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September 20, 2013

Oracle Wins, Get Out the Rally Caps

The fat lady didn’t sing yesterday, so Oracle fans Jen Edney of Nebraska, Nancy Cantrell of San Rafael, Bruna Shidler of San Francisco, and Doña de Mallorca of wherever she is at the moment, gather to brew up enthusiasm for a continued Oracle rally.

latitude/Richard
© Latitude 38 Media, LLC

It’s been 50 years since we were as frustrated as we were yesterday afternoon hoping for the start of a second America’s Cup race of the day. Those many years ago we were on second base with the babe of high school babes and, having hustled our way to second base, were being waved in to home plate. Then, just moments from ecstacy, we heard her parents at the front door. "Hi, we’re home early." Dammit, dammit, dammit!

Well, dammit, dammit, dammit is the way all the sailing fans gathered along the San Francisco waterfront and watching on their televisions felt. To say nothing of the competitors on the Kiwi and Oracle boats. But with less than a minute to go before the start of the second race, it had to be called off because the ebb-assisted wind had exceeded the safety limits.

The Stars & Stripes has made a comeback at the various America’s Cup venue.

© Abner Kingman / ACEA

The day, like all the remaining America’s Cup days, started with Oracle in a ‘win or it’s over’ situation. But Spithill used excellent tactics to get a great start, and won wire-to-wire. That doesn’t mean it wasn’t nail-biter, however, as the margins at the marks were 5 seconds, 11, 10, 29 and 31 seconds at the finish, Oracle’s lead built and shrank, and at one point early on the weather leg, Stan Honey’s graphics showed the Kiwis had briefly pulled ahead. It was another great America’s Cup match race, and left the crowd lusting for more as much as we had lusted for . . . well, you don’t need to know her name.

When asked at the post-race press conference if the boats should have continued the racing, Spithill took a little jab at the Kiwis, saying that the Oracle team had written a letter to the Kiwis asking that the boats be allowed to race in slightly stronger winds, but the Kiwis declined.

Barker, the Kiwi skipper, responded by saying that when lower wind limits were suggested after the death of Andrew Simpson, the Kiwis wanted 25 knots, while Oracle lobbied for an even lower limit.

Spithill said that was true, but back then they hardly knew how to sail the AC72s, and now they felt they had very good control over them, and it was no longer a safety issue.

While that’s certainly true, Barker pointed out they had set up their boat for certain wind limit conditions, and it would be unfair to change the rules in the middle of the game.

It was a great back and forth of good and valid points, and was reminiscent of the action on the water.

Each team must set up their boat specifically for that day’s conditions. Miscalculate and the other team could run away with the Cup.

© Ricardo Pinto / ACEA

Setting up the highly sensitive AC72s in general, and then for each day, is a big deal. In fact, the Kiwis suggested that a contributing factor — but certainly not the cause — of their losing yesterday was that they’d set their boat up for what were expected to have been lighter winds.

While the Kiwis still have a comfortable 8 to 2 lead — having won eight races and lost four — an ugly possibility is beginning to rear its head. With Oracle showing much better boat speed — foiling upwind at 34 knots at one point — and better crew work, it’s possible that they could ultimately win one more race than the Kiwis and still lose the Cup. This is, of course, thanks to the two-race penalty laid on Oracle by the International Jury. God knows that nobody, least of all the Kiwis, want that kind of hollow victory.

To even approach that point, however, it will take more perfect sailing by Spithill and crew. But Spithill, a cool and confident leader, makes it seem believable when he says that Oracle can do it. Indeed, he looked as if he was more enthusiastic to hit the course again than did Barker, who, while unfailingly polite, looked as though he’d rather have a root canal than do another press conference. If you didn’t know better, Spithill, not Barker, appeared to be the skipper in the catbird seat.

Interestingly enough, for the last couple of press conferences Barker has mentioned that if the AC72s had bigger rudder stabilizers/elevators, they would be easier to control. Ironically, it was the Kiwis who fought — and won — to keep them smaller than ideal. We can’t remember Spithill mentioning the issue once. Spithill’s theme has been how much better they know their boat than they did on the first race, and how they are still making dramatic improvements in technique and speed. We asked Spithill if he could rate their speed on a scale of 1 to 10 during the first race to yesterdays 12th race. He declined to give specific numbers, but said the improvements had been huge, and had they more time, would continue to grow.

We’ve asked countless people what they think of the Cup Finals, and we haven’t run across anybody with a discouraging word. In fact, it’s been 99% superlatives. Everybody acknowledges that there have been numerous bungles on the road to the Finals, but that the Finals have set a standard that will be extremely difficult to equal or top in the future. One encouraging aspect is that many of the spectators aren’t sailors, but have been attracted by the spectacle and the competition.

