Rendezvous Regatta - Port Washington Yacht Club

HomeRendezvous Regatta

2026 Rendezvous Regatta

The Port Washington Yacht Club welcomed racers, members and guests for the 2026 Rendezvous Regatta—a full day of racing on Lake Michigan followed by dinner, awards and an evening celebration at the clubhouse on Saturday, September 5, 2026.

Light and variable winds made for a tactical day on the water, with three races completed. Main Street, sailed by William Schanen III, captured Section 1, while Primal Scream, sailed by Luke Brockman, took Section 2.

Official Results

View Overall Results

Race 1 • Race 2 • Race 3

Below, relive the day through photos from the racing, the awards celebration and the many volunteers and supporters who made the Rendezvous possible.

A Light-Air Day on Lake Michigan

The 2026 Rendezvous Regatta got underway Saturday morning at the Port Washington Yacht Club, where competitors gathered for registration and a lavish breakfast organized by Ellie Darling. It was a relaxed start to the day and a chance for crews to catch up before turning their attention to the racing ahead.

Principal Race Officer David Wehnes presided over the skippers meeting, reviewing the plans for the day before crews headed to their boats and the race committee moved out onto Lake Michigan.

Despite forecasts suggesting the breeze might build, the wind remained mostly light throughout the racing. Much of the day was sailed in winds under 10 knots, with occasional periods flirting into the low teens. The lighter conditions put a premium on keeping the boats moving, finding the best pressure and making the most of every shift and puff.

The race committee kept the fleet moving through the afternoon as competitors worked their way around the courses off Port Washington. In the light air, small changes in wind speed and direction could make a noticeable difference, rewarding crews that stayed attentive and kept their boats moving efficiently.

The photos alongside this recap capture the character of the day: boats spread across Lake Michigan, crews searching for breeze and competitors making the most of a challenging light-air Rendezvous Regatta.

Awards, Dinner and a Packed Clubhouse

After racing concluded, the Rendezvous Regatta moved back to the Port Washington Yacht Club, where the clubhouse was packed with racers, volunteers, members and guests for dinner and the evening’s awards ceremony.

With three races completed, Main Street, sailed by Bill Schanen III, took first place in the spinnaker division with three consecutive wins. Just One More, sailed by Spencer Thomason, finished second, followed by UZIVO, sailed by Nick Suddendorf, in third.

In the jib and main division, Primal Scream, sailed by Luke Brockman, also swept all three races to take first place. Caravel, sailed by Rosemary Wehnes, finished second, with Cheeky Monkey, sailed by Richard Jacobson, taking third.

The awards ceremony recognized the top finishers and brought competitors together to celebrate a full day on the water. The accompanying photos capture the winning crews receiving their awards and some of the evening’s festivities.

The celebration continued after dinner with a raffle organized by Race Director Dan Garcia. Local businesses donated an assortment of prizes, giving racers and guests another reason to stay, visit and enjoy the evening. The raffle added a lively finish to an already busy clubhouse and helped turn the regatta from a day of racing into a true club celebration.

From the first start on Lake Michigan to dinner, awards and the raffle afterward, the Rendezvous once again brought together the racing and social sides of PWYC.

RACING PROGRAM

Racing Overview →Buoy Race Series →Buoy Race Results →Clipper Cup →

Rendezvous Regatta

Crew Finder →

Thank You to Our Volunteers & Sponsors

The Rendezvous Regatta depends on a large team of volunteers working both on the water and ashore. From race management and scoring to breakfast, registration, dinner and cleanup, many hands helped make the day run smoothly.

Special thanks to Dan Garcia, Race Director and event organizer, who coordinated the regatta and organized the post-dinner raffle. David Wehnes served as Principal Race Officer, with Bruce Mason and Carolyn Mason serving as race officials. Melissa Suddendorf handled scoring, Hap Carlson provided the committee boat, and Beth Carlson captured the day through her photography.

The shoreside team included Ellen Darling, who organized breakfast; Peter Kovacevich, who assisted with publicity and breakfast setup; Nikki Howard and Diane Hall, who handled breakfast cleanup; and Monica Plummer, who managed registration. Shirley Dekker helped with dinner setup, Denny White and Randy Baguhn handled the grilling, Kathy Popp-Pfleger served as cashier, Megan tended bar, and Bill Schanen IV and Greta Schanen helped with dinner cleanup.

Thank You to Our Sponsors

The after-dinner raffle was made possible through generous donations from local businesses and supporters. Their contributions added another fun element to the evening and helped make the Rendezvous celebration memorable.

The success of the Rendezvous Regatta reflects the combined effort of racers, volunteers, members, local businesses and supporters. Thank you to everyone who helped make the 2026 event possible.