Under Dave's leadership, The Sailing Club proposed to the City of Orlando's Community and Youth Services Department that the City budget for the replacement of the fleet of Phantoms that had been the instructional boat of the Basic Sailing courses since the late 1970s.  Since the newest Phantoms were 1991 models, replacement boats were sorely needed.  Upon discussions and guidance from the City, a Sailing Club committee of the Instructor Trainers and some club officers determined that the Hunter 140 would be the instructional boat of choice.  However, it was not until 2000 that the boats would finally be purchased.  

 
Dave Chapman organized a Fall 1998 two boat charter from the Moorings on Tampa Bay.  Dave Akins and Dave Chapman were the skippers. AND it was a honeymoon trip for Club members Wayne and Kathleen Williams, who married the previous week!

Commodore Dave Akins, cruising in the Exumas. Dave is one of the Instructor Trainers, as well as a certified Basic and Advanced Sailing Instructor.  He worked closely with Mayor Hood and City Council members to help procure the new Hunter 140 fleet.  Dave is also one of our charter skippers and has owned boats up to 50 feet.  

In 1998, Vice Commodore for Administration (Boat Daddy) Dave Pontis re-wrote the training materials used in the Basic Sailing courses.  All Instructors were issued the new printed materials which more clearly documented the training assignments of Basic Sailing Instructors.