Here is the information from the Lizzie B Website at the end of the 2006 Sunset Series. The current year's Website is here

2006 Crew

Changes from 2005 - In May 2005 we appealed our PHRF rating to the USPHRF Appeals Committee. The appeal wasn't heard and decided until October 2005, after the end of the 2005 sailing season. Our rating is now 132 (assigned by USPHRF). More about the appeal is available here. We also provide answers to some persistent rumors.

Description of Individual Sunset Races During 2006
  April 19   April 26   May 3   May 10   May 17   May 24   May 31   June 7   June 14   June 21   June 28   July 5   July 12   July 19   July 26   Aug. 16   Aug. 23

PHRF D Competition -

For 2006 there are new PHRF class splits so our competition is slightly different this year. Last year we were in PHRF C, which spanned from 93 to 129 sec/mi. This year we are in PHRF D, which spans from 120 to 147 sec/mi. In 2005, the PHRF D class was overwhelmingly dominated by a Star (CarmonaFlooring sailed by Mark "Skip" Skipwith). However, Skip isn't sailing in PHRF D this year. We have gotten stiff competition instead from some of the J/80s, a Laser 28 and a J/30.

After the first two Mini-Series (races 1-12), the PHRF D class is shaping up differently than it started out but somewhat similar to what we initially expected. During 2005 in the PHRF C class, one or another of the J/80s beat us in 15 of 20 races (8 of 20 races if we had sailed with the new rating). No J/80 beat us in the first six races but since then we have been beaten plenty since then by J/80s and other boats (Athena, Avet, Joy Ride, Wildcard, Teaser, Hitchiker and Windfall). Before race #7 we wondered what was going on as we hadn't changed anything on our boat. Now, it appears that we just had a run of good luck in the first six races.

Before the season started we thought the J/80s and Hitchhiker, a Laser 28, would be the boats to beat. That has turned out to be true. Avet, Athena, and Joyride were the J/80s we expected to do well and that has been true (Joyride she isn't high in the class standings because she hasn't raced all of the races). Suprisingly, Wildcard, another J/80, has also done pretty well, even though her owner has only been racing a few years. Hitchhiker has done fairly well but suffers somewhat in the class standings because in half of the races she either didn't enter or was OCS.

Windfall's performance has been something of a surprise this year. She was the only boat other than Skip to win two races last year but hasn't been as much of a factor so far this year as we expected, although she is fourth in the overall class standings and tied for 1st in one race. So far, all the boats ahead of her in the class standings were in PHRF C last year so that might be some of the explanation. The other boats in PHRF D either seem to be less serious or in the process of getting up to speed with a new boat.

We finished 1st in Mini-Series #1 (races 1-7), during which the J/80s finally found their speed, but only in the last race. In Mini-Series #2 (races 8-12) the results were much closer and we were 2nd. [Avet didn't do well since she missed two races because she went to the J/80 Worlds. As we know from our own experiences, attending that kind of event will be a big help to her performance in the future!] We finished 1st ahead of Avet in Mini-Series #3 (races 13-18).

Marylyn Ritchie Competition - Lizzie B wins the Marylyn Ritchie in 2006 for a second time!! The Marylyn Ritchie Trophy is awarded to the boat with the best record in the Racing Division of the Sunset Series. The scoring for the Marylyn Ritchie Trophy was modified in 2002 so that class size is much less important than it was in the past. As a result, the competition is now fierce and includes boats from different-sized classes. We provide a table showing the Sunset points awarded to a boat in an individual race, depending on the number of class entrants in that race. CYC has a list of prior winners of the Marylyn Ritchie Trophy. Lizzie B was 2nd in 2002, 1st in 2003, 5th in both 2004 and 2005 and 1st again in 2006. Here are the final 2006 standings.

In 2004 and 2003, the 2nd place boat in the Marylyn Ritchie race (and a close competitor for 1st) was Bandit, a Santana 20 (see a picture here). You can find out more about Bandit at Bruce Fleck's website . We don't know of any other boats with websites (if so let us know and we'll add a link).

2006 King of the Hill - We finished mid-fleet in the 2006 King of the Hill Regatta. Frank Glynn, helmsman, was out of town and Art Engel, sail trim and some tactics, was serving on the International Jury for the I-14 World Championship. Obviously, our team does best when everyone is in their normal position! We are already looking forward to 2007 and rematch!.

Last updated: April 29, 2007