Untitled Document

"Mini-Americas Cup"
Saturday morning brought two titans of model boating together in competition on Portage Bay in what has become viewed as a predictor of the pending Americas Cup in Valencia. Our local prequel saw two model multihulls, a 50" trimaran and a 50" catamaran, jousting for puffs in light air off the end of dock 2 at the Seattle yacht Club. The trimaran was skippered by Allan Van Ness representing the Seattle Yacht Club and the catamaran by Will Lesh representing Bellingham Yacht Club.
Conditions for the first two races mirrored those of the actual event, light and puffy. Unlike the actual event the local race committee chose to proceed anyway and ultimately three finishes were recorded with victory going to SYC each time. Several other model boats then took to the waters as the wind picked up.
Congratulations to the competitors and thanks to all who made it happen. Allan hopes to form a regular fleet of model racers under the SYC burgee this Spring. If you are interested in participating, dust off that old boat and get her in working order, then contact Allan at vanness@verizon.net to express your interest.
Images and a slideshow of the event are available on the SYC photo sharing website at http://seattleyachtclub.phanfare.com/4558078

Credits for the pictures go to Barbara VanNess, Linda Carr and Don Eaton.

Above, the T50 Tri takes the lead in the third race.

Setting up

Allan's beautiful T50MOD, front deck

Launching - light air or maybe none!

For the third race, the wind picked up nicely,

But the T50 Tri still won the race and the series. It turned out to be an accurate predictor of the full-size America's Cup Races!

After the races we all enjoyed some fun sailing! Here Rod Carr's T37, flying Carr mylar panelled sails, keeps in the lead ahead of Dave Shapiro's T37.

Allan's T50MOD gets a puff and zips across Portage Bay. At speed the T50MOD makes almost no wake.

The T65 Prototype tested perfectly. Weighing in at just 13 pounds total sailing weight including the 8 pound keel casting, it is an ultra-light very powerful and very exciting boat to sail.

In the Seattle Yacht Club after the races, a fun time was enjoyed by the sailors. Allan second on the left is a lifetime member of the Seattle yacht Club, as is John Ford, 2nd on the right. Will Lesh of the Bellingham Yacht Club is at the far end of the table on the right. Thanks to the Seattle Yacht Club for hosting such a fine event!!