Racing in Southern California

2024 Catalina Island Series
Long Beach Yacht Club

Series Dates:

May 18-19: Spring Long Point

June 14-16: Isthmus Cove

July 13-14: Emerald Bay

Sept 14-15: Fall Long Point

September 25 Trophy Night!

OFFICIAL NOTICE BOARD>>

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ORCA Racing

ORCA - Ocean Racing Catamaran Association promotes multihull racing in the Southern California area.  ORCA helps establish local ratings for various multihull designs and works with local race organizers to encourage multihull participation.

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If you have questions about the ORCA rating system contact Richard Allen - richard@180marine.com

April 2024 Corsair trimaran training event, hosted by 180 Marine

Join 180 Marine in Long Beach, California, on APRIL 13 and 14 for two days of hands-on on-the-water training covering the “essentials” of trimaran sailing, from docking, safety procedures, sail management, sail trim, boat handling and more. You’ll learn the fundamentals and what matters most to sail safely and efficiently.

While we can’t possibly cover everything in detail in just two days, we will cover the most essential aspects of the following:

• Folding and unfolding the 880 trimaran

• Docking tips and tricks

• Rigging essentials

• Risk management, emergency maneuvers

• Boat handling

• Sail trim and sail handling

• Upwind sailing techniques

• Downwind sailing techniques

• Spinnaker handling…..

For this event, we will have 3 Corsair 880s. These trimarans are owned by local skippers in the Corsair community. We limit this to 14 people: a skipper and 3-4 crew on the 880s. We’re planning on morning dock talks, and afternoon on the water racing. You’ll have plenty of time and space to ask your questions in the type of venue. It’ll be a great way to meet like-minded sailors, too!

This year, our trainers will be:

Richard Allen / Founder 180 Marine / Trimaran Racer
Richard has raced and sailed Corsair trimarans for 28 years. He knows these boats inside and out. Richard is a natural teacher and loves to share his extensive knowledge.

Scott Klowdowski / Trimaran Racer
As a valued team leader at 180 Marine, Scott is multitalented and highly knowledgeable on trimarans. He has sailed, raced, and rigged high-performance race boats up to a Gunboat 62, a Nigel Irens 63, Nacra 5.8, a Corsair 880 and 37, and a Reynolds 33.

Bill Edwards / Trimaran Racer / World Cruiser
Over this past year, Bill has been sailing around the Pacific on his Seawind 1160. Bill has owned and raced many (many) Corsair trimarans.

Is a Corsair right for you?

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180 Marine is hosting the next demo event in Long Beach, California, on March 23-24, 2024.

Corsair 880 trimaran / Corsair 760 trimaran

We invite you to come experience a Corsair 760 side-by-side with a Corsair 880. Each delivers loads of fun for everyone. We realize it’s important to actually see a Corsair trimaran to determine if a trimaran is right for you. These boats are safe, sail flat, roomy, and go fast when you want them to.

Come to our meet and greet… like-minded sailors with questions like yours. Two of our most recent owners have graciously agreed to share their boats for this small event. Big thanks to both of them!

Our instructors for the weekend are Richard Allen, Founder of 180 Marine. Richard has been racing, crewing, and training on Corsairs for 25 years. He is passionate about these boats. Scott Klodowski is the second instructor and operations director at 180 Marine. Scott has extensive experience racing multihulls. As a local in the Long Beach area, Scott is out on the water almost every day, testing and tuning these amazing multihulls.

Participants are very limited, sign up today!

760 Corsair: Three per session.

880 Corsair: Four per session.

is a corsair right for you?

* Offer expires 3/25/24 — Terms and conditions to change without notice.

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What's up in San Francisco?

San Francisco Bay Area Multihull Association

There is always something fun going on in San Francisco!

BAMA is the primary organization supporting multihull racing, cruising, and safety in Northern California.  As well as organizing multihull racing and cruising events, BAMA is the official source of Multihull PHRF Rating Certificates in Northern California. To race in Northern California regattas open to multihulls, you need a rating certificate issued by BAMA.

Learn more about SFBAMA >>

BAMA sponsors SF Bay multihull-specific regattas and series for its members, including the Whales Chase Multihull Regatta, the BAMA Cup, and the Fast Cat Cup. The club also hosts events open to all, including safety seminars, club socials, and organized cruising outings.

Below is Rafi, a BAMA member, sailing his new Corsair 880 in San Francisco Bay. Rafi worked closely with 180 Marine in Long Beach, California, to fully customize his Corsair 880 with many upgrades. Rafi plans to race in the SBMR Regatta/Corsair National on another 880 skippered by Michael Acker. Michael’s 880 (M&M) was also customized for better performance by 180 Marine. 2024 SBMR Regatta / Corsair Regionals

If you’re interested in a performance upgrade package from 180 Marine, please get in touch with us. We offer several different packages that will increase your trimaran's speed, performance, and efficiency. info@180marine.com

Tri Jolie, Corsair 880, Rafi Yahalom, Skipper

Rafi Yahalom / Skipper Tri Jolie

Rafi Yahalom and Michael Sundermeyer taking delivery of their new Corsair 880 from 180 Marine in Long Beach, California

M&M preparing to race in the SBMR Regatta/Corsair Regionals 2024/ kipper, Michael Acker

The latest-edition of our 2025 Corsair 970 Sport performs in the most challenging conditions!

The sporty, foldable, trailerable Corsair 970 trimaran will routinely knock off double-digit boat speeds. Planing upwind with a reef? What else do you notice?

