former aycb

 October 2003

Hello, dear members of the AYCB,

Whether you have found this website accidentally or have been given a tip about this, I warmly welcome your visit !

If you were a member after 1977/78, we very probably have met, may even have sailed together, because that was the year I joined as a non-military member. Irrespective of whether we know each other personally or not, I hope very much that you will drop me a line after reading this, because, as you will see, I have written this principly to elicit some reaction from our ex-members.

As you must realize by now, AYCB continues to exist, albeit in another guise, after the US military left Berlin in 1994. We have gone through some trial and tribulation for the sake of carrying on as a sailing club using the same harbour that we knew and loved. The gory detail can wait for another time, perhaps in a future piece in the same series on this website.

However, I must describe a few high points concerning the present club, with the hope of piquing your interest enough to get you to get in touch with us.

Rewind the clock back to 1992 when we knew that the departure of the military was imminent. The pall inside the club was like that inside a funeral home. We all knew that the harbour and the villa were going to be closed to us the day the military turned over the key to the local authority on December 31, 1993. We as a club was more like a ragtag bunch of unwashed sailors than an organisation with any leverage.
I and some ex-pat and local German members decided to polish up our ragtag image by formally forming a German sailing club. In Germany, this is absolutely essential, because only then would we acquire a legal status and be a legally acceptable negotiating partner in anything with anybody. We clung to the hope that the esprit of AYCB would continue to live in the new club, i.e., self-help, self-service, and minimal amount of bureaucracy. The new name for the club should also differ as little as possible from the old name. Hence, you see now, we are the AIYCB.

After we have done our part in cloaking ourselves in respectability, we contacted the German federal authority and the Berlin city authority that whatever they might decide about the future of the villa and the harbour, AIYCB was prepared to take over the harbour facility as a renter. What happened between the time we placed ourselves on their radars and officially became the leaser of the harbour from the city, and a little bit later, our present landlord, The American Academy, is part of the gory detail I mentioned earlier, the telling which must be
saved for another occasion.

Since 1994 there had been two makeovers of the physical appearance of the club. During the winter of 1995, we refurbished the old rental shed to be our club house. For those who were members in the late 80’s, that was the shed that faced the water where you signed for sails and paddle boats. After it’s completion, we had a gala opening of AIYCB on May 1, 1996, to all sailors and public of Berlin. The occasion was a huge success with thousands of visitors, motivated partly, no doubt, by the curiosity about this previous military recreational facility.

It turned out that the club house was not big enough for our Annual Membership Meeting, Thanksgiving Dinner or Christmas Party. Yes, we still have Thanksgiving Dinner and Christmas Party of the famous ‚white elephant‘ gifts that you were once so lucky to take one home.

So, in the winter of 2001, we built an extension to the club house abutting the old one. We had it’s official opening in the spring of 2002 on the occasion of Robin’s (Commodore) retirement from the JFK School.

While the first club house was a self-help project, the second was more elaborate. Fortunately, we have among the members architects that provided us the design and oversaw the building contractors. There are more club lores about the building of these club houses. Again, these have to be saved for the future.

I must now describe two projects that I am hoping to have your active participation and help.
(1) A reunion of ex-AYCB members in Berlin in 2005.
(2) Reconstruction of the complete list of Commodores and Vices of AYCB and AIYCB.

(1) Reunion

We have heard occasionally from very old (before I joined, that is), old, and more recent AYCB members since we set up our website. Without exception all were happy to find out that we are still going on. We have always responded with an invitation to visit the club should they be in Berlin again. Out of the blue Barbara (wife of Robin, Commodore) had this idea that we could motivate a bunch of ex-members to have a reunion in Berlin. I heartily support the idea and volunteered to coordinate this.

We thought up a date of summer of 2005. This should give all who might be interested enough time to organize and plan the trip. As for the exact date, I think I should canvass the opinion of all those who would participate. Barbara has a good suggestion that the reunion should centre on a regatta for the old-timers on one particular weekend. Remember those trusted Randmeers. The club bought four (later added another one) of them from the Rec Center’s boat auction. I think you would be happy to step inside them again, not to mention the Schaerenkreuzer that we all drooled over.

So, please get in touch with me, email to Quincy Liu whether just to let me know that these few lines have brought back fond memories of your sailing days in Berlin, or you are thinking of joining in this reunion and make a suggestion of a date.

(2) List of Commodores and Vices

It’s disappointing that the club has never kept a list of it’s Commodores and Vices. As the years recede, the names get forgotten or when they have their tenures gets confused. Below is my best effort in reconstructing a tentative list. I definitely need your help, dear ex-members, to correct and fill in all the blanks.

