A chance to really race

MIKE WHITEHEAD

Ahoy.

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving, and I just threw away my

bathroom scale after the daylong feast. It reminds me of the long

distance yacht deliveries where I am known by my crew for stocking

the vessel’s bridge with munchies to help us keep alert on watch. I

think that munchies are Coast Guard-required while on watch duty, at

least until the appointed trip’s chef wakes up to prepare breakfast.

While on the subject of eating, Chandler Bell and I swung by the

San Diego Yacht Club last Sunday after the radio show for hors

d’oeuvres. We went to the club in search of Rags Laragione who called

earlier that day to the show while sailing aboard Abracadabra, an

International America’s Cup Class boat.

Rags is the owner of Maritime Institute, which trains boat

captains, and he is known as one of the top instructors in the

nation. However, that day he also was racing in the Hot Rum Series

aboard Abracadabra/USA 54 and on previous races was on the famous

Stars and Stripes/USA 34.

Abracadabra raced in the 2000 America’s Cup in Auckland New

Zealand, but you probably recognize the Stars and Stripes that won

the Citizen Cup in 1995. However, Dennis Conner chose Young

America/USA 36 over USA 34 to defend the cup during which New Zealand

took the trophy.

What I found out at the yacht club is that you can sail aboard

these boats and experience your dreams of actually sailing on an

America’s Cup boat. Keep in mind that these sailboats are the fastest

mono-hulls in the world and their masts are as high as an 11-story

building.

Next Level Sailing (https://www.nextlevelsailing. com or (800)

644-3454) is now offering public sailing excursion sails.

The crew that I met at the yacht club is a group top-notch sailors

and if you do take a ride then just be careful to not get in the way

of the crew or they make you be a grinder. I will let you know how

our experience when we go sailing with Rags.

On to state news, the Recreational Boaters of California has

awarded the prestigious “Ed and Donna Peck Memorial Award” to Raynor

Tsuneyoshi, California’s Department of Boating and Waterways

director. This is unprecedented for a director of the department to

be considered for this award, however the group has noted that

Tsuneyoshi has developed positive working relationships with the

boating public throughout the state.

“I am personally pleased and honored that we are recognizing Ray

Tsuneyoshi for his extraordinary efforts in support of California

boaters,” said group President Russ Robinson. “As director of Cal

Boating, he has worked diligently and effectively to the betterment

of boating in California. Mr. Tsuneyoshi has been an aggressive

advocate for the optimal utilization of boater fees and taxes, for

enhanced boater education, for increased safety on the waterways, and

for environmental protection.”

The group also is requesting that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger

reappoint Tsuneyoshi to the director’s position, and I have mentioned

this effort in previous columns.

The group is the nonprofit governmental advocacy organization that

protects and enhances the interests of recreational boaters while

promoting the enjoyment, protection and responsible use of our

waterways to state and local governments.

This Sunday on “Mike Whitehead’s Boathouse Radio Show,” I will

have two prominent guests in studio, one being Tsuneyoshi who is

flying down from Sacramento.

You can your opportunity to call-in during the show and speak with

him. (And, don’t forget to congratulate him on the award.)

Additionally, John Chalfant is traveling from the San Francisco

Bay Area, and we will be honored to have him in studio. Chalfant is

the BoatUS liaison to Northern California and the administrative

secretary/treasurer for the Pacific Inter Club Yacht Assn.

Remember to tune in this and every Sunday to my Boathouse Radio

Show from 4 to 5 p.m. on KCBQ-AM (1170) or listen over the Internet

at https://www.boathouseradio. com. Listeners can call (888) 344-1170

during the show to join in on Southern California’s only boating talk

radio show reaching ports up the coast from San Diego to Los Angeles

and out to Santa Catalina Island.

Safe Voyages.

* MIKE WHITEHEAD is the Pilot’s boating and harbor columnist. Send

him your harbor and marine-related thoughts and story suggestions by

e-mail to [email protected] or visit https://www.boathousetv.com.