Southwindsjune2005 by SOUTHWINDS Magazine

SOUTHWINDS News & Views for Southern Sailors Hurricane Season 2005 Anchoring Limitations in Miami Beach? BVI Spring Regatta

June 2005 For Sailors — Free…It’s Priceless

June 2005

SOUTHWINDS

www.southwindssailing.com

QUANTUM SAIL DESIGN GROUP, SARASOTA 2100 20th Street • Sarasota, FL 34234 • T: 941.365.7245 • F: 941.365.7274 News & Views for Southern Sailors

SOUTHWINDS June 2005

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TELL THEM YOU SAW IT IN SOUTHWINDS! SOUTHWINDS provides this list as a courtesy and asks our readers to support our advertisers. This list includes all display advertising. SAILBOATS – NEW AND BROKERAGE Apex/Mayer Yacht Brokerage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49 Beneteau Sailboats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .BC BigFish Sailboat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10,19 Boaters Exchange/Catalina Sailboats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41 Carson Yacht Sales/Beneteau . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .BC Cortez Yacht Brokerage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64 Eastern Yachts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .BC Flying Scot Sailboats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63 Gulf Coast Raider . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 Gulf Coast Yacht Sales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61,63,64 Hanse Sailboats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64 Hobie Cats/Tackle Shack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53 Hunter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 Island Packet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 Island Yachting Centre . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62,65 Massey Yacht Sales/Catalina//Hunter/ Shannon/Albin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9,27,30,54,IBC Masthead Yacht Sales/Catalina . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15,67 Mayer Yacht Brokerage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25,49 Murray Yacht Sales/Beneteau . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .BC Performance Sail and Sport . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40 Raider Sailboats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14,63 Sailboats Florida, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64 Sailor’s Wharf Boatyard and Brokerage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62 Sailtime, Fractional Sailing & Brokerage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8,13 Sarasota Youth Sailing Program donated boats . . . . . . . . . . .60 Seafarers International Yacht Brokerage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10,65 Shannon Yachts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 Snug Harbor Yacht Brokerage/Hunter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37 Southerly Yachts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 St. Barts/Beneteau . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .BC Southern Trades Brokerage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61 Suncoast Inflatables/ West Florida . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55 Tackle Shack/Hobie/Sunfish, St. Petersburg . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53 Tampa Sailing Squadron Youth Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52 Two Hulls Brokerage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60 Windcraft, Trimarans and Catamarans, Sail or Power . . . . . . .29 GEAR, HARDWARE, ACCESSORIES, CLOTHING Anne’s Anchors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24,66 Air Duck Hatch Windscoop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66 Bluewater Sailing Supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57 Boaters Exchange, boats, gear, etc. Rockledge FL . . . . . . . . . .41 Bo’sun Supplies/Hardware . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31 Defender Industries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .67 E-Marine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66,67 Garhauer Hardware . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Glacier Bay Refrigeration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32 Hotwire/Fans & other products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .67 Island Marine Products/Davits,motorlocks,etc. . . . . . . . . . . . .23 JR Overseas/Moisture Meter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24 Leather Wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 Masthead Enterprises . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15,67 Nautical Trader/buy/sell/consign . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52 Noble Awards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Performance Sail and Sport . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40 Rparts Refrigeration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28 SSMR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56 Tackle Shack/Hobie/Sunfish, St. Petersburg . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53 West Marine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23,IFC SAILS (NEW & USED), RIGGING, SPARS, RIGGING SERVICES Atlantic Sail Traders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28 Banks Sails/new, used, repair & canvas/ West Florida . . . . . . .58 Cruising Direct/sails online by North . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32 Dwyer Mast/spars, hardware, rigging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66 Masthead/Used Sails and Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15,67 National Sail Supply, new&used online . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34 North Sails . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 Performance Sail and Sport . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40 Porpoise Used Sails . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .67 Quantum Sails and Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Schurr Sails, Pensacola FL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48 SSMR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56 Sunrise Sails . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58 4

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Ullman Sails . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 West Marine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8,IFC CANVAS Banks Sails/new, used, repair & canvas/ West Florida . . . . . . .58 Quantum Sails and Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 USED SAILING/BOATING SUPPLIES Nautical Trader/buy/sell/consign, West Florida . . . . . . . . . . . .52 Scurvy Dog Marine/Used, Consign, Pensacola FL . . . . . . . . . .51 SAILING SCHOOLS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sea School/Captain’s License . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34 St. Augustine Sailing School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .67 MARINE ENGINES AND ACCESSORIES America’s Generators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66 Beta Marine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31 Fleetside Marine Service/Yanmar (813) 645-8971 . . . . . . . . .66 RB Grove/Universal and Westerbeke . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 Yanmar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66 RESORTS, MARINAS, RESTAURANTS, BOAT YARDS Bob and Annie’s Boatyard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22 Crow’s Nest Restaurant & Marina . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54 Sailor’s Wharf Boatyard and Brokerage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62 FRACTIONAL SAILING/CHARTER COMPANIES Sailtime, Fractional Sailing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8,13 MARINE SERVICES, SURVEYORS, INSURANCE, TOWING, BOAT LETTERING, ETC. Aqua Graphics/Boat Names/Tampa Bay or buy online . . . . . .58 Beachmaster Photography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65 Mike Shea Maritime Legal Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39 Drive Insurance From Progressive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21 MARINE ELECTRONICS Dockside Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33 JR Overseas/Moisture Meter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38 Memory Map . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .67 Sea Tech/Navigation/Communication . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33,66 WEATHER SERVICES Weather Wave . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35 BOOKS/CHARTS/VIDEOS Bubba Book . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43 Pocket Charts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 REGATTA ADVERTISEMENTS, BOAT SHOWS Regatta Time in Abaco . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18 Sailing Services Directory West Florida . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58 Regional Sailing Services Directory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 Subscription Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .this page Alphabetical Advertisers’ List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68

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SOUTHWINDS NEWS & VIEWS

FOR

SOUTHERN SAILORS

From the Helm

Letters

Short Tacks

Bubba Has Coast Guard Hearing By Morgan Stinemetz

Hurricane Season 2005

Lasers and Formula Windsurfing New Additions to BVI Spring Regatta By Carol Bareuther

Miami Beach Proposes Anti-Anchoring Law By Melanie Neale

Tales of a Trailerable Sailboat: Georgia to the Florida Keys and Back Part I By Walt McFarlane

Southeast Coast Sailing: Carolinas and Georgia: Upcoming Events and News, Race Calendar, Race Report

East Florida Sailing: Upcoming Events and News, Race Calendar, Race Report

Southeast Florida Sailing: Upcoming Events and News, Race Calendar, Race Report

Florida Keys Sailing: Upcoming Events and News, Race Calendar, Race Report

Northern Gulf Coast Sailing: Upcoming Events and News, Race Calendar, Race Report

West Florida Sailing: Upcoming Events and News, Race Calendar, Race Report

Classifieds

A Perfect Sail By Gary R. Gray

16 58 68 4 4

Regional Sailing Services Directory West Florida Sailing Services Directory Alphabetical Index of Advertisers Advertisers’ List by Category Subscription Form

Protect your boat. Atlantic hurricane begins. Photo by Steve Morrell. Page 24.

COVER: Patty and Gary Gray return to their Catalina 30, anchored off Longboat Key in West Florida. See their story page 70. Photo by Gary Gray.

Windsurfers at the BVI Spring Regatta. Photo by Dean Barnes. Page 28.

From the Carolinas to Cuba…from Atlanta to the Abacos…SOUTHWINDS Covers Southern Sailing News & Views for Southern Sailors

SOUTHWINDS

June 2005

SOUTHWINDS News & Views For Southern Sailors SOUTHWINDS Media, Inc. P.O. Box 1175, Holmes Beach, Florida 34218-1175 (941) 795-8704 (877) 372-7245 (941) 795-8705 Fax www.southwindssailing.co e-mail: editor@southwindssailing.com Volume 13 Number 6 June 2005 Copyright 2005, Southwinds Media, Inc. Founded in 1993 Steve Morrell

Doran Cushing, Publisher 1993-2002

Publisher/Editor editor@southwindssailing.com (941) 795-8704

Advertising Gary Hufford David Curry Advertising Advertising Director davidcurry@southwindssailing.com Pinellas & Hillsborough Counties, FL gary@southwindssailing.com (941) 761-0048 (727) 585-2814 Regional Editors CAROLINAS AND GEORGIA Walt McFarlane waltmcfarlane@aol.com (912) EAST FLORIDA Roy Laughlin mhw1@earthlink.net (321) SOUTHEAST FLORIDA Jody L. Alu quieteaglenet@hotmail.com (954) SOUTHEAST FLORIDA RACING Art Perez miamiyachtracing@bellsouth.net (305) FLORIDA KEYS Rebecca Burg angel@artoffshore.com (305) WEST FLORIDA Steve Morrell editor@southwindssailing.com (941) NORTHERN GULF COAST Kim Kaminski kimberlyk@connectpens.net (850) Production Heather Nicoll

Jody Alu Julie Connerley Caryn Hacker Walt McFarlane Art Perez Morgan Stinemetz Dean Barnes Gary Gray Roy Laughlin Mary Naylor George Regenauer

429-4197 690-0137 816-0130 380-0106 304-5118 795-8704 384-8941

Proofreading Kathy Elliott

Contributing Writers Carol Bareuther Troy Gilbert Kim Kaminski Ron Mitchellette Ray Rhode John H. Thomas

Rebecca Burg Gary Gray Roy Laughlin Melanie Neale Hone Scunook

Contributing Photographers Rebecca Burg Brain Grant Kim Kaminski Winnie Lambert Johnny Lovell Walt McFarlane Melanie Neale Art Perez Hone Scunook

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. SOUTHWINDS welcomes contributions in writing and photography, stories about sailing, racing, cruising, maintenance and other technical articles and other sailing-related topics. Please submit all articles electronically by e-mail (mailed-in discs also accepted), and with photographs, if possible. We also accept photographs alone, for cover shots, racing, cruising and just funny entertaining shots. Please take them at a high resolution if digital, or scan at 300 dpi if photos, or mail them to us for scanning. Contact the editor with questions. Subscriptions to SOUTHWINDS are available at $19.95/year, or $37/2 years for third class, and $24/year for first class. Checks and credit card numbers may be mailed with name and address to SOUTHWINDS Subscriptions, PO Box 1175, Holmes Beach FL, 34218-1175, or call (941) 795-8704. Subscriptions are also available with a credit card through a secure server on our Web site, www.southwindssailing.com. SOUTHWINDS is distributed to over 500 locations throughout 10 Southern states. If you would like to distribute SOUTHWINDS at your location, please contact the editor.

Read SOUTHWINDS on our Web site, www.southwindssailing.com. 6

June 2005

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FROM THE HELM Hurricane Season 2005 Begins – SOUTHWINDS Creates a Hurricane Website Page Send Us Your Stories and Pictures

ith the beginning of this year’s Atlantic hurricane season, and as a consequence of last year’s four destructive storms, Southwinds is creating a Web site dedicated to saving boats. The link, on our main site www.southwindssailing.com, will be in place by June 1. The site will be dedicated to saving boats, whether sail or power. We will put up all the articles and letters we have received from others in recent years on boaters’ experiences with tropical storms. Some of these stories we will print in the monthly magazine, and some will go straight onto the Web site. Those printed will eventually be posted on the hurricane site. This will include experiences on what people did to save their boats that worked and what didn’t work—at the dock, at anchor, moored, or on the water. This will be a practical site of others’ experiences, not just general advice on preparation (although we will have that, too), but what lines people used, how many, what chafe protection was used, what sized fenders and how many, what they did with their gear, what anchoring techniques were used—how many, what type, scope, length, chain, etc. One thing I have noticed is all these pamphlets and articles give you a list of what to do, but others’ actual experiences is where I learned the most. These experiences were tested. After last fall’s storms destroyed so many boats— and after hearing several success stories of boats that sur-

News & Views for Southern Sailors

vived—we asked readers to send in their stories to share with others. In this issue, in our hurricane section, we have a letter from one boat owner who researched out the best way to prepare his boat at anchor for a storm. He gives us practical experience on what he did—and his system worked, except others’ boats failed and crashed into his, causing substantial damage, but the boat was not destroyed. The site will have links to hurricane weather sites for prediction and other related links to help you prepare better for the tropical storm season. I recently purchased another sailboat and have a real interest in saving it. With effort, we can all get this down and save more of our boats. With time we will learn and secure them better. We will learn how to build better docks to protect them from the storms and protect our boats. Whether your insurance replaces your boat or not, it is devastating to lose a boat that has been the source of so much adventure and enjoyment. So, send us your stories; share your ideas and experiences with others. They can be e-mailed to editor@southwindssailing.com, or mail them to us by snail mail (see page 6) if need be. Steve Morrell Editor

SOUTHWINDS

June 2005

LETTERS

Continued from page 9

“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.

THE MIAMI BEACH ANCHORING ORDINANCE This letter is in response to an ordinance which the city of Miami Beach passed on first reading on April 20 limiting anchoring in the city limits for periods longer than 72 hours. The second reading, when the ordinance would be made law, was scheduled to be on May 18—by the time readers read this, a final decision will have been made, although it is rumored they might extend the anchoring limit to seven days on the 18th. Go to page 24 for more on the subject. The political atmosphere here is poisonous, and it is extremely unlikely that any major changes will be made in the legal text, which was passed on first reading on April 20. At best, cruising sailors might get something small like a 24-hour warning notice for people who are ignorant of this new law. A recent quick survey by the city’s Marine Patrol found 20 liveaboard boats and about 60 unoccupied boats, which apparently were anchored by owners who cannot afford or cannot find other storage accommodations. (There is little doubt that Florida law enables local communities to regulate anchored boats which are essentially being stored on their anchors.) The resident-complainants—waterfront property owners—are focusing attention on the 20 or so occupied boats, and their main concern is that such boats anchor too closely to their property. Thus, the key issue is privacy though they speak loudly of crime and water pollution. The only real thing that might be accomplished by May 18, the day of the second and final reading of the ordinance, would be to persuade the city manager of Miami Beach, George Gonzalez, to publicly announce his intention to establish a designated anchoring area and a regulated mooring field that would provide cruising sailors with essential services. The designation of an anchoring area should not be too hard, though it would probably require commission approval. The NIMBY (Not In My BackYard) syndrome would be a major stumbling block. However, the city manager, if he agrees to go ahead with a mooring field, would probably try to entice private concessionaires to design and operate the mooring field and pay the city a certain percentage of the gross. That would take much more time to put into practice and would also require commission support. If you could mobilize your readers to urge Mr. Gonzalez to get started on designating an official anchorage area and developing a mooring field, that would be a big help to cruisers. His e-mail address is jorgegonzalez@miamibeachfl.gov. Along these same lines, the format for contacting Miami Beach’s six commissioners by e-mail is this: firstname@miamibeachfl.gov. I put the surnames in parentheses: Matti (Bower); Saul (Gross); Jose (Smith); Luis (Garcia); Simon (Cruz), and Richard (Steinberg). The mayor of Miami Beach is David (Dermer). Examples: matti@miamibeachfl.gov and david@miamibeachfl.gov. My conclusion after talking to several maritime lawyers is that only a court can stop this kind of arbitrary local legal legislation, and that means that cruising sailors will have to wait until some determined yachtsmen, with See LETTERS continued on page 10 8

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LETTERS

Continued from page 8

brains and bucks, successfully sue the city. At this time, the Miami Beach city commission is not worried about that and is taking full advantage of ambiguities in Florida law and in certain court decisions. For the lawyers out there, the legal center of attention is on the phrase “in transit.” The city cannot regulate the anchoring of vessels in transit in local waters; only the state can do that. So, for restrictive waterfront communities, the trick is to define when a vessel no longer is in transit. Miami Beach says that, after a vessel has anchored anywhere in local waters for a cumulative total of 72 hours or more in any thirty-day period, it is no longer in transit. Hence, such vessels can be locally regulated. And after May 18th, they will be, unless some miracle occurs. Plainly, the city should offer cruising sailors an alternative; otherwise. the message in the current ordinance is very harsh: Hey, skipper! Unless you have a broken leg or a cracked cylinder head, keep going! Anonymous Anonymous, This is a sad state of affairs, as the rights of using the waterways of the state of Florida are dwindling along with access to them. I think the thing that scares me most is your comment, “The Miami Beach city commission is not worried about that (being sued) and is taking full advantage of ambiguities in Florida law and in certain court decisions.” I believe that is exactly how they are acting. In other words, since they know the chances of cruisers being wealthy enough (or having enough time) to put together a lawsuit are slim, and that there are enough gray areas in laws and court decisions to make the issue vague, they will go ahead and move forward with what they want—not with what they might see as right, legal or wrong, but what suits their needs. This is commonly known—and we see it more and more today—as the “tyranny of the majority.” This power-hungry action has been around a long time, and today’s majority is apparently often ignorant of it. Cruisers are a minority, as sailors are, and the only thing that can be done is to organize. There’s a fitting slogan for many political concepts, and the fitting one here is “organization is the power of the minority.” Cruisers and sailors are going to have to organize and establish a political movement to protect these rights. Editor ANOTHER MARINA BITES THE DUST I’m not sure if you have already reported the marina sellouts in Carrabelle, FL. If not, let me fill you in. The Moorings of Carrabelle supposedly closed on its deal as of last week (last week in April). I have not confirmed this. However, the deal was pending when we left in January and many slipholders left for “greener” pastures. Another marina in Carrabelle, the Crew’s Quarters, supposedly had a contract, but things about that deal were sketchy. Another marina/yard in Carrabelle is Dockside, and there is a lot of pressure for the owner to sell out. He is actually on a lease, and money is trying to buy/force him out. I’ve also heard of a boatyard in Apalachicola that sold out for condo development. Things are really getting bad! When is the boating industry in Florida going to wake up and realize that pretty soon they are going to feel the effects! And where is all this money coming from? We are currently in Beaufort, NC, on our way to the Chesapeake Bay for the summer. I don’t know how much See LETTERS continued on page 13 10

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June 2005

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LETTERS

Continued from page 10

longer we wll be in the United States if we are to remain in boating! Thanks for taking the issue to the readers. Publicity helps! Ken Klein s/v Sun Seeker Ken, Thanks for sending in this information. Incrementally is how these marinas are dissappearing. I doubt if anyone is keeping count on the numbers adding up, but I would like to see them. I have heard of a couple dozen in the last few months. We will keep publicizing them best we can. Editor SINKING OF SYRINX: A RESPONSIBLE NEIGHBOR TRIES TO HELP Witnessing the slow immersion of a 25-foot sailboat with fresh bright work, and a recently painted topside, raised many questions and gave me an ache. For nine days, I watched with concern as the Syrinx lowered her bow, raised her stern, then settled level at 18 inches above her design waterline. A final surge producing a roller clear across the harbor settled Syrinx into seven feet of calm, clear water, her mast lifting skyward with a list to port, its cross a grim reminder of her fate. I had never seen the owner, but I was there when Syrinx first anchored. She just appeared one morning. I sailed away for a few days over Christmas. When I returned, Syrinx had blown over 500 feet south and west, resting in waters that shoaled under her at low tides. Two days later she was again anchored nearby in deeper waters. Being ashore while this occurred, I again missed seeing the owner or his agent. The next day her bow was ever so slightly down, as small boats appear if the vee berth is occupied, yet she was locked up, and no one seemed to be aboard. One day later and she looks wrong, nosing down with a slight list. I hoped the owner would be stopping by to check and soon arrive to investigate. Another day she looked worse with no attention being paid. By Saturday I knew intervention was needed. Rowing over I recorded her Florida registration numbers and checked for any owner informationâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;something a wise owner would have posted. She was outboard-powered without an engine; her cockpit lockers revealed battery cables but no battery, no fuel tank, and no cockpit bilge pump I could use to slow the sinking. No water showed in the lockers, as she nosed ever downward. At the end of the day, no owner had showed. I called the Coast Guard. When I revealed there was no peril to life or environment, they told me to call the Florida Marine Patrol with the numbers. They would be responsible for researching and contacting the owner; yet another call to make. The FMP operator recorded the numbers and location, assuring me they would get in touch with the owner. Sunday I watched as a simple rescue turned to salvage, a real shame as someone had spent considerable time on her bright work. Companionway boards, rails, tiller, and cockpit trim all gleamed with fresh varnish professionally done, looking for all the world as if brand, spanking new. Later I called FMP to see if they had located the owner or if I could get his address to offer assistance as I was on the scene. Coarsely, I was informed this info is given only to law enforcement personnel, and any attempt on my part to salSee LETTERS continued on page 14 News & Views for Southern Sailors

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vage the Syrinx could result in my arrest, as in the state of Florida there are no salvage rights? My hands had been slapped; the state only wants its citizens to inform, not get involved! All I could do was watch and record. Next day Syrinx settled, leveling out with only inches of freeboard remaining. The Florida Marine Patrol came and checked the FL numbers. Another day and the Coast Guard boarded, looking for EPA hazards or a somebody. They left her several inches deeper in the water from their short stomp around her decks. Next afternoon she submerged, prompting many calls from surrounding homeowners. This was apparent as the sheriff arrived on scene the next morning to investigate. I truly would have helped. I have the skills and knowledge. After all, I live on my boat, but without the owner’s knowledge I simply didn’t want to assume responsibility for the vessel or be subject to arrest for trespass or theft. Conversations with both Coast Guard, and the sheriff reassured me I had legally done the right things. What of my moral responsibilities to a fellow waterman? Yet why would a responsible boat owner allow this to occur? Anchorage laws were very popular with our coastal communities many years ago. I have found few that are harshly enforced these days. Now rest assured any boater seeking a temporary refuge in this excellent harbor will most certainly have land dwellers calling the authorities the minute their anchor hits the mud. I don’t know of anything done differently that could or would have created a better outcome, but my involvement in the event has created an ache the simple writing of this letter will not ease. I must now move on and any return to this harbor in the next six months could result in my receiving a fine. Capt. Cliff Stephan West Florida Cliff, That is a sad story, in more ways than one. Saddest of all is being reprimanded by law enforcement officials—the very ones whom you contacted to help resolve the situation. The boat could have been saved. Will we ever know who the owner is? Ironic that in my February editorial I had mentioned that liveaboards will so often help boats in distress where the owner is not present—as you have done here. I suggest some law enforcement officers need to learn from responsible actions of boaters like yourself. Sad again that someone lost a boat they were taking care of. Who really knows what happened to this owner? Could something have happened to prevent his saving the boat? A boat recently varnished indicates someone was not leaving this boat as a derelict to sink and be forgotten. A good neighbor such as yourself tried, but law enforcement got in the way. I hope this is not a discouragement for you to respond in the future in like manner when another’s boat is in distress. I know you need to contact the authorities or it will put your well being in jeopardy. Let’s hope other law enforcement personnel act to save a boat in a similar situation. If they must act in such a manner because of policy or budget constraints, then we are all in distress. My compliments to you and your actions in this case. Sadly, I am not sure the authorities realize how much you were trying to help. They were hardly encouraging responsible action. It is almost as if there is an adverserial relationship with the authorities at times—not a cooperative one. Editor editor@southwindssailing.com Web site: southwindssailing.com PO Box 1175,Holmes Beach FL 34218 Fax: (941) 795-8705 14

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June 1-November 30 Atlantic Hurricane Season Begins — SOUTHWINDS Establishes New Hurricane Web Site for Boat Protection Protect your boat! Go to the SOUTHWINDS Web site, www.southwindssailing.com, and follow the link to Hurricane 2005 for more information on hurricanes and hurricane protection for you and your boat. A special page has been created, with articles and comments by fellow sailors, stories of hurricane preparation, links to weather sites and more. Send us your hurricane stories and photos to editor@southwindssailing.com to contribute to this site and share your information with other sailors.

