On the Harbor: Pacific Airshow this weekend and a recap of recent events

(L-R) Joshua Legg and Greg Helias, 2024 H20 Fleet Championship winners

By LEN BOSE

It’s that time of year when I am waving to the fighter jet pilots from my office window, and believe it or not I have had the pilots return my wave with a salute in previous years practicing for the Huntington Beach Airshow. Speaking of war jets, I completely missed the fact that the War Heroes on the Water were in the house that second to last weekend of September. That same weekend was the Harbor 20 Championships, and my predictions were very accurate this year. We also have most if not all of our harbor channel markers now eliminated.

On Saturday, Sept. 21, the War Heroes on Water “WHOW” commanded the harbor filling the anchorage and the harbor with some of the best-looking vessels located on our coast. If I’m not mistaken, this is the seventh year running the parade and fishing tournament, with each year bringing in more yachts and people. It’s all about saving the lives of our veterans through public awareness and fundraising, and providing a platform for veterans to strengthen their spirit and move forward towards purpose and healing. I refer to the event as WOW, because of all the yachts and people involved. My understanding is that the fishing tournament brings so many people to Avalon that it’s the busiest day of the year for the shore boats.

This leads into the Huntington Beach Airshow, taking place October 4-6, with the weather forecast showing flat sea conditions and mid-70s air temp. Saturday looks like the best day; the chance of fog diminishing from Friday. Sunday looks like it will be baking out on the water, with the air temperature forecasted at 85. Either way, it’s a great day on the water featuring the Thunderbirds, Canadian Snowbirds, F-22 Raptor Team, 122d F-15 Fighter Squadron and much more. This event always seems to make summer go out with a boom!

In my last column, I talked about the Harbor 20 fleet championships that sailed on September 21 and 22. My C Fleet predictions were a little off with Erika Foy and Paul Noring sailing away from most of the fleet, other than Team Kelly, who only finished five points behind to take second place. I was a little closer with my picks in B Fleet with Tucker Cheadle and Steve Schupak leading John Bubb after the first day, and for whatever reason he could not make it to the race course on Sunday, allowing Bubb to take B Fleet. Welcome to A Fleet John, you sailed fast this last season, and I am sure you will hold your own next season in A Fleet.

I hit my predictions perfectly in A Fleet with Team Legg and Helias winning the Class Championships. They had a slow start placing 11th in the first two races of the series, but Helias told me after the event that he mentioned the curse of me picking them to win after the second race. That must have lifted the bad jujum because they won six out of the last 10 races. Team Wiese finished in second place with Thompson and Conzelman taking third place, and Team Campbell in fourth. Chuck Simmons and I finished a hard-fought battle in seventh place. We’ve had many 4th or 6th place finishes, with our best finish being a 2nd. We felt good about our effort, but made too many mistakes mixed in with some bad luck.

In the middle of September, Harbormaster Paul Blank sent out a notice that most if not all the racing, anchorage and aids to navigation in the lower bay have now been illuminated. This is one of those small upgrades to the harbor that is more difficult to accomplish than you can imagine. Now we can hope that the next item is the county or Orange Sheriff’s Department seeing the light, and providing lights on the upper bay channel markers sometime in the near future.

If we are really lucky, maybe the Coast Guard might even see the light and change out the three remaining “old-fashioned” channel markers and replace them with smaller buoys when they start dreading next year. I know I’m reaching for the stars on that one, yet we can only wish.

