Getting Geared Up For The Corona Del Mar To Cabo Race

By Len Bose

LIMIT from New Zealand, owned by Alan Briety, will be racing in Class A for first to finish. The big boats start on Saturday. It’s difficult to write about anything other than Friday’s Corona del Mar to Cabo Sailboat Race. Two days before the start of the race, weather information is becoming much more personal. What I can share with you is some of the dock talk I picked up Wednesday morning.

It appears there will be 35 boats on the starting line. As I informed you last week, the new Pendragon V had to withdraw because of some rudder issues. Last report, the Antrim 40 XL, the Far 40 White Knight and the Catalina 38 Hooligan have also withdrawn from the race.

These are my final bets: Class A, The R/P 45 Criminal Mischief. With the wind forecast showing the wind lighting up at the finish I have to wonder if the larger boat will water line this little speedster. But after inspecting the boats today and seeing the Hoag Hospital ID band on Elvis’ wrist today, the boys on Criminal Mischief are ready! Class B, Grand Illusion (and I will be pulling for Mirage). Class C, I still have to go with Morpheus. She was looking just too fast today sitting on the dock ready to go. No one was doing any last minute changes or repairs. Just three people aboard with big smiles on their faces. Talk about intimidating ... Class D, I’ll go with one of the J 125s, but I’m just not sure which one. So, I’ve got to go with the current champ Reinrag2. One of my favorite J 125 film clips is Reinrag2 in the last Corona del Mar to Cabo race atwww.youtube.com/watch?v=XlbrrAt7Ktc. Watch this a couple of times and I bet I see you on the starting line next year.

Now, for the small boat in Class D, I don’ see the breeze holding up to give the Ross 40 Paddy Wagon the pressure she needs to correct out. Like I’ve said before, there will be 11 boats in the 40-foot class D, and this is a very good sign for the sport of yacht racing.

When talking to entry chairman Chris Hemans yesterday, he was very excited about the turnout in this class, in which he will be skippering his boat the Trip 41 Entropy. “The way the weather is looking Len, we’ll have something for everyone. With some wind behind us, on our nose and possible light wind at the end.” I didn’t agree with his forecast, but kept it to myself.

I asked Chris if there was anything else he could tell me. “We’ve purchased some very nice trophies, and will be trying a new daily check-in system with satellite phones. Of course we’ll have plenty of cold beer at the finish line, a photographer on site for crew photos and a great trophy presentation.” Thanks Chris. Have a good race. “Yea thanks, Len. So, what do you think the weather will be doing?” Probably a little something for everybody, Chris.

I’m in my typical frantic mode of taking care of work, family and gathering all the last minute information for the big race this weekend. If our email gets up and running on the boat I will try to send in daily reports of our progress. Please remember to keep your eyes tuned to the Iboat tracking system athttp://cloud.iboattrack.com/r/start.php?r=2010_corona_cabo and should you wish to get a little more of the taste of the race, please come on down to the send off party tonight at Balboa Yacht Club, 5:30 p.m.

Sea ya’
Len Bose

Len Bose is a contributing writer to The Daily Voice and owner of Len Bose Yacht Sales.