Transpac Update- The Horses are on the track

(Honolulu, Hawaii)- First organized by the Transpacific Yacht Club in 1906, the biennial Transpac Race has attracted a record fleet of 90 boats for its 50th edition. Three waves of starts have gotten the fleet onto the 2,225.0nm course from Los Angeles to Honolulu. Here are some updates:

The early starters, after an initial dive south for better winds, are now straightening their course toward the finish line. However, the third group isn't as lucky as most are dealing with light winds for their escape from California.

J/Crews are leading several 50th Transpac Race divisions!
The eight J/Teams that are sailing are having good racing conditions so far and many are either leading or have podium positions so far. Here is the latest position report (as of 0500 on July 17):

In the thirteen-boat Division 3, leading is Shawn Dougherty & Jason Andrews’ HAMACHI from Corinthian YC Seattle in Seattle, WA, following in third position is Mark Surber’s SNOOPY from Coronado YC in San Diego, CA, fourth is Zach Anderson & Chris Kramer’s VELVET HAMMER from San Francisco, CA, sixth is Tom Garnier’s REINRAG 2 from Los Angeles YC, and tenth is Roger Gatewood’s J/145 KATARA from St Petersburg, FL.

In the eleven-boat Division 6, leading is Scott Grealish’s new J/121 BLUE FLASH from Willamette Sailing Club in Portland, Oregon.

In Division 7, sitting in third position is Paul Stemler’s J/44 PATRIOT from Newport Harbor YC in Newport Beach, CA.

Finally, in Division 8, also sitting in third place is David Gorney’s J/105 NO COMPROMISE from Anacapa YC.

Current ORR Overall Leaders for the entire fleet of 90 boats are the following: 1st HAMACHI, 3rd SNOOPY, and 4th VELVET HAMMER.

Many of these positions can change, of course, over 4 to 5 more days of sailing for this J/Navy traversing the gorgeous deep cobalt blue waters of the Pacific Ocean. All will be working hard on their gybe angles for their final approach into the Molokai Channel and the finish off Diamond Head, Hawaii!  Cheer them on and follow the fleet on YB Tracker here  For more 50th Transpac Race sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.

Golison Wins Ullman Sails Long Beach Race Week

(Long Beach, CA)- The 2019 edition of Ullman Sails Long Beach Race Week wrapped up with a bang, as winds tickled the 20s and racers were tested in the final day of the regatta hosted by Long Beach Yacht Club and Alamitos Bay Yacht Club.

More than 100 teams participated in the June 21 to 23 event, which drew sailors from the western US and neighboring nations, plus Australia and Germany.

Wind conditions steadily built over the three day regatta, as did the excitement, as racers competed in a series of seven windward/leeward or three random leg races, in both one-design and PHRF fleets. In many cases, it was a classic scenario of 'the rich getting richer' as precision starts and crew work paid off.

It was a three-day skirmish for position in the hard-fought J/70 class. Bruce Golison's MIDLIFE CRISIS was the winner of the “Satariano Boat of the Week Trophy”, presented to the one-design class winner whose division features the closest, most competitive racing in the series. In seven races over the three-day event, Golison edged out rival Jeff Janov’s MINOR THREAT in a tie-breaker! Rounding out the podium was Chris Kostanecki’s JENNIFER (he also won the Corinthians Division). The balance of the top five included Steve Wyman’s NUNUHUNU in 4th and Peter Cameron’s KANGAROO JOCKEY in 5th position.

In the handicap PHRF C division, J/Crews swept the podium.  First was Heinz Butner’s J/109 RAPTOR, second was Scott McDaniel’s J/105 OFF THE PORCH, and third was taken by Jeff Shew’s J/109 FUZZY LOGIC. In PHRF B division, David Boatner’s J/35 RIVAL took the silver. Then, in PHRF A class, Kenny Kieding’s J/111 ARGO 3 won the class with all aces and deuces!

