Upcoming Race / Social Schedule
Fleet Race 3 Recap
Meet the Fleet - Roberto Giramonti
SFYC needs your help
Lots of mail - Fleet PROs Thank You, Worlds Update, Classifieds on line and a boat for sale.
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Race / Social Schedule

We've got two fun regattas just around the corner that include great social hour(s) after the races, plus more info on the RYC Beercan:

June 19/20: SFYC Hank Easom Cup. Saturday and Sunday races with beers (and dinner is available) on the deck of the SFYC afterward. On Sunday we're invited gather at 4pm at the SFYC to celebrate Hank's birthday (don't tell him, it's a surprise). A storied sailor, Hank Easom also brought the first Etchells to San Francisco Bay. Please plan to join us!

Saturday July 10: Tiburon YC Moseley Cup. TYC members really put on quite a show for the Etchells fleet and they are excited to do this again, with the help of master barbequer, Jeff Moseley. Sailing in the waters of this cove are sunnier and much less strenuous than those of Berkeley circle. We will sail from the finish to the YC and then back to our home clubs after the BBQ - invite friends and family to drive over and meet you there. I will send out more details as we get closer to the weekend.

Beer Can Races: The Richmond YC sponsors beer can races every 1st and 3rd Wednesday in the summer. The Etchells starting gun is at 6:30. These are delightful casual races, and just about every boat wins a bottle of wine for doing something that you can share with the table. Wednesday, June 16th, also my birthday, is the next beer can race. I am celebrating there, so please BYOBoat or find one to crew with and come along to help celebrate!

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Fleet Race #3 Recap

On US 1234 we had a great start to the regatta. We managed to collect Kers in true Rock Star fashion as he flew in from Seattle on Saturday morning so we splashed the boat and got out to the race course (late of course!) just in time to hoist the kite for practice and settle in for about 3 minutes. Kers and Bob Branstad did a great job on helping out Scott Gordon due to some technical issues on the RC boat. We dropped Bob off for a short consulting gig on the RC boat and then picked him up in time for the start of the first race. We blew our first (practice) start which is usually a good omen for us. We finished 4th across the line in the First Race which improved to a 2nd Place when a couple of the other guys turned out to be a bit over early, good for us, bad for them!

We kindly offered RC our services to move the weather mark (always an adventure) and pushed it along for awhile until the course started to look almost square. We got back just in time for start of Race Two (hope everybody else enjoyed their lunch break!) and watched a bunch of the Fleet’s Fast Guys get away from us on the first weather leg. Who are those guys? we kept asking in true Butch & Sundance fashion.

Races 3 & 4 were exercises in finding the shifts and missing the holes along with marveling at the weather and sailing conditions. This is racing on the Circle in June? God must love Etchells! Anyway, a great day overall and a super sail back to the hoist with the kite up until we were inside the breakwater. As usual our group really enjoyed the racing, the conditions, the Fleet and the time on the water together. It was just a really great day to go sailing and I’m sure that there were some world class lies thrown around at RYC afterwards. Unlike our last outing, no major equipment damage this time.

We are looking forward to the SFYC Regatta in two weeks.

Alson Silva

For Fleet Results, please go to www.sfetchells.org and click on the results tab.

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Meet the Fleet is back!

This time the spirited new owner of US 529, Roberto Giramonti, steps up the microphone.

1. How long have you been sailing? How / where did you learn?

I've been sailing since I was eight. I started in El Toros, with my dad teaching me. At the time we lived on the Corte Madera creek, so I went sailing whenever I had nothing else to do. I then moved to Lasers, and 5o5's with my brother.

2. When did you first hear about Etchells?

I was at the San Francisco Yacht Club, in the early 80's, and I remember seeing these sleek, beautiful keel boats all lined up on the paddock. But, I noticed that there were two different types of boats. My older brother explained that they were Solings and Etchells. I liked the Etchells better. I don't know why. I think it had something to do with the rudders.

2a. First sail an Etchells?

Early this year when I was trying out 529 with Mike Laport.

