VOLUME 570 December 2024
Champagne Sailing — Baja Ha-Ha Champs 1 — One Designs Galore
Cruising Hawaii to Alaska Max Ebb — Rainy Day Projects
‘Tis the Season ...for an end of year deal
10% off all yard labor book now through 12/31/24, offer ends 1/31/25
$250,000
San francisco (415) 867-8056
42' AquaLodge Houseboats 2020 - $115,000 ea. Mark Miner (415) 290-1347
55’ TAYANA 55, 1983
$184,000
Emery Cove (510) 601-5010
40’ NORSEMAN 400, 1987
$124,000
Emery Cove (510) 601-5010
40’ 1996 BENETEAU OCEANIS 40 CC
$129,000 Emery Cove (510) 601-5010
39’ BENETEAU fIRST CLASS 12
$44,000 Emery Cove (510) 601-5010
$99,000 Emery Cove (510) 601-5010
38’ ERICSON 38-200, 1990 $59,000 Emery Cove (510) 601-5010
36.7’ BENETEAU fIRST, 2006
$64,500 Alameda (904) 806-8628
36’ CATALINA MkII, 2007
$124,500
Emery Cove (510) 601-5010 Emery Cove (510) 601-5010
Thoughtfully designed and beautifully finished inside and out, the Aqua Lodge features fiberglass pontoons, a wood-beamed lofted ceiling, a fully appointed galley, and a full bath with residential-sized fixtures. The main salon is open and bright, while the master stateroom features a panoramic water view and a private deck. With the cost of building on the waterfront ever increasing, the Aqua Lodge is an affordable alternative. We currently have three (3) identical Floating Cottages available at $115,000. each. These are new houseboats that have never been used. With the acquisition of all three one could start a unique Air B&B type business in a nice location.
NOTE: There is no propulsion included. An outboard engine could be installed on the bracket but, these boats are not equipped with any propulsion. They would need to be towed or trucked to their destination. SAN RAFAEL • 25 THIRD STREET • SAN RAFAEL, CA 94901 • (415) 453-4770
36’ fREEDOM 36 $39,500 San Rafael (415) 453-4770
EMERY COVE • 3300 POWELL ST, #105 • EMERYVILLE, CA 94608 • (510) 601-5010 ALAMEDA • 1150 BALLENA BLVD., SUITE 121 • ALAMEDA, CA 94501 • (510) 838-1800
(3) 42' AquaLodge Houseboats 2020 - $115,000 ea. Mark Miner (415) 290-1347
50’
$324,000
48’ C&C LANDfALL, 1982
$79,000
Emery Cove (510) 601-5010
37’ RAfIkI CUTTER, 1978
$89,000 Emery Cove (510) 601-5010
Thoughtfully designed and beautifully finished inside and out, the Aqua Lodge features fiberglass pontoons, a wood-beamed lofted ceiling, a fully appointed galley, and a full bath with residential-sized fixtures. The main salon is open and bright, while the master stateroom features a panoramic water view and a private deck. With the cost of building on the waterfront ever increasing, the Aqua Lodge is an affordable alternative. We currently have three (3) identical Floating Cottages available at $115,000. each. These are new houseboats that have never been used. With the acquisition of all three one could start a unique Air B&B type business in a nice location.
NOTE: There is no propulsion included. An outboard engine could be installed on the bracket but, these boats are not equipped with any propulsion. They would need to be towed or trucked to their destination.
$44,000 Emery Cove (510) 601-5010
Non-Race
Dec. 1-29 — Keelboat Sailing, South Beach Harbor, San Francisco, noon-5 p.m. Sundays, weather permitting. Free, but sign up in advance. BAADS, www.baads.org/sailing
Dec. 4 — Bay Farm Island (Alameda) Sea Level Rise Workshop, virtual, 5:30-7 p.m. Free. Info/register, www. alamedaca.gov/AdaptationWorkingGroup
Dec. 4-8 — Panama Posse Kickoff, Marina Puerto de la Navidad, Barra de Navidad, Mexico. Seminars, parties, swap meet. Info, https://panamaposse.com
Dec. 4-18 — StFYC Wednesday Yachting Luncheon, noon. Archived on YouTube at https://tinyurl.com/3kbp3vdh
Dec. 5 — Winter Open House, Spaulding Marine Center, Sausalito, 5-9 p.m. Live music by Dirt Farm Duo, local artist market, food & drinks. Info, www.spauldingcenter.org/events
Dec. 5 — Oakland-Alameda Estuary Sea Level Rise Workshop, virtual, 5:30-7 p.m. Free. Info/register, www. alamedaca.gov/AdaptationWorkingGroup
Dec. 7 — Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day.
Dec. 7 — Sea Chanteys, Maritime Museum, San Francisco, 6-9 p.m. Free, but RSVP to peterkasin@gmail.com
Dec. 7 — Lighted Yacht Parade, Oakland-Alameda Estuary, 5:30 p.m. $40-$50 registration fee benefits Alameda County Food Bank and Oakland Firefighters Random Acts. Info, www. lightedyachtparade.com.
Dec. 7 — Lighted Boat Parade, Santa Cruz Harbor, 5:30 p.m. With a canned food drive benefiting Second Harvest Food Bank. Info, https://scyc.org/lighted-boat-parade
Dec. 7 — Lighted Boat Parade, San Rafael Canal.
Dec. 7 — Lighted Boat Parade, Sacramento River, Rio Vista, 6 p.m. Delta Marina, (707) 374-2315.
Dec. 7 — Lighted Boat Parade, Oxbow Marina, Isleton, 5:30 p.m. Marina West YC, www.marinawestyachtclub.com/events
Dec. 7 — Lynn Hahn Memorial Delta Reflections Lighted Boat Parade, San Joaquin River, Stockton, 5 p.m. Stockton YC, www.stocktonyachtclub.org
Dec. 7 — Lighted Boat Parade, up the Petaluma River from the Petaluma Marina to the Turning Basin, 5:30 p.m. Info, www.visitpetaluma.com/event/lighted-boat-parade
Dec. 7-28 — Small Boat Sailing, South Beach Harbor, San Francisco, 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturdays, weather permitting. Free, but pre-register. BAADS, www.baads.org/sailing
Dec. 8 — Second Sunday Work Party, Sausalito Community Boating Center, 9 a.m.-noon. Nick, (415) 992-1234 or www.sausalitoboatingcommunity.org
Dec. 8 — Holiday Parade of Lights & Fireworks, Santa Barbara Harbor, 5:30 p.m. Info, www.santabarbaraca.com/ events.
Dec. 8, 15 — Parade of Lights, San Diego Bay, 5:30-6 p.m. Shelter Island to Coronado Island ferry landing. Theme: Peace on Earth. Info, www.sdparadeoflights.org.
Dec. 12 — Singlehanded Transpacific Race seminar, OYC/ Zoom, 7:30 p.m. Power Requirements, Electricity Budgeting & Generation. SSS, www.sfbaysss.org.
Dec. 13 — Lighted Boat Parade, Pier 39-Crissy Field, San Francisco Cityfront, 6-8:45 p.m. Winter Wonderland, celebrating the S.F. Marina's 100th anniversary, 4-8 p.m., Marina Yacht Harbor. Info, https://sfrecpark.org
Dec. 13-15 — Boat Parade of Lights, Dana Point Harbor, 6:30 p.m. Info, www.danapointharbor.com/events.
Dec. 14 — Basic Race Officer Seminar, Long Beach YC, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. $40. US Sailing, https://tinyurl.com/4cxavu5k.
Dec. 14 — Winterfest, Gabrielson Park, Sausalito waterfront. Lighted Boat Parade, 6 p.m.; fireworks, 7:15 p.m. Info, www.sausalitowinterfest.com
Designed by Tom Wylie and built by Schooner Creek Boat Works in Portland, Oregon, Rage is a legendary West Coast sled. In 1994, Rage broke the Paci c Cup record set by Bill Lee’s Merlin by four hours. In 1996, she again set a new course record of 7 days, 22 hours and 1 minute. Rage has proven herself to be the ultimate ULDB with blistering speed potential, simple sail handling systems and strong construction. At the same time, she o ers comfortable, beautifully nished accommodations and is easily sailed by a shorthanded crew. The proof is in the pudding as Rage has outperformed newer and far more complex boats. While she truly shines racing o shore, Rage was designed with shorthanded cruising in mind, an objective she has met. She requires no conversion from “race” to “cruise” mode in her current con guration. Fresh o last summer’s Paci c Cup race, she is reluctantly for sale as her owner has a larger Wylie designed sled under construction by Steve Rander, the builder and original owner of Rage. Sometimes, “if you know, you know” and such is the case with Rage
Dec. 14 — Lighted Boat Parade, Richmond YC, 5:30 p.m. Info, www.richmondyc.org
Dec. 14 — Lighted Boat Parade, Moss Landing. Elkhorn YC, www.elkhornyachtclub.org
Dec. 14 — Holiday Boat Parade, Marina del Rey, 5:55 p.m. Theme: Margaritaville Holiday. Info, www.mdrboatparade.org
Dec. 14-15 — Santa's Boatshop, Gig Harbor, WA. Build and paint a workboat. For ages 3 and up with adult. $20-$25 includes materials. Info, www.gigharborboatshop.org.
Dec. 15 — Full Cold Moon on a Sunday.
Dec. 18 — SSS season awards & general meeting, OYC, Alameda, 7:30 p.m. SSS, www.sfbaysss.org
Dec. 18-22 — Boat Parade, Newport Beach, 6 p.m. Info, www.christmasparadeboats.com
Dec. 21 — Winter Solstice.
Dec. 21 — Boat Parade, Coyote Point, San Mateo, 5 p.m. CPYC, www.cpyc.com
Dec. 25 — Christmas Day; Hannukah begins at sunset.
Dec. 26-Jan. 1 — Kwanzaa.
Dec. 28 — Boarded! Pirate Adventure, aboard San Salvador, Maritime Museum, San Diego, 10:30 or 12:45 p.m. $35-$85. Info, www.sdmaritime.org
Dec. 31 — New Year's Eve.
Jan. 8 — Singlehanded Transpacific Race seminar, OYC/ Zoom, 7:30 p.m. Rigging, Sails, Repairs at Sea. SSS, www. sfbaysss.org
Jan. 8-12 — Portland Boat Show, Portland Expo Center, OR. Info, www.pdxboatshow.com
Racing
Dec. 7 — Fall Race #4. SSC, www.stocktonsc.org.
Dec. 7 — Hot Rum Series #3. SDYC, www.sdyc.org.
Dec. 28 — Boxing Day Race. MPYC, www.mpyc.org.
Jan. 1 — Brrr Rabbit. CPYC, www.cpyc.com.
Jan. 11-12, 18-19 — Vallarta Cup, Nuevo Nayarit, Mexico. Vallarta YC, www.vallartayachtclub.org.
Jan. 12 — Winter Sail #1. CPYC, www.cpyc.com.
Jan. 25 — Three Bridge Fiasco for singlehanders and doublehanders. SSS, www.sfbaysss.org.
BENICIA YC — Frostbite Series: 12/14, 1/11, 2/8, 3/8. Info, www.beniciayachtclub.org/racing
BERKELEY YC — Saturday Midwinter Series: 12/14, 1/11, 2/8. Sunday Midwinter Series: 12/15, 1/12, 2/9. Champion of Champions: 2/23. Chowder Series: Every Sunday through March except when it conflicts with the Midwinters. Info, www.berkeleyyc.org or www.jibeset.net.
CAL SAILING CLUB — Year-round Sunday morning dinghy races, intraclub only. Info, www.cal-sailing.org.
CORINTHIAN YC — Midwinters: 1/18-19, 2/15-16. Info, https://race.cyc.org
ENCINAL YC — Jack Frost Series: 12/7, 1/4, 2/1. Info, www.encinal.org or www.jibeset.net
GOLDEN GATE YC — Seaweed Soup Regatta: 12/7, 1/4, 2/1, 3/1. Info, www.ggyc.org or www.jibeset.net.
ISLAND YC — Island Days: 12/8, 1/12, 2/23, 3/9. Info, www.iyc.org or www.jibeset.net.
KONOCTI BAY SC — OSIRs (Old Salts in Retirement) every Wednesday, year round. Info, www.kbsail.org
com facebook.com/swiftsureyachts
LAKE MERRITT SC — Robinson Memorial Midwinters: 12/14, 1/12, 2/8, 3/9. Denis, redleader429@comcast.net or (707) 338-6955.
MONTEREY PENINSULA YC — Perry Cup for Mercurys: 1/11, 2/1. Info, www.mercury-sail.com
OAKLAND YC — Sunday Brunch Series: 1/5, 1/19, 2/2, 2/16, 3/2, 3/16, 3/30. Info, www.oaklandyachtclub.net
RICHMOND YC — Small Boat Midwinters: 1/5, 2/2, 3/2, 4/6. Info, www.richmondyc.org
SANTA CRUZ YC — Midwinter Series: 12/21, 1/18, 2/15, 3/15. Info, www.scyc.org
SAUSALITO YC — Chili Midwinter Series: 12/1, 1/5, 2/2, 3/2. RegattaPRO Winter One Design: 12/14, 1/11, 2/8. Info, www.sausalitoyachtclub.org
SEQUOIA YC — Winter Series: 12/14, 1/26, 2/23, 3/23. Redwood Cup pursuit race series: 1/11, 2/8, 3/15. Info, www.sequoiayc.org or www.jibeset.net
SOUTH BEACH YC — Island Fever Series: 12/14, 1/25, 2/22, 3/15. Info, www.southbeachyachtclub.org
TIBURON YC — Midwinter Series: 2/16, 3/16. Info, www. tyc.org
VALLEJO YC — Tiny Robbins Midwinters: 12/7, 1/4, 2/1, 3/1. Info, www.vyc.org or www.jibeset.net
YACHT RACING ASSOCIATION — Doublehanded Sunday Midwinter Series: 12/15, 1/5, 2/2. Info, www.yra.org or www.jibeset.net.
Please send your calendar items by the 10th of the month to calendar@latitude38.com. Please, no phone-ins! Calendar listings are for marine-related events that are free or don't cost much to attend. The Calendar is not meant to support commercial enterprises.
December Weekend Currents NOAA Predictions for .88 NM NE of the Golden Gate Bridge
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⇑⇓ A SAILBOAT SPEARED THE RACE COMMITTEE VESSEL AT A START DuRIng THE BIg BOAT SERIES. THERE wAS SOME fIngER wAggIng AnD InDIgnAnCE, BuT A SuRPRISIng AMOunT Of SuPPORT
Shit happens. Rubbing is racing. I'm sure the committee boat will live — that's why there's insurance. Change out your mainsheet man or give a stern and thorough talkin' to on start-line play and awareness vs. general upwind BS.
Ya, you live to play another day. Hopefully it didn't F-up your series too much.
Vaughn Fischer
⇑⇓ A STATEMEnT fROM THE SkIPPER Of THE BOAT In quESTIOn
We were at the starting line making our final approach. We had a clear lane between a leeward boat and the committee boat. Since the committee boat was anchored, pointing into the wind, and our angle of approach was about 30° off the wind, we only had to pass the stern of the committee boat to be clear.
I was at the helm. The boat was lockedin close hauled. We had enough room. I could not see the leeward boat (behind the main sail), and they had rights, so I split the difference a little towards the committe boat.
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As we were approaching there was a gust of wind and strong weather helm. I called to the mainsail trimmer to "ease, EASE!" but he was unable to respond. If he had been able to ease we would have been fine (learning: keep your hand on the mainsheet and have it out of the cleat in tight situations). So, being overpowered, we rounded up into the committee boat.
Mymble, J/99
⇑⇓ THAnk yOu fOR THESE MEASuRED RESPOnSES, Latitude NatioN
As long as nobody was hurt, I think this kind of drama only adds to the excitement and cachet of racing on a wild, windy Bay, sponsored by a luxury brand.
Brad Cornelius
It happens. I lear ned from small boat sailing to NEVER cleat the main. (I learned the hard way, BTW).
Chuck Wetteroth
I've never made a mistake like that (kidding) and neither
has anyone else, judging from the judges here.
Tor Johnson
Thanks, Tor. Readers — We did get a few judgy comments on the September 18 'Lectronic Latitude: Signal Boat Impaled at Rolex Big Boat Series, such as, "You should know better … shouldn't be amateur hour on a boat like that," and "I'm surprised a racing crew doesn't know how to dump the main and bear off when the rudder isn't biting." To be sure, there were some choice words from the committee boat, too. We're sure the crew of Mymble would love to have that one back, and we're sure that some hard lessons have been learned.
But as you all so wisely said: Sh*t happens.
⇑⇓ S.f. SEA SCOuTS kEEP CALM AnD SAIL On
A beautiful example of leadership, teamwork, and following protocol. One of our classics, a 1943 Luders 44 Naval Academy yawl, lost her rudder during a New Year's Day regatta. Her owner has sailed her for close to four decades. He brought her back across and down the channel using only sails to steer, then dropped one and used the other in concert with the engine to put her in a difficult inside slip.
Training, teamwork, leadership.
Jane A Noon
Jane is commenting on the October issue's Sightings with the same name as this letter.
⇑⇓ JESSICA CuP
As a crew member of Flotsam, I can tell you we were at anchor for 1.5 hours just west of A buoy. At 2:30, we commenced getting out the "paddles" and setting up the oarlocks. We do not have a motor, and before we could get an oar in the water, we were approached by the magnificent vessel Kay of Goteborg
'Flotsam' patience would pay off at this year's windless-to-begin Jessica Cup in October. This very photo also landed on last month's cover.
They were very kind and offered us a tow upcurrent (or maybe we asked?). As the current was really moving and there was no wind, we raised the anchor, threw a tow line, and off we went. It was 14:45 and we figured they would just call the race, but Kay advised us to stand by until the official decision was made.
We got antsy and decided to prepare for the short tacks up to the docks at the St. Francis Yacht Club, so we dropped the genoa and hanked up the jib — and right then, the horn sounded and the race was on! We scrambled to get the sail change back to race mode and head for the line. We made it
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across in time, and with style, I must say. The current was ripping and it was a very fruity rounding of #16/Blackaller with this being our second race with the spendaker.
Yes I know it's a "spinnaker," however, every time we use it, I manage to damage it and spend more money for repairs. It was a really exiting downhill run to X and the tack back up to the finish line was even better. All in all it was not a swell time. We all had fun and sailed our boats.
Roger Nunez
Reliable Marine Electronics Alameda
I worked with the Cal Sailing Club on this project, and it felt good to be able to give them insights into how they needed to frame their concerns and put them in contact with several councilmembers. Congratulations on getting the decision you wanted so much.
Vince Casalaina Berkeley
⇑⇓ fILL THE COffERS
Bravo to the council for saving CSC. Learning to sail there in the early '90s changed, and probably saved, my life. I haven't been back in a long time, but I think maybe I'll wander up there from Santa Cruz and join again, just to help fill the coffers.
Erik Pedersen
Erik — Cal Sailing Club's overall survival wasn't in question. The City of Berkeley was considering moving CSC's keelboats to a different dock, but ultimately chose not to. We commend the city for their decision!
⇑⇓ SO MAny MEMORIES AnD gRATITuDE fOR CSC
I was a member in the early '60s when the club was called the University of California Yacht Club (UCYC) and they were based at the end of the original breakwater/harbor entrance, along side the old Berkeley Yacht Club building. I have many wonderful memories of learning to sail and eventually teaching others to sail.
Mimi English-Koch
I am happy to hear this. I come from a landlocked country, and CSC was a great place to learn sailing and
windsurfing for me. Very friendly community and affordable.
Lia
Congratulations! You are a needed group. The smaller boats are the initiation of many people to sailing and offer many benefits to people who might never be able to afford it.
Robert B Gray
⇑⇓ gPS IS nOT guARAnTEED POSITIOnIng SySTEM
We had cases of intermittent GPS failures a few years ago entering the Oakland/Alameda channel, sailing coastal waters south of San Diego as we approached Ensenada, at locations in the Sea of Cortez, and a bit south of Mazatlán.
Turns out none of it was caused by the Navy.
Most of it was "dropped" satellites, extreme weather related, or because we'd mounted an antenna in a location not taking into account that "additional stuff" might get in the way of good signal reception.
us where we are at any given moment. Are you prepared if/when something should go wrong?
The cure: Think ahead where you might put the antenna. Additional stuff like a hardtop, cockpit enclosure, stainless steel structures or other antennas, dinghy outboard engine on the rail, dinghy on davits, life-raft cannister, etc., get in the way. We ended up moving a GPS antenna away from the cockpit pedestal to on top of the cockpit enclosure, and not using the hand-held down inside the boat.
The only time all three of our units failed at the same time was in very severe weather conditions south of San Diego.
The Cure: When offshore or in lousy weather, we always plotted our positions every hour. We knew where we were on the chart and by looking for visuals. Plus: Radar meant that we would know what mountains, islands or boats were around us so it was not a problem even going down the coast. We never were without a GPS signal for more than about an hour to an hour and a half.
We recommend a cruiser have three GPS systems on board, and two of them should also have battery backup capabilities for when you need them!
Patrick Dinon McIntosh
Patrick was commenting on the October 23 'Lectronic: The Resourceful Sailor Says GPS Is Not Guaranteed Positioning System.
⇑⇓ gPS? yES. BACkuPS? DEfInITELy
Best to brush up on other forms of navigation, such as pilotage, time and distance, and of course, celestial navigation. That triangle should be small. In my old transatlantic piloting days we always carried a navigator who had a stool to stand on whilst getting a fix of at least two celestial bodies. Then it was off to the books and paper and pencil. That's what the little dome was for on transatlantic flights. The first few times it can be a bit humbling.
Ken Brinkley
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⇑⇓ wILL SOMEOnE fInD My MESSAgE In A BOTTLE?
While walking the beach with my crew in the Turks and Caicos islands, we found a note in a bottle. It was maybe six years old from a boy sailing with family. The guy that picked up the bottle contacted the boy.
The notes do get found.
Chris White
Chris was commenting on the October 21 'LL with the same name as this letter.
My crew and I captured a floating message-in-a-bottle from a local K-6 school in the Redwood City channel as we departed on our Pacific Cup wannabe race. We carried the bottle to Oahu and mailed it back to the school, and always wondered how the teachers explained a bottle set adrift in RWC would end up in Hawaii. So fun!
⇑⇓ wAS THE AMERICA'S CuP gOOD fOR BARCELOnA?
It's hard to quantify, but as someone who worked in San Diego during the '95 Cup, I can say a lot of us lived in shortterm housing for three months, ate at restaurants, shopped in the community, etc. I don't know the exact number of people, but only a small number of folks were from the San Diego area, so money was spent. Plus, the compound leases, etc.
At the time, we all talked about S.F. being a great venue for an America's Cup event. In San Diego, most of the course was not visible and if you wanted to watch, TV was almost the only way to go. I'd say the light wind didn't help much either. All that would go away in S.F. Not sure S.F. understood the assignment, given the hurdles they put organizers through or whether they made much money. Hopefully, a city like Barcelona does well, but I cannot guess whether it will be as has been quoted.
As far as the overall experience, it was amazing. I worked with ACTV/ESPN supporting the SailTrack systems and met so many great people, from skippers and crews to various writers for sailing magazines, the people from ESPN, French TV, and NZL TV, and folks from Trimble Navigation. I got to attend the keel unveiling for NZL 32 and a few other celebrations. And I won a Louis Vuitton "bag" and a AC watch for guessing finishing times.
[By the way:] I'd like to see the 12s again. Of course, I'd like to see some of the original skipper and crew stipulations as well.
Ian Clements
Ian was commenting on the October 16 'Lectronic Latitude: Barcelona Welcomes America's Cup and Two-Plus Million Visitors
Bringing the Cup to Barcelona was part of the city's attempt to attract "quality rather than quantity" tourism, according to The Guardian, which wrote, "'The people who follow the America's Cup are people who love the sea and have plenty of disposable income,' said the head of the public-private body Barcelona Tourism. 'We are interested in these people.'" The Guardian went on to say that Barcelona has been on
The architecture of Barcelona combined with foiling monohulls certainly made for an interesting America's Cup this year. What was the net benefit to the city itself? And what of the population's more existential conundrum of what role tourism should play in Barcelona's overall character? We're sure these things will be hotly contested for years to come.
the frontline of what has been described as an "overtourism crisis" in Spain. Some 85 million people visited Barcelona in 2023, up 19% from the year before.
Barcelonian detractors of the Cup wonder how the projected profits will be distributed, and pointed to rising rents, especially in the seafront neighborhood of Barceloneta. "'We're also worried that holding this competition reinforces the idea that the economy of Barcelona has to be based on tourism. What we want is diversification,'" said a spokesperson for an organization for the Platform Against the Cup.
How did San Francisco's economy fare 11 years ago during AC34?
"The 34th America's Cup (generated between $364.4 million and $550.8 million in economic activity in the City of San Francisco," the Bay Area Council Economic Institute wrote in a 2013 report. "The range of activities associated with the Cup attracted visitors from around the country and around the world generated significant business activity and produced new tax revenue for the City of San Francisco of between $5.79 million and $6.68 million."
⇑⇓ THE ACTuAL AC SAILORS
Jimmy Spithill has distinguished himself as one of the great skippers ever. His amazing performance with Oracle in 2013 will never be forgotten. I'm so thankful I was there to witness it. Thank you for giving it your all every single race.
Ralph Bobsin
⇑⇓ EVERyOnE LOVES THE JS
There is no other class as elegant as the Js, a boat for the true sailors. Only the salty would understand. I drive by Liberty and Freedom almost daily and it's sad that they have been abandoned down here and are just sitting on stilts baking in the sun. I wish someone would come restore them to their original glory.
Justin Blok
⇑⇓ DO yOu HAVE yOuR CALIfORnIA BOATER ID CARD yET? SHALL wE ARguE ABOuT ITS MERITS OR IRRELEVAnCE AgAIn?
As a US Sailing Instructor, I have certified hundreds of sailors and powerboaters. I have cruised the world while in foreign ports myself. I also hold a 100 ton masters and have captained up to 300-passenger ferries.
I am against the Boater Card.
It's just more bureaucracy and income. I feel that boating is/was one of the last freedoms we have. While I certainly believe in the value of education, especially for youth, I hate to
see this now go into effect. If you still have to have the card even with professional certification, e.g., ASA, US Sailing, or a professional Coast Guard merchant license, then you know it's just a bureaucratic revenue generator.
Fred Read
Fred was commenting on the October 23 'Lectronic: Do You Have Your California Boater's Card Yet?
⇑⇓ THIS IS nOT EVEn CLOSE TO A COMPLETE LIST:
License types issued by USCG accepted in lieu of California Boater Card:
Operator of Uninspected Passenger Vessels (6-pack),
Limited Operator of Uninspected Passenger Vessels
Master 25-200 Near Coastal
Master 25-200 Inland
Limited Master
⇑⇓ BETTER SAILORS
Jef fry Matzdorff
From my perspective, the card is just one way of getting sailors to be better seawomen and -men. As to the rules, they were codified to reduce the probability of mishap. When people don't operate according to the rules that are applicable to their vessels, then the rules fail to serve their purpose. And by that simple failure, the chance of an accident increases. Even without a collision, the mere risk of collision can screw up an otherwise uneventful sail. An emergency jibe by an inexperienced sailor or on a big sailboat may not be part of the day's planned adventure.
For what it's worth, 90% of Coast Guard investigations of collisions disclose that they occurred due to human error, which I interpret to mean "avoidable" error.
Peter Metcalf
⇑⇓ THERE IS, wITHOuT quESTIOn, BuREAuCRACy
When I realized that while I was an instructor, I'd never actually applied for a card, I tried to convince the nice people in Sacramento that I was a sailing instructor, and should therefore be qualified. Nope, had to have the card. I sent them scans of my US Sailing logbook, showing that I was also an instructor trainer for powerboat classes. Nope, had to have the card. So I filled out a card as both the instructor and the student and sent it in. A few days later, my card appeared. So, if you do take one of the required courses, make sure you keep the card.
Unknown
⇑⇓ wHERE My MOnEy wEnT
I got mine through a Zoom class with Coast Guard Auxiliary East Bay in 2021 for $30 — $20 to CGAux for the online course, $10 to CA for the card.
James McCann
⇑⇓ SAVIng ME MOnEy
I was a marine engineer on an ar my tugboat, and took a boating safety class when I bought my second sailboat — the broker said I'd get a discount on the insurance. I know I'm a knowledgeable sailor, but what about that guy coming right at me right now?
Larry Watkins
Larry — Fair question, but at some point, we can't take the attitude, "Why do we have rules at all if other people might not follow them?"
ID Card. Does it always make sense? No. Should we all grudgingly go along with it? Probably. Whatever your stance, however, the Boater ID has been law for more than eight years.
Don't we have to start somewhere?
⇑⇓ MOST IMPORTAnT On THE wATER
Though I've been sailing and motoring all my life, well over 55 years, I can see a need for a Boater Card because there are so many boaters out there who don't understand the rules of the road, or courtesy regarding movement on the water with other boats. Knowledge and education of boat operation also increases safety awareness, which is most important on the water.
⇑⇓ IS THE CARD BIg EnOugH TO COVER THE HOLES?
California Harbors and Navigation Code HNC678.11 covers vessel operations, including the requirements for the CA boater card, but also includes several exceptions §678.11(c) to the requirements: One is possession of a valid marine operator license, a second is while operating in an organized regatta or vessel race, and also while operating a rental vessel.
The last one seems a pretty big hole to me.
Colin Moore
Colin — A big hole? More like a Pacific Ocean-sized hole! Does the California Boater Card apply to a rental jet ski operator? (Must they be cognitively obnoxious?) Does this apply to electric propulsion? Foil boards? I'm all in for safety, but the card will not increase safety if there are exemptions. I'd rather plead ignorance than comply with a specious regulation that exempts A-holes.
Bill Huber
Readers — We were about to give a full-throated … not defense, but acceptance of the California Boater Card as one of those annoying inconveniences that — perhaps worst of all — further diminishes our cherished notions of the romance and freedom of sailing. Sorry, everyone! It happens. The romance of everything tends to fade with age in favor of practicality, and (God forbid!) compromise. Sure, getting the card will take a few hours of your life. Yes, it costs $10, for life. There are probably a good many people who have been sailing since they were in diapers and find the card requirement, well, a little insulting. Sorry, it happens! Things change. We all started wearing lifejackets at some point, because we accept minor inconveniences and dorky accessories as the price for growing older and wiser.
But wait, we WEREN'T going to defend the card! How can any of us take it seriously when a renter, who will be handed the keys to a 90-horsepower jet ski on a crowded lake, is exempt from the perfunctory boating education that the rest of us have to sit through? How absurd! It cheapens the contract the state is asking us to enter. However, does that mean that the card has no value to anyone, that because everyone doesn't follow the law, none of us should, that because it's an annoyance we should all rebel?
There's one more consideration: If you find yourself justifiably (no, righteously!) complaining about the State of California's appalling lack of care for some of its state-run marinas and boating infrastructure, then you simply cannot complain about a "money grab." You should expect to pay a little extra money, somewhere, to help pay for the services you demand. With that said, by law, the California Boater Card fee can only cover the cost of the program. California State Parks Division of Boating and Waterways cannot generate profit from the card. PS: No one at Latitude 38 has their Boater Card yet.
