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Catamaran Racing in Mississippi, Laid Back Distance Racing?
When you hear the term Catamaran Distance Racing you probably think of the "ironman" events like the former Worrell 1000 or the new Tybee 500, Great Texas Catamaran Race, Outer Banks 500, or the combined Atlantic 1000. These are events only available to the very best catamaran sailors who are also well funded and blessed with plenty of free time.
But what about the rest of us who love to get a chance to sail our cats in open water? There is an event in Ocean Springs Mississippi, organized by the Coast Catamaran Club (CCC) and hosted by the Ocean Springs Yacht Club (OSYC), that allows us to get a taste of sailing "out there" with just the dolphins for company, without breaking the bank or our boat. It's the Slip To Ship Regatta, May 29-30, Memorial Day weekend. Racing in an informal atmosphere from OSYC to Ship Island, a low barrier island about 14 miles offshore. The format gives you the feeling of a much longer race since it can be difficult to spot Ship Island until you have sailed straight out into the Gulf of Mexico 8 or 9 miles, but the reward of eating the "best chicken ever" will be waiting on the island as you swap stories about your crossing.
You probably will not find a regatta with the diversity of catamaran sailboats in one race, of course the latest cats and hotshots will be there, the I20's, 18HT's, I17's and FX-1's will be represented, but a lot of us will be there in our old Prindles and Hobies joining in the fun. It's also one of the best regattas to convince your non-sailing "significant other" to join you for the weekend, accommodations within 1/2 mile include everything from free camping on the grounds to 4 star hotels across the bridge at the Biloxi Casinos.
Round Texel Catamaran Race, 300 Catamaran Sailors Registered Already
Den Burg, April 22nd 2004 – After the first two weeks of subscription, the 27th Zwitserleven Round Texel already counts three hundred participants. As of April 1st, sailors can register themselves for the world’s biggest catamaran race. On Saturday June 5th will start their battle against the elements. They will have to face the surf at ‘Paal 17’, the current, wind and waves during the long-distance of hundred kilometres. The ProAm-race on June 4th will offer press, sponsors and relationships a foretaste. But anticipatory pleasure can also be found in the promo area.
About six hundred catamarans are expected to appear at the starting line of the 27th Zwitserleven Round Texel. As soon as the helicopter gives a smoke signal, the coloured fleet leaves for the light house in the north and returns by the Waddensea to the finish at the North Sea. If the wind is sufficient, the first finishers need about 3,5 hours for rounding Texel. Tros Radio 3FM will broadcast live from the beach.
Enrique's Hobie Tiger wins Beachcats at BVI, Hobie 16 Women do Well
In Beach Cats, it came as no surprise that Puerto Rico's 2004 Olympic Tornado team of Enrique Figueroa and crew Jorge Fernandez aboard Movistar/Suzuki/Red Bull defended their title, winning three races to clinch their four-race series and top 12 boats. This was the first year in recent history that the Beach Cats were not divided into spinnaker and non-spinnaker classes. Sailing to a Portsmouth handicap while other classes sailed to the Caribbean Sailing Association rating rule, the Beach Cats were dominated by Figueroa's Hobie Tiger, an 18 footer with spinnaker that is popular in Europe and is similar to Figueroa's Olympic Tornado. Close on his heels in second was the Hobie 16 Exodus/Ensysa, sailing without a spinnaker and skippered by another, but unrelated, Enrique Figueroa, also from Puerto Rico.
Two notable women's skippers--Rosarita Martinez (Carolina, PR) aboard the Hobie 16 Yuisa and Susan Korzeniewski (Liverpool, N.Y.), sailing the Hobie 16 WOW--competed in preparation for the Hobie 16 Worlds to be held in Cancun the first week of May. Martinez, who has sailed this event for the past five years and won her class in 2001, is the 2003 Hobie 16 Continental Women's Champion. Korzeniewski is a past Continental Women's Champion and a veteran of the grueling Worrell 1000 event for catamarans. Martinez and Korzeniewski finished fourth and eighth, respectively.
Read more for the rest of the Rolex Wrap-up and complete results. Hi Res Regatta Pictures
Two notable women's skippers--Rosarita Martinez (Carolina, PR) aboard the Hobie 16 Yuisa and Susan Korzeniewski (Liverpool, N.Y.), sailing the Hobie 16 WOW--competed in preparation for the Hobie 16 Worlds to be held in Cancun the first week of May. Martinez, who has sailed this event for the past five years and won her class in 2001, is the 2003 Hobie 16 Continental Women's Champion. Korzeniewski is a past Continental Women's Champion and a veteran of the grueling Worrell 1000 event for catamarans. Martinez and Korzeniewski finished fourth and eighth, respectively.
Read more for the rest of the Rolex Wrap-up and complete results. Hi Res Regatta Pictures
Big weather at the Rolex
ST. THOMAS, USVI (March 26, 2004)-- Rain squalls seemingly disrupted paradise today as hundreds of sailors on 91 boats started their three-day competition at the International Rolex Regatta 2004. In actuality, however, the dramatic changes in weather merely tested the preparedness of participants and race committee members, and both groups were pleased with results at the end of the day. Hosted by the St. Thomas Yacht Club in the U.S. Virgin Islands, the International Rolex Regatta is celebrating its 31st consecutive year and is one of the islands' oldest and most popular regattas, attracting sailors from the Caribbean, the United States and Europe.
Clearly the boat to beat in the Beach Cat class, Enrique Figueroa's MoviStar/Suzuki/Red Bull blasted to the lead in today's first race and finished second in race two despite capsizing--an unusual mishap to have befallen this 2004 Puerto Rican Olympic Sailing Team member. "You had to make a decision whether to follow the rain. That was where the wind was, but I paid the price when I flipped."
