Seattle sailor (and mate!) Craig Horsfield along with James Oxenham just won the Globe 40 Race leg from Ushuaia, Argentinato Recife, Brazil in the Class 40 boat Amhas. The win was sealed when their offshore course paid big dividends and they negotiated the tough conditions along the east coast of South America. The leg took 20+ days and covered 3803 miles. While leading the race, the Japanese entry Milai hit an unidentified floating object. They were forced to retire with serious damage.
Craig seems more happy than tired.
The leg victory puts Amhas in contention for an overall race victory. We’ll be following the last two legs with great interest!
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 all seen the handwringing. We’ve all heard the pontificating. I’m one of those. We’ve all read the varying opinions as to why participation in sailing and racing is struggling.
ILCA Worlds Start. Plenty of countries represented in a still vibrant class.
“Big-boat” fleets are shrinking. Dinghy fleets are often on life support or only come together for Nationals, Worlds or Regionals. The US Sailing Championships do not have the prestige they used to. It’s great to see kids out there, but it seems they’re generally not carrying the love for racing into adulthood. Maybe they are, they just can’t afford the time or money.
What we haven’t heard or seen that much of are fully successful solutions. One might just have arrived with Starting Line Sailing (SLS) venturing into new ground as a builder of ILCA dinghies (yes, Lasers to many of us) and Hobie Cat. Two of the most successful boats at introducing sailing to the masses will now be produced by one of the most dynamic sailing groups around.
The solutions to a diminished sailing have been in the works for decades; community sailing programs scattered throughout the country, US Sailing endorsed education programs, editorialists in print and online proposing all kinds of solutions, one-design fleets such as Lightings making boats available to up-and-comers. All of these efforts have had some effect and should be applauded. None have had THE effect.
The key may be found in manufacturing and distribution. Enter Starting Line Sailing. SLS has a simple mission: “The goal is simple – grow sailing by keeping it accessible and fun.” The company isn’t exactly new. The driving force is George Yioulos, whose West Coast Sailing became a major force in small boat sailing over the last 18 years. In 2021 SLS was formed and acquired Zim Sailing and Dwyer Rigging and Masts. (Disclaimer – West Coast Sailing has been a sponsor of Sailish, but I’d write this piece anyway.)
George Yioulos
Yioulos is a whirlwind of energy. From the start, West Coast Sailing (WCS) was all about taking care of customers. Finding Lasers and parts for them when there were none. There was a WCS gear truck on site at big regattas so sailors could buy those last-minute fittings and clothing. Boat lines like Hobie and RS Sailing were added. WCS sponsored regattas and some of the more notable sailors.
An online storefront was very successful and expanded WCS’s reach internationally.
Then Yioulos “retired” and passed the reins to the team he built. But the Whirlwind couldn’t stay out of it long, especially when his deep convictions about making sailing accessible were calling.
The latest move is even bigger – taking on the manufacture and distribution of Hobie Cats and Lasers, the definitive “get people sailing” boats. This makes perfect sense. It’s no secret that there’s a bigger market, and profit, for Hobie products such as rotomolded kayaks and sunglasses. Why not bring in a sailing-focused supplier for the boats themselves? Things are happening fast. Hobie Wave and Getaway tools were moved to a new rotomolder in the US. Production to start in Februrary. Hobie 16 molds have arrived in Rhode Island at Zim Sailing. Production to start in late January.
Manufacturing sailboats is hardly a financial sure thing. In fact, the demise of sailboat manufacturers throughout North America is somewhat staggering. “It just might bankrupt the company, but I truly believe that it’s what sailing needs,” explains Yioulos.
Yioulos cites Vanguard Sailboats as an example of a successful small boat manufacturer. “This will be like creating Vanguard Sailboats 2.0,” he says.
The Hobie 16.
From my standpoint, the real potential of these new Hobie and ILCA arrangements (and any future ones Yioulos stirs up) stems from Yioulos’ experience as dealer. Yioulos knows firsthand what works in the Booties on the Ground world. Dealers need to be able to have a solid pipeline for parts, and if they’re in a small market, they can’t be expected to buy truckloads of product. There are many ways to get boats efficiently and cost-effectively into the hands of customers and Yioulos has the hands-on experience to draw on.
Dealers need high quality boats that don’t need to be fixed at the dealership before going to customers. Too often new boats have “issues” that are expensive distractions for the dealer and cause for a lot of customer distress.
Even more importantly, knowing Yioulos’ focus on supporting sailing on a very local level, it’s not hard to imagine sailing communities becoming excited about getting on the water. “The community aspect is vital,” Yioulos says, and he means it. We know that soon after two boats are on the water, it’s likely there will be a race, followed shortly by a regatta.
