Current News
Testing Virtual Nav Aids
The US Coast Guard is tasked with keeping American waterways as safe as possible, and one of the latest manifestations of that responsibility is the development of ‘virtual’ nav symbols designed to show up on electronic charts and AIS monitors. More »
SF Bay’s New Tall Ship Taking Shape
The splendid wooden brigantine Matthew Turner is taking shape in Sausalito. Come celebrate her progress tomorrow at the build site.
© 2014 Educational Tall Ship
For decades it’s been a sore point among Bay Area tall ship aficionados that San Francisco — despite its rich maritime history — does not have a bona fide tall ship that calls the Bay home. More »
Get This Man Some Foulies
Latitude was happy to donate this outboard bracket to Rimas – who is instantly likeable and genuine - although we can’t imagine it will be much help getting around Cape Horn. More »
Solo Sailor’s Death a Mystery
Sacramento-based singlehander Andrew Henry Ewing, 31, was found dead on Angel Island yesterday, ending an extensive, multi-agency search. According to US Coast Guard sources, he had departed Alameda’s Grand Marina aboard his Cal 2-29 sloop Alma shortly after 6 p.m. More »
The Sextant Killer Turns 25
On June 2, MiTAC Digital Corporation of Santa Clara, makers of Magellan GPS units, celebrated the 25th anniversary of the NAV 1000, the first commercially available handheld GPS. Powered by six AA alkaline batteries, the 8.75 x 3.5 x 2.25 inch device would come up with a very accurate latitude and longitude in about four minutes. More »
Fill Your Tanks Before Heading to Avalon
Most of us know that mainland California is suffering from a serious drought. Then there is Avalon, "26 miles across the sea," where the situation is even worse. Southern California Edison recently told the city council that this is the driest year on the island in the last 123. More »
Amanda Whips In Hurricane Season
Amanda got off the 2014 Eastern Pacific hurricane season with a powerful start, as her winds to 135 knots made her one of the most powerful May hurricanes on record. Fortunately, she was like most Mexican hurricanes in that she started and matured far out to sea. More »
Seaquel’s Final Chapter
When Seaquel’s owner, John Berg, explained to a state agency that he didn’t have the means to salvage her, they organized contractors to pull her off the reef and destroy her yesterday
© 2014 John Dour
After the Ventura-based Nordic 40 Seaquel was driven onto the Kona coast late Sunday night, there was initial hope — at least among some observers — that she might be salvageable. More »
Epic F–k Up at Expedition Yacht Launching
There have been a number of blundered yacht and ship launchings over the years, as evidenced from compilations on YouTube. Thanks to the botched launching of the 90-ft expedition yacht Boden in Anacortes on May 20, the compilations are now going to be one incident longer. More »
Search For Cheeki Rafiki Crew To Be Called Off Again Tonight
The U.S. Coast Guard search for the four Brit crew — Andrew Bridge 22, James Male 24, Steve Warren 52, and Paul Goslin 56, — of the Beneteau 40.7 Cheeki Rafiki, which apparently sank on a trip from Antigua to England, will be called off for a second time if nothing is found by tonight. More »
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