Two races are slated each day until one team wins. With rain expected soon, who knows what that might do to wind speed and direction. There’s a chance that one or more races could be unseasonable crapshoots.

Cantrell poses with the America’s Cup, rooting for the home team to keep it where it belongs.

latitude/Richard
©2013 Latitude 38 Media, LLC

Although Oracle came on strong yesterday, they are in a deep hole, so some Oracle supporters have gone into rally mode, led by Nancy Cantrell of San Rafael. In fact, just after Cantrell put her Oracle hat on upside down in rally mode, what came up in a golf cart, but the America’s Cup itself! Feeling supremely confident, Cantrell was ready to accept the Cup then and there on behalf of Oracle. The guards wouldn’t allow it. But clearly the surprise appearance of the Cup as soon as Oracle’s fans went into rally mode had to be a good omen.

Yes, You Can Still Enter

"Ouch, arghh, oof!" Such sounds were heard as a Baja Ha-Ha Rally Committee member’s arm was being twisted to extend the entry deadline a bit longer for this year’s San Diego-to-Cabo San Lucas cruisers’ rally. 

Finding yourself headed south within a fleet of like-minded adventurers is a glorious feeling. Seen here is a typical Ha-Ha start off Point Loma.

latitude/Andy
© Latitude 38 Media, LLC

There’s no need for such drastic measures, though, as the deadline — originally September 15 — will be nudged back until early next week. So if you’re still trying to assess if you and your boat will be ready to enter the cruising life on October 28 (the rally’s start date), you have at least until Monday to sign up online. (After that, email the Committee here.)

If you’re on the fence about joining up, allow us to point out that no boater ever actually reaches the end of his or her ‘to do’ list. So don’t let that stop you. After all, a favorite definition of cruising among experienced voyagers is "doing maintenance in exotic places!"

This being the 20th anniversary Ha-Ha — dubbed the Platinum Edition — there will be some special enhancements to the usual activities that you won’t want to miss. So go ahead, pull the trigger, throw off your docklines and point your bows toward sunnier latitudes. Below is the current fleet list which now stands at 157. 

