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Archive for August 2016

Beer Can Challenge Supersized

Last week, the Contessa 33 Warwhoop was at it again, taking on the Beer Can Challenge. She’s pictured above in Sausalito YC’s Tuesday night race on August 9. © 2016 Roxanne Fairbairn Back in 2012, Roger Ruud and Chuck Hooper conquered Latitude 38’s Beer Can Challenge on Hooper’s Contessa 33 Warwhoop. More »

Aerial Photo of the Day

Sausalito Yacht Harbor and Pelican Yacht Harbor, as seen from the air.  L
©Latitude 38 Media, LLC ‘Location, location, location’ is the mantra of the real estate business. The same is true when it comes to boat berths. More »

Off the Couch and Out on the Water

Fledgling sailors breeze down a fairway at Loch Lomond Marina during introductory lessons. latitude/Andy
©2016Latitude 38 Media, LLC Some things in life are reliably predictable. At San Rafael’s Loch Lomond Marina, for example, a new flock of ducklings is born every spring, and can be seen patrolling the fairways all summer long. More »

Cold Case Solved

Back in 2009, a routine hydrographic survey by NOAA revealed a wreck on the ocean floor only a few miles from Southeast Farallon Island. No big surprise — hundreds of vessels have foundered over the years on or near the Rockpile. More »

Favorite Destinations Outside the Gate

You’d have to look long and hard to find a more dramatic backdrop for sailing than San Francisco’s Central Bay — not to mention its consistently strong winds. But there are times when you might want to venture outside the Golden Gate for a change of pace. More »

Gear Needs for Cruising Mexico

Dozens of boats of all types will head south from San Diego on Halloween morning. Will your boat be one of them? latitude/Andy
©2016Latitude 38 Media, LLC With just one month remaining before the September 15 entry deadline for October’s Baja Ha-Ha rally, we’re certain that many would-be cruisers are scratching their heads wondering if their boat is adequately equipped for venturing offshore and cruising Mexican waters.  More »

Women ‘Capture the Power’

Women teach women how to sail at Island Yacht Club’s annual Northern California Women’s Sailing Seminar, the slogan of which is ‘Capture the Power’. "Top-notch women sailors from all along the Pacific Coast volunteer their expertise to provide instruction in workshops in the classroom and on the water," says organizer Nancy Hird. More »

Fixer-Upper, for Sale Cheap

A little soap, a little elbow grease. . . Is the famous Gunboat 55 #1 Rainmaker beyond resurrection? We’ll bet someone will take on the task.   © 2016 Courtesy Cooper Specialty Salvage, LLC If you’re the sort of bargain hunter who’s constantly on the lookout for the ultimate boat deal, you’ll be interested to hear that the once-gorgeous Gunboat 55 catamaran (#1) Rainmaker is up for auction this month, with bids starting at $15,000 — less than 1% of its original value. More »

Mopping Up After Javier

If you’re planning to sail to the sunny latitudes of Mexico this fall, you’ll be relieved to know that Tropical Storm Javier did relatively little damage to Cabo San Lucas when it passed through yesterday. More »

Drone Cargo Ships Are Coming

As if professional maritime jobs weren’t already in short supply, this summer attendees at an international shipping conference in Amsterdam were introduced to the very real possibility that a new breed of unmanned ‘drone’ cargo ships will be operational before the end of the decade. More »