Ephraim Yacht Club Hosts Annual Regatta, Flying Scot Championship

The Ephraim Yacht Club’s (EYC) 2009 Season is a busy one. Besides hosting the 104th annual Ephraim Regatta on July 25 & 26, the club is also host to the prestigious North American Flying Scot Championships, which are set for August 2 – 7.

The Ephraim Regatta is the oldest continuously running regatta on the Great Lakes. The Flying Scot, a 19’ fiberglass sailboat and a Sailing Hall of Fame design, has been the predominant class in the Ephraim Regatta since the 1960s. Flying Scots are raced with a crew of two or more persons and are equipped with a mainsail, jib and a colorful spinnaker. They are versatile boats that can handle heavy weather and can plane across the surface of the water in the right conditions.

The regatta is always well attended, attracting sailors from all over Wisconsin, the Midwest and sometimes from as far as the Gulf Coast of Louisiana and the East Coast. Over 30 boats are expected to compete in this year’s race, which begins in the waters of Eagle Harbor at 10:30 am on July 25. In event of inclement weather, a rain date is scheduled for July 26.

Many participants in the Regatta were attracted by a chance to learn the local winds and waters in preparation of the 2009 Flying Scot North American Championship regatta. This marks the first time the EYC has hosted a nationally sanctioned regatta. The Flying Scot Championship is expected to draw 70 to 80 boats, and over 400 competitors from all over the United States.

The racing for the Flying Scot Championship is scheduled to begin in the waters of Eagle Harbor at 1 pm on Sunday, August 2. The Flying Scot Women’s and Junior’s North American Championships will be decided on that day. The overall North American Championships will be decided over a series of up to eight races beginning at 11 am each day from Monday, August 3 through Friday, August 7.

The racing area will be easily visible from the bluffs and tower of Peninsula State Park, from the beach at Nicolet Bay, and from the public beaches and piers of the Village of Ephraim.

For more information about either of these races, call 920.854.7107 or visit http://www.eyc.org.