The logo used for T shirts and correspondence

Allied GAM Tampa Bay

A Sailor’s Summary

          The Allied Sailboats that gathered on April 11-13, 2008 for a GAM were:

Princess 36                     –   Beta

Seabreeze 35 (yawl)         –   Destiny

Seabreeze 35 (sloop)       –   Ephraim W.

Seawind I 30                   –   Farewell

Seawind II 32                  –   Gypsy

–       Ixchel

–       Skimmer

–       Summerwind

–       Wind Ketcher

Luders 33                       –   Road Not Taken

Summerwind

From the deck of Wind Ketcher – Allieds ahead

Farewell to port, Skimmer to starboard

Farewell foreground, Summerwind background

 Farewell

Skimmer center, Ixchel to right

 Farewell

Gypsy on Starboard tack, an Allied Seabreeze 35, Ephraim W. on a port tack, another Seabreeze, Destiny, jib and jigger

Wind Ketcher

 Gypsy

Summerwind

Ixchel

Allied GAM Captains and Mates

Ixchel #75 1977 Dick and MaryDell Weaver

Summerwind #5 1976 Bob Gruber

Gypsy #79 1977 Ken Jones

Wind Ketcher #19 1976 Ed Verner and Gil Gott

Skimmer #64 1977 George and Teresa Coburn

The GAM Video

An Allied Cause for Celebration:

Allied Boats Gam, Tampa Bay APRIL 11-13

By Ed Verner, rendezvous organizer

They have spanned the globe, fulfilled their destiny for generations, and survived the storms of wind, sea, and time, yet the scattered children came together on a spring weekend in 2008 as 10 different Allied sailboats joined in a flotilla on the waters of Tampa Bay on April 11-13 at the Tampa Sailing Squadron in Apollo Beach.

Originally crafted in a no-nonsense yard on the upper Hudson River in the ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s, these rugged and well-built sister ships and cousins have found themselves in the warm Florida gulf waters in the hands of children or friends of their former first captains. Sometimes the journey south was due to owner retirement and the migration to the warmer clime. Sometimes they’d been in service in tropical waters and wound up not returning to the north after their charter duties or passage-making cruise days wound down.

No matter the how, seeing 10 of these Allieds formed up and sailing as a flotilla, there was no doubt I was witnessing a warm, historic moment. I felt a special pride as I sailed abeam a Gilmer-designed Seawind 30 as she was alongside her big sister, the Seawind II 32—while all of us were cutting a port tack to windward and chewing some foam—with seven more Allied vessels astern, their canvases brightly lit by a bold, clear day’s sun and curved by a steady 15- to 20-knot wind.

In all, this first Allied sailboat gam of Tampa Bay drew 10 boats of six different varieties: one Seawind 30 (the first fiberglass design to circumnavigate), five Seawind II 32s, one Luders 3, two Seabreeze 35s (one sloop and one yawl), and one Princess 36. The boat-to-boat tours seemed all too short as variations of systems, running rigging, interior space usage, and vessel alterations were varied and personalized.

Discussions of sail choice, passages of the past, a planned run to Mexico next month, etc.—all kept the conversations lively and jovial. Festivities at the Tampa Sailing Squadron clubhouse gave the captains and crew a perfect place to make new friends. The dinner on Saturday evening, at Circles Restaurant in Apollo Beach, saw 28 wind-blown and suntanned sailors and their friends sharing much pride and affection for their prized Allied “good old boat.” Photographer Jon Bolton captured the flotilla on film from the air on Saturday afternoon, and it was appropriate how the aerial photography mission was flown in a beautiful red Waco biplane of yesteryear, with its roaring radial engine, flown by Tom Hurley. This time next year, we promoters of Dancing With The Wind hope to see even more fun being had by our new Allied sailboat and Tampa Sailing Squadron friends. If you have a sailboat in Tampa Bay and want to wind up with an aerial photograph opportunity, stay tuned for the next Allied gam of Tampa Bay.

Many thanks to SOUTHWINDS magazine, and our sponsors for helping to create a great weekend event. Check out the photos and comments at http://dancingwiththewind.net and support those who support sailing.

Chance 30-30 – 30 – Sloop, B. Chance

Seawind – 30ft – Sloop/Ketch, T. Gilmer

Seawind II – 32 – Sloop/Ketch, T. Gilmer 

Luders – 33 - Sloop 

Seabreeze – 35 – Sloop/Yawl, MacLear & Harris

 Princess – 36 – Sloop/Yawl, A. Edmunds

Allied 39 – 39 – Sloop, Owens/Harris 

Mistress – 39 – Sloop, A. Edmunds

 Allied 40 Wright – 40 – Sloop, A. Edmunds

Allied 42 XL – 42 – Sloop/Yawl, Sparkman & Stephens

 Allied 52 – Sloop, Pedrick