Daffodil 2007

There is a slide show with parade photos
(very slowly!) accessible on the official Daffodil Web site.
However, you may want to consider skipping it since (besides the time it takes to download),
the show (as of 15 May) does not include a single photo of BYC's award-winning entry.
Can you believe it?

Photo: Charlie Billings

"Read My Lips"

by P/C Bob Wheeler (25 April 2007)

Photo: Bob Wheeler Is that our Rear? Photo: Charlie Billings Photos: Bob Wheeler The Award Winning Face! Creative Director: Don Hardgrove Committee Chair: Don Park Officer in Charge of the Moving of the Lips: Kevin McStay Skippers: Mike & Mona Lisa Ryan

It started, I'm sure as a concept in the head of VC Don Hardgrove: "a stupendous float for Daffodil" was his thinking. Something to respond in kind to the great support shown by the TYC Bridge at Heavy Weather. So in the "break room" at the local cop shop in Seattle, Don set pencil to paper and rendered a combination of PVC poles, dowels, chicken wire, canvas, paint, foam rubber, pieces of wood, landscape fabric and heaven knows what else to create a Jazz Singer whose lips could move with the music and give personal greetings. All of this was built on Lisa and Mike Ryan's 40 ft. boat, "Blind Faith". Committee Chair, Don Park (aka "The Whip") and a crew of many over-achievers, overcame our lovely Spring windy and rainy weather by moving the project to PC Leo Longenecker's shed in order to get out of the weather. On Thursday prior to the parade it was time to transit "Blind Faith" to TYC. Because of the structure, the only visibility was from the fly bridge, standing up at that. There was great concern over the weather as windy, rainy weather would make for miserable conditions. This was not the case as it was clear, sunny and hardly a breeze that afternoon. We followed in "Carousel" half an hour behind in case there were any pieces to pick up! Piece of cake. Once tied outboard of boat house 618 in the TYC basin with "Carousel" rafted outboard, the finishing work began in earnest on Friday. By the end of the day, the top hat had been constructed and the sunglasses put in place. The old fish net with 10,000 yellow bows was once again recycled as a collar and other decoration. Daffodils were added as a finishing touch. For the parade, the lips moved to the music while the committee in yellow jump-suits and top hats with cardboard cut out instruments played on deck and waved to the crowd to add to the show. Capt. Mike did a superb job of peering through the huge sunglasses to drive the float through all of this including a partial pirouette in front of the judging stand. My First Mate, Jytte captured as much as she could on film as we were just in front of them. And what a show it was. The judges awarded BYC all the top hardware there Photo: Ron Morse BYC's "Big Mouth" Blows away competition; brings it home on BLIND FAITH at the Daffodil Parade. ["Peoples Choice", "Best Decorated Theme" & "Mayor's Trophy" ( = "Judges Choice: Best of Show")] Photo: Charlie Billings Awards Ceremony at Tacoma Yacht Club was, again. Congratulations to all and to BYC for a job well done. And stand by for Opening Day. Read my lips, you will see this show again only slightly different.. "Thankyou verrymuch, thankyouverrymuch".

Photos: Bob Wheeler

Photos: Charlie Billings Carousel: Pretty as always, even without a Daffodil award

BYC's Daffodil Web Sites for Past Years: 2006 2005 2004 2003 Official Websites: Weekend at Tacoma Yacht Club Official Parade Page 2006 Pictures YouTube Clip 2007