It felt surreal to walk down the dock on a crisp September morning and realize we finally had a regatta to race. With most other regattas being cancelled in 2020, it was great to have 15 boats from Maine, New Jersey, New Hampshire, and Vermont on the starting line battling it out for the Maine State Championship and Downeast Regatta at the Portland Yacht Club in Falmouth, Maine.

With Maine thankfully being one of the least affected states due to Covid, Fleet 43 has enjoyed a great summer of racing with new protocols and minor adjustments in the schedule. Once the sailing got underway this summer, the focus turned to what Downeast Regatta would actually be. Typically, the regatta is known for a festive lobster bake and music, but with Covid, this year would be different.

Saturday started with a light southerly that had the fleet battling against the current and patches of seaweed. Four races were completed, with four different race winners, leaving the standings close from top to bottom. Sunday had a strong sea breeze and a strong performance by You Regatta, who won the first three races of the day to secure the victory. With You Regatta heading towards the dock, the battle for the rest of the podium came down to Race 8. Carmella won the race to put them on the podium in third, with Boreas in second.

While 2020 Downeast was much different from previous years, the competitive racing and friendly competition made it a memorable one! A huge thankyou to everyone that helped put on a great regatta and to the boats that travelled up to Maine while adhering to the Maine CDC guidelines. We hope everyone stays safe and plans to join the great racing in Maine for the 2021 Downeast Regatta.