'Lectronic Index Previous 'Lectronic

Santa Cruz Chosen for Clipper Race

September 14 - Minden, Nevada

Officials with the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race announced today that Santa Cruz has been chosen as one of the ports of call for the race, with boats scheduled to arrive on April 8, 2010. The choice of Santa Cruz is a little surprising not only because of the harbor's narrow entrance and already tight berthing situation, but also because San Francisco Bay seemed such a natural place for the race to stop. Nonetheless, we're thrilled a California port has been added to the itinerary - Hawaii was announced as a stop earlier in the summer - and will watch with interest to see how officials shoehorn the 68-ft boats into the already busy harbor.

The Clipper Round the World Yacht Race, slated to start from Liverpool this Sunday, was created by Sir Robin Knox-Johnston in '95 to give "ordinary" folks the chance to sail around the globe on one or more legs aboard one of ten 68-ft one design boats. For more info on the pay-to-play race, check out their website at www.clipperroundtheworld.com.

- latitude / ld

How's the Weather?

September 14 - Halfway Between Hawaii And California

According to Danielle Dignan of the Bay Area-based Farr 44 Confetti, "It's mellow and lovely out here as we skirt the outside of the Pacific High." If the photo doesn't seem to match her description of the conditions, it's because it was taken earlier in the year when she and her husband Dan were sailing in the South Pacific.

Danielle and Dan Dignan are enjoying more comfortable conditions now.
© 2007 Dan Dignan

The couple, along with friends, started out last October sailing to Mexico, did a swing around the South Pacific, made their way up to Hawaii, and are now almost home. We'll have a report in the October issue of Latitude.

- latitude / rs

The Tall Ships are Coming!

September 14 - West Coast

The American Sail Training Association (ASTA) has announced that the 2008 Tall Ships Challenge, slated for the North American West Coast, will add San Francisco as a port of call from July 23 - 28, 2008.

The barque Cuauhtemoc sailing along the city-front in SF in the '05 Tall Ships Challenge. Built for the Mexican Navy as a training vessel for its cadets, she was named for the last Aztec emperor who was imprisoned and executed by conquistador Hernán Cortés in 1525.
Photo Latitude / Andy
© 2007 Latitude 38 Publishing Co., Inc.

ASTA holds a Tall Ships Challenge Series every year but alternates between the Great Lakes and the North American east and west coasts. Each Challenge includes a series of races in which barques, brigs, brigantines, schooners, sloops, barkentines, full-rigged ships and more participate. Historically, the general public is also involved in the event - in the form of crewing or firing 'cannons' in mock battles - but details for next year's event haven't been nailed down yet. Founded in 1973, ASTA fosters youth education through their programs at sea with more than 250 tall ships and sail training vessels as members.

The 2008 Series begins in Victoria, B.C. on June 25, then sails on to Tacoma, Washington and Port Alberni, B.C. before heading to the Bay. For further information visit www.tallships.sailtraining.org.

- latitude / lc

Who Gets the Prize?

September 14 - Northwest Passage

Wednesday's 'Lectronic featured a story about a French team who claims to have set a record by being the first boat to transit the Northwest Passage under sail alone. We were quickly corrected by Jud Berry of the Vancouver, B.C.-based Sputnik, who reminded us that Canadians Jeff MacInnis and Mike Beedell claimed those honors way back in 1988 when they completed a sail-only passage on the highly modified 18-ft Hobie Perception. The pair spent three summers sailing, pushing, paddling and tugging their 450-lb boat across 2,500 miles of ice-clogged Arctic water, from the Mackenzie River on the west end of the Passage to Pond Inlet on the east end. MacInnis later wrote about their experiences in Polar Passage.

Jeff MacInnis and Mike Beedell spent three summers on a modified Hobie 18 to claim the title of First to Sail the Northwest Passage. Do they deserve it?
© 2007 Jeff MacInnis

So what gives? French team member Anne-lise Vacher-Morazzani told us that, while the Canadians' achievement was impressive, MacInnis and Beedell only crossed a portion of the treacherous passage, which she insists is actually 4,500 miles long. "It's not a question of affirming that we are the first, but of restoring the facts: To connect the Pacific to the Atlantic on a livable boat without engine in one season." (Thanks to Google for the rough translation from French.)

Indicated by the white line, MacInnis and Beedell began their quest at the mouth of the Northwest Territories' MacKenzie River and ended on Baffin Island. The French team began in Anchorage and ended in Nuussuaq, Greenland (yellow).
Image Courtesy Google Earth
© 2007 Latitude 38 Publishing Co., Inc.

While we can see Vacher-Morazzani's point - the Pacific technically borders the Bering Strait and the edge of the Atlantic rests near Nuussuaq - we aren't sure we agree that the French team deserve the title. Certainly they set an amazing record - the first boat to sail the Northwest Passage in one season - but we're still inclined to give the nod to MacInnis and Beedell. The 'official' length of the Passage is a vague and mysterious thing, and seems to depend on who you talk to. To our way of thinking, the Canadians were the first to sail the stretch of water (and ice) most people consider to be the Northwest Passage.

But we could be wrong (it's been known to happen).

- latitude / ld