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18' Skiff International Regatta 2009 		Team McLube

 
 


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Aug 30, 2009, 4:23 PM

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Aug. 30, 2009



18s' 8th annual thrill show under way on the Bay

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif.

The diverse Bay sailing scene has shifted over the last couple of days from a splash and crash 505 dinghy Worlds last week to a wooden boat regatta Sunday and now to perhaps the wildest exhibition of racing on the edge: the eighth annual 18' Skiff International Regatta Monday through Friday.

About a dozen crews of three were still checking in Sunday afternoon, led by three-time winner Howard Hamlin and Australian veteran John Winning, who finished last year's event with broken ribs, alongside crew member David Gibson's fractured ankle. Winning's son John Jr., a.k.a. "Herman," will skipper a rival boat.

It gets rough out there on the windward-leeward course running in front of the host St. Francis Yacht Club and Crissy Field, the grass staging area behind the beach launching area.

Even one of the locals, skipper Ty Reed of the Skiff Sailing Foundation Red entry, said, "My goal is to win and to start and finish every race."

Those objectives have gone hand in hand in the past, although even winners have taken their tumbles.

The 18-footers they sail aren't even boats in the conventional sense but mere platforms to which the crews ride on hiking racks and skim over the tops of waves behind oversize sails.

And the Bay presents added challenges: gear-busting, bone-chilling breeze.

"The coldest summer spot we go to," says Winning.

And, says Trevor Barnabas, skipper of 24HourRoadService.com, "a bit more breeze than anyplace else we go."

The wind funneling through the Golden Gate is both friend and enemy. Archie Massey was a crew last year but is skipper now on Asko.

"The first year we were winning every race at the first [windward] mark and capsized," he said. "That was with the old skipper."

John Gray, a crew on David Rasmussen's local SwitchYourStyle, knows all about capsizing. He lost track of the number of flips be experienced while sailing in the 505 Worlds last week.

"I can't wait for this to start," he said.

There will be 10 races total, two each day, starting at 1 p.m. local time, except for Thursday when the first race will be at 3 p.m. followed by the traditional Bridge to Bridge Race, matching the 18s with kite boarders and windsurfers in a 5 1/2-mile romp along the city front from the Golden Gate to the Bay Bridge.

Last year Hamlin's team became the first 18 to finish first, 37 seconds ahead of a kite boarder.

Australia's Seve Jarvin won the 18s overall last year but is not competing here. He once described the class as "fast, and they add a bit of adventure. They give sailing a bit of an edge. You usually end up in the top three if you stay upright."

High-resolution photo gallery

2008 results
(10 races; two discards)

1. Gotta Love It, Seve Jarvin/Sam Newton/Tom Clout, Sydney, Australia, 1-1-1-1-4-1-(12/DNF)-(5)-1-2, 12 points.

2. Harken 1, Howard Hamlin/Mike Martin/Paul Allen, Long Beach, Calif., 2-2-2-(12/DNF)-2-(3)-2-1-3-1, 15.

3. SLAM, Grant Rollerson/Matt Noble/David Mann, Perth, Australia, 5-(9)-3-2-3-4-1-(12/DNF)-2-6, 26.

4. Active Air, Matthew Searle/ Dan Wilsdon/Archie Massey, Sydney, (6)-3-6-6-(12/DNF)-2-4-2-5-4, 32.

5. Kinder Care Home Nursing, Brett Van Munster/Paul Montague/Ayden Mezies, Sydney, 4-4-4-3-1-(12/DNS)-(12/DNF)-6-8-12/DNF, 42.

6. Yandoo, John Winning/Andrew Hay/David Gibson, Sydney, 3-5-5-4-
(12/DNF)-(12/DNS)-12/DNF-12/DNF-4-3, 48.

7. Panasonic, Jonathan Whitty/Tom Anderson/John Herman Winning, Sydney, 7-7-9-5-6-(12/DNS)-5-3-7-12/DNF, 49.

8. Harken 2, Joey Pasquali/Chad Freitas/Rory Giffen, Santa Cruz, Calif., 8-6-8-7-7-5-3-(12/DNF)-(12/DNF)-12/DNS-12/DNS, 56.

9. Cabot Cheese, Patrick Whitmarsh/Danny Cayard/Joe Penrod, San Francisco, 9-8-7-8-5-6-(12/DNF)-(12/DNF)-9-7, 59.

10. Natural Blues, Dan Brandt/Cooper Dressler/Pike Harris, San Francisco, (12/DNF)-10-(12/DNF)-9-12/DNS-12/DNF-12/DNF-4-6-5, 70.

