As the 10th annual Shipyard Cup approaches, Aug. 10-12, the waterfront is abuzz with anticipation.

Several big boats were spotted in the harbor this past weekend as some of the fleet start to make their way to the Boothbay region for Shipyard Cup causing some to believe the event was underway.

While still uncommitted to participate in this year’s Shipyard Cup at press time, one such visitor was the Zefira, a 49.7-meter sloop designed by the famous Ed Dubois of the United Kingdom. Zefira is the largest sloop built by Fitzroy Yachts of New Zealand, one of the world’s foremost aluminum sailing yacht builders.

Zefira is typical of the caliber of entrants at these big boat regattas, which is why the events draw so many spectators. The Shipyard Cup, which is one of only 11 such regattas in the world, and one of only two in the United States, hosts a small but impressive collection of magnificent sailing yachts.  

Both the start and finish of the regatta make for great viewing on the water.  The start features a handicapped timing system where the slowest predicted vessel starts first and the fastest starts last with the intent that all boats finish at the same time, making for some very interesting finishes.  

Spectators wishing to know more about the location and details of the start and the flyover of World War II aircraft should visit www.shipyardcup.com for the latest information.

Programs with the list of entrants, possible race courses and spectating information will be on sale at various locations around Boothbay Harbor.

The Shipyard Cup is a member of the Superyacht Racing Association a prestigious collection of yacht designers, shipbuilders, project managers, captains, owners and regatta organizers.