The 38th Annual Fort Lauderdale to Key West Race official results are in! A determined Osita crossed the finish line at 7:15 am. The race started in 10+ knots of SE breeze, then lightened up and got shifty. Finally, for the second half of the fleet, a cold front rolled through with 30+ knot out of the N seen by several of the competitors. Thirty two boats started the race, while twenty six sailed to the finish. Bella Mente, Hap Fauth’s Mini Maxi was first across the line for an IRC class win and sailed only 160.9nm on a 160nm course, which earned them the “Best Overall Performance” Award as well. See all the final race results here.
SPOT tracking is officially part of all SORC events. It allows the friends and family to keep track of the race with real time position updates. Click here to watch the tracking replay from the start of this race.
There is one more SORC event this season: the 2013 Pineapple Cup Montego Bay Race starting February 8, 2013.
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Place, Yacht Name, Yacht Type, Owner/Skipper, City, State, Country, Results, Total Points
Ft. Lauderdale-Key West – IRC Course
IRC (IRC – 8 Boats)
1. Bella Mente, Judel-Vrolijk Mini Maxi, Hap Fauth , Minneapolis, MN, USA, 1; 1
2. SPOOKIE, Carkeek HP 40, Steve & Heidi Benjamin , Norwalk, CT, USA, 2; 2
3. Decision, HPR Carkeek 40, Stephen Murray , New Orleans, LA, USA, 3; 3
4. Rebecca, J 120, Glenn Gault , League City, TX, USA, 4; 4
5. Thin Ice, Aerodyne 38, Stuart Hebb / John Vincent , Coral Gables, FL, USA, 5; 5
6. Arethusa, Swan 42, Phil Lotz , Newport, RI, USA, 6; 6
7. Rim Shot, Beneteau First 36.7, Russell Dunn , Hollywood, FL, USA, 7; 7
8. Dragon, Class 40, Michael Hennessy , New York, NY, USA, 8; 8
Ft. Lauderdale-Key West – PHRF Course
PHRF A (PHRF – 7 Boats)
1. Different Drummer, Cape Bay Fast 40, Frank Atkinson , West Palm Beach, FL, USA, 1; 1
2. Teamwork, J 122, Robin Team , Lexington, NC, USA, 2; 2
3. Loki, J 105, David Bond , Miami, FL, USA, 3; 3
4. Main Squeeze, Tripp 33, Eamonn deLisser / James Bill , Coral Gables, FL, USA, 4; 4
5. Constellation, Nautor Swan 48-1, Greg Petrat , Sarasota, FL, USA, 5; 5
6. Batucada, Schock 35, Cornelius Sanders , Miami, FL, USA, 6; 6
7. Ace, Cutter 65, Frank Pingitore , Miami , FL, USA, 8/DNF; 8
PHRF B (PHRF – 6 Boats)
1. Mirage, Hobie 33, Christian Schaumloffel , Virginia Beach, VA, USA, 1; 1
2. Bandana, Oyster 48, David Wallace , Ft. Lauderdale, FL, USA, 2; 2
3. Commotion, Beneteau 461, Ross Hunton , Coral Springs, FL, USA, 3; 3
4. Walloon, C&C 35 Mark I, Com. Richard D. Grow , Palm Beach , FL, USA, 7/DNF; 7
5. Sempre Amantes, Hunter Pasage 42, Colin Whittaker , Margate, FL, USA, 7/DNF; 7
6. Soap Opera, Hobie 33, Scott Self , Rockwall, TX, USA, 7/DNS; 7
PHRF C (PHRF – 7 Boats)
1. Sunquest, Sloop, Wilfredo Paredes , Miami, FL, USA, 1; 1
2. Susimi, Sweden 370, Michael Carrington , Lighthouse Point, FL, USA, 2; 2
3. Grand Cru, Beneteau 393, Danny Escobar , Fort Lauderdale, FL, USA, 3; 3
4. Vendaval, Dufour 34, Oscar Valdes , Miami Lakes, FL, USA, 4; 4
5. Osita, Tartan 40, Becky Lyons , Miami, FL, USA, 5; 5
6. Passion, Catalina 34, Brett Grover , Jesup, GA, USA, 8/DNS; 8
7. Kokomo, Swan 36, Brad Lonstein , Fort Lauderdale, FL, USA, 8/DNS; 8
Ft. Lauderdale-Key West – PHRF Multihull Course
Multihull A (PHRF – 7 Boats)
1. Elvis, Gunboat, Jason Carroll , New York, NY, USA, 1; 1
2. Sundog, Seacart 30, Paul Parks , Shady Side, MD, USA, 2; 2
3. Flight Simulator, Corsair 28R, Tom Reese , Youngstown, NY, USA, 3; 3
4. Tri-Vector, Dragonfly 35, David Otto , Miami Beach, FL, USA, 4; 4
5. Double Trouble, Catana 58, Don Balthaser , Ft. Lauderdale, FL, USA, 8/DNF; 8
6. Brake Aweigh, Trimaran, Richard VandeBrake , Lowell, MI, USA, 8/DNF; 8
7. CatNip, Catamaran 35, Victor Mendelsohn , Miami, FL, USA, 8/DNF; 8
All Star Crew Award presented by Holland Jachtbuow
(also presented by The Yacht Report and Crew Report magazines)
Rebecca
Wolter Huisman Memorial Spirit of the Bucket Trophy
Marie
Perini Navi Cup
P2
Vitter’s Shipyard Seamanship Trophy
Maltese Falcon
Skullduggery Cravat
Axia
Hard Hat Award
Mike Slade on Leopard
Escargot Cup
Gloria
Hard Hat Award
Mike Slade on Leopard
Descriptions of Awards
Overall
These awards, first through third, are presented for the best performance overall for combined results, all classes, all races.
