2014 Mardi Gras Race Week presented by Gulf Coast Bank and Trust

New Orleans Yacht Club will be hosting the 2014 Mardi Gras Race Week Presented by Gulf Coast Bank & Trust in March 2014.  Our presenting sponsor Gulf Coast Bank & Trust are both sailors and supporters of sailing in the region.  Led by President Guy Williams, his bank was one of the first to have the vision to see past the ruins that our area suffered from Hurricane Katrina.  Gulf Coast Bank & Trust was one of the first banks to open in St. Bernard Parish which was one of the most devastated areas of the storm.  Their commitment to investing in our community, sailing and supporting this event is appreciated and this year they will be awarding three very fine cherished watches for top PHRF Boat, One Design Boat and Women Racer, in addition to traditional first, second, and third place awards.

The history of this event dates back near the founding of our club in the fifties.  My recollection only goes back to the late seventies and early eighties when I moved to NOLA.  This regatta has always been well attended due to the Mardi Gras festivities and the awesome spring weather we get on the water this time of year.  At my first Mardi Gras Regatta in 1980 the largest One Design Class was the Lightening Class with some really big names from that era.  Other dated classes included the Soling, Ensign, Easterly 30, Flying Scot and Star.  The PHRF hot boats were IOR Ranger 37, ¼ Tonners, ½ Tonners, Kaufman 45, J30 and Ranger 29s.  The later Mardi Gras was in the year, the better the regatta.  With this year’s Mardi Gras Race Week being hosted in March we are sure to have a good time, great warm windy weather and a very tasty seasonal crawfish boil.  Our anticipated One Design classes for 2014 include but are not limited to Melges 24, J22, J30, VX1, Rhodes 19, Easterly 30, Laser, Optimist, Flying Scot and more.

Our MGRW One Design event will be hosted in New Orleans on Lake Pontchartrain on March 6-9.  The PHRF classes will compete the following weekend on March 15 & 16.  Please check the link to the right for more details in the official Notice of Race.