More than 200 Sea Scouts from around the Southeast will steam into Apollo Beach to learn and compete at sea.
By JAY CRIDLIN
Published March 26, 2004
This weekend, thousands more teenagers will pour into Hillsborough and Pinellas counties sporting their official spring break uniforms: flip-flops, bikinis and suntan lotion.
But today, another group of teenagers will pour into Apollo Beach wearing actual uniforms. Hand-me-downs from the Navy, no less.
For the 16th straight year, a group of amateur boaters from around the Southeast come to town for the annual Tampa Bay Sea Scout Regatta at the Tampa Sailing Squadron in Apollo Beach.
The Sea Scouts - a nautical branch of the Boy Scouts geared toward boys and girls age 14 to 20 - once again will borrow local residents' boats for a series of races and competitions.
More than 200 Sea Scouts will come from Florida, Georgia and South Carolina, making this the southeast's largest annual Sea Scouting event.
"We run it just like any other regatta that's run on Tampa Bay," says event chairman Bill Kramer of Apollo Beach, "except it's the kids doing it."
Nationally, about 7,000 youths participate in the Sea Scouts, including groups, known as "ships", in such far-flung locales as Utah and West Virginia. The teenagers get a chance to learn proper boating procedure.
The sailors rarely have their own vessels, so during events like the Tampa Bay Sea Scout Regatta, local boatowners usually lend a hand.
"We have people who, honest to God, would be offended if we didn't invite them to have their boat in this," Kramer said.
Members of the Tampa Sailing Squadron and other regatta groups will loan the scouts about 40 boats, including sailboats, catamarans and powerboats.
Gregg Bindshedler of Brandon, who is in charge of arranging boats for the Sea Scouts, said he plans to lend two of his own vessels.
"The people that own the boats go out and watch and observe, and take over if something dangerous happens," he said. "But pretty much, the kids run the boats."
Some of the events will take place at the Tampa Sailing Squadron, while others will take kids to Beer Can Island on Longboat Key.
There's the "Sail to Know Where" journey, which allows a crew of Sea Scouts and a boat captain to explore the water on their own. There are a series of Catamaran events, including a race and a capsize and retrieve exercise. There are several traditional races that center on swimming, navigating and handling large boats.
One of the most popular events is Sunday's "Run What You Brung" race, where scouts compete to build the best boat out of unusual materials. One year, a scout constructed a boat from empty bleach bottles. Another scout won a race using nothing more than a cardboard box, a plastic bag and a sail.
Several chase boats will monitor the action and keep an eye out for trouble, Kramer said.
Spectators are welcome and may be able to ride out with the chase boats. To do so, arrive between 8 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. Saturday and Sunday at the Tampa Sailing Squadron, 1250 Apollo Beach Blvd. For more information, contact Bindshedler at 766-1776.