Celebrate Summer Sailstice 2005 June 18-19 Summer Sailstice 2005 is the fifth annual celebration of the year’s longest sailing day. So many sailors from around the world have celebrated this holiday every year since it began in 2000, that the earth is considering changing its movement to align the solstice with the sailstice.The solstice, this year occuring on June 21, doesn’t always fall on the weekend, so

News & Views for Southern Sailors

the Sailstice is celebrated on the nearest weekend. Sponsors for Summer Sailstice 2005 each year offer prizes for those who sign up to celebrate the event. Go to www.summersailstice.com for more information.

Free BoatU.S. Recall Alert Registry Helps Boat Manufacturers Reach Customers As the boating season begins in earnest, boat owners should know about a free BoatU.S. service that connects them with U.S. Coast Guard recall actions. Significant repair bills and, perhaps lives, are at stake. Boat manufacturers know that for a period of 10 years after a boat is built, federal law requires them to recall and repair their vessels if they are found to be in non-compliance with Coast Guard regulations or when they contain safety defects. But the law only requires that Coast Guard defect-recall notices be sent to original owners. With most vessels changing ownership at least once during their first 10 years of life, well-meaning manufacturers often have difficulty reaching subsequent owners to let them know they have a fix available to remedy a safety problem. The nation’s largest recreational boat owners associa-

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June 2005

Regional Sailing Services Directory Sailing Services Directory starts as low as $8 a month. Call (941) 795-8704 or e-mail editor@southwindssailing.com CAPTAIN SERVICES

FISHING GUIDES

SAILMAKING, REPAIRING & CLEANING

Masthead Used Sails………..(800) 783-6953 CAPT. JIMMY HENDON (727) 459-0801 FL KEYS BACKCOUNTRY TRIPS www.mastheadsailinggear.com ASA Cert./BBC Instruction * USCG Lic. Master With Pro Guide Capt. “BR” Largest Inventory in the South (727) 327-5361 Deliveries • Gulf • Atlantic • Caribbean Exploring, Sportfishing, Birding (866) 221-2841 captainjimmy@gosolo.com (305) 304-2258 www.keywest-sportfish.com GESLIN SAILMAKERS (305) 294-5854 New Sails, Service & Repairs 201 William St. – Key West TOPSAIL SERVICES MARINE DIESEL SERVICE Delvieries • Consulting Sarasota INLAND MARINE DIESEL....................Atlanta PORPOISE SAILING SERVICES Power • Sail *New/Used Sails * New Custom Sails USCG Licensed Master • Unlimited Tonnage Service/Parts for all makes of diesel auxiliary Roller Furling Systems & Packages New Engine Sales–Universal, Beta, Yanmar, Don Charland (910) 279-6315 and Westerbeke.......................(404) 513-4414 (800) 507-0119........www.porpoisesailing.com doncharland@aol.com

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CHARTERS

John Kelly Serving the Carolinas NAMS Certified Marine Surveyor. 100-ton ocean master & offshore catamaran owner www.yachtsurveyor.com.........(910) 392-5054

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RIGGING SERVICES Beach St.Canvas/Rigging East Florida Rigging, Canvas, Sails, Sail Repair Daytona Beach, Florida............(386) 253-6322

SAILING INSTRUCTION/SCHOOLS Floridaze Sailing School Pensacola ASA * Basic Instructon through chartering www.floridazesailing.com .......(850) 934-7924

Subscribe to SOUTHWINDS Line ads here available: 3-line ad – $8 per month 4-line ad – $10 a month

on-line on our secure Web site: www.southwindssailing.com

SUNRISE SAILS PLUS WEST FLORIDA Complete Yacht Outfitting Service Sails – New, Repair, Cleaning Complete rigging service, masts, cushions, canvas & more (941) 721-4471 sunrisesailsplus@msn.com Wind Dancer Sailmakers NE Florida Sailmaking and repairs Jacksonville, FL........................(904) 384-3102

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ADVERTISE YOUR SAILING SERVICES IN OUR REGIONAL DIRECTORY. CONTACT: Steve Morrell 16

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tion, BoatU.S., has stepped in to fill this important gap between boat builders and owners with its National Recall Alert Registry. To register, manufacturers can go to the “Manufacturers Query” link at www.BoatUS.com/recall. Boat owners can register their boats at this site and receive future notices or those that have already been sent out. Since its launch five years ago, the Registry’s database has been utilized in several recall actions, saving manufacturers time and efforts and potentially many lives.

BoatUS Offers Free Life Jackets Loaned to Kids BoatUS-store.com has teamed up with the BoatU.S. Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water to provide additional funding for its life-saving Life Jacket Loaner Program for kids. From May 1 to June 30, BoatUS-store.com will contribute $1 to the Foundation’s loaner program for each life jacket purchased at the online store. The loaner program allows boaters to borrow a kid’s life jacket for the day, afternoon or weekend at over 366 locations in 49 states. It has saved the lives of three children since its 1997 inception. Over 10,000 life jackets have been loaned to date. Go to www.BoatUS-store.com for more information.

Regatta Time in Abaco, July 3-10, Abacos, Bahamas One of the largest and most popular regattas in the Bahamas. Starts with the Green Turtle Cay Race on July 2 and then eight days of racing and festivities in the Abacos. Web site: www.rtia.net, Jon and Carol Ewing, (305) 665-

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0316, Fax: (305) 665-0318, E-mail: lightning@cofs.com. See regatta advertisement page 18.

Boatswop Launches New Boat-Swapping Service Launched in January, boatswop.com already has almost 200 members in 13 countries across three continents. The concept is simple. Boatswop members can agree to short-term boat swaps with any other interested member around the world, or, if they prefer, simply in a different part of their own national waters. Co-founder Andy Holliday said, “We are keen to expand our membership quickly and via a network of Boatswop partners, we aim to have 5,000 members worldwide by 2008. Most owners like to sail in other waters from time to time, and by becoming Boatswop members they can do just that. Our free membership quota is almost complete, after which it will cost £49 (US $93; 68 euro) with a ‘one off’ joining fee of £49. Compared with the cost of chartering, it’s a drop in the ocean!” For more information, go to www.boatswop.com.

Disposing of Unwanted Boats By Jody L. Alu We’ve all read the ads for disposing of your unwanted boat by donating it to a charity. And those can be good causes. Actually that’s how I acquired my boat, but this article is about how to remove a boat that is at the end of its life. Friends may tell you to put a free sign on it or leave it at a local boat ramp (if it is on a trailer). But those aren’t really options when it’s still sitting in the water, or worse, lurking beneath the surface waiting like a piranha to rip a gaping hole in the hull of an unsuspecting passing boater. With so many lagoons up and down Florida’s Intracoastal Waterway, irresponsible owners have abandoned their boats without even realizing what a hazard they can cause. When submerged objects aren’t on any navigational aids, the results can be disastrous. Even local knowledge can’t

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June 2005

Miami charges $66.80 per ton cover this problem either, as with all fluids and hazardous debris shifts and worse, chemimaterials removed and can be cals or fuel leach out. And of reached at (305) 594-1500. You course, last year’s hurricane might also try a boat junkyard. season made it even more of an It may not take all of the boat, epidemic when boats were but it may take a sizeable porripped from their moorings and tion and even give you money docks only to disappear in return. If you know of a beneath the surface. derelict or abandoned boat, it The state of Florida does can be reported to the Florida give grants to local governFish and Wildlife Conservation ments to remove such boats, Commission at (800) 488-4676. but it is out of money. In What do you do with an unwanted boat? Brevard County the commission has asked legislators to help change state laws that Tsunami Prediction – would make it easier for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Strike Possible in Caribbean Conservation Commission to haul off abandoned vessels. And although it can sometimes be difficult to identify ownBy Jody L. Alu ers of a boat, the commission hopes to force them to pay for In 1946 a fatal tsunami killed an estimated 1,700 people in Haiti the removal of their own boats. Depending on the size of a and the Dominican Republic when an 8.1-magnitude earthvessel, the cost can be as much as $10,000 to remove a large quake occurred in the Hispaniola Trench. If one like this were one from the waterways and can take two or more years to to hit today, it would be much more devastating as major confinalize salvaging. struction along the coastline, a skyrocketing population and So how do you take the responsibility of disposing of over 17-million yearly visitors could prove a deadly mix. your boat legally when it is no longer useful? Although not Ironically, just two days before the devastating Dec. 26 as easy to access as junkyards for cars, you are able to dump tsunami killed over 150,000 people in the Indian Ocean your boat at many landfills. In Brevard County, the Cocoa nations, an article appeared in the “Journal of Geophysical landfill will accept your boat when all fluids and hazardous Research,” co-authored by Uri ten Brink, stating that the materials have been removed. The cost is $24.66 a ton. It can Caribbean needs a tsunami warning system. A hotbed of be reached at (321) 633-1888. The Broward County landfill seismic tensions in the Puerto Rico, Hispaniola, and accepts boats at $5 per foot, again with all fluids and hazCayman trenches ringing the Caribbean could produce ardous materials removed. They can be reached at (954) earthquakes, underwater landslides or tsunamis. The 680-0095. (I’m not sure if this cost will hold for a large boat, Puerto Rico Trench is one of the deepest in the world at but when I asked it if they it didn’t charge by the ton, the 27,355 feet. The 25,000-foot deep Sunda Trench triggered the answer was no–its $5 a foot.) Solid Waste Management in

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9.0 quake, which caused the Indian Ocean tsunami. The risk may be minor, but it is real that a tsunami could hit the region. The Caribbean currently has an effective hurricane warning system along with tidal gauges that measure sea height. According to Terry Ally, a spokesman for the Barbados-based Caribbean Disaster Emergency Response Agency, scientists and disaster coordinators will meet in May with agency members to discuss the need for a tsunami early-warning system. A study recently released noted that the Caribbean region had been struck by 88 tsunamis between 1489 and 1998. Parts of Montserrat were struck by a 12-foot tsunami in 2003. A warning system could be in place by mid-2007 for the Caribbean and East Coast. But what is the risk of a tsunami hitting Florida? Again, because of the dense population along our coastline, we have become more vulnerable to any disaster that is waterrelated. Luckily, we have a relatively stable geological foundation so we don’t have the danger of volcanic eruptions or earthquakes. We must be aware, though, of the perils adherent to the Caribbean since any threat there could reach our shores, most likely as a tsunami. And we must also be aware of other areas of the Atlantic Ocean that could prove disastrous to our region. The Canary Islands near Africa is home to Cumbre Vieja on the island of La Palma. About 4,000 miles from South

News & Views for Southern Sailors

Florida, this active volcano has cycles, though lengthy, of regular growth and collapse. Geologists agree that it could be due for another major collapse; one which could send shock waves of water 60-feet high that could reach and engulf South Florida in just nine hours. How does that compare to a hurricane? According to Jim Lushine, South Florida warning coordinator for the National Weather Service, that would be the equivalent of a Category 10 hurricane. This article is not meant to cause anxiety or fear to anyone. Although geologists don’t predict these situations will happen in our lifetime, tsunamis of the magnitude that hit the Indian Ocean usually only occur every 500 years—and Cumbre Vieja’s last major collapse was 200,000 years ago—it’s just a reminder that conditions do exist worldwide to produce natural catastrophes along our coastlines, and we must be prepared to heed warnings and official instructions without hesitation.

Mexico Changes Boater Entry Requirements Mexico recently rescinded the requirements for boaters to perform a full “domestic” clearance at each port they enter after initially performing an “international” arrival clearance. Now, after performing the initial international clearance, boaters must only inform a marina when they arrive,

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when they depart or if they make a crew change in that port. They must inform the local port captain if no marina exists. Once having done the initial entry into the country, the new rules will make it a lot easier for boaters to go from port to port as the paperwork and requirements under the old rules were a substantial amount of work.

What do I do with my old fire extinguishers? By Wayne Spivak, Branch Chief – National Training Department, United States Coast Guard Auxiliary Fire extinguishers as manufactured come in three varieties:water-filled, gas-filled and chemical-filled extinguishers. With the exception of chemical-filled extinguishers, both water-filled and gas(CO2)-filled extinguishers are inert, and are not harmful. The dry chemical variety can cause irritation, so extra care should be taken with these units. Older fire extinguishers may have been charged with chemicals such as carbon tetrachloride or halon. If in doubt, contact your local fire department or fire extinguisher service companies (found conveniently in the Yellow Pages). The common denominator in the three different types of fire extinguishers mentioned is the fact that each contain-

News & Views for Southern Sailors

er is under pressure. Without pressure, when you squeezed the activating trigger, nothing would happen. This is why, on most units today, there is a pressure gauge. Many of today’s units are also rechargeable. This means for a small amount of money, usually a fraction of the cost of a new unit, you can have your fire extinguisher emptied, checked and re-filled. But let’s get back to the inevitable question. You don’t want the old fire extinguisher. What do you do with it? First and foremost, contact your local fire department, sanitation department or the Environmental Protection Agency and find out what your local laws stipulate. Some locals consider fire extinguishers as hazardous waste. Others won’t permit you to put fully charged extinguishers in with the regular garbage. However, you may be able to dispose of discharged extinguishers. If you are permitted, here’s the chance to practice what we hope you will never have to do, use the fire extinguisher. Remember, when you use a fire extinguisher, point at the bottom of the fire, and spray with a left to right (or right to left) motion using short bursts from the fire extinguisher. A unit under pressure, if crushed, can explode. Once the unit is discharged, there is no potential of an accident should the extinguisher be crushed during the disposal phase.

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June 2005

TROPICAL PIPELINE

Bubba Has Coast Guard Hearing By Morgan Stinemetz

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News & Views for Southern Sailors

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June 2005

HURRICANE SEASON 2005

Send Us Your Hurricane Stories – Our Mission is to Save Boats Hurricane season opens on June 1 and ends on November 30. We are looking for readers to send in their hurricane stories—whether on the water, at the dock, or at anchor/moored, both sail and power. Tell us what worked, what didn’t work, what lines, fenders, anchors, chafe protection gear and other techniques were used to help save your boat or what didn’t; What you saw worked or didn’t work on other boats—or what you heard about; or just tell us what happened. Below is one of the success stories we received after SOUTHWINDS asked readers lst fall to send in their stories of experiences with boats and hurricanes; Over the coming months, we will publish more of these stories and letters along with those we continue to receive. Through sharing these experiences, other boaters can learn what to do next time a storm comes and, perhaps save their boat and, perhaps, even lives. Send them to editor@southwindssailing.com. Send pictures if you have them. Visit our new hurricane page on the SOUTHWINDS Web site For more information, links, and other stories and letters on hurricane protection for you and your boat, go to our Web site, www.southwindssailing.com. The Southwinds hurricane page will be dedicated to saving boats during tropical storms—sail or power. The stories printed monthly will be available on the online magazine each month and then posted to our hurricane page the following month along with other stories previously printed (follow the link on the home page).

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Anchoring Technique Saves an Ericson 35 By Ray Rhode

n the aftermath of this year’s hurricane season, SOUTHWINDS Editor Steve Morrell asked readers to share their hurricane stories. I was one of the lucky owners in my area of the Florida Panhandle so I decided to share what worked for me. Journey, my Erickson 35, is located in Niceville, FL, near Fort Walton Beach. During Ivan we had 80-mph winds with gusts to 100 mph for about four hours with a surge of 10 feet or more Shortly after acquiring Journey, I began to develop a storm-anchoring strategy. Almost everyone agrees with the use of multiple anchors, with most sailors setting them on separate rodes in a "V." There is some discussion of the use of tandem anchors (the "tandem" technique) on a single rode. Hinz, Calder and Dashew all mention this technique but do not provide much detail. The consensus seems to be that this technique provides an increase in holding power over the two anchors set separately. Each of these techniques has its advantages and disadvantages. The "V" technique provides for full redundancy, but as soon as the wind shifts, you are back to hanging on a single rode, and if the windward anchor drags, you run the risk of fouling the leeward anchor. You also have two rodes for other boats to tangle with. The tandem technique eliminates the fouling prob-

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lem and gives better holding, but at the loss of redundancy, since the rode is a single point of failure. I decided to use the tandem technique and started with a Fortress FX37 as the first anchor, and my everyday 35-pound Delta as the second anchor. The Fortress was chosen for its holding power in sand and soft mud. The Delta was used because of its quick setting ability. If the Delta broke out, the Fortress would provide sufficient holding until the Delta could reset. Also, if both anchors broke out, the Delta would act as a kellet (a weight attached to the rode before it reaches bottom to increase sag) to help keep the light Fortress from hydroplaning and give both anchors time to reset. The Fortress was attached to the Delta with 30 feet of 3/8-inch chain. More chain would have been better, but I had to balance the weight against the difficulty of deploying and retrieving the chain by hand. At first, I intended to attach the chain to the Delta’s crown as shown in Nigel Calder’s Cruising Handbook, page 418. However, I decided instead to attach it to the head. With the first chain attached to the crown, the Delta would become another chain link, and if Journey veered, the tension could roll the Delta out of the bottom rather than letting it pivot. With the first chain attached to the head, the Delta could pivot and the

News & Views for Southern Sailors

tension would still be divided between the two anchors. This setup is shown in Dashew’s Practical Seamanship page 389. The Delta’s head was attached to 40 feet of 3/8-inch chain, which was shackled to 220 feet of 7/8-inch 3strand nylon rode. The 7/8-inch rode was used to make up for the lack of redundancy. My hope was that if Journey got tangled up with another boat, the other boat would chaff through first. The main rode was connected to two 7/8-inch nylon bridles, which were secured to the two bow cleats. To connect the main rode and two bridles I used 1/2-inch chain looped through the three thimbles. This chain loop was set five feet below the waterline. The weight of the 1/2-inch chain was meant to keep a slack rode from wrapping around the keel and rudder. The bridles were run aft to the primary winches, preloaded and then cleated distributing the load over several attachment points. This setup gave a total of 300 feet of rode. The water depth was 13 to 15 feet, and after allowing for 15 feet of surge and wave action, the scope was 10 to 1. All of this worked as I had hoped, and even though Journey held, several other boats at one time or another during the night, my anchor marker was right where I left it. One of the other boats was large enough to damage the roller furling at Journey’s masthead. The single main rode

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June 2005

HURRICANE SEASON showed some signs of chafe, but from the pattern of damage on both sides of the bow, it appeared that the other boats’ anchors rode up the line and attached themselves to my bow. One of the bridle lines was completely shredded and separated, and the other was down to one strand. Had the last strand failed, Journey would have ended up on the shore like so many others. In the future I would like to use chain for the bridles but I don’t have a good way to secure them to the cleats. So, to add some redundancy I plan to add a third bridle from the 1/2-inch chain loop where the bridles join the main rode. I plan to use 3/8-inch chain over the bow roller, changing to 7/8-inch nylon secured around the mast. This third bridle will be set slack and will only come into play if the two nylon bridles are cut. Several of my friends also used the tandem technique. One was a Pearson 385, which used all chain rode. However, the two nylon rope snubbers were chaffed through, and the boat wound up lying to all chain. The second was a Westsail 32, which unfortunately was lost when attacked by a large Dufour ketch with lunch hook-sized ground tackle. The Westsail had a large Spade and a 35pound CQR on 300 feet of chain and was dragged about half a mile to the shore. Should you want to utilize this technique, I suggest

practicing in calm conditions and not waiting until a storm is near and the seas are up. Deploying all of this ground tackle and getting both anchors set can be difficult. I found it best to start by cleating the bridle lines and then securing and flaking everything out on deck in reverse order of deployment, ending with the Fortress. The most important lesson and the most difficult to implement is to watch out for the other guy. The day after I anchored, a boat—bearing a strong resemblance to Right Guard (Bubba Whartz’s boat)—anchored nearby using a freshly poured 55-gallon drum of concrete. It’s uncertain how many boats he took out before reaching the shore. Even though Journey didn’t move, the insurance bill for the damage inflicted by other boats was over $20,000.

