MPYC Hosts Boxing Day Regatta on December 27

The Monterey Peninsula Yacht Club (MPYC) held its annual Boxing Day Race a day late this year, sailing on December 27, as Saturdays always seem easier. Coming on the heels of a robust winter storm, the race day felt like a gift — clear skies, cool air, and a light, manageable breeze that made simply being on the water a victory.

Only three boats made it out to the starting line, giving the race an intimate, almost club-practice feel. The fleet included the Shields-class sloop Charlotte, the ubiquitous Santana 22 cleverly named 22 Scadoo, and the Olson 25 Nixie. Small in number but high in spirit, the boats milled near the line, crews smiling and shaking off the excesses of the holiday season.

At the start, Charlotte chose to play the rabbit, heading north on a port tack and stretching her legs early. The other two boats crossed her stern on the favored starboard tack, aiming toward the shoreline and whatever pressure might still linger there after the storm. It was a classic split, the kind that sparks quiet confidence on one boat and hopeful glances over shoulders on the others.

The racing was relaxed but honest, with enough breeze to reward good sail trim and enough calm to invite conversation and laughter aboard. More than anything, it was a day to enjoy Monterey Bay in its post-storm clarity — clean air, bright water, and the simple pleasure of sails drawing again.

Back at the dock, the results mattered less than the expressions on the sailors’ faces. By all accounts, everyone had a great time, and with boats safely tied up and stories already growing in the retelling, another Monterey Peninsula Yacht Club Boxing Day Race was officially in the books.