Photo Courtesy of Jim Reed, Hyannis Yacht Club
HYANNIS – Sailors from across the country were in Hyannis over the weekend for the 75th annual three-day Hyannis Yacht Club Regatta.
Amide gale warnings, small craft advisories, and 25 mile-per-hour gusts several hundred participants, of varying age and ability, took to the waters for one of the region’s premiere regattas.
The first regatta was sailed at Hyannis Yacht Club in 1939, before being suspended for World War II, and was as big as ever this weekend drawing not just competitors but scores of families, volunteers, and spectators.
“I think that it’s important for the yacht club because it helps to keep competitive sailing alive,” said Hyannis Yacht Club Commodore Chuck Sabatt, “It brings people from several different venues to Hyannis, to Cape Cod, and it keep us on the map as one of the prime sailing areas.”
The waters of Nantucket Sound and Lewis Bay are considered among the best in the country with a consistent south-westerly breeze. As a result the HYC Regatta prides itself on drawing boats from as far west as California, as far south as Florida, and as far north as Canada.
Entrants in the races ranged from 6 years old to well over 80 years of age, competing in a wide variety of classes including Beetle Cats, C420’s, J22’s, Lasers, Optimists, and PHRF’s.
Sabatt says that events like these are important for the sport and for the club, ““Sailing has leveled off a little bit and I think as people’s lifestyles change and as it becomes more difficult to make a living work and work harder it becomes a little more difficult. What we’re seeing is consistency in sailing it has its ups and downs, it’s a very small world to begin with anyway, a very closely knit world. Every yacht club in America is trying to open itself up to as many people as possible, and we are here.”
In addition to the sailing, this year’s event included food, entertainment, raffles, parties, vendors, and an awards ceremony for fleet winners.
By DAVID BEATTY, CapeCod.com NewsCenter
About CapeCod.com NewsCenter
