On the Water: October
Youth Sailing
FWBC Junior Race Team
Rock the Rock Regatta
The FWBC Junior Team had a fantastic weekend of racing at the TSA Rock the Rock Regatta, hosted by Corinthian Sailing Club on White Rock Lake! Our sailors demonstrated great teamwork, determination, and growth throughout the weekend, earning strong finishes across all three fleets.
The Opti team had an especially impressive showing, with Evie Hyland taking 1st overall, followed by Sloane Schollhorn in 5th and Nicholas Gras in 6th. In the ILCA 4 fleet, Ashlyn Josephson finished 4th in her first-ever ILCA 4 regatta, marking a great start to her ILCA racing career. The ILCA 6 fleet also brought home two podium finishes, with Isla Mrstik taking 1st and Alex Van Zanten finishing 3rd.
Congratulations to all of our FWBC sailors on a successful weekend!
We’re proud of the hard work they continue to put in both on and off the water and look forward to seeing their progress throughout the season.
Looking Ahead
The Junior Race Team is gearing up for a busy fall regatta schedule! Up next is the Pirates of the Corinthian at Dallas Corinthian Yacht Club in early October, followed by our very own home regatta on October 24–25.
This year's home regatta is shaping up to be an especially exciting weekend as FWBC hosts the Jr. Ol' Man of the Seas and USODA Mid-American Championships. As one of our club's biggest annual events, we look forward to welcoming sailors from across the country for a weekend of youth competitive racing on Eagle Mountain Lake. With a larger fleet and increased competition expected, our junior sailors will have an exciting opportunity to test their skills against some of the best young Opti sailors from around the country.
We look forward to seeing our team take on the challenge and welcoming everyone to FWBC for another memorable weekend of racing!
Upcoming Junior Race Team Events
Date | Regatta/Clinic | Location |
Oct 3-4 | TSA Pirates of the Corinthian (DCYC) | Oak Point, TX |
Oct 24-25 | TSA Jr. Ol' Man of the Seas & USODA Mid-American Champs (FWBC) | Fort Worth, TX |
Nov. 14-15 | TSA Chocopalooza (RCYC) | Heath, TX |
Check out the Junior Race Team page to see the latest program info and calendar. Reach out to the coaches for more info.
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Club Racing
Keelboat Racing Series hosted by FWBC
PHRF Weekend Racing
PAKI Series
The PAKI Series is well underway, with three races completed and a couple more to go this fall! It's been a great opportunity for sailors to get out on Eagle Mountain Lake, enjoy some friendly competition, and make the most of the fall racing season. There is still plenty of time to join in, so be sure to check the updated racing calendar for upcoming race dates and come out for a day on the water!
Blue Moon Series
The Blue Moon Series kicks off on October 18! This series is another great opportunity to get out on the racecourse, compete with fellow club members, and enjoy some fall sailing at FWBC. Whether you're a regular racer or looking to get more experience, we'd love to see you out there for the start of the series.
Be sure to check the updated racing calendar for the latest dates and details as we head into the fall racing season!
Date | Race | PRO |
Oct. 4 | Paki 4 | Michael Winfrey |
Oct. 11 | Paki 5 | Ben Robbins |
Oct. 18 | Blue Moon 1 | Philip Williamson |
Nov. 1 | Blue Moon 2 | Fred Meno |
Nov. 15 | Blue Moon 3 | Board of Governors |
Nov. 22 | Blue Moon 4 | Bryan Dyer |
Plan ahead for a great season on the water by checking out the 2026 club racing calendar on the Club Racing Page. Save the dates and don’t miss a weekend of racing.
You'll also find series registration, the Notice of Race (NOR), and Sailing Instructions (SIs).
Regatta of Champions - November 14th
The Regatta of Champions returns on November 14, bringing together the winners of FWBC’s club racing series for a day of J22 racing. With a year of competition behind them, our series champions will face off for the title of Champion of Champions. We look forward to an exciting day of racing and celebrating another successful year of club sailing!
Club Regattas
Upcoming Regattas hosted by FWBC
Jr. Ol' Man of the Seas - October 24th & 25th
The Jr. Ol’ Man of the Sea Regatta returns this fall as the USODA Mid-American Championship, bringing top youth Optimist sailors from across the region to Eagle Mountain Lake. This exciting weekend of racing allows young sailors to compete at a high level while enjoying the welcoming atmosphere of FWBC.
Regatta Chairs: Michael and Nettie Younger
Ol' Man of the Seas - November 7th & 8th
The Ol’ Man of the Sea Regatta is a longtime FWBC tradition and a highlight of the fall racing season. Sailors come together on Eagle Mountain Lake for a weekend of competitive racing, great camaraderie, and plenty of fun and entertainment both on and off the water. With a variety of keelboats and dinghies competing, the regatta offers a great opportunity to enjoy some of the year's best racing while celebrating the FWBC sailing community.
Regatta Chair: Mark W. Smith
Note: The date has changed for this event from October to November
FWBC Sailors Racing Abroad
Adult sailors racing at regattas representing FWBC
Team FWBC sailors are currently in Newport, Rhode Island, competing in the Resolute Cup at New York Yacht Club. The Resolute Cup is an invitational Corinthian keelboat championship that brings together teams representing yacht clubs from across the country. The event is sailed in one-design Sonars, putting the focus on teamwork, boat handling, and racing skill.
