United States A-Cat Association (USACA)

The Santa Cruz Yacht Club hosted the annual Spring Open this year on June 17th and 18th (Sat and Sun). The local fleet now has seven boats and every Weds night club race usually sees at least three or four A-Cats sailing ahead of the mixed fleet of big boats such as Sydney 38s, and Santa Cruz 50s and 52s.

Winds on Saturday were tricky with a large transition between gingerly easterly and westerly breezes. A few boat lengths could mean five or even ten knots of difference. The leward mark eventually succumbed completely to a light easterly, and so the course was shortened and then moved closer to the beach for the third and fourth races.

Sunday started with light to no wind from the east on the way to the race course, forcing postponement, but a classic summer westerly soon blasted in with hefty 20-25 puffs over long heavy ocean swell and big cresting wind waves. Whoa bessie! Only minor carnage was suffered -- two torn sails -- in spite of the challenging conditions on Sunday.

Final results:

1	XJ	99	Davi Ottenheimer		SCYC		2.0	4.0	2.0	1.0	1.0	1.0	2.0	13.0
2	WtrRat	102	Rory Giffen		StFYC		3.0	1.0	1.0	2.0	3.0	3.0	DNC	18.0
3	Flyer	150	Andy Kolb		AKYC		1.0	3.0	3.0	DNF	2.0	4.0	3.0	20.0
4	A2	214	Eric Willis		SCYC		4.0	2.0	4.0	3.0	4.0	5.0	4.0	26.0
5	Flyer	181	Bruce Edwards		StFYC		DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	2.0	1.0	28.0

Photos courtesy of Larry Herzberg

Dude, where's my leward hull?



Takeoff and landing with Waterat and A2 hulls:



Upcoming A-Cat events in Santa Cruz:

• Summer Open July 8-9


• A-Cat Regatta August 5-6


• Fall Open Sep 30 - Oct 1