From S.F. Bay to Cabo, the Latitude Fall Crew Party Is Your First Stop
As we count down the days until our fall crew list party, we’re thinking about the many sailors who have attended these gatherings over the years and found new friendships or new crewmates, or simply connected with people they’ve known for years but may have been out of touch with for a while. This is what we love about hosting the Latitude 38 Fall Baja Ha-Ha Crew List Party. It’s an evening of connections, fun, merriment and some very tall sailing stories.
The stories might be about what happened yesterday on the Bay; that time they went for a summer cruise in the Delta; an upcoming race or seminar, such as the Rolex Big Boat Series or Island Yacht Club’s 34th annual Women’s Sailing Seminar. And, of course, given that the party encompasses the annual Baja Ha-Ha Mexico Cruising Seminar and sailors’ reunion, we hear a good number of stories from sailors who have been on the Ha-Ha, whether for the first time or the umpteenth time. For example, Mark LaFevers is signed up for this year’s 32nd Baja Ha-Ha, and, he has done it four times previously! Mark does have some stories to tell. He also has some good tips, things he has discovered along the way as he tacked down to Mexico and bashed his way back to California over four almost consecutive seasons — 2019, ’21, ’22 and ’24.
Mark admitted to being inexperienced when he joined his first Ha-Ha, but he did it nonetheless, and is surely a better sailor now for the experience. “As newbies, our first year was marked by being well aware of our own inexperience in extended cruising, but still lusting for that level of adventure. Falling in with this rally group of highly skilled, experienced, like-minded sailors — along with the terrific supportive structure the rally organizers provide — was and is a smart, safe, fun way to get started.” Mark talks about issues and solutions regarding solar panels, fueling, furling, and some general thoughts along the way. For anyone still on the fence about joining the Ha-Ha this year (extended registration period closes October 15), check out Mark’s story.
His overall suggestion is, ” … there is no time like right now for staying meaningful and engaged. And the Baja Ha-Ha offers that, and much more, to sailors of all ages and experience levels.” You can read Mark’s story here.
Meanwhile, back in Sausalito, the Crew List Party will be in full swing on Thursday September 10, at Spaulding Marine Center. Many sailors have found their forever crew here, and their sometimes, or onetime crew — it all depends on the circumstances and timing. But one thing is for certain: No one ever regrets going to the Latitude 38 Fall Baja Ha-Ha Crew List Party. And neither will you!
We look forward to seeing you there next week for some salty talk and mingling. Get your tickets here.
Richmond YC Hosts ILCA 6 Clinic With Olympic Coach
Nine ILCA 6 sailors gathered at Richmond Yacht Club (RYC) for our first ILCA 6 Masters clinic with coach Luke “Swifto” Elliott. Swifto, who trained on the Australian sailing team with Olympic gold medalists Tom Burton and Matt Wearn, is now a full-time coach with an impeccable record of improving sailors’ results and morale. He is often brought in as a guest coach to share his knowledge and experience with sailing teams and programs such as the US Sailing ILCA 7 Olympic Development Program (ODP). After Swifto and the ODP team spent a week training at RYC in August, our Masters sailors had the opportunity to follow them onto the water for four days of intensive coaching in some classic San Francisco Bay conditions. And Richmond delivered.
Over the course of the clinic, we experienced winds ranging from approximately 15 to 25 knots, along with excellent surfing conditions. The first three days challenged our heavy-air skills, and we worked on properly balancing the rig, dealing with chop, and maximizing downwind speed. Friday eased to around 15 knots — a welcome opportunity to bring together everything we had learned.
Swifto combined theory lectures, on-the-water drills, racing, video and data analysis into a complete learning system. Every day started with his mobility warm-up, a must for ILCA sailors looking for longevity in the sport. The sailors uploaded daily GPS tracks to SailSync, allowing the group to examine statistics from our starts and sailing speeds. Alongside Swifto’s video footage, the SailSync tracks gave us objective information about what was happening on the water — and whether the changes we were making were actually producing results.
By the end of the clinic, those results were visible. Boat handling and maneuvering improved, sailors became more confident judging the starting line, and the fleet grew noticeably closer in speed.
Our final practice races produced real battles throughout the fleet. Smiles abounded, even through multiple capsizes and recoveries in the challenging conditions.
What makes Swifto such an exceptional coach is not simply the extent of his sailing knowledge, but his ability to explain why something works. He understands the interaction among wind, water, boat and sailor at a remarkably deep level, and he can translate that understanding into practical changes [that] each sailor can immediately test on the water. He also adapts his coaching to the needs and experience of each participant, providing the same care and attention throughout the fleet. And the drills ensure that everyone has maximum fun alongside the skill-building.
