GYA Multihull Championship

The Gulf Yachting Association (GYA) Multihull Championship was sailed the weekend of Oct 4-5 in Pensacola, Florida. There were 3 trophies up for grabs; The Pollack Perpetual Trophy for the best YC team, the Jim Tucker Perpetual Trophy for the best overall score winner(A-B classes), and the Smyth Team Perpetual Trophy for the best scoring trimaran. There were 3 classes that made up the teams; A class(64.0 and below), B class(64.1 and above), and Trimarans. Boats in the classes ranged from the fast CFR20 to the Weta trimaran! The A and B classes started together and the tris had their own start.

On to the racing. Saturday’s light and fluky winds only allowed for 2 races. The first race was very exciting with a line honors duel between A and B fleet boats. The Nacra20 team of Newkirk/Holmes battled it out with Bob Curry on the F17. On the last downwind leg to the finish and with many rollovers, the F17 found the last puff and squeaked ahead for the finish! The second race was sailed in a weak seabreeze that never quite came in. To say it was agonizing is an understatement!

Sunday saw the best winds of the weekend with 10-18kts and some higher gusts. Trapezes were flying, spray all over the place, and cavitating rudders downwind in the short, steep chop made for some very exciting racing. Several teams found the C mark rounding challenging and a few protests were filed.

In the end, The Fort Walton Yacht Club team of Bob Curry(F17 – B fleet / Team Captain), Brian Lambert(CFR20 - A fleet), and Don Wigston(Corsair 750 – Trimarans) won the Pollack Trophy and the FWYC will host next year’s event. The Jim Tucker Trophy went to Bob Curry on the F17 and the Smyth Team Trophy went to Don Wigston. Results and pics will be up sometime soon at http://www.pensacolabeach-yc.org/races.aspx. You might have to click one of the boxes (other, then run query) to view the info.

See ya on the water!
Bob <img src=

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