Hello everyone.

We just finished enjoying a fabulous rendezvous at Roche Harbor and enjoyed seeing all of you who made it.  Over 80 boats and 200 people spent a relaxed time in the sunshine catching up with old friends and making new ones.  Highlights of the weekend included wine tasting and hors d’oeurves on the dock, a “margaritaville” themed party with whole roasted pig, movie night for the kids (lots of kids this year!), and a cat and dog show (without cats), among many other activities.  We enjoyed great presentations, Grand Banks discussed their plans for the future and asked for our input, and we all had a chance to get acquainted with the new crew at Grand Banks NW.

A couple of things need some follow up:

I want to correct an oversight in that we forgot to thank NW Explorations for providing a boat for the Women on the Water training – they have been very generous in their support of the PSGBOA with boats, money and time over the years.  They are a huge part of our community.  Be sure and thank them when you see them.

I have also included an e-mail from Bill Washburn at Nobletec concerning what is going on at that company.  Many of us use this product and were aware that Boeing (and its subsidiary Jeppesen) had recently sold the company.  In response to what this might mean for GB owner’s Brian Pemberton at NW Explorations called the people at Nobletec to find out.  It turns out that the sale is a good thing for users of Nobletec as the company now has owners who are focused on the boating market – click on this link: Nobeltec memo

As an example of the kind of help that we get through the PSGBOA and the  people at the Rendezvous let me relate the following; I pulled the canvas off of my STIDD seat on the flybridge (a wonderfully comfortable  seat for those of you who haven’t had the experience) only to find that it had deteriorated over the winter.  This was urgent since our boat is in charter service with paying guests on board Monday after the rendezvous.  I mentioned my problem to  Jerry Todd at Grand Banks NW who immediately put me in touch with Fred Minor at STIDD Systems, Inc.  Fred not only addressed my problem by sending me new seat cushions overnight but he covered them under warranty!  That is fabulous service and deserves our attention.

Special thanks for Greg Richmond for doing an outstanding job as Rendezvous Chair this year.  Lynne Thompson will be our Rendezvous Chair for 2011.  She will be communicating with everyone soon.  We have already reserved Roche Harbor for the same weekend in May in 2011 so mark it on your calendars.

Bill

Bill Douglass

President, Puget Sound Grand Banks Owners’ Association

425.503.4748