Digging It in the Delta Ditch Run
If you ever had an itch to sail in a ditch, or if you ever hankered to sail next to a tanker, also include a chance for dance and even romance, well then, all righty!
The Stockton Sailing Club and Richmond Yacht Club team up each year for the Delta Ditch Run up the Sacramento River, from Point Molate to Stockton. Interestingly, this regatta started out as a feeder race to the South Tower Race. The South Tower regatta, June 14–15 this year, sends competitors down the river from Stockton, around the South Tower of the Golden Gate Bridge, and back up the Ditch to Stockton.
Ullman Sails provided a boatload of swag this year, and just about 100 vessels put their bows on the line to vie for the chance to take a dust collector home.
The cruisers took a two-hour head start and an allowance for a certain amount of motoring, but apparently, there was a little more in the sailing instructions that they either failed to understand, read, or remember. Now, any US Sailing official can tell you if ya wanna hide something from a sailor, put it in the sailing instructions: They will never find it there. Judging by the number of letters in the results rather than numbers, it appears this is true. Cleverly, the Idle Minds aboard Tim Callahan’s Catalina 38 were engrossed in the detailia and they were first on race day as they raced to their homeport at the Stockton Sailing Club. Chris Kramer proved that less is more in Sweet De and took Cruiser Division 2 as well as Cruiser overall.
This race requires some logistical strategy. Some folks simply sail their vessels to Stockton and leave them there for the season; others stage a truck and trailer. A few boats return down the river under their own steam on Sunday, some take a week. Benicia always seems to collect a few that think they can plow all the way back to the Bay in a day.
For the trailer gang, the Stockton Sailing Club has a cabal of dedicated volunteers who operate the single lift on Saturday night (sometimes into Sunday morning) and keep the stream of Moore 24s, Wabbits, Express 27s and the like flowing like a Christmas parade.
The SSC band kicks off when the first boat finishes, the rum punch flows like Niagara, and the ribs ‘n’ beans are not to be missed. This year (as is common for this regatta) saw a certain amount of carnage: at least three new members of the swim club, several groundings, and one less carbon spinnaker pole (ask me how I know). To be brief, the chase boats were busy, but no serious injuries were reported.
Local shipwright Rufus Sjoberg and his killer clowns aboard Rufless won by just shy of 15 minutes for the overall, again proving the Melges 24 is just pure sailing dynamite.
Who doesn’t like to see a trinity of women atop the class scoring highlights?
Congratulations go to Melinda Erkelens on her Moore 24 in the 38-boat-strong Moore division. and Julia Paxton in her Express 27, slaying nine other 27s. Lisa Wilson, maintaining a crew of 10 pirates aboard her Express 37 Spindrift V, represented the old-school racing warhorses, carrying away the booty in the Heavy 1 division.
Breakfast both Saturday and Sunday morning is provided, buses available for transportation options, and oh, yes, great Delta warm, windy sailing.
Complete results here. How was your run?
Did We Retire From the Race, or Did We Quit?
In Friday’s ‘Lectronic we introduced a discussion on the fine balance between maintaining a designated race course for the integrity of sport, or altering the course for the purpose of enabling more sailors to experience and ultimately help grow the sport. In our coverage we used the word “retired” in reference to boats that left the course early rather than arrive at the finish line quite late.
Joe Rockmore, chair of the board, Yacht Racing Association of San Francisco Bay (YRA), tells us boats that leave the course of their own volition aren’t, in fact, retiring. Unbeknownst to this writer, and perhaps many other sailors, the Racing Rules of Sailing (RRS) lists specific circumstances in which a boat will “retire” from a race. Wanting to get home early is not one of them. Joe explains the finer points of retiring.
When a boat voluntarily stops racing, say due to equipment failure, or because they know they won’t finish by the time limit or they want to be first to the yacht club bar, according to the RRS she does not retire. There is no specific verb in the RRS for what she does; you can say she withdraws or ceases racing or calls it a day or whatever.
