Under perfect conditions the Santa Barbara Harbor 20 fleet enjoyed 12 to 15 knots of wind with flat seas in a very exciting 5-race regatta.

Sharon Green of Ultimate Sailing fame was on hand to snap some of the best pictures I’ve seen of the Harbor 20 Fleet.  Click here to view the album.

The race committee ran 4 windward –leeward races with one race that had a reaching leg.   The 11-boat fleet was very tightly matched.  Ken Kieding aboard “Holly Harbor”, Scott Deardorff on “Fling”, and Al Salzer aboard Fleur de Lis finished one, two three respectively.

Awards where given out and the fleet enjoyed a great potluck on the sand next to the club.

Nearly perfect conditions greeted the Harbor 20’s for their second ocean race regatta: Calm seas, good wind, sunny and warm. South Shore Yacht Club provided race committee and a custom Windward/Leeward course after the yachts of the Crew of Two and Double Dash races left the starting line.

Seven Harbor 20s raced four races each at about 25 minutes long. Tom & Jane Schock dominated the first position with three 1st and a 2nd place finish giving them the overall 1st place with 5 points.

The 2nd, 3rd and 4th positions were hotly contested, separated only by a few points:

2nd Place: Karl & Cole Pomeroy (2nd, 4th, 4th, 3rd)

3rd Place: John Whitney & Phil Ramser (4th, 5th, 2nd, 4th)

4th Place: Nik Froehlich & Greg Hawkins (5th, 3rd, 6th, 2nd)

5th Place: Rolly Pulaski & Anne (3rd, 6th, 3rd, 5th)

6th Place: Matt Campbell & Crew

7th Place: Barbara Jones & Crew

Thank you to Rod & Nancy Swift for providing photos.

 

Based on the success of the first Harbor 20 Fleet 1 Ocean Race (read about it here), another Ocean race has been scheduled for the Harbor 20s Fleet 1.

The Harbor 20 races will be held along with the Crew of Two and Double Dash races on Saturday, July 23rd. The Harbor 20’s will have their own start at 1300 hours. There are 2-4 short windward / leeward races scheduled and awards at 1800 at the SSYC clubhouse along with the Double Dash awards.

A & B’s will be combined into one class for this regatta. Between 2-4 races are planned.

The cost is $20 (does not include the tee-shirt advertised in the online registration).

Register online today.

Ocean racing in a Harbor 20 requires extra precautions and experience, especially if winds are strong or if there are large swells. The race will be cancelled if conditions warrant. Beginners are advised to have experienced crew if they plan on participating. Only Harbor 20s with positive floatation are recommended. A “assist boat” will be on the course following the fleet at all times to offer assistance. It is recommended all participants bring a portable VHF radio for communications with the RC and Assist Boat.

Notice of Race

Online Registration

The Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club, OA of the Taco Tuesdays, has amended the Sailing Instructions.  The amended instructions can be downloaded here, or by going to the BCYC Taco Tuesdays website.

Section 1.4 was changed to prohibit PHRF boats from sailing in the moorings. The rule only applies to PHRF and not to the Harbor 20s.

Thanks to John Whitney for spearheading this effort, and to the BCYC Race Committee for accommodating the Harbor 20 Fleet 1.

By Paul Briant, South Coast Yachts

This was our 6th Beercans race in the South Coast Yacht’s Harbor 20 and our first victory. We have been slowly learning how to make the boat fast, being a new skipper and also learning the start sequences, some tactics and the vagaries of the wind and current in San Diego bay. Our series record now stands at 4-5-2-2-1. I had some experienced crew in races 5 and 6 which really helped to keep the boat going while I steered.

In the Fifth Race,  I had the honor of having Tom Schock as crew and that experience is what helped set us up for the win on Wednesday. Tom taught me all the finer points of how to keep the boat moving in the light air, drive through the chop and roll the boat thru a tack and maintain her speed. We led the fleet until the final leg but got trapped in a hole and ended up in a closely fought Second, our best finish to date.

In the Sixth Race, we almost cancelled for lack of crew, but Barrett Canfield, the Manager of South Coast Yachts and his business partner Rick Day decided at the last minute to join me. Rick is a great tactician and having the two crew trimming and calling tactics allowed me to concentrate on steering the boat and keeping her fast.

We got an OK start and were three boat lengths behind our main competition going into the windward mark. Fortunately, they got into a tactical dual with a bigger boat and opened the door for us to steer a rhumb-line coarse for the leeward mark. The wind was getting lighter and lighter which favored us.

Our secret weapon, the jib boom, pulled us efficiently wing-on wing  down-wind faster than the competition and we rounded the leeward mark two boat-lengths ahead. Rick had a knack for putting us in clean air and finding the breeze and we picked up both sailing up the middle of the course. Barrett did a masterful job of getting maximum drive out of the mainsail and changing gears for every puff and lull. We climbed away from the competition and finished about 10 boat lengths ahead of them. A great feeling as they were very experienced sailors in a fast boat who have handily won every other race this year and last.

The conclusions that I have come to after racing this boat in the series so far are basically the same for any boat in a race. The big difference is that you can get-away with being a little sloppy in a bigger boat as they are more tolerant of it , but in the Harbor 20, if your sails aren’t trimmed  for the wind angle or condition, or one is sloppy on the helm, the boat slows down.

