A rising musical talent, Destin’s Reed Waddle has always had an ear for music. Growing up along the Emerald Coast, his family was a musical one; the 26-year-old remembers with a laugh, “My father made me learn the guitar whether I wanted to or not.”

Waddle’s first release, “Rush In,” came out in 2002, and even though it was homemade, it quickly caught the attention of 14 major labels. Seven years later, after graduating from the University of Florida, Waddle has met with enough success to transcend the moniker of “local talent.”

In 2007, he was chosen among 20 finalists from more than 25,000 contestants in the “American Idol” Songwriter Competition. Currently, Waddle can be heard on satellite radio and conventional stations all over the country. His latest album, “Piece by Piece,” came out in the summer of 2008, and he followed it up with a 15-state tour in the fall.

None of this success has gone to the musician’s head, though.

“An artist gets inspiration from anything around him, but the place where you come from is always going to shine through,” Waddle says. He doesn’t seem too concerned with those trying to package his sound and label his music country, pop, indie or Americana either, saying plainly, “I just write songs.” A quick listen to his heartfelt and emotionally packed sound will confirm that.

Sample songs and more information are available on his Web site at reedwaddle.com and at myspace.com/reedwaddle

There’s nothing swankier than a fabulous dinner party – but from the food and drinks to the decorations, the cost can add up quickly. What’s a poor party lover to do?

Plan a progressive dinner party! In a progressive dinner, each guest signs up for a single meal course (appetizer, entree, dessert, etc.) and then hosts the course in his/her own home. The guests move from one home to the next as the meal progresses.

Progressive dinners are a terrific way to spend an evening with friends, while reducing the expenses and time commitment to you as the party host. Instead of buying food for several courses, you commit to only one. And instead of cleaning up after a seven course meal, you’re only stuck with one course of dishes.

To organize a progressive dinner, contact your friends (3-7 individuals or couples works best) and set a date. Plan the number of courses according to the number of confirmed attendees. To avoid squabbles, ask each guest to provide a specific course – think, “Fran, I just love that pineapple upside-down cake you make. Could you handle the dessert course?” Asking everyone to pick their favorites may result in 3 entrees and no salads!
Also consider logistics when assigning meal courses. You may need to eat two courses in one location if an attendee lives more than a half hour away from the group – don’t let distance deter you from inviting fabulous people. Certain courses, like soup and salad, lend themselves to such pairings. You may also want to assign the final course strategically, ending at the home with the best entertainment system, hot tub or other special amenity.


After the courses have been assigned, devise a rough schedule and print out fun programs on your computer. Leave plenty of time for mingling at each location, but be sure to keep the evening on track. It’s also nice to arrange carpooling – especially given current gas prices. If any of your attendees drive SUVs or vans, ask if they’d be willing to drive guests around, perhaps in exchange for a few dollars of gas money.

With the logistics out of the way, get down to planning your course. An ideal dish for a progressive dinner is a simple one that requires little in the way of preparation. You don’t want your guests to wait for an hour while you put the finishing touch on your fancy French-sounding fish entrée. Think simple gazpachos, pasta dishes that can be left to warm in the oven and easy frozen desserts like parfaits or berries and cream.
On the subject of beverages, it’s nice to offer simple beverages like water, soda, iced tea or lemonade at each stop throughout the meal.You may request that all attendees make these available in their homes or request that guests bring a water bottle or travel mug to carry with them. If an attendee has a flair for bartending, you might request that he/she prepare a course of cocktails and mixed drinks. A wine connoisseur might help supply a bottle of wine complementary to the main entrée as his/her course of the meal.

Above all, a progressive dinner should be an opportunity to spend quality time with friends in an innovative (and inexpensive) fashion.

Go with the flow on the night of your event and don’t stress out over the little details. Sit back and enjoy a night of friends, food and fun.

To revive the fun in your every day and night, don’t sweat the small stuff – celebrate it. Occasions need not be occasional. With tips from professionals who enjoy life for a living, you too can make the most of any moment.

We called upon a pair of Emerald Coast event planners and one savvy sommelier to create a wine and cheese party guaranteed to entertain your entourage without breaking the bank.

Party On
Monark Events takes its name from “mon,” meaning “one,” and “A-R-K,” signifying “act of random kindness.”

According to event designer Hillary K. Fosdyck and event director Briane M. Workman, the No. 1 rule of party planning is not allowing your stress to compromise the celebration. 

In other words, they say, “Remember to enjoy yourself and you will automatically enhance the experience for your guests.”

The amateur event planner should begin by establishing the purpose for the party and selecting a unique theme that will engage guests, said the owners of Monark Events. Next, determine a budget and decide how to allocate funds. Finally, solicit help from close friends and family to alleviate your workload and ensure the details are covered from beginning to end.

Monark’s Masterful Moves
The Invitation: Use high-energy, creative words to pique your guests’ interest.

Greet Guests at the Door: Everyone likes to feel welcomed, and the energy level will instantly rise.

Create the Ambiance: Enhance your guests’ experience by stimulating all of the senses. Music, lighting, design, color, flowers and seating make an impact as soon as guests walk through the door.

Give Guests Something to Do: Add a little flavor to an event by providing an engaging activity.

Fun Food and Great Beverage: Choose a unique menu of food and drinks to enhance the event’s established theme.

To create a more intimate setting that allows you to make each guest feel welcome, Fosdyck and Workman recommend inviting no more than 15 or 20 friends to your home. In other venues, invite as many people as your useable social space allows. 

“The easiest way to ask a guest to contribute is to creatively communicate your request in the invitation,” they said. “That way they can take ownership of their selection and explore their creativity.”

To ensure a smooth, successful event, the owners of Monark Events suggest the host be organized and over-prepared; create a timeline of activities to be executed pre-, mid- and post-party; and maintain a reference sheet with contact information for all vendors. When it comes to food and drink, it is better to have too much than not enough.

The same is not necessarily true of theme and décor. Sometimes the most striking décor is also the simplest. A good theme can stand on its own without being overdone.

Fosdyck and Workman take full advantage of the Internet to explore the latest trends. But the majority of their inspiration comes from assessing the people, cultures and art that surround them.

Possible themes for wine parties include “The Grape Escape,” in which each guest is asked to bring a bottle from a different region, price point or style; “Blind Wine Tasting,” an interactive process of rating white and red wines ranging from $6 to $60 that have been covered with wine bags and assigned numbers – your favorite may surprise you; and “Wine Blending,” a slightly messy venture for teams to mix single-varietal (one grape) wines into creative blends.

When planning your own wine tasting, take a cue from the owners of Monark Events, who said, “We try to ask ourselves, ‘What do people love to do, see and experience, and how can we combine those things in a way that has never been done before?’”

Take Flight
Todd Reber of Vin’tij Wine Boutique & Bistro uncorks a new trend in wine tasting – the wine flight. Also referred to as tasting flights, these samplings of multiple wines allow the taster to discern the breadth or depth of each selection.

“Wine flights are usually intended for those new to the experience of tasting wine, or those who want to increase their understanding of a specific region, vintage or varietal,” Reber said.

At Vin’tij, flights are offered by style: full-bodied, fruit-driven and oak-flavored whites; dry whites and blends with solid levels of acidity; aromatics featuring floral and spicy scents; full-bodied reds with dark fruit and firm tannins; dense-flavored reds with big fruit profiles; and light-bodied reds with spicy notes.

“The possibilities with wine flights are virtually endless, and a well designed flight can be a remarkable opportunity,” Reber said. “Wine flights usually provide smaller pours than normal, because of the amount of wine being offered.”

Vin’tij offers affordable flights from $12 to $50, depending on the quality of the wines.

When pairing wines with food, Reber uses a simple guideline. Light, delicate foods require a light-bodied red or white wine. Heartier foods pair well with richer, more full-bodied wines.

Exclusively for readers, Reber created a flight utilizing Syrah or Shiraz. (Syrah is the dark-skinned grape that produces the wine of the same name. In France and the United States, the wine is called Syrah; in Australia, it is commonly known as Shiraz.)

‘Que Syrah, Shiraz: A Fun Tasting for Friends’
Layer Cake Côtes du Rhone 2007, $20
Layer Cake is 100 percent Syrah. The nose shows mostly cherry, with undertones of fig, asparagus, vanilla and black pepper. The palate is rich and beautifully balanced. Perfect acidity and tannin levels create a simultaneously lively and soothing feel. The flavors are mostly cherry and berry, plus some mid-palate chocolate and spicy black pepper on the finish.

Hahn Syrah Santa Lucia Highlands 2005, $34
Opening with peppered and balanced aromas of blackberry and raspberry fruit, the Hahn SLH Syrah softly suggests a nose of toasted oak, baked fruit, plum, blueberry and cinnamon butter. Rounding to hints of vanilla and mocha, this wine is full-bodied and approachable. The voluptuous texture allows for a velvety feel complete with tobacco, coffee and cranberry flavors followed by solid tannins and white pepper on the finish.

Falcor Napa Valley Syrah 2004, $39
Falcor 2004 Syrah comes from the Shifflett Vineyards in Yountville, Calif. and the Castle Rock Vineyard on Mt. Veeder in Napa Valley. Aged for 15 months in French oak barrels, the wine features aromatic notes of fresh berries, black truffle and smoke, married beautifully with toasty aromas imparted by the wooden barrels.

