(Miami, Florida)- James Boyd from SailingIntelligence.com wrote an interesting piece on
Augie Diaz, titled “Master of the Classics”. It is an insightful,
entertaining story and perspective on how Augie evolved into one of the
world’s better sailors, truly a story reminiscent of Robert Frost’s
famous poem- “The Road Not Taken”.
For starters, Augie is a Cuban émigré as a child, when his father-
Gonzalo “Old Man” Diaz- brought his family to Miami to escape the wrath
of the communist dictator- Fidel Castro.
In his early racing days, Augie first met the Johnstone family sailing
470s in the 1973 to 1977 time frame. At that time in college, Augie had
teamed up with a buddy of his from Tulane University- Doug Bull- and
sailed the USA 470 National circuit for awhile, achieving good success
against the likes of David Ullman (a 4x 470 World Champion) and the two
Johnstone brothers (Stu and Drake) sailing USA 600. In addition, Augie
had met Bob & Mary Johnstone as well as Rod & Lucia Johnstone
sailing 470s and, later, in J/24s.
By 1977, the J/24 had been created by Bob and Rod Johnstone and the
first J/24 Midwinters took place in Key West, FL in 1978. Seeing that it
was going to be a “hot” class and a lot of fun, Augie jumped in to race
his own J/24 against famous names such as Dave Ullman, Ken Read, Mark
Ploch, David Curtis, Jud Smith, the crazy Brazilian- Vince Brun, and
others (all familiar to most J/Boats sailors for having won multiple
J/24, Etchells 22, 470, and Star World Championships). The pinnacle of
Augie’s J/24 success was winning the J/24 Midwinters in 1983 on Biscayne
Bay, his home waters and hosted by his home club- Coral Reef YC.
Since that time in J/24s, Augie stopped sailing and focused on his
family business in the medical supplies business in Florida. After
helping grow the business, the Diaz family sold their healthcare
business and, as a result, Augie dove back into sailing his beloved
Snipes and Stars. Here is that story from James Boyd below:
Few boats reward both brains and brawn in such equal measure as the
Star. It was partly this that enabled a 64-year-old ‘amateur’ to claim
this year’s Star European Championship in Flensburg, Germany.
Admittedly Cuba-born American AgustÃn ‘Augie’ DÃaz was sailing with one
of the class’ top crew – in addition to his four Star World Championship
titles, Brazilian Bruno Prada scored Star silver and bronze
respectively at the Beijing and London Olympics with his long-term helm
Robert Scheidt.
But with more than 35 years’ experience and wisdom gained from competing
against the world’s best in the class, DÃaz is today one of the top
helms as he proved when he and Prada became Star World Champions in
2016. The European Championship trophy is the latest silverware for this
successful partnership’s trophy cabinet.
DÃaz comes from a sailing dynasty. His grandfather sailed and in 1959,
his father Gonzalo and uncle Saul claimed silvers for Cuba in the Snipe
both at the Pan American Games and at the Snipe Worlds, on the latter
occasion to none other than Paul Elvstrøm.
After his parents immigrated to Florida, an eight-year-old Augie took up
sailing in the Optimist. While studying mechanical engineering at
Tulane University in New Orleans, in 1974 he led Tulane Green Wave
sailing team to win the coveted Leonard M. Fowle Trophy for the top
scoring overall collegiate team. That same year he was voted College
Sailor of the Year.
Despite his success in the Star in recent years, for most of his life
Augie has been known, like his father, for racing Snipes. In this 1931
vintage doublehanded dinghy, his record is exceptional. He twice won the
class’ biennial World Championship (in 2003 and 2005), something that
only a handful of sailors have achieved, among them Torben Grael and
Santiago Lange.
He also won Snipe World Masters Championships in 2002, 2004, 2006 and
2012, along with countless US and North American titles. Fifty-two years
on, he emulated his father winning silver at the 2011 Pan American
Games.