The term “retire” in the RRS is for a boat that cannot, or did not, exonerate herself from a foul. For example, if a boat sails through an obstruction, she cannot exonerate herself (you can’t undo it as you can undo going around a mark the wrong way), so she should retire. Or if a boat fouls another boat, say in a port/starboard situation, and only later decides she should have taken two turns, she must retire, since turns are required to be taken as soon as possible after the foul. There used to be a scoring notation, RAF, which meant “retire after finishing,” but the rules folks realized that there are situations where a boat should retire before finishing, so it was changed to RET. This is how a boat should be scored when she retires.
A boat that voluntarily stops racing should be scored DNF (did not finish), not RET, because she did not commit a foul for which she could not exonerate herself. Many race committees do not understand the distinction, and most racers don’t either. When a boat radios in that they are retiring, they usually mean they are voluntarily stopping racing, so they should not use the term “retire” in that circumstance. Instead, they should say they will not be finishing the race, and thus will be scored DNF.
Now that we have that clear, we ask our readers: How often have you had to “retire” from a race, and what were the circumstances?
The Ninth Annual Newport Beach Wooden Boat Festival Brings Maritime Magic to Life
There’s something undeniably enchanting about the sight of a wooden boat gliding across the harbor — its gleaming varnish, timeless silhouette, and the silent suggestion of a thousand stories held within its hull. This June, the Newport Beach Wooden Boat Festival invites you to step into that enchantment — and into the pages of your favorite sea-bound tales.
On June 13–14, 2025, the Balboa Yacht Club will once again become the epicenter of classic maritime charm as it hosts the ninth annual celebration of wooden vessels and the stories they’ve carried — both fictional and true. This year’s theme, “Stories of the Sea: Wooden Boats in Film & Fiction,” brings a narrative twist to the festival, honoring the cinematic and literary legends that have inspired generations to dream of the sea.
Whether it was Treasure Island’s Jim Hawkins navigating the high seas, the haunted majesty of the Black Pearl, or the unforgettable journey of The Boys in the Boat, these tales are woven into the festival’s heart — and reflected in every polished plank and brass fitting.
The weekend sets sail with a glamorous Premiere Night on Friday, June 13. Picture a red-carpet affair, harbor style. Think vintage Hollywood meets coastal elegance — complete with signature cocktails, gourmet hors d’oeuvres, cinematic tunes, and an exclusive dockside preview of the festival’s featured vessels.
This one-night-only event also includes a live auction offering high-seas-inspired experiences, with all proceeds benefiting the ALS Foundation, youth sailing programs, and scholarships for young shipwrights at the Northwest School of Boat Building — a nod to festival founder Ralph Rodheim’s legacy.
Tickets are $95 (advance purchase required, limited to 300 guests). Evening event — exact time listed on the festival website.
Come Saturday, it’s all hands on deck. The harbor transforms into a living museum, featuring over 30 wooden boats — each with its own tale to tell. From legendary Hollywood vessels to historic racing shells, it’s a haven for maritime lovers, storytellers, and anyone in search of a perfect day by the bay.
Here’s what’s in store: talks by celebrated authors and maritime historians, the “Cruising with Legends” photo exhibit, the Wooden Boat Walk of Fame honoring cinematic maritime icons, and the debut of wooden rowing vessels, including vintage shells from The Boys in the Boat, on display in collaboration with the Newport Beach Aquatic Center.
General admission is $15. The Wild Goose Cruise is $65 and includes festival admission.
Make a weekend of it with exclusive hotel packages from Hyatt Regency Newport Beach, just minutes from the festival. Book through the festival site for insider deals and upgrades.
Tickets went on sale April 1 at www.newportbeachwoodenboatfestival.com. Pro tip: Premiere Night always sells out. Secure your spot early.
Proudly presented by Whittier Trust and hosted by the Balboa Yacht Club, this year’s event is also made possible by the City of Newport Beach, County of Orange, and Visit Newport Beach. Whether you’re a maritime purist, a weekend wanderer, or just a lover of great stories, the ninth annual Newport Beach Wooden Boat Festival promises to stir your soul and spark your imagination.
