We asked Linda Green, affectionatly known to many as the Matriarch of VYC, to share insights into the club's history, highlight her proudest moments, and explain why she chose to "retire" at VYC. Here's Linda, in her own words. 

Thanks for asking!  I grew up in Chicago with 3 siblings and parents who worked hard to support us.  It amazes me how many members I have met over the years who are also from Chicago.  I met Dan Green while we worked together at Johnson & Johnson and that is a very long story.  But 8 years later Dan and I married in California.  He had a lifetime dream of leaving it all behind and going cruising on his own boat.  That’s how he wanted to live out his retirement years.  I was not a fan of the idea but I went along with the planning and dreaming.  When he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis it took only a few years for me to realize that we had very few years to make that dream a reality.  I told Dan we needed to stop dreaming and set a date before it was too late.  And that is when we decided to join the Baja-Ha-Ha in October, 1998.Linda, you were around for the founding of Vallarta Yacht Club.

Tell us about that time and what was most notable about the club’s founding.

When the club was founded, Paradise Village consisted of A and B Dock. Significantly smaller than what we see today.  There was a small cadre of boat owners, basically expats led by Jim Ketler who wanted to form a yacht club and had been working on it for several years.  The area was not developed at all like we see today. The only restaurants around were at Paradise Village which of course was available to the boaters in the area.  I don’t think there were any restaurants at Nuevo Marina, and Marina LaCruz did not exist.

So it was a small group of mostly expats that became family with the start of working on creating Vallarta Yacht Club.

What was most notable to me at that time was how this small group shared their expertise to create the club, the Constitution and By-Laws using their varied backgrounds. The founders had backgrounds as CEO’s, Presidents of small to large companies, successful sales people, ski instructors, business owners and welders. To this day it still amazes me how we are all on an equal playing field once we gather in Mexico and join together as equals. There is no hierarchy, but there are common interests and friendly people who want to enjoy life regardless of what you were during your career.

Over the last 22 years, what were the highlights at VYC for you? What really stands out?

Personally, each and every international championship was a highlight for me.  It was hard work, but the club members came together, again bringing their skills and abilities with them to showcase the Vallarta Yacht Club to the world. That may sound like an overstatement, but literally, the Vallarta Yacht Club hosted the Pan American Games, J24 World Championship, 2 ILCA (Laser) World Championships 4 Optimist North American Championships, J70 North American Championships….there are a couple more to add in

Which VYC events hold the most significance for you, and can you share a memorable story or a race you were particularly proud to host?

WesMex International Small Boat regatta is probably the standout for me.  It’s an event that Dan and Leah Danielson created and has been the most popular sailing event in Mexico for 19 years.  The kids in Mexico love coming to this event and the members enjoy having them here. I chaired several of the WesMex events and had an opportunity to meet many of the Mexican families and establish relationships with them. 

WesMex is mostly seen as a “kids” event but we have had ILCA competitors from as far away as Australia and New Zealand. Some of the top ILCA sailors in the world have competed in this event.

But I think most importantly WesMex is part of the beginning of a child’s sailing career. Whether they go on toward the Olympics or compete with the pros (and we have had both) it is part of the basics.

What roles have you held at the club, and what were the highlights and challenges of serving as Commodore?

I was Commodore in 2009 when we were asked to host the Pan Am Games.  I wanted to be the first female commodore before the responsibilities became too complicated.  And they did and are far more complicated. At the time the games were awarded to Vallarta Yacht Club, Beatriz Gonzalez was Commodore of Chapala Yacht Club. The Pan Am Games were awarded to Guadalajara but she recognized that Lake Chapala did not have the conditions to host a competitive sailing venue of that stature. So she and I co-chaired the event at Vallarta Yacht Club in Banderas Bay in 2011.  Again the club members proudly pulled together to make this an amazing event for the competitors as well as for the club.

How has your involvement in the club impacted your life or the lives of others, and can you share a story that relates to this?

Someone once told me that when you “retire” you have to have something to retire to. You don’t just stop “doing”. Of course, Dan and I retired to cruising on our own boat from 1998-2005.  We were both far more independent than I realized. Boat repairs as we traveled from San Francisco through Central America, through the Panama Canal and up the ICW to Canada and back made me realize that.  As his MS progressed, we had to give up our cruising days and needed a new “something to retire to” and we found that at Vallarta Yacht Club. I think we both felt a new sense of purpose and new opportunities to meet new friends, develop new skills, and use whatever skills we acquired during our working years.  

I had never organized an event in my life when I co-chaired the Pan Am Games. Then somehow I became the de facto chairperson for WesMex for several years. Then there were the international championships. They were all on-the-job training experiences.  Working with volunteers was a very different experience than managing a workforce. Each event was different and each volunteer brought a different flavor to the event.  I so admired the volunteers who showed up asking how they could help. Then seeing how they put their own stamp on the event. They are the heart and soul of each event we hosted and organized.

What was your prior career and how did the skills in your career help you be a leader at VYC?

Unlike so many who say they were bankers, doctors, lawyers, construction workers or ski instructors, my prior career consisted of a variety of different positions. I managed a maintenance crew at Johnson & Johnson; supervised production at Frito Lay; supervised manufacturing employees at Miller Brewing Company where we manufactured aluminum cans for the local brewery. My final job was at Pacific Bell. It seemed everyone had a stint at one of the phone companies those days. My role was selling the now extinct yellow page advertising to national clients.

Clearly, I managed diverse workforces and I guess that’s where I developed leadership skills.  Selling was an entirely different set of skills and I learned that the customer is always right…or at least you make them feel that way!

How would you describe the unique aspects of VYC and its culture to a potential member?

One very unique aspect of VYC is its transient nature with members coming down for short periods of time - 2-5 years then moving on to continue their cruising adventures or returning to their homes and families.  Then there are the rest of us who stay on and become a close knit family where we appreciate our common interests while we respect and appreciate our differences.

Is there anything else you'd like to share about yourself or something you think people might find interesting?

In 2015, Dan along with Andy and myself started the Vallarta Sailing Foundation, a 501 (c3) in the United States.  It was Dan’s idea and the stated purpose of the foundation is:

“Section 1.   PURPOSES.  The specific purpose for which this Corporation is organized is to provide youth education programs to encourage an interest in maritime arts and sciences and to support the development of certain skills related to maritime employment, including fishing, boating and care and use of the marine environment. Additionally, this Corporation may engage in any activities that are reasonably related to or in furtherance of its stated charitable purpose, or in any other charitable activities, as allowed by law.”

While I was apprehensive about taking on a foundation, Dan was determined. So my plan is to focus on the foundation, creating more structure around it and creating a stronger presence to increase donations.

During the past 10 years, the foundation, through generous donations of mostly VYC members have made significant contributions to sailing in Mexico. The foundation has supported the Junior Sailing program, individual competitors in the Junior Program who have competed in International Championships.  The foundation has provided support to each of the international championships we have hosted as well as WesMex and Banderas Bay Regatta. It has also provided major contributions in the past 2 years to VYC while the club relocated.

So going forward, this will be my focus.  I am happy to answer any questions regarding the foundation and how donations can be made and distributed.