Southwindsnovember2008

SOUTHWINDS News & Views for Southern Sailors Nelson/Marek Morgan 45 Boat Review Gunkholing the Peace River Fishing for Cruisers Part II

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News & Views for Southern Sailors

SOUTHWINDS November 2008

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SOUTHWINDS NEWS & VIEWS

FOR

SOUTHERN SAILORS

8

Editorial: Wreckers Race; More Boating Rules

By Steve Morrell

12

Letters

19

Southern Regional Monthly Weather & Water Temperatures

20

Bubba Has Solution to Ratings Disparities

By Morgan Stinemetz

22

Short Tacks: Sailing News and Events Around the South

29

St. Pete Boat Show and Strictly Sail, Dec. 4-7

34

Our Waterways: FWC Proposals for Changes; New Rules and Fines Proposed at Boot Key Harbor

36

Carolina Sailing: Two Traditional Sailboats Sail Home

By Dan Dickison

38

Sail to Southampton

By Robbie Moore

44

Travels with Angel: Fishing for Cruisers, Part II

By Rebecca Burg

46

Dismasted Off Nicaragua

By Monty and Betsy Morris

48

Installing a Holding Tank

By Joe Corey

50

Gunkholing on the Peace River

By Ina Moody

52

The Wreckers Race

By Rebecca Burg

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Southern Racing: News, Upcoming Races, Race Reports, Regional Race Calendars

78

No Particular Place to Go

By Susan Ochs-Conrad

30-33 63 69 76 77

Marine Marketplace Boat Brokerage Section Classifieds Alphabetical Index of Advertisers Advertisers’ List by Category

The Nelson/Marek Morgan 45 boat review. Photo by Harmon Heed. Page 40.

Gunkholing the Peace River. Photo by Ina Moody.

Page 50.

COVER: GYA 10th Annual Multihull Championships.

Photo by Julie Connerley. Page 59.

Each issue of SOUTHWINDS (and back issues since 5/03) is available online at www.southwindsmagazine.com 6

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FROM THE HELM

STEVE MORRELL,

EDITOR

The Wreckers Race When I first heard about the Wreckers Race in Key West a few years ago, I figured it fit right in with the Key West life; a town of great diversity of people, an outlaw dislike-ofrules mentality, free-thinking, a tolerance of different lifestyles, treasure-seekers, and a haven for those escaping the regular routine.

So what is the Wreckers Race? (Rebecca Burg writes about the Wreckers Race in this issue on page 52). It’s a whole bunch of sailboats just racing without ratings, rules (basically), flags, signals and all the other paraphernalia that go along with a conventional sailboat race. Boats of all sizes and shapes race—from a 20-footer to a 150-footer. The boats have a start; they race out to a marker, round it and return. First one to finish wins. Race over. Period.

Then there’s Bubba. By coincidence (always be suspicious of those), in this issue we have a story where Bubba talks about the opposite of the Wreckers Race idea—a new type of PHRF ratings system where every boat has its own class, solving lots of problems, like ratings equality. When you race with PHRF rules, your boat gets rated in an attempt to level the playing field with all the other boats, so that in the final judgment, it is the skill of the sailors on board and not the boat that made the win. It is all set up

with the best of intentions.

There couldn’t be two races more different. In PHRF, it seems like there are more and more classes and finer and finer distinctions for the ratings in an attempt to level that playing field. You earn a minute here and there for having a folding prop or a barbecue on board—or whatever. If there was a race to see who got their race off the ground first, the Wreckers Race would be out and back at the finish line, while the PHRF race was still back at the dock discussing the rules and ratings.

You could carry this over to life. You could be either a Wreckers Race sailor or a PHRF race sailor.

Of course, let’s not forget the one-design race. That’s like we are all born as clones of one individual—born at the same place and time with the same physical qualities. And what we do with our lives after that is a one-design race.

Fair enough.

I think that, for some reason, everyone would like to race in a Wreckers Race every now and then. I think we all know why.

Of course, I believe that comparing life to these races is a simile, not a metaphor—and there’s an important difference there. It’s the rat race I’m wondering about.

More Rules for Florida Boaters In the “Our Waterways” section, we have an article by Harmon Heed reporting on the public hearing in Clearwater in September where the FWC heard public input on proposed changes in laws that will affect boaters.

The big one is the proposal that allows municipalities the power to prohibit anchoring outside of established mooring fields for more than three consecutive days or 10 days cumulatively in any calendar year. Currently, state law prohibits them from doing this, and there were legal fights waged and won by cruisers in both Marco Island and Stuart.

I had one boater tell me that he believes that if the FWC had its way, cruisers could only go from one mooring field

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or marina to another in Florida, and overnight anchoring would come to an end. That seems like their intent; strict rules. Keep an eye on us.

On another note (also covered in “Our Waterways”), the city of Marathon wants to impose fines and possible arrest for anyone in Boot Key Harbor who leaves his boat for more than 24 hours, unless he gives written notice to the marina staff. If you want to leave for more than a week, you have to get permission. I make a pretty good case for how stupid this rule could be. By the time you read this, it could be law down there.

Will these rule-makers never stop?

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News & Views For Southern Sailors SOUTHWINDS Media, Inc. P.O. Box 1175, Holmes Beach, Florida 34218-1175 (941) 795-8704 (877) 372-7245 (941) 866-7597 Fax www.southwindsmagazine.com e-mail: editor@southwindsmagazine.com Volume 16 Number 11 November 2008 Copyright 2008, Southwinds Media, Inc. Founded in 1993

Doran Cushing, Publisher 11/1993-6/2002

Publisher/Editor 7/2002-Present editor@southwindsmagazine.com

Steve Morrell

Janet Verdeguer Steve Morrell

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Production Heather Nicoll

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Artwork Rebecca Burg www.artoffshore.com

Contributing Writers Letters from our readers Julie B. Connerley Dave Ellis Harmon Heed Ina Moody Susan Ochs-Conrad

David Billing Joe Corey John Fox Kim Kaminski Robbie Moore Hone Scunook

Rebecca Burg Dan Dickison Hal Gilreath Roy Laughlin Monty & Betsy Morris Morgan Stinemetz

Contributing Photographers/Art Rebecca Burg (& Artwork) Harmon Heed Kim Kaminski Monty & Betsy Morris Scunook Photography

Julie B. Connerley Allison Langley Roy Laughlin Susan Ochs-Conrad Steve Romaine

Joe Corey Ina Moody Robbie Moore

EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTIONS: ARTICLES & PHOTOGRAPHY: SOUTHWINDS encourages readers, writers, photographers, cartoonists, jokers, magicians, philosophers and whoever else is out there, including sailors, to send in their material. Just make it about the water world and generally about sailing and about sailing in the South, the Bahamas or the Caribbean, or general sailing interest, or sailboats, or sailing in some faroff and far-out place.

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Se eu sa tt he St .P et eB oa tS ho w,

De c.

4-7

LETTERS “Freedom of the press is limited to those who own one.”

H.L. Mencken

In its continuing endeavor to share its press, SOUTHWINDS invites readers to write in with experiences & opinions.

E-mail your letters to editor@southwindsmagazine.com MORE RULES AND REGULATIONS FROM THE FWC? Three cheers for the editor of Southwinds magazine and every American with the courage to remind all of us that America is NOT a police state, and that the U.S. Constitution still rules supreme. In the August 2008 issue, reader Adron Joyner chastised editor Morrell for what he thinks is a bias against the FWC’s law enforcement tactics, and that it is statistically unjustified. In his response, editor Morrell acknowledged that statistically the number of abusive enforcement incidents may seem small, but that does not make them any less tolerable. If I follow Mr. Joyner’s statistical reasoning in his letter to editor Morrell, he would hold harmless a wife beater if he only beat up his wife 10 of the 365 days in a year.

I believe most of us would say that no matter how few times a man beats his wife, he is guilty of spousal abuse. One beating is enough to justify the accusation.

Despite Mr. Joyner’s testimony that he has only two acquaintances who have ever been boarded by the FWC, and that all he has ever received personally was “a friendly wave,” the body of evidence collected over the years is simply too overwhelming, the incidences too frequent, and the pattern of the FWC’s oppressive enforcement behavior too consistent to be ignored. Besides, it is not a matter of percentages. One abusive FWC officer is one too many; one incident of heavy-handed enforcement is more than to be endured. The oath of office that every “sworn” officer takes before he straps on his pistol is that he will “preserve and protect the Constitution of the United States.” The unhappy truth is that all too many law enforcement officers break that trust, and the history of judicial decisions in our state and federal courts more than adequately documents the all too frequent misconduct of the police. Forming up in teams of three, four or five officers, all dressed in black SWAT gear, displaying weapons, accompanied by a police dog and coming upon a solitary sailboat at night to enforce an anchoring light issue is abusive in the extreme, totally out of context with the recreational boat environment, and contrary to the reasonable execution of their enforcement responsibilities.

Mr. Joyner says we need a “modicum of rules and regulations, and we need an organization to enforce them and protect us all from ourselves.” What a bunch of hogwash! I would suggest to Mr. Joyner that the current quantity of rules and regulations governing our recreational use of Florida’s waters far exceeds any definition of “modicum,” and the FWC is at the forefront of efforts to enact even more rules and regulations to control our recreational use of our boats and the waters of Florida. In its zeal, the FWC has even encouraged Florida municipalities to enact anchoring laws that are in direct contradiction to both state of Florida and federal laws, all in the bogus name of “safety” and “environmental protection.” If the FWC has its way, every boat would either be in a marina or a desSee LETTERS continued on page 14 12

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LETTERS ignated mooring field, and if in transit from one location to another, would not be allowed to anchor for more than 72 hours. And if a boater wants to sail his boat from one point to another, he will first file a “float plan” with law enforcement detailing the time of departure and estimated time of arrival.

The only way to peacefully fight this growing cancer of oppressive law enforcement is active citizenship. The editor of Southwinds magazine is fulfilling the time-honored responsibility of a free press to fully inform the public; that he has a personal bias against the FWC which he feels is justified by dozens and dozens of incidences reported to him over the years by recreational boaters is well within the journalistic purview accorded all editors, from the Wall Street Journal to the Washington Post. All those boaters reporting the abuses of the FWC can’t be liars, and it’s only common sense to give some credence to them and share their experiences with the boating readership. Kudos to you, editor Morrell. We are all in your debt.

Robbie Johnson S/V Tahiti Rover Robbie, Thank you for your kind words of support. It appears to be an uphill battle against more and more rules and regulations, and it is a battle not unlike many others that have occurred over the years in other walks of life. We are facing several forces. One is the tyranny of the majority where the majority constantly wants to rule over the minority, thinking that democracy is the ultimate utopia, forgetting that the United States is a republic where we have majority rule with protection and respect for the rights of the minority. In our case, it is the landlubbers over the boaters.

Then we have the tendency of American society to create more rules and regulations in every aspect of life, not just to protect others but to protect us from ourselves. I am all for rules and regulations concerning products on the market, because the world is too complex for everyone to know about everything out there.

And I believe in the laws requiring safety equipment and sanitation on boats, like life jackets, flares, MSDs, etc., but I am totally against this tendency we face where we are constantly getting inspected on boats with no reason of suspicion whatsoever. It is against the law to stop a car just to inspect it and its occupants.

The police cannot pull a car over just to inspect it for registration, insurance, lights, brakes, etc. The police cannot enter a home just to inspect it, you, your family, your dog, your cat, etc. Those actions are illegal in the United States, but in Florida, the water cops can pull you over if they don’t like the length or color of your hair or whatever else they choose and inspect you and your boat.

They can pull you over for any whim they want. I wonder if some of those who become FWC officers are jumping up and down with joy that they have so much power. I heard where the FWC has been setting up in some locations and pulling over every single watercraft and inspecting it. If this is our future, then boating as we have known it in Florida in the past—and as I have known it for the last many decades in this country—is facing a bleak and scary future. Beware all; you can be stopped at any time for any reason.

Make sure you and your papers are in order. The FWC doesn’t need a reason to stop you. If you want to move around without fear of getting inspected for no good reason, stay on land—and even that is coming to an end in many places.

The bigger problem is that there are many police out there who will say, in defense of inspecting you whenever they want, “If 14

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you have everything in order and are legal, then you have nothing to be afraid of.”

Yes, I do. I have that attitude to be afraid of.

But it is not just the FWC who is all for more rules and regulations. It is also these communities who want to keep the boaters all in line with more rules and regulations. Read in the “Our Waterways” section this month about more rules the city of Marathon is trying to impose on

boaters in Boot Key Harbor—with huge fines (which I believe are contrary to state law). We also have an article on more rules the FWC is proposing.

Our governments and agencies just can’t seem to pass enough rules. It’s the tyranny of the majority rearing its ugly head again—along with a police state mentality to control everyone’s actions as it sees fit.

Editor

SARASOTA MOORING FIELD EMPHASIS NEEDS CHANGING In its endeavor to build a mooring field in scenic Sarasota Bay, the city of Sarasota is planning on spending over $650,000 of already allocated taxpayers’ money, perhaps another $80,000 a year of taxpayers’ future money and pay Jack Graham, Inc. (Marina Jack marina) another $450,000 for “upland amenity” improvements. On top of this, the city will be liable for 90 percent of any financial shortfall incurred and has already spent an untallied amount of taxpayers’ money on administrative costs for consulting time spent by the offices of the city manager, city auditor, city engineer and city attorney. This money is being spent to clean up and control the use of the bay. Some people question the necessity and wisdom of such spending. What would happen if someone parked a recreational vehicle (RV) on the street, especially a street like Gulfstream Avenue in front of Sarasota’s posh, condo row, and took up living in that vehicle? It would be tagged by the police almost immediately. If it were not soon moved, it would soon be ticketed. Not long thereafter, it would be towed. And the time cycle would be considerably condensed if the inhabitant were flushing the toilet onto the street or if the vehicle were an abandoned derelict.

There are laws at all levels of government—state, county and city—that regulate what vehicles can be parked where and when. There are more laws that regulate the enforcement of parking, when a vehicle can be tagged, ticketed, towed, by whom and the financial liability of the owner of the vehicle. Do we see many people living in RVs and flushing stinky stuff onto our streets? Do we see many abandoned vehicles on our miles of streets?

Why not?

There are similar laws regulating the parking of vessels on the water.

They are explicit on registration, anchoring in many places, head requirements, pumping overboard and abandonment of derelicts. There are more laws that regulate the enforcement of vessel registration, anchoring, safety and abandonment. Do we have liveaboards pumping poop into Sarasota Bay? Do we have derelict boats abandoned on the bay? Why? See LETTERS continued on page 16

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LETTERS If the laws presently on the books were enforced, the city of Sarasota would save the taxpayers well over $1,000,000. The Bay would be cleaner, the city would be in control, and the law-abiding boaters would be happy. The police department hasn’t been idle. Since 2004, they have removed approximately 160 derelict boats at a cost of approximately $160,000. (According to Assistant City Manager Peter Schnieder, most of that money came from the West Coast Inland Navigation District.) At that rate it would take 25 years to spend $1,000,000.

Last year at this time there were about 100 boats anchored in the bay. Now there are only about 70. It is difficult to determine exactly how many of those boats house liveaboards, but it appears to be the same as last year, about 20.

At least 20 of the boats are obviously derelict. How difficult can it be for the police to enforce laws in a place as open yet as confined as Sarasota Bay? How difficult can it be to enforce laws on 40 boats in one small area that do not move?

Difficulty is not the problem; emphasis is. The city used to have two officers working marine patrol. Now there is only one on weekends and holidays. The marine patrol office, whatever is left of it, doesn’t even have the time or manpower to answer the five telephone calls I made to it. If the Sarasota City Commissioners placed more emphasis on enforcement of present laws and less emphasis on spending taxpayers’ money on new projects, there would be no need for a mooring field.

The best, and perhaps only way to change the city’s Board of Commissioners’ emphasis to budget and fiscal responsibility and boating is for the residents of Sarasota and the Bay boaters to let the Commissioners know what they want. This is a government of the people, but it can only be by the people and for the people if the people get involved.

Harmon Heed S/V TRVTH Sarasota, FL Harmon, More rules and regulations. It doesn’t surprise me. See my comments above.

I would be for more police out there enforcing the current rules, but I hesitate to advocate for more police on the water considering the case of Chris Lindsey. Chris was boarded and arrested by the Sarasota police shortly after speaking out against the mooring field in public. He was harassed and singled out by the police several times in a rude manner, spending some time in jail.

He eventually won his case in court and charges were dropped, but even after that, he was treated poorly on several occasions. He was punished through intimidation and prosecution—a typical government tactic of getting what it wants even if it knows it can’t win in court. I have friends who know Chris personally and don’t believe that he acted, or would act, improperly. It was very obvious that the police harassed him intentionally, but what is more disturbing is that no one in city government spoke out against these police actions. They should all be fired.

The police just don’t like anchored boats out there and the people on them, but I would rather have a filthy bay and derelict boats everywhere than police harassment of innocent people.

How about on-the-water“code” enforcement inspectors who See LETTERS continued on page 18 16

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61 Aberking & Rasmussen 1924 . . . . .Joe . .$164,900 53 Antigua CC 1989 ($40K reduction) Scott . . . . .SOLD 49 Hunter #149 2008 Warranty . .Massey . .$399,900 48 Mason CC 1976 . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Scott . . .$89,000

440 Catalina Morgan 2007 $289,552 Base Price 800-375-0130 or 877-552-0525

47 Vagabond Ketch 1987 . . . . . . . . .Scott . .$234,900

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44 Spencer CC 1981 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Al . .$139,000 43 Beneteau 432 1988 . . . . . . . . . . . . .Joe . . .$99,900 43 Morgan CC 1986 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Al . .$116,000 42 Hunter Passage 2001 . . . . . . . . . . . .Joe .PENDING

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LETTERS don’t carry guns, spotlights, police uniforms and sirens, but do know the U.S. Constitution, are courteous and respect people from all walks of life? If people don’t follow the laws after a code enforcement visit, then send in the police.

Editor REGISTER KAYAKS AND OTHER SMALL CRAFT IN FLORIDA? I met some kayakers recently who were annoyed that so many powerboats—even our little dinghy with the motor we use as a tender for our sailboat—are polluting the water, making noise, creating wakes and just overpopulating our waters in Florida. I was offended, as I have always supported protecting the environment and felt our sailing life had a minimal impact on the waterways. I told the kayakers that they should be thankful, as they don’t even have to register

their boats, and that we boaters, through registration fees, pay for much of what they enjoy. I almost wonder if we shouldn’t support registration for these small craft.

Frank Benjamin Frank, There are many kayakers like that who want to preserve the waters only for themselves and get rid of all powerboats and motors, as though the kayakers are somehow “pure.” It is impossible to be “pure” and “clean” in this modern world. How many of them drove to the water with their kayaks on their cars? But I agree. There is a certain purity about kayaking in waters without the sounds of a motor, and there are many places you can find that—and we should preserve places for just that. I am all for it, but I also have had several small powerboats and understand their place in this world, too. I wonder how

many of these “purists” have cars and/or even homes, which are a large imprint on a once barren landscape. You cannot escape your impact while being on this earth. But there are other people out there who don’t see it this way, and we all have to live together and—share.

Even still, I am completely against registering these small watercraft. These “purists”—dangerous as they are—are the minority, and I believe most kayakers have a more balanced view, come from all walks of life where they might not be so “pure” in their impact and have a little more humility. Many kayakers are sailors, too. But we just don’t need to be registering every single little craft, just like we don’t need be creating laws—and fees— for every single activity.

We should be supporting most kayakers, just not these supposed self-absorbed “purists.”

Editor

E-mail your letters to the Editor: editor@southwindsmagazine.com

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Southeastern U.S. Air & Water Temperatures and Gulf Stream Currents – November

WIND ROSES: Each wind rose shows the strength and direction of the prevailing winds in the area and month. These have been recorded over a long period of time. In general, the lengths of the arrows indicate how often the winds came from that direction. The longer the arrow, the more often the winds came from that direction. When the arrow is too long to be printed in a practical manner, a number is indicated.

News & Views for Southern Sailors

The number in the center of the circle shows the percentage of the time that the winds were calm. The lengths of the arrows plus the calms number in the center add up to 100 percent. The number of feathers on the arrow indicates the strength of the wind on the Beaufort scale (one feather is Force 1, etc.). Wind Roses are taken from Pilot Charts.

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News & Views for Southern Sailors

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EVENTS & NEWS

OF INTEREST TO

SOUTHERN SAILORS

To have your news or event in this section, contact editor@southwindsmagazine.com.

Send us information by the 5th of the month preceding publication. Contact us if later.

Changes in Events Listed on SOUTHWINDS Web site Go to www.southwindsmagazine.com for changes and notices on upcoming events. Contact us to post event changes.

RACING EVENTS For racing schedules, news and events see the racing section.

UPCOMING SOUTHERN EVENTS Go to the SOUTHWINDS Web site for our list of youth sailing programs in the southern coastal states, www.south windsmagazine.com. The list was printed in the April 2006 issue.

EDUCATIONAL/TRAINING Monthly Boating Safety Courses 2008 Schedule in Ft. Pierce, FL Boating Safety Course designed for the recreational boater,

to encourage safety on the water. This one-day boating course emphasizes safety on the water to enhance the boating experience and to increase confidence on the water. The course is state of Florida approved for those 21 and under to obtain their Florida State Boaters License. Dates in 2008 are Oct. 18, Nov. 15. Classes are usually very full, call and reserve space on the preferred program date. $36 (+ $10 for each additional family member).

Courses are held from 8:45 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Flotilla 58 Coast Guard Auxiliary Building 1400 Seaway Dr., Fort Pierce FL. (772) 579-3395 Stephanie, or (772) 321-3041 Gary, or e-mail stephcgaux@hotmail.com.

Coast Guard Auxilliary Boating Courses, Jacksonville, FL Safe Boating Saturdays. Captains Club, 13363 Beach Blvd., Jacksonville. Nov. 15.

Meets Florida legal requirements for boater education.

Most insurance companies offer discounts to program graduates. Mike Christnacht. (904) 502-9154. www.uscg ajaxbeach.com/boatsafety.html.

Ongoing – Boating Skills and Seamanship Programs.

St. Petersburg, FL Tuesday nights, U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary. Satisfies the Florida boater safety education requirements. Eleven lessons, every Tuesday. Boating Skills and Seamanship Programs, 7:30-9:30 p.m., 1300 Beach Dr. SE, St. Petersburg.

Lessons include: which boat for you, equipment, trailering, lines and knots, boat handling, signs, weather, rules, introduction to navigation, inland boating and radio. (727) 8233753. Don’t wait until next summer to have your children qualify for a state of Florida boater safety ID, possibly lower your boaters insurance premium or just hone your safe boating skills.

Boating Safety Courses, St. Petersburg, FL St. Petersburg Sail and Power Squadron. Six-week Public Boating Course begins every Monday. Includes safety information plus basic piloting; charts, course plotting, latitude/longitude and dead reckoning. Satisfies Florida’s under age 21 boater requirements. (727) 867-3088. Other courses continuously offered. (727) 565-4453. www.boatingstpete.org.

CORRECTION Last month, an ad by Sailboats Florida of St. Petersburg listed the company as a dealer for Beneteau yachts. That was incorrect. Sailboats Florida is the dealer for Jeanneau yachts. Murray Yacht Sales is the dealer for Beneteau in the area.

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Clearwater Coast Guard Auxiliary (Flotilla 11-1) Public Boating Programs Boating Skills and Seamanship (7 lessons).

Class Days: November 3, 6, 10, 13, 17, 20, 24 For more information on upcoming education programs or to request a free vessel safety check call (727) 469-8895 or visit www.a0701101. uscgaux.info. Click on Public Education Programs.

America’s Boating Course and other courses regularly posted on the Web site.

North Carolina Maritime Museum, Beaufort, NC Ongoing adults sailing programs. Family sailing. 2-6 people; 2-6 hours. Traditional skiffs or 30’ keelboat. $50-$240. www.ncmm-friends.org, mailtime@ncmail. net, (252) 728-7317. Reservations/information: call The Friends’ office (252) 728-1638 Ruskin, FL, Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 75 Offers Home Study Safe Boating Course The Ruskin flotilla each month offers a boating safety course in Ruskin, but has found that many boaters do not have the time to attend the courses, so they are now also offering a home study course at $30. Additional family members will

News & Views for Southern Sailors

be charged $10 each for testing and certificates. Tests will be held bimonthly. Entry into the course will also allow participants to attend the classes. To apply, call (813) 677-2354.

Intermediate Marina Management Course.

West Palm Beach, Nov. 16-20 Seminars and training for marina staff. Association of Marina Industries/International Marina Institute.

(401) 247-0314. www.marinassociation.org.

Electrical Certification Course, Miami Beach, Nov. 18-21 American Boat and Yacht Council. www.abycinc.org. (410) 990-4460 Knots, Bends & Hitches, St. Petersburg, Nov. 19 St. Petersburg Sail & Power Squadron. Wednesday, Nov. 19, 7-9 p.m. St. Petersburg Sailing Center, 250 2nd Ave SE, Demens Landing, St. Petersburg. Instruction Free, Materials $30. Additional family member without materials $5.

Maximum of 20 students; pre-registration required. Go to www.boating-stpete.org, or ca;;(727) 525-0968.

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Advanced Marina Management Course.

West Palm Beach, Dec. 8-13 Seminars and training for marina staff.

Association of Marina Industries/International Marina Institute. (401) 247-0314. www.marinassociation.org.

US SAILING Small Boat Sailing Level 1 Instructor Course, Orange Park, FL, Dec. 27-30 The US SAILING Small Boat Sailing Level 1 Instructor Course, approved by the U.S. Coast Guard, is designed to teach sailing instructors on-the-water group management and instruction techniques for dinghies, multihull and small daysailing keelboats. It is a 40-hour course conducted in four days.

For more information go to the US SAILING Web site at www.ussailing.org, then go to “Education” and then “Instructor Training.”

The course will be held at The Rudder Club of Jacksonville, Orange Park, FL. Contact Dick Allsopp at dallsopp@ussailing.net, or call (904) 278-0329.

BOAT SHOWS Nov. 13-16. Fort Myers Boat Show. Harborside Convention Complex and City Yacht Basin, Fort Myers, FL. John Good

Co. (954) 570-7785. www.swfmia.com.

St. Petersburg Boat Show and Strictly Sail, Dec. 4-7 See page 29.

SEAFOOD FESTIVAL Oct. 31-Nov 1. Florida Seafood Festival. Apalachicola, FL. The state’s oldest maritime exhibit. The three-day event annually draws thousands of visitors to this scenic historic town at the mouth of the Apalachicola River. The festival features delicious seafood, arts and crafts exhibits, seafood related events and displays under the shady oaks of Apalachicola’s Battery Park. Some of the notable events include oyster eating, oyster shucking, a parade, a 5k Redfish Run and a Blessing of the Fleet. (888) 653-8011. www.floridaseafoodfestival.com

OTHER EVENTS

One Design Sailing Symposium, Acworth, GA, Nov. 15-16 US SAILING. At the Atlanta Yacht Club (www.atlantayachtclub.org). www.ussailing.org/odcc.

The Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway Association’s 9th Annual Conference, Jacksonville, FL, Nov. 19-21 The Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway Association (AIWA) will hold its 9th annual conference in Jacksonville, FL on Nov. 19-21 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, 1201 Riverplace Blvd., Jacksonville, FL 32207. (904) 398-8800. Non Member $250. AIWA Member. $200. Government $150.

Topic at this year’s conference will be “Can Regionalism Save the Waterway?” The AIWA is recognized as the “Voice of the Waterway” by Congress, industry leaders, the U.S. Coast Guard and the Army Corps of Engineers.

REVIEW YOUR BOAT SOUTHWINDS is looking for boaters to review their own boat. We found readers like to read reviews by boat owners. If you like to write, we want your review. It can be long or short (the boat, that is), a racer, a cruiser, new or old, on a trailer or in the water. Photos essential. If it’s a liveaboard, tell us how that works out. Or—is it fast?

Have you made changes? What changes would you like?

Contact editor@southwindsmagazine.com for more specifics and specifications on photos needed. Articles must be sent by e-mail or on disc. We pay for the reviews, too.

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www.southwindsmagazine.com

The mission of the AIWA is to encourage the continuation and further development of waterborne commerce and recreation on the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway (AIWW) and advocates for regular dredging and adequate maintenance to promote safe, costeffective navigation.

AIWA members include shippers, towing companies, marinas, local businesses, government representatives, organizations and recreational boaters.

For more information and to register, go to www.atlintracoastal.org, call (877) 414-5397 or e-mail rosemary@atlintracoastal.org.

Seven Seas Cruising Association 33rd Annual Meeting in Melbourne, FL. Dec. 5-7 The Seven Seas Cruising Association (SSCA) will again host its annual convention and general meeting (formerly called a “gam”) at the Eau Gallie Civic Center, 1551 Highland Ave, Melbourne, FL, Dec. 5-7. All SSCA events are open to both members and non-members alike. Admission is $20 for members and $25 for non-members.

This year, the schedule will be very different from previous years due to member feedback.

There will be seminars starting on Friday starting at 9 a.m. and running all day Friday and Saturday. The full list of seminars is available at on the SSCA Web site. The vendors’ show and sale where businesses are offering their products and services will be on Friday and Saturday in the gymnasium.

There will be a Friday night cocktail party. On Saturday evening, there will be the Island Buffet party with a steel band. The annual awards presentation will also be held Saturday evening.

The nautical flea market will be held on Sunday morning in the gymnasium. Roundtables on cruising destinations and other topics will also be held on Sunday morning.

On Sunday afternoon, there will be the annual meeting and awards ceremony.

Cruisers who come by boat generally anchor off the Pineapple Pier near the event site. The Web site has more information including special hotel rates for SSCA members and a map of the area, including hotels, anchorages, restaurants and more.

For more information and for registration, go to the SSCA Web site, www.SSCA.org.

Florida. Peck Lake is directly on the ICW and is easy to get to. Those coming by boat from the north are advised to be sure to leave #19 to port to avoid very shallow water. It has good holding and is a well-protected anchorage. A local park provides free and safe overnight parking. A dinghy service from the park to the boats will be provided.

There is room to assemble and put in Wharrams at the local park ramp. Free overnight parking of cars and trailers is also available.

All Wharram catamaran owners are welcome as well as lovers of Wharram catamarans and others who would just like to show up and see them and talk about them.

Bring your pictures if you can’t bring your boat. If you can’t bring a boat or pictures, then just bring yourself! We have even been known to welcome “half boats” (monohulls).

The Polynesian Catamaran Association (PCASeaPeople) is the event sponsor.

For more information, call Gene Perry (Tiki 26) at home at (772) 545-9312 or on his cell at (561-427-8323, Dan Kunz (Tangaroa 36) at home at (305) 664-0190, or Ann and Neville Clements’ (Tiki 46) on their cell at (401) 261-7816. You can also send a note to this e-mail: floridawharramrendezvous@hotmail.com. E-mails will be monitored up to about Nov. 21. After that, use the phones.

2008 Wharram Catamaran Rendezvous, Dec. 5-7, Hobe Sound, FL The 2007 Florida Wharram Catamaran Rendezvous is scheduled for Dec. 5-7 on Peck Lake in Hobe Sound, FL. Hobe Sound is near Stuart on the Atlantic coast of News & Views for Southern Sailors

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NEWS

Fifty-Knot Sailing Barrier Broke Three kite surfers who recently broke the 50-knot barrier. From left to right, Robert Douglas, Alexandre Caizergues and Sebastien Cattelan. Photo by Robert Hislop, courtesy Luderitz Speed Challenge.

On Oct. 3, French kite surfer Sebastien Cattelan broke the 50-knot sailing speed barrier at the Luderitz Speed Challenge in Luderitz, Namibia. Cattelan reached 50.26 knots when he broke the 50-knot mark.

Winds were in the 35- to 40-knot range and gusting to more than 45 knots.

Cattelan’s maximum speed was 58 knots, with an average speed of 54.5 knots over the 200-meter run. But Cattelan did not hold the record for long. The next day, Frenchman Alexandre Caizergues again broke the 50-knot barrier but attained a new world record of 50.57 knots. Before the event ended, American Robert Douglas also broke the 50-knot mark, reaching 50.54 knots, and now holds the number two record behind Caizergues. Cattelan ended up in the third

Students Rally to Support the Spirit of South Carolina Students at Ashley Hall, a private school for girls, in Charleston, SC, recently raised over $4000 to contribute to repairs on the Spirit of South Carolina. The money was raised from contributions from the students and teachers. Some of the students asked their parents to access their savings accounts to raise the funds.

The ship was struck by lightning this past summer and is need of funds to do the repairs. Many of the students sailed aboard the ship during the 2007-08 school year and feel a certain affinity to it. When the ship was struck in July off the coast of Block Island, it lost all electronics and engine controls. The ship was hauled out for the repairs. The capArticles Wanted About Southern Yacht Clubs, Sailing Associations and Youth Sailing Groups SOUTHWINDS magazine is looking for articles on individual yacht clubs, sailing associations and youth sailing groups throughout the Southern states (NC, SC, GA, FL, AL, MS, LA, TX (east Texas). Articles wanted are about a club’s history, facilities, major events and general information about the club. The clubs and associations must be well established and have been around for at least five years. Contact editor@Southwindsmag azine.com for information about article length, photo requirements and other questions.

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spot, later reaching 50.52 knots (note these differences are all two-hundredths of a second apart).

All the speeds must still be ratified by the World Sailing Speed Record Council (WSSRC), but the event was sanctioned by the organization and verification looks likely.

For more information, go to www.luderitz-speed.com. tain found worm damage in the hull, and several planks had to be replaced.

For more information on the ship, go to www.scmar itime.org.

BoatU.S. Advises on How to Steer Clear of a Hurricane-Damaged Boat After several hurricane seasons, BoatU.S. recently published information on protecting the buyer from buying a hurricane-damaged boat. The article cites an example of someone who bought a nine-year-old, $35,000, 24-foot fishing boat and approached the BoatU.S. Consumer Affairs Department for help. It was too late. The boat had suffered structural damage from a hurricane.

BoatU.S. advises people to follow several key guidelines in purchasing a boat, particularly since there are so many boats out there that suffered hurricane damage in recent years.

First recommendation is to always hire an independent surveyor—not just one recommended by the broker, dealer or seller. In the above-cited example, the buyer used a surveyor recommended by the dealer. After receiving the boat, the buyer became suspicious and hired his own surveyor who revealed the problems.

Another thing to watch out for is boats that cross into another state. Unlike automobiles, there are only a few states that require titles to label junked or salvaged boats. www.southwindsmagazine.com

On top of this, only 36 states require boats to be registered at all. Boats are often brought to another state to sell to hide their salvaged and/or damaged status.

BoatU.S. even warns that the Web sites that say they can do a background check on a boat often do not— or even cannot—do a complete check on where a boat has been, and then there are the states that don’t name them as salvaged or damaged boats anyway.

BoatU.S. also warns against boats that are sold “as is,” since this limits a buyer’s protection in buying a boat. It recommends stating in the sales contract in these transactions that the seller has revealed everything he or she knows about the boat’s repairs or existing damages.

For more information on boat buying or to get a free copy of the “BoatU.S. Guide to Buying and Selling a Boat,” go to http://my.BoatUS.com/consumer.

Got a TWIC? Coast Guard Requires All License Holders to Obtain One

by April 15

your nose in third grade.

Then you sit down in front of a person who has computer screens, keyboards, credit card registers, a camera, a passport reader, a couple of electronic fingerprint takers and some other gee-whiz devices that defy description. You’ll be asked your current address, phone number, DOB and other data, which will be entered into a computer database in either Virginia or West Virginia.

In my case, there were problems with the electronic fingerprint takers. We took about 10 minutes on that one.

Frankly, it’s all a bit confusing and the cost is $132.50, but some discounts may apply. If you have a Coast Guard license, the TWIC is a must-have document. Mine will be shipped to the site where I applied. They will call me to tell me it’s in. I’ll get in my car and go up there again, and they will check my fingerprints electronically to make sure they match the ones biometrically entered on the TWIC that has my picture already on it.

The process is not quite as bad as a root canal, but it’s a lot less fun than buying your first issue of Playboy, if you get my drift.

By Morgan Stinemetz A what? TWIC? Sounds like a facial tic that Elmer Fudd was trying to describe.

It’s more serious than that, however.

If you are a Coast Guard-credentialed mariner with an active Merchant Mariner’s Document, License and/or a certificate of registry (COD), you must also hold a valid TWIC (Transportation Worker Identification Credential). In its subtle way of putting things, the Coast Guard has written: “Failure to obtain and continue to hold a valid TWIC may result in suspension or revocation of your mariner credential.”

That’s the bad news. The good news is that the original deadline for holding a TWIC of September 25, 2008, has been extended until April 15, 2009. My suspicion is that the deadline was extended because not many people had even heard of a TWIC. I hadn’t until I was notified of the deadline extension. Someone employed by the defense contractor who is in charge of this program, Martin Marietta, said the reason no one heard about the TWIC when they should have is because the TSA didn’t manage to notify anyone.

To get a TWIC, here’s what you have to do. Get your documents together—passport or another gilt-edged proof of citizenship, merchant marine license, credit card (VISA or MasterCard only) and call up the phone number to schedule an appointment at a TWIC enrollment site near you. The sites for the United States are available on the Web at www.tsa.gov/twic. The first paragraph (as this is being written) will have a click here location for the sites.

Figure out what site works for you. Call 1-866-347-8942 to schedule an appointment. My appointment was scheduled through Dallas, even though I went to a site on Tampa Bay. The appointments take about 30 minutes. You’ll fill out a form in which you state that you are not insane, not wanted for treasonous acts, have not plotted and do not endorse the violent overthrow of the federal government and have not done anything really terrible since that time you picked News & Views for Southern Sailors

Boatsmith Becomes Authorized Builder of Wharram Catamarans David Halladay, owner of Boatsmith, Inc. in southeastern Florida, has recently entered into an agreement with James Wharram Designs to be the authorized builder of Wharram catamarans in the United States.

The agreement was signed after James and Hanneke Wharram met Halladay at the 2008 Wooden Boat Show in Mystic, CT, and were able to personally inspect Abaco, Boatsmith’s outstanding example of a Tiki 30.

James and Hanneke were very satisfied with the quality of the workmanship and the enthusiasm of both David and his wife, who works closely with him. They had brought the brand-new Tiki 30 all the way from Florida by road and launched her for the first time in Mystic. Many visitors showed an interest and were impressed by the high quality of workmanship and materials.

Until now, if you wanted a Wharram cat built in the

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The Wharram Tiki 30 under construction at Boatsmith.

United States., you had to build it yourself or hope to find a good home-built example for sale. Halladay is a yacht carpenter and shipwright with over 20 years experience in varied boatbuilding projects, ranging from historic large-ship restoration for the United States National Maritime Museum, to building ultra-light small craft. He has long been fascinated with Wharram catamarans and just this year decided to have his shop build a Tiki 30. He believes that compared to the fiberglass production multihulls available, a ply/epoxy Wharram design can be built at an economical price in any given size. Halladay’s first Tiki 30 was built in under five months. Boatsmith, Inc. has the space available for multiple large projects and a large, highlyskilled, motivated crew.

For more information and photos, go to www.boat smithfl.com, or call (561) 744-0855.

(See “Upcoming Events” in this section for information about the Wharram Rendezvous in December in Florida.)

BoatU.S. Launches Online Professional Captains Locator Service BoatU.S. has launched the Professional Captains Locator service on the Internet to connect boat owners seeking onthe-water transportation services with U.S. Coast Guardlicensed delivery captains. The service is to help boaters find captains whether for long deliveries or short ones, like hauling a boat to a hurricane hole.

The service allows boaters to search by region, and includes credentials such as USCG licenses held as well as any special endorsements, knowledge of familiar waters or types of boats, locations served, full contact information and the types of delivery services offered, including instruction and hurricane hole deliveries.

Go to www.BoatUS.com/procaptains. for more information.

New Marina Opens In Manteo, NC A new marina, Marshes Light Marina, recently opened in Manteo, NC, just 10 miles from the ICW. The marina has 45 full-service slips completed with another 113 approved for future expansion. The marina is a five-minute walk from downtown Manteo and is welcoming transient boaters heading north or south along the ICW, or those who just want to come visit. The transient boat slips are available by the day, week or month. Some of the slips are available for sale. The marina can handle boats up to 70 feet and has full power and other slip utilities available.

For more information about the marina, call (252) 3279803, or e-mail marinainfo@marsheslight.com, or go to www.marsheslight.com.

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St. Petersburg Boat Show & Strictly Sail Dec. 4-7 Mahaffey Theater Yacht Basin & Albert Whitted Park 400 First St. South, St. Petersburg A few blocks south of downtown St. Petersburg (Mahaffey Theater is located at what is formerly known as the Bayfront Center complex) DIRECTIONS: Take Interstate 275 into St. Petersburg. Exit on Interstate 175Exit 22 and continue to its end at the traffic light. Proceed forward four traffic lights. The fourth light is First Street.

Turn left on First Street. The Mahaffey Theater and the show grounds will be on your right-hand side. Plenty of on-site parking is available at the municipal parking garages and airport surrounding show grounds. The parking fee is $5.

Visitors can also ride the Downtown Looper Trolley with convenient stops on First Street alongside the Mahaffey Theater. Visit www.loopertrolley.com for schedules.

Visitors can also come by boat and dock for free at the show’s “Come by Boat Dock” Event Web site: www.showmanagement.com

There will be a large section for outside exhibitors showing both sailing products and services and trailered boats. This is besides the dozens of trailered powerboats that will also be on display outside in the powerboat area.

Sailing seminars, run by Sail America, in the same format as the ones at the previous Strictly Boat shows, will be held in air-conditioned seminar tents. A seminar schedule (not available at Southwinds press time, but it will be in the December issue) will be available at www.strictlysail.com at the St. Pete Web page and through Show Management Web site, www.showmanagement.com. There will also be an authors tent area outside.

For kids, there will be free fishing clinics on Saturday and Sunday with free fishing gear to be given away as long as supplies last.

Discover Sailing will also be offering free sailboat rides on a variety of boats in Tampa Bay.

Thurs. Dec 4 — 12 noon-6 p.m.

Fri. Dec 5 — 10 a.m.-7 p.m.

Sat. Dec 6 — 10 a.m.-7 p.m.

Sun. Dec 7 — 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Adults $10 Children (6-15) $5 Under 6 FREE $2 off each ticket purchased online GENERAL SHOW INFORMATION This year, the St. Petersburg Boat show and Strictly Sail merged to create one large show for all power and sailboats in downtown St. Petersburg. Show Management puts on this show and has been doing so for many years—along with many other boat shows throughout the South. There will be docks dedicated to sailboats only, and Latitudes and Attitudes magazine will be putting on their traditional Cruisers Bash on Saturday evening after the show at 7 p.m.

In-the-water sailboat displays will have dockage for 50plus boats. Brokerage sailboats will also be on display. This is besides the many on-land sailboat displays. Along with these boats will be over 200 in-water powerboats and more on land.

Over 200 exhibitors will be in the main tent, and one section will be devoted to sailing exhibitors, although many exhibitors have both sail and powerboaters as customers.

SOUTHWINDS will be at the boat show and sharing a double booth with West Florida PHRF at booth #175-176 in the main tent.

News & Views for Southern Sailors

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OUR WATERWAYS

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FWC Proposal to Allow Municipalities to Impose 3-Day Anchoring Rule: E-mail FWC NOW

Florida Anchoring and Mooring Rules are Being Revised: FWC Proposes Allowing 3-Day Anchoring Rule

By Steve Morrell

By Harmon Heed

The FWC is proposing many changes to Florida law affecting boaters for the coming new year.

Unfortunately, it appears we have a policing agency doing most of the proposals for how our waterways are managed and that comes along with a policing mentality. Personally, I don’t want our waterways— or any place—managed by a policing mentality. And anyone who thinks the FWC doesn’t have a policing mentality isn’t paying attention. All police have it. It comes with the territory. We want the police out there.

We just don’t want them running the government.

Harmon Heed in the below article does a good job of reporting on the Sept. 9 public hearing in Clearwater the FWC held on their proposals. I recommend readers go to the FWC Web site and review the documents and e-mail your opinion.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is drafting revisions to the state Anchoring and Mooring (Vessel Management) rules that regulate who can anchor where and for how long in state coastal waters.

On September 9, the first draft of the proposed revisions were presented at a public hearing held at the Clearwater Hilton. The listening panel was chaired by Maj. Paul Ouellette of the FWC Section of Boating and Waterways. Also on the panel were Capt. Alan Richard, general counsel for the FWC; Bud Vielhauer, deputy general counsel for the Florida Department of Environmental Protection; and Melanie King from the University of Florida Levin School of Law Conservation Clinic.

Approximately 200 people from all over the state attended. Among those attending were boat owners, waterfront property owners, club flag officers, marina management, the marine industry and individuals from county or city governments. Each was given a copy of the proposed revisions.

Maj. Ouellette opened the hearing by saying, “We want the public’s help. We cannot do this without you.” He then politely set the rules of order, and the panel listened for over two hours as people, one after another, went forward and voiced their concerns, opinions and wants. Five items of consensus arose among the various attendees.

First, as Guy Colson put it, “Local ordinances and mooring fields come about because of frustration with derelicts.”

Jim O’Reilly, the acting city manager of Gulfport, said, “Gulfport has the most aggressive derelict boat removal in the state. We will get a mooring field.”

Second, there are rules now in effect to take care of the derelict boats if those rules are enforced. Wayne Marshall of the Seven Seas Cruising Association said, “We need enforcement of current rules, not new rules.” Chris Lindsey, who lives aboard his trimaran, Stray Turtle, in Sarasota Bay, agreed: “Enforce the present rules, drag out the derelicts, don’t punish those of us on sound boats with sound anchoring by making us pay for a mooring.” Mark Lesley from the Titusville Municipal Marina: “Don’t infringe on the good boaters. Go after the unoccupied derelict vessels instead of the maintained occupied vessels.”