Rivalries and competition aside, "fun" is a key ingredient in the 40-year success of Ullman Sails Long Beach Race Week.

"This event is like a family reunion in a small town," pointed out LBYC Commodore Camille Daniels. "All your friends get together once a year to race and celebrate the Summer Solstice. Just think. We have the longest day of the year to have the best party!"

Daniels said cooperation between LBYC and ABYC is also a key part of the recipe. "We have members from each club on the committees, working together. Each of our clubs has enough resources to do a regatta maybe half the size - but together, it's magic. We have three professionally run race circles and have had up to 160 boats compete at Race Week. That's a big deal!"

During LBRW, sailors from near and far contend in up to three days of racing on three different race courses: one inside the Federal breakwater and two outside. Each course is astutely managed and run by race officials from ABYC, LBYC and other area clubs, winning the organizers kudos from participants.

ABYC Commodore David Schack added, "We've worked together on this regatta for years, so can tap into the talents from both clubs, which helps us do a really good job at both the racing and the parties. Because you can't have one without the other!"   Sailing photo credits- Tom Walker  For more Ullman Sails Long Beach Race Week sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.

Ullman Sails Long Beach Race Week Preview

(Long Beach, CA)- The Alamitos Bay YC and Long Beach YC are hosting the 2019 Ullman Sails Long Beach Race Week from June 21st to 23rd for a fleet of 108 boats in what many consider to be one of the best sailing areas on the California coastline. Even though southern California is famous for its “June Gloom” (where mornings start with thick sea fog along the coast, 100 ft visibility no less), the powerful sun burns it all off by noontime and generates a fairly strong seabreeze from the WNW that can kick-in up to 20 kts by late afternoon!

Thirty-six J/Teams (about 33.0% of the fleet) are participating in the popular event. By far the biggest one-design class is the eighteen J/70s; many of those teams have an eye towards the J/70 World Championship that will be sailed in the same waters in 2020. Some of the top teams include Bruce Golison’s MIDLIFE CRISIS, Chris Kostanecki’s JENNIFER, Peter Cameron’s KANGAROO JOCKEY, Curt Johnson’s AVET 2.01, Jeff Janov’s MINOR THREAT, Jim Murrell’s HUCKLEBERRY, Tom Garret’s SLOOP JOHN B, and Patrick Danly’s BOONDOGGLE.

The eighteen-boat PHRF Division includes three J/105s (William Quealy’s J-RABBIT SLIM, Scott McDaniel’s OFF THE PORCH, & George Scheel’s SUN PUFFIN), two J/109s (Jeff Shew’s FUZZY LOGIC & Heinz Butner’s RAPTOR), Ken Kieding’s J/111 ARGO 3, and David Boatner’s J/35 RIVAL.

Finally, in the PHRF Random Leg Division includes Timothy Harmon’s J/124 CIRRUS.  For more Ullman Sails Long Beach Race Week sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.

Cal Race Week Preview

(Marina del Rey, CA)- Cal Race Week is California Yacht Club's signature racing event to start off their summer sailing season in the Los Angeles basin.  The event is two days of well-organized competitive racing. In fact, while many one-design classes have been invited, the Cal Race Week regatta has become a “de facto” J/Fest for the many passionate, enthusiastic, J/sailors participating in the J/24, J/70, and J/109 one-design classes.

The largest class by far is the fourteen-boat J/70 fleet.  One of the reasons the entry has grown over the last few years is that the 2020 J/70 World Championship will be help on the west coast in Long Beach, CA, just a stone’s throw south of Marina del Rey in the L.A. area. Top teams include Bruce Golison’s MIDLIFE CRISIS (as past J/70 West Coast Champion), Jim Cunningham’s LIFTED, Patrick Toole’s 3 BIG DOG, Kurt Johnson’s AVET 2.01, Craig Tallman’s JAYA, Jim Murrell’s HUCKLEBERRY, and Jeff Janov’s MINOR THREAT. All of these teams are capable of finishing at the top of the leaderboard based on their past performances in the J/70 class at regional, North American, and Worlds events.

