As a lifelong Twin Cities girl, it was surprising to me that I had never been sailing on one of our many lakes. Lucky for me, that changed today as I donned a bulky lifejacket and bright blue helmet (we’re talking New-York-City-runway fashion here) and climbed into a 32-foot catamaran for a cruise on Lake Minnetonka.
The experience was exhilarating, to say the least. I sat on taught netting that extended beyond the port side hull as we slid gracefully through the water. The hull below me would hoist up into the air, effortlessly lifting off the water’s surface as the entire vessel veered to the right. I probably looked like a giddy 6-year-old on Christmas morning as I observed three sailors from a national sailing league pulling ropes, swinging their weight this way and that, and shouting out a glossary of sailing terms entirely foreign to me. It didn’t take long to understand how people can spend their lives doing this.
You too can get a taste of the sailor’s life this weekend in Wayzata on the shores of Lake Minnetonka, one of the largest bodies of water in the Twin Cities. The lakefront community is hosting the Wayzata World Match Race Tour Exhibition in partnership with World Match Racing Tour, an elite, professional sailing series that has competitions all over the globe.
The exhibition will showcase the Cadillac of sailing vessels: the M32 catamaran. With a carbon fiber body, the 32-foot boat is exceptionally light and swift. Sailing downwind, the M32 can reach up to around 20 knots (that’s 23 miles per hour). See these boats in action during races on Saturday and Sunday; land-based viewing will take place on Wayzata Bay of Lake Minnetonka at 6Smith and Wayzata Brew Works starting at noon each day. You can also step aboard for a tour of the M32.
This weekend’s events are a preview of the plans that Wayzata has for the future. The exhibition is part of a larger effort to secure the town as a tour stop for the 2017 World Match Race Tour.
“Wayzata Bay has the perfect stadium sailing venue that the World Match Race Tour seeks for its sponsors and spectators,” event organizer and lifelong sailor Sam Rogers said. “With all the local restaurants and areas for people to watch racing, bringing a tour stop to Wayzata is a home run.”
A taste of this weekend’s Wayzata World Match Race Tour Exhibition
Photo By Aubrey Schield
Where to Go:
Wayzata Bay is located on the west end of Downtown Wayzata. Head to 6Smith and grab a seat on their patio for prime viewing while you enjoy a delicious meal. And be sure to cap off the meal with a pint of craft beer at Wayzata Brew Works, housed in the same building.
6Smith: 294 Grove Lane E., Wayzata, 952-698-7900, 6smith.com
Wayzata Brew Works: 294 Grove Lane E., Wayzata, 952-737-1023, wayzatabrewworks.com
