BLESSING OF THE FLEET
LAKEWOOD YACHT CLUB
APRIL 5 - 6, 2003

     On the first weekend in April, it is the custom at Lakewood Yacht Club to conduct a ceremony called the Blessing of the Fleet.  It is for all the new boats in the Club since last year, whether owned by new members or acquired by existing members since the previous year.  Since we became members last May, which was after the Blessing of the Fleet in 2002, I thought about "blessing" our Carver 440 this year and then including the 57' Grand Harbour next year.  (It's also called "commissioning" or "christening")  But I decided not to do that.  We registered the new boat for the event.

     There are a number of photographs of the day, Sunday, when the blessing took place.  Of course, we had a Skipper's Meeting on Saturday morning at 10am, and everything was very well organized in advance.  I was assigned a time to enter the Inner Harbor, close to the end of the parade of boats because I was fourth from the last.  Last, actually, was Jack and Nickie Binion, in M/V NICK NACK IV.

     We had met Jack and Nickie back in November or December when we were considering buying the Grand Harbour.  Their boat is a Grand Harbour, which they purchased used in April, 2002.  It was a 2000 model that the owner intended to take to the Mediterranean.  Jack and Nickie bought it, made some changes to suit their needs, and went around the Great Loop with it last year.  When we called them they shared with us their knowledge and experiences with their boat, which was a big help to us.  They have become good friends as well.

     Interestingly, I'm told there are only four Grand Harbour pilothouse yachts in the USA.  The owner and designer built those boats in Taiwan in a yard named Grand Harbour.  That yard also makes a few other boats on the same mold, such as the Compass 55.  Angela and I had been to San Diego to look at a Compass 55 and liked many things about it.  We liked the Grand Harbour better.  Isn't it fascinating that out of four boats of one brand in the USA, there were two at Lakewood Yacht Club?

     Jack and Nickie's boat was alongside the south wall of the Inner Harbour, and they were the last boat in.  Then there were four boats stern-to the south wall.  The first, next to Jack, was a sport fisherman, not sure of the name.  Next was Tom and Pauline Johnson's 53' Carver, M/V FIRST SIGHT.  Tom bought the boat in South Carolina and flew there by himself to bring it back.  He used to own a Carver 440, and we had met him about 18 months earlier.  

     Our boat was next, and then M/V KNOT TOO SHABBY was next to us.  We did not get to tour that boat but I wanted to, because it looked to me like a large express cruiser with a closed in and air conditioned helm.  I believe it was a Sea Ray, about 50 feet, or maybe more, in length.  We met Dan and Laura Parfimowicz for the first time that day.

     Proceeding around the Inner Harbor, the boats were stern-to on the west wall, starting with M/V LADY RAYE, a 112' Westport,  owned by Ed White, in the corner (alongside the south bulkhead).  Next was a 84' Hatteras, followed by about 8 other power boats of less length.  One was M/V PHLUSIE, a 62' Offshore sold by our broker in Ft. Lauderdale, Gary Slatkow, and delivered to LYC by Captain Scott Palmer back in November 2002.  Phil and Susie combined their names to name the boat.  In that group also was M/V PIXIE, a 40' Silverton belonging to Mike and Helen, a couple we met and got to know at the Commodore's Cruise to Cozumel in 2002. 


      At the corner the boats were alongside the west wall, and after turning the corner the sailboats were in the slips right down the hill from the pool and the clubhouse.  The one we knew the best was S/V RENAISSANCE, a 42' Hunter owned by Jim and Ronnie Hall.  We had known Jim and Ronnie for years; they were our sponsors into Lakewood.  The boat was a replacement for an identical boat by the same name they had purchased and used slightly and repaired after it was struck by lightning.  They had sold the boat and were boatless for a year or so, but decided to get another boat and went right back to what they knew and liked.  

