Sailing Season Starts at the Spring Crew Party
Everyone had a good time at the first Latitude 38 Spring Crew List party since COVID. Hosted in San Francisco by the Bay View Boat Club across from the Chase Center, the event attracted sailors looking to crew and boat owners looking for crew, for everything from summer beer can racing to the Baja Ha-Ha. The Bay View Boat Club was a great host, offering a chili buffet and staffed bar, plus inviting everyone to race in their Monday night beer can series, starting on the 14th, and join them for the 40th annual Plastic Classic Regatta on July 19.
This was one of the first times Tim Dick had attended a crew party when he wasn’t looking for crew. He’s the former owner of the Lagoon 42 Malalo and has had many crew from earlier crew parties join him on his former boat. Now boatless, he showed up looking for racing and daysailing rides on the Bay. In keeping with the traditional in-person theme, the skipper on the right was advertising with a billboard on his chest for a 1/4-share owner for his Catalina 38. If you are actually going to join people sailing the Bay, you’re eventually going to have to get off your device and meet sailors. The Bay View Boat Club was a great place to start those in-person connections.
In the small-world department, Paul Kamen and James Dilworth started discussing James’ recent purchase of what he believes may be the oldest 5O5 in the US. It originally came here from Long Island, which happens to be where Paul Kamen started his sailing life at age 5. After some photos and discussion, they believe James owns the very 5O5 aboard which Paul took his very first sail! It’s still hard to believe, but the sailing world is stunningly interconnected.
When you sign up to race you’ll miss fewer sunny, pleasant evenings like last night, because you’ll have committed to some sailing dates. As we all know, one of the easiest ways to improve your life and sail shape is to hoist your sails.
The critical part of crew parties is to say hello, read the tags where red (boatowner) meets blue (crew), describe your interests, and then exchange information so you can make future sailing plans. As we heard one attendee say, “It’s like speed dating for sailing.”
Almost all evening beer can series along the California coast get underway in April. If you’re looking for more sailing, they’re a great place to start. You can see the Northern California beer can schedule here and get the entire Northern California racing schedule in our annual calendar here.
Jim, pictured above, was looking for crew for racing or cruising aboard his Santa Cruz 40, while Sabrina, who has lots of experience aboard power boats, was looking to check out the world of sailing. She has both a blue and a green sticker, with the blue sticker indicating she’s interested in sailing/racing the Bay, and the green sticker indicating she’s also looking at cruising to Mexico and beyond. There are lots of options when it comes to sailing.
Most everyone came dressed with appropriate Bay View Boat Club sailing attire, which means anything that was comfortable. However, though it wasn’t a costume party, the crew of the Morgan 36.6 came dressed in the theme of the boat’s name, Westerly. They’re active racers with the South Beach YC Friday night races and other Northern California events.
One of the things we love about sailing is the history it keeps alive along the waterfront. The Bay View Boat Club is a funky, fun club that hangs on to its piece of shoreline under the looming shadow of the Chase Center and the south city’s rapid development. It preserves its low-key atmosphere and heritage with hundreds of yacht club burgees and photos of past commodores arrayed along its walls. The July Plastic Classic regatta is one of the marquee events that connect sailors and sailboats (designed more than 25 years ago) across the decades of Bay Area sailing.
If you missed the party, it doesn’t mean you have to miss sailing this year. You can add your name to the Latitude 38 Crew List here. We have lots of great stories of folks who have put their names on the list and/or attended crew parties, which has turned into thousands of miles of sailing. Yosh Han is one who has sailed over 15,000 miles since she started sailing in 2018 and offers a few crewing tips in her story here.
We sign off with a final thank-you to the Bay View Boat Club and all the club volunteers who made for a great Crew List Party, and who keep the sailing spirit alive along the overdeveloped San Francisco Bay shoreline.
