50th Annual STFYC Stag Program

50 AnnuAL th

StaG CruisE

September 20th - 23rd 2007 St. Francis Yacht Club

St. Francis Yacht Club

“You know Denny, so many St. Francis members are down south now, we ought to start thinking about having a cruise of some sort, some kind of mutual setup…” “Leo, are you thinking of a cruise down there or up here?” “Well both really, Denny.”

“How many boats you thinking about?” asks Denny of Leo. “Well, I think we could get five or so, you?” Denny quickly replies, “We can get five or so too!” Both realize that’d be sixty or so cruisers, a grand time no doubt.

After a roll of the dice, Leo asks Denny, “Where might we go?” “Well,” replies Denny. “How ‘ bout a little trip up the Sacramento River... We could go to Steamboat Slough, and then over to Grindstones on the San Joaquin River.

It’d be a lot of fun!”

Looking over their shoulders to some members relaxing at their tables, Denny speaks loudly over the din of serious play.

“Say, what do you guys think about a cruise up the river with some Los Angeles folks?”

With their focused attention to the game at hand, Denny gets no reply.

“Domino Players!” says Leo with dismay.

Denny nods in sad acknowledgement, both respectful of a pure moment of truth. Denny concludes, “Well, if we had boat full of Domino’s, they’d be aboard that boat! You can count on em!” Leo smiles, and replies, “We’ll bring those Dominos, Denny, you can be sure of that!”

A conversation between Leo Benzini and Denny Jordan, overheard at the Club Bar, early in 1957. And The Stag Cruise was born!

In the Main Sheet –1960

I

t’s there! Southampton Lighthouse is at Tinsley Island, and what was only a good idea a short time ago is an accomplished fact, thanks to a great deal of time and effort by several members, not the least of them Bill Tait, coordinator of the project.

Tinsley Island is a delightful spot and becoming more so all the time – a great place to spend a day or a month. A good deal of credit belongs to Pat and Mary McCarthy, whose efforts have made Tinsley a different place.

Although Stag Cruise is still more than two months off, it already is developing into a BIG THING, an event that will be talked bout from coast to coast. Among the notables of yachting who have tentatively accepted invitations to make the cruise are Carleton Mitchell, whose Finisterre recently won the Bermuda Race for an unprecedented third successive time; Olin and Rod Stephens of the famed naval architectural

St. Francis Yacht Club

firm of Sparkman and Stephens; yacht designer Phil Rhodes; Dick Bertram, one of the outstanding Southern Circuit skippers and noted yacht broker; Cornelius Shields, one of the greats of yachting for plenty of years, and Richard Nye, one of the East Coast’s leading ocean racers and owner of Carina.

Bill Bartholomae will have his beautiful Sea Diamond up for the occasion. Several Southern California skippers have accepted invitations to bring their boats up and race in the St. Francis Regatta before going on the Stag Cruise.

Among them are Larry Doheney (Kamalii), Don Haskell (Chubasco), George Fleitz (Fairwind), John Scripps (Novia del Mar) and Lyman Farwell (Sea Drift). Chances are they will be here in time to join Bolero, Baruna, Good News, Athene, Orient and Magic in the Golden Gate YC Regatta the week before our own club regatta. That should make for some especially interesting competition.

If you haven’t already made plans to go on the Stag Cruise, delay no longer. Within three days after the survey cards were sent out, 69 members replied in effect, “count me in.” Chances are, the total will exceed 200. The dates, once again, are September 22-25.

Greetings from the Stag Chair

W 2007 STAG CRUISE COMMITTEE Charlie Hart Jim Babcock Ray Lotto Bob Buich Damian Marhefka Lew Byington Bill Moorhouse George Dort Tom Moulin Dick Enersen Biz Obley Jeff Fenton Chris Ray Daniel Forland Brad Schwarz Peter Gilmore Merv Shenson Herb Goodrich John Stephan Tony Guzzardo Randy Trommer Ed Igoe Brad Whitaker R.C. Keefe Jim Whittaker Terry Klaus Monroe Wingate Kimball Livingston Steve Wood

St. Francis Yacht Club

elcome aboard for the 50th Stag Cruse of the St. Francis Yacht Club, being held on Tinsley Island. This oasis, which started as a bare patch of Sacramento Delta farmland, has hosted the cruise since the membership acquired it in 1959. The island lies 65 miles up river from our San Francisco clubhouse. It is located just adjacent to the main shipping channel of the San Joaquin River, eleven miles shy of the Port of Stockton. A unique landmark includes the Southampton Shoal Lighthouse that operated continuously in San Francisco Bay from 1905 until moved to its present location in 1960.

