After a pause in 2020 due to the global pandemic, yacht racers in the Camden Classics Cup returned to Maine this summer.

They were rewarded with the best of Maine in all aspects: wind for fast sailing, a variety of weather conditions that made for interesting tactics, and a pair of evening parties that gathered racers at the Camden Yacht Club and Lyman-Morse, in Camden.

The raft-up of classic yachts in Camden Harbor was followed on Saturday morning by a parade of sail through the inner harbor.

This year’s fleet was the largest in the event’s five-year history, with 95 fine yachts registered,  continuing the upward trend that saw 75 yachts in 2019, 68 in 2018, and 39 boats in 2017.

“The success of this year’s regatta was due to the incredible yachts and crews that came to Camden, the tremendous support that the Town of Camden and the Camden Yacht Club have provided, and the more than 50 sponsors who contributed to our event,” said Drew Lyman, president of Lyman-Morse, in a news release. “The Camden Classics Cup has become a true community event and a highlight of the summer in Camden Harbor, and I’m thrilled to see the growth we’ve seen in the past five years. We can’t wait to grow it even more next year!”

The Camden Classics Cup also included a Youth Regatta on Friday led by Thomas and Kathryn Turansky of Jeff’s Marine.

Sponsored by Camden National Bank, forty sailors Tarratine Yacht Club of Islesboro, Harraseeket Yacht Club of Freeport, Rockport Boat Club, and CAYSP competed in Opti and 420 youth sailing boats. They ran 5 races on Friday, July 30, in a steady southerly wind, that built up throughout the morning from 5 knots to 10, with gusts up to 15. 

This year, Doyle Sails sent sailors Chris Howes and Lindsay Smith to offer on-the-water coaching and pre- and post-race analysis.

This group of next generation of competitors and coaches soaked up the information. The awards ceremony led by CAYSP’s Scott Norman conducted the awards ceremony which saw Tarratine Yacht Club’s Cabaniss and Ladd take the bronze; Conover and Condon from CAYSP take silver; and the gold to Strout and Williams of CAYSP in the spinnaker division. Maine Boats, Homes & Harbor Magazine provided the awards. The Rockport Boat Club swept the non-spinnaker division.

The awards ceremony was graciously presided over by Andrew Breece, Publisher of Wooden Boat Magazine and John Hanson, Publisher of Maine Boats, Homes & Harbors Magazine. The Classics, Vintage, and Modern Classics classes competed for the overall trophy, a sterling silver Tiffany champagne bucket.

After two days of racing and several tie-breakers Gleam, a 12-meter yacht from Boothbay Harbor, had the fastest time over the course and was named the Overall Winner.

First place in the Spirit of Tradition Class was won by Verissimo, a 63-foot John Alden designed cutter built in 1998.

Otter won the Concordia Class which is fitting because her owner Robert Keefer has donated a silver bowl as a perpetual trophy.

The New York Yacht Club maintained their grip on the Yacht Club Challenge. Cruising Club of America was second and the Camden Yacht Club came in third.

In addition to racing, the fleet participated in a Saturday Parade of Sail around Camden’s inner harbor. Hundreds viewed from the Public Landing where Harbor Master Steve Pixley. Others took in the spectacle from rooftop bars, Harbor Park, and all along the waterfront. Led by the regatta’s committee boat Reimagine, a 90-foot motoryacht built by Lyman-Morse in 1997, the pageantry was one that no one will forget.

The Camden Classics Cup is always scheduled for the weekend prior to the Eggemoggin Reach Regatta, one of the most longstanding classic yacht races in New England, and is followed by Camden Classics Week, featuring a variety of maritime-related events and destination racing to Castine, Brooklin and the outer islands.

The Camden Classics Cup is a Sailors for the Sea Silver Level regatta. Water filling stations and Tourmaline Spring Water was available. Compostable products were used in the bars and in food stations. Click here for a full outline of best practices followed by the Camden Classics Cup. The on-water activities were complemented by a variety of community events, including a CIFF-sponsored film in Rockport, an art auction benefitting the Camden Public Library, and more.

LifeFlight of Maine is the Camden Classics Cup’s beneficiary. During Saturday night’s award ceremony, the event presented the state’s emergency air care service with a check for $15,000. This brings the total amount donated to LifeFlight from participants and sponsorships since 2016 to $60,000.

Next year’s dates have been set for July 28-30, 2022.

For more information and complete results visit: www.camdenclassicscup.com