Molly Dooker The Boxer Shiraz 2007, $25
This powerful and complex Shiraz pairs sweet fruit with lovely structural tannins. Combining the regional flavors of grapes from McLaren Vale, Langhorne Creek and Padthaway, this wine has incredible power and purity. The 2007 vintage of The Boxer received 90 points from Wine Spectator’s Harvey Steiman and was chosen as one of the “Editor’s Most Exciting New Wines.”

Concha y Toro Syrah 2005 Puemo Marques de Casa, $20
This wine is dark and plush with espresso, fig paste and plum sauce notes, pushed by mocha and dark licorice on the finish. The rich, smoky finish shows fine-grained tannins and the density for moderate cellaring.

Chateau Ste. Michelle Syrah 2005, $20
This soft, ripe Syrah features dark berry aromas and hints of vanilla, brown sugar spice and toast. Serve with strongly flavored cheeses.

Today’s market provides innumerable ways to explore the flavor wheel of wine and its components. Reber’s advice? Taste, taste and taste.

“If you intend on being a serious taster, always spit. Everything that you recognize will be from your palate and olfactory,” he said. “Swallowing will only lift your spirits, albeit many times the purpose of a glass of wine.”

Todd’s Tasting Tips
» A great way to discover preferences is to taste wines side by side. Visit wine festivals to sample cellars across the world.
» If you want to track your favorite wines, use a journal to note specific likes and dislikes. This information is helpful when making selections at a wine store or a restaurant.
» Join a wine club or gather a few friends to exchange your favorites.
» When planning a wine event, set a theme such as price, grape type or region.

“Carpe vinum,” Reber said. Translation: Seize the wine.

Say Cheese
Create a classic cheese tray with an assortment of soft and hard fromage from around the globe. Add fresh fruits such as grapes, sliced apples or pears, and provide crackers or bread, as well as knives for slicing and spreading. Experiment with such cheeses as Gouda, Pepper Jack, Brie, Cheddar, Havarti, Swiss, Camembert, Mozzarella and Bleu.

Be Charming
For an added gesture to show your guests what they mean to you, consider making personalized wine glass charms like the one shown here.

You’ll need an assortment of wire hoops, beads, crystals and charms, all available at the arts and crafts store. Look for letter beads to spell out your friends’ names or monograms, or try to find charms that match their interests (flowers for gardeners, shoes for shoppers, footballs for sports fans, etc.)

Begin by laying out your beads in the order you will place them on the wire. This will allow you to map out your designs in advance, preventing the need to start over. Run the straight end of the wire through each bead or charm, making sure to leave enough room to hook the hoop together when you finish. Secure each charm around a wine glass to present to guests as they arrive.

Celebrate the charms of life – good friends, good wine and good laughs.

“In the last 18 months more people are trying it,” Vaughan said. He credits chefs such as the Food Network’s Bobby Flay with popularizing the trend among restaurants.

Betsy Surcouf, general manager of Williams-Sonoma at Destin Commons, says she has seen firsthand the rising interest of plank grilling among her customers.

“Planking has inspired a lot of backyard chefs, too,” she said. The method involves placing fish, meat or most any other food atop a wooden plank and then putting the plank on a grill or in an oven. Unlike traditional grilling, planks add a barrier between the fire and the food that slows the cooking process and gives food a rich, smoky flavor.

“It’s just a tasty and interesting way to cook,” Vaughan said. “And, honestly, it’s very simple, very user-friendly once you get through the prep.”

Plank Talk
There’s nothing fancy about planks. You can use almost any variety of wood from a lumberyard, but you’ll want to be sure it has not been treated. Treated wood may be poisonous if cooked upon, so it may be best to play it safe and purchase your planks from a specialty store, such as Williams-Sonoma or Fresh Market, both in Destin. Some fish markets and grocery stores also sell planks. Prices generally range from about $15 for a four-pack to as much as $30 each for thicker pieces.


Planks come in a variety of species. Cedar is the most common grilling wood. Pecan, alder and hickory also are good choices. When planking in an oven, it is best to use a portion of wood of at least one inch in depth. The planks will burn a little in the cooking process, so you should not expect them to last more than once or twice. If the plank can be used more than once, Surcouf suggests cleaning it with warm water and a firm dish brush. However, no soap should be used, as it may hamper the flavor.

Before using, planks should be soaked in water, wine or fruit juice for at least 30 minutes and up to several hours. Soaking the wood keeps it from burning and allows the food to steam during the cooking process. Once the food has been prepped, and the plank soaked, brush a small amount of olive oil over one side of the plank, place the food on the oiled side and set the plank on the grill or in the oven.

“Then keep an eye on it,” Surcouf warned. “The wood will burn and will char on the edges, but you don’t want it to catch on fire.” Many plank-grillers have seen their planks go up in flames, but don’t let that discourage you. Just spritz with water until the flames subside. Do expect to see some charring on the plank, Surcouf says. With the grill lid down, the smoke from the burning wood and steam from the soaked plank gently cook the meat, resulting in a moist and aromatic result.

Food for Thought

Fish may be one of the most popular plank-grilled foods, but don’t limit yourself, says Criolla’s Vaughan.

“I’d try an old classic like bacon-wrapped scallops, on the plank,” he says. “That would be phenomenal.”

Other options include shellfish such as lobster and shrimp. Pork and steak tend to work best with harder woods like alder or hickory, as those types burn slower, allowing more time to cook the meat.

Even fruits and vegetables can be planked.

“You can really get creative,” Surcouf said. “I’ve made desserts on the plank, like cinnamon-stuffed apples with crème fraîche. And peaches are wonderful grilled on the plank.”

Vaughan says home cooks should not be intimidated by planking, but rather to experiment with different foods cooked on wood.

“I could even see some brunch items on the plank, like salmon or even eggs,” he says. “You can just develop some of your own unique ideas. Put a different spin on it. There really should be no mystique about it.”

———————————————————————

Planked Salmon with Pinot Noir-Berry Sauce
Recipe Courtesy Williams-Sonoma

1 cup Pinot Noir
1 small shallot, minced
2¼ cups blackberries, chopped
2 tablespoons veal demi-glace
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 16 cubes
¼ teaspoon salt, plus more, to taste
2 teaspoons sugar
4 salmon fillets, each 8 ounces, with skin
¼ cup olive oil
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Soak a cedar plank in water for 2 to 4 hours.


In a small pot over medium heat, combine the wine, shallot and 1½ cups of the blackberries. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid has evaporated, 15 to 20 minutes. Press the berry mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl and return the liquid to the pot. Set over low heat and whisk in the demi-glace, then slowly add the butter, whisking continuously until incorporated into the sauce. Stir in the ¼ teaspoon salt, sugar and the remaining ¾ cup blackberries. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the berries soften, 5 to 7 minutes. Pour the sauce into a small bowl and set over, but not touching, simmering water in a saucepan; keep the sauce warm.

Prepare a medium fire in a grill. Have a spray bottle of water ready to extinguish flare-ups. Brush the salmon on both sides with the olive oil and season with salt
and pepper.

Place the plank on the grill and close the lid. Heat until the plank begins to smoke and crackle. Place the salmon, skin side down, on the plank. Close the lid and grill until the salmon is cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes.

Transfer the plank with the salmon to a heatproof platter or carefully transfer the salmon directly to a warmed platter. Spoon the berry sauce over the salmon and garnish with parsley.

The film school offers a BFA and MFA.
The Film School is regarded as one of the most accomplished film schools in the world and is well-known for selectivity in admissions.^[1][2] FSU Film students won more Student Oscars (2) and College Television Awards (5) in one year than any other film school.^[3] The college is one of the only film schools in the country to be recognized by the Directors Guild of America for “its distinguished contribution to American culture through the world of film and television”. It is also the only film school in the nation to pay for all undergraduate and graduate students production costs, creating an environment in which students can concentrate on the artistry of film. With the help of unusually active alumni and a mentorship program, virtually 100% of the students find a meaningful job in the film or television industries within 12 months.

A Score of Outdoor Summer Concerts Hits a High Note for Music Fans on the Emerald Coast

Orchestrating a family outing al fresco along the Emerald Coast is a breeze. With dozens of free summer concerts to choose from, arranging an evening of music under the stars is as simple as “a-one-and-a-two-and-a-three.”

But this summer’s lineup is not your mother’s “Lawrence Welk Show.” Event promoters are mixing it up beyond the standards of classical and jazz, introducing reggae, rhythm and blues, folk, blues, bluegrass – and perhaps even an appearance by the King of Rock ’n’ Roll – at many of the area’s outdoor concerts.

You Can’t Stop the Beach
Capitalizing on the Emerald Coast’s greatest asset – the beach – many resort and residential communities are putting event venues center stage. Seaside, Alys Beach and the Mattie Kelly Arts Foundation all have invested in amphitheater spaces, while WaterColor and Rosemary Beach have designated green spaces specifically intended for music concerts and other events.

In music, timing is everything. Luckily, local promoters have considered the fact that the Emerald Coast’s temperatures climb higher than a Beverly Sills C note during the summer. The Mattie Kelly Arts Foundation, which was formed in 1995 to promote the arts and education on the Emerald Coast, places its series early in the season; concerts span eight weeks, from May into June.

