San Diego Yacht Club proudly sent a team of twelve members to the 2017 Morgan Cup to defend their 2016 title. Led by team captain Jake Reynolds, both Scott Sinks and Nevin Snow helped him on the helms. Rounding out the crew was Marly Isler, Carissa Crawford, Jake LaDow, Duncan Swain, Erik Shampain, AJ Reiter, Andy Reiter, Nick Martin, and Nick Kaschak. Day 1 of the defense started out poorly. Some of the rust was harder to shake than anticipated, and the team started out 0-3 and promptly moved to the bottom of the standings. However, in keeping it light on the first day of a three day regatta, their boathandling pushed them through to a 4-1 finish to the day. Due to some unusual upsets, a 5-4 record put Team SDYC in 3rd place. Team StFYC and Team NYYC both had solid days and were poised to be contenders on the weekend.
I would like to thank the SDYC Competition Fund for allowing me to go to two of the best regattas. Although I didn't do as well as I had hoped, these regattas were focused around another theme this year. We focused on the sailing sisterhood. Part of the reason why I love going to Ida Lewis and Leiter is because it is a group of girls. These are not just any girls, they are friends. With light racing and hot temperatures it was certainly an experience.
NEWPORT, R.I. (August 6, 2017) — For the third time in four years, the Morgan Cup, the toughest trophy in keelboat team racing, has been won by a team from the West Coast. San Diego Yacht Club repeated as the champion today, defeating New York Yacht Club 3-1 in a thrilling final series sailed under blue skies and in a shifty and puffy northwesterly breeze. From 2003, when the Morgan Cup Team Race was first run, through 2013, only the host New York Yacht Club and Long Island's Seawanhaka Corinthian Yacht Club were able to lay claim to the trophy. Southern California's Newport Harbor Yacht Club broke that stranglehold in 2014 and San Diego Yacht Club now appears poised to start its own run.
"This regatta is packed with some of the best team racers from around the world," said Jake Reynolds, a skipper and team captain for San Diego Yacht Club. "If you can win a race in this regatta, you've done really well. To win [the whole event] is really an honor."
The 2017 Laser Nationals was held in Lake Tahoe and was hosted by the Lake Tahoe Yacht Club in Tahoe City, CA. It is a place that is known to have very light and shifty wind. The regatta was 4 days long with 2 practice days. The first practice day was very windy, with winds anywhere from 12 to 22 knots. It was the complete opposite of the typical Lake Tahoe conditions that I had been hearing about. The next day was similar with a bit lighter winds at only around maximum 16 knots. After the practice days I felt prepared for a windy regatta.
The first day of the regatta had a lot less wind than the practice days. The first race started with moderate breeze, and then a huge puff rolled down the right. The puff filled the course with wind, and I was luckily in it. I sailed well and passed a few more boats and ended that race in 7th place. The next race I sailed to the right on the first upwind and unfortunately the left was favored. I passed a few boats and ended up in about 24th place. The next race I sailed to the favored side. I sailed a poor reach and downwind and ended up in about 11th place. After that day, I was somewhere around 10th because of everyone having a very inconsistent day.
On the water action at the 2017 U12 Sabot Championship, sailed at San Diego Yacht Club, with the top 25 sailors from the North and South qualifiers. Big thanks to Coach Cal Pedroli for the video work!
SAN DIEGO (July 21, 2017) Over 150 junior and senior sailors took San Diego Bay on July 21, 2017 for the 45th Annual Dutch Shoe Marathon. A summer time favorite, these competitors completed the annual dinghy distance race from San Diego Yacht Club (SDYC) to Coronado Yacht Club all in a sabot sailboat.
The sky was perfectly sunny and temperatures were in the high 70s with lighter winds mostly around 6 knots when the fleets began, starting in La Playa at noon. From there, they traveled down San Diego Bay, traveling over 7 miles on the race course, ultimately finishing in Glorietta Bay. Most participants were between the ages of 8 and 15 with many adult sailors also participating in the senior division.
Marleigh Henehan from Mission Bay Yacht Club was leading most of the race in her yellow striped sabot. At 14 years old, this was only Marleigh’s second Dutch Shoe Marathon. “I raced it two years ago and I capsized during that race. Since then, I’ve moved up two fleets. The first time I did it I was in C1 and now I’m in C3. I’ve been going to sailing camp in Mission Bay every afternoon to practice.”
Marleigh triumphantly crossed the finish line first, sailing into the horns and cheers of the spectator boats. After crossing she pumped her first in the air and exclaimed, “Girls Rule!”