Pyewacket Reclaims Record

Pyewacket is numero uno again.

Roy E. Disney’s Reichel/Pugh 77 reclaimed its record late Friday night in the 56th Tommy Bahama Newport to Ensenada Yacht Race that turned on a tactical error by Dick Compton’s new and more powerful Andrews 77, Alchemy.

Pyewacket, representing the Los Angeles Yacht Club, finished the 125 nautical miles from Newport Beach in 10 hours 44 minutes 54 seconds, an average speed of 11.6 knots (13.3 mph). That was well under the time of 11:23:53 set by Doug Baker’s Andrews 70, Magnitude, when it led a six-boat assault on Pyewacket’s former record last year while Pyewacket was sailing in the Caribbean.

Baker, who sold Magnitude and was sailing on another boat this time, said, “I’m glad for Roy. He’s been great for the sport, and he deserves [the record].”

Disney, however, had a conflict with a Walt Disney Corp. directors meeting in Florida and was unable to sail this race. He sent his boat, with son Roy Pat Disney taking over as skipper.

The result probably would have been different had Alchemy, from Santa Barbara YC, not surrendered the lead outside Todos Santos Bay by delaying its final turn for the finish line, allowing Pyewacket to break away first.

Overall winner on corrected handicap time was Spartan, a Rhodes 29-2 sailed by Steve Ward of Dana Point YC in PHRF-K class. He nosed out Dennis Conner’s Cal 40 Persephone.