Inland 20 sailors will find their regattas a bit farther east in 2018 with the Nationals September 14-16 at Indian Lake, Oh., midway between Columbus and Fort Wayne. Indian Lake will also host its traditional Spring Regatta, June 23-24.
The Potomac fleet is again inviting sailors to its annual Cherry Blossom Regatta in Washington, DC April 21-22. That fleet is also offering a new event it calls the Eastern Championship, Oct. 6-7, at a venue on the southern Potomac, near St. Mary’s City, Md.
The Lighthouse Regatta on Lake Winnebago, Wis. is in limbo due to the retirement of a key organizer according to Class Commodore Kenny Bolles, of Lake Wawasee, Ind. Another regatta might be held at Bolles’ lake, in an effort to fill out the regatta calendar.
“I am working with powers that be at the Wawasee group to do a midsummer (regatta): late July or early August. But the stipulation is that it is a Friday-Saturday regatta,” Bolles said. “Sunday, the other classes race.”
The Spring Regatta at Indian Lake in June is an opportunity to get prepared for the Nationals Regatta in September, according to promoter, Joe Ewing, vice commodore of the class.
“That certainly lets you get experience with the lake a little bit,” Ewing said of the Spring Regatta. Some sailors may have a distant memory of the venue. “Nationals was at Indian Lake twice in early days. It goes waaay back.”
Ewing is hopeful his Ohio location will draw more boats because it is midway between two hotbeds of scow racing: Wisconsin and the up-and-coming Potomac River fleet. There are eight I20s on the Potomac, most near DC.
Indian Lake has two hoists and, occasionally, wet slips can be found for boats. Ewing says there are plenty of choices for accommodations.
“During these regattas theya re permitted to camp on the grounds.,” said Ewing, with multiple shows and restrooms on the club premises, in the club house and the club’s bath house. Hotels are in nearby Belfontaine and Waupekaneta as well as lake houses that can be rented very reasonably.
Indian Lake is also well known for Ewing’s “pulled pork” dinners, a phenomenal feed.
“It is such a tremendous group of individuals. To spend a week with them… it is something special,” Ewing said.
