In the depths of World War II, the major efforts of all members of the fledgling Urbanna Yacht Club (predecessor to FBYC for those who didn’t read last month’s column) were directed toward winning the War. However, the burgee continued to fly, and UYC did not cease operations as so many other clubs were forced to do. Nevertheless, racing activity on the Chesapeake Bay was severely curtailed due to the many skippers and crews on military leave and due to travel constraints dictated by gas rationing.

In 1944, the Virginia Sailing Association, then consisting of UYC, Rappahannock River Yacht Club, Hampton Yacht Club, and Norfolk Yacht and Country Club, decided to consolidate the annual regattas of the individual clubs into a single event known as the Virginia Sailing Regatta. The first of these wartime regattas was hosted by UYC on July 29-30, 1944 on the Rappahannock River off Urbanna.By all measures, the initial Virginia Sailing Regatta was a huge success. Seven one-design classes and one cruising division comprised the 79 regatta entries from over the entire Southern Bay area as well as Northern Virginia. The largest class were the Hampton O-D’s with 21 boats followed by 15 Junior Handicapped boats, 13 Cruising yachts, 12 Penguins, 8 Snipes, 4 Adult Handicapped boats, 4 Comets, and 2 Moths. Trophies for this event were War Bonds and Stamps. Shown herein is the small boat Race Committee boat, “Pagan,” at the start of the Hampton class.

As a special feature, a rendezvous of the Fifth Naval District Coast Guard Auxiliary flotillas was held in conjunction with this Virginia Sailing Regatta. CGA Commodore Gordon Ambler fired the opening gun for the first race, and several CGA powercraft patrolled the racecourse over the entire weekend. Shown below is the 28-foot mahogany runabout “Dodge Water Car” owned by UYC member Lansing Eubank on patrol during the regatta.

The Virginia Sailing Regatta became such a popular event that, upon resumption of normal regatta schedules after the War, the VSR continued into the 1960’s with each southern bay yacht club alternating as host of this annual event.