SOUTHWINDS News & Views for Southern Sailors Windrider 17 Boat Review Sailing Tender with an Inboard Sarasota Mooring Field
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News & Views for Southern Sailors
SOUTHWINDS February 2009
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February 2009
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SOUTHWINDS NEWS & VIEWS
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SOUTHERN SAILORS
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Editorial: Dinghy in Security By Steve Morrell
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Letters
17
Southern Regional Monthly Weather and Water Temperatures
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Bubba Attends Inauguration By Morgan Stinemetz
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Miami Boat Show and Strictly Sail, Feb. 12-16
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Short Tacks: Sailing News and Events Around the South
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Our Waterways: Sarasota Mooring Field and Anchoring Restrictions
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Windrider 17 Boat Review By Bruce Matlack
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Dolphin Landings Sailing Charters By Cathy Salustri
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Trinkatoo, Tender With an Inboard Motor By Alan Saunders
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Finding a Maritime Attorney By Mike Shea
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Carolina Sailing: New South Carolina Derelict Vessel Law By Dan Dickison
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So—You Bought a Boat on eBay By Barbara Bates
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Travels with Angel: Thunderstorm in the Bahamas By Rebecca Burg
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Windrider 17 boat review. Photo by Bruce Matlack.
Mysteries of Charlotte Harbor By Dave Ellis
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A Race to Remember: Clearwater to Key West 2008 By Rafael Paris
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Southern Racing: News, Upcoming Races, Race Reports, Regional Race Calendars
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From Sailboat to Powerboat By Ina Moody
32-35 73 78 84 85
Marine Marketplace Boat Brokerage Section Classifieds Alphabetical Index of Advertisers Advertisers’ List by Category
Storm in the Bahamas. Photo by Rebecca Burg.
COVER: A Schooner sails in the waters of the northern Gulf Coast. Photo by Dave Jefcoat.
Each issue of SOUTHWINDS (and back issues since 5/03) is available online at www.southwindsmagazine.com 6
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FROM THE HELM Dinghy With Security “After my arrival in Key West, I was detained by two officers with the FWC. They asked me a number of questions, ran a background check, asked for ID, wanted to know when I had arrived in Key West, and, of course, where was my homeport? I received a citation for ‘the improper display of registration numbers’ on my eight-foot inflatable dinghy...a problem that I have since corrected. This minor offense, however, required a mandatory court appearance. ”What I have found [in Key West] from other boaters is that nearly everyone has been stopped, detained, questioned, and in many cases searched by one of the six or seven law enforcement agencies that regularly patrol the waters of Florida. This list includes Homeland Security, the FWC, the Coast Guard, police, the sheriff, the DEA, and customs.” The above was from a letter to the editor I received recently. The author eventually got help from a public defender who thought the charges were ridiculous and asked the judge to drop them, which he did—a small victory for cruisers, but what he was put through is inexcusable. I got another e-mail from a boater who was also in Key West in his dinghy. The FWC approached him and asked for the dinghy registration. He said sure, he has it and said he can go get it on his “mother ship,” which he pointed to,
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SOUTHWINDS
STEVE MORRELL,
EDITOR
since it was nearby. They said that wasn’t good enough—he had to have it with him—so they gave him a $65 citation. I hear this from many people, and I am asking everyone to e-mail me if it happens to them. I will publicize these incidents. I thought back about my cruising around, as far back as the ’80s, with a dinghy—in Florida and the Bahamas and back in Southern California along the coast and Catalina. Did I ever carry the dinghy registration with me? Never. Did I know anyone who did? No—I have never heard of anyone carrying their registration in their tender. Do I recommend it today? Yes—in Florida, for sure, but elsewhere, I have never heard of this kind of enforcement. It is the uniqueness of cruising in Florida. If you are anchored and decide to dinghy ashore 100 feet in your bathing suit and flip-flops, bring the whistle, life jacket and registration—in a waterproof pouch, of course. After all, Homeland Security, the FWC, the Coast Guard, police, the sheriff, the DEA, or customs could show up at any moment and it could cost you. With all that law enforcement out there, I hope you feel secure. You are better off on land, in a car, where the police can’t stop and question you just to inspect you, your “vessel” and your papers. That would be illegal. I don’t think it is legal on the water, but someone does. It’s definitely immoral—and someone doesn’t think it’s even that, or they don’t care.
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News & Views For Southern Sailors SOUTHWINDS Media, Inc. P.O. Box 1175, Holmes Beach, Florida 34218-1175 (941) 795-8704 (877) 372-7245 (941) 866-7597 Fax www.southwindsmagazine.com e-mail: editor@southwindsmagazine.com Volume 17 Number 2 February 2009 Copyright 2009, Southwinds Media, Inc. Founded in 1993
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Printed by Sun Publications of Florida Robin Miller (863) 583-1202 ext 355 Contributing Writers Letters from our readers Barbara Bates Rebecca Burg Dan Dickison Dave Ellis Dave Jefcoat Kim Kaminski Roy Laughlin Bruce Matlack Ina Moody Rafael Paris King Purton Cathy Salustri Alan Saunders Hone Scunook Mike Shea Morgan Stinemetz Peggy St. James Rick White Contributing Photographers/Art Barbara Bates Dan Dickison Roy Laughlin Cathy Salustri Rick White
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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 $24/year, and $30/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.southwindsmagazine.com. SOUTHWINDS is distributed to over 500 locations throughout 8 Southern states. If you would like to distribute SOUTHWINDS at your location, please contact the editor.
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LETTERS “Freedom of the press is limited to those who own one.” H.L. Mencken
In its continuing endeavor to share its press, SOUTHWINDS invites readers to write in with experiences & opinions. E-mail your letters to editor@southwindsmagazine.com
Bill, What a great solution—and simple and inexpensive. I hope more people who need a holding tank read this. Most people don’t know that the word “holding tank” is never used in the Coast Guard regulations for a type III MSD and a type III MSD does not have to be “officially” certified, as many mistakenly believe, including many uninformed on-the-water members of law enforcement who enforce these laws. The legal requirement for a type III MSD is that it is designed to prevent overboard discharge of treated or untreated sewage. Any container that fulfills this requirement will work, including See LETTERS continued on page 12 News & Views for Southern Sailors
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HOLDING TANKS MADE OUT OF PVC PIPE Joe Corey’s article about holding tanks in the November 2008 issue brought back memories. Before pontificating my solution to the holding tank problem, may I congratulate you for 15 years of producing and publishing a magazine that for sailors is truly priceless. Thank you for becoming the canary in the mine, keeping us cruising types informed of all the so-called legal impediments being concocted by various governmental bodies. We need a unifying advocate organization, perhaps a rejuvenated “Standing Watch” to fight these ba——-ds. On to the holding tank. For about 30 years, we have owned, cruised and raced one of Charley Morgan’s original sloops, a wonderful old boat. Of course, it was built before boats came with holding tanks and had no good area to accommodate a holding tank. My solution was to use the very linear, hard to get to and virtually unused space under the port dinette seat. I cut the seat open (I replaced it after the operation, reinforced with 1/4-inch plywood) and bedded into the confined space a six-foot section of eight-inch diameter PVC pipe. The pipe ends were capped with a provision for input from the head forward, and a deck pumpout aft, with a vent at midpoint. The vent line was T’ed into the vent line coming from the existing vented loop. With a Y-valve, stainless steel clamps (double clamped), series 148 hoses and a deck pump-out fitting, I had a 16-plus gallon holding tank. Long and horizontal may not be the best configuration. but it works and is good for a week’s cruising. Thankfully, there is a pump-out station several miles from our home dock, so we always go home empty. If I had to solve the problem today, I’d give it the KISS treatment. No tank, plug the through hulls—just Wag Bags and Pooh Powder. After a week’s cruise, I’d box up the sealed Wag Bags and UPS them to the FWC and the DEP as their reward for picking the wrong group to blame for waterway pollution. We all know that the real source is land based. Hell, the manatees at the FPL power plant put more poop into the water than all the recreational boaters in southwest Florida. Bill Todd S/V Zowie Cape Coral, FL
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LETTERS PVC. And to be certified is much less than many people figure. A type III device can be considered certified without going through the process of certification if “it is used solely for the storage of sewage and flushwater at ambient air pressure and temperature” [(33 C.F.R. § 159.12a (b) (1-2) (2007)] and fulfills the legal design requirement mentioned above. Plus—PVC holds odors extremely well. It is used in housing extensively and odors do not penetrate it. It is just a little stiff to be used for hosing for boat sanitation systems; otherwise, it would be the hose of choice. Unfortunately, Wag Bags are not accepted as a substitute for a Type III MSD in Florida that I know of, although technically they do fulfill the design requirements of the Coast Guard mentioned above. However, I have heard of a couple of cases where they were accepted. I think this is a mistake as they are a great solution to many waste problems. See my comments on this in the January issue in the “Our Waterways” section. (For a more expanded discussion of Wag Bags and type III MSDs, see the June 2008 issue, “Our Waterways” section. Both articles are on our Web site, www.southwindsmagazine.com.) And thanks for the laugh in where you want to send the used Wag Bags. I know you are only saying that in jest. After all, those bags don’t hold the odor very long, although I have found the solution for that problem (O.P. Saks. See SOUTHWINDS, July 2008 issue, “Our Waterways”). Editor
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WHO’S REALLY POLLUTING OUR WATERS? I am a fellow sailor who reads SOUTHWINDS frequently, and I ply the waterways of Tampa Bay on borrowed boats. I always read the editorials and letters to see what is bothering the boating community since I currently do not own one, and I need know what to look forward to when I do. It seems that other than hurricane preparedness, the two main issues are lack of slips and liveaboards. Lack of slips is an economical and physical thing, while the liveaboards are a visual nuisance. According to some people, they say that liveaboards pollute the waters. Well, I would like to shed some recent information on this fact and how the city of Tampa is adding to that pollution far greater than if everyone got into their boats in Tampa Bay and proceeded to macerate their holding tanks into the bay. I am a member of Sweetwater Organic Farm, and there was a sewer line break on two different occasions right next to the farm, and the sewage flowed into Sweetwater Creek. I do believe in studying my maps and charts, and I found that Sweetwater Creek flows directly into Old Tampa Bay above the Courtney Campbell Causeway where it can do the most amount of damage to the bay. Please see the statement below from the farm in addressing the sewage spill. You may contact Rick Martinez, executive director, at organicintegrity@msn.com (he is also an avid sailor, until his back started giving him problems) for any further information on this spill. I felt compelled to provide you with this information since there was very limited news exposure on these events and how the liveaboards get a bad rap. Also—does The Blue Moon Bar, Bubba Whartz and Right Guard exist? How come we cannot get the stories published online? Marc Holtzberg Tampa Bay, FL www.southwindsmagazine.com
Marc, It is true that municipal sewer systems pollute our waters with overflows and spills in quantities that are many times greater than what boats put in, and these incidents are not publicized very often. In fact, officials try to keep them a secret. We can all guess why. I would like to see a law passed that these sewage overflows must be publicized in local newspapers immediately when they happen. Maybe it would turn the attention—and our resources—
toward who is really polluting our waters: All of us who use toilets on the land. Of course, that would mean finger-pointing officials and law enforcement would have to admit they are just as guilty as everyone else. After all, they’re people, too. Do Bubba, The Blue Moon Bar and Right Guard really exist? That’s a good question. I’ll have to get back to you on that. Someone told me he saw a funkylooking boat named Right Guard anchored in the downtown anchorage in
Sarasota a while back, but no photos have surfaced yet. We are waiting for someone to send us a few. The “electronic rights” to Bubba belong to someone else and we can’t put them on the Internet. Someone as elusive as Bubba himself, I suspect. Editor LEAVING YOUR BOAT FOR A NIGHT IN BOOT KEY HARBOR I have always considered SOUTHWINDS magazine as an excellent resource regarding news about Florida’s waterways. My husband and I have lived aboard for the past six years, and most of our time has been spent in Florida. So we appreciate any and all info about anchoring, mooring, marinas, etc., in Florida’s waters. Upon reading an article in the current issue about possible new laws and fines in Boot Key Harbor related to leaving one’s boat for more than 24 hours, I am outraged and incensed. Not because of the proposed ruling, however. I am outraged at your descriptions of possible reasons a boater may want or need to leave his/her boat for more than 24 hours. You suggest that such reasons would be related to promiscuous sex and/or drunkenness. And you wonder why land owners fear and shun us?! Why not highlight the more realistic reasons, such as an emergency at home, a need to visit family, or a simple desire among cruisers for an overnight visit someplace on land by car? Most of us out here on the moorings in Boot Key Harbor are retired couples, full- and part-time cruisers, and we have no need to visit a girlfriend, find a new girlfriend, or get drunk with our landside buddies. What are you thinking?! In fact, I don’t really have a problem with a ruling about leaving a boat unattended. Perhaps a town law is overkill, but I actually value the marina rule that says that all boats in this field of 226 moorings must be occupied. I much prefer mooring among neighboring cruisers to feeling stuck among boats that owners never set foot on. Also, it’s comforting to know that there will always be a place for us here, because no boats can be left unoccupied taking up space for indefinite periods. So if the price for this See LETTERS continued on page 14
News & Views for Southern Sailors
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LETTERS amenity is to notify the marina that we plan to be gone for a short time, it’s a small price indeed. The marina staff here is the best we’ve found anywhere in our cruising travels, and I’m confident that they have our best interests at heart. The next time you sound off about anchoring and/or mooring rules, please attempt to portray those of us that you presume to represent as being something other than promiscuous drunkards. I highly resent the association with such boaters. Frankly, I agree with landowners about not wanting to have such folk around. Alice Rutherford S/V Caloosa Spirit, presently moored in Boot Key Harbor Alice, The agreement for taking a mooring in the Boot Key Harbor mooring field already has the restrictions that the city was considering—those that referred to giving notice and the one-night and one-week limitations. This is part of the agreement that those who moor there must sign and agree to. What the city was considering does not
affect you if you are in the mooring field legally and signed that agreement. The city was going to enact those rules for those anchoring with their own ground tackle in the area that is part of its submerged land lease with the state. Adding the restrictions for leaving the boat for one night or a week were intended as ways to limit wet storage of boats. These restrictions were not passed in the final changes enacted. In your words, yes, it is overkill for the town to enact these restrictions— or would have been. My intention was to poke fun at the increasing tendency of our local officials to make one law after another for every single little action to keep people in line—especially by the majority over the minority— the majority having the inane idea that they have unlimited power just because they are the majority. Having a law where you need permission to leave your boat for a night is, quite simply, inane. (I believe the definition of inane is devoid of intelligence, which fits well here.) I wouldn’t call staying at your girlfriend’s place (or your new girlfriend’s) promiscuous sex. Doing so every night with a different partner for a long time
could be. But among consenting adults, those people have the same rights as all other law-abiding citizens, and rights are what we are talking about here. The law is not supposed to regulate sex among consenting adults. Of course, in some people’s eyes, having sex with an unmarried partner is a sin against God and humanity, worse than killing non-believers—and those people are respected by many. I don’t count myself in that group and I doubt if you do either. Maybe some of those landowners are members of that group. Some probably think anyone who lives on a boat is beneath all dignity. As for drunkenness, I have this image of someone stumbling along, ready to get sick and/or pass out at any minute—a far cry from having a few drinks and dinghying home, something I see nothing wrong with and the right of every sailor. But if you are in trouble for not staying on your boat one night, watch out for “gethomeitis,” a sickness that causes one to want to get back to your boat/home no matter how you do it. A law saying you need to notify someone if you aren’t going to spend one night on your boat is, again, inane. The fact that the Boot Key Harbor
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LETTERS mooring field has such a rule is pretty ridiculous in my opinion, no matter how nice the management is, although how they enforce it carries a lot of weight. I bet they also think it can be a dumb rule if strictly enforced. Editor FREEDOM OF ANCHORING AND FREEDOM FROM HARASSMENT I was born and raised in Florida and have lived around the world. I have served in both Gulf wars and plan on retiring next year. I find it very difficult to support any changes in the freedom to anchor and maintain a vessel in navigation in Florida waters or any waters of these United States of America. In my 20 some years of supporting and protecting the freedoms of law-abiding citizens of these United States, it is sad that I must now battle for my rights on my home soil against the very citizens that I so proudly represented for some 20-plus years. The state of Florida has sufficient laws on the books to deal with derelict boats and unlawful acts. The state of Florida needs to put local municipalities enacting and enforcing illegal laws to harass registered boaters on notice that they will get no support. Fred M. Johnson Fred, Your comments about the state of Florida putting local municipalities on notice is interesting. How many times in this country has the federal government had to step in to protect the rights of people because local governments and those who ran them wouldn’t (the civil rights movement)? More and more, I see local majorities thinking they can step on the minorities. It is an ageold problem in reality, and we have the Constitution specifically designed to stop that, yet it is often those who cry about rights the loudest who seem to ignore that the majority cannot step on the rights of the minority. How many communities made up of the majority, being the landowners, have enacted laws that go against age-old navigation rights—especially by those who just recently moved in? Again, it appears the state and federal governments might have to play a stronger role in securing those rights versus these local communities. But the problem of harassment in my opinion centers around what I see as the illegal stopping of boaters for no reason except to stop and inspect them. This is what I see as the number one problem with the local on-the-water police and the FWC police in Florida. On land, the police cannot stop you in your car just to inspect and question you. You must have something visibly wrong with your car that is illegal or have made an illegal maneuver or movements (like swerving as a drunk might do). Of course, they can lie, and do, but it restricts them tremendously. On the water, they stop you for any reason and inspect and question you. (“May we see your papers, please?”) They can stop you if they don’t like how you look—or for whatever reason they choose. They might think they have a legal right to do this, and—right now—that is what their superiors say they can do. I don’t believe they have this legal right, and I absolutely don’t believe they have the moral right to stop you for those reasons. I believe this is what we must change. We must be able to move about the water in our boats without fear of getting stopped just to be inspected. The police who have the police-state See LETTERS continued on page 16 News & Views for Southern Sailors
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LETTERS mentality will fight to protect and continue this practice—and they will say it is for our own good and safety. These are the people we have to fear the most on the water—and on land. Editor REGISTER KAYAKS AND CANOES? Kayaks and canoes should not have to be registered. Laws/rules/regulations should benefit the public. How would this benefit the public? I have to register my nine-foot inflatable dinghy for $10.75 per year. This doesn’t benefit the public. I used to think, “Maybe being registered would help show legal ownership and cut down on theft.” I know better now. I have been stopped in my dinghy twice and was asked, “Where is your registration and sound-producing device?” Law enforcement always
asks. In the harbor at Key West, I replied, “My registration is right over there on the mother ship” (about 100 yards away). I was cited for not having my registration on board the dinghy. I had to pay a $72 fine. If law enforcement cared about ownership, they could have simply gone to my sailboat, and I would have handed over my registration. I doubt if the small registration fee pays for the bureaucracy to collect the fee. If this ill-advised law gets passed, for years thousands of canoes and kayaks will be chased down by “law enforcement” boats and asked, “Where is your registration and sound-producing device?” Maybe the fines collected will pay for the fuel, but I doubt if it covers the cost of their boats and salaries. This doesn’t serve the public. Louis Simon
Louis, Unfortunately, law enforcement is already stopping kayaks for no reason except to inspect them and ask for their sound-producing device (and PFD), just not their registration, since that is not now required in Florida. Hundreds, if not thousands of kayaks have been stopped. See my answer to the previous letter on police stopping people just to inspect them. This practice must be stopped. Yes, you are supposed to have a sound-producing device if on a kayak. And yes—it is a waste of our police resources, and it is morally and legally wrong for a policeman to stop a boater just to inspect him. Editor
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Southeastern U.S. Air & Water Temperatures and Gulf Stream Currents – February Weather Web Sites: Carolinas & Georgia www.ndbc.noaa.gov/Maps/Southeast.shtml Florida East Coast www.ndbc.noaa.gov/Maps/Florida.shtml Florida West Coast & Keys http://comps.marine.usf.edu Northern Gulf Coast www.csc.noaa.gov/coos/
NORTHERN GULF COAST Pensacola, FL 43º lo – 61º hi Gulfport, MS 43º lo – 61º hi Water Temperature –58º
CAROLINAS AND GEORGIA Cape Hatteras, NC 40º lo – 53º hi Savannah, GA 38º lo – 60º hi Water Temperature Cape Hatteras, NC – 49º
EAST FLORIDA Daytona Beach - 47º lo – 70º hi Jacksonville Beach - 46º lo – 63º hi Water Temperature Daytona Beach – 61º Jacksonville Beach – 57º Gulfstream Current – 2.3 knots
WEST FLORIDA St. Petersburg 54º lo – 69º hi Naples 53º lo – 75º hi Water Temperature St. Petersburg – 62º Naples – 66º
SOUTHEAST FLORIDA Miami Beach – 63º lo – 73º hi Stuart – 55º lo – 74º hi Water Temperature Miami Beach – 71º Stuart – 67º Gulfstream Current – 2.4 knots
FLORIDA KEYS Key West 65º lo – 79º hi Water Temperature Key West –69º
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SOUTHWINDS
February 2009
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EVENTS & NEWS
OF INTEREST TO
SOUTHERN SAILORS
To have your news or event in this section, contact editor@southwindsmagazine.com. Send us information by the 5th of the month preceding publication. Contact us if later. Changes in Events Listed on SOUTHWINDS Web site Go to www.southwindsmagazine.com for changes and notices on upcoming events. Contact us to post event changes.
RACING EVENTS Go to the SOUTHWINDS Web site for our list of youth sailing programs in the Southern coastal states, www.southwindsmagazine. com. The list was printed in the April 2006 issue.
EDUCATIONAL/TRAINING
ally very full. Call and reserve space on the preferred program date. $36 (+ $10 for each additional family member). Courses are held from 8:45 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Flotilla 58 Coast Guard Auxiliary Building 1400 Seaway Dr., Fort Pierce FL, (772) 579-3395 Stephanie, or (772) 321-3041 Gary, or email stephcgaux@hotmail.com. Coast Guard Auxilliary Boating Courses, Jacksonville, FL Safe Boating Saturdays. Captains Club, 13363 Beach Blvd., Jacksonville. Meets Florida legal requirements for boater education. Most insurance companies offer discounts to program graduates. Mike Christnacht. (904) 502-9154. Generally held once monthly on Saturdays. Go to www.uscgajaxbeach.com for the schedule.
