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CIYC celebrates 25th with first Fleet Review

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Commodore Jeri Magg and Ron Gibson of the Captiva Island Yacht Club have been working hard to pull together the CIYC’s first — and hopefully annual — Fleet Review to celebrate the club’s 25th anniversary.

To celebrate their 25th anniversary, the Captiva Island Yacht Club (CIYC) will be hosting a fleet review on Saturday, Feb. 27.

CIYC commodore Jeri Magg said she got the idea for a fleet review after visiting other yacht clubs in the area.

“I thought to myself, even though we have limited space back here, it would be a great way to bring in the community. We’re also celebrating our 25th anniversary,” Magg said.

This fleet review is just one of the many ways that the CIYC is trying to establish a larger presence within the Captiva community.

“We’ve also created a community outreach committee this year for the first time, basically to involve us in the community – to say that we’re more than just a yacht club, we’re part of the community,” Magg said.

“People look at us as being very exclusive and private, but while it takes a membership to get in here, we also host a lot of public events, like our environmental meetings. When Jeri came up with this idea, the first thing we did was join the Chamber of Commerce – we’ve never been a part of that,” said past CIYC commodore Ron Gibson. “In fact, this could be something we do every year. That’s what we’re hoping.”

After Magg approached Gibson with the idea of a fleet review, they immediately went to work.

“I began mentioning it to people and they thought it was a great idea – even the ones that don’t have boats said they were going to come out to their docks with champagne to toast the review as it goes by,” Gibson said.

The review, led by a past commodore, will begin at 10:30 a.m. in front of The Green Flash.

Dr. Bob Hansel of the Chapel By-the-Sea will bless the boats as they leave The Green Flash and head up Roosevelt Channel to ‘Tween Waters Inn, where they’ll turn around and go back to The Green Flash.

Participants are encouraged to make reservations at ‘Tween Waters Inn and The Green Flash for lunch after the parade is over.

Everyone is welcome to attend. Even if you don’t have a boat, the CIYC in inviting all members of the community – and visitors – to join in the fun.

“We want to encourage boats of all sizes,” Gibson said, noting that as long as they can keep up, rowboats and kayaks are perfectly acceptable.

The theme of the review is patriotism, so all participants are asked to decorate their boats in red, white and blue.

Locals who plan to participate in the fleet review should call the CIYC to reserve a dock space.

“Even if you’re not local, call in and we can find you a place to dock – but you do need to call ahead to reserve a space,” Magg said.

Lunch reservations can be made by calling The Green Flash at 472-3337 and/or

‘Tween Waters Inn at 472-5161.

If you have questions about the fleet review, call the yacht club at 472-4133.

And by the way – “We’re looking for a cannon to start the parade – so if anyone has one, let me know!” Magg added.