My favorite regatta now is just a dream from the past. Back in the early 1980's when we first had our Hobie 18, my favorite event was The Dam Regatta at (I think) Hoover Dam in Ohio. The wind was always lousy -- light and flukey. But everybody camped right there. It was like being on a farm out in the middle of nowhere, and we had the whole area to ourselves. Lots of grass and plenty of beach. Everybody brought their kids and their dogs, and frisbees were flying everywhere, along with assorted types of spherical objects. The organizers had a big tent and supplied a great dinner Saturday night. Most of the kids who were playing, and sailing, at those Dam Regattas are adults now, but they are still sailors -- some just at heart and some in actuality. I think it is partly because of the great memories they have of regattas like that when they were children.

It has stayed in my mind as the image of the way beach-cat regattas should be. Unfortunately, there just aren't as many venues any more that lend themselves to a whole-family experience.