Announcing the Delta Doo Dah 3D
© Latitude 38 Media, LLC
After last month’s seemingly incessant rains, thoughts of many Bay Area sailors turned to sunnier locales. For some, Mexico or Hawaii came to mind. For others, it was the Delta — and specifically the Delta Doo Dah, a fun little local rally we started a couple years ago to encourage folks to explore their own backyard. The event has proven very popular over its first two runnings — last year, all 50 spots were spoken for in just 12 hours — and for good reason: our hosts go above and beyond to welcome Doo Dah’ers in style, our sponsors supply loads of swag, and the participants themselves really know how to have a good time!
© Latitude 38 Media, LLC
© Latitude 38 Media, LLC
Which is why we’re so excited to announce that registration for the Delta Doo Dah 3D is officially open UPDATE: After just 30 minutes, the 50-boat roster is full! The rally unofficially starts on Friday, July 29, with an evening skippers’ meeting at Berkeley YC, but truly gets rolling the following morning when the fleet sails under the Richmond Bridge around 11:30. That afternoon, Vallejo YC will greet the fleet with a party that’s rumored to include a live band. Owl Harbor is the next stop on the itinerary, followed by the ever-popular Bethel Island beach party hosted by Boyd’s Harbor and Peter Yates. The fleet will have three free days to explore on their own before meeting up once again at Stockton Sailing Club on Friday, August 5 for the final Doo Dah Hoopla Party.
© Latitude 38 Media, LLC
The event costs just $59 per boat and includes moorage at all of the host facilities, a burgee and a T-shirt (you can order more shirts during registration — check out the DDD News page for what it’ll look like — and some cool hats will soon be available for order). Before signing up, please read the event’s Notice of Rally, and make sure you and your crew really can take off for the week of July 30-August 5 — there are no refunds! With only 50 spots available on the roster, we expect the list to fill quickly, but don’t despair if you get a ‘Registration is closed’ message as we always have last-minute cancellations — last year every person on the waiting list was offered a space. And even if you can’t make the Doo Dah, everyone’s welcome to drop by our online forum for some great discussions on cruising the Delta.
It’s gonna be hot!
UPDATE: After just 30 minutes, the 50-boat roster is full!
© Latitude 38 Media, LLC
Seeing the Bigger Picture
We’re not much on heroes of any sort, but the individual who comes closest to fitting that description for us is Frances Joyon, the soft-spoken, semi-reclusive, and universally-admired French soul sailor who has astounded sailing experts with his singlehanded around-the-world and transoceanic exploits, and who is the current owner of the singlehanded around-the-world record. Back in ’08, Joyon sailed his trimaran IDEC II around the world in 57 days — just a few days longer than the crewed around-the-world record. Typical of Joyon is what he had to say about Thomas Coville’s attempt — aboard the 105-ft trimaran Sodeb’O — at the record attempt that wrapped up last Thursday, which fell short of Joyon’s record by 3.5 days:
"In a world where oil escaped from the sea bed for weeks on end offshore of New Orleans, a world where nuclear power stations are throwing out radioactive clouds, and where seawater has been irradiated to the extent that it has damaged life for generations to come, Thomas Coville has proven, through his journey around the world under sail, that natural energies aren’t lacking in strength.
©2011 Latitude 38 Media, LLC
"The fact that he hasn’t beaten the ’round-the-world record isn’t the most important thing. The key to this journey is that our circumnavigations of the globe, in crewed as well as solo configuration, have been more effective under sail than under power.
"Right now, no boat powered by an engine has managed to circumnavigate the globe as quickly as we do under sail, due to their weight and range associated with the massive amount of fuel required aboard.
"If our sailboats could influence the upcoming decisions about energy, which are both vital and urgent, they could help us understand that the only way forward is free of pollution, CO² and radiation, using natural energies: the wind, the current and the sun. Congratulations to Thomas for this fast, damage-free journey across the ocean."
Find It All at Strictly Sail Pacific
Bay Area sailors should consider themselves lucky for all sorts of reasons, not the least of which is because every April our Bay hosts the biggest sail-only boat show in the West: Strictly Sail Pacific, slated for April 14-17 this year.
Our rebounding economy and the America’s Cup’s arrival seem to have pumped up the enthusiasm for this year’s event, as the roster of vendors and special activities has expanded substantially.
As you’ll learn when you peruse the Show Planner that’s bound into the April edition of Latitude 38 magazine, the wealth of products you can expect to find at the show ranges from blocks and shackles to brand new cruising yachts, and just about everything in between. And, as always, you can be sure that the staff working the booths really know their stuff. In fact, in many cases a given product’s inventor will be on site and accessible to share tips and advice. And most sellers offer special boat show prices as incentives to buy on the spot.
Another strong argument for attending at least one day is to access the wit and wisdom of dozens of experts who will be giving free hourly seminars throughout the show on a broad range of topics — everything from galley tips to racing tactics. Speaking of which, we’ll be offering a little wit and wisdom ourselves at our Baja Ha-Ha seminars (Friday and Saturday at 2:15 ), and our Pacific Puddle Jump seminar (Saturday at 3:30).
If you’re a veteran of either of those rallies, or the Delta Doo Dah — or hope to be someday — you’ll want to show up at the Latitude booth at 6 p.m. on Friday for free beer and wine, snacks and spirited story-swapping.The boat show offers free kids’ sailing classes, free match racing lessons and, of course, free boat tours of a wide selection of brand new sailboats, some of which may make you salivate. And there’s one attraction that’s completely unique to the 2011 show: the actual America’s Cup trophy. So don’t miss the fun. We’ll see you there!