SPEED AND DISTANCE
All Corsair trimarans are built to withstand the most demanding conditions and the Corsair 970 is capable in two vital directions: speed and carrying capacity. Wherever you're planning to sail, you’ll get there in half the time of the monohull you might consider for your next trip.

Quickly sail over to Catalina Island, from Newport, California! (spend the day or the weekend)

The 970 is known as the “Swiss army knife” of trimarans – equally adept at cruising, racing, and passage-making. 

The power-to-weight ratio stands unequaled in a 32-foot trimaran. 

COMFORTABLE ON THE WATER
The 970 has a remarkably low heel and feels light and easy to manage on the helm. So, while you keep a boat that retains serious offshore credentials, you achieve performance figures to turn the dial red.

She is remarkably versatile – trailerable around the country, and seaworthy and safe offshore. 

Longer amas and bows that are more plumb and hull forms with less rocker add 20 percent more buoyancy to this boat while retaining similar beam dimensions. The result is a more stable platform. The keel and rudder for the original 31 had been optimized for boat speeds between 3 and 10 knots. Incorporating the lessons from those 300 boats, today’s 970 features much thinner, higher-aspect-ratio foils optimized for speeds in the teens and higher. (A note to those who haven’t sailed Corsairs before: Those boat speeds are real. Try it!)

COMFORT ON AND OFF THE WATER
Living spaces, both inside and out, are improved in the 970. Boat of the Year judge Mark Schrader was a dealer for Corsair years ago and raced the boats many miles. “They’ve added two very comfortable park benches in the cockpit,” he said of the 970. On the 31, he stated, “There wasn’t any place for more than four people to sit, stand or do anything without hugging each other.” The 31 was offered with either an aft cabin or an aft cockpit arrangement; the 970 deftly manages to make space for both while also adding headroom in the cabin. Using careful building techniques, including vacuum bagging, Corsair has added more furniture in the cabin yet kept the weight the same.

PERFORMANCE HIGHLIGHTS
180 Marine offers innovative upgrade packages to meet any sailing goals.

GREEN HIGHLIGHTS
180 Marine offers innovative upgrade packages to meet any sailing goals.

“On sunny days I can make a lot of ice!”

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Richard Allen / Founder 180 Marine

If you’re interested in knowing more about the new Corsair 970 please contact us.

Thank you all!

Our 2023 Corsair owners have been fantastic, thank you!

We’re so grateful to our owners this year…180 Marine imported and supported 12 Corsair 880s in 2023, and much more...

Long Beach, California is where most of these hot rockets were commissioned, along with our training and events hosted by 180 Marine. We're planning another training and demonstration event in Long Beach on April 12th and 13th, 2024. Be sure to contact our team if you would like to join our owners and crew at the next event.

The Race to Alaska

If you’re considering participating in next year's R2AK, here’s a good article from SAIL. This article highlights the Corsair 760 and its crew. Zam Bevan, one of the crew members, brought his deep experience with Corsair trimarans to the race. Zam was the Production Manager at Corsair Marine International for many years and has raced these trimarans worldwide. He is currently the Project Manager at Triac Composites. His expert advice was invaluable in this race. Read on!

The Race to Alaska is cold, wet, and slightly crazy. It took a weird mix of Vegemite, skill, luck, and Buddha for one team to make it. Article by SAIL / Norris Comer

Riddle me this, sailor: What do you get when there’s a gale warning out of the west and a 13-year-ebb tide rushing out of the east? If you answered “a bad time” or “a washing machine,” you are correct. Such were the conditions on day 1 of the Race to Alaska (R2AK) that our half-Australian, half-American race team, Vegemite Vigilantes, faced on the start line. The new R2AK tattoos were still bloody on the arms of my fellow crewmates Scott Wallingford, Andrew (Andy) de Bruin, and Trevor (Zam) Bevan. As per R2AK tradition, the fresh ink was from a pop-up tattoo parlor that offers race participants free R2AK tats. My teammates’ ink sent a strong message: We’re getting to Alaska, hell or high water. Around 30% of racers do not make the finish line in a typical year, but we were not going to be among them.

The R2AK is a 750-mile engineless adventure race from Port Townsend, Washington, to Ketchikan, Alaska. Sail- and human-power provide the propulsion, with platforms ranging from ultra-fast racing trimarans to stand up paddleboards. We, seeking a respectable podium finish, were aboard Scott’s new Corsair 760 trimaran, Toast. The Corsair 760 evolved from the popular Corsair Dash 750. With longer, more buoyant, wave-piercing amas, the design incoporates the company’s proprietary folding system to make it trailerable. Accommodations would be modest for our crew of four with limited standing headroom and supplies taking up most of the V-berth.

An entrant in the R2AK plunges through a wild sea state. Conditions in this race range from storms to dead calms with added complexity of intense currents. Photo by Jim Meyers/VertizonPhoto

The Corsair 760 had plenty of speed under sail as well as a custom twin pedal drive that could push her along at about 2.5 knots. Photo by Norris Comer

Vegemite Vigilantes Zam and Andy are all smiles before the start. Photo by Norris Comer

The Brilliance of Paul Bieker

An inspirational read I’d like to share with you from Sailing World

Who is Bieker?
Bieker has been innovating high-performance sailboat designs for decades while staying true to the Pacific Northwest roots. It is an inspirational story of relentless drills on design and engineering problems. Bieker is a naval architect who is still setting racecourse records.

