SCUTTLEBUTT #195 -- October 6, 1998
PUERTO VALLARTA RACE
Is ocean racing coming back on the West Coast? Looking at the entry list
for the Del Rey YC's February race to Puerto Vallarta sure offers some
hope. There are 36 boats on the preliminary list and that will grow as the
owners of Sorcery, Evolution, Taxi Dancer, Christine, Stealth Chicken and a
bunch of others fill out their paper work.
A number of things are contributing to this good turnout. First, DRYC has
launched a bonafide marketing program to sell their excellent product.
They've sent representatives to Northern California to generate enthusiasm
and have scheduled a series of pre-race seminars -- the first of which is
scheduled Thursday, October 13, 1998, at 7:30 p.m. at DRYC.
Also, the fact that it has been 12 full months since the last Mexican race
has certainly helped. In previous years, when yacht clubs were scheduling
Mexican races every November, every February and in March on the Transpac
years, there simply were not enough boats to go around. As a result, all of
the events suffered from anemic entry lists and the racing really suffered.
There are still three West Coast yacht clubs staging biennial Mexican
races. Next year there will be two Mexican races -- just three months
apart. Both Long Beach and San Diego yacht clubs will be trying to attract
entries from the same small pool of boats. It's probably safe to say that
at least one of those races will be a failure or perhaps both will
attract tiny, emaciated fleets that are too small for meaningful racing.
Isn't it time for the leaders of DRYC, SDYC and LBYC to sit down together
and discuss replacing their present individual biennial schedules for
Mexican races with a coordinated three-year cycle featuring just one
Mexican race each year -- probably in February when the winds are most
reliable? Such a schedule would certainly be supported by the West Coast
ocean racing communityand we'd be on our way to having big, meaningful
Mexican races again.
Nah! That's way too logical.
In the mean time, here's the preliminary entry list for Del Rey YC's
February race to PV. The curmudgeon will be there -- his 52nd Mexican race.
Racing Fleet
1. Renegade | Andrews 70 | Dan Sinclair |
2. Zephyrus IV | R/P 75 | Robert G. McNeil |
3. Grand Illusion | Santa Cruz 70 | Ed McDowell |
4. Mongoose | Santa Cruz 70 | Robert Saielli |
5. Impact Player | J-120 | Dick Sikorski |
6. J-Bird | J-120 | David A. Janes |
7. Acey Deucy | J-44 | Richard K. Leute |
8. Bushwacker | J-160 | Harry R. Smith |
9. Charisma | Andrews 56 | Dave Sallows |
10. Ingrid | Santa Cruz 52 | Bill Turpin |
11. Not Specified | Not Specified | Colin J. Case |
12. Oaxaca | Santa Cruz 50 | Dick Cronor |
13. Red Hornet | Schock 40 | Isler/Burns |
14. Vitesse | Santa Cruz 52 | Bill Siegel |
15. Zamazaan | Farr 52 | Charles Weghorn |
16. Bolt | Choate 41 | Craig Reynolds |
17. Elan | Express 37 | Chuck Cunningham |
18. Hooligan | Carter 37 | Tom Saul |
19. Osprey | Santa Cruz 40 | Antony & Nick Barran |
20. Renata | Peterson 46 | Tom Hirsh |
21. Savior Faire | Benettau 40 | Dale Williams |
22. Rosebud | SC 52 | Roger Sturgeon |
23. Bullseye | N/M 49 | Bob Garvie |
Cruising Fleet
1. Allegra | Baltic 55 | John L. Cahill MD |
2. Amazing Grace | Farr 55 | Allen Puckett |
3. Ariel | Tradewinds 40 | Hugh McIntyre |
4. Cyrano | Cyrano 44 | Ted Lord |
5. Drums of Bora | Caulkins 50 | John Kingsley |
6. O'Liberty | Liberty 458 | Lindley Metzinger |
7. Pakele | Islander 36 | Gary Gould |
8. Pleasant Way | Hunter 36 | Wayne Harris |
9. Sea Dancer | Ericson 35 | Al Wheatman |
10. Stargazer | Nautical 60 | Eva Rutman |
11. Vivace | New York 36 | Robert A. Shinn |
Undecided
1. Orient Express | Cheoy Lee 41 | Ronald Wolfe |
2. Surprise | Schumacher 46 | Steve Chamberlin |
Event website:
http://www.dryc.com
PRO SAILING
Jim Andrews' Abracadabra, skippered by John Kolius, was crowned the new
class champion based on her points in the five-event 1998 season. Kolius'
Aloha Racing Team, representing the Waikiki Yacht Club challengers for the
America's Cup, won at GMS Yukon Yachting Key West Race Week in January. She
was also the class winner at the Cutty Sark SORC in Miami in March. She had
been runner-up in the last two season championships. With a second place in
the Newport-Manhattan Series and a third place at Kenwood Cup, she was
unbeatable going into the Big Boat series
Winner of the series' Owner-Driver Award went to Gene Mondry's
seventh-placed Leading Edge. Mondry's team showed promise in several races
by directly challenging the class leaders, but was plagued by foul troubles
in two races and a lack of local knowledge in others.