For many music lovers, the heat of summer includes the warmth radiating from a spirited community event. According to Tim Krueger, senior vice president of investments for Merrill Lynch and a longtime sponsor of Mattie Kelly’s Concerts in the Park, the series is about connecting.

“The concerts promise a great time for everyone,” Krueger says. “There is camaraderie and fellowship. You feel like you know everyone, but because we are open to the public, you see new faces, too.”

Krueger, who also is an emcee for the series, has not missed a performance in the past 12 years.

“I work in an office all day, so I love being outdoors,” he says. “The concerts are a chance to put on a Tommy Bahama shirt, get comfortable and have fun outside.”

Help Me, Rondeau
Many of the Emerald Coast’s concert series are so popular that they return year after year. The long-running Mattie Kelly Arts Foundation concert program has grown and evolved into an eight-week concert series called Concerts in the Park. This year’s event will be held on Thursdays at 7 p.m. in Destin’s Mattie Kelly Cultural Arts Village.

Alys Beach will whitewash the summer blues with its refreshing music series, Après Beach at Fonville Press, each Friday beginning at 5 p.m. Known for its distinctive and pristine stone villas, Alys Beach welcomes families to its series to enjoy food, wine and friendship.

Music finds a common ground in everyone. Perhaps the same can be said for the First Friday monthly music concerts at Destin Commons. Though it spans some 470,000 square feet, the shopping plaza showcases entertainment in a way that allows busy shoppers to gather in the center plaza with family and friends. On June 6, from 6 to 10 p.m., you can go Hawaiian at the Aloha Polynesian Review, a showcase of authentic dancing and music celebrating Hawaiian, Samoan and Tahitian traditions. On July 4, the series will feature a patriotic concert and fireworks beginning at 8:30 p.m.

Though Rosemary Beach doesn’t have a traditional music series, it will throw an old-fashioned block party called Kids Rock the Block in the Town Center, complete with activities, food and music entertainment, on Tuesday, July 15, at 6 p.m.

Nearly 30 years ago, Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort put the beach in the Beach Boys, holding one of the first big-name concerts in the area. Today, the resort presents nearly 200 outdoor events a year. New Orleans-inspired architecture is a vibrant backdrop at The Village of Baytowne Wharf’s Events Plaza, where you can catch a variety of acts, such as Ronnie Satterfireld, the Ugli Stick and Chubby Carrier, during the Wednesday Night Concert Series at 7 p.m.

On the resort’s south side, The Market Shops at Sandestin invested $20,000 to transform a pond into the shopping area’s Cypress Green. Now, Mondays are a day to look forward to with a concert series showcasing performers such as David Seering, Reed Waddle, and Motor City Josh and the Big 3 each week at 6 p.m.

Synonymous with summer any time of year, idyllic Seaside invites music lovers to its Summer Concert Series on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. When you go, make your way to Modica Market first to fill your picnic basket with gourmet delights; then sprawl on the grass of the amphitheater in the town center. “It’s great to watch kids make new friends and dance in front of the stage while parents sit back, relax and listen to some really good music,” says Kristin Banker, executive director of The Merchants of Seaside.

Sinfonia Gulf Coast is to summer concerts what white linen is to the beach: perfectly suited. This year, the modernized orchestra led by maestro Demetrius Fuller will perform its annual Fourth of July Pops concert at Seaside as part of the town’s Independence Day Celebration. The concert, sponsored by the Mattie Kelly Arts Foundation, begins at 7:30 p.m. with fireworks to follow.

This summer, conduct an evening under the stars with your family at any of the Emerald Coast’s outdoor musical performances, and you are sure to score beyond measure.

Doo Be Dos … and Don’ts

What to Wear – Lightweight clothing, comfortable shoes and a light jacket. Don’t forget to lather on sunscreen and a dose of insect repellent.

What to Take – Snacks (if the venue doesn’t host a concession), a blanket or lightweight chair, an umbrella and trash bag.

Where to Park – Arrive early for the best parking, but many venues offer valet service.

Shush – Refrain from loud chatter, and be sure to silence your cell phone.  

Drive through South Walton County during the first week of May, and you are sure to see white-and-green flags waving in the warm spring air. These high-flying banners herald the coming of ArtsQuest, the Cultural Arts Association’s week-long celebration of all things art.
 

A kickoff concert, shopping tour, fashion show, student exhibit and preview gala all lead up to the ArtsQuest Fine Arts Festival – the pièce de résistance of a week of ArtsQuest festivities leading up to the Mother’s Day weekend show.
 

This year, the ArtsQuest juried show commemorates its 20th anniversary in the Beaches of South Walton, taking place May 10 through 11 in The Village of Baytowne Wharf at Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort. The festival, which started as a community event in Grayton Beach, has grown tremendously over the past two decades, moving from its Grayton home to Eden State Gardens and now to the Village, where it boasts crowds of approximately 10,000.
 

“It is the only event of its kind in this area, and it’s such a great opportunity especially for those who live here to see artists they wouldn’t be exposed to without going to Atlanta, New Orleans or Chicago,” says Jennifer Steele Saunders, ArtsQuest producer. “It’s a great opportunity for the art to come to us.”


Along with wonderful exposure to art of all forms, ArtsQuest gives festival-goers the opportunity to meet new friends, greet old friends and take in the sights and sounds of the charming Village atmosphere – all under the bright Florida sunshine.


A Captivating Canvas
A work of art in its own right, The Village of Baytowne Wharf is in its best light when framed with the creative spirit of diverse artists. The bayside community begins to buzz as more than 100 artists from around the country converge on the open-air events plaza and along the community’s shell-paved streets.
 

“Baytowne Wharf is the perfect backdrop for the annual ArtsQuest Fine Arts Festival,” says Kim Duke-Layden, director of commercial property at Sandestin. “It is naturally picturesque, with pedestrian-friendly streets, ample green space and unique facilities, allowing guests to meander from one side of the Village to the other. There are also plenty of opportunities to stop off at sidewalk cafés for a quick bite or a leisurely lunch, not to mention a refreshing beverage.”
 

The magic happens when the little white tents pop up along the Village streets, and the colors of art and life run together as festival-goers explore the art, interact with the artists, listen to local bands and visit the shops and eateries.
 

“You just have to go to ArtsQuest to know how special it is,” Saunders says. “To hear the music, see the art and eat the food – all of it is just such a wonderful experience.”
 

Tom Rice, owner of the Marlin Grill and an ArtsQuest board member, says it is the small-town, open-air feel of The Village of Baytowne Wharf that makes it the perfect complement to ArtsQuest.
 

“We are a community, and when you put an event in (the Village) and it works, the whole package just comes together,” he says.


Best of Show
While there is a wealth of activity, indoors and out, throughout the venue, the art certainly takes center stage.
 

“We are really trying to embrace and champion the arts,” says ArtsQuest chairwoman Nan Ream. “We have to make sure we are including all artists. We want a diversified group of artists, whether it is jewelry or sculpture or wood or paintings.”
 

A qualified panel of jurors selects the featured artists for the show. Artists working in a variety of formats and from as far away as Chicago and Canton, Ohio, enter the event for a chance to showcase their work and compete for Best of Show.
 

“Of the shows in the area, ArtsQuest is the premier one,” says Connie Nabholz, an award-winning jewelry artist from Pensacola and a participant in the event. “The location is so nice, and the people who put on the show treat the artists so well.”
 

Local Cultural Arts Association members also get a chance to share their creative vision in the collaborative tent. Unlike the rest of the festival, the work in this tent is not juried and is open to any member of the association.
 

Most Cultural Arts Association members would affirm that arts education is at the heart of everything the organization does. In that spirit, the board selects four students from Okaloosa Walton College to exhibit and also hosts a children’s art area with age-appropriate projects.
 

Of the importance of the children’s tent, Ream says, “How else are you going to become a budding artist if you don’t start at places like this?”

Show and Sale
For local merchants and exhibiting artists, ArtsQuest means business. Cultural and economic benefits collide as the restaurants, shops and the artists welcome festival attendees to peruse their art, merchandise and menus in a relaxed, enjoyable environment.
 

“When events like ArtsQuest are done well, planned well and promoted well, it does a tremendous amount of good for Baytowne Wharf and the businesses in it,” Rice says.
 

The artists appreciate the laid-back, festive business environment, too. Denise Choppin, a mixed media/collage artist from Tallahassee, enjoys the opportunity to expose her work to wide variety of people.
 

“It is a benefit to a lot of people who would never set foot into a gallery,” she says. “A gallery can be an intimidating environment where the whole purpose is to sell. While it’s nice to sell, you realize ArtsQuest is both a show and a sale. It lets people stroll in a relaxed atmosphere, and they don’t feel pressured.”
 

Panama City artist Dominique Williams agrees, describing ArtsQuest as a great way to gauge how people respond to her art. Her work is in galleries, but she doesn’t always know who’s buying.
 

“ArtsQuest allows me to get a firsthand reaction,” Williams says. And a positive reaction she has gotten, reporting that ArtsQuest, which Williams has participated in since its days in Grayton Beach, typically is a successful show for her.
 

Set against the lively Village of Baytowne Wharf and staged by individuals who sincerely have a heart for the arts, ArtsQuest in its 20th year promises to be as successful and inspiring as ever.

