The month of July had over 100 unique regattas in our SCYA territory. The
month of August had over 90. Summer weeknight racing (beercans) had
PHRF events available in Newport Harbor four weeknights a week, three
nights in San Diego and Santa Monica, two nights in Long Beach, and Dana
Point and Santa Barbara. And if you were to sail a Harbor 20 in Newport
Beach, you could have raced every weeknight and most weekends all Summer
– frequently with multiple races per day! All this activity does not include the
dozen youth sailing programs every weekday throughout SCYA-land.
The annually anticipated invitational big boat regatta in Orange County each
Summer is the BYC/NHYC Long Point Regatta to/from Catalina with a
Saturday race along the island’s coast. Corinthian competition and Yacht Club
hospitality is on display for the 45 competitor rented moorings offered.
Another Summer favorite invitational is the H20 East-West Regatta. Hosted by
Santa Barbara YC this year, the West, led by SCYA member-club sailors,
vanquished the East Coast H20 fleets’ competitors.
The distance races of note (following races like the San Diego to PV race
earlier this year), includes the similar Seal Beach to Dana Point Race and the
35th running of the Long Beach to Dana Point race that together attracted 60
different boats. The Santa Barbara to Dana Point Race drew over 100 boats
many of which are Transpac veterans and qualifier hopefuls.
All of these races share great promotion/marketing, entertainment, and
organization. There are boats with crews wanting to race, they just want
organizers to provide a little more than an RC boat and a bartender.