Biggest, fastest set to sail like the wind

Marisa O’Neil

Massive sailboats built for speed will swiftly tack and jibe in the

waters off Newport Beach in the upcoming First Team Real Estate

Invitational Regatta.

They’re the biggest, fastest sailboats to race off the local coast

in a very long time -- perhaps ever -- race organizers said. Unlike

other races that start here and head to far-off locales, the

sailboats will stay off Newport Beach for the better part of three

days.

That will give spectators plenty of opportunities to see the

technologically advanced boats speeding through the water. In fact,

the boats harness the wind and move so efficiently that they may seem

to defy the laws of physics.

In a stiff wind, they can reach speeds up to 30 knots, though that

won’t likely happen here.

“We don’t typically have very strong winds in Newport Beach, so

assuming we have a typical afternoon breeze of say 12 to 15 knots,

these boats will still sail at 12 knots or more,” race chairman Jim

Madden said. “In many cases, they will actually sail faster than the

wind speed itself.”

At 50 feet long, Madden’s boat, Stark Raving Mad, is among the

smallest boats competing. Some at the regatta reach 90-feet long and

will have crews of more than two dozen.

This kind of buoy racing -- in which boats maneuver between marks

roughly three miles apart -- means more close quarters and more

tactical decisions, race chair Jay Swigart said. It’s also physically

demanding, he said.

“There will be a lot of sail changing, lots of close encounters

and tacking back and forth,” Swigart said.

Some of the boats, like Roy Disney’s 86-foot Pyewacket, use the

latest technology -- a keel that moves to adjust for different

conditions and maneuvers.

The canting-ballast, twin-foil design, as it’s called, can swing

the keel from side to side, Madden said. That keeps the boat stable

and allows it to be built of lighter materials, he said.

“These types of designs are the ‘new thing’ and most of the new

race boats being built around the world use this technology,” Madden

said.

Pyewacket and Genuine Risk, which also uses the movable keel,

should put on quite a show, he said. Other boats to watch include

Magnitude 80, Skylark, Peligroso and the Newport Sea Base’s Scout

Spirit.

In fact, all of the top 10 finishers in the recent Newport to

Ensenada race are slated to compete.

“This will be the first time ever -- or at least in many, many

years -- that this caliber of racing yacht and professional sailor

will meet in the waters off of Newport Beach,” Madden said.

* MARISA O’NEIL covers public safety and courts. She may be

reached at (714) 966-4618 or by e-mail at [email protected].