Oh, Deere! It’s Caption Contest(!) Time
Remember that playground nursery rhyme, “Here comes a candle to light you to bed. Here comes the chopper to …?” Hideous! But we all sang along. The photo below brought the tune right back to the present time. “Here comes the crusher to crush your boat.” OK, it doesn’t rhyme. Perhaps you can do better? No one likes to see a boat meet its end this way, so we thought maybe you could cheer us up by bringing some mirth to this otherwise sad scenario.
Thanks to Niels Kisling, Santa Cruz YC member from Capitola, who sent in the photo. Niels gets the ball rolling. “Nothing Crushes like a Deere ….”
Check the April issue for the March Caption Contest(!) winners.
Good Clean Fun Starts With the Pumpout Nav App
It all starts with you. Protect our waters from avoidable pollutants and harmful bacteria. Next time nature calls, or your holding tanks is full, use the Pumpout Nav app to find the nearest floating restroom, pumpout or dump station. Download it today.
Hawley, Schumacher, and Reichel Inducted Into NSHOF Class of 2025
Eleven individuals will be inducted into the National Sailing Hall of Fame Class of 2025. Three California-based sailors, Chuck Hawley, Carl Schumacher (1949-2002) and John Reichel are among the group, which includes a diverse range of influential figures in the sailing world, from Olympians and champions to yacht designers, coaches, educators, and more.
Chuck Hawley, a skilled sailor with over 40,000 sea miles under his keel, is known for his contributions to maritime safety, education, and leadership in Safety at Sea seminars.
Fellow inductee Carl Schumacher was a gifted naval architect who designed 57 sailboats, including the Express and Alerion Express lines.
East Coast-born but San Diego-based naval architect John Reichel, co-founder of Reichel/Pugh, has shaped modern yacht design with groundbreaking creations like the Melges 24.
“The Sailing Hall of Fame Class of 2025 includes an inspiring group of sailors and designers who have achieved excellence at the highest levels of the sport,” said fellow Hall of Fame inductee and Co-President Gary Jobson. “Each Inductee has contributed lasting innovations and remarkable achievements. They have all helped educate sailors on how to sail fast, race with integrity, and lift the game of aspiring young sailor athletes.”
Among the 2025 inductees are David Dellenbaugh, a skilled sailor and tactician, renowned for helping defend the 1992 America’s Cup with America3; Hal Haenel, a gold and silver Olympic medalist in the International Star Class who also led the US Sailing Team for the 2000 Olympics; Sally Helme (1953-2024), who became the first female publisher of Cruising World and Sailing World, leaving a powerful legacy through her leadership and advocacy for equality in the sport and industry; Greg Fisher, a 25-time champion across seven sailing classes, recognized for his versatility, dedication, and work as a coach, educator, and advocate for accessible sailing; and Ken Read, a two-time Rolex Yachtsman of the Year who has won over 50 titles, helmed three America’s Cup campaigns, and now leads at North Sails while racing worldwide.
“If there’s one word that truly captures the essence of all our candidates, it’s passion. A passion for excellence, both on and off the water, and a commitment to enriching our community,” said Spike Lobdell, Selection Committee chair. “These inductees embody the spirit of sailing as more than just a sport. The skills they demonstrate in their pursuit of sailing extend beyond the water, offering life lessons that will inspire and guide future generations.”
This year’s inductees also include prominent boat designers and innovators recognized for their significant contributions to the sport. Alfred “Bill” Luders Jr. (1909-1999), a pioneering yacht designer, revolutionized hull construction with epoxy resin and anti-fouling paints, earning acclaim for boats like Weatherly and American Eagle in the America’s Cup. Bruce King, known for designs like Ericson Yachts and White Hawk, transformed modern yacht design with over 40 creations. Olympic gold medalist and world champion James “Sham” Hunt led O’Day Yachts in producing over 50,000 boats and became part of the second father-son pair inducted, following his father, C. Raymond Hunt.
The 15th Induction Ceremony will take place at the New York Yacht Club in Newport, RI, on September 24–25.
See the complete profiles of the Class of 2025 inductees at thesailingmuseum.org. To purchase Induction Celebration tickets, tables and sponsorships, visit the Induction Ticketing page.
