Located on the Portland waterfront, past the Ocean Gateway Terminal at the end of the extension of Commercial Street (Thames Street), turn right and then left to enter long parking lot on the water. SailMaine is at the end of that parking lot.

For more information visit www.sailmaine.org or contact Sarah Helming, SailMaine Director of Programs and Events (207) 650-2085,   sarah@sailmaine.org

Recently I was going through some race results from Portland Yacht Club in Falmouth, Maine and noticed that George at the young age of 80 won the PYC Lightship race.  The race is a twenty plus mile all day race from Clapboard Island to the location of the lightship buoy and back.   Often the race produces a wonderful long windward beat and a long and fun downwind sled ride.

George Tonini PORTLAND — George Tonini born in Trieste, Italy, Dec. 20, 1922, passed away Feb. 19, 2009. George was a Merchant Marine and trained on the Italian navy ship Amerigo Vespucci. During WWII he was an Ensign and while cooperating with the U.S., he served in The Royal Italian Navy as navigator on the Italian submarine Goffredo Mameli.

He was stationed in many different places, but the most interesting was Great Diamond Island in Casco Bay. He also worked as a dispatcher and translator at the American Motor Pool for the Allied Military Government in Trieste, Italy.

He settled in Maine, married and worked the rest of his life as a Chef and Caterer in several different capacities. (If you were one of the lucky ones you would have tasted his food). He was a member of the Portland yacht Club since 1964, he taught many people how to sail, and was an avid J/24 racer until the ripe age of eighty.

There was so much more to his life then we can put into words. He loved life, the ocean, sailing, dancing, cooking, playing poker, fishing, the Caribbean, and most of all, his wife Dorothy of 50 years. He was loving, vibrant, flirty, energetic and cute. We will miss him dearly.

He is survived by his wife, Dorothy Tonini of Cumberland; daughter Juliana Tonini of Windham, son Daniel Tonini of Portland; along with his granddaughter, Aria Tonini of Alfred; daughters Adele Harnois of Portland and Linda Beck of Gorham, sons Eric Tonini of Ft. Myers, Fla., and Giorgio Tonini of Trieste, Italy. He has five grand children.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 27, 2009, at the memorial Chapel of Independent Death Care, 471 Deering Ave., Portland.

Memories may be shared, condolences expressed and a guest book signed at the obituary page at www.independentdeathcare.com

Donations may be made to: American Stroke Association 51 U.S. Route 1 Scarborough, Maine 04074 or Animal Refuge League 449 Stroudwater St. Westbrook, Maine 04092 George Tonini

Hello, and thanks for writing –

LD 164 has been withdrawn and will not be proposed this session. The bill was not drafted the way I and the other sponsors wanted – we were concerned primarily with the 15 deaths suffered last season, mostly due to lack of PFDs being used on canoes and kayaks -

In any event, the bill will not proceed further – thanks again for writing, and please do so anytime.

Thom Watson

Rep. House District 62 (Bath)

trwatson@street-law.com

The state web site hasn’t been updated as of yet but I am told it will be updated soon. Things sometimes move a bit slow up there in Augusta.

1.    I don’t believe in government legislating our lives!
2.    I don’t believe this law can be enforced.
3.    These life jackets can be uncomfortable and on a clear, calm day they just aren’t necessary.
4.    I believe its everyone’s personal responsibility to determine whether they should or should not wear a life jacket.
5.    The exceptions in this law are much more dangerous than some other types of boating.  For example you won’t have to wear a lifejacket when going to your mooring in a small zodiac  or while in a canoe owned by a children’s summer camp?!
6.    What are the legal effects of this law on the regatta events and boat owners if a person is found not wearing a life jacket? (can’t control everyone’s actions all the time)
7.    The requirement to wear a life jacket will be another barrier to our sport as it will increase costs and possibly turn people away.
8.    Our sport sailing on the ocean has resulted in very few injuries or deaths from accidents involving people not wearing a life jacket.
9.    Many more people who aren’t familiar with the boating on lakes are impacted each year, usually due to the sea worthiness of the boat and the knowledge of the operator.  Not the use or lack of use of a life jacket.
10.    With the economy the way it is right now is this what we want our legislators focused on?  Don’t they have some better things to do like finding a way to attract more business, tourism, etc….

There are probably plenty more reasons to be against this legislation.

If you agree with my thoughts or oppose this legislation please contact Rep. Tom Watson and your local Maine Rep. to communicate your dissent.

To keep up to date on the status click this link here.

To read the proposed legislation click this link here.

Here are the details from GMORA

Friday December 19th
8:30pm to whenever
at Buck’s Naked BBQ
568 US Route One Freeport, ME

Come have a few cocktails
Listen to some great live music by A Band beyond Description

If you haven’t done your holiday shopping yet, take a little time off Friday afternoon get to the shops in Freeport and then relax with your sailing friends and swap some fun stories.

To see the photos of all the teams click this link!

Make sure to scroll the page down to see the individual boat galleries to see the photos of yourself or your family member.

There are already 24 boats registered for the Pilot Regatta, why not add your boat to the growing list? The $25 late fee will begin next Monday, so get signed up before you get stuck with the late fee. Register here today!

Click below to see who has signed up for the Pilot Regatta

• June 21st & 22nd
  Pilot Regatta

2008 Pilot Regatta Highlights

• Pilot Regatta Tee Shirts now available ONLINE Order now before they all run out!
• Custom Pilot Skipper Bag- Each entrant receives a custom Pilot Regatta Skipper bag
• $50 Henri Lloyd Gift Certificates – These will be given out to the racers chosen at random
• Yale Cordage Sheets – Winners will get a certificate for new genoa or spinnaker sheets with your trophies on Sunday provided by Maloney Marine Rigging and Yale Cordage
• Live Music with “Punch Buggy” playing classic & contemporary rock at the club after racing
• Maine Sailing Partners Gear – Free Maine Sailing Partners hats & shirts given away at random
• Be a part of Summer Sailstice – Celebrate the longest day of the year by getting on the water
• This year the PILOT REGATTA has a little SOMETHING for EVERYONE!!!

Leavitt & Sons Market to Offer Discounts on Sandwiches, Beer and Ice for Regattas

Our PYC Race Series sponsor, Leavitt & Sons Market, located on Rt 1in Falmouth (next to the NEW Rite Aid), will be offering discounts for all regatta participants. There is a full deli with delicious sandwiches, as well as cold beer and ice for purchase. And coming soon a SKIPPER MENU with less expensive boat appropriate crew sandwiches. Stop in and tell them we sent you!

Pilot Regatta History

This year will be the 42nd Annual Pilot Regatta. In the beginning, the Pilot Race was begun as a race for the Hinckley Pilot. It wasn’t until the late 70′s that the race took the format we know today; two days of racing in and around Casco Bay, and open to any type of boat which has increased participation. The Pilot Race was one of the original races in the group that was the basis for the creation of the Gulf of Maine Ocean Racing Circuit years ago. We hope that you will be a part of history and join us for the first of the PYC races this summer.

Much more information is Available:

Go Directly to the 2008 Portland Yacht Club Race Series site to get the scoop on all the racing, parties, bands, registration, entries, race series gear and more!

Go to www.portlandyachtlcub.com any time for a link to this race site or any other PYC information.

You can find an event in your area, or if you are in Casco Bay that weekend, sign up for the Pilot Regatta and join over 5000 other sailors worldwide who are celebrating the summer solstice by getting out on the water and sailing. We hope to see you out there!