11. Skiffsailing.org., Jonny Goldsberry/Jay Scott/Andy Casey, Alameda, Calif., (12/DNF)-(12/DNF)-12/DNF-12/DNF-12/DNF-12/DNS-12/DNF-12/DNF-12/DNF-12/DNS, 96.


St. Francis Yacht Club

RACE MANAGER
John Craig
415.563.6363
racemgr@stfyc.com

MEDIA CONTACT
Rich Roberts
310.766.6547
richsail@earthlink.net




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Aug 31, 2009, 6:24 AM

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Chris Love, chris@sailgroove.org, 774-217-3394

SAILGROOVE.ORG TO STREAM 2009 18' SKIFF INTERNATIONAL LIVE

Austin, TX – August 28, 2009 — Sailgroove.org will be at St. Francis Yacht Club in San Francisco, Cal. August 31-September 4, 2009 for the 18' Skiff International regatta, including the world famous Ronstan Bridge to Bridge Race on Thursday, September 3. Sailgroove will provided the daily videos and reports its fans have come to expect as well as live, streaming coverage of the racing from atop the St. Francis Yacht Club, which starts daily at 1:00PM PST.

Competitors from around the globe are now preparing for five days of tight buoy racing with the Golden Gate Bridge as the backdrop. Their vessels are triplehanded rocket ships known as 18' Skiffs. If you aren't familiar with these boats, think of a small canoe with wings; add a crew of three, all equipped with trapeze harnesses; now stick on a main, jib, and the most massive asym you can carry aboard.

The format is for the fleet to complete two races each day, with the 11th running of the Ronstan Bridge to Bridge Race to count as the second race for Thursday. The annual Bridge to Bridge is an all out drag race that draws not only skiffs, but also windsurfers and kiteboarders. The course is almost a straight line, from the Golden Gate Bridge to the San Francisco Bay Bridge, all downwind, run in the late afternoon when the breeze is usually strongest.

Sailgroove's coverage, including live streaming video during the regatta, can be found at www.sailgroove.org/videos/coverage/view/235517-18-skiff-international-regatta

Event information, including entry list and race documents, can be found at https://event-manager.compete-at.com/Manager/event/home.do?clubcntxt=stfrancisyc&eventcntxt=18Skiff09

About Sailgroove
Sailgroove.org, the grassroots sailing Web site driven by its video coverage of sailing races and events, is an established leader in online sailing coverage. Sailgroove has produced hundreds of interviews with sailors, trainers and coaches from the amateur, collegiate and professional levels. Sailgroove coverage includes interviews, race and highlight video, which can be viewed the day of the event.


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Sep 1, 2009, 11:13 AM

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Sept. 1, 2009



Winning finds a way in 18 Skiffs opener

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif.

With a wink and a nod to experience, Australia's John Winning and California's Howard Hamlin won the first two races of
the eighth annual 18' Skiff International Regatta Monday.

Winning's third place in the second race left him in first place with four points. Hamlin and Winning's son John Jr., a.k.a. Herman, share second place with six.

Winning, 57, and Hamlin, 56, each a world champion in the class in past years, have been competing in the event off the City Front since its inception, but few of their victories have been as satisfying.

In the first race, as the other 11 boats lined up for starboard tack starts, Winning, with crew David Gibson and Andrew Day, sailed off alone to the pin end of the line in front of the host St. Francis Yacht Club with an obviously different plan: a bold port tack start with no right of way but a big advantage on the wind angle that would allow them not only to cross all their rivals but get to the favored right side of the course.

"We just thought it was there and we'd give it a try," Winning said, smiling.

Nice try. All they had to do was stay upright the rest of the race. Winning led everyone to the first mark by 45 seconds and cruised home 55 seconds ahead in the two-lap race.

His son Herman didn't suspect what his dad was planning but said, "He did it well. It's a bit of a risky maneuver if you get pinned, but he got away with it."

Hamlin said, "He loves to do that. We talked about it but it's high risk. Good on him."

Winning said the opportunity for a successful port tack start "was still there in the second race, but we couldn't get over there. We're quite happy with our speed."

In the second race, Australia's Trevor Barnabas achieved a strong standard start and built a controlling lead over Hamlin, sailing with Paul Allen and Matt Noble, but on his jibe into the leeward mark on the second of three laps his skiff flipped and Hamlin flew by, closely pursued by Herman Winning. By the time Barnabas and crew got their boat upright, they were destined for sixth place.

Winds started at 14 knots and built to 18 through the two races, with gusts to 20 knots.

