Latitude 38 - May 2002-2003

A (Mid-) Winters Tale

Friday*

This past winter, sailboat racers had it all: windy days and light, cold days and warm, rainy days and dry.

The Antrim 27 sport boat fleet designed their own winter series, the Antrim Winter Cup, adding October's Great Pumpkin Regatta and March's Big Daddy Regatta to the four monthly races of the Berkeley Midwinters.

The series was won by Always Friday John, Ellen and David Liebenberg's Antrim fully powered by two-year-old Pineapple Sails.

The Antrim class was also won by a Pine¬ apple Powered boat in Encinal Yacht Club’s Jack Frost Series Laraine McKinnon and Steve Rienhart's Cascade.

Sport boats demand expert sail develop¬ ment. All boats deserve it. Pineapple Sails is committed to it. Give us a call.

PHOTO:

Santa Cruz

looks

Stunning

great

Asking $610,000

Swan 42 Hoya is seriously for sale. This clas¬ sic Ron Holland designed Swan is currently lying in Alameda. Asking $164,000

Swan

Custom 56' Stephens Aluminum Yacht in spectacular condition. Modern galley, teak decks, new electronics. Asking $375,000 sail

Swan 371 (1981) This is an excellent example of the very popular Ron Holland designed 37' Swan. Lying Marina del Rey.

Swan 431 A classic S&S-designed Swan. A greatopportunitytoown atrue bluewatercruiser. Lying Richmond. Asking $149,000

PH H

Swan 431 (1979). This 43‘ Swan has been nicely maintained with many upgrades. A very pretty boat. Marina del Rey. Asking $165,000

SWAN 46 (1984). Nautor's most successful model, the Swan 46 is perfectforworld cruising. A very nice example. Make Offer

96‘ Crescent Beach Motor Yacht (1998). We have been intimately involved with this extraor¬ dinaryyachtfrom conceptto completion and are now pleased to offer her for sale. Her high quality of construction, classic lines, beautiful decor, superior equipment and attractive price contribute to making this yacht the best value of any motor vessel in her class. Her stunning interior is predominately varnished maple ac¬ cented withe exotic tropical woods from around the world. Please call for details.

"NOT LIKE IT S BRAIN SURGERY'

Have you ever heard the above expression when it comes to people who work on boats? Some people feel working on a boat is no big deal, that is until something goes.terribly wrong. Then, not only do they learn there's a difference in boat yards, but more importantly, in the people who perform the work. Fortunately, KKMI offers more than just the finest facility on the West Coast but also employs "the best in the busi¬ ness." Pictured below are the professionals responsible for performing nautical miracles at KKMI.

"Newl

Mau/an

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Cabo San Lucas

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Almar & Marinas

Almar is the largest operator of salt water marinas on the West Coast. With seven world class facilities situated in the most desirable locations, Almar Marinas provide a wide range of services and programs that few other marinas can offer. To see what a difference that makes, visit one of our marinas this weekend. With thousands of slips in convenient locations, let us find one for you!

Amenities include:

by Almar Marinas

Meet the Crew That Works forYou— In the BayArea!

Jim Haussener Vallejo Marina BoatU.S. Partner

JerryJackson Oakland Marine Center Mdnager

Chris Poehlmann 1 Sausalito Marine Center Manager

Gary Burks TowBoatU.S. Alameda, Vallejo

CALENDAR

Nonrace

May 1 Jim Kilroy is 80!

May 4 Kentucky Derby.

May 4-5 & '18-19 Women's Sailing Seminars at Corinthian YC. The first session will review "Fundamentals"; the second will be all about "Spinnakers and Racing." See details at www.cyc.org or call 435-4771.

May 5 Beginning Women Sailors classes commence at Cal SC (Berkeley Marina), and continue for nine Sunday af¬ ternoons. "Come learn dinghy sailing from other women in a fun and supportive atmosphere." Sarah, (510) 869-5009.

May 5 Single Sailors Association Cinco de Mayo Bash at Alameda YC, 2 p.m. onward. All single sailors invited; $8 at the door. Info, (510) 273-9763 and/or www.ssaonline.org.

May 8 SSS TransPac Seminar: "Search and Rescue, Life Rafts, and Medical Emergencies." Oakland YC; 7:30 p.m.; small donation requested. Rob Macfarlane, (510) 521-8393.

May 9— Single Sailors Association monthly meeting, fea¬ turing Rui Luis (Rooster Sails) speaking on sail design and materials. Oakland YC; 6:30 p.m. for drinks; 7:30 p.m. for the meeting. Info, (510) 273-9763.

May 11 Monterey Peninsula YC Open House, 1-4 p.m. Prospective members invited for munchies, tours, and boat¬ ing advice. Details, (831) 372-9686, or www.mpyc.org.

May 12 Mother's Day. Here's an idea surprise her by not going sailing!

May 13 John Amen is 50!

May 18 Silent Auction at Encinal YC, 6 p.m. Dinner, a raffle ticket, and the opportunity to bid on boating gear, trips, restaurant meals, etc., all for $15. Proceeds benefit the Encinal Sailing Foundation. Info, (510) 522-3272.

May 18-19 Free vessel safety checks for trailerable boats by USCG Auxiliary at the San Jose West Marine store, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Info, (408) 246-1147.

May 18-19 113th Offshore and Coastal Cruising Semi¬ nar, an 18-hour course by John Neal and Amanda SwanNeal offered somewhere in the Bay Area. To Find out where, see www.mahina.com, or (206) 283-0858.

May 19 Nautical Flea Market at Elkhorn YC (Moss Land¬ ing). Peggy, (702) 298-5668.

May 21 S.F. Bay Oceanic Crew Group meeting, with guest speakers from the National Weather Service in Monterey discussing "How Marine Forecasts are Made." Fort Mason Center, Building C, Room 210, 7 p.m., free. Info, 456-0221.

May 25-27 Catalina 30 Memorial Day Cruise to Napa. Lloyd Chase, (925) 447-3659.

May 26 Full moon/Indianapolis 500.

May 27 Memorial Day.

June 2 Open House for prospective members at Encinal YC, 3-5 p.m. Info, (510) 522-3272, or www.encinal.org.

June 19 Rules Seminar at San Francisco YC, featuring the ubiquitous Tom Roberts. 7 p.m.; free; open to the public. SFYC, 789-5647.

June 21 Second Annual Summer Sailstice. Celebrate the Solstice, which falls on a Friday this year, by going sailing after work! Ifyou're inclined, you can even register your boat and be eligible for prizes from sailing industry supporters such as West Marine. See www.summersailstice.com for details.

Racing

Apr. 28-May 4 Antigua Sailing Week. Check out what you're missing at www.sailingweek.com.

May 3-5 Moore 24 Nationals. SCYC, (83.1), 425-0690.

May 3-5 Leukemia/Yachting Cup in San Diego. This regatta is also the start of the Farr 40 West Coast season

Pole

CALENDAR

championship. SDYC, (619) 221-8400.

May 4-5 Vallejo Race/Party. The 'official' start of the summer racing schedule. YRA, 771-9500.

May 4-5 West. Marine Fun Regatta at San Francisco YC, for youth sailors ages 8-19. Quentin Pollock, 435-9525.

May 4-5 Elvstrom/Zellerbach Regatta, a Cityfront din¬ ghy fest for Finns, Europes, Lasers, Laser Radials, 29ers and IMCOs. StFYC, 563-6363. ,

May 11 SSS In-the-Bay Race, a race for the crewless crowd. Synthia Petroka, (408) 929-7217.

May 11 Flight of the Bulls, an El Toro 'Jack and Jill' tag-team race in Foster City. Greg Morrill, (408) 640-6356.

May 11 —Alameda InterClub#2, this time in the South Bay. Encinal YC; M.L. Higgins, (510) 748-2980.

May 11-12 Mallory Cup, aka the High School Nation¬ als. Sailed atTISC, but hosted by SFYC. Quentin, 435-9525.

May 11-12 NorCal Open for Lasers and Finns. SCYC, (831) 425-0690.

May IT-12 Madcap Trophy, a three-on-three team race in J/ l05s between StFYC and New York YC. The Saints will pit Good Timid (Phil Perkins), Sails Call (Ian Charles) and ZuniBear (Sean Bennett) against an as-yet unnamed BigApple squad. Info, 563-6363.

May 16, 1992 Ten Years After, from John Riise's ar¬ ticle titled 1992 America's Cup Things Go Better With Koch: If anyone ever gets around to building a sailor's hall of fame someday, our nomination for the first inductee will be Buddy Melges. In mid-May, the Wizard of Zenda, primary helmsman for America3, became the first man in history to pull off sailing's ultimate hat trick winning an Olympic gold medal (1972, Stars), the Star Worlds (conceded by many to be the most difficult and prestigious one design champi¬ onship) in 1978 and 1979, and on May 16, 1992, the America's Cup.

Whoever seconds the nomination might add that in his 62 years, Buddy has also won an Olympic bronze medal (1964, in Flying Dutchmen) and innumerable other races. He'd also qualify for the 'Patience-of-Job' award, but more on that later. The hats of the sailing world are off to you. Buddy.

And Dave Dellenbaugh. Had he been born one hundred years ago, Dave’s ability to instantly analyze a situation and his lightning-like reflexes might have gained him notoriety as a gunfighter. We wonder if the America3 syndicate knows how lucky they are that he's around in modern times and has turned his talents to sailing.

Although his official title was tactician, Dave's specialty was starts and, in the end, the lowest common denominator of this 28th America's Cup came down to who won the starts. As starting helmsman and tactician aboard America3, the 38year-old Connecticut sailor proved that he's the equal and then some oftwo ofthe acknowledged masters of,the game, Paul Cayard and Dennis Conner. Both during and after the America's Cup, a number of people called him the event's most valuable player'. They'll get no argument from us.

And for Bill Koch, 52-year-old creator and money man of the America3 syndicate, it's the realization of a dream, the proof of the pudding of some unorthodox theories, and sweet revenge against the 'old boy' network in San Diego, which until now has offered him little more than a cold shoulder. "Persistence alone is omnipotent," wrote the 16th century poet John Donne. And persistence, thy name is Bill Koch.

May 17-19 Lake Yosemite Sailing Association Regatta in Merced. Ed Green, (209) 723-8930.

May 18 Spring Invitational Regatta, hosted by Lake Washington SC in the Port of Sacramento. Open to all SBRA

When you make changes on your boat its important to do them one at a time.so the effect of each change is apparent. SF Bay J/105 Fleet Captain Dave Tambellini has been a contender for years. As the class has grown and become more and more competitive, it has become increasingly difficult for Dave to penetrate the winner's circle.

So Dave made a change. He put new Quantum sails on his boat, Bella Rosa. Then he immediately went out and won decisively at J/Fest, the biggest event on the 2002 J/105 racing calendar. He was faster in all directions, and all conditions. And he knew why.

So go ahead. Make a change. Change to Quantum sails. You'll be faster too!

Dave Tambellini’s Bella Posa, J/105 Regatta First J/Fest West

Harken Sailing Gloves give you a grip you have to experience to believe. The secret is the synthetic material we found for the palm and fingers. This stuff has so much friction you can grip lines with half the force. Less fatiguing. Much safer. Gloves hold up great too, and stay soft wet or dry.

So whether you’re hoisting the mizzen on an island cruise, or power trimming around the buoys, Black Magic® sailing gloves make the job easier. Next time you’re on the water give your hands a break, and our gloves a workout.

You’ll feel the difference.

CALENDAR

sailing fleets. Don Hill, (707) 693-0454.

May 18 OYRA/GGYC Duxship Race. YRA, 771-9500.

May 18 Spring One Design #2 for Moore 24s, SC 27s, and Santana 22s. SCYC, (860) 425-0690.

May 18-19 Elite Keel Regatta for Etchells, IODs, Melgi and J/24s. San Francisco YC, 789-5647.

May 19 SCORE/Doublehanded #2. SCYC, (860) 4250690.

May 24 Fifth Annual Spinnaker Cup (San Francisco to Monterey), 2 p.m. off the Cityfront. Co-hosted by SFYC; 7895647, and MPYC, (831) 659-0651.

May 25 Master Mariners Regatta, with the traditional post-race party at Encinal YC. Ken Inouye, (650) 494-7271.

May 25 Volvo Race, Leg 8: a 1,075-mile sprint from La Rochelle north to Gothenburg, Sweden. See www.volvooceanrace.com.

May 25-26 Sausalito Cup, another event for the ex¬ panding local IACC fleet. At least four boats ITA 1, NZL 20, NZL 14, and the new-to-the-Bay Stars & Stripes (USA 11) will do a long Bay tour on Saturday, followed by two buoy races on Sunday. Check out www.iaccsf.com for details.

May 25-26 38th Annual Whiskeytown Regatta. Great sailing, great camping. Info, (530)N245-0429, or whiskeytownsail@aol.com

May 25-26 VNA Hospice Regatta, a regatta/party benefitting the event's namesake. The line-up includes J/120s, J/35s, J/105s, Express 27s, Melges 24s, J/80s, Knarrs, and possibly PHRF. StFYC, 563-6363.

May 29-June 2 Laser/Laser Radial Nationals. RYC, (510) 237-2821.

May 31, 1982 It Was Twenty Years Ago Today, from a Sightings piece called "Rock Solid Evidence":

Sailing close to the south shore of the entrance to the Golden Gate is an accepted ocean racing tactic. Boats will even go inside the Mile Rock Lighthouse off San Francisco's Land's End hoping to gain a favorable tide advantage. One boat that did so recently but suffered heavily is Bob Magoon's Racy, a Peterson two tonner which he's owned since Febru¬ ary, 1981. On May 31, during the last leg ofthis year’s Corlett Memorial Race, the aluminum-hulled Racy hit a rock and nearly sank.

Bob says they were on a line between Mile Rock and Land's End, right at the point on the chart that gives the depth as 14 feet at low water. He estimates they were about 150 to 250 feet away from the visible rocks near the shore. The tide was at the end of the ebb cycle, just before slack water. All of a sudden, they were nailed on the keel. The impact was so strong it pulled the forward part of the keel right out of the boat. Racy started taking on water quickly and her crew couldn’t stop the flow, so they decided to head for Baker Beach, a mile to the east.

Bob recalls that the next 10 or 15 minutes were real scary. Everybody put lifejackets on, and they got the liferaft inflated without any problems. "The good part was that there wasn't much panic," he says. "It was a real emergency drill, and we did pretty well." By the time they reached shore, Racy was full ofwater. Luckily there wasn't much surf that day, so they simply drove her up on the beach, where she was later put on a truck and taken to Hank Easom's Sausalito boatyard. Bob hopes to have her race-ready again for the Big Boat Series this fall.

www.harken.com

dealer near

We've got a feeling Racy hit the same rock that Dave Allen's Imp hit three or four years ago. It would be nice to know exactly where it is, since.boats go through there all the time. There were three boats right near Racy at the time she hit.

CALENDAR

PICTURE PERFECT!

Aprilbrought two greatopportunities to see what the world ofJ/Boats has to offer...

J/Fest Held April 13/14, the annual gathering of various J classes brought out 75 boats in picture-perfect spring sailing weather. The huge fleet ofJsfeatured close fleet racing followed by the usual fun and festivities hosted by Encinal Yacht Club.

and they all made it without a scratch.

June 4-6 SC 27 Nationals. Eight races, including the Dave Diola Memorial Bay Race. SFYC, 789-5647.

June 8 Volvo Race, Leg 9. This final 250-mile 'day race' from Gothenburg to Kiel, Germany, should double as a victory lap for John Kostecki's Illbruck Challenge. See www. VolvoOceanRace.com.

June 8 Delta Ditch Run, the annual 67.5-mile 'Inland TrartsPac' from Keller Cove to Stockton. RYC, (510) 237-2821.

June 8-9 —J/105 PCCs, four races on the Berkeley Circle. SFYC, 789-5647.

With idyllicsailingweather, thehun¬ dreds of J/sailors enjoyed J/Boat sailing to the max! Perfectweather and great breezes are only en¬ joyed when you're aboard a boat that is apleasureto sail. The smiles coming into Encinal Yacht Club on Saturday afternoon were a testa¬ ment to the boats, the fleets and the people who sail J/Boats!

Pacific Sail Expo The very next weekend thou¬ sands stepped aboard the J/105, J/120 and J/42 at the Expo docks in Jack London Square. There theyfound the other J/Boat attractions bright, airy interiors, large comfortable cockpits, clean, uncluttered decks and a boat that is as sensible at the dock as it is at sea.

The difference in buying a J/Boat is that you're not just buying a boat! You're joining a life-style that includes endless options of sailing fun. You will enjoy terrific fleet racing if you're so inclined, comfortable cruising, easy daysailing and a congenial group of owners who appre¬ ciate the same qualities in a sailboat as you.

If you want to get out forthe next 'picture perfect' day, call Sail California to find out more aboutthe complete J/Boat line.

^

• Visit: www.jconcierge.com

Web page: www.sailcal.com

info@sailcal.com

June 8-9 Go For the Gold Regatta on Scotts Flat Lake (near Nevada City). Gold Summer is here... use it or lose it! Country YC, (530) 273-6176, or wbuti@yahoo.com.

June 14-15 Stockton South Tower Race, a 140-mile adventure. StkSC, (209) 951-5690.

June 15 SSS TransPac begins, with about nine entries expected. See Race Notes, and/or check out www.sjbaysss.org for more.

June 15 OYRA/GGYC Farallones Race. YRA, 771-9500.

June 15 Coastal Cup to Catalina, starting at 10 a.m. off Baker Beach. EYC; Shirley Temming, (510) 521-7997.

June 15-16 SBRA Clear Lake Regatta, the traditional way for dinghy sailors to spend Father’s Day. Charles Heimler, (510) 845-6218.

June 21-23 Woodies Invitational Regatta, the Big Boat Series for the woody one designs. StFYC, 563-6363.

June 22-23 Easom Founders Trophy, a five-race Etchells regatta on the Circle honoring Hank Easom. SFYC, 789-5647.

June 28-30 North Sails Race Week in Long Beach. Bruce Golison, (714) 379-4884, or www.premiere-racing.com June 29 Midnight Moonlight Maritime Marathon. SFYC, 789-5647.

July 8-12 Staggered starts for the 80 boats in the highest-octane West Marine Pacific Cup to date. See www.pacijiccup.org.

Summer Beer Can Races

BAY VIEW BOAT CLUB Monday Night Madness, first half: 5/13, 5/27, 6/10. John Super, 243-0426.

BENICIA YC Thursday Race Series through 9/19. Joe Marra, (707) 748-1235.

BERKELEY YC Friday Night Races through 9/27. Paul Kamen, (510) 540-7968.

CORINTHIAN YC Friday Night Series. Every Friday night through 9/6. CYC, 435-4771.

224-6277

(619) 224-6278

COYOTE POINT YC Every Wednesday through the end of October. Mike Finn, (408) 267-7359.

ENCINAL YC Friday Night Twilight Series, first half: 5/ 3, 5/17, 6/7, 6/28. Les Raos, (925) 930-0247.

SAJ!..' «* Brokerage

J/120, Hull #153

New New J/120 ready for immediate delivery. Come join the active One Design Fleet on Sautrdays and cruise with you family on Sundays.

J/105, Sails Call, 1995

Hull #112. Sails Call, the most competitive J/105 on the market today. No money has been spared in preparing this boat for the race course.

A great value at $105,000.

J/44, Marilyn, 1991

This is one of the few 44s available. It has been professionally maintained and fully cruise ready. A Mexico vet, including '97 Ha-Ha! Includes complete race inventory.

J/105, Jellow, 2001

One of the newest J/105s on the market today. Impeccably maintained. Raced very little. Time limitations force sale of this beautiful boat. $135,000.

CALENDAR

FOLSOM LAKE YC Wednesday Night Fun Races, 5/1 through 9/25. John Poimiroo, john@poimiroo.com.

GOLDEN GATE YC Friday Nights: 5/17, 5/31, 6/14, 6/28, 7/12, 7/26, 8/9, 8/23, etc. Chris Joyce, 821-4467.

GOLDEN GATE YC Folkboat Wednesday Nights: 5/86/26 and 8/7-8/28. Ed Welch, 851-3800.

ISLAND YC Friday Nights on the Estuaiy: 5/10, 5/31, 6/14, 8/2, etc. David Hand, (925) 820-5637.

OAKLAND YC Sweet 16 Series. Every Wednesday night: 5/8-6/26 and 7/31-9/18. George Gurrola, (510) 843-9417.

RICHMOND YC Wednesday Nights: 5/1, 5/15, 6/5, 6/ 19, 7/3, 7/17, 8/7, 8/21, etc. Eric Arens, (510) 841-6022.

ST. FRANCIS YC Friday Night Windsurfing: 5/10, 5/ 31, 6/14, 6/28, 7/12, etc. John Craig, 563-6363.

SAN FRANCISCO YC Family Dinghy Series. Wednes¬ day nights, late June through early Sept. Quentin, 435-9525.

SANTA CRUZ YC Every Wednesday during daylight savings time. Larry Weaver, (831) 423-8111.

SAUSALITO YC Tuesday Sunset Series, first half: 5/ 14, 5/28, 6/11, 6/25. Tim Prouty, 331-9147.

SEQUOIA YC Every Wednesday night through 10/9. John Farnsworth, (650) 366-9911.

SOUTH BEACH YC Friday Night Series: 5/3, 5/17, 5/ 31, 6/14, 6/28, 7/5, 7/19. Joel Davis, 999-1019.

TAHOE YC Monday Night Lasers: 5/27-7/8 and 7/158/26; Dan Houseman, (530) 583-9111.

TAHOE YC Wednesday Night Beer Cans: 5/29-7/10 and 7/17-8/28. Gary Redelberger, (530) 583-9132.

TIBURON YC Friday Nights: 5/3, 5/17, 5/31, 6/14, 6/ 28, 7/12, 7/26, 8/16, etc. Gerry Gunn, 435-6038.

VALLEJO YC Every Wednesday night through 9/25. Bill Thomas, (707) 643-1254.

ITJiMAKE THE BET ON THE BOAT

Regarding the question of whether a guy with a boat or a guy with a bike could do the San Diego to Cabo Ha-Ha faster, bet on the guy with the boat. I base this opinion on an article my wife Bonnie found called Cruising to Cabo With Greg LeMond. It was. about Greg LeMond three-time Tour de France winner and some other bicycle racers doing a 1,500mile training ride from San Jose, California, to Cabo San Lucas at the tip of Baja. LeMond’s initial plan was to ride 120 miles a day, but this didn't last on Baja. Author Erik Gruenwedel explains:

''Hours later, LeMond, during a break inside the motorhome, devoured a bag of Loma Dunes while studying the map. This is crazy riding 200 kilometers a day,' he said, wiping the crumbs on his sleeve. 'It's too early in the year. It s tough enough riding this distance during the summer,' he chiickled, as he skipped down the steps, mounted his bike, and took chase on his already departed teammates.

Bob Fraik Impulse, SC 52 Dana Point

ft1!LOOKING FOR THE PERFECT BOAT

I'm sure there are a lot of people who write in asking about the 'perfect boat'. Count me in. I'm in the process of looking for a 35 to 40-foot deep water boat which will be home for me for the next several years. I'm 30 years old, have moderate sailing experience, and hope to start a circumnavigation next year with a couple of friends. I was hoping to spend about $40,000, and wanted to know ifyou have ever done an article or had people write in about the best liveaboard boat for tran- " soceanic sailing?

In addition, are there any specific features that you would insist on?

I appreciate any wisdom or information that your staff or other readers could share on the subject.

Jeremy Anderson Oakland

Jeremy There's no perfect boat any more than there is a perfect spouse. Some prefer them lean and fast, and others are attracted tofuller and more comfortable shapes. Besides, it's foolish to aspire to perfection, because there's a serious matter of diminishing returns after 'perfectly adequate'. The truth of the matter is that in good hands, probably 80% of sailboats over 30 feet are perfectly capable of circumnaviga¬ tions. If you've followed Latitude for any length of time, you know it's not that rare for folks to have circumnavigated in smaller boats. While we're not going to do it, others have gone around the world in common boats such as Columbia 24s and in even much smaller ones. While at Latitude's Sail Expo Party for circumnavigators, we had a chance to speak with Stephen and Marja Vance, who circumnavigatedfrom '79 '86 aboard a Cal 27 named Twiga, and who have earned their livings at sea ever since. Their advice: "Go with the boat you have, and keep it simple."

We think there are two important things to remember. First, that the type ofboat is not as important as the individual boats condition. Just because you buy a Mercedes doesn't mean it hasn't been trashed out. So if you don't know boats, get a survey from a guy who knows what he's doing. Second, the

Bob There's another reasog to favor the boat over the bike you can sail while you sleep easier than you can bike while you sleep.

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sea anchors night vision sextants

LETTERS

boat is nowhere near as important as the skipper. Give a poor sailor the best and most expensive boat in the world, and he's likely to end up unsafe and miserable. But give a talented skipper an average and inexpensive boat, and he'll be safe, happy, and comfortable. The old saying is as true today as it was when it was coined: "It's not the ships, but the men in them."

Enough generalities, you want specifics. On the assump¬ tion thatyou're a relatively young guy who is look¬ ing for an inex¬ pensive but functional boat that provides a big bangfor the buck, you might look into some¬ thing like a Cas¬ cade 36. They may not be the A Cal 2-27 sistership to Twiga. most modern, sleek, orglitzy design, but they sailpretty well and haveproven they can do thejob. Here's afew other good possibilities and their prices culledfrom last month's Classy Classifieds: Yan¬ kee 30, $7,000; Columbia 30, $12,500; Farallon 29, $7,500; Coronado 34, $34,000; Spencer 35, $39,000; Ranger 33, $17,000; Contessa 35, $39,000; Rafiki35, $20,000; Rhodes 38, $29,000; and a Chris-Craft 37 sloop, $21,500. Unless these boats have been trashed, they should be upfor thejob.

When it comes tofeatures that we’d insist on, it all has to do with the basics: that the keel and rudder are in good shape and firmly attached; that the mast and rigging are in good shape; that there's a good set of working sails, plus a couple ofgood light-air sails. If there are holes in the inventory, you can buy used sails inexpensively. When it comes to gear which you probably meant by "features" you'll want the following, more or less in order ofimportance: Three adequate sized anchors and appropriate rode, VHFradio, two GPS units, a depthsounder, an EPIRB, a good dinghy, and a diesel en¬ gine with lots oflife left. It would also be nice to have a radar and a liferaft, and ifyou still have money, it would be nice to have a watermaker and refrigeration. But if it's a case ofgo¬ ing without them or notgoing, you know what to do. Yes, most cruisers would have a lot more gear than you, so here's a mantrafor you: ’Less stuff, morefun.' On alternate days, tell yourself, 'Less stuff, less maintenance.' For inspiration, read Joshua Slocum, who humorously and effectively pointed out how little a mariner really needs.

How will you know when you and your boat are readyfor the trip? Sailfrom the Golden Gate to the Farallones and back five times in the spring. If youfeel comfortable at the end of that, the rest ofthe world shouldn't be much ofa problem

tNiMED CRUISER

I want to find a solid cruising boat perhaps something like a Southern Cross 31 to kick around the Med for the summer. You know, do some sailing, then do some excur¬ sions to drink wine in Italy, that kind of thing. But I don't know European brands. I'm tiying to get something for around 20K. Any ideas on where I should look?

Named Misplaced Northern California

N.M. There are so many places to look we hardly know

LETTERS

where to recommend that you start. Perhaps Turkey and Greece, which are a little off in the boonies, and traditionally where some cruising dreamsfounder. Just start visiting all the boatyards and marinas which in itself, is a heck ofa grand time. We also think that Spain and Spain's Balearic Islands would be better than the French and Italian Rivieras, as the cost of living in the latter is so extreme. Anybody else have

When shopping for a boat in Europe, expect great scenery. some suggestions?

We wish you luck and salute your concept. The Med may be crowded, but there are still manyfabulous places to enjoy, even on a relatively tight budget. Youjust have to be clever. One greatfeature ofthe Med is that you're never toofar away from side trips to all the great places in Europe. If you're in Barcelona, for instance, grab a couchette on the evening train to Paris, and the next morning you're enjoying coffee and a croissant. From there, it's only a couple ofmore hours by train to the curiosities of Amsterdam, or Austin Powers' London. Sometimes compact as in the case ofEurope is good.

HURICHMOND OR SAN LEANDRO?

While I live on Chesapeake Bay, I sail in San Francisco Bay about three months a year in the summer. After trying several different locations around the Bay, we kept the boat at Richmond, and have enjoyed some good sailing behind the breakwater and out into the Bay. Lastyear, however, the winds seemed unusually strong. We are wondering ifwe should try the South Bay, and that sailing out of San Leandro Marina might perhaps be easier. We read Kimball Livingston's Sailing The Bay, but it didn't offer much help on this question.

We sail a Pearson Ensign, which is a 22-footer with a full keel and a low center of gravity. By the way, it was recently reported that this design is going back into production, using the same molds! In any event, we often reef the main, but when it blows over 30 knots, it still gets to us. We're both over 70.

Also, do you have any information on 'blind racing', which is sailing for blind people, We do that here in Virginia.

Signature Unreadable Virginia

S.U. We're not experts on the South Bay, but we'd advise against the west side of the South Bay, as the summer after¬ noons are very windy. We're not familiar enough with San Leandro, so perhaps some sailorsfrom that area can give us a seasonal weather advisory. Generally speaking, however, we think Richmond's probably a pretty good location. It usually has quite a bit less wind than the rest ofthe Bay, and you can also take protection behind the breakwater which San Leandro does not have. Given your seniority, you might also

Now 7 California Locations!

For the umpteen thousandth time

you drive across a bridge on a sunny day, gaze at the boats on the water and promise yourself this is the year you’re going to get out on the water! But how? Rushing out to buy a boat seems a bit impetuous when you don’t even know if you’re going to like it. Lessons might be a good first step, but then what? A good club can get you off on the right foot. We humbly suggest you check out Club Nautique for the following reasons:

Award Winning Sailing School

Club Nautique offers US SAILING certified instruction from Basic Keelboat through Offshore Passage Making. Classes are taught by US Coast Guard licensed and US SAILING certified captains who have passed a rigorous screening process and are chosen for their teaching and seamanship skills. Our instructors are a team of professionals with hundreds ofthousands of miles ofexperience, standing ready to show you the way into sailing, chartering, worid cruising or racing.

Trawler School

We offer instruction through the Bareboat Charter Certificate level on our fleet of Mainship Trawlers so you’ll be ready not only for San Francisco Bay or a crossing to Catalina, but for a vacation charter to the San Juans or the Caribbean. t

Guaranteed Instruction

We are so confident in our school programs and instructors, we guarantee your success. Ifyou do not receive your certification, your instruction will be FREE until you do pass. Ask for a copy of our written guarantee for details.

Best Fleet On The Coast

If you’ve visited boating clubs with fleets that look like “Rent-a-Wreck” of the water¬ front, you haven’t visited Club Nautique. We have more, newer, better maintained and better equipped boats than anyone and as a member, you save a full 35% on your charters.

7 Locations To Serve You

We cover all of California with locations in Alameda, Sausalito, San Mateo, Marina del Rey, and now Newport Beach (2) and Channel Islands Yacht Harbor.

Weather

No, we can’t actually control the weather, but at least we’ve located our clubs where the weather is better. It’s nice to enjoy sun¬ shine rather than fog and it’s nice not to get blasted by the wind the moment you poke your nose out of the marina. Visit us and decide for yourself.

2 Memberships For pie Price Of 1

Ifyou want to cruise, race or socialize, we’re the only boating club that does it all. As a

member of Club Nautique, you are also a member ofa yacht club. So when you’re har¬ bor hopping, you’ll be able to visit other yacht clubs and enjoy their hospitality guest dock, restaurant, bar, etc. It’s a great way to cruise!

Yacht Purchase Account

We are the only club with its own yacht bro¬ kerage office and dealership, so if one day you decide it’s time to stop chartering and start owning, every dime you’ve paid in dues may be applied to your new boat.*

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We offer regattas and team building pro¬ grams for companies and groups looking to improve productivity and morale in the workplace. A fun alternative to boring indoor fare, our programs are surprisingly afford¬ able. Call for a free, no obligation proposal for your group or company.

Vacation Charter Discounts

Our in-house charter brokers are dedicated to serving your yachting vacation needs from Tahiti to Turkey. We’re linked with The Moorings and other leading fleets, so not only do you get up-to-date information with just one call, you get a membership discount.

FREE Refresher Training

If you select an “Ultimate” or “Passage Maker” membership, you may repeat a class* or take review classes at no charge whenever you feel rusty. It’s like having a free club pro at your disposal!

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There’s a newsletter, seminars, frequent sailor discounts, cruises, parties, discounts on boat show tickets, races, and more... too much to list here. In short, Club Nautique can help you withjust about every aspect of yachting, from getting started to cruising around the world all at your own pace and tailored to fit your budget. Call us for a free brochure or better yet, stop by today for the full tour!

Some

consider thejlat water and relatively benign sailing conditions ofthe Oakland Estuary. We're not up to speed on sailing programsfor the blind, so we suggest that you contact BAADS. The Bay Area Associa¬ tion ofDisabled Sailors at (415) 281-0212.

ITIIHOAX MAYDAYS

On April 16, we believe we had a hoax distress call during the Pacific Seafarer’s Net on 14.313 Mhz. It was nearly iden¬ tical to what we also believe was a hoax distress call on April 9. Last night’s call supposedly came from two hours off of Santa Cruz; the call the week before supposedly came from near Cedros Island, Mexico.

The boat claiming to be in distress last night "I'm taking on water and sinking two hours off Santa Cruz" went out on 14313. A short time later, the boat supposedly in distress claimed that they were in contact with the Coast Guard. The Coast Guard says there was no such contact. There were other things that lead us to believe that the call was a hoax. Al¬ though the boat was said to be 42-ft long, the supposed op¬ erator said there was no GPS. Nor could he give the name of the Coast Guard vessel that supposedly came alongside despite the fact that the Coast Guard vessels always give their name at the beginning ofevery transmission. In addition, the 'rescue' wasjust too fast. The radio operator's technique pro¬ file was similar to the April 9 incident.

It should be distressing to all mariners and taxpayers that the Coast Guard, which couldn’t immediately be sure it wasn't a legitimate distress call, had to dispatch a Coast Guard C130 to sweep the area. Not only does this cost several thou¬ sand dollars per hour, but it puts the S&R crew at unneces¬ sary risk. It’s a difficult situation when a psychopathic radio operator needs to bring attention to himself by initiating a hoax distress call. We have to treat distress calls seriously, but by paying attention to the radio operator's techniques, it might be possible to identify him later. Here are the details of whatwe know about the offending operator in the two hoaxes:

1) Comes on frequency 14.313 without a Mayday call to report that he's taking on water and sinking.

2) After initiating the emergency, and after we move the vessel roll call session from 14.313 to 14.300, he follows ev¬ eryone to 14.300 conceivably to create further disruption.

3) Cannot be heard from my location at 40°54'N by 124°06W. But he is heard by those over 1,000 miles away at 0400z on 20 meters after skip starts stretching out. I believe he is within 500 miles of my location.

4) Leaves the radio for extended periods of time.

5) Reports non-confirmable radio contact with S&R au¬ thorities, and visual contact with rescue vessels within an unrealistically short period of time after the initial distress call.

6) Uses either no call sign (09 April) or fake call sign (16 April).

I would only guess that the motive of the offender is to disrupt our 25 vessel roll call session, draw attention to him¬ self, and cause general mayhem. The Coast Guard and Mexi¬ can Navy S&R mission scrambles are especially disconcert¬ ing.

Any suggestions out there?

ITHour secret weapon looks like a million bucks There are many factors that allow the family' of the Mull

Robert Reed

The Pacific Seafarer’s Net Amateur Radio Station N6HGG Humboldt Bay

Outstanding sailing performance, exceptional interior layout and superb build quality are just a few of the features that helped the Sun Odyssey 37 earn Boat Of the Year and Top 10 awards in 2000. Today, just two years later, over 700 boats have been launched making the 37 one of the most popular boats in the history ofJeanneau. / . Elegant, simple, and affordable, the Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 37 is a true winner not to be missed. 7

82 to continue to be competitive after all these years. One of them as many of our opponents will attest is Alejandra, our mainsheet grinder and secret weapon. She has the subtle ability to dredgC-up one's stored away maverick behavior of years before mortgage payments and workaday taxable living took over our lives. Alejandra also has the enviable feminine ability to defuse volatile tension such as can be found in the midst of the testosterone-laden wolf pack of Jakes Gym'.

In our negotiations to secure this particular crewmember for MEXORC, I can say that Alejandra's mother was promised that her daugh¬ ter would be placed on a pedestal, and that no money would change hands. Fortunately, Fast A1 had been taking En¬ glish lessons, and had asked me when the afterguard discussed grinder gender differ¬ ences if it could be done without anatomical

I think a good caption for the photo would be, "In these days of inflation, it's virtually an insult to tell a girl she looks like a million bucks."

Jason You're obviously smitten with Alejandra, for its turned you into a blithering idiot. After thefirst paragraph, we gave up trying to edit the nonsense that you'd written. But don’t worry, everyone gets the point.

tillWHAT’S MY OLD OUTBOARD WORTH?

I have a 20 hp outboard engine that is about 10 or 15 years old. Is there a resource in the Bay Area that could help me find out how much it's worth?

John Call an outboard repair shop. Naturally, a lot will depend on the condition of the engine and whether it was marketed by Sears or by Honda. In any event, don't expect a fortune, as today's outboard motors are significantly better than those built 15 years ago.

Ill;JUNK-RIGGED BOATS

Henry Prokop wrote in to ask about localjunk-rigged sail¬ boats. You mentioned Whitefin which I wrote about in an article you published last year. She's owned by Dave Gissandaner of Dave’s Diving Service. Incidentally, Dave bought the schooner Talofa, a former Master Mariner boat that had been in Morro Bay for several years, from a Latitude ad last November. He arid some friends delivered it to the Bay a few days before Christmas, and she has been moored right

Jason James Hermosa Beach

John Imrie Oakland

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332-0943

May 4

LETTERS

off Schoonmaker Marina ever since. No doubt you’ve seen her.

Another local boat with ajunk rig is Peter Bailey’s Bertie, a Spray-design that was built here in Sausalito at the former Shipwright’s Co-op at Arques. Bertie, which is berthed at Ga¬ lilee Harbor, has several ocean passages to her credit, includ¬ ing to Alaska and back.

Steve Virello of Sausalito, known as Tow Boat Steve' for his 20-ft tow boat, is yet another local junk rig aficionado. Steve originally built his little fiberglass ’tug' as ajunk-rigged sloop with a centerboard. In fact, he once towed a 36-ft Piver trimaran for me from Black John Slough on the Petaluma River all the way to Sausalito with an earlier boat. As we were under tow to Sausalito, Steve had hisjunk-rig boat sail up to give us some extra horsepower to get across San Pablo Bay. It was quite a sight!

Steve bought a used 24-ft Gladiator sloop a few years ago, gutted the boat, and rerigged her as a junk sloop. He regu¬ larly sails up and down the Sausalito waterfront. As is the case with Peter Bailey, Steve could well be considered an ex¬ pert on thejunk rig, having designed and built the rig for his Gladiator ‘conversion’.

John Skoriak Sausalito

ITIIABSOLUTELY NOT A 'JUNK RIGGED' BOAT

We left San Francisco almost four years ago and are cur¬ rently anchored at the Flamenco Island anchorage in Panama City, Panama along with 35 other boats from all over the world. Two days ago a megayacht by the name of Tatoosh, approximately 250 feet long, transited the Canal and stopped at the anchorage of Flamenco Island. What makes this so special aside from the normal accoutrements of really big dinghies and helicopters is the fact that very neatly nestled on really big davits on the port side of the yacht is a fully rigged, 40-ft go-fast sloop! No kidding. Now that’s a class act! Sorry we couldn’t get pictures, as the yacht didn't stay long enough.

By the way, Panama City is just amazing. We have been

PaulAllen is the new owner of the 323-ft 'Tatoosh'. here for two months and just love it. Parts and supplies are available everywhere, and if for some reason you can’t get it here, you can have it shipped in and actually receive them. Panama City is an great place, and well worth the time.

Ted & Shari Two years ago, two of the McCaw brothers telecommunication mogulsfrom the Northwest launched a couple of spectacular motoryachts, said to be thefifth and tenth largest in the world. We can never get this straight, but we think it was Keith, the younger brother, who owned the 323-ft Le Grand Bleu, an industrial-looking monster painted

Ted and Shari Alcorn Mystique San Francisco

flat blue, that carried the Dubois 72 Bellatrix among other vessels on deck. Infact, they launched Bellatrix and we raced against her in the St Barts 'Parade' on New Year's Eve. The other boat, which we think was John McCaw's, the really rich brother, was the slightly smaller, 303-ft, Tatoosh, a very elegant design in gleaming white. Her 'sailing dinghy is a 43ft halfsize version oftheAgnellifamily's all carbon, all black, all nasty looking Frers' designed Stealth. Unfortunately, there had been some problem with the 43-footer, so she'd been left in Antigua and didn’t race in St. Barts.

As we all know, the last year hasn't been kind to the tech and telecom industries, and the McCaw brothers as any-

With a large motoryacht, you can carrythe 72-ft 'Bellatrix'as deckcargo. one knows who has beenfollowing thefortunes of the Craig McCaw-backed OneWorld America's Cup syndicate knows, haven't been spared. Sofor whatever reason, whichever brother owned Tatoosh sold her to one of thefew people who could still easily afford her Paul Allen, co-founder of Microsoft.

The rumored price was $100 miL Allen then reportedly spent something like $6 million buying a slipfor her inAntibes, where hefrequently kept Meduse, his little 198-footer.

Anyway, Tatoosh was back at St. BartsforNew Years this year, but her 'deck boat didn't race. And there was no sign of Le Grand Bleu. As it turns out, David, the relatively young captain, was a good friend of Doha de Mallorca's boyfriend when she lived in Palma. In the early '90s, they used to hang out together at Anne Neilson and David Lightowlefs famous yachtie bar called you won’t believe this Latitude 39. David and Doha had a nice chat over the VHF, after which he had to get back to his considerable responsibilities. And this wraps up our mega megayacht reportfor this month.

AsforPanama, we'regoing to repeat the opinion we've been expressingfor years: It's perhaps the most underrated cruis¬ ing area in the world, featuring incredible diversity, untamed nature, and countless opportunitiesfor serious adventure.

M50 COUNTRIES AND 50.000 MILES

I’ve spent the last three months in Mexico, so I’ve been a bit out of touch. But when I arrived in San Diego this week and started reading through the April Latitude, I noticed the article requesting information on West Coast circumnaviga¬ tors. Well, we're Kurt and Piella Mondloch, and we’ve just completed a 50,000-mile circumnavigation that saw us visit¬ ing 50 countries. We left Puerto Vallarta in April of '96, and headed west. We crossed our outboard track in January of last year.

Our Osprey is a Bob Perry designed Tatoosh 42 sloop homeported in Port Orchard, Washington. Probably the fast¬ est sail of our circumnavigation was from Bonaire to the San Bias Islands, where we had four consecutive 180-mile days in very spirited conditions.

We'd also heard a lot of stories about the Baja Bash, but figured that it was all relative after our six-week experience in the Red Sea. It turns out that we motored out of Cabo on

April 1, and arrived 800 miles later in San Diego on April 8! We did five ovemighters, refueled in Turtle Bay, anchored in San Quintin another night, then did a final ovemighter to San Diego. Obviously, we had an ideal weather window.

As you know, the prevailing winter wind on the Pacific side ofBaja is moderate to strong northwesterlies with lumpy seas from the northwest. Spring is the transition time, and the transition weather is signalled when a seasoned low moves over Yuma, Arizona, effectively blocking heavy northwest winds from Baja. The seasoned low established itself for the first time the day we sailed from Cabo. Although the lowmeant a 'June gloom' marine layer for Southern Ceilifornia and Baja, it meant smiling faces for us, since we didn't have to bash into heavy winds and seas. The Chubasco Net, with their ex¬ cellent weather forecasts, definitely has my vote.

Unfortunately, we'll be motoring up the coast to Seattle during the Circumnavigator's Ball at Sail Expo, but we'll be there in spirit.

Readers Ifany ofyou are heading northfrom Cabo, we'd, underline the bit about seasonal lows over Yuma blocking the heavy northwest winds from Baja. A gloom is better than a bash any day.

UUthey did it aboard aikane

My parents, Arthur J. (Mickey) and Eleanor T. (Ellie) Beland, circumnavigated from Long Beach from 1979 to 1982 aboard Aikane, a New Zealand 37 cutter. They and Aikane still reside in Long Beach.

Fred Thanksfor 'telling on' your parents. We'll add their names to our West Coast Circumnavigators List. And we'll con¬ tinue to request the names ofcircumnavigators not yet on our list.

fUlTWO MORE CIRCUMNAVIGATORS

Please add Pierre and Yvonne Harwood of the Tayana 52 Alcyone to your list of West Coast Circumnavigators. I imag¬ ine they would be the first and probably only brother and sister team to accomplish the feat. They sailed out of Vancouver, BC, but finished their westbound circumnaviga¬ tion two years later by crossing their outbound track in Ho¬ nolulu last July.

We met them in Honolulu because we were in the process of delivering our new-to-us Hylas 42 from San Diego to Port¬ land. Alcyone was tied to the front dock of the Hawaii YC, and the dockmaster asked us to side-tie with them until more of the TransPac finishers vacated their slips. Initially, Pierre and Yvonne seemed like reserved English folks, but after we got our own slip, they came by with beers and proved our initial assessment wrong. During a series of conversations, we learned that they had grown up in England, immigrated to Canada as young adults, and that for a time Yvonne had lived in Australia. Pierre went on to build commercial build¬ ings in Vancouver. We learned that both had been previously married, and that their circumnavigation was sort of a Plan B. They did have other crew for the first half of their trip, but after Australia it was too far for friends to travel. They did, however, meet their brother in South Africa.

Pierre’s original plan was to do a longer circumnavigation

Kurt & Piella Mondloch Osprey, Tatoosh 42 Port Orchard, WA

Frederick A. Beland West Coast

and return to England. But he pushed on, and skipped En¬ gland and the North Atlantic entirely. Perhaps he was anx¬ ious to see his lady friend in North Vancouver, or did he have a premonition? As for Yvonne, she told us that she could have continued on for several more years. We enjoyed their company immensely, and last saw them as they departed Ho¬ nolulu at the end of July.

When I returned to work in early October, I emailed them. I’d heard they'd had a longer passage back than we, and wanted to give them a hard time about it. When I didn't hear from them, I decided that perhaps they'd met so many people in their travels that they wanted to resume private lives. I couldn't have been more wrong. A few weeks ago we got a long letter from Yvonne with the shocking news that Pierre had suffered a heart attack less than four weeks after re¬ turning home, and that he never regained consciousness. When the circumnavigators gather, I hope they'll raise a glass to my friend Pierre.

John Colby Iris Portland, OR

liUSALT OF THE EARTH

In a response to a letter from Darryl Carrie in your Janu¬ ary issue, you mentioned a successful campaign by environ¬ mental activists to prevent the construction of a 116-square mile industrial saltworks within the UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site the Whale Sanctuary of El Vizcaino alongside Laguna San Ignacio. I was one of the individuals participat¬ ing in that campaign, and would like to respond to your com¬ ments. In your editorial, you suggested 1) That we merely enjoyed vilifying a multinational corporation, 2) That the salt¬ works was an insignificant matter compared to the threats to the Sea of Cortez, and 3) That the environmentalists have now abandoned the Peninsula of Baja California and the Sea of Cortez rather than building on our victory.

Any ofyour readers who have ever anchored in the shelter of the lagoons along the coast of Baja California know the rare pleasure ofbarely altered vistas, dark starlit nights, and only the sounds of the water lapping the shore with an occasional whale breath thrown in for good measure. But for the effort to stop the saltworks, it is safe to say this would have been lost forever to all those who enjoyed such peaceful and scenic vistas at Laguna San Ignacio. And it would have set a dangerous precedent for the future of the rest of the Peninsula’s resources.

If built, the saltworks would have destroyed habitat by changing the characteristics ofthe lagoon and the surround¬ ing area through noise, population growth, physical distur¬ bances, and indirect economic development. The plans called for the creation ofa massive 116-square mile industrial land¬ scape ofevaporation ponds larger than Laguna San Ignacio itself a million-ton salt stockpile, fuel and water tanks, a 1.25-mile long pier with a shipping dock and conveyer belts running from crystallization ponds to the pier’s end, work¬ shops, headquarters buildings, and the facilities necessary to support 200 employees while on site. The upper end of Laguna San Ignacio would be invaded by noise from 17 die¬ sel pumps operating 24 hours a day to draw 6,600 gallons of saltwater per second from the lagoon into the evaporation ponds. The pier, to be developed exclusively for transporting the salt to ocean-going ships, would have been built in a key abalone and lobster fisheries area, and in the migration path of the Pacific Gray Whales.

While Mitsubishi did provide a villain better than anyone

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LETTERS

could expect from central casting, this fight was about en¬ forcing the rule of Mexican and international law regarding protected areas, and about protecting the unique ecosystems on the Pacific Coas't ofBaja California. The victory has earned us substantial leverage, which we now use to protect the bio¬ sphere reserves in the Sea of Cortez, other marine resources on the coasts of the Peninsula, as well as to fight against the pillaging of the Sea’s natural resources. My colleagues and I have worked in Baja California and the Sea of Cortez for over a decade. It was not our first effort, nor will it be our last.

Laguna San Ignacio has four levels of environmental pro¬ tection. In 1972, Laguna San Ignacio was declared a refuge for migratory birds and land-based wildlife. In 1976, Laguna San Ignacio was declared a Pacific Gray Whale refuge. A 1988 Mexican government decree created the Biosphere Reserve of El Vizcaino, and in 1993, The El Vizcaino Biosphere Re¬ serve,was added to the International Man and the Biosphere (MAB-UNESCO) network. The Whale Sanctuary ofEl Vizcaino was also inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage Site list at that same time. Laguna San Ignacio is completely within the boundary of the Biosphere Reserve and the World Heritage Site.

The campaign to save Laguna San Ignacio did focus on whales and their habitat. As charismatic species, whales le¬ gitimately serve as focal points to stimulate public opinion in favor of efforts to protect the health of their critical habitat and the ocean generally. Whales are high-end indicators of the health of the ecosystems in which they live. There is a direct correlation between their health and the health of the ocean’s biodiversity. The Mitsubishi project was condemned as "an unreasonable risk" both to gray whales and the entire lagoon ecosystem by leading international scientists, includ¬ ing nine Nobel laureates, the President-Elect of the Mexican Academy ofSciences, and renowned whale scientist Dr. Roger Payne. In short, there was an overwhelming public and sci¬ entific consensus that World Heritage Sites, Biosphere Re¬ serves, and Whale Sanctuaries must be protected, not in¬ dustrialized as Mitsubishi proposed.

So there is no doubt about my viewpoint, from February 1995 to March 2000, I was a paid consultant to NRDC and IFAW. In the campaign to save Laguna San Ignacio, I acted as a spokesperson, strategist and advisor for the international coalition of 56 environmental NGOs working to stop the con¬ struction of the saltworks facility. Along with my graduate student research team, we helped design a strategy to con¬ vince the world’s largest multinational corporation not to build its saltworks in a natural protected area. We hope to have similar success in the future in helping to protect the Baja California Peninsula, the Sea of Cortez and our marine envi¬ ronment in general.

Mark —As we said before, it made no difference to us that the salt plant was stopped. Indeed, in terms of our personal self-interest, it would be great if no part ofBaja or the Sea of Cortez were ever developed. Nonetheless, we have major con¬ cerns about that environmental 'victory'.

1) It seemed to us that much of the tone of the campaign against the salt plant was hate-based. The world is sofull of hate right now, we think it was gratuitous.

2) Many ofthe so-called facts' against the project struck us as being intentionally deceptive. You,for instance, claim there

Mark J. Spalding Professor, International Environmental Policy & Law Graduate School of International Relations and Pacific Studies, University of California at San Diego

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LETTERS

was going to be a"116 square-mile industrial landscape". This reminds us ofNorthern California 'environmentalists' who claim that "we've already lost 90% of the Bay" as if it originally stretchedfrom Redding in the north, to Tahoe in the east, to Los Angeles in the south. In some technical sense the claim might be true, but not in the way a nor mal person would un¬ derstand it. With all due respect, we'll bet you a torta and a cerveza that your "116-mile square mile industrial landscape" claim is similarly misleading.

3) To say that the salt plant would have reduced cruisers' enjoyment ofLaguna San Ignacio is another unconscionable deception. We’ve been covering the Baja coastfor 25 years, and we’ve never heard ofa single cruising boat that ever used Laguna San Ignacio as an anchorage. Indeed, the Coast Pilot specifically advises vessels not to enter. And its not as ifstruc¬ tures necessarily destroy an anchorage. We’ve never heard a cruiser complain that there's a village on the edge of Turtle Bay or that there's an ancient smelting plant at Santa Rosalia. Frankly, these structures bring a little interest to what are oth¬ erwise virtually uninhabited and undeveloped 700-mile stretches ofcoast.

4) As you know, there's been a salt plant operating in a similar nearby lagoonfor 50 years, without any apparent en¬ vironmental catastrophe. As such, we're a little skeptical about the claim that a similar and even largerplant couldn't be safely operated at Laguna San Ignacio.

5) Above all we remain profoundly disturbed that U.S. and international environmentalists haven't been similarly vocifer¬ ous in their efforts to protect the Sea ofCortez afar greater and more endangered resource than Laguna San Ignacio. The comparative Silence of'environmentalists' over the Sea ofCortez despite the reports of terrible destruction published by the New YorkTimes and L.A. Times is deafening. The apparent lack ofconcern and action about this much greater problem is something we'd like an environmentalist to explain to us. After all, what would be sensible to treatfirst, a small infection on a finger, or gangrene on an entire arm?

6) Finally, there's the troubling matter of we Californians, who have gotten richfrom relentlessly developing our coast, demanding that Mexico's coast be left natural in part so the more affluent of us can enjoy pristine playgrounds. Doesn't that play on your conscience even a little?

If we were to give environmentalist 'activists' a bit of ad¬ vice, it would be to cut the deceptions, snowjobs, heavy spins, and other bullshit that's expected ofEnron executives. Treat the public with respect by giving us the unvarnished truth, and all possible options to resolve situations.

ftU-THE STORY AT TREASURE ISLAND

It’s been about 2.5 years since the City of San Francisco awarded the management contract of Treasure Island Ma¬ rina to Almar, who have since raised the slip fees over 70%. The old rickety docks remain, although a few have been con¬ demned as unsafe. The most noticeable improvement has been a trailer with heads and showers moved into the parking lot. Guest slips are generally not available, however dinghy privi¬ leges for anchored boats are available for a fee. The target date for construction of a new marina is the same now as it was before two years.

CheryU. The delays come as no surprise to us, for its difficult to get any project underway in Northern California, where there are always agencies and interest groups stand-

Cheiyll Buchynski

Long Time Berther, Treasure Island

Matt Lezin and partners Craig French and Tom Akrop were looking to move up from Matt and Tom's Olson 30 Animal House their on-the-water sports car. Coming from an active Olson 30 racing schedule the crew wasn't ready to give up on performance but did want something a little more comfortable for them and their families.

The Sydney 38 fibthe plan. Matt describes it as "an Olson 30 on steroids." Yet they all wanted more interior and more space on deck. The plans include an active Northern California racing schedule, some limited cruisingandweekending and eventually some of the southern circuit MEXORC and the like.

Matt's 10-year-old son Ben loves sailing aboard as do all the family and friends of these new Sydney 38 owners in Santa Cruz.

1500FerryPoint Alameda, CA 94501 (510) 337-2870 sales@nelsonyachts.net www.nelsonyachts.net

ing by to stall or oppose any project. Ifit was only up to Almar, the project probably would have been completed and opera¬ tional by now. N

A 70% increase doesn't sound like a good thing. However, since a few berths in the Bay have been well beneath the market, a percentage increase might not tell the whole story. What's the price perfootfor a slip?

fillCAT IN OCTOBER

Since I will be on Catalina for a conference in early Octo¬ ber, I thought it would be a hoot to sail there "26 miles across the sea" and back. Can you and the vast readership give me some advice and answers such as what are the wind, weather and current like at that time ofyear? Which harbor should I start from? Which charter outfits are better than others? Is there any reason not to sail to my conference?

As for background, I've been sailing for over 20 years now and am currently a partner in a C&C 36. I also crewed in the ’92 Pacific Cup, did a bareboat charter in Maine on a Sabre 34, and did three bareboat charters in the BVIs twice on Moorings 40s and one on a 45-foot cat.

Fred Walter N Healdsburg

Fred It so happens that we're writing our response to your letter from aboard Profligate in Avalon, and Bruce Wickland ofthe Harbor Patrol hasjust come aboard to put dye tablets in ourfour heads. So we asked Wickland, who is the author of the Boating and Diving Catalina, what months he likes the best.

the crowds are gone and thefall weather is warm. The water is as warm as its going to get, too. September is also very nice, but they've got a lot offish¬ ing tournaments, so its not as quiet."

*Its easy to get to Catalina from just about anywhere in Southern California even San Diego and Santa Barbara, al¬ though they are both about 80 miles away. If you're looking to come over on a bare¬ boat, it would probably be best to leavefrom Newport, Lang Beach, or Marina del Rey. Marina del Rey and Newport prob¬ ably have a better selection ofbareboats, but the wind is bet¬ ter out of Long Beach. From Long Beach, its usually a little beat and then a reach over, and offthe wind on the way back. There shouldn't be any problem with the weather, wind or cur¬ rent.

Officer Wickland recommends October.

The only reason you might not want to sail to the confer¬ ence is that you might have so muchfun going over and while there, that you may forget' the conference altogether.

STEPHENS BROTHERS TO FIVE STAR MARINA

Luciano Corsini wanted to know what happened to the Stephens Brothers of Stockton, one of the more noted boatbuilders in Northern California. Theodore’s wife is still

"The Sydney 38 is a great balance between comfort and performance for our 'over forty' team." Matt Lezin, co-owner ofnew unnamed Sydney 38 in Santa Cruz

LETTERS

alive, and there Eire two sons and one daughter. All live in Stockton. Nell Stephens, Theodore’s wife, is a lifetime mem¬ ber of the Stockton Sailing Club. Kathleen, the daughter of Theodore Stephens, and her husband, Richard Dunn, took over the business when Theodore retired. It is now called the Five Star Marina.

Don Doe Stockton

^QUESTIONS ON PLANNING FOR THE HA-HA

My wife and I are planning on participating in the 2003 Baja Ha-Ha and staying out cruising for at least an addi¬ tional six months on our Cape Dory 36. We have a couple of questions that we haven’t seen addressed on your Baja web page, Emd I haven't been able to find the answers anywhere else. Maybe you can help.

vl) We currently don't have a watermaker, and wonder how cruisers without water tanks replenish their tanks. It doesn't appear that Mexico has many tropical showers. So how hard is it to locate safe water in Mexico?

2) We currently rely on CNG (compressed natural gas) for cooking, and have found a pretty good string of filling sta¬ tions along the West coast of California. Are there facilities for refilling/exchanging CNG tanks in Mexico?

3) We don't have refrigeration and rely on ice to keep the ice box cold. How difficult is it to get ice in Mexico, preferably ice that is safe to put in drinks?

4) There is plenty of mention about the best time to make the trip down the coast to Mexico, but there isn't much about the best time to make the 'bash' back north. Can you give us any guidance?

Pat An unlimited amount of water is a wonderful thing. After the Ha-Ha, Ed and Daisy Marill of the CSY 44 Siesta wrote to tell us how much they enjoyed washing their boat withfresh water every day on the way to Cabo because their watermaker was producing so much water. On the other hand, watermakers aren't cheap, need energy to operate, and re¬ quire some maintenance, so lots of cruisers don't have them. Guy and Deborah Bunting, for example, have spent the last three years cruising their 46-ft cat in the ultra-dry Sea ofCortez. They don't have a watermaker and they even have an onboard washing machine! We've sailed our boats to Mexico something like 15 times, and we've never had afunctioning watermaker.

Unless you like to luxuriate in the shower, it's not hard to live on small amounts of water. The key is to recognize that there are three different kinds ofwater, and that each is to be used differently. We only drink and cook with bottled water, which is the most expensive and most difficult to store, so we’re careful with it. Then there's saltwater, which is plentiful andfree. We often use thisfor the washing ofdishes, clothes, and ourselves. Finally, there's the fresh waterfrom the boat tanks, which we normally use to rinse the dishes, our clothes, and ourselves after washing. You get this from marinas or hoses at certain anchorages. You can also take freshwater showers every time you stop at a hotelfor a drink or visit one of the many beaches such as La Ropa at Z-town where there are public showers on the shore.

CNG goes muchfaster than propane, and besides, it's not available in Mexico. You're going to want to switch andfol¬ low the normal safety precautions for using highly explosive

Pat Turner Salt Shaker Sausalito

LETTERS

propane.

Refrigeration is similar to watermakers in that they're not cheap, need energy, and require maintenance. On the other hand, ice cubes and chilledfood are, like unlimited water, a wonderful thing. So the choice is yours. Ice is available almost everywhere there is civilization in Mexico, and it's almost al¬ ways purificado. It's not cheap, however, and it melts quickly unless kept in heavily insulated containers. Having refrigera¬ tion, like having a watermaker, is an individual choice depend¬ ing on how much money you have to spend and how impor¬ tant it is to you.

Ironically, the best time to do the Baja Bash is summertime as long as you don't get caught by a hurricane. The next best time is winter which is when everybody wants to head south. The worst time to bash is spring and early summer, which is when most people need to head back north. Monitor the Iveather, however, and it doesn't have to be so bad.

TT4J-JUST TO MAKE EVERYONE ENVIOUS

As recent issues of Latitudes have drifted through Thai¬ land, I’ve been following the ongoing topic of teak decks and would like to add my two cents worth. After 5.5 years of cruising in the tropics, our Hans Christian 48 Annapurna is getting an extensive cosmetic refit here inThailand. This seems to be the perfect place to have the work done, as the price is extremely right, and with careful supervision, the quality is as good as you'd find in the States. And that's a fact. When I say 'careful supervision', I mean looking in on your boat once or twice a day to make sure things go as planned. Or just being arourid and available. This is what I'd do in the States, too. So far there have been very few screw-ups.

I was impressed when I read one person's report of the cost of installing teak decks in the States $20,000 to $100,000. Here in Phuket, I’ve witnessed four complete teak deck installations on boats 40 to 50 feet in length, at costs ranging from $3,500 to $7,500. These are the complete prices, and the decks were installed per Sikaflex instructions. The teak on our Annapurna is still in excellent shape, so we're just having our decks regrooved, primed, yellow-taped, and caulked for a cost of $1,200, materials included. I fully understand the differences in labor costs, overhead and such in running a business in the United States, and the freight costs ofgetting teak to the United States but I still find the difference in price enough to make me scratch my head.

Just to make everyone back home more envious, we are having our boat repainted with three coats of primer, three coats of Awlgrip, and new letters, for about $3,500 U.S. Pro Yachting, the company we re working with, is run by a young Thai couple. Pro’ his full name is about 42 letters long and Jill, who employ about 50 people. They are the nicest boat-related business people we have ever dealt with. They are professional, courteous, neat, on time, and quick to fix any mistakes with a smile. A smile is nothing out of the ordi¬ nary here in Thailand, as everybody smiles all of the time.

Another area that might be ofinterest to Bay Area yachties is stainless work. They use all 316 stainless, and the work is all the same high quality. It's a bit more expensive than the grunt work, but it's still only about a third of what's charged in California. I know I'm going to get slamrped from the boat repair companies in the Bay Area, who will say that I'm com¬ paring apples to oranges or that I don’t know what the hell I’m talking about. But I was in the trades for 30 years and know quality woodworking, metalwork, and paint work when I see it.

How practical are teak decks in the tropics? Well, you can't

Why do sailors recommend to their friends?

23rd Year 1979-2002

Choosing the right sailing school is more than just finding a place to takea class. Sailing opens up awhole new world for you, your friends and family. You wantto find a facility that gives you the life style as well as the sport. OCSC knows this better than anyone! We pioneered the “sailing club" concept over20years ago. Our focus is to provide you with instant access to every phase of the sport without requiring boat ownership. At OCSC you learn from professionals. You choose from an excellentfleet of charter yachts. You are certified to bareboat charter anywhere in the world. And you connectwith a great group of like minded enthusiasts at social activities and special events, At OCSC you have it all.

Why Berkeley?

Because sailing is a natural, sen¬ sual and intuitive activity, the plea¬ sure you derive from it is inseparable from the environment in which you sail. OCSC's central San Francisco Baylocation placesyou insailing con¬ ditions that are the envy of sailors nationwide.

The steady, consistent winds on Berkeley's Olympic Circle create an ideal training environment for learn¬ ing. AtOCSC.yoursailingvenueisthe beautiful San Francisco skyline, the Bay's most prominent islands and the alluring Golden Gate.

When chartering from Berkeley, you are immediately in great sailing conditions with your favorite destina¬ tionsalready in sight. Sailormagazine said, "OCSC's location gives itssailors instant access to some of the finest sailing on the planet."

The Best Training Program

AtOCSCwecombineourextraor¬ dinary location, the smallest class sizes inthe industryandstate ofthe art equipment with a curriculum that is thorough and efficient. Our modular training program consists of a pro¬ gressive ladder of individual classes, each dovetailed to the next with clearly defined expectations and certifications. You may step into the program at a level appropriate for your current skills. Everything neces¬ sary is included foryoursuccess: text¬ books and collateral materials, spray gearand floatvests,the right boatfor each level, even your lunches are provided with full day classes. Bring your sunglasses and a sense of ad¬ venture; we supply the rest.

Great Instructors

The thirty men and women who make up the OCSC instructional staff aresimplythe bestqualified and most prepared teachers in the industry.

OCSC instructors are US Coast Guard licensed and US Sailing certified pro¬ fessionals. Each has been thoroughly screenedforoutstandingseamanship andcommunicationsskills(fewerthan one in twenty instructor applicants makethegrade). Thenwethoroughly train them in the proven teaching methods OCSC has developed. They average over 5 years with us.

You will find our instructors to be patient, caring guides who will share your enthusiam and excitement about sailing and each new skill you master.

The Full Service Club

OCSC offers a wide range of ac¬ tivities to make your sailing easy, fun and economical. Regularly sched¬ uled events include afternoon picnic sails,moonlightsails,weekendcruises, seminars,video nights, exciting vaca¬ tion cruises around the world and more.