Looking Ahead, Beyond Baja Ha-Ha XXXI
Since announcing the end of the Baja Ha-Ha and therefore his reign as Grand Poobah, Richard Spindler has been fielding questions and comments from people concerning a “vacuum of sorts for southbound boats in fall 2026.” Some are talking about options to create another event and what that might require.
“Speaking as the honcho of all 31 Ha-Ha’s, let me make one thing clear,” the Poobah states on the Ha-Ha website. “The Ha-Ha might appear to be a simple event, but it’s extremely complicated, with numerous obstacles.” He says the event has lasted this long due to the “long-term personal relationships” the Ha-Ha organizers have established with various government agencies and officials in Mexico City, Cabo San Lucas, Mulegé, and San Carlos, together with long personal relationships with key individuals and businesses in San Diego, Turtle Bay, Bahia Santa Maria, San Carlos, and Cabo San Lucas.
“It has taken decades to figure out who these people are, and even more importantly, how to contact them. Over the years I’ve lost a lot of sleep navigating what was required to keep the Ha-Ha alive. Were it not for these personal relationships, the Ha-Ha would have expired years ago,” the Poobah continues, citing one example of needing “a special dispensation from the highest levels of the Mexican navy in Mexico City.” And then there was the year they created a makeshift immigration office on the back of the mother ship Profligate in Bahia Santa Maria.
The Poobah has spent decades fine-tuning the Ha-Ha logistics. He also started from a reasonably informed place. When he started the rally in 1994, he was still the owner and publisher of Latitude 38, which afforded him broad access to the sailing community, and legitimacy.
“I was going south with my own boat no matter if anybody else was going to join me. But more than anything, the big advantage was that it was a more simple time back then,” he continues. Working with the Mexican government is no longer as easy as it was; the Poobah says everything has become more complicated. “Much, much more complicated.” He lists some of the points a new cruising rally to Mexico would need to consider:
Getting Latitude 38 (that’s us) onboard for starters. “Latitude is critical for publicity and connecting with the dozens of businesses that support the Ha-Ha.” We also work with the Ha-Ha in creating the free First Timer’s Guide to Mexico and Meet the Fleet booklets.
“In addition to Latitude’s considerable time and expense, somebody has to update all the information in those booklets as well as write the 140 or so boat bios,” the Poobah adds. ‘I’ve written every bio to date, and while it’s a labor of love, it takes a lot of time. But without Latitude 38, any future event similar to the Ha-Ha would be a real stretch.”
Then one would need to design, manage, and regularly update the website; answer all the questions from participants and potential participants; be up to date on everything in Mexico — marinas, clearing in, TIPs, insurance, various forms of communications, and every nautical question under the sun. “Over the years Assistant Poobah Patsy Verhoeven has answered as many as 1,000 email questions in one year.”
And don’t forget the Annual Ha-Ha Kick-Off Costume Party in San Diego, co-hosted by West Marine, plus the Downwind Marine Welcome Cruisers Party and cruising seminars.
“Having just gotten started listing what would be required, actually the easy stuff, I realize that I’ve got better things to do with my afternoon. Like the boat bios for this year’s Ha-Ha,” the Poobah continues, adding that several Ha-Ha veterans from Profligate are toying with the idea of a post-Baja Ha-Ha event. “Collectively they know a lot of what’s involved and many of the key people involved.”
Discussions will take place after this year’s Ha-ha, the Poobah says, ensuring they and anyone else who may be interested get all the details on exactly what, and whom, they need to know. “So I suggest that nobody get too invested in any plans until mid-November.”
“As for me, I have one goal, and that is to make sure the last Baja Ha-Ha is as good as it can possibly be. Thanks for understanding.”
If you want to be a part of Ha-Ha history, sign up here.
Sailagram: A Snapshot of May Sailing
Happy days! This is the month in which the Northern Hemisphere officially hits summer. We’re hoping you’ll all be on the water enjoying the many hours of daylight and the lingering twilight. While you’re out there, take a photo or two and send them our way for next month’s Sailagram.
In the meantime, here’s what happened on the water in May.
Westwind Yacht Management — Washing, Waxing and Varnishing
Westwind Yacht Management: Premiere Yacht & Fleet services for the San Francisco Bay Area.