A TP52 bowman earns his pay at Valencia Sailing Week, the first of five events in the re-energized 52 Super Series.  © 2015 Pedro Martinez/Martinez Studio As the global financial crisis wanes, top-tier international yacht racing seems to be booming, and nowhere is this positive trend more evident than in the 52 Super Series, a premier one-design event for TP52s, composed of five regattas in the Med between May and September. More »

While hundreds of miles offshore, the Maserati crew were stunned by how much floating garbage they encountered. This shot was apparently taken by a crew member.  Maserati
©Latitude 38 Media, LLC Normally, one of the rewards of offshore sailing is the opportunity to savor the natural world around you, unspoiled by the influences of man. More »

Future Coasties? Possibly. For kids and adults alike, spending time with search and rescue crews is both impressive and inspiring. © Lynn Ringseis Since we’re always looking for a reason to visit Sausalito, the idea of touring the Coast Guard Motor Lifeboat Station Golden Gate during their annual Safe Boating Expo seemed an excellent way to spend last Saturday morning. More »

A Portuguese rescue swimmer looks down on the disabled Swan 44 Kolibri, which reportedly suffered a capsize plus two additional knockdowns. Her four-man Norwegian crew were rescued successfully.   © 2015 Portuguese Air Force Having crossed the Atlantic himself aboard a 30-ft Beneteau, ex-San Francisco sailor Jean Vaury brought to our attention reports on an abnormally violent storm 500 miles south of the Azores late last Wednesday night, with conditions so severe — 50-knot winds and seas up to 45 feet high — that at least four private yachts called for rescue. More »

Giovanni Soldini’s VOR 70 Maserati slips out the Golden Gate Saturday evening en route to Shanghai, China — a trek of more than 7,000 miles.  © 2015 Maserati / Jen Edney Before setting out to break an ocean-crossing record, it helps to have an ideal weather window. More »

And now, for something completely different: a Mother’s Day cruise to the Farallones. Despite overcast along the coast, it was sunny out in the islands.  latitude/Andy
©2015Latitude 38 Media, LLC Quiet conversation over eggs Benedict and mimosas is always a fine way to celebrate Mother’s Day, but for a change of pace we, and roughly 30 other sailors, took a novel approach to honoring the moms in our lives: a full-day cruise out to the Farallon Islands and back aboard the Sausalito-based schooner Freda B. More »

Regardless of sea conditions, spray in the face is nearly constant aboard VO 65s. Here, Dongfeng Race Team is on its way to a first place finish at Newport.  © 2015 Sam Greenfield / Dongfeng Race Team / VOR Maintaining their previously unthinkable level of parity and competition, the Volvo Ocean Race’s fleet has just come storming into Newport, Rhode Island with the leaders again separated by just three minutes after 17 days of close and intense racing from Brazil. More »

If you ever wanted proof that a newspaper article can be mostly true, yet very misleading, you only need to visit this Daily Mail site. The article is about Latitude‘s old friend Liz Clark of the Santa Barbara-based Cal 40 Swell, whom we knew and wrote about before she took off on her cruise 10 years ago. More »

More than 30 skippers have signed up for the 22nd annual Baja Ha-Ha since registration opened last Friday. The Ha-Ha is the 750-mile cruising rally from San Diego to Cabo San Lucas, with stops at funky Turtle Bay and magnificently beautiful Bahia Santa Maria. More »

The final days of Kaiwo Maru’s nearly 6,000-mile crossing from Japan saw punishing gales. Having arrived yesterday, the merchant marine training vessel will remain in San Francisco Bay until Wednesday.  Sea Training Institute
©2015Latitude 38 Media, LLC When is a sailing vessel considered to be a tall ship? More »