Clearly the boat to beat in the Beach Cat class, Enrique Figueroa's MoviStar/Suzuki/Red Bull blasted to the lead in today's first race and finished second in race two despite capsizing--an unusual mishap to have befallen this 2004 Puerto Rican Olympic Sailing Team member. "You had to make a decision whether to follow the rain. That was where the wind was, but I paid the price when I flipped."
The Sizzler Catamaran, Aluminum Beachcat
If you have ever browsed the catamaran pictures section of this site you know that I enjoy collecting pictures and information about obscure out of production beach catamarans. Today we will hear the story of a very unusual line of catamarans. How unusual? Well, you might think that all catamarans are constructed out of fiberglass in California, the Sizzler cats were made out of Aluminum in Cleveland, Ohio!
This information on the Sizzler Catamaran came to me after a member of this site enquired whether I had any information on Sizzler Catamarans, I didn't, but I knew who to ask. First I posted a message to the Beachcats Yahoogroup to find out if anyone knew this particular catamaran sailboat. Before long, a member had found a Sizzler 16, snapped some pictures, and uploaded them to the Beachcats Identification folder. Sizzler Catamaran Pictures.
Then, Mary Wells, the editor of Catamaran Sailor Magazine provided a wealth of detail about the boats construction and development. Mary actually worked for the company that manufactured the boat. Thank you very much Mary. If anyone has additional information about the Sizzler, or any of the former catamaran lines, please use the contact form.
Puerto Rico Olympic Tornado Catamaran Sailors Tops at Rolex Miami OCR
MIAMI, FLORIDA (January 30, 2004) --Breathless was the word to describe the final of four days of racing at the 2004 Rolex Miami OCR. To 503 sailors competing in the regatta's 11 Olympic and Paralympic classes, no wind on Biscayne Bay resulted in the cancellation of all racing. Yesterday's results, therefore, have determined class champions and left those who were within striking distance of the leaders disappointed. The regatta winners, most with sights set on competing in the 2004 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Athens, counted their performances here as critical, since this is one of North America's largest ISAF Grade One ranking events. The 323-boat fleet, flush with world champions, Olympic medallists and America's Cup veterans, represented 39 nations.
St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands, International Rolex Regatta
ST. THOMAS, USVI (January 27, 2004)--When it’s "off" season in other spots around the world, Caribbean racing will be in full swing at the start of the 31st International Rolex Regatta, hosted by St. Thomas Yacht Club in the U.S. Virgin Islands. From March 26-28, the three-day regatta is compact yet large in terms of offering dependable tropical trade winds, warm water and serious competition for everything from over-50 foot "Sleds" right down to beach catamarans.
Tornado Catamarans - 2004 North American Championship Results
Miami, Florida, USA - Saturday, January 24, 2004 - By Michael Grandfield
The 2000 Olympic Gold Medal team of Roman Hagara and Hans Peter Steinacher (AUT) proved to be in top form as they took the overall win at the 2004 North American Championship. The Austrians lead from the first day and never finished lower than 3rd in a very competitve fleet of 27 boats from 12 countries.
The USA team of John Lovell and Charlie Ogletree finished 7 points behind Hagara/Steinacher, taking 2nd place overall. Lovell and Ogletree also captured the North American Champions title as the first North Ameican boat.
Third place overall went to Olivier Backes and Laurent Voiron (FRA).
The 2000 Olympic Gold Medal team of Roman Hagara and Hans Peter Steinacher (AUT) proved to be in top form as they took the overall win at the 2004 North American Championship. The Austrians lead from the first day and never finished lower than 3rd in a very competitve fleet of 27 boats from 12 countries.
The USA team of John Lovell and Charlie Ogletree finished 7 points behind Hagara/Steinacher, taking 2nd place overall. Lovell and Ogletree also captured the North American Champions title as the first North Ameican boat.
Third place overall went to Olivier Backes and Laurent Voiron (FRA).
Hobie Class racing means Hobie Cat Only
There has been rumors and discussion for some time about the future of "open class" racing within santioned Hobie Class regattas. We now have the official word from IHCA (International Hobie Class Association), NAHCA (North American Hobie Class Association) and the Hobie Cat Company.
To sum it up, IHCA has notified NAHCA that it is violating IHCA rules by allowing non-Hobie catamarans in sanctioned events. Hobie Cat Company agrees with the IHCA position, and NAHCA has now agreed to eliminate open class racing from it's events after 2004.
Read the three letters, one from each organization, that explains there position.
To sum it up, IHCA has notified NAHCA that it is violating IHCA rules by allowing non-Hobie catamarans in sanctioned events. Hobie Cat Company agrees with the IHCA position, and NAHCA has now agreed to eliminate open class racing from it's events after 2004.
Read the three letters, one from each organization, that explains there position.
King Harbor Yacht Club (KHYC) Multihull Fleet Year End Wrap-up
Thirty (30) Multihulls participated in regattas at KHYC during 2003. Eighteen
(18) were KHYC members and/or participants in our KHYC Multihull Point
Series. Twelve (12) more, from other yacht clubs, joined our Offshore Trimarans in
the Santa Barbara Race. Four (4) Multihulls raced in the Twilights Series, with
over twenty (20) total attendances.
Bill Gibbs Afterburner catamaran broke the Santa Barbara record, at 5 Hr., 47 Min., averaging over 14 knots! George and Kurt Mayol took first place in the Santa Barbara Race on Exit, their home built Trimaran! All three Trimarans officially participated for the first time in the Point Dume regatta; Bob Zwisslers Shadow Fox took 1st place.
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