Regatta Is Coming!

It's been eleven years since I experienced a non-southern spring.  In the south, spring comes and goes fast.  In New England it moves like smoke.
 
Star Island, mid July, 2011

First a glimmer of it.  Tulips and daffodils begin to bud, then open slowly.  Finally, you are engulfed in it. The typical spring New England attire is a parka and shorts.  There are even jokes about it.

Then it's regatta time the first weekend in June. It's usually quite cool then.  But the sails are up, the crew is ready and the sun dances off the water.  I can't wait!

Gosport Regatta Conference

Regatta Weekend: Restoring a Sailing Tradition in 19th Century Style

Saturday, June 8, 2013 to Sunday, June 9, 2013

The centerpiece of this new conference features a sail race that was first hosted in 1874 and carries the tradition of winning the Oceanic Cup, first won by the original yacht America. Follow the race from the starting line on the M/V Thomas Laighton and come ashore in time for lunch, entertainment by the Funky Divas and best views of the finish line. A BBQ and awards reception brings race crews and spectators together in the Oceanic Hotel dining hall. Constellation, an acoustic folk duet featuring guitar, hammered dulcimer and vocals, will perform during the Sunday morning brunch. Register now as a spectator or racer, with or without an overnight stay.  Boat racers will want to see this information as well.

The fourth annual Gosport Regatta will set sail from the start line in the Piscataqua River basin on Saturday, June 8, at 11:00 a.m. Race classes include cruising, racing, and J-24, as well as a team cup for yacht clubs entering three or more boats. In 2010, Portsmouth Yacht Club took home the Oceanic Cup with the winning team of Veladare, Phat Tail, and K2. Kittery Yacht brought the cup home in 2011 under the sails of Breakaway, Brew Ha Ha, and Kuivato. 2011 individual first place honors went to Breakaway in Racing Class, Whomper in Cruising Class, and Brew Ha Ha in J24 Class.

“This race is the perfect way to introduce new-comers to Star Island,” former Star Island Corporation CEO Victoria Hardy said. “It’s that chance to step on a boat and disconnect with the hectic pace of 21st century living to a much simpler time and place.” Star Island is completely self-contained and makes fresh water that is regarded as a precious resource. Meals are served family-style and shared in community. It is a place that is free of technology and slows time to an enjoyable pace. “Star Island can be an antidote to the frenetic pace of contemporary life,” said Ms. Hardy. “Following a sail race to an island suspended in the 19th century is exactly the rich experience the Gosport Regatta offers.”

The Gosport Regatta re-enacts a sail race first held in 1874 and first won in 1875 by the famous yacht America captained by General Benjamin Franklin Butler of Ipswich, Massachusetts. In that day Butler was even more famous than his yacht, having served as a top-ranking general through most of the Civil War. On August 2, 1875, he had stiff competition from the Resolute under the command of Rufus Hatch, which crossed the finish line first but behind the time allowance of the America.

Hotels on both Appledore and Star were booked to capacity for the event and it is said that 500 boats competed in John Poor’s sweepstake race for the Oceanic Cup. Poor, who built the Oceanic Hotel and owned all but one of Star Island’s buildings at that time, was president of Stickney and Poor Spice Company. He leveraged his connections to promote the race and attracted friends and business acquaintances from Boston, New York, and Marblehead as well as from Seacoast New Hampshire.
Star Island Corporation was established as a nonprofit corporation in 1916 to hold and administer Star Island and its historic properties for religious, educational, and kindred purposes. From the late 1890s until 1916, Thomas Laighton and his partner, Levi Thaxter, owned and operated the hotels on Appledore and Star islands, visited by some of the most prominent artists and writers of their day. Some of the cottages on Star Island date back to the 1700s.

Read more about Star Island’s Gosport Regatta Conference, or call the Portsmouth office at 603-430-6272.
Registrar: Angela Matthews, amatthews@starisland.org, 603-430-6272, 30 Middle St., Portsmouth, NH 03801

http://starisland.org/events/regatta/