South Lake Tahoe Windjammers YC Hosts Melges 24 Tahoe Championship
The South Lake Tahoe Windjammers Yacht Club (SLTWYC) hosted the Melges 24 Tahoe Championship regatta from August 22 through 24. Seven races were sailed, with no races sailed on the 23rd due to stormy conditions.
“All three days brought challenging light-air conditions for the fleet, with moody overcast skies and a pre-race thunderstorm,” SLTWYC rear commodore Eric Villardsen tells Latitude. “Our race committee managed to get off seven buoy races over three days, with 14 different teams making it the most well-attended West Coast Melges 24 event of the year.”
“Day one left those with light-air mojo and eyes on the breeze to connect the dots leading the fleet,” Villardsen continues. “On day two, unfortunately, storms and confused light air prevented the RC from getting off any racing. Day three saw some new boats finishing in the front of the pack once the breeze started to pick up, with some much tighter racing.”
Chop Chop (Tahoe Yacht Club), skippered by Matt Hamilton, won the event, with a net total of 10 points (each competitor was afforded one drop). Hamilton finished comfortably ahead of second-place Personal Puff (TYC), skippered by Dan Hauserman, who totaled a net of 21 points. Hamilton won three of the seven races sailed.
“South Lake Tahoe Windjammers Yacht Club really delivered a first-class event,” Hamilton tells Latitude. “From the race committee work on the water to the gatherings on shore, everything was top notch. The competition was fierce, with every team pushing their Melges 24s hard in challenging conditions — it was high-level racing all the way.”
“I’d like to thank the rear commodore, the PRO, and all the volunteers who made the event possible,” Ed Hancock, the skipper of Pure Prophet (White Sands YC/SLTWYC) tells Latitude. “It was great to race an M24 one design in such a beautiful setting. I thought the venue selection by Regan Beach really made the event feel special for local skippers. The water clarity in the near-shore area was amazing to race on, especially in the light-air conditions we experienced! I thought that the RC did a great job of managing those tough sailing conditions, and I know all of the RC were working hard to get square and appropriate courses set.”
“I enjoyed meeting other M24 skippers and crew from around the West; it was a chance for the West Coast (Best Coast?) fleet to build community,” Hancock continues. “Being able to learn more about the M24 from more experienced folks both onshore and on the race course was a highlight for me. I hope the event comes back to South Lake in the future, especially so we can complete the famed Fannette Island Race!”
It Takes a Family — ‘Gold Star’ Sails in the Great Schooner Race
Bay Area film producer Vince Casalaina is working on his film Wind in Their Sails: Death and Resurrection — the story of San Francisco’s beautiful and historic sailboats, celebrating the classic yachts that have survived and the people who have dedicated their lives to maintaining them. Vince was invited to sail and film aboard Jim Cullen’s Gold Star in this year’s Great Schooner Race. He sent us a sample of his work.
Wind in Their Sails: Death and Resurrection is a story in three parts — those boats that have been in families for a long time and are passed down to the next generation; those that for one reason or another are not taken care of and die; those lucky few boats that die and are brought back to life.
When I first was looking for good prospects for boats that have been in the family, I ran into Jim Cullen at the Point San Pablo Yacht Club. His dad did a lot of work to translate Gold Star into a family-friendly boat. When the ownership passed to Jim he kept that spirit alive. Today Jim’s nephew Michael did the driving and Jim was the crew boss. He knows every piece of rigging on the boat. There’s no yelling onboard, and everyone gets a job to do so they come away with a sense of being part of a team.
Gold Star is exactly the kind of boat that fits into the first category, a boat that is passed down from generation to generation. I got a chance to film them at work — or should I say play? — in the SFYC’s Great Schooner Race. They don’t push the envelope, knowing that these boats don’t tack or jibe on a dime, and that staying clear of other boats keeps everyone safe. They know it’s fun to win, but having a good time on the water is most important.
The race started in sunny and warm conditions with very light air and a building flood in the vicinity of Knox. It took many of the schooners more than one pass at the start line to get across. Once we were out in the main Bay, the wind picked up and the fog blew in. After rounding Blossom, the boat was sailing just off the wind in building chop. I struggled to keep the camera dry enough to keep shooting. When the wind picks up the rail goes down in chop; it’s a wet ride.
Rounding Little Harding for the reach to the finish, it was sunny and warm again. It let us dry out a little, and we started talking about how much fun we’d had. Gold Star finished mid-fleet but we didn’t break anything and no one got hurt. That counts as a very good day on one of these big wooden sailboats.
They invited me back for a fun sail to watch the Rolex Big Boat Series this past Sunday. It’s been a long time since I just came out for a fun sail; I’m almost always either racing or shooting racing. My thanks to Jim, Michael and all the sailors I met on Gold Star.
I’ll be filming the Jessica Cup. Still working on my ride for that. Then I’m taking a couple of weeks off to decompress and get down to some serious editing. I plan to get my primary interviews done this year and get a very rough cut out sometime in the spring. Hopefully my last shoot will be the 2026 Master Mariners Race. If all goes well, I’ll have the project wrapped by fall 2026 and get it on the festival circuit, and find a streaming service that wants a heartwarming story that brings these classic sailboats to a much wider audience.
To learn more about the documentary, go to https://windintheirsailsdoc.com/ and sign up for the bimonthly newsletter. The next issue is scheduled for next week.
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Is Your Anode Aluminum or Zinc?
