What is the RGSC Foghorn?

The "Foghorn" is the newsletter of the Rio Grande Sailing Club. Most of our sailing is at Elephant Butte Lake in southern New Mexico. Yes, we do sail in this part of the world; it isn't always easy but we manage one way or another. The area is home to a large number of sailors, including more than a hundred families, couples, and individual members of the club.


The Rio Grande Sailing Club hosts a full schedule of fall, winter, and spring races and regattas, as well as year-round social events and periodic overnight “raftups” and club cruises. The RGSC comprises sailors from New Mexico, west Texas, and beyond.

The club’s purpose is to, “Stimulate a greater interest in sailing among the citizens of New Mexico, West Texas, and the surrounding areas, by conducting races, cruises, and training in sailing skills and boating safety, as well as other sailing related activities.” The club maintains a calendar and discussion board on its website, www.rgsc.org, with all members, friends, and visitors invited to participate. Club events and stories are also shared several times a year via the “Foghorn” newsletter. Reciprocal hospitality can be offerred to visiting yachtsmen; contact the club for visitor information and updates on lake and ramp conditions.

Contacts for 2006:
Rio Grande Sailing Club, PO Box 13953, Albuquerque, NM 87192

Commodore Richard Dittmar
Secretary Jo Ann Underwood
Race Committee Larry Jessee
Foghorn news/membership Pat Byrnes
Information/Archive Rich & Sue Strasia
Director/Treasurer Braxton Merritt

Skippers’ meetings typically occur on race Saturdays at the Elephant Butte Inn or Damsite Restaurant. Attending a skippers' meeting is a great way to meet people and maybe get a ride. Another great way to meet people is to attend one of our social events, either at the lake or in the city.

Three full-service commercial marinas offer slips, moorings, fuel, and supplies to visiting sailors. Mast-raising poles, provided courtesy of the RGSC, are located near each marina. The RGSC operates a mast-up storage facility. Additional services, including boat repair, supplies, lodging, and restaurants are available in Elephant Butte and Truth or Consequences. Contact the RGSC for information on lake conditions and levels, boat ramps, races and club events, local facilities and events, and slip information, including slips for visitors from out-of-area clubs.



********************************

History of the Rio Grande Sailing Club

In the mid 1950s, there was no organized sailing or racing in New Mexico. In 1957, Jim Roy, from Albuquerque, and Rusty Brewington, from Holloman AFB, were cruising in Rusty’s Polaris 23. They launched from Las Platitas in Guaymas, Mexico, and sailed to La Paz and back. Over a suitable beverage, or two, they decided to form a sailing club. Upon their return to New Mexico, they organized the New Mexico Yacht Club. Other early members included Al Quant, Dick Rudolph, Tom Tippolt, Hap Crawford, and John Locker. The early boats were mostly day sailers; Petrels, Mercuries, Snipes, two eighteen-footers, a sloop, and a schooner.

The Rio Grande Sailing Club’s pioneer sailor was Jim Cocke. He set sail on Elephant Butte Lake back in 1945. Jim and a friend from Los Alamos probably were the first two people to put a sailboat on Elephant Butte. It was built with junk materials and it lasted one weekend because of construction flaws….the standing rigging failed but the mast was kept upright by running a rope from the mast top around the boat back to the mast top.

The club was incorporated as the New Mexico Yacht Club under certificate of incorporation no., 43,354, filed on August 17, 1960 by Russell D. Brewington, James R. Roy, and Glen G. Milford: “That the objects and purposes for which the corporation is formed, are: to bring together those persons who are interested in sailing, cruising and other water sports; to hold, stage and conduct regattas, water sport contests of all kinds, and other types of entertainment related thereto; to build, own and operate a clubhouse; to instruct and educate those interested in the sport of sailing, cruising and other water sports; to further and promote fellowship and sportsmanship; and to instruct and educate its members in all phases of safety in the conduct of the sport.”

John Locker negotiated with an El Paso club to join with the New Mexicans in the early 1960s. The Texans suggested the name change to make it more inclusive. The club burgee was suggested in a design contest that was won by John Culp. Several of the day-sailor owners found a house boat for sale. It was a good place to get out of the hot sun for a few hours in the heat of the day, and also a good place to sleep. Quant, Roy, Holman, and Holovka paid $200 for this craft. Other members of the club thought this was a good project so the club bought the houseboat. In due course, a storm at Elephant Butte destroyed the house boat. During the winter of 1971, a new one began to be built at Tom Nevison’s Southwest Yacht Sales. The houseboat was transported to Elephant Butte and launched, but never completed, and, a few years later, it was also lost to a storm.

As early as 1970, the day sailers raced under the Portsmouth handicap system. The cruisers raced under PHRF. Several class races were also conducted for Santana 22s, Venture 24s, and Venture 21s. In the Commodore’s summary for 1971, Roger Eaton reported that fifty eight boats participated in racing; thirty four were cruisers and twenty four were day sailers. Since then the club has continued to serve as the sailor’s oasis in the desert, continuing to host events through seasons wet and dry.