Paul Bieker adjusts the jib lead on his Shilshole 27, a pocket cruiser-cum-racer that he designed and purchased from a client last year. Stephen Matera

Rain needles Ketchikan’s harbor as Paul Bieker assesses the damage to one of his beloved designs. Dark Star, Jonathan and Libby McKee’s Riptide 44, just won the 2022 Race to Alaska, but McKee and crew found a log at 18 knots. I’d texted Bieker the photos, and he’d just arrived with a plan and his son, Leo. Minutes later, they begin sanding, layering on epoxy, mating, adding more epoxy, then resanding, skipping lunch and disregarding the on-off precipitation. Nothing about the scene suggests the presence of a two-time America’s Cup-winning naval architect. “It’s not beautiful,” Bieker says that evening, “but it’ll keep water from hydraulically separating the layers of carbon if we’re going fast.” Fourteen hours later, we depart for Seattle by way of Vancouver Island’s west coast.

In the world of high-performance sailing, few names are more synonymous with speed than Bieker’s, yet few Cup-winning designers have kept a lower, more grounded profile. This is by choice, and it suits; flannel shirts, wool sweaters and foredeck-battered fleece often define Bieker’s attire. Look past the Pacific Northwest camouflage, however, and one discovers that Bieker’s mind relentlessly drills on design and engineering problems. Coloring him the smartest guy in the room—while accurate—is lazy writing; his mind doesn’t stop seeking until he wrestles down his solution. Other naval architects may have seen more boats launched than Bieker, now 60, but few have created boats that are still setting racecourse records decades ex post facto.

It started with a car accident.

Bieker was born in Portland, Oregon, in October 1962. He’s the oldest of three kids born to a father who had a penchant for fast cars. This ended in (circa) 1968 when Fred Bieker rolled the family’s Mustang with his family aboard. Bieker’s mother suggested that her husband pursue a safer hobby. 

He chose sailing.

2023 Corsair 880 offshore flotilla extravaganza!

The 2023 Corsair 880 offshore flotilla extravaganza on October 20/21/22 was a blast! Long Beach, California was the perfect venue, with warm winds and blue skies. BIG THANKS to our excellent trimaran coaches, Richard Allen, Scott Klodowski, and Steve Hansen!

A flotilla is a group of boats sailing together from destination to destination, sharing the joy of being on the water and the excitement of what’s ashore. In this flotilla, we had 3 Corsair 880s with incredible owners and crew coming together for three days of intense sailing fun, training, and sharing knowledge with each other.

THE BOAT

The Corsair 880/SPORT is an award-winning sailing trimaran that won 2021 Boat of the Year from Cruising World. This revolutionary 29-foot trimaran offers all the possibilities of much larger boats in an easy-to-trailer lightweight package. So, if a Seawind catamaran is just too much money or too much boat for you, consider a Corsair trimaran! Stay tuned for our next event in Southern California. It's a great time to view the fleet in action if you are in the area...

The Corsair 880 SPORT sailing at 17 knots! She will always take care of you!

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Think of this as a mini boat show! But better.

Sailing out of Long Beach, California on a new Corsair 880

A few of our Corsair 880 Fans

Is electric power right for you now?

2023 Corsair 880 Sport with Torqeedo electric motor

For some, yes!
180 Marine is equipping a trio of Corsair 880s with Torqeedo electric motors. The first installation was just completed, with two more launching soon. 

You can’t beat…

Quiet and sublime smoothness…

Smaller and lighter than combustion engines…

NO fuel or oil to leak or stink

Powerful lithium batteries provide long-range motoring

Durable design and excellent corrosion protection for fresh and salt water.

Torqeedo offers a new, industry-leading warranty on electric outboards.

A Torqeedo electric motor installation on the latest Corsair 880 Sport

Installing Torqeedo Electric motors on Corsair 880s is a smart choice for environmentally conscious boaters. The lack of exhaust gases and carbon emissions, along with their quiet efficiency, makes them a sustainable option for marine propulsion.

The new electric motors include optimized helical gears to provide quiet, lightweight power unrivaled in this market.

This durable and extremely robust design is perfect for sailboats, motorboats and commercial applications up to 12 tons.

Available with remote throttle (R) or tiller (T) control, in 3 kW, 6 kW, 10 kW and 12 kW versions - with various shaft lengths to accommodate a wide range of applications.

It's great to hear that charging electric boats is relatively convenient with the availability of shore power at most marinas. Having the option for overnight charging or fast charging for some electric motor batteries can certainly alleviate concerns about range and ensure a more reliable experience on the water. If you have any specific questions or need more information about electric boat technology or related topics, feel free to ask!

The Torqeedo Cruise 6.0 R has many benefits:

• High-efficiency outboard with 6,000 W input power, equivalent to a 9.9 HP petrol outboard.

• Pair with Power 48-5000 for best performance and accurate range/runtime functionality.

• The R model includes a remote steering link arm we link directly to the tiller.

• Your choice of throttle: standard throttle or add a TorqLink throttle with amazing connectivity to smart phone apps.

• Rugged pylon with integral fin – extra protection when running aground

• Highest-grade seawater-proof aluminum for long service life, even in the harshest conditions.

• Comprehensive galvanic corrosion protection through careful matching of all materials and meticulous isolation of materials with different electrochemical properties - ships with anode set for fresh and saltwater

• It is also compatible with third-party batteries (24-volt), but careful matching to motor power requirements is needed - Power 48-5000 battery is highly recommended.

