ROCKLAND, ME, by Todd Schwendeman - Early April brought the midcoast some beautiful spring weather, just in time for the first regatta of our High School Sailing season. On Saturday the 8th, with temperatures in a crisp low-forties, 35 sailors from 7 Maine coastal communities battled it out on the water during Pen Bay Sailing League’s season-opening race. The event was hosted at the Apprenticeshop in Rockland.

Participating high schools included; Boothbay, Camden Hills, Islesboro, Lincoln Academy, Mount Desert Island, Oceanside, and Portland. A and B level teams competed in 420 racing dinghies in a gusty North West breeze in front of a large, cheering crowd gathered at the end of the Apprenticeshop pier.

Julian Henderson and Ava Tobias of Camden Hills High School, bearing off in a breeze.
Photo Credit: Christine Cannella

After a full day of racing Camden emerged as the top overall team with Oceanside second and Islesboro third, followed by Month Desert Island, Lincoln Academy, Boothbay and Portland.

Individual top boat honors for the A Fleet were not decided until the last race with Camden Hills’ 1 team of Charlie Conover and crews Zeke Dietter and Mable Wight edging out Camden Hills’ 2 team of Julian Henderson and Ava Tobias by a single point.

Emmett Dorr and Aiden Weymouth of Oceanside High School set to round windward mark.
Photo Credit: Christine Cannella

The Oceanside team of Emmett Dorr and Aiden Weymouth took a very close third, followed by Islesboro’s Jett Lindelhof and Toby Conover In the B Fleet.

Camden Hills’ Will Eggena and crew Greer LaFiura won 4 of the 6 races to take 1st place, followed by Henri Weymouth and Sarah Valance in second. =

Alma Bewsher and Caleb Read of Islesboro placed sixth, and Violet Born and Chase Maguire from Camden Hills were eighth.

Tight-quarters racing, heading downwind.
Photo Credit: Christine Cannella

####
About the Apprenticeshop:

Founded in 1972, the Apprenticeshop is a 501c3 non-profit boatbuilding school, dedicated to inspiring personal growth through craftsmanship, community, and traditions of the sea.

We offer 12-week, 9-month and 2-year Apprenticeships where participants of all backgrounds can immerse themselves in hands-on learning through the craft of wooden boat building. Our seasonal programs serve local youth, giving them an opportunity to learn sailing and seamanship skills on the water. We envision a world enriched by creative, collaborative, self-reliant, and thoughtful makers who explore and engage with the intersection of traditional craft and contemporary culture.

For more information visit https://www.apprenticeshop.org/ or contact Meg Patterson, Communications & Outreach Coordinator at meg@apprenticeshop.org.

Midcoast High School Sailors Take Top 4 Spots at Spring Season Opening Regatta