San Diego Hot Rum Series Preview 2024

(San Diego, CA)- The annual fall bacchanalian festival in San Diego known as the “Hot Rum Series” will begin this weekend, hosted by the San Diego Yacht Club. A fleet of 122 boats is participating in the series of three-weekend races that take place on Saturdays. The race is a simple “pursuit style” event, where the slowest boats start first and the fastest boats start last; whoever crosses the finish line first boat-for-boat is declared the winner. As has been the case over time, the classic building seabreeze often benefits the bigger faster boats that start late.

There are thirty-five J/Teams (29.0%) in the fleet.

J/105 Class
The are eleven J/105s sailing the series, including past winners such as Bennett Greenwald/ Dave Vieregg’s PERSEVERANCE, Mike Hatch’s J-ALMIGHTY, and Steve Howell’s BLINK. All one-design J/105s are rated at PHRF 84.

PHRF Division
The range of J/teams goes from J/22s up to the majestic trio of J/145s! Notably, multiple Hot Rum Series winner in various boats ranging from 29 footers up to all carbon Swan 60- Jim Madden- will be sailing his J/100 STARK RAVING MAD this year. He will be up against Ed Sanford’s J/111 CREATIVE, a slew of J/120s including Chuck Nichols’s CC RIDER, Jeff Shew’s J/121 RAVEN, a trio of J/122s including Mark Stratton’s CHEEKY, and a trio of J/145s including Rudy Hasl’s PALAEMON. Should be fun racing!

For more San Diego Yacht Club Hot Rum Series sailing information
https://sdyc.org/calendar/event/hot-rum-series-1-24