Monthly Boating Safety Courses 2009 Schedule in Ft. Pierce, FL Boating safety course designed for the recreational boater, to encourage safety on the water. This one-day boating course emphasizes safety on the water to enhance the boating experience and to increase confidence on the water. The course is state of Florida approved for those 21 and under to obtain their Florida state boaters license. Go to http://a0700508.uscgaux.info/ (click on Calendar) for class information and the next scheduled class. Classes are usu-
Ongoing – Boating Skills and Seamanship Programs. St. Petersburg, FL Tuesday nights, U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary. Satisfies the
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February 2009
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CONTACT
editor@southwindsmagazine.com or call at (941) 795-8704 www.southwindsmagazine.com
Florida boater safety education requirements. Eleven lessons, every Tuesday. Boating Skills and Seamanship Programs, 7:30-9:30 p.m., 1300 Beach Dr. SE, St. Petersburg. Lessons include: which boat for you, equipment, trailering, lines and knots, boat handling, signs, weather, rules, introduction to navigation, inland boating and radio. (727) 8233753. Don’t wait until next summer to have your children qualify for a state of Florida boater safety ID, possibly lower your boaters insurance premium or just hone your safe boating skills. Boating Safety Courses, St. Petersburg, FL St. Petersburg Sail and Power Squadron. Six-week public boating course begins every Monday. Includes safety information plus basic piloting; charts, course plotting, latitude/longitude and dead reckoning. Satisfies Florida’s under age 21 boater requirements. (727) 867-3088. Other courses continuously offered. (727) 565-4453. www.boating-stpete.org. Chart Use Seminar, St. Petersburg, FL, Feb. 19 How to Use a Chart, presented by the St. Petersburg Sail and Power Squadron. Thursday, February 19, 7-9 p.m. St. Petersburg Sailing Center, 250 2nd Ave SE, Demens Landing. FREE. Materials are $22 per family. Maximum 20 students, pre-registration required. Contact www.boating-
W I N D R I D E R
®
stpete.org. (727) 498-4001. Clearwater Coast Guard Auxiliary (Flotilla 11-1) Public Boating Programs About boating safely. Two lessons. Feb. 28-March 1, March 21-22. GPS and chart reading (included chart #1 & 11411, books & charting tools)—February 9 & 10. For more information on upcoming education programs or to request a free vessel safety check call (727) 469-8895 or visit www.a0701101.uscgaux.info. Click on Public Education Programs. America’s Boating Course and other courses regularly posted on the Web site.
Articles Wanted About Southern Yacht Clubs, Sailing Associations and Youth Sailing Groups Southwinds magazine is looking for articles on individual yacht clubs, sailing associations and youth sailing groups throughout the Southern states (NC, SC, GA, FL, AL, MS, LA, TX (east Texas). Articles wanted are about a club’s history, facilities, major events and general information about the club. The clubs and associations must be well established and have been around for at least five years. Contact editor@Southwindsmagazine. com for information about article length, photo requirements and other questions.
1 7
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February 2009
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North Carolina Maritime Museum, Beaufort, NC Ongoing adults sailing programs. Family Sailing. 2-6 people; 2-6 hours. Traditional skiffs or 30-foot keelboat. $50-$240. www.ncmm-friends.org, maritime@ncmail.net, (252) 728-7317. Reservations/information: call The Friends’ office (252) 728-1638
Electrical Certification Jacksonville, FL, March 24-27 American Boat and Yacht Council. www.abycinc.org. (410) 990-4460.
BOAT SHOWS San Antonio Boat Show. Jan. 29- Feb. 1 at the Alamodome. Bring the whole family to the largest boating event of the year featuring over 150 vendors and boat dealers. Thursday and Friday, 12 pm-9pm. Friday, 12 pm-10 pm. Saturday, 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Sunday, 10 am-6 pm. Visit www.sanantonioboatshow.com for more information.
Ruskin, FL, Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 75 Offers Home Study Safe Boating Course The Ruskin flotilla each month offers a boating safety course in Ruskin, but has found that many boaters do not have the time to attend the courses, so they are now also offering a home study course at $30. Additional family members will be charged $10 each for testing and certificates. Tests will be held bi-monthly. Entry into the course will also allow participants to attend the classes. To apply, call (813) 677-2354.
First Coast Boat Show, Jacksonville, FL, Feb. 6-8 Prime Osborne Convention Center, Jacksonville, FL., (904) 759-2758. www.firstcoastboatshow.com.
Marine Systems Certification, Charleston, SC Feb. 10-13. American Boat and Yacht www.abycinc.org. (410) 990-4460.
68th Annual Miami International Boat Show and Strictly Sail Miami, Feb. 12-16 See pages 20-21 for more information.
Council.
Standards Certification Course, Fort Lauderdale, FL Feb. 23-25. American Boat and Yacht Council. www.abycinc.org. (410) 990-4460.
Central Florida International Boat Show Orlando, FL, Feb. 19-22. Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, Fla., Central Florida Marine Trades Assn. (407) 298-1167. www.boatshowflorida.com. Carolina Power and Sailboat Show. Feb. 20-22. North Carolina State Fairgrounds, Raleigh, NC. Southeast Productions Inc., (336) 855-0208. www.ncboatshows.com. Central Carolina Boat Show. Feb. 28-March 1. Greensboro Coliseum Complex, Greensboro, NC. Southeast Productions Inc., (336) 855-0208. www.ncboatshows.com 7th Savannah International Boat Show. March 6-8. Savannah International Trade and Convention Center and the Westin Savannah Harbor. Friday, 12-7. Sat., 10-7. Sunday, 11-6. Adults $8. Kids 12 and under free. One of the most popular features of the Show is the second annual shag contest, which takes place outdoors overlooking the Savannah River. The contest features live music by the Review Your Boat SOUTHWINDS is looking for boaters to review their own boat. We found readers like to read reviews by boat owners. If you like to write, we want your review. It can be long or short (the boat, that is), a racer, a cruiser, new or old, on a trailer or in the water. Photos essential. If it’s a liveaboard, tell us how that works out. Or—is it fast? Have you made changes? What changes would you like? Contact editor@southwindsmagazine.com for more specifics and specifications on photos needed. Articles must be sent by e-mail or on disc. We pay for the reviews, too.
24
February 2009
SOUTHWINDS
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News & Views for Southern Sailors
SOUTHWINDS
February 2009
25
Swingin’ Medallions and is hosted by WTOC’s Sonny Dixon. The Savannah International Boat Show is the largest indoor and in-water boat show from North Carolina to north Florida. For more information, go to www. SavannahInternationalBoatShow.com. 24th Annual Palm Beach Boat Show, March 26-29. Flagler Drive on the water in downtown West Palm Beach and also at the County Convention Center, Palm Beach, FL. (800) 940-7642. www.showmanagement.com.
OTHER EVENTS
Workshop for Recreational Boaters to Contribute to Ocean Observing System Development in the Gulf of Mexico, St. Petersburg, FL, Feb. 4-5 The Gulf of Mexico Coastal Ocean Observing System Regional Association (GCOOS-RA) is tasked with integrating coastal and ocean information for the Gulf of Mexico. The coastal ocean observation program can provide information that will enhance recreational boaters’ enjoyment of
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the water and their safety, but this will only happen with the active interest and participation of the boating community. Recognizing that recreational boaters and divers are important users of ocean information, the GCOOS-RA is hosting a workshop to address the needs of these communities. Participants will learn about the variety of instruments on coastal stations, buoys, satellites, ships, and underwater vehicles, and the computer models and high frequency (HF) radars that are used to make observations and predictions of the ocean and atmosphere. Requests could be as simple as acquiring information on wind and waves from specific locations or more sophisticated, such as generating circulation models, better charts for a particular bay or harbor, or measuring bottom currents and water clarity. Input from this free workshop will be incorporated into the GCOOS-RA observing system design. While registration is free, pre-registration is mandatory, and attendance is limited. If you cannot attend but have comments, e-mail them to the GCOOS Office (srmartin@tamu.edu). For more information and to register, go to www.gcoos.org, and click on “Calendar.”
www.southwindsmagazine.com
Beneteau Rendezvous, Treasure Island, Tampa Bay, March 6-8 Beneteau USA and Murray Yacht Sales is sponsoring the 2009 Beneteau Rendezvous at Treasure Island Tennis and Yacht Club, March 6-8. All Beneteau owners and their guests are invited to sail, power, or drive up/down to the TITYC for a fun-filled weekend. The festivities will begin on Friday evening around the yacht club tiki bar for happy hour. Saturday will feature Beneteau owner-related activities and seminars as well as access to the club’s pool and tennis courts. On Saturday night, owners and their guests are invited to attend a poolside barbecue banquet. Participants will have access to the dining room on Sunday morning for brunch before heading for homeport. Call or e-mail Murray Yacht Sales, St. Petersburg, to RSVP for the rendezvous and for additional information. (727) 214-1590, or StPete@MurrayYachtSales.com
31st Annual Dania Marine Flea Market, Dania Jai Alai Fronton, Dania Beach, FL, March 6-9 This year, the world’s largest marine flea market returns to its origins and will be held at the parking lot of the Dania Jai
News & Views for Southern Sailors
Alai Fronton, Dania Beach, FL. Private individuals and corporate vendors sell marine equipment, coral encrusted antiques, used boats, fishing tackle, diving gear, marine artwork and other boating related items. Thursday- Saturday. 9-6 p.m. Sunday 9-4 p.m. Thursday $12. Friday, Saturday, Sunday $10. Children under 12 free. Free parking. Al Behrendt Enterprises, (954) 920-7877. www.daniamarinefleamarket.com.
JSI 13th Annual Nautical Flea Market, St. Petersburg, March 7 Spaces available for sellers. Shop for bargains, sell your old stuff or just browse. JSI parking lot at their NEW LOCATION at 2233 3rd Ave S., St. Petersburg. Call to reserve space at (727) 577-3220 or (800) 652-4914. bill@newjsi.com.
Second Annual Allied Boats Gam and Rendezvous, Tampa Bay, March 20-22 A gam of Allied boats is being planned for the weekend of March 20-22 in Tampa Bay, FL. All Allied sailboats are welcome, such as the ketch boats: Seawind I 30, Seawind II 32, Seabreeze 35, Princess/Contessa 36, Mistress 39, or the 42foot S&S-designed yawl. If there are any of the more
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obscure Chance 30s or Luders 33s made by Allied in the area, feel free to join in the fun. This gam would include Allied successor, Wright Yacht boatbuilders, etc. To add yourself to the e-mail contact list as details gel and plans are made, contact Ed Verner (a Seawind II owner hailing from Apollo Beach, FL) via e-mail at seawindii@yahoo.com with you and your vessel’s information. Details are still being sorted out, but ideas so far are for a two-day event to offer aerial photography, a rafting-up anchor session, a possible dinner, and/or flotilla.
Sailing to Bahamas Seminar, St. Augustine, FL, March 21 SouthEast Sailing & Yachts is putting on a seminar Saturday, March 21, at its location in St. Augustine, FL. The seminar is called Bahama Bound 2009 and is for cruisers planning on sailing to the Bahamas. Speakers are other seasoned cruisers who will share their knowledge of the Bahamas and getting there. Topics include routes, Gulf Stream crossing, boat preparation, provisioning, first aid, fishing, snorkeling, lots of favorite anchorages, places to go, and more. Registration is $25 per couple and space is limited. Call, write, or e-mail for reservations. 400 Riberia Street, St Augustine, FL 32084. sally.sesy@yahoo.com. (904) 8245770,10-4. For more information, go to www.ses-y.com.
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NEWS
Dawn Riley to Speak at Gulf Coast Sailing Club Southwest Florida Regatta, Naples, FL, March 28-29 Dawn Riley will be the keynote speaker for US SAILING’s Mount Gay Rum Speaker Series during the Gulf Coast Sailing Club (GCSC) 33rd Annual Southwest Florida Regatta. The Porsche Cup of Naples sailing competition scheduled for March 28-29 at Naples’ new Hamilton Harbor Yacht Club (HHYC) will highlight the regatta. Riley is featured as part of the US SAILING’s Mount Gay Rum Speaker Series, first created in 2005 as a grassroots, educational series delivering high quality seminars to cruising and racing sailors nationwide. The Series has proven to be very successful in its first three years with more than 6,000 sailors attending 46 events. Riley’s sailing career includes four America’s Cups onboard (one win) and an additional role as CEO/GM in the last two (2000, 2007). She has sailed in two Round-theWorld Races as well as participated at almost every other level of sailing from college to match racing to iceboating. There are a limited number of Riley dinner-keynote tickets, scheduled for Saturday, March 28, available for the
www.southwindsmagazine.com
public. For more information, go to www.GulfCoast SailingClub.org.
A New Interactive Web Site for Women Sailors Launched A new interactive Web site for women sailors, www. WmWAVES.com, was recently launched by three women; Vanessa Williams, Debbie Roser and Radeen Cochran. The site was inspired by a desire to bring women sailors together to share everything of interest, including coping with worries and fears, suggestions on improving technical skills, accomplishments, health, fitness, recipes and more. Since it is interactive, visitors can share questions, helpful hints, articles, blogs, links, calendar events and more. Registration is free.
Sailing Anarchy Enters America’s Cup Race The Sailing Anarchy Yacht Club, the yacht club which originated from the popular sailing Web site, sailing anarchy.com, based out of San Diego, CA, entered the 33rd
America’s Cup competition in December, just under the December 15 deadline for the 2010 (or 2011—it is still unconfirmed) race. The name of the racing syndicate and boat will be Anarchy Challenge. It will be the only U.S. participant to enter the race out of 20 other syndicates challenging the current Swiss defender, Société Nautique de Genève. The Sailing Anarchy Web site was founded by San Diego sailor Scot Tempesta. “We are proud to represent the United States and our loyal members in this iconic sporting contest,” said Tempesta, who is also the commodore of SAYC. “Had our members not stepped up to the plate with their support and interest, it would have been the first time in the event’s 157-year history that there was no U.S. participation in the America’s Cup. We could not stand by and let that happen.” It is still uncertain what the status of the next America’s Cup challenge is since the competition is currently in the middle of a court dispute between two billionaires in New York. This will be the first time a Web-based syndicate will be involved in the race. The team will be funded through a combination of donations, private and commercial investment, with Anarchy Challenge bringing a huge advantage to potential sponsors of Cup teams—a fan base that includes the millions of current readers of Sailing Anarchy. Anarchy Challenge’s commercial team will commence discussions and negotiations with potential investors and sponsors during the coming months. “The one thing we caution is not to dismiss us,” said Tempesta, when asked of the seriousness of Anarchy Challenge. “We may not be well-funded, and we’re somewhat disorganized, but we’re a hell of a lot more likely to be on the starting line than some of the teams that have entered. And we’ll be here long after most of them are forgotten.”
South Carolina Maritime Foundation Launches Donate-a-Boat Program The South Carolina Maritime Foundation, an educational foundation and owner of the Spirit of South Carolina, has
News & Views for Southern Sailors
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designed a new program to accept boat donations, even covering the cost of the marine survey as needed. This not only brings the donor a healthy tax deduction for the year but also eliminates the huge burden of expenses such as docking, storage, insurance, maintenance and repairs. In the case of boats that are already for sale, it also eliminates the expense of sales commissions. By donating a boat, individuals avoid these costly expenses, and enjoy a tax break. Donors may generally deduct the fair market value at the time of the contribution. “Our program is a practical way to eliminate expenses and decrease your taxes while supporting education,” said Brad Van Liew. “Recognizing these are difficult times for many, it makes sense for us to creatively utilize resources of the foundation to relieve boat owners of a burden and also meet our mission of underwriting education programs for students aboard the Spirit of South Carolina tall ship.” What the foundation does with the boats depends on the type of boat, condition, value and other factors. The foundation will either use the boat in one of its programs, improve the boat for use or sale, or sell the boat to generate funds for a foundation program. The foundation reserves the right to refuse any boat. The program’s first official boat donation was received in December, with a donor wishing to relieve himself of a twin-engine offshore fishing vessel. Interested boat owners should contact the foundation by calling (843) 7221030 ext.18, or emailing dhavens@scmaritime.org.
age. The new furlers can be configured so that the drum is either above or below the deck. Innovative Marine Service of Palmetto, FL recently became the west Florida regional distributor for this new system. For more information, call Innovative Marine at (941) 708-0700, or go to www.seldenmast.com.
SmarterSails Opens New Chartering Clubs in St. Pete, Key West, Annapolis SmarterSail, a new charter company, recently opened fleet locations in St. Petersburg, Key West and Annapolis, MD. The company has started a new type of charter system where its boats are standardized, and when members have been checked out on a boat at one location, they are qualified to charter at another base. The company will also offer ASA-certified sail instruction from basic through advanced and charter. Members will get training on one of the boats and then be able to charter at any location. The company will also offer “Call-A-Captain”—a service available to charterers while on a charter. They will be
Innovative Marine Becomes Regional Distributor for New Selden Electrical Furler Selden, the world’s leading manufacturer of mast and rigging systems, has added an electric furler to their Furlex furling systems. It comes as a retrofit kit where you simply remove the existing line drum and replace it with the electric drum. It can also be purchased as a complete new pack-
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www.southwindsmagazine.com
able to call in at any time during their charter—available 24/7—to get local knowledge and advice on the area they are in, plus get answers to questions about the boat and any other relevant inquiries. All boats will also have prepaid unlimited towing through Sea Tow. The company will have a monthly membership fee and then charter rates above that. Charter rates will be on a sliding scale so that members can charter at very low rates the closer they reserve the boat to the charter date—if boats are available. The principals of SmarterSail bring a wealth of experience and excitement to this new venture. Gary Wall was a professional pilot and flight instructor for many years. He brings this experience, professionalism and training expertise to the sail training and chartering industry. His favorite saying is, “Everything I know about sailing I learned from aviation. The discipline, the analytical thought process, navigation, weather, energy vectors and emergency procedures all help me to be a better sailor.” His years of experience as a flight instructor definitely make him a better sailing instructor. Wayne Marshall has been a captain for 30 years, including a stint as captain for the Bacardi Corporation. In addition, he has been a professional mariner doing personalized sailing training and yacht deliveries since 1976. Wayne wrote the “Teaching Techniques” section for the YMCA national scuba instructors manual. He has previously raced in both MORC and SORC for many years. He was the onboard director of the tall ship Brig Unicorn project during the American Bicentennial, and cruised over 10,000 miles aboard this square-rigger. He has authored two non-fiction technical books.
News & Views for Southern Sailors
For more information, go to www.smartersail.com. (877) 964-SAIL (7245).
New Book Released on Icom M802 Ham Radio The Icom M802 Radio Manual For “Idi-Yachts,” a guide for installing and using the Icom M802 SSB/HAM DSC radio was recently released. The book is written by Florida Keys author, Capt. Marti Brown. The manual covers the basics on how to install the radio, providing step-by-step instructions so that you can either install the radio yourself or use the textbook to oversee a hired technician’s work. The Icom M802 Radio Manual for “Idi-Yachts” will teach you how to easily navigate the radio such as changing frequencies for voice transmissions, weather broadcasts or radio nets. Sending and receiving all types of Digital Selective Calling transmissions is a breeze as it is described by the author in easy to read English. Capt. Marti lives aboard and solos her Allmand 31 sailboat, The Other Woman. She has been sailing the Bahamas and Florida waters since 1990 and has been a HAM radio operator since 1997. She currently lives on her boat in the Florida Keys. Capt. Marti has written two other easy-to-read books on marine communications, Marine SSB Radio For “Idi-Yachts,” A Guide For Using Marine Single Sideband Radio, (second edition), and HF Radio E-Mail For “Idi-Yachts,“ A Guide For Setting Up And Using Wireless E-Mail Through HAM/Marine SSB Radio. The new ICOM book will retail for $34.95 and will be available at bookstores. To order, call (800) 444-2581, or order online at www.idiyachts.com.
SOUTHWINDS
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OUR WATERWAYS
Sarasota Passes Mooring Field and Anchoring Limitation Ordinance — But Will the Anchoring Limitation be Legal? By Steve Morrell
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fter two decades of discussion and controversy, on Jan. 5, the city of Sarasota passed an ordinance establishing a mooring field in the popular anchorage off Island Park. The ordinance also seeks to establish anchoring limitations of 72 hours for non-liveaboard boaters outside the mooring field within the city limits. Several things are at issue here, but they all center around the controversial anchorage near downtown Sarasota. One issue is the charges of harassment by the Sarasota police toward some boaters in the anchorage. The existence of many derelict boats that have washed ashore, or into other boats, during tropical storms has been another big concern. The cost of a mooring in an established mooring field has been criticized by many as exorbitant and unfair. There are also accusations about human waste being dumped into the waters. And there is a big concern over the legality—besides the anti-boater attitude—of limiting anchoring rights of non-liveaboard boaters outside the mooring field to any time period.
good, sound boats and others have boats that are on the verge of sinking—plus everything in between. Others use the anchorage to store their boats—and many of these stored boats are excellent, seaworthy boats. Some are on their last sea legs, ready to be salvaged. But, as someone once said, “One man’s treasure is another man’s trash.” It has never been the role of government to decide which is which—and it’s not supposed to be—so for the city to clean up these boats is not always a clear-cut decision. One thing that everyone can agree on is that boats that become a danger to navigation or a danger of being washed into another boat, or on shore, because of poor anchoring, should be dealt with and removed. Unfortunately, with the establishment of a mooring field, all of the owners of the boats who are responsible will
The Island Park Anchorage The anchorage off Island Park has attracted boaters for many years. It has good holding. It is right next to downtown, and it is well-protected (on three sides)—three strong reasons making for a popular anchorage. It has been an anchorage for transients, liveaboards and stored boats— since long before the city of Sarasota was incorporated. Estimates are that 60-100 boats are anchored there at any one time. Transients come and go. Many are liveaboards and many are cruisers traveling the waterways as tourists. There are an estimated 25 liveaboards in the anchorage. Some of the liveaboards stay there for years. Many have
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The mooring field off Island Park near downtown Sarasota. Photo by Steve Morrell
pay the price for those who aren’t, although there are some landlubbers who think that anyone who lives on a boat, who stores their boat at an anchorage or who cruises around and doesn’t stay at a transient dock is worthless anyway. But there are other reasons for a mooring field, besides stronger moorings and fewer boats. Many complain that the boaters are dumping human waste into the waters. There should be no concern for urine, as one sunny day at the beach will have swimmers dumping more urine in our
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waters than any anchorage in Florida could in a year. The objection can only be for solid waste and no doubt some are dumping that, (and even with moorings some will still do it), but no one has presented any proof of large amounts of waste. No one has come forth with any bacterial testing of the waters to back up the accusations. Boaters who anchor in the area say that they swim in the waters, work to keep them clean and that the charges are unfounded. A pumpout boat is available but not heavily used. Many boaters claim they go ashore to use the bathrooms at the park. Of course, it is not much of an issue for stored boats, although many complain that fuel and solvents are leaking from these boats into the waters. No one has come forth with proof on those claims, either. Many boaters who anchor in the area have also complained about harassment by the Sarasota police who patrol the waters, claiming they are being unfairly treated because they are not wanted and that the city is trying to drive them away through intimidation. Some boaters in the anchorage have commended the city police for removing many poorly anchored derelict boats, which were a threat to other boats during a storm.