• For more technical data on the Torqeedo Cruse 6.0 R >>

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180 Marine is the leading Authorized Dealer for Corsair Marine International

180 Marine is an Authorized dealer for Torqeedo Electric Motors

180 Marine is an Authorized dealer for Smyth, Doyle, and Ullman Sails

We recommend Colligo Marine continuous line furling systems

180 Marine is an Authorized dealer for Melges Performance Sailboats

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Featured Torqeedo stories >>

Corsair 760 One-Design fleet building in SoCal

Corsair 760 / Dana Point, California

The Corsair 760 is perfectly suited for one-design racing, where all of the competing boats are identical or very similar. With identical boats it ensures that no one competitor has an edge based on their boat rigging or any other special preparation. Class rules for a one-design fleet vary from fleet to fleet, and some events are modified for local rules too.

These races are entirely based on crew skill and preparation, with minor help from the boat preparation so that everyone gets a fair shot. Everyone starts at the same time, and the winner is the first to go across the finish line.

The Corsair 760 is 24 feet in length and is fast. It’s an excellent boat for one-design racing events. If you want to be on the same playing field as other crews, then one-design fleets can be ideal for your sailing goals.

Corsair 760 / 2019 San Diego NOODS

The need for speed

There is a unique feeling when you see another sailboat just like yours on the race course. Head to head competition has always been a driving force behind racing, fueled by sailors with a competitive outlook.

One-design fleets using boats like the Corsair 760 allow your skill to shine, and smart preparation also has means a great deal when you’re determined to win the race.

Best for training

If you are an inexperienced sailor or you want your kids to learn how to sail then one-design boats are often the best option. Since these design classes have to be similar depending on the boat length, it is easier to learn detailed skills that translate to other boats and other crewing opportunities.

One-design boats often allow younger sailors to adapt quickly to the details without being overwhelmed or discouraged. It also helps if you start on a one-design boat and then move up to a more advanced boat with the skill set needed to sail well.

Corsair 760

Corsair 760R

Corsair 760 Sport

Corsair 760 Sport

2018 760 Sport - available to SoCal from San Francisco, available for sale now >>

2018 760 - now in covered storage, available for sale. We washed it and tucked it into a great storage facility in Oceanside, California, available for sale now >>

760 Dana Point - owned by Eric, available for charter with an experienced 180 Marine staff member, and Eric will race a lot in the future.

760 161 - available with custom options, 180 Marine may spec it an R version as it will ship soon.

760 188 - shipping soon; the owner is from Idaho, but we hope he will keep it in SoCal for part of the year.

And two more hoping to join some events from San Francisco. In the near future we will promote 760 events on San Francisco Bay.

Contact us at info@180marine.com for more information. We’d love to see you out on the race course!

Six Corsair trimarans arriving in Long Beach this summer!

Each boat requires careful handling and attention to detail during the commissioning process. The team at 180 Marine is responsible for coordinating the logistics, including offloading the boats from the shipping containers and transporting them to the assembly area.

Once in the assembly area, the beams, masts, and motors need to be installed. This requires a skilled team to ensure everything is properly aligned and secured.

The net installation is another crucial step. The nets provide additional stability to the boat and must be carefully measured and attached to the hulls.

Rigging the mast is also an important task that requires precision and expertise. The mast must be properly tensioned, and the sails attached, ready for use.

For more information about Corsair trimarans contact the 180 Marine team. info@180marine.com

Los Angeles SailGP - July 22-23, 2023

Spain made history in Los Angeles, beating Season 3 champions Australia and ROCKWOOL Denmark to claim its first-ever SailGP event win.

Diego Botin’s young crew overcame light wind conditions by minimizing maneuvers and sailing the shortest distance to trounce ROCKWOOL DEN and Australia in front of sell-out shoreside crowds.

The win came after Spain scraped into the Final by a one-point margin over Canada - meaning they managed to convert their first Final appearance into a first event win in four seasons.

The victory followed a period of upheaval and uncertainty for the young Spanish team - with former flight controller Botin only becoming driver in February 2023 - and it moved them up to second in the Championship rankings. The Spanish team is the youngest to compete in SailGP's cutting-edge sail racing championship and debuted in February 2020.

SEE FULL RESULTS >>

SailGP is sailing redefined. Established in 2018 and headquartered in London and San Francisco, SailGP is an annual global sports championship featuring bold, cutting-edge technology and awe-inspiring athleticism. The fan-centric, inshore racing takes place in some of the most iconic harbors around the globe and culminates with a $1 million winner-takes-all match race. Rival national teams from Australia, China, France, Great Britain, Japan and the United States battle it out in identical supercharged F50 catamarans, engineered for intense racing at electrifying speeds exceeding 50 knots (nearly 60 mph).

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Join the 180 Marine team in July to experience the thrilling speeds and action-packed entertainment of SailGP in the Port of Los Angeles for the inaugural Los Angeles Sail Grand Prix, July 22-23, 2023!

Nine national teams - including the United States SailGP Team led by sailing legend Jimmy Spithill - will race F50 hydro foiling catamarans, capable of highway speeds exceeding 60 mph, in a fan-focused, two-day spectacle of exhilarating racing.

Fans will be just a breath away from the challenging Outer Harbor racecourse at the Port of Los Angeles, with ticket packages available for grandstand seating at Berth 46, along with on-water viewing zones for privately-owned vessels.

Highlights Sail GP San Francisco

If you're interested in knowing more about the Corsair trimarans we’d love to hear from you.