ArtsQuest Date Book

Sunday, May 4
20th Anniversary Celebration Kickoff Concert
 

Tuesday, May 6
Fine Art of Looking Good Fashion Show
 

Wednesday, May 7
Student Exhibit
 

Thursday, May 8
Champagne Shopping Tour
 

Friday, May 9
Preview Gala
 

Saturday, May 10
ArtsQuest Fine Arts Festival
 

Sunday, May 11
ArtsQuest Fine Arts Festival
 

Visit culturalartsassociation.org for a detailed schedule.

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Polish sausage, ham, pierogies, cheeses, breads and dessert.

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Sailing is the art of controlling a sailing vessel. By adjusting the rigging, rudder and dagger or centre board, a sailor manages the force of the wind on the sails (main and/or jib) in order to change the direPoints of sailction and speed of a boat. Mastery of the skill requires experience in varying wind and sea conditions, as well as knowledge concerning sailboats. If you are interested in Sailing charters in Destin area please go to http://sailing.destinspaces.com/index.html  and call Camille for details.
Today most people enjoy sailing as a recreational activity. Recreational sailing can be further divided into racing, cruising and “daysailing” or dinghy sailing.

Throughout history sailing has been instrumental in the development of civilization. The earliest representation of a ship under sail appears on an Egyptian vase from about 3500 BC.^[1] Advances in sailing technology from the 15th century onward enabled European explorers in Canada to make longer voyages into regions with extreme weather and climatic conditions. Improvements were made in the design of sails, masts and rigging, and navigational equipment became more sophisticated. Ships went further north, stayed longer on the Grand Banks and in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, and eventually began to explore the Pacific Northwest and the Western Arctic.^[2]

Introduction

A sailboat or sailing ship moves forward because of the reaction to the inertia of moving air on its sails. Since the dawn of history this vital technology has afforded mankind greater mobility and capacity for fishing, trade and warfare. From moving the stones of the great pyramids from Aswan to Giza to allowing man to migrate throughout Polynesia to Nelson’s defeat of the French and Spanish navies at the Battle of Trafalgar, mankind’s history has been intertwined with this seemingly simple technology. Great selection of sea skuners and sailing boats as well as boat cruises in Destin can be found at http://sailing.destinspaces.com

The physics of sailing

The energy that drives a sailboat is harnessed by manipulating the relative movement of wind and water speed: if there is no difference in movement, such as on a calm day or when the wind and water current are moving in the same direction, there is no energy to be extracted and the sailboat will not be able to do anything but drift. Where there is a difference in motion, then there is energy to be extracted at the interface, and the sailboat does this by placing the sail(s) in the air and the hull(s) in the water.

Sails are airfoils that work by using an airflow set up by the wind and the motion of the boat. The combination of the two is the apparent wind, which is the relative velocity of the wind relative to the boat’s motion. The sails generate lift using the air that flows around them. The air flowing at the sail surface is not the true wind.^[3]

The sail alone is not sufficient to drive the boat in any desired direction, as a sail by itself would only push a boat in the same direction as the wind. Sailboats overcome this by having another physical object below the water line. These include, a keel, centerboard, or some other form of underwater foil or even the hull itself (as in catamarans without centreboard or in a traditional proa). Thus, the physical portion of the boat which is below water can be regarded as functioning as a “second sail”. Having two surfaces against the wind and water enables the sailor to travel in almost any direction and to generate an additional source of lift from the water. The flow of water over the underwater hull portions creates a hydrodynamic force. The combination of the aerodynamic force from the sails and the hydrodynamic force from the underwater hull section allows motion in almost any direction, except straight into the wind. This can be likened, in simple terms, to squeezing a wet bar of soap with two hands which causes it to shoot out in a direction perpendicular to both opposing forces. Depending on the efficiency of the rig, the angle of travel relative to the true wind can be as little as 35 degrees to over 80 degrees. This angle is called tacking angle [1]. With a 35 degree tacking angle on either side of the wind, it is possible for a sailboat to sail directly over 290 degrees of the compass (360 – 2×35 = 290 degrees).

When sailing upwind, the sails, when correctly adjusted, will generate aerodynamic lift. When sailing downwind, the sails no longer generate aerodynamic lift and airflow is stalled, with the wind push on the sails giving drag only. As the boat is going downwind, the apparent wind is less than the true wind and this allied to the fact that the sails are not producing aerodynamic lift serves to limit the downwind speed.^[4]

When moving, the motion of the boat creates its own apparent wind Apparent wind is what is experienced onboard and is the wind that the boat is actually sailing by. Sailing into the wind causes the apparent wind to be greater than the true wind and the direction of the apparent wind will be forward^[5] of the true wind. Some extreme design boats are capable of traveling faster than the true windspeed.


Some non-traditional rigs purportedly capture energy from the wind in a much different fashion are capable of feats that traditional rigs are not, such as sailing directly into the wind. One such example is the wind turbine boat, also called the windmill boat[2], which uses a large windmill to extract energy from the wind, and a propeller to convert this energy to forward motion of the hull. This wind turbine rig is effectively a powerboat and not a sailing vessel.^[6] A similar design, called the autogiro boat, uses a wind turbine without the propellor, and functions in a manner similar to a normal sail[3].

Effects of wind shear

Wind shear affects sailboats in motion by presenting a different wind speed and direction at different heights along the mast. Sailmakers may introduce sail twist in the design of the sail, where the head of the sail is set at a different angle of attack from the foot of the sail in order to change the lift distribution with height. The effect of wind shear can be factored into the selection of twist in the sail design, but this can be difficult to predict since wind shear may vary widely in different weather conditions. Sailors may also adjust the trim of the sail to account for wind gradient, for example using a boom vang.^[7]

Basic sailing techniques

The article  defines several terms that identify a sailboat’s movement relative to the wind direction.

Sailing in front of Helsinki, Finland. 8mR Sagitta (Camper & Nicholson 1929), a true sailboat with no motor, lowers its mainsail after a training session before returning to its mooring with the foresail only.

Steering and turning

When steering a sailboat, the method for changing direction depends on the direction of the wind. Thus, all direction changes or turns are described by one of the following terms:

• Heading up (or luffing up) means steering so the wind is closer to coming from directly in front (or “on the bow”). Heading closer to the wind requires trimming the sails, pulling them towards the vessel’s center. Heading up so the wind is nearly or directly ahead causes sails to luff, to flutter without achieving lift. If the boat loses maneuverability because of this, it is said to be in irons.
• Tacking (or coming about), one of the basic turning techniques, requires bringing the bow of the boat through the wind so that the wind then comes across the opposite side of the boat, and the boat sails away on the opposite tack.
• Heading down, bearing off, bearing away, falling off and freeing off mean steering so the wind comes from closer to the vessel’s aft. This requires easing sails, letting them out away from the vessel’s center.
• Gybing or Jibing is the turning maneuver in which the boat heads down past the point where the wind crosses the vessel’s stern, which causes the sails and boom to swing to the opposite side, before the boat sails off on the opposite tack. The sail and boom can cross the centerline of the boat with significant speed, and misjudged gybing can easily capsize a small boat, harm inattentive crew, or damage the rig in a larger boat, especially in strong winds.
• An easy way to tell the difference between Gybing (Jibing) and Tacking, is by looking at what part of the boat crosses through ‘Irons’ (straight into the wind). If the front of the boat (the bow) crosses through the wind, you have completed a Tack, while if the back of the boat (the stern) crosses Irons, you will have Gybed (Jibed).

Trim

An important aspect of sailing is keeping the boat in “trim”. To achieve this a useful mnemonic (memory aid) is the phrase:

Can This Boat Sail Correctly?

This helps the crew to remember these essential points;

• Course to Steer – Turn the boat using the wheel or tiller to the desired course to steer. See points of sail. This may be a definite bearing (e.g steer 270 degrees), or towards a landmark, or at a desired angle to the apparent wind direction.
• Trim – This is the fore and aft balance of the boat. The aim is to adjust the moveable ballast (the crew!) forwards or backwards to achieve an ‘even keel’. On an upwind course in a small boat, the crew typically sit forward, when ‘running’ it is more efficient for the crew to sit to the rear of the boat. The position of the crew matters less as the size (and weight) of the boat increases.
• Balance – This is the port and starboard balance. The aim, once again is to adjust weight ‘inboard’ or ‘outboard’ to prevent excessive heeling.
• Sail – Trimming sails is a large topic. Simply put however, a sail should be pulled in until it fills with wind, but no further than the point where the front edge of the sail (the luff) is exactly in line with the wind.
• Centreboard – If a moveable centreboard is fitted, then it should be lowered when sailing “close to the wind” but can be raised up on downwind courses to reduce drag. The centreboard prevents lateral motion and allows the boat to sail upwind. A boat with no centreboard will instead have a permanent keel, some other form of underwater foil, or even the hull itself which serves the same purpose.

Together, these points are known as ‘The Five Essentials’ and constitute the central aspects of sailing. As far as dolphin cruises we reccomend this website for more info http://sailing.destinspaces.com

Running

A Thistle running downwind with a spinnaker.

Sailing the boat within roughly 30 degrees either side of dead downwind is called a run. This is the easiest point of sail in terms of comfort, but it can also be the most dangerous. When sailing upwind, it’s easy to stop the boat by heading into the wind; a sailor has no such easy out when running. Severe rolling is more likely as there is less rolling resistance provided by the sails, which are eased out. And loss of attention by the helmsman could lead the boat to gybe accidentally, causing injury to the boat or crew. (A preventer can be rigged to prevent damage from an accidental gybe.) Alternately, if there is a sudden increase in wind strength, the boat can round up very suddenly and heel excessively, often leading to a capsize in smaller boats. This is called broaching.