These activities take full advan¬ tage of our world-class waterfrontfa¬ cility, which includes a two storyclub¬ house with a commanding three bridge bayview,fullyequippedclass¬ room,and sunnyoutdoordeck,all set in a landscaped park, and all just a few steps from the forty yachts wait¬ ing at our docks.

Please visit us anytime at your convenience. We ll take the time to show you our facility and discuss your goals. You will discover that sailing is more than a sport it s an exciting new life style!

LETTERS

walk on them when it's hot in the tropics and it’s always hot in the tropics! If we were buying a boat now, she would have nonskid decks, not teak. As a matter of fact, I wouldn't have teak anywhfere on the boat! She'd also be built of alumi¬ num. She'd also have two diesels, a bow thruster, ice maker,

What's under the tent in Thailand? It's 'Annapurna'. garbage compactor, and a pilothouse. All kidding aside, we love Annapurna, and don't believe'that we could have chosen a better, more reliable, more comfortable cruising boat. We ll be in Southeast Asia for a year.

Buddy & Ruth IfThailand werejust afew miles away, we're sure that everyone would take their boats there to give Pro Yachting a try. Just as ifShanghai was only afew miles away, we'd all go load up on the latest DVD moviesfor a buck and can't-tell-the-difference Prada knock-offsfor a tenth ofthe regular price. Alas, Thailand is nearly half way around the world. But we're glad its workingfor you.

fUlWHO CAN FORGET?

I’ve read Latitude 38 from the first issue, which was 25 years ago. In fact, I saved every issue until I ran out of space at which time I gave my collection to Rob Moore.

Twenty-five years is a long time, I remember the publisher starting out at Clipper Yacht Harbor when slip fees were $2.75/foot/month. Some ofthe characters around back then were ’Broken Bottles' Bob Jensen, Rob Moore, the Waters brothers, and don't forget A1 Martin. Anchorage Marine was around then too which was the best marine supply store ever. And who can forget Wave Traders? I still have a bad check from Fat Albert for my self-steering vane; he sold it and then left town. Yes, it's been a long time. I've lived in Sausalito all my life and have seen lots of changes, so it's great that Latitude is still around. So keep up the good work.

By the way, you made some comment about S.F. bus driv¬ ers earning $100,000 a year. It's true, but in order to do so, they have to work seven days a week, during holidays, and so forth. Some drivers do it because their pension is based on the highest income they ever made in a year. But, hey, ifyou can drive Muni seven days a week for a year, you earn it.

Thomas Thomas Pearson Alberg 35, Sashay Sausalito

Thomas It's indeed been a long time. There were also Max and Vera ofMaverick, Warren of the Bounty II Dulcinea

Buddy and Ruth Ellison Annapurna, 48 Hans Christian San Francisco

which he still has and Rosa ofthe Caulkins 50. Who ever thought time would pass this quickly? Or that we'd live this long?

N

We're certain that a Muni bus driver who works seven days a week and takes all the overtime he/she can get, can ear n over $100,000. It might be goodfor him/her, but is it safefor passengers and pedestrians? Wasn't the 40 or it is 36 hour work week instituted toprevent the health hazards caused by overwork? While sailing in Mexico in the '80s, we became goodfriends with a guy who cruised all winterfor something likefive years in a row. We assumed that he was a trustfund baby, but then he explained that he was actually afull time San Franciscofireman. He assured us that ifyou knew how to work the union system, it was no problem for a full time firefighter to spend the entire winter cruising in Mexico. Ever since, we haven't been able to shake the nagging suspicion that'San Francisco taxpayers are taking it in the shorts.

tillCREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE

One of my two aged Garmin 75 GPS units went deaf re¬ cently,just before my fiance Helen was to return to the United States from the Caribbean. A few emails to Garmin obtained a return authorization, and a promise from Melissa, New Prod¬ uct Support Specialist, to expedite the repair so that my fi¬ ance could return to the Caribbean with the unit.

One week after Garmin got the GPS, Garmin had it re¬ paired and back to Helen in plenty of time for her to bring it back to the Caribbean. We would not have wanted to traverse the Turks & Caicos and southern Bahamas without a backup GPS, preferably with the same user and electronic interface, so we are delighted with Garmin’s special attention to our needs.

Roger Bohl/Helen Morgan Ariadne II Caribbean

M'VEGETABLE OIL A CURE FOR HEADACHES

I have had a Wilcox-Crittenden head in my boat for 20 years. Not wanting to have problems with this crucial equip¬ ment, I follow their maintenance instructions and use the recommended products namely, W-C Head lube. Ijust pur¬ chased another 8 oz. bottle and a maintenance kit from West Marine for $17.99, but later became distressed when I read the following instructions: "Pumping can be made easier by using vegetable oil to condition the leather and gaskets." Veg¬ etable oil costs maybe $1 a quart!

I have wondered if my penchant for purchasing 'marine grade' products was as big a waste of my money as some have been telling me. In this case, the company confirmed it.

Lynn Meissen Guayacan Morro Bay, CA

Lynn When we were chartering Big O in the Caribbean, none ofthe skippers bought anything to treat the heads. They’d just have the cooks dump the excess salad dressing into the heads, thereby 'treating' the critical rubber and leather parts of the head.

Are many consumerproducts monumental rip-offs?It seems like it. While walking through a 7/11 recently, we noticed a 1.25 oz container of "fresh breath drops" priced at 79 cents, and that got us to wondering what the cost was per gallon. If we're not mistaken, it works out to about $81 a gallon. Ifyou buy an 8 oz bottle ofdrinking waterfor 79 cents, that's about $13 a gallon. By comparison, gasoline which must be

LETTERS

pumpedfrom the bowels ofthe earth, shipped halfway around the world, refined, shipped to stations, and is then heavily taxed costs about one-eighth as much a water. Does that sound like a rip-off to you?

One mitigatingfactor, ofcourse, is the economies ofscale. If you sell a trillon gallons ofsomething a year, you can sell itfor a lot less than if you only sell 1,000 gallons. Which, we ex¬ pect, can go a long way to explaining why gas and vegetable oil sell for a fraction of the price of Wilcox-Crittenden toilet lube. But at least they were nice enough to tell you that you could use vegetable oil instead of their product.

Is it a waste ofmoney to buy so-called 'marine grade' prod¬ ucts? Sometimes it is. But in many other cases, nonmarine grade stuffis inadequatefor thejob and can lead to dismastings and other incredibly expensive mishaps. When in doubt, don't be penny wise and poundfoolish.

\

tillFERRO CEMENT BOATS

I happened upon your site whilst surfing the Internet, and could not help admiring your magazine. Despite searching, I cannot find a copy of your magazine anywhere but that's probably because I live in England. If you have any plans to go global, please let me know. Either that or I have made a stupid mistake in not being able to find your superb maga¬ zine!

I'm interested in your opinion of boats with ferro cement hulls. I am looking at a 52-ft ferro ketch at the moment, and I am having a hard time finding some unbiased advice on ferro construction. Ifyou could provide your opinion or a link to some information, I would be most grateful!

C.H.J. Waterfield Falmouth, Cornwall, England

C.H.J. We believe the quality ofconstruction is more im¬ portant than the type of materials used. In other words, we’d rather have a superbly builtferro cement boat than a poorly built one ofsteel Unfortunately, there haveprobably been more poor hulls built offerro cement than any other material, and it can be difficult to tell the good onesfrom the bad ones.

Asforgoing 'global', we probably let our best chance-slip by. We were presented with an opportunity to buy into two other marine publications in two other major marine markets outside the U.S. But we passed. We don’t like not having direct control, and we didn't want to spend more time on airplanes and less time on our boat. So thanksfor the compliments, but you can’t find Latitude outside the U.S. You’ll have to make do with the web, or move to California with everyone else.

INJrO THE RESCUE OF THE YOUNG MEXICAN MAN

I have been chairman of the Charities Committee for Club Cruceros de La Paz for about four years. Along with my hus¬ band and some people from the Mexican community, we have formed Fundacion Para Los Ninos de La Paz, A.C., as an ex¬ tension of the charity work for children in the community that Club Cruceros performs.

One of the cases that came up involved a young man from Constitucion who was scheduled to receive a kidney from his father in March of this year. Because of the low resources of this family, the foundation was asked for 7,000 pesos to help pay for medications that would be needed in"connection with the operation. We only had available 4,000 pesos, so at the Club Cruceros board meeting in March, I asked for the re¬ maining 3,000. I was told that Club Cruceros does not help children past the age of 18, and because this young man was

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19, they could not help him out.

Three cruisers who had been present at the board meet¬ ing Jeffof MoortMe, and Mike and Tonya ofAmazing Grace decided to head up a campaign to ask for donations from the cruising fleet. They announced the need during the morn¬ ing net, and within five days a total of 9,015 pesos had been collected. It was decided that the total amount would go into the account of this young man, since it was collected for his operation.

The date of the young man's operation was changed to April 18, because two doctors coming from Culiacan to per¬ form,the operation had a conflict with the earlier date. I will send an update after the operation to notify the fleet and the readers in general of the success of this operation.

The doctors and social workers of Hospital Salvatierra are very grateful for the help ofthe fleet in this matter. And words canrfbt express my gratitude to those who have come to the rescue of this veiy deserving young man.

Judy Peterson, Chairman of Charities Club Cruceros de La Paz President, Fundacion Para Los Ninos de La Paz, A.C.

Readers We're delighted to report that the patient has had the operation and everything seems to be going well. A special thanks to Jeff, Mike, and Tonya. Ifyoufolks everfind yourselfup this way, we'd like to present you with Latitude Tshirts.

Mornaith had courage and determination

Has anyone heard anything regarding the whereabouts of Ornaith Murphy and her husband? It was unbelievable to read the Latitude article which reported their status as "miss¬ ing".

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I met Ornaith in New Zealand more than 10 years ago, after her first solo sail from San Francisco to New Zealand. At the time she had a 27-footer. She's so small a gal, the boat worked for her. Over cups of tea or something stronger in the cozy cabin of Sola, she told me how amazed everyone was whenever she pulled into a port, to find that she was alone. But if you spent any time talking with her, you knew she had the courage and determination to sail wherever she wanted. With the infamous Irish gift ofgab, she was soon my female sailing hero and I was proud to boatsit for her when she returned to the States.

Another time after I helped deliver a boat from Japan to San Francisco over a course of 50 days Ornaith was the first one on the dock to greet us, and brought the whole crew home to her house for pizza and showers.

I sincerely hope you have good news regarding Ornaith soon!

Kathy Bagnell Currently Boatless

Kathy We'd like nothing better than to hear good news, but the more time passes, the less hope there is.

ftliREMEMBERING ORNAITH

The first time I raced singlehanded to the Farallones was in 1998 on a Cal 39 named SolaIII. My friend Ornaith Murphy owned the boat, and I had helped her prepare her boat for her next attempt at a singlehanded passage to Cape Horn. Unfortunately, the weather did not cooperate and she was not able to leave San Francisco with enough time to make the southern ocean before midsummer in the southern hemi¬ sphere. So there sat this battleship ofa sailboat, with no chal-

Ah-h, spring

fouling organisms blooming

In massive profusion young crustaceans longing to make life-long attachments warm bays bursting with budding slime and all that grows and clings seeking soft, weak and unprotected bottoms ah-h, spring, time for

Berthing at Oyster Cove can make boating easier, more convenient and more enjoyable!

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Oyster Cove is the privatePeninsula marina closest to Blue Water boating. Want to cruise to Sausalito, lunch at Tiburon, or sail to Angel Island? How about a day's fishing outside the Gate, or a weekend at the Delta? No other private Peninsula marina is better situated or offers nicer, fresher sur¬ roundings.

lenges to conquer. Ornaith could recognize the smell of pas¬ sion I had developed for singlehanded sailing, to stand alone with only your wits and courage against the brute force of nature, so she unselfishly offered to let me race her trusted vessel to the rock pile. I did it.

Through the years she continued to feed me the knowl¬ edge ofsinglehanded sailing and encouraged me to challenge myself in all facets oflife, notjust on the water. She was truly my mentor. Last December, she disappeared. So did her boat. And her husband, Kieran. Four and a half months later, no¬ body knows what happened.

The next time I raced singlehanded to the Farallones was in 2d02 on a Hawkfarm, a Wylie 28, named Eyrie. My friends Tom Condy and Sylvia Seaberg own the boat, and they too can smell the passion. It was a perfect day, 10-15 knots, start with the ebb, finish with the flood, surrounded by com¬ patriots. With me, I had a picture of Ornaith, taken in Ha¬ waii of the two of us sailing on her first singlehanded boat. Sola I. As I rounded the island, I threw flowers into the sea in remembrance ofOrnaith. Concurrently another singlehanded racer, Alan Hubbert, recited a poem he had written about Ornaith over the radio. I then readied the spinnaker, opened a bottle ofLillet one ofOmaith’s favorites popped an Edith Piaf CD in the player another ofher favorites set the kite and headed for home.

I miss you, Ornaith. I will never forget you.

Synthia Petroka SSS Vice Commodore/Doyle Sails

flilCREW LIST APPEAL

Please don't think I want to be categorized with "Ms." March's sex discrimination comments, but I do have an ap¬ peal to make regarding the Crew List. My appeal is more to men who read the Crew List, and is made on behalf ofwomen who have 'advertised' their interest in sailing, and are look¬ ing for just that not to be bombarded with romantic in¬ quiries.

A female friend with some bareboat charter experience was looking to get a berth on the Ha-Ha, and put her name in the Crew List. But every response she got seemed to have more to do with her than with sailing to Cabo. Figuring that she shouldn’t pass up on every opportunity, she followed up on a few responses by asking the size of the boat, how many oth¬ ers would be aboard, and what her financial and crew obliga¬ tions would be. The responses she got were typically, "Just you and me, and I ll pay for everything."

I'm not at all shocked, because Latitude specifically warned women to be contacted through email rather than giving out phone numbers or addresses. Nonetheless, I'm asking men who respond to the Crew List ads to please be respectful of those who have taken them out. After all, my friend was look¬ ing for an opportunity to experience the Ha-Ha, not the oohla-la.

Our recommendation to women wanting to sail in some¬ thing like the Ha-Ha, is notjust to list your name, but call those with boats wanting crew. That way you can do the hanging up if the other person is way offbase. We also highly rec-

James Ross San Diego

James We'll second your request that respondents to the Crew List listings be respectful. We're extremely sympathetic to women who sign up on the Lists, but who are unhappy with some of the responses. However, we're not sure what kind of mechanisms we can put in place to do their 'filtering'for them.

LETTERS

ommend the Crew List parties, because face-to-face evalua¬ tions are often the quickest and most effective. When coming to such parties, its always a good idea to bring an ally, be it male orfemale, ta assist in the process.

As frustrating and inefficient as the Crew List and Crew List Party system might seem sometimes, its had a lot ofsuc¬ cesses. Every year we hear of single women who've gotten rides and had a good time on the Ha-Ha this way.

What complicates the whole process is that lots ofwomen notjust men do use the Crew List and Crew List Parties as a way ofmeeting members ofthe opposite sex. Maybe the women aren't as actively looking as most guys, but many of the women aren't against the possibility of romance. Indeed and this may not be what yourfemalefriend wants to hear in recent years a number of marriages have resultedfrom couples meeting as a result ofthe Crew List and/or Crew List Parties. The main thing is that everybody has to be absolutely upfront about what they're lookingfor, and respect others who are lookingfor something different.

ITITLANDFALL IN THE INDIAN OCEAN

It has come to my attention that you did a two-page article on the Landfall II schooner several years ago, when she was owned by Dale Goff. I bought the schooner in early 2000, and am in the process of renovating her here on San Francisco Bay. Currently she's drying out minus a transom at Nelson's Yard in Alameda. We have done extensive work on her, and will perhaps race her in the Master Mariner's as we did last year. In any event, I would love to see a copy of the article. Can you help me?

Also, wodid you be interested in an updated story of this famous boat, which was built for Maureen O’Sullivan Jane of Tarzan in 1934, and of her adventures in the Indian Ocean and Mediterranean in the '50s? I have been compiling the vessel’s history with the aid of the Mystic Seaport Mu¬ seum and a former crewman from Australia.

Mary Sale, Wooden Boat Lover Schooner Landfall Poison, Montana

Mary We hate to say this, but if you don't know when the article ran, we probably can'tfind it. Up until recently, we weren't very good at indexing.

ITJTmultihulls in THE 2003 TRANSPAC

I'm the owner of the 52-ft racing catamaran Afterburner, and am interested in doing the TransPac in '03. They will accept multihulls, but we have to have four signed up and three of them must make it to the starting line. You might be able to help in a couple of ways. First, Profligate would make an awesome entry. Second, you could encourage other multihull owners to think about it. Second, ifyou come across anyone that's interested in doing a TransPac which is a safe, well-organized, and supervised crossing feel free to have them contact me at biE@gibbsCAM.com. Finally, you can offer your suggestions.

Bill We thought about entering the West Marine Pacific Cup two years ago, but were surprised to learn that they won't allow multihuU entries. They didn't have a specific reason, but they werefirm. So a multihull division seems like it might be an opportunityfor the TransPac to regain some 'market share’.

Bill Gibbs Afterburner Ventura

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LETTERS

When Explorer, Lakota, and Double Bullet all sailed in the TransPac two times back, it certainly generated a lot ofpublic¬ ity.

Asfor Profligate doing the TransPac in '03, we regret to say that it's unlikely. The main problem is that we're not that inter¬ ested in racingfor such a long distance, and because our cat was designedforfast cruising, not serious racing. On the other hand, ifthere were a cruising racefromMexico to theMarquesas or Tahiti, we might be tempted.

Nonetheless, there are more multihulls than ever on the West Coast, and we'd be surprised ifyou couldn't get enoughfor a class in the TransPac. We hope you do.

For what it's worth, readers. Afterburner rates -152 PHRF. During her deliveryfrom Ventura to Newportfor the Ensenada Race, she was screaming along in the low 20s when it was only blowing 15 knots.

IUIglobal warming

There were a few nasty letters in the March issue about an item you wrote discussing the state of the climate in Antarc¬ tica. Ijust want to encourage you not to let the morons grind you down. You are doing a fine job, and anyone who thinks that the world’s climate has nothing to do with sailing needs to get off the pond. There are three place that are most im¬ portant to a sailor or anyone who uses water— which I be¬ lieve is eveiyone on earth: your immediate location, the South Pole, and the North Pole in that order. Your immediate

After a few cocktails at the waterfront bar, the idea of global warming didn't seem so bad after all.

location equals weather (can I sail out today?), and the poles dictate climate (can I make it my destination?).

By the way, there was a good article in the April 2, 2002, New York Times by Kenneth Change called Deciphering Con¬ tradictory Antarctic Climate Patterns. Check it out.

Steve Burch Planet Earth

Steve We don't think thefolks who wrote us were mo¬ rons, they were just expressing opinions. In any event, the fellow who suggested that we "stick to sailing" didn't mean that global warming wasn't an issue to sailors, but rather that we should stick to writing about stuff we presumably know something about. He was miffed at our suggestion that there may be indications that global warning might not be caused by humans. As such, he'll be even more miffed about the April

2, 2002 article in the New York Times which is the most interesting article we’ve ever read on the subject. Infact, the next time some over-simplistic ecological know-it-all tries to dominate the conversation with certainty about global warm¬ ing, here's a good question to ask him/her:

Would the immediate effect ofglobal warming be to raise sea levels? Actually, it wouldn't. "Counterintuitively, global warming would actually lower sea levels atfirst. In warmer temperatures, evaporation ofocean water increases and more snowfalls, more than offsetting the melting ice at the edges. But over the longer term perhaps centuries, perhaps thou¬ sands ofyears prolonged warmth in Antarctica would add to the ocean depths."

Here's some other tidbits from that article wefound inter¬ esting:

"Those warning ofdire consequencesfrom global warming and those playing down the dangers of heat-trapping greenhouse gases can bothfindpieces ofdata [from recent scientific data] to support their views."

"The changes in theAntarctic landscape do not have a single cause. Some are part of the natural cycles of the continent. Some are probably delayed effects of the end of the last ice age. Some may have been brought on by the warming trend of the last century."

"A melting ice shelf is not necessarily a sign of human-in¬ duced global warming. Ice shelves have grown and shrunk through the ages, mirroring the natural cooling and warming of the climate."

"Thepart ofthe Ross Ice Shelfwhere the iceberg broke away is now the same smaller size it was when the explorers Robert F. Scott and Ernest Shackleton observed it at the start of the 20th century."

"The rest ofAntarctica shows no signs ofwidespread warm¬ ing. In an article in thejournal Nature in January, Dr. Doran of the University ofIllinois and his colleagues reported that ternperatures in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, a rocky, ice-free area west of the Ross Ice Shelf, had cooled about 2 ° Fahrenheit from 1979 to 1998. Extrapolating that data with other tem¬ perature measurements in other parts ofAntarcticafrom the past 35 years, they concluded that Antarctica as a whole has cooled, too."

"Scientists atNASA Goddard Space Flight Center have also reported that satellite measurements show that sea ice now covers about 2 percent more area around Antarctica than it did two decades ago, another suggestion ofrecent cooling."

"The thinning ofthe Pine Island and Thwaites glaciers "may be a direct impact ofglobal warming that happened 20,000 years ago," said Dr. Robert Bindschadler, a glaciologist at Goddard. "It may be only now thatAntarctica is getting around to itsfull-fledged response to that."

Based on this article, it seems as though the only people who don't know anything about global warming are the ones who do claim to know something.

ft11WHO WANTS $1,000?

Why are there no ads for used boat gear in Latitude? I see a lot of them in similar magazines. P.S. I get your magazine every month here in Sacramento, and love it.

Charles Kite Sacramento

Charles We're not sure. But if any boatowners want to score some cash, they only need go through their lockers and bilgesfor stuffthey don't use anymore, then take out a Classy Classified. For when readers do run adsfor used stuff, it goes

Relax.

like hotcakes.

IUIto be homeported in punta PENASCO

We'd like to request registration forms for the 2002 Baja Ha-Ha. We are part-time residents of the northern Sea of Cortez, and this spring will be taking delivery of a Gato Loco, a new Seawind 10 Meter catamaran. We've followed the past Ha-Ha's in Latitude, and would enjoy your rally being one of the legs in our trip from San Diego to Puerto Penasco, which will be the boat's new homeport.

Our plans would be to try to keep Gato Loco in a slip at Cabo from the end of the Ha-Ha until the end of December at which point we would move her north to the La Paz area. We understand that slips in Cabo are on a first-come, firstserve basis, and would like to try to reserve something that will take a 34 by 20 foot boat.

Please forward details and registration information to Lowell.mcculley@bull.com.

Lowell and Crew While the Wanderer Happily volunteers to be the Grand Poobah each year, the Ha-Ha is an entirely separate entityfrom Latitude and has beenfor a number of years. To get an entry pack, send a checkfor $15 made out to the Ha-Ha, Inc., and send it to 21 Apollo, Tiburon, CA 94920. Forfurther details on the Ha-Ha IX, see this month's Sightings.

The Ha-Ha doesn't have any control over berths in Cabo, although the marina managementfrequently assigns berths on the basis of the order that boats signed upfor the Ha-Ha. In addition to being hard to come by, berths in Cabo are muy expensive. So if money is an issue, you might want to con¬ tinue up to La Paz right after the end ofthe Ha-Ha. It shouldn't take more than 36 hours unless there is a Norther. Once you get your boat to Punta Penasco, we'd like to hear more about it.

fillLOOKING FOR SAILS FOR MY BOAT

I need some sails for my 28-ft sloop. I’ve noticed that a lot ofboats for sale in the Classy Classified section list what’s in their sail inventories some of which I need. Is it cool to contact the seller just about the sails? I imagine that most boatowners don’t want to start piecing-out their boats, but it seems like a way of getting the sails without waiting for a used one to become available. What do you think?

N. Celan Northern California

N. Wethink you'd have much better success buying used sailsfrom someone who is in the business ofselling used sails. There are thousands ofused sails around, thanks a largepart to racers, who have to discard fine sails that are no longer competitive at the highest levels of racing. On Profligate, for example, we’ve flown used chutes from Pandemonium, Swiftsure, Mirage, and other big sleds. They’re great and cost afraction ofnew sails. Given the rate that we shred spin¬ nakers, it's a big savings.

Many sail lofts sell used sails as well as new ones, but you might also try The Sail Warehouse, The Sail Exchange and Minney's, all of which specialize in used sails.

IliiMEXICO ES BUENO

My wife Sandi and I just returned from a wonderful sea¬ son ofcruising in Mexico, and can't help but respond to Laurie Paine’s thought-provoking April letter and some humble

Lowell McCulley And The Crew Of Gato Loco Phoenix, AZ

LETTERS

Big Boats, Big Fun!

There’s

advice for those heading down to Mexico for the first time.

Paine says most cruisers in Mexico "formed into groups and had little time for others.” We were based out Ofthe same harbor as Paine for a couple ofmonths this season, so we feel as though we know the community actually two commu¬ nities fairlywell. The first is the community at Marina Nuevo Vallarta, which is long established with many long time liveaboards. Like any established community, it takes a while for newcomers to break in. Even so, we always felt welcome at their potlucks, swap meets, and special night at the charm¬ ing outdoor Estudio Cafe, which is run by a local Mexican family and caters to cruisers.

The second community, across the channel at Paradise Village Marina, is much more transient. But there is an es¬ tablished potluck on Wednesday nights, run by Tealady, a well-loved local from the nearby town of Bucerias. Everyone is welcome, and every Wednesday sees a mostly different crowd, so you can't help but make friends there. In fact, we found the cruising community to be open and easy to ap¬ proach throughout all of Mexico.

We have three words of advice for anyone heading south to Mexico this winter: Do the Ha-Ha! Some people think it's

Morning start from Bahia Santa Maria. too quick a trip down Baja, that the stops are too short, and that there are too many people. Nonetheless, we suggest you do yourself a favor byjust doing it! We can't begin to tell you how many friendships you'll make that will last through your time in Baja and beyond. We literally made dozens offriends with whom we later did cockpit socializing, buddyboating, and sharing of anchorages and marinas. This season's HaHa burgee was yellow, so every time we saw one of these burgees flying in Mexico which was often we knew we had approachable friends. By the time we left Mexico in April six months after the Ha-Ha most participants were still proudly flying their burgees. The Ha-Ha is a terrific event that we can't recommend highly enough and we're not the only ones who feel this way. If Paine had started southbound with the Ha-Ha as opposed to coming north he would have had a totally different experience in Mexico.

Paine also complained that the morning nets were "overly formal and paternalistic/maternalistic." We experienced just about every operating morning net on the West Coast in¬ cluding some wonderful impromptu nets and consistently found them to be very helpful. On more than a few occasions, the nets provided us with critical information that would have taken us days to learn about on our own. Sure, there are the usual 'radio Nazis' here and there, but they're all over the world. Overall, we thought the net controls were very friendly and efficient. And as the Wanderer pointed out, if you don't like the nets, don't listen to them.

As Paine and Latitude pointed out, the irregular, expen¬ sive, and time-consuming clearing procedures need to be

thewaywe navigate anddeal with weather.

Itwilldo thesamefor you. P9 Steve Dashew

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LETTERS

changed. We agree. And yes, sometimes you’ll get ripped off for small amounts ofchange although this never happened to us away from tourist areas. Overall, we found the people of Mexico to be vfeiy friendly and honest.

We do agree with Paine that Mexico is an expensive place. There is the common impression that everything in Mexico costs a fraction of what it does in the United States and this just isn’t true. Generally speaking, provisioning costs are equivalent to or sometimes higher than supermar¬ kets and farmer's markets in the U.S.

While on the subject of provisioning, we recommend that southbound cruisers not bother with filling their bilges with all manner ofpaper goods and other stuffyou assume that you can't find in Mexico. We found everything from fluffy toi¬ let paper, to paper towels, to Zip-lock bags in plentiful supply at all the major cities Cabo, La Paz, Mazatlan, Puerto Vpllarta, Z-town and other places too. The products may not always be ofthe same quality, but they are definitely there. The only things we couldn't find, were chicken broth, canned tomatoes, and pesto. Ifyou want them, bring them with you. Similarly, if you have a BBQ that uses the little cannisters, bring plenty of refills, as they are very hard to find. As has often been recommended, bring spare parts for your boat, as you don't find many marine parts in Mexico, and importing them is time-consuming and difficult. After trying to import a boat part for a long time, some friends of ours gave up and flew all the way home to personally bring it back with them.

Continuing on the subject of costs, one can almost cruise more cheaply in California than Mexico if you stay away from marinas which are actually more expensive in Mexico.

As stated above, provisioning costs are about equivalent, there are no exorbitant port fees, and almost everything chandlery related is easier to come by and cheaper. This has not always been the case. Six or seven years ago, things were truly cheap in Mexico, and we miss those days. So Paine has a good point there.

As for his contention that there is a lack of opportunity to interact with regular Mexicans, we find this hard to under¬ stand. The town ofJarretederas which is very much a 'real' Mexican town and a short walk from Nuevo Vallarta is a good example of a village where the locals and the cruisers interact regularly and closely. We never had a problem inter¬ acting with the Mexicans, and found them to be universally outgoing, friendly and helpful. And it’s even more true ifyou make an effort to speak Spanish.

Lastly, Paine spoke disparagingly ofMexico's beauty. Hav¬ ing spent several springs in the Sea of Cortez, and having traveled throughout the Med and the South Pacific, I'd put some of the coves on the various islands in the Sea of Cortez against anyplace on the planet. This is especially true ifyou love the desert which we realize is not everyone's cup of tea.

So if you're thinking about cruising to Mexico this year, we encourage you to go and to start with the Ha-Ha. You'll have a great time!

Mark and Sandy Joiner Ku'uipo, Swift 40 Nuevo Vallarta / Orinda

Mark & Sandy Thanksfar the nice comments about the Ha-Ha. Speaking as the Wanderer, we honestly believe that our purpose in life is to help other folks have Jun. And the reason we continue to volunteer as the Grand Poobah of the Ha-Ha each year is because people seem to have so much fun. We get strokes for publishing Latitude, but its nothing

LETTERS

like the strokes we get for the Ha-Ha. So for folks with the proper boats, equipment, and experience, we recommend it, too.

The one part ofyour letter that we disagree with, is that its as expensive or more, expensive to cruise in Mexico as it is in California. This is true but onlyfor people who stay in ma¬ rinas, and who eat and drink at tourist restaurants and bars. Its true that you can cruise very inexpensively in California, but its difficult, in part because of the colder weather, fewer anchorages, and lessfree things to do. In Mexico, on the other hand, you can always be warm, there are countless anchor¬ ages, and there are endless really great andfree things to do especially ifyou love the water. Infact, check out this month's Sightings to learn how remarkably inexpensive it can be to cruise Mexico while enjoying a full, vibrant, and elegant life.

UNFORTUNATELY, I SWITCHED TO A REGATTA VEST

I'm the sailor who was knocked un¬ conscious and then overboard from the Express 37 Elan dur¬ ing the Spring Keel Regatta in March.

Like the owner/skip¬ per Bill Riess, I had been a reluctant con¬ vert to personnel flo¬ tation devices (PFD), having spent the ma¬ jority of my sailing years notwearing one. But after recent inci¬ dents including many that were Going overboard had Richard in stitches. thankfully not fatali ties, I began wearing the inflatable SOS penders about five years ago. Just this year, after hearing numerous reports of auto-inflating vests not inflating, I switched to the regatta vest for addi¬ tional safety. Having it on was a critical factor in my surviv¬ ing.

It also goes to show that no matter how well prepared you are, the worst cam still happen. Thankfully for me, I was sup¬ ported by two very courageous crewmates, Scott Sorenson and John Kernot, who without hesitation risked their lives coming to my assistance. Without them, I would not have been so lucky.

IUItoo thin to swim in

I’ve read Latitude cover to cover for 15 years, and love it. But I have a complaint. On page 197 ofthe March issue there is a great article on chartering in the Pacific Northwest, and a photograph to illustrate it shows a young boy riding a boogie board in what appears to be white water rapids. But no PFD.

I have been sailing the Bay for 12 years on boats, five more on sailboards, and have more experience on rivers. In the '70s, it was a big deal to float rivers, without PFDs, and many were drowned doing it. As professional guides, we spent alto¬ gether too much time helping to find the bodies. The thing to know about white water is that it's white because it’s full of air. Unlike water, air does not support a person. So ifyou are

Richard Beauregard Benicia

swimming in white water, you are under the surface. We used to say it is 'too thin to swim in, and too thick to breathe". In my opinion, anyone doing the boogie board thing should have a PFD with rhore floatation than normal.

The other thing missing from the boogie boarder was a helmet. The bodies we pulled from the rivers usually had dents in the heads. An unconscious person or even a disoriented person in white water is as good as dead. Not even a PFD will guarantee safety when in this condition. I would also recom¬ mend a wetsuit in cold water, particularly for small people, as the cold can contribute to disorientation.

I love all water sports and support their enjoyment but wfe should all look very closely at the risks, and take advan¬ tage of equipment to keep things safe.

Charlie Snyder

Moonraker, Ericson 35 MKII

\ ChaElie We appreciate the inputfrom someone with as much experience as you.

IUIthe iron man

v Are you still offering a Latitude T-shirt to anyone doing a full week of Beer Can racing? From my look at the Sailing Calendar, there are only two weeks with a race on everyweek¬ day night. I’m willing to give it a shot if the T-shirt offer still stands.

Darrel Lager Livermore

Darrel It does stand. Just remember to wear your PFD.

tUiSAN DIEGO BAY ISN’T UNFRIENDLY

I disagree with the couple in the December issue who wrote that San Diego Bay wasn't friendly to cruisers. From what I've seen, the only cruisers who have had problems with the. San Diego Harbor Police are those who have created the prob¬ lems. For example, people who overstay the limits at the Po¬ lice Docks; who 'cockroach' by not paying their marina bills; who ram other boats; and who get into confrontations with other mariners. In the year we've been here, the Harbor Po¬ lice has always been friendly and helpful, and we've never had a problem.

San Diego offers free anchorages, guest slips at a variety of marinas, and 30-days on mooring balls when available. We've never even had a problem getting a permit for popular La Playa Cove even on the few occasions when we've called at the last minute. With so many options available, it's inac¬ curate to criticize San Diego as a "six day harbor in a seven day week".

I think the boat that made the complaint has been in South¬ ern California for three years, which makes them residents rather than cruisers, and as such they shouldn't be using the A-9 cruiser anchorage in the first place. In addition, they Eire yesirs past the legal limit for changing their boat's regis¬ tration from Washington to California.

San Diego Bay would be a much nicer place if 'cruisers' who don’t follow the reasonable rules, get in trouble, then loudly complain about it, wouldjust leave. San Diego is more visitor friendly than most harbors, so these people should quit their whining.

A.J. Taylor

Misty Morn, Spencer 35 Coronado

A.J. Our apologies, as your letter got lost in our hard

global serwice

locally

drivefor awhile.

We consider San Diego to be cruiserfriendly. Boats not registered in San Diego County can spend up to three months a year at the A-9 anchorage at no cost, and there are several other anchoring/mooring options. It may not be everything that mariners might want, but its not bad. In addition, about 10 years ago we used to receive lots ofmariner complaints about the Harbor Police being overzealous and unnecessarily gruff. We can't remember the last time we got one.

This is not to say that we can't think of several ways in which the situation in San Diego could be improved. First of all, we're puzzled why there can't be at least one shower in each bathroom at the Police Dock guest berths. After a bash up the Beya coast or a sail downfromLong Beach, a hot shower is a wonderful thing. Ifyou get a guest slip or mooringfrom the Sheriffs Department in Newport Beach, you can take a hot shopper in a not so clean bathroom. So why not in San Di¬ ego? In addition, given the often severe lack of vacant boat slips in San Diego, it would make sense to us ifthe number of mooring balls at Laurel Street were increased or another moor¬ ingfield established.

Update! The San Diego Police Docks will be getting show¬ ers, in their new restrooms, hopefuly by the end of the year.

ItI!WHERE COULD I CONTACT HIM?

A while back, you mentioned that you thought that Jim Hagen aboard Joshua H., a sistership to my Columbia 8.7, had made it around to the Red Sea, and possibly continued on to complete a circumnavigation. I thought of writing to you to ask ifyou had any more news, when I saw the follow¬ ing [edited] email on the Columbia Yacht Owners’ Associa¬ tion bulletin board:

Last year, Tanya and I took ownership of a Columbia 8.7, which had been left in Eritrea by a wonderful American who had been on a circumnavigation before the situation here and his health deteriorated. So we have spent the last year working on Joshua H., and sailing up and down the Eritrean coast. Unfortunately, we broke the mast over a tammy lift don’t ask!!! but at least the hull now has another 30 years on it. Presently we are trying to get out of Eritrea and make it to Jeddah, where we hope we can get the engine repaired or replaced. The previous owned had installed a Universal M430 back in '92. Unfortunately, five years of neglect caused severe damage to the engine, and we re now paying the price and Torrenson Marine is rubbing their hands with glee. The other day a Kiwi from another yacht in Massawa came over to see how we were doing. He peered down at our engine and said, 'That’s a Kubota." I replied, "No, it's a Universal." Anyway, for many years he sold and worked on this exact model engine in New Zealand. He said they were great en¬ gines and that we should do everything we can to get it re¬ paired. We shall see." [Signed] Julian and Tayna.

Since Jim left the U.S. in 2001, he couldn't have known of the CYOA, and would not have registered his boat, so I can’t find his address there. Maybe you would know of some way I could contact him to compare notes about the 8.7s behavior offshore.

John We only knew Jim Hagen through his letters, but we're very sorry to hear that he apparentlyfell ill. He'd been a real inspiration, as he'd only been sailing a short time before he began what we believe was an attempt to do a singlehanded

John Somerhausen Pampero IV, Columbia 8.7 Douglaston, NY

circumnavigation. We hope he's well, and would love to hear news of him.

By the way, we know the Joshua H. well. She was origi¬ nally owned by Harold Upham, who retiredfrom Pac Bell after undergoing open heart surgery. Harold sailed the boat in two of the early Singlehanded TransPacs.

ITHall about bandon, Oregon

I’m currently rebuilding and outfitting aWharrani Tangaroa catamaran in the fishing port of Bandon, Oregon. I've found this southern Oregon harbor at the mouth of the Coquille River to be extremely boater friendly, secure, and inexpen¬ sive.

For example, the harbor personnel recently came to my rescue when uneven tire pressure overstressed an axle on the extensively modified trailer I was using to tow my 37-ft cabout of the water. They loaned me their portable welder so I could make repairs and eventually take the boat a half mile down Highway 101 to her new work shed.

Bandon, the gem on Oregon's south coast, welcomes cruis¬ ers and delivery crews on the often difficult passage up and down the coast of the northwest United States. Twenty miles south of Coos Bay and 80 miles, north of Brookings, north¬ bound crews can take haven in worsening conditions, while southbound boats can stretch a day's sail past Coos Bay to help shorten the long Pacific Coast passage.

The Coquille River bar is dredged to 13 feet, and with the aid of the channel range is passable at all tides. The entrance is marked by a two-mile and a one-mile lighted buoy, as well as a horn when there is limited visibility. Naturally, extreme care should be taken on the few days of the year when surf breaks on the bar. Bar conditions can be obtained from the Coast Guard in Coos Bay which maintains a rescue boat in Bandon from late spring through early fall or from the Port of Bandon during working hours by calling 541-3473206.

There are 90 well-maintained berths in Bandon Harbor, with fees ofjust $7/day for boats up to 40 feet. The prices are slightly higher for larger boats. Diesel and gas are available, and there is a pump-out station. The Port is currently con¬ structing an extensive nature observation walk along the harbor perimeter, and will soon start on two large fingers for boats up to 110 feet. Old town Bandon fronts the harbor, and there's a good selection of shops and restaurants. More info about Bandon is available at its own website: www.portofbandon.com/.

Walter Alter Tezcat, Wharram Cat Bandon, OR

HITWE EXPECTED LONG, HOT WALKS

When we departed California for Mexico in 1997, it was not without some trepidation. But we were confident, thanks to years of planning we had binders full of Latitude articles on everything from best anchoring spots, to Loreto Fest, to Christmas in Z-town, and the like.

Although we were unsure as to what life in a foreign coun¬ try would be like, we were never mislead nor had any doubts about "The Mexican Paperwork Cha Cha." We expected long, hot walks to opposite ends of the village to visit the Capitania de Puerto, Migracion and API (Port fee) buildings. We were laughingly told that was how you got to see so much of the town! We anticipated 15-minute experiences turning into all¬ day projects. After all, didn't everything take longer to ac¬ complish in Mexico?

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offers

have

events on the Bay and

vaca¬ tions. "They made me feel like one of the family," said Robert McKeague. 7

LETTERS

So we were a bit taken aback by all the discord regarding checking in and checking out, walks to the various offices/ bank, and the amount of time involved to accomplish tasks once undertaken.as an adventure. We're sure that it’s the matter of additional fees that are the bone of contention, but gosh, we didn't used to be so whiney. We're not saying we always enjoy the process we won't even go into the fun of renewing FM3s but we've never felt that we, as visitors in a foreign land could do anything about it. One can always be hopeful that the letter writing to Mexican officials will be ben¬ eficial to the future cruising generations. In the meantime, Mexico is still a land of wonders.

We continue to make our dream happen, and recently fin¬ ished a trip inland to the Copper Canyon and surrounding areas. What a monumental adventure and bargain that is!

Roy and Keri Hendricks Ramblin'

s v Mazatlan, Mexico

Roy & Keri Based on our conversations with cruisers, the complaints are evenly split; about half are mostly upset about the amount of the fees, while another half is mostly unhappy with the excessive amount oftime required to check¬ in and the irregularities in the procedures. We’re bothered by both of them, because compared to the rest of the cruising world, both the fees and the hassle are excessive. Yet we’re bothered even more because Mexico is shooting itself in the foot,for they are about to spend a quarter ofa billion dollars to attract American boatowners at the same time they are mak¬ ing life unnecessarily difficult for the mariners who already have come down. The current system is simply not in Mexico's best interest. We're confident that they are ultimately going to realize it, itsjust a matter of how long it will take. Nonethe¬ less, cruising in Mexico is certainly worth the expense and hassle.

MA $300 TO $500 CRUISING PERMIT

Having spent most of the time since the 2002 Ha-Ha thor¬ oughly enjoying sailing the west coast of Mexico, we thought we would add our two cents to the idea of an annual cruising permit for Mexico. We've added up our fees for checking in and out so far, and they’ve come to around $350 U.S.

So in our opinion, $300 to $500 U.S. wouldn't be out of the question for an annual cruising permit. Perhaps there could be term fees similar to those for fishing licenses week, month, and year. For those passing through Mexico on thenway south or north, a shorter term fee might be applicable. We would also support the concept of being able to check in with a port captain via radio, so they could keep track of foreign boats in their waters.

We haven't had any problems with the current system other than that it's cumbersome. The only questionable incident we had was with Immigration in Cabo, when the official in¬ sisted we bring back a receipt showing payment to the bank plus 100 pesos in cash for them! We're pretty sure that wasn’t legit. We found most of the port captains to be friendly and helpful, and were especially pleased with Chacala and La Cruz, which were one stop deals because there wasn't any Immigration or bank.

Our experience with San Bias, however, will lead us to avoid it in the future. We were sailing northwest from Chacala to Mazatlan in the company of a singlehander aboard Second Wind, when the weather turned nasty. So at dusk on Satur¬ day night, we turned into Mantenchen Bay, which isjust south of San Bias, and dropped our hook about a half mile off-

shore. Almost immediately, we got a call on the radio from "Norm", who apparently is the self-appointed representative ofthe port captain. We have no idea how 'official' his position is. Anyway, usirtg the call name Jamon orJammin, he started berating us as law breakers and told us in no uncertain terms that we weren’t welcome there. "Get out, we don’t want you here!" is one of the things he said.

We left at first light on Sunday, at which time Norm called on the radio again, and launched into a harangue about us being lawbreakers. Bob, the skipper of Second Wind, got into a very tactful but lengthy conversation suggesting that Norm try to make cruisers feel more welcome. Norm responded by criticizing Captain Rains’ cruising guide to Mexico and Lati¬ tude for disseminating false information about Mexican law.

It seems to us that a sailor should not have to fear taking refuge from stormy conditions anywhere along the coast. If it haji not been Saturday night, and ifwe had planned on using any San Bias facilities, enter the Port ofSan Bias or go ashore, we would have been happy to check-in and out. But it would have cost us at least two if not three days to comply. By that time, our guest waiting in Mazatlan would have been a bit frantic.

P.S. Yes, the no-see-ums at Mantenchen Bay are as bad as reported.

Don & Mary Lou We're infavor ofweek, month, and year long cruising permits, but believe that $500 would be too much for even a year. It's just completely out of line with what all other countries charge, and doesn't recognize all the foreign money that cruising boats bring to Mexico.

Asfor the clearing mess in San Bias and Mantenchen Bay, the blame rests squarely on the shoulders ofthe Mexican gov¬ ernmentfor having unclear laws and allowing port captains to interpret them any way they want. There is no way for a cruiser to know whether he/she needs to check in at San Bias ifanchored in Matenchen Bay, and it's hard to rely on the port captain's word, because the previous San Bias port captain screwed many cruisers by claiming they had to use a service to check in and out.

Asfor Norm Goldie, it's a bit ofa strange situation. As we understand it, he and his wife Janet are New Yorkers who moved to San Bias something like 30 years ago when there weren’t many people cruising in Mexico. Over the years, the couple more or less made it their life's work to become semiof¬ ficial ambassadors to cruisers. There is no doubt that the couple has helped many cruisers get through tricky situations, both in town and on the water. In recent times, however, cruising Mexico has become commonplace, and an increasing number of cruisers feel that they don't need anybody's help, or any self-appointed authority sticking his nose in their affairs. We think thefact that cruisers no longer need his help as much as they once did is hard on Norm, as is the fact that he's no longer in the best health. It's doubly complicatedfor us at Lati¬ tude, because in the past several years we've entrusted him with several thousand dollars we raisedfor the poorfamilies living in the mountains above San Bias. Let us state clearly, however, that we're absolutely confident Norm has spent the money well. Itjust makes things more sticky.

What strikes us as being odd about Norm going offon you is that you arrived on a Saturday night which means you couldn't have checked-in until Monday anyway. The only rea¬ son we can think that Norm ragged on you is that he mistak-

Don and Mary Lou Oliver Cappuccino, (berthed in El Cid) San Ramon, CA

LETTERS

enly thought you'd, been there all week.

Alas, these are exactly the kind of predictable problems when there arefuzzy laws which are erratically and unevenly enforced. It's notthe end ofthe world, but it sure is annoying, and it creates unnecessary problems. Porfavor, Mexico, get it together by the start of the cruising season nextfall!

tlIIWATERWORLD TRIM TO

I saw your item in 'Lectronic Latitude about the trimaran that Kevin Costner used in the movie Waterworld seemingly just gathering barnacles in San Diego. Actually, there has been a lot of progress on the boat most of it behind the scenes and under the tarps. For example, the cockpit was redesigned, a new engine was installed, and the interior was redone. In addition, the owner bought the old mast from near sistership Primagaz, and had it shipped over from France.

Bob Dixon, who helped Dennis Conner build the America's Cup cats, and who sailed with Steve Fossett on Lakota and Bob Hanel on Double Bullet, is the project manager. His last project was repairing the carbon fiber mast on Bill Gibb's 52ft catamaran Afterburner.

So the Waterworld tri isn't as bad as she looks. Painting the hulls will be one of the last projects, at which time she'll be an exciting addition to the West Coast Sailing scene.

Chris Glass San Diego

Chris Thanksfor your info. We did call Dixon, who con¬ firmed that progress is being made. We still think its a shame that Fossett's Lakota, a near sistership, was sold awayfrom the West Coast. That tri was infine shape and ready to go.

fUlWOULD LIKE TO LEARN MORE

I’m a 35-year-old single woman in decent shape who was introduced to sailing last year. I did a three-week trip from P.V. to La Paz, and later did smother 10 days in the Sea of Cortez. I’ve also done a few races here on the Bay, and com¬ pleted the basic sailing class at Tradewinds Sailing School.

I’m writing because I’ve become hooked on sailing and would like to do more of it this summer. I don’t want to race quite yet, but I’d like to learn more skills and do more day sailing. I catch on fast, am a hard worker, easy to get along with, and always willing to learn something new. Can you help?

Donna H. Northern California

Donna First, check out the Daysailing Crew List that appeared in theApril issue, and make some calls tofolks who are actively lookingfor crew. When sailing with anyonefor the first time, it’s good to have at least one other woman aboard. Second, although you're not interested in racing yet, we rec¬ ommend the evening beer can races. This isn’t serious racing, but it’s an excellent opportunity to quickly increase your sail¬ ing skills. Once the races are over, you go back to the club¬ housefor a drink and a burger, and can’t help but meet lots of otherfolks who need crew. Since you’re in the East Bay, you might try the Wednesday night races at the Oakland YC, or the Friday night races at the Berkeley or Encinal YC. If you ask, somebody will try to help you get on a boat.

We've been swamped with letters forthe last several months, so if yours hasn'tappeared, don’tgiveuphope. Wewelcomeail letters that are ofinterest to sailors. Please include your name, your boat's name, hailing port, and if possible, a way to contact you for clarifications. By far the best way to send letters isto email them to richard@latitude38.com. You can also mail them to 15 Locust, Mill Valley, CA, 94941, or fax them to (415) 383-5816.

All fired up.

A 35-ft sailboat caught fire in Richardson Bay on April 4, and burned almost to the waterline before it was put out. Spectators stopped their cars and crowded the docks and beaches as Jeff Chase’s boat billowed thick black smoke for nearly an hour offSchoonmaker Point Marina while local boat¬ ers tried to extinguish the flames, and firefighters with plenty of desire but no fireboat stood helplessly by.

The fire apparently started in the area of a gasoline gen¬ erator used to generate electricity. The exact cause was un¬ der investigation. Soon after the fire started and began to ’spread, Chase and three companions boarded three dinghies tied alongside and rowed to safety. No one was injured.

In addition to Sausalito Police, the Marin County Sheriffs, and both city and county firefighters, the Coast Guard also showed up in a 47-footer from Station Golden Gate. But they could not get close to the burning boat as it was reportedly moored in less than five feet of water. When the fire was fi¬ nally brought under control, only about two feet of the un¬ named sailboat’s hull remained above the water. The mast and rigging had fallen earlier.

Fire officials at the scene estimated that the blaze might have been brought under control in a matter of minutes if they had a fireboat.

As a result of this fire and an earlier fire on another anchored-out boat farther up Richardson Bay in February in which a 50-year-old man died ofsmoke inhalation Sausalito may be on the way to replacing the fireboat they retired years ago because of age.

“When firemen are standing on the dock and a boat is burning, I’d say that something needs to be done,” said Bruce Huff, chairman of the Marinship Property Owners Commit¬ tee, whose members include most of the Marinship (east of Bridgeway, north of Napa St.) marinas. After the latest boat fire, the MPOC drafted a letter to the Chamber of Commerce urging the City to secure both a fireboat and better police protection so that ‘water parcels’ enjoy equal protection to those ashore.

Soon after the fire, the Sausalito FD also mailed an appli¬ cation for federal grant money to buy a $215,000 boat. City officials are reported to be supportive of both actions.

Eight bells.

Thor Heyerdahl, archeologist, mariner and one of the last great adventurers of our time, passed away on April 18 at his beloved Colla Michari in Italy. Diagnosed a bit more than a week earlier with brain cancer, the 87-year-old Heyerdahl started refusing food, water and medical treatment on what his son called his "last ride into the sunset."

Heyerdahl came to public prominence after the war when he sailed the balsa raft Kon-Tiki 4,300 miles from Peru to Raroia Atoll in the Tuamotus. The voyage radically altered long-held concepts of the origins of the Polynesian race. (The book about it so mesmerized our young mind that it heavily influenced our desire both to read and to cross oceans.) What you might not know is that Heyerdahl developed his theories of immigration after he and his wife, Liv, were adopted by a Polynesian Chief in 1937 and had lived as Polynesians on Fatu Hiva for a year.

Heyerdahl went on to other voyages (notably the reed rafts RA and RA II across the Atlantic) and other expeditions. He spent his last years still heavily involved in archeological and ecological pursuits. In 1994, on his 80th birthday, he was asked what was most important to him.

"We seem to believe that we know everything about this planet and about human life," he said. The more science advances, the mbre we ought to realize that we know almost nothing. Twenty years ago, nobody would believe that little man could pollute the ocean or the whole atmosphere. I m very concerned about the fact that we are today able to dis¬ turb both the air we are breathing in and the water that keeps the plankton alive that is necessary to have enough oxygen in the air. What is really important for me today is to make as many people as possible aware of the fact that we are a lot of people on a small planet, and if we don't take care of this plahet, we are going to destroy it for future generations.'

On April 3, 2002, Harry Bruno died from complications related to diabetes. For those ofyou who had the pleasure of knowing him he needs no introduction. For others, Harry was boqa Aug 10, 1908, in Knoxville, Tennessee. Later, his family moved tox Bakersfield. He attended U.C. Berkeley where his passions were football and architecture. In 1932, he gradu¬ ated from the School of Architecture, and pursued this ca¬ reer for many years in Oakland. Apart from designing many homes and business buildings (including several in the Jack London Square development), he gave countless hours to the City of Oakland in many capacities.

Harry had many diverse interests but sailing was his passion. Some of his early exploits were with Tim Moseley on Orient. Several transatlantic crossings with Gordy Martin on Katrina C as navigator, plus a TransPac or two added to his boating days. He always shared his navigation skills freely with friends which was quite the opposite of most early navigators who kept their talents shrouded in mystery.

Harry was also at home in smaller boats. He and Ed Thrall worked a winning magic in Yama Bahama in the Bahama 24 Class during the '60s. He's also been a great crew addition to groups of local yachties for Bay and coastal trips as well as joining them in various other locales as Costa Rica, S.E. Alaska, Baja, the Caribbean and other more or less idyllic spots. He was in on the early formation and design of the Metropolitan Yacht Club. More recently, he had been an ac¬ tive member of the Oakland Yacht Club.

He has been a great true friend and sailing buddy to many of us, always enthusiastic, and full of ideas and stories. We will really miss him.

Sheldon Cook, Richmond YC

Don't fear El Nino?

It looks like we're headed for another El Nino winter, so the news media is spreading the traditional gloom and doom. But is it all bad? What is rarely reported is that El Nino con¬ ditions almost always coincide with good things such as greatly reduced numbers of hurricanes in the Atlantic. The much higher winter temperatures on the East Coast also mean hundreds less deaths and a huge savings in energy. In fact, when the Bulletin ofthe American Meteoroloical Society tried to calculate the costs versus the savings in the United States of the last big El Nino, which was in '77-'78, they concluded that the damages were $4 billion, while the savings were $19 billion! So despite the extensive damage El Nino caused in California, on the whole was it a good thing?

Low bridge, everybody down...

We thought of that old Erie Canal song line when a reader directed us to http://koti.mbnet.fi/~soldier/towboat.htm. We don’t know what river it depicts, nor when the incident took place or even ifthe pictures will still be there when you call

LOOSE LIPS

it up but if you have internet access, check it out. It's a sequence of photos showing a tug going under a drawbridge that didn't openIn time.

Correction.

Your 'shorts' on Clipper Cove leads us to cheer the come¬ back ofTreasure Island YC. And we do want to celebrate with you the resource ofTI Sailing Center. But if what constitutes 'a community sailing center' is "a nonprofit run byvolunteers with programs of interest to sailors of most ages and all skill levels," thenTI Sailing Center is not San Francisco's only commuhity sailing center.

Here at Sailing Education Adventures, we operate from offices in Fort Mason Center (not-for-profit tenants only), teach sailing to adults on our boats in Sausalito and run summer sailcamp with Lasers and Bytes in San Rafael. Teaching adults is by volunteers; our sailcamp director and support commit¬ tee are volunteers; maintenance is volunteered; events orga¬ nization is volunteered; strategic planning, well you get the picture. And we've been doing it for 25 years or so.

John Paul Watts Program Director Sailing Education Adventures

John Our apologiesfor the oversight.

The eagles haven't landed quite yet.

But sometime in the near future, you may once again see bald eagles,during visits to California’s Channel Islands. The big raptors were once plentiful enough there that the islands were considered a 'stronghold' for the species in Southern California. For reasons not entirely clear, they eventually dis¬ appeared, with the last sighting in the '60s. An attempt to reintroduce the eagles about 20 years ago ended when they were unable to reproduce due to DDT contamination. With the state and federal governments finally settling the remain¬ ing legal claims brought against companies releasing DDT and PCBs into coastal waters, a five-year study is now un¬ derway to determine ifthe eagles can finally be brought back.

The next Caribbean island?

Don't make your reservations just yet, but scientists are closely watching the underwater volcanic mountain known as Kick 'em Jenny, just off Dominica, for the possibility of eruption. The steep peak is only 177 meters below the water, and eruption(s) could well add enough material to break the surface and eventually form the next Caribbean Island. The bad news is, it probably won't happen in our lifetime.

Port San Luis opens new boatyard.

With the opening of a new state-of-the-art boatyard, Port San Luis is not quite as funky as it has historically been. The new facility opened on March 2. It took 133 truckloads of concrete to complete the 40,000 square foot public part facil¬ ity (another 5,500 square feet is set aside for Harbor District boats and equipment). The 9-inch thick slab is canted slightly so that all water runs into shoreside drains and a three-stage clarifier that keeps everything clean.

From The New Yorker Magazine, April 30, 1949: "West Coast Intelligence: The City Council of Sausalito, California, is considering a petition from a group of citizens to have the name of Hurricane Gulch, a local geographical feature, changed to Zephyr Valley."

SIGHTINGS

apples, oranges and indians iron

As this was written, the giant catamaran Orangewas almost a month into her attempt to beat the Trophee Jules Verne round-the-world record of 71 days, 14 hours, which was set in 1997. Although her pace was almost three days ahead of the boat that set that record, Olivier de Kersauson’s 92-ft trimaran Sport Elec, she was coming into a critical juncture as she attempted to pick the best route through the Doldrums

“a tiny mousehole between the Cape Verde Islands, where the tran¬ sition between the systems of the South Atlantic and northeast Trades should pass without a pit stop,” as the creative press releases from her shore team pht it.

Those who have followed this story on the internet (madforsailing.com or www.maxicatamaran-orange.com, ifyou can open it we can’tj will know this boat started life as Innovation Explorer, one of three 110-ft sisterships designed by Gilles Ollier for last year’s The Race. Under skipper Loick Peyron, Explorer took second to Grant Dalton’s Club Med in that 6-boat round-the-world marathon. She’s currently under the command of Loick’s older and more famous brother Bruno,'who'N you may recall set the original Jules Verne mark of 79 days and change with the 86-ft cat Commodore Explorer back in 1993.

Orange, which wears the garish color of the title sponsor, a French telecommunications company, started her race off Ushant Lighthouse on March 2. Ironically, this was the same day that current record holder

While Orange was blasting around the world in pursuit of the Trophee Jules Verne, another of the Ollier maxi-cats from The Race attempted to break its own trans-Atlantic record.

In 2000, barely out ofthe builder’s yard a month. Grant Dalton and the crew of the 110-ft Club Med sailed across the Atlantic from Cadiz to San Salvador in the record time of 10 days, 14 hours. The crossing counted not only as a new record, but as Club Med's required trans-ocean qualifying run for The Race.

Only a few months ago, England’s Tracy Edwards acquired the boat via a three-year sponsorship deal to make several record run attempts with it, including the Jules Verne and the next edition of The Race, scheduled for 2004.

Edwards came to sailing fame in 1989'90 as skipper of the Farr 58 Maiden, the first all-women crew to participate in the

maidens

Whitbread Round the World Race. She returned to the spotlight briefly in 1998 as skipper ofanother all-woman crew, this time aboard the 92-ft catamaran Royal Sun & Alliance (ex-ENZA New Zealand] on an attempt to break the Jules Verne record. That project came crashing down along with the boat’s mast during a Southern Ocean storm three quarters of the way to their goal.

For Maiden II, Edwards assembled a 16-member coed crew, whose female con¬ tingent includes many returning Royal Sun & Alliance crewmates. Among the continued middle of next sightings page

orange cont’d

Olivier de Kersauson radioed that he was aborting his new attempt to break the record because his new 110-ft trimaran Geronimo had suf¬ fered a steering failure and was returning to France. (Orange herself was coming off a breakdown two weeks earlier, she had had to re¬ turn when her masthead broke off.)

Orange had a good run down the Atlantic, taking a little under eight days to cross the Equator. This was not quite good enough to beat the current record for this stretch ofthe Jules Verne Sir Peter Blake and the Kiwis on the 90-ft catamaran ENZA New Zealand set the standing Ushant-Equator record in their 1994 run around the world.

By contrast, the run across the Indian Ocean was brutal. Slaloming through a “meny-go-round of repetitive lows,” Peyron and his 12-man crew either had too much wind at one point they were doing 20 knots under bare poles in 55 knots of wind or it was too much and right on the nose, necessitating throttling the big boat way back to preserve gear. According to crewman Yann Elies, this was a major difference between Peyron’s managment style and that ofCam Lewis, Elies’s skipper on his last ride around the world during The Race. “On Team Adventure, everything was sacrificed for speed,” he said. “On Orange, management of the men and gear is the most important thing with an eye on long-term performance.”

Orange lost two days to Sport Elec in the Indian, though she still recorded the fastest-ever time from Ushant to Cape Leeuwin (the southwest corner of Australia), the second ofthree great cape ‘turning marks’ that must be left to port. Conditions started to improve after Orange “returned to the West” by cross¬ ing the International Dateline on April 5, and continued into the Pacific, where she ticked off several 600+ mile days and hit a racehigh (so far) 39.7 knots, once again extending her lead over Sport Elec. A week later, she slid by the third of those turning marks Cape Horn in a rainy, foggy dawn. She was only 43 days out of Ushant another record and three days ahead of Sport Elec. Now, with piuch of her provisions having been eaten up and the boat considerably lighter, came the promise of some real speed. Unfortunately, a huge high-pressure sys¬ tem camped on top of them and for the first time in their watery orbit, the wind "went almost completely away. Making the best of a frustrating situation, crew¬ man Elies remarked, “It’s good to enjoy the boat for a change, to dry out a bit and laze on deck between watches."

Another game of dodge-ball developed as Orange came out of the decaying high and had to skirt the bottom of a big low. When all was said and done, she was 1,500 miles east of the ‘normal’ track of a home¬ stretch Jules Verne boat, but now firmly on the ’con¬ veyer belt’ of the Southeast Trades doing 24 knots di¬ rectly toward their destination. Peyron’s two remainh mg objectives at this writing were to pile on the miles < to stretch their lead now a bit more than a day % and secondly, to position himself in the right place at £ the right time (that ‘mousehole’) to squirt through the 1 Doldrums.

l2 Orange has to cross the finish line by midnight on =j May 12 to earn the Trophee Jules Verne and the new record. We.’ll let you know if they did it next month.

SIGHTINGS

the circumnavigators ball maiden

It wasn't the most organized gathering in the world we forgot to have a sign-in sheet and the battery was all but dead in the ‘interview’ laptop. And it wasn’t the most well thought-out get-together chairs would have been nice. But all things considered, we have to say the first ever Circumnavigators Ball was a big success.

Even the term ‘Ball’ was discombobulating to some people. We meant it to refer to the globe, but some folks wondered if they were supposed continued on outside column of next sightings page

Outwardly, theymaylooklikejustregularfolks, s buteveryone in this shot has circumnavigated. Inset, the flawed but well-intended Certificate of Circumnavigation.

male members of the crew are Brian Thompson, former boat captain of Steve Fossett’s maxi-cat PlayStation (and former 60-ft trimaran Lakota) and Guillermo Atadill, whose 45,000 miles ofexperience on the boat (he crewed The Race on her) has proven invaluable. Somewhat oddly, Edwards herself was not aboard. She

cont’d

stayed in England to continue fund¬ raising, but played a key role in onboard decisions and weather routing.

Unfortunately, the depth of talent on Maiden II didn’t mean much when Mother Nature has other plans. Just 200 miles short of her goal, the wind shut down and the attempt was called off.

circumnavigators ball cont’d

to come in tuxedos or something. Not at all: it was a very low-key affair held at our booth at Sail Expo at 6 p.m. on Friday, April 19. We supplied food and beverages, the circumnavigator s supplied in¬ spiration and stories.

In all, upwards of 50 circumnaviga¬ tors attended, representing 35 separate trips around the world. (Some on the accompany¬ ing list made two trips.) And what a cross section there were five singlehanders, in¬ cluding Pat Hemy (the first American woman to circumnavigate solo) and David Clark (oldest official solo circumnavigator). The earliest circumnaviga¬ tion represented was that of Cliff and Marian Cain, who circled the globe from 1964-1967 on the 21-ft Laurent Giles yawl Trekka which they’d bought offJohn Guzzwell af¬ ter he sailed it around the world back in the ‘50s. “We didn’t buy that boat because it was famous,” said Cliff. “We bought it because it was all we could afford at the time!”

Trekka was not the smallest boat, though. That dis¬ tinction belonged to Acrohc Australis, which Serge Testa sailed around the world from Australia to Australia in the mid-’80s. That self-built, self-designed craft was only 12 feet long. We’re fairly certain that Bob and Kristi Hanelt’s 53-ft yawl Skylark was the'oldest boat represented. It was built in 1937 and circumnavigated in ‘72-74. Bob and Kristi even brought along their crew, Robert Fouts. The largest vessel represented was the 180-ft, three-masted barque Picton Castle, upon which Jean Burke did a roundie-round in the late ‘90s. The complete list of who was there ap¬ pears on the next page. Thanks to each of you for taking the time to attend, especially those who made the trek from Southern California, out of state, or out of the country Pat Henry came all the way from Mexico! We even wel¬ comed a racer Amanda Swan-Neal. Most cruisers know her nowadays as co-author/lecturer and wife ofJohn Neal. But a decade ago, Amanda was part ofthe all-woman crew (along with Dawn Riley) aboard the Farr 58 Maiden when they raced around the world in the ‘89-’90 Whitbread.

Each attendee received an “I’ve Been Around" button and a ‘Certificate of Circumnavigation' signed by Davey Jones and the Wanderer/Poobah/Publisher ofLatitude 38, Richard Spindler. If you have circumnavigated and would like either of these items, you’ll have to attend the next Circumnavigators Ball at next year’s Sail Expo. That s the only way to get them. (These will likely become even more § coveted for a last-minute mistake in paste-up: we have the § northerly track missing the Red Sea by almost a thousand | miles and taking yachts right across Iran. Oops.)

We also handed out questionnaires to all attendees 3 and they’ve been trickling in. When we get enough ofthem, continued on outside column of next sightings

1965-1996 1970-1976 tS72;l974 1972-1985 1977- 1983 1978- 1987 1979- 1 9S6 •1981*1983 1982 1988 1983-1987 1983-199? 1983- 1994 1984- 1986 1995-1997 1985- 1991 1985-1991 1985 1992 1987-1991 1999-2001 1989- (995 1989-1997 1989-1990 1992-1999 1992-2000 1992- 2000 1993- 1999 1993-2001 1995-1997 1995-1999 I 397-1999 1997- 2000 1998- 2000 1998-2001

We’ve already gotten some great responses on those topics already. Again, thank you, folks. It was great to finally meet (or re-meet) all ofyou. We’re sorry the venue wasn’t a little more comfortable and con¬ ducive to getting to know you (especially over the loud music going on at the party in the next booth). We’ll try to work out the bugs by next year.

money is not the problem

Have a nice boat and wish you could afford to go cruising? Think again. It's not as expensive as you think. It fact, it can be startlingly inexpensive. Guy and Deborah Bunting are living proof. They’ve been elegantly and stylishly cruising Mexico for the last three years on far below what's considered the poverty level in the United States and having the time of their lives.

The couple sailed across the Pacific aboard a Prout catamaran in the early '90s, and on a whim listed the boat for sail while in remote Vanuatu. Almost before they knew what was happening, somebody offered them full price, and their boat was gone. So they decided to build a more performance-oriented cruising cat, incorporating all the knowledge they gained from their first Pacific cruise. The design they selected was a Morelli & Melvin 46. They rented a house in Vista, Cali¬ fornia, and got to work. Deborah went to work to make money to buy continued on outside column of next sightings page

The wheels ofjustice grind on in Wash¬ ington State in one of the more bizarre criminal cases in memory; that of a man who kept his wife "imprisoned" on a sail¬ boat for more than a decade.

Victor David was arrested in 1997 when a social worker finally demanded to see his wife, which the state had been paying him $500 a month to care for since 1985. Thing is, no one had seen the woman in years and the state was think¬ ing she was dead. David finally agreed, rowing the social worker out to his sail-

anchor-out money no problem cont’d

boat anchored off of an Everett marina. There, the worker found Linda Everett in the forepeak, unable to move, barely able to talk, showing signs of years of beat¬ ings (including broken bones) and covered with filth her own and that of seven German shepard dogs which also lived on the boat.

David claimed she had multiple scelerosis and "fell a lot." Victor David, now 61, was immediately taken into cus¬ tody. Linda David, 52, now blind, brain-

materials, and Guy went to work on the boat. The creation took five years to come to fruition including nearly a year of sanding and fairing but the result is Elan, an example of superb craftsmanship. Furthermore, it's beautifully appointed with Deborah's art work. “Wow!” is the word that comes to everybody's mind when they step aboard.

Craftsman like Bunting are few and far between, of course, so it’s not recommend or even necessary that you build your own boat. You can buy lots of great ones and for not that much money in a week or two. They might not be Elan, but they are perfectly adequate for cruising.

Guy and Deborah intended to spend a few months in Mexico before continuing on to the South Pacific. As it turned out, they fell in love continued middle of next sightings page continued on outside column of next sightings page

money no problem cont’d

with the Sea of Cortez. Guy loves to sailboard and dive, while Deborah enjoys her artwork, cooking, and nature, so it was a good fit. The Bun¬ tings aren't marina people who take a slip for months at a time and regularly grab cocktails and dinner at the near¬ est waterfront bar. Once they provision, they tend to go out and stay out for extended periods. When thinking about what to make for dinner, they don't go to the mercado Guy jumps into the Sea to find the special of the day.

As you might expect from folks with an im¬ maculate boat, Guy and Deborah keep precise fi¬ nancial records which they were willing to share with us. For the year 2000, they spent a grand total of$15,203. This in¬ cluded all their boat sup¬ plies, marina expenses, two trips back to the States, health insurance, boat insurance, administrative expenses, car expenses pretty much everything. Fifteen percent of it went to pay for repair damages caused by a whale and by hitting a dock. Still, that's a lot of great natural living in a great environment for not much money.

Despite some splurging last December, they still managed to cut their annual expenditures in 2001 by a whopping 26% to $11,194. From January through the end of November, their average normal ex¬ penses plus medical, health, and storage expenses came to just $6,833. In December, however, they cut loose with a trip home, sailboarding gear, car insurance, art supplies, medical expenses, and such that amounted to $4,360.

Between 2000 and 2001, the Buntings 'normal' daily expenses dif¬ fered by $6 for the entire year or about 7/l,000ths of a percent. Where they really saved money in ‘01 was not hitting a whale and a dock, which saved almost $2,000, and by dropping their boat insur¬ ance, which saved them another $2,400. "Since I built the boat and did two significant repairs," I decided that I could fix anything," says Guy.

The Buntings do have some advantages over the average couple thinking about going cruising. They are experienced cruisers, they have a paid-offboat, Guy is a talented craftsman, and Deborah is an accom¬ plished artist. Nonetheless, ifyou had a paid offboat and got to spend all your time cruising, you could learn to become pretty good with your boat and would even have time to develop your artistic talents.

Cruising it doesn't have to be expensive.

joyant reborn

One of the most beautiful boats ever to grace these pages splashed back into her element on Saturday, April 20, in front of a small but appreciative gathering of friends at Rutherford’s Boat Shop in Rich¬ mond. She was Bob McNeil’s Joyant, a 58-ft P-Class sloop that had not touched water since Gerald Ford was in the White House.

Regular readers will probably remember the “before” part of this story, which ran in our April, 2001, issue. Joyant was designed by Nat Herreshoff and launched in 1911. One of the first real ‘rule beaters,’ continued on outside column of next sightings page

not average

damaged and unable to walk or care for herself, was institutionalized. She will likely never resume a normal life and must be cared for 24 hours a day.

In 1999, at his second trial (the first was declared a mistrial when thejury couldn't reach a verdict), David was convicted of second-degree assault and sentenced to 10 years in prison. During this

Above, ‘Joyant’s sleek lines and long overhangs harken back to another era. Right, Bob McNeil tries out the cockpit with daughters Katherine and Emily.

cont’d joyant cont'd

second trial, it was disclosed that David had a moderate income and probably lived ashore, only visiting the anchored-out boat often enough to occasionally feed the dogs and his wife.

In 2000, the state agreed to pay $8.8 million to Linda after a lawsuit on her be¬ half charged state workers with negli¬ gence. Just this year, the state finally won its own court case which will make its group of London-based insurance firms foot about half that bill.

she was so successful that she almost killed the class. The P-Class fathers eventually had to modify the rule to make Joyantless competi¬ tive and new boats more so. In the sad but familiar aftermath of so many other race boats, she thereafter went through a series ofowners, each seeming to take less care of her than the one before. After the ‘20s, she basically went off the radar screen until she sank at her mooring off Portland, Maine, in 1975. She was raised, but as the crane was lifting her ashore, one ofthe slings broke and the boat fell onto the rocky shore, destroying her starboard side. She was raised, hastily blocked up and basically forgotten about for the next 25 years.

McNeil, who is probably best known in racing circles for his R/P 75 continued on outside column of next sightings page

joyant cont’d class

Zephyrus IV, spends much of his summers at a waterfront home in Maine. He mentioned to Rutherford that he might be interested in re¬ storing an old classic to moor near his Islesbro house and sail in local events. In one of those odd twists of fate, Rutherford located Joyant in Cape Cod, only about a day’s sail away from central Maine.

But when Jeff and Nick Adams went to check out the boat, they found her bilge filled with 2 feet of compost and raccoon droppings and (they found out too late) the boat was surrounded by so much poison ivy that it put them in the hospital for a day. There was very little left of'^Joyant that was salvageable, but McNeil was by then so intrigued with the boat and her history that he gave the green light for a restoration anyway. Rutherford had her last mortal remains trucked west and has been working on her ever since.

Truthfully, technically, Joyant is new construction using a few se¬ lect pieces that were salvaged from the original. Among these are beau¬ tiful grown hackamatack knees (braces) between the hull and deck. As for the rest, Jeff obtained copies of the original lines drawings done by the Wizard of Bristol himself and built the boat from those. To McNeil, x however, this boat is Joyant. When asked if there would be a christen¬ ing upon relaunch, he replied, “No, they already did that in 1911.”

Beyond that, McNeil didn’t want much more press for himself. ‘This should be about Jeff Rutherford and the crew of people who put this boat together. I’ve never seen a better restoration.”

Now that he mentions it, neither have we.

Joyant should be sailing by this month. Look for her on the Bay, but look fast and take your pictures now. After shakedown in our local waters, in June, Joyant will once again be loaded onto a truck for a return to her old haunts in New England.

And talk about a busy summer McNeil’s R/P 86 ‘maxi-sled’ Zephyrus Vwill also launch early this month and start her sea trials in preparation for the Pacific Cup. But that’s a story for next issue.

playing with fire

Flames were leaping in front of us, and smoke was billowing every¬ where. We could already feel the intense heat, and strained to see even a few feet ahead. But instead of turning around and running the other way, my wife and I plunged straight into the burning inferno. No, we weren’t crazy or suicidal. It was just another day at school. Today, the subject was fires and how to put them out. The school was New Orleans-based Delgado College Maritime Training and Fire School, and the instructors were professional New Orleans firefighters. Stand¬ ing right next to us as we advanced, they monitored our every move and watched carefully as our team brought the roaring fire under con¬ trol, then extinguished it all in less than 30 seconds.

The firefighting followed three days ofclassroom lectures and evening homework. Three days after that, we exchanged our heavy fire suits and air packs for survival suits. Then, in a simulation of abandon ship, we activated our EPIRBs, jumped into the water and struggled to get into a liferaft. The fun was just beginning.

Normally, we spend the Christmas holidays in a decidedly more relaxed manner. But due to maritime licensing regulations imposed worldwide on February 1, 2002, both merchant mariners as well as most licensed yacht skippers are now required to have special training in order to retain or acquire their licenses. The new regulations are known as STCW ‘95, or Standards of Training and Certificates of Watchkeeping.

In the past, the U.S. Coast Guard mandated that only merchant mariners and yacht skippers with an ‘Oceans-Endorsed’ License (more than 200 miles offshore) were required to have additional training in advanced firefighting, radar and lifeboat certification. Their reasoning was that ocean-endorsed yacht captains could not call 911 when out continued on outside column of next sightings page

One of the finer pleasures in our life is coming into a new port and bumping into an old friend. We enjoyed this delightful experience once again last month at Avalon, when we spotted a classic wooden ketch named Bonnie Doon. The name rang a bell, but having heard tens ofthousands of boat names in the last 25 years, we couldn't place it. Then something clicked, and the name Andrew Dossett came to

Seehowshescoons! Theschooner Vagabond’ strikes apostcardposeas shepowers through The Slot.

SIGHTINGS

act stew cont”d mind.

In the early days of Latitude 38, An¬ drew owned Seagull Marine in Irvine, which was the West Coast distributor for popular marine products such as Avon liferafts, Avon inflatables, and Seagull outboard motors. In the course of doing research on a couple of stories, and at some of the boat shows, we were intro-

at sea, and many of the training requirements were geared toward maximum self-sufficiency. Whether a fire, an injury or abandon ship, skippers were required to have the training necessary to handle most shipboard emergencies at sea. Which is where schools like Delgado come in.

Before STCW came into effect, licensed captains could be content learning rules of the road, weather, seamanship and a few navigation courses. But not anymore. Now it’s advanced firefighting, radar, first aid, CPR, offshore safety and survival, and ‘social responsibility’ train-

stew cont’d class act

ing. Many of the current requirements are a direct result of catastro¬ phes like the Exxon Valdez accident in Alaska in 1989.

Not to be confused with courses for captain’s licenses, STCW train¬ ing is for those who already hold a license, or intend to sit for the exam. They will need the STCW certification either to upgrade or for their skipper’s license. At the present time, the Coast Guard does not re¬ quire STCW for a ‘Six Pack’ license or Near- > ' Coastal License (up to 200 miles offshore). But \ < it's believed that eventually some sort of ad¬ ditional training perhaps a watered-down version of STCW will be mandatory by Feb¬ ruary, 2003, for them as well.

We didn’t travel across the country to at¬ tend school at Delgado because we wanted to visit New Orleans, although that may have been reason enough. Rather, the high cost of taking these courses locally led us to check out more reasonable out-of-state options. At Delgado, the combined Radar Unlimited and Advanced Firefighting package cost $570. By comparison, the same two-week course at nearby California Maritime Academy was $1,700! It was actually cheaper to drive cross¬ country and back (motels and food included) than to take the classes at Cal Maritime.

While I had to count pennies, my wife Miri’straining and expenses were paid by her employer, NOAA, since it was a requirement of her position as crew aboard the research ship Ronald H. Brown. Many of our fellow classmates were also sent by their vari¬ ous companies and unions. They included supply boat captains, off¬ shore oil rig crew and merchant mariners who flew in from their ships in Africa and the Middle East to attend the school. But these days, more and more Topsiders are being seen in such classrooms as private yacht skippers rush to get their STCW certificates.

While we were at Delgado, we found that other State Colleges offer equally competitive training courses. For example, the Young Memo¬ rial Campus of Louisiana State College in Morgan City offers a whole agenda of maritime courses for a single tuition fee of $265. Mariners can take as many classes as they can absorb in a three-month semes¬ ter.

We also found reasonably-priced training for all levels ofSTCW train¬ ing at Clatsop Community College in Astoria, Oregon, and Merchant Marine Training Services (MMTS), a private company headquartered in San Diego. MMTS also offers satellite courses taught at different locations in the Bay Area.

All these offer combined or individual modules. But only a handful of schools, like Delgado, offer the five-day advanced firefighting pro¬ gram.

At the end of the two-week training, I knew my drive across the country had not been wasted. The instructors and staff at Delgado were superb. By the time students graduate from this school, they know how to control and fight fires effectively and perhaps just as important, how to prevent them.

They will know the proper procedures for abandoning ship, inflat¬ ing and entering a liferaft (not as easy as you might think) and even the proper way to don a lifejacket, both in and out of the water.

While cruising sailors are not required to have STCW, or know which fire extinguisher to use for an engine room fire, many would undoubt¬ edly benefit from an STCW course. (There are no eligibility require¬ ments anyone willing to sign the release form can take the training.) While our training was mandatory for our licenses, we would have taken it even if it wasn’t. For the price of an average cruising seminar and slide show, skippers and even their crews can take basic safety and survival training that might one day save lives. continued on outside column of next sightings page

duced to Andrew. We didn't talk that of¬ ten and never had the time to become good friends, but we always liked him for his quiet demeanor and natural elegance. A real gentleman.

A few years later, we heard that Andrew had been bought out or something, and was headed to Europe aboard his boat. We figured he'd have some snazzy modern boat, but

WMKm

Just ‘doon’ it above, Andrew and Corky. Right, ‘Bonnie Doon’ in Avalon.

cont’d

should have known better. He was sail¬ ing across the Atlantic in his beloved Bonnie Doon, a Gene Wells designed 37-ft wooden ketch. From time to time, we'd hear secondhand tidbits of Bonnie Doon!s adventures, and something about being lifted aboard a ship in the Middle East and taken to Asia. But we never got the full story.

As we dinghied over to Bonnie Doon at continued middle of next sightings page

stew cont’d

My wife and I have many years of sailing, both coastal and blue water, under our belts. Yet we both have a lot to learn, and those two weeks of STCW training proved it. We still don’t have solutions to every possible problem out there, but we now feel confident that, in most situations, we will be prepared. We weren’t just playing with fire.

—john skoriak

The author gratefully acknowledges Coast Guard Licensing in Port¬ land, Oregon, for their assistance in obtaining the most up-to-date infor¬ mation on the new STCW regulations for this article. Forfurther infor¬ mation, you can contact Skoriak at MARlNEXCH@aol.com.

SIGHTINGS

special k class act

We are the proud owners of Wanderin Star II, a Kettenburg 40, hull #26. Recently, we completed a restoration process that has been ongo¬ ing essentially since our purchase of the vessel in April of 1992. For the first three years of ownership, we lived aboard, cruised her locally off the coast ofSouthern California, and completed numerous projects in the water, such as rebuilt transmission, polished fuel and water tanks, exterior varnish, refinished deck and topsides, new standing rigging, refinished mast, boom, and spinnaker pole, and interior refit including new cushions, cabinetiy, and interior varnish and paint.

In 1995>jye reached a crossroads. Knowing our ultimate goal is long range cruising, we knew we had two choices:

1) Purchase a new or relatively new cruising boat and fit it out for cruising, or 1

2) Get serious about restoring the Kettenburg 40 in other words a complete structural restoration, not just cosmetics.

After looking at various fiberglass boats in the 35-45 foot range, including those that were-five to ten years old, we had an epiphany:^ fiberglass boatsxlo not age well, with the exceptions of Hinckleys, Mor- ' ris Yachts, Pacific Seacrafts and a few others which were not in our price range in 1995. After 5 to 10 years, most other fiberglass boats look outdated to us, anyway as they are usually not designed along classic lines.

We decided our love affair with our K-40 was just that: a love affair, and we could not trade her in on a fiberglass boat. So in June of 1995, continued on outside column of next sightings page

Avalon, we had no idea if Dossett still owned her, but decided to see. When we hailed the boat, a tall, thin gentleman came on deck and sure enough, it was Andrew! Fifteen years or so had passed, so he looked a little older, but he quickly remembered us, and still had that natu¬ ral elegance. He introduced us to his wife Corky, and his dog, whose name we've forgotten. We had friends in the dinghy with us, so we didn't have long to talk.

catnip cup

Since there are more cruising catama¬ rans than ever on San Francisco Bay, Glenn Fagerlin, owner of the Kronos 45 cat, wonders if mo re owners might not be interested in doing a 'Catnip Cup' on June 8 and 9. The C.C. is a no-host, semispontaneous fast cruise for cruising cats from the Golden Gate Bridge to Vallejo, with a return the following morning. This continued middle of next sightings page

cont’d special k cont’d

The most important thing we learned was that Andrew and Corky were about to head north with Bonnie Doon for a visit to San Francisco, which was great news, as we might be able to spend more time to¬ gether then.

In any event, if you see Bonnie Doon on San Francisco Bay, a tip of the hat is in order for a classy guy, who knows the value of lasting quality.

A paili

HER n Ml . Wk

we hauled out in Marina del Rey for the long haul. Over the course of five years on the hard, we gutted the interior from the V-berth to the engine room and began and completed! a complete structural restoration of Wanderin Star II. This complete restoration included:

• Removal of all furniture, counters, wiring, plumbing, engine, fuel systems, tanks. In other words, she was a bare hull inside from stem to stern.

• New floor bolts, new keel bolts, new carriage bolts (from rib to floor, and at deck joint).

• Replacement of 46 ribs from the V-berth to the engine room.

• Replacement of four of the eight structural floors.

• Replacement of structural stringers.

• Replacement of three planks.

• Complete refastening removal of each silicon bronze screw and replaced with new (8,000 fasteners total).

• Removal and rebedding of chain plates.

• Complete overhaul of Westerbeke 4-107 Diesel engine.

• Reinstallation offurniture, counters, fuel tanks, fuel systems, elec¬ trical systems, plumbing systems, engine, water heater, alternator, new electrical panel, Heart Inverter, etc. etc., all with new parts and all to exceed ABYC standards.

• Complete refinish of interior paint, varnish, etc.

• Fabrication of custom stainless steel integrated bow piece: anchor roller, bow cleat, and forestay chain plate.

• Fabrication of custom stainless steel stern chainplate.

• Resplined and glued spruce mast and boom, refinished.

• Installation of custom Garhauer boom vang and mainsheet trav¬ eler, upgrade of all blocks to Garhauer blocks.

• Complete refinish of exterior ofboat: varnish, deck, topsides (deck and topsides are LP).

This is a partial list of the items completed since 1995. The boat is a brand new boat, both in structure and systems. Over the five years that the boat was out of the water, we moved to Illinois with the boat, in the hopes that the lower cost ofliving would assist us in completion of our project. However, after one winter of dealing with a psychotic boat yard owner and finding our car doors frozen shut in April, we hightailed it back to California where we completed the restoration in a storage yard in Gardena. We lived an a rundown apartment in Mar Vista (Los Angeles, near Venice) to keep our expenses down while we spent every weekend and vacation in the yard in Gardena. We spent many 4th of July's, New Year's Days, and other holidays dreaming of spending the "next holiday" at Catalina Island while we toiled in Gardena on our project. (Being a Marine Surveyor, Dan was also able to devote time to the project between surveys.) Dan completed 95% of the struc¬ tural work himself, pretty much everything except fitting the new planks. For that, we hired shipwright Greg Rice, who has since become a good friend of ours. After the planking, Greg stayed on an extra week to help finish the last of the refastening.

Also figuring in the restoration was Paul Kettenburg, who we con¬ sulted by phone on several occasions. He was helpful, friendly and excited that a K-40 was being so well cared for. We hope to get our boat down to the Kettenburg regatta in San Diego to see ifwe can meet him in person and show him Wanderin Star II.

After five long years, we scheduled our relaunching for August 1, 2000, our eighth wedding anniversaiy. On July 26, 2000, a crane op¬ erator who was loading the boat on the truck for her final dry land journey to the Marina del Rey waterfront, dropped her on her keel and banged her into a boat trailer, causing $22,000 worth of damage and delivering a severe blow to our frayed nerves!

After regaining our balance and composure, we remembered what we had learned after five years: never give up! We also learned the value of videotape, and after watching our boat dropped on her keel without severe structural damage, we realized we had "done good", and that the structural restoration was quite sound! After some fun continued on outside column of next sightings page

special k cont’d catnip

conversations with the crane operator1s insurance company, we were able to have the damages repaired quickly, and the ‘new’ Wanderin Star II was finally launched on August 23, 2000.

After a few more months of interior work, we moved aboard in De¬ cember, 2000. After another six months of work on the rig, mast, bow chainplates, etc., we took her for her first sail on Father’s Day in June of2001. Our maiden voyage back to Cherry Cove, Catalina Island, was over the Fourth of July weekend 2001.

Since that time, we have been actively cruising Wanderin Star II to Catalina, anfcf even trophied in a local cruisers race from Marina del Rey to Long Beach. We have a two-week cruise planned to Santa Cruz, San Miguel, and Santa Rosa this coming September. It’s great to fi¬ nally be sailing!

Daniel and Carol Ryan

remeiiibering the other ‘club med’

Many moons ago perhaps the late '70s or early '80s there was a boat builtfor the now defunct OSTAR race named Club Mediterainee and sailed by Alain Colas. IfI remember correctly, she was about 200 feet long, hadfour masts, and was set upfor singlehanding. Whatever happened to her?

John Green

The story of Club Mediterainee now Phocea is a fascinating one. As you correctly recalled, the amazing tale started in 1972 when the great French sailor Alain Colas won the OSTAR (Observer Singlehanded TransAtlantic Race) with the 70-ft trimaran Pen Duick IV. Having barely beaten Vendredi 13, a rather odd-looking 127-ft threemasted staysail schooner, Colas decided to do the '76 OSTAR with a gigantic version of Vendredi. That boat was Club Mediterainee at 235 feet LOA, 35 feet wide, and with four 100-foot tall masts by far the largest modern boat ever to race the Atlantic! The gigantic steel hull was launched upside down and literally made a big splash swamp¬ ing most everyone who had gathered for the event.

That Colas was going to singlehand such a huge yacht naturally caused an uproar. However, a sailing accident on another boat nearly cost Colas a foot, and as a result he wasn't able to give the monster yacht a proper shakedown. As well, a severe problem with breaking halyards wasn't discovered until the race had begun, and Colas had to stop in Newfoundland for repairs. While he was there, French legend Eric Tabarly streaked by aboard the 73-ft cat Pen Duick VI, taking OSTAR line honors by nearly eight hours. To add insult to injury. Co¬ las and Club Med were assessed a 58-hour penalty for outside assis¬ tance.

Not surprisingly, such large yachts were thereafter banned from the OSTAR and most other races. After being fitted with a basic interior (she was a stripped out shell for the OSTAR), Club Med became a day charter vessel in French Polynesia. Colas Was lost during the '78 Route du Rhum singlehanded race, after which his gigantic yacht fell into disrepair.

Four years later, the big schooner was rescued by the wildly flam¬ boyant French businessman Bernard Tapie, who later gained infamy by owning the Olympique de Marseille soccer team and battling with French authorities. Tapie rebuilt part of the yacht's hull, lengthened her to 243 feet, raised the freeboard, heightened the masts by 20 feet, and doubled the sail area to an astounding 18,000 square feet. The interior was done from scratch in the most luxurious manner. In addi¬ tion to the master stateroom, there were nine cabins and room for 18 crew. She was renamed Phocea, in honor ofthe people who had founded Marseille, by the designer's wife. During a terrific eight day, three hour trans-Atlantic crossing, she clocked speeds up to 30 knots. continued on outside column of next sightings page

is all about meeting other cat owners, checking out other cruising cats, and having a fun and relaxed time on the wa¬ ter. About 15 cruising cats usually par¬ ticipate.

The folks at Vallejo say they will re¬ serve lots of dock space for cats on the night ofJune 8th, and that the charge is $ 15 for the night for boats up to 50 feet.

Folks can either share food on each oth¬ ers' boats, or visit one of the two water¬ front restaurants. So if meeting other

more iacc racing

The first-ever IACC (International America’s Cup Class) yacht race on the Bay, featured in our March issue, is ap¬ parently well on its way to becoming a regular feature. Last month at Sail Expo, IACC San Francisco’s John Sweeney an¬ nounced that organization’s official 2003 schedule four events from May through October, culminating with the IACC Worlds October 13-19. Four Bay-based teams and four international teams have already committed to the series. The anvolvo

For those ofyou not following the Volvo Race on the Internet, a lot of water has passed under the proverbial bridge since our report last month. Perhaps the big¬ gest news is that illbruck Challenge did notwin either Legs V or VI, although they still top the leaderboard.

In a real heartbreaker, the John Kostecki-led illbruck team did lead most of the 4,450-mile Leg V, which started in Rio de Janeiro on March 9. But on March 26, withjust 12 hours to go, illbruckblew out their light masthead genniker and AssaAbloy slipped into the lead. With the potent afterguard of skipper Neil McDonald, navigator Mark Rudiger and tactician Chris Larson, Assa carried the lead in very unpredictable conditions across the finish line off Miami. Illbruck followed an hour later and Team Tycowas just 12 minutes behind them to take third.

At the start ofLeg VI to Baltimore, only Assa and the women on Amer Sports Too were not over the line when the gun went off. Despite the restart for the other six boats, the fleet or at least the leaders stayed pretty tightly clumped for the relatively short 875 mile sprint to Balti-

cont’d

cruising cat sailors sounds as though it might be fun then email Glenn at afagerlin@qlcapital.com.

We've always used the Catnip Cup as a fundraiser for various charities we sup¬ port. If you're interested in participating on either leg there is great transporta¬ tion up on the ferry and are willing to chip in $ 150 a leg for big cat experience aboard Profligate, email richard@latitu.de 38.com. on the bay

nouncement was also made that IACCSF will be governed by an Advisory Board comprised of four owners and two sailing professionals. The latter are Paul Cayard, representing the U.S., and Tommasso Chieffi, who will represent Europe.

The next LACC race on the Bay is the Sausalito Cup on May 25-26. Four boats will be in attendance, including Oracle Racing’s US 49, which will be flown up from New Zealand for the event.

updatemore. Again, numerous variables played to or against the boats, with Jez Fanstone's News Corp eventually taking the win, Grant Dalton’s Amer Sports One sec¬ ond, Assa third and illbruck fourth. Ironi¬ cally, previous News Corp skipper Ross Field had just stepped off the boat in Mi¬ ami, citing pain from injuries suffered in earlier legs of the race.

At the end of six legs of this 32,000 mile marathon race that started off Southampton on September 23, illbruck Challenge carries 41 total points to sec¬ ond-place Assa Abloy’s 34. Amer Sports One holds a tenuous third with 32. (Wins are worth 8, second 7, third 6 and so on.) Barring a catastrophic gear failure, most competitors are resigned to the fact that illbruck will likely win. Even the scrappy Grant Dalton now admits the real race is for second.

There are three legs left. Leg VII starts off Baltimore on April 28 and goes 3,400 miles across the north Atlantic to La Roch¬ elle. Leg VIII (start date May 25) takes the fleet 1,075 miles to Goteborg, Sweden. The ninth, final and shortest leg (start June 8) is 250 miles to Kiel, Germany.

phocea cont’d

After the French threw Tapie into prison for all kinds of shady busi¬ ness transactions, Phocea was purchased by Mouna Ayoub, the exwife of a wealthy Saudi Arabian. Mouna was not new to large yachts,

‘Phocea’, the epitome of speed and luxury under sail but please leave your dogs at home.

having owned the colossal 344-ft Lady Mouna It's hard to believe, but after a while she thought a 344-ft motoryacht was a little large for her, and reportedly felt awkward about having to spend $25 million a year to operate it. Besides, the fitness fanatic had fallen in love with the lean lines of Phoceawhen she spotted her during a morning swim. She purchased the idle yacht in Antibes in 1996. After a few months of ownership, Mouna decided to take the yacht to Lurssen Shipyard in Germany for a little spiffing up. One thing lead to another, and it be¬ came a two-year complete makeover, requiring the services of 120 work¬ ers, countless subcontractors, and an endless stream of money. We accidentally stumbled on a BBC article entitled Record Prices in Auc¬ tion Houses that indicated how she raised much of the $17 million for the refit: she sold more than 100 pieces ofjeweliy and ‘modem silver’. The star of that auction was a 112.53-carat, nearly golfball-size, yel¬ low-tinted jem called the Mouna diamond, which fetched the record price of $3.2 million all by itself.

When relaunched, Phoceawas the epitome ofperfection to the small¬ est details an^l biggest sails. She now carries almost 30,000 square feet!

According to a good friend we talked to in St. Martin earlier this year, actor Jim Carrey chartered the boat in the Caribbean about a year ago. They told him not to bring his dog which was insured for $1 million but you know how Hollywood types are. Carey brought the dog, and the dog was lost overboard.

You, too, can charter Phocea. We don't know the exact price (if you have to ask .), but given the fact that much lesser yachts go for $350,000 a week not including food, fuel, and crew gratuity fig¬ ure on a half million a week. There mjght be a small discount for mul¬ tiple weeks.

Phocea proves two things: 1) There’s no ceiling that prevents a woman from owning the largest sailboat in the world; and 2) Old racing boats really can be made into great cruising boats. All it takes is limitless amounts of money.

By the way, while we knew much of the general stoiy and several times shared the same Caribbean anchorages with Phocea when we owned Big O all the foregoing details come from Roger Lean-Vercoe's excellent article in the October 2001 issue of Boat International. If you want to know what kind of yacht you can have if money is truly no object, find an issue and check out the 13 pages of photos that accom¬ pany the article. It's enough to make you think about giving up your SUV for a bicycle.

baja ha-ha number nine the dumbest thing

We recently flipped through the last two year's worth of Ha-Ha pho¬ tographs in anticipation of a seminar at Sail Expo. They brought back great memories of terrific adventures with great people, and of living life to the fullest. Ifyou've got a sailing adventure itch that needs to be scratched, the Ha-Ha staff now out of winter hibernation report that entry packs for the Ha-Ha IX will be available on June 1.

For those new to sailing, the Ha-Ha is the 750-mile cruisers rally from San Diego to Cabo San Lucas, with R&R stops at Turtle Bay and Bahia Santa Maria both of which are spectacular. Over 750 boats and 2,000 sailors have participated in the previous eight Ha-Ha’s, and many have done three, four, and even five Ha-Ha's. Compared to most offshore events, the Ha-Ha is rather loosely structured. For example, finish times are taken by each participant, and motoring is allowed. In addition, boats can drop out and/or resume participation simply by notifying the Poobah. The Ha-Ha concept is not to tell people what to do, but to facilitate everyone having a good time.

A new feature this year is two starts. One on Monday, October 28, for slower boat&, and another on Tuesday, October 29, for faster boats. The idea behind the first start is to give the crews of slower boats an additional day on the 360-mile first leg, so they can better enjoy and rest up in Turtle Bay for the following legs of 240 and 175 miles.

The Ha-Ha is open to boats 27 feet or longer that were designed, built, and have been maintained for offshore sailing. Each boat most have at least two crew with overnight offshore sailing experience, and with navigation experience. While there may be an added degree of safety in a group rally, participation in the Ha-Ha is limited to those skippers' and crews who would have been sailing to Cabo by them¬ selves anyway. The Ha-Ha is most definitely not an offshore hand¬ holding service. Each morning, however, the Grand Poobah will relay a professional weather report and conduct a roll call. And at both stops and along the way, participants engage in a frenzy of helping each other out with minor problems.

There are a couple of financial incentives to entering the Ha-Ha. There will be discounts on products and services including berthing on the way to San Diego. And if the past is any indication, priority on getting berths at thejam-packed Cabo Isle Marina in Cabo is based on the order in which boats signed up for the Ha-Ha.

The Ha-Ha actually commences with the kick-off party on October 27 at Cabrillo Isle Marina in San Diego. After the starts on the 28th and 29th, most will be arriving at the little village ofTurtle Bay two to four days later, where the mayor has promised to hold a lobster festival in honor of the fleet. We ll see. The second stop is 240 miles down the road at Bahia Santa Maria, one of the mostly ruggedly beautiful spots in all of Mexico. We anticipate that Kojak, an old friend of the Ha-Ha, will once again show up at the desolate bay with a complete restaurant and rock and roll band. It's a surreal experience youjust have to expe¬ rience to understand. This is followed by the 175-mile run to Cabo, where there will be a huge beach party on November 8 and the award's ceremony in the beautiful marina parking lot on the 9th.

Although anyone sailing in the Ha-Ha potentially exposes them¬ selves to the full wrath of the Pacific Ocean, and injury or death are possible, the sailing conditions have historically been quite benign. We’d estimate average winds in the previous eight Ha-Ha’s at 7 to 17 knots, with 2-foot seas. One of the cool things about the Ha-Ha is that the weather almost always gets progressively warmer. It's cool when you leave San Diego, but upon passing Cedros and pulling into Turtle Bay, the air and water temperature jump, and the tanning begins. Between Turtle Bay and Bahia Santa Maria, it's normally T-shirts and shorts. From Bahia Santa Maria to Cabo, you can sail naked at mid¬ night and not suffer from goosebumps. Everyone arrives in Cabo with a healthy looking tan.

Interested? To get your entry pack, send a check for $15 made out to Baja Ha-Ha, Inc, along with a self-addressed 9x12 envelope with $1.65 worth of stamps on it, to Baja Ha-Ha, Inc, 21 Apollo Road, continued on outside column of next sightings page

Like all sailors, we take pride in our vast and unquestioned knowledge of all things nautical. Ha ha ha. Wejust wanted to say that to hear how ridiculous it sounded. The truth is, we’ve screwed up as much as anyone else out there. Like the time we hit the Carquinez Bridge. Head-on. Or ran hard aground at 10 knots under full spinnaker. Or that time we flipped the Hobie cat on Lake Tahoe and couldn’t get it back up and the sun was going down and it was really cold and Well, you get the picture.

As any sailor knows, the second best

you ever did ha-ha nueve cont’d

thing about stupid blunders and igno¬ rantly cheating death is that you always learn something. The best thing, of course, is telling the stories afterward.

With those two things in mind, we’re putting together article tentatively titled The Dumbest Thing I Ever Did While Sail¬ ing. And we need your help. We need to know your dumbest things.

Please don’t be shy. Swallow your pride on this one and ‘fess up. You hotshots, too. In fact, you pro sailors and class champions especially. We want your most continued middle of next sightings page

Tiburon, CA 94920. Regular mail only, please no certified or ‘signa¬ ture required’ letters. The Ha-Ha folks have no telephone, so don't tiy to call, either. The entry fee for the Ha-Ha is $249, with a discount for boats under 35 feet and owners under 35 year of age. Every entry gets a couple of T-shirts, a hat, a program with fleet bios, a burgee and a bunch of other souvenirs for the skipper and first mate. There are free food and drinks at the kick-off party in San Diego, special deals at the parties on the beaches, and a couple of free beers at the awards cer¬ emony. Nobody has every complained that it wasn't a good deal.

For the eighth year, the Wanderer has agreed to serve as the volun¬ teer Grand Poobah, and for the sixth year in a row, Latitude's 63-ft catamaran Profligate will serve as the mother ship. If anyone is inter¬ ested in crewing aboard Profligate on a shared-expenses basis, there may be a couple of spots available. Contact richard@latitude38.com.

short sightings dumb things

CAPE HORN Lin and Larry Pardey recently set one of sailing’s more unusual records by ‘doubling’ Cape Horn; that is, sailing past it from west to east and the harder way, from east to west. In the days of old, square riggers might take one or two months to make the wrong¬ way passage from 50 south to 50 south. After several months of prepa¬ ration, the Pardeys sailed their 29-ft Taleisin from Puerto Deseado, Argentina, to Chiloe, Chile in 21 days 9 ofthem beating to windward or heaving-to in winds of more than 60 knots. (They made the easier west-east passage years ago during their “right way” circumnavigation aboard the 24-ft Seraffyn.) However, the actual passage around the Horn itselfwas made in light breeze under drifter another record of sorts: Taleisin's west-about circumnavigation has seen her pass all the great southern capes under drifter!

While Taleisin is certainly not the only sailboat to have doubled the Horn or sailed the “wrong way” around it (the British Steel boats took a similar route only last year), the Chilean Navy confirmed that she may be the smallest sailing vessel to be cleared for the westabout cross¬ ing. The Pardeys are also very likely the only sailors to have circum¬ navigated both ways in engineless boats they built themselves, using no sponsorship and relying entirely on celestial navigation.

BROOKLYN Lighthouses for $600, Alex. It’s doubtful anyone could even guess that the last manned lighthouse in the United States stands vigil over Norton’s Point, on the western tip of. Coney Island? That’s where 85-year-old Frank Schubert and Blaze, an overweight cocker spaniel, call home. Since they’ve been discovered by the media, it’s hard to tell which of the two is more cantankerous.

Schubert has been in the Lighthouse service since 1937, and at the Norton’s Point light since 1960. Today, the light is automated, but the Coast Guard keeps him on to tend the grounds and do a little painting and upkeep. Lately, however, most of Frank’s energy has been focused on avoiding the limelight after a national radio program ‘found’ him a few weeks ago. While the Coast Guard (which is responsible for all lighthouses now) enjoys the publicity, Schubert gets so frustrated by. photographers and interview-seekers that when the phone rings, as often as not, he’ll say he’s not there and then leave the receiver off the hook the rest of the day. Some days, even his bosses can’t get ahold of him. “People think there’s something romantic about a lighthouse,” he complains. “It’s just a lighthouse. I don’t understand it, really.”

THE BAY AND OCEAN Bajillions ofjellyfish have ‘invaded’ the Bay and ocean off Northern California. Looking vaguely like used rub¬ bers, congregating in huge rafts that mimic oil slicks and having a name that sounds like failed speech therapy, the half-dollar size velella velella are sticking to boats from Point Reyes to Monterey. There’s no particular reason for the infestation and they pose no health threat (unless they get caught in your cockpit drains and start stinking to high heaven). Biologists say the little creatures are common along the California coast in the springtime. And hey, they’re really not that dif¬ ferent than us: unable to swim, the only way they get from one place to another is with a little fin that sticks above the water they sail.

ENGLAND In case you haven’t heard, Lloyd's List, newspaper of the world shipping industry, announced in March that it would no longer refer to ships as "she". From now on, said the List, a ship will be "it." No less a figure than the Princess Royal, who is President of the ROyal Yachting Squadron, voiced her opinion on the subject last month.

During the christening ceremony for the British America’s Cup boat WightLightning in Cowes on April 14, she put away her prepared script for a moment, gestured at the new 80-ft yacht, and said, "I would like to thank the GBR Challenge team for asking me to perform the naming ceremony of her (heavy emphasis on "her"). The people at Lloyd’s have clearly never either launched or named a boat because it would be completely wrong to call her it'." Her spontaneous comments were greeted with loud applause from the 300-strong crowd.

Earlier, the GBR Challenge skipper, Olympic medalist Ian Walker, also alluded to the new Lloyd's List policy, saying that he could not continued on outside column of next sightings page

boneheaded blunder from which you learned a valuable lesson.

Ifyou’re too embarassed or have never made any really sensational screw-ups yourself (yeah right, wink, wink), tell us about the dumbest thing you've ever seen someone else do on a sailboat.

One more incentive: ifyou tell us yours,

Lookin’ good! Nothing looks better than a perfectly-trimmed boat, and no boat was i trimmed better than this one on the warm Sat¬ urday of April 13. Sorry, though, we were so busy admiring her we didn’t catch the name!

cont’d shorts cont’d

we’ll tell you ours.

On a serious note: while we anticipate an instructive article with a lot of humor, we realize some mistakes end in tragedy. If you care to tell them, we can all learn from those, too.

Please send submissions to andy@ latitude38.com.

imagine referring to the £3 million racing yacht as an "it". "Somehow 'it' will never do for this historic boat being christened today and we cannot wait to get to know her," he added.

We also applaud the Princess Royal’s comments (she’s probably better known as Princess Anne, by the way) and hope those old stuffed shirts at Lloyds come to their senses soon. In the meantime, we declare Lati¬ tude 38 an "it-free" zone. On these pages, men will always be men and women and boats will always be she's.

n^p

X his was the biggest and best J/ Festyet!" claimed organizer/founder Don Trask ofhis 23rd annual Bay Area gath¬ ering of the J/Boat faithful. "We had great weather, great competition, great race management by Matt Jones, great sponsors the whole thing was just great?'

This was the third year that Sail Cali¬ fornia and EncinaSJ(C have teamed up to host J/Fest, which occurred on the sunny weekend ofApril 13-14. Seventyfive J/boats totalling about 2,300 feet and probably ten million dollars and nearly 500 sailors participated in the four-race, no-throwout series, easily making this the biggest regatta on the Bay last month. J/Festf also keeps get¬ ting bigger each year up from 68 boats last year and 52 the year before that. The increase in numbers is partially due to the constant influx ofnewJ/Boats to the Bay, as well as to the growing popularity of the regatta itself.

"We try to make this a social event as well as a well-run regatta,' said Sail California's Chris Corlett, who is also a director at Encinal YC. "We finish the third race Saturday up the Estuary to encourage people to raft up and party and with four kegs of free beer, a free barbecue dinner, music, and lots ofraffle prizes, most everyone does stick around now."

The actual race up the Estuary was abandoned as the fleet entered the ditch due to a container ship problem, as well as dying breeze. No one seemed to mind (except possibly the crew of Orion, who were crushing the 105 fleet), and every¬ one fired up their motors and hepded to the bar. Some 350 dinners were served, and a seemingly endless supply of nifty prizes were raffled out courtesy of spon¬ sors West Marine, North Sails, J/Boats, J/World (which just opened in Marina Village), J Wine, Ronstan, B&G, Nelson's Marine, Sterling Paint, Sam Adams and Sunsail Yacht Charters.

Saturday's two races were sailed in light air and flat water, pleasant South¬ ern California-type sailing. The first race on Sunday was another light-air affair, though it was colder and foggier than Saturday's balmy conditions. Summer rolled in with a vengeance for the sec¬ ond race, with winds up to 30 knots and crews diving for foulies and Ibuprofen. It was windy enough that Jammiri, a J/ 35, dismasted just moments into the This page, clockwise from upper left Over¬ lapped J/105s; the J/80 'Sea-Wolf'; the J/120 'Mr. Magoo' leading 'Twist'; and regatta MVPs Dave Tambelliniand Tim Russell, who won the J/105 class with 'Bella Rosa'.

Clockwise from top left Regatta hostsArtBall, Chris Corlett, Eugenie Russell, and Don Trask; the J/24s raced in the Estuary on Saturday; the winning J/35 'Raptor'; the raft-up at EYC; Rob Cooper ('Natural Blonde') tried his butt pfds on the other cheeks; the J/24 'Wonder Woman’(#2842) creeps down the ditch.

From the top The J/120 fleet woozles down the Estuary together in Saturday's aborted third race; the J/35 'Stray Cat Blues'; the J/120 'Chance'; and regatta PRO Matt Jones gets caught holding the bag.

Above J/24 buddies Doug Nugent(‘Cool Breeze'), Wayne Clough ('Downtown Uproar), Dave Wiard and Kermit Shickel (Nixon Was Cool). Below, ‘Bella Rosa' leads 'Wind Dance' downwind; 'Blackhawk' rounds the weather mark while a crewmember on the next boat over appears to be reading a book; an unregistered J/80.

race, apparently due to their hydraulic backstay going slack while the checkstays were on tight.

"We had the full gamut of conditions this weekend," claimed regatta PRO Matt Jones. "It was a good test of men and gear."

Dennis Jermaine and his Dayenu crew (tactician Sean Svendsen, Chuck Hawley, Randy Griffin, Spencer Fulweiler, Ian Hanley, Corrina Stolph, Willie ^ Sagun, Bill Fredricks and Matt Fowler) g won the J/120 class on a tiebreaker over § Timo Brack's Twist. "It couldn’t have § been any closer!" claimed Jermaine, who [= formerly campaigned an IOD. Mr. Magoo, ^ Dayenu, Twist and Chance each took a ° bullet at J/Fest a sure sign that com- § petition in that class is really heating up. j Currently, Dayenu (Hebrew for 'enough!') < is leading the season standings by a point over Twist.

Jim Hoey’s Raptor also won the J/35 class on a tiebreaker, squeaking past John Wimer's Fast Lane to take honors in the resurgent 11-boat J/35 class the best turnout in this class since 1993. "It came down to the last leg of the last race," explained Hoey. "We had a great tacking duel to the finish line with Jarlen, and managed to beat them by a boatlength to win the race and the regatta. It doesn't get any closer than that!" Help¬ ing Hoey put together a 4,1,2,1 record were tactician Jim Graham, Jack Feller, Mike Smith, Nes Basoz, Ralph Wedge, Darren Buck, Mark Irwin and Trudy Van Hove.

Thirty-three J/105s competed in J/ Fest, with the 'usual suspects' topping the fleet. J/105 fleet captain Dave Tambellini and his veteran Bella Rosa gang (tactician Tim Russell, Terry Smith, Cindy Loya, Dave Poquette, and 16-yearold Ben Amen) took the regatta with a

stellar 4,3,3,1 record and are now lead¬ ing the J/105 season standings by four points over defending champion Good Timin'. Coming in second was Roland Van Der Meer's hot Bandwidth, while third went to Good Timin', with Peter Vessella handling the steering while regular helmsman Phil Perkins was va¬ cationing in the BVIs.

"The 105s were actually very well-be¬ haved," noted Trask. "Last month's rales seminars seemed to have helped."

After three light-air races in the Es¬ tuary on Saturday, the J/24 class was still wide open going into Sunday. Doug Nugent and his Cool Breeze crew (Jason McCormack, Mike Pawlowski, Jennifer Micheli, and Nadine Franczyk) then fired off two bullets to win the 14-boat class going away. Nixon Was Cool ("now more than ever") finished second, with Down¬

town Uproar a close third.

The PHRF class, which only attracted four registered boats, was won by Loren X Mollner's J/30 Slim. "The J/80s all chickened out when the wind picked up on Sunday, which basically gave it to us," said Mollner, who claims he sails with "old baggy sails and fun people."

There are four other major J/Fests around the country now Seattle (June), Annapolis (July), Long Beach (Oc¬ tober) and New Orleans (November). Hap¬ pily, North Sails, Sam Adams, and Sunsail have signed on as sponsors for all those events, too. It's a winning for¬ mula, and we suspect even more J/Fests will be springing up soon.

latitude/rkm

J/120 1) Dayenu, Dennis Jermaine, 10 points; 2) Twist, Timo Bruck, 10; 3) Mr. Magoo, Steve Madeira, 12; 4) Chance, Barry Lewis, 13. (8 boats)

J/35 1) Raptor, Jim Hoey, 8 points; 2) Fast Lane, John Wimer, 8; 3) Jarlen, Bob Bloom, 13; 4) Jammin', Steve Klein, 21; 5) Friday Harbor, Ryle Radke, 22. (11 boats)

J/105 1) Bella Rosa, Dave Tambellini, 11 points; 2) Bandwidth, Roland Van Der Meer, 20; 3) Good Timin', Dave Wilson/Peter Vessella, 21; 4) Zuni Bear, Bennett/Bergmann, 24; 5) Nantucket Sleighride, Peter Wagner, 28; 6) Wind Dance, Littfin/Pugh, 28; 7) Tiburon, Steve Stroub, 33; 8) Streaker, Ron Anderson, 35; 9) Advantage 3, Pat Benedict, 41; 10) Jose Cuervo, Sam Hock, 47; 11) Orion, Gary Kneeland, 49; 12) Arbitrage, Bruce Stone, 49; 13) Bald Eagles, Dave Liggett, 51; 14) Walloping Swede, Tom Kassberg, 52; 15) Blackhawk, Dean Dietrich, 62. (33 boats)

J/24 1) Cool Breeze, Doug Nugent, 10 points; 2) Nixon Was Cool, Dave Wiard/Kermit

Not the official regatta T-shirt, though most of the J/Festers obviously prefer one design.

UTMOST BAD FAITH

JP-ologue: This is the story of how an ancient maritime doctrine foiled a modern day insurance scam, and put a man called "the king ofinsurance fraud" in jail.

The Set Up: On November 4 of 1992, Principe di Pictor, a just launched 76-ft Azimut motor yacht, slowly en¬ tered the tipy yacht harbor ftv. Margellina, Italy. An ancient Italian city with the blue Mediterranean washing up on her shores and backed by beauti¬ ful foothills, Margellina is as charming as her neighbor Naples is noisy and chaotic.

The Italian patrol vessel stumbled across a motionless, partially submergedyacht with two inflatables next to her. Curiously, none of the three men in the inflatables looked very pleased to be rescued.

Unlike Naples, however, Margellina is perhaps the last place on earth that one would expect for pirates to board a boat. But in just two days, the gleaming Principe, would be un¬ der water.

The Players: In 1992, at age 52, Rex K. DeGeorge had it all: a multimillion dol¬ lar Italian style villa on Mulholland Drive in Los Angeles; a beautiful young girl¬ friend from a distinguished Sacramento family; fine art appraised in the millions; 14 Ferraris; four yachts; a collection of antique watches and custom-made pens worth hundreds ofthousands ofdollars; expensive clothes bought from the trendiest shops on Rodeo Drive; a high profile law practice in Beverly Hills, where he represented Swiss, Panama¬ nian, Cypriot and other international corporate clients; a second home on the beach on the Greek Island of Rhodes; Polaris Pictures Corporation, a fledgling movie company with financial commit¬ ments totalling millions of dollars; and close ties to some of Hollywood's best known movie executives and California's highest ranking officials.

In 1992, Neil S. Lerner was a cocky, 32-year-old maritime law¬ yer in Los Ange¬ les who thought he knew some¬ thing about life and the way the world works. In fact, he knew nothing about those things, but was soon to begin to learn.

Italian patrol vessel Zara stumbled across a motionless, partially submerged yacht, with two inflatable dinghies nextto her. She was the Principe, which had been paid for with DeGeorge’s money, but through a se¬ ries of transac¬ tions by compa¬ nies he controlled, was technically owned by Polaris Pictures. In any event, there were two-middle aged men in one din¬ ghy, and a younger man in the other. Curi¬ ously, none of the three men looked that pleased to be rescued. Nor did they look particularly frightened, wet, or disheveled. Even more unusual is that one of the dinghies had been observed ramming the vessel, almost as though it were tiying to help sink the boat.

The three rescued men were Rex DeGeorge, the Beverly Hills lawyer and movie executive; Paul Ebeling, a Beverly Hills businessman and movie executive; and Gabriel Falco, a cameraman, direc¬ tor, and licensed pilot. Upon their res¬ cue, the three American citizens gave a fascinating but not necessarily believ¬ able account ofhow the Principe came to sink.

in the small harbor without both func¬ tioning anchors, they decided they'd motor down toward Messina.

Once outside the harbor, the situa¬ tion stabilized until about midnight, at which time Libovich became agitated by the sight of three blips on the radar screen. He said that the blips indicated that the Principewas being tracked. Sud¬ denly, Libovich reached into his sock and pulled out a gun. He told the Americans that he intended to sink the yacht in or¬ der to foil those in pursuit. Libovich then locked the three Americans in the for¬ ward stateroom. A short time later, the three heard loud banging, the sound of power saws, and voices they didn’t rec¬ ognize. A few hours later, a black ciga¬ rette-type speedboat her operators dressed in black with black ski masks to cover their faces pulled alongside.

Libovich and his two cohorts threw their duffel bags into the smaller boat, jumped aboard themselves, and sped offinto the black night. The three Americans man¬ aged to get out of the forward cabin and into the dinghies while Principe was awash. Despite three man-made holes in her hull and being sunk to the level of her bridgedeck, the brand new yacht was

is am ei usi icd : :: most unusual of his career has occupied him : Ihi s’{ 10 l s, <j re resolved. This is the story of that case from r’s p

The Tale: On November 7, 1992, three days after Principe was launched, the

According to the trio, a few nights ear¬ lier a fellow named Andre Libovich de¬ scribed as a Yugoslavian ex-pat who had received his nautical training aboard a Soviet submarine had duped them into believing that he was a qualified yacht captain applying for the vacant captain's position on Principe. DeGeorge invited him to visit the yacht the next day for a test drive, and he accepted. The next day Libovich showed up with two strangers, each ofwhom carried a stuffed black duffel bag. Nonetheless, the three Americans agreed to al¬ low the three strangers to take the expensive yacht on a short test run. When they at¬ tempted to lift the port anchor, however, the remnants of a sunken Vespa motorscooter became entangled in the flukes. Since the vessel couldn't be docked safely

nonetheless successfully towed to the port of Salerni.

Once again, this is the story that the three men gave to the authorities. Now, DeGeorge is the only one sticking to it.

The Hook: Lemer, the young Los An¬ geles maritime lawyer, would later allege that for a period of 20 years Rex K. DeGeorge had engaged in the seemingly lucrative practice of defrauding marine insurers by scuttling yachts. Lerner would also allege that DeGeorge had al¬ ways prevailed, because as a former in¬ surance adjuster and very skilled law¬ yer, he knew that it would cost insur¬ ance companies more money to fight the cases where there never were impar¬ tial witnesses, and often little evidence than to pay the loss.

Lerner would tell the court that the boat scuttling scam started in 1970, when DeGeorge wanted to sell Tutania, a 43-foot sailboat he owned and had named in honor of a German flight at¬ tendant. DeGeorge would later tell the insurance company that a couple of Pe¬ ruvian coffee merchants had been interThis is one ofthe three holes cutinto the brand new 'Principe' that would sink her and 10 years later would 'sink' DeGeorge.

ested in the boat, and that he had agreed to take them on an overnight demo off the coast of Los Angeles. According to DeGeorge's stoiy, the coffee merchants drugged him and his companion. The two were still ill the next v „ v morning, but were nonetheless able to es¬ cape in the dinghy and make it 35 miles back to shore. Oddly enough, itwas five days before DeGeorge got around to reporting the theft and drugging. The Tutania and the Peru¬ vian coffee merchants were never seen again. The Hartford Insurance Company was skeptical of the claim. But when DeGeorge threatened litigation for the bad-faith denial of his claim, they paid him $43,000, the full value of the policy.

port that at about midnight they struck "a low-profile, dark object that was not visible." Claiming the boat sank in 20 minutes without a trace, they jumped into the dinghy and motored back to the coast. This yacht had been insured by Lloyds of London, which originally deDeGeorge told the insurance com¬ pany that a couple of Peruvian coffee merchants had been inter¬ ested in his boat. But they drugged him and a companion during the test sail. Neither the coffee mer¬ chants or the 'Tutania' were ever seen again.

IlillSlBiilSliiiill IS

dined to pay the claim. When later threatened with litigation by DeGeorge, Lloyds shelled out $194,000.

Six years after DeGeorge lost the Tutania, he and business acquaintance Paul Ebeling were travelling along the coast of Italy aboard the 57-ft sailboat Epinicia, another yacht controlled by DeGeorge. The two men would later re¬

By 1983, DeGeorge had acquired an¬ other yacht that would be lost, a Gulfstar 47 sailboat. While motoring off the coast of Los Angeles one day with his wife, an explosion rocked the boat. Once again DeGeorge, and his wife, managed to es¬ cape into the dinghy before the vessel sank. DeGeorge had an explanation for the explosion he was engaged in a law¬ suit involving billions ofdollars, and had been threatened with injury and death by the opposing side. Despite having doubts about the story, Fireman's Fund, fearing DeGeorge’s ability to sue and seek punitive damages, eventually paid the full claim of $245,000.

The Principe, however, was to have been DeGeorge’s swan song. He had pur¬ chased the yacht for $1.9 million in 1992, although it ultimately came to be tech¬ nically -owned by Polaris Pictures. Through what Lerner would later allege were deceptions and omissions, DeGeorge/Polaris Pictures tricked Cigna Property & Casualty into insuring the vessel for $3.75 million. Lerner believes that DeGeorge thought he could once again scuttle a boat, that Cigna would put up an initial fight like the other in¬ surers, but would ultimately succumb to his high-pressure tactics. What DeGeorge didn't figure on, however, was that the young lawyer, armed with an an¬ cient maritime doctrine, would combine to put an end to DeGeorge's reign as the "king of insurance fraud".

The Sting: In the 1680s, Edward Lloyds opened a coffee house on Tower Street in London. Lloyd's coffee house was not in the insurance business, but

it did provide a location for ship captains, shipowners, and cargo owners to con¬ gregate to discuss the perils of upcom¬ ing shipping, and to meet with wealthy individuals who would take a share of the risks, doing so by signing their names underneath a description of what they had agreed to cover. This is how they became known as 'underwriters'.

Communication was primitive in those days, so'^n insurance broker couldn't pick up the telephone to verify the condition of a vessel or cargo to be insured, or to have photographs of the vessel and cargo sent back to the home office for evaluation. Besides, time was almost always of the essence. So out of necessity, a doctrine of uberrimae fidei "utmost good faith" was developed. This doctrine or business standard re¬ quired that shipowners, cargo owners, and sea captains not only tell the truth, but also disclose all the relevant facts about their respective risks. If they did, they and/or their cargo could put to sea insured for all of the perils that they might encounter. But if they withheld or distorted information, an underwriter could refuse to pay the claim.

Without it, the doctrine of 'utmost good faith', the marine insurance industiy could not have survived and flour¬ ished. Indeed, it became the foundation of marine insurance, and it allowed Lloyds coffee house to evolve into Lloyds of London, a multimillion dollar insurFrom the beginning, the explanation ofthe sink¬ ing of 'Principe' didn't exactly have the 'ring of truth'.

ance conglomerate. 'Utmost good faith' still exists as the foundation of marinq insurance, and it is codified in the Cali; fornia Insurance Code in sections 1900' and 1904.

The Payoff: Almost immediately, DeGeorge began pressing Cigna for pay¬ ment on the claim for the Principe. Cigna's investigation quickly revealed that DeGeorge/Polaris had three prior yacht losses. DeGeorge had also collected on an inordinate number of nonmarine losses in just about every line of insur¬ ance art theft, homeowners, health and disability, auto, and airline baggage. As Cigna’s investigation continued, DeGeorge began putting oq the. pressure through a series of letters threatening litigation and alleging bad faith.

Lerner, whose law firm had been re¬ tained by Cigna, quickly determined that Cigna had been misled into insuring the Principe for $3.75 million. For example, DeGeorge had only paid $1.9 million for her. To substantiate the increased value of the yacht, Lerner would later allege that DeGeorge had passed the ownership of the yacht through a series of sham transactions, involving shell corporations that he controlled. And that tjie in¬ creased value of the yacht had been fi¬ nanced by bogus promissory notes is¬ sued by a lender that DeGeorge had in¬ corporated and controlled. Further, that DeGeorge had obtained a breach ofwar¬ ranty endorsement from Cigna, requir¬ ing it to be paid even if the underlying claim was denied.

From discussions with lawyers and insurers who handled DeGeorge's prior claims one of whom had kept the a DeGeorge case file on his desk for nearly 20 years on the assumption someone else would eventually want to look at it Lerner discovered that each insurer had initially denied the claim based on the implausibility ofthe facts ofthe loss. But in each case, the insurers reached a point where they realized it would be im¬ possible to disprove DeGeorge's story, because he always had at least one wit¬ ness. As such, they figured it would be less expensive to pay the claim than to dispute it.

If Cigna was to prevail against DeGeorge, Lerner realized they would have to take a different path. So rather than try to disprove DeGeorge's story, Lerner and Cigna decided to claim that DeGeorge had violated the marine insur¬ ance of 'utmost good faith' in obtaining the insurance from Cigna. Six months after the Principe sank, Lerner sued DeGeorge/Polaris to rescind Cigna’s

policy, alleging that numerous material facts had been intentionally or negli¬ gently concealed or misrepresented in the application for insurance.

After the suit was filed against DeGeorge, there were years of intense hardball litigation, which ultimately lead to a 1996 admiralty trial before Federal District Court Judge J. Spencer Letts in Los Angeles. During the course ofthe liti¬ gation, Lerner received a number ofantiSemitic letters, what he considered to be veiled attempts to influence the case, and was the object of bullying tactics.

At the conclusion ofthe two week trial in March of '96, Judge Letts ruled that among other things DeGeorge had concealed his intent to scuttle the overinsured Principe in order to collect on the insurance policy. And that Cigna had acted properly in rescinding the insur¬ ance policy. The tactic of trying the case under utmost good faith' had been suc¬ cessful. The court also awarded Cigna

A second hole was cut in ‘Principe's hull near one oftheprop shafts. Despite three holes, she didn't go to the bottom.

its attorney's fees, which by this time were $2.7 million. It also found DeGeorge as the alter ego of the two shell corpo¬ rations was personally liable. Judge Letts also characterized DeGeorge's story about Captain Libovich as "perhaps the single most incredible story I’ve ever heard from the stand".

DeGeorge appealed the verdict in the fall of '98, but it was affirmed by the Ninth Circuit Court. When the U.S. Su¬ preme Court decided not to hear DeGeorge's appeal, it was the end of the line. The ancient maritime doctrine of utmost good faith had scuttled the lat¬ est effort of a modern day pirate.

Epilogue: Following the civil trial, DeGeorge filed for bankruptcy in an at¬ tempt to prevent Cigna from collecting the $2.7 million judgement. He also left the United States for his beachfront

home in Rhodes. Unbeknownst to him, Jucjge Letts had referred his case to the U.S. Attorney, who had secured a grand jury indictment against DeGeorge, Ebeling, and Falco.

Despite the setback, DeGeorge appar¬ ently figured he could recover all his losses by pulling off yet another boat scuttling scam. DeGeorge had Falco meet him in Spain, where he told Falco he wanted him to help scuttle a high end Italian j motoryacht. Falco said j he wasn't interested, | and began fearing for j his life. In fact, he ran \ to the U.S. Embassy in Barcelona, and told them he needed to talkto the FBI. Falco flew to New York, where he confessed to the Principe scam. He said the story about Libovich was a com¬ plete fabrication, and in order to keep their stories consistent, DeGeorge had told his two cohorts to use Robert

Redford as a model for what the fictitious Libovich looked like. Falco further told an FBI agent, who so testified under oath, that DeGeorge had offered him $50,000 to kill Lerner and Letts.

While the authorities were trying to figure out some way to get DeGeorge back into the States so he could be served with the criminal indictment, they had some good luck. When a person declares bankruptcy, he/she is required to per¬ sonally attend the first meeting of credi¬ tors. Unaware of the grand jury indict¬ ment against him, DeGeorge returned to the United States, and was picked up as he stepped off the plane at JFK.

Here the story gets a little humorous. Having declared bankruptcy, DeGeorge no longer had access to the money nec¬ essary to hire the kind oflawyer he would want to defend him in a high-profile criminal case. So he told ajudge that he had declared bankruptcy under the in¬ fluence of psychotropic drugs, and wanted to undeclare it. The judge per¬ mitted him to do so. Even so, Cigna wasn't likely to collect the $2.7 million. Thanks to DeGeorge’s numerous off¬ shore enterprises the title to his home, for example, is held by a corporation in Cyprus it's almost certain they never will. Nor will any of the other insurance companies who were likely defrauded get their money back either.

After being arrested in New York, DeGeorge was held for two years with¬ out bail because he was considered a flight risk. Ebeling was also arrested, but curiously never asked for bail. Some¬ times people feel safer in jail than out. Falco later plead guilty to the Principe scuttling, testified against DeGeorge, and is scheduled to be sentenced on May 13.

After being held for two years without bail, DeGeorge was allowed out on bail, having conyinced ajudge that his health had deteriorated so much in jail that he couldn't adequately assist in his own de¬ fense. He nonetheless had to surrender

DeGeorge told the court that he had declared bankruptcy under the influence ofpsychotropic drugs, and wanted to 'undeclare' it. Even so, Cigna isn't likely to collect the $2.7 million in legal fees.

his passport, remain under house arrest with electronic bracelets, and get his wife's parents to put their house up as bond. Thanks to switching lawyers at the last minute and what others suspect might have been feigning illness,

DeGeorge managed to post¬ pone his criminal trial until Februaiy of this year al¬ most 10 years after scuttling Principe. Nonetheless, on March 1 of this year, a jury in the courtroom of Federal Judge Lourdes Baird, found DeGeorge guilty of all 16 felony counts in the second superceding indicCjrient.

Lerner, who was now 42, and no longer naive in the ways of the world, had battled DeGeorge for 10 years. As he sat in the court¬ room listening to the judge's favorable verdict, he shook his head and. smiled. Not because of the guilty verdicts which he had anticipated but because DeGeorge wasn't in court. He had checked himself into the hospital that morning, claiming to be too ill to attend the reading of the verdict. So the 'king' still had a few moves left after all.

After the guilty verdicts, the U.S. At¬ torney asked that DeGeorge be held with¬ out bail until his sentencing on May 13. Some courtroom observers were sur¬

Where, we wonder, is Principe1 today?

prised that Judge Baird allowed DeGeorge free on bail. Many expect that DeGeorge will get a long sentence, which he almost certainly will appeal.

Some folks feel an antipathy toward insurance companies, and almost feel as though crimes against them are some¬ how acceptable. But one can imagine the effects that spending $2.7 million on the possibility of perhaps not having to pay a claim equally as large, as well as

possible punitive damages to fight a single fraudu¬ lent claim might have on premiums.

In addition, DeGeorge didn't just prey on big in¬ surance companies. On the day he picked up Principe from Azimut, he com¬ plained that the dinghy which would be used as a getaway boat wasn't large enough. Azimut, how¬ ever, stuck to their guns, and told him that it was the dinghy that came with the boat. So, according to a then beautiful young Italian woman, DeGeorge who is known for his ability to be charming came over to her father's already closed boat shop, and insisted on being allowed to buy a dinghy from her. He paid with a check. There was money in the account, all right, but the money would never be forthcoming. For when DeGeorge made out the check, he dated it 1962 rather than 1992, invalidating it.

s. lerner

SPRING

^Spring has finally sprung which means it's time for our annual boatyard pilgrimage again. Accordingly, we hopped in our car in mid-April and took a quick lap around the Bay, stopping at various yards in search of 'everyday' people do¬ ing 'everyday' things on 'everyday' boats. As with most things we do here at Lati¬ tude, there was no firm logic involved rather, we just started yacking with the first folks we bumpeainto who were "sim¬ ply messing about with boats."

Anyway, we'd like to think the follow¬ ing eight random samples, taken collec¬ tively, give some idea ofwhat's going on in the yards this spring. Boats are get¬ ting prepped for the Pacific Cup and the Vallejo Race, some ryooden boats are being restored, some boats are being built from scratch, and others are just whisking in and out for routine spring maintenance or repair.

If nothing else, it was a mellow and fun way for us to spend the day. We met some interesting people, heard some great stories, and came away almost in¬ spired enough to get to work on our own boat, which is languishing in a yard in Alameda. We enjoyed meeting everyone we profiled in the following pages, and hope you enjoy meeting them, too! latitude/rkm

TOUR

Antares, Islander 30 Mk. II Larry Telford and his buddies were doing a quick weekend bottom job at Berkeley Marine while listening to the Giants game in fact, Barry Bonds passed Harmon Killebrew on the all-time homer list while we were chatting with them! 'We basically pretend we’re slaves, drink some beer, eat a nice lunch, and tell the usual lies," laughed Larry. The work party stopped long enough for a group photo (left to right: 27-year crew veteran Fred Conrad, Telford, Pat Fabian and Robert Bradley) and then everyone dove back to their respective chores.

"I've had the boat since Labor Day 1971,” said Telford, a San Francisco lawyer. "We used to get over 20 Islander 30 Mk. IIs out racing one design back then, and we won the season championship 9 out of 13 times. We still race the little lead sled in the Ber¬ keley Midwinters and the Vallejo Race, but now keep it up in the Delta at Steamboat Slough for three months ofthe summer as a weekend retreat. I'll prob¬ ably keep Antares forever, and we’ll both go out in a Viking funeral!"

Telford, a member ofBerkeleyYC, has a dark side; however he also owns a 42-foot trawler in Emeryville, which he and his wife moved aboard when their kids moved out ofthe house. But his heart is in sailing, specifically on Antares. "I named her after the brightest red star in the sky. It's part of Scorpio, and you only see it in the summer in the winter, it has the good sense to go south!"

Cirrus, Alberg 35 The most parodied painting of all time is apparently Grant Wood's 1930 classic Ameri¬ can Gothic, with Whistler's Mother and Mona Lisa close behind. JeffHicks and 'significant othCT Pam Rey, who were midway through a "routine biennial bottom job" at Bay Ship & Yacht, subconciously struck a Gothic¬ like pose for us, much to our mutual amusement. "Hey, you should have been here yesterday when we were sanding," claimed Pam. "Jeff was covered head-to-toe in blue dust, and looked like a Smurf!"

Jeff, an industrial hygienist from Placerville, and Pam, an environmental engineer, were well aware of the toxic materials they were playing with. "That's why we're all garbed up like this," claimed Jeff, who keeps their beautifully restored 1962 baby blue-hulled boat nearby at Brickyard Cove.

Jeffpreviously owned a Catalina 22, 25 and 30. 'We were looking for a bullet-proofboat that could go some¬ place, and about four years ago. Cirrus became avail¬ able," he explained. "We knew the previous owners, and had even cruised with them on the boat, so it was an easy decision." #

They had Cirrus trucked back from Florida ("a night¬ mare!") and have enjoyed cruising it locally ever since. In fact, Jeffwas anchored up in Tomales Bay last Sep¬ tember 11 when he heard about the terrorist attacks. "I sailed home immediately," he said. "It was hard to have fun after that."

ANOTHER DAY IN THE

Fun, Davidson 26 "I really like working on boats," claimed Patrick Kohlman, a designer and carpenter from Half Moon Bay. "I enjoy learning about all facets of designing and building them.” To¬ ward that goal, he's had eight boats over the last 15 years, and also currently owns a Spitzgatter 21 ("think of a mini-Hans Christian"). His current project turbo'ing Clay Bernard's 1975 wooden quar¬ ter tonner is his most ambitious yet.

Kohlman was restoring Fun, which he bought from Jock McLean several years ago, at Svendsen's (he keeps Fun at nearby Alameda Marina, but moves into the boatyard for the messy work). He has raised the cockpit three inches to accommodate a little sail-drive inboard motor, built a keel box to house a retractable keel (the origi¬ nal Azzura 310 keel chopped down by two inches), thrown the inter¬ nal lead ballast away, faired and glassed the decks, redone some frames, and built a deck-step for a Melges 24 carbon fiber mast. He'll add a transom-hung Melges rudder and a roller-furling, non¬ overlapping jib, and has bought the almost-new Quantum Sails in¬ ventory from another quarter-tonner ’fixer’. Magic Bus.

Patrick admits it would have been easier to just buy a Melges, or some similar hot boat, but claims "it wouldn't be the same." But while he enjoys the creative process, especially his interactions with Kiwi designer Laurie Davidson, he's also itching to get out sailing soon. With the retractable keel, the boat trailers low and should be launchable almost anywhere including Florida, where Patrick hopes to race the boat someday.

"My goal is to be ready for the TransTahoe Race in July," said Patrick, who will rechristen the hopped-up 26-footer Joyicity. "I'm eager to find out if my calculations are correct!"

Woodduck, 42-ft Wharram cat "Life is short, go for it!" claimed Jason Pruette, who strikes us as wise beyond his 32 years. Pruette, a San Francisco-based captain forAdventure Cat and Signature Yachts (dinner tours), began building his custom James Wharram-designed catamaran a year ago. Late this fall, he and his fiance Cathy (whom he will many in Italy this June) plan to "exit stage left" forwarmer climates, including the Caribbean.

With KFOG blasting in the background, Ja¬ son has been spending 4-5 days a week at Nelson's Marine on this massive undertaking, which is finally beginning to take shape. "We've made a lot of progress since the days started getting longer and warmer," he claimed. The double-ended hulls are plywood and West Sys¬ tem epoxy, while the crossbeams are Doug fir laminates. The pieces will eventually be lashed together Polynesian-style, or "flexibly connected" as Jason put it, and a relatively small cutter rig will top it off. The whole 3.5-ton, 42-by-22-foot boat can be disassembled for transporting.

Though he has some boatbuilding-related skills from previous jobs, the only other craft Pruette has built was an 18-foot sea kayak. "It can be a little overwhelming," he admits cheer¬ fully, "And some days I'm learning as 1 go. But I'm having a blast this is one ofthe best things I've ever done!"

Entropy, SC 50 Both ofBartz Schneider's boats were at KKMI when we happened by, as were half his crew. His Express 37 Expeditious was getting its pul¬ pits and stanchions repaired after a fender-bender,' while his new-to-him SC 50 Entropy was being read¬ ied for the Pacific Cup. The work party that day con¬ sisted of (l^ft to right) Bartz, Rhett Smith (shirtless), Doug Lee, Travis Vetter and JohnArisman. Where were the other four members of the Pac Cup crew, we won¬ dered? "Some ofthem have an elevated opinion oftheir rockstar status, and apparently don't feel the need to help," replied Bartz diplomatically. "You can tell Stevie B. and David I said this!" (much laughter all around).

Like most SC 50s, Entropy has had its share of owners and names (ex-Cara, ex-Windigo, ex-Clark Kent, ex-Six Belles). Built in '82 as hull #23, she was sailed almost exclusively in the Great Lakes and ap¬ pears to be in great shape. Bartz had Entropy shipped from Marblehead about a month ago, and has been upgrading it ever since new rod rigging, new Ballenger boom, new North kites and lots more.

"Carl (Schumacher) always said the SC 50 was the ultimate boat for Hawaii races," said Bartz. "My crew has been bugging me for years to charter a boat for the Pac Cup, so rather than go to Antigua (Sailing Week) again, we concentrated on this. When we couldn't find a 50 to charter, well, I just bought one!”

With ten sisterships entered, Bartz and his hench¬ men will have to sail hard to earn a podium finish. "We're a month behind schedule, and may not get to practice much before the race," lamented Bartz. But win or lose, one thing's for sure these guys will be laughing all the way to Hawaii!

ANOTHER DAY IN THE LIFE

Spirit, Cal 20 We'd never met Coyote Point YC member Vince Swerkes before, but quickly felt as though we knew him. "I finally beat your friend Dave Few (former PHRF chairman) in a South Bay YRA race!" said Vince, who owns a carpet cleaning busi¬ ness in Sunnyvale. "Does Chris (Weaver) still work at Latitude? I bought my sails from her two years ago." It's such a small world!

Apparently inspired by his recent victory over Few, Vince was on a Thursday-to-Monday work binge at Svendsen's to fair and paint the hull ofhis aging 1963 Cal 20. "She's hull #144, one of the early ones,” he explained. "It's been two years since I last hauled out, so this is a little overdue. I thought I might paint the topsides, too, but I'm running out of time."

Decked out in gloves and a white spacesuit, Swerkes was busy applying West System filling com¬ pound to his hull, which he planned to sand and cover with blue Woolsey Vinylast bottom paint the next day. The hardener was kicking, so he couldn't stop for long but we did learn that he’s owned Spirit, his first and only boat, for eight years. He races it in the South Bay midwinter and summer series, and crews on the Olson 911-SE Jane Doe in more major races.

Like most small boatowners, Swerkes dreams of getting a bigger boat someday. However, also like most boatowners, he claims, "My wife wants me home more often!" Does this sound familiar, or what?

Maestro, Golden Gate "We ll only talk with you ifyou run more Ray Jason stories!" demanded (left to right) Dana Smith, boatowner Tim Donnelly and Chris Hermann when we met them at San Rafael Yacht Harbor. Then they started laughing. As it turns out this merry group are good friends with the ’ol Sea Gypsy. "Ray doesn’t like to admit this, but I actually taught him how to sail," claimed Smith, a fellow pro¬ fessional juggler who often performp at Pier 39 with his sidekick Lacey, a Jack Russell terrier with more personality than some people we know.

The trio were busy refastening the bottom planks on Tim’s 1959 Golden Gate, which was the? 18th and last one built. He bought the 'baby Bird' for a song from busy rockstar Pete Sears about a year ago. "I also own Chewink (#14), which was built in 1939 be¬ fore the big war,” said Donnelly, a San Francisco prop¬ erty manager and member of the Bay View BC. "It’s economic suicide, but I guess I'm having fun." Her¬ mann also shares Donnelly's obsession for old woodies —he owns a 1958 Folkboat named Navigator, which is docked next to Chewink at Pier 39.

Golden Gates are on the endangered species list, and Donnelly figures half of them are already gone. "It's a nice feeling to watch the planks suck up tight again," he said, as he explained the labor-intensive process of rescrewing and rebunging the entire hull. "In a few years, we’ll do the frames."

Maestro should be back in the water by the end of summer, at which point these guys will begin a "mas¬ sive two-boat testing and training session to kick-start our international racing campaign." (more laughter). "Actually, I don't really know what I'll do with two boats," admitted Donnelly. "I'll figure that out when the time comes."

Chelonia, Yankee 30 Friends are already joking about “Ed’s Rock”, but Ed Ruszel still finds little humorous about clobbering an underwater ob¬ struction in the Berkeley Circle in late March.

“We were out daysailing with a couple of friends, minding our own business, when WHAM! BAM! we hit some¬ thing pretty good. The boat humped up and came back dowh as if riding over something big. The depthsounder read about seven feet at the time.” A survey by a diver after the boat was back in her slip revealed no damage to the keel, but the bottom of the rudder skeg had snapped and cocked to port. It did its job protecting the rudder, though, as the rudder (though chippecl) and its hinges survived fine.

“Since then I’ve heard a number of stories of people hitting something in this area about a mile south of the western end of the Richmond breakwa¬ ter. In fact, I think Jim and Sue Corenman were the ones who got it put on the newer charts as an ’obstruction’ af¬ ter they hit it in Heart ofGold a few years

ago. In one story I heard, a guy hit it so hard he fell and broke his collarbone.”

So Chelonia is on the hard at KKMI for at least a few weeks while repairs get made. Being out of action is unusual for this boat and owner. Ed’s owned the boat

since 1986 and has been very active both daysailing and shorthanded racing. A longtime member of the Bay Area’s Singlehanded Sailing Society, he’s filling in some of his sailing calendar by volun¬ teering for race committee work.

de Mita on March 28. The first race took the fleet around the Tres Marietas Is¬ lands and then to a finish off La Cruz, followed by a wonderful Folkorico Ballet presentation in the square. The next day we raced from La Cruz to a mark off old town P.V., then back to a finish off the mouth of the Nuevo Vallarta breakwa¬ ter. We had two young Mexican girls aboard from the tech school, and I'm sure Rich Mullinax, bottom right, and the crew of "StillSearching'celebrate winningoverallhon¬ ors in the 10th Banderas Bay Regatta.

they thought it would be a short boat ride. But we had very light wind, and it took five hours to finish the nearly 16mile course. The girls disappeared the minute we touched the dock! Paradise Resort didn't exist back then, so the awards party was held in front of the then unfin¬ ished condos at Nuevo Marina. The food was a concoction of cow parts that looked like road kill boiled in big drums. I called it 'beef cippino'. It wasn't bad although I'm sure the te¬ quila helped make it more palatable. There were far fewer entries back then, and the cruis¬ ing boats weren't perfor¬ mance oriented. The overall winners were a young couple on a 36-ft ketch who had never raced before. Boy, were they surprised!"

There have been ma¬ jor changes in Banderas Bay over the last decade. There's been tremendous development, with Para¬ dise Resort and Marina leading the way in terms of intelligent design and execution. There are more cruising boats on the Bay, too, and they tend to be larger and faster. Like the bay, there have been similar major changes in the Banderas Bay Regatta. It now en¬ joys tremendous support from the local commu¬ nity, has many more en¬ tries, is based at the ter¬ rific Paradise Resort and Marina, and features more traditional race courses.

Sometimes change is for the better, and some¬ times it's for the worse. We weren't around for the early BBRs, but having done the last five, and we have a simple eight-word evaluation 'just possi¬ bly the best and most fun cruisers' regatta in the world'. Ifyou were at the 10th anniversary edition

that went offwithout a hitch this March 14 through 17th, it would have been easy to come up with a list ofthings that made the event so enjoyable.

Weather While California is usu¬ ally cool and gray in March, Banderas

JNJorthern Californians Doug and Anne Murray did this year's 10th annual Banderas Bay Regatta aboard the Lib¬ erty 456 Dephinia. They had also done the first BBR in '92 aboard Murmur, their own Liberty 456. Here's how they remem¬ ber the inaugural event:

"It started with a beach party at Punta

Dorr Anderson and the crew of 'Blue Heron' display the kind of spinnaker shape that. well, won their divison.

THE TENTH ANNUAL

ALL PHOTOS BY LATITUDE/RICHARD, EXCEPT WHERE NOTED Bay is unfailingly 85 degrees during the day and a pleasant 70 degrees at night. And ifyou fall overboard during the rac¬ ing as one crewmember apparently did from Sea Silk the water temperature is in the soothing 70s. That's why the

whales hang around before heading back to frigid Alaska. The sailing conditions are ideal for cruisers, as it consistently blows eight to 18 knots in the afternoon, but is normally calm the rest of the day and night. This means the seas are al¬

ways flat. We can’t think of anywhere in the world with such perfect conditions for a cruising regatta.

The Courses In recognition of the fact that the Banderas Bay isn’t the America's Cup, the race committee put together three days ofracing on the same modest nine-plus mile course. Since the L,.

Spread; Desperado' and 'Casseopia' enjoy a weather leg. Lower left inset; You have to love a regatta with its own fireworks. Upperinset; Doha of Prof¬ ligate', Jennifer of Elysium', Kristin of 'Sol Mate', and Bonnie of 'Impulse', jl Where these sailors go, trouble is sure to follow. jjj

Kathy Hewittgets an embrace ofsorts from her husband-to-be for taking class honors with their Peterson 44 'Po' Oino Roa'. average cruising boat doesn't point like a Farr 40 or surf like a Moore 24, no¬ body groused that the courses should have been longer. Besides, most of the participants aren't kids any more, so ev¬ erybody looked forward to the post race activities which consisted of sitting in 95° hot tubs with mobs of friends sip¬ ping on two-for-one margaritas while watching the sun set over the Pacific. Life is not hard at the Banderas Bay Regatta.

A Fine Fleet Given the terrific weather, it's no wonder that the 10th an¬ niversary fleet was the largest ever. Some 63 cruising boats signed up, as well as a One big difference between the first and 10th BBRs is the reaching legs. Originally they were many miles long. Now, they'rejusta mile long.

bunch of Mexican-owned Hobie Cats that were towed over from La Cruz each day. As it turned out, only 46 cruising boats actually raced. The reason for all the drop¬ outs is that so many skippers opted to race on friend's boats. In the case of a fun re¬ gatta like the BBR, we think this is akin to being a voyeur at an orgy. But to each their own.

The non-Hobie fleet was divided into eight classes, and at the small end were boats such as a Pacific Seapraft 25, Dufour 28, and S2 7.9. In the middle range there were a lot of Catalinas, sev¬ eral Peterson 44s, and the_ like. The Class 3 division for large monohulls was impressive for a cruis ing event: Greg King's J/44 Sabrosa; Pe¬ ter and Susan Wolcott's SC 52 Kiapa; Glenn Andert's N/M 56 Leaijet, Jan and Signe Twardowski's Deerfoot 64 Raven; Rennie Waxlax's Swan 65 Cassiopeia; and the Folvig family's Perry 72 Elysium. Mind you, all of these are true cruising boats. The multihull fleet was off slightly this year, which we're blaming on Chris Lloyd of the 41-ft cat Kirra, Greig Olson of the Searunner 40 Doggone, and Guy Bunting of the M&M 46 Elan. Despite signing up to race their own boats, they all ended up sailing at least one race aboard Profligate. We loved having them aboard, but would have preferred playing with them and their boats out on the course.

According to Barrie Grant, race committee chairman, in theory this was the fastest Banderas Bay fleet ever. "We only had two boats with PHRF ratings over 200, which is the lowest number ever," he said. Boats that didn't have PHRF ratings were assigned them by the race committee. The commit¬ tee seemed to do a pretty good job with one ex¬ ception. Somehow our friends the Folvigs' Perry

Jack Taylor's class-winning Dufour28 'Ave de Aries' battles to weather with another one of the smaller entries.

72 Elysium which came from the same mold as the Andrews 70 sleds were owed 41 seconds a mile from the SC 52 Kiapa. Ouchl The race committee must have been getting near the bottom ofthe

tequila bottle when that disparity slipped through. Fortunately, nobody took their rating or the racing that seriously. After all, almost 'everyone was friends from having spent some of the season cruisSpread; The Perry 72 'Elysium', the largestboat in the fleet. Inset; Lynn StevensandAudra Tasa, two professional mariners who enjoy the BBR.

ing together, and a number of en¬ tries were already fully loaded for a crossing to the Marquesas.

Fine Social Events It's a good thing that none of the races were too long, because there were ma¬ jor social activities every night. The night ofthe first race, for example, Philo of Cherokee Spirit and his band came over from La Cruz and played to the crowd that was largely made up of folks who were already good friends with most of the other folks. With the band in fine form, sailors from 8 to 80 danced unselfconsciously as if they were at a big reunion. Later on, one woman with short blonde hair and an even shorter skirt took to the stage for a little go-go danc¬ ing in front of the band. She was _warmly received in part because she unknowingly flashed her knickers every time she did her little kick. The fi¬ nale ofthe social activities was the sump¬ tuous award's presentation feast fea¬ turing an endless buffet, not boiled cow parts with seating around the huge pool. The evening commenced with a fire¬ works display and ended with John

MThe BBR ‘Sheriff's Patrol' was on duty at all times, on land and water, in uniform and as you can see here out of uniform.

Folvig pushing the entire Elysium crew except his mother and others into the pool.

ft mt 1

A Great Base Facility When you think of Mexico, do dusty streets, dilapi¬ dated structures, and crummy wooden docks come to mind? Then you haven't been to Paradise Resort and Marina. Graziano, as he likes to be called, left Italy for Canada with¬ out two lira to rub to¬ gether, and somehow ended up in Mexico cre¬ ating one ofthe biggest and almost certainly the best resorts on Banderas Bay. It's got the best beach in the bay, was properly built and is excellently main¬ tained, and has a won¬ derful staff. It's exactly what you'd expect from a self-made man and his family, who con¬ tinue their hands-on work everyday to make sure their guests enjoy themselves. It’s a fam¬ ily-oriented resort, with all G-rated activities. So if anyone was hop¬ ing to see a bunch of topless and naked women sliding down

the dragon slide and into the pool, they were out of luck. Unless, of course, they hung around until after the award’s party was over and all the free tequila started to take effect.

Paradise has everything an off-duty

No matter if you sailed flat or heeled over, the 10th BBR had the mellow winds and flat water sailing conditions that cruisers enjoy most.

cruising racer could want two pools, a lap pool, two hot tubs, tennis and bas¬ ketballs courts, a luxurious spa, and a

spacious cruisers' lounge with showers, televisions, and places to lie down in air conditioned comfort while watching CNN. It didn't hurt the BBR or resort that Dick Markie is the harbormaster, because everyone could count on the cement docks being clean, the water and electricity work¬ ing, and the security being good. Most harbormasters would be content to just fill their slips for the event and turn the other boats away. Not Dick. He puts a lot of pressure on himself to shuffle and squeezing boats into his marina just to be able to ac¬ commodate another BBR entry.

This year's racing was particu¬ larly enjoyable the previous two years featured unusually light air and there were standouts in most classes. Jack Taylor's Dufour 28 Ave deAries scored three bul¬ lets to walk away with Class 9, with Steve Nash's Hans Christian 33 Mendota and Lalo Mareno's Magic taking second and third. Ivan Murphy had two bullets with

the S2 7.9 Escape Velocity to take Class 8, with Gene Menzie's Tartan 33 Nereus and John Riley's Ericson 28+ Synergyzer claiming second and third. Surfer/sailor Hal Crum and his Catalina 42 Angela had three bullets to walk way with Class 7 making it his fourth victory in four Banderas Bay Regattas. Leroy Kochert's Catalina 42 Namche and Dick Switzer's Freedom 45 Illusions were second and third. Kathy Hewitt drove the Peterson 44 Po' Oino Roa to three bullets to take Class 6, with John Decker's Mason 43 Windraker and Scott Hilleslana's Wauquiez 43 Bona Roba in. show and place. Rich Mullinax and his band from the Vallejo YC aboard the Oceanis 440 Still Searching dusted Class 5 with three firsts, followed by Keith Levy's Catalina 47 C'est La Vie and William Forrestt's New York 36 Koloa. Despite carrying his chute hoisted from a clew for most ofone leg, Dorr Anderson triumphed in Class 4 with his J/37 Blue Heron, followed by Edwin Sweo's Beneteau 46 Chere and Jack Muir's Sabre 406 Tamourine. The Folvig family got two bullets before stum¬ bling to a 6th &1 Class 3 with Elysium,

Based on their ability to have fun and enter¬ tain, Renne Wexlax andAnne Blunden's Swan 65 'Cassiopeia', and crew, deserved an award. and just nipped the Wolcotts and their SC 52 Kiapaby half a point. Greg King’s J/44 Sabrosa was third. The multihull division had the closet racing of all, as

Blair Grinds 46-ft Capricorn Cat, John Haste's Perry 52 Little Wing, and Latitude's Surfin' 63 Profligate each won a race. But like always, Capricorn Cat prevailed, followed by Little Wing.

For the first time, the top boats over¬ all boats were announced at the awards

ceremony. Dorr Anderson's Blu% Heron a boat he's just sold in favor of a big¬ ger Beneteau was third. The Folvig's and their fun-loving crew aboard Elysium were second. Overall top honors went to Rich Mullinax and Still Searching. De¬ spite not having raced much. Rich with his dad aboard really had the Beneteau 440 moving. As a youth, Rich raced bikes and suffered an injury that was so serious the doctors didn't think he'd ever walk again. Rich not only walks just fine, he's got the most frequent smile

Any regatta that ends with a crowd of wet, warm, and laughing participants can't be all bad. Next year, March 20-23. Make a note. and best disposition ofanyone we've ever met. Rich asked us to put in a word of thanks to his parents, who enthusiasti¬ cally encouraged him when things were looking the worst.

We think a Spirit ofBanderas Bay Re¬ gatta award should have been presented to Renne Waxlax and Anne Blunden's

Swan 65 Cassiopeia. Waxlax, a 747 pilot, knows how to have a wild and crazy time i— while still being responsible. His crew worse crazy outfits, spelled the boat name out in shaving cream one their chests one day and on their behinds in Nutella the next day or so we're told and generally knew how to liven things up. That included marching into the pool with the bent spinna¬ ker pole over their heads at the awards party. Well done.

Looking for a good sailing time under the tropical sun? Ifyou're going to Mexico with your boat next year, put the Banderas Bay down on your calendar for March 20-23. Ifyou’re not going to have your own boat down there, for god's sake, make arrangements to crew on someone else's boat. After all, it's only three hours away from chilly California. You may have missed the first 10 BBRs, but there's no excuse to miss any more.

latitude 38

Once again, the old surfer quote comes to mind for those ofyou who didn't make it to Sail Expo, Sail America's most excellent in-the-water boat show held each April at Jack London Square Ya shoulda been here yesterday! The big¬ gest sailboat-only show on the West Coast was once again the coolest off-thewater event of theq^ear, and the place to be if you wanted to check out the new¬ est boats, equipment or services or just to rub elbows and shake hands with the top ofthe food chain in racing, cruis¬ ing and marine manufacturing.

As we have for the past several years, our editors headed out on their own for mini-interviews withusome of the more interesting exhibitors that struck their fancy. There was no particular rhyme or reason to this except that this year we agreed not to feature any sailmakers or in-the-water boats. There's no fair way to feature one brand without someone else feeling slighted.

A special tip of the hat to winners of awards for the best booths: Holt ("small booth"); Ronstan ("large booth"); Jack Klang's excellent presentations in the Quantum booth ("general information") and Swan/KKMI ("above and beyond”).

Here are some of folks we talked to...

Billed as “The sailboat that’s simply fun” and looking like something Roger Rabbit might take ,out for an afternoon sail, on first impression the Wahoo ap¬ pears to be nothing but fun. Designed by a team at Mangia Onda in San Diego, the 8-foot craft is aimed specifically at getting nonsailors sailing and sea¬ soned sailors grinning. It is simple to rig and the unique “M”-shaped hull is so stable that you “really have to tty” to cap¬ size it, said Susan Johnson, who was manning the booth for Mangia Onda at Sail Expo. “Most people get the hang of it the first time out, even kids,” she said. The Wahoos are handbuilt of fiberglass at the Duffy Boat Company in Newport Beach, the nice folks who build those cute electric launches the nautical ‘surreys with the fringe on top.’

There was even a Wahoo in the water for show-goers to try out, but the day we were there, 30-knot winds grounded all planned on-the-water festivities, so we didn’t get to try one. If you’re down in the Mission Bay area, however, test sails are easy to arrange.

For the MSRP of $3,500 ($2,750 boat show special), you got a choice of boats in Seaspray Blue, Hot Pink, Orange, Neon Tetra Green and Purple Wave Eater with sails to match. The only thing missing was Roger Rabbit to cast off the

have to pull an aircraft carnet- offa reefor tow a 12-Meter up Mount Everest, what else are you going to use? We'll take the yellow one.

docklines. For more information, go to www.gottawahoo.com.

Three main factors inspired the cre¬ ation ofthe boardgame Nautical Trivia. One was the release ofthe original Trivial Pursuit. The second was that Rob Dodson was taking a Power Squadron course and thought a game might pro¬ vide a funner way to learn about stuff like safety and the rules ofthe road. And the third was that he was taking that course in Kansas City, Missouri far from his native Long Island and the great sailing he grew up with there. So, not quite a decade ago, he began developing the idea for a game that landlocked or “winterlocked” sailors could play when they couldn’t sail, but that contained enough ofthe strategy, knowledge and unpredictability ofthe real thing, Two years into the five-year process of creat¬ ing the game, Rob met Connie, who shared his enthusiasm for the game and life in general. She helped with the final concept of the game, and somewhere

along the way, they got married.

We have to say that the Dodsons hit the nail on the head with this game.

Rather than a circle like Trivial Pursuit, in Nautical Trivia, you choose your own course from A to B. The first part is up¬ wind, the last downwind maybe. You move forward by rolls of a die, which decides which category of question you must answer: navigation, maritime his¬ tory, boating safety, famous shipwrecks or world geography. A correct answer gets you farther down the course. When the die rolls up a ‘treasure chest’ or ‘Jolly Roger’ card, it could benefit you (“block your opponent’s wind and pull ahead two navigation points”), or destroy your best laid plans (“hurricane blows all boats 5 nav points out to sea”). Since it's been out, Nautical Trivia has proven a hit, par¬ ticularly with sailing schools and yacht clubs. Several clubs back east now draw members in during the snowy season with marathon Nautical Trivia games. The game is nicely made (pewter game pieces and dice are made in Newport,

City. Above. Jean Williams (and inventor) Keith admires her

Rhode Island and the gameboards in Texas) and fun even for nonsailors. Lo¬ cally, you can find the $69.95 Nautical Trivia game at the Armchair Sailor in Sausalito, or the ‘ship’s store’ at the San Francisco Maritime Museum’s Hyde Street Pier. For more information, or to order online, go to www.nauticaltri.via. com.

Trident Studios was one of a num¬ ber of first-time exhibitors at Sail Expo, and even on Friday, owner Andy Burton was surprised at the interest in his prod¬ uct: half-hull models of everything from classic schooners to America's Cup yachts. A former deliveiy skipper and longtime modeler, Andy bought the com¬ pany three years ago from the guy who founded it in 1972.

Half-hulls harken back to the days of wooden ships and iron men, when ‘de¬ signers’ would shape a half-hull to their liking, then take the lines off that to loft the full-size ship. These days, half-hulls are purely decorative, though they often

evoke or symbolize surprising emotion. As an example, while wp were there, a hot local J/105 racer stopped by the Tri¬ dent booth to inquire about a half-hull of a vintage Pearson the boat he had learned to sail on with his father.

Although Andy can custom make a wooden half-hull, most of them these days are cast of solid resin in a mold, then painted to match the original. All models are mounted on cherry backboards. When he’s not doing boat shows, Andy is an active part of the three-man team that produces 10 to 20 half hulls a week for clients all over the world. And when he’s not working at all, he can of¬ ten be found sailing his Shields in the active (32 boats) Wednesday night series out of Newport.

If a boat appears on Trident’s master list (meaning that a mold has been pro¬ duced for that design), half-hull prices range from $350 to a bit over $500, de¬ pending on size and complexity. For a ong-off (a boat that’s not on the list), prices start at $750. Trident also carries

mm

several models of America’s Cup boats in stock. Check out www.tridentstud.io. com for the whole list.

“We don’t import many products, just thq best,” said Carolyn Isacovici of Best Marine Imports, the business she and husband Robert started 25 years ago. Over that time, the couple have trav¬ eled far and wide to seek out ‘the best’ for Florida-based BMI, whose current line ofproducts includes the Manson line of stainless steel CQR and Bruce anchors made in New Zealand, The Stripper Pro¬ peller Protector, made in England, a man-overboard retrieval system made in Denmark and beautifully crafted anchor swivels made in Germany. Many ofthese products are relatively speaking less expensive than other brands because of current exchange rates.

As we talked about the company with Carolyn, Robert was at the other end of the booth doing a dramatic demonstra¬ tion of BMI’s most popular product. The Stripper. He fed a line into a spinning

Above, Robert and Carolyn Isacovici of Best Marine Imports were kept busy demonstrating many of their wares. Left. Andy

from TridentStudios. Theonetie’s holding Is the Voivo 60 ‘Chessie.’

SusanJohnson aboardone of the moreunusual, colorful, stable and fun boats we've seen in a while, the new Wahoo'.

ROVING

propeller fitted with the multi-bladed gadget on the shaft. Where almost all props would have been instantly fouled. The Stripper made short work of slicing the line apart every time. Pretty nifty!

When the Isacovicis aren’t working, they’re cruising and of course keep¬ ing their eye out for more quality prod¬ ucts to import. Their boat is currently in Ecuador. For more, check Out their website at www.bestmarineimports.com.

“T 1 don’tjump anymore,” smiled Keith Williams. “And neither does she,” he said, pointing to wife Jean. The key to more dignified docking was finding some way to ‘lasso’ a cleat or dock tie-rail. Keith tried some of the gadgets already on the market, but found them all wanting in one way or another. So the retired engi¬ neer detided to design his own. The Docking Mate is the ‘rest of the story.’ It’s simple, robust, easy to throw and easy to stow. And deceptively effective. With about 10 seconds ofinstruction and tips, we were able to nail the rail or cleat on the ‘demo dock’ every single throw. And ifyou overthrow the dock, the hook simply catches the other side. Though not meant to be used as a permanent

Lett. Schooner Creek's Steve Rander and YRA's Linda Myers shareda booth. Above, a fleetoflittlebigships. Right, the 30-pound Ro$

world's biggest carbon fiber boomerang.

mooring, the Docking Mate greatly sim¬ plifies getting the boat attached and po¬ sitioned on a dock.

The single hook of the Docking Mate is stainless steel covered with a non¬ marring rubberized coating. The line is nice soft braid. Keith assembles each one himself in his shop in Fairview, Oregon. The standard ‘one size fits most’ Dock¬ ing Mate uses 20 feet of 1/2-inch line and retails for $105. Larger combinations of hooks and lines up to 3/4-inch, and custom applications, are available for larger yachts and commercial craft. (Note that Williams’ company, Interlock LLC, does not currently operate a webpage, and if you type ‘Docking Mate’ into a search engine, you will get a Florida com¬ pany that makes an entirely different product with the same name. Williams will be Happy to send you a packet of literature on his Docking Mate ifyou give him a call at (503) 666-3137.)

The Radio Controlled Laser is an entry-level R/C model boat. It costs just $400 (or $350 if you and your buddies buy four at once) and is guaranteed yucks for the bucks. We know, because we've sailed Chrissy Kaplan's R/C La¬

sers at Gas-house Cove almost every time we fill up the Latitude photoboat.

"There are 42 of these at Sequoia YC now, and 12 up at Stockton SC," claimed Colorado-based distributor Steve Lang. "In fact, there's a good chance the R/C Laser Nationals will be at Sequoia YC later this year."

These Bruce Kirby-inspired boats are brilliant in their simplicity. They're salt¬ water-friendly and virtually bulletproof (the hull is blow-molded polyethylene); it's a strict one design class; and it takes only about three minutes to rig and unrig. Unlike more exotic R/C boats, this one comes ready-to-sail with no assem¬ bly required. There are "four or five thou¬ sand" R/C Lasers sailing now, and sales show no sign of slowing down.

Model yacht racing is sweeping the country these days, and the R/C Laser seems to us to be the cheapest and most fun way to get in on the trend. To learn more, see wwuz.sailRCLaser.com.

"You have to go for a spin in the Blokart!" insisted our friend Chris Bouzaid, a famous Kiwi sailor nowbased in Newport, RI. "It's a riot! I guarantee you'll want one after you take a test sail."

Above,almostanydummycanlearn tohikeouton the24.5er. teaming tosteer, trimthreesailsandhikeallatthesame time Is another matter.

AT

Intrigued, we were soon cautiously sailing a Blokart up and down the side street in front of PSE, half expecting to be busted by the Oakland PD ("Honest, officer, we werejust doing ourjob!"). Even in fluky winds and in our inept hands, the 55-pound, Kiwi-built land yacht' zipped around at probably 20 mph hardly approaching the current 64-mph Blokart record (as recorded by handheld GPS).

Blokarts which go front bag to sail¬ ing in about five minutes are relatively new, but are already the rage in New Zealand and the U.K. Over 1,000 are al¬ ready sailing and, according to Bouzaid, they are simply faster and better-made than similar small dirt sailers'. Unlike their foot-steered competitors, the Blokart is hand-steered. The new toys cost about 92,500, though they were on sale at the show for an introductory price of$1,999. See www.blockart.com for the whole story, or check them out at the new local dealer probably Svendsen's in Alameda in the near future.

Note to readers: Be careful around Bouzaid he's a real character, and a very persuasive guy. We bought a Blokart on the spot, as did Chris Boome, who

testsailed the thing after us. Hopefully, a local fleet will form soon.

"We've got a couple projects in the wtirks, but I can't tell you about them," said Portland, Oregon-based boatbuilder Steve Rander of his Schooner Creek Boat Yard. Instead, we talked about the many boats he has built mostly cruis¬ ers, but also some racers such as Magic Carpet, Rage, Jelik, and Ocean Planet and his penchant for using wood epoxy (West System) construction. We also chatted about the upcoming Pacific Cup, which Rander will sail again in the Wylie 70 Rage. Obviously, Rander loves this race this will be his eighth one!

Sharing the booth with Rander was YRA Executive Director Lynda Myers, who moved her increasingly virtual of¬ fice into PSE for the first three days of the show. Myers was staring into her laptop, issuing PHRF certificates and reg¬ istering sailors for the season-opening Vallejo Race on May 4-5. "I was dealing with Steve on the phone a few weeks ago, getting his PHRF certificate for the Pa¬ cific Cup," she explained. "I mentioned I wap looking for a corner of someone's Expo booth to work out of, and he was

kind enough to offer me the space."

, Rumors that Rage's PHRF rating will be affected favorably are, of course, un¬ true.

Roy Ahem, who lives in Minnesota but frequents warmer places, was rep¬ ping two cool products in their PSE de¬ buts a 30-pound carbon dinghy davit and a floating dock system.

The RPD 500 ('Rogers Portable Davit', with a safe working load of 500 kg, or 1,100 pounds) is an elegant, light¬ weight design that resembles a gigantic black boomerang. The davit is portable, designed to be moved around the boat to different deck sockets and/or stowed below when not in use. The creation of English yacht designer Jeremy Rogers, the RPD 500 can be fitted out with ei¬ ther an electric or manual winch. Over 100 of these exotic davits are already in service, mostly on mega-yachts and a few on work boats. The RPD 500 price tag, however, isn't for the faint of heart.

The Wisconsin-based Candock Mod¬ ular Floating System, one of two highdensity polyethylene floating modular dock systems on the market, has been around since 1988 (the concept was in-

Left, no hauioutfees, no trailer, nostorage hassles and you cancarry itin yourcar the PS>C Laserit looking b. ttcrbythe minute. Below theBlokart can hit freeway speeds and you never get spray in the face.

HMI 1

troduced to this country at the '84 Olym¬ pic Games in Long Beach). "It looks like a gigantic Lego kit, doesn't it?" laughed Ahern. Consisting of lightweight grey blocks which are joined together with threaded pins, this system is easy to as¬ semble, maintenance-free, and should last about 30 yearsN'It's two-thirds the cost of a conventional wooden dock, and will last longer," stated Ahem.

The Candock 'Lego blocks', which come in two different heights, can be configured in a variety ofways mostly to accommodate small craft in sheltered areas. We've seen these things in Sausalito and, accordihg to Ahern, they are big up in the Delta. "The Bay Area has banned using treated wood and styrofoam in docks, which means you'll probably be seeing a lot more floating docks like this soon," he claimed.

See www.jeremyrogers.co.uk/davits and www.candock.us.com for all the gory details about either of these products.

One ofthe sexier exhibits at PSE was the Ronstan Skiff Zone, a collection of

six dinghies that got our adrenaline going just looking at them on trailers

Howie Hamlin's Aussie 18, Zach Berkowitz's 1-14, a 49er, a 29er, a Vec¬ tor, and the Swift Solo, aka the 24.5er. The latter boat, designed and beautifully built ofwestern red cedar by Seattle 49er sailor Bram Dally, is a one-man version of a 49er (hence the 24.5 moniker) complete with massive spinnaker, re¬ tractable spritpole, and trapeze. One of the many engineering innovations on the radical skiff is a sheeting system which operates the main and jib simulta¬ neously.

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"I think it's the fastest commerciallyavailable one-man monohull in the world," claimed Dally, a 49er sailor and retired home designer/builder who used to race 505s in the '70s. 'We'll know later this year, as Sailing World and Ronstan are hosting a shootout in Newport, RI, between a half dozen skiffs like this, in¬ cluding the International Canoe."

Dally maintains a website [www. single-handedskiffs.com) which tells all about his project, as well as how to build

A

your own 24.5er for under $7,000. There are currently three 24.5ers in existence, eight more underway, and hopes for 15 boats and one design racing by the end of summer. "Charlie McKee and Julian Bethwaite (designer of the 49er and 29er) both sailed the boat, and re¬ ally liked it," claimed Dally. Of course, those are two of the most hardcore skiff sailors in the world and, as Dally well knows, the 24.5er isn't a boat for every¬ body. which is precisely why we thought it was so cool.

One of the more popular exhibits at PSE (and boat shows across the coun¬ try) is that of Jack Klang. Under con¬ tract to Quantum, Jack brings his 'toy chest' to shows, grabs a microphone and basically talks nonstop about all things nautical, using little wooden boats that he pushes and prods around his huge 'gameboard' to illustrate various con¬ cepts and rules of the road. "He makes it easy and fun for people to understand," is how one admirer summed up the unique show.

SOMEWHERE

^There were so many folks jumping off from Mexico to the Marquesas this year, that we couldn't fit all their pro¬ files into one installment. So, in the fol¬ lowing pages, we'll pick up where we left off last month, introducing you to the Pacific Puddle Jump Class of 2002.

As we often reiterate, their ambitious crossing to FrenCfjPolynesia is certainly not a Latitude 38-organized event. Our role here is simply to acknowledge the bold undertaking of setting out across a 2,800-mile patch of water with no po¬ tential stopovers en route.

This year, as in years past, the fleet is composed of a wide variety ofboat types and owners who corqe from all walks of life. The common denominator among them, of course, is a love of blue-water cruising and a thirst for adventure. Many plan to do South Pacific circuits then re¬ turn home, while others expect to com¬ plete full circumnavigations. We'd bet that many will wind up making landfalls at places they've never even dreamed of.

The interviews excerpted here were conducted during our annual Puddle Jump Kick-Off Party at the Paradise Vil¬ lage Resort and Marina specifically at the resort's exotic Jungle Restaurant.

Now, sit back and meet the Class of 2002. Who knows, maybe you'll be pro¬ filed in these pages yourself someday.

By Chance Passport 40 John & Ariana Flook, Victoria, BC

"Since we've been married we've al¬ ways been on the water," explains Ariana. And because John worked as a school teacher they were able to go cruising ev¬ ery summer.

They took off from Vancouver Island in August of 2000, and now, after two years ofcruising Mexican waters, they’re

THE

V

ing life is the last frontier for adventur¬ ous people."

Ariana explains that they love the cruising life and are ready to take the next big step: "We couldn't imagine go¬ ing home without facing this challenge. We don't want to go home and just sit in front of the TV."

"In terms of preparation," she adds, "things that we originally considered to be luxuries like solar panels, sailmail

and our watermaker have now become an important part of our cruising lifestyle.”

Herron’s Flight Tayana 42 Sue & Lex Herron, Marina del Rey Sue and Lex' game plan is to islandhop across the Pacific to New Zealand in time for the America's Cup next fall that is, the "Kiwi Cup" as Lex, a native New Zealander, puts it. They flew down

anxious to explore the South Pacific is¬ lands along the 'milk run’ to New Zealand. "Eventually," says John, "we hope to end up in the Med."

For the past two years, John has been on a leave of absence from his profes¬ sion, but he's about to become officially retired: "And I can't think ofa better way to spend retirement. I believe the cruisRight: Ariana and John of 'By Chance' aren't yet ready to become couch potatoes.

"We couldn't imagine going home without facing this challenge."

for the last Cup and as Lex says, "I want to be there again to cheer on the team." No doubt he'll be wearing red socks in the style of the late Peter Blake.

Both are longtime boaters, but Sue, having been a diehard racer for many years, wears the title of"captain” and Lex apparently has no problem acting as her first mate.

Shortly after meeting, they realized that they both shared a long-held dream of cruising the South Pacific. So, after marrying five years ago, they worked steadily toward making that dream a reality by selling their respective boats and pooling their assets into this lovely old Tayana.

Along their westward route, they list Bora Bora and Raiatea among their 'must-see' destinations. "According to legend," explains Lex, "the Maoris who

Philo Hayward of 'Cherokee Spirit' will be honky-tonking from island to islandacross the whose memory banks seem to hold an endless quantitiy of original tunes, bal¬ lads and golden oldies.

After sailing south with the 2001 Baja Ha-Ha, Philo soon became enamored with the charming town of La Cruz, on Banderas Bay, and before long he'd bought himself a little club there which has become a favorite hangout for cruis¬ ers. It features live music three nights a week.

But now, as the peak season wanes, Philo plans to do a bit of adventuring in the South Pacific singlehanding ifnec¬ essary. Plan 'A' is to leave his boat on the hard in the fall and come back to Mexico for another stint as an innkeeper.

Captain Sue and First Mate Lex are bound for New Zealand to watch the "Kiwi Cup." settled New Zealand originally set out from Raiatea, and I’d like to see it."

They have thoroughly enjoyed their two years of cruising Mexico, but have been most impressed by "the comrade¬ ship ofcruisers and their unselfish will¬ ingness to share and to help even to¬ tal strangers."

One bit of advice to the wannabes back home: "Have a mate who is a fullfledged partner in the operation and maintenance of the boat."

Cherokee Spirit Cal 36 Philo Hayward, Comptche, CA

At this point, just about everyone in the Mexican cruising community knows who Philo is. That happens when you have a penchant for entertaining folks wherever you go. He's a gentle soul

It's hard to say whereTie'll ultimately end up, but we can guarantee you that wherever he goes, there'll always be music in the air.

Oric Halcum J.O.D. 35 Yamashita family, Hiroshima Meeting Japanese cruisers if indeed a rarity, particularly on the West Coast. Not only is the sport of sailing still in its in¬ fancy in Japan, but it is extremely difficult to get to North America from that island nation. When the Yamashitas crossed the North Pacific in the summer of 2000, they hit three mdjor storms, one of which was a full¬

blown typhoon.

That trip to Dutch Harbor, Alaska was I, 800 miles, nonstop, so it’s not too sur¬ prising that they laterjumped from Puget Sound all the way to Ensenada in one go they had a bit of trouble with U.S. Immigration and weren't allowed any stops at American ports.

But since arriving in the sunny lati¬ tudes of Mexico they've had smoother sailing, and they intend to island-hop across the Pacific for another two or three years before returning home to Hiroshima.

Skipper Ken Ichi and his wife Yuko will be schooling their daughter Yumi, II, and son Aoyuki, 7, along the way.

Charisma Hans Christian 38 Smokey & Sonia Ford, Bremerton, WA

Some folks set a definite timetable when they set out to circle the globe, but not Smokey and Sonia: "If we ever com¬ plete our trip, we'll get the award for the slowest circumnavigation. But then, that was the idea from day one." After spend¬ ing six years in Mexican waters they de¬ cided it was either time to move on or to become Mexican citizens!

Both have been sailing the waters of Puget Sound since the late '70s, but had never cruised offshore before their ini¬ tial run to Baja. Now, though, they're determined to do a complete lap around the planet via the tropics. 'We re 30-30 sailors," explains Smokey, referring to the north and south latitudes they in¬ tend to sail between. Although they do plan to take a southerly diversion to Sydney. "I'd like to see it again, as 1 had The Yamashita family will eventually leave the tropics and head home to Japan.

the privilege of being there in '69 cour¬ tesy of Uncle Sam, while on my way to Vietnam."

They both love getting to know forMay.

SOMEWHERE OVER THE RAINBOW

eign cultures and look forward to snorkeling in crystal-clear waters. "The way we look at it, this is the second best half of our lives, and this trip is a chance of a lifetime that we've dreamed about for the past 25 years."

Chalupa Beneteau First 38 K.P. and Daniel Qhin, San Francisco

It's refreshing to see a father-and-son team in contrast to all the cruising couples, but we were curious if young Danifel was as committed to the adven¬ ture as his dad. "Well, I endured a lot of brainwashing at first," he said with a laugh, "but now I'm really getting into the lifestyle. N

Along their route west Daniel will con¬ tinue to keep in touch with friends back home via email and won't they bejeal¬ ous of his adventures.

Barbara and Sara of ‘Nootka Rohe' found each other when their men became landlubbers.

Ultimately, Barbara’s target is to reach New Zealand, after exploring the islands of Central South Pacific. On the initial leg to French Polynesia she'll be joined by Kevin Mallory and Sara Wilcox, who, oddly enough has a story similar to Barbara's. She too had plans to cross oceans with her mate, but her boyfriend changed his mind, leaving her looking for a ride.

After seven years of intensive sailing, Barbara's advice to future cruisers is: "Do not over-provision, do not over-worry and do not postpone."

Moonshadow Young Sun 43 Jackie & Steven Gloor, San Diego

On that blue-water leg, and Diane will rejoin the boat in Tahiti.

"We love Mexico and the cruising scene here" says Diane: "the people you meet, the things you do and the unique experiences you have that you just wouldn't have at home." But they also had their share of stress initially: "On our first trip down the coast from San Diego, something broke every day."

With all those boat problems sorted out now, they're both anxious to pursue their dreams of making far-flung, exotic landfalls. "I just think the whole thing is unbelievable," says Diane. "Five years ago I never would have dreamed we'd be sitting here right now getting ready to go."

Soya Westsail 32 Roger & Vipa Evans, Ventura

For us, the thing that makes hosting our annual Puddle Jump Party so much fun, is meeting such a wide range of in¬ teresting people, such as Roger and Vipa. They met on a flight from Singapore to the West Coast, and by the time they landed, 20+ hours later, they'd become fast friends. Fast forward to the present, and they're sailing off to the South Sea, having fallen in love and gotten married.

K.P. and Daniel of 'Chalupa' are a father-andson team.

K.P.'s advice to would-be cruisers, "Do it now!" explains the timing of this trip. Through their shared experiences, K.P. will undoubtedly bond with Daniel in ways most fathers wish they could. Their plan is to island-hop across the South Pacific, with a definite stop in Malaysia on their itinerary.

Nootka Rose CS 36 Barbara Rozalska, Victoria, BC

A common stereotype among sailing couples is that the husband is much more into it than the wife, but not aboard NootkaRose. As Barbara explains it, her husband got tired ofthe cruising life and was ready to sell the boat, but she still wanted to cross oceans. So he's gone back home to Canada and Barbara is heading west with newfound crew.

"I've been sailing only since 1995, but I love it," she says. "For me, the best things about it are the sounds of water and wind, and the color of the sails con¬ trasted against the sky and the water. I often wonder what kind of sailboat they give you in heaven."

You don't meet many Swiss sailors in Mexico. In fact, you don't meet that many Swiss sailors anywhere. But Jackie and Steve were nuturing their cruising dreams even before moving to San Di¬ ego from their land-locked country.

Then, after taking sailing lessons and an educational trip aboard OCC Sailing School's Alaska Eagle, they bit the bul¬ let and bought their own boat. Having set sail for Mexico in the spring of 2001, their plan is to continue moving south through Centred America, then jump off from Ecuador for the Marquesas via the Galapagos.

"The best part of cruising so far," they say, "is the people we have met, both the locals as well as our fellow cruisers. We are very much looking forward to explor¬ ing many different cultures and sharing many quiet anchorages with fun loving people."

RagTf Drag'n Island Packet 35 John & Diane Anderson, Long Beach

Although Diane has been aboard with John for more than a year while cruis¬ ing in Mexico, she's decided to skip the long ocean passage to the Marquesas. Instead, John's two brothers willjoin him

Vipa, who was born and raised in Thailand, has to laugh now when she admits that during that first conversa¬ tion she thought Roger was some kind of salesman because he kept talking about "sailing." After overcoming .a

it

Roger and Vipa of 'Soya' intend to end their $ voyaging in Thailand. tendancy toward seasickness, Vipa now I seems equally excited about the prospect 1 of blue-water voyaging. When their is- I land-hopping is done, the couple plans 9 to eventually settle down and live inThai- 1 land.

Diarfe and John of 'Rag'n Drag'n' have made a sensible compromise: He'll sail to French Polynesia and she'll fly out to ibeet him.

JUMPERS, PART

Tondelayo Downeast 38 Andrew Cleveland, Ventura

"The Internet crash was the best thing that ever happened to me," says Andrew, who worked as an electrical engineer back in the real world. After cruising Mexico with his brother, Chris, he was planning to singlehand to French Polynesia.

Just 29 years old, Andrew is definitely a rarity in today's cruising scene, but he's not complaining. Ironically, 20 years ago

Andrewof 'Tondelayo' willbe singlehanding to the Marquesas.

just the opposite was true. Cruisers back then tended to be young idealistic bohe¬ mians living on a shoestring in humble boats with a gear list that would be laughable by today's standards. So we applaud guys like Andrew for having the vision and the guts to "do it now" while he's young.

"My boat's got no SSB and no refrig¬ eration, but she’s strong and we'll get there," he says with an ear-to-ear grin. "I pretty much live by spearfishing and I do a whole lot of sailing." In four months he'd been down the coast from South¬ ern California to Zihaut and back up to P.V., When we chatted with him last month, his most immediate goal was to be in Tahiti byMs 30th birthday." From there, it's the "coconut milk run to Oz," fhen a possible circumnavigation. All we can say is, go, go, go.

Lantana Camara Bowman 48 Brian & Clare Symes, Harwich, UK

'We plan to make a slow circumnavi¬ gation," say Brian and Clare, "in order to meet people and to understand their cultures and the issues that affect them."

Certainly one ofthe most experienced crew in this year's fleet, they already have roughly 50,000 sea miles under their belts. Their current stint of cruising be¬ gan in '96, when they set sail from En-

gland. They expect to eventually return to the UK, but they plan to make many spectacular landfalls along the way such as at South Africa, Brazil and perhaps even Antarctica.

In their travels thus far they've been most impressed by "the beauty of this They'vedseen most impressed by "the beauty ofthis planet, its wildlife and the friendliness ofpeople everywhere. ”

planet, its wildlife and the friendliness of people everywhere plus the sheer beauty of the oceans."

Their advice to others: "Oceans are big, but not as scary as you think. You really are on your own out there, so think safety all the time do this, reef early and the rest is fun!"

Lil Gem Hans Christian 43 Biagio & Louise Maddaloni

With their three boys now out of the house all of whom are in their 20s Louise and Biagio set out on what they thought would be a carefree lifestyle, but it turned out to be quite a bit more com¬ plex.

Louise explains, "The sailing is won¬ derful and the people are great, but I

THE RAINBOW

Brian and Clare of the Bowman 48 'Lantana Camara' have sailed 50,000 miles together. didn't realize I was such a homebody until I put myself in this situation. I can honestly say I have almost left three times, but 1 stayed because I love this man." Now, however, she's made her peace with the change of lifestyle and is ready take the next big step: setting sail

for the South Pacific.

Biagio, on the other hand, is appar¬ ently much more bullish on the cruising life: "Now that I've gone sailing, there’s no way I could go back to my old lifestyle I've enjoyed it so much."

Their plan is to hopscotch through the islands to New Zealand, where they hope to live for a year, then eventually circle north to Hawaii and back home to Victoria. Along the way, Louise will no doubt continue with her hobby of enter¬ taining new friends with her fine singing and guitar playing.

Santana Crealock 34 Larry Wentzel & Barbara Zacharias, Oceanside

We didn't have a chance to meet Lariy and Barbara, but they forwarded us their

Louise, of 'Li'l Gem' has had a hard time ad¬ justing to life afloat, but she loves her man, Biagio, enough to stick with it.

info. "We have not crossed an ocean be¬ fore," says the couple, "but we have en¬ joyed cruising Mexico so much that we've decided to continue to the South Pacific."

Their game plan is to explore the Marquesas, Tuamotus and Society Is¬ lands, then see which way the wind blows. Their timetable is open-ended.

"We have been cruising for four months, enjoying the variety and beauty of the Mexican coast and the relaxed lifestyle of the "people."

White Hawk Grand Soleil 46 John & Lynette Flynn, San Diego

"We’re in our early 40s, going on 25," say John and Lynette. They are both

longtime sailors. John has lots of SoCal racing experience and Lynette was put through the paces at an early age by her fa¬ ther.

As to their inspiration for go¬ ing cruising, they blame The Wanderer. Apparently they spent a long evening together 12 years ago and he convinced them to start reading Latitude. "How can you read Latitude 38 and not go cruising?" asks John. 'We finally left after be¬ ing 10 years into our five-year plan!"

Obviously happy and in love, they're now bound for the SoPac's palm-fringed isles on an open-ended itinerary. Ifthings go well, they'll eventually head to the Indian Ocean, then. who knows.

For the folks left back at the dock, John and Lynette are full ofadvice. First: "Go racing first. It's by far the best way to get your sailing and boathandling skills ready for cruising."

Obviously in love, John and Lynette of 'White Hawk' have open-ended cruising plans.

And second: "It's someone else's quote, but oh, so true: 'You will regret the things you didn’t do, not the things you did."'

that plan is carved in Jello," say Steve and Jeanne wisely. Un¬ doubtedly they’ve learned that plans made by cruisers are about as reliable at the tomorrow's weather prediction on the evening news.

Leaving Anchorage for the sunny climes doesn't surprise us, but apparently this couple has been dreaming of palm trees for quite some time: "It’s been our plan to sail the South Pacific since before we got mar¬ ried and we just celebrated our 30th anniversary."

Still, their circumnavigation route is still "under discussion" as they claim to be excited about each prospective landfall. "Life's an adventure," they say, "but everyone ends up dead. We plan to enjoy every day we have!"

Solstice Freya 39 Jim & Eleanor Hancock, Alameda

"We say we've got a 10-year plan, but

Having begun their stint of cruising on the '99 Ha-Ha, Jim and Eleanor have spent the past two and a half years ex-

Kazahaya Norseman 447 Steve & Jeanne McKee, Anchorage

A long-savored dream is coming true for Jim and Eleanor of 'Solstice'.

ploring the Sea of Cortez and mainland Mexico. "We have really enjoyed Mexico, especially Baja for its rugged and natu¬ ral beauty."

Now, though, they have their sights set on far-flung Pacific landfalls. Near the top of their ’must-see' list is the remote Tuamotu islands of French Polynesia. 'We've heard the diving and snorkeling there is unbelievable."

Although only in their early 40s, they are, for all intents and purposes, retired. As such, they plan to make a slow cir¬

cuit through the Pacific, although theirV plans, appropriately, are still very loose. "We love to travel," they explain, "and we have a desire to travel to places that are still fresh and untouched."

Jim offers a unique proposal to wouldbe cruisers: "The best way to figure out what you need for cruising is to go cruis¬ ing. Just go and figure it out on the way. Start out on smaller boats or on other people's boats." Eleanor adds: "Try not to get locked into expectations which can

to the Puddle Jump Class of 2002, but this surely won’t be the last you'll hear from many of these folks. As always, we've encouraged them all to send us reports on interesting and exotic land¬ falls as they work their way around the Pacific or around the world. Many now have radio-transmitted email capabilities as well as digital cameras which allow them to send us news and info that’s more current than almost any other source.

Then, of course, there are also those whose definition of blue-water cruising forbids them from tinkering with such

"Try not to get locked into expectations

breed disappointment. Take it as it comes and just relax."

w* that we'll conclude our intro

high tech gadgetiy.

In either case, we wish them all smooth sailing, sunny skies and excel¬ lent adventures.

latitude/aet

BVI SPRING REGATTA

In yacht racing, as in life, you often have no choice but to play the hand you’re dealt. That was the case for hun¬ dreds of sailors at last month's BVI Spring Regatta, where the breeze gradu¬ ally diminished from absolutely perfect to downright pathetic during the threeday event (April 5-7).

But, wind or nd^yind, the British Vir¬ gin Islands is a splendid place to be in the first week ofApril it was rainy and miserable thatweek in the BayArea. Bill Alcott, skipper ofthe Great Lakes-based Santa Cruz 70 Equation, said itbest: "I'd rather be bitching about no wind down here than bitching about no wind back home." Alcott, who’s, campaigned big boats in the Eastern Caribbean for nine years running, is convinced that, over¬ all, sailing conditions in Caribbean wa¬ ters are "the best in world."

In the Big Boat-Racing class. Equation’s competition was the Andrews 70 Titan (the latest in a long line ofboats by that name, campaigned by the Hill family of Puerto Rico) and Roy Disney's

grand prix racing yachts grace the spin¬ naker course though, this, and other top Caribbean regattas, aren'tjust about the upper echelons. Since its inception in 1972, the tone ofthe Spring Regatta has always been inclusive rather than exclu-

mittee coordination so ambitious that it would make many stateside race offic¬ ers squeamish, the start and finish lines are set at separate locations, while a completely different course is adminis¬ tered farther down the Sir Francis Drake

West Coast-based R/P 75 Pyewacket. "We'd never been here before," said Roy, "but we kept reading about it and seeing all those glorious pictures. so we fi¬ nally said, 'Let's do it this year.'" Fresh from a 4-bullet-win at the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta, Pyewacket and her class competitors are being campaigned in the three-regatta Caribbean Big Boat Series, which is capped off by Antigua Sailing Week (April 28 May 4). A sec¬ ond CBBS class, Big Boat-Racer/ Cruiser, drew boats from Britain, Italy and the BVI, while Racing I drew four big American yachts and one from the U.K.

As thrilling as it is to have a bevy of

siue: While prestigious foreign yachts are duly revered here and one-design classes are actively encouraged to attend, so are weather-weary plastic classics owned by local working stiffs, as well as bareboats skippered by ’off-island’ vacationers. In effect, organizers have created a some¬ thing-for-everyone regatta which drew a record 114 boats this year.

Channel for bareboaters and other non¬ spinnaker classes. Amazingly, though, the complex system ran like clockwork, with all but one spinnaker class getting in five races in the first two days.

For several days prior to the Regatta, the easterly trades had been blowing sweet, clean and strong, and even as the fleet sailed out to the starting line on

Above: Some ofthe tightestboat-for-boatcom¬ petition was among the Melgi. Right: The J/30 ‘J Doe' leads the Racer/Cruisers upwind.

The down side, though, is that such a mixed bag ofhull types (with disparate speed potentials) creates a substantial logistical challenge for the race commit¬ tee: How do you keep the faster boats like Melgi, beach cats and Big Boats § happy, while the slow pokes are still lum- 5 bering around the course? The ingenious o solution came from Bob Philips, of the t local Doyle sail loft, who developed a 3 novel system last year whereby, 20 min- § utes after the last boat in any given class o finishes, that class begins a new (round- ^ the-buoys) race. Requiring a level ofcom- <

I'd rather be bitching about no wind down here than

the morning of Day One, conditions seemed perfect, with a strong breeze pip¬ ing out of the southeast. But literally minutes before the first start, the wind clocked 15° toward the east and fell to 10-12 knots.

Although the drop in pressure was a bit disappointing to heavier-displace¬ ment boats, by most standards, it was still a day of nearly ideal conditions which caused virtually no carnage on the modified Olympic course.

In many of the spinnaker classes, the boat to beat' quickly emerged. In Big Boat Racing, Pyewacket immedi- “ ately charged ahead of Equation and Titan, although Disney con¬ fided later that on the upwind legs his competitors were actually very close on corrected time. With her enormous turboed rig, however, Disney's TransPac record-holder easily stretched her lead on the downwind legs. (Ironically, both Equation and Titan are former West Coast boats: Orient Express and Victoria, respectively.) The

55Bf

A LULL IN THE TRADES

Farr 65 Spirit of Diana (a Formula 1 Events boat) easily dominated the Big Boat-Racer/Cruiser class.

Amongst the Melgi, Orion's hotblooded young Puerto Rican team, led by helmsman Efrain Lugo, were back to defend last year's class win, and again seemed indomitable with two bullets.

In the Eastern Caribbean these days, there's a growing enthusiasm for beach cat racing (both with and without spin¬ nakers). As fast-paced as it is physically demanding, the class has attracted some ofthe region's top sailors such as Puerto Left: The annual fashion show is a Spring Re¬ gatta institution. Below: Close encounters on the starting line.

KK

Rico's Enrique Figueroa and last year's champ John Holmberg (younger brother of Peter; me match racing ace). On Day One, Figueroa, aboard Suzuki Tornado, smoked the kite-flying cats with two clean firsts.

Elsewhere among the spinnaker fleet, longtime Caribbean rivals from up-island and down-island tenaciously battled round the buoys as they do every year. A particularly fun class to watch was Racing III, made up ofvintage Olson 30s and a variety of J/Boats. The pecking order changed considerably from Race One to Race Two, with the St. Thomasbased Olson Fastidiots doming out on top.

In Racing II, a class made up of a mixed bag of planing hulls including the Caribbean's first Antrim 27, Rhumb Squall and a couple of racer/cruis¬ ers, a protest involving contact DSQed the Mumm 30 Twisted Lizard, quashing

BVI SPRING REGATTA

her run for top honors, and leaving the other Mumm, Red Fever (2,2) as the day’s leader. Meanwhile, on the cruising course, the bareboaters and other non¬ spin racers completed the one race scheduled.

