SDYC’s 2024 Hot Rum Series – Overall
by San Diego Yacht Club 8 Dec 16:12 PST
There is an old saying that the three-race Hot Rum Series will feature one “ideal weather race” characterized by sunshine, clear skies, calm seas, and a perfect westerly breeze allowing boats to sail around the course; a second race marked by stormy conditions, which may include strong southerly winds, significant swell/waves, and perhaps some rain for added difficulty; and a third race with little to no wind.
Races 1 and 2 of the Hot Rum Series were nearly identical, showcasing the most sought-after “ideal weather” conditions. Winds ranged from the mid to high teens coming from that delightful westerly direction. Consider Jim Madden’s (Stark Raving Mad) consistently outstanding performance: he finished Race 1 at 14:11 and Race 2 even quicker at 14:07. Race 1 had 110 finishers in approximately 32 minutes, while Race 2 had 114 finishers in roughly 1 hour.
On the morning of Race 3, it started bright but was also warm and dry, hinting at light Santa Ana conditions — and indeed it was. The Race Committee implemented a 20-minute AP (postponement) due to the complete absence of wind in the starting area and a flood tide that would have resulted in boats piling up within the first few hundred feet of the course. By 12:30, there was enough wind to enable boats to proceed down the course towards mark 1, with slightly better winds outside the harbor.
However, there wasn’t sufficient wind for many sailors. By the time the race clock expired at the 4:30 PM cutoff (check Sailing Instruction 14 if curious), 34 boats had finished in the previous 30 minutes with Jim Madden’s third-place Stark Raving Mad crossing the finish line at 15:58. Even taking the 20-minute postponement into account, his finish time would have been 15:38, approximately an hour and a half longer than his elapsed time in Races 1 or 2. The first boat to finish Race 3 was Still 2 Crazy, helmed by the father-son duo Erik and Jon Shampain along with Robert Plant, making up for their unfortunate DNF in Race 1 due to a mark entanglement.
In the overall series standings, Class 6 emerged as the winner. The top three boats were J-boats that excel, particularly on a powerful reaching course. Third place was earned by J/105 J Almighty, skippered by Mike Hatch. Second place went to the J/105 Perseverance, owned and driven by Bennet Greenwald and Dave Vieregg. First place was claimed by the defending Overall winner, Jim Madden and his crew aboard the J/100 Stark Raving Mad.
Thanks to the consistent event supporter Mt. Gay Barbados Rum, the volunteers on the Protest Committee for sharing their knowledge and experience on the race course, and the Race Committee volunteers who manage the starts, attend to the buoys, and score this winter’s hallmark event.
Overall
1st Place: Stark Raving Mad, Jim Madden
2nd Place: Perseverance, Bennet Greenwald & Dave Vieregg
3rd Place: J Almighty, Mike Hatch
Class 1
1st: Pyewacket, Roy Disney
2nd: Zero Gravity 51, Ivan Batanov
3rd: Saga, John Brynjolfsson
Class 2
1st: Velos, Kjeld Hestehave
2nd: Good Call, Tom Barker
3rd: Palaemon, Rudolph Hasl
Class 3
1st: Warrior Won, Chris Sheehan
2nd: Pacific Yankee, Drew Freides & Vince Brun
3rd: Cheeky, Mark Stratton
Class 4
1st: Precepts II, Drew Belk
2nd: Sundance, Mike & Carol Honeysett
3rd: Caper, Eric Axford
Class 5
1st: Ohana, Steve Wright & Paul Hogue
2nd: Maleficent, Christopher Bennett
3rd: Juno, Dan Merino
Class 6
1st: Stark Raving Mad, Jim Madden
2nd: Perseverance, Bennet Greenwald & Dave Vieregg
3rd: Sloth, Kyle Hirsh
Class 7
1st: Fandango, Scott Bennett
2nd: Rhumb Runner, Chuck Bowers
3rd: Sally, CF Koehler
Class 8
1st: Valkyrie, Aaron Strum
2nd: Lone Ranger, Kayla La Dow
3rd: Hen o the C, Sarah Harron
1st – 3rd place in Class & Overall Awards pickup
Please visit the SDYC Waterfront Office by January 1 to collect your prizes during business hours, Tuesday – Sunday. Should you have any questions or need assistance coordinating your prize pickup, reach out to Regatta Coordinator Karina Sandhu at
Complete results available here.