So, what is it about boats from the first half of the 20th century that
he prefers? “Some of the classes that are popular are more about boat
handling and speed, which are also important,” explains DÃaz. “But, I
prefer tactical sailing where you have to do both – be good tactically,
good athletically, and have good boat handling.”
Although he was never selected to go to the Olympic Games, he tried in
1976 and 1980 in the Flying Dutchman and in 1984 made as far as the
trials in the Star, but was up against Bill Buchan and Stevie Erickson
who went on to claim the gold at Los Angeles.
After that DÃaz admits, “My time was passed. I had a fast-growing
business and family. In fact I didn’t sail from 1986 to 1999.” This he
describes as his “period of slavery…work and Little League coaching!”
His first Star World Championship was in 1983 in Los Angeles but he
competed in them again two years later in Nassau, on the very same
waters albeit some 30 years on that the Star Sailor’s League Finals are
held annually.
The partnership with Bruno Prada began in 2006-7, whenever there was an
event that Robert Scheidt couldn’t make – usually the ones in Miami over
the winter. “I was very fortunate that I was the same weight as Robert,
so Bruno didn’t have to lose any weight,” recalls DÃaz. “And for Bruno
it was a safe: If we did well it was because of him. If we did badly it
was because of me!”
DÃaz says that his partner is much more than just a crew. “He is one of
the guys in the class who has extensive helming experience in the Finn
and in the Snipe when he was younger. He is really a skipper on the
boat. Fortunately, our tactical approaches are very similar, so there’s
no great discussion.
“There are several classes that are ‘driven by the crew’ – there’s also
the 505 and you even see it in the 49er. It is easy to feel the boat
when you have the helm, much harder when it is just through your
backside! The elite guys like Bruno can do that.”
Personally for DÃaz it also coincided with his pulling out of the
medical supplies business he’d built up. Retiring into some “real estate
and other investment stuff” he had more time on his hands for sailing,
until he agreed to sell the MJM line of 35-53 ft long motor yachts
designed by Bob Johnstone of J/Boats fame, which has proved more
successful (and time-consuming) than he had hoped…
Thanks to his Europeans result, DÃaz is currently ninth in the Star
Sailors League ranking which guarantees his invitation for the Star
Sailors League Finals 2018, the annual event that determines who is the
best sailor among the ‘stars’ of the sailing world and allocation of the
US$200,000 prize pot. For a sixth year, the Finals will be held in the
azure waters of Nassau in the Bahamas, from December 3rd to 8th.
Having been based in Miami most of his life, he knows Nassau well and
has been sailing there for decades: “It is one of the world’s premier
venues. They say that when ‘God decides to go sailing’ he goes there –
the combination of the breeze, which is usually quite strong, plus the
waves and water color and the warm climate. And the Nassau Yacht Club is
very friendly. You couldn’t find better people.”
DÃaz is aware that at 64 his profile doesn’t entirely fit in with that
of the Star Sailors League, which aims to recognize the world’s best
sailors, but more typically professionals, especially those on the
ascent in their careers, but he remains a big fan.
“The reason the Star continues to grow is because the Star Sailors
League started right after we were taken out of the Olympics. The way it
is run, where all the elite sailors in the world can get together in
one platform and have an incredible regatta – for me you can forget
about the America’s Cup, the Volvo Ocean Race and all those races, at
the Star Sailors League Finals you are sailing against the best.”
He is especially in awe of the next generation such as Paul Goodison and
even younger talent like Sime Fantela and Ben Saxton. “It was awesome
that Paul could come in and be able to do what he did (winning the 2017
SSL Finals). That was huge for the Star Sailors League. It shows that
people from the outside can come and be competitive in the Finals.”
But will they once again get the better of the old timers this December? We wait to find out...
