Baja Ha-Ha Announces New Poobah, Chuck Skewes
Well, we’ve all been waiting for the answer to … What will happen to the Baja Ha-Ha after current Poobah Richard Spindler steps away from the rally? The announcement was made in Mexico yesterday. Chuck Skewes is taking over the reins and will become the new Poobah of the Baja Ha-Ha.
“After 31 years Baja Ha-Ha founder Richard Spindler has, with unbridled enthusiasm, announced that sailmaker Chuck Skewes will be the new Poobah. He will enjoy the continued indispensable support of Assistant Poobah Patsy Verhoeven. I [Richard] expect to continue writing the entry bios, and Doña de Mallorca will naturally be happy to help, too. Chuck is the only person I ever considered to take over. He’s got the skills, experience, and personality. I’m delighted!”
Chuck, lightly referring to himself as the “Newbah,” shared this about his new role.
“I am extremely honored and proud to take the reins of what I feel is the best event for cruisers in the world. Richard, Doña, and Patsy (who is staying with the Baja Ha-Ha crew) have set the bar extremely high with a great formula that makes cruising to Mexico a reality for so many cruisers. Although filling those shoes is an impossible task, I feel confident that the Baja Ha-Ha will continue at the level people expect, or exceed expectations.”
“From the moment I joined my first Baja Ha-Ha I was not only extremely impressed with the event but realized the benefit to anyone heading into Mexico for the season or more. Not only with the guidance of the Poobah, but the incredible resources of the community of cruisers to help [with] nearly every obstacle that the other cruisers had from charging issues, sail repair, and even crew.
“I have felt from the beginning, as many that have joined the Baja Ha-Ha, that this is a very valuable resource for anyone heading south of the border by boat. It is more than just fun — and it is fun — it is safety, education, and a building of lifelong friendships.
“There is no reason to change the formula that has helped many cruisers to achieve their dream and give them a departure date to learn offshore cruising, so you can plan on having the experience that has helped thousands to enjoy the first and learning part of their tropical cruising. We will keep in touch with Mexican officials to keep the entry into Mexico as painless as possible.”
Latitude 38 sales and marketing manager Nicki Bennett, who is on the mothership Profligate with Chuck and Richard, says, “Chuck has an intricate inside knowledge of this event and is excited to take it over.”
Here’s a quick video of Chuck himself talking with past-Latitude crew Mitch Perkins.
We wish Richard and Doña all the best for their next adventures, and we send a big congratulations to Chuck Skewes and look forward to the future of the Baja Ha-Ha.
Spaulding Marine Center’s Boatworks 101 Welcomes New Apprentices
As noted in our current November issue, the Spaulding Marine Center Boatworks 101 Apprenticeship Program, established in 2021, has graduated 26 certified boat service technicians, all of whom have entered the marine industry workforce — most remaining in the Bay Area. Graduates have pursued careers in diesel engine service, shipwright work, marine electrical systems, outboard mechanics, varnishing, rigging, and other marine trades.
On August 18, Boatworks 101 welcomed its fifth cohort — five apprentices eager to advance their skills and careers in the marine trades. The fall semester emphasizes marine propulsion, following chapters from the American Boat & Yacht Council (ABYC) textbook and supplemented by workshops led by industry professionals. Apprentices receive comprehensive instruction in boat handling, yard safety, and the operation of woodworking tools including table saws, routers and planers. Working alongside experienced mentors, they gain hands-on experience in hauling, sanding, painting, varnishing, and performing a range of boat repairs, including gelcoating, fiberglassing and woodworking.
Each cohort also visits Bay Area boatyards and specialized marine businesses — rigging, canvas, and sailmaking shops — to broaden their exposure and build professional connections.
Throughout the nine-month program, apprentices are guided in identifying their professional specialization, culminating in a three-month internship with a local marine business. When the placement proves to be a good fit, the internship leads to guaranteed employment upon graduation.
Apprentice Zachary Boge hopes to “find a job working on diesel or gas engines and one day working for TowBoatUS and [rescuing] people on the water with my skills.”
Apprentice Katie McKinnon says, “After the apprenticeship I envision myself continuing my education in systems: both mechanical and electrical. Eventually, I’d like to design systems for expedition sailboats and help others go on exciting adventures.”
Brutus Dennis sees a different opportunity. “At this point in the apprenticeship, I am most excited to develop my skills in finish painting and varnishing.”
Boatworks 101 partners with organizations dedicated to workforce development and offers paid, practical training to meet the growing demand for skilled marine technicians. Looking ahead, Spaulding plans to continue selecting outstanding candidates, and aspires to provide affordable housing for apprentices joining from outside the Bay Area.