Hamlin took no joy in the way he won.

"You just feel, well, that could happen to us, but we're in the lead," he said. "All we're focused on is getting around them."

After taking the lead from Barnabas, they still had to fight off Herman Winning, carrying him to the far right corner before tacking toward the finish line to win by 10 seconds.

All three people on Hamlin's skiff sailed in last week's SAP 505 Worlds but on different boats.

There will be two races each day through Friday, including Thursday's late afternoon Bridge to Bridge classic with kite boarders and windsurfers. The scoring includes discards after the fifth and ninth races.

High-resolution photo gallery

Complete results
(after 2 of 10 races)

1. Yandoo, John Winning/David Gibson/Andrew Day, Australia, 1-3, 4 points.
2. Harken, Howard Hamlin/Paul Allen/Matt Noble, Long Beach, Calif., 5-1, 6.
3. AppliancesOnLine, Herman Winning/Tim Austin/David Ewings, Australia, 4-2, 6.
4. Asko/Gill, Archie Massey/Simon Noarne/Dan Wilsdon, Australia, 2-5, 7.
5. 24hrRoadService, Trevor Barnabas/Aaron Links/Daniel Phillips, Australia, 3-6, 9.
6. Slam, no crew information, 8-4, 12.
7. MacQuarie Group, Micah Lane/Jack Macarty/Peter Harris, Australia, 6-7, 13.
8. Spot Satellite/Toyota Messenger, Dan Brandt/Cooper Dressler/Danny Cayard, 7-8, 15.
9. Skiff Foundation Blue, no crew information, 10-9, 19.
10. Skiff Foundation White, Chad Freitas/Mark Breen/J.V. Gilmour, Albany, Calif., 11-11, 22.
11. Harken Blue, Joey Pasquali/Rory Giffen/Kevin Richards, Santa Cruz, Calif., 9-DNF, 23.
12. Panasonic Viera, John Whitty/Dan Higlett/Harry Bethwaite, Australia, DNF-10, 24.
13. Skiff Foundation Red, Ty Reed/Dan Malpas/J.V. Gilmour, Albany, Calif., DNF-DNF, 28.

St. Francis Yacht Club

RACE MANAGER
John Craig
415.563.6363
racemgr@stfyc.com

MEDIA CONTACT
Rich Roberts
310.766.6547
richsail@earthlink.net


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Sep 2, 2009, 10:54 AM

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Sept. 1, 2009



18' Skiffs Regatta is all about Winning so far

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif.

The story of the eighth annual 18' Skiff International Regatta so far is Winning, Winning, Winning . . . and Hamlin. How'd he get in there?

Four races over the first two days of the event hosted by the St. Francis Yacht Club have swept Australia's John Winning and John Jr. (a.k.a. Herman) and the veteran Trevor Barnabas into three of the top four current positions of contention with a lone American, Howard Hamlin of Long Beach, Calif., intruding into second place as the only other winner.

Only four points separate the first four with six races remaining through Friday. Discards will kick in after the fifth and eighth races.

The younger Winning, sailing the prettiest skiff in the fleet---a faux wood veneer hull sponsored by Applianceonline.com, won Tuesday's first race handily. Then the elder Winning, repeating his successful port tack start of the previous day, scored his second victory, although he had to overtake countryman Grant Rollerson and then fight off Hamlin and his son most of the way.

Father and son insist they aren't working together.

"Not at all," Herman said. "Whenever we talk too much we argue."

Dad said, "He does his own thing. We probably sail a bit differently, anyway."

Whatever, both seem wired in to the conditions, which haven't been extreme for San Francisco at 14 to 18 knots, although a persistent outgoing ebb tide as strong as 3 knots flowing against the breeze blowing in through the Golden Gate---just bad timing on the tide schedule---makes the sailing a bit uncomfortable.

Hamlin, who would be dealing with delamination on his hull overnight, said, "It seems every year we're here we're racing in an ebb tide."

One thing that hasn't changed: Nobody bothers to bring an optional tall mast here. All 13 boats are using small rigs.

Another local distraction can be the traffic on the windward-leeward race course, including freighters, tankers and ferries. But the club race office has learned to deal with it over the years by defining boundaries between race courses and the shipping lanes backed up by direct radio communications with the vessels that tend to move even faster than the 18-foot skiffs.

An occasional exception to the orderly procedure is a private boat, like the large motor yacht that chose to drive directly across the starting line for the first race as if it, too, was responding to the gun. Race manager John Craig was compelled to order a general recall, which did not apply to the yacht, which had proceeded on blissfully unaware of any problem.

Paul Allen, a member of Hamlin's crew who has sailed these waters from boyhood, said, "It's part of the game here."

Herman Winning's sixth place in Tuesday's second race following his win left him disappointed, but he was encouraged that "we're quick downwind when it's windy," which it could well be before Friday.

Rollerson, an 18 Skiff veteran, is off the pace in fifth place but looked strong when he led the fleet to the windward mark in the first race before the elder Winning passed him.

"We got some laylines wrong downwind and probably sailed a bit too cautiously," he said. "Our speed is fine. We're comfortable with that."

High-resolution photo gallery

Complete results
(after 4 of 10 races)

1. Yandoo, John Winning/David Gibson/Andrew Day, Australia, 1-3-5-1, 10 points.

2. Harken, Howard Hamlin/Paul Allen/Matt Noble, Long Beach, Calif., 5-1-3-2, 11.

3. Appliancesonline, Herman Winning/Tim Austin/David Ewings, Australia, 4-2-1-6, 13.

4. 24hrRoadService, Trevor Barnabas/Aaron Links/Daniel Phillips, Australia, 3-6-2-3, 14.

5. Slam, Grant Rollerson/Fang Warren/Ris Cleary, Australia, 8-4-4-5, 21.

6. Asko/Gill, Archie Massey/Simon Noarne/Dan Wilsdon, Australia, 2-5-10-7, 24.

7. Macquarie Group, Micah Lane/Jack Macartney/Peter Harris, Australia, 6-7-8-4, 24.

8. Spot Satellite/Toyota Messenger, Dan Brandt/Cooper Dressler/Danny Cayard, San Francisco, 7-8-6-DNF, 35.

9. Skiff Foundation Blue, David Rasmussen/John Gray/Dan Morris, San Francisco, 10-9-7-10, 36.

10. Panasonic Viera, John Whitty/Dan Higlett/Harry Bethwaite, Australia, DNF-10-DNF-8, 46.

11. Harken Blue, Joey Pasquali/Rory Giffen/Kevin Richards, Santa Cruz, Calif., 9-DNF-DNF-9, 46.

12. Skiff Foundation White, Chad Freitas/Mark Breen/J.V. Gilmour, Albany, Calif., 11-11-DNF-11, 47.

13. Skiff Foundation Red, Ty Reed/Dan Malpas/J.V. Gilmour, Albany, Calif., DNF-DNF-9-DNF, 51.

St. Francis Yacht Club

RACE MANAGER
John Craig
415.563.6363
racemgr@stfyc.com

MEDIA CONTACT
Rich Roberts
310.766.6547
richsail@earthlink.net


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Sep 2, 2009, 7:47 PM

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Sept. 2, 2009



Hamlin, Barnabas score big with small rigs

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif.

Big rig or small rig? That was the decision some of the players had to make on Day 3 of the eighth annual 18' Skiff International Regatta hosted by the St. Francis Yacht Club.

Others had no choice. They were better off.

That's how Howie Hamlin got the jump on father and son John (Woody) Winning and John Jr. (Herman) to move into first place after 6 of 10 races, three points ahead of the elder Winning and fellow Australian veteran Trevor Barnabas, who won Wednesday's second race as handily as Hamlin won the first.

"I guess the smaller rigs won out," Barnabas said.

Hamlin, 56, is the lone American in contention against an armada of Aussies, most of whom arrived with extra, taller masts in case San Francisco Bay fell short of its perennial promise of big breeze. Hamlin had only his short rig measuring 9.5 meters compared to 10.38 meters (31 to 34 feet) for the big one.

"It adds about 20 square feet of sail area," Winning said earlier in the Crissy Field boat park was competitors waited for the wind to build, "but you also get a bigger spinnaker."

So, with unofficial forecasts suggesting the wind wouldn't rise above 14 knots without reaching the usual 20 or 25 and then wisp away by 5 o'clock, both Winnings went for it.

"In Sydney we don't change [to small rigs] until it gets over 18 knots," Woody Winning said.

Minutes before launching, Hamlin, who originally inspired the event on this otherwise perfect venue for the high-performance 18' Skiffs along the normally windy City Front, hosted an informal skippers meeting in the boat park to check the opinions of the fleet. It was agreed that everyone would use whichever mast they preferred. The subject is not addressed in the regatta's Sailing Instructions, but some principals feel it is unofficially agreed that everyone would use the short masts.

Hamlin, who didn't bring a tall rig, had used one only once in seven years of the event.

