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

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, another group of dedicated cruisers began to get organized. According to Past Commodore Kathleen Lamb (early Cruising Committee chair), “…the actual beginning of the ‘Cruising Committee’ came out of the Yachting Committee. It started with the sailing members having ‘raft ups’ at Little Tahiti and other places up and down the intracoastal.” Members of the Historical Committee fondly remember those “raft ups.” With breezes whistling through rigging, children splashing in the bay, galley chefs cooking up dinner, and cocktails flowing, these gatherings were great fun for everyone. They became so popular that at one point “raft-up” participants began to ferry folks out to the spoil island from the club in small craft so more club members could join in the festivities. Sometimes the fun took a competitive turn. Mary Lou Spoto remembers being challenged by the crowd to swim across the channel and she did!!

Raft up and picnic on Dog Island in 1987. Gulls Archives.

Johnny Cardosi (right) greets Commodore Bob and Eileen Gunther at the dock during the CYC Annual Cruise in 2006. CYC Archives.

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