Armed Robbery Alert for Las Perlas, Panama
Late on Monday, March 28, we received the following alert from the Panama Posse organizers regarding the American-flagged sailboat Constellation being boarded in the Pacific, while in an anchorage in the vicinity of the Las Perlas Islands.
“A US-flagged sailboat was boarded at gunpoint at 2000 hours off the coast of Isla del Rey near the islet of La Niña in the Las Perlas. The islands are off the Pacific Coast near the Panama Canal.
“The four attackers broke the door and windows of the boat and forcefully made the four Americans lie on the floor. The captain of the vessel suffered head injuries from being hit in the head with a gun. The men also carried machetes.
“They stayed aboard the boat, named Constellation, for 90 minutes. They stole all valuable items including passports, phones, electronics, computers, jewelry including wedding rings, money and their dog.
“The sailing vessel Constellation made their way back to La Playita Marina in Amador, Panama City, at 0400 hours on Tuesday, March 28. The captain is getting medical attention and reported this incident to the Panama Police.
“This is the second armed robbery in this same area of the Las Perlas within a month. Another US-flagged boat was also boarded at gunpoint and the two people aboard were tied up as the four robbers stole all their valuables. They reported this to the Panama Police on February 27, 2023.”
Constellation was able to communicate this brief report:
“Four armed Black men, young (17-25 yrs). Approached rapidly just after dark. Quickly climbed on the boat and forced their way through closed hatches and broke our companionway. Had guns and machetes. I locked myself in the bathroom with our handheld VHF and made a distress call and hit the distress button. No response. They kicked down the door and took the handheld VHF and asked in Spanish if I called the police. They ransacked the boat while we were all forced to sit or lie down. They hit some of us to force us down. They stole our dog. No signs or suspicious activity that made us worried at this anchorage. We have not seen any other boats all day. We are a 45-ft sailboat with a dinghy and one paddleboard on deck. They took the paddleboard but left the dinghy. It’s my husband and I on board and two of our friends visiting to be line handlers. All in our late 20s and early 30s. Sharing since I know many will be interested to know our profile and if/why we might have been targeted.”
Constellation is a member of the Panama Posse, a boat rally with over 325 boats a year participating. The Panama Posse was formed in 2017 to support boats to safely travel between the canal on the East and West Coast of North and Central America.
Good Jibes Episode #84: Andrew Vik on Buying a Boat Sight Unseen
This week’s host, Monica Grant, is joined by Andrew Vik to chat bold boat buying. Andrew is a San Francisco native who took up sailing over 20 years ago, and has spent the last 15 years sailing his Islander 36 Geja (pronounced “Gaya”) all over the Mediterranean.
Hear about Andrew’s multi-year dream of buying Geja, lessons learned from buying sight unseen, his favorite sailing stories from the Mediterranean, why more people should get involved in sailing, and a cruise down Latitude 38 memory lane.
This episode covers everything from Mediterranean islands to controversy. Here’s a small sample of what you will hear in this episode:
- What are Andrew’s Viking roots?
- How often does he sail the Mediterranean?
- What’s the biggest lesson he learned from buying Geja?
- How is sailing in the Mediterranean?
- What does Andrew enjoy about the sailing community?
- How often does he upload to YouTube?
- What is an Islander 36?
- Short Tacks: Is Andrew more of a cruiser or a racer?
Learn more about Andrew on YouTube @SailGeja and at www.sailgeja.com.
Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and your other favorite podcast spots — follow and leave a 5-star review if you’re feeling the Good Jibes!
This episode is brought to you by Svendsen’s Spring Fling. Don’t miss Svendsen’s Spring Fling Boat Show on April 15–16. For more information, visit SpringFlingBoatShow.com. We hope to see you there!
Club Nautique is Hiring!
For more information or to apply please click here.
