A Part of Cabo Sailing Fleet Gets Off to a Slow Start From Long Beach

Nineteen Performance Handicap Racing Fleet yachts left Long Beach Friday in the Long Beach Yacht Club’s 12th biennial race to Cabo San Lucas in Mexico.

There was little or no wind and the yachts appeared to be heading into a dense fog bank offshore with possibly even less wind.

Starting Friday were the PHRF C and D boats. Starting today at noon will be the International Offshore Rule ratings, classes A and B, along with PHRF A and B.

Leading the fleet in Friday was the 40-foot sloop Ariel, skippered by Hugh McIntyre of the California Yacht Club. Most of the fleet was bunched near the windward end of the line.

The start was in the inner harbor. After clearing the breakwater, the fleet split about evenly, some choosing the course down the coast, while the others headed southwest, hoping for better winds offshore.

The A and B classes in both IOR and PHRF are expected to overhaul the lesser rated classes before reaching Cabo San Lucas at the end of the Baja California Peninsula.

Altogether, 52 yachts in both divisions are participating.