(Houston, TX)- The annual fall "big boat" regatta in Houston, the
Harvest Moon Regatta, is hosted by one of the Houston area's famously
gracious yacht clubs, the Lakewood YC on Galveston Bay. The HMR event
has attracted a loyal following over its 25 year history and this year
was no exception. Great sailing weather (generally) and awesome
hospitality (always!) makes for a fun event. The race is basically
sailing from the Galveston jetties to Port Isabel for race #1, then back
up the coast to Port Aransas (Port A) as race #2. Then there was Port
Aransas to inside the Galveston jetties for race #3 and on to the
Seabrook marker two for race #4.In the huge PHRF Bacardi Racing fleet, thirty-one boats showed up for local bragging rights in the offshore racing community. In the end, the J/120 AEOLUS sailed by Jim Liston was the top dog in the J sailing clan, getting third overall. JB Bednar's J/105 STINGER stuck it in the top ten, snagging a fifth overall. Albrecht Goethe's J/109 HAMBURG was sixth.
The "cruising boat" divisions are even "huger". The Non-Spinnaker class had 108 boats. The Cruising Spinnaker class had 30 boats. Right at the top was Walter Caldwell's J/40 shoal-draft special called SHAKEN NOT STIRRED, getting a respectable second overall. For more 25th Harvest Moon Regatta sailing information.