⇑⇓ PAnAMA CAnAL nEEDS MORE wATER TO kEEP SHIPS In TRAnSIT
I find it very interesting that no mention is made of the fact that Panama, when they achieved control of the former Canal Zone, allowed wide-spread logging and deforestation of the watersheds surrounding Gatun Lake and Madden Lake — a primary supplemental reservoir. Now when it rains, the denuded earth sucks up much of the rainfall before it reaches lakes. This was always carefully managed when U.S. controlled the Zone; now, not at all.
In August, the New York Times reported drought had dropped Lake Gatún, the artificial reservoir that is the centerpiece of the Panama Canal system, to critical levels, prompting canal authorities to limit traffic. Canal authorities believe climate change is responsible for the drought. The author of this letter says that years of deforestation have played a factor.
An easy scapegoat is climate change.
I was born in Colon in 1954, and left the Zone in '74. My father was a pilot on the Canal from 1952 to 1979. I did my first transit in the late '50s with my pop, and probably transited the Canal more than 50 times — twice in 1970 when I was 12, along with four ordinary seaman, on a tanker as a summer job. My dad let me command a ship into Gatun Locks southbound as a 12 year old. It was pretty cool.
I had a great life growing up there in the day. I also raced through most of the Canal in four-man cayucos, pulled out at the north end of Gatun and relaunched in the lake, but locked down through Miraflores and Pedro Miguel. We got two second places.
My dad retired two days prior to the signing of the Panama Canal Treaty.
Peter R Swain
Peter was commenting on the August 21 'LL with the same name as this letter.
⇑⇓ A MISTAkE, OR A LEgEnD?
I met Serge Testa in the Tuamotus. He had built a 60-ft
steel boat in S.F. and had a crew of paying customers. His wife mentioned that he had sailed around the world in 500 days in a three-meter boat.
Must be a mistake, I thought.
A few years and many ocean miles later, I walked into the Brisbane Museum and there sat Acrohc Australis in all her 11-ft 10-inch glory.
I went on to read his book, 500 Days: Around the World on a 12 Foot Yacht
Harry Abbott
Harry was commenting on the August 12 'Lectronic Latitude: Another Circumnavigation Race — The McIntyre Mini Globe Race 2025. The McIntyre Mini is an astonishingly massive 19-ft — a megayacht compared to Serge Testa's Acrohc Australis.
⇑⇓ THE gRAnD POOBAH On STARLInk fOR BAJA HA-HA PARTICIPAnTS
Starlink is changing the game.
I'm involved with the construction of a commercial boat that's installing two Starlinks. And they may add more. Starlink is giving Inmarsat a run for their money in the commercial connectivity space.
John Bozzelle
John was commenting on the October 7 'Lectronic with the same name as this letter.
⇑⇓ I'M VERy InTERESTED, BuT wAITIng
However, I would still prioritize AIS over Starlink and keep in mind it doesn't diminish SSB communications, either, although much more functional. How is the service in various weather conditions and angles of heel? Big waves?
Ijon Lynker
⇑⇓ BEHInD OR wILLfuLLy OffLInE
Mine worked flawlessly for more than 25,000 miles sailed on the last boat, including the Atlantic, Pacific an Indian oceans, and the entire Southern Ocean, even Point Nemo and Cape Horn. Most boats I deliver and sail on have it now, too. Anyone not using Starlink is just behind the times, or willfully choosing to stay disconnected, which still has some merit.
Ronald A Simpson Latitude Contributor
⇑⇓ JuST BECAuSE yOu CAn, SHOuLD yOu?
I believe Captain Cook would have had Starlink if it were
available. Of course, he wouldn't have needed to engage in his voyages if it were. It is a very seamanlike tool.
On the other hand, I toured the Pacific in 2023-24 and got by without it — as generations have before me. I was ecstatically happy to get away from the trappings of land life, the internet being one of them. Starlink allows you to drag all that along with you.
Joshua Wheeler, The Resourceful Sailor Sampaguita, 1985 Pacific Seacraft Flicka 20 The Seven Seas
⇑⇓ gOIng fuLL AnALOg
Things do evolve. We had garbage bags of books to exchange with other boats, no internet, no GPS, no TV.
Dennis Ritchie Sausalito
⇑⇓ nO OPTIOn
I'm a fan of Starlink. But a big downside is it makes doing work on the boat as easy as doing work at home. Sometimes it is good to just not have that option — at least for me.
Dan Knox Luna Sea, Islander 36 San Francisco
⇑⇓ REMOTE CORnERS
Got one for the van. Converted it to 12V. Worked like a champ, even in the northern Yukon. Not nearly as many satellites orbiting that part of the globe.
Arne Sundt Van North America
⇑⇓ CRuISERS ExPERIEnCE InTEnSE SEARCHES AnD SCRuTIny In fIJI
It has been widely reported Down Under that Fiji is being used as a staging post for drug importations from South America and Central America by sailing vessels used by cartels. So I'd guess that this is legitimate intel the Fiji customs is using to justify its increased search levels and level of search of foreign sailing vessels.
There has been ramped-up joint-agency boarding of cruising vessels in Fiji over the past few months. "This is the third time [our] vessel was searched in less than eight weeks," said Mark of the Amel 52 'Cream Puff'.
Might be worth asking from which direction cruisers being searched arrived. Are those from Oz and NZ being targeted as much as those coming from French Polynesia or
Bottom line is, several seriously large cargoes of drugs
have been seized, so it's no wonder they are on their toes and being proactive in their searches.
Buzzook
Buzz was commenting on the October 16 'Lectronic with the same name as this letter. Mark, of the aforementioned Amel ketch Cream Puff, was the subject of our story. He commented a few weeks later at length on this thread, and he implored commenters to read the entirety of the story, and to follow relevant links with more information.
We second that notion.
Buzz — In the local media, it is documented that the majority of the drugs are entering Fiji in commercial ports, and corruption exists among the officials. There is not a single incident where one of these searches has resulted in a drugrelated arrest on a private boat in Fiji.
If you read the entire story, you will see the vessel arrived from New Zealand. Previous ports of call were not a factor. All vessels in the locations where we were boarded were searched.
Mark Cream Puff, Amel 52 South Pacific
⇑⇓ IT'S THEIR COunTRy
Having visited many other countries while serving in the US Navy, I came to understand that one really does not enjoy "rights." What one may or may not do is strictly up to the authorities of the place you are visiting. Fiji is no different. Best to keep yourself and your boat clean and smile. Then depart.
John Smith
⇑⇓ COOL yOuR JETS
The USCG supports this community frequently. Bizarre to feature an article trashing LEDETs [Law Enforcement Detachments] over an isolated incident, but posting a picture of the Coast Guardsman involved is inappropriate and disappointing to me, an avid Latitude reader. Is the author suffering from some sort of Fleet Week hangover?
Ian Sprenger
Ian — Reporting the news and someone's experience is not "trashing" anyone.
Ian — Hardly an isolated incident. If you read the article, you will see that in excess of 20 vessels were searched.
Mark
⇑⇓ AVOID If yOu SO CHOOSE
It's not the first time, and it won't be the last.
We visited Fiji in 1997, and on the way, we heard SSB reports about problems in Savusavu with one agent there. The customs man was Indian, and he charged a high fee for every ounce of alcohol over the free import limit. We decided to check in at Suva, and the Fijian agents were so stoned on kava, they didn't even go to inspect our boat.
Alcohol is not an illegal drug, so I am surprised that the USCG was helping to tear the boats apart.
Don Radcliffe
This is why I took the time to document this event. Others can avoid the area if they choose. Information is the key.
Mark
⇑⇓ In CASES I knOw Of
I am among the many cruisers in Fiji this year. (Boat Aldabra, home port Santa Cruz). Yes, dozens of us have been boarded by teams of officials, some all Fijian, some joint forces. In almost every case that I know of, the teams have been respectful and the searches have been conducted with a light touch.
Most of us find that welcoming the teams on board and showing our papers has led to a positive experience.
Nancy
Nancy — "Almost every case?" There are several other people who have expressed similar situations on social media groups regarding the activities in Savusavu. At no point in the article does it state Mark and Cindy were unwelcoming and withheld papers.
In fact, the opposite is clearly stated.
Happy for you that your experience tur ned out better than ours. But please refrain from minimizing our horrible experience.
Mark
⇑⇓ MORE PEOPLE SHARE THEIR ExPERIEnCES fROM COyOTE POInT
The harbor at Coyote Point is a lovely place with easy access to the deep waters of the Bay — and it's surrounded by a beautiful park. The yacht club there is a welcoming place with a diverse group of boaters, mostly "blue-collar" types. The club hosts great races and youth sailing programs.
The powers that be in San Mateo County, who oversee the place, have stated that they are going to be "equity focused going forward." They don't believe boaters fit into that plan. Ironically, there is a shooting range inside the park that constantly pierces the tranquility of the place with gunfire. Somehow, that's OK by them.
I guess guns are good, but boats are bad. Elections have consequences.
Tim
Donnelly Natasha
⇑⇓ THE TIPPIng (TEMPORARy IMPORT PERMIT) POInT
I sailed to Mexico from San Francisco in the 2011 Baja Ha-Ha and got the TIP with no problems. I was still in Mexico when I needed to renew the TIP (in 2022), so I went to the aduana office in Puerto de Pichilingue, B.C.S., Mexico, only to find out that there is an uncanceled TIP from 2004 — many years before I purchased the boat. The problem could not be remedied by this office.
Why, I asked, wasn't this brought to my attention when I first applied for the TIP?
The non-answer was that they recently computerized all the documents going back many years. I asked Neil Shroyer of Marina de La Paz, where I berthed my boat, for help. He revealed that I was not the only one caught in this unsavory net, and he has been bringing the issue up when in Mexico City without much luck.
I did get a new TIP from an "agent" recommended by Tom (La Paz Yachts). The cost was approximately $400 to cancel the 2004 TIP and $400 for a new one. Now, at least, one can check to see if there is an uncanceled TIP for their boat before heading to Mexico. I'm not happy with the fact I had to pay $800 for something I had no control over.
Jack Gill
Azure-Te`, Ron Holland 43 Sausalito
⇑⇓ SOMEOnE STEP uP AnD fIx THIS
After reading this, it's amazing that the agent in Ensenada got [a vessel's] two outstanding TIPs canceled last year. It's true that bureaucratic snafus happen everywhere, but it's too bad that it can have such an outsized effect on a unique and beneficial event like the Ha-Ha. People who can't afford new-ish boats will be priced out.
Hopefully the new government will step up.
Anne Schreiber Thomas Latitude Nation
San Diego saw the start of the 30th Baja Ha-Ha Cruiser's Rally on November 4. Imagine how much paperwork each of these vessels had to go through in order to ensure everything was in order. Administrative tasks are among the underrated
⇑⇓ OnLy AfTER quITE A BIT Of wORk
The documents company in the Marina de La Paz complex was able to cancel the TIP on our boat only after talking with the previous owner several times on the phone, and only because he had all of the documents when he last checked out of Mexico several years earlier. He had to fax all the documents and a copy of his passport.
Cost: $300. That was 2015.
⇑⇓ STILL TRyIng
Janis Gio
Star Passage, Valiant 40 San Francisco
I was an unfortunate victim of this issue. I purchased my boat in Guaymas and went to Ensenada in June 2023 with plans to figure out the expired TIP issue with a seasoned agent. After many hours of doing the paperwork dance in the Ensenada Harbormaster's office, they couldn't figure out the issue with my previously canceled TIP (I even had the original in hand), and gave me 72 hours to leave the country or they would confiscate the boat. I felt fortunate just to have been given the 72 hours, although my wallet was about $800 lighter after paying agent fees that went nowhere.
I'm still trying to get this figured out!
Jordan Eller
“Some people are born with the need for the comfort of the familiar. There’s a lot to be said for that; it’s just not me. Somehow I was born with itchy feet.”
“How a
experienced love, friendship and adventure on the high seas.”
ORDER FROM HTTPS://A.CO/D/FPLQ4MS
⇑⇓ ACTIVELy fRuSTRATED
Oh swell. I used the URL in the article to check my TIP status. It shows my old TIP, which expired in 2023. It does not show my renewal done in San Bernardino and of which I have the document and receipt. However, it stops my plans to take the boat down to Baja Naval next year. Sigh.
Rick D
⇑⇓
When the marine industry service chain that supports boating is constricted by egregious over regulation and very high operating costs winds down to a handful of vendors who don't have to compete, you really see the sharpest exposition of wealth inequality in the Bay.
Yards and marinas — for which dredging and infrastructure repair is not optional, and which used to meet working and middle-class boaters at reasonable price points — have gone bust left and right. Fields of vacant slips are eventually followed by marina closures as cost pass-downs break family interest in boating.
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There are obviously other factors in doing business in CA which spike costs, such as labor and HAZMAT, but nothing is as challenging as dredging, particularly as you have little control in what comes up in your sediment testing and surveys. DMMO [the Dredged Material Management Office, part of the Army Corps of Engineers] and Bay municipalities routinely treat dredging applications as though they are all Superfund sites atop super-sinkholes that will poison entire zip codes before pulling them out into the Pacific — unless you have deep pockets and influence from Sacramento.
What will the future of boating look like in California? A handful of luxury marinas for high-wealth vanity boaters, and dingy city ramps for kayakers and trailer boaters? The rich, and spectators of the rich, seems to be the direction of travel. I just moved to coastal Virginia, and the contrast of accessibility to boating for people from all walks of life to ply the Chesapeake, and a pretty healthy local marine services industry which supports them, is stunning.
Kris Leverich
Kris was commenting on the October 18 'Lectronic Latitude with the same name as this letter.
⇑⇓ DO THE DuE
We just had our docks dredged here at the San Rafael Canal and it cost .17/cubic yard, and that was our cost, which the dredger priced us at. The city wanted to charge us .34/
cubic yard, and that was in addition to a managerial fee of, like, $12,000. Total ripoff taking advantage of those dumb enough not to do their due diligence.
Rick Meyerhoff
Maya, Lafitte 44 Sausalito
⇑⇓
The San Rafael Channel is already filling in. We hit mud following the breadcrumb trails from earlier in the year. We draw five feet, so we are going to get trapped at low tides again. We call it "tide locked."
Joe Maciorowski
⇑⇓
Thanks to the City of Berkeley for their $7 million dredging of the Berkeley Marina entrances and main channel, and the removal of the derelict D and E docks. Rebuilding of D and E docks will commence next year.
Paul Marbury Berkeley
⇑⇓
We love having the harbor dredged. But as neighbors of the harbor, we're also greatly disturbed by the noise these Mad Max-style ancient dredgers generate, and the pollution (smoke, and who knows what fluids dumped into the Bay). This weeks-long effort imposes on us and everyone who lives nearby. It's time for this activity to be brought to the 21st century: Clean, electric equipment exists, and dredging plans should be coordinated with neighbors affected by these otherwise-wonderful activities.
Uri Sarid
Uri — You have a legitimate concern, but hopefully we can all make sacrifices and live with inconveniences in order to do the critical work of dredging at our marinas. The editor of these Letters could hear the steady drone of dredgers digging out the Corte Madera Channel for weeks earlier this year from his office in San Quentin Village. But hey, they dredge once a decade, so what the hell?
To tap into an earlier thread, we must make compromises. Latitude 38 applauds environmental efforts, but regulations cannot be so strict as to make dredging cost-prohibitive. That will surely send recreational boating in California into a death spiral. We will continue to call upon the state to find an appropriate balance between environmental standards and costeffective maintenance, but first, we call on the state to stop and take a minute to appreciate its boaters.
Every lawmaker should drop what they're doing, head down to the docks, and meet California's estimated 4 million boaters (the highest levels of recreational boating activity in the nation). We're not asking for the moon. We'll take the test and get a Boater ID Card. We'll pay a little more and go through a few inconveniences to have a clean, healthy Bay. All we're asking is for the state to meet us somewhere near the middle.
Have a comment? Email us at editorial@latitude38.com
ith the 2024 Paris Olympics behind us, sailors are already looking ahead to the next event in 2028. "Heck of a place to practice for the next Olympic underwater balletdancing team, but it looks like she's got a great routine going!" — Pat McIntosh. "Working on a gold medal for Artistic Swimming, aka Water Ballet!" — Sierra Point Yacht Club. And when Elan Caspi commented, "The new Olympic competition for 2028: Artistic Sailing," David Hill suggested a name change: "… or break sailing."
Winners and top 10 below.
"Obviously "head over heels" for sailing!" — Craig Shaw.
"From then on, Poseidon was careful to check the regatta schedule before doing his underwater handstands." — Brad Cornelius.
"I found your shoe on Pacific Coast Highway 1." — Paul Holden.
"Trying to increase the viability of commercial match racing, synchronized swimming was added to the sport in 2024 to reach new audiences." — David Gruver.
"Well, the skipper said, 'Kick off your shoes and relax a bit.'" — Adam James.
"The eager first-timer said, 'I'll clean the bottom; maybe we can eke out another half-knot!'" — Rich Brazil.
"Port shoe needs trimming!" — Scott.
"BREAKING NEWS: The IOC is demanding an explanation for why synchronized swimming and sailing were scheduled for the same time and the same location." — Sailing Sibongile.
"I'd give it an 8. The leg was bent on the entry." — Vince Casalaina.
"Ginger did everything Fred did, but upside down and in high heels!" — Eben Kermit.
"A dventure may hurt you but monotony will kill you." — Anonymous.
Morgan Larson's professional sailing career might never have been if one of his father's worst nightmares had come to pass on an early trial sail in 1977 aboard Bill Lee's Merlin. We recently caught up with Morgan in an October Good Jibes podcast to learn more about his sailing history and latest escapades.
He grew up in Capitola and started sailing with his family and the local Jester fleet in Santa Cruz. (Jesters are one-person dinghies.) He recounted an early sailing memory when he told of one of his first bigboat sails. One reason Morgan was immersed in the sailing world from a young age was due to his father's involvement with iconic boat-building projects like Merlin, the revolutionary ULDB 68-footer. Like all the Santa Cruz sleds, Merlin was built inland in Bill Lee's legendary chicken coop in Soquel, California.
Morgan was just 6 years old when, in April 1977, it was time to launch Merlin. He joined his father and the crew riding aboard the boat as they trailered Merlin down to Moss Landing for her launch. On the way, they had to remove a few winches to squeeze beneath an underpass. This was the very beginning of the boat's legendary history, though, at the time, Morgan was just along for the ride.
The nightmare began innocently enough when Tom Blackaller delivered the new suit of sails to Moss Landing, and the crew, including 6-year-old Morgan, set off for a day of sea trials. They set out to test Merlin's capabilities in the choppy, breezy waters of Monterey Bay. Looking forward to testing her downwind capabilities, the crew tacked upwind for 20 miles to find the opportunity to hoist the kite and let her rip downwind for the first time. For Morgan, it was just a busy day watching the crew, and, eventually worn out by the action, he found a quiet corner below deck and dozed off.
When the crew docked back at Moss Landing, the thrill and exhilaration of the sail shifted to panic because no one could find Morgan. As he tells it, after multiple searches of the boat, his dad was beside himself while imagining calling his wife to say they'd lost Morgan on the sail. Finally, as the fears of an overboard incident gripped the team, someone found him fast asleep under a duffel bag in one of the berths. Morgan slept through all the drama.
In that year of her launching, Merlin went on to win the Transpac, shattering the record, which then stood for almost 20 years. The April launching of Merlin also coincided with the launching of Latitude 38
From that early start, Morgan worked his way up from the local dinghy scene to the top rungs of the professional circuit. In the podcast, he credits many of the sailors around him for the honing of his sailing skills, but he also felt that the unstructured adventure sailing of his youth really helped build the foundation under his sailing career. During those years before being old enough to drive, he appreciated having the freedom of skippering his own small boat and the group of friends and mentors who surrounded that sailing scene.
Beyond his parents, one of many he acknowledged was Dave Wahle, who took interest in him and the other kids sailing their Jesters around Santa Cruz Harbor. Dave has his own illustrious sailing career (he was aboard Merlin for the record run in '77) and facilitated access to better racing environments by raising funds and gathering boats, gear and trailers to organize trips to more competitive sailing venues on San Francisco Bay. It was there that Morgan found the competitors to level up his racing abilities.
He got his first paid sailing gig while he was at the University of Hawaii and was paid $100 to race aboard Doug Taylor's J/35 Zamboni. It was then he thought he could potentially have fun racing and also earn a living. Along the way he earned many titles, including winning the 5O5 World Championship with Trevor Baylis in Santa Cruz in 2004. He expanded his high-speed sailing skills as an early 49er racer, taking third in three world championships with Kevin Hall, and garnering other top-10 finishes. He's raced and won a NorCal favorite, the Moore 24 Nationals, continued on outside column of next sightings page
Could it be 25 years already? With the approach of the winter solstice, it's time to mark your calendar for the 25th anniversary of Summer Sailstice! The first Summer Sailstice occurred in 2001, when a few friends sailed to Angel Island for the solstice. Since then, it's been celebrated on the Saturday closest to the summer solstice in the Northern Hemisphere. Coincidentally, the 2025 solstice is actually on a Saturday. How do people celebrate sailing? A look at the Sailstice map shows races, raft-ups, open houses, cruises, daysails, rallies and unique celebrations including the Umbrella Downwinder in Mexico's Marina Riviera Nayarit — a downwind SUP drag race using umbrellas for sails.
The coming winter solstice on December 21 means there are six months to plan your Summer Sailstice celebrations. June 21, the first day of summer, has more daylight than any other day of the year and is the ideal time for sailors worldwide to hoist their sails to start the summer sailing season.
It's an opportunity for all sailors, sailing organizations and companies to join together to raise awareness of sailing and grow participation by inviting the world sailing.
You can post your own or your organization's plans at www.summersailstice.com today. Doing it now allows Summer Sailstice to start promoting sailing and your participation.
— john
and he's also won the Extreme Sailing Series World Championship in the GC32 foiling cats, and also on the Marstrom 32 owner-driver non-foiling cat circuit. He's also raced in the America's Cup and the TP52 circuit in the Med. He stepped aboard this past summer to be a winning skipper in the TP52 class championship.
When not traveling the world on the pro sailing circuit, he's at home with his wife and kids in Hood River, Oregon, where he has a few things to sail. He does wing and kite foiling and also sails with his kids, who have Optis and O'pen BICs. He and his son are also having fun aboard a Vanguard 15. Additionally, the family sails their Moore 24. He's got some Moore 24 races scheduled in the Pacific Northwest for 2025.
It's an enviable sailing record that started in small dinghies in Santa Cruz Harbor but might never have gone anywhere if the worst fears of that first sail aboard Merlin had come to pass. We're glad they didn't!
To hear the entire story, you can listen to Episode #164 of our Good Jibes podcast.
Spring 2024 marked the official 10-year anniversary of my passion for sailing. I moved to San Francisco when my best friend found me a job at a startup in the marine industry. I'd also wanted to fulfill a lifelong dream of being a surfer girl in California. But after learning how cold and challenging the waters are in Northern California, I decided I'd rather be on the water than in it. I attended the 2014 Latitude 38 Spring Crew List Party for work, but left with a spot on a J/88 racing team and a determination to learn to sail. By May, I was taking sailing lessons, racing three times a week, and treating (or torturing, depending on whom you ask) all my friends with weekend trips around the Bay aboard the beginner boats at the local sailing club.
For the past 10 years, I've done everything I could to sail whenever and wherever possible. The more I sailed, the more inspired I became. I fully immersed myself in the industry to see where it might lead.
In 2017, I decided to pursue my 6-pack Merchant Mariner Credential
We're big fans of the Vendée Globe. Started in 1989 and run about every four years, it remains the Mount Everest of sailing. The race is a singlehanded, nonstop, unassisted, 24,000-mile circumnavigation of the globe starting and finishing in Les Sables-d'Olonne, France. The 10th edition took off on Sunday, November 10, with 40 of the most extreme-looking IMOCA 60s you've ever seen on a starting line.
It's dominated by boats and sailors from France, with all previous editions won by French skippers. This year, 28 of the competitors are French. French skippers are again the favorites to win. Six of the skippers are women, with Sam Davies of the UK
a very strong contender. This is her sixth circumnavigation, and she has numerous transatlantic crossings to her credit.
All routing decisions are made on board without the assistance of shore-based weather routers. As of mid-November, this edition has been very light. Despite the light winds, Nicolas Lunven, skipper of the IMOCA Holcim-PRB, set a 24-hour record for a singlehanded monohull (pending official certification), covering an amazing 546.6 miles in 24 hours.
The record is 78 days. Our morning ritual is to wake up and check the tracker here: www.vendeeglobe.org/en — john
Scenes from a sailing dream with co-delivery captain Joe Proctor and a Mahi, aka dinner; the Supermoon that rose over San Francisco during arrival; bathing in the middle of the Pacific; Captain Kira at the helm; the Pacific Cup crew on deck pre-race.
(aka MMC, aka captain's license), and in 2019, I earned my 100-ton Master MMC. By summer 2023, I had amassed hundreds of days sailing through racing, coaching, and instructing ASA courses. I'd spent several seasons crewing on commercial vessels and started a women's sailing program at the very school where I'd taken my first classes. I'd logged 20,000+ miles in near-coastal and ocean waters, including one Atlantic and two Pacific Ocean crossings, plus multiple OYRA races. I'd become a delivery skipper and branched into private instruction and charter gigs worldwide.
My ultimate goal loomed on the horizon: the Pacific Cup — the Big Kahuna. In 2023, a friend introduced me to Aaron Wangenheim, owner of City Lights, a Santa Cruz 52, a boat I'd dreamed of sailing on. He needed crew for the 2023 Rolex Big Boat Series, and I was invited to join. Little did I know, I was training for something bigger. We placed third at RBBS, and the following spring, Aaron launched a 2024 Pacific Cup campaign. Once again, I was invited and even asked to be the delivery skipper, along with my partner, to bring the boat back to San Francisco. The Big Kahuna — it was happening!
After months of preparation, race day finally arrived. We set off for Hawaii on a true bluebird sailing day, July 17. The Pac Cup bills itself as "The Fun Race to Hawaii" — and I'd agree. For nine days, we sailed downwind with spinnakers flying almost the entire way! Our team consisted of eight people on a four-hours-on, four-hours-off watch schedule. The first few days were tough, but a full moon illuminated the sails.
The Pacific Ocean was fairly gentle with us. Aaron expertly routed us around the center of the Pacific High, and in the first half of the trip, we experienced consistent winds that kept us moving steadily. Right on cue, the sea state escalated just hours after our Jersey Shore halfway party. The wind turned up and made for an exciting and very fast 36 hours that included a strut line breaking and a spinnaker douse that didn't go to plan. The latter part of the journey brought waves from both the north and southeast and inconsistent winds, resulting in a massive spinnaker forestay wrap. Undaunted, our fearless team rigger went up the mast to resolve it. Within 500 miles of the finish, the humidity climbed and ominous clouds gathered. Squalls brought refreshing rain and 30+ knots of wind, transforming City Lights into a bullet train bound for Hawaii.
We finished at 5 a.m. HST on July 27, placing fourth in our division. We had sailed 2,070 miles with no major injuries to the crew or vessel. Our loved ones and Pac Cup greeters, with their tiki bar cart, awaited us on the docks. It was the end of an incredible journey and the achievement of a goal I'd worked toward for nearly a decade. However, I had little time for reflection — our return delivery loomed.
On August 3, a week after landing in Hawaii, I boarded City Lights for the return trip. During the first 24 hours, we sailed 180 miles upwind, shooting away from Hawaii like a rocket. The nights were pitch-black, as we'd left on a new moon. On the third day, we approached the edge of the High, the boat leveled out, and the winds eased. We started to enjoy the trip.
When the High expanded and the winds died, we motored. With calm seas, no wind and little current, we maintained 6+ knots of boat speed, using just one gallon of fuel per hour. We caught a mahi-mahi, cooked elaborate meals (by boat standards), and even swam in the middle of the Pacific when we were completely becalmed. The few clouds overhead brought only light gusts of wind and rainbows, propelling us slowly across the ocean. One of our crew, Ari, is a psychic and read our tarot cards, adding a mystical touch to an already introspective journey.
Finally, we approached the Farallon Islands. Blue whales, humpbacks, and even a great white greeted us. City Lights knew we were in the home stretch. She surged under the Golden Gate Bridge at 15 knots. Coincidentally, our arrival date aligned with a supermoon, which rose over San Francisco's shimmering skyline. Aaron met us on the dock with a 12 pack, and we shut down the engine as darkness fell. It had been 15 days — almost to the hour — and 2,300 miles since we left Kaneohe. We were the second vessel to return to San Francisco after the Pac Cup — not that it was a race.
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Special thanks to Aaron Wangenheim. Without his diligence in equipping City Lights to be fast, fun and safe, this experience wouldn't have been possible. Our watch captains, Brendan Huffman and Alex Salogub, provided expert advice and guidance in both rough and light seas, and I'm grateful to my crewmates Dave Monk, Steve Pacelli, Ros de Vries and Chris Walker for their teamwork and great attitudes throughout. For the delivery, heartfelt thanks to my partner and co-captain, Joe Proctor, for working with me to ensure a smooth and swift return, and to Timan Eatherton and Ari Davalos for their reliability and camaraderie. Thanks to the Pac Cup Yacht Club for hosting such an incredible race, and to Caitlin Gutekunst for introducing me to Team City Lights in the first place.
— captain kira maixner
There are likely many reasons for the loss of interest in the America's Cup. We think a major contributor is the commercial decision that an audience of spectators is more valuable than an audience of sailors.
The focus on commercial success over sailing was again highlighted in Ben Ainslie's recent quote about the 38th America's Cup, when he said, "The 37th America's Cup proved to be a huge success both on and off the water, showcasing the unique value of the America's Cup as a global sporting property. We look forward to supporting the Defender in developing the continued growth of the Cup for AC 38 and into the future."
It is no longer a yacht race but a "sporting property" and the aim is to grow the Cup, not sailing or interest in sailing. Although the America's Cup wasn't created to grow interest in sailing, it was a contest fought by sailors on sailboats, and therefore connected with all forms of recreational sailing and racing. That is no longer true.
The shift of the America's Cup from keelboats to foiling to create a more compelling made-for-TV drama accelerated the divide between the "future is foiling" progressives and the keelboat traditionalists. We think a big difference is that traditionalists are sailors really interested in growing participation in sailing, whereas the foiling world is mostly looking for spectators to drive financial success.
Shifting to a "global sporting property" makes it just another reality show competing for attention from the vast spectrum of spectator-sports crowds who are interested in watching sports rather than getting outdoors and playing the game.
Most sailors have lost interest, as technology has contributed more to the result than the participating humans. When running the 100-meter dash, the sneakers make a small difference; it is the humans who make those 10 seconds interesting. They run at just over 20 mph. If a robotic suit could double the speed, would it grow interest? We doubt it.
The Olympics remind us of what we like about sport. It's humans competing against humans. In very few sports is raw speed the element that makes it exciting. If speed were important, why would people watch baseball, football, golf or cricket?
The America's Cup was exciting when sailing and visible sailors were involved. Today's America's Cup is hard to distinguish from a video game. If you're a young sailor who wants to be in a future America's Cup, should you spend your time sailing, bicycling or coding and playing computer games? There are only four positions for sailors.
It feels as if the genie is out of the bottle. It would be hard to go back. Yet for the majority of our readers and people we quiz on the docks, the Cup came and went without notice. When asked, they expressed a preference for spinnakers, foredeck work and tactics that sailors can relate to. J Class sloops are often mentioned.
