Wolfeboro Vintage Race Boat Regatta

September 18-21, 2013

Click here for 2011 Recap & Photos !!!

Click here for the 2011 Participants

A major stop on the APBA Vintage Race Boat Circuit !!!

Runabouts jockey for an edge at the start of a race on Wolfeboro Bay - 1928

History of Boat Racing on Wolfeboro Bay

Wolfeboro Vintage Race Boat Regatta - 2009

Wolfeboro Regatta Photos by F. Peirce Williams

The past will come alive as the vintage race boats of bygone eras return to Wolfeboro, for our eight biennial Wolfeboro Vintage Race Boat Regatta. Wolfeboro is now a major stop on the APBA Vintage Race Boat Circuit, and this summer's regatta expands to 4 full days, with over 60 vintage race boats running demonstration laps on a 1 mile oval course on beautiful Wolfeboro Bay. In addition to seeing and hearing these unique and beautiful boats run, spectators are invited to view them close-up in the pit area at the town docks between 9 and 4 on both Friday and Saturday.

 

This year our Wolfeboro vintage event is again scheduled for the weekend after the Buffalo vintage regatta and as many of you know, our Wolfeboro vintage regatta is held every other year, alternating with the Clayton. With our beloved NH Boat Museum providing the support and volunteer base, Wolfeboro is well known for running on a tight, published regatta heat schedule, running vintage heats every half hour for two full days. All the vintage race boats are run at least twice a day, so if you wanna see lots of vintage race boats running some pretty hot laps, you just gotta come to Wolfeboro in 2011 !!!

 

This is an APBA sanctioned vintage regatta featuring Vintage & Historic race boats. We want to run large heats of all vintage classes, including outboards, small hydros, mid-hydros, large hydros, runabouts, flatbottoms, skiffs, speedsters, gold cuppers, and large triple cockpit runabouts. The Invitation/Registration Packets were mailed in January to all past participants at Wolfeboro, and we will be posting each registered entry as received. If you have not participated at Wolfeboro yet, but want to join all the fun, please contact Bill John at John1948@metrocast.net 

Participants should try to arrive on Wednesday, because all the fun will begin on Wednesday afternoon with a cruise on Lake Winnipesaukee, with our magnificent triple cockpit runabouts followed by a reception at our NH Boat Museum. This will be a special treat for all of our early arrivals ???!!!

 

Thursday will be a full day of APBA safety inspections, registrations, boat rides, good friends and great food - a vintage gathering. The launch ramp will and docks will also be available for boat rides and test sessions on Back Bay. Thursday will also be a major media day, as the press and public are invited to photograph the beautiful vintage race boats and talk the the owners and crew. Plan on a full day on Thursday at the WolfeTrap, to prepare for two full days of vintage action at the Wolfeboro public docks on Friday and Saturday !!!

 

Then on Friday and Saturday we will be running vintage heats all day long on our 1 mile course, moved a bit this year, to provide better spectator viewing from the Wolfeboro docks. As a special attraction, and to recreate the history of power boat racing on Wolfeboro Bay back in the 1920’s and 1930’s, the opening and closing ceremonies on Friday and Saturday will feature the magnificent vintagr triple cockpit runabouts and gold cup racers. There will also be a large contingent of vintage outboard racers, along with the many classes of vintage inboard runabouts, hydroplanes and Gold Cup race boats. Cranes will be setup in the hot pit area to handle the hydroplanes, which must be launched and retrieved for each heat. The cranes and the constant launching/retrieving of the hydroplanes provide for stunning visuals, and we already have six fire breathing grand prix hydroplanes registered. To watch the action close up, the Wolfeboro public docks will be open to the public at no cost to view the vintage hydroplanes, gold cup boats, Jersey speed skiffs, speedsters and outboards. The sights and sounds from the Wolfeboro docks will be just magnificent, don't miss this exciting event - it only happens once every two years !!!

 

There are also social events open to drivers, crews and the public on Friday and Saturday evenings, featuring big screen video of all the action on the course that day, and of course, lots of food and drink!!! We will be at the Wolfeboro Inn on Friday evening for a huge celebration, and at the WolfeCatch Boathouse on Saturday evening for another huge celebration, awards, and final Regatta wrap up. Please come join us, reservations are required and tickets may be purchased by contacting our Registrar - Gerri Prusko at  603-569-0030 or gprusko@vintagebookworm.com

So mark your calendars and come join all the excitement and fun at our Wolfeboro Vintage Race Boat Regatta on September 18-21, 2013. The opening and closing ceremonies will feature our elegant triple cockpit runabouts, and we will be running vintage heats on beautiful Wolfeboro Bay all day Friday and Saturday.

On Board the Winnipesaukee Belle !!!

For a $10 donation to the New Hampshire Boat Museum, guests may view the heats from inside the race course on the Wolfeboro Bay.  This beautiful side-wheeler will go out in the morning and in the afternoon and remain for one hour, time enough to really experience the vintage race boats at speed, but still allow flexibility for your day’s activities.  Tickets will be available at Regatta Registration Booth at Cate Park – look for the “Vintage Ride Boats” sign.

Vintage Race Boat Rides !!!

For a donation to the NH Boat Museum at the $100 level, a number of the vintage race boat drivers will be giving rides in demonstration heats on the course. The times for these rides are 12:30 PM and 3:55 PM weather permitting. Racing life jackets and helmets are mandatory and will be supplied. The ride boats will be designated on the docks with signage, and ride tickets can be obtained at the Regatta Registration Booth at the docks.

Volunteers Needed !!!

Please be aware that an event of this size requires an army of well over 100 volunteers, so please consider volunteering a little time and come join all the fun at this grand celebration of vintage race boats. We also need lots of patrol/picket boats to keep the spectator boats away from the course, and would love to have a whole fleet of ACBS wooden boats surrounding the course on beautiful Wolfeboro Bay !!!  Wolfeboro Chamber of Commerce

For more information or if you want to volunteer, please contact:

Chairman:                                                         Registration:
Bill John                                                           Gerri Prusko

603-569-5824                                                       603-569-0030   
     John1948@metrocast.net                         GPrusko@vintagebookworm.com

Regatta Schedule of Events

Click here for 2011 Recap & Photos !!!

Click here for the 2011 Wolfeboro Participants

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For locals, please stop by the shop and join our:

Saturday Morning Gatherings

Some related vintage race boat links:

• Classic Race Boat Association

• The Vintage Hydroplanes

• American Power Boat Association

• Hydroplane & Race Boat Museum

• The Vintage Circuit

• Photo Archives of Vintage Events

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