Races ruled by tradition

Golf has the Green Jacket. Hockey has the Stanley Cup. Football has the Vince Lombardi Trophy. Newport Harbor yacht clubs ... well, they have a gilded beer can.

Not all, of course, but as Jerry Moulton, sail fleet captain for the Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club in Corona del Mar, said, Newport Harbor racing has always had its own tradition.

For as long as Moulton can remember, “as long as there’s been boats in Newport Harbor, there’s been racing in Newport Harbor.”

Tucked away from the ocean waves, protected by the Newport Beach peninsula, sits a rather large, dedicated community of avid sailors who cherish the harbor’s racing pastime.

Many are retirees, some are young with successful careers trying out their sea legs for the first time, but all are welcome into the harbor racing world, where the group says it has governed itself for decades.

“This isn’t a highly competitive race by any means. It’s all about fun,” Moulton said. “I think that’s one of the things that everyone needs to keep in mind.”

“Sailboat racing is definitely cultural as much as it’s a sport. That’s why people love it,” said Jenn Lancaster, yacht racing director for the Newport Harbor Yacht Club. “It’s cutthroat competition, but hit the deck, and everyone’s best friends.”

Typically on weekends and weeknights, any of the many yacht and sailing clubs surrounding the harbor hosts a race. It’s not just a bunch of buddies pulling away from the dock and cutting through the harbor. There is a set list of racing courses created by tracing the navigation buoys already floating in the harbor. Boats have to go to or around certain ones in a certain order along the course.

Afterward, everyone docks and enjoys dinner together in the clubhouse, Moulton said.

“There are very, very few accidents involving racers and no-racers. We run our own rules,” Moulton said. “It’s fun. People we’ve known for 20, 30 years, it’s a friendly rivalry. I’m outside in the sun. There’s nothing bad about it.”

Orange County Harbor Patrol officials say they don’t target racers, and are only concerned with the few “bad apples” who consistently violate safety rules.

“You can expect out of the hundreds of racers you could have a bad actor here or there,” said Jon Reynolds, commodore of the American Legion Yacht Club. Overall, its a lighthearted tradition the community loves.

“It’s called the Corinthian spirit. You try to be fair about these things and obey the rules and get out there and have fun,” Reynolds said. “It must be something related to human nature. Be it a tractor, a truck, an airplane. If you have two different ones somebody’s going to want to race against you.”

JOSEPH SERNA may be reached at (714) 966-4619 or at [email protected].