A lot of sailors are unclear on the proper way in which to exit
a boat enroute to a surfing session. Ali of Blue Dragon
demonstrates the proper form in this three photo sequence as
she leaves Profligate to paddle in at La Lancha on the
north shore of Banderas Bay. Notice in photo #1 how she’s standing
on the top of the daggerboards, the highest part of the boat,
some 14 feet off the surface of the water. When you’re going
to go surfing you want to psych up by starting out with a little
flair. Observe that her arms are spread for athwartships balance,
and she’s standing on the balls of her feet for maximum fore
and aft trim. The only fault we find is that she’s wearing a
wetsuit – the water is muy caliente in Mexico, at least
compared to Northern California. In photo #2, Ali has compressed
the muscles in her body and leaned forward, all the better to
safely thrust herself over the top of the lifelines that always
want to snag a leaper. In photo #3, you see the results of her
technique. She’s easily cleared the lifelines, isn’t in danger
of hitting Christian on the other surfboard, and is about to
enter the water with a minimal splash. Well done Ali!
There were a number of cruisers/surfers
who enjoyed long stretches of the winter at Punta de Mita because
there are a number of fine breaks close by. The point is great
in a northwest swell, although you’ll got to watch out for the
rocks and particularly urchins. Mike Miller of Uhuru ended
up with a knee looking like a pin cushion after taking a fall.
It took more than a month before his body was able to reject
all of the very painful – and long – urchin spines. The inner
break in front of the palapas at Punta de Mita is likened to
the easy waves at Cowell’s Beach in Santa Cruz when it’s small.
But when it’s big, it’s known as the ‘Mexican Malibu’, big bottom
turns, messing around on the nose, cut-backs and other longboard
fun. Even the Wanderer was getting some very long and playful
rides, all the way inside the breakwaters. Further inside the
bay is La Lancha, which offers lefts as well as rights. The cool
thing is that La Lancha and the Mexican Malibu are good on opposite
tides, so you can surf one in the morning and the other in the
afternoon. Cowabunga!
Photos Latitude/Richard
What Boat Do the St. Francis YC
Commodores Prefer?
April 12 – San Francisco
It would appear to be the venerable Knarr.
Steve Taft, current commodore of the St. Francis, sails one.
In fact, that’s his hull #122 Gossip leading last weekend’s
San Francisco YC Resin Regatta. Since Taft is the commodore of
the club, Gossip is the club’s Flag Ship. He’s being trailed
in the photo by #102, Terry Anderlini’s Benino. Anderlini
is a Staff Commodore, which means he’s a past commodore. Other
St. Francis commodores who have campaigned Knarrs are Grant Settlemier
and George Sayre.
All the original Knarrs were built of wood,
but now it’s a mixed fleet of wood and fiberglass versions. That’s
why there were wood boats in the San Francisco YC’s Resin Regatta,
and why there will be fiberglass Knarrs in the St. Francis YC’s
upcoming Woodies Regatta. No, nothing is simple anymore. Knarrs
are also popular in the St. Francis Wednesday Night Series. Each
August there’s an International Knarr Championship, but the location
alternates between Denmark and San Francisco Bay. This year it
will be on the Bay.
We also enjoy a clever boat name, and Taft’s Gossip is one of the best. “What’s the significance
of the name, Steve?” “Nothing,” he told us, “gets
around faster than Gossip.”
Photo Latitude/JR
Looking Here, There, and Everywhere
April 12 – San Francisco Bay Area
The latest dock talk is that Oracle Racing, which was unable to
reach an agreement to compete for the 2003 America’s Cup under
the burgee of the St. Francis YC, has been unsuccessful in similar
negotiations with other yacht clubs in California such as the
San Francisco and Richmond Yacht Clubs. Currently, they’re said
to be talking with the Golden Gate YC. There’s no giant rush,
as they have almost another year to align with a club.
Before anybody misreads between the lines
and thinks this means that Larry Ellison and Oracle Racing are
driving a hard bargain and trying to screw people over, that’s
not necessarily the case at all. As we understand it, it’s Ellison’s
goal to make the America’s Cup better than ever, and he feels
– probably rightly so – that the only way to do that is to get
the Cup out of the control of a never-ending succession of yacht
clubs. Yacht clubs, on the other hand, have other interests besides
the America’s Cup. So the failure to reach an agreement so far
doesn’t mean anybody is necessarily a bad guy, just the Oracle
Racing and yacht clubs have different and sometimes conflicting
agendas.
By the way, June 4 is the release day of The Proving Ground, a book by Wall Street Journal
correspondent G. Bruce Knecht, about the disasterous 1999 Sydney
to Hobart Race. Much of the story is told around what happened
aboard Ellison’s Sayonara, as told to the author by Ellison.
A number of Northern California sailors are frequently featured,
including Mark Rudiger and Zan Dredjes. One of our favorite parts
is when they are in the worst of the storm, Sayonara is
deliminating in many places, and the question of survival is very
real:
“When Ellison saw Zan Dredjes pumping
more water from the hull and noticed how bloodshot his eyes were,
Ellison said, ‘What a bunch of dumb shits we are to call this
fun.’
“‘Just you wait,’ Zan said, ‘You’ll
look back on this race with pride, and you’ll be out here again
someday.’
“Ellison didn’t have an audible comment,
but to himself he was adamant: there’s no fucking way I’m ever
going to be out here again.”
Sweet Sailing
April 12 – Newport Harbor
Is there anything more lovely than watching somebody really in
tune with their boat? We don’t think so. Shortly after entering
Newport Harbor last weekend, we came across this person – we’re
not sure if it’s a man or woman – sailing this small sloop. It
was a lovely sight.
Photos Latitude/Richard
West Marine J/Fest
April 12 – San Francisco Bay
Sixty-eight boats sailed in last weekend’s excellent West Marine
J/Fest Regatta, co-hosted by Encinal YC and Sail California.
The windy 2-day, 4-race series attracted big fleets in three
one design classes, but only four boats in PHRF. The sailing
was splendid. Saturday’s second race ended in front of the clubhouse,
and the Saturday night feed/raffle was well worth the trip up
the Estuary.
Class winners were: J/105 – Sails
Call, Ian Charles (33 boats); J/35 – Jarlen,
Bob Bloom (8 boats); J/24 – Tundra Rose, Keith Whittemore
(23 boats); PHRF – Tigger, J/33, The Fennells. See
the May issue of Latitude
38 for complete results and more photos.
Top: Colorful Cityfront parade
Right: Competition in the huge J/105 division
Bottom Left: Close racing among the J/35s
Bottom Right: Kiri, Bob George’s J/35 (in the lead in
this photo) broke her mast at the entrance to the Estuary on
Saturday. Fortunately, her crew was quick to douse sails and
the rig did not come down.
Photos Latitude/JR
YOTREPS
April 12 – The Pacific Ocean and Cyberspace
Who is out making passages in the Pacific
and what kind of weather are they having? Check out YOTREPS –
‘yacht reports’ – at http://www.bitwrangler.com/yotreps/
Looking for current as well as recent wind
and sea readings from 17 buoys and stations between Pt. Arena
and the Mexican border? Here’s the place – which has further links
to weather buoys and stations all over the U.S.: www.ndbc.noaa.gov/stuff/southwest/swstmap.shtml.
