At the Helm 

According to a recent article, Clear Lake is the third-largest pleasure boat basin in the nation and Texas ranks sixth in the U.S. for registered recreational boaters.  I think any of us that take our boats out on a weekend can agree with that by the number of boats making their way through the channel out to the bay.  There is no better way to enjoy the hot days of summer than being on the water, and in Texas, summer extends into September.  We’re fortunate to be able to boat practically year ‘round, but you don’t have to own a boat to participate in TMCA activities.  You can drive to most of our events, so no reason not to enjoy!  Allen’s Landing Cruise has a second registration for those coming by land or that would like to ride on one of the boats that are registered, so please check the calendar for info.

We were also fortunate that Ida chose a path to our east, though LA and MS were not as fortunate.  I have friends in Biloxi that move their boat along with many other live-aboard and commercial vessels to a hurricane hole.  They have a process of securing to land, each vessel to another, and dinghying lines across like a spider web.  It works well and while it was rough, all are ok and awaiting an all clear to return to harbor.  Sadly, LA will again have to rebuild.  I saw that some members are collecting donations - thank you.

As I’ve previously mentioned, we are organizing the Nominating Committee to begin our search for next year’s potential officers.  Per the by-laws, the Committee will consist of myself, the Trustees, a member for 5 or more years and a member for 2 years or less.  I have also asked any current officer not planning to volunteer again, to participate, because I feel their input for the responsibilities of each office are invaluable.  The committee’s role is to canvas the membership for those interested in giving back to the club and present our suggestions, along with your nominations, to the members to be voted on the next month.  Our organization functions through volunteers.  If you are interested in one of the leadership positions or possibly contributing on a committee, please contact me or one of the current Board members.  Volunteering is a great way to get involved and meet new people and it is not as demanding as you might think.  The more that help, the easier it is and it can be a lot of Fun!

Here’s a link to the club By-Laws including the Board Member and Committee duties:

 https://texasmariners.com/By-Laws

Remember, the more you participate in TMCA, the more you will gain from it and the more FUN you will have!

When perusing boat ads, I find that many boats are equipped with autopilot and bow-thrusters to help steer and avoid potential bumps when maneuvering … wouldn’t it be nice if we had similar built-in functions to make navigating life a little easier? 

Ladye Jane Stone  

Commodore 2021

Commodore@TexasMariners.com