Here's a bit of history.....from the "History of Southern Yacht Club"
HOUSTON SKIPPERETTE INVADES LIPTON REGATTA
In spite of the financial difficulties that plagued yacht clubs dur ing the post-Depression years, the Lipton regatta continued to be a popular event of the sailing season on Labor Day weekend.
The 1937 Sir Thomas J. Lipton races held at the Mobile Yacht Club
were special in that askipperette appeared on the scene as a member of the Houston Yacht Club Lipton team. "What do we do now?" ex claimed GYA Commodore Auguste Capdevielle and the members of the board. Never had a woman entered the realm of skippers for this prestigious cup. A special meeting was called to decide on the eligibili ty of a female skipper. Following is the resolution adopted by the board:
WHEREAS, the Mobile Yacht Club has been informed that the Houston Yacht Club has designated a woman as one of its representatives for the 17th annual Lipton regatta, and
WHEREAS, the Mobile Yacht Clubisopposed to women sailing against men, but not against members of their own sex, but,
WHEREAS, the Houston slcipperette has travelled hundreds of miles to compete in the present Lipton series,
BE IT RESOLVED further that she be allowed to sail in the present regatta, but,
g
1930-1938 213
BE IT RESOLVED that in future regattas for the Lipton Trophy women
be barred in the capacities of either helmsmen, crewmen or officials. It is understood that by the adoption of this resolution a separate skipperette event for women shall not be barred in connection with the regatta.
This incident did not represent an early feminist push. Rather, it concerns the simple story of a teenage girl of 1937 whose sailing skills had measured up to the Lipton team's potential and were acceptable to her yacht club.
It would seem that the Gulf Yachting Association met the un precedented circumstance with remarkable good humor, hospitality, patience, and self-protection and certainly fair-mindedness. No invasion by women competitors into the Lipton regatta quickly followed, as it was not until the '40s that through the efforts and
insight of Gulf Yachting Association's Commodore J. Gilbert Scheib,
Mrs. Elizabeth Hughes Freret of SYC won a berth as an alternate on the 1948 Lipton team. The following year Mrs. William H. "Coco" Seemann, Jr. won the right to be a member of the team.