The New Mooring Field The new mooring field will be built and administered by Jack Graham, Inc, the company that runs the city-owned
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OUR WATERWAYS marina adjacent to Island Park. The company, commonly known as Marina Jack, has already built bathroom facilities to accommodate the mooring field. It also keeps the pump-out boat in its marina. It will be handling all of the day-to-day operations of those who will rent the up to 109 moorings (plus 18-24 transient moorings) that are expected to be installed. The only dissenting commissioner’s vote against the mooring field was by Kelly Kirschener who questioned the arrangement the city has with Jack Graham, Inc. The company has a lease on the marina running till 2047, and many others have questioned its relationship with the city. (SOUTHWINDS printed an Boats from the anchorage that washed ashore at Island Park from a tropical storm in article in February 2008 on the mooring 2004. Photo by Steve Morrell. field, its history, Marina Jack and the relaThe disadvantages of a mooring field are all based on tions with the city. The article can be read online at money. Many boaters keep their boats in the current anchorwww.southwindsmagazine.com.) age because they cannot afford to keep a boat in a marina The main complaints about the mooring field are today. Consequently, many boaters will have to get out of twofold, but they are both based on price. The advantages of boating completely. Boaters have been storing their boats in a mooring field are many: The boats will be more securely anchorages for a few thousand years—at no monetary moored, so there is less danger of boats breaking away. The expense. Many believe that boating is becoming a sport of cost of a mooring will include the mandatory use of a pumpthe rich, and the end of the Sarasota Island Park anchorage out boat, so there will be better assurance that boaters will not is another step in that direction. be polluting in the bay. Boaters will have the use of bathroom One of the big complaints is the cost of the mooring. facilities, so there will be less use of the Island Park facilities. Estimates are that rates will be between $13.50 and $15.00 per day, depending on length of stay. That means a 30-foot boat will be $405-$450 a month—a big jump from nothing a month. Other mooring fields around the state charge considerably less than this, although the city and Marina Jack contend that they are not making a profit, and that the rates are comparable to other fields (see the SOUTHWINDS February 2008 issue for more detailed information on this). The city and a private company are not allowed by the state to make a profit on the mooring field. On top of these fees, insurance will be required for the moorings—another added expense to the boating life.
Anchoring Outside the Mooring Field When word got out about the new mooring field ordinance, there was a strong reaction in the Southern cruising community. This was not because Sarasota was setting up a mooring field. It was the new anchoring limitation that the city wants to establish about anchoring outside it. In 2006, a change in Florida law was implemented, which said that local communities cannot restrict the anchoring of non-liveaboard vessels outside of mooring fields. When this law went into effect, many felt it was unnecessary because they believed that rights of navigation, which includes anchoring, are already protected by laws of the United States. Some even felt that by adding this new law in Florida, it was damaging the strength of the federal law, because its implementation was proof that no federal law protected those rights, although maritime attorneys will, in general, strongly disagree with that. Many state that no local Florida cases have really been brought to federal court to contest rights of navigation, so the laws have never really been tested. See OUR WATERWAYS continued on page 84 38
February 2009
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News & Views for Southern Sailors
SOUTHWINDS February 2009
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BOAT REVIEW
The Windrider 17 Trimaran —
The Tri That Flies By Bruce Matlack
The Windrider 17. Photo courtesy of Windrider dealer Don Wigston, Windcraft.
SPECIFICATIONS LOA: 17 feet, 4 inches Beam: 12-13 feet Weight: 325-350 pounds Draft: 18 inches
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ike many sailors, I was starting to get multihull fever. So, about three years ago, I began researching them in earnest. Although I had a history of racing, my multihull fascination was stirred by the shoal waters of my new location on Anna Maria Island on Tampa Bay on the west coast of Florida—away from the dark blue, deep waters off Southern California where I sailed for many years. My taste, though, soon outgrew my pocketbook. As I began to retreat from sticker shock of sophisticated trimarans, I happened to reconnect with my waterman friend Allan Parducci from Santa Monica, CA, who was a pioneer in windsurfing as well as Malibu outriggers, and other multihulls. I ran my dilemma by him and he said, “Bruce, there is no question what the solution is for you; it is the Windrider 17 trimaran.“ Furthermore, he told me it has been the single, most fun boat he has ever owned. I had never heard of them. With such unwavering encouragement from an old, respected friend, I decided to simply get one somehow. I searched the Internet and found a used one for sale in Maryland, made a ridiculous offer, and— sight unseen—bought one for under $5000. If Allan was correct, I just saved myself over $100,000 to cure my desires! I thought, “What can I lose for a mere five grand?” In a blink of an eye, I became a Windrider 17 owner, thanks to Allan. And I have never regretted it. Designed by famed multihull specialist Jim Brown, this model is the surviving member of a family of rotomolded polyethelene, trailerable multihulls that came out in the mid ’90s—first produced by a Carolina kayak company. The Windrider line has included a 10-footer, the 16, the hydrofoiled Rave, and the Windrider 17—the only one that is currently in production. (The Rave and 16 will again be in future production.) It first appeared in 2002 and is now manufactured by Windrider Inc., located in Minnesota. It is available through selected dealers, and appears at many boat shows. There is an active forum on the Web (the Windrider Yacht Club), and used units can be found in sailing publications, classifieds, eBay and Craigslist sites on the Net, starting at around $4500. If you are considering a new one, they are wider by a foot or so (closer to Jim Brown’s original design), and the angle of the amas (the smaller outer hulls) off the horizontal is one degree greater than the older ones. With these changes, the boats stay more level www.southwindsmagazine.com
and point higher. Older boats could be updated with a set of updated cross beams. For trailering, the larger center hull is uniquely supported and suspended by what I call “armpit” holders along the gunnels fore and aft, rather than traditional lower trailer bunks. With this arrangement, there are no deforming pressure points on the relatively soft polyethelene hull with the boat stored for long periods on the trailer. With practice, launching can be only a 20-minute affair, but in reality, for most it will be longer. The amas can be pushed in to their inner limit and pinned in place for trailering or completely removed and nested on top of the main hull, depending on your wind-resistance tolerance, and trailering-width laws. Launching is easy with the boat sliding down twin support rails. The boat is also very light and can be lifted off the trailer with four people, and two people can easily slide the boat off the trailer without the wheels going into the water—eliminating the need for a boat ramp in many situations.
Performance In high winds—when typical small beach cats or small monohulls are prone to capsizing, and the skipper’s hand is often welded in fear to the uncleated mainsheet—the Windrider 17 skipper is all smiles, steering with his feet, hands-free, and in relative comfort. An optional windshield keeps the forward, guest cockpit area relatively spray-free. Hiking out or other athletic maneuvers are strictly optional, and steering is done with foot pedals just like an airplane
Three Windrider 17s on the beach. Photo by Bruce Matlack.
or modern, foot-controlled long kayaks. Designer Jim Brown says, “Windriding is sailing fast in armchair comfort.“ All controls are at your fingertips in the rear, chariotlike cockpit. If conditions worsen, there is a set of reef points in the dacron mainsail. There is also a forward cockpit lid or hatch cover to lash down, preventing possible rogue wave intrusion. All hardware is first-class Harken, and—with one easy motion—the jib may be roller-furled away around the forestay. Whether by fluke or design, this boat has a balanced helm in heavy going, with or without the jib, reefed or not reefed. Perhaps the modified, cut-away full keel moderates the CLR to permit this unexpected feature. For whatever reason, the boat balances in just about all conditions. Tacking this trimaran is similar to tacking a beach cat. The biggest mistake is cranking the rudder quickly to its stops, instead of gradually starting the turn, then increasing rud-
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BOAT REVIEW The Windrider is great fun in windy conditions. Photo by Bruce Matlack.
der angle as she decelerates to the eye of the wind. In high wind, it is best to pick a flat spot between waves. Often, I will allow the jib to backwind her solidly across to the new tack, before letting the jib sheet fly to the new tack. Easing the mainsheet, just after she passes through the eye, is an important element often forgotten that will keep one out of irons. Jibing is much easier in rough conditions sometimes, as long as you know how to soften the shock on the rig. In light wind conditions, it is like riding the back of a water skeeter one sees on mirrored, freshwater pond surfaces. It moves effortlessly in a slight breeze, yet only points about as high as a Sunfish monohull. There is no centerboard, but on the plus side, there are no holes in the hull or amas below the waterline to permit that “sinking sound of silence.” Some of my best sailing days are cruising along in a light breeze with locked helm, as the boat stays tight on the course set between islands. In the event of a rogue wave or sudden wind shift that knocks her off balance, I have only to move my weight fore or aft an inch or two and back she comes to course. In 1968, I had to steer an uncooperative junk the whole way across the Pacific, so cruising enjoyment for me is always about getting a boat to steer herself…I love steering when racing. Hate it when cruising. When the wind dies, man the paddles! The best situation is one paddle for each person aboard. West Marine sells a great yellow telescoping one that is perfect. It is easy to paddle the boat on port side only, just like a kayak, and of course, you steer with your feet...perfect! If current is an issue, a small “kicker” outboard (short shaft) will be needed. The factory offers a motor mount for $250 that allows a gasoline or elecric unit right next to the cockpit where all other controls are located. Other main features of this boat are its ruggedness. (Seamless rotomolding was first used to make the original Windsurfer in 1970.) I am hardly concerned when bouncing over rock, mussel, sand and debris bottoms, as long as there are no ultrasharp, projectile-looking things. Repairs are remarkably easy with a torch and extra plastic stock. The rudder of the same material (with an aluminum rudder shaft) is mostly protected during groundings by the deeper keel. Sometimes I ground horribly enough that I have to get out and push off to deeper water. Even if I put a hole in it, I know it is unsinkable, and it comes with a high volume, Whale gusher pump. Head-bonking by the boom is minimal on this boat because the boom is up so high. One would have to be standing awfully tall in the saddle to get “bonked” on this one…a nice family-friendly feature. This boat is very family-friendly in total, from its attractive price 42 February 2009
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The Windrider 17 on a trailer, although mast is up in this photo. Photo by Hans Schoenhofen (Windrider 17 in New Mexico).
to its 800-pound carrying capacity—and few maintenance demands. It is extremely difficult to capsize, especially now that the new ones are as wide as Jim Brown originally designed them. These boats are not rightable without assistance, but they are unsinkable. I tried to pitchpole mine on purpose in eight feet of water in a gale. I managed to drive all three hulls under until solid water was frothing up to the windshield. Just as I was beginning to feel the need for an “eject button,” she popped back up. The Windrider is excellent for teaching or rental fleets in that it is so safe, responsive and forgiving. A non-sailor can do no more harm than go in circles or stop abruptly. Its ruggedness stands up well to bouncing off docks, channel markers, trees—all the normal stuff you would encounter on the student bumper car circuit. I regularly amaze newbies at how easy sailing is by putting them at the helm right off the bat. I cleat off the main, hand them the jib sheet and tell them to push the foot pedal for the direction they want to go, and off they go—totally stoked that they are doing it! We in the “cult” who sail Windriders regularly, often discuss a common bond of mystique that surrounds these boats. It causes us to ponder and discuss often just why these little boats are so damn exciting to sail. Allan says it’s because we are closer to the water. “You feel it more,“ he says, “…and sailing fast is about the feeling; not simply going fast.“ He equates the feeling with the first time he and I took to windsurfing in the sport’s beginning days, some 40 years ago. So Allen Parducci was “spot on” with recommending this vessel to cure my sailboat dilemma for Florida. I may not be keen on riding in his battle-weary car, or crewing on his beat-up’02 Windrider 17, but I’ll take his multihull advice anytime!
News & Views for Southern Sailors
As Lee Iaccoca said in his TV ad, the FIRST time Chrysler Corporation was bailed out: “If you can find a better product, buy it!” I say, “If you can find a better SAILBOAT, buy it!” For more on the Windrider, go to www.windrider.com. Bruce Matlack was the first national and World Windsurfing Champion in 1973. Bruce currently sails a Windrider 17 off Anna Maria Island on Tampa Bay, FL, where he lives part of the year during the cooler months. He travels and windsurfs around the West Coast the rest of the year. Bruce continues to compete in windsurfing and will be at the Kona World Cup in Sweden this year and at the Windsurfing nationals in Hood River, OR, sailing in the Kona class.
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Dolphin Landings Sailing Charters, St. Petersburg, FL By Cathy Salustri “All you have to have is some aptitude and be willing to do things,” Capt. Dan Peretz says of his sailing business. Here he sails the Ellida, an 80-foot Alden wooden schooner built in 1922. Dolphin Landings manages and charters the Ellida out of Dolphin Landings’ docks at The Pier in St. Petersburg. Photo by Cathy Salustri.
Dan Peretz’s first boat was made entirely of foam. “It was just a piece of styrofoam with a mast and a sail. It was an elaborate surfboard…or a cheap Sunfish,” the owner of the charter company says. “It ended up being the dinghy for my first boat.” “My father got it for me by redeeming multiple packages of Kool cigarettes— if you turned in so many carton tops, you got a free boat.”
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fter that, the Tampa native went a long time between sailboats. In 1971 he and his wife bought a 26-foot W.D. Schock daysailer and anchored it behind the Odyssey motel and coffee shop on St. Pete Beach. He didn’t know much about sailing, but he figured he could learn under way. The first day he and his wife took out the boat and raised the mainsail. The second day, the jib. On day number three they had both sails up and they felt pretty good about the sail from Miami to St. Pete Beach. “On the fourth day, we left.” Dan remembers, grinning and shaking his head. “That was not a good trip. I wouldn’t recommend it. “A lot of things went south. I didn’t understand the necessity for having proper charts. We had a storm that we got stuck in. One of my sails ripped. My wife fell off the boat when we ran aground. We got sunburned. “I never wanted to sail again. I was thinking ‘why would anybody want to do this?’ ” Dan left the boat at a marina in South Pasadena. After a few months, friends and relatives asked why he never went sailing. “I told them, ‘because it’s not that much fun,’ ” Dan says. That’s how one of the most successful sailing businesses in Pinellas County in the Tampa Bay area started. Today Dan owns a fleet of two Morgan ketches, one Gulfstar 41, a luxury yacht and a motorized catamaran. He employs six captains, multiple crew and his business—Dolphin Landings—represents roughly 50 other boats, including sailboats, fishing vessels and luxury yachts. Dolphin Landings also operates Pass-a-Grille’s Merry Pier and contracts with sailboats out of the St. Pete Pier. After 37 years on St. Pete Beach, Dan Peretz has found a way to live the dream: He’s made sunsets and sailboats his day job. www.southwindsmagazine.com
Three sailboats at the Dolphin Landings Charter Center in St. Pete Beach. From left to right: Magic, a Morgan 51; Fantasea, a Morgan 46; Phoenix, a Gulfstar 41. Photo by Cathy Salustri.
His parents pictured their son as the consummate beach bum. He quit college in his last semester, and instead of becoming an engineer, he got a job as a dishwasher at the Odyssey Motel’s coffee shop on St. Pete Beach. “My parents didn’t like me dropping out of college, especially because of my plans. They didn’t like me working at a coffee shop, especially because of my education, and they didn’t like me being a ‘beach bum with a boat,‘ ” Peretz says. He worked his way up at the Odyssey, and inside of two months he’d gone from dishwasher to leasing the coffee shop and running it. That’s when he bought his first sailboat not made of foam. Dan still remembers telling his father he had bought a sailboat. “I told him I was in Miami and that I’d bought a boat and we were going to sail it home. I said, ‘Do you think I’ll make it?’ ” There was a pause. “Hell, no,” Dan’s father said. “You’re not going to make it.” That was 1972. Fast-forward two years and another boat, the Maikai (Hawaiian for “towards the sea”), anchors off St. Pete Beach and tries to charter sailboat rides. Dan starts to trade coffee shop food for rides on the boat, and, as
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he says, “It didn’t take long to realize that sailing was far more interesting and fun than flipping burgers, so I sold the little boat and became partners in his Gulfstar 41. We were partners for a couple of years, but two captains on the same boat wasn’t working out.” By then his parents realized their son wasn’t the average beach bum. “Eventually, they realized that I was going to follow my own dreams no matter what and acquiesced,” Dan says. “They finally said, ‘Well, he seems to be happy and he’s making it work.’ ” His parents signed on the loan for Phoenix (so named for the mythical bird that burns, then rises from its ashes seeking everlasting pleasure), a 41-foot Gulfstar identical to Maikai. Dan moved aboard Phoenix and anchored behind the Odyssey (the Tradewinds Resort stands there now). He would row passengers from the beach to the boat and take them either on two-hour sails or to Egmont Key. “I was young, strong, and dumb, and I was on very much a budget. Back then I wasn’t doing two or three trips a day, maybe three or four a week. I could put four or five people in the dinghy, depending on their size. I made a mistake one day and I rowed two people out to Phoenix. It was a little aluminum dinghy and they were very big. It was a little challenging getting them in the boat because you were
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Ellida, an 80-foot Alden wooden schooner, which sails out of The Pier in St. Petersburg. Photo by Steve Morrell.
in the surf,” Dan says. All the physical labor had its up side: “One time I went eight months without buying fuel. I rowed them out, pulled the anchor and raised the sail. We did it all under sail. Phoenix has a 45-gallon fuel tank, so it doesn’t hold much. It’s a testament to how much sailing was done.” A decade later Dan moved to the bay side of St. Pete Beach and reinvented his dream— but only slightly. In a Walt Disney world, families showed up on the beach looking for the show, and along the beaches, that meant dolphin sightings. While most dolphin-watch companies in Pinellas ran powerboats, Dan had a different idea: Why not use his sailboat to show tourists wild dolphin? Dan created a brochure talking up his dolphin-watch sails. “Everybody wanted to see dolphins,” Dan said. Even though he’d always looked for dolphins to show his passengers, now he’d start calling the sails “dolphin watches.” On the times when captains and crew don’t see dolphin— as rare as that is—that makes things bumpy. “This is the real world, not Sea World,” his captains tell passengers as the boats leave the docks for two-hour sails around Boca Ciega Bay. “We don’t know where the dolphin are going to be, but we do know that anywhere we go today is a place where we’ve seen them before.”
Thirty-five years after Dan first sailed for something other than pure pleasure, he still sails for a living, although not as often as he’d like. The captains who work for him get to take most of the sails. They’re the ones who usually get to raise the mainsail and look for dolphin, but Dan isn’t complaining. Many nights people who live on Boca Ciega Bay look out their windows and see Dan at the helm of his 51foot Morgan, Magic. “He says, ‘I’m getting some exercise; I’m taking Magic out.’ And he takes it out himself. The higher the wind, the better. The last time we had a hurricane watch, he took the staff out sailing for what he called ‘a pleasure sail,’ ” office staff and crewmember Laura Pizzi said. At 59, Dan lives the dream, laughing at his early misadventures and remembering how he started sailing for money. “Someone said, ‘You should give rides,’ and I thought, ‘You’re going to pay me for sailing?’ ”
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Trinkatoo, Tender With an Inboard Motor By Alan Saunders
Trinkatoo, the sailing tender with an inboard auxiliary.
For many years I have had a long-dormant desire for a sailing tender that could go careening among its senior brethren for an hour or two before or after the boating social mixer: a vessel free of manmade noise, a place to give me a chance to enjoy closeness to the water and clean air. And when push came to shove, I wanted to be assured that I—or my sometimes underage crew—would be assured of returning to Trinka, my 38-foot sailboat, pretty much regardless of wind or tide. That would make my day. Obviously, to achieve my secret desire, I needed a dink capable of doing all the purely utilitarian tasks that my venerable Achilles inflatable had hitherto performed—and then some. My answer, I decided, lay in a tender that could do a good job of sailing, rowing, and powering—and one that could safely hang off standard stern davits or be hoisted onto a cabin top or foredeck. It must also be capable of switching from mode to mode without fuss or bother; and do it so seamlessly that children could be entrusted with it. In addition, it had to be fast, fun, stable, lightweight and sturdy. It had to have good lines (a well-designed vessel is a pleasure to behold), tow well, be unsinkable, easy to right, good in chop—and ferry four crew easily. All in all, rather a tall order. In the end, I came up with a unique answer. After a long and fruitless search, I found the beginnings of my answer in a Bauer 10, a beamy 10-foot, 4-inch dinghy of Hans-Cristof Bauer’s Bautek Marine of St. Augustine, FL. In designing and building her, he has put together an elegant and unsinkable fiberglass tender, a vessel that sails nicely with jib, main and self-tripping centerboard and rudder, the latter making beaching a very smooth maneuver. She also rows easily and powers well.
News & Views for Southern Sailors
Powering the Tender For power I faced a dilemma. The real trouble with an outboard is that its presence aboard cannot help but interfere with the sailing function. You steer either with the rudder or with the outboard. One or the other must be used. When not in action, the motor must be tilted up or stowed and in either mode, it is still in the way. In addition, not all fossilfueled outboards I know of take kindly to a capsize-cum-
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The installed motor assembly on Trinkatoo.
saltwater bath, a not unheard-of event with sailing dinghies. I prudently decided this was one experience I would rather do without. The wise and only alternative (steam and nuclear being out of the question) was to go electric. This choice was enhanced by the presence of a pair of regulated, 100-watt photovoltaic panels already aboard Trinka, the mother vessel. These had been installed earlier to power my new, specially designed vacuum-insulated fridge—and doing a super job of it—but that’s another story. On accepting the use of electricity as motive power, two basic mounting choices became available. My first choice—and the simplest and cheapest option—was to get a stock trolling outboard of appropriate power and use it as is. Hang it on the transom, connect it to a battery and go. The second choice was a little more involved: Fabricate a new housing; incorporate the motor; and glass it in as an integral part of the skeg. This is commonly known as an inboard—something never really found in a sailboat tender. Choice one was rejected out of hand. Stowage of motor, shaft, mounting bracket, and controls pod would be a constant problem. And when deployed, the array would interfere with sailing gear as well, so my
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Shaping the skeg on Trinkatoo’s bottom.
basic full-time, multi-mode feature (sail-row power) would be defeated. Choice two, fabricating a glass housing for the motor and fairing it into the skeg or aft end of the keel, is doubtless a more complex process. But with it, all three propulsion modes become available full time—my foremost requirement. The main shortcomings of this built-in approach are higher cost—nearly all of it in labor—and the need of some
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The stern locker, showing where the controls run down to the motor.
skill in glass fabrication and gel-coat work. Further, this tack does not exclude the use of the outboard, i.e., when towing another vessel, or when much higher travel speed is of the essence. These, of course, are functions where the gasoline outboard truly shines—both good reasons not to discard my old outboard. For my motor, I chose a 54-pound thrust Motor Guide Saltwater White trolling motor by Motor Guide, the most
Looking aft, showing the stern locker, the speed control and forward reverse rheostat, and the lanyard for the MOB kill switch.
powerful one available at 12 volts. I kept only the motor and its stainless steel shaft. The rest I discarded. Five knots was my motor-driven target speed—modest, compared to what a gas engine can deliver—but ample for my triple-threat tender needs. Twenty pounds is the added weight of motor, controls and housing. For my fuel tanks, I opted for a pair of #24 Deka deep-cycle, 73-amp-hour, gel-cell batteries. Even though gel-cell batteries are considerably more expensive than wet ones, they are longer-lived, sealed and spillproof, require no maintenance and are much more tolerant of low temperatures, shocks and vibration—and I definitely liked all that.