  • Moontide / Lagoon 470 / Judy Lang & Bill Lilly / La Paz, MEX
  • Adios / Columbia 43 / Craig Shaw & Jane Roy / Portland, OR
  • Calou / Jeanneau 47 / Bruce Powell / Tiburon
  • Coyote / Jeanneau 42DS / Stephen Meyer / San Diego
  • Mykonos / Swan 44 / Myron & Marina Eisenzimmer / San Francisco
  • Gypsy Wind / Hunter 40.5 / James & Elizabeth Lee / Marina del Rey
  • Unleashed / Hardin Voyager 44 / P Bailey & C Dabdub / Seattle, WA
  • Jigger / Pearson Invicta 38 II / Dennis Hall / San Diego
  • Ikani / Gecco 39 / David Barten / San Diego
  • Thea / Stevens 47 / Doug & Martha Towle / Vancouver, BC
  • Vent de la Mer / Beneteau 423 / William & Cindy Roush / Oceanside
  • Fais Do Do / Fuji 40 / Richard & Patricia Greyson / Melbourne, FL
  • Agave Azul / Catalina 470 / Robin & Kathryn Weber / Sausalito
  • Cake / Beneteau 361 / Ken & Sheri Bliss / Ventura
  • Sooooo Lucky / Hunter 45 CC / Jeff & Josie Jellick / Long Beach
  • Aldebaran / Olympic 47 / Rob & Lynne Britton / San Diego
  • Snapdragon / Beneteau 473 / Russ Johnson / Lopez Is., WA
  • Angelina / Hallberg Rassy 43 / Jerry & Carol Kvalheim / Berkeley
  • Jolin / Nonsuch 30 / Joe Helfand / Alameda
  • Trial Run / Passport 40 / Charles Johnson & Kathy Pickup / Berkeley
  • No Remorse / Catalina 445 / Jack & Suzanne Lutchansky / Alameda
  • Don’t Panic / Beneteau 423 / Rob Beaton / Sausalito
  • Lauren Marie / Spindrift 46 cutter / Martin Swank / Berkeley
  • French Curve / Beneteau First 47.7 / Mark & Cheryl Mitchell / San Diego
  • Adventure / Island Packet 38 / Frank Stair / New Orleans
  • Odyssey / Caribbean 44 / Bill Bischoff & John Skorstad / Channel Is.
  • Rocket Science / Bieker Riptide 55 / Thomas Durnan / Dutch Harbor, AK
  • Cygnus / Cabo Rico 38 / Joe Lavash / Newport, OR
  • Neko / Switch 51 / Peter Malloy & Mary Perica / San Francisco
  • Two Shadows / Morgan 462 ketch / Vanessa Kelly & Ron Chapel / San Francisco
  • Kandu / Tayana v42cc / Eric & Leslie Rigney / Marina del Rey
  • Wild Thing III / Jeanneau / Rhonda Hill-Tolar / Newport Beach
  • Diamond Girl / Beneteau 393 / Larry & Nelda Read / Bellingham, WA
  • No Ties / Jeanneau 49DS / Cary & Robin Spencer / Marina del Rey
  • Opportunity / Beneteau 393 / Dennis & Carol Klingelhofer / San Diego
  • Jatimo / Odyssey 30 / Jan & Ramona Miller / San Francisco
  • Pacific Breeze / Fast Passage 39 / Lon Schofield / Anacortes, WA
  • Resolution / Beneteau Oceanis 400 / Tamara Sumner & Michael Wright / Bellingham, WA
  • Green Panther / Columbia 34 MkII / C Rinke & A Pribyl / Vienna, AUT
  • Atalanta / Farr 53 / Ray & Janet Lotto / San Francisco
  • Stella Maris / Hylas 46 / Tom Madden / Newport Beach
  • Celebration / Beneteau 473 / Richard & Audrey James / Channel Is.
  • R&R Kedger / Hunter 460 / Rob & Rose Benson / San Diego
  • Just Dandy / Ericson 32-200 / William Horne & Kim Tullis / San Diego
  • Mintaka / Ingrid 38 / Mark Bennett & Robyn Rogin / Salt Lake City, UT
  • Hotel California / Catalina 375 / Michael & Linda Stafford / San Francisco
  • Ariel IV / Borghegn 49 / Eric Boye / Raa, SWE
  • SeaSwift / Southern Cross 35 / Barry Barholomew / Center Is., WA
  • Pez Vela / Ericson 29 / Dan Krammer / Sausalito
  • Phantom Mist / Beneteau 40.7 / Roger Incledon / Wilmington
  • Caramba / 43-ft P-Squared sloop / T Reish & Jo Britton-Reish / Dana Point
  • B’Shert / Tayana 42 / Michael & Ann Witenstein / Long Beach
  • Seaquel / Nordic 40 / John Berg / Ventura
  • Minnie Maru / Hunter 34 / William Hinkle / Oxnard
  • Dulcinea / Downeast 38 / John & Janice Barker / Long Beach
  • Sosiego / Westsail 32 / Joseph & Deborah Graham / Alameda
  • Pamela / Pacific Seacraft 37 / D Maggard & P York / San Francisco
  • Nomad / Rival 36 / Robert Cohn & Margo Louwerse / Pt. Richmond
  • Appa / Wauquiez Centurion 42 / Marcus & Jennifer Reichert / Seattle, WA
  • Capricorn Cat / Hughes 45 cat / Wayne & Carol Hendryx / Brisbane
  • Wavelength / Beneteau 46 / Bill & Sandy Schwartz / Portland, OR
  • Sunshine / Saturna 33 PH / R Coulson & D Brown / Thieves Bay, BC
  • Ocean Echo / Hallberg-Rassy 45 / H & A Starnitzky / San Francisco
  • Dolce / Island Packet 485 / Eric & Gisela Gosch / San Diego
  • Four Choices / Islander Freeport 36 / Robert Scholl / Westpoint Harbor
  • Ilean / Catalina 38 / Andrew & Eileen McDonough / Alameda
  • Solstice / Island Packet 485 / Bruce & Mary Bock / Coronado Cays
  • Starshine / Shannon 38 / Dave & Gail Kenyon / Deale, MD
  • Fury / C&C 44 / Fred Hazzard / Portland, OR
  • Top Cat / Fountaine-Pajot Antigua 37 / Rod Goodman / Long Beach
  • Winterhawk / Beneteau Evasion 36 / Rick & Patti Nordby / Edmonds, WA
  • Whiskey Tango Foxtrot / Beneteau 58 / Reza Malek / Sausalito
  • Calixto / Hans Christian 33 / Ramiro Medina / Marina del Rey
  • Scout / 60-ft trawler / John D. Hartung / Olympia, WA
  • Cerulean / Amel Maramu 46 / Jeremy & Erika Hermanns / Marina del Rey
  • Sea Gypsy / Sea Maid 45 / Jon Culver / Elfin Cove, AK
  • True North / Hallberg Rassy 36 / Gregg & Anne Brickner / Anacortes, WA
  • Honi / Hunter 33 / John & Jill Mackay / Long Beach
  • Antara / Westsail 42 / Don Russell / San Francisco
