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Wednesday, July 10, 2002

By Bob Batz Jr., Post-Gazette Staff Writer

It's notta the Pittsburgh Three Rivers Regatta.

The "Western Pennsylvania Boater's Regatta" happening this weekend on and off the three rivers Downtown is not the Regatta that most Pittsburghers have come to know. And that's a good thing, according to organizers of this new event, which aims to put the emphasis back on boating, whether powered by engines or people.

"This is really an event for boaters, by boaters," says event co-chair Jim Schmitt. A boater and publisher of Anchors Aweigh, a regional magazine about recreational boating, he's one of many enthusiasts who've become frustrated over recent years at boating's diminished role at the huge August food and fun festival that is the Three Rivers Regatta, which is scheduled for Aug. 8-11.

So last fall, they organized the not-for-profit Western Pennsylvania Boater's Regatta and set about organizing their own festival to further "the recreational use of the three rivers in an environmentally sustainable manner."

Schmitt stresses that this weekend's free event is not just for power boaters, but also for those who like to power themselves, such as rowers and paddlers. In fact, the Boater's Regatta is tied to two established non-motorized boating events already happening this weekend: the Three Rivers Rowing Association's races called the Keystone State Masters Regatta on Saturday and the Friends of the Riverfront's Pittsburgh Triathlon and Adventure Race on Sunday.

It's not the first time the constituencies have been brought together -- they have complained about each other at meetings about no-wake zones -- but leaders agree this is a significant development. Three Rivers Rowing executive director Mike Lambert says, "It's a pulling together all the river users, and that's a big deal" -- the fruit of years of working together on groups such as the Riverlife Task Force.

Besides getting to watch the rowing and paddling races from their boats tied up on either shore, power boaters get to have all sorts of fun aimed specifically at them during the event. Starting at noon Friday, a boat show and dozens of vendors will be set up along the new North Shore Riverfront Park, which is the land base for activities ranging from dancing to and radio-controlled boat races to children's fishing contests. Friday afternoon and evening, boaters will make a "Grand Entrance" as their arrival is announced over loudspeakers. From 8 to 9 p.m., high-performance "hot boats" will be on parade, their engines revving. And from 9 to 11 that night, all the assembled boats will make for a grand sight as they do a floating version of Light Up Night.

Saturday's highlights include opportunities to learn to sea kayak and to watch kayak polo. There's an afternoon "mariner's skills competition" and a late-night lighted boat parade that will commence after the fireworks that are part of the Dollar Bank Jamboree of free country music at Point State Park.

Sunday there's a demonstration of dragon boat racing, an ancient Chinese sport that's just arrived here in which people paddle 40-foot-long canoe-like craft, as well as an antique boat parade.

And throughout the weekend, participants can get free marine safety examinations by volunteers from the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary and the U.S. Power Squadron.

"This could be just a great boating party, but it's going to be so much more," says Schmitt, who will be there, telling mariner stories and having a beverage or two on his classic 1986 Chris-Craft Catalina 381 named -- no surprise -- "Anchors Aweigh."

He says the event has been publicized in his magazine as well as at the Pittsburgh Boat Show and at marinas and other businesses up and down the rivers. He expects it to draw as many as 100,000 people or more, but concedes that the rowing races (formerly known at the Lottie McAlice Regatta), triathlon and country concerts will generate big crowds on their own.

Boaters' numbers are underestimated by some and overinflated by others, but event co-chair Andy Talento, executive director of the Tri-River Marine Trade Association, says Allegheny County alone has more than 30,000 registered boats and many more users. As Schmitt puts it, "We are one of the biggest boating markets in the country."

Schmitt says he and other organizers regret any confusion over the similarity of the names between this Boater's Regatta and the Three Rivers Regatta. But the two events "offer completely different programs," he says. "It won't keep boaters away from that event, I can assure you that. They're not in competition." In fact, he says, "The Three Rivers Regatta fully supports this effort."

Ida D'Errico, executive vice president of U.S. Events & Marketing Inc., which manages the Pittsburgh Three Rivers Regatta, could not be reached yesterday. That Regatta -- billed as the largest inland event of its type in the country and Pittsburgh's biggest event -- will celebrate its 25th anniversary this year. Details were to be announced at a news conference this morning at the Gateway Clipper Fleet dock at Station Square.

Schmitt says that this first year, the Boater's Regatta was not able to line up any major corporate sponsor, but said, "Many have indicated they'll be watching to see how it goes and we should approach them this fall" about sponsoring next year's event. This year, organizers raised their own funds, including by selling 35 weekend berths at a special "Grand Marina" for $200 each.

For more information, call Schmitt at 724-779-7000 or visit the Web site www.boatersregatta.com.