IYRS Gala Honors Its Past, Present, and Future, Raises $600,000 for New Programs

Maggie Vale, Marilyn Kanter, Mary Gillette

& artist John Mecray

Three generations of the same sailing family were event co-chairs for the fabulous and festive IYRS Gala, its 13th annual, which no serious yachtsman in the hemisphere would miss. Nancy Hazlehurst Deutsch, her father Tom Hazlehurst, and her son Alex Hazlehurst Hood, all lifetime sailors, have raced the boats of their eras and volunteered for the sport. Together they navigated a delightfully crowded evening that celebrated “Old School, New School, Our School” and brought a multi-generational presence to the Gala.

Jeryn & Karl Weintz in the Tiki bar

A record crowd of some 700 guests, Including sailors Carol O'Malley and Nick Harry, Clay Deutsch, Chuck and Jill Townsend, Donald Tofias, and Pila Pexton flocked to the International Yacht Restoration School to attend the Gala. Guests, sponsors, and auctions raised $600,000 for IYRS, which recently expanded its educational offerings with a program in composites technology, using materials and manufacturing methods that are the wave of the future.

Tom Hazlehurst, Nancy Hazlehurst Deutsch,

& Alex Hazlehurst Hood

A 1940s "Casablanca"-style cocktail hour opened the evening, (Where was Rick? Where was Dooley Wilson playing “You must remember this”…) followed by an elegant seated dinner, very much of the present, and a futuristic late-night dance party.

“There are few schools in America that so perfectly meld the technologies of different eras—from our restoration program where students learn their trade while working on boats from the great designers of the 19th and 20th centuries, to the cutting-edge technology in our Marine Systems and Composites Technology programs,” said IYRS President Terry Nathan. “The gala was a fitting reminder to all our friends of how IYRS has grown and used an effective education model, irrespective of program focus.”

Sandy & John Lasente with Joe Dockery of Lexus

The Hazlehursts spoke with many friends, Alex nursing a broken arm gotten while wind-surfing behind a boat. “As a living symbol of this generational aspect of the school’s activities, I conscripted my dad, who got started in Beetle Cats, and my son, who got his feet wet in Optis, to join me in chairing this gala event. We are three generations who have been blessed by ‘messing about in boats’,” said Nancy Hazlehurst Deutsch. (Alex’s arm notwithstanding.)

A special part of the evening was reserved to honor the contributions that maritime artist and IYRS co-founder John Mecray has made to the school. Mecray has helped to guide IYRS from its early days when the campus was a waterfront tract of land with two abandoned historic buildings to the current day when the school is thriving with three full-time programs and continuing education courses and a campus that is now handsomely restored. After a film tribute produced by Gary Jobson, a surprised Mecray took the stage to be recognized by his peers.

Deirdre Opp, IYRS Development Director, with

pianist Bobby Fleur

“John has provided important leadership at key inflection moments in the school’s history, such as when IYRS decided to de-access the expensive restoration of Coronet in favor of growing the school,” said President Nathan. “That took great courage and vision, which the Board took from John.”

Live and silent auctions featured an impressive lineup of items and travel opportunities that appealed to avid sailors and fans of classic and modern boats. Among the live auction items: a weeklong stay for three couples at the luxurious, secluded private Azzura Castle in Grenada, West Indies; a gourmet dinner and daysail on the magnificent Cangarda, the 126-foot 1901 steam yacht recently restored by Dr. Robert McNeil, who is currently restoring Coronet at IYRS; a stay on the private island of Cayo Espanto, located off the coast of Belize and near the second-longest barrier reef in the world; and a seat at the table at the invitation-only Esquire Magazine 2010 Best New Restaurants Chef’s Dinner.