The Club is proud that The Stag Cruise has become one of the premier annual international yachting events, awaited with anticipation by so many.

Over the years we’ve hosted and enjoyed the company of distinguished individuals from the world of politics, military, entertainment, science and yachting. The “Signature Stag Cruise” is designed to assail your senses for four full days of fun, food, nautical talks and quality entertainment.

As we celebrate this special 50th Annual Stag Cruise, we hope you enjoy the activities and camaraderie of fellow sailors from the Seven Seas, and set your sights on cruises yet to come!

Cheers, Charles J. Hart, Staff Commodore Chair, 2007 Stag Cruise Committee

Lighthouse Speakers and VIP’s Insurgency then and now, Vietnam & Iraq —US Navy SEALS who have been there

St. Francis Yacht Club

Thomas R. Norris - Thomas R. Norris, USN is a retired a U.S. Navy SEAL awarded the Medal of Honor for his ground

rescue of two downed pilots in Quang Tri Province, Vietnam on April 10 - 13, 1972. Six months after this rescue, in October 1972, Norris sustained a near-fatal head wound in action and was rescued by his fellow Navy SEAL, Michael Thornton. As a result of severe head injury including loss of an eye, Norris was retired from the Navy. His recovery involved three years in the hospital and many major surgeries over a six year period.

In 1979 Norris decided to join the FBI and requested a waiver for his disabilities. FBI director William Webster responded, “If you can pass the same test as anybody else applying for this organization, I will waiver your disabilities.” In September 1979, Norris passed the test and subsequently served as a highly distinguished FBI agent and assault team leader for 20 years.

Norris’ Medal of Honor actions have been re-told in numerous books and in the feature film Bat*21, which is named for the Air Force code name for the original reconnaissance mission.

Dick Couch - Dick Couch is an U.S. American author and former Navy SEAL. Dick Couch graduated from the United States

Naval Academy in 1967. He graduated from BUD/S Class 45 in 1969, and was the class Honorman. He was also the first in his class at the Navy Underwater Swimmers School and the Army Free Fall (HALO) School. As Whiskey Platoon Commander with SEAL Team One in Vietnam, he led one of the only successful prisoners of war rescue operations of that conflict. Following his release from active duty in the U.S. Navy, he served as a maritime and paramilitary case officer with the Central Intelligence Agency. In 1997, he retired from the Naval Reserve with the rank of Captain.

Dick has been a guest on “The O’Reilly Factor with Bill O’Reilly, on “Hardball” with Chris Matthews, and on the MS/NBC nightly news with Brian Williams. He is frequently heard on National Public Radio and numerous other radio talk shows, and has served as an analyst for Fox TV, MS/NBC TV, and ABC radio during combat operations in Iraq.

His published works are numerous including: Seal Team One (1991); Silent Descent (1994); Rising Wind (1996); The Warrior Elite: The Forging of SEAL Class 228 (2003); Down Range: Navy SEALs in the War on Terrorism (2006); The Making of A Special Forces Soldier (2007).

