Santa Anas Show Up for NHYC Opener

By John Drayton | Senior Sailing Editor

Santa Ana breezes played havoc with the PHRF fleet racing the Newport Harbor Yacht Club’s annual opening day race.  Like the Ensenada Race, this traditional race is fun and casual – a 20-mile sprint from Los Angeles to Newport Harbor.  About 50 boats participated in this year’s event.

Blustery, shifty winds challenged the fleet’s tacticians, with big northerly puffs followed by wind holes big enough to swallow up half the fleet.

At the end of the day, all the front-running big boats were pushed back in the fleet as they ran up against a dying Santa Ana while the rest of the fleet was able to ride south on a building westerly breeze.

Final Results:

PHRF – A

1. Lean Machine, McGregor 65, Tom O’Keefe
2. Stark Raving Mad, J145, James Madden
3. Heartbeat, Farr 40, Charles Brewer Jr.

PHRF – B

1. Chubasco, S&S 67, Craig Cadwalader
2. Berserk, Schock 35, Jerry Madigan and family
3. Patriot, J44, Paul Stemler

Class C – Cal 40

1. Radiant, Fin Bevin

Class D

1. Odyssey, Robert Burnand
2. Traveler, Michael Lawler