3. How long have you sailed this boat? Can you tell us about the name?

I've been sailing 529 since mid-March, I think. She's unnamed so far, but I've promised my wife I would name the boat after her, "Plume."

4. Do you do any other sailing besides Etchells?

Yes, I sail a lot, which you probably couldn't tell by my first two races out, and the collisions I was involved in. I sail on a Peterson 46 called Aleta, which is an old IOR boat, big and fast and a great crew. I sail on the 1D35's that Gary Fanger owns, the ones they use at the Grand Prix Sailing Academy. I sail on Stars, Finns, Melges, Farr 40's, Santa Cruz 50's, etc. Paige has called me a boat slut. I prefer to call myself a boat gigolo, but I think the idea fits. I sail anything. Anyone need crew? I'm usually a trimmer, which probably explains my driving accidents in this fleet.

5. Tell us about your family situation. What do they do while you're sailing?

I've been married for three years to a beautiful French woman named Plume, and I have a daughter, Eva, who has just turned one year old. When I'm sailing I think they go to the park, meet with friends, have a glass of wine, and probably go shopping.

6. Tell us about your crew. How long have you sailed with them?

I don't have a solid crew yet, and I've been rotating people through to see where there's a good fit.

7. Tell us about your best race. Where was it what happened?

I'm still trying to have a best race.

8. Tell us about your worst crash. Who did you hit/ get hit by?

My worst crash was the first fleet race this year. We rounded the weather mark in pretty good position. It was blowing very heavily and we had a terrible hoist where my bowman got his hand stuck in the spin halyard, which pulled his hand into the cuddy when the line became uncleated. As we were extricating my bowman's hand from the mess, I t-boned Wayne Clough in 905. I think we must have been doing at least 6-7 knots. Wayne was recovering from a bad round up, and we just added to the confusion on his boat. Luckily no one got hurt except for Wayne's boat, which made me feel like an idiot on my very first Etchells Race.

9. What's your favorite curse word?

I only get one? I have a full vocabulary of curses, in several different languages. If I had to pick one I would say it's f**k.

10. Finish this sentence "The other boats in this fleet sail ________ too much."

"better than me"

11. Anything else you want to tell the other crews?

The Etchells is a great boat and this is a great fleet, and I'm happy to be a part of it.

Thanks Roberto! We're glad to have you.

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SFYC Needs You!

We've been contacted by Pat Teroller, member of SFYC Race Council. They
want feedback from our fleet. Please respond to scottst@well.com with your
comments.

SFYC would like to apply to US Sailing as a candidate to run the Prince of
Wales U.S. Match Racing Championship which is scheduled for Fall of 2005...
shortly after the Etchells Worlds.

This regatta involves 12 crews (one from each area of the U.S.). If SFYC
can't find a fleet good enough for an event of this magnitude, they won't
apply. They would like to know if we would be interested in loaning boats
to an event like this. Each owner would loan his boat.

The insurance details are not finalized, but would probably include US
Sailing Borrowed Boat insurance. All the boats would be covered for the
duration of the regatta with the deductible charged to the
participants. So the boats would be covered for any damages.

What feedback do you have? Do you think you would loan your boat if the
regatta were being held this year? Please reply right now, they want our
feedback quickly.

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Lots of Mail!

From Jeff Holder:

Paige,

Please forward to the fleet.

Thanks to Scott Gordon and Matt Carter for taking their Saturday and
running race committee. We should all buy them drinks at the next
opportunity.

Cheers,
Jeff Holder

editors note: I know Scott and Matt would love a few beers from the fleet, and we also can't forget the great help of our recent fleet volunteers for races #1 & #2: John Sutak and his crew from the beautiful Irish Rose, Kers Clausen, Bob Branstad, Alson Silva on the Traf'lo. Thanks guys!

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Mooloolaba Update

http://www.mooloolabaetchells.com/etchells2004/2004home.htm

2004 Australian Winter Championship 11 ? 14 June

Entries for the Winter Championships have reached 57 with more late entries expected before racing commences on Friday 11 June. New Zealand and Hong Kong will be represented in the Winters alongside entries from around Australia.

