Independence Day was last week but there will be competitive fireworks on the water for Alamitos Bay Yacht Club's Fourth of July Regatta Saturday and Sunday. Several dozen small keelboats and dinghies are already entered for one of ABYC's four traditional holiday sailfests, following May's Memorial Day Regatta and preceding the Labor Day and Turkey Day (Thanksgiving) regattas yet to come.
A special attraction this year will be the Snipe class, bringing a flock of serious contestants north from their Mission Bay and San Diego yacht clubs for their Pacific Coast Championship.
The Snipe is a 15 1/2-foot, two-person dinghy designed by William Crosby in 1931 and is now sailed in 26 countries.
Starting at noon each day, conditions permitting, the Snipes, Cal 20s, Viper 640s and other keelboats will race in the Long Beach outer harbor while Naples Sabots and Lido 14s compete inside on the bay.
Online entries will be accepted until 4p.m. Friday; later entries must be filed at the race office.
ABYC Laser sailors will serve on the volunteer regatta team, so there will be no Laser racing.
The galley will be open each day, with a regatta breakfast menu and bag lunches available. The club bar will be open after racing.
Last year's winners
Ocean classes (Seven races; One throwout)
CAL 20 (5)---Mike Wood/Ron Wood, Alamitos Bay YC, 1-1-1-(5)-1-2-1, 7 points.
A-Class Catamarans (5)---Matt Struble, San Diego, (2)-1-1-1-1-1-1, 6 points.
Bay classes (Nine races; One throwout)
Naples Sabot B (3)---David Wood, Balboa YC, 1-1-2-1-2-1-(3)-2-3, 13.
Naples Sabot C1 (4)---Brad Hilliard, Balboa YC, 3-2-2-1-1-1-2-1-(5/DNC), 13.
Naples Sabot C2 (10)---Maura Cannon, Balboa YC, (7)-7-5-1-2-3-1-1-1, 21.
Naples Sabot C3 (7)---Peter Sangmeister, Long Beach YC, 1-1-(4)-1-1-1-1-1-1, 7.
Lido 14-B (4)---Travis VanDenBerg/Ross Hutton, American Legion YC, 1-1-(2)-1-1, 4.
Event website
