GULF COAST SAILING CLUB

The Gulf Coast Sailing Club meets monthly at the Naples Depot on the second Wednesday of each month at 1930 hours, except for the month of July. There is a minimal membership fee. The club schedules numerous activities (raft-ups/parties/beach clean-up/ etc.). There is a newsletter published (Luff N' Laff) with the exception of July. William F. "Biff" Lagan is the 1995 Commodore and can be contacted at 793-5441. Pam Streck (NFN02121@naples.net) is the editor of the newsletter and can be contacted at (941) 775-0760. The Gulf Coast Sailing Club has an active race program beginning with the Summerset Regatta over the Labor day weekend and ending in June of the next year. The Summerset, Naples Yacht Club Offshore, Naples Sailing & Yacht Club Commodores Cup, Sailing Association of Lee County Festival of the Islands, Gulf Coast Sailing Club Southwest Florida, Sailing Association of Marco Island Bud Lite, and Naples Sailing & Yacht Club Messmer Cup are some of the premier regattas held in southwest Florida. The aforementioned regattas, along with the fifteen race club series that is divided into five races for each season (fall/winter/spring) comprise the important award(s) for the Naples Daily News Boat(s) of the year (spinnaker and non-spinnaker divisions). These awards are two of the most important given for sailing excellence in southwest Florida. The competition is intense to win. This year marks the third year this award program has been in effect. "NO BLARNEY" with skipper William F. "Biff" Lagan has received this award for the non-spinnaker division and "MARIA" skipper Joe Bonness III for the spinnaker division has won this award for the first two years this program has run. Biff Lagan, along with two partners, purchased a yacht, "SYNDICATE", to move into the spinnaker division and left two successful years with "NO BLARNEY" to the very competitive non-spinnaker contenders ("CAREFREE", "INCOMMUNICADO", CARIOCA"). The 1995-96 season and the fight for Naples Daily News Boat of the Year Award could produce some new names on the cups!