JNJo doubt allSailors here whether racing turbosleds or bareboats did

their damnedest to win their class, but for 'off-islanders' who’d flown in to share in the fun, the biggest prize was simply

being a part ofit all. Basking in the eter¬ nal Caribbean sun while soaking up the beauty of these idyllic, volcano-formed

Top row, left to right: 'Spirit of Diana' gains ground; beach cats fly to windward; a tropical take¬ down; 'Pyewacket' drives upwind; the lovely local Heineken girls. Middle row: The Swan 'Lolita' leads Racing I; bareboats ghost downwind; the 'Mermaid' crew trims in light air; IC-24s pole out their workingjibs. Bottom row: Tom Hill, Sr. at the helm of 'Titan';Antigua's LostHorizon'bests her sistership; a tense start among the Big Boats; a downwind sprint in Racing III. (photos L38/andy)

islands is reason enough for visiting sail¬ ors to wear ear-to-ear smiles, but after slugging down a few rum drinks at the Regatta Village and shuffling to the in¬ fectious rhythms of live reggae bands, some first-timers from the U.S. and Eu¬ rope became downright giddy with eu¬ phoria. During the nighttime festivities.

part of the fun is swap ping tales and rubbing shoulders with expats-in-residence and native West In¬ dians who are lucky enough to sail these waters

IN THE TRADES

52 weeks a year. Located at Tortola's Nanny Cay Ma¬ rina this year, the Village consisted of a grassy lawn fringed by makeshift food booths where some of the best restau¬ rants on the island offered everything from Thai cuisine to pasta. At one end of the yard, volunteers tirelessly doled out stiff rum concoctions and frosty beers, while a succession ofbands blasted away

mm

late into the night.

On the morning of Day Two, the fleet became painfully aware that the flow of the trade winds had been usurped by a tropical "trough" which had parked it¬ self directly over this British Overseas Territory, and was in no hurry to move farther down-island. There was enough

One ofthreeall-female teams, these livelyDutch ladies won the BitterEnd YC Trophy for "spirit." At home in Amsterdam, they introduce handi¬ capped children to thejoys of sailing. wind to race roughly 6 to 10 knots but there was little doubt that this would be a day when those who could avoid the holes and adjust quickly to the shifts would emerge victorious.

Having shot a zillion pictures from a

photo boat on Day One, we were anx¬ ious to get out on the race course, and X were lucky enough to catch a ride aboard an IC-24 with BV Islanders Andy Morrell and Robbie Hirsh. Having taken tired old J/24s and refit them with longer and infinitely more comfortable sportboatstyle cockpits, members of the St. Tho¬ mas YC have created a new one-design class that has generated a huge buzz in the Northern Caribbean and may even¬ tually catch on in the States. Despite the faltering breeze, we had a splendid day of racing, with skipper Geoff Miles, a former Bay Area sailor newly-trans¬ planted to St. Thomas, emerging as our arch rival. In what may well have been the closest finishes ofthe Regatta, Miles' boat No Expectations beat us (aboard HIHO) by a nose in both the first and second races, but we squeaked ahead of them to take the third.

Elsewhere,^Pyewacket earned three more bullets, undoubtedly due to finelyhoned crew work. Many ofher 20+ crew¬ men have been with Disney for years and they work together as harmoniously as the rhythm section ofa long-established blues band. "When the weather turns

like this, the wind gets fluky," said Roy. 'You do a lot ofsteering because the wind is never the same for two seconds." As always, Roy (senior) drove downwind, while his son, Roy Pat, steered to wind¬ ward the same strategy employed by the father and son drivers on Titan. Af¬ ter five races. Titan (2,2,2,3,2) had a firm hold on second over'Equation (3,3,3,2,3).

In the Big Boat Racer/Cruiser class, the British-flagged Farr 65 SpiritofDiana decimated her competitors with three more firsts to complement the two she'd earned on Day One. Likewise, in Racing I the J/145 Strabo trounced her rivals mostly Swan 65s with three bul¬ lets after a first and a fourth Saturday.

A LULL IN THE TRADES

Efrain Lugo's Orion again swept the Melgi, but in both Racing II and III there was no such uniformity, as a different

boat scored top honors in each race. When the points were tallied, the Puerto Rican Mumm 30 Red Fever (2,2,4,1,4) had clawed her way to first in Racing II, while the Antiguan team aboard the Olson 30 Lost Horizon (4,1,4,2,1) led Racing III.

For the beach cats, three light-air races under the blis¬ tering sun became an endur¬ ance contest. On the after¬ noon of Day Two, John Holmberg who believes in super-hydrating before each race kept his wits while others apparently lost their

The lack of racing on Day Three failed to dampen the spirits of this German team. They were one ofseveral European bareboat entries skippered by a sailing celebrity, with Tourist Board staffers as crew.

concentration. WTien it became obvious that his competitors hadn't heard a ra¬ dio notification explaining that the up-

wind mark was being replaced, Holmberg led them all the way up to the old mark, then peeled off for the correct buoy at the last second, laughing his head off while his pursuers scratched theirs. Later, Holmberg couldn't help foisting a similar ruse elsewhere on the course. He and long-time crewman Bruce White scored three wins for the day.

for a summer of great

on the bay. Boys and girls ages 9-15 learn to sail and have fun sailing in the sheltered

City.

Sadly, the breeze became lighter and lighter as the day wore on, leaving the bareboats and other non-spin cruising classes barely enough breeze to complete their single race. In Bareboat II, in fact, no boats were able to finish within the allotted time but at least they had fully-stocked fridges and bimini sun¬ shades.

Anclother raucous night of partying in the Village was highlighted by the lo-

Coming out on top in each of'five rapes, the 'Pyewacket'crew wentawaysmiling, and were primed and ready forAntigua Sailing Week.

cal Sea Urchin Shops’ annual fashion show, where the most beautiful girls (and a few guys) in the territory prance and strut their wares before the howling masses.

On the morning of Day Three, that lazy trough hung over the islands as if securely anchored and there wasn't a breath ofbreeze. Over the VHF you could hear race officers comparing notes: "I've

got 1.2 to 2.4 knots out here at the weather mark." With no increase by 10 a.m. they were forced to cancel all rac¬ ing and a "beach day" was declared. While disappointing to those who were within a few points ofthe winner's circle, most competitors simply took it in stride, opting for a day oflounging on the sugarfine sands of Cane‘Garden Bay, snorkeling on the territory's myriad reefs or making a pilgrimage to Norman Island's notorious floating bar, the Willy T, for a day of debauchery.

By the time the awards party cranked up that evening, the trades were again blowing sweet and strong from the east, as if the wind gods were tiying to teach us all a lesson: "This is the Caribbean, so slow down, relax, and don't stress out about the breeze. The trade winds will come back. They always do."

latitude/aet

For complete BVI Spring Regatta re¬ sults, see www.bvispringregatta.org. If you're interested in participating in next year's event, an enormous range of bareboats are available, or check out the website's "Crew Quarters" section.

RI o question about it, my yacht club needs a bigger parking lot. Actually it’s not so bad when I arrive for an early dock time before a race. But if I show up mid¬ day on a weekend to do some work on the boat, then I can look forward to a long hike from the other side of the ma¬ rina.

The last timeAhis happened, I was forced past the restaurant, past the fish boat docks, and all the way to the back of the university sailing club before I could find a parking space. That lot was only half full at mid-morning, before the wind came up. But later in the afternoon, when I was ready to leave, I found that even this out-of-the-way parking lot was packed to the gills, too. And it wasn’t at all hard to figure out why: A large num¬ ber of cars had padded roof racks with sailboard shop logos on the pads.

The summer sea breeze was up to full strength, and the Bay seemed to be cov¬ ered with windsurfers. So before driving away from what had become a very valu¬ able parking Space, I wandered over to the entrance of the old container that serves as a headquarters for the sailing club —just to see ifby chance Lee Helm was around. Maybe for once I could sur¬ prise her, instead of the other way around.

I“Allnyone seen Lee Helm today? asked as I walked inside.

“I think that’s her getting suited up now," said one of the members, pointing to a curtain that blocked off a small changing area in the back of the con¬ tainer.

I walked over and called out to the curtain, "Just thought I’d swing by to say hi. Going windsurfing?"

“Like, I sure hope so," answered Lee’s voice mixed with the sound ofdamp neo¬ prene stretching and snapping. “First I have to rescue some dork-head in one ofthe club’s La¬ sers.”

“Doesn’t this place have a crash boat to take care of problems like that?” I asked.

“For sure,” she answered impatiently. “But someone’s gotta sail the boat back. Hope I get out on a board before the wind fizzles.”

The wind was doing anything but fiz¬ zling. The full force of an afternoon sea breeze had found its way into the club’s sailing area. Training dinghies were reef¬ ing and windsurfers were making quick

pit stops to change to smaller sails.

Lee, having finally inserted herself into a very form-fitting wetsuit, emerged from the changing area. She picked up the binoculars and scanned the area where the boat in trouble was last seen.

“Still on its side,” she said as she handed me the binoculars. “And I can’t see the masthead float. Not a good sign.”

With that she and another club mem¬ ber ran down to the dock, hopped on the crash boat, started the outboard, and powered out into the Bay qhop as I fol¬ lowed them with the binoculars. '

“A

x Another boat’s down,” someone remarked, as if this was very routine. I quickly found the small sloop in my bin¬ oculars. I could see people hanging from the high side of the cockpit, try¬ ing to pull themselves out of the wa¬ ter as the mast and sails settled lower. No one made it to the cen¬ terboard. The boat stopped roll¬ ing when it was a little beyond 45 degrees from horizontal, the mast apparently planted in the mud. The crew finally slid into the water.

The crash boat, now with two boats in trouble, decided to tackle the closest one first. But rather than pick up the crew and put someone on the centerboard, the crash boat ma¬ neuvered to the opposite side of the al¬ most capsized sloop. Lee took offher life jacket and jumped in, swimming for the upturned cockpit. She disappeared from view while the crash boat moved over to a position which, as it turned out, was right over the spot where the top of the mast intersected the bottom.

Lee’s head appeared a few sec¬ onds later. She treaded water away from the capsized boat, passed what I ' mmmmm guessed was a hal¬ yard tail to the crash boat driver, and climbed back aboard. A few seconds later they had the sloop’s masthead in thenhands, having freed it from the mud by pulling straight up on the external hal¬ yard tail.

“Good trick,” I said.

‘The mast walk will come next,” said one of the club members, also following the action.

Lee, now standing in the crash boat,

held the masthead of the sloop over her head, then passed it back hand-over¬ hand so that she was drawing the two boats closer together. As this happened the heel angle of the sloop steadily de¬ creased, until it finally rolled upright, floating low but ready to be re-boarded and bailed. The top ofthe mast was black from the mud.

The boat's crew now climbed back aboard and pulled their sails down while Lee and the crash boat sped off to find the capsized Laser.

I enjoyed some soggy chips left over from last weekend’s barbecue while eavesdropping on the windsurfer’s gos¬ sip. They were hoping for even more wind, or agonizing over which sail to rig.

Twenty minutes later the crash boat was back, but the Laser was in tow, not sailing. Broken spars, torn sails, and mud were strewn all over both boats.

“A

± knottier broken topmast!” Lee ex¬ claimed as she came running up to the clubhouse, sounding unaccountably de-

"Another boat's down," someone remarked, as ifthis was routine.

lighted that the spar had snapped.

“And this is good?” I questioned.

“Now I can finish a project I’ve been waiting to do all winter.”

Lee wouldn’t tell me what the exact nature of the project would be. But she set to work, still wearing her wetsuit and hair dripping with Bay water. The bro¬ ken spar was lined up on a workbench with several other similar casualties, and she put a fresh blade in the hacksaw.

“The problem isn’t really our student sailors. Max,” she said as she measured from the non-broken end ofanother bent aluminum tube that I recognized as a Laser lower mast section that had snapped at the gooseneck. “The problem is that, like, these boats with luff pocket sails aren’t veiy tolerant of poor opera¬ torjudgment. I mean, like, compared to the Sunfish: That’s the boat that my par¬ ents learned to sail on. And according to my grandma, they were sent out on the lake all by themselves at a pretty young age.”

“I learned on a Sunfish, too,” I con¬ fessed.

We're not sure what you get when you cross a tiger with a Myna bird (although when it talks, you listen), but the advantages of crossing a Laser with a Sunfish are many.

“Think what happens when the wind comes up and you’re in a Sunfish,” she said as she wrapped a piece of notebook paper around the spar, then traced one edge with a marking pen to make a square line to guide the cut. “You just uncleat that halyard, and the sail and spars come crashing down on the deck like right now. All you have left is that stubby little mast of the lateen rig. So like, you can ride out anything. Pull the sail and spars back up when the squall is over.”

“Q

V^/afe as a house,” I nodded. “I've been there and done that, during an East Coast thunderstorm. Although the light¬ ning was pretty scary.”

“Now think of the same situation in a Laser. Wind comes up, you sail fast for a while, capsize a few times, get tired, wind come up more, then what?”

“Can’t you reef a Laser by wrapping the sail around the mast?"

She made a face. ‘That’s a terrible thing to do to a sail... even a Laser sail. And like, it’sjust about impossible to do it while yoji’re underway. What they usu¬ ally end' up doing is capsizing and sit¬ ting on the centerboard. Sometimes the mast goes into the mud, sometimes enough water leaks in through the hulldeck joint so that the boat is unsailable when it’s finally righted, sometimes the spars fill with water."

“What about just pulling the mast out?” I suggested.

“We recommend that, actually,” said Lee. “But the boat has to be upright first. And like, tiy to get it up again while you’re still out on the Bay. You need a tow back in. So it’s advice that hardly anyone ever follows.”

Lee proceeded to explain in more de¬ tail what she believed was a subtle but important factor in the slow growth in sailing since the early ’70s. The Laser, and boats like it, require supervision and some outside rescue equipment to be

S,.

really safe. The Sunfish, standard trainer ofthe ’50s and ’60s, was a boatyou could turn your kids loose in. As she spoke she finished cutting an¬ other old spar to size, then founcf^a bag ofplastic collars that would allow the smaller diameter pieces, cut from fragments of top¬ masts and booms, to fit snugly into the larger ones made ffbrn broken or bent lower masts.

It soon became obvious that Lee was constructing two new tapered spars. From the number of plastic collars she brought back from the tool shed, and the other bits of hardware that she had on the workbench., I finally put two and two together.

“Lee,” I asked incredulously, “are you making a Sunfish rig out of broken La¬ ser parts?

“You guessed it!” she replied as she pulled a drill and a pop rivet gun out of a tool locker. ‘“Cept it’s going to be, like, 100 square feet instead of the 75 on the standard Sunfish. I mean, the Laser is wider and you can hike better from it, so it can take a little more heeling moment than the ‘Fish.”

“How does that compare with the standard Laser rig?” I asked.

“Bigger,” she grinned. “Standard La¬ ser is 76 square feet. “So like, I expect to run circles around a stock Laser on a reach or run. Of course with the low-as¬ pect sailplan I don’t think it’s going to point worth beans, but who cares?”

She handed me a printout showing the three sailplans: Sunfish, standard Laser, and the “Laserfish” rig she was building.

“Interesting idea,” I allowed, wondering if I should object to her use of power tools while still dripping salt water. “But don’t those Laser mast gteps already break too often, even withjust 76'square feet cantilevered off of them?”

“The bending on the mast step doesn’t depend on sail area,” she stated. “It’s like, just a function of how much you weigh and how hard you can hike. At least, for the transverse bending that’s true, so transverse bending will be the same for the two rigs. For longitudinal bending, I think my Laserfish will come out a little better, because with the stock Laser you need the mainsheet pulling the end of the boom down real hard for twist con¬ trol, and for bending the mast to flatten the sail. And that puts a big bending load on the mast step. But on the lateen rig, the bending stiffness of the spars keeps the sail mostly in plane, so you don’t have the high sheeting loads and you don’t have the extra bending at the mast step. That’s why this will be easier on the mast step than the stock rig. And go faster on a reach, ‘cause it will have more area, the area will be lower down, and the top won’t twist off.”

She finished assembling the spars as I watched, then laced a sail onto the spars with a kind of running half-hitch tied in a long thin dacron line.

“What about those plastic clips to hold

the sail to the spars?” I asked.

“1’hey were not part of the original equipment,” Lee explained. “And they won’t fit around the large-diameter parts of spars anyway.”

I dimly remembered the lacing lines from my Sunfish days, and how the rac¬ ers used to argue over the right amount of slack to leave in the knots.

She completed the rig as I watched, not even bothering to clean all the mud off the newest spar. Then she slid the mast into a Laser hull that was sitting on a nearby yard dolly, tied the halyard to the upper spar, and hoisted away. Fortunately we were in the wind shadow of the tool shed.

“Looks like it might have a lot of weather helm,” said another club mem¬ ber as he eyeballed the new rig.

“I might have to go to a bigger rud¬ der,” Lee allowed. “But like, I think as long as I keep it flat, the balance will be okay. Offthe wind the board will be most of the way up, and that should help.”

We helped her transfer the parts to the rescued Laser hull, now sitting on the dock after being checked for inter¬ nal water. We slid the boat back in, Lee raised the spars, and was off for the test sail.

JTxs she sheeted in and accelerated away on a beam reach, another club member came running down the dock.

“Lee!” he yelled urgently. “There’s an¬ other Laser down. Every time the guy sails five feet he flips it again. Can you go talk him in?”

Lee’s solution was simple: They swapped boats.

max ebb

"Lee," I asked, "are you making a Sunfish rig out ofbroken Laserparts?"

With reports this month about San Francisco YC's excellent showing at the U.S. Yacht Club Challenge; a Nashfinally wins the Bullship Race; crs£pu> Doublehanded Lightship Race; a pleasant Resin Re¬ gatta; the Camellia Cup on Folsom Lake; the inaugural Belvedere Cupfor Farr 40s;four more Bay Area sailors make the 2002 US Sail¬ ing Team; a windy Doublehanded Farallones Race; a cipilized Singlehanded Farallones Race; Peter Holmberg wins the Congres¬ sional Cup again; Americap II debuts at the Stone Cup; and the usual heaps ofbox scores and race notes at the end.

U.S. Yacht Club Challenge

San Francisco YC finished second against a tough fleet in the 2002 United States Yacht Club Challenge, held April 2-4 at the Newport YC. Balboa YC NHYC’s longtime crosstown rival took the three-discipline event (Catalina 37s, CFJs, and Lasers) with room to spare, winning the tnple-weighted Catalina 37 racing and the CFJs, as well as fourth in Lasers. Our local heroes rallied on the last day to edge past Cail YC for runner-up honors.

The SFYC squad consisted ofteam cap¬ tain Bill Melbostad, who skippered the

Moore. The CFJ team, which came in sec¬ ond, was Mill Valley brothers Morgan (skipper) and Myles Gutenkunst, while the Laser rep was Jon Goldsberry, who took fifth.

San Francisco YC competed in this bi¬ ennial event once before, in 2000, with¬ out much success. "This time was differ¬ ent," said Melbo. "We got some great starts, ifI may say so. Our crew work was really good, especially Tim on the main. Vann did a greatjob of calling tactics. The whole thing really came together this time. Our juniors did a nice job of keep¬ ing us in the hunt, too."

Catalina 37 to fourth along with tactician Vann Wilson (a nonresident member from Long Beach), Tim Russell, Carlos Badell, Mark Dowdy, Steve Fentress and Bryan

By design, the regatta's juniors only sailed the first two days, after which they all went offto the CISA Clinic at Alamitos Bay YC (the up-and-coming Gutenkunst

brothers won the 29er sailing). Going into Thursday's finale, SFYC was lying sixth with just two more Catalina 37 races to go. Under pressure, Melbo and team aced both starts and went on to take a pair of deuces and with it moved their team into second in the U.S. Yacht Club Chal¬ lenge!

We figure it's an honor just to be se¬ lected to sail in this prestigious regatta and to come in second is a tremendous achievement! Our hat is off to San Fran¬ cisco YC and everyone on their team.

OVERALL— 1) BalboaYC, 8 points; 2) San Fran¬ cisco YC, 19; 3) California YC, 20; 4) Annapolis YC, 24; 5) Bayview YC, 25; 6) Newport Harbor YC, 28; 7) Rochester YC, 30; 8) San Diego YC, 34; 9) Houston YC, 37. (9 teams)

CATALINA37— 1) BalboaYC (JackFranco), 18 points; 2) Cal YC (Bill Petersen),19; 3) Bayview YC (Mike Uznis), 23; 4) San Francisco YC (Bill Melbostad), 24; 5) Annapolis YC (John Torgerson), 26; 6) Newport Harbor YC (John Drayton), 27; 7) Rochester YC (Eric Voss), 30; 8) Houston YC (Alex

Bestin the country, almost! The San Francisco YCadultteam, from left: MarkDowdy, Steve Fentress, captain Bill Melbostad, Bryan Moore, Vann Wilson, Tim Russell (with offspring) and Carlos Badell. Juniors, also from left: Myles Gutenkunst, Jon Goldsberry and Morgan Gutenkunst.

shore to clear his air, and then rode the ebb toward Yellow Bluffbefore crossing over to St. Francis YC and hugging the shore down to the finish. With boats converging from both sides of the course, no one knew for sure who would win until the veiy end.

"Itwas a real horse race 'til the end," said Gordie, who finished in 49 minutes. The consensus was that Nash's quick crossing was about a minute offthe course record, but no one seemed to know or really care for sure. Gordie's wife Ruth, who shadowed the race in their miniature tugboat/tender Arena, also took home the Cowship Trophy for years ofservice to the event.

Next year marks the 50th running of this classic event. "The Coast Guard lim¬ its us to 100 entries, and we hope to sell out!" claimed regatta official Vicki Gilmour. "Plans are already in the works for a big party, posters, and general hoopla and we’re going to invite every past winner to attend, whether they sail or not!"

1) Gordie Nash; 2) John Gilmour; 3) Dennis Silva; 4) Walt Andrews; 5) Don Jesberg; 6) John Amen; 7) Nancy Farnum; 8) Fred Paxton; 9) Bruce Bradfute; 10) Nick Nash; 11) Don Hebard; 12) Bob Hrubes; 13) Christopher Straub; 14) Jim Warfield; 15) Mat Johnson; 16) Andrew Holdsworth; 17) Mike Dias; 18) Skip Shapiro; 19) Bill Hodges; 20) Pete Blasberg. (39 boats)

fMaiden Voyage Mat Johnson. (15th)

First Woman Nancy Farnum. (7th)

Oldest Don Hebard, 81 years old. (11th)

Farthest Bill Hodges, from MA. (19th)

The usual BS Spread, start of the 49th Bullship Race. Insets, winner Gordie Nash before and after the race. Next year's the big one! Ascencios),

San

Patterson),

LASER

49th Bullship Race

After twelve attempts, Sausalito boatbuilder Gordie 'Skeeter' Nash finally

won the Bullship Race on April 6. Sailing his yellow El Toro, and wearing his trade¬ mark yellow lycra windshirt, Nash was easy to spot in the 39-boat fleet espe¬ cially when he took the lead in the final minutes of the 4.5-mile race from Sausalito to the breakwater offthe Golden Gate YC.

At the Irish Coffee awards ceremony, Gordie drew a laugh from the crowd when he said, "A lot of Nashes have tried to win this trophy!" He wasn't kidding his fa¬ ther Gordon, mother Jocelyn, brothers Chris and Tim, and nephew Nick have sailed many dozen Bullships between them.

The race was a speedy one, beginning at 8 a.m. off Ondine’s Restaurant in Sausalito. (This was one day prior to Day¬ light Savings time, so it was really 9 a.m., which meant there was more wind than a normal Bullship Race.) Off the starting line, Nash immediately took the ’high roadJ He tacked once towards the Marin

Top LMSC finisher John Gilmour. (2nd) Tail Ender Charles Barthrop. (39th)

Doublehanded Lightship Race

Island YC s 21st annual Doublehanded Lightship Race attracted 36 boats to the GGYC starting line oh Saturday, April 13. Unlike the previous week's Doublehanded Farallones Race, this con¬ test was a slow and sloppy one, with light wind at the start and current against the fleet in both directions. "Half a dozen boats quit out of boredom," said PRO Joanne McFee. "But once the boats got through the transition and into the wind, it was apparently pretty nice out there."

First around the 25-mile lap was John Liebenberg's Antrim 27 Always Friday. Liebenberg and crew Jim Antrim finished at 4:06 p.m. after 6 hours, 1 minute on the race course. However, Steve Wonner's WylieCat 30 Uno, with Bren Meyer on board, pulled in about half an hour later to claim overall corrected honors.

"We just hung out by the rocks near May. 2002

Pt. Bonita, swatting black flies and wait¬ ing for the wind to fill in," said Wonner, "When the 'restart button' was hit, we were lucky to be the first boat out ofthere. Of course, we got passed by bigger boats on the way to the Lightship, but by then we knew we were doing pretty well."

Unfortunately, the Doublehanded Lightship Race numbers continue to dwindle (last year the race had 44 boats), partly because of a conflict with the in-

Resin Regatta action It's part Plastic Classic, part Woodies, part ODCA, part spring tune-up, and all fun. All photos Latitude/rob. creasingly popular Alameda InterClub series. "We lost our entire multihull class to them," explained McFee. "Next year, we’ll work around each other."

As usual, the race proceeds (after ex¬ penses such as trophies) will be shared with the local United Cerebral Palsy Foun¬ dation.

DiV. B (ULDB) 1) Sleeping Dragon, Hobie 33, Mark Halman/Rob Fricke; 2) Dianne, Express 27, Steven Katzman/Rob Mayberry; 3) Always Friday, Antrim 27, John Liebenberg/Jim Antrim; 4) E.T., Antrim 27, Todd Hedin/Deborah Briener; 5) Fast For¬ ward, Aerodyne 38, Dan & Carol Benjamin. (11 boats) DIV. C (<-132) 1) Auspice, Schumacher 40, Jim Coggan/Randy Smith; 2) Lilith, WylieCat 39, Tim & Karin Knowles; 3) Spindrift V, Express 37, Larry Wright/George Neill; 4) Basic Instinct, Elliott 1050, Jan Borjeson/Munch McDonald; 5) Ozone, Olson 34, Carl & Eric Bauer. (12 boats; 4 DNF)

gatta saw 84 one design boats duke it out in mostly light and shifty conditions on the Berkeley Circle on April 6-7. The four-race, no-throwout series employed two separate race courses, with the modern resin prod¬ ucts (Antrim 27s, Etchells, Express 27s, Melges 24s, and the wooden IODs) on one course and the vintage boats (Cal 20s and 29s, Santana 22s, Folkboats, Knarrs). on the other. All courses were windward/ leewards with gates and offset marks

which made for good racing, but lengthy waits while the race committee reset

erything as the wind shifted.

Best performance in fleet, ifthere were such an award, would surely have gone to 35-year-old Jon Perkins, who crushed the 18-boat Knarr fleet with a steady 3,3,2,2 record. Perkins was sailing Slithergadee along with owner Hans Baldauf, Gavin O'Hare and Tom Purdy. The young¬ est of the talented Perkins clan. Jon just

THE RACING

moved back from New York after five long years toiling in the financial markets there. He'll be appearing regularly from now on aboard Slithergadee and the family's J/105 Good Timid, part of the Perkins brothers’ tag-team approach to yacht racing.

We ll let the pictures on the preceding pages tell the rest of the story. Check out www.sjyc.org forfcomplete results.

ANTRIM 27 1) Arch Angel, Dennis Surtees, 4 points; 2) Always Friday, John Liebenberg, 12. (5 boats)

ETCHELLS 1) Celebration, Doug Morss, 6 points; 2) Pimp, Brian Berger, 10; 3) Air Tuna, Jim Gregory, 16; 4) Mahalaga, Peter Vessella, 18; 5) White Jacket, John Sutalj, 18. (12 boats)

EXPRESS 27 1) Chimo, Brad Pennington, 8 points; 2) Peaches, John Rivlin, 11; 3) El Raton, Ray Lotto, 12; 4) Exocet, Crowson/Landon, 13. (10 boats)

MELGES 24— 1) Tropical Storm, Doug Forster, 7 points; 2) Smokeshow, Scott Dale, 13; 3) Team Quantum, Tim Duffy, 16; 4) Going Rickter, Rick Moseley, 20. (9 boats)

IOD— 1) NeverAgain II, Mark Pearce, 8 points. (3 boats)

CAL 20 1) Andalusia, Luther Greulich, 5 points; 2) Rutharola, Bernard Saggese, 12. (4 boats)

CAL 29 1) Seredipity, Tom Bruce, 5 points; 2) Bluejacket, Bill O'Connor, 8; 3) Whirled Peas, Philip Wyndman, 13. (6 boats)

FOLKBOAT 1) Frihed, Bill Madison, 6 points; 2) Windansea, Don Wilson, 12; 3) Polperro, 15. (6 boats)

KNARR —1) Slithergadee, Jon Perkins, 10 points; 2) Peerless, Larry Drew, 18; 3) Flyer, Chris Kelly, 24; 4) Narcissus, John Jenkins, 28; 5) Benino, TerryAnderlini, 29; 6) Snaps III, Knud Wibroe, 29; 7) Hustler, Steve Wegner, 31; 8) Gossip, Adams/Taft/ Quigg, 33; 9) Huttetu, George Rygg, 35. (18 boats) SANTANA22 1) Carlos, Jan Grygier,

points; 2) Soliton, Mark Lowry, 12;

Tackful, Frank Lawler, 16. (7 boats)

Camellia Cup

The first freshwater regatta ofthe year took place on April 6-7 at Folsom Lake, as FLYC hosted their 36th annual Camel¬

lia Cup. Seventy boats competed in the abbreviated four-race, no-throwout event, which was sailed in painfully light and fluky air. At least the lake was full!

Wade Behling of Sacramento took home the big prize the Camellia Cup, supposedly emblematic of best overall performance in his Capri 22 Windy Britches. Behling's 2,2,1,1 record topped the runner-up, Carl DeWing's Catalina 250 Sea Wing, by one point.

The toughest and most meaningful racing, however, was in the 15-boat Santana 20 class, which was holding its District II Championship. Local heroes 20/20 (skipper Charles Witcher, wife Sherron Hart, and boat partner Charlie Hess) put together a 1,5,1,5 series, just good enough to beat Washington-based North Sails rep Chris Winnard on a tie¬ breaker.

SANTANA 20 (Districts) 1) 20/20, Charles Witcher, Sacramento; 2) Disaster Area, Chris Winnard, Bothell, WA; 3) mOOn, Ken Cardwell, Orangevale; 4) In-n-Out, Joe Marck, Antelope; 5) Orca, Todd Craig, Foresthill; 6) Here Comes Trouble, Mark Erdrich, Elk Grove; 7) Two Step, Mel Morrison, Rancho Cordova. (15 boats)

OPEN KEEL 1) Raycin 2, Viper 640, Lisa Sanchez Pescador, Moraga; 2) Vera Cruz, B-25, Mike Gillum, Roseville; 3) PocoA Poco, J/22, George Koch, Carmichael. (8 boats)

OPEN CENTERBOARD 1) Jim Marazzo, Thistle, Oroville; 2) D. McWilliams, Thistle, unknown. (5 boats)

CATALINA22 (Regionals) 1) Prime Time, Bob Baker, Sacramento; 2) Late Start, Tom Page, Sac¬ ramento; 3) Unknown, Don Hare, unknown. (8 boats)

CRUISER 1) Windy Britches, Capri 22, Wade Behling, Sacramento; 2) Sea Wing, Catalina 250, Carl DeWing, Loomis; 3) Unknown, Catalina 25, C.

Herman, unknown; 4) Moonglow, Ericson 26, Ryan Schofield, Alameda. (10 boats)

MULTIHULL 1) Kit Wiegman, Hobie 20, Sac¬ ramento; 2) J. Sailer, Hobie 16, unknown; 3) M. Sailer, Hobie 16, unknown; 4) unknown, Prindle 19, un¬ known; 5) M. Wetzel, Hobie 17, unknown. (12 boats) BANSHEE 1) Plane Crazy, Curt Rogers, San Ramon; 2) Slick, Steve Galleria, Gold River; 3) Wild Ride, Tom Goodwin, Sacramento. (6 boats) Full results www.flyc.org.

Belvedere Cup

Five Farr 40s participated in San Fran¬ cisco YC's inaugural Belvedere Cup, a

Nice trophies! Left, Camellia Cup winners (left to right): Rob Wessell, Shallene Peat and Wade Behling of the Capri 22 'Windy Britches'. Right, District II Santana 20 champions Charlie Hess, Sherron Hart and Charles Witcher of '20/20'. Photos courtesy of Folsom Lake YC.

match racing event held on the South¬ ampton course on April 13-14. Peter Stoneberg's Shadow, with Jeff Madrigali calling tactics, dominated the new regatta with a flawless 8-0 record. In addition to Peter and Madro, the crew consisted of Nick 'Mudcrab’ Crabtree (main), Don Teakel (upwind trimmer), Roland Brun (downwind trimmer), Ernie Rodriguez (pit), Terre Layton (floater), Damon Harvey (mast) and Gary Sadamori (bow).

Shadow's victory wasn't really a sur¬ prise, as Stoneberg and his veteran crew have won the last few San Francisco Cups (a match race in Farr 40s between StFYC and SFYC) and are generally con¬ sidered the top Farr 40 program on the Bay. By winning the Belvedere Cup, Stoneberg qualified for a berth in Long Beach YC's September Cup, which in turn is a feeder to the biggest match race series in the country, the Congressional Cup.

"We had originally hoped for eight boats in this regatta," noted Peter, who now has two Farr 40s (he leased the former Peregrine from Stanford with an option to buy, and will sail that boat down south). "I think we'll get 10 or 12 next year, when word gets out about how much fun this was!"

David Thomson’s Peregrine finished second with a 5-3 record, and came close to spoiling Shadow's perfect score in one

of their two encounters. According to re¬ gatta chairman Tom Roberts, the racing was excellent. "They were surprisingly ag¬ gressive, yet we only had to call about a half dozen penalties," he noted.

Irr other related Farr 40 news, Morning Glory owner Hasso Plattner just ordered another Farr 40 (hull #101), which he will use to develop a two-boat campaign out of the Bay Area. Also, Novato sailor Rob Weed owner of the successful Beneteau 40.7 Wired is in the process of buying the red-hulled Titan (which was briefly known as Grins, as well as Non Sequitur at Key West and SORC).

The Farr fleet is heading south now for San Diego YC's Yachting Cup (May 3-5), the first of four regattas on the, southern half of the West Coast season champion¬ ship. Results ofthe Belvedere Cup, as well as the Farr 40 Midwinters (seven days of racing, with one day a throwout), follow.

BELVEDERE CUP —1) Shadow, Peter Stoneberg/Jeff Madrigali, 8-0; 2) Peregrine, David Thomson/Brian Carnet, 5-3; 3) Endurance, Mike Condon/Seadon Wijsen, 4-4; 4) Gone Too Farr, Dave Carrell/Jeff Eckhardt, 3-5; 5) Astra, Mary Coleman/ Sylvain Barrielle, 0-8. (5 boats)

MIDWINTERS 1) Ol' Farrtz, Bob Wolfe, 13

points; 2) Shadow, Peter Stoneberg, 21; 3) Per¬ egrine, David Thomson, 27; 4) Non Sequitur, Thayer/Watts, 27; 5) Blue Chip, Walt Logan, 27; 6) Astia, Mary Coleman, 31; 7) Cavallino, Zarko Draganic, 46; 8) Gone Too Farr, Dave Carrell, 48; 9) Endurance, Bob Condon, 50; 10) Morning Glory, Hasso Plattner, 60.

Olympic Sailing Team, Cont'd

The Olympic Sailing Committee of US Sailing recently announced more mem¬ bers of th^ 2002 US Sailing Team, and we're pleased to report that four more Bay Area sailors have made the cut Finn campaigner Mo Hart, Europe sailors Krysia Pohl and Susannah Carr, and MistraJ boardsailor Steve Bodner. They join five other Bay Area sailors named to the Team last month Mikey Murison/Rusty Canada (470), Mallory McCollum (470 crew), and Dawn Riley and Melissa Purdy (Yngling crew).

Finn sailor Mo Hart, age 26, moved to the Bay Area from Portland, Maine, for the '98 Olympic Trials on the Bay and, like a lot of us, fell in love with the place and never left. As opposed to his last Olympic effort, which was done on a shoe¬ string, Hart now enjoys a fully-funded program as a member of Philippe Kahn's Santa Cruz-based Team Pegasus. "I like

"Gone Too Farr' chases Peregrine'in SFYC's in¬ augural Belvedere Cup. Top right, the victorious 'Shadow' crew. Bottom right, 'Shadow' skipper Peter Stoneberg, Terre Layton and the trophy.

my chances this time," he said, citing pe¬ rennial Oregon Finnster Darrell.Peck and Annapolis sailor GeoffEwenson, who was Hart's roommate at URI, as the main ob¬ stacles between him and the Athens Games in August '04. *

Hart is basically campaigning his Finn full-time now, with a schedule that in¬ cludes big regattas like Hyeres (end of April), SPA (end of May), the Europeans (July), the Worlds (July), the Pre-Olym¬ pics in Athene with Ewenson (August), and the li.S. Nationals in Santa Cruz in October. "Not a lot ofother American Finn sailors travel, which could give me an advantage," claimed Mo.

Alameda native daughter Krysia Pohl, also 26, is equally serious about making it to the Olympics. In fact, she recently retired from herjob with the Coast Guard to concentrate exclusively on her Europe campaign. She'll be training in Canada in early May, and then heading to Europe to compete on the circuit there until the end of July. In August, she’ll race in the Europe Worlds near Toronto, Canada.

Krysiajust moved everything into stor¬ age, and will be living out of her van, on friend's couches, and at her parent's house in Alameda when she's home. She's also actively searching for sponsors, and encourages everyone to follow her progress at www.kpohl.org. When not practicing in her Europe, she can be found running and mountain biking, or at the occasional 'fun' regatta like the recent Ski/Sail Championship at Tahoe, where she finished fourth.

Susannah Carr, age 29, also made the Europe team. Susannah grew up in Hingham, MA, began racing sailboats while studying at Yale, and is the former Encinal YC junior sailing director. She now works in finance and public relations in San Francisco, and is also the Europe class president for this country. She spent g several months training in Europe last g summer, which she claims really brought § her game up. -E

"Our U.S. sailors are catching up to 5

the Europeans," she claims. "I love these boats and this class, and I'm campaign¬ ing for the Olympics to become a better sailor. Realistically, one of the full-timers Meg (Gaillard) or Krysia has a bet¬ ter shot at going to Athens."

Steve Bodner, age 27, moved from De¬ troit to San Francisco a year and a half ago. "This is a great place to train," said Steve, who supports himself as an archi¬ tect in Berkeley. "I sail 300 days a year now, as opposed to 150 on the Great Lakes, and there's a great community of boardsailors here."

Bodner figures he, PeterWells, and Ben Barger have the best shot at filling the vacuum left by three-time Olympian Mike Gebhardt's retirement. He's trying to raise the money to campaign full-time begin¬ ning next year, and is cautiously optimis¬ tic about his chances. "I’ll make a deci¬ sion about that at the end of the year," said Bodner, who is in the process ofjoin¬

ing St. Francis YC, where he can often be found competing in the Formula class (a more popular board locally than the Mis¬ tral) Friday evening races.

The following 2002 Team members are listed in the order they qualified. See www.ussailing.org/Olympics for more details, and tune in next month to see if any more Bay Area sailors are named in the last two classes. Stars and 49ers.

FINN Geoff Ewenson (Annapolis); Mo Hart (Santa Cruz); Darrell Peck (Gresham, OR); Andy Kern (Chicago); Bryan Boyd (Jacksonville, FL).

EUROPE Meg Gaillard (Pelham, NY/James¬ town, Rl); Krysia Pohl (Alameda); Christin Feldman (Grosse Point, Ml/Portland, OR); Susannah Carr (San Francisco); Jaime Mack (Seattle, WA).

MISTRAL (men) PeterWells (Newport Beach); Phillip Muller (Ft. Pierce, FL); Steve Bodner (San Francisco); Jon Alzevedo (Indian Harbor Beach, FL); Kevin Jewett (Deephaven, MN).

MISTRAL (women) Kimberly Birkenfeld (Myrtle Creek, OR/Miami, FL); Beth Powell Winkler (Cocoa

Philippe Kahn's newAndrews 55 'Pegasus' was second to finish in the Doublehanded Farallones, but first to finish the Singlehanded one.

Goingplaces 2002 US Sailing Team members Mo Hart, Susannah Carr, Steve Bodnerand Kry¬ sia Pohl. Photos courtesy of Rolex Miami OCR.

Doublehanded Farallones Race

BAMA's 23rd Doublehanded Faral¬ lones Race, held on the sunny day ofApril 6, was quick and fun. With favorable cur¬ rents and winds up to 30 knots on the return trip, the entire 85-boat fleet fin¬ ished before dusk for a change. Ben Davies' gorgeous Wally 67 Slingshot was first home at 2:06 p.m., afterjust 6 hours, one minute and 20 seconds on the 58mile race course. Philippe Kahn's brand new Andrews 55 Pegasus pulled in four minutes later. Both boats plummeted when the PHRF handicap ratings were applied.

The overall winner was Mike Vare's J/ 105 Luna, which corrected out by over six minutes over the runner-up, Rav Well's F-27 Wingit (We still disagree with min¬ gling monohulls and multihulls in the overall standings, but it's the Bay Area Multihull Association’s race, not ours.) Vare, sailing with his brother Andy, com¬ peted in the 2001 race on Lunawith their father, George. "The lessons I learned last year were instrumental in winning this time," claimed Mike, "Plus, it was perfect conditions for a J/105."

After fetching the Farallones around 1 p.m., the Vare brothers headed home with a sistership, 20/20, and the crewed Farr 40s, which were 'piggybacking' off the doublehanded race. While everyone else^ immediately set kites and sagged way off, they sailed Luna 60 degrees high ofcourse

for 45 minutes before setting their 1.5ounce kite. Mike, who has been surfing all winter, drove the boat on a wild and memorable ride through the Potato Patch, hitting a top speed of 18.2 knots.

With one exception John Skinner's WylieCat 30 Silkge, which broke its rud¬ der all the boats made it back in one piece despite some wet, heavy reaching and running on the way in from the rockpile. Most everyone reported sailing through 'oil slicks' of vella-vellas, with the tiny blue jellyfish finding their way on deck, into wheel-wells and cockpits, and even below. Apparently, they really stink when they dry out as some crews found days later.

DIV. A (multihull) 1) Wingit, F-27, Ray & Amy Wells; 2) Donnybrook, F-28R, John Brady/Todd Reinke; 3) Catri, Catri-27, Chris Sundberg/Mikhail Donnich. (7 boats)

DIV. B 1) Luna, J/105, Mike & Andy Vare; 2) Sleeping Dragon, Hobie 33, Mark Halman/Roberti Fricke; 3) Twist, J/120, Timo Bruck/Roy Haslup; 4) 20/20, J/105, Phil Gardner/Mike Redmond; 5) Django, J/120, John Callahan/Alan Cahill; 6) Pe¬ gasus, Andrews 55, Phillipe Kahn/Zan Drejes; 7) Bloom County, Mancebo 31, Anthony Basso/Jason Seifert; 8) Plan B, Olson 29, John Kerslake/Dave Grandin; 9) Gone Too Farr, Farr 40, Dave Carrel/ Carlos Badell; 10) Family Hour, Olson 30, Jim Bilafer/ Barry Danieli. (19 boats)

DIV. C 1) Swamp Donkey, Express 27, Scott Seliers/Doug Robbins; 2) Salty Hotel, Express 27, David Rasmussen/Phil Krasner; 3) Sanity Retension, Moore 24, Steve Ritz/Erik Menzel; 4) Andiamo, SC 27, Mike & Tom Warren; 5) Baleineau, Olson 25, Charlie Brofhard/Robert Hurlimann; 6) Wet Spot, Moore 24, Mike O'Callaghan/John Verdeig; 7)

Taming the beast First to finish the Doublehanded Farallones was 'Slingshot', a Wally 67 sailed by Ben Daviesand Chuck Parrish.

Encore, Wylie Gemini Twin, Andy Hall/Mark Mason. (16 boats)

DIV. D 1) Lilith, WylieCat 39, Tim & Karin Knowles; 2) Auspice, Schumacher 40, Jim & Brian Coggan; 3) Timber Wolf, Farr 38, Dave Hodges/ Scott Walecka; 4) Georgia, Van de Stadt 40, Ben Mewes/Paul La Roye; 5) Princess, Sabre 402, Bruce

Total 'Luna'tics! The Vare brothers Andy(left) andMike clobberedthe DoublehandedFaral¬ lones fleet with their family's J/105.

& Ken Munro. (12 boats)

DIV. E 1) Illusion, Cal 40, Stan & Sally Honey; 2) Fat Bob, Catalina 38, Bob Lugliani/Victor Gray. (5 boats)

DIV. F 1) Uno, WylieCat 30, Peter Jones/Ed Ruszel; 2) Tinsley Light V, WylieCat 30, Hank Grandin/Ray Sluis; 3) Lynx, Wylie Cat 30, Steve Overton/Jim Plumley; 4) Shenanigans, C&C 36, Mike Maloney/Charles Creighton; 5) Valhanna, Catalina 36 Mk.

John Merritt/Gene Yates.

DIV.

Merit

Jim Fair/ Charles

Phil Mai/ London

Lips, Merit

Phil MacFarlane/Robert

Bob Boynton/ Ed

Todd Regenold/ Rick

Singlehanded Farallones

The 24th annual SSS Singlehanded Farallones Race attracted 43 boats on April 20, down a bit from years past. This annual rite of passage featured nice weather and moderate breeze. and the same winner as last year, Steve Wonner and his WylieCat 30 Uno. In fact, the aptly-named Uno has been on a roll lately, winning the Doublehanded Lightship overall (with Wonner and Bren Meyer) and a class victory’(and fourth overall) in the Doublehanded Farallones under Peter Jones and Ed Ruszel's command.

"I was the northern-most boat up at Pt. Bonita when the shift set in," explained Wonner, an Alameda-based 'flavor sales¬ man’. "I was up-current, upwind, and upMay, 2002

Beach, FL); Taylor Duch (Savannah, FL); Farrah Hall (Annapolis); Ericka Kofkin (Melbourne, FL)'.

THE RACING

waves from the rest of the fleet, which worked out well. I also tacked to the north about eight miles from the Farallones when I realized I wouldn't lay them while lots of other guys waited until they were at the islands to take a hitch north, and fought more current in doing so. The ride back was easy, without much surf¬ ing. All-in-all, it was a very civilized day out in the ocean!'Xv

Uno crossed the finish line at 5:43 p.m. after 8 hours, 48 minutes ofsailing. First around the 58-mile course was Philippe Kahn and his Andrews 55 Pegasus, which completed the course in 7 hours, 13 min¬ utes. Interestingly, all the monohull spin¬ naker classes were well-represented in the overall standings.'which appeared for once to reward good sailing rather than a particular length or type of boat that day.

CLASS I (multihulls) —1) Wingit, F-27, Ray Wells. (1 boat)

CLASS II (< 130) 1) Illusion, Cal 40, Stan Honey; 2) Auspice, Schumacher 40, Jim Coggan; 3) Alchera, J/120, Mark Deppe; 4) Quicksilver, C&C 39, Carl Robinette) 5) Xpression, C&C 110, Dirk Husselman; 6) Audacious, Peterson One Ton, Carlton Eshelman. (12 boats)

CLASS III (130-168) 1) Chesapeake, Merit 25, Jim Fair; 2) Sail A Vie, Ericson 35 Mk. II, Phil MacFarlane; 3) Eyrie, Hawkfarm, Synthia Petroka. (7 boats)

CLASS IV (> 168) 1) Tchoupitoulas, Santana

WylieCat 30, Steve Wonner. (2 boats)

ULDB 1) Starbuck, Black Soo, Greg Nelson; 2) Moore On, Moore 24, Scott Owens; 3) Salty Ho¬ tel, Express 27, David Rasmussen; 4) E-Type, Ex¬ press 27, John Drewery; 5) AFM,.Hobie 33, Oliver Coolidge; 6) Andiamo, SC 27, Mike Warren; 7) Fast Forward, Aerodyne 38, Dan Benjamin. (16 boats)

OVERALL 1) Uno; 2) Illusion; 3) Starbuck; 4) Tchoupitoulas; 5) Lilith; 6) Moore On; 7) Chesa¬ peake; 8) Auspice; 9) Sail A Vie; 10) Salty Hotel. (43 boats) Full results www.sfbaysss.com.

Congressional Cup

About the same time Tiger Woods was collecting his third green jacket at the Masters last month, Peter Holmberg was busy earning his fourth crimson blazer, emblematic ofvictory at Lohg Beach YC's 38th Congressional Cup. The analogy breaks down after this, as Woods brought home $1,008,000 for his efforts, while Holmberg netted just $6,000.

Nonetheless, Holmberg, age 40, and his veteran all-Kiwi Oracle Racing crew (tactician John Cutler, Mike Sanderson, Robbie Naismith, Graham Fleury and Brad Webb) had plenty to be happy about. They breezed through the Catalina 37 round-robin match racing competition with a 15-3 record, and then dispatched Andy Green in the semis, 2-1. That set the stage for the final confrontation with 29-year-old Gavin Brady, who previously won the Congo Cup in '96 and '97.

After spotting Brady the first match by 15 seconds, Holmberg came roaring back

way, winning by 13 seconds. "Gavin made us work hard for it," he claimed. "To win this one is huge!"

It was the fourth time Holmberg has won the Congressional Cup in the last five years, and this truly was a dominant dis¬ play against a top-notch fleet. This latest win ties him with Rod Davis, the only other person to win the C-Cup four times. This is also the third Swedish Match Tour event in a row that Holmberg has won, with earlier victories at the Bermuda Gold Cup and the Steinlager/Line 7 Regatta.

Holmberg entered the mid-April Con¬ gressional Cup as ISAF's number-one ranked match racer and his perfor¬ mance in Long Beach left no doubt in anyone's mind that he is the best match racer in the world today. Hopefully, for all of us Bay Area racing fans, that ex¬ pertise will help Oracle Racing bring the America's Cup back herejust ten months from now!

ROUND-ROBIN 1) Peter Holmberg, Oracle Racing, 15-3; 2) Ken Read, Team DC, 12-6; 3) Gavin Brady, Prada, 10-8; 4) (tie) Andy Green, GBR Chal¬ lenge and Scott Dickson, LBYC, and Jes GrarriHansen, Denmark, 9-9; 7) (tie) Rod Davis, Prada, and Dean Barker, Team NZ, 8-10; 9) Ed Baird, USA, 6-12; 10) Luc Pillot, Le Deff Areva, 4-14. (18 rounds)

SEMIS Brady d. Read, 2-0; while Holmberg d. Green, 2-1.

THIRD PLACE Read d. Green, 2-0. FINALS Holmberg d. Brady, 2-1. Full results www.lbyc.org.

Stone Cup & Americap II

Not too many years ago, St. Francis YC’s Stone Cup was the second most pres¬ tigious regatta on the Bay after September's Big Boat Series. Those days are long gone, as evidenced by the small 16-boat turnout for the regatta on April 20-21. Originally scheduled one design starts were scrapped for J/120s, Beneteau 40.7s and Express 37s, and eveiyone was thrown together into one class.

Conner's a winner! 'Uno'is numberone! Steve Wonner and his WylieCat 30 'Uno' have been unbeatable in ocean racing this spring. 22, Stephen Buckingham; 2) Pannonica, Contest 27, John Lymberg; 3) Miss Laney, Ericson 30+, Daniel Alvarez. (6 boats)

CLASS V (non-spinnaker) 1) True North, C&C 37, Jeff Dunnavant; 2) Krissy, Ericson 35-3, Allen Cooper; 3) Kuewa, Islander 44, Tony Hoff; 4) Leilani Too, Catalina 36, Jay Capell. (9 boats) CAT-RIGGED MONOHULLS —1) Uno,

PeterHolmberg, helmsman for 'Oracle Racing', won the Congressional Cup for the fourth time. On to the America's Cup!

ond margin. The winner-take-all finale saw the two boats diverge off the start¬ ing line, with Holmberg betting correctly on the left side. He led the race the whole

The four-race, no-throwout regatta was also Americap II's long-awaited local debut (the 'new' VPP-based rating system basically a dumbed-down version of IMS was meant to be introduced at last September's cancelled BBS). The racing was run off the StFYC deck, and batter¬ ies ofcomputers scored the race three dif¬ ferent ways Americap II, as well as PHRF time-on-time and PHRF time-ondistance (the latter two for the benefit of the PHRF committee, which was repre¬ sented by Dick Horn). US Sailing guru Dan Nowlan also spent the weekend in Newport, RI, glued to his phone and com¬ puter, helping the StFYC plough through

the numbers.

With a full gamut of flood, ebb, wind strengths and course configurations, the regatta was a meaningful 'test drive' for the new rule. Saturday's first race was a triangle, windward/leeward, which gave the advantage to the boats with asym¬ metrical kites. The second race sailed in 18-25 knots, i.e., vintage Stone Cup conditions went to Rob Weed's Beneteau 40.7 Wired, sailing with her brand new carton 3DL sails. Weed won the day with a 3,1 outing, a fitting way to spend his birthday.

Sunday's two races were both wind¬ ward/leewards in slightly lighter condi¬ tions. Wired put together another 3,1 ef¬ fort to ostensibly win the regatta, but was subsequently DSQed in the last race for, a weather mark rounding incident with Scorpio. That opened the door for Mark Dowdy's Express 37 Eclipse to win the regatta with a 1,5,1,1 record.

"I’d say the experiment was a success," claimed Swtfty crewman Norman Davant, one of the leading local proponents of Americap II. "Wired proved to be the 'golden boat' under the new rule, but Eclipse sailed the smartest and won."

Americap II will be used again in the Alessio Regatta, the Quickboat Series, and the Big Boat Series. The jury is still out on whether Americap II will eventually re¬ place PHRF for local big boat handicap racing. "We'll know a lot more after Sep¬ tember,” claimed StFYC race manager John Craig.

1) Eclipse, Express 37, Mark Dowdy, 8 points;

2) Mr. Magoo, J/120, Steve Madeira, 10; 3) Scor¬ pio, Wylie 42, John Siegel, 15; 4) Swiftsure II, Sy Kleinman, 17; 5) Wired, Beneteau 40.7, Rob Weed,

Congo Cup pre-start Peter 'Humbug' Holmbergdrives; Mike 'Moose'Sanderson trims main, and Robbie 'Battler' Naismith trims thejib.

24; 6) Elan, Express 37, Bill Reiss, 24; 7) Just in Time, Beneteau 42s7, Norman Olson, 30; 8) Me¬ lange, Express 37, Jim Reed, 30; 9) Qui B 5, J/120, John Sylvia, 38; 10) Alchemy, J/105, Tom Struttman, 41. (16 boats)

Box Scores

Too many races, not enough time that's why we invented this part of the magazine. Like you, we'd rather be sail¬ ing!

J/105 LIGHTSHIP RACE (StFYC: 4/6. 25 miles):

1) Blackhawk, Dean Dietrich; 2) Bella Rosa, Dave Tambellini; 3) Good Timin', Phil Perkins/Dave Wilson; 4) Zuni Bear, Shawn Bennett/Rich Bergman; 5) Tiburon, Steve Stroub; 6)Wianno, John Sullivan; 7) Sails Call, Ian Charles; 8) Larrikin, Stuart Taylor; 9) Avantage 3, Pat Benedict; 10) Just Foolin' Around, Dines/Kennelly/Toto; 11) Arbitrage, Bruce Stone; 12) Out of Options, Doug Berman. (24 boats)

SPRING FORWARD (SBYC: April 6: 2 races):

PHRF-I 1) II Falco, Express 37, Steven Toteda, 4 points; 2) Oni, Beneteau 36.7, Peter Krueger, 6; 3) Lively, Olson 30, Mike O'Brien, 7. (7 boats) SF-30s 1) Ixxis, Olson 911 -S, Ed Durbin, 4 points; 2) Bay Loon, J/29, Joseph Ferrie, 5; 3) Slim, J/30, Loren Mollner, 7. (8 boats)

PHRF-III 1) Ice Nine, Santana 35, Brendan Busch, 5 points; 2) Synchronicity, Olson 25, Stephen Smith, 5; 3) Breakout, Santana 35, Lloyd Ritchey, 6. (8 boats)

PHRF-IV 1) Eyrie, Hawkfarm, Tom Condy, 2 points; 2) Goose, Catalina 30, Mike Kastrop, 5; 3) Pannoica, Contessa 27, John Lymberg, 7. (8 boats)

WHEELER REGATTA (BYC: April 6-7; 2 races):

WHEELER 1) Mintaka 4, Farr 38, Gerry Brown, 6 points; 2) Bodacious, Farr One Ton, John Clauser, 6; 3) Shenanigans,, C&C 36, Mike Maloney, 6; 4) Ixxis, Olson 911-S, Ed Durbin, 6; 5) Jeannette,

Tartan Ten, Henry King, 8; 6) Petard, Farr 36, Keith Buck/Andy Newell. (12 boats)

CITY OF BERKELEY 1) Mr. McGregor, Wabbit, Kim Desenberg/John Groen, 7 points; 2) Kwazy, Wabbit, Colin Moore, 7; 3) The White Boat, Wabbit, Andy Hamilton, 8; 4) Synchronicity, Olson 25, Steven Smith, 10; 5) Furrari, Wabbit, Pete & Angie Rowland, 11; 6) Loose Lips, Merit 25, Phil Mai, 12; 7) Twilight Zone, Merit 25, Paul Kamen, 14; 8) Irish Lady, Catalina 30, Mike Mahoney, 15; 9) Bad Hare Day, Wabbit, Erik Menzel, 16; 10) Latin Lass, Catalina 27, Bill Chapman, 21. (22 boats)

PURSUIT RACE 1) Bodacious, FarrOneTon, John Clauser; 2) Argonaut, J/40, Chris Ditzen; 3) Ixxis, Olson 911-S, Ed Durbin; 4) Tinsley Light, WylieCat30, HankGrandin; 5) Kwazy, Wabbit, Colin Moore; 6) Jeannette, Tartan Ten, Henry King; 7) Pe¬ tard, Farr 36, Keith Buck; 8) Loose Lips, Merit 25, Phil Mai; 9) Synchronicity, Olson 25, Stephen Smith; 10) Twilight Zone, Merit 25, Paul Kamen. (26 boats; 6 DNF)

COLLEGIATE REGATTA (StFYC/Stanford: 4/6-7):

1) Stanford, 115 points; 2) USC, 117; 3) Cal Ber¬ keley, 120; 4) Stanford 2, 136; 5) Univ. of Hawaii, 151; 6) USC 2, 173; 7) Univ. of Washington, 184; 8) Univ. of Hawaii 2,187; 9) UC Irvine, 194; 10) Stanford Women, 205; 11) Cal Berkeley Women, 211; 12) UC Irvine 2, 222; 13) USC Women, 266; 14) Univ. of Washington Women, 324; 15) UC Santa Barbara, 330. (28 teams;

BIG DINGHYREGATTA (RYC: April 6-7):

RACING

2) Stray Cat, Olson 30, John Roberts; 3) Wildfire, Moore 24, Tom Conerly. (7 boats)

COLLEGIATE RANKINGS (as of 4/23):

COED 1) Harvard; 2) Old Dominion; 3) Georgetown; 4) Tufts; 5) Dartmouth; 6) Navy; 7) Charleston; 8) St. Mary's; 9) Stanford; 10) Hobart/ Wm. Smith; 11) Boston College; 12) Hawaii; 13) Brown; 14) Yale; 15) UC Santa Barbara; 16) USC; 17) Kings Point; 18) Connecticut College; 19) MIT; 20) UC Berkeley.

WOMEN 1) St. Mary's; 2) Old Dominion; 3) Brown; 4) Yale; 5) Hobart/Wm. Smith; 6) Tufts; 7) Georgetown; 8) Boston Univ.; 9) Stanford; 10) Con¬ necticut College; 11) Hawaii; 12) Dartmouth; 13) South Florida; 14) Charleston; 15) Boston College.

SPRING ONEDESIGN #1 (SCYCiAor. 20; 3 races): SC 27 —1) Sumo, Henry Cassady/Jim Livingston, 8 points; 2) Variety Show, Barry Whittall, 10; 3) Hanalei, Rob Schuyler, 11. (9 boats)

MELGES 24 1) Mary Don't Surf, Bret Gripenstraw, 4 points; 2) #208, Mike Holt, 6. (4 boats)

MOORE 24 —1) N. Fejj, Shana Rosenfeld, 3 points; 2) Nobody's Girl, Syd Moore. (4 boats)

SANTANA 22 1) Tara, Orion Pritchard, 3 points; 2) Rick's Place, Larry Comstock, 4. (5 boats)

AHMANSON/SKYLARK/ETC. (NHYC: 4/20-21):

FARR 40 1) Samba Pa Ti, John Kilroy, 11 points; 2) Crocodile Rock, Geremia/Harris, 13; 3) Revolution, Brack Duker, 16. (6 boats)

'Zephyrus V' will give new meaning to the term getting 86ed‘. Bob McNeil's new maxi is being put together at KKMI for a mid-May splash.

ID-35 1) Kill-A-Watt, David Rillie, 12 points;

2) Zsa Zsa, Bill Wright, 13; 3) Tabasco, John Wylie, 13. (7 boats)

SCHOCK 35 1) Piranha, David Voss, 11 points; 2) Ripple,

Celeste, Mike Evanovich. (4 boats)

FLEET D (doublehanded) 1) Gail Warning, J/24, Paul Nichols; 2) Wildfire, Moore 24, Howard Ruderman. (5 boats)

CLEAR LAKE MONSTER (KBSC: April 20):

MONSTER 1) No Cat Hare, Catalina 22, Don Hare; 2) Quicksilver, Raven 24, Wade Hough; 3) #8375, Pyramid 660, Bruce Klinefelter; 4) Andale, Express 27, John Freeman. (10 boats; approx. 11 miles)

MINI-MONSTER 1) #69, San Juan 21, Hans Carmiggelt; 2) Sante, Capri 26 WK, Jim Westman; 3) Pic, Catalina 25 SK, Bill Pickering; 4) Beats Workin', O'Day 27-2, MarkWeber; 5) Wind Dancer, Catalina 22, Robert Walmsley. (14 boats,; approx. 9 miles)

ALAMEDA INTERCLUB #2 (AYC: April13):

FLEET 1 (< 173) —Abandoned due to Race Committee error.

FLEET 2 (174-186) Ditto above.

FLEET 3 (>186) Ditto above.

FLEET 4 (Catalina 34) 1) Mottley, Chris Owen; 2) Casino, Jim Eddy. (4 boats)

FLEET 5 (non-spinny) 1) Peddler, Catalina 27, Norm Rehm; 2) Knotty Sweetie, C&C 32, G. Johnson. (4 boats)

FLEET 6 (multihull) -c 1) Donnybrook, F-28R,

John Brady; 2) Buster, F-25C, Ernie Schimph. FLEET 7 (multihull non-spinny) 1) Joint Ven¬ ture, F-31C, Randy Devol. (3 boats)

ISAF MATCH RACE RANKINGS (as ofApr. 17):

OPEN 1) Peter Holmberg, USVI; 2) Magnus Holmberg, SWE; 3) Jes Gram-Hansen, DEN; 4) Jesper Radich Johansen, DEN; 5) James Spithill, USA; 6) Gavin Brady, NZ; 7) Bjorn Hansen, SWE; 8) Luc Pillot, FRA; 9) Paolo Cian, ITA; 10) Francois Brenac, FRA.

WOMEN —1) Marie Bjorling, SWE; 2) Lotte Meldgaared Pedersen, DEN; 3) Dorte Jensen, DEN; 4) Malin Kallstrom, SWE; 5) Malin Millbourn, SWE;. 6) Klaartje Zuiderbaan, NED; 7) Betsy Alison, USA; 8) Liz Baylis, USA; 9) Sabrina Gurioli, ITA; 10) Giulia Conti, ITA.

PCISA PCCs (TtSC/SFYC: Apr. 20-21):

1) Coronado, 91 points; 2) Point Loma, 124; 3) Santa Barbara, 145; 4) Newport Harbor, 154; 5) SD Univ., 178; 6) Bishop's, 209; 7) Corona Del Mar, 210; 8) Marin Catholic, 237; 9) San Marcos, 248; 10) Palisades, 249; 11) La Jolla, 275; 12) Punahou, 313; 13) SF Univ., 337; 14) Menlo Atherton, 375; 15) Stevenson, 378; 16) Maryknoll, 436; 17) Torrey Pines, 444; 18) Redwood, 452; 19) Branson, 466. (19 high schools; 14 races in A and B fleets) Div. A winner Bishop's (Andrew Campbell/

Race Notes

Outer limits: If you thought the 'nor¬ mal' turbosleds were cool, wait until you see Bob McNeil's new R/P 86 Zepyhrus V, which should be at KKMI by the time you're reading this. The new stripped-out rocketship, the first ofthe 'maxZ86 class' (Roy Disney is getting the second), was built by McConaghy Boats in Sydney, Australia. She'll be launched around midMay, do a bunch of sea trials in the Bay and Gulf of Farallones, and then debut in the Pacific Cup, where she will battle Mara Cha III for line honors. Displacing 43,000 pounds and sporting acres ofsail, the VPPs indicate that Z-5 will be about 36 hours faster a day and a half) to Hawaii than Z-4, McNeil's 'old' R/P 75 (now sailing on the East Coast as Bright Star). We're hoping, along withjust about eyery other sailor we know, to get a ride on this exciting new machine either way, look for a feature article on Z-5 next month. In fhe meantime, check out

Hillary Shapiro). Div. B winner Coronado (Brian Haines/Biair Herron).

www.maxZ86.com to comprehend the magnitude of this project.

Full circle: Bob Garvie has sold his highly successful N/M 50 Bullseye (exInjmity) back to Long Island Sound. The new owner Lawrence Huntington, the incoming commodore of the New York YC will apparently add a few interior cruis¬ ing amenities and thenjoin the emerging East Coast IMS 50 fleet. 'The offer came out of nowhere," explained Garvie. "I had actually hoped to sail Bullseye through the end ofthe summer before selling her." To keep his sailing skills sharp and his crew together, Garvie intends to charter or possibly buy a Farr 40. 'That will be an interim boat," he said. "I'm already thinking about a TransPac 52."

Hawaiian eye: Nineteen boats are cur¬ rently signed up for the Vic-Maui Race, which begins on June 25 and 27. Among the bigger boats entered are Atalanta (Tripp 74), HMCS Oriole (102-ft. ketch), Jeito (J/145), and a pair ofJ/ 120s (Time Bandit, Swept Away). See www.vicmaui.org for the rest of the story. The new Gateway to Hawaii Race, a 2,323mile run from San Diego to Nawiliwili (Kauai) onJune 25, has now shrunk down

Livinglegends—PaulCayard(above)andMark Reynolds (right) were just inducted into 'Sailing World's prestigious Sailing Hall ofFame.

to six boats, including Medicine Man and Grand Illusion. See www.gatewayto hawaii.org for more.

The SSS TransPac (also starting June 25) is shaping up to be one of the small¬ est ever, with currently just four entries listed on their website: Seabird (Swan 51, Lou Freeman), Rusalka (SC 40, Erik Schwartz), Westerly (Westsail 39, Steve

5 Wilson),’ and Haulback (Spencer 35 Mk. II, Jack Kellam). Organizers expect a to¬ tal ofnine or ten boats this year, with only three Bay Area entries. See www.sfbaysss.orgTor details.

The big one, the twelfth West Marine Pacific Cup, currently has 79 boats en¬ tered one under the 80-boat limit. A few boats dropped out including the SC

50 Bay Wolf, which brings that fleet down to 11 and two new boats, both TransPac winners, have en¬ tered: the Sydney 41 Bull and the Sonoma 30 Two Guys on the Edge, which will race doublehanded. The crew lists on the boats include many paid professionals, and this race has more of a TransPac feeling to it than the old 'Fun Race to Hawaii' days. Though entries officially close on May 1, we suspect you could bribe your way into the last remain¬ ing spot if you were nice about it. Check out www.pacificcup.org for details.

Enduring fame: Sailing World magazine recently announced the latest inductees into their Sailing Hall of Fame. Joining the 35 current members of this highly-exclusive club were five more sail¬ ing legends Californians Paul Cayard * and Mark Reynolds, Kiwi superstar Russell Coutts, the late Peter Barrett (twotime Olympic medalist, multiple national champion, and a pillar in North Sails), and

Sailing World Hall of Fame

Hobie Alter Charlie Barr

Peter Barrett

Bob Bavier

John Bertrand

Tom Blackaller

Sir Peter Blake

Paul Cayard

Sir Francis Chichester

Dennis Conner

Russell Coutts

Manfred Curry

UffaFox Rod Stephens German Frers EricTabarly

Olaf Harken Ted Turner

S?ly

from the turn ofthe century Charlie Barr. The latter was a Scot-bom sailor who skippered three America's Cup win¬ ners (Columbia twice, Reliance once) and also set one of the most mythical sailing records ever, an eastbound TransAtlantic run of 12 days, 4 hours with the threemasted schooner Atlantic in 1905. That record stood for 75 years! Check out the

June issue of Sailing World their 40th anniversary collectors' edition for lots more on the new Hall of Famers. Youth movement: Seven of the eight members of the 2002 U.S. Youth World Team have been named to represent our country at the Youth Sailing ISAF Worlds in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, on July 18-27. Two of the team are from the BayArea, Molly Carapiet (Belvedere) and crew Mallory McCollum (Concord), who will compete in the girl's doublehanded event in 29ers. Other mem¬ bers of this prestigious youth squad are Byte rep Paige Railey (Clearwater, FL), boardsailors Phillip Muller (Ft. Pierce, FL) and Ericka Kofkin (Melbourne, FL), and boy's 29er team Alex Bernal and Tedd White (both from Santa Barbara). The boy’s singlehanded rep will be determined at the U.S. Youth Champs, scheduled for June 21-27 at San Diego YC.

Twenty-six miles across the sea EYC's Coasted Cup, which departs from Baker Beach on June 15 for Catalina, is now coming into focus. There are 11 en¬ tries so far, and we know of at least a

Ted Hood Gary Jobson Rod Johnstone Bruce Kirby Bill Lee Ben Lexcen Buddy Melges Bus Mosbacher Lowell North George O'Day

Dave Perry Douo Peterson

Peter Harken Dave Ullman Halsey Herreshoff Harold Vanderbilt Nathaneal Herreshoff Stuart Walker *

dozen more boats that are going. Race organizer Shirley Temming is optimisti¬ cally projecting around 40 boats for the 360-mile sprint down the coast. The earlybird entries include potential recordsetter Magnitude (Andrews 68+), Conver¬ gence (J/120), Copernicus (Sydney 38), Tara (Catalina 36), Takeoff (Laser 28), Nemesis (Antrim 27) and five J/ 105s (Haz¬ ardous Waste, Horseplay, Tiburon, Zuni Bear, and Luna). Entries will be accepted until June 9. Keep checking www.encinal.org for updates.

Old age and treachery: St. Francis YC has announced the preliminary line-up for the 24th International Masters Regatta on October 4-6. Competing in the 'annual 'feel-good' J/105 event Will be Ed Bennett, Chris Bouzaid, Tom Dreyfus, Dave Irish, defending champ John Jennings, Bruce Kirby, Ulli Libor (GER), Peter Lund (NOR), Kim McDell (NZL), Keith Musto (GBR), Lowell North, John Scarborough and or¬ ganizer Don Trask. Several more skippers will be announced later.

Surfing safari: Some websites that might be worth; a quick look include www.nosa.org to see how the Newport-

Typically tight sailing at the StFYC/Stanfordhosted Collegiate Regatta on April 6-7.

Ensenada Race turned out (it started on April 26) and www.sailingweek.com to follow the 35th annual Antigua Sailing Week. At www.aroundalone.com, you can read about the 19 entries (not to be confused with 19 starters) in the upcom¬ ing 28,755-mile Around Alone Race (ex-

BOC Challenge), which leaves New York City in mid-September.

Parting thought: We've been made aware ofthree different instances of cheat¬ ing/dubious sportsmanship around the Bay last month. It's worth recalling a quote attributed to Paul Elvstrom, the greatest sailor of all time: 'You haven't won the race, if in winning the race, you have lost the respect of your competitors."

VThe Africa Cup: 1st Annual OCSC/Lamu YC Regatta

We take a major departure from our usual format this month to bring you a story so unusual that. well, we.just had to run it.

For two decades bcSC of Berkeley has been hosting overseas sailingflotil¬ lasfor club members, but this winter they decided to do something completely unique:

In February fourteen ardent sailors from OCSC Sailing Club had just spent 12 days on Safari trekking through the wildlife wonders of Kenya. They had trekked with the Massai warriors of the Loita Highlands, roamed the Massai Mara plains, and coursed the banks of the Galana River encountering virtually all the wild animals ofWest Africa.

Given those adventures, they won¬ dered what would be the best possible way to catch a glimpse into the culture surrounding the ancient islands of the LamuArchipelago, their final destination on beautiful topaz waters of the Kenya Coast? The answer came with a creative flash ofinspiration: they would organize a spirited sailing race aboard ancient Arab trading dhows. A group of sailors from the Bay engagingwith the best sail¬ ors ofthe Lamu Yacht Club would surely Likeplaying Where's Waldo, see ifyou can find the boys from Berkeley in this photo. Note the OCSC war flags.

provide a memorable experience.

A month before our arrival in Lamu, inquiries were made, and a sailing re¬ gatta had been proposed. Our call to fly with the fair winds of the East African Coast was answered by the'Dhow Cap¬ tains of Lamu: "Let's Race!"

We landed in the mid-day heat of the Equator at the tiny airport on Manda Island. Although this was the heart of equatorial Africa latitude 2 degrees south, longitude 41 degrees east the energy was anything but languid. There was a palpable buzz in the air, as the groups of local boatmen, manning the water taxis at the airport jetty, let it be known, from their broad smiles and warm Swahili greetings of “Jambo, Jambo” and “Hoti, Hoti” that they were excited to finally set eyes on this fairskinned, scruffy group of sailors.

Appearances to the contrary, the OCSC men and women scrambling onto their rough-hewn boats had been her¬ alded byour advance team as being some of the best sailors in America!

The Dhow Our introduction to the sailing environment of the Lamu Archi¬ pelago began with a journey up the Manda Island Channel, skirting the bleached white stone facades of ancient buildings along the Lamu waterfront. Our first water taxi ride was in a heavy, flat-keeled wooden launch, complete with ample diesel ex¬ haust from its clunking, single stroke engine and refreshing salt spray whipped by the snap of a 15knot afternoon ocean breeze. The visual delights we were taking in were enhanced by the magical move¬ ments ofthe dhows across the bay. All of this reinforced the obvious: we were in a land very different from our

own Bay waters.

The dhows that crossed the bow of our chugging water taxi were gliding ef¬ ficiently over the chop of the channel, with canvas full ofwind and holds full of commerce. The evolution ofthe dhow in¬ tegrates simple adaptations of boat de¬ sign to maximize the principles of wind and water flow. A single mast angles for¬ ward over the bow, the canvas sail is stretched down from a forespar, a single hemp rope knotted into the clew controls the sails and a well-worn tiller engages a massive wooden rudder.

The most distinctive feature ofa dhow is its hiking board, which is a thick, 20foot-long wooden plank which is shifted from side to side during sailing maneu¬ vers and wedged under the lee gunwale, while cantilevered over the windward side ofthe boat. As the dhow points into the stiff tropical trade winds blowing in from the Indian Ocean, skilled crew edg¬ ing out on the board control the precise heeling angle of the lee side of the boat, which acts like a keel for these flat-bot¬ tomed craft.

Built entirely of wood, these vessels have, for centuries, been the workhorses of the East African trade, carrying all sorts of cargo: ivory, slaves, grain, fish and general commerce. Over the years dhows have proven their seaworthiness while facilitating the far-reaching com¬ merce ofthe Arab traders a system of trade that has enriched their multina¬ tional cultures. The design ofdhows has changed little in the past thousand years and the techniques used to sail them

With a special report this month on An African Alternative to Flotilla Chartering, and miscellaneous Charter Notes.

Taking a 'slight' departure from the norm, sail¬ ors from OCSCjourneyed toAfrica in February and did a little 'yacht racing' with the locals. have been passed down over the centu¬ ries.

Regatta Preparations Our Lamu Is¬ land base of operations was the palatial Beach House actually the private va¬ cation residence of Princess Caroline of Monaco, in the village of Shela. The Beach House is a beautiful estate with a commanding view of the Manda Chan¬ nel, the clear, coastal waters of which merged before us with the expansive blue of the Indian Ocean.

The first order ofregattabusiness was the skipper’s meeting, held poolside at the Beach House. It was chaired by our own commodore, Anthony Sandberg, president of OCSC and his partner, Iain Allen, president ofTropical Ice, Ltd., the premier safari company of Kenya.

Arrayed before our experienced lead¬ ers were the ten skippers from the Lamu YC. The skippers dressed in their color¬ ful kikoi wraps were selected for this re¬ gatta by the local Beach Captain, who was affectionately known as “Dude" or “Du Du.” A study in contrasts' these skippers had all the appearances of the most feared band of pirates ever to ply the waters of the Indian Ocean.

The discussions ofthis skippers meet¬ ing touched only briefly on the mundane regatta elements such as start proce¬ dures, start time, and course layout. With ample animation and physical em¬ phasis, it was very clear to our commo¬

dores, that first on the agenda for these LYC skippers were answers to their ques¬ tions: Who physically had the $400 prize money? And in which pocket, exactly, was this money now residing. How was the money going to be paid out, and when? And wouldn’t it be better to dis¬ tribute the money now?

Recognizing that in this part of the world a $400 sailing purse represented a year’s wages for many of these men, it should not have surprised us that be¬ yond the hefty chuck ofprize money put up by our cochairmen, the chorus from the LYC skippers then turned into a la¬ ment about how they were to be com¬ pensated for the hours ofregatta prepa¬ ration time: Hours they had put in pre¬ paring their own boats, recruiting crew and selecting the 10 best skip¬ pers from among the 50 or more who own dhows in these islands. And, what about the cost of hiring a personal sha¬ man for each boat? Somehow these costs were supposed to be compensated by the well-heeled Regatta organiz¬ ers. Regatta preparation compensation

OF CHARTERING

was a novel concept one that I resolved to bring up at our yacht club's next race committee meeting.

With the essential regatta elements determined, and no possible resolution to the burning issue of compensation, the skippers meeting dissolved into a challenge chantwhich was responded to by OCSC’s own rendition of Who let the dogs out? There was more shouting, then a retreat to the Beach House bar, so that Commodore Anthony could brief the OCSC racing crews

Start ofthe Race Holy Friday after¬ noon was the time selected for the First Annual Lamu Yacht Club Regatta. This was important to the Muslim sailors of Lamu as this gave them time to observe the requirements of their faith, which included the necessity for extended morning prayers. More importantly, their day off allowed the participation of the citizens of the town of Lamu.

Hundreds of men and 100% of the children ofLamu, filled the Peponi Hotel beachfront, loudly cheering for their fa¬ vorite boat. The women, covered head to toe in black tent like boibois gathered in separate groups. They filled the air with their high-pitched warbling calls that added an eerie dnd slightly scaiy air to the atmosphere.

’

The festive scene on the sandy Lamu beachwas purely electric. Bobbing in the shallow, sheltered waters were the ten colorful dhows that had been selected to represent the LYC. Each ofthe boats was Perhaps the reason you don't win more races back home is that you don't bring along your own personal shaman. Thinkabout it.

christened, with its Swahili name painted on both its bow and stern: Taswira, Ilkhwasa, Manna, Peponi and others. Each boat was proudly adorned with colorful flags: flags oflocal sponsors, our own OCSC burgees>and the flags of Bob Marley,Hemp Nation or simply a black skull and crossbones.

The frantic last-minute arguments and shoving matches between those cap¬ tains who were selected to compete for the hefty prize monies and those skip¬ pers angered at not being allowed to par¬ ticipate, were syncopated to the beating of the steel drums, the cheers of the crowd gathered, and the clinking ofMar¬ tini glasses by the European tourists gathered in the Peponi Bar.

As far as this highly-charged collec¬ tion ofhumanity was concerned, we were about to initiate this First Annual Lamu Yacht Club Regatta to determine the win¬ ner of the 'Africa Cup.'

The OCSC sailors had been assigned, in groups oftwo or three, to crew for skip¬ pers of the LYC. The LYC skippers cho¬ sen to participate were dead serious about this race, or more importantly, about the distribution ofthe prize money. They were happy to have along Ameri¬ can crew, but made it clear from the be¬ ginning that the only captains giving or¬ ders on these boats would be barking their orders in Swahili. Our chief duties on aboard the dhows were to perform two ofthe most demanding and critical tasks, essential for successful dhow sailing: bailing and ballast!

As the energy level on the beach con¬ tinued to amplify to a feverish pitch, each Just as covering the other guy is essential to winning the America's Cup, it's also a funda¬ mental strategy in dhow racing.

dhow skipper directed their personal shaman on board to initiate their own rituals for the “Blessing ofmy boat and the cursing of all oth¬ ers.” Ancient rituals that were performed included burning incense and chicken heads on a coal pot in the bilge of the boat, chanting ofMuslim prayers, and spanking the sides of the boats with bunches of s dried magic weeds dipped into the sea to scare off the competitors.

The start to this race was very unique a silent Monte Carlo start. Without so much as a retort from a starters pistol, a bell or horn, there was a sudden crescendo of hoots and hollers as each of the dhow skippers cut the anchor line offthe stern and yelled for his crew to hoist the sail and head out on the downwind leg. v

Flying the Swahili ProtestFlag With impressive quickness and precision, our LYC skippers and crew had their hal¬ yards drawn tight. Their sails filled with the brisk breeze and were set on a deep broad reach down to the leeward mark a rusted old channel marker in the distance.

Inherent in the way they are con¬ structed, every dhow has unique sailing characteristics, but on this downwind leg the impacts of these differences were muted. Nearly halfway through this first leg all ofthe dhows were tightly bunched together. Each LYC Skipper was artfully employing an age-old practice, probably invented in this land of pirates: stealing the lead boat’s wind.

Since the start of the Re¬ gatta it was unsettlingly ob¬ vious from the heated discus¬ sions in Swahili between the skippers of the LYC, that there was one ren¬ egade boat amongst the

fleet. This was the dhow Manna, with three young men aboard who were very boisterous and bellicose in their taunts of the other skippers. The sailing tactic of this boat was not to win the down¬ wind leg, but to attempt to disrupt the progress of the favorite boat Peponi, to the advantage of the other boats in the fleet. This strategy became clear as Manna maneuvered herself in front and then to leeward of Peponi and proceeded to head her upwind.

To initiate the encounter. Manna’s shaman took his incense brazier full of burning coals and threw it aboard Peponi To say the least, tempers flared. In a flash the two boats’ hiking boards were locked across the gunnels with the force of the wind holding them fast and driving both boats offcourse. Both crews began to fight to keep their own hiking board and to steal the other’s without a hiking board a dhow is crippled and can’t sail upwind.

The first mate ofthe Mannapulled out his Swahili 'protest flag' a razor-sharp 14-inch machete! Brandishing the weapon in a threatening manner towards the skipper and the crew of Peponi, whose own skipper pulled out a gleam¬ ing protest flag ofhis own, all hands took up defensive positions or attempted to separate the boats. Our OCSC crew members went diving for the relative safety of the bilge.

After a heated discussion in Swahili of local racing rules and etiquette, the boats managed to disengage themselves. Meanwhile, other nearby skippers shouted out an unsolicited lecture in

Who needs trapeze rigs and Kevlar sails? The dhow system of sailing has been workingjust fine for a thousand years.

Swahili to the three young men on Manna, explaining the finer points ofthe Lamu sailing rules. The Manna crew dis¬ engaged, pulled out some keef, and as the song says, "smoked two joints be¬ fore they smoked two more," then sailed away from the fleet.

Rounding the Leeward Mark With the added incentive to maintain a nauti¬ cal safety margin, the boats approached the first mark with a firm understand¬ ing of the locals' right ofway rules. With crisply-executed sailing skills, the fleet rounded up and headed hard to wind¬ ward, towards another shipping chan¬ nel buoy several miles upwind at the other side of the Manda Channel.

Now beating to windward on a brisk 15-knot breeze, the sailing performance characteristics ofeach ofthe dhows, and the skills of their crews, became more apparent. One ofthe adaptations ofdhow racing is to minimize the number oftacks the boat must make. The process ofcom¬ ing about on a heavy wooden boat with no keel, only one sheet, and a forespar which is lashed with hemp roper to the top of the mast, is governed by the Swahili words “Poli, poli” meaning “Slowly, slowly.”

The skipper calls for the preparation to come about, the halyard is loosened, and the single mainsheet, knotted firmly in the clew of the sail, is carried up the leeward side of the boat. Then the crew frees the outrigger from under the rail

and shifts the plank up onto the new windward side. As the bow moves through the wind, the forespar holding the luffofthe sail is brought parallel with the mast, then the forespar is rotated around the mast to the other side and the forespar is snugged up on the mast as the mainsheet is carried back down the new leeward side ofthe boat. Finally, the crew gently tightens down on the mainsheet, being careful to pull in slowly as the sail must fill firmly with wind in order to get the momentum of the boat moving forward again. As the stiffwinds fill the sail, all hands grab the foot of the sail and pull down and back, allowing the first mate to secure^the mainsheet, as the other crewmembers one, two and even three of them begin to scramble out on the hiking board.

Headingfor the Finish —As the fleet worked its way upwind, the prudent use of tacking had allowed the faster boats to move away as we rounded a channel marker which ended the second leg of the race.

The third leg was a close reach head¬ ing towards the channel opening to the ocean. It was on this leg that the skills ofbalancing the boat us¬ ing the hiking board allowed sev¬ eral skippers in the pack to move up several positions.

The ending to the First Lamu Yacht Club Regatta was simple, and not much different from the ^ start. The first boat to the beach wins no guns, no horns, and no handicaps. Although several boats.

OF CHARTERING

closed their gaps, Peponi was able to maintain a lead as the crowd of young boys ran up the beach following her progress. Throngs of locals were waiting on the beach when Peponi's bow scraped to a stop.

Bestowing the Awards As the last of the skippers edged their dhows up onto the beach, the crowd cheered and the skippers and crews congratulated each other on their profitable afternoon of work. Attentions shifted very quickly to the distribution of the prize monies. As arranged at the Skippers Meeting, awards were bestowed to the top eight of the ten boats that finished the race. With an OCSC crewmember from each of the dhows presenting the award to each of their respective LYC skippers, there was no shortage of smiles and handshakes all around. There can be no doiibt that there was an extra special mood in the town of Lamu that night, as the skippers celebrated their victory.

Joining in on the post-race celebra¬ tion all ofus OCSC sailors knew that we had been participants in a very unique OCSC adventure. The greatest awards were ours and before we even began to contemplate the flight back home, we were making plans for our return next year to join in the fun of the Second An¬ nual OCSC/ Lamu Yacht Club Regatta for the now-legendary Africa Cup. mattfeldmeir

Readers To find out aboutjoining next year's restaging ofthis bizarre yacht¬ ing event or to learn about OCSC's many otherprograms, call (800) 223-2984 or (510/843-4200

Charter

Here at Latitude 38we absolutely hate the word comprehensive. Why? Because Owners of the Acapulco 43 'Tension Reliever' pride themselves on offeringsome ofthe classi¬ est charters on the Bay.

we end up kicking ourselves every time we attempt to put together any sort of comprehensive list such as the roster of local charter companies found in last month's World of Chartering. We kick ourselves not to dull the pain of putting such a beast together, but because we invariably leave someone or something out.

Unfortunately, wCuiade two blunders this time: First, an erroneous caption mis-identified Garrett and Lissa Caldwell's lovely charter yacht Tension Relieveras another boat. Their company, Executive Charters prides itself on op¬ erating some ofthe most luxurious char¬ ters on the Bay. Among a wide variety of charter activities they do are cbrporate sails, private parties and overnight geta¬ ways for a maximum of six passengers.

For more info, contact (916) 826-5653 or (916) 354-0902.

Our second faux pas was inadvert¬ ently leaving Billy Martinelli's replica scow schooner Gas Light out of our list¬ ing of crewed charter vessels. Billy is somewhat of a Sausalito legend, as he’s not only earned a reputation as a mas¬ ter shipwright, but has worked on and/

When Billy Martinelli's replica scow schooner 'Gas Light' (foreground) races with the 'Alma' it's like turning back the pages of history.

or skippered a number of famous boats, including the historic pilot schooner WanderBird and David Crosby's Mayan.

But that was in the old days. His Cur¬ rent 'mistress' is Gas Light, a beautifullycrafted 50-ft schooner reminiscent ofthe days when hay and produce was brought

down Bay Area rivers to market aboard similar scows.

Her main cabin is spacious and bright, and she heels only minimally. Licensed to carry 49 passengers, she is' ideally suited for parties of 25 to 35. For info on private charters ofspecial events, call Billy at (415) 331-2769 or (415) 6011957. Or, check out the website at: www.gaslightcharters.com.

CHANGES

After doing the 2000 Ha-Ha and cruis¬ ing in Mexico, we more or less success¬ fully made it down to Costa Rica's Gulf of Nicoya. We did have a bit of a rough time with the Papagayos, as we had relentless winds of 30 knots or more plus confused seas. But it appears that Papagayo sea¬ son is coming to an end and that we've moved beyond its geographical range.

Having suffered a ripped mainsail and with our boat coated in salt, we decided to pull into the new Los Suenos Marina, which is attached to the new Marriott Hotel Resort in the southeast end of the Gulf of Nicoya. It's a very beautiful area. The marina boasts that it has teak docks and "sophisticated" amenities, but as far as we're concerned, cruisers should give Los Suenos Marina a pass for several rea¬ sons. We're not alone in our opinion, as the skipper of the nearby cruising yacht Horner’s Corner agrees.

Our problems start with the berth fees, which are $2/foot per night! If you stay more than 30 days, you have to come up with a $2,000+ deposit, depending on the length ofyour boat. Despite being charged the high rates, this doesn't even entitle you to access to the hotel facilities. This wouldn't be so bad except that the marina’s restrooms and showers are bor¬ derline at best. For example, there are two men's showers, neither one ofwhich has hot water or a door, and one ofwhich was missing a water spout. What's worse is Based on their experience, the Knueppeis feel that Los Suenos Marina is expensive and not particularly cruiser-friendly.

that the showers are also used by the many locals who work on the big power yachts in the marina, so you sometimes have to wait to use these substandard facilities. This is what they call "sophisti¬ cated"?

Los Suenos is clearly not used to hav¬ ing cruisers as guests, and apparently isn't much interested in dealing with them. We were put in a slip'that only has 50-amp power, which is only used by large yachts. When we asked about this, we were told that we could move into a 30-ft slip with 30-amp power but that we would still have to pay for the larger slip.

After a long debate, they gave in and lent us a power cord adapter after we left a $150 deposit. When we asked ifwe could use the dock or some other area to repair our mainsail, we were told we could not because it would spoil the appearance of the marina. We finally managed to find space at a nearby repair shop.

So we're checking out of Los Suenos Marina as soon as we complete our chores. This is not a place that we could recommend to other yachties except those with a particular interest in teak docks.

tom & kathy 4/15/02

Estrellita Krogen 38 Cutter Chuck Riley Sea Of Cortez (San Francisco)

Many years ago, I left the Great Lakes aboard Firefy, a 36-foot wooden cutter crewed by my wife and three children Dawn, Dana and Todd. We cruised to the East Coast as far north as Maine, then south to Florida, and finally though the West Indies all the way to Grenada. By

the time we got back to Michigan, we’d covered 10,000 miles and had had a ter¬ rific time.

Firefly had no refrigeration, no pres¬ sure water system, and no fancy electron¬ ics. Our navigation was done with the aid ofthe taffrail log, depthsounder, sextant, and radio direction finder. Kids, can you say 'RDF'? I'm amused by some oftoday's experienced sailors who look at my RDF and can't figure out what it is. For those who started sailing after the advent of SatNav and later GPS, the concept is simple find a navigation station or even a commercial AM radio station, rotate the antenna until there was a 'null', then mea¬ sure the angle from the boat to the antenna, jj You then knew you ?'*, * */ were on a line along that compass angle. I carry my homebuilt RDF and a white linen sport coat aboard Estrellita in case ei¬ ther one of them ever come back in style. Since we didn't have a fridge, we had what Jimmy Buffet sings

With reports this month from Tai Tam II on an unsatisfactory marina experience in Costa Rica; from Estrellita on cruising north of La Paz; from Maverick on sailingfrom the Maldives to Oman;from Mahina Tiare on the current situation in the Panama Canal; from Ariel on the passagefrom San Francisco to the Pacific Northwest;from Reflections on sailingfrom Panama to the Galapagos; and more Cruise Notes than ever before.

Tai Tam II Island Packet 40 Tom & Kathy Knueppel Los Suenos', Co&ta Rica (San Francisco)

Spread; 'Estrellita' stretching her legs in the waters north of La Paz, Inset; the mountains of Baja are colorful and majestic. about, "warm beer and bread" and plenty ofit. The kids' mom did a greatjob ofcooking on a two-burner, non-gimbaled kerosene stove. We baked bread in a pres¬ sure cooker with gaskets removed and got along very well, thank you, with¬ out ice or other luxuries. But that was then and this is now.

Enter my good friend Steve Ulrich of Magewind. Steve is a computer and elec¬ tronics wizard, so his boat challenges the International Space Station for electrical and electronic gear. His boat is equipped with a watermaker, two satellite commu¬ nications systems, automatically timed central heating, DVD and VHS movie sys¬ tems, autopilot, and I'm not sure what else. Over the last three years, Steve dragged me into the 20th century by help¬ ing me install a fridge/freezer, solar pan¬ els, new charging system, electronic charts on my PowerBook linked to the GPS, and meters to see how many amps all this stuffconsumes. I never believed a head-in-the-sand traditionalist such as myself would ever be having cocktails in the cockpit discussing how many amps

my fridge used and ifthe solar panels were keeping up. If you have all this complex stuff aboard, of course, you'd better be prepared to fix it. I'm not, but fortunately, Steve is. So the fun he's had getting me to cave in to the new technological world is .periodically interrupted by my quiet voice asking, "Got a minute, Steve? Some¬ thing isn't working quiteTight."

After I got to Cabo, my crew moved on, so it was just me aboard a very big flush deck 38-footer with bunks for seven, pres¬ sure hot and cold water, a separate shower stall, and all the electrics and elec¬ tronics. It’s greatwhen all this stuffworks. So far, there have been few breakdowns, and right now the digital computer tells me that I have used 29.9 amps during the night in the process of keeping a few chickens, chops and other stuff frozen, the cerveza cold, and the PowerBook bat¬ teries charged. The sun isjust beginning to hit the solar panels, so in a few hours I should be recharged. Pretty exciting stuff]

There was some unnecessary concern among friends that I might become too attached to the city life ofLa Paz. Although La Paz has lots of conveniences such as running water, showers, gringo bars, and < Internet cafes, it's hardly a city such as 3 San Francisco thatyou become hopelessly jc attached to. There is, however, a -large

group of cruisers who make it to La Paz but seldom move on. Most are a part of the 0830 radio net, and nice and helpful. Marina de La Paz is a great cruisers' hang¬ out, with a clubhouse, book exchange, and waterfront bar frequented by boat¬ ing people. Many boats anchor out just outside the marina and dinghy ashore for drinks, showers, and food. The marina charges a small landing fee.

There were several cruising boats in the marina that had done the Ha-Ha from San Diego to Cabo, and were trying to fig¬ ure out the best way home. Most don't relish the thought ofthe Baja Bash' back up the coast to California, and neither do I. Other options include sailing to Hawaii and then back to the U.S., which is much longer but has betterweather; keeping the boat in Mexico over the summer and re¬ suming cruising in the fall; or head west across the Pacific toward New Zealand. I don’t know what I'm going to do, but I'm trying not to worry about it.

Since I'm still taking Interferon, singlehanding north may be beyond my current physical capabilities. Getting crew for the northbound trip ain't easy, either. I did try local crew Lillia, a friend of Steve's friends here in La Paz on my last venture to the islands. She's a very nice girl, but had never sailed, doesn't know how to swim, doesn't drive a car, and knows very little English. She does know French, however, so we sort ofcom¬ municated in a mixture of three lan¬ guages. It actually helped my Spanish cbnsiderably. I was surprised at how well Lillia took to the helm and to my cryptic directions in Spanish. The only concept Chuck, cruising in his PowerBook, while cruis¬ ing in the Sea of Cortez. He's finding that mod¬ ern electronics have some advantages.

CHANGES

she didn't seem to grasp was that if you don't change course when you're headed toward some rocks, you're going to hit them. Eventually, I learned how to tell her in Spanish to go between red and green buoys, and between islands and rocks, rather than directly at them. But when we entered an anchorage, it didn't matterwhat language I used, I wasn't able to get her to understand, "Would you please get the windlass crank handle from the port cockpit seat locker." She just looked confused.

Lillia seemed somewhat depressed when she came aboard. The language barriers are huge when you get beyond the basics, but eventually I came to un¬ derstand that she hacEfour things on her mind: divorce, house, attorney, and medi¬ cal operation. I was familiar with the first three problems, but not the last one. All I know is that we had a beautiful 20-mile sail, and that Lillia spent much ofthe time smiling while perched at the end of the bowspirt as Estrellita cut through the sparkling water at seven knots. She seemed much happier when she disem¬ barked in La Paz, another soul touched by the magic of sailing.

In late January, Hans and Theresa on Stella Mare, and Steve on Magewind, de¬ cided to head to some islands north of La Paz for a couple of weeks. I met them at Isla Partida's Ensenada Grande anchor¬ age the next day, where we had a three boat raft-up, and enjoyed another of Theresa's great dinners. It was flat calm until 3 a.m., when it started to blow from exactly the wrong direction for this cove. This was the troublesome Coromuel wind that only comes up in the middle of the night.

With everything crashing and banging around, I decided to anchor in another part of the cove. I got away from Stella Mare all right, and re-anchored a safe dis¬ tance apart. My anchor had barely The waters just north of La Paz offer some of the nicest cruising in Mexico. So many anchor¬ ages, so much sea life, so far from civilization.

touched bottom when I noticed that my dinghy, hanging from the side ofmy boat on a bridle, was on her side and dumping her contents into the water. It would have been nice to have another person aboard, as I watched the gas hose and fuel tank float away along with one of the oars and various other items. I managed to grab an oar with a foot before it got away, and my outboard stayed attached to the din¬ ghy. I lowered my dinghy into the water and started one-oar rowing downwind. I captured the fuel tank, which was float¬ ing upside down. When I attached it to the motor via the hose, the engine actu¬ ally started, so I could begin searching for the rest of my stuff. One sock sank before I could reach it, but I couldn’t see anything else except an America True water bottle from my daughter's America's Cup campaign. I hit the bunk for what was left of the rest of the night, thinking I’d have to dive for the rest of the gear the next morning. When I awoke the next morning, I got back in the dinghy to search for my stuff. I couldn't see any¬ thing at first, but when I got to the beach a half-mile away, I found both sandals. After walking even further down the beach, I came across my reef runners. I left my socks to the fish.

Our little group made Isla San Fran¬ cisco, about 20 miles to the north, our

A Sea ofCortezsampler. Spread; Playing on the reef westofIsla San Francisco. Leftinset; Great geology. Inset right; Spectacular sunsets. next anchorage. It's a beautiful spot, but also open to the south, so we sailed on to San Evaristo, a cove with a small fish camp on the Baja peninsula. We anchored separately for the night with a soft breeze and bright moon overhead. I was ex¬ hausted from a lack of sleep the night be¬ fore. Weather forecasts are hard to come by in these parts, but as we left Ensenada Grande, a cruising couple said they'd heard a second hand report that the ham nets were calling for a Norther in a day or two.

At 3 a.m., the Norther hit with a ven¬ geance. The wind howled, waves built, and Estrellita tugged violently on her all chain anchor rode. Despite my fatigue, sleep was again nearly impossible. One particu¬ larly violent gust drove Estrellita back¬ wards, snapping the nylon snubber used to absorb shock loads on the chain. At first light, I weighed anchor and motored to the north side of the harbor. The wind was still howling, but the water was flat. Two days later, I found the $3 snubber chain hook laying on the bottom prov¬ ing there is much to be said for cruising in clear water!

By January 25, the huge Norther had dissipated, so we pushed on to some more

San Evariste

Sflsla San Francisco

tela la PartMa

tela del Espirity: Santo BAJA PENINSULA

remote anchorages, including one next to a hot springs. By this time, the water in the Sea was down to 66°, which is quite chilly. The hot springs we found were 115°. From this natural hot tub we had a terrific view of eagles' nests, mountains, and the sparkling waters of the Sea. The Baja landscape is quite different from what I expected. It is desert, which ,1 as¬ sumed meant it was all dry, flat, and brown. But Baja is not that way at all. There are dramatic mountains in various shades ofreds, yellows, and browns, and there was more than a little greenery. In fact, since hurricane Julliette had come through only months before with two feet of rain in a day or two, there was lots of rather lush scenery. All in all, itwas spec¬ tacular, and each new cove that we 'dis¬ covered' became one of my favorites.

As for the sailing in the Sea, it re¬ minded me ofthe Great Lakes although not as predictable. The winter pattern of light southerlies is interrupted ever£ few days by a howling Norther that creates large, steep, and uncomfortable waves. Between systems, the wind can be light and variable.

My next stop was further north at a beautiful cove on Isla Danzante. Although the wind had been very light and on the nose, I sailed most of the way. The way Estrellita silently glided along among the

tall mountains and deep blue waters put a smile on my face. As I entered the cove under sail, I looked back and my smile waned, for right on my stem was a French boat whose skipper had been so incred¬ ibly rude to our three boats a short time before in another anchorage. Based on my experience, 99.9% ofthe cruisers I've met are great people even the French. This particularly troublesome guy was the ex¬ ception. Magewind and Stella Mare were already anchored in the best part of the bay, so the rude French guy had to go elsewhere. Yes!

We'd been away from civilization for 10 days, but we still hadn't had to resort to the hard tack and water rations. While anchored in the beautiful cove, Theresa and Hans cooked up a fantastic dinner brie and chips, a juicy BBQ rack of lamb, a potato and onion dish cooked in foil on the barbie, homemade bread, and avocado salad, all served with a very nice cabernet from the couple's Lazy Creek Winery. Our little three boat community works out well. Stella Mare usually be¬ comes our group dining room, and Steve and I help Hems and Theresa with navi¬ gation, anchoring, sailing tips, and boat repairs.

While at San Evaristo on February 4, itwas windy and cold, and we had a rain¬ storm! This is the desert? As a first-timer in these parts, I started to hear neighbors say things like, "I've been cruising these waters for 50 years, and I ain’t never seen anything like this rain!" Sure. Estrellita got, a nice fresh water bath from the mast truck to step, and lots ofsand was washed over the side. There's not a cloud in the sky today, and I’m sailing wingand-wing back to La Paz. My self-steering is handling the helm, so I'mjust along for the ride, napping in the sun and writing this.

Despite satellites, sat phones, and other stuff, cruis¬ ers in the Sea ofCortez are still largely out of touch with the world. We’re constantly ask¬ ing each other what day it is. We wonder if bin Laden has been found, what the market is doing, and what the weather is like back home. I guess we ll have plenty of time to catch up and worry about that stuff when we all return to 'normal' lives. But for now, it's time for another margarita!

If, about a month ago, you had taken a pencil and drawn a line between the northernmost Maldives and Salalah, Oman, you would have had the location of a string of about 30 boats that were getting their brains beaten out. The beat¬ ings was being administered by the seas that had been created by several days of 25 to 35 knot winds. As if tight reaching in such conditions weren't bad enough, there were periodic squalls to 45 knots that lasted for several hours.

Maverick was one of the boats in the group. It would be hard to convey how unpleasant the motion was to someone not accustomed to being in car wrecks. Standing was impossible, and crawling was merely treacherous each time Mav¬ erick rolled her lee rail under. One boat in our group lost her backstay, another lost an upper mizzen shroud. Through a combination of luck and good seaman¬ ship, both boats kept their rigs aloft. Ear¬ lier and unrelated to the weather con¬ ditions we had lost the use of our en¬ gine because of a leak in the oil cooler. Terry Shrode, Master Shade Tree Fix-it Man, improvised a repair using bubblegum and rubber bands. We then emailedTheresa flack home, and with her help, hope to have the proper replacement For Americans in Oman, it's not a bad idea to have a guide. This is Nasa, who showed Tony and Terry the lay of the dusty land.

Maverick Ericson 39 Tony Johnson And Terry Shrode Yankees In Oman (San Francisco)

CHANCES

parts waiting when we arrive in Oman.

As I write this, I'm sitting under an indoor tent fabricated from garbage bags and tape in case we get a splash. It’s wet belowdecks, as we have a bad leak at the mast partners. The water ultimately collects on the cabin sole, where it has combined with the carpet to create a marsh type environment. We have to do our best to keep theWater out, but given the hot and humid conditions, there is a festering ambience inside the boat.

Adding to the adventure is the pres¬ ence ofIranian drift net fishingboats. This method of fishing enrages nature lovers worldwide, as it catches, and kills every¬ thing in the path ofthe nets, which cover a wide area. As we have learned, it also .catches cruising sailboats, which can't see the nets at night. Four sailboats have been caught so far, and in three of the cases crewmembers had to get into the raging sea to free the trapped boats. As you might imagine, this is extremely dangerous. It's getting dark, so we'll soon be running the fishing boat gauntlet again. But we're fetching our whypoint, so in the main we're not doing too badly.

Update: Yesterday we arrived at Salalah, Oman, and are currently rafted up to Stitches Explorer in Raysut. After the rough stuff in the early going on the way up from the Maldives, things mel¬ lowed out, andwe had a comfortable beam reach for the last two days. We crossed the 58th meridian during the passage, which means we have sailed half way around the world from San Francisco. We're now officially on our way home although we've basically been oh our way home since the day we left. To get to this point, we have travelled 16,326 nautical miles. Of the 335 days that we've been gone, 135 about 40% have been spent underway.

The harbor here is crowded with about 25 yachts, which is causing the Tony and Terry of 'Maverick' were beating the kids in the Oman Model Boat Races, when an angry port captain put a stop to it all.

harbormaster some stress. It’s a commer¬ cial and military port, so we cruisers re-x allyjust get in the way. The Omani’s have nevertheless always been friendly. We have to check in and out ofa security gate and guardhouse, and get day passes to go to the nearby city of Salalah.

Yesterday, there was a cruiser's model boat regatta in the harbor. The only rule was that the hulls had to be constructed of no more than six beer cans. The Mav¬ erick crew immediately visited a distant bar, one of the few places in this Muslim country where one can be served alcohol. We consumed the necessary quantity of beer to meet our boat construction re¬ quirements, making sure to order the larger cans of Foster’s to maximize our waterline of our design to be.

Ship’s. Naval Architect Terry Shrode and the Captain produced a trimaran, using four beer cans for themain hull and one beer can on each side for amas. Tongue depressors front the epoxy kit were used to connect the structure. Since the race was to be downwind, the main design issues were sail area, initial sta¬ bility, and directional stability. We created two masts using more tongue depressors taped together with duct tape, and mounted these spars on the amas. We made a sail from spinnaker cloth in the repair kit, and hoisted the sail between the two masts. Our keels came from a paper plate and were attached with more duct tape. We partially filled the aft beer can to create a clever water ballast sys¬ tem, as our sea trials indicated that our trimaran's prodigious sail area tended to make the vessel pitchpole.

With our boat shook down, we domi¬ nated the first two races and were ahead in the third when avery angry port cap¬ tain demanded we quit. He claimed that we were creating a navigation hazard in the harbor! We nonetheless claimed our prize, with Mr. Shrode exalting. The Cap¬ tain was a little more reserved, given the realization that none of our competitors had passed their 10th birthday.

But hey, we won fair and square. If their parents didn’t like it, they should get a life.

There has been some orga¬ nizing of convoys to run the Yemeni and Somali coasts, where cruisers have been attacked by

pirates. The threat here is a bit more se¬ rious than in the South China Sea or the Straits of Malacca. Cruisers who have given the problem the most thought feel the best idea is to have perhaps five boats of similar speed stay quite close together. Ifone is approached, the others are to con¬ verge, but probably not do anything con¬ frontational.

We're afraid that all this careful plan¬ ning may mean nothing, as there is not much help another boat can give, and indeed, it might increase one's chances ofbeing the nextvictim. But as you might imagine, there are many different opin¬ ions on the subject. Terry, the Ship’s Chief ofIntelligence, and the Captain are weigh¬ ing their defensive options. It seems there is some prudence in a convoy, and if we can get our engine fixed in time and match up with a group, we might join.

tony and terry 3/15/02

Twenty months ago we transited the Panama Canal from the Pacific Ocean to the Carribean/Atlantic on our way to Norway. On December 20, 2001, we re¬ turned and transited the Canal the other

Mahina Tiare Hallberg-Rassy 46 John Neal & Amanda Swan-Neal Panama Canal (Friday Harbor, Washington)

Spread; The Panama Canal is a freeway ofcom¬ mercial traffic. Inset; The crew of ‘Maverick1 in Oman.

way. Latitude readers may be interested in the latest on the Canal and cruiser fa¬ cilities in Panama.

We had a good experience with Tina McBride as our Canal agent last time, so we decided to use her services again. For $500, Tina clears you in and out of Panama and arranges your Canal tran¬ sit. The use of an agent is not required, but since we had three sets ofcrew to clear in and out, and since we wanted to tran¬ sit on a certain day because of our sail¬ training voyages, Tina’s help proved in¬ valuable. She scheduled the admeasurer to visit our boat in Colon at 0900 on our stated day of arrival the only trouble being that we were 35 miles to the south at Portobello. So we had to leave Portobello at 0400 to keep our appointment.

As we rounded Cristobal Signal Sta¬ tion, we were surprised to see only nine yachts anchored in 'The Flats', which is the designated Colon anchorage for yachts. Alas, The Flats are a long and wet dinghy ride from the only dinghy dock in the area, which is at the friendly Panama Canal YC (507-441-5882, fax 507-4417752, pcyachtclub@cwpanama.net). We were even more surprised to see empty

slips at the club, where the dockmaster assigned us a slip. I then called the Canal's Cristobal Control on 12 and ad¬ vised them of our location.

We'd barely gotten tied up when the admeasurer arrived. Within 30 minutes, we were checked in and given the tenta¬ tive transit date eight days ahead that we had requested." The admeasurer told us that there were considerably fewer yachts in Panama than in previous years, but he didn't know why. (We later learned that the situation had changed dramati¬ cally by March 1, as all the club's slips were taken, many boats were anchored in The Flats, and there was a four-day and 55-boat backlog to transit the Canal.) Approximately 500 pleasure boats tran¬ sit the Canal each year, with February through April being the busiest months.

When the yacht club office opened, we paid $207 for eight days of berthing and were delighted to find the club had two new Internet access computers for cruisers. The facilities at the Panama Canal YC are modest: a bar that reminds us of the one in Star Wars, a restaurant where the average meal is still $5, two washing machines and diyers, trash dis¬ posal, showers and an immigration office. In addition, some Kuna women come ever^ day, spreading their molas for sale out

on the hallway floor. Tina joined us for lunch aboard, then took us on a whirl¬ wind tour of immigration and port cap¬ tain offices, to complete our check in and purchase our cruising permit. We then visited Citibank to pay our Canal transit fees.

Last year we got a chuckle when Pana¬ manians told us their country was gear¬ ing up for cruise ships and tourism es¬ pecially the Colon side, which has long been infamous for a high incidence of muggings. The Captain's Guide to Tran¬ siting the Panama Canal states, "Any¬ where ’outside the gates of PCYC can be very dangerous. Thieves and pickpockets are a big problem."

This year we were delighted to see two cruise ships tied up to one of the new cruise terminals, and that Colon had doz¬ ens Ofnew police on mountain bikes. The police were eveiywhere, even in the yacht club. The government is trying to clean up the worst parts of Colon, and when we went running each morning, we never encountered anything but smiles and waves from the people we passed. The taxi drivers based at the Panama Canal YC are knowledgeable about where to find stuff cruisers need, and helpful about explaining where yachties shouldn't go on their own. We found Carlos Solano (Cell: 697-8776, home 449-0889) to be a most helpful driver and good at explaining the history of the area. Carlos also brought us 10 tires for $30 freshly wrapped in garbage bags to use as fenders in the Canal. Once we completed our transit, we were able to sell them for the same price.

We celebrated a very quiet Christmas aboard Mahina Tiare at the yacht club, and then had a fun Christmas dinner with crews of four other cruising boats.

On the afternoon before were sched¬ uled tp transit, we checked in with Crisfobal Signal Station, and they inSome Canal Pilots such as LuizAntonio Ruiz, overseeing ‘Ocean Planets' Canal Transit—read Latitude while on the job.

CHANGES

stantly replied that we were to be in The Flats at 0430 the next morning, rea'dy to take a Pilot Advisor aboard. After dinner at the yacht club with our new crew, we anchored in The Flats and spent several hours tying five fenders and 10 plasticwrapped tires to the lower lifelines, and preparing the four 150-ft lines that are required of any boat making a transit.

Victor, our Pilot Advisor, came aboard at 0445. Three hundred applicants had recently signed up for six openings to train as a tug captain and Canal pilot, and Vic¬ tor had been one of the lucky ones se¬ lected. He had studied at the maritime academy in Mexico, where he had also learned to sail. The first thing he told us was that our request to transit side-tied to a Canal Commission tug had been ap¬ proved, and that we needed to slowly motor behind a Greek tanker to the first set of locks.

It was starting to get light as we en¬ tered the first locks. The tug, tied to the Canal wall behind the ship, was ready to accept our lines. The first three up-locks went quickly and smoothly. We were not surprised by the initial turbulence that occurs when a tanker first engages its prop, as this was our second transit. Upon exiting the third lock, we entered the gor¬ geous tropical man-made Gatun Lake. Victor took us on the 'shortcut', and as we powered along at 7.8 knots through narrow banks, we became avid nature watchers. We spotted howler monkeys overhead, as the top of our mast nearly touched the trees, and searched the muddy shore for crocodiles. Then Victor, who had awakened at 0130 to startwork, went to sleep on the settee in the main saloon. We were a little shocked, but con¬ tinued to follow the tanker in front of us, and didn’t need to wake him until we ap¬ proached the Pedro Miguel Locks.

Upon exiting the Pedro Miguel Locks which are almost all the way to the Pacific side we could see the Pedro Miguel Boat Club (www.pmbc.ws, 507232-4509, fax 507-232-4165, email pmbc@pmbc.ws) was chocka' with cruis¬ ing boats from the world over. Everybody was enjoying this quiet and friendly spot,

As of the middle of April, the repair work on the San Diego Police Docks had almost been completed. With any luck, the 28 slips seven more than before should be ready by the first week In May. In even better news, the folks at the Pt. Loma Association have finally been appeased, which means the docks will get new heads and something we've been saying was needed for years cruiser showers. These facilities won't be completed until late this year or even later, but they'll be much welcomed.

just as we had 20 months earlier. Heather and Jim Hood, the new manager, are do¬ ing a great job for cruisers, who always enjoy the funky and friendly club.

Now that we were downlocking to get back down to sea level, we went in front ofthe tanker and were sidetied to a land¬ ing craft. This meant we didn't have to ease our lines out as the water level of the chamber was dropping. By 1400 we exited the final lock, and minutes later a pilot launch collected Victor, who was pleased the transit had gone so quickly. Our crew was stunned that we'd gone The Panama City skyline as viewed from Fla¬ menco Island. The furtherawayyouare, the more spectacular it looks.

from the Atlantic/Caribbean to the Pacific so quickly. It was much easier and less expensive than going around South America.

As we motored beneath the Bridge of the America's and past the Balboa YC (507-228-5794), which had previously been one ofthe few places to moor on this side of the Canal. We were surprised to see many empty moorings and only a handful of visiting yachts using their fa¬ cilities. The club still charges a $25 mem¬ bership fee to be able to purchase fuel or to rent a mooring for $.50/foot/night. Just shoreside of the club is the new Panama Canal Country Inn Suites Hotel (www.countryinns.com, fax 507-2369320) which we would recommend to any¬ one visiting the Canal. Had we known about it, we would have used it for our crews.

Mg

Fuerte Amador Marina aka the Fla¬ menco YC (507-314-0665, www.fuerteamador.com) is located at Flamenco Island, which is at the end of the four-mile breakwater from Balboa. It’s another new and exciting development for

IN LATITUDES

cruisers. The master plan calls for a large self-contained resort and marina, with two hotels, duty-free shops, casinos, bou¬ tiques, restaurants, and a cruise ship pier. When we were there, the huge duty-free building had been finished but was un¬ occupied, and there was a row of build¬ ings with a restaurant and some designer boutiques.

Construction in the marina area was progressing, although it appeared a little disorganized. Eventually, the marina will be an excellent R&R stop with good secu¬ rity meaning that cruisers won't have to worry about their dinghies or boats while ashore. The boatyard should also prove popular for cruisers looking for a safe place to leave their boats on the hard while returning to the States. The 150ton Travelift is already operational, as are two fuel docks capable of handling boats up to 150 feet, and 15 moorings. The marina floats, showers, and laundry fa¬ cilities, are yet to come, however. Junior, the marina manager, does his best to ac¬ commodate passing yachties despite his currently limited resources.

We were pleased to fuel up at $1.25/ gallon, and get a wash down and moor¬ ing for $.30/foot/night. The moorings were mostly occupied by large sport fish¬ ing boats, and there were a dozen cruis¬ ing yachts anchored outside including Gregg and Cindy Robertson of the Hallberg-Rassy 42 Angel They joined us for dinner at Mi Ranchita, a ftm and in¬ expensive beachside restaurant a short walk down the road. Cindy had sailed with us on an interisland sail training expedi¬ tion in Fiji, and both she and Gregg had taken one ofour Weekend Offshore Cruis¬ ing Seminars. A year later Cindy spoke at our Seattle seminar, talking about downsizing from shore life to the cruising life. Two years out of Seattle, the couple are slowly working their way toward the Med. They return home annually where Gregg, an artist, paints, while Cindy catches up with family and friends.

Along the four-mile causeway to the marina which was created with dirt taken from the Canal's Gaillard Cut, is a long park with palm trees and benches. It offers a stunning view ofPanama City's skyline, and has become a happening place for Panamanians. We estimate that there were 1,000 people out picnicking, rollerblading and cycling at sunset. When we went out for our morning runs 0630 to avoid the heat there would be doz¬ ens of folks, young and old, walking, bi¬ cycling and running.

After a New Year's sail out to explore the tranquil Perlas Islands, we set out for Hilo, Hawaii. Favorable winds and cur¬ rents meant that we sailed 4,741 miles in 29 days including a stop at Cocos Is¬ land and a sail by Clipperton Atoll. —john and amanda. 3/15/02

Ariel Islander 36

Jim Hill & Son

San Francisco To Vancouver (San Francisco)

Last summer my son and I sailed motored, actually our Islander 36 from San Francisco to the Northwest. Our origi¬ nal goal had been Ketchikan, Alaska, but with so much to see and do along the way, we got no further than Vancouver. At the end of summer, we left the boat at Port Townsend. We'll continue north this sum¬ mer.

Sailors headed north from San Fran¬ cisco have three options: 1) Sail to Ha¬ waii and from there to the Northwest, eliminating most of the windward work.

2) Sail a few hundred miles out, then head NNE to Cape Flattery. This route is actu¬ ally plotted on the Pacific Pilot charts. Or 3) Hug the coast and harbor hop north.

We chose the latter, with the deciding fac¬ tor being unusually calm conditions out¬ side the Gate on June 26.

I'll refrain from reciting the details about each harbor on the way north, as this can be found in Charlie's Charts. Be¬ sides, why should I detract from the de¬ light you will experience when visiting a new harbor for the first time? But I do have some recommendations and thoughts about the voyage:

Radar and GPS are absolute essentials. You should also have the Coast Pilot, Charlie's Charts, and all the charts that Charlie recommends. You will encounter fog. I like to keep data, so I used two GPS units one for recording our track, the other for speed, direction, distance to waypoint, time of sunset, and so forth. During each stop, I downloaded track data into my laptop using Garmin’s PCX5 DOS program. (When in the heck is Garmin going to update this program for Win¬ dows?)

Each harbor we stopped at was differ¬ ent and delightful. The people were friendly and helpful, and in addition to plenty of good advice, some people even offered us the use oftheir cars! When trav¬ elling north, it's best to stay close to shore where the prevailing northwesterlies seem to be lighter. Unfortunately, this put us right in the middle ofthe crab pot area, of which there are plenty on each side ofthe 20-fathom line, particularly offthe coasts of Oregon and Washington. We only got caught once.

I knew I wasn't in San Francisco any¬ more when I went ashore at Winchester Bay, Oregon. Noticing an espresso ma¬ chine in a coffee shop, I asked for a cappucino at which point the lovely young lady behind the counter picked up the phone/to call someone for directions Waterfalls are a dead giveaway that you're no longer on San Francisco Bay.

CHANCES

on how to make one. So I settled for a regular coffee.

We covered 950 miles from San Fran¬ cisco to John Wayne Marina in Sequim, Washington, during which time we burned 235 gallons of diesel. I told you we motored there. The most fuel we used between refills was 31 gallons.

After a couple okweeks of doing family things in Sequim, we started our explo¬ ration of the San Juan and Gulf Islands, and ofPuget Sound. What a glorious place to spend the summer on a boat!! It may not be ideal with a sailboat, however, for no matter what direction we were headed, the wind was always on the nose. We found that the weathejf forecasts were al¬ most useless for detailed planning, as you must be ready for anything. When sailing in these waters, current charts are an essential. I suggest having a tide and cur¬ rent program in the computer, because the chart books can be difficult ifyou have to apply multiple corrections for your po¬ sition.

Highlights ofpur expedition include the Ballard Locks into Lake Union on a week¬ end; the Tacoma Narrows where the tidal current only flows one direction on the east side ofthe stream; visiting Butchard Gardens by dinghy, especially on Satur¬ day nights when there are fireworks; any anchorage on any island; and saving best for last, the Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival. The latter made us wish that fi¬ berglass hadn't been invented. I shot sev¬ eral rolls offilm, especially each afternoon during the parade of wooden boats. If anyone would like to discuss such a trip north, I would be happy to answer questions. I will also welcome offers from crew this coming summer for between Change isgood. The long trip up the West Coast to the Pacific Northwest is well worth it, as it's a totally different cruising environment.

Reflections Esprit 37

Gene & Sheri Seybold Wreck Bay, Galapagos Islands (Stockton)

After a wonderful three-week visit with family and friends back home, we re¬ turned to Panama with bags full of stuff from West Marine. Our plan was to spend a week or so installing all the new stuff, another week leisurely provisioning for the long trip to the Marquesas, then make a hop down to mainland Ecuador for a couple weeks of sightseeing before head¬ ing out to the Galapagos Islands. Right!

We returned to Panama pumped up with a renewed U.S. work ethic, and im¬ mediately got busy installing all the new stuff. This included a new backup auto¬ pilot, a new winch, new spinnaker hal¬ yards, a new bilge blower, and much more. After working 10 to 12 hours a day for the next three weeks, we had all the new stuff installed, and had also com¬ pleted an incredible amount of 'deferred maintenance’. At the top of the deferred

list was fixing all the known leaky ports, chainplates, and stanchion bases. After all, with the rainy season over, it was a good time to deal with such things. With every known leak in the boat stopped, it should give us plenty of opportunity to identify and start working on the un¬ known leaks.

Provisioning in Panama proved to be almost as much fun. Our intent was to provision for six months to avoid the out¬ rageous prices in French Polynesia. It took at least six provisioning runs to accom¬ plish the task, and we spent more money than I’m ready to admit. I think we have enough provisions for a year. Our water¬ line and boot stripe disappeared after the second large load, and continued drop¬ ping from there. With bags of stuff lying all over the place, moving around inside our boat is not as easy as it used to be.

With four weeks having flown by, it became clear that our proposed trip to mainland Echador was out of the ques¬ tion, and that we’d have to sail directly to the Galapagos from Panama. After leav¬ ing Panama City, we stopped at the Las

Were it not for the tricky anchorage, Yelapa, a magical spot on Mexico's Banderas Bay, would be crowded with cruising boats. Clockwise from bottom left: A case of the bends hobbled our 'guide', but he kept on truckin'. Wendy and Dona among some of the many flowers in the jungle village. 'Profligate' on the hook, as seen from the trail above. Wendy doing morning meditation at the falls.

Port Townsend and Anchorage. I can be reached atjhillx@aol.com.

—jim

Perlas Islands for a day’s rest and to fin¬ ish last minute boat projects, then headed out on the 875-mile trip to the Galapagos.

We planned our departure to catch the falling tide coming out of the Bay of Panama where the range is over 20 feet. Leaving in the early morning, we had a comfortable 10 knots ofwind coming from the north, so we set the chute and headed off to the fabled Galapagos Islands. Our pleasant sailing was shortlived, however, for after three hours the wind died and the ocean surface became like a moun¬ tain lake at sunrise. With plenty of fuel aboard, we fired up Miss Yanmar and began motoring. The amazing part was discovering that we had an unbelievably favorable for once! current pushing us along. The current rarely dropped be¬ low one knot and quite often exceeded two knots, and stayed with us for the entire 875-mile trip! We felt that we were being repaid for all the adverse current that we had had to deal with in the past.

On the third morning, the winds filled back in from the southeast at about eight knots, so we hoisted the chute again. For the next 48 hours, we had some of our fastest and most comfortable sailing to date. Thanks to the current, we set a new 24-hour run, covering 179 miles. That's

not bad for an extremely overloaded 37footer.

As we got closer to the islands, we re¬ alized we had a good chance of getting into the anchorage before sunset on day six. The winds held up until we were about 25 miles from our destination, but the current kept on. We completed the 875mile passage in five days, 11 hours. We knew we had made a goopl crossing, but didn’t realize how good it was until we started talkingwith otherboats. Most took nine days to make the same passage, and some took 14 days! The stories they told of having wind and current on the nose the entire way made us wonder ifwe were talking about the same ocean/ In any event, it seems that we now hold the un¬ official record for this passage.

Arriving in Wreck Bay was quite a sur¬ prise. When we sailed to Cocos Island, Costa Roca, we had arrived at a place that was basically uninhabited. ButWreck Bay was totally different. It’s a regular town, with bakeries, restaurants, stores, bars, and even a disco. There were also boo¬ bies all over the place. I'm not talking about the blpe-footed ones, but the ones on the women on the French boats. Does anyone know if they wear clothes in France? By the way, there were some blue-footed boobies around also.

Shortly after setting anchor, other

cruisers warned us against leaving our dinghy in the water overnight. They told us that it would be confiscated and that we'd have a hard time getting it back from the sea lions. These guys are all over the Galapagos, commandeer dinghies, and get testy if you try to reclaim yours.

The weather here is absolutely beauti¬ ful, and the water is that wonderful tur¬ quoise blue you dream about. The water temperature is about 82° the same tem¬ perature as the wonderful current that pushed us here.

The various radio nets on the west coast have way too much discussion as to how long cruisers Can stay in the Galapagos. According to various sources on the nets, the maximum allowable stay was anywhere from 20 minutes to 20 years. When we checked in, we were given 20 days here on San Cristobal, but told that since we came from Panama, we can't visit any ofthe other islands. Other cruis¬ ers told us that the port captain tells ev¬ eryone the same thing, but nobody pays any attention to him. It seems the port captains which we cruisers know think of themselves as God have a different set ofr^iles on every island. We hope to go to Academy Bay on Isla Santa Cruz, home of the Darwin Center. Unfortunately, it seems if you go there you must hire an agent to check in, and the fees can run upwards of $200 for a three-day stay. We might have to skip that one. But over at Isla Isabel, the pbrt captain has decided that cruisers are good for the economy so he doesn't charge any fees at all. In fact, he allows cruisers to check in by ra¬ dio and stay for as long as they like. He must have been an economics major. In any event, we'll be sure to stop at that island before heading on.

We expect to be here in the Galapagos Gene and^fieri, pointing to aphoto oftheirboat that appeared in a 'Latitude'. They're starting their Puddle Jump from Panama.

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for two to three weeks before heading off on the 3,055-mile trip to the Marquesas Islands. We plan to do some diving here, as it seems they have lots ofhammerhead sharks. We're also very interested in the other wildlife. Although we have been to some very interesting places over the past two years, the Galqjoagos seems to be the most exciting, in part because very few other people have the opportunity to come this way. In any event, it's sure good to be out cruising again.

We almost forgot about another big event of the trip crossing the equator. We first crossed at about 0100, and I was off watch, so I missed the GPS showing all zeros for the latitude. Upon awaken¬ ing and seeing the tiny 'S' next to the lati¬ tude, I went to the head and flushed it to confirm that we were indeed in the south¬ ern hemisphere. The water in the bowl was supposed to spin in the other direc¬ tion, but didn't! Concerned that my GPS might be malfunctioning, I filled the sink with water and lo and behold, the wa¬ ter circulated in the opposite direction before going down the drain. Relieved to know that my GPS was working correctly, I did some research on the head and learned that it had been designed to as¬ sist the laws of physics, and induces its own spin on the water. Obviously, I have a 'northern hemisphere toilet'.

—f gene & sheri 2/15/02

Cruise Notes:

"We had a great 'puddle jump’ from Mexico to Hiva Oa in the Marquesas," re¬ ports Clark Straw of the Mason 54 Final Straw, "as we had eight to 16 knots of wind and made the crossing in just un¬ der 17 days. We've since beenjoined here atTaahuku Bay, Atuona, by fellow Puddle Keith and Susan, seen wrasslin'around at Para¬ dise Marina, are one of the first couples to com¬ plete this year's Puddle Jump.

Jumpers Keith and Susan Levy aboard the Catalina 47 C'est La Vie, Jan and Signe aboard the Deerfoot 64 Raven, and Pacific Bliss. But we have some bad news also, as two nights ago the wonderful Australian family that sailed here from La Paz lost their boatVeritas. They and thenradar were blinded by a heavy squall as they arrived at Hiva Oa, got disoriented, and ended up on the rocks. A four-foot by six-foot hole in the hull meant she had to be abandoned. The couple and their 10 and 12-year old daughters made it safely to a spot on shore, but weren't res¬ cued for another six hour's. It's not that the family weren't experienced sailors, as they’d already circumnavigated most of the Pacific. The international cruising community as well as the locals in the Marquesas have rallied to their aid. In fact, wejust spent the day at the home of a Dutch artist who was auctioning off ev¬ erything that was salvaged from the boat. The unfortunate Aussie family was most grateful. Anyway, we're glad to be here, and are now enjoying the good life in the Marquesas. By the way, somebody brought down an April Latitude, so we're all enjoying the Puddle Jump feature and photos from the Banderas Bay Regatta."

That you had such light winds on your Puddle Jump is interesting, as it would be consistent with the development of El Nino conditions.

Cruisers who have to return to Cali¬ fornia from Mexico are always trying to figure out a good option to the 'Baja Bash'. Rich Mullinax of the Martinez-based Beneteau Oceanis 440 Still Searching, decided to try the 'clipper ship route', which means sailing far out into the Pa¬ cific, then flopping back to lay some part of California in one tack. "I made it in 12 days from Puerto Vallarta to San Diego and had a great trip," Rich reports. We'll have details in a future issue.

"The port captain's office in San Bias has sure managed to fix themselves," report Lynn Stephens and her friend Rick aboard the Is¬ lander Freeport 36 Wild Flowers at Matenchen Bay, Mexico.

"We're the only boat here in what had always been

a popular bay with cruisers. But nobody's stopping here any more because the port captain seems to be working a scam by requiring everyone to use the ship's agent to check-in. We arrived at the start of a holiday weekend, haven't checked in, and won't turn the radio on. Yesterday, we went to the beach and caught a taxi to the pangas that take you on a trip through the extensive mangroves. Although the pangas are really souped up and noisy, I still managed to get some beautiful pho¬ tos ofcrocodiles, birds, turtles, fish and farm animals in nearby fields. We also went to the crocodile farm ait the head of one estuary, and the swimming hole at the head ofanother. The estuaries are fed by an artesian well, so the water is veiy clear. They have a great place for lunch, and while we were enjoying some shrimp ceviche and a beer, the granddaddy of all crocodiles over 12 feet long lazily swam up to the nearby steps! Obviously, he is well fed here perhaps the toes of tourists on a regular basis. As he came over, the swimmers were advised to get out of the water. There is a fence around the area, but it's down in one spot and has a gaping hole in another. Later we caught the bus into San Bias, where we saw many beautiful things to buy and people to see, as it was market day. After

IN LATITUDES

Spread; Sint Maarten is home to good boat craftsmen. Insets: Clarkand Suzy Straw, nowin the Marqueas; andthe common crocs ofMexico. two months in Puerto Vallarta, I felt like I was actually back in Mexico again. Many families are here for the holiday, and there is a festive atmosphere. What a shame that cruisers don't stop in the bay and come to San Bias any more. We wouldn't have stopped if I hadn't wanted to take the mangrove trip, and after we weigh anchor this morning, we won't be coming back by boat again. P.S.: Naturally, there were no-see-ums, but we got out the Skin So Soft and stayed inside for the evening."

