The 48th Boothbay Harbor Yacht Club (BHYC) Regatta and Shipyard Cup Classics Challenge fleets provided a breathtaking scene Saturday, July 23 as the over 60 classic and modern racing boats sailed under clear blue skies across Boothbay to their starting lines. With moderate breezes, Day One provided enjoyable racing conditions for the fleets and a remarkable sight for dozens of spectator boats also out on the water. Weather on Day Two, Sunday, July 24, was moderate at the start and built to a strong breeze in the 19-20 knot range with some higher gusts created challenging conditions for racers.

The BHYC Regatta has been run since 1974. This was the second season for The Shipyard Cup Classics Challenge which features classic yachts and pays homage to the immensely popular Shipyard Cup superyacht races that were sponsored by Hodgdon Yachts and a staple for both the sailing and local communities in Boothbay Harbor for over a decade. Hodgdon continues as a major sponsor along with Bristol Marine’s Boothbay Shipyard and The First Bank.

Classic racers competing in the Shipyard Cup Classics Challenge ranged in size from the historic 21-foot Boothbay Harbor One Designs to the Cache, an 80’Oyster modern yacht. The long list of yachts included several well-known older vessels like Gleam, a 12-meter trial horse for the America’s Cup built in 1937; Marilee, a NY40 designed by the legendary Nat Herreshoff and built in 1926; Eben and Dana Wilson’s Zephyr, a Sparkman and Stevens 1961, a Paul E. Luke built yacht and Doug Goldhirsch’s 1898 Cat Boat Grayling: and a number of other unique and beautiful vessels.

The BHYC Regatta included a large cadre of PHRF racers, a mainstay of the Regatta for years. This year’s fleet included six J80s, among them a boat owned by Geoff Emanuel of Portland who has attended every BHYC Regatta since the 1970s. “New boats to the regatta were plentiful this year so it was great to see all the new faces,” said event co-chair Bob Scribner who went on to say. “Based on a very successful event in 2021 the sailing community responded strongly to participate in the 2022 not-to miss regatta.”

Racing took place in starting circles, each featuring classic and modern racers. The larger, faster boats raced a navigator course outside Squirrel Island going out beyond Damariscove Island on Saturday. Smaller boats raced in the outer harbor inside Squirrel Island. With 12 Division Champion trophies and 5 perpetual trophies at stake, gauntlets were thrown down, skills were tested, and competition was fierce.

One of the most unique match races battles was between two Buzzards Bay 18s, Besherte owned by Josh Goldberg of New York City and Uncas owned by Jim Newton of Southport. They are modern rebuilds of the classic Herreshoff design and as far as the two skippers could discern, it was only the second time that two Buzzards Bay 18s had faced off in decades (the first being last year at this regatta). Besherte won the first place between the boats, and both owners were thrilled to have raced against their sister ship.

Skippers ranged in age from 14 to the late seventies with a large contingent of local youth sailors from BHYC and Southport Yacht Club.

Winner of the Shipyard Cup Classics Challenge was Blackwatch, an S&S Custom Yawl, skippered by Joe Robillard. Blackwatch also won the Vintage Classics division. The Apparition Trophy for overall PHRF/One Design winner went to Patrick Mailloux racing the J/92 Inflection Point and the Pea Pod Trophy was won by Polaris, skippered by Lauren Smith. Carol Sewall sailing her beloved BHOD, Sea Fever, won the Hardalee II Trophy. Nat Wilson presented Nathaniel S. Wilson Sailmaker Trophy to Gleam, owned and skippered by Andy Tyska. This is awarded to the yacht which demonstrates the preservation and continuation of classic yachting. “Andy has been extremely influential in helping raise the visibility of classic yachting as the owner of Gleam,” said Nat. Gleam, the 1937 built Americas Cup 12 meter is now based in Boothbay Harbor.

Skippers and crew alike sang high praises for the weekend pointing particularly to how professionally the races were run and how welcome both local and visiting yacht folks felt. Rob McAlpine, skipper of the Alden 48 Custom built yacht Restive, reflected “ I will be back and will convince others who could not make it this year to come to Boothbay Harbor in 2023.”

The weekend also featured a dock party at Bristol Marine’s Boothbay Harbor Shipyard after the first day of racing. Over 450 skippers, crew and guests mingled, enjoying cocktails and hors d’oeuvres while comparing notes about their boats, swapping stories about the day’s competition, watching the fantastic drone video and still shots taken during the day while “talking trash” about how well they planned to do on Day Two!

Another highlight of the weekend was the “Parade of Sail” held Sunday morning where 40 magnificent vessels from the fleets circled through the inner harbor giving the local community an up close and personal look. Herding the boats into a“chorus line” the volunteers did a great job providing a wonderful parade of modern and traditional yachts. The boats paraded through the harbor led by Grand Marshal Nat Wilson and his wife Rhonda aboard the beautifully restored 70’ Trumpy motor yacht, Bernadette, owned by John Kent Cooke who was accompanied by his wife Rita Bernadette Cooke. Audrey Hodgdon of Hodgdon Yachts was parade announcer introducing parade participants with tidbits about some of the yachts and details of a yacht’s history, with able help from her dad, Tim. Parade Co-chairs Andy and Alice Mutch had great weather and lots of volunteer help to organize the 2nd annual yacht parade.

Event Co-chair and Shipyard Cup Classics Challenge winner Ken Colburn commented “this event couldn’t have happened without strong support from local sponsors, the 63 local and visiting racing yachts, and the 60+ volunteers who worked long hours before and during the event.” He specifically thanked Admiral level sponsors Bristol Marine’s Shipyard at Boothbay Harbor, Hodgdon Yachts, and the First National Bank; Captain Level Sponsors Bangor Savings Bank, Boothbay Harbor Oceanside Resort, Charleston Harbor Tours, J. Edward Knight Insurance, Robinson’s Wharf. Southport General Store, Water Street Kitchen & Bar, Ed Brown’s Wharfside Gallery and Nathaniel S. Wilson Sailmakers along with the 39 other sponsors whose support made the event one to remember. He also thanked the Register for helping spread the word and Harbor Master for leading the parade through the harbor.

For a list of participating boats, pictures of the action, and a breakdown of division trophy and award winners, visit BoothbayRegatta.com. Beautiful drone footage of Day One was shot by videographer Jonne Trees, along with many photos of the participating yachts and can be viewed shortly on the website (www.BoothbayREgatta.com). You can also see more on Facebook BoothbayRegatta.