“We thought the St. Francis YC was
in Northern California,” said a couple of competitors in
the St. Francis Big Boat Series, which started yesterday and
runs through Sunday. “But given the warm weather, 8 to 15
knots of breeze, and flat water, it seemed more like Southern
California.” Here’s the official report, with photos courtesy
of Chris Ray:
The St. Francis Yacht Club’s Big Boat Series
presented by Rolex kicked off a seven-race series on San Francisco
Bay today in 8 to 15-knot breeze and slightly cloudy skies. Over
1,000 competitors on 115 boats sailed two races in each of three
Americap II classes and seven of the eight one-design classes:
Farr 40, Santa Cruz 52, Beneteau 40.7, J/105, J/120, 1D35, and
Express 37. Racing continues through Sunday when five perpetual
trophies and Rolex timepieces will be awarded. In the America’s
Cup class one race was held, with the second and final race scheduled
for tomorrow.
Onshore spectators were given a sneak peek
at what America’s Cup racing would look like on the Bay with Oracle BMW Racing and Alinghi
Team fleet-racing their ACC boats. However, they followed the
Big Boat Series presented by Rolex racecourse of fleet racing along the Cityfront, not
match racing, the format used in the America’s Cup. Oracle BMW Racing beat
the Swiss America’s Cup winner Alinghi Team, led by Jochen Schümann,
by a healthy 30-second margin. “The Big Boat Series is a great prelude
for the Moët Cup,” said Chris Dickson, skipper of Oracle BMW Racing.
As in all of the classes the tide played
a crucial role, and in the highly competitive Farr 40 class the
tacticians had their work cut out for them. The tide was the
key to John Kilroy’s Samba Pa Ti taking the overall class
lead on the 15-boat fleet. “In the second race, the front
half of the fleet slowed down at the first windward mark and
the back half caught up and passed them,” said Kilroy of
Los Angeles, who relied on Olympic Bronze Medalist Jeff Madrigali
for tactical assistance. “With the tide on its way out and
the wind dying, it gave us a nice boost to get up front and take second.” They are tied three ways on nine points each
with Steve and Fred
How’s Warpath and Peter Stoneberg’s Shadow.
The largest class competing here is the
J/105 class with 34 boats. Tom Coates’ Masquerade took
two first place finishes and is a class favorite to win this
year. Coates has another J/105 in San Francisco and keeps Masquerade
on the East Coast, but decided to bring it here to San Francisco
to test it against the fleet in the recent North American Championship.
“The key to our winning both races was good tactics,”
said Coates. “We have Thomas Eisler and Mark Chandler who
both trim the sails and collaborate on tactics.” As in any
large one design fleet the key to a successful race is a good
start and Coates described the advantage it gave him. “Both
races we had clean starts in good air. In the first race, we
took off and basically led the fleet around the racecourse.”
The second race was not as simple. “We
were leading at the start around the first mark,” said Coates. “Nantucket Sleighride caught us downwind and inched
away from us. We luckily were given an opportunity to pass them
on the next leg, but it was a photo finish!”
In the 11-boat 1D-35 class, Victory,
owned by Buddy Cribb of North Palm Beach, FL, is in first place, having scored 3,2 to tie on points with Kill-A-Watt, owned by David Rillie of Cardiff, near San
Diego.
Photos Courtesy Chris Ray
The Big Boat Series presented by Rolex
joins other prestigious Rolex-sponsored events in 2003 including
the Giraglia Rolex Cup, Rolex Farr 40 World Championship, Rolex
Fastnet Race, Maxi Rolex Cup, the Rolex International Women’s
Keelboat Championship, Rolex Middle Sea Race, the Rolex Miami
OCR and the Rolex Sydney to Hobart Race.
Founded in 1927, St. Francis Yacht Club,
within view of the Golden Gate Bridge, is a year-round host of
over 40 regattas on San Francisco Bay. The club is renowned for
its expertise in running world and national championships, including
the 2003 Melges 24 Worlds, J/105 and Star North American Championships.
