J/70s & J/105s Dominate Hot Rum Series

(San Diego, CA)- The third race, and grand finale, for the San Diego YC’s famous Hot Rum Series took place on December 3rd.  Blessed with the third weekend of breeze, the sailors enjoyed the joy ride out the San Diego Harbor Channel, past Point Loma, around the sea buoys and back to the frenetic finish line just off the tip of Shelter Island.  Taking home lots of silverware were Rick Goebel’s J/105 SANITY in PHRF Class 3 and Fabian Gomez-Ibarra’s J/70 VAGAZO in PHRF Class 4.

The series was not without some drama during the middle race.  Apparently, Goebel’s SANITY was approaching the end of the San Diego Harbor channel leading their class and in the hunt for a top five finish in the race.

However, as they tacked onto port to head for home and a hoped for win, they looked up to see the mast falling off dramatically to leeward like a wet noodle.  Reacting instinctively, skipper Goebel spun the boat back onto starboard tack to save the mast.  Immediately, one of the crew noticed the upper tang of the port upper shroud had let go and headed up the rig on the spinnaker halyard.  With sails luffing, he reconnected the shroud tang (after another crew spun-off the turnbuckle) and Goebel’s crew was able to resume sailing on port tack towards the finish.  It was a lucky reaction by the quick-thinking SANITY crew.  As a result, they lost the potential to win the entire Hot Rum Race series overall, but still managed to win the 36-boat PHRF Class 3 with a 1-5-2 scoreline for 8 pts.  Taking third in their class was Dennis Case’s J/105 WINGS with an 11-3-1 tally for 15 pts.  Rounding out the top five as Erostino Dagfish’s J/105 VIGGEN in 5th place with a 4-16-3 score.

The 33-boat PHRF 2 class saw John Laun’s J/120 CAPER sail better and better to close the series with a 14-3-4 for 21 points and 2nd place.  The next J/120s were Mike Hatch’s J-ALMIGHTY in 10th and Chuck Nichols’ CC RIDER in 11th.  Twelfth was Tim Harmon’s J/124 CIRRUS and fifteenth was Doug Jorgensen’s J/111 PICOSA.  

The fast-sailing crews on J/70s dominated the 19-boat PHRF 4 class.  Top of the leaderboard was Gomez-Ibarra’s VAGAZO with an amazing scorecard of 1-1-2 for 4 pts.  Taking second on a tie-break was Dave Vieregg’s SOGGY DOLLAR with a 5-3-4 for 12 pts.  Fourth was Steve Wyman’s NUNUHUNU with a 4-6-3 for 13 pts. Close racing in the top five!  Sailing photo credits- San Diego YC/ Cynthia Synclair.  For more San Diego YC Hot Rum Series sailing information


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