IX International Azorean Whaleboat Regatta

Join the Azorean Maritime Heritage Society for three days of rowing and sailing races in authentic wooden Azorean whaleboats at the ninth International Azorean Whaleboat Regatta in New Bedford, Mass. The regatta pays homage to the rich whaling history shared between the United States and the Azores.

On Friday, Sept. 8, men’s and women’s rowing crews from the United States and the Azorean islands of Pico and Faial will compete starting at 9:00am. On Saturday, Sept. 9, men’s and women’s sailing crews from the United States and the Azorean islands of Pico and Faial will compete starting at 9:00am.

On Sunday, Sept. 10 starting at 9:00am, three Azorean whaleboats will compete against three Yankee-style “beetle boats” in the second quadrennial Dabney Cup to determine which will perform better under row and sail. The Yankee-style boats are the original design used by the world-famous New Bedford whale ships, whereas the Azorean-design boats were modified by whalemen in the Azores to accommodate their shore-style method of whaling. Not since the end of the whaling era has anything like this been seen!