For the first roll call of the 2018 Vallarta Race, it was clear that Peter Isler’s weather briefing the morning before had been spot on. “You’re going to have a banner evening with full moon and full breeze…” he advised. Thus this from Marjorie Friday morning: “…Just as Peter promised – bright worm moon, building breeze and great sailing…”, and “…sacrificed 1 spinnaker in 21 knot gybe…”. Cabernet Sky chimed in with “…spin halyard separated just after sunset, fished A3 from under boat…”. And this from Tropic Thunder “…30kt gust took out full symmetrical sail…”!

The Vallarta Race 2018 is officially underway with the first 3 boats getting their start on Thursday. The rest of the teams can be found enjoying beer and tacos along with Mariachis provided by partner Bay City Brewing and Mexico Tourism at the San Diego Yacht Club for the Kick Off Race Party tonight as they gear up for their starts on Friday and Saturday.

By Craig Leweck, Scuttlebutt My DNA is Southern California, which means adverse sailing conditions are for other people. We get criticized for this, but when the weather for most of the year is predictably preferable, we get used to it. When it does rain, we can’t cope. It’s smart to stay off the roads… accidents happen.

Beginning on March 1st, the 2018 Vallarta Race hosted by San Diego Yacht Club, will include 30 boats, many sailed by some of the most experienced offshore racing teams on the West Coast. Racing from San Diego to Puerto Vallarta, this race highlights 1,000 nautical miles that include some of the best scenery and fiercest rivalry that California and Mexican waters have to offer. The 2018 running of the Vallarta Race will be the largest the race has been in many years.

Shirts, hats and more are available for order online from the exclusive provider of PV18 race gear, Pirate's Lair. Order your shirts and add custom team name embroidery if you wish. http://store.pirateslair.com/sdyc-puerto-vallarta-race-2018

In the build up to the 2018 offshore racing season and the Puerto Vallarta Race, San Diego Yacht Club is hosting a 2-Day Saftey at Sea Seminar, presented by John Miller. Event Information: https://sdyc.org/calendar/event/safety-at-sea-course-with-hands-on-training Saturday & Sunday, January 27-28, 2018 If you or your crew are unable to attend this seminar, check the US Sailing Safety at Sea Seminar locations for other options up and down the coast: http://www.ussailing.org/education/safety-at-sea/find-a-seminar-near-you/

Anticipation is building for the 2018 Puerto Vallarta Race as race entries begin to roll in. So far, a mix of boats including Santa Cruz 50 and 52s, Pac 52s, TP 52s, and one multihull will be back for the next installment. When checking in with a handful of the race’s past competitors, we discovered what the race means to them, why they register year after year, and for some, how it feels to win the event. Dennis Pennell, skipper of Blue Blazes, will be back in 2018 to attempt a third win. “I have had the good fortune with my Reichel/Pugh 50 Blue Blazes to have been the overall winner in the San Diego to Puerto Vallarta race twice- in 2006 and 2012. In my 60 plus years of racing sailboats those two wins were the highlight of my racing career. I am doing it in 2018 in my 80th year because for me it represents a thousand miles of sheer fun!”

We’re officially one year away from the iconic race from San Diego to Puerto Vallarta which will sail its 33rd installment in March 2018, with its first start on March 2nd. This biennial event features some of the fastest boats and ocean sailors in the sport and continues to provide the rare opportunity to race from the US, beyond Baja, to the Mexican mainland. Many talented sailors from yacht clubs all over the world competed in the 2016 edition, making it a very diverse race. A total of 21 boats raced in five classes, representing 12 different yacht clubs. First entries for the 2018 race include Lani Spund from SDYC in his Santa Cruz 52, Kokopelli2, Tom Holthus from SDYC in his brand new Pac52, Bad Pak, the 2010 Puerto Vallarta race winner Lorenzo Berho from SDYC on his Kernan 70, Peligroso, and Ricardo Brockmann from the Acapulco Yacht Club in his Reichel/Pugh 52, Vincitore.