For daily reports, photos and results from
the Big Boat Series presented by Rolex, contact the St. Francis
YC Race Office at (415) 563-6363 or see www.stfyc.org.
Preliminary Results: Day 1 (two races),
top three per class Express 37 (9 boats)
1. Expeditious, Bartz Schneider, Crystal Bay, CA, 1-2,
3 points
2. Eclipse, Mark Dowdy, San Francisco, 3-1, 4
3. Bullet, Brendan Busch, La Honda, 2-3, 5 Farr 40 (15 boats)
1. Samba Pa Ti, John Kilroy, Los Angeles, 7-2, 9 points
2. Warpath, Steve & Fred Howe, San Diego, 6-3, 9
3. Shadow, Peter Stoneberg, Orinda, 5-4, 9 1D-35 (11 boats)
1. Victory, Buddy Cribb, North Palm Beach, FL, 3-2, 5
points
2. Kill-A-Watt, David Rillie, Cardiff, 2-3, 5
3. Windquest, Dick & Doug DeVos, South Haven, MI,
1-5, 6 Beneteau 40.7 (6 boats)
1. White Fang, Mark Howe, Richmond, 1-2, 3
2. Blue Agave, Thomas Sponholtz, Sausalito, 3-1, 4
3. Shaddy Daddy, Joel Davis, Alameda, 4-3, 7 J/105 (35 boats)
1. Masquerade, Tom Coates, San Francisco, 1-1, 2 points
2. Aquavit, Tim Russell, Novato, 3-2, 5
3. Orion, Gary Kneeland, Dillon Beach, 8-6, 14 J/120 (8 boats)
1. Desdemona, John Wimer, Half Moon Bay, 1-1, 2 points
2. Oui B 5, John Sylvia, 2-2, 4
3. Chance, Barry Lewis, Atherton, 3-3, 6 Santa Cruz 52 (5 boats)
1. Natazak, Steve Williams, La Selva Beach, 2-1, 3 points
2. Winnetou, Martin Brauns, Los Altos Hills, 1-3, 4
3. Elyxir, Skip Ely, La Selva Beach, 3-2, 5 Americap II Class A (9 boats)
1. Rosebud, Roger Sturgeon, Santa Cruz, 1-1, 2 points
2. Flash, Mark Jones, 2-3, 5
3. Alta Vita, Bill Turpin, San Francisco, 4-2, 6 Americap II Class B (8 boats)
1. Scorpio, John Siegel, San Francisco, 2-1, 3 points
2. Cita, Cita Litt, Newport Beach, 3-2, 5
3. Zamazaan, Charles Weghorn, San Francisco, 1-5, 6 Americap II Class C (6 boats)
1. White Dove, Mike Garl, Sequoia, 1-1, 2 points
2. Just in Time, J. Feller, San Francisco, 2-2, 4
3. Oni, Peter Krueger, 3-4, 7
Preliminary Results: Day 1 of 2 (one race) ACC (2 boats)
1. Oracle BMW Racing, 1, 1 point
2. Alinghi, 2, 2 points
If You Have to Ask, You Can’t Afford It
September 12 – San Francisco
While surfing the Net the other day, we
came across the Doyle Sails Web site, in which they discussed
making sails for the new Mirabella V. As you probably
know, she’s going to be 247 feet long, 48 feet wide, will draw
33 feet, and at half load will displace 765 tons. Her 290-ft
mast won’t make it under the Golden Gate Bridge by something
like 80 feet.
Graphics Courtesy Mirabella
V
So what’s she cost? According to the Doyle
Web site, $45 million. But that probably won’t include the artwork.
Some Say Mari-Go, Others Say Mari-GOT
September 12 – San Francisco
“In a recent ‘Lectronic
bit about next week’s Moët Cup,” writes Rich Stober,
“you inform us that sponsor Moët’s name ‘rhymes with
Mo-Way.’ Well, not if the folks at Domaine Chandon in Napa have
anything so say about it – and their parent company is Moët
et Chandon. Having been corrected several times by the staff,
we now know that Moët rhymes with Mo-ette – hey, it isn’t
a French name. Go figure. But it doesn’t keep me from drinking
some of Napa’s finest and watching some great racing.”
