The San Diego CR 914 fleet has enjoyed increasing popularity since its inception in the summer of 2001.  San Diego Yacht Club staff commodore Sandy Purdon, having just completed building a CR 914, wanted to establish an R/C model yacht racing fleet.  After a couple meetings, Sandy and other interested club members agreed upon three classes: Laser, Open and CR 914.
 
Friday evenings the next summer saw all three groups actively racing off the club front guest dock.  Activity in the Laser and Open classes dropped off in 2003 and 2004 while the CR 914 class continued to grow.  Sandy Purdon’s continued strong advocacy for the model fleet played a major role in its acceptance as a recognized racing fleet within the SDYC.  The CR 914 fleet, now known at the club as the Model Yacht Fleet, is listed as such in the yacht club directory and website (www.sdyc.org), together with the full-size sailboat racing fleets.  Our racing schedule, race results and high point standings are kept up to date on the club website.

Getting ready to race off SDYC guest dock (by Elaine Huntington)

Because of all the Americas Cup campaigns that SDYC has participated in, it is not surprising that club members have been drawn to racing the CR 914, a 1/25-scale Americas Cup model yacht.  During the summer, after completing our scheduled fleet races, we sometimes hold impromptu match races in the Americas Cup format.  As soon as the first two boats start, we begin the start sequence for the next two, etc.  This match-racing format, with its emphasis on pre-start tactics, presents an exciting and different racing experience popular with CR 914 skippers and spectators.

As the San Diego fleet continues to grow, it is becoming increasingly active in the National CR 914 Class.  In 2002, SDYC hosted the CR 914 Western Regional Championship Regatta.  Never previously held in the West, the CR 914 National Championship Regatta was hosted by the San Diego Yacht Club in 2003 and again in 2006.  The San Diego CR 914 Fleet will again host the Nationals in 2009, but the racing will shift to the Mission Bay Model Yacht Pond.  This long, rectangular pond is aligned to the prevailing wind and is bordered by beach and grass, permitting skippers to walk along the shore beside their boats instead of being confined to a limited control area.  At the pond we will not encounter the 20-knot wind gusts and steep chop that we experienced at the 2006 Nationals held in La Playa Cove adjacent to SDYC.  Social functions will continue to be held at the yacht club.

Ours is a very active racing fleet.  In 2008 the San Diego CR 914 fleet had 32 race days with the best scoring 23 events counting towards our annual “War Eagle” high point trophy, donated by Sandy Purdon.   Except for our inaugural year when Sandy won, ex-fleet captain David Ryan has captured the War Eagle trophy every year in dominating fashion.  David also placed second at the 2007 National Championships.  

A typical race day at our club consists of nine races with two throw outs (four throw outs on Friday evenings to accommodate late arrivals).  Every Friday evening during the summer months, we begin racing off the SDYC guest dock at 5PM.  This has become a big spectator event for folks who sip their libations on the clubhouse dining deck while watching the races below.  Our club manager appreciates the increased bar revenues on Friday evenings.

For the last few years, our fleet membership has leveled out at about 30.  Each year we lose a few and add a few new members.  Fleet membership includes several women skippers who are active racers. Typically, between 10 and 20 CR 914s show up to race on a given day.  At the club, we use a Boston Whaler to set and retrieve marks and to rescue out-of-control boats.  The race marks, stored in a dock box at the club, are set by fleet race director Larry Adams early enough to provide plenty of time for skippers to practice and tune their boats before the first race.  Typical course set up consists of starting line, weather and offset marks, and leeward gate.  After the last race, a “post mortem” is held in the club bar.

Without a doubt, Jean Malthaner is the person most responsible for the continuing success and popularity of our fleet.  Jean, a long time member of SDYC, is a retired airplane and missile designer who has never stopped innovating.  He is our fleet “boatwright,” and maintains a full inventory of CR 914 spare parts and electronics.  His shop is always full of fleet members’ boats being repaired or upgraded, thus making it easy for those with less skill or less time to keep their boats in racing condition.  An example of Jean’s creativity is his recently designed and built R/C twin-hull, twin screw, rescue vessel for use at the Mission Bay pond where only an oared dinghy is available to retrieve disabled model yachts.

We are looking forward to hosting the 2009 CR914 National Championship Regatta.  Hopefully the momentum and enthusiasm that the San Diego fleet has generated will continue in the years ahead.  We are always open to new ideas and suggestions for improvement.