Peggy Bent and NAI Champion Tom Collins

News from Santa Monica Bay Power Fleet 

By   J.J.Quinn 

TOM COLLINS WINS NORTH AMERICAN INVITATIONAL 

MARINA DEL REY--Stacked up against 13 other champions from as far as Canada, Florida and New England, local veteran Tom Collins won this year's power navigation contest under the auspices of the North American Cruiser Association. This prestigious invitational event was produced  by the Santa Monica Bay Power Fleet using the spacious facilities of the California Yacht Club, on 9 August, 2003. 

NACA 2002 Champion Collins logged a 0.8238 net error in his predictions skippering Dr. Gerry Terris' 55 foot Californian, Family Affair along the North shore of Santa Monica Bay. Collins hails from Huntington Harbor Yacht Club, while Terris belongs to CYC. 

Highlight for the spectators gathered at the end of Venice Pier  was the spectacular grouping of finishers all going for the common time of 1:30 pm.  That sight was questioned by December Morn dashing across the finish line two minutes early. The skipper, Chuck Rubin, from the New England Cruiser Association, had reversed his final  speed correction.  That was the vessel loaned to him by hard-working  General Chairman Joe Castagna, who took a bit of ribbing, although it was certainly not his fault. 

Skipper Collins reported, "I ran the boat at a nominal 1520 rpm, which gave 9.05 knots.  As usual, the currents were tricky. There was a little on the bow going up close to the beach. Coming back, we were further out and there was quite a bit of push. However, with the way CYC's Herb Dover had laid out the course, there was an opportunity each way to figure the speed on a leg and apply the factor to the next leg(s).  (If you were experienced enough to determine the sea state effect.)" 

Fanily Affair was the first vessel to start at 9:19:19, off the detached MDR breakwater measured mile marker (near the flagpole). The other 13 boats started in single file at designated times. The last was Peggy Bent's Black Jack, with South Puget Sound's Bob Johnson in command at 10:14:57. 

Collins estimated the current to be less than the usual 0.3 knots North on Leg 1 to the Santa Monica Pier Range.  That dropped to less than 0.1 knots South, going to Blind Point A (off the Jonathan Club).  

Incidently, we could spot the parade of boats from our home at Temescal Canyon. We picked up the Southern Electrode Buoy (off Sunset Boulevard) as the contestants checked that as their next call. There was a very small East current. 

Then it was  inshore to Blind Point B, continuing on to an 800 yard range off the Malibu Pier (Check Point 3). Strangely, it turned out--on examination of the logs after the event-- there was probably an 0.4 knot push. However, there was no current leaning the Electrode Buoy. Check Point 4 was 800 yards off the Paradise Cove Pier. There was a little West current. 

Blind Point C took the cruisers out to sea some, where they headed for the PointDume Bell Buoy, R12PD. They all turned there as Check Point 5 and headed East. There was a 0.3 to 0.5 knot effect and kelp was visible in the sub surface.  

Blind Point D was a Lat-Long spot way off Malibu. We again saw the boats heading inshore towards Way Point 1, which was an orange triangular-type racing buoy carefully set  at Lat 34 degrees 01 minutes 34 seconds and N Lon 118  36  24.  ( The Contest Instructions permitted the Observer to give the actual clock time at WP1 to the skipper.)  Said Collins, "These legs turned out to be very fast, so a big throttle reduction was needed. 

"Although we pulled back 400 rpm and nearly the entire fleet almost slowed to a stop,  it was not enough.  (That was where December Morn  incorrectly added the correction and sped ahead.)" 

From this writer's home, we could then spot the boats cruising along the shore to the Easternmost Electrode Buoy  CP6. From there to the CP7 Santa Monica Bell Buoy, to the finish, there was a push current that wasn't there on the way up. 

It should be noted that, as usual , compass and tachometers were permitted for navigation and that the boats were loaned by local cruiser navigators.  More net scores were; 2. Robert Vanlandingham, X To Sea, St. Petersburg Yacht Club, 0.9552; 3. Bill Menees, Chiles Play, IPBA-N, 0.9634; 4. Burnell Blockhus, Special Effect, SMBPF, 1.0285; 5. John Vignocchi, Pacific Star, Chicago YC, 1.0289; 6. Gary Adalian, Scotts 'n Water ll, San Diego Cruiser Association, 1.0896; 7. Pete Healy, Sunrise Queen, Southern California Cruiser Association, 1.0936; 8. Linda Gaston, Hedy Ann ll, Chicago YC, 1.5486; 9. Bob Johnson, Black Jack, IPBA-S, 1.5617; 10. Paul Pettit, Coastwatcher, NAI 2002 Champion, 1.7010.    END END END