San Francisco Bay Sailing

San Francisco Sailing in Black and White

2009-02-19T09:35:00.000-08:00

Classic San Francisco Black and White Sailing Photography.

San Francisco Bay Digital Images

Classic San Francisco Black and White Sailing Photography.

US SAILING's 2009 Rolex Miami OCR

2008-10-30T12:41:00.000-07:00

US SAILING's 2009 Rolex Miami OCR

Notice of Race Available Online

Miami, Fla. (October 30, 2008) – US SAILING’s Rolex Miami OCR is preparing for its 2009 debut as the second stop on the inaugural International Sailing Federation’s (ISAF) Sailing World Cup 2008-2009 circuit. Already a long-time ISAF Grade 1 world ranking event as well as a US SAILING Team AlphaGraphics qualifier and preferred winter training regatta for the world’s elite Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls, the Rolex Miami OCR also will celebrate its 20th Anniversary when it returns to Coconut Grove, Fla., from January 25-31, 2009. The Notice of Race is now available online at the newly-launched event web site, www.RolexMiamiOCR.org.

US SAILING’s Rolex Miami OCR is open to the events chosen for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Sailing Competitions. The equipment used for each event will be chosen at the 2008 ISAF Annual Conference in Madrid, Spain from November 6-16, 2008. Starting December 1, 2008, competitors and coaches will be required to register online for the Rolex Miami OCR. The deadline for registration is January 19, 2009, and on-site registration will not be available.

Anna Tunnicliffe (Plantation, Fla.), who won an Olympic Gold Medal in the Laser Radial class, a silver medal at last year’s 2008 Rolex Miami OCR and is currently ranked number one in the ISAF World Rankings, is excited to return to Miami to compete in this competitive event. “I’m looking forward to getting back in the boat,” said Tunnicliffe, after a September victory in Sonars at US SAILING’s U.S. Women’s Match Racing Championship, followed by a second-place finish at the Snipe Women’s Worlds. “I haven’t been in the Laser Radial since the Olympics.”

While the Rolex Miami OCR has typically seen some downturn in participation after an Olympic/Paralympic year, Tunnicliffe believes 2009 will show an impressive turnout. “This (ISAF circuit) is a good incentive to get people to continue on (with their Olympic and Paralympic campaigns) straight away,” she said, adding that the World Cup schedule would be the foundation for her regatta training as she pursues a repeat berth at the 2012 Olympics.

The ISAF Sailing World Cup 2008-2009 consists of the following events:

16-21 Dec 2008 - Sail Melbourne Regatta, Melbourne, Australia
25-31 Jan 2009 - Rolex Miami OCR, Miami, USA
04-10 April 2009 - Trofeo SAR Princess Sofia MAPFRE, Palma, Spain
18-24 April 2009 - Semaine Olympique Francaise, Hyeres, France
27-31 May 2009 - Delta Lloyd Regatta, Medemblik, Netherlands
21-29 June 2009 - Kieler Woche, Kiel, Germany
14-19 Sept 2009 - Skandia Sail for Gold Regatta, Weymouth, Great Britain

In line with ISAF’s philosophy for the World Cup, the Rolex Miami OCR strives to create the best competition for Olympic and Paralympic sailors, with reviews of the event each year to ensure it exceeds the expectations of all who participate.

“We are excited to be a part of the World Cup,” said US SAILING Olympic Director Katie Kelly. “And with our long-time support from Rolex and other US SAILING sponsors, we know that we can bring something special to ISAF’s plate as well.” (Rolex is a partner of ISAF as well.)

San Francisco Bay Digital Images

Storm Trysail Club Hosts 2008 IRC East Coast Championship in Annapolis, Md.

2008-10-29T10:47:00.000-07:00

Storm Trysail Club Hosts 2008 IRC East Coast Championship in Annapolis, Md.

Annapolis, Md. (October 28, 2008) – Later this week the East Coast racing season wraps up with the Storm Trysail Club’s IRC East Coast Championship, scheduled for October 31 – November 2, 2008 on Chesapeake Bay in Annapolis, Md. A total 37 boats ranging in length from a 30-foot M30, Mummbles owned by Brad Kauffman (Annapolis) to the largest, represented in three 52-foot entries: Mayhem, the TP52 owned by Ashley Wolfe (Calgary, CAN); the Judel/Vroljik 52 Anema & Core owned by Ennio Staffini (Annapolis); and the IRC 52 Vincitore helmed by Jim Mitchell (Zurich, SUI). Shore side activities take place at Annapolis Yacht Club (AYC).

“Since 2005 we have been hosting this regatta and every year it gets stronger and stronger,” said Regatta Chair Bill Kardash (Annapolis, Md.) of regatta host Storm Trysail Club’s Chesapeake Station. “Part of its success is our race committee, headed by Race Committee Chairman Dick Neville and Principal Race Officer Wayne Bretsch, who are two well-known figures in sailing race management. Along with their team of more than 20, they can always be counted on for excellent courses and a user-friendly environment.” The regatta began in 2000 and was raced under the IMS rule, however with the growing popularity of IRC handicap racing the switch was made in 2005.

Vincitore and Mayhem last lined up in September at the Rolex Big Boat Series, hosted by the St. Francis Yacht Club, in San Francisco, Calif., where they finished 5, 8, respectively.

“We plan on participating in Key West Race Week and Miami SORC again this year so Annapolis seemed to make sense,” said Wolfe. “Originally we planned to race the Newport to Cabo race on the West Coast, however some of our competition decided to head east. In efforts to keep the field competitive we decided to follow suit. My boat has never sailed on the Chesapeake Bay before, nor have I. My ultimate goal is to win the regatta, however I would be quite pleased to have a great time participating.”

As of the October 15 early registration deadline, the largest fleet is IRC 2 with returning champion Tsunami, owned by Preben Ostberg & Bud Dailey Jr. (Rockville, Md.) alongside a total of 12 boats, to date, including two NYYC Club 42s, a Melges 32, two J/122s and four Farr 40s. “Several local Farr 40 owners are interested in generating interest in a local Farr 40 fleet,” said Erik Wulff (Washington, D.C.), who finished second in the AYC fall series. “My hope is that this regatta will highlight the competitiveness of these boats beyond the grand prix circles for which they are most known. This is one of the premier regattas each year, with a very high level of competition. It is a must-attend regatta for those who are serious about yacht racing.”

Four U.S. Naval Academy Navy 44s make up the bulk of IRC 3 –11 entries to date – with two Beneteau First 40.7 and two J/109 entries, one of which is Rush, owned by Bill Sweetster (Annapolis), winner of its class in 2007. According to Andrew Roberts (Atlantic Highlands, N.J.) making the trip to Annapolis is always a highlight. “It is a great end of year event” said Roberts who owns Overlap, a Beneteau First 40.7. “Racing has ended in our home waters of N.J., and it is a way for the team to do one more major race at the end of the season. We've been doing this race for years, and though we've raced in shorts and tees, and hats and gloves over the years, we always have a great time.”

In IRC 4, the fleet is made up of all Beneteau 36.7s with returning champion Art Silcox (West River, Md.) in the mix with KA-IO. For Keith Mayes (Tracys Landing, Md.), owner of Jubilee, this regatta has double meaning as the fleet will also determine its season’s high point winner.

“The top 3 boats, KA-IO, Jubilee, and Pegasus are very close at the moment,” said Mayes, who finished sixth in class at the 2007 regatta. “I expect very close racing up and down the nine-boat class with stiff competition from Dreamboat Annie, Foxtrot Corpen and Team Aegis. We are delighted that Gary Tisdale from Youngstown, N.Y. will be chartering a local boat (Vitesse) – Gary was second in the 2007 Beneteau 36.7 North American Championship in Buffalo, so we are expecting that he will extremely competitive and test the skills of the local skippers.”

The schedule calls for up to six windward/leeward races on Saturday, Nov. 1 and Sunday, Nov. 2. Races not completed on Saturday may be sailed on Sunday. Races not completed on Friday or Sunday will not be sailed. A distance race is set for Friday, Oct. 31, of approximately 30 miles for smaller boat classes and 45 miles for larger boat classes. The IRC East Coast Championship Trophy will be awarded for Best Overall Performance at this regatta.

The regatta is open to any IRC boat that meets the requirements of the IRC Rules and has an IRC Certificate with a rating for 2008.

For more information about the 2008 IRC East Coast Championship, including the Notice of Race, Sailing Instructions and a preliminary competitor list, go to www.stormtrysail.org or contact Bill Kardash, Regatta Chairman, Tel: 443-994-5706, Email: bkardash@columbiadirect.net.

The Storm Trysail Club, reflecting in its name the sail to which sailors must shorten when facing adverse conditions, is one of the world’s most respected sailing clubs, with its membership comprised strictly of skilled blue water and ocean racing sailors.

San Francisco Bay Digital Images

CONTI WINS ROLEX OSPREY CUP

2008-10-28T20:28:00.000-07:00

San Francisco Bay Digital Images

CONTI WINS ROLEX OSPREY CUP

St. Petersburg, Fla., USA (October 28, 2008) – Italy’s Giulia Conti won the 2008 Rolex Osprey Cup – one of only two ISAF Grade 1 women’s match racing events in the U.S. – held at the St. Petersburg Yacht Club (St. Petersburg, Fla.), from October 22-25. Along with crew Alessandra Marenzi, Alessandra Angelini, Giovanna Micol, Conti (Toscolano Maderno, Italy) defeated Debbie Capozzi (Bayport, N.Y.) in the ‘first to win three’ final match format. A total of 78 matches were run by Principal Race Officer Pat Seidenspinner on Tampa Bay for the four-person teams sailing in Sonar class keelboats.

“I am feeling a mixture of pride, happiness and faith for the future,” said Conti. “If you consider that the Rolex Osprey Cup is, and has been, the only match race regatta that I have sailed during the Olympic campaign, except for the 2006, you have an immediate reply. I love the yacht club members, I love the climate, I feel happy when I’m there, and all of that helped me have the right attitude for racing.”

Conti, the 2005 Rolex Osprey Cup champion and runner-up in 2007, did well in winning seven of her round robin matches despite not actively match racing.

“I came here because I wanted enjoy the environment, despite zero training. So my expectations were far from the victory, but my heart and my mind were far from giving up. I have to confess also that inside me I was feeling that I needed a good performance after missing a medal in China in spite of my expectations there.”

Conti and Micol paired up to represent Italy in the Olympic 470. “Each crew member is excellent and they are all superb professionals,” continued Conti. “But they are also great companions before and after sailing, especially at dinner! They are serious when needed, but terrible jokers when it is time to relax!”

In the semi-final round Conti knocked out another pre-race favorite #16 ranked Lucy Macgregor (Poole, U.K.), the 2008 European champion. In the other semi-final match Capozzi defeated world #1 Claire Leroy (Nantes, FRA.), the current ISAF Women’s Match Racing World champion, to advance to the final round.

Capozzi also competed in the 2008 Olympics, representing the U.S. in the Yngling class. “I have not steered much the past couple of years so my learning curve was high,” said Capozzi, who crewed for Sally Barkow in the Yngling as well as when they won the ISAF Women’s Match Racing Worlds. “Fortunately I had a great crew who took care of everything else so I could focus on my job. We have never sailed together as a team but Genny Tulloch, Molly O'Bryan, and Derby Anderson did a fantastic job and they were a lot of fun to sail with. Giulia, Alessandra M., Alessandra A. and Giovanna sailed very well all week. The pre-starts were the highlight of our races with them. We had an offshore breeze so it was very shifty during all of the races and there were a lot of lead changes that kept us on our toes. St. Pete Yacht Club, along with Pat Seidenspinner, did a great job running the event. Every year we go there we have such a great time.”