The world will always change and evolve in interesting, unexpected and sometimes unfortunate ways. The transformation of the AC into a spectator, made-for-TV event is such a change. Those who liked it the old way will have to move on or tag along.
Latitude 38 has always loved to cover the fun and adventure of sailing. This includes cruising to Mexico and the South Pacific and racing along the California coast. However, we continue to increase our coverage of the challenges that confront the ability of sailing to remain viable on the West Coast. This has led to a page on our website called 'Working Waterfront', which you can visit at www.latitude38.com/working-waterfrontwest-coast
The page is dedicated to preserving the shoreside facilities, access, trades and services that support sailing. Many of those things are under increasing pressure from
alternative development and shifts in lifestyles and career choices. We've seen a significant decline in the number of boatyards, available slips, marine service businesses and tradespeople with the skills to serve the sailing community.
This includes a declining number of fuel docks, with the lone San Francisco fuel dock at Gashouse Cove in the marina slated for removal, leaving only East Bay and Marin fuel docks available to boaters and the Coast Guard, maritime police and other emergency maritime agencies. Then there's the proposed bicycle/pedestrian bridge continued in middle column of next sightings page
Sailors care about participation. It's about connecting with something sailors do rather than watch. Do we want more people watching videoenhanced sailing, or do we want more people to go sailing? Sailors look for the halo effect of events like the AC to bring people to the waterfront to sail.
Great sailing video comes from events like the Star Worlds and Vendée Globe. Sailing La Vagabond has 1.93 million YouTube subscribers; the Cup has 303,000 subscribers and probably 100 times the advertising budget. The America's Cup is now an entertainment spectacle competing against Formula 1, major-league sports and Survivor. It's one more freak show in the lineup of millions of other crash-and-burn attention grabbers.
If the America's Cup has determined it's in its best interest to leave sailors and sailing behind, so be it. For us, it's less interesting, and time will tell if it finds success with the ever-increasing pantheon of sports properties entertaining spectators on screens. Yes, we have to let go.
— john
The scale and drama of J Class sloops is captivating and 12 Meters demonstrated sailing tactics, strategy and crew work sailors understand. In the eyes of sailors, the IACC class produced excellent Cup competition and 'Hanuman' is showing why port/ starboard encounters involve much more crew work and drama than the current AC. Center: There are lots of crew positions for sailors on traditional Cup boats vs. just four on the current AC foilers.
People say the three great reasons to be a teacher are June, July and August. Captain James Bender is a shop teacher in Redwood City who, for the past several years, has spent those three months continuing to teach through his Adriatic Maritime Institute in the islands of Croatia. There he has restored traditional wooden craft, bridged the gulf between nations in the Balkans with boats, and run outdoor educational trips for local youth. Here we share some of the past summer's adventures.
The Kor nati archipelago, a wild and desolate region in Croatia, is a place where isolation meets connectedness. For the students participating in this year's Kornati Adventure sailing camp, the theme of friendship resonated deeply, transcending borders, languages and histories. Surrounded by rugged landscapes, the weeklong program became a crucible for camaraderie and learning.
This year's camp brought together students from Maestral Home for Children in Split, Croatia, and Rada Vranješevic Home for Children in Banja Luka, Republika Srpska. Language differences — Croatian and Serbian — often create barriers. Yet, through the years, the sailing program has
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between Alameda and Oakland at Jack London Square that would restrict the free flow of sailboats from the Estuary.
As participation in sailing and the number of marine businesses has declined, there are fewer voices from the sailing community to speak out against this decline in access to the Bay. Latitude 38 wrote about San Mateo County's declining interest in preserving Coyote Point Marina in our September issue. We're writing about the workforce development needed to replace retiring skilled marine tradespeople. We're watching the condo developments and rezoning that threaten the ability of marine businesses to serve sailors. Many of these issues are brought to our attention by sailor activists like you who send us an alert.
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The central feature of the Bay Area is the Bay itself. It's one of the renowned sailing venues and resources available to local citizens for enjoying life in the region. It will only remain that way if people pay attention and speak up as development pressure grows. If you're hoping to pass sailing along to your kids, please engage where you can and send us news to editorial@latitude38.com
On the bright side, many fantastic youth and community sailing programs are introducing sailing to more people around the Bay. Many young people are looking more seriously at the great career opportunities available in the marine trades. There remain many great reasons for the next generation to connect to the Bay.
— john
The Adriatic Maritime Institute unites youth from across the Balkans. Kids learn all kinds of new skills, including maintenance, aboard the now-restored, 24-ft 'Vinka', originally built in 1937. It's a small boat with a big crew and a big mission. You wouldn't know there is friction between their nations.
fostered bonds that break down such walls.
The tradition of peace-building trips began in 2016, and many of the leaders and students were familiar faces. As the students stepped out of the van on the first day, some ran to greet old friends, while new participants hung back, observing the reunions. But as the first group circle commenced, smiles replaced hesitation, and the ice quickly melted. Veteran participants led by example, ensuring a smooth start to the journey.
The students embarked on the adventure aboard Vinka, a 24-ft historical wooden boat built in 1937 on the island of Vis. Vinka is no ordinary vessel — her rigging is intricate, with numerous halyards, control lines, and brails. This was the first time sailing for many students, and the complexity of the boat initially seemed overwhelming. But as the week progressed, they worked together to rig lines, raise sails, and master the latina, the distinctive lateen rig that powered the boat.
A thunderstor m before departure tested their resolve but also brought them closer together. We huddled in a small library as the rain poured down, the students listening to the plan for the week: sailing, camping, swimming, and hiking. They would also learn about traditional agriculture and fishing practices while carrying out every task needed to sustain life on the island.
Accompanied by Franki's fishing trawler, which carried supplies, the group set sail for the remote island of Levrnaka in Kornati National Park. All the supplies for the week — including camping gear, food and 400 liters of water — had to be carried over a steep hill to the campsite. Returning students eagerly led the way, inspiring newcomers to join in. By the time Vinka was tied up, most of the camp was already set.
The week unfolded with a spirit of cooperation and resilience. Students helped with cooking, cleaning, and maintaining the boats. Even challenges, such as a sudden gap in leadership when one instructor couldn't attend, were met with adaptability. A visiting friend, Jeremy, stepped in to teach about electronics, wiring a new pump and lights for Vinka. Franki brought fresh fish for a celebratory BBQ, and the students embraced new activities, including diving and exploring the island's rugged terrain. One evening, the group climbed to the highest point on Levrnaka to watch the sunset. It was a moment of quiet reflection, underscoring the week's theme of connection. From overcoming language barriers to working as a team, the students demonstrated how shared experiences can build trust and lasting friendships.
The program was not only about fun but also about learning valuable skills. Sailing Vinka required teamwork, communication and patience. The students practiced raising and lowering the sails, adjusting rigging, and navigating the waters around the islands. They also learned about the history of the boat and the traditional maritime culture of the region.
At the end of the week, as the boats were loaded for the return trip, the bonds formed during the camp were evident. Students who had been strangers at the start now laughed and shared stories, exchanging contact information to stay connected.
Friendship was at the heart of the Kor nati Adventure. It wasn't always easy; differences in background, language and experience could have been obstacles. But through shared challenges and triumphs, the students found common ground. Whether it was a veteran participant encouraging a newcomer or a group navigating a storm together, every moment contributed to a deeper understanding of one another.
In the final circle, highlights and antics from the week were shared, and goodbyes stretched long as students lingered to exchange social media details. The camp wasn't just a sailing adventure; it was a transformative experience, teaching the value of connection and cooperation.
As the program concluded, the Kornati Adventure had achieved its mission: to bring young people together in a setting that fosters growth, resilience and friendship. Through sailing, teamwork and exploration, the students left with not just skills but memories and relationships that will last a lifetime.
— james bender
It's that time of year again when we have a look at some of the sailing-oriented books released this year. As usual, we save them up for review in the December issue, so that anyone considering a book as a gift for the sailor(s) in their lives has an idea of what's out there. This was a good year for books, so let's get right into it.
The Co-Captain's Log (Katherine Gonzalez, $24.99) — Today we crossed the equator! Champagne was popped, high fives were slapped, chocolate acai bits were nibbled. The only way it could have been better is if we'd actually been aboard the Pacific Seacraft 34 Ana Maria with Katherine and Andres Gonzalez. But we did the next best thing with this first "interactive" book we've ever reviewed: We clicked on the proper QR code, registered on the website, and from there on, received daily emails chronicling Ana Maria's 2023 Pacific Puddle Jump. We admit to skepticism when Katherine, a regular Changes in Latitudes contributor, told us about this plan. But to experience her vision in "real time" — we love it! It's one of the first emails we look at every morning to see how "we" are doing on the crossing, and frankly, we'll be a bit sorry when we finally "get" to Hiva Oa. But that's just one part of this lovely book, which traces the story of Katherine and Andres from when they first met on the ski slopes in Washington in 2016, to their arrival in New Zealand last year. (Earlier QR codes in the book will give you access to videos and more photos of their eight-year journey.) If you're more of a traditional reader, you can power through the entries for their Pacific crossing in a single sitting. But in this case — and this may be the only time we ever say this — by just reading the whole book, you would be missing a part of what makes this one of our favorite cruising books ever.
Passages: Cape Horn and Beyond
(Lin Pardey, $22.95)
— Reading this book was like running into a cherished old friend you haven't seen in a while and catching up with them, through both good times and bad. Although the writing is vintage Lin Pardey, and the reader once again comes aboard for passages on the good ships Seraffyn and Taleisin, the overall theme is a farewell love song to her late husband and co-author Larry, who passed away in 2020. Lin starts that main section with one of the highlights of Larry's life, rounding Cape Horn (in light winds under a drifter, no less), and from there delves into what followed that 2002 milestone: reuniting with kids-turned-adults in the South Pacific; family reunions back home in California and the Pacific Northwest; purchasing a home and small boatyard in New Zealand; numerous speaking engagements — and through it all, the changing dynamic of a loved one experiencing slow physical and mental decline. This is one of Lin's most heartfelt books, as it will likely be for anyone who has experienced a similar journey with a loved one of their own.
She ends on the upbeat note of a sort of living memorial for Larry near their home in New Zealand, and a lovely, growing
relationship with her new cruising partner, David Haigh.
The Last Days of the Schooner America (David Gendell, $34.99) — We're embarrassed to admit this is the first book we've read about the low, black schooner for which the America's Cup was named. Which made us kick ourselves, because hers is such a fascinating story. For example, after her famous win over the British racing fleet in 1851, the 101ft America served in both the Confederate and Union navies (the former as a blockade runner and the latter on blockade duty off Charleston). In later years, after a series of different owners, a very old, tired America was donated to the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, which had her put in a specially constructed shed at the nearby Annapolis Yacht Yard in 1940. The idea was that she would be restored once the yard was done making PT boats for the war effort. It was not to be: A heavy snowfall collapsed the shed in 1942, and the great yacht was no more.
Captain Silas Talbot (William M. Fowler, Jr., $24.95) — What would you get if you crossed the fictional Captain Jack Aubrey with the very real David Farragut or John Paul Jones? The answer might very well be Silas Talbot, who was raised poor but rose through the ranks — both literal and figurative — to become a well to-do gentleman and war hero. Fowler does an amazing job of bringing him back to life in this book, from his humble beginnings in Massachusetts, where he was born in 1751, to his years as a Continental Army officer, to some seriously crazy adventures with fireships; capturing prize ships; being captured and imprisoned; and commanding the USS Constitution for two years as it patrolled the waters off the West Indies for French privateers. (Although Old Ironsides saw little action in this period, Talbot is credited with the idea and implementation of resupplying ships at sea, rather than having them leave station and go into port.) When the fighting finally stopped, Talbot carried severe burn scars from his fireship adventures, had been wounded 13 times in various engagements, and still carried five bullets in his body until the day he died in 1813. He is the only American during the Revolution to carry commissions from both the Army and Navy.
Prevaling Wind (Thomas Dolby, $39.99) — Brothers Davey and Jacob Haskell are stuck in a dead-end life. The sons of a disabled father and caretaker mother, they spend their days on a small, leaky boat checking lobster traps offshore of their Deer Island, Maine, homeport — like everyone else in the area. The pickings are slim in the fished-out waters, and there appears to be no future for them except siring the next generation to do the same thing. Then rich guys from the New York Yacht Club appear on a spectacular yacht to interview the local sailors for spots on the newest boat to race for the America's Cup. Both Haskell boys get picked, but wind up on different trajectories that end with their racing on opposing boats: Jacob aboard Sir Thomas Lipton's Shamrock IV, the British entry, and Davey aboard Harold Vanderbilt's Vanitie. The boats are real, the principals (except for Davey and Jacob) are mostly real, and the cancellation of the 1914 America's Cup due to World War I is also real. The fiction is the $1 million bet to see which yacht wins a race around Manhattan before both are laid up to wait out the war. You'll have to get the book to find out who won, and how.
The Watch's Wild Cry (Robert F. Weir, edited by Andrew W. German, $30) — This book is a compilation of Weir's journals and drawings. In 1855, he ran away to sea at age 19 and spent the next three years aboard the whaling ship Clara Bell out of New Bedford. After his death in 1905, his writings were lost, refound and donated to what eventually became the Mystic Seaport Museum. The long-talked-about idea of putting it all into book form has finally been realized, and The Watch's Wild Cry is the result.
While Weir's descriptions of the wanton slaughter of whales and dolphins will make most readers squeamish (including us), we were fascinated to learn other aspects of this hard life, not the least of which was that only about 15-20% of Clara Bell's whale hunts ended up in successful kills. Half of the time, they never even caught up to the whales.
One frustrating element of this book is the shaded explanations following every long paragraph. These fill in details on things like whom Weir is talking about, or about the other whalers involved in "gams" — two ships meeting at sea and crews sharing news and tales. These well-intentioned sidebars make for herky-jerky reading until you get used to them — or realize you don't need that amount of detail and can largely skip over them if you want to maintain the narrative.
This fascinating book both confirmed and changed many of our perceptions of the 19th century whaling industry. And made us glad it's gone.
Boat Crazy (Stan Grayson, $29.95) — WoodenBoat magazine readers will be familiar with Stan Grayson's writing. The dedicated historian has contributed dozens of articles to magazines. He has also written several books, including Cape Cod Catboats and A Man For All Oceans, an award-winning biography of Joshua Slocum. Grayson is known for his meticulous research, easy-to-read writing style, and sense of humor — and all those are on generous display in this collection of stories previously published in WoodenBoat. While every sailor might not be interested in every subject between the covers, or the sometimes excruciating detail devoted thereto, every one of these stories tickled our fancy in some way. As just one example, we were particularly delighted with the story of the last operating original 1893 Stinz two-cycle marine engine, which still pops, clinks, clunks, and hisses at the Penobscot Marine Museum in Maine.
Find more great sailing books in the Latitude 38 bookstore at https://bookshop.org/shop/latitude38.
The 30th edition of the Baja HaHa cruising rally from San Diego to Cabo San Lucas was one of the finest, smoothest two-week runs in its history. On a glassy, calm, sunny Monday, November 4, the fleet gathered at the starting line in San Diego to embark upon an unforgettable experience that would include great fishing, sightings of a SpaceX rocket launch, and smooth seas, all under clear skies and a waxing moon.
Since starting in 1994, the Baja HaHa has launched thousands of cruising dreams in a huge variety of boats. This year's fleet ranged from 27-ft sloops to a luxurious 70-ft yacht, and included many multihulls and a few powerboats. The Grand Poobah stated, "The boats keep getting better and better, a little bigger, but they are more late-model boats. Plus, there are always some boats from the '60s and '70s, like the Cal 46, an Islander 36 and an Ericson 32, so it's a good event for all kinds of boats."
Assistant Poobah Patsy Verhoeven gave us some more details on the fleet. Of the 131 boats that signed up, 100 boats started from San Diego and 98 finished; four were powerboats and 14 were multihulls. The average boat length: 43-ft. Eleven were built before 1980, 30 between 1980 and 2000, and 54 in the last 25 years. A total of 398 people on all boats. Of those, 118 were female. The average age of participants (skippers, crew and kids) 53, average skippers' age 68. There were 27 kids under 16 on 12 boats. She added, "This was an excellent group of people. It takes a good group to adjust to the changes and deal with the uncertainty."
The fleet is always a mix of experienced sailors who've made many trips both north and south, plus first-timers
who are looking to become future, experienced "old-timers." Now that they've all made it, they have the experience to share, too.
The kids' boundless enthusiasm added energy to the very family-friendly event. They participated in numerous activities like the "Little Kids Olympics," diving, flipping, and flopping off the mothership Profligate, and creating memories that will last long past the sting of the last belly flop.
This year's rally began on November 4 with a spectacular sendoff parade started in front of Shelter Island on San Diego Bay, from a Bali 40 provided by West Coast Multihulls. The fleet was honored by a Navy ship that passed through the starting line at precisely the 10 a.m. start, pressing the fleet to the edge of the channel. The fleet gave them plenty of room. The weather at the start set the tone for the trip, foretelling some of the flattest seas in the event's history.
The favorable conditions allowed a significant portion of the rally to feature "champagne sailing" — flat waters, sunshine, and ideal winds for a rainbow of spinnakers. Despite light air, the multihull Kalewa achieved a 2024 record-setting speed of 16.7 knots while surfing down a wave. While all three legs offered calm conditions and gentle breezes to most of the crews, the later arrivals to Turtle Bay experienced gusts of up to 43 knots, providing a puckering, adrenaline-filled challenge for some crews.
Despite the generally benign conditions, on the first night out, at about 0400, Aaron Correll on the Fuji 45 Sea Monkey was rigging up a preventer while winds were light from astern. He says, "I looked forward from the cockpit
and noticed everything looked a little off. Then I realized the boom had come off the mast, and the mainsail was holding it up off the deck. I propped up the boom to relieve tension off of the main and lashed everything to the deck. Thank goodness the winds were light. The next morning, I saw the boom vang had snapped." Fortunately, the Fuji 45 is a ketch, so they were able to carry on with the mizzen and foresail. On board repairs were made, which they're treating gently until they can make full repairs in La Paz.
The stop in Turtle Bay provided a break and a chance to tell fish stories — and there were lots of them. This year's fishing was exceptional. Sailors reeled in an unprecedented number of tuna, with some catches exceeding 100 pounds. Generosity was on full display as participants freely shared, cleaned, and vacuum-sealed tuna with one another. Not everyone caught fish, but after crews distributed their surplus, nobody went without!
Turtle Bay also hosted the traditional beach party and Bazeball Game. As the Poobah said, "The original baseball game was started 15 or 20 years ago to help cruisers intermingle with the locals, and it's become a huge success. Every year, we donate thousands of dollars of baseball equipment to the kids of the town."
The local community, as always, welcomed the fleet with open ar ms. And despite its dusty appearance, Turtle Bay sports an unimaginably nice baseball diamond. Donations poured in from the Ha-Ha fleet for the town's youth baseball teams, with sailors bringing gloves, bats, balls, and even a pitching machine. We're waiting for the day when a Turtle Bay kid shows up in MLB. Local kids as young as 6 showed off their talents on the AstroTurf diamond while cruisers joined the random fielding and batting lineup.
The next day's Turtle Bay beach
party was also a roaring success, despite the fact that someone, we won't say who, forgot the volleyball set. The Poobah said, "Every year we also raise money to help feed local kids by selling 'Poobah Dogs' to the cruisers on the beach. This year we raised $1,000, helped by three crew who each offered $100 for a single hot dog." The women once again won the tug-of-war contest against the men, while other ralliers swam, relaxed, and cooked plentiful fish and hot dogs on the beach.
The Poobah stated, "We're the biggest thing to ever hit Turtle Bay. We're like, New Year's, Christmas, Fourth of July, Day of the Dead, the whole thing wrapped into one. We're really big, big time when we come to Turtle Bay, and they love us, and we love, love all of them. They are just the nicest and most welcoming people."
Despite the smooth sailing, there were a few minor incidents. Early on,
one boat faced a clogged head that couldn't be fixed on board. In search of relief, the crew returned to Turtle Bay, where one of the locals offered to lend them a well-worn car to find parts. After scouring the small town, they discovered a used, slightly bent toilet unclogger, which worked well enough to get them back in the rally. It's one more example of the amazing hospitality of the Mexican people.
Kay Hunt, sailing aboard the Hallberg-Rassy Beagle Spirit with her husband Brett, suspected she had fractured her wrist during the rally. She reached out on the fleet's radio net, and by chance, a world-class orthopedic surgeon was aboard another boat, the Cal 346 Bibi. He examined and treated her injury. By the time of the beach party in Bahia Santa Maria, Kay sported a cast that had collected many signatures from the fleet.
The second leg from Turtle Bay to Bahia Santa Maria brought another stretch of superb sailing. Although light winds marked the start, conditions improved in the afternoon, leading to another spectacular day of spinnaker runs under sunny skies. The bay is remote and without a town, but the fishermen, pangas and a rock band were there to greet everyone.
This beach party is a favorite among participants, featuring live music and dancing, and overlooking what is usually an empty bay until the annual HaHa fleet arrives. This year's event was one of the best. The Poobah said the legendary conga line stretched to hundreds of people long, making it the largest ever recorded.
You have to be enthusiastic to win the diving contest.
The Poobah described the scene: "Bahia Santa Maria is about 30 panga fishermen living in boxes and the mangroves there. They are dear, dear friends, and their wives arrive from somewhere with their kids, and they come down and cook something like 400 meals, and they get a rock and roll band that comes up from La Paz. The rock band this year was fantastic."
It was a great party, but the stop in Bahia Santa Maria didn't go completely as planned. This is where the miraculous, middle-of-nowhere passport check-in happened last year, and it was supposed to happen again. It was not to be.
This year's process of checking into Mexico required the transport of nearly 400 passports to San Carlos for processing. The trek to San Carlos was accomplished by Doña de Mallorca, Annie Gardner and Jim Drake, leaving in the
morning with a local official and the passports on a journey that involved multiple rides in pangas, a trek through mangroves, and then a car ride to the passport office. This was much more complicated than last year, when it was all accomplished on the aft deck of Profligate
While the process in town was frustratingly slow and inefficient, the passports were eventually returned and distributed back to the boats just before dark, ensuring everyone was checked in and could proceed south to Cabo. As the Poobah said, "I hate being responsible for things I have no control over." While cruising, you can worry about winds, storms, breakages and anchors dragging, but the paperwork remains one of the most stressful aspects of the Ha-Ha. Once again, it was eventually
"mission accomplished."
Another adventure at sea involved a fueling fiasco. A boat ran out of fuel and was struggling to get sailing just 5 miles off Turtle Bay. Profligate decided to go out to help them by delivering fuel to the stranded vessel, but a 100-ft motor yacht was already there, passing them some fuel. Despite their engine stalling again briefly, the crew managed to motor in by about 1:00 in the morning and anchor in the Bay. Amazingly, the next morning, the boat discovered they had drifted 5 miles back out to where they'd been the night before due to insufficient scope on the anchor.
While none of these mishaps were life-threatening, the mutual assistance provided by fleet members often relieved many small, problematic situations. The Catalina 36 Ebenezer Three discovered it was completely out of
water. Profligate came to the rescue, this time with crew member Mitch Perkins diving into the water to deliver the jugs of water, which mostly served to provide some drama.
Light breezes don't prevent all sails from ripping. Because of the light air, the fleet's sailmaker, Chuck Skewes from Ullman, was less busy than in most years, but still completed a number of sail repairs for participants. Additionally, the mutual-assistance program found the fleet collectively solving many more mechanical issues, including AIS troubleshooting and locating obscure parts. Everyone knows the next boat problem crossing the airwaves might be their own, so there's a strong commitment to making sure that no sailor faces their challenges alone. The spare parts, tools and skills found across the fleet could stock a chandlery and staff a boatyard.
A continuing trend is the growing adoption of Starlink. The Grand Poobah estimated that about 80% of the fleet had it on board. While some fear being overconnected, the Poobah says most
people manage to see the whales and sunsets, and many are on the Ha-Ha because Starlink gives them the freedom to go. There are people doing insurance work or selling houses while simultaneously managing to cruise. The additional weather reports and communications available provide many added safety benefits. "I also have a Starlink Mini, which uses about one-quarter of the juice that the bigger Starlinks use. Though it costs $600, I think it's worth it. This thing's so cool. It's 8 1/2 by 11 inches in size, weighs about a pound, and it has the modem built in," the Poobah added. "It's unbelievable."
Could it happen again? Yes, it could. The final leg to Cabo San Lucas began with light winds, but transitioned into another day of excellent spinnaker sailing. The Grand Poobah couldn't recall three more perfect legs of the Baja HaHa all strung together.
Once again, the biggest issues were confronting civilization. It wasn't unexpected, but Marina Cabo San Lucas was fully booked, leaving absolutely no slips available for the Ha-Ha
participants. This meant the entire fleet had to anchor outside, creating a large crowd of boats in the less-than-ideal anchorage. Combined with forecasts of strong winds, the situation prompted a difficult decision: The Poobah canceled the final three events — the Squid Roe party, the beach party with the Here to Eternity kissing contest, and the awards ceremony.
So the superb run south ended with a bit of a whimper and disappointment for the fleet, but after a near-perfect passage down the coast, it would have been much more unfortunate to end it all with the fleet dragging anchors and banging into one another in rough conditions off Cabo. Many boats chose to continue on before the weather deteriorated and to where more favorable conditions awaited, such as Puerto Los Cabos, La Paz, Mazatlán, or Banderas Bay. Some boats dropping crew in Cabo for a flight home were shocked to find that the fee to simply drop crew onto the dock in the marina was $100. This reaffirmed that it might have been a good idea to move on.
"This rally is about adventure and flexibility," said Assistant Poobah Patsy Verhoeven of the Gulfstar 50 Talion "Everyone adapted beautifully, finding ways to connect and celebrate wherever they landed."
With the close of the 30th annual Baja Ha-Ha, the Grand Poobah estimates that, over the past 30 years, the event has hosted more than 3,600 boats and 15,000 sailors who have sailed a collective 2.7 million miles along the
coast of Baja. How many miles all those boats have since sailed is anyone's guess, but many have gone on to circumnavigate or continued to cruise for many, many years.
Because of the infectious success of past years, it would be hard for many past participants to believe this year was any better than others. But the Poobah has run the event for 30 years and has seen it all. This year will be remembered for unbeatable weather, record-breaking tuna catches, the spontaneous laughter of the largest cohort of children ever splashing off the stern crossbeam of Profligate, and the collegial collection of cruisers who made it all work. The rally is a microcosm of the cruising community — an eclectic group of individuals on unique craft inspired to adventure over the horizon, with a desire to have fun and offer help when needed.
Will there be a 31st Baja Ha-Ha? The
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Grand Poobah says yes, provided he and Doña are in good health and the hurdles of the Mexican bureaucracy can be smoothed out. Last year worked out fine, but the last-minute switch and uncertainty surrounding this year's check-in can't be repeated. None of the alternatives are easy. Despite these hurdles, the demand for the Baja HaHa remains strong, with many sailors eager to participate in future editions.
For those who have yet to experience the Baja Ha-Ha, it offers an unparalleled opportunity to embark on a cruising adventure and forge lasting friendships. The Poobah relayed, "After the Ha-Ha, boats scatter across Mexico, but now they have all kinds of friends. People who get their first cruising experience now also have entrée into many more cruising opportunities." Seasoned sailor or not, the Grand Poobah's trademark Baja HaHa has found the right mix of frivolity, safety, shenanigans, charity, and cooperation to bring sailors back year after year.
While r eflecting on the three decades of organizing the rally, the Poobah expressed his gratitude to the thousands of participants who have made it such a success, and remarked, "I'm really proud of the event
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Follow the adventures of Baja Ha- Ha participants in the magazine in ‘Changes in Latitudes’ and online on our ‘Heading South’ page at: www.latitude38.com/headingsouth
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The place to be in La Paz, conveniently located near downtown.
marinadelapaz@prodigy.net.mx
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Latitude 38 and the Baja Ha-Ha would like to thank all participants and sponsors for making 2024 another spectacular year for sailing South. The dream is kept alive by those who have sailed before and made possible by the people and organizations who support this cruise of a lifetime.
You won't hear from the Baja Ha-Ha again until spring 2025 when we get ready to open entries for the 31st running of this annual cruising rally.
Baja Ha-Ha 2025 Registration Opens Early May Departure Early November
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racing is alive and well on San Francisco Bay. Our evidence: When we were planning this feature, we had to keep bugging our publisher for more pages. And this is only Part 1 — we'll feature more one-design classes in an upcoming issue.
The classes here aren't in any particular order; let's just dig right into our annual celebration of the year's season champions.
Mercury Travel Trophy Fast Break
Randy Smith, SFYC
Last year, the winner of the Paxton Davis Travel Trophy came from the L.A. area; this year it's a Bay Area sailor.
Aficionados trailer their 18ft Mercury keelboats up and down California in pursuit of the Travel Trophy.
"The fleet sails in some wonderful venues, including San Francisco Bay, Monterey Bay, Stillwater Cove, Huntington Lake and Long Beach," explains this year's champion, Randy Smith. He started sailing Mercurys about 15 years ago at the
suggestion of Pax Davis. "It is a great fleet with wonderful people and good competition. The main reason for me purchasing a Mercury was to sail with my two daughters."
The Pax Davis Travel Trophy is awarded based on the total results from several regattas in each fleet area. Based on the results, each skipper receives points for their performance in the regattas. The skipper with the highest total points wins the trophy.
Randy had several crew members this year: Junette Kushner, John Verdoia and his daughter, Kathryn Smith. "She crews for me when I am racing in SoCal. Sailing with my daughter is always a highlight."
MERCURY PAXTON DAVIS TRAVEL TROPHY
(6 regattas)
1) Fast Break, 18; 2) Space Invader, David West, RYC, 10; 3) Carbon Offset, Chris Raab/ Kenny Dair, CBYC, 10. (30 boats)
More info at www.mercury-sail.com
Nordic Folkboat — Freja Tom Reed, StFYC
Tom Reed's Freja is a mega-repeat winner in the Folkboat class.
"This is our 12th season championship in the Folkboat class and the fifth win in the last five seasons," says Tom. "My son Tommy and Dave Kresge crewed on all of the races, as well as the Wednesday night series at StFYC. I think our favorite series was the Wednesday night series, which we won as well, and winning the Degnan trophy at StFYC."
First launched in 1942 in Sweden, the Folkboat design is 25 feet long. The lapstrake hull gives it a distinctive appearance among Bay Area racing boats.
NORDIC FOLKBOAT (40r, 8t)
1) Freja , 47 points; 2) Polperro, Peter Jeal, BVBC, 61; 3) Sabrina, Chandler Grenier, S.F. Folkboat Assn., 120. (12 boats) More info at www.sfbayfolkboats.org
J/105 — Ne*Ne
Tim Russell, SFYC
The J/105 fleet on San Francisco Bay is going strong. The 34.5-ft sprit boats continue to show up in force — 30 of them made up the biggest division in this year's Rolex Big Boat Series.
Longtime J/105 owner Tim Russell returned after a year off and sailed away with the season championship. J/105s were first built in 1995, and Tim's Ne*Ne is hull #3.
