Photos of the Day

May 16 - Europe

Today's Photos of the Day are from the ongoing Challenge Mondial Assistance race from Cherbourg, France, to Rimini on the Adriatic Coast of Italy. This means, of course, that the boats started in northwest France, sailed down to and through the Strait of Gibraltar, and then around the 'boot' of Italy and up to Rimini. The event is for crewed 60-ft trimarans. After last year's Route du Rhum, in which 15 of the 18 tris were knocked out or destroyed by severe weather, it's a little surprising that 12 boats showed up for the start of the Mondial. As is always the case with the 60-footers, it's wild racing and boats get knocked out. For example, Foncia, with Ellen MacArthur as part of the crew, flipped; Belgacom was dismasted; and Gitana has had to drop out permanently due to centerboard problems.

In our opinion, the racing of 60-ft trimarans rates about a 9.9. on the excitement scale. Except for a few odd moments, America's Cup racing usually rates about 1.9. How do you see it?


Photos Courtesy Challenge Mondial Assistance


Freaked Out About Catalina 42s? Don't Be.

May 16 - Caribbean Sea

We recently ran an item in 'Lectronic about a Catalina 42 that suddenly and inexplicably sunk off Kick 'em Jenny in the Caribbean. It was a summary of a piece that had appeared in Yachting World.


Photo Courtesy Garry Willis

Garry Willis, owner of the Marina del Rey based Catalina 42 Breezn, was naturally curious about the details of the incident. What the Yachting World story didn't say was that the boat had suffered a catastrophic fire in Mississippi in 1993, was declared a total loss by Boat/U.S., the insurance company. Judging from the accompanying photo, that was a smart decision. In any event, the boat was bought for salvage for the value of the lead in the keel and then rebuilt by amateurs. So she was clearly damaged goods and was unlike any other Catalina 42 out there. More in the June issue of Latitude 38.


Where Do I Find Crew Like Carla?

May 16 - Aruba

Tim Simmons of Santa Cruz was so taken with Wednesday's photos of Carla, Mike Harker's newly found crew on his Hunter 466 Wanderlust, that he's asked, "Where can I find female crew like her?"

He might start in Namibia, where the 25-year-old chef in training was born. Or South Africa, where she joined an Italian for an Atlantic crossing on a 32-ft cat. Or Brazil, where she hooked up with Fabio, because she refused to doublehand with the Italian anymore. Or Antigua, where Fabio responded to Harker's request for crew, then bailed at the last minute to take a paid crew position on a boat to the Med, leaving Carla to sail with Mike. More in the June issue of Latitude 38, but the bottom line is that unless you're willing take risks to get out there and have adventures, you're not going to have a lot of adventure.


Photo Mike Harker


Oh Mother!

May 16 - Belvedere


Photo Julie

"After three good Sundays of Optimist sailing at Encinal YC the spring session was then moved to San Francisco YC for three Sundays," writes Bob Nagy. "On the Mother's Day session, 21 sailors participated in a variety of conditions. The accompanying photo is of Tanner Nagy, 9, attacking a rogue wave. The wave won. For more photos, visit www.sfbayopti.org."


Team France

May 16 - France and San Francisco

Loïck Peyron and Bertrand Pace - the former primarily a multihull sailor, the latter with much America's Cup experience - have announced the formation of a Team France syndicate to compete for the next America's Cup, probably in 2007. However, they also announced they intend to participate in the America's Cup class racing on San Francisco Bay later this year.


IACCSF Open House Coming Up

May 16 - Treasure Island

Wells Fargo has announced it will sponsor the International America's Cup Class San Francisco (IACCSF), a four-regatta yacht racing series this summer. The Wells Fargo team will compete in USA-11 (formerly Stars & Stripes), a 75-foot yacht that sailed Team Dennis Conner to the 1992 America's Cup finals. The bank will also host the IACCSF Season Launch Party during the season's first event, The Sausalito Cup.

An Open House is scheduled for June 7-8 at the America's Cup Class Yachting Center at Treasure Island, where the yachts are displayed and maintained. The public is invited to tour the center and learn more about the boats and upcoming competition. See also www.iaccsf.com.


Two Yachting Center employees (Will Benedict outside and Rodney Hagebols inside) playing with the hoist.

We'll have more on the IACCSF and the new Yachting Center in the June issue of Latitude 38.


Comparative keel anatomy: NZL 20 has the tandem one above; NZL 14 has the old 'L' one below.


The Yachting Center features a big hoist and four IACC boats, as well as the Farr 40 Peregrine, which looks dinky in comparison.

Photos Latitude/Rob


YOTREPS

May 16 - 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

May 16 - 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.


Top / Index of Stories / Subscriptions / Classifieds / Home

©2003 Latitude 38 Publishing Co., Inc.