  • Ebenezer III / Catalina 36 / Richard Schaper / Sausalito
  • Green Flash / Beneteau Oceanis 351 / R Ritner & J Chen / Long Beach
  • Indigo Star / Tayana 48 / Doug & Mary Tracey / Vancouver, BC
  • Happy Dance / Jeanneau DS 43 / Marty & Sue McDaniel / Coupeville, WA
  • Cool Change / Beneteau 37 / John Caletti / Pt. Richmond
  • Rose of Sharon / Eastern Shipbuilding 51 schooner / Byron Chamberlain / Newport Beach
  • Sea Otter / Island Packet 37 / Michael & Julie Dillard / Bend, OR
  • A Good Day / Island Packet 485 / Charlie & Carol McCullough / San Francisco
  • Kalewa / 50-ft custom cat / Kevin & Marcie Millett / Nawiliwili, HI
  • Sagacious / Columbia 50 / Chris Geddes / Dartmouth, GBR
  • Ahmeek / Celestial 48 / Dennis Gray & Sherie Gibson / San Diego
  • Sailors Run / Baba 40 / Jeff & Debbie Hartjoy / Longbranch, WA
  • Gatecrasher / Tayana 48DS / Roger Shortz / San Francisco
  • Celtic Traveller / Mayflower 48 ketch / D Welch & M Sack / Moss Landing
  • Victorious / Downeast 32 / Ray Smith / San Diego
  • Ticket II / Jeanneau 57 / Rick Niello / Sausalito
  • Camelot / Hunter Legend 37 / Neil & Shelley Stephens / Coeur d’Alene, ID
  • SeaQuester / Hunter 44 DS / Dean & Mala Laurin / Channel Is.
  • JO / Island Packet 380 / Jay & Kelly Pacheco / San Diego
  • Beach Access / Lagoon 380 / Glenn Twitchell / Mexico
  • Roughneck / Roughwater 33 / Cameron Smithers / Vancouver, BC
  • Serendipity / Jeanneau 42 / Jonathan Mote / Corona del Mar
  • Ponga / Catalina 36 / Murray & Marta Hooper / Victoria, BC
  • Sea Horse / Island Packet 35 / Jon Hafstrom & Kim Munz / San Francisco
  • Curiositas / Valiant 40 / Wayne Lidstone & Judy Thompson / Victoria, BC
  • Garbo / Beneteau 47.7 / Thomas Taylor / San Diego
  • Seamore Pacific / Freedom 36 / Greg & Betheny Rodden / Phoenix, AZ
  • Maluhia / Pacific Seacraft 37 / Grant & Denise Stejskal / Ventura
  • Distant Drum / Idylle 15.50 / Harry Hazzard / San Diego
  • Morning Light / C&L Explorer 45 / Scott & Kelli Thomas / San Diego
  • Mandalay / Pearson 36 / Aaron Edwards / Sausalito
  • Tercer Deseo / Hunter 410 / Rod Granger & Pam Boyd / Ventura
  • I’O / Davidson 44 / Robert & Bobbie Kuschel / Marina del Rey
  • Much of Time / Tashiba 40 / Wayne Bourque / Sidney, BC
  • Buenos Aires / Ericson 38 / Emilio Cvitkovic / San Francisco
  • Girl Four / Beneteau 473 / Thomas & Emily Martinez / Seattle, WA
  • Saltydog / Tartan 3700 / Steve Woodruff & Joan Hively / San Diego
  • Sand Dollar / CMS Master Mariner 41 / JC & S Walgren / Seattle, WA
  • Betty Jane / Hans Christian 43 ketch / Mark Novak / Santa Cruz
  • Orange / Contour 34 tri / Paul Martson / Ventura
  • Set Me Free / Beneteau 42 / Joe Pfeifle / Hermosa Beach
  • Moondance / Beneteau 40 / C Smitghburg & J Macdonald / Seattle, WA
  • Good News / Islander 55 / Wes & Maurine Gary / Newport Beach
  • Tigress / Prout 50 cat / David & Elena Esser / Alameda
  • Apsaras / Hunter 45 / David & Melissa DeLong / Woodinville, WA
  • Paramour / Offshore 66 / David & Anneke Dury / San Francisco
  • Paragon / Bayfield 36 / Douglas Floyd / Olympia, WA
  • Starfishette / Beneteau 42cc / Steven Kolb / Seattle, WA
  • AmoreKai / Tayana 37 / Gino Valente / San Francisco
  • Moondance / CS 34 / Niels Frommann / Redwood City
  • Surface Change / Ericson 38-200 / Thamas Shafer / Oakland
  • Cavatina / Pacific 43 / Doug Wilson / Jersey, GBR
  • Dawn Treader / Columbia 45 / James Lussier / Olympia, WA
  • Pyxis / Tayana 37 / John Holt Condon / San Francisco
  • Tramp / Roberts 55 / Kent Arney / Haines, AK
  • Woodwind 1 / 45-ft custom cutter / Brian & Richelle Neill / Victoria, BC
  • Simpatica / Catalina 42 MkII / Ken Flint / Dana Point
  • Dolfino / Catalina 42 MkII / Rick Lino / Marina del Rey
  • Serendipity / 35-ft Columbia 10.7 / Steve Lane / Emeryville
  • Enchanté / CS 36 Merlin / A Rosen & L Early-Rosen / Lummi Is., WA
  • GravlaX / X-402 / Gaël Simon & Renée Grondin / Quebec, QC
  • Sea Level / Schionning 1480 / Jim & Kent Milski / Lake City, CO
  • Elysium / Catalina 42 MkII / D Ohlemacher & P Nolte / Vashon Is., WA
  • Tillie / Hans Christian 38T / Kathy Crabtree & Barry Foster / San Diego
  • Purusha / Spencer 53 / E Hope-Goldsmith & L Burtt / Vancouver, BC
  • Scout / Jeanneau SO 52.2 / Greg Himes / Whitfish, MT
  • Fool’s Castle / Nautic 43 / I Olsson & D. Scott Bonomi / Seattle, WA
  • Miss Adventure / Islander Freeport 36 / Stuart Polzin / Portland, OR
  • Endless Summer / Kelly Peterson 44 / Jerry Gahan / Dana Point
  • My Bonnie Karen / Downeast 38 / Chris Jernigan / Oceanside
  • Compañera / Farr 44 / Phil Eichen & Susan Flieder / Sausalito
  • Liberte / Hylas 46 / Liberte Marine LLC / St. John, USVI
  • Moments / 36-ft S2 11.0A / Adam Hughes & Rachel Harper / Seattle, WA
  • Skabenga / St. Francis 44 MkII / Burce Harbour / Big Sky, MT
  • Odissea / CSY 33 / Shane Cianciolo / Seal Beach
  • Hoku lele / Catalina 42 MkII / James & Jean Ellis / San Francisco
  • Roller Coaster / Choate/Peterson 44 IOR / Scott Schreiber / Hayden, CO
  • Talion / Gulfstar 50 / Patsy Verhoeven / La Paz, MEX
  • Blade / Valiant 37 / Eddie Lare / San Diego
  • Profligate / Surfin’ 63 cat / The Grand Poobah / Tiburon/St Barth