The J/24 class will see the return of Susan Taylor’s TAKE FIVE, one of the top woman sailors on the west coast.  She will be challenged by another top woman skipper from Ventura Yacht Club up the coast, Claudia Gottstein’s WITHIN REACH; she’s an emerging talent that is developing quickly.

The J/109 class will have a three-way match race for the top of the podium as all teams are pretty evenly matched.  The protagonists include Jack Mayer’s ZEPHYR from Del Rey YC, Peter Nelson’s SPRAY from host California YC, and Heinz Butner’s RAPTOR from Long Beach YC.

Doing battle in the PHRF handicap world are three J fanatics.  Those teams are Jon Haney’s J/105 JOYRIDE, Lenny Gordon’s J/92 SUNSHINE, and David Boatner’s J/35 RIVAL (a past overall winner of the event!).  For more Cal Race Week sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.

J/Crews Prevail in Fast, Shortened Islands Race X

J/44 and J/124 Garner Silver!
(San Diego, CA)- The 10th annual Islands Race attracted 26 teams on February 15 for a Southern California offshore course from Long Beach Harbor, around Santa Catalina and finishing in San Diego, CA. The standard 134.0nm course, which generally includes rounding San Clemente Island to port, was shortened to 80.0nm when the island mark was removed due to a military exclusion zone!

As anticipated by the sailors, the teams took awhile to head offshore to pick up the west to northwest trade-winds that flow southward down the coast. With the shortened course, the crews went around Catalina Island, turned left, set spinnakers, sailed down inside San Clemente Island to the Point Loma finish line off San Diego. It was a quick race in the 10-17 kts WNW winds offshore, with most boats finishing in less than 13 hours of sailing!

Taking up the challenge were two J/crews with lots of blue-water pedigree. In ORR 3 Division, it was Seth Hall’s famous navy blue J/124 MARISOL from Newport Beach, CA that captured the bronze in a class littered with custom carbon offshore speedsters.  Hall’s crew were elated to beat some of Southern California’s more notorious offshore racers, just missing the silver by a mere 47 seconds!!

Similarly, in ORR 4 Division, it was Paul Stemler’s pretty J/44 PATRIOT from Newport Harbor YC that took on all comers with speed, grace, comfort, and elegance, winning their division by 12 minutes corrected time!  For more Islands Race sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.

Islands Race X Preview

(San Diego, CA)- The San Diego Yacht Club and Newport Harbor Yacht Club are celebrating the 10th annual Islands Race on February 15-16, 2019. The decade old, 134.0nm race is a signature SDYC offshore regatta co-hosted with Newport Harbor Yacht Club. An expected 25+ boats will start from Long Beach Harbor, make way around Santa Catalina and San Clemente Islands and finish in Point Loma.

As the first race of the 2019 Southern California Offshore Racing Calendar, many competitors will be using this event to prepare for the NHYC Cabo Race later in the Spring. The NHYC Cabo Race is an 800.0nm, 3-4 day, intense offshore competition. The Islands Race, involving only a single overnight at sea with various offshore wind and sea conditions, is a good opportunity for sailors to get ocean experience while still remaining relatively coastal.

Competitors in the Islands Race will head offshore in west to northwest trade-winds that flow southward down the coast. Boats will typically encounter better sailing winds in the evening as they get further into the trades, and round Catalina and San Clemente islands. However, as they pass to windward of these islands, they are exposing themselves to larger swells and wind waves that are not blocked by the islands.

SDYC Waterfront Director Jeff Johnson explains the challenges with these offshore winds. “As the winds flow down the coast, they continue south even as the coastal shoreline recedes to the east. This creates a gap between those trade winds and the coastline, over most of Southern California. During the day, the thermal effect pulls those offshore winds into the coast. But, at night, coastal waters are largely calm. However, the trade winds continue to flow, just further out to sea. The Islands Race course places competitors among those night-time winds and gives them valuable night-time offshore sailing experience.

