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Gulfport club works to continue strong tradition

By DAVE ELLIS
Published June 29, 2005

Carl and Cleo Kleisch were tired of driving their daughter and two sons to Big Bayou to sail.

The family couldn't afford St. Petersburg Yacht Club in the depths of the Depression. It made more sense to sail on nearby Boca Ciega Bay out of Clam Bayou.

So a meeting was held at their home on the corner of Central and Diston, now 49th street, for sailors in the Gulfport area. In 1938, the Gulfport Yacht Club was born.

Soon, an arrangement was made with the city for a 99-year lease on a spot of land next to the entrance of the Gulfport Basin, with its mangrove islands and mullet net drying racks. A surplus army barracks was pulled in and situated among Bert Mann Marine, Alesworth's and Osgood Marine Ways.

In about 1950, the building was dragged across to the other side of the dirt road. But by then, it was surrounded on three sides by a brush landfill.

Burning was the method of disposal in those days. There are more than a few residents now in their 50s and 60s who have lungs affected by that constant smoke when they were kids at the sailing club.

Finally, during the administration of Gulfport mayor and later county commissioner

Andy Anderson, it was decided to move GYC from the dump area to a location at an undeveloped lagoon on the other side of the inlet, next to the Posey and Dudinsky residences.

The mangrove islands, with their alligators, were dredged up and the present Gulfport Marina was being built.

Members cleared the land and dug the lagoon to a useful depth. Docks were constructed, along with a block building erected mostly through the effort of Ralph Girton, Bud Ellis and a group of former Navy Sea Bee's.

The Sunshine City Boat Club moved to the area, occupying the former Coast Guard Auxiliary building. The Bounty had taken its former spot in the Vinoy Basin. That organization now is known as Boca Ciega Yacht Club.

For about the past 40 years, the lease for each of these clubs periodically would come up for renewal. There would be great angst as to whether they would be allowed to continue.

Renewal time, again, has arrived, as has the angst.

Gulfport Department of Leisure Services head Jim O'Reilly is working with GYC commodore Seth Stern on a lease.

"We have no interest in taking over the yacht club," O'Reilly said. "We recognize the value it has to the community."

The club has an area for small boats and catamarans on trailers and a few wet slips on the old docks. The water varies in depth at low tide between 2 feet and dry land.

But the small, usually floating boats have loyal owners worried that the wet slips will be taken over by the city, as is the arrangement at nearby Boca Ciega Yacht Club. The Gulfport club is concerned that the loss of income from those slips will make it difficult to pay the $12,500 yearly lease. Negotiations continue, as they have so many times before.

GYC's tradition of top sailors keeps growing.

This year, member Jennifer Lindsay was the Southeast representative in the USA catamaran championship.

SCHEDULE COMPLETED: Tampa Bay's regatta season has ended.

Clubs around the bay have their evening competition and an occasional Saturday race.

But the wind does not cooperate for good sailing during the heat of the day, so many sailors travel to participate in their sport.

Ethan Bixby is in Spain, competing in the 505 world championship. Lin Robsonwill head to Eastern Europe for the Flying Dutchman worlds.

Arthur Anasov is racing in Newport, R.I., and Gordon Isco is in the 100-boat A-Cat worlds in France.

Paige Railey continues her training in Europe. She managed all first-place performances in a regatta in Sweden.

Yet most impressive was a second in Germany at last week's Kiel regatta.

In the 74-boat Laser Radial fleet of the event with wet, windy and cold conditions, one point separated Railey from the Lithuania winner. This is the largest small-boat regatta in the world, with more than 1,000 craft.

[Last modified June 29, 2005, 04:55:03]