On the Harbor: Sailing to Catalina during Long Point Race Week

2018 Long Point Race Week  "Stark Raving Mad"      photo courtesy of Joysailing.com

 By LEN BOSE

In the time it takes to brush a mosquito away from your ear, summer is nearly completed and yet I am still itching for more.

As you hear the buzzing approach, you try not to look at the calendar to notice that fall is quickly approaching. We still had one weekend in the month of August which means we were headed over to Catalina for the Long Point Race Week. That perfect one last weekend to give summer one last whack upside the head.

Horizon photo courtesy of Joysailing.com

Long Point Race Week brings in Southern California’s best racing boats and offers them a world-class sailing event. This year, we had the usual suspects entering the event with Hasso Plattner aboard his 68’ foot Reichel/Pugh CLAUDE, Roy Disney 70’ Andrews PYEWACKET and my favorite boat – Jim Maddens 60’ Swan STARK RAVING MAD.

Out of the 45 boats entered, 18 of the participants are from our harbor with Molly Lunch & Alan Andrews sailing DOUBLETIME to a 2nd place overall. Another fantastic result was Seth Hall aboard his J 124 MARISOL, finishing 3rd overall. Rounding out the top 10 was James Devling in 8th in CARBON FOOTPRINT, and our team aboard HORIZON finishing 9th.

Aboard HORIZON, we lean rather heavy into the fun meter inviting our regular crew members along with their spouses for a total of 15 people aboard. That’s close to doubling our normal amount of crew. With wine, ice and 150 cold beverages to help with the smiles over the three-day weekend, we were well provisioned, which makes for a rather heavy race boat. Fortunately, Carson Reynolds allowed us to bring our camping gear and some of the provisions aboard his escort boat “Row Boat.”

Crew of Horizon

One of the ways to win this event has always been who shows up with the biggest, baddest escort boat for the crews to sleep aboard and relax on after a hard day’s racing. But this year, there was a little twist added when more attention was given on who had the best floaty toys attached to the back of their boats. Late on Saturday afternoon, the crew from MEDICINE MAN started a parade by picking up a number of very large inflatable pink flamingos and other associate rafts and towing them around the anchorage.

With the Catalina backdrop, warm water, sunny days and sparkling nights, things just do not get much better than that. Yes, the sting of the ending of summer is approaching but the remembrance of the Long Point Race Week will last for a lifetime.

• • •

Back at home, the last week of August brings the end to BCYC Taco Tuesdays and the NHYC Twilights Series. This last Tuesday, we had a cool summer breeze on the harbor with about 12 knots of wind coming out of the West. For us here in our harbor, that’s close to calling it a windy night, and as I looked up the race course, one of our best Harbor 20 friends Debra and Peter Haynes’ rigging had failed and their mast fell into the water. This is bad and while everyone was looking at who or what would come to the assistance of the Hayneses, out of nowhere came a gorgeous dark blue Duffy 22’ Bay Island to assist them. From afar, my first thought is how can anyone from a Duffy help a Harbor 20 with their mast and sails in the water. Within a very short period of time, the Duffy captain had the H20 in tow and assisted them back to safety. I was astonished on how easy it was for this Duffy captain to make this monumental effort to help a harbor user.

Photos courtesy of ©ShellyCastellano/SCPIX

Later that evening, the Hayneses showed up at the after-race party where Debra told the story: “This very nice gentleman appeared out of nowhere and said he had a lot of experience in this situation and would like to help. Before I knew it, we were off the harbor and at a friend’s dock. When I thanked him and asked him his name he replied ‘Duffy.’ When I said yes, I know you have a nice Duffy, but what’s your name; whereby the skipper replied ‘Duffy’. I don’t think he heard me correctly,” Debra said.

I started to laugh a little because just after the incident, I noticed it was our Mayor Marshall “Duffy” Duffield. It does not get any better than that and I have never, in all my years, seen someone help another harbor user more. Good stuff makes you smile and feel good about things going on in our harbor.

Photos courtesy of ©ShellyCastellano/SCPIX

Speaking about feeling good about things, Rhonda Tolar continues to lead the way in making sailing fun in our harbor, with her continued promotion of Taco Tuesdays at BCYC. Just completing her 8th year and 128 weeks of gathering opportunity drawing prizes, she raises the energy level to where the participants gave her team of volunteers a standing ovation last Tuesday night. No one sells the sport of sailing better than Tolar in Newport Beach, and for that, we say well done and thank you.

Rhonda Tolar

Sea ya.

" A star to guide me" 2018 Jr. Sabot National Championships.

Our Harbor needs more sailors like Emily Wolken

I headed up to Alamitos Bay this week to check out how all our local kids were doing in this year’s Junior Sabot National Championships. With over 118 competitors from around Southern California, things seemed bunched up more than an oversized cork in a half bottle of wine. But that was just my first impression of the volunteers for the Long Beach Yacht Club.

After I was told I could not go out to the race course with the coaches or the mark set crew I was directed to head over to the press boat where I was inspected by yacht clubs TSA senior agent and was then asked to walk through the full body scanner. I was denied to board the first press boat but things got much better after I met Alex Demmier who was skipper of the second press boat. The reason I prefer to start with the coach boats is that I get the full history of our local competitors. Fortunately, I ran into Demmier who is a coach for Long Beach Yacht Club who quickly updated me on the first two days of this series. Joining us was the photographer from the Long Beach Yacht Club Mike Frat.

When Demmier asked what I was looking for I informed him I always like to interview the sailors that are showing the most passion for the sport, they may not be in Gold or Silver fleet but you can tell from a glance that this is the place where they want to be. Fleets are split up into Gold, Silver, Bronze and Iron the first day of racing for the Jr. Sabot Nationals. 