Thanks for setting us straight, Rick. Having
a tin palate, we stick to rum, so we’re not up on champagne pronunciations.
Actually, we were a little bit right, as Mo-Way is the Kiwi pronunciation.
Speaking of the Moët Cup
September 12 – San Francisco Bay
Here’s the official release on next week’s
event: “America’s Cup class racing will return to the United
States next week when the Cup winning Swiss Team Alinghi takes
to the water against its U.S. rival, Oracle BMW. The two-part
Moët Cup will feature America’s Cup style match racing on
San Francisco Bay, with the first race set to start at approximately
1 p.m. on Monday, September 15. The race format for the Moët
Cup is a unique, two-part event, with two simultaneous regattas
– an Owner/Driver series, and a Pro/Driver format.
America Cup winner Alinghi sailing in Raccoon Strait of
all places Photo Michelle Slade
“In the Owner/Driver Series, Larry
Ellison will be at the helm of Oracle BMW against his
friend and rival, Ernesto Bertarelli skippering Alinghi.
On the same boats, usually in the first race of the day, the
professional skippers will sail a seven-race series. At stake
will be the Moët Cup Silver Methuselah Trophy – and early
status as the front runner for the 2007 America’s Cup. One point
will be awarded for each race win in the Pro/Driver series, with
both teams very enthusiastic about facing each other for the
first time since the Louis Vuitton Cup final, which Alinghi won
before going on to beat the Kiwis to win the America’s Cup.
“For us, this is the most important
regatta of the year,” said Oracle BMW Racing CEO Chris Dickson.
“We have treated preparation for the Moët Cup very
seriously. We competed in two warm-up regattas in June and July,
and last month we had our two boats here for in-house racing
and testing. We have been on the water six days a week for the
past month.”
There’ll be great viewing of the event
along the Cityfront, and a big fireworks show on Monday night
in front of the Golden Gate YC, located a couple of hundred yards
to the east of the St. Francis YC. What’s unique about the Moët
Cup is that it’s Alinghi and Oracle BMW’s first attempt to bring
America’s Cup racing to the people, so to speak. They want to
include, not exclude, you in the fun.
Multihulls Wanted for ’05 TransPac
September 12 – Los Angeles
There hasn’t been a bigger name in the
TransPac in the last 30 years than Bill Lee of Santa Cruz. As
most sailors know, he designed and built the 67-ft ultralight Merlin shortly before the ’77 race, then smashed the course
record and ushered in the ultralight era for the L.A. to Hawaii
race. We don’t know how many SC 40s, 50s, and 70s have done the
TransPac, but there have been scores of them.
What not so many sailors know is that Bill
had previously done a TransPac on a multihull – a Brown Searunner
37 trimaran, if we remember correctly. He tells us they had perfect
weather conditions, being able to set the chute after one day
and having consistent wind all the way across. They finished
in something like 10.5 days – not bad for a 37-footer.
TransPac organizers Bill Lee (left) and Brad Avery Photo Latitude/Richard
This came up because Bill, who, along with
TransPac Commodore Brad Avery really put the life and entries
back into the TransPac this year, is working hard to get a multihull
fleet for the ’05 TransPac. Ideally, they’ll get some of the
maxi cats for an ultra division, as well as small cats for a
cruising division. It’s something to think about – the ’05 TransPac
is already getting quite a bit of buzz, as both Roy Disney and
Hasso Plattner are expected to enter their new canting keel 86-ft
monohulls.
A couple of years ago we were thinking
about doing the West Marine Pacific Cup with our cat Profligate
– until we learned that event doesn’t allow multihulls. So the
TransPac in ’05 is something we’re seriously considering doing.
If it sounds interesting to you, too, visit www.transpacificyc.org.
