Love Bug Regatta
2022 LOVE BUG YOUTH REGATTACANCELLEDWILL BE RESCHEDULED FOR 2023
The CHYS Annual Love Bug Regatta is hosted by Charlotte Harbor Yacht Club. This event shall be rescheduled for spring break 2023. Registration coming soon on the Regatta Network website for the following one design classes:
- Club 420
- Laser 4.7 & Radial
- Opti
Charlotte Harbor Youth Sailing has several boats available for use by kids who have completed US Sailing training at other youth programs.
Scholarships are available for kids from Children's Network of South West Florida, Guardian ad Litem and FSW Collegiate High School counselors.
Love Bug Regatta History
The Love Bug is an annual invitational Youth Regatta for kids 10 to 17 years old with Intermediate Level sailing experience and knowledge of the US Sailing "Racing Rules of Sailing." Charlotte Harbor Youth Sailing and Englewood Sailing Association partnered to initiate the First Love Bug Invitational Youth Regatta in spring of 2019.
The purpose of the CHYS Love Bug Invitational Youth Regatta is to increase the participation of local kids in the sport of Sail Boat Racing.
Challenge
CHYS must overcome several challenges if the Love Bug Invitational Youth Regatta is to continue and grow.
Although Charlotte Harbor has been ranked as one of the top 10 sailing venues in the country, participation by our local population in organized sail boat racing events has been declining. The age of the residents of Charlotte County is well above the average for the State of Florida. A significant portion of the residents of Port Charlotte and Punta Gorda are folks who did well enough in life to afford a comfortable retirement in a waterfront home that provides access to Charlotte Harbor. Many of our neighbors have sailboats on their home docks. But as our population continues to age, the proportion of sailors actively involved in racing continues to dwindle. Our challenge is to stimulate interest in the Lover Bug Regatta and other CHYS programs in this population so that they register their grandchildren and encourage their neighbors and friends to do the same with their children and/or grandchildren. The numbers of kids CHYS could attract from this group is not sufficient to sustain our programs. We must cast a wider net.
