SYC News

Ken Waters

2026-04-05T11:46:00.001-05:00

Ken Waters, another veteran SYC member and past commodore, just passed on March 30, 2026.

Pat Salsbury

2026-03-13T10:35:00.006-05:00

Longtime SYC member and past commodore, Pat Salsbury, passed away on March 5, 2026. Pat's quick wit and dry humor made SYC gatherings more enjoyable for all.

Obituary

SYC Annual Business Meeting

2026-02-12T09:19:00.002-06:00

The SYC annual business meeting was held February 1st, 2026, at 2:30pm over Zoom. Following are some highlights:

Board members elected:

Rocky Bartlow, Commodore
Brett Bitner, Vice-Commodore
Mark Marling, Treasurer
Irene Haws, Secretary
Richard Stewart, Governor at large
Eddie Penner, Governor-Legal
Mike Gorman, Governor-Grounds
Josh Harsch, Governor-Social media
Jim Tompkins, Past Commodore

Boat storage fee of $100/year rather than separate fees for summer and winter.
Sailing lessons will be the same as last year except no July session, just June and August monthly sessions of 4 lessons each on Wednesday evenings scheduled through Parks & Rec.
There will be 3 socials: The Spring Breakfast on May 2nd, 4th of July, and a fall social on September 6th.
We will be working with Parks & Rec to gain support for our new 5 Year Master Plan to improve the facilities.

For SYC members only:

Five-Year Master Plan

2026-01-23T11:04:00.008-06:00

As we prepare for the 2026 SYC sailing season, we hope to be meeting with P+R staff for their support in moving forward with individual items in our latest proposed Five-Year Master Plan to improve our sailing facilities. It is intended to be a good balance of what we are both looking for and a path forward to a successful future for all of us. SYC's costs for some of these improvements will be substantial. Please consider making a contribution to help us with these facility improvements.

Comments?

Five-Year Master Plan

2025-08-26T17:33:00.003-05:00

SYC has presented Parks and Recreation with a new Five-Year Master Plan for 2025 to improve our sailing facilities. It is intended to be a good balance of what we are both looking for and a path forward to a successful future for all of us. We hope to be meeting with P+R staff for their support in moving forward with individual items in the plan. SYC's costs for some of these improvements will be substantial. Please consider making a contribution to help us with these facility improvements.

Comments?

H.B.

2025-08-08T07:37:00.004-05:00

H.B. Marshall, who cherished his decades of sailing at SYC, passed away on July 27, 2025. H.B. loved to tell stories, often reminiscing about his years with friends at SYC.

Obituary

Learn to Sail

2025-06-02T16:04:00.004-05:00

"Introduction to Sailing" sessions are held Wednesday evenings, June through August. Come join the fun. We provide the boats.

Five-Year Master Plan

2025-04-12T08:07:00.003-05:00

SYC has presented Parks and Recreation with a Five-Year Master Plan for improving our sailing facilities. The plan aims to increase sailing activity on Lake Shawnee and get SYC back on a more sustainable footing. We are currently negotiating with P+R staff for their support in moving forward with individual items in the plan. SYC's costs for some of these improvements will be substantial. Please consider making a contribution to help us with these facility improvements.

Comments?

One of Our Own in The Top 100

2025-03-01T19:13:00.007-06:00

Former Commodore and current SYC Resident Agent Eric Kjorlie was featured in the 2nd quarter 2023 Top 100 Lawyers publication.

SYC Annual Business Meeting

2025-01-28T15:06:00.017-06:00

The SYC annual business meeting was held February 2nd at 2:00pm over Zoom. Following are some highlights:

Due to sparse attendance at this meeting, we decided to delay nominating and electing the 2025 Board of Governors. Instead, that will take place at a breakfast meeting for all club members at the clubhouse on Saturday, May 3rd. The Spring Work Party will follow that meeting.
Sailing lessons will be the same as last year, monthly sessions of 4 lessons each on Wednesday evenings scheduled through Parks & Rec. There will be sessions in June, July and August, but not in September.
There will be 3 socials over the sailing season: The Spring Breakfast on May 3rd, 4th of July, and a fall social on September 7th.
We will be working with Parks & Rec to improve the dock at the launch ramp to make it longer and move it to deeper water and closer to the launch ramp.
With the boatyard nearing capacity, we will be doing some reorganization of parking spots and possibly moving some boats to better utilize the space.

For SYC members only:

Ted Ensley Gardens

2024-09-07T20:53:00.011-05:00

Before or after sailing, take some time to stroll through the gardens next door. The annuals are in full bloom and Traci and her crew have everything looking terrific!

Sailboat Racing - Join in the FUN

2024-08-25T08:21:00.017-05:00

Don't be intimidated by the word "RACING." This is more like playing golf or pickleball with some friends. And it's a great way to build your sailing skills and interact with fellow sailors. No racing experience is necessary. All boat classes are welcome.

Learn to Sail

2024-04-11T09:54:00.004-05:00

"Introduction to Sailing" sessions are held Wednesday evenings, June through September. Come join the fun. We provide the boats.

Dues are due

2024-04-01T11:53:00.002-05:00

It's time to think about the upcoming sailing season. Dues for this year are due.

