America’s Cup Crowds Come to Sea and Be Seen

A woman in a Stars & Stripes T-shirt sashayed up to a deck hand and asked why the funny people in the lounge aboard Gold Rush were typing furiously on their laptop computers.

“They’re reporters,” the crew member offered eagerly. ‘Some of them are East Coast writers, and they have deadlines. “

That more than satisfied the woman, a first-time visitor from Omaha who seemed as interested in the experience of the America’s Cup as the racing of it.

“Ohhh, how exciting,” she gushed.

For a token $300, you, too, can feel the rush as journalists from around the globe file their sailing prose for the yachting fans who can’t be here to enjoy it first-hand.

Three hundred bones. That’s the friend of media day-pass price--box lunch included--that America’s Cup Services is charging to view the finals of this regatta from Gold Rush, the 85-foot official media boat of the America’s Cup.

But hurry, space is limited.

If that price tag seems a bit steep, there are a multitude of viewing alternatives for the best-of-seven America’s Cup finals, which begin May 9 off Point Loma and feature America 3and the challenging Il Moro di Venezia.

By land or by sea? This is the first question to answer when weighing the Cup sightseeing options. The natural temptation might be to take the couch potato route and listen to the ESPN sail boys bring the action home on TV.

But there’s something about being out on the water, in the thick of things, with the wind in your face and the sun on your back amid hundreds of spectator crafts that makes watching the races a fraternal experience.

“ESPN’s great,” said Julie Kirby, who books six-pack charters on Yacht WYBA. “But it’s nice to be out there.”

Dozens of companies offer rides on sail boats, motor yachts, sportfishing vessels and catamarans in an array of shapes and sizes, and they do it for a fee that won’t send your spinnakers reeling.

Several businesses have discounted their prices up to 20% because of the sluggish economy. The average cost for an individual spectator to cruise the race course for a day during the finals is $125-150. Charters are available starting at $550 for six people up to $25,000 for private parties of 300, with dozens of cruise packages in-between.

“When one company drops their price, the others usually follow,” said one yacht charter representative who didn’t want to be identified. “We’re almost all booked for the finals, but the trials didn’t bring as much business as we anticipated.”

Many companies contacted for this story have no vacancies for certain days of the finals, and are recommending spectators make their reservations as soon as possible.

Beverly Parsons of Fraser Charters has up to 50 yachts available for booking. Her specialty is creating custom charters for her passengers.

“Whatever the client wants, we give them,” she said. “For the companies with a lot of non-sailors, they want entertainment. Nothing is too out of the ordinary. Mainly they want good food and a safe trip.”

Parsons has booked bands, caricature artists and magicians.

“They usually want two meals, (race) narrators, live music, some want ESPN installed,” she said.

Hotels like the San Diego Princess and Sheraton Harbor sell individual tickets on the Victoria Star and the Golden Swan for $150. They are two of the many vessels that enjoy in-circle privileges, allowing them a closer view of the racing. According to an AC Services employee, as many as 100 boats had these privilege flags during the opening months, but that number has been significantly reduced for the finals.

Julie Kirby came down from Lake Tahoe with her husband for this event. She said the privilege flags are a sore subject among the smaller businesses who couldn’t or didn’t pay the corporate sponsor fees. But not having the flag hasn’t proven to be a hardship.

“(Flagged boats) have to stay in a certain area. They follow the (race) boats and they all have to turn around at the same spot,” she said. “Since we’re not flagged, we can go wherever we want.”

Not exactly. John Hollis of the U.S. Coast Guard has worked with the America’s Cup Organizing Committee since August to ensure that this event sails as smoothly as possible.

“The Coast Guard’s mission is to provide for the safety and security of all racers and all the boats out there,” Hollis said. “We’ve had to put some special regulations in effect on the race venue to do this.”

The Coast Guard enforces a 10-knot speed limit during racing, and works closely with the ACOC race committee to determine where the spectator fleet can and can’t go.

The Coast Guard is prepared to handle a maximum of 1,500 craft on the course, which can include canoes, jet skis, kayaks and sailboards, but Hollis wouldn’t recommend anything too small.

