From the Helm
Thanks to all who pitched in to support the 62nd Annual Virginia Governor’s Cup. The event was, as always, a resounding success. We received tons of positive feedback, with several sailors proclaiming that WRYC is their favorite place to sail every year. The regatta saw a large fleet of Albacores and Hamptons as well as a showing of Buccaneers, Lasers, and Optimists. There are so many people to thank for their efforts so please forgive me for not mentioning everyone. Thank you to Steve Hanson (Principal Race Officer), Joe Morgan (provided committee boat), Tony Villani (Race Committee), Gary Hermanson (Race Committee), Beve Hermanson (Race Committee), John Singleton (Race Committee), Lew Volk (Race Committee), Harry Taylor (Race Committee), Bill Brown (Scoring), Nancy Dykeman (Registration), Paula Volk (Hospitality), Layne Brown (Hospitality), Ray Mazzocco (Hospitality), Jason Holladay (Hospitality), Paul Smith (Hospitality), Ginny Nolan (Hospitality), Cece Brown (Hospitality), LuAnne Knuteson (Hospitality), Jean Garrett (Hospitality), Leonne Arsenovic (Hospitality), Lorna Hanson (Hospitality), Yelisaveta Cheremeteff (Logistics and Shirts), and friend of the club Charles Dunston (Finish Line Boat), Rick Klein (Race Committee), Vickie Bristow (Race Committee). Much appreciation to ALL the other members who manned the kitchen, set up, cleaned up, cared for the grounds, and so much more.
Help Wanted: First of all, thank you to Layne Brown for your YEARS of dedicated service as the Club Manager. Layne has made the difficult decision to step down as club manager. She has agreed to stay on for a few months to ease the transition. We are actively looking for a new Club Manager. This is a paid position. Please email me at commodore@wryc.org if you are interested. I will send those that enquire a position description and the next steps moving forward to interviews.
Albacore fleet reaching toward the mark during the 62nd Annual Governor’s Cup Regatta (August 2026)
Fleet Scuttlebutt
Greetings sailors and fellow members! I hope many of you were able to participate in or support our 62nd Annual Governor’s Cup Regatta this past weekend. It’s an all-around great event, made possible by the enthusiastic sailors, race committee, and phenomenal squad of hospitality volunteers! Many thanks to all, and if you’ve not already done so, be sure to include next year’s regatta (first weekend in August) in your long-term plans.
Our 2026 Junior Sailing camp wrapped up activities on July 23rd, and many of the counselors and instructors were on hand to work the Governor’s Cup junior sailing course – thanks to that splendid team for handling those responsibilities and the entire Junior Sailing program successfully!
Again this month we ask about some of the neglected boats and trailers in our boat storage area – we’ve placed one “Abandoned Watercraft” legal notice in the Gazette-Journal, and we may begin a similar process (involving the DMV) to clear several abandoned trailers. Please let me know if you have a boat, trailer or both that you no longer want. Last month’s Telltale mentioned the Mathews Maritime Foundation, and their donated-boats program. Maybe someone else can give your unwanted boat a loving home.
During the regatta this week one of the participants asked if we knew of anyone interested in selling an Albacore – please let us know if you own an Albacore and would be interested in selling it.
Perhaps a few of you noticed that our club keelboat Tranquility Base remained at the pier during this weekend’s regatta rather than serving as a committee boat. (Thanks to the skipper & crew of Holley Day for stepping up!) This is due to an issue with TB’s Yanmar diesel. We’re hopeful to have this issue resolved soon, but until then our Lasers and Albacores, and Optis for younger sailors, will suffice. (If you have knowledge and experience with small diesel engines, please let me know!)
August, September and October are typically among the best months of the year for sailing on the Ware River and Mobjack Bay. If you have younger family members going back to school in a few weeks, don’t let the summer end without another boat ride or two! I hope to see many of you on or near the water!
-John Dudley, Fleet Captain
A Message from Your Social Chair
Hello Ware River Yacht Club Members!
Summer is in full swing, and we have some fantastic events on the horizon:
62nd Governors Cup Dinner – Saturday, August 1st
Don't forget to submit your RSVP! We look forward to a fantastic evening celebrating one of our fine club traditions.
August Summer Happy Hour – Thursday, August 20th
Mark your calendars and join us at the clubhouse to catch up with friends, relax, and enjoy the waterfront.
Labor Day Social Hosts Needed!
We are still looking for member volunteers to host our annual Labor Day Social. Our social events rely entirely on the generosity and spirit of our members—we simply can't do it alone and need your support to make these gatherings happen! If you are interested in hosting or co-hosting, please reach out to Josh directly.
See you around the club!
2026 Rentals Remaining
The WRYC Rental Calendar is filling up for 2026. Here are the numbers by month:
August 1- Social Governor’s Cup & Fireball Nationals, 1- Non-profit Rental, 1 - Non-member
September 2- Socials, 1- Harry Sindle Memorial Regatta, 1 - Non-profit
October 1- Social-Albacore Nationals & Oktoberfest, 1- Non-profit, 1- Non-member Wedding Rentals
November 1- Social Oyster Roast, 1- Non-member, 1- Member Rentals
December 1- Social Holiday, 1- Member Rental
2026 WRYC Calendar of Events
July 31, Aug.1/262nd VA Governor’s Cup, Fireball Nationals & Junior Regattas & Awards
August 20 Summer Social Hour (Host Choice) Free, BYOB, Appetizer to Share
September 5/6 Labor Day Social (Host choice)
September 12 Pickleball Round Robin
September 16 Trivia Night
October 9-13 Oktoberfest – Albacore Nationals Regatta
November 7 Oyster Roast
December 6/7 Christmas / Holiday Social (Host choice)
*Members are encouraged to sign up to host or help organize each event. Co-hosting is
perfectly acceptable – you don’t have to host alone. Please contact Membership Chair,
Josh James, at socials@wryc.org with any questions or fill in your name and number in
the sign-up column above.
