The promised article by Matthew Kurtas has been postponed for one week because we have breaking news: The 2015 season is underway. (Well, if you mean that things are happening at the clubhouse other than Donna and Jim doing their thing!)

Last week the BHYC sponsored High School Sailing team began their season and with the largest enrollment ever and despite the total lack of cooperation by old man weather. Twelve erstwhile young sailors appeared for practice on Monday, April 6 and they have been at it ever since.

With Sally Lloyd over in Cambodia running "Survivor" watercraft, her brother Sam Lloyd has stepped up to the plate as coach of the team. Sam has coached the 420s and some Optis for the last three seasons of the Junior Program so he is no stranger to our program, our equipment and especially our waters. Sam is a recent graduate of Fort Lewis College and he has spent the past winter as a ski instructor in the mountains of Colorado.

Assisting Sam this year will be Ben Waldrop, who is a member of the faculty at Lincoln Academy and who, for the past 10 years, has been a sailing instructor at the Vineyard Haven Yacht Club in Tisbury, Massachusetts. Ben is a fully certified instructor as well and brings a wealth of experience to our program. He also brings with him daily a number of young sailors from the Lincoln Academy student body.

Without current access to the water because of winter woes with docks and floats, Sam and Ben are holding chalk talks, strength and agility exercises, and boat rigging and maintenance activities. It is hoped that activities on the water (in dry suits) will be underway by the time this article is published.

The Junior Program Foundation is a major supporter of this community activity and it is through your gifts to that organization that we are able to offer this spectacular program to the youth of the Boothbay Region. You can contact PC Tony O’Neill to make a tax deductible gift to the foundation.

There is still an opportunity for BHYC members to assist physically in this program as well. Every day the team is on the water Sam and Ben will each be coaching from Jr. program whalers but we also need a safety boat patrolling at all times. Members can sign up to serve in this capacity by calling Jim Matel and indicating their willingness to do so. Sam Lloyd will then contact you to schedule day or days to serve. The team practices from about 3:15 to 5:30 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, weather permitting. Please call to volunteer. Also remember that you can watch their practices from the DMR waterfront as for the most part they practice and race in the inner harbor.

The team races on weekends at Regattas held in Portland (Sail Maine) and in Rockland. We hope to host at least one regatta this spring here in our harbor.

It looks like we have a winner in our snow gone from the Tennis Courts contest. Drum roll please — the winner is Phil Brooks who will receive his Dark & Stormy on July 4 at the club.

Thursday night, April 23 is the April cocktail party at the home of PC Bob and Linda McArtor on Southport. The usual procedures apply and Jim Matel has emailed directions and parking details.