MUSKEGON, MI – Ready your ships and set sail for first place. The Harbor Hospice-Chronicle Regatta will take place on July 7 at the Muskegon Yacht Boat Club, 3198 Edgewater.

The event will benefit Harbor Hospice, which has provided care for seriously and terminally ill patients and resources for their families for over 30 years.

“The Harbor Hospice-Chronicle Regatta is a wonderful, fun-filled event for families and to enjoy,” said Ammy Johnson, the hospice’s director of development.

Last year, about 35 “big boats” competed in the race and organizers hope to have just as many, if not more, this year, she said.

The Harbor Hospice-Chronicle Regatta is also a qualifier for a national race, said Johnson.

“The overall winner earns entry into the National Hospice Regatta,” she said. The National Hospice Regatta will take place in St. Petersburg, Fla. next year.

Smaller boats, like optis and butterflies, will also be able to race, Johnson said, although they will not be eligible for the national competition. Younger sailors can also race as well, Johnson said.

Registration for the regatta starts at 11 a.m. at the yacht club.

Landlubbers can watch the race from the Muskegon Yacht Club, which will open its doors to the public. The regatta starts at 1 p.m.

The event will also include activities other than boating or racing. At 3:30 p.m., the yacht club will host a public dinner.

The picnic will feature barbecue chicken, ribs, hot dogs, tater tots, coleslaw, fruit and cookies, according to the release. Tickets for dinner are $15 each and can be purchased online www.harborhospicemi.org

A silent auction will also be held the day of event. Attendees will have a variety of items to bid on, including a one-night stay at a bed and breakfast, a dinner cruise, home accessories and sporting and cultural events.

For more information, to become a sponsor or to donate a silent auction item, contact Johnson at (231) 728-6836 or ajohnson@harborhospicemi.org.