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Archive for March 2014

When Do Cruisers Become Racers?

March 17, 2014
It’s a fact that most cruising sailors never race. That’s partly because they feel they’d be ‘sailing their house’, which is too heavily laden to be competitive, and partly because many of them have little or no previous racing experience.  More »

Sailing Close-to-Home Islands

Hmm, forested island, verdant hills behind. . . Where is it? New Zealand, the Caribbean, French Polynesia? No, try closer to home. latitude/Andy
© Latitude 38 Media, LLC One of the perks of being sailing journalists is that we occasionally get to go sailing through island chains in far-flung places. More »

Classy Deadline

March 14, 2014
If you’re planning to submit a Classy Classified for the April issue of Latitude 38, be aware that the deadline is this Saturday at 5 p.m. Classy deadlines are always on the 15th, regardless if that day falls on a weekday or a weekend. More »

Pre-Departure Puddle Jump Fiesta

This week, the Vallarta YC is abuzz with excitement about the 22nd annual Banderas Bay Regatta, which it hosts as a not-too-serious competition for cruising sailors. Last Friday cruisers were also the focus of the club’s activities. More »

Schmooze, Network and Sail

March 12, 2014
In real-life situations, ‘survivors’ are rarely this cheerful, but thanks to Sal, it’s become an annual tradition to sample an authentic raft’s ‘cozy’ interior. latitude/Archives
© Latitude 38 Media, LLC If you’ve ever lamented that you couldn’t find reliable crew for racing or daysailing, or if you’re an eager sailor who doesn’t own a boat but loves to get out on the water, then listen up because we’ve got a great solution for both scenarios.  More »

Coastal Safety Training and Sea Seminar

"Coastal" SAS (safety at sea) training is required for 30% of crew to participate in OYRA- and SSS-sponsored ocean races (and others) this year. “Offshore” SAS training is required by the Spinnaker Cup and the PacCup. More »

Cat Ppalu Holed on Reef

) Cat Ppalu, the well-known, high-speed 74 x 28-ft, Peter Spronk-designed ketch-rigged catamaran, was holed on a reef near Simpson Bay, Sint Maarten on Sunday while the cat’s owner, D. Randy West, was racing aboard the Gunboat 62 cat Tribe in the Heineken Regatta. More »

Mucho Mexico Racing

March 10, 2014
The ever-popular Banderas Bay Regatta is focused on not-too-serious fun, as it attracts cruisers who are essentially racing their homes. Seen here is the Catalina 470 C’est La Vie. © Jay Ailworth California and Mexican yacht clubs are gearing up for a month’s worth of exciting, sun-drenched racing. More »