Sea ya.

~~~~~~~~

Len Bose is a yachting enthusiast, yacht broker and harbor columnist for Stu News Newport.

On the Harbor: Dredging, Harbor 20 Fleet Championships and the upcoming Pacific Airshow…there’s a lot going on

By LEN BOSE

This summer has sailed past us at the speed of an America’s Cup boat on its foils, yet we still have a couple of marks to round before fall arrives and the harbor cools down. This week, I had a chance to catch up with a couple of my harbor sources regarding dredging, the Harbor 20 fleet preparing for the fleet championships this weekend, and let’s not forget, the Pacific Airshow in Huntington Beach.

While attending the Yachtsman’s Luncheon at the Newport Yacht Club on September 4, it was brought up that the city has found a new way to dispose of the unsuitable materials that are in the lower harbor. The original plan has been the Confined Aquatic Disposal (CAD) Project, which is the hole in the harbor, that can be dug and placed in the anchorage off of Lido Isle and later capped off after the unsuitable materials have been placed inside the hole.

We’ve all read that many residents did not like that concept and found a way to hold up the dredging through the courts. The city recently learned that another option has resurfaced taking place in the Port of Long Beach Pier G fill next year. This is very similar to the process that we used to dispose of unsuitable materials during the harbor’s last dredging. These materials are placed on a scow and towed up to Long Beach for disposal. Problem solved. Let’s get to dredging the lower harbor back to its original depths and now everyone is happy. Well, guess what, the devil is always in the details and there are a whole lot of hurdles to get past before this idea can be implemented. My take is that this is an option that has worked in the past, and an all-out effort must be undertaken to achieve the same goal. By no means is this a done deal, and it is my understanding that the CAD project is not off the table, should the other plan not work out. For some strange reason, this is analogous to taking my dog to the park and picking up after him. Let’s just hope we brought enough waste bags, and there is a trash can nearby. 

Moving on to my favorite subject – sailing – this weekend is the 27th Harbor 20 fleet championships with 25 competitors entered at the time of this writing. There are seven boats entered in C class that are only racing on Sunday, which I feel is a great idea after racing both days last weekend in the warm-up events. My money will be on Team Kovacevic – Carolyn and Dominic – who had a strong showing in last week’s NHYC Fall Regatta. At the same time, Team Kelly with Devon on the helm while Greg is crewing is a very fast team; this will be very close, as anyone in the fleet placing the dots together can win. In B fleet, there are six boats entered; this is going to be a very close race between Tucker Cheadle and Steve Schupak sailing Summer Dream and John Bubb sailing Tiger. Bubb has been on fire this summer finishing in second in the Flight and showing great boat speed all year. With team Cheadle/Schupak having the consistency to win this division, I’m betting on them to take the pickle dish. In A Fleet with 12 boats entered, don’t look at last weekend’s results in the Fall Cup because somehow I won that race. Like I said, sometimes anyone can connect the dots, and Chuck Simmons and I were going fast. The real race is going to come down to four teams: Team Wiese, Team Legg and Helias, Team Campbell, and Team Thompson and Conzelman.

My guesses over the years are kind of like my chances of being on the cover of Sports Illustrated – I rarely have been proven right. So with great thought, I am going with Team Legg and Helias, who both sailed together at USC. Legg has returned home to Cape Cod for the summers and has been on top of the very competitive Herreshoff 12 fleet for a long time, teaming up with past fleet champion Greg Helias, who is without a doubt one of our harbor’s best. This team showed speed to burn last week and would have easily won last weekend if it was a two-day regatta. They will have to show up with their game faces on because Team Thompson and Conzelman are the most consistent team on the harbor. Teams Campbell or Wiese (if sailing at their best which they normally do) could sail away with the regatta on the first day. It reads as if I spread enough bad juju over my competitors and can only hope for the best. I know it will be fun because it always is when sailing with Simmons. Both A and B fleet are sailing in the normal two-day regatta.

Keep in mind the Huntington Beach Pacific Airshow is October 4-6, and it’s one of the busiest times on the harbor. It reminds me of the Ensenada Race back in the day with hundreds of boats leaving the harbor all at once. The show is best experienced from the water, so you need to call up your long-lost friends with a boat and ask them what they are doing that weekend. Make sure you bring some good rosé with you.

Sea ya.

~~~~~~~~

Len Bose is a yachting enthusiast, yacht broker and harbor columnist for Stu News Newport.

On the Harbor: Join me as I share my “Newport Beach Sailing Hall of Fame,” story at this week’s NHYC Yachtsmen’s Luncheon

(L-R) Hook Beardslee and Barney Lehman, part of the Newport Beach Sailing Hall of Fame, The Silent Generation

By LEN BOSE

This Wednesday (Sept. 4), I will be speaking at the Yachtsmen’s Luncheon at the Newport Harbor Yacht Club (NHYC). Lunch is open to the public with people starting to arrive around 11:45 a.m. Lunch is served first, and if I recall my presentation starts around 12:20 p.m. The topic will be a review of a story I wrote about five years ago – “Newport Beach Sailing Hall of Fame,” which has been one of the most-read stories over the years. You can find my original story at http://lenboseyachts.blogspot.com/.

One day, I found a story in another local paper that touched on this topic dating back to the 1990s. I found the story out of date, and in my opinion, not deeply researched. I thought to myself, let’s update the story, and I went to work. I had no clue how much research it required. I interviewed David Carol, Phil Ramser, Larry Somers, Don Ayers, Brad Avery, Tom Schock, Henry Sprague, Jane Farwell, George Twist, Dennis Durgan and Dave Ullman, along with spending many hours with the NHYC’s, well-written and updated history book. I did make stops at Balboa Yacht Club (BYC) and the Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club (BCYC), and really should have made a stop at Sherman Library. My interest in our harbor’s history is overwhelming, but I needed to stay focused on the sailors.

I still have the recordings of all the interviews of the many people I interviewed, and a couple of them still are fresh in my mind, which seems to be more difficult to recall every year for me. Of all the quotes I still easily recall, was one from David Carol describing a conversation he had with Fred Schenck on the docks of the NHYC. Schenck was approached by Humphrey Bogart to give sailing instructions to his wife Lauren Bacall in her Lehman 10. Schenck at the time was 19 years old and had seen photos of Bacall, yet in person, she was even more beautiful. “She was something else,” said Schenck. After telling the story, Carol was laughing so hard; my guess is Schenck might have described the moment a little differently.

 Another interesting interview was with Henry Sprague. Sprague is known to be a talker, and he must have had tears in his eyes when telling a story when he and Bill Twist were junior sailors and went to a movie theater somewhere around the corner from the BYC. I recall Sprague describing the incident with a third sailing friend who was with them, when one of them produced a couple of M80s, which are very loud explosive firecrackers. “I’m not sure which one of us brought them or who lit them, but two of them rolled down the theater floor to everyone’s surprise. The funny part was the theater manager tried to run us down on foot and catch the three of us. The yacht club was over a mile away and we were maybe 18 years old, and this guy was still just behind us,” Sprague recalled. When I asked George Twist to remark about this story he had a long pause and said, “Yeah, Sprague is quite the character.”

