Photos of the Day: Pacific SAIL EXPO

April 28 - Oakland

One of the most interesting things we saw was this Ray Marine flat screen display on which you could watch your chart plotter, radar, GPS and TV - all at the same time if you wanted.

Diana Jessie was at the show to publicize her new book. Unfortunately, all she had to do it with was a cover, as the complete books were still in the bindery.

If you've cruised to Mexico, you've read Charlie Wood's Charlie's Charts. Charlie passed away years ago, but Margo Wood keeps the tradition - and the cruising guides - alive.

Despite at least a little bit of rain almost everyday, and a less than raging economy in Northern California, exhibitors seemed very pleased with the show. Nobody was saying it was gangbusters like it was in the late '90s, but lots of boats and other gear were sold. This despite the fact that Sunday had conflicts - such as Opening Day on the Bay, the Ensenada Race, the NBA playoffs, and the Giants losing a no-hitter.

The Grand Poobah would also like to thank everyone who attended the standing-room-only Baja Ha-Ha Seminar on Friday afternoon. Don't you people have jobs? In any event, we hope you don't have them this fall, as we'd like to have you along on the Ha-Ha. Details will be announced in the May issue of Latitude 38, to hit the streets starting this Friday, May 2. You'll also find more coverage of Pacific SAIL EXPO in there.

Lightning Strikes in Ensenada for the Second Year in a Row

April 28 - Ensenada, Baja California

Earlier this week Tom Leweck, founder and editor of Scuttlebutt, told us he wasn't going to do this year's Tommy Bahama Newport to Ensenada Race - "the largest international yacht race in the world" - because last year's record setting conditions couldn't possibly be bettered. Having sailed on Locomotion, he told us he not only covered the 125-mile course, but also had time to party and make it all the way back to his Marina del Rey home in less than 24 hours. Leweck is probably kicking himself today, because Friday's 56th annual Ensenada Race - featuring 461 entries - turned out to be the fastest in history.

Afterburner in action
Photo Courtesy Bill Gibbs

Although it was only blowing five knots at the start, two big monohulls set the pace - Roy Disney's R/P 77 Pyewacket, which has set records all over the world, and Dick Compton's just-out-of-the-box-last-week-from-Dencho Andrew 77 New Alchemy. By 4 p.m., however, Bill Gibbs' 52-ft catamaran Afterburner from Ventura passed Pyewacket, then New Alchemy, hitting speeds of up to 23.5 knots in just 17 knots of true wind. Having pulled a horizon job on even the fastest monohulls, Gibbs was forced to sail the final miles under main and jib, as dropping the new cuben fiber spinnaker somehow caused the bowsprit to be pretzeled. Nonetheless, Afterburner finished in 9 hours and 40 minutes - over a 12 knot average.

It wasn't until near the end at Todos Santos Island that Pyewacket managed to overhaul New Alchemy, but they did, finishing in 10 hours and 44 minutes, a new monohull record. Overall winner was Valkyrie, Don Albright's 30-year-old Cal 25. We don't know who finished second, but Dennis Conner sailed his new Cal 40 Persephone to third overall and first in class. And what a class, as no less than 20 of the 40-year-old Cal 40s competed.

For results and other details, visit www.nosa.org.

That Sinking Feeling

April 28 - San Francisco Bay

"Coming back from the OYRA race to Half Moon Bay on Sunday," writes Ken Pimentel of the Beneteau 42s7 Remedy, "we were approaching Sausalito when we saw what we thought was a large kayak with some people hanging on to it. As we approached, we realized it was a small sailboat (20 to 25-ft?) with 5 or 6 people clinging and swimming around it.

Photo Ken Pimentel

"A couple of people had lifejackets on; the rest didn't. They seemed to be young adults from 15 to 25 years old. We furled our jib and rushed over, but a sailboat and a powerboat were circling before we got there and reported them on the radio. We couldn't see how we could reduce the confusion, so we headed off as even more boats approached the scene. The weather at the time was overcast and blowing 10 to 15 knots. They were midway between Sausalito and Belvedere. As we sailed off, my reporter's instinct finally kicked in and I took a few pictures from quite a distance. Maybe someone will give you the story behind it."

The incident in question appears to us to be going down off Angel Island in the 'Knox' area. If anyone knows the particulars, they can be emailed to us.

Gentlemen, Start Your Livers

April 28 - Antigua

Close to 200 yachts started the 36th running of Antigua Sailing Week yesterday. That means a lot of livers are already in pain. Oh, how we wish we were there!

YOTREPS

April 28 - 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 Updates

April 28 - 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 is at 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/Maps/Southwest.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 views of sea states anywhere in the world, see http://www.oceanweather.com/data.