"Still Crazy" wins it all at NOSA's Argosy Race

post #26

Newport / Long Beach, California

NOSA's Argosy Race from Newport to Long Beach on Saturday and return race from Long Beach to Newport on Sunday was dominated by Ullman Sails. Upwind speed is the key to winning the uphill grind to Long Beach on the first day and downwind versatility is the secret weapon for the slide home on the second day.


Robert Plant, Erik and Jon Shampain's Hobie 33 "Still Crazy" definitely proved to have the winning speed upwind to win first in class and first overall in fleet on Saturday and had more than downwind versatility on Sunday, taking again first in class and first in fleet! Ullman Sails' Erik Shampain raced on his Hobie 33 "Still Crazy" and provided this report:


Our race day started with a eerie fog, but was followed by ideal sailing conditions for the competitors at the Argosy Race. Saturday's race was a beat to Long Beach that started in 6 knots of wind and fog. We were hoping it would get better. The breeze was on the nose and cleared into a sunny, breezy 16 knots of wind as competitors neared the Angels Gate breakwater. We changed from the Carbon GPL #1 to the new Carbon GPL#3 and had the boat sailing on a rail. The boat was really moving! When we got to the breakwater, we set the spinnaker to get back down to the finish and were very happy with our positioning.


PHRF classes "A" and "B" were won by boats with Ullman Sails, Wes Selby's Tripp 47 "TnT" and our Hobie 33 "Still Crazy", respectively. PHRF overall in fleet was won by our Hobie 33 featuring a new Ullman D4 Aramid mainsail, Carbon GPL #3 Jib and a new AirX 500 Code 1A spinnaker.Sunday's blast ride home to Newport Beach started in a thick fog, but was accompanied with a wind that built to 14 knots of wind as the fleet bent out of Angels Gate. The fastest boats started after the little boats, so the race was on! At the Angels Gate jetty, the fleet set kites for a blistering reach to the oil platform. After the oil platform "chicane" the fleet settled into a moderate run to the finish. The Hobie 33 was tearing it up; we were moving great! Again, PHRF classes "A" and "B" were won by boats with Ullman Sails, Peter Bretschger's J/120 "Adios" and our Hobie 33 "Still Crazy", respectively.
"BOLT" Craig Reynolds N/M-55 (flying all Ullman Sails- GPL Carbon Main, CZ Staysail and AirX Asymmetric Spinnaker) catching and passing "Still Crazy" and Robert Plant.

Congratulations to the "Still Crazy" crew of Robert Plant, Erik Shampain, Jon Shampain, Danny Shields, Steve Harrison, Jen Scanlon and Henry Plant for winning the NOSA Argosy Trophy two years in a row!

Watch for "Still Crazy's" at the NOSA 14 Mile Bank Race this coming weekend!