Les Gazelles & Les Grand Dames
In 2005, when the Bucket Regatta grew beyond all expectations and the fleet doubled in size, it was determined that the yachts should be split into classes that considered their essential attributes. However, the distinction of “Cruising Division” and “Racing Division” seemed just, oh so pedestrian, for a fleet of this stature. In the RC’s opinion, the designation of “Les Gazelles des Mers” for the Racing Division and “Les Grandes Dammes des Mers” for the Cruising Division, seemed far more appropriate. In 2011 “Les Elegantes” was added, providing a class for “classic yachts”.
Each Division has trophies presented for best performance overall, first through third.
Alloy Cup
Best Performance by an Alloy Yacht
All Star Crew Award
At each Bucket Event, every yacht is asked to cast a ballot for the yacht crew among the fleet that demonstrates the most professional service in all tasks, while maintaining the best voie de vivre, camaraderie, teamwork and respect among the crew. This is the crew that displays the pinnacle of the profession and has the most fun at it – the yacht that everyone wants to work aboard. Because the award is earned by peer recognition, it has earned serious stature within the marine industry.
Spirit of the Bucket Trophy
This award is presented each year by Alice Huisman, to the yacht that best exemplifies the spirit of the Bucket Regattas. The selection is absolutely subjective, but considers sportsmanship, safe seamanship, best hospitality and overall contribution to the event.
We have created a lot of humor around the premise that “Bribes can get you anything in the Bucket” and this is where the truth comes clear. The Bucket Regatta was really started as a Club of yacht owners who loved nothing more than sailing their yachts well, getting the best out of them, and then sharing great yarns and libation at the end of the day. There are a group of owners who have contributed a lot to the event over the years, from tenders to parties, committee boats, etc. It is this Spirit that sets this event apart from all others. It is in recognition of this Spirit that the Wolter Huisman Memorial Trophy is awarded.
(None of the above reduces the RC’s taste for fine champagne!)
Perini Navi Cup
Perini-Navi Yacht with the best result.
Vitters Seamanship Trophy
Awarded to the yacht that demonstrates the best seamanship and sportsmanship in the interest of promoting safety on the race course. All participants in the Bucket acknowledge that superyachts have serious limitations operating safely in close quarters and therefore, the RC has always valued safety well above performance. This award will recognize the yacht that best demonstrates that understanding. It also goes to prove that nice guys don’t always finish last!!
Skullduggery Cravat
The Skullduggery Cravat is a perfectly tied Admiralty Noose, framed, with instructions in elegant calligraphy on how to tie a proper, 13 turn noose. This was originally awarded to the owner of SARIYAH in 2002, so his captain, Timothy Laughridge (Bucket Committee) could be hung at the pleasure of the Fleet.
The award was renamed and put forward by the Committee to reinforce the Bucket premise that we are NOT here to promulgate adult behavior. The Cravat will be awarded to the yacht and crew who display the best bucket humor. As a guideline, we again focus on SARIYAH, where one year they spent the evening prior to the last race, slaughtering a down feathered mattress, then they packed the feathers in with their spinnaker so when they set their ‘Chute with the Hawk logo the following day, they not only dusted the horizon with feathers, but left a rubber chicken hanging from their spinnaker pole!!!
In completely contrary conditions to the prior weekend, 55 boats set off for Key West from Fort Lauderdale, Florida in 72 degrees and a light northerly breeze. As forecast, the wind is creating a ‘jibefest’ for the boats heading in a south westerly direction, basically dead down wind. The navigators will work now to keep their boat along a pretty narrow line, between the Gulf Stream to the left and the coral reefs to the right. “Slow or Stop,” are the options to the sides of the course, neither of which is desirable. Everyone loves to watch the big sexy boats, and the eye candy was certainly there at the start today. Rambler, Privateer, Bella Mente and several others in the IRC A fleet were gunning for the pin end and causing a lot of bad air to swirl around for the slightly smaller IRC B boats as they started together. Several of the boats in the fleet are posting to the race blog linked here: www.keywestrace.org. The lower keys are showing a bit more breeze, but it looks like the boats will finish a little later in the morning than we first thought.
The Fort Lauderdale to Key West race 35th edition is all set to start Wednesday with a full line up old favorites and newcomers. With 55 boats signed up, the race committee is seeing it’s biggest numbers in the past 15 years.
All competitiors are hopeful for a shot at this year’s overall and division trophies of this 160nm sprint, including Privateer, Bella Mente Vela Veloce, Rambler, and S. Florida local favorites like Pineapple Cup winner Thin Ice and PHRF Key West winner Primal Scream.
Hap Fauth’s R/P 69 “Belle Mente” and Richard Oland’s R/P 52 “Vela Veloce” are both hopefuls for a shot at the course record (10 hours, 24 minutes and 2 seconds) set in 2005 by another Reichel Pugh boat, the 81 foot “Carrera.”
The race is starts off the coast of Ft. Lauderdale in the early afternoon of January 13th. Competitors follow the coast of Florida southwest into the night, and with a good breeze, finish in the Key West channel at dawn.
The 35th Annual Fort Lauderdale–Key West Race is hosted by the Lauderdale Yacht Club & the Storm Trysail Club, and organized & managed by the SORC Professional Race Management Team.