"And that was a mistake," he said before Wednesday's races. "You could do it and it might work, but you also could get smacked down. But right now I'd say it was a good call [to use a tall mast]."

So what effect would it have?

"It means," he said, soberly, "that we'll race and the Winnings will win two races,"

Wrong. As Hamlin and Archie Massey sailed away to a 1-2 finish in the first race, Woody Winning's Yandoo finished third and Herman finished sixth.

In the second race, as the son continued to struggle to another sixth, the father fought for the lead with Barnabas until they rounded the second windward mark of the two-lap race in the shadow of the Golden Gate Bridge and Yandoo suddenly flipped---a climactic punctuation to the story of the day.

"The wind up there was a little fresher than we expected," Winning said, chuckling. "[Crew member] David [Gibson] knocked me around the back of the boat."

Winning said the breeze was only "16 of 17" knots, although rivals estimated Yandoo was blown over by gusts as high as 25. He took the setbacks in good humor, partly because his ninth place following the capsize will be his current throwout.

And . . .

"It'll be the small rig [Thursday] for the Bridge to Bridge Race," Winning said.

The 7 1/2-mile Bridge to Bridge Race, also featuring kite boarders and windsurfers, will follow the 18s' 3 o'clock fleet race from the Golden Gate past the city to the Bay Bridge---which, incidentally, will be closed to vehicle traffic for five days starting Thursday to replace an old section.

Last year Hamlin became the first 18' Skiff to win the B to B, which pleased him about as much as Wednesday's turn of events.

"We're happy," he said. "Big rigs don't like bearing away in 25 knots [of wind]."

High-resolution photo gallery

Complete results
(after 6 of 10 races; one discard)

1. Harken, Howard Hamlin/Paul Allen/Matt Noble, Long Beach, Calif., (5)-1-3-2-1-3, 10 points.

2. Yandoo, John Winning/David Gibson/Andrew Day, Australia, 1-3-5-1-3-(9), 13.

3. 24hrRoadService, Trevor Barnabas/Aaron Links/Daniel Phillips, Australia, 3-(6)-2-3-4-1, 13.

4. Appliancesonline, Herman Winning/Tim Austin/David Ewings, Australia, 4-2-1-(6)-6-6, 19.

5. Macquarie Group, Micah Lane/Jack Macartney/Peter Harris, Australia, 6-7-8-4-5-2, 24.

6. Asko/Gill, Archie Massey/Simon Noarne/Dan Wilsdon, Australia, 2-5-10-7-2-(11), 26.

7. Slam, Grant Rollerson/Fang Warren/Ris Cleary, Australia, (8)-4-4-5-(DNF)-5, 26.

8. Skiff Foundation Blue, David Rasmussen/John Gray/Dan Morris, San Francisco, (10)-9-7-10-9-8, 43.

9. Panasonic Viera, John Whitty/Dan Higlett/Harry Bethwaite, Australia, (DNF)-10-DNF-8-10-4, 46.

10. Spot Satellite/Toyota Messenger, Dan Brandt/Cooper Dressler/Danny Cayard, San Francisco, 7-8-6-(DNF)-11-DNF, 46.

11. Harken Blue, Joey Pasquali/Rory Giffen/Kevin Richards, Santa Cruz, Calif., 9-(DNF)-DNF-9-7-7, 46.

John Winning changes to tall mast minutes before launching

The Winnings' masts (right) tower over rivals with 18' Skiff small rigs

Howie Hamlin flies past Alcatraz

on way to winning first race

Trevor Barnabas leaves the

fallen John Winning behind

Click for high-resolution

photo gallery


12. Skiff Foundation Red, Ty Reed/Dan Malpas/J.V. Gilmour, Albany, Calif., (DNF)-DNF-9-DNF-8-10, 55.

13. Skiff Foundation White, Chad Freitas/Mark Breen/J.V. Gilmour, Albany, Calif., 11-11-(DNF)-11-DNF-DNF, 61.

St. Francis Yacht Club

RACE MANAGER
John Craig
415.563.6363
racemgr@stfyc.com

MEDIA CONTACT
Rich Roberts
310.766.6547
richsail@earthlink.net


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Sep 4, 2009, 7:09 AM

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Sept. 3, 2009



Winnings 1-2 as 18s dominate Bridge to Bridge

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif.

The Winnings are, well, winning again, and the 18s ruled the waves of San Francisco Bay in Thursday's traditional Bridge to Bridge Race run in conjunction with the eighth annual 18' Skiff International Regatta, both hosted by the St. Francis Yacht Club.

