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Photo of the DayDecember 30 - Dudley Gaman writes, "After seeing the picture on December 4th's 'Lectronic Latitude of the Atlantic swell, I couldn't miss the similarities to a picture my wife Teresa took last July just before we rounded Point Conception on our southward voyage to the Channel Islands on our Catalina 36, Kia Orana." |
 Photo Teresa Gaman |
Jelik Sinks in South China SeaDecember 30 - Thailand Don Radcliffe, originally from Santa Cruz, is in Thailand aboard the Beneteau 456 Klondike, and notified us of sad news from that part of the world: "Just heard on the radio today that Jelik lost its keel and sank about 200 miles out of Manila in heavy weather on the way back from the King's Cup to Hong Kong. The crew all took to life rafts and were quickly picked up by a freighter.  "I'll try to pass on more details when I get them. The King's Cup press material said Jelik was a Wylie 77, but it doesn't look much like the Wylie designs we know." Jelik is indeed a Wylie, built by Schooner Creek in Portland. |
Sydney to Hobart RaceDecember 30 - Hobart, Tasmania There we were, enjoying a few days off after the Christmas rush, and the Rolex Sydney Hobart 2002 came and went. The fleet left Sydney Harbour, Australia, on December 26, and, apart from two retirements at the start, all 55 yachts have completed the 630 nm passage, finishing in Hobart on the Derwent River. Alfa Romeo, a Reichel/Pugh 90 from New South Wales, took line honors. Quest, a Nelson Marek 46 also from NSW, won overall on corrected time. Benign weather conditions prevailed this year, so the only major damage in the sometimes brutal race was caused by the racers themselves. The two entries which retired soon after the start were involved in separate collisions with other yachts. A collision between the Sydney yacht Loki and the Queensland yacht Trumpcard resulted in the retirement of Trumpcard. A collision between the French/Australian entry Peugeot Racing and the Tasmanian boat Valheru saw Valheru also forced to retire after a crew member was thrown into the water and the yacht was seriously damaged. Loki and Peugeot Racing have been disqualified.  Aspect sails off into the sunset |
 Alfa Romeo was first over the line.  The smaller Quest corrected out to first place. Photo Daniel Forster Check out the Web site for more photos and stories. |
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The Christmas Goose ControversyDecember 30 - Auckland, NZ The America's Cup controversy this Christmas was over a goose.  The 'Goose' Photo Franck Socha/Louis Vuitton Cup The America's Cup International Jury has issued a ruling prohibiting the use of radar or laser range finders on board the yachts during racing. The ruling is a response to questions about the use of radar on Cup yachts following the appearance of a device on board Oracle BMW Racing, nicknamed the 'Goose'. Oracle BMW have never confirmed what it is or does. OneWorld, which raced Oracle BMW in the just-completed Louis Vuitton Cup semi-final repechage, believed the device was a form of radar, which could be used to lock on to a competitor's yacht and gauge its performance during racing. The ruling comes as something of a surprise in that laser range finders have been a common piece of equipment on America's Cup yachts for more than a decade. Radar, however, has not been used. The Jury has prepared a draft document for CORM, the remaining challengers and the Defender to consider. The draft document approves the carrying of laser range-finders, radar and related equipment and suggests restrictions on their use. Read Ivor Wilkins' complete story at www.louisvuittoncup.yahoo.com/story1575.html. |
January Latitude and 2003 YRA Calendar Hit the StreetsDecember 30 - The 2003 Northern California Sailing Calendar and YRA Schedule is being dropped off today at Bay Area yacht clubs and marine businesses along with the January issue of Latitude 38. And it's going out in the mail to more locations outside our regular truck route delivery areas. If you're a member of the YRA, their office will mail you one. If not, pick one up quick, as they're likely to go fast! |
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YOTREPSDecember 30 - The Pacific Ocean and Cyberspace Who is out making passages in the Pacific and what kind of weather are they having? The YOTREPS daily yacht tracking page has moved to www.bitwrangler.com/psn. |
Weather UpdatesDecember 30 - Pacific Ocean San Francisco Bay WeatherTo see what the winds are like on the Bay and just outside the Gate right now, check out http://sfports.wr.usgs.gov/wind. The National Weather Service site for San Francisco Bay is at www.wrh.noaa.gov/Monterey. California Coast WeatherLooking 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/Maps/Southwest.shtml. Pacific Winds and PressureThe University of Hawaii Dept. of Meteorology page posts a daily map of the NE Pacific Ocean barometric pressure and winds. Pacific Sea StateCheck out the Pacific Ocean sea states
at: http://www.mpc.ncep.noaa.gov/RSSA/PacRegSSA.html.
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