Rolex Big Boat Series Classes announced; Blackaller Tribute

by Event Media on 10 Sep 2009
With final preparations behind them, the 1,000-plus sailors competing in the Rolex Big Boat Series have less than 24 hours until the regatta begins. The 45th annual regatta, hosted by St. Francis Yacht Club and co-chaired by Norman Davant and Patrick Nolan, takes place September 10-14 and includes two races per day, with one long, Bay tour on Sunday. Seven one-design classes- 1D35, Beneteau 36.7, Express 37, J/105, J/120, Melges 32 and Cal 40 -and four divisions in IRC will vie for one of six Perpetual Trophies.

At this evening's Rolex Commodore's Reception, StFYC Commodore John McNeill announced the six classes that will compete for the Perpetual Trophies: St. Francis Perpetual - IRC A class; City of San Francisco-IRC B class; Richard Rheem-IRC C class; Keefe-Kilborn-IRC D class; Atlantic-Express 37 class; and Commodore's Cup- J/105 class. Each winner will receive a Rolex Submariner in recognition of their accomplishment, and the overall IRC division winner will receive a Rolex Yacht-Master and will be named the Rolex US-IRC National Champion.

Included in this evening's regatta kick-off was a special tribute to the late Tom Blackaller, the larger-than-life legend and StFYC member who passed away 20 years ago. Presented by Paul Cayard and Blackaller's daughter, Lisa Williams, an extraordinary six-minute video recounted poignant moments from his life ranging from America's Cup competition and motorsports to Star class and ProSail racing.

In total, 97 boats have entered with a large share of competitors from the San Francisco Bay area and the balance made up of sailors from across the U.S. and abroad. The full entry list is posted on the event website www.big-boat-series.com. New to this year's regatta is live blogging from the race courses and micro-blogging through Twitter (@BigBoatSeries). The IRC fleet will use state-of-the-art technology by TracTrac and will be broadcast live on the event website. Viewers will see actual locations and corrected fleet positions via a GPS transmitter on each boat.

At the end of each race day, the St. Francis Yacht Club, along with title sponsor Rolex, will host a variety of social events including the Rolex Crew Reception on Wednesday and the Rolex Party on Thursday. Sonnen BMW will sponsor a reception on Friday in addition to the Mount Gay Crew Party. The regatta ends with Sunday's final Rolex Trophy Ceremony.

Rolex Big Boat Series is part of the Rolex Yachting Portfolio that includes over 20 world-class sailing events that take place around the globe including the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup, Rolex Fastnet Race, Rolex Farr 40 World Championship and the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race.