Capt. Richard commented that presently a derelict boat can be pulled five days after it is deemed derelict and the owner (if one can be identified and located) subjected to fines of up to $50,000. State rules have the removal of derelict vessels (DVs) under the Boating and Waterways Section. The FWC Division of Law Enforcement contracts with local governments that have been awarded grants for the removal of DVs in their jurisdiction. Grant applications for derelict vessel removal go through the Florida Boating Improvement Program (FBIP). In recent years approximately $1,600,000 of grant money has been awarded.

Third item of consensus was that Florida needs statewide, uniform waterway, anchoring and mooring laws

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for counties and cities to follow. Bud Worthington, Gulfport city councilman, said, “The lack of uniform laws is a definite problem for cruisers, even local ones who go only from city to city or county to county.” Harry Schell of the Seven Seas Cruising Association expanded: “Local restrictions have an adversary impact on cruisers. We can’t know all of the laws of all of the counties and cities.” Margaret Poddling from BoatUS agreed: “We need a state solution.”

Jim O’Reilly from Gulfport said of his city’s pending mooring field, “We want standard state guidance to prevent a local constable from enforcing a ‘Barney Fife’ rule such as recently happened in Stuart, FL.” Fourth item of consensus was the removal from the rules of the proposed “Three-Day Rule,” allowing municipalities to prohibit anchoring outside of established mooring fields for more than three consecutive days or 10 days cumulatively in any calendar year. Manatee County Commissioner Joe McClash argued, “The restriction isn’t right. The public won’t support it. Eliminate it.” Jeff Butzer, from the Fort Myers Beach anchoring committee, said, “Three days here, 10 days there . . . time limits is the easy way out.“ Lee Olderson agreed: “The three- and 10-day rule should be stricken.” John Tocar from the Davis Island YC pointed out, “A three-day rule is against safety. Sometimes cruisers need more than three days waiting for a weather window, like when waiting in Punkin Key before crossing to the Bahamas.” Donald Himes corroborated and added a legal factor: “The three day limit has liability issues if a ‘Barney Fife’ sends a boat out into a storm after three days.”

Fifth item of consensus was that kayakers and canoeists should also pay to have their vessels registered. Cindy Davis remarked, “Kayakers and canoers use the waterways, and I think they should pay their fair share.” Al Davis, a waterfront property and boat owner agreed: “I’m in favor of universal registration including kayaks and canoes. These people may not like engined boats, but they use the water, too. We need uniformity.”

One of the final speakers was Lisa Marie Phillips from the municipality of Bradenton Beach. “We will have a mooring field with no time limits. No profit. We are putting it in because of fecal matter and derelict vessels. We have no intention to chase out the liveaboards.”

The proposed changes to the state anchoring and mooring rules can be seen at myfwc.com; click on boating. The topics are in blocks so the sections pertinent to readers can be easily found among the legalese. Comments, recommendations and solutions are welcome and can be e-mailed to the drafting board at anchoring.mooring@myfwc.com.

There will be one more public hearing held before the board presents its draft to the FWC commissioners in November. In December, the final draft will go to the state legislature which will either find sponsors for the bill or return it to the FWC for more revision.

boat overnight. (The law was to be given final consideration on Oct. 14, too late for this issue).

In its effort to define and prevent “wet storage” of boats in the harbor (which is prohibited), the city is considering strict rules and stiff fines.

The proposal would require that anyone who leaves his boat for more than 24 hours must, in advance, notify the marina staff in writing. If the boater wants to leave for a week or longer, he must get written permission. If an individual breaks this law, he would be subject to arrest and a fine of $500.

This means that even in the case of someone who goes ashore and spends an unplanned night with his girlfriend, he better make sure he doesn’t stay a second night as he better get back to his boat within 24 hours—or face arrest. This would also hold for someone who had every intention of going back to his boat but met a new girlfriend and decided to spend the night with her (a one-night stand) and then hang out with her for a second night (a longer-term relationship). He can’t do that as he could face arrest and a $500 fine if he doesn’t get back to his boat.

There’s also no staying over at your friend’s place because you were too drunk to drive home or even dinghy to your boat, because we know that the FWC can pull you over for any reason they want—even if you are dinghying home at two knots in your inflatable with the proper lights and driving safely—and if you are over the alcohol limit, you are in deep shit. It is either that or the $500 fine.

One boater who called me said someone on the marina staff said not to worry about it, as they wouldn’t really enforce it anyway. That clears that up. I suggested he get it in writing.

Boat owners in Boot Key Harbor are already always responsible for their boats and are under agreement to not use the area for wet storage. There’s already punishment for breaking these rules. They don’t need more ridiculous laws to limit and control their behavior by demanding they give notice to “stay over.” In fact, I don’t believe this would stand up to the U.S. Constitution, but we all know that municipalities don’t always care about the law when they pass an ordinance. Look at the Stuart case (SOUTHWINDS, Oct. 2008) where they passed laws blatantly against federal and state law—and they have city attorneys. When they were sued, the city knew right off the bat they were wrong, backed down immediately and settled the case. But they got away with it for a few years until someone had the guts to sue them.

Marathon Considering New Laws and Fines at Boot Key Harbor

By Steve Morrell The city of Marathon is considering a new law that will limit the freedom of a boater in Boot Key Harbor to leave his News & Views for Southern Sailors

SOUTHWINDS November 2008

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CAROLINA SAILING

Homecoming in the Low Country— Two Traditional Sailboats Sail Home

By Dan Dickison

Adventure II under construction in Rockport, ME. Photo

by Allison Langley.

Below decks on the Adventure II showing the beautiful framing.

Photo by Allison Langley.

I

tant, historic vessels will soon be homeward bound for Charleston. The first, The Spirit of South Carolina tall ship, will be returning after its summer sojourn, having spent the past four months in the coastal waters of the mid-Atlantic states and New England. Less than two years old, that ship is relatively well-known, but the second—the Adventure II— is not. That’s because this vessel is brand-new, and thus headed for an altogether different kind of homecoming.

Adventure II, a 53-foot ketch, was just launched this fall in Rockport, Maine. At the time, her bulbous topsides shone with a new paint job, and her hand-hewn spars rose proudly up above her pristine decks. The fact that she would soon be heading south to her Low-Country home on Old Towne Creek was no small miracle. Only eight short months before, her oaken keel had been laid, and her frames were then lofted on the shed floor at Rockport Marine. It took a workforce of 18 to ensure that this ship would be ready by early fall to make her inaugural passage south. When that trip ends, Adventure II will take up residence as one of the feature attractions at Charles Towne Landing, a South Carolina historical park dedicated to exhibiting aspects of Southeastern colonial life.

Dawn Dawson, a spokesperson for South Carolina’s Parks, Recreation and Tourism office (SCPRT), which manages Charles Towne Landing, explained that “our programs promote living history, and we’re doing that in this case by building an authentic 17th century cargo ship, the Adventure II. It is extremely important to re-create this history in order to educate current and future generations about our ancestors’ struggle in the new world.”

This stout little ship was designed and built to mimic the 17th century coastwise traders that proved so integral to

t’s now fall in the Carolina Low Country, a treasured time of year for sailors because the beastly summer temperatures decrease, but a dreaded time, as well, because hurricane activity increases. So far this season, most stretches of the Carolina coast have been spared the brunt of Mother Nature’s havoc, and it’s these quieter spans of time between severe storms that allow one’s mind to wander toward less pressing concerns.

Lately, I’ve been pondering the maritime heritage of this region, and this fall looks to be an exceptional time for those who share an interest in traditional sailing craft and the lore that surrounds them. Not only will some 5,000 wooden boat enthusiasts descend upon Georgetown in a few weeks for that city’s annual celebration of wooden vessels—the Georgetown Wooden Boat Show—but two impor-

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colonial-era shipbuilding, which is still on display. A short time later, SCPRT commissioned Rockport Marine to build a replica of the original.

Marty Allwine, a Rockport employee, who served as the project manager for the construction of Adventure II, explained that his company did everything it could to ensure that the ship be authentic. “For the most part, we built this ship the same way that it might have been constructed over 300 years before.

Yes, we employed power tools, but we sourced most of the wood from either North Carolina or South Carolina, using Atlantic white cedar to plank the hull and white oak for the keel, backbone, and frames. The deck is laid with white pine, and we used yellow pine for the cabin soles. Creating a 17th century cargo ship is really more like building a work truck, but this vessel probably has a little bit finer finish than what it’s modeled after.”

Allwine claimed that the construction methodology was generally faithful to the methods that colonial shipwrights would have employed, but he admitted that more Adventure II shortly after launch in the waters off Rockport, ME. Photo by Allison enduring materials were used for fastening Langley. (bronze). Additionally, an engine was added for safety and expediency. “This ship won’t the successful English settlements between Jamestown in need a tug to move her about and tow her to the boatyard Virginia and St. Augustine in Florida. Though slow and when occasional maintenance is required.” cumbersome by today’s standards, those vessels conveyed Though the Adventure II was expected to make much crucial supplies—even livestock—from colony to colony of its passage south under sail, Dawson claims that the between New York and Barbados. ship will rarely use those sails after arriving in Charleston.

This ship was modeled to some extent on the original In contrast to the The Spirit of South Carolina, which spends Adventure, which was an adaptation of colonial-era ships a great deal of its time conducting educational day sailing and was rendered by shipwright and maritime historian trips—under sail—the Adventure II will be mostly a static William Avery Baker. His design was built in 1970 to celeexhibit, moored dockside in Old Towne Creek for the brate the tricentennial of the initial English settlement at majority of its days. That will be a disappointment to some Charles Towne Landing. But over the years, that vessel fell who might prefer to see this ship cast off its lines and into disrepair. The caretakers of the park attempted to unfurl its sails from time to time. Still, it’s hard to be disbuild a replacement on location a few years ago. For a appointed by the fact that the Low Country now has two number of reasons, that project was aborted, but the parts authentic tall ships that can teach us all a little bit more that were built ended up being repurposed as an exhibit of about the lives of those who came before.

News & Views for Southern Sailors

SOUTHWINDS November 2008

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Repair on the Way to Southampton from Florida 14-Year-Old Sailor Tells His Side of the Story

By Robbie Moore

Robbie Moore at the helm of Hope and Glory.

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This is my story about an incident on my sailing trip across the Atlantic with Uncle Joe on his Island Packet 420, Hope and Glory, and the crew; Scotty, Bill, and Rocky. We left Sarasota, FL, on May 17, and arrived in Southampton, England, June 30. We sailed through the good and the bad, and these are just a few of the great times we had. I loved every minute of it.

It was on our fifth or sixth day out from Sarasota— while I was sitting in the cockpit with the rest of the crew— when Uncle Joe—while checking that everything on board looks good—found a problem that needed fixing.

“There’s an overturn on the reefing screw,” he says.

Hope and Glory has in-mast mainsail furling, and the reefing screw is the screw in the mast that a line winds around when you’re pulling the sail out, and it needs to be right so you can reel it back in, but at the very beginning when you’re pulling the sail out, the line going into it is at a very steep angle, so if there is a lot of pressure, an overturn results. Well, I can’t just do the repair, so Rocky gets up and we start taking instruction from the Cap. “Pull that in. Let that out.You know.” Uncle Joe says.

We start pulling it out. Bad move. We’re putting a lot of pressure on the sail—because it will not pull out because of the overturn. Whatever. So all of a sudden, POP!—and the sails fly everywhere. We ripped it. Great. So now, everyone on deck must put on their harnesses.

Cap’s at the helm, and me and Rocky are taking the sail down. Scotty’s on the halyard and me on the port side.

Rocky’s on starboard pulling the sail down. Thank God, we got the sail out before it broke, because one of the drawbacks of in-mast furling (I particularly like boom furling and this is why) is that if the sail’s not all the way out, you can’t drop it if there’s a problem. And this is a problem. A big one. So we’re hand over hand yanking the sail down.

Fun. Ugh. But it’s excitement. So when the whole thing’s down—STAY ON THE WINDWARD SIDE, because if you don’t and the sail catches the wind, you’re gone with it over the side. Not fun. No getting back on the boat. Probably not ever see land or anything again. So when we get to the problem, it’s the clew, the thing on the end of the sail that the line attaches to that you pull the sail out with. A very necessary part. No clew. No sail. Ugh, great. No sail. We can’t go all the way across the Atlantic with no mainsail. So we must secure the sail and regroup. But we can’t: The sail must www.southwindsmagazine.com

Hope and Glory, the Island Packet 420 Robbie Moore sailed on across the Atlantic.

come off and down into the cabin.

So Rocky and I shove it through the dodger to Scotty, who’s pulling it through and passing it into the cabin. Bill is in the cabin pulling. Okay—sail’s down, in and secure. Now we can regroup. One hundred and fifty miles to Florida.

Great repairs there. It’ll be quick, and we’ll know it was done right. Two hundred and fifty miles to Bermuda. Don’t know if the repairs will be so great, and it’s a lot farther. Yes. Florida’s a four-day detour, but this is a month-and-a-half trip. What’s four days? And it would save us from Rocky’s bitching, because he says Bermuda. But hey!—the Cap’s decision is final. Done. Florida, here we come again. Ugh. We turn around. Bam! Bang! Wham! 1, 2, 3—and up and over. The boat pointed at a 45-degree angle up in the air.

And now I hope you’re seeing where my enthusiasm’s going. Hmmm. Would it have been a good idea for someone to LOOK AT THE SEAS BEFORE WE TURNED AROUND???? Quick! Grab the wheel, turn 180 degrees THE OTHER WAY. Okay. Everything’s good now. Phew!

Well, we can’t go that way. We’d make three knots, and it would be hell. Nope. Here we come, Bermuda. Ugh! Why did I agree to this?

Now I’m on watch, but the Cap’s got an idea for us to fix the sail. Here we go. First it’s plywood. PLYWOOD? This sail pulls the whole damn boat. It’s the MAINSAIL. Not plywood. But what did I say about the Cap’s decision being final? Yes. It’s fixing time. Or wait. Now he wants to use bolts.

The Cap wants to help and advises us, kind of. “I’m not going to emphasize this one for you. You can do it yourself.

I’ll give you some time…you better be doing this…I’m not going to wait forever...okay, that should be good.”

So it’s me and Scotty looking for bolts and washers like…this one…here’s a pair…there’s another. This is going to be a while. Wait. What are they doing down there. See ya, Scotty. Why does Bill have an awl? Why is it over the stove?

Getting red hot???? What’s that all about? This can’t be good. Oh, shoot! Maybe I should have mentioned us cutting our jack lines up before. I didn’t think that’d be a big deal.

Well, they’re cutting into the sail now. Yes. We ripped the old strapping out and have pieces of jack line in their place.

YIKES! MOVE! MOVE! MOVE! Here comes Bill with a redhot awl. So they have the jack lines strapping through where the old straps used to be, the ones that ripped out, News & Views for Southern Sailors

and they’re putting bolts in the place of sewn thread. But hey, it’s done, and since they just finished the fifth set of them, there’s no going back.

I go up into the cockpit to clean up everything we took out of the toolboxes like the screws. Then we put the sail up to see if it works. Up she goes. Okay. Now—where’d we put that line for holding the sail in place? Okay. Got it. Now we have everything together, and we’ll see if it holds.

Now this is the part you will not believe. They actually think it’s stronger now! But hey—it’s a sail repair and it’ll do better then no sail.

Fast-forward to after I take a million pictures and a couple days sailing. We’re 100 miles off Bermuda and we’ve been here like two days. We’ve had to tack back and forth and still aren’t getting any closer, but the sail’s holding and we are making a little—ever so little—progress towards our target, and it looks like we’ll make it in safe and sound.

And we did.

At age 14 Robbie Moore is an experienced sailor who has made several long passages prior to crossing the Atlantic.

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BOAT REVIEW

The Best of Both Worlds: The Nelson/Marek Morgan 45

By Harmon Heed LOA LWL Beam Draft, fixed keel Centerboard Mast Clearance Displacement Ballast Fuel Water Auxiliary

45’ 36’9” 13’4” 8’ 5’9’ 63’ 22,500 lbs.

10,000 lbs.

100 gallons 200 gallons Universal 40 hp

Sail Area, tall rig (sq. ft.): Fore: 516.25; Main: 411.34; Total: 927.6; SA/Disp: 19.75

“BIG!”, “Fast!”, “Beautiful!”, “Strong!”, “Sea-kindly!” Those are terms inevitably used when describing the popular and enduring Nelson/ Marek-designed Morgan 45 sloop.

I’ve crewed on Bill Senske’s Hallelujah for three years, and personally, I think they’re understatements.

Hallelujah under sail.

S

he is a very big boat for a 45-footer, mainly because of her 13’ 4” beam, almost flush deck, 6’ 6” headroom below, queen-size aft berth and room for a racing crew of 10. She’s beautiful to look at, both inside and out. Her swept stem and stern with the cabin slowly rising over a straight sheer give her a profile of forward motion. Down below, there’s teak everywhere. She’s fast for a boat of her size and displacement, with a PHRF rating of around 96, depending on spinnaker and prop type. Both times that we raced her from St. Pete to Isla Mujeres, Mexico, we won our spinnaker-fleet class. She’s strong with a solid FRP hull, double spreaders and rod rigging. Bill has ridden Hallelujah through 20- to 30-foot seas with no fear. And she’s sea-kindly with her wide beam, midships tankage and almost half of her weight in the keel.

In 1982, when Morgan Yachts was near the pinnacle of its success, it asked the team of Nelson/Marek in San Diego, CA, owned by Bruce Nelson and Bruce Marek, to design a cruiser that would be very competitive in the Southern 40

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Ocean Racing Conference (SORC). “It was a very interesting project,” Bruce Marek told me. “There were very few production cruisers over 40 feet then. We designed a big, fast one. When it first showed at the 1982 Annapolis boat show, the crowds were wowed. Morgan sold 15 of them right there.”

Morgan went on to build 178 of these big “performance cruisers.” Of the first 45, seven were pure racers, the “Grand Prix“model. They had “minimal, but adequate, below-decks amenities,” meaning pipe berths, mini shower, icebox, one head and tankage of under 40 gallons, combined. But on deck, they had a forest of 16 winches. The other 38 that were built, the 45-3 model, were fast but had complete belowdecks comfort.

The second iteration, model 45-4 (that completed the production run), completed the amenities and made some changes in the spars. That’s the boat we see the most of, and there are quite a lot of them around the South.

Being big and relatively heavy, the Morgan 45 isn’t a www.southwindsmagazine.com

light-air boat. At 13-15 knots, she starts moving, and at 18-20 knots, with a single reef and a blade up front, she really starts to strut. In heavy seas, her narrow bow cuts through waves, but her wide beam makes her a bit squirrelly sliding down the back sides. In any good head wind, she gets wet on deck because there is no flare to her forward top sides. Her spade rudder is hung well aft so she can turn sharply, and she can tack in less than 90 degrees.

Nelson/Marek designed the boat to meet the International Offshore Rules (IOR) that were in effect at the time. Her solid hull is wide in the middle and pointy at the ends, which extends her static LWL of 36.75 feet considerably when going upwind. Ten Hallelujah at the dock, showing the deck and cockpit. thousand pounds of her 22,500-pound On Hallelujah, the centerboard is an active tool in racing. displacement is down in the lead keel, which gives her very It is up when working slower head currents and back eddies good stability. Some boats have fin keels with an eight-foot near shore and when going down wind to reduce drag. It is draft, and others have modified fins with centerboards. On down when going upwind when depth allows, like offthe latter, the draft with the board up is only five feet, which shore. With it up we could cruise into and anchor at Useppa allows good Gulf, Keys and Bahamas cruising. Draft with Island and Cabbage Key down in Pine Island Sound. On the board down is nine feet, which gives her good leeway cruisers Bill and Carol Betts’ Evening Tide, a Morgan 45 up wind.

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BOAT REVIEW based in St. Pete, the centerboard is also active. It is up in the shallow Bahamas, Keys and Tortugas and down for stability when reaching their favorite cruising areas.

The mast is keel-stepped, aluminum with double spreaders. The earlier 1982, 45-3 model, has a tall rig with 927.5 sq. ft. of sail area and a sail area to displacement ratio (SA/Disp) of 19.5. The 1983 and later, 45-4 model, has a slightly shorter mast with 901 sq. ft. sail area and a SA/Disp of 18.17. The transition was not distinct, and some of the 454s have the tall rig. Both models fly spinnakers of around 1,000 sq. ft. That’s big! The base of Hallelujah’s mast is surrounded by winches and blocks for the main halyard, two jib halyards, two spinny halyards and a block for the topping lift. The extra winches allow for inside/outside headsail changes and the use of a blooper. On the mast, at eye level, are spinnaker halyard stoppers.

To hold all of that sail up, most Morgan 45s are rodrigged. That’s strong! Many of the boats used for racing, like Bill’s, also have removable baby stays, running back stays and adjustable backstays. Hallelujah has a hydraulic backstay and vang adjuster.

The foredeck is quite flat with no doghouse for the foredeck crew to stumble over. There is no windlass on most of the boats used for racing. There is a flush, double-door anchor locker that uniquely holds a Danforth-type anchor horizontal or a plow-type vertical. Beneath that locker is a large anchor locker that will hold a lot of cruising rode,

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The Nelson/Marek 45 has an abundance of beautiful wood down below. The nav station is to the left, galley to the right, along with the passage to the aft cabin.

chain or rope. Along the perforated toe rails lay the spinnaker and whisker poles and reaching strut.

There is a hatch in the middle of the foredeck large enough to pass sails through and to dowse a spinnaker through. In the center of the boat, behind the mast, is another large hatch. There are small, vent hatches above the galley and aft cabin. In the forward two corners of the salon and above the galley and aft head are Dorade boxes in which Bill has installed solar vents. Surrounding the cabin are six opening port lights and above the galley and aft head are prisms. This gives plenty of light below, but the aft cabin can get quite warm with the engine running.

Being a true blue-water boat, the Morgan 45 has a strong, three-foot wide deck bridge separating the companionway and the cockpit. Winches for the centerboard, topping lift and downhaul are on either side of the companionway opening. The width of the deck bridge shortens the cockpit length where things can get crowded. So, the mainsail and jib trimmers stay in the cockpit, and the grinders straddle the seat backs with one foot on the rail. The big #48 primaries and #52 spinnaker winches are within reach of the helmsman. There is room beside the helmsman—behind the four-foot wheel—for a tactician to sit.

When I signed on to crew for Senske, he told me Hallelujah was a physically demanding boat. If all of the 14 Lewmar winches weren’t self-tailing, it certainly would be.

He didn’t tell me the rails and foredeck were wet, but that’s refreshing to me in the Florida heat. Bill and Carol’s Evening Tide has far fewer winches, and they say it is easy for the two of them to cruise alone. So easy, in fact, that they often go out just for day or short sunset cruises from their home in St Pete. They stay very dry in the cockpit.

When you go below, you really see how big and beautiful a Morgan 45 is up close. Almost everything is teak— even the battened overheads are stained teak color. Her 13‘ 4“ beam and 6’ 6” salon headroom make for a lot of cubits!

