Thursday started gray and cold but late in the afternoon the sun broke through and the clouds cleared. A light northerly blew creating the perfect conditions for a Seattle summer tradition: a Thursday night regatta on Elliot Bay.

This year marks the 21st year of the Downtown Sailing Series hosted by Elliot Bay Marina. Per the race website, the regatta was organized to “get Seattle boaters out on their boats” and based on the dozens of sailboats out each week, it seems to be working! The post-race party on the dock may help. Each week there is a different live band plus free hot dogs, beer, and wine provided by generous sponsors like Fisheries Supply.

Before the race, sailboats fan out across Elliot Bay. Their seemingly erratic movements and varying states of sails look nothing like an organized regatta but soon the countdown broadcasts over the radio and the sailboats start to move in the same direction. The race is on!

The course is around three buoys. The first leg takes the sailors toward the Seattle skyline, the second along the shore, the third toward the Olympic Mountains majestically silhouetted by the setting sun, and finally back along the breakwater to the finish line. The racers are casual and good natured, dodging ferries, tour boats, container ships, and each other.

There are many reasons to love these Thursday night races.

One, they are fun! The weather is usually beautiful. We often load the boat with friends. It is a fun way to introduce people to sailing – the stakes are low but we have to use the sails plus the views are great!

Second, racing is a really good way to learn your boat. Regularly taking the boat out forces you to practice and racing helps you learn the systems. This is our first summer with WP and our comfort level is so much higher after only a few races. Also, boats are happier when they are sailing! The folks at Elliot Bay Marina knew what they were doing when they started the DTSS!

Happy sailing!