Van Isle 360 is Just Around the Corner!

The Van Isle 360 is a biennial (odd year), 580 nm. point to point race circumnavigating wild and rugged Vancouver Island, B.C. Sailed in a series of legs the course provides inshore, offshore and overnight legs through some of the most stunning and challenging waters on the planet. Now in its 20th year the race will reach Port Hardy on Wednesday, June 5th. During the lead up to this event we will be posting information about the competitors.

Meet the next round of competitors:

Third time around the Island for Hana Mari, their sail past just before the Nanaimo start is a treat not to be missed….literally! Same old hands, some new crew but the same enthusiasm for adventure we always have. In 2017 Ged was recognized by the skipper of Oxomoxo for his local knowledge in assisting Doug Frazer to a first place finish in Division 3. May karma be good to you Ged and your crew in this years race.

The Hana Mari.

Sail #: 79026

Skipper: Ged McLean

Province/State: British Columbia

Yacht Club: Royal Victoria Yacht Club

Type: Wylie 43

Designer: Tom Wylie

Builder: Schooner Creek Boat Works

ORC GPH: 579.9 (Test Certificate)

LOA: 13.215m

Beam: 3.778m

Draft: 2.198m

Tuna is one of two CS 36 Sailboat operated by the Royal Canadian Navy’s Naval Fleet School Pacific. Her mission is to provide Sail Training Opportunities to summer students and students waiting for formal trades training. HMCSTV Tuna was commissioned in 1985 and served the East Coast since joining her sister ship Goldcrest on the West Coast in 2017. Tuna raced and trained extensivley taking part in races to Bermuda, St John’s and St Pierre as well as Chester Race Week and Marblehead. She is the second RCN ship to hold the name Tuna. The first Tuna was the sailing sloop Seeraubertaken which was transferred to the RCN as a war prize from the German Navy after the Second World War.

The HMCSTV Tuna.

Sail #: KC2372

Skipper: LCdr Christopher Maier

Province/State: British Columbia – Actually Canada

Yacht Club: Canadian Forces Sailing Association Esquimalt

Type: CS 36

Designer: Raymond Wall

Builder: Canadian Sailcraft

ORC GPH: Application in progress (680ish)

LOA: 11.130m

Beam: 3.510m

Draft: 1.930m

We have been preparing Image for our planned offshore events, and our experiences on Oxomoxo. Looking forward to the race.

The Image.

Sail #: USA 79175

Skipper: Marc-Andrea Klimaschewski

Province/Stat: Washington

Yacht Club: Corinthian Yacht Club of Seattle/Sloop Tavern Yacht Club

Type: Catalina 38

Designer: Sparkman Stephens

Builder: Catalina Yachts

ORC GPH: 655.5

LOA: 11.610m

Beam: 3.610m

Draft: 2.070m

Iris is A brand new Jeanneau that will have a very experienced Time Bandit crew on board including Bob Brunius. John has been racing for over 30 years and is looking forward to his first Van Isle.

The Iris.

Sail #: 75

Skipper: John Sheppard

Province/State: Washington

Yacht Club: Quartermaster Yacht Club

Type: Jeanneau 51

Designer: Philippe Briand

Builder: Jeanneau France

ORC GPH: Application in process (570.0ish)

LOA: 15.380m

Beam: 4.700m

Draft: 2.500m

JAM is returning after sailing in the 2015 Van Isle under stunning conditions, which of course will happen again in 2019! Over a period of 12 years, Bill sailed a Catalina 27 in out of Quadra Island, opposite Campbell River in Discovery Passage. This may be the boat to watch for local knowledge from Mittlenatch Island up to Hardwicke Island whre the fleet will be challenged with the vagaries of the currents in the Inside Pasage.

The JAM.

Sail #: 18

Skipper: Bill Fox

Province/State: Washington

Yacht Club: Gig Harbor Yacht Club

Type: J/160

Designer: Johnstone

Builder: TPI

ORC GPH: 529.6

LOA: 16.002m

Beam: 4.426m

Draft: 2.778m

Lodos relocated from the East Coast to her new home in Seattle in July 2016. She has been racing extensively locally and 2019 will be her first Van Isle 360. Most of the crew have done at least 2 Van Isles before, and we know that the competing with the other boats will challenge our skills and competitive spirit while reinforcing our friendships. We look forward to the adventure and getting to meet a lot of other folks along the way.

The Lodos.

