Buzzelli Rendezvous at the Sarasota Sailing Squadron

The annual Buzzelli Multihull Rendezvous has become a bit of a tradition.  I'm not a racer but it's fun and interesting to check out what go-fast boats show up.  Hugh Horton came down from Cedar Key for the weekend and we carpooled to Sarasota on Saturday.  On the way there we stopped at Lucas Boatworks and Happy Hour Club.  Hugh had not been there before so Dave gave us the grand tour. Dave had his hip replaced recently and was getting around just fine, amazing.

When we got to Sarasota Pat Ball was already out sailing a beautiful 49 year old George Luzier daysailer.  George Luzier did the restoration so it's as authentic as can be.  Pat invited Hugh and me to go for a sail so we hopped aboard and had a great time cruising around the bay.

 Luzier daysailer.

Before taking off with Pat we helped Mike McGarry launch his foiler trimaran.

Nice beaching legs.

Hugh and Pat enjoying the sail.

"Chasing" some of the race boats like this Stiletto.

Randy Smyth's F-25C "YO" blasting by.

We stopped by the committee boat "Roseate" for a few refreshments.  "Roseate" is a Dave Gerr designed shallow draft trawler built by Charlie and Pat Ball.

Back on the beach we spotted a Tornado, highly modified for the 2014 Everglades Challenge.  Those wings look mighty comfy.

 Calm at the docks before all the race boats come back.

Here's Meade Gougeon talking to catamaran designer Peter Wormwood.  I think Peter Wormwood has designed some of the most beautiful cats on the water.  This is the gorgeous 35ft "Merlin".

 "Merlin" on the right.  The 40' white cat docked aft of "Merlin" is OH Rodger's race boat.

Playing with the iPhone auto panorama mode, it's come a long way.  I've manually stitched a lot of panoramas and aligning wooden planked docks is a royal pain.  This thing does it flawlessly.  Call me impressed.

Sarasota Sailing Squadron Hosts 8th Annual Traditional Small Craft Festival

The 8th Annual Traditional Small Craft Festival, lets call it TSCF, was on the decline the last couple of years and we have high hopes that moving it to the Sarasota Sailing Squadron will bring it back to it's former glory.  David Jennings, Commodore of the SSS wants to host this event on an annual basis and establish it as a premier traditional craft get together.  This first year at the Squadron was pretty low key and more of a get-to-know some of the characters involved with traditional craft in the area.  There were about 20 boats but I never managed to get pictures of all of them 'cause we were all over the place talking about boats or messing about.  The friendly folks and superb facilities of the SSS made for a very fun time. 
Concurrently to the TSCF the SSS was hosting a youth regatta with over 200 optis and lasers launching simultaneously.  That was an impressive sight and added a buzz of activity to the whole weekend.

Just a small sample of the optis launching into a stiff 15-20kn breeze.

 

George Luzier built Baby Doll on the left.  She is 41 years old, strip planked and looks like new.

 

Dennis Bradley's Egret

 

Clayton Seelgen's brand spanking new Caledonia Yawl.  http://sailingseelgens.blogspot.com/

 

Hugh Horton and I jumped in Goat and chased Meade Gougeon around.  Here Hugh and Meade are swapping boats.  Goat could just barely keep up with WoodWind in less than 10kn.

 

Dennis Bradley's recently restored Chapelle Sharpie was out playing with us

 

Watching Hugh take off in WoodWind

 

Hugh in WoodWind

 

Pacing Hugh

 

Back at the SSS docks

 

Great looking ply powerboat

 

Ospreys built a low nest on top of what remains of a recently cut down tree.  They were not very pleased about the hundreds of kids running around.

 

Sunday morning renowned Sarasota boat builder George Luzier came by Baby Doll for a chat.  George is in his late eighties and still building boats!  Here George and Meade talk shop.  George has been using West System for decades.

 

 George Luzier and David Jennings checking out Goat

 

Solving the world's problems at an impromptu lunch aboard Egret