SailGP Season 4 Grand Final Hits the Bay This Weekend
SailGP is back on the Bay this weekend for the Grand Final of Season 4. Unlike in the past three seasons, the Australians are not at the top of the leaderboard. Team New Zealand is heading into the final as the season leader, with a guaranteed spot for the $2 million winner-take-all final race on Sunday.
There will be three fleet races on Saturday and two on Sunday to determine which two teams will take on the Kiwis for the $2 million prize. Australia is currently in second place and Spain in third, with France capable of getting into the mix. The US team, with Taylor Canfield at the helm, is still getting up to speed after Jimmy Spithill’s departure. This is a good opportunity for the Americans to up their game for the home-team crowd.
SailGP boats were on the water Thursday and will be again today as they tune up for the finals. The racing happens from 2:30–4 p.m. each afternoon off Crissy Field. Tickets are still available to get into the official event-viewing area between the St. Francis and Golden Gate yacht clubs. The event grounds are open from 2–5 p.m. each day.
SailGP announced today, “SailGP, the world’s most technologically-advanced and exciting racing on water, has launched new Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) features in the SailGP app — providing fans with an enhanced viewing experience of the league’s Season 4 Grand Final, taking place this weekend in San Francisco (July 13–14). For the first time, fans watching the high-speed racing — either in person or tuning in from home — can enjoy an immersive 3D experience through the award-winning SailGP app simply by pointing their handheld iOS device towards the action unfolding right in front of them.”
We’ll be interested in hearing from readers on Monday about the enhanced 3D viewing experience.
The weekend’s weather forecast is for foggy mornings and sunny afternoons, but with winds perhaps a bit lighter and more southerly than on a typical July summer (winter in San Francisco) day.
Cass Gidley Marina’s Art Gate Awaits Sunday’s Installation
Sausalito Community Boating Center (SCBC) is looking for extra hands to help install its new Art Gate this coming Sunday, July 14, at Cass Gidley Marina. SCBC keeps a regular schedule for its 2nd Sunday Work Party, and this Sunday, the plan is to sand the surfaces down and then install the artwork on the marina’s existing gate structure. The gate, pictured below, was made possible by contributions from various sources, including the Rotary Club of Sausalito.
“We can hardly believe that the art gate is finally here!” SCBC wrote in its newsletter.
The Art Gate was designed by Bay Area installation artist Raylene Gorum, and built by Marin Made (Gate Five Road, Sausalito) on their waterjet cutting bed.
The work party runs from 9 a.m. to lunch time.
SCBC keeps a regular schedule for its 2nd Sunday Work Party; it’s an opportunity to do something fun and worthwhile with your Sunday. Head on down to Cass Gidley Marina at Napa Street on Bridgeway Road, Sausalito. It’s right next to Dunphy Park and the famous Sausalito Cruising Club.
“Sausalito Community Boating Center (SCBC) at Cass Gidley Marina is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit established to create and maintain a community place that:
Provides affordable access to boats & the water
Preserves our maritime heritage through education and skill-building
Promotes environmental stewardship of our local Bay ecosystem.
Our mission is to preserve a gathering place on Sausalito’s waterfront to engage and educate the public about our rich maritime history and small craft heritage through affordable direct experience.
It is our vision that those we serve will leave educated and inspired!”
3Di is the Reason to Go North
Click to get a quote today.
Viewing SailGP’s Foiling F50 Catamarans From Another Angle
Latitude reader and sometime contributor Lee Panza from Sierra Point Marina, Brisbane, had a different view of SailGP’s F50 catamarans yesterday as he watched them make their way from their base to the open waters of San Francisco Bay for their first practice session ahead of the weekend’s Grand Final.
“They’re back! Those incredible flying machines are here in S.F. Bay again, with the Sail GP season final happening this weekend,” Lee writes.
Have you ever wondered where the F50s set out from, and return to at the end of the race day? “Their base of operations this time is tucked away in Islais Creek, in San Francisco’s industrial area off Third Street,” Lee reveals. “It hardly seems appropriate for these elegant, and uber-expensive, yachts.”
Identifying their location leads us to the next question, asked and also answered by Lee. “So, how do they get them up to the Central Bay race course in the calm of the morning? Why, just tow them — at foiling speed — with those massive outboard motors on their support-boat RIBs.”
“A rather dense fog blew in under the GG Bridge during the day on Thursday, but it magically disappeared around 4 p.m.,” Lee continues. “By 4:30 the racers all scooted back to base to be hauled out of the water for the night (by a really tall crane).
“Thursday was unstructured “playtime,” but on Friday they’ll be doing actual practice racing. These things are amazing to see in action.”
If you haven’t seen these boats flying around the course, get yourself down to the Bay on any or all of these next three days for what is usually a thrilling spectator experience.
Thanks to Lee Panza for sharing his unique view of SailGP. If you have photos and/or a story to share, let us know at [email protected].
Greg Dorn Starting a TP52 Program With ‘Favonius2’
Over the last several years, Greg Dorn has been actively campaigning his successful Dehler 46 Favonius on the Bay, to Mexico and to Hawaii. Greg recently confirmed he’s now moving up to start campaigning a new-to-him TP52. Favonius2 was formerly Bribon. She’s a 2005 Farr-designed Transpac 52 built by Cookson Marine in New Zealand for the king of Spain. She’s been updated by several owners to continue winning races on the West Coast ever since.
Greg wrote with his current racing plans, saying, “Our plan is to practice this fall in San Diego via a few inshore races. Our goal is to prepare for the 2025 Newport to Cabo as our first offshore test, then turning our focus toward the 2025 Transpac. We will do a few races between Cabo and Transpac.”
We also reached out to boat captain Ashley Perrin, who explained she’s sailing east of Greenland at the moment. With the transition from Favonius to Favonius2 Greg and crew will be stepping up their game for the season ahead. We look forward to hearing more and receiving some sailing photos once the team gathers for fall racing practice.
Join the 39th Plastic Classic Regatta