The interior layout is, for the most part, traditional. To port is an L-galley with big sink(s), deep ice box/fridge and stove with oven. The boats were made for CNG and not LPG. The Bettses have retained the CNG on Evening Tide for safety reasons, even though it means a trip across Florida to get the tank filled. To switch to LPG, the tank would have to www.southwindsmagazine.com

The galley.

The main salon, looking forward on the starboard side. A lee berth is above and outboard of the settee.

be stored on deck or in a locker that is sealed off from the interior and vented to the outside. (This inconvenience may soon be removed, as there is a movement to make CNG readily available statewide for automobiles.)

To starboard of the companionway is the nav station with a swivel chair. There is plenty of room for chart plotter/radar, SSB, VHS, sailing instrument repeater and more.

The station wall folds down for easy access to the myriad of wires and connections behind the instruments. On the athwart ship bulkhead is the electrical panel with breakers and gauges galore.

Behind the nav station is a head with shower and doors fore and aft. The aft door leads into the owner’s stateroom that has an island berth. Cabins beneath aft cockpits were very rare in the early ’80s. Nelson/Marek figured out how to do it and included a hanging locker, small settee and even sea berths above and outboard of the main berth. On an ocean race, with lee cloths up, two crew can sleep separated back there.

On the port side of the main salon is a settee long enough for 6’ 4” Senske to sleep on. It pulls out into a double berth. To starboard is another long settee, and above and behind that a berth suitable for a 5’ 6” person. Lee cloths can be roped up all around making all three berths safe sea berths. In the middle is a fold-over leaf, adjustable-height table that can be easily removed for racing. Sails on the teak and holly sole then make for another sea berth. When we did the Isla Mujeres races, we had crew of nine and plenty of room to sleep and store racing, safety and personal gear.

Ahead of the salon, amidships, is the door to the forward cabin and V-berth. To port of that, before and after the bulkhead, are hanging lockers. To starboard is a head with shower and doors leading to both the salon and forward cabin. Thus, both heads have entrees to their cabins and the salon. Carol Betts has taken advantage of that “two head, four door” configuration by turning the forward head into a large pantry. She does like to cook! She and Bill sleep in the forward cabin. When they have guests, they all share the aft head and still retain privacy. In stormy weather, one head can be a wet locker.

Tankage on the Morgan 45 is also big. Most boats hold 100 gallons of diesel and 200 gallons of water. The tanks are

under and behind the settees allowing a lower sole, higher headroom and lower freeboard. Holding tanks were rare from the factory so most of them are small and in varied locations.

Morgan 45 sail power varies with each owner and his boat use. The Bettses have a Dacron main, jib, storm jib and spinnaker. Senske has a Dacron cruising main, a Kevlar racing main, a Kevlar #1, Dacron #2, battened nylon #3, a blast reacher, a well-used spinnaker and heavy Dacron storm sails. The auxiliary powers vary, too, but the most common is the 40 hp Universal four cylinder that was original to the boat. In open water, it glides the boat along at an easy 6 1/2 knots using 3/4 gallons an hour.

Battery power varies greatly, too, from a starter and two 12-volt house batteries to a starter and a bank of six 6-volt house batteries. Somewhere in between leaves room for an aft air conditioner. The interior is so big, that in Southern summers, fore and aft A/C units are necessary for comfort.

Some folks, like the Bettses, have added Gensets, usually in the transom lazarette by the radial wheel.

Prices for this big, performance cruiser vary, as always, depending on the condition of the boat. Low end may be $99,000 and a Bristol boat like Senske’s may fetch $139,000.

Even at the high end, that’s a lot of big, beautiful, fast, strong and sea-kindly boat for the buck!

News & Views for Southern Sailors

SOUTHWINDS November 2008

43

TRAVELS WITH ANGEL

Fishing For Cruisers, Part II

By Rebecca Burg

I

n October, part one of this two-part series discussed constructing a trolling rig, good lures and using a reel. The rig consisted of a spoon lure, wire leader, swivels, a weight and 40-pound monofilament spooled to a Penn reel that’s clamped to Angel’s stern rail. With tips from pro fishing guide, Captain Bill Robinson, Angel’s trolling rig is put to the test.

The hot sun glared over calm seas during a run across Little Bahama Bank. Motoring at 5.5 knots, I deployed the trolling rig. I wasn’t sure what piscine species, if any, lurked in the sandy-bottomed expanse of shallow water. As if reading my thoughts, Bill, motoring Defiant nearby, radioed, “I doubt there’s much out here.” Nevertheless, he offered some trolling advice for this type of area. If there were any small islands or underwater features like rocks, hills, holes or wrecks not too far out of the way, I should troll alongside them. Fish gather in and around underwater structures. Avoid dragging the lure directly over shallow reefs and sensitive corals.

As Angel motored along, I alternated between staring at the motionless fishing reel and at my fingernails, which I was sure were growing longer. I’d just lost my nail clipper over the side when using it to trim fishing line. That was not a lucky start to the day. When I ducked below to retrieve a snack, something grabbed the lure and briefly spun the reel.

I eased Angel’s throttle and cranked in a catch that wasn’t putting up much of a fight. “What is it?” Bill radioed. I had

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Rebecca pulling up a fish off Angel’s stern.

no idea. Wearing gloves, I raised the leader and gawked at the oddity dangling from the lure. The pop-eyed creature was five inches long, not much larger than the lure. Its cavernous, trap-like mouth, lined with needle-like teeth, managed to fit over the hook. The fish’s slimy body was pale.

“It’s probably some kind of lizardfish,” Bill suggested after I described it to him. “I wouldn’t eat that.” A pliers or dehooking tool is handy for hook removal. I released the fish and resumed trolling speed. Later, when the sixth lizardfish attacked the lure, this one fatally injuring itself on the hook, I felt squeamish and put the rig away. It was apparent that these active creatures would just keep biting and needlessly ruining their oversized mouths, no thanks to me.

Trolling across the Gulf Stream offers a chance to catch blue-water species. For the best luck, troll along weed lines, current changes and past floating debris. Fish, hoping to ferret out food, congregate around the flotsam found in weed lines. Diving seabirds is another sign of fish activity, and the pros always head for the hovering frigate birds.

Midday, something unidentifiable and snake-like squirmed off the lure when I reeled it in. I’d retired the rig to fret over Angel after she began to choke and labor over a failing fuel pump. The wind was diminishing, and I’d been motorsailing to maintain reasonable speed. Angel’s yellow hide was saved by having a fuel system with dual pumps. With one dead, she was at least able to feebly motorsail with the www.southwindsmagazine.com

One of the six lizard fish caught on a spoon.

A small pinfish caught on a jig.

remainder. Near landfall, Angel was randomly picked for a Coast Guard boarding. After contending with a sickly sailboat for several hours, it was comforting to know that they’re out there. Unapologetically viewed through my particular gender’s perspective, a boatload of sexy, action-figure-like men in uniform is far more interesting than catching fish.

After repairing Angel’s fuel system and resuming travel mode with buddy cruiser Defiant, I dropped the spoon along Florida’s east coast. Trolling speed varied from 5 to 6 knots under full sail. The lure frequently caught floating weeds. (Rubber skirts, when assembled correctly with the hook’s tip just hidden by the skirt’s fringe, are less apt to snag weeds.) When Angel sailed past an underwater ridge, the line whizzed off the reel. I eased the main and staysail, but left the Yankee pulling. Angel slowed to a crawl, the autopilot still keeping her on course. I cranked in some line and the fish, a barracuda, yanked it back out. This tug of war continued and I grew tired before my quarry did. With the potential of ciguatera poisoning, large ’cudas aren’t on the menu. A “lip grip” tool, found in tackle shops, holds the wriggling fish so you can use pliers to safely remove the hook from its boney, razor-edged jaw. After only two-and-ahalf days of use in various locations, the trolling rig caught six lizardfish, a snake thing, three barracuda and numerous nibbles from unseen fish lips. Still intent on catching something edible, I used a minnow-shaped jig baited with bread while resting at anchor in Florida’s shallow backwaters. A tiny pinfish was brought aboard and released. When a larger grunt hit the jig, I finally had a keeper and a long-awaited fish dinner.

A net is good for boating small fish, while a gaff is used for larger fish. A dash of cheap booze, delivered to the fish’s mouth or gills with a turkey baster or squirt gun, will subdue a fish of any size. This is less traumatic than trying to club the poor bugger on the head while it struggles and crashes against its surrounds. When a larger fish is caught while trolling, most cruisers find it easiest to gaff the fish, knock it out with booze, gut it and let it drag in the water behind the boat to minimize the mess. This is likely to attract sharks, so one must be diligent. I scaled and cleaned News & Views for Southern Sailors

my modest catch inside a bucket. Helpful gear includes gloves, long-handled net or a gaff, de-hooker, needle-nose pliers, a bucket, cheap booze and a method to deliver it, plastic cutting board and fillet knives. By employing the basics covered in this two-part fishing series, industrious cruisers can add extra interest, and possibly fresh dinner, to their travels.

SOUTHWINDS November 2008

45

COOKING

Dismasted Off Nicaragua

By Monty and Betsy Morris

O

n his fourth voyage in 1502, Columbus sailed eastward along the Honduran coast. In his own words: “It was one continual rain, thunder, and lightning.

The ships lay exposed to the weather, with sails torn, and anchors, rigging, cables, boats and many stores lost. The people exhausted and so down in the mouth that they were all the time making vows to be good, to go on pilgrimages and all that; yea, even hearing one another’s confessions! Other tempests I have seen, but none that lasted so long or so grim as this.” * At last, after covering only 200 miles in a month of beating, he rounded the cape at the eastern end of what is now Honduras and was able to turn south and ease sheets. He named the cape Cabo Gracias a Dios. “Thanks be to God,” and so it is called to this day.

Almost 500 hundred years later my wife, Betsy, and I also rounded Cabo Gracias a Dios, and although we had the advantage of going west with the trade winds, the weather had not improved.

We were homeward bound after a two-year clockwise circuit of the Caribbean on our Pearson 35 yawl, Little Haste.

We prefer coast hopping to long passages and had managed to get all the way around the Caribbean with no hop longer than 90 miles. By the time we reached Panama, however, we had received reports of hostile officials and expensive port fees in Nicaragua. The alternative was going 250 miles offshore to the Colombian islands of San Andres and Providencia, off the Nicaraguan coast, and from there 200 miles to the uninhabited Vivario Keys north of Cabo Gracias a Dios and finally 150 miles to the Honduran Bay Islands.

Reluctantly, we chose this alternate route. The first hop was uneventful. Before leaving Providencia, we told new friends aboard Janine and Allegiance that we would meet them in a few days at the Vivarios. Off we sailed in brisk northeasterly trades, under jib only. That afternoon we were visited by a huge school of curious blunt-nosed dolphins, later identified as Risso’s dolphins. It turned out not to be a good omen.

Although the wind was fair and not dangerously strong, we were periodically hit by squalls that we could see coming in time to reef. This pattern continued after dark, but it became difficult to see the squalls coming. The moon was only a sliver and soon set, leaving inky darkness. At 2 a.m. while Betsy was below sleeping, we were hit by another

Little Haste as she was before the dismasting as a yawl.

squall, which put the lee rail under.

Betsy popped up in alarm and suggested shortening sail. I began to ease the jib as gently as I could, but the wet sheets tended to slip in jerks.

Suddenly, the jib collapsed, and the boat righted. I was dumbstruck and could not grasp what had happened, but Betsy called out, “We’ve lost the rigging.” I grabbed a flashlight and shined it forward. The mast had snapped off cleanly at the spreaders.

The lower half was still supported by the lower shrouds, but the upper half was swinging dangerously over our heads, supported only by the internal electrical wires. I began wrestling with the dangling mast to try to secure it and called out to Betsy to rig the mizzen halyard as a forestay. Too late.

As I spoke, the mizzenmast, having The guilty turnbuckle and cause of lost the support of its triatic stay from the dismasting. the main mast, collapsed over the transom. Within a moment, the upper mainmast chewed through the electric wires and luckily fell clear of the boat.

It was clear that we would have to cut away the dangling mass of rigging before we dared start the engine for fear of fouling the prop. I set to work with my bolt cutter, which was rated to cut up to 1/4-inch shrouds. No way. I worked on the smaller shrouds and lines, and then switched to hacksaw for the uppers, forestay and backstay. I have cut 1/4-inch cable with a hacksaw before, and it’s not easy, but the adrenaline was flowing, and they cut like butter. Before letting the forestay go, I tried hauling the jib aboard, but the

*Christopher Columbus, Mariner, Morrison, S. E., Little Brown, Boston, 1942 46

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www.southwindsmagazine.com

Little Haste with the shortened mast after the top broke off.

furling gear was bent and perhaps the halyard was fouled. I couldn’t budge it. In calm seas, I probably could have salvaged the jib and the furling gear, but masts don’t fall overboard in calm seas. Between the violent rolling motion and increasing exhaustion, I reluctantly decided to dump it all.

Once the debris was clear, we started the motor and continued our journey, rolling miserably. Before resting, however, I tracked down the source of the failure. The starboard upper shroud turnbuckle had burst apart. Although stainless, it was visibly corroded both inside and out. We should never have left Panama without inspecting the rigging.

We were about midway between Providencia and the Vivario Keys. Forty miles ahead was Bobel Key, part of the Media Luna reef, east of Cabo Gracias a Dios, and reportedly an adequate anchorage. We continued through the night, getting little sleep and arrived at Bobel late the following morning. The key proved to be only a few uninhabited acres with a slightly rolling anchorage, but we were very glad to be there. I still don’t know whether we were in Nicaragua or Honduras, but customs and immigration niceties were not on our minds at the time. We spent part of the day clearing more wreckage and pondering how to set up a jury rig; we had more than 200 miles to go. We still had a mainsail, since it was furled on the boom when the mast and jib went over, but no way to hoist it. The first step was getting to the top of the 20-foot mast stub. We had a sail track mast ladder, but without a halyard, it was useless. We spent hours trying unsuccessfully to rig ratlines on the lower shrouds, but they kept slipping when any weight was applied. We then tried throwing a monkey fist over the top of the mast. After endless tries, success! We were able to hoist our sail track ladder. By this time, it was late in the afternoon, and we were both shaking with exhaustion. We collapsed and slept around the clock.

News & Views for Southern Sailors

The following day we rigged a forestay and backstay out of rope, two halyards and a topping lift for the boom. After much thought on how to rig a main, we hit on the simple solution of winding the existing sail around the boom until the appropriate amount was left to hoist. We had a spare main and jib, but both were much too large for our reduced fore triangle. Our single remaining sail, a lightweight mizzen staysail, proved to fit perfectly. We were a sailboat again.

All this took most of another day. We decided to get another night’s rest and push on for the Vivarios the next morning. The wind was still strong and fair; we hoisted our new rig and set off. To our amazement, we sailed at five knots! Late in the day, the Vivarios hove over the horizon, and we spotted the masts of two boats, which reassuringly proved to be our friends from Providencia. They were leaving the next morning for the Bay Islands, and although we would like to have rested there at least one more day, we decided to accompany them for safety’s sake. We arrived at Guanaja, the easternmost Bay Island, the following morning. No sailors have ever been happier to make landfall.

We subsequently spent two-and-a-half pleasant months in the Bay Islands locating, ordering, and installing a new mast, shipped from the States. The Pearson 35 was designed to be either sloop- or yawl-rigged. We chose to omit the mizzen and continued happily on to Guatemala, and eventually back to Florida, as a sloop.

LESSONS LEARNED: Inspect your rigging regularly.

Rig a method of climbing mast without halyards.

Think about jury rig beforehand.

Carry sufficient fuel for unexpected motoring passages.

We’ll never make a passage again without close inspection of the rigging. We’ve learned that lesson expensively. Other than that, we didn’t do too badly. It was traumatic, but we’re not discouraged, and we’ll continue cruising, keeping one eye on the rigging.

SOUTHWINDS November 2008

47

Holding Tanks

By Joe Corey

D

ealing with sewage on any boat can be an issue.

Newer boats are built with this in mind and generally come equipped to deal with it. On older boats, however, the problem can become more complicated.

Our old boat, a Cal 36, was built before any sort of MSD was required. The designer made no provision for the space needed for the necessary tanking. A previous owner had installed a six-gallon holding tank under the starboard settee, making the boat minimally compliant. Effluent from the head went directly to the holding tank. On the discharge end, waste was routed via a Y-valve either overboard via a macerator pump or to a deck pump-out fitting. The original through-hull fitting for direct overboard dumping was capped off.

We encountered a few problems with this set-up. The six-gallon tank was insufficient for anything more than a two-person, two-day sailing adventure. Once the tank was full, we either had to be pumped out or travel outside the

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The new installed flexible holding tank.

no-discharge zone and rely on the electricity-hungry and temperamental macerator. The tank was constructed of polyethylene, and the sanitation hose was low-grade series 101. Both began to get permeated with sewage gas and subsequently stank. The 5/8-inch vent line was mere nylon hose.

Our first step to upgrade the system was to include the original through hull so as to be able to bypass the tank altogether. This was done by adding a vented loop and a second Y-valve. We were now able to dump direct when offshore.

Next, we got rid of the old tank, which, by the way, was no longer capable of holding six gallons thanks to a concreted sludge that took up about two gallons of capacity. We chose a 14-gallon flexible tank that fit neatly in the leftover space under the settee. We’ve found that by availing ourselves of shoreside facilities when possible and judicious flushing, we can now go seven days between pump-outs. Adding new series 148 hose not only reduced the odor, it was much easier to bend, and we were able to get rid of elbows that restricted flow.

After the upgrade, I thought we were home free. Not so.

After a couple of weeks, we started to notice a very disagreeable sewage odor throughout the boat. I doublechecked all the hose clamps and found them to be tight. I also found, however, a section of vent hose that had a slight decline on its way to the deck-mounted vent. A small amount of water had found this sag and effectively made a water seal blocking the vent. It wasn’t too hard to eliminate the sag and have the vent line make a slight but continuous incline.

Now we were venting! We were venting so well, in fact, that any wave action that agitated the tank or anyone flushing the head caused people to look for the one who cut the cheese! My first idea for a solution was to add a stand pipe at the vent and run it 10 feet or so high. Our pump-out boat operator begged me not to do it. He reasoned that if the tank was to overfill and back up into the vent, the head pressure would cause a geyser when he opened the deck fitting cap.

I found the solution by incorporating a filter in the vent line.

Taking a length of 1.5-inch PVC and adding end caps with 5/8-inch nipples, I put a wad of aquarium filter material at each end and 12 ounces of activated charcoal in the middle.

Both the filter material and the charcoal are available at pet stores. One end cap is left unglued to make changing the filter material possible. The home-made filter works great and www.southwindsmagazine.com

The home-made water filter cost less than $20 to make. You can see it installed in the photo of the holding tank.

The Y valve at the head.

cost less than $20. It seems to last about 45 days before it’s time to change the charcoal.

Some helpful tips learned the hard way when working on any part of the system: Make sure the holding tank is empty before breaking any hose connections!; Wear disposable gloves!; Place rags under the hose connections when working on them (disposable diapers work great).

Our system now meets our needs, is versatile, and most important, doesn’t stink.

A basic trolling rig set up.

See the Catalina Dealers for BOAT SHOW SPECIALS at the St Pete Boat Show, Dec. 4-7

Cruising on the Peace River.

Gunkholing on the Peace River

By Ina Moody

T

he word “gunkholing“ is securely embedded in my unofficial nautical dictionary. To me, it means the opposite of “blue water sailing,“ i.e., instead of heading out toward the blue horizon, you head in toward land and explore the inland rivers and estuaries. If you are on a pleasure cruise, without a particular schedule to adhere to, there is plenty of opportunity to go gunkholing. In our case, we were going for the Peace River, with our 44-foot Gulfstar, Sea Wind. Peace River empties out into Charlotte Harbor, just north of Punta Gorda on Florida’s west coast.

The success of gunkholing depends on the height of your mast, the depth of your keel, and a little bit of horse sense. To give you an example: We once took our previous boat, a Morgan OI 33, up the Barron River in the Everglades. We bypassed the more sophisticated Rod and Gun Club, and eventually came to a halt by a stationary bridge too low to pass under. We spent the night there, tied up at a local marina where we were treated like members of the family. Unable to go any farther, we headed back down the river the next morning. At one point, I just happened to look up in time to shout a warning to my skipper. There were some low overhead wires spanning the river. It took a quick reaction and some fancy maneuvering on Richard’s part to keep our 45-foot mast from getting tangled in the

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wires, but once he had the situation under control, we did some head scratching. How did we get up river the previous day?

We decided it must have been a tidal situation. We dropped the hook and waited for low tide. After about an hour, a park ranger came by in a motorboat. We hailed him. “How long before the tide goes out?”

He looked at us with a funny expression and said, “We don’t have any tide here.”

We pointed to the overhead wires and asked, “Then how did we get up to the bridge yesterday?”

He nodded toward the mangrove on the far bank and said, “You probably followed the markers on the other side of that island there.”

Needless to say, we felt a little stupid as we backtracked around the island and found the markers that took us all the way down the river to the Indian Key Pass, past Cape Romano Shoals and back into the Gulf.

But this little episode was not on our minds as we headed for the Peace River. We had spent a couple of nights tied up at Fisherman’s Village in Punta Gorda, which is a nice place to get off the boat, do a little shopping, perhaps get some laundry done or get your tanks either emptied or filled. We had spoken with the dockmaster about going up the river, and he had advised against it. But we also spoke with the captain of Good Times Too, a

small excursion boat that took passengers up to a little fish restaurant called the Navigator. He advised, “Just hug Green “23” and you get into plenty of water with places where you can anchor, within a mile and a half of the Navigator.”

That sounded good to us. We had a depth finder and enough power to pull us off if we got stuck, and once we left the protection of the marina, some pretty choppy waters gave us a further incentive to head up the Peace River.

There are two stationary bridges (45 feet vertical clearance) guarding the entrance to the river. With our antennas down, we had no problem.

There is a little three-foot shoal which you clear by heading north and rounding Red “6” and “8” on your starboard side (you are off the ICW so it’s red right returning); then head back east to clear Green “9” and “11” and you are in the channel. By the time we crossed under a third 45-foot bridge, the choppiness of the water had smoothed out completely, and we began to get the feel of the peace whence the river got its name.

We followed the markers, first eastward and then in a northerly direction. We came to “22,“ then sighted “23” to starboard. Heeding the advice of the Good Times Two skipper, we hugged this marker closely. We held our breath as our depth gauge went from 6 feet to 5 feet to 3 feet and then to -——, but Sea Wind chugged www.southwindsmagazine.com

along seemingly unaffected low the left bank.” by what we thought was We did! Within five minmud. We passed “23” and utes, we saw a sign. It didour depth gauge sprang n’t read the expected back to life, registering a “Navigator,” but “Nav-ahealthy seven feet of water.