Two Hours of Power This brought the total added weight of the entire electricpropulsion packet to slightly over 120 pounds (weight of outboard 50 pounds)—while giving me a cruising range under full power of about two hours—a good 6-10 nautical mile motoring run. First, I broke up the boat’s original continuous single flotation compartment into four new ones—two amidships to house the batteries, plus one fore and one aft for storage. The battery housings are at her beamiest points. Located there, they maintain proper lateral weight distribution as
News & Views for Southern Sailors
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well as good fore-andand four clamps; one aft hull balance. Both pair clamping the these have gasketed PVC pipe, the other access hatches and are secured to the shaft. screwed down and To eliminate any sealed with 3M 101 chance of water enterpolysulfide to keep ing and damaging the them watertight. The motor, the open shaft forward hatch holds a top was sealed with a mushroom anchor, its healthy dab of silirode, plus lines and cone. This completed fenders. Aft is the new the propulsion packet lazarette. installation. The first and Next came inarguably the most stallation of the newly important step in my designed, infinitely inboard electric sailvariable, speed conboat was the fabricatrol and forward Trinkatoo, originally a Bauer 10 sailing dinghy, with her sailing rig. One of the tion of the new housreverse rheostat, and two battery lockers can be seen under the oars on the port side. ing for the motor. We of course, the dead started by splitting man’s plug-in for the lengthwise a 15-inch piece of 4-inch PVC pipe to make its handheld cutoff switch. Both of these are mounted on the mold. Then the insides of the two halves were waxed to forward wall of the helmsman’s seat and close to the boat’s keep the fiberglass parts, once catalyzed, from sticking to centerline. A hidden on/off power switch inside the them. Only after that waxing was done were the roving and lazarette discourages unauthorized joy rides. There is also a chopped-fiberglass mat inserted. Resin was then applied power-inlet plug for a battery charger, plus two voltmeters and smoothed on using a narrow steel roller. Once cured as our individual “fuel gauges.” In a week’s time, Trinka’s and mated, the resulting glass cylinder was slid out of the photovoltaic panels provide about 200 watts of DC power mold, trimmed to size and bonded to a glass cone that had that recharges Trinkatoo’s two batteries. Once fully charged earlier been similarly treated, shaped and fabricated over the two batteries provide about two hours’ running time. the motor’s nose section. The new, bullet-shaped assembly Sea Trials forms an oversized, loose-fitting sleeve over the motor. This Early sea trials were done with 390 pounds of crew added space allows water to circulate within the housing aboard, no sails, and two-foot seas. I am happy to say she and do its motor cooling job. did not squat much—even with both of us sitting astern Next came cutting a path for the shaft extrusion hump and powering full bore. We established our speed by hailatop the cylindrical motor’s own waterproof casing. Then ing a 32-footer under sail. Her skipper said she was makwe bonded a shortened, horizontal tunnel, making it possiing four knots as we easily passed her. Yes, we were on the ble for the motor and its shaft extrusion to exit their new same heading. home. Easy motor removal for maintenance or replacement The prop is two-bladed and fixed. It can be made to was an important element of the design. settle nicely in a minimum “up and down profile” to limit Prop-protecting Fin prop drag when under sail or oars. Maneuverability and Since the motor came complete with its own steel prop-proresponsiveness were excellent under all three propulsion tecting fin, it was a simple matter to grind a corresponding modes. slot at the bottom of the new housing for its entry and exit. For rowing, the Bauer 10 comes with a nice pair of 7The removal of a good hunk of the Bauer 10’s skeg was foot beautifully finished spruce oars, complete with pernext, thus making room for the new power assembly. That manently attached bronze oarlocks and leather wraps. done, it was a simple, albeit time-consuming, matter to Another nice touch is the lockable oar-holder (also glass and fair-in the new housing to it. Cooling water inlet bronze), which, when securing them, also locks the bow holes were drilled well forward on both sides of the motor compartment so on going ashore, valuables can be safely housing before gel-coating the whole assembly and stowed there. installing a zinc anode. At a recent raft-up where munching, chatting and The stainless steel shaft that once connected the drinking were the staples, not necessarily in that order, an Saltwater Guide motor to its control pod and batteries was ex-sailor from a trawler started asking questions, not cut down to fit inside the newly created lazarette. Access to about tales told but about what he called “your nice it was made very easy with a third 12-by-10-inch hatch water-toy.” At first, I bristled at the term, but then, on installed directly above it, thus turning that space into a hearing a yearning note in his voice, I realized he had small but still usable storage area as well. A 1-by-6-inch PVC meant it as a compliment. So, I went on to extol Trinkatoo’s pipe bonded to the hull became the through-hull for the charms. After all, I reasoned, with more like her afloat, shaft. Once screwed into the motor’s extrusion, the shaft is raft-up impromptu dink sail races could become an held in place with a 6-inch length of automobile heater hose option—even for powerboaters. 50
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What is a Maritime Attorney & Where do I Find One? By Capt. J. Michael Shea, JD
Recently, I was serving on a race committee, and while we were out there starting the races, I was discussing my articles in SOUTHWINDS, wondering what type of article readers would like to see. One of my friends pointed out that it is not easy to find a maritime attorney in some cities. It never dawned on me that it might be a problem, but I can now see that it might be difficult to find a qualified maritime attorney. In this article, I will cover how you might go about locating one.
Maritime Law Associations
To begin with, there are not many maritime attorneys in this country. Most of them are members of the Maritime Law Association of the United States (MLA). There are only 2,666 practicing members of this organization in the United States. Considering there are more than a million attorneys in this country, this is a very small number indeed. Founded in 1899, the MLA is a member of the International Maritime Committee (CMI), the international maritime lawyers association founded three years prior to that in France. Both the MLA and the CMI have been influential in advising and writing the international treaties that make up that body of international law that we call maritime law. Since 9/11, these organizations and the International Maritime Organization (IMO), an agency of the United Nations, have become very important in the passage of new international maritime security treaties. We now look to the IMO as the international organization to register vessels. If you look at a passing ship nowadays, you will find an IMO number on the stern of the vessel. This is like the license plate number you have on your car. As a side note, these ships are now required to carry transponders, similar to those carried on airplanes. Due to this requirement, most of the world’s shipping can now be tracked. In addition to the IMO, there are also regional groups of admiralty lawyers. Admiralty law is equivalent to maritime law and, as I had to explain to a woman at a cocktail party recently, has nothing to do with representing admirals. The regional group of maritime lawyers here in the South is Southeastern Admiralty Law Institute (SEALI), currently at 979 members. SEALI has an excellent annual seminar program that attracts attorneys from other parts of the United States into its membership.
MLA is www.mlaus.org, and the web page for SEALI is www.iclega.org/seali. Its e-mail is icle@iclega.org. SEALI is administrated by the Georgia State Bar continuing legal education group for SEALI. You may also call your local bar referral service. Most county bar associations have a service of this type and can give you the names of the admiralty/maritime attorneys in your area. Your state bar may also be able to help you find a maritime attorney. Florida and a few other states have now set up areas of practices where attorneys can become board-certified in a specific area. Florida does have a designation of board-certified “Admiralty & Maritime” law. To earn this designation attorneys must show proficiency in this area before they can join this section and advertise as being board-certified. Here again, you might get an admiralty lawyer who is very good, but who represents insurance companies, when you are looking for an attorney to sue an insurance company. So even after you have your list of maritime attorneys, you should call around and ask a few questions before you decide to hire one of them. Attorneys do not mind answering questions about their type of practice or specialization. The opinions in this article are those of the author and not those of the U.S. Coast Guard or any other entity. Capt. J. Michael Shea is a maritime attorney in Tampa, and holds a master’s and harbor pilot’s license. He has co-authored law books in the maritime field and writes articles on maritime law from time to time. He has served as a marine investigator for the United States Coast Guard and now teaches legal studies. If you have a boating legal (sailing) question, please drop me a note in care of SOUTHWINDS or e-mail me at mike@michaelshea.com.
Maritime Law Specializations
Now you have a picture of the who, the what and the how when it comes to maritime lawyers. There are not many of them to begin with. Then within this very small group many choose to specialize in one area or another. Some represent insurance carriers; others represent plaintiffs with injuries; others represent shipyards and boatyards or ship operating companies, just to name a few areas of specialization. In other words, finding a maritime attorney is not the end of the story. You must also find out if he or she is practicing in the area of maritime law for which you need representation. Most of you Southwinds readers will, at one time or another, need someone to handle a vessel purchase, a sale, a repair or an insurance claim, and with a little research you should be able to find a good maritime attorney in your area. The best places to start are by calling or checking the Web pages of either the MLS or SEALI. The Web page for News & Views for Southern Sailors
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Derelict boats on the Ashley River just across from City Marina. These derelict boats have been here for years. The new law should see them removed in the coming months. Though these boats pose no real hazard to navigation, a storm might dislodge them and then they could make trouble, both for the safety of nearby boats and the environment.
Watercraft Non Grata — Derelict Vessels By Dan Dickison
I
n the weeks leading up to the end of 2008, the Carolina Low Country experienced a rash of maritime mishaps— tragedies really—that put a somber note on an otherwise impressive year for sailing in these waters.
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In late October, Charleston-based sailor Kevin Hogan’s Swan 44 Free Fall found itself in unmanageable seas and winds off the coast of New Jersey. Homeward bound for Charleston from Rhode Island, the boat encountered what U.S. Coast Guard reports later described as 40-to-50-foot seas and 40-to-50-knot winds. The boat was rolled and dismasted, deluging the interior with seawater. Though Hogan and his friends, Teresa Garvie and Phil Rubright, were ultimately rescued by the Coast Guard, the 69-year-old Rubright didn’t survive due to hypothermia. Then, in mid-November, a 78-foot scallop trawler wound up high and dry on the beach of Kiawah Island where conditions conspired to keep the steel-hulled vessel stranded for nearly 10 days. The Nanami, which had been en route to Wadmalaw Island for a refit, reportedly ran aground when its anchor chain parted in heavy weather on Nov. 14. The vessel went up on the beach during an extremely high tide during that month’s full moon. Ultimately, this bizarre episode ended happily the day before Thanksgiving when the ship was extricated via a ditch that was dug expressly (30 feet wide, 8 feet deep and 200 feet long) for its removal. A 1,000-hp tug managed to tow the Nanami through the ditch to deep water. The very next day, roughly 12 miles to the north, a 63foot motorsailer, Royta, went up on the Charleston Harbor jetties during high tide, holing itself on the rocks and sinking in less than an hour. Eyewitnesses later reported that only a 15-foot section of the mast remained above the water. That vessel, which belongs to Dewayne and Lynne Wesley from Jacksonville, Fla., was ultimately craned up by a salvage barge and ferried ashore for repairs. More recently, in mid-December, the locally built, 50foot catamaran, Kekoa (see Southwinds, July 2008), was abandoned some 170 miles off the Carolina coast after strong winds and big seas damaged the boat. Built and owned by brothers Jamison and Ryan Witbeck, Kekoa was en route to the Virgin Islands where the Witbecks intended to put the www.southwindsmagazine.com
CAROLINA SAILING boat into service in the day charter trade. All four delivery crewmembers were unharmed when they were airlifted from their life raft in what USCG reports described as 20-to-25foot seas. Though the boat was recovered nearly 12 days later and towed ashore, the incident was a tough setback for its owners. Except for Hogan’s sloop, all of these vessels will ultimately be restored to service. But that’s not always the case with mishaps on the water. Vessels that break down or suf- This boat was sunk up to its spreaders in the Ashley River for more than five months about two fer damage at sea often end up strand- years ago. It has since been removed, but its situation indicates why the new law came into effect. ed by their owners. At worst, they become a hazard to navigation and the can, but if not, we’ll be more aggressive.” Though this is a environment, at best, an eyesore. Though it’s usually somestatewide initiative, McCullough stated that no action had thing less calamitous—like neglect—that prompts owners yet taken place as of the first week of January, but he said to walk, swim, or float away from their vessels, many boat investigators were beginning to make their rounds from the owners in the Palmetto State will now be rethinking such coast to the mountains to identify abandoned boats. action due to a new law that carries heavy consequences for One hitch in all of this is that the new law doesn’t give leaving a vessel untended over time. DNR the authority to remove boats if an owner hasn’t been In mid-December, a law enacted by South Carolina legidentified. In those cases, the problem then becomes an issue islators last summer came into effect, making it a crime to for the municipality that has jurisdiction over the given locaabandon a vessel or an outboard motor on public property. tion. And at least one coastal town had already begun to take Perpetrators will face fines of up to $5,000 and as many as action, even before the new law came into effect. 30 days in jail if convicted of this misdemeanor. Folly Beach—a small barrier island community just 10 Additionally, the owner of any abandoned vessel cited will miles south of Charleston—was set to become one of the have only 14 days after conviction to remove the craft, and first municipalities in the region to remove unsightly abanmust do so at his or her own expense and risk. Of course, doned boats littering its local waters. In November, the this law doesn’t apply to owners who abandon a vessel in town received a grant of almost $46,000 from the state’s an emergency, but it stipulates that they must return to the Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management for that vessel after the emergency is over and “make a bona fide purpose. Town officials expected to have contractors begin attempt to recover the watercraft.” removing those boats by early February, but according to a South Carolina law defines an “abandoned watercraft,” recent newspaper report, even as they inspected the Folly as any boat that has been moored, stranded, wrecked, sinkRiver and its tributaries last month, a few more derelict ing, or sunk and has been left unattended for more than 45 boats had unexpectedly turned up in the area. The new law, days. As most Low Country boaters know, there are hunit appears, has come along none too soon. dreds of such abandoned craft in the creeks and rivers that For more information regarding the law, or to report define this region, and a new law to address this issue seems derelict vessels in South Carolina, call the Department of fitting. But enforcement might pose problems for some boat Natural Resources Law Enforcement Division at (800) owners. What about those vessels that are moored and 922-5431. unused for over 45 days; boats that aren’t actually abandoned, but might be left untended for that period of time? Lt. Robert McCullough, who works in the Law Enforcement Division of the state’s Department of Natural Resources, the body that will be enforcing this law, says that the objective of this law is to clear out derelict boats that have been obviously abandoned for some time. In a brief telephone interview, he pointed out that the law’s definition of abandoned includes the following sentence: “A watercraft is not abandoned if it is legally moored or is on private property.” McCullough says that DNR will first make every attempt to identify the boat’s legal owner and contact that person. That person will be given an opportunity to remove the derelict vessel. If that doesn’t occur in a timely manner, says McCullough, then proceedings will be initiated. “The owner will have the opportunity to remove the boat before any citation is made. The bottom line is that we’re trying to get these boats removed. We want to do this nicely if we News & Views for Southern Sailors
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So, You Bought a Boat on eBay By Barbara Bates -
I
t is February 1, 2008. I’m at my computer and receive an email from Reggie, my husband (he’s downstairs in his office). “There’s just a few more hours left to buy the Cal,” he writes. He had found a Cruising Cal 36 on eBay a few days ago. It looked perfect for our future cruising plans. Yes, like so many, we talk about going cruising when we retire. In fact, we’ve talked and planned about cruising since we married almost 10 years ago. We’ve looked at boats at every opportunity, taken classes, chartered and gone cruising with friends. However, retirement is still a few years away and there is, of course, some things that seem to always stand in the way. This boat was recently refitted, plenty of headroom and long berth for Reggie (he’s 6’3”), and being “Old Cal Hands” we each had been dreaming and coveting it but never really talked about buying this boat. Occasionally one of us would say, “Have you checked to see what’s happening with the Cal?” or “That Cal is really nice.” I go downstairs to see what’s happening with the bids—not much, “Should we make a bid?” “Why not? Then we’ll know if someone has an automatic bid.” They had. “Hummmm,” followed by more quiet dreaming and coveting, and I return upstairs to work. It is close to the end of the day, there is nothing really pressing
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on my desk and it is Friday to boot. I go back downstairs. “Anything new?” He pulls up the eBay screen to discover nothing has happened. It looks like only one other person is bidding. “Let’s bid again. I’ll bet it hasn’t reached the maximum yet.” We were right! We stared at each other. “Maybe we should have a glass of wine.” While I’m upstairs getting our wine, Reggie goes to Yachtingworld.com to look at other 36 Cals. We sip wine and wander through the virtual “Cal Boat Show.” Living in Montana, the number of cruising boats is quite limited. We learn that they are all more expensive and not as nice. We glance at the clock. Time is passing. “Has anything changed?” “No.” Reggie bids again and we are immediately outbid. We play this game for a while, then the tables turn and we are high bidder! We glance at each other and quickly look back at the screen to be sure. This time when we glance at each other, our eyes are wider and our mouths are agape. Time has passed. We call our friend Ace who bought a boat on eBay last year. He reminds us that, since we live in Montana, there is much more involved in purchasing a boat on eBay than just hitting “Submit,” which is really easy to do. “More wine?” “Oh, yes.” The boat had a “buy it now,” and reserve had not been met. Each subsequent bid, with this glass of wine, carries the same notification: “Reserve not met.” “Maybe we should talk about this. Do we want this boat?” “What would we do with it?” “We’d have to get it here.” We live in northwest Montana and the boat is in Fort Lauderdale. That is a long way away. “It’s really nice.” We guess at the reserve price and bid just under it. We want to see if we guessed correctly. We are right! Our opponent’s bid met the reserve. There is 10 minutes left. We plan our strategy. We’ll put in our next bid and hit “Submit” when there is just a few seconds left. We sit there quietly hitting “Refresh” to keep track of the time. At 29 seconds, I say, “Hit it.” “Now?” “Yes.” Silence. The computer freezes. We keep hitting Refresh, but nothing happens. “Did we buy it?” “I don’t know!” Seconds, that just moments ago had wings, now moved at a snail’s pace. Finally, the screen changes and shows “Congratulations.” Faces red, I see Reggie drop his head on the desk as I cover my face with my hands. Tentative laugher escapes. We look at each other. “What are we going to do?” “We really should have talked about this.” “Are you happy?” “I don’t know.” www.southwindsmagazine.com
The Cal 36 bought on eBay. The cabin in the Cal 36.
“Maybe we should go fix dinner.” Fixing dinner is mechanical, as our minds are, literally, thousands of miles away, but by the time we sit down to eat, we are in full gear. There are only seven days to have a survey completed. We need airline tickets. How will we pay for it? Where are we going to moor it? Is it possible to put it in charter or a school until we are ready to go cruising? I would have to say that eating dinner was mostly an interruption of all of the things that we were doing. One or the other of us was on the phone or on the Web or e-mailing friends, acquaintances and strangers during the entire meal. The next few days are a blur. Reggie works on finding and hiring a surveyor, which had to be completed in seven days. His report is about what we expected, except there appears to be some water in the engine fluids and it might not be as pretty inside as the pictures showed. We don’t really care about pretty, but an engine is important. More phone calls and e-mail to mechanics. “Not a big deal.” “Easy to fix.” “Just have to replace…” Okay, so far so good. Three days to make final payment. We have enough frequent flyer miles to go, and we can get there by the deadline for closing, 10 days from purchase. A trip to our bank and another hurdle is successfully cleared. The big question is, “What are we going to do with it?” We have a Cal T2 here on Flathead Lake, and it is perfect for racing and weekend cruises. We don’t need a cruising boat in the Rocky Mountains of Montana. The survey report leads us to believe that, even though we had some positive responses from a few charter companies and schools, it needs some work before it would be ready for either of those two options. We narrow down the possible moorings to a place on the Chesapeake and one in Pensacola. We choose Pensacola. On February 11, we had put our lives and businesses on semi-automatic and boarded a plane to Florida. By the 15th News & Views for Southern Sailors
we were sailing from Fort Lauderdale to Pensacola on our beautiful boat. There is still work to do. Isn’t there always? They say that the first step is the hardest, but we did it! We’ll be back on board as soon as we can, working to get her ready for full-time cruising. That time is now much closer than it was on February 1. We’ll see you in…well, wherever the wind blows us.
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TRAVELS WITH ANGEL Defiant as a storm approaches.
A Lusty Battler? Inclement Weather in the Bahamas By Rebecca Burg
“C
ome on, Angel, get your freak on,” I complained out loud in the single-hander’s occasional habit of talking to the boat. Three sails limp, my unresponsive Bayfield cutter drifted through a pocket of calm air. At first, I wasn’t sure how to translate the scene ahead. A harmless-looking puff of cloud had morphed into a rumbling, dark mass in a matter of hours. When three water-
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spouts twisted out of the storm’s ragged edge, I hastily started Angel’s diesel. All sails were secured, the main tied in a storm reef and ready to deploy if needed. Saying something over the radio about not needing any more gray hairs, Captain Bill Robinson, single-handing Defiant, was already running in the opposite direction. When lightning crackled ahead of his bow, Defiant whirled around, zigzagged like a cornered animal, then dropped the hook and played dead. Bill had shut down Defiant’s engine and electrical systems, hoping to be less attractive to the lightning. On the Bahama Bank and far from land, we were the only features around. Sailors are all too familiar with that helplessly vulnerable feeling of having our masts, potential lightning rods, reaching into a volatile sky. The storm’s gust front rolled over Defiant, burying the ketch in a curtain of rain. On the other side of the same storm, cruising friends on s/v Arame were also dodging waterspouts and ducking in sudden winds. Eyes riveted on the chaos ahead, my jittery hand clawed for the small, silver skull that was Angel’s throttle knob. Diesel roaring, stern squatting in a burst of power, Angel’s bowsprit swung away from the scene. We weren’t fast enough. Angel careened sideways as the gust front rapidly overtook us. Visibility curtailed, I rounded up and dropped a single hook. After traveling though plain air for several miles, lightning probably wouldn’t notice whether our switches were on or not, but this rationale didn’t prevent me from playing possum like Defiant. Rain jacket getting wet on the inside, I clung to the cockpit and tried not to touch anything metal. Angel was bodily flung about by the jumbled waters, and I was amazed that the anchor, a modest 27 pounds, wasn’t yanked out of the seafloor. The storm was an impressive display of nature’s potency, and its dangerous ability to overwhelm us is remarkably frustrating. Madder than a hornet at my helplessness, I buzzed about in the cockpit, driven by an insane desire to protect my ship. Nature overruled. The glass lens of an engine gauge shattered without being touched, and sun-weakened threads tore from a canvas dodger panel. When I heard my homemade brew explode its plastic container down below, that was the final straw. The fermented, www.southwindsmagazine.com
Two water spouts in the Bahamas
unstable adult beverage can’t withstand being shaken up beyond Angel’s normal, bouncy rhythm of sailing. A few gallons of hard work poured into the bilge. Dispirited, I hunched in a corner and blubbered incoherently. It was Angel’s turn to play protector. It’s understandable why many mariners anthropomorphize the elements. Some refer to the sea as “savage” or “furious,” and speak as if the weather is rousing itself specifically to challenge a boater who happens to be there. One fascinating book, The Secret of Mary Celeste, and Other Sea Fare, offered a certain perspective that, at least to me, was a bit disturbing. The book’s intro reads, “…to help preserve the image of the sailor of sail as a lusty battler against the ferocious assaults of wind and weather. His dominant ambition was not for gain, but to triumph over the sea.” Lusty battler? Ferocious assaults? Humankind’s unfortunate preoccupation with war must be responsible for this antagonistic perspective. Triumph over the sea? Man is renowned for trying to control the natural world. Rivers are diverted, lakes drained and mountains sculpted, but the ocean is one remaining zone of wilderness that defies domination. Human haughtiness is useless here. Maybe this is why it is so compelling to sail into the sea’s enigmatic embrace, where there’s no place for false pretense and we must rely on ingenuity, wits, and each other, to survive. Inclement weather is a fact of boating life, but with sensible planning, pleasant days outnumber the bad. Storm stories do have entertainment value, and they’re fun to share when we’re back in safe harbor and nobody’s really hurt, yet experienced mariners try to minimize confrontations with poor weather. There’s always some confused fools who’ll have a dramatic, storm-fighting tale for nearly every day at sea. This may be a ploy to seek admiration or prove bravado, but what actually impresses me is their lack of good judgment. These types are amusing at the waterfront bar, but those new to cruising shouldn’t be discouraged by such exaggerations. Paying attention to weather windows, watching the sea and skies and learning the safe boat handling in deteriorating conditions helps assure more good days than bad. As was proven with this surprise storm, I’m still learning these things. The tornado-riddled blast soon abated, winds dropping and rain fading to a delicate mist. The sun reappeared. Though I had some sewing to do and a new gauge to find, Angel, Defiant and Arame were intact and eager to cruise onward. When I started hoisting Angel’s main, cold rainwaNews & Views for Southern Sailors
The calm after the storm.
ter that had pooled in the sail’s folds poured over me and into the companionway. Even that dumb luck didn’t dissuade an agreeable sense of relief typically felt after surviving a dose of nature’s rougher side. From then on, those little, fluffy clouds were taken more seriously. While sailing, I don’t view myself as a “lusty battler,” aggressively heading out to conquer nature. I’m out to enjoy it. The sea is respected, even feared, but it’s not viewed as an enemy. Still, it’s wise not to underestimate nature’s immense power and to be prepared for its unpredictable behavior. If there’s anything to triumph over, it’s one’s own fears. Now that is a worthy conquest.
