'Lectronic Index

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Photo of the Day

January 15 - Isla Isabella, Mexico

Photo Courtesy Niki Wiki

Jonesy and Terry Morris of the Chula Vista-based Gulfstar Sailmaster 50 Niki Wiki had trouble getting their anchor to hold during a recent visit to Isla Isabella. Can you spot the reason why? If you have an interesting anchoring tale from this season, we'd like to hear about it.

- latitude / rs

No Wind Situation

January 15 - Berkeley

E-Mark action on the Circle. Mother Nature definitely hit the 'slow mo' button this past weekend.
Photo Latitude/JR

Bright sun, bracing temperatures and diamond-clear skies on Saturday and Sunday made for a spectacular weekend on local ski slopes. However, if you wanted to race sailboats, a dearth of wind made conditions less than stellar on the water. Nevertheless, 83 boats showed up for the Berkeley YC Midwinter races on Saturday, with another 36 for the separately-scored Sunday race. Both series are raced on the Olympic Circle. Winds in the 2-5 knot range for most of Saturday were enough to get boats around the course on Saturday, some just barely. Mark AOC also presented a challenge to some deeper-draft boats, as there's not a lot of water there. A lot of folks just packed it in early and motored home. Slightly more breeze appeared on Sunday (5-11 knots), with less attrition.

Results for both days are currently posted at the BYC Web site: www.berkeleyyc.org.

Meanwhile, over toward Angel Island, the RegattaPro fleets experienced similar watch-the-paint-peel action. While the racing itself wasn't too exciting, with so little 'wind chill', some brave souls stripped down to the bare essentials and worked on their tans.

If you can't work the boat, work the tan.
Photo Peter Lyons/lyonsimaging.com

See www.regattapro.com for results.

- latitude / jr

The J/120 fleet in a blazing reach in hot RegattaPro action.
Photo Latitude/JR

Corinthian Midwinters this Weekend

January 15 - Tiburon

Hopefully next weekend will have more wind, as the biggest, possibly best, definitely partyingest Midwinter Series of the season comes to Tiburon on January 20-21 and February 17-18. The NOR and entry form are available at http://cyc.org/race/midwins.shtml. The deadline to enter is this Friday, January 19.

"Every year like clockwork, on the third full weekend of January and February, CYC Midwinters kick into high gear," says our correspondent at CYC. "An astonishing 150 boats sign up for this not-to-be-missed festival of racing, music, food, fun and friends. Save the dates and a spot on your mantle for those oh-so-precious Midwinter glasses!"

The coveted Aotea Team Trophy goes to the team from a single yacht club, consisting of three boats in different divisions, that performs the best relative to their divisions. To form teams, check out the roster at http://cyc.org/race/midwins.shtml.

Besides entries, the Corinthian is also looking for race committee volunteers (membership not required). See http://cyc.org/race/racing.shtml to sign up.

- latitude / cw

New Photo Gallery Feature

January 15 - Mill Valley

The exciting developments just keep coming here at Latitude 38 HQ. The latest feature added to our ever-expanding Web site is a new Photo Gallery, this month featuring the start of Baja Ha-Ha Lucky 13. These boat portraits were taken from a real helicopter by award-winner photographer Annie Bates-Winship, our imaging guru. Check 'em out at www.latitude38.com/gallery.html.

Puddle Jump Kickoff Parties Announced

January 15 - Puerto Vallarta & Zihuatanejo, Mexico

As most Left Coast sailors know, the annual migration of cruisers from Mexico to French Polynesia has been going on for decades. But it was just 10 years ago next month that we dubbed that 3,000-mile crossing the Pacific Puddle Jump, and began acknowledging those who were about to attempt that ambitious passage with an annual kickoff party in Puerto Vallarta, followed up by an article in Latitude 38 with profiles and photos of each boat's crew.

In recent years, the fleet of would-be Puddle Jumpers has been split between P.V. and Zihuatanejo (due to the popularity of Zihua Sailfest). So this year, for the first time, we'll hold Puddle Jump Parties at both locations. All bona fide Puddle Jumpers are welcome to attend (but no posers, please):

In P.V.: Monday, February 26, at Vallarta YC, Nuevo Vallarta, 2pm-5pm

In Zihua: Thursday, March 1, at Rick's Bar, Downtown Zihua, 2pm-5pm

- latitude / aet