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Fearless Fleet Captains

Fleet Captains are the mainstay of sailing everywhere.

They serve to create fun times for all of us. Through their wise and shrewd leadership, Fleet Captains keep the races going, the parties hopping, and are brilliant at match making crews & skippers. Good Fleet Captains are part Bluto; part Jimmy Spithill; combined with a touch of Martha Stewart.

We'd like to highlight some of our favorite Fleet Captains. They share some of their stories and insights with us in this article. Each of these Fleet Captains have grown their respective fleets. Their leadership has created a vibrant setting in which all of us can enjoy doing the things we enjoy most. Our hats are off to the Fleet Captains who make good things happen.

Well Done !

Karen Cahill

Santa Barbara

Please introduce yourself:

My name is Karen Cahill and I am the fleet captain for Fleet #4 in Santa Barbara, CA. My husband, Kevin, and I have been racing our boat SHAH in the fleet for 3+ years.

How did you get into sailing?

I grew up on Lake Erie in Ohio, and my Dad got me into sailing. He worked for the city of Cleveland and in 1969, he found an old, wooden sailboat in the basement of one of the county buildings he was working on. He towed it home and rebuilt it. It was called a WoodPussy - a 13 1/2 foot catboat built by Palmer Scott Boat Works. We sailed that boat for 5 years and then moved on to Lasers and Sunfish. No racing but lots of fun sailing.

How did you become fleet captain? What was your path to leadership?

I have been involved with the fleet since it's inception in 2011. Kevin drafted our fleet bylaws and I was secretary and treasurer. My path to 'leadership' was simply accepting the nomination by the board to serve as Fleet Captain in 2013. My ability to 'herd cats' i.e.: run a fleet meeting in the time allotted, probably helped in my nomination. Our term for Fleet Captain is 1 year but I was asked to put in a second year and accepted the role for 2014 as well.

Santa Barbara Yacht Club

So far, what was your fleet's most enjoyable success? What do your sailors most enjoy about your fleet?

It is hard to say was our Fleet's most 'enjoyable' success would be but some of the highlights include:

Being the largest and most active one design fleet at the Santa Barbara Yacht Club (12 boats currently in the fleet)
Hosting the first - ever North/South challenge in 2013 (Newport vs Santa Barbara)
Hosting this years' East/West challenge
Being recognized as a fleet that is generous with our time and our boats. We lend our boats to SBYC for a number of races throughout the year including the Centennial Regatta, Commodore's Cup, Shaloob Regatta, Women's Skipper Championship.

I think our sailors enjoy the friendships and camaraderie that we have in our fleet the most. We are, all extremely competitive on the water, all actively involved in fleet matters and all love our parties.

Harbor 20 Daysailer Beach Party

As far as what we like most about sailing Harbor 20's: we love sailing on the ocean and flying our spinnakers. We also enjoy how easy the boat is to rig and then put away after sailing. Being able to sail the boat competitively with only 2 people is also a plus.

How does your fleet handle leadership succession?

Fleet votes on board members every year. Then the board elects the fleet captain. Fleet captain (usually) serves for 1 year and then remains on the board for a second year to help maintain continuity.

Do you have any additional insights on successful fleets?

I have not been involved with any other fleets but I would say that we seem to be successful because we have members who are competitive but remain friends. Our fleet encourages participation from owners and non owners - non owners who are fleet members can even serve on our board so we are an 'equal opportunity' fleet.

I have enjoyed representing our fleet on the Santa Barbara Sail Policy committee. Getting to interact with the other fleet captains and Race Director has made me a better sailor, racer and fleet member. Getting to work with other fleet captains to coordinate the East/West Regatta has also been a very positive experience for me.

Jennifer McKenna and Anna Alderkamp

San Francisco Bay

Please introduce yourselves:

We are Jennifer McKenna and Anna Alderkamp, and we have been co-fleet captains for the Santana 22 fleet in San Francisco Bay for the past 4 years. Jennifer is the outgoing fleet captain.

Santana 22 co fleet captains Jennifer McKenna (Left) and Anna Alderkamp (right) take first and second in the Berkeley Yacht Club Wheeler Regatta.

How did you get into sailing?

Anna: I got into sailing through my parents, who took me out in their 22' sailboat from the age of 3 months old on the Dutch lakes and canals. I then sailed Lasers through high school and taught at sailing camps through college. I got into racing on the bay through the crew list on the Santana22.com website and crewed with the fleet champion for two years before purchasing "Byte Size," a 2001 Santana 22.

Santana 22 #801 - Byte Size

Jennifer: About 10 years ago, I was commuting from San Francisco to Marin over the Golden Gate Bridge and looking at the Bay twice a day thinking, "I should be out there." I found an affordable, volunteer run sailing school in Sausalito called Sailing Education Adventures and signed up for an Intro to Sailing class and got hooked. After the Intermediate class the following year, I bought my 1971 Santana 22 for a couple thousand dollars and the rest is history.

How did you become fleet captain? What was your path to leadership?

Anna was asked to become fleet captain by the prior fleet captain and figured it would be much more fun to do it together with Jennifer, who liked the idea as well.

Santana 22 Nationals 2014 as seen from "Shanman"

So far, what was your fleet's most enjoyable success? What do your sailors most enjoy about your fleet?

We have a competitive and friendly one-design fleet where skippers help each other out a lot. Our most enjoyable success lately was the 2014 Nationals at Richmond Yacht Club, last year, with 20 boats participating. Also, every year we organize the "Tuna Tune Up" to give every one some starting practice prior to the racing season.

How does your fleet handle leadership succession?

Traditionally, the fleet captain that steps down has looked for someone to replace him/her, which was sometimes the fleet champion. When Jennifer has decided to step down after this year our current fleet champion Garth Copenhaver agreed to become a new co-fleet captain.

Anna Sailing in SF Bay

Do you have any additional insights on successful fleets?

We think the success of our fleet is to keep a one-design series going throughout the summer and winter with tight and fun racing, a friendly atmosphere with a combination of novice and very experienced skippers, and low costs that enable you to race on the San Francisco Bay. We have about a third female skippers in the fleet, and this fraction has been steady over the years. The fleet organizes social events, and Jennifer keeps the website and Facebook page up to date to keep everyone informed. As fleet captains we send out fleet emails and personal emails to fleet members to check in.

Amanda Wayne

Alamitos Bay

Lido 14 Fleet 6 Captain, Amanda Wayne

Discusses 2014 Championship Regatta

Hosted by Fleet 6 in Alamitos Bay

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