Taking up that challenge in the ORR 1 Class are Seth Hall’s famous navy blue J/124 MARISOL, with crew from Newport Beach, CA.  In addition, Viggo Torbensen’s race-winning J/125 TIMESHAVER from Dana Point YC will be hoping to set the pace offshore and overcome notorious competitors like the SC 52 Horizon.

In the ORR EZ5 Class, Paul Stemler’s pretty J/44 PATRIOT from Newport Harbor YC will be taking on all comers with speed, grace, comfort, and elegance.  Sailing photo credit- JOYSailing.com  For more Islands Race sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.

Ullman Sails Long Beach Race Week Preview

(Long Beach, CA)- Having one of its best turnouts in years is the annual Ullman Sails Long Beach Race Week, hosted by Alamitos Bay and Long Beach YC’s.  With three race areas to manage, the club’s PRO’s have their hands full with large dinghy classes, one-design keelboats (J/70s and J/120s) and large PHRF handicap classes.

At this time of year, just about anything goes; from the classic “June Gloom” of early morning fog, ultimately burning off to provide decent sailing conditions in the local seabreeze, or the brisk “Santa Ana” conditions that whistle in from the northeast dry and hot and blowing dogs off chains- often well into the 20-30 kts range.  To date, the forecast looks positively like Long Beach Chamber of Commerce conditions- sunny, moderate 6-12 kts winds from the SSE.

Looking forward to classic SoCal weather will be the half-dozen boat J/120 class.  The usual suspects will be in attendance from the region. As was the case for the earlier San Diego NOOD Regatta, this class can be hard to handicap since they are all well-prepared, with good sails, and the only variables seem to be trimmers and tacticians!  At San Diego, John Laun’s CAPER set the pace early, fast, and never relinquished their lead.  Similarly, Chuck Nichols’ CC RIDER challenged them but could only manage 2nd place.  Third was Ernie Pennell’s MAD MEN.  Planning on upsetting that apple cart will be John Snook’s JIM, Tim Hogan’s SHAMROCK, and Rudy Hasl’s HASL FREE.

The J/70s from across California have showed up “en masse”, with twenty-nine boats on the starting line from as far afield as Valle de Bravo, Mexico; San Francisco, CA; Puerto Vallarta, Mexico; and even Arizona YC in Arizona!  The entire top five from the San Diego NOODs will be striving to maintain their performance.  Winning was Bennet Greenwald’s PERSEVERANCE, 2nd was Chris Snow’s/ Jeff Brigden’s COOL STORY BRO, 3rd was Jeff Janov’s MINOR THREAT, 4th Chris Raab’s SUGOI, and 5th Fabian Gomez-Ibarra’s VAGAZO from Mexico.

Looming like a raptor ready to pounce on a kill are several top teams that have notable sailors on board that were not sailing the SD NOOD event.  For starters, there is West Coast J/70 Champion Bruce Golison on MIDLIFE CRISIS, then there’s Argyle Campbell (world famous sailor from Newport Harbor YC that needs no introduction), and, finally, down from San Francisco is Chris Kostanecki’s JENNIFER (a top 3 contender at the 2016 J/70 Worlds on the Bay).  Fun and games it will be to see how the dust settles after the long weekend in this class!

In the PHRF handicap world, we find Doug & Jack Jorgensen’s J/111 PICOSA racing in PHRF B class.  Then, in PHRF D class there are three J/105s (Scott McDaniel’s OFF THE PORCH, Juan Lois’ ROCINANTE, & Bill Quealy’s J-RABBIT SLIM), Heinz Butner’s J/109 RAPTOR, and David Boatner’s J/35 RIVAL.  In the PHRF Random Leg C class is Paul Stemier’s J/44 PATRIOT, as well as Seth Hall’s J/124 MARISOL. Sailing PHRF Random Leg D class will be Jack Mayer’s J/109 ZEPHYR.  Sailing photo credits- Erin Rustigian and JoySailing.com.  For more Ullman Sails Long Beach Race Week sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.

