- Local News for Southern Sailors - July 2002 Next Story
OCEAN RACING
Conch Republic Cup 2002 — June 17, 2002 — Key West to Cuba
 The 2nd Annual Conch Republic Cup 2002, and the Sixth Annual Key West to Varadero Race (still the 6th as the 2001 Race was overtaken by hurricane Michelle) was held this spring. Of the original 41 boats that registered to race, 31 made the sail to Cuba and 10 boats had to retire from the Race for various reasons.
The race started about one mile outside Key West harbor at 5 p.m., June 17th with 10 to 12 knots of breeze. By the time the boats reached Sand Key at 6:15 p.m., four spinnakers came together at the day marker. A full moon rose at 10 p.m. making deck work easy. On board Mooloolaba, we changed from our spinnaker to our #1 outside the reef. Around 1 a.m. the wind picked up so we brought out our #2. We put in our first reef around sunup, and then the wind lightened up, and we went back up with our #1. Three squall lines came through between dawn and noon, with a lot of rain but not much wind. We kept our spin up for the second squall.
We were unable to have a finish boat at Varadero; therefore, each of the boats finishing took their own time. Next year the Cuban race committee will set up a finish line
with two tetrahedrons one mile off the entrance to Malo Pass.Racing: 1st - Jack Morgan Machine (Gulf Finn 34- Morgan Laimbeer); 2nd - Ocean Spray (OíDay 30-Dale Kamerzel);3rd- Wind Pirate (Jeanneau sloop-Dan Whelan) Cruising: 1st-Mango Latitudes (Irwin 54-Fred Bickley);2nd-Adasta (Irwin 68-Capt. Kevin Foley/Cory Hanson);3rd-EKA (Tartan 37-Wayne Lafleur) Multihull: 1st-Roamin Chariot (Newick/Native-John Scanlon)
The Varadero Cup, held on the 24th, brought out six Cuban boats for a total 11 boats racing. Participation was down due to bad weather conditions. Adasta and Sage (Bristol 45.5-David Locy) both tore their mainsails. Two strong squalls with heavy rains tore through the 10.4-mile racecourse.
Although the weather was bad, the race was run so that boats affiliated with Marina Darcena at Varadero would be eligible to compete in future races and be a part of the Cuban Race Community. Commodore Jose Escrich threw two great parties at the disco at Marina Darcena. Trophies were awarded for the Key West to Varadero Race and the Varadero Cup Race. The Varadero Racing Cup 2000 held by Peter Goldsmith,
S/V Mooloolaba was passed to the Cuban boat Siboney (Elan 43). Cuban boat owners were thrilled with the racing.1st -Siboney (Elan 43);2nd-Guarinex (Elan 43); 3rd - Thumper (Hunter 33-Alfredo Tedeschi); Multihull: was won by Ciclon (Fontain Pajet 75) from Cuba. |
The next morning, May 25th, was the start of the 61-mile race to Habana, with an 8 a.m. start outside of Malo Pass and a finish line at Ferro Morro (Castle). Winds were out of the east at 18, gusting to 25. Mooloolaba (San Juan 7.7-Peter Goldsmith) set her spinnaker at the start and carried it until 1 hour from the finish line when the gooseneck broke. They finished with an asymmetrical only and won on corrected time over the previous winner, Cuban boat Thumper. Nine boats participated in the race with the rest of the fleet sailing to Habana Harbor. Racing: 1st Mooloolaba-(San Juan 7.7-Peter Goldsmith);2nd-Thumper-(Hunter 33-Alfredo Tedeschi); 3rd-Ocean Spray-(OíDay 30-Dale Kamerzel) Cruising: 1st Mango Latitude (Irwin 54-Fred Bickley);2nd-Lucky Dog III (Catalina 30-Ken Wagner); 3rd-Sierra Eagle- (Catalina 30-Dennis Krinitt) Multihull: 1st Roamin Chariot-(Newick/Native-John Scanlon)
May 26th was scheduled as the first Hemingway Cup Race to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of theHemingway International Yacht Club. Due to cloudy/rainy weather and an already exhaustive race schedule, it was decided to call the race and have a review of the sailing boats. Yachts, bedecked with flags, sailed along the shoreline 100 yards off the Malicon at the entrance to Morro Castle Harbor. Cuban and American boats sailing over the top of where the battleship Maine rests. Bad squalls put an end to the festivities. Wind Pirate broke the gooseneck on their sloop (Jeanneau -Dan Whelan). The 26th and 27th everyone spent the day in Havana and in the countryside on a lay day. Thanks to the speedy repairs, all yachts were able to continue on with the race. Club Nautico hosted a spectacular party at their newly renovated Yacht Club. Trophies were awarded for the Varadero to Havana Race. Gifts and good will were exchanged by all. Doran Cushing, the publisher/editor (it has changed ownership since) of Southwinds was present for the event and presented with a plaque for his continuing support of these events and support of those Americans and others who want to cruise to Cuba freely.
May 28th started with a 10 a.m. start for the race back to Key West. The wind was 10 to 12 on the nose. Most boats did it on one tack with the race ending in the harbor at Key West.
The Conch Republic Cup awards were held at the Oldest House/Wreckers Museum on Duval Street.Racing: 1st-Ocean Spray: 2nd-Jack Morgan Machine; 3rd-Mooloolaba Cruising: 1st-Adasta; 2nd-Sandpiper (Nonsuch 30-Tom Gaunt) Overall CRC Racing Cup (the four part series) was won by Dale Kamerzel of Ocean Spray. Next year the race will end at Sand Key |