With the sudden passing of our beloved Commodore, Randy Hough, the Vallarta Yacht Club Board of Directors has appointed Eric Bloomquist as Interim Commodore. Eric assumed this role at the January 20th board meeting, stepping up to lead the club through this transition. Bob Carr will continue as Vice Commodore, working closely with Eric to maintain the strength and stability of our club while carrying forward Randy’s legacy of leadership and dedication.

Eric first joined VYC in 2005 when he and his family visited while cruising. With an extensive sailing background and 11 years of liveaboard experience on a trawler, Eric brings both passion and expertise to the role. Professionally, he owned a wood products company in the Midwest, where he attributes his success to building a strong management team—an approach he brings to VYC as well.

A good friend of Randy’s, Eric deeply respected his contributions and unwavering commitment to the club. He credits Randy with teaching him valuable lessons both on and off the water. As Interim Commodore, Eric is dedicated to honoring Randy’s legacy while ensuring the club continues to thrive.

CHEZ NOUS Turns 50 Years Old

In January, we celebrated the 50th Birthday of Chez Nous, a beloved yacht owned and well-sailed by Al and JoLinda Garnier, members of VYC.

"We have owned Chez Nous (meaning: "our home") since 1975 and cruised from California to Spain in 1979-80 with our three children. Since then we have enjoyed years of local sailing in the Channel Islands, Catalina and the Sea of Cortez," say the Garniers’.

In 2016 the pair decided to travel down to Mexico after their children flew the nest. They found VYC and have been here ever since! 

 We asked Al & Jolinda to share more about their more than half century of cruising.

Where did your love for sailing originally come from? What prompted you to buy your first boat?  

We met sailing for our respective Colleges, Al, Purdue, Jolinda, Ohio State.  We talked of the dream to sail around the world and when the chance came to sell our home in Southern California and buy Chez Nous we did.

What inspired you to sail from California to Spain with your three children, and what were some of the most challenging parts of that journey?  

Al was offered a position on The Haj Terminal project at the new Jeddah airport by an engineering firm and was told he could sail Chez Nous there.  As it turned out we were able to sail to Spain, but entering Saudi Arabia was not possible after the US Embassy in Iran fell.

We had 2 significant weather episodes, one off the West end of Cuba.  Tropical Storm Bob (later to be Hurricane Bob (1979) that hit New Orleans) saw 40-50 kts of wind and spun Chez Nous 360 degrees.  Our dinghy davits failed, dropping our hard dinghy into the water, we lost our inflatable, not to be recovered.  The kids also lost their shark jaws that they had worked months to sun bleach.  Approaching the Straits of Gibraltar, we encountered the ‘Levanter’.  This wind starts in the Eastern Mediterranean gaining strength as it travels west.  Once at Gibraltar the speed increases due to the narrowing with Morocco and reaches 50+ kts.  So for hours we tried to enter the Mediterranean but couldn’t.  Trafalgar light did not change position.  In the morning we turned and went to Cadiz where we waited 3 days for the Laventer to blow out.

What led you to sail to Mexico in 2016 after your children left the nest, and how did that change your sailing lifestyle?  

In 2006 we sailed Chez Nous into the Sea of Cortez to participate in the Cruising Club of America’s International Cruise. It was a 3 month stay, returning to Los Angeles in June as retirement was a couple of years away.  Semi-retired in 2008 allowed time to properly prepare for Chez Nous for permanent stay, but we had other items on our must do list including the Camino de Santiago, which we have now done 4 different routes.

Tell us the story about naming Chez Nous and why she was christened on her 50th birthday.  

Chez Nous is the name of the commons at Koutstown Teachers College in Eastern Pennsylvania where JoLinda spent her freshman year.  She liked the name and it always stayed with her.  When we purchased Chez Nous it had a different name on the documents but nothing on the hull. Since it was our plan to live aboard and sail around the world it seemed fitting to call her ‘our home’.  We were young and not all that up on tradition when we bought Chez Nous, so we just did it.  As the 50th birthday approached we thought we should register her in the great book in the sea, which is what christening is meant to do.

What led you to find the Vallarta Yacht Club in 2016, and how has being a member enriched your sailing experience?  

We arrived in Paradise Village Marina in March 2016 just as the Women’s Laser Worlds were presenting awards and the men’s were about to start.  We saw how busy the yacht club was with lots of preparation and we volunteered to help.  greenlr01@gmail.com";,"type":"person"}">Linda Green asked if we knew anything about race committee and Al was assigned to the pin boat as scribe.  JoLinda helped on the ramp getting to meet all the young well fit men.  Yacht Clubs bring sailors into a community of like minded folks, which is just right.

Do you have any advice or tips for fellow sailors, especially those just starting out on their own journeys? 

“Follow your dreams” is the best advice, but to do that successfully there are many things to consider, the most important is planning, planning, planning.

Link here to article in Los Angeles Yacht Club newsletter, Lufflines: 

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We cherish and honor the memory of Commodore Randy Hough, who crossed the bar on January 15th, leaving behind an indelible legacy of unwavering dedication and passion for Vallarta Yacht Club and its community. His contributions, large and small, touched countless lives, and his influence will continue to inspire us all.

Randy had been a member of VYC since 2007 and served as Commodore from 2021 to 2025, shaping the club's direction during that time and helping to foster a strong sense of camaraderie. He once quipped that he would be 'commodore for life,' a statement that proved prophetic, as his passion for the club never wavered—even when his health began to decline. Randy's enduring commitment was a testament to his belief in the club and the people who made it what it is.

Randy's close friend, Andy Barrow, summarized his impact in this heartfelt tribute:

“Randy’s heart and soul was our club. He gave the past four years of his life to us, steering us through some of the most trying times our VYC family has ever experienced. Prior to coming to Mexico, he led an extremely interesting life that involved cars, motorcycles, boats and yacht clubs. In typical Randy style, he worked hard to develop a high level of expertise in all of them. After 17 years of being his friend I continue to learn more about what he achieved in his life. Whatever he did, he took on with a level of intensity that was often astonishing, and always difficult to keep up with.

For me, he was a true and sincere friend, and we shared many adventures together. I will miss those conversations in the club, his standing when a lady approached, and his firm handshakes with expressions of thanks.

Fair winds Randy.”

While we mourn Randy's passing, we also celebrate the countless ways his spirit will continue to guide and inspire us. His spirit will live on in every sail, every gathering, and in the hearts of all who were fortunate enough to know him. Let us all carry forward his passion, dedication, and love for the VYC community as we move ahead, knowing that his legacy will forever be a part of VYC.

Join us every week for live music and dinner specials!

Tuesdays: Soul Harmony

Fridays: Yoselyn Bastar