Winifred Sails into 50th Anniversary

By Lydia Harris

Step into history as you sail the Caribbean Sea aboard the 43-foot wooden yacht Winifred. This beautiful vessel turns 50 at the first of the year. Careful, loving care keeps this gem of the seas in shipshape condition. Owner and Captain Sharon Allen redoes the exterior varnish every three to four months. And that’s a lot of work. Winifred is made of Honduras mahogany, Burmese teak and Sitka spruce. Built in Miami, this Sparkman-Stephens design was meant to race and cruise. Original owners, John and Winifred Hayward, raced her off Florida, Mexico and Cuba. Sharon says Winifred was so good, she was given a "Perpetual Trophy for winning so many races." When Sharon bought the boat 28 years ago, she decided cruising was for her. She wanted to share her love of sailing, so she made Winifred a daysail charter in 1981."It’s fun. I’m taking care of people," Sharon says, wearing her signature straw hat. With her great sense of humor, she makes sure everybody has a good time. But safety is very important, she notes.

Winifred sails from Red Hook to the National Park on St. John and surrounding cays. The exact locale "depends on winds and seas as well as where people want to go." A day of cruising includes snorkeling, beverages, Caribbean music and Sharon’s special homemade lunch served in the cockpit with cherrywood bronze flatwear, teak trays, crystal plates and flowers on the table.

An expert sailor, Sharon has taken Winifred throughout the Caribbean, often spending time off the Venezuela coast.

For reservations, call 775-7898.