Delta Rat Scrapbook

Bill Wells

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Bill moved to California in 1947 with his parents and brother. His father was an avid bird hunter and fisherman. As a child he accompanied his dad and brother on fishing and hunting trips in the Delta. He still has fond memories of his first overnight trip on the Delta aboard a family friend’s Chris Craft cruiser in the early 1950’s. Except for four years in the U.S. Navy and seven years living in Hawaii Bill has spent most of his life around the Delta area.

Bill is a retired yacht broker and currently is the Executive Director of the California Delta Chambers & Visitor’s Bureau and past Commodore of the Northern California Fleet of the Classic Yacht Association in addition to writing the monthly Delta Rat Scrapbook column for Bay & Delta Yachtsman magazine.

See monthly columns below


Delta Rat Scrapbook

Delta Rat Scrapbook columns

  • Delta Rat Scrapbook – by Bill Wells
    Ryde Hotel If you have not been to the Ryde Hotel lately you should pay a visit; the staff is making continuous improvements and the place is looking good. They will be opening the...
  • Delta Rat Scrapbook – by Bill Wells
    International Sportsmen’s Exposition (ISE) This is the best outdoor show in Northern California. It is always in January, kicking off the new year. Cal Expo in Sacramento is an ideal location with proximity to...
  • Delta Rat Scrapbook – by Bill Wells
    Village West Marina And Resort Holiday Village There was an excellent event at Village West; several decorated boats were on hand for the kick-off of the Christmas season. Santa was there and a festive...
  • Delta Rat Scrapbook – by Bill Wells
    West Coast Canvas It has been a year or so since Efrain Garay and Scott Rumple took over West Coast Canvas. I was passing by their office and they kindly invited me in for...
  • Delta Rat Scrapbook – by Bill Wells
    Sacramento Yacht Club The club held its BBQ Rib Cook Off on a great Indian Summer afternoon. It was in conjunction with their Friendship Cruise-In weekend. We were all out on the grassy lawn...
  • Delta Rat Scrapbook – by Bill Wells
    Stephens Yacht Rendezvous Three days of Understanding” – reminds me of a song. The owners and management of Village West Marina & Resort invited Stephens and other classic yacht caretakers to cruise in for...
  • Delta Rat Scrapbook – by Bill Wells
    Taste Of The Delta The 20th Annual Taste of the Delta was a huge success thanks to a great team of volunteers and many local wineries, breweries, restaurants and businesses. The purpose of the...
  • Delta Rat Scrapbook – by Bill Wells
    Vickie Baumann Retires This is the end of an era in the Delta. Vickie is one of the best known and beloved people in the whole region. She got her fine art degree at...
  • Delta Rat Scrapbook – by Bill Wells
    Tony Kopshever Retires It seems like yesterday that Tony Kopshever was a young lad hanging around the Stockton Yacht Club with his parents, and now he has retired after a 20-year career with the...
  • Delta Rat Scrapbook – by Bill Wells
    Pacific Coast Water Rescue John Garza and his team held a ceremony at the Discovery Bay Marina. It was to honor present and past emergency response folks and included the renaming of two boats....
  • Delta Rat Scrapbook – by Bill Wells
    Historic Re-Launching Of JOIE After a Herculean effort Rusty Areias and Ted Harris completed the restoration on the classic yacht JOIE de Vivre. They trucked her up to the Delta from Southern California more than two...
  • Delta Rat Scrapbook – by Bill Wells
    Pacific Boat Services Ramon Mata took over the old Ladds yard and marina in Stockton over a year ago. Right when he moved in, he started making positive changes; he moved a portable office...