For 1999, the class has revamped its racing schedule into a three-part
program. Racing will open with the Class championship series, based on
Yukon Yachting Key West Race Week in January, Cutty Sark SORC in March and
the Newport-Manhattan series in March. Following that there will be Great
Lakes Series with two distance races and two buoy races:: Chicago Yacht
Club's 101st annual Chicago-Mackinac Race, held over July 9-11, 1999;
Bayview Yacht Club's Port Huron-Mackinac Race, held a week later over July
17-18, 1999; the Harbor Springs Regatta, consisting of buoy racing in
Harbor Springs, MI over July 23-25, 1999; and finally back to Chicago over
August 13-15, 1999 for the Chicago Yacht Club's Verve Cup. The last phase
of the 1999 season The last phase of the 1999 season will be the 1D48 West
Coast Series, consisting of the St. Francis Yacht Club's Big Boat Series in
San Francisco during September 16-19, 1999, and another major inshore event
currently under consideration. -- Anne Myers
Class website:
http://www.1d48.com/
MTD
If you don't know what MTD stands for now, you will. Soon. Technically it
stands for Multi Directional Threading, but what is means is lighter,
stronger and sooo affordable. Ullman Sails have built more than 300 of
these Compound Sails with Stitchless Technology from fiber/film components
that address the loading patterns in a modern tri-radial. Check out the
Ullman Sails website to lean why they work and while you're there, get a
quote online:
http://www.ullmansails.com/
LETTERS TO THE CURMUDGEON (Edited to our limit of approx. 250 words)
>> Chip Evaul Waterfront Director Long Beach Yacht Club -- The problem
these kind of assertions on the Internet is that once published, they
become the truth. To wit:
** It is true that LBYC does not currently hail OCS in our own regattas.
This issue has been visited the past three RM meetings at the club and has
elicited lively discussion. In 1998, LB Race Week will incorporate VHF
hailing of OCS; final form TBA. Next year, PROs who wish to hail will have
the authority to review the OCS issue for their own events. Currently, the
issue is NOT decided "at the full discretion" of the PRO.
** The gated leeward marks were changed in length/angle before all but two
races of the regatta, to accommodate shifting winds. The measured length of
the gates on Sunday was .05 miles = 7.1 Catalina 37 lengths. This was done
in response to complaints about the races on Saturday... eg. we were
accommodating racers' concerns! To say the gates "had distances of just
less than three boatlengths" is absurd...they were all different.
I am tiring of Buttheads taking potshots at the LBYC RC without getting
their facts straight, or asking - in advance - for an explanation for the
perceived slight. These blanket accusations cause RC volunteers to feel
very low. Is it any wonder why capable race administrators move on to
other pursuits?... and why those who are still around are leery of RM
innovations/improvements? The very public they serve pound on them
mercilessly unless they get it perfect every time.
SNIPE WOMEN'S WORLDS
Annapolis MD- One Word: CRAZY! The fleet left the dock at 10 am today,
again under cloudy, drizzly skys and cool temperatures. On the sail out to
the course it appeared that the breeze would build to above 10 knots. The
first race started on time at 11:10 with a clean start for the
windward/leeward course in 5-8 knots from the northeast. A slight ebb tide
kept the fleet down from the line. The breeze was oscillating on the beat,
but nothing radical.
As was the case in race 1 yesterday, Carol Newman-Cronin and Jerelyn Biehl
arrived at the weather mark first. On the run they were caught just at the
leeward mark by Kimie Isobe and Matsuura Yoshimi who rounded first.
Then things started to get CRAZY! A BIG hole developed in the left side,
coupled with some new right breeze on the right essentially inverted the
fleet as the leaders, Isobe, Newman-Cronin, Stout, Pline were stuck in the
hole on the left.
