Nominees for Commodore must have previously served at least two years as Officer or a committee chair.
My family joined SMSA in 1973, shortly after we moved to the area. I am married with three children, Mallory (31), Ellie (29), and Henry J (16). My wife Jacki, son Henry J, and I are all very involved in many club activities including racing our Melges 32, “One Trick Pony”, Cruising our Baybuilt, teaching at summer camp, participating in and helping with the Small Boat Program, and organizing Screwpile. Previously I have served as Facilities Chair, Race Governor, Yearbook Chair, as well as serving as a Director for several terms.
SMSA has been a large part of my life and I hope to keep the Club in a position to help others learn and enjoy sailing as I have been able to do. My goal is for SMSA to be a club that provides the members what they need, runs efficiently, and is positioned to be sustainable for the long term. I hope to attract new members that view sailing as a lifestyle and have long term commitment to the club.
My wife, Lynn, and I joined SMSA in 2013, after moving to the area and being introduced to the wonderful sport of sailing. We were late bloomers and can’t believe that we never took up sailing in Hawaii, my last duty station prior to putting down roots here. We both volunteered for several years supporting the High School Sailing Programs in St. Mary’s County, on and off the water. Along the way, I became a US Sailing Certified Small Boat Instructor. I served as the Bar Manager at SMSA from October 2014 to October 2017 and have volunteered at numerous club events over the years. I am an avid keelboat and small boat racer. I’ve owned and raced on several keelboats and small boats since joining the club. Lynn and I currently race on the Melges 32 “One Trick Pony”, and I race my VX-One in the small boat fleet.
Irish. Cruiser. Retired (relative term) to Solomons after 35 years working for Emerson/Westinghouse in Pittsburgh. Grumpy to my 2 grandsons and family who live across the bridge.
Sailed since I was 6. Dinghy's to Tall Ships including Sq Riggers in Irish Sea, English Channel, North Sea, Baltic, Biscay, Atlantic, Greece, VI’s (US, Spanish, British), Antigua, Whitsundays and now The Bay.
Currently SMSA facilities chair, SMSA high school assistant coach, Cruise chair in waiting (hence Carl Kemps boots I’m standing in) and Adult sailing lessons instructor.
I’m all for getting people involved in sailing and improving their skills.
My biggest question for the membership is what do we want SMSA to be in 5-10 years. We are tenants currently which limits possibilities. Do we want to own and and if so what. We’re also a volunteer organization which reduces costs but that also imposes increasing loads on those who do volunteer.
We could succumb to the law of vanishing volunteers and cease to exist. Don’t let that happen. I’m work to not let that happen.
So Please Volunteer.
Kristi Yurko (and husband Jimmy) joined SMSA in 2004. Since joining Kristi has been active in both the keelboat and smallboat racing programs as both skipper and crew. Kristi has previously served as the Women’s program chair, Social chair, Webmaster, Membership chair, Secretary, and Treasurer. Kristi (and Jimmy) also volunteered as Junior program chair and have continued to be involved in the Junior program, High School program, facilities team, and social committees. Kristi looks forward to having the opportunity to serve for another term as your SMSA Treasurer.
Bio and pic to be added upon receipt.
2 candidates will be elected. Candidates listed in alphabetical order.
Bio and pic to be added upon receipt.
I joined SMSA and began racing in Solomon’s Island in 1994 moving here from the Chicago area. I served as the Vice Commodore at the Anchorage Yacht Club and helped start their racing program on Lake Michigan. I am still a non-resident member of that club and their race program is still going strong in the Waukegan area.
I served as Race Governor for SMSA during 1999 and 2000, racing my Cal 31 boat Stargazer II. When I retired from American Airlines in 2008, I began cruising on Gemini, a Tartan 3700, to Florida and the Bahamas. I have made six trips south thus far to Florida and the Bahamas since 2008. I still enjoy racing occasionally on other members’ boats and competing in the cruising class during the Screwpile Challenge Regatta and previously in the Governor’s Cup race for five years. I have many long-time friends and acquaintances at SMSA and enjoy Friday evening social get togethers and other SMSA functions.
