Luck, Not Preparation, Kept This Fisherman From a Potential Disaster

SAILING / RICH ROBERTS

June 07, 1991|RICH ROBERTS

Il Moro di Venezia: The Italians' fourth boat was delivered by air this week and will become the trial horse to ITA-15 that won the World competition. Look for a fifth, final boat by the end of the year. . . . Skipper Paul Cayard sailed Abracadabra to its second victory in three events on the International 50-Foot World Tour at Travemunde, Germany. Cayard, a longtime Star sailor, also won the San Diego Bay Star Fleet championships last week, with Il Moro coach and '84 Olympic gold medalist Steve Erickson as crewman. Mark Reynolds, the '88 Olympic silver medalist, was second, followed by Vince Brun, the new mainsheet trimmer for Dennis Conner.

Stars & Stripes: The boat started sailing again this week, with Conner aboard, when he wasn't raising money. Conner placed second among nine Etchell 22s in the Volvo Regatta on San Francisco Bay over Memorial Day weekend. Scott Mason of Newport Harbor YC won with three victories in five races. Both plan to race in the Etchells World Championships on the bay in August. Conner, with crewmen Bill Munster and Norm Reynolds, said, "There's no America's Cup connection, but it's not just a casual thing. I plan to sail Etchells in the future, for fun. That's what I like to do--race sailboats."

New Zealand: Whitbread Round-the-World winner Peter Blake's first achievement as campaign manager was to obtain permission for wind-tunnel testing in England, because New Zealand has no such facilities.

Yugoslavia: With considerable civil turmoil, the Yacoma Challenge's official representation has been changed to Croatia, the home republic of the Galeb Yacht Club. The wooden boat is nearing completion.

Sweden: The boat is scheduled to be launched Aug. 28 and will be based at the Hyatt Islandia on Mission Bay.

MISCELLANY: The San Diego Yacht Club has presented a model of the Stars & Stripes catamaran from '88 to the New York YC's collection of Cup defenders and challengers. The NYYC opposed use of the 60-foot catamaran against New Zealand's 132-foot monohull.

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