180 Marine is the leading dealer in the U.S. for Corsair trimarans.

Passionate Skipper and Sailor

John Gallagher’s Gunboat 62 Chim Chim. This Morrelli and Melvin-designed catamaran was built 15 years ago in South Africa yet has remained incredibly active in the last five years: not only has she raced in the 2015 and 2017 Transpac races to Honolulu at 2225 miles each, but she also raced over 1000 miles in the 2018 San Diego-Puerto Vallarta Race and a few editions of California Race Week as well. Scott Klodowski races and continues to refine and tune this beauty!

Scott Klodowski

USCG captain, racer, rigger
BASED IN long beach, California

As a valued team leader at 180 Marine, Scott is multitalented and extremely knowledgeable on trimarans. In addition to being an expert rigger, Scott has over 30 years of experience in sales, marketing, product development, and technical training in the marine industry. His expertise and passion for sailing make him a valuable asset to the team.

Scott's responsibilities include overseeing the commissioning of the boats. Scott leads a skilled team in the installation of the beams, masts, and motors. He pays close attention to detail to ensure everything is aligned and secured correctly.

Another crucial aspect of Scott's role is the installation of the nets. He carefully measures and attaches the nets to the hulls, providing stability to the boat. Rigging the mast is also a key responsibility, as Scott ensures the mast is properly tensioned and the sails are attached correctly.

Scott is dedicated to quality, and his expertise extends beyond the assembly process.

Corsair 37 / Mental Floss

Mull 83 / Sorcery

Nigel Irens 63 / Shockwave

Farr 85 / Sapphire Knight

Farr 85 / Sapphire Knight

Reynolds 33 / Insane Asylum / Raced and Rigged

Corsair 880 Sport / Valkyrie

What an awful feeling to be seasick and what you can do

Maybe there’s a cure!

After reading dozens of e-mails on seasickness cures, it seems the toughest mariners aren't the yo-ho-ho types who've sailed around Cape Horn in a force 10 gale. No, the toughest of the tough are the weekend boaters who routinely cast off the lines knowing that at any moment they're liable to become deathly ill. That's tough! Why do they persist? Renee DeMar from San Francisco was typical; despite being the most seasickness-prone person she knows, Renee has been sailing for the past 30 years simply because she likes being on the water. Jon Triplett from Texas says seasickness "has ruined more trips for me than I can recall, yet I love to go offshore."

Whether they got deathly ill or slightly ill, one thing almost every reader who responded made clear: There is no single cure for seasickness that works miraculously for everybody. For every person who insisted, for example, that wristbands were the answer, another would preface his or her comments by saying they tried wristbands (or ginger, Bonine, Scopolamine, etc.) and they didn't work. Others noted that some of the various medications have side effects that are worse than being seasick.

By a wide margin, most readers' comments were directed at four cures: wristbands, ginger, Meclizine (Bonine, Dramamine) and Scopolamine. We've included comments supporting these cures as well as the negative comments, helpful advice and warnings about possible side effects. We've also included a few of the other cures, some of which were offbeat (understatement).

Read more >>

Transpacific 2023

The 2023 Transpac competition from California to Oʻahu begins on Tuesday, with the first wave of 16 sailboats crossing the starting line near Point Fermin in San Pedro.

After leaving the west end of Catalina to port, they will sail 2,200 miles west towards the finish line at Diamond Head.

This year, there are three waves with a total of 58 entries from Australia, Canada, Italy and the United States competing in the 52nd edition of this biennial ocean racing classic, first sailed in 1906.

Some are racing Transpac for the first time, while others are veterans who keep returning for this iconic race.

Ian Edwards’ Dehler 46 Wings has come from Sydney, Australia, to participate. This is their first Transpac race, but they are no strangers to ocean racing. Edwards said they have raced about 35,000 miles on this boat, but the unique aspect of Transpac’s course and conditions is intriguing.

“We normally race with 10 or even 12 crew, but we will race with only 8 on this race,” he said. “We have a lot of experience in all positions on the boat, and we’ve been practicing short-handed maneuvers like sail changes and gybes so the off-watch can get some sleep and be rested for their turn.”

Indeed, this is a fundamental skill for all Transpac teams: finding the balance between having enough versatile and skilled crew available to perform versus the extra weight and clutter of having more on board.

Other notable differences for Edwards include Transpac’s limited allowance for stacking sails on deck to increase stability and optimize performance. This is not allowed in other races. They also added a Code 65 reaching headsail to their inventory to help fill the gap between their upwind headsails and their spinnakers.

Learn more >>

Celebrating Glenn Hackemer, delivering a Transpacific race boat back to the mainland >>

WINNER OF THE 2023 Transpac >>

The world's highest regatta at 9,017 ft. above sea level

The 52nd Annual Dillon Open Regatta

Come join us August 25th - August 27, 2023

The Dillon Yacht Club extends a warm invitation to all sailors interested in participating in the 2023 Dillon Open Regatta, the world’s highest regatta at 9,017 ft. above sea level, on Aug 25th-Aug 27th, 2023.  Download the Notice of Race (coming soon) with all the regatta details (coming soon) and the Map of Lake, and then get registered!  Sailing Instructions will be posted here on August 1st. 

Racing will be held on beautiful Lake Dillon in Dillon, Colorado, where you’ll enjoy sunny days and spectacular views of the snow-capped Rocky Mountains. The regatta is hosted by the Dillon Yacht Club, the nation’s highest yacht club at 9,017 feet above sea level, located just west of the Continental Divide, a 70-mile drive from downtown Denver. 

