taxi dancer yacht

Throwback Thursday: Built in the 80s, Taxi Dancer Starts the Newport-Ensenada Race Tomorrow

Wishing Reichel/Pugh racers, R/P staff David Oliver on Blue Blazes (RP50) and Dan Flanigan on Aszhou (previously know as RP63 Invisible Hand and Limit), and all competitors, safe competition on the annual 2016 Newport-Ensenada Race which kicks off tomorrow. Pictured is the RP68 Taxi Dancer, originally built for Mitch Rouse of LA, which took 1st place in the 1990 N2E Race and won its Class in the 2010 race. Taxi Dancer was a custom ULDB 70 (West Coast Sled) built and launched in San Diego in 1988, winning the Big Boat Series ULDB 70 Class in 1990 after ULDB 70 Class wins in the ’89 Transpac and Newport-Cabo Race.

Wishing Reichel/Pugh racers, R/P staff David Oliver on Blue Blazes (RP50) and Dan Flanigan on Aszhou (previously know as RP63 Invisible Hand and Limit), and all competitors, safe competition on the annual 2016 Newport-Ensenada Race which kicks off tomorrow. Pictured is the RP68 Taxi Dancer, originally built for Mitch Rouse of LA, which took 1st place in the 1990 N2E Race and won its Class in the 2010 race. Taxi Dancer was a custom ULDB 70 (West Coast Sled) built and launched in San Diego in 1988, winning the Big Boat Series ULDB 70 Class in 1990 after ULDB 70 Class wins in the ’89 Transpac and Newport-Cabo Race. She then went on to win the ULDB 70 Sled Class in the 1997, 1998 and 1999 Big Boat Series. “Reichel/Pugh designs have proven over the years to perform from launch, and have the longevity to continue winning long after.” Four decades after launch, Taxi Dancer recently won the 2012 Cal Cup Regatta is entered in the race tomorrow.

For history, tracking and news visit: newporttoensenada.com

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• Decades of Sailing - The 1940’s
• The Story of the 1965 Transpacific Yacht Race
• The Story of the 1967 Transpacific Yacht Race
• The Story of the 1969 Transpacific Yacht Race
• The Story of the 1971 Transpacific Yacht Race
• The Story of the 1973 Transpacific Yacht Race
• The Story of the 1975 Transpacific Yacht Race
• The Story of the 1976 Tahiti Race
• The Story of the 1977 Transpacific Yacht Race
• The Story of the 1978 Tahiti Race
• The Story of the 1979 Transpacific Yacht Race
• The Story of the 1981 Transpacific Yacht Race
• The Story of the 1983 Transpacific Yacht Race
• The Story of the 1985 Transpacific Yacht Race
• The Story of the 1987 Transpacific Yacht Race
• The Story of the 1989 Transpacific Yacht Race
• The Story of the 1991 Transpacific Yacht Race
• The Story of the 1993 Transpacific Yacht Race
• The Story of the 1994 Tahiti Yacht Race
• The Story of the 1995 Transpacific Yacht Race

The Story of the 1997 Transpacific Yacht Race

• The Story of the 1999 Transpacific Yacht Race
• The Story of the 2001 Transpacific Yacht Race
• The Story of the 2003 Transpacific Yacht Race
• The Story of the 2005 Centennial Transpacific Yacht Race
• The Story of the 2007 Transpacific Yacht Race
• The Story of the 2008 Tahiti Yacht Race
• The Story of the 2009 Transpacific Yacht Race
• The Story of the 2011 Transpacific Yacht Race
• 2011 Bill Lee Interview
• The Story of the 2012 Tahiti Race
• The Story of the 2013 Transpacific Yacht Race: A Race for Both the Old and the New
• The Story of the 2015 Transpacific Yacht Race: An Unusual Race in an El Nino Year
• The 2017 Transpac: “Normal” weather returns and with this records fall
• Race Records
• Transpac’s Historic Highlights
• The Essence of the Transpac Race from Those Who Have Conquered It
• The Origins of the Transpac Race
• The Story of the 2019 Transpacific Yacht Race: Huge Turnout for Anniversary Race
• Transpac 51 – An interesting but successful and fast year