From my standpoint, it’s great to see this kind of energy coming into the manufacturing corner of the sailing world. It’s easy to get jaded and cynical about sailing and racing’s future. This is a breath of fresh air, and just maybe a whirlwind of fresh air.
A bland marine industry news press release this is not. Yioulos isn’t the kind of guy to wring his hands. He’s the roll up your sleeves type.
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.
Our call for more STAPY (Sailish Totally Arbitrary Performance of the Year) awards worked! Alert Reader Jim Stewart submitted the following:
You have to include Leo Goolden with his rebuild of the historic TallyHo in Port Townsend. He must get a million views a month on his YouTube channel and is a huge benefit to the local wooden boat community.
-Jim Stewart
I had not heard of Leo Goolden, but a quick look at some of the videos (check out www.youtube.com/@SampsonBoatCo) is eye-opening. Goolden is undertaking a massive project, the restoration of the 120+ year old gaff boatTally Ho. This restoration has been going on for 5 years and Goolden’s YouTube channel has 431K subscribers! A lot of questions come to mind, like what’s Tally Ho‘s backstory? How did Goolden get here? More importantly, where does he get the energy for this project? What will Tally Ho end up doing when she’s beautifully functional again? My guess is the answers are all in the videos, and I suggest readers with an interest go to his YouTube channel. In the meantime, here’s a taste:
Leo at the beginning of the Tally Ho project
If any other Alert Readers have a nomination, send it my way.
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.
Bruce promised some Boat of the Year awards, so here we go with the 2022 Sailish Totally Arbitrary Performance of the Year awards. The STAPYs if you will.
Pacific Northwest sailing and sailors are so spread out and diverse, we’ve chosen to pick and choose some arbitrary awards. Here’s the kicker, since our beloved pastime is so diverse, we want YOU to send in your choices. One rule, you can’t choose yourself. And here’s the kicker, it can be for just about anything sailing related. Racing, cruising, organizing, teaching, designing, building new boats, resurrecting old boats, good crew work, writing, rescues, selling and so forth. There’s a lot going on and plenty of people deserve kudos. Email me your nominations.
Kurt’s Nominations
Dalton on the Tasar
Dalton Bergan We know Dalton’s been winning races ever since laying hands on a tiller. But this year was truly exceptional. He won both the RS Aero 7 Worlds on the Columbia River Gorge and the Tasar Worlds with wife Lindsey on Puget Sound.
Andrew Nelson
Andrew Nelson Andrew has been the junior sailing director at The Sailing Foundation for 8 years. During that time youth sailing has exploded in participation, largely due to his energy and skills. He is moving on from that position now and leaving some big booties to fill.
Craig Horsfield
Craig Horsfield My old skipper has truly outdone himself this time. First he took on the Mini Transat with two successful races. He is currently in the throes the first-ever Globe 40 doublehanded round the world race aboard Amhas. Teaming up with two other sailors, and splitting the legs between them. He’s sailed legs 2 (4th) and 4 (1st) and plans on racing three more legs.
Jonathan McKee
Jonathan McKee His lifelong sailing resume is legendary. Dinghies, keelboats, inshore, offshore, Olympics, pro sailing, you name it. This year he received the recognition he deserves, entry into the Hall of Fame. Just remember, when you race against Jonathan, you’re racing against royalty.
Kirk at the helm of Teaser
Kirk UtterWell-known on the Seattle racing scene, he’d been threatening to sail off cruising into the sunset for many years. Well, he did it! Those of us wanting to do the same have to admire him for “just doing it.” He’s very active on Facebook if you’re interested in his adventures.
All those rescuers of Andy Schwenk While delivering his Express 37 Spindrift V back from Hawaii after winning his class in the Pacific Cup, expat Northwesterner Andy suffered a severe injury and resulting sepsis. Without the help and coordination of fellow sailors, a commercial ship, the Navy and many others, he might well have died. It’s a good sign that the first law of the sea (help other mariners in need) is alive and well.
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.
My friend Brad Baker died on September 30 after a remarkable fight with brain cancer. He was diagnosed nearly four years ago with a very aggressive glioblastoma.
The basics are that Brad died far too young at age 58, and is survived by his wife P.J. and sons Bryce and Austin. He co-founded Swiftsure Yachts and sent many sailors off in their perfect boats for their life-changing adventures. As a navigator, Brad won the Vic-Maui race multiple times, both on elapsed and corrected finishes. More than one skipper owe their trophies to Brad.