I also had another interesting talk with Dennis Durgan, who covered his America Cup experience, Fastnet Race and Congressional Cup races. The quote I recall most was, “If you can make your Sabot go fast, you can pretty much make anything go fast.”

All of the interviews are priceless to me, and yet I was extremely fortunate to spend time with Nick Scandone. Scandone called me up one night and asked if I could go back East with him to the Norton Yacht Club. Scandone had Lou Gehrig’s disease and was restricted to a wheelchair at that time. My full story with Nick at this event can be found at http://lenboseyachts.blogspot.com/2006/06/all-in_27.html.

If you are wondering how I decide who should be inducted into the Newport Beach Sailing Hall of Fame, it must be someone who has spent most of their lives competing in our harbor, their attendance would most certainly increase the boat’s performance and I would recognize their advanced skill level in the sport of sailing.

A sailor’s story is always an interesting one…quite often funny and sometimes sad. I had my share of laughs and tears while researching and writing this. I hope you enjoy it and are inspired to see your name or that of a loved one on the list. I hope you can make it to the luncheon.

Sea ya.

~~~~~~~~

Len Bose is a yachting enthusiast, yacht broker and harbor columnist for Stu News Newport.

The Newport Beach Sailing Hall of Fame (First Posted on 1-16-2020)

I would like to introduce to you the Newport Beach Sailing Hall of Fame. My interest in our Harbor's history has always grabbed my attention and affection. So yeah, I like doing this kind of stuff. I started with the Newport Harbor Yacht Club history book, three yacht club roster books and my phone. I interviewed David Carol, Phil Ramser, Larry Somers, Don Ayers, Brad Avery, Tom Schock, Henry Sprague, Jane Farwell, George Twist, Dennis Durgan and Dave Ullman.  To qualify, inductees into the Newport Beach Sailing Hall of Fame must have spent most of their lives competing in or Harbor. Their attendance would most certainly increase boat's performance, and I recognized their advance skill level in the sport of sailing.

This is a living document and will be amended as more information is gathered and better photos added. If I have the information or have forgotten someone you feel should be added, Please do not hesitate to contact me at Boseyachts@mac.com

A sailor's story is always an interesting one....quite often funny and sometimes sad. I had my share of laughs and tears while researching and writing this. I hope you enjoy it and are inspired to see your name or that of a loved one on the list.

                                                                                                 Respectfully Len Bose 1991 

The Silent Generation from 1925-1945

Walton Hubbard

Walton Hubbard: 1927 Star World Champions Active boat builder” Walton Hubbard pronely did more to develop new yachtsmen and new yachting activities within the range of everyone. Famous Star boat builder, Falcons, Albatross, Rhodes 33 He owned South Coast Boatyard He passed away at the age of 36.

Dick McKibben

Dick McKibben: Was the first winner of the first two Flight of the Snowbirds in 1936 & 1937. McKibben boat was named after his mother’s nickname  “Wa-Wa.” 1937 was a good year for McKibben winning the Staff Commodore IB Potter Perpetual  which is a high point series for the Snowbird fleet. He also won the Griffith Trophy that same year. McKibben was also apart of the crew of Walt Elliot’s Cal 32 “Escapade” 5 Time Lipton Cup winner. 

Left to right Hook Beardslee & Barney Lehman

Harlan (Hook) Beardslee:  1934-35 won two Star internationals/Worlds with Barney Lehman. It was written that in a Star Mid-winter regatta that Beardslee withdrew from a race because he had fouled another competitor, who did not file the protest Beardslee withdrew. “The Rhodes class always showed up with a sizable fleet, but the race was usually for second place when Hook was sailing his # 8 Seabee” Won 9 out of 10 Rhodes 33 Championships between 1939 & 49. Tom Schock said, “He was a man of very few words, he was bigger than life.” NHYC Burgee of Merit Winner

(No Photo)

Barton Beek:  Flight of The Snow Bird winner and top Star sailor. “Under that crusty exterior was a huge heart (even with the pacemaker). With Linda by his side, Barton participated and showed us all what it was like to be a true competitor in the corinthian spirit. The Star Class was his passion and one of the reasons it remains THE CLASS of yacht racing after 90+ years is the dedication and spirit of guys like Barton” quote from The Star Class web page. 3rd Place 1976 Star Worlds, Star Baxter Bowel Winner 1979 & 86. Lehman 10 Lehman 12 champion. He was a BYC Sportsman of the year and NHYC Burgee of Merit recipient. 

Fred Schenck

Fred “ Mr. Snipe” Schenck: “Was one of the best dingy sailors come out of the harbor.” Dave Carol said. When Humphrey Bogart was racing Lehman 10’s, Bogart asked Schenck if Bacall could sail with him to learn more. Schenck was 19 years old and had seen photos of Bacall, yet in person, she was even more beautiful. “She was something else.” Said Schenck. He was the sailing master Circus II for Howard Ahmanson and sailed to Hawaii in the Trans Pac race. According to Dave Carol, he could sail anything. Dragons off the coast of Spain, part of the crew of Walt Elliot’s Cal 32 “Escapade” five Lipton Cup Wins. Lehman 12 sailor. Won the Snipe Worlds once and crewed in the worlds 4 times, won Lehman 12 Champs 1963 & 65, NHYC Burgee of Merit

