30th Annual Couples Race, St. Petersburg, FL, May 21 Sponsored by the St. Petersburg Sailing Association, this is a double-handed race and the crew must consist of one male and one female sailor. It is open to any single-hulled, multihulled or one-design sailboat. In addition to the usual classes, this race will include a “just-for-fun” class. After the race will be a party with great food, racing awards and fun awards. NOR and entry form available online at www.spsa.us.
15-16 16-26 21 21 27 27-28 28-29 30
Key West to Naples. NYC (N/MBOTY) Bone Island Regatta Key West to Cuba** Hugh Elliot Laser Regatta. DIYC Couples Race. SPSA School’s Out Regatta. DIYC Tampa Bay to Fort Myers Race. DIYC (DIBOTY)* J/24 Rodeo. DIYC Memorial Day Race Around Lido. Luffing Lassies. SSS
JUNE 4 7 18
Commodore’s. Tampa Sailing Squadron. TSS Annual West Florida Calendar Meeting. SPYC Summer Solstice Rally. DIYC
Tampa Bay to Ft. Myers Regatta, Tampa Bay, May 27-28 This regatta is from Tampa Bay to Ft. Myers Beach, approximately 100 miles. This is a historic race going back to 1946. All PHRF classes are welcome. After race party will be at Bonita Bill’s in Ft. Myers Beach. Hoist/Crane and trailer storage available for dry-sailed boats. This is a Davis Island Yacht Club (hosting club) Boat of the Year race. To register online, go to www.diyc.org. Race Calendar The organizing authority for racing and boat ratings in West Florida is West Florida PHRF at www.westfloridaphrf.org. For regatta schedules and Boat of the Year schedules, go to the West Florida Yacht Racing Association at www.wfyra.org. Boat of the Year Races (BOTY) For complete details, go to www.wfyra.org and click on the regional associations in Southwest Florida pertaining to each area below: Tampa Bay/Suncoast (also known as West Florida BOTY): (SCBOTY) Davis Island YC: (DIBOTY) Gulf Racing (Clearwater/Dunedin area): (GULFBOTY) St. Petersburg Ocean Racing Circuit: (SPORC) Charlotte Harbor/Ft. Myers area: (CHBOTY) Sarasota Bay (Sarasota to Venice): (SBYABOTY) Naples/Marco Island: (N/MBOTY) Southwest Florida (Naples to Marco Island): (SWFLBOTY) Caloosahatchee Region: (CLRBOTY) Clubs with regattas listed this month (go to clubs for local club racing schedules): DIYC: Davis Island YC, www.diyc.org NSYC: Naples Sailing & YC, www.theNSYC.com NYC: Naples YC: www.naplesyc.org SPSA: St. Pete Sailing Assoc., www.spsa.us SPYC: St. Petersburg YC, www.spyc.org SSS: Sarasota Sailing Squadron, www.sarasotasailingsquadron.org SYC: Sarasota YC, www.SarasotaYachtClub.org TSS: Tampa Sailing Squadron, www.Sail-TSS.org MAY 7 7 11-14 14 14-15 14-15
(* = see “Major Upcoming Regattas” this section) (** = see Racing News section, page 16) Mother’s Day Dash. SSS, SYC Spring Couple’s Race. DIYC Bone Island Regatta to Key West. (SBYABOTY) (SWFLBOTY) (N/MBOTY) * 20th Annual Terra Ceia Regatta * Salty Sister’s Allison Jolly. SPYC J/24 Rodeo. Davis Island YC
News & Views for Southern Sailors
Major Upcoming Regattas
29th Regata al Sol, Pensacola to Isla Mujeres, Mexico, May 11 This year will be the 29th sailing of the Regata al Sol from Pensacola, Florida to Isla Mujeres, Mexico. This biannual premier offshore race is sponsored by Southern Yacht Club, Pensacola Yacht Club, and the Club de Yates Isla de Mujeres. The start of the race will be Wednesday, May 11, for the Cruising Divisions and Thursday, May 12, for the Racing Division. The course will take racers from Pensacola Bay 555 nautical miles across the Gulf of Mexico to Isla Mujeres, Mexico just off the Yucatan coast from Cancun. This race offers all the excitement of an offshore race as well as the challenge of navigating the Gulf loop current. Race participants annually bring medical, educational, clothing and/or toys for the people of Isla Mujeres. For more on the race, go to www.regataalsol.org.
GYA Opening Regatta, Fairhope, AL, May 20-22 Racing fleets include Viper 640 Gulf Coast Championship, the VX One Spring #3, the GYA Masters Flying Scot, the Optimist fleets, Open Flying Scot, Open Portsmouth and Open Portsmouth Multihull as well as the GYA Capdevielle Flying Scot fleet. Fairhope Yacht Club, www.fwyc.org.
Slip to Ship Racing Regatta, Ocean Springs, AL, May 28-29 A multihull regatta launching from Ocean Springs Yacht Club and racing out to Ship Island. The sailors lunch then race back. The final leg is the next day when there is another opportunity to beat the time around Deer Island! In addition, there is a FUNdraising raffle held to support sailing on the Gulf Coast. Sponsored by The Ocean Springs Yacht Club, 100 Beach Blvd, Ocean Springs, AL. (228) 365-4169. FREE. www.osyc.com SOUTHWINDS
May 2016
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