I would be proud and honored to continue to serve as a Director for SMSA as it has and continues to promote sailing activities for all ages!
An SMSA member since 1981 when my parents, Curt and Dottie Hamilton (Serenity), moved us from the Mojave Desert near Death Valley to Southern Maryland. I grew up with SMSA and have served in many capacities through the years, currently I am finishing my second year as your Treasurer. A Cruising veteran on Serenity and a keel boat racer with several ocean races (Orient Express) (Night Hawk), 2-time SMSA High Point Champion and Block Island Overall Champion (Diablo), and this year a participant in the club hosted Buccaneer North American National Championships (Jolly Roger). In addition to sailing on keel boats I have supported the High School Sailing program at Sailing Center Chesapeake (SCC) where last year I was honored to receive their Volunteer of The Year awarded or, as my children, Lauren and Will, like to call it “Dad is constantly bothering me” award.
Having served as Treasurer in three different two-year terms I have participated in SMSA’s growth from a small sort-of-organized group of sailors with no ties to shore, other than an anchor holding a raft stationary, to our current sophisticated business operations. In the beginning of my first term, we had only a small pocket check book with no money and no real responsibilities. By the end of my term, we adopted a ledger style bookkeeping system with a commercial checking account supporting club sponsored rendezvous (club sponsored meant we bought the beer), insurance and dues to CBYRA. Our largest expense was the awards banquet in December. Nothing happened all winter and then, in March, we held our annual birthday party where I collected dues and race fees for the upcoming year. We were a young but energetic club with lots of hope for the future. During my second term we agreed to rent the point house at Calvert Marina and enjoyed a new chapter as a land-based club that could accommodate our aging members. In those days we had dozens of boats sailing in our cruises around the bay and dozens more racing every Wednesday out of Zahner’s. We brought Audi/Yachting Race Week to Solomons and turned that into the current Screw Pile event that Jim Keen heads up today. I helped as SMSA incorporated and learned how to manage a new not-for-profit IRS status. We moved to an electronic bookkeeping system capable of managing the new responsibilities of rent, utilities, insurance, and a small fleet of junior dinghies. Today, in my third term as Treasurer, we hardly ever write checks, most services are online through a variety of platforms supporting a commercial facility housing marina slips and storage operations, a functioning bar accepting credit card payments and supporting payroll for a dozen employees.
Through my recent tenure as Treasurer our Board expended much energy discussing the future of SMSA including the goal of purchasing a facility. I am running for a Director position to continue the work of realizing that goal and to help enhance our current member experience. To support these efforts Kristi Yurko has agreed to resume the responsibilities of Treasurer to allow me this opportunity
Sailed all my Bloom'n life, raced since age 10, OPTI’s, Dinghy’s, Windsurfers, Nacra Cats, Trailer Compacs, Rangers, J boats, MORC boats, PHRF boats, IOR boats, Condor Tai’s, Corsair Tai’s and Schooner Heron
Crewed or Skippered with GREAT Crews in dozens of Eastern and Gulf coast states, Colorado, Maine, Canada, Brit and American Virgins, Antigua- Barbuda, Puerto Rico, Key West.
Have had Many GREAT Mentors over the years including Hank Wester, Jack Reneiri,, Bobby Muller, Alex Aguera Randy Smyth, Carlton Tucker ( Best sailor I ever raced against), Rick White, and Bob Curry.
Had coffee with Dennis Conner, had Rum drinks with Buddy Melges, went oyster Tonging with Jerry Taylor.
Love to cruise and race with my First Mate Alexa on our Dufour 40 STINGRAY.
Hope to Get more people into sailing and mentor more new sailors.
Since Joining SMSA:
Raced Merit 28 Stingray in Spin class B while training Great Race crews, Participated with Spinsheet crew finder events at SMSA, Race Committee ,occasional Bartender, Protest committee, Keelboat mentoring.
I have lost SMSA Chili cook off a few times… so if you don’t like my Chili, please vote for me. Cheers, Elliott