The list of skippers is impressive. John Bertrand on Two Saints and a Magpie will come up against another America's Cup helmsman, Cameron Appleton on NZ boat Embers and previous Etchells World Champion Cameron Miles on Pacesetter. Olympic class sailing and ocean racing will also be well represented in this fleet.

Go to Entry List for more information.

Daily race results will be posted to the Mooloolaba Etchells fleet site http://www.mooloolabaetchells.com

World Championship Event Programme - Advertising

This is your last chance to reserve your advertising space in the Event Programme for the Etchells World Championship 2004. 1,000 copies will be printed and distributed in mid-July to event Skippers, sponsors and supporters, Mooloolaba business, tourism outlets and media organisations.

To reserve your advertising space contact Anja on 0407 168534 or on anja.thomsen@uksa.org

Mooloolaba Etchells World Championship Merchandising

Very smart looking World Championship branded Vests, Polo Shirts and Caps are all now available for purchase from the Etchells Events Registration Desk at Mooloolaba Yacht Club. Prices are Vests $ 60 incl GST, Polo Shirts $50 incl GST, Cap price is $15 incl GST.

MOOLOOLABA WORLDS RECEIVES WINTER BOOST

Sunshine Coast business Australian Currency Exchange has joined the crew for the lead-up to the Etchells World Championship 2004 by sponsoring the ACE Etchells Pre Worlds Regattas 10 & 11, 17 & 18, and 24 & 25 July.

Wayne Cross from Australian Currency Exchange will present the sponsorship cheque to the Mooloolaba Etchells Organizers, Peter Baynes (Sponsorship and Media Manager) and Mr. Leith Goulter (Regattas Manager), at the Mooloolaba Yacht Club at 1pm on Thursday 10 June.

The Etchells Australian Winter Championship is about to commence as the 240 competitors prepare their yachts for racing. The Mooloolaba Yacht Club is a hive of activity as crews register for racing, sails are measured and go through the all important weigh-in procedure. The crew weight limit is 285 kgs for the three or four crew on each Etchells.

John Bertrand's campaign to win the Etchells Australian Winter Championship suffered a minor setback earlier this week with his boat trailer loosing a wheel at the N.S.W. country town of Young, en route from Melbourne to Mooloolaba. John and his wife Rasa were delivering their boat "Two Saints
and a Magpie" when the trailer suffered an axle failure. Fortunately the boat was not damaged but arrival at Mooloolaba has been delayed by 12 hours.

Event Schedule

11-14 JUNE 2004 Etchells Australian Winter Championship
10 - 11 JULY 2004 Etchells Pre Worlds Regatta # 1
17 - 18 JULY 2004 Etchells Pre Worlds Regatta # 2
24 - 25 JULY 2004 Etchells Pre Worlds Regatta # 3
28 JULY - 8 AUGUST 2004 Etchells World Championship

Thank you to our Event Sponsors and Supporters

Etchells World Championship 2004 is proudly sponsored by Maroochy Shire Council, Maroochy Tourism Industry Advisory Board, Queensland Events, Ken Down Architects, Australian Currency Exchange, Advanced Sports Sunshine Coast, Mooloolaba Yacht Club, Mooloolaba Yacht Club Marina Company, Kelly Green Crane Hire,Yamaha Motor Australia P/L, Zodiac Group Australia, Mainstay Marine, Kevlacat, Dolphin Marine, Telstra Country Wide, WIN TV, Thrifty Car Rentals, Ronstan International, Peninsular Beachfront Resort, Newport Apartments, Cooroy Mountain Spring Water, Jetty Specialists, The Weekender, North Sails, Sun Air Bus Services, Pacesetter Yachts, House Maroochydore, Wedderburn Scales, UKSA, Tasqua Cellars, MIX FM, Neumanns, Mooloolaba Yacht Club Brokerage

And that's all she wrote. Please feel free to send me updates, questions, or interesting newsletter items for the next etchells edition. Send a note to epbrooks@yahoo.com to sign up, contribute, or sign off. Don't forget the two birthday parties on the 16th (RYC) and 20th (SFYC)!

Have a great weekend!
Paige