As a brisk breeze abandoned the kiteboarders, John (Woody) Winning's Yandoo came from behind to seize first place overall in 19 minutes 54 seconds, followed by son Herman Winning's Appliances Online 38 seconds later, Micah Lane's Macquarie Group in fourth place and regatta leader Howie Hamlin's Harken in sixth.

Frank Wittke of France was third overall and the first kiteboard to finish the 7 1/2-mile downwind charge from the Golden Gate to the Bay Bridge, which about two hours later was due to close to traffic for five days to replace a 300-foot section of the two-level span between San Francisco and the east side of the bay.

There was a new class of entry: ocean racing keelboat, consisting only of Chris Welsh's legendary Ragtime, a 45-year-old wooden Spencer 65 from Newport Beach, Calif., that within the past year was overall winner of the race from Los Angeles to Tahiti and won its division of the Sydney-Hobart Race. It is in town for the annual Big Boat Regatta later this month. Ragtime finished 16th overall in 28 minutes 4 seconds.

"I thought the race was to bring your best and go for it," Welsh said happily. "It was great. We hit 18 knots in flat water, and we passed all the kites when the wind died."

For the 18s, the race counted as the eighth of 10 in the regatta, which winds up with the last two races Friday. Until Hamlin won it last year, no 18 had finished first overall.

After a bad day with a big rig Wednesday, John Winning's success moved him back to within one point of Hamlin, while Herman Winning's second place, coupled with his runaway victory in the regular 18s race Thursday, has him in third place, one point ahead of Lane.

Oddly, John Winning didn't realize he had won the Bridge to Bridge overall until told so in the boat park back at Crissy Field.

"I thought there must have been some of those kites that had already finished," he said.

Apparently, he and his crew of David Gibson and Andrew Hay were too busy hanging onto the edge while skipping over the opposing ebb tide in winds of 20 knots gusting to 28. At one point they were unofficially clocked by a pursuing photo boat at 25 knots.

Their strategy was to sail closest to the City Front while most of the 18s followed a course farther out past Alcatraz and Herman Winning took a middle route in between.

"We started right at the red [south] buoy and went the whole way with two jibes," Winning said. "The ones that went the other way stayed on the same jibe the whole way."

A handful of kites led the away until turning the corner, where the wind dropped steadily to 5 knots at the finish---OK for 18s but deadly for kites. It seemed like an invisible hand swatting flies as one kite after another settled helplessly on the water.

There were 59 competitors overall. Only seven of 30 kites finished while 10 of 14 Formula Boards reached the Bay Bridge. The 18s had six finishers.

High-resolution photo gallery

Complete 18 Skiff results
(after 8 of 10 races; one discard)

1. Harken, Howard Hamlin/Paul Allen/Matt Noble, Long Beach, Calif., (5)-1-3-2-1-3-2-4, 16 points.

2. Yandoo, John Winning/David Gibson/Andrew Day, Australia, 1-3-5-1-3-(9)-3-1, 17.

3. Appliancesonline, Herman Winning/Tim Austin/David Ewings, Australia, 4-2-1-(6)-6-6-1-2, 22.

4. 24hrRoadService, Trevor Barnabas/Aaron Links/Daniel Phillips, Australia, 3-(6)-2-3-4-1-5-5, 23.

5. Macquarie Group, Micah Lane/Jack Macartney/Peter Harris, Australia, 6-7-8-4-5-2-4-3, 31.

6. Asko/Gill, Archie Massey/Simon Noarne/Dan Wilsdon, Australia, 2-5-10-7-2-11-6-(DNF), 43.

7. Slam, Grant Rollerson/Fang Warren/Ris Cleary, Australia, (8)-4-4-5-(DNF)-5-DNF-DNF, 54.

8. Harken Blue, Joey Pasquali/Rory Giffen/Kevin Richards, Santa Cruz, Calif., 9-(DNF)-DNF-9-7-7-DNF-6, 66.

9. Panasonic Viera, John Whitty/Dan Higlett/Harry Bethwaite, Australia, (DNF)-10-DNF-8-10-4-7-DNF, 67.

10. Skiff Foundation Blue, David Rasmussen/John Gray/Dan Morris, San Francisco, 10-9-7-10-9-8-(DNF)-DNF, 67.

11. Spot Satellite/Toyota Messenger, Dan Brandt/Cooper Dressler/Danny Cayard, San Francisco, 7-8-6-(DNF)-11-DNF-DNF-DNF-DNF-DNF, 71.

