Boca Ciega Yacht Club held its 5th Annual Fun Day last Saturday at their Yacht Club in Gulfport. Co-sponsors and demonstrators included the Tackle Shack, MASTHEAD Enterprises, JSI Canvas, the Coast Guard Auxiliary, Eckerd College Search and Rescue, The O.LL.I.E program for Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Eckerd College, Sea Tow, Gulfport Yacht Club, Gulfport Water Watch, C.E.R.T, and The Sea Scouts with Ship 915 among others, The family–friendly Fun Day offered information about boating, water preservation and conservation, the BCYC Sailing School as well as wonderful activities for children and adults. Over 600 people were in attendance on an absolutely superb spring day. There were children’s coloring contests and water balloon lobbing with every child who participated winning a prize, over 70 in all.
Among the nine display tables, Sea Tow, (a name EVERY boater has occasionally muttered into a radio), offered sign-ups for their services and demonstrations about their on- the- water towing assistance programs. MASTHEAD Enterprises brought along an 18 foot Catalina sailboat on a trailer and gave demonstrations on how to rig a boat. JSI, who makes canvas, cushions and sailing hardware, had an interactive booth inside the clubhouse and their rep Ken Roy wowed the crowd. The Gulfport Yacht Club, a multihull sailing Mecca, handed out info about their races and club activities.
The Sea Scouts, a water and boating- based organization for young people (however, described by one teen participant as the Boy Scouts, only with chicks) were there to demonstrate their crewing and sailing capabilities. They are sponsored by the BCYC and the students wear uniforms, complete with epaulets, which signify their experience and rank. These teens have sailed as far away as Caldesi Island and Tarpon Springs on the Sea Scout- owned Queen Liz, a 30 ft Hunter as part of their training program. Ship 915, as this group is called, recently competed in a competition in Clearwater Beach, sailing over AND back in 30 knot winds, winning most of their division’s contests, while their competitors drove! Their boats were donated by yacht club members, among them Fun Day coordinator and BCYC Event Chair Jean Proach who describes Fun Day as a community outreach program.
“We want to educate the public and raise awareness not only about boating, but other programs like CERT, which is part of the Fire Department, Gulfport Water Watch, which tries to bring awareness about the polluting of Clam Bayou and other areas of public interest. It gives the public the opportunity to see what’s out there in terms of community programs,” Jean says.
Every year the BCYC donates the food and drinks for Fun Day and this year they went thru 900 hot dogs and over 1000 beverages. There were also 18 free raffle gifts, courtesy of “Gulfport’s wonderful restaurants and merchants” according to Jean.
“In the past four years, the local businesses have never let me down,” she smiles. ”Complete dinners, Kayak tours, artwork, you name it, they’ve donated it.”
Carole Sharp and Mary Lou Young, also members of BCYC and local artists, donated a face painting table and painted over 100 happy faces. Whole families lined up to get matching pirate skulls on their cheeks and butterflies above their eyes.
Twelve BCYC members donated the use of their boats, with 224 sail rides given to the masses, and over 50 tried out a sailing kayak brought by the Tackle Shack. In all, over 85 BCYC members donated their time to make Fun day a rousing success.
Commodore Linda Ray, with a face-painted cheek, was all smiles as she looked around the packed clubhouse with a lot of happy people. Only the 6th woman Commodore in the BCYC’s history, she was very pleased with this Fun Day’s turnout and knows that a lot of folks will have learned some interesting new stuff.
“Nice job, Miss Jean, nice job.” she said contentedly, commending Jean Proach on her efforts.