Gator,” a name so much We anchored some 10 miles more befitting the location. up the river in eight feet of And the restaurant fit its water. The river had narname. It had thatched rowed considerably, but roofs, and Cypress stump there was still plenty of tables, old-timey barrels room for the occasional and kegs, and rough-sawn fisherman to pass on either timber. There was plenty of Sign to the Nav-A-Gator restaurant on the Peace River side of us. space outside, with canoe Although the wind rentals and a little gift shop was blowing somewhere with Indian artifacts and overhead, the water on the gator hides, and there were river was almost like a mirror places for people to walk and the silence complete around and take pictures. It except for the inaudible murwasn’t quite as rustic as it mur of water against the hull appeared though, for the as the river flowed on its inside was air-conditioned relentless journey toward the and the menu, although mainsea. The lush greenery on ly fish, was more sophisticated either side reflected in the than what could be expected quiet waters, and you heard by a little backwoods fishing the occasional cry of a bird or camp. In other words, a place the plop of a fish jumping. You to get away from it all and still can’t help but feel awed by the have it. grandeur, the harmony and The Nav-A-Gator is closed the peace of the river. In silent Mondays, but this was Friday, The Nav-A-Gator restaurant. majesty, it takes care of its and we thought we’d stay at own. It’s as if time stands still, anchor for another day and and you forget there is a world make a return visit. However, and there, we came under vines hangout there, where people rush around the next day was Saturday, and suding down into the water. Richard like mad to get from nowhere to denly our serene anchorage came alive checked his watch and said, “Surely nowhere in record time. with activities. There were roaring we have gone a mile and a half by Then our stomachs reminded us motorboats pulling water-skiers, now.” that we had planned on lunch at the buzzing SeaDoos spouting rooster I shrugged and looked at the Navigator, so we launched our dinghy. tails, hollering youngsters on inner chart. “See, it shows a real big loop to We were reluctant to break the spell of tubes or boogie boards. It’s nice to see the right here. I think maybe that was the primeval beauty around us, but the younger generation enjoying the loop we just came around.” the idea of rowing against the current themselves out in nature instead of sitRichard ducked under another for a mile and a half prompted us to ting in front of the boob tube, but low-hanging vine and remarked, “I crank up our little four-hp Mercury, when one monster wake knocked over can’t believe there is enough traffic and off we went. one of our lamps, we decided to pull coming up this way to keep a restauFrom our previous experience up the hook and make it back to Charlotte rant in business.”

Barron River, we should have known Harbor and continue our trek southI agreed. “If we don’t see the that part of the charm of this type of ward. But a trip up Peace River and restaurant when we come around this river is the many little glens, looklunch at the Nav-A-Gator is sure to be next curve, let’s turn around.” alike sloughs and indistinguishable on the schedule for our return trip.

We came around the curve into mangrove islets that make up its open water and saw something, but it banks, but the Good Times Two skipper After 40 years of sailing, Richard and Ina wasn’t a restaurant! It was our own had told us that from the anchorage, Moody switched from their Morgan 33 to boat, Sea Wind, peacefully at anchor, we should just follow the left bank and their trawler, a Gulfstar 44, Seawind. exactly where we had left her. we would get to the Navigator.

Ina, a freelance writer, lives onboard with A fisherman was fishing a short Apparently, we had anchored a little her husband in southwest Florida, where distance away. We hailed him and farther down river from his direction, they cruise Florida’s west coast, the Keys asked for directions. He pointed up for as we put-putted along, the river and the Eastern Seaboard. Visit Ina’s Web the river. “See that little mangrove islet began winding more and more, and site at www.StressRelief-Tips.org, or there? Go right around it, and then folwww.Yogina.org. became narrow, so narrow that here News & Views for Southern Sailors

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51

The Wreckers Race: Racing With Only Three Rules

By Rebecca Burg

An assortment of boats gathering off Key West just before the start of the Wreckers Race.

“Rule one,” announced Captain Jeff Stotts, thrusting an index finger in the air. “No protesting.”

G

athered on the upper level of Schooner Wharf Bar, the crowd of sailors hung onto every word. Jeff continued, “Rule two, no complaining or whining. Rule three…see rules one and two.” While the group hooted and clapped in enthusiastic approval, Jeff reminded them that maritime safety and navigation rules still applied. A question and answer session followed before the Wreckers Race captain’s meeting morphed into a party. This annual, four-race winter series in Key West is surely one of the most enjoyable and unusual regattas in existence.

To get involved, sailors can crew, race their own boats or secure a seat aboard one of the participating local schooners.

Grouped in several classes, boats of all sizes compete for prizes donated by West Marine, Schooner Wharf and Pussers rum. From the harbor’s start, it’s a seven-mile drag race to Sand Key Light. The competition is serious, yet playful.

Rivals have been seen raising Jolly Rogers, throwing bread and mooning each other. Before the start of one race, I was sure I’d spied a blow-up doll hanging in one boat’s rigging and Moonspinner was towing his traditional inflatable shark.

“If we have high wind, there’s some really kick-ass sailing,” says Harry Bowman, the race’s official videographer.

Working around bouncing waves and salt spray, Harry records the action from the committee boat. The video settles bow-to-bow finishes and is played during the awards party.

“People love the photography because they get to see their own boats sailing,” Harry notes.

One can’t join the Wreckers Race without becoming acquainted with its most remarkable progenitor, Schooner Wharf Bar and Galley. “The race started as a pissing contest between two boats,” explains bar owner Evalena Worthington as she shared the story. Born and raised in Sweden, her exotic accent and flawless, movie star looks turned the heads of passersby. Mariners from way back, Evalena and husband Paul sailed into Key West on their engineless 83-foot wooden schooner, Defiance, in 1984.

(Originally used as Joseph Pulitzer’s private yacht, Defiance was born in 1926.) Key West bight was an undeveloped working waterfront, full of shrimpers and commercial fishing vessels. Defiance sheltered in a slip leased from Singleton seafood, and the Worthingtons earned a living by chartering her. Soon, they added the schooner Diamante to the fleet and 52

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served beer and wine from her when docked. People sociably mingled and drank the beverages on the future site of today’s Schooner Wharf Bar. It was only natural that Defiance and Diamante would feel an irresistible urge to challenge each other to a speed duel.

Flexing their great sails and strutting proudly about the harbor, the two schooners instigated a drag race to Sand Key. A few other local sailboats caught wind of this friendly contest and joined the sport. Defiance won the first round and the Wreckers Race was born. Evalena named the event in honor of Key West’s maritime history where a “wrecker” would earn a living by being the first one to race out and salvage vessels grounded on the area’s many reefs. Over time, both the race and Schooner Wharf Bar evolved and gained in popularity.

With its rich history and island location, Schooner Wharf is an authentic nautical experience. Overlooking the waterfront, the open-air establishment is surrounded by active schooners and small boats. The slender bowsprits of Liberty Clipper and Island Belle point at the activity inside the bar. Historic wooden schooner, Western Union, rests nearby.

The bar is constructed from parts of old shrimp boats, and an armrest along one side of the bartop is a boom from the schooner Hindu. Diminutive vessels hang from the ceiling, winners of the annual Minimal Regatta, another tradition started by Evalena and Paul. This event draws TV crews and must be seen to be believed. A host to countless activities, from the famed Holiday Lighted Boat Parade to a pirate-themed New Year’s celebration to an outdoor arts festival, Schooner Wharf helped put Key West on the map.

The aroma of coconut shrimp from the enclosed kitchen wafted overhead, and I eyed the menu. Nearby, a man with a parrot on his shoulder ordered a drink and a bandannawearing terrier sniffs my foot before locating her owner. An on-site cigar stand, a card-playing magician, artists and live music are distinguished Wharf traditions. More heads turn when Evalena walks over to the bar, greeting the bartenders and checking on things. In between managing this valuable portion of the island’s community, Evalena makes time to sail and race her J/24, Freya. Joining one of the bar’s events, like the upcoming Wreckers Race series, is one way to experience this original piece of the real Key West. For details, visit www.schoonerwharf.com www.southwindsmagazine.com

SOUTHERN RACING THE MELGES EXPERIENCE: Learn to Sail a Melges 24, Davis Island Yacht Club, Tampa, FL Have you ever felt a twinge of envy while watching a 24foot boat blow by you on a plane? Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be at the helm of a 24-foot boat doing 15, 20, 25 knots? you will have that opportunity Dec. 13-14 at Davis Island Yacht Club, Tampa, FL, at the MELGES EXPERIENCE. You may do so for a $200 tax-deductible donation to Davis Island Youth Sailing Foundation (DIYSF) (plus insurance deposit). To crew, you may do so for a $100 donation.

On Saturday, Dec. 13, there will be a demonstration of how easy it is to go from road-ready to sail-ready. You will be invited to a seminar featuring local experts showing you the proper way to sail a Melges 24. After lunch at the new DIYC clubhouse, you will have a chance to practice sail the Melges 24. There will be on-the-water coaching, videotaping, plus instruction from the owner seated next to you who will see that you don’t lose your $500 insurance deductible Sunday, Dec 14, will feature a three-race, four-leg windward/leeward regatta to show you what sailing the fastest monohull under 35 feet is all about.

Come join us. Help Melges Fleet 31 grow and make a donation to Davis Island Youth Sailing Foundation. Contact King Purton at kpurton@verizon.net or (813) 760-0177 to get an application and secure a spot. Openings are limited.

US SAILING Small Boat Sailing Level 1 Instructor Course, Orange Park, FL, Dec. 27-30 The US SAILING Small Boat Sailing Level 1 Instructor Course, approved by the U.S. Coast Guard, is designed to teach sailing instructors on-the-water group management and instruction techniques for dinghies, multihull and small daysailing keelboats. It is a 40-hour course conducted in four days.

For more information go to the US SAILING Web site at www.ussailing.org, then go to “Education” and then “Instructor Training.”

The course will be held at The Rudder Club of Jacksonville, Orange Park, FL. Contact Dick Allsopp at dall sopp@ussailing.net, or call (904) 278-0329.

UPCOMING MAJOR REGATTAS

32nd Clearwater Challenge, Clearwater Yacht Club, Nov. 1-2 This will be the 32nd year of the Clearwater Challenge, a keelboat competition in the Gulf of Mexico off Clearwater.

Cookouts, live bands and dancing will be on the patio Friday and Saturday nights with an hour of complimentary rum punch each night.

The Spinnaker and Non-Spinnaker boats race windward-leeward on one course north of Clearwater Pass and News & Views for Southern Sailors

the Racer-Cruisers, True Cruisers and Multihulls race various courses with reaching legs south of Clearwater Pass.

Each class (and any one-design fleet of five or more boats) will have a separate start.

For more information, and to register online, go to www.clwyc.org, or call (727) 447-6000.

Cocoa Invitational Match Race, Cocoa, FL, Nov. 7-9 Indian River Yacht Club and Brevard County Parks and Recreation are sponsoring another ISAF, internationallysanctioned sailboat event, the Cocoa Invitational Match Race. The event will be held at the Indian River Yacht club in Cocoa, FL. The Catalina 22 will be the match racing boat.

Prior to the Cocoa Invitational Match Race, a review of match racing rules and tactics will be conducted on Friday evening, Nov. 7, and Saturday morning, Nov. 8 by Bill Gladstone of North U. The racing will begin at noon on Saturday and continue through Sunday.

Contact Jerry Butz of IRYC for more details at (321) 6380090, or at Jerry@BoatersExchange.com.

9th Annual Sarasota Yacht Club Invitational Regatta, Nov. 8 This regatta will be a 12-mile pursuit race in the Gulf of Mexico west of Big Sarasota Pass. The SYC Invitational Regatta is open to all Spinnaker, Non-Spinnaker, Racer/Cruiser, True Cruiser, Pocket Cruiser and Multihull boats holding a current West Florida PHRF handicap rating.

Five or more boats may make a class. The random leg course rating will be utilized.

Registration, a pre-race party and skippers meeting will be held Thursday evening, Nov. 6. A Docktail party will be held Friday evening. Tickets are $25 purchased before Nov.6 and $35 at the door. A continental complimentary breakfast will be available Saturday morning, and racing will begin around 11 a.m. (see NOR). An after-race party with dinner and awards presentations will be held Saturday evening.

The NOR is available online at www.sarasotayacht club.org and online registration is available. For more information, call (941) 365-4191 or cindy.swan@verizon.net.

2nd Annual Decanter Challenger, Rat Island Yacht Club, Palatka, FL, Nov. 15 On Nov. 15, the Rat Island Yacht Club of Palatka, FL, will host the 2nd Annual Decanter Challenge, a 22-mile distance race that runs from the north side of Memorial Bridge to the Outback Crab Shack on Six Mile Creek. This is for monohulls only and boats of all sizes are welcome. There will be an awards party at the Outback Crab Shack after the race. Free overnight docking is available. Camping nearby is also available.

For more information, contact info@ratisland.com, tkight12@bellsouth.net, or call (386) 546-9290. www.ratis land.com.

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SOUTHERN RACING 2008 Melges 24 Davis Island Yacht Club Regatta Named as Replacement Event for King’s Day Regatta/Atlantic Coast Championship, Nov. 22-23 The 2008 Melges 24 Davis Island Yacht Club Regatta has officially been named as the replacement event for the King’s Day Regatta/Atlantic Coast Championship. The docks at the Florida Yacht Club in Jacksonville were damaged by a tropical storm recently and the event was moved. As many as 40-plus boats will compete. More information is available at the Melges 24 Web site at www.usmelges24.com. You can also find more at the Davis Island Yacht Club site at www.diyc.org.

Lipton Regatta Update— Postponed to Nov. 22-23

By Kim Kaminski It wasn’t enough that Hurricane Gustav messed up the Labor Day weekend plans for the Lipton Cup in Bay St. Louis, MS, but also, on the re-scheduled date two weeks later, Hurricane Ike forced another postponement and it is now set for Nov. 22-23. The regatta will now be held over a two-day period instead of the original three days.

A new schedule and amended NOR will also be posted.

For more information, go to www.bwyc.org/lipton_2008.htm.

7th Annual Kettle Cup Regatta, Lake Monroe Sailing Association, Sanford, FL, Dec. 5-7 Lake Monroe Sailing Association is hosting the 7th Annual Kettle Cup Regatta benefiting the Salvation Army. Racing will be Saturday and Sunday. Registration will be held Friday night and Saturday morning with the skippers meeting following registration. Regatta activities include a chili dinner, a raffle and silent auction, Sanford’s Christmas parade on Saturday evening and the awards ceremony after racing on Sunday. Boat ramps, trailer parking and accommodations are available. Proceeds from last year’s event enriched the holidays for 50 disadvantaged central Florida families. For more information, go to www.flalmsa.org or contact Andy Forrest at (407) 302-8041. All sailors are welcome.

RACE REPORTS

21st Annual Lost Bay Regatta, Point Yacht Club, Josephine, AL, Sept. 14

By Kim Kaminski

52nd Annual Wirth M. Munroe Fort Lauderdale to Palm Beach Race, Sailfish Club, Dec. 5 This year’s 52nd Annual Wirth M. Munroe Fort Lauderdale to Palm Beach Race and celebration is scheduled for Friday, December 5. The race will begin at the Lauderdale Yacht Club in Fort Lauderdale and finish just outside the Lake Worth inlet in Palm Beach. The Sailfish Offshore Challenge is scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 6, with short offshore buoy races outside the Lake Worth inlet. For more information or to enter, contact Samantha Dover at the Sailfish Club at samanthadover@sailfishclub.com, or (561) 844-0206.

Additional information can also be found at www.sailfishclub.com.

Jeff Hunt and his crew aboard Reach Around earned first place in the Spinnaker class, first place in the Spinnaker fleet and won the perpetual Paul Schreck Trophy at the 2008 Lost Bay Regatta.

Photo by Kim Kaminski.

On Sept. 13, Hurricane Ike hit the Galveston, TX, area. Prior to landfall, Ike churned up the waters of the Gulf, sending high storm surges and heavy winds as far away as 250 miles from the center of the system.

John Bozeman, fleet captain for the Point Yacht Club in Josephine, AL, not only had to deal with this storm but also had to deal with running his club’s largest regatta of the year. Arrangements were made months ahead of time. This event welcomes a large number of out-of-town skippers, boats and crews, and with Ike’s strong winds storm surge, travel, to say the least, was a challenge.

Everyone also had to deal with the high storm surge 54

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www.southwindsmagazine.com

that completely submerged various areas around the club, including boat docks, boat ramps, roads and even parts of the clubhouse as well.

The storm also postponed the race from Saturday to Sunday, since the winds were predicted to be more manageable on Sunday. The social schedule and parties remained the same, except the trophy party was changed to Sunday.

Forty-one boats competed in four Non-Spinnaker classes and one Spinnaker class, which sailed on a triangle course around Perdido Bay with the Spinnaker class having an additional windward/leeward leg. This course set-up created a 6.8-mile racecourse for the Non-Spinnaker class and a 10.2-mile racecourse for the Spinnaker class. Winds were steady and consistent at 11 to 15 knots initially out of the south, changing to the south-southwest throughout the rest of the day. Skies were sun-filled and the temperatures were mild, making for an ideal day following an intense weather week.

The Point Yacht Club offers two perpetual trophies; the Paul Schreck Trophy is awarded to the first-place boat in the Spinnaker fleet and was named to honor the long-time Perdido Bay resident who was a legendary sailor, sailmaker and friend to many in the Pirates Cove area. The second trophy is the Paul Mueller Trophy, which is awarded to the winner in the Non-Spinnaker fleet. Paul Mueller was the proprietor of the Pirates “Cove� Marina.

Jeff Hunt and crew aboard Reach Around received the Paul Schreck Trophy, and Phil Turner and crew aboard Horse With No Name received the Paul Mueller Trophy.

News & Views for Southern Sailors

RESULTS (TOP THREE): Spinnaker, 10.2 Miles (Class A):1, Reach Around, Jeff Hunt, PBYC, 1:14:44;2, Atlantic Union, Paul Gillette, PYC, 1:16:54;3, Dinah Mo Hum, Rick Zern, PYC, 1:17:29;Non-Spinnaker, 6.8 Miles(Class B):1, Caribbean Soul Too, Bob Kriegel, PYC, 0:50:40;2, Cannon Ball, Jo Hood, PtYC, 0:53:28;3, Shaman, Don Williams, PBYC, 0:53:46; (Class C):1, Unstable, Dianne Godwin, PBYC, 1:02:11;2, Bajan, Paul Sykes, PtYC, 1:08:32;3, SoulMate, Kathy Choate, PtYC, 1:09:54; (Class D):1, Gypsy Wind - Jack Ardrey, FYC, 0:51:39;2, Caddy Wampus, John Bozeman, PtYC, 0:57:23;3, Heather, Jim & Joanne Matthews, NYCP, 0:59:00; (Class E):1, Kokomo, Grant Brummett, Kokomo YC, 0:57:55;2, Windy City, Bob McDonald, PtYC, 1:03:38;3, Church Lady, John Bystrickey, 1:05:40; (Class F):1, Horse with No Name, Phil Turner, PtYC, 0:50:39; 2, New Day, Peter Grayson, MYC, 0: 53:41;3, Clewless, Brett Holk, PtYC, 0:56:23.

Porter Survives Drama in Melges 24 Nationals, Charleston Yacht Club, Charleston, SC, Sept. 18-21

By Dan Dickison Forty-four boats ultimately materialized in Charleston in mid September to compete in the 2008 OSASailing.com Melges 24 National Championships, and they arrived from all over the United States, along with three entries from the U.K. Just over half the fleet registered as professionals, meaning the competition was destined to be heated. After three days and a total of eight races that were contested in customarily strong currents and winds ranging from 5 to 28 knots, the competition came down to the final race.

Defending national champ Brian Porter of Winnetka, IL,

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SOUTHERN RACING

Scott Nixon sailing in the Melges 24 Nationals. Photo by Dan Dickison.

and his “factory” team (which included his brother John, Melges company president Harry Melges and vice president Andy Burdick) on board Full Throttle, managed to prevail by just one point, but their victory was anything but certain until the final beat of the final race.

Porter and company began the regatta in customary fashion, with scores of 2 and 1 in the first two races while northerly winds built throughout the day. But they faltered in Race 3 when a temporary malfunction in the cockpit put them in dead last just as the race started. This was probably the most demanding contest of the entire regatta, with a now-easterly wind pumping in the vicinity of 26 knots and a strong outgoing tide stirring up the seascape. Staring at every transom in the fleet is an extremely unfamiliar position for Full Throttle’s professional crew, so no competitor was surprised when this quartet worked its way back to salvage a 17th in that four-leg contest.

Though few observers were aware at the time, that comeback embodied Full Throttle’s theme for the regatta.

Despite winning Race 4 in very light air the following morning, Porter and his crew managed to stay under the radar for much of the regatta. Instead, Simon Strauss from New York and his crew on board Simplicity stepped into the limelight. Strauss’ team led in the overall standings at the end of the first and second days..

Going into the final day of racing, each of the nine top teams had a reasonable shot at winning overall honors, but not if Porter had anything to say about it. He and his Midwestern brethren seized control from the get-go. They grabbed a bullet in Race 7, which put them just one point out of first place behind overall leader Strauss. In the final race—a five-leg contest finishing upwind—a near match race ensued. Strauss, Larson, Simpson, and Porter led the charge upwind. Larson got around the top mark first, followed by Simpson and Stuart McNay on GBR-620. As the leaders neared the leeward gate, the wind subsided rapidly.

Larson managed to stretch his lead by choosing the favored right hand mark. Simpson followed in second with McNay third. But Strauss was right where he needed to be for the overall win, in fourth place, just ahead of Porter. When Strauss opted for the right-hand mark, Porter went left, and for the next two legs, the order stayed very much like that.

On the beat to the finish, Larson managed to maintain his lead over Simpson while Strauss, who was third around the bottom mark, looked certain to secure the overall win.

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He went left while Porter—just moments behind—went right. As fate would have it, the dice favored Porter and his team, and they crossed the line in third place to snag the overall victory. Strauss’ decision to go left was costly, and he slipped to sixth place, which meant he’d have to settle for third in the overall scoring.

The top 11 places at this regatta went to boats with pros on board, but Charlestonian Reggie Fairchild and his crew on Wireless put on an admirable performance to finish 12th overall. And his wasn’t the only local boat that fared well.

John Lucas and Marcus Durlach’s Spray and Steve Kopf’s Blurr/Pacific Energy Ventures also finished in the top 20. Not bad for local boys.

For full scores and additional information, log onto www.m24charleston.com.

2008 30th Annual Mermaid Regatta, Melbourne Yacht Club, Melbourne, FL, Sept. 27-28

By John Fox In 1978, Rachele Ross had the idea for an all-women’s regatta. At the time it was a hard sell convincing men to turn over their boats to the girls, but anyone who knows Rachele will tell you that she just doesn’t take NO for an answer. When Rachele was asked to plan and host a dinner at Melbourne Yacht Club, she agreed, under the condition that the men of the club run a race for women only — and that after the race they cook and serve the dinner and do the cleanup. They agreed! And so the MYC Mermaid Regatta was born! Thirty years later, Rachele is still running the Mermaid Regatta, and it’s still going strong. A not-to-miss party goes along with it.

