Season's greetings to you and yours from The MIYC Board of Directors!

The cheery mood at the Madeline Island Yacht Club employee Christmas party the other day was in distinct contrast to the quieter determination of the staff and board early last spring. The shop, which lost precious weeks of winter work time to pandemic quarantines, was significantly behind on work on members’ boats. The urgency of spring launch was at hand. Then, to meet state inspection requirements, the club suddenly had to reduce its number of fuel tanks from three to two.

On top of all that, mysterious odors seeped into the women’s bathroom.

But that was all last spring. This holiday season, the cheerier club knew that the crew had in fact prepped and splashed all the boats on time; the shop eventually caught up on work orders; Mary in the store managed a logistical feat in swiftly reorganizing the fuel tanks; and, after a thorough investigation, the curious odors in the women’s restroom seem to have largely gone away.

It was an eventful year. Membership, capped at 140, remains full, with a waiting list, even as the club processed 15 retirements. It was refreshing to see so many new boats, and new people. And new employees like Elena, who stepped in assuredly to take charge of accounting and much of the club management.

The board, meanwhile, confirmed in December that the club had made budget for the year, and even strengthened its cash position, ready to face the vagaries of the year ahead.

Some of the ongoing projects this year were formidable — preparing for an audit; adding shop staff; taming the new bubbling system that protects docks from winter ice; facing the eventual replacement of fuel tanks; updating employment policies; revamping club policies to accommodate a crush of new membership; and updating club financial systems and reporting. Other projects were less daunting, but important nonetheless — the crew redesigned the once-awkward garbage/recycling corral; the club welcomed it’s first memorial bench, to be installed in 2022; and a new yacht club sign is in the works. 

Looking ahead to 2022, we’re all hoping — hoping! — for a more normal and socially cordial season. At least this year we were able to restore the Saturday morning donuts in the members’ lounge, even if we had to remove our masks to get a bite. 

Happy New Year from the staff and board of the Madeline Island Yacht Club!