Leroy, the 2007 ISAF Rolex Sailor of the Year and currently on the shortlist for 2008, went on to defeat Macgregor in the round to decide third and fourth place, or the ‘petit-final’ as it is called in match racing, with a score of 3-1.

Organizers describe the racing as competitive and exciting, however the event was not without obstacles. “We lost the entire day on Thursday due to high winds,” said Seidenspinner. “We completed the first round-robin on Friday morning and decided there was no way we would be able to complete the scheduled second round-robin. Rather than start what would surely be a partial round-robin, we opted to go right into the semi-finals and conduct a consolation round-robin for the remaining six boats to decide fifth through tenth places at the same time. That format kept everyone sailing for almost all of the time.”

Rounding out the standings were Samantha Osborne (Kerikeri, NZL) in 5th, Katy Lovell (New Orleans, La., USA) in 6th, Anne-Claire Le Berre (Brest, FRA) in 7th, JoAnn Fisher (Annapolis, Md., USA) in 8th, Rachael Silverstein (St. Petersburg, Fla., USA) in 9th, and Sandy Hayes (Scituate, Mass., USA) in 10th place.

Now in its 12th year of providing a platform in the U.S. for internationally-ranked women sailors, the Rolex Osprey Cup is managed by Pat Seidenspinner and Tom Farquhar (both, St. Petersburg) of the St. Petersburg Yacht Club. Only eight of the world’s women’s match-racing regattas have been granted ISAF Grade 1 status, the highest level of competition for match racing, the one-on-one format of sailboat racing. There are two in the U.S. of which the Rolex Osprey Cup is one.

Over the four days of racing in Sonar class keelboats, the St. Petersburg Yacht Club’s race committee ran 78 matches, consisting of one round-robin, two semi-final (first to win 3) matches, a consolation round-robin to determine fifth through tenth places, the petit-finals (first to win 3), and final (first to win 3). Racing conditions were excellent as they so often are on Tampa Bay, with wind at 5-20 knots and plenty of sunshine.

Final results – 2008 Rolex Osprey Cup
October 22-25, 2008 at St. Petersburg Yacht Club

Final match: Giulia Conti defeated Debbie Capozzi, 3-1
Petit-Final match: Claire Leroy def. Lucy Macgregor, 3-1
Semi-Final match 1: Debbie Capozzi* def. Claire Leroy**, 3-1
Semi-Final match 2: Giulia Conti* def. Lucy Macgregor**, 3-2
*The win advanced her team to the final match.
**The win advanced her team to the petit-final (term for consolation match for third and fourth places).

Overall standings -- Skipper (hometown) with crew members:
1. Giulia CONTI (Toscolano Maderno, ITA) Alessandra Marenzi, Alessandra Angelini, Giovanna Micol
2. Debbie CAPOZZI (Bayport, N.Y., USA) Genny Tulloch, Molly O'Brien Vandemoer, Derby Anderson
3. Claire LEROY (Nantes, FRA) Elodie Bertrand, Marie Riou, Claire Pruvot, Laura Jeffers
4. Lucy MACGREGOR (Poole, GBR) Ally Martin, Georgie Blaver-Mann and Mary Rook
5. Samantha OSBORNE (Kerikeri, NZL) Carla Holgate, Jenna Hansen, Genoa Griffin Fedyszyn
6. Katy LOVELL (New Orleans, La., USA) Ann Graham, Elizabeth Kratzig, Chafee Emory
7. Anne-Claire LE BERRE (Brest, FRA) Marion Deplanque, Alice Ponsar, Jeanne Gregoire
8. JoAnn FISHER (Annapolis, Md., USA) Maegan Ruhlman, Linda Hiller, Casey Williams
9. Rachael SILVERSTEIN (St. Petersburg, Fla., USA) Darby Smith, Kristen Herman, Kelsee Connon
10. Sandy HAYES (Scituate, Mass., USA) Phyllis Karlberg, Cindy Olsen, Karen Park

Pacific Cup to Hawaii Photos / San Francisco Race Start

2008-10-25T20:37:00.000-07:00

San Francisco Bay Digital Images

Pacific Cup to Hawaii Photos / San Francisco Race Start

Aerial San Francisco Bay Sailing Photography

2008-10-21T13:37:00.000-07:00

A collection of aerial sailing photography from the photography DVD "Above San Francisco" available at SFBAYSTORE.com. Photography by SFBAYIMAGES.com. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

A collection of aerial sailing photography from the photography DVD "Above San Francisco" available at SFBAYSTORE.com. Photography by SFBAYIMAGES.com. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

A collection of aerial sailing photography from the photography DVD "Above San Francisco" available at SFBAYSTORE.com. Photography by SFBAYIMAGES.com. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Tom Perkins Maltese Falcon Sails In the San Francisco Bay

2008-09-29T18:59:00.000-07:00

The Maltese Falcon found a rousing welcoming committee on the San Francisco Bay as thousands gathered to see the fantastic Mega Sailing Yacht. Reminded me of a cross between a Siberian Tiger, a Dragon and Space Ship. The Sails Rotated!!! sfbayimages.com, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

San Francisco Coastal Clean Up Day Sept. 20, 2008

2008-09-18T18:50:00.001-07:00

Western Grebe, San Francisco Bay. Photo by SFBAYIMAGES.com

California Coastal Clean-Up Day Sept. 20, 2008

Pitch in on California Coastal Cleanup Day throughout the Golden Gate National Parks and beyond. Volunteer at sites in San Francisco and Marin to help to keep our coast and shorelines clean, safe, and beautiful.

CLICK HERE TO LEARN WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, HOW AND WHO.

Saturday, September 20, 2008
9 AM - 12 PM

Audience: Members, Families, Preschool, Elementary School, Middle School, High School, Educators, Groups, Adults, Seniors
Location: Crissy Field, Fort Funston, Lands End, Marin Headlands, Ocean Beach, Presidio, Marin County, San Francisco
Event Type: Volunteer
Volunter Work Type: Beach Clean-Ups & Maintenance
Register

Pitch in on California Coastal Cleanup Day throughout the Golden Gate National Parks and beyond. Volunteer at sites in San Francisco and Marin to help to keep our coast and shorelines clean, safe, and beautiful.

It’s easy to participate:
1. Choose a Site & Register (see details below)
Contact the listed site coordinators to register. Individuals and groups of all ages are welcome. Drop-in sites are available. Registration is required for groups of 10 or more volunteers.

2. Download & Complete the Waiver Form
California Coastal Cleanup Day 2008 Waiver
California Coastal Cleanup Day 2008 Waiver (en Espanol)

3. Arrive at the Cleanup Site on Saturday 9/20 at 9am
In an effort to conserve bags and limit waste, we are asking volunteers to bring their own bags (or buckets). We will also have some bags and supplies available.
Otherwise, bring good energy, the completed waiver form, and proper clothing, i.e. close-toed shoes (no sandals), sunscreen, hat, and layers.

DOWNLOAD POSTERS AND POSTCARDS AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE (scroll down).

SAN FRANCISCO CLEANUP SITES: Literacy for Environmental Justice, the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, the Presidio Trust, and National Park Service are working collaboratively to host cleanup activities throughout San Francisco, including sites along the eastern shoreline, western shoreline, and interior of the Presidio of San Francisco.

EAST SIDE
WE NEED YOUR HELP!
A serious marine debris problem disproportionately affects San Francisco's eastern shoreline. On Coastal Cleanup Day 2007, 70% of 17,000 lbs. of trash was picked up on the east side of the city, but 80% of 2,500 volunteers cleaned up on the west side. We strongly encourage you to volunteer at San Francisco's most impacted places, and we can help direct you and your group to places that need extra attention.
Cleanup Sites: Multiple sites along Candlestick Point Shoreline, India Basin Shoreline, Heron's Head Park, Pier 94, Islais Creek, Warm Water Cove, and Mission Creek - please contact us for more details and to register.
Drop-in Site: Heron's Head Park
Meet in the parking lot at Cargo Way & Jennings Ave (needs about 20 volunteers)
Contact: Literacy for Environmental Justice, www.lejyouth.org, (415) 282-6840 , outreach@lejyouth.org

WEST SIDE
Cleanup Sites: Aquatic Park/Fisherman's Wharf, Crissy Field/Fort Point/Marina, Presidio of San Francisco, Baker Beach, Lands End, Ocean Beach, Lake Merced, and Fort Funston - please contact us for more details and to register.
Drop-in Sites: Ocean Beach Sites
- Ocean Beach/Fulton (stairwell 17/across from the Beach Chalet)
- Ocean Beach/Taraval
- Ocean Beach/Sloat
Contact: Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, www.parksconservancy.org, (415) 561-3077 , volunteer@parksconservancy.org

MARIN CLEANUP SITES: The Golden Gate National Parks are working collaboratively with the Bay Model to host cleanup activities along the shorelines of Marin.
Contact: Click here to visit the Bay Model website.

California Coastal Cleanup Day is one of the nation's premier volunteer events dedicated to the marine environment. Since the program started in 1985, nearly 750,000 Californians have removed more than 12 million pounds of debris from the state's shorelines and coast. For more information visit the official website for California Coastal Cleanup Day at www.coast4u.org.

THANK YOU SPONSORS & SITE CAPTAINS!
State & Regional Sponsors
California Coastal Commission, Whole Foods Market,
Crystal Geyser, Oracle,
See's Candies, KPMG, Peet's Coffee & Tea,
Whole Foods Market Vendors, Alice Radio
(click here for the full list)
San Francisco County Sponsors
Sunset Scavenger & Golden Gate Disposal & Recycling Companies,
CA State Parks Foundation, Candlestick Point State Recreation Area,
Port of San Francisco, SF Public Utilities Commission,
SF Department of the Environment, ZuumCraft,
Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy,
Literacy for Environmental Justice
San Francisco County Site Captains
Aquarium of the Bay, Boy Scout Troop 484,
Candlestick Point State Recreation Area, Fairmont Hotel,
Farallones Marine Sanctuary Assoc., Golden Gate Audubon Society,
Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, Hoover Middle School,
JROTC-SF High Schools, Literacy for Environmental Justice,
National Park Service, Port of San Francisco,
Presidio Trust, Price Waterhouse Coopers, REI,
SF Department of Public Works/Community Clean Team,
SF Public Utilities Commission, SF Recreation and Park Department,
Save The Bay, Schools of the Sacred Heart/Stuart Hall High School,
Surfrider Foundation

Sailing in Black and White.

2008-09-18T11:33:00.000-07:00

Aerial Big Boat Series 2006. Classic Black and White Sailing Photography.

Big Boat Series San Francisco Bay 2008

2008-09-14T09:21:00.000-07:00

Rolex Big Boat Series
San Francisco, CA, USA

Hold on, it's going to get windy!

September 13, 2008

Despite a light wind start to the third day of racing at Rolex Big Boat Series, the St. Francis Yacht Club's (StFYC) race committee completed two races for the 1,000-plus sailors competing. The wind built to a suitable 6-8 knots while racers waited on San Francisco Bay for the 11am start of race one. However by mid-day the wind picked up to the more typical 15-18 knot range and with a strong 3-knot ebb current to battle, race two was where fortunes were decided. The StFYC will award its six Perpetual Trophies after tomorrow's final Bay Tour Race, the traditional end for the seven-race, four-day regatta.