Bring your friends and family
Want to buy EXTRA DINNER TICKETS for friends or family joining Saturday night party?  You'll buy them at the yacht club on Saturday.  Or better yet, send them out on a pontoon boat to see all the racing up close. Reserve seats on a SPECTATOR BOAT.  Coming soon....

Learn more >>

Sailing French Polynesia

Bill Edwards and Katie Smith's big adventure in paradise

Based in Denver, Colorado

Adventure sailing accomplishments range from sailing around the world, competing in offshore regattas, venturing to the world's remotest parts on an open-ended exploration, to mastering light winds on a skinny lake. Each accomplishment carries its unique challenge and provides individual achievement. 180 Marine celebrates those who follow their dreams. You only get one spin! Thank You, Bill and Katie, for all your support!

May 1, 2023 - Bill Reports…

Katie and I are back in the South Pacific for Phase 2 of sailing our Seawind 1160 Flite Deck. We left Colorado just over two weeks ago, and the boat is not on the water at this time. The good news is that we are in Paradise. We are located about 250 miles east of Tahiti. We are sitting on a Motu. It is a small land mass. A ring of Motus makes up an atoll.
An atoll is typically a ring of sand and coral with plenty of palm trees. The ring creates a protected lagoon. The water is beautiful. The Motu we are on has 8 local residences, and it can easily double with sailors coming and going in the yard. There are no local hotels, restaurants, or even a store. The nearest village is 15 miles away by water, and I mean a village. We are in paradise. We are living on our boat in a yard. Think of it like an RV park without hookups. Also, your RV does not have screens, air conditioning, or running water. When you want to get off the boat, you are climbing up and down a 6-rung ladder. We are living in Paradise. The air temp is in the high 80s, the humidity in the 90s, and plenty of bugs. Our escape is a daily happy hour soaking in the gorgeous blue water sharing a cold beer from the freezer. More to follow….

May 15, 2023, Bill reports… 
location: Leeward Islands, French Polynesia 

Finally, after 24 days in the yard, we launched Flite Deck on Friday, May 12th. We received the parts we were waiting for on Wednesday, May 10th. It took less than 2 days to install all of the different parts we ordered in. We are motivated. We expected to stay in the yard for 3 days when we first arrived. We have had many up-and-down moments waiting. I started on the engine parts Wednesday late afternoon and wrapped up Thursday morning. Then Katie and I installed new shifter and throttle cables for the starboard engine. With that done, I spent the rest of the afternoon testing the engines. They are working great, out of the water. I finished the new pin for the furler and forestay on Friday morning. With that, we are ready to let Flite Deck swim again. Starting just after 1:00 PM, the crew started putting Flite Deck on the hydraulic lift trailer, pulling her through the yard, and putting her in the water. Once in the water, I started up the repaired engines, and it appeared to be working. The crew pushed her off the trailer, and we were free. The shifters worked perfectly, even better than ever, and we pulled out of the launching area. After a 15-20 minute drive around to test the engines, we set the anchor and enjoyed being on the water. We spent Saturday and Sunday putting the last items together, like putting the jib on the furler and installing the battens and reef lines on the main sail. The water maker is working, and we have good fresh water with an unlimited supply. Katie did laundry using the large portable cooler as a washing machine. We plan on leaving the area today, Monday. The plan is to work our way toward Fakarava atoll.

May 19, 2023 - Bill reports…
location: Leeward Islands, French Polynesia 

Last night, Katie and I had dinner to celebrate our anniversary and, even more, having the boat on the water. It was our first meal out since we left Tahiti on April 18th. This morning at the same resort, we had a pearl farm tour. One of the interesting items from the tour is that the farmers use a bank to start the pearl. It is really a ball, that the pearl material grows around the ball. The ball is from the shell of a muscle found in the Mississippi River.

May 20, 2023, Bill reports…
location: Tetamanu Village south pass Fakarava

After spending 4 days in the village area near the north pass of Fakarava, we set sail for the south pass, about 30 miles. We got a late start on Friday after finishing some chores and sightseeing. We sailed until 4:00 pm and looked for a place to anchor before the sunset. We found a beach all to ourselves. The water was beautiful, and the stars were bright. This morning we raised the anchor and had a pleasant sail in 6-8 knots of wind. We average about 4 knots of sailing. We arrived near the south pass around 11:30. I am scheduled for a few dives on Monday. After we set the anchor, we both snorkeled to check on the anchor. Katie got a chance to see her first shark. She didn’t walk on water and handled it very well. After lunch, we snorkeled some of the bommies. There are plenty of fish. We encountered a couple of sharks and a Spotted Eagle Ray. The coral growth is fantastic. We finished off the day with a brilliant sunset.

May 23, 2023, Bill reports
Location: Tetamanu Village south pass Fakarava.

