'Lectronic Index Previous 'Lectronic

Latest 'Lectronic

More Photos of Geja's Summer Cruise October 9, 2009 – Croatia, Italy, Slovenia and Croatia Again (Click on the photo to enlarge it.) Milna, Brac, just another beautiful stop in Croatia. © 2009 Andrew Vik If you're read this month's Changes, you've no doubt seen 36-year-old Andrew Vik's second installment on his second summer cruise in the Med and Adriatic aboard his Islander 36 Geja. The San Franciscan bought the Islander from another young San Francisco couple, who owned it for one year after buying it from the estate of Dick and Shirley Sandys of Palo Alto, who had sailed it that far around the world. We didn't have room to run all of Vik's photos, so we thought we'd share some more with you. Enjoy! The local tourist agency describes Croatian girls as "tall and with ample bosoms." True or not, they all seemed to love to party. © 2009 Andrew Vik   Lovely Trogir, Croatia, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is where Vik kept Geja over the winter. © 2009 Andrew Vik Moving up the Adriatic, Vik stopped at Ravenna, another UNESCO World Heritage site, to marvel at the 5th century mosaics. © 2009 Andrew Vik Andrew found the Italian girls of Ravenna to be as attractive as the mosaics, and a lot more warm-blooded. © 2009 Andrew Vik Even though Venice had heavy boat traffic, Vik loved being able to visit for the first time while aboard his own sailboat. © 2009 Andrew Vik The nice thing about Venice is that, once ashore, you have the whole place virtually to yourself. © 2009 Andrew Vik People watching was often rewarding, especially when the subject was a young blonde in a small bikini trying to decide between bottled water and bottled alcohol. © 2009 Andrew Vik Unfortunately, the black-Speedo-and-lime-Crocs look didn't pan out for all body types. © 2009 Andrew Vik - latitude / rs

Relief Efforts on Niuatoputapu

October 9, 2009 – Niuatoputapu, Niua Islands, Tonga

After being told by the Red Cross in Samoa that they had too many volunteers, Nick Jaffe of the Contessa 26 Constellation — along with a number of other cruisers — set their humanitarian sights on the tiny Tongan island of Niuatoputapu. At just 500 feet high, the six-square-mile island midway between Samoa and Tonga's Vava'u chain — and the nearest bit of land to the epicenter of the quake — was devastated by last week's tsunami, which made its way nearly a third of a mile inland. All 10 Tongan casualties occurred on Niuatoputapu, and 300 of the island's 1,000 residents were left homeless after coastal villages were destroyed. Relief efforts have been focused on the tiny island but the airport was so badly damaged that planes couldn't land, forcing aid to come by sea.

"Currently there are six yachts anchored in Niuatoputapu Harbour, all of whom are assisting in the clean up and reconstruction of the island," reports Jaffe. "If ever there was a forgotten island, this would be it. The last supply ship was four months ago, and the population of just over 1,000 people seem to have all been affected. Unlike the islands of Samoa that were big enough to limit total destruction to primarily south-facing areas, Niuatoputapu is so small that it seems all shores are showing the effects of what the locals call a 'boiling wave of water' that never seemed to stop. Two yachts were at anchor here when the wave struck, but both held without suffering any damage. In one instance, a floating roof hovered around one of the boats, threatening its hull.

"Several yachts arrived after the tsunami with much needed supplies. A yacht coming in on Wednesday brought 200 litres of fuel, others are sailing in with flip flops, blankets and school supplies. Little Constellation raised some funds online and, with the help of a Canadian Red Cross volunteer, we managed to stock up as best we could — 80 lbs of rice, flour, lavalavas, boxes of nails, tarps, noodles, crackers, and so on. Other yachts have brought far more, and have been on the ground helping rebuild the town hall, re-assembling toilets and showers. One yachtie managed to salvage eight generators and outboard engines for the village.

"There is still much cleaning up and help needed here. No large machinery exists, and so the cleanup is by hand, with fires everywhere, burning scrap wood and plastic. All salvagable building materials are saved in piles for future use. With supply ships so few, materials were scarce even before the wave.

"If there are boats in the vicinity, I know supplies are gratefully needed and accepted. In particular, fuel, school supplies, and building materials such as nails, hammers, etc. It's so good to see so many sailors helping. I guess it's quite rare that private boats get to really help people."

But one private yacht was in need of help. Joan Olszewski of the Florida-based Freedom 39 Mainly lost her husband Dan when the first surge hit Pago Pago on American Samoa. She and her sons decided to sell the boat the couple had cruised for 20 years, which we reported in Wednesday's 'Lectronic — including the link to Mainly's sale page. We don't know if the buyer found the boat through our posting, but Paul Slivka tells us that he and Commodore Tompkins had been preparing to deliver Mainly to Brisbane, Australia, when she was sold on Wednesday night.

