Race in the face of winter

Terrance Phillips

You would think that boating purists would slack off when the water

cools down. Not so.

Starting Saturday, and the first Saturday and Sunday of the next four

months, the Balboa Yacht Club will present the Sunkist Series.

This, like the Voyagers Hot Rum Series, is an inside the harbor race.

The series is open to all Sabots, Metcalfs, Lido 14 A’s and B’s,

Thistles, CFJs, Lasers, T-12s and any other class under 20 feet in

length, with five boats per start.

For more information about this small boat series, call Troy Heidemann

at the Balboa Yacht Club race office (949) 673-3515, ext. 131.

The first race of the Voyager Yacht Club’s Hot Rum Series was a real

hit -- literally. This was the race in which the uncontrolable bloke, who

was being protested, tried to resolve the issue by exercising the Marquis

of Queensberry rules, rather than taking the more conventional

“Corinthian” approach.

However, this “Mike Tyson” of yachting has bit off more than he can

chew, as I understand the race committee will seek PHRF action concerning

rule 69, a rule that basically forbids unsportsmanlike conduct.

In spite of the Hot Rum Sunday punch, the Sunday race went smoothly

with Vortex, owned by Bruce Twichell of SBYRC, winning first-place

honors. Lickety Split, owned by Joe Degenhardt of the Bahia Corinthian

YC, taking second, and Dan Rosen of the South Shore YC’s Problem Child in

third place for the “A Class.”

In the “B Class,” it was Growl, owned by Rowell Green of the Balboa

YC, first; Pintado, skippered by Dave Williams of Newport Beach YC,

second; and also from the NBYC, Jack Hester’s Fascination II landing

third place.

The second of the Hot Rum Series will be held November 21. For more

information, contact Voyager race committee chairman Fred Masino at

(949) 723-5107.

Additional races being held in November:

Nov. 13 - Newport Harbor YC Winter #2 inside race; Dana Point Yacht

Club J/24 Fall Series; Voyagers YC Commodore’s Race PHRF; Voyager YC

Campbell Sloop Race.

Nov. 14 - South Shore YC Turkey Regatta PHRF, OD.

Nov. 20 - Dana Point YC Commodores Challenge Invitational PHRF.

Nov. 21 - Voyager YC Hot Rum #2 PHRF.

Nov. 27 - Dana Point YC J/24 Fall. This millennium thing is causing

yacht clubs some major problems.

Can’t buy Dom Pergnon, Crystal or Chandon White Star? Lobsters and

even filet mignon are already spoken for. What’s a yachty to do?

In addition, several clubs have already sold out the right to blow a

millennium horn and wear a silly pointy hat. The Bahia Corinthian has

been sold out for a month or more.

I don’t get it. Newport resident Chris Coffin, currently in Auckland,

New Zealand, heading up the America True syndicate in the America’s Cup

Challenge, tells me the least expensive restaurant New Year’s Eve

packages are going for $500 per person down under!

This is just another indication that being associated with boats can

be pricey. To me, it’s just another tick on the clock and it places my

birth date one more year further away. Have a hoot.

TERRANCE PHILLIPS’ boating column appears on Fridays.