Don Elder

Don ( D.K.) Edler: Part of the crew of Walt Elliot’s Cal 32 “Escapade’ won the Lipton Cup 5 times, 1964 Won the Star world championships. 2nd Star worlds 1960, Star Baxter Bowl Winner  1956, 57 and 61, active Lehman 12 sailor National Champion Lehman 12 1961, Tom Schock: Big man, “When Edler talked everyone listened” A lot like John Wayne walked and talked like.” NHYC Burgee of Merit Winner

Tom Frost

Tom Frost:  Quoted from Sea Magazine “A sailing whiz kid, 19-year-old Tom Frost from Newport Beach, Calif. Won the Snipe Nationals for the second year 1953 & 54 in a row. His record of two firsts, a second, a third, and a fourth against the country's top 24 Snipe sailors makes him a crown prince among small-boat skippers.  Sept 14 1952, The Newport-Balboa News-Times: “Tom Frost has done it again! The Newport Harbor schoolboy, who placed second in the World’s Snipe Sailing Championships off Monaco along the French Riviera last week, today holds the honor of being the Snipe sailing champion in the International Regatta, at San Remo Italy. Tom and his crew Fred Schenck. In 1950 & 51 Frost was NHYC Junior Champion and Flight of the Snowbirds winner. Tom Schock said, “Greatest small boat sailor that ever was.” NHYC Burgee of Merit recipient.

Dick Deaver

Dick Deaver: “Probably one of the best sailors in the Harbor,” Said Dave Carol, He sailed PCs, with Lowell North. Two-time winner of the flight of the snowbirds 1949 and 50. 1976 & 78 Congressional Cup winner. Won Bronze metal Dragon Class 1964 Olympics. A crew member of three Trans Pac winning teams. Winner of the 1976 One Ton Worlds and skipper of an Admirals Cup Team in 1979. Best known for being apart of the beginning of North Sails and being very thorough in his racing preparation BYC Wall of Recognition.

Bill Ficker

Bill Ficker: 1957 Star North American Championships 2nd ,1958 Star Baxter Bowl, 1958 Star World Champion Winner, 1962 Lehman 12 National Champion, 1970 America Cup winner aboard “Intrepid”, 1974 Congressional Cup Winner 1974. Lehman 10 & 12 competitor,

George Twist “ He was a very meticulous, thoughtful personal person without natural talent very organized and knew what he needed to do”. Peter Wilson said, “Ficker had a unique way of motivating the crew. He wanted all of us to decide how best to do our jobs,”. NHYC Burgee of Merit Winner, Two-time BYC Sportsman of the Year recipient. 1993 America’s Cup Hall of Fame, 2016 US Sailing Hall of Fame.

The Baby Boomers from 1946-1964

TC

Tom Corkett: Grew up sailing Snowbirds in our harbor, 1963 at the age of 21 he won the Trans Pac overall and became the youngest skipper to compete and win, 1969 1st Class 2nd Overall Transpac, 1967 & 68 1st in class Acapulco Race, 1964 & 65 Mazatlan Race 1st in Class, 1966 2nd overall 1st in class. 1992 Pacific Cup Double Handed winner aboard the 60’ “Peregrine”. Was active in the Etchells fleet and today is very competitive in the Harbor 20 fleet. NHYC Burgee of Merit recipient.

Henry Sprague

Henry Sprague III. Two Time winner of the Flight of the snowbirds, 1961 Sailed with Tom Shock  in the Sears Cup, 1963, he won the Sears Cup with George Twist, 1974 Finn National, and World Championships. 1969 Congressional Cup winner, Lehman 12 Champ 69,73, 74,76,77. Now known as “Super Sprague”, Tom Schock described Henry as “Pure natural sailor.” 1967 Collage Singlehanded National Championships for USC, George Twist “ When it was his turn on the tiller the boat seemed to go a little faster”. Known as a natural sailer, Two-time winner of NHYC Burgee of Merit.

(No Photo)

Fred Miller: Finn National Champion 1960 & 1961 and North Americans champion in 1961. Placed 3rd in  Finn World Champions, Active Snipe Sailor.  Henry Sprague described Miller as  the “Original Harbor Columnist five days a week in the Daily Pilot, true Guinness, went undefeated, continuously smoked  “Salam” cigarettes. Was known as a perfectionist and would help people organize their boats for side work.”

Nina Nielsen

Nina Nielsen: Snowbird champion, 1969 Jr. Sabot National Champion. 1969 Balboa Sabot fleet Joe Wells Perpetual winner. 3rd 1976 Adams Cup; Dick Sweet recalled “My bravest student was Nina Nielsen. Nina was so small that she didn’t have enough weight to keep the boat upright. Because of this, she would tip over nearly every day, but she never complained or called for help. Nina was the smallest girl with the smallest voice and the biggest heart that he had ever seen sailing. Nina later went on  to win the Intercollegiate sailing championships three times for Princeton and become the first.  Top Snowbird and Lehman 12 sailor, Active Etchells sailor.

Scott Allen

Scott Allen: Flight of the Snowbird winner. 1968 & 69  College Sailor of the year, 1967 Cal 40 class winner Trans Pac with14 boats in his division. Prince of Wales winner 1967 and Congressional Cup winner 1967,  NHYC Burgee of Merit Winner.

The Durganizer

