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June 20, 2012

The Ultimate Family Racer/Cruiser?

There’s a pretty cool story coming out of Bermuda at the end of this year’s just completed 635-mile Newport to Bermuda Race, the really big deal race on the East Coast. The St. David’s Lighthouse Trophy goes to the corrected time winner of the large amateur division. Last year it went to Rives Potts’ Westbrook, Connecticut-based McCurdy & Rhodes 48-footer Carina.

Following last year’s race, the aluminum sloop took off on a circumnavigation, with Rives’ nephew, Rives Sutherland, as captain. The circumnavigation included participation in the TransAtlantic Race and the Sydney to Hobart Race. She got back just in time for four dads and four sons to enter her in this year’s Newport to Bermuda Race.

Wham! Carina has won the St. David’s Lighthouse Trophy again. It’s not like she’s a new boat either. Back in ’70, when she was brand new, owner Richard Nye raced her to Bermuda and won the St. David’s Lighthouse Trophy. Carina‘s three victories in the Bermuda Race ties her with Finisterre, which Carleton Mitchell sailed to victory in ’56, ’58 and ’60.

Frankly, we’re impressed enough that a 43 year old aluminum boat is still floating. That she’s still winning big is nearly off the graph of impressive. A tip of the hat to all involved.

Sailors Lost in Tongan Wreck

Rescuers have been scouring the small Tongan island of Late, about 30 miles west of Vava’u, over the past few days in search of two Australian sailors whose Bavaria 50 Navillus broke up on a reef off the island last Thursday. Ian Thompson and Erwin Claus, both in their late 60s, had been delivering Thompson’s newly purchased boat from the Caribbean to the Whitsundays, where he planned to retire. Claus was able to call his wife after the pair went aground, but no sign of them has been found since, though plenty of wreckage has been recovered. Searchers had hoped they made it ashore, but no evidence has been found to support the theory. New Zealand’s Rescue Coordination Centre is reviewing the case and most likely will suspend the search today.

Summer Sailstice This Saturday

After a day of sailing activities during Summer Sailstice, what could be better than lounging on the lawn?

latitude/John A.
© Latitude 38 Media, LLC

The 12th annual Summer Sailstice invites all sailors to hoist their sails this Saturday, June 23, as part of the global celebration of sailing. And, on San Francisco Bay, sail in the first ever Estuary Stroll. There will be a clockwise sailing course from approximately Jack London Square to Coast Guard Island with an aerial photo scheduled for 2 p.m. Sailors berthed in estuary marinas have the opportunity to win a free month’s berthing from their respective marina by buying $1 raffle tickets at the marina office on the day of the sail. Proceeds will benefit youth sailing through the Encinal Sailing Foundation.

There’s loads of fun for the whole family!

latitude/John A.
© Latitude 38 Media, LLC

After sailing back to the dock, sailors should go to Encinal YC to join the all-day celebration of sailing. There’s small boat racing, new boats on display, live music, the former America’s Cup yacht USA 76 and the very popular boat building competition where teams compete to build, launch and sail a boat in a day! There’s crafts for kids, the America True winch grinding contest for the brave, and plenty of food and drink. Go to www.summersailstice.com/sf to sign up and see the complete local event details.

How did this happen? Simple. Some America’s Cup boats sailed by and literally scared the shit out of a flock of birds.
Enterprising sailors looking to make a quick buck off the America’s Cup hype might want to take note that the Coast Guard is issuing a public advisory about illegal passenger vessels that are plying Bay waters.
The stomachs of the crews on the ten 68-ft boats competing in Clipper Round the World ’11-’12 are just starting to settle after a brutal weekend in Race 13 from Nova Scotia to Derry-Londonderry in Northern Ireland.
With all the focus on the elections in Greece and the possibility that the country would elect a leader who wanted to default on their loans and destroy the European Union, not so much attention has been paid on what’s going on today in Cabo San Lucas.