Getting Ready for Swiftsure
The Swiftsure International Yacht Race turning mark on its way from Port Renfrew to the Swiftsure Bank where it will do its best to impersonate a light ship.
Ninety five years after the first running of the Swiftsure International Yacht Race, the mark boat is on its way to the Swiftsure Bank, to set the turning mark for the 138 mile Lightship Classic course. The long course is called the "Lightship Classic" because from 1930 to 1961, the racing yachts started in Victoria, sailed west and rounded a ship with a lighthouse on it that was anchored at the west end of the Strait of Juan de Fuca, and raced back to the finish in Victoria. Light Vessel 83 guided ships in from the Pacific Ocean, but did not mark a shoal, it was anchored in 180 feet of water and was miles from the nearest hazard. The light on the ship originally burned whale oil, and the ship still has its steam engine. It now lives at the south end of Lake Union in Seattle in the care of the NW Seaport Maritime Heritage Center. You can tour the vessel virtually here.
LV 83, the 1904 Vessel that served as the Swiftsure International Yacht Race turning mark until it retired in 1961
Tomorrow, 21 racing yachts will compete in the Pacific NW Offshore International Yacht Race starting from Ilwaco, at the mouth of the Columbia River, in a 193 mile race to Victoria, BC. Competitors include three boats from Seattle that sailed down the coast in order to sail back up the coast in the race. You can follow their progress on the tracker here. The Seattle boats are Charlie Macaulay's Farr 39 'Absolutely', Richard Knierim and Stephanie Arnold's J122e 'Mystery', and Jack Killalea and JJ Hoag's Hobie 33 'TC'.
Swiftsure is the biggest yacht racing event of the season with 93 boats competing on four different courses. Over 2/3rds of the competitors are from the US and all of the teams will have been planning, training, and checking their safety gear for months in preparation. The host Royal Victoria Yacht Club invests great energy in the event and the sailors appreciate their professionalism and attention to detail. From the moorage right in front of the Fairmont Empress Hotel, to the live television broadcast of the start, Event Chair Kirk Palmer, and Principal Race Officer Dugald Smith, and their team have a track record of showing other yacht clubs how professional regattas are run. Follow the action on our Swiftsure page here.
John Buchan and his team on the TP 52 'Glory' from Seattle Yacht Club will be competing. Buchan sailed his first Swiftsure in 1959. One of John Buchan's former boats, an Andrews 77 now from Royal Vancouver Yacht Club under the name 'Mach 2' and owned by Dan Sinclair, was the first to finish last year and will be a favorite this year too. Jeff Eckard's Peterson 41 'Will-O'-The Wisp', also a former Seattle boat, was the winner on corrected time last year. Only the second time a yacht hailing from the host club had won. Unfortunately 'Wisp' suffered a broken mast earlier this year and will not be in the race.
Steve Travis and his team on the TP 52 'Smoke' from Corinthian Yacht Club of Seattle will be a contender along with William Weinstein's Riptide 35 'Terramoto' who have been winning many events lately and won the 101 mile Cape Flattery Course in 2023. Also from the drawing board of Paul Bieker are Ian Christenson's Riptide 41 'Blue' hailing from Seattle Yacht Club and, Peter Salusbury's Riptide 35 'Longboard' from West Vancouver Yacht Club.
No matter who does well this year, there are going to be some great stories to tell. Like in 1997 when Steve Fossett came to town with the 60 foot catamaran that had defended the 1988 America's Cup for San Diego Yacht Club and set the Lightship Classic course record of 14 hours and 35 minutes - a record still standing today. Amazingly, Charles Burnett III and his TP 52 'Braveheart' came within 33 minutes of the multihull record in 2007 and set the monohull record of 15 hours and 8 minutes that also still stands. Two years ago, Alan Lubner's RP 55 Zvi came close again at 15:38.
The stories to be ready for are:
Will Dan Sinclair's Andrews 77 ‘Mach 2’ set a new line honors record (first to finish) on the Lightship Classic course?
Since Pat Dion's RP 55 'Scatteraction' (formerly 'Zvi') and all TP52s, 'Glory', 'Smoke', and Steve Johnson's 'Mist' are sailing the Cape Flattery course, will we see a new line honors course record this year?
Will the Royal Victoria Yacht Club retain the title?
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