TERRANCE PHILLIPS -- The Harbor Column

The world’s largest international yacht race is preparing for its first

race of the new century.

It all started right here in Newport Beach back in 1946 and will soon

celebrate its 53rd year.

The Newport to Ensenada Race has become more than just a race for local

sailors. Competitors have entered from as far away as Canada, Mexico,

Hawaii, Texas, San Francisco, Portland, Seattle and even a few from the

Fresno Yacht Club.

The Newport Ocean Sailing Assn. or NOSA as it’s known, is the

organization that runs the event. It has had as many as 675 entries

(1983), which makes for a lot of motion-in-the-ocean at the starting

line.

Crashes, dings, tears and torment have occurred to many a boat, however,

everybody has a great time. This year, there will be three starting lines

allowing more boats to start at the same time as opposed to the

traditional staggered starting times.

This is an event that places novices in competition against

professionals, men crews vs. women crews, big boats vs. little boats,

yacht club vs. yacht club, slow boats, fast boats even boats 70-80 years

old.

With family crews, yacht club crews or just a bunch of partying sailors,

this event is quite a spectacle.

“The race attracts as many as 12,000 racers and support crews,” said

David Jahr from the Rodhiem Marketing Group -- a large number for a city

of approximately 60,000 residents.

From an economic prospective, boat yards, fuel docks, marine stores,

hotels, restaurants and liquor stores, fair quite well during the days

prior to the starters blast on the last Friday of every April.

Even though there’ll be three starting lines, it will still get congested

out there. If you haven’t been a participant or seen the start, a great

place to view the chaos is atop the bluffs above Big Corona Beach at noon

April 29. Boats as far as the eye can see, all going leeward, windward --

left -- right -- oh what a sight!

Jim Mahaffey, the Commodore of NOSA, is in charge of this years race

along with the assistance of 250 volunteers. Meetings with the Mayor of

Ensenada, Mexican government officials, the U.S. and Mexican Navy’s, the

U.S. Coast Guard and Custom’s Office are all necessary.

It takes thousands of man-hours to plan this event and make it into a

success. Although most race for an excuse to just get away on a vacation,

there are others that enter for sport, trophies and the prestige.

The big guns are not weekend boaters, but rather sailors who are prepared

for combat. Boats like Taxi Dancer, Pyewacket, Grand Illusion, Christine

and more, are in a special “cash class,” so-to-speak. The 70-plus footers

can carry aboard as much as $1,000,000 in sail inventory alone. This

clearly separates these boats from the weekend, five-day a week working

stiff sailor. But you don’t have to own Disneyland to have a great time.

The local pre-race events and parties have a life of their own and the

excitement and activities down in Ensenada, have become legendary. This

year NOSA’s impact will extend far beyond just a boat race. NOSA has

aligned itself with the “El Viento Foundation” (The Wind in English). The

Huntington Beach organization assists needy children with after-school

tutoring, swimming lessons and educational weekend field trips, just to

name a few of its services.

If a child participates in the program continually from 4th through 12th

grades, they are guaranteed tuition through a local community college.

Tax-deductible contributions are being solicited to skippers and crews. A

$500 donation will support a child in the El Viento program for an entire

year; $250 through the summer program and a $100 gift will provide a year

of after school tutoring.

SPLISH SPLASH:

* The Newport Beach Yacht Club will host a Casino Night to benefit the

Orange County Child Abuse Prevention Center Saturday Feb. 12.

For tickets and information call (949) 760-0221.

* The Newport Ocean Sailing Assn. can be reached by calling (714)

771-0691 or e-mail nosa1@juno.com and Web site, www.nosa.org.

* The Rodhiem Marketing Group, which is the public relations and

marketing firm for NOSA, can be reached at (714) 557-5100.