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Dust, shards of fiberglass and broken dreams filled the air over the Oakland Estuary on Wednesday, as roughly 10 sailboats — most of them designated as abandoned, derelict and illegally anchored — were destroyed.
Navy Training Barque
A hardy crew of sailors were onboard Call of the Sea’s Schooner Seaward this morning to welcome the BAP Union as she sailed through San Francisco’s famous Golden Gate. As the Union entered the Bay and sailed gracefully beneath the Golden Gate Bridge, we considered ourselves to be among the fortune few who witnessed this once-in-a lifetime spectacle.
SailGP on San Francisco Bay
SailGP founder and five-time America's Cup winner Russell Coutts landed to see what was taking shape as the second heat of the 2019 SailGP circuit readies for its US debut on San Francisco Bay May 4-5.
End of a Journey
On Saturday, blind sailor Hiro Iwamoto  accomplished his dream and made the 6,000- mile crossing from San Diego to Fukushima, Japan, aboard Dream Weaver, an Island Packet 40.
Opening Day Ceremonies
Is changing your boat's name bad luck? Renaming a yacht is, of course, not something to be done lightly. Since the beginning of time, sailors have sworn that there are unlucky ships and the unluckiest ships of all are those who have defied the gods and changed their names. So, the caveat is to do it correctly.
Community Sailing Project
US Sailing has just announced the Siebel Sailors Program described as a landmark community sailing program made possible by a ground-breaking donation from the Thomas and Stacey Siebel Foundation.
Daysail Destination
While Easter Island in the South Pacific is one of the world's most remote inhabited islands, Angel Island is one of the world's nearest (practically) uninhabited islands. We took advantage of a fair forecast and sunny Easter weekend weather for a Saturday escape to Angel Island.
Bay Area Racing
The foiling cats return to San Francisco Bay as SailGP’s first-ever US-held event is set to ignite the waters of San Francisco Bay.
Thistle vs. Laser
Following last weekend's Big Dinghy Regatta, hosted by Richmond Yacht Club, Laser sailor Emilio Castelli posted this video on YouTube. "Leaky Lena survived another adventure," he wrote. "She's over 30 but still sturdy." Like Emilio himself.
San Francisco Bay
Cameron Tuttle, the former race chair at Tiburon Yacht Club and Latitude 38 reader, has a question. He saw a Facebook post from Bay Area PRO guru Jeff Zarwell, who described the rigors of running the Nations Cup during some bizarre tides.
Station Bodega Bay
Coast Guard Station Bodega Bay invites members of the public to an open house tomorrow. This Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., visitors will have the opportunity to tour USCG boats and aircraft, observe search and rescue demonstrations, and meet local Coast Guard members.
Alameda Community Sailing Center
While volunteers at Alameda Community Sailing Center were getting their space ready for the recent Spring Sailing Camp at their Encinal Boat Ramp location, they saw the need to do something about all the weeds that have grown in the boat storage area.
A Dog's Way Home
Workers on an oil rig in the Gulf of Thailand were astonished to spot a dog swimming toward the structure last Friday — especially so, since the rig lies 135 miles from the nearest land.
The World Famous L38
Here’s your April Caption Contest(!). The winner will be announced in the May issue’s Loose Lips, as well as on the May 1 ‘Lectronic Latitude.
Hazard to Navigation
The president of the Yacht Racing Association's In-the-Bay Series, writes, "YRA is adding the Southampton Shoal as a restricted area (200 feet around) for YRA races due to the hazardous condition of the old platform pilings." The YRA is removing the platform from its list of designated race marks on San Francisco Bay.
Donate to BAADS
"I have accumulated a lot of marine gear that clogs our boat and my garage. Are there good places to donate things like lifejackets, foul weather gear, used lines and tired sails? Any suggestions?"
Match Race Finals
Both French teams — top-ranked Women’s Division skipper Pauline Courtois and Open Division skipper Maxime Mesnil — and defending Nations Cup Women’s champion Nicole Breault scored all picket fences on the first day of racing on Wednesday at the 2019 World Sailing Nations Cup.
Buy or Sell Marine Gear
Nautical Swap Meet at Owl Harbor on May 4 from 8 a.m. to noon. Free space and free entry.
Cruiser's Rally
If you'll be cruising south this fall, and intending to do the Baja Ha-Ha, the Grand Poobah highly recommends that you mark noon on May 8 on your calendar. For that's the moment entries will first be accepted for the event, and berth space in Cabo San Lucas is based on how early a boat was signed up.
Son of a Sailor
Readers — On Monday, we brought you a little tale from Latitude founder Richard Spindler’s Facebook page, where a certain salt-shaker-searching singer paid him a visit, and brought some good dope (which is to say, some interesting gossip about a storied boat, Escapade, and how she’s being rebuilt).
Editor's Notebook
Those of you who read Racing Sheet in Latitude 38 are no doubt familiar with the odds and ends that populate Race Notes. This is an online version — tidbits culled by our racing editor during last week's Pacific Sail and Power Boat Show.
Maritime Art
Last Friday, we asked you if you knew in what TV show the painting Mouth of the Delaware by Thomas Birch made an appearance.
Wastin' Away Again
When Jimmy Buffett was on my cat 'ti Profligate' yesterday in St. Barth and told me that the great Rhodes 73-ft centerboard yawl 'Escapade', a Caribbean legend from the 80s and 90s, was being completely rebuilt, I was pretty sure that he was mistaken. After all, when I'd seen her years ago, she seemed to be a lost cause in the KKMI yard in Richmond.
Sail Sport Talk
I am on the ground floor of launching a radio program covering the sport of sailing. We have some pros, some classics and some local coverage. We have about 22 minutes within a two-hour sports program.
Shootin' the Breeze
As spring arrives and America’s favorite pastime is in full swing (pun intended), the Bay Area is preparing for the arrival of the foiling cats — and we don’t mean some mischievous felines that are playing with a roll of aluminum foil.
Whatever Floats Your Boat
“People who do not know that a sailboat is a living creature will never understand anything about boats and the sea.”  
Casual Racing
Monday's 'Lectronic Latitude rolled out the beer can season, which ramps up in a big way this month. Sometime back in medieval times, Latitude 38's late great racing editor, Rob Moore, penned the Ten Commandments of Beer Can Racing. They bear repeating every few years.