HISTORY OF THE SALTY SISTERS
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The Rainbow Regatta, which originated in 1981, is for single-handed boats: prams, IODs and Sunfish. In 1983, the Salty Sisters purchased five Clearwater Prams from their reserve funds, to be more competitive in this regatta. As Clearwater Prams were beginning to be phased out of the Rainbow Regatta, in 2007 the Salty Sisters purchased six International Optimist Dinghies (I.O.D.s) and a trailer in 2007, with member donations. Since 1981, Salty Sister teams have won a preponderance of these regattas.
In 2001, more than 200 Salty Sisters celebrated their 50th Anniversary with a luncheon and a regatta. The anniversary “Fun Regatta” put more than 100 Salties on the water in 17 prams, four 420s, six Sonars, two Snipes, three spectator boats and three support boats. Salty Sister Barbara Arnold created quite a stir with her gift of a fly-by with a banner saying “Happy 50th Anniversary Salty Sisters.” The race was covered by the local Fox television network affiliate, Channel 13.
Many members of the Salty Sisters are accomplished sailors in their own right in many kinds of boats, including Lightnings, Thistles, Flying Scots, J-22s, J-24s, Sonars, Snipes, SKUDs and others. They participate in regional, national and international regattas at all levels. Salty spouses, known as Briny Brothers, are often (but not always) part of the mix.
Sherry Welch and Susan Wallace participated in the Snipe Women’s Worlds in 2010 and Sherry has placed in Snipe Worlds Masters and Snipe Women’s Nationals for several years. In 2009, a team of 12 club members participated in the Hinman Masters Team Racing Championship in Newport, RI. In 2010, a group sailed in the first Hinman Grand Masters Team Racing Championship; of those 12 members, eight were Salty Sisters. Two Saltys were among the racing skippers.
In 2012, Jennifer French won a silver medal sailing a SKUD in the Paralympic Games based in London, with crew JP Creignou, who is a Briny Brother. French, who is a quadriplegic, also teamed up with Creignou, who is legally blind, in 2009 to win gold in the US Sailing Disabled Regatta and in 2011 to win silver in the IFDS World Championships. In 2012 Jen French was named Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year.
Salty Sisters are heavily involved in all facets of race management at SPYC. Most regatta organizing and race committees are made up mostly of Salties and Brinys, sometimes completely. Salties and Brinys are also called upon to do race management elsewhere. Barbara Farquhar and her husband Thomas were the 2018 recipients of the Nathanael G. Herreshoff Trophy, US Sailing’s most prestigious award, recognizing their contributions to the sport of sailing.
In 1996, Salty Sister Pat Seidenspinner became the first woman to serve as principal race officer (PRO) at the Olympics, that year based in Atlanta. A large contingent of Saltys and Brinys joined her to conduct the sailing events in Savannah, GA. Seidenspinner earned a long string of firsts to her credit: first female PRO for Southern Ocean Racing Conference (SORC) and first female appointed as International Race Officer by International Sailing Federation (ISAF). In 2000, Pat Seidenspinner became the first (and so far only) woman to become Commodore of SPYC.
Other Salty Sisters have stepped up to achieve club and regional race officer status, some even more. Carol Bardes served as a national race officer and was the first recipient of the Pat Seidenspinner Award for Leadership in Women’s Sailing. Barbara Farquhur served as an international judge for many years. She and her husband Thomas were recipients of US Sailing’s Nathanael G. Herreshoff Trophy. Salty Sisters have held positions as race organizers, committee chairmen, members of the club’s executive committee, and members of the SPYC board of directors. The Salty Sister Captain has a permanent seat on the SPYC Executive Committee.
Over the years Salty Sisters have reached out to younger sailors, especially girls. At one time the group sponsored a Mariner Girl Scout Troop. One member of that troop grew up to join Salty Sisters and become Captain in 2012, Sandy Ripberger. In 2000, Saltys organized a regatta for girls, ages eight to 18, named after one of SPSC’s famous sailing prodigies, Allison Jolly.
Jolly and crew Lynn Jewell won the first women’s sailing gold medal in the Olympic games. They sailed a 470 in the 1988 Summer Games, based in Seoul, South Korea. Jolly grew up learning to sail through the Junior program at the SPSC with other champions (notably including America’s Cup-winning skipper Ed Baird). She and her family continue to be involved with the Regatta, and she teaches more young sailors now as the University of South Florida sailing coach.
The Salty Sisters exist as a club to promote sailing and to assist our members in becoming proficient in the science of sailing.
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