On Saturday, 13 boats ranging from 22 to 37 feet, with 84 women as crew, came to sail in the PHRF Division that consisted of Spinnaker and Non-Spinnaker classes. While the rules allow one male observer to be aboard, some of the crews are past that including overall winner Mouse with Rochelle Yates at the helm.

The winds were light from the southwest to begin with and at times died completely, leaving the boats drifting motionlessly. That it took an hour and a half for some of the Non-Spinnaker boats to sail the 2.9-mile course says it all. For the two class winners, Rochelle Yates in Mouse and Pam Worth in J&R, patience paid off, and they led from start to finish.

Thankfully, the dinner and party were up to Rachele’s usual high standards with cuisine and entertainment supplied by the club’s male members. The club gave her a special honors ceremony, and it’s really fitting that last month Rachele won this year’s Walter Erban Memorial Award for all her hard work to promote sailing in Brevard County.

Nine women came back for Sunfish racing on Sunday in easterly winds that filled and died many times. The race committee shortened the course in two of the three races. In the first race, Cindy Taylor had a clear lead only to sit several minutes becalmed within five feet of the finish line. She could do nothing but watch as Mindy Stauley ghosted in on a puff to beat her. Mindy managed three firsts to win the day, but Cindy and Marlene Sassaman had a real neck-andneck horse race to finish tied on points. Cindy took second place on the tiebreaker. www.southwindsmagazine.com

RESULTS (FULL RESULTS AT WWW.SAIL-RACE.COM): Class A, Spinnaker: 1st, Mouse, Rochelle Yates; 2nd, Bad Penny, Cheryl Schmitz; 3rd Purr-fect, Amy Lacy: Class B, Non-Spinnaker: 1st, J&R, Pam Worth; 2nd, Sleighride, Rachele Ross; 3rd, Rocket Science, Bridget Cooper; Sunfish: 1st, Mindy Strauley; 2nd, Cindy Taylor; 3rd, Marlene Sassaman.

Bradenton YC Kick-Off Regatta Draws 62 Boats, Tampa Bay, Sept. 27-28

By Morgan Stinemetz With 62 boats competing in eight classes, the Bradenton Yacht Club’s annual rite of fall passage drew about what it ordinarily draws, so there were no big surprises in the turnout numbers. The regatta kicks off the racing year for the Tampa Bay and Sarasota Bay sailboat racing contingent, meaning that any skipper who is looking for Tampa Bay Boat of the Year or Sarasota Bay Boat of the Year honors had better show up for this one.

The class that has taken the biggest hit in entries over the past several years is the Non-Spinnaker class, as a number of non-spin boats have apparently shifted into the cruising classes, either True Cruising or Pocket Cruiser.

Racing took place on lower Tampa Bay, west of the Sunshine Skyway. The Multihull, Spinnaker, NonSpinnaker and Melges 24 classes raced windward/leeward courses both days, with two races on Saturday and one on

News & Views for Southern Sailors

Sunday. The Racer/Cruiser and Cruiser classes raced the same course both days, a 13.4-mile course.

There was slightly more wind on Saturday than Sunday. Saturday saw 10-12 with an easterly component.

Sunday had about the same wind direction, but as the morning wore on, the wind dropped out a bit for the cruising boats, with the surface of Tampa Bay starting to get an oily look for late finishers.

Jim Masson, who skippered a 1975 Ericson 35-2 to third in Cruiser A, said he pulled out a good start on Saturday’s race and finished third. He had a lot more company and some very dirty air when he started on Sunday, but managed another third, passing a C&C on the final reach to leave that boat’s skipper scratching his head and wondering how it all happened. Had Masson not passed the C&C, he would have finished 3-4, and the C&C would have finished 4-3 and bagged third place on the tiebreaker.

In the Multihull class, it was Evolution, a Corsair 28R skippered by Katharyn Garlick of Terra Ceia, FL, that showed the guys which way was up. She posted three bullets. Peter Wormwood’s Stiletto 27, Deuce Coupe, was second with three second-place finishes. Wormwood is from Palmetto, FL. Mike Speth of Sarasota had another Stiletto 27, Swim Mart, that had three thirds in a row.

Spinnaker A went to Wired, a Farr 395 SD, raced by Allen Thomas of Tampa. Wired won first on a tie-breaker with Mad Cow 2, a B-32, co-owned by David German and Ed Ruark of Tampa. Wired had a line score of 4-2-3. Mad Cow had a line score of 2-3-4. Third in class went to XS, a

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SOUTHERN RACING custom 41 owned by Doug Fisher of Sarasota. Fisher, who is generally in the hunt in every race he’s in, had a 7 in the first race and then 1-2, but that first race cost him.

Renegade, a Carrera 290, skippered by Jamie Myers of Tampa, took Spinnaker B with a line score of 2-1-1. Bob Armstrong’s J/92, Mischief, a Bradenton yacht, nailed second with a line score of 1-3-4, taking the tiebreaker away from third-place finisher Celebration, Michael Kayusa’s Olson 29 from Fort Myers. Celebration finished with 4-2-2.

In the 10-boat Non-Spin class, first went to Doug Dearden’s Impulse 26, In Tune. The boat is from Sarasota.

Dearden had three straight bullets. See Ya, a Capri 30 from Inverness, FL and skippered by Steve Grote, took second with a line score of 2-2-4. Greg Knighton’s Tartan 37-2, Weather Girl, took third in class with finishes of 3-7-2.

Knighton is from Bradenton.

The following three classes sailed one race each day.

Racer/Cruiser was won by Wing-It, Michael Doyle’s Irwin 39. Doyle sails out of Tampa and had a line score of 21. Second went to Relativity, a Beneteau 53 First owned by Hall Palmer of St. Petersburg. The line score was 1-3.

Richard Gress of Sarasota brought home his O’Day 40, Mother Ocean, in third. Line score was 3-4.

Tops in Cruiser A was the largest boat in the class, Seraphim, a Mason 53 owned by Tom Rose of Palmetto.

Seraphim had two firsts. Cool Change, a Tartan 37 belonging to Martin Zonnenburg of Tampa, was second with identical second-place finishes. The Ericson 35-2, Calypso, mentioned earlier, had two thirds.

In the Cruiser B class, Solitude, a Hunter 30 belonging to David Wilson of Bradenton, won the class with a 2-1 score.

The win on Sunday gave Solitude the tiebreaker over Antea, a Yankee 30 MKII, skippered by Stan Svoboda of Tampa, which had a 1-2. Third in class went to Forever Young, a Catalina 350 skippered by Ron Greenberg of Sarasota.

Complete results for the remaining class in the regatta, the Melges 24 one-design class, were not available at press time.

proved challenging as the fleet went through several recalls and postponements prior to getting off on a good start.

Steve Stewart and Gus Wirth, San Diego, led Brian Bissel and David Hughes at the first mark. Steve and Gus held onto first with the positions behind them changing constantly in the oscillating breeze. Augie and Morgan clawed back through the fleet along with Chris and Antoinette Klotz from St. Pete. By the end, Augie nipped Steve and Gus, followed by the Klotzes and then Hal and Clayton.

The first race proved staying in the pressure and searching for the next shift were imperative. The second race was similar to the first. This time Ernesto Rodriguez and new super crew, Lisa, led from start to finish. Lee Griffith and Andrea Nilsen followed around in second.

Convergence was the word at the leeward mark as the places 2-12 came together in a bunch. Up the second beat Doug and Melanie Broeker, and Hal and Clayton broke out from the pack to round the weather mark second and third.

Ernesto and Lisa held on up the last beat to win. Brian Bissel and David Hughes went up the left side and squeezed ahead of Hal and Clayton for second. Augie and Morgan sailed steadily throughout the race moving from eighth to fourth, just edging out Doug and Melanie.

Sunday dawned sunny, warm, and clear.

Unfortunately, there was not a breath of air. After waiting the RC cancelled further racing. Despite limited sailing the sailors enjoyed a great weekend in Jacksonville. The U.S. Worlds team is now set for the Worlds in San Diego in 2009.

FYC will host its annual St. Johns Tea Party next spring.

2008 Snipe U.S. Team World Championship Qualifier, Florida Yacht Club, Jacksonville, FL, Sept. 27-28

By Steve Romaine

By Hal Gilreath Augie Diaz and Morgan Commette captured the World Championship Qualifier over local sailor Hal Gilreath and Clayton Dixon. Doug and Melanie Broeker of Miami finished up in third. Augie was prequalified for the Worlds, so Hal and Doug clinched the two remaining spots on the U.S. team.

A high-quality fleet came to Jacksonville over a beautiful weekend to contest the Worlds Team Qualifier. The 2009 Worlds are scheduled for San Diego, and as such the competition for these spots has been very high. The fleet of World, Western Hemisphere, National and North American Champions, along with numerous former and current AllAmericans, Olympians and Pan Game representatives battled it out on the St. Johns River.

After a delay on shore, the fleet went out on the St. Johns to sail in strong current and light winds. These conditions 58

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RESULTS, TOP 10 (PLACE, SKIPPER, CREW, HOME, TOTAL POINTS): 1, Augie Diaz, Morgan Commette, Miami, 4.75; 2, Hal Gilreath, Clayton Dixon, Jacksonville, 7; 3, Doug Broeker, Melanie, Miami, 10; 4, Chris Klotz, Antoinette, St. Pete, 13; 5, Brian Bissel, David Hughes, Newport Beach, 14; 6, Peter Commette, Megan Place, Ft Lauderdale, 14; 7, Steve Stewart, Gus Wirth, San Diego, 18; 8, Eric Reinke, Merrill Varn, Annapolis, 22; 9, Lee Griffith, Andrea Nilson, Surf City, 23.

43rd Summerset Regatta, Fort Myers Beach, FL, Oct. 4-5 Due to tropical storms, the 43rd Summerset Regatta in Fort Myers Beach, usually held on Labor Day weekend, was twice postponed. Finally, on October 4-5, the regatta was held with 33 sailboats racing. The event is sponsored by the Caloosahatchee Marching and Chowder Society (CMCS) and is the premiere sailboat racing event in southwest Florida each year..

Boats raced in five classes in the Gulf off Fort Myers Beach. There was buoy racing on the first day under gray skies and strong winds. Spinnaker boats got in three races under good winds. The after-race party was held at Bonita Bill’s dockside restaurant. Buoy racing this year was sponsored by Porsche of Naples.

The second day of racing was a distance race of 14.3 nautical miles, sponsored by West Marine. This race, held under good winds, headed south along the coast from Fort Myers Beach pier, rounded a buoy and returned north to the finish.

Racers in this year’s Summerset Regatta earned points in three different regional Boat of the Year competitions.

This is also the first year of the Caloosahatchee Boat of the Year challenge. www.southwindsmagazine.com

Robert Libby took first in the Multihull class on his Corsair F27, Anhinga, followed by Paul Perisho on Aquila, a Corsair 24 MKII. Ned Christensen took third on his TRT 1200, Passion III. In Spinnaker A, it was a first for Forrest Banks in Midnite Rider, a Tartan 4100, who came from behind after taking fifth in race two and winning the other three races.

Second went to Tom Gore on Judy, a Henderson 30, and third was Joel Andrews on Macushla, a Beneteau 10.

In first place in Spinnaker B was Art Monahan’s Sun Runner, a Morgan 27. He was followed by Jason Richards’ TBone, a S2 7.9. Third went to Mark Beaufvois on Winward, a Cape Dory 22. Winward won the coastal race in the division, despite being the highest rated boat and also the smallest.

In Non-Spinnaker A, first was Steve Romaine on Air Supply, a Jeanneau 35. Second was Paul McDill on Essence, a Pearson 35, and third went to Kim Brown on a C&C 35, Trust Me!!

Don Prohaska took first in Non-Spinnaker B on Sand Dollar, a C&C 27. Second went to Tom Sayers on Enterprise, an O’Day 30, and third went to Tom Homer on his Endeavour 32, Bentley.

In the Cruising A class, it was Rex Good in first on Jabu, a Sabre 40. Bob Duff on Chase the Clouds, a Catalina 42, took second. Third went to Diane Fowler on Windy City, a Catalina 36.

Gerald Pim took first in Cruising B on Gopher Baroque, a Pearson 35. Roger Horton was second in the class on Wicked Wicked Ways, a Seward 31. Third went to Mel Rudd on Sea Puppy, a Hunter 34.

An awards ceremony was held on Oct. 10 at the Terrace Hall in Cape Coral. Although last year’s regatta raised over $4700 to give to youth sailing organizations in the area, this year’s event, because of the postponements, had a smaller participation, but Regatta Chairman Forest Banks said that a large cash contribution will still be able to be made.

For complete results, go to www.cmcs-sail.org.

Top competitors at GYA 10th Annual Multihull Championships, Pensacola Beach Yacht Club, Oct. 4-5

By Julie B. Connerley When you combine a former Worrell 1,000 champion, a Hobie 14 World’s champion, a Nacra national champion and add a few Corsair national champions in for good measure, you know some serious racing will be taking place. Assistance was provided by Key Sailing, owned by Kirk Newkirk, on the shores of Santa Rosa Sound where the five-race series was held.

The regatta was also the inaugural Discover Pensacola Bay Sailing Festival title event for Celebrate Pensacola, an organization commemorating the 450th anniversary of the founding of Pensacola – by Don Tristan de Luna who first sailed into what is now known as Pensacola Bay in 1559.

Twenty-three boats competed for first through third honors in one of three classes plus one of three individual perpetual trophies. And they could compete for the Lewis B. Pollak Perpetual Trophy, which is awarded annually to the club whose team attains the best competitive score.

News & Views for Southern Sailors

Bob Curry, Fort Walton YC, Kirk Newkirk, Pensacola Beach YC, and Don Wigston, Fort Walton YC, display the perpetual trophies they won. Photo by Julie Connerley.

Classes were divided into Class A, Portsmouth under 64, Class B, Portsmouth over 64.1, and Class C, PHRF. Saturday’s schedule planned for three races. It took over an hour and a half for the last boat to finish the first race. The sea breeze never materialized, and after race two, PRO Goodall wisely abandoned the third race.

Sunday’s weather provided ideal multihull conditions and three races were completed in under three hours.

Kirk Newkirk, sailing his Nacra 20, won the J. R. Lundquist Perpetual Trophy for the skipper with the fastest elapsed times for all races. Kirk recalled that it wasn’t all smooth sailing. “I won the first race. But by the time the second race started, the winds got shifty and I found myself at the back of the pack. I managed to climb back up in the fleet and finished sixth.”

By Sunday, he had his head back in the game and finished the series with a first, then two more second-place finishes, to end up with a score of 12 for first in Portsmouth under 64 and the Lundquist Trophy. Newkirk sailed for PBYC. Bob Curry, of Fort Walton Yacht Club, blew his competition away in the Portsmouth over 64 class, taking first and the Jim Tucker Perpetual Trophy in the Portsmouth Fleet.

Curry is also a member of the US SAILING Portsmouth rating committee and a well-respected member of the multihull sailing community.

In 2006, Olympic sailor Randy Smyth donated a trophy, the Smyth Sails Perpetual Trophy, to be awarded “to the winning skipper in the PHRF class.” Competition was a dueling tack-for-tack two-man tiebreaker for this trophy.

Sailing his Corsair Sprint 750, was Don Wigston, Fort Walton Yacht Club, and a former Corsair national champion. Bert Rice, former Nacra national champion, was sailing for Pensacola Yacht Club aboard his Corsair 24. After four races, Rice was in the lead with 7 points, Wigston trailing by one point. By the final race, their scores were tied with 9 points each.

According to the racing rules, the skipper who had the most first-place wins broke the tie. Wigston won the final race and won the Smyth Perpetual Trophy.

Rice placed second in the final race and in PHRF class.

“It came down to just seconds between winning the Smyth trophy,” Rice said later. “Where could I have made up those seconds?” he smiled.

The Pollak Perpetual Trophy went to Fort Walton Yacht Club’s team of Curry (Hobie 14 World’s champion), Wigston, and Brian Lambert (Worrell 1,000 winner), a tough SOUTHWINDS

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SOUTHERN RACING team to beat by any standards!

However, there are always up-and-coming sailors who are the future champions, and we may have just had an opportunity to meet one of them after the awards ceremony Sunday afternoon.

Thirteen-year-old Taylor Reiss aboard an F-18 was quite noticeable on the racecourse. His surfer-style towhead was one thing, but his size was something else. Definitely head and shoulders below the rest of the competitors, he scrambled around the boat as if he was born on it. Saturday’s light air was an advantage for the lightweight. But Sunday he was right back out there, handling everything capably.

Little did I know that his crewmember was just 15 years old himself! Matthew Whitehead was skipper on the Reiss boat. Taylor’s dad, George, well, he was “transportation coordinator” since somebody had to get the boat to Pensacola Beach from Panama City. The Reiss family belongs to St. Andrews Bay Yacht Club.

Ask Taylor about his sailing experience and (thanks to his dad) he will tell you, “I learned how to walk on a heeling boat.” Seriously though, he has been racing two to three years now, but this was his first multihull championship.

These remarkable young men placed fourth overall in Portsmouth under 64, missing third by just 3.5 points!

Matthew, Taylor and George will be back for the F-18 North American Championships October 13-17 (again at PBYC and Key Sailing).

Go to www.gulfsailing.com for photos and more about the GYA Multihull Championship.

RESULTS: Portsmouth under 64 Class A: 1, Kirk Newkirk; 2, John Macdonald; 3, Charles Harp: Portsmouth over 64.1 Class B: 1, Bob Curry; 2, Kevin Smith; 3, Stuart McMillian: PHRF Class C: 1, Don Wigston; 2, Bert Rice; 3, Bob Hodges.

REGIONAL RACING CALENDARS Regattas and Club Racing— Open to Everyone Wanting to Race For the races listed here, no individual club membership is required, although a regional PHRF rating, or membership in US SAILING or other sailing association is often required.

To list an event, contact to editor@southwindsmag azine.com. Send in the name of the event, date, location, contact info, possibly a short description. Do not just send a link to this information.

Since race schedules and venues change, contact the sponsoring organization to confirm.

NOVEMBER Charleston Ocean Racing Association. www.charlestonoceanracing.org Local races 9/13 and 9/27, every other Saturday.

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Charleston YC Big Boat Regatta.

Turkey Regatta

Neuse Yacht Racing Association www.nyra.org See Web site for local club races 8 Winter Race #2 22 Turkey Trot. NC Championship.

Lake Lanier. Lake Lanier Sailing Club (LLSC) www.llsc.com See Web site for weekly local club races 1-2 Miss Piggy. Regatta. One-design. J/22, J/24, Soverel. LLSC 2 Bill Sears #3. SSC. 9 Fall #3. SARC. South Atlantic Yacht Racing Assoc. www.sayra-sailing.com 1-2 Bloody Mary Regatta. Thistles WCSC. 1-2 Fall 48. Flying Scots. LNYC 1-2 No More Turkey. Lasers. AYC. 1-2 Miss Piggy. Regatta. One-design. J/22, J/24, Soverel. LLSC 8-9 Carolina Keelboat. Open. LNYC 9,16,23,30 Frost Snipe Series. Laser. AYC www.longbaysailing.com See Web site for local club races DECEMBER Charleston Ocean Racing Association. www.charlestonoceanracing.org See Web site for local club races Neuse Yacht Racing Association www.nyra.org Check Web site for club races.

6,20 Winter Race #3, #4 Lake Lanier. Lake Lanier Sailing Club (LLSC) www.llsc.com See Web site for local club races 13 Fall race #4. LLSC hosts.

South Atlantic Yacht Racing Assoc. www.sayra-sailing.com www.longbaysailing.com See Web site for local club races

NOVEMBER 1 Women on Water Regatta. Rudder Club 1 Turkey Trot Regatta. Halifax SA 2 Commodore Cup Race #11. Halifax River YC 2 Fall Race #6. Indian River YC 2 Small Boat Sunday. Melbourne YC 1-2 3rd Annual Florida Inland Lake Championship Regatta.

Lake Eustis Sailing Club 8 King’s Day Regatta. Effingham Forest YC 8-9 Cocoa Invitational Match Race. Indian River YC 8-9 Long Distance Regatta. Port Canaveral YC 9 Big Boy’s Race. Halifax SA. 9,23 Winter Rum Race #1, #2. Melbourne YC 9 Fall Race #5. Titusville Sailing Center 15 2nd Annual Decanter Challenge. Rat Island YC. 15 Fall Series #4. Rudder Club 15-16 15th Annual MC Scot & Melges 17 Southeast Regional Championship Regatta. Lake Eustis SC 15 Treasure Coast Laser Series. Sebastian Inlet State Park www.southwindsmagazine.com

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Women’s Fall Race #5. East Coast SA –Women’s Fall River Race. North Florida Cruising Club Fall Series #4. East Coast SA – Racing Race of Champions. Indian River YC Fall Make Up Date, optional. Titusville Sailing Center Sunfish Fleet 669 No Frills Regatta. Melbourne YC

DECEMBER 6 Single-Handed Race. East Coast SA – Racing 7,21 Winter Rum Race #3,4. Melbourne YC 7 Big Boy’s Race. Halifax SA 6-7 Club Races. Lake Eustis SA 6-7 Gator Bowl Regatta. Rudder Club 13-14 Catalina 22 Florida State Championships. Indian River YC 13 Grand Canal Parade East Coast SA 13 Cruise to Grand Canal Parade. East Coast SA –Cruising 13 Single Handed Regatta. Bull Bay Cruising Club 14 Women’s Fall Race #6. East Coast SA –Women’s 14,28 Small Boat Sunday. Melbourne YC 20 Double-Handed Race. East Coast SA –Racing 20-21 Club Races. Lake Eustis SA JANUARY 2009 1 Blessing of the Fleet & Fun Run. Titusville Sailing Center 1 Small Boat Hangover Regatta. Melbourne YC 3-4 Club Races. Lake Eustis Sailing Association

Key West Sailing Club. Every Saturday – Open House at the Key West Sailing Club. 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. (305) 292-5993. www.keywestsailingclub.org. Sailboat Lane off Palm Avenue in Key West. Come by the club to sail. Non-members and members welcome. Wednesday night racing has begun for the summer season. Skippers meet at the clubhouse by 5:00 p.m. and boats start racing at 6:00 p.m. in the seaplane basin near the mooring field. Dinner and drinks afterward.

Upper Keys Sailing Club (UKSC). www.upperkeyssailingclub.com. Go to the Web site for regular club racing open to all.

NOVEMBER 1-2 MSYSP Fall Championship. Bayside 8-9 Dockmaster’s Regatta. Bayside. Portsmouth Sat., PHRF Sun. 15 LUKI Regatta. Bayside 22 Fall Series #3. Portsmouth. Bayside DECEMBER 6-7 Key Largo Regatta. Melges 24. Oceanside 21 Flail and Sail. PHRF. Bayside 27 St. Nick’s All Comers. Bayside.

Biscayne Bay Yacht Racing Association. www.bbyra.net Go the Web site for local club races BBYC Biscayne Bay YC BBYRA Biscayne Bay Yacht Racing Association. www.bbyra.net CGSC Coconut Grove Sailing Club. www.cgsc.org CRYC Coral Reef YC. www.coralreefyachtclub.org.

KBYC Key Biscayne YC. www.kbyc.org.