STAG CRUISE 2007 VIP LIST Bill Chambers - Annapolis Yacht Club Craig Reynolds - Balboa Yacht Club Eric Jakimier - Ft. Worth Boat Club Mike Van Dyke - Long Beach Yacht Club Dave Cort - Los Angeles Yacht Club John M. Garrison - Newport Harbor Yacht Club Bill Timoney - Olympic Club Dave Wheeler - Puerto Vallarta Yacht Club Brian O’Sullivan - Royal Vancouver Yacht Club Russ Cozens - Royal Victoria Yacht Club William J. Smith - San Francisco Yacht Club Bud Toye - Santa Barbara Yacht Club Ben Cozadd - Seattle Yacht Club Hjalmar E. Breit, III - Southern Yacht Club Al Garnier - Trans Pacific Yacht Club Mark A. Hazlett - Waikiki Yacht Club

lighthouse talks - Americas Cup 32 Panel —Reflections on Valencia Dyer Jones - Mr. Jones served as Commodore of the New York Yacht Club and most recently as Regatta Director for the thirty-second Americas Cup in Valencia, Spain.

Gary Jobson - In the America’s Cup and sailing, no voice is better known than that of Gary Jobson. A champion sailor and Cup-winning tactician, Gary is warmly admired worldwide as a sailing analyst on ESPN and is an Editor-at-Large of Sailing World and Cruising World magazines.

Bill Ficker - Bill bought his first Star in 1950 and later won the Southern California Yachting Association’s midwinter championship and in 1958 won the World Championship. He undertook the campaigning of the re-designed and re-built Intrepid in the spring of 1970, in a Cup defense against GRETEL II, considered by many sailing experts to be a watershed in the post-war history of the Cup.

Tom Ehman - Tom Ehman heads External Affairs for BMW ORACLE Racing, and serves on the team’s Executive Committee. He was the founding chairman of the 2007 Challenger Commission.

Kimball Livingston - As West Coast Editor of Sail Magazine, Kimball is clear that his title doesn’t keep him from popping up wherever people sail.

He says, “Don’t tell my boss, but I love my job.”

Cruise Entertainment

St. Francis Yacht Club

Dick Hardwick

Dick Hardwick’s profanity free humor has landed him in such impressive venues as The Las Vegas Hilton, Silver Legacy and Caesars Palace. And over the years, he has worked hundreds of dates for many national names such as AT&T Wireless, State Farm, McDonalds and more. He has entertained TV audiences on several well-known shows and he has walked away as a Comedy Champion on Ed McMahon’s “Star Search”. He appeared as an actor in Jackie Gleason’s final film “Nothing In Common”, co-starring Tom Hanks. And he’s been featured with major acts such as Ray Charles, Gladys Knight and Johnny Mathis. Mr. Mathis unequivocally states, “Dick Hardwick is the funniest person I’ve ever heard. He’s an extraordinary comedian.”

Carlos Reyes and Orchestra Carlos Reyes recording artist, producer, engineer, harpist and violinist – has been breaking musical barriers since his first public performance at the age of five. He began his musical education at the age of three and a half. A few years later, his father, a musical and national hero in Paraguay, dared young Carlos to learn the complicated 36 string native Paraguay harp. A child prodigy, by his teens he was working in the professional recording industry on commercials, solo artist performances, and instrumental background music for the acclaimed children’s shows “Sesame Street” and Villa Alegre.” His first album “The Beauty Of It All” was on the Top-Ten Contemporary Jazz charts in Billboard Magazine for over 15 weeks. He has backed many artists, including Chuck Mangione, Bill Evans, and Pat Travers.

The Ronn Lucas Show

Ronn Lucas has been entertaining fans for more than 25 years with his incredible, unique talent. An ultimate entertainer, Lucas mixes stand-up comedy, improvisation, audience interaction and astonishing voice gymnastics to delight fans worldwide. Lucas has appeared on and starred in national TV programs including The Late Show with David Letterman, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, L.A. Law, America’s Funniest Home Videos, Who’s In Charge Here on the Disney Channel and most recently FX Network’s hit show nip/tuck and American Airlines’ in-flight program “Eye on American.” He has been awarded numerous accolades, including “The World’s Best Ventriloquist,” by The New York Times and The London Times and was the first ventriloquist to have his own, long-running show in Las Vegas.

StFYC’s Own

Philip Claypool - Southern Singer / Songwriter Don Ladd with Tom Van Rijn - A Night with Sinatra Raccoon Straits Jazz Band Stag Cruise Band and Member Show in Herb Goodrich’s “50 Pieces of Eight”

Activities Doubles Domino Tournament Sign up at Tinsley. Players pick their own partners. The tourney will commence Friday at 1030. After lunch the tourney will resume at 1400. The tournament director will direct each team to play no less than four different opponents.

