Several had never raced before. Many raced only occasionally. And all had a great time.
Issue 34: Jan/Feb 2004
JUDGING BY THE ELATION OF A COUPLE OF hundred Annapolis sailors, racing is a stimulating, exciting, and exhilarating way to spend several hours on the water. Jerry and I did not race in the Good Old Boat Regatta last October, but we were at the party site ashore as absolutely delighted sailors docked or anchored and dinghied ashore to compare opinions of a race that each had seen from a uniquely personal perspective. Who finished first or last didn’t matter. There were no protests. The weather had given them perfect conditions. These folks clearly had been having a good time.
In 4 years the Annapolis Good Old Boat Regatta has grown faster than our magazine (which is doing very well, thanks!). The inaugural year, 2000, drew 21 boats to a Saturday race. By 2001, 34 boats signed up for the event, which was expanded to span two Saturdays. The following year saw 53 boats for the two weekend races. By October 2003, 73 boats signed up. There was talk of making more starts for the largest groups and of finding a new party location to accommodate the expanding crowd of skippers and crews.
This last regatta occurred just weeks after Hurricane Isabel had flooded Annapolis and left destruction in her wake. But boats and crews were happy to put that behind them and have a good time rejoicing in boats “of some maturity,” as they characterize good old boats. They swapped race stories and compared modifications. They went home with race trophies, free subscriptions to our magazine, and smiles on their faces.
A bit farther north and one month earlier, the Heritage Classic Regatta Series for Good Old Boats had a rough inaugural year. This series was set for four Saturday races, two of which were canceled by Hurricane Isabel. The other two were poorly attended since many sailors had hauled their boats out of the water in anticipation of the storm. But this race series also offers fun racing for good old boats and will be back for a good time once more in September this year.
The venerable Swiftsure International Yacht Race out of Victoria, British Columbia, is considering the addition of a division for good old boats. Held each May, the Swiftsure may offer yet another opportunity for folks with boats like ours to compete, compare, and come back with smiles on their faces.
There are ground swells for more: Lake Michigan and Lake Erie may be next. For more about the good old regattas sponsored by Good Old Boat and for race results of the regatta in Annapolis, visit our website at http://www.goodoldboat.com/regatta.html.
If there’s one near you, even if you’ve never raced, give it a go. The elation on the faces of those returning from the Annapolis event could be yours. Several had never raced before. Many raced only occasionally. And all had a great time.
Thank you to Sailrite Enterprises, Inc., for providing free access to back issues of Good Old Boat through intellectual property rights. Sailrite.com