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Mysteries of Charlotte Harbor By Dave Ellis, from the stories of Mark Allen Rawles
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he old man had many stories about early Florida. Some of them were true, some enhanced and some hand-me-down fiction. Many tales of adventure were about the area around Charlotte Harbor on the southwest coast of Florida. The north side of the harbor was sort of a safe haven for friars and ne’er-do-wells from the 1500s to the mid 1700s because it was the border between the two prominent Indian tribes that controlled the Florida peninsula. Charleston, SC, was successful for the same reason; a noIndian’s-land between tribes. South of present-day Fort Myers Beach on Mound Key was the headquarters of the Calusa ancestral Indians. Calusan “King” Carlos, so called by the Spaniards, would get a percentage of shipwrecks that various South Florida tribes looted before the salvers. He would either bury the booty in a shaft at the top of a ceremonial mound or sell it back to the Spanish agents for needed goods. All of the known mounds have been explored by powerful electronic metal detectors with only a small number of coins found. Mission forts were established for a while, with a healthy portion of soldiers to patrol for wrecks so the Indians would not get to them first. One of the Jesuit friars’ names was Jose Gaspar, hence Gasparilla Pass. Many think that it was named for the pirate of the late 1700s to 1820. But there is evidence that it was called that before he was supposed to have held forth. The Indians drove the Spanish out of Florida’s west coast by 1570. There were escapees from the deplorable ravishing of the Indian population of Hispaniola who warned the Calusas and the Timacuans to the north about the Spanish. Also, slaves were taken from the coast even before the better-known expeditions of Narvaez, DeSoto and Ponce de Leon, making the native population hostile. That’s why the first permanent European city was established on the other coast at St. Augustine where the native population was more interested in trade than warfare. Adventurers and trained archeologists have been exploring the Charlotte Harbor area since 1879. While the water table has risen enough to cover some sites, there are, besides the Indian mounds great and small, remnants of camps with stone foundations, blasted wells and ship’s irons and ballast laid out in interesting patterns. The island of Cayo Pelau has the reputation among treasure seekers of being a creepy place where their outboards quit when nearing shore, their metal detectors won’t work even when they throw a coin on the ground in front of it and their watches become inaccurate. When they leave the island everything returns to normal, except their nerves. North of Charlotte Harbor there are very old oak trees with carvings of arrows, fingers pointing and the number seven with the European line through it. If you find the “7”, you’ve found gold. One old oak still stands, even after Hurricane Charley, on a high place in the mangroves next to a golf course, with an ancient curved pistol aiming straight down. Many years ago, the old man found $126,000 in Spanish treasure where the pistol pointed to the shell below 58
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A Race To Remember: Clearwater to Key West 2008 By Rafael Paris
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his was the most demanding and grueling sailing experience I have had in the 20 races that I have done from Clearwater to Key West, now called the Key West Rendezvous. I felt even more miserable than I did during the infamous 1990 race that was plagued by near gale-force storms from beginning to end. The race is 219 miles from Clearwater to Key West, and today there are several starts from four different locations along west Florida’s coast—all finishing up in Key West. Clearwater is the northernmost start and the longest of the races. This year, 19 boats raced from Clearwater. My boat, named Tango III, is a 1987 Hunter 28.5. There were three other crew that made the trip with me, Jutta Kohl, Tricia Campbell and John Delich. We sailed in the Non-Spinnaker class. This 2008 version included boredom, elation, despair, seasickness, physical injuries, the tenacious actions of the female crew, and a night grounding. It all began on Wednesday, May 14, 2008. It was a clear and breezy day, full of promises for an enjoyable sail. We
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had a good start and were excited to be making over six knots on a port tack with wind from the south/southeast. A few hours later, we were close to Egmont Key and heading to the Southwest Channel off Key West. That night, near Sarasota, we ran into our first doldrums that lasted twoand-a-half hours. The wind picked up again after dusk. We were making good speed again, even though drifting off course westward. That night, John became seasick, a rare occurrence for this seasoned sailor. The women took over and were driving the boat in now bumpy seas. Tricia, who had started the race with a heavy cold, fell sick also. Now, half of our crew was out of commission. Jutta and I took over the helm, and we spent several hours steering the boat. By Thursday night, both John and Tricia were back to life and ready to relieve us so we could get some rest. Later, trying to resume my watch, I climbed up to the cockpit. The boat was heeling sharply to port, making it difficult to reach the companionway. I lost my footing and fell down, badly skinning up my leg against the edge of the traveler. I stepped below to inspect the injury when a freak wave hit the boat, throwing me against the navigation table. I took the hit on my lower ribs. (Back home, I found out that one rib had been fractured.) This incident incapacitated me for hours. On Friday, the 16th, I was feeling better. John disinfected and bandaged my leg, and I was able to take the wheel again. Now Jutta started to feel dizzy but fortunately recovered soon. I was wondering if it was my turn to get green, also. Luckily, I did not. By this time, we noticed that our venerable 135 jib had delaminated badly. We decided that the damage was beyond repair. We replaced it with a heavier 155 jib and stowed the veteran down below for good. Approximately 20 miles short of Smith’s Shoal, the winds became very light and variable, mostly from astern. We spotted a spinnaker racing boat about a half mile ahead, trying to make headway with little success. Winds died out almost completely and, finally, the racing boat doused her sails and started the engine. She soon disappeared over the horizon. We seriously began to worry about making the deadline. Our speed was 1.5 to 2 knots. We were alone in a vast, flat sea. We held a long debate about whether to follow the spinnaker boat’s example or to stay in the race. Finally, hoping the wind would mercifully increase sometime in the future, we decided to keep sailing. We gained a little speed by winging with the whisker pole. With Tricia and John at the helm, we kept the course steady for long hours into the night. The wind started to build up from the southeast at about 11:00 p.m. Jutta and I took the wheel again. The boat speed was good now, as we were approaching the Key West North West Channel. We effusively congratulated and “high-fived” each other, happy and fully convinced now that we could finish the www.southwindsmagazine.com
race regardless of the problems endured. Feeling very tired, we considered whether or not to anchor and wait for daylight. We decided, however, to enter the channel right away. This proved to be a poor decision. Probably due to our extreme fatigue, when tacking, we failed to notice that we were leaving one red channel mark way to port. Two-thirds The crew of Tango III. From left to right: Skipper Rafael Paris, John Delich, Jutta Kohl and of the way down the channel, the Tricia Campbell. unthinkable happened: We ran hard All of us were anxious to catch some sleep but were too aground, on the shallow west side! Apparently our 4-foot upset and worried to relax. Instead, for hours, we went draft was not “shoal” enough. We stared at each other in through all the motions known to sailors to free a grounded disbelief. Tricia lit a cigarette. boat, such as resetting sails, rocking sideways, hanging at Now what? Since it was too dark to investigate the the end of the boom, and so forth, without success. magnitude of the problem, we de-cided that we would not When daylight arrived, John volunteered to jump into start the engine to free the boat, because that would amount the water to find out what to do next. His report was that to disqualification. Disqualification? After all the misery we the lower part of the keel was hard into the mud with shoals went through? Certain-ly not! We would wait until morning on both sides of the boat. He found, however, a deepwater to evaluate the situation. ditch-like crevice behind her stern. Several times, he walked the anchor away from the boat and stepped on it to sink it into the bottom, while we winched hard to dislodge the keel. This did not work because the ground was too soft to hold the anchor. Tricia then came up with an idea that could be effective: She and Jutta, with John’s help, would push the boat astern while rocking it up and down, trying to position Tango III into the deep water aft the transom. I was busy doing the easy job working the wheel and encouraging the crew, since I still Our roller furlers require literally could not move around very well. NO MAINTENANCE, and are
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The time was going fast low waters by hand sigand we had to get out of there nalling and voicing directions as soon as possible. John that allowed me to steer saferecalled that he had a tide ly through the maze of shoals. chart and figured out that the It was 9:00 a.m. We were movtide was supposed to crest at ing faster, but still in five feet 8:40 a.m., and it was already of water. after 8:00 a.m. The depth The boat abruptly jolted meter indicated that we were when hitting another shoal. I in three feet of water. The held my breath realizing that crew was working furiously another grounding would pushing and rocking the boat finally put an end to our hapfrom the bow. Suddenly the less saga. Fortunately, both depth meter flashed 3-4 feet the depth and the speed and the boat began to float. increased to 7-8 feet and 4 We figured that we were knots. We were totally free! moving along the deep water Tango III was now smartly astern toward the channel slicing the water toward the when the boat hit bottom channel mark ahead. again. The depth meter went If old boats could express back to three feet. feelings, I am sure she was The crew had spent a lot now singing in joy with us! of time in the water and were At about 9:45 am, with showing signs of exhaustion. Tank Island on our port side, Tango III, a Hunter 28.5. Discouraged, I started to ponJutta called the CYC race der if starting the engine and calling the race off would be committee to report our approach. A rather surprised voice the logical thing to do after all. sounded back: “Tango III? Boy, are we glad to hear from I decided to hold a meeting with the crew to make the you!” Almost choking, Jutta replied, “You cannot even final decision. I asked them to come aboard. Tricia stubimagine how glad we are to be here!” On a glorious, balmy bornly re-fused to leave the water. I tried to convince her day, we could now see the finish area. Even this close to the that we were running out of time and it was of no use to end, another wind shift forced us to set yet again the keep trying any longer. Oblivious to my calls, she kept whisker pole. shouldering the boat with fierce determination, while cryWe were doing a paltry three knots downwind. Our ing, “Please, please, let’s try just one more time!” Jutta excitement grew by the minute while trying to keep away decided that she wanted to help with the last all-out effort from strong currents threatening to push us off the course. and jumped into the water again. Realizing that I could not Finally, at 10:10 a.m., a loud horn and a cheering bunch on persuade them to give up, I sat behind the wheel and shore signalled the end of our 72 hour and 7 minute race— resumed staring at the depth meter, when a magic number the longest ever to Key West for Tango III. popped up in front of my eyes: Five feet! We were floating We felt great joy at finishing on time, but also expected to again! be last in our class. When docking at the Galleon Marina, we John and I yelled at the women to come aboard quickreceived a warm welcome from fellow friends and sailors. ly. By now, both of them had to swim toward the ladder to They congratulated us for our second place! Second place? climb up. We raised the sails, while slowly moving Were they kidding us? Tricia did a “pratfall faint” and kept astern...still five feet! At about 30 feet from the grounding saying “I don’t believe it!” Jutta, John, and I kept staring at area, we carefully turned the bow toward the main channel. each other in silence, hoping that this was not a prank. A gentle breeze now filling the sails from the starboard side Later on, after the expiration of the deadline, the official brought our speed to two knots...still five feet results confirmed our finishing place. In first place: Long John rushed to the bow pulpit to scout the water ahead Gone, a 42-foot Morgan. Second was Tango III, followed by for shallow areas. He did a superb job at avoiding the yeltwo DNFs, and one competitor still sailing to the finish line. We had the dubious honor of being the last boat to finish before the deadline. By completing the race on time, Tango III received enough points to be awarded the Boat of the Year Trophy for the third consecutive year in the Non-Spinnaker class. One more time, I learned, through this experience, that to compete successfully: No 1: You must have a capable and loyal crew. No 2: You must have a good, reliable boat. No.3: If you happen to be the skipper, you are very, very lucky to have both. The 24th Annual Key West Rendezvous starts on May 11. For more information, go to the Clearwater Yacht Club Web site, www.clwyc.org. 62
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SOUTHERN RACING Terry Hutchinson and Anna Tunnicliffe Named US SAILING’s 2008 Rolex Yachtsman and Yachtswoman of the Year From US SAILING TP52 World Champion Terry Hutchinson and Laser Radial Olympic Gold Medalist Anna Tunnicliffe were named US SAILING’s 2008 Rolex Yachtsman and Yachtswoman of the Year in January. Established in 1961 by US SAILING and sponsored by Rolex Watch U.S.A. since 1980, the awards recognize the outstanding on-thewater competitive achievement of an individual man and woman in the calendar year just concluded. The winners will be honored and presented with specially engraved Rolex timepieces during a luncheon on February 27 at the New York Yacht Club. Hutchinson, from Annapolis, MD, earned the award on the fourth time he was shortlisted for the honor. Members of the selection panel remarked that in 2008 Hutchinson had “redefined himself” after he “emerged from the America’s Cup to be an awesome fleet racer.” (He was tactician aboard Emirates Team New Zealand in the 32nd America’s Cup). Hutchinson got the year rolling as tactician aboard Jim Richardson’s Farr 40 Barking Mad, which won Acura Key West and Acura Miami Grand Prix. Switching to the TP52 and moving into the skipper’s position, Hutchinson racked up four major victories in Europe, including winning the TP52 World Championship
News & Views for Southern Sailors
aboard Quantum Racing. Other top performances included his M30 class win at the Sperry Top-Sider Annapolis NOOD Regatta; Melges 24 victories at the North American Championship and the Sperry Top-Sider St. Petersburg NOOD Regatta; and a thirdplace finish at the Melges 32 Gold Cup. Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year, Anna Tunnicliffe, from Plantation, FL, was nominated to the award’s short list for the fourth consecutive year. She was the unanimous choice of the panel. While warming up for the main event of her year, Tunnicliffe racked up some serious frequent flyer miles: from Florida and US SAILING’s Rolex Miami OCR, where she finished second in a fleet of 39 boats, to New Zealand, where she placed sixth out of 116 boats at the Laser Radial World Championship, to France and the Semaine Olympique Francaise, where she picked up another second in that fleet of 78 boats. Tunnicliffe arrived in China for the Olympic Games ranked number one in the world in the Laser Radial. After two races on the first competition day, she carried a gold dot on her sail to signal her position as the fleet leader. After race five she slipped down to third in the 28boat fleet before moving up to second overall after race six, which was completed in challengingly heavy winds. She followed a 15th-place finish in race seven with a pair of deuces, guaranteeing her place on the podium with only the medal color undecided. During the medal race on the final day of competition, Tunnicliffe fell back to ninth in the fleet before her correct read of a wind shift allowed her to regain lost ground. She crossed the finish line in second place to become a gold medalist at her first Olympic Games. To that end her post-Olympic schedule has included a triathlon, some match racing (she won the ISAF Nations Cup Regional Final and the U.S. Women’s Match Racing Championship, sailed, respectively, in J/22s and Sonars), and a return to dinghy sailing (she was second at the Snipe Women’s World Championship in Spain). As 2008 drew to a close, she once again showed her winning form in the Laser
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SOUTHERN RACING Radial by kicking off her training for the 2012 Olympics with a victory in Australia at Sail Melbourne, the first event in the inaugural ISAF Sailing World Cup. The 26-year-old Tunnicliffe first came to national attention in 1997 as the youngest skipper in US SAILING’s Rolex International Women’s Keelboat Championship. The native of England, then 14 years old, finished 13th among 36 teams representing eight nations.
New Racing Rules of Sailing 2009-2012 Go into Effect Every four years US SAILING publishes the newest edition of The Racing Rules of Sailing. These rules are reviewed by a committee of sailing authorities who upgrade, delete or redefine the racing rules that sailors use worldwide. The new rules went into effect on January 1. Some of the important changes to take note of are changes in definitions regarding marks and obstructions. These changes include new rules 18, 19 and 20 and new definitions for Mark-Room, Zone and Fetching. Additional definition changes include Clear Astern, Clear Ahead, Overlap and Obstruction. For more information, go to www.ussailing.org/rules
Lake Eustis Year-Round Youth Sailing Program Every Saturday and Wednesday afternoons: Interscholastic Sail Training Program for high school students at the Lake Eustis Sailing Club’s Youth Sailing Programs. New participants are welcome. No experience in sailing needed to join. Sail training offered on Saturday afternoons. Top quality coaching. Instruction by top-notch coaches who are all US SAILING-certified. Affordable fee, $40 per month. For info and sign on, contact Leah Ladley at (352) 357-5976. New sailing class for juniors, age 8-14, will start on March 7. Register online at www.Lakeeustissailingclub.org, and click on Junior Sailing. Classes are kept to no more than 10 boats. First come, first served.
The Melges Experience, Davis Island Yacht Club, Dec. 13-14 — Poetic Sailing By King Purton The Melges Experience 2008 was held at Davis Island Yacht Club, Dec. 13-14. It accomplished its dual purpose of introducing 15 new sailors to the joy of raising their adrenaline several levels and benefiting the treasury of Davis Island Youth Sailing. The following poem written by one of the participants expresses the success far better than I can. Sailing the Melges Experience was truly a great event. Even when our instructors, some times would have to vent. They didn’t yell, but often gave us plenty of direction. When we missed a step, they were quick with a correction. But we learned to make changes in a very short time. We learned that the Melges can literally turn on a dime. We hiked out and yes, we got a little wet. But the thrill we were seeking was definitely met. Moving that fast on the water was wonderful and really great. So thanks to the vessel Wicked Witch, her Captain and First Mate. You taught us strong, but not with malice or tension. We learned so much from you, we really need to mention. For the Youth Sailing program you volunteered your time and boat. Your crew wanted to say Thank You, with more than a note. Here is a small token of our thanks for the experience you lent. I am glad the security deposit did not need to be spent. So thanks again for your time and effort, Mate Nick and Captain Joe. Your weekend crew appreciated the experience, more than you will ever know. The Melges Experience 2009 will be scheduled for next December. Contact me next fall to be part of the best sailing events available in the area. King Purton (813) 760-0177 kpurton@Verizon.net.
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I UPCOMING RACING-RELATED EVENTS
Dave Perry and Laser Performance Team Up to Hold Two SB3 Match Racing Clinics, Miami, FL, Feb. 2-4 This winter Miami will be the hottest place for sailors looking to hone their sailing and match racing skills. When US SAILING selected the Laser SB3 as the approved equipment for US SAILING’s 2009 Rolex Miami OCR event, LaserPerformance teamed up with Dave Perry to organize two match racing clinics surrounding the event. The Clinics will be held in the same Laser SB3s as are used in the OCR. The first clinic is Jan. 21-23 for women sailors, and the second is Feb. 2-4, open to all advanced sailors. The focus of the women’s clinic will be on advanced match racing. Dave Perry will cover the tactics, rules, umpire calls, strategies and techniques for the pre-start, upwind and downwind legs, and mark roundings. He will also cover how to burn a penalty and regatta strategies for winning an event. The clinic will immediately precede the 2009 US Sailing Rolex Miami Olympic Classes Regatta, and is open to all women, all nations. The open advanced sailors clinic is for advanced sailors, who may or may not have any experience with formal
News & Views for Southern Sailors
match racing, to come learn how to match race, or how to match race better. In almost all fleet races, there are situations where two boats are fighting for the same piece of water, fighting for position in the pre-start or coming into a mark. Knowing the fundamentals of match racing makes it easier to win those one-on-one battles, whether you are a skipper or crew. Often the last race of a regatta, whether a medal race or not, will come down to one boat attacking another, and knowing how to match race will help whether you are doing the attacking or being attacked. In this clinic, Dave Perry will cover the topics in the women’s clinic plus how to get more involved in formal match racing, the event schedule, and how to get a world ranking. This clinic is open to all experienced sailors. To learn more or register for one or both clinics, go to www.sail-laser.com. For questions, call (305) 285-3442, or email sb3clinic@sail-laser.com
US Sailing Basic Race Management Seminar, Sarasota Sailing Squadron, Feb. 7 Designed for people who have some race committee experience, but newcomers are also welcome. Topics covered include RC objectives, RC responsibilities, sailing instructions, RC jobs, RC equipment, setting the course, starting
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SOUTHERN RACING system, starting penalties, before the start, during the race, finishing, and scoring. The changes in The Racing Rules of Sailing 2009-2012 that affect race management will be discussed. Attendees will need their own copy of The Racing Rules of Sailing 2009-2012, which comes with membership in US SAILING. The Club Race Officer Certification test, which is given at the conclusion of the seminar, is optional. However, in order to be certified as a US SAILING Club Race Officer, it is required to attend a complete seminar and to pass the test. Held at Mote Aquarium, 1600 Ken Thompson Parkway, Sarasota, FL 34236. 8 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. For further information, contact, Stu Gilfillen at (941) 504-4236, or stuart_gilfillen@hotmail.com.
I UPCOMING MAJOR REGATTAS
2009 Sperry Top-Sider NOOD Regatta Series, St. Petersburg, FL, Feb. 13-15 The longest-running, most respected and largest sailboat racing regatta series in North America, the Sperry Top-Sider National Offshore One Design (NOOD) Regatta, will open the 2009 season in St. Petersburg, FL, at the St. Petersburg Yacht Club Feb. 13-15. The nine-event national sail-racing tour is considered to be the most prestigious offshore sailracing circuit in the United States. This three-day event consistently attracts a diverse group of competitors, from local day sailors to Olympic and professional sailors to world and national champions. Sailors from around the world will compete with local sailors on the water in a one-design racing format. This format rewards the best racing skills rather than the best boat. Multiple races on multiple venues will be held on Tampa Bay each day. Private spectator boats are allowed. Racing will be 9:30 a.m. - 4 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and Sunday at 9:30 - 3 p.m. For more information, go to the yacht club Web site at www.spyc.org, or call the club at (727) 822-3873.
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2009 Washington’s Birthday Regatta, Palm Beach Sailing Club, Feb. 14-15 The regatta is hosted by the Palm Beach Sailing Club featuring the Mega Byte Midwinter Championships. Classes racing are Finn, Laser, Radial, 4.7, Sunfish, Opti IOD All Classes and Vanguard 15s. For more information, go to the club Web site at www.pbsail.org.
Catalina 22 Midwinters, Cocoa Beach, FL, Feb. 21-24 The Indian River Yacht Club will host the Catalina 22 Midwinters on Feb. 21-24. Windward/Leeward races will be held on the Indian River in the vicinity of government marks 77 and 79. Exact distance and course are weather-dependent and will be announced at the skippers’ meeting on race day. The skippers’ meeting and awards ceremony will be held at Lee Wenner Park, 300 Riveredge Dr., Cocoa, FL. Boats will be hauled out after racing on Saturday and stored, mast up, on their trailers. Entry fee is $35. Register on Feb. 21 at Lee Wenner Park on Saturday at 9 a.m. Skippers’ meeting will be at 11 a.m. The first race will start at 12:30 p.m. On Sunday, the first race will start at 11 a.m. For more information, contact IRYC Fleet Captain John Llibre (321) 453-1357 or e-mail jllibre@cfl.rr.com.
