Photo credit: Hope Comito Malott Elizabeth City will be honoring its mariners’ history by hosting the Classic Moth Boat Nationals Regatta on September 17th and 18th. The races begin at 11:00 am on Saturday and 10:00 am on Sunday. View the races from Waterfront Park along the Pasquotank River. The moth boat class was first created in 1929 when Captain Joel Van Sant, en route from Atlantic City to Florida, cruised into Elizabeth City to have work done on his yacht. With time to spare, he and shipyard owner Ernie Saunders drew up plans for a sporty little vessel that could easily sail along the area’s inland rivers and lakes. Photo credit: Hope Comito Malott The designation “moth boat” has several stories. After Van Sant painted a butterfly on the sail, a reporter from Norfolk’s Virginian Pilot remarked, “That looks like a moth. Are you calling it the moth boat?” It is said that Van Sant liked the sound of it, and the name stuck. Another story claims Van Sant named the extremely small boat the moth because of its ability to flit across the waves. Others say, because he and Saunders worked on the plans beneath a work lamp at night, the name came from the moths that fluttered close by. Which story do you believe to be true? The creation of the moth boat caught the imagination of sailors and boat builders, and the regattas that followed helped put Elizabeth City on the map as a sailing destination. Today, Elizabeth City’s location on the Pasquotank River and Intracoastal Waterway—and its reputation as the “Harbor of Hospitality®”—still make it a popular stop for recreational boaters from around the world. Boaters can take advantage of free 48-hour docking at Mariners’ Wharf, comfort facilities (restrooms and hot showers) and easy access to downtown attractions, restaurants, shops and accommodations. Learn more about the history of moth boats at the Museum of the Albemarle or Moth Boat Park.
Elizabeth City will be honoring its mariners’ history by hosting the Classic Moth Boat Nationals Regatta on September 17th and 18th. The races begin at 11:00 am on Saturday and 10:00 am on Sunday. View the races from Waterfront Park along the Pasquotank River.