Associate membership $50.
Sailing membership $100.
Boat storage in our yard $50 each summer and winter.

You can pay online HERE or send a check to: SYC, PO Box 221, Topeka, KS 66601.

Thanks if you have already sent it in.

Mark Marling
Treasurer

Annual Business Meeting

2024-02-27T18:15:00.002-06:00

The SYC Annual Business Meeting was held via Zoom on February 25th, 2024. Here are some highlights:

Same board members as last year except Rocky is new:

Jim Tompkins, Commodore
Rocky Bartlow, Vice-Commodore
Mark Marling, Treasurer
Irene Haws, Secretary
Cheryl Basiotis, Governor at large
Eddie Penner, Governor-Legal
Mike Gorman, Governor-Grounds
Josh Harsch, Governor-Social media

Membership fees stay the same except for dropping the BoatShare+ category and extra fee.
Socials will be on Sundays instead of Fridays or Saturdays.
July 4th events and social like last year.
Club sponsoring Sea Scouts.
Lesson sign-up through Parks & Rec.

SYC members click HERE for the full meeting minutes, HERE for the Treasurer's Report, and HERE for the Boatyard Expense Details.

Elna Ensley

2023-10-31T13:00:00.004-05:00

Now we've lost Elna after having just lost Ted in March. Over the 31 years Ted was the Director of Shawnee County Parks & Rec, Ted and Elna raised their family next door to SYC in what is now the Garden House. They were always supportive of SYC. In their later years, with Ted's health in decline, Elna was Ted's constant companion, driving to their appointments, such as the monthly Friends Of Ted Ensley Gardens meetings. It's the end of an era.

Obituary

Bill Reed

2023-10-14T09:10:00.013-05:00

"Bill and Sharon started dating in 1981. They met at Lake Shawnee Yacht Club in Topeka. Bill sailed a 24 ft Kitty Wake boat. They enjoyed many years of sailing day and night on the lake."

Obituary

Make Plans to Sail Next Year

2023-09-20T13:48:00.001-05:00

The 2023 sailing season is winding down

SYC in the News

2023-09-06T09:22:00.027-05:00

SYC was featured on the front page of the September 6, 2023 edition of the Topeka Capital-Journal. Click HERE to view the article. And there's more in-depth HERE for CJOnline subscribers.

Explore Sailing

2023-07-18T12:59:00.007-05:00

Learn to Sail

2023-05-26T08:12:00.006-05:00

"Introduction to Sailing" sessions are held Wednesday evenings and Sunday afternoons, June through August. Come join the fun. We provide the boats.

Ted Ensley

2023-04-15T12:36:00.021-05:00

We lost Ted Ensley recently. With Ted's support, SYC flourished during the 31 years he was the Director of Shawnee County Parks & Rec. Ted and his wife, Elna, raised their family next door to SYC in what is now the Garden House. Even in recent years, Ted did what he could to support our efforts to rebuild the club. The beautiful Ted Ensley Gardens, adjacent to SYC, make the area more inviting and enjoyable for everyone visiting the SYC facilities.

Obituary

Annual Business Meeting

2023-02-24T15:56:00.011-06:00

The SYC Annual Business Meeting was held via Zoom on February 5th, 2023. Here are some highlights:

Same board members as last year except Irene is new:

Jim Tompkins, Commodore
Doug Jensen, Vice-Commodore
Mark Marling, Treasurer
Irene Haws, Secretary
Cheryl Basiotis, Governor at large
Eddie Penner, Governor-Legal
Mike Gorman, Governor-Grounds
Josh Harsch, Governor-Social media

Membership fees mostly the same except for new $50 boat storage fee for the season. P+R has approved winter boat storage but the fee has not yet been set.
Boatyard has new gravel, fencing and lighting, which led to new boat storage fees.
Monthly Full Moon Socials
New 4th of July events
Club sponsoring Sea Scouts

SYC members click HERE for the full meeting minutes and HERE for the Treasurer's Report.

SYC Facility Upgrade Plans

2022-11-30T00:00:00.002-06:00

The last time we provided any sort of official status on this was in late 2020. So it's time for an update.

In summary, that 2020 plan has been abandoned and we're currently working with Parks and Rec on incremental improvements to the existing facilities, e.g. improving the boatyard drainage and surface, fencing in the boatyard, adding a gate at the top of the access road, increasing dock space, and restoring electricity, lighting, and freshwater access to the area. We are making some progress in this regard -- see separate news items. This work is being financed by some generous donations to the Parks For All SYC Fund and Parks and Rec. More details can be found HERE.

Boatyard Security Fence & Light

2022-11-29T11:20:00.004-06:00

Fencing has been installed around the boatyard. It is six feet tall with gates at the north and south ends. A gate has also been installed at the top of the access road leading down into the SYC area but it is only intended to be closed during SYC events. A little over half of the fencing cost is being paid from donations to the Parks For All - SYC Fund while Parks & Rec is covering the rest. Parks & Rec also improved the boatyard drainage, spread more gravel and had a new pole with lights installed on the west side of the boatyard.

We are currently considering how best to organize parking spots and traffic flow in the boatyard. Parking spots will likely be numbered and assigned to each member. We'll hold a work party sometime soon to bring the club boats back from the south grassy area where they are being temporarilly stored.