In addition to being my friend, Brad taught me a lot.
It was Brad who showed me someone can be a yacht broker, enjoy it and have some success. As a journalist, sailor and boat buyer, I viewed brokers skeptically and would say so. Brad took it all in stride, not taking it personally. That’s because he was a good broker in every sense of the word, caring for his customers and very up-front with all the elements of boat buying and selling.
As a racing sailor, I watched closely as he assembled winning teams. He knew that everybody on board was there to enjoy themselves, not just to make the boat faster. While as intense as anybody I’ve raced with, he always respected that bigger picture. He understood and played to everybody’s strengths, including the owners’.
But perhaps the most meaningful of Brad’s lessons was to seize the big moments when they came. In his case, it was to cruise with his family. When he saw the opportunity to long distance cruise with P.J., Bryce and Austin, he moved on it. At a time when staying home managing a business and making money was certainly an option (and one that would prevail for many) he saw the chance to give his family the invaluable long-term cruise. The Bakers crossed oceans, anchored in picturesque coves and met new and wonderful people in every port.
Brad at the computer
How valuable that time turned out to be.
Even after his diagnosis and treatments, Brad seized opportunities to sail, race and even deliver boats. He could have wallowed, but instead lived his life as best as possible right up until the end.
We all have lost a good shipmate. My heart aches for P.J., Bryce and Austin.
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.
Amid the dedicated cruisers at our dock is Fury, a Baltic 42DP. A 2012 black LPU paint job makes this 1982 racer cruiser look classy and stylish in a way that belies her age. From a sailing standpoint, she shares a design lineage with Doug Peterson-designed Serendipity 43s. Baltic had cutting edge construction for the time, giving it an advantage over other production racer cruisers of the time. Below deck, it was configured to give the owner a true aft cabin without compromising the navigation station, galley or salon.
When her racing days were over, Fury became a dedicated, kayak-carrying cruiser. No big modifications were made to make her into a cruiser, as she was already configured properly with a good galley, large salon, and fore and aft staterooms with separate heads.
Fury is very much a sailor’s boat. She sails well on all points of sail. Large winches, headsail furling and lazy jacks make handling the powerful rig straightforward and manageable. Downwind her spinnaker will add power for the light wind. Upwind? Well, not many boats go more smoothly or powerfully than a 1980s Peterson design. A lot of “modern” boat skippers will wonder if you’re motoring.
And not many boats are going to garner the same looks as Fury at the dock. Comments will be a mix of “What IS that?” and “I remember racing against those!”
I would love to chat about Fury’s particulars with anyone who’s interested.
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.
If ever there was an entry list of who’s who in Seattle dinghy racing, one doesn’t really have to look further than the Tasar Worlds entry list. The regatta started today off Shilshole, and goes through next Saturday.
From the 217 Worlds in Japan, won by Jonathan McKee and Libby Johnson-McKee.
For those unfamiliar with the Tasar, it’s a 15′, 150- lb. 2-person skiff. With it’s light weight, fully battened main and rotating mast, it rewards excellent crew work and weight placement. The best sailors are those that work closely together. It’s not a boat that requires extraordinary strength or size, and is designed so that couples can be competitive.
As is most often the case, the real strength of the class isn’t the boat, but the people. It’s a tightknit group of enthusiasts that keep the class vibrant despite limited numbers and the distances between active fleets. Over the years, the Worlds have been on the Columbia River Gorge and Esquimalt in BC. They have also been in the UK, Japan Thailand and Australia.
The boat has been around since the mid-1970s and has been a mainstay of the Northwest most of that time. World. Major international regatta and Worlds winners from the PNW include Jonathan McKee and Libby Johnson-McKee, Charlie and Becky McKee, Jay and Lisa Renehan, Carol and Carl Buchan and Anthony and Haley Boscolo. Others on the podium include Dalton and Lindsey Bergan and Mike Karas. Teams from Australia and Japan have also made the trek to Seattle.
Looking to this year’s Worlds, most of the usual class suspects are tuned up again, with many of them shifting their focus from singlehanding at the RS Aero Worlds at Cascade Locks this summer to sailing with a partner for this regatta. Other strong entries from the area include Stasi Burzycki and Sophia Kasper. and Dieter Creitz and Sam Bush.
If you want to see dinghy sailing at its finest, and the current sailing conditions hold fast this week, a day watching these Worlds may be well worth the time.
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.