Baja Ha-Ha Entries to Date
September 12 – Tiburon
“The deadline for entries for the Baja Ha-Ha closed on
September 10,” reports Ha-Ha Honcho Lauren Spindler, “with 123 paid entries.
But we realize how busy and complicated everyone’s lives are these days,
so we’re happy to add a seven-day grace period. As such, everybody
has until the 17th of the month to get their entries in.”
1 Scarlett O’Hara / Serendipity
43 / John & Renee Prentice / San Diego
2 Tete de Cuvee / Island Packet 35 / Bruce Emmons / Santa
Rosa
3 Beach Music / Tayana 52 / Kirby & Pam Coryell /
Lafayette
4 Tumbleweed / Passport 40 / David & Mollie Spaulding
/ Sausalito
5 Maverick / Valiant 47 / Donald Naples & Janet Thorp
/ Healdsburg
6 Dream Seeker / Beneteau Oceanis 41 / Tom Lilienthal
/ El Cerrito
7 Concerto / Valiant 40 / Eric & Rhonda Ingleman /
Manhattan Beach
8 Flocerfida / Columbia 34 / Jaspar & Flocerfida Benincasa
/ Las Vegas, NV
9 Hi Ho / Hunter Legend 37 / Kenneth Carter / Lake City,
CO
10 Maggie Drum / Whitby 42 / Joe & Cindy Barnes /
Anacortes, WA
11 Kemah / Hylas 44 / Bob & Judy Jacobs / San Pedro
12 Raven / Horizon 50 / Jim & Lenore Chevalley / San
Francisco
13 Serendipity / Cascade 42 / Doug Covert / Astoria, OR
14 Pegasus / Cheoy Lee 40 / Gary & Sue Stephens /
Bainbridge Is., WA
15 Windsong / Islander Freeport 36 / Frank Nitte / San
Diego
16 Platinum / Morgan 45 / Mark & Clair Rommell / San
Francisco
17 Faith / Scandia 34 / Bill & Lynne Willcox / Ventura
18 Dream Caper / Venezia 42 cat / Portia Igarashi &
Steve Steche / Corte Madera
19 Bàta Mo’r / Island Packet 420 / Tim Harrington
/ Coronado
20 Enya / Hallberg-Rassy 53 / Glen Meskimen / Sausalito
21 L’Esperance / Beneteau 393 / Skip & Mimi Felmar
/ San Pedro
22 Forever & Ever / Kristen pilothouse / Gary &
Dayle Robertson / Victoria, BC
23 Wilderness / Aerodyne 38 / Jeff & Naomi Rothermel
/ King Harbor
24 Cassiopeia / Swan 65 / Rennie Waxlax / San Pedro
25 Tranquilo / Catalina 400 / Lloyd & Colleen Clauss
/ Huntington Beach
26 Freedom / Hatteras 48 / Dick & Ricki Williams /
Stockton
27 Antipodes / Wauquiez 47 / Mike & Chris Brown /
Reno, NV
28 Resolute / Cascade 36 / Jack & Daphne Garrett /
Clovis
29 Bright Angel / Ericson 35 / Jill & Mike Gottlieb
/ Sausalito
30 Amorita / Kettenburg 50 / Joel & Richelle Miller
/ San Diego
31 Savannah / CHB Trawler / Jim & Karyn Furry / San
Francisco
32 Wind Toy / Morgan 45 / Anthony Barone / San Francisco
33 Arcturus / Coast 34 / Fred & Deb Bates / Astoria,
OR
34 Far Niente / Island Packet 42 / Eric & Gisela Gosch
/ San Diego
35 Arabesque / Ericson 32 / Tom Parker / Santa Cruz
36 Magic Places / Hardin 45 / Rick Huls / Moss Landing
37 Sputnik / Flicka 35 cat / Tatiana & Stan Sargent
/ Kodiak, AK
38 Tumbleweed / Island Packet 35 / Frank & Martha
Molory / San Diego
39 Apsara / Tartan 37 / Rae Lynn Burke / Sausalito