SCYA Midwinters J/70 Preview

(Marina del Rey, CA)- For years, the Southern California Yachting Association (SCYA) has been hosting their annual “Midwinters” regatta in the middle of February, a kick-starter event for their incredibly long season of sailing across the “SoCal” region.  More than a dozen sailing clubs/ yacht clubs have supported the program for the SCYA Midwinters, up and down a coastline of over 100nm.

This year, the extraordinary hosts at California Yacht Club in Marina del Rey are hosting the J/70s.  There is an excellent turnout of teams, with a dozen crews participating in the inaugural season regatta.

The weather looks unusual with frontal systems that have been pummeling the Pacific Northwest affecting gradient winds in SoCal.  Easterlies in the lightish range may be competing with the traditional onshore breezes from the SSW when things heat up a bit in the Los Angeles Basin… perhaps even some classic fog tossed into the mix.

Nevertheless, the weather won’t diminish the fun and satisfaction of the J/70 crews looking forward to their first test of the 2018 sailing season.  Amongst the leading crews should be Steve Wyman’s NUNUHUNU, Jeff Janov’s MINOR THREAT, Curt Johnson’s AVET 2.01, young sailor Robert Garret’s SLOOP JOHN B, and the duo of Tom Jenkins & Eric Kownacki on DFZ.

Note, it’s not surprising the J/70s have selected Cal YC as their principal starting point for the season; Cal YC is famous for their extraordinary red carpet treatment of regatta sailors, resplendent with “après-sailing” servings of daily food & munchies spreads and “micro-breweries” served by hosts/hostesses on the docks as boats arrive to tie up after a long day of sailing.  For more SCYA Midwinters J/70 sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.

J/105 Lake Ontario- Winning Attributes of a Successful Fleet

(Toronto, Ontario)- Winning Attributes of a Successful Fleet- contributed by Doug Bullock, J/105 Class President.

On Lake Ontario, we have a relatively short six-month sailing season from May to October. So to be a successful fleet, you have to have the right combination of boat, culture and schedule to attract and retain owners and crew.

J/105 Fleet 4 Lake Ontario has been a very successful fleet, and I thought I would share what I believe for us are the winning attributes of the J/105 as a boat, the culture of the Class, and our own approach to each season’s schedule.

Our schedule looks for a balance of our racing life with our other life that really helps owners get the crew out and committed for the summer. Our goal is to hold two regattas per month while ensuring that every other weekend and every long weekend are free. This creates a balance that owners, and especially crew, love because it allows them to enjoy other activities during our short summers. It is a winning formula we have used for years.

As for J/105 culture—it is one thing to get people out racing and another to ensure their total experience for the weekend is a good one. There are two essential ingredients of every weekend regatta, the racing and the social.

With the racing, the J/105 Class nailed it with the Corinthian approach to the Rules, and while our fleet is very competitive, it is the camaraderie between owners and crew that is Corinthian to the core. It is this culture of our Class that I believe is one of the true attractions that keeps our fleet alive and vibrant.

With the social, it is the “off the water” receptions, BBQs and dinners that help ensure a regatta is remembered as a good time. This is where the camaraderie of sharing knowledge and helping each other to do better reflects the true Corinthian culture of the J/105 Class. We always work at ensuring everyone attends with free dinner and drinks tickets, live bands and fun games, like Flip Cup, Bocce Ball, and Beer Pong.

Then there is having the right boat, and here the J/105 is nothing short of awesome. It was a revolutionary one-design when it came out in 1991 with its asymmetrical spinnaker on a bow sprit, huge cockpit, sleek low profile hull, and it is still one hot boat to race today 26 years later. It is easy to sail, yet challenging to master.

We have 21 boats in our fleet, and it is the largest one-design big keelboat on Lake Ontario. Most of the boats have been in the fleet over 15 years, and while the owners may change occasionally, the boats remain. It is just the right boat for us.