From the Helm
Happy 250th Birthday, America!
As I write this, it is the morning of July 4, 2026. So thankful that we’re blessed with a beautiful waterfront property in lovely southeastern Virginia in the greatest country on Earth. I hope each of you enjoy this holiday weekend safely. Please consider joining us later this month for the July social to celebrate our Nation.
Hard to believe we are only one month away from the Governor’s Cup Regatta. Registrations are coming in and work is already underway. However, more help is still needed. Whether your skills and interest lie ashore or afloat, there’s a place for you to help out with the event (and we need everyone’s help). If you’ve not already volunteered, I encourage you to consider reaching out to Ray Mazzocco for positions ashore with the hospitality team or John Dudley for positions afloat with the race committee. If you have any questions about the event or where your skills may best fit, please reach out to me.
It’s come to my attention that local hotel rooms are rapidly filling during Governor’s Cup weekend. If you have space to host any of the sailors please let me know and I will connect you to a sailor looking for a spot to stay.
Hats off to Samantha Preddy and her team for a strong start to the 2026 Junior Sailing program. The coaches and boats are ready to provide a strong foundational program to our youngest sailors. The Junior Sailing program at WRYC provides so much more to the young attendees than how to sail. So many life lessons accompany their time at camp. Thanks as well to Sharon McGlohn for working with Samantha and the Junior Sailing coaches to conduct a fundraiser in support of Sail Beyond Cancer - Virginia! Session One brought in $100 for SBC-VA! Find out more about this local charity that is supported by many WRYC volunteers at www.sailbeyondcancer.org.
Once again, have a safe and happy 4th! See you on the water!
Scott Titus, Commodore
2026 Ware River Yacht Club Flag Raising
Fleet Scuttlebutt
Greetings sailors and fellow members, and welcome to July! While statistically it may not be the wettest month, it does have the most days with measurable rainfall, often coming in short bursts. This means we must keep an eye on the forecast and the horizon as we prepare for activities on the water.
Our staff, supporters and young sailors are in the middle of Junior Sailing camp, and it is encouraging to see the youngsters cooperating enthusiastically as their sailboats dot our section of the river. This is a great tradition at WRYC, represented by at least three and going on four generations of sailors and their extended families. There has been crucial support offered by volunteers in the form of talent and even donated boats! Such good deeds will ripple forward to future generations of sailors, so many thanks if you’ve been involved in any way – as a camper, family member, or as a volunteer donating your time and expertise!! There’s a Summer Happy Hour planned for Thursday, July 23rd, which is the final day of the final Sailing Camp session – if you’re interested in learning more about the program, come to that Happy Hour and ask questions of those who’ve been involved! Indeed, come anyway, as it’s an easy and informal way to learn more about any aspect of our club!
In addition to keeping our Optis and Lasers shipshape for Sailing Camp, we have begun work on our Albacores to make them more seaworthy and more easily launched. You may notice one or more in front of the sail loft, both club boats and member boats. These sloops are safe, relatively light (launchable on a trailer or a dolly), and great for beginners as well as more experienced sailors. If you are the owner of an Albacore, and can share your knowledge, please let me know! (I know only enough to get in over my head, despite having built them at Moorman Manufacturing when it was located behind the Birdsall’s veterinary practice in what is now a county building.)
Finally, I would ask again about some of the neglected boats and trailers in our storage area – we don’t want to see anyone’s treasured boat either forlorn or abandoned (please see last month’s Scuttlebutt). We were recently contacted by Mathew Maritime Foundation, and they offer donated boats for sale – perhaps that presents a win-win solution if you’re wondering what to do with your unused boat? That’s as much as I know, but I expect they can offer helpful details about their programs.
In spite of the promise of warmth in the coming days and weeks, I hope to continue to see you, or to see you for the first time, on or near the water!
-John Dudley, Fleet Captain
Social Chair Update: A Jam-Packed July!
Summer is in full swing, and July is shaping up to be one of our busiest and most exciting months yet at the Club. We have two fantastic events lined up, and we can’t wait to see everyone out on the lawn!
☀️ Summer Happy Hour & Sailing Camp Celebration
When: Thursday, July 23rd at 5:30 PM
What to Bring: Your favorite beverages (BYOB) and an appetizer to share.
The Details: Come out and wind down with your fellow members! This month’s happy hour coincides with the final day of Session 2 of our youth sailing camp. To celebrate, we’ll have music playing and lawn games set up for everyone to enjoy. It’s a free event and the perfect chance to catch up with old friends and welcome new faces.
🇺🇸 Independence Day & America’s 250th Celebration
When: Sunday, July 26th 4:30pm
The Details: We are keeping the patriotic spirit alive as we gather to celebrate America’s landmark 250th anniversary! Join us at the Club for a spectacular day filled with traditional American fare, festive music, and games for all ages. Let’s come together to honor the spirit of our country and our incredible community. Many thanks to The Tituses for hosting!
🪵 Looking Ahead: Labor Day Hosts Needed
It might feel like summer just started, but we are already looking ahead to our end-of-season traditions. We are currently seeking hosts for the Labor Day social. Hosting is a fantastic way to get involved, and you'll have plenty of support to pull it off. If you are interested, want to co-host with a friend, or just have questions about what hosting entails, please reach out to Josh at socials@wryc.org.
See you at the Club!
Josh Social Chair