- latitude / ld

Ad: Bay Marine Boatworks October 9, 2009 – Point Richmond Remind you of getting your sailboat serviced? © 2009 Bay Marine Boatworks / www.baymarineboatworks.com Let's face it, getting your sailboat serviced can be a painful experience. Which is why we do all we can to eliminate nasty surprises. We’ll quote you a price up front, and we’ll stick to it. We’re Bay Marine Boatworks — the full-service boatyard. From bottom painting to complex fiberglass repair work, you will find we can handle all your sailboat maintenance and repair needs. And this month, our new management is offering a free haul-out with every bottom job. This time, come to Bay Marine Boatworks, where your sailboat service won't feel like a root canal. The Sailor's Boatyard 310 W. Cutting Blvd. Pt. Richmond (800) 900-6646 © 2009 Bay Marine Boatworks / www.baymarineboatworks.com

It's Time for Fleet Week

October 9, 2009 – The Bay

All the boats you see here are out to see the Blue Angels, and they're all just outside the Angels' 'ditch zone,' set between Alcatraz and the Cityfront. Photo Latitude / LaDonna © 2009 Latitude 38 Publishing Co., Inc.

It's time once again for Fleet Week! While that means there'll be cool stuff like air shows by the Blue Angels and warship parades/visits, it also means the Coast Guard has set aside some space for all this to take place.

The blue-shaded area represents the restricted zone for tomorrow's Parade of Ships between 11 a.m. and 12:30 a.m. Don't forget that no matter where a US Navy ship is you are required by law to give it a 500-yard berth! Photo Courtesy US Coast Guard © 2009 Latitude 38 Publishing Co., Inc.

Tomorrow from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., vessel traffic will be restricted in a band from the Gate, extending out to Alcatraz and down to just south of the Bay Bridge. This is in addition to the 500-yard security zone that will be enforced around each Navy vessel at all times. There's also an additional restricted area between the Cityfront and Alcatraz, reserved — but hopefully not needed — as a ditch zone for the Blue Angels from about noon to 5 p.m. through Sunday.

The orange box marks the hopefully-unnecessary 'ditch zone' for the Blue Angels. This area will be restricted between about noon and 5 p.m. through Sunday. Photo Courtesy US Coast Guard © 2009 Latitude 38 Publishing Co., Inc.

Be alert, remember to have your registration and a sufficient number of PFDs aboard, don't overload your boat, save the beer and wine for when you've returned to the dock, and enjoy the show. There'll likely be plenty of boardings by the Coast Guard security patrols this weekend, so make sure to leave anything you don't want confiscated — or that might result in the confiscation of your boat — at home. If you don't believe everything we've just told you, see for yourself here.

- latitude / rg

Vote For John Craig

October 9, 2009 – Your Computer

Last month we exhorted you to let your voice be heard, and join us in voting for St. Francis YC Racing Manager John Craig, who's vying for a spot on US Sailing's Board of Directors. Well, we're here to remind you again, because the deadline to cast your vote is October 15 — less than a week away! US Sailing has a huge impact on our sport; traditionally, both the West Coast and those under the age of 70 have been underrepresented in the leadership of our governing body. But since elections for the Board of Directors spots have been opened up to the general membership, all US Sailing members now have a chance to change that.

You've only got a week left to vote this man onto the Board of Directors at US Sailing. © 2009 Ashley Fraser

Craig is one of the four nominees up for two available Board of Directors positions this year. If you've ever sailed in one of the wide range of regattas run by Craig and his team, then you know how good he is at what he does. He has a breadth and depth of knowledge about the sport that, to our minds, makes him an ideal candidate for one of these spots. Apparently the rules governing the candidacy don't permit the candidate to give interviews or campaign on his or her behalf, otherwise we'd have a comment from Craig, or the other West Coast candidate, San Diego's Danielle Richards, whom we haven't met. But their bios, as well as those of the incumbents Tom Hubbell and Patty Lawrence, are on the voting page of the US Sailing website. Gary Jobson is running unopposed for the position of president, and while Jobson engenders a wide range of responses, we have it on pretty good authority that he was the one who encouraged Craig to throw his hat in the ring. That represents a harbinger of progress and further modernization at US Sailing in the coming years. You can cast your vote online, by mail or fax, but you have to do it by October 15. We didn't know our password for the voting section, but simply entered our member number — which appears on your membership card — and requested it via email. It doesn't take but a minute, so don't let this opportunity pass you by — if you're a US Sailing member, make sure you vote!

- latitude / rg

Top | Index of Stories | Previous 'Lectronic Edition
'Lectronic RSS feed