Preliminary Entry List

2009 Rolex Big Boat Series and Rolex US-IRC National Championship Current Entries
	Sail Number	Yacht Name	Owner's Name	Home Port	Yacht Type	Length
1.	USA 84	Advantage3	Pat Benedict	Danville, CA, USA	J 105	34.5
2.	USA 604	AKULA	Bernard Girod	Santa Barbara, CA, USA	J 105	35
3.	USA 275	Alchemy	Walter Sanford	Tiburon, CA, USA	J 105	34.5
4.	USA 35024	Alpha Puppy	Alex Farell	Mountain View, CA, USA	1D35	35
5.	USA 103	Aquavit	Tim Russell	Novato, CA, USA	J 105	34.5
6.	USA 116	Arbitrage	Bruce J. Stone	San Francisco, CA, USA	J 105	34.5
7.	USA 38747	Ay Caliente!	Aaron Kennedy	Richmond, CA, USA	Beneteau First 36.7	36.7
8.	USA 72	Azure	Rodney Pimentel	Alameda, CA, USA	Cal 40	40
9.	USA 40	Blackhawk	Scooter Simmons	Belvedere, CA, USA	J 105	34.5
10.	USA 87549	Blade Runner	Mick Shlens	P.V.E., CA, USA	Express 37	37'
11.	USA 41001	Bodacious	John Clauser	Walnut Creek, CA, USA	Farr 40 1Ton	40
12.	USA 52	Braveheart	Charles Burnett III	Seattle, WA, USA	TP 52	52
13.	USA 28719	Bufflehead	Stuart Scott	Novato, CA, USA	Beneteau First 36.7	36
14.	USA 40311	Bullet	Michael Maloney	San Jose, CA, USA	Express 37	37
15.	USA 38044	BustinLoose	Jeff Pulford	Corral de Tierra, CA, USA	Sydney 38	38
16.	USA 48005	Cal Maritime	Jesse Cartee	Vallejo, CA, USA	One Design 48	48
17.	USA 28484	Chance	Barry Lewis	Atherton, CA, USA	J 120	40
18.	USA 35018	Dark & Stormy	Jon Hunt / Mark Witty	Alameda, CA, USA	1D35	35
19.	USA 28904	Dayenu	Donald Payan	Hillsborough, CA, USA	J 120	40
20.	USA 28486	Desdemona	John Wimer	Half Moon Bay, CA, USA	J 120	40
21.	USA 35029	Diablita	Gary Boell	Richmond, CA, USA	1D35	35
22.	USA 26	Donkey Jack	Robert Conrads	San Francisco, CA, USA	J 105	10.5m
23.	USA 93204	Double Trouble	Andy Costello / Peter Krueger	Pt Richmond, CA, USA	J 125	41
24.	USA 47	Double Trouble	Shaun/Christopher Hagerman	Napa, CA, USA	J 105	35
25.	JPN 3663	EBB Tide	Masakazu Toyama	Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, JPN	1D35	35
26.	USA 51984	El Jefe	Richard Green	Richmond, CA, USA	Beneteau First 36.7	36.7
27.	USA 87700	Elan	Bill Riess	Oakland, CA, USA	Express 37	37
28.	USA 7817	Evening Star	Walter Smith	Fresno, CA, USA	Cal 40	39.4
29.	USA 18478	Expeditious	Bartz Schneider	Crystal Bay, NV, USA	Express 37	37
30.	USA 62152	Flash	Thomas Akin / Mark Jones	Sausalito, CA, USA	TP 52	52
31.	USA 32	Full Throttle	John Porter	Zenda , WI, USA	Melges 32	32
32.	USA 49	Gold Phoenix	James Bishop	James Town, RI, USA	J 44	44
33.	USA 18488	Golden Moon	Kame Richards	Alameda, CA, USA	Express 37	37
34.	USA 12	Gone With the Wind	William LeRoy	Tiburon, CA, USA	Cal 40	40
35.	USA 35	Good Timin'	Dave Wilson	San Francisco, CA, USA	J 105	34.5
36.	USA 46730	Grace Dances	Dick Swanson	Los Altos Hills, CA, USA	J 120	40
37.	USA 35045	Great Sensation	Kim Stuart	Venice, CA, USA	1D35	35
38.	USA 8538	Green Buffalo	Jim Quanci	San Francisco, CA, USA	Cal 40	39.2
39.	USA 50444	Hawkeye	Frank Morrow	San Francisco, CA, USA	IMX-38	37.2
40.	USA 59	Henry Hannah	David Holscher / Taylor Stein	Tiburon, CA, USA	Cal 40	40
41.	USA 28423	Inspired Environments	Timothy Ballard	San Rafael, CA, USA	Beneteau First 40.7	39'3
42.	USA 149	Jabberwocky	Brent Vaughan	Portola Valley, CA, USA	J 105	35
43.	USA 434	Jam Session	Adam & Guillemette Spiegel	San Francisco, CA, USA	J 105	34
44.	USA 46732	Jolly Mon	Chris Chamberlin	Danville, CA, USA	J 120	40
45.	USA 147	JuJu	Tim Sullivan	Pleasanton, CA, USA	J 105	34.5
46.	USA 385	Kuai	Daniel Thielman	Tiburon, CA, USA	Sabre 386	38.6
47.	USA 46936	Late Harvest	James Frisinger Jr.	Napa, CA, USA	J 120	40