Prospects & Web Sites for Hurricane Season 2005 By Roy Laughlin

After last fall’s four storms, hardly anyone in the Southeast now takes hurricane season for granted. Dr. Grey issued the second of his annual predictions in April. He predicts a higher than average year again in 2005. Please note that Dr Grey’s 53 percent probability estimate applies to the whole Atlantic East Coast of the United States, not just to Florida. For the Gulf Coast from the Florida Panhandle to Brownsville, TX, the probability of a landfalling hurricane is 41 percent. No single state, including Florida, has the quoted probability of being hit by a hurricane. Dr. Grey presents his predictions and discussion at http://tropical.atmos.colostate.edu/forecasts/. Updates are scheduled for June 1, Aug 1, Sept 1 and Oct 1. Hurricane Forecast Web Sites For those who prefer to go beyond hurricane news from television and radio, the best sources of current information and prediction are available on the Internet. My favorites are: www.noaa.gov The NOAA site was notable for its blandness. Government policy was that the agency was to collect weather and environmental data, but distribute it to commercial outlets for public dissemination. The contemporary site steers a middle ground between just the facts and the enhanced images and presentation of commercial sites. The most useful features of the NOAA site are fast servers and no commercial ads. www.weather.com This commercial site is the standard weather information source for most weather watchers. Its major draws are the satellite images and maps of the predicted storm path once it forms. This is a large site, and finding information on it can be daunting. During the hurricane season, this site has a direct link to "Tropical Weather" on the home page. The "Maps" section, subcategory "oceans," is the source of the most useful images to watch both atmospheric systems that may generate tropical cyclones, and progress after they form. Maps of the tropical Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico, 26

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updated several times each day, are available on the site. www.intellicast.com This site is best for its radar images of hurricanes as they approach within a couple hundred miles of shore. Its radar loops illustrate both rain intensity and movement. Intellicast.com’s radar imaging is also useful during summer months when squall lines form each day and move toward one coast or the other because images are updated about every 15-20 minutes throughout the day. www.weatherunderground.com This is the site for hardcore weather information addicts. The site has a commercialized home page, but once you use it a few times, it becomes easier to navigate. The tabbed "Features" list on top of the home page includes a "Tropical/Hurricane" link. On that feature page, if there is a named storm in either the Atlantic or Pacific oceans, it will be listed just below the tropical oceans map at the top of the home page. The storm’s coverage includes latest strength/wind speed measurements and position, official forecasts/advisories and model forecasts. This is the best place to obtain a graphical presentation of the four to six major climate models used to predict a storm’s path. At the very bottom of the "Tropical/Hurricane" page is a "Tropical Weather Discussion" section link. The discussions, written by professional meteorologists at the National Hurricane Center, may include commentary on the general condition of the tropical oceans for hurricane formation early in the season. They may also include discussion and authoritative summary of a tropical cyclone’s eventual motion and fate. The U.S. government is the primary source of all weather information presented on these sites. Weatherunderground.com is the most detailed source of data and interpretation that other sites present only as a synthesis. www.southwindssailing.com The SOUTHWINDS Web site, along with information to protect your boat, will have the above links, and others, to weather Web sites covering tropical storms. www.southwindssailing.com

TROPICAL PIPELINE

L a s e r s & F o rm u l a Windsurfing New Additions To BVI Spring Regatta B y C a ro l B a re u t h e r P h o t o s b y D e a n B a rn e s

ig boats like Tom Hill’s Reichel-Pugh 75, Titan XX, with its 24 crewmembers pushing the swift sailing yacht to complete mile-long downwind runs in 6 1/2 minutes, were nothing short of amazing. But, Tom’s done it before, and big boats such as Titan XII and Roy Disney’s Pyewacket have already starred at the BVI Spring Regatta & Sailing Festival, sailed this year from March 29 to April 3. However, it was craft quite smaller that took this year’s spotlight. The addition of Lasers—both standard and radial rigs, and Formula Windsurfing classes, proved spectacular to watch and were yet another feature that has continued to define the BVI event as one of the most trend-setting in the Caribbean. Regatta director, Bob Phillips—who spearheaded the multi-race format and the expansion of the event into a week of competition via the addition of a three-day sailing

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festival—also pioneered the new class additions. “We were excited to be able to host groups of sailors that are being left out of the other Caribbean regattas,” said Phillips. “And, we’re uniquely placed to add this element to our regatta. The one-design course is set inshore just south of the entrance to Nanny Cay Marina and perfect for smaller craft and the related fleet control and safety issues.” Phillips also had big plans in mind when introducing these classes. “We have had many Olympians at Spring Regatta over the years. Our dream and goal is for the onedesign course to become a qualifying event for the Central American, Caribbean and Pan American games.” This year though, the competition started small. In fact, the winning of the eight-competitor Formula Windsurfing class was a family affair. The BVI’s Andersons, who own the

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famous Willy T floating bar at Norman Island as well as Peg Leg Landing restaurant at Nanny Cay, took the top three slots. Fifteen-year-old Sean finished first, dad Ewan second, and 13-year-old Alec third. “It was great to have windsurfing as part of the regatta,” Alec Anderson said. “We’re hoping the word gets out, and we’ll get even more boardsailors like the hot guys from the Dominican Republic, St. Maarten, Martinique and even from the States for next year.” In the other classes—which in total tallied 134 entries ranging from big boats to sport boats, cruising yachts and bareboats with skippers hailing from the Caribbean, U.S. mainland and Europe, it was split-second, razor-sharp finishes that defined many of the winners in each of the classes. Light, yet conditions building to 12 to 17 knots of breeze over the three days proved perfect for Tom Hill’s Titan XII to win first place in the Spinnaker Racing B class and first in the BVI leg of the Caribbean Big Boat Series. Some of the stiffest competition came from three of the Caribbean’s best sailors. In a show of good crew work, consistency, and reading the conditions correctly, St. Thomas’ John Foster aboard his J/27, Magnificent 7, pulled a win over Antigua’s James Dobbs, helming his Olson 30, Lost Horizon II, and the BVI’s Guy Eldridge’s Melges 24, Mistress Quickly. “This was our fourth regatta of the season together, and we really molded together as a team,” Foster said. The ever-competitive IC-24 class saw the BVI’s Robbie and Michael Hirst, sailing Sea Hawk, leading over the USVI’s John Holmberg aboard Stinger. “We consistently placed in the top four or five and did this by not taking too many risks,” Robbie Hirst explained. St. Croix sailor, Llewellyn Westerman, at the helm of his Crucian-built Mongoose 37, Free Air Sailing Team, bested trimaran, Triple Jack, sailed by the BVI’s Richard Wooldridge to win the Multihull class. In turn, Triple Jack turned the tables on third place finisher, Patrick Turner’s Tryst, a situation reversed earlier this year at St. Maarten’s Heineken Regatta. “I think the BVI Spring Regatta will soon become a major event for multihull racing,” said Wooldridge. “Compared to St. Maarten, the courses are better, the water is flatter, and the winds are lighter later in the season.” Finally, St. Thomas’ Thomas Barrows completely bulleted the Laser class. Emma Paull, the Royal BVI Yacht Club’s captain of sailing, cleaned up in Laser Radials, with St. Croix’s Sydney Jones placing an incredible second after a mishap. “I had a collision with a beach cat the second day, and it put a hole in my Laser. I wanted to continue sailing and was able to get another boat, but since I was on a port tack when the collision happened, I had to keep the DNSs for the races I missed. I sailed hard and still tried to beat Emma. Next year I will for sure!” News & Views for Southern Sailors

SOUTHWINDS

June 2005

WATERWAY RIGHTS

Miami Beach Proposes Anti-Anchoring Law By Melanie Neale

n April 20, the Miami Beach City Commission introduced an ordinance that will limit the time a vessel can anchor in the Miami Beach area of Biscayne Bay to seven days within a 30day period. After the vessel has been anchored for this amount of time, it will be deemed to be “not in navigation” and will be towed by the City to a storage facility. A lien will be placed on the vessel to cover the cost of towing and storage, and the vessel’s owner will have to pay this amount to retrieve the vessel. The proposed ordinance was unanimously approved at the initial reading. The second reading is scheduled for May 18, although it may be postponed so that the city manager’s office can further research enforcement strategies. The area most affected by this ordinance will be the stretch of water within the Miami Beach jurisdiction. This includes the anchorages around Palm, Hibiscus, and Star Island, the Venetian Islands, and the anchorages on either side of the East Venetian Causeway. The popular anchorage off the Miami Yacht Club is just west of the line and will not be regulated, but it is already filling up as people move away from Miami Beach. Miami Beach has always been a safe place for boaters to wait for a weather window to cross the Gulf Stream. At any given time during December and January, dozens of cruising sailors can be found waiting on the hook in Biscayne Bay, and sometimes they have to wait for several weeks.

News & Views for Southern Sailors

Those of us who have made Gulf Stream crossings know how important it is to wait for the right weather, and we also know that to leave during bad weather would be putting both the vessel and the people aboard at risk. What the city doesn’t realize is that these cruising sailors spend money while they wait—on fuel, groceries, parts, service, and even marinas. The ordinance does state that vessels can anchor for more than seven days if there is a medical emergency, hurricane, or other emergency. However, the boat’s owner has to contact local law enforcement to let them know of the situation, which means that if you live on your boat, get sick, and have to go to the hospital for more than seven days, and don’t contact the Marine Patrol (which will be the main agency responsible for enforcing this), your boat will be removed. Also, illness and hurricanes are just a few of the

unpredictable things that happen aboard boats. Unfortunately, local marinas are usually full during the winter, and the disappearance of safe, inexpensive dockage is causing a huge problem for boaters who don’t want to spend that much time on the hook. There aren’t many marinas in Miami Beach, due to the fact that real estate is much more valuable with a high-rise condominium sitting on it. Pelican Harbor, at the 79th Street Causeway, is one of the few affordable ones, but right now they only have 10 transient slips available. The Miami Beach Marina has plenty of available dockage (about 150 transient slips), but you have to pay megayacht rates. A survey conducted by the city of Miami Beach found that there were about 85 boats anchored on a long-term basis in the Miami Beach area of Biscayne Bay. The City intends to

SOUTHWINDS

June 2005

impound about 70 boats in 4,000 members all over the the first year, and is prepared country. The Seven Seas to spend $1,128,250 in the Cruising Association has first year on towing, storage, taken an official stand against personnel (two new Marine the ordinance, sending a Patrol officers would need to mass e-mail to 20,000 membe hired), boat maintenance, bers, and local boaters are fuel and signs. The city attending the commission would make a little bit of this meetings. Many have already money back from the boat moved to anchorages outside owners whose vessels have of Miami Beach. been removed. Mooring fields like the The ordinance states that one in Vero Beach and desigthe boats anchored in the nated anchorages are a viable waters of Miami Beach “have compromise, if they are had and have a deleterious affordable and safe, and there The anchorage at Pelican Harbor. effect upon the health, safety, is some discussion of impleand welfare of the residents of the city…” It lists discharge of menting a mooring field in Miami Beach at some point in the waste, aesthetic pollution and invasion of homeowners’ pri- future. Meanwhile, boaters visiting the area need to plan on vacy as reasons for this, and states that the boats anchored in limiting their time here. this area adversely affect the quality of life of the residents of More Information on the Southwinds Web Site Miami Beach. For more information on this issue, including a copy of Many cruisers agree that there will always be a few the ordinance, news of its final passage (or its demise), the boaters who do engage in illegal activities, but believe the administration’s analysis of the ordinance, and other related rest of them shouldn’t suffer the consequences. Most cruisers news and updates, go to our Web site, www.southwindssailbelieve it is important for boaters to be responsible, to obey ing.com. We ask for readers’ opinions. Send them to pollution laws, and to be respectful. Cruisers feel this kind of thing has been happening for editor@southwindssailing.com. Many we will post on our years all over Florida. Many state that ordinances like this Web site and/or print in the magazine. are usually legally unsupportable. Florida Statute 327.60(2) states: “…local governmental authorities are prohibited from regulating the anchorage of non-liveaboard vessels engaged in the exercise of rights of navigation.” While much of this ordinance pertains to liveaboards, it also pertains to boats in storage on the waters of Biscayne Bay. The definitions are vague, and it is certainly possible to consider a vessel that is used for cruising to still be “in navigation” even though it has been anchored for seven days. A liveaboard vessel is defined by Florida Statute 327.02(16) as one that is used “solely as a residence.” It is possible for ordinances like this to be challenged, although most boaters who will be affected by this don’t have the time or financial resources to do so. Many boaters believe the best thing would be a better sense of community among cruising and liveaboard sailors. In the 1980s, some cruisers in Stuart got together and formed a group called Concerned Boaters, which at one point had

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www.southwindssailing.com

S O U T H W I N D S received the following opinion on the proposed anchoring ordinance from John H. Thomas, boardcertified admiralty and maritime lawyer. This is printed with his permission.

show that boats which are definitely in navigation by any reasonable standard have perfectly good reasons to anchor for more than 72 hours. If the City is really attempting to restrict only persons who live aboard boats, this is a separate issue 28 April 2005 and is also subject to chalTo whom it may concern: lenge unless there is a reasonable relationship between I have been asked to review live-aboard boats and probthe proposed new Miami lems which relate to safety, Beach anchoring ordinance. I health and general welfare. have not been paid for this The origin of this legislareview, and I do not represent Some boats are definitely not in navigation. tion is most probably the any parties. complaints of shoreside The following comments are solely my opinions but are based upon my review of laws landowners. Simply put, they do not have any right to and cases governing anchoring of vessels. I have practiced exclude others from using the public waterways on which maritime law in Miami, Florida, for 27 years. I am board- cer- their properties front. Being aesthetically unpleasing and a tified by the Florida Bar in admiralty and maritime law. I am nuisance are not valid reasons to exclude persons from puba member of the Florida Bar Admiralty Law Committee and lic property, as has been shown by cases which provide rights co-author of the chapter on salvage in the 4th edition of the to vagrants despite unsightly and bothersome appearances. The public waters are a public trust, which are subject to the Florida Bar book, Maritime Law and Practice. The proposed ordinance has two basic flaws; 1. The reg- use of boaters as much as the use of waterfront property owners. The City would have a better position if it were to establish ulatory power of the City in public waterways is limited to actions which are reasonably related to the public health, reasonable regulation of anchored boats, with rules related to safety and general welfare. 2. Florida Statutes Section 327.60 actual safety issues (see the Miami-Dade and City of Miami moorprohibits local regulation of vessels in navigation. The City ing codes), or if the City provided alternative places to anchor or attempts to bypass this preemption by arbitrarily defining moor. A designated mooring area, with secure moorings and any vessel which is anchored for more than 72 hours as a associated facilities, would provide a more reasonable basis for the City to require boats to moor within the designated area and live-aboard vessel and not in navigation. The City is presumed to be acting with reasonable justi- not at large. The difference is regulation vs. exclusion. The City fication and for the benefit of its citizens, but this presump- could even have a revenue source from a designated mooring tion may be overcome by a showing that the Cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s actions area. This would also provide a resource of the City for visiting boaters, rather than pulling away the welcome mat from profare arbitrary and not based upon reasonable justification. I would be interested to learn of any objective informa- itable boater business. The City might be surprised to learn that tion which forms the basis for the Cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s assertions that some of those boats which would be affected by the proposed anchored boats cause pollution and contamination, nuisance exclusion belong to responsible, tax-paying citizens of the City. The foregoing comments are only a brief summary of and invasions of privacy of homeowners and a threat to the safety, health and welfare of residents that are different from obvious legal objections to the Cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s proposed anchoring activities of boats which are not left at anchor. These appear legislation. A more thorough review and action plan would be required to oppose this plan if the City intends to proceed to be unsupported assertions. The definition of a boat which anchors for 72 hours as with its enactment. not in navigation is clearly arbitrary. It will be simple to John H. Thomas

News & Views for Southern Sailors

SOUTHWINDS

June 2005

TRAILERING

Tales of a Trailerable Sailboat: Georgia to the Florida Keys & Back PART I By Walt McFarlane

ready for some time. Her running ne of the reasons I decided to rigging had all been replaced. She buy a 26-foot MacGregor sailwas equipped with a new VHF and boat was because I would be able GPS. The interior had been to hook up the trailer and off I The author and his wife on board Sea-Renity. arranged to provide not only concould go to wherever my little venience but comfort. I had the electrical system beefed up heart desired, slide her into the water, and then just sail off by adding an additional deep cell battery for house use, into the sunset. Sounds wonderful, doesn’t it? shore power, and solar panels. The head got a larger potty, Well, my wife Jan and I have just returned from a 1550and a single-burner, butane stove gave the galley area more mile road trip around the state of Florida with our work space. Safety netMacGregor, Sea-Renity, in ting was added to keep tow. How do I now feel equipment and our pet about my decision? In puppy, Gracie, on board truth I have learned a lot. as well as jack lines to Not only about trailering keep me on board. At last but also about the boat we were ready. herself. I found that conOn the day we pulled verting a day or weekend out from Savannah, GA, boat into an extended it was beautiful. Our first cruising craft is a chalstop would be Saint lenge, to say the least. Petersburg, FL. Jan’s My most eye-opening brother, David Spierling, learning experience was lives there and has been in planning ahead. If you Sea-Renity and truck ready for the road. sailing for many years. think you can just hookHe is a regular competitor in the local racing scene, crewing up the trailer, head down the road to a desired location, on a J/24. He did our homework for us and was able to find a boat ramp, launch, then just sail off, you are make arrangements for a slip at the Harborage Marina at WRONG! It does take planning. As you will see in our litBayboro. We planned on staying there for four to five days tle story, there are a lot of surprises awaiting you. Don’t get and doing some sailing with Dave in Tampa Bay. me wrong. We had a wonderful time, even when battling Our trip started off uneventfully enough. Having a cases of the flu, but it could have been better if we had done three-quarter-ton pickup makes pulling a 26-foot a little homework prior to departure. MacGregor easy. As we rolled down the interstate, Jan and We had been working on getting Sea-Renity cruise-

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I passed the time with small talk and discussions about heading down to the Keys after we left Saint Petersburg. We were just north of St. Petersburg when all of a sudden there was a loud gunshot-typenoise followed by a roughness in steering. I looked into the left-side rearview mirror and could see the trailer tire coming apart. Again I pulled over to the shoulder. Here is pre-planning lesson number one. If you are going to pull a trailer, have a spare tire, a hydraulic bottle jack (heavy and large enough to raise both the weight of the trailer, boat, and everything inside), as well as a Sea-Renity on the water. good heavy-duty lug wrench. If your trailer has been exposed to saltwater, you also may need a can of liquid wrench, and/or a large extension leverage bar for your lug wrench in order to break loose those rusted lug nuts. I also suggest that you have a one foot by one foot sheet of three-quarter-inch plywood as well as a one-foot long, four-inch by four-inch block. Why? It’s simple. If you wish to move far enough off an interstate to survive changing a tire, and if it is the right-side tire that blew out, you will possibly find yourself setting the jack on dirt, not pavement. The plywood sheet will act as a base to prevent the jack from sinking into the ground as weight is applied, and the block can give your jack a little extra range in height. This time, I was prepared. Notice I said this time, having learned from a previous experience. So, changing the tire was no worse than if it had occurred on the truck. While on the subject of trailer tires, don’t forget to check the overall condition of your trailer (hubs, bearings, lights, safety chains, and brake system). We finally arrived at the boat ramp in Saint Petersburg. Dave arrived shortly after us. We rigged and launched the boat and then motored her about a mile over to the Harborage Marina. We then went back to get the truck and trailer. The following few days were really great. Having Dave along made it very special. I learned quite a bit about SeaRenity just by having with us his years of experience. Tampa Bay is a wonderful location for sailing. The water was beautiful, the weather near perfect. One evening we anchored out near the marina and prepared dinner from the grill.. There is nothing better on a starlit night. Some marinas do not allow the use of grills or stoves on the boat while tied up to their property. Pre-planning lesson number two is know what the restrictions on cooking are at transient slips. On the third day, both Jan and I started coming down with the flu. One sure advantage of trailering is that your vehicle is usually close at hand. I was able to drive to the local West Marine to buy a replacement tire, to the grocery store to re-supply, and to the drugstore. News & Views for Southern Sailors

That night, Jan and I felt so bad we decided it was time to check into a motel, hoping that a good night’s rest would improve our condition. It was either that or call off the Keys and head home. Here is pre-planning lesson number three. If you are taking a pet along, and plan on staying at a motel during your trip, get on the Internet or into the Yellow Pages and find motels which are pet-friendly. If you do not, you will end up running all over town trying to find one. Also, keep in mind the time of year it is. This is the prime tourist season in Florida, so pet or not, it’s hard to find a vacancy, and when you do, it isn’t cheap. Most motels also charge extra for pets. Also, keep in mind parking space. If you are pulling a sailboat, you will need to know if there is room on the property to park. After finding a motel which would accommodate our pet and had enough room to park both vehicle and sailboat, I returned to the marina and with Dave’s help pulled SeaRenity from the water. The Harborage Marina at Bayboro is a very nice, wellkept marina with a staff both friendly and helpful to transit boats. The rates for docking are very reasonable. Its laundry room, bathrooms, and showers were very clean. Security was also provided with locked gates as well as foot patrols of the docks and parking area. There is also a small lounge and grill, but with limited operation hours. I would highly recommend this marina to everyone. I would like to thank Jane Brooks and Sharon Weidanz, who made our stay there very pleasant. Both Jan and I were feeling somewhat better the next day, so after some discussion it was decided that our adventure needed to continue, so off we went, heading for the Keys. Next month, we will cover our trip to the Florida Keys and then back home to Georgia.

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June 2005

SOUTHEAST COAST SAILING Carolinas & Georgia Upcoming Events Calendar News for Sailors Racing Calendar Race Report

SE Coast June Weather WATER TEMPERATURE Cape Hatteras, NC - 73° Savannah, GA - 80° AVERAGE TEMPERATURES Cape Hatteras, NC 69° lo - 81° hi Savannah, GA 68° lo - 90° hi For Real Time Southeast Coast Weather go to: www.ndbc.noaa.gov/Maps/ Southeast.shtml

UPCOMING EVENTS & NEWS June 1- November 30. Atlantic Hurricane Season Begins. Protect your boat! Go to the SOUTHWINDS Web site, www.southwindssailing.com, and follow the link to Hurricane 2005 for more information on hurricanes and hurricane protection for you and your boat. A special page has been created, with articles and comments by fellow sailors, stories of hurricane preparation, links to weather sites and more. Send us your hurricane stories to editor@southwindssailing.com to contribute to this site and share your information with other sailors. June 18-19 – Summer Sailstice. Go sailing and celebrate. See “Short Tacks” page 15 for more details. June 21 – Summer Solstice. Longest day of the year.

