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Racing at OCBC

The OCBC has a long and commendable history of racing, starting from its founding. William F. Crosby designed the Snipe in 1931, coinciding with the founding of the Oklahoma City Yacht Club on Lake Overholser. This boat was relatively easy to construct and many thousands were built by individuals and by commercial companies over the next 30 years. Several of our early members became proficient in racing Snipes and entered the Nationals in 1963. Beginning in 1962 Steve Taylor was selected as the Race Committee Chairman for the Snipe Nationals and ruled over that event for the next 14 years. Other centerboard boats, such as the Flying Scot, were raced on Lake Hefner as well.

Because Lake Hefner is situated at or near the highest elevation in Oklahoma County and lack of obstructions to the winds, average wind velocities are high, often too high for comfortable or safe centerboard sailing. For example, for two years running in the 1970s the annual Snipe Regatta had to be cancelled because of high winds. This led several committed Snipe sailors to purchase keelboats.

The first keelboat fleet formed was the Victory Fleet, followed by the Luder 16s and 21s. Then came the larger Kittiwake which grew to 15 boats. (Incidentally, OCBC formed Kittiwake Fleet No. 1). As the boating industry has grown over the years and new designs come onto the market, new one design fleets have waxed and waned at OCBC. In the '70s and '80s we have seen the growth and decline of the following fleets, Irwin 23, Santana 21, Santana 22 and the Santana 20. Very competitive racing occurred within these fleets. More recently, the major fleets have been the J-24s, J-22s, and the Catalina 22, 25 and 27 classes.

Wednesday night races are with out a doubt the most popular series in OCBC’s racing program. The series, run from May through September, draws sixty or more competing boats to the starting line every week. The Race Committee provides four separate starts, grouping the fleets to make for the best, fairest and safest competition for all competitors. With a 6:00 harbor gun and 7:00 for the first start, competitors can get a in a good hour long race, put their boat up, socialize with other competitors (bench-racing) and still be home by 9:30 or 10:00, there is no better way to break up the work week.

In addition to keelboats active centerboard racing has been carried out using the Sunfish and Laser classes. These boats have been popular with the youth program and the women's program.

District, Regional and National Regattas Hosted By OCBC

The fine wind conditions on Lake Hefner coupled with the excellent national reputation of OCBC's Race Committees, have allowed OCBC to be chosen to host several important regattas over the years. These include the following:

Through the leadership of Steve Taylor, the OCBC has trained a number of excellent Race Committee officers. OCBCis noted for organizing races and regattas that ensure all participants will get good course layouts and fair race conditions. OCBC is recognized nationally for its ability to conduct races and regattas and this tradition will continue. Four individuals of OCBC have been selected as judges for Area F.

National Events

  • National Finals for the O Day Single-handed Trophy - 1977
  • The Prince of Wales Regatta - 1980
  • Santana 20 Nationals - 1985
  • Olympic Festival Regatta (Sailboards) - 1989
  • Catalina 22 Nationals - 1992
  • Mallory Cup (National Men's Championship) - 1994
  • Prindle 19 Nationals – 1997
  • Snipe Nationals – 2000
  • Ida Lewis Regatta (Jr. Women’s Double-Handed Championship) – 2000
  • Santana 20 Nationals - 2011
  • Catalina 22 Nationals – 2020
  • VX-One Nationals - 2021

Other Events

  • Mallory Cup Regionals
  • Area F Districts
  • Adams Cup Districts
  • J-22 Districts (Steven Taylor Regatta)
  • J-24 Districts
  • J-80 Districts
  • Snipe Districts
  • Laser DistrictsRace Committee Excellence

Check out our exciting programs!

Youth Program

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Lighthouse Charities Sailing School youth are honing in on their sailing skills and having fun through racing. This past August we hosted the first annual Dust Bowl Regatta and invited youth from the surrounding area to join us. Some of our competitors only learned how to sail a few weeks before, but were eager to join the “seasoned” pros that have been sailing since they were 5. The overall message is that sailing and racing are FUN.

Over the past several years women members and wives of male members of OCBC have been meeting on Saturday mornings during the sailing season to sail Sunfish and Lasers. Although the original objective was to teach neophytes how to sail, the program has progressed to where very competitive women sailors compete against each other and against the men in various club regattas. Some also travel to out of state events. Several have graduated to larger keelboats and winning races and trophies on their own.

Women's Program

Charitable Activities

The OCBC has always sought to be an asset to the Oklahoma City community. In addition to keeping out clubhouse and grounds in immaculate condition, we have participated in the Oklahoma City Beautiful clean-up efforts and also the efforts of the Friends of Lake Hefner Association in cleaning up the shore line of the lake and of the trails and roadways nearby.  Our greatest effort was directed toward the Passageway Regatta. Passageway is a non-profit organization for the support of abused women and children. Over the past 10 years of OCBC's involvement we have raised $88,000 to help support this organization.  We have also hosted a day in which individual members volunteer selected children and their mothers for a sail followed by a luncheon in the clubhouse. This is the first time many of these children have sailed.