      Year  Commodore              Vice
      -----------------------------------------
AYCB  1962  Gerry Coles............Larry Franks
      1963
      1964  .......................Curtis Haley
      1965  .......................Curtis Haley
      1966  .......................Curtis Haley
      1967  Robert Mand............Curtis Haley
      1968  .......................Frank Amando
      1969  .......................Frank Amando 
       ..
      1975  Tom Fuller.............
      1976 
      1977  
      1978  Wayne Kleinfelter......
      1979  John Birkholz..........
      1980  Earl Westerling........Edwin Jones
      1981  Deane Magalis..........Jo Gygax
      1982  Jo Gygax...............Bill Brooks
      1983  Todd Zoph..............
      1984  Bill Brooks............Dale Riegle
      1985  Arthur Graham..........
      1986  Robert Ahrens..........Dale Riegle
      1987  Robert Ahrens..........Todd Zoph
      1988  James Schafer..........Todd Zoph
      1989  James Schafer..........Robin Beus
      1990  Steve Thuemel..........Robin Beus
      1991  Jim Taylor.............Robin Beus      AIYCB
      1992  Jim Taylor.............Robin Beus      Quincy Liu......Uwe Nieguth
      1993  Paul Westling..........Robin Beus      Quincy Liu......Uwe Nieguth
AIYCB ........................................
      1994  Robin Beus.............Uwe Nieguth
      1995  Robin Beus.............Uwe Nieguth
      1996  Robin Beus.............Uwe Nieguth
      1997  Robin Beus.............Uwe Nieguth
      1998  Robin Beus.............Uwe Nieguth
      1999  Robin Beus.............Uwe Nieguth
      2000  Robin Beus.............Uwe Nieguth
      2001  Robin Beus.............Uwe Nieguth
      2002  Robin Beus.............Uwe Nieguth
      2003  Patti Ohlund...........Frieder Brandmeyer
      2004  Patti Ohlund...........Frieder Brandmeyer
      2005  Quincy Liu.............Frieder Brandmeyer
      2006  Quincy Liu.............Frieder Brandmeyer
      2007  Quincy Liu.............Hans Hübner
      2008  Quincy Liu.............Jan Groscurth
      2009  Quincy Liu.............Jan Groscurth
      2010  Quincy Liu.............Jan Groscurth
      2011  Quincy Liu.............Jan Groscurth
      2012  Quincy Liu.............Jan Groscurth
      2013  Frieder Brandmeyer.....Jan Groscurth
      2014  .......................Jan Groscurth
      2015  Martina Trümner........Jan Groscurth
      2016  Martina Trümner........Jan Groscurth
      2017  Martina Trümner........Jan Groscurth
      2018  Martina Trümner........Jan Groscurth
      2019  Martina Trümner........Jan Groscurth

I hope very very much that I shall hear from you, whether on the topic of reunion or the Commodore / Vice list.
Best of all, I hope I shall see you in Berlin in the near future !

October 2003
Quincy Liu


 17.1.2005

Hi All,

I wish you all a new year of good health!

I didn’t have to write very much this time, because I decided that I would let some old records that I came across to speak for themselves. Among these are images that I have scanned from a Guestbook of AYCB.

The first entry in the Guestbook was in 1962, and there was approximately one or two entries per year except for a very quiet period from 1970 to 1974. The last entry was in 1983.

I have picked out some relevant pages where some names appeared for the first time. These names are the ones I have in my exAYCBer mailing list. In the future I might scanned the entire Guestbook and put it in our website – depends on how much time I have. (and on the webmasters time 😉

I am very happy to include in this dispatch contributions from Gerry Coles and A. Nonymous from the era of 1961-62.
Gerry Coles was the first AYCB Commodore. It was through his effort that the previous group of unwashed sailors (already called themselves AYCB, it seemed) were properly organized into a formal club.
Gerry also sent us Stars and Stripes clippings in which the activities of AYCB were described and reported: page1.jpg, page2.jpg.
The clipping from July 15, 1962, mentioned a check of $5 written in 1961 from Cornelius Vanderbilt to AYCB. I am sure all of you have seen this behind the bar in the old days. We still have this check, in our display case nowadays. And don’t you get the feeling that in the times that you were in AYCB, the club activities were about the same?

One name jumped out of this Star and Stripes clipping, the Schaerenkreuzer. Who can forget the Schaerenkreutzer !? I have found from a quickie research that the Schaerenkreutzer class is of Swedish origin. It became very popular after WWI in northern Germany and the waterways of Berlin. It’s amazing that AIYCB still has this Schaerenkreutzer and it is till being sailed. It was part of the inventory we bought from the Rec Center in 1993, along with the Randmeers. However, it needs a lot of restoration work in the boathouse every winter, and a lot of pampering in the summer in the water.