Building a San Francisco Bay VX One Fleet
We should start a San Francisco Bay VX One fleet. The VX One is a fast, simple and affordable option for a competitive sailor. Check out the 19-ft VX One at Sail a Small Boat Day at Richmond Yacht Club tomorrow, Saturday, April 5.
The VX One offers an unparalleled experience for sailors who crave speed, simplicity and competitive racing. Designed for dynamic conditions like those on San Francisco Bay, the VX One is a self-righting, lightweight sport boat (570 pounds) that’s easy to sail and delivers thrilling performance. The 2025 Bacardi Cup regatta hosted a 36-boat fleet.
Some Characteristics and Contacts
- Crew of two or three with a weight range of 380-500 lbs.
- National teams often include male/female crew and teenagers.
- No trapeze required and no paid pro sailors allowed in national events.
- Affordable: Used boats available in the US for approximately $20,000.
- A strict one-design class, with low maintenance and campaign costs, and strong resale value.
- Charters available at East Coast regattas.
- West Coast fleet Facebook group: www.facebook.com/groups/vxonewest.
- National class Facebook page: www.facebook.com/vxoneclass.
- Email: [email protected].
A Sausalito Sailor’s World Cruise Aboard ‘Nereus’
Every so often, a story will bring together sailors who crossed tacks many years earlier. Such was the case when Sausalito’s Margaret “Pinkie” Pomeroy shared a story of voyaging with her family. When Bill Barker read about Pinkie’s talk at the Sausalito Yacht Club, he realized his father had sailed with the Pomeroy family when Bill was just a boy. Bringing together sailors from across the latitudes and through the years is one of the reasons we share these stories. And the story that follows hopes to reunite Pinkie with her family’s beloved Nereus, or at the very least give her closure as to the vessel’s eventual resting place. A longtime member of the Sausalito Yacht Club, in 1963, at age 20, she set sail with her parents William and Peggy Pomeroy, and her brothers John and Bill, on a six-month, 13,490-mile voyage aboard the 85-ft ketch Nereus. It all began when Pinkie’s father told his family he wanted to sail the world together.
“Nothing is original.” That’s what Dad told the family when he shared his dream to sail around the world. Dad reminded us that Magellan was the first European to dream of a circumnavigation in the early 16th century, and even though Magellan died en route, one of his five ships completed the trip. So the circumnavigation idea wasn’t original. What was original was Dad’s plan for the route — San Francisco to Singapore via the Pribilof Islands off the coast of Alaska, in the Bering Sea.
As I sorted through boxes of Nereus‘s files stored in my garage, the family’s 1963-64 world cruise came back to life. I found four logbooks, two diaries (my own and my mother’s), several paper charts, and old newspapers and photographs. There was even a letter from Commodore Bob Van Blaricom dated April 10, 1965, inviting Dad to speak about the Nereus’s circumnavigation at the Sausalito Yacht Club.
My mother Peggy was a 44-year-old Southern belle whose family roots can be traced back to the Battle of Kings Mountain in 1780 during the Revolutionary War. She had a wide streak of curiosity and a spirit of adventure. As a matter of fact, she signed up as a NASA volunteer to go on a future trip to the moon.
Dad was 46 years old. He was the executive vice president of J. H. Pomeroy & Co., an engineering and construction firm started by his father. As a teenager he worked for his dad’s company, which had a joint contract with Raymond Concrete to build the approaches to the Golden Gate Bridge.
Dad purchased Nereus in December 1962. Designed by William Garden, Nereus was an 85-ft steel-hulled ketch-rigged yacht. She was built by Western Boat Building Company, Tacoma, WA, and launched in September 1962. Her first owner, Clarence Postley, had named her, but shortly thereafter changed his plans and put her on the market. The original design for the sails included a fore-and-aft mizzen, main and jib, as well as a course of about 1,000 square feet and a raffee of approximately 600 square feet. When Dad bought Nereus, the raffee was not there — only the course.
Continue reading in the April issue of Latitude 38.
One Month Free at Alameda Marina