40 Mustang / Fuji 45 / David Guthe / Seattle
41 Sea Hawk II / Velejo 55 / Garyl & Joan Hawkins
/ Sacramento
42 Radiant / Cal 40 / Fin Beven / Los Angeles
43 Legacy / Saga 43 / Christopher & Heather Stockard
/ Juneau, AK
44 Krissy / Ericson 35 / Allen Cooper / San Francisco
45 Mary Ann II / Yorktown 35 / Jed Mortenson / Marina
del Rey
46 Mutineer V / Slocum 43 / Steven & Carolyn Fay /
Camino Is., WA
47 Solbritt / Hans Christian 43 / Albert & Sally di
Vittorio / Sausalito
48 Endorphin / Beneteau 12 meter / Ron & Mary Wilson
/ Napa
49 Soy Libre / West Indies 38 / Andy & Marianne Kopac
/ San Francisco
50 Yemaya / Hunter 410 / Bob Edmunds / Marina del Rey
51 Nereid / Pearson 424 / David & Nancy Haslam / Brownsville,
WA
52 Unicorn / CMS 41 / Kerri & Larry McConnell / Seattle,
WA
53 Cutter Loose / Roberts 37 / Mike & Mary Brower
/ Missoula, MT
54 Esprit / Kelly Peterson 46 / Charles & Catherine
McWilliam / San Diego
55 Moon Shadow / Morgan 382 / Charles Naslund / Oakland
56 Sogno d’ Oro / Pearson 422 / Karen & Tim Crowe
/ Alameda
57 Frances Ray / Princess 38 trawler / Tom Walerius /
Santa Cruz
58 Relentless / Catalina 36 / Drexel Bradshaw / San Francisco
59 Cariad / Caliber 38 / Paul Goyke / Alameda
60 Pier Pressure / Nonsuch 33 / Charles Baker / Alamo
61 Bunbury / Pearson 30 / Eric Pante / San Francisco
62 Musetta / Passport 47 / Jeff Sarantoppolos / San Francisco
63 Wabi Sabi / Victory 35 cat / Steven Abston / Anacortes,
WA
64 Angelina / Kelly Peterson 44 / Tom Trujillo / San Pedro
65 Shaka / Peterson 48 / Stacey Dobson / Dana Point
66 Jasdip / Passport 40 / Dan & Christine Dowler /
Alameda
67 Loch’s Next / Catalina 380 / Lawrence Joucks / Tucson,
AZ
68 Lemuria / Beneteau 444 / Greg & Suzanne Fults /
Newport Beach
69 Northern Dancer / MacGregor 65 / Russ White / Cayucos
70 Princess Anna / Mainship 390 / Michael J. McGuire /
Channel Is.
71 Delphinus / Mayotte 47 / Bruce Schwegler / Portland,
OR
72 Compass Rose / Polaris 43 / Jon M. Gilbert / San Francisco
73 Crème Brûlée / Island Packet 380
/ Bill & Cynthia Noonan / Half Moon Bay
74 Itsahoot / Hunter 29.5 / Tom McCall / Santa Cruz
75 Zephyr / Cascade 36 / Jan Meyer / Portland, OR
76 Freewind / Gulfstar 50 / Frank & Janice Balmer
/ Tacoma, WA
77 Exit Strategy / Jeanneau 46 / Steve Ginder / Dana Point
78 Dream Catcher / Cal 3-46 / Henry Mellegers / Oakland
Dream Catcher
Tango
79 Sky / Hylas 49 / Bob & Iris
Strang / Memphis, TN
80 Profligate / Surfin’ 63 cat / Grand Poobah, et al /
Tiburon
81 Gusto / Swan 441 / Bob & Kathy Romano / San Francisco
82 Betty Louise / Beneteau 47 / Gary & Karen Jongeward
/ San Diego
83 Black Dog II / CT 41 / Roger & Lorraine Atkins
/ Everett, WA
84 The Rogue / Catalina 50 / C.J. Nizic / Gold Beach,
OR
85 Bula / Islander 38 / Steve Lindsey / Coronado
86 Falcor / Golden Gate 30 / Katy & Elan Stewart /
Emeryville