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A fleet of twenty-seven keelboats will be starting on Friday afternoon hoping to pop their Code Zeros or spinnakers as they head south down the Florida coastline. The largest class is the nineteen-boat ORC Class. Participating will be the J/121 WINGS sailed by Ashley Maltempo & Bill Wiggins from Johns Island, SC; Chris Lewis's J/44 KENAI from Seabrook, TX; the J/109 HARM'S WAY skippered by Andy Wescoat from Galveston Bay, TX; and the J/92 HILLBILLY sailed by Brad Stowers from Melbourne, FL. Have fun! Thousands of J/Sailors will be dreaming of their virtual sleigh ride, too! For more SORC Key West Race sailing information
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Key West had become less accommodating when KWRW ended. Has that changed?
Sailing
in ORC B class is Chris Lewis’ J/44 KENAI from Lakewood YC in Seabrook,
TX and Joe Brito's J/121 INCOGNITO from Bristol YC in Bristol, RI.
Then,
nearly a month later, the fleet sailed the very light and drawn out
Wirth M Munroe Palm Beach Race, the so-called “Race to the Buffet” that
started on Friday December 6th. Most boats were late for the Sailfish
Club of Florida’s legendary party, feast and awards presentation.
On
an overall basis after the first two races, Chris Lewis's J/44 KENAI
from Houston, Texas is sitting in a fourth place tie-breaker with Joe
Brito's J/121 INCOGNITO from Bristol, Rhode Island, both boats have 13
pts total. Just two points back is Brad & Angie Stowers' J/92
HILLBILLY from Melbourne Yacht Club in Melbourne, Florida, sitting in
6th place with 15 pts total; their crew consists of David Nesbitt, Karl
Krahmer, Brad Bristol, Sebastian Gauza, and Marty "Kiwi" Stoll. Finally,
Seth Hall & Tom Pollack's J/124 MARISOL currently sits in eighth
place with 17 pts. At the completion of the series, three of the four
races will be counted. Follow the SORC Islands in Stream Series on Facebook For more SORC sailing information For more Fort Lauderdale to Key West Race sailing information
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(Fort Lauderdale, FL)- The infamous Fort Lauderdale to Key West Race
started today at 1000 hours in a light east/northeasterly breeze of 4-7
kts. The fleet took off on port tack, with most of the big boats
sporting either Code Zero’s or A1 spinnakers. The beginning of this a
160.0nm dash down the eastern Florida coastline, bound by the Florida
Keys reefs to starboard and the swift-moving 4-6 kt Gulf Stream off to
port, does not look like it will set any records of any kind. However,
with the ECMWF Euro forecast showing a steadily increasing breeze
clocking into the east/southeast overnight and strengthening to 10-15
kts by Friday evening, it should be a beautiful race!
(Fort Lauderdale, FL)- The third week of January has traditionally
marked the start of the American offshore sailing season. That event is
the infamous Fort Lauderdale to Key West Race, a 160.0nm dash down the
eastern Florida coastline, bound by the Florida Keys reefs to starboard
and the swift-moving 4-6 kt Gulf Stream off to port. The Storm Trysail
Club and Fort Lauderdale YC host the event. The fleet will start on
Thursday, January 17th, at 1000 hrs.
The
race track is simple enough, start off the Ft Lauderdale inlet, then
head south to several key turning marks to be left to starboard- 68.0nm
to Elbow Key Light, 12.0nm more to Molasses Reef Light, 53.0nm more to
Sombrero Key Light, 45.0nm more to Key West Channel buoy #2, then a
short 6.0nm sprint north up the channel to the finish off Truman Annex
Navy base. Because of the current off Key West (a channel that
seemingly has half the Gulf of Mexico empty through it), the last 6.0nm
can often be the most frustrating in the race in an ebb tide and light
winds!
(Key West, Florida)– Welcome to the 10th edition of the Conch Republic Cup! We will welcome the fleet of competitors this year with our traditional Skipper’s meeting and Welcome party in Key West at the Schooner Wharf Bar and Grill January 26th.