North Carolina Maritime Museum Summer Science School

NORTH CAROLINA

Lake Lanier GEORGIA

SOUTH CAROLINA

Wilmington

Charleston

Beaufort

Savannah SOUTHEAST COAST

June Prevailing Winds See page 69 for Windrose legend

18-19

Georgia Sea Islands Festival, St. Simons Island, GA. www.bgicoc.com 24 Overnite Camp Out, Long Bay Sailing Association, SC. www.longbaysailing.org 25 Summer Beach Party, Long Bay Sailing Association, SC. www.longbaysailing.org 26 Bloody Mary Morning, Long Bay Sailing Association, SC. www.longbaysailing.org JULY 15 Beaufort Water Festival, Beaufort, SC. www.beaufortsc.org 16 Beach Party, Long Bay Sailing Association, SC. www.longbaysailing.org

Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) blocked near Savannah, GA By Walt McFarlane

Tall Ships in Beaufort, NC, June 30 – July 5, Pepsi America’s Sail

arly in April, an accident on the Sam Varnedoe Bridge (mile marker 580) caused a block of the ICW. The bridge, located east of Savannah, spans the Wilmington River and ties Causton Bluff to Whitemarsh Island. It was knocked out of service when a dump truck passed through the warning gates and collided with the partly opened roadway. Local authorities announced that the bridge would remain closed to marine traffic for the foreseeable future until repairs can be made. The United States Coast Guard has advised boaters to stay away from the Wilmington River. Most boats on the ICW are taking an outside route. Although some boats have taken another route on the Savannah River, caution is advised on this route. Boaters are advised to get complete information before attempting it. For more information, go to www.atlintracoastal.org.

RACE REPORT

he North Carolina Maritime Museum Summer Science School is a program offered to entering first through 10th graders. Participants are introduced to the natural environments and the maritime history of coastal North Carolina. Courses are offered each week from mid-June to early August. Small class size, hands-on activities and field trips combine to make the courses unique educational experiences. For more information, go to www.ncmmfriends.org/onthewater/summer_science.htm.

he North Carolina Maritime Musuem will be hosting the tall ships coming to Beaufort, NC. This event is the fourth in a series of Americas’ Sail rendezvous held throughout the western hemisphere since 1995. Ship tours, sailing, other activities during the six-day event. For more information, go to www.nctallships.com.

EVENTS JULY 4 Newcomers BBQ – Southern Sailing Club, Lake Lanier, GA. www.larc.strictlysailing.com 36

June 2005

Lake Lanier Around Alone Race, Lake Lanier, GA, April 23

SOUTHWINDS

t isn’t the Vendee or the New York to Bermuda race, but it was one hell of a day for racing with high wind lake advisories in effect and true wind in the 20-25 mph-range with wind gusts of 30-plus mph. This event is hosted annually by the Barefoot Sailing Club and the Southern Sailing Club. There was one race for www.southwindssailing.com

SOUTHEAST COAST SAILING all 17 skippers, who raced from Sunrise Marina to the Corps of Engineers Dam and back. The course distance was about 12 miles of white caps and wind. One boat was blown on the hard and another blown into some overhead power lines, and a few skippers elected to not finish. The good news is that all the solo sailors are in good shape, although the boats may be another story. Kirk Jockell took first place on his Pearson 26, The Duck, with a corrected time of 1:32:53, followed by Warren Doyle in second place on his Tartan 28, Rocket, and third place went to Rob Whitley on Wild Card, his J 24, in corrected times of 1:35:10 and 1:36:46, respectively. Race time was computed by both PHRF Time on Time and PHRF Time on Distance with no change in the results. The race director was Edith Collins. Other race committee members were John Day, on whose beautiful cruiser the race committee assembled to conduct and monitor the race, Chris and Linda Webster, Tom Graham and Brittney Bowker, the statistician. The perpetual trophy, which is the BFSC burgee that accompanied Robin Davies and was signed by him during his Round-the-World challenge, was awarded to the winner, Kirk Jockell, at the après-race party. For complete race results, go to www.barefootsailing.org.

Having a Blast in Charleston: Charleston Race Week, Charleston Yacht Club, Charleston Ocean Racing Association, April 7-10 By Jim Kempert

The Melges fleet starts under heavy weather on day two. Reggie Fairchild’s Wireless (USA 371) is in the front row. Photo by Jeff Montgomery.

Fairchild said. “We finished just behind them and managed to take third on the tie breaker. Tons of fun.” Charleston Ocean Racing Association officials moved the fun back to April this year after the Easter holiday took over the otherwise successful late-March slot used last year. Early versions were held over the Fourth of July weekend, but since it seemed only locals were willing to race at the height of Charleston’s summers, CORA switched to the much milder springtime in 1999, and the event has grown steadily ever since. “We really wanted to make our race attractive to all the world-class sailors heading back up north from Key West and Miami,” said event chairman J.D. Rosser. “Having it in April still allowed us to do that without conflicting with the holidays or any of the other events going on at the same time. We were pretty happy with the results, and we hope we can offer a similar deal to sailors next year.” In addition to legendary Lowcountry hospitality and the prospect of one more regatta in the sunny South before heading back to the unpredictable Northern spring, possibly

harleston Race Week 2005 was a blast. So said local Melges 24 Wireless skipper Reggie Fairchild less than 24 hours after the fact, before the bruises had a chance to heal, even before the effects of the rum drinks had fully worn off. The 10th annual Charleston Race Week drew a record 129 boats in 15 fleets competing on three courses. Seven onedesign and eight PHRF fleets were spread out on two courses in Charleston harbor and one offshore course just outside the Charleston jetties. Overall winners were Jay Schachne’s J/105, Coltrane, of Rhode Island, which secured the Charleston Race Week Cup for most competitive one-design fleet champ with 19 points over nine races, and Robert Hibdon’s Charleston-based SR 33, Temptress, which grabbed the Palmetto Cup for most competitive PHRF fleet winner with 17 points over seven races in the very hot PHRF C. Low-point honors were shared by Bill Buckles’s Tartan 10, Liquor Box, out of Ohio with seven points in as many races in PHRF E, and local Cal Huge’s brand-new Beneteau 36.7 Jubilee, which also claimed a full set of bullets—eight of them. But the fun wasn’t limited to those who took home firstplace silver. Fairchild, who’s been actively campaigning Wireless for just over a year, finished third out of 10 Melges 24s, placing in the money only after a tie-breaker with another local boat, Buzzard. But his crew had an adventure getting there. “In race seven we were only concerned with beating Buzzard,” Fairchild said. “We covered them and were three lengths ahead when, while ducking a starboard tacker, we snagged a crab pot.” Getting free cost Wireless six or seven lengths. Buzzard spent the rest of the race about three lengths in front, covering close. “It was great racing against another great crew,”

News & Views for Southern Sailors

SOUTHWINDS

June 2005

SOUTHEAST COAST SAILING the most attractive part of that deal came courtesy of race sponsor Charleston Boatworks, which offered free storage in the weeks before the event for registered boats on their way up I-95. This year more S2s and a J/24 approach the windward than two dozen mark on day three, course three. Photo by competitors took Jeff Montgomery. advantage of the offer. Boats came from 18 states, Canada, and the Bahamas, with attendance at nightly parties approaching 1,000. Charleston boats accounted for about one-third overall, with a total of 60 from all of South Carolina. Steve Stroub’s J/105 Tiburon traveled the farthest, coming from Tiburon, CA, to finish ninth with one respectable second-place finish in a large but tight fleet. Racing didn’t get much tighter than in PHRF C, which race officials determined the most competitive PHRF fleet, making first-place boat Temptress the 2005 Palmetto Cup winner. After registering a seventh out of nine in race one, Robert Hibdon’s SR 33 bounced back with two bullets and four seconds to take the series with a slim two-point lead over the Mumm 30 Seabiscuit out of Maryland. “We knew the wind was going left, and we went left,” said Temptress tactician Henry McCray of race one. “Not very far, but too far. We had to reach to the mark and let the fleet inside us.” Most of the fleet jumped at the opening, resulting in Temptress’ seventh. But McCray says the poor finish may have been lucky in a way. “It helped us to fly under the radar. Carrying the seven, no one was looking for us until it was too late.” Seeing the Palmetto Cup go to a local boat was a welcome change for some. “Out-of-town boats have dominated the recent years,” said a senior Charleston Yacht Club member, one of Race Week’s co-hosts. “They come here battle-hardened from regattas like Key West, Miami, St. Pete, wherever. They are well-sailed and well-funded. To have a local boat pull all that off? In that fleet? With all those pros? Wow.” Interestingly, Hibdon had just acquired the well-known Charleston boat and much of its veteran North Sails crew two days before the first day of racing. With just one sea trial and a brief practice sail under their belts, they beat off a talent-packed fleet of Mumm 30s, Henderson 30s, and another SR 33, Outrageous, that won the ultra-competitive PHRF B to take last year’s Palmetto Cup. Skipper Mike Jones of North Carolina said they were a bit rusty not having done Key West this year. Still, the crew put up a good fight and was never out of contention. “They are very, very tough,” McCray said. “We tried to get on top of them early and often and tried to force them away from shifts. They were a bit unlucky on a couple of mark roundings and a couple of shifts.” Another shift this year was Seabrook Island coming on board as title sponsor. Longstanding title sponsor Beneteau USA/St. Bart’s Yachts maintained a strong presence, however, and race organizers hope to continue the relationship as the event grows. 38

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RACE CALENDAR These dates and events are subject to change without warning. Please refer to each sailing club’s Web site for more accurate details. Races listed should be open to anyone. JUNE Lake Lanier, GA. www.larc.strictlysailing.com 1,8,15 Atlanta Inland Sailing Club Series 4 New Comers Race – Southern Sailing Club 5–7, 8-10 Junior Week – Lake Lanier Sailing Club 11 Fair Winds #4 – Barefoot Sailing Club 12 SSC Couples Open – Southern Sailing Club 17 – 19 Reggae Regatta – Lake Lanier Sailing Club – Open 22 AISC Series I Party – Atlanta Inland Sailing Club 25 Evening Breeze #1 – Barefoot Sailing Club – 6 pm Charleston, SC. www.charlestonoceanracing.org. 1, 8, 15,22,29 Summer Series Racing. Every Wed. Evening. 7 CORA Executive Meeting Go to www.longbaysailing.org for additional information 3–5 Little River Inlet, SC, North Carolina / South Carolina Governor’s Cup 4–5 Myrtle Beach, SC, North Carolina / South Carolina Offshore Governor’s Cup, PHRF 18 Little River Inlet, SC, Race week Go to www.sayra-sailing.org/pages/racing.htm for additional info 4–5 Greensboro, NC. , Mayor’s Cup Regatta, Open, OneDesign, Lake Townsend Yacht Club 4–5 Savannah, GA., O’Day Trophy Quarterfinals & D12 Laser Championships, Laser, Savannah Sailing Center 7–8 Kernersville, NC., Pursuit of Sailing Regatta, PHRF, Outrigger Yacht Club 18 – 19 Charleston, SC., James Island Regatta, Open, James Island Yacht Club 18 – 19 Raleigh, NC., North Carolina Governor’s Cup, Open, Carolina Sailing Club-NC 18 – 19 Mooresville, NC., N3 Regatta, N3 & 2.5 Meter, Lake Norman Yacht Club, 25 – 26 Acworth, GA., Lake Allatoona, Match Racing for POWs Quarterfinals, 420s, Atlanta Yacht Club 25 – 26 Oriental, NC., North Carolina Laser Masters Champs, Laser, Oriental Dinghy Club 25 – 26 Beaufort, SC., Lowcountry Regatta, Open, Beaufort Yacht & Sailing Club JULY Lake Lanier, GA. www.larc.strictlysailing.com 6,13,20,27 Atlanta Inland Sailing Club Series 9,16,30 Evening Breeze series, Barefoot Sailing Club 16 – 17 Lake Lanier, GA, O’Day Trophy Semifinals, Laser, Lake Lanier Sailing Club 23 Moonlight Scramble #1/Firefly, Barefoot Sailing Club / Southern Sailing Club Charleston, SC. www.charlestonoceanracing.org. 5 CORA Executive Meeting 6, 13, 20, 27 Summer Series Racing. Every Wed. Evening Go to www.longbaysailing.org for additional information 1–5 Southport, NC., Fourth of July Regatta 9 Little River Inlet, SC., Race week 2 23 Little River Inlet, SC., Race week 3 Go to www.sayra-sailing.org/pages/racing.htm for additional info 2 Southport, NC., Commodores Regatta, PHRF, Cape Fear Yacht Club 2–3 Mooresville, NC., Independence Day Regatta, Open, Lake Norman Yacht Club 8 Savannah, GA., SAYRA Youth Challenge; Opti, Sunfish, Laser, Laser Radial, Savannah Yacht Club 9 – 10 Raleigh, NC., Oriental Sailing Social, Open, Carolina Sailing Club, North Carolina 9 – 10 Savannah, GA., Firecracker Regatta; 3Ys, Laser, Sunfish, Opti, Savannah Yacht Club 15 – 17 Savannah, GA., US Sailing Junior Olympic Festival; Opti, Sunfish, Laser, Laser Radial, 420, Savannah Yacht Club 16 – 17 Charleston, SC., Charleston Yacht Club, Open 16 – 17 Beaufort, SC., Beaufort Water Festival, Open, Beaufort Yacht & Sailing Club 23 -24 Mt. Pleasant, SC., Hobcaw Yacht Club, Open 30 Charleston, SC., Carolina Yacht Club, South Carolina, Open 30 Manteo, NC., 3rd Annual Summer One-Design Regatta; Opti, 420, Sunfish, Jr. & Master, Outer Bank Community Sailing www.southwindssailing.com

EAST FLORIDA COAST

Jacksonville

Daytona

Upcoming Events Calendar News for Sailors Regional Sailing & Cruising Racing Calendar Race Report

East Florida June Weather Melbourne

WATER TEMPERATURE Daytona Beach - 80° Jacksonville Beach - 81° GULFSTREAM CURRENT 3.5 knots AVERAGE TEMPERATURES Daytona Beach 71° lo - 89° hi Jacksonville Beach 72° lo - 87° hi For Real Time East Florida Coast Weather go to: www.ndbc.noaa.gov/Maps/ Florida.shtml

June Prevailing Winds See page 69 for Windrose legend

Upcoming Events & News June 1- November 30. Atlantic Hurricane Season Begins. Protect your boat! Go to the SOUTHWINDS Web site, www.southwindssailing.com, and follow the link to Hurricane 2005 for more information on hurricanes and hurricane protection for you and your boat. A special page has been created, with articles and comments by fellow sailors, stories of hurricane preparation, links to weather sites and more. Send us your hurricane stories to editor@southwindssailing.com to contribute to this site and share your information with other sailors. Youth Sailing Classes. Five weeks each Thursday, Gusty conditions make for some tricky tacks at the windward mark. begins June 2. Five weeks each Saturday, begins Photo by Winnie Lambert June 4. Melbourne Yacht Club. http://www.melcommittee divided the feast between two weekends. The bourneyachtclub.com/ first, April 23, was the small boat races. April 30-May 1 was Sailing Class begins June 11. Titusville Sailing Club. the big boat weekend. http://www.sailtitusville.org/ The Small Boat Fleet included about 60 boats in four Summer Sailing Camp, Week 1, June 12-17. Week 2, June one-design classes (Snipe, Force 5, Laser and Flying Scot) 20-24. Week 3, July 11-15. Week 4, July 19-22. Rudder and an open class scored using Portsmouth ratings. The Club. Jacksonville, FL. www.rudderclub.com. June 18-19 – Summer Sailstice. Go sailing and celebrate. See “Short Tacks” page 15 for more details. June 21 – Summer Solstice. Longest day of the year.

RACING Melbourne Yacht Club’s Spring Regatta, April 23 Two Weekends of Great Sailing By Roy Laughlin

elbourne Yacht Club’s Spring Regatta is one of the area’s high holy sailing days. This year, the racing

Writers and Reporters Needed SOUTHWINDS is planning to increase coverage in Northeast Florida and is looking for someone to send us stories, news, events and racing information and reports from Northeast Florida in the region from around Daytona north to the Georgia border. Contact editor@southwindssailing.com. . News & Views for Southern Sailors

SOUTHWINDS

June 2005

EAST FLORIDA COAST wind gods smiled on the sailing faithful, providing ample winds. Some might say too much so, as gusty winds capsized numerous boats during the races. Otherwise, the races were both a challenge and a pleasure. In the Snipe Class, standings changed every race. No sailor had a trophy in the bag until the end of the event. Hal Gilreath, Ernesto Rodriguez and Henry Filter were in first through third places, respectively. In the Sunfish Class, Joe Blouin ruled with a string of five first-place finishes. The immediately following positions passed to several other sailors throughout the event, but in the end, Paul Strauley finished second and Chris Lowrie was third. The Force 5 standings were, in order, Steve Perry, Tom Trump and Jim Bigham. The Laser class’ standings were hotly contested, especially among the top three placers. In the final score, Dick Tillman, Will Watts and James Cook finished first, second and third. Among the Flying Scot sailors, Chuck Leib dominated the first place finishes, while Mike Douglas and Dave Thinel vied for second and third places, finally finishing in that order. Mike Barile, sailing an O’ Day 17, consistently, but not completely, dominated first-place finishes in the class. Following that, second- and third-place finishes appeared throughout the class. John MacNiell, sailing a Raider, was second with 16 points, and Chris Norman sailed his MC Scow to a third-place finish. Strong winds seem to have mixed up results well within most classes to give a competitive day of sailing. The Big Boat Weekend The Big Boat event, a week later, occurred during another high wind period due to an approaching front that developed in the eastern Gulf on Friday, blew all day on Saturday and then headed north Sunday afternoon. One wind measurement in excess of 30 knots occurred on Sunday. As with the small boat scores a week earlier, high gusty winds seem to have spread out scores among all contenders. In the Lindenberg 28s, Gary Smith scored first place with a total score of seven, including a second- and thirdplace finish. Jim Henry finished second and Sherry Beckett third with 10 and 12 points, respectively. In the Catalina 22 class, Don Lasky on Flip, Flop and Fly seemed to be heading to a solid first-place finish with a string of first-place finishes on Saturday. Dismasting in Sunday’s high winds put him in 10th place for that race but still in second place over all. Brad Ruffe finished first overall, with Gene Cochran in third. In open class, nonspinnaker, Jerry Ross sailed Sleighride, a J30, to a solid first-place finish. Wallie Everest in a Rodgers 26, Rocket Science, sailed to second place, while Jim Boyd in a Laser 28, Luff Affair, earned third. Rankings in the Open Spinnaker class were consistent throughout the races, and the standings had no surprises at the trophy ceremony. Greg Kowalski on a SR Max 21, Slot Machine, Hasty Miller on a Nightwind 35, Skimmer, and Patrick Daniel, on a SR Max 21, finished first throughout, respectively. Melges 24 sailors are known as a competitive group. John Harrison had a nearly unbroken string of first-place finishes and the same standing overall. Clive Daem and Bob Sowden duked it out for second and third places, ending the final standings in that order. After the first race on Sunday morning, the race committee called off the expected remaining two races due to excessive winds. By the early afternoon, the approaching front had moved close enough to Melbourne to cause much 40

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calmer winds. The Melbourne Yacht Club has a reputation for great regattas both on and off the water. The club’s 2005 Spring Regatta was another in its string of successes. Complete results can be viewed at www.sail-race.com.

The Mug Race 2005, the Rudder Club, Jacksonville, FL, May 7 A Frustrating Drifter By Roy Laughlin

t’s rare for a distance race to be closed out completely by lack of wind. The opposite is more common. But that happened to at least part of the Mug Race, May 7. The mug race consists of two courses; the south course, a 50-mile race from Palatka to the Rudder Club in Jacksonville, and the north course, a two-way course from the Rudder Club to the Shands Bridge, 18 miles south of the Rudder Club. Sailboats with masts too tall to navigate under the bridge sail the north course, and everyone else sails the south course. Distance races like the Mug Race attract beach cat sailors, the drag racer contingent of sailors, like bugs to a flame in the night. This year was no exception, with beach cats from 14 feet to an RC 27 and an RC 30. In the past, monohull sailors have outnumbered the host of multihull sailors nearly 2 to 1. This 53-year-old event is a truly huge one with 300 - 400 boats in good years. Organizers bill it as

www.southwindssailing.com

EAST FLORIDA COAST the longest river regatta in the world. It may well also be among the best attended. This year, registration was down considerably, thought to be due to the continuing financial strain of last fall’s storms and lack of free time, as people continue to repair and rebuild. A regatta with 200 sailboats is an impressive sight. The regatta, at least on the south course, started slowly, and continued that way throughout the day. Alternating periods of absolute calm alternated with ones of five-knot zephyrs that shifted from west to the east. By 3 p.m., it seemed that all the sailboats that left Palatka were still visible from Federal Point, about 11 miles north of Palatka, and drifting with the current. To add frustration, road crews and observers at Shands Bridge, in contact with racers by cell phone, reported a reasonable breeze from there to Jacksonville in the middle of the afternoon. Many racers held hope that if they would make it far enough north, they would find a windy ticket to the finish Line. For almost all racers, this never happened. Only three boats finished the race on the south course: Mike Tierney on an ARC 27; Lloyd Berry on a SC20 tall rig; Brent Moss on an A-Cat with spinnaker. Comments posted to www.1design.net. show both the sense of frustration and pride of mission to finish even if after the official end of the race. Jeff Bower wrote, “I made the bridge with 15 seconds to spare, completed the course, including the turning marks, but finished at 8:27.15—12 minutes and 15 seconds after they closed the line. Close, but no cigar. But I at least finished the course…” In a most ironic twist, wind, not breeze, rose late in the day and continued well after dark. Shambie Hammet and Ken Cooper’s experience was “…awesome wind at the end, but too late to get us in under the deadline. We hit the Shands a little after 7 p.m... “ No one drifting up the St. Johns in no wind could ignore the irony of the destruction wrought by last fall’s winds; forests of trees along the banks fallen or leaning and numerous ruins of docks and boathouses. Some things have not changed; zephyrs are the most unpredictable attendees at any regatta. This may not be the most memorable race of the Mug’s 53 years, but it will likely not be forgotten either. Full results at www.rudderclub.com.