This is when Frat told me the story from yesterday when he watched Emily Wolken from the Lido Isle Yacht Club sailing in the Iron Fleet. On day two, race 2, of the series, she was called over early and returned to the starting line to clear herself of this infraction. By the third mark in the race, she had worked her way back up to second place when she was side by side with the first place boat when he tacked away and started sailing to the wrong mark. She kindly informed her competitor that he was sailing to the wrong mark where he changed his course and stayed in first place to win the race Wolken held on to her second which was her best finish of the series. Wolken finished 12th out of a fleet of 27 in the series. 

After hearing about this story I called Wolken's stepmom Amy the day after the Championships and asked if it was OK to interview Emily. Emily is 10 years old and sails a Phoenix sabot, she explained the story and I should have asked why she just did not let her competitor sail in the wrong direction. After hearing the innocence in her voice, my gut tells me she would have answered: “ Because it was the right thing to do.” When I asked Emily if the race course was confusing she said: “No we had a day to practice before the race.” I then asked her what was her favorite race of the year and if she continues sailing in the future. Her answer was short and simple. “ I liked the Nationals and I will probably be back.” 

The next sailor I noticed was Brooks Orradre from the Bahia Corinthian Yacht who had qualified to sail in Silver fleet. Orradre really did not seem to have a care in the world yet he kept his focus and boat speed up around the race course. Orradre is 13 years old and took very good care of his boat with a soft landing at the dock, bailed all the water out of it, rolled his sail up and made a second look at the boat before walking up the dock. This is where I had a chance to interview Orradre. He sails a Corsair sabot, which was kind of funny because when I asked him what type of boat he sails he told me “ A Sabot”. He likes the Mid Summer regatta and plans on sailing for a long time “ I like the competitiveness of sailing.” he said.  Orradre explained how fortunate it is to be a BCYC member where one of his coaches is Mark Gaudio who has coached him to recognize wind shifts and tack or gybe on them to get to the mark faster.

While watching the third race of the Gold fleet I noticed sail number 10300 come into the leeward mark with a huge pack of boats. Huge gains or losses can be made at the turning marks in short course racing. This skipper was extremely patient by almost stopping her boat, holding on to position to round the mark and letting the crowd play through then grabbing the inside lane and passing five boats with clear wind. After the racers returned to the dock I approached the skipper who is Sophia Devling. Devling awareness on the race course is well advanced and it is always extremely educational for me to watch and learn. Devling comes from a sailing family and when I asked if she will continue sailing she replied, enthusiastically, that she enjoys sailing dinghies sabots and 420’s. She plans on focusing on dinghy sailing for the near future. I asked if she planned on sailing on her dad’s boat on the upcoming Long Point race week she said “No”. Devling sails a Phoenix sabot and enjoys the harbors Gold Cup races. “They feel the most competitive,” she said. I explained that she should sail with her dad while she can but I think she was more interested in her friend pulling on her shoulder to go grab some lunch. Smart kid it will be fun to watch this one grow up and take over the helm of her dads boat within the next ten years.

No Pressure 

So what did I learn by watching this year’s Sabot Jr. Nationals? I need to be better prepared with my questions and stay away from yes and no questions. I learned I needed to improve my race course awareness and stay away from a huge pack of boats. I also learned that it is more sportsmanship like to tell your opponents that they are sailing around the wrong mark before you pass them and have put them away.

Sea ya

2013 Ranger R-27 FOR SALE ASKING $ 142,500

The Ranger Tug R-27 grabs your attention at first sight with a blend of tug and commercial fishing stying inherited from the Pacific North West. While stepping into the cockpit one quickly recognizes the quality of workmanship that goes into the Ranger product line. In the past, I have used the term pocket cruiser to describe a vessel that gives you that extra mile in design and functionality. The value in these vessels are second to none and should not be compared to your average weekend style vessel. The Ranger Tug R-27 emulates pride of ownership from bow to stern and will accommodate you and your family to any cruising ground your heart desires in complete safety. This is one smart boat.

Two of the features that grabbed my eye while looking into the heart of this vessel is how the engine is set low which then lowers the boat’s CG and makes it more stable. Accessibility around the engine compartment is not a concern and after first opening the engine room main hatch I stepped back and said: “Nice, that is how you do it right.” The next feature I noticed was the electrical system and the wiring throughout the boat. I am not a marine electrician but after 30 years in the marine industry, I can tell you when vessels are in pristine condition. I have only used the word pristine a hand full of time during my career and this is one of them.

This boat will grab your attention as fast has it grabbed mine and I look forward to recognizing that look of satisfaction on your face at our first viewing. KING HARBOR SLIP IS TRANSFERABLE TO NEW OWNER!

* Interior upholstery was replaced with Sunbrella canvas in 2017.

Electronics and electrical system

Garmin Autopilot with a remote.
Garmin 7212 Chart Plotter, GPS, Depth
Garmin 4KW Radar
VHF
(4) Batteries, two house, one engine, one thruster.
Battery Charger
200 Watt Freedom Pure Sine Wave Inverter, replaced in 2016
Mase Generator 2.5 KW with 100 hours
Kyocera Solar Panels 140 with control panel
Galvanic Isolator

Generator and Engine Service

June of 2018   Generator Service
Fuel Filter
Fuel Lines
Raw water intake hose.

Jan 2018 Engine Rebuild and Service
Complete Lower end rebuild and detail
New Serpentine and water belts replaced (Spares included)
New Raw Water Pump
New Alternator (180 Amp)
New Starter
New Engine Mounts
Transmission Service

ASKING $ 142,500  Located in King Harbor, Southern California  USA