This is a great event and great cause. Note the “race” is open to powerboats too! There’s so much more than the race!-KH
by Jeff Winslow, Seattle Single’s Yacht Club Vice Commodore and Event Coordinator
This is our 21st annual benefit race for Northwest Harvest to help hungry Washington families. It is a long time charity and are efficiently run, using only 7% of funds raised for administrative fees (a phenomenal feat) while feeding many thousands of hungry families.
Our benefit has raised more than $180,000 over the years, enough to provide more than 800,000 meals.
Each year we sponsor a sailing race based out of Shilshole Marina. Power boats that want to participate can carry a scrap of cloth as a sail and qualify for the “Half Fast” class. The
Half Fast winners are picked by drawing. The sail racers use PHRF handicapping and are timed. There are flying and non-flying classes and a multihull class. Even though this is a fun race for a good cause, pride is involved and there can be good competition.
The mandatory Skippers Meeting starts at 9:00 am at the Corinthian Yacht Club, with coffee and donuts. The race begins at 12:00 noon and should be done in time for the rest of the activities. The entry fee is $45 plus either 1 pound of non-perishable food or $1 for each length of the boat. The entry fee also gets the skipper into the other activities in our event. We will be having silent and live auctions, a salmon and flank steak dinner (with vegetarian alternative), and dancing to a live band called the Tropics.
The event is held at the Corinthian Yacht Club at Shilshole. The doors open for the sile
nt auction, beverages and hors d’oevres at 5:00 pm. Dinner starts at 7:00 pm and dancing starts at 8:00. The theme of the event is the 1960’s, so feel free to dress in bell bottoms, tie dye shirt or mini-skirt (costume not required).
You can register and pay for the race at ssyc.com. You can show up at the Skippers Meeting a few minutes early and sign up then for $5 extra (we want to encourage earlier registration to get a head count for the donuts).
