Winter Sailing Series…what’s going on

By LEN BOSE

Balboa Yacht Club 2017-18 Sunkist Series

Courtesy of Joysailing.com

The Newport Beach winter sailing series is about halfway though its season, so I wanted to provide you with an update on races that will be taking place in our Harbor. 

Balboa Yacht Club 2017-18 Sunkist Series

Thirty-five boats signed up for this year’s four race Sunkist Series and like all the other harbor winter series it has been sailed in light winds and strong currents. The final race of the series just happens to be on Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 4 with most of the competitors wondering how they will get home in time to watch the game.

In PHRF A fleet, Jim Devling’s shiny black boat “Carbon Footprint” has sailed very consistently and leads the fleet going into the final minutes of the game. Just behind, is team “It’s OK” that with a throw out, discarding their worst race, this series could end up in a tie breaker. It’s going to be close…let’s hope for wind.

PHRF B has “Amante” winning and if there is a throw out she does not have to go out on the field for the fourth quarter. Peter Wells sailing the J 120 “Adios” is in second followed by Seth Hall aboard “Marisol.”

In PHRF C, “Doubletime” has the overpowering offensive line in this series with three first place finishes and like Amante can sit the fourth quarter out should there be a throw out in the series. Tied for second is Brian Doughty J 105 “Legacy” and Bill McKeever “Reliance,” both boats with identical scores, this race will be close.

PHRF D appears to be a close one with Ray Booths C&C 35 “Altheris” only two points out of first with nine points to John Szalay’s Peterson 34 “Pussycat.” Third place is tied between Mark Rosene “RD” and Roger Gooding “Rhythm” both with 11 points. This series will be a barn burner with some of the best racing in the harbor. Now I really want the wind to show up!

PHRF E has another close game going on with Gavin Herbert Rhodes 41 “Madness” in first place with nine points. Followed closely by Caleb Everett’s Moore 24 “Tortuga.” All good stuff, so make sure you tune in.

Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club Rum Series

Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club Hot Rum 2017-18 Series

Jan. 21 will be the last race of the three-part Hot Rum Series. Twenty-seven boats have entered and are split up in three PHRF classes and have been greeted with light winds and strong currents.

In PHRF A, The Richley Family sailing the mighty “Amante” has a thee point lead over Russell Grant’s “Wild Thing,” and in a close third is Bill McKeever’s well sailed “Reliance.”

Next up is PHRF B with Joe Degenhardt’s “Lickity Split” in third, Larry Kilger’s “Healer” in second and “Pussycat” with a strong lead in first.

PHRF C has Emile Pilafidis sailing “Party Globe” in third, Bob McDonald aboard “Undecided” is in second and with another strong lead, Bob Wineat is at the helm of “Carioca.”

Newport Harbor Yacht Club Winter Series

NHYC 2017-18 Winter Series

Forty-four Harbor 20’s have entered Newport Harbor’s Yacht Club’s Winter Series this season. Racing has been close and the winds have been light as we approach the last race in the series on February 4. First race is an hour earlier at 12 p.m., because the start of some silly football game!

In Harbor 20 C fleet, Kathryn Reed’s “Wood in it be Nice” is leading going into the fourth quarter by six points to Mike Kohl aboard “A Tack Dragon” in second. Ross Watanabe is in third and only 11 points out of first.

In B Fleet, Doug Rastello brought in fleet champ Bill Menninger as his front line and they have rolled through the competition. Chris Allen racing his boat “Zephyr” with Walter Johnson as his crew are not known to give up, even though it appears the fat lady is clearing her voice. Allen is 15 points back and might just show up with a Cal Bears hats on and pull something out of his sail bag.

A fleet has “Shana’s Secret” with Mark Conzelman at the helm with a six point lead and has been the only team to keep a perfect attendance in the series. Conzelman will have to keep his head down and not look up at the game monitor going into the last quarter of the series. Should he decide to look up, he will see a yellow boat by the name of “Ping” with Anne and Kurt Wiese chasing him down. Over the last six races, team Wiese has not finished out of the top three and no one has thrown a flag at them.

Get out and enjoy the races!

PLEASE THANK BRONNY FOR THE PHOTOS!