A recent issue of International Boating Industry reminded us of the important difference it makes to have your zinc anode replaced with an aluminum anode. Zinc is the metal used by your diver when he replaces the sacrificial anode on your prop shaft. The result of using zinc instead of aluminum is high concentrations of toxic zinc in marinas — the toxin cadmium can be detected as an impurity in zinc. Cadmium is harmful to humans, and to marine life. The EPA website says it causes “adverse effects on growth, reproduction, immune and endocrine systems, development, and behavior in aquatic organisms.”
The good news is there’s an easy, less toxic replacement. According to IBI, aluminum will do a better job than zinc, it can cost less, and it also weighs less for easier handling and shipping as well as reduced weight aboard. They also claim aluminum lasts up to 50% longer than zinc.
Next time your diver or boatyard says you need new zincs, you can call them by their proper name, anodes, and ask them to make sure your new anodes are aluminum.
Meet Some of the Crew Sailing South With the 31st Baja Ha-Ha Fleet
The 31st Baja Ha-Ha is right around the corner, with the fleet setting off just over six weeks from today. It may sound like a good amount of time, but those weeks will pass very quickly, particularly for those getting their boats and themselves ready. Last week we mentioned that the sign-up deadline has been extended, and it seems people are taking advantage of that. The number now stands at 132 registered boats. Are you among them?
In the September issue of Latitude 38 we shared the sailing profiles of half a dozen or so folks who are heading south with the Ha-Ha, and we’re sharing more in the upcoming October issue. But we can’t fit them all into the pages, so here are some of the folks who didn’t make it into the issue — it was nothing personal; their profile photos were too small (or they hadn’t sent one) for print. So, here’s another bunch of sailors who right now are possibly up to their armpits in engine grease, bottom paint, sail tape, or some other boat stuff.
Mike Jones, Owl Harbor/Isleton — Tayana 48, Vision
Mike, 72, is a retired land surveyor. He’ll be sailing south with friend Dolf Karsemeijer, 66.
“I’ve been boating most of my life,” says Mike, “but didn’t start sailing until 11 years ago. Vision is my second sailboat, which I bought in April 2022.”
Mike’s crew Dolf is from the Netherlands, a sailing-mad country if there ever was one. “I’m 66 years old, divorced, have two fantastic sons and girlfriends, and one lovely 8-month-old grandson. I also have more than 20 years’ sailing experience, including solo, on my boats of 23 to 30 feet in Holland and Croatia.” Mike and Dolf met via Facebook, and Mike soon asked Dolf to join him on the Ha-Ha. After the Ha-Ha the pair plan to cruise the west coast of Mexico until early spring.
Kevin and Terry Johnson, Vancouver, BC/Nanoose Bay, BC — Jeanneau SO 49, Occasio
Kevin, 68, is a retired business CEO, while Terry is a retired equine insurance broker. (The Poobah bets she has some stories.) Their crew will be Murray and Georgie Syawse.
“We have been sailing since 2009, and have owned a Cal 29, a Beneteau 393, and our current boat, a Jeanneau 49. We have owned Occasio for just over two years, during which we have done a major refit, including standing rigging, electronics, batteries, solar and sails.
“This will be our first Ha-Ha, but in the past two years we have circumnavigated Vancouver Island, a trip of 1,000 miles, and have just completed a voyage from Vancouver to Haida Gwaii and back.” (Haida Gwaii is the name given to what used to be called the Queen Charlotte Islands off the coast of British Columbia.)
“We plan to cruise the Sea of Cortez for a couple of seasons, then who knows? Our dream destination is always the next one. At the end of the day, Terry and I just want to look back and say, ‘We did that’ rather than ‘We wish we’d done that.'”
Dave Bliss, Marina del Rey — FP 47 Power Cat, Nauti Miss
Dave, 60, is a pediatric surgeon who lived in Mexico as a child and is fluent in Spanish. His crew will be friends Derek Daw, 61, an electrical engineer; and Bruce Johnson, 60, from Wasaga Beach, Ontario.
Dave grew up on or near the ocean and has owned and operated a variety of boats since childhood. Most recently he fell in love with catamarans. “And I’m the one friend crazy enough to buy the boat.”
He describes his crew Derek as a “talented electrical engineer who can fix anything.” He and Dave have been friends since high school. Bruce Johnson is an inveterate traveler who has ridden bicycles and motorcycles from the Arctic Circle to the tip of South America. Not just once, not just twice, but three times!
Dave’s dream boat would be a sustainable all-electric bluewater catamaran, similar to a Sunreef Eco 60. His dream destination is the South Pacific.
Well, we’ve given you a little insight into three more Ha-Ha crews. Can you imagine how much time and space we would need to cover all 132 entries? You can read about more in September’s Latitude 38. You could also sign up and go sailing with the fleet. That’s the best way to meet everyone.
Today Is Talk Like a Pirate Day
Is it true that all landlubbers think all sailors talk like pirates? Regardless of how much exposure the public gets to sailing in movies or any other media, the first time they step aboard a sailboat they’re likely to say, “Yo-ho-ho and a bottle of rum,” or “Aye, matey.” No landlubber steps aboard and says, “Tighten the leech line,” or “Snub up the spring line.” It’s just the way it is.
Pirates have been memorialized in hundreds of films and books, and it’s a perception all sailors have to live with. Or party with. To add to the fun, Talk Like a Pirate Day was created in 1995 to elevate the status of pirate talk to expand the good times. It’s been held every year since on September 19. So now pirates are more than just a Halloween costume. If you get into an aaaargument at the office today, you have a good excuse.
There are pirate festivals all over the globe and calendar, though October 31 probably remains the biggest pirate costume day of the year.
Whether you’re inclined to say, “Walk the plank,” or “Ease the cunningham,” September 19 is the day to perpetuate the myth that we’re all pirates.
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