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

Right: Breakfast with Mrs. Easter Bunny in 2004. Barbara Vallari (center) as Mrs. Bunny with (left to right): Sandie Ramsden, Bess Bentler, Eileen Gunther, Brenda Hanson, Mary O’Connor, Judy Widger, Sharon Givens, Lorraine Hori, and Maria Raptoulis. Bow Chasers’ Archives. Below: Kids enjoying breakfast with Mrs. Easter Bunny. Courtesy of Fay Nicholson.

Chapter 5: The Women of CYC 57 as race captain. The newly formed Bow Chasers began practicing on Tuesday mornings (weather permitting), which they continue to do today. The Bow Chasers have competed regularly in Florida Women’s Sailing Association regattas around the state. This group of women is known throughout the club as “the women with the itty bitty boats and the great big parties.” In addition to having parties for their own members, they host an annual Easter Breakfast with Mrs. Bunny for children. Soon after their establishment in 1987, they took over the long-standing tradition of hosting a Grapefruit Party for participants in CYC’s historic Snipe Midwinters Regatta. The Bow Chasers spend hours carving out the centers of grapefruit, filling them with rum and serving them to the race competitors, race committee, and, of course, themselves.