Reaching

When the boat is traveling approximately perpendicular to the wind, this is called reaching. A ‘beam’ reach is with the wind precisely at right angles to the boat, while a ‘close’ reach is halfway between beating and a beam reach, and a ‘broad’ reach is a little bit away from the wind.

For most modern sailboats, that is boats with triangular sails, reaching is the fastest way to travel. The direction of the wind is ideal for reaching because it will maximize the lift generated on the sails in the forward direction of the boat, giving the best boat speed. Also when reaching, the boat can be steered exactly in the direction that is most desirable, and the sails can be trimmed for that direction.

Reaching however may put the boat on a parallel course with the waves. When the waves are steep, it may be necessary to sail closer to the wind to avoid waves directly on the beam.

Sailing upwind

Using a series of close-hauled legs to beat a course upwind.

A basic rule of sailing is that it is not possible to sail directly into the wind—at least not for long. Generally speaking, a boat can sail 45 degrees off the wind. When a boat is sailing this close to the wind, it is close-hauled or beating (beating to weather).

Since a boat cannot sail directly into the wind, but the destination is often upwind, one can only get there by sailing close-hauled with the wind coming from the port side (the boat is on port tack), then tacking (turning the boat through the eye of the wind) and sailing with the wind coming from the starboard side (the boat is on starboard tack). By this method, it is possible to reach that destination directly upwind. The heavier the wind, the rougher the seas, thus boat movement can be more uncomfortable. This can feel like the boat is beating its hull into the waves, hence the term beating. For a yacht beating upwind to a mark at a distance upwind of one mile, it will cover a distance through the water of over 1.42 miles, if it can tack through an angle of 90 degrees. An old adage describes beating as sailing for twice^[8] the distance at half the speed and three times the discomfort.

How closely a boat can sail into the wind depends on the boat’s design, sail trim, the sea state, and the wind speed, since what the boat “sees” is the apparent wind, the vector sum of the actual wind and the negation of the boat’s own velocity. The apparent wind speed is what the anemometer on top of the mast shows. The apparent wind angle while sailing close hauled will be less than the true wind angle. A good, modern sloop can sail within 25 degrees of the apparent wind. An America’s Cup racing sloop can sail within 16 degrees—under ideal conditions. Those figures might translate into 45 degrees and 36 degrees relative to the actual wind, depending on boat speed.

Reducing sail

An important safety aspect of sailing is to adjust the amount of sail to suit the wind conditions. As the wind speed increases the crew should progressively reduce the amount of sail. On a small boat with only jib and mainsail this is done by furling the jib and by partially lowering the mainsail, a process called ‘reefing the main’.

Reefing means reducing the area of a sail without actually changing it for a smaller sail. Ideally reefing does not only result in a reduced sail area but also in a lower center of effort from the sails, reducing the heeling moment and keeping the boat more upright.

There are three common methods of reefing the mainsail:

• Slab reefing, which involves lowering the sail by about one-quarter to one-third of its luff length and tightening the lower part of the sail using an outhaul or a pre-loaded reef line through a cringle at the new clew, and hook through a cringle at the new tack.
• In-mast (or on-mast) roller-reefing. This method rolls the sail up around a vertical foil either inside a slot in the mast, or affixed to the outside of the mast. It requires a mainsail with either no battens, or newly-developed vertical battens.
• In-boom roller-reefing, with a horizontal foil inside the boom. This method allows for standard- or full-length horizontal battens.

Mainsail furling systems have become increasingly popular on cruising yachts as they can be operated shorthanded and from the cockpit in most cases, however, the sail can become jammed in the mast or boom slot if not operated correctly. Mainsail furling is almost never used while racing because it results in a less efficient sail profile. The classical slab-reefing method is the most widely used. Mainsail furling has an additional disadvantage in that its complicated gear may somewhat increase weight aloft. However, as the size of the boat increases, the benefits of mainsail roller furling increase dramatically.

An old saying goes, “The first time you think of reducing sail you should,”^{[citation needed]} and correspondingly, “When you think you are ready to take out a reef, have a cup of tea instead.”^{[citation needed]}

Sail trimming

A Contender dinghy on a reach.

As noted above, sail trimming is a large subject. Basic control of the mainsail consists of setting the sail so that it is at an optimum angle to the wind, (i.e. no flapping at the front, and tell tales flowing evenly off the rear of the sail).

Two or more sails are frequently combined to maximize the smooth flow of air. The sails are adjusted to create a smooth laminar flow over the sail surfaces. This is called the “slot effect”. The combined sails fit into an imaginary aerofoil outline, so that the most forward sails are more in line with the wind, whereas the more aft sails are more in line with the course followed. The combined efficiency of this sail plan is greater than the sum of each sail used in isolation.

More detailed aspects include specific control of the sail’s shape, e.g.:

• reefing, or reducing the sail area in stronger wind
• altering sail shape to make it flatter in high winds
• raking the mast when going upwind (to tilt the sail towards the rear, this being more stable)
• providing sail twist to cope with gusty conditions

Hull trim

Hull trim is the adjustment of a boat’s loading so as to change its fore-and-aft attitude in the water. In small boats, it is done by positioning the crew. In larger boats the weight of a person has less effect on the hull trim, but it can be adjusted by shifting gear, fuel, water, or supplies. Different hull trim efforts are required for different kinds of boats and different conditions. Here are just a few examples. In a lightweight racing dinghy like a Thistle, the hull should be kept level, on its designed water line for best performance in all conditions. In many small boats, weight too far aft can cause drag by submerging the transom, especially in light to moderate winds. Weight too far forward can cause the bow to dig into the waves. In heavy winds, a boat with its bow too low may capsize by pitching forward over its bow (pitch-pole) or dive under the waves (submarine). On a run in heavy winds, the forces on the sails tend to drive a boat’s bow down, so the crew weight is moved far aft.

Points of sail

The points of sail. A. In Irons (into the wind) B. Close Hauled C. Beam Reach D. Broad Reach E. Running

The points of sail are the most important parts of sail theory to remember. The wind, or no go zone, is about 45° either side of the true wind, for a racing hull and sail plan optimized for upwind work. More commonly and on cruising sailplans, the best angle achievable upwind is 50° to 55° to the true wind. A boat cannot sail directly into the wind; attempting to do so is called luffing. There are 5 main points of sail. In order from the edge of the no go zone to directly downwind they are:

• close haul (22° to the apparent wind)
• close reach (half way between close hauled and a beam reach)
• beam reach (90° to the apparent wind)
• broad reach (22.5° away from directly downwind sailing)
• running (directly downwind)

The sail trim (and, on smaller boats, centre board/dagger board position) on a boat is relative to the point of sail one is on: on a beam reach sails are half way out, on a run sails are all the way out, and close hauled sails are pulled in very tightly. A large proportion of the skill of sailing is in trimming the sails correctly for direction and strength of the wind.

Heeling

A boat leaning over to one side under wind pressure, is said to be ‘heeling’. When any large ship is listing heavily, perhaps due to damage, it can also said to be heeling. As a sailing boat heels over beyond a certain angle, it begins to sail less efficiently. Several forces can counteract this movement.

Boats heeling in front of Britannia Bridge in a round-Anglesey race 1998

• The buoyancy of that part of the hull which is being submerged tends to bring the boat upright.
• Raising the centreboard can paradoxically reduce heeling, because it increases leeway.
• A weighted keel, which can in larger boats be canted from side to side, provides additional force to right the boat.
• The crew may move onto the high (upwind) side of the boat, called hiking, changing the centre of gravity significantly in a small boat. They can trapeze if the boat is designed for this (see Dinghy sailing).
• The underwater shape of the hull relative to the sails can be designed to make the boat tend to turn upwind when it heels excessively: this reduces the force on the sails, and allows the boat to right itself. This is known as rounding up.
• The boat can be turned upwind to produce the same effect.
• Wind can be spilled from the sails by ‘sheeting out’, i.e. loosening the sail.
• The sail shape can be altered to reduce its efficiency e.g. tightening the downhaul (see list of nautical terms)
• The sail area can be reduced. This manoeuvre is known as Reefing.
• Lastly, as the boat rolls farther over, wind spills from the top of the sail and the angle of attack lessens the wind’s force.

Most of the above effects can be used to right a heeling boat and to keep the boat sailing efficiently: if however the boat heels beyond a certain point of stability, it can capsize. A boat is capsized when the tip of the mast is in the water. Yachts are traditionally divided into non-capsizable (which means that they have a heavy keel which in normal weather should stabilize the vessel) and non-drowning (which usually means that the vessel has a centerboard and even in normal circumstances can be capsized, but will not sink).

