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 News from Around Banderas Bay | June 2008 
Crews Get Ready for Puerto Vallarta Race ‘09
 Rich Roberts - The Log
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Marina Del Rey — Del Rey Yacht Club is navigating uncharted waters in 2009 with its 20th biennial competition to Puerto Vallarta. PV09 is no longer just an “International Yacht Race,” but will become a series of four separate races in succession between Southern California and the Mexican mainland, starting Jan. 31, 2009.
The object: to provide serious racers an opportunity to sail their brains out and still kick back to enjoy the Mexican ambiance at three layovers along the way, while offering others an offshore sailing experience to colorful places, with competition and companionship stirred in.
Also, if five or more boats sign up there will still be the traditional nonstop format of “the longest and oldest enduring race to Mexico” — so Magnitude 80’s record of 3 days, 15 hours, 51 minutes, 39 seconds that toppled Joss’ durable 22-year-old standard last year is not entirely safe.
There are already 24 preliminary entries. The final entry list will be limited to 40, because of mooring limitations at San Jose del Cabo and Marina Vallarta.
The races will be 376 nautical miles from Marina del Rey to Cedros Island outside of Turtle Bay, where fresh lobster is la especialidad del día on any day; 220 miles to Magdalena Bay, famous for its friendly migrating whales; 152 miles to lively Cabo San Lucas at the tip of the Baja Peninsula; and the last 286 miles across the Sea of Cortez to Puerto Vallarta, on the mainland.
The format, divided into spinnaker “performance” boats and non-spinnaker “racer-cruisers,” expands the event’s “Salsa” concept of the last few years into “Hot Salsa” and “Milder Salsa” divisions. The overall winner will be determined not by accumulated time but by combined finishing positions in the four races, as in a regatta — but with no throwouts.
James Puckett of Pacific Palisades sailed his dad Allen’s well-known Farr 55, Amazing Grace, to second place in Spinnaker A class of the Salsa Division in 2007.
“One thing I enjoyed was that you get to know the people you’re racing against,” Puckett said.
Mickey Scheinbaum of Del Rey YC sailed on another boat and noted, “For the first stop at Turtle Bay, the crews sort of kept to themselves on shore. Then at Magdalena Bay it was better, and at Cabo San Lucas everyone was totally mingling together.”
Hardcore racers could be envious. A promotional flyer reads: “If you are a frequent gung-ho bluewater racer but are tired of doing the same old Mexican races, then this race series is for you. Instead of racing past some of the most beautiful destinations that Mexico has to offer, this series allows you to stop at three picturesque anchorages and enjoy the camaraderie of socializing with competitors. In addition, you have the opportunity to compete in four races and to win four separate trophies, including an elegant CORUM Admiral’s Cup timepiece for the overall winner in each class.”
Entries aren’t required to sail all the way to Puerto Vallarta.
CORUM racing marketing director Mike Guccione said, “A lot of people stopped doing P.V. races because they took too much time or were too expensive. But you can do the 376 miles to Turtle Bay and be back in less than a week.”
Or, as race committee chairman Tom Redler said, “When you get to Turtle Bay, you just might want to go another 220 miles to see the magnificent gray whale migration in Mag Bay … especially after you find out how much fun the post-race parties are!”
Also, for less-experienced offshore sailors, there is the comfort factor of sailing in a group with a race committee escort vessel accompanying them all the way.
To ensure that all participants will be able to finish a race in time to enjoy the layover and the start of the next race, they may use motors if the winds become so light that their sailing speeds drop below their designated “crossover” speeds. The crossover speed is defined as “that boat speed at which the application of the motor penalty will have no detrimental effect on the final computed corrected time.”
Preparation seminars scheduled Oct. 23 and Dec. 4 will serve as tutorials for entries and prospective entries. |
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