San Diego to Puerto Vallarta Race Features Boats of Note Mike McCarthy - sdnews.com
go to original March 25, 2012

A boat of interest was the 47-foot sloop “Katana.” Katana’s skipper is well-known author and radio personality Dr. Laura Schlessinger of the Santa Barbara Yacht Club. (Mike McCarthy I The Beacon)

The LoeReal, a trimaran favored to win this year’s 31st Biennial San Diego to Puerto Vallarta Regatta from Shelter Island, once starred as actor Kevin Costner’s ocean-based home in the 1995 adventure movie “Waterworld.” (Mike McCarthy I The Beacon)

The San Diego Yacht Club (SDYC) on Shelter Island has been a major facilitator of open-ocean sailing races for many years. It is also home to the oldest trophy in sailing and other international sports — the America’s Cup.

For more than 50 years, the SDYC has hosted regattas to various ports in Mexico, including the popular biennial San Diego to Puerto Vallarta Regatta.

On March 1, the 31st installment of the race took to the ocean in a 1,000 nautical-mile challenge that in the past has featured such notable families as the Disneys and Scripps.

Two of the boats in the field of 15 challengers this year were of special interest.

The sailors did not have to rely on heavy winds to break the regatta’s previous records and enjoyed sunny days and a full moon at night.

As expected, the LoeReal, a 60-foot trimaran skippered by H.L Enloe of the Silvergate Yacht Club in Point Loma, was the first to cross the finish line, finishing in four days at a speed of 25 knots. Actor Kevin Costner used the LoeReal as his ocean-based home in the 1995 adventure movie “Waterworld.”

The overall winner of the monohull division race was the San Diego Yacht Club’s Dennis Pennell and the crew of Blue Blazes, finishing in five days, 16 hours, 5 minutes and 15 seconds.

Another boat of interest was the 47-foot sloop “Katana.” Katana’s skipper is well-known author and radio personality Dr. Laura Schlessinger of the Santa Barbara Yacht Club.

For more information and finish times, visit www.sdyc.org/pv/.