'Lectronic Index

Previous 'Lectronic Edition

Photo of the Day: Dead Sea Cruiser Chic

June 18 - Dead Sea, Israel

(Click on the photo to enlarge it.)
Left to right: Tom, Liz and a friend experiment with mud therapy.
Photo Courtesy Feel Free
© 2007 Latitude 38 Publishing, Inc.

One of the coolest things about cruising is having experiences that you never would have imagined at the outset of your trip. For Canadian cruisers (and occasional Latitude 38 contributors) Tom Morkin and Liz Tosoni one such experience was taking a theraputic mud bath recently along the banks of the Dead Sea.

Having set sail from Thailand in January aboard their Spencer 51 Feel Free, they crossed the Indian Ocean, transited the Red Sea and the Suez Canal. Although they greatly enjoyed their visit to Israel - mud bath and all - frequently hearing bomb blasts in the Gaza Strip while moored at Ashkelon Marina was "a little unnerving." Look for articles on Tom and Liz' travels in upcoming issues of Latitude 38.

- latitude / at

Cup Half Full

June 18 - San Francisco

It appears that West Coast racers have a bad case of Hawaii race fever. (Really, who can blame them?) Not only is next month's TransPacific Yacht Race looking at its second highest number of entries ever, 76 (see last Friday's Lectronic and the July issue of Latitude 38 for more on that), but the 2008 Pacific Cup from San Francisco to Kaneohe is gaining momentum - fast! The start of the 15th edition of the 'fun race to Hawaii' is more than a year away, but a whopping 47 boats have already signed up. With race entries limited by space constraints at Kaneohe YC, Pacific Cup YC board member Michael Moradzadeh isn't kidding when he says the cup is half full.

Pac Cup entries to date run the gamut, from fully-crewed racer/cruisers like the Schumacher 50 Morpheus and the Seattle-based Barnett 56 Kyrnos (both back for their third race) to a couple of doublehanded Moore 24s. Several eager owners like Mark Yamron and Antony Barran have entered boats that haven't yet touched water. There's even talk among Express 27 owners of organizing a one design fleet for the race. The strong early interest is thanks to a mammoth effort from the PCYC board to add new sparkle to the race and spread the good news. New for 2008 are a new co-organizer (the Storm Trysail Club), a new trophy (for the best-performing team of three boats from a single yacht club), and a revised notice of race. Information about all is available on the new PCYC Web site, www.pacificcup.org.

If you're still on the fence, Corinthian YC will host a panel of Pac Cup and TransPac race veterans on Thursday, June 21 at 7 p.m. where you can hear tips and tricks from those who've done it all before. Details at www.cyc.org/speakers.

- latitude / ss

Help Wanted Ad: West Marine VP Marketing

June 18 - Watsonville

West Marine is looking for a creative and innovative CRM savvy VP of Marketing/Chief Marketing Officer to be a member of the Executive Committee of West Marine, which is responsible for the strategy and execution of initiatives that drive long and short term growth. This person will work closely with our dynamic team of senior leaders to develop and implement marketing strategies aligning the company's brand, products, and multi-channel business with key segments of boating.

Significant boating and marketing experience is essential.

If you want to work in a fun and challenging environment and align your love of boating with your vocation, or know someone who fits the bill, please email Becky Stein.

Alligator in the Delta? Crikey!

June 18 - Rio Vista

A motorist who had stopped to stretch his legs near Rio Vista got a bit of a surprise over the weekend. Turns out the small alligator he spotted in the reeds wasn't an inflatable publicity 'plant' for Isleton's Crawdad Festival. It was the real thing. Several phone pictures and phone calls later, amused police had cordoned off the area and slightly unsure Fish and Game officials snagged the little 4-ft gator. It wasn't quite the theatrcial caliber of the late Steve Irwin jumping aboard a feisty 12-footer to lash its jaws shut, but good press nonetheless. The little gator, which was likely a cast-off pet, was brought to the wildlife investigations lab in Rancho Cordova where it was found to be in excellent health and where, at last report, "They hope to find it a home," presumably a zoo or wildlife reserve.

For what it's worth, although an alligator would probably do fine in the Delta during the summer, the general feeling among experts is that it would likely not survive the cold winter.

- latitude / jr

Leopard Is Sailing

June 18 - The Solent, UK

Leopard, Mike Slade's new 98-ft Farr designed canting keel all-out racing machine, went sailing for the first time yesterday on The Solent, having arrived in parts from builder McConaghy in Australia just three weeks before. Skipper Chris Sherlock reports that all went well, and that she's entered in the Around the Island (Isle of Wight) Race this weekend. Slade has owned a series of large sailing yachts, including the Farr-designed maxi Longobarda, which he brought to the St. Francis Big Boat Series years ago, and more recently, the R/P 92 Leopard of London.

Leopard is an all-out racing - and chartering - machine.
Graphic Courtesy Leopard
© 2007 Latitude 38 Publishing, Inc.

Slade plans to enter Leopard in many of the world's great racing events, but she'll also be available for charter too. Antigua Sailing Week 2008 anyone?

- latitude / rs

Are You a Witness?

June 18 - Sausalito

We've received the following request for help from a Sausalito boat owner whose boat caught fire on Memorial Day weekend. "My 30-ft classic wooden powerboat exploded and burned in the Sausalito anchorage on May 27. If you witnessed any part of this - the explosion, fire or ambulance, etc. from the shore or water - and/or have pictures of any of it, please email me."

We hope to have his full story in the July issue of Latitude 38.

- latitude / ld

Did Somebody Say "Tahiti Race"?

June 18 - Two Harbors, Catalina

We were out at Catalina about 10 days ago, passed Bob Lane, owner of Medicine Man, and his crew having dinner at the Reef Restrauarnt, and overheard somebody saying something about a TransPac YC race to Tahiti next June. There's no official word, but officials are wondering how serious the interest is. "It's time," seems to be the sentiment of many, as the race hasn't been held in many years. The current record, about 14 days from L.A., is considered to be a marshmallow.

The TransPacific YC is currently so busy getting ready for next month's big race to Hawaii, that they're asking everyone interested in the Tahiti race to "contact Lane directly."

- latitude / rs