In IRC A, the class with the largest boats, Bill Turpin's (Santa Cruz, CA) Reichel/Pugh 78 Akela took line honors in the first race, followed closely by Vinctore, the Reichel/Pugh IRC 52 chartered by Jim Mitchell (Zurich, SUI) with tactician Gavin Brady onboard. However, John Kilroy's (Los Angeles, CA) TP52 Samba Pa Ti crossed the finish line ahead of Vincitore in race two and with it moved to the top of the 9-boat class.

"I think our position right now, after the last race, is that we're tied for first," said Kilroy. Indeed, Samba Pa Ti and Vincitore are tied on points; however Samba has won three races to Vincitore's one win, giving them the temporary tie break. "Hopefully it will come down to the last race tomorrow between us."

The name Kilroy has long been associated with this regatta. John Kilroy first sailed the regatta in 1964 with his father, Jim, on a brand-new Kialoa. "I have done 20 or so and have had the good fortune to win it a couple of times. It's always a spectacular event," he said.

Yesterday's class leader Criminal Mischief, the Reichel/Pugh 45 owned by Chip Megeath (Tiburon, CA) slipped to third overall.

Brad Copper (Point Richmond, CA) and his Custom Tripp 43 TNT pulled into the lead of IRC B class after posting a fast finish in the day's first race, ahead of yesterday's leader Michael Diepenbrock (San Francisco) and his Swan 45 Rancho Deluxe.

"Today's racing was good," said Copper. "Although there were lighter winds in the morning, they built during the race, which got to show the boat's capabilities. I think we lucked out. This afternoon's race was in heavier winds, on average 18-20 knots in building seas, and it really showed the boat's ability to perform."

Copper didn't just sneak up to the top of the scoreboard, here at his first Rolex Big Boat Series as helm. "I raced for 17 years, many years ago," he said. "I took a hiatus to focus on my career. It's been a long, long time, and modern boats are distinctly different than the old IOR boats I used to race. Every time I get on this boat I go up the learning curve. The whole campaign is new: the boat, the crew, the sails."

Going into tomorrow's final race, Copper hopes for moderate wind, conditions the boat favors, and promised to keep an eye on his competition. "We have tremendous respect for Rancho Deluxe. Swiftsure is a very well-sailed boat and it is better in heavier winds."

Swiftsure, Sy Kleinman's (Saratoga, CA) Schumacher 54, is in third overall after taking line honors in the day's second race.

Dave Kirby (Manhattan Beach, CA) continues to lead the 8-boat IRC C class with his J/122 TKO, while White Dove, the Beneteau 40.7 owned by Mike Garl (San Francisco) maintains the top spot in IRC D.

In one-design racing, Mario Yovkov's (San Francisco) Great Sensation held its lead in the 7-boat 1D35 class in spite of Yovkov's admitted nerves over proposing marriage with a large, emblazoned spinnaker flown at the finish which read, "Will you marry me". Edward Durbin (Richmond, CA) scored a 1-3 to add to his considerable score line in 6-boat Beneteau 36. 7 class and hold on to first place, and Bartz Schneider (San Francisco) extended his lead in the Express 37 class.

For Rolf Kaiser and Scott Sellers (both San Francisco) on Donkey Jack, a 6-2 was enough to hold off Phil and Chris Perkins (both San Francisco) on Good Timin', by five points. "It was an okay day, not as quick as we wanted to be," said Chris Perkins at the dock after racing. "There weren't any big mistakes. Mother Nature just was not with us and a few shifts didn't go our way.

Scooter Simmons (Belvedere, CA) won the day's first race on Blackhawk, then finished eighth in the second race to hold third overall. "Tomorrow is one race and we need to catch up," said Perkins. "It will be one very long race. We hope for a lighter, shiftier day where the fleet splits."

Fortunes swapped in the 8-boat J/120 class to find Steve Madeira's (Northeast Harbor, ME) Mr. Magoo back in the lead over Barry Lewis' (San Francisco) Chance.

Michael Illbruck put in another notable day in the Melges 32 fleet on his Pinta (Munich, GER), scoring a 1-6 to maintain the lead, however the team is tied on points with John Porter (Lake Geneva, WI) on Full Throttle. Joe Woods (Torbay, GBR) moved into third overall with RED.

"Today was up and down, said Illbruck. "The first race was good. We had good pace and in the second race the beats were very difficult for us. You only have an amount of luck and we didn't have any breaks. It wasn't anything specific." It has been 10 years since Illbruck has sailed the Rolex Big Boat Series, however this time it was very different than the last. "I have to say I was on the boat in the 1D48 (in 1998) and I didn't really sail," he said. "This is for me the first time and it is a fantastic place to race. Really, it's unbelievable. It's difficult, it's very demanding because of the current and all the islands."

The multi-national team prepared by calling on the experience from crew members such as Don Cowie and Grant Loretz and new views by bringing in Trevor Baylis to provide local coaching, on recommendation from Illbruck's close friend John Kostecki. "I am the only German and there are six Kiwis," continued Illbruck. "We have strong roots in New Zealand. My father sailed with Kiwis and we had eight Kiwis on the Volvo Ocean Race boat. But really, it is more than just sailing. They are friends and I appreciate what they have done for us over the years. They are simply good sailors, the mood is always good, never down."

Illbruck was quick to point out the value of having multi-talented Ray Davies on board calling tactics. "There are good tacticians, but very few really great tacticians," he said. "Ray Davies is excellent, the guy is incredible. I've known him for many years, and I've always known that he was a good sailor. He was important for Team New Zealand, and aside from his abilities on the water he is a fantastic person. That's important. I would never sail with someone who isn't."

Going into tomorrow's final deciding race, the top five have a chance at winning. "We just have to go out and do our best," said Illbruck. "We have good speed and also I think the guys on the boat know how to win. Full Throttle (renamed for this regatta) is fantastic, they do a good job. I think it's the toughest group of Melges sailors we have competed against. The Italians are very, very strong. Even though we are nine boats, these boats are good, really, really good."

Racing concludes tomorrow with the Bay Tour race. Following this, the St. Francis Yacht Club will host the Rolex Trophy Ceremony where specially engraved Rolex timepieces will be awarded to the St. Francis Yacht Club's six Perpetual Trophy winners.

Regarded by sailors as one of the world's premier sailboat racing events, the Rolex Big Boat Series joins the list of other prestigious Rolex-sponsored events in 2008: the Rolex Fastnet Race, the Rolex Farr 40 World Championship, Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup, the Rolex Swan Cup and the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race.

For more information about the Rolex Big Boat Series, contact the St. Francis Yacht Club Race Office at 415-563-6363 or www.stfyc.com. For daily racing videos, visit www.t2p.tv.

(end)

Rolex Big Boat Series 2008

Sept. 11-14, 2008 - Day 3 of racing, six races completed

Top 3 in each class

Position, Boat, Skipper, Hometown, Race 1-2-3-4-5-6, Total points

IRC A (9 boats)

1. Samba Pa Ti, John Kilroy, Jr, San Francisco, CA, 4-1-3-1-4-1, 14

2. Vincitore, Jim Mitchell, Zurich, SUI, 3-4-1-2-2-2, 14

3. Criminal Mischief, Chip Megeath, Tiburon, CA, 1-2-2-3-8-3, 19

IRC B (9 boats)

1. TNT, Brad Copper, Pt. Richmond, CA, 1-2-2-2-1-2, 10

2. Rancho Deluxe, Michael Diepenbrock, Newport, RI, 2-3-3-1-2-3, 14

3. Swiftsure, Sy Kleinman, Saratoga, CA, 5-1-6-3-4-1, 20

IRC C (8 boats)

1. TKO, Dave Kirby, Manhattan Beach, CA, 1-3-1-1-1-2, 9

1. Scorpio, John Siegel, San Francisco, CA, 2-1-3-3-5-1, 15

3. BustinLoose, Jeff Pulford, Monterey, CA, 5-2-4-2-2-3, 18

IRC D (13 boats)

1. White Dove, Mike Garl, San Francisco, CA, 2-1-5-1-2-1, 12

2. Tupelo Honey, Gerard Sheridan, San Francisco, CA, 1-4-6-2-1-2, 16

3. Inspired Environments, Timothy Ballard, Sausalito, CA, 5-6-4-7-6-5, 33

1D35 (7 boats)

1. Great Sensation, Mario Yovkov, San Francisco, CA, 3-2-2-1-2-2, 12

2. Diablita, Gary Boell, Brickyard Cove, 1-4-4-2-1-1, 13

3. Jazzy, Bob Turnbull, San Francisco, CA, 5-1-3-3-4, 18

Beneteau 36.7 (6 boats)

1. Mistral, Edward Durbin, Richmond YC, 2-1-1-1-1-3, 9

2. Summer And Smoke, Pat Patterson, Angwin, CA, 3-4-2-3-2-1, 15

3. Bufflehead, Stuart Scott, Richmond YC, 1-2-6-4-4-2, 19

Express 37 (10 boats)

1. Expeditious, Bartz Schneider, San Francisco, CA, 1-2-1-2-2-2, 10

2. Brown Sugar, Steve Brown, Santa Ana, CA, 7-3-3-1-4-1, 19

3. Golden Moon, Kame Richards, Alameda, CA, 2-4-2-4-1-11/RAF, 24

J/105 (31 boats)

1. Donkey Jack, Rolf Kaiser, San Francisco, CA, 2-4-2-4-6-2, 20

2. Good Timin', Phil Perkins, San Francisco, CA, 1-3-1-6-8-6, 25

3. Blackhawk, Scooter Simmons, Belvedere, CA, 8-1-12-1-1-8, 31

J/120 (8 boats)

1. Mr. Magoo, Steve Madeira, Northeast Harbor, ME, 3-1-2-2-5-2, 15

2. Chance, Barry Lewis, San Francisco, CA, 1-4-1-1-7-3, 17

3. J World, Wayne Zittel, San Francisco, CA, 4-7-7-3-1-4, 26

Melges 32 (9 boats)

1. Pinta, Michael Illbruck, Munich, GER, 3-4-2-1-1-6, 17

2. Full Throttle, John Porter, Lake Geneva, WI, 1-3-3-4-5-1, 17

3. RED, Joe Woods, Torbay, UK, 4-7-1-2-3-2, 19

To receive daily reports and to download high-resolution images, copyright free for editorial purposes, register online at www.regattanews.com.

Racing is scheduled for daily September 11-14, with the prize giving on Sunday serving as the culmination of an intense week of big boat racing.

About St. Francis Yacht Club

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.

Rolex Big Boat Series

2008-09-12T20:32:00.000-07:00

Rolex Big Boat Series
San Francisco, CA, USA

Fleet tested by course and conditions

September 12, 2008

Although the grey fogged-over conditions around the St. Francis Yacht Club seemed to deter spectators from gathering along the shore, building 10-15 knot breezes on San Francisco Bay were the only thing on the minds of competitors in the 111-boat fleet racing in the Rolex Big Boat Series. Principal Race Officers Kevin Reeds (Annapolis, MD) and Jim Taylor (San Francisco) started the fleet on time at 11am for the first of the day's two races. By the end of racing, some six hours later, each competing boat had accumulated close to 30 miles under its keel.

