Lakewood Yacht Club (LYC) Race Committee Chairman Dwight Bengtson has announced that the club will be hosting its 2nd Annual J/Fest Southwest Regatta on Sat., Oct. 29 and Sun., Oct. 30. Open to the public, races will be held on Galveston Bay. The City of Seabrook is the Platinum Level Sponsor.
Last year was the inaugural run of a J/Fest Regatta in Texas although such regattas have been held for over 25 years in Annapolis, San Diego, San Francisco, New Orleans and Seattle. “This will be another great opportunity for Lakewood to promote and support a national caliber event,” remarked Bengtson.
The focus of this J/Fest Southwest Regatta is to provide a venue that is all inclusive to J/Boat owners, their family, and friends. While the racers are on the water, their spouses, children, family and friends can enjoy a myriad of activities and tourist attractions in the Bay Area Houston arena. Goodie bags for skippers will contain coupons for family fun. “Since Seabrook is the title sponsor for our regatta, we hope that visiting racers will book accommodations at our fine Seabrook motels,” added Rear Commodore Carl Drechsel who was instrumental last year in acquiring regatta support from the city’s hotel/motel tax marketing fund. J/Fest Southwest is inviting J/boat owners from all over the nation to bring their J/Boats to Seabrook and to participate in fall/winter sailing at J/Fest Southwest and other local regattas.
One design fleets slated for the J/Fest Southwest Regatta include J/22, J/24, J/80, J/105 and the J/109. It will be a circuit stop for the J/24’s and the J/80’s. All J/Boats are welcome to race in the PHRF classes and in the J/Cruise class. Any J/Boat is eligible to participate and the regatta organizers intend to offer several exciting formats for the non One Design racers.
The pre-regatta Skippers’ Meeting will be held in the ballroom of LYC on the evening of Fri., Oct. 28, 6:30 pm for check-in, meeting, and refreshments. A pool party and dinner are planned after the races on Saturday. The Awards Ceremony will take place on Sun., Oct. 30, after the races.
At least 70 boats from all over the country are expected to participate in the J/Fest Southwest Regatta. J/Boats Southwest’s Scott Spurlin and wife Terry of Austin, TX have been instrumental in spreading the word about the event. It is a collaborative effort between J/Boats Southwest and Lakewood Yacht Club, located on Clear Lake in Seabrook, TX.