Dennis Durgan: Grew up as an active Sabot and Lehman 12 sailor within the harbor. “If you can make your Sabot go fast you can pretty much make anything go fast,” Durgan said. He was tactician for Bill Ficker 1974 and Dennis Conner 1975 Congressional Cup Winner. Congressional Cup-winning skipper in 1979 and 1980. In 1980 he was Dennis Conner’s tactician aboard Freedom for an Americas Cup win. Sailed in the 1979 Fastnet Race “ I learned a lot about myself on that one Len” Durgan said while interviewing him. 1991 Trans Pac Overall Skipper aboard Chance. Two time Lipton Cup-winning skipper 1978 & 1991 NHYC Burgee of Merit Winner.

Sawyer,Twist, Duffield, Durgan

George Twist: Americas Cup with Ficker in 1970 aboard Intrepid, 1961won the Sears Cup as crew with Tom Schock, In 1963 Won the Sears Cup as crew with Henry Sprague, Crewed on the 1973 Lipton Cup Boat, Came in 5th in the 1987 Soling World Championships, Competitive Finn sailor, 1973 Lehman 12 Champ, Etchells Fleet 6 Champion 1976,77,79,  Etchells 22 North American Champion 1982 . 2019 Flight of Newport Beach Harbor 20 5th Place “Was one of the best crew members in town, he was a really top notch crew. Every boat he stepped on always seemed to go faster”.  Tom Schock. “Twist was my best friend, we dominated everyone that sailed in the same water as we did”. Henry Sprague

Terry & Duffy Duffield

Marshall “Duffy” Duffield: 1973 & 77 Lipton Cup Team winner. 1979 & 80 Congressional Cup Crew with Durgan, Trans Pac 1991 MVP award aboard Chance the Overall winner.

Burke Sawyer: Best known as the owner of Watts sails and big boat sailing. 1958 Flight of the Snowbirds winner, 1968 Prince of Wales skipper winner. Sailed with top Cal 32 sailors,1972 Acapulco Race 1st class, 2nd overall. Tom Schock: “He really bloomed into a world-class sailor when he took over Watts sails sailing on the different IOR boats around the world.”

Campbell at the tiller

Argyle Campbell: Grew up a harbor Sabot sailor at the age of 8, Lehman 10 & 12 competitor, Congressional Cup winner in 1970 & 72. Four-year Intercollegiate All American at USC, 2001 Melges 24 National Champion, 2011 Etchells Worlds Grand Master winner, 2015 Etchells Jaguar Series Winner, 2nd Place in Harbor 20 Fleet 1 Championships 2018 & 19. It has been said, by more than one of the interviews I did, that Campbell started very young and lost every race but he kept at it and became one of harbors best. He really, really worked at it.“Persistent yet consistent” BYC Sportsmen of the year award and BYC Wall of Recognition

Tom Schock

Tom Schock: Grew up sailing snowbirds on the harbor. Participated in 1961 & 1962 Sears Cup. 1959 Thistle Fleet, District, and Pacific Coast Champion, Intentional 14, Lehman 12,Lido 14, Harbor 20 Champion, 1998 Harbor 20 Fleet 1 Champion. George Twist “ He is persistent and kept going at it.”

Dave Ullman

Dave Ullman Grew up sailing Prams and  Balboa Dinghies on the Harbor, active Lehman 10 & 12 competitor, Lido 14 National Champion 9 times, Three-time World Champion in  470s 1977,78 & 80. Snipe National Championships 1973, Thistle, Sabot and Coronado 15 National Champion, Gold metal Snipe in Pan American Games 1975. US Sailing Champion of Champions 1980, 5-time winner of the Lipton Cup, US Team Racing Championships, Melges 24 World Championships in 2007, Rolex Yachtsman of the year in 1996, 2016 Sailing Hall of Fame. Four-time winner of BYC Sportsman of the year award.

Tim Hogan

Tim Hogan: Grew up sailing Snowbirds and Sabots on the harbor. Active Lehman 12 Team racing sailor, 1962 Junior Champion, Three time-All- American, 1969 “College Sailor of the year” Competed in twenty-two sailing events and won twenty. 1972 Prince Of Wales winning skipper, Won the 1973 Lipton Cup Team. 1972 North American Match Racing Championships Prince of Wales, Santana 20 National Champion 1977, 1988 Etchells North American win, 1980 Lipton Cup win, Competitive Finn sailor, NHYC Burgee of Merit

Jim Buckingham

Jim Buckingham: Grew up sailing Sabots on the harbor. 1979 Intercollegiate All-American. Competitive world Star and Etchells sailor, Five-time Lehman 12 National Champion 1982,83,85,88 and 89. Top of the Harbor 20 Fleet 1 in A fleet, Placed 4th in 2019 H20 Class Champions. As crewed in Trans Pac and Cabo offshore racing.

Bill Menninger

Bill Menninger: 1980 J24 Nationals 3rd, 1982 J24 Worlds 6th, 5th 1987 E22 Worlds, 1st 2016 Master Regatta, Crewed on 3-Lipton Cup winning Teams, Crewed on 4 Baldwin Cup wins, Harbor 20 Fleet Champion 2008,10,11,12,13,17, Harbor 20 Class Champion 2019

Gaudio        Photo provided by Joysailing.com

Mark Gaudio: Grew up sailing Sabots and never left home. Won the Jr Sabot Nationals in 1972 First Flight of the Laser winner, Won Senior Sabot Nationals (17 ) Times, (4) Lido-14 Nationals, (1) Cal 25 Nationals, (4 ) Cal 20 Nationals, (1) B-25 Nationals and (4 )Harbor 20 Fleet Championships in 2004, 05 and 06. Spends most of his time now on the water coaching the Jr. Sabot Sailors.

Ann & Kurt Wiese

Ann and Kurt Wiese: Kurt sailed sabots as a kid in the harbor and was Intercollegiate All- American in 1977 and 78. He and Ann have sailed Lehman 12, Lido 14’s and Harbor 20's for over forty years together in the harbor. Always being at the top of the fleet in each class, never winning a class championships. Although it is a safe bet that they have won more one-design regattas than everyone on this list.

Generation X

Nick Scandone

