Labor Day brings sunny skies and ‘shifty air’

Bay Shore resident takes first at Bellport Bay Invitational

A kayaker became an accidental part of the race at Bellport Bay’s Labor Day Invitational.

All photos IB/ADV/Al Rashdan

The wind was between 5 and 10 knots, making it a notably good day for sailing.

There were a total of three races, each lasting about an hour.

The race started by about 10 a.m.

Posted Thursday, September 9, 2021 12:00 am

Katherine Al Rashdan

They say the weather was “ideal” for boating when Bellport Bay Yacht Club held its Labor Day Invitational race.

Seven Performance Handicap Racing Fleet (PHRF) cruising sailboats took to the bay to compete; six were from Bellport Bay Yacht Club, while the seventh racer hailed from Bay Shore.

Bay Shore’s Lawrence Becker held a tight grip on first place throughout the race and was deemed winner in the end, earning a rating of 249. Bellport Bay’s Peter Ehatt, Jean Ehatt and Gwen Ehatt took second place with a total rating of 228.

MaryAnn Deering, Bellport Bay Yacht Club’s scorekeeper, remarked about the sunny, blue skies and calm wind, making the day ideal for sailing.

“It’s a sparkling September day—just the kind of day you love being out on a boat racing, with all the shifty air,” she said.