The Bay of Quinte Yacht Club is hosting the 2026 Shark 24 World Championship regatta, as part of their 150th anniversary year celebrations.
From Sunday, June 27th, through Thursday July 2nd, racers from around the world will be taking to the bay of Quinte in 24 foot long “Shark 24” sailboats to compete for the fastest times.
Chad Starr, from the Bay of Quinte Yacht Club, said this style of boat is very popular across the great lakes and in parts of Europe.
“They were actually made by a Canadian guy, George Hinterhauler, down in Niagara on the Lake in the early 60s,” said Starr. “They’re one of the first production fibreglass boats, and so they’ve been around kind of ever since.”
The boats used in this regatta will all be using a standardized design, relying on the skill of their three man crew in order to gain an edge over the competition. While the ships can usually get about 6 knots of speed, there are ways to squeeze a little more out of them.
“What’s unique about these boats, or good about them, is they can surf, so they won’t plane like a power boat,” Said Starr. “They will surf down waves, so you can get up to 10 or 13 knots if you’re surfing.”
The boats started to arrive on Friday. Each one was transported in by truck, and craned into the water at the club, rather than sailing in.
This regatta is just part of the 150th anniversary celebrations for the yacht club, with events continuing throughout the year, culminating in a jubilee celebration in September on the official anniversary.
