International regatta sails into Charlotte Harbor

Author: Morgan Frances
Published: Updated:

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla.- There is a world-class sailing regatta coming to Southwest Florida. The Charlotte Harbor just announced they won a bid to host the “F-18 Americas.” It is the second international sailing competition to be awarded to Charlotte Harbor Regatta in recent years.

A harbor must have certain elements to be eligible to host such an event: open water, deep water, a good breeze and no hills blocking that breeze.

“We were one of the top 10 harbors to sail in,” said sailor Dennis Peck. “That’s the reason I moved here in 1970.”

The race will become home to 60, 18-foot sailboats in October of next year. Peck says it’s great that Port Charlotte gets to host a race of this caliber.

“I think it’s a great opportunity for the community and for sailors it’s a nice Harbor.”

Brian Gleason, Chairman of the Charlotte Harbor Regatta, said people can expect, “really acrobatic boat high-performance. A lot of times they (the sailors) are getting up on one pontoon.”

Gleason helped present their bid to the F-18 Americas in Corpus Christi, Texas. He says the response was immediate.

“As soon as the vote was taken, I got inundated by members of the class asking about Charlotte Harbor. They weren’t aware of it, they weren’t aware of its history, of its condition.”

That’s exactly what organizers are hoping this race will do for Charlotte Harbor.

“From the tourism standpoint it’s not just the direct economic impact that it generates,” said Sean Doherty, Charlotte Harbor Convention Bureau, “but also the exposure of our harbor here to people that like to sail.”

Not to mention, Port Charlotte will see an influx of people during, what would normally be, the slower part of the tourism season.

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