Half of Ta-Ta Slots Taken Already
©Latitude 38 Media, LLC
Because of space limitations, there are only 50 slots available for SoCal Ta-Ta III, aka ‘Reggae ‘Pon Da Ocean’, the Baja Ha-Ha style cruising rally from Santa Barbara to Catalina with stops at Santa Cruz Island, Channel Islands Harbor and Paradise Cove. The event starts with a kickoff meal/party on the sand at the Santa Barbara YC on Sunday, September 13 — wear your best reggae gear — and ends with the wrap-up party at Two Harbors on Saturday, September 19 — once again, wear your best reggae gear.
Since registration opened up at noon on May 1, half of the available slots have already been snapped up , so if you want to be a part of Ta-Ta sailing history, don’t procrastinate. Visit the website, get all the details, and if you want to participate, enter very soon or forever hold your peace.
Who will be participating? Check out the list of entries-to-date at the bottom of this report. We’re always chuffed to see return entries, and there are a bunch of them, including Pat McCormick with his Alamitos Bay-based Beneteau 440 St. Somewhere, who will be three for three. We at the Ta-Ta are also proud to have attracted at least one couple — Kurt and Katie Braun of the Alameda/South Carolina/New Zealand-based Deerfoot 74 Interlude — who have not only done tens of thousands of bluewater miles, but who have also circumnavigated.
This third running of the SoCal Ta-Ta is open to boats 27 feet and longer — unless special dispensation is given — that were designed, built, and have been maintained for open-ocean sailing. We’ve sailed all the legs of this event many times — the longest is about 30 miles — and it’s usually light-to-moderate winds in reaching or running conditions. While we’ve rarely encountered headwinds or winds over 25 knots on the course, all skippers have to be prepared for such possibilities. All entries will have to carry the appropriate safety gear, and be capable of motoring at a minimum of five knots. Since the shipping lanes will be crossed several times, all boats must be equipped with a functioning radar or AIS receiver, and all must be equipped with a radar reflector. All entries will need to provide proof of liability insurance.
The Ta-Ta is intended for fun-loving but responsible sailors who don’t anticipate any trouble in letting their ‘inner reggae’ out, for the Ta-Ta is all about love. If you’re a person who looks to be entertained by others, or who is inclined to whine, this event is not for you, mon. The event will be run by the same folks who have put on the Baja Ha-Ha for the last 21 years, and there will be a daily net.
‘Wake up and live!” was the exortation of Bob Marley. Here’s your chance.
Aegea / Sabre 38 / John & Michelle Zeratsky / Sausalito
Always / Seawind 1160 / Steven & Julie McShea / Lihue, HI
Beach Access / Lagoon 380 / Glenn Twitchell & Debbie Jahn / Long Beach
Big Sweetie / Hunter 450 Passage / Charles & Carolyn Moyer / Channel Islands
Boomerang / Corsair/31UC / Charles & Elaine VanderBoom / Lake Havasu City, AZ
Delphis / Pearson Vanguard 32 / Bruce & Janet Dart / Channel Islands
Dream Maker / Hunter Legend 38 / Jack & Karen Cronk / Oceanside
Exodus / Catalina 350 / William & Elizabeth Wendt / Long Beach
Full Glass / Beneteau 47.3 / Alessandro & Kristen Mercurio / Channel Islands
Grace / Traveller 32 / Robert Walker / Alameda
Gypsy Soul / Bruce Roberts Offshore 44 / Danny Webb / Emeryville
Insula / Island Packet 460 / Troy & Michele Stone / Saugatuck, MI
Interlude / Deerfoot 74 PH / Kurt & Katie Braun / Georgetown, SC
Latitudes / Ericson 32 / Marc Marois & Joe Barrett / Newport Beach
Looking Forward / Balboa 26 / Michael Kinney & Deborah Froessel / Benicia
Ojo Rojo / Columbia 36 / Keith & Terry Albrecht / Alamitos Bay
Pegasus / Formosa 51 / Bob Mathews / San Diego
Running Free / Ericson 38 / Alamitos Bay / Don Taugher
Sabbatical / Valiant 40 / Phil Kumpis / Hermosa Beach
Sea Wolf / Hunter 376 / Christopher Mendonca / Vallejo
Shadow / Islander 36 / Greg & Kathy Kircher / Ventura
St. Somewhere / Beneteau 440 / Pat McCormick / Alamitos Bay
Volare / Catalina Morgan 440 / Adam & Jessica Heinicke / San Diego
Already 31 Entries for the 22nd Baja Ha-Ha
More than 30 skippers have signed up for the 22nd annual Baja Ha-Ha since registration opened last Friday. The Ha-Ha is the 750-mile cruising rally from San Diego to Cabo San Lucas, with stops at funky Turtle Bay and magnificently beautiful Bahia Santa Maria. The event starts on October 25 and ends on November 7.
©2015Latitude 38 Media, LLC
Why sign up early? Because the earlier a boat signs up, the higher she is on the list to get a slip in Cabo San Lucas. Getting a slip may not seem like a big deal now, but on November 7, after you’ve been at sea or on the hook for eight or nine days, it’s often a different story.
Over 10,000 sailors have done the Ha-Ha in its first 21 years, and another 500 are expected this year.