In IRC C, Dave Kirby's (Manhattan Beach, CA) J/122 TKO took the lead from John Siegel (San Francisco) and his Wylie 42 Scorpio. "So far, so good," said Kirby of racing to date. Noting that the boat excels in conditions similar to today's wind range, Kirby explained that when it gets fluky, local knowledge comes in handy. "Norman Davant is the best tactician on this body of water," he said. "He nailed it. We port tacked the fleet at the first start and stayed in front and led for the whole race."

By the second race, the wind speed had increased, making things a little tricky not just for TKO, but for its competition. "Our main competition is Scorpio," continued Kirby. "They ended up over early and we ended up nailing the start. Fortunately we were able to hold off the Sydney 38s, which are faster than us but they give us time. It's hard to stay in front of them, they have symmetrical spinnakers and ours (spinnaker set-up) is a sprit. When going downwind they can bring the pole right back and drive lower."

In addition to Davant, who when not racing is the regatta's chairman, StFYC board member Pat Nolan is among the 11-person crew. "The crew on the boat, they're an amazing bunch of people," said Kirby. "So you know we're happy right now. We're in first by three points. We're not launched out in front of everybody, but we're comfortable in first. But, we're not going to sit back and relax."

Leaders in IRC A, B and C classes remain unchanged with Chip Megeath's (Tiburon, CA) Reichel/Pugh 45 Criminal Mischief leading IRC A; Brad Copper's (Point Richmond, CA) Custom Tripp 43 TNT leading IRC B; and White Dove, the Beneteau 40.7 owned by Mike Garl (San Francisco) leading IRC C.

In one-design action, Mario Yovkov's (San Francisco) Great Sensation moved up from third place to take over the lead in the 7-boat 1D35 class, while Edward Durbin (Richmond, CA) continued to lead the 6-boat Beneteau 36. 7 class.

For the J/120s, a small yet very competitive class, Barry Lewis' (San Francisco) Chance took over the lead from Steve Madeira's (Northeast Harbor, ME) Mr. Magoo in the 8-boat class.

"This was an interesting day because there were more wind shifts than what is typical here," said Lewis. "It was wonderful because we got in phase and stayed; we played every one that we could possibly play."

Lewis noted that he relied on tactician Doug Nugent (San Francisco) to put them in the best spot. "My plan was to go left early," said Nugent, who grew up sailing in Toronto, Canada. "But then there was a 20-degree left shift on the starting line and we ended up going off to the right, which was not what we wanted to do. We hung with the lift, it came back and we crossed the fleet. We played the shifts and stayed in front the whole race.it was a lucky shift!"

Bartz Schneider (San Francisco) on Expeditious continued his winning ways, scoring a first and second place, and remains in the lead of the 10-boat Express 37 fleet. Brown Sugar, owned by Steve Brown (Santa Ana, CA) won the day's other race and is in third overall behind second-place Golden Moon, owned by Kame Richards (Alameda, CA).

The top four positions in the 31-boat J/105 fleet held with Chris and Phil Perkins (both San Francisco) scoring a first and sixth, to edge out Rolf Kaiser and Scott Sellers (both San Francisco) Donkey Jack by one point. Scooter Simmons (Belvedere, CA) and his Blackhawk won the day's second race and are in third overall.

Michael Illbruck had an impressive day in the Melges 32 fleet on his Pinta (Munich, GER), scoring a second and first place to take over the lead from John Porter (Lake Geneva, WI) on Full Throttle. Pieter Taselaar (New York, NY), who counts among his crew young standout Jeremy Wilmot, from the Morning Light film, and multiple America's Cup competitor and Whitbread winner Marco Constant.

Racing continues tomorrow and ends with one, long Bay Tour race on Sunday. At the conclusion, St. Francis Yacht Club will host the Rolex Trophy Ceremony where specially engraved Rolex timepieces will be awarded to the St. Francis Yacht Club's six Perpetual Trophy winners.

Regarded by sailors as one of the world's premier sailboat racing events, the Rolex Big Boat Series joins the list of other prestigious Rolex-sponsored events in 2008: the Rolex Fastnet Race, the Rolex Farr 40 World Championship, Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup, the Rolex Swan Cup and the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race.

For more information about the Rolex Big Boat Series, contact the St. Francis Yacht Club Race Office at 415-563-6363 or www.stfyc.com. For daily racing videos, visit www.t2p.tv.

(end)

Rolex Big Boat Series 2008

Sept. 11-14, 2008 – Day 2 of racing, two races completed

Top 3 in each class

Position, Boat, Skipper, Hometown, Race 1-2-3-4, Total points

IRC A (9 boats)

1. Criminal Mischief, Chip Megeath, Tiburon, CA, 1-2-2-3, 8

2. Samba Pa Ti, John Kilroy, Jr, San Francisco, CA, 4-1-3-1, 9

3. Vincitore, Jim Mitchell, Zurich, SUI, 3-4-1-2, 10

IRC B (9 boats)

1. TNT, Brad Copper, Pt. Richmond, CA, 1-2-2-2, 7

2. Rancho Deluxe, Michael Diepenbrock, Newport, RI, 2-3-3-1, 9

3. Raincloud, Lorenzo Berho, Puerto Vallarta, MEX, 3-5-1-5, 14

IRC C (8 boats)

1. TKO, Dave Kirby, Manhattan Beach, CA, J/122, 1-3-1-1, 6

2. Scorpio, John Siegel, San Francisco, CA, 2-1-3-3, 9

3. BustinLoose, Jeff Pulford, Monterey, CA, 5-2-4-2, 13

IRC D (13 boats)

1. White Dove, Mike Garl, San Francisco, CA, 2-1-5-1, 9

2. Tupelo Honey, Gerard Sheridan, San Francisco, CA, 1-4-6-2, 13

3. Acabar, Jean-Yves Lendormy, Camden, ME, 7/30%-2-8-4, 21

1D35 (7 boats)

1. Great Sensation, Mario Yovkov, San Francisco, CA, 3-2-2-1, 8

2. Jazzy, Bob Turnbull, San Francisco, CA, 2-5-1-3, 11

3. Diablita, Gary Boell, Brickyard Cove, 1-4-4-2, 11

Beneteau 36.7 (6 boats)

1. Mistral, Edward Durbin, Richmond YC, 2-1-1-1, 5

2. Summer And Smoke, Pat Patterson, Angwin, CA, 3-4-2-3, 12

3. Bufflehead, Stuart Scott, Richmond YC, 1-2-6-4, 13

Express 37 (10 boats)

1. Expeditious, Bartz Schneider, San Francisco, CA, 1-2-1-2, 6

2. Golden Moon, Kame Richards, Alameda, CA, 2-4-2-4, 12

3. Brown Sugar, Steve Brown, Santa Ana, CA, 7-3-3-1, 14

J/105 (31 boats)

1. Good Timin', Phil Perkins, San Francisco, CA, 1-3-1-6, 11

2. Donkey Jack, Rolf Kaiser, San Francisco, CA, 2-4-2-4, 12

3. Blackhawk, Scooter Simmons, Belvedere, CA, 8-1-12-1, 22

J/120 (8 boats)

1. Chance, Barry Lewis, San Francisco, CA, 1-4-1-1, 7

2. Mr. Magoo, Steve Madeira, Northeast Harbor, ME, 3-1-2-2, 8

3. Desdemona, John Wimer, San Francisco, CA, 2-8-5-4, 19

Melges 32 (9 boats)

1. Pinta, Don Cowie, Munich, GER, 3-4-2-1, 10

2. Full Throttle, John Porter, Lake Geneva, WI, 1-3-3-4, 11

3. Bliksem, Pieter Taselaar, New York YC, 2-2-4-3, 11

To receive daily reports and to download high-resolution images, copyright free for editorial purposes, register online at www.regattanews.com

Racing is scheduled for daily September 11-14, with the prize giving on Sunday serving as the culmination of an intense week of big boat racing.

About St. Francis Yacht Club

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.

Opening for entries in the 29th Pineapple Cup

2008-08-01T10:31:00.001-07:00

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (August 1, 2008) – The Southern Ocean Racing Conference (SORC) announces the official opening for entries in the 29th Pineapple Cup - Montego Bay Race. Schedule to start on February 6, 2009 just outside of Fort Lauderdale’s Port Everglades, the race – known affectionately by sailors as ‘Mo Bay’ – runs 811 nautical miles to Montego Bay, Jamaica and offers navigators, tacticians and crews a challenging all-points-of-sail blast to a fabled destination. The current race record is held by Titan 12, set in 2005, with an impressive elapsed time of 2 days, 10 hours, 24 minutes and 42 seconds.

Shortly after the official opening of the entry system, race management reported seven entries and a large number of participant inquiries – an early indication of the potential strength of the 2009 fleet. The race is sponsored by the Lauderdale Yacht Club (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.), the Montego Bay Yacht Club (Montego Bay, Jamaica), and the Jamaican Yachting Association (Kingston, Jamaica), the Storm Trysail Club (Larchmont, N.Y.) and managed by SORC with the collective group.

The Pineapple Cup has long been an ocean racing classic. The race started in 1961 and has run either annually or biannually ever since. Past winners are a Who’s Who of ocean skippers and yacht names. Ted Turner won three times in Vamoose (’67), Lightnin (’73) and Tenacious (’79); the Johnson family won in Ticonderoga (’65); John Kilroy won twice in Kialoa (’75 & ’77); and Jack King won in Merrythought (’91).

Past competitors claiming line honors include Sir Peter Blake on Condor (’79), Larry Ellison on Sayonora (’97) and Roy Disney on Pyewacket (’99). Other notable past entrants include the venerable yacht Windward Passage, which maintained the overall elapsed time record from 1969 to 2003. Steve Fossett also made a run in the 90s at the overall race record in the catamaran Lakota.

Details about the Pineapple Cup
Immediately after the start, the racers cross the Gulf Stream for the Northwest Providence Channel. The middle of the race usually offers a fetch down the eastern side of the Bahamas Island Chain towards the tip of Cuba. The final stretch is a sailor’s dream: a 240 mile downwind sleigh ride from Cuba’s eastern tip, known as Windward Passage, to the finish at Montego Bay. Typical 20-plus-knot aft trade winds and rolling, following seas push the racers downhill into the sunset toward the finish, where they’re greeted at the finish line with the traditional case of Jamaica’s finest Red Stripe beer.

Classes invited include IRC, PHRF, Multihull and ocean racing one designs. The online race entry system and an updated Notice of Race, along with information on the race history, past events and accommodations can be found at www.montegobayrace.com.

San Francisco Parade of Tall Ships 2008

2008-07-24T10:41:00.000-07:00

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Festival of Sail photography on the San Francisco Bay 2008. Well it turnd out to be
more of "Festival of Nautical and Sea" with all the San Francisco Bay new police boats, local sailors and boaters and even
a tanker with flags pulling up the rear of the parade. It was a spectacular day on the Bay.

FESTIVAL OF SAIL SAN FRANCISCO BAY

formerly known as "TALL SHIP PARADE"

Participating Vessels 2008:

SAN FRANCISCO FIRE BOAT
USCGC EAGLE
CALIFORNIAN
HMCS ORIOLE
ROBERT C. SEAMANS
ALMA
SEAWARD
KAISEI
NINA
GASLIGHT
M/M Formation:
Gold Star, Sea Quest & Santana
USCGS HALIBUT
BOUNTY
LYNX
NEHEMIAH
Bird Boat Formation:

Curlew, Mavis, Skylark, Oriole, Robin, Polly & Widgeon
BRIGADOON
POLARIS
PEGASUS
M/V CALIFORNIA HORNBLOWER
M/V EMPRESS HORNBLOWER
BAY LADY
SS JEREMIAH O'BRIEN
APL SINGAPORE

San Francisco Bay welcomes Tall Ships® from all over the world as they proudly sail under the Golden Gate Bridge and into the hearts of young and old for one week in July 2008! The awe-inspiring vessels will be docked along the waterfront offering the public the unique opportunity to tour, sail and learn.