The Harbor 20 has to be sailed to her optimum all the way round the course to beat a bigger boat but to do so is most rewarding and really teaches you to be a better sailor. Having a good crew who can look for clear lanes and wind and let you concentrate on keeping the tell-tales flying is also invaluable. Barrett and Rick’s crewing was the difference in the race as well as the flow of rum beverages that kept appearing.

Winning the race was extremely fun, but the friendship, and camaraderie as we ghosted this lovely little  boat back up the marina fairway on a beautiful spring evening, long past our slip because we were having so much fun. This was the memory that will stay with me.

Link to results

 

Santa Barbara Harbor 20 Fleet, June 23, 2011

Tom Schock and his wife Jane visited Santa Barbara Harbor 20 fleet yesterday.  They participated in the Wet Wednesday race sponsored by SBYC.

Under clearing sky’s and 12 knots of wind, the fleet had two options.  They could hug the inside and hope for a lift to the weather mark or take advantage of the current and wind outside.

The crew on COMFORT TOO, comprised of Jane Schock, Leslie Deardorf, and Carl Treiberg rounded the weather mark right behind Ken Kieding and Mike Drammer on Eli Parker’s boat “E”.  Spinnakers were set and a couple of jibes later they rounded the leeward mark.

Tom Schock aboard Scott Deardorf’s boat “FLING” went inside on the first weather leg.  Those outside faired better.

The final downwind leg also had the best wind.  There were a couple of round-ups and more than one spinnaker wrap.  However, all had a good time.

Tom and Jane were available for questions at the club after the race.

Thank you for coming up and sailing with us!

 

 

The results of the BYC Midsummer Regatta are available from the Balboa Yacht Club here or on our Harbor 20 Website here.

The regatta consisted of three races in a busy harbor with about 10 mph winds.

Winner of the A Fleet was Walter Johnson sailing Adrenalin (#300). Second place was Gary Thorne and third place was Guy Doran.

Winner of the B Fleet was Lee Sutherland sailing Why Not (#48). Second place was Kathy Sangster and third place was Tom Corkett.

Thank you Balboa Yacht Club for hosting this event and providing snacks afterwards.

Captain Kidd’s Treasure Chest was uncovered by John and Mary Whitney at the Stars and Stripes Regatta last Sunday. It was buried far below the sands of Lido Isle in an unknown cavern which runs under Balboa Bay. Finding it was not an easy task, for the treasure hunters had to uncover many clues that were left around the Bay, and follow them to the hidden location.

The Chest was full of loot, including beautiful jewelry, gold bouilon, knives and swords, Rum and wine, goodies, dock lines, and Harbor 20 dress wear. Everyone was envious of the winner, who shared the spoils with the many participants.

The Drayton family (George, John and John Jr.) was close behind, but they were mixed up on the final direction, and thereby missed the grand prize.

The spectacular Stars and Stripes Perpetual Trophy was awarded to John and Mary Whitney.  The awards for the best dressed young pirates were won by Cole Pomeroy and his friend in father Karl’s boat. The best dressed crew award went to Raleigh Pulaski’s girls—Mimi Barker, Donna Riggs, and Susan George. The best dressed Pirate award went to Kathy Sangster.

A festive celebration was held at the LIYC Club House that evening where all of the hunters could meet, partake of delicious rum punch and tell exciting “war stories” about their perilous adventures on the high seas. Kathy “Kidd” Sangster put on a good spread consisting of horduerves and barbequed hamburgers.  The biggest thank you of the day goes to Andy Binkerd for all his work on the creation of the classic Chest, and then filling it with all of the fantastic loot.  Good job Andy!

If you missed the Event, it’s too bad, for there is only one Captain Kidd’s treasure. However, Captain Morgan came this way in 1678, and may have left some treasure to find next year. See you then.

 

More pictures available here

Fleet 1 held their first “Sail or Sink” ocean race on May 21st.  Eleven boats reached the starting line near the Balboa pier in 7-10 knots of wind.  It was a perfect day of sailing and without a single Duffy or Wedding boat to deal with.  The boats all started off of the Balboa Pier and sailed upwind approx 3 miles to a bell buoy.  It was interesting as we rounded the bell buoy the TP52’s and others were finishing at the same bell buoy.  I am sure more than a few of them thought we were lost!  After racing all participants gathered for a burger bash and a few drinks.  Great stories were told and everyone in attendance said it was one of their most memorable H20 sails ever.  The finishing order was – 1st – Karl Pomeroy #262, 2nd – Steve Woodruff #300, 3rd Peter Haynes #201.  A number of bottles of wine were handed out as trophies.   Hopefully more races can follow in these perfect waters for our boats.

 

New this year at Balboa Yacht Club is a Perpetual Trophy for the Harbor 20A cumulative low point in Twilights donated by the Harbor 20 Board and deeded by Judy Weightman and Carter Ford. It will be awarded at BYC’s Annual Awards dinner in November. Twilights started last week and there were 4 A’s, so it’s not too late to be in the running. See you in November?