Celebrating the fun in Santa Cruz

In celebration of its 90th anniversary, Santa Cruz Yacht Club (SCYC) is hosting “Made in Santa Cruz Race Week.” The event celebrates the rich history of sailing in this unique area and is open to any boat built in Santa Cruz, CA. Six days of racing is planned May 19-28 for PHRF and one design classes on Monterey Bay.

“The entire club is looking forward to this event,” said Joe Altmann, SCYC commodore. “It’s more than just racing; it’s a celebration of everything that makes sailing in the bay so special.” Made in Santa Cruz Race Week will include racing, dinners, trophy presentations and an ongoing family-friendly party atmosphere.

Santa Cruz has a strong, deep history of boatbuilding reaching back to the mid-1800s. But it was the 70s, however, that defined the area as a mecca of high-performance sailing. With go-fast attitudes and the divergent creativity Santa Cruz is known for, local yacht designers Bill Lee, Ron Moore, George Olson and others revolutionized sailing on a global scale. Their legacy continues to influence today’s generation of designers.

On Thursday, May 24, SCYC will host a Boatbuilders Reception. Invited, yet unconfirmed, are Terry Alsberg, Jim Foley, Bill Lee, Homer Lighthall, Ron Moore and Howard Spruit.

“Sailing fast with good friends is what Made in Santa Cruz Race Week is all about,” said Bill ‘The Wizard’ Lee, yacht designer and boat builder. “It’ll be a great reunion of the boats we were building back when we were building them for fun. The boats and the fun live on today!”

Schedule of racing events:
May 19–20 — PHRF (Performance Handicap Racing Fleet)
May 24 — Jester and El Toro classes, and Boatbuilders Reception
May 26–27 — Moore 24 Pacific Coast Championships
May 26–28 — Santa Cruz 27 Nationals

Details: http://club.scyc.org/racing/scyc-regattas/made-in-santa-cruz-race-week/