October 12, 2015

Richmond Yacht Club started up its 2015-2016 Winter Junior Program on October 4. It’s a generational thing.

Three generations of Nashes teaching or learning. Generation 1: Chris the grandpa (a dead ringer for Lee Marvin) supervised the guppy exercise for beginners. Generation 2: Nick Nash may look a little intimidating but he’s actually wearing a rainbow crepe tutu, training advanced El Toro sailors. Generation 3: Nick and Sam. ©2015 Richmond YC

"From what I can determine, the Junior Program started up seriously in the early 1950s," writes our source at RYC, "which is about the time Jocelyn Nash joined RYC and got into sailing." (Jocelyn is Chris the Grandpa's mom, and is still an active RYC sailor and volunteer.)

RYC Junior Alix Sjoberg's dad's Melges 32 Rufless won the OYRA series in a tie-breaker over California Condor, when the final race on October 3 was canceled due to the prediction of gale-force wind. She was out in the Intermediate El Toros, dueling with Nick Nash. Their weapon of choice: water bailers at one boatlength. ©2015 Richmond YC

On the following Sunday, October 11, RYC took a break from the Junior Program to host the El Toro Stampede, the club's oldest regatta, which dates back to 1949.

The following Sunday, October 11, Wesley Seifers won the Junior Division of the El Toro Stampede, then went for a swim in the RYC harbor, then accepted the George W. Dornin Trophy. The original winner, Jules Voerge Jr., won it in 1949, '50 and '51. Gordie Nash won in '65, and Chris Nash won in '66. Both Nashes still race El Toros. ©2015 norcalsailing.com

The Junior Program will pick up where it left off on October 18. See www.richmondyc.org.