The Gator Bowl Regatta - Rudder Club - Jacksonville
Hello Weta Sailors, I know this Event Report is late. The Gator Bowl was December 6 - 7, 2025. Just Devin Van Zandt and myself. Keith MacDonald was registered but could not make it. The 3 of us also sailed in this regatta in 2024. Camping was allowed. The wind started light on Saturday and improved as the day continued. The current was from the North sucking you in the direction of the Buckman Bridge South of the Rudder Club and race area. Saturday evening it started raining and the rain continued on and off through Sunday. The biggest problem on Sunday was the total lack of Wind. So no racing on Sunday. Jon and Donna Hamilton and the Race Pro, Tom Davis, did a great job, putting on the regatta. Jon and Donna had nice welcome party, with lots of delicious food and drink, Friday evening at their home, walking distance from the Rudder Club. Very healthy Breakfast both Saturday and Sunday morning. Donna and her volunteers cooked up a delicious dinner Saturday evening, and had plenty left over for Late Lunch on Sunday just before the Awards Ceremony. I would highly recommend this regatta to Weta Sailors next year. Most of the participants were sailing in the Flying Scott Class, Weta Sailors had their own Start. Hopefully more Weta Sailors next year.
-- Rick Upson, #1422
Rick, Thanks to you and Devin for attending and for writing up this event. I hope to be able to attend next year. Glad it was run well. We need to continue to get the word out when we find an event that is consistently run well. I don't recall if anyone wrote up the Jubilee Regatta Nov 1-2, 2025 at Pensacola Yacht Club, I will attest it was also run very well and we hope to increase participation there as well in 2026. I think we had 6 or 7 this year. Looking forward to the Bluster in a few weeks. It is interesting that central Florida usually has a cold/nasty weekend of weather in January it eerily, it aligns with Bluster most years, at least recently. 😀