CASTINE — More than 150 high school sailors, coaches and sailing supporters will crowd the Maine Maritime Academy waterfront this weekend to race in the 14th annual Downeast Championship Invitational and Maine State High School Championship regatta.

The question is, will they have any wind?

Last year, 17 public and private high schools from Maine, Massachusetts, Vermont and New Hampshire sent teams to the event, which has become the largest scholastic regatta in New England. After two days of near drifting conditions, Falmouth High School won the overall championship and the Maine state title.

This year, 17 teams representing about 25 high schools, including George Stevens Academy and Mount Desert Island High School, are registered for the regatta. Ten schools from Maine will participate, according to Race Director Darene Powell.

Among the visitors from out of state will be Tabor Academy, from Marion, Mass. Tabor is ranked among the top scholastic sailing teams in the nation year in and year out.

The plan calls for the teams to race 19 of MMA’s 420 dinghies on Smith Cove over the course of two days. GSA and MDI will each enter two boats. Early in the week, though, it was too soon to know whether they will be sailing or paddling.

The long-range Castine weather forecast called for sunny skies and 5-10-knot westerly winds backing to the south southwest in the afternoon.

Ten knots with some higher gusts would make for enjoyable racing. Five knots, not so much.

For more maritime news, pick up a copy of The Ellsworth American.