1952 - First Captain Betty Jennings & Crew
Charting a Course
Founding and early learning years.
In the early years, Salty Sisters racing took place in 8-foot Hagerty Sea Shell prams, later replaced by Optimist-class prams. As members’ skills and confidence grew, the women advanced to the club-owned 22-foot gaff-rigged Fish Class sloops. Over time, those boats were succeeded by Rhodes 19s and eventually by Ideal 18s from the St. Petersburg Sailing Center.
Throughout the decades, Salty Sisters have sailed an impressive variety of boats, including Flying Juniors, O’Day Sprites, Flying Scots, Snipes, Sunfish, 420s, and Sonars. The introduction of the O’Day Sprites also brought spinnaker sailing into the program — a tradition that continues today whenever boats are equipped for it.
As participation grew, sailing evolved from an afternoon activity into a morning tradition, followed by lunch at the Yacht Club. At times, as many as 60 to 70 women participated on the water, often rotating through the available boats — a testament to the enthusiasm, camaraderie, and enduring spirit of the Salty Sisters.
1950s Fish Boat
In 1958, the Salty Sisters began competing against women’s sailing groups from neighboring yacht clubs. Inspired by the Salty Sisters’ example, other clubs throughout the region soon organized their own women’s sailing programs, many adopting colorful nautical names that reflected both their spirit and camaraderie.
Among them were the “Mainsheet Mamas” of the Tampa Yacht & Country Club, the “Luffing Lassies” of the Sarasota Sailing Squadron, the “Windlasses” of the Clearwater Yacht Club, the “Dinghy Dames” of the Davis Island Yacht Club, and the “Broad Reachers” of the Pass-a-Grille Yacht Club.
When Pass-a-Grille Yacht Club became part of the St. Petersburg Yacht Club in 2008, many Salty Sisters also became active members of the Broad Reachers, further strengthening the longstanding friendships and traditions shared among the region’s women sailors.
Our Origins
Women Taking the Helm
In 1951, a small group of visionary women at the Saint Petersburg Yacht Club decided that sailing shouldn't be a spectator sport for them.
Under the guidance of W.W. “Doc” Jennings, a group of ten women - all wives of members of the St. Petersburg Yacht Club - came together to form what is believed to be the nation’s first organized women’s sailing group: the Salty Sisters.
United by a desire to learn the art and principles of sailing, they gathered each Wednesday afternoon after lunch at the Yacht Club to sail small boats and build their skills on the water.
The original founding members were Eleanor Ellis, Betty Jennings, Dottie Lang, Joyce McEvoy, Mary Jane Misener, Margie Peterson, Joey Powell, Ruth Rifley, June Schowe, and Phyllis Shaver.
Membership was originally limited to wives of members of SPYC. In 1956, the organization broadened its membership to include any female member of the Yacht Club age 21 or older — an important step in the continued growth and evolution of the Salty Sisters community.
1974 Prams
Finding Our Wind
Growing skills and confidence
In 1964, the British Royal Navy vessel HMS Berwick arrived in port with a sailing team that promptly challenged the Salty Sisters to a spirited three-race competition. According to club lore, such friendly challenges were a tradition for Her Majesty’s vessels visiting foreign ports. The story goes that the British sailors fully lived up to their reputation as gentlemen, graciously allowing the Salty Sisters to remain undefeated.
The same generosity, however, could not be expected from the Yacht Club’s own junior sailors. During the Hospice National Championship fundraising regattas in 2012 and 2013, the juniors handily defeated the “old ladies” in pram races — much to everyone’s amusement and delight.
In the fall of 1973, building on the growing network of women’s sailing clubs throughout the region, Fran Weaver and Ardith Rutland spearheaded the formation of the Women’s Interclub Council. Its mission was simple but ambitious: “to promote women’s interclub racing in Florida.” That pioneering organization would later become today’s Florida Women's Sailing Association (FWSA), which continues to encourage competition, seamanship, friendship, and leadership among women sailors across the state.
Fran Weaver served as the organization’s first president, with Ardith Rutland succeeding her as the second president. Through their leadership and vision, the Salty Sisters played an important role not only in shaping their own club’s traditions, but also
in advancing opportunities for women in sailing throughout Florida.
2023 Rainbow Regatta held at SPYC
In addition to the monthly interclub regattas, the Florida Women's Sailing Association sponsors two major annual events hosted by its member clubs.
Established in 1976, the Championship Regatta was a one-design competition sailed with crews and has long been considered one of Florida’s premier women’s sailing events. For many years, its winner advanced to the quarterfinals of the Adams Cup, formerly the U.S. women’s sailing championship organized by US Sailing.
The Rainbow Regatta, established in 1981, focuses on single-handed competition in boats such as prams, IODs, and Sunfish. Committed to remaining competitive in the event, the Salty Sisters purchased five Clearwater Prams in 1983 using reserve funds. As those boats began to be phased out of the regatta, the organization once again adapted, purchasing six International Optimist Dinghies (IODs) and a trailer in 2007 through generous member donations.
2011 FWSA Regatta
From our humble beginnings, Salty Sisters has grown into one of the most respected women's sailing organizations in the country, hosting national regattas and fostering generations of champion sailors who continue to lead the sport with passion and integrity.