 The
Broad Bay Sailing Association was formed in 1958 by a group of sailors
seeking informal racing on Linkhorn and Broad Bays in various types
of small boats. To add a little spice to their endeavor they built
or purchased a few 11 foot Penguins and 16 foot Comets which along
with several Hampton One-Designs were the nucleus of the Broad Bay
fleet. The emphasis was on Sunday afternoon racing, monthly meetings
at the members’ homes, and numerous cookouts at the Narrows
to which they generally sailed from points around Linkhorn and Broad
Bays.
The social highlight of the year was the annual Awards Presentation
and Change of Command Dinner in January of each year, a tradition
which is still being followed.
In 1961 BBSA joined the Chesapeake Bay Yacht Racing Association
and in June of that year held the first Broad Bay Regatta. Until
1964 the members did most of their racing on Sundays on Broad Bay
with very few going off to other regattas. 1964 saw the low point
of racing on Broad Bay; the Association attempting to hold Sunday
afternoon races while more members were hitting the regatta circuit.
And then a new breed arrived on the scene, the cruising type boats
in the 25 foot range which could get under the bridges out to the
Chesapeake.
 In
the late 1960s the Sunday afternoon racing had disappeared, the
One-Design sailors, who now included Shark Catamaran, Mobjack, Thistle,
505, and Sunfish skippers, were hard on the trail of the regatta
circuit silver. Monday morning accounts of regatta activities were
filled with the names of Broad Bay skippers who had won in their
classes. While the One-Designers were busy gathering their silver
the Cruising types were holding informal races in Lynnhaven Roads
and forming up cruises to other parts of the Chesapeake Bay.
Until 1974-5 there was a very well attended regatta schedule on
the lower Chesapeake, with the Broad Bay Regatta being one of the
premier events. In 1970 there were 175 boats racing in 14 classes
on Broad Bay at one time! All hands turned out to host the skippers,
their crews, and their families to two days of racing and a Saturday
afternoon picnic/cookout which originally featured oysters and crabs
and in the later inflationary years hot dogs and hamburgers. This
was supported entirely by the BBSA treasury.
|