"The racing in the J/105 fleet is very competitive and it's getting more competitive every year," commented Tim. "We get a consistent turnout of 20+ boats, including several that are capable
PHOTOS COURTESY THE WINNERS EXCEPT AS NOTED
of winning races and regattas. And the camaraderie in the fleet is hard to beat!"
T im's favorite regatta of the year was the North Americans, held at Edgewater YC in Cleveland. "We ended up in third with a chartered boat. We were definitely the fastest boat out the chute, but toward the end of the regatta the top boats caught up to us. We managed to win three races, but struggled in a couple of light-air starts.
"It was exciting racing against Terry McLaughlin, a medalist in the Olympics and America's Cup skipper for the Canadians. Sailing in fresh water was great. After racing one day, I was a little embarrassed, because, out of habit, I was rinsing the boat off after sailing and a competitor came up to me and reminded me that we were sailing in fresh water! It's always fun sailing in different venues and against other competitors."
Crew on Ne*Ne included Tone Chin, Ben Louttit, Kyle Hunt, Orlando Montalvan, John Claude, Arne Vandenbroucke, Bill Melbostad and Chris Doubek.
"A special shout-out to Kyle and Beth Stryker for making sure Ne*Ne's bottom was always cleaned on time; to Lyndsay Brown and Kristin Lighttiser, for keeping the boat maintained in tip-top condition; and to Jeff Thorpe, for all the tips and coaching he has provided for the season.
"We're looking forward to doing it all over again next year."
J/105 (46r, 11t)
1) Ne*Ne , 85 points; 2) Blackhawk , Ryan Simmons, SFYC, 97. 3) Arbitrage, Bruce Stone, StFYC, 212. (34 boats)
More info at www.sfj105.org
West Coast Sailing Grand Prix
ILCA 7 (Laser)
Elliot Drake, CFYC
The West Coast Sailing Grand Prix features racing for standard-rig Lasers and Radials, but they're not called that anymore — they're ILCA 7s and ILCA 6s. A relative newbie to the series, Elliot Drake topped the ILCA 7 division this year.
"Every regatta and venue in my second summer in the Bay Area has been a dream come true," said Elliot. "I'm thrilled to be a part of the exceptional group of sailors in District 24. We all extend our gratitude to the race committees and volunteers who make the amazing schedule possible.
"As for my favorite regatta of 2024, it's a close tie between the Santa Cruz District 24 Champs and Huntington Lake.
" In Santa Cruz, we had only four sailors in the ILCA 7 fleet, but it was plenty competitive, with Peter Phelan defending his home turf against the Bay Area sailors — myself, Chris Simenstad and Emilio Castelli. Santa Cruz offers ideal ocean conditions, with a steady afternoon breeze holding strong for about three hours. The SCYC committee ran eight races across four fleets. They really know how to get it done within the available time — a great reason to encourage even more participation next year!
ILCA 6 (Laser Radial)
David LaPier, ACSC
Sailing the smaller Radial rig, David LaPier topped the ILCA 6 division. He's been a Laser sailor for 20 years.
His favorite regatta of the West Coast Sailing Grand Prix was the Monterey Peninsula YC Championship, "because the ocean is so beautiful there."
He commented on the excitement at StFYC's Elvstrom Zellerbach Regatta in May: "The windy run at the Zellerbach on the Cityfront, crossing through the whole 420 fleet that was blasting off the line on starboard — that was exciting enough."
"As for Huntington Lake, even with unpredictable weather, Fresno YC hosted an unforgettable event. From alpine lakeside camping and bonfires to a close-knit community with pets and families, it had everything. And with the start line just five minutes away by sail, the shoreside postponements between squalls didn't bother anyone.
"During the final race of the ILCA PCCs at StFYC, both of my quadriceps cramped up on the first leg, leaving me drifting in the ebb toward the Golden Gate for 10 minutes before I could regain the ability to move. A combination of three weeks of travel leading up to the regatta and the usual Cityfront exhaustion had finally caught up with me. I'm continuing to pick Julian Soto's brain for nutritional solutions to prevent this in the future."
Although comparatively new to the Bay Area ILCA scene, Elliot has been sailing a Laser since he was 14. "I transitioned from the Opti to the Laser Radial — I was already too tall for the doublehanded boats!"
ILCA 7 (10 regattas)
1) Elliot Drake, 55 points; 2) Julian Soto, Charcuterie YC, 41; 3) Al Sargent, StFYC/ACSC, 39. (47 boats/9 qualifiers)
ILCA 6 (7 regattas)
1) David LaPier, 23 points; 2) Toshi Takayanagi, RYC, 17; 3) Courtney Clamp, RYC, 8. (31 boats/4 qualifiers)
More info at https:// sites.google.com/view/dist24-ilca-grandprix
Olson 25 — Sketch
David Gruver/John Collins, SFYC Olson 25s were first built in 1984. Current sailors of the George Olson masthead sloop design have been doing a good job of rebuilding the fleet and organizing a fun season schedule.
"The July weekend of the Encinal Regatta and the Estuary Extravaganza stands out for us," says 2024 season champion Dave Gruver. "Saturday's sail to Point Bonita was tricky, with shifts and puffs keeping us on our toes to keep the boat moving and keep the fleet corralled. We chose to hug Bonita tightly, making our way north to get up-current of the mark — perhaps a little closer to the shoreline than we'd normally like. With waves breaking to leeward, it was a bit sporty for longer than we might have liked. The sail back into the Gate, in what fellow Olson 25 owner David Scott aptly termed 'meringue seas', was equally challenging, with plenty of pumping and catching whatever waves we could.
"Having the fleet finish at EYC and
then hanging around afterward was a great way to bring the fleet together. John provided a couple of kegs from Otto's that added to the enjoyment.
"Sunday's racing on the Estuary was both challenging and fun, with no shortage of shifts, puffs and holes — definitely a day to keep your head out of the boat. It's not a venue we get to sail often since we keep the boat in Tiburon. And who doesn't enjoy some flat water for a change? The final highlight of the weekend was a wonderful sail home to Tiburon as the sun went down, surprisingly warm with 20-25 knots of breeze. It was a great reminder of how lucky we are to live and sail here in the Bay Area."
Sketch had a deep bench this year. "John Collins and I are fortunate to enjoy some wonderful and long-standing friendships with amazing sailors. The boat is always well crewed, and we never lack for laughter. The fact that John provides us with the very finest from Otto's Garage Brewing may be a contributing factor. Sailing with us in the seasoncounting races this year were Tom and Rosalee Ducharme, Caroline Berith, Elizabeth Little, Dan Brusseau, Craig Healy, Keith Stahnke, Nick Gibbens, John Hauser, Peter Wagner, Cory Schillaci, PJ Cosgrove and Betsy Weiler. Tom Ducharme and Caroline Berith were the crew that helped us capture the class Nationals in October.
"Th e Olson 25 fleet continues to grow and mature. They are fantastic boats for the Bay, whether you're racing one design or PHRF or just daysailing.
We're looking forward to 2025 and would love to see more boats on the start line next year!"
OLSON 25 (12r, 3t)
1) Sketch , 9 points; 2) O'mar, David Scott, BYC, 18; 3) Falkor, Zack Parisa, BYC, 29. (9 boats)
Wylie Wabbit Season Series
Mr. MacGregor
Kim Desenberg/ John Groen, RYC
Kim Desenber g is intimately familiar with Wylie Wabbits. He not only sails them, he built them.
Hanford, Guillaume Canivet, OJ Olson, Lorn Marcellini, Merrick Cheney and Ben Costello. Seems like a lot for a threeperson boat, but we sailed a lot of events.
Although he's Richmond-based, his favorite regatta this year was an away game. "We have done several regattas in Santa Cruz over the years, at least two of which were our Nationals prior to this year's event. In one of those, I was unable to attend, so John Groen skippered our boat with four people on board (we normally sail with three). He won the series, which was disappointing to me because I wasn't there!
"This year saw light wind, but the venue is very popular with our fleet. The race committee work was excellent, and the hospitality of the SCYC people made it a great event for us. It's fun to sail in places away from home.
"My boat partner is John Groen, and he did likely all of the races this year with me. Our regular middle person is Terry Sistek. She missed a couple of events, at which Gene Harris stepped in to help us."
Wylie Wabbit Fun Series and Travel Series — Kwazy Colin Moore, RYC
Colin Moor e is a repeat Wylie Wabbit champion. "I was lucky to be able to sail with several friends over the season, including Rachel Fogel, Alex
"I am a great fan of the doublehanded events. The Wabbit is well suited to them, challenging and fun. I think my favorite race might have been with OJ in the SSS Round the Rocks, where we won in a very nonWabbit way by sneaking across the start line against the current in almost no wind. We got a big jump on the fleet. The westerly filled, and we then entered survival mode mixed with some great reaches. The Wiver Wun came through with the usual warm-wind, flat-water reaches up the river." The Wiver Wun takes the Wabbits up the Sacramento River to Rio Vista.
WYLIE WABBIT SEASON SERIES (6 regattas, 1t) 1) Mr. MacGregor, 9 points; 2) Bad Hare Day, Erik Menzel, RYC, 12; 3) Kwazy, Colin Moore, RYC, 12. (14 boats)
WYLIE WABBIT FUN SERIES (10 regattas, 3t) 1) Kwazy, 10 points; 2) Bad Hare Day, 17; 3) Just a Hare, Marcos McGee, RYC, 20. (9 boats) WYLIE WABBIT TRAVEL SERIES (6 regattas, 2t) 1) Kwazy, 6 points; 2) Just a Hare, 8; 3) Weckless, Tim Russell, SFYC, 9. (13 boats) More info at www.wyliewabbit.org
Charles Ormand Cup — Luna Sea
Dan Knox, SBYC
"Dan on Luna Sea is a great promoter of the I-36 class," writes Islander 36 commodore Richard Egan. "He generously provides a bottle of champagne to all Islanders that sign up for the Great Vallejo Race and provides his boat as a nice platform to share stories post-race. Dan does much to keep enthusiasm for these vintage boats going."
"Wow, it is hard to believe that we won the Islander 36 Season Championship," commented Dan. "Luna Sea is a very chubby I-36 whose previous claim to fame has been to finish DFL in more races than any other boat in the 50-year history of our fleet. More than once we were so far behind that the race committee called us on the radio to see if we had dropped out or asked us to call in
NoYC, 19. (4 boats)
NON-SPINNAKER — 1) Kapai, 7 points; 2) Windcatcher, Daniel Throop, NoYC, 14; 3) Bella Luna, Robert Daprato, PresYC, 16. (4 boats) More info at http://islander36.org
Peabody
Donna Womble, MPYC
our finish time because they were going home.
"Our goal when racing was to always try to be a mid-fleet boat, and any success we have had can only be because we have a great crew or because we showed up more than anyone else. Certainly, I was always just along for the ride.
"This year our regular crew consisted of my beautiful wife Myphi Alloy along with Justin Hughes, Rob Blendermann, Leland Later and Jeremie Masseloux."
Islander 36 Non-Spinnaker
Buster Hammond Trophy — Kapai
Richard Egan, SSS
Kapai is a repeat winner in the NonSpinnaker Islander 36 division.
"Kapai generally sailed with family:
my wife Kathy, son Bryce, daughter-inlaw Reanne and sometimes good friend Mike Lynch," reports Rick Egan. "We mostly did the InterClub South Bay Bridge Series, but our absolute favorite is always the Great Vallejo Race, which also counts for our season championship.
"This year's race provided all the contrast that Bay Area sailing is all about: cold and wet on the way up, and absolutely beautiful on the return trip. Kapai did reasonably well in both directions."
The Islander 36 is a heavy masthead sloop designed by Alan P. Gurney and built from 1971 to 1986.
ISLANDER 36 (8r, 2t)
SPINNAKER — 1) Luna Sea , 8 points; 2) Windwalker, Richard Schoenhair, BYC, 11; 3) Renaissance of Tahoe Vista, Stephen Douglass,
"The winner this year for the Northern California Season Championship trophy is Donna Womble," writes U20 fleet captain Mike Josselyn. "Donna put in quite a season, attending RYC's midwinter series, the Three Bridge Fiasco, the Dolphin Cup, the High Sierra, the Great Pumpkin, and the North Americans held at Huntington Lake. She was a consistent top finisher and was fi rst place in the Dolphin Cup. Eleven boats met the eligibility for scoring in the series." To be eligible for season scoring, a skipper must sail in seven races. This fleet uses a highpoint percentage scoring system.
"My favorite regattas are up at Huntington Lake," commented Donna. "This year we raced in two consecutive events there: the High Sierra Regatta and the U20 North Americans. I love the challenging and competitive racing with shifty winds and warm weather.
"The Delta Ditch Run is always an exciting event. I did not enjoy the big gusts which laid us over on our side for a bit in San Pablo Bay."
Donna started racing her U20 in 2015. "I really enjoy this fleet. The racing is always tight, and the camaraderie is wonderful — like being with extended family.
"I sailed with a number of different crew this year. For the most number of races, my team included Brian Hoover and Maya Hoffman (both from MPYC).
Throughout this year, I also raced with Bradley Schoch, Mike Ward, Travis Gregory, Marty Smihula, Mark Gibbs and Sherry Sybertz."
ULTIMATE 20
(11r, 0t)
1)
Alerion Express 28 Allegro non Tropo
Bill Claussen/Jim Titus/Rex Malott, RYC/StFYC
"After three years of being second, we finally broke through this season to claim the championship," says Bill Claussen. "This is really a family affair, as my partner in Allegro, Jim Titus, is my wife's cousin. I raced against Jim in J/24s in the 1980s.
"In this class we are by far the old guys. Jim does the driving and I do everything else — trim and tactics. The Alerion is perfect for just two. The competition in the class is very competitive, as there are many who have raced for years in several classes. Boat speeds are all pretty close, so errors go a long way.
"The season consisted of a variety of races from light-air Bay tours to being overpowered in others. The biggest event for the class this year was the Woodies Invitational — an eight-race series over two-and-a-half days."
won that regatta, hosted by StFYC in late June.
Bill also won the S.F. Bay Classics Series championship with his Bird Boat,
We asked David West what he likes best about sailing the I-110 on Tomales Bay. "Each is extraordinary," he replied. "The 110 is an incredibly rewarding boat to sail. At 24 feet but only 4 feet of beam and a small, light bulb keel (displace-
ment = 910 lbs.), it sails fast and high and breaks readily onto a surf or plane despite its small sail plan — truly the original ULDB. With the crew on the wire, she handles big breeze well, and on a two-person spinnaker boat, no one is ever bored!
"Tomales Bay is equally terrific. It's long (12-ish miles) and narrow (average around 3/4 of a mile) and aligned with the prevailing northwesterly ocean breeze. The narrowness keeps the waves down even when the breeze is up, which it generally is. Meanwhile, the wind is affected by geographic features on both sides and ever-possible fog intrusions. Sailing on Tomales Bay brings everything you want out of a day of racing: tight one-design combat, weighty strategic decisions, and solid breeze. The best!
"The Inverness YC racing schedule is tied to the tides (110s can only launch mid-rising-tide), so the series was essentially the same as in previous years. The difference for me was that my focus on the Nationals in Massachussetts meant I needed to maximize both our on-the-
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water time and my attention to some habits I'd let slide over the years, like starting out with a determination to win rather than do well and remaining upbeat when the original plan didn't play out the way I envisioned. New sails helped, as did a change in my mainsail settings in big breeze.
"Phil Macafee (our regular and solid InvYC PRO) and I drove to Canada to grab a glass 110, circa 1968 vintage, in 2011. We raced it as a team for several years, making three Nationals, two Back East in borrowed boats in varying states of readiness. I've made all the Nationals since (except for some COVID cancellations). Results have been mixed
but the fun and camaraderie always excellent!"
Much like Bill Claussen, David has a two-boat program. He also appears regularly at or near the top of the Mercury class standings. As a matter of fact, if you turn back to page 1 of this feature, you'll find him second place in that fleet's season. "I've been racing Mercurys since the mid-1970s. They're a fabulous platform for mastering the game. The speed differences between boats are quite small, so the value of a boat length is driven home on every leg."
INTERNATIONAL 110 (18r, 5t)
1) Gunsmoke, 16 points; 2) Oremus/Nomodoma, Michael Sporer, InvYC, 33; 3) Lady Bug, Bren Meyer, InvYC/RYC, 35. (10 boats)
We have many more Season Champions to celebrate in the next two issues of Latitude 38. We'll hear from more one-design classes, the Yacht Racing Association (YRA), the Singlehanded Sailing Society (SSS), and the Bay Area Multihull Association (BAMA). — latitude/chris
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It's the classic story of selling everything we owned to begin our adventure. My wife and I purchased SV 'Iwa, a '99 Beneteau 47, through Atomic Tuna in spring 2021 in Sausalito. We moved aboard and spent a month prepping the boat in Emery Cove Marina. We pushed off the dock to begin our trip south to set up for a trade-wind passage to our home in Hawaii. Once back home, we would continue to work and fit our bare-bones boat to a liveaboard full-time cruising bluewater boat.
The trip down the coast was a classic coastal hop including lots of firsts for both my wife, Heid, and me. She had minimal sailing experience, learning to sail on Lasers and Toppers just months earlier. I had a bit more, having sailed and owned smaller sailboats for the past 20 years and made a couple of deliveries as crew from Hawaii to L.A. Our first passage took 17 days with just the two of us from San Diego to Hilo, Hawaii. We spent the following two years sailing and exploring the Hawaiian Islands from Hilo to Hanalei and back. All the while we were learning our boat and constantly improving her as we got prepared to finally leave our home and set off over the horizon most of us dream about.
We had our sights set on summer 2023 to point the bow north. The comfortable cruising season in Alaska is short: June to August/September is when you make most of your miles before the wind starts to bite a little deeper and the gloves get a little thicker. We intended to follow the classic route of making our way due north to the Gulf of Alaska and the Inside Passage, where we would winter over in Juneau. Early the next season, we'd get a jump on the Inside Passage, making our way south to Mexico.
The passage north is more complicated than any other that I have done
before. It involves multiple weather patterns and, of course, the cold. Even in the summer, the Gulf of Alaska can get chilly, and coming from the tropical warm waters of Hawaii to the cold gray seas of Alaska is a drastic change. We decided to take crew, inviting two good friends whom we have sailed with in the past: Heather Becker-Brungard, a seasoned sailor who grew up passagemaking with her parents in the South Pacific, and Charlie Quinones, a good friend whom I have known for years through outrigger canoe paddling. Charlie and his wife had just purchased a cruising boat in San Diego and were looking for some more bluewater experience before heading down to Mexico.
One of the final steps I took to prepare was to hire a weather router. Bruce came highly recommended from cruising friends of ours on board SV Pitou as they'd used him the season prior to make the same passage north but finishing in Sitka, AK.
The departure was hectic, with family and friends joining us on our last morning. On June 17, in a hot and windless Ala Wai Harbor, we took pictures with our leis, ate our Zippy's breakfast pack, and backed out of our slip, which we had occupied for the previous eight months.
We opted to take the westside route around Oahu. Immediately after rounding Ka'ena Point, we were met with the full force of the heightened trade winds: hard on the wind with 25 gusting to 30 and a double reef in the main, with a couple of rolls taken in the jib. As we worked farther away from the island effect, the wind backed down to more comfortable 20s and worked its way aft toward a beam reach. We settled into our first night with two-hour watches and a warm breeze.
Our trade-wind part of the passage was settling in nicely. We had one day of heavy trades on the beam, mid-20s with gusts up to the 30s and solid 8- to 10-foot seas. 'Iwa took it all in stride, launching herself at speeds of 8.5 to 9-plus, making great miles northward. Bruce, the weatherman, would send us a daily email with the 24-, 48- and 72hour predictions. His emails were always welcome and a highlight of the morning routine.
We had a few glorious 24-hour runs of 144, 177, and (our record best) 186 miles as we approached the western edge of the North Pacific High. As we skirted the western portion, our winds began to drop and the seas flattened out. We sailed until our main started slatting. Finally starting up the motor, we motorsailed for a total of 30 hours in calm, flat seas with beautiful blue water and stunning sunsets. On June 23, the winds began to fill in from behind us and we were able to shut down the motor and take in the silence.
As we worked our way north, we could feel and see the changes from the warm tropics to the gray westerlies. The foulies, beanies and wool socks came out, and we felt the last rays of sunshine on our faces. The cabin temperatures began to drop each night a little further than the day before. We were now in the crux of our sail, making our way due north into the long-sunlight days of summer. This is where Bruce's expertise came in. We had our first cold front heading in our direction. The front came from behind, pushing us along with winds in the 30s. We had big, dark 10- to 12-ft waves as we surfed along, and a third reef tucked in the main.
It was around this time that we experienced engine issues, all self-induced. Before departing Oahu, I'd done an oil change on our motor, as I have done multiple times over the years. However, this was the longest and hardest that I
had run the motor in any one period of time. After a few hours of running the motor in light winds following the lowpressure system that came through, we got a low oil pressure alarm. I immediately shut down the motor and checked for any type of oil leak or other indication of pressure loss. The dipstick was showing half full (it was full after the oil change). Out of sheer luck, I had an extra quart of oil buried with my engine spares.
We topped off the oil and started her back up, but shortly after, the engine once again experienced issues. The RPMs slowly dropped and choked out. We shut off the autopilot and began to hand-steer to save battery life while troubleshooting the engine. This is where my lack of mechanical experience really showed. We tried to bleed lines, fearing air in the system. We hooked up our dinghy pump to blow air back into the tank, thinking sludge was clogging the pickup. We changed our secondary filter, fearing a clogged fuel filter. What we weren't able to do was change our primary dual Racors, because guess what? I had bought the wrong filters!
So there we were, 800 miles from our destination, with no engine. We
hand-steered for another 24 hours while conditions mellowed enough for some maintenance. Digging out the publications and talking with friends on the phone, we figured out how to bypass the primaries and rely on the secondary fuel filter. We topped off the tank with our spare jerry jugs and fired her up. We were back in action!
I was glad to get things back on track, and with renewed confidence, we were ready to tackle a second low-pressure system tracking our way. A bit stronger than the first, it looked as if winds were
going to be on our beam this time. With a triple reef in the main and a hanky of a jib, winds steadily built to 30, gusting to the high 30s. We rode 10- to 12-foot seas and had a couple of "boom draggers" as she heeled over while making 9 knots. We are fortunate that 'Iwa is a stoutly built boat with a 9-foot 2-inch draft and 15-foot beam. She can handle most seas thrown at her.
We were now in the land of the albatross. These graceful creatures would circle us without a hint of flapping wings, just gliding above the surface, eyeing us as they passed by. The skies cleared, but the wind dropped
only slightly down to the mid-20s and clocked behind us. We had beautiful, cold Gulf of Alaska sailing conditions. The sun was shining as we surfed down waves, our autopilot doing the heavy lifting. When off watch, I slept in the aft berth next to the bulkhead where our autopilot is installed. The whine of the motor told me how hard she was working. After a few big surf runs, she would whine loudly in protest, trying to correct
our course. After one big spinout on a particularly large wave, we switched over to hand-steering till conditions calmed.
We were approaching our last few days of the passage, a mere few hundred miles from our destination of Kodiak, when the last low-pressure system came through. The culmination of tiredness and cold made for a particularly difficult one. Winds were expected to climb to low-end gale force forward of the beam. The cabin temperature had hovered around the low 50s and humidity was in the high 80s and 90s for about a week. We would routinely have to wipe the floors with towels to keep from slipping. Bruce advised us to alter our course to the east a few days prior to avoid the worst of the system.
The weather systems always seem to come at night. Winds built to mid30s again, with gusts topping up to 40. We were triple-reefed and heading in a northeasterly direction to try to bring the wind farther aft. We were moving fast and having trouble slowing down. We didn't want to pass Kodiak and have
to work our way back west against the prevailing winds. We tried heaving to twice, but still we were jogging forward even with the jib backed. We next tried to use a modified forereaching situation. This is where things got pretty dicey, putting us in a perilous position. We allowed the main to luff with a preventer on and tied the wheel to weather. Fatigue is the biggest cause of
errors in sailing, and my lack of sleep, coupled with the cold conditions, made for some miscalculations. In this position the boat was beam to the seas and with a luffed main. The winds had been slowly backing down over the previous couple of hours and were only in the mid-20s with a triple-reefed main. This configuration worked for about two to three hours. When a series of large waves knocked the bow off the wind
and spun us around, with the preventer on and the wheel tied off, we did two 360s before I cut the ties on the wheel and pointed us back in the right direction. We had lost a solar panel, and the mainsheet had ripped off the NavPod containing the radar display. It was our last night at sea. Luckily no one was hurt and the damage was mostly cosmetic. Lessons learned.
The sun rose, and the wind slowly backed down. We had a few uneventful hours of slow sailing downwind toward Kodiak. We picked up land from about 30 miles out, with huge, dark mountains on the horizon. In a final act of defiance, the autopilot gave up the ghost, and we lost all our instrumentation due to water ingress. We hand-steered in full foulies wearing everything that offered warmth. We entered Kodiak Harbor on a cold, wet July 3 morning at 5:30. Champagne was toasted and everyone had smiles. Everyone had hot showers and explored the town for about a week.
We spent the following few months cruising the Gulf of Alaska, including stops in Seward, Whittier, Cordova and
Skagway, and finally wintering over in Juneau, from September 2023 to April 2024 in Auke Bay, where we began our southern traverse through the Inside Passage. We are currently anchored in Sausalito, three-and-a-half months later. SV 'Iwa and crew are on our way to warmer waters in Mexico and the Sea of Cortez.
"Anotherstrike against land-based weather forecasts," Lee sighed as we both looked out the windows at torrential rain falling on the docks.
I had volunteered to help with youth sailing classes on winter weekends. We would have canceled for the day, but the optimistic forecast that morning promised "clear skies by afternoon."
Lee was there because she had convinced a traffic court judge that this would count as her required public service after she was busted for blowing through a four-way stop sign on her bike. It was not her first offense.
"Get real. I could see there was, like, no cross traffic," she insisted, still annoyed by the whole incident. "Anyone can watch that intersection all day, and, like, not a single car comes to a full stop. They all roll through at a safe speed once they see that it's clear, and I do exactly the same thing, exactly, on my bike. It's just that I'm higher up with a better view and my safe speed is like, a little faster …."
"You'll get over it," advised the club's official youth sailing instructor, recalling his grandfather's advice about traffic tickets from the distant past: "Just pay the two dollars."
"If it was still two dollars," Lee complained.
"But our immediate problem," I reminded her over our lunch of expertly prepared macaroni and cheese, "is that we have to come up with indoor activities for all these restless young sailors. I guess we could do another knot-tying session."
"We did sailing knots last week," the instructor reminded us. "And frankly, they seemed a little bored even then."
"But the weather was per fect for sailing last week," Lee recalled.
"Right, the weather was perfect last week; the kids could have been out on
the water all day. My bad." The youth instructor was a college student and a great sailor, always in demand as bigboat crew.
"You'll get over it," Lee returned the instructor's advice.
"Remember what they say about tacticians," I added, seeing no need to give this kid a break. "You're only as good as your last call."
"All right, here's what we can do today," the instructor suggested after watching the rain for another minute. "Paper boats. We can float them on the puddles in the parking lot."
"If Lee's been in grad school for, uh, 44 years, when is she finally going to finish her degree?"
"Even better," said Lee, "let's teach them to make paper self-righting lifeboats. A little more complex than your basic paper boat, but they demonstrate the significance of the roll metacenter: It's at the center of the rocker radius, a virtual center of rotation of a floating object. And if it's below the center of gravity, the boat will be unstable in roll, and if the boat is placed upside down on the table, the boat will right itself."
"Do you have the instructions memorized?" I asked.
"No, but I know where to find them."
She took a tablet out of her backpack and went to the Latitude 38 archive page. A minute later, she had found the right issue: May '21. "It's all there."
"Should I try to scare up some origami paper?" asked the instructor.
"No, too many folds, need to start with, like, bigger and thinner," advised
Lee. "Newsprint is better, about 20 inches square. Just find last month's Latitude and take the staples out; the kids can cut the two-page rectangles into 10-inch squares."
The instructor ran to the office to print out the instructions and get the kids started.
"Here's another idea," I suggested, recalling something Lee had also demonstrated that year. "The 'noodle schooner,' a sailing model boat made from two old political lawn signs, perfect for post-election recycling. The boat also needs a pool noodle and a stray piece of steel flat bar for the keel. Plus a few odds and ends like paper clips, dental floss, and drinking straws."
"Perfect, if the rain stops in time for the kids to sail them this afternoon. Or we can save them for next week. Do we have all the materials?"
Fortunately there was a small group of older club members having what appeared to be their weekly lunch social at a nearby table. I guessed that they didn't have other obligations on a rainy day at the club.
"Anyone want to make a hardware store run for the pool noodles and flat bar for the keel? And swipe a few leftover lawn signs while you're at it?"
"What's this for?" they asked.
"See the March 2021 Latitude," Lee directed them. "If the store doesn't have the flat bar, any piece of steel pipe about 22 inches long or longer, weighing two or three pounds, will answer."
They found the article, and two of the group set off on the errand.
"Lee, didn't you once show me a simple diagnostic test for susceptibility to seasickness?" asked one of the remaining women at the lunch table. "The kids might have fun testing each other."
"Oh, right. Max wrote that up in the May issue, 2006. If any kids don't feel
like folding paper or building a model schooner, they might have fun with that."
"I've been administering that test ever since I read about it," remarked the sailing instructor, who had just returned to our lunch table with a Latitude back issue and several pairs of scissors from the office. "Better than any pickup line at a party — it's an excuse to look deep into an attractive person's eyes at close range, if you know what I mean, and I think you do. And second, it filtered out the prospective girlfriends who were more likely to get hopelessly seasick, which is important."
"Unfortunately it doesn't always work," Lee noted. "But here's a challenge for the kids who think they are knot-tying experts: the foredeck aptitude test, that rope puzzle where you have to move a ring from one side of a knot to the other side."
"Yes, that was nasty," I recalled. "Took me a week to solve it."
"December issue, 2018," Lee announced, after a well-placed Google search.
"Don't forget the patter that goes with it," I said. "You are foredeck crew on an America's Cup boat with the new lightweight, non-opening halyard shackles. You are set up for a port-side spinnaker hoist. Ten boatlengths from the windward mark, the afterguard changes their mind, like they usually do, and calls for a jibe set, starboard hoist. Move the shackle from port to starboard."
"And don't mention, at least not at first," added Lee, "that the average solution time for this puzzle is six hours."
"Something else in the 'fun with
An alternate shoe-lacing scheme. The port end
knots' category," added one of the club members from the next table, "is alternate shoe lacings. Most people don't know this, but there are dozens of different ways to lace up shoes or boots, all with different functional properties. It was written up in the August 2019 issue."
"I love to show that most kids tie granny knots in their shoe laces," said the sailing instructor. "Right after I teach them a proper square knot, and make fun of people who tie granny knots, of course."
"Actually, I'm using one of those non-standard lacings today," Lee informed us. "The one where one side of the lacing adjusts the laces closer to the toe, and the other side adjusts the laces closer to the ankle. It's like, sort of obvious how to do that, but without seeing the diagram, who would have thunk …?"
Meanwhile, our sailing students at the other end of the dining room were finishing up their mac and cheese, and would need our attention soon. But one young sailor came over to our table with a question for the instructor.
"I'm doing a science project on why sails work," he explained. "Which book is the best one for that?"
