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President Jennifer Anderson opened the general meeting hosted by the Windlasses and held at Island Way Grille in Clearwater by summarizing the tumultuous start of the 2024-2025 sailing season. Back to back Hurricanes Helene and Milton in September and October 2024 had devastating impacts to all sister clubs on the West Coast of Florida. Sailors from these clubs have focused on clean up and recovery throughout the fall. Days on the water have been few and sailors are anticipating a return to sailing and competition in 2025. Only the Salty Sisters were able to hold the rescheduled Crewed Boat Challenge on December 12th, 2024. Unfortunately, the weather once again did not cooperate and there was no sailing that day. Attendees enjoyed a morning of fun games and then a fabulous lunch.
Winter/Spring Interclubs and Regattas will continue based on the sailing conditions and restoration endeavors at each club. The Dinghy Dames will host the first interclub on January 28th with an education activity and a practice sail on January 27th. The Rainbow Regatta to be held at St Pete Yacht Club on April 21st and 22nd will be held.
The FWSA successfully hosted two well attended Zoom seminars this season under the leadership of Marti Cochran, Education Chair. Kristen Berry presented "Sail Fast and Have a Blast" in Crewed Boats in October and Dave Perry held a presentation and discussion on racing rules changes for 2025 and important racing rules for all sailors in January. Both seminars were well attended.
Chris Self representing the National Women's Sailing Association promoted membership with this group and their upcoming conference to be held in St. Petersburg in June 6-8, 2025. The local group, Women Who Sail Tampa Bay, was organized ten years ago. Their goal is to empower women to be confident and successful in sailing related activities. They work to accomplish this by providing education, shared knowledge and camaraderie. The National Women's Sailing Association is seeking the expertise of talented women instructors and presenters, like you to teach other women sailors who are eager to gain deeper knowledge and skill at their June 6-8, 2025 Conference. If this is you, go to https://womensailing.org/instruct-at-the-national-womens-sailing-association-conference/for more information.
The meeting's featured speakers were Claudia Noble and Stephanie English representing Sailability of Greater Tampa Bay. This organization was founded in 2001 and was the first in the United States. Their mission is to provide affordable, accessible sailing activities and education to children and adults of all abilities. Sailability hosts a yearly pirate camp for kids that are limb different in a variety of boats and watercraft. Funding assistance is provided by the Never Say Never Foundation with children attending from all over the world. Their camp motto is "Let's just figure this out." Sailability also offers on the water opportunities for anyone that has physical challenges in Hansa sailboats. These boats have a 4 ft daggerboard weighing 75 lbs that prevents the boat from capsizing. It uses a joystick for steering. Stephanie English presented on how Sailability has impacted her life going from homebound to competing in world racing. Sailability's program is about "Life, the challenges we face in life and getting around them." A great motto for the women sailors of the FWSA to embrace for 2025.
You can make a donation to Sailability of Greater Tampa Bay.
Contact Sailabilty for more information on how to get invovled.
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