The 39th Transpacific Yacht race will forever be known as one of the Outstanding races in Transpac history. The race was again sponsored by the Kenwood Corporation, and attracted new, exciting entries, mirroring the latest develpments of yachting technology including: ZEPHYRUS, a Reichel/Pugh 75'; MAGNITUDE, an Andrews 70' Turbo, and VICKI, an Andrews 70' Turbo. As it turned out the race would ultimately be won, however, by repeating Transpac veterans, outstanding sailing, and excellent wind conditions.

Veteran record holder, MERLIN (sporting a canting keel), and refurbished RAGTIME were also part of the 38 entries for this race. Other noteworthy entries included: all woman crews on BAY WOLF and PEGASUS XIV; and SURVIVOR, an all-HIV positive crew, willing to challenge the sea. The race was started over a 9 day, 4 start, span to accommodate the vast differences in vessel speeds. The monohull starts were: June 28th Cruising Class from 35' to 52'; July 2nd, smaller racing entries from 30' to 60'; July 5th, larger racing entries from 60' to 75'. On July 7th, the multihull racers started and EXPLORER, having sailed directly from France without an engine, barely made it on time.

Early contestants started in light wind at Point Fermin, but the wind quickly built to a strong, steady 20 knots. This would be a good year – if it held. The early leader in the Cruising Class was Fred Frye’s SALSIPUEDES, a Tayana 52. By the second start, all the entries were praying for the winds to hold and the Pacific high to stay north. Immediately, Bob Lane’s MEDICINE MAN, a highly modified Andrews 56, started setting a record pace. SEA DANCER, SEAZ ThE MOMENT, and 2 GUYS ON ThE EDGE were forced to retire with varying problems. The third start, although slow, almost immediately followed with excellent winds. Unfortunately, three new Division I yachts, ZEPHYRUS, MAGNITUDE, and VICKI, all retired with mast failures within 48 hours. With a 3 day head start on the bigger monohulls, MEDICINE MAN, on record pace, would give the big boys a true greyhound to chase, turning in a 305 mile day.

Early leaders in the larger Division I class were the Turbos, Hal Ward’s CHEVAL (1995 Barn Door Defender), VICTORIA, and PYEWACKET, and MIRAGE, TAXI DANCER, plus venerable KATHMANDU in the S/C 70, Division II. By the time the multihulls started two days later, it was apparent this would be a record breaker due in part to a tropical storm off Mexico. The multihulls led by Bruno Peyrone’s EXPLORER, a huge 86' catamaran and Steve Fossett’s LAKOTA, a Jeaneau 60', the defending Champion, began an epic battle to catch the fleet, while DOUBLE BULLET retired shortly when she lost the top portion of her mast.

In fact, SALSIPUEDES, the cruiser, and MEDICINE MAN, with their respective head starts, were also racing for “first place at the dock.” On July 10th, MEDICINE MAN passed SALSIPUEDES less than 10 miles from the finish at Diamond Head and began the string of record-breaking finishes by bettering Merlin’s 20-year old record of 8 days, 11 hours, 01 minutes, 46 seconds, by 4 1/2 hours. SALSIPUEDES would finish under 28 minutes later, winning the new Overton Perpetual Trophy for best Cruising Class Corrected Time Yacht.

However, everyone was still watching the record pace of the Turbos, led by VICTORIA’s 337 mile record 24 hour run, LUNA BARBA at 319, MERLIN at 327, CHEVAL at 331, and PYEWACKET at 336. ExPLORER and LAKOTA each sailed the first half of the 2,225 mile distance in less than 3 days.