JULY 1 2-4 2-3 13 16 16-17 17 17 20 22 23 27 30 31 31 31

Summer Rum Race. Melbourne Yacht Club. Fireworks Cruise to Melbourne Harbor. East Coast Sailing Assoc.iation Firecracker Regatta. Cocoa Beach Yacht Club Wednesday Night Sailing. Indian River Yacht Club. Cocoa Gilligans Run. Daytona Beach. Fleet 80. Catamaran distance race from Daytona Beach to New Smyrna Beach and back Cruise to Yellow Dog Café. East Coast Sailing Association Spring Series #6. Indian River Yacht Club, Cocoa Small Boat Racing. Melbourne Yacht Club Wednesday Night Sailing. Indian River Yacht Club. Cocoa Summer Rum Race. Melbourne Yacht Club Summer River Race #3. ESCA/Melbourne Yacht Club Wednesday Night Sailing. Indian River Yacht Club. Cocoa Summer River Race #3. East Coast Racing Assoc. Melbourne Yacht Club Fall Women’s Race #1. ECSA/Melbourne Yacht Club Summer/Fall #1. Indian River Yacht Club. Cocoa Small Boat Racing. Melbourne Yacht Club

JUNE – JULY Northeast Florida. www.sailjax.com. WEDNESDAY NIGHT RACING May 4 - Aug 31 Wednesday Night Races – North Course Fleet 55 6:30 PM @ Mark “5” Free race May 4 - Sept 28 Wednesday Night Races – South Course NFCC 6:30 PM @ Mark “13” Free race JUNE 4 Summer Series #2/Beach Party. Rudder Club, Jacksonville 18 Summer Series #3/ Burn-It. Rudder Club, Jacksonville 25 Summer Series #4. Rudder Club. Jacksonville JULY 23

Moonlight Regatta. Rudder Club, Jacksonville www.rudderclub.org.

RACE CALENDAR JUNE – JULY Central East Florida Every Wednesday during daylight savings time and weather permitting, Indian River Yacht Club has a race. 3 4 4-5 4-5 11 11 12 17 18 18-19 25 26

Summer Rum Race #3. Melbourne Yacht Club. Mermaid Regatta & ECSA Women’s Series #6. Cocoa Beach Yacht Club. Annual Regatta. Titusville Yacht Club Jetty Park Ocean Regatta, JPOR. Port Canaveral. Beach catamaran ocean regatta. www.1design.net Sail a Small Boat Day. Indian River Yacht Club. Cocoa Cruise to Marker 21. Melbourne Yacht Club Small Boat Sunday Racing. Melbourne Yacht Club. Summer Rum Race #4. Melbourne Yacht Club Spring Race #5. Indian River Yacht Club. Summer Sizzler. Daytona Beach. Beach catamaran ocean regatta. www.1design.net Summer River Race #2. ECSA-R. Melbourne Small Boat Sunday Racing. Melbourne Yacht Club

News & Views for Southern Sailors

SOUTHWINDS

June 2005

SOUTHEAST FLORIDA SAILING Upcoming Events Calendar News for Sailors Racing Calendar Southeastern Florida June Weather Race Report WATER TEMPERATURE Miami - 85° Stuart - 79° GULFSTREAM CURRENT 2.7 knots AVERAGE TEMPERATURES Miami Beach - 77° lo - 86° hi Stuart - 73° lo - 88° hi For Real Time East Florida Coast Weather go to: www.ndbc.noaa.gov/Maps/ Florida.shtml

UPCOMING EVENTS & NEWS June 1- November 30. Atlantic Hurricane Season Begins Protect your boat! Go to the SOUTHWINDS Web site, www.southwindssailing.com, and follow the link to Hurricane 2005 for more information on hurricanes and hurricane protection for you and your boat. A special page has been created, with articles and comments by fellow sailors, stories of hurricane preparation, links to weather sites and more. Send us your hurricane stories to editor@southwindssailing.com to contribute to this site and share your information with other sailors. South Florida Boat Show. June 3-6. Miami Convention Center. (954) 946-6164. 11th Annual South Florida Boat Show features new powerboats up to 40 feet, personal watercraft, nautical accessories, including engines, boat lifts, fishing tackle, dive gear, marine electronics, and special features include daily free boating, fishing and diving seminars and prizes. $8 Adults, $4 Children. www.soflaboatshow.com/ Ocean Watch Foundation Reef Sweep and Beach Cleanup. June 11. 17th Annual Reef Sweep and Beach Cleanup. Annual beach sweep held in mid-June is followed by a party to celebrate. 9 a.m. to noon, beaches, marinas and charter dive boats throughout Broward County, (954) 467-1366. www.oceanwatch.org. June 18-19 – Summer Sailstice. Go sailing and celebrate. See “Short Tacks” page 15 for more details. June 21 – Summer Solstice. Longest day of the year. July 2 - Abacos, Bahamas - The Green Turtle Cay Race. Host GTYC. Tune-up race for Regatta Time in Abacos. July 1-9 – Abacos, Bahamas - Regatta Time in the Abacos. (305) 665-8316. Fax: (305) 665-0318, e-mail lightning@cofs.com. Web site: www.rtia.net.

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SOUTHWINDS

West Palm Beach

Fort Lauderdale

June Prevailing Winds See page 69 for Windrose legend

Miami

Ocean Watch Considers Starting a Dive Club

kay, possibly dive clubbing. We had numerous requests over the years why we don’t have a dive club. The answer always was we need the volunteers to help run such a club and a great enough interest. Since we have so many members that are not certified divers, the ideal club would be a combination dive and snorkel club. Now what does it take to get a club started? Your interest first and foremost. Second, a goal to have fun and enjoy camaraderie among new and old friends. In order to gage interest in putting together such a club, we need your input and feedback. Please e-mail us your thoughts, suggestions, and how you would like to become involved in such a club, be it the president, dive programs coordinator, club newsletter, or just a member. There are plenty of opportunities to get involved. E-mail divesnorkel@oceanwatch.org and we will compile a list of names. If we get a large enough response back, the plan will go forward from there, and we will schedule our inaugural meeting.

RACING New One-Design Class to Join BBYRA. The Biscayne Bay Yacht Racing Association (BBYRA) has given the go-ahead for a new one-design class. Starting in June, the Lasers will have their own separate start during one-design day. Although most of the fleet is youngsters, there will be a few “adults” sailing, too. For more information, contact Jose Hernandez at (305) 322-2701, or the BBYRA at www.bbyra.net

Nancy Gorman Hughes Regatta, April 9, Miami, FL By Art Perez

he Coral Reef Yacht Club hosted the Nancy Gorman Regatta, “The Race for the Rose,” on Saturday, April 9. www.southwindssailing.com

SOUTHEAST FLORIDA COAST The regatta, open to all boats with a PHRF certificate, has only one condition; the skipper and helmsperson must be a female. Having never sailed in this type of event, I was somewhat hesitant to turn over my PHRF 2 race boat Tiburon to a member of the opposite sex. Call me sexist, but my pride and joy in the hands of a woman sent chills down my spine! With a little coaxing from my teammates, we turned our attention to two great sailors out of Castle Harbor Sailing School, Isabelle Diachasse and Cindy Ragan. With my trusted teammates at their side to offer advice and guidance and myself exiled at the bow, we set out to compete in the 17boat regatta. Our class consisted of five boats, all from the PHRF 1 fleet, so we knew we were in tough competition. Our game plan was to keep it simple and safe, which eventually took us out of competition, but the reward was bountiful. The two females aboard enjoyed their new experience and are looking for a repeat. As for me, I couldn’t be more gamed and also look forward to the next race. So, if ever in doubt, go ahead and take the plunge. It’s worth the experience! As for the racing, it was just as competitive as the regular PHRF events. Sharon Burke, helming John Deere, not only took first place in her division but also took first overall. Congratulations! Results PHRF1: 1, Triptease/Heidi DeLisser; 2, Moving Party 4/Carol Ewing; 3, Pipe Dream XIV/Angie Vernon; PHRF2: 1, Andale Andale/Issy Galvin; 2, Goombay/Anita Hanson; 3, African Prince/Kathern Washburn; PHRF3: 1, John Deer/Sharon Burke; 2, Blue Ba You/Kerry Gruson; 3, Margaritaville/Susan Walcutt.

JUNE 4 5 18 25 30

BYRA PHRF #6. KBYC. The Yacht Club’s Annual Regatta is open to all boats with a valid PHRF certificate. Start time 11:00 a.m. BBYRA One Design #6. KBYC. The Annual Regatta is open to all one-design boats. Start time 11:30 a.m. BBYRA PHRF #7. CRYC. The last race of the Series (Series 1) for PHRF, ARC and J/24 fleets. 11:30 a.m. BBYRA One Design #7. CGSC. The last race of the Series (Series 1) for the one-design fleets, Etchells, Flying Scots, J22, Snipes, Lightning’s. 11:30 a.m. Round The Great Turtle Race. Green Turtle Yacht Club present the Fifth Annual Round the Great Turtle Race for the 2005 Bahama Cup and the Victor Ludorum Trophy. A fun race for all types of sailing vessels, ultralight racers, cruisers/racers, multihulls or gunkholers.

JULY 23

Ed William Memorial Round the Island Race. KBYC The 40th annual race around Key Biscayne starting at Donovans Channel and finishing off KBYC. After race raft-off and party afterwards at the yacht club for all participants.

Legend. – Yacht Clubs and Organizations BBYRA Biscayne Bay Yacht Racing Association. www.bbyra.net CGSC Coconut Grove Sailing Club. www.cgsc.org CRYC Coral Reef Yacht Club. www.coralreefyachtclub.org GTYC Green Turtle Yacht Club. www.greenturtleclub.com/YachtClub KBYC Key Biscayne Yacht Club. www.kbyc.org

J/24 Summer Series, May 1, Biscayne Bay

he second Annual J/24 Summer Series started out with a bang when a total of eight boats showed up for the start. Hosted by Flat Earth Racing, the regatta is open to all J/24s that want to come out and race. The idea originated last year when the Biscayne Bay Yacht Racing Association (BBYRA) scheduled a summer break during its yearly sponsored regattas. Not wanting to sit it out for the two-month break, Jack King, along with other members of the J/24 and J/22 fleet, organized the series to fill in this gap. And what a success it has turned out to be! Although eventually, the J22s fell by the wayside, the J/24 fleet, on the contrary, has re-energized itself and continues to grow. Jack King, an experienced sailor and PRO in his own right, runs the races with the help of volunteers. With a scheduled four races per regatta, the 10:30 a.m. start time requires an early rise. But most don’t mind, and those who do just show up for the start of the second race! In the end, everyone has a great time, and the camaraderie among the fleet is enjoyable to watch.

Results: 1. Pick Up Styx-John Luscombe; 2. Gotta Go-Peter Benziger (with Bill Mauk standing in); 3. Laca Laca-Iker B.; 4. Thin Ice-Matt Blomberg (the first Key West Boat); 5. African Prince-Rick Jarchow; 6. Blitzkrieg-Andres Martinez (with Larry Suiter guest driving); 7. Hot Water-Randy Lentz; 8. ForPlay-Ed Martin; 12. Blah Blah Blah-Mark Milnes (DNC, racing in Bermuda); 12. Andale Andale-Izzy Galvin (DNC, working in DC); 12. Joe Cool-Lionel Baugh (DNC, having his bottom buffed). News & Views for Southern Sailors

SOUTHWINDS

June 2005

F LORIDA KEYS SAILING Upcoming Events Calendar News for Sailors Regional Sailing & Cuising Racing Calendar Race Report

Florida Keys June Weather AVERAGE TEMPERATURES Key West 79° lo - 88° hi GULF WATER TEMPERATURES Key West 85° For Real Time eastern Gulf weather, winds and marine forecasts, go to: http://comps.marine.usf.edu

UPCOMING EVENTS & NEWS June 1- November 30. Atlantic Hurricane Season Begins Protect your boat! Go to the SOUTHWINDS Web site, www.southwindssailing.com, and follow the link to Hurricane 2005 for more information on hurricanes and hurricane protection for you and your boat. A special page has been created, with articles and comments by fellow sailors, stories of hurricane preparation, links to weather sites and more. Send us your hurricane stories to editor@southwindssailing.com to contribute to this site and share your information with other sailors. 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. Youth Summer Sailing Program. Key West Sailing Club. Ages 8-16, beginner and advanced courses. Learn valuable seamanship, safety, classroom and hands-on sailing and racing. Each session will run for two weeks on Monday through Friday. Sessions begin June 6,20, July 4, 18. Call Jeff at (305) 587-4059. June 18-19 – Summer Sailstice. Go sailing and celebrate. See “Short Tacks” page 15 for more details. June 21 – Summer Solstice. Longest day of the year. July 9 Big Pine Key. 21st Annual Underwater Music Festival at Looe Key. This creative event strives to raise awareness and concern for North America’s only living reef. (305) 872-2411 July 15-20. Key West. “20 Years Later: Diving Into Glory.” Mel Fisher Society celebrates the 20th anniversary of the discovery of the Atocha, shipwrecked southwest of Key West in 1622, and its vast treasures. Exhibits, shows and lectures by visiting scholars. www.melfisher.org. July 18-24. Key West. 25th Annual Hemingway Days Festival. Readings, theatrical premiere, short story contest, fishing tournament and the famous look-alike contest at Sloppy Joe’s. (305) 296-2388 (look-alike info: 294-0320).

Recent City Decisions Affect Marathon Liveaboards And Cruisers

he Marathon City Council met April 12th and agreed on a number of local concerns. One, the city decided to create an ordinance for a water taxi license, which was officially enacted on April 26th. Chris Boyl’s famous “smorgasboat” originally tended only to boaters and liveaboards in Boot Key Harbor. The city also discussed the current system where live-

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June Prevailing Winds See page 69 for Windrose legend

aboards’ mail is sorted by marina staff and placed in open boxes. The city decided not to install mail boxes at the marina and hopes that liveaboards will instead acquire their own P.O. boxes. The city also decided to have transient docks built for visiting boaters using a $100,000 grant from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

Vessels Inspection Begins for Marine Sanitary Device

n April 9, beginning in the morning, vessels in Keys waters were subject to inspection. Coast guard officers checked boats for routine safety, registration and marine sanitary device compliance. Professional and courteous, inspections began in Key West and proceeded up the Keys island chain. Some boat owner’s IDs were randomly checked for past arrests and warrants. The city of Key West was especially focused on marine heads. Assistant City Manager John Jones appears to be obsessed with the Keys’ no-discharge regulation. Though local liveaboards are clearly complying, he continues to publicly insinuate that they are “dumping sewage” into the seagrass. Jones himself has stated that boats shouldn’t be anchoring unless they pay the city via the mooring field or pay a marina. The city currently has a court case against several of the people who are anchored out and have nowhere else to go.

RACING Key West Sailing Club. Wednesday night races have begun! Casual and fun racing in the sea plane basin every Wednesday at 6:00 p.m. until October. Socializing and food afterwards at the clubhouse. Women’s Sailing continues every Sunday at 12:00 p.m. Non-members and members welcome. Upper Keys Sailing Club. www.upperkeyssailingclub.com

Wreckers Cup Craze, Key West 2005, Part I At Troika’s Helm By Rebecca Burg

he first two races out of four in the wild and wooly Wreckers Cup Series had it all from dismastings, anchor roller jousting, inflatable sharks, stinging jellyfish to invisible bikinis. As many know, this event is far from your average sailboat race. Maybe it’s the fantasy-like atmosphere of www.southwindssailing.com

FLORIDA KEYS SAILING the humorous side, Moonspinner was towing a large lumpy object and had everyone guessing as to what in the world it was. Sailors who were able to pass close enough learned that it was an inflatable shark pool toy. While rival trimarans A-Train and Pterodactyl were breezily pulling out ahead, most of us drifted and basked in the unseasonably warm day. Alone on Troika, I stripped down to a tiny, orange bikini, and when I thought no one was looking, went topless. The windy start of race two. An unsuspecting schooner sudIllustration by Rebecca Burg. denly slid past and people stared in shocked silence. Luckily, nobody called the animal patrol wagon. Embarrassed, I yanked my top back on. Defiant, still thinking that I was naked, was magically able to catch up to me. We cackled at each other on the VHF in a race where casual radio banter is readily Race One, January 30 allowed and frequently practiced. Unleashed from a dusty slumber, Meanwhile, the breeze seemed to the excitable trimaran ransacked lighten. Engine-less, I was relieved the harbor and tried to pick a few to learn that the racecourse had fights. Perfect! Troika, a 16’ been shortened. Everyone’s bows WindRider trimaran, is just the angled toward the new finish line. not-so-secret weapon I needed to Even powerful and anatomically campaign in the race series. fast fin-keelers like Steve’s Lady Unlike my trusty Bayfield cutter, a Eloise were stymied by the lack of spoiled cruiser who disdainfully wind. looked down her bowsprit at such “Blow me, Blow Me is nearing the horseplay, the stealthy and finish,” said her captain matter-ofaggressive Troika loved to tackle factly. “Can you repeat that?” the dirtiest of jobs. Besides, the radioed Capt. Jeff on the commitsweet but relaxed Bayfield wouldtee boat. The sailor dutifully n’t have a chance against such forrepeated his boat’s name. “Say that midable competitors with real racone more time,” the committee ing pedigrees like Constellation, boat transmitted while giggling Blue Ice or Rampage. Troika had a could be heard in the background. chance and she’d already earned By late afternoon, most boats finbragging rights with a few past ished, the stragglers taking up to wins under her belt. All she needthree-and-a-half hours to go about ed was heavy wind. Troika under sail. Courtesy photo. four miles. Defiant graciously A light and variable southeast towed me back to Key West in time for the party. Here, sailors breeze failed to keep the cluster of 42 sailing vessels out of laughed at each other on the video and howled at the footage the mercy of a strong incoming current. Faint wind on the of the flat-chested “nude” trimaran lady and her butt cheeks. nose, everyone tacked to and fro, struggling to exit the narThe video camera didn’t pick up the thong bikini’s tiny row harbor without pushing and shoving. Troika and I straps, and after being caught topless by the passing slowly slunk along the perimeter to keep our distance schooner, everyone truly believed that I was in the buff. from the impressively pointy bowsprits of at least three schooners in the crowd. Near Mallory docks, the big comRace Two, February 27 mittee boat and the Morgan Out Island Defiant ran out of The second race was the complete opposite of the first. Just wiggle room, and a scuffle ensued. Both vessels crossed before the start, Sand Key recorded howling southwest their anchor rollers, and the committee boat’s hardware winds of 22 knots with gusts to 25. At least the sun was out. was sheared off. No one was harmed in the encounter. On Key West, or the fact that sailors in these waters learn to ditch the serious side and have a little fun once and a while. It must be both. The famed Schooner Wharf Wreckers Cup Race series is a seven-mile one-way drag race to Sand Key Light. Participants enjoyed a party and awards ceremony after each race while viewing a video of their sailboats in action. Along with the observance of common sense and maritime safety, the race’s only three rules are: 1) No whining or complaining. (2) No protesting. (3) See rules number one and two. Several categories of vessels compete for prizes courtesy of Schooner Wharf, Pusser’s rum and West Marine.

News & Views for Southern Sailors

SOUTHWINDS

June 2005

FLORIDA KEYS SAILING Many sailboats were reefed, including Troika. Wind in our faces, sailors began a long, ponderous crash upwind. The harbor was chaos as about 30 tacking vessels criss-crossed the seas in an attempt to escape. Along with strong winds, which were against the current, we faced steep and tightly packed 3-5 foot rollers at the harbor’s mouth. Troika was unable to lurch over the freakish disturbance without stuffing herself. Seeking smoother seas, I crawled around Sunset Key. Several other vessels did likewise. In the faster crowd, Schooner America had no difficulties as she primly exited the harbor. She passed the rakish profile of Moon Dawg, who could be seen tacking. After that, Dawg suddenly vanished. I continued toward the vessel’s last seen position and almost ran over a large rig. It was Moon Dawg’s and it was helplessly bobbing in the waves, two Troika dismasted. Photo by Rebecca Burg. large sails crumpled and floating like they averaged a mere inch or two in size. Many were the submerged parachutes. The stunned sailboat was motoring size of peas and were clustered together in thick groups. nearby, her crew unharmed. The wounded vessel was Backwinding Troika to a crawl, I slowly unwrapped my legs quickly assisted. For good measure, the ferocious winds from the sailboat’s slender hull and brought them safely also decided to take out the nearby Jessy Lee’s mainsail. By into the cockpit. I was about to turn and flee to Key West. now, a handful of sailboats were limping toward shelter. Several boats farther up the course radioed their observaTroika’s diminutive size kept her from being overtions that the seas were clear ahead. Either way, I had to sail whelmed by the conditions since, after leaving those rollers through the jellyfish, so I decided to continue forward. behind, she could mostly skitter over or around the waves, Sailing slowly, I engaged Troika in a winding, sail-flapping which were mountainous by my low perspective. Secured evasive maneuver through the stinging minefield. It wouldto Troika with a harness, I focused on the movements of her n’t take much to have one splash into the cockpit with sheet, sail control lines and two long tillers. (Yes, the odd Troika’s mere inches of freeboard. Along with extra safety critter has two tillers!) One doesn’t hike out on this type of gear, my tri’ carried a first aid kit, but I didn’t know the first boat. Instead, I kept my weight behind Troika’s jet fighter-like thing about toxic jellyfish stings. I slowed down some more cockpit and rode her like a salty bucking bronco. This kept and pitiably complained to my buddy Capt. Bill onboard her head up, but still didn’t prevent the seas from soaking Defiant via radio. Concerned, Defiant was ready to drop everything in sight, including the lower half of the mainsail. everything and valiantly rescue Troika. At times, the tri’ acted like a wannabe airplane and launched With much relief, the trimaran and I found ourselves herself over the steepest waves. Loosing her grip and having once again in clear, non-stinging waters. I stopped holding a personal quarrel with the force of gravity, she’d then body my breath and focused on the race. Troika placed fourth slam into the trough, ama skyward and me thrown sidebehind her stately 55-foot trimaran rival Calypso Poet. On ways. Nearby, a few stout and thoroughly wet J/24s were the return leg, the sailing was far more leisurely. I avoided sure that Troika was airborne for most of the time. the creepy Portuguese Man-o-War minefield and bummed About two miles into the race, I shook out Troika’s reef. a beer from a passing vessel. In no time, Troika was tucked If you have come to know a sailboat as intimately as I’ve in for the night, and Schooner Wharf was bustling with a come to know my trimaran, you and your vessel can fearsocial, wind-blown crowd of people. “I bet you didn’t have lessly dance in the worst conditions without stepping on your clothes off around those jellyfish!” joked a fellow each other’s toes. It wasn’t that I possessed some sort of sailor. Looks like I’ll never live down that invisible thong risk-taking bravado. Barring any hidden defects on the sailbikini. boat’s part, I knew just what Troika needed to safely deal with rough weather. I’m not macho tough, but that rugged Race three, March 27 sailboat sure is. Sail long enough and you reach the relaxed A steady 15-knot south wind encouraged the crowd. As point of forgetting that the sailboat and you are two sepausual, Troika dashed from the mother ship and tacked rate entities. With that Zen-like state, you can seemingly go toward the start, which was about a mile away. Suddenly, anywhere and do anything without needless worry. the trimaran faltered and I heard a loud POP! Her mast, However, it was midway into the course when I did worry boom and still-full sail crashed to leeward. Mainsheet still and feel fear. In fact, I was panicking to the point of urgentin hand, I gawked, not yet realizing what had happened. ly wanting to climb up the mast. Troika had sailed right into The wounded, emasculated sailboat drifted backwards, her the midst of a vast field of tightly packed Portuguese Manentire rig and the now rumpled yellow mainsail trailing o-War jellyfish. underwater. The dreadful creatures must’ve been newly hatched, or (To be continued... Wreckers Race three and race four.) whatever it is that they do to come into the world, since 46