Nick Scandone.  Grew up sailing Sabots on the harbor. 1988 Sabot National Champion, Lido 14 Competitor, 1988 UCI National Champion, and Team Race National Champion, Intercollegiate All- American, 1991 470 North American winner, 2005 2.4 Metre World Champion, 2nd Place IFDS Sailing World Championships,  2008 Beijing Paralympic Games Sailing Gold Medal, National Sailing Hall of Fame, US Sailing Rolex Yachtsman of the year, NHYC Burgee of Merit, BYC Sportsman of the Year and Wall of  Recognition,  BCYC Kennedy Memorial. Scandone is the only person to have won NHYC, BYC and BCYC top awards.

Jon Pinckney Center

Jon Pinckney: Grew up sailing sabots on the Harbor, Won the Junior Sabot Nationals in 1980, (7) Time Flight of the Laser winner, (1) The Flight in Harbor 20’s. Four-Time Intercollegiate All- American 1986,87,88, and 89. 2016 Lipton Cup Skipper, 2014,15 and 16 Harbor 20 Fleet Champion. Baldwin Cup Winning Team in 2014,15 and 16. Phil Ramser said, “Best sailor I have ever seen on our harbor.”

Mike Pinckney

Mike Pinckney: Grew up sailing Sabots on the harbor. 1983 Intercollegiate honorable mention, 3 Time Intercollegiate All- American 1984,85 and 86. 1988 Sears Cup-winning crew, 2016 Won 50th Anniversary Governors Cup alumni regatta. Mike has spent most of his time coaching Junior programs. When he shows up on the racecourse odds are very good that he is going to win the day. Jack Franco said Mike Pinckney is one of the best he had ever competed against.

Millennial

Justin Law

Justin Law: Grew up sailing a sabot on the Harbor. Twice the runner up in the Sabot Nationals. FJ National Champion, Intercollegiate honorable mention, 3 Time Intercollegiate All- American. Finalist Intercollegiate Sailor of the year. 2017 Trans Pac Division Winner, 2017 Cabo Division Winner, 2015 ISAF Team Racing World Champion. (4) Time Baldwin Cup winning skipper, 2019 Lipton Cup winning Skipper. NHYC Burgee of Merit





Sea ya

ALL IN! "2006 FLASHBACK with Nick Scandone"

On Thursday June 8 about 10:00 A.M. the phone rings “ Len it’s Nick, can you go to Connecticut with me on Monday for nine days? Jerry Thomson hurt his shoulder and I need someone to help me out. There is a boat you can use in the race” It took me about two seconds, “I’m in, just let me run it by my family”. About two hours later I called Nick to let him know I was all in and to go over the schedule and what I needed to bring. First thing Nick told me was gloves and a good spray guard top. At first I thought I could pull out a top five finish but I was soon informed at Beercans that night that I would be lapped by Nick and would have my tail handed to me. I thought it was good idea to practice on Nick’s back up boat that was still at Balboa Yacht Club that Saturday. Getting into the boat I kind of felt like one of those big headed sports cartoon commercials. After about three hours of practice I learned four things I needed. Gloves, Spray top, learn how to drive this thing straight and how to get my big head under the boom. At this point I still had dreams of placing in the top seven. Like any good one design boat, a lot of time is needed for boat preparation and leaving the dock in good order. If you’re setting on sheets, halyards and dock lines and extra parts it makes for a tough start, which I came to learn very fast. The 2.4mR is not all that easy to sail. At a leeward mark rounding you have to move the mast aft, tighten up your outhaul, put on your back stay, retract the whisker pole, main & jib in, and keep the boat going straight. Try it sometime and you will see what it entails.

June 12& 13. Nick and I land at JFK and make it hotel without getting lost and over to the Noroton Yacht Club the following day to rig Nicks boat and get it ready for the race. After washing, silicone waxing and Mclubing all the moving parts Nick was ready for the race. Just then Peter Wilson came up and said hello to Nick and introduced himself. This is when I first saw the boat I was going to use this weekend. Expecting an old dog barley able to get out of it own way I was presently surprised to see a very lightly use one year old boat. Just then Tom Sergo, the owner of the boat, came up and introduced himself. Everything looked like brand new from sails to extra parts and everything was made available to my use.

Its amazing the respect you get when your hanging out with the world champion and Rolex yachtsmen of the year. After Tom left I looked at Nick “ Great, I said, now I have to worry about what I am going to break” Nick laughed and we pushed the boats over to the crane and splashed the boats. Nick and I are out about a mile offshore catching the last race of practice that day. After the race Nick and I elect to stay out and do some straight line tuning. We had been sailing for about thirty minutes and Nick is circling back to line up next to me when BLAM! . Nick, “ What the hell was that?” I said “ What do you mean what the hell was that, what the hell is a rock doing way in the hell out here”. We return back to the yacht club and on hauling out I find out that I will need a fiberglass guy. Just as we haul the boat out Nick looks over and asked Gene Hinkel if he can help me with my blunder. By half way through the next day Gene had repaired my boat and it looked like new. Nothing better than hanging out with the Yachtsman of the year especially when you have to call the owner of the boat and tell him you just sailed his new boat into a rock. Fortunately, Tom was way cool about it and even let me continue to use his boat.

June 15
