Happy Voyagers : Guys Next Door, Millionaire Yachtsmen Are Equals in Newport-Ensenada Race

NEWPORT BEACH — The more than 400 sleek and shining sailboats that will unfurl their brightly colored sails here today may look like an episode of “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous.”

But in this sailing competition, the 47th annual Newport-Ensenada race beginning at noon, Joe Six-Pack can race alongside millionaire yachtsmen such as Dennis Conner and Roy Disney. At least for a little while.

“I saw Dennis Conner blow by me last year,” Michael Gosselin, a general contractor from Oceanside, said while standing beside his 30-foot sloop, Just For Kicks. “This is the Great Escape. You get away from the traffic jams and really get tight with your friends. I love this race.”

The Newport-Ensenada competition, dubbed the “Tequila Derby” because of its colorful reputation for partying, has never been an occasion to put on airs.

“Go to the bar and you can see a millionaire and a regular guy drinking side by side,” said Bill Byrne, who will co-skipper a 43-foot ketch in the race with his wife, Carole. “And because of our handicap system, a 35-footer could win.”

America’s Cup winner Conner offers a vivid example of the equalizing powers of the handicap system, which takes into account a boat’s weight, length and speed. Although he finished quickest last year, cutting through 125 nautical miles in just over 12 hours, Conner wound up in 16th place once his handicaps were factored in.

The first boat leaves Newport Harbor at noon, with waves of sailboats released every 10 minutes until 1:10 p.m. The best vantage points to observe the start are the Wedge at the end of the Balboa Peninsula, the harbor jetties and the bluffs of Corona del Mar.

Some yachts in the race are valued in the range of $1 million to $3 million. On these vessels, the crew is likely to be served by an on-board cook.

“You also see 25-footers that cost maybe $6,000,” Byrne said. “Instead of cooks and champagne, you’re talking about peanut butter sandwiches and a six-pack of beer.”

The major class distinction appears to be between serious racers and serious partyers.

Race organizers dismiss the Tequila Derby sobriquet as overblown. But they do admit that a certain amount of celebration goes on the night before the race and at Hussong’s Cantina in Ensenada near the finish line.

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“Some people come because it’s a big party to them, and that’s fine,” said Carole Byrne, who as port captain is in charge of docking the dozens of yachts that began streaming into Newport Harbor on Thursday afternoon. “But we’ll be pushing hard all night. We want to win.”

With the blanket of darkness that falls over the race at night comes uncertainty and isolation. The main competitors lose track of each other in the stark blackness of the sea, miles away from cities and lights.

There is the radio, “but people lie about their position, it’s one of the strategies of the race,” said Fred Martin, race spokesman and a 17-time participant. “It’s kind of fun to listen to because you know they’re lying.”

Another trick used to fool opposing boats involves toilet paper, Martin said. After passing another boat, a crew member plasters one sheet of toilet paper at a time on the running lights. The lights appear to gradually dim, giving the impression the ship is speeding ahead into the distance.

“Your hard work pays off at night,” Martin said. “Some crews might have cocktail hours and naps while others work throughout the night.”

By morning, most ships are in Mexico, heading down the home stretch to Ensenada.

“At daylight, that’s when it gets exciting,” Carole Byrne said. “We get out the binoculars to see where everyone else is.”

Most vessels cross the finish line within 20 to 24 hours. The competitors check the leader board, then head to the cantina with crew and friends to celebrate, no matter where they finished.

Two years ago, technical problems caused Gosselin to drop out of the race. Last year, his Just For Kicks was one of the last boats to finish.

“This year, I definitely want to place,” he said. “I put a lot of time and all my spare money into this boat. I’m ready to go.”