Posts by John Riise
North to Alaska
The docks at Victoria’s Inner Harbor were a carnage-fest of broken gear, torn sails, drowned radios, lost hatches, hulls or amas filled with water, and things lost overboard.
The R2AK Starts Today
If variety is the spice, then the fifth annual Race To Alaska — the first segment of which started today — is a veritable jambalaya of waterborne fun. With the only rules being “no motor, no support,” pretty much anything that floats and can be motivated by wind or muscle power is going, including modern sailboats, an ancient sailboat (a 52-ft, 12-ton gaffer built in 1903), a variety of rowing craft, two stand-up paddleboards, and a “self-designed boat made from Hobie parts.” More »
‘Little Wing’ Sailing Her First PPJ
As you read this, a handful of 2019 Pacific Puddle Jumpers have officially arrived in the South Seas. But the bulk of the 110-boat fleet are still a few days out. More »
R2AK – Beware the Ides of April
Taxes or the R2AK . . . ? R2AK or taxes . . . ? Eenie, meenie, miney . . .
April 15 wasn’t just the deadline for filing tax returns, it was also the deadline for signing up for the wild and crazy Race to Alaska. More »
Has Anyone Lost a Dog?
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. More »
I’ll take Maritime Miscellaneous, Alex
Like most sailors, our maritime interests extend beyond sailing. And that news cycle has been eclectic lately. Here are just a few of the odd things that we’ve read about in the last few weeks…
Misfortune, Murder or Manslaughter?
Back in September, we noted the strange case of Lewis Bennett, his wife of just three months, Isabella Hellman, and their honeymoon-gone-wrong aboard their 37-ft catamaran. The couple were on the way back to Florida on the final leg of a two-week Caribbean cruise in the spring of 2017, when, according to Bennett, he was awoken around midnight by the sound and feel of the boat hitting something. More »
Misfortune or Murder at Sea?
Surf into Summer, not lookin’ good.
© USCG
Back in the spring of 2017, Lewis Bennett and Isabella Hellman, both in their early 40s, were supposed to be enjoying a belated Caribbean honeymoon aboard the 37-ft catamaran Surf into Summer. More »
Taking Care of Business
When it comes to money, there are two types of cruisers: those who have enough that they no longer need to work — and those who don’t.
Among that second set, there are also two types — commuter cruisers and those who work along the way. More »
Viva la Transpac!
Cal 40s are great boats, and we’re happy to bring you the news that another one is being revived and returned to racing. Belvedere’s Don Jesberg acquired Viva, hull #103, last year and the boat is currently undergoing a rebuild in preparation for the 2019 Transpac. More »
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