The Windjammer Days Festival kicked off June 24 with a fleet of a dozen Boothbay Harbor One Design sailboats competing in the inner harbor.

The Boothbay Harbor One Design is a classic 20-foot day sailing keelboat designed in the 1930s for the Boothbay Harbor Yacht Club. More than 50 of the boats have been built over the last 70 years with the newer designs made with fiberglass and the older boats made of wood. Boothbay Harbor Yacht Club recently officially named the Boothbay Harbor One Design the Historic and Classic Boat of the Boothbay Harbor Yacht Club.

With winds of 8-10 knots racers were challenged by shifts of 90 degrees over the three races. Because of the shifting breezes, each of the three races was run on a different course! Line honors went to Blithe Spirit skippered by Nancy Custer Carroll in first overall, No. 1 Nutt Job skippered by Heidi McGee in second, and Wildfire skippered by Patty Berger in third.

Racing will continue throughout the summer with weekly Thursday night and Saturday afternoon series racing hosted by the yacht club. Additional special regattas will also be hosted throughout the summer including the Boothbay Harbor Yacht Club Regatta/J-Days in mid-July and the Maine state Opti championship in early August. Experienced racers, as well as those interested in learning, are encouraged to participate. All classes of boats are welcome.

Additional details and online registration are available at www.bhyc.com.

For those interested in learning to sail, Boothbay Harbor Yacht Club is offering half day Introduction to Sailing classes on Friday mornings throughout the summer.

Courses are conducted on small keelboats and specifically designed for adults.

Additionally Boothbay Harbor Yacht Club, as a recently certified US SAILING school (now one of only two in Maine), is also offering certifications in US SAILING Basic Keelboat. This is an intensive, hands-on course taught in small keelboats and covers all the skills and knowledge needed to safely and competently skipper a small keelboat in light to moderate conditions. The Basic Keelboat course takes three days and will be held weekly throughout the summer.

Finally, advanced sailing, racing clinics and private lessons will also be available throughout the summer.

We encourage everyone, from casual sailors to experienced racers, to join us sailing at the yacht club this summer to enjoy the beautiful and scenic Maine coastline from the water.