WHITEHALL, Mich. — For the 95th year, the West Michigan Yachting Association regatta returns.
"It's a pinnacle of summer sailing in the Midwest," said Porter McNeil, media coordinator for the regatta. "It's not only the best sailors from Michigan, but it's across the upper Midwest...five or six states."
"It was started in 1929 by a couple lakes, White Lake, Muskegon and Spring Lake, to get together for interlake competition," said Cam McNeil, Commodore of the West Michigan Yachting Association.
The event has grown to the point where the race is often not the main event, but the "family reunions" on the water.
"I think the love of sailing is passed down in families, and those families stay loyal to it and are excited every summer," said McNeil.
Many boat riders got their start at a young age due to family members taking part during their own childhoods.
"I got into it from my dad just taking me out on his MC, which is a scow sailboat," said Walter Kimball, 12. "Basically all of my family sails."
"My dad's sailed all his life," said Lila Torresen, 17. "My mom did a bit of sailing as well."
"I started sailing as a crew when I was about five, and I started sailing my own boat at age 11, back in '93, said McNeil."
While a lot of riders share this common trait, none have the pedigree and resume of 75-year-old Tom Keenan.
This is his 65th tournament...
...in a row.
"I started sailing against people. Now I sail against their kids and grandkids," said Keenan. "It's a family sport."
Keenan's father, brother, little sister, older sister and now his kids all sail with him.
"The only vacation we ever took was the Western Michigan regatta," said Keenan. "And it rotated different lakes, so that was what we all looked forward to."
65 straight years of racing means 65 years of what Keenan calls an "extended family."
But still, no family reunion can bring the peace of sailing on the water, with little wind.
"It's the friendships, the memories...meeting new people, getting people into the sport," said McNeil.
"The wind and the way that the boat feels and the way you can propel your own boat. It's just so fun," said Kimball.