Figawi
Encyclopedia
The Figawi or Figawi Race Weekend is an annual sailing
race from Hyannis
to Nantucket on the Memorial Day weekend. It is a relatively prominent race and attracts boats from all around New England, not just Cape Cod. While it is a race, its primary aim is to be a fun event.
Bob "Mr. Moose" and Joe "Movie Star" Horan, along with Bob "Red" Luby, decide to race from Hyannis to the Island on Memorial Day Weekend in a test of speed and seamanship. Luby won that first three-boat regatta aboard Red Rooster and a classic Cape Cod sailing event was born.
So much fun was had that first outing that that winter over a giant wheel of cheese at the Old Yarmouth Inn , Joe and Bob Horan decided to organize the event and give the race its name. Its a closely held secret whose wife or girlfriend lacked the appropriate sense of direction and said, "Where the F*ck are we?!" = "Where the Figawi?" which spawned the race's name, Figawi.
Figawi at a glance
What: 40th annual Figawi Race to Nantucket, one of the premier yachting regattas on the East Coast. Competition is in 14 classes, with starting times staggered using the Performance Handicap Racing Fleet system. Slower boats go first.
Schedule: The race begins at 10 a.m. Saturday from the Hyannisport breakwater. Sunday is a lay day with the awards festivities and other activities. The Reverse Figawi is sailed from Nantucket to Hyannis, starting at 10 a.m. Monday.
Where: Boats gather Saturday morning off Hyannisport. The Reverse Figawi on Monday starts off the Nantucket Boat Basin.
Where to watch: The fleet's departure can be seen off the Hyannisport jetty or from and Kalmus and Veterans beaches in Hyannis. On Nantucket the approaching fleet can be viewed from Brant Point.
More at figawi.com
Much has changed since 1972, when gas cost 30 cents a gallon and you could buy a house on Cape Cod for 30 grand. Today that won't buy a performance Kevlar headsail for some of the boats competing this weekend.
From humble beginnings to a bona fide East Coast sailboat racing fixture, Figawi has grown exponentially. The event, which begins off the Hyannisport breakwater, will include more than 200 boats in various classes and upward of 3,000 will be setting sail for Nantucket.
While every bit a serious competition for many, it is the camaraderie of Figawi weekend that provides for the enduring popularity.
Founding Organizers of the Figawi Race Weekend
Joe Horan Obituary
Bob Horan Obituary
Trademark of Figawi Logo
www.WhereTheFigawi.com
Sailing
Sailing is the propulsion of a vehicle and the control of its movement with large foils called sails. By changing the rigging, rudder, and sometimes the keel or centre board, a sailor manages the force of the wind on the sails in order to move the boat relative to its surrounding medium and...
race from Hyannis
Hyannis, Massachusetts
Hyannis is the largest of seven villages in Barnstable, Massachusetts. Also it is the commercial and transportation hub of Cape Cod and was designated an urban area as a result of the 1990 census. Because of this, many refer to Hyannis as the "Capital of the Cape"...
to Nantucket on the Memorial Day weekend. It is a relatively prominent race and attracts boats from all around New England, not just Cape Cod. While it is a race, its primary aim is to be a fun event.
History
The event began under informal circumstances on a late night in 1972 when three close friends sat at the corner table of Baxter's Boathouse in Hyannis. The three sailors sat and talked shop, as usual good natured ribbing ensued, boasts escalated and finally, a challenge was put forth: "I bet I can sail to Nantucket faster than you."Bob "Mr. Moose" and Joe "Movie Star" Horan, along with Bob "Red" Luby, decide to race from Hyannis to the Island on Memorial Day Weekend in a test of speed and seamanship. Luby won that first three-boat regatta aboard Red Rooster and a classic Cape Cod sailing event was born.
So much fun was had that first outing that that winter over a giant wheel of cheese at the Old Yarmouth Inn , Joe and Bob Horan decided to organize the event and give the race its name. Its a closely held secret whose wife or girlfriend lacked the appropriate sense of direction and said, "Where the F*ck are we?!" = "Where the Figawi?" which spawned the race's name, Figawi.
Figawi at a glance
What: 40th annual Figawi Race to Nantucket, one of the premier yachting regattas on the East Coast. Competition is in 14 classes, with starting times staggered using the Performance Handicap Racing Fleet system. Slower boats go first.
Schedule: The race begins at 10 a.m. Saturday from the Hyannisport breakwater. Sunday is a lay day with the awards festivities and other activities. The Reverse Figawi is sailed from Nantucket to Hyannis, starting at 10 a.m. Monday.
Where: Boats gather Saturday morning off Hyannisport. The Reverse Figawi on Monday starts off the Nantucket Boat Basin.
Where to watch: The fleet's departure can be seen off the Hyannisport jetty or from and Kalmus and Veterans beaches in Hyannis. On Nantucket the approaching fleet can be viewed from Brant Point.
More at figawi.com
Much has changed since 1972, when gas cost 30 cents a gallon and you could buy a house on Cape Cod for 30 grand. Today that won't buy a performance Kevlar headsail for some of the boats competing this weekend.
From humble beginnings to a bona fide East Coast sailboat racing fixture, Figawi has grown exponentially. The event, which begins off the Hyannisport breakwater, will include more than 200 boats in various classes and upward of 3,000 will be setting sail for Nantucket.
While every bit a serious competition for many, it is the camaraderie of Figawi weekend that provides for the enduring popularity.
External links
Official WebsiteFounding Organizers of the Figawi Race Weekend
Joe Horan Obituary
Bob Horan Obituary
Trademark of Figawi Logo
www.WhereTheFigawi.com