Not an offshore one design regatta

by Craig Leweck, Scuttlebutt Sailing News
Created in 1988, the National Offshore One-Design (NOOD) Regatta was an immediate success with its unique concept of racing level in larger production boats, its unrivaled post-racing social experiences and its professional race management.

But as the sport shifted, and to retain enough entries, the NOOD regattas wandered from their ‘offshore one design’ name. Embracing popular fleets at each location, the NOOD soon hosted dinghies, multihulls, and handicap keelboats.

Addressing this shift, the 2022 circuit has been rebranded as the Helly Hansen Sailing World Regatta Series, but I am not a fan. Too long. Too commercial. Not catchy.

The first event is on February 18-20: Helly Hansen Sailing World Regatta Series – St. Petersburg. That’s a mouthful. How do you text that?

Helly Hansen has been a past sponsor of the NOOD series, which is owned by Bonnier Corporation that publishes Sailing World magazine. It was called the Helly Hansen NOOD regatta, which people shortened to the NOOD. Now what do we call it?

It’s a name designed by committee. Could have been a horse. Instead it’s a camel.

And before you start calling the regattas the ‘Helly’, I see that Bonnier played it safe with the rebranded Facebook page: @SailingWorldRegattaSeries. Just in case!

For Scuttlebutt, we always reported on the NOOD events as they typically draw good crowds and competition, but the new name – Helly Hansen Sailing World Regatta Series – now has us carrying a lot of marketing weight. Maybe they’ll buy some Scuttlebutt ads too. That’d be nice.

Or maybe they should have continued with NOOD regattas but changed the acronym to National Opportunity for Outstanding Distraction. Do you have a better name? Send it to editor@sailingscuttlebutt.com.