Learn more about Spaulding’s Boatworks 101 program here.
Catch the Winter Special at San Francisco Boatworks
Shorteez Session Two: Four Boats, Three Races, and One Long Afternoon
First, a big thank you to Alan Orr and Peter Oppelt for running the committee boat: steady hands at the helm of order and time. Starts were crisp, finishes clean, and the fleet knew exactly where the line lay between chance and skill.
The Coast Guard had warned of a 40-footer adrift near Coyote Point, but none of us ever saw it. What we did see, and what Surprise! alone caught, was a telephone pole-sized log near the finish of race three, just enough to remind us that even a calm Bay hides its teeth.
The committee set the start line and Mark D and rolled out a trio of courses, each a little longer than the last. First, a windward-leeward: D-Z-8-finish. Then a triangle: D-Z-Marina 2-8-finish. Finally, the day’s marathon: a hybrid of both, because why stop when the wind still holds you?
The sky was pewter. Winds ran soft, seven to 10 knots, with a ghostly drizzle uninvited by the forecast. It slicked the decks, cooled the hands, and lent the racing a strange, quiet beauty. Four boats answered the call: See Monkeys, Surprise!, Svea, and Will o’ the Wind.
In Race one, Will o’ the Wind seized the start, but Svea drew ahead by Z. Surprise! slipped past See Monkeys at the mark, and for a while the order held. Then the fleet split — Svea heading west info faint whispers of breeze while the rest stayed east. The west paid off: Svea crossed first.
The second race began with Surprise! leaping off the line, chased hard by Svea. They traded tacks up to Z. Surprise! arrived first, found her line to Marina 2, and lengthened the lead. Downwind to 8, the fleet went wing-on-wing, sails trembling like birds at rest. See Monkeys, her whisker pole out, clawed back distance as others fenced for clean air. Again, Svea gambled west on the final run, and again, she was right. Svea finished first again.
Race three brought the longest course and the tightest start of the day. Surprise! broke through first, Svea on her stern, then Will o’ the Wind and See Monkeys. The fleet strung itself thin across the gray water — Svea taking Z, Surprise! hunting her down toward the marina. Downwind the wind flickered and failed. One last gust shoved See Monkeys forward, and then silence. The fleet was huddled mid-Bay like chess pieces waiting for a hand to move them. A vote was called, the course shortened, and they ran the remainder like an echo of race two. Surprise! held her line to 8, followed by Svea, Will o’ the Wind, and See Monkeys.
When the racing ended, the job wasn’t done. The committee boat had fouled her anchor rode, and the fleet stayed to help her free — boats idling, crews leaning over the rails, hands reaching through the drizzle to untie the day itself.
‘Speakership’ Launched by Good Jibes Host Ryan Foland
Latitude 38 Good Jibes podcast host and Southern California correspondent Ryan Foland has launched his first book in a series. The first book in the series he calls “Get Your Ship Together” is titled Speakership: Command Your Stage. The book helps readers prepare for any public speaking occasion.
We first met Ryan when he was a keynote speaker at a US Sailing conference in San Diego. Not only was he a great speaker, he became our podcast mentor and has helped us bring Good Jibes to life. In addition to being an author, speaking coach, brand consultant and four-time TEDx speaker, he does a darn good job drawing stick figures that he uses to illustrate the entire book.
Ryan sails his Cal 34 Bingo out of Long Beach, where he’s a member of the Alamitos Bay Yacht Club, and he spends much of his time at the Blue Water Cruising Club over at Big Geiger Cove on Catalina Island. There, he also has an ILCA (which he insists on calling a Laser) called Sandy Bottom, which he sails off the beach. ILCAs are an Olympic class that will be sailed in the 2028 Olympics in Long Beach. Despite this, Ryan has never raced his ILCA because he has plenty of fun just sailing it around.
Latitude appreciates any author who can start with a blank piece of paper (OK, blank screen) and get their ship together to write a story. Getting a book published is an even bigger accomplishment. Ryan does have his “ship” together, and we congratulate him on launching the first book in his series.
You can buy the book under “Staff Picks” at the Latitude 38 bookstore: https://bookshop.org/shop/Latitude38
Sailagram: A Snapshot of October Sailing
Welcome to Sailagram’s October gallery. If your photo is among this month’s pics, enjoy! And remember to show all your friends. If your photo isn’t here … why not?
To be included in next month’s Sailagram, upload your photo here: latitude38.com/sailagram/ or send to us at [email protected].
One Month Free at Alameda Marina
