'Lectronic Index

Previous 'Lectronic Edition


Photo of the Day

June 6 - Antioch


(Click on the photo to enlarge it)

Did you deface #19?
Photo courtesy of Homeland Security Prosecution Division
© 2007 Latitude 38 Publishing, Inc.

Today's Photo of the Day comes to us from the U.S. Coast Guard, who are eager to find and prosecute the boatowner who defaced navigation aid #19 with his/her spinnaker near the Antioch Bridge last Saturday. The Coast Guard suspects that the spinnaker came from a boat that participated in last Saturday's Richmond to Stockton Ditch Run.

"It is a criminal offense to cause any damage or hindrance to the proper operation of any aid," advises Lt. Friday, "and we intend to prosecute to the full extent of the law, which is a fine of up to $10,000 and five years in prison. To that end we're offering a reward of $5,000 for help in identifying the perpetrator - which should be enough for most sailors to buy a new chute for their boat. We'll get our man/woman!"

- latitude / rs

 


Louis Vuitton Cup - Return of the Black Magic

June 6 - Valencia, Spain

Emirates Team New Zealand completed a five-race sweep of Italy's Luna Rossa team this morning, which is game-set-match for the Louis Vuitton Cup challenger elimination series. In addition to winning the handsome Louis Vuitton Cup itself, Emirates more importantly wins the right to face Cup defender Alinghi at the best-of-nine America's Cup match races starting June 23.


Back in Black - The Kiwis trounced the Italian Stallions in the Louis Vuitton Cup.
© ACM 2007

Emirates' shut-out of the Italian team came as a surprise to most. The Prada boys had just come off a decisive 5-1 victory over BMW Oracle in the semi-final round, and even the low-point Spanish team had beaten the Kiwis twice in the semis. But the mighty Ferrarri of the earlier LVC inexplicably turned into a hapless Fiat at the end. Even in their 'favored' conditions of 12-15 knots and the few times they were in the lead, they never seemed to make the right decisions to stay there.


The boys on ETNZ fight over the celebratory bottle of champagne.
© ACM 2007/Carlo Borlenghi

The Kiwis are back, which is probably not such a surprise. And so, perhaps, is that old black magic that won them two America's Cups. This time led by sailing legend Grant Dalton, they will once again face the same team that crushed them 5-0 in the last America's Cup, Ernesto Bertarelli's Switzerland-based Alinghi. Don't expect this one to be so one-sided.

Log onto www.americascup.com for all the latest news and updates.

- latitude / jr


First Circumnavigation By A Gay Couple?

June 6 - Planet Earth

Larry Jacobson and Ken Smith of the Emery Cove-based Stevens 50 Julia think they may be the ones. "We've met other gays out here," writes Jacobson, "but we're the only ones that were circumnavigating. Our plan is to sail under the Golden Gate Bridge on August 4 at noon, so break out the rainbow flags!"


Larry Jacobson and Ken Smith think they're the first gay circumnavigators.
© BW Media

Jacobson and Smith left the Bay on December 7 of 2001, and completed their circumnavigation last month in Zihuatanejo. Congratulations to them.

- latitude / rs




Ha-Ha Entry Packets To Be Sent Out On June 11

June 6 - Mill Valley

"So far we've received over 120 requests for entry packets for this fall's Ha-Ha," reports Ha-Ha Honcho Lauren Spindler. "That's about the same number as last year, which featured a record number of boats. The packets will be mailed out on Monday the 11th. Why get completed entries in as soon as possible? Because the marina in Cabo San Lucas, which saves all their open berths for the Ha-Ha, issues berths based on the order that boats signed up. And the first couple of days at the end of the Ha-Ha, there are never enough berths to go around. Anchoring out in Cabo is great, but some folks just have to have a berth. Past Ha-Ha folks have told us that an even more important reason to get their entry in is that it gave them a commitment to a firm date to go south."

To get your Ha-Ha entry packet, send a $20 check to Baja Ha-Ha, 401-F, Miller Ave., PMB 140, Mill Valley, CA 94941.

- latitude / ls



Navigation Marker 19 Photo

June 6 - Antioch

All right, all right, we're just messing with the owner of the blue and white chute tangled on marker 19. The photo didn't come from the Coast Guard, but rather Karen Vaccaro of the Moody 44 Miela that is berthed at Paradise Village in Nuevo Vallarta. "I took this and other photos while crewing aboard Randall Lesley's Olson 30 Enigma. Since the four of us on Enigma usually had our hands full, we couldn't photograph the most exciting events of the day, but in every direction as far as we could see there were round-ups, round-downs, blown spinnakers and grounded vessels. It was crazy! It was also a gorgeous day and our adrenaline was pumping - definitely one for the memory book."

And to the best of our knowledge, the Coast Guard isn't looking for the owner of the chute.

- latitude / rs




Groupama 3 Rips Miami To New York Record

June 6 - New York City

Frenchman Frank Cammas and crew sailed his new 105-ft trimaran Groupama 3 from Miami to New York in just 1 day, 11 hours, an average of 26.77 knots. Shazam! Steve Fossett and crew had averaged 17.57 knots when they set the previous record with the catamaran Playstation. Next up for Groupama is an assault on the Atlantic record from New York to Cape Lizard in England, the record for which is currently held by Bruno Peyron and the maxi cat Orange II. Cammas and Groupama will have to average almost 29 knots for four days to beat that record.

- latitude / rs




Catalina Is Calling You

June 6 - Catalina

Things have been a little slow out at the island. First there was the fire, then there wasn't particularly sunny weather for Memorial Day, and for months the gas prices have been discouraging powerboaters. The result is that the folks out there are getting a little lonely. The good news is that the weather for this weekend is expected to be about 70 degrees and sunny. If you're in the Southland, you should check it out.


It's been a little lonely at Catalina.
Photo Latitude / Richard
© 2007 Latitude 38 Publishing, Inc.

We were out at White's on Monday when we took the accompanying photo, and in the entire area there was a total of four boats - all of them sailboats. It was lovely. Still a little too cold for comfortable swimming, but lovely nonetheless. As for Avalon, it's true that the fire came very close, but unless you look for signs of it in the hills in back, it's hard to see anything. Having not been to Avalon in a year or two, we have to say the place looks more spruced up than ever. Check it out.

- latitude / rs


Top / Index of Stories / Previous 'Lectronic Edition
Subscriptions / Classifieds / Home


©2007
Latitude 38 Publishing Co., Inc.