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www.southwindssailing.com

NORTHERN GULF COAST SAILING

LOUSIANA

ALABAMA

MISSISSIPPI

TEXAS

Florida Panhandle, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas

Pensacola

UPCOMING EVENTS& NEWS June 1- November 30. Atlantic Hurricane Season Begins Protect your boat! Go to the SOUTHWINDS Web site, www.southwindssailing.com, and follow the link to Hurricane 2005 for more information on hurricanes and hurricane protection for you and your boat. A special page has been created, with articles and comments by fellow sailors, stories of hurricane preparation, links to weather sites and more. Send us your hurricane stories to editor@southwindssailing.com to contribute to this site and share your information with other sailors. Fiesta Days Celebration and Boat Parade, June 2-11, Pensacola, FL The 56th Annual Fiesta of Five Flags celebration starts with a light-hearted reenactment of the surrender of the city to Spanish explorer Don Tristan DeLuna, who first landed in Pensacola in 1559. Immediately following is an evening of outdoor musical entertainment. Free admission. (850) 433-6512 or www.fiestaoffiveflags.org. West Marine and BoatUS Seminar Schedule for Texas The following seminar events will occur in each West Marine and BoatU.S. store throughout the state of Texas. These seminars are interactive and informative 10-15 minute sessions covering a variety of topics and interests. Two seminars of the same topic are held every Saturday, one in the morning at 10 a.m. and one in the afternoon at 2 p.m. Additionally, supporting literature is available to attendees as a takeaway. Please visit or call your local store for further details. Dates and topics: 6/4, Installing A Deck Wash-Down System; 6/11, Installing a Live Bait Tank; 6/18, Installing an Air Conditioning System; 6/25, Installing Hatches and Vents. Sea-N-Sail Adventure Camp, July 6-29 Seven one-week sessions offered to children ages 6-13. Maritime and Seafood Industry Museum, 115 1st St, Biloxi, MS. (228) 435-6320. News & Views for Southern Sailors

FLORIDA

NORTHERN GULF

Northern Gulf June Weather

Upcoming Events Calendar News for Sailors Race Report & Calendar

Mobile

Gulfport New Orleans

WATER TEMPERATURE - 77° AVERAGE TEMPERATURES Pensacola, FL 72° lo - 89° hi Gulfport, MS 72° lo - 89° hi For Northern Gulf Weather go to: www.csc.noaa.gov/coos/

June Prevailing Winds See page 69 for Windrose legend

June 18-19 – Summer Sailstice. Go sailing and celebrate. See “Short Tacks” page 15 for more details. June 21 – Summer Solstice. Longest day of the year. Orange Beach Sail Camp for Kids June 6-10, 13-17, 20-24, 27- July 1. Orange Beach (FL) Waterfront Park. $75 for Orange Beach residents, $100 for non-residents. Ages 8-14. Morning session 9:00 a.m.1:00 p.m. Afternoon session 2:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m. Monday-Friday. Applications are available at Orange Beach City Hall, Orange Beach Recreation Center or online. (251) 981-6039. www.obparksandrec.com.

Sabine Marina in Pensacola Beach Being Rebuilt Again By Julie B. Connerley

abine Marina has gone through many owners, and at least two names, starting life as The Marina in 1979 with 87 wet slips. Rent then was “dirt-cheap.” Located at 715 Pensacola Beach Blvd., the marina offers spectacular sunset vistas across Little Sabine Bay, Pensacola Beach’s largest protected body of water. As recently as 1995, slip fees were $3.50 a foot – but that was before Hurricanes Erin and Opal came through and destroyed the marina. Their destruction also changed the shoreline and some of the inside slips became too shallow for boats of any type. Total slips available now number 63. Sabine Marina changed ownership a couple of times. Docks were improved, and lighting and a security fence were added. Then along came Hurricane Ivan. Although every boat was removed from Sabine Marina, as their leases instructed, it was totally destroyed, but the owners pledged to rebuild, and that process is finally underway. The first dock is ready for occupancy, although no electricity is available yet. Since Ivan, the slip fees will increase $1 overall, making the cost to keep one’s vessel at Sabine Marina $9 a foot if paid one year in advance, $10 a foot if paid monthly. SOUTHWINDS

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NORTHERN GULF COAST SAILING

Cruising Season 2005 First Raft-up By Kim Kaminski

he first raft-up of the year for the Navy Yacht Club of Pensacola was held on April 16 at Pirates Cove Marina in Josephine, AL. Many of the Gulf Coast area yacht clubs had members who were in attendance at this popular raftup location (Robert’s Bayou) on Perdido Bay. The entire group relaxed throughout the weekend enjoying the cheeseburgers in paradise, the brewskies and great breakfast out on the deck of the back patio of the marina complex. The bayou itself was still silty, making it difficult to see the gators until they were ready to nibble, but that didn’t stop this die-hard group of cruising fanatics. The next time you are in the Gulf Coast area…check out the Navy Yacht Club Web site, www.navypnsyc.org, for the location of the next raft-up rendezvous site where sunsets, happy hours and great camaraderie can be found.

Creole Speed: Race Scene in New Orleans By Troy A. Gilbert

ew Orleans is known for many things, including its laissez-faire attitude, but don’t expect this out on the water. With a serious tradition of racing that dates back to 1849 with the formation of the Southern Yacht Club and to 1850 with the first running of the Race to the Coast (New

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Johnny Lovell and Charlie Ogletree training for their 2004 Olympic Silver medal. Photo courtesy Johnny Lovell.

Orleans to Pass Christian, MS), this tradition has continued unabated over the years, and recently the victories have been mounting. In 2004 alone, New Orleans’ sailors chalked up a silver medal in the 2004 Olympics Tornado Class, US Sailing’s Lloyd Phoenix Trophy, the Seawanhaka Cup, the Rhodes 19 National Championship, The Regatta del Sol and a class win at Key West Race Week. Broaden your search criteria and in the last few years, you can add a UBS Challenge (amateur) and a Mallory Cup, Charleston to Bermuda, another Lloyd Phoenix, three more Rhodes 19 National Championships, another Key West Race Week class win and two J/30 National championships. There’s definitely a pattern of success developing here and one that Richard Sackett, the commodore of the New Orleans Yacht Club, attributes to “…a full race schedule, our tradition of racing, lots of serious competitors, a fluky lake and you total the best training ground on the planet.” The 630 square miles of Lake Pontchartrain, actually more of a tidal lagoon, is an integral part of this success. Johnny Lovell, the 2004 Athens Olympic silver medallist, describes his training ground this way, “ I think the lake is one of the most challenging places to sail in the United States. You never know what conditions you will encounter on any given day. You can have a strong north breeze with steep chop or a light, shifty southerly. Also, course placement can change the dynamics of racing on the lake because of the land effects. I guess the biggest quirk would be the fact that the lake is so big and yet so shallow, creating choppy conditions that are difficult to sail in, especially in light air.” “Sailing on Lake Pontchartrain teaches sailors to be aware of their surroundings, look around to see where more favorable conditions exist, and likewise teaches the sailor to be patient,” states Ewell C. Potts, the commodore of the Southern Yacht Club, which has had four members over the years bring home Olympic sailing medals, including the first U.S. gold in 1936. “The conditions found on Lake Pontchartrain are not unusual to conditions found in international areas, for the lake could be as slick as glass and as rough as many ocean conditions.” www.southwindssailing.com

NORTHERN GULF COAST SAILING Richard Sackett adds, “It’s a perfect training ground for other people from around the nation as well as the people we competitive sailing. The East and West coasts have presail against all the time. We have so many local and national dictable coastal wind patterns, but not Lake Pontchartrain. champions in our area that the level of competition is always In one afternoon you challenging.” could go from calm to The trophies are startgale. Wave patterns, ing to mount and with wind direction, you get it that, area sailors are earnall on any given day. You ing an equal amount of learn how to sail in any respect. Andy Lovell condition and develop who, along with his crew sail changing, trimming of Stephen Murray Jr. and helm techniques for and Watt Duffy, took any environment. When home to Southern Yacht you travel to race in othClub the Seawanhaka ers’ waters, you are Cup, explains his experiready for anything they ence, “At the opening throw at you.” ceremony a past winner According to Charlie mentioned that this cup Ogletree, Johnny Lovell’s could end up in New teammate in their Orleans. My performsuccessful medal run in ance in the Star Boat and Athens in 2004 and who UBS Challenge seemed to has traveled to train and Photo courtesy Southern Yacht Club. Java (black hull) and another at the give the host confidence race in New Orleans sev- Leukemia Cup. we would be a tough eral times, “You’re forced challenger. What was to learn how to deal with changing weather conditions, be surprising to people was that we rebounded from our disadaptable, remain calm and be patient. New Orleans racers mal start. After day one they had written us off, and we had are very good in tough sailing conditions. Lake an amazing comeback to win. What was very memorable Pontchartrain is a difficult place to sail, and if you can maswas that after defeating Seawanhaka in the semi finals, their ter the lake, then you can sail in any condition, anywhere.” support was 100 percent behind us to keep the cup in the With year-round racing programs afforded by New USA. Tide Charts came out, and the spectator boats were Orleans’ geography, including 30 annual lake-based PHRF overwhelmingly in support of the Coonasses.” and one-design regattas, the 50-60 boats racing Wednesday “New Orleans is respected,” Richard Sackett answers. nights from April to October and the access to Gulf Coast “Check out the names that dominate in their class. The ones regattas from Texas to Florida, the local sailing community you mentioned plus John Dane III, Benz Faget, and others is steeped in racing. now out there pulling national trophies. Don’t forget our According to David Bolyard, the winner of numerous history, Buddy Fredricks, Gene Walet, O.J. Young, Tommy Mallory Cups as well as the possessor of a few Southern Dreyfus. Remember the heyday of the SORC? New Orleans California Lipton Cup and PHRF championship wins, states, sailors dominated. I’ll probably get in trouble for not men“With so many national regattas in the winter within reasontioning all the stars in the New Orleans sailing galaxy, but able driving distance of New Orleans, we can practice against those who lose to them know those names well.”

News & Views for Southern Sailors

SOUTHWINDS

June 2005

NORTHERN GULF COAST SAILING After taking into effect the five yacht clubs and numerous sailing associations on the lake and the geography, one of the biggest contributors to the growth of the racing excellence can be directly attributed to SYC’s Optimist Junior Sailing Program started in 1980 by Andy and Johnny Lovell’s father, John Lovell II. Since its inception, SYC’s Opti fleet has grown to number its current 60 boats, and the yacht club has strongly promoted the Opti along the Gulf Coast. Mamsie Manard, commodore of Lake Pontchartrain Women’s Sailing Association, states, “The SYC junior program grew by leaps and bounds and is now considered one of the premier junior programs in the country, as evidenced by the success of these kids as they move on to high school, college and, eventually the Olympics.” Johnny Lovell agrees, “I think the SYC junior program is one of the best in the U.S., specifically the Optimist program. At the Olympics most of the competitors I talked to started in Optimist. Two sailors that I met in Greece actually sailed against me in the Optimist Worlds 24 years ago.” This forward thinking in the early ’80s has helped produce the current sailors out there making a name for themselves, and the next generation is beginning to look for some clear air. Cardwell Potts was named College Sailor of the year for 2004, and there are more names rising. Pay attention to Kiel Killeen, Julian Richards, Becca Denney, Margot Provensal, Baker Potts, Patrick Ryan, and Jackson Benvenuti. Commenting on the future of New Orleans racing, Richard Sackett states, “It’s bright, but it could be brighter. We need new marinas to make room for new boats. We need to get the America’s Cup back to excite the American public. We need to publicize our junior programs. We need to develop a central funding council and a plan with participation from all lake clubs to support faraway travel for our future champions. But even if we don’t do these things, we will still have the best on the water. If we do these things, we will have more. Our future is always bright because we have the geography, weather and competition to spawn winners. We are not just the sportsman’s paradise. We are the sailor’s paradise as well, and the food down here isn’t bad either.”

2005 Gulf Ocean Racing Circuit (GORC), Biloxi, MS, April 1-3 By Kim Kaminski

he Biloxi Yacht Club held the 2005 Gulf Ocean Racing Circuit races (known as the GORC to the local area racers) over a three-day period April 1-3. A severe storm front had raced across the area prior to the race event deluging the coast with heavy rains and strong winds (20 to 25 knots with gusts up to gale force strength).The strong winds remained throughout the weekend making racing challenging especially for the Class C boats that averaged 24 feet. The GORC is one of four sanctioned events for the members of the Gulf Yachting Association (GYA). PHRF maximum crew limits are upheld, and no yacht with a PHRF rating of 234 or higher may participate in the event. Class awards for first, second and third place were given out daily. The Class Awards in the Overall Series went to Stephen Murray and his crew on Decision in Class A, Roy Hardin and crew on Shameless in Class B and Caron and

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SOUTHWINDS

Steve Choate and crew on The Bear in Class C. The GYA Trophy for Most Outstanding Yacht went to the skipper from Fort Walton Yacht Club, Roy Hardin on Shameless, a J-33. Results Class A; 1 - Decision - Stephen Murray, Southern YC; 2 - Fuzzy Lojic - Stanton Murray, Southern YC; 3 - Sapphire- Mark Palermo, Tammany YC; 4 - Java - Bob Maher, Southern YC; 5 - Aquavite Hans Albert, Pontchartrain YC; Class B; 1 - Shameless - Roy Hardin, Ft Walton YC; 2 - Forerunner - John/Scott Mathis, Pensacola YC; 3 - Piranha - Ryan Bancroft, New Orleans YC; 4 - Touche’ Dennis Cheuvront, Pontchartrain YC; 5 - Kokopelli - Kyle Bowser, Tammany YC; Class C; 1 - The Bear - Caron/Steve Chaote, Pontchartrain YC; 2 - Jus’ Magic-J./T.Guice/Cruthirds, Biloxi YC; 3 - Avalanche - Bob Ramsey, Singing RiverYC; 4 - Punk’d - Don Brennan, Buccaneer YC; 5 - Blueprint - Timothy Reitano, New Orleans YC; 6 - Sea Toy Two - John Mundy, OceanSpringsYC.

Corsairs-Farrier Trimaran National Championships By Kim Kaminski

he 11th Annual Corsairs-Farrier Trimaran National Championship was held April 24-28 at the Pensacola Yacht Club in Pensacola, FL. Sailing teams from across the United States journeyed to Pensacola Bay to prepare their trimarans for four days of intense sailboat competition. Six different racing classes were scheduled to compete; the Open class, the C-24 class, the C-28 R class, the F-31RS class, and the F-25C class along with the newest design class, the C 31-1D. One of the largest and most competitive classes in the series proved to be the F-31 RS class. Bob Gleason and his crew on Tri Me not only earned first place in the class with an impressive series of first-place finishes but also won the national title for the 2005 event. Another aggressive class was the C-28R class, where Robert Onsgaard and his team, which included Olympic sailors Jay and Pease Glaser on Fifty-Fifty, earned fourth place in the overall standings and finished in first place for their fleet along with Bob Harkrider and his crew on Bad Boys, who earned fifth place in the overall standings and finished in second place in the C-28 R class. Last year, in the Open class, one of the newest designed trimarans—a C31-R1D named Lei Loe—captured an impressive winning streak throughout the entire series earning firstplace finishes in all eight races, which helped the team to acquire the national champion title. At this year’s event, a fleet of C31-R1Ds competed for the first time, including the fleet defending champion, Lei Loe. Olympic World Class sailor Randy Smyth from Fort Walton Beach, FL, raced his C 31-1D boat, Rocketeer III, against the Lei Loe champions Tim McKegney and H.L. Enloe. These two viable teams battled throughout the entire event. Not to be outdone, C31-R1D class competitor Peter Frendenberg and his sailing team on Condor earned two first-place finishes on the last day of racing, ending the 2005 championship series for the newest design class with a five-point spread between the three teams. This may become an even more challenging class in next year’s championship event as more competitors join in the class battle. The Open Class had a mixture of F-27 Formula, 28-C and C-28 CC model boats competing against each other. Triple Trouble, one of the F-27 Formula boats, owned by Doran Cushing, had smooth sailing for most of the regatta www.southwindssailing.com

NORTHERN GULF COAST SAILING launching and storage of the boats. Go to www.pensacolayachtclub.org for complete results. For further information regarding the Corsair Trimaran visit, go to www.corsairmarine.com. Partial Results:1, Bob Gleason on Tri Me; 2, Matt Scharl on Gamera; 3, Tim McKegney and H.L. Enloe on Lei Loe; 4, Robert Onsgaard on Fifty-Fifty; 5, Bob Harkrider on Bad Boys

RACE CALENDAR Club Racing Thursday evenings. Thursday Night Sunfish Sailing. Navy Yacht Club’s Bayou Grande Marina, Pensacola, FL, from 57 p.m. (850) 452-4152 JUNE 4 Charity Regatta. PYC. 4 Marathon. FYC. 4 School’s Out Regatta. PYC. 4 Jubilee Regatta. BYC. 4-5 Candler Regatta. STABYC. 5 Spring #3. CSA 11 Commodore’s Cup #3. NYC. 11 Race to the Coast. GYC, SYC. 11 Billy Bowlegs Regatta. FWBYC. 11 Area D Quarter Finals. MYC. 17-19 Challenge Cup. GYC. 24-26 Gulfport to Pensacola Race. GYC. SYC. PYC. 25-26 420 Champs. PCYC. 25 Glorious 4. LFYC. April through October Wednesday Night Fun Races. At PYC, 2nd and 4th Wed. and one-design races every Wed. eve. At FWYC, Wed. eve races.

Blue Heron, an F-27 Formula Corsair trimaran owned by Russ Kincaid, enjoys the Gulf Coastal waters after a day of racing competition during the Corsairs National Championship in Pensacola, FL. Photo by Kim Kaminski.

until the final day when his spinnaker halyard broke. He still managed to stay one point ahead of Russ Kincaid and his crew on Blue Heron to win the Open Class first-place position. Jim Frederick on his 28 C, Big Storm, and Richard Stephens on his C-28 CC, Trevelyn, battled it out for the third-place position with Big Storm taking the lead by four points. The C-24 class winner Raul Lopez from Miami, FL, and his family team on I Fly had a close race between Bruce Kuerton and crew on Farfalla. After four days of racing competition, only two points separated these two teams from first and second place in their class. As for the behind-the-scenes activities, the National Championship was a well-organized racing event thanks to the numerous individuals who planned and executed the racing, including Race Chairman Bert Rice and Principal Race Officer Fairlie Brinkley. The event sponsors included Corsair Marine, the Corsair Trimaran Owners Association, Harken, West Marine, Schurr Sails, Key Sailing, Flat Island Marine, and PMSC, who actively supported the venue. Special thanks to the dockmasters, Chip MacMillan of the Pensacola Shipyard and Josh Klien of the Pensacola Yacht Club, who were also instrumental in managing the News & Views for Southern Sailors

JULY 2 2 2 2-3 9-10 9 9 9 9 9 10 10 16-17 16

Horn Island Hop. OSYC. Rodenella. BWYC. Biloxi Invitational. BYC. Independence Day Regatta, PYC. Meigs Regatta. FWYC. Area D Sears J22, Bemis 420, Smythe Laser Semis. BYC. Quail Challenge Sunfish. ABYC. Race the Case. BYC. SingleHanded Race. FYC. Patriot’s Day Regatta. PBYC. CSA SingleHanded. CSA. Biloxi Summer Series #1. BYC. Summer Regatta. MYC. Bastille Day. NOYC.

See NORTHERN GULF COAST SAILING continued on page 69

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June 2005

WEST FLORIDA COAST Upcoming Events Calendar News for Sailors Regional Sailing & Cruising Racing Calendar Race Report

West Florida June Weather AVERAGE TEMPERATURES St. Petersburg 74° lo - 89° hi Naples 72° lo - 90° hi GULF WATER TEMPERATURES St. Petersburg 84° Naples 85° For Real Time eastern Gulf weather, winds and marine forecasts, go to: http://comps.marine.usf.edu

UPCOMING EVENTS & NEWS June 1- November 30. Atlantic Hurricane Season Begins Protect your boat! Go to the SOUTHWINDS Web site, www.southwindssailing.com, and follow the link to Hurricane 2005 for more information on hurricanes and hurricane protection for you and your boat. A special page has been created, with articles and comments by fellow sailors, stories of hurricane preparation, links to weather sites and more. Send us your hurricane stories to editor@southwindssailing.com to contribute to this site and share your information with other sailors. Boating Skills and Seamanship Programs. Ongoing. Each Tuesday night, 7:30-9:30 p.m., 1300 Beach Dr. SE, St. Petersburg. U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, Flotilla 72. Completion satisfies the State of Florida boater safety education requirements. The continuous rotating program has 11 lessons. One lesson is presented each Tuesday night. Lessons include: Which Boat For you, Equipment, Trailering, Lines and Knots, Boat Handling, Signs, Weather, Rules, Introduction to Navigation, Inland Boating and Radio. (727) 823-3753 Kids Windsurfing Instruction North Beach Windsurfing, Tampa Bay, Kids Camp. June11-12. 9:30 to 12:00 a.m. $60. For more information, call (727) 656-6569 or visit www.nbwindsurfing.com Coast Guard Auxiliary Offers Public Boating Programs: Boating Skills and Seamanship Programs – June 6-30 Sailing Fundamentals Program – July 7-28 Boating Safely Program – June 11-12/July 23-24

June 2005

SOUTHWINDS

June Prevailing Winds See page 69 for Windrose legend

All programs are held at the Clearwater Sailing Center, 1001 Gulf Blvd., Sand Key (Clearwater). They are open to adults and youths. For more information on upcoming education programs or to request a free vessel safety check call (727) 469-8895 or visit www.uscgaux.org/~0701101/PublicEducationPrograms.htm. June 18-19 – Summer Sailstice. Go sailing and celebrate. See “Short Tacks” page 15 for more details. June 21 – Summer Solstice. Longest day of the year.