I am going into my eighth year of owning a J/105, and while I am never on the podium at our regattas, I never tire of participating in the racing. A great start, a well-executed duck or perfect mark rounding give me huge satisfaction. When everyone on my boat is having fun, we have completed the regatta to our best ability and at the end of the weekend everyone had a good time, then I am one happy skipper.

To continue the success of J/105 fleets everywhere, we need to support the one-design nature of the J/105 boat and ensure there is always a balance to all our fleet activities while embracing our Corinthian culture.

Eight Bells: Jeff Trask

(Long Beach, CA)- Former J/Boats J/24 builder, dealer, and sailor extraordinaire- Jeff Trask- recently passed away from battling pancreatic cancer.  Here are two memorials from two people who knew him well in southern California.

From Sailing Anarchy- Scot Tempesta
Sail on Jeff.  We are saddened by the news of the passing of So Cal sailor Jeff Trask. Along with his dad Don, they put J/Boats on the map here in So Cal. We worked with Jeff on a number of boat/sail packages over time and always loved hanging with Jeff. Funny, good natured, honest, and a good sailor, we had a number of fun nights at San Diego YC back in the day.  Fond memories, so sad to see him go so young...…

From Scuttlebutt- Craig Leweck
The California sailing community lost a significant contributor far too early when Jeff Trask passed away following a two year battle with pancreatic cancer on December 28, 2017 in Tustin, CA. He was 58 years old.

Jeff grew up in the Northern California Bay Area, and alongside his legendary father, Don Trask, was instrumental as builders and brokers in expanding the J/Boat brand, helping countless sailors get the most out of their boats. After many Pacific Ocean adventures, he found his way from the boat cockpit to the cockpit of a race car and it was there that he began a lifelong passion of driving way too fast.

Following 30 years in the boat business and a professional racing career that spanned almost 20 years, he shifted his focus full time to the Porsche racing car community. The solid foundation of a unique and quirky group of car enthusiasts allowed him to lead a fulfilling career that kept him in close contact with his dearest friends and favorite cars, vintage Porsches.

Whether it was at home with his family or among rows of classic cars, Jeff’s witty humor and warmth permeated through everyone present. He passed away in the presence of his loving wife, Tracy, and three sons; Andrew, Jonathan and Christian. He is survived by his father Don and two sisters, Katie Worthington and Jillian Mack.

A celebration of life will be held at 10:00 am on January 6 at Bridge Community Church, 710 S. Cambridge, Orange, CA 92866. Donations can be submitted to a dedicated gofundme page:
https://www.gofundme.com/jeff-trasks-family-support Add to Flipboard Magazine.

King Harbor J/70 Regatta Preview

(King Harbor, CA)- Like their colleagues in Chicago, the J/70s have completely taken over the King Harbor Regatta at the end of the summer sailing season.  As part of their “SoCal J/70 Circuit”, the fleet has nice participation from across the region.  The weather forecast looks typical for this time of year, cool upper 60s in the mornings followed by general heating in the Los Angeles Basin into the mid-upper 80s F.  That produces a fairly reliable seabreeze along the waterfront that should produce good racing for the King Harbor YC PRO to knockout up to 4 races per day.

Looking forward to the regatta will be crews like Craig Tallman’s JAYA, Steve Wyman’s NUNUHUNU, Curt Johnson’s AVET 2.01, Robert Garrett’s youth crew on SLOOP JOHN B, and Jim Murrell’s HUCKLEBERRY from the host KHYC.  For more Kings Harbor J/70 Regatta sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.

Lively Ullman Sails Long Beach Race Week!

(Long Beach, CA)- Sporty sailing conditions by day, spiced rum and dancing by night; Ullman Sails Long Beach Race Week delivered 24/7, for the hundreds of sailors who turned up to race in the waters off Long Beach, CA on June 23 to 25.