"We're currently at Simpson Bay Ma¬ rina, Sint Maarten, and are getting some work done before we go north for the sum¬ mer," report Bob and Kristin Beltrano of the Swan 53 Nai'a. We don't know where to say the couple are from, because he's a 767 pilot based out of Miami and she drives the new 777 out of New York. "Where in the Leeward Islands would you keep a boat for hurricane season?" they ask. "We don't want to go back to Trinidad ever or Grenada, and may not be able to put the time together to take the boat north to Newport, Rhode Island, as we originally planned. We’re considering on the hard in Puerto Rico or Anse Marcel here on the French side ofSt. Martin. But

nothing really sticks out, so we re won¬ dering ifyou have an opinion. By the way, we had our teak decks done in Grenada. They came out great, but at quite a cost it's a long story for anyone who wants teak decks or anything else done in the Caribbean. The decks are hot both to walk on and look at!"

We re a little out oftoucja with the Car¬ ibbean, but we suggested that the Beltranos think about Vir¬ gin Gorda Marina at Spanish¬ town in the British Virgins, where Big O rode out hurricane Hugo on the hard, or Jolly Harbor, Antigua. The one nice thing about it being an El Nino,year

is that it's likely there will be fewer hurri¬ canes in the Caribbean this summer. In any event, the Beltranos replied to our advice as follows:

"We hadn't looked at the boatyard at Spanishtown, but we remember that a friend with a brand new Swan 44 kept his boat there year round, so we'll check it out. We're also told that Puerto Del Rey has large marina and boatyard in Puerto Rico. We spent a month at Jolly Harbor, Antigua, last season, and thought the people were nice. You asked about things in Sint Maarten/St. Martin. They are dif¬ ferent here, yet the same if you know what we mean. We're having a bunch of boat work done here, where most of the skilled labor is European and the quality rather high. We consider the work here to be as good, and in some cases better, than in Florida and certainly better than anywhere else in the Caribbean. One thing that surprised us was the cost of parts. Being a Euro boat, we have found that many of our replacement parts are much cheaper than in the States. Our B&G dis¬ plays, which are made in England, retail for $1,200 in the States, but just $700 US here. And our Mastervolt stuff was nearly 33% less expensive here. We did spend a week in nearby St. Baals din¬ ner ashore every night, of course and had a great time. The anchorage was a little crowded and roily. We came here from Barbuda, however, which was really great. There were only two boats near us for a week along the 11-mile beach, where the turquoise water was so clear. It was all the Caribbean sailing brochures prom¬ ised. So we didn’t enjoy St. Barts as much This almost looks like a four-boat cruising cata¬ maran boat show at Tenacatita Bay in Mexico. Flip the page to find out the details.

CHANGES

as ifwe'd come from somewhere else. We'll be back in Mexico and the Bay Area some¬ time next year. Or,maybe the year after you know how it goes."

"We had, a great trip from Z-town to Academy Bay in the Galapagos, with John Allen and Clare Koznek aboard as crew," report Chuck Fisher and Karen Jacobsen (in absentia) of the Portland-based Cas¬ cade 36 Ursa. "Our crfew for the next leg to the Marquesas will be Dave and Marili Reilly. Marili is the daughter of Tom Green, one of the founders ofYacht Con¬ structors, which has built the Cascade 27, 29, 36, and 42. Our Monitor windvane and Spectra watermaker have been in¬ valuable. Cruiser commerce and the wa¬ ter taxi situation are welTorganized here in the islands, and the Ecuadorians have been fabulously friendly."

"Sorry I missed all my friends at the Banderas Bay Regatta," writes Mike Miller ofthe Ventura-based Vanguard 33 Uhuru, "but the surfing further south was too good to leave. I’m about to head north from Tenacatita Bay, where the owners of the cruising catamarans Maluhia, a Catana 42; Elan, a Morrelli & Melvin 46;

Every photo tells a story. On boats such as the SC 52 'Kiapa', spinnaker flying appears to have been replacedby... well, they callit 'boing-ing".

Bright Wing, a Catana 43; and Crazy Cat, a Corsair 36, rafted-up for a 'boat show' and lunch during Semana Santa.

This was great for me, as I'm looking to buy a cat probably a used Catana 42 in the next 18 months, with an eye to¬ ward taking off on my ultimate cruise in another seven years. Meanwhile, I'm slow¬ ly working my way up to the Sea ofCortez for another season, after which I have a newjob waiting for me in Ventura."

When we first ran the above item in 'Lectronic, we misidentified the cat on the far left. It's not Chuck and Ellie Longenecker's Sausalito-based Cat Ballou, but rather the Wegesand family's sistership Maluhia. The Aiea-based fam¬ ily were planning on going to the Carib¬ bean this summer, but son Kanoa decided he'd rather attend high school in Puerto Vallarta.

"It's 0530, and the first faint colors of the rising sun are cresting the mountains behind Huatulco here in southern Mexico," report the Winship family aboard the Alamedavbased Crowther 33 Chewbacca, "so the teeth-jarring disco music that had been blaring from the beach all night has finally stopped. It's time to enjoy a first cup of coffee before

the jet skis swarm around and the 'ba¬ nana boats' begin pulling shrieking tour¬ ists on a weaving course through the an¬ chorage. For our safety, the port captain finally ruled that the jet skis and pangas pulling inflatable toys must clear an¬ chored yachts by at least six feet! Of the nine cruising boats at anchor, only one has actually been hit by ajet ski, the rest of us have only been sprayed or had our anchor bridles nicked. It all seems in good fun, as we get lots of friendly smiles and waves from the Mexican operators, but they don't seem to realize the wakes they leave behind. I guess this is my purga¬ tory for having once owned ajet ski of my own.

"Huatulco isn't the quaint village that John Raines wrote about," the Winships continue, "but rather a Fonatur 'dream resort' that was created by displacing the local population and building a town at¬ tractive enough for cruise ship passen¬ gers. Oh yes, the pile-driving going on during the day is for the cruise ship pier that will stretch out into the bay and eliminate most of the anchoring in this

Not so funny photos. When in Oman, the crew of 'Maverick' saw men selling guns on street corners. Sort of a 7/Eleven for weapons. small but pretty harbor. As ajumping off port for crossing the GulfofTehuantepec, Huatulco offers a well-protected bay in which to wait out high winds. The option ofleaving Huatulco to anchor at a nearby

bay is limited by the fact they are gener¬ ally untenable during storm surge, and because they are mostly overrun by tour boat operations. Huatulco is a great meet¬ ing place for the cruisers to talk strate¬ gies and weather before crossing the Tehuantepec, which we ll do today af¬ ter I take another Prozac.

"We began thinking our report on Huatulco was overly harsh," the Winships

CHANGES

wrote in a follow up message, "so after a week of cooling off, we spoke with other cruisers who had stopped there. Wf found that our opinion had been on the milder sidel Fortunately, we've moved on down to Puerto Quetzel, Guatemala, where we have spent two weeks enjoying this beau¬ tiful and friendly country. In a couple of days we head off for El Salvador."

"After the events^September 11, we cruisers in Thailand and other places in southern Asia were warned against trav¬ elling up the Red Sea to the Med, as it meant we would have to run the gauntlet of Muslim countries," writes Tony Johnson of the Richmond-based Ericson 39 Maverick, which is currently in Egypt. "But so far no cruisers -have had trouble with pirates, and nobody has had un¬ pleasant encounters with Muslims ex¬ cept for the normal stuff with touts around the Pyramids. And that stuffdidn't have anything to do with politics. Two cruising boats were lost coming up the Red Sea, and one was hit by lightning but none were American boats. I’m work¬ ing on getting the details. There is still time for events to contradict the above

take your boat all the way up Bahia San Quintin to the Old Mill. Proceed with caution. generalizations, but so far, so good."

"If you read Charlie's Charts or Jack Williams' Baja Boater's Guide, you would think that it's either unwise or impossible cross the bar at Bahia San Quintin, Baja,

and then navigate the upper bay all the way to the Old Mill," reports Robert Mont¬ gomery of the Fales 38 Explorer Corrie Doon. "But during my three months in Ensenada, where I finished preparations for my extended cruise and avoided California state taxes I heard that it was possible at high tide. When we finally got there, my crew of Dave Gardner and Jim Thyfault were the ones responsible for me giving it a try and for surprising the locals by dropping our hook in this gorgeous upper bay. I nearly turned back as a result of the slow and nerve-wrack¬ ing search for the channel especially after receiving a distress call from a stranded sailor wanting to know when it would be high tide again. If other sailors do locate that channel and make it to the Old Mill, they will be treated to great hos¬ pitality from Tony, the son of the owner ofDon Eddie's motel, restaurant, bar and sport fishing center. Lots ofcruisers have tried to convince me that there's nothing worth seeing between Ensenada and Mag Bay. Horse manure! My crew and I are going to stop at as many of the anchor

ages as we can on our way to La Paz, as the natural beauty and tranquility make it worth the effort. I admit that a good marina can be a joy for a short time, but give me the anchorages and the chal¬ lenge oftrying to take a boatwith five feet of draft up a channel that shoals to six feet in places. Besides, there's not many port captains around the anchorages."

You're right, there's lot of great stuff between Ensenada and Mag Bay. Espe¬ cially ifyou carry a couple of surfboards on your boat.

"After a number of months on main¬ land Mexico, three days ago I arrived at Los Frailes on the Baja side which I consider to be the 'real' Mexico," advises Adam Sadeg of the Morgan 38 Blarney3 "Frailes means 'friars', and if you squint hard at the nearby rocks after drinking 15 tequilas, you can 'see' a group of friars. Anyway, it took me two days of sail¬ ing from Isla Isabella to get here, but I'm glad to be here. Two days later, I headed north in the direction of La Paz, passing BuenaVista and Bahia de Palmas, before anchoring at Bahia de los Muertos Bay

of the Dead. The name has nothing to do with dead people; 'dead man’ is the style ofanchor that was used to secure barges here years ago. Yesterday I made the long trip over the top and into La Paz. The fish¬

ing was no better, but I did see a giant manta ray basking on the surface. A big whale was doing the same thing,just stay¬ ing in the same spot blowing his spout. I did hook six skipjack, which are larger and less edible than the bonita I'd caught before."

Watts the deal? Kyle Quast and his wife sold so many batteries to mariners from their Desperado Marine chandlerly at the Opequimar Boatyard in Puerto Vallarta, that the battery company entered them in a lottery for the grand prize. And they won... this brand newpick-up truck!

CHANGES

"In the March issue, you mentioned sailing Profligate by Tamarindo Cove on the south shore of Tenacatita Bay, and asked if anyone knew what the bottom was like," write Brent and Susan Lowe from northern Panama aboard the Royal Passport 47 Akauahelo. "During our two years cruising Mexico, we anchored off Tamarindo 19° 15.732 N, 104°48.177

W several timed^and dinked around with our handheld depthsounder to check the bottom for hazards. The only ones we found were off to port near the obvious rocks as you enter the anchorage. We fa¬ vored the starboard shore when we en¬ tered the cove, then headed directly to¬ ward the resort's sport shack and small pier. The bottom has excellent holding in sand 25 feet down. We think Tamarindo is one of the more beautiful anchorages along the Mexican coast, but it should only be used during southerly weather. When those southerly spring swells make the main anchorage in Tenacatita a surf¬ ers' paradise, Tamarindo is usually calm and comfortable. The resort itselfis small, exclusive, and expensive but they do welcome cruisers to visit their restaurant.

Ali always was a 'go for it' girl, so it's not sur¬ prising that she's crossing to the Marquesas aboard 'Surfer Girl'.

We often wondered \vhy so few cruisers stopped at Tamarindo. We guess they fig¬ ured if it wasn't on the guidebook, they shouldn't stop. As for anchoring off La Manzanilla also in Tenacatita Bay

we wouldn't do it and leave our boat un¬ attended. The bottom is gravel, and sev¬ eral boats have dragged in the afternoon winds."

"It's 0400, and I'm sending this from the Peterson 34 Surfer Girl half way to the Marquesas," reports Ali, formerly of the 26-ft Blue Dragon. "I'm sailing with friend Rob Jones now, and thought I'd say hello and give a thumbs up for this little GSC 100 pocket satellite emailer. It works like a champ. We're sailing with twin headsails and seeking the trades, waltz¬ ing downwind."

"We recently had engine trouble that was wonderfully taken care of by a me¬ chanic in Mazatlan," report Roy and Darlene Rutland of the Galveston-based Hampton 43 pilothouse cutter Scrimshaw. "On a Tuesday morning, Claus Petzke of Mazatlan Yacht Services introduced us to diesel mechanic Victor Gamboa, whom we took to our boat on the hook in Mazatlan's old harbor. Within 15 minutes, Gamboa had correctly diag¬ nosed the problem with our Perkins as a malfunctioning injector fuel pump. He re-

moved the injector pump and the four injectors, and took them to his shop. A short time later, he returned to show us the broken shaft inside the pump. He told us not to worry, as he'd already located replacement parts that could be shipped overnight from Mexico City. Early Thurs¬ day afternoon, Victor returned to our boat with the repaired fuel injector pump and four rebuilt injectors. In a very short time he had our diesel running perfectly again. Considering the difficulty one sometimes has locating replacement parts in Mexico, we thought the 48-hour start-to-finish repair was a miracle. In addition to being a gifted mechanic, Gamboa is a great guy who charges reasonable rates. We found this to be a refreshing change from the experience we had in Mazatlan last year, when we hired what we believe were in¬ competent and mean-spirited gringo ex¬ perts', who did more harm than good to our boat. We finally did the repair our¬ selves under the direction of some tal¬ ented fellow cruisers who were good enough to donate their time and exper¬ tise. Gamboa's business is called Servicio

Catalina orChaguaramus, itmakes no difference. Ifyou leaveyourexpensive dinghyandoutboard unlocked, they are vulnerable. R.W. explains.

Diesel y Refacciones, S.A. de C.V., and is located in Bonfil Industrial Park in front ofthe railroad station. His telephone num¬ ber is 82.80.87."

"I thought your readers might be in¬

terested in the latest news from Venezu¬ ela and Trinidad," writes R.W. Catlette, former rail meat from the Benicia YC, and currently the captain of the Brazilian flagged Highlander Rio, which is enroute to Martinique and the Med. "First Ven¬ ezuela. In April; several boats from Trinidad went over to Venezuela with the intent of going up the Orinoco and Macarero Rivers and to buy inexpen-

CHANCES

sive Venezuelan diesel. The fuel turned out not to be so inexpensive, as they were charged $90 per boat for clearing which is nearly double what it costs in Trinidad, even ifthere are overtime charges. What's more, they were robbed at gunpoint with a shot fired, apparently while returning from dinner in town. Later that night, a man swam out to try to steal a dinghy, but they chased him away. At this point, a number of the^fekippers in the group became discouraged and headed back to Trinidad. The rest of the boats were warned not to go more than 60 miles up the Macereo, because it’s all jungle and there is no police to control the 'river rats' which is what the bandits are called. Nonetheless, the boats that continued upriver had a good tirhe and no untoward incidents.

"Here in Chaguaramus," Catlette con¬ tinues, "there were two dinghy thefts within a few days this April. One was a locked and cabled dinghy stolen from in front of Powerboats Ltd at about 11 p.m. The other dinghy taken was taken from the Crews Inn dinghy dock which is more surprising, because they have high profile security at 9 p.m. by two locals.

Folks in the 'Wild West'knowthatkeeping fitnot only makes you look good, it makes you feel good, too.

It was unlocked, as are a lot of dinghies at Crews Inn. The sad part for me is that I was in charge of the dinghy at the time, and was therefore responsible. Because of my bad judgement and carelessness, I

offered the owner $4,000 in compensa¬ tion, to be deducted from my upcoming paychecks. We then went out and re¬ placed the dinghy and outboard. When it finally came time for me to get paid for the trip up from Brazil, I told the owner to deduct a portion so I could start pay¬ ing offthe stolen dinghy. He refused. You owe me nothing,', he said. 'What you have told me now is more important.' Accord¬ ing to the Boca, the local paper, another dinghy was stolen from Crews Inn. Some guys robbed a bank, then hijacked a din¬ ghy to flee to a waiting car at Humming¬ bird Marina. Anyway, I'm off to celebrate my owner's generosity with a rhum. But I'm walking to the bar rather than taking the dinghy."

"It was nice to see the Wanderer and Dona de Mallorca aboard Profligate at Yelapa a few days before the Banderas Bay Regatta, and we were excited that you might publish one of the photos you took of us in parsing," write Gary Liddy and Linda Jackson of the South Beach YC (San Francisco) based Shock 34 PC Wild Wild West. "I was thrilled to see the photo you took of us in a March 'Lectronic Lati-

tilde but imagine my dismay to find the text was not only about Yelapa, but also about women who wear mini skirts in New York during the winter getting fat thighs! I am a dedicated distance runner, and my thighs are anything bpt fat! We hope you'll fulfill your promise to pub¬ lish our photo in the mag. We re currently in Mazatlan on our way to La Paz."

Our sincere apologies, as the photo was meant to depict a cruising boat at Yelapa and nothing more. And trust us, when you sailed in as we sailed out, you looked terrific in your two-piece suit. Who is the babe?' we wondered. Indeed, the photograph on the previous page doesn't begin to do you justice, because we were hoisting the main on our way out and didn't have the time or mobility to com¬ pose a flattering shot, nor did we have the long lens available for getting a close up. So the next time we cross paths, we promise to shoot a proper set of shots of you to document the many benefits of maintaining a good exercise program while cruising.

"Hey, you've got our friends confused as to where we are and where we are go-

We had the right boat 'Wild Rover'; the right couple, the Cannadys; but the wrong ocean. They are in the Caribbean!

ing," write Mike and Gail Cannady of the Longview, Washington, based Cal 34 Wild Rover. "As ofApril 2002, we were in Puerto Aventuras, Mexico, which is 50 miles south of Cancun on the east coast, not

the west coast. We’re headed north to the East Coast of the U.S., and then will re¬ turn to the Caribbean after hurricane sea¬ son. By the way, the enclosed photo is of our "non-robust" Cal 34 doing 8.5 knots in the Caribbean helped with two knots of current off Cozumel."

"There's a bunch ofcruising boats here at Isla Isabella heading north," reports Blair Grinds ofthe 46-ft catamaran Cap¬ ricorn Cat, "including John Haste and a friend on the Perry 52 cat Little Wing, Herm and Nancy on Sea Tern, and six other boats. On the way here yesterday, my crew Bernard and I caught five fish. The only one we kept was a sierra. When I stuck my fingers through his gills, he started fighting so hard that my fingers went way in, and I got cuts on three of them! Butwe all had dinner on Little Wing. This morning a fisherman came by and sold us a dozen lobster for 25 pesos each. So Sea Tern, Loncia and us will be din¬ ing again on Little Wing. Last Friday, we had six catamarans parked at Punta de Mita: Out of Africa, Bright Wing, Crazy Kid, Maluhia, Little Wing, and Capricorn Cat. There are more cruising cats out here all the time."

EASY AS...

DINGHIES, LIFERAFTS AND ROWBOATS

LASERS FOR SALE. The San Francisco Yacht Club Youth Program has two well used Lasers that they would like to sell. The asking price is $500/each. Boats will be complete and some additional spare parts are also available. These boats won't win the North Americans but they can be great boats with a little work. Best suited to someone with a knowledge of (cos¬ metic) fibreglass repair. Please call Quentin Pollock (415) 435-9525 or email: sfycyouth@aol.com.

HIGH PERFORMANCE PFIFFER. 15.5ft sloop with trailer. Excellent condition, good sails, near new shrouds, etc. First $1,500 gets it. Also, Avon 4-person liferaft with canister. Good shape. $1,900 or rea¬ sonable offer. Call (510) 653-1724 (eves).

INTERNATIONAL 420. Stored most of its life, old but still strong. Trailer, dolly, two sets of sails, one spinnaker, two rudders. Located in San Jose. $1,100. Call Doug (408) 377-0716.

LIFERAFT. Lifeguard, 4-man, double floor, hard canister, $1,700 or rent $325 per month. Chain, hi T, 5/16 x 300-ft, never used, $700. Over 30 other boating items for sale. Email: nicris02@pacbell.net or call (408) 289-9751 for complete list.

EL TORO RIGGING. Mast, boom, keel, rudder and sails like new. $250/obo. Hull thrown in for free. Stern has wood rot but can be repaired. Dan (510) 357-9711 or email: rhino1990@aol.com.

INTERNATIONAL 14. Old rules boat. Good condition. Extra sails. Trailer. $1,500.Please call (415) 459-4129.

ESCAPE MANGO 9-FT SAILBOAT. Polyethylene hull, carbon 2-piece mast, Mylar sail, kick-up rudder. 85 pounds. Excellent condition. Perfect for lagoons and Delta. See pictures and info at http:// www.escapesail.com/ $2,000 new. Ask¬ ing $650. Call Bob (415) 389-9610.

NEW YORK WHITEHALL 15. Pulling boat. Nash built, fiberglass, wood trim, slid¬ ing seat, sail rig, two sets of oars, trailer. $3,500. View Poet at Website http:// photos.yahoo.com/deuxscoops/ Call Stu (415) 731 -5955 (eves) or (650) 635-1138.

LASER 2001. Hull in water 6 times, blades, sail, mast, and boom in water twice. Dolly and a few other accessories. Serious only please. $4,000/obo. Call Rob (510) 469-7766.

AQUAPRO 23, 2000. Rigid inflatable, IOSR 720 RIB in great condition. 100 hp Yamaha 4-stroke, new canvas, VHF, fishfinder, trailer. Perfect big-boat tender and fishing vessel. 10-person capacity. Very seaworthy, stable, reliable. 40 knots. $26,000/obo. Nick (415) 289-0401 x 206.

13.5-FT SPINDRIFT SAILBOAT. 100 square foot sail area (main, jib). Boat, sails, trailer in excellent condition. Re¬ cently refurbished. $650. Located in Mor¬ gan Hill, CA. Call (408) 776-7695 or email: ronharten @ earthlink.net.

MARTIN MARINE ROWING CRAFT. Single seat recreational rowing craft from Martin Marine. Drop-in sliding seat, wooden oars. Stable and safe in open water. Boat, seat, and oars for $800. Call (510) 893-2661.

HOLDER 12. Hobie monohull. Similar to a Byte but prettier^Blue hull. Responsive but easy to control. Sailed only about 10 times. Includes very nice galvanized Calkins trailer. Garage kept and in excel¬ lent condition. $1,300. Please call Mike (510) 669-1673.

NEW LAPSTRAKE WHERRY. 14.5-ft length. All solid mahogany, one piece stem, inwhale and rubrail, breast hook and oarlock base. Epoxy coat in and out. Var¬ nish inside, white epoxy coat outside. Unique and beautiful. Bronze oarlock sockets. Weighs 97 lbs. $2,800. Bronze oarlocks on 8-ft oars with new leather and buttons, $200/pair. Call (415) 388-2723.

MONTGOMERY9-FTLAPSTRAKE DINGHY. Fiberglass. Teak thwarts and trim. Carbon mast, sail, wood centerboard and rudder, ash oars With locks. Fits a small pickup, car-top or foredeck. Excellent condition. $1,000. Cail (707) 996-4157.

AMF MINIFISH II SLOOP. No sails. Hull in great shape. Tiller and centerboard OK. $500. Call (408) 994-9617.

DEWITT DINGHY. Competition model, 2 sails, Seitech dolly, like new. $2,400. Please email: cnoe@aehr.com or (408) 294-0737.

14-FT LASER with trailer. White hull. Very good condition. Includes carrying bag for centerboard, rudder, tiller. Pictures at Website: www.curtischen.com/laser $1950. Please call (415) 297-2273 or email: curtis@curtischen.com.

14-FT BD RIB. Hard V-bottom. 50 hp Johnson, wheel steering, console, VHF, Speedo, tach, horn, compass, lights, wa¬ ter ballast, STS railing, telescoping ski/tow pole. Full bimini, wind screen and cover. New Calkins trailer with 2 spare tires. $5,000, Call (408) 655-3568.

VIKING 6-MAN CANISTER LIFERAFT. Certified, excellent, $1,900. Also, Avon 4man canister liferaft, certified, excellent, $1,500. Achilles 310 RIB, 18 months, with Nissan 9.9 outboard. Call (415) 388-4894.

GLEN L 8-FT PRAM. Sail, roll or motor. Built with the expert craftsmanship pf Harry Long utilizing teak, spruce and ma¬ hogany. Looks like El Toro. Fresh marine paint, brass oar locks, attractive little boat. Safe and stable. Cost of materials $1,200. Sell for $950. Call (707) 459-5015.

FOLDBOAT. Choice of two, 10.5-ft, 13ft, both with motor mounts, both good con¬ dition, $350/each. Also, West Marine in¬ flatable, 10.5-ft, hard transom, inflatable ‘V’ hull, wood floor, $350. (510) 601 -6863.

24 FEET & UNDER

JOHNSON 18. Sail #130. Includes Calkinstrailer, lifting sling, North sails, boat and jib covers, rudder bag. $4,500. Please call (530) 753-2158.

CATALINA 22, 1987. Well-maintained pop-top model, fresh varnish, new bottom. 1999 8 hp Honda 4-stroke outboard, ser¬ viced 3/02. Fixed wing keel, sink, stove, Porta-Potti, anchor, pop-top canvas. Single axle trailer. $8,000. (408) 356-1927 or email: chrisj_95032@yahoo.com.

COLUMBIA 24,1964. Hull #50, full keel. Porta-Potti, all cockpit cushions, 6 hp Evinrude, redone custom interior. Excel¬ lent sails, lifejackets, new canvas covers and hatch covers. Very good condition. Berthed north of Rio Vista. $2,750. Call (707) 399-0388.

CATALINA 22,1975. Swing keel, pop top, galley, numerous upgrades in 1998. Two strong anchors, lines to cockpit, reef from cockit, 3 sails, 6 hp Evinrude, tandem axle trailer with 5 good tires. $4,500. Email: lonspencer@hotmail.com or call (650) 494-8230.

O'DAY 192. Excellent condition, very well maintained. Full rigging and accessories. Trailer, boat cover, spinnaker, gennaker, genoas, new jib, new main. 2 outboard motors like new. 3 anchors and rode, in¬ flatable, vests, solar panels, much more. $5,900. Call (925) 370-6605.

CAL 24,1972. T4 by Jensen, hull #79. In Alameda Maraina on tandem trailer with surge brakes. Comes with 2 mains, 3 jibs and tri-radial spinnaker. Built-in self-con¬ tained head, watertank, sink, stove, com¬ pass and depthfinder. $3,000. Call (510) 531-1967.

FIVE CAL 20s & TWO J/24s. These boats are well used but have many good miles of sailing left in them. Priced to sell in ‘as is’ condition. Have a look and make an offer. Call Quentin Pollock at the San Fran¬ cisco Yacht Club (415) 435-9525 or email: sfycyouth@aol.com.

YANKEE DOLPHIN 24. S & S keel/cen¬ terboard. Draws 2-10 feet, board up. Very good condition. Clean, nice wood and original bronze fittings. Outboard, 3 jibs, new mainsail, boat cover. $4,600. Also, new in box Harken roller furler. $700. Call (415) 456-1235.

CATALINA 22, 1983. Great shape, little use. Swing keel, trailer, 4 sails and spin¬ naker. Pop top with dodger, front hatch. Clean interior, cushions, galley, PortaPotti. Solar panel, depth/knot gauges, lines run aft. Sea King 5 hp outboard. $5,600. Call (707) 887-1835.

JOLLY ROGER 24 SLOOP. Bow pulpit, lifelines, inside lighting, spreader lights, modified full keel, new battery, 4.5 out¬ board. Sleeps 4. Lots of storage room. Good first boat. $2,300/obo. Cal! Bill (707) 451-4369.

RANGER 28,1976. Hull #18. Hood sails, Sachs, Wankle gas engine. Rigged for racing. Always freshwater. Trailer in¬ cluded. Lake Tahoe. $13,500. Call (530) 525-7831.

25-FT US YACHT, 1982. Fiberglass, 8-ft beam, 4’7” draw. 1997 Mercury 8 hp out¬ board. Battery, charger, refrigerator, pri¬ vate head. Needs work. Must sell. $1,750. Call (925) 754-4221.

u

J/24,1978. Good condition. Trailer, 4 hp motor, rigged for racing, many sails and extras, Porta-Potti. Always dry-sailed. Ready to sail. $6,000. Call Paul (510) 236-5285 or email: paulcallen2@aol.com.

SAN JUAN 24. 2 mains/spinnakers. New halyards and X/A rope clutches. 130/150/ 170 jibs. Autohelm, fatho, compass, windex. Rigged for singlehanding with main reef system. Trailer and 9.9 Johnson longshaft. Moss Landing moorage avail¬ able. $4,250. Call (831) 333-0378.

23.5 FT STEEL SLOOP, 1968. Excellent condition. $1,000 into brand new switch board. Very cozy, fits two comfortably. Has private toilet. Docked at Loch Lomond Marina. Must sell, moving. Selling for $1,150/obo. Call (650) 573-7111 (msg) oremail: meandyou143_baby@hotmail.com.

COLUMBIA 24. 5 hp outboard, stove, sink, freshwater tank, 12/110 volt power. Reefing main, jib, genoa, running lights. Clean, solid Bay boat. $3,500. Matt (415) 5724278 or email: mturnsl @hotmail.com.

AURORA 21,1968. Great Bay boat,.easy to sail. Fixed keel, all lines led aft. Recently overhauled 4.5 hp longshaft outboard. Main, two jibs, radio, ready to go. Out of work, have to sell. $850/obo. Call (650) 357-0335.

MOORE 24, #44. SassyMama. Excellent like-new condition. Full sail inventory, sailcomp, Tri-data With knotmeter and depth. Original gel coat bottom. Good trailer. Probably the nicest Moore 24 around. No engine., $14,500. Call John (510) 521-7952.

,24-FT S2, 1978. Good Bay boat. 2 year old Ballenger spar and standing rigging. 8 hp Johnson Sailmaster extra-long shaft with charging unit. VHF. Shorepower with charger. Main and jib. Porta-Potti. Clean and in good condition. $5,500. Call Rick (510) 865-4700.

J/24, 1977. Good condition, 4 year old spar, Nissan 5 hp, recent main with cover, 2 jibs, running rigging led to cockpit. VHF radio, JVC FM/CD, Porta-Potti. $5,500. Call Rick (5.10) 865-4700.

BUCCANEER 24, 1974. 9.9 hp o/b, coastal cruiser, unsinkable. Main, jib, new rigging, roller furling. New gel coat/paint, new interior. 12 volt/110, 5 batteries, mi¬ crowave, stove, BBQ, water tank, sink, 6ft headroom, teak, trailer. Beautiful boat. Folsom Lake. $28,000. (916) 723-4547.

CATALINA 22,1975. Fixed keel. Trailer. Good condition. North main and jib ,150 genoa. Easy reef, new thru-hull and plumbing, fresh bottom paint, nice interior, pop-top with enclosure, bow and stern pulpits, single lifeline, outboard. Call (209) 223-2361 or email: jchancks@msn.com.

NEWPORT 20. Fun starter boat. Sleeps 4, head, galley sink, table, Evinrude 6 hp outboard runs well, handheld VHF, good main, 135 genoa, Sobstad jib, whisker pole, spinnaker with pole, bow pulpit, Danforth anchor. Richmond Marina Bay. $1,300. Call (925) 285-2991.

SANTANA 22. Hull #79. Perfect for the Bay. Gary Mull design, popular one-de¬ sign fleet, 2 mains, 3 jibs, great like-new 5 hp, 4-stroke Nissan outboard. Clean blue hull. $3,200. Call Mark at (510) 763-8101 or email: markwelther@yahoo.com.

MICRO CRUISER. 14-ft Peep Hen. Rubin Thrane design. Very good condition. All the extras, galvanized trailer, new cush¬ ions, 6’8” bunks. Cockpit bimini enclosure. Draws 6”, sprit rig, new running rigging. $4,800/obo. (805) 471-1222.

FJj FLYING JUNIOR. Docked at the San Francisco Yacht Club in Belvedere. Rac¬ ing rigging. Great for younger sailors. $1,800. Call (415) 302-2820. /

25 TO 28 FEET

CATALINA 25, 1982. Pop top, 9.8" Evinrude electric start, R/R jib, soling track, VHF, fathometer, holding tank, boom break, main Dutchman, alcohol stove. Ex¬ tras too numerous to list. Freshwater berthed. New bottom 2000, no blisters. $6,800. Call (209) 473-4641.

NOR’SEA 27,1994. Call (510) 387-3892 or email: www.gmarcotte.com/NorSea for details. $65,000/obo.

CATALINA 25, 1980. 7.5 hp Evinrude outboard. Jib, new and spare mains. Sleeps 5, VHF, depth, compass, anchor, watertank and stove. Good condition. Berthed in Brisbane! Asking $4,700/obo. Call (415) 826-3055.

LANCER 25, 1979. Comfortable boat, ready for weekend fun. Sleeps 4. Equipped with head, stove, VHF radio and built-in TV with VCR. Newer outboard motor and teak detailing inside and put. Asking $6,000. Andres (925) 952-4399.

MAXI 28, 1984. Swedish racing sloop. Mahogany self-contained galley, head. Tiller. Reefed main, self-tacking jib, 120m genoa, spinnaker pole. New bottom paint 12/01. Iron keel. Slip A23, Vintage Marina, Channel Islands, Oxnard, CA. $18,500. (818) 363-9293 (hm) or (818) 257-4893 (cell) or (970) 870-6081 (CO).

O’DAY 27, 1978. Well maintained. One cylinder Yanmar diesel. New standing rig¬ ging. Roller furling jib. Newly covered cabin cushions. Located SF. $6,000. Call (707) 964-4435.

CATALINA 27,1984.14 hp Universal die¬ sel with 320 hours. Tiller, dual batteries with charger, CD, pressure water, head with holding tank, macerator. Very light use, bodt/sails/rig in excellent condition. Bottom paint/survey June 2001. Ballena Isle Marina, G-64. $16,500. (510) 865-9722.

HUNTER 285,1986. Sleeps 6. Great con¬ dition, lots of new equipment. All the toys. Yanmar difesel, wheel steering, new roller furling, new head sail, autopilot, BBQ, color TV, stereo, cockpit and cabin speak¬ ers. Hot/cold pressure water, autopilot, knotmeter, windmeter, depthsounder, new batteries. Boat regularly hauled, cleaned and inspected at Svendsons. Boat in Emeryvillq. $19,500/obo. (925) 947-5590.

MERIT 25,1983. New UK main, 155, very good 140, blade and storm. Very good .75 and .6 spinnakers. New Ballenger mast, /rigging, Vectran halyards, boomkicker. New Harken 2-speed primaries, pro¬ fessionally rigged, dry sailed, trailer. Race ready. $9,500. Call (415) 290-8080.

CATALINA 25,1985. Fixed keel with 1996 dual axle galvinized trailer. Clean boat, newer main and 150 genoa, 110 jib. New: standing rigging, Origo 2-burner stove, Ccushions, and refrigerator. Shorepower/ cord, 8 hp Yachtmaster. $11,900. Call (530) 470-0511.

MacGR^GOR 25. Excellent condition, trailer, 9 hp Evinrude outboard with gen¬ erator, roller furler, mainsail, swing keel, all lines and rigging, head, stove, VHF, depth, pop-up with dodger, sleeps 4-6, anchor/cushions, extras. $4,890/obo. Please call (831) 728-1770 or email: ccasey@ix.netcom.com.

O'DAY 25, 1979. Sail the Bay, Delta, or Mexico. 1997 custom galvanized Triad trailer. Very nice condition, new interior. New bottom 11/01. Stove, sleeps 5, 5’8” headroom. Main, jib, 150 gen, spinnaker, 9.9 hp Johnson. Looks/sails great. $8,000. Please call (408) 220-8900 or email: broWbill@aol.com.

CATALINA 25,1980. Great shape. 9.9 hp electric-start Mercury. 110 and 150 jibs. Fixed keel. Tall rig. Bottom professionally cleaned monthly. Stereo in/out. Amazing spaceand functionality for25-ft. Dynamite cabin. Berthed SF. $5,600. Please email: justsaygo_2000@yahoo.com or call (510) 881-7800.

ERICSON 27,1971 Fiberglass. Atomic 4 inboard engine, overhauled and new ex¬ haust system, both by Richmond Boat Works, February 2002, copy of invoice available. New battery March 2002. Harken furler and traveler, marine grade aluminum gas tank, new in 1994. Last drydocked/painted April 2001. GPS, VHF radio, head, no holding tank. 5 berths, gas barbecue. Cockpit cushions and all wood covered with canvas. Owned last 15 years, active class club in Bay Area. Ber¬ keley berth. $13,000. Call (925) 906-0468.

REINALL 26, 1975. Excellent condition. Dual axle trailer. 13 hp Volvo Penta die¬ sel S-drive. Furling jib, electric marine head, holding tank. 6-ft headroom, galley, dinette, CD stereo. VHF, compass, depth. Refurbished, upgrades, extras. Nicest around. Northern CA. $11,500. call (530) 677-9634 or email: ejv2528@webtv.net.

CATALINA 27, 1977. Great shape. Die¬ sel engine 400 hours. New reefable mainsail, genoa 120%, 150%, spinnaker. GPS. VHF, AM/FM cassette, legal head, new stove. Great family boat. Ready to sail. I’m ready to sell. $8,400. Call (510) 724-4743.

CAL T2-27. 1/2-ton Lapworth design. Uniquely fast boat. Standing headroom, roomy accomodations. 2 mains, 3 jibs, spinnaker, good rigging. VHF/stereo i/o. Excellent Evinrude 8 hp outboarad. Almost finished upgrade, mostly cosmetics left. Sweet boat. Plans changed. $3,500/obo. Call (510) 845-1912.

MacGREGOR 26,1989 with trailer. Mast raising system. Stored covered since new. Reinforced for Bay sailing, 9 hp Johnson, wrap-around safety system. Ladder, cush¬ ions, CD stereo system, sail cover, pop top with cover, many extras. $10,900. Please call (925) 443-8915 or email: ACEGPH@aol.com.

CATALINA 27. Six sails, head, sleeps four. Atomic 4 inboard. Remodeled gal¬ ley. Alameda berth. Asking $10,000 but will sacrifice for $9,500. Please call (510) 278-8701 (eves).

ERICSON 27, 1972. Rebuilt Atomic 4, 2001. Wheel steering with tiller option. 3 foresails plus 2 reef point mains. Rigged for singlehanding. New standing rigging 1995. Many safety extras. Extremely clean. Best offer. Full specs by email: bobritchie@att.net or call (415) 331-9316.

COLUMBIA 26. Ready to sail now. Hogin main and Nissan 4-stroke, 1 year old. 110, 150, storm, whisker pole, Vectran hal¬ yards. Origo stove, shore power, H/C pres¬ sure water, heater, VHF, depth, compass, autopilot, cherry tiller, more. Alameda. $5,500. Call (510) 917-3919.

SEACROWN 26 WITH TRAILER. Two sails, foul weather gear, charts, compass, day cabin. Never been in water. Great starter boat. $5,000/obo. Call Debby (510)471-0901 or email: Tdala025@aol.com.

CHEOY LEE FRISCO FLYER 3,1964. In Sacramento on dry, needs work, $1,500.

5 stands with boat, $350. Achilles 8-ft indatable, wood floor, $500. Yamaha 8 hp longshaft with can, $750. 1976 Evinrude 6 hp longshaft with can, $350. Please email: cwmoore@cwnet.com or call (916) 369-8684 or (916) 730-5576.

SANTA CRUZ 27. Great ULDB club racer. Racing sails in crisp condition, practice sails, good trailer, outboard, dry sailed. Clean boat. 3-year-old mast and standing rigging, all Spectra lines, new boom. Solid. $14,500. Please call Tony (415) 488-9003.

ISLANDER 27,1969. Spinnaker, 100 and 180 jibs, main. Outboard engine. New stays and halyards. At Coyote Point, Slip 1123. $5,000/obo. Call (650) 245-0052.

MORGAN 28,1969. Beautiful shape, ex¬ cellent Bay or cruising boat. Large inside cabin, separate head, bottom paint 2000. New Yamaha 12 hp diesel, wheel, auto¬ pilot, swing keel, VHS, compass, lines led aft, shorepower, Loran and more. Stock market forces sacrifice at $12,500/obo. Must see. Call (510) 538-8333.

SANTANA 27. Roller furling, lazyjacks, spinnaker, 3-ft scoop, good Nissan 5 hp outboard, nice interior, standing headroom, enclosed Porta-Potti. Gary Mull design. Photos on Web at http://isail.com/ santana27/ Priced low for quick sale. $4,900. Please call (831) 457-0398 or email: jd@got.net.

722-7695 or bluwater@juno.com

Hal McCormack

C^ALINA CAPRI 26,1990. New stand¬ ing rigging and North 100% furling jib, Autohelm, alcohol stove, enclosed marine head, sleeps 4, VHF, rigged for single¬ handing, Universal 10 hp diesel. Very dry, stiff Bay boat. $16,900. Call Tom (925) 829-1411.

MERIT 25,1981 Racer/cruiser good con¬ dition, dry-stored, trailer, seven sails, singlehand rigged, Autohelm, Speedo/ depth combo, and compass. Too many things to describe. Ready to sail. Reduced to $7,500/obo. Call (510) 524-3219 or email: jspampi@aol.com.

COLUMBIA 26 Mk II, 1969. Hull #427. Sounder/speedo, new North sails with main and 130 genoa, second sail set, tillerpiiot, Nissan 8 hp e/w electric start, GPS, lazyjacks, black hull. Fast and fun Bay boat. In Napa. $5,500. Please call (707) 254-8666.

CATALINA 27, 1985. Beautiful shape. Diesel, 540 hours. Harken furling, new 90 jib, 130 genoa, Edson wheel, autopilot. Bottom paint and hull wax 1/02. CD ste¬ reo, dodger, awning, VHF, depth, speed, transferable Peninsula slip. $15,500. Please call (650) 327-4763 or email: raders@sbcglobal.net.

MacGREGOR 26X, 1998. Roller furler, jiffy reef, main halyard lines aft. 50 hp Nissan 2-stroke. Shorepower with break¬ ers. 3 batteries, charger. Origo, black can¬ vas, more. Easy singlehand, ready to cruise Bay/Delta. Bottom 4/01. $16,000. Call Jon (510) 704-0704 ext 206.

HUNTER 26.5,1988. Excellent condition. Yamaha 15 hp 4-cycle, jib furler, walk¬ through transom, shallow draft wing keel, knot and depth meters, shorepower, safety gear, barbecue, galley, head, VHF radio, stereo/CD, boat cover. $12,000. Call (916) 777-6163.

CORONADO 25, 1967. Old but service¬ able main, two very good jibs, 5 hp Tohatsu outboard. VHF, DS, compass, handheld GPS. Galley, dinette converts to double bunk, Porta-Potti. Santa Cruz slip, six month sublease available. $2,500. Call Don (831) 427-2611 or email: bugme@cruzio.com.

CATALINA 27,1974. 1998 Johnson 9.9 hp. Bottom 5/01. New running rigging, jib, genoa, stereo, head, dinette, stove. Re¬ cent survey. Fun to cruise/race. This boat has been good to me. $6,900/obo. Call (415) 346-9862 or email: paulcat@lmi.net.

NOR'SEA 27, 1978, Aft cabin, Yanmar diesel, VHF, GPS, 5 sails, bowsprit and anchors, bronze ports, recent refit. Nice condition with trailer and Ford F250 truck. $32,500. Call (415) 461-7778 or (415) 250-7561 or email: Eduvidcon@aol.com.

PEARSON TRITON #3. White Cap. Forespar custom mast, Selden boom. Westerbeke 10/2 diesel. New Harken trav¬ eler on bridgedeck. Autohelm Bidata. Apelco VHF. Norco fridge. Force 10 bulk¬ head propane heater. Force 10 small bar¬ rel barbecue on stern. Lifesling. Stereo. Needs paint and mast support. $5,000. With twin-axle trailer $7,500. Call (916) 455-7650 or email: skpbaker@pacbeil.net.

YANKEE 30, 1972. Sparkman & Stephens designed racer/cruiser. Sleeps 4 with standing headroom. New Profurl, VHF. New standing rigging, spreaders, bottom paint Jan. 2001. Head/holding. Atomic 4 needs overhaul. $6,000/firm. See at Website: www.marketearnings.com Call (775) 883-0241.

WYLIE 28,1977. Low hour Yanmar die¬ sel. Sails include #1, 2, 3, 4, and 110, drifter, spinnaker 1.5, .75 blooper. Lots of gear. Great Bay and ocean boat. Ready to go. $8,500. Call Greg (650) 637-9036.

HUNTER 25, 1983. Pocket cruiser. New 2001:9.9 hp Mercury outboard, new depth and knotmeter, bottom job 2001, radio, head, stove, life vests and more. San Francisco Bay. NADA list at $11,700. Now for$10,000. Call Deborah (415) 776-8609.

HUNTER 25, 1975. Racer cruiser, fixed keel. Kokopelli. 10 hp Honda outboard motor, trailer, head, two-burner propane stove, knotmeter, new sails, spinnaker, 8 sail inventory. New bottom paint 2002. Dual batteries, solar panel, pressurized water, lifesling, stereo, new compass, exta heavy rigging, sail bags and new sail cov¬ ers, 6 winches, ice box, 2 anchors with rodes. Comfortable, clean and fast. $8,000. Call (775) 626-2679.

SAIL TODAY GONE TOMORROW. Coronado 25, 1967. For sale, cheap. I need a rocket launcher. Head, galley, VHF, depthsounder, 3 berths, sleeps 12 very small people or 87 chihuahuas. $2,000 without motor. $2,750 with 1998 Johnson 6 hp. Call (916) 549-9139 or (916) 971-0460.

MacGREGOR 26 CLASSIC, 1994. Pris¬ tine condition with trailer, main and jib. New 150 genoa, 8 hp Evinrude. Sail cover, 2-burner stove, cockpit cushions, com¬ pass. Pop top cover, curtains, stern rail with ladder, extra cabin lights and spray shields. $10,990. Dan (415) 457-6777.

RANGER 26. Sturdy and fast. Sleeps 4. 8 hp outbdard in great condition. 4 jibs.

Slightly weathered,, needs bottom paint. In Santa Cruz. $4,000/obo. Must sell. Call Bob (530) 583-2536.

PEARSON TRITON, 1962. Atomic 4, 6 sails, knotmeter, stereo, VHF, battery charger. Excellent Bay and coastal cruiser. Clean boat looking for a new home. $7,000/obo. Please call (510) 769-2152 or (510) 813-2592.

ERICSON 26,1962. Fiberglass sloop, 19 91 Evinrude 8 hp O/B, 4 sails, VHF, solar panel, fiberglass dinghy with oars, etc. Needs some TLC but otherwise ready to sail. Located Roche Harbor, San Juan Is¬ lands. First $1,500 "as-is, where-is" takes it. Please call (415) 332-6501 or email: marinexch @aol.com.

BRISTOL CHANNEL CUTTER 28,1977. Rare listing of a beautifully restored BCC. Originally built for nephew of Lyle Hess. Over $25,000 invested since 2000. Com¬ pletely new interior: cushions, paint, floor, counters, stove, custom mattress, seacocks, lamps, lights, varnishwork. Ex¬ terior repainted, new decks. Rebuilt en¬ gine, new sailing dinghy, new GPS and depthsounder. Watermaker, full sails. Needs lifelines, and minor final touches. Reduced to $55,000/obo. (831) 423:3969 or email for photos: slickted@pacbell.net.

C&C 27. Excellent Bay and coastal cruiser. Loran, VHF, new stereo, depthsounder, autopilot and more. Club¬ foot jib, 135% working jib, 170% genoa, spinnaker with gear. First one with $7,000 gets all. Please call (707) 799-7496 or email: crc6@vom.com.

BRISTOL 27,1966. Alberg design. Very solid small cruiser. 6,600 pound displace¬ ment. Inboard diesel powered. 8 sails and many more extras. Sleeps 4. Head. Berthed Oakland. $10,0Q0/obo. Please call (510) 504-8436.

29 TO 31 FEET

HUNTER 30,1979. Yanmar diesel engine, roller furling, battery charger, two anchors, VHF radio, dodger, wheel steering, and more. Located Berkeley Marind. Well maintained and good condition. Moved from Bay Area. Priced for fast sale. $17,500/obo. Call (530) 295-1711.

CATALINA 30,1989.25 hp diesel engine, refrigerator, dodger, stainless arch for ra¬ dar/solar panels. Excellent sails, very clean inside and out, ready to go cruising. Located in La Paz, Mexico. See at Website: www.bajayachts.com. $35,000/" obo. Call (415) 332-8025.

CAL 29,1970. Ready to cruise. 5 sails in great shape. Electric windlass, refrigera¬ tion, autotiller. 1998 Yanmar 2GM20. VHF, depth, speed, stove, CD stereo, backstay antenna, 420AHr Batteries, high output alt. and more. $13,000. Chris (925) 938-7245 or email: pollodelmar@pacbell.net.

ISLANDER 30, 1968. New carburetor, water pump, batteries, upholstery, toilet, heater, fishfinder, VHF, compass, new seacocks. All new electrical. Very clean inside. Sleeps 5. Big, roomy cabin. Fiber¬ glass hull, full keel, tall and fast. $8,000/ obo. Call (510) 407-1114.

30-FT ODYSSEY. Carl Alberg-designed full keel fiberglass sloop built extra strong. Cruise-proven circumnavigator. 16 hp Universal diesel with low hours. Extensive equipment list. Berthed Emeryville Marina. $20,000. Call (510) 655-2112 or email: benwells0@yahoo.com.

RANGER 29, 1972. New Sobstad sails, main and jib. Newly rebuilt Atomic 4 gas engine. New handrails, lifelines, carpet, roller furler, midboom traveler, hatch boards, stove, etc. Dick (510) 521-1246.

EXCELLENT LIVEABOARD. Sharpie 30, 1989. Steel centerboard yawl. 1’2” draft (board up). Full headroom, new Force 10 propane heater. Needs outboard. Good condition. $7,800. Call (415) 331-3612 or email: miwakirosella@ hotmail.com.

CATALINA 30, 1982. Lake Tahoe boat, roller furling, wheel, redone diesel engine. Newer full batten main, recent 150% jib, self-tailing winches, much more. Excellent condition. $25,000/firm.

ISLANDER 29,1967. New 2001: Rebuilt Yanmar 1GM10, bottom paint, thru hulls, ball valves, hoses, holding and fuel tanks, VHF, standing, running rigging, Ferlix furl¬ ing, upholstery, head. Comes with 8-ft din¬ ghy with outboard, 5 anchors, tillerpilot, 7 sails. $16,500/obo. Call (916) 718-1446.

HALLBERG-RASSY 312 Mk II, 1987. Classy, top quality Bay/coastal cruiser in immaculate condition. Low hours, spotless interior. Easily singlehanded. Hard dodger, wheel, autopilot, roller furling, cruising spinnaker. Fresh bottom paint, ready to go. $69,500. Cali (415) 225-5176.

YANKEE 30, 1971. Solid, fast, classic cruiser. Yanmar 2-cyl diesel, roller furling, many other sails. Dodger, windlass, an¬ chors and tackle, hydraulic vahg. KM, DS, VHF, solar vent. Propane stove/oven. Do Ha-Ha cheap this year. Alameda. $17,500. Call (510) 337-3220.

NEWPORT 30 III, 1982. Beautiful condi¬ tion. Beige hull, Universal diesel, wheel, CNG stove, H/C pressurized water, Espar heater, VHF, KM, DS, WS, Autohelm, ste¬ reo, beautiful teak interior, new transmis¬ sion, new rigging, large sail inventory. Sausalito. $23,000. Call (415) 924-2678.

ERICSON 30. Classic Bruce King design. Turnkey condition, you don’t need any¬ thing to sail away. Great Bay/coastal weekender, dinghy included. Too much gear to list. $15,000/obo. Steve (707) 2356746 or email: pacfinishes@earthlink.net.

ANDREWS 30, 1986. Racer, cruiser, PHRF120. Nice condition. 6-ft headroom, Volvo inboard diesel, runs great. Full elec¬ tronics, 10+ sails. Major 2001 refit. Per¬ fect for SF 30 fleet. Spouse-approved. Must see. $26,900/must go. Call for de¬ tails (510) 814-0400._

C&C 29,1979. Solid Yanmar, new starter and 3 batteries, freshly serviced. Main, unique storage system, Harken RF and 105%, 125%jibs. Pineapple sails. Dodger, shorepower, basic electronics, GPS. PHRF 174. Great coastal cruiser/club racer. Alameda. $19,900/obo. Call Jim (510) 872-6139.

CHEETAH 30 SPORTBOAT. 2,300 lbs. Retractable carbon fiber keel. Trailer, rod rigging, adjustable' shrouds, carbonfiber sprit. Quantum: Main, 2 jibs, code 0 1/2 oz. chute, 2-3/4 oz. chutes (chicken and monster). 5 hp outboard. $35,000/abo. (360) 297-2693.

ERICSON 30,1968. With completely re¬ built Atomic 4. Needs haul out for minor prop work. All new interior cushions. Ra¬ dio, depthsounder, Loran, refrigerator, main and working jib in fair condition. Must sell. $7,000. Call (408) 472-9833 or email: kjnoorel @hotmail.com.

J/29,1984. Fractional rig, Yanmar diesel, racing and cruising sails, Autohelm instru¬ ments, 2 spinnaker poles, continuous track for jib carrs, self-tailing primaries, rigid vang, new bottom paint. Overnight cruiser or fun racer. $19,600. Call (650) 592-8882.

ISLANDER BAHAMA 30, 1982. Volvo diesel. Hauled and bottom painted 7/01. Sail inventory includes 90, 110, 135 headsails plus mainsail. Alameda Fortman Marina, Berth Cl2. Asking $20,890. For information or inspection call Walt (510) 793-8794 or email: WDVsail@aol.com.

CAL 29, 1969. Custom transom scoop with swim step and propane locker. Yanmar, low hours. Full-batten main, 3 jibs, spinnaker. Force 10 stove/oven, AC/ DC refrigerator. VHF, depth, Loran, Autohelm. One-year Santa Cruz slip li¬ cense. Liveaboard. $15,000. (831)419-2821 or email: capnjeff3636@hotrriail.com.

S2 9.2 CENTER COCKPIT, 1980. Yanmar 15 hp, low hours. Speed, depth, log, wind. Queen aft, elec, windlass, stove, bath tub. H/C pressure water. Ballena Bay, C-36. $26,500. Pager (925) 955-5092 (leave #, press pound).

PEARSON 30 SLOOP, 1971. Atomic 4 and spare A4 partial rebuild. Large cock¬ pit with tiller. Last haulout 1999. Second owner moving up. Take all for $9,250. Slip #816 at Alameda Marina. Take a look and then call Bryan (408) 984-5283.

TARTAN 30,1976. S&S design. Harken furler , spinnaker,

CORONADO 30, 1970. $9,500/cash, no other offers. Ready to sail today. I need to sell this boat. Second owner, 12 years. This is a deal you won't match this sea¬ son. Or. next. Call for Website info. (760) 774-3722.

NONSUCH 30 CLASSIC, 1981. Destiny is rebuilt from the hull out. Almost every¬ thing is brand new. Exquisite traditional catboat line, fast and easy to sail. Huge interior. Finish work in progress. Buyer selects colors, etc. $55,000. Call (510) 499-9211.

30-FT ERICSON, CLASSIC BEAUTY. 15 hp Izusu diesal, roller furling, new canvas covers and upholstery. Wilcox Crittendon head, new electrical. This is a clean boat and a great deal at $14,500. Email: nauticalnan@nStzero.net or call (510) 872-6501.

ISLAND PACKET 31,1987. Great cruis¬ ing boat. Yanmar 27 hp diesel, Max Prop, refrigeration, furnace, Autohelm, VHF, depth, wind, battery monitor, dodger, bimini. 8-ft inflatable, 8 hp outboard and more. Located Bellingham, WA. $69,000. Please call (360) 756-2230 or email: glenn@blarg.net.

ISLANDER 30,1969. Clean, sturdy, ready for liveaboard/weekender. 3 sails, safety lines, 2-burner propane, 2-cyl Albin die¬ sel, new upholstery, carpet, head. Fridge/ cooler, dc sinks, generator plus more. Summer fun, must see. $10,900. Please call Mitch (916) 421-1410 or email: madworldgroup@hotmail.com.

COLUMBIA 30 SLOOP, 1973. Fiberglass, inboard gas engine needs work, seif-tend¬ ing jib, fridge, alcohol stove, galley, pri¬ vate marine head, sleeps 6, depthfinder, radio, comfortable liveaboard or cruiser, new bottom paint. Berthed in Alameda. $12,000. Jim (209) 786-4864.

CATALINA 30 TALL RIG, 1977. Recent bottom job, new interior cushions, rebuilt Atomic 4 with low hours, self-tailing winches. Knotmeter, wind direction, new depthsounder, VHF, stereo. Spinnaker pole, adjustable whisker. Extra gear and cruising modifications. $17,900/obo. Call (209) 462-5233.

32 TO 35 FEET

YAMAHA 33,1978. Great shape. Dodger, autopilot, monitor, main, jib, genoa, full boat cover. Hauled, buff, wax, bottom paint, April 2002. $33,000. (707) 257,9068 iittleboattrip@hotmail.com.

ALDEN 34 BLUEWATER SLOOP. Pi¬ sces 2.8 hp diesel. Great shape and liveaboard. Propane stove with broiler, fridge, Dickerson diesel heater, new dodger, roller furling. Recent surveysound. SF berth. Asking $9,500. Call (831) 883-0946.

ANGELMAN A-34, 1966. Built in Japan by Wm. Hardin. Mahogany on iroko. Bronze fastened. Roller furling jib, gaff main, Davits. 27 hp Isuzu diesel. All good wood. Lengthy equipment inventory. Origi¬ nal owner. Meticulously maintained. Docu¬ mented. A classic beauty. (408) 370-6929.

PEARSON VANGUARD 32, 1965. Dinettfe. model, good condition throughout. Well maintained, all original except Atomic gas, rebuilt in last 6 years. Logs and re¬ ceipts back to late ‘60s. $7,500. Please call (650) 802-9585 (days) or email: Steve_Albert@SBCGIobal.net.

CREALOCK 34. 14 years TLC by only owner. Cohipletely cruise equipped. New rigging and chainplates. Provision and go. Lying Honolulu. $125,000. Photos and inventory: http://home.hawaii.rr.com/ nisku/ Email: nisku@hawaii.rr.com or call (808) 947-1612.

CATALINA 34, 1986. All new in 19992000: Epoxy bottom, complete factory cushions in year 2000 colors, Lewmar ports, Raytheon radar, GPS, dodger, ac/ dc refer, microwave, cruising spinnaker, 135 jib, Harken self-tacking system and sail, cockpit cushions, VHF with remote, autopilot. Low hours Universal diesel, macerator, KM, DS. All lines run aft, furler jib. Currently on the hard in La Paz, Mexico. $59,500. Also, Avon with 15 hp motor, $2,000. Call Mike (916) 354-2852 or email: mykjaci@calweb.com.

CORONADO 32, 1973. Center cockpit.

Two separated living areas, both with sinks and closets; forward has toilet and shower. Volvo 25 hp diesel. Pedestal steering, autopilot. Wind, speed and di¬ rection, knot and depth meters. Hot and cold pressurized water. Inverter, TV and stereo, generator, Icom VHF. Magellan GPS. Oversized ground tackle. Two new 8d batteries. Lots of storage. 10-ft Achil¬ les dinghy with 4 hp motor. Recent survey. $29,900. Call (310) 458-1229:

HUNTER 34 SLOOP, 1985. Excellent condition. Autopilot, compass, wind, depth, knotmeter, GPS, Autohelm naviga¬ tion station, 3 batteries, CD, laptop and more. New upholstery. Refinished wood inside/out. Yanmar diesel. Two cabins. Must see. Pier 39 transferable slip. $41,000. Brian (415) 595-7621.

EXPRESS 34,1988. Race/cruise, excel¬ lent race record, well-maintained. Furuno GPS, radar, Signet 250 displays. Spectra rigging, ten bags sails, two poles, Autohelm, LPG stove/oven, 12v refrigera¬ tor, Yanmar. $63,500. Call (916) 362-1780 or email: tgoodwin@macnexus.org or longakc@saccourt.com.

32-FT COLUMBIA 5.5. Jaguar. Ready for inexpensive daysailing or an active onedesign fleet in the Alameda Estuary. The best offer prior to June 1 st takes this clas¬ sic to her new owner. Call (510) 522-7426 or email: CorlettCo@aol.com.

NICHOLSON 35 Mk I. Harken roller furl¬ ing, recent sails and rigging. Propane, hot and cold pressure water, reefer. Fill'er up and go cruising on a strong, comfortable beautiful classic. $50,000. Please call Bob (510) 528-1927.

WYLIE 34. Over $20,000 in high quality gear alone has been added. All the good¬ ies. In great shape. A great light air racer/ cruiser. New dodger, engine, liner, stove, leather cushions, refrig, Alpha autopilot, stereo, paint and much more. Email: sb12@ispwest.net.

HUNTER 34,1997. Shows like new. Origi¬ nal owner. Spacious main salon, aft cabin and cockpit. Full instrumentation includ¬ ing GPS and autopilot. Never raced. Heavy duty dodger and sales. Bottom just painted. Only $85,000. Please call (925) 830-1698 or email: ptsep@attbi.com.

C&C 35 Mk II, 1974. Price slashed to $52,000. Sleek, fast, cruiser/racer. Dark blue. $10,000 paint job 6/01. easy to singlehand with autopilot, lazyjacks, new ST winches, 30 hp Yanmar with 150 hours. Radar, VHF, stereo, Origo stove, diesel heater, electric windlass, etc. Call (415) 606-0082.

COLUMBIA 34, 1970. Palmer gas in¬ board. 2 jibs, storm and lapper. Bruce and 45# CQR. 2 refrigerators, 3-burner stove/ oven, enclosed head, many extrai, spin¬ naker pole, blocks, awning. Gashouse Cove berth, SF Marina. $20,000. Call (510) 420-8082.

ERIOSON 35,1970. Great Bay and Delta boat in good condition. Autohelm, knot and depth meters, VHF. Berthed Alameda Marina Village Yacht Harbor, Gate 8, B19. Photo on request. $22,500. Call Mike (510) 465-4248 xl 3 or Ed (510) 625-1650."'

RANGER 33,1974. Low sail and engine hours. Atomic 4, tall rig, 5 bags with spin¬ naker. All lines led aft. New topside paint. Relocation forces sale. See Website: http:/ /boi.internetoutlet.net/wconniff/freshl.htm Asking $13,900. Call (510) 749-JJ237 or email: bilLsea@hotmail.com.

WAUQUIEZ PRETORIEN 35, 1986. Ab¬ solutely superb condition. Second owner, never chartered. Rugged, fast, comfort¬ able bluewater boat. Furuno radar, chartplotter, GPS, Kenwood SSB, Signet depth, knotmeter, masthead wind, AM/ FM/tape, CD stereo. Profurl roller furling, Autohelm, custom dodger. Forward double berth, private aft berth, great nav station, H/C pressure water, propane, 12v refrigeration, superb galley design. Avon Redcrest inflatable dinghy with 3.5 hp outboard. All teak cabin with fine European craftsmanship. Recent survey. Fabulous boat. $89,500. Call (510) 522-2586 or email: OKBCA@aol.com.

HUNTER 33 CHERUBINI SLOOP. Fresh¬ water sailboat located in Las Vegas. Yanmar 18 hp diesel, three sail wardrobe, VHF radio. New canvas, lifelines, ports, / halyards. Beautifully finished, sleeps 6. $25,000. Call Chris at (702) 324-9702 or John at (619) 501-4181.

CORONADO 34,1969. Proven recent dis¬ tant cruiser. Singlehand rigged. One year new; All tbruhulls and seacocks, prop and shaft, engine mounts, cooling system, plumbing, bottom paint. Spinnaker like new. Lying Sausalito. $25,000/obo.

HINCKLEY PILOT 35, 1967. Papillon. Rare Sparkman & Stevens collector’s item. Mint. Heavy fiberglass construction, teak interior, professionally maintained. Low hours diesel, recent bottom work. New main, roller furling jib, rigged for Bay. Asking $100,000. Call (415) 440-2058 or email: wmcc@pacbell.net.

J/105, #32. Proven winner. North inven¬ tory. Full electronics. Tiller. Raced only two seasons, previously freshwater, so great condition. $99,000/obo. Call Chuck (415) 381-1761.

ERICSON 35,1972. Documented, recent new diesel engine plus. Recent refit to in¬ clude electronics, waterheater, ac/dc, much else new. Varnished interior, wheel steering, autopilot, GPS, 3-burner ss stove. $31,000. Call (209) 667-0252 or email: jwdinc@bigvalley.net.

VALIANT 32 OFFSHORE CUTTER. Bob Perry design. Well maintained and sailed often. Many upgrades including radar, windvane steering, standing rigging, hard dink, fresh water system, etc. See: http:// home.pacbell.net/chrismsf/V32137.html for details. $55,000. Call (650) 874-6353 or email: chris_rnartinj8gap.com.

DREADNOUGHT 32 KETCH. Perkins 4107, propane stove, heater, Furuno radar, Balmar diesel generator, SSB, VHF, au¬ topilot, GPS, depth. 2 furling headsails, 100 gal: diesel, 60 water, 10 gal. propane. $35,000/obo. Will consider trades. Call (520) 366-5215.

ISLANDER 34,1972. Frisco Rose. Teak trim/toerails topside, mahogany panels below. 3/4 keel, no blisters. Yanmar 3GM30 installed 1994, autopilot, GPS. 6'1” headroom, stove/oven, refrigerator, TV/ VCR. $23,000. Also, West Marine Avon, 8 hp Nissan, $1,000. Call (510) 290-3103 or email: blf@socrates.berkeley.edu.

HUNTER 34,1985. Original owner, great shape with many upgrades including Monitor windvane, Espar central heat, R10X radar, refigeration, LPG. Boat lo¬ cated at Grand Marina in Alameda, CA. $35,000. Email vic@redixon.com or call weekdays (775) 884-2828.