Pacific Cup to Hawaii Race Thursday Start 2008

2008-07-20T08:24:00.000-07:00

Div: E Start Thu 7/17/08 14:45
SabrinaCalkins 50Chris Calkins / Norm ReynoldsE50.0043.86ORR35891 46.01164.52270548133:06:00
Low Speed ChaseSydney 38James C BradfordE38.6035.30ORR11550 36.46106.431105191210:25:30
RecidivistSchumacher 39Ken OlcottE39.8033.70ORR10979 35.84106.51110516128:42:00
MorpheusSchumacher 50Jim GregoryE50.0044.30ORR25104 46.30112.951304821113:09:00
Hula GirlSanta Cruz 50Paul CayardE52.3047.83ORR17324 49.3964.1800463112:13:30

Photography by SFBAYIMAGES.com

Pacific Cup to Hawaii Race, Thursday Start, San Francisco Bay, 2008

New York Yacht Club 154th Annual Regatta Presented by Rolex

2008-06-16T12:56:00.000-07:00

New York Yacht Club 154th Annual Regatta Presented by Rolex
Meyers' Numbers Shows its IRC Prowess
NEWPORT, R.I. (June 15, 2008) -- Anticipation ran high throughout the New York Yacht Club's 154th Annual Regatta presented by Rolex, hosted Saturday and Sunday from the NYYC's Harbour Court Clubhouse in Newport, R.I. Competitors, designers, journalists and spectators alike were anxious to see how the newest, hottest IRC boats measured up against one another in seven IRC classes, while five other classes (one each J/105 and Farr 40 one-designs, one each for 12-Metre Modern and Classic Traditional, and one for Classics) stirred up their own excitement. A total of 110 boats competed.
In the end, it was Dan Meyers' (Boston, Mass./Newport, R.I.) Judel-Vrolijk 66 Numbers that took IRC Class 1, where most of the attention focused. In that class were such show stoppers as the 99-foot super maxi Speedboat, owned by Alex Jackson (Old Greenwich, Conn.) and skippered by Mike Sanderson (NZL), and Il Mostro/Puma Ocean Racing, skippered by Ken Read (Newport, R.I.), which both suffered around the buoys, due to their size and optimization for straight-line speed, which will be better tested by next week's Newport to Bermuda Race. Numbers instead contended primarily with Hap Fauth's (Newport, R.I.) Reichel/Pugh 69 Belle Mente, which trailed Numbers by seven points in overall standings after Numbers won the last three of that class's four races, and Rogers Sturgeon's (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.) Rosebud/Team DYT, which then trailed Belle Mente by only one point in the final standings.
"It was a terrific regatta," said Meyers. "Today was a little tough because there were larger sea conditions than wind, and each tack on each side was substantially different. It was blustery and we tore two spinnakers, so we were pretty busy, but it was a good opportunity to get ready for Bermuda."
As for his competition, Meyers said, "Belle Mente at times looked quick and Rosebud was sailing just as fast as us. All of the boats in our class were good boats in the given conditions. The new boats (which also included another STP65 Moneypenny, owned by Jim Swartz of San Francisco), had some teething pains, but we've had them, everyone else has been through them, too. It won't take long for them to all sort that out. It couldn't have been a nicer regatta."
Belle Mente's crew member Matt Flood (Westbrook, Conn.) pointed out that this was indeed the crew's first regatta since the boat was launched earlier this summer. "It's so different in design, technology and speed from the previous Belle Mente," he said. "It's the planing vs. displacement, really, that makes it so totally different, very impressive."
In IRC Class 3, Blair Brown's (Newton, Mass.) Taylor 45 Sforzando won overall, with Bermuda's Star class Olympian Peter Bromby serving as tactician. "Yesterday's winds were patchy," he said, after his boat had won the day. "You were either in it or you weren't."
In IRC Class 4, which was comprised entirely of NYYC Swan 42s, new owner Phil Lotz (New Canaan, Conn.) aboard Arethusa, made his initial power play yesterday as well, winning two races before posting a 1-5 today to seal the deal.
Kevin Grainger (Rye, N.Y.) won the J/105 class with his Gumption3 after six races in his series. "We had two really good days of sailing in varied conditions--light air and flat seas yesterday and 10-13 today and lumpy and demanding. The top four boats were tight in our fleet, but we managed to figure it out enough today to stay in contention and execute better around the marks."
The Great Corinthian Trophy, awarded to the yacht club team with the best score in the two-day series went to Annapolis Yacht Club, with team members Rush, Flying Jenny VI and Tsunami.
For full results for the New York Yacht Club Annual Regatta presented by Rolex, please visit http://www.nyyc.org.
Around the Island Race
As a precursor to the two-day series, Friday's Around the Island race sent 78 entrants off on a 19-mile circumnavigation of Conanicut Island in Narragansett Bay.
Sixteen two-boat teams entered to compete for the Rolex Cup, which was won by Team NYYC Red, consisting of Richard Casner's Xhibition and Blair Brown's Sforzando
The Rolex Cup was presented by Rolex to the New York Yacht Club in 2004 in honor of the 150th Annual Regatta.
More About the NYYC 154th Annual Regatta Presented by Rolex
The tradition of the Annual Regatta began at the New York Yacht Club's original clubhouse in Hoboken, N.J., in 1845, during its second year of existence.
The Annual Regatta is part of US-IRC Gulf Stream Series for IRC yachts (http://www.us-irc.org) as well as the first leg of the 2008 NYYC Classic Series for classic yachts (http://www.nyyc.org).
As it is in every even-numbered year, the Annual Regatta also is part of the Onion Patch Series (www.bermudarace.com), which includes the Newport to Bermuda Race and the Anniversary Regatta of the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club, which takes place the Friday after the Newport to Bermuda Race. IRC is the rating rule for the Annual Regatta and the Anniversary Regatta, and ORR is required for the Bermuda Race entrants with an additional option for IRC, which will be used for the purpose of scoring the Onion Patch and determining an overall IRC winner for the Bermuda Race (North Rock Beacon Trophy).
Later this summer, the New York Yacht Club will also host its sixth biennial Race Week at Newport presented by Rolex. The event is scheduled for July 19-27 with the first weekend devoted to Classics racing, in honor of the 100th birthday of Olin J. Stephens, and the second half of the week devoted to IRC, PHRF and One-Design competitions.
(end)
NYYC 154th Annual Regatta Presented by Rolex
June 14-15, 2008
IRC Class 1
1. Numbers, Dan Meyers, Boston, Mass./Newport, R.I., JV 66, 3-1-1-1, 6
2. Belle Mente, Hap Fauth, Minneapolis, Minn., RP 69, 2-3-4-4, 13
3. Rosebud, Roger Sturgeon, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., STP65, 4-5-3-2, 14
IRC Class 2
1. Chippewa, Clay Deutsch, Newport, R.I., SWAN 68, 1-2 -1-2 , 6
2. Anema & Core, Ennio Staffini, Annapolis, Md., J/V 52, 3-3-2-3, 11
3. Snow Lion, Larry Huntington, New York, N.Y., Ker 50, 2-1-5-4, 12
IRC Class 3
1. Sforzando, Blair Brown, Newton, Mass., Taylor 45, 4 -1-1-1, 7
2. Bliksem, Peter Taselaar, Newport, R.I., Melges 32, 1-4-3-5, 13
3. Natalie J, Philip O'Niel, Bloomfield Hills, Mich., N/M 46 C/R, 2-3-4-6, 15
IRC Class 4 NYYC Swan 42
1. Arethusa, Phil Lotz, New Canaan, Conn., 1-1-5-8, 15
2. Vitesse, Jon Halbert, Dallas, Texas, 3-3-2-7, 15
3. Tsunami, Ostberg etc., Rockville, Md., 5-12-1-1, 19
IRC Class 5
1. Act One, Charlie Milligan, Newport, R.I. Mills/KING 40, 1-1-4-2 , 8
2. Chris Dragon, Andrew Weiss, Rye, N.Y., J-122, 3-2-7-1, 13
3. Flying Jenny VI, Dave Askew / Ken Comerford, Annapolis, Md., J-122, 2-3-5-6,16
IRC Class 6
1. Cabady, Randall Baldwin, Ridgefield, Conn., Concord 42, 1-3-1-1, 6
2. Crescendo, Martin Jacobson, Greenwich, Conn., Swan 44 II, 2 -2 -2-3, 9
3. Xhibition, Richard Casner, Dedham, Mass., X-35, 3-5-4-2, 14
IRC Class 7
1. Rush, Bill Sweetser, Annapolis, Md., J/109 2 -1-2 -1, 6
2. Troubador, Morton Weintraub, Larchmont, N.Y., Express 37, 1-2-4-2, 9
3. Ciao!, Philippe Paturel, ITA, Arch A-35, 3-5-1-3, 12
J/105
1. Gumption3, Kevin Grainger, Rye, N.Y., 1-2-2-2-1-2,10
2. Sea Shadow, Charles Shumway, Newport, R.I., 2-3-1-4-3-1, 14
3. Power Play, Bruce J. Stone/Scott De Weese, San Francisco, Calif., 4-1-4-1-2-3, 15
Farr 40
1. Barking Mad, Jim Richardson, Boston, Mass./Newport, R.I., 1-1-2-1-1-1-1-1-7(DNS), 16
2. Goombay Smash, Doug Douglass, Middletown, R.I., 2-3-1-2-2-2-2-2-7(DNS), 23
3. Infinity, John Thomson, Port Washington, N.Y., 2-3-1-2-2-2-2-2-7(DNF), 32
12 Metre Modern
1. USA, Ralph Isham, New York, N.Y., 3-1-1-1-2-3-3,14
2. Intrepid, John Curtin, New York, N.Y., 1-2-2-2-3-2-2, 14
3. Courageous, Stephen Glascock, Middletown, R.I., 2-3-3-41-1-1, 15
12 Metre Classic Traditional
1 Nefertiti, Jon Wullschleger, Sarasota, Fla., 1-1-2-1-1-1-1, 8
2. American Eagle, Anthony Chiurco, Princeton, N.J., 2-3-1-2-2-2-3, 15
3. Columbia, Alain Hanover, Newport, R.I., 3-2-3-3-3-3-2, 19
Classics
1. Black Watch, Richard Breeden, New York, N.Y., Custom S&S, 1-1-1-1-3, 7
2. Angelita, Sam Croll, Rye, N.Y., Eight Metre, 3-2-2-2-1, 10
3. Dorade Edgar Cato, Charlotte, N.C., Custom 41.1, 2-3-3-3-4, 15

U.S. National Kiteboard Racing Championship

2008-06-10T21:30:00.001-07:00

U.S. National Kiteboard Racing Championship
Saturday, June 14 3:00p
at Crissy Field Beach, San Francisco, CA
What: 2nd U.S. National Kiteboard Racing Championship
When: June 10-15, 2008 3:00 p.m.
Where: San Francisco’s waterfront, Crissy Field, The Marina District

Nostalgic Sailing Montages

2008-05-19T14:28:00.000-07:00

"Gitana 13" makes Sailing History

Flash Montages

Challenger Series 2002

Challenger Series, San Francisco Bay, 2003

Pacific Cup to Hawaii 2002, Pegasus

Pacific Cup to Hawaii 2002, Zephyrus

Pacific Cup to Hawaii 2004

Audi Melges, San Francisco Bay, 2002

Aussie 18 Internation Skiffs 2002

Big Boat Series 2002 Black + White

Big Boat Series presented by Rolex 2005 Saturday

Big Boat Series presented by Rolex 2005 Sunday

2007 Big Boats Photos + Video

Windsurfing Championships 2007

2008 SF Bay Tall Ship Parade

Sailing + Yachting

San Francisco Bay Area Sailing Information

SF Bay Yacht Clubs + Flags

SF Bay Tides + Currents

San Francisco Bay Sailing Blog

San Francisco Helicopter Rentals

Boat Rentals + Charters

SF Bay Ferry Transportation

San Francisco Hotels by City

San Francisco Bay Area Weather

San Francisco Bay Sailing Blog

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Storm Trysail Club's Block Island Race

2008-05-19T14:14:00.001-07:00

Big Turnout for Storm Trysail Club's Block Island Race

LARCHMONT, NY (May 19, 2008) – The Storm Trysail Club's 63rd Block Island Race, an annual distance race that serves as one of New England's first competition tune-ups for the summer season, starts Friday, May 23rd, at 5 p.m. and will host a fleet of more than 100 boats. The fastest boats are expected to finish by early- to mid-afternoon on Saturday after sprinting 185 nautical miles from a starting line just inside Stamford (Conn.) Harbor, down Long Island Sound, clockwise around Block Island (R.I.), and back to Stamford.