High score will determine the winners to compete in the semi-finals and finals.

Finals will be held Saturday at 1400.

Prizes to the top two teams.

St. Francis Yacht Club Bocceball Tournament Sign up at Tinsley. This popular event requires participants to be ready to play when your team is called. Play will commence Friday at 1030. After lunch play will resume at 1400. Finals will be held Saturday at 1400. Prizes to the top two teams.

Laser Racing Sign up at Tinsley. There is a separate competition for Group A (60 yrs. and over) and group B (under 60 yrs.). The regatta will commence Friday at 1030 – Please report to the Laser Dock. After lunch it will resume at 1400. Finals will

be held Saturday at the coordinator’s discretion. Please be standing by and ready to sail when your heat is called.

For your viewing pleasure, there will be a pontoon boat equipped with a bar anchored at the race course. Prizes for first place only in each group.

Horseshoes Sign up at Tinsley. Play starts on Friday at 1030, resuming in the afternoon at 1400. Finals on Saturday at 1400. This is a doubles only competition under International Rules of Horseshoe Pitching. Prizes to the top two teams.

Volleyball Tournament Sign up at Tinsley. There will a competition category for both 6 man teams and 2 man teams. Play starts Friday at 1030, resuming after lunch at 1400. Finals will be held Saturday at 1400 hrs. Prizes to the top two teams in each category.

Kayaks Sign up at Tinsley. Separate competition categories for Group A (55 yrs and over), Group B (35 to 55 yrs) and Group C (35 yrs and under). Races start Friday at 1030 for Group A, 1130 for Group B and 1400 for Group C. Finals will be held Saturday at the coordinator’s discretion.

Prizes for first place only in each Group.

Golf Tournament Commencing at 1400 on Saturday.

Three tries to be the closest to the pin on Doggie Island from our floating tee box located between the Waldorf and Palazzo Piccolo Houseboats. Double check those divots. Prize for first place only.

Liars Dice Tournament Sign up at Tinsley. The tourney director will supervise pairings. Tourney will commence Saturday at 1400. Prizes for both first and second place.

Think we’ll survive the Lighthouse Talks?

River Cruise The larger yachts on the Main Dock North Outside are designated as official River Cruise yachts. The names of the yachts will be posted on the message board at the Lanai bar. Life jackets are required for each person aboard.

(Remember to bring your own life jacket). Yachts, other than the Official River Cruise yachts shall not accompany or follow the cruise. Violators will be banned from the island for the remainder of the cruise. Thank you for your cooperation. NOTE: Skippers’ meeting on Saturday at 0900 on the yacht, GG Bird. No ski boats or runabouts.

Program - Thursday & Friday Thursday, September 20 th Rear Commodore’s Day - John McNeill 0530 “Welcome Breakfast and “eye openers” with Dixieland Jazz

at the San Francisco Station

• Sign Cris Hammond’s 50th Stag Cruise Commemorative Painting of Yankee, to be framed in the club house post-cruise

• Castoff for the up-river cruise to the “In All the World There’s Only One” Tinsley Island. Bon Voyage No Wakes please 1200 Bar opens at Tinsley for early arrivals 1400 Sign up for games at the Lanai 1700 Cocktails and hors d’oeuvres; Smoked Duck, Asian

Tenderloin Beef bites, Thai Spiced prawns and other surprises

from our Executive Chef, Joseph Warzeniak 1845 Dunking of Despair: Dispel your woes and banish despair

at this time honored ritual 1930 Seated Dinner: Crab and Shrimp Caesar Salad, Filet Mignon

and Roasted Chicken, Dessert Station 2030 Commodore Lotto’s introduction of the Flag Officers, VIP’s,

and StFYC Staff Commodores 2100 Thursday Night Show: Comic Sensation Dick Hardwick