1st day racing with wind coming in from the north, over the land, and creating large shifts, with a strong current through out the day. 1st race is blowing 12 to 16 from the north with the swell beginning to build. Big starting line and starting in the middle of the line most of the day, heading to the left side of the course and tacking in the shifts to stay in the middle of the course so you don’t get killed from one side or the other or over stand because of current. I missed the first two big shifts just trying to drive the boat in 16 knots of breeze, trying not to hit anyone and sail. Nick was in third and second most of the race and on the first beat he over stood the weather mark, because of the current, and lost five boats and finished tenth in that race.
2nd race 1st day, wind now up to 17 with puffs to 21. Nick takes off with the top four boats and these guys are in their own league and take a big lead and hold it to the finsh with Nick taking a 4th this race. Way back in the fleet I round 11th after the first beat and while heading down the first run the wind stays around 12 to 15 no problem. Just I approach the leeward gate and pick the right mark of the gate and try to get in on the inside of Peter Wilson we get hit by a 21 knot puff that brings back memories of the old IOR days with the rolling from side to side now just 10 boat lengths from the mark I go in to this HUGE round down and no idea were I will end up. Looking for the weather side to hold on to I some how come out of the roll, flat and flying at the mark and leave Pete about three boat lengths behind and going to the left mark. Somehow I think Pete was just trying to keep out of my way, when I got to the mark I was in fourth place and started on the second beat and again blew it at the end of the beat and rounded 9th and proceeded to lose two boats on the run and had my best finish of 11th in the windiest race. So, I thought the first race was 17th this race was 11th, I should make it to 7th by the third race. I was OK with this.

3rd race I get rolled at the start and tack away and then don’t see a starboard tacker and have to-do a last second tack, go back to the right and someone else tacks on me and I am in the back of the fleet that fast. I round the weather mark after missing a huge shift way way in DFL, dam embarrassing!! And complete the 1st run DFL. On the run I notice these huge 40-degree puffs coming in from the left side of the course. The whole fleet went to the right gate and since I was DFL I was going left. I was the only one out to the left by so far you had to call it something other than a flyer, maybe slingshot position. Yea that’s it sling shot position! During this time Nick has stayed in second place although at the 1st weather mark he had hit the mark and waited to do his circle until after the clearing mark. Nicks closest non-able sailor Bruce Miller was telling Nick he had to have cleared himself before the clearing mark? Nick went down the run holding onto 2nd place and took off to the right side of the course. Nick said, " I was in second when the left started to come in and I was going to wait until it shifted back and the wind just kept going left". Nick rounded 15th and the wind was now blowing around 18knots and we were all wet and cold which made it double for Nick. At this point Nick saw this race as his throw out and retired from the race. Mean while out on the left side of the course for the first time of my life the "Sling Shot” was working. I kept looking under my boom and I was now ahead of everyone in the back of the fleet and as the wind kept going left the next time I looked under the boom I was ahead of everyone other than the top three. I said " Ok time to SHUT UP AND DRIVE" and not going to look under the boom again until one of the top three boats crossed me everyone else was way back and could not even come close to me on starboard. Then it happens, I lose my steering with the foot peddles and go head to wind in 20 knots of wind in these little boats in a HUGE swell spitting salt water like a bilge pump. I was lucky and brought handheld VHF and called for assistants. Betsy came right up and gave me an idea on how to hand steer. Just when I was ready to throw in the towel I figured out how to control the boat and completed the race. Unfortunately I lost the whole fleet again practicing my 360 off to the left for five minutes and held on to my DFL. Came to find out that about five boats had dropped out because the conditions.
So off to West Marine for some 5200 and try to make the repair to the steering system. It looked good for the next day? That night I had a chance to meet everyone who was now at the event and try to wash all the salt water out my mouth. Good times meeting everyone from Canada, Puerto Rico, and around the U.S. Getting washed around in that little bath tub they call a 2.4 meter does work on you and the no-see-ums were coming out big so we elected to head back to the barn early that night.

June 16
