Regattas
Remembering back to the1840s, Thomas Dabney's daughter wrote, "Many gentlemen at Pass Christian owned fast-sailing yachts, and during the season, fortnightly regattas were held, in which the entire population felt deeply interested, as almost everyone owing a yacht entered in for the race."
An Antebellum statement by a northern governess reads that, "The grand regatta of the Southern Yacht Club came off today and created fine sport with a beautiful breeze prevailing."
"The steamer Mobile came from Biloxi with a large array of ladies and gentlemen, accompanied by a fine band of music, to witness the race, which added to the excitement. The race was for 15 miles which sailed around a triangle of seven and one-half miles. The prize for the first class was a silver pitcher, to the second, two silver goblets, and for the third, a silver cup. The boats were placed in position at 12 o'clock. A gun fired as a signal for them to get underway. The first boat finished the course in two hours, 20 minutes, and 14 seconds."
In 1937, the newly formed Skipperette Club voted Mrs. Peggy Gause as its Commodore. In 1938, the Knost Regatta for female skippers came into existence, honoring Bernard Knost, and has since continued as an annual event of the Pass Christian Yacht Club.
