(San Diego, CA)- Dennis Conner has been having fun in his "post-America's Cup" life. Who can blame him, he should be having fun. After a remarkable record of winning the
AC with his own program in 1979-1980 with the FREEDOM-ENTERPRISE
campaign, losing it the subsequent time around in 1983 with the
LIBERTY-FREEDOM campaign, then winning it back in the 1987 Fremantle
Doctor campaign with that fast "submarine" called STARS & STRIPES,
"DC" has more than anyone left everything on the matt, so to speak, in
his efforts to grow (and win) the America's Cup.Recently, DC has been having a blast sailing a light-air 60 footer offshore, the latest STARS & STRIPES. And, he's been having a lot of fun taking a classic yacht off the Great Lakes, the 102 year old FAME, into various classic yacht events for some more relaxed sailing in SoCal. Recently, DC sailed FAME to a 1st to finish and 1st overall in the McNish Classic Yacht Regatta at Pacific Corinthian YC of Oxnard, California.
As if DC didn't have enough boats to sail from his "garage", which includes at least two nicely prepared Etchells 22s, DC recently decided to jump into some local J/105 sailing with some of his friends. Following in the foot-steps of one of his childhood heroes, DC bought Lowell North's old J/105 #3 called PHOLLY. DC hopes to sail in the SoCal J/105 Champs and the J/105 Championships this October in San Diego, hosted by his local club- San Diego YC. Plus, it looks like DC may also be sailing against long-time friends and competitor, Buddy Melges from Zenda, Wisconsin in the J/105 Masters Regatta later in November! Should be fun to see the old masters dueling it out amongst one another for bragging rights at the SDYC bar! Plus, as the recent US Sailing America's Best Sailor winner, it will be more than amusing to see a number of the finalists enjoying camaraderie at the local sailor's watering hole.