At the second windward mark Barbara Giacometti and Chiara Calligaris lead
followed by Jennifer Rousmaniere/Liz Brook and Carolyn Brown/Michelle Morphew.
More Crazyiness... The second run again jumbled the leaders a bit. At the
leeward mark Ekaterina Skoudina/Tatiana Lartseva rounded first and managed
to hold on to win the race. Lorie Stout of Annapolis went right and styled
on the last beat to claim second, followed by Pam Kelly/Michele Bustamante
in third. It was really difficult for anyone to hold onto the lead.
After a long postponement, the second race was started after the skies
clouded and the wind filled again from the northeast about 5-8 knots. It
was again mental torture. The easterly directions result in very tough
sailing conditions on the Chesapeake Bay. -- Alex Pline
1 | RUS 29480 | Skoudina/Lartseva | 6.50 |
2 | USA 28142 | Newman-Cronin/Biehl | 16.75 |
3 | USA 28702 | Stout/Filter | 19.00 |
4 | USA 28955 | Brown/Morphew | 23.00 |
5 | USA 27872 | Kelly/Bustamante | 25.00 |
Event website:
http://www.snipe.org/regattas/results/1998/WomensWorlds98
AMERICAN YACHT CLUB FALL REGATTA
Final Results:
IMS A
1. IDLER | DAVID | 8 |
2. VIRAGO | RENSHAW | 15 |
3. APPRECIATION | SIEGAL | 23 |
4. IDLER | LYNN | 25 |
5. HARRIER | SALZMAN | 27 |
IMS B
1. VIM III | SPECK | 12 |
2. MONTANA | FELTON | 17 |
3. MORNING GLORY | OLSSON | 21 |
4. SIRENA | LOEB | 23 |
5. MORE WAR STORIES | BAYER | 25 |
Complete results:
http://www.yranet.com/AYCrace/aycfall_98_cumm.html
SPILLING THE BEANS
The curmudgeon is going to be at the Ullman Sails Newport Beach sail loft
tonight, telling the assembled throng everything they will ever need to
know to become a winner on the race course. If you can't figure out why
you're getting your butt kicked rather than the other way around, you
really should stop by at 410 29th Street at 7:00 PM. And bring your friends
-- it's free. If you listen carefully and take good notes, you'll be the
person power-gloating at the next trophy ceremony. We guarantee itor your
money back. For information -- 949/675-6970.
AROUND ALONE
Screeching along at over 12 knots on a stiff northeasterly in advance of
Tropical Storm Lisa, French skipper Marc Thiercelin this morning had
overtaken Isabelle Autissier and Josh Hall to grab the top spot in Class I
and overall in the Around Alone race. And while the sailors battened down
hatches in preparation for the northward-tracking storm, fleet forecasters
were optimistic today that the racers may be spared the brunt of Lisa's wrath.
Autissier, who reported rigging problems yesterday, elaborated on PRB's
status in a shoreside note: "I've been slowed down because of a big problem
[yesterday]. I broke the tang on the genoa stay-which is also the principal
forestay on the boat-it broke off close to the deck. I have been able to
jury rig it but it is not as good as I'd like it to be with the bad weather
we are expecting. I do not know what more I can do to improve on it, but I
will definitely not be able to use the big genoa."
Thiercelin was quick to take advantage of Autissier's loss of horsepower.
His Open 60 SOMEWHERE-named after a line of clothing sold by his primary
sponsor, French mail-order giant La Redoute-was the third boat to come
forth from the same mold that produced Golding's Team Group 4 and Hall's
Gartmore Investment Management. Thiercelin opted for a wing mast and a
fixed keel on his gold Groupe Finot 60, saying, "Yves Parlier has this
configuration, I think it's best for the 60s'. I chose this because in the
Gold Race [from New York to San Francisco] he exploded [past the field] and
won with no problem. I think [canting keels] are heavier and more
expensive." -- Herb McCormick
CLASS I | (Behind leader) |
1. Thiercelin | 0.0 |
2. Autissier | 7.3 |
3. Golding | 19.2 |
4. Hall | 38.9 |
5. Soldini | 192.5 |
CLASS II | (Behind leader) |
1. Mouligne | 0.0 |
2. Garside | 18.4 |
3. Van Liew | 127.4 |
4. Stricker | 262.8 |
5. Davie | 334.5 |
Event website:
http://www.aroundalone.com
CURMUDGEON'S OBSERVATIONS
All generalizations are false.
|