JOHN B. BONDS SERVICE AWARD 

In January of 2012, SAYRA and Hobcaw Yacht Club established an award to honor individuals who over the years make significant and outstanding contributions in service to the sport of sailing in the areas of race management and/or judging and/or boating safety. This award was named for and dedicated to John B. Bonds, Captain USN (Retired), Ph.D, who for many years was Executive Director of US Sailing and Chairman of the Safety at Sea committee at USS. John was an International Race Officer and Senior Judge. He was most noted as an instructor of race management to many others and was the instructor of many “Safety at Sea” seminars around the US. He was the mentor to many who are working today in support of the sport so that the level of race management produces quality racing for the competitors. Most recently, John was inducted into the National Sailing Hall of Fame, Class of 2019. 

The selection of the recipient of this award is made by the Bonds family, a representative from HYC, past recipients and the SAYRA chairs of the race management and judges committees. This award may not be awarded every year and SAYRA clubs can send nominations to the selection committee 

This award is a fitting tribute to John Bonds and serves as appropriate recognition and thanks from SAYRA to those individuals who over the years give of themselves in service to the sport of yacht racing and their fellow yachtsman. 

NOMINATION FOR THE JOHN B. BONDS SERVICE AWARD

Recipients of the JOHN B. BONDS SERVICE AWARD are: 

2012 Grady Foster - Savannah Yacht Club 

2013 Judy and Burton Howell - SAYRA 

2014 Paul Rhinehart - Carolina Yacht Club – NC 

2015 Means Davis – Atlanta Yacht Club 

2016 Frank Pontious – Beaufort Yacht and Sailing Club

2017 Linda and Bob Bowden  - Carolina Yacht Club-SC 

2018 Sarah Ashton - Charleston YC

2019 Wayne Bretsch - Beaufort Y & SC

2020 Bill Jarvis, Blackbeard Sailing Club and Fairfield Harbor YC

2021 JD Rosser, Hobcaw YC and CORA

2022 Edith Collins, Lake Lanier SC

2023 Jerry Thompson Carolina Sailing Club