The Pink Boat Regatta began with a sailor, daughter, and scientist wanting to do more. Ashley Bell had recently fallen in love with sailing when she learned her mother had been diagnosed with breast cancer - for the second time. Having been adopted at birth, Ashley hasn't met her mother until after the first diagnosis and treatment a decade earlier, and was determined to support her from several thousand miles away. Inspired by a sailing event in San Francisco, Ashley decided to rebrand the event and bring it to Seattle where she lives.

Almost 7 years later, The Pink Boat Regatta has raised over $554,000 for breast cancer research. Every year, sailors and supporters alike start planning months ahead of time to don their pink, get their sailboats race ready, and begin campaigning as part of an event which was built upon by a passionate little Seattle sailing community dedicated to getting on the water for something greater. Something affecting us all. Something we CAN do something about, just by coming together and doing what we love most - being on the water.