Washington’s Birthday Regatta, Barnacle Historic State Park, Biscayne Bay, FL, Feb. 21 The 14th annual revival of the Washington’s Birthday Regatta takes place on Biscayne Bay just off shore of Barnacle Historic State Park. The regatta was first organized in 1887 by Commodore Ralph Munroe, founder of the Biscayne Bay Yacht Club and Coconut Grove pioneer. The
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race is open to traditional-style sailboats (e.g., mudhens, seapearls, bullseyes, sharpies, Bahama dinghies, cat boats, gaff-rigs, etc.). It is a great spectator event by land or sea. Award ceremony follows the race at 4:30 p.m. at the park. The entry fee is a suggested donation of $15 per boat, made payable to the Barnacle Society, a not-for-profit volunteer organization whose mission is to support the state park. The park is located at 3485 Main Highway in downtown Coconut Grove. For an entry packet, and more information, call the park office at (305) 442-6866. Go online for the NOR and other registration information at www.floridastateparks.org/thebarnacle/Events.cfm.
Gasparilla Regatta, Tampa Sailing Squadron, Apollo Beach, FL, Feb. 21-22 Tampa Sailing Squadron will be the host for the annual Gasparilla Regatta on Feb. 21, sponsored by Lexus. This will be followed on Sun., Feb. 22, by the Women’s Gasparilla Regatta. These racing events tie in with the annual Gasparilla celebrations, parades, and pirate festivals in the Tampa Bay area. Racing will include both Spinnaker and Non-Spinnaker classes as well as True Cruising and Mother Lode. OneDesign fleets are encouraged to attend. Go to www.tampasailing.org for more information.
News & Views for Southern Sailors
Mardi Gras Regatta, New Orleans, LA, Feb. 27-28 New Orleans requests your presence to participate in two events that together equate to the world’s largest party. What would Mardi Gras be without a monster regatta? In what will be a true carnival experience, the New Orleans Yacht Club is holding its annual premier racing event the weekend of Feb. 27-28. Following on the heels of Fat Tuesday (Feb. 24) and a few weeks after Key West Race Week, Southern racers refuse to let the party end and will be ready for more hard-core one-design and PHRF racing. With six boats constituting a class, the one-design classes expected are Melges 32, Melges 24, Finn, J/22, J/24, J/30, J/80, Lightning, Open Flying Scot, R-19, V15, Moths, Fish Boats, Sonars, Sunfish and Optimist. More information, as well as hotels and directions are posted on the Web site, www.mardigrasregatta.org. Limited free “college style” housing is available. See you in the Big Easy!
16th Annual Conquistador Cup, Charlotte Harbor, March 7-8 The 16th annual Conquistador Cup will be held on Charlotte Harbor, March 7-8. Historically the largest regatta
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SOUTHERN RACING in southwest Florida, this event’s organizing authority is the Punta Gorda Sailing Club in cooperation with the Royal Order of Ponce de Leon Conquistadors. The regatta begins with registration and free beer on Friday evening, March 6, at Harpoon Harry’s Restaurant, at Fisherman’s Village in Punta Gorda. Two buoy-course races are planned for Saturday afternoon with a first gun at 1100 hours. Divisions will include Spinnaker, Non-Spinnaker, True Cruising, and Multihull. Racers will meet at Harpoon Harry’s after racing for beer and a buffet. On Sunday, all registered boats will join together for the 16th running of the reverse start Conquistador’s Cup. Mix it up with some 70 boats all on the course at the same time. A staggered start is meant to bring all boats to the finish at the same time, with the final moments of the race often resulting in quite a gaggle of boats all striving to be the first over the finish line. The winner is awarded the coveted Ponce de Leon Conquistador Helmet and gets his boat pictured on next year’s regatta T-shirt. An awards ceremony with beer and munchies will follow the completion of Sunday’s race. The fun and festivities, including handing out door prizes, will be held at Harpoon Harry’s. The official NOR and entry forms are on the Punta Gorda Sailing Club Web site at www.pgscweb.com.
2009 Lightning Class Southern Circuit Gears Up—First Regatta, March 14-15 For nearly 40 years, the annual Lightning Southern Circuit has been sending a fleet of 50 or so boats on a combination road rally and regatta that includes stops at Savannah, GA, and Miami, before finishing with an additional couple of dozen of the 19-foot-long sloops in St. Petersburg, FL. The series kicks off at the annual Deep South Regatta, held March 14-15 at the Savannah YC. On March 17-18, the
Lightning Midwinter Regatta will be hosted at the Coral Reef YC in Miami. The 62nd Lightning Winter Championship in St. Petersburg will take place on March 20-22. Competitors from South America, Europe, and North America will be on hand, as well as former and current world champions and Olympic sailors. For more information, go to www.lightningclass.org.
2009 First Coast Offshore Challenge, Jacksonville, FL, to Georgia and Return, April 1-4 The North Florida Cruising Club and the Saint Augustine Yacht Club are coordinating this regatta that is also a fundraising event. Proceeds and donations go to the Safe Harbor Boys Home in Jacksonville, FL. (For information on the Safe Harbor Boys Home, see the article in Southwinds, September 2007. www.southwindsmagazine.com/backissues.html.) This regatta races from the start near Jacksonville, FL— at Mayport—south to St. Augustine, on April 1. After an overnight stop there, the race continues on April 2-3 on the second leg of the race to St. Mary’s, GA. The following day, on April 4, the race heads back south to Mayport. An afterrace awards party will be held at the Safe Harbor Boys Home & Marina. Are you already going to Charleston Race Week (April 16-19)? Then consider joining this regatta on the way. Free dockage is available at Safe Harbor Boys Home Marina before, during and after the regatta. All ports and parties are deep-water accessible for larger vessels. A travel lift is available (free!) for yachts coming or leaving by trailer. Stash the boat at Safe Harbor until you leave for home or Charleston! For more information on the regatta and registration, go to www.fcoc2009.com.
I RACE REPORTS
Keys Sailor Fourth in Annual Key Largo Steeplechase Race, Key Largo, Dec. 13-14 By Rick White Spina and Livingston flying toward the Channel Five Bridge on the Tornado, an Olympic Class Design. Photo by Rick White.
Steve Lohmayer of Tavernier finished in fourth place in the 24th Annual Key Largo Steeplechase the weekend of Dec. 13-14, a 110mile trek around the Upper Keys in high-speed, high-tech beach catamarans. Lohmayer was only a few
minutes behind the thirdplace trophy winner. South Florida sailors in general did very well, with Mike Phillips and Kenny Pierce of Miami, winning overall on a lightweight, 20foot carbon fiber catamaran made in Sweden. Hitting speeds over 30 miles per hour at times, this boat took just under seven hours to complete the entire 110 miles. Sailing a Tornado, an Olympic Class boat, Leandro Spina and Jamie Livingston, also from Miami, took second place overall. The course started on Saturday at the north end of Jewfish Creek, then under Card Sound Bridge, out Angelfish Creek and down The Orange Bowl International Youth Regatta in Miami, Dec. 27-30. Photo by Tim Wilkes. the ocean side of the islands to Lower Matecumbe. Then In the Optimist Red/Blue/White Overall, the top three on Sunday they continued down the ocean side to Channel were Spain’s Carlos Robles Lorente, Arthur Fortune from Five Bridge and up the bay side of the islands to the finish the French island of Guadeloupe and Coral Reef Yacht at the Caribbean Club Beach on Blackwater Sound, following the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway most of the way. Sponsors of the race are Caribbean Watersports, Calvert Sails, Catamaran Sailor magazine and OnLineMarine Store.com.
YACHT BROKERS
Sun Shines On Miami’s Orange Bowl Regatta, Coral Reef Yacht Club, Miami, FL, Dec. 27-30 From the Coral Reef Yacht Club With wind ranging from 6 to 15 knots, over 80-degree temperatures, blue skies overhead and 675 sailors, it was a fun four days of racing in Miami’s Biscayne Bay. Sailors competed from 23 nations and 34 states, but all quickly learned that you “have fun” at the Orange Bowl International Youth Regatta. After the sailing, there were parties, the pool, tag football, College Sailing Night (with 26 coaches) and the traditional silver bowl filled with oranges. The top winners were from Florida, Spain, New York/New Jersey and Brazil, but the real winners were the younger sailors who “caught the sailing bug.” Hosted by Coral Reef Yacht Club and assisted by the US Sailing Center (Lasers) and Biscayne Bay Yacht Club (420s), Miami’s Coconut Grove got to shine, too, with an evening “Cruise the Grove” party. Starting with the youngest sailors, the Optimist Green fleet (beginners) winner was Ivan Shestopalov of Coral Reef Yacht Club. Ivan dominated the Optimist Green fleet beginners out of 57 boats. The Green Fleet principal race officer (PRO) was Coral Reef Yacht Club’s Trish Walker. Ivan now moves into Opti White for his next regatta, leaving room for more young sailors to trophy. News & Views for Southern Sailors
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CONTACT
editor@southwindsmagazine.com or call at (941) 795-8704 SOUTHWINDS
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SOUTHERN RACING Club’s Axel Sly from Miami, Florida. With the three fleets’ 218 boats racing in four flights, Biscayne Bay seemed to be covered with Optimist prams and streamers in lime, yellow, purple and pink. The PRO was Jon Ewing from Coral Reef Yacht Club. The Optimist Red fleet winner, Carlos Robles Lorente of Spain, beat 97 other sailors. In the Blue fleet, Guadeloupe’s Arthur Fortune won in his 80-boat fleet. Romain Screve from San Francisco was the top White- Fleeter out of 40. The top girl was Maria Jos Cucalon of Ecuador. The 420 class had record numbers with 113 boats, but Ian Liberty and Alex Whipple of Long Island Sound and Tom’s River, NJ, managed to win by 12 points over 12 races. The next three teams were female with Michigan’s Morgan Kiss and Laura McKenna finishing second and Marlena Fauer and Christina Lewis from Long Island Sound finishing third. These two teams had tied with Morgan and Laura winning the tiebreaker. The 420 circle had Coral Reef Yacht Club’s Jane Anne Pincus as PRO. They were split into four flights. Although Miami’s Nick Voss finished 22nd in the 420 class, he stood out as he was sailing in his 12th Orange Bowl. Nick started sailing in the Opti Green fleet at age 7, worked his way very successfully through the Optimist class and now, at age 18, sails on the University of Miami sailing team. Nick is the current U.S. National Snipe Jr. Champ who was competing in his final Orange Bowl Regatta. He said, “Wherever I sail, I run into sailors who I know from the Orange Bowl. It is really a small sailing world. The Orange Bowl does a great job in bringing youth sailors together from all over.” Three different Laser classes competed on one circle run by Lauderdale Yacht Club’s Tom Lihan. Brazil’s Carlo Mazzaferro won the 4.7 Class out of 32 boats, ahead of South American 4.7 champ, Jonathan Martinetti. Christopher Stocke from Sarasota won the Laser Radials against 109 sailors pulling ahead of Mateo Vargas of St. Pete on the very last race. Clearwater’s Emily Billing was top Laser Radial girl, ahead of current Leiter Trophy (U.S. Junior Women’s Singlehanded Championship) Champ, Arielle deLisser from Miami. Host Coral Reef Yacht Club’s Luke Lawrence led the Full-Rig Lasers by 25 points with 33 sailors competing. Luke now must look forward to college sailing. All races were scored on the water by the CRYC Scoring Team using Sprint Wireless. For total results, visit www.coralreefyachtclub.org.
Boot Key Harbor Wazoo Cup, Jan. 3 By Peggy St. James Under warm, blue skies with moderate winds, the second annual Boot Key Harbor Wazoo Cup Dinghy Race was held on January 3. Because Boot Key Harbor in the Florida Keys is a slow- speed zone, “race” is slightly misleading. Rather than be the first to cross the line, the winner of the coveted “Wazoo Cup” must try to match the “mystery” time secretly established by last year’s winner, Steve on Scirroco, who dinghied the same course under cover of darkness to establish the “mystery” time. Twenty-eight motorized and sailing dinghies with over 50 human participants, several dogs, and one bird competed, after paying the “entry fee” of $5, half of which went to 70
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the winner and half to K.A.I.R., Keys Area Interdenominational Resources, a non-profit group in the Marathon area, which helps out those in need. This year’s winners are Odie and Judi aboard Cloud Walker, who were only eight seconds off the “mystery” time. Special recognition goes to Spring Moon, Razzmatazz, Happy Cat and Anything’s PAWsible, who—in true Wazoo spirit— chose to cruise in solidarity by all crossing the finish line at the same time. Canine Capt. Jake Sparrow, aboard Anything’s PAWsible—and dressed in pirate tri-corner—was entertained by his human companion, Shelly, who juggled tennis balls while crossing both the start and finish lines! The original Wazoo Cup, creation of Russell Vance of Cape Coral, FL, is held yearly as part of the Caloosahatchie Marching and Chowder Society (CMCS) annual “Danger Island” event.
Multiclass Regatta and Contender Midwinters, St. Petersburg Yacht Club, Jan. 9-11 By Dave Ellis The economy affected the attendance, the Flying Dutchman class was in New Zealand at their Worlds, the A-Cats were in a regatta in the Keys and the Snipes did their own thing, making for a smaller attendance this year. The Contenders used the event for their Midwinter regatta, fielding eight boats, each with a talented sailor hailing from as far away as Great Britain, Canada, California and Texas. Friday’s racing started with full trapeze wind conditions for these hot singlehanders, diminishing for the fourth race of the day. Saturday was lighter, ending in a drifter for the second race. Ethan Bixby, the top-placing North American sailor at the Contender Worlds this year, excelled in the lighter races, winning four in a row. Sunday was windier, preceding a weather front, with Bixby hanging on for the win. The 505, Ultimate 20 and Sonar classes raced Saturday and Sunday. Augie Diaz and Allison Jolly had a close battle at the top of the 505 fleet, with Diaz the winner. Don Corey of North Carolina won the U20 fleet, and Ralph Stitz of New York won the Sonars. Go to www.spyc.org for results.
I REGIONAL RACING CALENDARS Regattas and Club Racing— Open to Everyone Wanting to Race For the races listed here, no individual club membership is required, although a regional PHRF rating, or membership in US SAILING or other sailing association is often required. To list an event, send an e-mail to editor@southwindsmagazine.com. Send in the name of the event, date, location, contact info, possibly a short description. Do not just send a link to this information. Since race schedules and venues change, contact the sponsoring organization to confirm. www.southwindsmagazine.com
10-11 Laser Midweek Madness. Martin County Sailing Center 14-15 USO Regatta. Navy Jax Yacht Club 21-22 39th Annual George Washington Birthday Regatta. Open Regatta. Lake Eustis Sailing Club 21-22 Spring River Race and Frostbite Regatta # 4. Rudder Club 21-22 Catalina 22 Mid-Winters. Indian River Yacht Club
FEBRUARY Charleston Ocean Racing Association. www.charlestonoceanracing.org SAYRA annual meeting 2/6-2/8 in Columbia, SC Local races every other Saturday on 2/10 and 3/1 Neuse Yacht Racing Association www.nyra.org 23 Commodore’s Ball Regatta Lake Lanier. Lake Lanier Sailing Club (LLSC) www.llsc.com 2 1064 LLSC 3 Ice Breaker #3 SSC 9 Hot Buttered Rum. UYC 16 Winter #4 SSC 24 Ice Breaker #4 SSC 24 Winter Gale #2 BFSC South Atlantic Yacht Racing Assoc. www.sayra-sailing.com SAYRA annual meeting 2/6-2/8 in Columbia, SC 28 Basic Race Management Seminar. LNYC www.longbaysailing.com See Web site for local club races MARCH Charleston Ocean Racing Association. www.charlestonoceanracing.org 7 Community Sailing Fest 14 Spring Harbor Race 21 Spring Ocean Race Neuse Yacht Racing Association www.nyra.org No races scheduled in March. See Web site for local club races Lake Lanier. Lake Lanier Sailing Club (LLSC) www.llsc.com See Web site for weekly local club races 7-8 Laser Southerns. LLSC 14-15 Atlanta Cup. LLSC. J/24, M24. 21-22 USODA Team Event. LLSC 27-29 Dogwood Regatta. Atlanta Inland Sailing Club (AISC) South Atlantic Yacht Racing Assoc. www.sayra-sailing.com 7-8 Y-Flyer Midwinters 14-15 Deep South Regatta. Savannah YC. Lightning Southern Circuit. 14-15 SAYRA 420 Regatta. Lake Norman YC. 21-22 Keelboat Midwinters. Lake Norman YC 28-29 Tommy Whitesides Regatta. Carolina SC. Catamarans & PHRF www.longbaysailing.com See Web site for local club races 22 First Race of Spring Series
FEBRUARY 1,15 Winter Rum Race #7,#8. Melbourne Yacht Club 8,22 Small Boat Sunday. Melbourne Yacht Club 6-8 10th Annual wayfarer Regatta. Lake Eustis Sailing Club 7-8 1st Annual GWB MC Scow Regatta. Lake Eustis Sailing Club 7-8 Frostbite Regatta #3. Rudder Club 8 Tequila Run Race. Lake Monroe Sailing Association News & Views for Southern Sailors
MARCH 1,13,27 Spring Rum Race #2,#3,#4. Melbourne Yacht Club 7 Full Moon Sail and Overnight on the River. Lake Monroe Sailing Association 7 Space Coast 45 Indian River Run. Space Coast Catamaran Association 8 Tequila Race. Lake Monroe Sailing Association 8,22 Small Boat Sunday. Melbourne Yacht Club 7-8 River City Regatta & Spring Series #2. Rudder Club 11,18,25 Spring Wednesday Race #1,#2,#3. Indian River Yacht Club 11,18,25 Rum Race. Lake Monroe Sailing Association 12 Zenda U M16/17 and C Scow Tune Up Clinic. Lake Eustis Sailing Club 13-15 4th Annual Melges 17 Midwinter National Championship Regatta. Lake Eustis Sailing Club 13-15 10th Annual C Scow Midwinter National Championship Regatta. Lake Eustis Sailing Club 13-15 1st Annual M 16 Scow National Midwinter Championship Regatta 14-15 Catalina 22 Region 3 Championships. Rudder Club 17-18 Zenda U MC Scow Clinic. Lake Eustis Sailing Club 19 Adult Sailing Class, Session 1 begins. Melbourne Yacht Club 19-21 37th Annual MC Scow Midwinter National Championship Regatta. Lake Eustis Sailing Club. 21 DuPont Cup Regatta. & Spring Series #3. Eppingham Forest Yacht Club 21 Spring Race #1. East Coast Sailing Association 21 Club Race, Winter Series 7-8-9. Lake Monroe Sailing Association 28 Distance Race. Port Canaveral Yacht Club 28 Women’s Spring Race #3. East Coast Sailing Association 28-29 Trans-Monroe Regatta. Lake Monroe Sailing Association
Biscayne Bay Yacht Racing Association. www.bbyra.net Go to the Web site for local club races BBYC Biscayne Bay YC BBYRA Biscayne Bay Yacht Racing Association. www.bbyra.net CGSC Coconut Grove Sailing Club. www.cgsc.org CRYC Coral Reef YC. www.coralreefyachtclub.org. KBYC Key Biscayne YC. www.kbyc.org. MYC Miami YC. www.miamiyachtclub.net. FEBRUARY 1 BBYRA PHRF #2. BBYC 2-5 Team Paradise Open Paralympics Regatta. SAL/FlatEarth 5-7 49ers North Americans. USSC 6 Pineapple Cup - Motego Bay Race 7-8 Masters Regatta Stars. CRYC 7-8 Florida State Championships Etchells. BBYC 7-8 Comodoro Rasco Snipes. CGSC 8-11 J/24 Midwinters. DIYC SOUTHWINDS
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SOUTHERN RACING 9-11 19-22 21 22 27-1
Sonar Midwinters. Flat Earth Racing J/22 Midwinters. DIYC MYC Annual BBYRA. PHRF #3 MYC Annual BBYRA. OD #3 Jaguar Mid-Winter’s Etchells. BBYC
MARCH 27-1 Jaguar Mid-Winter’s Etchells. BBYC 5-8 Miami Grand Prix Race Week. Premiere Racing 7 J/24 BBSeries Spring 1. Flat Earth 8-13 Bacardi Cup. Stars. 13-14 Race to Bimini. KBYC 13-14 SAL Midwinters. SAL/FlatEarth 13-15 Don Q Snipe Regatta. CGSC 17-18 Lightning Southern Circuit. CRYC 20-22 Etchells Coral Reef Cup. CRYC 21 Coral Cup. CGSC 28 BBYRA. PHRF #4. KBYC 29 BBYRA. One-Design #4. BBYC
Key West Sailing Club. Every Saturday – Open House at the Key West Sailing Club. 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. (305) 292-5993. www.keywestsailingclub.org. Sailboat Lane off Palm Avenue in Key West. Come by the club to sail. Non-members and members welcome. Wednesday night racing has begun for the summer season. Skippers meet at the clubhouse by 5:00 p.m. and boats start racing at 6:00 p.m. in the seaplane basin near the mooring field. Dinner and drinks afterward. Upper Keys Sailing Club (UKSC). www.upperkeyssailingclub.com. Go to the Web site for regular club racing open to all. FEBRUARY 6-8 JY-15 Midwinters. Bayside 14-15 Commodore’s Regatta MARCH See Web site for March schedule.