Sail #: 171

Skipper: Tolga Cezik

Province/State: Washington

Yacht Club: Corinthian Yacht Club of Seattle

Type: J/109

Designer: Johnstone

Builder: TPI

ORC GPH: Application in process (607.0ish)

LOA: 10.757m

Beam: 3.524m

Draft: 2.127m

MIST is one of 4 TP52’s in this years race, along with Glory, Smoke and Sonic. Steve has sailed in 7 Van Isles with White Cloud, and this will be his first with MIST. The balance of the crew have at least 2-5 Van Isles so experience is no issue. In 2017 Steve and his crew stood by 65_Red Roses II when she lost her rudder off Port Hardy. If ever there was a time for some positive Karma, perhaps it is this years race for MIST after coming back from a dismasting in the 2018 Swiftsure race.

The Mist.

Sail #: 52

Skipper: Steve Johnson

Province/State: Washington

Yacht Club: Corinthian Yacht Club of Seattle

Type: TP52

Designer: Bakewell/White

Builder: Stevenson

ORC GPH: 453.6

LOA: 15.846m

Beam: 4.288m

Draft: 3.219m

Team Mojo is keen to participate in the 20th anniversary Van Isle 360. This will be the second time around The Rock on Mojo after thoroughly enjoying the 2017 race. Mojo also won her division in 2017 narrowly beating out Zulu. Oh, and Zulu is back, and come to think of it so is Serendipity who placed third. Looks like Div 2 could be a bit competitive with some of the new contenders as well.

The Mojo.

Sail #: 237

Skipper: Mark Hansen

Province/State: British Columbia

Yacht Club: Vancouver Rowing Club

Type: J/109

Designer: Johnstone

Builder: TPI

ORC GPH: Application in progress (608ish)

LOA: 10.757m

Beam: 3.524m

Draft: 2.127m

This will be the third Van Isle of Nirvana, and her skipper and crew are looking forward to competing with some of the best sailors in the Pacific North West.

The Nirvana.

Sail # CAN 47071

Skipper: Dmitriy Minenko

Province/State: British Columbia

Yacht Club: Vancouver Rowing Club

Type: Beneteau 40.7

Designer: Farr

Builder: Beneteau

ORC GPH: 583.3

LOA: 10.757m

Beam: 3.524m

Draft: 2.127m

Returning from a first place finish in Division 3 in 2017 is Oxomoxo. Doug and his team also competed in the 2018 Vic Maui where he earned the distinction of “Turtle Man” for temporarily heaving to in order to save a sea turtle which had become entangled in plastic. Consensus is so long as Bob returns as tactician Oxomoxo will be competitive.

The Oxomoxo.

Sail #: 39118

Skipper: Doug Frazer

Province/State: Washington

Yacht Club: Corinthian Yacht Club of Seattle

Type: Swan 391

Designer: Ron Holland

Builder: Nautor

ORC GPH: 630.1

LOA: 11.975m

Beam: 3.826m

Draft: 2.244m

Last time a boat named RIVA sailed the Van Isle was 2013, along with two other boats named Diva and KIVA. Looks like the wait has been worth it with a brand new J/121 speedster. The crew of 5 has significant offshore experience.

The Riva.

Sail #: 11211

Skipper: Scott Campbell

Province/State: Oregon

Yacht Club: Portland Yacht Club

Type: J/121

Designer: Johnstone

Builder: CCF Composites

ORC GPH: Application in process (568ish estimate.)

LOA: 12.19m

Beam: 3.746m

Draft: 2.522m

Returning to defend her 2015 first place finish in Division 3 is Rubato, with some of the same crew from 2015 and the balance will be new crew from the Vancouver Area Racing Circuit (VARC) divisions 3 & 7.

The Rubato.

Sail #: 74408

Skipper: Steve Blaine

Province/State: British Columbia

Yacht Club: Vancouver Rowing Club

Type: Hanse 400e

Designer: Judel/Vrolijik

Builder: Hanse

ORC GPH: 608.1

LOA: 11.990m

Beam: 4.042m

Draft: 2.022m

Serendipity is back after its first Van Isle in 2017, eager to improve its third place finish, in the ultimate test of sailing skills on the West Coast.

The Serendipity.