(See Entertainment Page) 2230 Afterglow at the Lanai Bar with the St. Francis Yacht Club’s

own Raccoon Straits 2300 Late Night Snack: Sliders with Cheese, Hotdogs, Onion

Soup, Chili, Cookies and Milk

St. Francis Yacht Club

Friday, September 21st Vice Commodore’s Day - Joe Horn 0700 0800-0900

0900 0900-1000 1000 1200-1330

1330 1630

1730

1800-1900 1900

1910

2100

2230 2300

Reveille Breakfast Buffet: Fresh Fruits, Cereals, French Toast, Eggs Made to Order, Frittata, Espresso Bar Tinsley Tour - Meet at the Lanai Bar Sign the 50th Stag Cruise Commemorative Painting - Lanai Games Commence: See activities page for details Hofbrau Lunch – Steamship Round of Beef, Baked Ham, Roasted Turkey, Corned Beef, Knockwursts and Bratwursts, Salad Bar Games continue Lighthouse Talk: Navy SEAL and Medal of Honor Recipient Thomas Norris and Dick Couch: Insurgency Then and Now, Vietnam and Iraq Cocktails and hors d’oeuvres at the Lanai Bar. Ode to Valencia! Albondigas en Salsa de Cabrillas, Gambas Paco Alcalde Pate de Pato and other gastronomic delights Raccoon Straits play live cocktail music in the Lanai Retreat: Please gather at the Flag with the St. Francis YC Color Guard Seated Dinner: Galician Style Lobster Salad, Aragonese Veal Tenerloin Medallion, Colossal Grilled Prawn with Romesco Sauce, Dessert Station Music and Comedy at the Tim Moseley Playhouse: Jazz Harpist and Virtuoso Carlos Reyes and Orchestra joins Las Vegas Comedian and Ventriloquist Extraordinaire Ronn Lucas Afterglow at the Lanai Bar with Raccoon Straits Late Night Snack: Sliders with Cheese, Hotdogs, Onion Soup, Chili, Cookies and Milk. Join in if you dare!

Program - Saturday & Sunday Saturday, September 22nd Commodore’s Day - Ray Lotto 0700 0800-0900

0900 0900-0930 1000 1200

1330 1500

1630

1730

1900 1930

2015 2030

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2200 2230 2300

Reveille Breakfast Buffet: Fresh Fruits, Cereals, Pancakes, Eggs Benedict, Eggs Made to Order River Cruise Skippers Meeting on board GG BIRD Sign the 50th Stag Cruise Commemorative Painting - Lanai River Cruise. (See Activities Page) 0600 Margaritas and Mariachis on the dock followed by Mexican 0700 Fiesta! Romaine Salad, Grilled Chipolte Mahi Mahi, Beef Mole, Enchiladas, Flan and much, much more Games Finals Rum Tasting on the Lanai Lawn – powered by our friends at Mount Gay Lighthouse Talk: Reflections on Valencia: Panel discussion with Dyer Jones, Gary Jobson, Bill Ficker, Tom Ehman and Kimball Livingston Cocktails and Hors d’ Oeuvres at the Lanai Bar. Fried Pacific Oysters, Italian Meatballs, Tempura, Dim Sum, Spicy Duck Rolls. Enjoy the musical stylings of Phil Claypool Retreat: United States Air Force Color Guard with gun salute Commodore’s Dinner ala San Francisco’s Cliff House: Celery Victor with Green Goddess Dressing and Prosciutto Julliene, Salmon Filet, Lamb Rack Chops, Cherries Jubilee Trophy presentation Cruise Chairman Charlie Hart introduces the 2007 Stag Cruise Committee. Commodore Ray Lotto gives tribute to our Cruise staff, Club management, and Island employees.

Enjoy the sounds of our Member Show Band and please be seated at the Tim Moseley Playhouse Saturday Night Members Show: 50 Pieces of Eight Directed

by Herb Goodrich and Rex Allen

St. Francis Yacht Club Fireworks Show A Night with Sinatra: Don Ladd with Tom Van Rijn Late Night Snack. Sliders with Cheese, Hotdogs, Onion Soup, Chili, Cookies and Milk

Sunday, September 23rd Homeward Bound - Cruisers Day Reveille early for departures Breakfast and bracers. Pick up Lunch bags in the Lanai Good Sailing • Safe Trip!

