GOLDEN GUN FIRES AWAY!!
Day One at Heineken St. Maarten Regatta

Posted Sunday, March 8, 2009

 
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ST. MAARTEN (March 6, 2009) -- The brand new sparkling metallic gold Gunboat
66 SUGAR DADDY claimed line honors in her racing debut in the Gunboat Class
at the 2009 Heineken St. Maarten Regatta. Classic windy Caribbean conditions
prevailed with occasional rain squalls, gusts above 30 knots and rough seas
for the beloved "Round the Island" Race. The weather Gods of St. Maarten
providing plenty of action and excitement.

Starting south of Phillipsburg Harbor, the Gunboat Class had a short beat
followed by a tight reach to the Northern end of St. Maarten. Returning
Gunboat Class winner, Tim Slade, and his crew on SAFARI were an early victim
due to a failed jib head lock minutes after the start.

The race became a gunfight between the golden SUGAR DADDY and her smaller
sister CREAM. Gunboat founder Peter Johnstone was at the helm of CREAM, his
former Gunboat 48, on loan from owner Xabier Ross. "Today was so much fun.
These carbon cruising cats love breeze and big seas. We had Forrest Williams
from Marlow Ropes on our sheets. The maker of the finest yacht ropes was the
ideal person to keep CREAM on her feet. We would have loved to put in a reef
today, but we had a damaged halyard clutch, and only one winch to use.
Reefing was not an option."

The CREAM crew sailed the entire windward leg over-powered by the huge gusts
on the race course. "We had to feather both the main and jib the whole
way," commented Williams. "It was like we were sailing a big beach cat.
What can I say, I know the ropes."

Winds gusted to over 30 knots on the beat to Tintamarre Island, at the Northeast corner of St. Maarten. With squalls, and
rough sea state, the Gunboats were in their element. SUGAR DADDY owners Nora and Bruce Slayden were ecstatic. "We're still getting comfortable with
SUGAR DADDY, so we took it easy with two reefs upwind, and just our small screecher downwind," said Slayden, who has owned two GUNBOATS prior to SUGAR
DADDY. "SUGAR DADDY felt fast, smooth and turns on a dime. The motion is fantastic! We hit 25 knots twice and were cruising 22 knots. "

"After the first race, we feel exhausted and exhilarated," added Slayden.
"We got line honors, but CREAM won on corrected time. The racing was
intense with gusts up to 38 knots. CREAM was flying a hull the whole
time... it was a fantastic day."

With SUGAR DADDY leading the way around all of the marks, the crew of CREAM
pushed hard the corrected time win. "We had some setbacks. While crawling
out on the longeron, my shorts caught the screecher tack line clutch,
blowing off the line in the process," said Torbjorn Linderson, the renowned
Swedish mast builder. CREAM experienced a wrapped asymmetric spinnaker, a
wrapped screecher, and remained close to SUGAR DADDY and her cautious
handling.

With a short windward leg to the finish, SUGAR DADDY stretched her legs for
the class elapsed time victory. CREAM finished close enough to save her
time, and claim the corrected time victory.

While today proved to be a very rough and wet race, the Gunboat crews
enjoyed the protection of their sheltered salons with 360 degree view. The
Gunboat crews are rested and ready for the Heineken Regatta's legendary
parties.