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Hits since 6/1/96: |
| Our Crew | |
We are proud to introduce you to to our crew. Most members are ASA certified sailors and have cruised, raced, and taught together on WHOODAT for several seasons. Together with our skipper, they are committed to providing you with a safe, fun, and enjoyable sailing experience. |
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Kati Belden is one of the most tenacious members of the crew, and has been known to employ unorthodox tactics to improve boat speed. When the wind quit blowing during a summer Duck Dodge race on Lake Union, she jumped into the water and swam ahead, towing the boat behind her until the wind picked up again. She has been sailing on Whoodat more than two years, has crewed on a 90-foot motor yacht in Alaska, and worked on refurbishing yachts at a local boatyard. Although Kati’s favorite crew position may be lookout in the crow’s nest, you are more likely to find her as a headsail trimmer, working in tandem with her sister, Heidi. When she's not sailing, Kati is a student at the University of Washington studying marine biology. |
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Darla Rhodes, a native of the Tri-Cities, stepped aboard a sailboat for the first time last year. She said she was quickly drawn to sailing "probably because it was so alien to someone who grew up in the desert." A versatile crewmember, Darla likes all positions on the boat, and has earned her American Sailing Association Basic Keelboat Certificate. "Never does my mind stray beyond the boat. Work, friends, family, stress are all put on the hold. The stronger the wind, the more calm I am." Off the boat, Darla works at the Federal Reserve Bank in Seattle. |
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Gariann Bingaman has been sailing three years, after a friend took her out near Everett one afternoon. "It’s never been the same since," she said. "I enjoy great friends, fresh air, and the fact that all stress and cares are far away." One of her most unusual sailing experiences came at a Duck Dodge race last summer with a "Prom Night" theme, trying grind a winch while wearing a prom dress. Gariann, who excels at the halyards and sail trim, keeps her sailing arms strong in the off-season playing rugby and ice hockey. Gariann is a junior high school English teacher and has her summers to sail. |
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Heidi Belden, a native of Seattle, returned to the Puget Sound last summer after attending college in New York and working in Washington, DC. As a newcomer, she counts among her accomplishments the fact that she has never had to employ the "puke-down-the-front-of-your-shirt" vomiting technique while aboard the boat. Her favorite sailing memory is from Whidbey Island Race Week, seeing the spectacular view of dozens of spinnakers against the backdrop of Coupeville’s waterfront. "I love the peace that I feel gliding on the water." Heidi is employed at the Force Ten Productions in Seattle where she currently is the Executive Director of the Seattle Super Yacht Show. |
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Sharon Doub anchors the Whoodat crew on the foredeck where she is known for her troubleshooting, quick thinking and amazing improvisational skills under pressure. Sharon says of her first sailing experience four years ago, "It was love at first sight." Of course, that may be because it was on that windy sail to Blake Island where she met the boat’s skipper, and her future husband, Jim Doub. Both she and Jim are active in the Mountaineers Sailing Program. She also enjoys volleyball, tennis, and hiking. |
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Bryan Martinez is the newest member of our staff. Bryan is 14 years old and an eighth grade student. He recently moved to the Seattle area from Riverside, CA. Eager to learn, Bryan is recently passed his ASA Basic Keelboat certification and hopes to do a lot of sailing with us this summer. |
