Worton Creek News Page

Worton Creek Windbag

April 2008

MARINA HOURS

April & May, 2008

MARINA & HARDWARE STORE

8:00am - 4:30pm Mon - Fri

9:00am - 4:00pm Sat

10:00am - 3:00pm Sun

Longer Weekend hours beginning Memorial Day Weekend

BUSINESS OFFICE

8:00am - 4:30pm Mon-Fri

WORTON POINT YACHT CLUB

This is the first of a seasonal column on the activities of the Worton Point Yacht Club. To all current members I wish you a happy safe season, and to non-members I extend a warm invitation to join us. Some of the benefits are listed in the enclosed brochure, and you can get more information including the season’s program from our new web site www.wortonpointyachtclub.com The first event will be the Commodores Ball to be held May 10 at the Chester River Yacht and Country Club. Invitations will be sent out shortly. If any non-members would like to attend the Ball and see how friendly this Club is, please contact any member, or pass your name via Libby.

HAVE FUN and ALWAYS TAKE TIME TO BE SAFE.

Brian Read, Commodore

The Harbor House is now open on Sunday! Bob and Robbie have added a Sunday Brunch Buffet from 11am – 2pm and a Sunday Seafood Buffet from 3pm-8pm. The Harbor House is also open for dinner on Friday and Saturday evenings.

Features for April include a Passover Brunch on April 20, a Wine Dinner on Thursday, April 24 and a four course Organic Tasting to recognize Earth Day on Saturday, April 26. Call the restaurant at 410-778-0669 for more details and reservations. We’ll see you there!

Hello from Worton Creek where spring has sprung! The weather has been on the wet and chilly side, but spring is in the air and the 2008 Boating Season is beginning.

Activity around the marina is picking up dramatically with work focused on making boats ready for the season. The hill is getting crowded on weekends and our crew is busy with launches, commissioning and finishing up winter projects.

I’m still working in the raised bridge of the Burger. This area is progressing, but at a slow pace. I’m working on the molding and trim work, and the navigation console. I’ve just about finished with the trim work around the windows and have started some of the curved moldings around the seat armrests and binnacle. A lot of the molding has burled walnut inlays so it takes time and patience to do this phase of the work. My grand plan for the winter was to work in the pilot house and galley. So much for grand plans. I’ve still got a long way to go in the pilot house and haven’t even touched the galley yet (and it’s spring). At some point I’ll have to say “enough in the pilot house for now” and move on to the galley, but not yet.

On a personal note things are moving along with the Patnovics. Amy is gainfully employed as a graphic artist in Washington DC. She started work this month. Amy is our last child “off the payroll” and it feels good…Go Amy!, Welcome to the real world. Wedding plans continue unabated. I have no idea what’s happening but there’s lots of chatter, mostly smiles, a few frowns and no disasters so far. I guess everything’s on track.

As we go forward into the 2008 boating season I’m curious to see how it develops. There is a lot of uncertainly in the air and the general mood of the country is pretty glum. Fuel costs are high and show no signs of easing. I’m an eternal optimist and believe strongly that we will successfully adapt to the changes around us and find ways to continue to enjoy the water. Personally I figure I will have to go slower, stay longer and probably take shorter trips. Worst case is I’ll have to row! At any rate Libby and I are excited and happy about the coming season and look forward to seeing everyone.

PropSpeed is an environmentally friendly product specifically designed to prevent marine growth from bonding to any metal surface below the waterline. The manufacturer claims that independent tests confirm higher top-end speeds, increased fuel efficiency and reduced maintenance. Although the product is expensive, several of our customers used the product last season with excellent results. Call Tom on Ext 10 for more details.

Congratulations to Worton Creek Marina employees celebrating service anniversaries in April: John LeClair (13 years), Tom Tontarski (7 years), and Tom Warner (2 Years).

IN MEMORIUM
We were very sorry to learn that Burgess Pilling, long time Worton Creek Marina customer, passed away on March 26, 2008. Burgess and Ginny were avid boaters since the 1950’s and owned a number of different boats, both sail and power, but all named Whimbrel. The Pillings were also members of the Worton Point Yacht Club. We extend our condolences to Ginny and the entire Pilling family.

1. For DRY STORAGE customers, remember to bring your ladders, extension cords and water hoses.

2. DO NOT MOVE YOUR JACKSTANDS! If you need to have your jackstands moved please let us know. Our charge is $25 to move your stands for you to paint under them. Please do not take chances with your boat or others around you!

3. If you are uncovering your own boat, please remove the tie-down cords and put the plastic by the trash cans (not in them!). We will pick them up for recycling.

4. Please keep the area around your boat neat and clean at all times. Take care not to let any of your work residue drift onto other boats!

5. If you scrape and/or paint the bottom of your boat you must use ground tarps to ensure bottom paint does not fall on the ground.

6. Be sure to contact Gretchen on Ext. 14 for all commissioning and work order requests. If you have not sent in your commissioning order yet, don’t delay!