Tampa Bay Marina Center For Sale

he Tampa Bay Marina Center off 275 near the Tampa International Airport was recently promoted for sale. Besides 90,000 square feet of office space, the marina has 75 boat slips. It is projected that the most probable use of the site for sale will be as a hotel complex, although office and multifamily developers have expressed interest. The future of the 75 boat slips is uncertain.

Cortez Cove Boatworks in Cortez Opening Boatyard and Expanded Facilities

ortez Cove Boatworks, formerly known as the Cortez Cove Marina, will be opening its boatyard with a 60-ton

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WEST FLORIDA SAILING Marine Travelift, capable of handling boats up to 70 feet, as soon as docks are built for the lift to ride out on over the water. It will be offering dry-dock space and mechanical and other repairs. The builder is currently waiting for permits to be issued, which are currently in the Manatee County permitting process. If all goes well, the yard is expected to be operational in late fall. The Boatworks also has 35 slips, accommodating boats up to 50 feet long, although most are in the 30- to 40-foot range. Currently boats drawing more than six feet cannot enter the marina because of a shallow channel, but the state is supposed to dredge the channel within a year. The Boatworks will also be expanding its shoreside facilities for boaters, although liveaboards are not allowed because of Manatee County restrictions. Currently, the marina has only one transient slip. Most slips are currently rented out at $10 a foot per month.

City of Palmetto Considering New Codes to Limit Waterfront Dock Rentals

citizen of the town of Palmetto was recently informed in April that she was running a private marina within the city limits and would be subject to a substantial daily fine if she did not cease renting dock space out to boats at her residential waterfront property. She was informed that she was doing so in violation of city codes. The homeowner retained an attorney to look into the matter, and they discovered that the city had no codes against renting out the

News & Views for Southern Sailors

dock space. The city later admitted to this (although the homeowner was still out her attorney fees). Shortly afterward, a city employee informed the homeowner that the city of Palmetto was going to write new codes restricting the use of private dock space only to boats registered in the homeownersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; names. This would mean that waterfront homeowners with private docks could no longer rent out their docks to other boat owners, although the homeowner in the original case was told that she would not be restricted from doing so. The homeowner told Southwinds that she was under the impression that she would be grandfathered in, but was wondering about the others, as so many of her neighbors had been renting dock space out for many years.

Perico Harbor Marina Purchased by St. Joe-Arvida Developers

erico Harbor Marina, located on Perico Island on the north side of the Palma Sola Causeway just before the road heads west over the ICW to Anna Maria Island, was recently purchased by the company that owns the adjacent property that is under development for a 686-unit condominium project. Along with the purchase, the company received a state permit to dredge the marina basin for deepdraft boats and build a 200-plus slip marina for the condominium boat owners. The high and dry boat storage facility at the marina will be torn down.

SOUTHWINDS

June 2005

WEST FLORIDA SAILING

Sarasota and Manatee County Usable Passes: When to Know to Say “No” By Morgan Stinemetz

ith Sarasota’s two maritime access routes to the Gulf of Mexico—Big Sarasota Pass and New Pass—both currently without accurate aids to navigation, local mariners who might consider using the passes to escape bad weather in the Gulf of Mexico probably should have another plan of action filed away. The pass in Venice is always an option. Though its currents are sporty, the pass never shoals, and the jetties offer excellent protection once inside. Truly, the people whose main access to the Gulf is through the Venice jetties are fortunate. They have a 24/7 route both in and out, good weather or bad. Between the Venice jetties and Longboat Pass, the next pass northward that’s usually navigable, there’s a reliability gap of 23 miles. It is axiomatic that when the weather turns snotty and a dry, warm, comfortable place carries the same cachet as a free suite at the Plaza Hotel in New York, a guy who has had it with

June 2005

SOUTHWINDS

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WEST FLORIDA SAILING yachting or fishing or with a crew that whines may also just take a chance on getting home the easy way. Shooting a chancy pass, however, particularly in bad weather, is not the answer. According to Laird Wreford of Sarasota County, Big Sarasota Pass won’t have viable marks in it for another three months. It was two years ago that the Coast Guard washed its hands of its responsibility to mark the pass accurately, declared the pass not navigable and pulled out the seaward aids to navigation. Referring to getting the necessary governmental permission, which sounded like a legal layer cake, Wreford said, “We are estimating that will be about three months.” And how long after permission is granted would the pass be marked? “We’d be able to have the marks in two to four weeks,” said Wreford. “By August anyway.” Asked what kind of marks would be situated in Big Pass, Wreford said he was not sure whether they would be floating marks or marks on pilings. “We are looking at all the alternatives,” he stated. That could mean exactly what Wreford said. Or it could mean that no one has come up with a plan that will work satisfactorily. Time will tell. Marks on pilings are more permanent than floating marks but are also less easily moved to follow the vagaries of shifting sandbars near the pass’ mouth. Wreford said, however, that floating marks require large concrete anchors that might litter the bottom of the pass. When asked about mushroom anchors as an alternative, he said he had not investigated how effective they might be. New Pass, for all intents and purposes, is no place to be when the weather gets bad and could be getting worse. The Pass, last dredged just a little more than two years ago, has shoaled in. I talked with the Coast Guard in Cortez and was told that no one should try using that pass unless he has local knowledge. Congresswoman Katherine Harris’ office in Bradenton, which one might assume has knowledge about the status of what is supposed to be a federally maintained channel, passed the buck and referred me to Sarasota County and gave me a phone number to call.

News & Views for Southern Sailors

That put me in touch with Roger Rasbury, who works on what is called the Inlet Management Plan for Sarasota County Environmental Services. The news from Rasbury is not good. “Basically the Army Corps of Engineers does not look like it will do it (more dredging),” Rasbury said. “They have reached the funding ceiling, and there is no federal funding.” I was able to reach the Army Corps of Engineers’ office in Jacksonville and talked with Patricia Hanson, a Corps operations manager. Hanson said it succinctly: “There is no more money. We cannot do anything else until Congress changes the dollar amount of the cap.” Rasbury additionally said that a management plan for Big Pass and New Pass may take 12 to 14 months to complete. The plan, he continued, would recommend what alternative actions are for the two passes. “We should have a series of recommendations,” was exactly how he phrased it. It could be that I am overly sensitive because I use the passes and need sufficient depth, but when municipal employees involved with decisions about keeping the passes open and correctly marked speak of what lies ahead, they are unable to make definitive statements. There is a lot of talk of plans, studies, recommendations and alternative solutions, but there is a total absence of reference to action. Let me put it another way. There are no plans to get New Pass dredged any time soon. The existing administrative structure for keeping the shallow New Pass channel correctly marked has broken down, and basically, in my opinion anyway, no one is ready to step up to the plate and take responsibility. Big Pass may be deep enough to use if you know exactly where to go, but the best and deepest route can change in a week. Big Pass will not be marked until August, at the earliest. And right now just how it is to be marked has not been decided. Neither New Pass nor Big Pass is safely usable to get back in from the Gulf of Mexico if one runs into bad weather out there. The way to live to play another day is to make very certain that you never count on either pass as an option in bad conditions. They are already dicey in the best of times.

SOUTHWINDS

June 2005

WEST FLORIDA SAILING

RACING Davis Island Yacht Club One-Design Crew Training Postponed to August

ecause of scheduling conflicts with the Key West Rendezvous in May, DIYC one-design crew training was postponed to August 6-13-20 and will be held from 12-5 p.m. to catch the afternoon sea breeze. This training is designed to teach the skills to be a crew member on one-design boats and is not to be confused with a Learn To Sail program. This program has been offered three times in the past five years. This training is conducted in a orderly, non-threatening manner as opposed to learning under race conditions. Each Island Time, sailing in True Cruising Class, in the 2005 Messmer Cup. applicant must be in good physical condiPhoto by Mary Naylor. tion and have normal flexibility. The primary boat to be used in training will be the J-24. RACE REPORT Melges and J-35 owners are invited to join the program The program is open to all who desire to participate. The 41st Messmer Cup Regatta, Naples cost of training is a $100 tax-deductible donation to the Davis Island Youth Sailing Foundation. Those who are interSailing and Yacht Club, Naples, FL, ested may contact King Purton at (813) 760-0177. April 22-24 kpurton@tampabay.rr.com. By Caryn Hacker

t’s the ever-changing desire to balance nature’s elements that draws humans to the sea: The delicate and respectful request made from one group under the direction of a skipper to the all-powerful King Poseidon; a request for permission to harness the powers of the sea with eloquence and speed for 30-minute intervals over two days and to flourish in camaraderie and spirit; to hear the resounding “FFLLAAPP” as the wind quickly fills the sails and seems to call the sailor by name, or the powerful “ZZIINNG” of line pulling taut in the sailor’s palm as an extension of Poseidon’s muscle, or the “WWHHASSH” of blue waters smacking the sides of the V-hulled sailboat as an undersea passionate kiss. These are the moments that make a sailor. These are moments that create a regatta. The newly renovated Naples Sailing and Yacht Club was host to the 41st Annual Messmer Cup Regatta on April 22–24. Under the watchful eye of “Tiny” Messmer, wife of the club co-founder, Jack Messmer, 23 sailboats in six classes artfully dotted the horizon in the vicinity of the Naples Pier. Ms. Messmer, aboard Lucky Land, was honored by the parade of sailboats, which passed Lucky Land’s stern amid cheers by sailors and observers alike. NSYC Commodore Christopher Roberts, and his wife Jane, joined Skipper Bill Graftstrom and Ms. Messmer as the long-awaited gun blast signaled the beginning of the race. Blue skies and light winds created a kaleidoscope of color as the myriad of boats sailed in the light 8- to 10-knot winds. Hued spinnakers appeared as proud sailors with puffed chests ready to harness the day’s breezes. Jerry Watkins, NSYC sailing fleet captain, boasted that this year’s race was the highest attended by both boaters and observers

June 2005

SOUTHWINDS

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WEST FLORIDA SAILING

about, the Regata del Sol al Sol race from Tampa Bay, FL to Isla Mujeres, Mexico sailed through a serious storm as the participants passed through the southern Gulf. The departure was on Friday morning, April 29 amid light conditions. The first boat to arrive was the catamaran Patriot after 46 hours and 17 minutes. With corrected time, and a rating of -150, she finished second behind Sierra Hotel, who arrived 22 hours later with a rating of 117. One boat, Marjorita, in the True Obsession, which took first place in the Sport Boat Class, sails in the 2005 Cruising Class, was dismasted and was Messmer Cup. Photo by Mary Naylor. rumored to have motored back to Fort Myers. Others lost sails amid high wind throughout the history of the regatta. “It is just wonderful to conditions. Only 24 of the 45 boats that started finished still see so many people enjoying this sport. It provides more fun racing. Many motored in and some returned to St. than anyone should be allowed to have!” offered Watkins. Petersburg. More to follow in the July issue. Co-sponsored by the Gulf Coast Sailing Association, Michelob Ultra and Coca-Cola, this regatta offers area sailResults (If not listed, they did not finish): ers a chance to compete for trophies in the sport they love. Spinnaker:1, Midnite Rider; 2, Hunter’s Child II; 3, Aquavite; 4, Critical Path; 5, Hot Tub; Multihull:1, Sierra Hotel; 2, Patriot; NonAs the day came to a close, Ms. Messmer agreed that the sight of her 41st race was even more beautiful than the first. “I haven’t missed one race in all these years,” she beamed. “It’s always been just perfect.” The second day provided significant challenges to the boaters. The changing blue gulf waters and shifting salt winds created situations that necessitated good communication between skippers and crew. Gulf winds increased to 25 knots with seas ranging from 4-6 feet, causing the windward mark to break free. Previous blue-green waters became grayish-purple and seemed to challenge the boaters to push onward. Following the race, competitors spoke with excitement of the day’s wet conditions and their enjoyment as seaspray drenched their faces and renewed their spirits amid the waves off the Naples Pier. For more information, go to www.nsyc-naples.org. Results: Spinnaker A:1, Flame, James Doane; 2, Maria, Joe Bonness III; 3, Carioca, Phil Francoeur; Spinnaker B:1, Children at Play, Jack Graefe & Brent Hamilton; 2, Neptune, Norbert Pfalz; 3, Toad Hall, Bill Harris; Sport Boat:1, Obsession, Gary & Sue Schwarting; Multihull:1, Triumph, Doug French; 2, Trifecta, Eric Fizzi; NonSpinnaker A:1, Sanderling, Richard Hedderick; 2, Air Supply, Steve Romaine; 3, Knot Worried, Jason Richards; True Cruising:1, R-Way, John Rigsbee; 2, Island Time, Joe Barrett; 3, Minerva, Dr. Will Rosenbaum; Overall Spinnaker:1, Flame, James Doane; Overall Non-Spinnaker:1, Sanderling, Richard Hedderick.

Regata del Sol al Sol Sails Through a Storm to Isla Mujeres

ith only preliminary results in at the time of press, and rumors of rough conditons and several mishaps flying

News & Views for Southern Sailors

SOUTHWINDS

June 2005

West Florida Sailing Services Directory From Cedar Key to Cape Sable Sailing Services Directory starts as low as $8 a month. Call (941) 795-8704 or e-mail editor@southwindssailing.com BOAT LETTERING – GRAPHICS

RIGGING SERVICES SSMR. Inc. 727-823-4800 Complete Rigging Services On-Site Swaging & Splicing Commissioning Services At Harborage Hi & Dry Dock • Crane Service Fax 727-823-3270 St. Petersburg

SAILBOAT SERVICES AND REPAIRS ELLIE’S SAILING SHOP Clearwater Lifelines, rigging, hardware, repairs Serving small boat sailors Since 1958 Sunfish Boats and Parts...........(727) 442-3281

SAILMAKING, REPAIRING & CLEANING THE SIGN FACTORY FLORIDA BOAT GRAPHICS Screen Printing • T-shirts • Hats (941) 792-4830......thesignfactory2@juno.com

CANVAS & CUSHION SERVICES Scuba Clean Yacht Service See ad in Underwater Services

MARINE SURVEYING

Towne Yacht Surveys Member ABYC, SAMS John M. Towne, AMS Jim Towne (813) 645-4896 townesurvey@gbronline.com

ADVANCED SAILS (727) 896-7245 Quality Cruising Sails & Service Closest Sailmaker to St. Petersburg Marinas Keith Donaldson......................(727) 896-7245 Scuba Clean Yacht Service See ad in Underwater Services Masthead Used Sails………..(800) 783-6953 www.mastheadsailinggear.com Largest Inventory in the South (727) 327-5361

PORPOISE SAILING SERVICES – Sarasota

*New/Used Sails * New Custom Sails Roller Furling Systems & Packages

SAILING INSTRUCTION/SCHOOLS Adventure Cruising & Sailing School A sailing school for Women and Couples • ASA • West Florida and Chesapeake www.acss.bz............................(727) 204-8850

Rent this 1" ad space starting at $20 a month YACHTING VACATIONS SW FLORIDA Live-aboard/non-live-aboard ASA instruction www.yachtingvacations.com (800) 447-0080

(800) 507-0119 www.porpoisesailing.com

Rent this 2" ad space starting at $38 a month

UNDERWATER SERVICES

Scuba Clean Yacht Service • Underwater Services • Canvas Shop • Sail Cleaning & Repair • Detailing Serving Pinellas, Hillsborough, Sarasota, Pasco & Manatee Counties.

(727) 327-2628

ADVERTISE YOUR SAILING SERVICES IN OUR WEST FLORIDA SAILING DIRECTORY. CONTACT: Steve Morrell 58

June 2005

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editor@southwindssailing.com

(941) 795-8704 www.southwindssailing.com

WEST FLORIDA SAILING Spinnaker:1, Severance; 2, Mi Vida Loca; 3, Tukawile; True Cruising A:1, Relativity; 2, Escapade; 3, Time Off; 4, Adelie; 5, Jambalaya; 6, Emerald Lady; True Cruising B:1, Mango Lattitude; 2, High Cotton; 3, Seraphim; True Cruising C:1, Reflection; 2, Sea Biscuit; 6, Bel Esprit II; True Cruising D:1, Southern Cross; True Cruising E:1, Sunset; True Cruising F:1, Nobility.

To have your race, regatta, or club races listed, please contact editor@southwindssailing.com by the 5th of the month (call if later).

RACING CALENDAR

Races listed should be open to anyone. Since races are sometimes canceled, postponed or locations changed, it is advisable to contact the organization beforehand.

For the legend, addresses, and contacts for the sponsoring sailing association of the races listed below, go to the 20042005 West Florida Race Calendar and Yacht Club Directory at Southwinds’ Web site, www.southwindssailing.com. The races and regattas listed here are open to those who want to sail. No club membership is required, although a West Florida PHRF rating is most likely required. Club Racing—Open to Everyone Wanting to Race The races listed here are open to those who want to sail. Please send us your race schedule for publishing to editor@southwindssailing.com. Bradenton YC. Thursday evening races at 6:30 p.m. through the fall. PHRF racing on Manatee River. For info call Larry Lecuyer, (941) 729-5401. Venice Sailing Squadron. First Saturday of each month, PHRF racing. Start at mouth of Venice Inlet. www.venice-sailing-squadron.org 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.

News & Views for Southern Sailors

pbgvtrax@aol.com

JUNE 4–5 5

Jetty Park Ocean Regatta, Catamarans Corinthian Regatta PHRF to Key West Motoring allowed, with penalty SPYC Calendar organizing meeting for Tampa Bay area clubs SPSA TBYRA Trans-Bay Race, PHRF TBYRA BOTY CortezYC Commodore’s Cup Series Race # 2 DBC Larkin Regatta PHRF in the Gulf off Clearwater Pass Summer Sailstice Various locations: A celebration of sail. www.summersailstice.com TBCS 45 x 45 Catamaran Distance Race

JULY 4 4 16 17

SSS TBCS TBCS CortezYC

7 11 12 18 18 – 19

TBCS BYC

Firecracker Race Race For Liberty, Catamarans Leisure Sail (yea right) Commodore’s Cup Series Race # 3

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June 2005

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News & Views for Southern Sailors

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June 2005

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“In August, you began running an advertisement to sell my diesel engine in your classifieds section. I am pleased to advise you that I have a buyer as a result of the advertisement. Please discontinue it. FYI, I have also had inquiries from West Africa and France as a result of the Internet ad you made available. I’m MAJOR impressed!! Thank you very much.” Capt C.T., St. Petersburg, FL

CLASSIFIED ADS — 3 MONTHS FOR $25 1. Classified ads for boats are $25 for a threemonth ad for up to 30 words. Check or Credit cards accepted. 2. Add $25 for a horizontal photo (vertical photos $5 a month more), ($50 for a three-month ad for boat with photo). 3. Free ads for boats under $500 (sail and dinghys only), all gear under $500, and windsurfing equipment. Add $10 a month for a horizontal photo. 4. Boats and gear must be for sale by the owner to qualify for the above. No businesses.(see #10) 5. E-mail ads to editor@southwindssailing.com

(including photos). Then mail a check or call with credit card. Add $5 typing charge for ads mailed in or faxed in (including free ads). 6. You can also go online and pay by Paypal and type the ad into the message area or e-mail it separately to editor. Photo must be sent separately. 7. Photos not accompanied by S.A.S.E. will not be returned. Photocopies of photos will not work. Email photos as an attachment or send actual photo. 8. Ads (and renewing ads) must be received by the 10th of the month. 9. The last month your ad runs will be in parentheses, e.g., (7/05) is August, 2005.

10. All other ads are $20 a month for up to 20 words, add $5 a month for each additional 10 words. $10 a month for a horizontal photo. Frequency discounts available. Contact editor. 11. No refunds.

Now pay on-line at our Web site www.southwindssailing.com editor@southwindssailing.com

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All ads go on the Internet, and your Web site or e-mail address in the ad will be linked by clicking on it. GET ON OUR WEB SITE EARLY! Give us your ad before the magazine goes to print and we will post your ad on our Web site early for a small fee. SOUTHWINDS will only be responsible financially for mistakes for a one issue period. Please check your ad. Let us know any mistakes by the 10th of the month.

