Ha-Ha Sailors Play ‘Bazeball’ in Turtle Bay En Route to Cabo
It is day five of the 10-day-long Baja Ha-Ha cruise to Mexico. Today the fleet is anchored in Turtle Bay, where they will play their annual bazeball game — Baja Ha-Ha Cruisers versus the locals. The stop in Turtle Bay also furnishes the locals with an in-depth inventory of baseball gear donated by cruisers.
Along the way, Scott Armstrong and the crew aboard Makai (from Anacortes, WA, and Navasota, TX) put their time to good use enjoying the sunshine, and catching fish.
Scott, 59, is a retired entrepreneur in “Metals to Manure.” He has five crew: William Pigors, 69; Terry Latham, 58; David Henry, 68; Skyler Lighthall; and Timothy Geistlinger, 55.
“Like my son, who flies for the Marines here at the NAS Kingsville, I, too, am a pilot — as well as a welder, ranch worker, hay hauler, music minister, fire commissioner, and, in the ‘90s, an elected constable. I’m also a singer of old country classics and drunken sailor songs.”
We’re not sure if this counts as a “drunken sailor song,” but it’s good all the same.
“I was born and raised on Trinity Bay in Baytown, Texas, and can’t count the number of powerboats and sailboats I’ve owned. But Makai, which I bought in 2017 in Anacortes, is my first offshore sailboat.
“I’ve never done a Ha-Ha, but I have a lot of dream destinations. After Mexico, I hope to sail west and meet friends as I sail to Bora Bora, Cairns, South Africa, and the BVI, where I’ve sailed many times before.”
Stay tuned for more Baja Ha-Ha updates and pics.
If you’re out there having a blast, send us your photos and a diary entry or two to share with the rest of us “wannabe Ha-Ha cruisers.” Send to [email protected].
Encinal Yacht Club’s Jack Frost Series Kicks Off
On Nov. 1, Encinal Yacht Club kicked off their club’s midwinter series, set to continue throughout the late fall and winter. The series is known as the “Jack Frost Series.”
The fleets waited in postponement for the westerly breeze to fill past the Cityfront, where Golden Gate races in their own midwinter series were underway. Finally at 1300, 10-knot westerly winds made it to the East Bay and races were underway.
The Olson 25 fleet had tight racing between the two lead boats. Falkor (BYC) skipper Zack Parisa was first in race one and second in race two.
Steve Smith’s Synchronicity (RYC) finished within seconds to place second in race one, then pulled ahead in race two for first place. O’mar, with David Scott, kept a solid third in both races. Synchronicity won the day on tiebreaker by virtue of having the better finish in the last race.
The PHRF Spinnaker fleet was dominated by Good & Plenty (IYC), which was first in both races. Smokin’ (EYC) corrected out to second in both races.
You can find the full scores of the Encinal Yacht Club Jack Frost Series here.
Discover San Francisco Marina Small Craft Harbor
Elkhorn Yacht Club Hosts Dia de los Dinghies Regatta
The day dawned foggy and still at Moss Landing as Lasers, Lido 14s, Walker Bays, El Toros, and a Jester readied themselves for the annual Dia de los Dinghies, hosted by Elkhorn Yacht Club. Monterey Bay locals and a Laser sailor from “over the hill” (i.e., Silicon Valley) donned costumes, and the sun just began to peek through the fog in time for the 11:00 a.m. skippers’ meeting.
Racers were reminded that this was going to be a fun regatta, as Notice of Race Section 8.2 noted that, “Verbal protests will fall upon the deaf ears of the PRO. Visual protests will be likewise ignored.”
By race time the fog had lifted and the under-five-knot breeze was just enough to fill small sails as the diminutive dinghies jockeyed for starting position. Starts were sometimes all-fleet and sometimes staggered into three divisions (Lidos, Lasers, and “the stubbies”), entirely at the whim of the PRO (see “fun regatta” above).
The course was one or two laps from the north end of the marina in Moss Landing North Harbor, around the last outbound channel marker and back, with a turn buoy when needed, mostly a beam reach both ways. Racers were obliged to navigate around novice kayakers heading up the popular Elkhorn Slough, SUPs, sportfishing boats coming and going from three ramps, and active dredging operations in the channel. And of course, each other, as Lasers and Lidos lapped the eight-ft-and-under division despite the staggered starts.
After four races (and dwindling wind), the ties in divisions and for overall winner of the perpetual trophy could be decided only one way: pumpkin chucking. For the fifth and final race, the safety boat lobbed a variety of pumpkins into the path of the by-now sloth-like sailors. The PRO bellowed through his nearly battery-dead megaphone, “Ties will be broken by the most pumpkins retrieved, BUT YOU STILL HAVE TO SAIL THE COURSE!”
