Sailing Regatta Is Boatload of Fun
The Bald Head Island Regatta, held April 4-6, was a boatload of fun for everyone. More than 30 boats registered for the race that brought 350 people to the island for the weekend of festivities. A welcome dinner on Friday, breakfast and happy hour on Saturday, and a continental breakfast and awards cookout on Sunday were offered to all competitors, their families and friends.
"We had two great days of sailing and three great days of parties," said Rona Garm, Director of Bald Head Island Sailing and the regatta.
Top honors went to Greg Miller from Washington, N.C. He won the overall trophy, which is based on the first-place finish in the most competitive fleet. He receives a permanent "cup" for home while his name, boat name, and year are added to the trophy displayed at the Bald Head Island Sailing Center located on Keelson Row in Harbour Village. Complete results can be found at www.bhir.org.
This year, "Kattack" position reporting was a welcome enhancement to racing, where each boat was equipped with a GPS that allows the entire race to be replayed during the socials each evening. West Marine and others provided goodies for the competitors' bags, while Mount Gay Rum was a major sponsor. Relive the finer moments of the race by downloading the "Kattack" player from the regatta Web site www.bhir.org.
"The regatta went very well," said Rona. "People had a great time; they felt the island was an incredible family vacation spot for a regatta; and they plan to return, not only to next year's regatta but also to enjoy vacation rentals throughout the remainder of the year. Some participants have even purchased real estate during their regatta trips."
Registered sailboats from North Carolina came from Bald Head Island; Castle Hayne; Charlotte; Emerald Isle; Fayetteville; Greenville; Hampstead; Jacksonville; Newport; Oak Island; Raleigh; Southport; Trent Woods; Washington; and Wilson; as well as other cities such as Annapolis and Pasadena, Md.
The next big sailing events coming up near Bald Head Island are the N.C. Leukemia Cup (founded in Wrightsville Beach in 1998) but now held in Southport (May 16-18); an offshore race from Wrightsville Beach to Beaufort on May 22, and the N.C. Offshore Championships in Beaufort over Memorial Day weekend.
If you'd like to enter a regatta someday but need to learn the basics first, look no farther than the Bald Head Island Sailing Club. The club welcomes all ages and skill levels, from seasoned sailors to never-sailed novices. Qualified instructors offer youth and adults lessons through the Bald Head Island Sailing Club from April through September.
Annual memberships, social, trial, and week-long temporary memberships are available, allowing access to a variety of boats including Optimist Prams, Club 420s, and day sailing keelboats. For additional information about boat reservations, class instruction and fees, please call 910-457-SAIL.
