AMERICA'S SCHOONER CUP — C
alifornia's sailing heritage was on display Saturday, March 30, as historic vessels battled in the 31st annual running of the America's Schooner Cup race on a postcard-perfect day in San Diego. The state's official tall ship, the 142-ft LOA Californian, won the Schooner Cup. Steady 8- to 12-knot winds gusting to about 18 knots favored her majestic rig and provided rail-down sailing for the rest of the fleet, which was organized into four groups with staggered starts. Rose of Sharon, a 63-ft LOA Starling Burgess design built in 1930 in Nova Scotia, had the best elapsed time — 2:09:47 for the 12.9-mile course. First to finish was Witchcraft, a 42-ft LOA scaled-down
version of the famed schooner Bluenose. Her owner, Brian Eichenlaub, who built Witchcraft with his father Carl in 199394, was aboard for his 30th America's Schooner Cup race and described it as "the most fun year yet." The charity event, hosted by the Silver Gate Yacht Club, has raised more than $133,000 in the last five years for the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society. It is designed for maximum public viewing, with the start/finish line off a Shelter Island beach and paying berths available this year on the Californian and the 136ft LOA Bill of Rights, which offers youth sail training through the South Bayfront Sailing Association.
'Rose of Sharon' has rounded the outer buoy, with 'Quascilla' and 'Lively' not far behind. — photo by Darrall Slater / www.bayshots.com
