Welcome to the Scotch Bonnet Light Race website.
Checkout new items added to the History page.
Scotch Bonnet is GOLD
from Emily Conklin Program Manager, Sailors for the Sea:
Congratulations! On behalf of all of us here at Sailors for the Sea, we'd like to award the Genesee Yacht Club our Gold Level Clean Regatta certification for the Scotch Bonnet Light Race.
click here to learn more.
Jon LaRue flies in from California tp Race on Waahuu, from Pultneyville Yacht club. He sent the following for the 2024 SBLR:
A great Scotch Bonnet this year. Thank you to GYC for hosting. Here is a pic I think you might like. I took it as we were rounding at about 4am.
My phone must have done some kind of long exposure thing because it was pretty dark at that hour!
2024 Tracker MAP
2024 Scotch Bonnet Light Race – Results/Review
This year once again brought us beautiful weather, something we’ve learned to expect with the August event.
Most of the race was in wind of around 5 to 12 kts. At the start, the wind was a bit lighter which probably
worried racers as to what was coming, however the wind stayed all night from the south and west.
The end of the race proved that the wind gods like to mess with sailors. A hole developed north of Rochester,
likely the result of a sea breeze getting started. Some of the faster boats avoided it, however,
slower boats had to deal with a challenge at the end, that the SBLR has sometimes been known for.
The sky was beautiful at night with a lot of moonlight. Everyone said they had a
great time.
In recent years, thanks to Bob Johnson Auto Group, we have been able to use
YB Tracking with their incredible satellite technology. The race may be reviewed at
2024 Tracker MAP
This has taken the SBLR to a new level. For example,
watch the first 3 boats in the spinnaker fleet trying to duke it out from start to finish,
or, the next group of 3. There are races within the race.
It is noteworthy that our awesome commodore Linda Barton on Sarabande sailed
the Scotch Bonnet with an all women crew for the fourth time.
Awards
John Andersen on NoAgenda won Genoa Only B racing single handed against crewed boats.
Genoa Only A and the best overall corrected on the GO course, the Stewart
Trophy, was won for the second year in a row by Phillip MacArthur on Barrel of Monkeys from Fair Haven Yacht Club.
Nick Lang on Siren won the Founder’s cup for the second year in a row.
Gregory Carr on Changing Lanes won the Warren Miller "New Issue" Trophy for a new skipper on the Genoa Only course.
Line honors, the Giambra Trophy, went to Christopher Hubbell on Ravage from SBYC on a Beneteau First 36.7.
The overall winner of the SBLR is the boat with the best corrected time on the Spinnaker Course. The Allen Trophy.
This year the Allen Trophy was won by Rochester sailing Legend Hank Stuart on Blue Knight representing SBYC. This is
really Hank’s 3rd time winning it, in 2001 and 2003, the boat was owned by Peter Pape so his name appears, but, everyone
knows it was Hank. It's fun to look at the tracker results here. It looked like Hank created his own passing lanes.
Our Club Trophy, the SBLR Ernie Coleman Memorial Trophy went to our friends at
Sodus Bay Yacht Club. They did it by getting a first, second and third in the spinnaker fleet.
Sodus Bay Yacht Club members won 3 of our 6 perpetual Trophies: Allen, Giambra and Coleman. And it was competitive,
Dirty 30 was leading on corrected time at the island and came in third. We love it when out of town clubs come and steal our
gold. In accepting the Award they invited all racers to next year’s Sodus Bay Yacht
Club – Challenge Cup. It is at the end of June.
Reflecting on our event. The Scotch Bonnet Light Race, for over 50 years, has
provided Lake Ontario sailors a unique and rewarding sailing experience that they
rarely get anywhere else. The Lake crossings, first at night, then back in the
daytime, with a group of boats, all racing in what may be described as a reverent
experience. Water, air and sky becomes our world and a small boat our temporary
home. And of course, with that comes the magic of sailing. Lots of sailing. Indeed a
unique adventure. This is what makes so many come back each year.
A final observation, watching crews come home on Saturday, and looking at the
crews at the picnic, it was so great to see so many young sailors. Looks like the
SBLR enthusiasm is strong.
We are always looking to increase partricipation. Tell your sailing friends and club
members about our event. And please join us for the 54th Scotch Bonnet LightRace August 22, 2025.
8/29/2024 Tony Gambacurta
For a copy of this review with all the numbers click here:
2024 Results/Review
Our Invitation
Fellow Sailors,
The Genesee Yacht Club would like to invite you to participate in our premier sailing event,
the 53rd edition of the Scotch Bonnet Light Race on August 23rd, 2024. The race itself,
covering approximately 80 nautical miles overnight, is a test of skill and endurance,
and a rite of passage for local sailors. All who have participated in earlier events have memorable stories to tell.
This year we ask you to join in again or try it for the first time. The offshore adventure awaits you!
The Notice of Race (NOR) and a link to Registration is open here our website. The NOR contains all the registration details,
crew list and equipment requirements. Please review the entire package.
This year again, we will be using the YB Trackers. These will give real-time location of your boat to allow friends and family
to track your progress in the race. As the trackers are a race requirement, we encourage you to register before August 6th,
to guarantee a tracker. After that date, your registration will depend on the availability of the limited quantity we may have.
Registration closes August 20th.
There will be an awards picnic on Sunday, August 25th featuring live music, food, and drink to celebrate the race and its Sailors.
We look forward to seeing you on the starting line August 23. Whether you are a participant in the race or a supporter, all are welcome to participate.
A portion of the event proceeds will be donated to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
Sincerely,
Kevin Reilly
2024 SBLR Chairman, Genesee Yacht Club
kevinreilly13 < at > gmail.com
Promo Video from Robert Lang
This Year's poster (low-res)...
SBLR 2023 Results/Review
Tracking
The Scotch Bonnet Light Race has Real Time On Line Race tracking thanks to:
YB Tracking is the world leader in satellite based tracking and reporting. Bob Johnson Auto Group's support means there is no additional cost to competitors. Anyone in the world can follow the progress of the race through the internet, as it happens. For more information on this awesome technology see:
