SAILING : Kiwis Sail Away From Isler’s Crew

The scenario was, Sir Michael Fay’s critics said, that he couldn’t win the America’s Cup on the water (Plan A) so he’d try to win it in court (Plan B).

Plan A looks better right now.

Why should New Zealand fool around with writs and torts when it has the best match-racing sailors in the world?

In a faint harbinger bleat of Cup competition on San Diego Bay Sunday, David Barnes and a race-hardened crew of 10 defeated American hopeful Peter Isler’s outfit, five races to three, to reinforce their position as future book favorites when the going gets tough in 1992.

And Isler made it tough Sunday. Barnes had so dominated the first two days, winning four of five races, that Saturday’s scheduled third race was postponed to Sunday to avert his clinching the series with a day to spare and rendering Sunday’s windup anti-climactic.

But Isler, the San Diego-based skipper and leader of the Isler Sailing International America’s Cup syndicate, won Sunday’s first two races by 44 and 10 seconds to square the series at six points each.

Then Barnes came back to win the last one by 1:35--a rout in match racing--to claim the coveted Soft Scrub Challenge Cup, 9-6.

Coveted? Well, a victory is a victory and, Barnes said, “It means we won another regatta.” The Kiwis usually do. No knight would settle for less.

Fay, a financial force in his corner of the British Empire, became one just last week--an honor he might readily trade for the America’s Cup.

The event was sailed in borrowed 68-foot maxi-sleds which are the nearest facsimiles to the new America’s Cup class boats--larger, lighter and faster than the old, traditional 12-meters. Isler, 35, arranged the event in his ongoing campaign to sharpen his crew’s skills and keep a high profile in a town and country where most armchair sailors think Dennis Conner is the America’s Cup.

Earlier, he trounced the Danish team. In October he’ll meet one of the two Soviet entries. Those were and will be pushovers compared to New Zealand.

But, Isler said, “You’re only gonna get better by sailing against people like David and Rod (Davis).”

Davis, the only three-time Congressional cup winner, grew up sailing on San Diego Bay. He was Barnes’ tactician and steered the boat through the starting sequences, but neither his local knowledge nor skill at the helm were significant factors.

Isler, in fact, grabbed the advantage in seven of the eight starts.

His tactician, Dave Perry, said: “Isler’s the best starter match racing right now.”

But the last one--the one he lost--was costly. Isler broke off the usual tight circling maneuvers one turn too soon and headed for the line. When he saw he was going to cross before the gun, he started weaving to burn off speed and was half dead in the water as Davis came charging across.

Davis buried Isler by tacking quickly on his wind, then turned the wheel over to Barnes for a runaway victory.

Some observers thought the turning point was when the crews switched boats before the final race so both would sail each boat four times. While Isler moved to the blue-hulled Swiftsure III--dubbed “Soft Scrub” for this wonderfully sponsored event--Barnes took the white Hokelele--”Coor’s Light”--which had won six of seven races.

The white boat may have been slightly faster upwind, but tactics made the difference.

Isler, sailing more aggressively, won Sunday’s opener after tagging Davis with his stern seconds after the start when Davis was supposed to keep clear. The on-the-water judges ordered the New Zealand boat to perform a 270-degree turn penalty, and Isler held his lead throughout. As he knows, though, overtaking New Zealand by ’92 will be more difficult.