I was raised in the area of the shelf islands in western Lake Erie -- mostly I was just into fishing and water skiing.
But at Put-in-Bay, Ohio, where we always went to party and have a good time at the shops, bars and wineries, I remember all of these sailboats coming there once a year. I was not a sailor at the time, but really thought it great to see all those boats with their trophy flags flying.
Well, in 1965 I bought my first sailboat -- a Shark Catamaran.
I crewed with Mary's sister, Betty Bliss (Hobie 18 Worlds Champ, Shark NA Champ, Women's Wave NA Champ and wife of Jake's high school teacher, Dick) on my Shark at that very regatta, and learned a lot from her.
Can't remember if we won or not, but probably did -- she's good.
At any rate, that was in 1965 that I went to the I-LYA Bay Week Regatta and have not missed a year since. It is so much fun that you would have to have the smile removed from your face surgically.
It all starts on Saturday morning with the Sandusky Steeplechase (a feeder to the island from Sandusky SC to Put-in-Bay, Ohio) and the distance is around 22 miles. The race used to be a pretty casual thing -- I remember putting a case of bottled beer on the deck of the Shark and pouring a bunch of ice over it.
I raced the Steeplechase with the Shark, and later the Tornado. In 1980 we sailed the Hobie 18, then came the Mystere 6.0, the Nacra 5.5Uni, the Nacra 6.0, Taipan 4.9 and the last two years on a Wave -- won it last year on the Wave with a Hooter, by the way.
The feeder race got to be pretty serious when Tom Tannert of Sailing Spirit (one of the largest Hobie/Prindle dealers in the country) put up a beautiful trophy in honor of Mary's Dad (Who taught all of all about sailing -- don't think he ever lost a race. He is a Hall of Famer that just died this past year). The trophy is the Bill Wells/Sailing Spirit Trophy and is awarded to the winner on corrected time. It is displayed at the Put-in-Bay Yacht Club.
Later, I put up a trophy called the Rick White Perpetual that was a hand-carved replica of Perry's Monument (a major landmark and park on the island) for the boat that finished first. It is displayed in the Put-in-Bay Museum.
Ever since these two major perpetuals racing is not at all layed back. There have been as many as 45 boats racing the mini-distance race to the island.
Many of the Steeplechase folks spend the weekend on the island and head back to work, but normally around a dozen to 20 boats stay for the whole regatta.
After the feeder race to the island, most of the folks jumped on a ferry and went Lonz Winery on Middle Bass Island. It was always a jumping place. Guess someone jumped too hard -- the concrete floor broke through to the basement and that was the end of the parties there. Would have been anyway since the state bought the property. It was a huge castle-like place. I still remember sitting on the front porch talking to old man Lonz.
The regatta starts with a beer bash party at John Borman's house where everyone gets their Sailing Instructions. Then the races begin at 9AM on Monday and daily until Wednesday.
Every afternoon is action and fun packed after the sailing is over. A bunch of us head for the tennis court, others go shopping or take the tour train, etc.
And then on Monday evening is the Rum Party and Awards for the deepwater feeder races.
After sailing on Tuesday there is a Tea Party for the Ladies while the guys have a baseball tournament and beer blast. By the way the Tea is pretty strong -- the ladies always return a bit tipsy.
And then there is a steak cook-out at the yacht club -- you do your own. And then Deb Shafer always has folks out to her campground on a cliff overlooking a setting sun and they have a sing along.
Wednesday is more of the same, but after the races everyone heads to Borman's again for wine and cheese, then to awards armed with bottles of champagne.
Thursday is for licking your wounds.
If you can stay for Friday night, there is a concert put on by a bunch of Barbershop Quartets -- must be about 30 of them that put on a great show on the steps of Perry's Monument.

This year will also be the Wave North Americans. If you can round up a Wave and get there, you will have a great time -- I promise.
Rick

Mary,
I'd have to say my favorite was the Seminole County, Flordia Citrus Sail Fest. It was a blast, not just a cat regatta, but 700 boats of all shapes and sizes. The party on Friday night was wild, something like 3500 people just having a blast at the civic center. The saturday night party was just as big if not bigger, free mount gay rum, shirmp, oh what a life. The cops had the street blocked off and as long as you didn't cross the street drunk they didn't care. Awesome racing in december very memorable. Someone should really look into organizing that again.
But now the favorite regatta is CatFight in Muskegon Michigan. 100+ catamarans, three days of racing, more mount gay rum and lots of sun and wind. you guys from down south should consider coming up for it, its a blast.

Leah