(Rye, New York)- The J/88 USA Class President, Iris Vogel (owner of
DEVIATION), provided a highlight of J/88 class activity in the USA for
2017 and an overview of what will be happening in 2018.
(Key West, FL)- This year’s version of the Conch Republic Cup regatta,
hosted by the Key West Community Sailing Center and the Club Nautico
Internacional Hemingway, was a bit of an anti-climactic event and might
have been termed “the three leg fiasco”. The weather Godz simply would
not cooperate for the fleet of 20+ boats. In fact, the weather was
extreme, with light airs predominating for the first leg across the Gulf
Stream from the start at Key West, FL to Varadero, Cuba along the
northeastern shoreline of the island. Then, the next leg westward down
the Cuban coastline from Varadero to Havana was blown out due to a
massive cold front sweeping across the Gulf Stream. The in-port race in
Havana was also canceled, this time due to no wind. So, the regatta
organizers decided to do a mash-up of trophies and honors using the
final leg from Havana back across the Stream to Key West!! 
Despite
the somewhat catastrophic weather forecast, JD Hill’s beautiful navy
blue J/122 SECOND STAR from Dallas, Texas, fresh off a Quantum Key West
Race Week class win, elected to start the regatta. As a result, those
Texas storm troopers took off on Sunday afternoon after Race Week
hangover and headed out across the Gulf Stream in the Key West to
Varadero Race for the Michele Geslin Memorial Cup. In the end, Hill’s
SECOND STAR crushed the 8-boat PHRF fleet to win the trophy, celebrating
their good fortune with loads of delicious Cuban mojito’s and plenty of
awesome Cuban cigars. However, by the next day, it was clear Mother
Nature was not cooperating for the rest of the week, so the Texas crew
elected to head home early. Sailing photo credits- Alan Clark/ Photoboat.com. For more Conch Republic Cup sailing information
J/Sailors Revel in Spectacular Sailing Conditions
around
to a light southeasterly for Friday’s conclusion. Many sailors felt the
conditions were “typical of Key West Race Week” and they complemented
the race committee’s judgment.
Tim
Healy’s (Jamestown, RI) NEW ENGLAND ROPES won the J/70 Class, the
largest class at race week. New England Ropes finished 11 points ahead
of Marty Kullman’s (St. Petersburg, FL) second-placed NEW WAVE, which
won a tiebreaker for second over Carlo Alberini’s CALVI NETWORK from
Italy. CALVI NETWORK, the series leader through 10 races in the stronger
breezes, stumbled in the final two light air races, placing 22-12. The
rest of the top five included Brian Keane’s SAVASANA in 4th place and
Joel Ronning’s CATAPULT in 5th (the reigning 2016 World Champion).
Watch this cool J/70 time-lapse YouTube sailing video!
Skeleton
Key won the class last year but got its defense off to a slow start
with an 8th in Race 1. Since then, the crew from Northern California
steadily climbed the leaderboard while the early series leader,
Ruhlman’s SPACEMAN SPIFF, continued to slowly fall back. In races
6-7-8-9, SKELETON KEY finished 1-3-2-1 while SPACEMAN SPIFF finished
3-9-3-5.
The
J/88’s saw tight fleet racing over the course of ten races and, in
fact, each boat’s performance changed depending on the weather. How
close?? 5 of 7 boats won races in the 10 race series! In the first two
days, it was breezy out of the northeast at 14-20 kts. The third day
the breeze backed off to 9-15 kts from the east. Then, Thursday/Friday
the wind shifted into a “classic” southeast direction and considerably
lighter- 5-9 kts, full of streaks and holes. Weyler’s HIJINKS posted 5
bullets in 6 races in the first 3 days, then dropped off that pace in
the lighter breezes. Other race winners included Rob Butler’s TOUCH 2
PLAY, Ryan Ruhlman’s SPACEMAN SPIFF, Gary Panariello’s COURAGEOUS, and
Iris Vogel’s DEVIATION.