MYC Miami YC. www.miamiyachtclub.net.

NOVEMBER 1 CRYC Annual Regatta. BBYRA PHRF #11 2 CRYC Annual Regatta. BBYRA OD #11 8 J/24 Biscayne Bay Series. Flat Earth Racing 8-9 Star Schoonmaker Cup. CRYC 15-16 PHRF SEF PHRF Championship 22 KBYC 42nd Round the Island Race DECEMBER 5 Wirth Monroe Palm Beach Race. www.sailfishclub.com 6-7 Star Commodore Cup. CRYC 6 BBYRA OD. BBYC 7 BBYRA PHRF KBYC 13-14 Etchells Piana Cup. BBYC 20 J/24 Biscayne Bay Series. Flat Earth Racing 26-30 Orange Bowl Regatta. CGSC. CRYC.

SOUTHWINDS Annual Online West Florida Race Calendar Posted Sept. 1 SOUTHWINDS magazine posts the annual race schedule/calendar (9/1/08 — 8/31/09) on its Web site for all racing in the central west Florida area from just north of Tampa Bay south to Marco Island. The calendar includes all scheduled races of the West Florida PHRF organization (www.westfloridaphrf.org), plus club races in the area and any others that boaters in the area would like to post. The Boat of the Year races are listed for all the areas of the West Florida PHRF organization.

The race calendar can be accessed through the racing pages link at www.southwindsmagazine.com. It is also the race calendar link at the West Florida PHRF organization (www.westfloridaphrf.org) and many other sailing associations and yacht clubs in the area.

Contact editor@southwindsmagazine.com to list your race, make corrections, or changes. Sorry, but we cannot list every single weekly club race.

Club Racing Boca Ciega YC. Gulfport. Third Sunday each month. 10:00 am, PHRF racing. (727) 321-7295 or www.sailbcyc.org. One-design, dinghy racing every Wednesday at 5:30 pm. May through September. (727) 458-7274.

Bradenton YC. Races April through October. Thursday evenings.

Races at 6:30 p.m. PHRF racing on Manatee River. For info, call Susan Tibbits at (941) 723-6560.

Clearwater Community Sailing Center. The center holds regular

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SOUTHERN RACING weekend club races. For dates and more information, go to www.clearwatercommunitysailing.org.

Dunedin Boat Club. Monthly club racing. For more information, contact saraherb@aol.com.

Edison Sailing Center, Fort Myers. Sunfish and dinghy racing once a month, year-round john@johnkremski.com Port Charlotte. Third Saturday of month, year-round. pbgvtrax@aol.com.

Punta Gorda Sailing Club. Charlotte Harbor. Fall Series Sunday afternoon racing begins Sept. 9 through Nov. 18. www.pgscweb.com.

Sarasota Sailing Squadron. Friday evening races start in April. www.sarasotasailingsquad.com.

Venice Sailing Squadron. Saturdays. First Saturday of each month, PHRF racing. Start at mouth of Venice Inlet. www.venice-sailing-squadron.org BOAT OF THE YEAR RACES (BOTY) — LEGEND Below are areas from Tampa Bay going south to greater Fort Myers area (Southwest Florida). For a list of the BOTY races for each area, go to the West Florida online race calendar at www.southwindsmagazine.com/westfloridaracecalendar.html.

Suncoast Boat of the Year Races (SuncoastBOTY) This is the Tampa Bay Area.

Sarasota Bay Boat of the Year Races (SBBOTY) Sarasota Bay Motley Fleet Boat of the Year Races (MBOTY) Charlotte Harbor Boat of the Year Races (CHBOTY) Southwest Florida Boat of the Year Races (SWFBOTY) Ft. Myers/Marco Island area Caloosahatchee Boat of the Year Races (CBOTY) Ft. Myers/Cape Coral area NOVEMBER 1-2 Lake Eustis Sailing Club. Florida Inland Lake Junior Championship 1-2 Clearwater YC. Clearwater Challenge, PHRF. (SuncoastBOTY-S,NS,RC,C) 1-2 Sarasota Sailing Squadron. Flying Scot Team Race 1-2 Naples Sailing & YC. Commodore’s Cup. PHRF 8 Caloosahatchee Marching & Chowder Society Turkey Cup 8 St. Pete Sailing Assoc. Commodore’s Cup, PHRF 8 Sarasota YC. Invitational, PHRF (SBBOTY) 8-9 Sarasota Sailing Squadron. Flying Scot Regatta 8-9 St. Petersburg YC & Sailing Center. High School District Sloop Champs TBD Naples Community Sailing Center. Kid’s Regatta & Lasers 14-16 St. Petersburg YC. America’s Disabled Sailors Regatta 15-16 Lake Eustis Sailing Club. MC Scow SE & M-17 Championship 15-16 Clearwater Community SC. Carlisle Classic, Cats, Dinghies, Portsmouth 15-16 Marco Island YC. Fall Regatta, PHRF (SWFBOTY) 16 Sarasota Sailing Squadron. Motley Fleet Race. (MBOTY) 21-23 St. Petersburg YC, Sailing Center. College Sloop Championship 22 Sarasota Sailing Squadron. Drumstick Regatta & Laser Regatta 28 Davis Island YC. Old Shoe, PHRF 29-30 Davis Island YC. Thanksgiving Regatta, All classes, Windmill Southerns DECEMBER 4-7 St. Pete Boat Show & Strictly Sail St. Pete. www.showmanagement.com.

6 Caloosahatchee Marching & Chowder Society Commodore’s Cup. (CBOTY) 6-7 Punta Gorda SC. Fall Regatta. (CHBOTY) 6-7 St. Petersburg YC, Green Bench J/24 Regatta 6-7 Edison Sailing Center. Sunfish Challenge Cup Regatta 6-7 Lake Monroe Sailing Assoc. Kettle Cup Regatta, PHRF 62

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St. Pete Sailing Assoc. PHRF Sarasota Sailing Squadron. Commodores Cup, PHRF Davis Island YC. Melges 24 Training Sessions Sarasota Sailing Squadron. Motley Fleet Race. (MBOTY) Davis Island YC. Winter Couples Race, PHRF

For northern Gulf coast race calendars and more information, go the Gulf Yachting Association Web site, at www.gya.org.

PLEASE note the dates listed for various events may have been re-scheduled or changed due to damages from Tropical Storm Fay and Hurricanes Gustav and Ike. Check the yacht club or event websites for any updates or cancellations.

LEGEND BWYC Bay Waveland YC, Bay St. Louis, MS FYC Fairhope YC, Fairhope, AL JYC Jackson Yacht Club, Jackson, MS LPRC Lake Pontchartrain Racing Circuit, New Orleans, LA NOYC New Orleans YC, LA PelYC Pelican Yacht Club, New Roads, LA (Baton Rouge) PYC Pensacola YC, FL PBYC Pensacola Beach YC, FL SYC Southern YC, New Orleans, LA SABYC St. Andrews Bay YC, Panama City FL TYC Lake Tammany YC, New Orleans, LA NOVEMBER 1 Single-Handed Regatta. FYC 1-2 US Sailing Area D South Eliminations (multihull). PBYC 1-2 Southern Soiland Cup. SYC 1-2 LPRC. SYC/NOYC/TYC/PontYC 8 Double-Handed Regatta. FYC 8 Great Oaks Regatta (youth). SYC 8-9 Individual Flying Scot. PYC 8-9 Jubilee Regatta (one design). PYC 8-9 Southern Soiland Team Racing. SYC 15 Cruising Couples #2 & Double-Handed Regatta. PYC 15-16 Shearwater Regatta (one design). OSYC 15-16 Mississippi State Opti Championships. BWYC 22 FSSA Cajun Country Championship. PelYC 23 Turkey Regatta. JYC 28-30 Opti Midwinters. SYC 29-30 Lagniappe Regatta. SYC / NOYC DECEMBER 6 GMAC Regatta, FYC 6 PHRF #6, SABYC 7 2009 Frosty Nipple #3, FWYC 7 Sugar Bowl Regatta, SYC 13 Santa Claus Regatta, PYC 27 Race of Champions, SYC 27 Sugar Bowl Board Boats, SYC

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CLASSIFIED ADS Ads Starting at 3 Months for $25 Place your Photo in Color for $5 a month.

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BOATS WANTED

_________________________________________ Sunfish and Sunfish Rigs Wanted. TSS Youth Sailing, Inc., Tampa Youth Sailing, an organization to which donations are tax deductible, is in great need of sailing rigs for Sunfish sailboats. If you have a Sunfish rig (mast, sail and spars.) which you are not using, please consider a gift to us. Go to www.tssyouthsailing.org and click on Contact Us.

BOATS & DINGHIES

_________________________________________ Catalina 16.5 Sailboat, 2006. Trailer, 3.5 hp motor, boat/sail covers, cockpit cushions & much more. Used one season. $8,500.

Galveston, TX (713) 805-3649. (11/08)

$50 – 3 mo. Ad & Photo 941-795-8704 News & Views for Southern Sailors

Chris White Discovery 20 trimaran. Rare opportunity, launched 1987, Lombardi Multihulls, refurbished 2004 by John Lombardi. 16+ knots, she’ll do 20+. Good condition. New Sunrise tramps, bottom repainted 2007. LOA: 20’, BOA 15’3”, (8’6” folded), Draft 11”/3’6” rotating aluminum mast, new Schaefer furler drum, original main, jib (both usable), symmetric spinnaker (good condition), demountable. Includes trailer, 4 cycle Honda 2 HP, anchor, closed-cell cockpit cushions. Eustis, FL. $22,500. Arlen (352) 357-6322. arlen211@yahoo.com.

(1/09a)

21’ Custom C/B sloop. Excellent sailing vessel in nice condition. Draft 8” w/board up, 3’ 6” w/board down. Lead bulb on C/B. Galvanized trailer, boat cover. Call for more pictures. $999. Jim in Daytona (386) 871-3494.

(12/08)

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1975 Catalina 22. Ready To Sail. Retrofit Summer (2006). Too Much New To list; email for brochure hytedin@hotmail.com, Trailer, NEW Tohatsu 6hp. Jacksonville, FL. (850) 443-7451. $3500 FIRM. (1/09)

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CLASSIFIED ADS

1976 Cape Dory 25. 2005 Tohatsu 6 hp 4stroke. New batteries, porta-potty, halyards.

Roller furling. Newer sails. Good condition, ready to sail. Needs some TLC. $3,500 OBO. Must sell. In Sarasota (941) 345-2617.

(12/08a)

28’ Telstar Trimaran, 2007. Nearly new. Her owners have ordered a larger vessel. She is seriously for sale, very realistically priced. If you are looking for speed, performance, and simplicity, all in a trailerable 28-footer. call us today! $79,000, Call Rick @ 727-422-8229, Edwards Yacht Sales, Quality Listings, Professional Brokers, www.CatamaransInFlorida.com

1972 Columbia 30. 30hp Yanmar replaced in ’04. William Tripp design, sails good condition, AP tiller, GPS, AM,FM CD stereo, shoal draft. Many upgrades both interior and exterior. A must see! Great weekend cruiser or club racer sails well below the rating. $11,900 Tampa, FL call Rick@ 727-459-6525 or lintonr1@verizon.net. (12/08a)

WHARRAM TIKI 30 CATAMARAN FOR SALE Cape Dory 25-D. 1982. Classic Carl Alberg design with full keel and attached rudder.

Large cockpit with ample interior. Cape Dory’s sea-kind capabilities are well known and these vessels are sailing all oceans. St. Pete Municipal Marina slip transferable thru October. Reduced to $18,500. Stew (727) 415-0350, (727) 5600901. www.sciyachtsalesinternational.com

Lindenberg 28. 1983. Five speed. Proven winner. Extensive racing inventory. Ready to race now. Major upgrades and new bottom March 2006. Yours for $16,550. Contact Gary Smith (321) 674-0886. e-mail Fivespeed05@cfl.rr.com. (1/09a)

1998 MacGregor 26X, 50 HP Honda 4-stroke OB. Unique water ballast system. Less than 1 foot draft when board is up. 7’ 10” beam and comes with a trailer. Enclosed head, aft sleeping cabin, galley, and dinette. CDI roller furling jib. VHF radio. Stereo with cockpit speakers.

Wheel steering, cockpit cushions and more. $13,500. Cortez Yacht Sales (941) 792-9100.

28’ Pearson Sloop, 1986, One of the few boats in this size range with a fully-enclosed aft stateroom. Equipped with wheel steering, 18 HP Yanmar diesel, autohelm, hot & cold pressure water, roller furling genoa, new Bimini in ‘08. Rigged to single-hand. READY TO CRUISE! $27,500, Call Rick @ 727-4228229, Edwards Yacht Sales, www.SailboatsInFlorida.com

Catalina 27 1979, Tiller, Std Rig, Elec Start 9.9 Mercury O/B, 50% roller furling jib.

Runs great, sails great. $5000. Very motivated, Located Palmetto, FL. Contact Jim (941) 812-9437 or jachmo@hotmail.com. (11/08)

28’ Corsair F-28R Trimaran ‘97. ‘07 Carbon sails, ‘07 - 9.8 OB, overhauled trailer. Turn-key condition. $71,000. Palmetto, FL. Write for particulars to TrimaranFast@aol.com. (941) 538-8540. (11/08a)

Brand New — Professionally Built Go to www.tiki30.blogspot.com to view an on-line journal documenting the step-bystep building of this boat. Built by Boatsmith, Inc., Jupiter, FL www.boatsmithFL.com. (561)744-0855

1987 Catalina 30 with Universal diesel, Harken RF, lazy jacks, Bruce and Danforth, Lemar STs, Bimini, Data Marine instruments, Grill, GPS, VHF, Stereo, TV, front door refrig, alcohol stove, swim ladder, marine air and more. A great boat at a fantastic offer. $21,000. www.Cortezyachts.com. (941) 792-9100

31’ Southern Cross, 1985, New Yanmar, Cutter rigged, Blue water cruiser. Staylocs, Loaded! $37,900, Call Roy S. @ 305-775-8907, Edwards Yacht Sales, Quality Listings, Professional Brokers, www.SailboatsInFlorida.com

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CLASSIFIED ADS

32’ Watkins 1983 Ideal for cruising or liveaboard, well maintained. Hybrid refrigeration, 27HP Yanmar, A/C, autopilots, GPS, High output alternator. Pictures and list of equipment: www.kollmann-marine.com/Loreli.htm or call (954) 583-7215. (11/08a)

Beneteau 331, 2002, 27 hp Yanmar, perfect mid-size cruiser, exc. condition, new sails, cruising chute, Pro-Furl, 5’5” draft, fully equipped, 2 anchors, windlass, Garmin chartplotter, autopilot, VHF, stereo, $81,000. (954) 303-5310. jadams222@aol.com. (12/08)

35’ Catalina 350, 2003, This 350 shows like new and is loaded with electronics, A/C, upgraded refrigeration, a four-function tender, and much more! The owners have purchased a bigger boat and would like to see you sail away in this one! $139,000, Call Tom @ 904-377-9446, Edwards Yacht Sales, www.SailboatsInFlorida.com

1980 O’DAY 37’ Center Cockpit. New to market with Universal 37 HP diesel, 10/07 barrier coat bottom, Awlgrip mast & boom, rebuilt transmission, A/P, VHF depth, Wind gen, bimini, BBQ, roller furling. $28,500 (305)731-7464 (888)840-7937 www.gcyachts.com.

1995 Hunter 35.5 loaded, Yanmar diesel, low hrs, Roller Furling 150% and 130, 2 mains, Dutchman, two GPSs, SSB radio, VHF, Auto Pilot, solar, like new dodger, Bimini, dinghy w/OB and crane, boom vang, new running rigging, manual windlass, full galley, head w/shower, Marine air. Must see. Asking $65,000. www.cortezyachts.com. (941) 792-9100.

37’ Island Packet, 2007, Yanmar 54 hp. Very clean, shows like new. Color Chartplotter, radar and Auto. Bow Thruster, Full Canvas, Like New. Priced below ’05 boats. This is a steal, call today! $338,500, Call Leo @ (941) 504-6754, Edwards Yacht Sales, www.SailboatsInFlorida.com

2004 Catalina 34 MK II, loaded and ready.

This boat is equipped for the discriminating sailor for pure pleasure or the competitor for pure enjoyment. Everything you need in a boat. Two complete sets of sails, one to cruise, another to race. Everything is like new. $127,500. www.Cortezyachts.com for listing or call (941) 792-9100.

1985 BABA 35 - full keel Blue Water cruiser.

Lots of gear with manuals and records. VHF, SSB, GPS, windlass, wind gen, life raft and more. Needs some exterior teak work and some blisters. On the hard for your inspection. A fantastic offer @ $59,000. Call Cortez Yacht Sales (941) 792-9100 or visit www.cortezyachts.com

ADVERTISE YOUR BOAT STARTING AT $25 FOR 3 MO News & Views for Southern Sailors

Jeanneau 37. 1978. Very fast center cockpit cruiser/racer. Lots of room below. Excellent offshore sailing vessel. Hawk’s Flight is a proven design. Built in France. Fast and safe passage making or very comfortable liveaboard. She is sound, large inventory of spare parts and recent improvements. Priced to sell, owner very motivated. $37,900. Stew (727) 415-0350 (727) 560-0901. www.sciyachtsalesinternational.com

BROKERS: Advertise Your Boats for Sale.

Text & Photo Ads: $50 for 3-months.

Text only ads: $25 for 3 months

O’Day 37, 1984.. Center cockpit performance cruiser/racer offers speed, comfort & privacy.

Very well maintained and clean “in and out,” with long list of constant improvements and upgrades, shows pride of ownership. Maintenance records available. Well cruise-equipped. $44,900. Stew (727) 415-0350 (727) 5600901. www.sciyachtsalesinternational.com SOUTHWINDS

November 2008 71

CLASSIFIED ADS

2003 Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 37. (New 2007: Yanmar engine, 3 Optima batteries, Garmin 440 at helm.) Interphase Chart Plotter at Navigation Station. 12 Volt Refrigeration System. Stereo w/4 speakers (2 cockpit), 25 AMP Battery Charger. New cruising spinnaker.

Custom hard dodger/bimini. Forward cabin w/optional sink and vanity. Master stateroom w/king-sized berth. Walk-through transom w/swim ladder. $136,900. (941) 365-9095.

(12/08a)

37’ Gulfstar Sloop, 1977, everything on the vessel has been upgraded: mechanical, electrical components, electronics, 16000BTU A/C, autopilot, sails and running gear, Bimini and canvas, new bottom paint and running gear and she had no blisters and he has also added a NEW dodger, $54,900, Call Roy S.@ (305) 775-8907, Edwards Yacht Sales, Quality Listings, Professional Brokers, www.SailboatsInFlorida.com

38’ Nantucket Center Cockpit, 1985. Just completed a major refit. NEW Diesel (not rebuilt), NEW Generator, New Hydraulic Steering System, New Hydraulic Auto Pilot System New Air Conditioning New Seafrost Refrigeration, New GARMIN GPS Chart plotter, New AGM Gel batteries (8), New Hart Freedom-30 Inverter/Charger. New Maxwell Windlass, New Bimini/Dodger And MORE! $129,000, Call Jeff @ 954-224-8291, Edwards Yacht Sales, www.SailboatsInFlorida.com

38’ William Baylock Custom Gaff Rigged Cutter, 1982, Climb aboard this one of a kind beauty. From her hand-carved bowsprit to her custom cockpit locker, you will be amazed by her old world charm and craftmanship. This is a once in a lifetime chance to own a head turning, great sailing, one of a kind boat! $46,000, Call Leo @ 941-504-6754, Edwards Yacht Sales, www.SailboatsInFlorida.com

1984 Hans Christian 38 Cutter w/ Yanmar diesel, full keel double-ended, blue water cruiser known for its sea-keeping ability and sturdy construction. Owners completed Caribbean cruise and now offer you this unique opportunity. This is a chance of a lifetime to purchase a proven well-equipped and maintained sailing vessel just waiting to go again. $99,000 www.cortezyachts.com. (941) 792-9100

39’ Horizon Ketch, 1982. 12V & 110V Electrical systems, Portable Coleman Generator, Cruiseair thru hatch Air Conditioner, Kubota V1902 installed 1995 has less than 400 hours, Staysail Ketch rig with keel-stepped aluminum masts, S/S Standing Rigging, Harken Roller Furling, (7) Lewmar winches, Mizzen, Main, Staysail and 130% Genoa sails, $44,900, Call Rick @ 727-422-8229, Edwards Yacht Sales, Quality Listings, Professional Brokers, www.SailboatsInFlorida.com

Privilege 39 1988 Cat. 4 cabin, 2 head.

Yanmar 27 hp. Major refit 2005. New UK sails, AC/heat, Onan genset 6.5 kw, Autohelm 7000, new interior, Corian counters, teak sole, Bimini/dodger $148,000. (321) 917-5863. palexy@cfl.rr.com. (12/08)

Tayana 37 Pilothouse Cutter. 1985. Magic Dragon Robert Perry’s best! Ready to cruise & makes a great liveaboard. New Yanmar 4JHE diesel engine. New sails. Full galley, A/C; watermaker; generator; navigation equipment & much more….Meticulously maintained and upgraded with quality. Hauled 12/07. Composting toilet or will replace with regular toilet. Berthed in St. Pete. $89,900 or Make an Offer. (305) 923-6556. (11/08)

BROKERS: Advertise Your Boats for Sale.

Text & Photo Ads New ads: $20/mo Pickup ads: $15/mo 72

November 2008

SOUTHWINDS

2” DISPLAY ADS STARTING $38/MO

1998 CATALINA 40’ SLOOP. Twin helms, roomy cockpit, huge owners cabin, Air, custom refrigeration/freezer, wind gen, A/P, Radar, GPS, dinghy & OB, elect. windlass, BBQ grill, cockpit shower & more. $133,000 – offers! (727)560-0001 (888) 882-5516 www.gcyachts.com www.southwindsmagazine.com

CLASSIFIED ADS

1997 Catalina 40, Cruise ready, AC, 4K Generator, 10” color Garmin GPS, ST6000 AutoPilot, watermaker, TV/DVD/CD/Stereo, 10’ Zodiac w/9.9 4-stroke Yamaha, Davits, and much more. Longboat Key Moorings. $149,900. (407) 810-5621 (12/08a)

Bayfield 40 Hull # 34 full keel 5’ draft, cutter ketch designed by H.T.Gozzard built in 1984.

Exceptional condition with lots of new gear.

Harken roller furling on all sails. Marine air, WS, WD, depth, VHF w/remote, SSB, cd/radio, autopilot, chartplotter, radar, dinghy, life raft. $109,500 Call Major Carter or visit www.Cortezyachts.com.(941) 792-9100.

