BOAT NAME: Innocent Merriment
BOAT TYPE: J-160
CLASS: C
SKIPPER: Myron Lyon
CLUB: San Diego YC
BUILT: 2002
PURCHASED: 2002

RECENT RESULTS:
2007 Long Point, 5th in Class
2006 Long Point, 4th in Class
2005 TransPac, 9th in Class, 1st J/160 to finish
2003 TransPac, 3rd in Class
2002 Puerto Vallarta, 2nd in Class

ABOUT THE BOAT:
Innocent Merriment is a J/160 designed by Rod Johnstone and built at TPI in Rhode Island as a racing boat with all amenities for comfortable cruising. Rigged for double handed cruising in local waters, and maintained for the occasional major racing effort.

ABOUT THE CREW:
Betty Sherman is a SDYC Staff Commodore; Erik Rogers keeps boat and rigging in tip top shape. John Lyon, Ron Snetsinger and Mike Molina are veteran Lightning skippers. James Barnhill, John Henke and Mike Wilson are well known local sailors. Buck Buchanan, my crew on every ocean race and return; tireless and indispensable pre-race organizer on this and every race. Although not racing down this year, Buck will join Betty, Erik and me in bringing IM back from PV. Everyone has done at least one Pacific race with me.

WHAT'S IN A NAME:
Our other "big boats" came with quite serviceable names. Naming was such a challenge that few of our many Lightnings had names at all. But, this boat needed a name! We compiled a list of at least 50 possibilities containing "inn", reflecting our four generation family innkeeping tradition -- It seemed lucky, somehow. Our granddaughter Alexandra picked the name she liked best; in Gilbert & Sullivan's light opera "The Mikado", the Emperor of Japan explains his "object all sublime" which is to discourage wrongdoers by making the "punishment fit the crime":

And make each prisoner pent
unwillingly represent
a source of innocent merriment,
of innocent merriment!

RANDOM:
Dilemma: four excellent sea cooks on the race but none returning. Will Myron cook? Please don't leak this to the delivery crew!