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Dyer Dhow Sailing

Frostbiting 2026-2027

The leaves are falling which means Frostbiting is just around the corner!

Come out and join us for great fun, terrific camaraderie and a chance to sharpen your racing skills. With 4-6 races every weekend, sailing the Dyer Dhows is the best possible preparation for success next summer on the Ideal 18s, Melges 15s and big boats. Nothing is more fun and rewarding than a day of fun competition on these dinghies!

The 2025-2026 Pequot YC Frostbite Series Notice of Race is attached. The Fall Series and Spring Series each have eleven scheduled Sundays for a total of 22 days of racing from November 2nd through March 29th.

A Little Background

Frostbiting, or winter dinghy racing, started at Pequot in 1932 but was discontinued with the advent of World War II. It formally began again in 1966 when a group of members decided to reinvent the program. Interestingly, its success prompted the Board of Governors to open the clubhouse on weekends. "The turnout on the weekends of both sailing competitors and members and their friends to watch this winter madness led to the opening of the galley for meals at noon hour as well." In 1966, recognizing the limitations of the harbor, the small 9-foot Dyer Dhow became the dinghy of choice.

Frostbite Overview:

Rigging day is scheduled for Saturday, November 1st at 10:00 AM Please come down to help step the masts and learn to rig the boats.
We would love to get more Members on the water and have planned two exciting training activities for this year:

November 1st at 1PM there will be a Frostbiting Clinic covering everything you need to know to be successful on the water. This free clinic will provide an opportunity to try out sailing a Dyer yourself.
November 8th from 10AM-1PM there will be a special Women on the Water Frostbiting clinic led by Rhys Goff and hosted by Katie Montgomery with another opportunity to learn how to rig the boats, sail them in our beautiful harbor and fun informal racing.
You can participate in these training sessions without any commitment to participate in the program if you find that Dyers are not the boat for you. So what do you have to lose? Come on out and join the fun!

The Fall Racing Series begins on Sunday, November 2nd

Division 1 will meet at the dock at 11:00 with the first signal at 11:30. No races are to start after 12:45. Usually members have brunch together after the racing to enjoy some camaraderie and enjoy great food together.
Division 2 will meet at the dock at 1:00 with the first signal at 1:30. No races are to start after 3:15. New this year: there will be free hot soup, a fire and a staffed bar for sailors to kick back and relish in the fun they had on the water.

Division 1 is geared toward beginners and intermediate sailors, while Division 2 is for the more experienced racers. There is no commitment needed to race in either division throughout the season. If you wish to switch divisions at any time, you are welcome to do so. If you have had success in previous years racing in Division 1, why not challenge yourself by competing against the seasoned veterans in Division 2?

Registration Card: Cards will also be available on rigging day.

Race Committee Help Needed: Please remember, per the Sailing Instructions, that volunteering for Race Committee for 1 day is mandatory for all participants. If you are not sure how to go about it, training will be made available so that you can feel confident starting the races from the Junior Clubhouse and watching the fun. With 2 divisions, this will never prevent you from sailing, just volunteer for the other division that same day!

Important Dates: