BEFORE THE CUP RUNNETH OVER : Spectators Are Setting Sail for San Diego as America’s Cup Finals Approach

A woman in a Stars & Stripes T-shirt sashayed up to a deck hand and asked why the funny people in the lounge aboard Gold Rush were typing furiously on their laptop computers.

“They’re reporters,� the crew member offered eagerly. ‘Some of them are East Coast writers, and they have deadlines.�

That more than satisfied the woman, a first-time visitor from Omaha who seemed as interested in the experience of the America’s Cup as the racing of it.

“Ohhh, how exciting,� she gushed.

For $500, you, too, can feel the rush as journalists from around the globe file their prose for the yachting fans who can’t be in San Diego this week to enjoy it firsthand.

Five hundred clams. That’s the per-person, per-day price that America’s Cup Services is charging to view the finals of this regatta from Gold Rush, the 85-foot official media boat of the America’s Cup.

If that price tag seems a bit steep, there are a multitude of viewing alternatives for the best-of-seven America’s Cup finals, which begin Saturday off Point Loma and feature America 3and the challenging Il Moro di Venezia of Italy. Races begin at 12:15 p.m. on all race days. (Finals are also slated for Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday, May 14, plus, if necessary, Saturday and Sunday, May 16 an 17, and Tuesday, May 19.)

By land or by sea? This is the first question to answer when weighing the Cup sightseeing options.

The natural temptation might be to take the couch potato route and watch ESPN bring the action home on TV. But there’s something about being out on the water, in the thick of things, with the wind in your face and the sun on your back amid hundreds of spectator crafts.

“ESPN’s great,� said Julie Kirby, who books small-group charters on Yacht WYBA. “But it’s nice to be out there.�

Dozens of companies offer rides on sailboats, motor yachts, sportfishing vessels and catamarans in an array of shapes and sizes.

Several businesses have discounted their prices up to 20% because of the sluggish economy. The average cost for an individual spectator to cruise the race course for a day during the finals is $125 to $150. Charters start at $550 for six people and go up to $25,000 for private parties of 300, with dozens of cruise packages in between.

“When one company drops their price, the others usually follow,� said one yacht charter representative who didn’t want to be identified. “We’re almost all booked for the finals, but the trials didn’t bring as much business as we anticipated.�

Many companies contacted have no vacancies for certain days of the finals and are recommending that spectators make their reservations as soon as possible.

Beverly Parsons of Fraser Charters has up to 50 yachts for booking. Her specialty is creating custom charters.

“Whatever the client wants, we give them,� she said. “For the companies with a lot of non-sailors, they want entertainment. Nothing is too out of the ordinary. Mainly they want good food and a safe trip.�

Parsons has booked bands, caricature artists and magicians.

Hotels like the San Diego Princess and the Sheraton on Harbor Island sell individual tickets on the Victoria Star and the Golden Swan for $150 per day. They are two of the many vessels that enjoy in-circle privileges, allowing them a closer view of the racing.

The U.S. Coast Guard enforces a 10-knot speed limit for spectator boats during racing and works closely with race officials to determine where the spectator fleet can and can’t go.

The Coast Guard is prepared to handle a maximum of 1,500 craft on the course, which can include canoes, jet skis, kayaks and sailboards. But John Hollis, a spokesman for the Coast Guard, said he wouldn’t recommend anything too small.

If you’re planning to venture out in your own boat, Hollis asks that you listen to Channel 19 Alpha for safety and other useful race information.

“The biggest thing is to be aware of your surroundings and keep the speed down,� said Hollis, who added that there have been no major incidents since the trials began in January.

If you prefer that your voyage remain on land, the best vantage point is the Cabrillo National Monument at the tip of Point Loma, 400-feet above sea level.

“This is really the only good land platform where you can see it,� said Howard B. Overton of the National Park Service.

There are 500 parking spaces in the park with 100 overflow spots. Overton said his staff is prepared to handle 1,300 to 1,500 visitors daily.

“We’ve made arrangements with the Police Department, the Navy and Caltrans (California Department of Transportation) to direct traffic and prevent tie-ups,� he said. “We’re working on a way to let people know if the park’s full.�

Jim Ridge recently moved here from Virginia and has seen the races from the monument several times. It’s his favorite place to watch.

“It’s an interesting way to meet folks,� he said. “There are a lot of people who know the course and know their stuff. You know, the old men with their funny looking walkie-talkies who look like they’ve been sailing forever. Then there are the total novices who aren’t afraid to ask questions.

“Just bring a hat, some sunscreen and a pair of binoculars, and you’ll be fine. You may even meet some closet Cup watchers who won’t admit they’re spending three hours a day watching this thing.�

The America’s Cup International Center, adjacent to the Amtrak station near the Embarcadero, offers international food and beverages and has exhibits from the countries of the defending and challenging syndicates.

AMERICA’S CUP VIEWING

What--28th America’s Cup, challenger Il Moro di Venezia versus defender America 3.

When--Best-of-seven series starting Saturday, May 9. (Continuing Sunday, May 10, Tuesday, May 12, and May 14, with additional races, if necessary, on May 16, 17 and 19.) Races begin at 12:15 p.m. on all race days.

Where--Three miles off Point Loma.

By Land--Cabrillo National Monument, tip of Point Loma. Park open daily 9 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. $3 per car (good for a week), $1 for walk-ins or cyclists. Clear days offer the best view of the race course. Bring lounge chairs, sunscreen and powerful binoculars. To avoid traffic, park in Point Loma and take the No. 6 bus from Midway Drive and Rosecrans to the park. Sunset Cliffs, off Interstate 8 and north of the monument, offers a partial view of the races. Parking on the street is limited.

By Land II--America’s Cup International Center, downtown San Diego adjacent to the Amtrak station on Pacific Highway between Broadway and Ash Street. Wide-screen TV set up in there in TGI Friday’s. Open daily for the duration of the regatta, Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and weekends, 10 a.m. to midnight.

By Sea--The Spectator Fleet. Call America’s Cup Services Referral Center, (800) 92-CUP-92 for up-to-the-minute listing of observation boat resources. Open daily, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Group charters and individual tickets sales; prices vary. Boats leave about 10 a.m., return between 3:30 and 4 p.m. Some offer group discounts. Reservations encouraged; tickets are going fast. Most businesses accept major credit cards and checks.