2009 Regatta Invitation
Posted for Linda Field, Orlando Duran, and the 2009 Regatta Committee...
To: All members of the Catalina 320 International Association
As you work on winter boat projects and dream about glorious summer sailing, your C320 International Association is busy putting the finishing touches on plans for our 2009 regatta rendezvous.
Mark your calendar and plan to join us August 7-9, 2009 at Marina Del Rey, California - the largest small boat harbor on the west coast- for our annual Catalina 320 International Association Regatta and Annual Meeting. The C320IA officers are excited about plans to bring together C-320 owners and association members for an educational and fun-filled weekend of boating and camaraderie. Our plans include sailing and racing on the scenic Santa Monica bay off the Los Angeles coast and a gala dinner at the Santa Monica Windjammers Yacht Club on the main channel of Marina Del Rey. In addition, there will be an optional Mexican style fiesta dinner on Friday, August 7 at the end of the historical Santa Monica Pier which will celebrate its 100 year anniversary in 2009. Enjoy Margaritas on the pier while you watch the sunset over the Pacific Ocean. You can take a walking tour of this Los Angeles area landmark, take a ride on the famous carousel (seen in many movies and TV shows), and partake of the pier’s other amusements including the arcade, roller coaster and scenic vistas from the new state of the art Ferris wheel. Close by is the happening Santa Monica Promenade with upscale shopping and live entertainment.
Participate in the always-much-anticipated C320 International Regatta race where you will compete for the chance to take home the perpetual half-hull trophy. Or, you may prefer the experience of leisurely cruising on the Pacific Ocean just outside the marina. Selected boating vendors, a special guest speaker, and the gala awards dinner will provide ample time to relax and enjoy. Cruises with our host boats, or a special cruise to Palos Verdes Peninsula for dolphin and whale watching will round out the festivities.
We hope to attract as many 320's to this event as possible. Since not everyone can bring their C320 to these locations we depend on local Catalina 320 owners to bring their boats. They will take the land-based owners out for a sail or race giving everyone who attends an opportunity to sail in waters they might not otherwise sail. We urge all locals C320 captains to come and bring your boat. The favor is always returned as we move around the country each year.
Come and check out the endless array of modifications Catalina owners have made to their boats. (…and you thought you had all the latest bells and whistles!) You will also meet the current and incoming Association officers, and make new friends you will undoubtedly chat with on-line or see again at future regattas.
Our home base will be the Santa Monica Windjammers Yacht Club (SMWYC) in Marina Del Rey where adjacent slips will be available for all boats in attendance. Located just a 15 minute drive from Los Angeles International Airport, it is ideally situated for exploring the whole Southern California area (by land or sea).
Next to the yacht club and guest slips is Burton Chase Park on the waterfront with picnic accommodations and great views of the boats plying the main channel. Plus the added bonus of free summer concerts every Thursday and Saturday night. Weekend shuttle buses and water taxis run regularly to transport you around to all the hotels, restaurants and shops that are located in the marina.
Those of you who would like to extend your Los Angeles area vacation may want to visit Catalina Island, Southern California’s boaters’ paradise, with express boat connections from Marina Del Rey daily. Or catch the bus to UCLA in Westwood or the Getty Art Museum and Gardens in the Brentwood Hills. Consider tours of Disneyland/California Adventure (in Anaheim), Hollywood (add a concert at the Hollywood Bowl, an LA cultural institution), Universal Studios, downtown LA including museums in Exposition Park (site of the ’32 and ’84 Olympics), the Music Center with the architecturally significant Disney Hall and Cathedral, and civic center not to mention historic Olvera Street, Chinatown and Little Tokyo. Take a tour of Sony Studios (formerly MGM studios) in Culver City, a short ride away from Marina Del Rey. There’s no end to the attractions that await you in the LA area!
We’re working on hotel information and pricing for the weekend, this information will be distributed as it is available via e-mail so watch your Inbox or contact Orlando Duran or Linda Field for further details.
Linda Field, Vice-Commodore
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