2017 Northern California Fleet Season Championship

[Mike Josselyn]

The Northern California fleet annouces the championship for the Matt Boroughf Trophy for the 2017 season.  The rules are changed this year to allow for more races to count towards the series and to shift to the High Score Average Scoring system.   We hope to see more boats on the water at many events throughout California and the Pacific Coast Championship in July in Oregon.

The Season Championship is to recognize those skippers, crew, and boats that consistently participate in races held in Northern California or other races recognized for promoting and supporting the Ultimate 20 class in the region.   The Matt Boroughf Trophy for the Season Championship will reward those skippers who score the best in races where two or more U20s under a High Score Averaged Scoring System.   This system places more emphasis on those races with a higher number of participants; however, any race with two or more boats will be scored.   

The following races will be considered as part of the series:

•   RYC Midwinters (each race day will be scored separately)
•   Three Bridge Fiasco (SSS)
•   Big Daddy (RYC)
•   San Diego NOODS
•   Don Won Regatta (TYC)
•   Around the Rocks (SSS)
•   Behrens Regatta (TYC)
•   Lake Yosemite Spring Regatta (LYYC)
•   Delta Ditch (StYC)
•   Trans Tahoe (TYC)
•   HO Lind Series (TYC) (each race day will be scored separately)
•   High Sierra Keelboat (FYC)
•   Pacific Coast Championship (Rogue YC)
•   Jazz Cup (SBYC)
•   Sportboat Invitational (RYC)
•   Great Pumpkin (RYC)

Other races may be added by notification to the Fleet Captain that two or more Northern California boats are registered to participate and the race is held on the west coast.  This year’s North Americans held in Kansas are not part of the 2017 Season Championship.

1.   Only Ultimate 20’s owners can enter the U20 Season Championship.
2.   Owners must be registered as 2017 U20 Class Members.
3.   All boats shall be equipped and raced in accordance with the current Class Rules.
4.   Owners shall sail all races.   If their own boat is not available, they may charter another boat for the event.   In distance races, owners  may rotate with Crew.
5.   Owners that sail in at least three events will be considered eligible.
6.   To qualify for the season championship trophy, an owner must sail in at least eight events either from the list above or as added during the season. 
7.   Boats will be only scored against other eligible boats during the season.
8.   The Championships will be determined by using the High Point Averaged Scoring System (see below).
9.   A change in the rules may be made during the year by unanimous consent by the boats in the series.   
10.   If there is a tie, the tie will be broken by the better scoring boat at the events where the two boats were directly competing.   
11.   The Season Championship will be awarded after the Great Pumpkin regatta.
 

[Mike Josselyn]

The Northern California Fleet has had a mixed season so far, with two of our winter races cancelled due to heavy rain and strong winds.  Nonetheless, we have had a number of races including the Three Bridge Fiasco (largest race in North American) and the Big Daddy (with buoy races and a pursuit race around the islands).   

Using the High Point Average system, Team Udecide (Phil and Denise) is leading followed by a tie with Peabody (Donna) and Uhoo! (Mike).   We have lots of races left, but some of the key ones are listed below:

Don Wan at TYC on April 1  (2 races)
Behrens Regatta at TYC on May 6 (3 races)
Delta Ditch at Stockton Yacht Club  June 10 (one 67 mile race)
HO Lind at TYC on June 24  (3 races)
High Sierra Regatta July 15-16 (5 races)
PCC at Rogue YC in Oregon July 28-30 (8 races)
HO Lind at TYC on August 19 (3 races)
Sportboat Regatta at RYC October 7-8 (8 races)
Great Pumpkin October 28-29 (3 races and a pursuit race)

There are several other races that qualify (see list above) so the more we get boats out on the water, the more fun we will have.  Please join us if you can or, if you find yourself in Northern California, contact local skippers for opportunities to sail as crew.
 

[Mike Josselyn]

Seven events in our Season Championship so far have had a sufficient number of boats to qualify and we are heading into the second half with the HO Lind summer series at TYC, the High Sierra at Huntington Lake, and the Pacific Coast Championship at the Rogue Yacht Club in Oregon.  Sign up for one or all and join our fleet on the water.   

[danieljcpa]

I have replaced Wasaaabi 92 with Boat #175.  It still needs a good bit of love (and new graphics of course).  I will be at High Sierra (of course) and most likely the October sport boat and Great Pumpkin...at least that is the plan. 

Our season at Huntington is only 90 days each year (this year 80).  It is the reason I have a boat.  I say that so you all can understand that It will take an act of God to get me to give up a weekend sailing there.

I got the boat in the water last weekend (it showed Sunday) and after testing the sails that came with it I came away with this.  "Tom Burdon is a damn good sailor".  He actually sailed these rags to victory in some of the winter series races. (Tom skippered for Rob on #175 2 winters ago).

[Mike Josselyn]

Congratulations on finding a new boat.   Looking forward to seeing your new reincarnation on the water.   Is she the former MoJo?

[danieljcpa]

IT is the former Mo-Jo.  I'm thinking about a number of different names...How about Obstacle team USA...

[Mike Josselyn]

Sportboat Invitational NORs are now posted.   Two days of racing on San Francisco Bay in early October.   Please join us for warm weather and good wind conditions:

http://www.regattanetwork.com/event/15344

[Jay Harland]

Daniel,

I am confused...

What happened to Layla/Wasaabi?

Did it sink or something?

Jay

[Mike Josselyn]

The final race for the Season Championship was held at the Richmond Yacht Club with two boats tied using the high average scoring system: Udecide and Uhoo!.   Though Udecide had the tie breaker with more wins, the points would determine the final outcome.  The Great Pumpkin Regatta was held on Saturday and Sunday--with the points only coming from the mark races on Saturday.   The U20s had a one design start on the Southampton course.  Winds were generally 15 knots from the southwest, but with lots of chop on the upwind races.  Phil and Denise with Julian See as crew, managed to figure out how to remain powered up on the upwind legs to plow through the waves.  Mike Josselyn on Uhoo! was unable to keep up and the Matt Boroughf Trophy for the Season Championship was passed on to a new winner, Team Udecide, also new members of the Richmond Yacht Club.

On the following day the Pursuit Race was held, around Angel Island and Alcatraz.  All the U20s sailed counterclockwise to take advantage of the ebb through Raccoon Straits.  It was a spinnaker run all the way back from Alcatraz to the Club.  While Udecide was the first to pop the spinnaker, they stayed high and were stalled by the ebb current in the main channel and lack of wind in the north part of the Central Bay, while Uhoo! stayed low and found current relief to come in first amoug the U20s, and 23rd overall out of 119 boats.  Unfortunately, it didn't count towards the Season Championship!

It was a another great season for the Northern California U20s---while seven boats were eligible, only four sailed the requisite number to be scored at the end.  Our fleet will be profiled in the next Latitude 38--hopefully, people interested in joining the fleet will see that article and consider joining.