April 7, 2016: The Nantucket Race Week Committee and the Opera House Cup Committee are pleased to announce significant enhancements for classic yacht racing on Nantucket.
Sail Nantucket Regatta (August 19-20)
Restructured to better accommodate classic and spirit of tradition wooden yachts, as well as PHRF yachts. All yachts over 24’ LOA with a CRF or PHRF rating are welcome to compete.
This is the first year that the Sail Nantucket Regatta is part of the Panerai Classic Yachts Challenge (PCYC). Yachts competing in the PCYC will be scored in the Panerai divisions, and Sail Nantucket results will count toward the overall Panerai Series. Competitors in all Sail Nantucket divisions may race with or without a spinnaker. One design classes will be offered if there are five or more boats in a class or with a unique rating – e.g., Twelve Metre, TP 52, or an IRC or CIM rating. There will be two days of racing, with windward-leeward or triangle courses, appropriate to each division.
The Opera House Cup Regatta (August 21)
The OHC will also be organized a little differently for 2016. Recognizing that the traditional fleet consists of two types of boats created for two quite different purposes: ocean going cruisers, intended not only to make good passages but also to keep their crews safe in offshore gales; and day racing boats, exquisite craft developed solely to create speed under sail in the controlled conditions of round the buoy racing. We recognize that these two classes of craft have different purposes and different speed characteristics. Therefore, the participants will be segregate into two separate divisions: Cruising Division and Day Racing Division. Both Classic and Spirit of Tradition boats will be integrated into these divisions. The winners of both the Cruising Division and Day Racing Division will be inscribed on the Cup. New, purpose built “rule beaters” will not be invited to participate, even if they incorporate some wood in their construction. The OHC race will continue to be run under CRF ratings and will also be scored for the Panerai divisions.
Lower Costs and More Fun! — Recognizing that it is difficult and expensive to come to Nantucket, the organizers are trying to help. Here are some of the enhancements that have been made for the competitors.
- Reduced Entrance Fees for both the Opera House Cup and the Sail Nantucket Regatta.
- Registered participants for both regattas wll be offered a limited number of free moorings for Thursday through Sunday nights, on a first-come basis.
- Friday evening there will be a fun, casual picnic dinner with daily awards for Sail Nantucket skippers and crew. Two tickets to this event are included with registration.
- OHC skippers will be admitted free to the Classic Yacht Exhibition and OHC Skippers Party on Saturday afternoon at the Nantucket Boat Basin, where you can go aboard special, historic craft – which you will be sailing with on Sunday for the Opera House Cup.
- Then, after Sunday’s Opera House Cup race, the OHC Awards Party will be under the tents at Jetties Beach, with great food, raw bar and band, but for 2016 it will be exclusively for OHC sailors and guests.
Register now — The Notice of Race documents are posted and registration is now open for both the Opera House Cup and the Sail Nantucket Regatta.
