Museum of Yachting Classic Yacht Regatta preview

by Cynthia Goss on 28 Aug 2012 The Panerai Classic Yachts Challenge North American Circuit will culminate the 2012 season in Newport, Rhode Island with the Museum of Yachting (MoY) Classic Yacht Regatta which is set to take place the 1st-2nd September. The regatta brings devoted and skilled vintage and classic racing yacht owners and skippers to Narragansett Bay to vie for the final stage of the North American Circuit. This year marks the 33rd annual running of this classic Newport event, and honors the overall winner of the North American Circuit, which includes the Corinthian Classic Yacht Regatta in Marblehead, MA, the Opera House Cup in Nantucket, MA and the Museum of Yachting Classic Yacht Regatta in Newport.

Newport is one of the leading destinations in the world for sailing, the final stop in this year’s inaugural America’s Cup World Series, and one of the nation’s cultural centers for classic yachting. From veteran racers to first-time sailors, parade-goers to wooden-yacht aficionados, the festivities of MoY Classic Yacht Regatta mark the end of summer for many Newport residents and sailing enthusiasts. Historic, bucolic Fort Adams State Park serves as the center of the sailing activity and home to both the Museum of Yachting and the Panerai Hospitality Lounge: which has become a favorite reunion spot for sailors and boat-owners who come from near and far to compete for the coveted prizes and trophy.
 
Organizing Authority Sail Newport will oversee two days of racing, starting Saturday morning and concluding Sunday afternoon. On Sunday morning, beginning at 10:30 AM, the Annual Classic Yacht Parade – a much anticipated local event – will bring the participating crews and public together, turning the waters off Newport into a majestic sea of classic yachts, one-designs, and powerboats; many showcasing Panerai flags, yacht club pennants and pristine, colorful sails.

The fleet will assemble and trace a parade course around Newport Harbor, completing their circuit in the waters surrounding Fort Adams State Park. On Sunday evening, following a second full day of racing, the coveted Panerai Classic Yachts Challenge trophy will be presented to the overall winner of the North American Circuit at a prize giving ceremony  in front of the MoY. In addition to many class prizes, the owner of the winning sailing vessel of the MoY Regatta will take home a limited edition Panerai timepiece: Radiomir Black Seal Automatic 45 MM  (PAM 0287).
 
Last year’s overall MoY Regatta winner and Panerai timepiece was awarded to the owner of 12M Sparkman & Stevens Valiant, Gary Gregory, and the PCYC N.A. Circuit Trophy went to the team which helmed the 1938 yawl, Black Watch, to overall victory.

The North American Circuit is only one portion of the Panerai Classic Yachts Challenge, the largest international circuit reserved for classic yachts encompassing a total of ten regattas. From the West Indies island of Antigua to the Mediterranean coast of Cannes, the circuit celebrates the spirit and camaraderie of classic sailing and continues to grow year after year, with the number of boats entering the global competitions climbing to more than five hundred for the 2012 season.

Again this year, Panerai will host morning meet and greets for local sailing aficionados, affectionately named 'Cappuccino with the Captains,' providing community residents with the chance to mingle with the captains and crew of the participating classic yachts before each of the PCYC races. These intimate morning coffee sessions, held on Saturday and Sunday mornings, will offer yachting enthusiasts the opportunity to speak to the captains and crew about their dedication to vintage/classic yachts before they board their vessels and focus on winning the cherished PCYC North American Circuit trophy. Cappuccino with the Captains is open to the public, free of charge, from 8:30am to 9:30am on September 1st and 2nd in Fort Adams State Park.
 
As every sailor knows, behind the scenes of each regatta are tried-and-true stories of the passionate restoration of classic boats. To celebrate the art of classic boat restoration, Panerai has constructed a photo exhibition and video featuring Panerai’s restoration of the 1936 Fife ketch, Eilean, which will be on display near the Panerai Hospitality Lounge for each regatta of the North American circuit. Eilean, found in disrepair in 2006 by Panerai CEO Angelo Bonati, was restored by Officine Panerai in Italy to her previous glory and, as a testament to her strength and provenance, successfully raced in this year’s Antigua Classic Yacht Regatta. IYRS website