Sarasota Sailing Squadron

Author: Steve Marsh from The Finish Line

Thanks to the Sarasota Sailing Squadron for accepting the challenge of hosting a Regatta in spite of Covid. The hurdles to host a successful regatta are many and the Squadron met them with aplomb. Part swap meet, sailing clinic, jamboree, and camp cooking tournament, the SBMR never fails to deliver when it comes to mild weather, warm clear water, easy launch/docking, and shore side things to see and do.  While the social events were muted compared to years past (to the relief of barnyard animals and first responders everywhere.  But thanks for keeping the tazers charged anyway, Craig), the racing was just as intense, the venue just as scenic, and the sailors just as salty.

20 Corsair trimarans traveled from near and far to be part of this event.  As promised, the weather machine was set on “shuffle” and divvied out conditions from near calm to “should we reef?”.  Sarasota bay being protected on all sides makes sailing near the upper design limits somewhat predictable which helps expand your performance envelope. Seven races over three days kept sailors on their toes and the chiropractors in business for certain.

Typical of springtime pre-frontal passage in Florida, the first day dawned with a decent land breeze that was destined to quit right around first flag.  It was a lively 3 mile sail to the course from the dock with all the boats making their last adjustments.  Bad time to realize you left the beer cooler on the dock.  Fire that dude.

The race committee tried valiantly to run a race despite all the indications that this would be a drifter with large shifts and holes.  It was great light air sailing all the way to the giant hole at the top mark.  Hat Trick’s private breeze was not received well by the other sailors showing negative vmg.  Mercifully, the PRO announced the race abandoned as the breeze showed signs of backing 120 degrees.  Reaching to C-gate would have been an interesting twist.

A side note about the neat technology on the course this weekend.  The race committee used autonomous turning marks which kept station via GPS and other remote controlled wizardry, making minor adjustments to keep the course windward/leeward at all times.  Definitely nice to see a technical solution to assist mark boats in their challenge to keep the course and lines square.  Race Qs app is a crowd-source regatta tracker which has a lot of cool features.  Load it on your phone, set the start time, and the app does the rest while you’re sailing.  Replays later can be edited to add marks/starts, weather conditions, and group boats by fleet.  Displays can include VMG, SOG and a host of other data.

So, while motoring back to the committee boat to organize for race #2, the little “mark-bots” (think ) were busy scurrying across the bay to set the new course.

Races 2 and 3 were ideal with the seabreeze filling in to a moderate 10-12.  Races were tight, and little mistakes could add up big to those who were caught unawares.  A great first day to sort the boats out.

Saturday was forecast to be rainy and cold (high 60’s) but the PRO pushed on to get some races on the books in case Sunday turned into a blowout per the forecast.  The wind held for the most part in the 10-12 range, but the rain showed up and ended the day after 2 races.  Of course, after all the boats were tied up at the Squadron the clouds broke, the sun shone brightly, and the wind steadied at 14…  Second guessing never works

Sunday could be considered by many as “sporty”.  Clear and cool (upper 50’s to 70 by midday) with winds initially in the 18+ with gusts to 25 range.  Definitely nice to be sailing in protected water in conditions near your design windspeed envelope. If you’re going to build your sailhandling confidence, this is the time and place to do it.  No epic wipeouts or crashes, but there were some difficult spinnaker sets and drops in the conditions.  Races 2 and 3 were conducted in a bit more settled conditions with wind dropping to 10-12 with gusts in the mid-teens. Definitely tests your ability to shift gears to lighter conditions.

Overall, the Corsair course had high and low PHRF classes and the growing and incredible competitive did I mention growing 750 fleet.   In the 750 class, Hat Trick (first time on a race course with excellent prep by the FinishLine ) started with four bullets with Phil Styne brining his winning crew Todd Hudgins from the Nationals win in New England in 2008?  and highly experienced Corsair sailor Tom Reese to do battle with perennial  winner in the class Larry Geller.  Humility (Austin TX), Lucy Gene (Austin TX) and Tri Polar weren’t going to let either of those two hooligans get away with any slacking, and finish positions were traded often during the busy weekend.

The overall Corsair Nationals trophy went to Kathyrn Garlick on C 28r Evolution who sailed most of the last day with a torn main. Second overall was newcomer Alan Moore C 28r. Third was Larry Geller Sprint 750 beating out the 750 class winner Phil Styne with the overall time scoring system.

