Incomplete Coverage: A Partial Eclipse of Sailing News

We have one of the sunniest days of anywhere in the US, but that will only get us a look at about 33% of the solar eclipse here in Northern California. while San Diego will get about 54% coverage. However, a 33% eclipse on a clear day may be more more fun than a 100% eclipse elsewhere on a cloudy day.

Who Won the Bullship Race? More Importantly, Who Came in Second? 

Saturday’s sunny Bullship Race had a fleet of 21 El Toros racing from Sausalito to San Francisco. First place was Richmond Yacht Club member Chris Sullivan aboard his El Toro Moon Age Daydream. But like great circumnavigation races and the basketball final four, it’s often the person who comes in second that makes the story. Cole Brauer did a spectacular job coming in second in the Solo Global Challenge, Caitlin Clark had an amazing college career with Iowa, finishing second in this year’s college women’s championship, and Vaughn Seifers aboard Out on a Lim shocked the world taking second in this year’s Bullship Regatta. It was Rowena Carson sailing Warf taking third. Richmond Yacht Club made a clean sweep of the top three spots. Complete results are here.

Congress and Your Logo Design Will Help Save the Sausalito Working Waterfront 

The Sausalito Working Waterfront is a busy place. The recent newsletter highlighted the haulouts of the schooner Freda B and the 90-ft motoryacht Wanda. They also are having a design contest to create a logo for all the tenants of the Marinship, so they can share their community’s story to preserve the working waterfront.

In addition, Congress has recognized the threat to working waterfronts nationwide. There are two bills introduced to help prevent working waterfronts from turning into condo developments so sailors, fishermen and the maritime trades have places to maintain and service boats on the coast. You can read more about these stories and enter the contest by reading more in the Sausalito Working Waterfront Newsletter here.

Company Offers Alternative Source for Time — Why? 

GPS makes sure Door Dash can deliver the burritos to your house or help you miss a rock or find a narrow pass on an atoll. According to an article in the New York Times the space-weapons race is putting the GPS system at risk. The Chinese have kept developing Loran as an alternative, and other systems exist, but right now, there does not appear to be a good Plan B for the US GPS system. The critical element in this is keeping time. The story mentions the company Satelles, which is working with the US National Institute of Standards and Technology to use different satellites for an alternative source of time. Something we’d all like to find. In the meantime, the Navy and Door Dash are both teaching their team to relearn the use of sextants.

Translated 9 Retires From Ocean Globe Race With Hull Cracks

The Swan 65 Translated 9, the current IRC leader of Leg 4, has been forced to divert to Portugal after a heavy broach in 50-knot gusts slammed them down, reopening previously repaired cracks in their hull around the rudder skeg, causing water ingress. In Leg 3 they had to return to Auckland to repair similar cracks that developed after heavy weather. At present they are approximately 1000 miles SW of Portugal and making for land, with an ETA of 11 April. You can follow the fleet as they close on the finish off the Isle of Wight, England.

Darkness Crosses the Pacific Puddle Jump Fleet as it Heads West

This is the season for boats to head from the west coast of the Americas to the fabled islands of the South Pacific. About 15 boats from this year’s fleet of Pacific Puddle Jumpers are now underway. The Tayana 52 Current Toy, which left from Puerto Vallarta in early February, has already arrived to start enjoying life under the swaying palms. Jan Passion wrote in a week ago to say “bon voyage” from the X Yachts 49 Joia as they left Southern California on a course south and west. The rest of the fleet could have an interesting day with their sextant (if they have one), since many will be sailing right across the path of totality in today’s eclipse. You can see the fleet progress here.