Princess Tai Ping, the 54-ft Chinese junk that visited the Bay Area last October, was run down by a freighter off Taiwan on Sunday. Thankfully, all 11 crew, including three Americans, survived with mostly minor injuries. More »

Stephen Szukics (foreground) and James Winningham were looking for adventure. They found it. © 2009 USCGC Sherman When Stephen Szukics’ dockmates at Loch Lomond Marina in San Rafael heard that the 55-year-old was planning to take his 55-ft wooden Baglietto powerboat Black Pearl to Texas via the Panama Canal, they tried to talk him out of it. More »

It’s nice to know that the new and sometimes deadly swine flu — which is a combo of swine, avian and human flu — that started in Mexico was nice enough to not get going until the cruising season in Mexico pretty much ended. More »

Ol’ Ptolemy’s maps contained a bit of mis-information, but considering what he had to work with, they are truly amazing. © 2009 Webb Logg With modern technological advances impacting virtually every aspect of our lives these days, it’s easy to take many of them for granted. More »

What almost appeared yesterday to be a ‘final decision’ now looks like the bell for just one more round of America’s Cup legal boxing. Earlier this month, the New York Appeals Court ruled that BMW Oracle Racing and its home yacht club, Golden Gate YC, would be instated as the Challengers of Record for AC33, and that the ‘paper’ club, Spain’s CNEV — which was hastily created after the last Cup race to insure the event would stay in Valencia — was out. More »

What would a beautiful Younger Girl such as this being doing with a skipper who looks like . . . Younger Girl
©2009 Latitude 38 Media, LLC San Diego’s Mark Sciarretta, who is not only a vet of multiple Ha-Ha’s, but also a serial and multiple boatowner, wants everyone to know that he and his new younger girl can be watched, via the internet, transiting the Panama Canal today. More »

John Thompson and CG Auxiliary officer Rick Saber check the expiration dates on John’s flare gun ammo. latitude/Andy
©2009 Latitude 38 Media, LLC John Thompson’s Tanzer sloop may only be 22 feet long, but she’s fitted out with all the safety gear that would be found on a boat twice her size. More »

The ‘ick meter’ was cranked up several notches last week when, on the same day the big wind storm rolled through, a dead gray whale made its smelly way around Richardson Bay. More »

All the snow on Misty suggests that it’s still a little early in the season to go sailing in Alaska. © 2009 Paul May "Greetings from 61ºN," writes Paul May of the Vancouver 32 pilothouse Accomplice. More »