The overall Corsair Nationals trophy went to Kathyrn Garlick on C 28r Evolution who sailed most of the last day with a torn main.

Corsair National Regatta at the Sarasota Sailing Squadron, Sarasota Florida

There were old timers (I have had some Corsair or another for 29 years) and one boat was literally picked up by its new owner the day before the regatta and stopped by on its way to its new home in Wisconsin to put on a good showing.

Sarasota Sailing Squadron as always was a great venue in-spite of missing the big dinner.

There was sponsorship by Corsair and The FinishLine. 

Special Thanks to Jim Bergoin, Billy Black and Mike Cantalana!

Read more:

The Corsair Nationals 2021 – a huge success for the Corsair Trimaran Community

Corsair 880 To Be 2021 Best Sport Boat Of The Year By Cruising World

The Corsair Nationals 2021 – a huge success for the Corsair Trimaran Community

“This is the best multihulls racing event in Florida. The regatta was wonderful and very organized. We had a great time racing in the beautiful Sarasota Bay.” – feedback from Tung Nguyen, PHRF Low sailor from Bayshore Gardens Yacht Club.

READ MORE: REAL EXPERIENCES FROM THE EYES OF PARTICIPANTS

On a beautiful, sunny weekend – the first weekend of March, the SBMR hosted one of the best regattas in Florida.  The regatta welcomed 20 Corsair trimarans gathering together in the pristine waters of Sarasota Bay, Florida.  Here is the video recap of the regatta:

In addition to the 20 Corsairs, the SBMR Regatta welcomed some Stiletto, Windrider, Wetas and a variety of other catamarans and trimarans. The event was amazingly sucessful with 40 trimarans registered for 3 days of races.  All COVID-19 safety guidelines were outlined in the “Notice of Race” and all sailors, their crews and the organizers followed the restrictions to the letter of the law – for which we are all grateful.

COVID 19 safety guidelines were outlined in the “Notice of Race” and all sailors, their crews and the organizers well-followed the restrictions.

This year the regatta had our Corsair 880  hull #2 joining the PHRF Low series, sailed by Tula’s Endless Summer and Wright Yachts representative, Scott Wallingford. The competition was rather exciting for Billy and Sierra, who joined the regatta for the first time. They came in 6th in the PHRF race but it felt like a win to the regatta novices.

“We lost every race and blew out our spinnaker but the race committee said we looked like we were having the most fun so we will take that as a win! Lesson learned a boat filled hundreds of pounds of cruising gear for a month long trip isn’t as fast as an empty boat.” – Tula’s Endless Summer

Enjoy the nice shots of the regatta:

60 days until SBMR Regatta/Corsair Nationals

Sarasota Sailing Squadron is hosting the next SBMR Regatta/Corsair Nationals for 2021. The dates are March 5-7 2021.

The regatta is targeting a number of 35 Corsair trimarans gathering together in the pristine waters of Sarasota bay, FL. In addition, the SBMR Regatta is also expected to attract classes including Stiletto, Windrider and a variety of other multihulls/trimarans.

We look forward to seeing you and your crew flying on the Bay and with your favorite Corsair.  There will be lots of racing! A box take out dinner on Saturday due to Covid precautions. Registration is only through Regatta Network and will close on Wed, 3/3/21 at 5 p.m. There is no onsite or late registration. Registration is now open.

The regatta will host 3 full days of racing with up to 12 races scheduled. There are 2 options for days of racing, you can either go with 2-day or 3-day races.
Days of Racing Schedule:

We would love to make this a fun and exciting event for everyone in the Corsair community, with the Corsair Nationals  intended to bring our community closer together through opportunities of socializing, networking and of course some hard and fast racing!

We must plan for the appropriate event size so please register early to ensure we have time to pull off an amazing regatta. Register today for early bird pricing!

Read more:

Corsair 28R won third place in Kieler Woche 2019

The Corsair 760 wins at Geelong Race Week

Why choose a trimaran over a monohull?:

Safety

Corsair Trimarans provide safe sailing excitement for the whole family

The first item on this list might surprise you.  But trimarans are exceedingly safe – in fact many, including all of the Corsair trimarans, are virtually unsinkable.  They’re foam cored, and relative to the displacement of the boat, the buoyancy of the materials is very high. Even were a Corsair to be fairly well destroyed (think passenger ferry) the remaining debris would remain at the surface providing something to cling onto. But there are some other interesting stats as well.  Kids love trimarans – the nets make for great fun.  And were they to fall into the water its reassuring that there are so many places for a person (or child) overboard to grab onto – see the net lines and the beams themselves in the picture to the right.  There are also good places at the main transom to haul out a wet, heavy, miniature crewmember.

