Congressional Cup Starts Tomorrow off the Belmont Pier

[Pokey uh da LBC 78]

Not sure why the Con Cup never gets much play in the these pages.

Some of the best match racers in the world compete just inches from the free grandstands. The racing is always spectacular. If you can't make it down to Long Beach, watch it live on Youtube. 

Weather looks to be typical: mid 70s with breeze in the teens.

Why I dig it: 4 knt shit boxes I can relate to sailing, sporting real spinnaker poles, in close combat; pros demonstrating how you're supposed to drop a chute; and some crazy finishes. 

Pimp'n video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7u0tyWT4mXQ&t=66s

[Editor 1,240]

it's boring to watch.

[Tom O'Keefe 167]

Then you and K Mag should get up there and make it more entertaining!

[Hitchhiker 1,158]

7 minutes ago, Editor said:

it's boring to watch.

Wait, what?  We're talking antique displacement RACING yachts here.  Dacron and nylon abound. Closing speeds of up to 12 KNOTS! This is some serious edge of your seats, where's my sofa to hide behind drama.  And if you're really lucky you can go to the pier and hear Congo Steve do the drawn out p  l  a  y by p  l  a  y, as you down the fifteenth can of Bud/Coors/Miller/ insert anti-inflammatory liquid here/ to numb the ovdeerwhelmed senses taking in the hot dueling action.

 

Alternatively you can smoke a pound of best Mexican and write a full report of racing in a week or so without leaving the house. 

[Somebody Else 897]

It is fun to attend. The food and drink available at the end of the pier is at least acceptable. If you're a member of LBYC's elite, you get a catered spread. The pre-starts frequently involve using the end of the pier as an obstruction so the boats are literally inches away from you. You can reach out and pluck the shrouds of the competitors as they inch past. A few years ago, one of the street-lamps at the end of the pier got ripped off by someones rig. Good sport!

And the fact that they are 4-knot shit boxes means you can be more-or-less zoned out and still be aroused in time to see something happening as it unfolds. If I'm within 100 miles, I attend. Good way to enjoy a day at the beach.

[yoyo 248]

It will be nice to watch traditional match racing skills and crew work.  Not much of that to watch in the AC anymore.

[TJSoCal 274]

1 hour ago, Somebody Else said:

The pre-starts frequently involve using the end of the pier as an obstruction so the boats are literally inches away from you. You can reach out and pluck the shrouds of the competitors as they inch past. A few years ago, one of the street-lamps at the end of the pier got ripped off by someones rig. Good sport!

 

Thanks to this incident in 2019, they're now putting standoff buoys about a boat length from the pier. Ranks as an obstruction and umpires can penalize if a boat goes into the restricted area. Anchored spectator boats are still fair game though...

I agree, if you really like and know sailboat racing this is some of the most exciting action around. The skippers & crews are seriously good, in a game where being a good sailor matters.

[windsurfer 2]

2 hours ago, Editor said:

it's boring to watch.

But it sure was fun to sail in...

[Pokey uh da LBC 78]

16 hours ago, Editor said:

it's boring to watch.

Boring? Yeah, sailboat racing isn’t much of a spectator sport in general.

But to me, watching Catalina 37s aggressively maneuvered in a prestart at 5 knts is vastly more exciting than watching foilers making just one or two tacks, starting Vanderburg-style.

Upwind, the C37s use tactics like us mortals do, rather than simply extending to every boundary before tacking.

The spinnaker runs in a fresh LB breeze can be epic. Do foilers even sail downwind? Dammed if I can tell.  

Then there’s those boxed-out, take’m-to-the-moon finishes that just have to be seen, to be believed. Or the race to spin a 270 before crossing the line inches in front of the other guy.

Not every race during the Con Cup is great. No surprise. Most are won at the start and don’t even include a pass. But because the races start every 10 minutes or so, there’s still plenty of action.

So, yeah. Watching sailboats battle doesn’t compare to being in the grandstands at a NASCAR or F1 race. But I’ll take two 4-knt shit boxes mix it up over watching AC water bugs doing 40 toward the boundary any day.  

