HarborFest To Feature Female-Only Helmed JY15 Regatta: The Breakwater WOOD

“Too often sailboats are owned and helmed by men, whose wives and girlfriends are relegated to crew,” shared Sara Nightingale. “But the skills required for competing in a sailboat race are skills that most women possess inherently: being able to multitask and pay attention to many things at once. My hope is that women who are a little insecure, timid or lacking experience because they have not been offered the helm enough in the past, will feel empowered by this event.”

On Sunday, September 13th, Breakwater Yacht Club (BYC) and JY15 Fleet will present the annual JY15 Women’s Regatta, The Breakwater WOOD, as part of Sag Harbor’s HarborFest. Taking place in the waters off of Havens Beach, the regatta is open to sailors of all genders, as long as the helmsperson is female. Co-skippering is permitted, but both skippers must be women. All ages and experience levels are welcome to enter the regatta, and the event organizers will attempt to provide experienced crew for encouragement and support. The JY15 is a two-person dinghy that is commonly used for junior sailing programs, as well as for racing.

“It’s OK to be a little afraid or nervous,” noted Nightingale. “That’s the point, and we are here to help.”

Registration begins at 1 p.m., and a skipper’s meeting will be held at Breakwater Yacht Club at 2 p.m., with racing to follow immediately after. An awards ceremony and post race refreshments will take place at Breakwater Yacht Club after the regatta (at approximately 5:30 p.m.).

The entry fee is $25 per boat, and BYC will provide boats for an additional $50 plus a security deposit. Reservations for boat rentals are recommended.

The Breakwater Yacht Club is located at 51 Bay Street in Sag Harbor. For more information or to register for the regatta, contact Sara Nightingale at 631-793-2256 or [email protected], or Sean Elliot at 631-725-4604 or [email protected], or visit breakwateryc.org.