"That could be hard to find," Lee answered before the instructor had a chance. "Most of them are all wrong, the way they describe sail forces and Bernoulli."
"You mean Bernoulli is wrong?" asked the student.
"No way; Ber
is, like, awesome. But the books like to reduce it to one dimension, and you need to look at the flow in 2-D. The books usually show a simple experiment with a fan and a piece of paper, but they miss the concept entirely. You could build that apparatus pretty easily, and show that most of the books on the subject are totally wrong."
"I don't know," the student said uncomfortably. "I want to get a good grade on this. I'm also thinking that this is the teacher I'll ask to write a college recommendation letter for me. So I want my project to be right."
"The essence of science is proving that everyone else has it wrong," Lee explained. "Replace an old paradigm with a new theory. That's when it becomes fun and interesting — and a little disruptive, but that's good. I think your science teacher will love it — and also set you up for a great college letter that
The apparatus to prove that the most popular books on sailing theory have Bernoulli all wrong! Made from a fan, a cardboard box and a sheet of paper. The moving air is at ambient pressure, not less. The fan adds pressure, but when the air accelerates, the pressure drops back to ambient. It's the curvature of the flow that creates the lift when the device is horizontal, not the velocity difference.
will impress the heck out of any admissions committee."
The high school student could not conceal a conspiratorial smile.
"Check out the February 2024 issue of Latitude 38," I suggested. "It's recent enough so you might still find a back issue lying around the club. Lee gives detailed instructions for how to build the experiment."
"I'll take a look," the kid agreed, "but if it doesn't work the way I want it to …"
"Then you write up why you think it didn't work in your report," advised Lee. "That's good science too. But like, I think you'll easily show that the book is wrong."
The young scientist ran off to look for the February issue of Latitude.
"What we really need," said one of the women at the next table, "is an index to all those articles. "We can read them all online on the Latitude archives page, but without an index, I can never find an article that I just vaguely remember."
"Should we tell them?" I asked Lee. She nodded.
"With any luck," I announced, "the book will be out before the holidays. The Max Ebb Coloring Book. A collection
of favorite illustrations from as far back as 1980, minus the color and shading, with technical captions by Lee Helm."
"And it will include the long-awaited subject index to all the published articles," Lee added.
"But why a coloring book?"
"Coloring books don't work as ebooks," I grinned. "Has to be hard copy. For your grandchildren, of course. You can borrow it back for the index."
"Just the gift I'm looking for," said another old salt at the members' table. And they all reached for their checkbooks, before I could even answer their questions about reserving advance copies. I had to wave them off, although Lee, still a starving student, would have been OK with the advance cash.
"We're not certain we can have it out by Christmas," I explained.
"Does the column really go back to 1980?" asked the instructor. "I had no idea."
"Yes," I said. "Over 500 articles. There's a lot of artwork in those archives, and we're still picking out our favorites for the book."
"One question," asked the woman who wanted the index. "If Lee's been in grad school for, uh, 44 years, when is she finally going to finish her degree?"
"When Charlie Brown finally kicks the football," I said.
— max ebb
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This issue wraps up fall classic regattas and dips into midwinter racing. We cover StFYC's Jessica Cup and Fall Invitational, RYC's Great Pumpkin Regatta, CYC's Fall Series and BYC's Saturday and Sunday Midwinters. Snapshots of StFYC's Fall Dinghy, SDYC's Hot Rum, GGYC's Seaweed Soup and the Vanguard 15 Nationals, plus Box Scores and Race Notes, pull some of the weight.
Jessica Cup Caps MMBA Season
Jessica Cup race action emerged from postponement when breeze finally, and instantly, filled at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, October 19. For Farallone Clipper, Marconi I, Marconi II and Classic Gaff divisions, the St. Francis Yacht Club race committee moved with haste, setting short windward/leeward courses where skippers could make the most of steady 5- to 10-knot westerlies.
During the delay, crews on the water drifted about and continued to audit shifting San Francisco Bay conditions. It was to be a day with light pressure near the Cityfront and strong ebb crossing the Bay.
In the Farallone class, the mug went to Don Taylor of VIP, marking 12 times in the past 15 years he has taken home the trophy. Taylor cites a winning setup for starboard bear-away that opened a path to stronger breeze mid-course. "We rounded 16 to starboard, Jeff Felicetti set the pole, and the crew hoisted the green and white kite. Angela Jones and Lindsey Presson flew the spinnaker to
Ahead of the fleet roughly midway down the course, Taylor looked over to see Hana under spinnaker, slightly behind in lighter air. "Time to jibe — Charlie McKinze expertly moved the main through the wind, while Jeff and Michele Logan (at the mast) smoothly end-forended the pole. The ladies kept the kite powered up through tricky maneuvers. We executed a sprint to the downwind mark in front of Fort Mason, then up went the genoa, a leeward spinnaker douse, and a close rounding of the Phil Perkins buoy to set us up for a one-tack race to the finish."
Going mid-Bay at top of course proved to be a winning move, with VIP besting even Yucca and Alpha (fast boats in another division) — "a very rare feat for us."
Second to finish in the Farallone class was Hana. Owner Bryan Boyd had lost his mast at the season-starter Master Mariners Regatta and spent the summer building a new one, stepping it just two days prior to the Jessica Cup.
line, with Briar Rose (a Tahiti Ketch) ahead of us, we tacked early and ducked her to get into deeper water and more wind. The current always changes earlier along the shore, then later becomes stronger in deeper water. This move propelled us forward, beating Jack to Blackaller," notes Inouye, who claimed a first. Second went to Jack Sloane who, at the race dinner, revealed how elated he was to take a second, being a still relatively new owner of Briar Rose
In other Jessica Cup action, Bill Claussen of Cuckoo (a Bird) earned the Marconi 2 (under 40 feet) win; Michael and Louise Zolezzi of Yucca (an 8-meter sloop) sailed to a first in Marconi 1 (over 40 feet).
Also announced at the evening’s prize-giving were MMBA Bay Series Championship winners. In this threepart challenge, scores are tallied from the Master Mariners Regatta in May, August's Belvedere Classic, and the Jessica Cup. Michael and Louise Zolezzi of Yucca earned recognition for Marconi over 40 feet, Bill Claussen of Cuckoo for Marconi under 40 feet. Gaff Division accolades were bestowed on Briar Rose. — martha blanchfield
Trying to go dead downwind with an asymmetrical spinnaker is not a pretty sight. Brett Herr is facing aft on the pulpit, sorting things out on
While most skippers departed the harbor anticipating noon starts, Ken Inouye of Makani Kai (an Angelman ketch) lingered at the dock. After an official race delay was announced, the crew relaxed in the warm sun while enjoying a boat-favorite lunch — bagels topped by cream cheese and salami — before setting out. Racing in Classic Gaff, it was determined their threehour postponement would put division keels over the line approximately 1.5 hours after slack water. Predictions listed slack at 1:34, with a 4.3-knot max ebb by 5:30.
StFYC JESSICA CUP, 10/19
CLASSIC GAFF — 1) Makani Kai, 34-ft Angelman Sea Spirit ketch, Ken Inouye; 2) Briar Rose, 34-ft Tahiti ketch, Jack Sloane. (3 boats)
MARCONI 1 — 1) Yucca, 8-Meter, Michael Zolezzi; 2) Alpha, S&S 47, Nick Raggio. (3 boats) MARCONI 2 — 1) Cuckoo, Bird, Bill Claussen; 2) Flotsam, 30-ft Yankee One Design, Wesley Nunez; 3) Viking, 30-ft whaleboat, Michael O'Callaghan. (5 boats)
FARALLONE CLIPPER — 1) VIP, Don Taylor; 2) Hana, Brian Boyd. (3 boats) Full results at www.stfyc.com
StFYC Fall Invitational Breezes In Jay Dean, executive race committee publicity chair at StFYC, reminds us that as winter approaches the breeze lessens on San Francisco Bay. It’s those lighter winds that bring great conditions for smaller keelboat events such as the Fall Invitational on October 18-20. However, sometimes those great conditions don’t show up on time for the scheduled starts. When this happens, crews can get restless: Sun lovers lounge about on boats; shade seekers head to the deck to socialize and watch wooden boats adrift perfection."
"Once over the
at the Jessica Cup. Some peeled down to shorts and T-shirts while fl oating alongside Alcatraz.
Two hours into that postponement, one skipper quipped about being nearly ready to head home: "I admire the RC for sticking with it and being prepared when the wind finally hit. They do know their venue well and were able to squeeze in as many races as possible over the weekend."
Breeze arrived each day and delivered a 12- to 15-knot fill from the southwest. The biggest influencer was the current: a mighty flood early on, switching mid-afternoon to become an even mightier ebb.
At the Fall Invitational, Alerion 28s, Folkboats, J/24s and Olson 25s competed; the latter two contesting season championships. In the J/24s, Jasper Van Vliet and crew put Evil Octopus in the lead off the bat. Watching small boats
come within inches of one another at roundings is a sight, especially when a skillfully executed last-minute offensive tack is made by one, tossing spray and swirling waters into the path of the other. "I'd love to say that our win is the result of excellent preparation and savvy interpretation of the changing currents, but in truth we just had more weight on the rail than our competitors so we were able to point a little higher," stated Van Vliet, who powered the slippery cephalopod to 1-1-1-3 for first place.
Extreme ebb near Alcatraz pulled boats to the starting line well before the signal, causing rapid, unplanned adjustments and more than a few on-courseside penalties. In the Olsons, David Gruver and John Collins dominated on Sketch, winning four races and losing only one by mere inches to O’mar, sailed by David Scott. Scott and Zack Parisa
Boat
of Falkor tied for second, but it was the narrow win that gave Scott the tiebreaker and second place.
The heartbreaker came from the Folkboat fleet, with eight registered to race. On Saturday, with the time limit to start approaching, many Folkboats had elected to head home and write off the day, but breeze arrived at the last moment. A lone Chandler Grenier sailed Sabrina out of the harbor and onto the course, then completed two races Saturday. On Sunday, the full fleet joined but was unable to overcome Grenier’s commanding score. Tom Reed on Freya and Peter Jeal of Polperro each secured first-over-the-lines on Sunday.
— martha blanchfield
StFYC FALL INVITATIONAL, 10/19-20
ALERION 28 — 1) Resilience, Kersey Clausen/Michael Quinn, 5 points; 2) Sweet De, Christian & Denise Kramer, 8; 3) Allegro Non Tropo, Rex Malott/Steve Brown, 12. (5 boats)
OLSON 25 NATIONALS — 1) Sketch, David Gruver/John Collins, SFYC, 4 points; 2) O'mar, David Scott, BYC, 10; 3) Falkor, Zack Parisa, BYC, 10. (7 boats)
J/24 DISTRICT 20 CHAMPIONSHIP — 1) Evil Octopus, Jasper Van Vliet, 6 points; 2) Downtown Uproar, Darren Cumming, 8; 3) Little Wing, Robin Van Vliet, 11. (5 boats)
FOLKBOAT — 1) Sabrina, Chandler Grenier, 14 points; 2) Freja, Tom Reed, 19; 3) Polperro, Peter Jeal, 20. (6 boats)
Full results at www.stfyc.com
Great Pumpkin Regatta
Saturday, October 26, was a pleasant day to hang out on the deck at Richmond YC, but it wasn't so great for yacht racing, especially for fleets hoping to wrap up their seasons in a significant way.
On the Deep Water course, the big boats puttered around in circles and
never did get a race off. Some of the smaller-boat divisions on the Berkeley Circle and Southamption courses managed one race; Express 27s and Melges 24s were the lucky ones, with two completed races each. Some divisions started but had to be recalled.
Free beer and a Halloween costume party with dinner and dancing followed the racing/non-racing back at the clubhouse, with a Peace, Love and Pumpkins theme that proved popular.
Luckily, Sunday pr ovided nearperfect conditions for a quick 160-boat pursuit race around Alcatraz and Angel Island in the skippers' choice of direction. (The only meteorological oddity was a low fog reducing visibility to near nothing west of the islands.)
First to finish was David Schumann's speedy Seacart 30 trimaran Bottle Rocket, which chose a clockwise rounding. In monohulls, Moore 24s and other similar-sized boats fared best, with Vikki and Rowan Fennell's Moore 24 Paramour sailing a counterclockwise course and beating the rest.
"Rowan says that it was just the right way to go," reports Vikki. "That is what a lifetime of growing up racing on San Francisco Bay currents will teach you.
We discussed that if there was enough wind earlier in the day we wanted to get through Raccoon Strait before the ebb really kicked in. Our competition on Firefly started just under us. We hollered at Firefly that we were heading to the Strait, and Joel kept taking us up. They said they were going the other way. Once we realized they were going the wrong direction we made a significant duck to go right and said see ya later. Firefly reevaluated and adjusted course to join us going counterclockwise.
"As some of the smallest boats, we started ahead of most of the fleet. We were gradually picking off the slower boats that started ahead of us, playing the tidelines and sniffing out breeze. Firefly sailed well through the Strait and over Angel Island and played the tides a bit better. We were a couple boat lengths behind as we approached Alcatraz. Rowan pressed into the tide-relief cone right up to the southwest tip of Alcatraz quite a bit harder than Firefly."
Rowan picks up the tale: "We gambled and went exceedingly close to the bricks while Firefly eventually crossed into the building ebb and slowed down considerably. We pulled even with them, were first to jibe, and pulled out lots of hair sailing
from puff to puff in the lee of Alcatraz. We would be ripping for 20 seconds, then becalmed, and we would look over at Firefly and they'd be ripping — it was a yo-yo match until we got into steadier breeze in the Slot.
"I looked over and told the team, 'There's two J/24s between us and glory.' One of them decided to hook into our wake and catch a tow. They eventually sailed off higher; we were happy to take the low road down to the mud flats in the building ebb. We stuck to our plan and watched it pay off — albeit with much shorter finger nails. Finishing as first monohull was an exceptional moment — the stoke meter was pegged!
" Paramour has been in the family for 38 years; she has provided so many moments of joy in our lives, it's hard to describe how important she truly is. We are forever grateful to Ron Moore and all the great sailors who have built such an astonishingly fun fleet."
The Fennells had left the Bay Area in 2017 to cruise in Central America with their kids, then relocated to Puget Sound during the pandemic. "We've had the pleasure of racing throughout the Salish Sea with and against talented and wildly fun sailors. But in many ways the caliber of sailing in the Bay Area is unparalleled. The glorious weather, the high level of competition, and the friends who feel like family have contributed to a joyous
homecoming. We are feeling very grateful to be back." John Kernot and Nathaniel Fennell joined Vikki and Rowan for the Pumpkin.
The second-place multihull, the Explorer 44 Caliente, also went counterclockwise. "Caliente was leading the BAMA Cup standings (the Great Pumpkin is the last counter), so our objective was to cover Greyhound and Pegasus 3 (the two nearest boats in the standings), and to go whichever way they were going," reports Truls Myklebust.
pursuit race. Top: Moore 24s
"Unfortunately, Greyhound went for Raccoon Strait, while Pegasus 3 went for Alcatraz. We couldn’t cover both, so we had to choose. Our preference, having looked at the wind and current models, was counterclockwise. That got us to the finish ahead of both of those two other boats. But Bottle Rocket somehow made the clockwise course work."
Before and during the race, volunteers on RIBs dropped pumpkins into the water and tossed bags of candy into cockpits. Racers also worked on a sailing trivia quiz. The Olson 911 Take Five More scored a repeat win in that contest.
— latitude/chris
RYC GREAT PUMPKIN BUOY RACES, 10/26 (2r, 0t) EXPRESS 27 — 1) Fired Up!, John Morrison, 3 points; 2) Light 'n Up, Chris White, 6; 3) Young Betty, Tony & Krysia Pohl, 6. (8 boats)
150) started at 11:42:18.
every
MELGES 24 — 1) Blue Dream, Torston Kanegsberg, 2 points; 2) Bob, Spencer Griscom, 4; 3) Chop Chop, Matt Hamilton, 7. (4 boats) (1r, 0t)
PHRF E — 1) Flight Risk, Thompson 650, Ben Landon; 2) Son of a Son, J/70, David Fried; 3) Mr. McGregor, Wylie Wabbit, Kim Desenberg/ John Groen. (9 boats)
PHRF H — 1) Free, S&S 30, Jim Carlsen/Mike Bilafer; 2) Synchronicity, Olson 25, Steve Smith/ Terri Lahey; 3) Vera Cruz, Jeanneau 349, Michael Johnson. (8 boats)
J/24 — 1) Downtown Uproar, Darren Cumming; 2) Little Wing, Robin Van Vliet; 3) Flight, Rosanne Scholl. (5 boats)
MOORE 24 — 1) Firefly, Joel Turmel; 2) Pegasus, Philippe Kahn/Mark Christensen; 3) Lowly Worm 2.0, Scott Nelson; 4) Snafu, Karl Robrock/ Steve Bourdow. (18 boats)
ULTIMATE 20 — 1) Cinderella Story, John & Jennifer Andrew; 2) Uhoo!, Michael Josselyn; 3) Peabody, Donna Womble. (5 boats)
PHRF A — No races.
PHRF B — No races.
PHRF C — No races.
PHRF D — No races.
ALERION 28 — No races.
Winter-season racing north and south. Top row: SDYC's Hot Rum #1 in San Diego. Bottom row: starts in GGYC's Seaweed Soup #1 in San Francisco.
SANTANA 22 — No races.
RYC GREAT PUMPKIN PURSUIT RACE, 10/27
MONOHULL — 1) Paramour, Moore 24, Rowan Fennell; 2) Firefly; 3) M2, Cape 31, Marc McMorris/Hartwell Jordan; 4) Watts Moore…, Moore 24, Chris Watts; 5) Tenacious Cuttlefish, J/24, Brandon & Addison Mercer; 6) Snafu; 7) Safety
OYC OKTOBERFEST RACE, 10/19
MONOHULL SPINNAKER <114 — 1) Good & Plenty, Soverel 33, Justis Fennell; 2) Flying Fish, Olson 30, Michael Berndt; 3) Humble Vandal, J/92, Rhett Smith. (8 boats)
MONOHULL SPINNAKER ≥ 168 1) Double Agent, Merit 25, Scott Ollivier; 2) Toypedo, Ranger 26-2, David Hayward; 3) Dream Catcher, J/24, George Lythcott. (4 boats)
MONOHULL NON-SPINNAKER — 1) Roxanne, Tartan 4100, Michael Mitchell; 2) Sterling, Catalina 34, Jim Brady; 3) Boogie Woogie, Ranger 33, John Ratto. (8 boats)
MULTIHULL — 1) Tri Jolie, Corsair 880, Rafi Yahalom. (1 boat)
Full results at www.jibeset.net
CPYC/SEQYC BARTH MEMORIAL REGATTA, 10/19
SPINNAKER — 1) Allons-Y, J/70, Davis King, SeqYC; 2) Spirit, Open 5.70, Marton Neher, SeqYC; 3) Osprey, Sabre 36, Jeff Stine, SeqYC. (11 boats)
NON-SPINNAKER — 1) T10, Tartan Ten,
Third, Moore 24, Kurt Lahr; 8) Kwazy, Wylie Wabbit, Colin Moore; 9) Mooretician, Moore 24, Peter Schoen/Roe Patterson; 10) Evil Octopus, J/24, Jasper Van Vliet. (152 boats)
MULTIHULL — 1) Bottle Rocket, Seacart 30, David Schumann; 2) Caliente, Explorer 44, Truls Myklebust; 3) Waterwings, F-31RS, Todd Olsen.
Quinn McKenna, CPYC. (1 boat)
Full results at www.jibeset.net
VANGUARD 15 PCC/NATIONALS, INVYC, 10/19-20 (6r, 1t)
1) Ty Ingram/Ayaka Okawa, 9 points; 2) Andrew Watters/Maddie Johnson, 9; 3) Steve Kleha/ Claire Pratt, 15. (18 boats)
StFYC JOE LOGAN, 10/20 (4r, 1t)
MERCURY — 1) Niuhi, Randy Hecht, 8 points; 2) Gator, John & Christian Buestad, 13; 3) Space Invader, David West/Chris Krueger, 15. (9 boats)
Full results at www.stfyc.com
IYC JACK & JILL +1, 10/20
SPINNAKER — 1) Good & Plenty, Soverel 33, Marina Fennell; 2) Bewitched, Merit 25, Dawn
(8 boats).
Full results at www.richmondyc.org
Corinthian YC Fall Series
CYC’s Fall Series is timed to embody the shift fr om San Francisco Bay's thumping summer sailing conditions to the quieter and more nuanced pleasures of fall racing. This year's series, spanning
Chesney; 3) Faster Faster!, Merit 25, Kathy Williamson. (6 boats)
NON-SPINNAKER < 200 — 1) Curiosity, Beneteau Oceanis 48, Mouni Thodupunuri. (2 boats)
NON-SPINNAKER > 200 — 1) Anemone, Santana 22, Kaci Smith; 2) Fun, Santana 22, Nathalie Sanchez; 3) Fast Company, Santana 22, Lindsey Presson. (6 boats)
Full results at www.jibeset.net
SDYC LIPTON CUP, 10/25-27 (12r, 0t)
J/105 — 1) Jake La Dow, SDYC, 42 points; 2) Pete Levesque, NYYC, 62; 3) Justin Law, NHYC, 66. (12 boats)
Full results at www.sdyc.org
TYC RED ROCK REGATTA, 10/26
1) Natural Blonde, J/105, Rob Cooper; 2) Joyride, J/105, William Hoehler; 3) Siento el Viento, C&C 29, Ian Matthew. (5 boats)
Full results at www.tyc.org
StFYC FALL DINGHY, 10/26-27
5O5 — 1) Howard Hamlin/Rob Woelfel, 10
three race days, did not disappoint. For Quiver, a Santa Cruz 40 helmed by Adam Eliot and John Walsh of Richmond YC, this was our first entry into a CYC series, sought as the bridge between summertime midweek beer cans and midwinter weekend racing. As the foredeck on Quiver, here’s my firsthand account of the series:
Race 1, September 28: The first race set a dramatic tone with brisk conditions that called for sail changes and decisive boat handling. Quiver and Invictus, Nicolas Popp's Jeanneau SunFast 3600, were locked in a battle that took us from Point Knox to Blackaller Buoy and along the Cityfront. Fast-paced downwind legs had us overlapped for much of the race. If anything, it’s this race that compelled me to write this report, as it was some of the most exciting racing I’d had all year. It’s
points; 2) Jeff Miller/Bruce Edwards, 10; 3) Mike Martin/Adam Lowry, 15. (9 boats) 29ER — 1) Kevin Cason/Holland Vierling, 8 points; 2) Braden Ozarski/Wyatt Kelly, 13; 3) Olympia & Maribelle Barelli, 15. (14 boats) C420 — 1) Merritt Sellers/Marina Priskich, 8 points; 2) Beckett Kern/Oscar Melet, 11; 3) Adrian Maciuca/Tibet Saldamli, 18; 4) Noah Shefer/Finn Hays, 20. (18 boats)
RS FEVA — 1) Cameron Collman/Avery Mazurkiewicz, 5 points; 2) Kai Hislop/Luke Newcomb, 6; 3) Zachary Diamond/Tyler Clauss, 13. (12 boats)
RS TERA — 1) Will Robbins, 4 points; 2) Sebastian Kreamer, 8; 3) Charlie Griffi th, 10. (12 boats)
ILCA 7 — 1) Elliot Drake, 8 points; 2) Peter Phelan, 13; 3) Julian Soto, 14. (11 boats)
ILCA 6 — 1) Toshinari Takayanagi, 7 points; 2) Vicente Stevens, 8; 3) Spencer Paulsen, 16. (8 boats)
OPTI CHAMPIONSHIP — 1) Joshua Wenokur, 6 points; 2) Kai Ramsey, 9; 3) Miles Gordon, 17; 4) Lin Zhou, 18; 5) Cassady Lorentzen,
Despite our best efforts, Quiver settled for third. Jarlen maintained an insurmountable lead to the finish.
Aboard 'Quiver' in the CYC Fall Series, a prelude to the club's very popular January-February Midwinter Series.
DE VRIES
the stuff of sailing movies and dreams, with two dialed-in boats sailing dead downwind along the breakwater of Pier 39, both at times praying that the other would finally jibe away. Unfortunately, this neck-to-neck racing resulted in two protests — Invictus was later disqualified in a jury decision. Quiver ultimately corrected out 8 minutes ahead of Moonlight, an Express 27 sailed by Jim Gibbs of CYC.
Race 2, October 12: The second race brought us a taste of the winter racing to come — a light-air day that tested patience and skill. Greg Winters and the J/35 Jarlen crew capitalized on their knowledge of the Knox course, finding the breath of wind — or line of current — that the others could not. With winds barely reaching 10 knots, light-air handling and local expertise were vital.
20. (49 boats)
OPTI GREEN — 1) Jake Mulberg, 19 points; 2) Emmett Toy-Lim, 21; 3) Elliot Lundgren, 21; 4) Frank Krivan, 24; 5) Sawyer Brandt, 28. (33 boats) Full results at www.stfyc.com
MPYC MERCURY INVITATIONAL, 10/26-27 (5r, 0t)
1) Fast Break, Randy Smith/Junette Kushner, 9 points; 2) No Name, Mark Chandler, 16; 3) Fortran, John & Michael Ravizza, 16. (11 boats) Full results at www.mpyc.org
MPYC KELP CUP, 10/27 (2r/0t)
SHIELDS — 1) Stillwater, Michael Polkabla, 2 points; 2) Helen, Ashley Book, 4; 3) Fireball 7, Patrick Tregenza, 6. (4 boats) Full results at www.mpyc.org
Race 3, November 2: The series finale saw steady winds in the mid-teens, allowing for a course that felt like a combination of Race 1 and 2’s conditions. The course from Knox to the Easom mark [at Sausalito's Yellow Bluff], then down to Fort Mason and Point Blunt, favored those who could pull off a strong start and stay out of spinnaker trouble. Quiver set the pace early, transitioning smoothly into VMG mode as the breeze softened near Point Blunt. Smart jibing kept our momentum alive. While Jarlen and the Schumacher 40 Q briefly flirted with the wind shadow off Alcatraz, we secured a solid lead and the top spot for the race. Adding to the spectacle, Golden Gate YC’s Seaweed Soup regatta shared parts of the course. Their fleet weaved in and out without incident despite opposing mark roundings to ours at Easom and Fort Mason. It made for great boat watching during an already exciting race.
With a score of 5 points, Quiver clinched first place overall. The series was a fall-racing master class, emphasizing not just boat speed and tactics, but weight management, focus, timing and an intimate understanding of the currents beneath us.
The CYC Fall Series had what we came for — high-speed downwind duels, wind whispers, and enough drama to make even the gulls notice. Winter — bring it on! Quiver and crew will be there. And as foredeck, I can tell you that we’ve practiced our jibes!
— ros de vries
HMBYC DIE HARD REGATTA, 11/2 (7r, 1t) CAL 20 — 1) Mercury, Bubin/Loeper/Phillips, 7 points; 2) Cactus Flower, Slater/McGee/Tenglesen, 7; 3) Pluto, Tabor/Peterson, 16. (5 boats) CORONADO 15 — 1) Lucy Gillies, 4 points; 2) Marc Arsenault/Clair Sheehan, 8; 3) Carl Hage, 12. (4 boats)
LASER STANDARD — 1) Stephen Woodward, 7 points; 2) Stan Martin, 11; 3) Chris Cooke, 15. (4 boats)
LASER RADIAL — 1) William Jojarth, 9 points; 2) Tibet Saldarni, 11; 3) Cooper Furtoss, 13. (3 boats)
Full results at www.hmbyc.org
INVYC BENDER SERIES (18r, 5t)
OPEN CLASS — 1) Loup de Mer, Day Sailer, Skip Shapiro/Jenny Wread, 13 points; 2) Question Mark, Day Sailer, Ben Ballard/John Phelan, 30; 3) No Name, Johnson 18, Shawn Kelly/Page Flood, 38. (6 boats)
INTERNATIONAL 110 — 1) Gunsmoke, David West, 16 points; 2) Oremus/Nomodoma, Michael Sporer, 33; 3) Lady Bug, Bren Meyer, 35. (10 boats)
(3r/0t)
1) Quiver, SC40, Adam Eliot, 5 points; 2) Jarlen, J/35, Gregory Winters, 11; 3) Lonestar, Beneteau 10R, Madeline Morey, 12. (8 boats) Full results at www.cyc.org
Berkeley YC Midwinters
Ahh, the November wind: obtuse and unpredictable. Saturday, November 9, marked the first race of the 2024-25 Berkeley Midwinters, and it was everything we expected. The committee boat arrived on course early and impatient to a becalmed San Francisco Bay. As we bobbed about, took wind readings and chose which chips we wanted with our lunch, the racers began arriving with their Midwinter attitudes — weary from the summer winds, looking forward to easy-breezy fall sailing, and, perhaps, some rum.
As the starting time appr oached, the wind filled in just enough to push a sailboat through the water, so we hustled out to set the windward mark and started the race only 15 minutes late. With the light wind and neighboring races, we shortened our usual 2-mile windward leg to 1 mile. With that, we opted for a twice-around, short buoy course, which worked well in the 5- to 8-knot winds. The breeze stayed light and steady at WSW with 25 boats racing across three divisions.
Sunday’s weather was even glassier
and more becalmed at starting time. With the promise of good wind on the way, we waited. The wind filled in from the WSW to a nice 12-15 knots, so we went for the long course: a 9.5-mile trip out to Harding Rock and Blossom Rock and back to the finish line in the Berkeley Circle. Everyone got a little nervous when the wind started to die about halfway through the race, but it picked back up near the end to allow everyone to finish in about two hours. Sunday’s regatta brought 30 boats across six divisions, including Express 27 and Alerion 28 one designs, a doubledhanded and a singledhanded division.
It was a good start to the Midwinters with a good tur nout and light but generally cooperative winds allowing us to run good races. Check standings at www. jibeset.net. The next races in the series will be on December 14 and 15. — mark bird
Long Beach YC hosted the Butler Cup match-racing regatta on November 2-3. Eight teams competed in Catalina 37 keelboats. Justin Law, Greg Helias, Chris Orlando, Allie Blecher, Joshua Legg, Andy Dippel, Kathryn Dippel and
Vanguard 15 sailors held their PCCs and Nationals at Inverness YC on scenic Tomales Bay on October 19-20. See Box Scores for top results.
Daniel Geissmann vanquished the rest, sailing for Newport Harbor YC.
On the same weekend, NHYC also topped the 3-on-3 Grandmasters Team Race Invitational at StFYC in J/22s, with nine wins and one loss. Skippers must be at least 60; crew at least 50.
On November 8-10, 18 teams competed for the first-ever J/70 US Nationals in Fort Worth, TX. The regatta only got in three races on Day 1. Light winds shut out racing on the weekend. James Murray’s Roche Harbor, WA-based Hestia won the title. Bruce Golison's SDYCflagged Midlife Crisis took second. Among the Corinthian teams, Ryan Cox's DJ, out of Ventura YC, took first place.
US Sailing will release The Racing Rules of Sailing , updated for 20252028, in app form in December. The mobile app will be free, and the new rules take effect in January. Books by Dave Perry and Dave Dellenbaugh will also be available in December to help racers understand the rules. Printed copies of the official rulebook will be available from the US Sailing store in late January 2025. See www.ussailing.org/RacingRules.
