Welcome to the 2018 Boston Harbor Islands Regatta Information page.

This is the fourteenth edition of the Boston Harbor Islands Regatta, one of the premier pursuit races on Boston Harbor.  This event raises funds to support Boston Harbor Now, building on sixty years of work advocating for the Boston Harbor.  In April 2016, Boston Harbor Now was formed by merging two long-standing non-profit organizations, The Boston Harbor Association and Boston Harbor Island Alliance, who were leaders in the Boston Harbor cleanup and creation of the Boston Harbor Island National and State Park and 43-mile Boston Harborwalk. 

In order to realize Boston Harbor’s great promise, in collaboration with public and private partners, Boston Harbor Now works in partnership with others in the public, for profit, and non-profit sectors to plan, advocate and activate a thriving waterfront, harbor, and Boston Harbor Islands National and State Park. It is the goal of Boston Harbor Now that every Boston area child visits the Boston Harbor Islands national and state park. Your support of this event will help make that happen. Visiting the natural and cultural resources that continue to develop, on the islands and in the harbor, helps children understand their future roles as citizens and environmental stewards. We are committed to our city’s youth and the environment so the Boston Harbor Islands Regatta is a “Clean Regatta.” We hope you will help us keep the harbor and islands clean and free of debris so future generations can continue to use and enjoy them.

A brief explanation of pursuit-style racing can be found here.  Participants that are unfamiliar with racing in general and pursuit racing in specific are encouraged to attend the skippers meeting on Friday, September 7, at 18:00 at the Boston Sailing Center. 

This year, we will be using ORRez as the handicap system.  This is a new system that has been adopted the Boston-area sailing clubs this year.  The hope is that ORRez will do a better job estimating the relative speeds of boats and assigning handicaps so that racing is fairer and everyone has a more equal opportunity to win.  If you don't have a ORRez rating, we'll be able to assign you one for the event based on your PHRF certificate and/or comparable boats, just like we have in the past for boats not having PHRF certificates.  

As we did last year, there will be an additional award category for boats that compete double-handed.  If you are interested in the double-handed competition, please email the organizers. 

Join us after racing has concluded for the After-Party at Pier 6 in Charlestown.  Come enjoy tasty crafted cocktails, local brews, gourmet BBQ, and live music while celebrating the race and giving awards to this year's winners of the Boston Harbor Islands Regatta, some of the final points earning race in the Mass Bay Pursuit Series.