[inneedofadvice 235]

45 minutes ago, Pokey uh da LBC said:

Boring? Yeah, sailboat racing isn’t much of a spectator sport in general.

But to me, watching Catalina 37s aggressively maneuvered in a prestart at 5 knts is vastly more exciting than watching foilers making just one or two tacks, starting Vanderburg-style.

Upwind, the C37s use tactics like us mortals do, rather than simply extending to every boundary before tacking.

The spinnaker runs in a fresh LB breeze can be epic. Do foilers even sail downwind? Dammed if I can tell.  

Then there’s those boxed-out, take’m-to-the-moon finishes that just have to be seen, to be believed. Or the race to spin a 270 before crossing the line inches in front of the other guy.

Not every race during the Con Cup is great. No surprise. Most are won at the start and don’t even include a pass. But because the races start every 10 minutes or so, there’s still plenty of action.

So, yeah. Watching sailboats battle doesn’t compare to being in the grandstands at a NASCAR or F1 race. But I’ll take two 4-knt shit boxes mix it up over watching AC water bugs doing 40 toward the boundary any day.  

is it ok to enjoy both?

[herbie verstinx 158]

1 hour ago, Pokey uh da LBC said:

Boring? Yeah, sailboat racing isn’t much of a spectator sport in general.

But to me, watching Catalina 37s aggressively maneuvered in a prestart at 5 knts is vastly more exciting than watching foilers making just one or two tacks, starting Vanderburg-style.

Upwind, the C37s use tactics like us mortals do, rather than simply extending to every boundary before tacking.

The spinnaker runs in a fresh LB breeze can be epic. Do foilers even sail downwind? Dammed if I can tell.  

Then there’s those boxed-out, take’m-to-the-moon finishes that just have to be seen, to be believed. Or the race to spin a 270 before crossing the line inches in front of the other guy.

Not every race during the Con Cup is great. No surprise. Most are won at the start and don’t even include a pass. But because the races start every 10 minutes or so, there’s still plenty of action.

So, yeah. Watching sailboats battle doesn’t compare to being in the grandstands at a NASCAR or F1 race. But I’ll take two 4-knt shit boxes mix it up over watching AC water bugs doing 40 toward the boundary any day.  

Well he is an expert on boring. He sails an Ericsson 34. I'll be helping with the media. Hope all goes off without a glitch.

[JohnMB 561]

43 minutes ago, inneedofadvice said:

is it ok to enjoy both?

Of course not, you have to pick one and fight to the death in an internet argument to defend your choice.

Enjoying both simply shows that you are weak, the vultures will pick your bones and laugh.

[pbd 264]

Always an exciting event in a great venue.

[full circle 52]

cant find the live feed link. anyone help me out?

checked long beach yacht club, etc., etc.

[jww 10]

Currently on Facebook live..

53 minutes ago, full circle said:

cant find the live feed link. anyone help me out?

checked long beach yacht club, etc., etc.

 

[Will 4]

Coverage is awful.  It used to be pretty good, but today is was bad.  Hope they figure it out or go back to the old way tomorrow.

[silent bob 1,286]

2 hours ago, full circle said:

cant find the live feed link. anyone help me out?

checked long beach yacht club, etc., etc.

https://thecongressionalcup.com/

[TJSoCal 274]

Yeah, they need to get better commentary and some drones out. Hopefully for the weekend.

Watching the racing yesterday, one thing that stood out was Taylor Canfield's ability to draw a penalty on his opponent before the start.

[silent bob 1,286]

On 9/16/2021 at 1:02 PM, TJSoCal said:

Yeah, they need to get better commentary and some drones out. Hopefully for the weekend.

Watching the racing yesterday, one thing that stood out was Taylor Canfield's ability to draw a penalty on his opponent before the start.

Where's ConCup Steve, dammit?!

 

[yoyo 248]

Seems like the live coverage is getting better and better as they go along.  Rather enjoyable commentary to go along with the close races.