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Definitely Knot Your Average Interclub
- Marge Whiteman
- 10 hours ago
- 4 min read
Written by Pam Miller
Photos by Nancy Marik
After little to no wind for multiple weeks on Roberts Bay, the Bitter Ends were excited to host their annual interclub regatta where the predicted winds were a perfect 9-10 mph with gusts in the low teens and an ideal temperature of 70 degrees under sunny skies. However, the actual conditions on the water turned out to be quite unexpected.
Ten sailors from two visiting clubs, the Dunedin Windlasses and the Sarasota Luffing Lassies, arrived early to rig their boats to be ready for the day. Two sailors from the Davis Island Dinghy Dames came down to cheer the sailors from the spectator boat.
As eighteen sailors launched at 9:30, the winds were as predicted. By the time everyone got out to the racecourse, the winds had gained speed, increasing to 14-15 mph with continuous gusts in the low 20s. As the course was being set, most sailors adjusted their gooseneck setting on the lower spar to have better control in the heavy winds and others employed their Jens rig to help depower the sail. Despite the adjustments made, it was a wild ride for all.
The winds were out of the south which made the racing even more thrilling since the southerly winds come straight down the intracoastal waterway to Roberts Bay. Once in Roberts Bay there was nothing to stop the gusts as they seemed to swirl around becoming more forceful. The racers quickly learned to pay close attention to the gusts as the sailors needed to hike out of the boats to keep them upright and flat for speed.
The gusty winds resulted in seven capsizes. Unfortunately for Iona Long, a rookie sailor from the Sarasota Luffing Lassies, she had three of the capsizes. When the awards were passed out, the Principal Race Officer, Janet Molen, commented that she had never seen anyone get their boat upright so quickly and easily clamber in. Luckily, the Safety Boat staffed by Allan Grant and Tina Haase of Venice did not have to perform any rescues as all sailors were able to right their boats on their own.
The Race Committee of Ed Haase, Tom Leonard, Janet Molen and Sue Carroll conducted three races, and with each race the wind continued to build a little and the gusts got stronger. Before the 1st race even started, two sailors headed back to shore deeming the winds above their skill level. Numbers dwindled from there.
After the 1st race, another two sailors headed in. During the 2nd race, one sailor tied up on the committee boat so she could be towed at the end of racing since she didn’t feel she could safely sail in. In the 3rd race, two sailors left the race before finishing the course. The sailors were very grateful when a decision was made to head back to shore after the 3rd race was completed. What was most impressive was the rookie sailor, who had only been sailing a Sunfish sailboat for 4 months, finished all 3 races.
Once the sailors were back ashore, many stories were told about almost capsizes and almost misses of hitting another boat during a strong gust. Unfortunately, two crashes did occur, but no one was hurt. The only blood shed was during a capsize where Windlass Joy Sheets’ centerboard hit her face as she was going over. As Joy’s split lip and face scrape was being examined by a former nurse, Joy’s lament was “my daughter is getting married in a month, and I don’t want any bruising”. She was assured all would be healed in time.
Luffing Lassie Lisa Brown Ehrhart noted that many of the Lassies had an ah-ha moment while sailing and that they were very proud of their achievements on the water.
A delicious luncheon, catered by Venice's Croissant & Co., was held at the Higel Park Pavilion. Interclub chair, Lisa Meacock, outdid herself with the interclub theme "Knot Your Average Interclub." She decorated the picnic tables with blue tablecloths with a white runner decorated with blue, stenciled knots. On each table were knot key chains with a Sunfish logo that each sailor, spectator and volunteer took home as a
keepsake of the day.
During lunch, mixed teams of sailors from different clubs were formed for a ‘Test Your Knot Knowledge’ quiz. The lucky team of Bitter Ends Marge Whiteman, Windlass Connie Ranney, and Luffing Lassie Sandy Gerber had the top score of 16 correct out of 20 questions. Having Sandy, a 20-year Coast Guard veteran on the team, certainly helped them achieve such a high score and no one protested the ‘unfair’ advantage. The winning team was awarded quilted clutches made by Bitter Ends sailor Jill Joos. The winning sailors were awarded quilted purses. Jill’s bags have become coveted awards within the Florida Women’s Sailing Association and 2nd place winner, Windlass Joy Sheets, was ecstatic with finally winning a bag.
The Florida Women's Sailing Association was founded in 1973 and the Bitter Ends, along with ten other member clubs, compete in Sunfish, Optis, Club 420s, Capri 14.2s, and 16.5s, American 18s, Sonars, and Ideals 18s racing once a week at their respective clubs.
The Bitter Ends sail out of Higel Park and the facilities of the Venice Youth Boating Association at Venice Yacht Club. They race on Wednesday mornings mid-September through May. Membership is open to the public for women who have experience in sailing. Information about club requirements can be found at www.bitterendsvenice.com.
Regatta Race Results: Chris Kelly, 1st, Windlass of Dunedin; Joy Sheets, 2nd, Windlass of Dunedin; Pam Miller, 3rd, Bitter Ends of Venice; Iona Long, Rookie, Luffing Lassie of Sarasota.
Registration, PRO Janet Molen and Happy game winners.
Edited by Marge Whiteman
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