A talented media professional, enthusiastic Mudhead, dedicated member of Team Patriot, tireless volunteer, chair of the River Jam Festival and a dyed-in-the-wool rock & roller, our friend Courtney Moore is one of the coolest people we know.
“I split my time growing up between Mystic, Connecticut and Upper Arlington, Ohio,” says Courtney, who resides in Mystic. “I started in the junior sailing program at Mason’s Island Yacht Club when I was 7 or 8 years old, crewing on Blue Jays with older kids. Jeff Livingston is the first sailing instructor I remember as a kid. He taught me not to be afraid to capsize.”
“Later in life, I learned more about bigger boats from my husband Toby Halsey, Dave Doyle and Paul Phillips – all part of Team Patriot – and I also crewed on Spanish Moon with them and with our dear friend Skip Whitaker, with whom I had the pleasure of hanging out on the rail for many years. We miss him. Off the boat, but just as important, I have learned from Greg Gilmartin, Frank Murphy and Bob Austin-LaFrance about wind, rating systems and overall camaraderie.”
“I have been a Mudhead for over twenty years. The Mystic River Mudhead Sailing Association is very inclusive, and being part of the organization has forged lifelong friendships. The Club gives back to the community regularly, both through regattas and collecting non-perishable food items for the Pawcatuck Neighborhood Center. I have served as Secretary and Commodore, and was also chair (or co-chair) of the Mudhead Benefit Cup for twenty years, raising funds first for Center for Hospice Care and now for Always Home.”
“The Mudhead Benefit Cup is the largest Mudhead event, raising money for local charities, getting 40+ boats on the line and 300+ people under the Sperry Tent for the Mega Party at Mystic Shipyard. Mystic Shipyard is an integral part of every event I am involved with – the events would not be possible without them. Additionally, the Mudheads run the Michael Cavanaugh Memorial Golf Tournament raising funds for ALS research and of course the weekly Donzo Wednesday Racing series, which recently implemented a Women At the Helm component. Last year, the Mudheads welcomed Maiden and her crew to Mystic and they competed with us in the Benefit Cup. We also do the Mudnite Madness Overnight Race and the Mudhead Holiday Party.”
“River Jam is a completely separate entity from the Mudheads, but many Mudheads volunteer for the two-day music festival [also hosted by Mystic Shipyard] which gives back to Sails Up 4 Cancer and the Pawcatuck Neighborhood Center and features awesome local talent [including the blues-driven Wooly Mammoth featuring Toby Halsey on guitar and vocals – Ed.]”
“Team Patriot (Toby Halsey, Wendy Halsey, Peter Halsey, Paul Phillips, Dave Doyle, Dan Walz, Tom Longo, Sean Burridge and me) is a group of good friends and family who have sailed together for years. Patriot, a Baltic 39, was my father-in-law Tony Halsey’s boat, and when he passed away Toby took the helm and compiled a great crew. We all work together to raise funds for the Mudhead Benefit Cup, and our team has been the highest fundraiser for many years. The whole crew has also helped with putting the Mudhead dance floor together, setting up countless tables and chairs for events, and overall general support of the Mudheads and many other events. We are very fortunate to be on a team together.”
Courtney is also a steadfast supporter of the aforementioned non-profit organization Sails Up 4 Cancer. “My mother died of cancer when I was 23,” she says, “then my stepmother, then both of my in-laws, and then my father. Everyone is touched by cancer. Sails Up is a fantastic organization run by Bob Davis, and when he asked me to be on the board I accepted…Bob is nearly impossible to say ‘No’ to! He is a two-time cancer survivor himself and brought a positive into a dark time with the creation of this great charity. I served as Vice President for several years and continue to volunteer for all of their events including the annual Sails Up 4 Cancer Regatta, Trivia Night, and the Cornhole Tournament.”
“Maura Blaney and I formed CMB Creative Group sixteen years ago, and are lucky enough to work with Mystic Shipyard, Dodson Boatyard, Springline Yacht Sales, CT Spring Boat Show (with WindCheck), International One Design World Class Association, Off Soundings, Eastern Connecticut Sailing Association, and several area yacht clubs. We are fortunate to have wonderfully loyal clients, and enjoy all of them.”
“Volunteering – whether in the sailing world or elsewhere – is a wonderful feeling,” Courtney enthuses. “I am very proud of the volunteer work that Team Patriot does and that CMB does. I am not hugely competitive, but it is always nice when Patriot gets a win!” ■