Sail Sand Point, Seattle’s local non-profit small boating and sailing center are hosting Octoberfest on September 10-11 which is the final (and largest) youth regatta on the 2022 Northwest Youth Racing Circuit (NWYRC). This series is put on by local clubs and sailing centers with support from numerous volunteers and families. Youth sailors are encouraged to register asap for this fun event and everyone is welcome to come down and watch from the best regatta viewing locations in the region directly adjacent to SSP– Magnuson Park’s public pier, or from the deck of the Magnuson Brewery and Cafe.
Sail Sand Point is a local treasure introducing countless youth, new sailors and underserved communities to sailing every year and their one month long summer fundraising campaign ends on Labor Day weekend. This year contributions will help provide funds for new equipment, sail and powerboat parts, and much needed repairs to their fleet of vessels which are used by over 12,000 people each year through camps, classes, racing, rentals and free community events. Each year SSP spend roughly $27,000 on keeping their boats on the water and in great condition and they are hoping to raise that through this campaign! Secure donations can be made at: https://www.sailsandpoint.org/donate/
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.
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.
Local Seattle sailor Craig Horsfield has added another feather to his singlehanded racing cap, and this is a big one a victory with Oliver Bond in the longest leg of the initial Globe40 race. We’ll hear more from him soon, “Craig is very chatty so I’ll have him call you as soon as he’s slept and the time difference works,” according to his wife Carolyn who took these photos. In the meantime, here’s the press release.
Craig Horsfield
After 35 days 10 hours 42 minutes and 42 seconds of navigation, Craig Horsfield and Oliver Bond reach Mauritius as the winner on this second and longest leg of the GLOBE40. By crossing the finish line this Monday morning at 2 hours 42 minutes and 42 seconds (UTC), the American crew treated themselves to a finish under the magnificent colors of the Mauritian sunrise. From Cape Verde in the North Atlantic to the Indian Ocean, passing through the Doldrums, the Equator, the Saint Helena High and the Cape of Good Hope at 38° South, the sailors of the GLOBE40 experienced a veritable epic of 7,667 nautical miles (14,200 km) worthy of the greatest tales of sailing around the world.
“It’s been a long trip so far, longer than we had planned before departure. We managed this big step by cutting it into 4 pieces. The stage seemed so huge to us before the start that it was necessary to manage the events one after the other. The first piece was a quick little regatta through the Cape Verde archipelago that lasted 2 days. Excellent moments of gliding, only happiness. On the second part, the South Atlantic and the Saint Helena high, it was necessary to show good strategic analysis to cross this level crossing. The third part, with the circumvention of southern Africa and the passage of the Cape of Good Hope, was physically tough because we encountered difficult sea conditions and sometimes very cold temperatures. The last piece in the Indian Ocean was very difficult. In fact we thought it was going to be the easiest part of the stage, but it was the hardest. »say the two sailors after touching down.
A victory acquired in a very good way by the American skippers. In the right tempo from the first miles, they have rarely accumulated more than thirty miles behind the rival and Japanese leader Milai throughout the descent of the South Atlantic. They didn’t give up, despite the hardness of the stage on a physical and mental level due to its long distance, the harsh sea and weather conditions encountered and the technical problems faced. In this mano a mano on a planetary scale, the American-British duo benefited from the South African pit-stop operated by Masa Suzuki and Andrea Fantini to take the leadership of the fleet as they passed the Cape of Good Hope, without stopping never give it up to the turquoise Mauritian waters. This victory on this major stage with a coefficient of 3.
“Our strategy was to stay in contact with the front of the race. When we were off Brazil, turning to Cape Town, we wanted to be among the best. The next strategy was to pass the South without incident and then finish at full speed in the Indian Ocean. In practice, we had to adapt. We accelerated a little more than expected during the crossing of the South by being in contact with Milai. Then, when we took the lead, we managed the sequence of events more. We changed our plans to preserve the boat, while the others tried to catch up with us. Our roadmap evolved according to the race situation. Twice we changed options to join another competitor’s route. We lost half a day to find ourselves in a position that prevented them from overtaking us. It would have been faster to go east but if there had been a problem, we offered them the opportunity to win so we decided to come closer to take that option away from them. This is how we managed the finish. Even if it forced us to navigate more slowly at times. »analyze Craig and Oliver on the spot before continuing by emphasizing the excellent spirit present between the competitors. “One of our best memories is the communication between the boats. Especially with Masa (Milai) and Mélodie (Whiskey Jack) trying to solve their technical problems. Despite the fierce competition, even if we like confrontation, it’s nice to share. We appreciate helping each other. If a problem arises, if someone breaks something, we are sorry for him. »
After another very fine sail, the Dutch duo aboard Sec Hayai are on a favorable run-off to clinch second place on Tuesday 23rd August.
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.
