Marina del Rey to Puerto Vallarta: Nineteen Set for 2009 Event
 Rich Roberts - BYM Sailing News
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Wanna get away from it all? Nineteen boat owners have rung a resounding yes as confirmed entries in Del Rey Yacht Club's PV09 International Race Series to Puerto Vallarta starting Jan. 31.
A fresh approach to the 20th biennial event, presented by CORUM Swiss Timepieces, expands on the event's popular Salsa Division format of recent years to feature four individual races marked by stopovers along the Baja California peninsula: 376 nautical miles from Marina del Rey to Cedros Island outside of Turtle Bay, where fresh lobster is la especialidad del día every day; 220 n.m. to Magdalena Bay, famous for its friendly migrating whales; 152 n.m. to lively Cabo San Lucas at the tip of the Baja peninsula, and the last 286 n.m. across the Gulf of California to Puerto Vallarta on the mainland, finishing off the beach in front of the headquarters Westin Resort & Spa.
Participants have the option of sailing one or all four legs, which will be scored separately, but the 19 currently signed up are unanimous in their intent; they're going all the way.
However, those options remain open to other competitors who register before entries close Jan. 2.
Those entered include Roy E. Disney's new Pyewacket V in its maiden race and David Kory's Barking Spider from Point Richmond, Calif. - not the MacGregor 65 that won overall honors in 2007 but a Catalina 36 MK2 also named Barking Spider.
Others who know the way but savor the layovers include James Puckett's Farr 55, Amazing Grace; Jim Maslon's Jeanneau 49, Jungle Jim, and Ross Pearlman's Jeanneau 52.2, Between the Sheets, winner of the last two Aloha-A classes in the Transpacific Yacht Race to Hawaii.
The fleet is an eclectic blend of ocean racers and cruisers, from Disney's Reichel/Pugh 60 to Kory's Catalina. They're sorted by potential performance into Spinnaker A and B and Non-Spinnaker A and B classes.
Race committee chairman Tom Redler said, "It breaks very nicely into four evenly matched classes."
All boats will be offered free mooring at Del Rey YC before the race, plus all pre-race, mid-race and post-race shore activities.
Also, in Puerto Vallarta, group mooring will be free at conveniently located Opequimar Marina until Feb. 15. Complimentary membership in the Opequimar Yacht Club is included. The club is open 24/7, features several computers and Wi-Fi, a bar and restaurant, showers and other conveniences.
Confirmed entries
Spinnaker-A
Amazing Grace (Farr 55), James Puckett, Del Rey YC
Dare (Beck 60), Bob Kettenhofen, Balboa YC
Felicita (J/120), Perry Peters, Arizona YC, Phoenix
Pyewacket V (Reichel/Pugh 60), Roy E. Disney, Newport Harbor YC
Zamazaan (Farr 52 Custom), Charles A. Weghorn, St. Francis YC
Spinnaker-B
Barking Spider (Catalina 36 MK2), David Kory, Point Richmond, Calif.
Between the Sheets (Jeanneau 52.2), Ross Pearlman, DRYC
Carmagnole (Beneteau First 45), Dan Howard, DRYC
Jungle Jim (Jeanneau 49), Jim Maslon, DRYC
Rose of Sharon (Burgess 59), Byron K. Chamberlain, Newport Harbor YC
Non-Spinnaker-A
Artsea (Grand Soliel 45), Marty Laffer, DRYC
Blue Note (Beneteau 473), Kevin & Rhonda Wixom, Mission Bay YC
Defiance (Swan 56), Peter Noonan, St. Francis YC
Lumiere (Beneteau 49), Carl Marusak, MD, DRYC
Transformer (Beneteau 49), Joel Young, So. Bay Yacht Racing
Non-Spinnaker-B
Aquarius (Jeanneau 439), Hiroyuki Funaoku, DRYC
G-Rated (Catalina 42 MK2), Sid and Mark Lampert, DRYC
Moondance (Can Sailcraft 33.5), Niels Frommann, Santa Clara, Calif.
Rhiannon (Peterson 44), Bill & Stacy Tarr, DRYC |
Vallarta Weddings
News from Around Banderas Bay | December 2008 
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