September 3, 2013

The Jazz Cup celebrated her silver anniversary on Saturday and the marriage, between the South Beach and Benicia Yacht Clubs, seems to be a happy one. Like all marriages throughout the years there are ups and downs, and in years past some drifting has occurred and occasionally a blow-out would ensue, but after 25 years the attraction is still evident.

The multihulls started last and worked their way through the rest. This is Rocket 88, followed by Adrenaline. ©2013 norcalsailing.com

This year's romp led off with a cold blast of fog and a 15-knot breeze at the start just north of Treasure Island and finished in the warm confines of Benicia with only a few mishaps along the way.

After the start and rounding the windward mark (YRA 7, aka R2), the fleets set their kites and hoped they needn't douse until the leeward mark northeast of Martinez. A few holes popped up for some, and tactical gains could be had at Richmond, Red Rock and Carquinez Strait. Unfortunately many had to drop the chutes in favor of white sails for a time in San Pablo Bay, as the wind was a little too far forward.

In the Carquinez Strait, Tony Pohl's Farr 40 Twisted. ©2013 norcalsailing.com

William Hackel's Islander 36 Highlighter, getting close to Benicia. ©2013 norcalsailing.com

Overall monohull winner JetStream, a JS9000, brought out their secret weapon in the form of a code zero and blasted away from the competition. "We don't use it much but when we can it sure pays off," said skipper Dan Alvarez.

'Streamers Roscoe Taylor, Rob Blackmore, and Dan Alvarez won this beautiful trophy for first monohull overall. ©2013 norcalsailing.com

The SBYC-based Catalina 30 Goose won the Jazz Cup trophy again! Pictured here are owners Mike and Lorianna Kastrop, and one of their crew, Scott Smith. ©2013 norcalsailing.com

The closest racing was in the nine-boat SF Bay 30 division, with only 2:50 separating first through sixth places. The winner, Joan Byrne's Olson 911S Heart of Gold, squeaked out a win over Robert Lanzafame's Tartan Ten Tartanic by only 19 seconds. Walter George, skipper of the Capo 30 Wahoo summed up the race for their division: "The first four boats at the finish line were just a few boatlengths apart. The best part was good clean sailing with rules-abiding participants. Twenty-six miles and two minutes apart for most... What the heck!"

Wahoo at the start. ©2013 norcalsailing.com

While there was a threat of low water getting into the marina most boats arrived safely. Some did a turn-and-burn, and others got stuck in the Benicia Marina entrance at low tide but were successfully extracted. Some left in the wee hours Sunday morning to beat the tide, but the sailors that stayed for the party and headed home on Sunday afternoon in a perfect warm breeze and flat water had the best of the Jazz Cup – a full weekend of togetherness.

Dinner, drinks, and bench racing at BenYC Saturday night. ©2013 norcalsailing.com

See www.southbeachyachtclub.org for full results.