"We always get a bigger fleet in even years before the Newport to Bermuda Race," said Chairman Ray Redniss, adding that 104 boats have signed up with three more days left for registration, "and in 2006, we wound up with 105."

Redniss said it's also shaping up to be quite the interesting race, with Rambler, George David's 90-foot Reichel/Pugh design, returning to defend its title in the IRC Super-Zero class. Last year, nobody could touch him," said Redniss, explaining that by wide margins Rambler also took line honors, finishing in 18 hours, 57 minutes and 41 seconds, and secured the overall IRC fleet victory. When the conditions are favorable, the boats are always gunning to beat Boomerang's record in 2002 of just over 16 hours."

Plenty of IRC Super-Zero boats will be hoping for the "right" conditions to smash records and prepare for the distance they will have to log in the Newport to Bermuda Race, including three Reichel/Pugh designs--Hap Fauth's (Minneapolis, Minn.) new 69-foot Belle Mente, Bob and Farley Towse's (Stamford, Conn.) 66-foot Blue Yankee, and John Brim's (New York, N.Y.) 55-foot Rima2; Roger Sturgeon's STP65 Rosebud/Team DYT; Trey Fitzgibbons' (Greenwich, Conn.) Meriten 65 Mischievous; LLwyd Ecclestone's (West Palm Beach, Fla.) Frers 81 Kodiak, and the USMMA's Judel/Vrolijk 66 Defiance.

"Interesting also is the fact that a third of the fleet falls into the "classic" category for boats 15 years and older," said Redniss. Among those are John Melvin's (Riverside, Conn.) Concordia 39 Westray and Richard Breeden's (Charlottesville, Va.) recently re-fit 68-foot yawl (built in 1938) Black Watch, which will both sail in IRC. The fleet will also include at least 11 double-handed and 11 PHRF entries, and Redniss added that the preliminary scratch sheet (see www.yachtscoring.com) has been revised to split out the J/120s and J/122s (both sprit boats with similar sailing characteristics) into their own class.

Currently, the smallest boats entered are two Olson 30s: Benoit Ansart's (Old Greenwich, Conn.) double-handed entry Wave Dancer, and Thomas O'Connell's (Riverside, Conn.) PHRF entry Fin II. The majority of the smaller boats generally finish between midnight on Saturday and 8 a.m. Sunday morning.

The Block Island Race is part of the US-IRC Gulf Stream Series, the Northern Ocean Racing Trophy and the Double Handed Ocean Racing Trophy (both for IRC) and the New England Lighthouse Series (PHRF). Specifically for Long Island Sound sailors, the Block Island Race is a qualifier for the Caper, Sagola and Windigo trophies awarded by the Yacht Racing Association of Long Island Sound and the “Tuna Trophy” for the best IRC combined scores in the Block Island Race (weighted 60%) and Larchmont Yacht Club’s EDLU Race (weighted 40%).

Registration for the Block Island Race, open through Wednesday May 21, is on-line at www.stormtrysail.org. For more information, contact Ray Redniss, rredniss@optonline.net, or the Storm Trysail Club office at 914-834-8857.

About the Storm Trysail Club

The Storm Trysail Club, reflecting in its name the sail to which sailors must shorten when facing adverse conditions, is one of the world’s most respected sailing clubs, with its membership comprised strictly of skilled blue water and ocean racing sailors. In addition to hosting Block Island Race Week presented by Rolex in odd-numbered years, the club holds various prestigious offshore racing events (among them the annual Fort Lauderdale to Key West Race and the Pineapple Cup Montego Bay Race); annual junior safety-at-sea seminars; and a regatta for college sailors using big boats.

2008-05-16T12:36:00.001-07:00

THE ARTEMIS TRANSAT – Day 6

It's oh so quiet for now for the IMOCA 60 fleet

In Brief
- BT still ahead despite the high-stakes second ridge crossing
- Strong winds to hit the leaders tonight, another light zone is expected before ice gate
- Oily seas, whales and magic sunsets - be sure to check the picture gallery
- Video race updates available http://theartemistransat.com/60/video.asp

In Detail

Voices of the high seas have been very quiet this morning - skippers had warned when contacted by Race HQ shortly before dawn, it had been a tiring night on top of 3 tiring days, and most of them would spend a few hours asleep. Wind conditions were steady enough to allow for some rest - the front boats doing around 8 knots, pilots coping well - and the tactical options were bound to be limited today anyway. This does not mean the whole fleet had taken the day off! Sébastien Josse, still leading aboard BT, managed to maintain his position despite yet another night of park up, and this morning the first trio has pulled away from Yann Elies (Generali), north, and Armel Le Cléac'h (Brit Air), south.

Sunrise onboard Gitana Eighty
© Loïck Peyron / Gitana SA

Aboard PRB, Vincent Riou lying in second place perfectly summed-up the situation this morning when we spoke to him. In typical laconic Breton fashion (on top of which an important level of fatigue has to be considered), he stuck to the facts: "It's a lot of work, the past three days have been tiring and real sleep isn't on the menu quite yet. There isn't a lot of wind, I'm in Sébastien's wake and tactically, that's my only option. Both of us are gradually gaining south."

With Michel Desjoyeaux now heading back home, the leading pack is down to five boats, but the very compact aspect of that flotilla one could observe earlier in the week has been disturbed by two successive ridges.

As Armel Le Cléac'h expalined this morning, Brit Air managed to catch up last night when the top 3 boats slowed down, but ended up losing ground once more... "I was just behind Vincent and Jojo, but I fell into a hole. There is a little more wind now, not much but at least we can rest." Some 70 miles away from BT in terms of distance to the finish, Brit Air might be able to overtake Generali, whose DTL (distance to leader) is roughly the same, but whose north positioning implies less wind in the coming hours.

Up in front, the leading trio is within less than 30 miles, Loick Peyron's Gitana Eighty having been slightly slower the BT and PRB - higher in latitude, the double winner had less pressure to play with. Having led the second group before being "passed" (one mile in terms of DTF...) by Akena Verandas this afternoon, Samantha Davies (Roxy) makes the most of every single puff, but has paid her dues to the ridge yesterday as she told us: "I'm sad because I sailed into the no wind zone so the lead I had on the other boats behind has completely vanished so looks like we're going to have a restart - but it’s better if one boat doesn't get away on its own as the fun is racing against everyone."

No wind for Roxy
© Sam Davies / Roxy

Southwesterlies are expected to kick in tonight, and it's going to be difficult for Sam and the middle of the fleet considering the breeze isn't exactly willing to come and meet them, the system moving north and playing hard to get. With the blackout beginning in a few hours, some psychological relief may intervene since the skippers will not be able to monitor their gains or losses every two hours tomorrow, and as Loick Peyron put it with humor this morning, "I think it's a very good thing, an excellent idea on the part of the organizers. I'd even be in favor of a 15-day blackout to be honest! The last data we will get (note: tonight) will be crucial, because they will be our last link with our little friends. I really like the notion that everything will be possible."

Jean-Luc Nélias's view - "The hardest part"
"Today's work will be to fight their hardest to get out of the glue they've been stuck in, and limit the losses on the boats to their west. For the boats further behind the messy conditions will continue a bit longer - ultimately they will have to cross the area, the calm area will not pass them - so its just hard work and perseverance that will deliver them to the new wind in the west. The low pressure system that brings the SW wind is moving very slowly, and mostly towards the north, so you have to go find these winds, they aren't coming to the boats."

Roland Jourdain's comments on Michel Desjoyeaux's retirement
"It's the first time for him, and I remember my first race abandon, it was an extremely cruel moment. I had to pull out of the Vendée Globe in 2004 due to keel problems, and psychologically it's very hard - it's like your arms have just fallen off. You may want to kick the bulkheads out of frustration, your face goes through every colour of the rainbow's spectrum."

Leaderboard - 14:00 GMT update
1- BT Distance to finish 1728 nm
2- PRB Distance to leader 22 nm
3- Gitana Eighty DTL 35 nm
4- Generali DTL 66 nm
5- Brit Air DTL 67 nm
6- Akena Verandas DTL 187 nm
7- Roxy DTL 188 nm
8- Cervin EnR DTL 221 nm
9- Safran DTL 222 nm
10- Aviva EnR DTL 250 nm
11- Spirit of Weymouth DTL 263 nm
12- Pakea Bizkaia 2009 DTL 267 nm
ABD Foncia

For more information about The Artemis Transat and to follow racing live online, go to Artemis Transat. Follow the race with the 2D Live tracker

- Read the latest blogs from the skippers in the Boat Logs section at Skippers Blogs

THE ARTEMIS TRANSAT – Day 6

2008-05-16T12:22:00.001-07:00

THE ARTEMIS TRANSAT – Day 6
Before the darkness descends

In brief
- High pressure ridge begins to bite
- Updates and audio and video conferences with the skippers will continue throughout the blackout as normal

In detail
As the overnight blackout lifted at 0600GMT on Friday morning, it became clear that the race leader, Giovanni Soldini on Telecom Italia, had slammed into the ridge of high-pressure first, dropping his 4 hour speed average to just under 5 knots. "It's a high pressure ridge and conditions are not 'top of the top', you know. There's no wind."

One consolation for Soldini is that the sun has finally appeared on Day 6 of The Artemis Transat: "At least we have some blue skies," the Italian confirms. As far as tactics through this zone of light airs, Soldini is philosophical: "Now I've chosen the northern part of the course, that's it for me. If the southern boats do better, it doesn't matter," he said laughing, "I can't do anymore." His next geographical target is the 130 mile wide ice gate 150 miles to the south of The Grand Banks and approximately 900 miles south-west of Telecom Italia: "I'm just going to do the best I can until the next waypoint."

