Southwinds Sailing June 2004 - Southwinds Magazine

FLORIDA KEYS SAILINGJune 1 - Atlantic hurricane season begins.June 7 - Key West Sailing Club, Key West. Youth SailingProgram begins. Beginner sessions in morning and advancedsessions in afternoon. Instruction in clubhouse and on the waterwith club boats. Contact: (305) 292-5993June 5-13 - Pridefest in the Florida Keys. This event, withthe openness that the Keys is usually known to have for gayand lesbian locals and visitors, celebrates human diversity anduniqueness. Community Center (305) 292-3223June 14-19 - Key West. Cuban-American Heritage Festival.Entertaining and delightfully educational. The Florida Keyschain is full of Cuban tradition, culture and history. Contact:(305) 295-9665June 17-20 - Key West. Chicken Fest. An all-in-good-funnew event to recognize a long-time tourist’s delight and theoccasional local’s bane; Key West’s free-roaming roosters, hensand baby chicks. Poultry-related dances, costume contest,“tastes like chicken” cook off, street fair and parade. Contact:kwfanfest@aol.comJune 21 - Summer Solstice - Longest day of the year, andthe days start getting shorter.June 20-21 - Summer Sailstice. Go sailing and celebrate.See “Short Tacks” page 20 for more details.June 25-26 - Key West. African-American Heritage Festival.Social fun, food and entertainment to appreciate and celebratea rich heritage that has shaped Keys culture. Contact:(305) 747-4544June 26 - Marathon. Tropical Fruit Fiesta. Free family funfor lovers of exotic fruit. Presentations, samples, tree sales anda special area for the kids. Contact (305) 292-4501June 30 - Key West. Waterfront Playhouse season ends.You still have the month of June to enjoy fine theater performancesat the Playhouse, which overlooks the scenic harbor.Within walking distance of the bight and dinghy docks. Contact:Florence (305) 294-0431July 4 - Islamorada. Holiday Isle Fireworks. A beautifulbeachfront, tiki bars and tropical atmosphere is a great way tocelebrate Independence Day. Village of Islands includes daytimefamily fun for the kids before the fireworks show at nightfall.Contact: Eileen (305) 664-2321.Club RacingKey West. Wednesday Night Racing has started at the KeyWest Sailing Club. Racing begins about 6:00 p.m. Bring yourown boat or crew on a club boat and join us in a series of socialraces around the buoys with beer, soda and food after racing.Keys Race ReportWrecker’s Cup Race SeriesKey WestBy Rebecca BurgFor four months, from January toApril, Schooner Wharf Bar hoststhe Wrecker’s Race Series in Key West.Sponsored by Schooner Wharf,Pusser’s Rum and West Marine, thisintense event is an all-out drag racefrom the harbor to Sand Key light.Boats sail a total of 14 miles. Visiting and local sailing vessels ofall sizes from schooners to daysailers race side by side in friskywinter winds and seas. During all four races, sailors faced windsfrom 15 knots to gusty 21 knots and steep 3-4-foot rolling seas.Capt. Alex’s Pterodactyl, a 31-foot trimaran with otherworldlyspeeds, flattened the multihull class and won every race as wellas winning the series for being the fastest overall. Long, slinkynewcomer Aces aced February’s race for monohulls over 30 feet,while blue beauty Constellation and wind-loving Adastra wereback in action and leading the pack this year. In an elegantsailboatish display of dominance, Constellation would consistentlystrut over the finish far ahead of her rivals. Cruising ketchDefiant used her sturdy full-keeled figure to tidily crash throughthe rough seas and place first in January and second in March.Light on her feet, Moonspinner leapt into third in January andsecond in April. At times she heeled over so far from the stronggusts that one could see a painted decoration on her curvedunderside. Though Blow Me did not escape playful ribbing byher fellows, the suave sailboat proved to be tough competitionfor the over 30-foot class.For the monohull under 30-foot class a solid group of J-24shad an impressive face-off with a mix of small cruisers anddaysailers. Close contenders J-24 Thin Ice and Class Act dominatedthe fleet with the highest rankings. In mid-series, a newbad boy on the block, Golden Omen, scrambled the status quoafter spending time on the stands and resembling the haplesssubject in the game “Operation.” Happy to be wet again, thiswell-sailed sloop took second place in March and kicked sprayat her rivals to win first in April. Cruisers Wild Oats and Thumperhung out behind the flock while Nina and Chelae fluffed theirsails and contested each other. In Febraury, Sirius II enjoyed thedubious attention of winning the DFL trophy for being the lastSee FLORIDA KEYS SAILING continued on page 13Wreckers’ Race, first race in series.Photo courtesy Bite Me (anon-profit anti-dog group).Racing CalendarJune 13 - Key West Sailing Club. Single-handed race in theseaplane basin. All boats 20 feet and over invited. Skipper’smeeting evening of June 11 at the Sailing Club in Key West.Contact: Fleet Capt. David (305) 296-7939KEYS SAILING CLUB LOCATIONS & CONTACTSKey West Sailing Club. In Key West off Palm Avenue to SailboatLane. Sailing out of Garrison Bight. (305) 292-5993Marathon Sailing Club, Marathon Key. Web site pending.Upper Keys Sailing Club. Buttonwood Sound,Key Largo. www.upperkeyssailingclub.comAdvertise in this Keys section. Call Rebecca Burg 305-304-5118NEWS & VIEWS FOR SOUTHERN SAILORS SOUTHWINDS June 2004 51