The 2021 California Offshore Race Week is a highlight in North American sailing calendars, and this year even more so. With the San Diego Yacht Club and Santa Barbara Yacht Club co-hosting their signature offshore races of the summer, beginning with The Spinnaker Cup (from San Francisco to Monterey), followed by the Coastal Cup (from Monterey to Santa Barbara) with the grand finale SoCal 300 (Santa Barbara to San Diego) starting on June 3rd.
Callisto owners, Jim & Kate Murray dominated the first leg and won the Spinnaker Cup after a hard fought battle to secure both Line Honours and 1st Place in PHRF A. Their crew included Doyle Sails San Francisco expert Bill Colombo, alongside Jason Andrews, Katie Davies, Shawn Dougherty, Rob Evans, Jared Henderson, James Kennedy, Juan Lois, Richard McGarvie, Ian Moore, Steve Orlebeke and Brad Stocker.
Callisto is no stranger to racing on the West Coast of the USA, Jim Murray purchased the yacht in 2019 after a lengthy search on the West Coast of the USA, with the Pac52 class taking Jim’s attention – a class representing a return to the offshore roots of the TP52 class.
For Jim Murray, Callisto Racing presents an opportunity to tick off all of his bucket list offshore races that he has dreamed of sailing in, and to do it not only with his long term crew but with his son, Casey Murray, who is 18 years old and recently accepted into Harvard.
Alongside any campaign of this calibre, a team of experts are required to ensure it all runs as seamlessly as possible. Bill Colombo and Doyle Sails are proud to have been part of both Jim Murray’s J/109 and now the Pac 52, working alongside the crew to deliver world-class sails and service the entire way. In this instance, Bill Colombo is supported by Justin Ferris, a well-respected offshore sailor with extensive experience not only in the Pac 52 fleet but as a Grand Prix expert in sail design and technology for Doyle Sails. Justin and Bill work with Jim consistently to ensure that the inventory of sails not only meets the design and performance brief but fits well within any rating or rule requirements.
Callisto Racing has taken the opportunity to maximise the yachts performance with the Structured Luff and Cableless technology that is exclusive to Doyle Sails. The technology reduces luff sag and loads, creating more driving force from greater projection. Their 2021 season has seen the inclusion of a new Offshore Mainsail, a Structured Luff Spin Staysail, Genoa Staysail and J1.5 plus a new A2+ and A4.
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ABOUT DOYLE SAILS // As sailors, our obsession with sailing connects us to the water. The water is our playground, a sanctuary where we seek enjoyment, a competitive playing field where we race as comrades; it’s sometimes our home and always a place that unlocks our sense of adventure wherever that adventure might take us.
Our obsession with sailing takes us to every corner of the world and onboard every yacht. We become part of teams, share in the adventures of friends and families, sharing our knowledge and experience with those who have the same passion for sailing as we do. Sailing is in our DNA, where the water unlocks our sense of adventure. We are the custodians of a legacy that has been supporting sailors for close to four decades, and while our world changes around us, our commitment to sailors who seek the same enjoyment and adventure as we do hasn’t.
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