SCANDINAVIAN KINGS CRUISER. 32ft classic. Elegant and fast. Same designer as the famous Folkboat. Impress and out¬ run your friends. Honduras mahogany on oak, teak decks. Bronze windows and fit¬ tings. Stem-to-stern restoration 95% com¬ plete. New caulk, paint, varnish, bottom, rigging, lazyjacks, interior cushions and bunk, majogany floorboards, curtains, compass, stereo, canvas sail covers and boat cover, and more. New keel 1996. $19,900. Call David (650) 346-9940.

TARTAN 34 CLASSIC, 1973. Great con¬ dition, beautiful teak, 25 hp diesel, shoaldraft, wheel. Autopilot, VHF, Loran, depthsounder, speedlog. Mainsail, two roller-furling jibs, life jackets, two anchors, fenders, 6'2” headroom throughout, beam 10’2”. Sparkman & Stephens design. In¬ cludes dodger, sailing dinghy, swim lad¬ der, dock

RANGER 33.5. Excellent condition. Gal¬ ley, refrigerator. New bottom paint, no blis¬ ters. New plumbing equipment in head/ shower and bilge. Atomic 4 runs great. Ready to sail, race or liveaboard. Berthed at Oakland. Call Jim (650) 776-1002.

HUNTER 340. 1998. Spacious interior. Furling jib, GPS, 27 hp diesel. Microwave, fridge, propane oven, stereo, pressure hot water shower. Comfortable cockpit, amenities. Knotmeter, VHS, depthmeter. Berthed Redwood City. $83,500. Call (916) 521-2347.

PACIFIC SEACRAFT MARIAH Mk II. Ex¬ cellent condition. Equipped for cruising, outstanding liveaboard comfort. Hull, deck, 1977; complete professional rebuild, overhaul, 1989. Pacific circumnavigation, Southern Ocean to Bering Sea, 1997. San Juan Island, WA. Photos/details see Website: http://www.rockisland.com/ ~mariah4sale/$79,900. (360) 317-8688.

37-FT STEEL VAN DE STADT. Fast bluewater cutter. Hull professionally built. Loaded for long distance cruising. Please, serious inquiries only. Leave address for spec sheet. $35,000. Call (310) 374-0101.

CATALINA 36 Mk II, 1998. Recent sur¬

vey states “vessel above standard condi¬ tion, like new. Interior immaculate, sailing gear in first class condition.” Seldom used, never raced. Many extras: Autohelm, au¬ topilot, dodger, Dutchman sail system, inverter. Universal 35 hp diesel. Tiburon, CA. $114,000. Gordon (415) 435-4282.

36-FT STEEL PH CUTTER. Profession¬ ally built, Brent Swain designed, twin-keel, Isuzu diesel. Aft cabin. Foamed interior, epoxy coated, needs some cosmetics. Launched 1993. Relocating. Lying Bellingham, WA. A bargain at $29,500. Call (360) 734-8293.

32.5-FT PEARSON VANGUARD, 1963. Tried and proven, ready to go anywhere. Same owner 27 years. Recently refitted. Standing and running rigging. Large sail inventory. Dodger, boat cover, 25 hp die¬ sel, solar panel, electronics, refrigerator, autopilot, windlass and more. $27,500. Call Bill (805) 983-1366 or (805) 658-1507.

CATALINA 34, 1987. Excellent condition. Low hours on diesel. New custom sails Fall 2000. New bottom April 2002. Furling jib. Full galley, two private berths, head, shower, water heater. Sleeps 7. Great for weekend trips. Stereo with cockpit speak¬ ers. Asking $42,500. (415) 601-4217.

36 TO 39 FEET

DOWNEAST 38 KETCH, 1975. Strong bluewater cruiser. Very seaworthy, made in USA. Traditional lines. 7 feet of headroom. New Yanmar 36 hp diesel, less than 300 hours. Some electronic upgrades. Lots of wood interior, good shape. Lots of custom cushions. Spare roller furling headsail. Berthed in San Leandro. $65,000. Call Eric (408) 241-8411 or email: ericaker@pacbell.net.

36-FT SEA WITCH KETCH. Golden Hind. Last one built of the original Hugh Angelman ketches by Wilmington Boat Works 1959. See Wooden Boat issue #147. One of the best, maintained to the highest yacht standards. Heavily built, 1 1/2” vertical grain old growth fir planking over 3-1/2” double-sawn oak frames, teak decks. Extensive equipment list includes 60 hp Ford diesel, Wood Freeman auto¬ pilot, Monitor windvane, Furuno radar and GPS/plotter, Sitex depthsounder and VHF, diesel cabin heater, heavy duty elec¬ tric windlass, new dodger and covers. 10ft Zodiac and 10 hp motor and a lot more. A proven offshore veteran ready to cruise. Located Morro Bay. $85,000. Call (805) 528-6819 or (805) 441-0471 (cell) or email: WilboKetch@aol.com.

HUNTER VISION 36,1993. Hi-tech boat, better-than-new condition. Freestanding mast. Full batt. main, roller-furl jib. Rigid vang, all lines led aft, power winch, stackpack, 38 hp Yanmar, hard dodger, Autohelm 7000, GPS and integrated in¬ struments, spacious all-teak interior, 2 pri¬ vate cabins, queen main, Corian countertops in galley, elect, windlass, cockpit cushions, numerous extras. Lightly used, freshwater berth. Must see. $97,000. Call (707) 257-3663 or email: zaffs2@earthlink.net.

TARTAN 37, 1982. Santa Barbara 50-ft slip. New rigging, canvas, autopilot,3blade feathering prop, epoxy bottom, wind, speed, depth instruments. See pictures and equipment list: photos.yahoo.com/ sundog404. Boat and slip, $120,000. Boat alone, $65,000. Call Val (805) 886-6556 or email: sundog@mail.com.

ERICSON 39. TransPac model, seven sails, roller furling, dodger, eleven winches, Perkins 107 with 1,400 hours. Radar, Loran, VHF, GPS, depthsounder, pressure hot water, two anchors, extra folding prop, 12-ft rowing dory. See on Website: www.yachtworld.com/ $33,000/ firm. Call (707) 318-2778.

37-FT ISLANDER AUXILIARY SLOOP. Veteran Pacific cruiser. New main and genoa, davits and dinghy. Perkins diesel, autopilot and too much gear to list. Wellappointed cabin. Beautiful and seaworthy. Asking $35,000. Call (530) 533-7371 or email: capjames@c-zone.net.

WATKINS 36 SLOOP, 1982. Center cock¬ pit. Huge cabin for liveaboard or cruising. Perkins 50 hp diesel, tow hours. Great wood interior, sleeps at least 6, all cruis¬ ing amenities, hard to get slip goes with boat. Slip A77, Monterey Marina. $65,000. Call (925) 376-3826.

GARDEN SEAL 38; 1976. Flush deck, heavy duty, double-ended cutter. Volvo diesel, radar/GPS/VHF, windlass, watermaker, dinghy, extra sails, cruise equipped. Full bottom job, topsides Awlgrip, 1997. Lying San Carlos, Mexico. $64,000 or trade for Bluebird Wanderlodge? Charlie (520) 720-4969 or email: zbpeo@theriver.com.

ISLANDER FREEPORT 36, 1979. Plan B. Perkins 4-108, LPU painted, interior varnished, epoxy bottom 1992. Electrical system upgraded for cruising. 12v watermaker, 2 Navico WP4000 autopilots, new ColdMachine, new upholstery. San Diego Marriott Marina. $69,500. Email: bblalock@cox.net.

CF 37. Race or cruise in comfort. Com¬ pletely redone. New interior, new LP ex¬ terior. Nexus instruments with chart plot¬ ter, GPS, autopilot. Roller furling, 19 sails, carbon pole. 4-cylinder Pathfinder diesel. Motivated 2-boat owner anxious to sell. Reduced to $54,900. Call (714) 978-7272 (days) or (714) 841 -7575 (eves) or email: maury@tandemdesigninc.com.

WELL-MAINTAINED LAPWORTH 36. Built in 1960. Just hauled, bottom painted, zincs and valves replaced as needed, re¬ cently surveyed and survey work done. Boat has Barient 28s and Isuzu diesel engine. Same ownerfor 35 years. Located in Belyedere-Tiburon area. Perfect boat for cruising. $24,500. (415) 929-1586 or (415) 929-1597.

ISLANDER 36, 1974. Have house and boat in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. One’s * gotta go. I say house, wife says boat. Guess who won? New within last 2-3 years: Westerbeke diesel with 340 hours, dodger, headliner, lifelines. Also Harken roller furling, wheel, Autohelm 3000, over¬ sized Maxwell windlass, Lewmar opening ports, Hummingbird fish finder, Magellan GPS. Sound boat, shows well. CoClId use a little TLC. Photos available. Priced to sell at $31,500. Call (818) 986-8132.

Union polaris 36, 1984. weiiequipped, veteran bluewater cruiser'. Painstakingly maintained and cared for. With the sailing characteristics, safety and comfort expected of a traditional design. $95,000. Call (805) 658-8663 or email: gypsyup36@hotmail.com.

BROWNSUGAR. 38-ft fractional rig. Cold molded sloop. Doug Peterson design. Built in San Diego, 1979. TransPac and numer¬ ous wins. Totally refitted. Suitable for rac¬ ing or cruising. Currently lying in Florida Keys. Please see at Website: http:// utkan.home.mindspring.com/ Call (510) 444-8755.

PEARSON 365, 1977. Ketch rig, strong fair hull, recent bottom paint. Meticulously maintained. Westerbeke 40 hp diesel, low hours. A/P, radar, H/C pressure, dodger. Lots of spare gear. Solid Bay sailer. De¬ signed to cruise to anywhere. Asking $56,500. qail (415) 305-4497.

IJiEW YORK 36 RACER/CRUISER. Well 'equipped, roller furling, windlass, 2 full batten mains,

Asking $

Please call (250) 744-6060 or email: inneroc4ansail@hotmail.com.

Support local and regional programs for children and young adults through the charitable donation of your boat.

The Pacific Marine Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization funding regional programs such as Northwest Youth Services, Sea Scouts, Boys & Girls Clubs, and local public school education foundations. A sub¬ stantial tax savings and the possibility of a partial cash sale makes a charitable donation a very attractive alternative for any owner who is considering selling their well-found power or sailing yacht.

[888]443-8262 www.paeificmarine.org

CATALINA 380, 1998. Furled main and jib, 6000+ autopilot, WS, KM, DS, VHS, GPS, 2000 Heart inverter, electric wind¬ lass, Bruce anchor, oven, refrigerator, shower, full cockpit enclosure, deck washdown, auto oil-changer, lines, fend¬ ers, etc. As new. $140,000.(707) 422-0411.

LANCER 36,1981. Bill Lee designed for speed. Sloop with large wheel and cock¬ pit, many instruments, radar, VHF, depth, dater heater, fridge,, separate captain’s berth. 3-cyl Yanmar just rebuilt. Needs various cosmetic and misc. jobs. (510) 559-8942 or email: boatbrain@aol.com.

40 TO 50 FEET

Salmon Harbor Marina is Oregon's largest recreational boating and full service/self-contained RV camping facility, offering excellent moorage rates at a beautiful 750-slip marina which is conveniently located on the southern Oregon coast next to prime fishing, crabbing and cruising grounds.

As an example, the AMMUAL moorage rate for a 24-' boat is only $566 and a 26' boat is $772 all utilities included. Salmon Harbor's recreational facility is complete with all the amenities including concrete & wooden docks, two boat lifts, boat repair, fuel dock, restaurants, charter boats, restrooms & showers. For more information, contact:

HARBOR MARINA

Box 1007, Winchester Bay, OR 974-67 Bus. (54-1) 271-24-07 Fax (54-1) 271-2060 email: salmonh@co.douglas.or.us.

ISLANDER FREEPORT 36. Plan B. New Perkins 4-108 long block, 1996. Epoxy bottom hauled, painted, Nov 2001. New Harken furler, jib, gennaker and sock. Hull LPU pointed 1998. Full cockpit canvas enclosure. Mast pulled, painted, new standing rigging, 2000. Inverter charger four house, two starter batteries/monitor. Windspeed/direction, KM, DS. Autohelm 4000. Hplding tank, head, H/W heater new 2000. Interior beautifully redone. Free Spiritis in excellent condition, sailed regu¬ larly. $72,000. Call (510) 522-5657 or (510) 453-2911 (cell).

GRAND SOLEIL 39, 1986. Bluewater comfort and performance. New Yanmar, BNG instruments, autopilot, Sausalito slip, custom cabinets, Corian counter tops, freezer and fridge, new cushions and can¬ vas last year. Blue book $135,000. Must sell, asking $119,000. Call (510) 301-3174.

KETTENBURG 41,1966. Fiberglass hull, varnished mahogany house, varnished spruce mast. 6’8” headroom. 40 hp die¬ sel, 1990. 12 volt refrigeration, D-8 bat¬ teries, 12 volt outlets. Loran, GPS, VHS. 2 symmetrical, one asymmetrical spinna¬ kers, 2 mains, 6 jibs. Plow anchor, 110-ft of chain, manual windlass. Modified fin keel draws 5.5-ft, spade rudder. She has circumnavigated and good buoy racer. Beautiful bluewater boat. Currently in Sausalito slip. New baby says boat must go. $44,000/obo. Jeff (415) 517-8013.

HUNTER PASSAGE 450,1997. This boat is ready for anything. Too much gear to list. Autopilot, radar, chartplotter, GPS. 9.5 kw generator, 77 hp Volvo diesel, 8 knots under power. 200 gal water, 100 gal fuel. 2 units heat and air conditioning. Very large aft cabin, queen bed, freezer and refrigerator with holding plates. Swim plat¬ form. Spinnaker and gear. Member SSC. Asking $214,000. Call Joe (209) 955-6819 (hm) or (800) 704-0355 (wk).

PEARSON 385,1984. Immaculate, cen¬ ter cockpit, 44 hp Yanmar, radar, A/P, GPS, roller furling, refrigeration, wind gen¬ erator, dodger, 2 staterooms, 2 heads, inverter, 45 gal fuel, 170 gal water. $89,500. For complete inventory and pho¬ tos call (209) 996-6216 or email: watermanjk@pocketmail.com.

IRWIN 38, 1984. Impeccable condition. Cruise or liveaboard, center cockpit with custom full enclosure, cutter rigged. All sails furling, Perkins 4-180, 4 kw genset Kubota/U.S. Energy, 1200 watt inverter. Extras galore. $129,000. (310) 822-4471 or email: fjblitzer@netscape.net.

CHRIS CRAFT 37 SLOOP, 1967. Inboard gas engine, furling jib, depthfinder, radio, galley, stove, fridge, private marine head, sleeps 4, liveaboard or cruiser, new bot¬ tom paint. Berthed in San Francisco. $21,500. Jim (209) 786-4864.

BENETEAU 440,1994. (Sistership). Mo¬ tivated seller. Four cabins, 2 heads, dual refrigeration, GPS chart plotter, KM, DS, furling jib and main, autopilot, forced air heat, excellent condition. Located Semiahmoo Resort, Blaine, WA. Slip also for sale. Price reduced $148,000. (360) 371-5122 or email: jjspearson@cs.com.

KELLY-PETERSON 44, 1980. KP 44 is one ofthe best production bluewater boats ever built. Well-maintained vessel, loaded, ready to go. Full specs, equipment list, photos available at Website: http:// osmx.com/towers.htm. Ih La Paz, BCS, Mex. $119,500. Email: towers@osmx.com.

WIDOW MUST SACRIFICE. Sturdy,soul¬ ful motorsailer, built In 1987. 42-ft workboat/liveaboard with heavily built glass-over-wood hull. Junk rigged main, 80 hp Isuzu, radar, autopilot, hydraulics, anchors. Lived aboard 10 years, 6 years in San Carlos, Sonora, Mexico, 300 miles south of Tucson, where boat is currently located. Use it to cruise, or as your sturdy floating farmhouse/vacation getaway on San Carlos Bay. $22,000/obo. Please email Sally: toadboat@pocketmail.com or verbajee@yahoo.com.

PROJECT BOAT, 42-FT IOR. Monique. In process of conversion to liveaboard/ daysailer. Very unique but needs TLC. $45,000/obo. Call (707) 332-9670 or email: btroy33@hotmail.com.

48-FT STEEL PILOTHOUSE CUTTER. 1986 Ted Brewer design. Beautiful. $199,500. See at www.argylehouse.net/ sailboat/cutter.html Call (360) 378-4084.

FREEDOM 45 CENTER COCKPIT, 1991. West Coast, priced for quick sale. $229,000. Immaculate, cruise ready. Email: lllusionsBFB@aol.com orcall (360) 378-4359 for full written description and inventory.

BENETEAU 411, 1998. Perfect. Always covered past toe-rails with custom can¬ vas. New engine, batteries, bottom paint 2002. New gennaker and sock. Roller main and genoa. Autopilot. AutoProp. Heart 2500 Inverter. 2-stateroom version. Relocation forces sale. $159,995. Jamie (909) 340-1697.

STAYSAIL SCHOONER 42, 1979. Alu¬ minum. 50’ x 11 ’4” x 6’ single chine. 33 hp Yanmar. 48-mile radar, autopilot, 6 berths, 2 heads, self-tacking rig, heavy ground tackle, offshore ready, many spares. One owner since new. Excellent condition. $71,500. Call (714) 894-7496 or email: david@ naturelakes.com.

DOWNEASTER 41 PILOTHOUSE, 1980. One owner. 65 hp Ford Lehman diesel. 200 gal. water, 300 gal. diesel. New sails. have had my fun, now it’s your turn. Live aboard. Sail the world. Tampa, Florida. $79,900.

GULFSTAR 50, 1978. Center cockpit ketch, comfortable world cruiser, great 2 bedroom, 2 bath liveaboard. 65 hp diesel, 15kw generator, radar, SSB, vacuflush onboard treatment. See it at: http://www. geocities.com/alan_winslow/ $130,000. Ernail: alan_winslow@yahoo.com.

VAN DE STADT 40, 1987. Steel cutter. World cruiser. Outfitted in France. Newly painted. One owner since 1989. Perkins 4108M, roller furling, autopilot. Avon din¬ ghy and outboard engine. Avon 8-persons liferaft. Aries vane gear, generator, solar panels, dodger and more. Lying La Paz, Baja, Mexico. $55,000. 011-52 (612) 1216738 or email: gotboats® prodigy.net.mx.

C&C 44,1989. Racer/cruiser. Fast, solid, beautiful, spacious, luxurious. C&C’s ‘Queen of the Fleet’. Racing hull with beautiful interior woodwork. Extensive re¬ fit and upgrades 2001. No expense spared. Mint condition, shows like new. Too much to list. No brokers please. $179,000. (310) 829-6469 or email: oceanpooh@yahoo.com.

ANTARCTIC 44, 1999. Custom alu¬ minium performance cruiser, as new, well equipped. $289,000 US. For further infor¬ mation please go to Website: http:// www3.telus.net/antarctic44 or call (250) 751-0148.

RHODES 42 SLOOP, 1959. Taaroa. Double plank mahogany over cedar, cop¬ perfastened to oak, teak decks, well sailed and maintained. Priced to sell at $55,000 US. Call Rob (510) 841-5968 or email: speeddyy@ prodigy.net.mx.

NEWPORT 41. C&C designed perfor¬ mance cruiser. Bright, spacious, comfort¬ able interior. Well-maintained with many upgrades. Images, details at Website: www.sisterships.com/newport.html/ $65,000. Call (510) 893-8910.

BENETEAU

900 amp battery bank, 2 propane tanks, 2 macerators. Kato radar mount. Aiameda. $269,900. Call (925) 829-8142.

NORTH AMERICAN 40, 1978. Cruiser/ racer by Morgan Yachts. Hauled,

veyed, bottom paint 7/01.12-ft beam,

ft draft, 17,000

Furling jib,

FUJI 45. Aft cabin, center cockpit ketch. Supurb John Alden design. Cruise equipped. Price reflects location, not con¬ dition. Cruise paradise or bring her home. Lying Pago Pago, American Samoa. Free video. Courtesy to brokers. $49,500. Please call (480) 488-8173 or email: dolphinamica@yahoo.com.

HANS CHRISTIAN 43 KETCH, 1979. Full electronics, extensive sail inventory, bow thruster, custom mattress, epoxy bottom, re-rigged, watermaker, genset, Avon can¬ ister, 406 EPIRB, Muir windlass, much more. Excellent condition. Must sell, all offers considered. (707) 543-3270 or (707) 539-9564.

BENETEAU 400,1995. Motivated seller. 3 cabins, 2 heads, radar, dual refrigera¬ tion, GPS, KM, DS, wind, forced air heat, upgraded sails, rigging and equipment. Located Semiahmoo Resort, Blaine, WA. Slip also for sale. Price reduced $138,000. Please call (360) 371-5122 or email: jjspearson@cs.com.

ISLANDER 40 KETCH. New Isuzu, full keel, hauled 12/01, watermaker, radar, SSB/Ham/fax modem, VHF, GPS, depth, 2 autopilots, solar, wind gen, canister liferaft, EPIRB, 150 gal diesel, 120 gal water, 3 anchors, full shower, docu¬ mented. $69,500. (408) 353-3260 or email: hicrook@yahoo.com.

/

FIRST $55,000 TAKES IT. Freedom 40 Cat Ketch, center cockpit, lots of extras. Cruised to Mexico, Hawaii and Alaska. Excellent shorthanded tropical cruiser. Price firm, reduced from $72,000. Email: abthomas@pugetsound.net or call (360) 856-0100.

HARDIN 44 KETCH, 1978. Sexy, roomy, bright, sturdy, comfy. The center cockpit ketch Tasherana is for sale. Second owner is swallowing anchor afterten years. Huge aft stateroom with queen bed, three sa¬ loon bunks, convertible dinette, workshop or 2nd head. 60 hp Isuzu, windlass, an¬ chors, Lectrasan, 2000w inverter, fire¬ place, Adler-Barbour refrigeration, new Force 10 stove. Amazing storage: 45 drawers, 33 lockers. Loves those 'gentle' San Francisco breezes. Alameda. See at ,bttp://www.tasherana.com/for_sale/ $108,000. Call Charles (510) 523-3238 or email: for_sale@tasherana.com.

kers, 9 bags sails. Yanmar

diesel, new 1998, less than 300 hrs. New dodger, interior cushions. Teak/holly sole, sleeps 7, full galley. See on Website: www. slickerslog.com. $65,000. (415) 479-3146 or email: automagic@CallATG.com.

/

ERICSON 41. Beautiful sloop. Varnished interior, one year. New topsides being painted. New spreaders. Ground tackle, anchors, line. $25,000. For detail^pall Stu (415) 821-7445.

LIVE THE DREAM. Sparkman & Stephens Swift 40. 1979. Bulletproof, seakindly bluewater cruiser in bristol con¬ dition. Robertson autopilot, GPS, Ham/ SSB, wind, speed, Heart inverter, new batteries, 12 CD/stereo, rigging 1999, many extras. Cruise ready. Lying Puerto Vallarta. $120,000. Call (925) 376-9035 or email: rtnsandi@hotmail.com.

CATALINA 400, 1997. Exceptionally clean and well-equipped. 2 wheels, state¬ rooms and heads. Diesel has only 362 hours. Cockpit instruments include: Furuno 36-mile radar, ST7000 Autohelm interfaced with ST50 instruments (speed, depth, wind) and Garmin GPS, VHF: In¬ strument repeater in cabin. Complete can¬ vas including dodger and bimini. Cockpit cushions. CQR anchor. Maxwell windlass. Microwave. Propane stove and oven. Refrigerator/freezer, TV/VCR. AM/FM ste¬ reo CD/cassette. 2 roller furling headsails. For complete specs and 100 photos go to: http://briefcase.yahoo.com/ hwblake/ $159,900. Calf (415) 435-6285 or email: harrywblake@attbi.com.

NALU IV, CUSTOM LAPWORTH 48. Cold-molded sloop/cutter built by Chapman, builder of Windward Passage, proven world class cruiser/racer ready for bluewater sailing. Three cabins, sleeps nine, two heads, fresh, salt and pressure water. Propane, 3-burner stove with oven, 12 volt,refrigeration. 1500w Honeywell converter, radar, GPS, VHF, SSB, full wind and speed instruments. TransPac emer¬ gency rudder. Perkins 4-107, folding prop, engine driven freezer and watermaker, solar panel, dodger, sun awning. AlphaSpectra autopilot. Nine sails, 8-man Zo¬ diac liferaft. EPIRB, two depth sounders, CQR and Danforth anchors with 400-ft chain/line. 12v Lofrans windlass, spare alternator and starter. AM/FM stereo and much more. Great stowage, perfect for family or crew. Proven PHRF rating. $119,500. Call (510) 769-6753 or email: nalufour®compuserve.com.

CAL 40 ARIEL. Cruising tested, ready to go again. Custom oak interior, new paint. Modern electrical, 406 EPIRB, liferaft, HF email, scanning sonar, Zodiac dinghy, outboard. Profurl jib reefing, extensive spares. See Website: home.earth link.net/ —flexibleflyer for pics, inventory. $65,000. Please call (650) 926-9730 or email: goodchuck@juno.com.

HARDIN 45, 1982. Slipaway is a beauti¬ ful seaworthy world cruising ketch. Re¬ furbished inside and out, beautiful teak with.hand,carved doors, lots of light/head¬ room, lots of storage, cockpit can enclose to make another room. Large sun shade, new paint inside and out. This is a float¬ ing condo with many amenities too numer¬ ous to state here. Please contact us for full list of amenities and pictures. One of the nicest Hardins available. Perkins 85 hp engine, gen. set, watermaker, inverter, microwave, TV/VCR, 3 radios, Caribe din¬ ghy with 18 hp motor on davits. Spare parts go with sale. Much more included. Price reduced to $139,000. Call (520) 887-2369 or email: slipawaysf@aol.com.

PERFECT OFFSHORE CRUISER. Bristol condition 1980/98. 40-ft Bruce Roberts center cockpit cutter with $45,000 recently spent on total refit: new bottom, new rig¬ ging, new dodger, new upholstery, new stove and most equipment and electron¬ ics near new. Fully loaded with all elec¬ tronics, windvane steering, solar panels, wind generator, watermaker, autopilot, charts and CDs for coast and South Pa¬ cific and much more. Health condition forces sale. Far below owner’s costs at $98,500. Details at Website: http:// www.offshorecruiser.net (250) 655-6492 (BC).

(415)

SEA WOLF 40 KETCH, 1979. Garden designed. Hardin built. Great cruising or liveaboard. Second owner. Re-rigged with new Harken rollerfurling. Teak decks and interior well maintained. Pisces Isuzu die¬ sel engine running great. Extras. Classic beauty. Bay Area. $75,000. Please call (415) 459-7514.

CT-41 F/G KETCH, 1973. William Garden design, Taiwan-built, full keel, comfortable liveaboard. Possible liveaboard slip in Alameda. Perkins 4-108 diesel, pressure hot/cold water. Must sell. $48,000/obo. Call (408) 390-4080.

SWAN 41,1976. Sparkman & Stephens design. Excellent condition. North sails, Perkins 41 hp diesel, central heat/AC, re¬ frigeration, custom V-berth and nav sta¬ tion, autopilot, electric windlass, and GPS. SF Bay Area. See at Website: http:// www.geocities.com/swan41 038/ $125,000. Please call (415) 377-1964.

51 FEET & OVER

HERRESHOFF MARCO POLO 55. Constance. Glass hull, tanbark sails, wooden house and interior. 50 hp diesel, USCG documented, Panama Canal id. Proven cruising vessel. Large salon, tool room, ground tackle, autopilot. See at Website: www.capemendocino.com/ $75,000/obo. Call (707) 964-0487.

60-FT STEEL HULL KETCH. Washer, dryer, tile shower, on-demand water heater. 3-burner stove, microwave. 350gal diesel, 100-gal water. Closed-in wheelhouse, 2 staterooms, 30 tons. Needs work. Great liveaboard. $25,000/cash only. Larry (559) 348-1648.

31’6” SEAGOER YAWL. Larger Seabird. Ex-Master Mariner. Documented. 50 hp diesel. Needs paint and sails. Appraised at $28,500. Sacrifice for $10,000/cash/ obo. Call (415) 272-0501.

SCHOONER WHITEFIN, 65-FT LOD.

Originally built 1917 as tug for Standard Oil. Skillfully converted to junk-rig schoo¬ ner in ‘60s. Sailed to Costa Rica and Ha¬ waii. Massive construction. Recent refit in¬ cludes new GMC 671 diesel, 115 hours, new hydraulic gear, new standing rigging, new interior. Safe and steady at sea, cozy and comfortable in port. Vessel being sold with unique, rent-free liveaboard situation. Owner has purchased larger schooner. $58,000. (415) 331-3612 or email: miwakirosella@hotmail.com.

TAYANA 55, Renowned 3 stateroom, mid-cockpit cutter. Lloyds of London specifications. Rigged with the best. B&G instruments, Furuno radar and weatherfax, ICOM SSB and VHF, Trimble GPS, Sitex Navaid GPS, Yeoman plotter, Alden Navtex, Alpha autopilot, 4 ACR EPIRBs. Zodiac liferaft. Cruisair A/C¬ heater, Grunert refrigerator. Village Ma¬ rine watermaker, 8 kw Onan gen, 6 kw US Elec gen. Forespar in-mast electric furling. Pro Furl furling. Cruise spinnaker. Navtec figging. Call for list, 3% Co-Op to brokers. Offshore delivery available. $359,000. (619) 670-3770.

80-FT SCHOONER CYRANO, 1963. This awesome liveaboard is the best deal in the Bay. Full galley with full-sized fridge, bathtub, huge doghouse. This very roomy schooner used to belong to William F. Buckley, Jr. See our Website: http:// www.tpo.net/cyrano/ $50,000/offers. Call (415) 307-0606 or email: tpo@tpo.net.

FRIENDSHIP SLOOP. 31-ft overall. Gaff rig, fresh sails, bottom paint and rigging. Volvo diesel, excellent condition. 1975 Newman-Morse fiberglass. Located Morro Bay. $25,000. Call (760) 470-1000.

VALEO 55 KETCH MOTORSAILER.

Floating condo for world cruising. 200 hp turbo Volvo. 12-1/2 and 6 kw generators. Roller furled main and genoa. A/C, washer/dryer, gourmet galley. 10-ft Zo¬ diac. All amenities, eetc. $199,000/obo. Please call (415) 453-6127 or email: lorshane@aol.com._

66-FT ON DECK, 1923 ENGLISH KETCH. Shoal draft. Copper riveted mahogany on oak, teak decks. Perkins diesel, Onan genset, radar. Traditional English interior. A lovely classic yacht. Asking $329,000. Call (415) 479-7128.

FORMOSA 51 KETCH, 1981. Beautiful cruiser. Black fiberglass hull, teak decks and trim, Sitka spruce spars, stainless steel crow's nest. Roller furling boomless main, staysail: Marqon covers. Teak in¬ terior, varnished throughout. Benmar autopilot, 80 bp Ford Lehman diesel, Dickinson diesel heater, propane stove/ oven. Palomar propane water heater, AC/DC cold-plate freezer/refrig. 220 gal fuel, 220 gal water. 3 staterooms, 2 heads. Set up to singlehand. Lying Santa Cruz. $127,500. Call (650) 326-1430 or email: captted@pacbell.net.

SUPER MARAMUAMEL53 KETCH, 1998. Fully loaded. Ready to go around the world. Bow thruster, 2 autopilots, watermaker, generator, 3 freezers, 3 heat and air conditioners, SSB, much more. Located in San Francisco. $475,000. Call (775) 267-1460 or (775) 720-3912 (cell) or email: amel98@dellepro.com.

NORSEMAN 535. Tivoli. Center cockpit cutter. World class luxury cruiser. All Reckmann hydraulic roller furling sails, electric winches, spinnaker system, Cus¬ tom hard dodger, solar panels, dual ac¬ cess engine room, powerful 130 hp Mercedes diesel, genset. 3 bladed Max Prop. Updated Furuno and B&G electron¬ ics, offshore gear, Vetus bow thruster, Balmar watertight bulkhead, 2800w in¬ verter, converter, Webasto thermo 90 heater. 2 Seafrost air conditioners, work¬ shop, scuba compressor, 600 gpd watermaker. 3 spacious staterooms, 2 ensuite heads, Vacu-flush toilets, separate sit-down showers. Designer galley, cus¬ tom glass bar, wine storage, new leather interior, built-in safe, custom locker for Luke storm anchor and scuba tanks. Stainless davits, comfortable 12-ft Caribe and 25 Honda. Bristol condition. Serious offers considered. Call (408) 855-5338 or email:/sailaway2krs@yahoo.com._

CLASSICS

H28 HERRESHOFF KETCH, 1950. Clas¬ sic. San Francisco YRA Div. 14 Season Champion. Oakframing, rebuilt 1985. New Atomic 4 gas engine. New boat cover. Two sets sails. Slip available Paradise Cay, Marin County. $5,000. Please caH-(415) 435-3656.

JEFFRIES 34,1952.34' x 13' beam. Ply¬ wood and mahagony classic beauty. New managony interior, head and shower, gal¬ ley with gas stove, microwave, fridge. Six berths. New upholstery. Two 455 gas en¬ gines. Gets a lot of attention. $54,000. Call (415) 847-0536.

FARALLON CLIPPER 38,1953. MistressII. Hull #11. Looking for the right buyer to uphold the Farallon tradition. Honest seller. Large inventory of gear. Asking $25,000/obo. Call Bill Doll (415) 561 -7i 20 or (415) 764-5563 (pgr) or email: wdoll10016@aol.com.

SWANSON 36 SEDAN CRUISER, 1938. Built in Oakland. Excellent condition, GM Bedford diesel, low hrs. H/C water, shower, diesel heater, propane stove/ oven,

MULT/HULLS

HORSTMAN 26 CAT. Foam/fiberglass hulls complete. Available with plans, near full roll 1.5 oz CSM and nine sheets Kellegecell foam. $7,000 invested, sell $2,500/obo. Call (916) 483-7352 or email moylec@jps.net for pictures and more in¬ formation.

DRASTIC PRICE REDUCTION. The best built 38-ft trimaran on the West Coast. Edson steering, full flotation, Lugger die¬ sel, radar, 100 fathom fathometer, bow thrusters, 10 hatches, 15 stainless port¬ holes, new mast. Too many options to list. Would make fantastic liveaboard. $68,00Q. Call (360) 417-1195.

LAGOON 37,1993. US built. Never char¬ tered. Bristol condition. Cruise ready. $30,000+ in new equipment. Better lay¬ out than new Lagoon 38 and $50,000+ cheaper. SF Bay location. $192,000. Lease-to-buyoption possible. (415) 946-2202 or email: peterlange@sbcglobal.net for detailed spec sheet.

KISMET 38-FT TRIMARAN. Epoxy boat, refit 1990. 2 cabins, Harken furling, 18 hp Volvo diesel, radar, GPS, Ham, 2 ST4000 autopilots. Watermaker, speed/depth logs, inverter, 4 solar panels. New full batten main, new bimini, more. Consistently up¬ graded. Proven world cruiser. US$59,000. Call (250) 537-2534 or (250) 538-0100.

SEARUNNER 37, 1983. 39x23. Yanmar 3HM35, low hours. Diesel stove and heater, KM, DS, 3 anchors, new staysail and running rigging, Autohelm 3000. See at Website: www.kpunet.net/~karlyenk/ EquipmentList.htmi. Asking $47,000. Call (907) 247-4888.

32-FT PIVER TRIMARAN KETCH. Farymann air-cooled diesel, hydraulic drive/transmission. Opening ports with screens, ample storage/headroom, legal head, large berths separate from settee. Inverter/charger, VHF, ground tackle, kickup rudder. Easily singlehanded. Photos. Berthed SF Bay. Selling this month. Please call (925) 679-1947 or email: petdrmetcalf@ mailcity.com.

PROUT 38 CATAMARAN, 1998. Hull #4. In excellent condition. Very little use since new. 3 cabins. Close to new boat condi¬ tion, cost about 30% less. Fully loaded, ready to cruise the world. Lying Seattle. $239,000. For specs call (206) 842-0193 or email: ulyc@seanet.com.

40-FT PIVER STILLETO TRIMARAN. $9,500/firm. Has been sold 11 times, start¬ ing at $15,000. If you do not have $9,500, do not waste my time. Email for photos and more info: triboater@earthlink.net or call (707) 447-3109 (after 6pm).

SEARUNNER 31 TRIMARAN, 1997. Aframe. All epoxy glass over wood/foam. 9.9 o/b, remote/electric start, Wheel,

Sacramento, Delta, CA. Asking $39,000. Call (619) 252-6907 or email: gluerue@yahoo.com.

FARRIER 680 FOLDING TRI. Probuilt,

Glass

Tandem

beams,

stored. $17,500/obo. Please call (503) 654-3917 (8pm-10pm)

REYNOLDS 21 CATAMARAN. Multiple race and series winning boat. Land Rover Island Series 2001. Cruise/race in com¬ fort. Excellent sails, yard trailer and Johnson 4.5. $6,750. Also, Nacra 5.0 with new sails and excellent trailer, $975. Call (805) 483-6915.

BROWN SEARUNNER 41,1972. Trimaran rebuilt 1989. Cutter rig, Yanmar diesel, cruise ready, hard dinghy, 3 anchors. VHF, GPS, Autohelm, wheel steering, spare tools, parts, safety gear. Berthed in Ber¬ keley. Picture, inventory on Website: http:/ /www. home, earthlink.net/~cstage/ boat.html $49,000. Call Jacques (415) 256-8384.

20-FT OREGON SURF DORY HULL with trailer. Fiberglass over okume plywood. Center console, cuddy storage and out¬ board motor box. Professionally rebuilt and painted. Looks like new and stronger than original. Pt. Richmond, CA. $5,500/ obo. Call (510) 205-5568.

GREAT 24-FT SALMON BOAT. Ready to fish. 1985 Glass ply. 350 Chev. Volvo dual prop. 2001 4-stroke Yamaha kicker, 35 hours. Trailer, color Furuno, live well. SF Marina slip. Many extras. Runs great. $16,000/obo. Call (650) 756-6519.

MATTHEWS 41, 1952. Tri-cabin stock cruiser, good condition. Chrysler440s run well, flybridge, dual helm, large fridge, shower, computer desk, etc. Great liveaboard and Bay/Delta cruiser. Boat in San Rafael. $18,000/obo. (856) 678-6071 or email: matthews41ft@hotmail.com.

1973 FIBERFORM 28X10 with.flybridge, twin 250 Chevys, 6 cylinders, rebuilt with approx 150 hours. OMC iOs. New fuel tanks. Hydraulic steering $12,500/obo. Call (510) 527-5966.

BAYLINER 25, 1985. Good condition, well-maintained, low hours, many system upgrades and new parts. Volvo Penta 260 hp. Full galley, fridge, H/C pressure wa¬ ter, head/shower. Sleeps six. Sausalito non-liveaboard berth available. $14,500/ obo. Please call (415) 492-1177 or email: hellothaimassage@yahoo.com.

TUGBOAT, BUILT 1914. 6-110 Detroit. Hydraulic steering, 48” 4-blade prop, re¬ fastened and recaulked in 1999. $12,500. Serious inquiriesonly. Call (415) 244-9886 or (510)814-1913.

BEAUTIFUL 40-FT LIVEABOARD. Docked at Kappas Marina, Sausalito. 3 rooms, 5 skylights, 12 portholes. Complete kitchen with counters, office, teak cabinetry. Classic design, built in 1911 by Stone. Epoxy overhull. Excellent condi¬ tion. $25,000/obo. Call (415) 254-1852.

26-FT EX-NAVY PERSONNEL BOAT converted to work boat. Heavy West sys¬ tem fiberglass reinforcements, 6-71 De¬ troit diesel, 200 hp. Much invested, must see. $1,800. Cali (415) 331-3612.

ULTIMATE CRUISING MACHINE. 45-ft custom cruiser/racer trimaran, built by founder of Corsair Marine. Airex compos¬ ite construction, centercockpit. Unique rig: Unstayed 55-ft carbon fiber masts, fully battened, reached sails. Just returned from South Pacific. Easily singlehanded. $109,000. Call (808) 635-4024 or email: svmeshach@hotmail.com.

DREAM 4 SAIL. Classic Taiwan yard built Piver Lodestar 35 cruising trimaran. Die¬ sel, saildrive, keel, alumrig, wheelhouse, interior, headroom, extras. Primo San Di¬ ego liveaboard moorings (fore/aft). Needs: crew, paint, wanderlust. Sacrifice (busted). $12,500 cash/trade for rural property, cabin? Call (415) 331-0330 or email: bradlow00@aol.com.

CONCORDE POWERBOAT 36,1968. Fi¬ berglass cruiser by Owens. Twin 426 Chrysler engines. Sleeps 4, electric head with large holding tank, shower with sump, freshwater holding tank, pressure system, hot water heater. Great Delta boat. $27,500. Call (650) 444-4699.

CARVER RIVERA 28,1984. All glass aft cabin. As much space as a 34-ft trawler. Economical single gas Crusader 350 hp inboard, 8-1/2 knots at 4 gal/hr or live large at 22 knots. Autopilot, radar, GPS, CD, BBQ and yes, a sailing dinghy with out¬ board. Cruise the Bay and Delta in com¬ fort year 'round with this clean and pam¬ pered mini-yacht. $28,500. Please call (510)568-8141.

OWENS 33,1950. Twin 6-cylinder motors, full delta canvas. Also, 33-ft Chris Craft, 1948 all original, rebuilt 6 Graymarine. Several other fishing and ski boats from $2,500 and up. Call (925) 383-5807 or (510) 535-0457.

40-FT LIBERTY LAUNCH, 1953. Tricabin design with renovated interior. Full galley, separate head and shower. King master berth aft, abundant storage space. Ma¬ hogany hull over oak frames. 671 engine runs great. Strong and well-built vessel: $36,000/obo. Call (415) 456-1420.

1974 GRAND BANKS. Twin engine die¬ sel trawler. Very solidly and beautifully built, teak decks and cabinetry, Needs some misc. work, mostly cosmetic, var¬ nishing and oiling, and short on electron¬ ics. BUC value about $100,000 fixed up. $50,000/obo. (510) 559-8942 or email: boatbrain@aol.com.

38-FT TOLLYCRAFT. Twin Chrysler 240 hp. Excellent condition. Great liveaboard. $35,000. Call Mark (650) 363-9237.

35-FT TRIMARAN RACER/CRUISER. Set up for singlehanding,15 hp elec, start o/b, autopilot, wind and speed instru¬ ments, 3 spinnakers, recent main, jib and standing rigging, hard vang, standing headroom, sink, stove. Good looking, strong, fast. More boat than F-27. $30,000. For more info call (510) 521 -0883 or email: rchapmanl 1 @ mindspring.com.

POWER & HOUSEBOATS

GB 32,1966, #22. Fresh out of the yard. A woodie as good as they get. $60,000. Call (415) 388-8627.

CHRIS CRAFT CONNIE 55, 1961. Mo¬ torboat. 3 staterooms, electric galley, com¬ fortable, cozy. Need to sell, moving. Oys¬ ter Point, Dock 13. $13,500/obo. Call (650) 303-2502.

39-FT FIBERGLASS FISHING TRAWLER. Cat 3160, hydraulic and full electronics. Cabin with V-berth, fridge, stoves and head. 4 large holding wells, two stations plus remote. Going back to sailing. Must sell. Emeryville. $33,500/obo. Call (510) 923-9850.

DEFEVER 49 PILOTHOUSE TRAWLER, 1983. Ready to cruise, stabilize. Alaska and Mexico veteran, 2000 nm range. Twin 120 hp Lehmans, 3,300 hrs. 7.5 kw Onan gen¬ erator, 1,750 hrs. Full array of integrated electronics. Extensive spares. 12-ft AB RIB dinghy, center console. 12 volt, 20 cu ft Glacier Bay holding plate refrigerator/ freezer, washer/dryer, solar panels, wind generators, watermaker. Much, much more. La Paz, Mexico now, San Diego mid-June, 2002. $329,000. Call (210) 262-3888 or email: lbholley@aol.com.

STEPHENS 34 SEDAN CRUISER, 1951. Classic. New hull paint, new transom, re¬ built and planked. Needs stain and var¬ nish on cabin and rails, some mechanical work. All original. Rare boat. $7,500/firm. Call (925) 370-0795.

60-FT FISHING BOAT, 1925. Built at Gig Harbor. Caterpillar 13,000 engine. Refas¬ tened 1984. New rudder and shaft bear¬ ing. Good sea boat and runs cheaply on fuel. Located at Bodega Bay. Offer or trade. Call (707) 479-0983.

PARTNERSHIPS

CAL 31. Roller furling, spinnaker, Perkins diesel, Webasto heater. One opening available in 5-party group. Alameda berth. $150/month covers all. Call (510) 8655147 or email: boatncf@earthlink.net.

SAIL A 45-FT YACHT in Hawaiian wa¬ ters around Maui, Lanai and Molokai. Seven magical days of whale watching, swimming with dolphins, snorkeling, fish¬ ing, warm sunshine, beautiful beaches, and delicious luaus. Partners wanted. $500 annual dues and $1000 deposit. Please call (808) 965-0785 or email: bingo@aloha.net.

GREAT PARTNERSHIP. Relocation re¬ quires sale'of 1/2 ownership in Ericson 38. Other partner works weekends so no scheduling conflicts. Great weekend re¬ treat in Sausalito. $25,000 plus split ex¬ penses. Call Tom (925) 675-1984 (days).

TAYANA 46 PH CUTTER, 2002. 1/3 share in new, fully outfitted boat based in San Diego. Partnership can finance with 20% down. Cruise Baja, Channel Islands, Pacific Northwest for 1/3 the cost. Flex¬ ible, professional partners. Call Ed (925) 408-2093.

CORONADO 23. Convenient Oakland berth at Embarcadero Cove. Great Bay boat, easy to sail and will teach. Good condition, sleeps 4, depthfinder, o/b, $100 per month to help with expenses for 50% use. Dan (510) 357-9711 or email: rhino1990@aol.com.

BEST PARTNERSHIP ON THE BAY.

38 shared by 5 partners. Boat is clean with new interior, rigging and elec¬ tric windlass. Ready for sailing with 50 hp diesel, refer, BBQ, stereo. Excellent solid boat. Sausaiito berth. $15,000. Please email: Dave@Burdell.net.

1/4 PARTNER WANTED. $3,000 plus $100 per month to own Dufour 301/4 time. Solid, clean fiberglass sloop. Easy to sail from Pt. Richmond slip. Well equipped for Bay cruising. Call (707) 696-7981 or email: jimallen94920@yahoo.com.

COLUMBIA 36, 1968. Docked in Sausaiito. Hauled 1/01. New bottom paint, new upholstery 1/01. Roller furling, diesel engine. Survey selling price $25,000. 1/3 interest available $6,500. Monthly slip share $135. Call (415) 883-6464.

RANGER 23. Looking for one or two part¬ ners to fill existing partnership. Boat is fully equipped with all lines leading aft. 9 hp outboard. Sails include North main, jib, genoa, spinnaker. Berthed at Berkeley. $1,000 jtnd $37/month. (925) 979-9466.

CATALINA 30. One-third time share in sharp Catalina 30. New leather interior, TV/VCR/CD, microwave. SF Marina slip. $350/month. Call (415) 731-495&. Signifi¬ cant play, low stress, no maintenance.

ONE-THIRD OWNERSHIP INTEREST. 50-ft Kashing cruiser. Professionally main¬ tained. In good condition. Schoonmaker, Slip 160, Sausaiito. $60,000 plus $200/ month. Call Rick (415) 272-5076.

CATALINA 30. Great Sausaiito berth. 5 minutes to Bay and you’re sailing. Wheel, diesel, newjib, new rigging, new rollerfurl¬ ing. Nice condition $350 per month for 1/ 3 use and equity option after six months or continue annually at $350 per month. Call Lee (415) 332-9250 or email: LPrimus@pacbell.net.

TRADE

LOOKING TO TRADE for 30-35 ft sail¬ boat. I have 2001 Sanger or Infinity tour¬ nament ski boat. Portland. (503) 702-0034 or email: mccuddysmarina@aol.com.

OY FISKA 35, 1971. Pilothouse motorsailer. 4-236 Perkins 85 hp diesel. Turn¬ key boat lying East Coast Florida. Will sell or trade for boat on West Coast. $30,000. All offers considered. Call (702) 241 -7032.

NEW SUV FOR A SAILBOAT. 2002 Chevy Tahoe LT 4x4. Autoride with trailer. 5.3 engine. Fully loaded. Leather, sunroof, third seat, On Star, integrated phone. Looking for a sailboat in excellent condi¬ tion for trade or cash. Please email: captainblondie@aol.com.

WANTED

BABY ATOMS WINDVANE. Dead or alive. Also, Mariner 2 hp outboard, good condition only. Call (619) 222-3076.

HAVE CASH. Looking for the best fiber¬ glass coastal-capable sailboat, 30-36 feet, +/- $20,000. Also, need space for 29-ft RV in Marin or Southern Sonoma. Will split time between boat and motorhome. Call Dan (415) 250-9485.

WANTED WHITEHALL 14 or equivalent. Maximum beam 52”. Sail, row and motor on Echo Lake. Call (510) 482-5527 or email: jjparish@aol.com.

WOLTER 300 OR 150 propane tankless water heater in any condition, or a work¬ ing Paloma PH5. Call Susan or Charlie (503) 543-8937.

NEED YANMAR DIESEL, model #YSM8, sailboat engine. Running or not. Call (650) 444-4699.

TRAILERS

TRAILERS FOR SALE. Five differenttrail¬ ers available. All are single axle, for vari¬ ous sailboats to about 25 feet. $1,000 each, take your pick. See in Brickyard Cove parking lot or call (510) 232-8251.

BOATTRAILER. 1976 SC 27 single-axle, surge brakes, current registration. Good condition. $1,800/obo. Please call (415) 543-7333.

USED GEAR

FORCE 10 PROPANE STOVE/OVEN. Two-burner, pristine condition, retail $1,400, yours for $700/obo. Also Alfa Romeo Spider 75, red/black, runs great. $3,000/obo. Also Scuba gear, men’s me¬ dium, $300/obo. Bill (408) 578-5120.

TWO PERKINS DIESEL ENGINES.

Model #103-10, 3 cylinder, 28 hp, 12,000 hours +/-. One runs well and has a new head installed. The other not running but complete. Gauges, wiring harness and spare parts included. Asking $1,200 for both. Call Don (530) 848-0285.

HEAVY DUTY DOYLE 90% FURLING JIB. Dacron 8 oz. Luff 40'6”, LP 8'6”, Foot 12'.

Bought new in 1995 and used once on Hunter 35.5. In as new condition complete with bag. $600. Call (510) 620-0126 or email: dfarqu2000@aol.com.

LIFERAFT, HAM RADIO. 6-man Plastimo offshore liferaft in canister with current cer¬ tification, $2,000. ICOM M700 and tuner, $600. Direction finder, $15. Please call (408) 365-3979 or email: swacks@att.net.

ATOMIC 4 PARTS. Parting-out: rebuilt head, carburetor. Working fuel pump, water pump,

HEAVY #4 JIB BY SOBSTAD. Just in time for PacCup. 12 oz Dacron, excellent condition, 57’2” luff, 52" leech, 197” foot. $1,500/obo. Call (650) 853-1155.

VOLVO PENTA SAILDRIVE. Outboards: 2hp/ss, 6hp/ls, 8hp/ls. Dickenson diesel heat, Colestove. Stainless: alchohol stove/ oven, 45plow. Honda generator, Avon in¬ flatable, 9' & 10' lapstrake sailing dinghies, Ham/marine SSBs, autotuners, Allband antenna, 2spd manual windlass. Survivor: 35/80E watermakers, headsails, paraanchor, survivalsuit, taffrailog, Edson bilgepump. (415) 331-0330.

FURLING SYSTEM. Solid rod, 40-ft with sail, $1,500. Faryman diesel engine, 32 hp, 400 hours on rebuild, new clutch, $1,500. Call (925) 229-1720.

SANTA CRUZ 70 GEAR. 3 spreader alu¬ minum spar, continuous rod rigging, P 64.75, MWT 1025. Aluminum boom 25.29'. Aluminum box boom, 23.5'. Alu¬ minum spin pole, 24.4', no end fittings. Bill Lee designed SC 70 rudder, lower bear¬ ing and bearing housing tube. 2 man over¬ board poles. 1 Blipper radar reflector, new, odel #210-5 by Firdell. B&G 20/20 displays from Hercules 390 system. B&G Halcyon 3 compass. B&G 390 instruments. Mayapple mast display. John (734) 994-5050 or email: jteeter@firstmartin.com.

WESTERBEKE W40 MARINE ENGINE. Perkins 4-108 block with Paragon trans¬ mission, Walters V-drive, 2:1 ratio, instru¬ ment panel, misc. spare parts, 2000 hours +/-. Runs, repowering for long distance cruising. $1,500/obo. Call (925) 687-9672 (leave msg).

PORTABOAT with oars, outboard bracket, sail rig, $400/obo. Also 2 Jensen recirculating heads, $15. Old brass navi¬ gation lights. Northill, Danforth, CQR an¬ chors. Rod holders, down rigger, heavy rod/reel, Penn 6/0, Penn 10/0. Dock box. Other miscellaneous items. Offers. Tower Park. Call (209) 333-9236.

YANMAR YSM8-R. Engine runs great and does not smoke or use oil. Includes manu¬ als and spare parts inventory. Motor was installed in 1984 and estimate about 1,000 hours of run time. $2,500. (510) 364-1984.

TWO LONGSHAFT SEAGULLS for low $. 9.9 Johnson, $550. 6 Johnson, $450.2 hp Mariner, $400. 4-107 Perkins, $800. 2-cyl Universal diesel, $2,600. Electric A4 replacement, $2,700 installed. Beta with warranty, 2-cyl, $8,500 installed. Call (415) 272-5776.

NEW PUR 8011 WATERMAKER. $2,000. 2-blade, 21-inch MaxProp, $1,200. New Aquair tow generator, $500. New Flex Charge, NC-25 charge controllers, $80. New Fyrewatch 170, Auto Halon 1211, $250. Avon Redcrest, very good condition, $400. Aries windvane with rebuild kit, $750. Call (415) 388-2582 or email: yerasail@aol.com.

FULL BATTEN MAINSAIL with Dutch¬ man and sail cover. P=41’4’’, E=14’2”. Boom 14’11” with vang. Harken bat cars. All in near new condition. $3,300. Call (415) 669-1575.

SPINNAKER. Like new. Fits Ericson 38 or Morgan 38. Flown once. A steal at $975. Call (415) 388-4894.

WESTERBEKE 100 HP MARINE DIESEL engine. Zero hours after major rebuild. Freshwater cooled with Hurth 360, 2 to 1 transmission. Rated at 3,400 rpm. In ex¬ cellent condition. Can hear it run. Have all receipts to document work. $6,000/obo. Call Craig (916) 624-0358.

TAMAYA SEXTANT. Top of the line, Spica mod. MS-733, unused, pristine con¬ dition, with 4x40 and 7x35 scopes and accessories. Low Internet price with both scopes, $1,888. Asking $1,100. Fujinon binoculars, FMTRC-SX 7x50, unused, with leather case, $425. Cesticomp Navi¬ gation computer, $100. Ret. USN USCG Master. Vacaville, CA. (707) 452-0960.

SAILS, ETC. For Hunter 40.5 Legend. UK sails, main with tide track system, jib, genoa, dodger with bows, cockpit cush¬ ions. New, never used. Cost when or¬ dered, $12,000. Asking $3,500. Cruising spinnaker, 23’ foot, 36.9’ luff. By Larson for Ericson 35 or similar. $750. Please call (707) 762-5711.

WOOD, MAST, BOOM & NEW SAILS for 18-ft dinghy, $400. Singer 307G3 com¬ mercial sewing machine on table, $900. Trade 70-lb Bruce for 70-plus-lb CQR. Mac top and bottom tool boxes, $450/ each. Velvet drive, 72C, 1:1, excellent, $450. (805) 471-1222.

MISCELLANEOUS

PORTABLE SEWING MACHINE. Brother 650 industrial grade. Includes fixed table with heavy-duty motor as well as carrying case and portable 110-volt motor. Fea¬ tures straight stitch, zig-zag and options, including presser feet for piping, etc. Will sew circles around a Pfaff 130. A real workhorse that is also portable. $875. Please call (415) 331-3612 or email: miwakirosella@hotmail.com.

ATOMIC 4 INBOARD ENGINE. Recent refurbishments include new manifold, ex¬ haust and valve job. Currently in storage, not in a boat. Very clean and ready to go. Being sold by a nonprofit organization on an 'as-is' basis for $1,900. For further info please call (415) 332-6501 or email: marinexch@aol.com.

BORG-WARNER 72 CR TRANSMISSION. 1.91:1 Inline reduction. New condition, bench tested. Purchased for 72 hp ma¬ rine diesel, never installed. For sale. Lo¬ cated in Alameda. Call (435) 649-4832.

CLUBS & MEMBERSHIPS

SINGLE SAILORS ASSOCIATION wel¬ comes all experience levels. Our members enjoy cruising, group sails, daysailing, so¬ cials and other activities year round. Monthly meetings at Oakland Yacht Club in Alameda. Visit our Website at www. ssaojiline.org or call (510) 273-9763.

SF BAY OCEANIC CREW GROUP. Bay Area's most active sailing group offering monthly speakers, Bay and coastal sail¬ ing, service, socializing. New and experi¬ enced skippers and crew are welcome. Go sailing at http://www.crewgroup.org/ or call (415) 456-0221.

CLUB NAUTIQUE PASSAGEMAKER Couple Membership. Excellent instruction and US Sailing certification up to Coastal Passage Making. Three Bay and two Southern CA locations. Large, new fleet. Ballena Bay YC membership included. $4,800, save $600. Call (925) 777-0676 or email: Tvdyson@attbi.com.

PROPERTYSALE/RENT

HISTORIC LAKE TAHOE Forest Service cabin in pristine Emerald Bay for sale. Two bedrooms plus loft, one bath, knotty pine interior, granite fireplace. Magnificent views of Emerald Bay and Lake. $259,000/cash. Serious only. Call (831) 475-6869.

SUBLEASE 30-FT SLIP in Sausalito. Quiet, great facilities. No liveaboards. Call (415) 225-4319.

CREW

SAILING PARTNER AND SOULMATE wanted. Duration of voyage as long as it is fun. Requirments: love of the sea and life, good food and music. No princesses need apply. Call Joe (310) 823-6609.

NORTH FROM SEATTLE this summer. 40-ft cutter. Looking for 1-2 crew for San' Juan/Gulf Islands/Desolation Sound cruis¬ ing. June through August, all or part. Help maintain and cook. Jerry (425) 424-3253.

VANCOUVER ISLAND, BC. Prestigious waterfront townhouse with private dock in beautiful Maple Bay. 2,000 sq.ft. 2-bedroom, each with full ensuite bathrooms, large living-dining plus den and powder room, double garage. Call (250) 746-6067.

BERTHS & SLIPS

BEAUTIFULLY LOCATED 40-ft berth at Pier 39, San Francisco. View of Telegraph Hill and Bay. Excellent showers and se¬ curity. Previous renter was liveaboard. Leased until 2033. $21,000/obo. Bruce Woelfel (415) 437-2478 or email: bs7153@aol.com.

SALTY, SLIGHTLY RUSTY AND some¬ what weathered but reasonably attractive, ocean sailor, scuba diver, snowboarder, sun-lover, fit, non-smoker, 55, likeable guy, well equipped boat. Returning to South Pacific, seeks female co-captain/ best friend/playmate. If sailing gets your blood flowing, you have a fun-loving ad¬ venturous spirit, sunrises and sunsets touch your heart, there's a little mischief behind that twinkle in your eye, and maybe it's time for a change in latitude, fax: (206) 433-8026 or write: Sailor, 221 S.W.153rd, #147, Seattle, WA 98166.

ATTRACTIVE DWF, 52. Slender, edu¬ cated, spirited, fun-loving, seeks man 5060 for sailing, traveling companion. Healthy, with interests in the above plus reading, world affairs, music (how about cruising)? Let's have coffee in the SF Bay Area. Email: solsail3@mindspring.com.

58-FT KETCH SEEKING CHRISTIAN crewmembers 20-35yo for trip from CA to TN via Cape Horn. One year cruise leaves July 2002. Lots of adventure sports. Food and personal expenses only. One month mimimum stay. (949f278-4843 or email: joeking@mac.com.

JOB OPPORTUNITIES

SAILBOAT RIGGER WANTED. Excellent salary and benefits for the right person. Contact Tom at South Beach Riggers. Please call (415) 974-6063 or fax (415) 974-6064.

GIVE YOURSELFTHE GIFT of San Fran¬ cisco Bay. 50-ft x 18.5-ft berth at the NE tip of The City. Unobstructed 360° worldclass views. Near most San Francisco activities including Giants baseball. Wave to hundreds of passing boats each day. A rare opportunity. $90,000, 34 year leaqe. Call (415) 982-7000. Vessel in berth also for sale. Chris Craft Connie 50, 1960. Aft cabin, twin diesel motoryacht. All the elegance in a fine classic beauty.

WANTED TO PURCHASE OR LEASE 35-40 foot slip at either Gas House Cove or St. Francis Yacht Club area in SF. Call (415) 440-8845 or (415) 264-9990.

PIER 39 50-FT SLIP FOR SALE. F-7 is spacious, convenient and close to all amenities. Steps to the trolley. Minutes to downtown and the ballpark. Must sell. $60,000/obo. Call Doug (415) 531-8881 (msg) or email: humdaddyo@yahoo.com.

40-FT SLIP AT PIER 39. D-49. Available for rent. $310/month. Jim (510) 522-9290.

SEAPOWER MARINE is now interview¬ ing for experienced service technicians and parts counter persons. Please call Bill (510) 533-9290.

CAPTAINS, FIRSTOFFICERS & CREW. Rendezvous Charters is hiring ship’s crew and licensed masters to sail our fleet of certified vessels. Part-time orfull-time. Ex¬ cellent wages/benefits. Mid-week and weekend work available, flexible sched¬ ule. Want to enjoy yourjob? Building your sea time? Join this rapidly growing com¬ pany. Great people, fun company. Fax resume to (415) 543-7405 or call (415) 543-7333.

SAILING MASTER needed to oversee our successful, well-established sailing pro¬ gram. Considerable experience skipper¬ ing vessels of 30-50 feet. ASA instructor certification and USCG Captain’s license preferred. Pay commensurate with skills and experience. Email resume to staff@spinnaker-sailing.com or fax (415) 543-7405.

FULL TIME YACHT CLUB POSITION. Harbormaster/Maintenance Supervisor in San Rafael. Operate and maintain clubowned harbor. Supervise building and grounds maintenance. Attractive salary and benefits plus residence in house over¬ looking harbor, 3br/2ba, living room with fireplace, office, shop, 2-car garage. Re¬ sumes to Port Captain, Marin Yacht Club, 24 Summit Avenue, San Rafael CA, 94901. Fax (415) 458-g891 or email: admin@marinyachtclub.com.

6-PAK CAPTAINS & sailing instructors. Spinnaker Sailing in San Francisco is hir¬ ing sailing instructors and captains for parttime or full-time work in the City aboard our fleet of 22-44 foot sailing yachts. Mid¬ week and weekend work available, flex¬ ible schedule. This company is growing fast for one reason only it’s people. Fax resume to (415) 543-7405 or call (415) 543-7333.

CLUB NAUTIQUE SAUSALITO is seek¬ ing full-time and part-time dock and office staff. Applicants with boat experience pre¬ ferred byjt we will train the right person. Benefits include free sailing lessons and access to our fleet of yachts (once quali¬ fied), medical and 401k for full-time per¬ manent. Office position is summer sea¬ son only, perfect for student who wants to 'learn how to sail. Please contact Chris Warden (415)' 332-8001 or email: cwarden@clubnautique.net..

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES

BUSINESS PARTNERS WANTED. NetNearU is a leader in wireless 802.11 b high-speed Internet access systems. The company has already invested extensively in the marina and yacht club market and is seeking distributor partners to take it to the next level. Using NNU's hardware and software systems, yacht and boat owners can now have high-speed Internet access while on their vessel, without wires. Part¬ ners will own and operate these wireless systems in marinas and yacht clubs throughout the world. Rapid return on this emerging technology which is creating buzz around the world. Minimal cash in¬ vestment required. Call Jack Kirby, NetNearU, 2908 Finfeather Road, Bryan, Texas 77801, (979) 775-3405. Website: www.nnu.com.

MAN AND WOMAN SEEK BOAT for use Fridays, 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Boat must have reasonably big bed. We will bring our own sheets. Power or sail, no matter, boat will not depart from slip. Inquiries to belmarin33@hotmail.com.

ARMCHAIR SAILOR BOOKS & CHARTS in Sausalito, CA is for sale. Established 16 years. A great business with a great lifestyle. Serious inquiries only considered. Please fax (415) 332-7608 or email: info@armchairsailorbooks.com.

IS YOUR BOAT IN SOUTH BEACH HARBOR? Put your boat to $work$. Spinnaker Sail¬ ing in SF is looking for 30-50 foot boats to join our charter fleet. Let your boat pay for itself. For more info call (415) 543-7333.

TOO LATE TO CLASSIFY

LOOKING FOR LIVEABOARD. Willing to pay modest rent, do maintenance work in exchange for lodging. 27-year-old student, former professional yacht crew, lifetime experience with boats, wood, rigging, and paint maintenance. Contact Timothy Henry via email: Tosthak@yahoo.com or call (760) 598-5557.

MANTA 40, 1999. Hull #45. SA/ CAVU. Fully equipped for cruising including 10 solar panels, genset, watermaker, A/C and SSB with Pactor modem for onboard email. Currently cruising in beautiful Panama. See our full spec sheet at Website: www.cruisecavu.com. Email: manta4sale@yahoo.com or call 011 50 (7) 654-1963.

CATALINA 36,1989. Jammin’ Too. Mint condition, professionally maintained. HDA-J class winner 2001. New bottom, standing and running rigging. All Harken gear, Quick vang, Tuff Luff, full North sail inventory race and cruise. Interior wood all refinished. AM/FM/CD, 3 batteries with recharger. Oversized wheel, windlass, H/ C pressure water, propane stove/oven. Rebuilt head system. $78,000. Call (415) 460-1339.