An ugly option to racing to Mexico? Plus your responses

by Rich Roberts on 6 Mar 2009
Below is Rich Roberts' original article and your responses to it


In 2006 the Reynolds 33 catamaran was chosen for the Sailing magazine Boat of the Year Best Multihull Award, but there's a reason none will be racing from Newport Beach, Calif. to Ensenada in Baja California, Mexico in the historic 62nd Newport to Ensenada Race April 24.

The R33 received lesser reviews when it surfaced in the 2006 Long Beach (Calif.) Race Week. Winds were moderate to maybe 20 knots tops, but people on the race committee and this observer recall three or four incidents of R33s capsized, totally upside down. At least one righting attempt was futile despite using the RC's 21-foot Whaler with a 90-hp engine.

As a result, the R33s were not welcomed back to future LBRWs. At 33 feet LOA with a 14-foot beam---narrow enough to fit into a slip, as noted in promotional material---they not only were considered too unstable for less-than-expert multihull sailors but a hazard to other boats on the course. Long Beach Yacht Club later did not allow them to race in its other events, including the Catalina Island Series. Nevertheless, in 2008 some R33s showed up for the start of one of the latter races and staged a protest of sorts by sailing around the starting area among the racing monohulls---a small-scale preview of a more organized protest demonstration in 2009, perhaps?

As for Newport-Ensenada, the organizing authority that is the Newport Ocean Sailing Association (NOSA) has long worked hand in hand with the Ocean Racing Catamaran Association (ORCA) to ensure the integrity of the competition among multihulls. Since ORCA has declined to issue the R33s a rating for any of its events, including Newport-Ensenada, NOSA was essentially obliged to go along. Without ORCA support, the R33s formed their own 'XS Racing' group---and now their own race called The Border Run, with other craft, including monohulls, invited to participate. The plan: to start an hour earlier than Newport-Ensenada, also on April 24 off Newport Beach, but to finish offshore at the border, with post-race activity at the San Diego Yacht Club.

Despite the XS class's explanations about the purpose of the Border Run being, according to promotional publicity, 'to allow our disenfranchised racers a chance to sail in a race similar to that of the Ensenada race,' the attack on Newport-Ensenada is clearly an intentional attempt to negatively impact a traditional institution of Southern California sailing, or it would not be scheduled to start on the same day in the same place. Moreover, the option subtly capitalizes on the current atmosphere of security concerns in Mexico, which NOSA is aggressively addressing in meetings with Mexican officials and other measures.

There seems to be few takers. Newport-Ensenada regulars, some spanning three or four generations of participation, are generally outraged at the gall of RX Racing. Keeping the R33s out of the Newport-Ensenada race makes total sense to the event's responsibility. The prospect of an R33 flipping upside down miles out to sea in the middle of the night is unacceptable.

Overall, at a time when sailing activity is struggling in the economic conditions, the action is particularly egregious and un-Corinthian.

(Rich Roberts is Press Officer for the Newport to Ensenada International Yacht Race )

Sender: Les Stowe

Message: Dear Sail World,
I think your opinion of the Xsracing Race to the Border is One sided and Not Correct. I have sailed the R33 with Randy since its conception. I am 61 yrs old, and have been sailing for over 40 yrs. His intentions are sincere and he is an honest, hard-working and devoted sailor. He has been sailing all his life and his only concern was to offer an option to going into Mexico which is now on the list of the 2 most Dangerous Countries in the World. You can tell NOSA that to run this race to Mexico is absolutely insane and they hold No regard for the safety of their competitors or their families. They are being completely irresponsible in running this race due to the existing conditions in Mexico. The Drug Cartels Now Run the country..Wake up kids. The R33 is a great boat, very fast, very stable if you are a good sailor, and a really fun boat to drive. At 61 yrs old, i can still sail a R33 quite easily. Just don't make stupid mistakes. Duh !!! I am really tired of people attacking Randy Reynolds for trying to provide an alternative to travelling into the Most Dangerous country in our Hemisphere. I have sailed in 24 Newport To Ensenada Races and Will Not go to Mexico until the Mexican Government regains control from the Drug Cartels, Which will not happen anytime in the near future. Do you have any idea of what will happen if anyone gets hurt in Mexico during the N2E race. ? This would be the worst thing for sailing ever.
thank you,
Les Stowe


Sender: John Papa

Message: Your reporting of 'three or four incidents of R33s capsized, totally upside down' is not correct; Two of the five R33s entered in the event capsized, both during the same race. LBRW was not an ORCA event; The five R33s were racing in a one-design class; all R33s racing were members of SeaTow, and the class had a safety boat on duty.

Interestingly, you omit the fact that R33s have participated in NOSA events as recent as last year's Ensenada race, and that only this year has NOSA elected to exclude XS class boats.


Sender: Josh Richards (Abridged)

Here is our response to a story you posted on March 4th 2009 (PST) by Rich Roberts of NOSA regarding The Border Run race titled 'An ugly option to Racing to Mexico'.

Rich Roberts claims in his release that there are 'few takers' for The Border Run Race. Either Mr. Roberts has not done his homework or he considers the 41 boats signed up for the Newport to Ensenada Race to be 'few takers' for his event as well. As of today there are 41 boats signed up to do both events…the difference is that 19 of the boats included in the Newport to Ensenada race will be allowed to run their engines as they are in the cruising class leaving just 22 real race boats as compared to 41 already signed up to race The Border run.

We suggest that at least Mr. Roberts get his facts straight before sending them for publication.

Fact: The R33 catamaran has not only sailed and won the Newport-Ensenada Race over the course three times, it has done so without incident despite challenging conditions. The R33 has raced in all NOSA races since 2003 with no incident other than winning.

Fact: The NOSA Board of Directors accepted the XS RACING fleet which included a wide variety of boats including the R33 in 2007 and 2008. The entire XS Racing fleet sailed the course without incident. The XS RACING fleet assumed that they would once again be welcomed back to race. NOSA in a stunning decision and without explanation excluded the fleet . When pressed for answers as to why the NOSA board had made the change the reply was silence.

Fact: ORCA and XS Racing have nothing to do with one another. ORCA has never completed its required due diligence on checking the stability of other boats in its fleet and has appeared to change the rules governing entry to the fleet without maintaining the integrity of their own by-laws.

Fact: ORCA has been presented stability information by one of the most widely respected designers in the world (Morelli and Melvin) proving that the stability of the R33 was better than other boats that have been granted ORCA fleet standing. This information has been ignored.

Fact: Schock 40s have spent more time upside down than the R33 yet they continue to be allowed to race in the Newport to Ensenada Race. The Schock 40 has since corrected her engineering challenges and continues to be a leading edge boat worthy of her name. We commend the Schock 40 for pushin