30th Annual Classic Yacht Regatta

by Cynthia Goss on 26 Aug 2009
The Museum of Yachting will host the 30th Annual Classic Yacht Regatta sponsored by Panerai and presented by Land Rover North America from September 4-6. To mark the 30th running of this classic Newport event, regatta organizers and sponsors have included events so Rhode Islanders, Newport visitors, and other classic-boat enthusiasts can enjoy the regatta's festivities over the Labor Day weekend.

On Friday night, September 4, sponsor Panerai will kick off the weekend with a festive opening night celebration at the Museum's waterfront home at Fort Adams State Park. Classic-boat enthusiasts are invited to join the international crowd of owners and crews who are traveling from ports throughout the United States and Europe to compete at the regatta.

Organizing Authority Sail Newport will run two days of racing, starting on Saturday and concluding Sunday afternoon. The racing fleet will again mix restored classics with 'spirit of tradition' yachts of contemporary build and classic styling. But with entries already received from East Coast, West Coast, Gulf Coast, and European owners, and with class associations and one-design fleets making their way to Narragansett Bay for the festivities, the 30th running of this classic event promises to draw a notable fleet.

Heading to the starting line are sailing yachts with design pedigrees from Sparkman & Stephens, Fife, Herreshoff, and other venerated designers along with an international fleet of 6-Metres, who will use the event as a tune-up for the 2009 6-Metre World Cup that begins in Newport the week following the Classic Yacht Regatta.

Sunday morning brings a highlight of the event for both participating crews and the public when the regatta's annual Classic Yacht Parade turns the waters off Newport into a panorama of majestic classics, historic one-designs, and classic powerboats. The fleet will assemble at 10:30 AM and trace a course around the harbor before heading to the parade's endpoint off the Museum of Yachting.

This year, the public will judge the display and determine winners in several best-of categories by texting or calling their category choices in to 401 2060 MOY. The parade can be viewed from the Museum of Yachting, Bowen's Wharf, Bannister's Wharf, and other spots along the Newport harbor front. Award categories include: Most Patriotic, Best Costumes, Best Sailboat, Best Powerboat, and Best Overall.

A fleet of Huckins powerboats concluding their Northeast Rendezvous in Newport on Labor Day weekend will enhance both the event and the parade. These fast lightweight yachts were considered groundbreaking in the 1920s and 30s, and are still sprightly boats by today's standards.

Fans of the classic fleet can make their way to Fort Adams during the weekend to spy which boats are berthed off the Museum's waterfront home and tour three summer exhibitions, including: 'Coronet: The Long Life and Revival of an Historic American Schooner Yacht,' a look at a 133-foot, 1885 yacht that has intrigued people with her majesty and mystery, with photography and artifacts that depict Coronet's opulent interior and the yacht's colorful owners and adventures at sea; 'Imagination in Scale: The Practical Art of Ship and Yacht Models,' with toy-like ship and yacht models that capture the imagination of children and adults alike and showcase the artistry, functionality, and painstaking detail of yacht models; and 'The America’s Cup – The Newport Years,' covering the rich history of the Cup during its Newport years. The Museum is open from 10 AM to 6 PM throughout the weekend.

For more information on the 30th Annual Classic Yacht Regatta sponsored by Panerai and presented by Land Rover North America, or about the Museum of Yachting and its summer exhibitions, please visit www.moy.org or call 401-847-1018.