West Coast Tour - Long Point Race Week at Catalina Island

by Kate Sheahan
West Coast Tour Coordinator

West End of Catalina Island, courtesy of the Catalina Conservancy

You save, you get a slip, you get a boat, you might do the Summer Wednesday Night Beer Can Races and a lot of family-style cruising around your neighborhood waters - then what. If you are looking to broaden your "backyard" and have a bit of an adventure, then what better race than the three-day, three-part, Long Point Race Week complete with 40 boats sailing to, from, and along Santa Catalina Island. Catalina Island is a manageable 22 miles south-southwest of Los Angeles and the perfect taste of, fairly safe, offshore racing - but you can commute home at night. Who would want to miss the hosted festivities ashore at Whites and Moonstone

Ricardo Brockmann's Reichel/Pugh 52 Vincitore

Coves, provided in collaboration by Newport Harbor Yacht Club and Balboa Yacht Club during the event. Think Tri Tip, Bananas Foster and an open bar ashore a silver sand island on par with Hawaii, but an hour-long ferry ride from downtown LA. After a day of big boat racing, camping at a mooring under the stars, with a full belly and your best friends, at the end of the summer, must be the secret of life.

A bit about Catalina History: In love with the island, chewing-gum magnate William Wrigley Jr., invested millions in needed infrastructure and attractions to the island, including the construction of the Catalina Casino in 1929. Starting in 1921, the Chicago Cubs, also owned by Wrigley, used the island for the team’s spring training. In its heyday in the 1930s, due to its proximity to Hollywood, Catalina Island was a favored getaway destination for Hollywood stars such as Clark Gable. The island also served as a filming location for dozens of movies, hence, the non-native American Bison, leftover from a 1924 film. The area is famous for the schools of flying fish and the bright orange, California state fish, the Garibaldi. Seabass and yellowtail make it a spearfishing haven.

Congratulations to the Nelson Marek, Elixir, owned by Chad & Kerrie Downey of California YC for the overall win yesterday.

Listen to Taylor Grant of Newport Beach and owner of team eXigent, as well as the 2012 regatta champion (corrected time), talk about giving high-schoolers the chance to put away the FJ and experience “big boat” racing for the first time, as he breaks down how the weekend works.



Many thanks to the gracious LPRW 2013 Race Committee: Mary, Pat, Warren, John and Sam, for having me aboard Dolly and for giving me the opportunity to catch the first start.

Follow the West Coast Tour on Twitter at @USSailing as I catch up with the American Red Bull Youth America's Cup Teams - USA45 and American Youth Sailing Force.

Long Point Race Week 2013, a set on Flickr.