12. Skiff Foundation Red, Ty Reed/Dan Malpas/JV Gilmour, San Francisco, (DNF)-DNF-9-DNF-8-10-8-DNF, 77.

13. Skiff Foundation White, Chad Freitas/Mark Breen, San Francisco, 11-11-(DNF)-DNF-DNF-DNF-DNF-DNF, 92.

Bridge to Bridge results

St. Francis Yacht Club

RACE MANAGER
John Craig
415.563.6363
racemgr@stfyc.com

MEDIA CONTACT
Rich Roberts
310.766.6547
richsail@earthlink.net




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Sep 7, 2009, 10:13 AM

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Re: [The Publisher] 18' Skiff International Regatta 2009 [In reply to] Log-In to Post/Reply
Here's owner Chris Welsh's personal account of Ragtime's unexpected appearance in the StFYC Bridge to Bridge Race on September 3rd held in conjunction with the 18' Skiff International Regatta. Normally it's only 18 Skiffs, kite boards windsurfers. Ragtime was the only big boat, finishing 17th overall among the 24 that finished of 59 that started.

Rich Roberts
RRR Communications
310.835.2526
cell 310.766.6547
richsail@earthlink.net

**********************************************

Did the San Francisco Bridge to Bridge (B2B) Race Thursday night. Kitesurfers, windsurfers, and Aussie 18 skiffs. The start is a running downwind affair at the Golden Gate, then down the City Front, past Alcatraz, finish under the Bay Bridge.

In the spirit of bring your best horse and go for it, we put Ragtime on the line too. Entered the skiff division. 5:30 PM start, crazy tides & currents, gust to 28+ knots of breeze. Kites on the left start line, boards, 18's and Ragtime on the right. South Tower churning just to weather of us.

Lined up with the main only, chute ready to hoist and pop open. careening through the crowd trying to avoid downed boards and the prospect of kitelines wrapping on the rig. Gun and we pop the chute, 18's careening around us.

Instant speed when the chute fills - 16.35 knots and building hard. Plywood humming, more dodging of the downed road kill. Trying to give the 18's and their narrow operating range room to get around without disaster.

Gusts come on, maybe 30 knots, and the boat lights up to 18 knots. Bow lifted, bow wave a pair of standing waterfalls jetting out. More swerves for road kill. Boards are down, kites down, and two 18's sprawled. We curve past Alcatraz towards the Bay Bridge where it meets Treasure Island. Rock on.

Past Alcatraz we are pacing even with four kite surfers lined up abeam of us. Pretty good for 12 tons vs. 50 pounds of turbo powered kite. A 18 that flipped and recovered shadowing us boat for boat as well.

Coming in to the finish we notice tons of kites in the air, but not moving - they are swamped out, breeze too light to keep them going... and we sail through, yelling a bit to alert those that haven't looked over their shoulder to see us coming as they weave their sails back and forth. Can't imagine what they will go through if they snag our rig at 10 knots. Instant launch. We pass the bulk of the fleet to finish under the bridge.

No idea exactly how we finished - may be one of those moments in history that goes unrecorded. No matter, it was a fantastic sail. Good crew work, smiles everywhere, a helluva deal.

**********************************************

Journalist Kimball Livingston was on Ragtime and filed this report: http://kimballlivingston.com/?p=246






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Sep 7, 2009, 10:15 AM

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Re: [The Publisher] 18' Skiff International Regatta 2009 [In reply to] Log-In to Post/Reply

Sept. 4, 2009



Hamlin's team unflippable in big wind finale

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif.

In some sailboat racing circles it's traditional to dunk the winners, but at the eighth annual 18' Skiff International Regatta hosted by the St. Francis Yacht Club the winners were the only ones who didn't get dunked.

Howie Hamlin, 56, of Long Beach, Calif. and his crew of Paul Allen, 34, and Matt Noble, 23, won it the hard way Friday by coming from behind in the 10th and last race to finish one point ahead of Australia's John (Woody) Winning. But mostly they did it by keeping their Harken-sponsored skiff right-side-up as everyone---everyone---else around them was doing tumbling acts in the toughest conditions of the five-day event.

When it's blowing a solid 20 to 25 knots with gusts to 28, as it was Friday, sailing an 18 is a high-wire act in a hurricane, and capsizing is part of the game. But Hamlin's team remained the only one of 13 that never flipped, certainly a factor in achieving his fifth win in this regatta.

Hamlin came into the day with a one-point lead, but Winning had two advantages: an edge in the tiebreaker by having won more races, plus a one-point edge on the second discard that would take effect after the ninth race.

So Hamlin almost needed to win both races because Winning likely wouldn't be far behind in either. Hamlin's was the first boat on the course, checking currents as well as wind directions, and he led by 30 seconds at the first mark near the Golden Gate Bridge, with Winning third.

