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The following history page article pertaining to the GYA Opening Regatta was printed in the June 2002 issue of the BWYC Jib Sheet.
History Page, Summer 2002
It is interesting to note this snap shot in BWYC History that 20 years ago, the first weekend in May of 1982, BWYC hosted the GYA Opening Regatta. Yours truly was Commodore of BWYC. Harry Chapman was the incoming Commodore of the GYA. Walter Chamberlain was Chairman of the BWYC Race Committee and Principal Race Officer for the event. Frank Allen, Jr. was the BWYC Regatta Chairman and Margaret Hadden was Program Chairman. Margaret designed and prepared a beautiful program which can be seen at the Club. Participation in the GYA Opening Regatta of 1982 included four (4) classes with a total of thirty six (36) boats competing for silverware. One race course setup was used to accommodate all four (4) classes. BWYC won the three (3) race GYA Capdevielle portion of the event and the Commodore J. Gilbert Scheib Trophy with Skippers Bubby Eagan, Randy Santa Cruz, Dennis Stiefel and crew members Rod Stieffel, Corky Hadden, Missy Breath and Liz Merrifield. Gulfport Yacht Club’s former Commodore William "Bubba" Weatherly won the Masters (Old Timers back then) division in Flying Scots and the Commodore John Dane Trophy. Steve Suddath of Pensacola Yacht Club took top honors in the Snipe Class and BWYC Skippers Adam White, Ann Stieffel and Cary Trapani finished 1st, 2nd and 3rd respectively in the Sunfish Class. BWYC was awarded the Commodores Auguste Capdevielle and Leslie P. Beard Trophies for 1981, a credit to the administration of former Commodore Chuck Breath III. As a comparison to today, for the 2002 event we had eight (8) classes with a total of seventy two (72) boats competing for silverware. We had three (3) race courses on the Bay, three (3) Principal Race Officers including three sets of race committee personnel, support boats and equipment. Other than a 100% growth in participation and necessary accommodation adjustments, the events separated by 20 years were similar in many respects.
Some additional highlights from 20 years ago
Four (4) months later on Labor Day weekend of 1982, BWYC sent a carefully selected sailing team to Pensacola Yacht Club to compete in the 63rd GYA Lipton Cup Championship Regatta. The BWYC Lipton Team for 1982 consisted of Skippers Bubby Eagan, Corky Hadden, Randy Santa Cruz and Dennis Stieffel including their crew members, many supporters and after guard. Following a very fine overall effort, BWYC won the Sir Thomas J. Lipton Cup Challenge Trophy with a score of 8.75. Southern Yacht Club was second with 10.5 points and Gulfport Yacht Club was third with 13.75 points. The same year, BWYC won the MCYA Chapman Trophy hosted by the Gulfport Yacht Club and also the Commodore Auguste Capdevielle Trophy which is awarded annually by the GYA based on interclub Capdevielle sailing competition. At the BWYC Annual Stockholders Meeting for 1982, GYA Commodore Harry Chapman was awarded