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Archive for March 2013

The Evolution of Sailboats

We’ve been in the sailing business for 40 years, and we’ve noticed two big in changes. The first is how much easier and safer it is to sail, thanks to modern electronics such as GPS, AIS, radar, EPIRBs and such. More »

Where Have All the Outboards Gone?

A recent rash of outboard thefts on the Estuary is a good reminder for boaters to secure their motors. "We recently bought a boat on eBay, and between the time we won it and the time we picked it up, the outboard had been stolen," writes an Alameda sailor who prefers to remain anonymous. More »

Prepare to Be Boarded!

When was the last time you checked the date on your flares, the status of your fire extinguisher and the number of lifejackets you carry on board? If it’s been a while we’d urge you to spend some time checking all your safety gear — especially since the San Francisco Bay Coast Guard is apparently focusing increased attention on boat inspections and boarding.  More »

Nereida Over Halfway Around

Jeanne Socrates passed the halfway mark of her nonstop solo circumnavigation aboard Nereida on March 1. © Ken Pfister On March 1, 70-year-old Briton Jeanne Socrates passed the midway point of what she hopes will be her first nonstop solo circumnavigation aboard her Najad 380 Nereida. More »

Uncontrollable Urge Update

The California sailing community has once again been thrown into mourning. San Diego’s Craig Williams, 36, died this weekend during the Islands Race. Williams was crew aboard James Gilmore’s San Diego-based Columbia Carbon 32 Uncontrollable Urge for the 130-mile race from Newport Harbor YC to San Diego YC, which leaves Catalina and San Clemente Islands to port. More »
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Cruiser Suicide?

The body of William Hoffman was found aboard his boat Dark Star, type unknown, on March 6 at the Perula anchorage in Chamela Bay on Mexico’s Gold Coast. Apparently other cruisers had alerted the Navy to the lack of activity on the boat and a strong odor emanating from her. More »

Jumpers Poised to Pounce

Located at Nuevo Vallarta’s Paradise Village Resort, the Vallarta YC has generously co-hosted our annual Mexico Pacific Puddle Jump Send-off Party ever since it opened 15 years ago. latitude/Andy
©2013 Latitude 38 Media, LLC From California to Peru, dozens of cruising boats are now poised to depart for the palm-fringed anchorages of French Polynesia — a crossing of 3,000 miles or more that we call the Pacific Puddle Jump.  More »

The Loss of the Schooner Raindancer

Raindancer was lost on a reef at Grenada. © 2013 John Rogers Maybe it’s because wood yachts are organic, like us humans, that we find the loss of a wooden boat to be more depressing than the loss of a fiberglass or steel boat. More »