ST. MARYS, Ohio (WLIO)- The Firecracker Regatta kicked off on Saturday at the St. Marys Boat Club, welcoming sailors of all skill levels for a day of friendly competition.
"It's an annual thing, we're gonna have about nine sailboats out today. It should be a great day, there's some light wind, so it should be a fun race," said Doug Drury of the Saint Marys Boat Club.
The regatta isn’t just about racing — it’s also a chance for sailors to enjoy the lake and improve their skills.
"It's just an opportunity for all sailors of all different abilities to go out, have a friendly competition. It really helps you develop your sailing, you know, setting your points of sail and just getting better to understand your boat."
The club hosts several races throughout the season, with competitors earning points toward year-end awards.
"We actually have three regattas. We have Commodore's, Firecracker, and then the Labor Day regatta at the end of the year. Once we tally up the scores from each of those series, we'll use that for our end-of-year awards, and ultimately award a club champion."
Sunday's "Rock Pile" race will take sailors nearly three miles out on the lake before heading back.
"The rock pile is, you start at the center buoy down here, and there's a rock pile about three miles down, and you go around that and come back. And that's an easy race. For the other races like a tri-point race, that's a little bit harder to do," said Sue Fuerst of the Saint Marys Boat Club.
The club is always welcoming new members — no experience necessary.
"Anybody that's interested in sailing, please stop by the boat club here. There's always someone willing to take you out, and we're always looking for members. You don't have to have a sailboat. We can find one for you," said Drury.
