The Moore 24 enjoyed yet another rockin’ good Columbia River Gorge regatta August 10-12, this time the Nationals. Moores love the Gorge. And Ben Braden loves the Moore 24 on the Gorge, winning the event in a tough battle with Peter Schoen’s Mooretician. If you want to learn about the timeless Moore, check out this web site.
Braden tells a great story. Here’s the first couple sections – follow the link at the end of this piece to read the rest of it.
The Set –
Straight outa Wikipedia – Hood River is considered a “sports mecca” and offers some of the best spots for windsurfing, kitesurfing, Moore 24 Racing, kayaking, stand up paddle boarding, skiing and mountain biking—all for which it draws considerable national attention from many media outlets, such as Sail Magazine, Pressure Drop and Sailing Anarchy.
Moore 24 Nationals in Hood River, Oregon, one of the most consistently windy places to sail in our country and if half of what is written above is true one of the most fun and active towns you can imagine. A sailing venue I always think of with a little trepidation in the weeks before – why are going here – man that’s a hassle to get down there – it’ll be too hot and too windy – things are going to break – we are going to wipe out. You know, all the normal stuff to be worried about. We’re going somewhere to race that the Opti’s don’t sail at, where the only keel boats to have a one design regatta at the venue is the Moore 24’s and where the sailboards and kiteboards shine and rip around in places with names like Swell City – but then you get there and take in the scenery as you are welcomed in and get to welcome in all the different players in the theatre that is a Moore 24 Regatta. The Sailing is always great, the wind is usually incredible and the sailors in the fleet are top notch, but it’s the players, the actors in this regatta that make it what it is.
The Cast –
Competing from Hood River Oregon and first on the entry list is Doug I’ll Make it Happen and I had the best holder 20 wipeout ever Archbald and crew on #111 Morjito with Matty I don’t need a life jacket McQueen (yes he’s related to King of Cool Steve, and yes he threw the vhf in the water) aboard.
Hailing from Alameda, California is Karl Offshore extraordinaire I’m so wired I don’t need sleep Robrock and crew on #121 Snafu with Steve Scuba McCarthy on the helm
Another Home town Hood River Oregon Boat is Dave Jelly Man Gee and crew aboard #23 Space toaster with calm and cool Tyler Splice Master DuroKnot Beck aboard.
Hailing out of Corte Madera (no it’s a city not a fortified bum wine) California is John skinny trailerKernot and crew aboard #118 Banditos with Dave Soft Ball King Hodges aboard on the helm.
Coming all the way south from Ballard Washington is Ben I like a hot lunch Braden and crew aboard #26 More Uff Da with Andy I got a joke for you Schwenk aboard trimming
Hailing out of San Rafael, California is Joel I like red Turmel and crew aboard #64 FireFly with local Hood River Native Bart Master sailboard king I got a sailboat for you Vervleot aboard
Slipping their way up from San Francisco, California is everyone’s favorite Wet Spot #51 with Mike I swim in my tiddy-whities O’Callaghan, John I can’t stop movin and doin Verdoia and their longtime, fun, We Send It, crew aboard
Hailing from Corte Madera (no it’s a city not a fortified bum wine) California is Peter no it’s not Schoen Yes that fanny pack is a lifejacket #89 Mooretician and crew with Joe is that a new breweryWilderman aboard pulling the strings.
Another Hood River Native is Ted I sail Express 27’s Lohr borrowing Andrew’s Seldom Seen #37 and naming her Nice One for the weekend and he wasn’t talking about that old jib…
Then you have the Hood River, Oregon fixture Brian I lost my shoes in that wipeout Petros and crew aboard #145 Electric Mayhem sporting their new, yes not used by somebody else before type new, sails!
Hailing from Aptos, California is wee little Scott Captain Offset Sorenson who not only can’t decide on a boat name but now has named himself Karl Hungus and #92 LogJammin’ (even though Kung Fu Sock Monkey is still the fan’s favorite) sailing with his 11 year old son Spike aboard on the bow!
Rounding out the actors and hailing from Hood River, Oregon is 6/16’ths of the local Junior sailing program sailing aboard Morgan I can’t find a cooler boat than a Moore 24 no matter what I sailLarson’s #127 Bruzer on loan due to Larson trying out yet another boat in another city.
12 platforms of actors in this year’s Moore 24 National’s regatta but trust me – there was plenty of personality and action to be had by all.
Kurt grew up racing and cruising in the Midwest, and has raced Lasers since the late 1970s. Currently he is a broker at Swiftsure Yachts. He has been Assistant Editor at Sailing Magazine and a short stint as Editor of Northwest Yachting. Through Meadow Point Publishing he handles various marketing duties for smaller local companies. He currently is partners on a C&C 36 which he cruises throughout the Northwest. He’s married to the amazing Abby and is father to Ian and Gabe.