Speed

No gimmicks. Trimarans simply deliver stunning speed without foils, wings or electronic aids. Speed might have slipped from number 1 factor to number 2 in recent years – and given the advent of foiling monohulls you might think that’s fitting.  But consider the costs involved in foiling monohulls and you’ll quickly find that Corsair trimarans have a far greater dollar-to-knot ratio. Operationally, trimarans are now seen as almost conventional in high-speed terms.  So you can clock up 20-knot plus speeds with a boat that has a 35-year track record of success and safety, and without the need for professional crew.

Stability

For a trimaran, this counts as “heeling”

While you, the reader are no doubt the hardiest of sailors, there’s also no doubt that not everybody you sail with will be! Corsair trimarans, and most others, have a max heel angle of 12-14 degrees depending on the model.  That’s “flat sailing” in monohull terms.  And it means that rudders and daggerboards keep a reassuring grip and the speed therefore feels more effortless on the helm.  That surefootedness transfers over to your crew – they’ll detect the confidence in the boat and the skipper.

Small Marina Footprint

Fold up and take only a small marina berth or land space

To achieve anything like the speed, and just a bit of the stability and comfort underway, you’d need a relatively large monohull by comparison.  But due to the folding mechanism, a Corsair trimaran keeps a very modest marina footprint.   Better still, they can be lifted (when folded) and are therefore easy to keep ashore.  Want to keep your boat in the water but worried about growth on the floats/pontoons?  Anti-fouling wraps from 3M are available from Corsair dealers – remarkably long lived, these are easily replaceable, and maintain a very quick surface.  Boat bags, which keep growth away from the floats and main hull, are available for mooring and marina use.

Above Deck Space

Check out the huge unfolded beam of the 24-ft Corsair 760

Anyone with children will immediately identify with this one – Corsairs are fantastic for their wingnet and bownet space.  When unfolded, the huge beam provides pound-for-pound the best boating platform around.  The nets are often used as sleeping hammocks in extremely hot climates – not just for an afternoon nap, but actually during the night.  And most trimarans can be fitted with a bimini, sail shade, or canopee when the sun is strong.

Trimarans are Synonymous with Trailerability

The new Corsair 880 Trimaran will be the Ultimate Trailer-sailer

In the next article, we’re taking a deeper look at trailering trimarans through an interview with the undisputed supremo in trailering tri’s – our very own dealer Werner Stolz from Germany.  Trailerability is absolutely central to creating a new holiday experience every year, and for the racers it opens up a whole new world of high speed multihull regattas.  That’s why Corsair trimarans are built light – of course it improves your sailing speed, but it also keeps your trailering weight down and reduce road risk.  And that’s why the floats fold underneath – so your boat doesn’t get longer on the trailer when folded.  For those who don’t want to commit to the same sailing grounds every year there’s no better solution than a Corsair folding trimaran.

Read more:

Trimaran docking made easy

Corsair 28R won third place in Kieler Woche 2019

Corsair 880 design news

June has seen the biggest sailing event in the world, Kieler Woche (Kiel Week), which boating enthusiasts are all get excited about and cannot miss. The event takes place from June 22 to 30, 2019 in Kiel – a city of German. More than 4,500 participants and 3,000 visitors have been drawn to the race. This is a great fun water sport show that brings not only sailing but other activites as well, such as carnival rides, fireworks, barbecue, live music and so much more.  It has given a warm welcome to more than 2,000 racing boats.

The Kieler Woche 2019 kicks off with the Multihull Welcome Race. Corsair 28R owner Jan van Dyk has proudly won the third place. See the result below.

Corsair 970 Sport

To make way for our new Seawind Catamarans arriving, we have to make room on our docks.

We have a 2018 Corsair 970 Sport with a full warranty and is loaded to the gills! Commissioned, US duty paid, a custom trailer built a fully performance sail inventory and a Yamaha 9.9hp outboard included for $17,000 under MSRP ($262,386. USD).

