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Photo of the DayJuly 11 - Isla San Francisco, Sea of Cortez Most folks only cruise Mexico in the winter, but some stay on for the hot summer in the Sea of Cortez. Mike Miller of the Vanguard 32 Uhuru is one of the latter. He climbed one of the peaks of Isla San Francisco - about 50 miles north of La Paz - to take this photo. If you're looking for quiet and serenity, this is the place. It's out in the middle of nowhere - which, of course, is the point. |
 Photo Mike Miller |
Rich Roberts'
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 Bull shows its horns at the start of the race.  Barn door winner, the new Pegasus. Photos Rich Roberts |
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David Janes' new Transpac 52 J-Bird III from Newport Beach was the first finisher in Division II ahead of all the 70-rater sleds. But J-Bird III, designed by Alan Andrews, owed the sleds about seven seconds per mile and just missed correcting out on James McDowell's Santa Cruz 70 Grand Illusion for overall in class. G.I. was the race's overall handicap winner in '99. Janes said, "I understood we were expected to sail fast, but to beat [the sleds] boat for boat is special. We saw G.I. about three-quarters of a mile to leeward when we passed them a couple of days ago. The boat is very stable, fast, well-balanced and takes off like a jackrabbit in a spurt." Jim Demetriades' sky blue Yassou, the other new 52, was fourth overall in Division II. Janes highly recommends the new class to others. "They can sail up there with the big guys and they don't need five million bucks." Bob Lane's Andrews 61 Medicine Man from Long Beach - five feet longer than it was in previous TransPacs - climbed from next-to-last to fourth among the eight boats in Division II by the end. Navigator John Jourdane said, "That boat is really fast. Our problem was we got stuck for 12 hours behind San Nicolas Island [70 miles offshore] the first night with no wind, but once we got in a breeze the boat just took off." A common theme of this TransPac has been the wonderful cruising conditions - full moon, clear skies, whale sightings, steady but manageable winds. "It was, astonishingly, one of the most pleasant races I've ever done," said Stan Honey, Pyewacket's navigator. "The only time we had water on deck was when we put our bow into a wave [while] running [downwind]. If every race was this way we'd have 200 boats. We should tell everybody it's always like this." Wendy Siegal of Sunset Beach, with her apparent overall victory in Aloha-A Division, is one of the rare women to win class in TransPac - maybe the first since Sally Blair Ames won Class A with Constellation in 1959. Siegal sailed the 36-year-old Cal 40 Willow Wind, the oldest boat in the race. The six-person crew included navigator Duncan Harrison, who two years ago rebuilt their broken boom in mid-ocean just to finish the race. This win was built on a bold dive south the first day, then a 13-day spinnaker run from last place, picking off the other five boats, one by one. Siegal, 49, said, "I'm not a rich sailor. I sell clothes at Nordstrom's. I quit my job to do this race. I don't know if I'll get it back. But this is the ultimate." For additional information and features, visit www.transpacificyc.org. |
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Boutiquing on the RivieraJuly 11 - St. Tropez, France St. Tropez is still a very lovely little town, although it's overrun with the famously ostentatious owners of powerboats and hordes of tourists. For sailors, the best time to visit is in early October when they have the Voile de St. Tropez, featuring all the great classic yachts. Photos Latitude/Richard |
 Right up there with Yves and Gucci, it's the North Sails boutique  Docks at St. Tropez |
Baja Ha-HaJuly 11 - Baja Ha-Ha World Headquarters |
 One of last year's Ha-Ha'ers hangs out behind his boat about 25 miles offshore on the last leg. You don't want to do this while singlehanding. |
July 11 - The Pacific Ocean and Cyberspace
Who is out making passages in the Pacific and what kind of weather are they having? Check out YOTREPS - 'yacht reports' - at http://www.bitwrangler.com/yotreps/
July 11 - Pacific Ocean
To see what the winds are like on the Bay and just outside the Gate right now, check out http://sfports.wr.usgs.gov/wind/.
Looking for current as well as recent wind and sea readings from 17 buoys and stations between Pt. Arena and the Mexican border? Here's the place - which has further links to weather buoys and stations all over the U.S.: www.ndbc.noaa.gov/stuff/southwest/swstmap.shtml.
Check out the Pacific Ocean sea states at:
http://www.mpc.ncep.noaa.gov/RSSA/PacRegSSA.html.
For another view, see http://www.oceanweather.com/data/global.html.
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