40’ Hunter 40.5, 1997. Was a fresh water boat, Gelcoat shines, lightly used, in much better shape than expected. A/C, Good Electronics, Shoal Draft, $124,900, Call Jeff @ 954-2248291, Edwards Yacht Sales, Quality Listings, Professional Brokers, www.Sailboats InFlorida.com

40’ Norseman Catamaran, 1993. updated interior, spacious and elegant. Four private double staterooms, two private head compartments, a new paint job, Electric Anchor Windlass, Mainsail was replaced in 2005 that included Doyle Stak Pak Sail Cradle & Lazy Jacks, $220,000, Call Rick @ 727-422-8229, Edwards Yacht Sales, Quality Listings, Professional Brokers, www.CatamaransInFlorida.com

News & Views for Southern Sailors

TransWorld CT 41. 1979. Proven full-keel blue water cruiser. Perkins 4-108 diesel. 46’ LOA with bowsprit. Ketch-rigged Center Cockpit with walk thru to aft cabin. Complete Awlgrip paint. Custom stainless steel rails and davits.

10’ 6” Caribe RIB with 15hp OB. Full galley.

Beautiful teak interior with lots of storage.

Maxwell electric windlass. Much more. New sails and rigging. As is - asking $69,000. North Carolina. (941) 792-9100

Hans Christian 41, 1985, Blister-free bottom, Showroom Interior, World cruising equipment list. This a beautiful yacht, A real must SEE!, $189,000, Tom @ 904-377-9446, Edwards Yacht Sales, Quality Listings, Professional Brokers, www.SailboatsInFlorida.com

Tayana 42 Cutter, 1988, Original owner has babied her! Total refit in ’03, A/C, Most of her life was lightly used in the Great Lakes. This one is Bristol! $194,900 Call Roy S. @ 305775-8907 Edwards Yacht Sales, Quality Listings, Professional Brokers, www.SailboatsInFlorida.com

42’ Cheoy Lee Clipper, 1970, Diesel, Topsides, deck and cockpit Awlgripped in ‘05, Teak decks removed, Solid Cruiser, $105,000, Call Joe @ 941-224-9661, Edwards Yacht Sales, Quality Listings, Professional Brokers, www.SailboatsInFlorida.com

42’ Tayana 1980, New engine, solid bluewater cruiser, Just back from islands, Priced right @ $79,900, Call Jeff @ 954-224-8291, Edwards Yacht Sales, Quality Listings, Professional Brokers, www.SailboatsInFlorida.com

45’ Jeanneau Sun Odyssey, 2002. Upgraded 100 HP Yanmar, Tall rig, 3 cabin/2 head layout, NEW 2008 Northern Lights 6 KW generator, two reverse cycle heat & A/C units, five batteries, Max-Prop, a spinnaker pole, NEW 2008 Staysail. 2KW radar, chart plotter, auto-pilot, inverter, electric flush head and a 17” flat screen TV, NEW XM satellite radio, $269,000, Call Bob @ 239-877-4094, Edwards Yacht Sales, www.SailboatsInFlorida.com

46’ Antigua Center Cockpit, 1987. Major refit in ’07! New Volvo engine & transmission, New sails/rigging, new interior refit w/mahogany floors, & Cabinets, New galley, & electronics package: chart plotter, radar, autopilot, wind & speed, sonar sounder, SSB radio, $134,900, Call Jeff @ 954-224-8291, Edwards Yacht Sales, Www.Sailboatsinflorida.Com

47’ Vagabond Bluewater Cutter Ketch, 1982, An IMRON painted hull, Awlgripped cabin house, varnished teak accents, and newly finished (natural) teak decks make Black Swan an impressive sight. Trimble Navigation NAC TRAC XL GPS, Raytheon RL9 LCD radar, $224,900, Call Jeff @ (954) 224-8291, Edwards Yacht Sales, Quality Listings, Professional Brokers, www.SailboatsInFlorida.com SOUTHWINDS

November 2008 73

CLASSIFIED ADS Used Boat Gear for Sale. CQR 25 & 45#, Bruce 16 & 66#, Hookah by Airline, 55# Folding Fisherman anchor, Para-tech 15 w/Rode, Edson rack & pinion steering w/ wheel, new awning w/side curtains. Nautical Trader, 110 E. Colonia Lane, Nokomis, FL. Shop online at www.nauticaltrader.net. (941) 488-0766

47’ Vagabond Ketch, 1986, Heavy displacement cruiser, Refit in ’03 with new spars and sails, Genset, A/C, 3KW inverter, Radar, GPS, Big ground tackle, windlass, $159,000, Call Roy S. @ 305-775-8907, Edwards Yacht Sales, Quality Listings, Professional Brokers, www.SailboatsInFlorida.com

50’ Hunter 2003. Hunter’s Child. This HC 50 is the ultimate offshore racing machine.

Custom built for Warren Luhrs and Steve Pettengill. This is a WINNER …Only $445,000. St Augustine Yacht Sales (866) 610-1703. www.sayachtsales.com

1979 Albin 33 Trawler. Traditional with no teak decks. 120hp Lehman diesel with excellent range. Navigate from either the fly bridge or below out of the elements. 16000 BTU Marine Air, fwd cabin with head, aft cabin w/head. Galley up with main salon. Swim platform. Recent bottom paint. $32,500 wwwcortezyachts.com. (941) 792-9100

BOATING SERVICES

_________________________________________ Schucker 440. Safe harbor for shrinking dollars, a real liquid asset, the best motorsailer, trawler ever built and a floating tropical condo you can escape in. Cruise down island to South America, or do Cuba, Bahamas, the Great Loop, European canals. Complete information & photos on www.Luperon Cruising.com, or call (809) 821-8239. (1/09)

Exquisite Interior & Weatherdeck coatings, brightwork, varnish by Shipwrights. sailmykeys@pocketmail.com.

St. Petersburg area only (11/08) _________________________________________

BOAT GEAR & SUPPLIES

_________________________________________ 55’ Lagoon Catamaran, 1991. 4 cabins, New Engines and genset, New Sails and Standing rigging, SSB, Dive Compressor, Washer/Drier, A/C, 2 inverters, 2 autopilots, Great Electronics, Call Bob @ (239) 8774094, Edwards Yacht Sales, www.CatamaransInFlorida.com

Mainsail and Mast. 19’ 6” mast. Shortened off 18’ Catalina. Complete with Spreaders, lights, etc. Mainsail: 16’ luff. 8’ 4” foot.

Powerhead. 1 reef point. Will separate. $150 each or OBO. (352) 728-0098. (2/09) _________________________________________

POWERBOATS

_________________________________________ Sailing, scuba diving, and treasure hunting in the teal blue tropical waters of Florida. What could possibly go wrong? Free updates at www.southerncrosses.com. (1/09)

ENGINE PARTS

2007 ALBIN 26‚ Diesel powered center consoles, never titled, from $79,000. Super economical Yanmar 315 hp & Volvo 350 hp diesels, 4.86 GPH at 2500 RPMs. T-Top, baitwell, tuna door, outriggers, fish boxes, cockpit coaming, rod holders. On display Marathon. (888) 882-5516 or (727) 4216662. www.gcyachts.com 74

November 2008

SOUTHWINDS

_________________________________________ Wanted. Parts for Westerbeke Pilot 10 or 20 (also known as Bukh 10 or 20)—or complete engine for parts (engine does not need to run). (941) 624-0916. (11/08) _________________________________________ Wanted - seawater pump. Part # 70558242700 for Yanmar Diesel SB8. (813) 8396032. (12/08) www.southwindsmagazine.com

CLASSIFIED ADS HELP WANTED

_________________________________________ Waterfront Director Wanted The St. Andrews Bay Yacht Club, located in Panama City, FL, is seeking a Sailing and Waterfront Director for fulltime employment. Qualifications include: U.S. Sailing certification; general seamanship knowledge; and the ability to plan, organize, and promote waterfront activities. Duties will include: managing year-round sailing programs to include the summer sailing program; planning/managing additional activities for member events; assisting with Regatta planning and Fleet maintenance; and overseeing the appearance and usability of the waterfront facilities. Competitive salary with benefits.

Drug-free work environment. Please submit resume to 218 Bunkers Cove Rd, P.C. Fl 32401 Attn: Jay M Wallace GM. Or e-mail resume to manager@stabyc.com. (1/09) _________________________________________ North Canvas is recruiting a production supervisor working with sales and design, supervising sewing staff, designing, manufacturing and installing marine covers, interiors and stainless steel frames. Part of the booming Houston economy, the bay area offers excellent working and living conditions in a year round active sailing community. Paid holidays and vacations. Phone (281) 334-7223, fax (281) 334-7226 or email TrentMcBride@verizon.net. (11/08) _________________________________________ Sailing Instructors/Branch Managers. Offshore Sailing School is seeking skilled sailors with strong teaching experience, performance and cruising boat sailing experience, US SAILING certification (or skills to pass exam).

USCG license required, or experience to obtain appropriate level. Manager applicants must have organization & management skills.

Email resume to Doug Sparks at doug@off shoresailing.com, fax (239) 454-9201 visit www.offshoresailing.com/employment.

(1/09a) _________________________________________ Yacht Broker Wanted. Lots of Work. Growing company, with years of experience, in Tampa Bay looking for a team player. Great company support. Call (727) 823-7400, or Jacek at (727) 560-0901. _________________________________________ Massey Yacht Sales Mobile Broker Do you prefer to sell yachts from your home office? If you do and you are a proven, successful yacht sales professional, we have positions open for Florida west and east coast. Take advantage of the Massey sales and marketing support, sales management and administration while working from your home selling brokerage sail and powerboats. Call Frank Hamilton (941) 7231610 for interview appointment and position details.

LODGING FOR SAILORS

_________________________________________ KEY LARGO BAY FRONT HIDEAWAY and 22 ft sailboat, $800-$1000wk. Snorkel/Dive, Private, Beautiful Sunsets. Studio, 1 bedroom or 2 bedroom cottages. See Brochure on Web site. (305) 451-3438. www.floridasailing adventures.com/Photos.html. (12/08) News & Views for Southern Sailors

Ponce de Leon Hotel Historic downtown hotel at the bay, across from St. Petersburg YC. 95 Central Ave., St. Petersburg, FL 33701 (727) 550-9300 www.poncedeleon hotel.com

R EAL ESTATE FOR SALE OR RENT _________________________________________ TOO LATE TO CLASSIFY

_________________________________________

Sailor’s Paradise “Old Florida”. Lakefront mobile home cottage with dock on 20K acre Lake Crescent in Crescent City. Small, quiet, adult park with reasonable lot rent. $7500 (386) 698-3648 or www.LakeCrescentFlorida.com. (10/08a) 1975 C&C 33. New Standing and running rigging, racing & cruising/delivery sails.

Good race record. Epoxy barrier coat bottom. AM/FM CD and speed/depth. Asking $22,000 Call Mike at (727) 510-4167 or (727) 796-4260; (1/09)

Protected Sailboat Canal. Port Charlotte.

Ship-shape 3/2/2 CBS. Split plan. Two screened porches. 30’ concrete dock w/davits, with two mooring pilings. Updated AC, roof, appliances. Screened porches. Fruit trees.

Boating neighborhood. $293k/Offers. (941) 753-7433. (12/08a)

SAILS & CANVAS

BROKERS: Advertise Your Boats for Sale.

Text & Photo Ads: $50 for 3-months.

________________________________________

ADVERTISE YOUR BOAT $25 for up to 30 words for 3 months SOUTHWINDS

November 2008 75

ALPHABETICAL INDEX

OF

ADVERTISERS

TELL THEM YOU SAW IT IN SOUTHWINDS! SOUTHWINDS provides these lists as a courtesy and asks our readers to support our advertisers. The lists includes all display advertising.

Advanced Sails . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32 Annapolis Performance Sailing . . . . . . . . . . . .55 Antigua Surveying . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33,64 Aqua Graphics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30 Atlantic Sail Traders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37 Bacon Sails . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32 Barco - Magellan GPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 Bay Rigging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32 Beneteau Sailboats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .BC Beta Marine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37 Boaters’ Exchange . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43 BoatNames.net . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30 Bo’sun Supplies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21 Capt. & First Mate Yacht Delivery . . . . . . . . . .30 Catalina Yachts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9,49 Coral Reef Sailing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57 Cortez Yacht Brokerage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72 Dancing With the Wind Video . . . . . . . . . . . .32 David McKie Surveyor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21 Davis Island YC Thanksgiving Regatta . . . . . . .25 Defender Industries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 Dockside Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Doyle/Ploch Sails . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30,33 Dunbar Sales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 Dwyer mast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74 Eastern Yachts/Beneteau . . . . . . . . . . . . .9,63,BC Edwards Yacht Sales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66-67 E-marine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31 Fairwinds Boat Repairs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32 Flagship Sailing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Flying Scot Sailboats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .71 Ft. Myers Beach Mooring Field . . . . . . . . . . . .27 Garhauer Hardware . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 Gulf Coast Yacht Sales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64 Hobie Cats/Tackle Shack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41 Hotwire/Fans & other products . . . . . . . . . . .31 Hunter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .IBC Innovative Marine Services . . . . . . . . . . . .30,32 Island Detail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30 Island Packett Yachts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68 Island Yachting Center Brokerage . . . . . . . . . .68 J/Boats - Murray Yacht Sales . . . . . . . .23,65, BC Key West Race Week . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Knighton Sails . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33 Leather Wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31 Mack Sails . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29 Magellan GPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 Massey Yacht Sales . . . . . . . . . . . . .IFC,9,17,38 76

November 2008

SOUTHWINDS

Masthead Enterprises . . . . . . . . . . . .18,33,43,75 Mastmate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31 Murray Yacht Sales Open House . . . . . . . . . . .23 Murray Yacht Sales/Beneteau . . . . . . .23,65, BC National Sail Supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36 Nautical Trader . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24 North Sails . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45 North Sails Direct . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 North Sails Outlet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75 Online Marine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 Porpoise Used Sails . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33 Premiere Racing/Key West . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 RB Grove/Universal and Westerbeke . . . . . . . .16 Regatta Pointe Marina . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 Rparts Refrigeration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43 Sailboats Florida . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63 Sailing Florida Charters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31 Sailmonster.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 Sailors Wharf boatyard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Schurr Sails . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54 Scuba Clean . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30,33 Scurvy Dog Marine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28 Sea Hagg . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30 Sea School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35 Sea Tech . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74 Shadetree . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48 Show Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Snug Harbor Boat Works & Co. . . . . . . . . . . .43 Spintec furlers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 SSMR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16,32 St. Augustine Sailing Enterprises . . . . . . . . . . .32 St. Barts/Beneteau . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .BC St. Petersburg Boat Show . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Suncoast Inflatables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 Sunrise Sailing Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30,32 Tackle Shack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41 Tampa Sailing Squadron Youth Program . . . . .44 Tideminders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39 Turner Marine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 U-Boat Yacht Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22 UK Halsey Sails . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 Ullman sails . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30,33 Wag Bags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34 West Marine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Winchmate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31 Windpath Fractional Sailing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Yacht Sales Florida . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63 Yachting Vacations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 www.southwindsmagazine.com

ADVERTISERS INDEX

BY

CATEGORY

TELL THEM YOU SAW IT IN SOUTHWINDS! SOUTHWINDS provides these lists as a courtesy and asks our readers to support our advertisers. The lists includes all display advertising.

SAILBOATS – NEW AND BROKERAGE Beneteau Sailboats..............................................................BC Boaters Exchange/Catalina Sailboats ..................................43 Catalina Yachts................................................................9, 49 Cortez Yacht Brokerage .......................................................72 Dunbar Sales .........................................................................9 Eastern Yachts...........................................................9, 63, BC Edwards Yacht Sales .......................................................66-67 Flying Scot Sailboats ...........................................................71 Gulf Coast Yacht Sales.........................................................64 Hobie Cats/Tackle Shack .....................................................41 Island Yachting Centre ........................................................68 Massey Yacht Sales/Catalina//Hunter/Albin ...........IFC,9,17,38 Masthead Yacht Sales/Catalina .............................18,33,43,75 Murray Yacht Sales/Beneteau...................................23, 65,BC Sailboats Florida ..................................................................63 Snug Harbor Boat Works & Co............................................43 St. Barts/Beneteau ..............................................................BC Suncoast Inflatables/ West Florida .......................................19 Tackle Shack/Hobie/Sunfish, St. Petersburg .........................41 Tampa Sailing Squadron Youth Program .............................44 Turner Marine .......................................................................9 Yacht Sales Florida...............................................................63 GEAR, HARDWARE, ACCESSORIES, CLOTHING Annapolis Performance Sailing ............................................55 Bo’sun Supplies/Hardware...................................................21 Coral Reef Sailing 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.............................................................43 Sea Hagg ............................................................................30 Shadetree Awning Systems .................................................48 SSMR ............................................................................16, 32 Tackle Shack/Hobie/Sunfish, Precision .................................41 Tideminders ........................................................................39 Wag Bags ............................................................................34 West Marine..........................................................................3 Winchmate..........................................................................31 SAILS (NEW & USED), RIGGING, SPARS, RIGGING SERVICES Advanced Sails ....................................................................32 Atlantic Sail Traders .............................................................37 Bacon Sails 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Shadetree Awning Systems .................................................48 USED SAILING/BOATING SUPPLIES Nautical Trader/buy/sell/consign, West Florida ....................24 Scurvy Dog Marine/Used, Consign, Pensacola FL ................28 SAILING SCHOOLS/DELIVERIES/CAPTAINS Capt. & First Mate Yacht Delivery .......................................30 Sailing Florida Charters .......................................................31 Sea School/Captain’s License ..............................................35 St. Augustine Sailing Enterprises..........................................32 MARINE ENGINES AND ACCESSORIES Beta Marine ........................................................................37 RB Grove/Universal and Westerbeke ....................................16 MARINAS, MOORING FIELDS, BOAT YARDS Ft. Myers Beach Mooring Field............................................27 Regatta Pointe Marina.........................................................11 Sailors Wharf Boatyard ..........................................................8 FRACTIONAL SAILING/CHARTER COMPANIES Flagship Sailing ...................................................................10 Sailing Florida Charters .......................................................31 Windpath Fractional Sailing...................................................5 Yachting Vacations ..............................................................12 MARINE SERVICES, SURVEYORS, INSURANCE, TOWING, BOAT LETTERING, ETC. Antigua Surveying.........................................................33, 64 Aqua Graphics.....................................................................30 BoatNames.net ...................................................................30 David McKie Surveyor .........................................................21 Fairwinds Boat Repairs/Sales................................................32 Innovative Marine Services ............................................30, 32 Island Detail .......................................................................30 Sailmonster.com Web site ...................................................12 Scuba Clean Yacht Services .................................................30 MARINE ELECTRONICS Dockside Radio......................................................................8 Sea Tech/Navigation/Communication .................................74 YACHT MANAGEMENT U-Boat Yacht Management .................................................22 SAILING WEB SITES, VIDEOS BoatNames.net ...................................................................30 Dancing With the Wind Video.............................................32 Sailmonster.com Web site ...................................................12 REGATTA ADVERTISEMENTS, BOAT SHOWS Davis Island YC Thanksgiving Regatta .................................25 Murray Yacht Sales Open House..........................................23 Premiere Racing/Key West Race Week ...................................4 Show Management...............................................................7 St. Petersburg Boat Show......................................................7

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SOUTHWINDS

November 2008 77

No Particular Place to Go

By Susan Ochs-Conrad

Okay. Let’s face it; we are spoiled here in Florida. The sailing opportunities are plentiful. Oh, sure—we have our hurricanes, squalls, waterspouts and lightning storms, but if we didn’t, our sailing stories would be monotonous. I can imagine pages and pages of boring log entries: “Another perfect sunny day: 75 degrees with a steady 15 knot tailwind. We sailed downwind under spinnaker and mainsail, with little or no sail adjustment necessary. We sailed effortlessly all the way to our destination. Upon our arrival, the sun was just setting and the red glow of the lazy red orb illuminated our cocktails, the condensation sparkling like crystals as it trailed down our raised glasses. Tomorrow, we will awake to a glorious sunrise, set our spinnaker for another downwind run in which we anticipate the need for little or no sail adjustment…”

Y

ou won’t find many entries like that in our logbook. My husband and I sail whenever we get the chance, which for us, translates to weekends and short vacations. We take whatever weather we get. Our Caliber 38, LaLeLu, is fortunate enough to live in a marina that sits smack dab in the middle of the ICW (Indian River Lagoon) and the Atlantic Ocean. Only on rare occasions are we ever without some sort of sailing option when the urge to sail takes hold.

Most times when we leave our slip, we have a sailing destination. We are members of an active sailing club (East Coast Sailing Association) and participate regularly in club-sponsored weekend gatherings. Occasionally, we have a day that we get to sail just purely for the enjoyment of sailing. No plans, no itinerary, no expectations.

On one particular Sunday, our boat chores gave way to excuses, and we set aside the To-Do list. It was definitely gearing up to be a hot day. Even at 9:00 a.m., that was clearly apparent. It was one of those days that you try not to move more than you absolutely have to. Not a day that you wake up and say, “Hey, feel that breeze? Let’s go sailing,” but we didn’t let that stop us. It had been horrifically hot for weeks, and we really wanted—no—needed to sail. By 10:00 a.m., LaLeLu was purring and sputtering, letting us know she was ready to be untied and leave her slip for a day trip to nowhere and back.

We ghosted under motor out the barge canal, through the locks, under the bridge and out Port Canaveral. Once in the beautiful turquoise waters of the Atlantic, we shut off the iron beast and bobbed like a cork under barely a whisper of wind.

We weren’t the only ones out there. Shamelessly flaunting the addiction that afflicts every sailor, there were others in search of a little wind with which to fill their sails. Some of the boats we knew. Others, we only recognized as fellow addicts who were likewise in search of their sailing fix.

78 November 2008

SOUTHWINDS

Patiently, we waited, waited and waited for something.

Sitting in the cockpit, the air was still and heavy. We huddled under the Bimini trying desperately to escape any direct contact with the sun’s rays. The maverick tendrils of hair that snuck out of my pony tail holder were firmly glued down with sweat against my red face.

The wind gods finally took pity on us. Gradually, almost imperceptibly at first, a nice breeze began filling our sails. It built to 14 knots and LaLeLu skipped along on a nice beam reach…ahhhhhh. Enjoying absolutely everything and doing absolutely nothing, I rested my head on the cushion of the port settee and hung my legs over the cockpit coaming. I listened with one ear to the rush of water against the hull, and with the other ear to Jimmy Buffet. I picked up on some lyrics.

I’ve heard them many times but never paid them much attention until this day, the day when I proclaimed them to be profound. Seems Jimmy bought a watch with no numbers and no hands. This watch simply says “now.” Some might think perhaps the watch is broken, but Jimmy thinks the watch works just fine. I understood he was telling me to find a blessing in every day and don’t take time for granted. In times when things are going wrong, his advice is simple: “Breathe in, breathe out, and then move on.”

Stuck in deep thought, I ponder the paradox of time. We master the keeping of it only to become its slave. I am jolted out of my thoughts and back into the here/now by the cruise ship horns, “Brrmmppp, Brrrmmmppppppppp.” I have heard those horns enough to know without looking at my watch that it is 4:00 p.m. Regretfully, time is still my master, and it is telling me it was time to go home. Like obedient children, back through the locks, down the barge canal and into our slip we go. I am resolved—and only just a bit sad— for I know that new adventures await and are just around the corner. www.southwindsmagazine.com