If you were driving by the new Sailing and Education Center in the past week you would have seen considerable activity on the grading of land space adjacent to the building. This is in preparation for the construction of the wooden decks and entrance ways all of which will happen this week. In addition, the concrete trucks will be evident as the ground level floor is due to be poured. Work will also continue on finishing the insides of the stick-built portion and on the outside more grading and developing of the sloped land to the south of the building.

If you have friends with youth of junior high and high school age, you might tell them that sign-up is now in progress for the BHYC sponsored and run Boothbay Region Sailing Club. Coach Charles Barclay is expecting a good turnout of 10 or more youth and they will be starting in just a few weeks. Call the office/Charles if you have any questions or to enroll, 633-5780.

Last chance to sign up for the Miami Beach Winter reunion hosted by the Tomlins March 12-15. Please call Don or Claire asap if you will be attending and have not previously signed up. We will have “stringers” on hand to bring you the news if you can’t attend.

It is time to start marking your calendar for upcoming events at BHYC. On May 5, the annual Kentucky Derby Party will kick off the 2018 use of the clubhouse and that will be followed by another horse race event: the “Preakness Stakes and Steaks” (May 10) , which will be our first dining event. The first Thursday evening party at the club will be on the 17th of May. Don’t forget that the April social event will be on the 19th at Chez Shea in Wiscasset.

On May 27 we will celebrate the 123rd consecutive commissioning ceremony followed on June 2 by the Commodore’s reception. On June 9 the University of Maine Alumni Association will be hosting a reception and dinner.

Two “blessings” are in order, the first — the annual Blessing of the Fleet on June 21 and the Blessing of the Sailing and Education Center on June 24. Sandwiched in between those dates is the annual Dock Party on June 23.

Past Commodores — please save the 25th of July for your salute dinner and all of you dancers and dreamers can join in on “Starry Starry Night,”  the annual dinner dance on Aug. 11.