We’d also like to acknowledge this year’s BHH sponsors. We encourage you to use their services, as without them, there would be no Baja Ha-Ha!

 

  • Almar Marinas www.almar.com
  • Blue Latitude Press www.bluelatitudepress.com
  • Charlie’s Charts www.charliescharts.com
  • Commander’s Weather www.commandersweather.com
  • Cruise RO Water and Power www.cruiseROwater.com
  • Downwind Marine www.downwindmarine.com
  • Harbor Island West www.harborislandwest.com
  • Hydrovane www.hydrovane.com
  • ICOM America, Inc. www.icomamerica.com/marine
  • La Paz Hotel Association www.visitlapaz.org
  • Latitude 38 Magazine & ‘Lectronic Latitude www.latitude38.com
  • Marina de La Paz www.marinadelapaz.com
  • Marina El Cid www.elcid.com
  • Marina Mazatlan www.marina-mazatlan.com
  • Marina Puerto de la Navidad www.islanavidad.com.mx
  • Marina Riviera Nayarit www.marinarivieranayarit.com
  • Mariner’s General Insurance Group www.marinersins.com
  • OCENS www.ocens.com
  • Opequimar Marine Center www.opequimar.com
  • Pacific Offshore Rigging www.pacificoffshorerigging.com
  • Paradise Village Marina www.paradisevillage.com
  • Quickline USA www.quickline.us
  • Rigging Only www.riggingandhardware.com
  • Scanmar International www.selfsteer.com
  • Sea Bags www.seabags.com
  • Todo Vela www.TodoVelaMexico.com
  • Vallarta Yacht Club www.vallartayachtclub.org
  • Vintage Marina Partners www.vintage-marina.com
  • Waypoint www.waypoints.com
  • West Marine www.westmarine.com
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