Indeed, the big cat, EXPLORER, would overhaul and pass the record-setting monohulls to finish in 5 days, 9 hours, 18 minutes and 26 seconds, in record time winning the new Rudy Choy Trophy for best multihull elapsed time by averaging 17.2 knots, followed closely by LAKOTA.

No one waited more impatiently than Roy E. Disney, veteran of 11 consecutive Transpac races, confined to a dock-side seat due to an auto collision injury, as his PYEWACKET, skippered by his son, Roy Pat, and navigated by Stan Honey, slid into the lead of the Turbo class. Ultimately, the new two day old monohull elapsed time record would be shattered by five more boats: MERLIN 8 days, 3 hours; LUNA BARBA 8 days, 1 hour; VICTORIA 7 days, 21 hours; CHEVAL 7 days, 20 hours; and best of all, averaging 12 knots, by Barn Door Trophy Winner PYEWACKET with a new Transpac record of 7 days, 15 hours, 24 minutes, 40 seconds.

KATHMANDU, chartered by Jaconi, Hitchcock & Thompson, both arrived and corrected out 17 minutes ahead of MIRAGE in Division II. With all the records being set, another veteran, Jerry Montgomery, would have the final laugh. He chartered the ancient S/C 50, RALPHIE, and along with owner John Latiolait, won the King Kalakua Trophy, presented by the Governor of Hawaii with a 9 day, 5 hour run, correcting out (7 days, 00 hours, 15 minutes, 51 seconds) on the entire fleet as well as over MEDICINE MAN and STEALTH CHICKEN in Division III. PEGASUS XIV recorded the first placing in the final standings by an all-woman crew, taking second to ACEY DEUCY, in Division IV. Veteran RAGTIME, a Barn Door Trophy winner in 1973 finished her 11th Transpac with her best time ever. It should be noted in addition to Disney (in almost every way a participant) Avery, Durgin, Haines, Honey, Jourdane, Sinclair and Tretter, seven Directors of the Transpacific Yacht Club, were on board various racers and the three flag officers, Jones, Edgcomb and Martin were at all the starts and finishes.

In all, it was a magnificent race that set high new standards for the future.

- H. Gilbert Jones, Commodore

Taxi Dancer starts Newport-to-Ensenada race

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Editor’s note: This corrects the day the crews were expected to arrive in Ensenada.

NEWPORT BEACH – Amid a light breeze and sunny skies, racers set sail Friday afternoon in the 64th annual Newport-to-Ensenada International Yacht Race.

Winning the first start was defending champion Taxi Dancer, a 68-foot bright yellow yacht from Santa Barbara. Dennis Conner’s Stars and Stripes, from San Diego, followed close behind.

While the breeze showed promise early — at about 6 knots in the morning — by the time the gun fired at noon, it had dropped to about 3 or 4 knots from the west. A mild swell, about 2 feet high, rolled in from the west, as well.

Racers will sail through the night, navigating the typically light and variable winds. Most are expected to reach their Mexican destination late Saturday afternoon.

“The race is won at night,” said Dave Lee, who has been sailing the race since the late 1960s.

He joined the crew of Amante, a 48-foot sloop based on Lido Isle. Amante’s crew hoisted three small yellow flags from its starboard side, each one indicating 10 years of racing this event.

The historically light-hearted event brings out many who swill beers during the day, but some are serious sailors, with crews in matching shirts and hats.

“We’re competitive, but we’re not cutthroat competitive,” said Amante’s skipper Tim Richley, who grew up sailing in Newport Harbor. His father, Mel, designed the boat and his mother, Rickie, prepares food for the crew each year.

“It has always been a family thing,” he said.

At the start off Balboa Pier, about 175 boats gathered, a number that’s gone down from years past. The number of race entrants has slid as the tepid economy and fears of drug violence in Mexico dampened enthusiasm for some sailors.