A few of you should remember the model sailboat in this picture. I just want to record here that we have kept that model sailboat right up to the end and it was auctioned off, together with a lot of other paraphernalia of AYCB, to members and friends of AYCB in 1993, as we did not know whether or not we would continue to exist after the end of 1993.
The proceeds from the auction, circa DM 3000, were donated to the German volunteer rescue organization, Deutsche Lebens-Rettungs-Gesellschaft. One recognizes them as the fluorescent-orange-clad men and women on speed boats that buzz around the Wannsee on a stormy day to come to the help of all boats in distress. It is another fact of sailing life on the Wannsee that all the clubs inform them of their regattas and the DLRG unfailingly station their speed boats around the course.

Guestbook
1962 – Gerry Coles, Larry Franks
1974 – Horst & Marlis Grosskopf, Karen Rock; for those who remember: Arthur Graham & Elke Wittkowsky, Dagmar Golz, Hal Shanafield;
1976 – David & Bev Law;
1980a– Earl Westerling, Ed & Edie Jones, Dale Reigle; for those who remember them : Rick Hutchison, Deane Magalis, Melanie Leonard;
1980b– Jo Gygax (written upside down!);
1981a– Julian ‚Taff‘ Brown (BBYC);
1981b &
1981c – These two are the densest pages written, a results of a pretty good Christmas Party in the club. There were contributions from, among others, Jo Gygax, Julian ‚Taff‘ Brown, Ogden Lazenby, and myself.

It could be a source of pride that decorum was kept in all the messages that were left behind.

Some of you may have old photos that could bring back pleasant memories for many of us. Please don’t hesitate to send me some of them. I’ll try my best to fit them into a big picture.

There are a few changes to the list of Commodores and Vices.
As always, I welcome your input wherever you think we have made a mistake in the list.

With best wishes
Quincy

11 Gedanken zu „former aycb

  1. Gerry Cirincione-Coles

    As the AYCB’s Founding Commodore, first leader club had, please advise email address of person I should send my rememberances to about when our club was founded in 1961.
    Gerry Coles
    Bolinas, CA

    Antworten
  2. Edwin Jones

    Greetings all,

    Love the website. I was vice commodore in 1980. It brings back sweet memories. So thankful that you’ve attempted to remember those of us who were past members.

    Warmest Regards,

    Ed Jones

    Antworten
  3. Taff Brown

    Hi all,
    Really enjoyed reading all of this. I hope to return to Berlin next year and revisit the Club. If anyone is there that remembers me please feel free to get in touch.
    Very best regards
    Taff Brown (BBYC)

    Antworten
  4. Paul Westling

    I see Jim Taylor is trying to contact me. My email I bigjoe3015@yahoo.com. Greetings to everyone at the AIYCB. It has been a long time since I have left Berlin in 1999 but I check into the website from time to time and miss camaraderie we shared. Anyone interested send me an email.

    Joseph „Paul“ Westling

    Antworten
  5. Dennis Howard

    Hello Quincy,
    You most certainly do not remember me, but I became an AYCB member in 1978 and quit when I was transferred to Stuttgart in 1983. I was Arthur Graham’s bowman and Dean Megalis‘ purser. For some strange reason after I limited access to the safe combination we started making big bucks and buying (and selling) club t-shirts, caps and other knickknacks.
    I have been back in Berlin since 1998, but have been very busy personally and professionally. I would now like to reacquaint myself with the AYCB, viz AIYCB and maybe become a member.
    I still am in contact with Elke Graham, who contacted you last year.
    Please invite me to an event you may have forthcoming and I would like to „snoop“ around, chat with you and others and let you snatch my cash for a membership.
    Feel free to contact me anytime you like.
    Thanks for your good help.
    Mit Grüßen aus dem freundlichen Berlin,

    Dennis Howard
    Karl-Fischer-Weg 2/1210
    12169 Berlin
    01522-2697219
    dennishoward@web.de

    Antworten
  6. Elke Graham

    Hello,
    Don;t know, if you remember me. I am Elke Graham (Wittkowsky).
    I now live in Vilseck working on post.
    Love to hear from you,

    Best regards,
    Elke

    Antworten
    1. Quincy Liu

      Hi Elke,

      Here is Quincy Liu writing. Of couse I remember you. I might have to think harder if I had only Wittkowsky to work with, but with the name Graham (Arthur!) I know straight away. If you don’t see my e-mail address in this reply, do send a message to our webmaster, webmaster@aiycb.de, and he’ll pass it to me. After that I can tell you more about what has happened with the AYCB that you knew. I’d love to hear how you’ve made your way back to Germany and Vilseck!

      With warm regards,
      Quincy

      Antworten
  7. Gerry Coles

    Really appreciate the club’s revised website’s history includes that it first was known as the AYCB in 1961. That was when its qualified members could rent sail boats at bargain rates per hour (Olympic Dinghy $0.25 or Dragon $1.00) from U.S. Berlin Command’s Wannsee Recreation Center.

    Antworten

Schreibe einen Kommentar

Deine E-Mail-Adresse wird nicht veröffentlicht. Erforderliche Felder sind mit * markiert