Race day 2 three more races that day and Nick had his game face on. The forecast was for light winds out of the west. We had to wait a long bit for the wind to come in and it did from the north again. It filled to about 13 and lumpy. This time the leeward pin was favored and I hit it at full speed and might have crossed the fleet but I was still unsure of the boats and everything I had gone through already so I just stayed on starboard until everyone had tacked. Nick played it safer than me and started about five boats up and like always had great speed. He found a small shift and had been on port a short time and was coming across back on starboard heading back for the left. I was looking under my boom and it was to close for me to cross the starboard boats and I tacked back to the left and was doing just fine with the top of the fleet being just on my weather hip. Just then my steering goes out again and I go spinning out to the left again like a firework, into the hack bucket again. Nick goes on to win the race by a mile; Nick then takes the second race again by a mile. The third race Nick hangs and takes a forth in a dieing breeze and wins the day handily. Back at the dock everyone wants to know how Nick does it. I have seen Nick’s talent before when I was the sailing coach at OCC. The great battles I used to watch between John Pinckney, John Shadden and Nick was some of the best sailing I have ever witnessed. Nick always seeming to have the edge off the wind and proving that he was truly one of best. Watching this fleet of 2.4 with all the past champions, new champions and Americas Cup past winners Nick again is one of the boys and is truly the guy to beat. What world champion isn’t? Although this time Nick is racing for something more!

June 17
Race Day 3 the forecast is very light breeze and we stay ashore until 1:30. This time instead of 5200 I tried epoxy on my steering bloke problems and I lose my steering again on the tow out and am about ready to throw in the towel. About two hours later everyone is towed back to the docks without a race being run this day.

June 18
Race Day 4 The forecast is better this day with the wind being projected at 6-10 out of the west. Nick took a look at my steering system and came up with a fix for the boat. This is after almost the whole fleet came by and gave their opinion on how to fix it the afternoon before. After the first day Nick had placed himself in a big whole and we had missed the extra two races needed for a second throughout. The first race I was on the upper third of the line and was told the current would be keeping us from the starting line. At the start I thought I had hit it perfect and the boat was working. I look up and Nick is crossing the fleet again and I get a very late call I was over early, so I was back in the hack barrel again. The wind was light and after clearing myself I was able to get off to the right and work myself back up to 8 the place and lose 4 boats on the run to the finsh. I still can’t get myself in the top ten. Nick has another great race and again wins by a mile. 2nd race of the day. The wind is now around 12 knots out of the west and Nick and I want the pin. Peter Wilson is on my hip and I am not about to push Nick at the pin end and we all come off the line well. After a short time of straight lining Nick has pinched me off and I am starting to get rolled by Peter Wilson on my hip. Nick and Pete go on to round 1st and 2nd and finsh with Pete getting the win and Nick in 2nd. I again Hack up the last run and lose four boats at the finsh line and get 13th. 3rd race of the day. The wind is dying and is moving to the northwest. This time I have my hopes up because I have a great start at the committee boat and have most of the fleet is ahead but well to leeward of me. Nick takes advantage of a small left shift and crosses. We lose a couple of boats using the current and jibing at the weather mark. Nicks in forth and I am in 7 at this point. Nick goes on and gets 6th and I hack up my last run and drop back to 12.

At the awards everyone is in good sprits and everyone is helping each other place their boats on the trailers and a number of competitors are shipping their boats over to Finland for the up coming worlds the end of July. Going over the race Nick again is surrounded by the competitors and asking him what there should have done here or there on the racecourse that day. Nick places forth in the regatta overall and wonders if he should have pushed the third place person at the starting line harder. He and Peter Wilson were down to the last race and who ever won this race between them would be the US Nat champion.

Observations and lessons learned.

1. Nick is fast and well respected.
2. Its good to hang out with the king.
3. Peter Wilson has found a niche in single-handed one design racing and is the perfect salesman for the fleet.
4. Nothing better than an old fashioned SAILING CLUB!
5. Check the chart out before sailing in new waters
6. Ask the people around the club where to sail and not sail.
7. When sailing a single-handed boat you have to remember to SHUT UP AND DRIVE
8. Betsey Alison is an outstanding coach that works extremely hard and truly cares about what she is doing.
9. When chartering a boat or before any big event you have to go through your boat from stem to stern.
10. Nick Scandone is a class act. He is the perfect ambassador for yachting. You can only wish for a public servant with the same passion, respect, and the support to others. Newport Beach, California, United States of America, the World! Needs Nick Scandone as their representative. This is the perfect opportunity that only comes around once in thirty years, to promote and support the perfect ambassador to the sport of yachting. Don’t get caught in five years wishing you should have helped!