Photo Jim Corenman

Photo of the Day

March 22 - Banderas Bay, Mexico

Today's Photo of the Day is from Jim and Sue Corenman, who were down in Banderas Bay to sail aboard the Sundeer 64 Raven in the Banderas Bay Regatta. They caught this photo of Dorr Anderson's J/37 Blue Heron, showing the style that allowed her to do horizon jobs of the rest of her class in all three races. Actually, the 67-year-old Anderson is a fine and active sailor. He's retired up at Lake Chapala and makes the four-hour drive to his boat in Puerto Vallarta about twice a month. He's about to bring Blue Heron back to San Diego for sale, however, as he's purchased a new Sunfast 40.

Windy Spring One Design

March 22 - San Francisco

St. Francis Yacht Club's Spring One Design Regatta wrapped up three back-to-back weekends of invitationals, which began with the Spring Keel, followed by the Spring Dinghy Regatta. This past weekend's racing was the windiest, with 25-30 knots on Saturday. You might even think these photos were taken on a summer day. Results are posted at www.stfyc.org, and pick up the March issue of Latitude 38, where the triumvirate will be featured in Race Sheet, a week from today.


The Beneteau 40.7 Wired


The Express 37 Melange


Twist, a J/120


J/105s were here, there and everywhere.


See photo caption above.


The crew of Night Train wanted a better view of Alcatraz, so they tipped the boat over.

Photos Latitude/Rob

Orange Three Days Ahead of Record Pace

March 22 - Southern Ocean

With a third of their Jules Verne attempt completed, Bruno Peyron and crew aboard the maxi-cat Orange have a three day lead on the current record, and continue to move along at about 500 miles a day. Last night they had some of their worst weather, 45 knots of wind while crossing abeam of the Cape of Good Hope. The seas and driving were very difficult, and they switched between a reefed main and a storm spinnaker and a more conservative reefed main and headsail. They know they have the speed, they just need to keep the boat together. Their next waypoint is south of Australia, 4,000 miles away.


Photo Orange Crew

How Fast Are Production Cruising Cats?

March 22 - New York

As a catamaran owner, we're often disgusted about the ridiculous speed claims made by some multihull sailors, and by their lame excuses for slow times. So here's something really great. The folks at Catana are sending a top flight French crew aboard a stock Catana 582 from New York to France to see how fast they can do it. They are being aided by a weather router. They left New York last night in decent conditions . . . that soon went to hell. "It's cold, it's rough, and it's raining," they report. It's also been blowing as hard as 50 knots, so they've been sailing with a triple-reefed main and a partially furled Solent. Despite the crappy conditions, they've hit 29 knots - we are impressed! - and are averaging about 10 knots.


Saint Nicolas de Sauzon III
Photo Courtesy Catana

Catana hopes that their boat can cover the 2,925-mile course at better than 11.92 knots, which is the speed Eric Taberly did it in 20 years ago with the foiler trimaran Paul Ricard to beat Charlie Barr's legendary recording with the schooner America. If they do, they'll be doing it in style, as the stock boat is equipped with air conditioning, a washer and dryer, wood paneling, leather upholstery, and the like.

We think this is a totally cool stunt, and salute Catana for not just talking the talk, but walking the walk. For updates, visit www.catana-live.com.

More Banderas Bay Photos

March 22 - Banderas Bay, Mexico

Because of a lack of space and too much other Mexico coverage, our Banderas Bay Regatta feature will not appear in Latitude 38 until the May issue. But here's some people and boat photos to hold you over.

Photos Latitude/Richard 

Marina Puesta del Sol to Open in Nicaragua

March 22 - Nicaragua

Twenty years ago, there was bad blood - and lots of blood spilled - between the U.S. and the Sandinistas in Nicaragua. It's changed. In fact, many Sandinistas from the village of Sandino, the heartland of the revolution movement, are now helping build a marina for Robert Membreno of San Diego. It's a great place, with great goals - read about it in the April 1 Latitude 38 - and no, it's no April Fool's Day joke.

YOTREPS

March 22 - 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/

Weather Updates

March 22 - 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/. The National Weather Service site for San Francisco Bay has moved to www.wrh.noaa.gov/Monterey/.

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 Winds and Pressure

The University of Hawaii Dept. of Meteorology page posts a daily map of the NE Pacific Ocean barometric pressure and winds.

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.

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