The Class40 fleet has divided into three distinct groups, fanning out over 180 miles north-south across a relatively shallow (450 metres) section of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. In the north, Soldini leads a French pack containing Thierry Bouchard on Mistral Loisirs - Pole Sante ELIOR (5th place), Yvan Noblet and Appart' City (6th place) and Christophe Coatnoan on Groupe Partouche (8th place). The racing within the top four has been tight throughout the race and only 26 miles separating the pack as the 36 hour blackout approaches. For Bouchard, just 27 miles behind Soldini, this situation is becoming a habit: "In front of me, there's always Telecom Italia," he commented this morning. "It would be interesting to have a close look and see if this boat isn't a Ferrari painted white! It was great to see him at the start of the race..but that's probably the last we'll see of him."

Miranda Merron on 40 Degrees in 3rd place, was first in the middle group to report entering the high pressure: "Oily calm in the ridge, spending a lot of time keeping the boat moving. Currently 4 knots, has been as low as 2," she informed the race office in an early email. "Think it's Beluga I can see. Must go!"

40 Degrees is part of an Anglo-Franco-Germanic sub-fleet of Boris Herrmann's Beluga Racer (2nd place), Simon Clarke with Clarke Offshore Racing (11th place), Alex Bennett's Fujifilm (4th place) and Halvard Mabire on Custo Pol (7th place).

Mabire described conditions in the no-wind zone: "This calm patch is not so bad. There is a little magic to making the boat glide along with only a breath of wind. Obviously, to benefit from the beauty of the moment, there is a basic rule - not easy to apply - and it is important not to imagine that the others have wind and you are the only one without it! To do so is the best means of transforming one good moment into a nightmare." Bouchard then shared some of his light-airs tips: "Physically it's very demanding, because one spends all the time on the helm and not moving too much weight about in the boat. The whole process is like trying to do everything with the steps of wolf [faire ça à pas de loup], minimizing movement, not risking shaking the boat and stalling."

The southern group is an entirely French affair with the duo Louis Duc on Groupe Royer (9th place) and Benoit Parnaudeau with Prevoir Vie (10th place).

For Duc, the youngest sailor in the race at 25 years-old, choosing the southerly option was a wise move: "I decided to go south to cross the high pressure ridge at the narrowest point," he explained via satellite phone earlier. Groupe Royer maintained good boat speeds throughout the day, polling a higher average than many in the fleet. Like Bouchard in the middle group, Benoit Parnaudeau has been practicing his light-airs skills: "I've discovered there's a huge difference between handsteering and letting the pilot drive the boat in these conditions," he reported earlier. "I'm easily 1 knot faster than the pilot."

ARTEMIS TRANSAT – Day 3 for Class40 Fleet

2008-05-13T10:25:00.000-07:00

ARTEMIS TRANSAT – Day 3 for Class40 Fleet
May 13 – Spreading out into the Atlantic

In Brief
- Different tactical options north and south as the fleet finds open water
- Close quarters racing as paths cross in the night
- Fatigue and illness for Boris Herrmann
- Check the fleet's strategic analysis by Jean-Luc Nelias here http://www.theartemistransat.com/40/article.asp?sid=14815

In Detail: Class40 Fleet
Having slipped south of the Scilly Isles in thick fog during the early morning of Day 2, the Class40 fleet has picked-up speed and is fanning out north-south now they are clear of land. Race leader, Giovanni Soldini opted to take Telecom Italia north on a starboard gybe overnight in 15 knots of NE breeze, gybed south back towards the main body of the fleet at around 0900GMT this morning, dived down towards second place Appart' City before gybing north again and the Italian now holds a 12 mile lead over the yellow yacht's French skipper, Yvan Noblet.

In the south, Boris Herrmann's Beluga Racer and Miranda Merron's 40 Degrees became increasingly isolated from the fleet overnight. Merron's deep southerly option was a response to sail problems: “Long slow night on 40 Degrees following a spinnaker 'issue', now resolved. Will catch up the miles,” she reported earlier via email and soon slipped back onto starboard gybe this morning. As Merron headed north, Boris Herrmann kept south, remaining in 10th position, one place behind 40 Degrees. Having lead the race during the first night and featured heavily in the front pack during the early stages, Herrmann's sudden drop in the rankings was a concern and a flu bug contracted shortly before the start has been taking its toll physically and emotionally: "I've been sleeping a lot to get over it," he assured the race office this morning, "but I haven't felt confident enough to use the spinnaker or gennaker when I'm not on deck." Reduced sail, illness and a period during the night of just 2 knots of breeze have not helped morale on board: "I feel very alone," admitted the 26 year-old, "and I've never felt that before." In the afternoon, Merron gybed back south to rejoin Hermann and maintains a 3 mile lead over the German Class40.

When Soldini gybed south this morning, Christophe Coatnoan with Groupe Partouche and Alex Bennett's Fujifilm stayed north, almost locked together, matching their gybes with the French skipper reporting a visual sighting of Bennett's green Class40 shortly after sunrise. The British skipper was in an optimistic mood this morning, despite a difficult start to the race: "We have just crossed the continental shelf and are now powering our way out into the Atlantic at speed under Code 5 and full mainsail," he reports, averaging a healthy 9.9 knots over the past 24 hours. "Conditions on board are good and comfortable. I've been playing catch up with the fleet after I sailed into a light wind zone off the Lizard on the first night. However, it's a long race and I feel we are nicely placed to start making our charge from here on." For now, Bennett in 6th is less than a mile north Coatnoan, leading the French yacht by under a mile with the pair matching their average speed at 10 knots.

Further close-contact racing was evident as the fleet split and opted for port or starboard gybe late yesterday with Yvan Noblet on Appart' City sailing close to 40 Degrees just as Merron headed south. Noblet also had visual contact with Halvard Mabire on Custo Pol as Appart' City overtook, climbing the leader board to second place, 12 miles behind Telecom Italia. At the time, Mabire was dealing with an uninvited, feathered guest: "I've had a swift on board who has no clue about the weather and clearly didn't study the met forecast before leaving," the French skipper said this morning, doubting the bird's intelligence in setting off for Africa in an easterly breeze. "It hung around the inside of the boat and did (his business) on my computer keyboard before leaving. It was really very impolite and the bird should enroll in a course on manners."

Currently in 4th position, 4 miles behind Thierry Bouchard and Mistral Loisirs - Pole Santé ELIOR, Mabire is sailing cautiously: "I don't know the boat well and I'm taking care with all the systems," he told the race office earlier, before asking for news of The Artemis Transat IMOCA Open 60 fleet: "As you ask me to write messages, it would be kind if you could give me news of the 60s in return," requested 52 year-old Mabire who misses the constant radio chat and interviews of his previous OSTAR, Figaro and Route du Rhum races. "The race is a bit like a video game on the computer screens of those onshore," he wrote in an email last night. "I'm beginning to miss the proximity of human contact."

The north-south spread of the Class40 fleet is approximately 120 miles and while Fujifilm and Groupe Partouche at the northern extremity and 40 Degrees and Beluga Racer to the south seem content to race within a few miles of each other, the middle block of yachts are keeping a healthy distance between each other. Simon Clarke took a long gybe north today before gybing south and has held onto 8th place since dropping behind Group Partouche early this morning and Prevoir Vie remains the backmarker, 79 miles behind Soldini in 11th place. This morning, the French yacht's skipper, Benoit Parnaudeau, recalled the first full day of racing: "In the fog yesterday, it was a sunless day and I kept my eyes locked on the AIS radar to monitor the commercial shipping," he explained, praising the equipment that is now mandatory in Class40. "You can see the ship's name on the screen, its speed, heading and the unit sends and receives a radar echo. I can tell if a vessel is a cargo ship or a fishing boat, so the system is a good friend in all situations." Parnaudeau has suffered sail damage and has finally made repairs to the overheating engine on board Prevoir Vie, but the 36 year-old is pragmatic about his position: "It's time to look at the weather and as I'm behind the fleet, I really need to see what's going to happen." Currently, Parnaudeau is 27 miles behind Boris Herrmann and Beluga Racer in 10th.

For more information about The Artemis Transat and to follow racing live online, go to www.theartemistransat.com. Follow the race with the 2D Live tracker

ICE GATE ANNOUNCED FOR THE ARTEMIS TRANSAT

2008-05-08T12:34:00.000-07:00

ICE GATE ANNOUNCED FOR THE ARTEMIS TRANSAT
Race course length increases
In brief:
- Race direction announces a compulsory ice gate, course increases by 210 miles
- Loick Peyron statement on race
- Meet Steve White, the 13th man in the IMOCA 60 lineup
- LIVESKIPPER open registration – your chance to race the boats yourself, live, during the race from the dry and warm cockpit of your computer desk! http://www.liveskipper.com

In detail:
Race direction announces compulsory ice gate

Having kept a careful eye on the ice reports, the Race Direction team decided to put an ice gate in place on the course. The gate is a virtual horizontal line, a point of which must be left to starboard.

“Given the number of ice blocks and their presence very far South this year,” explained Sylvie Viant (Race Director), “we felt, after having consulted the skippers that it was a necessary move, because safety is our first concern.”

The gate, a 130-mile wide line located between 47º and 50º W at 40º N (below the Grand Banks), will imply the course is now longer by approximately 210 miles, for a total of 2955 miles. The risk of collision with an iceberg is obviously one of the singlehander's worst nightmares, and a major hazard at this time of year on the North Atlantic.

Loick Peyron, 25 years after

Coming back for the 5th time after having won the event twice - and thus equaling Eric Tabarly's feat - Loick Peyron is clearly among the favorites for The Artemis Transat 2008.

“It's great to be here at the heart of historic Plymouth, having the boats docked in Sutton Harbour, around The Barbican makes a huge difference in terms of atmosphere,” said the ever-relaxed Breton skipper, whose Gitana Eighty Open 60' was undergoing final preparations.

“Funny to think that it's almost been 25 years since I took my first transatlantic start here in Plymouth, and that I've never raced that course in a monohull. And if those boats are clearly less stressful to sail singlehanded than the multis, the new generation of monohull is very sophisticated and requires huge efforts. The sail area is massive, the ballast system crucial, and all the little refinements make maneuvers somewhat complex: a complete tack can take up to 25 minutes!”

Like his fellow competitors, Peyron acknowledges the fact that the race is very open this year. “It's very hard to foresee the podium, as I can identify at least 6 boats capable of winning,” he said. “Too bad a lot of our English rivals cannot be with us... But I really sympathize; it surely is a big disappointment."

Meet Steve White
Steve White, 35, the latest addition to the IMOCA fleet in The Artemis Transat, admits he started sailing “by accident, with a friend who bought a boat but didn't have a tow bar on his car. I did, helped him out, sailed with him because he was nervous to go alone... and a couple of years later I found myself buying a 30 footer.” But the big life-changing experience came in 1998, when Steve had a chance to round the Fastnet on a 67-ft boat in tough conditions. “We set off from Plymouth, and were blown out of our boots by 35 - 40-knot winds, it was great. I drove home, quit my job and decided that the Vendée Globe was my goal. I had followed Christophe Auguin's race and it had fascinated me.”

Read Steve's story here http://theartemistransat.com/60/article.asp?sid=14416

Ice detector aboard Marc Guillemot's IMOCA 60 Safran

Developped by Sagem (part of the Safran Group), a unidentified object detector is currently being set up aboard Marc Guillemot's IMOCA 60. The prototype, which will be tested during The Artemis Transat, consists of a miniature thermo-sensitive camera fitted on the masthead. The camera detects all objects which show a significant temperature difference with their environment - the system is essentially developed to spot icebergs and growlers, and originates from the special binoculars used by sea rescuers to catch a "thermal signal", like the emerged head of a man who has fallen overboard.

