We’re saddened to report that Alameda-based cruiser John Long, 78, was found dead in Puerto Madero, Mexico — just north of the Guatemalan border — on Saturday.

Mike, legally a parapalegic, unsnarls his chute off St. Barth about a week ago when he still had 1,100 miles to go in order to complete Wanderlust 3’s circumnavigation.

The 110-ft maxi cat Gitana 13 is stopped, waiting patiently ‘behind the door’ as they put it.

The SF-based Beneteau 42 Cirque got off to a good start but, like others, struggled to maintain position in the light air.

Russ Clark, Holly Scott, and the donated North Sail. Now, to get the sail to Liz on her boat on Christmas Island.

PHOTO On the penultimate day of the Acura Key West Race Week presented by Nautica, Newport Beach sailmaker Dave Ullman and his Pegasus 505 crew were lying in fourth place, 11 points out of first in the 46-boat Melges 24 class.

The beaches on the windward side of the Christophe Harbour development site on St.

The start of the Fiasco is a sight to see. latitude/LaDonna
© Latitude 38 Media, LLC In between torrential weekend downpours, 222 boats managed to make it to the starting line of one of the most popular races on San Francisco Bay.

For those who heard Belvedere’s Tom Perkins say on KQED’s Forum that he might bring his 289-ft Dyna-Rig Maltese Falcon to the Bay in May, we’ve got a clarification.

Sailor’s delight – It’s not all work aboard Gitana 13 as she heads for San Francisco.

"All is not well in the tropical paradises of Fiji and Tonga," report John Kelly and Linda Keigher and of San Francisco-based Sirena 38 Hawkeye.

Gitana 13 is heading our way. Gitana 13
©2008 Latitude 38 Media, LLC As this ‘Lectronic Latitude was posted, the 110-ft catamaran Gitana 13 was blasting southeast down the Atlantic, five days into a nonstop record attempt at the 14,000-mile Route de l’Or: the ‘route of gold’ from New York to San Francisco.

Doug Thorne, who sails his Celestial 48 Tamara Leann out of Alameda, brought to our attention that Bay Area mogul Tom Perkins was interviewed on KQED’s Forum radio show on January 9.

With all the talk about global warming, cruisers in Mexico are wondering why it’s been so cold — since about the 10th of December — compared to other seasons.

Although SailFest’s focus is on fundraising and shoreside fun, fleet members also test their racing prowess.

If you’re a frugal cruiser, it’s great to cruise on a boat that used to race as a class or whose sail dimensions are the same as a one design or popular racing class.

The Corinthian Midwinter Series is the biggie of the Bay. Not only do these two full weekends of racing, raft-ups and partying fun in January (19-20) and February (16-17) attract the largest fleets of any midwinter races (140-150 boats are anticipated this year), they can also boast the fourth largest fleet of any event all year long (behind the Three Bridge Fiasco, Vallejo Race and Great Pumpkin, in that order).

"I was a bit surprised last week when one morning I had three new emails from ladies I didn’t know," writes Marc Hachey of the Auburn-based Peterson 44 Sea Angel which is now in Dominica.

We’re writing a report on January 4’s whopper of a storm for the February issue of Latitude, including some amazing photos taken in the midst of the mayhem.

Francis Joyon’s IDEC is skirting over the top of the Azores High, which is centered about halfway between the Azores and the Canary Islands at present.

Mike Harker expects to finish his circumnavigation this weekend, just a month or so behind schedule.

Local kids take a spin in Clipper Cove. © Treasure Island Sailing Center Where will tomorrow’s circumnavigators and Olympic sailors come from?

Here’s an example of just how small the world of sailing can be: While doing the Banderas Bay Blast in Mexico in early December, we became friends with new Profligate crew Tim Dick of the Hawaii-based Beneteau First 42s7 Eau de Vie, and his lady friend, Kim Le, of Sausalito.