48.	USA 18410	Loca Motion	Mark Chaffey	Monterey, CA, USA	Express 37	37
49.	USA 38009	Low Speed Chase	James Bradford	San Francisco, CA, USA	Sydney 38	11.78
50.	USA 400	Lulu	Don Wieneke	Sausalito, CA, USA	J 105	34.5
51.	USA 7552	Mayhem	Ashley Wolfe	Calgary, Calgary, CAN	TP 52	52
52.	USA 125	Melvin	Pat Hughes	Deephaven, MN, USA	Melges 32	32
53.	USA 28289	Mister Magoo	Stephen Madeira	Menlo Park, CA, USA	J 120	40
54.	USA 28394	Mistral	Edward Durbin	Richmond , CA, USA	Beneteau First 36.7	36
55.	USA 119	Mojo	Jeff Littfin / John Case	San Mateo, CA, USA	J 105	34.5
56.	USA 152	One Trick Pony	Robin Driscoll / Peter Szasz	Los Altos Hills, CA, USA	J 105	34.5
57.	USA 44	Orion	Gary Kneeland	Santa Rosa, CA, USA	J 105	34.5
58.	USA 166	Pegasus	Philippe Kahn	Belvedere Cove, CA, USA	Melges 32	32
59.	USA 59284	Petard	Andy Newell	San Jose, CA, USA	Farr 36 Mod	36
60.	USA 18257	pHat Jack	Bob Lugliani	Burlingame, CA, USA	Express 37	37
61.	USA 375	Racer X	Phillip Laby/ Rich Pipkin	Alameda, CA, USA	J 105	34.5
62.	USA 7960	Ragtime	Chris Welsh	Newport Beach, CA, USA	Spencer	65
63.	MEX 3696	Raincloud	Lorenzo Berho	Mexico City, Mexico, MEX	J 145	48
64.	USA 7050	Resolute	Tim Fuller	Murrieta, CA, USA	J 122	40
65.	USA 196	Risk	Woodley / Titchener / Whitney	Seattle, wa, USA	J 105	34.5
66.	USA 136	Rougarou	Andy Lovell / Burton Benrud	New Orleans, LA, USA	Melges 32	32
67.	USA 13131	Samba Pa Ti	John Kilroy, Jr.	Los Angeles, CA, USA	TP 52	52
68.	USA 28900	Scorpio	John Siegel	San Francisco, CA, USA	Wylie 42	42
69.	USA 5166	Shaman	Steve Waterloo	Alameda, CA, USA	Cal 40	40
70.	USA 60408	Soozal	Daniel Woolery	Alamo, CA, USA	King 40	40
71.	USA 431	Spartan	Pat Doyle	Moraga, CA, USA	J 105	34.5
72.	USA 18305	Spindrift V	Larry Wright	Benicia, CA, USA	Express 37	37'
73.	USA 18278	Stewball	Bob Harford	Sacramento, CA, USA	Express 37	37
74.	USA 374	Strangelove	Phillip Mazzie	Menlo Park, CA, USA	J 105	10.5
75.	USA 469	Streaker	Ron Anderson	Sausalito, CA, USA	J 105	35
76.	USA 28403	Summer and Smoke	Pat Patterson	Angwin (Napa Valley), CA, USA	Beneteau First 36.7	36
77.	USA 35035	Sweet Sensation	Gary Fanger	San Francisco, CA, USA	1D35	35
78.	USA 16	Swiftsure II	Sy Kleinman	Saratoga, CA, USA	Schumacher custom	54
79.	USA	SWOOSH	Howard Bentley	Forks of Salmon, CA, USA	J 105	34.5
80.	USA 158	Taboo	Stephen Pugh	Sausalito, CA, USA	Melges 32	32
81.	USA 43690	TNT	Brad Copper	Pt. Richmond, CA, USA	Custom Tripp 43	43
82.	USA 28908	Tupelo Honey	Gerard Sheridan	San Francisco, CA, USA	Elan 40	40
83.	USA 28442	Twist	Timo Bruck	Mountain View, CA, USA	J 120	40
84.	USA 28447	Ultimatum	musto gunan	hayward, ca, USA	J 105	34.5
85.	USA 22208	Velos	Kjeld Hestehave	Richmond, CA, USA	Tanton	73
86.	NZL 52001	Vincitore	Jim Mitchell	Seattle, WA, SUI	RP 52	52
87.	USA 162	Viva	Donald Jesberg	Mill Valley, CA, USA	Melges 32	32
88.	USA 157	Walloping Swede	Theresa Brandner-Allen	San Francisco, CA, USA	J 105	34.5
89.	USA 002	War Pony	Mark Howe	Richmond, CA, USA	Farr 36	36
90.	USA 55544	Wasabi	Dale Williams	San Fancisco, CA, USA	Kernan 44	44
91.	USA 355	Whisper	Marc Vayn	San Francisco, CA, USA	J 105	35
92.	USA 5	Wicked	Richard Courcier	Tahoe City, CA, USA	Farr 36	36
93.	1	Wilson	Torben Bentsen	Richmond, CA, USA	Beneteau First 36.7	36
94.	USA 266	Wonder	Tom Kennelly	San Rafael, CA, USA	J 105	34.5
95.	USA 45000	XL	Nick & Antony Barran	Northridge, CA, USA	Antrim 40	40
96.	USA 3883	Zamazaan	Charles Weghorn	San Rafael, CA, USA	Farr 52	52
97.	USA 35017	Zsa Zsa	Stanley Glaros	San Francisco, CA, USA	1D35	35