In other US Sailing news, the organization will accept nominations for adaptive programs and individuals that have made an outstanding contribution for sailors with disabilities and the sport of adaptive sailing over a sustained period
It doesn't always happen, but the Delta Ditch Run turned a profit this year, so hosts Stockton Sailing Club and Richmond YC donated $3,000 to the RYC Foundation and $1,000 to the SSC Foundation. Pictured at RYC are Pat Brown (SSC), Jim Hachman (PRO, SSC), Buzz Blackett (president of the RYC Foundation) and Fred Paxton (RYC).
of time. The Gay S. Lynn Memorial Trophy is the highest award given by the Para Sailing Committee to a person for sustained contributions for sailors with disabilities. The Robie Pierce Award is for an Adaptive Sailing Program that has made notable contributions to promote public access sailing for people with disabilities. BAADS (Bay Area Association of Disabled Sailors) won this award in 2001, and Challenged Sailors San Diego won it in 2022. Online applications close
El Toro sailing: future Olympian David Liebenberg with instructor Chris Nash. The former was named RYC's Sailor of the Year for 2024; the latter won RYC's Motto Award. The motto? "This club was built for fun!"
on December 13. See www.ussailing.org Cabrillo Beach YC has been selected as the host venue for the ILCA 4 and ILCA 6 Youth World Championships in 2025. The regattas will be sailed outside the Port of Los Angeles. The ILCA 4 Youth Worlds will take place on July 19-26, followed by the ILCA 6 Youth Worlds July 28-August 4. Boys and girls from more than 50 countries are expected to compete.
— latitude / chris
For more racing news, subscribe to 'Lectronic Latitude online at www.latitude38.com
November's racing stories included: • Express 37 Nationals
• Santa Cruz Mix & Match Regatta
• HMBYC Pumpkin Roundup Regatta • Previews of December Races, the Vendée Globe and more.
With reports this month on Harmony's 25th cruising season; Dogfish's return to cruising after a two-year hiatus; and a fun look at the more memorable Cruising Christmases some folks have spent far from home.
In the late 1990s, even though we still had kids in college and six viable businesses all clicking along nicely, I decided that going cruising was what I wanted to do. My wonderful wife Virginia, whom I have now been happily married to for 53 years, thought I was out of my mind, but I was determined, and by juggling the financial numbers and imposing several measures of austerity, in fall 2000, we sailed out the Golden Gate and turned left for Mexico. This is now our silver jubilee, our 25th season of cruising as far south as Central America and Ecuador.
Once grandkids started arriving on the scene and the new moms were needing Grandma to help out, we returned to Mexico and the easily accessible cruising grounds of Baja and the Gold Coast south of Puerto Vallarta.
Settling into our about 1,700-mile annual journey during the Mexican fall and winter, we continue to have new experiences, and meet wonderful old and new friends. After leaving San Carlos, Sonora, where the boat has been in storage,
and heading across to Baja, we spend a month or so going to the many lovely anchorages with clear blue water and great snorkeling. We then park Harmony for a couple of weeks each year to return to the US to have Thanksgiving with our family. When we return, we make our way south past Puerto Vallarta and Cabo Corrientes to lovely anchorages where we have the kids and grandkids down for the winter holidays. The kids always came down to wherever we were, and now the grandkids have been doing it for 14 years. They love being in nature with other cruiser kids and learning all the water sports.
We found the Manzanillo area a convenient place to have visitors, and for two more months we keep busy living the cruising life. We start heading north near the end of February to put the boat away, and arrive back in the US sometime near the end of March. One of the biggest lessons we have learned is not to have a tight schedule, so although we do need to be somewhere to meet friends or family, we leave plenty of time to get there.
There have been amazing changes between 2000, when we were the young kids on the block, and now, when, well, at 77 and 74, there are not too many old timers still pursuing the dream. But one thing remaining constant is that everyone out here still makes up an incredible community of happy, hardworking, hard-playing idealists who are actively doing what they love, which is somewhat rare these days. The Mexico cruising grounds and their welcoming people continue to be why we come, and we also try to be Mexico ambassadors when we are in the States.
After a few words of introduction with locals, we all of a sudden feel like family. We've watched as the middle class has risen over the years, with nicer cars and houses, children going to college, time for vacations — and a consciousness of taking care of their beautiful land and its surrounding ocean. Turtles and ospreys are making a comeback, and there are now special areas that are environmentally protected, where sea life is beginning to flourish again after being decimated
by large commercial trawlers. This is a promising direction that makes being here even more exciting.
The ocean continues to be magical. There is nothing better than watching humpback whales arrive near an anchorage during the winter months. The mama births her baby and then teaches it things like how to breach, which, by an exuberant youngster, can become quite the show. We can hear their songs through our hull — and even better when we jump into the water and go under for a little while.
It's common for visiting cruisers to take care of dental and medical problems that pop up while they are in Mexico. Several
cruisers in Mexico, happy and enjoying themselves.
The more things change, the more they remain the same. The anchorages in Mexico are numerous and gorgeous. While I'm writing this, we are one of two boats in Santo Domingo at the top of Bahia Concepcion. We crossed over in somewhat raucous seas, after working on Harmony for about two weeks on the hard and in the marina. We store her in the Sonoran desert for six months while we return to our stateside home and big family, and she always needs lots of work in the yard to get everything up and running and have the bottom painted.
years ago, Virginia sustained a detached retina when we were putting the boat away in San Carlos. It was repaired the next night by a most competent ophthalmologist in the nearby city of Hermosillo, which incidentally has a medical university. Her eyesight is 20/20 with corrective lenses. Before we were old enough for Medicare, we had a wonderful doctor in San Carlos and still have a dentist whom we use for checkups every year.
Like so many people who get inspired to write about their adventures, I helped Virginia with her book, Harmony on the High Seas, When Your Mate Becomes Your Matey, about our many misadventures and the steep learning curve of our first years of cruising. We ended up doing seminars at boat shows and yacht clubs from Vancouver to the Bay Area, where we found that people were hungry for the knowledge of things like what it takes to throw off the docklines and go cruising; what are the best seasons to be out there; and how to have happiness aboard when you are with your partner in the small space of a boat 24/7. We had such fun and satisfaction seeing these same new
When it comes to systems, we have tried to keep it simple, and it has mostly worked out fine. No watermaker (we do have big tanks), no integrated electronics, etc. For years, we got by on paper charts and a GPS, but now we love the Navionics on our laptop. The weather predictions have also gotten so much better. Weather reports from the Ham and SSB nets that came on every morning, and GRIB files that we would download through the Pactor modem attached to our Ham radio, were all that we had. Of course, our phones and now Starlink have made all that obsolete, but in its day we thought it was great to see the ever-so-important weather reports, and also be able to stay in touch with our children by email. The radio nets are still happening, but the younger generations are so not into them, and they are fading away.
This fall we set out on an 80-mile trip from the mainland to Baja, and it was dark by the time we finally had the hook down. We jumped into the lovely water, with incredible bioluminescence all around us, under a crescent moon, the bright stars, the Milky Way — and the quiet — and once again appreciated how all that work had paid off.
Our cruising trip continued, but this time with a different twist and direction. We found water in our engine oil, where it is not supposed to be, and our engine was out of commission. We sailed while we had wind, then tied our dinghy alongside, and its outboard helped us keep a decent speed in light airs. We traveled north to the small, historical mining town of Santa Rosalia to find parts and have a dock to work from.
Things are always changing, and no matter what happens, life is full. When we arrived here, we called in to the marina to see if anyone could catch our docklines, since we were without power. A wonderful group of cruisers were there waiting for us, and we moved onto a side tie.
The next day, we had another cruiser with a dinghy help us into the space that we had been assigned. Coincidentally, we found Omar, who had been a mechanic for decades, on the boat several doors down. He had all the connections in town and we immediately started ordering parts (thanks to the cruising community, who brought many of those parts down). On November 4, we fired up the engine with the new head. It ran great, and it looks as if we're good to go for another season. Tomorrow we're off to Topolobampo and places south. See you all out there! — robert and virginia 11/16/24
Dogfish — Kelly-Peterson 44
Marga
Pretorius
The Next Chapter, Pt. 2
Oakland
Last month, Marga caught readers up on what she had been up to since her last Changes in Latitudes article in 2022. A series of circumstances — most notably a fledgling career as a marine surveyor that had her traveling far and wide — ended up taking her away from the boat she had been cruising solo for the previous five years. She also returned to Colorado, where her family lived, eventually restoring an old cabin to rent out to supplement the cruising kitty. Then she took off for Europe, to visit her sister and do a little exploring by bicycle. "In my pedaling, I had a lot of time to think about life and what was next," she wrote. "I was ready to return to my beloved Dogfish."
I returned from my European cycling vacation happy and healthy in body and mind. One thing my time away had cleared up was this: The point of the survey business to begin with had been to find a way to financially support my cruising dreams — not to become a workaholic and forget my original vision.
And I realized my time away from Dogfish had changed me. Even though I had not been sailing my own boat, I had been privileged to drop into cruising destinations around the world, and being physically in those places had made them real to me. Like maybe I could take Dogfish there. The world and its possibilities felt open to me as never before.
So one last road trip. I loaded all my tools from my shed in Colorado into my car and drove them over the Rocky Mountains back to Mexico and to the dusty and buzzing Cabrales Boatyard. And there she was, waiting for me. My boat. Peering down her companionway, I found Dogfish pretty well as I'd left her, but with a thin coating of soft Peñasco sand on every surface, like powdered sugar on a crème de Paris.
I chiseled away at the sizable list of projects, aiming to make her ready for whatever adventures lay ahead. It was back to building mode for me, but instead of demolishing mountain cabin walls, I cut carefully into a main bulkhead. This had been steadily deteriorating since I bought her 10 years ago, and every season, the boat squeaked a little more than the last. It had finally gotten to the point where some of the fiberglass tabbing was buckling, and I knew the project couldn't be kicked down the road any longer.
As I cut into the area, I kept finding more and more rot in the bulkhead and surrounding furniture in the forward head. I was shocked as more and more rotted-out, 46-year-old wood kept crumbling in my hands. It was an intensive and messy project, but in the end, I cut out and rebuilt the entire forward head, glassing in new marine plywood, and matching the new finishes to the old, as I wanted the look to stay original. I cut out large templates of Formica sheets that I had to roll up to fit through the companionway, and glued them against the new fiberglassed surfaces with a heavy-duty, Australian-made specialty adhesive. I also designed a new stand-up shower with an improved shower pan to protect the bulkhead from future water damage.
When the head project was finished, I turned to other projects, including installing a new inverter/charger; new battery monitor; electric oven; new washing machine in a custom cabinet I designed and built for the aft cabin; and a large new single galley sink. I also fitted a new mainsail with three reefs, upgraded my solar system, and finally made screens for all the hatches and portlights. I completed maintenance to the engine and generator, including a new mixing elbow on the engine. I had the chain and anchor regalvanized, and battled with my aging outboard motor to get the seized bottom end off so that I could replace the failed impeller. I took advantage of being in the yard to complete a number of other wood trim and finishing projects that had been on my list for many years, finally finishing off the forward guest bunk/tool bench I had built in the V-berth, and trimming out the chest freezer/tool storage area, among many other trim items. I also did a simple bottom job with a few fiberglass touch-up repair areas.
In between Dogfish jobs, I kept taking survey jobs in the Cabrales yard and nearby areas, and built a fiberglass hardtop bimini for some friends. My good friends Marc and Laura on Liquid helped me immensely with constant encouragement and use of their organized shop,
and always lending hands to help me fuel up, bend on sails, move my dinghy and outboard around, and look out for Dogfish when I was away.
It was the end of July 2024 before I was ready to go. I splashed at 12 p.m., threw a goodbye dinner party at 7 p.m., and motored south into the calmest black night you've ever seen at 3 a.m., headed for my beloved northern Sea of Cortez cruising grounds. Dogfish was in motion again after nearly two years of being high and dry.
Which brings us nearly to now. I have been back in my cruising rhythm for almost two months now, slow-sailing through my favorite haunts in this place of wild mountains and wistful sea. There have been some nights of chubasco terrors, some very challenging salty sails, but mostly it's been Baja in all its raw, dream-state beauty. I have loved having Dogfish's cockpit filled once more with friends new and old, enjoying at-anchor feasts, sharing sea stories and cruising
Clockwise from above: 'Dogfish' is finally back cruising after a two-year hiatus; sailing in the Sea of Cortez; Cabrales Boatyard in Puerto Peñasco is known as a great place to store boats, get work done — and make new cruising friends; Marga is back, enjoying the cruising life more than ever.
dreams. And I have enjoyed a newfound silence aboard: For the first time ever since sailing Dogfish, she no longer squeaks while underway.
With my little business trotting along beside me and my little cabin house happily rented out, this is the first time in all my years cruising that I am actually cruising open-ended, with no set go-backto-work date in a few months — and any and all destinations on the table. I plan to keep picking up travel and local surveys as I go, and continue to provide remote technical consults over Starlink. I just finished my first-ever careened and atanchor surveys a few weeks ago.
I'm taking the remainder of the year to sail Mexico once more and enjoy the slow-motion cruising life, while thinking
of what/how/where I might be wanting to go next. The tracks on my chartplotter in this area are piling up. The yellow lines criss-crossing these bays and anchorages go back to my first season singlehanding in 2020, which now feels like a lifetime ago.
The screen is starting to look as if I am stitching together a dream catcher, which in a way, maybe I am.
— marga 9/30/24
Few will argue that holidays spent at home with friends and family are among the most cherished of all memories. But the same can be said for holidays spent in far-flung locations on boats, sometimes with folks you hardly know.
On something of a whim, we queried past Changes contributors on the latter notion, and were surprised at both the number and variety of the responses. Here are a few of them. (Note that the boats most recently associated with these folks
sometimes differ from the ones on which they spent memorable holidays.)
Our first Christmas aboard Noctiluca was one we'll never forget. After plenty of late nights — where we said farewell to some of our Ha-Ha friends and other wonderful people we'd met in La Paz — we were looking forward to a quiet night anchored in beautiful Bahia Lobos, just outside town. But as the sun dipped below the horizon, our plan was literally swept away by one of the dreaded, unpredictable coromuel winds, which funneled perfectly through the bay's opening. The waves quickly built up, and with other boats around us and rocks close to our stern, it became clear that re-anchoring wasn't an option. Realizing that none of us would get a restful night here, we pulled up anchor and used the wind to sail through the night toward Isla Partida.
About six hours later, as dawn lit up the eastern horizon, Neptune rewarded us for the evening's inconvenience: We found ourselves anchored in a stunning cove off Isla Partida known as Ensenada Grande. This serene spot, with its turquoise waters, rugged cliffs, and white sandy beach, felt like paradise. Even better, we were in fantastic company, surrounded by both familiar faces and new friends.
The next day — Christmas Day — our friends Jenn and Gord on Dream Reach invited us over to celebrate Jenn's birthday along with the holiday. With 17 people, their wonderful kids, and even little Finnegan (our sailing dog) all packed onto their beautiful Compass 47, it was a sight to remember and one of the most fun Christmases we've ever had! Not everyone recalls every detail, but the laughter, music, and both intentional and unintentional dives off the stern made for an unforgettable night.
Wishing everyone happy holidays, whether on the water or on land!
Tom and Barbara Dilworth Ellie — Ericson 30
In 1976, soon after our wedding, Barbara and I set sail from San Diego on Luana, our 33-ft Winslow sloop. Our destinations were Hawaii and British Columbia. On December 24, we dropped anchor off Lahaina and rowed ashore to pick up some supplies at the local market for our planned Christmas dinner aboard Luana.
The next day, Christmas mor ning, I realized I'd left my wallet on the checkout counter at the market the previous day. Without money, our plans to have
drinks at the Pioneer Inn were scuttled. So again, we rowed ashore and headed to the market, hoping it was open. It wasn't. But there was a number posted on the door to call for emergencies. We found a pay phone, deposited our dime, and the market owner answered our call. We told him what happened and he said they had found my wallet and locked it in the store safe. He explained that his house was filling up with friends and family for Christmas dinner. There was a pause, and then he said, "I'll tell you what … it's not too far. I'll drive down to retrieve your wallet, and would love it if you and your wife would join me and my family at our house for Christmas dinner. Can you do that?"
The answer of course was "yes." The Pioneer Inn and our boat dinner could certainly wait. That was a Christmas we'll never forget.
Katherine and Andres Gonzalez
Ana Maria — Pacific Seacraft 34
We were cruising in the Sea of Cortez in December 2022, preparing to set sail for French Polynesia two months later in the Pacific Puddle Jump rally. Typically, Christmas spent with my family in Missouri is packed with parties, people, and
pandemonium. But with our PPJ passage to-do list growing every day, I suggested we stick close to La Paz for the holidays. My introverted captain readily agreed.
Just because we were shoehorning Christmas between boat projects didn't mean it couldn't be meaningful and memorable. We tucked into the secluded anchorage of El Mesteño on Isla Espíritu Santo. Instead of shopping for Christmas gifts, we spent the week exploring the arroyos and hiking up to the stunning viewpoint at the top of the island.
My trusty Force 10 gimbaled stove couldn't quite fit a whole turkey, but before we left La Paz I had trekked through the winding streets of La Paz to Bella's Épicerie, where I bought organic lamb sausage and a spiced couscous salad. We grilled the sausages on our tiny Magma grill mounted on the stern pushpit railing, and feasted al fresco as the sun set behind La Sierra de la Giganta.
Miles away from the nearest Christmas
Mass, the two of us sat together in the cockpit under the night sky and recited La Novena, the Colombian advent liturgy my captain grew up celebrating. "¡Ven a nuestras almas! ¡Ven no tardes tanto!" ("Come to our souls! Come — don't wait so long!")
Our unconventional holiday was humble, yet rich. Something to try at least once in your life.
Bruce Balan and Alene D. Rice Migration — Cross 46 trimaran
Alene is a cat person. No doubt about that. We'd have a cat on board in a minute if it made sense. But given the difficulties bringing pets into some countries, and the problem when you want to leave the boat to visit family, we've decided it just isn't practical.
However, we did have a cat "temporarily." It was 2015 and we were in the little marina in Miri in Malaysian Borneo. We'd noticed a very cute little calico wandering the docks. We learned her name was Angela and she was just a marina cat that had been cared for for quite a long time by a boat that had recently departed. Of course, Alene would pet her and play with her as much as possible, so it wasn't
long before Angela was climbing aboard in search of more affection. And not long after that, she was spending most of the day with us. And then the night, too, curling up with us in bed.
We purchased a small fake Christmas tree at the mall. It was so odd to be in Borneo and visit malls festooned with giant blow-up Santa Villages and people caroling! When we brought the tree back to Migration, Alene got to work decorating it with tiny souvenirs — shells, keychains, necklaces, bracelets — that we had collected in our travels. As you can see from the photo above, Angela was a great help.
We very nearly kept that adorable cat, but a neighboring German boat decided to adopt her. We loved having a cat that Christmas.
Maurisa and Mike Descheemaeker Whirlwind — Alajuela 38
Our most memorable cruising Christmas was in 2018 aboard our previous boat, the Carter 37 Arrow, anchored on the south side of Isla Benito del Oeste (population: 2). It was our first Christmas in Mexican waters, and our boys, Russell and Josea, were only 5 and 7. We checked into and out of Ensenada on December
Far left: Randy of 'Convergence' digs into Christmas morning breakfast. Says wife Sally-Christine, "Our Navida favorito aboard 'Convergence' was spent cruising from La Cruz to Barra de Navidad, where we were welcomed with fireworks, tamales, musica and buenos amigos." Near right: Katherine and Andres Gonzalez high above 'Ana Maria' in Espiritu Santo. Below: 'Noctiluca's Jess and Ben celebrated this Christmas (and a friend's birthday) with 15 other folks aboard Jenn and Gord's Compass 47 'Dream Reach'. Below left: Russell and Josea of 'Whirlwind' making monkey balls, "a family favorite for generations," says Mom.
22, determined to be somewhere remote and beautiful by Christmas.
We sailed for two days to Isla San Benito: a small speck of an island in the Pacific west of Cedros. Actually, it's three small islands that formed from one larger one. There are navigable channels between the islands. This was also our first time sailing in Mexico, and we were working through the uncertainties of chart inaccuracy, so we were sailing hard hoping to get our anchor down during daylight hours. While we did not make it into the anchorage during the daylight, luck was on our side in other ways.
The sunset was absolutely beautiful and caught on the peaks of the waves all around us. The pink light took us as close as we could possibly get to the channel that separates the small islands, so that we could see the path we needed to take. We sailed through Canal de Peck with breakers on either side of us.
The exhilaration faded as quickly as the light in the foreboding face of finding a safe place for the anchor in a small, pitchblack bay known to have large, uncharted rocks. We carefully circled a few times with the spotlight, dropped the hook, and sat back on our anchor. The wind was
still howling, but we were sitting peacefully in the lee of the small piece of an older island in the Pacific Ocean.
After days of perpetual motion, we looked to the sky full of stars and the kids asked, "How will Santa find us here?!" We grinned at our small ones, their eyes twinkling with a mix of hope and trepidation. "We'll set some cookies and milk out, you'll see. Plus, Old Saint Nick loves tacos and definitely flies through Mexico."
Christmas Day dawned with toys for the kids and our anchor clear of all uncharted rocks. Everyone was thrilled.
Fennell Family — Vikki, Rowan, Emmy and Lucy
Taliesin Rose — Bavaria 46E
After cruising full time for three years, the Fennell family transitioned to parttime cruising in the Gulf of California. Christmas Eve, 2023, we left Isla Monsserrate for a glorious 30-mile run south on our way toward La Paz. The sailing was glorious, and as the sun started to sink low, we hooked a massive dorado on our hand line. We anchored in the bay of the most picturesque island in the Sea of Cortez, Isla San Francisco.
Christmas mor ning revealed Santa
had been able to climb down the hatch to deliver presents, and Vikki roasted a bird for Christmas dinner. Fully stuffed, we made our way ashore for a perfect afternoon of hiking, beachcombing, and soaking up the warm sun and sea air. The best things about a cruisers' Christmas are the simplicity, the way people make delicious meals out of what's available, and magical moments with the people who are most important.
Marie-Cécilia Duvernoy and Yalçin Özhabe Tire-Bouchon — Ericson 38
By 2022, we had been cruising for two years, from California to the Caribbean Sea. It meant two Christmases away from France and my family. Yalçin, who is Turkish, isn't used to celebrating Christmas at all, but it had been years since I told him about all the food rituals associated with
Marie-Cécilia serves up Yalçin's first Christmas dinner on 'Tire-Bouchon'.
this holiday in France: turkey, chestnuts, smoked salmon, and the infamous foie gras, followed by cheeses and the "log" of ice cream — each dish matched with the proper French wine.
The presence of French islands in the Caribbean made it possible for me to dream of sharing this tradition with my partner, but it wouldn't come easily! First, we had to cross the Caribbean northward, against the winds and currents, and second, Yalçin had to apply for a visa at the French Embassy in Saint Lucia to be able to visit Martinique, the closest French island. An appointment was made for December 14. From then, we had to hope the visa would be approved and ready before Christmas, but also that we would be able to arrive at Saint Lucia in time.
Our eastward passage had already begun with a difficult leg from Colombia
to the ABC islands, beating up in established trade winds against the strong current offshore of Venezuela. We now had to beat up toward Saint Lucia, a passage rarely attempted against the easterlies of the Caribbean Sea. Most American boats choose to beat up to the USVI or Puerto Rico, two destinations that were not available to me (Marie) at that time, without a special visa that would be impossible to get from here. As happened way too often in our travels, our destination would be set by visa policies.
We eventually found a weather window when the trade winds changed to northerlies for three days, allowing us to do our easting from Bonaire to the Windward Islands, followed by two days of lighter winds for a smooth closing on Saint Lucia. When we left for this five-day passage, it was our longest passage at that time.
The beat up was hard on the wind — and on our bodies — but we were prepared. The wind eased up at the end, making for beautiful sailing and a memorable arrival with the gorgeous, tropical island coming into sight as the biggest school of dolphins we'd seen so far escorted us in the almost perfectly flat water. We savored our arrival in the scenic Marigot Bay for a few days before taking off for the visa appointment in Castries. After finalizing our application, the dice were rolling. We had to wait and hope the visa would be granted, and in time for us to sail the 20 miles that separated us from Martinique.
On December 22, Yalçin was notified that his visa was ready for pickup. We were now in Rodney Bay, the biggest port and the one closest to the French island.
Chrissy, Denton and Danika Earnhardt Simplicity — Nordic 44
As I look back on the past four years of cruising, with three Christmases spent on board, and New Zealand soon to be our fourth, I can't help smiling. Each celebration, each adventure, has shaped my journey in ways I never could have imagined. The memories we've made — exploring new places, sharing moments with friends, and living a life at sea — remind me just how lucky I am to have had this chance. It's been a remarkable experience, one I'm truly grateful for. Here is a poem I composed about our Christmas in Tenacatita.
— danika, age 13
'Twas the night before Christmas, but not on the land, We paddled off boats with surfboards in hand. Three boys from Arkouda, from Meraki came two, And Sally had one boy, one girl in the crew.
Watercolors brought two, Captain Musick did too, From Nike a girl, Sirena's best one — you knew. And then there was me, part of the pack, As we paddled out forward, never looking back.
We surfed all the morning toward the river mouth, Where crocodiles lurked, big fish heading south. The floating logs, or were they not? We gave them space — no bites to be caught!
The river led us toward the mudbank, Boards launching like rockets, no time to think blank. The rapids, they pushed us, our hearts racing fast, Around the jetty, we barely made it past.
But Atticus — oops — he hit with a thud, Jetty met board, though he popped from the mud. We laughed and we cheered, no harm to be done, Just another tale, under the hot sun.
No Santa to think of, no presents to claim, Just us, the waves, and our sur fboard game. We sandwiched our boards, laughed till we cried, The joy in that moment, impossible to hide.
For Christmas that day wasn't wrapped up in bows, It was about the together ness everyone knows. Catching party waves, sun on our skin, A day full of memories, all pure and grinned in.
So here's to that Christmas, out on the waves, Where we left behind holidays spent in a daze. We cared not for presents or jolly old Saint Nick, For friendship and laughter, that's the real trick.
The next day, we took a bus back to the capital to collect Yalçin's passport with the precious stamp and set off the day after — for France!
The arrival in Le Marin, the largest anchorage we'd seen to date (2,500 boats at times), was almost as memorable as the dinner we had on Christmas Eve: foie gras, smoked salmon, a gratin of butternut with blue cheese, and chestnuts, topped with wine and delicious pastries for dessert! To make up for the absence of relatives, the next day Yalçin cooked a delicious Turkish dish, which would become our Christmas Day routine over the years. Merry Christmas!
Phil and Joann MacFarlane Sail a Vie — Ericson 35
My most memorable holidays aboard were in the early '90s when a bunch of us celebrated Thanksgiving and Christmas at the same time in July in the Delta. We all lived aboard back in those days, and I think we chose July because on the real Thanksgiving and Christmas, most of us would be with our real families. We were all great friends and very close, and this
was our chance to have a holiday meal together. I was with Joann and my cat, Dink, who lived with me on Sail a Vie in a little place called Railroad Cut behind Locke, the old Chinese town. I picked wild berries from my dinghy along the slough and baked a pie with homemade crust. We'd brought up a big turkey on dry ice and made homemade stuffing. All cooking was done on the original 1971 CNG stove/oven that came with the boat. I also remember that it was the hottest holiday I ever spent on the boat!
Dennis Roquet and Kelly Carr
Roxxy — Jeanneau 52
Back in the ‘80s, I was skippering a charter boat in the West Indies for Nicholson Yacht Charters. One Christmas found me tied up stern-to at Nelson‘s Dockyard. There was to be a Christmas party for captains and crews on the boats in English Harbour before we started our two-week Christmas charters. The party was hosted on the yacht America. Not the one that won the "Hundred Guinea Cup," but the replica that was built by Randolph Schaefer of the Schaefer beer company in 1967. The 30 people who were invited left their shoes on the quay and stepped aboard. Walking around the circular cockpit of this well-done replica was like stepping into history.
Then it was down the companionway into a world of mastercraft wood joinery, maintained in Bristol fashion by her
professional crew. In the dining area was a 10-foot-long table covered with platters and bowls usually found in the finest restaurants. And the food! It was easy to see how the chef had just won the Best in Fleet award at Agents Week. The centerpiece was a 40-pound grouper, scaled and cooked to perfection. The scales had been replaced with thin, sliced cucumber to restore the exterior of the fish to an almost original appearance.
After Christmas carols and grog, it was time to depart this incredible historical experience. Upon returning to the quay, we found some prankster had made off with all 60 flip-flops and Topsiders — but even that didn't dampen the incredible evening.
After sailing Shindig to the Southern Hemisphere in fall 2023, we planned to stay as long as possible to explore both north and south islands of Kiwi Land. There was an instant group of cruising friends in New Zealand, as we had met many Kiwi sailors up in the islands of Fiji over the previous years. (It's very common for Kiwi sailors to make the passage between Fiji and New Zealand every season.)
A favorite destination less than two hours east of Auckland is Waiheke (not "Waikiki") Island. It's about 36 square miles and has dozens of anchorages, conveniently spaced less than an hour from each other. No matter what weather emerges, there is always a place to duck
into. There are more than 30 wineries scattered around the island, in addition to a few cute tourist towns. It's also a fun destination for day trippers coming via ferry from the mainland.
At a popular anchorage right off the town of Oneroa, we celebrated the holidays three nights in a row, with different boats hosting the growing group of sailors with the traditional nibbles and sundowners. What a difference a few nights made, as the anchorage grew from a dozen boats to over a hundred. As it was officially summer in the Southern Hemisphere, the water was warm, and shorts, T-shirts and jangles (sandals) were the norm.
Andrew and Leslie Godfrey Sonrisa — Valiant 40
Our first "Cruising Christmas," we trailed the seasonal wave of sailors passing through Indonesia by several months. This meant we had all the best anchorages entirely to ourselves. But in our isolation, we also had no wise-cruiser guidance to grab the first block of parmesan cheese (or any cheese, for that matter) and treasure it like the pirate booty it is.
We arrived in Labuan Bajo, Komodo Island, Indonesia, just prior to Christmas, possessing none of the usual components necessary to build our traditional Christmas morning brunch. No bacon or ham, no cheese, and no heavy cream.
We looked around to solve our conundrum but found our circumstances were unlikely to change in time to cook for Santa. What to do? We wailed momentarily and gnashed our teeth until Andrew said, "Come on, now. Whole wars were fought over these islands to make European Christmas smell and taste as we know it today! Cinnamon, cloves, and
nutmeg rain down from plants and trees that grow here like weeds."
And so it was that we adjusted our attitudes and our recipes. Coconut milk served for our eggnog; fireflies and phosphorescence provided us Christmas light; and Komodo dragons stood in for the reindeer. Tucked into the foul-weather
boots we used as substitute stockings, Santa left us one of the most important lessons a sailor can learn when we set off to sea: You will never be able to carry or replicate all the comforts of home, but if you are open to it, you might find something even better.
READERS: Cruise Notes will return next month. Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!