Representing FWBC are Chris Holmes, Joey Holmes, Sarah Francis, and Ben Robbins. The team is competing in four full days of racing on the waters off Newport as they take on some of the top Corinthian teams in the country.
We’ll share an update on Team FWBC’s results once the event wraps up!
Bad Moon Racing headed to Worlds
The Bad Moon J24 Racing Team, led by Chris and Joey Holmes, along with Sarah Francis and Ben Robbins, is coming off a strong performance at the HOOD Regatta, where the team took 1st place. Next up, Bad Moon is headed across the globe to Melbourne, Australia, for the Epigen J/24 World Championship in early November. We’re looking forward to following the team as they take on a competitive international fleet and represent FWBC on the world stage!
Coaches’ Chalktalk
A sailor’s guide to the things worth knowing
Sailing Superstitions & Traditions
Sailors have always had a unique relationship with the sea. Before modern weather forecasts, GPS, and reliable navigation, heading offshore meant relying heavily on experience, observation, and, sometimes, a little bit of luck. Over hundreds of years, sailors developed countless superstitions, rituals, and traditions, some practical, some symbolic, and some that are simply strange.
No Bananas on Board
One of the most famous sailing superstitions is that bananas bring bad luck aboard a boat. The tradition dates back to the days of sailing ships, when bananas and other fruit could spoil quickly and potentially cause problems for a crew. There are also stories connecting bananas with lost ships and mysterious disappearances. Whatever the original reason, many sailors today still joke about keeping bananas off the boat.
Don't Whistle
Whistling aboard a boat has traditionally been considered bad luck. On sailing ships, whistles were sometimes used by boatswain's mates to communicate orders to the crew, so unnecessary whistling could potentially be confused with an actual command. Another belief was that whistling could “challenge the wind” and bring stronger weather. Either way, if the wind suddenly picks up after someone starts whistling, you know who to blame.
Red Sky at Night, Sailor's Delight
“Red sky at night, sailor's delight. Red sky in morning, sailors take warning.”
This famous sailing saying is more than just superstition; it has some real weather science behind it. A red sky at sunset can indicate that the sun's light is passing through a relatively clear atmosphere, while weather systems are moving away. In many locations, that can mean more stable and favorable weather is on the way.
A red sky in the morning can be a warning that moisture and a weather system are approaching from the west, potentially bringing rain or storms. Of course, it isn't a foolproof forecast, but before modern weather technology, sailors relied heavily on observations like these to help predict what conditions might be coming.
Don't Change a Boat's Name
Changing a boat's name is another famous maritime tradition. Sailors have long believed that a boat develops an identity of its own, and changing its name without properly conducting a renaming ceremony could bring bad luck. Traditional renaming ceremonies involve symbolically removing the old name and introducing the new one to the sea and its gods. Even sailors who aren't particularly superstitious sometimes hesitate to rename a boat, just in case.
Respect the Albatross
The albatross has a famous place in sailing folklore. Samuel Taylor Coleridge's The Rime of the Ancient Mariner helped cement the bird's reputation as a powerful symbol of the sea. In the poem, killing an albatross brings terrible consequences to the crew. Long before the poem, however, seabirds were important to sailors because their presence could provide clues about nearby land and changing conditions.
Crossing the Equator: Becoming a Shellback
Not all sailing traditions are about avoiding bad luck. One of the most famous maritime rituals is “Crossing the Line,” the traditional ceremony for sailors crossing the Equator for the first time.
Historically, first-time equator crossers were called Pollywogs, while sailors who had already crossed were known as Shellbacks. The newcomers would participate in a mock initiation overseen by King Neptune, the mythical ruler of the sea. Depending on the ship and era, ceremonies could involve costumes, silly challenges, mock trials, getting soaked, and plenty of good-natured embarrassment.
After completing the ceremony, the Pollywogs officially became Shellbacks. While the tradition has changed considerably over the years, it remains a memorable example of how sailors have used rituals to mark important milestones and build camaraderie among a crew.
Boat Naming & Christening
Naming a boat is another tradition that has remained strong in sailing culture. Many sailors hold a christening ceremony when a new boat is launched, often involving friends, family, a toast, and a ceremonial splash of champagne over the bow.
These ceremonies aren't necessarily about superstition; they're a way of welcoming the boat into the sailing community and wishing its crew safe and successful voyages.
Why Do Sailors Have So Many Traditions?
The sea has always been unpredictable, and sailors historically had limited control over what happened once they left shore. Traditions and superstitions gave crews a sense of routine and control in an environment where so much could go wrong.
Today, we have weather forecasts, GPS, modern navigation, and far better safety equipment. Most sailors aren't seriously worried that a banana or a little whistling will ruin their day on the water. But these traditions have survived because they are part of what makes sailing culture unique.
Whether you believe in them or not, there's something fun about carrying on traditions that sailors have followed for hundreds of years.
So, what sailing superstition or tradition do you follow? And, more importantly… would you risk bringing a banana aboard?
The On the Water monthly update is produced by the sailing coaches at Fort Worth Boat Club. We love highlighting the achievements, adventures, and community moments that make our program and community special. If you have a story to share or news to celebrate, please send your content and photos to Coach Val at coach@fwbc.com
Missed last month's update? Check it out here.
FWBC Sailing Staff
Juan Carlos Romero - Sailing Director sailingdirector@fwbc.com
Val Herrscher - Head Coach
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