We like to think that repeat entries are the best endorsement for the Ha-Ha, and the first three entries are all repeats. John and Debbie Rogers of the San Diego-based Deerfoot 62 Moonshadow — who stay fit in part by cleaning the bottom of their big boat — did last year’s Ha-Ha. Entry #2 is Mykonos, Myron and Marina Eisenzimmer’s Swan 44 from San Anselmo. This must be their seventh Ha-Ha. In third position is Tamara Lee Ann, Doug and Tamara Thorne’s Emery Cove-based Celestial 48, which will be doing her third Ha-Ha. Welcome back.
To get all the details on the Ha-Ha, visit the website. In order to qualify, boats must be between 27 and 125 feet in length, and need to have been designed, built and maintained for rigorous offshore sailing, and must be able to maintain an average speed of at least 4.5 knots under sail and/or engine. The minimum number of crew is two, at least one of whom has overnight offshore experience. All participants must be in good physical condition and seeking adventure. Doing the Ha-Ha is the opposite of going on a cruise ship, so if you’re looking for luxury and are prone to whining, the Ha-Ha is absolutely not for you.
There will be a Mexico-Only Crew List Party and Baja Ha-Ha Reunion at Alameda’s Encinal YC September 2, 6-9 p.m. (Sign up for the Crew List for free here.) The party will be preceded by a Mexican Cruising Seminar, hosted by sponsors, from 4-6 p.m.
The deadline for signing up for the Ha-Ha is September 15. But as we mentioned before, if you wait until the end, plan on anchoring out.
Moonshadow / Deerfoot 2-62 / John and Deb Rogers / San Diego
Mykonos / Swan 44 / Myron & Marina Eisenzimmer / San Francisco
Tamara Lee Ann / Celestial 48 / Doug & Tamara Thorne / Emery Cove
Northern Lights / J/42 / Roderic & Mary Deyo / Seattle, WA
Windstar / Liberty 49 / Stephen & Bente Millard / Santa Barbara
Scarlet Fever / Jeanneau 509 Sun Odyssey / Paul Hofer / Wilmington, DE
Lokomaikai / Catalina 320 / Ron & Gail Hodel / Dana Point
Matador / Beneteau 50 / Stephen Meyer / San Diego
Elixir II / Islander 40 / Frank Nin & Leslie Honey / Brookings, OR
Millie J / Brewer Custom Cutter 34.8 / James Atkins & Amy Arroyo / Vancouver, WA
Tandem / Pearson 365 Ketch / Steve & Joni Stein / Emeryville
Kiki / Hunter 466 / Roger & Karen Lamb / Alameda
Ahelani / Outbound 46 / Steve & Patricia Stanley San Francisco
Tahitian Dream / Amel Maramu 46 / William & Janet Fletcher / Richmond
Gratitude / Hylas 46 / Martin Eggenberger & Nina Lesowitz / Oakland
Dancy / Kelly Peterson 44 / Dwain & Nancy Lentz / Tempe, AZ
Nakamal / Island Packet 380 John Ryan & Elinore Craig / Tucson, AZ
Pablo / Westsail 32 Steve & Sherri Brenner / Santa Cruz
Vitesse / Beneteau 473 Tom Price / San Francisco
TBD / TBD / Chris Maher / Seattle/Alameda
Carmanah / C&C 43 / John & Donna DeMeyer / Bainbridge Island, WA
Gettin Knotty / Ericson 38-200 / Andrew Davis / Marina Del Rey
Callisti / Waterline 50 / Roland & Rebecca / Thiel Vancouver, BC
Del Viento / Colvin Tamarack / Schooner 34 / Mark & Susan Hall Stockton
Second Wind / Gemini 105Mc / Dennis Randall / San Diego
Tranquilo / Catalina/C445 / Lloyd & Colleen Clauss / Ensenada
Yankee / Pearson 365 / Rod & Flori Soder / Moss Landing
Sojourn / Catalina 385 / John Van Vessem / Vallejo
C’est Si Bon / Beneteau 46 / Perry Chrisler / Scottsdale, AZ
Huzzah / Jeanneau 45.2 / Gerry & Jody Gilbert / Gig Harbor, WA
Delta Ironman Challenge
Andreas Cove Yacht Club on the San Joaquin River is organizing a Delta Ironman Challenge. You don’t need to ride a bike, swim, or run — just sail five days in a row in five beer can races on May 13-17:
- Wednesday, 5/13: Vallejo Yacht Club’s beer can race.
- Thursday, 5/14: Benicia YC’s beer can race.
- Friday, 5/15: Pittsburg YC will host an evening race on New York Slough.
- Saturday, 5/16: Andreas Cove YC Summer Race.
- Sunday, 5/17: Stockton Sailing Club’s Spring Series #6.
"Each club already has the races scheduled and so it’s only a matter of voyaging down the line," said organizer Dave Cowell of ACYC. "There’s even a flood that week." For more information on the DIC, email Dave or call him at (530) 272-3209 or (530) 575-1891 (cell).
To sweeten the pot, Latitude 38 will offer prizes to the finishers, including a first-class subscription, a hat or T-shirt, and 15 minutes of fame. To take us up on this offer, compete in all five races, drop us a note by May 22 and include a photo. If we have more than three takers, we’ll draw prize winners randomly, but we’ll list everyone’s name.