Sailing hulls and hull shapes

Musto Skiff

Sailing boats can have one, two, or three hulls. Boats with one hull are known as monohulls, while those with two or more are known as multihulls. Multihulls can be further subdivided into catamarans (two hulls), and trimarans (three hulls). A sailing boat is turned by a rudder, which itself is controlled by a tiller or a wheel, while at the same time adjusting the sheeting angle of the sails. Smaller sailing boats often have a stabilising, raisable, underwater fin called a centreboard (or daggerboard); larger sailing boats have a fixed (or sometimes canting) keel. As a general rule, the former are called dinghies, the latter keelboats. However, up until the adoption of the Racing Rules of Sailing, any vessel racing under sail was considered a yacht, be it a multi-masted ship-rigged vessel (such as a sailing frigate), a sailboard (more commonly referred to as a windsurfer) or remote-controlled boat, or anything in between. (see Dinghy sailing)

Multihulls use flotation and/or weight positioned away from the centre line of the sailboat to counter the force of the wind. This is in contrast to heavy ballast that can make up to ⅓ of the weight of a monohull sailboat. In the case of a standard catamaran there are two similarly sized and shaped slender hulls connected by beams, which are sometimes overlaid by a deck superstructure. Another catamaran variation is the proa. In the case of trimarans, which have an unballasted centre hull similar to a monohull, two relatively smaller amas are situated parallel to the centre hull to resist the sideways force of the wind. The advantage of multihulled sailboats is that they do not suffer the performance penalty of having to carry heavy ballast, and their relatively lesser draft reduces the amount of drag, caused by friction and inertia, when moving through the water.

Types of sails and layouts

Traditional sailing off the northern coast of Mozambique.

A traditional modern yacht is technically called a “Bermuda sloop” (sometimes a “Bermudan sloop”). A sloop is any boat that has a single mast and a headsail (generally a jib) in addition to the mainsail. The Bermuda designation refers to the fact that the sail, which has its forward edge (the “luff”) against the mast (the main sail), is a sail roughly triangular in shape. Additionally, Bermuda sloops only have a single sail behind the mast. Other types of sloops are gaff-rigged sloops and lateen sloops. Gaff-rigged sloops have quadrilateral mainsails with a gaff (a small boom) at their upper edge (the “head” of the sail). Gaff-rigged vessels may also have another sail, called a topsail, above the gaff. Lateen sloops have triangular sails with the upper edge attached to a gaff, and the lower edge attached to the boom, and the boom and gaff are attached to each other via some type of hinge. It is also possible for a sloop to be square rigged (having large square sails like a Napoleonic Wars-era ship of the line). Note that a “sloop of war,” in the naval sense, may well have more than one mast, and is not properly a sloop by the modern meaning.

If a boat has two masts, it may be a schooner, a ketch, or a yawl, if it is rigged fore-and-aft on all masts. A schooner may have any number of masts provided the second from the front is the tallest (called the “main mast”). In both a ketch and a yawl, the foremost mast is tallest, and thus the main mast, while the rear mast is shorter, and called the mizzen mast. The difference between a ketch and a yawl is that in a ketch, the mizzen mast is forward of the rudderpost (the axis of rotation for the rudder), while a yawl has its mizzen mast behind the rudderpost. In modern parlance, a brigantine is a vessel whose forward mast is rigged with square sails, while her after mast is rigged fore-and-aft. A brig is a vessel with two masts both rigged square.

As one gets into three or more masts the number of combinations rises and one gets barques, barquentines, and full-rigged ships.

A spinnaker is a large, full sail that is only used when sailing off wind either reaching or downwind, to catch the maximum amount of wind.

See also Sail and sail-plan.

Sailing terminology

Sailors use traditional nautical terms for the parts of or directions on a vessel; starboard (right), port (left), forward or fore (front), aft (rearward), bow (forward part of the hull), stern (aft part of the hull), beam (the widest part). Vertical spars are masts, horizontal spars are booms (if they can hit the sailor), gaffs (if they are too high to reach) or poles (if they cannot hit the sailor).

Rope and lines

Standing rigging (on the left) and running rigging (on the right), on a sailing boat.

Rope is the term used only for raw material; once a section of rope is designated for a particular purpose on a vessel, it generally is called a line, as in outhaul line or dock line. A very thick line is considered a cable. Lines that are attached to sails to control their shapes are called sheets, as in mainsheet If a rope is made of wire, it maintains its rope name as in ‘wire rope’ halyard.

Lines (generally steel cables) that support masts are stationary and are collectively known as a vessel’s standing rigging, and individually as shrouds or stays (the stay running forward from a mast to the bow is called the forestay or headstay).

Moveable lines that control sails or other equipment are known collectively as a vessel’s running rigging. Lines that raise sails are called halyards while those that strike them are called downhauls or cunninghams. Lines that adjust (trim) the sails are called sheets. These are often referred to using the name of the sail they control (such as main sheet, or jib sheet). Sail trim may also be controlled with smaller lines attached to the forward section of a boom; such a line is called a vang, or a kicker in the United Kingdom.

Lines used to tie a boat up when alongside are called docklines, docking cables or mooring warps.

Some lines are referred to as ropes: A bell rope (to ring the bell), a bolt rope (attached to the edge of a sail for extra strength), a foot rope (on old square riggers for the sailors to stand on while reefing or furling the sails), and a tiller rope (to temporarily hold the tiller and keep the boat on course). A rode is what keeps an anchor attached to the boat when the anchor is in use. It may be chain, rope, or a combination of the two.

Other terms

Sailboat on a mooring ball near Youngstown, NY

Walls are called bulkheads or ceilings, while the surfaces referred to as ceilings on land are called ‘overheads’. Floors are called ‘soles’ or decks. The toilet is traditionally called the ‘head’, the kitchen is the galley. Lines are rarely tied off, they are almost always ‘made fast’ or ‘belayed.’ Sails in different sail plans have unchanging names, however. For the naming of sails, see sail-plan.

Knots

Knots are among the most important things a sailor needs to know. Although only a few are required, the bowline in particular is essential. By also learning the clove hitch and “round turn and two half hitches,” one can easily cope with all of the knot requirements of a boat. A more complete grasp of knot-tying includes mastery of the following knots:

• bowline
• clove hitch
• round turn and two half hitches
• rolling hitch
• figure of eight
• reef knot
• sheet bend
• stopper knots

Additional knots are available List of knots

Even experienced sailors may forget their knots if they are not performed on a regular basis. Forgetting how to tie an important knot can damage a boat or cause injury.

• http://www.tollesburysc.co.uk/Knots/Knots_gallery.htm (Some of the important knots)

Sailing regulations

There are three basic rules for avoiding a collision at sea, but this is a simplification of a detailed set of regulations:

1. A yacht using sails as motive power on port tack^[9] gives way to one on starboard tack.^[10].
2. The more maneuverable vessel gives way to the less maneuverable vessel. It is generally assumed that this means that power ‘gives way’ to sail, but this is not always the case. It is prudent for a small sailing vessel to stay out of the way of large power driven ships by making an early and obvious alteration in course to signal both recognition of a potential collision situation and that avoiding action has been taken. It is mandatory, by port and harbour regulations, that sailing vessels shall stay clear of shipping in a buoyed channel.
3. If a collision is imminent both vessels must take avoiding action even if one vessel (this is the ‘stand-on’ vessel) would normally take no action. Not to do so, if there is an opportunity, may make the sailor the guilty party at an inquiry. The use of the term ‘right of way’ is borrowed from yacht racing environment, does not appear in internationally recognised rules for vessels not racing and is inappropriate to all other vessels and situations.

Power driven vessel A that is on a potential collision course crossing the port side of power driven vessel B must give way. Sailing boats with their sails set on the same side of the boat, require that^[11] the windward boat shall give way to the leeward boat.^[12] Vessel A overtaking vessel B normally must keep clear of them . Head on collisions are avoided by vessels both turning to Starboard.

If these rules are not followed in a yacht race, a protest may be called by one of the skippers. A hearing of protestor and protestee by the protest committee panel will decide who wins the rule breach.

However there are many other rules besides these, that are applicable and sailors are required to know these, which are fundamental boating safety rules including:

• The “rules of the road” or International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGS) set forth by the International Maritime Organization are particularly relevant to sailboats because they may be sharing the same body of water as powered vessels, who are bound by the COLREGS.
• The IALA International Association of Lighthouse Authorities standards for lateral marks, lights, signals, and buoyage and rules designed to support safe navigation.
• The SOLAS (Safety of Life at Sea) regulations place the obligations for safety on the owners and operators of any boat including sailboats. These regulations specify the safety equipment needed and emergency procedures to be used appropriate to the boat’s size and its sailing range.
• When racing, all sailing vessels must follow the Racing Rules of Sailing promulgated by the International Sailing Federation as well as any prescriptions (additional rules) given by the national governing body and organisation running the event. When a boat that is racing encounters one that is not, the racing boat must comply with the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea with respect to the non-racing boat. It is the custom amongst sailors that a sailing boat cruising will not normally get in the way of a racing fleet. Similarly, all sailors give way to divers’ boats and fishers for reasons of safety & courtesy.

After sunset all boats racing are bound by the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGS) rather than the Racing Rules of Sailing.

Sailboat racing

U.S. Sailing team at the World Military Games Sailing Competition, December 2003

Sailboat racing ranges from single person dinghy racing to large boats with 10 or 20 crew and from small boats costing a few hundred dollars to multi-million dollar America’s Cup or Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race campaigns. The costs of participating in the high end large boat competitions make this type of sailing one of the most expensive sports in the world. However, there are relatively inexpensive ways to get involved in sailboat racing, such as at community sailing clubs, and in some relatively inexpensive dinghy and small catamaran classes. Additionally high schools and colleges may offer sailboat racing programs through the Interscholastic Sailing Association (in the USA) and the Intercollegiate Sailing Association (in the USA and some parts of Canada). Under these conditions, sailboat racing can be comparable to or less expensive than sports such as golf and skiing. Sailboat racing is one of the few sports in which people of all ages can regularly compete with and against each other.