“Alamitos Bay Yacht Club and Long Beach Yacht Club team up to put together this event each year, merging our forces to provide – with our years of experience and knowledge gleaned from this event, and others – the best regatta possible, for our participants,” said co-chair John Busch, of LBYC. “This year we were blessed with strong winds, fair seas, excellent competition and great parties. And we couldn’t do it without our sponsors, like Ullman Sails and all the others who support this great event.”

Three stellar days, of breeze and sunshine, rounded out this annual funfest of racing and parties. Over 100 teams, hailing from Montana to Mexico, competed in one design and PHRF racing, on three different courses along the California coast.

“We were a little worried initially, when we didn’t see the number of entries we’d like early on,” Busch admitted, “but as usual, a lot of people wait to sign up.” Traditionally, numbers are lighter in Transpac years, as those racers do their final prep for the Los Angeles to Honolulu Race, which starts next week.

“But we ended up with 122 boats – and some really strong fleets like the J/70s, plus the weekend warriors who come out to play and make it such a fun event,” said Busch.

There were thrills and spills, in the 15 to 20 knot conditions, and chop.  And, the 28-boat J/70 fleet loved every minute of it!  In the end, Chris Snow’s COOL STORY BRO iced the class, never finishing lower than 5th place to win 16 pts total over 7 races.  For the balance of the top five, it might as well have been a complete shoot-out at the OK Corral!  All boats finished within 5 pts of each other.  Hanging on in the thrilling final race to determine who finished where, Jeff Janov’s MINOR THREAT from California YC took the silver, while Jim Murrell’s HUCKLEBERRY grabbed the bronze, just one point separating them.  In fourth was Pat Toole’s 3 BIG DOGS team from Santa Barbara YC and they were also the Corinthians Division winner!  Fifth place was none other than the infamous Chris Raab from Newport Harbor YC, finishing just one pt back from the “3 doggers” and taking 2nd in Corinthians.  Third in Corinthians Division was Tracy & Christy Usher’s CHRISTINE ROBIN.

The J/120 class also did not expect a “runaway”!  However, that is exactly what they saw, a jailbreak from day one that started with four straight 1sts and never looked back!  Guess who??  Hmmmm.  This time it was John Laun’s CAPER gangster laying down some serious pipe and emphasized that fact by winning the last race, too, to close with a mere 11 pts in 7 races.  Ouch, a.k.a. a spanking of the fleet!  Not surprisingly, behind them it was a fierce battle for the balance of the podium and the top five.  Surviving the brutal battle was Ernie Pennell’s MAD MEN, taking home a total of 23 pts to take the silver…just.  In third was Rudolph Hasl’s HASL FREE with a 23.8 pts total based on two redress scores.  Only two pts back in 4th place was Chuck Nichols’ CC RIDER and in 5th place was John Snook’s JIM with 27 pts.  WOW!!  No rest for the weary in this fun-filled, family-based class in SoCAL!

In PHRF B Class, Jack Jorgensen’s J/111 PICOSA snagged third place behind the most wacked out, tuned out, custom modified PHRF boats on the West Coast.  In PHRF Random B Class, Tim Harmon’s J/124 CIRRUS took third place, while Glenn Griley’s J/122 TKO was 5th and Seth Hall’s J/124 MARISOL took 6th place.

In PHRF C Class, David Boatner’s famous J/35 RIVAL walked off with class honors. On a tiebreaker for third at 25 pts each, Heinz Butner’s J/109 RAPTOR won over Scott McDaniel’s J/105 OFF THE PORCH.  Not far off the pace was David Angers’ J/80 MISS DEMEANOR in 7th spot.

“Ullman Sails is excited to sponsor this event once again, and to support great sailing, competition, and camaraderie at this fantastic venue. We appreciate the host clubs, all the volunteers, and of course the racers who continue to show up each year,” said Ken Cooper, of Ullman Sails. Sailing photo credits- Bronny Daniels/ JOY Sailing.com.  Sailing photo credits- Dave McBridge  For more Ullman Sails Long Beach Race Week sailing information Add to Flipboard Magazine.