Three years ago, I got my open-water diving certification. I did my first open-water dive two years ago at Catalina Island, CA. Yesterday I did my 2nd and 3rd dives ever at the diver's bucket list area. We dove to 109 feet, and it was like being in an aquarium, but with 1000s of fish and sharks. No pictures, I don't have an underwater camera for diving depths. It was a magical experience. I don't know how to describe it. The 2nd dive was a late afternoon/ early evening dive. When we went in the sun was shining. When we came back to the surface, the moon was up. It was a shallow dive at 95 feet. Again lots of fish. I did see an octopus.

june 2, 2023, Bill reports…
location: Location: Avatar, French Polynesia

We have been visiting a couple of different atolls in the last few days. One way of thinking about an atoll is that our is a bathtub in the ocean. When the tide comes in our out our has a minimal drain for the water to enter our leave. As we entered the Taou atoll on the eastern end, it was supposed to have an incoming tide, and the wind was also coming in. Not so. We had an outgoing tide with an incoming wind.  That caused large standing waves. We had 10-foot waves that were chasing us. Two of the waves broke into the cockpit of Flite Deck. I have never had a wave break into any boat I have owned or chartered. At one time, we were on the wave just right and surfing at 15 knots. Not a fun feeling, but we could keep the boat under control. Yesterday we entered the Rangiroa atoll. We didn't have the breaking waves, but the current was intense. The picture shown in our chart plotter. The top two numbers can indicate how much current we had against us. The boat was going 7 knots through the water, but we had over 6 knots against us. The speed over the ground indicates how fast we would be walking over the earth then. To be clear, every exit or entrance to an atoll hasn't been that exciting, and most have been just another passage. The big thing is to with our timing a little bit better.

June 2, 2023, Bill reports… 
Location: Comité du Tourisme de Rangiroa.

In the last few days, we have been visiting a couple of different atolls. One way of thinking about an atoll is that our is a bathtub in the ocean. When the tide comes in our out our has a very small drain for the water to enter our leave. As we entered the Taou atoll on the eastern end, it was supposed to have an incoming tide, and the wind was also coming in. Not so. We had an outgoing tide with an incoming wind. That caused large standing waves. We had 10-foot waves that were chasing us. Two of the waves broke into the cockpit of Flite Deck. I have never had a wave break into any boat I have owned or chartered. At one time, we were on the wave just right, and we were surfing at 15 knots. Not a fun feeling, but we were able to keep the boat under control. Yesterday we entered the Rangiroa atoll. We didn't have the breaking waves, but the current was intense. The picture shown in our chart plotter. The top two numbers can indicate how much current we had against us. The boat was going 7 knots through the water, but we had over 6 knots against us. The speed over the ground indicates how fast we would be walking over the earth at that time. Just to be clear, every exit or entrance to an atoll hasn't been that exciting, and most have been just another passage. The big thing is to with our timing a little bit better.

June 10, 2023, Bill reports… 
location: Avatoru, French Polynesia 

We have been in Rangiroa atoll for the last nine days. We are here killing some time before we head over to Tahiti. We have friends coming in on June 22nd and would rather spend our time here than in the capital city, Papeete. Saturday we took the dinghy to the village on the southside of the pass. We came across this beautiful church. For lunch we stopped at the restaurant I shared in an earlier post and had fried shrimp, with heads and tails.

On Sunday we took a tour with some new friends we met on Little Bird earlier in the week. We took a power boat to the Blue Lagoon. While we were there, we started out with a snorkel with sharks, again. Katie is getting a little more comfortable with the sharks. She did jump in the water when she saw them from the boat. Then the captain took the boat into the lagoon. We had a little hike through the water to a small motu where they have a hut set up to cook lunch and hang out. He took us to the coral garden and hike on bird island to see a bird rookery for four species of local birds, while his mate cooked up a great lunch. Afterwards the captain showed his skill at weaving. Earlier in the day, made a couple of serving bowls in 10-15 minutes. After a relaxing afternoon, we headed back to the main area we are anchored in. He took us through the pass to try to see some local dolphins. Not much action. We then stopped at The Aquarium. It is a local reef with with plenty of fish.

On Monday I got in a couple of dives with a local dive shop. The big attraction here is five local dolphins are “friendly” with the divers. They will come up to you and like to be rubbed and scratched near the pectoral fins and where the tail attaches to the body. Unfortunately, we didn’t see the dolphins, but the dive was still fun. We had drift dives through the pass and did see gray reef sharks. They are much larger than the black or white tip sharks. I also saw a large school of barracuda. Later that night we had a full moon. I was able to get some great shots from a moving boat. Later that night I developed a fever that knocked me out all day Tuesday and I spent all day Wednesday recovering.

Thursday the Aranui 5 ship came into port. It is an interesting boat as you can see in the picture. It is both a cruise ship and a cargo ship. We have been anchored off a beautiful resort that has the over-the-water bungalows. We were scheduled to stay at a resort on Moorea back in 2020. We didn’t make it due to Covid. We looked into staying at the resort on Moorea when we sailed there, but the rates have jumped really high (this resort is charging US$2200/night and they are sold out for the coming future). We decided we have the perfect room over the water everywhere we go. I spent the day after recovering working on my favorite area of the boat. The toilets!!! On the primary toilet, I had to unclog the holding tank so it would drain and the second head I spent two and a half hours troubleshooting and rebuilding the hand pump. No fun.

Friday afternoon we took a cab ride to the far village (about 8km) to a local winery. It is the only winery in French Polynesia and they grow the grapes on the atoll here. The wine has a very distinct flavor from growing in the coral based ground. They have three flavors, a white blend, a Rose blend and a sweet. They only had the sweet for sale. We are not usually sweet wine drinkers, but it has a “soft” sweet flavor that we enjoyed. Katie picked up a couple of bottles. They also grow and harvest sugar cane for making rum. The white rum tasted like jet fuel. They have an aged rum (4 years) that tasted ok. But it wasn’t worth US$110 a bottle. It also had a distinct taste. I believe it is because the rum was aged in wine barrels, not used bourbon barrels. Afterwards we stopped for a pizza at the local shop. Pizza is one of the best deals in French Polynesia.

