Ask Margaret by Margaret Word Burnside I know about the Gasparilla Invasion, but what is the Morgan Invasion? B.C., Lakewood Ranch The Morgan Invasion, which for the last four years has been known as the Tampa Bay Hospice Cup, is the largest annual sailing regatta on the West Coast of Florida and one of the largest in the state. It brings sailors together from throughout the Tampa Bay area to participate in a race and related activities orchestrated by the Davis Island Yacht Club in Tampa under the direction of the club’s former commodore Bob Crawford and Morgan Invasion founder Charley Morgan, with the help of a cadre of committed volunteers and supporters. This event has raised more than $185,000 for Suncoast Hospice, which is a part of Empath Health’s integrated network of care in Pinellas County, and LifePath Hospice/Charters Health in Hillsborough County. The Tampa Bay Hospice Cup was recognized by the Florida Suncoast Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals with the Tampa Bay “Spirit of Philanthropy” Award in 2015. The original Morgan Invasion was started in 1985 by Charley Morgan and a group of sailors who owned Morgan Yachts that were designed and built by Charley. The Invasion was a light-hearted weekend of activities based at the then-Treasure Island Yacht Club and coordinated with the help of the club’s longtime dockmaster Les Lathrop. In order to understand the Morgan Invasion, you need to know a little about Charley, who is a renowned sailor, yacht designer and builder. He grew up in Tampa and opened his Morgan Yachts company during the 1960s, first where Tyrone Mall now stands and later on Bryan Dairy Road in St. Petersburg. He built it into one of the largest sailboat manufacturers in the world, turning out a completed boat every day. Charley remains the only person to single handedly launch an America’s Cup campaign with his 12-meter Heritage, which he designed and built for the 1970 race. Charley’s talent, charisma and renown made him the perfect person to shape the Morgan Invasion into a sailing institution, which he 140 TAMPA BAY MAGAZINE | MARCH/APRIL 2017
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