Conserving Energy

Cruise Notes & Information Reservations Attendance is for male members and guests. Cancellations must be in writing and received by the club no later than August 31st to avoid getting charged.

The cost covers all food, liquor, berthing, entertainment, and activities, for the entire cruise.

flag. Additional flags will be available for purchase at the Ketch-All store on Tinsley Island. All Full-Cruise participants will get a free Stag Cruise shirt and hat. Limited quantities of 50th Stag Cruise fleece jackets and sweatshirts will also be available for purchase in the gift shop.

Anchorage Stag Cruise Port Captain, Jeff Fenton, assisted by Deputy Port Captain, Randy Trommer will furnish each yacht with a berth assignment. Jeff Fenton is located on Fast Freight and Randy Trommer is located on Cat in the Hatt. Yachts anchoring outside the lagoon must provide their own shore boat service.

Identification Badges Each member and guest will be issued a name badge, which will serve as a ticket to the cruise. Please wear it whenever you are ashore. Different colored nametags denote the following: White and blueSt. Francis Yacht Club members, White and red- member’s guests, Gold- VIP Club guests, Orange Dot- Entertainment Production, and staff.

Tinsley Island: Flags/ Shirts/Hats/Jackets Each owner of a participating yacht will be issued a Tinsley Island cruise

Meal Service Each of the gourmet breakfasts, luncheons, and dinners are prepared

St. Francis Yacht Club

under the direction of Executive Chef Joseph Warzeniak. A midnight supper will be served from 2300–Midnight on Thursday, Friday and Saturday night.

Box lunches will be provided at the Club on Thursday morning for the up-river cruise and will be furnished at Tinsley for the homeward bound trip on Sunday.

Hosts will seat you for all dinners on this cruise. Please note that collared shirts are required evening attire.

Club. Each packet contains a copy of the Cruise participants, skipper and crew list, identification badges, docking plan, program and chits for Stag Cruise burgee, shirts and caps for skipper and crew.

Liquor & Bar Service Each yacht will be furnished one bottle of liquor, wine or a six pack of beer on Thursday morning for each person aboard. The bar will be open at Tinsley at 1200 with hosted drinks for the entire cruise.

Departure Time The 50th Anniversary Stag Cruise will commence at 0530 Thursday, September 20, 2007 in the main Clubhouse of the St. Francis Yacht Club. Participating yachts will depart for Tinsley Island immediately following breakfast for a long weekend of camaraderie, relaxation, entertainment and friendly competition.

The cruise will end after breakfast on Sunday, September 23, 2007 when all yachts will depart for their home ports.

Information Packet Skippers can pick up information packets at 0530 Thursday, September 20 at the

Notes for First Timers Sport clothes with boat shoes are the uniform of the day. Don’t forget your

Cruise Currents Thursday, Sept. 20th

Sunday, Sept. 23rd

Max Flood Golden Gate 0618 2.1 KTS Slack Water 0945

Slack Water Carquinez Straight 0802 Max Flood 1118 2.1 KTS • Slack Water 1420 • Max Ebb 1711 1.7 KTS

Max Flood Carquinez Straight 0923 1.7 KTS Slack Water 1237

Slack Water Golden Gate 1205 • Max Ebb 1429 2.4 KTS Slack Water 1752

Cruise Notes & Information

St. Francis Yacht Club

swim trunks, athletic shoes, sunglasses, bug repellent, sun lotion, and sleeping bag (if required on the yacht where you are berthing.)

Sick Bay Drs. John Callander and Peter Sullivan will be in attendance and aboard the Waldorf Houseboat. For this limited time, they are accepting new patients.

Messages and Phone Calls There are no telephones on Tinsley Island.

Cell phones are not allowed on the Island but may be used on board and inside any yacht. Emergency messages may be routed to the Island by calling the St. Francis Yacht Club, 415-563-6363, and requesting that the message be forwarded to the Island. A message board will be located in the Lanai Bar area.