The learning continued ashore during our daily debriefs, accompanied by wine courtesy of Castelli Vineyards. On Thursday night, Emilio Castelli — who also drove the coach boat during the clinic — prepared an excellent pasta dinner for the group, and the evening became a proper clinic party. It was serious training, but it was also exactly what a Masters clinic should be: challenging, social, generous and fun.
Thanks to Emilio Castelli and Charles Brochard for coach-boat support, and to Will Paulsen, Curtis Lew and Mark Vandenberg for assisting in organizing the event. Thanks also to ILCA-NA for sponsoring the clinic. Richmond proved once again that it is an outstanding place to train in the ILCA. We hope this inaugural Masters clinic will be the first of many to come.
Clinic participants were Jenny Maybee, Ernest Galván, Laurie Davis, Toshinari Takayanagi, Richard Piccioni, Chris Cooke, Joshua Gutow, Colin Brochard and Chris Boome.
Visit Antioch Marina, the Gateway to the Delta
Jocelyn Nash Film Debut From ‘Life On The Water’ Series Coming in October
Sailing-filmmaker Oleg Harencar is delivering another film in his series Life On The Water. The series documents the life of sailors as a way to “honor the history, culture and achievements of inspiring individuals and their connection to water.” To date, Harencar’s films have highlighted sailing characters such as Warwick “Commodore” Tompkins, Hank Easom, Ron Holland and at least seven others including WoodenBoat magazine founder Jon Wilson. It was after the premiere of the Jon Wilson film at the Rafael Theater, nearly 10 years ago, that West Coast sailor and STEMsail founder Wayne Koide met Harencar and suggested that Harencar’s next film be about Jocelyn Nash. Harencar replied, “You are not the first person to mention that to me.” Fast forward to 2026, and Harencar’s latest film, Sailing Set Her Free: The Jocelyn Nash Story is set to debut on October 22, at the Smith Rafael Film Center in San Rafael.
Life On The Water fundraiser Susan Koide shared the news in an recent email to Latitude. “I’ve watched this story grow, evolve, and overcome a lot of hurdles to get to the finish line. Today, I can officially say that this 10-year dream is finally hitting the big screen, and I would love nothing more than to celebrate this moment with you.”
Jocelyn Nash was one of the first outstanding women sailors in the 1950s. She went tack for tack with the men dominating the sailing scene at the time — Tom Blackaller, Ted Turner, Paul Elvstrøm and the like — and made the sailing world her own. Among her achievements, the film’s bio lists first woman to compete in the Transpac Race from Long Beach to Honolulu; first female sailor to compete in and win the Mallory Cup; first female winner of the International 110 Championship; first female to attempt the singlehanded Transpacific Race from San Francisco to Kauai. That’s a good number of firsts, but we can add to that. Among other things, Nash was the first woman to sail the singlehanded race around the Farallones; first woman tactician in the (now Rolex) Big Boat Series; first woman to do the Bullship Race. As Koide says, “She didn’t just sail; she broke barriers and paved the way for other women.* Her spirit is infectious, and I think we could all use a dose of her courage and determination right now.”
“This premiere isn’t just a movie screening,” Koide continues. “It’s a celebration of our community and the power of storytelling. Having you there to share in the excitement and honor Jocelyn’s legacy would truly make the night complete.”
What do you say? Can we bring together a merry crew of sailors to celebrate Jocelyn Nash and her life of sailing? You can find tickets and all the event details right here.
If you want to know a little more before you see the film, we included Jocelyn Nash in our Women’s Issue feature in the February 1979 Latitude 38, where you’ll find many more of her sailing and life achievements.
*We know it’s always the early pioneers who help open opportunities and inspire the next generation. Jocelyn was certainly one of those women who inspired many. One of the women to walk Nash’s path in recent times is Cole Brauer, the first American woman to complete a solo-circumnavigation race: the Global Solo Challenge ’23–’24, in which she took second place across the finish line in A Coruña, Spain. Brauer is coming to Book Passage in San Francisco on Thursday, September 17, to promote her book First Light, a memoir from the first American woman to race a sailboat solo, nonstop around the world. Learn more here.
Sailagram: A Snapshot of August Sailing
How was your August on the water? Whether you got the rails wet or just cruised along casually, we hope you enjoyed your time on the water. Here is a selection of photos from last month’s adventures and fun.
Latitude 38 Baja Ha-Ha Fall Crew Party — Get Your Tickets Now
