When was the first Wayward Winds Regatta??????

this weekend at the 2014 Wayward Winds regatta, held at the Texas City Dike the question was asked . . . . what year was the first Wayward Winds Regatta. The majority of current racers believe that the regatta is somewhere 40+ years. Anyone out there that can answer the question for us?

Thanks so much for any information or memories you can provide. Also intersted in contacting anyone who might have been involved in those early years. Please PM me with any contact information as the TCDYC yacht club officers would like to reach out to them.

Susan

I competed in Wayward Winds in 1978 and 1979 when I was teenager. Back then it was held on the west part of Galveston Island near Jamaica Beach. My step-father had an interest in a business in Galveston and we planned our summer vacations around pulling the Hobie down from Kentucky to compete. It was a real treat to go down there and sail on the ocean and be a part of a huge regatta. If I remember correctly there was somewhere in the neighborhood of 80 boats there in those days. In '78 I raced in the 16B fleet (might have been C Fleet) and in '79 I raced a Hobie 14. We had a blast. Fond memories.

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Mark Van Doren
H16 Seabreeze #112205 (Richard Petty Signature Edition)
H14T Fantasia #47787
San Juan 28