San Diego Yacht Club regatta brings the “Mayhem”

SAN DIEGO — Upon hearing the title of the annual San Diego Yacht Club regatta, Men’s Mayhem, many visuals may come to mind – one such might be the scene from “Planet of the Apes” where Charlton Heston utters the infamous line, “It’s a mad house!” from within his prison cell. While there is certainly some monkey business involved in this sailing event that brings out the comical side of sabot racing, this all-men’s regatta is as treasured as it is unique, as serious as it is quirky and holds historical value to those who have taken part for nearly 50 years. The history that goes along with Men’s Mayhem is compelling, a challenge by the San Diego YC women’s sabot racing fleet of yesteryear. The penultimate prize: a trophy constructed from beer cans, possibly in the likeness of the renowned America’s Cup “Auld Mug,” is what all sailors are vying for when it comes to this on-water challenge. Men’s Mayhem began in the 1970s when a group of all-lady, San Diego YC sabot sailors, known as Sexy Sabot Sailing Set (SSSS), wanted to challenge the men of the club that sabot racing wasn’t as easy as it appeared. SSSS, which began...