No No’s Tinsley is a special place – please help us to keep it that way. No fireworks, no firearms, no cell phones, no pyrotechnics, no pets, no water fights, no females, no bare feet at meals, no tank tops, no swimsuits at meals, no conduct unbecoming of a gentleman. Please no small craft and runabouts on the River Cruise. A shirt with a collar is required at dinner. Thank you for your cooperation.

You should have signed up by the deadline!

St. Francis Yacht Club 2007 Flag Officers

Commodore: Ray W. Lotto Vice Commodore: Joseph J. Horn, III Rear Commodore: John R. McNeill

MANAGEMENT

General Manager: Ronald Banaszak, Jr. Assistant General Manager: Noel Omila Assistant General Manager: David Robinson Club Events Manager: Benjamin Yamanaka Executive Chef: Joseph Warzeniak Race Manager: John Craig Tinsley Island Manager: Tony Evans T.I. Asst. Manager: Joel Champion

St. Francis Yacht Club

2007 BOARD OF DIRECTORS Mark A. McLaughlin, Chairman Ray W. Lotto, Commodore Joseph J. Horn, III, Vice Commodore John R. McNeill, Rear Commodore George Dort Ken Glidewell John T. Kerslake Patrick Nolan Richard Robinson Sara A. Simmons David H. Sneary

Acknowledgements

The committee has enjoyed the opportunity to plan and deliver a first class event for our membership and guests. We’d like to extend a sincere thank you to each of our vendors and partners who have contributed generously to make this a memorable cruise. A significant investment of time has been made by many to insure that the facilities,

entertainment, food, sets, clothing and transportation are enjoyed without a hitch.

We’d also like to extend our gratitude you to some individuals whose efforts have added that extra “something” to this 50th Anniversary celebration. If we had the space the list would be much longer…

John Callander and Peter Sullivan Our Island doctors in a high risk venue Michael Campbell Victoria 5: Hosting VIP Cocktails Terri Craft Working under program deadlines and never cracking John Crossley Production of the Stag Invitation DVD Herb Goodrich Creating a memorable Members Show and Dunking of Despair Cris Hammond For tirelessly and patiently contributing first class art and humor, year after year Paul Heineken Getting Lasers, kayaks etc. up to snuff Tom Moulin For a great eye and generous access to an unlimited photo archive Mount Gay Rum For generously contributing to our little habit Tom Murray For bravely stepping up to pen nautically themed cartoons as a career landlubber Chris Ray Creation of the Invitation DVD Randy Trommer Ceaseless preparation and care of our Tinsley Docks Jim Whittaker Delivering a working dock plan for the biggest turnout ever, and smiling about it Photo Contributions By: Tom Moulin, Curt Olinger, John McNeill, Brad Whitaker, and Chris Ray

St. Francis Yacht Club Few would argue that the St. Francis is one of the premier yacht clubs in the world. We like to say it’s the finest yacht club in the whole world. It’s certainly a top five.

Well I used to do a lot of traveling. My business took me to Europe, Australia, the Orient. All over. When someone would say to me, “Oh, you’re a member of the St. Francis Yacht Club,” and the flavor of our conversation would drift in that direction and I’d confirm, “Well, yes...” The first thing they’d often respond with was, “Oh, YOU’RE the ones that put on that men’s cruise that’s out in the middle of a river or something! Isn’t that you guys?”

That has always been funny to me and a source of pride. They didn’t always say, “Oh, yeah, you’re the guys that put on the Big Boat Series, or 6-Meter programs, or took those two 12-Meters down to Australia..” But it always tickled me that someone I’d never met before in my life would somehow bring up the cruise, usually then wanting to know how we got all the food, drink and entertainment, “Out to a tiny little island in the middle of a river somewhere.”

Of all the things we do, I don’t know how many times I’ve had people in big positions in the yachting world ask me, “Hey, I can’t get my boat out there to San Francisco, but can I get an invitation to that Stag Cruise?”

- Staff Commodore R.C. Keefe

“Thank you Gentlemen. To the next fifty years!”

Yankee 50th Stag Cruise Commemorative Painting by Cris Hammond

St. Francis Yacht Club