SEASON CHAMPIONS, PART I drenched events as the Buckner Race, helm. Of particular note is their terrific a 100-miler to Bodega Head and back. current website, which these days is as We interviewed winners in five divisions. easy to navigate as a windward-leeward Ten years later, in 1997, entries were still course off the Cityfront at slack water. up there at 107, but there were only two As with many racing fleets, HDA parseason winners to talk to. ticipation has declined over the years. Nowadays, most of the 11-race, 2Twenty years ago, in our November, throwout season consists of 25 to 30-mil1987, issue, we listed 147 sign-ups and ers with the exception of the Spinnaker profiled winners in six different PHRF Cup (SF to Monterey) and Windjammers Divisions. In addition, 38 boats signed (SF to Santa Cruz). This year, 65 boats up for two IOR divisions and there was signed up, with about 25 ‘qualifying’ even a separate 14-boat IMS division! (completing at least half the scheduled By 1997, HDA was down to 70 signraces). ups and we profiled winners in seven One thing that hasn't changed much HDA divisions. In 2007, 40 boats signed over the years is how much the OYRA up to race the ‘official’ six-race HDA racers really like the ocean. As one told season and barely half of those qualius during the course of these interviews, fied (raced more than 50% of races). The "When it's really honking in the Bay, good news is, YRA’s new ‘Party Circuit’ it's often just perfect out in the ocean." attracted 113 boats in a short five-race Adds OYRA President Richard Calabrese, season consisting of the Vallejo Race "Mother Nature put on a great show with (scored separately for Saturday and sightings of jellyfish, whales, porpoise Sunday), the Summer Solstice Regatta and the occasional shark. It's really a and the Second Half Opener (also scored different world out there." separately for Saturday and Sunday). Calabrese notes that OYRA was one Adding to the innovative idea, the Party of the organizations working with the Circuit dates don’t interfere with the National Weather ‘regular’ HDA dates. Service to break So sailors who want MORE PARTY ANIMALS down our offshore to race both series areas into smaller can do so. zones with better It made our pro PC-G (PHRF <66) — 1) Bodacious, forecasts — certainfiles a bit of a coFarr 40 One-Ton, John Clauser, 4 points; 2) Velocita, Mumm 36, Mary Mueller/Jeff Chrisly a win-win situanundrum, however. tle, 5; 3) Astra, Farr 40, Mary Coleman, 5. tion for all involved. While the season (10 entered, 6 qualified). "We can now get champs in Divisions PC-J (PHRF 99-117) — 1) Novia, Cal detailed weather HDA-G, HDA-D and 39, David DeMeter/Dick Baker, 4 points; 2) reports online for HDA-K obviously Sheeba, C&C 99, Michael Quinn, 5; 3) Two the specific course earned their 15 Scoops, Express 34, Chris Longaker, 6. (19 we will be sailing, minutes of fame, entered, 10 qualified) which should make that represented PC-K (PHRF 120-168) — 1) Chimera, every navigator econly a fraction of Little Harbor 47, C. Grant Miller, 3 points; 2) Mer Tranquille, Jeanneau 34, Larry Moraes, static," he says. the folks who sailed 4; 3) Twilight Zone, Merit 25, Paul Kamen, 8. (For more on the HDA this summer. (15 entered, 9 qualified) new weather zones, Besides that, most PC-M (PHRF >171) — 1) Latin Lass, see Loose Lips.) of the boats who Catalina 27, Bill Chapman, 4 points; 2) Lelo sailed in D, G and Too, Tartan 30, Emile Carles, 6; 3) Roxanne, K also sailed in the Tartan 30, Charles James, 9. (17 entered, 9 or genParty Circuit. In qualified) eral infor mation the end, we decid PF-SF30 — 1) Shameless, Schumachon yacht racing in ed to throw in the er 30, George Ellison, 4 points; 2) Encore, Wylie Gemini 30, Andy Hall, 4; 3) Fire Drill, San Francisco Bay, winners of the PC Tartan 10, Serge Bisson, 7. (11 entered, 6 contact Laura at Multihull and IOR qualified) the YRA at (415) Warhorse Divisions, 771-9500 or info@ since they did not yra.org. For specific race dual seasons. information on HDA, contact president Gerry Brown at gl_brown@comcast.net. Those interested in handicap racing on he ODCA ranks have experienced the ocean can reach OYRA president similar declines over the years. Again Richard Calabrese at richardcalabrese@ going back 20 years, we found that 117 netzero.com . boats signed up for ocean racing, and the — latitude 38/jr courses consisted of such testosterone-
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HDA D (SF 30 Fleet) Encore — Wylie Gemini 30
Andy Hall Encinal YC With 35 years of racing under his belt, Andy Hall is a force to be reckoned with. Even with his previous boats, he's won multiple awards including three season championships on a Ranger 26. Of all those boats, Encore has probably given Andy, who owns a small chemical mixing company in Oakland, the most satisfaction. One of two Wylie Gemini twins built in 1976, the boat was a derelict when Andy purchased it from Stanford in 1999. It was fully restored at KKMI and has been one of the prettiest — and most competitive — boats on the Bay ever since. Unfortunately, the boat was back on the hard earlier this summer following a collision with another race boat in Raccoon Strait. Damage to Encore's stern was extensive, but with the help of Roland Brun, Andy had the boat repaired in two weeks — and they continued their winning ways with the next race. Like most other successful skippers, Hall attributes his win mainly to "flawless crew work" by Barry Dauphinee, Chris Penn, Ron DeBlasi, John Hayward, Arnie Quan, Greg Orzel, Tom Bliss, Nat Penn, and Kimbal and Becca Hall. "The crew has really come together this year," says Hall. Perhaps the best proof of that point came during the Yankee Cup on October 20, when Encore triumphed over winners of all the other handicap divisions to become, for this year at least, king of the HDA hill. 2) Shameless, Schumacher 30, George Ellison; 3) Fire Drill, Tartan 10, Serge Bisson. (9 boats)