Dear Racers,

Did you know there’s a new trophy on the Bay?

The Waterford Yacht Club Lighthouse Charity Regatta trophy, better known as The Wheel, will be defended for the first time on October 3, 2015. And this year, members of any chartered yacht club can compete to take The Wheel home to their yacht club trophy case. If they’re fast enough, that is. You see, the race for The Wheel is a challenge simply because it’s, well, simple. A staggered start based on handicaps, the race is only three legs — one upwind, one across the wind, and one downwind. This requires precision tactics as there is no room to recover from any mistakes. So this race isn’t for everyone. It’s just for those competitors who think they might know a thing or two about sailing on Galveston Bay that will give them an advantage.

This Regatta is a charity event in support of Lighthouse Charity Team*. The $100/boat entry fee, tax-deductible, goes to support this non-profit 501(c) (3) organization. Regatta entrants will receive an entry package including, among other things, two regatta t-shirts and two tickets to the post-regatta shrimp boil and charity auction.

Other prizes are in play, but it’s not about those or t-shirts or boiled shrimp. The Waterford Yacht Club Lighthouse Charity Regatta is about sailing skill in the quest to win the race for The Wheel while supporting a deserving local charity. If you think you have what it takes to grab The Wheel, or maybe just need to test new crewmembers planning to join you for the upcoming Harvest Moon race, go to the Waterford Yacht Club website at https://www.waterfordyc.com to register. Or email the Waterford Yacht Club Fleet Captain at Doug.Catenaci@utecsurvey.com, Greg Green at greg@jhaltongroup.com, or Peter van Oosten at peter@ramtec-marine.com.

Click the following links to access the race forms: Registration and Waiver of Liability Form, Notice of Race, Lighthouse Charity Regatta Race Instructions

Best of luck,

Waterford Yacht Club

Current holder of The Wheel

*Lighthouse Charity Team provides equipment and volunteer labor to prepare meals to raise funds for charitable organizations and those in need. Funding comes from individual donations and local sponsors. Learn more at http://www.lighthousecharityteam.com.

*****  THE   RESULTS  ******

LYC captures The Wheel!

Tim Vogelsang, representing Lakewood Yacht Club aboard his Peterson 34 Tanura, sailed to victory in the second annual Waterford Yacht Club Lighthouse Charity Regatta and captured The Wheel.

Participants will tell you it wasn’t an easy race, mostly because it happened to be the most windless day of the year.  Still, on an afternoon when the strongest breeze recorded was my sneeze, several boats managed to sail the course and cross the finish line.  And despite the calm, the race for second place was very close as the lead 3 boats rounded the second mark.  (Okay, yeah, so sailboat races are more exciting when it’s blowing a hoolie, but there really was some strategy being displayed here.)  In addition to grabbing LYC ownership of The Wheel for the next year, Tim received the first place trophy for his efforts.  Congratulations to Tim for his win!  Jack Spithill took second place aboard his Beneteau 33.7 Further, and Robin Rice sailed his Tartan 34 Restless to a third-place finish.  The Hard-Luck Trophy went to Jeff Harding aboard Manage a trois.  Jeff, thanks for hanging in there!

I don’t need to tell WYC sailors that the challenge now is to take back The Wheel at next year’s regatta, but I will.  WYC sailors, the challenge now is to take back The Wheel at next year’s regatta.  You can increase your chances by making plans to race the whole 2016 schedule of WYC races leading up to next year’s regatta.  The club is counting on you!

Event Registered

• Mark Belanger
• Mark Belanger
• Mark Belanger
• Mark Belanger
• Mark Belanger
• Mark Belanger
• Mark Belanger
• Doug Catenaci
• Andrew Clark
• greg green
• greg green
• John Judas
• Dale Kramer
• Jack Spithill
• Peter van Oosten
• Wayne Wilcox