Capt. Liz Clark Takes on 11th Hour Racing Ambassador Role
11th Hour Racing has announced Captain Liz Clark as its new ambassador. Liz is a sailor and ocean advocate based in Tahiti, French Polynesia. She joins a 13-strong community of athletes and creators who act as changemakers and use their influence to rally fans and peers to act for the ocean.
Liz learned to sail at age 7 aboard a “little red sailing dinghy” in San Diego, CA, and by the age of 10 had completed a 5,000-mile, six-month Mexico cruise with her family. By the end of the voyage her future was set — “I wanted to protect the natural world from human destruction and, one day, I wanted to be the captain of my own sailboat.” In 2006, armed with a BA in environmental studies, Liz made the 1966 Cal 40 Swell her home, and headed to sea. She then spent the next decade, and more, sailing over 20,000 nautical miles exploring remote surf locations, learning from different cultures, living sustainably, and raising awareness about environmental issues.
“Welcoming Liz as an ambassador is a natural fit for our organization, as her work exemplifies our philosophy of creating local solutions to global problems. Her unique influence reaches sports fans at the cross section of surfing and sailing and inspires them to rethink their actions in connection with the ocean,” explains Michelle Carnevale, vice president of programming at 11th Hour Racing. “We are proud to support Tamarii no Te Natura [“Children of Nature”] and a generation of environmental stewards.”
With 11th Hour Racing’s support, each ambassador can work on an ocean conservation project with a nonprofit organization of their choice. Liz has chosen A Ti’a Matairea (a nonprofit in French Polynesia for the environment, animal welfare, and youth causes) that she co-founded in 2019, to support classroom marine conservation lessons and after-school experiential education programs.
While expanding her activism work, Liz continues to write (having already published her book Swell about her ocean adventures), blog, engage in photography, and partner with conscious brands. Her actions have built her reputation as a surf adventurer, activist, speaker and captain.
“Working for the planet is an endless job, and collaboration with inspired, like-minded people and organizations is super-important to stay motivated and connected to the greater goals,” Liz explains. “I’m grateful to 11th Hour Racing for supporting our ocean conservation projects and excited to work with other sailors passionate about saving our oceans.”
By adopting sustainable practices in their work, daily lives, and sporting events, 11th Hour Racing’s ambassadors inspire people to act #fortheocean.
Liz was a guest of our sailing podcast Good Jibes in May 2022. You can listen to some of her stories here.
Previewing a Basketful of Regattas in April
Northern California Regattas
In the southern part of S.F. Bay, Sequoia YC will host their Spring Regatta on Saturday, April 1. It’s a one-day event with two — maybe even three — back-to-back races out in the Bay. “We anticipate two PHRF fleets and one-design racing for the Open 5.70s, all dependent on numbers,” writes Andrew Lesslie.
It’s time to register for Richmond Yacht Club’s Big Dinghy Regatta on April 1-2. This is a big regatta for dinghies. It’s also time to get your Bullship El Toro and CowShip entries into RYC, as April 15 is the date for the Bullship race from Sausalito to San Francisco. You can register online here. Each CowShip can handle (be registered with) three El Toros.
St. Francis Yacht Club’s Bunny Bash is coming on Saturday, April 8. “This is an entry level match-race regatta for San Francisco sailors,” explains Nicole Breault. “Registration is open now for the eight spots, but by invitation only.” Skippers who want to participate should email Nicole at [email protected]. “Describe your background in match racing (if any), your small keelboat sailing experience, your goals, and your crew (optional). Provide your World Sailing ID number (if you have one), and attach your sailing résumé.”
Everyone is invited to the South Bay Bridge Series, hosted by the South Bay clubs, with one race per month, April through September, beginning on April 8.
StFYC will host a Spring Wingding Regatta on April 14-16, open to all wingfoil competitors. Race organizers are planning three days of short-course racing on the San Francisco Cityfront, with up to five races per afternoon. Saturday’s distance race, the San Francisco Bay Challenge, will include a long windward-leeward Bay tour course that will take competitors from Crissy Field to Berkeley and back. The club also invites windsurfers and kiteboarders to compete in the San Francisco Bay Challenge. Register by March 31 to get an entry fee discount.
