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.
Grand Prix may not be the focal point of end-of-season sailing that it once was, but it can still cook up some great conditions. With winds topping 30 knots on Saturday, crews got a workout and gear was tested. Steve Travis’ Smoke had her rig crumple. Travis took it in stride: “It was fairly simple, runner did not come on when we gybed, kite filed, mast broke…. No injuries, no other damage, etc. Took about 30 minutes to pop pins, cut halyards, etc. so top 50 ft or so went over side, along with Main, J3 and A4. Will get diver to see if they can find it so we can try to get it out of water and not pollute or damage anything. We were flying along at close to 20 knots, jibe was all fine, except one small detail!!”
Smoke
Smoke
Photos by Jan Anderson. See link below.
Smoke won the one race they completed in the ORC class, but otherwise John Buchan’s Glory dominated. Of note is Marda Phelps’ return to the racecourse with the XP44 Maverick in Class 2.
Here is SYC’s recap of the event:
Maverick
Grand Prix XLIII Regatta was a smashing success. At this annual SYC-hosted event, the competition is always tough and autumn conditions often test even the most experienced sailors. This year, competitors were met with 30 knot rain squalls and later a manageable southerly for the distance race on Friday, 20-30 knot winds for buoy races on Saturday, and a beautiful 12-20 knot northerly for racing followed by a lively awards party on Sunday. Thanks to a skilled Race Committee and experienced team of mark set drivers, races and awards ran smoothly and efficiently. In other words, Puget Sound brought the wind and Seattle Yacht Club brought the party. Congratulations to class winners John Buchan on Glory, Marda Phelps on Maverick, David Steffen on Vitesse, John Aitchison on Moose Unknown, and Bryan Rhodes on Crazy Ivan. Join us next year by competing in several local regattas to qualify. A full list of qualifying events will be published in early 2020.
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.
The Cruising Club of America is a remarkable organization, promoting safe and adventurous cruising – and the Bermuda Race – among other things. Here they recognize one of the PNW’s own, Haley Llahmon. Here’s Scuttlebutt’s written piece. And here’s CCA’s video:
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.
OK – It’s not Puget Sound or the Strait of Georgia, but we’ll peek at some great Bay sailing any time. Especially when it involves our sponsor West Coast Sailing and their nifty RS 21. By the way, there were three of the 21s at Annapolis doing some dubious but still interesting racing next to the US Sailboat Show venue.
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.
Keith Whittmore did it! He won the J/24 World Championship in Miami in convincing fashion, strong in both light and heavy, both early in the series and late. He won by 16 points, which is particularly tough in the tight J/24 fleet.
Hopefully we’ll be able to relay you a lot more detail on the keys to winning the Worlds, but in the meantime, congratulations to Keith, Shelby Milne, Willem Van Waay, Mark Rodgers and Brian Thomas.
Tim Wilkes photo of Seattle’s Baba Louie.
Other Seattle and Northwest boats included Baba Louie (23rd), Tremendous Slouch (33) and Jackwagon (38).
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.
We don’t know much about this mast break at the Seattle Yacht club Grand Prix regatta yesterday, other than it was blowing hard, it happened near and is a bummer for Steve Travis and the crew aboard Smoke. Hopefully nobody was hurt and they can get back up and racing next season.
We’ll try to get the details and a full report on Grand Prix. Thanks to Nigel Barron for the heads up and photo.
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.
We’ve watched Keith Whittemore tear up J/24 fleets near and far for a couple decades. His consistency in such a tough class is remarkable. With four days and eight races in the books, he’s leading the J/24 Worlds in Miami. There’s one more day and two races scheduled for what just might be a Whittemore world championship.
It doesn’t get more competitive than a tight J/24 fleet.
Copied from the J/24 class Facebook Page:
Keith Whittemore’s Furio extended his lead at the J/24 World Championship, as Biscayne Bay in Miami delivered a wild and exciting day for the 79 teams. Winds were regularly recorded at 18 knots with gusts in the 20s, testing competitors and equipment, and causing some boats to retire early. Whittemore’s Furio, who exceled in the Championship’s lighter days, also shone in the bigger breeze Friday, posting a bullet and a 12 for 32 net points in eight races. Two more races are planned Saturday to conclude the event. Chris Stone’s Velocidad held on to the runner-up position with 41 points, following a 26,5 on the day (discarding the 26). Rossi Milev’s Clear Air maintained the third spot with 42 points. The Seattle-based Furio crew is comprised of Shelby Milne, Willem Van Waay, Mark Rodgers and Brian Thomas. Whittemore explained that Van Waay has some regatta experience with Furio but joked, “The rest of us has sailed together for 4,000 years.” Whittemore also keeps a boat in Europe, and is regular on that circuit, creating friends and supporters worldwide. After Whittemore in race seven were John Mollicone’s Helly Hansen and Tokuma Takesue’s Gekko. Three J/24 World Champions comprised the top three in race eight: Mauricio Santa Cruz’s Bruschetta, Will Welles Buckaroo and Daniel Frost’s JJOne. Seventy-nine teams from 19 nations (Argentina, Australia, Barbados, Brazil, Canada, Chile, France, Germany, Great Britain, Grenada, Hungary, Jamaica, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Sweden, Trinidad and Tobago, and the United States) conclude racing Saturday. Complete event details may be found at the event website…
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.
As Sailish readers who were following the Hamachi Hawaii exploits this year, this PNW nailed it in the 50th Transpac, winning overall. (BTW, thanks to Jason Andrews and the gang for giving reports). They’re going to be speaking at Corithian YC/Seattle about their adventures. Here’s the flyer.
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.
Kids should race dinghies every chance they get (my in my humble opinion of course), and they have yet another opportunity this weekend at the Mount Baker Rowing and Sailing Center. And the ever-growing contingent of young Laser sailors might well put this on their list. Here’s the link.
From the website: The 2019 Baker Bowl Regatta will be held on Saturday, October 26. We are offering racing in Optimist, Laser, FJ, 420, and V-15 classes. Entry fee is $20 per sailor and lunch is included. Please register through the Registration Sheet below. Payment can be made on site the morning of the event. We accept cash, check, and credit card payments.
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.
As the rains settle in here in the northwest, it’s worth checking in with PNW cruisers “out there.” This little photo by Cathy Sherwood is of Neiafu Harbor, Tonga. She and Kent Powley are on the big cruise. If you have a cruising shot from out there you’d like to share with PNW sailors, send it.
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.