Aquatic chaos and hilarity ensued, and sure enough, some divisions were in fact, “won by a pumpkin or two.” While the 14-footers started to clean up for the awards ceremony, three intrepid rowing dinghies down-rigged for the semiannual bragging-rights “Row Your Boat” perpetual trophy race. It was clear, blue skies and warm on the patio as winners were announced, prizes awarded (for a variety of non-racing achievements as well), burgers grilled, and plans made for the Totally Dinghy fun regatta in early May!
California Is Making You Pay Property Tax on Sales Tax!
Boat owner Larry McCullogh sent us the following to alert boat owners to what he’s contested as an illegal property tax on boats (and airplanes). We’ve edited his correspondence for brevity and included his video of the issue.
A friend suggested I contact you in reference to my boat’s property tax assessment. The County assessed my 59-ft Nordhavn Coastal Pilot for over 50% more than I’d paid for it five years earlier, although we’ve cruised on it for over 15,000 miles and visited six countries and 22 US states.
I fought the assessment valuation, and what I learned shocked me. Marin County, like other counties in the state, adds sales tax to the value of an assessment every year. This is against the state constitution and California Supreme Court [rulings], and it is hidden!
I also found that the Marin County assessor does not follow the guidelines set forth by the State Board of Equalization. That affected me personally, but it is the inclusion of the sales tax every year that affects just about all boaters in the state. Airplanes too. I filed an appeal for both 2023 and 2024 assessments and had my 2024 hearing on August 15, where I presented evidence that the sales tax [inclusion] is illegal. I have yet to receive the verdict from the Appeals Board.
They add sales tax to the value every year and hide it in what they call “Full Assessed Value.” For example, let’s say your boat’s assessed value is $100,000. They then add sales tax of 8.5% to come up with a “Full Assessed Value” of $108,500, which is what they then tax at 1%. Their justification is based upon the court case of Xerox v. Orange County, where Xerox was fighting Orange County for charging sales taxes on leased copying machines. This ruling, from 1977, is the State BOE’s justification for adding sales tax by saying that if you are going to buy a boat, you have to pay sales tax. The state constitution limits personal property taxes to 1%; in California they are charging 1.085%. That does not sound like a lot, but it adds up to tens of millions extra being charged to boat owners. In my Appeals Board hearing I mentioned all of this; the assessor had no defense when he was questioned by a board member. There are over 600,000-plus in California who are being taken advantage of by 8.5%.
I did a seven-minute video that I posted on YouTube to try to let other boaters know about this, and I have attached the link below.
It doesn’t make sense to us. We also wrote about counties inflating boat valuations for the purpose of property tax assessment in 2022. Has anyone had luck appealing their valuation or contesting the inclusion of sales tax on their boat’s valuation? Add your comments below.
Short Sightings: “Celebrate Marinship” + Sail to Shelter Founder Honored
Sausalito Working Waterfront Coalition (SWWC) is hosting, “Celebrate Marinship: Past — Present — Future” at the Bay Model Visitor Center on Nov. 15, 12–3 p.m.
The Sausalito Working Waterfront Coalition advocates to preserve the Marinship’s industrial character for the Sausalito waterfront’s residents, business owners, educators, and tradespeople, all while building community and local networks. SWWC has continually lobbied city leaders to protect the integrity of the waterfront, and in doing so, support the shipwrights, fabricators, artists and maritime innovators who are helping the district to thrive.
On Saturday, November 15, the SWWC is highlighting the Marinship community’s shipwrights, fabricators, artists and more who will be offering information on their industries’ innovations, creations, technology, history and works of art.
Head down to the Bay Model Visitor Center from 12 noon to 3 p.m. and enjoy live music and fresh fish tacos alongside members of the Marinship community as they display their work.
Additional booths will host information on local Marinship innovations, maritime, technology, history and art. There will also be a raffle for two tickets for a Sunset Sail on the Freda B and other exciting surprises to come.
Read more about Marinship and the Sausalito Working Waterfront Coalition here.
California-based visionary Angela Abshier, founder of Sail to Shelter, is one of three women to be celebrated in the 2025 Honours for their achievements in shaping the future of yachting.
Honorees are selected for their impact, from advancing science to protecting the planet, uplifting communities, or inspiring others through courage, creativity, and compassion.
Abshier founded Sail to Shelter in 2020 after realizing that the enormous, high-performance sails retired from superyachts were often destined for landfills. Her nonprofit keeps these sails out of landfills and gives them a second life as shelters and shade solutions for communities in need around the world. Sail to Shelter jumped into action to help provide shelters after the town of Lahaina was devastated by fire in 2023.
“The sails that once harnessed the power of the wind are now providing protection from it,” said Abshier. “It’s proof that even the materials of this industry have the potential to serve a higher purpose. I’m deeply honored that Sail to Shelter has found a home within the heart of the yachting community.”
her home in Los Angeles.
Read more about Sail to Shelter here.
Give the Gift of ‘Latitude’ this Holiday Season
