“Wind Jockeys”
Class A scow sailboats racing on Geneva Lake in Wisconsin
May 2, 2024
The arrival of May means we are drawing closer to summer, and soon the sight of sailboat racing will be common on Geneva and Delavan lakes and others in Walworth County, Wisconsin.
Due to its sheer size, the Class A scow sailboat is one of the most magnificent sights on the water. The scow (meaning the boat has a flat bottom) is 38 feet long, making it the largest and fastest sailboat on inland lakes.
According to the National Class A Scow Association (NCASA) website, the first boat was designed in the late 1800s by John O. Johnson in White Bear Lake, Minnesota. More than 125 years later, the craft still has the same basic size and shape. The scow is stabilized by only two bilge boards, necessitating 6-7 highly skilled crewmembers to sail it in strong winds.
A scows today are produced by Melges Performance Sailboats in Zenda, Wisconsin, using fiberglass and carbon fiber. The boat “ . . . has all the modern, sophisticated rigging and gear . . . needed to make this unbelievable boat simply rock on the water,” the website states.
Coincidentally, the A boats launch the ‘24 racing calendar of the Lake Geneva Yacht Club in Fontana. The first race is at 5:30 p.m., Tuesday, May 14, and they will be in action at that time every Tuesday through August 6. Most of the racing is at the west end of the lake.
Additionally, the club is hosting the NCASA A Scow National Championship Regatta this year. Racing is on Friday-Sunday, June 21-23. More details are available on the association and club websites. By the way, the new NCASA commodore is Tom Freytag of Fontana, a long-time member of the club, which is marking its 150th anniversary this year.
As for my photograph, it was made July 6, 2004, on Fontana Bay. I was on a boat of spectators that was close to the action. Not many words are required to describe this photo. The boats simply glow in the early-evening light, and they are contrasted against the overcast sky and the trees on the shore.
Such prime conditions make photographers giddy and weak in the knees. I had to contain my excitement to capture the scene – and not fall overboard!