'Lectronic Index

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Photo of the Day: Don't Let the Holidays Get You Down

December 20 - Mill Valley

The holidays can be stressful - hang in there!
Photo Latitude/JR

The elves are working feverishly, both the ones up North and the ones in our editorial offices, to complete their tasks before the big day. Our big day is tomorrow, when we ship the January issue to the printer. Then we have the luxury of three whole shopping days until Santa's big day. 'Smooth sailing' is not exactly our state of mind at this time of year. In fact, when we came across this photo from the Big Boat Series, it seemed to say it all.

Speaking of holidays, this seems like a good time to mention that 'Lectronic Latitude will be on vacation December 25 and 27, and January 1. Latitude 38 world headquarters in marvelous Mill Valley will be closed December 25 and 26, and January 1.

- latitude / jr & cw

The Dog, the Cat and the Wife

December 20 - Sausalito

We received the following desperate plea for help from Tom Turner who was hoping our female readership might be able to help him. "Your response in December's Letters to Liesbet Collaert that you would have given the dogs away long before you'd sell your cat is very interesting," Tom writes. "What about a wife? My wife and I bought a 50-ft boat that we keep in Sausalito. I have fallen in love all over again (from my childhood) with being on the water, yet my wife hates it. We've even spent a couple of weeks on our friend's Nordhavn 57 in and around Vancouver and La Paz - how can it get much better? I'm not willing to sell the boat . . . so, like I said, I found your response to Liesbet Collaert interesting. Any seaworthy ladies have any advice for me? Can she be converted?"

- tom turner, 'third step', sausalito

Advertisement: Coast Guard Licensing in Sausalito

December 20 - Sausalito

Modern Sailing Academy will be offering a licensing course for the OUPV ('Six Pack') and 100-ton Master licenses in Sausalito starting on January 6.

The classes will take place on weekends and weeknights - click here for details: http://modernsailing.com/oupv.html or call Mollie Hagar at (800) 995-1668.

ARC Shots

December 20 - St. Lucia

Our friends Lance Batten and Susie Bowman of the Berkeley-based Beneteau 40 Eaux Vives (check out their Web site at www.accidentalcruiser.com) have been stationed on the finish line of the Atlantic Cruisers Rally and are getting some great shots, not to mention stories. They've proposed to the race committee the following special awards, which we think are priceless:

Classiest Finish to Adeia:

Adeia saw a non-ARC boat dismasted while nearing the finish line at Pigeon Island. Stopping and helping to stabilize the boat and then providing them with a tow into the marina, Adeia showed the class of true cruisers and sailors.

Bristol Finish to Tomahawk:

Tomahawk wins in this category not only for its spit and polish in the finest British yachting tradition but also for eschewing the unseemly whooping, hollering and carrying-on exhibited by other boats. Also, their shorts are still white.

Monty Python Flying Finish to Om Shanti:
The only thing that could have improved this finish line crossing would be a juggling act. Or maybe a unicycle. It definitely looked a little like the clown car with ever more people emerging from below.

Bezerkeley Finish to CharMel:
Tom Miller and his crew basically treated the ARC as one long fishing trip. They baffled the German-speaking finish line crew when they radioed in to find out how long after sunrise to wait to cross the finish line so the shore side celebration would be ready as they wanted "the full Monty." The finish line crew were trying to figure out "vat iss Monty" when they started rattling off a prodigious list of fish they had caught on the crossing. (Incidentally, Berkeley-based CharMel appears to be the only West Coast ARC entry.)

- latitude / ld

Ixnay on the Ahahay

December 20 - Tiburon

We were surprised to learn that Ha-Ha Head Honcho Lauren Spindler has already received the first request for an entry packet for the 2007 Baja Ha-Ha Cruisers Rally. "We've barely had time to unpack from this year's event," Ms. Spindler said, "much less organize next year's. The Ha-Ha is officially in hibernation until May 1." Don't worry, when entry packets become available, you'll be the first to hear about right here on 'Lectronic.

- latitude / ld