On Saturday, May 11, seven teams will set sail from Charleston, SC to compete in the only dedicated Class40 race in the United States, The Atlantic Cup presented by 11th Hour Racing. Top Class40 competitors will test their skills in this third annual, three-stage event, organized by Manuka Sports Event Management in Newport, RI.

The first stage is the 642-nautical mile Offshore Leg, in which teams race double-handed from Charleston to New York City, including navigating through the Gulf Stream and the formidable Cape Hatteras.

Sailing Director Mark Zagol proudly calls New England Science & Sailing (NESS) in Stonington, CT “home” to his love of sailing. Not only because he can teach more than 1,300 students a year while coaching NESS’s competitive racing teams, but because many students are adults new to the sport who have come to enjoy learning a new skill, or reliving a childhood passion.

One of the first, and probably most significant, factors in running a charity regatta is the belief in the cause and your relationship to it. I have been involved with the Leukemia Cup, the Mudhead Hospice Regatta and, more recently, my own charity, Sails Up 4 Cancer Regattas. Most, if not all, of us know someone who has battled leukemia or cancer, and perhaps someone who has received end of life care – all worthy and important causes that unfortunately affect us all in one way or another. Now that we have defined our cause, we need to communicate how and why we need the support of local sailors.

The 3rd Annual Robie Pierce Women’s Invitational and 5th Annual Robie Pierce One-Design Regatta for sailors with disabilities return once again, hosted this year by American Yacht Club in Rye, NY. The regattas are co-run with Larchmont Yacht Club and rotate from club to club annually.

On May 25 at 0955, under the watchful eye of PRO Tom Duggan and the Figawi Race Committee, the warning gun will sound for the 42nd Figawi Race presented by vinyard vines sending 225 sailboats from Hyannisport to Nantucket, one of the most beautiful regatta venues in the country. More than crew and friends will be treated to a challenging race that is part of a three-day event known internationally for its quality and sheer fun on and off the water.

With four transatlantic crossings, nine Newport Bermuda Races, five Marblehead to Halifax Races, five Bermuda One-Twos (including a course record) and several other major races under his belt, Joe Harris has logged more than 60,000 offshore miles and is one of the best shorthanded sailors in the U.S.

A resident of South Hamilton, MA who grew up sailing on Long Island Sound, the affable Harris switched from the Open 50 class to Class40 in 2011 when he purchased an Akilaria RC 2 named Gryphon Solo2. In 2012, Harris and coskipper Tristan Mouligne (Boston, MA) sailed Gryphon Solo2 to a third place finish in The Atlantic Cup presented by 11th Hour Racing.

Nova Scotia’s Cape Breton Island is a sailor’s destination. Race the Cape, a new six-day, 120-nautical mile point-to-point yacht race through Cape Breton’s famed waterways, is a sailor’s dream. With the historic Marblehead to Halifax Ocean Race leaving Massachusetts on July 7, followed by the Bluenose Ocean Racing Circuit’s departure from Halifax on July 13, many Eastern seaboard sailors will be ready for Race the Cape, which starts in St. Peters, Cape Breton on July 17.

“We have positioned ourselves to follow such prestigious races as the Marblehead to Halifax and the Bluenose Ocean Racing Circuit,” said Jennifer Rowe, cochair of Race the Cape. “Sailors from the eastern US coast are very excited to take part in this series of races leading to our beautiful island. Our goal is to welcome new and returning sailors to our waters and help raise the profile of worldclass sailing conditions in Cape Breton. We received many positive comments about the entire concept, and prospective racers indicate they wouldn’t miss it. We are hoping for 40 boats, and it has become clear that we will not have an issue reaching or exceeding that goal.”

Race the Cape will comprise four legs in the scenic Bras d’Or lakes and along Cape Breton’s rugged Atlantic coast, with yachts racing through St. Peter’s, Ben Eoin, Baddeck, North Sydney and Sydney. Sailors will also have an opportunity to take part in the historic McCurdy Cup. Live music, dining and awards ceremonies will conclude each leg, introducing upwards of 250 racers to Cape Breton’s scenic beauty, unique cultures and legendary hospitality.

“Come enjoy five nights of legendary Cape Breton food and entertainment,” said Rowe, “and discover why Cape Breton Island has been chosen as one of the Best Trips for 2013 by National Geographic Traveler magazine.” Registration is already underway on the Race the Cape website, with entrants from across Nova Scotia and as far away as Massachusetts to date. Skippers seeking crew and sailors seeking boats can find one another on the website’s crew bank. Visit RaceTheCape.com for more information.

Celestial navigation has an undeserved reputation for being difficult, but can be learned in a weekend. It provides sailors with a great deal of self-reliance – a big part of offshore sailing – and can be a lifesaving skill when your power or instruments fail. Whether you are planning to compete in the Celestial Navigation Division of the Marion Bermuda Race, which starts June 14 in Marion, MA, or just want to improve your fundamental seamanship skills, you are invited to join the Marion Bermuda Race Team for an Introduction to Celestial Navigation Seminar presented by the Ocean Navigator School of Seamanship at the Sippican Women’s Club in Marion, MA on May 4 & 5.