87 Zykanthos / Skye 51 / Don Matarangas / Santa Cruz
88 Joggins / Fast Passage 39 / Robert Furlow / Seattle,
WA
89 Bella Dama / Islander 36 / Chad Kominet / Ventura
90 Scarlett / CS 40 / Russ Eichner / Benicia
91 Spiritus Invictus / Westsail 32 / Sven Sampson / San
Francisco
92 Raireva / Dreadnought 32 / Marek Nowicki / San Pedro
93 Emerald Sea / Jeanneau 45 / Robert & Marlene Anderson
/ Marina del Rey
94 Mariposa / C&C 40 / Jim & Rebecca Casciani
/ San Francisco
95 Fetching Light / Hylas 46 / Judy Fontana & Phil
Holland / Alta, UT
96 Tantara / Catalina 42 / Norm Pond / San Francisco
97 Luna Sea / Irwin 37 / Tim Harmon / Sonoma
98 Free Flight / Nordhavn 40 / Dona Holmes / Seattle,
WA
99 Gitane / Kendall 32 / J. Holt & Jenny Goff / Chebeague
Is., ME
100 Firefly / Ericson 32 / Forest and Virginia Roberts
/ Santa Cruz
101 Cat Ballou / Catana 42 / Chuck Longanecker / Sausalito
102 Dragonfly / Liberty 46 / Tom & Richelle Brown
/ Napa
Dragonfly
Moon Shadow
103 Shu Fina / Columbia 36 / Willem
Van Thillo / Fort Bragg
104 Vinden / Storebro Royal 33 / Mark Vore / Sequim, WA
105 Wheatstrong / Peterson 44 / Michael Patterson &
Stephanie Yoshimoto / San Francisco
106 Bronco / Morgan OI 41 / Nels Torberson / Alameda
107 Diva / Pacific Seacraft 37 / Dick Sayre / San Francisco
108 Sneakers / J/120 / David Gibbs / Oceanside
109 Quetzal / Wauquiez 35 / Daniel & Janelle Lee /
Seattle, WA
110 Whatever / Beneteau 411 / Teff Reed / Berkeley
111 Doña Lee / Force 50 / Bob Hudnall & Dana
Cannon / Long Beach
112 Moon Shadow / Ericson 30 / Steve & Debi Fisher
/ San Diego
113 Tango / Perry 43 cat / Mark & Sue Purdy / Napa
114 Gypsy Wind / Bavaria 42 / Ron Oxford / Seattle, WA
115 Elixir / Hunter 33 / Anthony Bettencourt / San Francisco
116 Melani / Hans Christian 33 / Dave Peckham / Sausalito
117 Charissa / Liberty 458 / Wayne & Torin Emard /
Sausalito
118 Bella Luna / Catalina 30 / Jim Sobolewski / Vallejo
119 Point Blue / Point 65 / Warren & Kathleen Westerhoff
/ Holland, MI
120 California Girl / Express 52 / Mac & Suzanne Lingo
/ San Francisco
121 Tess / Lauren 30 / Yuri Faria / Berkeley
122 Island Time / Tayana 48 / Keith Jarvis / Denver, CO
123 Melody / Catana 471 / C. Lacroix, S. Poulin / Vancouver,
BC
YOTREPS
September 12 – The Pacific Ocean and Cyberspace
Who is out making passages in the Pacific
and what kind of weather are they having? The YOTREPS daily yacht
tracking page has moved to www.bitwrangler.com/psn.
Looking for current as well as recent wind
and sea readings from 17 buoys and stations between Pt. Arena
and the Mexican border? Here’s the place – which has further
links to weather buoys and stations all over the U.S.: www.ndbc.noaa.gov/Maps/Southwest.shtml.
Pacific Winds and Pressure
The University of Hawaii Dept. of Meteorology
page posts a daily map of the NE Pacific Ocean barometric
pressure and winds.
