---

Photo of the Day February 2 - Pacific Ocean How many seamanship errors can you count in this photo? Photo Latitude/Richard

---

Speaking of Stuff Dragging Behind Boats . . .

February 2 - Atlantic Ocean

If you enjoy cheap thrills, maybe you're one of those who - while hopefully sailing in tropical waters - like to hang on to a line dragging from behind your boat. In fact, we often do this in Mexico with the chute up when it's only blowing two or three knots. During last year's Atlantic Rally for Cruisers, one of the crew of the Swan 68 'Lady in Red' held on to a line behind the boat . . . when it was going 10 knots. Unfortunately, he lost his grip. Fortunately, they were able to recover him. The moral of the lesson is that what's not so dangerous at two knots can be life-threatening at 10 knots.

---

An 'Educational' Tour of Mt. Gay February 2 - Barbados "I first learned about Extra Old when I was on a sailing expedition to Barbados, home of Mt. Gay, back in '95 or '96," writes George Backhus of the Deerfoot 62 'Moonshadow'. "I took an educational tour of the distillery there and had the opportunity to sample some of the end product. I seem to recall a tour guide telling us that the Extra Old had been aged quite a bit longer than the regular rum and that they used ex-Jim Beam barrels that had been dismantled and sent down from the States. This is apparently what gives the rum its darker color and deeper flavor. It is meant to be consumed neat, in a snifter, just as one might enjoy a cognac or single malt scotch whiskey. So save the Coke for the regular stuff. I endeavor to keep a bottle in the party locker for special occasions. I found that it was readily available in the larger liquor stores in the Bay Area, but don't recall seeing it in Mexico. However, I have had no trouble finding it in Australia and larger duty free shops throughout the South Pacific."

The beverage in question Photo Latitude/Richard

---

Racing 628 Miles in 24 Hours! February 2 - The Race in the Southern Ocean Loïck Peyron and Skip Novak on 'Innovation Explorer' have just improved by four miles the previous sailing speed record. Therefore 'Petit Loc' - Loïck's nickname- dispossesses brother Bruno Peyron and the crew of 'Club Med' who set the previous record on June 11, 2000, along the Cadiz/San Salvador route. Meanwhile, 'Club Med' passed through Cook's Strait - during which time Grant Dalton's wife and kids were able to come alongside in a motorboat for several hours - and are now headed for the Horn... at two knots. 'Innovation Explorer' is still creaming along and has made up nearly 200 miles, now trailing by only 650 miles. However, it looks like she's going to make a pit stop for sails and repairs.

Peyron, Nilson and Novak discuss the record. Photo Courtesy Innovation Explorer Club Med passes through Cook's Strait Photo Christophe Favreau

Meanwhile, Back at Multiplast

February 2 - France

While all the big cats - save the dropped out 'PlayStation' - continue to race around the world, Olivier de Kersauson is busy working at Chantier Multiplast in France on a 111-ft trimaran design by Marc van Peteghem and Vincent Lauriot Prevost. She'll be 82 feet wide, which will make finding a berth difficult. De Kersauson, by the way, currently holds the Jules Verne record for the fastest circumnavigation, 71 days 14 hours, which he set in '97 with the 90-ft trimaran 'Sport Elec'. He'll be racing his new tri in the next Jules Verne this coming winter against many of the new maxi cats. The Frenchman prefers tris to cats because they have less wetted surface and are therefore faster in winds up to about 18 knots. De Kersauson also hopes to compete in a TransPac.

---

YOTREPS

February 2 - 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 www.bitwrangler.com/yotreps/

---

Weather Updates

February 2 - Pacific Ocean

San Francisco Bay Weather

To see what the winds are like on the Bay and just outside the Gate right now, check out http://sfports.wr.usgs.gov/wind/.

California Coast Weather

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.

Pacific Ocean Weather

Today's University of Hawaii Department of Meteorology satellite was not available again this morning. You can try it yourself at http://lumahai.soest.hawaii.edu/cgi-bin/satview.cgi?sat=g10&region=hus&channel=uI4&anim=no&size=large.

Pacific Sea State

Check out the Pacific Ocean sea states at: http://www.mpc.ncep.noaa.gov/RSSA/PacRegSSA.html.
For another view, see http://www.oceanweather.com/data/global.html.