Port Washington Yacht Club Hosts 18th Make A Wish Regatta
On Saturday, July 27th, Port Washington Yacht Club held it’s 18th annual Make A Wish Regatta with 120 sailors involved. The Make A Wish Regatta
is a special one; not only to give kids a chance to get out on the water but to raise money for this great foundation.
The Make A Wish Regatta covers several boats giving the opportunity to race to almost every sailor. There are Fevas, Club 420s, Laser Radials and Standards and Optimist Red, Blue, White and Green fleets from beginner to experienced. According to the head instructor at Port Washington Yacht Club, Declan Wildes, the day ran very smoothly. He also claimed, “Being a part of running the 18th annual Make A Wish Regatta was quite possibly my proudest moment as a sailing director in all my years so far!” The race is heartwarming not just to new and conditioned sailors, but to parents and instructors alike.
One of the most important parts of the Make A Wish is the Green Fleet regatta that helps instill the love of sailing to the younger groups. During the regatta, there were 25 Green Fleet-ers who were able to sail right in front of the club in between the two Opti docks. To keep up the fun, the sailors raced around three inflatable animal floats including a peacock, an eagle, and a swan! There was even a point where some instructors jumped in for a go around the “course.”
On the other side of the bay, the wind was pretty steady at about 10-12 knots and even some gusts up to 15, which is pretty strong for the Long Island Sound! However the sailors came in a bit early because of a small thunderstorm in the mid-afternoon. 
This race proves that anyone can be a part of a regatta, and that we can all come together for a great cause.
Check out the Clubspot to learn more about the results!
