TERRANCE PHILLIPS -- The Harbor Column

Throughout the year, Newport Harbor plays host to many sailboat races --

some are quite serious, some for sport, and many are for just plain old

fun. Our largest race is the Newport to Ensenada event held every April.

Drawing more than 500 entries, it is considered the world’s largest

international boat race. Other races can have as few as six to eight

boats, while many have 60 or more.

One very successful race series is sponsored by the Balboa Yacht Club and

is called the Beercan Regatta. The Beercan has been going since the early

1950s and is a Newport sailing institution.

The name Beercan Regatta has a history, as well. The late Jack Baillie,

the proud owner of Hellery and Newsboy, once told me the race was named

the Beercan because his crew bet another crew they could round a marker

buoy faster than the other boat. The wager: a case of beer.

Others dispute this story, as many believe it was named because a boat

rounded a mark and a crewman was able to place a can of beer atop the

marker buoy, a difficult task indeed.

“I have to admit, I’ve heard both versions of how the series was named,”

said Doug Wall, staff commodore of the Balboa Yacht Club. “I’m not sure

which one is correct, but I know it was our club that was responsible for

creating the series. Now there are Beercan series all over the country --

Seattle, San Diego, Dana Point, everywhere -- but the first one was

here.”

With 17 scheduled races that run from May 11 through August 31, the

Beercan is the largest race series inside Newport harbor. The races are

held every Thursday evening and end up at the Balboa Yacht Club with a

barbecue and live music. Of course, plenty of beer is available --

keeping with the tradition.

“In our last race [on June 15] we had 73 entries,” said Balboa Yacht Club

sailing administrator Troy Heidemann. “We always have anywhere from 60 to

80 or so entries.”

Other significant regattas include the Newport Harbor Yacht Club’s dinghy

series held on Thursdays.

“We have between 35 to 50 entries in our dinghy series every Thursday,”

said Mette Segerblom of the Newport Harbor Yacht Club.

Other prestigious Newport Harbor Yacht Club regattas include the Yacht

Club Challenge and the Ahmanson Cup. The Hibachi Series, sponsored by the

Southshore Yacht Club, is also a very popular event. This series was

named Hibachi because the crews would sit on the sand in front of the

club after the race and barbecue on hibachis. The Voyager Yacht Club

hosts the Hot Rum and Humphrey Bogart races, which are both steeped in

many years of tradition. Lauren Bacall deeded the Bogart trophy to the

Voyagers several years ago.

To find out more about entering the Beercan Regatta, call Bill Marting or

Troy Heidemann at the Balboa Yacht Club, (949) 673-3515, Ext. 131.

TERRANCE PHILLIPS is the Daily Pilot’s boating writer. You can leave a

message for him at (949) 642-6086 or via e-mail at

dailypilot@latimes.com.