SOUTHWINDS Annual Online West Florida Race Calendar Posted Sept. 1 SOUTHWINDS magazine posts the annual race schedule/calendar (9/1/08 — 8/31/09) on its Web site for all racing in the central west Florida area from just north of Tampa Bay south to Marco Island. The calendar includes all scheduled races of the West Florida PHRF organization (www.westfloridaphrf.org), plus club races in the area and any others that boaters in the area would like to post. The Boat of the Year races are listed for all the areas of the West Florida PHRF organization. The race calendar can be accessed through the racing pages link at www.southwindsmagazine.com. It is also the race calendar link at the West Florida PHRF organization (www.westfloridaphrf.org) and many other sailing associations and yacht clubs in the area. 72
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Contact editor@southwindsmagazine.com to list your race, make corrections, or changes. Sorry, but we cannot list every single weekly club race. Club Racing Boca Ciega YC. Gulfport. Third Sunday each month. 10am, PHRF racing. (727) 321-7295 or www.sailbcyc.org. One-design, dinghy racing every Wednesday at 5:30 pm. May through September. (727) 458-7274. Bradenton YC. Races November thru March. Sunday races at 1:30 p.m. PHRF racing on Manatee River. For info, call Susan Tibbits at (941) 723-6560. Clearwater Community Sailing Center. The center holds regular weekend club races. For dates and more information, go to www.clearwatercommunitysailing.org. Dunedin Boat Club. Monthly club racing. For more information, contact saraherb@aol.com. Edison Sailing Center, Fort Myers. Sunfish and dinghy racing once a month, year-round john@johnkremski.com Port Charlotte. Third Saturday of month, year-round. pbgvtrax@aol.com. Punta Gorda Sailing Club. Charlotte Harbor. Fall Series Sunday afternoon racing begins Sept. 9 through Nov. 18. www.pgscweb.com. Sarasota Sailing Squadron. Friday evening races start in April. www.sarasotasailingsquad.com. Venice Sailing Squadron. Saturdays. First Saturday of each month, PHRF racing. Start at mouth of Venice Inlet. www.venice-sailing-squadron.org BOAT OF THE YEAR RACES (BOTY) — LEGEND Below are areas from Tampa Bay going south to greater Fort Myers area (southwest Florida). For a list of the BOTY races for each area, go to the West Florida online race calendar at www.southwindsmagazine.com/westfloridaracecalendar.html. Suncoast Boat of the Year Races (SuncoastBOTY) This is the Tampa Bay Area. Sarasota Bay Boat of the Year Races (SBBOTY) Sarasota Bay Motley Fleet Boat of the Year Races (MBOTY) Charlotte Harbor Boat of the Year Races (CHBOTY) Southwest Florida Boat of the Year Races (SWFBOTY) Ft. Myers/Marco Island area Caloosahatchee Boat of the Year Races (CBOTY) Ft. Myers/Cape Coral area FEBRUARY 2-4 Sarasota Sailing Squadron. 29er Regatta (Tentative) 6-8 505 Midwinters & A-Cats. Fort Desoto, Tampa Bay ethan. bixby@northsails. com 7 Naples Sailing & YC. Hospice Charity Regatta, PHRF. (SWFBOTY) 6-8 Treasure Island Tennis and YC. Beneteau Rendezvous 6-8 Lake Eustis SC. Wayfarer Nationals 7-8 St. Petersburg YC. Valentine’s Regatta, Juniors Opti and Laser 8-11 Davis Island YC. J/24 Midwinters 12 Davis Island YC. J/24 Race to St. Petersburg YC 13-15 St. Petersburg YC, Sailing World NOOD Regatta 14 Sarasota Sailing Squadron. Cherry Pie Pursuit Race, PHRF (SBBOTY) 14 Valentines Massacre, Sunfish. Port Charlotte, bdselah1@bdsailing.com 15 Cortez YC. St. Valentines Day Race, PHRF 15 Sarasota Sailing Squadron. Motley Fleet Race. (MBOTY) 19-22 Clearwater YC. Laser Midwinters East 19-22 Davis Island YC. J/22 Midwinters 20-22 St. Petersburg YC. Disabled Sailor Midwinters, Paralympic Classes See RACING CALENDAR continued on page 83 www.southwindsmagazine.com
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$1,395,000 Mexico $ 95,000 Tampa $299,000 St. Petersburg $289,000 Boston $350,000 St. Petersburg $ 99,700 Bradenton $155,000 Punta Gorda $169,000 St. Augustine $125,000 Fernandina Beach $154,900 Madeira Beach $209,900 Ft. Pierce $119,000 St. Petersburg $145,900 West Palm Beach $134,500 Ft Lauderdale $ 93,900 Ft. Lauderdale $124,900 Crystal River $ 74,900 Ft. Lauderdale $119,000 Palm Coast $ 88,900 Ft. Lauderdale $ 60,000 Titusville $ 84,900 Melbourne $159,900 Ft. Lauderdale $119,000 Ft. Lauderdale $ 99,000 Punta Gorda $ 94,900 Ft. Lauderdale $194,900 Bradenton $179,000 Pueto Rico $ 79,900 Ft. Lauderdale $ 85,000 Bokeelia $163,900 Ft. Lauderdale $269,000 Ft. Lauderdale $179,900 St. Augustine $124,900 Ft. Lauderdale $113,900 Ft. Lauderdale $ 44,900 Dunedin $ 54,900 Panama City $ 35,900 Palmetto
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MULTI-HULLS 65’ Brooks/Custom Power Cat. 60’ Custom Catamaran 55’ Lagoon Catamaran 51’Jeantot/Priviledge Catamaran 50’ Prout Catamaran 48’ Nautitech Catamaran 44’ St. Francis Catamaran 43’ Lagoon Power Catamaran 39’ Fountaine Pajot Fidji Cat. 35’ Charter Cat, Wildcat 30’ Woods Windsong Catamaran 28’ Telestar Trimaran
1998 1999 1991 1994 1980 1998 1994 2005 1990 2003 1989 2007
$495,000 Bradenton Beach $577,900 Tarpon Springs $475,000 Ft. Lauderdale $530,000 Florida $249,900 Ft. Pierce $459,000 Punta Gorda $269,000 Savanna, GA $395,000 Georgetown, MD $179,000Palau, South Pacific $149,900 Ft. Lauderdale $ 29,900 Bahamas $ 79,000 MD
Edwards Yacht Sales Quality Listings, Professional Brokers Roy Edwards • Clearwater • 727-725-1600 Tom Morton • St. Augustine • 904-377-9446 Bill Mellon • St. Petersburg • 727-421-4848 Roy Stringfellow • Tierra Verde • 305-775-8907
Leo Leo Roy S. Bill Joe Tom Roy S. Tom Roy Tom Leo TJ Joe Roy Roy S. TJ Bill Tom Rick TJ Tom
Joe Bill Bob Tom Bill Rick Bob Rick Rick Roy Tom Rick
BOAT LOANS FROM 5.75%
Bob Cook • Naples • 239-877-4094 Rick Hoving • St. Petersburg • 727-422-8229 Leo Thibault • Punta Gorda • 941-504-6754 Joe Weber • Bradenton • 941-224-9661
TJ Johnson • Palmetto • 941-741-5875
www.EdwardsYachtSales.com • 727-725-1600 • News & Views for Southern Sailors
FAX 727-725-1611 •
Yachts@EdwardsYachtSales.com SOUTHWINDS
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www.southwindsmagazine.com
i the Miam tar 28 at ls Te e th Mc and . 12-16 emini 105 how, Feb See the G ail Boat S Strictly S
Dealer for the Gemini 105 Mc Catamaran See the Gemini 105 Mc Demonstrators in Stuart and Naples, FL New 2009 Gemini 105 Mc Limited Time Winter Special Call for Special Pricing We offer brokerage services focused on cruising yachts Featured Brokerage Boat: 2008 Gemini 105 Mc – Asking $179,900 Fully equipped for cruising! WE NEED GOOD LISTINGS
Fairwinds Yachts MAIN OFFICE
2423 SE Dixie Hwy., Stuart, FL 34996 • 772-223-1109 • info@fwyachts.com Naples • 239-269-7440 • leiding@fwyachts.com
www.yachtworld.com/fairwindsyachts News & Views for Southern Sailors
SOUTHWINDS
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NEW & USED BOATS IN STOCK 2002 Catalina Expo 12.5 2009 Catalina 14.2 2009 Catalina Expo 14.2 2009 Compac Legacy 16 2009 Catalina 16.5 2009 Compac Picnic Cat 1988 Sanibel 18 w/trailer 2009 Compac Suncat 2008 Compac Suncat 2009 Compac Eclipse 2009 Catalina 22 Sport/ loaded New Catalina 22 MKII-WK 2008 Catalina 250 WB 2000 Catalina 250wk
$2,495 $5,648 $6,085 $11,500 $8,127 $9,865 $4,495 $20,265 SOLD $27,643 $18,300 $18,995 $29,995 $19,995
*Financing Available*
YACHT BROKERS Advertise in the SOUTHWINDS Brokerage Section at special rates: $110 QUARTER PAGE $200 HALF PAGE $325 FULL PAGE (12-month rates, black and white ads – add 20% for color)
Special pricing for classified ads for brokers
Update Your Ads Monthly The most cost effective way to reach southern boaters
CONTACT
editor@southwindsmagazine.com or call at (941) 795-8704 76
February 2009
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www.southwindsmagazine.com
CLASSIFIED ADS Ads Starting at 3 Months for $25 FREE ADS - All privately owned gear for sale up to $200 per item • Text only ad : $15 for three months, 30 words. $25/40 words. $35/60 words. • $30 for 30-word ad with horizontal photo. $40/40 words. $50/ 60 words. • These prices do not apply to ads for business services and products. Call for pricing. • Add $15 if vertical photo. Boats and item wanted ads included. • Add $10 to place the ad early on our Web site. Otherwise, all ads go up on the 1st of the month of publication. No refunds. • Ads prepaid by credit card, check, or Internet. • $10 to make changes (except for price, email, phone numbers, mistakes) in text. • The last month your ad runs will be in parentheses, e.g., (1/09) is February 2009. • Ad must be received by 6th of the month, sometimes later. Call to see if later or go online for our monthly deadline schedule. • E-mail ads and photos (as jpeg). If mailed, add $5 for typing or photo scan charge.
FEBRUARY SPECIAL* Ad & Photo for 3 MO/$25 Text Only Ad at $15/3 MO FREE ADS All privately owned gear for sale up to $200 per item *(ad must be placed no later than 2/28 – you must mention this offer) DISPLAY ADS: Starting At $38/month. (941) 795-8704. Contact editor@southwindsmagazine.com. BROKERS: Photo and text ads only apply to this offer. $5
to change your ad first 3 months. After 3 months: $20 a month for a new ad or $15 to pick up old ad. Price changes and mistake changes free. Credit card must be on file if not a monthly display advertiser. TO PLACE AN AD: 1. On the Internet, go to www.southwinds magazine.com/classifieds. Paypal: Put your ad in the “Message to Seller” area that will come at the end when you process the payment, or e-mail editor@southwindsmagazine.com. Photo must be e-mailed. 2. E-mail, Phone, Credit Card. E-mail editor@southwindsmagazine.com with text in email (or Word document). Call with credit card number (941) 795-8704. 3. Mail your ad in. PO Box 1175, Holmes Beach, FL 34218. Check or credit card number (with name, expiration, address). Enclose a SASE if photo wanted back.
We advise you to list the boat type first followed by the length. For example: Catalina 30. Your boat is more likely to be found by Internet search engines in this format.
Boats Wanted Boats & Dinghies Powerboats Boat Gear & Supplies
TOO LATE TO CLASSIFY _________________________________________ See this section at the end of classifieds for ads that came in too late to place in their appropriate section. Contact us if you have a last-minute ad to place—we still might have time in this section.
Businesses for Sale/Rent Engine For Sale Help Wanted Lodging for Sailors Hobie Adventure Island. 2007 16’ x 9’4” folding trimaran kayak sailboat. R/F mainsail, Fiberglass dagger board, folding rudder, mirage drive system, adjustable padded seat. Fast, excellent condition. $2200 or $2800, with trailer. (561) 439-7664. West Palm Beach, FL. (4/09)
1975 Catalina 22. Ready To Sail. Retrofit Summer (2006). Too Much New To list; email for brochure hytedin@hotmail.com, Trailer, NEW Tohatsu 6hp. Jacksonville, FL. (850) 443-7451. $3500 FIRM. (1/09)
BOATS WANTED
_________________________________________ Sunfish and Sunfish Rigs Wanted. TSS Youth Sailing, Inc., Tampa Youth Sailing, an organization to which donations are tax deductible, is in great need of sailing rigs for Sunfish sailboats. If you have a Sunfish rig (mast, sail and spars.) which you are not using, please consider a gift to us. Go to www.tssyouthsailing.org and click on Contact Us. _________________________________________
BOATS & DINGHIES
_________________________________________ Precision 15. 1997, $3,200. St. Petersburg, FL. Well maintained & ready to sail. Includes main sail cover, headboard float, motor bracket, and trailer. 2006 2hp/4stroke Honda engine, longshaft, $750. Call (727) 515-0576. (4/09) 78
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Real Estate for Sale or Rent Sails & Canvas Slips for Sale or Rent Too Late to Classify
Chris White Discovery 20 trimaran. Rare opportunity, launched 1987, Lombardi Multihulls, refurbished 2004 by John Lombardi. 16+ knots, she’ll do 20+. Good condition. New Sunrise tramps, bottom repainted 2007. LOA: 20’, BOA 15’3”, (8’6” folded), Draft 11”/3’6” rotating aluminum mast, new Schaefer furler drum, original main, jib (both usable), symmetric spinnaker (good condition), demountable. Includes trailer, 4 cycle Honda 2 HP, anchor, closed-cell cockpit cushions. Eustis, FL. $17,500. Don Wigston, Windcraft, (404) 307-9121, info@windcraft.net (2/09)
$50 – 3 mo. Ad & Photo 941-795-8704
MacGregor 1998 26X, 50 HP Honda 4-stroke OB. Unique water ballast system. Less than 1 foot draft when board is up. 7’ 10” beam and comes with a trailer. Enclosed head, aft sleeping cabin, galley, and dinette. CDI roller furling jib. VHF radio. Stereo with cockpit speakers. Wheel steering, cockpit cushions and more. $13,500. Cortez Yacht Sales (941) 792-9100. www.southwindsmagazine.com
CLASSIFIED ADS 1978 S2 26. New standing rigging. Fresh bottom paint/hull - August 2008. Good Sails. Johnson 9.9 OB. Tiller Pilot, GPS, Depth, 4-foot draft. Must Sell. Over $5000 invested. Make offer. (941) 737-4034. (4/09)
WHARRAM TIKI 30 CATAMARAN FOR SALE Brand New — Professionally Built Go to www.tiki30.blogspot.com to view an online journal documenting the step-bystep building of this boat. Built by Boatsmith, Inc., Jupiter, FL www.boatsmithFL.com. (561)744-0855
32’ Watkins 1983 Ideal for cruising or liveaboard, well maintained. Hybrid refrigeration, 27HP Yanmar, A/C, autopilots, GPS, High output alternator. Pictures and list of equipment: www.kollmann-marine.com/Loreli.htm or call (954) 583-7215. (2/09a)
1989 Hunter 30 sloop. Asking $29,900, well equipped & maintained, shoal draft, reverse cycle A/C, comfortable accommodations, good performance, spare genoa. Stew (727) 415-0350. (727) 560-0901. www.sciyachtsalesinternational.com.
1975 C&C 33. New Standing and running rigging, racing & cruising/delivery sails. Good race record. Epoxy barrier coat bottom. AM/FM CD and speed/depth. Asking $17,900 Call Mike at (727) 510-4167 or (727) 796-4260; (4/09a)
82 Pearson 30 Flyer. Competitive PHRF racer. Mylar and Dacron sails. 3 spinnakers, 3 jibs, 2 mains, Raymarine speed, depth, wind. BMW diesel. Hauled ’08. Faired and Coated ’04. New mainsheet traveler. New jib track & blocks. Folding prop. $13,500. (813) 641-2755. (4/09)
2004 Catalina 34 MK II, loaded and ready. This boat is equipped for the discriminating sailor for pure pleasure or the competitor for pure enjoyment. Everything you need in a boat. Two complete sets of sails, one to cruise, another to race. Everything is like new. $127,500. www.Cortezyachts.com for listing or call (941) 792-9100.
Oday 272 1987. Drafts 2’11”! 2003 Honda 9.9 four stroke engine, wheel steering, roller furling, autopilot, GPS, VHF, surround stereo, Bimini, dodger. $10,500. (321) 544-1733 Cocoa Beach, FL. (2/09)
Catalina 28 MKII. 1998. Excellent condition. Dodger, Bimini. Huge cockpit and comfortable. Low hours on original diesel. Radar, GPS, Chartplotter, VHF, Autopilot, VHF. Anchors, line, Gear. Cushions excellent down below and in cockpit. Rebuilt roller furling. Whisker pole. 135 and 155 headsails (both like new). New Bottom job, Jan. 2009. $46,900. Located Palmetto, FL, in Tampa Bay. (941) 795-8704. Craig100@tampabay.rr.com.
28’ Corsair F-28R Trimaran ‘97. ‘07 Carbon sails, ‘07 - 9.8 OB, overhauled trailer. Turn-key condition. $69,900. Palmetto, FL. Write for particulars to fmp28r@yahoo.com. (941) 538-8540. (2/09a)
Catalina 30 sailboat, 1989, 3’10” draft, tall rig, new bottom paint and running gear, Engel refrigeration. Sails in excellent condition. Diesel rebuilt Oct ’08. 10 amp solar, 8.5 Achilles and 3.5 Nissan, $22,000. Cruise Ready. South Florida. (305) 509-2834. (2/09) News & Views for Southern Sailors
1987 Catalina 30 with Universal diesel, Harken RF, lazy jacks, Bruce and Danforth, Lemar STs, Bimini, Data Marine instruments, Grill, GPS, VHF, Stereo, TV, front door refrig, alcohol stove, swim ladder, marine air and more. A great boat at a fantastic offer. $21,000. www.Cortezyachts.com. (941) 792-9100 1978 Endeavor 32. new Bimini, hatch/sail cover, all new interior, cushions and bedding. Top shape. 20 HP Yanmar, new bottom ‘07, 10’ Avon. Needs electronics update. Located Pensacola. $19,500 OBO. (850) 232-8599. (3/09)
1968 Classic Morgan 34’ In process of refurbishing for past 2 years. Full Lead Keel added complete with CAD designs. New wiring. New Simrad electronics still in the box. Auto Pilot System and Radar (electronics cost 9K). Owner deceased. Widow wants out at $15K or BO. Located in St. Augustine. (727) 505-4247. (2/09a)
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CLASSIFIED ADS
1995 Hunter 35.5 loaded, Yanmar diesel, low hrs, Roller Furling 150% and 130, 2 mains, Dutchman, two GPSs, SSB radio, VHF, Auto Pilot, solar, like new dodger, Bimini, dinghy w/OB and crane, boom vang, new running rigging, manual windlass, full galley, head w/shower, Marine air. Must see. Asking $65,000. www.cortezyachts.com. (941) 792-9100.
O’Day 37, 1984. Center cockpit performance cruiser/racer offers speed, comfort & privacy. Very well maintained and clean “in and out,” with long list of constant improvements and upgrades, shows pride of ownership. Maintenance records available. Well cruise-equipped. $44,900. Stew (727) 415-0350 (727) 5600901. www.sciyachtsalesinternational.com
1997 Catalina 40, Cruise ready, AC, 4K Generator, 10” color Garmin GPS, ST6000 AutoPilot, watermaker, TV/DVD/CD/Stereo, 10’ Zodiac w/9.9 4-stroke Yamaha, Davits, and much more. Longboat Key Moorings. $149,900. (407) 810-5621 (3/09a)
1988 Catalina 36. New canvas, davits, bottom paint. VHF, Auto pilot etc. With dinghy and motor. Well maintained. Refitted in 2002. (321) 460-0473. (4/09)
Jeanneau 37. 1978. Very fast center cockpit cruiser/racer. Lots of room below. Excellent offshore sailing vessel. Hawk’s Flight is a proven design. Built in France. Fast and safe passage making or very comfortable liveaboard. She is sound, large inventory of spare parts and recent improvements. Priced to sell, owner very motivated.Stew (727) 415-0350 (727) 560-0901. www.sciyachtsalesinternational.com
1984 Hans Christian 38 Cutter w/ Yanmar diesel, full keel double-ended, blue water cruiser known for its sea-keeping ability and sturdy construction. Owners completed Caribbean cruise and now offer you this unique opportunity. This is a chance of a lifetime to purchase a proven well-equipped and maintained sailing vessel just waiting to go again. Reduced to $79,000 for quick sale www.cortezyachts.com. (941) 792-9100
CORTEZ YACHT SALES SAIL
410 Hunter 1999 . . . . . . . . . . . .$124,500 41’ Transworld 1979 . . . . . . . . . . .$69,000 40’ Bayfield 1984 . . . . . . . . . . . .$109,500 39’ Corbin PH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$100,000 38’ Hans Christian 1985 . . . . . . . .$79,000 35’ Hunter 35.5 1995 . . . . . . . . . .$65,000 34’ Nassau 1983 . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$24,900 34’ Catalina 2004 . . . . . . . . . . . .$127,500 30’ Catalina1987 . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$21,000 26’ Macgregor 1998 26X . . . . . . .$13,500 POWER
33’ Albin Trawler 1979 . . . . . . . .$29,500 30’ Silverton 1989 . . . . . . . . . . .$18,000 30’ Island Hopper, Diesel 2004 . .$85,000 28’ Sheffield Diesel . . . . . . . . . . . .$24,900 WE HAVE BUYERS — LISTINGS WANTED —
(941) 792-9100 visit www.cortezyachts.com CORTEZ YACHT SALES
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Privilege 39 1988 Cat. 4 cabin, 2 head. Yanmar 27 hp. Major refit 2005. New UK sails, AC/heat, Onan genset 6.5 kw, Autohelm 7000, new interior, Corian counters, teak sole, Bimini/dodger $145,000. (321) 917-5863. palexy@cfl.rr.com. (3/09) 40’ Searunner Trimaran. Absolutely solid and complete with all you’ll need. Only $69,000. OBO. Just get on board and sail the dream. All pics and full details at http://groups. msn.com/moscan. E-mail to davenaudrey2@yahoo.co.uk. (813) 312-1029. Cruising Cuba, December-February. (2/09)
Bayfield 40 Hull # 34 full keel 5’ draft, cutter ketch designed by H.T.Gozzard built in 1984. Exceptional condition with lots of new gear. Harken roller furling on all sails. Marine air, WS, WD, depth, VHF w/remote, SSB, cd/radio, autopilot, chartplotter, radar, dinghy, life raft. $109,500 Call Major Carter or visit www.Cortezyachts.com.(941) 792-910
TransWorld CT 41. 1979. Proven full-keel blue water cruiser. Perkins 4-108 diesel. 46’ LOA with bowsprit. Ketch-rigged Center Cockpit with walk thru to aft cabin. Complete Awlgrip paint. Custom stainless steel rails and davits. 10’ 6” Caribe RIB with 15hp OB. Full galley. Beautiful teak interior with lots of storage. Maxwell electric windlass. Much more. New sails and rigging. As is — asking $69,000. North Carolina. www.Cortezyachts.com (941) 792-9100
BROKERS: Advertise Your Boats for Sale. Text & Photo Ads: $50 for 3-months. Text only ads: $25 for 3 months www.southwindsmagazine.com
CLASSIFIED ADS POWERBOATS
DONATE YOUR BOAT
_________________________________________
_________________________________________ Donate your boat to the Safe Harbor Boys Home, Jacksonville, Fl. Setting young lives on a true path. Please consider donating your working vessel. http://boyshome.com/ or call (904) 757-7918, e-mail harbor@boyshome.com.
