Are regattas about the sailing?

With all the commotion going on at the moment with race weeks, I got to thinking about the reasoning behind regattas.

Sailing has an enormous social aspect to it, and it doesn’t matter which regatta you go to, you are guaranteed a good time whilst on shore.

But is this why we enter? Are the races merely a distraction from the social activities that we surround ourselves with once the sails are rolled and the boat is packed up, or are they simply the icing on the cake after a satisfying day on the water?

As I looked through the event schedules for several race weeks, it became apparent that the social activities were just as important, if not more, than the actual racing itself. To me, it appeared that a lot more effort went into making sure the sailors had fun on land, rather than feel challenged on the water.

But is this what we are all about? Or do the social activities on land simply provide a buffer between mismatched personalities on the water, which in reality, may play together if surrounded by other disassociated sailors when a rum is in hand and people are back in their comfort zones.

Why do you go to regattas? Is the play time on water more relevant than the party afterwards, or is sailing the excuse to let your hair down and holiday with those who share similar interests?