HOUSATONIC MODEL YACHT CLUB
AMYA # 117
INFORMATION for NEW or PROSPECTIVE MEMBERS
Welcome to the Housatonic Model Yacht Club! Whether you have already just joined, or think you might be interested in joining us, this document is intended to provide information about our club and the location where we sail. We hope you will find it helpful, but if there are questions left unanswered please don’t hesitate to contact any of the club officers.
We sail most Thursdays and Sundays at the Hop Brook Lake Recreation Area, a park administered by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, in Middlebury, Connecticut during the summer months and at Bethany Veterans Memorial Park in Bethany CT during the spring and fall. We are a sanctioned club of the American Model Yachting Association, and while our members own a very wide variety of sail boat designs, we regularly race four classes of model yachts, namely Soling One Meters, DragonFlite95, EC12, U.S One Meters and Star 45’s. Information on these boats, plus many others, as well as on model yachting in general, can be found our website as well as on the AMYA web site at www.TheAMYA.org In addition to our yearly season series racing schedule we normally host at least one invitational regatta, often a Regional or National Championship. Our Annual Awards Dinner is where we award season trophies, and elect officers for the coming year. At our Annual Business Meeting, held in the fall or winter of each year, the sailing schedule and other items of interest to club members are discussed.
As guests of the Hop Brook Recreation Area, via our Special Use Permit, and at Bethany, we make every effort to abide by park rules, including noise levels, language, pet control, driving and parking, etc. A few “do’s and don’ts” follow:
Language: The Park is a family setting. Loud and offensive language is not acceptable and will be dealt with via warnings, race disqualifications, or disciplinary action as per club By Laws.
Pets: The Park requires all pets to be on leashes at all times. Furthermore, pets present with HMYC members or guests must be kept out of the sailing control area, namely the lawn area between the parking lot and water’s edge, and the total length of our sailing course.
Speed Limits: All members and guests are expected to observe posted speed limits.
There are frequent speed bumps to remind us all!
Parking: Though back-in parking is generally discouraged by the park rangers, we are allowed to do so as an accommodation for unloading / loading our vehicles, and for safety reasons.
Driving Directions: When leaving our sailing area always drive out in the correct direction, namely south to the beach area, around the center island and out. No shortcuts out the entry side of the lot!
HMYC strives toward active participation of all able members in our sailing activities.
To this end, ownership of one or more of the classes of boats we sail in our regular season series is required for joining with full membership. Those still in the process of deciding on, or searching for, the best choice for them are welcome to visit us at the lake or keep in touch with us via the contact information given here. We will make every effort to help in the acquisition of the best boat for your needs.
We of course also value our long standing members, and are very appreciative of those who choose to continue their membership when travel distance or physical limitations no longer allow boat ownership and active participation.
Thank you for reading through this information. Please let us know if we can offer any additional details about HMYC activities or policies. You may contact any of the officers under the “Officers/Contacts/Help” tab on the website.
Smooth Sailing ..