and dedication of some very special people on our Long-Range Planning Committee: Moti Cohen-Doron, Doug Wilson, and Tony Rietdyk, along with our outstanding building contractor. General contractor David Tran and his construction crew were remarkable in their skill, generosity, and working relationship with our committee.
Some other accomplishments in 2021:
Committees that accomplished these successes:
Long Range Planning: Moti Cohen-Doron, Doug Wilson, Tony Rietdyk
Bylaws: Doug Wilson, Camille D’Esopo, Moti Cohen-Doron, Heinz Butner
Events: Elena Yuasa, Cindy Ramirez, Joya Ryerson, Dorothy Aho, Casey Barras
Military Events: Joni Cabral, Casey & Bryan Barras, Colleen Taylor
Membership Committee: Heinz Butner, David Stancil, Elena Yuasa, Joya Ryerson, Jill Cohen-Doron.
Many additional volunteers!!
This year our Board also voted Lifetime Memberships to Frank and Penny Farmer, Tony and Becky Rietdyk; and Honorary Membership to David Tran, our building contractor. As you can see it takes a village to accomplish a successful year. Thank you to our many members for their in-kind donations and to all our members for stepping up and making it all happen! Becky Martinez
2022 We started the year with the Commodore and Flag officers Brunch. This event is especially meaningful as the flag officers serve brunch to the members demonstrating the officers are there for the well-being and service to the members. It reminds us we are a volunteer organization that can only survive and grow when we all care for each other. Coming out of the restrictive Covid pandemic period gave us more incentive to ask our fellow members “how are you doing, is everything OK". Another way we learned our fellow members names was by our Directory. We were fortunate that Rear Commodore Elena Yuasa took on the task of updating the 2-year-old out-of-date Directory, and she did a great and timely job.
The Long-Range Planning Committee followed the strategy of planning small steps towards improving and upgrading our club facility. Moti Cohen Doron built a professional and trusting relationship with all Long Beach city agencies necessary to have permits and inspections issued. Phase one was the storage building and then phase two was the hard top patio cover with built in heaters. This was really appreciated during the cooler months. Also in there was new electrical service requiring a trench be dug from the electrical distribution panel east of the Fire Department building all the way to our club building. We took advantage of the trenching process to put in place a sewer line for a future improvement phase. The next phase is to expand the interior of the building and level the floor in the galley. In the meantime, we have done small projects not requiring permits, such as building a clear plastic cover over the “nook” area, adding exterior lighting all around the building, additional shelving in the storage, and others. As a result of the trenching our lovely grassy area was left in a terrible mess. Replacing the grass with sod was going to be expensive. Member Heinz Butner offered to have the whole grass area leveled and seeded. We knew it would take a couple of months till we could walk on the grass again, but it was well worth it as it has grown back beautifully. Thank you, Heinz. Our building had a new combination lock installed on the front door.
An Events Committee was formed by Vice Commodore Charles Buckner and Rear Commodore Elena Yuasa. The committee scheduled a year’s worth of social activities. They included Valentine’s Day, St Patrick’s Day, Mother’s Day, Super Bowl Sunday, July 3 Big Bang on the Bay, Wine Tasting, Salt Lime and Tequila, Hello Spring, Octoberfest, and others. Our focus on military inclusion was high on the purpose for Military Family, Sunset Cruise, Military Family Fun Day, Women Veteran Duffy Cruise, Wounded Veterans Cruise, and Adopt a Military Family for Christmas. A couple of events started in this year were Summer Sunday B-B-Q (cook your own), Movie Night, Sunday Funday Cruise. Of course, Friday Night Potlucks were the most popular attended events.
Navy Yacht Club Long Beach has a small but very competitive racing fleet. They race every Tuesday as Salty Sailors. This series offers non-boat owners the opportunity to crew on participating race boats. Other races that Navy boats compete in are Seal Beach Yacht Club Thursday Pop Tops, Harbor series as well as others.
To encourage new members to volunteer their time and talents for the many events planned by the Events Committee a special trophy was created. It was called the John P Larson “Rising Star Award” for outstanding participation and service by new members of Navy Yacht Club Long Beach in their initial membership period. There were so many deserving members it was a shame we only had one trophy. Rodney Coomber.
Charles Gardner, CAPT, USN 1967-1969
Scott Driscoll, LT, USN (MC) 1969+
James P. Seramens, CAPT, USN, Ret. 1970
Robert J. Trauger, CAPT, USN, Ret 1971
Harold S. Croyts, Col, USAF, Ret. 1972
David W. Whelan, CAPT, USN 1973+
Carl W . Coe, CDR, USN, Ret. 1973+
George H. Christena, Capt, USAF, Ret 1974
E. Lawarence Bingham, CAPT, USN, (MC) 1975
Alfred C. Krueger, Col, USAF, Ret * 1976
Philip H. Novodvorsky, QMCM, USN Ret. 1977
Donald E. Burke, Maj, USAF, Ret. * 1978
Clarence E. Smith, Jr., LtCol, USMC, Ret * 1979
Jean G. Goppert, COL, USAF, Ret. * 1980
Richard F. Goward, CDR, USCG, Ret. 1981
William J. Nelson, COL, USA, Ret. 1982
Mario Ferrara, ADC, USN, Ret. * 1983
George F. Mahoney, COL, USAF, Ret. 1984
John A. Monkvic, Lt Col, USAF, Ret. 1985
Jonathan C. Ide , CDR, USCG, Ret. 1986
Herbert A. Turner, MAJ, USA, Ret. * 1987
Alita C. Marks, LCDR, USN, Ret. 1988
Bill M. Lewis, Lt Col, USAF, Ret. 1989
Herbet L. Schoonover, BTC, USN, Ret. 1990
Robert E. Fort, UTCM, USN, Ret. 1991
Paul W . Lowry, FTGC USN, Ret. 1992
John P. Larson, LCDR, USN, Ret.* 1993
Richard E. Satchell, CPO, USN, Ret. 1994
Al Toll, SSG. USA, Ret*. 1995
William C. Nielsen, Lt Col, USAF, Ret. 1996
Marion C. Monkvic (Mrs.) 1997
Richard Tyhurst, Lt Col, USAF, Ret. 1998
Victor Padilla, SGT, USAFR, Ret. 1999
Frank Herbert, CAPT, USN, Ret. 2000
Bryan DeAro, SFC, USA, Ret. 2001
Millie W arren, USA, Vet. 2002
William Plumlee, LT, USN, Vet. 2003
LaVon Plumlee , USN, Vet. 2004
William M. Gordon, Lt Col, USAF, Ret. 2005
Richard DeRusha, SP4, USA, Vet.* 2006
Tony Rietdyk, SGT, USA Vet 2007
LaVon Plumlee, USN Vet.. 2008
Ronald W arren, USCG Aux. 2009
Bill Mottinger, 2010
LaVon Plumlee, USN Vet. 2011
Tamara Carbone, USCG AUX 2012
Jeanne Stafford, USNSA 2013
Victor Padilla, SGT, USAF, Ret. 2014
Gary Halliburton, USN 2015
Roy Queen, USA 2016
Tommy Wheeler, USN Ret 2017
Rebecca Martinez, USNSA 2018
Stephen R. Stanec, USAF 2019
Rodney Coomber, USNSA 2020
Rebecca Martinez, USNSA 2021
Rodney Coomber, USNSA 2022
Charles Buckner, USMC 2023