Shoreline Yacht Club to host 62nd Annual Cal20 Regatta

The Cal20s race at the 2023 Championships © Volker Correll

The 62nd Annual Cal20 Championship Regatta, hosted by Shoreline Yacht Club, will be held July 26 through July 28, 2024.

The competition is open to the ten West Coast Cal20 Fleets active in California, Oregon, Washington, Hawaii, and British Columbia. The timeless one-design billed as offering sailing for everyone, will be sailed by two or three-person crews representing up to a dozen yacht clubs.

Forty entries are expected to sail over the three days. On day two, boats will be divided into Gold, Silver, and Bronze Fleets and competitors will also race for the top Master skipper, top Junior skipper, and top Female skipper.

"SYC is looking forward to hosting this time-honored, competitive regatta and a fantastic 3-day party," said Event Chairperson Deb Kelly. "This championship attracts a lot of talent, a lot of sailors who bring out the best of these classic boats. Competition will undoubtedly be close."

Production of the Cal 20, designed by C. William Lapworth, began in 1961. 1,945 boats, designed to be inexpensive to buy, own, and maintain, were built at the Jensen Marine Factory in Costa Mesa through 1975. The practical boat packs a lot into its 20' length. Cal20s features a self-bailing cockpit with four bunks below decks.

The Cal20s race at the 2023 Championships - photo © Volker Correll

For all its practicality, racers loved the Cal20s thanks to the I.O.R. and one-design class rules, so the boats would not be outdated by the next measurement rule change.

Sixty years later, they are still racing. According to the Cal20 website, the ten fleets have a full racing schedule in 2024, from weekly beer can races to club and regional events.

The annual Championship Regatta is known to attract high-caliber, one-design racers. Some SoCal sailors also campaign with well-known bigger boats in races like the SoCal 300, TransPac, and Newport to Ensenada. Cabrillo Beach Yacht Club Sailors, most racing with family, swept all three fleets last year.

In 2023, Sailing Sluggo, #294, with Bill Schopp, RJ Vanderweyde, and Reidar Schopp was crowned champions. Gordon Leon took the Masters title and Ariana Rassouli, sailing with Grant Janov was the top women sailor.

Competitors can register for the event at www.regattanetwork.com/event/28339 and visit Cal20.org for details.

The trophy presentation will be held on Sunday evening at SYC.