For awhile Hamlin appeared to be running away, but Winning was flying away from everyone else into second place, and as the fleet approached the leeward mark Hamlin's lead vanished.

"They got a puff behind us and sagged down underneath us," Hamlin said. "There was really nothing we could do."

He slipped to third and soon regained second, but all he could do was to chase Yandoo around for the next two laps, cutting a one-minute gap to a final 20 seconds as Winning covered him tenaciously, putting the Australian one point ahead.

Now Hamlin needed not only to beat Winning in the last race but put one boat between them. But at that point there weren't many boats left. Only seven started, and only three of those finished: Hamlin, Trevor Barnabas and Winning, in that order.

On shore Hamlin said, "I've got to go over and thank Trevor," which he did.

Otherwise, all he could do was sail his own race as most of the others flipped out of contention. Finally, Winning lost it while bearing away as he set his blue spinnaker after the last windward mark.

"We were quicker than him downhill," Winning said, "but [the wind] was probably just too fresh for us. It was a couple of sensational rides."

"That's why we do it," Hamlin said. "It's always tough here . . . the ultimate in skiff sailing. You wake up in the morning stoked, like going to war."

"Like turning on a switch," Allen said.

Noble said, "The fact that we went through the whole week without flipping is incredible."

On the final downwind run before finishing upwind that was on their minds all the way. With all of their competition then far behind, Allen over trimmed the spinnaker to slow down and maximize stability.

So how does one avoid flipping an 18' Skiff when the wind gods crank up the steam?

"Mostly hard work," Hamlin said. "Any one of us could make it flip by doing the wrong thing. I've been doing it 12 years, and these guys grew up [in San Francisco] sailing in big breeze. They don't freak out, and we have good coordination and choreography and confidence in one another."

High-resolution photo gallery

Complete final results
(10 races; two discards)

1. Harken, Howard Hamlin/Paul Allen/Matt Noble, Long Beach, Calif., (5)-1-3-2-1-3-2-(4)-2-1, 15 points.

2. Yandoo, John Winning/David Gibson/Andrew Day, Australia, 1-3-(5)-1-3-(9)-3-1-1-3, 16.
3. Appliancesonline, Herman Winning/Tim Austin/David Ewings, Australia, 4-2-1-(6)-6-6-1-2-3-(DNF), 25.

4. 24hrRoadService, Trevor Barnabas/Aaron Links/Daniel Phillips, Australia, 3-(6)-2-3-4-1-5-5-(8)-2, 26.

5. Macquarie Group, Micah Lane/Jack Macartney/Peter Harris, Australia, 6-7-8-4-5-2-4-3-4-(DNF)-4-(DNF), 35.

6. Asko/Gill, Archie Massey/Simon Noarne/Dan Wilsdon, Australia, 2-5-10-7-2-11-6-(DNF)-5-(DNF), 48.

7. Skiff Foundation Blue, David Rasmussen/John Gray/Dan Morris, San Francisco, 10-9-7-10-9-8-(DNF)-5-6-, 64.

8. Slam, Grant Rollerson/Fang Warren/Ris Cleary, Australia, 8-4-4-5-(DNF)-5-(DNF)-DNF-DNF, 68.

9. Spot Satellite/Toyota Messenger, Dan Brandt/Cooper Dressler/Danny Cayard, San Francisco, 7-8-6-11-11-(DNF)-(DNF)-DNF-9-DNF, 80.

10. Panasonic Viera, John Whitty/Dan Higlett/Harry Bethwaite, Australia, (DNF)-10-(DNF)-8-10-4-7-DNF-DNF-DNF-7-DNF, 84.

11. Skiff Foundation Red, Ty Reed/Dan Malpas/JV Gilmour, San Francisco, (DNF)-(DNF)-9-DNF-8-10-8-DNF, 77.

12. Harken Blue, Joey Pasquali/Rory Giffen/Kevin Richards, Santa Cruz, Calif., 9-(DNF)-(DNF)-9-7-7-DNF-6-DNF-DNF, 88.

13. Skiff Foundation White, Chad Freitas/Mark Breen, San Francisco, 11-11-(DNF)-(DNF)-DNF-DNF-DNF-DNF-DNF-DNF, 106.

Bridge to Bridge race results

St. Francis Yacht Club

RACE MANAGER
John Craig
415.563.6363
racemgr@stfyc.com

MEDIA CONTACT
Rich Roberts
310.766.6547
richsail@earthlink.net


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