'Lectronic Index

Previous 'Lectronic Edition

Photo of the Day: World's Highest Raft-up

August 20 - Donner Lake

Today's Photo of the Day was taken far from the ocean. In fact, hosts Don and Lenna Hossack of a Truckee-based Islander 36, who have been mayor and queen of Tenacatita Bay for many years up until last season, describe the scene as the 6th Annual World's Highest Raft-Up. It was held on the shores of Donner Lake on August 16. "Ninety cruisers and former cruisers attended," reports Beki Thomson of the Express 37 Mudshark. "The weather was spectacular, and everyone enjoyed the beach-side setting."

IACC Challenge Series Races Over for the Year

August 18 - San Francisco Bay

John Sweeney and Tina Kleinjan, who have almost singlehandedly been funding the IACC racing on San Francisco Bay, have announced that the remaining two events for the year have been canceled for lack of sponsorship. They are concentrating their efforts on events in the Bay in 2004.

Photo Courtesy The Challenge Series

This is no way effects late September's Moët Cup racing, between Alinghi and Oracle BMW, in a rematch of the Louis Vuitton Finals in New Zealand. That is going to be a really big deal.

Ring. Ring. Ring. Ring. Ring. Ring. Ring. Ring. Ring. Ring.

August 20 - Mill Valley

Some of you who have been calling Latitude 38 have been getting nothing but rings. That's because our phone system - to be replaced next Wednesday - is periodically failing. In addition, some of our employees - particularly Racing Editor Rob Moore - have not been getting their voice mail messages. So if you've called Rob with some important info for the upcoming issue and had to leave a message, you might try calling him again.

We apologize for the inconvenience.

It's All About Perspective

August 20 - Caribbean Sea

Recently our friend Devan Mullin and friends delivered a Lagoon 57 catamaran from the Eastern Caribbean to Florida. During the generally easy trip, they caught some fish. "Which of the two fish," Devan asked, "would make a more filling dinner?"

Naturally, you'd pick the one hanging by its tail. In reality, it's the same fish in both photos, it's just a matter of perspective.

So That's What It Means

August 20 - Tiburon

Mark Leonard of the Corinthian YC subscribes to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary's Word of the Day program by email. Two days ago, their word was: "profligate \PRAH-flih-gut\ adjective. 1 : completely given up to dissipation and licentiousness. 2 : wildly extravagant : prodigal."

As many of you know, Profligate is the name of Latitude 38's catamaran. When we named her, we were operating under a definition that meant "ruthless spendthrift" - which we thought was perfect for owning a big boat.

Boatyard Owner's Nightmare

August 20 - Bahia Honda, Panama

Guy and Deborah Bunting hauled their M&M 42 Elan out of the water at Bahia Honda, Panama, for nothing!

Photo Ed Marril of Siesta

YOTREPS

August 18 - The Pacific Ocean and Cyberspace

Who is out making passages in the Pacific and what kind of weather are they having? The YOTREPS daily yacht tracking page has moved to www.bitwrangler.com/psn.

Weather Updates

August 18 - Pacific Ocean

San Francisco Bay Weather

Check out this guide to San Francisco Bay Navigational Aids: http://sfports.wr.usgs.gov/sfports.html.

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.

The National Weather Service site for San Francisco Bay is at www.wrh.noaa.gov/Monterey.

California Coast Weather

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/Maps/Southwest.shtml.

Pacific Winds and Pressure

The University of Hawaii Dept. of Meteorology page posts a daily map of the NE Pacific Ocean barometric pressure and winds.

Pacific Sea State

The site for the Pacific Ocean sea states has moved to http://www.mpc.ncep.noaa.gov/shtml/PacRegSSA.shtml.
For views of sea states anywhere in the world, see http://www.oceanweather.com/data.