Tomorrow, we plan on leaving for one more atoll, Tikehau, before a 250 mile sail to Tahiti. You can follow are travels on-line at https://forecast.predictwind.com/tracking/display/FliteDeck/

June 18, 2023, Bill reports…
location: Fa'a'ā, French Polynesia.

We sailed into Tahiti today!!! It is beautiful and busy here compared to the Tuamotus. The last picture is a sunset over Moorea. We will be there later this week.

JUNE 22, 2023, BILL REPORTS…
LOCATION: FA'A'Ā, FRENCH POLYNESIA.

Yesterday I enjoyed my 3rd winter solstice in a row this past year. I was in French Polynesia last year at this time, in Denver at December and now back in fence Polynesia. Being that French Polynesia is in the southern hemisphere, the seasons are opposite. We took a tour over the mountain and made some new friends that we went and joined them to watch the Marquesas dancers at a local hotel afterwards.

JUNE 26, 2023, BILL REPORTS…
LOCATION: Moorea, Polynésie Française.

Just another terrible anchorage we are in today at Moorea. We are getting setup for a dive trip tomorrow.

To continue following Billl and Katie, go to https://www.facebook.com/bill.edwards.988373

Open Water Sailing

Glenn's adventure across the big blue from Kauai
to San Francisco

OPPORTUNITY
Delivering a transpacific race boat back to the mainland. 

When opportunity knocks, unbatten the hatches! I received a phone call in January from my longtime friend Jim who regularly competes in ocean races, including the Pacific Cup and Trans-Pacific Yacht Races from mainland California to Hawaii. These biennial offshore yacht races draw participants from all over the world. The westward course to HI is being raced with big spinnakers and full crew with lots of on-edge harrowing moments. In contrast, my journey will be the return trip back to CA which will be by a smaller crew comprising individuals who enjoy less stress and don’t mind the beating they’ll get because of less favorable winds and waves as it’s more of a personal adventure. For several years, I had expressed interest in making the return voyage from the Islands, and this year, there was room aboard, and Jim asked me to join them. My response? “Hell yeah, I’ll go.”

The TransPac Yacht Race began June 27 with single-handed racers like Jim starting in San Francisco and finishing in Kauai around July 8. At the finish, all boats will have covered over 2,200 nautical miles.

Who’s going with you?
Our crew of four will include Jim Quanci, Mary Lovely, Jeff Duvall, and me. Jim and Mary own the Green Buffalo, a Cal 40 that has crossed the Pacific more than six times. We plan to depart from Hanalei Bay Kauai on July 16th, arriving around August 2nd in San Francisco.

The Voyage
Our passage has essentially 3 phases. We will begin with a 6-day starboard tack out of Hawaii heading Northeast, then several days of motor and sailing through the doldrums where the wind and waves are disturbed, and finally, a 7- to 8-day port tack Northeast to San Francisco. The trade winds around the equator blow from the East while the North Pacific High (pressure) generates wind blows from the Northwest. 

With three hours on / three hours off watch, everyone will have the opportunity to establish their own routines around exercise, sleep, mental stimulation like reading and podcasts, and general thinking. With only 80 square feet of shared living space, these routines will help with everyone’s tolerance levels and allow us to be more of a good neighbor than a cranky one. 

• Rigor and routine - I plan to use bands and my body weight to practice daily exercise. According to statistics, limited movement over three weeks can lead to significant muscle loss. I don’t want that to happen because I’ve spent months building my muscle mass to the level I like. 

• Mental reading listening - I plan to bring a combination of paperback and audiobooks to learn new things. Audiobooks might be the way to go depending on the amount of jostling from side to side in a monohull vessel. I’ll let you know!

• Eating routine - While the route from the mainland requires Jim to rely on dehydrated and easy-to-grab foods, the journey back promises to be a little more luxurious. Boat weight is not as important on the return trip. We intend to pack foods that will allow for a fresher, more balanced meal. We’ll stock boiled bags, a modicum of dehydrated food, noodles, rice, vegetables, and fruits to function as sides for the fresh fish we plan to catch. Our optimism is high for regularly catching edible fish like mahi mahi, tuna, and other edible fish that take a stab at our hooks; otherwise, ours will primarily be a vegetarian voyage.  

Gettin’ ready!

Green Buffalo on the way back into the Bay. ©2011 Erik Simonson/www.h2oshot

Green Buffalo Crew 2023

Glenn Hackemer Returns!

Conclusion:
Uncertainty around our arrival to the mainland will depend on the size and location of the North Pacific High (pressure) with its impact on wind direction and speed. In addition to the daily routine I’ve outlined, I will spend time pondering the meaning of life while peering across an endless ocean and enjoying evenings under a galaxy sprinkled with millions of stars. This is a big adventure that I feel privileged to be healthy and fit enough to do. Like my time racing the Pacific Cup to HI on the Perestroika so many years ago, I look forward to discovering which types of marine life (whales, dolphins, turtles, seals) will find, interact with, and follow us along the way. There will be plenty of quality time with old and new friends. 

I’ve been retired for two years. With all the time we will have, I hope to develop more clarity around this relatively new stage of life and how to go forward with consulting services, volunteerism, and doing the general good for the world.  

Stay tuned:
We will follow up with Glenn when he returns! Safe Travels!

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