BYC to host sailboat regatta

The Bradenton Yacht Club will be hosting the first sailboat regatta of the racing season this weekend. The 27^th annual Kickoff Regatta will host about 60 sailboats from around the region. Registration ends at noon Friday and the racing starts at 10 a.m. Saturday morning. The races are held in Tampa Bay and provide great entertainment for those who just want to watch.

Sailboats will be competing in the Bradenton Yacht Club's 27th Annual Kickoff Regatta this weekend.

The sailboats participating are divided into different classes. The classes are Spinnaker, Non-Spinnaker, Race-Cruisers, True-Cruisers and One Design if four or more boats enter. The sailboats have ratings that take into consideration their unique design and determine their finishing times based on elapsed time and distance. The BYC regatta is the first of a series of races for winning the Suncoast Boat of the Year.

The next regatta will be held at the St. Pete Yacht Club on Oct. 10 and 11.

Boaters are urged to give right of way to those sailing in the race since sailboats have right of way over power boats. Two races will be held Saturday and the last race will take place at 9:30 a.m. Sunday. Awards will take place after the Sunday races at the Bradenton Yacht Club. The Bradenton Yacht Club is located at 4307 Snead Island Road in Palmetto.

Gerry Bailey, the Fleet Captain of sail, said he is looking forward to a great turnout for the regatta. As Fleet Captain of Sail, Bailey is in charge of the regatta and said the Bradenton Yacht Club is ready to continue this tradition of hosting such a great sailing regatta.

For more information, call the Bradenton Yacht Club at 722-5936.