BOAT NAME: Super Gnat
BOAT TYPE: Beneteau 40.7
CLASS: Cruising
SKIPPER: Cliff Thompson
CLUB: San Diego YC
BUILT: 2004
PURCHASED: 2004

RECENT RESULTS:
Won the NOOD, Yachting Cup and Beneteau Championships at least once since 2004.  Finished 3rd in class in the 2005 Transpac.

ABOUT THE BOAT:
Super Gnat is as stock Beneteau First 40.7, a Farr design, and is considered both a race and a cruising boat. It carries a full complement of North Sails. SG does buoy races with 9 or 10 crew. Offshore races are done with a crew of 6 or 7. We will race the PV with 7 as a test for Transpac in 2009.

ABOUT THE CREW:
For the PV race, there will be a distinct Texas flavor on Super Gnat. My daughter, MaryAnne and son-in-law, Anjohn, recently moved to Texas and now race out of Rush Creek YC located at Lake Ray Hubbard close to Heath, Texas. So, along with family, three of their Texas buddies will be joining Super Gnat for the PV race. These Texas folks have a passion for sailing that I haven’t seen in some time. Along with me, both MaryAnne & Anjohn have done the Transpac in 2005. The rest of the Texas crew all have extensive experience in the Gulf, SORC, and many other offshore races.  John Vorgaes from SDYC will also join us, making a crew of seven.

WHAT'S IN A NAME:
This is the 3rd sailboat with that name. The first Super Gnat was launched in 1989 and was a 30’ MORC yacht. The Thompson family wanted a name that denoted SMALL but FAST, and the name had to be unique. After weeks of squabbling over names, I noticed a football player that had this name. I proposed this name and it stuck. It is surely unique……Who else has named a boat after a “bug”?

RANDOM:
I like to tell the story of how my son-in-law’s name came to be Anjohn. When Dennis was throwing his first Mt. Gay party at SDYC, both Tom Deere (sailing on Bad Pak this year) and John were introduced to me. From that point on, John has been known as Anjohn. Please say hello to “Tom Anjohn”.