1979 Albin 33 Trawler. Traditional with no teak decks. 120hp Lehman diesel with excellent range. Navigate from either the fly bridge or below out of the elements. 16000 BTU Marine Air, fwd cabin with head, aft cabin w/head. Galley up with main salon. Swim platform. Recent bottom paint. $29,500 wwwcortezyachts.com. (941) 792-9100
Schucker 440. Safe harbor for shrinking dollars, a real liquid asset, the best motorsailer, trawler ever built and a floating tropical condo you can escape in. Cruise down island to South America, or do Cuba, Bahamas, the Great Loop, European canals. Complete information & photos on www.Luperon Cruising.com, or call (809) 821-8239. (2/09)
ENGINE FOR SALE
_________________________________________ Universal Atomic 4 For Sale. This engine runs and comes complete with good gearbox and wet exhaust. Good compression. Mounts 12 by 16 O/C. Call Gary Smith Cell (321) 6740886 or e-mail Fivespeed05@cfl.rr.com $900 OBO. (3/09)
BOAT GEAR & SUPPLIES
_________________________________________
HELP WANTED
_________________________________________ Outboard Wanted. Low hp, like 2hp or thereabouts. Short shaft. Tampa Bay Area/West Florida. (941) 795-8704. _________________________________________ 3 anchors with chain and Rode. $35 to $75. (813) 641-2755. (4/09)
1986 Young Sun Sunrise 40’. $74,900 Port Charlotte, FL. Great condition. Absolutely beautiful interior. 2008 Bottom Job. All the amenities. Burns less than 2 gallons per hour. Full details at www.whiteakeryachtsales.com. (941) 776-0616. (3/09)
FREE ADS Free ads in boat gear for all gear under $200 per item. Privately owned items only. Editor@southwindsmagazine.com. (941-795-8704) Dinghy Davits. $299. Edson. Heavy duty. Cast aluminum. Excellent condition. Bradenton, FL. (941) 792-9100. (2/09)
Erickson & Jensen Marine Supply. Fort Myers Beach, FL. (239) 463-4050 ext. supply house. Ejs5@embarqmail.com. Commercial supplies for yachtsman. Chain, shackles, rope, hardware and boat repair. In business for 50 years same location. (2/09)
(2) Barlow Winches #28. Self Tailing, 2 Speed, base 8”. Compare with Lewmar 48/50 Size. Used but excellent condition. Sold as pair only. $1500 for both. Possible trade for smaller 2-Speed Self Tailing and cash. Ewbus@Msn.Con, or (727) 492-4017. (2/09) _________________________________________ Mainsail and Mast. 19’ 6” mast. Shortened off 18’ Catalina. Complete with Spreaders, lights, etc. Mainsail: 16’ luff. 8’ 4” foot. Powerhead. 1 reef point. Will separate. $150 each or OBO. (352) 728-0098. (2/09) _________________________________________
$50 – 3 MO. AD & PHOTO
941-795-8704 News & Views for Southern Sailors
Used Boat Gear for Sale. CQR 25 & 45#, Bruce 16 & 66#, Hookah by Airline, 55# Folding Fisherman anchor, Para-tech 15 w/Rode, Edson rack & pinion steering w/ wheel, new awning w/side curtains. Nautical Trader, 110 E. Colonia Lane, Nokomis, FL. Shop online at www.nauticaltrader.net. (941) 488-0766.
EDWARDS YACHT SALES is expanding again! We’ve had a record yr. & are ready to expand in selected locations. Experience preferred but will train the right person. We need brokers for the East Coast, Panhandle, Ft. Lauderdale & Keys, aggressive advertising, group health care plan, bonus plan. www.EdwardsYacht Sales.com, contact Roy Edwards, 727-5078222. Yachts@EdwardsYachtSales.com _________________________________________ Yacht Broker Wanted. Lots of Work. Growing company, with years of experience, in Tampa Bay looking for a team player. Great company support. Call (727) 823-7400, or Jacek at (727) 560-0901. _________________________________________ Waterfront Director Wanted The St. Andrews Bay Yacht Club, located in Panama City, FL, is seeking a Sailing and Waterfront Director for fulltime employment. Qualifications include: U.S. Sailing certification; general seamanship knowledge; and the ability to plan, organize, and promote waterfront activities. Duties will include: managing year-round sailing programs to include the summer sailing program; planning/managing additional activities for member events; assisting with Regatta planning and Fleet maintenance; and overseeing the appearance and usability of the waterfront facilities. Competitive salary with benefits. Drug-free work environment. Please submit resume to 218 Bunkers Cove Rd, P.C. Fl 32401 Attn: Jay M Wallace GM. Or e-mail resume to manager@stabyc.com. (1/09) _________________________________________ Sailing Instructors/Branch Managers. Offshore Sailing School is seeking skilled sailors with strong teaching experience, performance and cruising boat sailing experience, US SAILING certification (or skills to pass exam). USCG license required, or experience to obtain appropriate level. Manager applicants must have organization & management skills. Email resume to Doug Sparks at doug@off shoresailing.com, fax (239) 454-9201 visit www.offshoresailing.com/employment. (4/09a) _________________________________________ Yacht Broker Wanted. Fort Lauderdale Area. Edwards Yacht Sales is looking for a broker to work out of his area/home office. (727) 5078222. SOUTHWINDS
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CLASSIFIED ADS Massey Yacht Sales Mobile Broker Do you prefer to sell yachts from your home office? If you do and you are a proven, successful yacht sales professional, we have positions open for Florida west and east coast. Take advantage of the Massey sales and marketing support, sales management and administration while working from your home selling brokerage sail and powerboats. Call Frank Hamilton (941) 723-1610 for interview appointment and position details.
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 www.poncedeleon hotel.com
R EAL ESTATE FOR SALE OR RENT _________________________________________
SLIPS FOR SALE OR RENT
________________________________________ DOCK SPACE off SARASOTA BAY!! Slips start at $117 a Month on 6-Month Lease. Sheltered Marina accommodates up to 28’ sail or power boats. Boat ramp. Utilities included. Call Office: (941) 755-1912. (2/09)
TO LATE TO CLASSIFY
_________________________________________ Cockpit cushions. $150. Four cushions made of closed cell foam from a C&C 29. Includes helmsman’s hump. Excellent. Inflatable boat fenders 8.5”x27”, new in package. Two for $50. Made by Seasense, white premium vinyl. WPB, FL. (561) 655-9555. _________________________________________ Tanzer 28, 1973. Flush deck, well-maintained by owner since 1980. Totally refurbished with new Vetus Diesel, Fully equipped for Cruising. Price $16,900 O.B.O. Tel: (239) 823-6372 Email: HermanVA3QX@gmail.com. (7/09) _________________________________________
BROKERS: Advertise Your Boats for Sale. 3/2/2 Townhome with 40’ boat slip, in NE St Petersburg, FL. Updated Granite, appliances, cabinets, baths, windows, porcelain tile, 1392 sq ft, screened patio. Linda McIlroy (727) 432-1706, Exit Realty Suncoast. (2/09)
SAILS & CANVAS ________________________________________
2” DISPLAY ADS STARTING $38/MO 82
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Text & Photo Ads New ads: $20/mo Pickup ads: $15/mo
STRICTLY SAIL continued from page 27 Basics I, or permission from the instructor. Course fee also includes the book Modern Marine Meteorology by David Burch and endorsed by Lee Chesneau. 1. Scales of weather from global weather patterns to local weather phenomenon. (i.e., Gulf Stream North Wall, Puget Sound Convergence Zone, West Coast Coastal Jet & Tehuantepec episodes) 2. Introduction to upper air weather charts & their uses. 500 Mb basics & the integration with surface weather maps for forecasting and introductory routing and heavy weather avoidance. 3. Introduction to sea & swell wave formation, propagation & decay concepts. Overview of OPC and TPC w ind & wave analyses and forecast charts. 4. Tropical Cyclone Basics and the 1-2-3 rule for Avoidance. www.southwindsmagazine.com
RACING CALENDAR continued from page 72 21
Caloosahatchee Marching & Chowder Society. Edison Gulf Regatta. (CBOTY) 21 Tampa Sailing Squadron. Gasparilla Regatta, PHRF 21-22 Lake Eustis SC. George Washington’s Birthday Open Regatta 22 Tampa Sailing Squadron. Gasparilla Women’s PHRF 27-3/1 Sarasota Sailing Squadron. Island Style Classic Windsurfing Regatta 28 St. Pete Sailing Assoc. PHRF 27-3/1 Davis Island YC. Commodore’s Cup. (SuncoastBOTYS,NS,RC,C) MARCH 1-6 5 6-8 7-8 7-8 8 8-10 13-15 13-15 13-15 14 14 14 15-16 19-21 19-22 20-22 20-22 20-22 21-22 TBD 21 22 22 24-27 28 28 28 28-29 28-29
St. Petersburg YC. Thistle Midwinters Davis Island YC. Thursday evening races begin, All classes registration Davis Island YC. Melges-24 Suncoast Championship St. Petersburg YC. Allison Jolly Girls Regatta, Opti and Laser Punta Gorda SC Conquistador Cup (SWFBOTY) (CHBOTY) (CBOTY) Sarasota Sailing Squadron. Motley Fleet Race. (MBOTY) Clearwater YC. Snipe Midwinters Davis Island YC. Fireball & Friends. Fireball, Windmill Midwinters, Interlake, Flying Scot, 110, Hampton One design, Sunfish Masters Dunedin Boat Club. Ensign Midwinters (Tentative) Lake Eustis SC. C-Scow, M-17, M-16 Regatta St. Pete Sailing Assoc. Rich Gahn Memorial, PHRF Sarasota Sailing Squadron. Pot O Gold, PHRF Caloosahatchee Marching & Chowder Society Shrimp Festival Race. (CBOTY) Lake Eustis SC. Melges 17 & C Scow Midwinters Lake Eustis SC. MC Scow Midwinters Clearwater YC. Sunfish Midwinters St. Petersburg YC. Lightning Midwinters Davis Island YC. Flying Scot Warm-up Sarasota Sailing Squadron. One-Design Midwinters Marco Island YC. Spring Regatta.(SWFBOTY) Lake Monroe Sailing Association. Trans-Monroe Regatta, Venice Youth Boating Assoc. Jabbo Gordon Invitational. Sunfish, Optimists, Lasers, 420s, Portsmouth Cortez YC. Diane Parker Memorial “Lady at the Helm” Regatta Sarasota Sailing Squadron. Motley Fleet Race. (MBOTY) St. Petersburg YC. Flying Scot Midwinters Treasure Island Tennis and YC (Verify) Michelob Ultra Cup, PHRF. (SuncoastBOTY-S,NS,RC,C) Davis Island YC. J/24 Pot-O-Gold Regatta Caloosahatchee Marching & Chowder Society. Santweenie Race Gulf Coast SC. Southwest Florida GCSC Regatta, PHRF (SWFBOTY) (CBOTY) Sarasota Sailing Squadron. Sailfest. Sarasota Youth Sailing Program PHRF. (SBBOTY)
For northern Gulf coast race calendars and more information, go the Gulf Yachting Association Web site, at www.gya.org.
News & Views for Southern Sailors
PLEASE note the dates listed for various events may have been rescheduled or changed due to damages from Tropical Storm Fay and Hurricanes Gustav and Ike. Check the yacht club or event Web sites for any updates or cancellations. LEGEND BucYC Buccaneer Yacht Club, Mobile, AL BYC Biloxi Yacht Club, Biloxi, MS BWYC Bay Waveland YC, Bay St. Louis, MS FWYC Fort Walton Yacht Club, Ft. Walton Beach, FL FYC Fairhope YC Fairhope, AL GORC Gulf Ocean Racing Circuit, Biloxi, MS GYC Gulfport Yacht Club, Gulfport, MS JYC Jackson Yacht Club, Jackson, MS LPRC Lake Pontchartrain Racing Circuit, New Orleans, LA MYC Mobile Yacht Club, Mobile,AL NOYC New Orleans YC, LA NYCP Navy Yacht Club of Pensacola, Pensacola, FL PelYC Pelican Yacht Club, New Roads, LA (Baton Rouge) PontYC Pontchartrain Yacht Club, New Orleans, LA PYC Pensacola YC, FL PBYC Pensacola Beach YC, FL SPYC St. Petersburg Yacht Club, St. Petersburg, FL SYC Southern YC, New Orleans, LA StABYC St. Andrews Bay YC, Panama City FL TYC Lake Tammany YC, New Orleans, LA FEBRUARY 1 MYC Winter Series 4, MYC 1 Zevon Cup, FWYC 7 Winter Series Race #4, StABYC 7 Super Bowl Regatta, PYC 7 Mardi Gras Regatta, NOYC 7 Billy Goat Regatta, BucYC 7 MYC Winter Series #5, MYC 8 2009 Frosty Nipple #6, FWYC 8-10 Mardi Gras Regatta, NOYC 14 Valentine Regatta, PBYC 14-15 Sailing World NOOD, SPYC 15 Zevon Cup, FWYC 17-22 J22 Midwinters, FWYC 21 Winter Series Race #5, StABYC 22 2009 Frosty Nipple #7 - Final, FWYC 28 Two Against the Lake, TYC 28 Maxine #1/Commodore’s Cup #1, NYCP MARCH 1 Mardi Gras, NOYC 1 Zevon Cup, FWYC 4-7 Finn North American Masters, FYC 7,14,21 Maxine #1,#2,#3/Commodore’s Cup #1, NYCP 7 Winter Series Race #6 Final, StABYC 7 Mardi Gras, NOYC 8 Zevon Cup Final, FWYC 8-10 Mardi Gras, NOYC 12 US Sunfish Team Racing, StABYC 13-15 Sunfish Midwinters, StABYC 14 Two Against the Lake, TYC 14 Leukemia Cup, BucYC 14 Spring Fling, JYC 14 Southern Nichols Cup Team Race, SYC 21-22 Performance Cat Midwinters, Key Sailing 21 Leukemia Cup, PontYC 21 Spring Series #1, StABYC 21 Peerson Regatta, FWYC 25 Wednesday Night Fun Series, FWYC 27-29 GORC, BYC/MYC 28 Leukemia Cup, SYC/NOYC 28 Dogwood Regatta, FYC 28 Jane England, JYC 28-29 Spring into Liquid Regatta, FWYC
SOUTHWINDS
February 2009 83
OUR WATERWAYS continued from page 38 In the last few years, several local Florida communities have passed local laws limiting anchoring in their waters. The best example is the city of Marco Island, which instituted a 72-hour limitation. This was tested in a court case. The boaters won and the Marco Island law was proven illegal, although at this time, the ruling only affects the court district the decision was made in. When Sarasota passed its ordinance on Jan. 5, it instituted an anchoring restriction of 72 hours outside of the new mooring field. This brought cries of protest from cruisers from around the South, but closer reading of the ordinance has the following “additional explanation” attached to it: A key provision of the ordinance, Sec. 10-50, makes it unlawful to moor or anchor a live-aboard vessel anywhere except within the designated mooring field. Nonliveaboards can moor or anchor up
ALPHABETICAL INDEX
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The above explanation obviously indicates that Sarasota may not be able to enforce this rule unless the Florida Legislature passes a law allowing local communities to limit anchoring in their waters (the city was not planning to enforce the rule until the mooring field was established, possibly in the fall of 2009). Currently the FWC has a proposal out there before the state Legislature to allow communities to pass such a law, although when the FWC held public hearings last year to get public opinion on the subject, there was overwhelming opposition from
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to 72 hours in the Bay, with the possibility of an extension if the boater can establish that he or she is engaged in navigation. These provisions may require [an] amendment in 2009 should the Florida Legislature amend the Florida Statutes that regulate boating in Florida waters.
boaters (the FWC ignored the boating public’s opinion and is proposing the law anyway). The FWC and other interests, including the city of Sarasota, are hoping to pass this law in 2009, and the anchoring limitation would therefore be enforced. What does this mean if such a law is passed in the Florida Legislature? It will mean communities anywhere can pass a law limiting anchoring in their waters. These do not include state waters, but only waters within the jurisdiction of the local community. In Sarasota’s case, this is the waters within its city limits. It will also mean that the only tool that boaters might have left to fight these laws is to go to the federal court and seek the protection of federal laws and rulings on the rights of navigation. That will mean that someone, or some group, will need the power and money to test a case in federal court. No easy task.
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DANCING WITH THE WIND VIDEO .....................................................34 DEFENDER INDUSTRIES .......................................................................30 DOCTOR LED ................................................................................26, 33 E-MARINE ............................................................................................33 GARHAUER HARDWARE .......................................................................39 HOTWIRE/FANS & OTHER PRODUCTS .........................................33, 52 LEATHER WHEEL ..................................................................................33 MASTHEAD ENTERPRISES ................................................18,33,35,74,76 MASTLIGHT LEDS ................................................................................25 MASTMATE MAST CLIMBER ................................................................33 NAUTICAL TRADER/BUY/SELL/CONSIGN.............................................22 ONLINE MARINE .................................................................................64 PROFURL .............................................................................................10 RPARTS REFRIGERATION ......................................................................51 SEA HAGG ...........................................................................................32 SEAWORTHY GOODS ..........................................................................33 SHADETREE AWNING SYSTEMS ...........................................................36 SPINTEC FURLERS ................................................................................61 SSMR.............................................................................................29, 34 STOWMATE .........................................................................................19 TACKLE SHACK/HOBIE/SUNFISH, PRECISION ........................................8 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SCURVY DOG MARINE/USED, CONSIGN, PENSACOLA FL...................21 SAILING SCHOOLS/DELIVERIES/CAPTAINS CAPT. & FIRST MATE YACHT DELIVERY ................................................33 INTERNATIONAL SAILING SCHOOL.....................................................34 SAILING FLORIDA CHARTERS...............................................................33 SEA SCHOOL/CAPTAIN’S LICENSE ......................................................20 ST. AUGUSTINE SAILING ENTERPRISES ................................................34 WOMANSHIP ......................................................................................25 MARINE ENGINES AND ACCESSORIES BETA MARINE ......................................................................................19 RB GROVE/UNIVERSAL AND WESTERBEKE ...........................................48 MARINAS, MOORING FIELDS, BOAT YARDS BAY POINT MARINA ............................................................................15 CLEARWATER MUNICIPAL MARINA......................................................36 FT. MYERS BEACH MOORING FIELD ....................................................37 HARBORAGE MARINA..........................................................................14 REGATTA POINTE MARINA ....................................................................7 SAILORS WHARF BOATYARD ................................................................29 SNUG HARBOR BOATYARD..................................................................54 FRACTIONAL SAILING/CHARTER COMPANIES BIMINI BAY SAILBOAT RENTALS...........................................................25 FLAGSHIP SAILING...............................................................................44 KATHLEEN D CHARTERS ......................................................................33 SAILING FLORIDA CHARTERS...............................................................33 SMARTERSAIL CHARTER ......................................................................17 WINDPATH FRACTIONAL SAILING .......................................................34 YACHTING VACATIONS .......................................................................57 MARINE SERVICES, SURVEYORS, INSURANCE, TOWING, BOAT LETTERING, ETC. FIRST PATRIOT INSURANCE .................................................................41 ANTIGUA SURVEYING..........................................................................75 AQUA GRAPHICS .................................................................................32 BOATNAMES.NET ................................................................................32 BOATUS INSURANCE ...........................................................................28 DAVID MCKIE SURVEYOR ....................................................................35 FAIRWINDS BOAT REPAIRS/SALES ........................................................34 INNOVATIVE MARINE SERVICES.....................................................32, 34 ISLAND DETAIL ...................................................................................32 SAILMONSTER.COM WEB SITE ............................................................40 SCUBA CLEAN YACHT SERVICES ..........................................................32 MARINE ELECTRONICS DOCKSIDE RADIO ...............................................................................49 SEA TECH/NAVIGATION/COMMUNICATION.......................................74 YACHT MANAGEMENT U-BOAT YACHT MANAGEMENT ..........................................................37 CAR DEALERS TOYOTA ..............................................................................................31 REAL ESTATE PATRICIA KNOLL REALTOR...................................................................12 SAILING WEB SITES, VIDEOS, BOOKS SSB RADIO BOOKS ........................................................................25, 32 BOATNAMES.NET ................................................................................32 DANCING WITH THE WIND VIDEO .....................................................34 SAILMONSTER.COM WEB SITE ............................................................40 YACHT AUTHORITY.COM ..............................................................32, 45 REGATTA ADVERTISEMENTS, BOAT SHOW FIRST COAST OFFSHORE CHALLENGE .................................................27 REGATA DEL SOL AL SOL.......................................................................4 STRICTLY SAIL BOAT SHOW MIAMI .......................................................5
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February 2009 85
From Sailboat to Powerboat By Ina Moody
The Moodys’ previous boat, Eclipse, a 33 Morgan IO
I
f you are a sailor at heart, moving from a sailboat to a powerboat is difficult, even if the move is to a 44-foot Gulfstar named Seawind. But it had to be done because an auto accident had ended my 40-year love affair with sailing. Becoming a “stink-potter” was the only way to silence the call of the sea. So we moved aboard Seawind, and then the question became: How do you compare a sailboat to a motorboat? To begin with, we were used to a reasonable amount of comfort on our 33 Morgan IO, Eclipse. She was very well equipped. For sailing, she had roller-furling sails (main and jib), so both sails were handled from the cockpit with two-speed winches. For navigation, she had autopilot and GPS, both speaking to the computer. Richard and I used to joke that Eclipse could go on a cruise without us and still arrive at the destination. For anchoring, she had a windlass with a CQR that was also controlled from the cockpit; and if we ran aground, we had a 50 hp diesel we could rely on to pull us off. So how could a powerboat be any easier to handle? The first example came when we backed Seawind out of the slip. Richard always said that backing up with Eclipse was a matter of first seeing where she wanted to go— starboard or port? Only then could he decide which way to go and take control. On Seawind, however, whether backing up, going sideways or moving forward, there is
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never any question who is at the helm, Richard is! He has two 210 hp diesels with twin screws, so she responds immediately. On Eclipse, when docking, we used a bow spring line in the following manner: Richard would bring the bow up to a piling halfway into the slip (or face dock). I would slip the noose over the piling. Then, at slow speed, Richard would point the bow away from the spring line, bringing the stern in, while I fed the line out through the bow cleat until Eclipse was securely in place with her side against the spring line, at which time I’d snub off the line. Of course, this maneuver works equally well with Seawind, but is not necessary because with her twin screws, it’s easy to put her exactly where you want her and keep her there until the lines are secured. As for planning a cruise or plotting a course, there is no difference between a sailboat or a powerboat. After all, east is east and west is west. If you can’t read a chart or don’t know the rules of the road, getting more horsepower and a bigger boat won’t help. We have the same electronics on Seawind as we had on Eclipse, except we now have a radar, which we only use because we have it. The real difference comes when you live on the boat. On Eclipse, we had such creature comforts as central heating and airconditioning, so that didn’t impress us on Seawind. But after years of dipping into Eclipse’s
The Moodys’ Gulfstar, Seawind
refrigerator and diminutive freezer, it is nice to have a stand-up refrigerator with a normal-size freezer, not to mention the wet bar in the upper salon that has an icemaker. Richard loves the engine room. After having spent 10-plus years in the pretzel-like configurations required to work on a sailboat engine, having a walk-in engine room is like heaven. Still, it’s with a heavy heart we put a “For Sale” on Eclipse. She has carried us safely through many a storm. We hope whoever gets her will appreciate her. I still get the hankering to hear the wind swishing in her sails, and the water gurgling before her bow. But when the yearning gets too strong, I go below to the master stateroom and look at the walk-around queensized bed, or my 12 feet of hanging closet space—or I go to the galley and look at my dishwasher. Then I accept that being on a motorboat has its advantages. But most of all, Seawind makes it possible for us to continue enjoying the outdoors, the many great anchorages and marinas, not to mention being around nautical-minded people. It is said about old sailors that they go from sailboat to motorboat to motor home to rest home. We aren’t sure about motor homes, and we are still a long way from the rest home. In the meantime, Seawind is serving us well. Nevertheless, I still say “going sailing” whenever we go. Somehow, I just can’t bring myself to say I’m going “yachting.” www.southwindsmagazine.com