Photo Credit: Bergerking Photography

Look Out, San Diego! The Buccs Are Coming! The Buccs Are Coming!
By Emory Heisler
Arizona Yacht Club

ARRRRRR! Well, they aren't the British, that's for sure!
June 21-26, the Buccaneer 18 Fleet of " pirates" and their North American Championships (BNAC) will be coming to Mission Bay and will be hosted by Mission Bay Yacht Club.

MBYC, San Diego, and the "Left Coast" will be hosting BNAC for the first time in Buccaneer 18 Class' 40–year history. If you haven't seen a Bucc 18 in San Diego, it's not too much of a surprise. The Buccaneer 18 has been mostly a "Right Half" of the country boat as a result of its Chrysler "roots."

But beginning back early this decade, the Buccaneers began making their way West in earnest via the Denver Sailing Association and the Arizona Yacht Club.

Five, then 10, then 15 Bucc 18s started showing up at the Arizona Birthday Regatta and Leukemia Cup. Now there are over 20 Buccaneer 18s in Arizona and over 40 between Denver and the Pacific Ocean, including three hearty pirates right there in San Diego.

From three Buccs to over 40 in less than 10 years? That is some fleet building!

What' s it like sailing a Buccaneer 18 on Mission Bay? "I had no idea how fast those boats were to weather!" exclaimed the MBYC PRO after their first visit to Mission Bay One Design Weekend in 2005.

And, when 2007 BNAC Champion Jim Daus raced in the 2008 MBOD Weekend, he declared it to be, "The best Bucc racing venue ever!" That' s high praise indeed considering the number of places Daus has sailed his Bucc.

You can see Jim Daus, his Denver Sailing Association nemesis Dave Spira (three- time BNAC Champion) crossing swords on Mission Bay this June with their pirate brothers and sisters.

For more Buccaneer 18 information check out
www.BNAC2009.com
www.Buccaneer18.org
The Bucc's are coming! The Bucc's are coming!