Monterey Peninsula YC will host the Ulimate 20 Pacific Coast Championships on April 14-16.
San Francisco YC’s Anne McCormack Invitational Cup has moved up from its original date of May 13 to April 15. Each entry must be skippered and crewed entirely by women.
On April 15-16, Berkeley YC and the YRA will put on the 50th annual Wheeler Regatta. Two great days of racing will include two buoy races scheduled for Saturday and a pursuit race on Sunday. Sail on both days, or just Saturday or Sunday. Awards will be handed out at BYC at the conclusion of racing each day, and the club will serve up the traditional oysters and specialty drinks. Saturday’s Wheeler Races are also the YRA’s In the Bay Series #1. If you plan to enter the YRA In The Bay Series this year, be sure to sign up for the Wheeler Regatta. The YRA will add your Wheeler scores to the In The Bay Series once you sign up for that series (registration for the In the Bay Series will open after the Wheeler Regatta).
StFYC will also host the opening stop of the 2023 Women’s World Match Racing Tour on April 24-28. Ten invited skippers and crews will race in the club’s J/22s for the inaugural Casa Vela Cup, the first of four international events in the 2023 tour.
Planning Ahead
The regatta’s not until September 13-17, but StFYC advises us that registration is open already for the Rolex Big Boat Series. RBBS invites the following fleets to compete this year:
- One-design boats of the J/105, J/88 and Express 37 classes. Other classes with a minimum number of boats can be considered with an application to the Organizing Authority.
- Monohulls with an LOA ≥30 feet. Boats with a General Purpose Handicap (GPH) of 560 or lower are required to have an Offshore Racing Congress (ORC) International certificate. Boats with a GPH higher than 560 may compete using either an ORC International Certificate or ORC Club Certificate.
- Classic boats built prior to 1955 with an LOA ≥48 feet and a current ORRez rating certificate.
Even further in the future is the 2024 Pacific Cup, but the Notice of Race is posted, and the PCYC opened registration today.
Speaking of the Ocean…
The nearby ocean sailing season will kick off with Island YC’s Doublehanded Lightship Race on April 15.
This year’s Offshore (OYRA) Series will start with the Lightship Race on April 29.
The 75th Newport to Ensenada Race will depart Newport Beach on April 28. Host NOSA (Newport Ocean Sailing Association) also offers an optional 90-mile Newport-San Diego course.
Southern California Regattas
Silver Gate YC in San Diego will host the America’s Schooner Cup Charity Regatta this Saturday, April 1. The event benefits the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society.
Long Beach YC will host the third and final stop in the California Dreamin’ match-racing series on April 1-2 in Catalina 37s. StFYC’s Nicole Breault is leading the series.
A spectator sport for us mere mortals, the Congressional Cup will return to LBYC on April 18-22 in that same fleet of Catalina 37s. The world’s top match-racing skippers will compete in the event that’s part of the prestigious World Match Racing Tour. The top two competitors from the Ficker Cup regatta, hosted by LBYC on April 13-15, will round out the international roster.
The Etchells PCCs will race out of San Diego YC on April 29-30.
And More…
We’ll have much more in the Calendar section of the April Latitude 38, coming out this Friday, March 31. Many beer can series start in April (a few have already started in March). You’ll find a pretty darned comprehensive list of offerings in Northern California in the upcoming issue. Also see the year’s racing events all in one place here.
Pier 52 Corinne Woods Public Boat Launch Temporary Closure
We received a notice from the Port of San Francisco Planning and Environment’s deputy director David Beaupre regarding the temporary closure of the Corinne Woods Public Boat Launch.
“Port of San Francisco’s Pier 52 Corinne Woods Public Boat Launch is temporarily closed. It sustained significant damage during this week’s storms. It is closed until further notice and may take several months to reopen.”
Don’t Miss Berkeley Yacht Club’s Swap Meet