Most sailboat racing is done in sheltered coastal or inland waters. However, in terms of endurance and risk to life, ocean races such as the Volvo Ocean Race, the solo VELUX 5 Oceans Race, and the non-stop solo Vendée Globe, rate as some of the most extreme and dangerous sporting events. Not only do participants compete for days with little rest, but an unexpected storm, a single equipment failure, or collision with an ice floe could result in the sailboat being disabled or sunk hundreds or thousands of miles from search and rescue.

The sport of Sailboat racing is governed by the International Sailing Federation (ISAF), and the rules under which competitors race are the Racing Rules of Sailing, which can be found on the ISAF web site.
As well as these there is the “mini transats” in which very small craft and a solo sailer cross the Atlantic Ocean. The Vendee Globe is another race for larger boats.. Other races include the Fastnet race from Cowes, around the Fastnet rock just of the coast of Ireland and back again to the Plymouth. There is also the Sydney to Hobart race.

See also

• Sailboat
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• Dinghy racing
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• List of nautical terms
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The Northwest Florida Heritage Museum Marks the Anniversary With More Exhibit Space and New Programs

A hundred years ago, the people of Okaloosa and Walton counties scratched a hard-earned living from the pine barrens and bays of Northwest Florida. Since 1971, their story has been actively preserved and passed on to new generations, thanks to the Northwest Florida Heritage Museum.
 
 The Valparaiso-based museum, which actively collects and preserves the culture and socio-economic history of the area, is celebrating its 36th birthday this year by expanding its exhibit space and its public programs.
 
 “It’s really a time to recognize the progress that’s been made in preserving local heritage. And now, with the support of actually the city of Valparaiso and the community, we’re continuing to develop as a place of learning,” said Michelle Severino, museum director.
 

 “We started new programs to celebrate our anniversary here,” she said. “One is called ‘History Sandwiched-In,’ which is a successful lunchtime lecture series on topics related to local and regional history. Another series we started this year is called ‘Hands-On History,’ a series of weekend workshops geared toward children. We have some wonderfully creative workshops for children and families.”
 
 Severino said that in the last few months, the museum’s workers have reconfigured wall usage to make better, more efficient use of existing exhibit space without actually adding on to the museum.
 
 “In the last few months we have expanded space by about 300 square feet, and we may be tripling that by the end of the summer,” she said. “It’s all necessary as well as continuing to develop our educative role.”
 
 And speaking of continuing educational outreach, Severino said the museum is going to provide hundreds of hours of instruction in local and regional history, thanks to some new staff.
 
 “We have a new museum education team, and we hired a museum educator who has experience as an Okaloosa County community educator,” she said. “She’s a teacher, an archaeologist and a Florida native, and her experience will be seen in future education programs.”
 
 Since it opened in 1971, the museum has been collecting and preserving the historical “material culture” of the area, Severino said. The collection goes back to the early 19th century and consists of artifacts, photographs, manuscript materials, textiles, paintings and oral histories.
 
 “We make this history accessible to students, educators and the public through our exhibits, programs and our research library . . . and these are all available for research purposes,” she said.
 
 Severino said the museum is conducting research to add an exhibition about the fishing industry and boat building, and also hosts traveling exhibitions from the Florida State Archives and other regional museums.
 
 The museum, which is located at 115 Westview Ave., is managed by the Heritage Museum Association and is funded by membership dues, donations and grants from Okaloosa County, the city of Valparaiso and the state of Florida.
 
 The museum is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. The research library is open to the public by appointment. 

Ballroom dancing is back and in a big way, thanks in part to the success of a competitive reality television show that quickly captured America’s unpredictable attention. ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars” fox-trotted its way up the ratings over the past two seasons as celebrities, coupled with professional dancers, went toe-to-toe to capture the show’s coveted trophy.

One dance pro, Tony Dovolani, caught the limelight on his own, with a passion for perfection and pure talent. The award-winning Dovolani was partnered with Stacy Keibler, a stunning and surprisingly graceful professional wrestler. The two were favored to win but lost in the final round.

Dust didn’t settle on Dovolani’s dance shoes before he was practicing and instructing his art once again in one of his favorite ballrooms, which happens to be the Fred Astaire Dance Studio, located in Fort Walton Beach.

Dovolani took a few minutes from his work to talk to Emerald Coast Magazine’s Lori Hutzler Eckert about how he found his way to the Florida Panhandle, dancing with Keibler to the finals, and America’s renewed interest in the art of ballroom dancing.
EC: How did you come to be a competitive ballroom dancer?

TD: When I came to the U.S. (from Kosovo), the first thing I wanted to do was go to a Fred Astaire school, and my dream came true. I never thought of myself as anything other than a dancer. When you find something that you go to sleep thinking about . . . I guess that is what you are meant to be.
EC: How do you know Bruno and Luann Triliegi, owners of the local Fred Astaire Dance Studio?

TD: When I first met them, they were the U.S. ballroom champions and they had been dance directors for the Fred Astaire company. I really loved watching them dance; they have such charisma, and I just wanted to be like them. They have been my coaches for the last 10 years, and they helped me get my American Rhythm Champion title.
EC: “Dancing with the Stars” had nearly double the viewers of the Olympics. What is your reaction to that surprising fact?

TD: I am very excited about the fact that ballroom dancing is getting the recognition it finally deserves. It has been a sport for more than a hundred years.
EC: What did you think when you were told you were coupled with a professional wrestler?

TD: As soon as I signed the contract, they brought me into an office and said they partnered me with a wrestler and she is 5 feet, 11 inches tall. I was picturing a monster! I didn’t know what to expect, and then I opened the door and it was Stacy. But more importantly, after talking with her for a while, you learn that she is so sweet – she is the all-American girl. You can’t get any nicer than her.
EC: You and Stacy were the odds-on favorites up until the last moment; it must be bittersweet to get that close.

TD: We got to dance in the final, and we left with a perfect score. So as far as we are concerned, we left as champions.
EC: You have been a significant part of America’s rekindled love affair with ballroom dancing. How does that feel?

TD: I’ve always wanted to create some sort of legacy. God has given me a path, which I have no control over, because I have realized things that I never imagined. All of us look for a reason why we are in this world, and I think I found mine.

To talk with Todd Allen about the art of dance is to be sure this man was born ready for the stage. But in truth, Allen did not find his way to the spotlight until he was a teenager, reluctantly trading his well-worn sneakers for ballet shoes.

Perhaps by accident, possibly by fate, and definitely by the design of some very gracious members of the Emerald Coast arts community, Allen’s introduction to dance – which he called “my ticket . . . an opportunity to get out into the world” – has been the stuff of which romantic ballet storylines are made.

Allen, who has served as artistic director for the Emerald Coast’s Northwest Florida Ballet for more than 10 years, is, as one would expect, lively and animated. Comfortably situated in the company’s bustling administrative offices, Allen shared the story of his unlikely path to becoming a professional dancer.

From Football Plays to Pliés

While growing up in Fort Walton Beach, Allen said he was infatuated with every possible sport, never considering dance until it was literally doctor’s orders.

After Allen tore his left hamstring during a middle-school football scrimmage, his doctor suggested physical therapy – a progressive prescription in the early 1980s, particularly for children with a sports injury. His doctor’s wife happened to be friends with Bernadette Clements Sims, founder of the Northwest Florida Ballet. Allen soon found himself at the ballet barre along with his sisters, stretching out and eventually rebuilding his strength.

Sims, who also became his teacher, encouraged Allen to take a small role as a villager in the company’s performance of “Giselle” in 1981.

“I just did a bit part,” Allen said, “but I heard the applause and fell in love with it. Standing there taking the bow, with all the people . . .  I remember the lights and all of that, and it was awesome,” he said.

But the thrill of his newfound passion was quickly dampened by the reaction of his peers. At 14 years old and with a reputation as a sports jock, Allen soon found that becoming a dancer was a certain invitation for cruel taunts and hurtful reactions by his classmates.

Allen said that by the beginning of 10th grade, “I considered trying to play again, or run track, but I decided I wanted to dance. It was just as hard physically, and I realized the guys I played football with were getting much bigger than me.” He added with a laugh, “I was sort of over football, and it didn’t hurt that there were about two or three guys in the dance school, and, you know . . . there were all these girls there!”

Jumping at the Chance

After dancing for a year, Allen performed at a regional dance festival. At the event, a representative from New York’s famed Joffrey Ballet Company selected Allen for a summer scholarship.

The opportunity was one that most young dancers dream of, but the trip would have been a financial strain on the family. So Sims introduced Allen to Sybil Smith Lebhertz, a board member and active arts patron in the area.

“(Smith) was just this great person,” Allen said. “She was fortunate to be well off, and she would help kids all over the place. She did it very silently; she didn’t make a big deal out of it.”

Shortly thereafter, with assistance from Lebhertz, 15-year-old Allen was on a bus headed to New York City.

“After that summer, I knew for sure that I wanted to dance – that was what I was going to do with no question,” he said.