If you’re planning to venture out in your own boat, Hollis asks that you listen to Channel 19 Alpha for safety and other useful race information.

“The biggest thing is to be aware of your surroundings and keep the speed down,” said Hollis, who added that there have been no major incidents since the trials began in January.

“We’ve only have one boarding, and that was for whale harassing,” he said. “The law says the whales can’t alter their behavior because of you. We terminated their voyage.”

If you prefer your voyage remain on land, the best vantage point is the Cabrillo National Monument, at the tip of Point Loma, 400-feet above sea level.

Howard B. Overton of the National Park Service said park attendance from January to March of this year (378,975) is up 15.5% from the same three-month stretch in 1991 (328,068).

“I attribute it all to the America’s Cup,” he said. “It’s a subjective judgment. There’s no scientific verification, but we’re still in a recession. I don’t know what else to attribute it to. This is really the only good land platform where you can see it.”

The increase contrasts to 1988, the last Cup competition, when Overton said visits to the monument were status quo.

“Visitation didn’t go up, not like now,” he said. “We have people who bring their lunches, their lounge chairs, their big telescopes. It’s a family affair.”

The day the Italians clinched a berth in the championship last week, Valerie Wells, a native of Milan and a San Diego resident the last six years, was visiting the park with her husband and two children.

“It’s a nice place to come,” she said. “If it’s clear, you can see pretty good.”

There are 500 parking spaces in the park with 100 overflow spots available. Overton said his staff is prepared to handle 1,300-1,500 visitors daily.

“We’ve made arrangements with the police department, the Navy and Caltrans (California Dept. of Transportation) to direct traffic and prevent tie-ups,” he said. “We’re working on a way to let people know if the park’s full.”

Jim Ridge recently moved here from Virginia and has seen the races from the monument several times. It’s his favorite place to watch.

“It’s an interesting way to meet folks,” he said. “There are a lot of people who know the course and know their stuff. You know, the old men with their funny looking walkie-talkies who look like they’ve been sailing forever. Then there are the total novices who aren’t afraid to ask questions.

“Just bring a hat, some sunscreen and a pair of binoculars, and you’ll be fine. You may even meet some closet Cup watchers who won’t admit they’re spending three hours a day watching this thing.”

Rosecrans National Cemetery, near the monument, is off limits. If you try to enter the cemetery, you’d better know the grave number of your loved one.

If you’d rather watch on TV but don’t want to stay home, the America’s Cup International Center has a wide-screen television set up inside TGI Friday’s.

Located adjacent to the Santa Fe Train Depot near the Embarcadero, the center offers international food and beverage concessions and has educational displays and exhibits from the countries of the defending and challenging syndicates.

AMERICA’S CUP VIEWING

What--28th America’s Cup, challenger Il Moro di Venezia versus defender America 3 .

When--Best-of-seven series starting May 9.

Where--Three miles off Point Loma.

By Land--Cabrillo National Monument, tip of Point Loma. Park open daily 9 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. $3 per car (good for a week), $1 for walk-ins or cyclists. Gets crowded on weekends, “like the 405 in Los Angeles,” according to a park employee, so give yourself plenty of time to get there. Clear days offer the best view of the race course. Bring lounge chairs, sunscreen and powerful binoculars. To avoid traffic, park in Point Loma and take the No. 6 bus from Midway Drive and Rosecrans to the park. Sunset Cliffs, off Interstate 8 and north of the monument, offers a partial view of the races. Parking on the street is limited.

By Land II--America’s Cup International Center, downtown San Diego adjacent to the Santa Fe Depot, on Pacific Highway between Broadway and Ash Street. Wide-screen TV set up in TGI Friday’s. Open daily for the duration of the regatta, Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and weekends, 10 a.m. to midnight.

By Sea--The Spectator Fleet. Call America’s Cup Services Referral Center, 1-800-92-CUP-92 for up-to-the-minute listing of observation boat resources. Open daily, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Group charters and individual tickets sales available, prices vary. Boats leave dock approximately 10 a.m., return between 3:30 and 4 p.m. Some offer group discounts. Reservations encouraged, tickets are going fast. Most businesses accept major credit cards and checks.