     In writing all this, it seemed to me we were, in fact, getting to know some of the members of LYC and to know something about them and their yachts.  We found that to be a slow process for us.  We were very pleased to be presented two dozen roses in honor of the occasion, one dozen from Don and Ann Thomson and the other from Ed and Dorothy Hearon.  Neil and Leona Pleasant presented us with a bottle of wine as a commemorative of the occasion, and LYC presented us with a bronze plaque suitable for mounting in the pilothouse.  Of course, LYC also gave us a bottle of champagne to break over the bow and a burgee for the bow staff.

     On Saturday evening Lakewood had an outdoor dinner of boiled crawfish and other entrees, and it was good and well attended.  Again we had the sense of getting to know more of the members.  Norm and Norrine, whom we had met in Vancouver, BC in October 2002 had come to visit Don and Ann Thomson, so we got to see them again, which was a real pleasure.  The live music was not too loud, the weather was decent, and the food was good.  It was an opportunity to show our boat to some friends the evening before the Blessing, and I'm glad we were there to do that.  Sunday was very busy with all the festivities, family, and other guests.

     Sunday Brunch is usually a special occasion at Lakewood.  The meal is reasonably priced, and the club really puts out a large variety of food to choose from.  That Sunday they were expecting 200 people in the Ballroom and another 200 (mainly the band) in the regular restaurant.  I think we had a table of nine people.  Angela's sister and her two daughters plus a friend were four, Frank and Marla Aguilar and their daughter were three more, and Angela and I made nine.  Marc and Cindy Snowhite came by for coffee but no food; and my son Daniel (that's right, the actor) and his wife Jenny, along with Felicia and Todd Pool arrived in time for the ceremony but after the brunch.

    We were seated in chairs set up by the pool for the occasion, around 2pm.  There was a Dignitaries Tent, in which were seated special visitors, such as local politicians, representatives of the Coast Guard and the Navy, widows of former commodores, etc.  Former commodores, in uniform, filed in and were seated in the front row ahead of us.  Lakewood Yacht Club officers, directors, and members of the Board of Directors were also in uniform and seated in a special row across from us.  All of these were introduced to the assembled crowd over the loudspeaker system.


         

     The band marched in and played some tunes for us.  The priest blessed us, and each boat owner was introduced to the crowd.  While we were walking down to meet the Commodore and receive our bottle of champagne, the announcer described us, our family, our boat, the name of the boat the origin thereof, and where we had been in the boat.  It was all very special.  Flags were flying (it is always windy but rarely rainy on the first weekend in April), music was playing, well wishes and good cheer were abundant and displayed all over the place.  We were instructed to go to our boats and prepare to raise our colors.

       

     We did so, and Angela picked out the spot on the bow of the boat to hit with the champagne bottle.  Our friends arrived.  Our turn was announced, and the cannon was fired.  Angela swung the bottle and connected smartly, breaking the bottle.  Everyone relaxed, on our boat.  We took pictures, and some are included here to try and give the flavor of the day.  Then we received visitors, and we visited other boats.  We went aboard the 112' LADY RAYE, which was quite impressive.  We saw Mike and Helen's boat and Jim and Ronnie's sailboat.  That was about it for us; the rest of the time we were welcoming well-wishers to our new boat.  Our guests were encouraged to walk around and see any of the other boats, and I think everyone had a great time.

       

       

          

     We had to leave in about the same order we arrived, although once the ropes across the harbor were removed and the anchors were pulled up there were some options on the time.  However, we were stern-to, so once KNOT TOO SHABBY left and the sport fisherman next to Tom left, his boat and ours were just sticking out there with no forward support.  I think it was about 5pm that we left the Inner Harbor and returned to our berth on I Dock. 

      It was really a fun day and a great experience, and I think it would be for anyone attending, even if they didn't have a boat in the ceremony.  The good cheer and well-wishing is so positive that everyone who is around that atmosphere benefits from it.  I will definitely plan to attend next year, and hopefully we will not have a boat in the ceremony.