Sail #: CAN 258

Skipper: Tom Sitar

Province/State: British Columbia

Yacht Club: Royal Vancouver Yacht Club

Type: J/109

Designer: Johnstone

Builder: TPI

ORC GPH: 609.2

LOA: 10.757m

Beam: 3.524m

Draft: 2.127m

Van Isle 360 Meet the Boats & Crews

The Van Isle 360 is a biennial (odd year), 580 nm. point to point race circumnavigating wild and rugged Vancouver Island, B.C. Sailed in a series of legs the course provides inshore, offshore and overnight legs through some of the most stunning and challenging waters on the planet. Now in its 20th year the race will reach Port Hardy on Wednesday, June 5th. During the lead up to this event we will be posting information about the competitors.

Meet the next round of competitors:

When we first acquired Fortuna direct from the factory, the plan was to just cruise. Funny how a race develops whenever two boats meet up, and so we entered the realm of racing. Smith Island was our first race, where we learned a lot! Oregon Offshore was next to get a feel for offshore legs, and now we are focused on getting Fotuna ready for Van Isle by stream lining for a crew of six. We are looking forward to the adventure.

The Fortuna

Sail #: 62

Skipper: David De Lanoy

Province/State: Washington

Yacht Club: Sloop Tavern Yacht Club

Type: C&C 115

Designer: Jackett

Builder: C&C

ORC GPH: Working on it – about 595ish

LOA: 11.5m

Beam: 3.654m

Draft: 2.052m

This will be the first Van Isle for Freja and her team. We are looking forward to the event to provide a test of our preparations for offshore events.

The Freja

Sail #: USA 2

Skipper: Jonathan Cruse

Province/State: Washington

Yacht Club: Sloop Tavern Yacht Club

Type: Aerodyne 43

Designer: R. Martin

Builder: Aerodyne Marine

ORC GPH: In the works (estimated 549ish)

LOA: 13.027m

Beam: 4.304m

Draft: 2.454m

This will be the first Van Isle for the skipper and Crew of Galmegi. We know she knows the way around the Island having won her division in 2013, and wish Jeremy and his crew all the best.

The Galmegi.

Sail #: 69307

Skipper: Jeremy Hale

Province/State: British Columbia

Yacht Club: Vancouver Rowing Club

Type: Ross 930

Designer: Ross

Builder: Hopwood Yachts

ORC GPH: 617.8

LOA: 9.290m

Beam: 2.810m

Draft: 2.078m

One of 4 TP52’s competing in the Van Isle 360, Glory will join MIST, Smoke and Sonic on the start line. John has been racing boats in the Pacific North West for over half a century.

The Glory.

Sail #: 88008

Skipper: John Buchan

Province/State: Washington

Yacht Club: Seattle Yacht Club

Type: TP52

Designer: Judel/Vrolijk

Builder: Goetz

ORC GPH: 447.4

LOA: 15.850m

Beam: 4.440m

Draft: 3.191m

Goldcrest is one of two CS 36 Sailboats operated by the Royal Canadian Navy’s Naval Fleet School Pacific. Her mission is to provide Sail Training Opportunities to summer students and students waiting for formal trades training. Goldcrest was commissioned 3 May 1985 and has served the West Coast since. She has participated in many prominent races in the Pacific Northwest throughout the years
In 2018 she was joined by her sister ship Tuna which was recently transferred from the East.
She is the second RCN ship to hold the name Goldcrest. The first was the sailing sloop Dontaff which was transferred to the RCN as a war prize from the German Navy after the Second World War.

The Goldcrest.

Sail #: KC2355

Skipper: Kevin Greenwood

Province/State British Columbia – Actually Canada

Yacht Club: Canadian Forces Sailing Association, Esquimalt

Type: CS 36

Designer: Raymond Wall

Builder: Canadian Sailcraft

ORC GPH: Currently underway (estimated at 670ish)

LOA: 11.125m

Beam: 3.505m

Draft: 1.890m

Having purchased Gusto less than 2 years ago, we decided to forgo a Vancouver Island circumnavigation cruising adventure for the 2018 Pac Cup, which we thoroughly enjoyed. Now in 2019 we look forward to racing around Vancouver Island, perhaps making a few notes for a return cruise.

The Gusto.

Sail #: 44119

Skipper: Holm Albrecht/Beth Miller

Province/State: Washington

Yacht Club: Corinthian Yacht Club of Seattle

Type: Swan 441

Designer: Ron Holland

Builder: Nautor Swan

ORC GPH: Working on it (625ish estimated)

Length: 13.520m

Beam: 4.060m

Draft: 1.980m