Also, a race to San Diego called the Border Run began to siphon off racers in 2009 and surpassed the number of entries the Ensenada race had this year.

At the Ensenada race’s popularity peak in 1983, 675 boats raced south. Last year, there were 217 boats. Meanwhile, the Border Run jumped from 111 in 2009 to 233 last weekend.

The lower number of racers didn’t hurt the annual send-off party at the Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club on Thursday, said the club’s catering manager Danielle Harden. It saw more attendees this year than last, and police shut the gathering down at 11 p.m.

Sailors’ families, some of whom drive to Ensenada together, will pick up the party at the Bahia Hotel in Ensenada.

TAXI DANCER

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uber dancer

• Thread starter Editor
• Start date Apr 8, 2023

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• Apr 8, 2023

Hoopy Frood

Third hand news is that the buyer bought the boat for the slip, so he can dock his 90 ft power boat in Santa Barbara. Stranger things happen at sea.  

Hitchhiker said: Third hand news is that the buyer bought the boat for the slip, so he can dock his 90 ft power boat in Santa Barbara. Stranger things happen at sea. Click to expand...

billy backstay

Super anarchist.

This thread needs music!!  

billy backstay said: This thread needs b00bs! Click to expand...

fboats said: Probably going to the scrap pile, Click to expand...

mckenzie.keith

Aspiring anarchist.

Maybe a youtuber can buy it and give it the same treatment Duracell is getting now.  

• Apr 9, 2023

Amazing boat with some incredible owners past and present. Lots of great memories on Taxi. The boat was completely refitted about 3 years ago and is in pristine condition. One of the finer sleds to drive and very easy to sail with a skeleton crew. Hopefully it will stay on the west coast but who knows. The boat was bought for the end tie slip in Santa Barbara and whomever buys this boat may get a smoking deal. Anarchy 6? Cmon Tempestuous.  

mckenzie.keith said: Maybe a youtuber can buy it and give it the same treatment Duracell is getting now. Click to expand...

ROADKILL666

Basket case.

• Apr 10, 2023

Heard a rumor that a pop diva who grew up and still has a home here in SB bought Taxi for the slip. She has a large powerboat in the works and wants the slip for it. Taxi has been a great boat for a long time - I enjoyed many years as part of her crew and hope a properly motivated new owner steps up.  

Perhaps she needs a place to kiss girls?  

sledracr said: That'd be a terrible shame. Still a lotta life in that boat. Click to expand...

jackolantern

Rather than bitching about the new owner's new power boat, I would suggest trying to find a way to lure her into the sport! This is like buying a 1980s ferarri to get a parking space for your new porsche. You might find out you like driving the Ferarri as well!!!  

timotheysski

I'm curious, what do Americans define as being a sled. To me, a sled is a TP52, a Class 40, a Cape 31, basically a wide planing boat that has lots of power. People here seem to denote older and narrow boats that are only fast deep downwind when assisted by waves. For instance, how is a Santa Cruz 70 a sled?  

Working to overcome my inner peace

Santa Cruz boats and their like were the first boats to be refered to as sleds, all others came later  

See Level said: Santa Cruz boats and their like were the first boats to be refered to as sleds, all others came later Click to expand...

If it surfs downwind, yes. Ever ride a sled uphill?  

timotheysski said: I'm curious, what do Americans define as being a sled. To me, a sled is a TP52, a Class 40, a Cape 31, basically a wide planing boat that has lots of power. People here seem to denote older and narrow boats that are only fast deep downwind when assisted by waves. For instance, how is a Santa Cruz 70 a sled? Click to expand...

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Santa Barbara Yacht Club’s Charity Regatta a Benefit for Visiting Nurse & Hospice Care

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“He was full of life, a true yachtsman — one that really embodied the mission of our yacht club in gathering a community of friends who all shared the love for the ocean and respect of the sea,” said Tony Papa, SBYC staff commodore and chairman of the 2011 SBYC Charity Regatta committee.