There aren’t many dinghy regattas that bring in hundreds of boats, have a mix of juniors and seniors, and sail the entire length of a bay over several hours. But that, in a nutshell, is the Dutch Shoe Marathon. Friday saw the 47th running of what, by the numbers, is one of SoCal’s biggest regattas. Starting at Shelter Island, finishing in Coronado, and mixing it up with whatever commercial and Navy traffic might be transiting San Diego Bay, the Dutch Shoe has four divisions: A, B, and C Fleets, as well as the seniors.

Nearly 200 sailors, both junior and senior, competed in the annual Dutch Shoe Marathon (DSM) today. This iconic regatta begins at the San Diego Yacht Club and finishes at the Coronado Yacht Club, a trek that for most junior sailors is their longest distance race yet. This year marks the 47th annual running of this Southern California right-of-passage. Mission Bay Yacht Club’s Paige Tillson, 11, (C Fleet) came in first with a solid lead throughout the entirety of the race. Behind Tillson in second place was Siena Nichols (C Fleet) of Balboa Yacht Club, who pulled into the position in the second half of the race. Battling hand in hand with Nichols was Caleb Everett (C Fleet) of Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club. The three were able to hold their position in the front of the fleet right from the start.

We can't wait to see you on Friday, and want to extend a big thank you to our club partners for the 2019 Dutch Shoe Marathon. All partners will be at the club pre-start, learn more and have fun! Amavara Sunscreen will be providing samples and more information about their reef-safe brand. Product is also available for purchase in the ship store. Long time partner North Sails will have some fun giveaways and always supports our sabots! Vineyard Vines will have a SPECIAL GUEST and LOTS of giveaways. Vineyard Vines will be returning to SDYC on July 27 for a special trunk show! Please see flyer for details.

The Dutch Shoe Marathon, summer’s iconic San Diego Yacht Club and Coronado Yacht Club tradition, calls locals and tourists to watch or partake in a day of Sabot sailing on July 19, 2019. Over 150 of both junior and senior sailors from Southern California yacht clubs race from SDYC to Coronado Yacht Club, a distance longer than many juniors will sail throughout the summer. Junior Sailing Head Coach Molly Pleskus comments on the regatta. “The Dutch Shoe Marathon is a race for everyone. The high level, young and old racers looking to cross the line first, adults wanting to get back in a sabot for a bay cruise, and kids stocked up on candy for fun Friday sail. The Dutch shoe brings out new sailors and old for a fun and rewarding sailing tradition!”

On Friday, July 20, over 150 sailors, both junior and senior from several Southern California clubs, celebrated the 46th annual Dutch Shoe Marathon with a long, fun race from San Diego Yacht Club to Coronado Yacht Club in sabots. The DSM started with an ideal 0.5 knot current and steady breeze around 8 knots from the south, creating an even course for late starting fleets. As the sabots sailed out of Shelter Island, the clouds broke and the wind shifted to the west, making for a fairly quick race. Sailors of all experience levels participated in the Dutch Shoe Marathon after a summer of preparation. Coaches advised them to stay hydrated, stay relaxed and stay focused during their trek down Coronado Roads and through Glorietta Bay. As per tradition, juniors filled their boats with the best snacks, candy, sandwiches and Gatorade.

The Dutch Shoe Marathon, summer’s iconic San Diego Yacht Club and Coronado Yacht Club tradition, calls locals and tourists to watch a day of Sabot sailing on July 20, 2018 and celebrate its 46th year. Over 150 of both junior and senior sailors from Southern California yacht clubs race from SDYC to Coronado Yacht Club, a distance longer than many juniors will sail throughout the summer. Junior Sailing Head Coach Beka Schiff expresses her excitement on the regatta. “The Dutch Shoe is a race like no other. The vibe of the entire event is so positive and sailing the event, no matter what place you come in, is extremely rewarding. One of the coolest things I have seen is some of the best sailors in the world coming back to sail the event against some of the top current sabot sailors. The Dutch Shoe is 100% competitive for some, and others take the fun approach, sailing with their kids in their boats, or even against their kids!”

SAN DIEGO (July 21, 2017) Over 150 junior and senior sailors took San Diego Bay on July 21, 2017 for the 45th Annual Dutch Shoe Marathon. A summer time favorite, these competitors completed the annual dinghy distance race from San Diego Yacht Club (SDYC) to Coronado Yacht Club all in a sabot sailboat. The sky was perfectly sunny and temperatures were in the high 70s with lighter winds mostly around 6 knots when the fleets began, starting in La Playa at noon. From there, they traveled down San Diego Bay, traveling over 7 miles on the race course, ultimately finishing in Glorietta Bay. Most participants were between the ages of 8 and 15 with many adult sailors also participating in the senior division. Marleigh Henehan from Mission Bay Yacht Club was leading most of the race in her yellow striped sabot. At 14 years old, this was only Marleigh’s second Dutch Shoe Marathon. “I raced it two years ago and I capsized during that race. Since then, I’ve moved up two fleets. The first time I did it I was in C1 and now I’m in C3. I’ve been going to sailing camp in Mission Bay every afternoon to practice.” Marleigh triumphantly crossed the finish line first, sailing into the horns and cheers of the spectator boats. After crossing she pumped her first in the air and exclaimed, “Girls Rule!”

Sabot sailing is an essential activity for Junior Sailors at San Diego Yacht Club, especially during the summer season. In observance of this tradition, on July 21, 2017, San Diego Yacht Club will host the 45th Dutch Shoe Marathon, a distance dinghy race for both Junior and Senior Sailors from SDYC to Coronado Yacht Club completed in a sabot sailboat.