So do you want to cruise your racer or race your cruiser?

When you have a Beneteau, new or old, maybe the lines are blurred.

In the recent Banderas Bay Regatta (Click here to check out the race website) that took place in Puerto Vallarta March 16 – 20 some 58 boats were competing in the 2 multihull and 5 monohull classes.

These are primarily cruising boats that have made their way down the California and Baja Coasts to enjoy a winter of fabulous sailing in Mexico. By no means are they stripped out racers, but boats that sport solar panels, dinghy davits and all kind of cruising gear.

This year was a great year for anyone bringing a Beneteau to the regatta.

Here are the top boats in the mono hull classes:

DIVISION A: The hard core racing division was won by Cirque, a 13 year old Bruce Farr designed Beneteau First 42s7 skippered by Louis Krug, who has been cruising Mexico for the last several seasons.

DIVISION D: The ‘light’ racing division was won by Wind Child, a Beneteau First 36.7 that did the Bajaha last fall. Another Bruce Farr Design skippered by Rudy Heessels - still a current production boat - narrowly beat out a 20 year old Beneteau First 405!

DIVISION E: The medium displacement division did not have any Beneteau’s in the line up, so honors went to a boat build by the Groupe Benetaus sister company, a Jeanneau 43DS.

DIVISION F: The heavy division saw a boat that must be close to 25 years old, Bolero a Beneteau Idylle 43, walk away a 1^ST place. Bolero had nothing but bullets in the entire regatta! Great job by Thom and Cheryl Landgreen.

DIVISION G: Won by Music, a 2009 Beneteau 40 that we just commissioned last summer. Music also did the Bajaha ’09 and have been cruising Mexico since. Co-skippers Jan Grant and Rick Gio had a great time sliding down the Baha Peninsula and stayed out when a majority of the Bajaha fleet sought shelter the first night out of San Diego.

We are currently doing the final preparations to our Beneteau First 42s7, TIVOLI, to leave for Mexico in the fall of 2010 on an extended cruise: watermaker, solar panels, wind generator, canvas, SSB, big anchors with lots of chain……….next year we will be competing at Banderas Bay.

If you want to discuss how to make your boat ready for the Bay, Ocean or the ’11 Banderas Bay Regatta I will be happy to chat with you.
Torben Bentsen
Passage Yachts

E-mail Torben Bentsen        Cell: 510-851-3082