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FWYC Sports News
Well, 25% of 2014 is complete! Spring is definitely in the air as the cruisers are
shaking out their cushions and checking out their sails to prepare for their first big
cruise in April to Port St. Joe. The cruisers aren't the only ones getting ready to
travel. Our intrepid Capdevielle team represented by Jeff Brown and Seth Cooke
voyaged to New Orleans for the Mardi Gras Regatta, and are organizing a team
to represent FWYC at the Gilliland Regatta in Jackson (April 12-13). I personally
have been doing some sailing in Pensacola and will be traveling to New Orleans to
participate in their Fleur de Lis Regatta at the end of March.
Fleet Captain Ashley Sukalski
Craig and Deborah Wilusz are still recovering from a week of Viper 640 sailing.
Randy Smyth set a new record in the 300 mile Everglades Challenge for the
single-handed multihull class by sailing his home-built trimaran from St. Petersburg
to Key Largo non-stop (except for the three required checkpoints) in 35 hours and 18 minutes. The next boat
to finish, of any class, was more than 22 hours behind! Mark Hunter took three juniors to race Laser Radials
at the Alfonso Sutter Regatta - David Beaudry, Ian Hunter and George Hambleton had some interesting
camping experiences and all had a great regatta. David Beaudry is currently 2nd in the circuit scores on the
GYA Laser Radial Circuit. A little closer to home, David Vaughan and the crew on Two Two Pot Screamer
finished second in spin fleet at this year's Eglin Yacht Club (EYC) Kickoff Regatta, held on Saturday, 1 March.
It was a beautiful day with an easterly breeze for the ten mile course to the Mid-Bay Bridge and back. FWYC
provided race management, BBSC contributed the trophies and EYC provided the race committee boat, tasty
treats featuring 'Maggie Burgers' and plenty of satisfying refreshments. Two Pot Screamer also participated in
the most recent Bluewater Bay Sailing Club Regatta, winning First Place in two windward-leeward races.
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Our first regional event of 2014 went very well. The WetaFest was attended by 22 sailors from all over the
United States and a manufacturer's representative from New Zealand. This four-day event took nearly 30 club
volunteers to run successfully, and I want to thank all of them.
On 30 March, along with the Zevin Memorial Regatta awards
and Mongolian BBQ, we will also be giving out the Frosty
Nipple awards, and recognizing our volunteers. All of this will
be followed by the Barn Dance! The fleet then has a couple of
weeks to test out their running lights in preparation for the 12
April Night Race, followed by the beginning of small boat racing
for the Summer Series and then the Peerson Regatta on 26 April.
A few housekeeping notes: if you have not signed up for text
updates, please do so by texting @fwycupdates to 850-460-9003.
If you have not checked out fwyc.org lately, stop reading this and
do so. Sam Grant has done a great job freshening up the face,
and I am taking suggestions for content on the racing/cruising part of the website. As always, thank you to the
general membership of the club for being so supportive of the events and initiatives that we hold.
Ashley Sukalski
~ Fort Walton Yacht Club, Established in 1951 ~