BOATS WANTED ___________________________ S-2, 7.9, outboard version, preferably with trailer and racing sails, but all 7.9s considered. Must be in good condition. (239) 945-3063, p.perisho@att.net (8/05)

BOATS & DINGHIES ___________________________ 9’1” Caribe dinghy, wooden insert deck and seat inflatable. 1991 $1,200. 9.9 Mercury Outboard 1999. 2 hours on engine with stand and gas can $1,200. (813) 632-9684. (8/05)

18.5 ft. GO-5 sailboat with roller trailer. Designed and built in Finland. Very Fast. Dagger board. Needs TLC. $1000 or best offer. (941) 761-2254. jpkgray5@aol.com. (6/05)

DISPLAY CLASSIFIEDS Advertise your business in a display ad in the classifieds section. Sold by the column inch. 2 inch minimum. (3 column inches is 1/8 page) MONTHLY COST ADS PER INCH

12 6 3 1

$19 $22 $25 $29

MINIMUM INCHES

TOTAL COST

2" 2" 2" 2"

$38 $44 $50 $58

1978 J-24, ready to sail, 2 mains, 1 Jib, 1 genny, 2 spins, depth, complete new electrical system, option on trailer, Melbourne FL, $4000, (321) 288-1157 (7/05)

Soverel 26 in great condition. New mainsail and 155% genoa. Like new spinnaker. Many other sails and extras. Race or cruise for $6000. (228) 326-2694 or (228) 229-8546. (6/05)

D I S P L AY C L A S S I F I E D A D S S TA R T I N G AT $38/MONTH

News & Views for Southern Sailors

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June 2005

C L A S S I F I E D

Catalina 30, 1990 shoal draft, Universal diesel, loaded with new gear, Harken RF, Raymarine radar/GPS chart plot, wind gen, solar, custom arch, Auto Helm 4000, inverter, VHF, stereo, carry on AC, dinghy w/OB, bottom job 2005. $36,500. (941) 792-9100. (8/05) Catamaran. Iroquois MK I, 30’, 1996. Many sails. Standard navigational aids. T9.9 EXRX Yamaha 1999 O/B. Bimini hardtop, swim platform. Sound; cosmetic attention needed. (850) 926-2356. djam1@earthlink.net. Crawfordville, FL. “Big Bend” Gulf. (8/05)

26’ Pearson One-design, 1979. Jib, genoa, spinnaker, Evinrude 9.9. Clean, solid, sails. Great, huge cockpit. Best $6900 boat out there. Located in Slidell, LA. (985) 847-0374. (7/05)

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30’ Cape Dory, Cutter Rig,1978 In great condition,cruise ready. Sleeps 4, 6’ 1” head-room.Teak and Holly Sole. Volvo Penta 12 hp diesel rebuilt in 2002. Many extras $22,900, (251) 974-1389, E-mail puddicombe@gulftel.com (7/05)

A D S

1974 Northstar 1000, 30’, two mains, four headsails, spinnaker, bristol condition. Inboard engine. Topsides repainted 2003. Interior upgrades. Auto pilot, VHF, depthfinder, GPS and more. Overall first place Daytona to Charleston Race. Good heavy weather racer/cruiser. South Carolina. $18,900. (843) 884-1729. (8/05)

30’ CATALINA 1987 Shoal draft, 5 sails. Very well-maintained. Has all the goodies. Boat is trophy winner and cruise-ready. $32,900 (239) 434-5615, windseek@swfla.rr.com. (6/05)

30’ Catalina 30, 1990. std rig, fin keel 5’3”, roller furling, bimini, cushions, instruments, Excellent condition. Reasonably and practically priced at $32,900. email: galileo430@comcast.net or (727) 207-0717. (7/05) 32’ Allied Seawind II, 1977 ketch, Westerbeke 30, roller furler, new sails, auto helm, depth, VHF, speed, stereo, GPS, EPIRB, Lectra-San MSD,epoxy bottom. Well maintained classic-looking boat with graceful lines. $34,000 (941) 792-9100. (8/05)

27 ft. 1975 Catalina tall rig, fully batten main, Dutchman, roller furler, cruising spinnaker, radio, depth finder, new teak, 30 hp atomic 4. Excellent condition. $8,500 Photos available. mlw1@atlantic.net. (352) 382-7510 (6/05)

Cal 29 Mk II, 1971 classic. Fully overhauled with new equipment & material. 23hp Universal diesel, roller furling, 2 mains, jib, genoa, gennaker, tiller auto pilot, Imron hull, Awl Grip deck, Trinidad bottom 2005, barrier coated. A must see to appreciate this beauty. $19,000. (941) 730-8200. (8/05) 64

June 2005

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FREE-New Hunter 33 or 36. SailTime will pay mortgage and all expenses for 5 years – you put 20% down–own 100%.1-866-Sailtime.

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CREW AVAILABLE/WANTED ___________________________ Visit SOUTHWINDS “NEW” boat and crew listing service at southwindssailing.com

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CAPTAIN/sweetheart/companion NEEDED. Come cruising with me on my great luxury motor catamaran! Let’s enjoy an endless adventure filled with fun, laughter and love. Email me for more info and photos. And tell me a bit about yourself. smilingmermaid@hotmail.com. (8/05)

35’ GARDEN KETCH, 1965-Japan, riveted wood, Yanmar 30,monel tanks,Doyle tanbark fullbatten sails,6 Trojan batteries, Bose, Lewmars, Force 10, RIB & 8 hp OB, HW, fridge, New standing, running rigging, bimini, cutlass, carpet, Great cruiser.$31,000 firm. Clearwater (813) 391-0470 georgetheleo@hotmail.com. (8/05) 36 Catalina 1985 $49,500. Sea Gypsy. Medical forces sale. Tall rig, fin keel 4.5 Harkin system, central air, refrigerator, 2 mains, 3 headsails, 2 anchors, dodger, bimini. Plus extras. bobhrck@aol.com. (8/05)

HELP WANTED ___________________________ BOAT SLIPS FOR RENT ___________________________ Private, attractive 40’ dock w/ dolphins, 5’6’ draft off Jourdan River in Bay St. Louis, MS. Parking bay & water, w/phone, cable & power available. (228) 467-2254, www.SvSynchronicity@aol.com/.(6/05)

BOOKS & CHARTS ___________________________ 36’ GULFSTAR Rare Salon Pilothouse 1971 Bristol loaded A/C Dual Steering. Inverter Hard bimini Kubota generator. 80 HP Lehman Freshwater. Huge decks & cockpit $62,500. TN River. (931) 425-6420. themissquita@hotmail.com (7/05) 1975 41’ Gulfstar. Totally Equipped for cruising. Hard top w/ full enclosure over center cockpit. SSB, watermaker, radar, VHF, autopilot and much more call for details. $72,000. robynsnest51@yahoo.com or (561) 707-4372. (7/05)

Ocean Routing – Jenifer Clark’s Gulf Stream Boat Routing/Ocean Charts by the “best in the business.” (301) 952-0930, fax (301) 5740289 or www.erols.com/gulfstrm

BUSINESS/INVESTMENT ___________________________ Would take 40+ ft range sailboat as partial payment on established, profitable small business near Asheville, NC, with Web and walk-in customers. Integrated Web site, accounting, and shipping systems with documentation and 30 days training make it a great one or two-person operation. Residence could be included in the package. (800) 915-2320. (7/05)

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Construction/Real Estate Investment A highly-experienced, honest, licensed, responsible and reliable contractor seeks investor/partner in new construction/remodeling in west Florida. Perhaps a spec house or purchase to remodel. Contractor is experienced in custom homes of all sizes, including very high-end homes. Only interested in doing interesting and enjoyable projects. (941) 795-8711

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FREE – New Hunter 33 or 36. SailTime will pay mortgage and all expenses for 5 years – you put 20% down and own 100%. Call 1-866-Sailtime.

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Sailtime.com is looking for base operators on the Florida coast. This may suit existing marine business owners who wish to add an additional income stream. Sailtime is a unique business model that requires minimal capital and no staff. Tel. (813) 817-0104 or jtwomey@sailtime.com News & Views for Southern Sailors

Massey Yacht Sales Opportunities-Massey is accepting resumes and interview appointments for yacht sales positions in both their sail and power divisions. Dealership locations are in St. Petersburg at the Harborage Marina, Palmetto at Regatta Pointe Marina and Fort Myers at Centennial Harbour Marina. Massey offers its sales team an extensive range of yacht sales tools as well as expansive advertising, marketing and boat show attendance. We are the largest Southeast U.S. dealer for Catalina, Hunter, Caliber and Shannon sailing yachts and the exclusive Florida west coast dealer for Albin and Shannon power yachts. Massey is an industry leader in brokerage yacht sales with continued rapid growth, in both sail and power. Applicants must be selfmotivated, successful yacht sales professionals. A thorough knowledge of either the sail or power industry and substantial computer skills are essential. Fax resume to the attention of Frank Hamilton at (941) 729-7520 or call (941) 723-1610 for interview information.

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Service Dept. Rigger. Massey Yacht Sales is accepting applications and resumes for sail and/or powerboat riggers/outfitters. Many employee benefits including paid holidays, paid vacations, health insurance, workmen’s comp insurance, performance bonuses, and good hourly salary. Must be hardworking, honest, have own tools and be a team player. Excellent service department support and organization. Call George Humes, service department manager at (941) 723-1949, ext. 16 or fax resume to (941) 729-7520.

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SOUTHWINDS is looking for someone to help part time/spare time in running the magazine in all phases. Must be good at writing, grammar, etc. (and please don’t proof this ad). Must also be “comfortable” with selling (not looking for a salesperson), able to do bookkeeping, computer literate, have (or can get) high-speed Internet access (like DSL), good on the Internet, and other misc. tasks—and have lots of great ideas. You can learn the business here, but experience helpful. Must live in West Florida (living near Bradenton a plus), but almost all work can be done on a computer from home. Four-year college degree required. Must be extremely reliable and responsible and communicate well and easy to get along with, like me. Must have a fair amount of sailing experience. editor@southwindssailing.com.

SOUTHWINDS

June 2005

C L A S S I F I E D

A D S

LODGING FOR 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 FAX (727) 826-1774 www.poncedeleon hotel.com

MARINE ENGINES ___________________________

Offshore, OCR Category 1 Survival Pack. Certified. 1-year old $3500. C&C 110 Schurr Racing Mainsail, Mylar/Kevlar Laminate. 2Years Old. Good Condition (P=45’, E= 15.5’) $1500. (770) 265-0187. (8/05)

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MISCELLANEOUS BOAT GEAR NEW & USED ___________________________

Tiralo floating deck chair - a beach chair that floats in water and rolls easily on the sand. Looks great. Folds and fits on your boat or inside your car. More info: www.tiralousa.com. Robertson AP 2500 parts. Just rebuilt by Simrad, control box ($300), new RF 100 rudder feedback ($295), Fluxgate compass ($125). Control Head is out of service and Simrad won’t support it any longer. If you can fix it, it is free for shipping. (727)-866-2295 or sleeper41@pol.net. (8/05)

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AC/DC Reefer, 22# Bruce Anchor, Anchor Ball, Sospenders, Magma Grills, Mariner 9.9 Mercury Long Shaft 7.5 HP, folding bikes, windsurfers, Metzeler sailing rig, windscoop, Drogues, lifesling, Type I life jackets w/strobe. Nautical Trader. (941) 488-0766. (8/05)

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20HP NEW !! Lombardini marine diesel engine weighs only 218 lbs model mg702 can find more infomation on our link www.prp-inc.com net price only $5450 complete contact Ralph at (732) 286-6104 or ralph@prp-inc.com (8/05)

___________________________ Good 1980 Perkins 4-108 Marine Diesel w/o transmission or alternator. Available to ship from Biloxi, MS. $2000 OBO. (228) 4672254, www.SvSynchronicity@aol.com/. (6/05)

Want a 2" CLASSIFIED AD!

It’s easier than you think! www.southwindssailing.com www.southwindssailing.com

C L A S S I F I E D NAVIGATION SOFTWARE ___________________________

A D S SERVICES FOR SAILORS ___________________________

WINDSURFING GEAR ___________________________ Wanted: Used Prodigy (standard or race), other boards, miscellaneous windsurfing equipment. Steve (941) 795-8704, editor@southwindssailing.com

SAILING INSTRUCTION ___________________________

SAILS & CANVAS ___________________________

CHECK OR CREDIT CARDS ACCEPTED. PAY ON LINE. News & Views for Southern Sailors

SOUTHWINDS

June 2005

INDEX

ADVERTISERS

TELL THEM YOU SAW IT IN SOUTHWINDS! Southwinds provides this list as a courtesy and asks our readers to support our advertisers. This list includes all display advertising. Air Duck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66 America’s Generators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66 Anne’s Anchors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24,66 Apex/Mayer Yacht Brokerage . . . . . . . . . .49 Aqua Graphics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58 Atlantic Sail Traders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28 Banks Sails . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58 Beachmaster Photography . . . . . . . . . . . .65 Beneteau Sailboats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .BC Beta Marine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31 BigFish Sailboat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10,19 Bluewater Sailing Supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57 Boaters Exchange . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41 Bob and Annie’s Boatyard . . . . . . . . . . . . .22 Bo’sun Supplies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31 Bubba Book . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43 Carson/Beneteau . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .BC Cortez Yacht Brokerage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64 Crew Wanted . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 Crow’s Nest Restaurant/Marina Regatta . .54 Cruising Direct Sails . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32 Defend Cuba Sailors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Defender Industries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .67 Dockside Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33 Drive Insurance From Progressive . . . . . . .21 Dwyer mast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66 Eastern Yachts/Beneteau . . . . . . . . . . . . . .BC E-marine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66,67 Fleetside Marine Service/Yanmar (813) 645-8971 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66 Flying Scot Sailboats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63 Garhauer Hardware . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Glacier Bay Refrigeration . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32 Gulf Coast Raider . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 Gulf Coast Yacht Sales . . . . . . . . . . .61,63,64 Hanse Sailboats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64 Hobie Cats/Tackle Shack . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53 Hotwire/Fans & other products . . . . . . . .67 Hunter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 Island Marine Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23 Island Packet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 Island Yachting Centre . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65 JR Overseas/Moisture Meter . . . . . . . . . . .24 Leather Wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 Massey Yacht Sales . . . . . . . .9,27,30,54,IBC Masthead Enterprises . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15,67 Mayer Yacht Brokerage . . . . . . . . . . . .25,49 Memory Map . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .67 Mike Shea Maritime Legal Services . . . . . .39 Murray Yacht Sales/Beneteau . . . . . . . . . .BC National Sail Supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34 Nautical Trader . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52 Noble Awards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 North Sails . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 Performance Sail and Sport . . . . . . . . . . . .40 Pocket Charts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 Porpoise Used Sails . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .67 Quantum Sarasota . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Raider Sailboats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14,63 RB Grove/Universal and Westerbeke . . . . .19 Regatta Time in Abaco . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18 68

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Rparts Refrigeration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28 Sailboats Florida, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64 Sailor’s Wharf Boatyard and Brokerage . . .62 Sailtime . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8,13 Sarasota Sailing Squadron Summer Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59 Sarasota Youth Sailing Program . . . . . . . . .60 Schurr Sails . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48 Scurvy Dog Marine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51 Sea School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34 Sea Tech . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33,66 Seafarers International Brokerage . . . . .10,65 Shannon Yachts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 Snug Harbor Yacht Brokerage/Hunter . . . .37 Southerly Yachts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Southern Trades Brokerage . . . . . . . . . . . .61 SSMR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56 St. Augustine Sailing School . . . . . . . . . . .67 St. Barts/Beneteau . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .BC Suncoast Inflatables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55 Sunrise Sails . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58 Tackle Shack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53 Tampa Sailing Squadron Youth Program . .52 Two Hulls Brokerage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60 Ullman sails . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Weather Wave . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35 West Marine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23,IFC Windcraft Catamarans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29 Yanmar Diesel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66

Advertise in SOUTHWINDS

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NO ONE CAN BEAT OUR PRICES! Reach sailors in 8 southern states where SOUTHWINDS is delivered to over 500 locations Advertising links on our Web site to yours. Excellent brokerage rates in our brokerage section. Advertise in our annual West Florida Race Calendar and Yacht Club Directory David Curry

Gary Hufford

Advertising Director davidcurry@southwindssailing.com (941) 761-0048

Advertising - Pinellas/Hillsborough Counties, FL gary@southwindssailing.com (727) 585-2814 www.southwindssailing.com

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NORTHERN GULF continued from page 51 16 16 16 16 16-23 22-24 23-24 23 23 30 30 30 30 30 30-31

Fast Women Regatta. Point Yacht Club, Josephine, AL Biloxi Summer Series #2 & #3. BYC. Lightning Invitational. PCYC Star District Champs. BYC Texas Youth Race Week Bikini Regatta. NYC Junior Lipton Cup. PontYC CSA Summer #1. CSA Summer in the Pass. PCYC Weatherly Regatta. GYC Race for the Roses. PBYC. CSA Summer #2. CSA TYC 25th Anniversary Regatta. TYC Birthday Regatta. PCYC GYA J22 & Lightning. PCYC

Northern Gulf Coast Yacht Club Legend ABYC Apalachee Bay Yacht Club, Tallahassee, FL BWYC Bay Waveland Yacht Club, Bay St. Louis, MS www.bwyc.org BYC Buccaneer Yacht Club, Mobile, AL www.bucyc.com CSA Corinthian Sailing Association. New Orleans, LA. www.corinthians.org FWBYC Ft. Walton Beach Yacht Club, Fort Walton Beach, FL www.fwyc.org FYC Fairhope Yacht Club, Fairhope, AL www.fairhopeyachtclub.com GYC Gulfport Yacht Club, Gulfport, MS www.gulfportyachtcclub.org LCYC Lake Charles Yacht Club, Lake Charles, LA www.saillc.org LFYC Lake Forest Yacht Club, Daphne, AL (251) 626-9329 MYC Mobile Yacht Club, Mobile, AL www.mobileyachtclub.com News & Views for Southern Sailors

New Orleans Yacht Club, www.noyc.org Navy Yacht Club Pensacola, FL www.navypnsyc.org Ocean Springs Yacht Club, Ocean Springs, MS www.osyc.com PBYC Pensacola Beach Yacht Club, Pensacola, FL www.pensacolabeachyc.org PCYC Pass Christian Yacht Club, Pass Christian, MS www.pcyc-gya.org PONTYC Pontchartrain Yacht Club, New Orleans, LA www.pontyc.org PYC Pensacola Yacht Club, Pensacola, FL www.pensacolayachtclub.org. STABYC St. Andrews Bay Yacht Club, Panama City, FL www.stabyc.com SYC Southern Yacht Club, New Orleans, LA www.southernyachtclub.org TYC Tammany Yacht Club, Slidell, LA www.tammanyyachtclub.org NOYC NYC OSYC

A PERFECT SAIL continued from page 70 I remembered that for a time, Longboat Pass did not have a bridgetender on duty at night. I hailed them on the VHF. “Yes, skipper, we’re 24/7.” “Thank you. I’m at sea buoy. We’ll be coming in,” I said. With the wind almost due east, in the lee of the coast, I furled the mainsail and proceeded cautiously into the pass. It was about 0630. I cleared the bridge and made my way to the south end of the anchorage. The anchor splashed down just as the first rays of sunlight came over the eastern horizon. Patty and I crawled into the forward bunk. Wow, less than 7 hours to travel 35 miles, sailing under a clear moonlit sky…a perfect sail. SOUTHWINDS

June 2005

A Perfect Sail By Gary R. Gray

Here on the west coast of Florida, when the weather begins to “cool off” in mid-October, I begin to think of those lovely days at anchor with clear skies, temperatures in the low-to-mid 80s, and pleasant cool nights for sleeping under an open hatch.

s the end of October approached, such a weather pattern had settled in, thanks to a high pressure system in the central Gulf of Mexico. A gentle wind from the northeast blew almost constantly at about 10 knots. On the west coast of Florida you couldn’t have better conditions for sailing south. The weather pattern was forecast to continue for another seven days. “I wonder,…if I took Thursday and Friday off and we left at midnight Wednesday, we could be at our favorite anchorage at Longboat Key around sunrise with four days to enjoy the weather.” Just for fun, I checked the lunar calendar. It would be a full moon. When I mentioned this to Patty, my wife and crew, she said, “The newspeople are saying there will be a full lunar eclipse.” Patty thought the idea of sailing on the full moon sounded great. She is always up for an adventure. Knowing that trips seldom come together “just right,” I started to wonder if I was missing some great cosmic piece that would turn this trip into a nightmare. Even so, we made our plans. We arrived at our boat, Resolute, a Catalina 30, about 2200 hours. We were sipping coffee and ready to sail by 2245 as we watched the eclipse under a cloudless sky. By 2315 I couldn’t stand it anymore. “Let’s get under way,” I said. We cast off, stowed all the lines, raised the mainsail and leisurely motored out to Clearwater Pass. The breeze was gentle, from the NE at about 10 knots just as predicted. By 2345 we had left marker “1” astern and set the genoa. We were making about five knots under full sail on a broad reach. The moon was beginning to come back to its full size. The light

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reflected on the water and began to brighten, almost like turning up a switch on the overhead light at home. I set the autopilot and Patty stood watch as I tried to sleep for a while. It was impossible. Who could sleep? It wasn’t that I didn’t have confidence in Patty; it was just so…“perfect.” I didn’t want to miss a minute of this kind of sailing. Resolute would lift gently to each small swell passing under her quarter. The knot meter would lift from 5 to 5.5 knots. The gentle rocking motion, the rush of the bow wave, the gurgling sound of the water flowing past the rudder…these are the sounds of our “magic carpet ride.” As I watched and listened, strains of Jimmy Buffett’s song, “A Pirate Looks at Forty,” went through my head. “Mother, mother ocean, I have heard you call…” I thought about going below for my guitar, but Patty had decided to sleep for a while. Off the “Point of Pinellas,” I hardened up just a bit to about 180 degrees to cross the Tampa ship channel at marker 11, about 15 miles to the south. The apparent wind was just forward of the beam. “A close reach,” I said to

myself. Resolute loves a close reach.” No sooner were the sheets adjusted than the knot meter began to climb. I watched it for a moment; 6.0, 6.5, 6.8 and then 7.0 knots. What a glorious sail! By now the moon was completely full again. The gentle motion continued as we were in the lee of the coast. I clipped my safety harness to the windward jack line and stood on deck, one hand on the port shroud, completely entranced by the scene. “Just a son of a son of sailor….” another Buffett song, went through my head. I couldn’t bring myself to move. I just stood there wondering if we sailors ever get another moment like this. We crossed the ship channel without a ship in sight. It was now about 0345. It occurred to me that we were making much better time than I had anticipated. I hardened up a little more to make for Longboat Pass about 10 miles to the southeast. Now Resolute was skipping along, almost close-hauled. As we closed with shore, the waves were smaller and smaller. “What a great sailing boat, “ I mused. Patty was now fast asleep, cradled in the starboard settee, as Resolute heeled about 10 degrees. The moon now had continued its march across the cloudless sky and was beginning to dip toward the western horizon. The moonlight shone brilliantly on the wavelets as I gazed out to sea. Even the markers for the crab traps were clearly visible and easily avoided. I checked my navigation and reviewed the time for sunrise. Sunrise was at 0738. At this rate we would be at the mark by 0530. I reluctantly rolled in the genoa a bit, then finally rolled it away. Our speed dropped to about three knots. I didn’t want the night to end. See A PERFECT SAIL continued on page 69 www.southwindssailing.com