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10 FT Zephyr Gremlin 1972. Gremlin G63. 10-ft 4-in. Great condition. One owner as seen in title pic. Rarely used back in the ’70s and stored in a garage for life. Includes everything in the pics. Does not include sail or trailer. Manufactured at the Richmond, CA, plant back in the day. $16,000 Watsonville, CA hooverhort@comcast.net (815) 440-9584
10 FT Zodiac m o T or red U ced ! Zodiad measuring 10-ft by 2-ft. In carrying case. Never used. Tohatsu (4-cycle) 3.5 hp outboard motor. Model SG. Still in the box with papers. A steal! Contact Alan. $950 OBO Green St., San Francisco alcavey@hotmail.com (415) 567-1742
15 FT Zodiac mk iii 1999. Sat in garage, replaced impeller runs like new. Trailer, tires perfect condition. Bimini and extra gear. 40hp Tohatsu. Control panel lifts motor, new ACDelco marine battery in case. $14,000 Mendocino melco@mcn.org (707) 884-4836
12 FT BalTik inFlaTaBle 2006. Baltik with 20hp fuel-Injected outboard, on a trailer. Fewer than 20 hrs on motor, carefully documented break-in period, serviced July. Wooden panel floor, 2 chairs and/or 2 benches. See photos for inventory list. $4,900 OBO Sausalito, CA crgoff45@gmail.com (831) 332-2576
14 FT WhiTehall dory 1983. Built by local legend Gordie Nash in Sausalito in 1983. ‘Velocette’ is a reproduction of the original Whitehall rowboats of 19th century New York Harbor — designed to handle choppy waters while maintaining a fast, straight track. It is a joy to row. Gordie built this boat in the 1980s and he also helped me with some repair work when I did a restoration 3 years ago. ‘Velocette’ is in mostly excellent condition with a few very minor blemishes in the varnish here and there from use since the restoration. More details and photos in Google Photos link included here. $6,000 Price reduced! El Sobrante tom@wadbrook.com www.photos.app.goo.gl/GfbJrNu1KEoZWcWQ6
24 feet & UnDer saiLboats
12.3 FT BeeTle caT 2005. A classic with premium upgrades. Great condition. Always dry-docked. Hull # 2251 fully fiberglassed so no need to pre-swell. Includes trailer plus covers for cockpit and whole boat. New mainsail is blue. $10,000 OBO Novato cliff@warmspringsholdings.com (415) 302-5134
24 FT WavelenGTh 24 1983. Great daysailer with roller furling jib, spinnaker, extra sails, handheld VHF, new bottom paint. Sleeps four. February 2024. Second owner. Price reduced! $4,900 Marina Village Yacht Harbor, Alameda sailorsteve41@yahoo.com
22 FT c aTalina 1984. In very good condition. Swing keel. Three sails. Trailer rewired, repainted. Optional add-ons: Rudder Craft kick-up rudder, nearly new: $500; Tohatsu 6hp outboard, nearly new: $1500; Rolling genoa and rigging, nearly new: $1000 $5,500 OBO Richmond YC simpleloginnewsletter.dosage168@simplelogin.com www.tinyurl.com/44htj6vp
22 FT SanTana 22 1976. Pocket racer/ cruiser ‘Albacore’. Race-proven (podium finishes 2023 and 2024 Nationals) with all equipment, two full suits of sails including spinny gear. Also cabin cushions, lights, etc. so a good weekender. Fun and competitive local fleets, especially in Alameda and Richmond — racers or potentials preferred. Includes the classic 2.3hp Honda 4-stroke air-cooled outboard. Road-tested trailer extra: $1500 OBO. $4,500 OBO Point Richmond jan.grygier.ca@gmail.com
22 FT SanTana 22 2001. Rare, new model Santana 22. Clean boat with 5hp Mercury 4-stroke, well maintained. Two headsails (roller-furling 90% and 120%) and mainsail in good condition. Perfect for S.F. Bay and singlehanding. More pictures available. $8,000 Sausalito curtis.d.havel@gmail.com (415) 272-4615
24 FT J/24 1982. New 3.6hp outboard. 2021: 70% of running rigging replaced. 2016: new UK Sails main, jib, 120% genoa, and standing rigging. Harken roller furler. Two extra sets of sails and complete spinnaker setup. Good cushions, sleeps four. $2,900 Redwood City vasdiast@yahoo.com (415) 867-6488
20 FT m el G e S 20 2010. Melges 20 and trailer in very good condition, lightly used. Inventory: 3 sets of sails, 2 gennakers, Tacktick, traveling and mast-up tarps, traveling boxes and Suzuki 2.5hp. $20,000 Los Angeles jlang@ucla.edu
27 FT expreSS 27 1984. Racing boat ‘Summer Palace’. Many upgrades, well maintained, large sail inventory, on trailer. Detail sheet available upon request. $16,500 Pt. Richmond, CA earthen-upscale0g@icloud.com
25 FT coronado 1968. Perfect for beginner boat, families, escape heat on the Bay! 9hp Yamaha, runs great, cabin like new, new cushions, curtains. Bonus custom-made full-boat bimini. Nice for working on the boat. Selfsteering, Porta Potti. Contact for pics. $3,200 OBO Fortman Marina, Alameda creppe@yahoo.com (510) 393-9173
27 FT c aTalina 1979. Great find, with many upgrades! Wonderful starter or weekend family boat. Clean/usable interior. 2022 hauled out and doublecoat painted. New standing rigging and lifelines from 2022. New thru-hulls and electric outlets and other upgrades from 2022. Boat comes with tiller autopilots, GPS, wind speed instrument, radio, safety equipment, etc. Racing sails in excellent condition. 15hp outboard motor recently serviced w/i last 12 months, but needs new pull cord. Spinnaker sail and pole included! $5,000 OBO Redwood City Marina jarrod.stuard@gmail.com
25 FT m e ri T 25 1984. Needs TLC. Comes with two-axle trailer w/good tires. Two #1 sails, #2 sail, #3 sail. All sails are in old condition. Two spinnakers. VHF radio. Clear title, up-to-date registration. Call Cecil. $5,000 Clearlake, CA d20001.pearson@hotmail.com (707) 339-2359
27 FT Bal B oa 1978. Maxi — trailerable. Health forces sale. $7,000 Marina Bay Yacht Harbor, Richmond rtrouble@pacbell.net (775) 677-7503
25 FT caTalina 1977. Sailboat on EZ Loader trailer. Impeccably restored by experienced marine mechanic. New: galley, head, GPS, fireplace, upholstery. Primo condition. Turnkey ready, no saltwater, beautiful custom woodwork with teak marquetry inlays, numerous essential sailing accessories included. $15,000 OBO North Lake Tahoe, CA laurieswanson20@gmail.com (530) 2779854
27.93 FT paciFic SeacraFT 25 mk ii 1978. Sailboat with excellent trailer and tremendous amount of gear ready for someone handy. New Yanmar 2YM15 with 1.5 hrs, two furlers, six sails, cockpit and interior cushions, two anchors, wind vane self steering and tiller pilot, Furuno radar, propane system parts. Too many parts to list — contact Todd Chandler for link to photos. $18,900 Newport, OR todd@chandlermarineservices.com (541) 992-9289
26 FT yamaha 1984. PHRF racer and comfortable cruiser. Interior and exterior maintained in excellent condition by meticulous owner. Yanmar 1gm10 diesel with very low hrs. Garmin chartplotter, Raymarine VHF radio, emergency beacon and many other items. $10,000 Alameda Jnovie@aol.com (415) 271-3441 29 – 31 feet saiLboats 30 FT o l S o n 30 1984. Awesome. North 3Di main and #1. Ullman 2 older but excellent. Brand-new LG #3. Old #4 and staysail. Excellent North symmetric. EP asymm. Delivery main. Brandnew Tohatsu 6hp. B&G. New Harken genoa and jib cars and tracks. New backstay. Under-deck supports. Large rudder. New nonskid. Bottom paint less than a year. New sheets and halyards. Harken windward sheeting trav. No trailer. $15,000 Shelter Island, San Diego ballenlaw1@gmail.com
30 FT knarr 1998 . ‘Fifty/Fifty’ has a fiberglass hull and is the last and most recent Knarr built by Borresen boatyard. Classic boat in excellent condition – a joy to race and sail! $42,500 OBO San Francisco, CA stone_paul_a@yahoo.com (408) 8767197
30 FT caTalina 30 1978. Experience coastal sailing with this classic, featuring a unique electric drive conversion. The Thunderstruck Motors 10-hp electric motor, supported by four AGM 250 Ah batteries, offers eco-friendly motoring for about 20 miles at 4 knots. In fair condition but ready to sail, the boat includes new bottom paint (October 2024); safety gear: anchor, lifejackets, fenders, Lifesling, dock lines; Garmin GPS and navigation lights; cockpit cushions, working marine toilet, BBQ, stove, and oven. No pressurized water system. This Catalina 30 is perfect for Bay cruising and anchoring, offering an affordable entry into sailing adventures. $6,500 Richmond Yacht Club tommysoutham@gmail.com www.tinyurl.com/nrtsw4d3
31 FT caTalina 310 2000. Must see to believe! Excellent condition. Set up to singlehand. Hoyt jib boom, self tending. Bow thruster and dodger new. Doyle mainsail and stack pack recent. Standing and running rigging have been replaced. Pulled. Painted and engine serviced April 2024. 1155 engine hrs. Same owner for 18 years. Many upgrades and custom interior. Walkaround queen berth. Perfect couple’s cruiser. Sausalito transferable slip. $68,500 REDUCED Sausalito, CA jimlewitt@gmail.com (415) 302-6823
30 FT henderSon 30 1996 . Hull 18 ‘Family Hour’ for Sale. 1996 racewinning Henderson 30. Second owner. The boat is in great shape and well maintained. Has an extensive inventory of parts and sails. Contact us for list. The boat has a Nissan outboard that replaces the original Johnson. The motor has been serviced each year and runs great. The boat comes with a dual-axle ramp launch trailer. $19,950 Richmond jimb945@yahoo.com
30 FT olSon 30 1982 . Late model. Includes custom dual-axle trailer and very recent Ballenger double-spreader mast with corresponding rod rigging (just inspected by Buzz at the boatyard in Watsonville). Last 20 years in Portland (freshwater). Rigging/stanchions/lifelines/ running rigging/winches in excellent condition. Boat has been thoroughly/ completely gone through at well-known Elkhorn Composites: A. All three ribs at mast foot replaced with composite elements (boat has substantial jockstrap). B. Three small soft spots in the deck/cockpit replaced w/composite core/gelcoat. C. Bottom & keel completely stripped to the gelcoat and keel fiberglassed as necessary. D. Keelbolts torqued/updated. E. New lifting-rod threaded end, F. Several coats barrier, two of Pro-Line antifoul (59% Cu). Mucho $$. Not splashed yet. Older sails. $17,500 SF South Bay mtown@att.net (650) 933-2349
30 FT ericSon 30+ 1980. Five-anda-half-ft draft keel. Version,0 Universal Diesel, new propane two-burner stove conversion. Rigging replaced late ’90s. Two mainsails. Original roller jib. $13,000 OBO Sausalito newcombarger@yahoo.com (415) 3426230
29 FT kirie eliTe 1982. Performance cruiser that has everything a Bay Area sailor could want for racing or cruising. Brand-new, never-hoisted sails and rigging. New B&G Vulcan chartplotter. Reliable and fuel-efficient 2006 Yanmar diesel engine. $19,000 OBO Benicia, CA mike.bernico@gmail.com
29.5 FT J/29 1985. Fresh off her 2023 ASMBYC High Point Series victory, ‘Zulu’ is now for sale! This ultra-competitive J/29 sailboat is fully equipped for crewed and shorthanded races. Meticulously maintained, she offers an impressive arsenal of sails and will provide her new owners a solid platform for competitive racing for years to come. $14,000 Marina del Rey, CA welter.ryan@gmail.com (949) 554-9390
30 FT yankee one-deSiGn Wooden Sloop 1949. Master Mariners awardwinning sailboat designed by William Starling Burgess and Stone-built. ‘Flame’ was totally restored in 2015. Varnished wood hull. Roller furling. Complete survey in 2023 available. “A Sailor’s Saiboat.” Please email. $49,900 Richmond, CA stefroche916@gmail.com
30 FT caTalina 1979 . Unique opportunity to own a coastal cruiser of great repute located in the very safe/ secure marina at the Hotel Grand Isla de Navidad only a few miles north of the Manzanillo Airport at the heart of the central Mexican West Coast cruising waters. The well maintained boat is also equipped with davits, a Universal 5434 diesel engine with less than 500 running hrs and a number of recent uprades. Contact owner. $19,600 MX West Coast helenekbeauchemin@gmail.com +52 (312) 107-7417
30 FT pearSon 30 1977. Sweet boat with Bukh (Westerbeke) diesel engine. Very economical at 4 knots. Nice mainsail, several sails, hank-on rig currently with new forestay. Nice white vinyl cushions. Pull-out double in main cabin. Pullout chart table. Nice deck cushions. Ready to rig and go in 20 minutes. Dry bilge and cabin. Recent bottom job and well maintained. $9,000 San Diego ssoenk@yahoo.com (619) 623-0779
32 – 35 feet saiLboats
33 FT reynoldS 33 cUSTom 2005. Sailing cat, converted to a custom zero-emission hybrid excursion vessel. Includes custom 12m wing-sail with hydraulic controls, 75hp all-electric engine (outboard), custom fiberglass sun top over seating/nav area, super-fun boat! Could be used for personal fun, water-taxi transportation, and many other applications. Email to discuss pricing.SF Bay Areawingboatsail@gmail.com
32 FT ericSon 32-2 and 29 1971. Ericson 32-2 ($5,500 1971) and Ericson 29 ($5,900 1969). 32-2 has Yanmar diesel, Harken furler, propane oven, new salon cushions. Needs masthead sheaves. Ericson 29 has Yanmar diesel, new cushions. Nice condition, needs spreaders painted. $5900. $5,500 Alameda ssnick@gmail.com (510) 846-6417
= 35 FT FanTaSia 35 mk ll 1979. In very good condition and ready to go. Most all systems upgraded including standing rigging and lifelines. Above-deck Maxwell windlass, Profurl 4200 genoa furler, ComNav autopilot, Vector AIS, Dometic fridge in updated galley and full stand-up workroom are just some of the features that make so much in a 35-ft boat. Ten-inch pillow top mattress! Runs great! ComNav Commander P2 color autopilot, Octopus hydraulic steering ram, Blue Sky charge controller, new lifelines (2018), new rigging (2018), New Found Metals stainless ports, Garmin chartplotter, Vesper SP160 antenna splitter, Vesper XB-8000 AIS, Standard Horizon AIS/GPS VHF w/remote handset in cockpit, Iverson freestanding bimini, lazy jacks, transom hoist. $45,000 carey.shine@gmail.com (541) 973-9562
34 FT cal 34-2 1975. This is a working boat. The Perkins diesel runs great. It has a soggy main, working jib, good genoa and a beautiful spinnaker in a sock. It also has a radar: It’s old but it works. No leaks. It needs new bottom paint. I have the bottom cleaned once every two months. $4,500 OBO Alameda Williamking0425@sbcglobal.net (510) 206-5976
34 FT SpaUldinG 33 Sloop 1959. Now up for sale is my beautiful, fast and much-improved Spaulding 33 sloop. She has been lovingly maintained and improved over the years, and she is in Brisbane at the municipal marina, 400 Sierra Point Blvd. just off Highway 101. Full sail inventory kept on board. Three-cylinder Yanmar diesel runs excellent. Hull maintained by divers, zincs replaced and bottom scrubbed regularly. Standing headroom below. Full double berth fwd. Propane two-burner stove. Waste tank currently being installed. This boat is equipped for and capable of offshore cruising. Heavy keel, very sea-friendly. New: electric windlass and anchor, custom-built aluminum fuel tank with proper ventilation, etc. New pressure water system. New electric bilge pumps. $10,000 OBO Brisbane Marina mh2276@gmail.com (650) 269-1225
35 FT J/105 2002. Leading one-design sailboat. Very clean, lightly used. New Victron Bluetooth smart shunt and three-bank battery charger, Blue Sea panels, new SS motor mounts, new flange coupler, exhaust mixer and tubing. Second owner. Haulout 2014. $39,000 San Francisco montgomerygeorge99@gmail.com (415) 999-6639
32 FT ericSon 32 1972. In excellent shape. Wheel steering and roller furling jib. Many new features: instruments, cockpit canvas, dodger and window screen, mainsail stack, boom kicker (eliminates uphaul) and new head. Engine hrs < 500 on Universal diesel. Recent hull paint fall 2023. Many custom features including cockpit dining table. Very well maintained. Reason for sale is my age and health. For more photos and info see Craigslist URL. $24,900 Oakland North Marina gumdoc@mac.com (510) 368-9611 https://tinyurl.com/bdcvw9tt
34 FT peTerSon 34 1979. Refit over the last several years. I am getting a bigger boat. Lots of major upgrades, some new sails, winches, clutches, decks redone, plumbing, new wiring, chartplotter, VHF, MFD in cockpit, autopilot. New head, bottom paint with barrier coat done in fall 2023, new cutlass bearing, motor mounts. Fuel tank was recently cleaned with all new fuel lines. Two-cylinder Yanmar diesel. Looks a little rough but runs great. Has a two-blade folding prop. Sails include new genoa, newer main, lots of spinnakers and old race sails. Standing/running rigging in great shape. Tough old boat, very well built, solid shape structurally. Allan Andrews keel and rudder. $25,000 Ventura, CA scottnordeng@gmail.com (805) 953-4458
32 FT ericSon 32-3 1985. Price Drop!!! New canvas, new house and starter batteries, bottom painted 9/2023. Universal 25, Balmar alternator, asymmetrical spinnaker with sock. Tides Marine sail track and Profurl. More photos and info at website below. $27,000 Alameda javier@indalollc.com (201) 486-1700 www.tinyurl.com/2fxzmcwe
34 FT Wylie 34 1980 . One of Tom Wylie’s best designs; fractional rig, new Quantum main and cover, other sails for all conditions, PHRF 120, Yanmar and 2GM diesel 1700 hrs. A great Bay boat! $21,500 Richmond kurrewa59@gmail.com (808) 381-5884
32 FT herreShoFF 1998. Sail around the world!!. Beautiful, strong cruising cutter. Herreshoff-designed, bowsprit and boomkin, cold-molded hull, full lead keel, spruce spars, sails in great condition (mainsail with 3 reefs; stays’l, jib; 120% Dacron; 120% 1.5 oz. nylon; storm sail; trys’l); Aries wind vane self-steering; 10-ft fiberglass dinghy; no engine; sail into and out of upwind Berkeley berth or use 16-ft oar; 4 anchors (45# 35# 25# CQR, fisherman); windlass. Call Ken’s cell 925 786-7878. P.S. Consider adding an electric motor. $24,500 Berkeley, CA (925) 786-7878
34 FT expreSS 34 1986. 1986 “Boat of the Year” 1987 Sailing World Magazine. One of Carl Schumaker’s finest designs. Two-burner stove with oven, hot water. Almost-new North main, lightly used North jib on Harken roller furling, many bags of sails, two spinnaker poles, race-ready, fully equipped. Priced to sell. $35,000 OBO Richmond Yacht Club karlengdahl10@gmail.com
32 FT WeSTSail 32 1974. Aft cockpit cutter-rigged sailboat. Above-average condition. Have appraisal. Boat was not lived in. Very rare and wellkept sailboat. Serious buyers only. Email only. Will send more photos and appraisal to serious buyers through email. $55,000 Coyote Point, CA
33 FT paciFic SeacraFT mariah 31 1978. Stout boat of legendary strength and seaworthiness. Highly sought-after for bluewater sailing. She is in excellent condition, spartan appointments and in original condition with no modifications. Newer standing rig, crisp sails, fresh bottom job. $38,750 Alameda sailingfearless@gmail.com
33 FT cal 33 1971. Classic older-style sloop with modified scoop stern. Strong Volvo diesel 487 hrs. Harken roller furling. Tiller, older sails. Relocating and priced to sell. $5,900 OBO Emery Cove Yacht Harbor ngolifeart@gmail.com (747) 286-8311
36 – 39 feet saiLboats
39 FT roBerTS oFFShore 38 2004. Steal my steel. Beautifully constructed cutter-rigged steel hull, gorgeous woodwork, in San Carlos, MX. Will be sailing and showing in Jan and Feb, ready to sail to Tahiti. See URL for complete description, pics, and surveys. Contact Miller Adams. $20,000 San Carlos, MX millstb@gmail.com (520) 265-2587 http:// www.Zester4Sale.com
37 FT cSy 37 1979. Mexico vet ready to go again. Heavy-construction bluewater boat. One of the roomiest 37s around. Three cabins, two heads. New Beta Marine engine, two fridge/freezers. CPT autopilot. Good sails with asymmetrical spinnaker, recent standing rigging plus much more. After 50 years of cruising, I’ve gone over to the dark side with a trawler, so this needs to go. Check out Practical Sailor review at URL. $35,000 Point Richmond sailorboyone@gmail.com (530) 219-1566 www.tinyurl.com/4jkj9jky
38 FT hc 38 mk ii 1981 . Ready for new ownership. Located in Mazatlán, MX. Great weather and workers available. Mazatlán, MX lord41897@mypacks.net
38 FT doWn eaST Sloop 1976. During ownership of ‘Anita’ we’ve done the following: Sandblasted the bottom, faired in and coated with 2 coats of marine epoxy, painted. Installed new Yanmar 53hp diesel w/new fuel tank, drive train. Installed 90% new wiring, batteries, panels etc. New SS stanchions, bow and stern pulpits. Installed Corian counter tops, new cushions and solid teak chart table top and a heavy duty Lofrans windlass. New 300-ft 5/6-in G4 chain. Other improvements and gear, too numerous to mention. ‘Anita’ has great headroom in saloon, giant V-berth, freeboard of a much larger boat, huge amount of storage space. Search URL for sailing adventures in SoCal. Courtesy to brokers. $49,500 capnernie1@aol.com www.tinyurl.com/ynxxcca2
38 FT Sirena 38 1983 . Volvo Penta is excellent. Surveyed in 2020 @ $52,500. Many sails; needs some running rigging, gauges, TLC. Built in Finland. $35,000 Portland, OR marvinsannes@msn.com (503) 851-6055
38 FT cheoy lee SiGma 38 1969 . Great cruising or coastal boat. Sails like a dream! Yanmar 30 diesel with 520 hrs. Originally Florida boat now in San Diego at nice marina. Slip possibly transferable. Cruising sails and spinnaker. Cutter-rigged with sail. Tabernacled mast and rigging to lower it. Radar, GPS, radios, autopilot, sailing instruments all work. Survey says $31,000. Now available for $18,500. Operational, ready to rig and go in 20 minutes. The ocean awaits! $18,500 San Diego ssoenk@yahoo.com (619) 623-0779
38 FT hanS chriSTian Trad./ mk ii 1979 . Ready for an upgrade. Located in Ensenada. Great weather and workers available. Call for details $60,000 Ensenada MX deanel@hotmail.com (619) 608 0803
36.6 FT iSlander 1978. ‘Tenacious’ has rod rigging, hydraulic vang, North Sail full-batten main, Hood furling reefing jib, 2 spinnakers and 3 sizes of racing genoas, oversized winches. 2020 was professionally rewired, added new battery charger/inverter and GPS speed/bearing instruments and full teak sole refurb. $30k in new upgrades and yearly maintenance (boatyard receipts) since purchased from Kris Youngberg, who raced her for >30 years including: new hot water system, fridge, bilge, restitching of primary rolling jib and added 2nd reef to mainsail. Total recoat below waterline in 2020, 2022 and full buff-out above waterline, 2023 engine refurbishment, all new engine gauges, hoses, belt. 2024 bottom cleaned, new prop, bilge pumps and zincs. $34,500 Mission Creek Harbor San Francisco ssdarling@comcast.net (415) 816-9626
39 FT Freya 2003 . Proven famous bluewater cruiser/racer. Every amenity for safety and comfort except air conditioning. Lying San Diego, ready for the Ha-Ha. Turbocharged Yanmar recently rebuilt. Bristol condition. Tall rig, 13 standing riggings, 13 halyards, two autopilots, two chartplotters, windvane steering and much more. Complete suite sails for heavy weather, paraglider spinnaker, Jordan series drogue, Dynaplate grounding to mast, sleeps 6. Watermaker, hydraulic backstay. Email or call. $120,000 San Diego berniekreten@yahoo.com (916) 335-6555
39 FT cal 39 mk ii 1981. Tall rig with shoal keel. Westerbeke diesel. Profurl. CPT autopilot. New headliner. $19,900 Richmond ccackerma@gmail.com
39 FT irWin ciTaTion 1979. Built in Florida for San Francisco Bay. Great liveaboard and coastal cruiser. 2023 bottom painted. Extensive rebuild/replacement of most systems in 2006 including Yanmar 3JH4. Monitor vane/e-rudder. dodger/bimini. Call or email. $45,000 Richmond, CA svcasablanca1979@gmail.com (925) 391-1250
39 FT Freedom 1983 . Freedom 39 they never have a rigging issue, masts do not break. Fast and solid, everything works, has a factory gen-set. Berthed at Central Basin, sails well reefed or in light airs. A Caribbean and Galapagos Vet, Achilles tender. Two staterooms, radar and new head. Everything works, USCG Documented. Sea-trial on request. $29,500 Oakland, CA captainterrylee@gmail.com (916) 5995241
Tayana 37 mk 2 cUTTer. Bluewater cruiser, plenty of head room and storage. She is sound but is a project boat. Needs work on motor and some electrical. Batteries in good shape, all new thru hull fittings. New standing rigging, electrical wiring and LED lights, VHF antenna of this past year. Brought overland from East Coast so lifelines, stanchions and bow sprit were removed and need to be reinstalled (all included). Stainless frames for dodger and Bimini but no canvas. Sails and covers in fair condition. Interior cushions in good condition. Nice interior layout. Priced to reflect engine and other work to be completed. $20,000 Sausalito jaygrant11383@gmail.com (415) 4136707
36 FT caScade 1977. Bluewater-ready turnkey sailboat. 55 hrs on new Yanmar 30 hp, navigation autopilot, leather interior hand-carved wood. Dickinson diesel heater, full head with hot shower, full galley and more. Great liveaboard with large V-berth, comes with transferable slip! $25,000 OBO Newport, OR sureshanjie@yahoo.com Suresh (510) 459-8018 or Dustin (808) 756-1389
38 FT carrera 38 1987. Imported by Sven Svendsen. 2023, mast removed with new standing rigging installed, two new batteries, two new compasses, new bottom paint, new zincs, new service of the outdrive/prop, hydraulic outhaul, vang and mast bend, two-cylinder Volvo recently serviced with oil change/pump/filters, all work done by Svendsen. Two mainsails, two spinnakers, genoa and two roller jibs, spinnaker pole, Ballenger mast and boom. $15,000 Pt. Richmond Marina, CA franzsteinerarchitect@comcast.net (510) 914-1289
46.5 FT morGan 462 1981 . Owned since 2011. Solid cruiser. Comfortable boat will make a great liveaboard. Ten-hour sail south to Puerto Vallarta. Overnight sail north to Mazatlán. New stainless steel port lights. Reconditioned hatches. New instruments. Reconditioned engine. $10,000 OBO Marina Fonatur, San Blas, Nayarit, MX koolekat1958@hotmail.com www.bit.ly/morgan462
46 FT cal 2-46 1974. Legendary Lapworth design. Due to health issues we are selling, 80% complete on refit, lots of new equipment. All new standing and running rigging, new 12V Isotherm frig, new inverter, all new AGM batteries, three 200Ah house and 90Ah starter, new charge controller, two 300W solar panels, new paint, top & bottom, all new instruments, Furuno radar/plotter windlass, 15hp Yamaha, new 12-ft dinghy, davits, boom gallows, bowsprit, roller furling, new BBQ, new self-tailing winches, lots of spares, tools, extras. Have tons of pics in and out; just email me for more info and pics! Three cabins, two heads, walk-in engine room. This is a steal! I am unable to continue! $50,000 Marina Seca San Carlos, MX bobonparadise@hotmail.com 503 7536 0900 El Salvador
46 FT cal 2-46 keTch/SolenT 1975 . Want to cruise/live aboard in comfort and style in one of these grand old ladies? Don’t want to spend years in a boatyard before you can go? This is the boat for you. Cal2.46. $94,500 Cal2.46.DreamCatcher.forsale@gmail. com
44 FT GUlFSTar Sloop 1979. ‘Footloose’ has recently been renovated: new paint job, five coats of Matterhorn White Awlgrip paint $27,000. New leather upholstery, shades, cockpit cushions and dodger top $10,000. New three-burner Force 10 propane stove $2,000. New thruhulls and bottom paint $9,000. New Raritan toilet $500. Teak and holly sole, five coats of Epifanes semi-gloss varnish. Exterior teak four coats Epifanes high-gloss varnish. Four model 145 Kyocera solar panels and a Rutland 914i wind generator eliminate need for shorepower. 3,000W inverter. Raymarine electronics include: high-def radar, E7 multifunction display, fish finder, depthsounder, wind meter, autopilot and navigation with charts. AIS send/recieve. In-mast and jib roller furlers. Replaced Perkins with Beta 4 diesel $28,000. Make offer Napa Valley Marina fcgmc@lmi.net (707) 330-7712
43 FT cUST om a l U min U m Bl U eW aT er- p roven c la SS ic 1973. Professionally refitted and maintained as a successful six-passenger charter boat for the last 10 years and recently returned from racing the Pacific Cup Regatta to Hawaii and back in 2024, ‘Carodon’ is a rare classic, one-of-a-kind vessel, ready for her next adventures. The aluminum hull is virtually maintenance-free, robust enough to stand up to some serious debris or even ice in the Arctic, and her recent upgrades are too numerous to list but include new standing and running rigging, new sails, self-steering, solar, lithium batteries, electronics, radar, bilge pumps, VHF and AIS. She is heated and insulated for an Alaskan winter and yet comfy for Baja and beyond. $85,000 Sausalito finedayforsailing@icloud.com (415) 7300849
48 FT Tayana 2008. Deck salon. Well outfitted and ready for cruising. Many recent upgrades. Pride of ownership. and recent pre-survey. Priced below survey value. Contact Wes Koenig. $379,000 Bellingham, WA weskoenig@msn.com (360) 201-2459
40 FT cheoy lee rhodeS deSiGn 1967. Beautiful cruiser ready! 20 gph watermaker. Generator, solar, wind generator, 6-passenger life raft. Glass decks, 3-cabin layout. Full canvas cover. Rebuilt Perkins. Everything in working order. Turnkey. Immaculate condition. $40,000 Huatulco, Oaxaca, MX watersports54@yahoo.com (559) 9037402
45 FT BeneTeaU oceaniS 45 2012. Boat is currently berthed in Papeete, French Polynesia. She is fully equipped for ocean passage, in fact we have sailed her in 2022 Baja Ha-Ha, stayed till 2023 in Sea of Cortez, then did Puddle Jump to Tahiti, where the boat is now. She has new saildrive, watermaker, hundreds of upgrades and options. I also have current (2024) marine survey. Please see details at URL. Email me for full inventory of the boat. Thank you! $195,000 OBO Papeete, Tahiti karwas@gmail.com (408) 702-0695 www.tinyurl.com/4jktwkwb
40 FT challenGer 40 1974. Good news! Extensive refit was begun in 2020 including: Thorough cleaning and repainting of storage, mechanical areas, and bilge. New motor mounts and turbo assembly on Yanmar 4JHTE. New throttle and gear Morse cables. Scupper hoses replaced. PSS seal installed. Shaft cutlass bearing replaced. New raw water intake thru-hull. New raw water intake hose. New AC/DC panel. Rewired entire boat. New LED cabin lights. New outlets w/GFCI. New Group 31 starting battery, Aux. 5-amp engine battery charger, 660AH lithium house bank, Victron 3KVA inverter/charger, Victron AC/DC distribution w/remote monitoring, Dec. 2023 Micron 66 paint. Needs holding tank (has manual head and portable toilet), Needs freshwater tank and plumbing (has drains for sinks).
