The Tampa regatta appeals to both cruisers and racers. With a strong focus on sailing camaraderie, it includes the traditional Morgan Invasion fleets as well as open non-Morgan fleets for PHRF and multi-hulls and a cruiser-friendly “Just-for-Fun” casual fleet.
Great winter weather is certainly reason enough to visit an area for a regatta, but the local volunteer committee is what keeps sailors coming back year after year. You can count on starting lines being aligned correctly and courses set to the wind in a timely manner.
The History
In the late 19th century Tampa was a bustling port. The discovery of phosphate in Central Florida and cigars in Cuba made Tampa a shipping center for both commodities. The discovery of yellow fever in the 1860s did not deter Tampa’s forward-thinking citizens who acquired a large portion of the city’s waterfront and turned it into a teeming commercial and residential area. Despite the constant plague of yellow fever and blockade running, Tampa continued to grow until 1898 when Theodore Roosevelt and hundreds of his Rough Riders departed the port on a ship headed for Cuba.
While excellent winter weather is a big reason sailors flock to Tampa, the outstanding local volunteer committee work is also a major draw. Competitors can count on starting lines being aligned correctly, legs of the course being set to the wind and scoring being done in a timely manner.
The local Morgan owners are known for their hospitality and fun-loving attitude. It is this atmosphere that keeps a great mix of Morgans, non-Morgans and just for fun boats competing every year at the Regatta. The event raises money for the local Hospice organizations which provide comprehensive hospice and palliative care, caregiver education and support groups, spiritual counseling and a variety of other programs to anyone in need regardless of their ability to pay.
The Venue
The regatta is held on the Tampa Bypass Canal, which is a body of fresh water with no current and angled canal sides that absorb waves. This makes the venue an ideal racing location, as competitors will be able to race throughout the day without interruption or interference from commercial traffic. Additionally, the canal is insulated and protected from windy weather.
This year’s event will include a full range of racing classes in both 20-paddler standard and 10-paddler small boats. This will be the second time that the race has been run in the smaller classes, which were introduced to the event in 2012. The smaller classes allow sailors of all skill levels to compete and participate.
In addition to the boat races, there will be a host of family-friendly activities. For example, a children’s fishing tournament will be hosted at the Green Bridge Fishing Pier, and celebrity powerboat performer Chris Anyzeski and flyboard rider Kristen “The Destroyer” Smoyer will entertain the crowds between the powerboat races.
Food and beverages will be available for purchase at the event. The venue will feature a variety of vendors that serve a wide range of cuisines, and it is also possible to dine in the regatta’s athlete’s village. The event will also feature a musical performance by the Moonflower Band (Carlos Santana tribute) and previous American Idol contestant Sam Woolf.
The Schedule
This event is a fundraiser for Tampa area hospice organizations that serve families who need assistance with end-of-life care. It’s a fun regatta that appeals to both Morgan and non-Morgan sailing enthusiasts, who compete in PHRF and multi-hull divisions. It also features a cruiser-friendly “Just-for-Fun” casual fleet for people who like to race but don’t want to take part in the full day of racing.
2023 is the fourth year that this one-day regatta takes place in Hillsborough Bay off of Davis Islands. Its organizer, John LaGrua, originally named it the Morgan Invasion in order to showcase the yachts designed or built by Charley Morgan. However, it eventually grew to include other sailboats that are considered classic or traditional.
It’s a great opportunity for beginners to learn more about the sport of sailing and to compete in a regatta. This event is held at a convenient location near many hotels and provides participants with a variety of different race classes. It’s the first of four races that are collectively known as the BOTY Series, and the winner earns a trophy for that race as well as a series of participation points.
The final day of the Regatta offers something new this year: a drone light show by Sky Elements. It’s musically choreographed and will be visible from both sides of the Manatee River in Bradenton and Palmetto.
The Weather
The great winter weather is a big reason Tampa’s area regattas continue to draw out of town sailors but there are other compelling reasons as well. The outstanding local volunteer committee work is one of them – the fact that sailors can consistently count on starting lines being aligned correctly, legs of the course set to the wind and scoring done in a timely manner.
Another reason is the challenging and fun venue. This is a racecourse that demands concentration and determination – the kind of conditions that young sailors love to compete in. The Valentine’s Day regatta drew 308 junior sailors racing in the 8-foot Optimist class dinghies. Alex Delamarter and brothers Hanno and Ole Vorholz, all from St Petersburg Yacht Club, sailed in the 241 boat Gold Fleet comprised of the best racing sailors in that class from across Florida.
The typical late Feb pattern sees cold fronts sweeping in from the northwest. These introduce veering and unstable north, then northeast flow resulting in shifty and gusty conditions in near-shore zones. To stay ahead of the game this time of year, it is important to keep a close eye on the weather and wind data gathered from dedicated sensors at each Lands’ End NOOD racing site. Sailflow, the official NOOD racing software of North Sails, has this data available.
