The First Hundred Years: Clearwater Yacht Club, 1911-2011

Chapter 5: The Women of CYC 55 competitor in local races for many years as captain of her boat Desperado . Chris was selected as the recipient of the Robert Word Memorial Award for Racing Participation in 2004—the year she lost her battle with cancer. An award in her memory is now given annually at the club’s Celebration of Yachting. In recent years, Deborah Holland, with Yachting Committee Chair Ed Proefke, has been a frequent competitor. Past Commodore Tim Roberts and co owner Ron Augustine have taken top honors in “Boat of the Year” races on their club’s internationally known Snipe fleet in its early days. Taver Bayly’s daughter Ann Cornett, for example, was Francis Seavy’s first crew. The women of CYC have also competed in big boat regattas around the state as owners, captains, and crew. Betty McGraw Perkins tells wonderful stories about sailing her John Alden designed/ Clark Mills built, wooden boat Calusa with an “all girl crew” after the death of her first husband in 1960. Betty and the girls loved to sail and they also loved to participate in the post race parties. As a very heavy boat, Calusa generally came in after the party was mostly over—even when she scored quite well in terms of rating-adjusted finish time. After several years of missing all the fun, Betty and the girls decided to start the race with the other competitors, but then return to the club before completing the race. This may not be a great way to accumulate trophies but it is much more fun than missing the festivities! Beginning in 1999, the women of CYC have also been frequent participants in the Bikini Cup. Chris Papandreas was a very serious

Bow Chasers enjoying a special lunch at the club in 1987 (left to right): Cheryl Brinkley, Betty Jean Schutz, Liz Phillips, Em Harris, Carol Brown, Sandie Ramsden, Donna Ventura, and Jean Nash. Bow Chasers’ Archives.

Bow Chasers’ Christmas party at the home of Mary and Edward O’Connor in 2001. Bow Chasers’ Archives.

Terri Roberts (left), Ron Augustine, Tim Roberts, and Stacey Roberts (now Mrs. Nick Bridenback) relaxing aboard Chances R at Suncoast Race Week, 2009. Courtesy of the Roberts family.