SIGHTINGS 2017 puddle jump Judging by the number of email inquiries we've been receiving lately from would-be Pacific Puddle Jumpers, there will be a huge migration of sailors heading west from the Americas again this spring. And with the opening of our Pacific Puddle Jump signup portal late last month (at www.pacificpuddlejump.com cpuddlejump.com), the official fleet roster is expanding daily. Although dates have not yet been set for our annual PPJ Sendoff Parties in Mexico and Panama, they will be announced soon. Meanwhile, preparations have already begun for the Tahiti-Moorea Sailing Rendez-vous — an annual, three-day arrival celebration. Dates are: June 23-25, 2017, beginning at Papeete, Tahiti. If you plan to attend
back to the future One of the first changes John Arndt made after taking the reins of Lat 38 was shanghaiing former employee Mitch Perkins to take the lead on advertising sales and business development. "Mitch knows sailing, our customers and the marketplace well," says John. "He's spent the past decade doing sales and marketing for boat shows, so he brings new energy, perspective and knowledge to our core Latitude 38 crew." Mitch explains, "After working for the past 10 years in other seccontinued on outside column of next sightings page Page 52 •
Latitude 38
• December, 2016
PAUL MARTSON / VANISHING GIRL
LATITUDE ARCHIVES
you say you want an 'evolution'? With the sale of this magazine last month, longtime advertising manager John Arndt has taken the helm from founder Richard Spindler. Among the many notes of congratulations came some understandable fears: "People have asked what might change at Latitude?" Latitude says John. "My quick answer is always, ‘Steady as she goes,' since Richard's original vision for the magazine's unique style and content has been such a success for the past 40 years. Being an ad guy, I haven't been involved in creating the editorial content, so I've always enjoyed cracking open each new issue as much as our regular readers do. It's always a great read full of fun and adventure. So why change that? "Times change, however. In 1977 when the first issue of Latitude 38 was published, Bill Lee was transforming the offshore sailing world with the launch of Merlin much as Sparkman & Stevens had done years earlier with the launch of boats like Dorade. Amazingly, Northern California is still home to both Merlin and Dorade, but the sailing world continues to evolve with developments such as foils and carbon fiber, as a new generation of sailors embraces sailing and finds new ways to enjoy it — on boards and in dinghies, as well as in keelboats. "Similarly, the publishing world continues to evolve also, so in addition to publishing Latitude monthly, and distributing it for free (both hard copies and online versions), we plan to expand our digital footprint and explore new media and event opportunities, in addition to posting our popular online journal, 'Lectronic Latitude, three times a week." One of John's favorite missions in life is connecting new people to sailing: "For many of the Bay Area's seven million residents, the Bay is an obstacle to be driven around or over, rather than something to be enjoyed. Through the magazine and other initiatives we hope spread the word to a new generation of potential sailors that the best way to enjoy the Bay is to sail on it — and access to sailing here is much easier than most people think." A lifelong sailor, John is well-known and respected throughout the sailing industry. "My own sailing story includes learning to sail as a kid with my family, then dinghy racing, college sailing, workBack in July '88 — before we dis- ing as a sailing instructor, taking a year covered Photoshop — Mitch Perkins off from college to cruise from Maine to was a 'Lat 38' cover boy. Venezuela, doing offshore races, chartering, and spending as much time — and having as much fun — as I can on sailboats." These days he mostly sails with friends and family aboard his blue-hulled Ranger 33 Summer Sailstice out of Tiburon's Corinthian YC. So next time you see him out on the water, we suggest you give him a blast of your horn and wish him the best of luck. — andy
