If you came for the wind and stayed for the party, you were handsomely rewarded at this year’s PITCH Regatta.

Bellingham Yacht Club’s (BYC) annual PITCH Regatta has been a fan favorite for 51 years. For all of its illustrious history, going back to the event’s inception as the Pacific International Ton Championship serving divisions of the IOR measurement rules, PITCH continues to adapt and evolve, and it retains its unwavering promise of a great time on and off the water. 

New for 2025 was a shift away from PITCH’s legacy dates on Labor Day Weekend, and this year proved that mid-September has a lot to like, too. In the eyes of your faithful 48° North race reporter, there were at least 25 things that made PITCH great. Here they are: 

 

  1. Too many to count: Initially I was going to do the Top 51 things about PITCH 51, and I could probably think of 51 things, but I cut it in half. You’re welcome!

 

  1. Smiles: Everywhere, all the time.

 

  1. The wind: It really cooperated. Our team was all new to the Beneteau First 36.7 that we were racing and we had a nice practice sail in 8 knots on Saturday morning, and then it died off to give us a break. Just when we thought we were skunked, it filled in for two good races on Saturday afternoon. On Sunday we had a perfect 15-knot breeze most of the day—just when we were pretty much ready for it. By the end of the day we were almost a well oiled machine.

 

  1. One-design racing: There were two one-design fleets, with J/70s and Beneteau 36.7s. The event was founded on one design sailing, and I’m happy to report that it is still going strong 51 years later.

    J/120 Margaret II reaching hard in the PHRF 1 fleet. Photo by Debbie Kuiken.
  1. PHRF racing: Run what ya brung! There was a pretty diverse PHRF fleet, ranging from legends like Eric Yaremko on S2 9.1 Flying Circus and Betsy Warham on Martin 242 Purple Martin, to new sailors and recreational boats out on the water having fun.

 

  1. Race committee for the win: Just when you think Charlie Rathkopf and his race committee crew can’t get better at running regattas, there he goes… doing it better! Well run races, and intuitive course lengths.

 

  1. Variable courses: Speaking of well run races, I think we used every single possible course. No two races were the same. We all appreciated the variety.

 

  1. Come for the wind and stay for the party: That’s the iconic tag line of the event, and it’s still true. After racing and dinner on Saturday, there was a solid group of revelers who danced all the way through the encore and nobody kicked us out the door. The hospitality was legendary, as usual.

 

  1. Cheers for volunteers: There were volunteers everywhere, making sure the operation ran smoothly. It was nice to see all the familiar faces who always help out at Bellingham Yacht Club, and a couple new ones too!

 

  1. Tight and fun racing among the Beneteau 36.7s. Photo by Debbie Kuiken.

    The Beneteau First 36.7: It was my first time sailing on one, and it’s such a fun boat. It’s a big boat, but it’s not a monster. We ran an asymmetrical kite on the first day in a lighter breeze on our standard pole, and switched out to a symmetric kite on Sunday in a bigger breeze. Even at 15 knots or more, you can do an end for end jibe without too much trouble.

 

  1. The crew of our 36.7, Heron: It was so good to race with old friends that go way back. Most of us usually race against each other, and we’re usually driving the boat instead of crewing the positions we were in for this regatta. Two of us brought our sons on board. It was great sailing and an even better occasion to catch up with friends and your kids, too.

 

  1. The crew of Vitesse: Well done, Dave Steffen and crew, winning the Beneteau 36.7 division for the weekend. They also baked brownies and delivered them with mimosas to the fleet on Sunday morning. How nice!

 

  1. Jorts please: Brian Pernick’s jean shorts on the San Juan 24 Obi Juan. You had to be there.

 

  1. Free moorage: In partnership with NW Expeditions charter company, regatta participants all received free moorage. That’s a huge bonus for everyone. 

 

  1. Youth sailing raffle: It would have been even better if I won something, but lots of people did. The cute kids were selling tickets and raised money for the future of sailing. What’s not to love about that?

 

  1. Winner winner Mexican dinner: With three flavors of enchiladas, the Mexican-inspired dinner on Saturday night was delicious, and was served with a smile.

 

  1. Trophies: Proper trophies can be a tough task, but these were handmade stained glass sailboats—each unique and equally beautiful.

 

  1. The Kelly O’Neill Memorial Team Trophy: It’s special each year to remember our dear friend Kelly with this memorial, and it’s a fun tradition to make up silly names for your three-boat team. This year it was won by Team BYC with a very creative name I’ll paraphrase as, Electric Larry Land.
The J/70s always raise the game. Photo by Debbie Kuiken
  1. The J/70 fleet: The J/Pod always raises the game when they show up. They have a strong fleet and keep moving in very little wind, just to prove that it is possible for us to be racing.

 

  1. It’s a small regatta: While more boats really should come—and the organizers would love that—there’s something great about a small regatta. There’s less waiting for your start, more ability to respond to fleet requests, and more clean air.

 

  1. Family racing: Our crew wasn’t the only boat with two generations on board. It was great to see Charlie Macaulay racing with the kids on a J/70 this year.

 

  1. Bellingham: Whether for non-sailing family members who come along to hang out, or for everyone after sailing, there’s never a shortage of fun things to do in this town. And with Mount Baker as a backdrop, it’s as beautiful as it is enjoyable.

 

  1. The weather: Early fall weather is the best, and we were in T-shirts and shorts for most of the regatta. There was a little rain on Sunday morning, but the deck needed a rinse anyway.

 

  1. Sponsored by Mercedes: Luxury vehicles weren’t given to class winners as prizes, but we all gawked at these lovely automobiles in the parking lot and pretended we were going to win one. It’s great to see sponsor support helping make events like PITCH possible. 
The author enjoying trimming kite on Heron. Photo by Debbie Kuiken.
  1. Fun: It was a lovely weekend that was super enjoyable. If you haven’t been in years, go back and give it a go. If you’ve never been, I can’t recommend it highly enough. PITCH 2025 was a ball, and it’s part of a wonderful and ongoing tradition.

Thanks to the BYC crew, friends on Heron, and all of our fellow racers. I loved it!

Full results at byc.org.

All photos, including the title background image are courtesy of Debbie Kuiken.

Bellingham Bellingham Yacht Club Beneteau First 36.7 PITCH