But finding his passion was only half of the process of becoming a professional dancer. Serious training for dancers begins around age 8, and Allen knew he was six years behind his peers. Ever the sports-minded competitor, he set a goal to make up for the lost time by age 18. His drive was fueled by the fact that at the Joffrey Ballet School, students must show improvement to be invited back. Keeping his goal a top priority, Allen was invited back to the school for five consecutive summers.

After graduating from Fort Walton Beach High School, Allen still was intent on dance as his chosen career, but he said he wasn’t really ready yet: “I had the strength, but it wasn’t refined.”

Once again, his mentor, Sims, played a role in shaping Allen’s future. She used her connections in the dance world to introduce him to the director of the Bristol Ballet in Bristol, Va., which was associated with Virginia Intermont College. Allen soon was awarded a scholarship to the college, which had an acclaimed dance school.

Following graduation, Allen’s first professional job was with the Louisville Ballet, where he spent three years. He went on to accomplish another long-term goal by joining the prestigious Boston Ballet, where he danced with and learned from celebrated American contemporary choreographer Twyla Tharp.

He performed with the Boston company for five years. During that time, he married Shari Honer, a fellow college dance-school student. After leaving Boston, the couple moved to Montreal, where Allen danced with the Les Grands Ballets Canadiens.

While with the three companies, Allen experienced the quintessential life and career of a dancer. He performed at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington – once for President President Clinton  once for George H.W. Bush. Allen also toured Europe, where he was part of a gala performance at Madrid’s Royal Palace and performed in Glasnost Ballet.

Full Circle

In 1995, after performing with the Les Grands Ballets, the couple learned Shari was pregnant, and their focus shifted to creating a family. As the Allens contemplated their next step, Bernadette Clements Sims, whom Allen continues to credit as the steering force in his career, was waiting in the wings once again.

Sims was preparing to retire, and more than once, she asked Allen to consider coming back to the Northwest Florida Ballet in an administrative role.

“The first time, I said no – I couldn’t imagine it, because you spend most of your time trying to get away from your hometown when you are a kid,” Allen said. “We were thinking about moving to Europe or New York. The options were out there, but then we were thinking about our child.”

The Allens visited the Emerald Coast and discussed the opportunity with the ballet’s board.

“Shari and I talked about it a lot,” he said. “Bernadette did a lot of work here – she is a pioneer of dance in this area – and there was a good history and something to build on.”

While Allen spent time in his hometown, he remembered what it was like to be a child with the passion to dance.

“I started to see that I could have an impact here with the kids,” he said. “I knew that I could help those kids . . . and that is where we started.”

He joined the Northwest Florida Ballet as assistant artistic director, and Shari  handled the bookkeeping. Allen said Sims “pushed me out there”; after a year on staff, he was promoted to artistic director and Shari became assistant artistic director. Of that time, he said, “It was intense, very intense, in a good way. We didn’t have many resources, but we had a lot of people wanting to work and believing in us.”

Allen worked long hours growing the Northwest Florida Ballet, but he also found time to dance in some very high-profile performances. His accomplishments include appearing in “Ocean Dance 2000” with legendary dancer Mikhail Baryshnikov and on Broadway in Twyla Tharp and Billy Joel’s Tony-winning “Movin’ Out” in 2004.

Over the past decade, Allen, along with Northwest Florida Ballet Executive Director Barbara Beck Lord, has helped to grow the ballet, now headquartered in an impressive multi-studio facility in Fort Walton Beach. The company has received regional attention for its talented dancers, its innovative seasons and the NFB Académie, a free academic and artistic program that is operated in association with the Okaloosa County School District.

Allen said he has no regrets about moving his family to his hometown and taking over the artistic direction of the Northwest Florida Ballet. He realizes, he says, that his ticket to the world was of the round-trip kind.

“I grew up here barefoot and on the beach,” Allen said. “I have enjoyed raising my son, Tristan, here. I want to live here, and I want a quality company and school. This area deserves it, and it can be done here.”

I felt that something was missing in my life, but what?

Financial security? Fulfilling career? Health? Religion? Love?

It was a Wednesday morning, 10:15 a.m., when it finally dawned on me.

Gosh, I forgot to get a tattoo!

I slapped my forehead, cursing my oversight. Damn my busy social life! I’ve been so busy lately, I simply forgot to get inked.

I called my friendgirl Connie, sporter of four tattoos, for advice.

“What do I do? Where do I go? How much will it cost? How high will I scream?”

Can’t imagine why getting a tattoo had never occurred to me. Guys love things that make us look tough. Shave my head, tip a cigarette in my mouth, sit me on a Harley and tattoo “BAD ASS” on my forehead, and see who messes with me then.

But we do look at tattooed people with a leery eye.

“How will he hide that in an interview?”

“That will be drooping when she’s 75.”

But as I sat in a crowded airport recently and observed a sea of tattoos swimming before my eyes, I wondered what I had been missing out on.

Connie suggests I buy a pack of temporary tattoos, just so I can try one out and see if it’s me. I go to Spencer’s (where else?) and discover with glee that I can buy whole sets of temporary tattoos – the Muscle set, the Biker set, the Naughty set.

(I notice with alarm that the Hello Kitty set is sold out. Hello Kitty is not bad-ass.)

I buy all three available sets and ask for a plain brown bag.

In the privacy of my own home, I stand before the mirror and swab my arm with alcohol. I choose a big, bold, barb-wire armband from the Muscle set, and smugly discover that it’s not big enough to go all the way around my bicep. Like any other guy would naturally do, I flex in the mirror for a minute or two and then, remembering why I’m actually there, I commence with the tattoo application.

Uh oh …

I LOVE IT.

More flexing. I turn to see the tattoo from every possible angle. I check it in other mirrors in the house.

Damn. I look tough.
It’s a dark and stormy night – almost as dark as the dead-end alley I find myself in, almost as stormy as the look in her bitter blue eyes when we last parted. But that’s another story. Suddenly, my cat-like night vision detects a gang of thugs before me, stinking of cheap beer and menace. They advance and I stand tall, realizing I’ve left my Colt 45 in the car but putting my faith in a superior line of defense – sheer intimidation.

“Mess with ME, will you?”

In one motion I rip off my shirt and laugh madly. “You obviously haven’t noticed my HUGE, BAD-ASS TATTOO!” The thugs gasp and scatter. I strike a match, light a coffin nail and think again of those bitter blue eyes . . . .
Where was I? Oh yeah. Flexing.

I scoffed when Connie said that tattoos are addictive, but now I know she’s right. What should I try next? I eye the Biker set and settle on the “Born To Be Bad” bleeding heart. Yeah, baby. I glance at the Naughty set and wonder if I can pull off “Porn Star.” Yeah, baby.

I get a pun-intended inkling of what it’s all about. A tattoo is a silent introduction to the world. A bumper sticker on your bum, so to speak. This is what I do, how I think, what I love, who I am.

My mind made up, I call friendgirl for more advice.

“It’s kinda like a cigarette burn,” Connie says. Ouch. But OK.

“Depends on how big it is, but probably about a hundred bucks.” OK.

“They’ll have designs for you to choose, or you can bring in your own.” OK.

Other friends have strange reactions.

“You are kidding.”

“I’ve always wanted a tattoo. Can I go with you?”

“You do realize they’re permanent, don’t you?” (What? I had no idea! Why wasn’t I told this before?)

Connie recommends a shop called Euphoria. “Ask for Alain. He’s da bomb.” OK.

She begs to tag along – “just to see your face when he starts!” – but I refuse. If tears fall, I prefer them to fall sans audience.

I make my appointment and show up early and prepared. I’ve drawn my own design and chosen my left bicep for the canvas. I’ve made a “tattoo” playlist on my iPod. I’ve even shaved my own underarm.

Alain asks if I’m nervous.

“About 15 percent,” I say, and trip over a chair.

Stunning tattoos flow out of Alain’s white tank and down his arms, and I wonder which one hurt the most.

He points to what looks like a black dentist’s chair that folds flat or sits upright. A strip of white paper is stretched across, and I sit.

He outlines my design on a special paper to transfer it to the skin, much like the temporary tattoo. We agree on the placement in a mirror.

He places tiny cups of black ink in a neat row on his work table and picks up his instrument.

“Ready?”

For two weeks I’ve dreaded that first instant of contact, not knowing what to expect. He says he’ll be outlining first. I can’t watch.

Connie’s description of a cigarette burn is quite accurate – a small cigarette burn that doesn’t stop. There’s a bit of heat and pressure to it, but it’s really more annoying than painful.

Thirty seconds later I exhale. “That’s it?”

“Yup.”

Hmm. “Does the filling in hurt worse?”

“No, it’s about the same.”

Hmm. And wow.

(I’ve read that where you get the tattoo makes a huge difference. On a scale of 1-7, with 7 being the most painful, the upper arm was listed as a 2, and I agree with that. The parts listed as 7 are parts that I pray will never be in close proximity to needles.)

I start my “tattoos” playlist and sit back. It is SO not a big deal. Heck, shaving my own underarm was worse than getting the actual tattoo.

Less than an hour later, Alain is done. I stand up and the strip of white paper on the chair clings to my back, soaked with my sweat. I pull it off and, for the first time, see my new tattoo in the mirror.

Bad-ass.