June 1, 2001

Photo of the Day June 1 – Hiva Oa, Marquesas Garth Wilcox and Wendy Hinman, of the Seattle-based Wylie 31 Velella, sent us this shot of Hiva Oa in the Marquesas. The couple just completed the 2,800-mile crossing in less than 23 days – not bad for a not-light 31-footer. They sailed all the way, too. The photograph is interesting, because we can identify several boats that we raced against at the Banderas Bay Regatta in late March. Small boats may not be fast, but they do get around. Here are some of the facts on Garth and Wendy’s crossing: Average wind speed: 8 knots. Average boat speed: 5 knots. Highest boat speed: 10.2 knots. Lowest boat speed: 0.0. (Are you surprised?) Average daily run: 118 miles. Highest daily run: 167 miles. Lowest daily run: 56 miles. Highlight: Mid-ocean rendezvous with sailing vessel Queen Jane, passing books and ice-cold Cokes and ice across the water via a boathook in dry bags. Would the couple do a passage like this again? “Absolutely, yes!”

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Part of Team Phillips Is Spotted

June 1 – Atlantic Ocean

Up until yesterday, the last time anybody had seen Pete Goss’
radical maxi cat, Team Phillips, was December 19, some
650 miles west of Ireland. She had been abandoned in terrible
sea conditions a week before during testing for the then-upcoming
Race Around the World. One of Team Phillips’ bows was spotted
yesterday off the Irish coast by the Norwegian seismic survey
vessel Geo-Pacific. It was not recovered.

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Prada
Back in Tuscany

June 1 – Punta Ala, Italy

Team Prada – an early favorite for the next America’s Cup along
with Oracle Racing and the Swiss – report that they have just
unloaded Luna Rossa and the former Young America
in Italy, having been two-boat sailing in the Hauraki Gulf until
just six weeks ago. Prada is now back home at their base at Punta
Ala, a secluded village to the northwest of Rome. Skipper Francesco
de Angelis and crew will be putting the boats back together again
for two months of intense training and data collection before
going to Cowes, England, in August for the America’s Cup Jubilee.
By mid-September, the boats and crew will be back in New Zealand
for more training. More information and photos are available at
www.prada-americascup.com.

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Loreto Fest 2001

June 1 – Puerto Escondido, BCS

The sixth annual Loreto Fest – held at Puerto Escondido from May
17th through the 20th – attracted a record number of 170 cruising
boats. “Cruisers, former cruisers and wannabe cruisers gathered
to celebrate the lifestyle and the approaching skinny dipping
season in the Sea of Cortez,” report Dennis and Paula of
the Cal 31 Backstreets. “‘Looking Good and Feeling
Fine’ – a saying made famous by Peetie of Vela – was the
theme this year. Peetie and her husband Bob are founders and charter
members of the Hidden Port YC. Both Peetie and Bob will be 80
years young this year. The Fest was dedicated to this wonderful
couple, and their birthday was recognized by 350 cruisers singing
‘Happy Birthday’ and sharing an enormous cake. They live on the
beach but continue to cruise their sailboat to local islands.”
More on Loreto Fest as soon as the photos arrive.

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Great
Atlantic Gear Test

June 1 – St. Lucia, Windward Islands

At the end of last year’s Atlantic Rally for Cruisers, Yachting
World magazine
conducted a survey of 197 skippers to find what worked and what
didn’t work. The results are in their June issue. The Top Ten
‘Most Popular Equipment’? Autopilot, GPS, Radar, HF radio, fridge/freezer,
diesel generator, watermaker, chart plotter, self-steering vane
and Inmarsat C. The ‘Most Useful Equipment’? GPS autopilot, watermaker,
generator and fridge/freezer. The ‘Least Reliable’? Autopilots.
When your ‘most popular’ is also the ‘least reliable’, you know
there’s going to be trouble. But check it out, as it’s full of
great information.

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In
the Wake of Ellen MacArthur

June 1 – Great Britain

Thanks in no small part to the success of Ellen MacArthur, Emma
Richards and Miranda Merron, a couple of excellent British women
sailors, have secured sponsorship of $3 million for the next three
years. They’ll be building an Open 60 similar to MacArthur’s Kingfisher.

Photos from Last Weekend June 1 – San Francisco Bay Aground off Crissy Field Adventure Cat with a full load Photos Latitude/Richard

A catboat sailing to weather up Raccoon Strait The Swan 61 Hasty Heart in the North Bay

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YOTREPS

June 1 – 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/

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Weather Updates

June 1 – 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 Sea State

Seas are normal in the Pacific. But you
might 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.