In this limited time offer, and includes complementary moorage for 3 months in the Shilshole Bay Marina (a value of $2,400) OR delivery to you within any US or Canada destination up to 2,500 miles from Seattle, at no charge.

The Corsair 970 Sport retains the hallmark of the Corsair 31: speed, performance, safety, reliability and ease of trailering. However the CR970 Sport takes all of these features to the next level, with the addition of extreme style and comfort.

The hulls and deck have been structurally reinforced with carbon fiber, increasing construction strength and reducing weight. The floats molded seamless designed with more buoyancy forward and level with the bow to reduce cavitation or fluid resistance on the lee float.

A rotating carbon mast foils the apparent wind over a Doyle Aramid laminate full-battens, triple stitched reinforced, triple reef, square-top mainsail. When dropping, a Harkin fast-track guides the sail down swiftly into a Doyle stack pack. The furling jib is of the same sail material and has vertical battens. There is a Racing screecher on a continues furler and a racing spinnaker also included in this package offer.

Below, the deck has been built higher for increased headroom (6’2”) and overall volume. Two cabins are situated on opposite ends of the boat. Large windows, skylights, and port lights throughout the interior gives the feeling of a deck saloon, not a cave. Plenty of LED lighting and 12V/USB receptacles are in every cabin.

Learn more how a Corsair trimaran performs in a regatta:

• Geelong Race Week >>
• La Cinquecento 2018 >>
• Multihull Welcome Race – Kieler Woche 2018 >>

SPECS AND EQUIPMENT INCLUDED:

Built by CORSAIR MARINE, priced as equipped:

✔ E-glass laminate with extensive use of carbon kevlar on structural reinforcement, PVC closed-cell foam coring in the hulls and deck
✔ Stainless steel overhanging seats
✔ Rotating Tall Carbon wing mast, carbon
✔ Doyle radial carbon laminate Fully battened, triple stitched reinforced Mainsail, lazy-jacks & Doyle Stackpack.
✔ Furling Doyle radial carbon laminate, vertical-batten Jib
✔ Doyle Carbon laminate racing Screecher on a continuous furler
✔ Asymmetrical racing spinnaker in red
✔ Retractable 6’ Carbon Fiber Bowsprit
✔ High aspect ratio composite daggerboard and flip up rudder foils.
✔ Upholstered interior with 6’ saloon headroom
✔ B&G Navigation Package – 7” Chartplotter, autopilot, wind speed and depth. B&G VHF
✔ Marine toilet, 13gal holding tank and direct discharge.
✔ 12v LED Lighting with red/white led lamps, 4 x 12v USB outlets, DC Electrical switch panel w/ circuit breakers, LED indicator lights and voltage display
✔ Freshwater deck shower
✔ Anchor, chain and rode
✔ Aluminum removable swim ladder
✔ 3 x fenders, 2x mooring lines & boat hook
✔ Yamaha 9.9hp outboard with electric start, alternator and tilt
✔ Custom Tuff Trailer, aluminum frame, 4-axel electric over hydraulic breaks
✔ Commissioned and US Import duty paid

We are the PNW authorized dealers for Corsair Marine Trimarans and Seawind Catamarans and we work to serve the sailing and motorboat communities we also roam. Give us a call or drop us an email anytime. View more photos below.

Love this boat? Contact Wright Yacht Sales at (206) 356-8698 or email: sales@wrightyachtsales.com

Love this boat? Contact Wright Yacht Sales at (206) 356-8698 or email: sales@wrightyachtsales.com

#Corsairtrimaran #Cruze970Sport #Corsair970sport #Corsair970 #Cruze970 #trimaran

Multihull Central’s entry in the Geelong Race Week’s Festival of Sails, resulted in a win with the new Corsair 760 trimaran taking out top honours in the Multihull Series on OMR handicap.

Skippered by Stephen Medwell and crewed by Greg Goodall and Multihull Central’s Corsair Product Manager, Michael Meehan, the Corsair 760 sailed to victory after consistent results in a wide range of conditions, from very light breezes in the passage race, through to fresh North Easterlies on the final day fighting off tough competition against other trimarans and multihulls. The Corsair 760 finished with a 1st in the passage race, then another first and two seconds during the weekend’s racing at Geelong.

Read the full article on Sail-World HERE>>

Learn more about the Corsair 760 trimaran HERE>>

Festival of Sails © Salty Dingo