To follow The Artemis Transat, visit http://www.theartemistransat.com and click on race viewer options (2D and 3D viewers).

San Francisco Bay Sailing for Kids

2008-05-07T08:52:00.000-07:00

Youth Sailing Schools - Education San Francisco - Non Profit

Sailing Education Adventures

SEA is a nonprofit community-based sailing training organization. We provide low-cost sailing education to the San Francisco Bay Area. Sailing Education Adventures (SEA) is a San Francisco Bay Area non-profit, volunteer, membership organization dedicated to promoting sailing through affordable instruction and related educational and social activities.
www.sailsea.org
America True Youth Sailing
America True is entirely dedicated to providing youth with opportunity to benefit from sailing and its inherent life lessons. We believe that sailing can teach youth valuable life lessons including confidence, independence, strategic thinking, teamwork and respect for the environment. We believe that sailing can, and should be open to all regardless of gender, culture, ethnic, or economic background. We believe that many of those who could benefit most do not currently have access to the sailing experience.
Write, call or visit us at:

America True, Pier 40, San Francisco, California 94107

Telephone: 415 974 1018, Fax: 415 974 1024

www.americatrue.org
Sausalito Yacht Club Junior Sailing
Sausalito Yacht Club Junior Sailing Program

Sausalito Yacht Club

Located at the Foot of El Portal

Mailing address: PO Box 267 Sausalito, CA 94966

(415) 332-7400
San Francisco Yacht Club Youth Sailing
Youth Sailing at the San Francisco Yacht Club has a number of distinct components: Youth Instructional Programs, High School Racing, High Performance Sailing, "All Age Programs" and Private Sessions are organized through the Youth Sailing Office. Below is an outline of these activities and details may be obtained by clicking on the appropriate links on this site.

Youth Instructional Sailing Programs

In the Spring, Summer and Fall, classes are offered for beginner, intermediate and advanced sailors. Members and nonmembers from 8-16 years of age are welcome to participate in these fun and instructional sessions.

Youth Sailing Program

98 Beach Road, PO Box 379, Belvedere, CA 94920
www.sfyc.org

Youth Sailing Program phone 415-435-9525

San Francisco Bay Axis - San Francisco Bay Area Informaiton. SF Bay Area Yacht Clubs

Spinnakers - The Downwind Leg - Photography from San Francisco Bay yacht Races from the past five years by SF BAY IMAGES. Colorful aerial and marine photography. Full Length high resolution Enhanced DVD without watermarks available at www.SFBAYSTORE.com.

TEN DAYS AND COUNTING TO THE START OF THE ARTEMIS TRANSAT

2008-05-02T11:29:00.001-07:00

TEN DAYS AND COUNTING TO THE START OF THE ARTEMIS TRANSAT
Fleet will finish in Boston, Mass., USA

May 1, 2008

IN BRIEF:
* Race fleet now heading to Sutton Harbour, Plymouth (UK) to arrive one week ahead of the official start on Sunday 11th May.

* Ten boats to take part in the prologue race from Douarnenez (France) to Plymouth.

* Race village opens Saturday, 3rd May encompassing an exciting mix of exhibits, education and entertainment.

http://www.theartemistransat.com

IN DETAIL:
Race fleet heading to Plymouth
Twenty-five skippers are now heading towards Plymouth in preparation for the start of The Artemis Transat on Sunday, 11th May. The entire race fleet must be berthed inside Sutton Harbour, Plymouth by Sunday evening, 4th May. Once at Sutton Harbour the skippers and their shore teams will continue with their final preparations as the Race Committee carry out final boat inspections to check the boats comply with the racing rules. Then the fleet is confined to their pontoons on Friday, 9th May at 1100hrs until the start.

Michel Desjoyeaux, skipper of IMOCA 60 Foncia, and winner of the ORMA 60 Class in the 2004 edition of the race observed: “The North Atlantic in May is a very demanding playground, but it will be a bit more relaxed for me this time since I'm now racing a monohull, which is less stressful…but it certainly won't be an easy ride. The Artemis Transat will be a good round of observation as far as our future Vendée Globe rivals are concerned, but given the specificities of the course, it will be important not to jump to conclusions."

Yvan Noblet, skipper of Class40 Appart City, had this to say: “I've heard the accounts of the oldest of all transatlanticraces ever since I was a child, and for me it really is a reference - its course on the North Atlantic is certainly the toughest given the extreme conditions that are likely to be encountered. I'm very confident as far as my boat is concerned, and am looking forward to going back to solo racing, which I have not done since the last Route du Rhum."

Ten boats to compete in Prologue
Following on from the Grand Prix Petit Navire in France, up to ten of The Artemis Transat race fleet plan to take part in the official prologue from Douarnenez to Plymouth. The IMOCA 60s include Akena Vérandas (Arnaud Boissieres), Brit Air (Armel Le Cleac’h), Foncia (Michel Desjoyeaux), Generali (Yann Elies) and PRB (Vincent Riou).

The Class40 players are Appart’ City (Yvan Noblet), Beluga Shipping (Boris Herrmann), Custo Pol (Halvard Mabire), Prévoir VIE (Benoit Parneaudeau) and Telecom Italia
(Giovanni Soldini).

Race Village Opens Saturday, 3rd May

The Race Village for The Artemis Transat located at Sutton Harbour (UK) officially
opens at 10.00am on Saturday, 3rd May. Councilor Glenn Jordan, Plymouth City Council Cabinet Member for Healthy Communities and Leisure and Nigel Godefroy, Chief Executive, Sutton Harbour Group will be cutting the ribbon to mark the occasion. At the heart of the action the Race Village will offer a host of attractions to the public including the Tall Ship Earl of Pembroke, Gipsy Moth IV and an Ocean Racing Exhibition (part of the education program). The entertainments package is extensive with street entertainers plus the inaugural Barbican International Jazz and Blues Festival.

"The best events have color excitement, ambience, uniqueness and community support. Event South West has worked very hard with OC Events to ensure that the cultural heart of the The Artemis Transat has been a real focus. The extensive entertainments and educational programs centered around the race village really demonstrate how it has become a great public spectacle which was central to Plymouth being awarded its host city status," commented Conrad Humphreys, Managing Director, Events South West who have been a driving force behind the cultural program of activities.

For full information on the Race Village and program of events, visit the website
http://www.theartemistransat.com and click on the What’s on in Plymouth button

(end)

Additional Notes to Editors:
Media Center in Boston -- located at the Boston Harbor Hotel from May 20, between 0900-1800 EST. The Media Center will be open for a minimum of two hours for any boat arrival outside of these opening hours.

Boston Harbor Hotel
50 Rowes Wharf
Boston, MA 02110
Tel: +1 617-838-0273

Online Media Center http://media.theartemistransat.com
Accredited media will have access to the Online Media Center where all written and multimedia content required to cover The Artemis Transat is available. Written reports, audio files (raw and edited), onboard video files, video race updates, video news releases, 2D animations, photos, etc. will all be made available to download.

Rosebud Racing Joins Team DYT

2008-04-30T10:51:00.000-07:00

CONTACT: Barby MacGowan, Media Pro Int'l, 401-849-0220, barby.macgowan@mediapronewport.com or Catalina Bujor, Dockwise Yacht Transport, 954-525-8707, catalina@dockwise-yt.com
Rosebud Racing Joins Team DYT
Dockwise Yacht Transport will be Carrier of Choice for High-Profile Racing Team
FT. LAUDERDALE, FLA. (April 28, 2008) -- Dockwise Yacht Transport (DYT), the world's leading yacht logistics company with its own fleet of semi-submersible ships, has announced that Rosebud Racing has joined forces with the company to become Rosebud Racing/Team DYT. The Farr-designed Rosebud was launched in June 2007 as the world's first STP65, a "box-rule" collaboration between the Storm Trysail Club and the TransPacific Yacht Club. Owned by Roger Sturgeon of Ft, Lauderdale, Fla., it has set the racing world on fire with its recent performances, including winning the overall IRC handicap title in the famed Rolex Sydney Hobart Race at the end of 2007. In that race, Sturgeon also became the first American in 30 years to take overall regatta honors, joining only two other Americans who can make the same claim: Jim Kilroy (Kialoa III in 1977) and Ted Turner (American Eagle in 1972).
"The Rosebud campaign has had an exhilarating journey, and the future will prove even more remarkable," said Sturgeon, adding that Rosebud Racing/Team DYT will use DYT services for shipping the team's prized race boat to race destinations around the world. "There is no better way to get to our far-off race destinations than using the Dockwise Yacht Transport service. The company has a magnificent staff of service managers and loading masters to help us with scheduling and, most important, the safe transport of our yacht."
DYT operates four semi-submersible yacht carriers, including the new 687.5-foot (209 meter) Yacht Express, which takes regular runs between Ft. Lauderdale and Genoa, Italy. The float-on/float off process that is unique to these ships alleviates worries about wear and tear on the boat.
"Rosebud Racing/Team DYT is the perfect ambassador for the segment of our personalized customer service that devotes itself to getting race boats to their regattas around the world," said DYT President Clemens van der Werf. "For instance, the DYT voyage scheduled in August from Newport, R.I. to Sardinia, Italy, will get Rosebud and other racing yachts to the Mediterranean in time for the racing season there."
Rosebud
will sport its new Team DYT sail and hull graphics when it competes in New England this summer at Block Island Race, the New York Yacht Club Annual Regatta presented by Rolex, the Newport to Bermuda Race (which was won by Sturgeon's previous Rosebud, a TP52, in 2004), the Edgartown Yacht Club Round the Island Race, and the New York Yacht Club Race Week at Newport presented by Rolex. After it crosses the Atlantic with DYT's help, it will compete in the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup (Sardinia, Italy) in September and the Rolex Middle Sea Races (Malta) in October, before heading back with other sailboats on a DYT ship to Ft. Lauderdale at the end of October.

A designer of computer software and a member of Lauderdale Yacht Club as well as Hyannis Yacht Club in Massachusetts, Sturgeon is joined on the crew of Rosebud Racing/Team DYT by his wife Isobel and noteworthy international sailors.
More about DYT
Headquartered in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, DYT is a wholly owned subsidiary of Dockwise Ltd. (Hamilton, Bermuda), the global leader in maritime transports and installation. Since its maiden voyage in 1987, the company has transported over 9,000 motor and sailing yachts to various destinations around the globe, offering owners and charterers safe and easy access to many of the world’s premier cruising grounds.
In addition to its conservation partnership with The Billfish Foundation, the only non-profit organization dedicated solely to conserving and enhancing billfish populations around the world, DYT is also partnered with the International SeaKeepers Society. Its newest ship, Yacht Express, is outfitted with the modular SeaKeeper 1000TM ocean and meteorological monitoring system, which samples, measures, records and transmits critical measures of ocean health--salinity, temperature, oxygen and pollution, among others--to various scientific and public communities across the globe.
Along with area representatives around the world, DYT has additional operating offices in Italy, France, Martinique and Newport (R.I.). A partnership with BBC Chartering and Logistics also allows DYT to manage safe lift-on/lift-off service aboard BBC's fleet of 140 cargo vessels worldwide. The service is for clients who need additional scheduling flexibility or the ability to get to a destination not normally serviced by DYT's semi-submersible ships.
For more information, visit http://www.yacht-transport.com or contact Catalina Bujor, Dockwise Yacht Transport, 954-525-8707, pr@dockwise-yt.com.