$29,000 OBO Marina Bay, Richmond, CA seanmcal@gmail.com (310) 971-5208
47 FT Ted carpenTier lido Shipyard 1957. Ketch with 11-ft beam, 7-ft draft. Hull is strip-planked tongue and grooved. This vessel was built by naval architect Ted Carpentier, who also worked as an engineer for Hughes Aircraft and was a personal friend of Howard Huges. It was custom-built for the CEO of United Airlines (the original spinnaker is in United Airlines colors). I have owned this boat since 1996. The interior has been refinished, Elco EN7000 motor installed, teak deck and a new carbon fiber mast and boom and new toilet are ready to be installed. Coast Guard Vessel documented. She is a fine vessel in the San Francisco Bay area.
$85,000 OBO San Francisco Bay Area vksbo@hotmail.com (510) 967-8421
43 FT SerendipiTy 43 1981. Very well equipped for cruising, this classic Doug Peterson design is located in Mexico and is seriously for sale after a circumnavigation. Universal diesel, two spins, two mains, Moniter vane, Maxwell windlass and much more. $44,900 OBO Mexico geneosier@yahoo.com
43 FT cUSTom Schock keTch 1973. Professionally built of mahogany over oak, ‘Debonair’ has been lovingly maintained and extensively upgraded. A seaworthy passagemaker, ‘Debonair’ recently completed a 16,000-mile Pacific tour. From rig to sails, systems to safety, ‘Debonair’s voyage-ready. $72,900 Port Hadlock, WA ketchdebonair@gmail.com www.tinyurl.com/2s36wtce
49 FT cUSTom choaTe peTerSon Sloop 1988. Solid performance racer/ cruiser. Spacious headroom, storage, large galley and main saloon, with roomy aft cabin and separate head. Rod rigging, great winches and running rigging layout. $70,000 OBO or Trade Sausalito, CA libertyshipmarina@comcast.net (415) 613-3665
46 FT STeel yaWl 1958 FUlly reFiT in 2005. ‘Endeavor’ is a strong, sea-kindly vessel, designed by Henk Tingen and built in Holland in 1958. Purchased 1987 and brought back from near-extinction. We had 15 years cruising about the world; maybe now it’s your turn. Fall in love with your dream boat. Lots of good kit included in the sale, she can be ready to sail to Norway in 2024! Contact C. Masters for complete list. $80,000 NEW PRICE!! Ipswich, Suffolk, UK svendeavor1958@gmail.com (206) 9603793
48 FT SUncoaST 1980. Type of vessel: ketch. Estimated speed: 10 kt power, 6-8 kt sail. Built Netherlands 1980. Time of lay-up: fall 2012. Hull: length 48-ft, beam 15-ft, draft 7-ft. Frames: varied dimensional steel. Topsides single skin steel plate, 1/4″ thick estimated; bottom single skin steel plate, 1/4″ thick estimated; deck and bulkheads steel plate. Hull layout: V-berth, forward head, forward triple berth, settee/berth, chart station, galley, captain’s berth, engine/machinery/ maintenance room, after master bath, after head, straight inboard diesel engine auxiliary powered. New bow thruster (2010), electronics, autopilot, forward underwater sonar. Six-cyl Leyland diesel, midline, 350 gal water, 250 gal fuel. Pictures at website. $54,900 Cleveland, OH maudeij@yahoo.com.au (954) 235-2527 http://guapasailboat.com
60 FT cUST om c realock 1997. Just back from NZ! This 60-ft steel schooner will take you anywhere you want to go. Available to view in Tiburon. $185,000 OBO Tiburon otterkicks@gmail.com (707) 499-9414 www.schoonershellback.com/
38 FT henry J. GieloW cUTTer 1935 Rebuilt over 14 years, ready to sail, member of the Master Mariners. Email for photo spread and comprehensive narrative. $59,500 Sierra Point Marina, Brisbane, CA richardsalvini@yahoo.com (650) 996-4215
34 FT laBrUZZi 1917 . Built in San Francisco in 1917 by Alphonz LaBruzzi, this classic Bay cruiser has been awardwinning in the Classic Yacht Association. Well maintained in a covered slip in San Rafael, this vessel has recently been hauled for a bottom job and other work, bringing her to excellent condition. Current survey is underway. Powered by Isuzu diesel with low hrs. Illness forces sale. $25,000 San Rafael Yacht Harbor stickypatoo@gmail.com (707) 882-1726
20 FT neW mahoGany moTor laUnch 2023 . Professionally built replica of a 19th century fantail launch. Honduras mahogany on oak frames, teak deck and cabin. New 2-cyl Yanmar diesel 2023. Custom galvanized trailer. Will be displayed at Wooden Boat Show, Corinthian YC June 22–23. $21,000 Marshall Boat Works, Tomales Bay rvwedel@gmail.com (510) 233-0102
38 FT keTTenBUrG 1955. Mahoghanyplanked on oak frames. Needs varnish and paint, engine work if you must. Now berthed in Berkeley, she wants to get her sails wet! I am nearly 80 and she is only 68 and needs a stiff breeze! No leaks. Decent old sails ready to sail today. Bottom refastened with hundreds of bronze screws, then corked and painted. Will instruct in sailing, varnishing, Cetol application, and bottom caulking/painting. New carburetor included! $199 OBO Berkeley Marina I Dock Richard@newmed.com (510) 527-3600
27 FT corSair F-27 FormUla 1993. Charleston double-spreader mast. Carbon 74-ft square-top mainsail w/rocket batten system battens/adjusters, GPL Lite Skin jib and Kevlar/Mylar genoa on Harken roller furler. Smyth asymmetrical spinnaker, smaller asymmetrical spin for higher winds, both in ATN socks. Black cat carbon screacher w/furler. Dyneema running rigging. Tohatsu 9.8hp. Raymarine E7 MFD, ST60+ Wind/CH wind/depth/speed, Sailcomp 103AC, AIS, NMEA Wi-Fi multiplexer. ST2000 autopilot. Rare factory-installed Lewmar coachroof hatches. New odorless Raritan head, hoses and injection system. Very clean interior w/3-in cushions in V-berth, salon, salon bed and aft cabin. WM Inflatable w/2hp Suzuki. Dodger. Pacific galvanized trailer with Kodiak SS disc brakes. All mast raising/lowering hardware. USCG-documented vessel. Fast and clean! Many extras! $56,500 Los Angeles Harbor catenahalf@gmail.com www.vimeo.com/user12875631
35 FT WalTer Greene acapella Trimaran 1982. ‘Humdinger’ has had two owners since new. Transatlantic race veteran, Round Britain and Ireland race in 1982, Route du Rhum also in 1982, chartered as ‘Aspen’. Pacific Northwest Swiftsure races. All with first owner. Boat moved to S.F. Bay in 1999 and extensively raced in SSS and BAMA events. Pacific Cup in 2014. Family and friends cruising CA coast as far as San Diego. Boat set up for singlehanded saiiing with lines led aft, Harken furler jib and screacher. ATN sock for spinnaker. Sails include carbon main, carbon jib, laminate screacher. All Pineapple. NewYamaha 9.9 outboard. USCG documented vessel. Email for complete equipment list. $75,000 Emery Cove Marina lnolsen@comcast.net
34 FT rockeT 88 1988. Own a legend! D Class catamaran. Current record holder Three Bridge Fiasco, Delta Ditch Run. 34-ft long x 18-ft wide. Fiberglass, Kevlar, carbon over Airex core. Many excellent improvements. Awesome galvanized trailer. Super-fun! $22,500 Redwood City, CA brendanb@sfsail.com
36 FT iWamoTo/cSk 1962 . Fully equipped and waiting in Barra de Navidad Mexico. Enjoy a Carbon free cruising life aboard one of the funnest boats ever. Solar charged, electric auxiliary, high performance sailing machine. And or Villa with dock, ramp & bunker. $16,000 OBO Barra de Navidad, Mexico hiolani1@aol.com (805) 212-3361
25 FT Jim BroWn SearUnner Trimaran 2017. Ready for the next voyage. Fully restored in 2017. Cutter rig. Has been freshwater-kept its entire life. For tons of photos and details about this boat visit searunner25.com. This boat is designed to fold for transport on a seasonal basis — folding/unfolding takes a few hours. Can help load in Seattle for delivery. Email me to set up a video tour. $24,000 Seattle, WA Nibiru@searunner25.com searunner25.com
36+ FT kadey-kroGen manaTee 1986. Long-range trawler, Volvo Penta turbo diesel, 300 hrs, bow thruster, Northern Lights generator, new house and engine bank batteries, Simrad HALO pulse 36 NM radar, autopilot, Evo3 navigator, full electronics, AIS two-way comm, Simrad Navico VHF marine radio, ACR remote 220,000 cp searchlight, Lewmar Pro windlass, 300 ft. chain, 55lb plow anchor, Simrad 11-in display screen, 21-in slave monitor, new safety rails at bow, new re-rigged mast and boom for hard dinghy on chocks, waterproof mounted gear box for PFDs, new cushions in salon, new eisenglass and canvas wrap, new AM/FM radio, Bose speakers, drop chart table converts to double bed upper helm, queen in main berth, have most receipts. $138,500 Sausalito ohana854@gmail.com
37 FT dUTch canal BarGe 1920. 37-ft LOA, 10-ft beam, 28-in draft. Mercedes OM617 5 cylinder diesel propulsion 450hrs. Bow thruster, 2 lithium 220Ah batteries, two 340W solar panels, Blue Sea Systems distribution, Victron inverter/ charger/solar controller/ management. New bottom paint and keel cooler 2021. Fully navigable, great liveaboard. Fore/aft layout: bow locker, main berth, head, salon/galley, wheelhouse, engine room below aft deck. $25,000 OBO Sausalito, CA jim.kiriakis@ucsf.edu (510) 816-7789
37 FT canal/river BoaT 1989 . Fiberglass hull, 11.3-ft beam, 28-in draft. 2017 Volvo Penta diesel. Fore/aft layout: three cabins, two baths, main salon/kitchen. Fully autonomous w/ solar panel, water filtration. 220V/AC, 12V/DC. Fully equipped (household items, fridges, e-bikes, e-scooter…). Ready immediate navigation. USCG documentation. $45,000 Southern France michel@sonic.net (707) 888-5407
JeanneaU SUn odySSey 449 2017. Established syndicate looking for responsible, mature, experienced sailor(s) to participate in lightly used, professionally maintained Sun Odyssey 449 kept at an exceptional slip 300 feet from the St. Francis Yacht Club. Monthly costs: $800. $800 S.F. Marina Yacht Harbor jfore79@gmail.com (650) 714-8505
c&c 40 1981. Looking for a partner is the C&C 40 ‘Tusitala’. She is berthed in Santa Cruz Harbor and is in exceptional condition. She was rebuilt approximately six years ago by previous owner and has been meticulously maintained ever since. The rebuild made her stronger than when originally built. One of the best racer/crusier designs ever built, she has way too many improvements to list here. Sails are new, motor has low hrs. New chartplotter installed at the helm. This could be an equity partnership (approx $26,000) or non-equity (approx $600 per month $26,000 Santa Cruz pacrimplangrp@gmail.com (831) 4572033
prime S.F. Bay SailinG opporTUniTy. Seeking well-qualified new member to join our established group of sailors and co-owners of a classic well-maintained 38-ft yacht berthed in Sausalito. For less than the monthly cost of berth rent, enjoy turnkey sailing on a regular basis without the usual responsibilities of ownership. Modest initial equity buy-in also required. Call or text for more info and appointment to see boat. (415) 342-8011. Sausalito macdonaldtom4@gmail.com (916) 5296582
caTalina 36 parTnerShip doWnToWn SaUSaliTo. Non-equity partnership, outstanding berth location in downtown Sausalito. $400/mth for two weekend days/five weekdays access. Maintenance fund TBD. $400 Sausalito Yacht Harbor chris@venturepad.works (415) 309-0331
lookinG For BoaT parTnerShip. Looking for partnership on 30-50-ft sailboat, preferably East Bay. Equity and non-equity considered. Have 20+ years of experience sailing on the Bay and chartering internationally. I have partnered successfully on a 31-ft Beneteau for five years. Now I have a small sailing dog that I want to sail with me and the others are allergic. Looking for a clean boat in good condition that is sailed regularly, and responsible, nice sail partners. Berkeley ddodgesf@gmail.com
dock For Sale. Own your own brandnew fee simple-titled dock and save money. Dock located at Emery Cove Marina 45/50 ft x 14.5 ft with wide fairway for easy docking. Water; electric and WiFi. Newly remodeled bathrooms, gated access and a great location with easy parking and access to Bay. Please call for details $65,000 Emery Cove Marina 5powderhounds@gmail.com (925) 8587000
emery cove BoaT Slip For renT Berths for rent. Emery Cove Yacht Harbor 35-ft = $472.50/month C dock and 40-ft = $540/month E dock. Dockominiumrun marina in Emeryville. emerycove. com. Brand-new docks, aluminum with Ipe wood deck, brand-new restrooms, beautiful grounds and just dredged. Great location center of S.F. Bay. Email studio6161@icloud.com Emeryville, CA studio6161@icloud.com http://www. emerycove.com
44 FT c overed Slip. Premium slip Glen Cove Marina, Dock 7, Slip 169. HOA fees $170 per month. Live aboard with marina approval. Priced 20% below market. Beautiful small marina with views of Carquinez Strait. $47,500 Glen Cove Marina, Vallejo trpi@astound.net
parTnerS WanTed For BerTh in San FranciSco. Partnership wanted for 45-ft wide slip at San Francisco Marina. Power and water extra. Located in S.F. Marina District by St, Francis and Golden Gate Yacht Clubs. Worldclass sailing! $1,800 San Francisco, CA gray.aida@gmail.com
aWeSome 50 FT Slip pier 39 San Franci S co. For sale: Stunning city views, 15-ft+ beam, 50-ft length. New cleats, dock box, power pedestal, and hose management. Perfectly located for entire Bay Area coverage and beyond. Very easy access, great maintenance team, parking, and more. $24,000 Slip G-32, Pier 39 Marina greg.rossmann@gjrcap.com (650) 7400263
redWood ciTy marina SlipS availaBle. Slips 30 -75 at great rates! Amenities: parking, bathrooms, laundry, pumpout, free wi-fi, keyless entry. Guest berths also available. Call for availability. 451 Seaport Court, Redwood City, CA 94063 crevay@redwoodcityport.com (650) 306-4150 http://www.redwoodcityport. com/marina
WanTed: crUiSe-ready SailBoaT As partial trade up to $300,000 for land. Land is 20 acres subdivided into three parcels. In the heart of the Gold Country near Grass Valley and Penn Valley, 2 1/2 hours from San Francisco, one hour and a half to Lake Tahoe Feature: long-range views of the Sacramento Valley, the Coast Range and Mount Diablo. Water features: a massive pond, 8- to 10-gal/minute well, two 5000-gal storage tanks agriculture water available up to 22,000 gallons every 24 hours. Natural spring water, majority of all underground utilities, septic system. Owner financing, easy payments. $650,000 Grass Valley/Penn Valley Area sailingsatori@gmail.com (530) 559-1941
dramaTic WaTerFronT alameda ToWnhome. Dramatic waterfront Alameda 3BR/2.5 BA townhome with a private 44-ft deep-water slip attached to the property. An impressive 2,054 sq ft with multiple living spaces all designed to overlook the glistening Ballena Bay. $1,249,000 leah@leahtounger.com (510) 701-6497 www.tinyurl.com/3wdmepyu
a maSTerpiece oF modern arT on The San FranciSco Bay.. Discover modern luxury in this architectural masterpiece, built of steel, glass, and concrete. Suspended over the San Francisco Bay, this one-of-a-kind home features a private 45-ft primary deep-water dock and 25-ft guest dock both with seamless access to the San Francisco Bay. Nestled in the exclusive Brickyard Cove community, this stunning property is perfectly positioned adjacent to the Richmond Yacht Club, offering an ideal waterfront lifestyle. $2,950,000 Point Richmond, CA Brickyard Cove mark@theledererteam.com (510) 774-4231 www.tinyurl.com/3x9s6c95
premier WaTerFronT reTreaT on BeThel iSland. Experience premier waterfront luxury in this newly built 5-bed, 5.5-bath home on Bethel Island, complete with a private boat dock. With 4,062 sq ft across three levels, it’s a perfect retreat for boating, paddleboarding, and more. The open-concept living area leads to a gourmet kitchen and dining area, with every bedroom featuring an ensuite bath. The second level offers a family room and balcony with water views, plus a main suite, office, and laundry. The upper level includes a private bedroom suite. Outdoors, enjoy a scenic deck and patio. Minutes from Island Camp world-class amenities, schools, BART, golf, and parks. Call or email Nathan Jines. $1,879,000 432 Halcyon Pl, Bethel Island CA 94511 nathan@jinesre.com (510) 220-4714 www.432halcyon.com/
maine coaST coTTaGe For renT.
Enjoy breathtaking sunsets from this lovely 3BR, 1BA home perched above the gentle shore of Beal’s Cove, perfect for kayaking adventures, watching wildlife, and relaxing by the sea as the afternoon light floods the windows. You’ll love exploring all the islands have to offer during the day and retreating to the cottage in the evenings to catch the gorgeous pink, purple and orange hues of a Harpswell sunset. marcia@ homesandharbors.com 866-835-0500 www.tinyurl.com/43475rkj
k aneohe Bay To W nho US e and Slip For Sale. Own a townhouse on Kaneohe Bay with a deeded 32-foot boat slip! Close to Kaneohe Bay Yacht Club, Makani Kai Marina is a 79-unit gated townhouse community with deeded boat slips for every unit. The land under the marina is owned by Makani Kai HOA and not a state land lease (this is huge). This unit is in “coming soon” mode on our MLS and will be listed live on 11/16. The home is being sold as a two-bedroom and is currently set up as a one-bedroom with an en suite bathroom upstairs and a “flex” bedroom downstairs for mutable open-concept living arrangements. $890,000 Kaneohe Bay, Oahu jc@oceanregroup.com (808) 687-1890 www.tinyurl.com/bdddsmj5
SpacioUS cUSTom FloaTinG home in The delTa. 900 sq ft ± cabin-like floating home. Upstairs hardwood floors, cedar plank ceiling and Anderson French doors. Wood-burning stove and new futon. Kitchen boasts custom hickory cabinets, Corian counter-tops. Refrigerator, propane stove, microwave and plenty of windows to enjoy the wildlife. Relax on the front and rear decks! Fish from the dock, berth your boat out front! Upstairs bathroom boasts travertine tile and large Swanstone shower, new composting toilet. Downstairs, master bedroom with queen bed, half bath with sink and tub, second bedroom and storage room. Lovely well-managed marina with many amenities including clubhouse, laundry and shower facilities an hour ± from San Francisco Bay and vicinity or Sacramento. $135,000 Isleton cyndimarcus@yahoo.com
mexican charTer company For Sale. Charter boat company of almost 40 years in Zihuatanejo. Top tourist attraction in Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo. 75-ft x 36-ft Fountaine Pajot Tahiti catamaran offering sailing, snorkeling, whale-watching, sunset cruises and private charters. Turnkey operation; longtime dedicated crew and office staff. Live the dream! Zihuatanejo, MX picantecruises@gmail.com (415) 7382371 http://picantecruises.com
pUerTo vallarTa BUSineSS For Sale. Discover the exciting chance to own ‘YUMMIES Mexico,’ a frozen food sensation with a perfected menu and a loyal customer base aged 40-80. This successful Puerto Vallarta business is now on the market and ready for a new chapter. Explore detailed information on website and FB: www.tinyurl. com/mjb9v9je. La Cruz , Nayarit, MX yummiesbydonyteri@gmail.com 52 (322) 275-3322 www.Yummies-Mexico. com.mx
aSSiSTanT harBormaSTer. Oakland Yacht Club Is a private membership yacht club that was established in 1913 and has 200 slips in its marina. It is in the city of Alameda along the Oakland Alameda Estuary. Assistant harbormaster is responsible for the safe operation and maintenance of the harbor and clubhouse. This includes enforcement of the Club’s harbor policy and rules. The safety of all yachts, both members and visitors’, is of primary importance. The assistant harbormaster acts as the agent for the Club with respect to visiting and cruising organizations. The assistant harbormaster reports to the general manager. Interested candidate please email résumé. 1101 Pacific Marina, Alameda, CA 94501 gm@ Oaklandyachtclub.com (510) 522-6868 www.tinyurl.com/bdhk9j4e
SailinG School cUSTomer Service r ep. Modern Sailing Berkeley is hiring a three-day-a-week (Fri-SatSun) Customer Service Rep. If you are energetic, have prior customer service experience, are proficient with computers and software, and are passionate about helping customers’ sailing dreams come true, come join us! Schedule is 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. three days a week. 1 Spinnaker Way, Berkeley Califronia mark@modernsailing.com www.modernsailing.com
hirinG: FUll-Time canvaS SeWer. Join the Compass Canvas team! Compass Canvas, a premier custom marine canvas shop in Point Richmond, is expanding our crew! We’re on the lookout for a skilled, full-time canvas worker with at least 2 years of professional sewing experience to join our talented team. We offer competitive pay, comprehensive benefits and a supportive and dynamic work environment. If you’re ready to contribute your expertise and grow with us, we’d love to hear from you. Please send your résumé and a letter of interest by email. Point Richmond david@compass-canvas.com
T W o h ar B or S h ar B or paT rol p o S i T ion S availa B le. Positions available for 2023 season! Two Harbors Harbor Department, on the west end of Catalina Island. Looking for experienced boat operators for seasonal harbor patrol positions (March–October). Harbor patrol assigns and facilitates the use of 700+ moorings on the west end of Catalina Island and assists with transporting passengers to and from shore. USCG license required for passenger transport, seasonal mooring included for patrol personnel with liveaboard vessels. Rates from $18-$21/hr. Two Harbors, Catalina Jrconner@scico.com (310) 510-4201
SailinG Science cenTer – conTracT and volUnTeer poSiTionS open. Community Engagement Coordinator, Graphic Artist, Photographer(s) wanted as contractors or volunteers. Volunteer docents wanted for educational science exhibitions. Ask about other roles. info@sailingscience.org (510) 390-5727 www.www.sailingscience.org/
inSTrUcTorS WanTed. Join the captains at Club Nautique and start teaching US Sailing’s most comprehensive curriculum of sail and power courses, both offshore and inshore, in the nation. We have openings now for USCG-licensed captains who exhibit exceptional communication and boating skills, and the willingness to train and work in a professional environment. All instructors are classified as employees, not independent contractors. $28-$35 depending on experience. schooldirector@clubnautique.net (510) 865-4700 x313 www.clubnautique.net
laTiTUde 38 iS SeekinG an “amBaSSador.” The ideal candidate is a sailor based in the SF Bay Area, is friendly, outgoing, well-organized and a self-starter with excellent communication skills. They are someone who can work independently as well as manage a team of volunteers. An ambassador encourages enthusiasm, understands the scope and goal of a project and is able to appreciate, respect and organize a team of volunteers to execute a project with efficiency and eagerness. This is an ideal position for someone who is financially secure and looking to stay active and social, and is excited to be part of our vibrant sailing community. Meet and greet the great people who help us distribute the magazine. Read about a few of them here: www.latitude38.com/ lectronic/meet-great-people. Email Tim with AMBASSADOR in the subject line. This is a volunteer position, but a stipend will be offered .
experienced yach T B roker / S ale S per S on needed . Rubicon Yachts is seeking a professional yacht broker/salesperson for its new Alameda, CA office. Yacht sales experience required, must be a self-starter, membership in CYBA is a plus. Contact owner/broker Mark Miner. Alameda, CA mark@rubiconyachts.com rubiconyachts.com
licenSed capTain WanTed. Wanted: Licensed Captain with towing endorsement for TowBoatUS./Vessel Assist on the San Francisco Bay and Delta. Preferred if you live by SF waterfront, Alameda or Bethel Island areas. towboatus.bay.delta@gmail.com (925) 382-4422 http://www.towboatusdelta. com
Join oUr Team oF inSTrUcTorS! Spinnaker Sailing in Redwood City is looking for ASA-certified sailing instructors to teach out of our Redwood City Marina location. Part-time, flexible schedules, midweek and/or weekends. Please contact Rich or Bob by phone or email. Redwood City Marina office@spinnakersailing.com (650) 3631390 http://www.spinnakersailing.com
plan yo U r mexican G e Ta W ay noW. At the gorgeous Cielo Y Mar condos. Located in Punta Mita, 35 minutes from Puerto Vallarta, available to rent from private owner. On the beach, 10 feet from the water, they offer spectacular views of ocean and mountains, the biggest infinity pool in the area, an endless beach, great surf breaks, great fishing, tremendous views of whales, bird life and the islands. While uncrowded and tranquil, just a fiveminute walk to several waterfront restaurants. Choose from a spacious, beautifully furnished one- or three-bedroom unit, or an amazing two-story penthouse with lovely shade trellis on the top floor. To reserve, call or email Dona de Mallorca. puntamitabeachfrontcondos@gmail.com (415) 269-5165
donaTe yoUr BoaT The Bay Area Association of Disabled Sailors strives to make sailing accessible to people with disabilities. BAADS is always on the lookout for donated boats to support its mission. Help an all-volunteer organization while receiving a charitable tax deduction. boatdonations@baads.org (415) 5329831
dieSel marine enGine . Westerbeke model #27A with HURTH transmission and original clutch. As new, never used, with original tags attached. $3,700 Pillar Point Harbor cherieerie@gmail.com
Spinnaker For Sail. Horizon tri-radial spinnaker: .5 oz. all light blue in good condition. Luff: 53 ft. Foot: 30 ft. This is off a C&C 40. It is a great sail so come get it…price reduced $750 Santa Cruz, CA pacrimplangrp@gmail.com
mUSTo FoUl WeaTher Gear. Men’s Musto HPX Pro Ocean Yellow Gore Tex Foulies, XL. Used but in excellent shape. Includes bibs and hooded jacket. I will pay for shipping anywhere in continental US. $400. US. azmealer@gmail.com (619) 403-7241
parachUTe Sea anchor . Fiorentino 6-ft offshore Para-Ring sea anchor. New condition, never used. 400 ft 1/2-inch braided nylon rode, all rigging. For up to 10,000-pound vessel. More description, photos at craigslist ad. See URL above. $1,500 Eureka, CA jdarh@lycos.com (707) 834-2858 www.humboldt.craigslist.org/bpo/d/ eureka-sea-anchor/7800570477.html
yanmar 2ym15 dieSel maine moTor. This YANMAR 2YM15 diesel motor is a reliable and powerful option for any boat owner. With a 2-stroke engine and 15 HP, this motor is sure to provide the thrust needed for a comfortable and safe ride. YANMAR 2YM15 is a great choice. It’s easy to install and will provide consistent performance for years to come. Don’t miss the opportunity to upgrade your boat’s power with this topof-the-line motor $975 Moss Landing pcummins569@gmail.com (831) 2477939
vikinG liFe raFT. Viking valise life raft, offshore. I used for two Pac Cups. Needs repack. Great condition. $800 Redwood City captmaddog@gmail.com (650) 533-7732
crUiSinG Gear. Offshore Commander 3.0 life raft 4 person $1700. EPIRB global V5 cat 2 $600. Fortress collapsible anchor with storage bag 21 lb. $450. 200 ft. 5/8 rode with 50 ft. chain $300. Watermaker Rainman portable high-output 30 gallons + per hour with self-contained Honda generator $4500. All items like new. $1 Reno, NV twasik6747@gmail.com (775) 691-9147
SonGS aBoUT BoaTS, BeacheS and BarS?. Island Crew, a trio playing lap steel, pan drums, guitars, marimba and congas, is available for gigs with nautical audiences. Call Ernie. – www.facebook.com > IslandCrewLive islandcrewernie@gmail.com (916) 7129087
donaTe yoUr vehicle. Our nonprofit company is in need of a reliable and efficient vehicle for our staff to travel in the western parts of the US. Western USA/Hawaii robertdarrand@gmail.com (808) 600-4144 http://www.sail4christ.com
hookah divinG air SySTem. Thomas constant duty 12 volt compressor, 60 feet of hose, two regulators, tow belt, weight belt, air filter, used about four hrs, Please text. $1,100 sledmandog@hotmail.com (510) 9097259
lookinG For 24 FT piver Trimaran ‘no name’. We’re former owners of the plywood 24-ft Piver trimaran that sailed around the world in the ’70s. The boat’s last known location was San Diego. We’d appreciate hearing from anyone who might know the whereabouts of ‘No Name.’ wolfinds@mindspring.com ″(415) 8063334″
Alameda Marina / Pacific Shops Inc. 18 www.alamedamarina.com/history
ATN 26 www.atninc.com
Baja Ha-Ha Sponsor Page.............52,53 www.latitude38.com/headingsouth
Bay Maritime Group 3 www.sbm.baymaritime.com
Berkeley Marina 10 www.berkeley-marina.com
Berkeley Marine Center ..................... 29 www.berkeleymarine.com
Boat Yard at Grand Marina, The ........... 6 www.boatyardgm.com
Brisbane Marina 59 www.brisbaneca.org/marina
Canvas Works 24 www.thecanvasworks.com
Compass Canvas .............................. 23 www.compass-canvas.com
Crescent City Harbor
www.ccharbor.com
Cruising Yachts ................................. 11 www.cruisingyachts.net
Denison Yachting .............................. 99 www.denisonyachtsales.com
DeWitt Studio 96 www.jimdewitt.com
Dream Yacht Charters 15 www.dreamyachtsales.com
Emery Cove Yacht Harbor 35 www.emerycove.com
Supply Co. .......................... 66 www.fisheriessupply.com
Gianola Canvas Products ................... 30 www.gianolacanvas.com Grand Marina .................................... 2 www.grandmarina.com
H&M Marine / Beta Marine Engines / Hirschfeld Yachts ............................... 23 www.betamarinewest.com
Filters ...................................
- Full Service Boatyard ............
www.kkmi.com
de La Paz .............................
Marina El Cid ...................................
www.elcid.com Mariners Insurance
www.marinersins.com Modern Sailing School & Club
www.modernsailing.com
NAOS Yachts ..................................... 5 www.naosyachts.com
Napa Valley Marina
www.napavalleymarina.com
Novamar Insurance
www.novayachtmx.com
Outboard Motor Shop .......................
www.outboardmotorshop.com
Powerstride Battery
Punta Mita Beachfront Condos ............
Raiatea Carenage Services
www.raiateacarenage.com
www.richardsonbaymarina.com
www.rubiconyachts.com
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Marina
Richard: 510-610-6213
Mik: 510-552-7272
Rob: 619-552-6943
Barney: 510-541-1963
Bill: 510-410-5401
David: 781-526-8469
Michael: 831-236-5905
George 415-793-9376
Stephenie 415-299-9780
