Fine weather to sail by

Newport Harbor will be filled with boats big and small this weekend for the Southern California Yachting Assn.’s 80th Midwinter Regatta.

“From the large competition, down to model boats, the idea is to get everybody out on the water,” said Peter Glick, 2009 chairman of the regatta.

An estimated 500 boats will participate in the races this weekend, Glick said.

The regatta stretches from Santa Barbara to San Diego with events for everything from dinghies, canoes, radio-controlled model boats, to large yachts and sailboats.

Although the weather for racing can be unpredictable in the winter months, organizers predict the conditions will be ideal for the regatta this weekend.

“Traditionally, we can either have the best weather or the absolute worst weather, but it’s shaping up to be one fine weekend with wind and sun,” Glick said.

One of the largest regattas in the United States, the “Midwinters,” as they are locally known, have marked the unofficial beginning of the racing season since the races began in 1928.

“The Midwinters are the first major regatta of the year — the idea being, you can go to the Weather Channel and see how much snow there is in Massachusetts Bay, but we can go sailing in our shorts if we’re lucky,” said Jerry Moulton, sail fleet captain for Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club.

Bahia Corinthian is hosting races for Harbor 20 sailboats this year as part of the regatta Saturday.

Several other Newport Beach yacht clubs also are participating in the event, including American Legion Yacht Club; Balboa Yacht Club and the Newport Harbor Yacht Club.

The races are open to any skipper who belongs to a yacht club that is a member of the Southern California Yachting Assn., the U.S. Sailing Assn. or the American Model Yacht Assn.

For more information, visit www.midwinters.scyaweb. org/2009mwr/.

Reporter BRIANNA BAILEY may be reached at (714) 966-4625 or at brianna.bailey@latimes.com.